Dr. Weedens E. Blanchard, ED.D. ’89 to Serve As Eleventh Principal of Holy Cross High School

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Dear Holy Cross Family:

Following an extensive, months-long search of qualified candidates, Holy Cross is pleased to announce that Dr. Weedens E. Blanchard, Ed.D. will serve as its eleventh principal as of July 1, 2023.

Principal WoodyDr. Weedens “Woody” Blanchard is a 1989 graduate of Holy Cross and a 2022 Hall of Fame inductee. Born in Port-au-Prince, Haiti, the eldest of four children, he emigrated here with his family in 1977 and attended St. Pascal Baylon School in St. Albans, Queens.

Dr. Blanchard joins us from Adelphi University where he is currently the NYC Teaching Fellows Program Director and Manhattan Education Program Director in the Ruth S. Ammon College of Education and Health Sciences. He had previously been the Director of Education and Evening School Director at Hunter Business School, Levittown Campus and the NYC MEN TEACH Program Director at Hostos Community College, CUNY.Throughout his vast academic career spanning over two decades, he has held numerous positions at various institutions including his alma mater, St. John’s University, Queensborough Community College and Vista Academy Middle School and has had extensive experience in instruction, curriculum development, teacher and staff evaluation, student advisement and course selection, IT networks, program development and management and strategic planning.

An accomplished trumpeter, Woody found his passion for music at Holy Cross, and was a member of the Jazz Band and Pep Band. He won the 1989 Directors Band Award his senior year and received a music scholarship to St. John’s University, where he would earn his Associate of Science Degree in Electronic Data Processing and a Bachelor of Science in Computer Science with a minor in Business Administration. He would later earn both a Master of Business Administration in Executive Management and a Doctor of Education in Educational Administration and Supervision from St. John’s University as well.

Dr. Blanchard has served on various committees at both St. John’s University and Queensborough Community College including Academic Strategic Planning, Retention Management, Enrollment Management and the Middle States Technology Committee, among others. In 2020, he joined the Board of Holy Cross and has served on the Personnel and Negotiations Committee as well as the Executive Committee as Secretary where he has proven to be insightful in analyzing the challenges facing Holy Cross.

Mentorship and a dedication to social justice has also been an important facet of Woody’s educational and leadership philosophy. Over the past several years, his work with NYC MEN TEACH helped inspire more men of color to become teachers in New York City through a variety of engagement and recruitment efforts. He has also spent time mentoring young African American males as well as underserved students as a Student Sponsor Partners (SSP) Mentor. These will be assets to our community in the years to come.

My thanks go to the members of the Principal Search Committee: Tom Girard ’80, Chair, John Gerspach ’71, Board Chair, Ellen Curry Damato, Rev. Kevin Creagh, C.M.’87, Joe Giannuzzi ’65, Mary Anne Kelleher and Tom Marchesini ’86 P’23 ’25. They were thorough, thoughtful, engaged and insightful. The process worked and again, we found the ideal candidate was here among us with the credentials and passion to serve Holy Cross well.

Tom Girard ’80, Chair of the Principal Search Committee noted, “The Search Committee did an outstanding job of thoroughly vetting a diverse group of qualified candidates and Dr. Blanchard quickly rose to the top of that list. Holy Cross will benefit from his leadership, passion, communication skills, and vast experience as an educator.”

“Given his strong background in leadership, student learnings and educational management, combined with his undying passion for Holy Cross,” noted Board Chair John Gerspach ’71, “I have no doubt that Dr. Blanchard will prove to be an outstanding Principal of our beloved Holy Cross. I am excited for our students who will be the true beneficiaries of Woody’s immense talents and unique perspectives.”

Dr. Blanchard notes, “I am humbled to serve as the eleventh principal of my alma mater, Holy Cross High School. With this appointment, it is a testament to God that my life has come full circle and I have returned home. Father Basil Moreau wrote in 1856, ‘Education is the art of helping young people to completeness.’ Following Father Moreau, I am devoted to ensuring our students reach their maximum potential. The values I hold as an administrator – assuring access to education, providing equity of services, promoting diversity in programs, and encouraging a mutual respect of all students, are evidenced through my academic research interests and professional accomplishments.”

