The Hornet's Buzz

July 19, 2024

Dear Holy Cross Families,

Hope your week has been filled with blessings. I look forward to seeing you at our upcoming Soirée this Sunday, July 21 from 5:00 - 7:00 pm in the parking lot. Our summer mailing packet will be available for you to pick up then. It will include a printed copy of the following letter in both English and Spanish.

We are delighted to officially welcome everyone to the 2024-25 school year. On behalf of the entire faculty and staff, it is my absolute pleasure to extend our warmest greetings to our new families and welcome back our returning families to our beloved Catholic school community.

As we prepare to start another amazing year of teaching and learning at Holy Cross, I am thrilled to share the theme for this upcoming academic year: In a world where you can be anything…Be Holy Cross. Inspired by the Gospel of John 13:34, this theme reminds us to always love one another in the image of Jesus—the ultimate example of love—and is in full alignment with our school-wide Virtuous Behavior Formation and Education in Virtue, Disciples of Christ Programs. This year’s theme calls us to love with selflessness, humility, and forgiveness and show genuine care for both God and others. As such, throughout the year, our students will focus on being caring, responsible, obedient, successful, and stewards in their daily interactions as they strive to reach their full potential and serve others to make the world a better place for all.

We look back at this past school year with great pride as Holy Cross received the Archbishop Joseph F. Naumann CEF School of Excellence Award, positioning itself as one of the best elementary schools in the community. As demonstrated by our latest state assessment results, our commitment to faith, academic excellence, and diversity to ensure student success is unwavering. We have been hard at work this summer in preparation for a brand school year. We have installed interactive boards in all classrooms, acquired new flexible seating for our library, and expanded our summer offerings to include STREAM-based opportunities, among others. Importantly, our exceptional faculty and staff are ready and eager to provide your students with the best possible faith-filled 21st-century whole-child education.

I hope that you and your family continue to have a lovely summer and that the approach of August brings you the familiar excitement of the start of another fantastic school year at Holy Cross. Please plan to join us for our Sign Up Day on August 7 from 9:00 am - 12:30 pm and 5:30 -7:00 pm in the Gym.

Thank you for your continued support, for entrusting us with your student’s education, and for the opportunity to serve your families. Please do not hesitate to contact me if you have any questions, concerns, or ideas you would like to share. My door is always open.

May God bless you and yours today and always.

Paola V. Clark, Ed.D.

Principal

Our weekly newsletter has a new name: The Hornet's Buzz. It is our hope that this will support streamlining and enhancing school communications. While Dr. Clark will continue to making weekly posts on the Hornet's Buzz, it will also allow for other school departments to include important announcements for the community. We thank you in advance for your support.

Jul 21 - Summer Soirée (5:00 - 7:00 pm) in the School's Parking Lot

Aug 7 - Sign Up Day (9:00 am - 12:30 pm/5:30 -7:00 pm) in the Gym

Aug 9 - Preschool Parent Orientation (8:15 - 9:00 am & 11:30 -12:15 pm)

Aug 14 - Kindergarten Parent Orientation (5:30 - 6:30 pm) | Back-to-School Night (6:30 - 7:30 pm)

Aug 15 - Feast Day - Assumption of Mary

Aug 19 - First Day of School (Half day)

As shared above, our summer mailing packet will be available for pick up this Sunday, July 21 at our upcoming Soirée. If you are unable to attend, please stop by the office to collect one. Please see the section below for our summer office hours.

A digital version of all summer mailing forms can be accessed here.

Please note that our summer mailing will be completely digital beginning with the 2025-26 school year.

Middle School Parents,

Holy Cross Catholic School middle school students are required to provide their own Chromebook device for use at school and at home for homework. This is part of their school supply list. It will be something they use multiple times a day, every day.

Below is a list of devices that would work for our system and what they will be doing in class. These are just a few options. You are welcome to choose whatever device you see fit for your child as long as it is a Chromebook. If you find another device and want to double check it will work please email me at lloeffert@holycrosscatholicschool.com.

Chromebook device options for Holy Cross Students:

Acer Chomebook Spin 513 Convertible Laptop

Acer Spin Chromebook

Dell Chromebook

HP Chromebook

HP 360 Chromebook

I would also recommend a carrying case for the chromebook. I have seen many chromebooks fall on the floor, get jostled around, and not cared for as well as we would hope. Having a case to place the Chromebook in while switching classes could increase the longevity of the device.

Students are required to have this device on the first day of school and it will be connected to the system for the duration of their time at Holy Cross.

If you have any questions please feel free to contact me.

Laura Loeffert

Technology Coordinator

I look forward to sharing educational, spiritual, and well-being resources with you. Please let me know if you have any specific requests, and I will do my best to secure them. It is my hope that they will be useful to you and your family as we partner in your student's educational and spiritual journey at Holy Cross and beyond.

We are sharing Dr. Lisa Damour's resources one more week. Dr. Damour is a psychologist who specializes in child development and is also the author of three New York Times best sellers: Untangled, Under Pressure, and The Emotional Lives of Teenagers. She also co-hosts the Ask Lisa podcast (The Psychology of Parenting), works in collaboration with UNICEF, and is recognized as a thought leader by the American Psychological Association.

Dr. Damour offers a plethora of guidance, resources, strategies, and tips to untangle family life on her website, including downloadable bookmarks.

I am attaching three of Dr. Damour's bookmarks below with practical guidance and helpful techniques on coping with stress, dealing with a meltdown, and how breathing reduces anxiety.

You can sign up for her free weekly newsletter here.

As previously shared, Dr. Damour most recently worked with Pixar as an advisor in the making of the Inside Out 2 movie. She shared her expertise as the main character, Riley, enters her teenage years and experiences new and a more complex range of emotions.