Holy Cross High School will host the Waterbury Chamber of Commerce's Out for Business Reception on Wednesday, January 15, 2020 from 5:30-7:30pm. The event will be held at Holy Cross on 587 Oronoke Road in Waterbury, CT 06708. All members of the Waterbury Chamber as well as those who are interested in joining the Chamber are invited to attend. All interested parties must register through the Chamber here or by calling 203.757.0701. Special thanks to G.S. Regan Associates and Alltown Fresh for supporting this event.

During this event, attendees can tour the school campus, network with other members from the Waterbury Chamber and community and meet current students, faculty and staff. President Dr. Thomas C. Pellegrino will welcome all guests to campus.

"Holy Cross High School is thrilled to host this reception," said Dr. Pellegrino. "The students, families and alumni of Holy Cross have deep and important ties to the Waterbury business community. It is a privilege for us to partner with the Chamber and support this important networking and information sharing event. My thanks, in particular, to the sponsors and to the Chamber. We look forward to welcoming everyone to Holy Cross."

Holy Cross High School, a Chamber member since 1986, invites guests to stay after the reception to attend the Varsity Boys' Basketball Game against Scared Heart High School. Attendees will receive free admission to the game which begins at 7:00pm on a first-come, first-serve basis.

Holy Cross High School hosted the Waterbury Chamber of Commerce's Out for Business Reception, sponsored by G.S. Regan Associates and Alltown Fresh and under the leadership of current Crusader parent, Nora Mason, on Wednesday, January 15, 2020. Members of the Waterbury Chamber were in attendance.

"It's so great to be here at Holy Cross, which is a school with great history in our community," said Julie Donato, Communications Director for the Waterbury Regional Chamber and coordinator for the Out for Business events. "It's a busy time at the Chamber as we are right at the beginning of this year's membership campaign, and we are striving to invite 100 new businesses to join the Chamber over the next month with your help."

Attendees toured the school campus, networked with other members from the Waterbury Chamber and community and met current Holy Cross High School students, faculty and staff including President Dr. Thomas C. Pellegrino and Principal Tommy Pompei.

"Holy Cross has been a proud member of the Chamber since 1986," said Dr. Pellegrino. "Having the honor of hosting the Out for Business event is new and exciting for us. It's been a lot of fun to have everyone here tonight...We have been a member of the Waterbury community since 1968 when we were founded by the Brothers of the Congregation of Holy Cross. We have been blessed to educate over 12,000 alumni, many of whom are active members of the Chamber and of our community."

Omofolade Olusanya '20 shared her Holy Cross High School experience with the attendees and how the school has helped build her confidence. "Holy Cross has helped me academically by providing kind teachers and countless resources," she said. "They also helped create a foundation to help build strong values and morals."

"My twins Alexander and Lance attend Holy Cross," said co-sponsor Michael Regan of G.S. Regan Associates. "I can tell you it is the best thing I have ever done – the best investment of my life. I recommend all of you to have your children attend here. It is really hand's on."

Several Holy Cross students volunteered at the event through the school's new Crusader Interns program. Through this newly created opportunity, students will gain first-hand knowledge and experience with admissions, marketing and advancement work.

"We had a lot of fun at tonight's event," said Crusader Intern, Ben Mason '22. "Some of us gave tours. Some of us were waiters and served food. Others were hosts. One of us addressed the crowd. "Participating in this program is giving us many skills in community engagement, public speaking and networking."

To our Holy Cross Community:

I am writing to update our community on how Holy Cross High School is addressing the current cold & flu season, including our approach with respect to the outbreak of coronavirus in China.

Coronavirus originated in the city of Wuhan, which is in the Hubei province of China. While coronavirusus are very common, this particular strain - 2019-nCoV - can cause severe respiratory illness. As of this writing, there were five confirmed cases in the United States. All five cases were people who had returned from Wuhan, China. Several sources including the Center for Disease Control have indicated in the national media that the current health risk to the U.S. is low.

Similar to other school districts, Holy Cross High School is experiencing a higher than average number of absences this season. Seasonal influenza accounts for the increased rate of sickness and absences at Holy Cross. Nothing in our current experience with respect to absences - either student or staff - indicates anything other than that we are experiencing a challenging cold and flu season.

