Cadet Events & Traditions

August 

Welcome Week begins one week prior to the start of classes. All students are required to arrive in uniform. An official Welcome Week Schedule will be emailed, but during the orientation, you will be able to:

• Log in and test drive your Blackbaud account. We can also assist you during orientation. Each student must have their electronic device charged and ready for use on the SJ network for the first day of school!
• Review the school calendar, freshman guide opportunity, community service, fall sports schedule, and our list of 40+ clubs!
• Receive your class schedules.

A Few Quick Tips for Parents:

• When you drop your student off, please make sure to use the "drop off" lane that directs you to the gym lot. The gym entrance will be open for use.  All buses will be in service beginning the first day of classes.
• There is no school supply list for students, apart from the electronic device. Some teachers may require a specific item to be used in class, and if so, this will be discussed during class specific orientations. Please wait to purchase additional supplies until discussed in class.

Typically in September

All new freshmen, transfer, and international students join together with their families to celebrate and officially join the St Joes community at the New Student Bible Mass. 

During the event, each new student is called by name and has a bible presented to them. 

September Event 

Back to School Night is an event for current parents to meet faculty, staff and administrators. Parents will rotate through their student's schedule to meet faculty members and learn about classroom goals for the year.

September Event

Fall, Winter, & Spring

St. Joes Prep Rallies are a powerful demonstration of our community and a great show of support for our athletic teams. During the pep rally, individual teams are introduced and cheered on! 

And it wouldn't be a St. Joes Pep Rally if we didn't end with a singing of our Alma Mater and Battle of the Classes!

October Event 

St. Joseph High School's Student Council works hard to bring new initiatives and excitement to each year's Spirit Week! During one week in the Fall, each day is themed and all students are encouraged to participate.  Past themes have included: Get Your Pink On (Dress Down Day to support cancer awareness); Hawaiian Day; and Color Wars.

October Event

Lace up your sneakers and get ready to walk! Each year, the St. Joes community joins together to have some fun while raising money for the school. This is the sole student-based fundraiser to benefit the school, so participation is both expected and appreciated. Each student has a goal of raising $100 which goes toward supporting our school’s mission and providing funding for St Joes academics, athletics, and physical improvements to school.

Walkathon has a rich history of more than 30 years. 

November Event 

The junior and senior girls go head to head in a game of flag football. Powder fills the stands as students cheer on their classmates. Every year we are impressed with the speed, skill and school spirit our Cadets display!

October Event

The Homecoming Mass and Senior Assembly is the first of three Commencement Activities for our Seniors! They will watch a senior slideshow and see who is crowned Homecoming King, Queen, Prince, and Princess.

Also -- Homecoming Weekend is the perfect time for SJ Alumni to visit their Alma Mater! There are so many opportunities for St. Joes Alumni to relive their glory days! Homecoming weekend includes our Athletics Hall of Fame, Homecoming Football Game, Reunions, and Homecoming Dance - it's a packed weekend!

October Event

Halloween is a big at St. Joes! Our students dress in some of the most creative costumes (with a few rules, of course) and at the end of the day, prizes are awarded!

November Event

Partnering with the Port 5 Naval Veterans Association in Bridgeport, CT is one of the highlights of St Joe's Veterans Day Assembly!

November Event  

St Joes Thanksgiving Needs Drive is a wonderful tradition that ensures we give back and give thanks!

Fall & Spring Events

St. Joseph High School's Drama Club is the largest club on campus! Each school year, our students produce one dramatic/comedic play in the Winter and one Musical in the Spring.  

In addition, the day before any Spring Musical, our students put on a special dress rehearsal for our  local middle schools. The gymnasium is packed with young students who serve as our first audience and watch in awe as our SJ Cadets perform their hearts out! This is such a special tradition that our Cadets enjoy and they always end it by lining up outside the school doors and applauding our middle school students as they exit! 

Winter & Spring Events

Join us for a concert showcasing the hard work of our SJ musical students as well as a showcase of Cadet artwork. It's a great time for families to come together and celebrate the fine arts at St Joes!

December Event 

Each ornament on our Giving Tree has a list of items for those in need. Members of our community simply choose an ornament, purchase the items, and return the gifts with their ornament attached!

Examples of items listed:

* Bedtime Bags: a book, small stuffed animal, and children's toiletries.
* Blessings Bag for the Homeless: a gift bag with a reusable water bottle, gloves, socks, and small toiletries.

November Event

The Junior Ring Mass is the second time in a student's SJ journey where they are each called by name and recognized. The Junior Ring Mass is a chance for our school to officially bless our students as upperclassmen! 

(Students do not need to buy a ring to attend Mass)

November Event

The Junior Ring Dance is a formal just for our third-year students! This dance typically is the culmination of a week celebrating our Juniors that includes the Junior Ring Mass and the Junior Dress-Up Day. 

December Event 

It's a day that brings smiles to all our faces! Christmas Sweater Day is typically the Friday before Christmas vacation and faculty, staff, and students take part.  

The Jeopardy Club is fairly new at St Joes, but that doesn't make it any less popular! 

Twice a year, students will challenge faculty/staff to a real-time game! Questions are designed for high school students and come from past Jeopardy Teen Tournaments. View a full list of our clubs here!

March Event 

Celebrating The Feast of St Joseph is one of our most cherished traditions. Classes are cancelled, and instead all students, faculty, and staff take part in a day-long celebration that includes Mass, service projects, and various engaging activities for our students. 

Students are then divided into groups and rotate around the school to different stations: three of which will always included meal-packing, creating Easter baskets, and a street festival lunch. 

March Event

The Spring Fling is the first formal dance for our Sophomore Class! It's an incredible night filled with wonderful memories for our students. 

May Event

New Student and Parent Orientation is mandatory for all new students. Orientation is a great opportunity to meet faculty, staff, and  future classmates. We will prepare you for an easy transition to high school.

* Tip: You do not have to purchase SJ gear in advance, but feel free to wear anything maroon, gold or gray to show your school spirit!

May Event

St. Joe's Baccalaureate Mass is offered in thanksgiving for the blessings God has bestowed upon our graduates and their families. Memorial Scholarships are also awarded. 

June Event

Class Day is a St Joes tradition that gathers the entire school to celebrate our underclassmen! Academic awards and scholarships are announced and parents are invited to join us. 

Freshmen Trip (Typically in September):

• One day trip encouraging students to get to know one another! 
• Usually to an arcade or amusement park. 

Sophomore Trip (Typically in March):

• Overnight 3-day trip just for our sophomores! 
• Usually to Washington, D.C. 

Junior / Senior Trip (Typically in February)

• Overnight international 4-day trip just for our juniors & seniors! 
• Usually to either Quebec or Montreal Canada.

May Event

Two incredible events just for our Seniors! Senior Prom is typically held at The Waterview in Monroe on a Friday evening in May. Seniors will not have class that day. 

After Prom, Post-Prom is a special event hosted by our Parent Association. It is a free, fun event for our seniors at the Shelton Sports Center from 10:30pm-1:30am. All seniors may attend Post-Prom, even if they don't attend Prom.