Congratulations to all of our students who achieved honor roll status for the third quarter of the 2019-2020 school year.

Class of 2020

First Honors: William D'Avino, Randall Desaulniers, Nathan Erdtmann, Michael Famiglietti, Tara Garden, Reece Geddes, John Greene, Samuel Henderlite, Katelyn Honegger, Natalie Kirby, Yiying (Jade) Lin, Alyssa Milburn, Julia Petrokaitis, Xinyang (Serena) Sun, Pengxiang (David) Xia & Xiang (Victor) Yin

Second Honors: John Boushie, Amber Bromley, Alex Burrows, Christopher Christiano, Luciano D'Arnelio, Roxhensa Dilolli, Norah Dreher, Ahmed Elgendy, Gianna Febbriello, Domenic Genovese, Jason Lin, Brandi McIntosh, Justin Miller, Omofolade Olusanya, Matthew Pang, Jack Paulin, Marcus Payne, Sabrina Santopietro, Victoria Schaffner, Cayla Semeraro, Ethan Silva, Sophia Vescera & Christopher Wihbey

Class of 2021

First Honors: Robert Anchini, Tatanya Bailey, Grace Cleveland, Schuyler Cummings, Colette D'Alessandro, Michael Dane, Savannah Diogostine, Christina Failla, Justin Forino, Gennaro Genua, Paige Gumpert, Jacob Hogrefe, Jenna Hulstrunk, Casey Hurbon, Jacob Janatiss, Matthew Keating, Elsa Kollcinaku, Joshua Lee, Gabriela Lupoi, Armani Mayes, BriAnna McConnell, Sydney McIntosh, Cassidy McNeil, Samantha Miller, Matthew Minutillo, Giuseppe Mongelluzzo, Sean Moran, Benjamin Piri, Vesa Prevalla, Daniel Ready, Raquel Rosa, Victoria Rosales, Paige Santopietro, Alyssa Sarracco, Alana Snow & Cassidy Williams

Second Honors: Joseph Antonazzo, Riley Becker, Jai'Da Blot, Seamas Bowler, Benjamin Brodeur, Mikayla Brown, Xiaohang (Frank) Cheng, Jenna DeBiase, Juliana DelPriore, Arta Dobruna, Jaiden Epps, Julianne Filippone, Diego Flores, Raffaele Gagliardi, James Giesen, Matthew Granchelli, Alyssa Hebb, Jordan Hendricks, Evan Kaczmarek, Bora Lindraku, Tanner Linhard, Baorui (Emily) Liu, Rashaun Mitchell, Liam Moran, Jacob Myers, Giovanna Oliver, Lydia Perron, Gabriele Smith, Steven Stone, Michael Troiani, Chase Tyson, Brayden Wihbey, Alec Zappone & Luke Zipoli

Class of 2022

First Honors: Cyril Balatbat, Aryanna Carter, Alyssa Colangelo, Jameson Fauth, Thomas Galusha, Garrett Girgasky, Arianna Gove, Grace Graziano, Yuliang (Eve) Liu, Jonathan Melgar, Robert Rosko, Michael Shaker, Joseph Shinglar, Cameron Sivilla, Haoyue (Josephine) Tian & Elizabeth Titley

Second Honors: Mason Artman, Ella Atkins, Matthew Barrett, Lyvia Bartoli, Michaela Bell, Logan Bessette, Marley Bonderenko, Isabella Bugaytsova, Devon Bushka, Cayman Chacchia, Caiden Charette, Ethan Cizauskas, Luke Daddona, Tyler Doherty, Abigail Galasso, Brianna Greenlaw, Luca Guerrera, Ashley Harris, Charlotte Henderlite, Rachael Honegger, Benjamin Mason, Grant Mowad, Megan Paolino, Grace Persaud, James Quicquaro, Alexander Regan, Lance Regan, Mary Rosko, Thomas Salvador, Samuel Summerfield, Ryan Thomas, Jaylene Urbaez, Yanjie (Jack) Wang, Emma Wheeler & Chase Zaccagnini

Class of 2023

First Honors: Madison Capozzi, Jenna Cavallo, Faith Crosby, Joseph Dane, Nathan DiMatteo, Jonathan Diogostine, David Eaton, Zachary Ferguson, Peter Gauthier, Bethany Gonzalez, Rianah Hastings, Chassidy Hicks, Kylee Johnston, Ella Mancini, Declan McGrath, Kendell Murray, Sydney Murray, Victoria Odonkor, Rocco Palladino, Jaela Rivera, Elena Roberts, Paul Schiavone, Mischa Telesford, Justin Vail & Xin (Amber) Wang

Second Honors: Tajae Bennett, Madison Brasche, Jordan Cronan, Juliana Dane, Dren Dobruna, Jayme Erdtmann, Kaylee Frenis, Ava Genovese, Seth Glinsky, Angela Ho, Joshua Holland, Jadan Izzi, Thomas Ligi, Jingze (Jason) Liu, Carly Lombardo, Tyra McKoy, Cecelia Moisan, Gillian Mucciacciaro, Fiona Murphy, Logan Pilla, Ryan Santopietro, Kyle Sarracco, Sarah Schaneen, Madelyn Squailia & Chenhao (Hendrick) Yang

National Honor Society Inductees include: Robert Anchini, Riley Becker, Seamus Bowler, Benjamin Brodeur, Payden Bushka, Brooke Coletti, Schuyler Cummings, Colette D'Alessandro, Michael Dane, Jenna Debiase, Christina Failla, Julianne Fillipone, Diego Flores, Justin Forino, Raffaele Gagliardi, Gennaro Genua, Frank Healy, Alyssa Hebb, Jacob Hogrefe, Jenna Hulstrunk, Alexandra Jannetty, Matthew Keating, Elsa Kollcinaku, Joshua Lee, Tanner Linhard, Armani Mayes, BriAnna McConnell, Sydney McIntosh, Cara Melchionne, Samantha Miller, Giuseppe Mongelluzzo, Liam Moran, Sean Moran, Delia Murphy, Jacob Myers, Lydia Perron, Benjamin Piri, Vesa Prevalla, Raquel Rosa, Victoria Rosales, Paige Santopietro, Alyssa Sarracco, Gabriele Smith, William Tucker, Andrew White & Brayden Wihbey

Nearly 21 years ago, Watertown native and Holy Cross High baseball standout Michael Regan celebrated a special moment after being selected to play in an all-star game at Fenway Park.

