|
In 1943, Father Louis Boeynaems, SSCC, Pastor of St. Joseph
Church, wrote to His Excellency, Bishop James J. Sweeney requesting the building
of a Catholic school in Makawao. After approval, the Baldwin family, through
Maui Pineapple Company, released land adjacent to the church. The men of the 4th
Marine Division leveled the ground for the first wing. Fr. Louis bought a
Quonset hut, which was used to house the kindergarten class. At 8:00 a.m. on
October 1, 1945, St. Joseph School opened its doors for the first time to 118
students in grades kindergarten, first and second. The Sisters of St. Joseph of
Orange staffed the school. Under the guidance of Fr. Raphael Smelders, the
second wing was completed in 1949.
In 1968 the Sisters of St. Joseph of Orange were recalled.
Bishop John Scanlan and Father Joseph Putman, SS.CC. invited the Dominican
Sisters of the Most Holy Rosary from the Philippines to teach at St. Joseph
School. They have maintained a presence at the school since that time. It was in
1986 that St. Joseph School closed grades 7 and 8, due to lack of enrollment,
and opened a Preschool. In 1995, St. Joseph School celebrated its 50th year of
educational excellence. The last grade 6 to graduate from St. Joseph School was
in 2007.
A
lay principal, helped by both religious and lay faculty members, staffed the
school until it was closed as an elementary school in 2010. The Preschool was expanded as an Early Learning Center and is currently accepting applications.
The
St. Joseph Church website can be found at: http://www.sjcmaui.org
PHILOSOPHY
St. Joseph School
is a Catholic Preschool-5 parish school dedicated to the formation of the whole
child. Our safe, family-oriented, value-laden environment nurtures each
individual’s desire and passion for life-long learning. Through our words,
actions and faith we are committed to develop responsible students, strong in
morals and principles. In accordance with the teachings of Jesus Christ, we
guide each individual’s spiritual, intellectual, emotional, physical and social
growth. With teachers as facilitators within the classroom, we strive for
academic excellence by providing a well-rounded, research-based curriculum,
always mindful that parents are the primary educators of their children.
St. Joseph School focuses on the whole child in its
philosophy. With parents as primary educators of their children, the staff and
teachers continue to be facilitators of learning for the child. The school’s
philosophy envelops the moral teachings of the Catholic church and encourages
the child’s spirituality to thrive in an academic community of excellence.
|
