Holy Child Catholic School FAQ
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Holy Child Catholic School History

Holy Child Catholic School is celebrating its fifty eighth year as an elementary school in the Bridgeville / South Fayette area. Its life began on September 7, 1947 when the hopes and dreams of the pastor and people of St. Agatha Roman Catholic Church in Bridgeville were realized.

Until 1994 our school was known as "St. Agatha School, Bridgeville." The name change took place on July 1, 1994 when it became Holy Child Catholic School assuming the name of the newly formed catholic parish of Holy Child, Bridgeville/South Fayette.

The school has been staffed by Sisters of Mercy of the Americas; Pittsburgh Region since its beginning in 1947. It became one of the catholic schools in the Diocese of Pittsburgh adopting the curriculum and religion standards as directed by the diocese and the state of Pennsylvania.

From its earliest years the school was noted for its efforts to provide academic excellence, a willingness to adopt new teaching methods when evidence showed it would benefit the student and the learning process, and its importance in the parish community.

Early childhood education was a goal long before many districts considered it important. Holy Child has had a preschool for over thirty years. The kindergarten program started over 32 years ago as a full day program. We are one of the oldest full day programs in the South Hills.

We offer a total catholic education for children from Pre K through Level 8.

• Registered parishioners of Holy Child Parish
• Catholic students registered in parishes other than Holy Child Parish
• Students not affiliated with the above
• Re-registration is required for each succeeding academic year

  Admission Procedure:
  AGE
  An original birth certificate must be provided at registration. The child must be three or four years old before September 1st for the preschool programs.
  The Kindergarten child must be five or six years old before September 1st
  The First Year child must be six years old before Sept. 1st.

  Immunization Requirements
  DTP: a minimum of four doses
  OPV: a minimum of three doses, provided at least one dose is given on or after the fourth birthday
  Measles vaccine: one dose administered on or after the first birthday
  Rubella vaccine: administered on or after the first birthday
  children who were immunized before the first birthday are to be re-immunized.
  Mumps vaccine: one dose administered on or after the first birthday; children who were immunized before the first birthday are to be re-immunized
  A second MMR2 is required for entrance to school in September, 2000.
  An applicant whose immunization record is incomplete will not be admitted.
  Church copy of the baptismal certificate is required.

  Transfer Students
  In addition to all of the above items, students transferring from another school must present a copy of their school records for review by the administration. No transfers will be accepted for eighth grade unless coming from another catholic school.
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Early Childhood Programs

Preschool (All children must be 3 before September 1)
5 day program $1900 (students should have already completed one year of preschool)
3 day program $1300
2 day program $850

Kindergarten (Student must be 5 before September 1)
See Levels 1 to 8

Levels K through 8
Parishioner or member of a catholic parish without a school. Any family asking for the "parishioner tuition rate", who is not registered in Holy Child Parish, must obtain their pastor's signature on a "Pastor Verification form". This form can be obtained from the school's office,  or the pastor, and must be returned to school when the signature has been received.

One child $2,550
Two or more children $3,950

No affiliate
Each student pays cost per child $3,950

Tuition can be paid by using one of the following payment plans:

• Full payment when school contract is signed
• Payment in three or four installments
• Payment in ten or twelve monthly installments

In addition to the above tuition, there is a $40 family registration fee, a $60 cafeteria fee (K to 8) for all families who cannot volunteer one day (2 1/2 hours) per month in our lunch program. Our Before and After School Extended Day program, the School Instrumental Music Program (band, violin and guitar) and the After School Enrichment Program have fees for those who participate, also.
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Preschool and Kindergarten requirements:
When the parent vote in 1984 made uniforms mandatory here at Holy Child (St. Agatha), it was decided that uniforms would be optional at the kindergarten level. Jeans, tennis shoes and sweat suits are not usually worn to school. Students should begin to understand that they are coming to school to work. Therefore their "school clothes" are not the same as their play clothes. They probably will get into a routine of changing into their play clothes once they understand that school clothes are special!

Boys level 1 - 8
White or light blue shirt - short or long sleeves - (plain polo or button down collar shirt),  navy blue or khaki dress pants (plain, no extra pockets, logos, double seem stitching, etc.), navy blue or khaki Crill Tog walking shorts,  navy sweater (crew, v-neck, letter, etc.), navy crew neck sweatshirt with logo,  navy or white socks and a sturdy school shoe. No athletic type shoe is acceptable including Nike, LA Gear, etc. White turtle neck shirts may be worn under a blue sweater in place of the shirt.

Boy's hair must be neatly groomed. No extreme hairstyles are allowed including "fads" such as the shaved, layer look, dyed spikes, etc. When in doubt about a hairstyle, consult with the school principal before getting it done. Violations of the uniform code can result in loss of extracurricular privileges until the student complies with the code.