We have been monitoring the situation closely in conjunction with both our on-site health office as well as with AIEP, an agency which supports our international students and host families. We have paid particular attention to the point of origin for our students, their travel patterns (particularly in relation to the 10-14 day incubation period) physical exams, and ongoing assessment of symptoms. Currently, and based on all of these factors, coronavirus does not pose a concern to Holy Cross High School.

We have taken proactive measures, including but not limited to the following:

• Our staff, including our onsite nurse, is monitoring our student population closely, and in a manner consistent with best practices and relevant guidelines;
• Holy Cross High School is recommending that our International students not travel home to China at this point.
• At this time, we will postpone any travel by faculty or staff to China;
• We are communicating helpful ways to stay healthy to our students, teachers and staff. The first of these communications can be found posted in the January 25th edition of the Weekly Planner;
• All of our classrooms and common rooms are equipped with mounted hand sanitizer dispensers;
• Our janitorial staff and external cleaning service are increasing the frequency of cleaning classrooms, bathrooms, common areas and all other high-touch areas. We are utilizing recommended cleaning agents that target a wide variety of viruses;
• If any student exhibits flu like symptoms, we are asking parents and families to keep their children home. Students should be fever-free for 24 hours before returning to school.
• Any student feeling ill during school-time should report promptly to the nurse.

I am aware that this is a time of heightened concern for many. The health and safety of our students will always be our highest priority. We will continue to monitor this situation closely as it evolves. While remaining diligent and erring on the side of caution, it is also important to proceed in an informed and reasonable way, avoiding over-reaction and conjecture. With this as our approach, I am confident we will continue to be what Holy Cross High School has always been - a community that is open, welcoming, responsive and supportive of all.

Thank you for your attention and support.

Sincerely,

Dr. Thomas C. Pellegrino, President

Led by Athletic Council, Holy Cross students participated in the annual Soup-Er Bowl. On this day, which started in 2012, students were allowed to dress down in their favorite football jerseys or Holy Cross apparel if they donated three cans of soup or nonperishable items. Over 700 items were donated to St. Vincent DePaul in Waterbury.

"We had a great turnout," said Megan Dwyer '05, Director of Student Experience. "Almost 60% of our students donated items. We are humbled by their generosity. It means a lot to our community that we can share our resources with those less fortunate in Waterbury. We hope these items bring them great comfort during the winter months"

Holy Cross High School is proud to announce that the following students have achieved honor roll status for the second quarter of the 2019-2020 school year.

Senior Class

First Honors: John Boushie, Christopher Christiano, William D'Avino, Randall Desaulniers, Roxhensa Dilolli, Ahmed Elgendy, Nathan Erdtmann, Michael Famiglietti, Nicholas Frappier, Tara Garden, Reece Geddes, John Greene, Katelyn Honegger, Yiying Lin, Alyssa Milburn, Omofolade Olusanya, Matthew Pang, Julia Petrokaitis, Sabrina Santopietro, Christopher Wihbey & Xiang Yin

Second Honors: Tommy Ayash, Alex Burrows, Luciano D'Amelio, Norah Dreher, Adam Fernandes, Samuel Henderlite, Natalie Kirby, Jason Lin, Yanhong Liu, Brandi McIntosh, Jenna Mowad, William Palomba, Vini Pasholli, Jack Paulin, Marcus Payne, Cameron Rivers, Victoria Schaffner, Xinyang Sun, Pengxiang Xia, Junyan Xue & Xhaolong Zhang

Junior Class

First Honors: Robert Anchini, Tatanya Bailey, Jai'Da Blot, Xiaohang Cheng, Grace Cleveland, Schuyler Cummings, Colette D'Alessandro, Michael Dane, Christina Failla, Alyssa French-Graham, Gennaro Genua, Alyssa Hebb, Jacob Hogrefe, Jenna Hulstrunk, Matthew Keating, Elsa Kollcinaku, Joshua Lee, Armani Mayes, BriAnna McConnell, Sydney McIntosh, Cassidy McNeil, Cara Melchionne, Samantha Miller, Matthew Minutillo, Giuseppe Mongelluzzo, Sean Moran, Vesa Prevalla, Raquel Rosa, Victoria Rosales, Paige Santopietro, Alyssa Sarracco & Gabriele Smith

