St. Joseph School is proud to offer a special House System for middle school students in grades 6-8. Students are divided into mixed-grade houses. Each house is named for a saint, has a house motto, flag, cheer and animal mascot.
Students earn points for their house by participating in school activities, sports and clubs and performing church and community service. Bonus activities may include recycling, collecting box tops and labels, canned food drives, etc. Houses are awarded points for positive behavior and sportsmanship. Each house is mentored by a middle school teacher and led by a Captain and Co-captain. Houses with the most points are recognized and given small awards.
Through the House Program, the middle school students have volunteered hundreds of hours and helped with many projects, earning points for their houses and learning the value of teamwork and giving of themselves. For the Principal’s Challenge, they have sung songs, recited poems, calculated areas, and researched teachers’ biographies. At House Competitions they have sorted through piles of shoes, ridden scooters through an obstacle course, passed hula-hoops without breaking a human chain, and played “The Price is Right” at the monthly house competitions.
Maggie Downs, 8th grader, explains, “I think the whole middle school has benefited from the house program. It has been a lot of fun and I think the friendly competition is just the remedy to get everyone involved.”
At the end of the year, the winning house and two representatives from all of the houses enjoy a field trip.
In May, the fifth graders experience the “Sorting Ceremony” where the “Hat” assigns them to the house they will be a part of for the next three years.
