Saint Joseph School
1963-Present
Under the leadership of Father J. Henkel, pastor of Holy Ghost, Saint Joseph School opened in 1963 with 340 students in first through eighth grade. In 1970, when St. Mary’s School, which had been founded by families of Immaculate Conception Church in 1861, closed its doors, many of the St. Mary’s School’s students joined the children at Saint Joseph School.
Holy Ghost School was founded in 1908 under the direction of Bishop Thomas S. Byrne, Bishop of Nashville, and Father James T. Lorigan. The school opened on September 16, 1908, and was staffed by the Sisters of Mercy. The school existed until 1963 when it was moved to Fountain City and renamed Saint Joseph School.
In the fall of 2001, Saint Joseph School received accreditation from the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools (SACS) and has maintained its accredited status ever since. The accrediting organization is now AdvancEd.
In 2011, Bishop Richard Stika, the third bishop of the Diocese of Knoxville, made Saint Joseph a regional school. Students who attend Saint Joseph School come from nine different parishes in the area. Additionally, students from other religious denominations are welcome.
A certified and dedicated faculty includes specialists in fine arts, foreign language, physical education, special education, and technology. PreK-Grade 8 class sizes comply with state regulations.
Saint Joseph School has a wonderful, close-knit, community made up of members whose families went to this school for generations and families who have moved into the area in more recent years. It is a community with a rich history and a bright, promising future!