The once-in-a-lifetime experience got even better when the two-time All-Naugatuck Valley League selection and 1999 All-State first baseman turned on a curveball and belted the 1-1 pitch over the Green Monster, his second hit of the game, during the Connecticut-Massachusetts Senior All-Star game.

The roundtripper culminated a performance that earned him Most Valuable Player honors.

"Their pitcher hung a pitch and the ball landed 20 feet fair of the foul pole and into net," recalled Regan. "Back in those days, there were no seats in left field. I still have that ball and a video of it."

Those keepsakes from Regan's scholastic baseball career, and later at the University of Massachusetts at Lowell, then a Division II powerhouse, are still precious, but now located in his rearview mirror.

He admits, though, that his athletic past, dealing with pressured situations and his time-management skills have made a huge difference in his present-day life as a medical doctor.

Brian Gilleece '03 remembers exactly what he was thinking when he packed up his U-Haul in 2011 to make the move to California. "Finally I'll have a chance to pursue my dream." Always a natural performer – whether entertaining audiences in his elementary school talent show, or messing around with the family camcorder – acting never seemed like a viable profession. "In Woodbury, it seemed everyone around me grew up to work in insurance, or they made the move to NYC for Wall Street."

For Gilleece the path to Hollywood – both literally and figuratively – has been a winding one. Upon graduating from Holy Cross, he earned his B.A. in Marketing from Western New England University in Springfield. Post-graduation included stints in professional hockey and radio as an on-air personality.

"That was a really fun time," said Gilleece. "I had a chance to hone in on my hosting and improv skills. All of this fed into my passion for performing, and it finally clicked for me; I wanted to be in front of the camera."

It was an eventual sales job at a fire and life safety company that offered the opportunity to relocate. "Outside sales is the perfect day job for an actor. It has allowed me a steady income and the flexibility to pound the pavement, and meet people in the industry. Not to mention that every actor has to be a great salesperson."

His first few professional acting gigs came in unscripted television - on a dating show hosted by comedian Iliza Schlesinger, and then a competition show hosted by Bam Margera. He was the winner on both. Shortly thereafter he met his manager (now wife) who recommended that if he wanted to be taken seriously as an actor he would need to exit reality TV, and find a great professional class.

"I've always felt like a storyteller, and I love episodic television," said Gilleece. "I am a huge fan of Law & Order SVU and of Christopher Meloni's role Elliot Stabler, in particular. In a role like that, you get to explore deep character development over the course of a series, and I would love the opportunity to do that with a character."

He took the advice, studying at the prestigious Stan Kirsch Studios, and the work soon followed including a commercial for Nike Golf directed by Derek Cianfrance which the Directors Guild of America named Commercial of the Year. He also booked roles in film - Daddy Issues (Netflix) and The Big Day (Amazon), and television – CBS's The Inspectors, CLEO-TV's The New Shade of Black. However, it was on the set of Westworld last summer where he really felt that his dreams were starting to come true.

"Westworld has been an incredible experience, the show has such a passionate global following and to now be a part of that universe and have so many people from around the world connecting with me is surreal."

Not only did he work with leads Aaron Paul and Evan Rachel Wood, but had the opportunity to perform his own stunts on one of the most prestigious and expensive shows on television. His set alone included over 150 extras and shut down 4 Downtown Los Angeles streets.

And then, finally, Hollywood came calling.

Multi-hyphenate Ryan Murphy's newest (and very adult) Netflix series looks at an alternate history of the Golden Age of Hollywood. "I was up for something else on the day that I booked the role," Gilleece said. "My agent asked me to go read for casting and I had a great conversation with them. I shot my scene two days later. It all happened very quickly." He would end up interfacing with many of the cast as it was their last shoot day and most of the key players were part of his scene.

Brian Gilleece '03 (center) with cast mates Dylan McDermott '79 & Darren Criss

"I was chatting with (cast members) Darren Criss and Jake Picking and then commented on Dylan's (McDermott, class of '79) wardrobe - he was wearing this great 50's suit." said Gilleece. "He asked me where I was from. I said 'Woodbury, CT' and he said 'no kidding, I grew up in Waterbury.' Which lead to the inevitable 'where did you go to High School' discussion – quickly discovering that we had both attended Holy Cross. We talked a lot about Waterbury and growing up in the area. Dylan and the rest of the cast were great. Those are the best days, to connect with people who have been were you've been, and are now very successful. It makes it easier to see the roadmap for yourself."

Brian has some advice for up-and-coming actors.

"First, you have to be where the work is. If you want to be in film and television, move to California. Stay in New York City if you want a career in the theatre. Second, your youth in this business is very valuable. Finally, be invested in your passion 100% as soon as you possibly can – something I wish I had done sooner myself. Read as many things about the business of acting as you possibly can. Understand that there will be people along the way who know more than you and are willing to share their expertise. The best thing you can do is listen to that knowledge and grow from it."

Holy Cross High School is pleased to announce the hiring of Michael Giampetruzzi, '95 as its new Athletic Director. Well-known and respected in the Holy Cross Community, Mike will begin in the role effective July 1, 2020. He will take over for Mr. Jerry Ciarleglio '72, Crusader Hall of Honor member, who is retiring at the end of this academic year after an amazingly impactful tenure as Athletic Director.

