What's NEW at St. Joseph School

St. Joseph School is blessed to have among its parishioners, many generous families.  We are able to make improvements, provide materials for children, offer tuition support for families, and maintain a high level of excellence in staff through your willingness to give.  This year, we are especially blessed to receive the Jim and Mary Steber Endowment, which purchased current, interactive Audio-Visual equipment for our 2^nd through 8^th grade classrooms! 

I sat down and talked with Ron and Eleanor Steber about Jim and Mary.  It was both enjoyable and informative to learn about these generous benefactors.  Jim Steber was always a member of the St. Joseph family, and his wife, Mary, joined the church prior to their wedding. Jim attended a small country school through eighth grade, and Mary graduated valedictorian from West Richland High School.  They had a large, Catholic family, a home bustling with 10 children:  twins Ron and Don, Carolyn (Inyart), twins Jim and Judy (Spitz), Janice, Sharon (Eckel), Sandy (Fehrenbacher), Mary Beth (Coan), and Debbie (Crouch).  Ron remembered the family piling into the family Chevy to attend 6 a.m. mass.  They chose the early service in order to come home, complete farm chores, eat dinner and return for Sunday afternoon Benediction.  The family was committed to the church and all it offered.

Mary was a church leader, and Jim participated in whatever committee she chose for them.  She was involved in the Altar Society, Mother’s club, and was one of the initial organizers of our parish’s RCIA program.  Jim and Mary were also active in Marriage Encounter and Pre-Cana.  Of primary importance to Jim and Mary was furthering their education and that of their children.  They ran Confraternity of Christian Doctrine classes in their home, attended Father Karban’s classes, and were involved in all aspects of their children’s educations at St. Joseph School.  They passed this love of learning onto their children and grandchildren.

Family was of utmost importance to the Stebers.  Ron said that Mary knew all 46 names of her grandchildren and each birthday as well.  They held birthday celebrations for each family member and shared in the joy of their large, Catholic family.  They taught their children to love and accept everyone – a lesson we share here in our school with our children today.

Jim and Mary Steber also believed strongly in financially supporting their church and school.  Ron remembered Jim getting the envelope each Sunday morning, and Mary inserting the check.  They gave to the church and the school and, of course, supported the school through their choice to share their children with the St. Joseph School family. 

In their planning, they asked their children to insure that the church and school would receive an endowment for the future – a project to benefit the children of this parish.  Along with the BOE, I asked Ron if the Audio-Visual project I envisioned would fit the family’s idea of a project, he responded enthusiastically and positively. 

Each classroom in our historic building is now equipped with the latest in audio-visual technology – a classroom projector, interactive Mimio software, and audio speakers in the ceiling.  The technology provides the most current, exciting equipment available and allows teachers to fully utilize the power of technology in the classroom.  Another parish donor, a Johnsie Fiock Fildes Grant and a Carrie Winter grant helped us finish off the project and install the same equipment in kindergarten and first grade classrooms. 

We are so blessed that Jim and Mary Steber made this school a part of their family for so many years, and they will continue to bless our children for many more.