Class of 2030

Welcome to the Class of 2030! Freshman year is full of new experiences, meaningful traditions, and opportunities for your daughter to grow in confidence, faith, and friendship. We hope that from the moment she arrives for Angels Take Flight, she begins to feel what it means to be an Angel and discovers that St. Joe is a place where she belongs.

This page is designed to help you navigate the year, celebrate milestones, and know where to turn when questions arise. Whether you're dropping your daughter off for her first day, attending her first school event, or cheering her on from the sidelines, we're grateful you're part of the St. Joe family. We can't wait to partner with you throughout this exciting year.

Freshman Year at a Glance: Freshman year is full of "firsts!" Here are just a few of the milestones your daughter will experience during her first year as an Angel: Angels Take Flight Freshman Orientation, Welcome Week, Freshman Hat tradition, Club Week, Freshman Retreat, Mission Week, Course Registration for Sophomore Year.

Freshman Traditions

Angels Take Flight

Before the school year officially begins, all incoming freshmen participate in Angels Take Flight, St. Joseph's Academy's four-day freshman orientation program.

Class of 2030 Upcoming Events

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Sep 14 2026

Campus Ministry Campus Ministry Week Begins

Sep 14 2026

All School Lunch & Learn

Sep 14 2026

All School UMSL ACP Course Registration Due

Sep 15 2026

Campus Ministry Campus Ministry Week Mass

Sep 15 2026

Class of 2030 Freshmen STUCO Election Forms Due

12:00 PM

Sep 16 2026

Campus Ministry Angels in Prayer Community Mass

7:30 AM

St. Joseph's Chapel

Sep 17 2026

All School SMART TRACK College Funding Webinar

7:00 PM

Virtual

Freshman Retreat

For their Freshman Retreat, freshmen take a bus from SJA to the CSJ Motherhouse and spend the day building community with their classmates and reflecting on the experiences and relationships that have shaped their lives so far. Through a CSJ-guided tour and experiences rooted in the CSJ spirituality, students deepen their understanding of our connection to the Sisters and their charism.

helpful links

Uniform Information

Supply Lists & Book Orders

Course schedules were sent in early June.

2026-27 Supply List
When you received your daughter's schedule for 2026-27, it had the information you need to order her books, based on her course load and teachers.

Required Texts: Unless otherwise noted, all books listed are required.
ISBNs: Please use the ISBN listed for each book to ensure you purchase the correct edition.
Purchasing: We recommend buying or renting books early, as used copies and rentals may become limited later in the summer. Books may be purchased from local or online booksellers, including Amazon and Barnes & Noble.
Fees: Some courses include books, materials, or online resources that the teacher will provide to students. Any associated fees will be noted for that course.

2026-27 Book List
Please contact the teacher listed on your course schedule if you have a question about books.

Technology

New students and at least one parent/guardian are required to register and attend one Hardware and Lease Orientation (HALO) session with our Director of Technology. At this meeting, your daughter will receive her laptop and review computer agreements for setup and usage. Completion of a HALO session is mandatory for all new students prior to the first day of school.

HALO Session Dates:
July 28th at 9:00 a.m.
July 28th at 12:00 p.m.
August 4th at 9:00 a.m.
August 4th at 12:00 p.m.

Please register in the SJA Parent Portal in your Enrollment Checklist.

This event will take place in the Wellington Gymnasium. Please enter through the Shanahan Commons entrance near the Gymnasium, parking is available in adjacent lots.

Calendars & Events

Now is the time to make sure that you add SJA event feeds to your family calendars. iCal feeds are available for a variety of events at SJA - All School Events, Class of 2030 Events, Alumnae, Angel Parent Organization, Campus Ministry, College Advising, Early Dismissals, Menus, Daily Schedule, and more!

To add a feed to your calendar, navigate to the School Calendar page, click the grey square with white lines (shown to the top right of the events list below), click the iCAL link that corresponds to your device and paste it into your subscribed calendars.

School Calendar Athletics Calendar Mobile App

Stay Informed

We welcome and encourage parents to be involved with their daughters' education at St. Joe. Staying connected with school news, information, traditions and opportunities for volunteerism, will enhance your experience in her high school years.

News & Communication From SJA

SJA sends out several email communications each month during the school year - keep a watch out for these in your inbox!