I am extremely excited about the opportunity to lead the Holy Cross High School athletic program," said Mr. Giampetruzzi. "Throughout my experience at Holy Cross as a student, a coach, and a teacher, I have had the opportunity to learn and thrive from great leaders. They have supported me along the way and taught me the true meaning of being a Holy Cross Crusader. I look forward to working with all stakeholders to fulfill the mission of Holy Cross through athletics."

"I am thrilled to have Mike take on this important role at Holy Cross High School" said Dr. Thomas C. Pellegrino, President of Holy Cross. "He brings a wealth of experience, passion, and commitment to this role. Conducting a search to replace someone like Jerry Ciarleglio was no easy task, but Mike presented all the things we would look for in an Athletic Director - a student-centered teacher and coach with years of experience in high school athletics, and a deep understanding of the interplay between athletic performance and the overall development of the heart and mind which is central to our mission at Holy Cross. Jerry Ciarleglio leaves behind an incredible legacy and enormous shoes to fill. Mike is well-positioned to take on this role. His vision and expertise will shape our athletic program and community for years to come."

More so now than ever before, the position of Athletic Director is one of the most important leadership roles in a high school," said Tommy Pompei, Principal. "Athletic programs tend to be tone-setters for school spirit and are often the public face of a school's culture and climate. I've known Mike since we were little kids in Blessed Sacrament together, so I know exactly what we're getting as a program and as a school. Mike is a father, a husband, and a son first and foremost but his Holy Cross family isn't far behind in his love and loyalty. He is a teacher in every aspect of the word, and understands, respects, and embodies all that is good about interscholastic athletics. He is as tough as they come but carries himself like a gentleman at all times who always has the best interests of our student-athletes in mind."

"Mike is a great choice as Holy Cross' next Athletic Director," said Kevin McSherry '75, Board Chair. "Our Athletic program will be ready to take on the new challenges in an ever-changing environment with Mike's outstanding leadership skills. By passing the baton to Mike, Holy Cross has insured that its high standards and great traditions shall continue. On behalf of the Board of Directors of Holy Cross High School, I wish Mike all the best and much success in his new role."

Mr. Giampetruzzi earned his B.S. in Psychology from Central Connecticut State University and his Master's in Health Education from Southern Connecticut State University. He has served Holy Cross in a variety of roles, most recently as its Dean of Students. He has successfully guided the Holy Cross Football team as its head coach through many successful campaigns, including several championships.

The face of education evolved into something no one could have expected a few months ago. The traditional brick and mortar setting coupled with physical interaction has been replaced by a virtual connection on a digital platform. Holy Cross High School closed its campus doors in mid-March, but the school has since stayed open. Lessons are taught, bonds are deepening and school leadership is hard at work to stay one step ahead of the COVID-19 curve.

Holy Cross High School was well-equipped when Governor Ned Lamont issued social distancing in March. The school had already implemented their Bring Your Own Device (B.Y.O.D.) and E-text programs. All students had their own electronic devices and the majority of textbooks were digital. The community took a well-deserved spring break in April. When the teachers came back, they hit the ground running to take online learning to the next level.

"We held a Professional Development for teachers on our first day back from break," said Tommy Pompei, Principal. "We had two goals. First, we wanted to enhance our teacher's proficiency in the usage of our learning management system, Canvas. This is a powerful tool used by some of the best colleges in the world. Teachers were encouraged to use it for instruction, assessment, and interaction with students. Second, we wanted to have a dialogue about the usage of Zoom in our online programs."

When social distancing began, half of the faculty was proficient and comfortable with using Zoom for online learning. Today, all of our teachers have a comfort with it, and several use it regularly.

"Instruction through Zoom allows for collaboration between teachers that may have been more challenging in the classroom setting, " said Director of Student Experience, Megan Dwyer '05. "Math teachers, Delores Villano and Frank Lombardo, teach the same level Algebra class. They have collaborated on instructional presentations and recorded them for their students."

"I use Zoom for Office Hours, like many others," said Science Teacher, Nick Lauzon. "I led a session with my Honors Chemistry Class where we talked about the final project for the quarter. The Zoom meeting was also recorded and posted for anyone who missed it."

Holy Cross leadership made the decision not to make Zoom meetings mandatory and to lean towards an asynchronous learning model, which allows for lessons and content to be available online and accessed at any time depending on student availability. After April break, all teachers were required to have at least one hour of Zoom meeting availability for students who would like to go over the material or who need extra support.

"Family dynamics have changed due to the pandemic," said Kate Xeller, Director of Guidance. "Some of our students provide child care for their younger siblings because their parents have to work. Others have taken on more financial responsibility and work more hours because their parents have lost their jobs. We have many kids who work in grocery stores, meat centers, garden centers and landscaping companies. This gives them a flexible schedule to submit assignments."

"Keeping this autonomous is good," said Andy Shea '05, English Teacher. "I try to post things in advance, as much as possible. Sometimes, however, I will have items accessible only on the day of the lesson to keep my students engaged."

Zoom has also been used for non-instructional items. The Guidance Department held individual meetings with every member of the junior class to ensure that their college search process stayed on track. Also, many teachers used this interactive tool to meet with their advisees.

"The students have really enjoyed checking in through Zoom," said Ms. Dwyer. "I have also used it with members of the softball team. You can see and hear the social and emotional burden on them. They would rather be together at school preparing for the Senior Lock-In, celebrating Role Model Dinner, getting their nails and hair done for Prom or dominating in spring sports. As difficult as this is, you can see them learning from this and enjoying their virtual time together. The Student Government has Zoom meetings and they organized nice video tributes for Teacher Appreciation Week, National Principal Day and National Athletic Trainer Day."

Although the world faces a lot of uncertainty, Holy Cross continues to strategize so that it can provide a fulfilling experience for its students. "We have accomplished a lot, but there is definite room for growth," said Mr. Pompei.