Second Honors: Jamilat Awudu, Benjamin Brodeur, Paydon Bushka, Sean Cremins, Jenna DeBiase, Juliana DelPriore, Emma DeVico, Savannah Diogostine, Arta Dobruna, Derek Fantano, Mark Febbriello, Julianne Filippone, Dmitriy Fogie, Justin Forino, Raffaele Gagliardi, Frank Healey, Anthony Hoffler, Casey Hurbon, Jacob Janatiss, Tanner Linhard, Gabriela Lupoi, Liam Moran, Delia Murphy, Jahvon Myrthil, Giovanna Olivier, Lydia Perron, Alana Snow, Michael Troiani, Brayden Wihbey, Drevon Yeldell, Alec Zappone & Luke Zipoli

Sophomore Class

First Honors: Matthew Barrett, Lyvia Bartoli, Logan Bessette, Marley Bonderenko, Aryanna Carter, Alyssa Colangelo, Jameson Fauth, Thomas Galusha, Garrett Girgasky, Arianna Gove, Grace Graziano, Xuanning Liang, Yuliang Liu, Jonathan Melgar, Grace Persaud, Alexander Regan, Thomas Salvador, Michael Shaker, Cameron Sivilla, Elizabeth Titley, Emma Wheeler & Chase Zaccagnini

Second Honors: Ava Andolena, Mason Artman, Ella Atkins, Michaela Bell, Isabella Bugaytsova, Devon Bushka, Francesca Campagna, Caiden Charette, Luke Daddona, Alexa Diorio, Andreas Effes, Abigail Galasso, Dorian Goroveci, Ashley Harris, Charlotte Henderlite, Rachael Honegger, Benjamin Mason, Kylie O'Brien, Lance Regan, Mary Rosko, Robert Rosko, Joseph Shinglar, Samuel Summerfield, Haoyue Tian, Jaylene Urbaez, Yanjie Wang & Michael Weglarz

Freshman Class

First Honors: Madison Capozzi, Jordan Cronan, Faith Crosby, Nathan DiMatteo, David Eaton, Zachary Ferguson, Peter Gauthier, Seth Glinsky, Bethany Gonzalez, Rianah Hastings, Jadan Izzi, Kylee Johnston, Declan McGrath, Kendell Murray, Logan Pilla, Jaela Rivera, Paul Schiavone & Mischa Telesford

Second Honors: Madison Brasche, Jenna Cavallo, Joseph Dane, Richard DeLa Cruz, Riley DelPriore, Jonathan Diogostine, Jayme Erdtmann, Ava Genovese, William Gillette, Chassidy Hicks, Angela Ho, Joshua Holland, Alexander Lee, Aubrey McKay-Moity, Cecelia Moisan, Sydney Murray, Rocco Palladino, Gianna Petrokaitis, Ryan Santopietro, Justin Vail, Xin Wang & Ava Wheeler

Holy Cross High School will host its annual Green and Gold Gala on Saturday, March 21^st at 6:30pm at La Bella Vista in Waterbury. Tickets are $75.00 per person. Table sponsorships (which include ten people per table) are also available for $1,000.00. All ticket sales can be made here. Questions? Please contact us at 203.757.9248 ext. 239.

"This year's Gala is different than those of the past," said Dr. Thomas C. Pellegrino, President of Holy Cross High School. "Our idea was to make it a little less formal, but with all the same Crusader spirit that this annual tradition is known for. The Green & Gold Gala...with a Twist is going to be a fun-filled evening for all."

This year, dueling pianists, the Flying Ivories will be on hand to provide musical entertainment. Two performers on two pianos will deliver an all-request, rock and roll sing-along. Tipping the pianists is encouraged to hear your tunes played. All tips go to Holy Cross High School. Attendees can also take a chance and win raffle packages and enjoy great food and drink. Business casual attire is welcomed and encouraged.

"We like to support Holy Cross High School events as a graduate and proud parent who is watching her two girls becoming Crusaders," said Jean Henry '79, Co-Chair for this year's Gala. "Our committees have graciously donated their time and are creating something very fun. We look forward to seeing everyone there. It will be a special night for all Crusaders, near and far."

