Established 1968 Status Active Phone +1 203-757-9248 Colors Green, Gold | Religious affiliation(s) Roman Catholic President Frank Samuelson Number of students 500 (2015) | |
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Communities served Waterbury, Watertown, Wolcott, Naugatuck Similar Sacred Heart High School, Wilby High School, Naugatuck High School, WF Kaynor Technical, Pompera Regional High Sch Profiles | ||
Holy Cross High School is a Catholic secondary school founded in Waterbury, Connecticut in 1968 by the Congregation of Holy Cross. It is the largest Catholic secondary school in Connecticut, situated on thirty-seven acres in the West End of Waterbury, Connecticut, accessible via Route 8 and I-84. It is not part of the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Hartford.
Contents
- Admission
- Classes available
- Faculty and accreditation
- Block scheduling
- Core program
- Athletics
- Football
- Boys basketball
- Girls basketball
- Boys tennis
- Crusader Crew
- Student activities
- Clubs and organizations
- Extracurricular activities
- Notable alumni
- References
Holy Cross has a total enrollment of 500 students and an average class size of 125. Originally an all-boys institution, it became co-educational in 1975 when it merged with the Waterbury Catholic High School, an all-girls school. The Holy Cross High School campus maintains a campus-wide wi-fi signal; a computer-equipped, Internet-connected library; a large instrumental and choral music room with adjacent practice rooms; science labs; a multimillion-dollar, state-of-the-art foreign language lab; a guidance complex; a 750-seat tiered auditorium; a full-service cafeteria; a gymnasium; the Stephen J. Ross Fitness Center; and state-of-the-art digital classrooms and art studios in the recently constructed two-million-dollar Alex Family Gallery Art and Technology Center.
The school's founding faculty (1968) included among others, Brother John McGovern, first band director of the school, who became Academic Vice Principal in 1972 prior to his leaving for New York to lead Holy Cross High School, Flushing. In 1989 McGovern returned to the CT area to become Superintendent of Schools of the Archdiocese of Hartford.
Admission
Admission to the school is competitive, requiring a 3.5 hour placement test, a transcript from the applicant's grammar school, a letter of recommendation, and an essay.
Holy Cross scholarships and financial aid to those that qualify. Applicants may be eligible for merit scholarships if they score within the top 10%. Scholarships are usually renewable yearly. Once admitted, students have the opportunity to take proficiency tests in mathematics and/or foreign language to advance their freshman year placing (Ex. A student may take the Spanish proficiency exam to place him/herself out of Spanish 1 CP and into Spanish 2 Honors or even Spanish 3 Honors). Financial aid is also given to those in need in the form of grants. Holy Cross also has an installment program so that parents can pay tuition in increments over the academic year.
Classes available
Mathematics Department
English Department
Social Studies Department
Science Department
Language Department
Theology Department
Physical Education Department
Art Department
Music Department
Integrated Arts and Technology Department
Faculty and accreditation
The Brothers of Holy Cross, Eastern Province, continue Basil Moreau's vision through sponsorship and staffing of the school, in association with the Sisters of the Congregation of Notre Dame and many dedicated lay men and women. The administration and faculty comprise one Brother, two Sisters, and lay men and women, most of whom hold advanced degrees and/or certificates of advanced study.
Holy Cross High School is accredited by the New England Association of Schools and Colleges, and meets Connecticut certification standards. The school belongs to the National Catholic Education Association and the Connecticut Association of Schools.
Block scheduling
To allow classes to delve more deeply into subject matter and increase activity-based and group-oriented learning, the school began block scheduling in 1997, increasing classroom periods to 80 minutes. The schedule is on an A, B, A, B scheduling.
Core program
The curriculum evolves to remain current with trends and educational standards. Core academic classes include English, social studies, mathematics, science, foreign languages, and theology. Enrichment courses and specialized programs include:
Athletics
Holy Cross is a member of the Naugatuck Valley League and the Connecticut Interscholastic Athletic Council. The Holy Cross athletic program is respected statewide for its competitiveness and the positive attitudes and good sportsmanship of its players and coaches. The Crusaders have a history of success as evidenced by the many awards, acknowledgments, and trophies displayed throughout the building. The Crusaders compete in twenty-two varsity sports for boys and girls. In 2011, the Crusaders began its lacrosse program at the JV level. Holy Cross High School's sports teams are as follows:
Along with these sports, Holy Cross also has intramural basketball, bowling, ultimate frisbee, bocce.
Football
Holy Cross High School is well known in Connecticut for its football program. In 2006, the team won the first football state championship in the school's history, the Class SS State Championship, defeating Stratford 40-0. They were ranked third among all teams in the state, following Greenwich and Ansonia. In 2011 the Crusaders earned their second state championship with a 34-27 win over Cromwell in the Class S State Championship. The 12-2 Crusaders suffered only two defeats that season, both to Ansonia, the Class M State Champion. They finished ranked eighth in the state. {{{2}}}
Boys basketball
Holy Cross High School has a rich tradition in basketball. Since beginning varsity play in 1970-71, the Crusaders have captured fourteen NVL titles, made nine state final appearances and won three state championships (1987-88 Class LL, 1994-95 Class LL and 1999-2000 Class L).
Girls basketball
The girls have a strong tradition of their own. They have captured sixteen NVL championships, made four state final appearances, and have one state title to their name (2006-07 Class M).
Boys tennis
Holy Cross High School has a very respected tennis team in the Naugatuck Valley League. In the 70's, 80's, and 90's, they were awarded NVL Champions almost every single year. Their coach, Mr. Ryan Mulhern, is very dedicated to his players, and welcomes everyone, from beginner to experienced.
"Crusader Crew"
Starting in 2010, the statewide recognized "Crusader Crazies" changed their title to the Crusader Crew. The loyal fans of Holy Cross' basketball and football programs travel around the state to turn any game into a 'home' atmosphere for the teams. The Crusader Crew is also infamous in the state for The Pit [1], which is the name given to the Holy Cross High School basketball court by reporters around the state. The Pit is routinely ranked among the loudest and most intimidating venues in the state to play in.
Student activities
Holy Cross student activities are open to all students. Student activities offer the opportunity to explore lessons presented in class, learn new skills and develop leadership ability. More than thirty co-curricular organizations exist in conjunction with a well-respected student government. The student government at Holy Cross includes an Executive Board made of four elected class officers from each class, a liaison from the Presidents' Council, a liaison from the Athletic Council, and seven members of the Senior Life Board appointed by the institution's administration. The Student Government also consists of the Presidents' Council, which is made up of the president from every club at Holy Cross and the Athletic Council, which contains various members of the school's many athletic teams. This large student government is headed by one Student Government President who is elected at the end of his or her junior year by that year's Executive Board to preside over the following year.
Community service is a major component of every club and committee’s activities. Some projects are school-wide while others are particular to the organization. Holy Cross has a history of strong student leadership and community service as evidenced by their recognition as a State of Connecticut Gold Council of Excellence recipient and as a National Gold Council of Excellence designee.
Clubs and organizations
Extracurricular activities
Along with activities such as preparing Christmas gifts for senior citizens, sponsoring safe trick-or-treating for local children, or even getting a pep rally started, the students maintain positive attitudes throughout any activity they come to.