School administration will spend the summer months planning for any type of scenario that society could face in the fall. This includes three types of plans: 1. If all are back in the building in the fall; 2. If limited amounts of people are allowed in the building at a time and 3. If the Crusader community is still social distancing and learning online.

"Regardless of where a student goes to school, the pandemic circumstances will not go away," said Mr. Pompei. "However, the virtues, values and intangibles that make Holy Cross High School special will also not go away. We are guided by everything we value. We are hungry and motivated. We will spend the next few months further developing our teaching platform. We are open to everything, and we will be ready."

This presentation is in honor of those students who have earned First Honors for at least three quarters this year. Congratulations to all recipients!

Empowerment and confidence lie at the heart of Saba Shahid '09 and her work with The Art Cart.

She founded this powerful initiative, a creativity and movement program for people living with Parkinson's disease (PD) and those living with the "inability to smile" as a symptom of their disease. They are based out of Massachusetts but travel throughout the United States to be accessible to the various PD populations and bring their workshops to a location close to their home. As Chief Smiling Officer, she is guided by her desire to spread smiles.

The idea for the Art Cart was born at Holy Cross High School. Saba, then a senior, was working on an art-based service project for her Girl Scout Gold Award. "(Art Teachers) Mrs. (Rosanne) Shea and Mr. (Michael) Marseglia really piqued my interest in art," she said. "For my final project, I painted ceiling tiles and created an Art Cart that had various art supplies for the children of the Bridgeport Hospital's Pediatric Unit so that they had something inspiring to look at and do while they were in the hospital."

The school also held a volleyball tournament while Saba was working on her project. Students brought an art supply in for their admission to the game. Saba had no idea that these early endeavors would be the inspiration for her profession.

"Holy Cross holds a very special place in my heart," said Saba. "The community feeling that was born there and the support that I got there really helped fuel my desire to combine art and medicine."

After high school, Saba's educational and professional trajectories veered towards medicine. In 2014, she was working in a corporate job and applying to medical school. However, she wanted to find a job that combined her two passions. She also developed a deep commitment to those in the PD population after her mother-in-law passed away from it.

The Art Cart is comprised of the Smile Through Art Workshop and the Let's Combat Microgrpahia Workshop. "We began with Smile Through Art, a creativity and movement program. We teach people with PD how to improve their symptoms such as fine and gross motor skills, rigidity, depression, and tremors while increasing their confidence to learn how to live better with their symptoms instead of feeling burdened by them. We found ways to improve those symptoms with art and exercise."

A good percentage of people with PD have tremors in their hands. Consequently, there is a lack of confidence to use those hands. Saba uses art to teach them how to finger paint through specific commands. "They create this beautiful piece and gain the confidence back in themselves. It is a remarkable moment when you see someone with PD using their own two hands. You also see that glimmer of hope in their eyes when they realize they created the piece in front of them independently."

The Let's Combat Micrographia Workshops focuses specifically on how to improve small handwriting while increasing confidence in the process of writing. Saba has worked closely with people living with PD to understand micrographia and has developed techniques that work to improve this symptom.

In 2016, Saba released Let's Combat Micrographia: An Interactive Workbook to Help Those Living with Parkinson's Disease. This very successful book shows those living those with PD methods to improve their symptoms of micrographia. In 2019, Saba and the book were recognized by the National Network of Libraries of Medicine. "They gave us a grant to revamp the book based off of the years of work that we were doing," she said. "We released our second edition in 2019. It sells internationally."

The Art Cart has seen a tremendous growth since its inception in an effort to reach as many people in the PD community as possible. "It is pretty amazing and rewarding to see how people with PD react to coming to the workshops. PD is a dominantly male disorder. Men that have not done anything creative in a while will cautiously approach the art workshops and end up loving them."

Recently, Saba was named one of the 40 Under 40 by BusinessWest. "I always admired people that received that title when I was younger," she said. "It was a pretty amazing feeling to receive the email from BusinessWest stating that I was one of the honorees. I hope this recognition will help us spread the message of The Art Cart and get our services to the people that need them."

Saba currently resides in Westfield, Massachusetts with her husband, Chad Moir and their son, Aayan. More information on their programming can be found at www.smilethroughart.com, www.letscombatmicrographia.com, and www.dopafit.com.

Holy Cross High School proudly announces the matriculation listing for the Class of 2020.

Albertus Magnus College
Assumption College
University of Bridgeport
Broward College
University of California, Davis Extension
University of California, San Diego
Central Connecticut State University (3)
Coastal Carolina University
Colgate University
University of Connecticut (9)
College of Our Lady of the Elms
Fairfield University (7)
Fairleigh Dickinson University - Florham Campus
Fordham University
Goldsmiths, University of London
University of Hartford (2)
Iona College
CUNY John Jay College of Criminal Justice
Johnson & Wales University-North Miami
King's College (2)
Lee Academy
Manhattan College
Marist College
University of Maryland-College Park
University of Miami
Michigan State University
University of Minnesota-Twin Cities
Mount Saint Mary College (2)
Naugatuck Valley Community College (3)
University of New Hampshire-Main Campus
University of New Haven (3)
Nichols College
Nova Southeastern University
Quinnipiac University (3)
University of Rhode Island (2)
Rider University
Rochester Institute of Technology
Roger Williams University
Sacred Heart University (3)
University of Saint Joseph (5)
Salve Regina University
Sarah Lawrence College
Springfield College
Saint Edward's University
The University of Tampa
The New School - All Divisions
U.S. Air Force
West Virginia University (2)
Wheaton College - Massachusetts

Under the direction of Megan Dwyer '05, Director of Student Experience, faculty and staff visited members of the Class of 2020 in a two-day caravan tour. It was a great chance for students to see their favorite teachers and administrators during quarantine and social distancing.

We are in a moment in time like no other. Earlier this year, our lives were presented with a health crisis. Now, most recently, we face a crisis of injustice. We went from a world sheltered behind closed doors to a world where violence, prejudice, desperation and destruction spills out into our streets.

