News & Noteworthy

We are thrilled to share that Saint Joseph Academy has just been named a Newman Guide Recommended School by the Cardinal Newman Society! This prestigious designation places our school among a select group of faithful Catholic elementary and secondary schools across the country that are publicly committed to the highest standards of authentic Catholic education. The Newman Guide highlights schools that: Maintain a clear and vibrant Catholic identity Integrate the truths of the Catholic faith across every subject Prioritize the spiritual formation and moral growth of students Uphold fidelity to Church teaching in curriculum, policies, and community life Partner closely with parents as the primary educators of their children Provide regular access to the sacraments, especially weekly Mass and frequent Confession The Newman Guide recognition is a beautiful affirmation of the mission we share together: to form young men and women who love God, pursue truth and virtue, and are equipped to live their faith with courage and joy in today’s world. We are especially thankful for our dedicated faculty, staff, and—most of all—our families, whose trust, prayers, and partnership make this mission possible. You can learn more about the Newman Guide and see the full list of recommended schools at: https://cardinalnewmansociety.org/newman-guide/

Dear Parents and Families, As we begin Catholic Schools Week, I want to pause and express our profound gratitude for the journey we share together at Saint Joseph Academy. When you first chose Catholic education for your child, you made a decision that went far beyond academics—you entrusted us with something sacred. You chose to partner with us in forming not just students, but souls. Thank you for that trust and thank you for walking this path with us day after day. Preparing for Life Right now, in classrooms across our campus, your children are growing in remarkable ways. They're developing critical thinking skills, discovering their gifts, and learning what it means to serve others with compassion and selflessness. We're teaching them not just to succeed, but to lead Christ-centered lives of meaning and purpose, to see their talents as gifts meant to be shared, their knowledge as a tool for building up the common good, and their character as the foundation for everything they'll become. But we know this formation doesn't happen in isolation. You are their first and most influential teachers. The virtues we reinforce at school—kindness, integrity, perseverance, courage—take root because you model them at home. The works of mercy we undertake echo the generosity you demonstrate. The respect for human dignity we teach finds its deepest expression in the love you show your children each day. Forming for Heaven Even more importantly, we share a mission that transcends this world. Together, we're united in faith and community, forming your children for their ultimate destination: eternal life with God. Every religion class, every prayer before class, every moment we pause to acknowledge Christ's presence among us is oriented toward this magnificent end. We're not just helping students pass exams; we're helping them fall in love with the One who made them and who calls them by name. This week, as we celebrate all that makes Catholic education distinctive, we're also looking ahead with hope. The seeds being planted now, seeds of faith, wisdom, and virtue, will bear fruit in ways we may never fully see. Some will bloom in college classrooms and career choices. Others will flourish in future families and communities. And ultimately, by God's grace, they will bear fruit for eternity. You are irreplaceable in this mission. Your partnership, your prayers, and your witness make all the difference. Thank you for choosing this path, for walking it with faith and commitment, and for trusting us to help form the hearts and minds of those you love most. May this Catholic Schools Week be a reminder of the hopeful work we do together, and may God continue to bless our students, our families, and our school community. With gratitude and thanks, Mark Kalpakgian President

Dear Parents and Guardians, As we begin this new semester and step into 2026 together, I'm filled with gratitude for our shared journey at Saint Joseph Academy. In a world that often feels chaotic and disjointed, our school community stands as a beacon of hope—a place where education means more than transmitting information. Here, we're forming young hearts and minds in truth, goodness, and beauty, preparing them to flourish as faithful disciples and culture-builders. Pope Leo XIV's recent Apostolic Letter, Drawing New Maps of Hope (October 2025), beautifully captures this vision. He calls us to be "choreographers of hope" and "credible creators of expressions of beauty" through Catholic education. What a privilege to answer this call together. We live this mission daily: through the wonder sparked by great books and rich conversation, through acts of service that build compassion, and through prayer that draws us closer to Christ. Your partnership makes all of this possible. As primary educators, your love, example, and encouragement at home are foundational cornerstones that help our students become young men and women who live by biblical principles and advance God's Kingdom with excellence and joy. As we draw these new maps of hope side by side this semester, let us hold fast to the promise that "hope does not disappoint" (Romans 5:5). May this new year be a season of discovery, growth, and shared delight as we guide our children toward the truth that sets them free.