"The Gala is our signature community event," said Dr. Pellegrino. "First and foremost, we want to celebrate the Holy Cross family because our family is our strength. The Gala also serves an incredibly important role in providing financial support for our students. There is no better or more enjoyable way to have fun while supporting this great school of ours"

Holy Cross wishes to thank the generosity of the sponsors of the Green & Gold Gala...with a Twist. This includes (as of February 6, 2020): Thomaston Savings Bank, The Holy Cross High School Fathers' Club, Pustola & Associates, BTS Graphics & Printing, The Holy Cross High School Mothers' Club, Ion Bank and our media sponsor, WATR.

Holy Cross High School joined a city-wide red out in Waterbury to support local student, Katie Brown who was diagnosed with leukemia at age three. This initiative commenced as a way to raise awareness of blood cancers and to find a cure by supporting the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society. Holy Cross students donated $2.00 to dress down in red to support this effort.

Dr. Daniel Coelho '78, Chairman of the Anesthesia Department at Charlotte Hungerford Hospital, returned to Holy Cross and visited with students from the Anatomy & Physiology, Neuroscience, AP Biology classes.He spoke about his experiences as an anesthesiologist and focused on some individual cases including cancer and collapsed lungs.

"Dr. Coelho spoke about the diagnosis, treatment, and outcomes of each," said Erik Lanese, Science Teacher. "He used a PowerPoint presentation to demonstrate imaging and went into great detail on some uncommon types. He also talked about bone grafts and explained how that works biologically. He also commented on some surgeries and medications, their outcomes and the challenges with using them."

"We are very fortunate to have Dr. Coelho address our students," said Dr. Thomas C. Pellegrino, President. "He has addressed our students before. They always come away with his presentations with new insight and an expanded knowledge base. Many of our students want to go into the medical profession, so his expertise is invaluable to them and their academic growth. Knowing Dr. Coelho personally, I am appreciative of his ability to combine intelligence with wit and empathy."

Our Crusaders celebrated their faith and spirituality recently during Catholic Schools Week. Our friends at Notre Dame West Haven invited our male students to celebrate Holy Cross Heritage week while the Sisters of the Congregation of Notre Dame hosted a Q&A with our female students.

"Notre Dame reached out to us," said Kyle Piatak, Director of Campus Ministry. "They have a group on campus called B.R.O. (Brothers Reaching Others), comprised of young male students who get together, order pizza, share prayer time and do some small group sharing. Usually they do this monthly in the evenings, but they moved it to the day time and invited our students. It was a great way for our students to meet others in the Holy Cross family and celebrate their spirituality."

Female students also had an eye-opening experience when they met with the Sisters of the Congregation of Notre Dame. "The Sisters shared stories about their background and their calling to join the Congregation," said Megan Dwyer '05, Director of Student Experience. "It was great for our students to hear the Sisters' individual stories. They were so impactful, enlightening and inspiring."

To the Holy Cross High School Community,

As you are probably aware, Coronavirus (COVID-19) is prompting increased attention and responses both locally and nationally. The Holy Cross High School administration is monitoring the situation closely and will work with the City of Waterbury and other agencies to prepare for any potential impact we may experience. We are fortunate to have strong partnerships and will rely on the expertise of professionals in the field of public health to guide any needed actions.

Holy Cross is following the advice of the Connecticut Department of Public Health and the Center for Disease Control. I invite you to refer to information on the following websites to keep yourself informed:

Connecticut State Department of Public
https://portal.ct.gov/DPH/Public-Health-Preparedness/Main-Page/2019-Novel-Coronavirus

Centers for Disease Control (CDC)
https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/about/index.html

The safety of Holy Cross's students and staff is paramount. We will continue to monitor changes in the situation and will keep you informed of any developments.

Thank you.

Dr. Thomas C. Pellegrino

Members of the service group, Helping Hands graciously volunteered their time on Sunday, March 1^st at the St. Vincent DePaul Soup Kitchen. Students prepped and served food to local citizens. "Our students were so wonderful," said Jodie LaCava McGarrity '93, faculty advisor to Helping Hands. "I am always impressed and humbled by their devotion to helping others."

Helping Hands is comprised of a group of students that meet regularly to help others in need. They have volunteered at the St. Vincent DePaul Soup Kitchen in the past and hosted bingo at Apple Rehab in Watertown.