Girls Level 1 - 8
White or light blue plain blouse or button down collared shirt, uniform plaid skirt, culottes, or jumper, plain navy or khaki slacks, navy sweater (crew, v-neck, letter, etc.), navy crew neck sweatshirt,  navy or white stockings or socks, and a sturdy school shoe. No athletic type shoe is acceptable including Nike, LA Gear, etc. A white turtle neck may be worn under the navy blue sweater in place of the blouse. The turtle neck is not worn without a sweater. Girl's skirts must touch the top of the knees. Only a clear nail polish is permitted. The girl's hair must be neatly groomed at all times. Extreme hairstyles are not permitted. When in doubt check with the principal before getting it done. Violations of the uniform code can result in loss of extracurricular privileges until the student compiles with the code. The wearing of make-up, except for clear lip gloss, is not permitted.

General Requirements:
All students should have their name on uniform clothing for easy identification when it is misplaced.
We never wear jeans, etc., to church on a school mass day.

Students will wear a red or white shirt 9 with or without school logo) and gray or black sweatpants on gym day.  They may wear the uniform shorts instead of the sweatpants if they wish. Any student with pierced ears may wear small earrings when necessary. They may not hang below the earlobe and should be very plain. Jewelry is not to be worn to school. However, all students may wear a wrist watch to school. 

On designated "Jean" or "Dress Up Days," students have the option of wearing the school uniform or an appropriate outfit of their choice. T-shirts, whenever they are worn, should not have inappropriate words or pictures on them. Tank tops, sleeveless tops or tops with spaghetti straps, etc.,  may not be worn to school or church for any occasion. These special "out of uniform days" are decided upon by student council, the faculty and administration. They may be listed on the school calendar or a note is sent to parents before the date.

Students may wear khaki or navy blue Crill Tog walking shorts. The must be purchased through Crill Tog which is the official uniform company for our school. The shorts may be worn until October 31  in the fall. Students may resume wearing them on April 1 in the spring. Shorts are to be worn with the regular uniform blouse or shirt with or without a uniform sweater or sweatshirt. They will be worn with socks, stockings, or tights and a sturdy school shoe. Tennis shoes are not an option when the walking short is the student's choice on a regular uniform day.  This is the only style of shorts permitted during the school year.

Shorts may be purchased by calling Crill Tog or visiting the Academy Plaids Uniform Store 1400 Penn Avenue in the Strip District.  You will need to know your child's waist size and leg length from the waist to the top of the knee when placing your order.
We hope that by adding a walking short to the official uniform we now have a suitable alternative for hot weather school days.
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• KDKA TV, Channel 2
• KDKA Radio, 1020 AM
• WTAE TV, Channel 4
• www.wtaetv.com click on school closings/delays
• WPXI TV, Channel 11
• 3WS Radio, 94.5 FM
• B-94 Radio, 94 FM
• KQV Radio, 1410 AM

Holy Child Catholic School will not announce a school delay. We will announce that we are closed if several school districts announce that they are closed. Every effort is made to get the first announcement aired before 6:15 AM. The school answering machine will have a school closed message on it if we are closed for the day.
If you do not hear our name on the air or on the machine, then you can assume we are open. Often each school district announces a different plan on snowy days so we have to be ready to accept students who may not have a "delay" as well as those who are on a "two hour delay.

In case of a weather related "early dismissal" your child should know what they should do if you are not at home when they arrive early.  Forms are kept in the office that give the school permission to keep your child in Extended Day if there is an unannounced early dismissal.

The general rule is to use your head! If your school district closes, your roads are very dangerous. Keep your children at home where they will be safe. Top of page

How can I contact my child's teacher?
Teachers can be contacted by email to the school, by note forwarded by your child, or by a phone call to the school's office asking the teacher to call you when she/he is available.

1. Teachers may not leave classrooms to answer phone calls.
2. Email should be used for issues that can wait a few days. This is not a good source for immediate issues.
3. A brief note asking the teacher to call you should include good times to call.

Can I deliver something to my child at school?
All visitors to the school, including parents, must report first to the school's office and sign in. Anything that is being delivered to the child should be labeled with the child's name and grade, and left in the office. This includes lunches, test papers, money, etc.

Can my child call me during the school day?
The office phone is to be used, with permission of the principal or secretary, if there is a need to call home. Students are discouraged from calling home. Often, the student is told to return to class and the secretary will relay the message. 

Can I use Extended Day on an occasional basis?
Extended Day is available on an occasional basis for an hourly fee. The morning session is 7:00 am until 7:45 am when the regular buses arrive. The afternoon session begins at 3:00 pm. We close at 6:00 pm. For more information, request a copy of the Extended Day Policy.