A weekly parent email is sent on Sundays that features events, activities, and parent happenings for that week.
A monthly parent email from Dr. Sudekum, Principal of Academic Affairs
A quarterly email from the Angel Parent Organization that includes all the ways that parents can get involved at SJA.
An email from College Advising once per semester

SJA 1840 App
Download the St. Joseph's Academy's app (SJA 1840) on either the App Store or Google Play to ensure you are always aware of the most important news, announcements, calendar events, and you have access to on-the-go information! Parents using the SJA 1840 mobile app are able to customize the calendar in the app to reflect Class of 2030 upcoming events.

SJA Mobile App

Calendar
To add the Class of 2030 feed to your calendar from the website:

In the list of events above, click the grey square with white lines
Click the Calendar Feeds link that corresponds to your device
Paste it into your preferred calendar

Email
SJA will send several email communications throughout spring and summer - keep a watch out for these in your inbox!

Athletics

Enrollment

Enrollment opened February 1st for the 2026-27 school year. Parents were sent an email from SJA’s enrollment database with instructions for accessing the SJA Parent Portal. This email included a direct link to the SJA Parent Portal and a unique authentication code that corresponds to your parent profile in our database.

The SJA Parent Portal is where new families originally accessed an application checklist, and where returning families annually complete an enrollment checklist. To access the SJA Parent Portal, please click the link in the system email to log in to your account, then click the “Continue Enrollment Process” button. New families will need to use the unique authentication code included in this system email to gain access. After you have initially logged in using the system email, you may access the SJA Parent Portal at any time using the link below.

Enrollment forms must be completed by Saturday, February 21st.

These include:

Enrollment & Tuition Letter
Enrollment Contract
Deposit
FACTS Tuition Payment System set up

Once you have acknowledged the Enrollment & Tuition Letter, signed the Enrollment Contract, and submitted your deposit, you must continue enrollment by setting up your FACTS tuition plan.

Tuition payment plans are set up as part of the enrollment process starting within the SJA Parent Portal. Once the online forms have been completed and the deposit has been paid, a button will be available in the SJA Parent Portal that says FACTS. FACTS is our online tuition management software.

SJA Parent Portal

Enrollment is not completed until all steps have been completed.

Questions?

Questions? Please email admissions@sja1840.org.

Athletics:
Please visit the Tryout Information page for more information.
Taylor Dace '11, Athletic Director, tdace@sja1840.org

Enrollment Contracts
Kara Kelpe, kkelpe@sja1840.org

Instrumental Ensemble:
Marvin Medcalf, mmedcalf@sja1840.org

Placement Testing
Kara Kelpe, kkelpe@sja1840.org

Scholar Programs
MORE Scholar: Allison Koob, akoob@sja1840.org
Sr. Josepha Scholar: Christine Holladay, cholladay@sja1840.org

SJA Parent Portal
Kara Kelpe, kkelpe@sja1840.org

Student Support Services
Mary Ruzicka, Learning Consultant (A-K), mruzicka@sja1840.org
Cathy Zitko, Learning Consultant (L-Z), czitko@sja1840.org

Tuition & Financial Aid:
Sandy Kemp, Financial Aid & Tuition Specialist, skemp@sja1840.org.

ways to stay connected as a parent

Freshman year is a wonderful time to begin building relationships with other St. Joe families. We encourage you to:

Attend Angel Parent Organization (APO) events
Volunteer throughout the year - watch for the Sunday Email Blast for opportunities
Attend school performances, athletic events, and community celebrations
Meet other parents at school events
Read the Sunday Email Blast each week to stay informed

Calendar Cafe Campus Ministry College Advising Technology School Nurse Student-Parent Handbook Athletics

Important Information

Help Your Daughter Get Involved

Students who get involved tend to feel more connected to the St. Joe community.

Encourage your daughter to:

Join a club or extracurricular activity during Club Week.
Try something new—even if it feels a little uncomfortable at first.
Participate in service opportunities like St. Joe Serves.
Attend school events and cheer on her classmates.
Get involved in Campus Ministry opportunities.
Continue exploring new interests throughout the year.

Remember—she doesn't have to find "her thing" immediately. Growth takes time.

Help Your Daughter Thrive

Freshman year brings lots of change—for students and parents!

Some reminders that can make the transition smoother:

Encourage a growth mindset. Mistakes are opportunities to learn.
Allow her to experience small disappointments and work through challenges.
Resist the urge to immediately solve every problem.
Encourage healthy friendships and age-appropriate independence.
Help her establish healthy routines.
Encourage positive social media habits.
Celebrate effort—not just achievement.
Remind her that asking for help is a strength.

One of our favorite reminders: "This or something better."

