Made for Belonging: How Holy Family High School Is Expanding Catholic Education
- Clare Kneusel-Nowak
- 6 minutes ago
- 5 min read
A Catholic vision of education rooted in dignity, faith and human flourishing.
A robust Catholic Education should be available to everyone who wants it, but, unfortunately, for a long time, families of students with moderate to severe educational disabilities have struggled to find their place in Catholic schools. Thankfully, many devout men and women have stepped up to change that, driven by the conviction that Catholic education should be made accessible to everyone. The Student Support Team at Holy Family High School in Broomfield is one such group.
A Place to Flourish
“The Student Support Department is not just a program,” said Emily Baier, a new member of the team, “but an expression of our belief that every child is created in the image and likeness of God and called to belong fully to the Body of Christ and Catholic education.”
In the 2025-2026 school year, Holy Family saw 89 students with disabilities return and admitted 46 new students. 26 of these new students are from archdiocesan elementary schools; 15 are from public schools; and a few others come from other Christian high schools. These numbers, especially considering those who came from public schools, speak volumes about the good work the Student Support Service Team is doing at Holy Family. All too often, it seems, students with learning challenges don’t feel they can consider Catholic school because public schools so frequently outdo Catholic schools in the amount and quality of support they can provide.
But the team at Holy Family is determined to ensure that every student who wants a Catholic education can find a place in our Catholic schools.
“The purpose of Catholic education is the true flourishing of the human person — body, mind and soul,” said Shannon Batal, another member of the school’s Student Support Team. “When we replace this with a lesser good, like worldly accolades, we are falling short in our mission. Students with intellectual and developmental disabilities belong at Holy Family High School because our mission is to help each young person to flourish according to God’s individual plan for their life.”
Students Transformed
The most inspiring supporters of the program are often the students themselves.
“This school year has brought about waves of change in my learning that I could never have imagined, and you [Student Support Services] have been a part of that,” a current junior said. “Had you not been willing to accommodate my different learning style and academic needs, I would not have been able to succeed in the classroom the way that I had this year.”
A current senior, when asked who they were thankful for, replied, “I’m supposed to thank you for everything, but the problem is, there’s so much to thank you for. I cannot thank you enough for the help you’ve given me during my time at Holy Family. Everything from spiritual growth, academic success, self-discovery, the discovery of my passions and creating my life after high school. Academically and emotionally, you gave me unwavering support. Honestly, it is tough to verbalize just how grateful I am for you.”
Another senior said, “It’s going to be hard leaving people like you and the place in which I was the most accepted, understood, validated, supported and loved.”
A Work of Dignity
“St. John Paul II reminds us that our starting point for all conversations about disability is rooted in Christian anthropology. Every person is made in the image and likeness of God,” Batal noted.
She believes that recognizing the divine image is fundamental to a truly Catholic approach to educational inclusion.
“Each one of our students was made by God on purpose for a purpose,” she explained. “Each of us has a role in God’s eternal plan for salvation.”
Inclusion in Catholic education is not a niche issue, but one rooted in the dignity of the person, which should concern all men and women of faith.
“The inclusion of students with intellectual and developmental disabilities gives our entire school community the opportunity to recommit to striving for holiness, the eternal purpose of Catholic education,” she continued, noting that when we recognize and uphold our brothers and sisters’ dignity, we come to know and see our own more clearly. “St. John Paul II reminds us that in recognizing the rights and dignity of our disabled brothers and sisters, we bolster our own.”
A New Program
This year, Holy Family admitted its first student with Down syndrome. He, likewise, became the first student in the new program Batal has developed: the St. André Scholars Program.
This new program is an extension of Student Support Services, designed to reach even more students, and firmly rooted in the school’s Catholic mission.
“The program is specifically designed to serve a small cohort of students who will focus on tangible goals, such as living independently or maintaining employment, while participating in all events and activities in the school community,” Batal explained.
That integration into the daily life of the school is part of what makes the St. André Scholars Program so unique and so beautiful. From his place within the community, this new scholar has a fantastically positive impact on all the students around him. In fact, when he presented on Down syndrome to his Biology class at the end of last semester, the room was packed with students, teachers and other guests gathered to watch him present. In very little time, he has become one of the most beloved members of the school community. He is thriving in his new environment – he even finds the school’s President, Mike Gabriel, almost every day to fist bump!
“Prior to this year, many of our high school students had never had the opportunity to meet someone with intellectual and developmental disabilities (IDD),” she said. “When we give neurotypical high schoolers the chance to know and love peers with IDD, we help young people to recognize the dignity of others and of themselves.”
A Culture Transformed
In the time she has worked with the Student Support team, Baier has been amazed by the love and service poured out.
“The students who are in the program are changing the culture of Holy Family in the best ways!” she said.
Inclusion at Holy Family means educating students with a wide range of learning, social and developmental needs within a community centered on Jesus.
“Students who may need academic accommodations, social-emotional support or differentiated instruction are not separated from the life of the school,” Baier continued. “They are an integral part of it. Inclusion supports the mission of Catholic education by teaching students to recognize the dignity of every person; cultivating empathy, patience and compassion; reflecting Christ’s call to welcome the marginalized; and preparing students to build a more just and loving world.”
