Mission Statement

Saint Joseph Regional High School, under the auspices of the Archdiocese of Newark, is a college preparatory school for young men. The school strives to develop – mind, body, and soul – the full potential of all its students in a nurturing Christian environment in the tradition of the Xaverian Brothers, as informed by the Gospel of Jesus Christ. In realizing this mission, we graduate the Vir Fidelis, the “Faithful Man,” who thinks critically, acts responsibly, leads ethically, serves generously, and emulates humbly the example of our patron, St. Joseph.

Belief Statements

At Saint Joseph Regional High School, we believe that the following principles lie at the heart of the school’s mission: 

1. Students best mature and develop a sense of accomplishment in a nurturing community that recognizes the unique gifts and talents of each individual. 
2. A demanding academic program forms the foundation for long-term scholastic growth and success by developing organizational skills, encouraging problem-solving, fostering a zeal for learning, and promoting effective communication.
3. Students bring to life the richness of our spiritual and liturgical traditions through service to others and active Catholicity. 
4. A safe learning environment respects the individual, stimulates intellectual growth, promotes independent thinking, and encourages academic discourse.
5. All members of the school community should strive to conduct themselves according to principles of fairness and dignity, and should maintain a moral and spiritual code of conduct rooted in Gospel values.
6. Students learn civic responsibility by practicing leadership and participation in service to their local, national, and spiritual communities.
7. Athletics, fine arts, and extracurricular activities enhance the development of all aspects of each individual.

Statement of Philosophy

St. Joseph Regional High School is faithful to the charism of the Xaverian Brothers, the religious order which administered the school from its inception in 1962 until 1997. Founded by Theodore James Ryken in 1839, the Xaverian Brothers are a teaching order whose mission has been to bring the Word of God to young people, through missionary work and education.

St. Joseph Regional High School is an academic community where students further develop a sense of their inherent dignity through the affirmation of their gifts and talents. St. Joe’s educates students of various academic abilities and fosters a culture where all are challenged to reach their full potential. The school provides its students with a foundation for success through a rigorous college preparatory program that emphasizes a disciplined work ethic and a commitment to life-long learning.

Essential to its mission as a Catholic school, St. Joseph Regional High School acknowledges a responsibility to pass on to its students
the richness of our spiritual and liturgical traditions so as to aid them in their formation as individuals, husbands, fathers, and future care-takers of our Deposit of Faith. Specifically, it is through a rich tradition of Catholic education, community service, and retreats that the students are provided with a variety of opportunities to explore and serve the Church, the community, and one other.

Essential to its mission as a college preparatory institution, St. Joseph Regional High School provides a safe, structured environment where students, through the efforts of a concerned, dedicated, and experienced faculty, are both encouraged and challenged to grow intellectually. The school develops in each student the capacity for critical thinking and the confidence and skills necessary to communicate effectively. St. Joe’s educates its students in the responsible use of the technology they need to succeed in a rapidly changing world.

Above all else, St. Joseph Regional High School is an institution where the values of family and community are paramount. This emphasis on family is an appropriate reflection of the school’s patron, St. Joseph. Just as Joseph, the head of the Holy Family, nurtured and protected Mary and his son, Jesus, so too does the school seek to cultivate its graduates as true men of faith, its Vir Fidelis, whose dignity and selflessness are worthy of the respect of others. These faithful men should bear witness to Jesus Christ as practicing Catholics, uphold the values of freedom and the responsibilities of citizenship in their community, contribute to the betterment of their fellow man through the utilization of their education, and demonstrate the true generosity of the Gospel message by committing themselves to the service of others.

Graduate Profile

It is our hope that, as a result of his education at St. Joseph Regional High School, a graduate will:

…live his Catholic faith by: 

• Bearing witness to Jesus Christ
• Having a reverence for God in every aspect of his life
• Serving God through others and his Church
• Maturing in his faith throughout his life
• Passing on, through word and example, the heritage of faith to future generations 

…demonstrate the quality of his education by:

• Mastering a rigorous college preparatory curriculum
• Developing disciplined work habits and study skills
• Thinking critically and communicating effectively
• Developing his own gifts and talents as a life-long learner

…exhibit the attributes of a good citizen by:

• Upholding the value of freedom and accepting the responsibility it brings
• Working cooperatively with others for the common good
• Defending the inherent dignity and uniqueness of every individual
• Taking an active role in serving his community 

…commit himself to family by:

• Modeling himself after St. Joseph as a man of faithfulness, selflessness, and obedience to God
• Conducting himself with honor and integrity
• Being open, like St. Joseph, to serving God as a husband, and father, or through a commitment to religious life
• Maintaining an active relationship as an alumnus with his extended family of classmates, teachers, and friends 

…embody the morals of the Vir Fidelis by: 

• Having the humility to accept his own failings and the perseverance to overcome them
• Having the insight to recognize his own strengths
• Having the compassion to offer his help to those who are in need
• Aspiring to be the best man he can be in faith and service to his family, church, and country