St. Joseph's Academy

St. Joseph's Academy invites EIGHTH GRADE STUDENTS to visit our school for a half-day in the fall. The girls will sit-in on classes and experience the Angel spirit first-hand.

Registration for this Student Shadowing session is now closed. Thank you to all those who participated.

Frequently Asked Questions about the Shadowing Program

1. The shadowing program is available for which grade levels?
2. Is shadowing a half-day or a full day?
3. Is there a dress code for students who visit?
4. How do I schedule a shadow visit?
5. How far in advance do I need to call to schedule a shadow visit?
6. Will my daughter eat lunch while visiting St. Joe?
7. Does a prospective student shadow a freshman, sophomore, junior, or senior?
8. How many students can shadow at a time?
9. Where should I bring and pick up my daughter for her visit?
10. Once I am on the campus of St. Joseph’s Academy, where do I go?
11. What if there is an emergency while my daughter is visiting St. Joe?
12. Does a parent/guardian need to come into the school building when dropping off or picking up his or her daughter?
13. How can the shadowing program be beneficial for my daughter?

1. The shadowing program is available for which grade levels?
Only eighth graders are allowed to participate in the shadowing program. Shadow visits begin September 14, 2009 and end November 6, 2009. Registration to shadow is on-line beginning August 19, 2009. Seventh grade spring or fall visits are not part of our program.

2. Is shadowing a half-day or a full day?
The shadowing program is for a half day. Prospective students that come for a morning visit are here from 7:50 a.m. to 10:50 a.m. The afternoon visit is from 12:10 p.m. to 2:45 p.m. The morning visit is somewhat longer due to the homeroom period.

3. Is there a dress code for students who visit?
Visitors from Catholic elementary schools are asked to wear their school uniforms. Current St. Joe students find it interesting to see how many girls they know from just identifying skirts from various grade schools. If a girl is from a public school, we ask that she dress appropriately and follow our guidelines for casual out of uniform days: no short shirts or short skirts, shorts, no midriffs, halter/tube tops, or spaghetti straps. We also prefer that jeans not be worn.

4. How do I schedule a shadow visit?
To schedule a time to visit go online to our website where you will find a direct link (on August 19, 2009) to the "request to shadow attendance form" located there. If you do not have access to a computer therefore scheduling a visit via the website is not possible, please call Sr. Carol Gerondale, Director of Admissions, at 314-965-7205 x233, starting August 19, 2009.

5. How far in advance do I need to call to schedule a shadow visit?
We recommend that a parent schedule the visit at least one week in advance. Many days do fill up so the sooner a visit can be scheduled the better

6. Will my daughter eat lunch while visiting St. Joe?
A prospective student will more than likely not have the opportunity to eat lunch in the cafeteria when she comes to visit due to our schedule.

7. Does a prospective student shadow a freshman, sophomore, junior, or senior?
In most cases, prospective students will be paired with a sophomore. We do not pair them with freshmen, because we feel they are just learning the environment themselves.
If a visiting student knows someone that is a sophomore, junior, or senior, please put that request when you register online. If you are calling to make a shadow visit appointment, please let the Director of Admissions know at the time the appointment is made and she will do her best to accommodate the request.

8. How many students can shadow at a time?
Each eighth grade visitor is paired with a sophomore from St. Joe. Twelve students are scheduled for morning visits and twelve students are scheduled for afternoon visits.

9. Where should I bring and pick up my daughter for her visit?
All prospective students and their parents will come to the main entrance in the front of school. At the main entrance there is a statue of St. Joseph, a stop sign, and a circle drive with visitor parking. Enter through the main doors and walk straight ahead to an all glass room called the Board Room. This is where prospective students and the sophomore guides will meet. See the next question for more detail.

10. Once I am on the campus of St. Joseph’s Academy, where do I go?
Once you turn right onto Litzsinger (if traveling Lindbergh South), or you turn left onto Litzsinger (if traveling Lindbergh North), you will make an immediate left in to St. Joseph’s Academy.

Once you are on our campus you will stay to the right, because it is one-way traffic.

You will proceed around the whole building- pass the fields, tennis courts, convent- and keep going to the front of our building, which is the main entrance.

When you get to the stop sign, see a circle drive and the statue of St. Joseph, you are there.

Turn left at the stop sign, onto the circle drive, and there is visitor parking available.

Go up the steps, through the front doors and walk straight ahead to an all glass room called the Board Room. This is where prospective students and the sophomore guides will meet.

11. What if there is an emergency while my daughter is visiting St. Joe?
A parent must accompany his or her daughter into St. Joe for her visit. At that time the parent will sign in and leave an emergency contact number where a parent or guardian can be reached during the time of the visit.

12. Does a parent need to come into the school building when dropping off or picking up his or her daughter?
It is necessary that a parent or other designated adult accompany the student into St. Joe when dropping off or picking up. There is a sheet that the parent/adult will need to sign. At the beginning of the visit the parent or adult will need to leave an emergency contact number for St. Joe. At the end of the visit, the parent or designated adult will sign his or her daughter out so that St. Joe knows that the prospective student is no longer on campus.
If students come together and a parent is not present the parent or designated adult bringing the students needs to sign both students in and out.
If an 8th grade student is going home with a St. Joe student, then the St. Joe student will need to sign her out, so we know the student is off campus.
A St. Joe student may bring an 8th grade student to school, but the St. Joe student must bring her 8th grader to the Board Room for sign-in, so we know she is on campus (even if the St. Joe student is the 8th grader's guide for the day.)

13. How can the shadowing program be beneficial for my daughter?
The shadowing program is a unique opportunity for prospective eighth grade students to experience a typical school day of a St. Joe Angel. The visiting student goes to the same classes and assemblies as her sophomore guide, so she experiences first-hand what it is like to be a student at St. Joseph’s Academy.