Founded in 1884, St. Josaphat Parish quickly saw that part of its mission was to educate the young of the immigrant Kashube families. St. Josaphat School, staffed by the Sisters of Charity of the Incarnate Word, numbered 186 boys and 151 girls at its inception. In 1885, the Sisters of the Holy Family of Nazareth Congregation replaced the Sisters of Charity, and they remained with St. Josaphat School for 98 years.

The school began as part of the church building on the northwest corner of Belden and Wayne. In its earliest years, St. Josaphat School was also an orphanage for 10 to 80 children. In 1900, the present church was constructed; opening more space in the old church/school building directly to the east. In 1913, a new addition to the school on the southeast corner of Belden and Southport was constructed to help hold the 1,000 plus students in attendance. In 1925, there were 15 teaching sisters and a school enrollment of 1,112. In 1962, the new school/convent annex was completed in 1966, and the original school and convent buildings were razed. Gone were the fabled bowling alleys and the Commercial High School! By 1986, the numbers in the school had dwindled to just over 100 and only five classrooms were in use.

1987 saw the rebirth of the school. Within three years over 250 students were registered in classrooms. A pre-school was added. A computer room, library, and a music room were added and the extended-day program was initiated. Since 1994 four new classrooms have been built, IBM computers were added to every classroom, as well as to a new, larger computer lab.  In 1999 our Angel Program helped us add the Orff Music program and a Language Program to our curriculum. Our most recent addition is an Outdoor Nature Classroom.  These programs with energetic teachers and responsive, involved parents, make St. Josaphat the wonderful school it is.