St. Joseph’s School Prayer
Glorious Saint Joseph, spouse of the Immaculate Virgin and Foster-Father of Jesus Christ; obtain for me and all the members of my family, a pure, humble, and charitable mind, and perfect resignation to the Divine Will. Be my guide and model throughout life that I may merit to die as you did in the arms of Jesus and Mary. Help us, Saint Joseph, in our earthly strife, to fulfill our responsibilities and ever to lead a pure and sinless life. Amen.
From the Head of School
Greetings from St. Joseph’s Catholic School!
As the school’s 30th academic year comes to a close, the word and corresponding attitude that keeps flooding my mind, heart, and soul is gratitude. There’s so much to be thankful for working at St. Joseph’s Catholic School. There’s a lot to do this time of year, with many events to attend such that one could easily be overwhelmed by all the things one has “got to do.” Yet, lately I’ve been thankful for all the things that I “get to do” because I work at SJCS.
Chief among my reasons for gratitude is the opportunity to be around our students. Whether it’s enjoying the spring musical, a baseball playoff game, a choral concert, a soccer state championship, participating in the Thursday morning prayer service, or simply sitting in a meeting with the senior student House Leaders talking about how to make the school even better, I nearly always leave those encounters impressed with the maturity, thoughtfulness, composure, grit, graciousness, generosity, and talents of our students. At times the virtues of our students are magnified by experiencing the lack of those qualities in students from schools against whom we are competing.
Occasionally someone will comment about SJCS students being out of uniform or point out that their hair is too long. While we certainly still have some work to do here to get back to pre-COVID form, when you take a minute to get to know our students, you can’t help but be impressed. Of course, they are not perfect, and some are more mature than others. You as parents know that. Maturity is definitely a process, and each person is on his or her own timeline. And yet, there’s a quality to a St. Joseph’s student that has always been, and hopefully always will be.
But why is that? What’s the secret sauce? Is it simply a by-product of privilege and opportunity, as some might claim? I don’t think so. There’s something more profound at work. What is it? Loving family backgrounds, moral formation at home and school, weekly all-school Mass, daily theology classes, adults who care about and expect a lot from their students and yet provide unconditional love and acceptance, teachers who set the bar high, coaches who demand the best athletically and personally, a culture of respect in the school
which of these is the X-factor? It’s probably a combination of all of these things and a hefty dose of the grace of God as well.
Then there are the parents I get to work with on a daily basis that also fill me with gratitude. Literally, not a day goes by when I don’t encounter a parent who is on campus doing something good for the school. School store volunteers; athletic team moms putting treats in lockers or taking tickets at games; prom, gala, Parent Guild, Arts and Athletic Boosters, Board committee members. You name it. If there’s something good happening at St. Joseph’s, there’s usually a parent involved. The generosity of our parents in terms of time, talent, and treasure is extraordinary, inspiring, and a reason for gratitude.
Finally, there’s the faculty and staff, co-workers in Christ, who come to work every day with a desire to form the minds, hearts, and souls of our students in the likeness of Christ according to The St. Joseph’s Way. Come to think of it, there’s a direct correlation between the qualities one sees in our students and the virtues and professionalism exhibited by the adults in the community.
For nearly three decades one of those adults, Barbara McGrath, has been coming to SJCS each day with a passion to bring to fruition the mission of the school she helped found in 1993. Earlier this spring, Barb announced her retirement from full-time work at the school so that she can spend more time with her beloved grandchildren. Thankfully, she’s promising to stay engaged on a part-time, project-basis as needed next year to assist new Director of Admissions, Jenny Starks. Jenny has had on-the-job training under Barb as her assistant the last several years. It’s incredible to think that nearly every prospective family in the history of the school has been welcomed by Barb, setting high expectations for excellence for everything that follows at the school. In recognition of Barb’s exceptional service to St. Joseph’s, the large meeting space in the new St. Joseph’s Way Center will be called McGrath Hall. (More on the plans for that building next year!)
In the category of “when it rains, it pours,” long-time SJCS teacher and a WYFF Golden Apple Award Winner, Jay Tierney is also retiring at the end of the school year and is moving to Myrtle Beach with his family where they bought a house just down the street from the beach. A second-career teacher, Jay did his student-teaching at St. Joseph’s in the first year of our middle school. He was hired the following year and has been a pillar in the middle school faculty since then. His impact as Household Dean, teacher, and colleague has been profound. After teaching middle school students for two decades, I think we’d all agree that he deserves a little beach time. Although I hear he’s going to do some teaching in a Catholic school in Myrtle Beach
I’d also like to thank Jen Collins for 11 years of service to the school. She’s leaving to start a photography business. In addition to her excellent work at St. Joseph’s as our computer apps teacher, Jen has done an incredible job as yearbook moderator. Not too long ago, I was looking through old year books to find a couple of pictures Without expecting this, I noticed a significant upgrade in the qualities of the school’s yearbooks which, not coincidentally, corresponds to the time when Jen took over the yearbook. If you haven’t seen it yet, please be sure to page through this year’s yearbook. It’s truly special!
