Feedback from our Community - 2007-2008 School Year
SJC is not only a place of academic excellence but a ‘HOME’.
Because it is a family oriented school, their personalized care is very
authentic. The teachers and staff are ‘VERY’ accommodating,
kind, and gentle. The principal, Mary Lyons, has an extraordinary way
of keeping our SPARCCLS (Student Learning Expectations) prominent.
If you want peace of mind when your when your child is away from your
home, this is the place to be. A Home away from
Home.
The Pancipanci Family (Grade 4)
One of the best decisions we made upon moving to California from the
U.K. in 1990 was sending our eldest child to SJC. Eighteen years and
four children later, we are about to graduate our youngest child. We
have seen a lot of growth and improvements in the school over the years;
computer lab, expanded library, grassy field, to name but a few. However,
what has never changed is the sense of family, the excellent academic
standards and the professionalism of all the teaching staff.
We will be so sorry to leave the school in June, but we know we shall
always be part of the SJC family.
The Smith Family (Grade 8 and SJC Class of 1998,
2001, & 2006 Graduates)
When my children applied at SJC School I didn’t know how I could
help them, but a buddy family helped me so I could adapt easily. And
all of staff, students, and their parents are very kind. Since my English
skills are poor, I felt uncomfortable starting conversations, but everybody
at school is always so smiling and helpful. Now I’m very happy
and comfortable in SJC School.
The Sung Family (Grades 4, 4, & 8)
We are pleased with SJC School for many reasons that include:
- The leadership is wonderful and we know them personally as a part of our family.
- Our child has a group of families that bestow love upon one another.
- Our child has a sense of God, traditional values, manners and care that she will develop for the rest of her life.
- We are respected and not just a number.
The Nasmeh Family (Grade 1)
We pray every morning for our family and friends.
Ms. Lyons gave me a sticker and a candy when I lost my tooth.
I like going to field trips. It was fun we visited the Fire Department.
Jaclyn (Grade 1)
I did extensive research before selecting SJC for my son. The early
focus on foreign language and the availability of extended care were
among the things that attracted us. However, it was the sense of community
that sealed the deal. When I drop my son off at school, I feel like I’m
dropping him off with a caring extension of our own family.
The Cakebread Family (Grade 1)
From India we came with our hopes held high seeking to find a match
for our Catholic faith and fine values. We wanted discipline yet love,
respect for others, courage to do the right thing, and to learn to grow
in a modern world and soar to great heights. We found SJC to have them
all!! We came as a family leaving our relatives behind. We found SJC
made an extended family to ours. SJC teaches our children to begin with
prayer, walk in SPARCCLS, and to reach for the stars! And in all, they
make our children God’s divine miracle waiting to happen.
The Louis Family (Grades 2 & 8)
Time flies so quickly. It has been nine years since my son arrived at
SJC. With every year that has passed, we have become very thankful and
appreciative of what the school offers us. Our school gives our children
a good education, good spirit, good character, and other countless good
qualities. Our children learn so much in SJC. One of the best things
they’ve learned is to show their gratitude and respect toward us.
They also learn to appreciate what they have compared to the needy. I
think the value system the school teaches is so important to our children’s
future. Again, we have to thank SJC for helping to turn our son into
a fine young man and prepare him for his future challenges.
The Leung Family (Grades 4 & 8)
My son is satisfied with his school life. That’s the most important
reason why we love SJC. Since the school is small, teachers and students
are intimate.
The Chang Family (Grade 8)
Why St. Joseph of Cupertino School? Because our children are growing
into well-educated, generous, and strong people at a school that truly
SPARCCLS. Seven years ago when this program was begun, we didn't know
the impact that it would have on their lives. Without a doubt, they are
learning to live as a person who is Spiritual, Peaceful, Academically
Prepared, Respectful, Confident, Community Oriented, Life-long Learner,
as well as a Strong Communicator. We believe that these characteristics
will enable them to become the best that they can be and succeed in whatever
paths they choose in their lives. The gift of an education at SJC is
the strongest beginning that we can give our children. We hope to see
you here next year!
The Proffitt Family (Grades 1, 3, 4, & 6)
Back in September of 2006, a friend of mine called to see if my son
and I could attend a school carnival at St. Joseph of Cupertino with
her and her daughter. I said yes, since we both like rides and games.
