Discover the Difference: St. Joseph Catholic School to Expand for the 2023 School Year

August 1, 2022

St. Joseph Catholic School, located at 2107 East 33rd Street, announced it will expand its campus to serve a growing student population and to better serve all members of its community. Project plans include the addition of two new early childhood classrooms, three new middle school classrooms, a large multipurpose space that will serve as a parish activity center and school gymnasium, and an elevator to improve building accessibility.

"Our goal is to provide a safe, modern school and parish campus that meets the needs of all members of our growing community," said Jodi Halligan, school administrator. "Additionally, this project will create a sense of renewed pride in St. Joseph School and Parish."

The addition of two new early childhood classrooms will allow the school to offer three-year-old preschool in addition to the currently provided four-year-old prekindergarten. In addition, St. Joseph athletics will have a home court for the first time in the school's history with the new multipurpose space.

Funding for construction is provided through a capital campaign and private donations. The total project cost is $7,000,000, and to date, the St. Joseph community has secured nearly $5 million in pledged gifts and cash for the project. Construction on the expanded campus project will kick off during a groundbreaking ceremony on August 5 at 10 a.m. The anticipated completion date for the project is August 2023.

"This addition has been a vision for our school and parish for some time," shared Father Joseph Pins, parish pastor. The additional building space will allow us to expand needed services to the community of east Des Moines while improving our accessibility for individuals with mobility challenges. We are grateful for the support from the local community, private donors, and grantors that have made this project possible."

For over 70 years, St. Joseph Catholic School has served students in Pre-Kindergarten to 8th grade throughout the greater Des Moines community by providing a high-quality academic and faith experience. Our students thrive academically, socially, emotionally and spiritually under the leadership of dedicated teachers who combine excellence in education with their mission of creating disciples.

The Diocese of Des Moines Catholic Schools includes 16 schools in 23 counties in central and southwest Iowa. Catholic schools in the Des Moines Diocese build Christ-centered, collaborative, inclusive partnerships with parents, students, and parishes to provide innovative academic excellence and inspirational faith formation for students. To learn about more Catholic schools in the Diocese of Des Moines, visit www.dmdiocese.org/catholic-schools or email ExpectMore@dmdiocese.org.