Holy Family Elementary School

Below are the steps to enroll your child(ren) at Holy Family Elementary.

Parish Registration

Immaculate Heart of Mary Church: Hays

St. Joseph Catholic Church: Hays

St. Nicholas of Myra Catholic Church: Hays

Our Lady, Help of Christians Catholic Church: Antonino

St. Anthony Catholic Church: Schoenchen

St. Francis of Assisi Catholic Church: Munjor

St. Catherine Parish: Catharine

You must register with one of the seven parishes listed above. The Heartland Parishes of Ellis County provide funding to the Hays Catholic Schools in support of our everyday operations. Our funding is supplemented by enrollment fees, fundraisers, and stewardship.

For Catholic school families, the church suggests that 8% of your annual income go to the church, 1% to the diocese, and 1% to charities of your choice. You are also asked to give one hour of prayer and at least two hours a week of your time and talents.

You must be in good standing with your parish and be approved by the pastor for your child to enroll in KinderPrep or Kindergarten. “In good standing” means that you have a history of active participation in the way of stewardship, whether it be in the area of time, talent, or treasure.

In addition, you will be asked to give your time, talent, and treasure to the school. Stewardship is required of all families, and active participation through the parish and school will also be considered during the pre-enrollment process.

Your commitment to stewardship, for both your parish and the school, is renewed at the beginning of every calendar year.

Non-Heartland Parish members

If you belong to a parish that is not listed above, you are required to pay tuition, in addition to our annual enrollment fee. Financial aid and scholarships are available. Please see the school bookkeeper for more information.

Waitlist

Fill out the Prospective Family Form to place your child(ren) on our waitlist. This form can be found on our website under Admissions & Enrollment. Children can be added to the waitlist at any time, and the waitlist remains active year-to-year.

Admissions

Our admission process gives priority in the following order…

 Priority 1: Children of siblings already enrolled at Holy Family Elementary.

Priority 2: Children of older siblings who previously attended Holy Family Elementary but have moved on to secondary education. Children of parish and Catholic school employees.

Priority 3: Heartland parish members

Priority 4: Non-Heartland parish Catholics

Priority 5: Non-Catholics

To be considered for priority one, two, or three admission, parents or guardians must be registered with a parish and approved by the pastor as an active participant in stewardship and in good standing with the church.

The date that a student was placed on the waitlist will also be taken into consideration.

No Catholic child whose parents or guardians desire enrollment at HFE shall be denied admission based on race, color, or national origin. No child, regardless of religious affiliation, whose parents or guardians desire enrollment at HFE, who possesses the capacity for additional enrollment, shall be denied admission based on race, color, or national origin.

Age of admission

Preschool: Any child who will attain the age of three (3) years before the first day of September of any school year shall be eligible to enter preschool. All preschool students must be potty-trained.

KinderPrep: Any child who will attain the age of five (5) years before the first day of September of any school year shall be eligible to enter KinderPrep. KinderPrep placement is by appointment only and will be determined by the principal, with testing and recommendations by the previous teachers. 

Kindergarten: Any child who will attain the age of five (5) years before the first day of September of any school year shall be eligible to enter Kindergarten.

First grade: Any child who will attain the age of six (6) years before the first day of September of any school year shall be eligible to enter first grade. Any child who, as a resident of another state, has completed a kindergarten course maintained by a public school district or by an accredited private or parochial school shall be eligible to enter first grade, regardless of age.

Pre-enrollment

Our pre-enrollment process begins in January when we confirm the placement of our current students for the following school year. After our current students have been placed, we refer to the ‘order of submission policy’ for placing new students on the waitlist. Once we confirm a spot is available and you have met all the requirements set forth by the parish, we will contact you regarding the placement of your child.

Non-refundable pre-enrollment fee

Once a spot has been confirmed for your child, a non-refundable pre-enrollment fee is due by March 1st to hold your child(ren)’s placement at HFE for the following school year. 

New Parent Meeting

Once your child has been placed at HFE, we ask that you attend our New Parent Information Night hosted in March. At this meeting, you will receive the information and paperwork you need to move forward with enrollment in August. Please see our website and/or social media for dates and times as this meeting nears.

Paperwork

Enrollment paperwork will be handed out at the New Parent Information Night and/or posted online starting in May. All paperwork must be completed and turned in at enrollment in August. 

Kinderprep & Kindergarten students are required to have the necessary health forms needed to enter elementary school, in addition to the enrollment paperwork.

If your child is a transfer student, the office will request paperwork from your child’s previous school around enrollment time.

New student paperwork

New student/enrollment paperwork

Certified birth certificate from the state

Health/Physical assessment from the doctor

Up-to-date immunization record

Enrollment

Enrollment takes place in August, and all families are required to attend. All enrollment paperwork is due at this time. School enrollment fees and other fees, such as After School Care registration, are due at this time. Please see our website and/or social media for information on the enrollment dates and times as August nears.

Enrollment fee

A non-refundable enrollment fee is due in August at the time of enrollment. This fee is required of all families. A financial cap is available for large families enrolled in both Hays Catholic Schools, grades KP-12. Financial aid and scholarships are available; see the school bookkeeper for more information. 

The finance council determines the enrollment fee during the annual budget planning process. This fee, in conjunction with funding received from the parishes, is used to support the operating costs of education, such as consumable curriculum materials, digital subscriptions to learning programs, technology, and devices.

Non-Heartland Parish members on tuition are also responsible for paying the enrollment fee.

Financial Aid

Automatic withdrawal is available for enrollment fees and tuition payments.

Payment plans are available, and fees can be paid in monthly, quarterly, or semester installments. All fees must be paid in full by April 1st.

Assistance based on Federal Income Eligibility Guidelines is determined in late spring/summer or at the time of enrollment.

Scholarships are available through the Diocese of Salina. These are open to new Hays Catholic School families entering Kindergarten through eighth grade who qualify for the free & reduced lunch program.

Occasionally, we receive donations specifically given to assist new families with school fees. These are given out on an “as needed” basis.