1900 The Franciscan Sisters from Syracuse, New York, arrived in Hilo to operate St. Joseph School as an all-girls school with grades one through three on Kapiolani Street. At the time, the Marianist Brothers directed St. Mary's School for boys. The Franciscan Sisters were asked to teach the first and second grade boys in the Parish Hall. Eventually the first and second grades became co-educational; however, the boys continued to leave St. Joseph school to enter St. Mary's School in the third grade.

1948 St. Mary's School and St. Joseph School for girls were consolidated into one school for grades three through ten.

1949 The new St. Joseph Elementary School on Ululani Street was completed and the parish educational system became completely co-educational.

1950 The Marianist Brothers left the island to labor elsewhere, but the Fransiscan Sisters continued to staff the school.