Mission

St. Joseph Institute for the Deaf delivers exceptional listening and spoken language solutions for children with hearing loss, reflecting the charism of the Sisters of St Joseph of Carondelet.

Vision

We strive to be the preeminent resource for children with hearing loss and their families.

Together … We are More

We are pleased to announce that the Sisters of St. Joseph of Carondelet, St. Louis Province has transferred sponsorship of their educational institutions to the newly established St. Joseph Educational Ministries (SJEM). The CSJ motto of “Together … we are more” is alive in St. Joseph Educational Ministries, as the sisters have come together with their educational ministries to continue our Catholic based mission in this new way. Click Here to learn more.

History

1837

The Sisters of St Joseph opened the first school for the deaf west of the Mississippi River in Carondelet, MO. In its first year, it served all children who needed help.  Later that year, they only those with hearing loss.

1894

The Ephpheta Society was founded to help fund St Joseph Institute.  It was one of the first volunteer organizations in St Louis. 

1936

SJI formally embraced the oral method fully at its new location at 82nd Blvd. in University City, MO.

1970s

Rubella outbreaks among pregnant women, increasing numbers of children who are born deaf and filling SJI’s dorms with kids.

1981

St. Joseph Institute opened the Molloy Family Center to serve infants and children with hearing loss through early intervention, as newborn screening became available. 

circa 1985

Larry LeGrand became the first lay Board Chair, assuming the gavel from the CSJs.

1990

Cochlear Implants were approved for children. SJI devised a cochlear implant-based curriculum. Available for children with the new technology, this curriculum included practices now established in deaf education, such as half-hour individual speech and listening sessions for every child in the school and the hiring of SLP’s for speech sessions.

1997

SJI moves its campus to Clarkson Road.

2001

SJI opens an additional campus in Indianapolis to offer early intervention services. The preschool program would open in 2002, and mainstream outreach services began in 2005.

2006

SJIIndianapolis moved to its current facility.

2009

SJI piloted iHear. Following the success of the pilot, services are offered full time.

2010

SJIIndianapolis joined the State Wide Referral Network under First Steps, which then transferred to the CDHHE (Center for Deaf and Hard of Hearing Education) network in 2013.

2014

SJI transitioned its academic program, moving its St. Louis location to Brentwood. SJI Headquarters moved to Indianapolis.

2018

SJISt. Louis re-opened Preschool services for children 3-5 yrs