Frequently Asked Questions
What is a hybrid school?
Holy Family Academy is a hybrid homeschool program that combines the best aspects of classroom education and homeschooling. Students spend two days each week (2.5 for middle-schoolers) at school with experienced teachers and their classmates, while the remaining days are spent learning at home with their families.
Our goal is to empower parents to remain the primary educators of their children while providing meaningful classroom experience, academic support, and spiritual formation, all within a joyful community. Find more here.
What does a typical week look like?
On HFA days, students enjoy a full school day filled with prayer, academics, fine arts, recess, lunch, and even after-school clubs. Thursdays include Holy Mass together as a school family.
On home days, families follow a weekly syllabus with assignments and suggestions for enrichment. Home days might include reading beautiful literature together, working on memory work passages and hymns, singing Latin vocabulary songs, nature study, academic skill development, field trips, or diving deeper into an area of particular interest, whether academic or extracurricular.
We love that home days give families the freedom to create a rhythm that works for their own family. Find more here.
How much time will my child spend learning at home?
Three days each week are designated as home days, but the amount of structured work varies by age and the family's schedule. In general, our youngest students can complete their academic assignments in about an hour, middle elementary can be done between breakfast and lunch times, and our older students generally work into the afternoon on independent work. HFA students typically do not have any homework to complete at night until they reach the Middle School (7th & 8th grades).
For our younger students, Fridays are intentionally flexible, with time for review, enrichment, reading, and family activities. Older students have more assignments to complete throughout the week, while still retaining the flexibility that makes homeschooling so appealing.
Our goal is not to recreate a traditional school week at home. Instead, we provide the guidance and accountability families need while allowing parents to determine their family's daily rhythm.
How much parent involvement is required?
Parents are the primary educators in the Holy Family model, so an active role at home is a vital part of the program. However, parents do not create a curriculum from scratch. Holy Family provides weekly syllabi, with assignments for core subjects and enrichment suggestions. Families have a clear understanding of what is to be completed at home. Parents remain responsible for creating their daily schedule, overseeing and correcting most of their children's work, and collaborating with teachers and administrators to ensure the program works well for their family.
How does the environment at Holy Family Academy differ from a traditional school?
Holy Family Academy offers a more intimate, family-centered environment in which parents remain the primary educators and teachers partner closely with families. Because our families share a common vision for a faith-based education and formation of the whole child, there is a strong sense of spiritual consistency between home and school.
We share a desire to protect the innocence of childhood and to give children the freedom to grow, wonder, play, and develop meaningful relationships without the influence of technology. We intentionally keep technology to a minimum both at school and at home, allowing students to engage deeply with books, nature, conversation, hands-on learning, and one another. We do not discuss sensitive, political, or age-innapropriate topics at school and do not overstep the bounds of parental authority in these areas, allowing our students to learn and grow unburdened by adult concerns or societal ills.
Our hope is to create a joyful environment where children feel known and supported while cultivating a genuine love of God, learning, and neighbor.
What curriculum does Holy Family Academy use?
Holy Family Academy follows a classical, integrated curriculum rooted in the Catholic faith. Rather than treating subjects as isolated areas of study, we seek to help students see the connections between literature, history, science, art, music, mathematics, Latin, and more.
Our curriculum emphasizes living books, memory work, oral presentation, discussion, critical thinking, and virtue, all oriented toward the goal of recognizing goodness, truth, and beauty/order. Find more here.
Why is Latin taught at Holy Family?
Latin is an important part of a classical education, not only as a foundation for English or studying other languages, but also because the study of Latin gives students a deeper understanding of history, literature, and Catholic tradition, both intellectual and liturgical. At HFA, we believe learning Latin is not simply about acquiring another skill—it is an opportunity to train the mind, encounter our rich cultural heritage, and delight in the beauty of language.
Is cursive part of Holy Family's curriculum?
