Welcome Future Holy Family Students and Families!

Thank you for your interest in Holy Family School! We have tried to highlight our Fifth
through Eighth Grade program below for your convenience. All registration forms
can be found on the left side of this page. If you can't find an answer to your question,
please feel free to call our Admissions Office at
(408) 978-1355. We look forward to hearing from you.

Fifth through Eighth Information and Highlights

Student Ratio:

Fifth through Eighth Grade have two classes per grade. Our class size ranges from 30 to 35 students per class.

Curriculum Brochure:

Fifth Grade Curriculum Brochure
Sixth Grade Curriculum Brochure
Seventh Grade Curriculum Brochure
Eighth Grade Curriculum Brochure

Physical Education Program:

Holy Family School's Physical Education (P.E.) follows State Standards. PE for grades 5th-8th boys and girls are held every Tuesday and Thursday throughout the school day. Students are required to wear a P.E. uniform. We offer a variety of competitive activities aimed at all skill levels with the emphasis on good sportsmanship and fair play. 

The President's Council on Physical Fitness and Sports (or the PCPFS) strives to make health and fitness a top national priority. We test each student twice a year. Those students who meet their goals earn the National or Presidential patch and are awarded a certificate at the end of the school year.

Sports Program:

Holy Family participates in five different sports. The sports teams include volleyball, basketball, and softball for girls and flag football, basketball and volleyball for boys in grades five through eight. There is also a once a year track meet for both boys and girls in grades five through eight. Our teams compete with other Catholic schools through the Diocese of San Jose Catholic Athletic League-East Division. This program encourages Christian sportsmanship and builds team spirit and school pride. A detailed athletic policy is given to each player at the beginning of each sport.

Music Program:

Holy Family School contracts with West Bay Music Academy Inc., a non profit supporting organization that specializes in providing public and private schools with a variety of music programs including general music, instrumental music, choral, hand bells, small ensembles, assemblies, workshops, performances, complete state of the art music equipment, textbooks, planned grade level curriculum, and program supervisor, and music consulting services. Available for Kindergarten through Fifth Grade only

Art Vista:

Art Vista is the school's art program offered by volunteers and supported by PTG fund raisers. Each school year, students receive six grade-appropriate lessons comprised of viewing famous works of art, discussing them using art vocabulary, introducing art techniques and creating hands-on projects. The program highlight is the annual student art show during which every Holy Family student exhibits one piece created during that year. Art Vista is a non-graded opportunity for students to explore the world of art and express their own creativity.

Computer Lab:

Students will learn to use Microsoft Office Suite: Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Publisher (2000), and Outlook. They will also regularly use Type to Learn3, Kidspiration, Inspiration, KidPix Deluxe, Storybook Weaver, Movie Maker and Internet Explorer. Our goal is to educate students to use these applications seamlessly with curriculum taught in the classroom.

*New for the 2010-2011 school year* Laptop computers will be intergrated into the classrooms for all 7th and 8th grade students during the school day.

Computer Lab Curriculum Brochure

Library:

All grades from Kindergarten through Seventh have regular scheduled library time. In addition, the library is open during lunch 2 days a week to check out books. The library also sponsors a lunch time book club, Birthday book program, and Summer Reading Program.

Student Council Representatives:

Classroom Representatives are elected at the beginning of the year in their individual classrooms. They serve a term of 1 year. The primary job of a Student Council Representative is to relay student concerns to the Student Council and to present meeting outcomes to his/her own classroom.

Student Council:

Student Council members represent the student body of Holy Family. They are a liaison between the students, staff and the Holy Family Community.  Qualified students may campaign for student council in the Spring and will serve the following year.  There are seven offices for student council:  President, Secretary, Treasure, Commissioner of Spirit, Commissioner of Publicity, Commissioner of Religious Affairs, and Commissioner of Community Outreach.  

Community Service Hours:

Every student in grades sixth through eighth will be expected to volunteer 10 hours of community service each year. Community service hours should be completed between Saturday, June 12, 2010 and Monday, April 18, 2011. Students are encouraged to complete their ten hours with one type of service, though it is not required.

Science Fair:

Holy Family's Science fair will be held during our Open House Night of Catholic Schools Week. Junior high projects consisting of sixth, seventh and eighth grade work will be showcased in the Community Center. Interested junior high students are encouraged to also participate in the Synopsis Silicon Valley Science and Technology Championship held at the Convention Center downtown in March.

Sixth through Eighth Grade Science Curriculum Brochure

Spanish:

Spanish is offered to students in Fifth thru Eighth grade for a very nominal fee. The IES Spanish program is offered after school from 3:00-4:00 pm and does not interfer with sport practices. Please see the attached brochure for additional information and fee schedule.

Spanish Curriculum Brochure

Algebra:

Algebra is available for qualified seventh and eighth grade students. Students must take and pass the UC Berkeley algebra readiness test.

National Junior Honor Society:

Admissions to the National Junior Honor Society is based on five different criteria: Scholarship (85% or higher), Service, Leadership, Citizenship and Character. Candidates are nominated in the spring and are inducted into the NJHS at the Baccalaureate Mass in May for the following year.

California Junior Scholarship Federation

CJSF is a statewide organization of over 600 chapters.  The goal is to foster high standards of scholarship, service, and citizenship on the part of students of California’s public and private junior high schools. Membership is based on scholarship and citizenship only.  All grades earned the previous trimester much be equal to a C or better grade average

Peaceful Playgrounds:

Peaceful Playgrounds is an outstanding program which provides a positive and productive playtime during recess and lunch. The program maximizes the number of students involved in physical activity. No one is left out. Games for Fifth through Eighth grade include basketball, pickle, kickball baseball and pump-it-up on the blacktop and soccer, kickball base ball, volleyball and football on our grass field.

Lunch Program:

Hot Lunch is available for grades kindergarten through eighth grade. Eight healthy meal choices a day are offered daily. Please see the "Lunch Masters" information and ordering page under the school information tab.

Fifth through Eighth Grade Highlights:

Fifth Grade

• Prayer Services
• State reports
• Colonial Day
• Science Fair Projects

Sixth Grade

• Science Camp
• Day of the Dead Celebration

Seventh Grade

• Full Day Retreat
• Tom Sawyer Day
• Junior High Dances

Eighth Grade

• Over-night Retreat
• Sacramento Day Trip
• Huck Finn Day
• 8th Grade Play Production
• On-going Community Service at Almaden Rehabilitation Center

*There is an optional trip to Washington, D.C. during the summer for all seventh and eighth graders.