“Three young children began receiving lessons on 8th October 1904 from the Catholic sisters, who had come to Roskilde to start a hospital and offer education”
This is the way the ”fairytale” about Skt. Josef’s School starts in the school’s 100 year jubilee book. Today it is interesting to think back on how it all started, so simply and with a humble but goal-oriented mission - that of educating children and making a difference in Roskilde, which in those days was a small town.
Now, more than 113 years later, the school has more or less the same mission as that of the Sisters all those years ago. To give children the best possible education; solid Christian values and at the same time a commitment to make a difference for each individual student and for the environment we live in.
Today, one of the school’s main values sounds like this: “At Skt. Josef’s School there is a place for everyone, but not for everything”. Said in other words: Skt. Josef’s is here for all children, irrespective of social, ethnical, religious, or educational background. Similarly, we expect that students and parents alike understand and accept the mission and values as well as the goals the school sets for professionalism; teaching and social aspects. This is how it has been from the start, and it is still an important aspect of the school’s DNA. A constructive and positive cooperation between parents and the school is what we see as the key to a good school life for the students and their education and to enable us to reach the goals we aspire to for each individual student.
Skt. Josef’s School has changed its physical appearance through the years: it has expanded with new buildings; expanded with an International department; developed talent classes and has a strong and lively SFO, just to mention a few of the projects, but our mission and vision are as always at the center of all our development. In the mission, we have still embedded “the student well-being”- as a focus that is still highly relevant in today’s society.
Said simply: We focus our efforts on making our students happy. Skt. Josef’s School wants to create a platform for children where they are challenged; become enquiring and at the same time develop an indomitable courage to be able to navigate the world, which is waiting for them. The school’s Christian values and traditions is part of this tool-kit, which binds us together and gives it meaning.
It is in this spirit, that I as always would like to welcome new students, parents, and employees to Skt. Josef’s School. You are all important factors in ensuring that the school can continue to evolve, we are better together, and together we can find new ways to spread our mission and vision.
- Mads Frost Hansen Principal