09/10/2026
To our Roselle Community,
For more than a century, St. Joseph the Carpenter School has been a proud and committed member of the Roselle community. Throughout our history, our mission has extended beyond educating our students. We have consistently sought to serve the entire community and contribute to the well-being of the town we call home.
Generations of children have received their education at St. Joseph the Carpenter and have gone on to serve Roselle and the surrounding community in meaningful ways. Our alumni have worked with the Borough Council, the Board of Education, and other public institutions. Most recently, one of our alumni had the opportunity to work in the office of a United States senator.
Our current students continue this tradition of service. Year after year, they prepare care packages and appreciation bags for Roselle’s firefighters, police officers, and nursing-home residents. Our school community regularly organizes collections, donation drives, and service projects intended to support our neighbors and teach our students the importance of civic responsibility.
It is therefore deeply disappointing that, during public discussions surrounding the referendum concerning a new school facility, the name and reputation of St. Joseph the Carpenter School have been unfairly criticized.
Until now, we have refrained from commenting because we do not believe it is our role to become involved in the political debate surrounding the referendum. However, we can no longer remain silent while inaccurate assumptions are presented as facts.
St. Joseph the Carpenter School does not receive any type of benefit from the rental of the portion of the building used by KSA. Nevertheless, we have consistently gone above and beyond to assist KSA whenever possible. We have made numerous accommodations to support its students and staff, sometimes at our own expense, because we believe in helping the children of Roselle.
The matters within our control have always been handled with the safety and well-being of every child in the building as our highest priorities. During the last school year, we secured approval for an entirely new fire-safety system that includes the portion of the building occupied by KSA. We have also undertaken important safety renovations, including improvements to windows and doors, that likewise benefit KSA’s students and staff.
We are deeply concerned about the approach taken by the Roselle Board of Education and the school district in promoting this referendum. In particular, some of the videos that have been distributed publicly show school entrances and provide details regarding building access and navigation. While we understand the intent of sharing information with the community, we believe greater consideration should have been given to the potential safety and security implications of making these details publicly available. The safety of our students, families, faculty, and staff must always remain a top priority.
We understand and respect their desire to advocate for what they believe is best for KSA’s children, and we support efforts to ensure that those students have a safe and appropriate learning environment. At the same time, we believe that advocating for the needs of one group of children should be done with careful consideration for the safety and well-being of all children involved. The decision to publicly share information identifying access points to our building has raised significant concerns within the St. Joseph the Carpenter School community. We respectfully believe that greater consideration should have been given to the potential safety implications for our students, families, faculty, and staff.
St. Joseph the Carpenter School has always wanted what is best for Roselle and for all the children who live and learn in our community. For more than a century, we have been proud to be a part of Roselle, working alongside our neighbors, supporting our community, and lending a hand whenever possible.
As discussions surrounding the referendum continue, we respectfully ask that the conversation remain accurate, fair, and focused on the issues at hand. We hope that St. Joseph the Carpenter School will not be drawn into a disagreement that is not ours, but instead be recognized for what we have always strived to be—a school committed to education, service, cooperation, and the well-being of the Roselle community and its children.
Our hope is that, regardless of differing opinions on the referendum, we can continue to move forward with mutual respect and with the safety and best interests of all of Roselle’s children at heart.
