Hello Crusader Families!

It’s been wonderful to share so much great news with you this summer, however this week, I have unfortunate news to share.  Mrs. Jensen will not be returning to Holy Name in the Fall.  While we wish her well in her new chapter of life, we will certainly miss her at Holy Name.  Please keep her in your prayers as she starts her new journey.  We have already started searching for a new Middle School ELA and History teacher and we will keep you posted as we look for the right person to fill this position.  Please watch for the posting on our Facebook page and share it with your friends and family, and please pray that God sends us another wonderful teacher soon.

Don’t forget to stop by the Grade School next week during office hours to shop our free uniform closet.  The Custodial team has been working really hard this summer to make our school look great, as usual, and the Knights have continued to amaze us with the locker room and gym renovation.  We can’t wait for all of you to see all their hard work at Open House on August 26th from 4:00-5:30pm!  Anyone from the Community that would like to see the renovation is welcome to join us at Open House, so please spread the word.

Have a wonderful weekend!

God bless,

Mrs. Brief 😀

Hello Crusader Families!

I pray that you all had a beautiful week and were excited to hear our recent announcements.  We have another exciting announcement to share regarding the Open House on August 26th… Our Gym will be OPEN and available for you to tour the amazing updates that the Knights of Columbus have done to our locker rooms, mezzanine, and gym area!  They have been so busy this summer making our beautiful school even more attractive, and we are so very grateful and blessed for everything they have done for Holy Name.  Thank you to each and every one of you that donated time, talent and/or monetary donations to this amazing project – We can’t wait for you to see it!!

As you know, we had some staffing shifts in the kitchen and the office for this upcoming school year, but we are thrilled to have both of these areas covered and ready to serve you and your students this fall.  Mrs. Katie DeGrand, a familiar face, and Mrs. Ann Hogan, a new face, will assist Mrs. Bobbi Farley in the kitchen as kitchen assistants and Mrs. Maddi Lynch in the office as the receptionists.  One of them will be available each day in the kitchen during lunch times and at the receptionist desk from 10:00-11:00am and 1:00-3:30pm.

We are still looking for Recess and/or Lunch Room Supervisors and a CGS Teacher.  These are two part-time positions, but could be combined to make one position if someone is interested in more hours.  If you or someone you know are looking for a couple hours a week, please send them my way.  See the flyer in today’s Crusader for more information and please share the flyer on Facebook when you see it posted.

Finally this week, just a reminder that our office will be closed next week, the week of July 27th.  August hours are listed below.  Please stop in during August office hours to shop our FREE UNIFORM CLOSET!!  We have several new and gently used uniforms available for you to shop.  Please take advantage of this wonderful opportunity.

August Office Hours

• 4th and 6th (8am-2:30pm)
• 11th and 13th (8am-2:30pm)
• 17th and 19th (8am-2:30pm)
• 24th, 25th, 26th, and 27th (8am-3:00pm)

Praying that you enjoy the rest of July and Summer Break!

God bless,

Mrs. Brief 😀

Hello Crusader Families!

I pray that you’ve been able to stay cool and safe during this hot, hazy period we are having this week.  As promised, I have a very exciting announcement to make this week. I’m pleased to inform you that Miss Sophia (Sophie) Wessel is joining our Holy Name Family as our new, second 5th Grade Teacher!   Miss Wessel was a former Holy Name student during her Elementary years and now rejoins us as a teacher – Once a Crusader, Always a Crusader!  Miss Wessel comes to us with her Bachelors Degree in Elementary Education and also has three years of experience teaching 5th Grade!  Please watch for a Facebook post later today with more information on Miss Wessel, and please join us in welcoming her to our Holy Name Family!

The beloved U.P. State Fair will be in town before we know it and we’re very blessed to have a booth again this year thanks to the generous donation of the Kobasic Foundation!  Our booth will be located outside the grandstand area again with fun giveaways, so be sure to stop by!  If you would like to help with the booth, you can sign up by using this link https://www.signupgenius.com/go/10C0B45ABA722A0FAC25-64294388-holy.  If all slots are filled, please reach out to Mrs. Jane Arts who has graciously picked up several time slots and would be happy to share a spot or two with you!  You can reach her at jarts@holynamecrusaders.com or by calling 906-786-7550. Once again, a huge thank you to the Kobasic Foundation for their continued support of Holy Name!

I continue to pray that you have a fun, safe summer!

God bless,

Mrs. Brief 😀

Hello Crusader Families!