When Your Daughter Comes Home with a Problem

Academic Tips

Freshman year is an adjustment academically, too. Help your daughter by encouraging her to:

Develop good time-management habits.
Read every course syllabus carefully.
Complete all assignments on time.
Prioritize sleep, healthy eating, and downtime.
Put her phone away while studying.
Periodically evaluate how she's managing her time.
Practice self-advocacy by speaking with teachers first.

We also encourage every family to review:

The Academic Integrity Policy (including expectations regarding AI)
The Student Advocacy Policy
The Academic Qualities of an Outstanding Angel

Remember, SJA provides a safe space to be challenged. Cheating is often rooted in stress, lack of confidence, or poor time management. Encouraging students to build healthy habits and ask for help is the best prevention.

Drop-Off & Pick-Up Procedures

To help ease traffic congestion, we ask families to use both the Athletic Entrance (back of school) and the Shanahan Commons Entrance (front of school) for carpool drop-off and pick-up. Using both entrances significantly improves traffic flow during our busiest times.

Morning Arrival
Please do not drop off or pick up at the Main Office unless your daughter is arriving late or leaving early. Traffic patterns take a little time to settle at the beginning of the school year. If your daughter drives to school, please encourage her to leave early enough to safely navigate traffic, find parking, and be seated in her first-period class by 8:15 a.m. Campus doors open to students at 7:00 a.m.

Afternoon Pick-Up
If your schedule allows, consider picking up after 3:10 p.m. The carpool line is typically clear by then. If you arrive early, please park in an available parking space. If no spaces are available, pull as far forward as possible to keep traffic moving.

Traffic Reminders
Parking or waiting along Litzsinger Drive or in the lots of neighboring businesses is strictly prohibited during the school day, including after-school pick-up. Violators may be ticketed by the Frontenac Police Department. Thank you for helping us be good neighbors.

Please follow the directions of our traffic staff. They are there to ensure a safe and efficient arrival and dismissal process for everyone.

After-School Supervision Notes

Please note that there is no after-school supervision on the following early dismissal days.

All students must be picked up by 12:30 p.m.:

St. Joe Day – Friday, August 28
Mission Day – Friday, November 20
Fall Semester Stop Day – Monday, December 14
Fall Semester Exams – December 15–18
Spring Semester Stop Day – Wednesday, May 19
Spring Semester Exams – May 20–25

Attendance & Absence Procedures

We love seeing your daughter at school! Regular attendance and arriving on time are important to her success, so we ask families to prioritize being in class each day.

We understand that absences are sometimes unavoidable. When they do occur, please follow these procedures:

Reporting an Absence
A parent/guardian must call (314) 394-4300 or email mainoffice@sja1840.org by 8:00 a.m. each day a student is absent. If we have not heard from you, you will receive an automated attendance message. Please return the call to the Main Office to verify the absence.

Planned Absences & Early Dismissals
Please notify the Main Office in advance of any planned absences or early dismissals. On the day of an early dismissal, students should stop by the Main Office before first period to pick up an accountability slip.

For additional attendance policies and procedures, please refer to page 52 of the Student/Parent Handbook.

Phone-Free School Day

At St. Joseph's Academy, our Phone-Free School Day helps create a learning environment where students are fully present, engaged in their learning, and connected with the people around them.

Students are expected to keep their phones powered off and stored in their lockers or backpacks during the school day. Smartwatches are not permitted during the school day.

If you need to reach your daughter during school hours, please call the Main Office at (314) 394-4300. We will gladly get a message to her or connect you if needed. Likewise, if your daughter needs to contact you during the school day, she should do so through the Main Office or Student Support Services.

Students with documented medical needs requiring phone or smartwatch access during the school day should work with our School Nurse to ensure appropriate accommodations are in place.

For complete details about our Phone-Free School Day policy, including expectations and consequences for policy violations, please refer to page 63 of the Student-Parent Handbook.

Class Moderator

Mrs. Sarah Boul, a member of our Theology faculty and the Freshman Class moderator, partners with students throughout their freshman year, helping build class spirit, coordinate traditions, and support the Class of 2030 as they begin their journey as Angels.

Navigation

Class of 2030

Freshman Traditions

Class of 2030 Upcoming Events

Freshman Retreat

Uniform Information

Supply Lists & Book Orders

Technology

Calendars & Events

Stay Informed

Athletics

Enrollment

Questions?

ways to stay connected as a parent

Important Information

Help Your Daughter Get Involved

Help Your Daughter Thrive

When Your Daughter Comes Home with a Problem

Academic Tips

Drop-Off & Pick-Up Procedures

After-School Supervision Notes

Attendance & Absence Procedures

Phone-Free School Day

Class Moderator

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