What if I can't pick my child up on time?
Parents are expected to pick students up on time when they stay for extracurricular activities. Whenever a child is to be picked up, and the driver is late, the student is to report to the Extended Day classroom.

Can I bring a treat for my child's birthday?
Parents should check with the teacher in advance. Treats may not be distributed at lunchtime in the cafeteria. Usually treats are limited to the Pre-K program.

Invitations to student birthday parties can only be distributed in school if the entire class is invited, or all of the boys, or all of the girls are invited. Otherwise, the invitations may not be distributed in school.

Is Holy Child closed when my school district closes during bad weather?
Probably not! We have seven school districts here. It is likely that not all the districts will be closed at the same time. When HCC is closed, we will announce this information on radio and television.

The general rule is to use your head! If your school district closes, your roads are very dangerous. Keep your children at home where they will be safe.

What is the Bishop's Fund?
The Bishop's Fund is a diocesan program to help families with tuition. Applications are available in late January and must be returned by March 15. A private company will review the applications and forward the results to the diocese. Distribution of the available funds (by family) is reported to the Pastor in May.

What is the S.O.S.?
The SOS is a diocesan scholarship fund to help families with tuition.  Eligibility requirements are different from the BEF but the procedures to apply are the same.  If a family is eligible for either program they are encouraged to apply for the funds.  This is funded by business' through the PA EITC program.  In 2004 - 2005 three local business' designated Holy Child to receive part of their tax money.  We are grateful to Bridgeville Appliance, Burgh's Pizza and Wings and NorthWest Savings Bank in Bridgeville for their generosity.

Is there any other form of tuition assistance?
The Fair Share Fundraising program allows you to reduce your tuition once you have met your family's FSF quota.

Where do I get school uniforms?
Uniforms can be purchased at

Crill Tog Co., Inc.
a Division of Academy Plaid                                                   1400 Penn Avenue                                                          Pittsburgh, PA 

When are report cards distributed?
The approved Pittsburgh Diocesan report cards are distributed quarterly for students in levels 1 to 8. Kindergarten students receive their report cards in the 2nd and 4th quarters.

What is the Development Committee?
Holy Child has established a development committee to insure the continued vitality of the school. Once a year, an appeal is made to all parishioners to contribute to the HCC Endowment Fund. The committee distributes Development Envelopes to funeral homes, etc., and makes quarterly reports to the parish on the results. All of the money is deposited into the Endowment Fund.
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Our Computer Programs

Our students begin in kindergarten to learn the "works"
Word Processing, Spreadsheet, Database, Drawing, Painting,
Communications.  Power Point is called Presentation in the Appleworks family.

We are Macintosh based with a computer room lab that includes
powerMacs, IMACS. G4's and some PC's at present.   Computers are connected to the Internet by a cable connection (Comcast). Every room in the building has a cable access connection thanks to the dedication of  a parent who works for the cable company and got us wired.

Children begin on Appleworks which is on every computer including our PC's (plus Microsoft on the PC's).  Our goal has been to teach children to use the computer as a tool so our emphasis has not been on playing games.  We have a wealth of software to help them practice or acquire additional skills in the academic subject areas using apple computers which we have in every classroom.

Our goal is to acquire PC's for the upper Level classrooms and keep the Mac Lab for levels K to 5.  Apples are very user friendly for children in the elementary levels ( and their principal) and require far less maintenance than has been my experience with PC's.   We started with our first Apple in 1984 which is before most educators were willing to think of them as a school tool.

We  offer courses in math and reading to students who need extra help as well as those who  need to be " challenged"  We  believe that
every child is gifted and it is our responsibility to see that they have access to all of the tools possible to explore their strengths.

Currently our primary students (Levels 1 - 2- 3) can walk into the lab turn on their computer, opt into Appleworks and write a story changing fonts (which they like to do), size, etc.  They also save their work to a folder and come back and add a drawing sometimes.  They also currently like KidsPix, Slam Dunk Typing and Kids Keys all of which are commercial  pieces of software that help with key- boarding, word processing, drawing,etc. Our newer software can be used on either a PC or a Mac.

We have adopted the FutureKids, Inc's computer curriculum in the
diocese.  Our teacher has been in-serviced and additional teachers in the building will be in-serviced as we work through the Levels.

We support an Accelerated Reader Program which matches  1500 of our school library titles with tests on the computer assessing how a child is comprehending what they have read.  We've used this program since it began in 1987.  Now it is a large company and districts as well as public libraries see it's worth.

 If you would like a school brochure or to tour the school please call Sister Barbara Anne at 412-221-4720. You can also email Sister at stholychild@comcast.net
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