House System

St. Jude’s Academy has a rich and vibrant school culture largely because of our House System, which brings together staff and students from all different parts of the school, from Junior Kindergarten all the way up to Grade 12. Houses have been an integral part of schools for hundreds of years, and St. Jude’s Academy students get to be a part of this very special tradition, while they are a part of a House that accepts and welcomes them with open arms.

SJA’s House System began in our first year, 2006. Our Founder, Aaron Sawatsky, belonged to a fraternity in university and loved the community and healthy competition that the fraternity experience provided. Aaron decided to bring this special tradition to our Family of Schools. Students were split into three groups and asked to select their House name from the Greek letters. From this, Kappa Iota Pi, Zeta Beta Pi, and Theta Sigma Psi were born! All students, faculty and staff belong to a House except for our Founder, who belongs to every house. We even have a member of a different species part of our House System, the dog Moses who is a proud Theta!

Students are placed into their House before they even arrive at our school, ensuring that students feel a sense of belonging from the very first moment they cross our threshold. For the love of competition and the race for the House Cup, students compete in fun activities all throughout the school year to represent their House! With the start of our ‘Neophyte Week,’ Houses are developed through camping outings, Spirit Day challenges and various team-building events. The camaraderie of the House System is a foundational element to community at St. Jude’s Academy. Although we are always one large family of students, parents and faculty, the light-hearted competition between Houses allows students a forum to embrace healthy challenges and experience stunning victories and crushing losses, all while surrounded by those they’ve come to know as family over their years at St. Jude’s Academy.