Holy Cross Academy (Oneida, New York)

Last updated
Holy Cross Academy
Location
Holy Cross Academy (Oneida, New York)
4020 Barrington Road
Vernon, (Oneida County), New York
(Oneida, NY 13421 mailing address)

United States
Coordinates 43°05′36″N75°37′53″W / 43.0932°N 75.6314°W / 43.0932; -75.6314 Coordinates: 43°05′36″N75°37′53″W / 43.0932°N 75.6314°W / 43.0932; -75.6314
Information
Type Private
Religious affiliation(s)Roman Catholic
Established1997
Faculty8.5 (on FTE basis) [1]
Grades 7 to 12
Enrollment95 [1]  (2007–08)
Student to teacher ratio11.2:1 [1]
Athletics conferenceNorth Country Athletic Conference
Website www.holycrossacademy.com

Holy Cross Academy is an independent Junior/Senior private high school located in Vernon, Oneida County, New York, with an Oneida mailing address. The school is an educational institution teaching in the Roman Catholic Tradition; its curriculum focuses on the impact of church culture and how it shaped the western world, and includes both classic and traditional liberal arts courses. [2]

Contents

Though the school is independent of the administrative jurisdiction of the Diocese of Syracuse, it was established with and operates under the blessing of the diocesan bishop, and is registered with the New York State Department of Education. [3]

The school has won numerous awards for excellence for its Catholic curriculum, athletics and musical departments (, [4] [5] ).

Mission statement

“Holy Cross Academy exists to support and assist parents — the primary educators of their children — in the education and formation of the students, and to help students on the journey to their proper end: Heaven”. [3]

History

Founding

The idea for the high school was born in 1995. It was then that a group of local Roman Catholic parents met to discuss the need for a Catholic high school in the county. Many of the families involved were affiliated with local homeschooling organizations or had children registered at the local diocesan elementary school. They wanted a Catholic school established as an option for secondary schooling in the area. Though the Diocese of Syracuse encompasses seven counties, it was home to only five diocesan Junior/Senior high schools, none in Madison county and all beyond standard busing routes. [6] Plans for the founding of a new school began soon after the meeting, and Holy Cross Academy was incorporated in 1996 and open to students in 1997. [7]

Locations

Holy Cross Academy has operated in three locations. The first was in a two-classroom schoolhouse on the property of Holy Cross Church in New London, New York (for which the school was named). After seeing substantial growth in enrollment, the academy moved to the parish center of St. Joseph Church in Oneida [7] ).

In 2002, the academy made a permanent move to its first self-owned location after purchasing a former church facility on Barrington Road in Oneida. Since the purchase, the school has made several expansions, including the addition of extra classrooms and full-sized soccer and softball fields. Plans for substantial future renovations and additions have also been drawn. Holy Cross Academy became a member of NAPCIS (National Association for Catholic and Independent Schools) in 2003. [7]

Affiliations

Department of Education

As a registered private school under jurisdiction of the New York State Department of Education, Holy Cross adheres to its regulations pertaining to private and/or religiously affiliated schools, including those relating to Regents Diploma graduation requirements. Some of the regulations to which the school is bound include:

1. Participating in a visit to the institution by a member of the Bureau of School Registration staff. This visitation is required to enroll with the state Board of Regents.
2. According to N.Y. Education Law §3204.2, only qualified teachers may administer educational classes.
3. All education and instruction at a private institution must be equivalent to its public counterparts.
4. All students must take part in Regents competency testing programs prior to commencement/graduation. [8]

The school also follows course specification regulations as laid out by the State Department of Education.

