St Joseph Catholic School

Posted: September 29, 2025

St. Joseph is your typical Catholic grade school. It’s difficult for them to attract and retain qualified teachers given the low pay, and the support services for children who struggle in the classroom are limited. It also isn’t particularly welcoming for families whose children didn’t start there in kindergarten. While the school promotes an environment of Christian values, the behavior of some staff — including the principal — can come across as hypocritical.

Posted: September 29, 2025

Posted: September 29, 2025

Posted: September 29, 2025

Posted: September 29, 2025

Posted: September 29, 2025

Posted: September 29, 2025

Posted: September 29, 2025

Posted: October 1, 2024

Having two children at St. Joe’s, we could not be happier with our decision. My husband is a fellow alumna who had great memories, and being on the other end as parents we have not been disappointed. Every year for the past 6 years we thought how will we ever get another amazing teacher like we currently have. Yet year after year we have continue to have amazing teachers and administration who truly have had a helping hand in raising our children to be kind, independent and hardworking. Not only is the staff/administration amazing, but we feel like we are getting superior education as well as spiritual, moral, social and emotional development. This is what makes St. Joe’s stand apart. There is a sense of community, open door policy that always gives you a feeling of security when you are entrusting others with your children.
We have friends who transferred from a local public school to St. Joe’s around middle school, and constantly say that there only regret was that they did not do it sooner. We also have family who attend St. Joe’s before us, and continued onto Carmel, and have all verified our decision that their children were more than prepared going off to Carmel because of St. Joe’s.

Posted: October 1, 2024

Posted: October 1, 2024

Posted: October 1, 2024

Posted: October 1, 2024

Posted: October 1, 2024

Posted: October 1, 2024

Posted: October 1, 2024

Posted: April 28, 2024

The principal and teachers go above and beyond. Great kids and community!

Posted: April 28, 2024

Posted: April 28, 2024

Posted: April 28, 2024

Posted: April 28, 2024

Posted: April 28, 2024

Posted: April 28, 2024

Posted: April 28, 2024

Posted: November 24, 2015

Principal Anne Phoenix has this school heading in the right direction. I continue to be blown away by her leadership.

Additionally, the quality of education at St Joes is impressive. They are once again going through the process of being awarded Blue Ribbon School, and just recently completed AvancED Accreditation!

Posted: November 3, 2015

Posted: November 3, 2015

Posted: November 3, 2015

Posted: November 3, 2015

I have always been a big fan of St. Joe’s. My affinity for this school really peaked this fall when I dropped my freshman daughter off for her first day of school at Carmel Catholic. As I watched her hop out of the car and head in to school, excited to take on her honors and advanced level courses, I realized that she was “ready”: cognitively, spiritually, socially and emotionally. How did I know this? She never looked back! It was a moment most parents wish for. This was a child who cried her way through the first few days of kindergarten, previously afraid to venture too far from mom…St. Joe’s worked their magic once again, sending off another graduate completely prepared to engage fully in her high school experience and make the most of the opportunities presented to her as a result of her time at St. Joe’s. I am forever grateful for the team at St. Joes’s…. While it is not too big in size, it is mighty in impact.

Posted: September 14, 2015

We have a choice of sending our daughter to a number of capable public and private schools, but St. Joseph Catholic School is best equipped to educate and develop our daughter from an all-around perspective.

Our eldest daughter graduated from SJCS three years ago and is thriving at Loyola Academy. St. Joe's curriculum prepares its graduates well for high school. However, because it also focuses on the development of a student's body and spirit, the school produces a well-rounded graduate who is capable of succeeding in high school in a faith-based environment.

The new administration has done a tremendous job of stabilizing the school, providing a vision, and executing on that vision. In addition to the advanced curriculum, technology has been a real emphasis lately to the point where iPads and Chromebooks are now an integral part of the learning environment. Parents have a renewed faith in confidence in the school, and that's showing with increased enrollment.

The student body is closely-knit, and there's a real sense of community among the students and parents as well.

Posted: September 14, 2015

Posted: September 14, 2015

Posted: September 14, 2015

Posted: May 11, 2015

Our children are thriving at St. Joe's. We have our choice of excellent public and private schools in this area, and we truly feel SJCS is the best of the best. The curriculum is challenging and prepares students for academic success in high school and beyond. There is a strong emphasis on spiritual and moral development, which fosters remarkable relationships between students of all grade levels. The staff at SJCS is caring and dedicated, going above and beyond to meet the needs of every child. Finally, the close-knit, supportive parent community is one we are so grateful for and proud to be a part of.