I hope that you are enjoying your summer!  While school may not be in session, there is a lot going on inside as we are preparing for the 26-27 school year.  I’m very excited to announce that we have hired Mr. Phil Niswonger as the 7th-12th Grade Math teacher!  Mr. Niswonger has a Bachelors and a Masters Degree in Mathematics.  He has taught at the college level as well as the last three years as the 7th-12th Grade Math teacher at Mid-Pen.  Mr. Niswonger currently lives in Gladstone with his wife and they have four children.  Please watch for a Facebook post later today with more information on Mr. Niswonger, and please join us in welcoming him to our Holy Name Family!

As previously announced, Mr. Derkos will be teaching Middle School Math, but he will only be teaching 6th Grade Math.  However, Mr. Derkos will also be teaching PE at the High School and still working hard as our amazing Athletic Director.  Please help in congratulating him on these new endeavors.  We also have a 5th Grade teacher that I am very anxious to announce, but I can’t make that announcement until all the paperwork is official, so please stay tuned as we have another great addition to our Holy Name Family.

As if the excitement of new teachers wasn’t enough, The Knights of Columbus are doing a fabulous job on the locker room renovation!  We are so blessed to have their wisdom and expertise, but they need YOUR help!  In order to get everything completed by the beginning of school, they need more hands on deck.  If you’re able to donate any amount of your time and muscles, we would appreciate it.   You can sign up to help by using this link, https://www.holynamecrusaders.com/athletics-remodel-project/, or calling the school office.  You can also watch the progress unfold through pictures posted on Facebook and on our website.  Thank you in advance for your donations of time, money, and effort.

Our Summer Academy has officially kicked off this week and there is already a lot of fun, learning, and giggles coming from the Elementary wing.  While it’s too late to sign up for Summer Academy, it’s not too late to register for the 26-27 school year!  If you haven’t already registered, please do so by using this link, https://www.holynamecrusaders.com/admission/.  You can also use that link to apply for tuition assistance.  The deadline for tuition assistance is August 1st, so please don’t delay!

Mrs. Viau and I recently attended the Chesterton Schools Network Conference where we learned a lot of new and exciting features of a Chesterton Academy.  We’ve already started using some of the things we learned as we’re preparing for a new school year.  We were also able to connect with other Principals, Headmasters, and Teachers and formed a growing network for ourselves and our teachers.  We are very excited to share all that we learned with the High School teachers, students, and families.  However, with that being said, Mrs. Viau and I will be trying to enjoy a little bit of vacation time with our own families this July.  We’ll still be checking email and stopping by the schools at least once a week, but if you need assistance more promptly, please reach out to Mrs. Lynch, Administrative Assistant, during summer office hours at 906-786-7550 or via email at office@holynamecrusaders.com.

I pray that you continue to have a fun, safe summer!

God bless,

Mrs. Brief 😀

A “Viau” from the Headmaster

Hello Crusader Families!

I hope you’re all enjoying your summer and getting in some good time with your family and friends. Just a few things happening on my end to tell you about. Mrs. Brief and I attended the Chesterton Schools Network Summit at the end of June and it was FANTASTIC. I learned so much and am grateful for the opportunity to attend.

You all should have received an email from me last week about uniforms. Please be sure to get those ordered ASAP because they take so long to arrive.

Mark your calendars for August 26 at 5:30 for our Open House Cookout at the high school. Watch your emails for more information about this at the end of July.

I’m technically not working in my office during the month of July. However, I will be checking email periodically and will have a couple of days in the office the remainder of the month. If you need me, please email me but allow for time to get a response.
Thanks so much everyone and enjoy the rest of your summer!

Erin Viau
Headmaster

Hello Crusader Families!

I hope you are all enjoying the beginning of your summer vacation!  There are lots of preparations and excitement happening currently as we are already gearing up for Fall.  The Knights of Columbus are really going to town on the locker room renovation!  Please watch the progress unfold through pictures posted on Facebook and on our website.  Please consider donating some of your time and/or talents to this amazing project as well.  You can sign up to help or view the pictures of their progress at https://www.holynamecrusaders.com/athletics-remodel-project/ .  Thank you in advance for your donations of time, talents, money, and effort.

We still have a few spots available for “Starlit Sagas” Summer Academy.  It’s sure to be a fun time of learning and exploring.  Summer Academy runs July 6th-30th, Monday-Thursdays from 9am-12pm.  For more information, please see the flyers below in today’s Crusader.  You can call or email Mrs. Lynch in the office to sign up.

We have an abundance of uniform donations at the Grade School, so please come shop for uniforms!  We have pants, shorts, skirts, polo shirts, and Crusader apparel in all sizes and in great condition!  Come take as much as you need at no cost!!  The office will be open next Monday and Tuesday from 8:30am-2:30pm, closed the week of June 29th, and then July Office Hours start July 6th from 8am-12pm.