“I look forward to working with our dedicated faculty, staff, and students of Holy Cross to maintain the mission, generate excitement within the community and external constituencies, and play a significant role in the betterment of the lives and futures of our students.”

We are elated to welcome Dr. Weedens “Woody” Blanchard home to Holy Cross as our next Principal. He brings a wealth of knowledge and experience in all facets of education that will move Holy Cross further into the 21st Century and benefit all of our students at all levels of our academic programming. Of equal importance, he brings a tremendous energy, enthusiasm and affection for Holy Cross that will help our mission thrive. I have greatly enjoyed working with him the last three years on the Board of Directors and the Executive Committee and I look forward to his partnership in the years to come in the work of moving Holy Cross forward.

Please join me in welcoming Dr. Weedens “Woody” Blanchard ’89 as the eleventh principal of Holy Cross High School.

Ave Crux, Spes Unica.

 

 

 

Mark A. Mongelluzzo ’92
President

Holy Cross Announces New Boys Varsity Basketball Coach

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Billy Turnage, New Boys Varsity Basketball CoachHoly Cross High School is excited to announce the appointment of Billy Turnage as Boys Varsity Basketball Head Coach for the upcoming 2023-2024 season.

Billy brings an extensive and successful pedigree to Francis Lewis Boulevard. For the last 18 years at Wings Academy in the Bronx, he transformed the basketball program into a perennial contender in the New York City PSAL. In 2010 he was named Coach of the Year by the NY Daily News. Throughout his time at Wings, his teams won 12 Bronx Borough PSAL Championships, posting a nine-year regular unbeaten streak along the way. These efforts culminated in 2015 with a New York City PSAL Championship and a New York State Federation Championship, with Wings finishing as the 15th ranked team in the nation in the USA Today basketball poll.

No stranger to the CHSAA, or Holy Cross, Billy played here at Cross for three years, including on the Varsity under Jim Kerr, until financial hardship necessitated him transferring to Andrew Jackson High School for his senior year. That experience has led to feelings of “unfinished business” with the upper echelon of the CHSAA – AA division. After all these years, Billy looks forward to returning to home to Holy Cross.

Prior to Wings, Billy spent five years at St. Mary’s in Manhasset as a Varsity Assistant and was on staff for their 2002 New York State Championship title year. After that, he joined the Varsity staff at Holy Cross as an Assistant Coach, spending two seasons here helping develop a young core of players that went on to with the 2008 CHSAA City and State Championships. His son Tai currently plays in the CHSAA for St. Raymond’s High School in the Bronx, a 10th grader who’s played on the Varsity there the past two seasons.

Billy is well known, well liked, and well respected in New York City basketball circles. He brings a balanced mix of professionalism, discipline, and enthusiasm that resonates with all those who work with him- especially his players. He is looking forward to getting our student athletes prepared for the season ahead, and most importantly, life after basketball and Holy Cross.

Director of Athletics Keith Goggin ‘92 had this to say regarding Coach Turnage:

“First off, I’d like to thank Ray Cullinan for all the work he put into Holy Cross basketball. He stepped up to the Varsity when I needed him to, and I’ll put his coaching ability up against anyone. After 19 years coaching basketball here, he leaves our program as the only man to be the head coach of all four of our Boys teams- Freshmen, JV, Varsity “B” and Varsity.

As for Coach Turnage, I’m grateful that he’s embraced the challenge. I’m also so happy that Billy’s agreed to come back where it all began. We were teammates thirty years ago; now we’re teammates again. I’m looking forward to the future of our Boys program with someone as successful as Billy at the helm.”

President Mark Mongelluzzo ’92 added:

“After a selective search and interviewing multiple qualified candidates, Billy Turnage emerged as the clear choice to move Holy Cross Boys Basketball to a bright future. We are excited to work with him and welcome him home.”

Welcome aboard Coach Turnage! We are happy to have you as a Knight once again!

3rd QUARTER HONOR ROLL 2022-2023

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Congratulations to our 3rd Quarter Honor Roll for the 2022-2023 school year.