It is natural that these events should leave us feeling isolated, scared, angry and unsure of the road ahead. But these events do something else. Whether it is a whisper in the ear or a loud proclamation to the heart, these events remind us that Holy Cross is a community of hope. We are a people with hope to bring to others, even in the midst of life's crosses.

Hope calls us all. It is not easy to answer the call, though. Speaking as teachers and educators, we desperately wish to be with our students, particularly at this time. Our schools, and the mission we serve, begs for us to be together, to talk through what is happening. To learn from each other. Physically, of course, we are apart. But we are absolutely together in the bond we share as Crusaders, as human beings bound by a mission to care for, act of concern for, and love each other.

Prejudice, racism, and inequality have shown themselves immune to the virus. However, they are not immune to, and will be conquered by hope. Hope for Holy Cross is not some vague notion. It does not ignore reality. Rather, hope is what drives a new and better reality. It is manifested in our voices, our prayers, our thoughtful actions. Hope comes alive in us as a learning community, one committed to seeking more just systems, advocating for human rights, civil discourse, and a ceaseless remembrance that we are all loved as God's children. Hope compels us to know the challenges we face, but moreso, to recognize the inequalities even within our own community. We are mindful of the direct and wrenching impact the recent acts of violence and injustice have had on our students of color. Our founder, Blessed Basil Moreau was clear in committing our schools to social justice and a mandate to serve those harmed by failures of justice. Hope calls us specifically to their needs. They become the needs of our family..

Hope lives in words and prayers. Our founder, Blessed Basil Moreau reminds us that hope - particularly where social justice is concerned - lives in action. In the coming days and weeks, the Leadership Team of Holy Cross High School along with our faculty will be engaged in a process of reflection, collective discussion as well as self-examination on ways Holy Cross High School can best live out its mission as a community of hope. This journey we embark on will be done together. In our conversations with each other, our meetings, our classes, and our prayers, our call to hope will be alive and present. As stated in the Holy Cross Constitutions:

As disciples of Jesus, we stand side by side with all people. Like them we are burdened by the same struggles and beset by the same weaknesses; like them we are made new by the same Lord's love; like them we hope for a world where justice and love prevail."

In this moment, as you read this, the most important message of hope we can give you is this: We are here for you and we are together. Contact us at any time for any need you may have.

We have hope to bring. We are Holy Cross.

In Hope (Spes)

The Leadership Team of Holy Cross High School

Amber Bromley '20 will follow in the footsteps of her uncle, cousin and friends and enter the world of the United States Air Force. Her ship date is August 18, 2020.

In November 2019, Amber began the recruiting process and met with a recruiter. She received information about the program which further fueled her passion to join. Following that meeting, Amber underwent medical exams and took the demanding Armed Services Vocational Aptitude Battery (ASVAB) exam. This is a timed multi-aptitude test, which is given at over 14,000 schools and Military Entrance Processing Stations (MEPS) nationwide and is developed and maintained by the Department of Defense.

"I officially enlisted on February 6, 2020," she said. "I signed my contract and entered into the Delayed Entry Program (DEP)."

According to the official website of the U.S. Air Force, the DEP "allows you to complete your application to the Air Force and reserve your Air Force job before an assignment is available. While you wait for your job assignment, you will stay in touch weekly with your recruiter to verify that you are doing what it takes to remain qualified."

Amber credits one key moment in helping her adjust to her new reality. "I was a transfer student into Holy Cross High School," she said. "I entered as a sophomore and didn't know anyone. I had to learn and rely on social skills to meet new people and make new friends. I'm definitely taking those skills with me. You definitely need a buddy in boot camp."

Amber doesn't regret leaving her hometown high school and the people she grew up with. She was also carrying on a family tradition by attending Holy Cross. "My sister and cousin are Crusaders," she said. "I also felt like Holy Cross would give me better opportunities. The academics and athletics are better here, and everyone is so warm and welcoming."

In a few months, Amber will take what she learned on Oronoke Road and apply it to her realized dream of joining the Air Force. She admits to being both excited and nervous. And what advice did her family and friends give her?

"Don't take anything personally and keep your head up."

To our Holy Cross Community,

Earlier this month, Mr. Pompei and I had a chance to share our thoughts and approaches with our community regarding the events of the past few weeks. Our desire was to reflect on where we were and to set a stage for where we might go as a community.

Our letter, entitled Hope Calls Us, was a reflection on our mission as a Holy Cross school. Considering the title, it is fair to ask, "calls us to what?" Reading, researching and reflecting are important starting points, but they ultimately need to serve as the wellsprings of action. The senseless and unjust murders of Ahmaud Arbery, Breonna Taylor and George Floyd as well as countless others call us to act. Holy Cross rejects discrimination, bigotry and racism in all forms. A call to action goes beyond this. Our mission as a Holy Cross community, embodied in the dynamic of the Cross and Anchors, calls us to take on the charge of being advocates for social justice.

In that spirit and as part of this continuing effort, I want to share with our community, and particularly our parents and teachers, a list of resources. This is not an exhaustive list, but it provides some thoughts on how we can respond, act and effectuate continuous and lasting change. I have included some resources for parents with younger children at home.

Through the actions we take each day, week, month and year, Holy Cross is committed to bring about a more just and equitable world.

Thank you.

Dr. Thomas C. Pellegrino

President, Holy Cross High School

Action we can all take now

• Make sure you are registered to vote if you are 18. If you are 16 you can pre-register to vote. You can register or pre-register here.
• Do one or more items from this list of 75 things to do for racial justice.
• Take time to ask questions of ourselves about what we still need to learn, and beyond just learning, what actions do we take to create change both in ourselves and in our world?

