Why SJA

Today, and every day, is a great day to be a Redsticker!

Our newest video, narrated by senior Layla Benson, shares a little bit of what makes our students and faculty excited to be Redstickers every day.

The high school years are a time when your daughter will grow in every aspect of her life: spiritually, intellectually, emotionally, socially and physically. That’s why choosing a high school is such an important decision!

At St. Joseph’s Academy, your daughter will be encouraged and challenged to discover and use her gifts and abilities for herself and in service to others. She will be offered a strong religious foundation within the Catholic tradition, a superior academic program and a wide range of enriching co-curricular opportunities to help her learn skills and values for life.

Our Commitment

At SJA, it is our desire that each of our students will strive to be the best that she can be, to find her God-given talents and become a young woman for others. As each graduate leaves SJA, she does so with a strong faith in God, a love of learning, a commitment to serving the dear neighbor and deep friendships and special memories that will strengthen her for life’s journey.

Our Tradition of Excellence

St. Joseph’s Academy is a National Blue Ribbon School founded in 1868 by the Sisters of St. Joseph. SJA has attained U.S. Department of Education Blue Ribbon status five times (1991, 1996, 2002, 2016 and 2023). At 156 years, SJA is one of the oldest all-girls high schools in the country and the oldest high school in Baton Rouge. This premier school for girls in grades 9-12 provides an environment of excellence, where relationships are strengthened and young girls become women of faith, hope and love.

Our Mission

The mission of St. Joseph’s Academy is to educate young women as responsible and unifying members of the world community. In the spirit and charism of the Sisters of St. Joseph, St. Joseph’s Academy offers opportunities for faith development, academic excellence and personal growth.

Opportunities for faith development are provided through yearly theology courses, a required service program, class retreats, prayer experiences and participation in various aspects of the liturgy. As an expression of the charism of the Sisters of St. Joseph, the SJA experience emphasizes the importance of relationships with “the dear neighbor.”

Through local, national and international service opportunities, the young women of SJA meet and identify with others so that all may be one. Through service and community involvement, students grow in awareness of themselves and become increasingly connected with all God’s creation.

Academic excellence is an Academy hallmark. SJA has embraced the concept of teaching for understanding rather than simply for recall. Students are engaged and challenged, and educational practices incorporate varied learning styles and meet the needs of all students. A rigorous academic core curriculum is complemented by a vibrant visual and performing arts curriculum, housed in the beautiful Academy Arts Center.

One hundred percent of Academy graduates attend college. The class of 2024 was offered admission to 152 colleges and universities and earned $38.55 million in scholarships. Honors, advanced placement and dual-enrollment courses are offered in a variety of subjects. SJA students consistently score above state and national averages on the ACT.

Students experience personal growth through a wide variety of co-curricular activities, designed for the development of interests and talents. Through arts and academic organizations, athletics, service programs and faith-based groups, your daughter will have ample opportunities to gain important leadership experience and learn the value of cooperation, responsibility and teamwork.

Student-athletes compete on the 5A level in 12 sports: basketball, bowling, cross country, golf, gymnastics, powerlifting, soccer, softball, swimming, tennis, track & field and volleyball.

Our Faculty

We are proud of our dedicated and talented faculty. Faculty members regularly receive national, regional, state and local awards for excellence in teaching, as well as grants for further study and instructional programs to strengthen their course offerings. Perhaps the most important quality of SJA’s teachers is their commitment to our students and their availability to help students inside and outside of the classroom.

Our Counseling Center staff provides academic, personal, career and college counseling. Grade-level counselors are available to help your daughter and to assist parents, as well. Two full-time college advisors assist SJA students with college and scholarship applications, recommendation letters, transcripts and the admissions process. The center also offers a wide range of college-resource information. A wellness educator helps meet the social emotional needs of adolescent girls and serves as a mental health resource for students, parents, faculty and staff.