Raquel Rosa '21 joined the group because she learned the importance of giving back at a very young age. "My mother is a social worker," said Raquel. "We also knew someone who worked at Greater Waterbury Interfaith Ministries. When I was younger, I used to volunteer at the soup kitchen. I've always been aware of service."

"My parents worked very hard for what they had," said Colette D'Alessandro '21. "My sister and I never wanted for anything. I realize how fortunate we were. I joined Helping Hands because I wanted to make an impact in someone else's life."

For Matthew Pang '20, this wasn't his first time participating in community service. "I love volunteering," he said. "We take daily things for granted. Once you volunteer, you see how people aren't as fortunate as you. It really makes you realize how lucky you are."

"We go to a great school," said Raquel. "We are very fortunate to come to Holy Cross. We want to give back since we have been given so much. It is so rewarding to meet the people who are affected by your service. They are so appreciative. Just a smile goes a long way."

Holy Cross High team captain Luciano D'Amelio simply desribed the Crusaders' boys swimming dynasty as "incredible."

D'Amelio and the Crusaders celebrated their sixth consecutive Naugatuck Valley League championship Tuesday after recording 934 points, outdistancing runner-up Naugatuck (744) and third-place Woodland (638) at Kennedy High.

"My teammates have continued to improve and grow," said D'Amelio. "It's because of our coaching staff (head coach Mary Racevicius, assistant Paul Leger and diving coach Conner Lautenschlager, a 2014 Watertown graduate). Everyone has been motivated to keep the streak going. I believe we deserve this with the work and effort that everyone has put in."

D'Amelio, and fellow captains Adam Fernandes, Anthony Ursini, Maracas Raceivicus and Thomas Pompei watched teammate Holy Cross junior Derek Fantano capture gold in two events, the 100 butterfly (53.77 seconds) and 100 backstroke (54.73).

"When I hit that first turn in the butterfly, I felt really strong," said Fantano. "I hadn't competed in the fly last year, but I wanted to change things up and try a wide variety. This year I've been pretty consistent."

Afterward, public address announcer Dave Heller proclaimed that Fantano is "the early favorite to win the John Reardon Award for the meet's outstanding performer in 2021."

"It was a great way to start the meet," said Scott. "We all gave it our best effort."

Said Woodland coach Tom Currier, "They started clicking Saturday trials (1:45.88). Today wasn't significantly better, but it was just enough."

Holy Cross High's press hit the visitors like a slap in the face on a cold winter morning. It stung and it stunned Stonington, which didn't seem to know what had hit it.

"I think they definitely were not used to being pressured that much. The pressure definitely startled them," said forward Cayla Howard after the Crusaders' 64-54 win in the quarterfinals of the Class M girls basketball state tournament Monday night before a lively crowd at the Tim McDonald Gymnasium.

No. 3 Holy Cross advanced to the semifinals Friday for the first time in three years.

It will face either No. 2 Canton or No. 15 Coginchaug, whose game was postponed Monday because of a power outage and will be resumed tonight.

Here are the highlights of the Crusaders' opening outburst. Freshman Mya Zaccagnini scored immediately on a drive, then she drained a 3-pointer. Alyssa Hebb swiped an inbounds pass for an 8-1 score. Howard grabbed a loose ball on the floor, shoveled a pass to a teammate and then hustled down to score off a rebound.

Hebb made another steal at halfcourt and went the distance for another basket, a 14-3 lead and a Stonington timeout.
"Our press was very effective. Most people play a zone, so when they see our press, they get startled and don't know what to do," said Hebb. "That causes us to get a lot of steals and score points."

Ahead 20-9 after one period, Holy Cross called off the harassment to protect some players in foul trouble. Stonington rallied to cut the halftime margin to 30-23.

But out of the locker room, the press was back on for the third period and so were the Crusaders. Zaccagnini scored off her own rebound, and Howard made a steal and a layup to push the lead back over double digits, where it remained the rest of the way.

Howard finished with 23 points, including 11 in the third period. Zaccagnini had 20, including nine in the first period. Hebb scored 11.

No. 22 Stonington (10-12) had upset No. 6 Morgan in the second round behind 32 points from Zoe Ribeiro, but the Crusaders limited her to 13 and didn't let her score a point in the opening quarter.

"Our team goal is always under 10 (points) for their best player," said Zaccagnini. "We try to keep them under that and our help-side (defense) is really key."