Articles to Read

• The American Nightmare, Ibram X. Kendi
• Ahmaud Arbery and the Local Legacy of Lynching, Jennifer Rae Taylor and Kayla Vinson
• How to be an Effective Advocate, Emily Stewart

Resources for Parents

• CNN: How to talk to your children about protests and racism
• The Public Radio Program On Point from WBUR in Boston is hosting a program called How To Talk To Your Kids About Race, Racism And Police Violence.
• NPR (National Public Radio): Talking Race with Young Children
• Today.com - talking with your kids about protests, racism and injustice (scroll down for guidance for children in high school)
• For families with young children - Coming Together: Standing Up to Racism. A CNN/Sesame Street Town Hall for Kids and Families

Websites

• Child Mind Institute: Racism and Violence: How to Help Kids Handle the News
• American Psychological Association: Engaging My Child
• Smithsonian National Museum of African American History & Culture:Talking About Race Web

Books for parents

• New York Times: These Books Can Help You Explain Racism and Protest to Your Kids

Congratulations to all of our students who achieved honor roll status for the last quarter of the 2019-2020 school year.

Class of 2020

First Honors
John Boushie, Amber Bromley, Christopher Christiano, Luciano D'Amelio, William D'Avino, Norah Dreher, Ahmed Elgendy, Nathan Erdtmann, Michael Famiglietti, Nicholas Frappier, Tara Garden, Reece Geddes, John Greene, Samuel Henderlite, Katelyn Honegger, Natalie Kirby, Brandi McIntosh, Alyssa Milburn, Jenna Mowad, Farhan Nadim, Omofolade Olusanya, Matthew Pang, Marcus Payne, Julia Petrokaitis, Sabrina Santopietro, Victoria Schaffner, Ethan Silva, Christopher Wihbey, Pengxiang Xia & Xiang Yin

Second Honors
Tommy Ayash, Alex Burrows, Elizabeth Diorio, Gianna Febbriello, Adam Fernandes, Domenic Genovese, Jason Lin, Justin Miller, Aidan Nixon, Vini Pasholli, Jack Paulin, Cameron Racevicius, Brian Silva, Xinyang Sun, Brooke Tymosko & Sophia Vescera

Class of 2021

First Honors
Robert Anchini, Joseph Antonazzo, Tatanya Bailey, Riley Becker, Paydon Bushka, Xiaohang Cheng, Grace Cleveland, Brooke Coletti, Schuyler Cummings, Colette D'Alessandro, Michael Dane, Jenna DeBiase, Juliana DelPriore, Savannah Diogostine, Vittoria Ditroia, Christina Failla, Julianne Filippone, Diego Flores, Justin Forino, Alyssa French-Graham, Gennaro Genua, James Giesen, Matthew Granchelli, Natalia Guichardo, Paige Gumpert, Alyssa Hebb, Jacob Hogrefe, Jenna Hulstrunk, Casey Hurbon, Jacob Janatiss, Matthew Keating, Elsa Kollcinaku, Joshua Lee, Tanner Linhard, Armani Mayes, BriAnna McConnell, Sydney McIntosh, Cassidy McNeil, Cara Melchionne, Samantha Miller, Giuseppe Mongelluzzo, Liam Moran, Sean Moran, Della Murphy, Lydia Perron, Benjamin Piri, Vesa Prevalla, Daniel Ready, Raquel Rosa, Victoria Rosales, Paige Santopietro, Alyssa Sarracco, Gabriele Smith, Chase Tyson, Sawyer Warinner, Cassidy Williams, Alec Zappone & Luke Zipoli

Second Honors
Benjamin Brodeur, Cameron Brown, Mikayla Brown, Tyler Ciavarella, Emma DeVico, Arta Dobruna, Jaiden Epps, Mark Febbriello, Dmitriy Fogie, Frank Healey, Jordan Hendricks, Evan Kaczmarek, Bora Lindraku, Matthew Minutillo, Rashaun Mitchell, Jacob Myers, Timothy Pelletier, Alana Snow, Steven Stone, Michael Troiani, William Tucker & Brayden Wihbey

Class of 2022

First Honors
Ella Atkins, Sydney Bakewell, Cyril Balatbat, Matthew Barrett, Lyvia Bartoli, Logan Bessette, Marley Bonderenko, Devon Bushka, Aryanna Carter, Alyssa Colangelo, Thomas Galusha, Garrett Girgasky, Dorian Goroveci, Arianna Gove, Grace Graziano, Ashley Harris, Charlotte Henderlite, Rachael Honegger, Jordan Irizarry, Yuliang Liu, Benjamin Mason, Jonathan Melgar, Grant Mowad, Avery O'Connell, Maeve Perrone, Grace Persaud, Sedona Piana, Alexander Regan, Mary Rosko, Robert Rosko, Michael Shaker, Joseph Shinglar, Ava Silva, Cameron Sivilla, Samuel Summerfield, Ryan Thomas, Haoyue Tian & Emma Wheeler

Second Honors
Honey Balkcom, Michaela Bell, Isabella Bugaytsova, Cayman Chacchia, Ethan Cizauskas, Luke Daddona, Alexa Diorio, Tyler Doherty, Abigail Galasso, Cayla Howard, Ashton Sannasi, Jaylene Urbaez, Yanjie Wang, Michael Weglarz & Chase Zaccagnini

Class of 2023

First Honors
Tajae Bennett, Madison Brasche, Madison Capozzi, Jenna Cavallo, Faith Crosby, Nathan DiMatteo, David Eaton, Jayme Erdtmann, Leo Fiore, Peter Gauthier, Seth Glinsky, Bethany Gonzalez, Cailyn Gorman, Rianah Hastings, Angela Ho, Joshua Holland, Jadan Izzi, Kylee Johnston, Carly Lombardo, Ella Mancini, Declan McGrath, Cecelia Moisan, Kendell Murray, Sydney Murray, Victoria Odonkor, Logan Pilla, Jaela Rivera, Elena Roberts, Sarah Schaneen, Paul Schiavone, Mischa Telesford, Gregory Tompkins, Justin Vail & Siqi Wang

Second Honors
Reese Becker, Kaya Bonderenko, Jordan Cronan, Joseph Dane, Juliana Dane, Richard DeLa Cruz, Jonathan Diogostine, Dren Dobruna, Kaylee Frenis, Ava Genovese, William Gillette, Shaye Harris, Alexander Lee, Delong Li, Thomas Ligi, Hannah Lima, Zakary Morales, Gillian Mucciacciaro, Rocco Palladino, Edwin Roberts, Kyle Sarracco, Madelyn Squailia, Xin Wang, Ava Wheeler, Gianna Yannantuono & Mya Zaccagnini

Over the past 24 hours, our school community was made aware of videos containing racist terminology that were posted on social media this week and attributed to a member of our school community.