Diocese of Syracuse

Although not specifically under diocesan jurisdiction, Holy Cross Academy operates under the blessing of the bishop and is faithful to the Magisterium of the Catholic Church. [3] The Diocese of Syracuse is currently under the leadership of Bishop Robert J. Cunningham, and encompasses 285,000 Catholics living in Chenango, Madison, Oswego, Onondaga, Broome, Cortland and Oneida Counties. [6]

Administration

Holy Cross Academy is run by a Board of Trustees, who operate in conjunction with the school's principal (Therese Maciag, co-founder) and administrative advisor (Margaret Miller, co-founder). The school also receives spiritual direction from the Rev. Joseph Kehoe, as well as from numerous other area clergy. [9]

Teachers employed by the academy are qualified individuals directed to imbue the curriculum with the teachings and culture of the Roman Catholic faith. [2] On average, teachers at the academy have approximately 20 years of experience. [9] Fifty percent of the classroom teachers hold advanced degrees. [10] Several faculty members have come to the school after serving thirty to forty years in public or parochial school systems.

Prominent staff

Prominent staff members have included:

Deacon James Chappell, former mayor of Oneida. [11]

Scott Rutledge, a professional musician who has “performed at several college and professional sporting events including Major League Baseball [and NBA games],” among numerous other accreditations. [12]

Athletics and extracurriculars

Athletics

Holy Cross offers three team sports: basketball, soccer and coed softball. Soccer is the school's primary sport. Both the boys’ and girls’ soccer teams have placed first numerous times in the North Country Athletic Conference league standings and tournaments. The school's Soccer Wall of Fame displays the name of each year's top graduating senior from the boys’ and girls’ teams, respectively.

NCAC Sports

The school is also a member of the North Country Athletic Conference, a sports league for several upstate New York private school athletic teams formed in 2002. The league has expanded to include seven teams, including River Valley, New Life Christian Academy, New York State School for the Deaf, Holy Cross Academy, Faith Fellowship, Lowville Homeschool and Messiah Academy. NCAC is responsible for sponsoring league All-Stars and scholar athletes, forming team schedules, hosting league tournaments, and monitoring team standings. [13]

Extracurricular organizations

Holy Cross Academy has established numerous additional extracurricular organizations throughout the years, including Drama Club, Student Government, various Choirs including Select Choir (which has performed live with professional musical groups such as “The Elders”), Robotics, Mathletics/Math Counts, Colgate Seminar, Student Council, Bake Club, Ski Club, Chess Club, Band, Yearbook Committee, and B.I.B.L.E. [14] The school hosts many extracurricular events throughout the year, including theatre productions, concerts and open houses.

Academics

The Holy Cross curriculum seeks to implement an entrepreneurial approach to academics, utilizing the best methods drawing from traditional, classic and contemporary methods. [15] Students must meet New York State Board of Regents requirements, and students must take part in Regents Competency Testing programs prior to graduating with a Regents Diploma. [8] Holy Cross Academy offers both Regents and Advanced Regents diplomas to graduating seniors, in addition to the Holy Cross Academy diploma. [14]

Courses offered

Courses of study cover a range of liberal arts subjects. They include: English (literature and grammar); fine arts (music and art); early and advanced mathematics; physical education; theology; science; foreign language (Spanish and Latin); technology and computer graphics; government and economics; and some AP courses. [14]

Graduation requirements

Graduation requirements are as follows:

CREDITS REQUIRED (Regents/Advanced Regents):English/History/Religion (4.0/4.0); Math/Science (3.0/3.0); Health (0.5/0.5); Art/Music (1.0/1.0); 2nd Language (1.0/3.0); Physical Ed. (2.0/2.0); Total (22/22). [14]

NAPCIS

Holy Cross Academy has been a member of NAPCIS since 2003 and is also a member of the Catholic High School Honor Roll. The National Association for Catholic and Independent Schools is “an accreditation, teacher certification, and support institution for independent Roman Catholic Schools”. [2]

National Honor Roll

Each year, NAPCIS, in conjunction with the Acton Institute, publishes the National Catholic Honor Roll to recognize schools with lofty academic standards and strong Catholic identities, and commitment to civic education. [16]