I’d also like thank Jen Chesery for her service to our middle school since 2019. She’s moving back to Colorado at the end of the school year. We appreciate all of Jen’s efforts to help make the 6th Grade Academy a special place for our students. SJCS also thanks Charlene McGuckin and Brandon Barrett for their year of service to the school.
Finally, we just learned of another reason to be grateful: St. Joseph’s Catholic School was recently notified that it has been recognized as a Newman Guide School by the Cardinal Newman Society. Back in 2003, SJCS had the distinction of making the first-ever list of the Top 50 Catholic schools in America. It feels great 20 years later to be recognized on a similar list.
In closing, I want to wish everyone a safe and wonderful summer. Please remember to keep SJCS grandparent and former Board Chair Ted Kelly in your prayers as he battles cancer. There’s no bigger SJCS Knights Fan than Ted. Also, please join us in praying for the following member of the SJCS family: Jonathan Kissel on the passing of his grandmother
With Love and Prayers, Keith F. Kiser Head of SchoolSchool Office Closed, May 29
Things You Need To Know
The school and school offices will be closed on Monday, May 29, for Memorial Day.
Summer Office Hours Begin May 30
Beginning Tuesday, May 30, summer office hours are 8:00 AM-1:00 PM Monday-Thursday. The office will be closed on Fridays, as well as the week of July 3-7. The office re-opens July 10, and summer hours continue until August 4.
PLEASE NOTE: During the summer months, the SJCS staff may be working remotely some days during the published office hours or taking vacation time off, so it’s important for you to check with the person(s) you need to see first before making a trip to campus.
Earn YIG Volunteer Hours over the Summer
Any YIG student wanting to get started on their service hours, contact Meby Carr for information on volunteering at the YIG office over the summer.
Summer Camps Begin June 5
Check the school website HERE for information & registration regarding all summer camps (academic, artistic, athletic, and more).
Final Report Cards, June 6
Quarter 4/Final Report Cards will be emailed on June 6 after 4:00 P.M. Please remember to check your spam email. If you do not receive a report card link, please email Carol Curry If you have any questions regarding your student’s grade, please contact the teacher directly. The link to the report card will expire after 14 days. Please print a copy or save as a pdf for your records, car insurance discounts, and DMV as parents and students will not have access to the Report Cards in the Family Portal during the summer.
Government Summer School Starts June 12
All summer school students should have received an email from Mrs. Carr. You need to have the book on the first day of class. It is the same book currently being used (We the People, 13th Essentials Edition). Questions? Contact Meby Carr before the class begins.
Band & Strings Instrument Assessment, June 20 & July 20
Any incoming 6th grade students interested in joining the Band or Strings ensembles next year should drop by the Musical Innovations Music Store on Tuesday, June 20 (11:30 AM-1:30 PM) or Thursday, July 20 (2:30-4:30 PM). SJCS Band Director, Marjorie Malphrus, and other music professionals will be available to assist you in having a “hands on” experience with several band instruments and to discuss options in leasing/purchasing an instrument. If you already have an instrument in the family, Musical Innovations can also evaluate it for playing condition. This is a session designed for parents and students to make an informed choice about their music classes for next year. Please remember: 6th grade is the only year beginning band instruction takes place. Questions? Contact Marjorie Malphrus or Musical Innovations (864-286-8742). The location is 150-G Tanner Rd., Greenville, SC 29607.
New Student Final Transcript/Final Report Cards Due June 30
Parents of new students are reminded to turn in the Final Transcript/Final Report Card Form (found in your New Student Packet) to their child’s current school office. It is imperative that we receive your child’s final grades by the end of June in order for him/her to enter SJCS.
Rising Senior College Essay Workshop, July 17-20
There are currently a few spots remaining for our “bonus” Summer College Essay Writing Workshop Students will be brainstorming, outlining, and writing their essays during the week and will complete one to two essays by the end of the week. Participants will receive feedback from college admission counselors during the week and will also receive individual feedback on their completed essays from one college admissions counselor. Due to the format of the workshop, we are limiting it to the first 50 students who register.
