Q. How long is the school day?

A. Issaquah Campus:                     

B.  Snoqualmie Middle School Campus:

With the exception of Afternoon Kindergarten, students may be dropped off 10 minutes before the start of school.

Q. Does St. Joseph School have a full day Kindergarten program?

A. Yes.  Kindergartners in this full day program attend Kindergarten Enrichment in the morning, from 8:55 am to 11:45 am and then attend the afternoon Kindergarten class.  This program offers activities in social studies, science, story time and art to enrich the regular Kindergarten curriculum, as well as the opportunity for indoor and outdoor play.  The fee for Kindergarten Enrichment is $220 per month.  Priority will be given to working parents.

Q. How does St. Joseph School assess readiness for Kindergarten?

A. All students entering Kindergarten participate in a one-hour Kindergarten Readiness Assessment.  Students move through a variety of activities that demonstrate their gross motor, fine motor and cognitive development.  We also gauge their emotional readiness.  The Assessment Team includes Principal, Jackie Olund, and Kindergarten Teacher, Linda Leach.  Kindergarten Readiness Assessment is scheduled for Friday, March 26; sign up for a time slot when you submit your application for Kindergarten in the Issaquah school office.

Q. Are St. Joseph Preschool students automatically accepted into the Kindergarten program?

A.  St. Joseph Preschool students are not automatically accepted into Kindergarten; they are accepted according to the published Priority for Admissions policy.  However, if all other factors are equal between two applicants, current St. Joseph Preschool students are given priority.

Q.  Why is tuition for half-day kindergarten the same as for the full day elementary program?

A.  Tuition for St. Joseph school is determined based on the cost of educating students from Kindergarten through 8^th grade.  The total cost of educating your student is spread across these nine years to keep the tuition affordable and competitive.  Families are encouraged to look at and commit to the whole program, Kindergarten through Grade 8, when making decisions about Kindergarten.  Kindergarten is an integral part of our whole elementary program, offering a class day that extends beyond the typical Kindergarten program, and offering the same quality education and specialists in PE and music as our full day elementary program.

Q. Are parents expected to participate in fundraising activities?

A. Yes.  All parents are expected to participate in three fundraising activities: the Annual Fund, the Walk-a-Thon, and the School Auction.  These events provide the necessary funding to bridge the gap between the amount of tuition paid and the actual cost to educate each student.  The greater the gap, the more each family is being subsidized.  Therefore, each family is asked to be as generous as possible.

Q. Does St. Joseph School offer an Extended Day program?

A. Yes.  St. Joseph’s Extended Day program provides before and after school care on the Issaquah campus for students in Kindergarten through Grade 8.  Students on the Snoqualmie campus attend Extended Day on the Issaquah Campus, and ride the bus to and from each campus. Extended Day is also available on days when there is no school, on early dismissal days, on some days during vacation weeks, and on a drop-in basis, according to availability.  For more information about the program, hours, and cost, please see the enclosed information sheet.  There is no Extended Day program for Preschool students.

Q. Does St. Joseph School provide Bus Transportation between campuses?

A. Yes.  Bus transportation is available between Issaquah, Snoqualmie, and North Bend.  The cost is charged per bus ride: $2 per ride if a student rides more than 10 rides per billing period; $2.50 per ride if a student rides 10 rides or fewer during the billing period.  Fees for bus transportation are billed on the monthly tuition statement.  For more information about the bus service, see the enclosed information sheet.

Q. What if my plans change and I withdraw my student after acceptance?

A. If your child has been accepted into St. Joseph School and you withdraw for any reason, neither the registration fee nor the 1/2 tuition payment will be refunded.  All registration fees and tuition payments are deposited when received.  The school tuition year begins on July 1, 2004; therefore the last day to withdraw without owing tuition or fees additional to those paid at registration is June 15, 2004.  If you withdraw for any reason after June 15, you will be responsible for the tuition for the 30 day period following withdrawal. For example, if notice is given on June 23 that your student will not be attending St. Joseph school, you will owe tuition through July 23.  See the Registration Contract for the school policy regarding withdrawal.

Q. Do St. Joseph School students wear uniforms?

A.  Yes.  Kindergarten through 8^th grade students wear uniforms to school on a daily basis.  Once per month there is a “free dress” day.  “Mass Day” uniforms are worn on the days that students attend Mass and “Full Dress” uniforms are worn on special occasions and for school pictures.  Uniform information is sent home in the Spring.

Q. What extracurricular activities are available to St. Joseph School students?

A. St. Joseph School participates in Catholic Youth Organization (CYO) sports, including Soccer, Basketball, and Volleyball.  We also offer Boy and Girl scouts, extracurricular Spanish for grades K - 4, Chess Club and Math Club.  Other programs are possible depending upon interest and instructor availability. For our middle school students, curricular activities that take place during the school day include drama, choir, band, art, newspaper and technology.

Q. How much homework can I expect my child to have?

A.  Homework is a hallmark of Catholic schools.  It is given daily in grades 1-8 in order to foster self-discipline, to practice classroom learning, and to inform parents of the content of their student’s learning.  Students are given homework to foster independent learning and to develop organizational skills. The following is a general guide:

Grade 1: 10-20 minutes                       

Grade 2: 30 minutes  

Grade 3: 40 minutes            

Grade 4: 45 - 50 minutes

Grade 5: 60 minutes 

Grade 6: 60 – 70 minutes             

Grade 7 and 8: 1 – 2 hours

Q. Do St. Joseph students take standardized tests?

A. Yes.  Students in grades 2-8 take the ITBS (Iowa Test of Basic Skills).  Participation in the Washington State Assessment of Student Learning (WASL) is being evaluated.

Q. How often do students attend Mass? 

A. Students attend Mass with their class regularly.  On the Issaquah campus, students attend Mass weekly, on Friday morning at the weekday Mass (except on half-day dismissal days).  Students on the Snoqualmie campus attend Mass once per month at Our Lady of Sorrows, Snoqualmie.  All students are expected to attend and to participate as they are able.

Q. After submitting our Application packet, when will we receive notification of admission?

A.  If your application is received by the March 11 application deadline, you can expect to receive notice of admission during the first week of April. The Admission Team reviews all admission materials carefully and evaluates prospective students in light of all the information collected and the Priority for Admission guidelines.  If all factors are equal in the priority of two or more students, the Principal and Pastor/Pastoral Coordinator will make decisions on acceptance.  See the Priority for Admissions policy included in this packet for more information.

Other Helpful Links

Dennis Uniform Information
(School Code: XTJ412)

School Closure Information