Yes! We believe that understanding and writing in cursive is part of a robust, classical education and an essential life skill. Instruction begins at an easy pace in 2nd grade.
How do teachers support students on home days?
Teachers provide weekly assignments and suggestions for enrichment so that families have a clear path for the week. Teachers and parents communicate regularly, and students receive the classroom instruction and accountability they need to stay on track.
Our model is intentionally a partnership between parents and teachers. We want parents to have the freedom and joy of homeschooling without feeling that they are doing walking this path entirely on their own.
How is student progress assessed?
Students receive ongoing feedback and accountability from their teachers through their classroom work, assignments, assessments, and conferences. Middle School students are assessed more frequently and receive regular, formal progress reports.
Beginning in third grade, students have the opportunity to participate in the Classical Learning Test, an end-of-grade assessment which provides families with standardized information about their child's academic knowledge and critical-thinking skills.
What grades does Holy Family offer?
Holy Family Academy serves students in Kindergarten through 8th grade. Our Lower School and Middle School programs are designed around the developmental needs of each age group while maintaining a cohesive, classical educational experience. Our Middle School program builds on this model with more in-depth study and longer class periods oriented toward the Socratic Method. Class sizes are small, generally capping at 10-12 students per grade.
What are the tuition and fees?
Yearly tuition is $2,800 for Lower School and $4,000 for Middle School. There is a $75 application fee per child, capped at $150 per family, and a $200 enrollment fee per child. Tuition may be paid monthly, bi-yearly, or yearly.
We also offer multi-child discounts, and families who need additional assistance are encouraged to reach out to us about available discounts and scholarships. Tuition does not include books, and there is no separate materials fee.
Does Holy Family offer sports?
We would estimate that every student at HFA is involved in a sport of some kind, usually through church, club teams, or independent dance or martial arts studios. Our students are very well-rounded! At this time, HFA does not have its own sports teams, but we would certainly welcome this if a parent volunteer expresses interest coaching.
Does my family need to be Catholic to join Holy Family?
No. Holy Family Academy welcomes Christian families who desire to participate in classical homeschooling in respectful partnership with our Catholic community. While Catholic identity is an important part of our school community and daily life, families do not need to be Catholic to apply. We do not emphasize denominational differences at HFA.
Because authentic spiritual formation begins at home, Holy Family Academy is best suited for families who place the active cultivation of Christian faith at the center of their domestic life and are committed to supporting the faith and sacramental life of the Church.
Does Holy Family accept students with learning differences?
Holy Family Academy is best suited for students who are able to work at an average to advanced academic pace and function independently within a traditional classroom setting. Because of our small staff and the absence of dedicated "learning specialists" or classroom aides, we are not able to accommodate significant learning or behavioral needs that could require individualized support. In other words, if your child is struggling in a traditional classroom, HFA will likely not be the best fit.
Due to our small class sizes, we are able to make minor classroom accommodations and work closely with parents on home days to meet individual needs. This may include providing additional review and practice for students who need reinforcement or opportunities for increased challenge and depth for students who are ready to move ahead.
We encourage families to reach out before applying to discuss their child's individual needs and determine whether Holy Family Academy would be a good fit for their family.
Will my family become part of a community at Holy Family?
Absolutely. Because our families share the unique priorities of faith and home education, strong relationships naturally develop among students, parents, and teachers. We believe one of the great gifts of the hybrid model is that families do not have to choose between the intimacy of homeschooling and the joy of belonging to a school community.
At HFA, there are many opportunities to spend time together beyond our two school days, including book clubs, Moms' and Dads' nights out, family nights, field trips, school-wide parties, and more. Our community extends beyond organized events: playdates, birthday parties, and other community happenings are often open invitations to the entire school, creating a welcoming environment.
How do I apply?
We invite you to begin by completing the online application. Once your application has been submitted, the founders will be in touch with next steps. If you have questions about the application process or would like to learn more about Holy Family Academy before applying, we encourage you to contact us! We would love to connect with your family!