• When: July 17-20 (final essays will be sent in electronically on July 21)
• Time: July 17-18: Noon-4:00 PM and July 19-20: Noon-3PM
• Where: St. Joseph’s Catholic School Meeting Room
• Cost: $260
• Register & Pay: HERE
Freshman Class Trip to St Augustine July 24-26
All rising SJCS ninth graders are invited to attend the freshman class pilgrimage to St Augustine, Florida from July 24-26. This is an excellent time for the class to come together and enjoy a little bit of everything, including faith, fellowship, and fun! SJCS faculty and staff serve as chaperones, and the group will depart from the SJCS campus via chartered buses. In past years, this event has been very well attended, and scholarships are available for those who need help affording this trip. More information can be found HERE Questions? Contact Gabe Lewis.
Free Shipping from SJCS Textbook Vendor, July 24-30
The school’s online textbook vendor is BNC Services. Summer reading titles may be purchased through them beginning June 5, and their online book store can be accessed beginning July 10. From July 24-30 orders over $149 qualify for free shipping. BNC Services carries the majority of our books, but they are sometimes unable to stock some of the older editions we use; and sometimes, the Textbook List will indicate that parents should purchase from a specific publisher or website. Parents are welcome to buy from other sources, but the BNC site does provide a good guide for verifying that the right book is being purchased. Please consult the 2023-24 SJCS Textbook List found on our website HERE.
First Day of Tryouts/Practice for Fall Sports Begin July 28
• JV & Varsity Football: Friday, July 28, time TBD
• Boys & Girls Swimming: Friday, July 28, at Spaulding Farms Pool from 7:00-8:30 AM
• Girls & Boys Cross-Country: Monday, July 31, from 7:30-9:00 AM
• JV Girls Tennis: Monday, July 31, from 7:30-9:00 AM
• Varsity Girls Tennis: Monday, July 31, from 9:00 -11:00 AM
• JV & Varsity Volleyball: Monday, July 31, from 1:30-3:30 PM
• Girls Golf at The Preserve at Verdae: Monday, July 31, time TBD
• Middle School Football: Monday, July 31, time TBD
• Middle School Volleyball: Wednesday, August 9, from 4:30-6:00 PM
• Middle School Cheer: Thursday, August 10, from 3:30-5:30 PM
New High School Student Makeup Placement Testing, August 1
Most new high school students completed our placement testing in April or May. However, if your high school student is new to SJCS for the 2023-24 school year and he/she enrolled after May 15, he/she may still need to complete this testing. A make-up date has been set for Tuesday, August 1. Questions? Contact Jenny Starks in the Admissions Office.
Rising Senior Application Boot Camp, August 2 & 3
The College Counseling Office will host a free college application boot camp for rising seniors on August 2 and 3 at SJCS. All rising seniors are welcome. More details, including the specific times and registration link, will follow in an email later this summer.
Pep Band Pre-season Camp, August 1-3
All band students, with at least one year of playing experience at SJCS, who are interested in playing for Pep Band are invited to attend pre-season band camp. There are openings for all instruments! The camp will be held at SJCS August 1-3, from 9:00-11:30 AM. The cost for pre-season is $30 and includes a t-shirt and sheet music. This is the perfect way to get your “playing chops” back in shape for the start of school and to be prepared to play at the Varsity home Football games in the fall. The "Band of Knights" Pep Band has established a tradition of spirit and school pride as they cheer on the team from the stands on Friday nights.
When the school year begins, Pep Band will rehearse on Wednesday afternoons, 1:30-3:00 PM to prepare for playing at the five Friday night home Varsity Football games. Additionally, Pep Band can be taken for 1/2 HS
credit for rising ninth grade and above with permission. Questions? Contact SJCS Band Director, Marjorie Malphrus
Fourth Annual SJCS Athletic Department Golf Tournament, August 4
Save the date for the fourth annual SJCS Athletic Department Golf Tournament at The Preserve at Verdae golf course on August 4. The Athletic Department will be hosting this fundraiser for all sports teams. These funds will be used to support all the teams that make up St. Joseph’s athletics. This has replaced many of the individual fundraisers that each team has done in the past. We strongly encourage the whole St. Joseph’s Community to participate in the golf tournament. All alumni, families, and friends are welcome! The Knights Athletic Booster Club is the all-sport Booster Club for SJCS. Thank you for your generous support of all SJCS athletes.
