Category: General

GRACE’s Technology Integration Team has successfully rolled out their first “Tech Tote” this
year!

Since the inception of our Integration Team in 2020, we have been working toward the goal of providing the tools and training to help our educators successfully teach their students through integration of technology within the classroom. Over the past few years our team researched the best tools to help master our technology standards, secured funding through the Catholic Foundation for the Diocese of Green Bay to purchase these tools through various grants, created lesson plans and assembled totes.

This year our goal was to plan our strategy to introduce our first tote: Adafruit (coding circuit boards). After sharing an introductory video about Adafruit to teachers, the team scheduled a two-day presentation with every fourth grade class in GRACE. Day one included a discussion about “what is coding”, an introduction to the block coding software.

Students created their first block code so the circuit board would light up and make a siren sound. Day two was a software review, creation of a “lucky wheel” block code and transfer of the code to the actual circuit board. Students were thrilled to see their code work. Teachers learned along with the students and began generating ideas on how to incorporate Adafruit into other subject areas for next year.

The team has also begun to pilot several other tech tools to create additional totes for the 2023-24 school year with other grade levels. These tools include 3D Pens/Printers (Middle School), Spheros (Grades 3 & 5) and Beebots (K-Grade 2).

Holy Family Catholic School is part of the Green Bay Area Catholic Education (GRACE) School System. It is a private Catholic school serving Preschool and Elementary through 8th grade (PK3-8) with open enrollment. Holy Family provides an individualized education in a faith-based environment. Each child is supported not only academically, but spiritually.

The best way to learn more about HFS is to visit! Schedule a tour here.

Greetings GRACE Families and Friends,

Over the 12 years that GRACE has existed as a system, we have found ways to become stronger together while continuing to celebrate the uniqueness of each of our communities. As I finish my first year as Superintendent and my seventh year with GRACE, I am amazed at the beauty and uniqueness of each school. Each community comes together in a unique way to serve children, create a Christian community for families, and live our Catholic faith. The gift of serving all our schools allows me to see the beauty and diversity of our Green Bay Catholic community.

In addition to faith and families, GRACE values high-quality education. One way we ensure this is through learning assessment tools. These tools hold us accountable and allow us to respond individually to each student. Our school leaders use the results to plan professional development and make curricular choices. Most importantly, our teachers look at the results of tests and quizzes and use them to adjust how they teach. One standardized assessment that we use is the Fountas and Pinnell Assessment. K-5 teachers administer this assessment by sitting individually with each child and reading with them. This standardized process determines reading levels to help students read and learn with books that fit their skills.

Over the past several years, the Diocese of Green Bay required the use of the NWEA Measures of Academic Progress Assessment (MAP tests). We will be ending the use of this assessment along with the rest of the Diocese of Green Bay and begin using the Star Assessment. The Star Assessment tests reading and math. This tool was selected in part because the tests are short, accurate, and the assessment data is efficiently accessible by our teachers to adjust instruction for each child. This test also better aligns with our Catholic faith in our schools.

This year, one of our biggest curriculum changes was using Project Lead the Way Launch, a hands-on science curriculum discussed elsewhere in this newsletter by our Director of Curriculum, Laura Blicharz. In the program, students begin each unit by learning about an area of science and then using that knowledge to solve problems through hands-on experimentation and design work. In addition to this work, we spent time with our teachers learning about how faith and science are interconnected and how to share these natural connections in the classroom.

GRACE also made great strides in technology this year. We are updating our long-term plans and strategy to remain low-cost and highly effective. This summer, projects are underway to increase the safety and security of our online environment. Our Technology Services Team continues to provide consistent and high-quality service to our teachers and students.

First and foremost, what makes Catholic education different is sharing the very person and love of Jesus with our teachers and students. It is also the way teachers seek to instill traditional Catholic values in our curriculum, handle problems on the playground with Catholic morals, and the way all staff helps each child learn to love one another. Our faith informs the decisions we make with our purchases of books, our Internet security, and every other decision. Most importantly, we point to our faith as the reason we treat students and families with love and respect.

