On September 29, 1888, ten years after the founding of Jeanerette, Louisiana, the Catholic Sisters of Mercy arrived in Jeanerette at the invitation of the Pastor, Father Michael Bardy. On October 1st 1888 St. Joseph School was opened.

Originally, the school was housed on Provost Street in two buildings – one for boys and the other for girls. The Edgar Chaney home served as a convent. In it’s second year the school accepted boarders and housed them in the convent building. In 1891, the year of St. Joseph’s 1st graduation, enrollment had increased beyond the convents capacity. To accommodate the growth the Milmo residence on Church Street was purchased. This growth continued over the years and in mid-1950 the decision was made to move to a new location across the Bayou Teche. The Carlyle Bourgeois family donated a 16-acre plot for the new school and the St. Paul Bourgeois family gifted and area for athletics. The move was completed in 1959, remaining unchanged until fire destroyed the High School Building. It was rebuilt within months through a concerted effort of its constituents.

The school was first accredited by the State of Louisiana in 1923. Today, almost 120 years after its inception, St Joseph School continues to be an integral part of the community having provided thousands of students with an excellent education intertwined with Catholic family values. St. Joe currently offers classes for Pre-K through 8th Grade students both meeting and exceeding the requirements set forth by the Louisiana Department of Education. Throughout the years our students have and will to continue to enjoy the love and caring of a faith-oriented atmosphere provided by an amazing faculty whom many parents consider more a part of their own family than just teachers for their children.