Let me begin with this. Racist words and actions have no place at Holy Cross. Our policies expressly prohibit discrimination, harassment, intimidation or violence in any form whether it be for one's race, gender, religion, sexual orientation or national/ethnic origin. Violations of our policies are promptly investigated and dealt with in accordance with our procedures. That will be the case here.

Holy Cross is not immune to - nor should we be immune to - the realities of the world around us. The issues that our nation now grapples with are ones we have to grapple with too. And we will do so.

I want to acknowledge that people in our community were hurt. I regret and am sorry that this happened. Holy Cross is an educational institution grounded in the Catholic faith. We are guided by a Mission statement that, among other things, makes clear that our "school's purpose is to foster the development of conscience and a sense of responsibility in each member of the school community."

Our values are only as strong as the way in which we live them. Each of us. Holy Cross has shown time and again an amazing capacity to learn, to grow and to realize its mission to be a community that manifests its love and concern for all. The weight of these times is met by a commitment I make for myself and on behalf of our community- To be a people with hope to bring.

Sincerely
Dr. Thomas C. Pellegrino
President

Holy Cross High School is proud to announce current English teacher, Andrew Shea '06 has been appointed to the role of Director of Academics, effective July 1, 2020. Mr. Shea will be responsible for the growth and health of the school's academic program. He will support all teachers as the usage of technology in the classroom expands. He is also working on a task force with school leadership on a plan to reopen the school in the fall.

"This is a great opportunity," said Mr. Shea. "I will always see myself first and foremost as a teacher in the classroom. I look forward to improving how learning happens at our school. How can we improve student experience? How can we hold students more accountable? How do we improve the academic experiences that we have? I'm very excited."

"Holy Cross is at its best when it pushes itself to answer the question of "what can we become?" said Dr. Thomas C. Pellegrino. "Andy Shea helps us answer that question in a variety of ways. He is an excellent teacher who also brings creativity, instinct and inquisitiveness to the table on which we are building the Holy Cross of the future. Students and parents will see and feel the immediate impact of his contributions in their curricular content as well as the means of delivering that content. Our exceptional faculty will be gaining an advocate who brings knowledge, passion and thoughtfulness to his role."

"Throughout my first year as principal, Andy, in the role of English department head, consistently demonstrated a proclivity to push beyond the typical expectations of prescribed roles and quickly emerged as a leader," said Principal Tommy Pompei. "He is a passionate, reflective, and insightful educator whose natural instinct is to build the capacity of all those around him, both colleagues and students alike. This tendency rose to an even greater level as we transitioned into our distance learning through our Canvas LMS and Zoom work with our kids this spring. Andy was by my side through the entire experience working as a superior teacher for his own kids while extending himself as the online learning lead for his peers. I am proud and excited for my partnership with Andy, and the students and families of Holy Cross should be thrilled for what the future holds with him as a critical member of our leadership team!"

Mr. Shea's road to the classroom began on Oronoke Road with one of his former teachers. (Former English Teacher) Elaine Muldowney made an indelible impact on him both at Holy Cross and long after he graduated. Before he began his sophomore year of college, he visited his former mentor.

She asked me if I had any interest in teaching in the classroom," he said. "I said 'no.' She invited me to observe her English 9 Honors class. I did and got my feet wet with teaching."

That experience drove Mr. Shea to Providence College as an English major. He also received his master's degree through PACT (Providence Alliance for Catholic Teachers), a two year program while working and teaching at St. Mary Catholic High School. He later took a teaching job at Gonzaga High School in Washington, DC.

In the summer of 2017, Mr. Shea moved back to CT with the intention to pursue musical opportunities outside of the classroom when he received a phone call from another familiar face, his former creative writing teacher and current English department colleague, Sean Kienle."

"He asked me if I had an interest in teaching English at Holy Cross," he said, "I said 'no' at first, but Sean has a way with my soul. A few hours later, it was a maybe. The day before school started, I signed a contract, and I have been happily at Holy Cross for the past three years."

In that time, Mr. Shea reconnected deeply with the Crusader community. "I've enjoyed sinking my feet further into what Holy Cross is and what it could be with each passing year. As a student, I was Student Body President my senior year. I was always involved with athletics, student government, and service here. Holy Cross gave me a lot of opportunities as a student to grow as a leader and a lifelong learner. When I returned as an adult, it was great to see how similar Holy Cross is in our sense of community and our values. I love to teach alongside and continue to learn from the educators who helped to shape my identity as an educator. However, it has also been great to see how the school has changed. Our student body has changed for the better. We are even more committed to our mission here."

As a teacher, and now in this new position, it will be exciting to help reimagine how we can make this place even better."

"As with the hiring of Mr. Pompei last year, adding Andy to our team is a key step forward in advancing Holy Cross's already powerful educational mission," said Dr. Pellegrino. "I am thrilled to have Andy take on this role. The fact that Andy is a Holy Cross graduate only underscores the fact that Holy Cross produces profoundly good people who care deeply about education."

HC faculty and students welcomes the newest members of the Crusader family to campus. Members of the class of 2024 and their parents/guardians attended a special introductory presentation, toured their new surroundings and made a few new friends. We had a great time welcoming them to campus and look forward to seeing them again later in the month. View more photos from the event below.