Holy Family Catholic School is part of the Green Bay Area Catholic Education (GRACE) School System. It is a private Catholic school serving Preschool and Elementary through 8th grade (PK3-8) with open enrollment. Holy Family provides an individualized education in a faith-based environment. Each child is supported not only academically, but spiritually.

The best way to learn more about HFS is to visit! Schedule a tour here.

Save the date!

GRACE will be hosting our annual Welcome Back Mass on Sunday, September 17! All GRACE families, staff, and parishes are welcome as we join in prayer together at the start of a new academic year. The mass will be taking place at Prince of Peace Catholic Community, 3425 Willow Rd, Green Bay, this year. It will begin at 6 PM with an ice cream social to follow!

We are looking forward to seeing you there! Please contact us if you have any questions.

Holy Family Catholic School is part of the Green Bay Area Catholic Education (GRACE) School System. It is a private Catholic school serving Preschool and Elementary through 8th grade (PK3-8) with open enrollment. Holy Family provides an individualized education in a faith-based environment. Each child is supported not only academically, but spiritually.

The best way to learn more about HFS is to visit! Schedule a tour here.

Catch up on all of the latest GRACE news by checking out the Summer 2023 Newsletter. Read about some of the service projects students participated in, learn how Holy Cross is going green with an outdoor classroom, discover how a STEM-based program is changing how students learn science, and more! Click the button below to start reading.

Holy Family Catholic School is part of the Green Bay Area Catholic Education (GRACE) School System. It is a private Catholic school serving Preschool and Elementary through 8th grade (PK3-8) with open enrollment. Holy Family provides an individualized education in a faith-based environment. Each child is supported not only academically, but spiritually.

The best way to learn more about HFS is to visit! Schedule a tour here.

We are pleased to announce that Mrs. Sarah Sharkey has been selected as Interim Principal of Holy Family Catholic School! She will officially start today, August 14, 2023.

You might recognize Mrs. Sharkey, as she most recently served as a the Supportive Consultant for Our Lady of Lourdes Catholic School. She and her husband have two children that attend GRACE schools and are active parishioners at Our Lady of Lourdes Parish Community.

Please join us in congratulating Mrs. Sharkey upon her selection as the next Interim Principal at our school!

Holy Family Catholic School is part of the Green Bay Area Catholic Education (GRACE) School System. It is a private Catholic school serving Preschool and Elementary through 8th grade (PK3-8) with open enrollment. Holy Family provides an individualized education in a faith-based environment. Each child is supported not only academically, but spiritually.

The best way to learn more about HFS is to visit! Schedule a tour here.

Our annual Back to School Night is less than a month away! Save the date! The event will be taking place on Monday, August 28 from 4 to 7 pm. We can’t wait to meet all of our new students and reconnect with our existing families.

See you there!

Holy Family Catholic School is part of the Green Bay Area Catholic Education (GRACE) School System. It is a private Catholic school serving Preschool and Elementary through 8th grade (PK3-8) with open enrollment. Holy Family provides an individualized education in a faith-based environment. Each child is supported not only academically, but spiritually.

The best way to learn more about HFS is to visit! Schedule a tour here.

We are now hosting a volleyball open gym in the Holy Family Gym for eighth graders! The gym will be open every Thursday in July from 5:30-7 p.m. each night.

In August, the gym will be open Tuesday and Thursday from 5-7 p.m.

Regular volleyball practices will start in August and games conclude in early October. Most games are played Mondays, Tuesdays, and Thursdays.

Learn more about Comet Athletics on this page of our website.

Holy Family Catholic School is part of the Green Bay Area Catholic Education (GRACE) School System. It is a private Catholic school serving Preschool and Elementary through 8th grade (PK3-8) with open enrollment. Holy Family provides an individualized education in a faith-based environment. Each child is supported not only academically, but spiritually.

The best way to learn more about HFS is to visit! Schedule a tour here.

Andrea is a physical education and health teacher at Holy Family School! She loves to promote a cross-curricular approach to her classes and believes in the power that movement can have on a students’ academic success.

How do you integrate other subject areas into your physical education classes to promote a cross-curricular approach to learning?

