EIGHTH GRADE RETREAT: (Grade 8) The culminating year at St. Joseph School is always a memorable experience as the 8th grade class assumes the leadership roles and responsibilities at our school. The 8th graders begin the year with a Fall retreat to establish faith-filled leadership goals and foster friendships for a year of growth as maturing young adults. The 8th Grade retreat takes place at Lions Bear Lake Camp in Lapeer.

WASHINGTON DC TRIP: (Grade 8) In the Spring of each year, the 8th grade class has traditionally taken a week long trip to Washington DC. While in Washington DC, the St. Joseph students have the opportunity to visit The US Capital, the Smithsonian Institute, the National Shrine of the Immaculate Conception, the National Aquarium in Baltimore, and Gettysburg. A highlight is laying a wreath at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier. The Washington DC trip occurs at the conclusion of the 8th grade year followed by awards and graduation.

DEMOCRACY ON THE GREEN: (Grade 8) This three-hour, time-travel experience is designed to advance student understanding of core democratic values by offering participatory activities that make civics and history come alive. This event is held at Greenfield Village in the Fall of each year.

SIXTH GRADE CAMP: (Grade 6) The sixth graders take part in an outdoor education experience at Camp Howell Nature Center. The class spends three days and two nights at the camp participating in team-building, environmental, and outdoor studies.

HENRY FORD MUSEUM: (Grade 5) Students get to sit in the seat where Rosa Parks changed history, learn about women’s struggles for the right to vote, and take a tour through a home of the future at the Henry Ford Museum in Dearborn.

LANSING TRIP: (Grade 4) Fourth graders, who have learned about Michigan History, spend the day in Lansing visiting the State Capitol, the Michigan Historical Museum, and the Hall of Justice.

GREENFIELD VILLAGE TRIP: (Grade 3) History comes alive in the actual places where great American dreams were born, such as Thomas Edison's Menlo Park Laboratory, the Wright Brothers' home and workshop, Noah Webster's home and more. The celebration of the American experience is enhanced and enriched with memorable events and encounters, historic re-enactments and live demonstrations of American ingenuity. The third graders take this trip in the Spring of each year.

ONE ROOM SCHOOLHOUSE: (Grade 3) Third graders have the opportunity to relive history in an 1877 one room schoolhouse. Students experience how one teacher taught all ages reading, writing, arithmetic, spelling, penmanship, history and geography. Boys sit on one side of the school, and girls sit on the other side. The students use the McGuffey's Reader, bake bread, make lemonade, and play authentic yard games.

BATS OF THE WORLD: (Grade 2) The Organization for Bat Conservation takes a special trip to St. Joseph School each year to intrigue and educate while teaching children not to be afraid of bats and to understand the beneficial things they do. Live bats are shown including small bats and a large fruit bat.

CRANBROOK INSTITUTE OF SCIENCE: (Grade 2) In the Spring of each year, the second graders get to “be a dinosaur” as they journey through the Triassic, Jurassic and Cretaceous Periods. The winding passageways of this dinosaur-themed maze set the stage for a hands-on, body-in educational experience.

TRIP TO UPLAND HILLS FARM: (Grade K) Kindergartners visit the farm to learn about the animals. The farmers conduct a demonstration including milking the cow, making butter, sheep sheering, spinning wool and a question and answer period at the end. Since the trip takes place in October, the students have a chance to visit the pumpkin patch.