Read our philosophy and school improvement plans.
Read our philosophy and school improvement plans.
Hot Lunch Friday Folder Tutoring School Associations and Volunteering Printable Forms
Pre-K Program
St. Joseph's School is a Pre-K through 8, Elementary School, Located on Stevens Avenue in Portland Maine. Our school was established by the Mercy Sisters of the Americas and St. Joseph's Parish in 1918. We are a thriving community and an essential part of the St. Joseph's Parish Ministries. Our school is somewhat like a campus with the main, school building, set back on the parking lot, adjacent to our Parish Center and Parish Church. Please feel free to visit our school in order to get a glimpse of what a Catholic School Community can do for your child, as well as for your family. For more information please contact us at 207-797-7073
Tuition for Grades K-8 (2006-2007)
| One Child | Two Children | Three Children | Four Children | |
| Pre-K | $3,125 | |||
| K-8 No Parish Affiliation | $3,925 | $7,850 | $11,775 | $15,700 |
| K-8 Other Parish Subsidized | $2,650 | $5,050 | $ 7,300 | |
| K-8 St. Joseph's Subsidized | $2,550 | $4,850 | $ 7,000 | $9,150 |
Registration Fee: $200 per family
Other Parish Subsidy: $1,500 per student. (Please have your Pastor sign the Tuition Agreement.)
The Pre-K, pre-paid tuition rate, is $3,125 for mornings, five days per week. Afternoons are "as need" at a rate of $3.50 per hour. Currently, Pre K is not subsidized by any of the parishes of our diocese. PRFCU loans are available for the portion of the Pre-K tuition.
The contract/registration fee is $200.00 per family. This amount is to be paid at the time that the contract is remitted to the office. The application fee ($200) that was paid by new applicants will be applied to this amount. The contract should include a signature from your pastor and a check for the tuition and fees. Contracts are due June 3rd. If we do not receive your contract with payment in full by this date we will assume that you are not enrolling your child for this year.
The actual cost per child for the 2005-2006 school year is $3,900. That number is based on an enrollment of 235 students. You may not have realized that your tuition alone does not cover our costs.
Loans and help are available for tuition. Contact the office for more information. Applications are available in the school office for financial aid.
We believe that appropriate dress contributes to the students' learning environment. Students are expected to wear uniforms as described below. In addition, items such as large jewelry, heavy make-up, T-shirt logos, and open-toed/high-heeled/platform shoes are not permitted. Please put your child's name in ink on everything they own!
School uniforms may be purchased through the J.B. Edward Uniform Company -
Main Store and Warehouse: 745
South Street, Roslindale, MA 02131
Telephone (6l7) 323-8832 /Outside Massachusetts (800) 801-9236
Woburn Branch Store: 39 Cummings Park, Woburn, MA 01801
Telephone (781) 376-2071 /Outside Massachusetts (800) 654-5148
Grades Pre K-6
Grades 7 & 8
Gym (all grades):
Hair "scrunchies," backpacks, and other accessories in matching plaid are also available. Contact the school for more information. School ties are normally available to purchase in the office. Our school spirit shop offers items that can be used for our after school athletic programs and gym classes.
Students should arrive at school between 7:30 and 8:15 each morning. Please avoid arriving earlier than 7:30!
Volunteer parents and students provide a convenient drop-off area on Elmwood Street. This keeps the playground clear and the parking lot open to teachers. Enter from the Stevens Avenue side and a volunteer will show you where to go and help your child get safely into the school. Please do not go into the front lot; it is reserved for school staff. If you choose to park and walk your child in, please park on Stevens Avenue. Also, please avoid parking in or blocking the driveways of neighboring houses.
Students wait near the 8th grade room (beside the office) until our morning recess (8:00-8:15). Students are not allowed in other parts of the building during this time. At 8:15 we gather each day as a school for morning prayer or outside near the flagpole.
School ends at 2:50-2:55 Those being picked up leave though the back door. Students not picked up by 3:00 will be sent to our Extended Day program.
Our Extended Day Program ("aftercare") can provide a safe, supervised place for your child from 3:00-5:30 every day (and 12:00-5:30 on half days). Students in K-3 meet in the Father Hayes Center while 4-8 meets on the top floor of the school building. The cost for aftercare is $3.50 per hour or portion thereof, and there is a late fee for picking up children after 5:30. Payment should be made each Friday to the adult in charge or in the school office.
Students in aftercare are provided with snacks. On half days, please send a lunch with your child. The program is not specifically structured but gives an opportunity for children to play, do their homework and in activities while they await parent pick-up or transition to other after school activities. Activities may include movies and outdoor play. Students may do homework during aftercare (quiet places will be provided for k-3 and 4-8). Help will be given when possible, but personal tutoring is not available unless a homeroom teacher is staying after school with his/her students for extra help.
If the Portland Schools are cancelled due to inclement weather, St. Joseph's is also closed. Please listen to the radio or the local news for cancellations. Many of our students live quite a distance from school; please use your best judgment on stormy days when school is not cancelled.
Grades, Report Cards and Conferences
Report cards are issued at the end of each quarter. Student-teacher conferences are held at the ends of the first and third quarters. (More coming soon.)
The federally approved but optional hot lunch program and milk is available for all students. Forms and menus will be sent home every two weeks and must be returned by the specified date. If you choose to send lunch with your child, please avoid glass containers and foods that need to be heated.
Friday folders are envelopes sent home at the end of each week with your child's papers, any notes from the teacher, a memo from the principal, and any notices or forms to be returned. The envelopes must be signed by a parent and returned the following Monday. It is vital that parents read the contents of the Friday folders to stay up-to-date!
Each year a few of our teachers are able to offer personal tutoring to students who need extra help, during the summer. Hours and availability vary, so please contact the office for more information. Students in need of support during the school year are helped by their own classroom teacher in after school help sessions immediately following the school day.
School Associations and Volunteering
Our school has a number of associations that support our needs and are a great way to participate in your child's education. Some of these include the HSA (Home and School Association - similar to a PTA), the Athletic Association, and the Development Committee, an ad hoc committee of school board whose purpose is to help solicit, fund raise, grant write and develop activities to ensure the future progress of our school. Each class also has "room parents" directed by the H.S.A. who help with fields trips, parties, etc.
We have countless volunteers who help with things like hot lunch, morning drop off/drive-thru, office work, fundraising, organizing events, and much more. Contact your child's teacher , the H.S.A. executive committee or the office to find our what you can do to help!
Enrollment Application for New Students
Renewal Application for Returning Students
Transfer of Pupil Records Form
Technology Acceptable Use Policy & Photo Release (revised to meet new federal laws)