When creating lesson plans, I draw from many different materials to create lesson plans that draw from a variety of sources. I also collaborate with other teachers across different subjects to see how my lesson plans for a certain week relate to current or past coursework in their classes. I also have used and adapted lesson ideas from other past physical education teachers within the GRACE school district.

How can teachers incorporate movement into their classrooms to help beat that winter cabin fever?

I would encourage teachers to implement a movement policy. For example, if the kids need to use the restroom/drinking fountain or sharpen their pencils, assign a movement or exercise to complete beforehand. Schedule time within your lesson plans for stretch breaks. Find creative ways to get the kids out of their desks and moving while learning.

What do you love most about teaching physical education at GRACE?

I love teaching physical education at GRACE because it’s a fun, supportive, and encouraging environment. I have a great staff that I work with daily that backs me up and encourages me to think outside the box. It is also such an honor to be able to teach physical education at a school where I can instill the love of Christ into these kids through active play.

Holy Family Catholic School is part of the Green Bay Area Catholic Education (GRACE) School System. It is a private Catholic school serving Preschool and Elementary through 8th grade (PK3-8) with open enrollment. Holy Family provides an individualized education in a faith-based environment. Each child is supported not only academically, but spiritually.

For more information about Holy Family Catholic School, feel free to browse our website here: https://holyfamilygreenbay.com.

Students from Holy Family Catholic School recently attended an outreach camp hosted by local team, the Green Bay Packers. They were given the opportunity to get outside and become more active with the program, called the NFL Play 60. The program has traveled to schools all across Wisconsin and on May 9, the Packers came to the Titletown football field.

Read the full article here.

Holy Family Catholic School is part of the Green Bay Area Catholic Education (GRACE) School System. It is a private Catholic school serving Preschool and Elementary through 8th grade (PK3-8) with open enrollment. Holy Family provides an individualized education in a faith-based environment. Each child is supported not only academically, but spiritually.

For more information about HFS, browse our website: https://holyfamilygreenbay.com.

GRACE is proud to present our school system educators who have been nominated for the Greater Green Bay Chamber’s 2023 Golden Apple Awards. GRACE is blessed with amazing teachers, and these nominees represent the excellence in faith-based education that occurs daily in our schools. Nominees include educators from all our GRACE schools this year, including Father Allouez Catholic School, Holy Cross Catholic School, Holy Family Catholic School, Notre Dame of De Pere, Our Lady of Lourdes Catholic School, St. Bernard Catholic School, St. John Paul II Classical School, St. John the Baptist Catholic School, and St. Thomas More Catholic School. The 2023 Golden Apple Awards program is scheduled to be held April 19, 2023. Here are the GRACE nominees, listed in alphabetical order according to last name:

Father Allouez Catholic School: Amy Benzshawel, James Block, Allyson Ellis, Jeanne Ihlenfeldt, Sarah Johanski, Patricia Nennig, April Neuville, Tina Sabin, Samantha Skifton, Annie Stewart, Brenda Touchinski, Ashley VandenBush, Caity Zedler

Holy Cross Catholic School: Michelle Anderson, Jessica DeGroot, Tim Kozlovsky, Jamie Sheehy, Jodi Sullivan, Tara Wildenberg

Holy Family Catholic School: Traci Belongia, Lynn Francois, Amy Glantz, Sister Elena Gonzales, Shawna Halbach, Lisa Krcma, Bailey Schultz, Jordan Thill, Courtney Wedan

Notre Dame of De Pere: Jacky Cramer, Carrie Korinek, Elise Stone

Our Lady of Lourdes Catholic School: Hannah Aschenbrenner, Julie Basten, Beth Christensen, Ashley Cwiklewski, Lourain Eggart, Caitlin Enright, Lynn Fink, Sarah Sharkey, Sally Thompson

St. Bernard Catholic School: Amanda Boeke, Molly Bongel, Julie Lamm, Terri Larson

St. John Paul II Classical School: Jennifer Budde, Brenda Devroy, Gary Guevara, Brianna McGann, Tyler Storey

St. John the Baptist School: Kristin Barnhart, Alex Geise, Julie Schmitz, Lisa Turbett, Abbie Withbroe