New Catholic high school joins South Dakota's alternative education wave

Classical liberal arts education program spawning from St. Joseph Academy's K-8 initiative launched in 2024

The Chesterton Academy Schools Network consists of nearly 70 schools across the country.

A new Catholic high school that blends faith with classical liberal arts education will open its doors next year as South Dakota’s nontraditional education surge continues.

St. Joseph Classical Schools announced Monday that it will welcome its first class of freshmen in the fall of 2026 as the school system newly established in South Dakota continues to see student enrollment grow across its elementary and middle school classes.

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“We’ve heard from an increasing number of parents who desire this model for their high schoolers,” said Steve Mogle, a founding board member of St. Joseph Classical, which is part of the Chesterton Academy Catholic Schools that emphasize humanities, fine arts and STEM under the motto Cultura Vitae — Latin for “culture of life.” “We’re thrilled to launch a unique school that not only rigorously educates the mind but also forms the heart.”

St. Joseph Classical High School will share space with the St. Joseph Academy K-8 campus in north-central Sioux Falls that opened last fall. There, students spend three days a week with classroom teachers and two days at home with parent instruction.

Since it launched in fall 2024, the academy has already seen more than 30 percent growth in enrollment during its second year, expanding to 86 students this fall.

But as new Catholic and private schools open, and others opt for alternative education options like homeschooling and micro-schools — groups of homeschool families establishing education groups and sharing resources — that’s come at a cost for K-12 public school enrollment.

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