24 Hour Theatre Extravaganza & Student-Produced Films, August 11-12
What better way to end the summer and kick off the school year than with a Theatre Extravaganza? Students, faculty, staff, parents, and alumni have the opportunity to create a show from the ground up, only limited by time and their imagination! Anyone in the SJCS school community (rising 7th grade and older) can be involved in this event, beginning at 6:00 PM on Friday, August 11. The event will culminate with a performance of these plays at 7:00 PM on Saturday, August 12. Please note: no one participant is actually committing to an entire 24hour period of involvement. There will be various areas to fill for this event: writer, director, actor, stage manager, crew member, etc. More specific details and registration information will be available later this summer. Questions? Contact Teresa McGrath
Saturday Night Life Teen Event, October 7
Calling all young men and women, ages 13-18! Please join us for a fun evening filled with dynamic speakers and engaging discussions about the dignity of human life, not to mention great food. SNL will be held on Saturday, October 7, from 6:00-9:45 PM at Prince of Peace Catholic Church. Let’s show our Knights for Life spirit at this big event to include students from many schools and parishes in Greenville and the greater Upstate. There will be additional information in August News & Notes
Sign-ups are open for the France & Spain Trip May 28-June 7, 2024
Put your language study into action! Immerse yourself in the sights, sounds, and tastes of France and Spain with Madame McCoy and Señora Russell from May 28 to June 7, 2024. Climb to the top of the Eiffel Tower, take a sunset cruise down the Seine, ride a bike through the gardens of Versailles, make a pilgrimage to Lourdes, explore the Basque Region, visit the renowned Camino city of Burgos, step into a Fairytale in Segovia, and learn flamenco from a professional dancer. These are just a few of the highlights of the trip. Parent participants are also welcome! More information and registration can be found HERE. Questions? Contact Jeanne McCoy.
Travel to South Africa, Summer 2025
Travel to South Africa with Ms. Berman and Mrs. Carr. In the summer of 2025, SJCS will take its second trip to South Africa, Ms. Berman's home country. Interested students and parents click HERE to see the itinerary, price, and sign up. An interest meeting will be held in the fall. Interested students have an opportunity to earn college credit on the trip and through a follow-up on-line class through George Mason University at no additional cost. Current 7th grade through 11th grade students are eligible.
Class Schedules
High school students and parents will receive an email over the summer when the high school class schedules are available online. Middle School schedules will be given out on Orientation Day in August.
Summer Reading
All students, all grades, have summer reading assignments. Both the Middle School & High School Summer Reading Lists are posted on the school website and can be found HERE
School Supplies
A list of middle school supplies will be posted on the website in July. Middle school students should arrive the first full day of classes with their book bag, textbooks, and all supplies. High school teachers will furnish high school students with a list of any particular supplies needed for their classes once school begins; however high school
students should plan to arrive the first day of classes with their textbooks, a book bag, paper and/or notebooks, and a supply of pens/pencils.
Community Service Hours
Students in grades 9 through 12 may begin accruing service hours for the 2023-2024 school year on June 1, 2023. The requirements by grade level are as follows: Freshmen-10 hours, Sophomores-15 hours, Juniors-20 hours, and Seniors-20 hours. Students are always encouraged to exceed minimum requirements, however only those service hours completed between the months of June and the following May count toward a student's yearly requirement. Please note that successful completion of service is a graduation requirement. All hours must be logged in x2Vol. Click HERE for the SJCS Service Committee Website. Questions? Contact Catherine Showghi or Greshan Charlton
Donate Used Books
Please consider donating your student's used textbooks to SJCS. Drop them off any time during summer hours at the front desk with Mrs. Hawkins. We organize your donations and retain current copies to loan out to our scholarship students. Textbooks that are no longer being used by our school are donated through a charitable organization at no cost to our school. Last summer, 21 textbooks were recycled, 42 textbooks were donated to Africa, and 172 textbooks went to needy schools in the United States. Questions? Contact Greshan Charlton
Important Dates for 2023-2024
Please click HERE for important dates for the 2023-2024 school year.
Student IDs for 2023-24 School Year
IDs are used to purchase lunch and items at the School Store as well as check in/out for Late Stay. Students are issued one ID free of charge when they enter the school as a new student. Students who attend middle school at SJCS are also given a new (free) ID when they enter the high school as freshmen. Outside of these times, ID replacements cost $5.00. Students should keep their ID’s from year to year and returning students should show up on the first day of school with their ID. New ID’s for the 2023-24 school year will be issued to all new students and all freshmen about a week or two after Yearbook Photo Day. Replacement IDs can be requested from Mrs. Hawkins in the front office.
Has Your Information Changed?
If you have had a change of address, phone number, or email, please email your updates to Mary Cummings.
From the Middle School Director
“Consult not your fears, but your hopes and your dreams. Think not about your frustrations, but about your unfulfilled potential. Concern yourself not with what you tried and failed in, but with what it is still possible for you to do.”
