Letter from the Principal

Welcome to St. Joseph’s School - Yorkville, a culturally diverse, Christian community where each child is valued as an individual and engages joyfully in the learning process, while serving others, and building community.  We nurture the whole child by providing a rigorous academic program within a framework of Christian values.  We are truly a family, deeply rooted in our Catholic faith and working together for the good of the children of St. Joseph's School. 

St. Joseph's School - Yorkville opened its doors in 1880 with a staff of five from the School Sisters of Notre Dame (SSND) congregation.  Their purpose was to fill a need on the Upper East Side to support and educate orphans and destitute and neglected children of German origins who were Roman Catholic. Today, our culturally diverse student body hails from all five boroughs (and beyond the state lines)-- yet the commitment to educate and support the students remains the same and thrives.  The children's educators and role models are our teachers, parents, administration, extended family, alumni, and friends of St. Joseph's School.  Whether their role is large or small, each adult is committed to serving and engaging our students.  This heartfelt connection takes place inside and out of our building.

In addition to seeing the academic successes in our classrooms, one of my favorite things about being the principal of SJSY is sharing a conversation with the students and listening to their responses to my questions or simply hearing about their experiences, hopes, dreams, and concerns.  I know that each and every child has a unique part of God’s infinite goodness to share with others and the faculty, staff, and I do our best to share God’s love with them.

When one enters through the red doors, one immediately feels the genuine warmth and welcoming nature of our community. I take great pride in all that is accomplished within our brick walls and know that the contributions of many make this community truly shine.  Together we will continue to reach new heights as we educate the future leaders of our schools, city, country, and world.  We are in good hands.  I am deeply grateful to all who have joined together to make us stronger, kinder, and grounded in our faith. I know you feel this sense of community, too, and I know that we will all work together to advance the mission of our beloved school.  And to those new to us, please visit our website, contact us for more information, and join us.  We're here and looking forward to our 150th anniversary during which we'll celebrate tradition, innovation, and the future!

Sincerely,

Theresa Bernero

Principal