Center Sophia Bell had 21 points to pace Stonington.

Holy Cross High School students and faculty members Kevin Daly and Rosanne Shea are showcasing their own work at Arts@Clark on Wednesday, March 11th from 5:30-7:00pm at the Clark Memorial Library on 538 Amity Road in Bethany, Connecticut.

A variety of work by art students in 9th through 12th grades will be showcased. "Our alumni have gone on to prestigious art schools and universities," said Mrs. Shea. "They have become media designers, architects, entrepreneurs in the fashion industry and professional artists in a wide range of fields."

Kevin Daly is an artist and educator from Cheshire, CT. He received an MFA in Combined Media from Hunter College and a BFA in Painting from the San Francisco Art Institute. He has exhibited extensively both nationally and internationally. He is the founder of the artist collective MANIAC (Multi-media, Artist, Network, Idea exchange, And Collaboration) which has been the subject of exhibitions in Hartford, CT, Sacramento, CA, Stockton, CA, Hamburg, Germany, and Groningen, the Netherlands. Kevin is a founder and artistic director of Ball and Socket Arts, a non-profit established to develop an art center on the site of an 1850's factory in Cheshire.

Rosanne Shea has been an art educator since the late 1980s, teaching children as young as 5 up to adults age 70 to see with an artist's eyes and to hone their art-making skills. Her own work in this exhibit represents two series of works. In one, there is an exploration of a familiar technique, scratch art used in a more expansive way to capture surreal montages of imagery. In the other series, "The Archaeology of the Attic", Ms Shea explores the deeply rooted connections between generations of family as embodied by precious relics and sacred objects saved and passed on from generation to generation. She has taught at Naugatuck Valley Community College since 1991 and at Holy Cross since 1996. Her body of works includes a wide variety of mediums and subjects, predominantly realism and surrealism in oils, graphite and scratch board.

Mrs. Shea and Mr. Daly teach several art courses at Holy Cross including Introduction to Studio Art, Drawing and Design, Painting, Sculpture, Advanced Drawing, ECE Drawing, AP Studio Art and individualized Independent Study

Twelve recent Holy Cross High School graduates returned to their alma mater as part of the Alumni College Panel. Current juniors and seniors listened as the alumni shared their personal experiences on the college search process and college life.

Our guests spoke about their majors, their schools, dorm life, on campus support, academic advising, studying abroad, counseling services, military academies, the college application process, scholarships, college athletics and balancing their time.

"We've been hosting this Alumni College Panel for many years," said Catherine Xeller. "The student audience was engaged and asked really good questions. The juniors and seniors received some real world advice from our alumni. We want to spend a special thanks to our panel participants who gave up part of their spring break to be here."

Alumni College Panel participants included: Jeremy Hamel '19, Kyle Moser '19, Caitlin Dreher '18, Julia Dzinski '19, Camille Perron '19, Thomas Thorpe '19, Ben Bowler '19, Emily Bowler '17, Sage Parker '19, Brooke Cyr '19, Vincent Graziano '19& Alexandra Koulouris '18.

Holy Cross girls soccer coach Phil Mongelluzzo's day job gives him a lot of insight into the COVID-19 pandemic.

Mogelluzzo is a doctor specializing in internal medicine who has run a private practice in Waterbury for 19 years. As much as he wants to get back on the field, he is more concerned with making sure if is safe for everyone to do so.

"I would like to pray for everybody's health and safety and remind everybody as a physician, the best thing you can do in this time of social distancing and isolation is to make sure you wash your hands vigorously for 20-30 seconds, make sure you heed the warning of our local and state health departments in terms of keeping your distance," Dr. Mongelluzzo said. "Just because the girls and boys are young doesn't mean they are immune to this. Make sure they practice safe social distancing at all times until we are able to gather in large groups again."

The Holy Cross girls won the state championship this past season.

In a bit of fortuitous timing, he sold his practice to Trinity Health of New England in October.

"As this came down the pike, it would have been very difficult from a business standpoint as a single practitioner to make ends meet," Dr. Mongelluzzo said. "Trinity has been amazing to work for. They have some wonderful things going on at a corporate level that they are helping with COVID-19 throughout the state. I am proud to be working with them."

