It was in consonance with the policy of His Eminence Rufino Cardinal T. Santos, of Manila to encourage the establishment of a school run in each parish. On this important reason, in a humble beginning, the Parish Council of Gagalangin opened a kindergarten school as forerunner of parochial school on August 3, 1964 under the care of Mrs. Felicisima Carls with Fr. Pedro Pajarillo as the Spiritual Director. Due to an increase in enrollment, the school expanded from kindergarten to complete elementary school through a recognition awarded by the government in the school year 1965-1966, by then the school was named St. Joseph Parochial School.
On March 11,1969, the Daughters of Charity (DC) sisters took over the administration of the school through the invitation of Fr. Pajarillo with Sr. Lourdes Lumibao as first Directress/ Principal. She was instrumental in changing the name of the school from St. Joseph Parochial School to St. Joseph School and the founding of the High School Department in June, 1974. More Directresses, Directors and Principals came whose expertise in school management are unquestionable. They were: Sr. Evangeline Lebata DC, Sr. Consolacion Manondo DC, Sr. Claudeta Marcon DC, Sr. Paulina Borres DC, Sr. Mila Magistrado DC, Sr. Purita Gatonggay, Rev. Fr. Mario Enriquez, and Sr. Zenaida Condes DC. All of them effected significant contributions in the enhancement of curriculum and instruction and physical facilities which resulted to the remarkable increase in enrollment placing the school in a high level as an educational institution.
The school underwent transition when the management of all parochial schools were given to the parish priest as Director, hence the DC sisters entrusted the management of the school to Rev. Fr. Alfredo G. Guerrero on April 4, 1995. In his leadership, he continued to enhance the quality of instruction by providing the academic staff opportunities for spiritual, intellectual and social development simultaneous with the wide expansion of facilities to meet the challenges of the time. In this year, he worked hand-in-hand with Ms. Teresita Griengo as the school principal, followed by Mrs. Teresita R. Onrubia, whose vision for excellence became a realization when she was appointed in April, 2002.
January, 2002 became a more progressive year for St. Joseph School through the appointment of Rev. Fr. Nestor M. Gungon as the School Director. He accomplished distinctive improvement in school facilities for a more conducive teaching and learning giving due consideration to health, safety, convenience and well- being of the students, teachers, and personnel. He eminently improved the school curriculum and instruction by providing programs beyond what is required by the DepEd. In his term, with the able assistance of Mrs. Melita G. Magsombol who started in 2003, the Night High School Scholarship Program was conceived in 2007 – 2008. Its aim is to give underprivileged but motivated students to continue their education in the hope of improving their future. It obtained government recognition for the complete secondary course on January 13, 2009.
On June 24, 2008, St Joseph School was visited by the Certification Team of Fund Assistance to Private Education (FAPE). Nearly a month after, in July , the school received a congratulatory letter for passing the Certification Program, thus becoming beneficiary to Education System Contracting (ESC) and Education Voucher System (EVS).
December 12, 2011 marked a significant event in the history of St. Joseph School. The Philippine Accrediting Association of Schools, Colleges and Universities (PAASCU) and the Federation of Accrediting Agencies of the Philippines (FAAP) granted SJS Level I Accredited Status to the Basic Education Program.
In response to the changing global trends in education, the Archdiocese of Manila grouped the RCAMES schools into clusters with only one Director per cluster. St Joseph School which was clustered with Espiritu Santo Parochial School, Holy Child Catholic School, Manila Cathedral School, San Pablo Learning Center and San Rafael Parochial School was fortunate enough to have Rev. Fr. Nolan A. Que with Fr. Nicanor A. Celiano Jr. as the school director and assistant director respectively.
SJS looks with great optimism for a better future when Rev Fr. Nolan A. Que and Rev. Fr. Nicanor A. Celiano Jr. assumed office in 2014. Another milestone was added to the history of SJS when St Joseph School was granted Certificate of Accreditation to the Integrated Basic Education Program on December 12, 2015. Two months after, a certificate for Level II Re – Accredited Status was gladly received by the school from the Federation of Accrediting Agencies of the Philippines ( FAAP) on February 3, 2016.
St. Joseph School as it makes its way of becoming the premier school of RCAMES offering Integrated Basic Education Program will not rest on its laurel but will continue to soar towards the realization of its goals.