Holy Cross Academy has been named one of the Top 50 Catholic schools on the National Honor Roll four times, (in 2004, 2005, 2006, and 2007). It also received an honorable mention for Civic Education in 2010 and 2011. [2]

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Academy of the Holy Names (Albany, New York)</span> Private, all-female school in Albany, , New York, United States

Academy of the Holy Names, or AHN, in Albany, New York, United States, is an independent, Middle States accredited Catholic girls' college-preparatory school for girls in grades 6–12. It is located within the Roman Catholic Diocese of Albany. The school was founded in 1884 by the Sisters of the Holy Names of Jesus and Mary. The mission of AHN is to prepare its students to become cultural, intellectual, moral, and spiritual leaders. Current enrollment for the 2021–2022 school year is 196 students.

Holy Spirit Preparatory School is an independent, Roman Catholic preparatory school located in Atlanta and Sandy Springs, Georgia. It was originally established in 1996 as Donnellan School.

The Academy of Saint Joseph, in Brentwood, New York, was a Catholic college-preparatory school for Kindergarten to Grade 12, single-sex for girls grades 9 - 12. The academy was founded in 1856, by the Sisters of Saint Joseph named after Saint Joseph. At the request of the Bishop of Brooklyn, Mother Austin Kean came from Philadelphia to Brooklyn to found what is now the Sisters of St. Joseph of Brentwood, New York. She was accompanied by Sister Baptista Hanson and Sister Theodosia Hegeman from Buffalo. It closed in 2009, after a 153-year history of educating the youth of Brooklyn, Queens and Long Island.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Academy of the Holy Angels</span> Catholic high school in Bergen County, New Jersey, United States

The Academy of the Holy Angels is an all-female private middle school and college preparatory high school located in Demarest, in Bergen County, New Jersey, United States, serving students in sixth through twelfth grade. The school is a sponsored work of the School Sisters of Notre Dame. The Academy of the Holy Angels draws students from North Jersey, Rockland County, New York, and surrounding areas.

Westhill Senior High School is a public high school located in the western suburbs of, and immediately adjacent to, the City of Syracuse, New York. It serves grades 9 through 12, primarily from the neighborhood of Westvale, as well as portions of the Onondaga Hill area. Westhill Senior High School is part of the Westhill Central School District.

Holy Cross Catholic Academy is a Catholic high school. It was first established in September 1986 to serve western Woodbridge, a community in Vaughan, Ontario, Canada. The school currently serves grades nine through twelve. In 1990, the school celebrated its first graduating class. Archbishop Robert Clune blessed the building on May 2, 1990. The school's tenth anniversary was inaugurated with the planting of a tree at the front of the school, which is marked by way of a metal plaque. Holy Cross Catholic High School was converted to a Catholic Academy in 1998 due to pressures from the Ontario government to enhance education in technical development. Its feeder schools include St. Peter's Catholic Elementary School, St. Clement Catholic Elementary School, San Marco Catholic Elementary School, St. Margaret Mary Catholic Elementary School, and St. Angela Merici Catholic Elementary School, all in the Woodbridge area.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Seton Catholic Central</span> Private, coeducational school in Binghamton, , NY, United States

Seton Catholic Central is a private Roman Catholic school located on the Westside of Binghamton, New York. It is run by the Catholic Schools of Broome County, which is part of the Roman Catholic Diocese of Syracuse. The school was ranked 14 out of 100 of the best Catholic schools in New York State by Niche in 2016.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Mount St. Mary Academy (Little Rock, Arkansas)</span> School in Little Rock, Pulaski County, Arkansas, United States

Mount St. Mary Academy is a private, Roman Catholic, all-girls high school, serving grades 9 through 12, in the Hillcrest neighborhood of Little Rock, Arkansas, United States. It is an all-female institution, and has an all-male brother school, Catholic High School for Boys. It is located within the Diocese of Little Rock. Having been founded in 1851, it is the oldest high school in Arkansas.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">St. Thomas More Academy</span> School in Raleigh, North Carolina, Wake County, United States