Posted: March 27, 2015

St. Joseph Catholic School works. My kids are well prepared for high school and have witnessed countless others who are well prepared. Others can pick out our students from the rest due to their ability to focus and their discipline to their studies. With the introduction of chromebooks in the middle school this year and our commitment to constant curriculum evaluations, we are setting the bar as the premier Catholic school in Lake County and beyond. The strength of our school community and the dedication of our faculty and staff is second to none! Our downtown Libertyville location is perfect for after school trips to the library too!

Posted: March 10, 2015

5 yrs ago I came to this school dropping off my first born to kindergarten. I naturally was crying watching her walk away from me. I knew no one here and all of a sudden two other moms came over and put their arms around me in support. These two moms are now my very good friends. This just showed the type of community I was entering. Everyone is so kind and welcoming. This is the atmosphere I wanted my children to be a part of. I am able to volunteer and be a constant part of my kids schooling in class. They have so many after school clubs and events that also brings the kids and families together. I love that I know all the kids and parents of my children's classroom. The standards on academics is set so high too. I am so impressed everyday after school when I sit to work on homework with my children. I can not believe the complexity of stuff they know. Its amazing! There are no words to express my passion for this school. I am so happy and proud that my kids are a part of St. Joseph Catholic School. Go Knights!

Posted: December 29, 2014

The overall experience that St. Joseph Catholic School provides is outstanding. The middle school one to one program and the K to 5 iPad stations allow teachers to integrate technology for the purpose of differentiation and enrichment. The value driven, faith filled community atmosphere provides the environment that supports and nurtures the individual needs of the children. The dedicated and skilled administrators and faculty challenge our kids to be their personal best. This is the greatest gift we have provided for our children. I can't imagine a better school!

Posted: November 9, 2014

After 9 years at St. Joseph, my opinion is that it is currently the best it's ever been. Everyone (students, parents, and faculty) is certainly being held to higher standards these days. Catholic school is not cheap, and as a parent I expect academics to be better than the public schools, and for Christian moral instruction to be front and center. SJS has always been a good school (as evidenced by the Blue Ribbon award), but I really feel like it is on its way to being a truly great school. Hats off to the administration for having the courage and vision to make that happen. PS: we love the new middle school format - we see our child acting more mature because more is being expected.

Posted: October 19, 2014

I've been a parent at St. Joseph School for more than 10 years. The school has lost its way. Under the new principal, SJS is hostile and punitive. Teachers are nervous and parents are berated. The school has purchased a great deal of technology, but all the technology in the world is no substitute for nurturing kids. One can only hope things will improve when the new principal begins in January. Many of us are waiting for that day.

Posted: February 26, 2014

We could not be any happier to have our two children attend St. Joseph School for the past 4 years. We consider it our second family. St. Joseph School encompasses the growth of the child from an academic, spiritual and social perspective all while weaving in a warm, welcoming community feel that incorporates the whole family. From the moment we walk in the door, we are reminded that Jesus is the reason for the school as shown by the level of respect mirrored between students, faculty, staff and parents and many opportunities for service and faith building. We feel confident our 20 minute commute each way to send our children here is the right decision in forming a solid long lasting foundation to guide them in making good choices and achieve their goals. The new principal as of November and former Carmel Catholic High School principal is doing great things at bridging any gaps and moving forward to expand the curriculum. Parents play a vital role at the school in volunteering and having a voice on the parent led School Advisory Committee and Parent Association. The teachers are extremely dedicated and partner with us as parents to cultivate the best in our children.

Posted: October 26, 2013

This school has suffered significantly over the last year. The new principal, with no prior management experience ( this was confirmed several times by the board here - their words) is probably the demise of this school. She is ineffective as a communicator and leader. The teachers are tense. We have been at this school for almost 10 years and we are pulling are children immediately. There have been 26 families that have left this school in the past 9 months.What a disappointment and not one call to us to find out why were so unhappy and why we left. After years of volunteering and dedication to Catholic education, this school has failed us, our children and the community. If this principal does not leave this school next year, it will be the end of this once great school. We have learned after being back at the public school how incredibly behind our children are academically. They failed us and many others. Very sad.

Posted: January 4, 2013

36 total child-years at St. Joseph's School. That is how many years of joy and growth my wife and I saw in all four of our kids from K to 8. We would NOT have kept that up if we didn't feel the school was excellent. And let no one say their Science program is inferior to others in town, Our daughter scored a 98 percentile in science going into 9th grade on a high school placement test and the only curricula she ever received to earn that was the Science program at St. Joe's. I was not running high school chemistry experiments with her in our basement, ha ha. She got the 98 from her teachers and equipment and texts there at St. Joe's. This does not even touch onto the meaningful values and religion taught there. I'd spend another 36 child-years there again if I had the chance.