Flushing, Queens, New York— Holy Cross High School announces today the unanimous decision of the Board of Corporate Members to accept the recommendation of the Board of Directors to begin welcoming young women as students. The Board of Corporate Members includes Holy Cross High School alumnus Brother Bill Zaydak ‘72, C.S.C., Superior of the Moreau Province.
In 1856, in a treatise entitled Christian Education, Blessed Basil Moreau, the founder of the Congregation of Holy Cross wrote, “How we educate the mind will change with the times; how we cultivate the heart is and will remain timeless.” Later in his same mission-defining work he wrote, “Education is the art of helping young people to completeness.”
As a result of today’s announcement, eighteen of the twenty-two Congregation of Holy Cross-sponsored secondary and post-secondary academic institutions in the United States are now co-educational.
Holy Cross High School recognizes that there are many capable and qualified young women who are desirous of strong, values-based instruction provided in a safe and nurturing co-educational environment.
Over the last several years, and confirmed by a recent gift of $1,000,000 from a most generous and forward thinking alumnus, Holy Cross High School has developed skill in a robust project-based learning initiative called STREAM which is not gender specific. In fact, project-based learning across the disciplines of Science, Theology, Robotics, Engineering, Art, and Mathematics are guiding more young women to degrees needed by US industries. From the Washington Post in September, 2016:
“More than half of engineering bachelor’s degrees at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology went to women in 2015, federal data show. The same was true at Dartmouth College this year. The majority of computer science majors at California’s Harvey Mudd College are women. At Carnegie Mellon University, women account for nearly half of first-year computer science students – 48 percent, a school record.”
Ed Burns ‘84, Principal of Holy Cross High School observed, “This is a momentous step! As an alumnus of the school I am proud of the thorough evaluation of this opportunity undertaken by our senior leadership team, our Board of Directors, and our Board of Corporate Members. As a school sponsored by the Congregation of Holy Cross we are not alone. We have many resources across the country to guide us in each step we will be taking as we make this important transition.”
Holy Cross High School begins immediately to welcome current 8th grade students of both genders to apply for admission to the class of 2022. These students will enroll in September, 2018. Contact Mr. Rob Botero ‘00 at admission@holycrosshs.org or (718) 886-7250 ext 558.
For additional information, please contact Mr. James M. Conboy ‘83, VP of Institutional Advancement, (718) 886-7250; jconboy@holycrosshs.org.
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