Showcase of St. Joseph Parish School (Northeast Ohio Region)

About the School

St. Joseph Parish School, a ministry of St. Joseph Parish in Amherst, Ohio, is a Catholic K–8 school with one class per grade. Guided by its mission to provide a Christ-centered environment where dignity, leadership, excellence, and collaboration guide all members to become the best versions of themselves, the school blends faith formation with innovative teaching practices. St. Joseph envisions a community of lifelong learners who lead with faith, creativity, and courage, prepared to use their gifts in service to the world.

As one of only two STEM Designated Schools in Lorain County, St. Joseph has held this distinction for eight years and was recently redesignated with the highest possible ratings across all rubric areas. The school’s culture emphasizes habits of mind, the design cycle, and a fail-forward approach that empowers students to problem-solve, innovate, and collaborate across grade levels. A dedicated STEM Lab, part of the school’s five-day rotation, immerses students in design challenges, coding, and advanced applications of classroom concepts. Even the youngest learners engage in engineering principles by linking other content areas to STEM thinking, demonstrating how a culture of inquiry and hands-on learning is embedded from kindergarten through eighth grade.

About the Tour

Visitors to St. Joseph Parish School will see how the school’s Catholic mission and STEM vision come to life in the classroom. The Spotlight Visit will highlight how a Christ-centered learning community empowers students to take risks, show ownership for their learning and use their STEM culture to make an impact on their school community, as well as the outside world around them. Attendees will experience how faith, innovation, and collaboration intersect to prepare students for future academic and career success while nurturing them to become leaders of character and service.

The visit will begin with an overview of the school’s approach, followed by guided tours of classrooms where project-based and inquiry-driven learning are in action. Guests will have opportunities to observe the dedicated Makerspace and Design Studio, talk with students and teachers, and explore how authentic projects emerge organically from teacher and student initiative. A Q&A session with staff will provide further insights into how St. Joseph went from a traditional Catholic school to a STEM school.

Intended Audience: School Educators, Administrators, Aspiring STEM Schools, Industry partners, Higher Ed partners, Local and State officials – ALL are welcome!

Capacity: No Limit

Registration Link: https://forms.gle/DHMEanSxJ6At1jxX7