Members of the Holy Cross High School community banded together to participate in this year's Penguin Plunge, sponsored by Special Olympics Connecticut, Inc. Over $3500 was raised through this effort with half of the monies going to Special Olympics and the other half to Holy Cross.

Holy Cross has participated in plunges in the past to wonderful success. Plans were underway to make this year's plunge different from the rest.First, two teams were created; one led by Dr. Thomas C. Pellegrino, President and the other by Mr. Thomas Pompei, Principal. Students picked which team they wanted to be a part of and raised money towards this effort. Second, special permissions were made by Special Olympics to hold a special Crusader plunge at the school in late March. All members of each team would have taken a plunge through a dunk tank.

The plunge was eventually cancelled after the spread of COVID-19, however the spirit still stayed. Even after its cancellation, students raised funds towards this great cause. Also, Dr. Pellegrino, Mr. Pompei and Ben Mason '22 (the student who raised the most money in this effort) posted ice-bucket-themed videos as their virtual plunge.

"The response from students, colleagues and family has been gratifying and, in many instances, a great source of joy," said Dr. Pellegrino. "Certainly, there was the fun associated with doing something together as a school, with a friendly competition between the president and principal giving rise to a friendly competition among students."

"When Dr. Pellegrino first approached me about the Penguin Plunge, my first thought was a fearful vision of the optics of the Holy Cross principal shrieking in freezing winter waters," said Mr. Pompei. "However, as always, the Holy Cross community, led by our students, transformed an idea into a reality that was so very fun for all of us involved that benefited not only our school, but also the wonderful people of the Special Olympics. I am continually blessed to be a Crusader."

The school leadership decided to participate in the plunge again this year for a few reasons. First, they wanted to provide an opportunity for students to do something fun together that also had an important purpose to it. Second, the administration believed strongly in the power of hope and zeal. This plunge was designed as a friendly competition and a way of showcasing the school's philosophy. Finally, the school wanted to underscore the importance of philanthropy and fundraising as a means of supporting not just Holy Cross and Special Olympics Connecticut, but other organizations which are so vital to our community and which depend on the generosity of others to continue providing the services they provide.

"Special Olympics Connecticut is truly blessed to have the amazing support of the Holy Cross Community," said Michael B. Mason, Senior Vice President & CFO, Special Olympics Connecticut, Inc. "For over three decades the students and administration have embraced and celebrated the achievements of our athletes by hosting the Traditional Basketball Tournament on their campus. In such challenging times as these it is truly humbling to have Holy Cross find innovative ways to continue to support Special Olympics through their virtual Penguin Plunge. Thank you for your commitment to Special Olympics and we look forward to all being together again soon."

"We were a school of Special Olympics advocates well before the plunge took place and will continue to be so well after this event," said Dr. Pellegrino.

Educational institutions across our country (and the world) shared an unexpected common bond in recent weeks. As the emergence of COVID-19 increased in the United States, government and education leaders made decisions that changed the face of learning.

It was slightly past 3:00pm on the afternoon of March 12, 2020. Holy Cross High School leadership sat in a conference room and listened to Connecticut Governor, Ned Lamont give the order to close schools for an initial two week quarantine period.

"The writing was on the wall," said Principal Tommy Pompei. "We knew it was coming, and we knew we had a lot to accomplish in a short amount of time."

The next day, school administration led the faculty in an intensive professional development session centered on the Learning Management System (LMS), Canvas. This online platform would be the foundation of online learning for the unforeseeable future.

"Canvas has existed in our school for two years," said Mr. Pompei. "It is a part of our learning and teaching practice, depending on the discipline and teachers. Our students to varying degrees had exposure to it. We really stressed the importance of quality and efficiency of the educational content to our teachers, and they really committed to this with positivity and professionalism."

Several teachers created and led this Professional Development Day with Mr. Pompei including Andrew Shea '06, Sarah Ciarleglio '08, Kyle Piatak, Kate Xeller, Nick Lauzon and Megan Dwyer '05.

"Teachers primarily worked on setting up courses in Canvas," said English teacher, Andy Shea '06, "They learned how to create assignments and how to provide students with instructional materials on a single online platform."

The faculty had one weekend to prepare and went live with their classes on Monday, March 16^th. Throughout this transition, Holy Cross High School missed only one day of instruction.