Finally, I’m excited to share that we have finished interviews for the Math Teacher and 5th Grade Elementary Teacher positions.  We were blessed to have several great candidates and have offered the positions to two highly qualified individuals.  I can’t wait to make the announcements as soon as everything is official.  Please continue to pray that these individuals will become a part of our beautiful Holy Name family.

I pray that you continue to have a fun, safe summer.

God bless,

Mrs. Brief 😀

Hello Crusader Families!

What a bittersweet week it was at Holy Name.  From the clearing of the classrooms, desks and chairs being stacked in the hallways, a beautiful Mass said by Father Tim Ferguson with the assistance of Deacon Bob, to the joy and fun of Field Day that Home & School put on, emotions of all sorts were had; The ending of a fantastic year at Holy Name.  It was so touching to see all of the students come together in fun and excitement – a true example of one school as our High Schoolers came over to help and join in the fun.

On Thursday we celebrated the retirement of our beloved Mrs. Debra Casey.  Mrs. Casey has been a staple at Holy Name for 39 years – what an amazing legacy she is leaving behind.  She has touched many hearts and educated many students during her reign here.  We wish her much happiness and relaxation during her retirement that she has so deservingly earned.  Thank you, Mrs. Casey, for educating so many students and showing them the way to Jesus.  We will miss you!

During the summer our Grade School office will be open, but with limited summer hours which will be shared with you soon in an email.  If you need assistance with registering or applying for tuition assistance, please contact Mrs. Lynch and she’ll be happy to help.  Don’t forget that the deadline to apply for tuition assistance is August 1st.  The Brief Viau communication will still be sent out over the summer, but not weekly.  As we learn new things this summer, Mrs. Viau and I will share them with you, however The Crusader will still come out weekly so be sure to keep an eye on your inbox.

Thank you to the students, parents, staff, benefactors, clergy, and everyone in the Holy Name Catholic School Family for making this such a welcoming first year for me.  Many fond memories were made this year and I’m looking forward to the many more in years to come.

Have a fun, safe summer and God bless,

Mrs. Brief 😀

A “Viau” from the Headmaster

Hello Crusader Family!

The countdown is over and summer has begun! As much as we were all looking forward to the last day of school, for me it was bittersweet. I’ve enjoyed being with the high school students so much this year and will miss them all very much while we are out for summer break.

As you can imagine, my first year as headmaster was a busy one! I’ve learned so much about the students and am so proud of all that they have accomplished this year. While academics are obviously of the utmost importance, that’s not all I saw growth in this year. The students that came into school on the first day of school were not the same students that left on the last day. They’ve grown in their faith life and matured in how they handle problems and adversity. They’ve even surprised themselves at times with how much they’ve grown. It’s been an absolute honor to be with them each day. I’m looking forward to next year and the teachers and I have some great ideas for how to make it another fantastic year.

As I close out this last “Brief Viau” for the year, I just want to say thank you. Thank you to each and every one of you that offered support, encouragement, help and patience. Most importantly, thank you for allowing me to be part of your kid’s lives. It’s been a true honor!

If you have any questions over the summer, please reach out via email. I won’t be working during the month of July but I do anticipate checking my email periodically.

Enjoy your summer, Crusaders!

God Bless,

Mrs. Viau

Hello Crusader Families!

What a beautiful week it has been at Holy Name!  It started off with 8th Grade Graduation on Tuesday and will end tonight with our High School Graduation.  Mass tonight will start at 6pm at St. Anne’s Church and we are blessed to have Bishop Doerfler joining us!  Shortly after Mass our Graduation Ceremony will start.  We hope that you can all join us in celebrating our amazing graduates.

I have some exciting Staff news to share with you regarding next school year!  Mrs. Vicky LaMarche will be transitioning from our Office Manager to our PreSchool Teacher for 3-5 year olds!  We are disappointed that she will not be in the office next year, but we’re super excited and blessed to have her teach our youngest Crusaders.  Another transition next year will be Mrs. Maddi Lynch from Receptionist to Administative Assistant.  Mrs. Lynch has been a great addition to our office staff and we’re very excited to have her on board full time next year!  Finally, one more transition will take place with Mrs. Katie DeGrand transitioning from CGS Teacher and Recess Aide to Lunchroom Assistant and Receptionist.  We are so blessed to have these amazing ladies stay on board with our Holy Name Family as they navigate to different positions within Holy Name.  With these transitions, brings the opening of two Recess Aide positions.  If you or anyone you know are interested in an hour or two working with our students on the playground, please reach out to me at 906-786-7550 x204 or mbrief@holynamecrusaders.com.

We will have one more School Mass next Tuesday, June 2nd at 8:45am in the Multi at the Grade School to celebrate our last week of the 25-26 school year.  The day of the week is different from our normal Thursday Mass, so please put next Tuesday on your calendar as you are all invited to join us for one last School Mass.

