At a Glance
Where tradition meets innovation: a Staten Island Catholic academy pairing Gospel formation with PLTW STEM and AP pathways from Pre-K on.
Best suited for
Staten Island Catholic families who want a structured, faith-centered education and a serious STEM-to-AP academic pathway starting in Pre-K, and who are comfortable driving or carpooling rather than commuting by transit.
What stands out
- PLTW Distinguished Launch and Gateway STEM certification starting in the early grades — a relatively rare credential for a Catholic elementary.
- Spanish instruction across all grades Pre-K 3 through 8, not just as a middle-school add-on.
- 16 AP courses plus the AP Capstone Diploma pathway, giving the high school end a college-prep spine unusual for a parochial school at this tuition.
- Tuition of $4,185–$7,250 for 2026-27 puts it among the most affordable private Catholic options in New York City.
- NCEA accreditation and a structured, disciplined culture that parents consistently praise.
Things to consider
- The "Elementary" designation is misleading — the listed grades include 9 through 12, so confirm whether you're applying to the lower school or the full academy and whether middle-school grades (6–8) are actually offered.
- Parent reviewers disagree sharply: one group rates the school 4.1/10 across 110 reviews, while another rates it 4.33/5 — read both before deciding what to weight.
- Food quality comes up repeatedly in reviews as a weak spot; ask about the lunch program on a tour.
- The student body is 78% White and draws heavily from Staten Island Catholic families, so families seeking a more racially or religiously diverse peer group may want to compare with Brooklyn or Manhattan options.
- The 15–19 minute walk to the SIR means bus, carpool, or driving will be the daily reality for most families.
Identity
Founded by the Daughters of Divine Charity, St. Joseph Hill Academy offers a Pre-K through grade 12 Catholic education grounded in the Gospel, Catholic doctrine, and the values of faith, service, and lifelong learning. The school explicitly blends tradition with innovation, weaving rigorous academics — including PLTW STEM certification, Spanish instruction, and a deep AP program — into a faith-centered daily life.
Community
The student body is 78% White, with smaller Hispanic (8.2%), Asian (7.6%), multiracial (5%), and Black (1%) populations — a diversity index of 0.49 that reflects the school's draw from Staten Island's parish network. In practice this tends to mean working- and middle-class Catholic families from the Island, not a racially mixed NYC-wide cohort.
Neighborhood
The school sits on Hylan Boulevard in the Grasmere-Arrochar-Dongan Hills corridor of Staten Island, a working- and middle-class stretch of the Island where median household income is about $82,000 and roughly a third of adults hold a bachelor's degree. The area has a low poverty rate near 10% and the parish-school ecosystem that has long defined this part of the borough.
The nearest Staten Island Railway stops are Grasmere (about a 15-minute walk) and Old Town (about a 19-minute walk), so most families drive or arrange carpool rather than relying on transit.
Notable Programs
What Parents Are Saying
Mixed reviews; rated 4.1/10 from 110 reviews and 4.33/5. Parents note outstanding curriculum, children are challenged and expertly educated, discipline is taught throughout grades, religious education integrated into daily life. Some concerns about food quality.
Synthesized from public parent reviews · Apr 2026
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Frequently Asked Questions
- Is ST JOSEPH HILL ACADEMY ELEM SCHOOL a good school?
- Published quality ratings aren't available for ST JOSEPH HILL ACADEMY ELEM SCHOOL yet on Motley. It's a private school serving grades Pre-K to 12 in Grasmere-Arrochar-South Beach-Dongan Hills.
- What grades does ST JOSEPH HILL ACADEMY ELEM SCHOOL serve?
- ST JOSEPH HILL ACADEMY ELEM SCHOOL serves grades Pre-K to 12.
- How do students get into ST JOSEPH HILL ACADEMY ELEM SCHOOL?
- ST JOSEPH HILL ACADEMY ELEM SCHOOL runs its own private admissions process — typically an application, a visit, and sometimes testing.
- Is ST JOSEPH HILL ACADEMY ELEM SCHOOL public, charter, or private?
- ST JOSEPH HILL ACADEMY ELEM SCHOOL is a private school.
- What neighborhood is ST JOSEPH HILL ACADEMY ELEM SCHOOL in?
- ST JOSEPH HILL ACADEMY ELEM SCHOOL is in Grasmere-Arrochar-South Beach-Dongan Hills, Staten Island.