This would be our first experience with SJC. I was so impressed with
the school's family atmosphere and was taken back by seeing the school
children being so warm, caring and welcoming. When it came time to enroll
our son for Kindergarten we had a lot of decisions to make and I remembered
the feeling both my son and I had when we attended the carnival. We were
not just looking for a good school for academics. We were also looking
for a school with good values - a warm inviting place that would not
only educate our son but nurture him as well... and that is what we got.
From the time we met his teachers, other parents and especially the principal,
Ms. Lyons, we just fell in love with this school. Thank you for giving
us a sense of family and community in such large city environment. GO
JAGS!
The Serafini Family (Grade K)
We are very happy to be a part of the SJC School community. We know
that our boys are not only receiving a quality academic education, but
they are also growing in their faith, strengthening the values we teach
them at home, and learning to be a valuable part of the community. We
are so happy to be a part of the SJC School family.
The Kalcic Family (Grades 1 & 3)
This year, we have the opportunity to look at our experience with St.
Joseph of Cupertino School from a different perspective. We have a son
in 6th grade who attends SJC and a freshman who graduated last year and
is now attending one of the best Catholic high schools in the area.
When our older son was preparing for the Catholic High School Placement
Test, we discovered that his academic foundation was very strong and
he did not have any problems getting acceptance from schools that he
applied to. He qualified for several advanced and accelerated classes
for his freshman year which he selected and achieved outstanding grades
for his first semester. We always feel that he owes much of his success
to the strong foundation he received throughout the 9 years he attended
at SJC.
With our younger son, we still enjoy the school community that provides
strong academics as well as the family atmosphere that encourages love,
respect and caring among students, teachers and parents. We also enjoy
the spiritual environment that SJC provides as a good example of Catholic
education which stresses the value of prayer, respect and charity. My
younger son especially enjoys the sports program that allows him to compete
in different sports while having a good time with his teammates.
We feel that SJC provides the environment to grow into a well-rounded
student with the focus on different aspects including, academic, intellectual,
spiritual, social, moral, cultural and physical. We are grateful that
we made the right choice 10 years ago.
The Iskarous Family (Grade 6 and SJC Class of
2007 Graduate )
SJC is a unique place – it’s not just a fantastic, top-notch
school with incredible teachers, but a welcoming and warm community for
families. Our parish and school have no shortage of activities and community
events to participate in – from the Crab Feed, to Spaghetti Dinner
Night, the Auction, the Our Lady of Guadalupe celebration, Festival of
Tables (my favorite), and of course, the carnival! SJC also has a very
strong Reach-Out program. Younger children participate in as cereal drives,
making placemats at Thanksgiving for a family shelter, and singing at
retirement homes. The older children assemble bag lunches monthly for
Julian Street Inn and our 7th graders go to Sacred Heart Community Services
twice a month. It warms my heart to see the children realize very early
on that we all have a responsibility to share our time, talent and resources
with those not as fortunate as ourselves.
The Belloni Family (Grades 1 & 4)
I love the faculty, families and children here at SJC. The community
spirit, the supportive environment - both of the parents and administration
- make SJC a wonderful place to work. Teachers at St. Joseph’s
have the freedom to be individually creative and yet we work well as
a team to articulate our common goals, enabling us to maintain continuity.
I am proud of the academic program that we’ve built which emphasizes
educating the whole child. Our students are exposed to many different
experiences through our social justice outreach program and spiritual
retreats, which are really unique to SJC.
Mrs. Debbie Jio (1st Grade Teacher and Vice Principal)
I love working here as a teacher! I am so grateful that we teachers
here at SJC all have aides in our classrooms. It allows me to spend more
time implementing new curriculum and planning new ways of delivering
it. It also allows me to communicate more frequently with parents about
their child’s individual needs and progress. Having an instructional
aide in the classroom enables the two of us to work with smaller groups
of children simultaneously, and our 4th graders learn so much more as
a result.
Ms. Tricia Roemer (4th Grade Teacher)
The teachers at SJC enjoy working here because we love teaching. We
love the students, the parents, our peers, and our community. In fact,
the sense of community at St. Joseph’s is rarely found at other
schools. We believe in our school and its Catholic mission and philosophy
and we feel teaching here is a vocation. The teachers at SJC promise
to do our very best in passing on our faith and values to our students.
Mr. Michael Lee (8th Grade Teacher)
Choosing SJC School was one of the best decisions I have ever made.
