Accreditation History

St. Joseph Catholic School is located at 502 Front Street in Conway, Arkansas. The Holy Ghost-Spiritans missionary priests founded the first church in 1879. The Sisters of Notre Dame taught in the school during its early years of existence. The present school was established in 1879 and is a ministry of St. Joseph Catholic Church and the Diocese of Little Rock. In June of 2010 the parish came under the direction of the Diocese of Little Rock.

The school site encompasses 15 acres in downtown area of Conway. St. Joseph has a current enrollment of 500 students in Kindergarten through 12th grades. There are several buildings on the grounds that house different grade levels. The secondary building houses grades 7-12, the elementary building houses grades 4-6, and the primary building houses K-3. Each grade level building has a computer lab, library, music, and art room. The elementary and high school both house a science lab. The cafeteria and gym are free standing. There are two playground areas.

As a community of faith, St. Joseph Catholic School’s philosophy and mission is rooted in Catholic doctrine. Students are prepared to be productive Christian citizens who seek truth and respect others. The ultimate goal of the school is to integrate faith and learning in order to develop the whole person: soul, mind and body. The school strives not to impose knowledge, virtue and service, but rather to form the total person who freely chooses to adopt these principles for correct living. The religion program at St. Joseph Catholic School is integrated into the school’s philosophy and mission. The specific goals of the program are stated and carried out across the academic curriculum as well as in the extracurricular offerings of the school.

The school is headed by Father John Marconi, Pastor; Fr. James Melnick, Associate Pastor; Joe Mallett, High School Principal; Susie Freyaldenhoven, Elementary Principal; and Matthew Tucker, Primary Principal. Joe Mallett serves as the head administrator. The school is governed by a consultative school board whose actions become effective upon the approval of the pastor. The principal is the educational leader of the school and is charged with the administration of the school in accordance with diocesan guidelines.

The school has 50 faculty members, many of whom hold a master’s degree. A majority of the faculty has 5-20 years teaching experience. The guidance program is under the direction of two guidance counselors, one who coordinates student services for grades K-8 and one for grades 9-12. Minimum requirements for the professional staff are: Arkansas teacher certification and/or a bachelor’s degree.

St. Joseph Catholic School will admit students of any race, color, handicap, national or ethnic origin to all rights, privileges, programs and activities generally accorded or made available to other students. All students are accepted on a probationary basis, both academically and behaviorally. The usual probation period is 9 weeks, a full marking period. An Application for Admissions must be completed before the admission process begins. Over the past ten years the school enrollment has decreased from a high of 594 students in grades K-12 to the current enrollment of 500. This trend is attributed to parental job movement, increased tuition costs, and the general economy of the community.

The curriculum of St. Joseph Catholic School is supportive of the school’s mission and philosophy and includes the following subject areas at the elementary level: religion, math, science, social studies, art, language arts, music, physical education, and technology. The curriculum is aligned to state frameworks and the Diocesan guidelines.

The high school curriculum provides the necessary credits for graduation: 4 credits of religious instruction, 4 English, 3 science, 4 math, 1 communication, 1 fine arts, 1 computer literacy, 3 social studies, 1 physical education and health, and 3 electives. Foreign language credits are required for college bound students. Electives are offered in the fields of science, math, computers, social studies, family and consumer science, and practical arts. Career courses are offered at Conway Public Schools.

The school has a number of clubs and organizations with a faculty advisor heading each organization: Battle of the Books, Science Club, Choir, After School Art, Chess Club, Octagon Club, Junior Optimist Club, National Honor Society, Newspaper and Yearbook, National Junior Honor Society, Excel/Eye Club, Safety Club, Student Council, and FCCLA. Students are encouraged to participate in extracurricular activities to enhance their religious involvement, educational process, and service to the community. Students participating in extracurricular activities are expected to maintain high academic averages and appropriate conduct grades. The school also offers a variety of sports such as: baseball, basketball, golf, soccer, softball, bowling, volleyball, and cheerleading.

St. Joseph Catholic School maintains a positive image in the city of Conway with students, teachers, and parents playing an active role in the areas of education, industry, civic organizations, sports, and charity activities. There is a positive working relationship with the Conway Public School District with the schools sharing resources to meet the needs of students with special educational needs.