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Dover, Del. —
Holy Cross School students dressed in red, white and blue performed a mix of patriotic and sacred songs in honor of a handful of visiting veterans Wednesday as part of their celebration of Catholic Schools Week.
Catholic Schools Week has been celebrated all week long throughout the state of Delaware and the United States. The theme of this year’s week is faith, academics and service.
Holy Cross students treated veterans who served their country to songs like “Proud to be an American,” “God Bless America,” “The Star Spangled Banner,” “America the Beautiful” and “Raise High the Cross for All the Word to See.”
The vets who attended were invited by family members in the school, via the parish bulletin and via the school’s online publication.
As Holy Cross Interim Principal Haydee Rosario puts it, Catholic Schools Week is a celebration of who they are in the community. It is an opportunity to invite community members and prospective parents to come in and see what Catholic schools are all about.
“We are good at what we do and proud of it,” Rosario said. “Our students leave here not only with a sound faith and good academic background but also with the ability to be good citizens that are of service.”
Rosario said Catholic schools helped her become the person she is today, having attended Immaculate Conception and St. Pious V High School in the Bronx, N.Y. and College of Mount St. Vincent in Riverdale, N.Y.
She became interim principal this year after nine years as assistant principal.
The Religion Committee, led by co-coordinators Suzanne McGowan and Linda Pollitt, organized Holy Cross’ activities for Catholic Schools Week. It has been a time for celebrating everything that makes up Catholicism, McGowan and Pollitt said.
McGowan is a pre-kindergarten teacher, and Pollitt is a seventh and eighth grade math and religion teacher. McGowan’ s children, Rachel and Matthew, also graduated from Holy Cross, not to mention St. Thomas More Preparatory School.
“It’s a celebration of our faith and it’s a celebration of how different people are part of our faith and community,” McGowan said. “It’s all the people that make the Catholic faith happen.”
“We’re not just teachers,” Pollitt said, “I think we see ourselves as those with a vocation. We love the children and we love what we do. It’s a celebration of our commitment.”
Holy Cross School students dressed in red, white and blue performed a mix of patriotic and sacred songs in honor of a handful of visiting veterans Wednesday as part of their celebration of Catholic Schools Week.
Catholic Schools Week has been celebrated all week long throughout the state of Delaware and the United States. The theme of this year’s week is faith, academics and service.
Holy Cross students treated veterans who served their country to songs like “Proud to be an American,” “God Bless America,” “The Star Spangled Banner,” “America the Beautiful” and “Raise High the Cross for All the Word to See.”
The vets who attended were invited by family members in the school, via the parish bulletin and via the school’s online publication.
As Holy Cross Interim Principal Haydee Rosario puts it, Catholic Schools Week is a celebration of who they are in the community. It is an opportunity to invite community members and prospective parents to come in and see what Catholic schools are all about.
“We are good at what we do and proud of it,” Rosario said. “Our students leave here not only with a sound faith and good academic background but also with the ability to be good citizens that are of service.”
Rosario said Catholic schools helped her become the person she is today, having attended Immaculate Conception and St. Pious V High School in the Bronx, N.Y. and College of Mount St. Vincent in Riverdale, N.Y.
She became interim principal this year after nine years as assistant principal.
The Religion Committee, led by co-coordinators Suzanne McGowan and Linda Pollitt, organized Holy Cross’ activities for Catholic Schools Week. It has been a time for celebrating everything that makes up Catholicism, McGowan and Pollitt said.
McGowan is a pre-kindergarten teacher, and Pollitt is a seventh and eighth grade math and religion teacher. McGowan’ s children, Rachel and Matthew, also graduated from Holy Cross, not to mention St. Thomas More Preparatory School.
“It’s a celebration of our faith and it’s a celebration of how different people are part of our faith and community,” McGowan said. “It’s all the people that make the Catholic faith happen.”
“We’re not just teachers,” Pollitt said, “I think we see ourselves as those with a vocation. We love the children and we love what we do. It’s a celebration of our commitment.”
Parent Laura Chupp used her iPhone to tape her daughter, kindergartner Claire Juneau, as she sang “Proud to be an American” in the afternoon’s first performance. Chupp then sent the video to Claire’s father, Lt. Col. Craig Juneau, who is stationed in Hawaii.
Chupp appreciates how Holy Cross is helping her daughter develop.
“Being in this school has given her structure, confidence and values,” she said.
Among the students singing in the elder choir were eighth graders Morgan Cook and Ewan Malenfant.
Cook also read an essay on what Catholic Schools Week means to her.
“We recognize all the teachers, the parents, the students and, of course, God,” she said. “And we are just so thankful to have Catholic schools and all we have. It’s really just a week of praising and glorifying.”
In addition to choir, Malenfant led the drum line in a stellar performance.
“It’s a time to reflect on why it’s important to have a good education and the sacrifices people make to let us have that education,” he said. “We’re learning about God. We get to practice our religion at the same time.”
Holy Cross has a capacity for 700 students. Current enrollment is 581, Rosario said. That’s a long ways from when Rosario first arrived in 1985, when the school had about 300 students.
She attributes enrollment growth to Father Hanley’s outreach and networking into the community.