In my rate level I give the school an "excellent" grade in
all aspects. The school has a very friendly, caring and family atmosphere
with a high academic curriculum. I especially like that the educational
program is well rounded and includes Science, the Arts, Music and Physical
Education. In many ways it reminds me my own Kindergarten which I loved!
My daughter said she likes SJC School because she likes to work with
the teachers and they are all cute. She also loves her 8th Grade Buddy
and has met lots of new friends in the school.
The Horvath Family (Kindergarten)
I am happy that I chose to send my children to St. Joseph of Cupertino for so many reasons:
- A strong sense of community: The children feel comfortable in their school. The community quickly becomes their second family. The teachers foster a sense of community within their classrooms but also school-wide. The parent community also becomes connected through common interests/classes but also the family service program.
- Strong Catholic Faith: Our Catholic values are embedded in everything that we do here at SJC.
- Academic Preparation: St. Joseph provides a strong and well-rounded academic program (with lots of extras including science, P.E., Art, Music, Spanish and Computers) that helps prepare the children for the years ahead. While they have strong academic standards, they accommodate all children in their academic needs.
- There is a difference: There are so many schools to choose from. I believe in my heart of hearts that SJC stands head and shoulders about the rest.
The Wilson Family (Kindergarten and Grade 3 )
I have had my kids at St. Joseph school for 9 years, so consider myself
an expert on the school. I have made so many adult friends through this
wonderful community and have had fun volunteering to make a difference
in the school. My kids have also developed many strong friendships. I
have enjoyed watching my children excel in academics, sports, scouts
and student government in this unique, challenging and nurturing environment.
We live in the boundaries of the best of the Cupertino schools - Regnart,
Kennedy and Monte Vista, yet we have opted for this Catholic school education
and have been extremely pleased with our decision. As with all decisions,
there are trade-offs, but in the balance we are satisfied with our decision
and highly recommend the experience to anyone considering it. Our oldest
son is now thriving at Bellarmine College Preparatory and our 7th grade
daughter is considering her high school options. I know when our youngest
graduates next year we will sorely miss SJC.
The Fishler Family (Grade 7 and SJC Class of
2007 Graduate)
We love St Joseph's, our son is very happy, is making friends, and he
loves his Kindergarten teachers. There is a great feeling of community
at the school, and a sense of belonging to a big family - we are so glad
we chose this great school for Scott. The school is made very special
by the dedication of its fine teachers and its great principal.
The Woodward Family (Kindergarten)
This is our family's 10th year with St. Joseph. Our daughter graduated
in 2007 and our son is in the 5th grade. We cannot say enough about our
school and community. Our children and every child is made to feel like
they belong and cared about by their teachers, faculty and parents. Our
children are academically prepared and challenged beyond our expectations.
This is evident in how our daughter is succeeding at Archbishop Mitty
High School and how our son is excelling at SJC. What sets SJC separate
from other schools is the personal attention they give to each student,
the social awareness they teach, and the spiritual development of each
student and family. We would recommend St. Joseph to any family! The
blessings your child and your family will receive are countless.
The Caban Family (Grade 5 and SJC Class of 2007
Graduate)
(1) We love the sense of community; school staff and parents are so
caring, supportive, and helpful.
(2) We greatly appreciate the school's learning philosophy of emphasizing
the whole child (SPARCCLS).
One testimonial for the above: The summer after our first year at SJC,
we were on a family outing. A girl we had not met before approached and
greeted our kids, saying "you two go to SJC, right?" She went
on to explain that she had just graduated from SJC and asked our kids
how it was going and if they enjoyed their first year at the school.
She said that she really enjoyed her time at SJC and all the teachers.
We were impressed that this young high school freshman not only recognized
(at the time) a fifth and second grader but then also took the time to
step away from her family to acknowledge our kids. She was so sincere,
courteous, RESPECTFUL, and CONFIDENT. Great character! This just reaffirmed
that we've placed our children into a wonderful school environment.
The Vogel Family (Grades 3 & 6)
I Like SJC School because everyone in here is so nice and caring
Tina (Grade 8)
I like SJC because the teachers are all nice and all the students are
friendly and funny.
Ryan (Grade 8)
I develop friendships that help me to be a better friend. I have a variety
of teachers that help me learn science, art, computer lab and language.
Alexandra (Grade 1)
Feedback
from the 2006-2007 School Year
