School Mission Statement

To provide quality Catholic education in a faith-filled environment, serving the community as one family in the body of Christ. We are fostering active Christians, life long learners, effective communicators, responsible citizens, and self-aware individuals.

Recognizing that the central purpose of Our Lady of Joy Parish is to become ever more deeply a Eucharistic Community, the preschool will assist young children, their families, and the entire parish community in exploring the meaning of the Eucharist, and to serve others with the love of Christ.

In pursuit of this mission, the preschool will:

1. Partner with parents in the education and development of their children.
2. Help children express their relationship with God in developmentally appropriate ways.
3. Reinforce Catholic Christian values taught at home.
4. Create an environment of hospitality where faith and its values are molded.

Our Lady of Joy Roman Catholic School is a Community Which Believes in:

• Every child’s unique talents and abilities
• Always following our Lord, Jesus Christ
• Growing spiritually, academically, and socially
• Learning as a life-long process
• Engaging and welcoming environment
• Service to One Another

Testimonials

Isabelle and I will always have a special place in our heart for this parish and school because of all the support given to our daughter, Donna Prchal, in her time of need. There is a special bench that was dedicated to her memory that we often visit… Thanks to the school and its teachers!
- Donald and Isabelle Bullington

We truly miss Our Lady of Joy Catholic Preschool and Kindergarten. Unfortunately, the close catholic school here is not anything like Our Lady of Joy Preschool and Kindergarten. Unfortunately, we will have to withdraw our child this week to attend public school. As a mother, I knew we were some place special at Our Lady of Joy, but never realized how special it was until we left.

I wanted you to know how much of a wonderful impact the teachers had on our daughter. Not only did she excel academically while there, she was taught to be a wonderful person, with genuine concern and care for others.

Miss Dulce Shimkus spent extra time to explain and help process two deaths in our family last year. I never had to worry about whether or not our daughter was in great, caring hands. I now see that our daughter learned a great deal about her faith while at Our Lady of Joy as well.

The school supported and instilled the values and faith that we taught at home. I see that our daughter possesses a wonderful sense of faith and it was beautifully orchestrated through her teachers at Our Lady of Joy. At her current school, our daughter is the only one who knows the ‘Our Father’ and ‘Hail Mary’ by heart. Her teachers at Our Lady of Joy helped to teach and reinforce these essential prayers while she attended school there. We are a bit heartbroken that we can't have our family continue at Our Lady of Joy, but we are so grateful for such a beautiful foundation has been established in her while she was there!
- From a parent who was here and had since moved away for employment in another state

I personally think that the director and staff at Our Lady of Joy Preschool & Kindergarten are incredible! The great communication with the parents, the extensive planned activities for our families (not to mention variety), and the loving and kind teachers are truly a blessing to this community. The director constantly solicits feedback and is open to any kind of opinion. I wish I could run my business that well.

I personally want to thank you for being such a valuable part of my son’s life. I appreciate all you do for our children, every day.
- Leighann

"Our son’s Kindergarten experience at Our Lady of Joy was absolutely wonderful. We loved how the "lessons" were woven into so many creative, hands-on activities. The classroom was beautiful, spacious and filled with state-of-the-art learning materials. Most importantly, we could not have asked for a better teacher than Mrs. Furrier."

This year, our third grade class scored in the 99th percentile on a national standardized test; our second grade scored in the 94th percentile. Over a third of these students graduated from kindergarten at Our Lady of Joy.

At Annunciation I am eager to enroll students who have graduated from the OLJ program, since I know the administrator shares my philosophy about what children need to ensure a lifetime of success. The OLJ program upholds high academic standards, instills a true love of learning and develops a strong foundation in the faith.

Their small class sizes and top notch accredited teachers mean each child gets the attention they need. OLJ graduates come to us reading above grade level and demonstrating the foundation necessary to make good moral decisions. The OLJ graduates at Annunciation also exhibit a strong sense of compassion and social awareness, a result of the many stewardship opportunities provided during their early years at OLJ.