St Joseph Catholic Church-Big Bend

Our Mission:
We are Catholics alive in Christ, celebrating His Sacraments,embracing prayer, worship, knowledge and service, all for the glory of God.

In 1872 twenty five people of faith built a small frame church in Lake Denoon, a mission outreach of St. Mary's Parish in Hales Corners. Five years later it burned to the ground but was able to be rebuilt in the same year. When that structure became too small for it's 160 worshipers in 1922, it was decided that the church should be moved further west. The little village 'by the big bend in the mighty Fox River' seemed to be just the spot.

After temporarily using the village hall, a new church was constructed in the area of Maple Avenue and Jackson Parkway. The fieldstone used for this church's exterior construction was gathered from Big Bend and surrounding areas. In 1953 fire strikes our church once again! This time the church was moved and rebuilt on our current property. The original structure at our current site now houses the Matthew, Mark, Luke and John meeting rooms as well at our K4 and K5 classrooms and school office.

The cornerstone from the 1924 structure presently resides in our current worship space among the flora to the right of the carport entrance to the church. What a blessing to have such an important piece of our history in tact and a reminder of where we have come, who we are today, and a beacon of the rock of our faith that will carry us far into the future.

School:
St. Joseph School was established in 1955 and staffed by the School Sister of St. Francis. The first year, grades 5, 6, 7, & 8 (with a total of 38 students) were taught by two teachers in one large room that has been divided into the current 7th and 8th grade classrooms. Across the hall was one large activity room that has been divided into the current 5th and 6th grade classrooms. Sr. Coleman and Sr. Florence lived in a small cottage on Little Muskego Lake that was too cold and damp to live in during the winter. So the two nuns put up cots in the school office and lived in the school during the winter until the house across the street, that was being built for the two nuns, was completed. Two significant additions to the building have added 4 classrooms and a library in 1979 and in 1999 the old church was renovated into a kindergarten room, an art & science lab, a new school office and 4 meeting rooms. A new cafeteria/parish hall was added in 1999 at the same time as the new church.

The physical facility of St. Joseph School has changed since 1955 and the curricular program and extra-curricular activities have changed to include Spanish classes, computer classes, Chess Club, Photo Club, That's Not Fair (our award winning social justice program), forensics, and competitive athletics. What hasn't changed is that St. Joseph School continues to offer a strong, Catholic, faith-based education with high academic standards that has been an asset to the parish and the local community.

St. Joseph School is committed to spiritual formation and excellence in academic achievement and performance. Our staff has created a faith-based community where our Catholic religious values are integrated into all areas of the school day. Our strong academic curriculum is enhanced by special instruction in the areas of music, art, physical education, Spanish, and computers. Extracurricular activities which include athletics, forensics, Toastmasters, and a social justice team complement our curriculum.

Our students benefit from small classes which allows for extra attention from the teachers in the classrooms and a quality after school daycare program.