• Our Mission Statement and Statement of Philosophy focus on HFCA's:
• warm and welcoming environment,
• focus on 21st Century skills and
• commitment to effect meaningful change in Catholic education.
• Holy Family Academy embraces diversity. All are welcome to join our growing community.
• Hallmarks of our education include differentiated instruction and Inquiry-based learning.
• While many schools are now beginning to introduce 21st century skills such as critical thinking, problem solving, collaboration and fluency in technology, Holy Family has been implementing these skills for the last six years and moving forward. We like to say that our school is moving from "best practices" to "next practices".
• Holy Family middle school students use a secured portal that increases the students' understanding and use of 21st century communication technologies. These technologies include a Web 2.0 social networking platform, blog, wikis, emails and a Facebook-like component that is available through a secured intranet environment.
• Holy Family Academy has become a leader in the Archdiocese of Chicago. Sr. Mary Paul McCaughey, Superintendent, has coined our work as the "Holy Family model", and we are influencing the design of curriculum within the Archdiocese. By 2014, all 215 schools within the Archdiocese of Chicago will be using the "Holy Family Model". See our video under "Media Links".
• Our teachers have been called to lead and are serving as trainers, coaches, and mentors for other teachers throughout the Archdiocese. Go to "Media Links".
• Beginning in first grade, our curriculum is integrated with technology with interactive projectors/SMART boards in each classroom. Click on our Technology page.
• HFCA is unique in our effort to move the governance of our school toward a Board of Specified Jurisdiction. Click here to learn more and read the biographies of our newest members.
• Average class size of 23 students with full-time teaching assistants in classes with 18 or more students.
• Our students participate in AIMSweb benchmarking and progress monitoring. Click here to learn more.
• Collaboration with Harper College to ensure our middle school students are exposed to a variety of instructors, performing arts and science labs. Click here to learn more about our Middle School.
• The results of standardized Terra Nova tests indicate that HFCA students score significantly above the national average in all subject areas and in all grades. Please contact Deb Atkins to learn more about these scores (847-907-3461).
• To best meet the needs of our students across grade levels, our classes are staffed with two certified teacher for each grade level class. This staffing allows students to work within smaller, flexible groups throughout the day to maximize student learning.
• HFCA works with a specialized consultant who researches and monitors "educational best practices" and provides staff development to our faculty.
• Our faith formation program and curriculum has been designed in association with Loyola Academy.