Finally this week, if you have a lunch balance, please pay your remaining balance by next Wednesday, June 3rd, our last day of school!  If you are uncertain of your balance, please check your lunch account on FACTS or reach out to our Business Manager, Mrs. Amy Lawrence at 906-786-7550 x203 or alawrence@holynamecrusaders.com.

I hope you all have a great weekend and may God bless you,

Mrs. Brief 😀

A “Viau” from the Headmaster

Hello Crusader Family,

Just a few things to note from my desk this week. Exams will be held Monday and Tuesday of next week. We will start and end at the same time each day but the daily schedule will look different. The students have been made aware of the changes for those two days. Please encourage your children to get some good rest each night as these exams are pretty important.

As the school year is winding down and we only have a few days left, please remember that if you have a lunch balance to send in lunch money soon to take care of that.

When this hits your mailbox, final preparations will be being made for our high school graduation. All are invited to celebrate this milestone for our seniors. Please come and support them! Graduation Mass will be held tonight at 6:00 p.m. at St. Anne’s church and the ceremony will follow. We’d love to see you there!

The final days of school are approaching quickly! After exams on Tuesday, the high school students will clean out their lockers. Wednesday morning they will attend Mass as usual and then head over to the elementary school to help out with Field Day activities. The last day of school is going to be a blast!

Have a great weekend, everyone!

Mrs. Viau

Hello Crusader Families!

It’s so hard to believe, but the end of the year is so close!  We only have 6.5 days left!  It has been a wonderful year and I am so blessed to have had the opportunity to work with so many great students, families, staff, benefactors, and community members.  You all have been so welcoming and I thank you for your kindness and support.  Most importantly, I thank you for sending your child(ren) to Holy Name Catholic School.  I have worked in many different schools over the years and Holy Name is definitely the greatest school in all the land!

Enrolling for next school year is often the last thing on your mind at the end of this school year, but if you haven’t already enrolled your child for 26-27, please do so soon.  Early registration helps us get teachers in place and materials ordered and ready for when our students come back in the Fall.  If your family is in need of tuition assistance, please fill out the application in FACTS by August 1st.  Enter as much information as you can as to why your family is in need of assistance.  The committee reads these comments and disburses money on a case-by-case basis, so please, if you need any help, do not hesitate to fill out the application.  Student and family names are not shared and confidentiality is top priority.  We certainly don’t want anyone to not attend Holy Name because they feel that they can’t afford it.  We pray that the Holy Spirit will guide us as we disperse funds and God will provide.

Yesterday, our awesome Seminarian, William Heller, came for a visit.  He read to some classes, played trivia and Family Feud with others, and even ate lunch with the Kindergarteners and played outside for recess with the students.  William also participated in Mass with Father Marty and Deacon Bob.  Please continue to pray for William as he continues his studies.

Last night the High School students enjoyed a beautiful awards ceremony!  Many awards and scholarships were given out to very deserving students.  We are so blessed to have such generous donors and benefactors that support our Holy Name Catholic School and our Holy Name High School – A Chesterton Academy.  Thank you to Mrs. Viau and Mrs. Arts for all their hard work as they prepared a beautiful ceremony.  Congratulations to all of the award and scholarship recipients!

Today we are celebrating our younger students at Kindergarten Graduation and next Tuesday we will celebrate our 8th Graders at Holy Name.  Our Senior Graduation will be next Friday, May 29th, at St. Anne’s Church.  Hopefully you will be able to join us for at least one of these celebrations.  We are proud of all of our students and pray for their successful futures.  Thank you to their teachers and parents who have helped lead and prepare them for a brighter future.

Have a great weekend and God bless,

Mrs. Brief 😀

A “Viau” from the Headmaster

Hello Crusader Family!

As Mrs. Brief said above, we held the high school awards ceremony last night. To say I’m proud of all of the high school students for their accomplishments this year is an understatement. Besides their academic achievements, they’ve all matured and grown so much as individuals. They amaze me every day with their kindness and their love for God. Scholarships were given out last night too. Over $34,000 in Holy Name designated scholarships were given out. Our supporters are so generous and care so much about the future of our students. We are so blessed!

Graduation is coming up next Friday, May 29, 2026 at 6:00 p.m. at St. Anne’s parish. It will be so hard for me to say goodbye to this amazing group of seniors. They’ve been so helpful and so supportive of me during my first year here and I’m going to miss them!

We’re on the home stretch, everyone! Summer is coming! As always, please reach out to me if you have any questions about our high school!

Have a great weekend, everyone!

God Bless,

Mrs. Viau