Pope John XXIIIRecently, my family and I spent the morning at Presbyterian College for the graduation of our third child, Liliana. The ceremony was simple and well designed, and the early cloud cover kept the rising heat at bay. Thank goodness for that, because it allowed us to enjoy the program in its fullness! There were just a few featured speakers as part of the program, and I always feel for the people who need to address the graduates. There has to be trepidation about being asked to speak. After all, what can be said that hasn’t been said before? There was, however, an opportunity to hear a message that I didn’t really think about before. It came from the Professor of the Year, Dr. Ben Bailey. In his humble and under-stated delivery, he congratulated the graduates for completing a task that they set out to do - some four years earlier … some more years than that. Not everybody who started finished, he said. And (this is the part I found most compelling) on that stage that morning, we only saw the finished product, the end result. What was not visible to us were all the mistakes. We didn’t see the crash and burns … the failures … Only the final, realized outcome stood before us. The graduates had a diploma triumphantly in hand.
These milestone events are inspiring and invigorating, and certainly worthy of celebration. Often, as Professor Bailey acknowledged, we are really only privy to the end result, the culmination of a host of defeats and triumphs. Most of us are not aware of the not-so-pretty pieces that impacted the journey - experiences that, while significant and difficult in the moment, do not diminish the end result.
The 2022-2023 school year is complete. Our seniors will soon have a diploma triumphantly in hand. Our 8th graders received a certificate of completion. All our other students will soon have a final report card or transcript to document the academic year. And our hearts, minds and spirits hold tight to all the ups and downs, the wins and losses, the two steps forward and the one step back, the laughter and the tears … all of it. If any of it went away, the end product wouldn’t mean the same, or feel the same.
Saint Joseph’s Catholic School is not a community that is just interested in the end product. We are intensely committed to the whole of it. When we entrust our children to this community, we acknowledge that the pursuit is excellence of experience, not perfection of product. We embrace the understanding that everyone is suffering something, but we extend empathy, compassion, and understanding as best we are able. Raising children is not for the faint of heart, and our investment in this community says that we can and will support each other, unified in goal and mission and purpose. This is a powerful posture, and it sets us apart.
Thank you for your patience, your prayers, your encouragement, and your love over this past year. Please continue to pray for all of the faculty and staff over the summer, so that we will return with renewed passion and vigor for the vital work of forming young minds, hearts, and souls in the likeness of Christ.
“My grace is sufficient for you, for power is made perfect in weakness. I will rather boast most gladly of my weaknesses, in order that the power of Christ may dwell with me.”
2 Corinthians 12:9
From the High School Director
As readers might remember, we’re in the middle of a reaccreditation year. I won’t bore you with the process, but in October we’ll have a visiting team come to look at every aspect of the school’s operations and make recommendations to us for how we can improve. As part of that effort, I recently visited Christian Brothers School in Memphis, TN, an all-boys Catholic high school that dates back to 1870. One young man I met told me he was the 5th consecutive generation of boys in his family to go there, and second or third generations were common. You could feel the pride they have in their school, and that made me more determined to make sure that our
community knows they can be rightly proud of Saint Joseph’s as well. To that end, I thought I’d close my last column of this school year with a couple of “braggables” about your school from just the 2022-2023 school year (OK, more than a couple!).
• 100% of our students who applied Early Decision were accepted. This is a growing trend in college admissions, with many schools reporting much higher rates of Early Decision applicants than they’ve had in the past.
• Members of the Class of 2023 were accepted into 107 different universities in 32 states. Saint Joseph’s students were accepted into 12 different highly selective universities, not including Honors Colleges.
• We will have at least 16 Palmetto Fellows this year! That’s nearly 20% of the graduating class.
• Eleven seniors have committed to playing college athletics next year.
• 93% of our seniors were accepted into one of their top two choices for college, with 84% getting into their first choice.
• Ten of our graduating seniors received official recognition by the College Board for excellence in the classroom and on national assessments.
• Another eight students have been recognized by various colleges and universities for excellence in leadership, high achievement in science and math, and citizenship. Many of these come with significant scholarship opportunities.
• The Class of 2023 generated more than $12 million in scholarship offers
• Our College Counselors visited more than 20 schools in just the last year alone, all in an effort to assist students develop their college lists.
• More than 9 out of 10 students return to St. Joseph’s every year. Any school with a retention rate above 90% has ample reason to celebrate.
That’s an impressive list for only 89 students in the Class of 2023! I know you’ll join us in expressing pride in their accomplishments, but even more so in their hard work and their determination. We know they’ll go far!