History of the School
Saints Joseph and Dominic Catholic Academy of Williamsburg was established in 2005, following the merger of six schools of the neighboring parishes that were formerly served by the Sisters of St. Dominic and the Sisters of St. Joseph. The new school was so named in order to honor the many years of dedicated service given to the parishes of the cluster Churches by the sisters of both religious orders.
In 1853, when the first Amityville Dominican Sisters arrived in America from Regensburg, Germany, they quickly assumed responsibility for the parish school at Most Holy Trinity. In the early years of the community's presence in Brooklyn, the sisters educated the children of German immigrants; in addition to their work at Holy Trinity, the sisters eventually went to nearby All Saints School as well as to other parishes of Williamsburg and beyond.
In 1855, the Sisters of St. Joseph of Brentwood, another great community of women religious order, arrived in Brooklyn and assumed the responsibility for the parish school at Immaculate Conception of the Blessed Virgin Mary (for most of its history known as St. Mary's of Maujer Street). The sisters eventually took on the responsibilities of teaching the children at the nearby parish schools of Epiphany, Transfiguration and Ss. Peter and Paul; in the earliest days, the majority of the people of these parishes were Irish immigrants. The Sisters of Saint Joseph are proud to have, as part of their one-hundred and fifty year history, the legacy of serving the parishes of our neighborhood and many others in Brooklyn and beyond.
Saints Joseph and Dominic Catholic Academy continues in the traditions of the former schools and serves as a vital resource for the community today by serving the ever changing needs of the neighborhood. The Academy was originally formed with seven sponsoring parishes that later decreased to five after the merger of two parish churches. Ss. Peter and Paul and the Epiphany churches merged into one parish but continued to maintain two worship locations under the leadership of one Pastor. Most Holy Trinity and St Mary’s also merged into one parish forming one worship location known as Most Holy Trinity St Mary located at the site formally known at Most Holy Trinity. As a result, the financial contributions and the number of members on the Board of Pastors decreased. The leadership of the Board remained firm and fundamental in the spiritual formation and the academic achievement of the students and the Academy.
The Academy in its initial formation opened its doors with over 250 students in 2005 which quickly decreased to less than 200 students in 2006. The Academy later changed leadership and its marketing strategies that included all the sponsoring parishes in its recruitment efforts. These efforts also created a renewal and parish/school community outreach that embraced the vision, mission/philosophy of the Academy and its goal for the continued existence of Catholic Education in Williamsburg. These efforts have strengthened the resolve of the Catholic Identity of the Academy that transpired into the implementation of Differentiated Instructions.
Today, the Academy is boasting a dedicated religious and lay faculty. Saints Joseph and Dominic Catholic Academy of Williamsburg strives to educate its students with Christian values and academic excellence; the parishes of our cluster, our administration, faculty and parents hope the school will offer its students the moral and intellectual tools needed in order to become blessed, life-long learners and productive members of society.
Mission Statement
The Mission of Saints Joseph and Dominic Catholic Academy is based upon the Gospel message and the teachings of the Roman Catholic Church as follows:
- To provide the highest quality, affordable Catholic education to the Catholic community of the Williamsburg Areas.
- To commit to the belief that all students can and should succeed.
- To challenge each student to live according to the teachings of Jesus Christ.
- To provide a Christ centered environment that stresses excellence in academics, cultural and social development of each child.
School Philosophy
The philosophy of Saints Joseph & Dominic Catholic Academy rests on the Catholic and Christian concept of the dignity of the child as an image of God and thus strives to promote an environment that emphasizes the Christian values of peace, kindness, honesty, respect, self- esteem, self-discipline and personal responsibility of each child; to provide every child and their parents, the tools to achieve their full potentials; and to promote the development of the whole person within the Catholic identity.
Aware of the climate and outside surroundings of school, Saints Joseph and Dominic Catholic Academy offers a safe haven to the students through a prayerful atmosphere. To affirm the need for prayers, the students of the Academy pray the Children’s Daily Prayer as a school community each morning to begin their day. At noon the students re-assemble to pray the Angelus as children of God filled with His word. Religion serves as the first lesson of the day and the Sunday Gospel is integrated into Monday’s lessons; monthly liturgies, class retreats, seasonal prayer services as well as other religious events are coordinated to enrich the students with His word and to prepare them for a life of service. The Academy encourages the sacramental life of the students and fosters good conscience and the living of the gospel values by focusing on the idea of service towards others.
Saints Joseph and Dominic Catholic Academy provides a positive climate for learning with consistent structure and discipline in all curriculum areas. Mindful that students above all else are individuals, the Academy, to the extent possible, accommodates different learning styles, through Differentiated Instructions and Gradual Release Model that nurtures creativity, critical thinking and excellent study habits that reinforce student empowerment as life-long learners.
Conscious that the parents are the first and primary educators of the child, the Academy keeps an open communication between the church, school and the home environment in order to welcome, nurture and build a community that spreads His word. Through report cards, progress reports, notices, newsletters, school/teacher letters, phone calls and face-to-face meetings, the Academy shows that it is but only one aspect of a total family that is needed in raising a child to become an excellent student, a good Christian and more generally a well rounded child.
Vision Statement
Saints Joseph and Dominic Catholic Academy’s is an academic community in which a cordial dealing partnership exists among the students, teachers, parents and the sponsoring parishes of the Academy and the Williamsburg community. The Academy’s fundamental purpose is to develop first the spiritual formation of its students. The second is the academic excellence of the students driven by assessment that is used to guide daily planning and instruction modification through a holistic approach that is rooted in the development of the whole child as an individual with a personal relationship with the Lord. The Academy is committed to a stable and financially viable future in a safe and nurturing environment as a Catholic Academic institution.
Statements of Belief
We believe that education is a process of continual growth. It is our school's belief to teach as Jesus did, to develop each child's abilities and talents to his/her optimum levels regarding spiritual, moral, intellectual, physical, and social growth.
We believe that the Academy is a place where students, teachers, and parents work together toward the ultimate goal of human existence — knowing, loving and serving God in this world so as to live with Him forever in the next.
We believe in an environment where Catholic school families provide a model of home living by praying and attending Sunday Mass together, and by participating in the sacramental life of the Church.
We believe that students and families of all faith and backgrounds are welcome to share and participate in the blessings of a Catholic education.
We believe that teachers and parents must witness the Faith by their words and deeds, and through prayer and exemplary lives promote the ongoing formation and spiritual growth of the students.
We believe that the students should grow in the love of learning.
We believe that the students should experience a challenging curriculum and be given the tools needed for academic success.
We believe that the Academy is a spiritual academic institution where instruction in music/fine art program, foreign language, technology and physical education provides a well-rounded educational experience.
We believe that the Academy is a place where students are prepared for a life of service in society as critical thinkers and life-long learners.
