Admissions Process
As you explore the educational options for your child, our hope is that you will find Holy Spirit School to be the faith-filled, dynamic, academically excellent institution that we know it to be. For more than fifty years we have educated the youth of our parish and community and each year we continue to strive to inspire the minds and ignite the hearts of our students both in and out of the classroom. We welcome you to tour the school and speak with faculty and staff to see if Holy Spirit School is a good fit for your family. We would love to have you join our community.
APPLICATION PRIORITY CRITERIA
The school sets registration procedures and admissions policies. The availability of space and the order of preference for admissions of applications received by the appropriate deadlines for first round of consideration is determined by the school according to the general criteria below. All applications received after the first-round deadline will be considered in the order in which received regardless of priority criteria.
- Siblings of children currently enrolled in Holy Spirit School
- Children from Holy Spirit parish
- Children from other Catholic parishes with no school
- Children from other Catholic parishes with a school
- Children from inactive and non-Catholic families
ADMISSIONS TIMELINE
The following timeline applies to both domestic and international applicants:
| October 15, 2024 | Application period opens for the 2025-26 school year |
| October 30, 2024 | Open House for Prospective Families, 6-8PM |
| December 1, 2024 | Sibling and Holy Spirit parishioner priority application deadline |
| NEW DATE! January 12, 2025 | Open House for Prospective Families, 11AM-1PM |
| Jan/Feb 2025 | Assessments scheduled for K-8 applicants |
| February 1, 2025 | Application deadline for first round of consideration; acceptances begin |
Applications received after February 1st will be considered on a rolling basis should space be available.
APPLICATION PROCESS
All academically qualified students are welcome at Holy Spirit School regardless of race, creed, or ethnic origin. Holy Spirit School utilizes the Arlington Diocese Catholic School Application for admissions. The online application and a complete list of required supporting documentations may be found on the Application Materials page.
Eligibility:
- Children who will have reached the age of four years by September 30th of the year of enrollment may be eligible for the Pre-Kindergarten program.
- Children who are five years old by September 30th may be eligible for the Kindergarten program.
- Holy Spirit School reserves any 8th Grade openings for those applicants who may be re-locating to the area. Local transfer students are not accepted for admissions into the 8th Grade class. Please contact the principal, Mrs. Anne Dyke (adyke@holyspiritflames.org) before submitting applications.
Assessments:
- Readiness testing for each Kindergarten applicant will be scheduled in early February and may be used to determine, among other things, the developmentally appropriate placement in the Kindergarten program.
- Assessments for each 1st-8th Grade applicant will be scheduled once all student records and recommendation forms have been received.
Recommendation:
- Parents must submit the appropriate Prospective Student Evaluation Form to the child’s current school to be completed and returned directly to Holy Spirit School (not to the parents).
- Parents of Pre-Kindergarten applicants must also submit the Pre-Kindergarten Parent Questionnaire.
Visit:
All Middle School (6th-8th Grade) applicants are required to schedule a shadow day and interview with the principal prior to acceptance. Although not required, a shadow day is also recommended for 5th grade applicants. Shadow days will be scheduled together with assessments.
WAIT POOLS
Holy Spirit School does not maintain wait pools beyond the currently accepted application year. Applicants may be placed in the wait pool for the current application year and will remain in the wait pool until the start of the school year for which the applicant applied. If at any time you wish to be removed from the wait pool, please contact the school registrar.
Applications do not carry over year to year. The start of the school year concludes the admissions cycle for that year. Prospective students remaining in the wait pool at the start of the school year will be removed. Should you remain interested in Holy Spirit School, you must re-apply for the following school year beginning with the start of the next admissions cycle.
CONTACT
For more information, call the school registrar Mrs. Lori Martin at 703-978-7117, extension 1113 or lmartin@holyspiritflames.org.
Holy Spirit School admits students of any race, color and national origin.
