Holy Cross High School (Flushing)
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| Established | 1955 |
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| Type | Private all-male secondary |
| Affiliations | Roman Catholic, Holy Cross |
| President | Bro. Stephen LaMendola, CSC |
| Principal | Joseph Giannuzzi |
| Students | 970 |
| Grades | 9–12 |
| Location | 26-20 Francis Lewis Boulevard, Flushing, Queens, New York, USA |
| Accreditation | Middle States Association of Colleges and Schools |
| Colors | Green and gold |
| Athletics | 12 sports |
| Mascot | Knight |
| Website | www.holycrosshs.org |
Holy Cross High School is an all-boys high school in Flushing, in the New York City borough of Queens. Founded in 1955, the school was chartered by the Board of Regents of the University of the State of New York and accredited by the Middle States Association of Colleges and Schools. Located within the Roman Catholic Diocese of Brooklyn, it is sponsored by the Brothers of Holy Cross. There is a 98% college placement rate. The School's teams are called the Holy Cross Knights, the school's arch rivals are the Saint Francis Prep High School Terriers. Since they are both located on Francis Lewis Boulevard, when they play each other the game is called the Battle of the Boulevard. The school recently celebrated its 50th Anniversary of Founding. In 1979 the school celebrated both its 25th anniversary of founding and the 20th anniversary of its first graduation class. Both events were characterized by a large percentage of alumni and alumni parent involvement. The Office of Alumni Relations was developed during the three year period leading up to these celebrations. The school now boasts a very successful [alumni website] http://community.holycrosshs.org which may be accessed by alums, present and former parents, former faculty and friends. Regional chapters of the alumni network are being developed; in Jan 2008 and Florida HC alumni event, hosted by John E. McGovern and James B. Makos, both members of the class of '61, is being planned for Florida alums who number at approximately 400.
The school's Alumni / Development Newsletter ["Crossroads"]http://community.holycrosshs.org/?CrossArchive may be accessed by any interested party as a "friend" of the school where the reader can view the success of the school's institutional advancement efforts and other current events at the school.
In conjunction with the school's recent celebration of its 50th anniversary, U.S. News and World Report celebrated the mission of the school with the following remarks:
In 2005, Holy Cross High School celebrated its 50th anniversary as the first Catholic high school for boys in Queens. The school serves a diverse population of students, providing them with a strong academic and moral foundation to succeed in the 21st century. Holy Cross is sponsored by the Congregation of Holy Cross, the religious community that founded the University of Notre Dame in 1840. Holy Cross has remained true to its mission that encourages the pursuit of academic excellence and nurtures a commitment to the integral growth of the whole person by focusing on Christian values and intellectual, creative, social and physical development. By providing a rigorous college preparatory curriculum, nearly all (98 percent) of graduating seniors continue their higher education. Holy Cross alumni have attended some of the nation’s most prestigious colleges and universities including Cornell, Columbia, the University of Pennsylvania, New York University, Georgia Tech, Notre Dame, Carnegie Mellon, Georgetown, Boston College, University of Southern California, Villanova, the U.S. Military Academy at West Point and the U.S. Naval Academy, to name a few. More than 13,000 Holy Cross alumni in all walks of life are making a difference in the world today. Holy Cross students flourish in a school with state-of-the art facilities, where they receive individualized attention from a dedicated and caring faculty. In addition to the core curriculum, the school offers two distinct programs that meet the specific needs of its students. The Father Basil Moreau Honors Program provides academically gifted students with a challenging course of study designed to maximize their academic potential. Advanced Placement and college courses enable students to earn more than 20 college credits prior to graduation. The Brother Andre Enrichment Program helps students who need assistance transitioning from grade school into high school by providing them with an additional focus on communication and organizational skills. The Holy Cross Learn and Serve Program is unparalleled and nationally recognized for its service to the community. The program instills a commitment in Holy Cross students that extends beyond their four years at Holy Cross and is often found in their professional and social lives as alumni. Holy Cross students pursue interests and develop leadership skills through extensive extracurricular programs. The student-run, fully equipped HC Television Studio produces daily broadcasts with occasional celebrity guests. The Holy Cross Athletic Program remains one of the school’s steadfast attractions, with 23 teams competing in 10 interscholastic sports that consistently capture many city and state championships. “Our end product is ‘The Holy Cross Man,’” says Brother Stephen LaMendola, CSC, President. “We are dedicated to the ethical and academic development of young men who are moral, spiritual and of service to others.”
The school has had the following perons serve in the capacity of Chief Administrator:
- Brother John Donohue - founding principal (55-61), who brought the strong traditions of Holy Cross education from its midwest origins (The University of Notre Dame - first Holy Cross educational mission in the United States following the French Revolution) where Donohue previously served as head of another Holy Cross School - St. Edwards High School, Lakewood, OH;
- Brother Josaphat Chiemelwski (61-67), who later served as Principal of another Holy Cross school (Cardinal Mooney) in Rochester, NY, where he died in office;
- Brother Aubert Harrigan (67-73), who later also served as Principal of Cardinal Mooney High School, Rochester, NY;
- Brother Joseph McDonnell (73-75), who after a respite of years, today continues to work at the school;
- Brother John McGovern (75-81), http://www.geocities.com/johnemcgovern/johnemcgovern.html
http://www.zoominfo.com/Search/PersonDetail.aspx?PersonID=-270574 who later served as Superintendent of Schools both in the Catholic Diocese of Syracuse, NY and the Catholic Archdiocese of Hartford, CT, until he became the National Public Policy Analyst for the National Catholic Educational Association, Washington, DC and even later Director of Education for Holy Cross schools of the Eastern Province until he left the Holy Cross Community in 1998 and moved to Florida where he serves as Director of Education for Florida State Courts, Fifteenth Judicial Circuit; Mr. James Lembo (81-91), who currently serves as Assistant Principal of Archbishop Molloy High School, another rival of Holy Cross;
- Brother William D'Amato (91-97)
- Brother Stephen LaMendola (97- )
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[edit] Academics
Holy Cross has always been a college preparatory school. When the school was first opened, they had an industrial arts program which included a print shop which printed, among other things, the school newspaper "The Lance". This program was discontinued during the principalship of Brother Aubert Harrigan in favor of expanding the mission and purpose of the school as a more "college prep" environment. A New York State Education Department official remarked to John McGovern, during his principalship, that the industrial arts program at Holy Cross "in the early days" distinguished the school in a national profile of Catholic secondary schools in the United States. One of schools most distinctive programs is its "Service Learning" program ably guided by faculty member Michael Genvoese; in 1977 the school was awarded Newsdays "High School of the Year Award" for the school's successful involvement in a variety of community projects - all made possible by the students' participating in this distinctive program. This emphasis on "educating the whole person" is consistent with the charism of Holy Cross' religious mission succinctly stated as educating "both the mind and the heart."
[edit] Religious Life
Besides athletics, Holy Cross offers many more intellectual pursuits such as Campus Ministry, Student Government, and the National Honors Society (NHS)
[edit] External links
[edit] Notes and references
-Holy Cross recently held the graduation of the class of 2008, in the Colden auditorium in Queens College. -This class included such memorable names as: Mike Flynn, Timmy B, Dirty Dan, Joe B, Chris Tromp, Nick Difalco and James Benesh. -This was the greatest class in the history of Holy Cross High School
