Whatever Happened To Br. Joe Jozwiak

Whatever Happened To...

Brother Joseph Jozwiak FSC Teacher, Counselor, Vice-Principal, 1983-1990 Principal, 1994 - 2001 President, 2001 - 2002

Affectionately known as “Brother Joe Joz,” the genial 1965 graduate has been the Principal at Christian Brothers’ Academy in Syracuse, NY, since 2009. Born and raised in Detroit, Br. Joe attended St. Joseph’s High School until its closure in 1964, and was one of approximately 80 students who became “Pilots” that fall. One of Br. Joe’s DLS classmates was Br. Tom Lackey, currently President of DLS. Before arriving at DLS in 1983, Br. Joe earned degrees from Catholic University, California Lutheran College (Special Education), Camarillo State Hospital (Certification in Child Mental Health), and the University of San Francisco (Educational Administration).His teaching assignments were at La Salle School in Albany, NY, and in California in the Orange Diocese. With his assignment to DLS in 1983, Br. Joe was able to spend extended time with his family here in Detroit for the first time since entering the Christian Brothers’ Novitiate in 1965.

Br. Joe says, “One of my fondest memories at De La Salle was the awesome pleasure of playing Jake to Br. Richard Galvin’s Elwood in our Blues Brothers skit for a raffle assembly. I enjoyed working with the students. It’s the human interactions with kids I remember the most. I have formed some tremendous relationships with alumni who still keep in contact.” After nearly 20 years at DLS over two lengthy assignments, Br. Joe enjoyed his first sabbatical during 2002 - 2003 in Rome, Italy. He followed that up with two years as a Vocation Director, based at Manhattan College, traveling around the province, visiting with college students in the Christian Brothers’ Contact Program. That year was followed by five years at Christian Brothers’ “HQ” in Lincroft, NJ, where he spent five years as the Associate Provincial for Formation.

In 2009, he “returned to the field,” with an assignment to CBA Syracuse, a co-ed school with nearly 800 students in grades 7 - 12. Br. Joe is head of the school, which encompasses both principal and president duties. He is finishing his second three-year term in 2015, and hopes to have another term as the school goes through an administrative re-organization. Br. Joe is in Michigan around the holidays, spending time with his sister and brother-in-law and extended family. He is in the Detroit area for long weekends during the summer, but is compelled to not spend too much time away. “There’s always something going on when you’re a principal.” Alumni may contact Br. Joe Jozwiak at Christian Brothers’ Academy, 6245 Randall Rd., Syracuse, NY 13214. The school website is cbasyracuse.org