Holy Ghost School vs. St. Joseph School
Should you attend Holy Ghost School or St. Joseph School? Visitors to our site frequently compare these two schools. Compare their rankings, scores, reviews and more to help you determine which school is the best choice for you.
School Overview
Top Rankings
Holy Ghost School ranks among the top 20% of private schools in Louisiana for:
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Student Body
St. Joseph School ranks among the top 20% of private schools in Louisiana for:
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School History
Overview
Holy Ghost Catholic School founded in 1912, was opened by five Dominican sisters as St.
Thomas Aquinas School. Holy Ghost School was named from the Third Person of the Blessed Trinity, the Holy Ghost / Holy Spirit.
The Holy Spirit is symbolic of peace and security. The members of our community ask in prayer, schoolwork, or in leisure that the Holy Sprit guides us and is the center of our school life.
Our school has always been ruled by the Dominican Order.
The founder of the order was St. Dominic Guzman who was born in Calruega, Spain, in 1170.
The purpose of creating this order was to preach the good news of Jesus and the salvation of souls.
The Dominican Order was approved by the Church in 1217, when Pope Honorius III gave Dominic the title of "Order of Preachers." There are currently about 800,000 members of the Dominican Family world wide.
This includes sisters, nuns, priests, brothers, laity, and associates. Dominicans are found on every continent.
The four pillars of the Dominican life are: prayer, preaching, contemplation, and community.
Our religious teachings at Holy Ghost School help us to learn about the gifts of the Holy Ghost.
There are two kinds of gifts. The first gifts specially intended for the sanctification of the person who receives them.
These gifts include wisdom, understanding, council, fortitude, knowledge, piety, and fear of the Lord.
St. Joseph School was established in 1896 to serve the Catholic students of St. Joseph Church Parish.
It has been a landmark of the Ponchatoula area for generations.
The school is operated by the church parish which for years has been served by the Dominican fathers.
For many years the Notre Dame Sisters served as administrators and staffed the school.
Presently the school is staffed by twenty-one professionals with four classroom aides.
The school serves just over 300 students and their families.
St. Joseph Catholic School has been providing a quality Catholic education for students in the Ponchatoula area since 1896.
The mission of St. Joseph School is to instill in our students Catholic principles while developing academic excellence in an environment of mutual respect.
St. Joseph School does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, national or ethnic origin.
Grades Offered
PK-8
PK-8
Blue Ribbon School
No
No
Learning Difference Programs
n/a
No
Year Founded
n/a
1896
Students Body
Total Students
671 students
487 students
Student Body Type
Co-ed
Co-ed
% Students of Color
11%
23%
Students by Grade
Students by Grade
Pre-K Students
132
40
Kindergarten Students
72
56
Grade 1 Students
58
56
Grade 2 Students
56
52
Grade 3 Students
50
51
Grade 4 Students
60
54
Grade 5 Students
74
48
Grade 6 Students
41
48
Grade 7 Students
53
45
Grade 8 Students
75
37
Academics and Faculty
Total Classroom Teachers
34 teachers
39 teachers
Teacher : Student Ratio
1:20
1:12
Finances and Admission
Admission Deadline
None / Rolling
None / Rolling
Tuition Notes
n/a
Please check website under Admissions for current tuition information.