SJHA History

St. Joseph Hill Academy Elementary School is a private co-educational Catholic school serving grades Pre-K through 8.  The Academy was founded by the Daughters of Divine Charity in March of 1919 when the Congregation purchased the property that is now St. Joseph Hill Academy.

In the fall of that year the sisters inaugurated tutoring classes for a group of 25 children.  The elementary school officially opened in 1923 with an enrollment of 36 students with classes being held in the convent.  In 1925, the first Academy building was erected and dedicated as both a day school day and boarding school.  In 1930 Saint Joseph Hill Academy high school was opened with 6 young women graduating 1934.

Over the next few decades the Academy prospered and grew.  A new elementary school building was dedicated in 1953, followed by the high school wing in 1958.  A pre-kindergarten program was inaugurated in 1991.  A capital campaign program began in 1998 resulting in a new elementary school wing containing additional classrooms and a 2nd gymnasium.

Today the school continues to adhere to the spirit of the sisters who believe that the communication of Christian values is as essential in the development of the individual as the teaching of the academic curriculum.   The students are drawn from all areas of Staten Island.  St. Joseph Hill students are predominantly Roman Catholic, however, students of other religions are also served.   

Today the school serves nearly 600 Pre-K to grade 8 students. SJHA is the only Catholic elementary school within the Archdiocese of New York and the only Catholic elementary school on Staten Island with 3 classes on a grade level in 6th-8th Grade. We also have three classes for PreK 3 and PreK as well as new academic programs to our schedule.

Those who choose St. Joseph Hill Academy do so for its philosophy, excellent and challenging academic program, and caring Catholic Christian atmosphere.