"Holy Cross had three advantages that made us well prepared for this transition," according to Mr. Pompei. "First, the Canvas LMS was already being utilized by a good number of teachers and students. Second, we are a Bring Your Own Device (B.Y.O.D.) school. Third, we are also an e-text school."

"Holy Cross was well prepared for the launch," said Kate Xeller, Director of Guidance. "Students and teachers were onto Canvas within 24 hours and our team of professionals kicked it into high gear to ensure the transition to this platform was as seamless as possible. There were a few kinks that needed to be worked out (e.g. Did students have Wi-Fi? How was the connection between some of our different software?). However, the community came together during this time when we needed it the most."

Mr. Shea utilizes discussion boards with his Creative Writing students so that they can read each other's short stories and provide feedback both through video and written comments. "Students can engage in the material at their own pace and ask me questions along the way."

Kyle Piatak, Religion Teacher and Director of Campus Ministry, currently hosts office hours using different video platforms to reach out to students and make himself available for more live feedback. He also met with a group of his advisees and connected with his Peer Ministers. "I've been recording lectures, implementing voice overs during my PowerPoints and sent out quizzes and tests through Canvas," he said. "It is really challenging teaching to an empty classroom. You realize in times like this that so much of what we do with students involves that relationship component."

"As we enter into our fourth week, we move with a greater focus on the relationship piece of the Holy Cross experience," said Mr. Pomepi. "We will continue to provide constructive critical feedback, open lines of communication and true partnership in the learning process to our students."

"Holy Cross was great," said Diana Dane '93, parent to Michael '21, Joseph '23 and Juliana '23. "They were up and running right away. The teachers were always available and answered our questions in a timely manner. The school's wonderful preparation, which included being able to reach out to their teachers, brought great comfort to my kids."

Dr. Thomas. C Pellegrino, President, looks at the accomplishments made by the faculty with great pride and admiration. "A heartfelt note of thanks to the teachers and staff of Holy Cross High School," he said. "With all of twenty four hours' notice, our teachers transitioned to distance learning. The results have been overwhelmingly positive. Our teachers have achieved these results with hard work, long hours and a dedication to their students. Care, concern and companionship are at the heart of our mission as a Holy Cross school. This has been on full display over the last four weeks."

"As a community, this experience shows us how student-driven we are," said Mr. Shea. "It expresses our ability to adapt and come together and meet our students wherever we are. We push the academics but always put the person first. We know that our families are all in very different situations."

Nathan DiMatteo '23 was introduced to the gymnastics world at a very early age. His mother, Paula, brought him to USA Gymnastics in Watertown, Connecticut when he was three years old, and there was no turning back.

"I really like the atmosphere of the gym," said Nate."Everyone is very nice and encouraging. Participating in gymnastics really pushed me out of my comfort zone."

A lover of tumbling and flipping at an early age, Nate was invited to participate on USA Gymnastics' team in the first grade. He has stuck with it ever since. Over the years, he worked very hard at this physically and mentally demanding sport. Currently, he is a level ten gymnast and recently, he received the nationally-recognized Academic All-American Recognition Award.

In addition to being a skillful and disciplined athlete, recipients of this award have to maintain high academic standards. As part of the application process, Nate had to submit essays and show his academic progress.

According to USA Gymnastics' website, "Recognizing and rewarding academic achievement in junior gymnasts is paramount to the success of the USA Gymnastics Junior Olympic Program. The Junior Program is designed to provide a training ground for the development of young athletes. While physical development is obviously important, the program must also stress development of values, morals and social skills, which will remain with these future citizens all their lives. Encouraging a high level of academic achievement in our young athletes is as important as encouraging their athletic achievement. The USA Gymnastics Men's Program has therefore established the following Academic All-American Recognition Award program to be presented annually at the Regional Championships."

"This whole experience has taught me a lot about hard work and perseverance," said Nate. "I know I have to push myself to be the best in everything I do. Nothing can be achieved without work."

"I find this amazing," said Paula, Nate's mother. "Gymnastics isn't an easy sport. I watch what all the gymnasts do across the tristate area. It is amazing what they do. I can't begin to describe what this has done for Nate socially and academically. He was a shy kid that wouldn't speak to anyone. Now, he goes in front of thousands of people and commits."