St. Joseph’s Catholic School Teaches Academics With Faith
Sponsored by: St. Joseph’s Catholic School
The simple act of stepping through a doorway brings swells of pride on the campus of St. Joseph’s Catholic School in Greenville, SC.
The door in question certainly is handsome – with smooth red planks and sturdy brass hardware – but its true value lies in a 30-year history and its ongoing symbolism in the life of the campus.
“New high school students still walk through the Red Door when they first come to St. Joseph’s,” says Jenny Starks, director of admissions. “Our graduating seniors walk out of it, into the world.”
Ranked as South Carolina’s top Catholic high school by Niche.com, recent graduates have entered top regional universities, such as Clemson, The Citadel and Furman, but also Georgetown, Notre Dame, Vanderbilt and other high-profile schools.
“The 2023 student body got 100% college acceptance,” Starks says.
On an Upward Trajectory
The annual Red Door Ceremony recognizing new graduates is a tradition that grew up with the school, which was started in 1993 by community residents eager to bring a Catholic high school into the upstate region, says St. Joseph’s Head of School Keith F. Kiser.
It opened with just 13 freshmen in a small, rented building, with a red door that was ultimately relocated from that first site. Now, it is part of a 36-acre campus serving nearly 700 students in sixth through 12th grades.
There’s growth in academic rigor, as well. St. Joseph’s will introduce the Advanced Placement Capstone degree this fall, requiring four AP classes, plus one year each of AP Seminar and AP Research courses in a rigorous program that “is a step beyond a high school diploma,” Starks says.
While ambitious, Starks believes the program will benefit many students.
“What I have found is that our students really want to do well, and their friends want them to do well, too,” she adds. “So, they work hard and support each other.”
A Vibrant Campus Life
Other school highlights are the numerous fine-arts options, including music classes for all middle-school students, visual arts, dance and theater. The Knights also can boast about their state championship winning sports programs.
Student support services are another plus.
“We have expanded our services over the past few years, so we can match our high academic expectations with high levels of support for every student,” Kiser says.
A new student wellness center is planned to provide high-tech space for student gatherings, counseling, campus ministry and other important activities, including House meetings.
The longstanding yet innovative House Program divides middle and high school students into smaller groups of four houses each, with houses named for saints, such as Drexel House, named for St. Katharine Drexel, the second American to be canonized by the Catholic Church.
At the heart of everything are Catholic values, Kiser notes.
“Our faculty accompanies the students as they grow and learn, almost like a campus ministry,” he says. “Our approach is relational, not transactional. We call it the St. Joseph’s Way.”