About
Faith and Excellence in Catholic Education
Catholic Education in Victoria, BC
We are committed to sharing the values Jesus modelled. Learn more about us.
Beliefs & Values
Learn more about our schools mission, vision and values.
Academics
We lay a strong religious and academic foundation for the brightest possible future for your children.
Meet Our Staff
Get to know our teachers, support staff and administrators.
Principal's Welcome
Welcome to St. Joseph's Catholic Elementary School!
It is with great joy that I welcome you to our dynamic school community, where we are committed to nurturing the values of gratitude, excellence, character, leadership, and a profound love of God and neighbor.
At St. Joseph’s, we believe that education extends beyond academics; it encompasses the holistic development of each child. Our dedicated staff fosters an environment where students can thrive spiritually, emotionally, and intellectually. We encourage our students to express gratitude for their blessings and to strive for excellence in all they do, embodying the character and leadership qualities that will serve them throughout their lives.
We are proud to instill a love for God and neighbour in our students, teaching them the importance of compassion, service, and community. Together, we can cultivate a generation of thoughtful, caring individuals who are prepared to make a positive impact in the world.
Thank you for being a part of our St. Joseph’s family. I look forward to a wonderful year filled with growth, learning, and faith.
In gratitude,
Glen Palahicky, Principal
Our Parish
St. Joseph's Catholic School is closely associated with St. Joseph the Worker Parish, whose parish priest is our pastor.
The school celebrates the Eucharist with Fr. Alfredo Monacelli once a month, and many of our students are members of this parish. The school and church collaborate in a number of fund raising events varying from year to year. St. Joseph’s students serve Mass regularly at the parish.
There is a youth group for grade 6 and 7 students organized and supported by Father Alfredo. The goal is to bring youth closer to Christ through activities, games and other experiences that bring to consciousness the love God has for each of us.
Our History
We are grateful to all those who went before us, who have left a legacy of Catholic education at St. Joseph's that we continue to build upon.
St. Joseph’s Catholic School came into existence as a direct result of the efforts of St. Joseph the Worker parishioners and the Diocese of Victoria to establish a catholic school for the Burnside-Marigold area of town. Once the parish was established in May of 1962, they set their sights on building a school.
With the promise of support from the Sisters of St. Joseph, as well as the support of the Songhees First Nation and the Department of Indian Affairs, St. Joseph’s Catholic School was completed and opened in September of 1965, offering co-educational classes in grades 1-5. Kindergarten and grades six and seven were added in 1967, realizing the vision of parishioners and the diocese for a Catholic School associated with St. Joseph the Worker parish.
There have been several renovations the early nineties, adding a new block on the second floor for a new grade 7 classroom, as well as a new administrative block, a Computer Lab, and some work-space for teachers. Over the years the teaching faculty have been succeeded by the Sisters of St. Joseph’s who gave way lay teachers, who now comprise 100% of faculty. Without the commitment and determination of those early sisters, the support of the Diocese of Victoria, and the hard work and sacrifice of St. Joseph the Worker parishioners, St. Joseph’s Catholic School would not exist. Thank you, Sisters of St. Joseph, your dedication and sacrifice continues to inspire our vocations to the present day.
Hear From Our Students
Students were asked to write what they liked about our school and what made it special.
Additional Information
All cars entering the parking lot are to proceed down the entranceway and TURN TO THE RIGHT (following the arrows) and continue moving along to the front of the school.
There are TWO Lanes: One to drop off/pick up students & one to continue driving through.
- Please drop off student(s) at the Drop-Off/Pick-Up Zone on the Right side closest to the sidewalk.
- Continue moving forward and merge with the other lanes exiting to the left
- Never park where there are orange cones along the Drop-Off/Pick-Up.
- Parents MUST turn RIGHT on Burnside Road -THERE IS NO LEFT TURN ONTO BURNSIDE ROAD.
**Do not get out of your vehicles unless you are parked in a parking stall
**Continue moving forward in the pickup lane
The Through Lane is the lane to use if parents need to get to the Day Care or Pre-school at the back of the school. Parents picking up students at the rear of the school MUST follow the traffic flow, continuing through the Through Lane to the back of the school – DO NOT turn left upon entering the parking lot to attempt to access the rear of the school – that portion of the parking lot is a one-way exit route to Burnside Road.
Safety of all children is a priority at St. Joseph’s, and following the procedures of the parking lot ensure the safety of all children and parents as they use the parking lot. Parents that do not follow the parking lot procedures will be barred from entering the parking lot.
St. Joseph’s School is the proud owner of a 32 passenger school bus. Our bus is used only for transporting the students on field trips or for athletic events. It is the parent/guardian responsibility for dropping off and for the pick-up of their child(ren) from school.
St. Joseph’s Gym Bookings and Rental Space
**WE ARE CURRENTLY NOT RENTING THE GYM DUE TO COVID-19
- Limited rental space available
- Monday to Friday 6pm to 9pm only
- Saturdays and Sundays, All day, min 4 hour rental
- Gym square footage is 5872.5 square feet (87 ft x 67.5 ft)
- Maximum capacity of 606 people
- Stage is not available to rent
- AV equipment is not available to rent
- Catering not available
- No rentals for Weddings, Dances, Parties, etc.
- $75 an hour, not negotiable
- $200 deposit required to secure event date
- Minimum cleaning fee of $100 may apply to certain functions
- Copy of Third Party Liability insurance with $2,000,000 coverage must be made available to the office prior to rental
- Rental agreement is to be completed and signed prior to function.
We do not rent the gym for sport related activities with the exception of Tai Chi, Karate, and running groups. The floor does not have a durable finish. In addition, the speakers on the wall and new lighting fixtures may be damaged if accidentally hit.
Contact:
If you are interested in renting the gym given the above guidelines please contact Dinarte at (250) 888-5213 to see if space is available for your event day or to answer any further questions.
Other rental options:
Church hall rentals are also available. Please contact Sandy at St. Joseph’s the Worker Parish for more information. Her number is (250) 479-7413.
Do you have a question?
Contact Us Here
Please contact us for further information, or a personal tour of our school.
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