About Us

Not Just an Education...A Catholic Education.

Holy Family School offers a quality Catholic educational experience for Pre-K through 6th Grade. The Holy Family campus is located just adjacent to the St. Patrick Church in Great Bend, Kansas.
Holy Family School is a part of the Dodge City Diocese and is accredited by the State of Kansas through the Quality Performance Accreditation process. It is also a member of the National Catholic Education Association.

Our curriculum meets and exceeds all requirements put forth by the State of Kansas, and our teachers are degreed and certified. They are dedicated to guiding our students within a Catholic-valued environment. Teacher participate in ongoing staff development through diocesan in-service and membership in ESSDACK.
School achievement scores are consistently high and above national average.

The curriculum includes instructions in religion, reading, language arts, spelling/vocabulary, phonics, writing, mathematics, science, health, social studies, computers/technology, physical education, music, and fine arts. Additional programs include Scholastic Reading Counts, Civic Oration, and DARE. For the benefit of our students at Holy Family School, we have an established Uniform Policy. Please refer to the uniform policy within the school handbook for details.
Hot meals are offered through the participation in the U.S.D.428 lunch program. Each meal is prepared in accordance with state guidelines to insure proper nutritional balance for our students.
Band is offered to beginning and advanced levels. Students are also offered the chance to participate in the spelling bee, geography bee, science-fair, art fair, and athletics including volleyball, basketball, and track along with many other opportunities. The Pre-kindergarten and "STAR"ters programs educate 3, 4, & 5 year-old children in a safe, loving, and age-appropriate environment. The goal is to enable children to acquire the skills and experiences required in a Kindergarten setting in the following years. When necessary, students may receive Special Education services for the handicapped and gifted through U.S.D. 428. Students can also receive speech services on site at Holy Family School.

PHILOSOPHY FOR CATHOLIC EDUCATION

Go, therefore, and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all I have commanded you.  (Matthew 28:19)

Contained in this statement of the first disciples and teachers of the early church is the four-fold dimension of contemporary Catholic Education: message, community, service, and worship. It is the obligation of each parish community in the Dodge City Diocese to actualize each of these dimensions within the total educational ministry.

The message of Jesus is a call for personal and social reform, in light of the gospel message. Within this framework, doctrine becomes the basis for a way of life, which exemplifies gospel values of peace and justice for all.

Community is at the heart of Catholic education. The child, through baptism, shares a common faith, hope, and love
with all other baptized Christians. It is the task of the Catholic school to foster growth in community through active participation in liturgical, paraliturgical, personal worship and the events of everyday life, as well as within its programs and curriculum.

Nourished by the unifying graces of the Eucharist, and the experiences of the Christian community, the Christian is called to service. The Church is the "servant community" where the gifts and talents of each person are placed at the service of all.

These dimensions of Catholic education are possible only when the educational programs of the school include the total development of the child: religious, intellectual, cultural, social, physical, emotional, psychological, and moral.

Within the context of this faith community, the pastor, principal, teachers, parents, and students, exercise differing, but collaborative roles. All recognize that parents have "the first and inalienable duty and right to communicate the faith to their
children and educate them". (Apostolate of the Laity, #11). Parents share this obligation with pastors, principals, and teachers who are committed to the teaching mission of the church and who witness dedication to gospel values.

Thus, the philosophy of Catholic education in the Dodge City Diocese enables the schools to develop in students a knowledge, love, and appreciation, of the Catholic faith. It will enable them to apply critical thinking skills, as well as knowledge learned, to become more responsible leaders of the church, community and society.