Holy Family School Newsletter

Dear Holy Family Parents,

It’s hard to believe we’ve entered the final month of the school year! The halls and classrooms are buzzing with excitement as we look forward to a variety of special events—field trips, Kindergarten Mothers Day Program, Teacher Appreciation Week, our 6th Grade Graduation Mass, the all-school assembly and our end-of-year celebration.

While there is much to celebrate, learning is still happening! We have noticed that student energy has increased causing additional behavioral concerns in classrooms, cafeteria, hallways and even recess. We kindly ask parents to remind children that school isn’t over yet—we need everyone’s focus and best behavior to finish strong. Should your child be involved in any incident, teachers have been instructed to contact parents for support and to address ways to eliminate the behavior.

We are deeply grateful for your continued support. Thank you to all our amazing volunteers, Fr. Mark, our Parent Advisory Committee, School Board, Marketing Committee, and everyone who contributed to this incredible year. We are so blessed by your dedication to our school community.

This year has brought countless memories, academic growth, and faith-filled moments. From sharing the Divine Mercy Chaplet and school-wide rosaries to witnessing God’s presence in our everyday moments, we’ve been truly blessed. We are especially excited and thankful for the gift of our new chapel—what a beautiful opportunity for prayer and reflection for both students and staff.

Please read the newsletter carefully. It contains important details for next year, including the updated calendar, supply lists, and new summer learning resources by grade level. These materials are designed to help your child stay engaged and prevent summer learning loss.

Final 24-25 report cards will be sent home with students on the last day of school. Also watch your email on August 4 for a special “Welcome Back” letter from your child’s 2025–26 teacher!

As budget discussions continue at the state level, we encourage you to have your voice heard—Governor Walz’s current proposal could significantly impact funding for Catholic and private schools. Your advocacy is more important than ever. Please see our school website for more information on how to help.

Finally, a heartfelt thank you to our incredible staff and teachers for their tireless work and dedication. We offer special congratulations to Mrs. Moritz (36 years) and Mrs. Marthaler (40 years) as they retire. Their love, faith, and commitment have left a lasting impact—we wish them abundant blessings in their next chapter.

Wishing all of our families a joyful, safe, and restful summer. May God continue to bless and keep you in His care.

With gratitude,

Ms. Otte

1. Establish safe play areas: Teach kids from a young age that the street is not a safe area to be, even if their toy or ball goes there. The younger the child is, it’s best to limit their play area to the front or backyard at first, and expand it as the child gets older. Play with your children, teaching them new games and sportsmanship.
2. Never talk to strangers: No matter how friendly someone seems, children should never speak to or go anywhere with a stranger. If a stranger approaches them, they should run away and find a trusted adult.
3. Never wander off alone: Remind younger children to always stay where you can see them. Older kids hanging out with friends should remain with the group.
4. Be aware of surroundings: Common play areas like a field or a playground can hold hidden safety hazards, so it’s important to examine these areas before playing in them. Keep an eye out for sharp objects, broken glass, and other dangers. When playing outside children should wear shoes to protect their feet from safety hazards hidden in grass or dirt surfaces.
5. Be mindful of the rainy weather: Kids should not play outside on days forecasted to have thunderstorms. Even sunny days can experience a rapid, unexpected weather change. If the weather does change drastically, children should return home or seek shelter—not under a tree.
6. Always wear sunscreen or protective clothing: It’s more important than ever to protect your skin from the sun, and applying sunscreen is one of the easiest ways to do it. Remember that sunscreen needs to be reapplied often, especially if you’re at the beach or pool, or if you’re sweating. Protective clothing works great as well.
7. Remember to hydrate: It’s almost guaranteed that children playing outdoors are going to sweat profusely. Teach them about the dangers of dehydration and the importance of replenishing with water—not sugary drinks.
8. Wear proper clothing and equipment for the sport or activity: Thin-layered, long-sleeved clothing is ideal for outdoor activities. It allows for breathability while still protecting against the sun, bugs, scratches, and more. When going for a bike ride, always wear a helmet.
9. Apply bug spray when needed: For older, adventurous kids who are hiking through the woods, bug spray is a necessity. Ticks, in particular, carry harmful diseases, such as Lyme disease. After spending a day outdoors, always check for ticks.
10. Never consume anything found outdoors: Children are naturally curious, and they might come across berries, plants, or mushrooms while outdoors. Let them know that despite what they might have seen on TV, it’s not safe to eat anything they find in the wild.

We hope you and your kids have a safe and wonderful summer!

The character trait for May is Good Citizen.

Your children are discussing what being a good citizen is this month in our character lessons. We want them to understand that there are many levels of citizenship from school to the world, but that the ways we identify a good citizen are similar in every situation. Having a good work ethic, being law-abiding, patriotic, and serving others in our communities are the main facets we are covering. We are also pointing out that citizenship is a great and desirable responsibility that can be honored to have in this great country of ours.

Citizenship is defined as the sense of belonging to a community and having the rights and responsibilities that come with it. A United States citizen will have different citizenship rights and responsibilities compared to a member of the classroom. But either way, if you are a citizen, you participate in the activities of the place that you are a citizen of and help it grow and take care of each other. There are five noteworthy characteristics of a good citizen: honesty, compassion, respect, responsibility, and pride.

At Holy Family School, we have learned all of these traits during the school year. Students talked about pride in our country during Veterans Day, completed service projects throughout the year, and learned about good citizens in our community like police officers, firefighters, servicemen, to name a few. When we hear good examples from real life we should use those to help to inspire children to be the same.

Another great way to reinforce this character trait with your children is to remind them of our national holiday, July 4th, on which we celebrate our country’s freedom. This helps them associate citizenship with fun and other pleasant activities so that it is not just all hard work and service. Being a good citizen in our school, community, and country is truly an honor and privilege for all of us. When we teach our children to understand and appreciate this we are giving a lifelong gift of appreciation for their own heritage.