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HFGS |
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Us |
Registration |
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Holy Family Elementary School, the official name, has always been referred to as Holy Family Grade School, the name that is still used today. HFGS stands for Holy Family Grade School. Holy Family Girls’ High School College Preparatory is across the street on Lomita Avenue. The school is a vital part of Holy Family Parish which consists of 4,500 registered families. Father Joseph Shea became pastor in 1995 when Msgr. Arthur J. Lirette A.P. retired after twenty-one years of service to Holy Family. Msgr. Lirette resided here at Holy Family as Pastor Emeritus until he passed away on June 26, 2007. Father Shea is only the fifth pastor of Holy Family Parish which is celebrating its one hundredth anniversary from December 31, 2006 - December 30, 2007. Each of the pastors has been a staunch supporter of Catholic Education and of Holy Family Grade School. Holy Family Grade School opened in 1925 under the direction of the Sisters of Charity of the Blessed Virgin Mary. There was a B.V.M. Sister as principal from 1925 until 1990 when the first lay principal, Mrs. Marian Heintz, was appointed. Sister Mary Ann Lenore, B.V.M. who retired in June 2001, after twenty-one years here, for the most part as the eighth grade teacher, volunteered as an administrative aide until November 2007 when she left to reside at the B.V.M. motherhouse in Dubuque, Iowa. Other B.V.M. Sisters that have been part of HFGS over the past twenty years are Sister Mary Ernest, Sister Mary Eva, and Sister Mary Remi. (Sister Mary Remi Caldwell, B.V.M., passed away on February 21, 2008 at the motherhouse in Dubuque, Iowa. Sister Remi served as principal of Holy Family Grade School from 1981 to 1990.) Heartfelt gratitude is extended to the Sisters of Charity of the Blessed Virgin Mary for their years here and for their continued moral and spiritual support. A second structure was built in 1963 to fill the need of increased enrollment. About ten years later the school once again became a one classroom per grade school, as it presently stands, with the addition of the kindergarten which was opened in 1987. In 1993, a Pre-K was opened and continued for three years. After evaluation, it was found that the facilities were not optimum for this age group and that Room 14 would be better suited for the kindergarten which had been in the older building. In 1975, a kitchen was added for the benefit of the school and of the parish organizations that used the auditorium. In 1988, the gift of the Writing to Read Program enhanced the primary curriculum and introduced all HFGS children to computer technology. The latest update to the computer lab was in January 2007, with the upgrade to Windows XP for all twenty-five computers in the lab. Each teacher has a computer with Windows XP and with Internet access in the classroom for her use. The school year 2000-2001 was the 75th anniversary year. School opened with a brief but wonderful ceremony which included several civil representatives who presented proclamations, Bishop Wilkerson who blessed the school, Sister Mary Elizabeth, B.V.M., then superintendent of elementary Catholic Schools, Mrs. Patricia Livingston and Sister Monica also from the Department of Catholic Schools, and many parents. On February 3, 2001, a special 75th anniversary Mass was celebrated. The main celebrant was Bishop Gerald Wilkerson. In attendance were forty B.V.M. Sisters and ten priests. Some HFGS alumni include Bishop Joseph Sartoris, Bishop Donald Montrose, Bishop Pierre DuMaine, and Father Paul Hruby who is the pastor of Incarnation Church in Glendale. To open the celebration each class had a representative for the seventy-five school years. The church was almost filled for the 1:30 PM Mass on a Saturday. People made the effort to travel here from other states. It was a momentous occasion. Also included in the 75th anniversary celebration was the whole school Spring Concert performed at the Alex Theater, a historical landmark in Glendale. In May of 2006, the eightieth anniversary year, the Spring Concert was held at the Glendale Civic Auditorium which holds 1100 and was filled to capacity. In May of 2007, the concert was performed at Glendale High School which has a wonderful sound system and holds 1500. The audience for the school concert has continued to grow each year. Holy Family Grade School is located one block east of Brand Avenue and one block south of Colorado Boulevard in Glendale, a city of two hundred ten thousand people. This area is referred to as South Glendale. In the 1970’s many single family homes in the area were demolished to make way for the apartment dwellings that now exist. The area surrounding Holy Family Grade School is a mixed residential and commercial neighborhood of small shops, single family homes, and apartment buildings. The Glendale Galleria and the Glendale Financial Center provide additional economic resources for the area. In April 2008, the “Americana at Brand" will be completed and will consist of restaurants, department stores, condos, and parks. The "Americana at Brand" will be located between Colorado Boulevard and Harvard Street, and Brand Avenue and Central Avenue and will be within walking distance of the school. Plans are being made for construction of other condominiums within a mile of the school. Construction of condos may prove to be a positive factor towards enrollment at HFGS. Almost four thousand students have graduated from Holy Family Grade School with a very fine Catholic education during the past eighty-two years. Many of the traditions begun years ago continue to endure such as the May Crowning, Catholic Schools Week, Talent Show and Spring Concert. In September 2003, attendance by the school children at the 8:00 AM Mass each Tuesday was instituted. The students participate as altar servers, lectors, cantors, gift bearers, and ushers. The singing is led by the Holy Family Children's Concert Chorus. Spiritual development, academic challenges, sports competitions, the physical education and arts programs all help each student move towards reaching the schoolwide learning expectations to the best of his or her ability. This is accomplished through the dedication of the faculty and staff and the ongoing support of the parents of Holy Family Grade School. | Mission Statement | Philosophy | History | Curriculum and Programs | Technology | Schoolwide Learning Expectations | Policies | Tuition and Fees | Discipline | | Return Home | About HFGS | 2008-09 Calendar | Parents Guild | Information & Services | Contact Us | Alumni Registration | |
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