St. Joseph School in historic Bardstown is a vibrant, vital Catholic school that includes preschool, elementary, and middle school serving Nelson and surrounding counties. St. Joseph School was recently recognized as a National Blue Ribbon School of Excellence. Since 1982, the US Department of Education has awarded the Blue Ribbon to schools based on their overall academic excellence. To achieve Blue Ribbon status, St. Joseph students performed in the top 15% in the nation on Reading and Mathematics standardized tests. The Council for American Private Education reviews all private school reports and advances only the top 50 to the U.S. Department of Education. That makes St. Joseph one of the best schools in Kentucky and nationwide!
All classrooms have Smart Board Interactive whiteboards installed and have iPads and/or chromebooks. Traditional curriculum for K-8 includes language arts, math, science, social studies, and religion. St. Joseph School offers weekly social skills (K-5), technology, music, library, physical education, financial literacy (middle school) and art classes for each grade. In 2009, a 10,000-square-foot addition to the school was completed to include a new media center, technology lab, science lab, art and music rooms, two modern preschool classrooms, and a secure entrance. All areas of the school were renovated; the gym renovation included a new floor, bleachers, back-boards, and locker rooms.
Extracurricular activities include athletics, clubs, and award-winning robotics teams and academic teams, middle school House Program, and stewardship opportunities.
A newly constructed Parish Fellowship Hall adds two additional preschool classrooms and meeting space to the St. Joseph campus. The preschool offers full-day and half-day preschool programs (Monday-Friday) for 3- and 4-year-old children. After school care is available for preschool and K-8 students. Financial aid is offered through the Catholic Education Foundation. Free bus service is available for Bardstown and Bullitt, Hardin, Nelson, and Washington Counties.
St. Joseph School is accredited through AdvanceED (SACS). Enrollment has steadily increased over the last few years and is consistently over 400 students in preschool through eighth grade. The school welcomes families of all religions, races, and national origins. The school’s mission is to support the pursuit of academic excellence while integrating Catholic faith into every facet of the school.