Principal’s List
First Honors
Second Honors

Holy Cross High School presents Academic Awards to students in recognition of their academic accomplishments. Students must pass all courses in a marking period to be eligible for academic awards. Minimum Grade is 75.

Principal’s List: GPA ≥ 96
First Honors: GPA ≥ 91
Second Honors: GPA ≥ 86

Vice President for Mission Announcement

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Dear Members of the Holy Cross Community,

With great pleasure and excitement, I share with you the appointment of Mr. Edward Burns ’84 as Holy Cross High School’s Vice President for Mission, commencing July 1, 2023.

Ed’s dedication to Holy Cross has been invaluable for thirty-one years, and he has left an indelible impact on our school community that is hard-pressed to rival. After earning both Bachelors and Masters degrees in Secondary Education from Queens College and teaching at St. Francis Prep for a couple of years, Ed returned home here to Holy Cross in 1992 as a fine arts teacher, before eventually becoming the Fine Arts Chairperson. The true embodiment of zeal, he was the senior-class moderator for many years and was responsible for organizing innumerable senior class trips, baccalaureate masses, annual farewell breakfasts for our graduating seniors, and memorable senior proms–all culminating in June commencement ceremonies. As moderator of The Cross (our school yearbook), Ed has helped capture and preserve many wonderful memories and experiences of countless Holy Cross students, and for a time motivated students both behind the cameras or in the spotlight as the director of our Television Production program – HCtv.

During his ten years as principal (the longest tenure after Joe Giannuzzi ’65), Ed earned a Masters of Science from Fordham in School Building Leadership, helped steer Holy Cross with the implementation of a 1:1 Chromebook program, and successfully led our school’s historic mission expansion as we welcomed young women for the first time as freshmen in the Fall of 2018. Over the course of the next four years, Ed’s dedication and attention to detail–with the help of his colleagues on the academic side–helped ensure a successful transformation to a fully-coeducational institution. During that time, as the world faced a global pandemic in the spring of 2020, under Ed’s leadership, our faculty and students were able to navigate an unimaginable situation while continuing to provide the quality of education expected from Holy Cross. Ever the masterful planner, that June, under Ed’s stewardship, the Holy Cross community rose to the challenge of delivering a private graduation ceremony for each member of the Class of 2020. From Queens to Brooklyn to Nassau County, Ed’s devotion to our students provided a moment of illumination during a dark time for many in our community. That Fall, as schools were tasked with reopening while adhering to the at-times confusing and contradictory government-issued guidelines, Ed and his team guaranteed that our institution would meet the required standards so we could welcome back our faculty, staff and students eagerly–and safely.

As Vice President for Mission, Ed is charged with supporting mission integration of our unique Holy Cross charism for our students, our faculty and members of the Board of Directors, while overseeing the Office of Mission and Campus Ministry and our day to day faith life including daily prayer, Feast Day celebrations, prayer services and liturgies. With over three decades of experience living our mission, Ed is well-suited in accomplishing these goals while fostering and nurturing the relationships necessary throughout the Diocese of Brooklyn and the Moreau Province of the Congregation of Holy Cross to further our Catholic and Holy Cross identity. His unique gifts and knowledge of the Holy Cross charism will also play an integral role in the creation and implementation of a four–year retreat program in cooperation with the Theology Department, that will help our students to deepen their relationship with God and strengthen their faith.

In my first year as president of Holy Cross, Ed has proven to be a wonderful partner: wise, gracious, full of institutional knowledge, and driven to make our mission real. I know that he will continue to be a valued colleague as he takes on the important responsibilities of Vice President for Mission with the necessary zeal our founder Blessed Basil Moreau, CSC, would insist upon. I trust that Ed will bring to this new role all of the skills and talents that our beloved Holy Cross has benefited from over the three plus decades he has served our mission in various ways.

Please join me in thanking Ed for his decade of service as our tenth principal. We will be sure to celebrate his many accomplishments later in the school year. For now, please join me with joyful anticipation of Ed’s next leadership role here at Cross!

As we look to plan for the future, a search committee is already being organized to seek a qualified replacement to take the helm as the 11th principal of Holy Cross in September.

Ave Crux, Spes Unica

Mark A. Mongelluzzo ’92
President