Last week, Pope Leo XIV sounded a clear and urgent warning about artificial intelligence, asking leaders in Rome a question that now hangs over our entire civilization: What does it mean to be human in this moment of history? He reminded the world that our dignity does not lie in processing data faster than a machine, but in our ability to reflect, to choose freely, to love without conditions, and to enter into real, living relationships. At St. Joseph Academy, we are intentionally choosing a path that protects and nourishes that dignity: Phones are banned so that faces, not screens, remain at the center of our school day. Children play outdoors, sing real hymns, and serve real people—not virtual avatars. Socratic seminars, memorization, and collaborative projects require students to think, argue, and create for themselves. Small classes and personal mentorship ensure that no child is ever reduced to a “data point.” Daily prayer, weekly Mass, retreats, and time in silence before the Blessed Sacrament open hearts to wonder and to God. In an AI age that can produce brilliant but hollow men and women, we are working with you to raise young people who know how to think without a search engine, to love without a filter, and to wonder without a simulation. Even if every server on earth went dark tomorrow, our graduates would still know who they are and how to live with courage, joy, and generosity.

While national assessments reveal ongoing declines in student performance, Saint Joseph Academy continues to shine with exceptional PSAT results in fall 2025, far surpassing averages and demonstrating our commitment to academic excellence. National Context: Declines in NAEP Scores The recently released 2024 NAEP results for 12th graders show significant drops in math and reading since 2019, hitting 20-year lows. Nearly half (45%) scored below basic in math, with only 22% proficient or above, while 32% were below basic in reading and only 35% proficient. These trends, exacerbated by pandemic disruptions, highlight broader challenges in foundational skills and college readiness. SJA's Outstanding PSAT Performance In contrast, SJA students are excelling across grades. On the PSAT 8/9, our average total score was 957—138 points above the national 819—with Reading and Writing at 507 (vs. 412) and Math at 450 (vs. 407). Tenth graders averaged 1057, over 150 points higher than the national 902, and 11th graders scored 1059, exceeding the national 930 by 129 points. These place SJA in the 75th percentile nationally, outperforming three-quarters of peers.

ESCONDIDO — For an encore, the St. Joseph Academy football team delivered an award-winning performance. St. Joseph won its first-ever CIF championship in football last year, and the San Marcos-based school followed up by claiming its second straight San Diego Section title on Saturday. The Crusaders achieved the feat by rolling to a 68-13 triumph over Borrego....

Congratulations to our Girls Volleyball Team, who won their game last night and are now CIF Champions!!! This is the first volleyball title in school history! What an incredible accomplishment! Here is an article from the San Diego Union Tribune! https://www.sandiegouniontribune.com/2025/11/06/st-joseph-academy-captures-first-ever-cif-title-in-girls-volleyball/ A huge shoutout to Coach Ryan Hanson for leading the team to this historic victory and an unforgettable season!

As we enter Quarter 2 and find new rhythms in the school year, it’s a fitting moment to reflect on the higher purpose of the education we offer at Saint Joseph Academy. Our approach—classical and Catholic—is part of a rich tradition dedicated to forming the whole person, not just filling job roles or imparting technical skills. This month, Dr. Jonathan Sanford, President of the University of Dallas, published an article for First Things that beautifully articulates these goals and ends. His insights remind us what makes our schools unique and why this vocation matters today. As Dr. Sanford says, the reigning assumption in higher education is often that the purpose of college is to produce workers, not persons; technicians, not thinkers. This utilitarian mindset has crowded out the great tradition of liberal learning—education that frees the soul by opening it to truth, wisdom, and virtue. A truly liberating education does what its name implies: it liberates. Catholic, classical education seeks the harmony of faith and reason and refuses to reduce itself to market utility. The genuine task is the formation of free and virtuous persons who can fully engage with the world as citizens and children of God. Confident Catholicism welcomes honest dialogue, never wavering in fidelity to the magisterium, and always inviting students to seek truth in community. Education here is more than gathering information—it’s about entering a meaningful narrative, becoming pilgrims rather than tourists, experiencing transformation instead of mere accumulation of skills. Beauty, festivity, and wonder are not luxuries in classical education. They express our deepest longing for the eternal. The “inefficiencies” of small classes, reading the Great Books, sharing in beautiful traditions, and study abroad experiences are not obstacles but catalysts for true human flourishing. At Saint Joseph Academy, we educate so our students may be free to think, love, and worship—so they may seek wisdom, live virtuously, and ultimately glimpse the divine. As the Church Fathers taught, our destiny is nothing less than theosis—becoming “fully alive” to the glory of God. This is why classical Catholic education matters today. Anything less is unworthy of what it truly means to be educated. To read Dr. Sanford’s full article, visit First Things .

On “Pro-Life Day” in early October each year, St. Joseph Academy (SJA) in San Marcos, California, a San Diego-area classical school, becomes especially abuzz with activity. After some of the school’s roughly 375 kindergarten-through-12th-grade students — many wearing red “lifeguard” T-shirts and calling themselves “Crusaders for Life” — help assemble and hang over the school a 110-foot helium balloon “rosary,” they place pro-life sayings all over lockers and floors.