Photos from our student orientations which were held on September 8th and 9th can be viewed below.

Freshmen & Sophomore Orientation

Junior & Senior Orientation

Holy Cross High School officially opened its doors for the 2020-2021 school year on Tuesday, September 8, 2020. Each class participated in student orientation for the first few days. Full classes began on Thursday, September 10th.

"This reopening is the product of much work and marries the best aspects of our Holy Cross education with the health and safety demands of COVID 19," said Dr. Thomas C. Pellegrino. "Holy Cross's mission has always been a balance of providing our students with the tools they need to meet the challenges of today's world while also imbuing them with a sense of hope. We are living that balance right now and the successful reopening only confirms the relevance and importance of our Mission."

The COVID-19 friendly Holy Cross experience commenced when the students arrived on campus. Each grade had its own entrance and exit into the building. Temperatures were taken at each location. Face masks were mandatory at all times in the building. Once inside, students became accustomed with the new traffic flows in the hallways.

"Our educational structures are rooted in our typical school procedures with changes that will ensure all of our students, faculty, and staff can return back to campus safely," said Principal Tommy Pompei. "We will maintain our eight period, rotating schedule, but, in order to incorporate all safety and health protocols, we are immersed in a blended learning model."

On-campus instruction days for students are Mondays, Tuesdays, Thursdays and Fridays. Although students are not on campus on Wednesdays, they will meet remotely for mandatory advisory meetings, club/co-curricular meetings and community service opportunities in accordance with all safety protocols.

The academic experience and daily schedule balances thoughtful pedagogy and creativity with a well-paced mode of learning. Each day consists of four eighty minute class blocks. Each class grade was split into two smaller groups. For the first forty minutes, one half of the class received face-to-face classroom time with teachers while the other half participated in an accompanying period of digital learning driven by Canvas in a Digital Learning Cohort area. At the end of the forty minutes, the groups switched.

"This thoughtful design ensures that each student has ample face to face time with the teachers," said Mr. Pomepi. "Should there be a need to return to remote learning for any period of the year, we feel strongly that this current instructional format allows us to seamlessly transition both in and out of that platform. The usage of everyday virtual instruction over Zoom, combined with corresponding Canvas classroom work in the schedule, would mirror the student learning experience from afar."

"We are so thankful that we can be back and continue in class learning," said Giuseppe Mongelluzzo '21. "The teachers and the students missed face-to-face learning. It is great to be back in class with my friends. It's weird that we can't see each other's faces though."

The meticulous planning evidenced in the Daily Schedule carried over to the cleaning and sanitation of the building. Hand sanitizers and wipes were made available for usage in every classroom and common area. In between classes, desks, doorknobs and light switches were wiped down. Each evening, a cleaning service cleaned the building. Deep cleans take place on Wednesdays.

"Our family is so happy to see Holy Cross High School reopened and doing what it does best," said Grace Linhard, mother to Tanner '21 and Teaghan '23. "It is imperative that our children be in an environment that is safe and supportive. I couldn't be more pleased with what the Holy Cross team has done to welcome back our children."

One more element was added to the mix just as the school was ready to open its doors. Over thirty Chase Collegiate students enrolled at Holy Cross High School in late August. "We are so excited to welcome the Highlander students and parents into the Crusader family," said Terri Ann Parks, Director of Enrollment Management. "We are grateful that we are able to give these students a new home and humbled that they felt Holy Cross High School would be a good fit for them."

"Holy Cross has been so accommodating to the Chase families," said Jason Calabrese '89, father to Colby '21 and Chase '24. "The administration and the staff went out of their way to make us feel welcome and to do all they can to make the transition as painless as possible."

"Our mission is probably more relevant now than ever before," said Dr. Pellegrino. "The challenges we all face are not insignificant. But, they also provide the seeds of growth and improvement. We will succeed in this current climate by working together, supporting each other, and remembering who we are at our core. We are Holy Cross."

Holy Cross High School recently announced that nine individuals and one athletic team will be inducted into the Crusader Hall of Honor. Alumni, teachers, administrators, friends and athletic teams are recognized in this prestigious group for their achievements and contributions to Holy Cross and/or their local communities. This beloved Crusader event, now in its fifth year, will be held in the fall of 2021. At that time, we will honor the inductees for 2020 and 2021.

"When we look at the Hall of Honor Class of 2020, we see the perfect embodiment of what the Hall represents Individuals who made the Holy Cross mission live in their work, their service, their philanthropy and really their lives," said Dr. Thomas C. Pellegrino, President. "Words like determination, zeal, honor, compassion and generosity are reflected so well in this Class. The Hall of Honor Class of 2020 represents the best of who we are as a faith community charged to bring hope and model that perfect marriage of heart and mind. My congratulations to this year's inductees."

The Crusader Hall of Honor is comprised of several distinguished awards:

• The Crusader Award, honoring an alumnus/a who distinguished himself/herself during his/her time at Holy Cross. This year's recipients include: Sally Bowman '86, Rob Paternostro '91, Chanessa Saunders '93 and Nicole Zuraitis '03
• The Saint Andre Bessette Award, honoring an alumnus/a who distinguished himself/herself in life after high school. This year's recipients include: Chris Corbett '93 and Msgr. Thomas Ginty '76.
• The Blessed Father Basil Moreau Award, honoring a coach, teacher, administrator or staff member for their stand-out, outstanding service to Holy Cross. This year's recipients include: Phyllis Altieri and Frank Steponaitis
• The Saint Marguerite Bourgeoys Award, honoring the contributions of our loyal friends of Holy Cross. This year's recipient is Jeff Fryer '87.
• The Green and Gold Award, honoring teams that have brought respect and honor to Holy Cross High School because of their outstanding accomplishments while in high school. This year's recipient is the 1995 Boys' Basketball Team