Saint Joseph Academy

500 Las Flores Drive

San Marcos, CA 92078

12 Reviews

School District
Grade

K-12
Type

private

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Reviews

Submitted by student on May 06, 2023

As a student who’s been here since the 2nd grade, I can say the school is lacking in certain areas Special Needs:The school claims on the website that they “accommodate” students with learning disabilities such as autism and ADHD, as a student attending the school with ADHD, the teachers do no try to accommodate students with these disabilities, but instead yelling at them for it.Homework:It all depends on the teacher, but with my past experiences some, but not all have not been kind with the loads of homework they give the students Other :As you may know, this school supports pro-life (as do the staff), but I personally do not think that teaching kids at a young age about abortion is ok, I get it many other people gave opinions but you can’t just force it on kids like thisI would not recommend this school
Submitted by other on July 14, 2022

As a student who has graduated from this school I can safely say this is one of the best schools in the country. The critiques of the staff/ headmaster being under qualified and the school teaching strict tradition and failing to teach the kids The gospel is utterly and completely false. In a students perspective this school has challenged me spiritually, academically, physically etc. I can assure you coming from a public school ( a pretty conservative one too) that the academics are practically worlds above the public school system who so often lead young men and women astray. Saint Joseph academy has changed my life to live in accordance with the gospel and I can never repay the debt of this. Moreover if you plan on leading your son or daughter to heaven and forming then to be Godly people this school is exactly the right fit for them.
Submitted by student on June 20, 2022

As a student attending this school currently, The school isn't the best, in my opinionThe school is extremely strict with the students with academics, sports, etc.It honestly lacks character,The only good thing about it is the summer activities.One thing i wish the school would do better is giving attention to students' mental health.
Submitted by parent on August 13, 2019

Our daughter transferred from one excellent Catholic K-8 school to the SJA High School. The school experience has been even better at this school. Our daughter wishes she had gone here since kindergarten.
Submitted by parent on March 28, 2019

10/10 This is the best elementary and middle school experience I could have imagined for my child. They have grown intellectually. They know how to problem solve, manage their time and think critically. They have developed the skills necessary to do well in high school and are college bound. They are driven to succeed because they have been in a school since Kindergarten that truly cares about their whole person. I am so grateful for this school and would absolutely recommend it to anyone in the Catholic Faith.
Submitted by parent on March 28, 2019

We are blessed to have our children at this school for the past 8 years. The teachers are truly caring and have a sincere love for their job and the kids they serve. School leadership gives 110% of themselves to the school, students, and families. I completely disagree with the "teacher" critiques earlier. The kids that come from St Joseph are very confident with their Catholic faith and understanding of their place within the larger community. Bullying is not an issue that we've ever seen here.
Submitted by parent on May 31, 2018

We consider our family very blessed to attend school here. The Catholic-Christian faith is central to every aspect of the school and the faith our entire family is deepened because of it. It that regard it is one of a kind.Leadership has greatly improved over the years. Teachers are loving and kind.
Submitted by parent on September 23, 2017

We have 4 children currently attending St. Joseph Academy; 2 in grade school and 2 in middle school. We have been at the school since our oldest was in first grade. Our children have grown academically, spiritually and emotionally. The administration is excellent; they faithfully follow the teachings of the Catholic Church and we truly believe they have the academic and spiritual growth of our children as their primary goal. Our children are very happy at the school and we feel truly blessed to be a part of such a wonderful family!
Submitted by parent on September 12, 2017

My wife and I left our home in lovely San Clemente and moved to San Marcos so our six kids could attend Saint Joseph Academy, a K-12 private Catholic school. We currently have four kids enrolled; two in lower grades, one in middle school, and one in high school.When homeschooling is just not an option, the next best thing is Saint Joseph Academy. This school challenges them academically, but more so, spiritually. Mediocrity is unacceptable, especially when it concerns the eternal destiny of the soul. Without supernatural faith, education is worthless. SJA strives to form Saints and Scholars, and in that order.Last year (2016) the High School had the highest average SAT scores in the entire Diocese of San Diego. I attribute this to several factors, including the overall educational environment, the dedicated staff, the small student to teacher ratio and intimate class size, the family influence on on the children, and the fact that where the Faith flourishes, the "lights are on" in the mind and soul.To maintain my 5 Star Rating, SJA need only to continue taking steps in the right direction - toward Tradition. As we progress through this present darkness of so many "-isms" (modernism, cultural marxism, humanism, moral relativism, communism, etc), Tradition, as traditionally understood by the Catholics of antiquity, is the only thing that will save the day, as Christ is found most abundantly in Tradition.
Submitted by parent on August 06, 2017

There are 2 sides to every story. In this case you have the front end and the back end. The front end comprises; values, education, teacher interaction and your child's development. In this area the school receives a 100%. Regarding the back end; administration, marketing, fundraising, and forward planning the school receives a 70%. The principal try's to straddle the divide between the parents attempting to become involved and a small group who wish to micromanage every faucet of the school. Unfortunately, the school has out grown that management style. However, I have to be honest that without their drive and leadership the school would not be ranked in the top 50 Independent Catholic Schools in the US nor one of only two in the state of California. So pick your poison. A administration that moves slowly and uses very few of its parental initiatives despite having many parents who lead or run numerous businesses throughout North County but still delivers an excellent well rounded education for your child, or possibly a school less concerned with your child's overall development to adulthood. Good Luck
Submitted by parent on June 20, 2017

Teachers are amazing!! administration has too much fundraising to a point where the parents get tired of participating.Parents need to be heard from administrators on events and plan ahead of time for events so families can be more prepared financially.
Submitted by other on June 28, 2013

This school was great at teaching catholic values. However the treatment I received at the school was not a great as it should have been. My GPA consisted of less than a 2.0 and even a 1.5, and I was the least happiest with the interactions with other students. By the time I transferred to a public school my GPA changed to a perfect 4.0 and a weighted 4.17 by the time I reached my high school. I tried more in my academics due to newly made friends and experienced less negativity from what I believe to be the diversity and acceptance of the new school, something that could not be achieved at Saint Joseph's due to the low number of students. However, this was some time ago, and I can only hope that the school has gotten better with teaching kids to love one another not just for the sake of God's will, but for themselves as well. I would recommend this school to smaller children but would also recommend a different school for late middle school/early high school experiences.