Our Mission and Philosophy

The mission of St. Joan of Arc School is to provide students a firm foundation in the Catholic faith, thereby creating the opportunity and the means to achieve academic excellence.

St. Joan of Arc Catholic School has a long, rich history of academic excellence. Established in 1926 as a Benedictine Parish School, St. Joan of Arc School is a fully accredited school located in Lisle meeting the needs of students ranging from Pre- Kindergarten to eighth grade.

Meet Our Principal

Our Principal, Mr. Michael Sweeney, is originally from the Boston area and moved to the Pacific Northwest to attend college at the University of Washington, where he earned both a BA and a MA in History. Mr. Sweeney began his career in education at Holy Name School in West Roxbury, MA in 1986 and completed teacher training at Northwestern University in Boston. He earned his Administrative Certificate from Lewis University in 2006. Since completing his tenure at Holy Name in 1989, Mr. Sweeney has been involved as an administrator and teacher at all levels in Catholic and international education in the Archdioceses of Chicago, Seattle and Portland, Oregon as well as in Monterrey, Mexico and Abidjan, Ivory Coast. Mr. Sweeney lives in Wilmette with his wife, Meaghan, and his daughters, Rosemary and Margaret. He is a member of St. Joseph Parish in Wilmette and has served as both a lector and Extraordinary Minister of Holy Communion.

Meet Our Vice-Principal

Our Vice-Principal, Mrs. Michelle Picchione, earned a Bachelor of Arts Degree in Education from Rhode Island College. Shortly thereafter she earned a Masters of Education degree in Educational Leadership from Lewis University and a Masters of Education degree in Reading and Literacy from Benedictine University in Lisle. Most recently, Mrs. Picchione has served as a reading specialist and team leader for various professional learning communities at St. Petronille School in Glen Ellyn. In addition to her work on the school level, Mrs. Picchione serves on the Curriculum Council for the Diocese of Joliet.

In her spare time, Mrs. Picchione volunteers as an officer for the Catholic Daughters of the Americas at St. Petronille Church and is involved with various ministries. She spends much of her time with her family including her husband Jeff, daughters Sienna and Olivia, and son Christopher.

Academic Excellence

St. Joan of Arc School is a fully accredited school located in Lisle meeting the needs of students ranging from Pre-Kindergarten to eighth grade.