St. Thomas More Academy (STMA) is a private, co-educational, college preparatory school operated by Catholic laity. It is operated independently of the Roman Catholic Diocese of Raleigh. It serves students and their families in the Raleigh, North Carolina area. Formerly a 9–12 school, starting in the 2020–2021 school year, they are adding a middle school program to serve grade 6–8.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Holy Trinity Diocesan High School</span> Coeducational school in Hicksville, Nassau, New York

Holy Trinity High School is a co-educational learning environment located centrally in Hicksville, Nassau County, New York on Long Island. Education is based on New York State Education Standards with a strong emphasis on Religious Studies. It is operated by the Roman Catholic Diocese of Rockville Centre. It is particularly well known for its Performing Arts Department and theatrical performances.

Northridge Preparatory School, or Northridge Prep, or NRP is an independent college preparatory school for young men, located in Niles, Illinois. The school offers a recognized curriculum and a strong athletics program.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Archbishop Curley-Notre Dame High School</span> Private, coeducational school in Buena Vista, Miami, , Florida, United States

Archbishop Curley-Notre Dame High School was a private, Roman Catholic high school in the Buena Vista neighborhood of Miami, Florida, United States. It was located in and operated by the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Miami.

The Atonement Academy is a parochial, Catholic school in the Personal Ordinariate of the Chair of Saint Peter in San Antonio, Texas. It is a part of Our Lady of the Atonement Catholic parish and was opened on August 15, 1994. The college preparatory school curriculum was inaugurated in 2004, the first seniors graduating in 2008. The K-8 section of The Atonement Academy is designated as a “Blue Ribbon School of Excellence” by the Department of Education. The high school has neither applied for nor has it qualified for that designation. The school seal is the pelican. The student population for the 2011-2012 school year totaled approximately 550 students. The Academy is accredited by the Texas Catholic Conference Accreditation Commission (TCCAC), the accrediting authority for all Catholic schools in the State of Texas, and has been awarded the Catholic High School National Honor Roll Award.

Holy Cross High School is a Roman Catholic secondary school located in Dunmore, Pennsylvania. It operates under the jurisdiction of the Roman Catholic Diocese of Scranton, and is the second largest of four diocesan high schools in Northeastern Pennsylvania. The Holy Cross School System has included five feeder schools since the 2011-2012 school year: All Saints Academy, Scranton; LaSalle Academy, Dickson City and Jessup; Our Lady of Peace, Clarks Summit; St. Clare/St. Paul, Scranton; and St. Mary of Mount Carmel, Dunmore.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">St. John the Baptist Diocesan High School</span> Private, diocesan, high school in West Islip, , New York, United States

St. John the Baptist Diocesan High School is a private, Roman Catholic high school in West Islip, New York. It is operated by the Roman Catholic Diocese of Rockville Centre.

Fontbonne Hall is an all-girls, private, Roman Catholic high school in Brooklyn, New York. It was established in 1937 by the Sisters of St. Joseph, and is located within the Roman Catholic Diocese of Brooklyn.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">St. Raymond Academy</span> Private high school in Bronx, New York, United States

St. Raymond Academy for Girls is an American private, Roman Catholic high school for girls, located in the Parkchester neighborhood of the Bronx, New York.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Saint John Paul the Great Catholic High School</span> Catholic high school in Dumfries, Virginia

Saint John Paul the Great Catholic High School is a private, college preparatory, coeducational Catholic high school in Dumfries, Virginia led by the Dominican Sisters of St. Cecilia. As a diocesan school of the Diocese of Arlington, it is accredited by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Notre Dame Academy (Staten Island)</span> Private, girls school in Staten Island, New York, United States

Notre Dame Academy is an American private Catholic girls' school in Staten Island, New York.

Willows Academy is an all-girls private school in Des Plaines, Illinois, United States, with its religious education under the direction of Opus Dei. The school is divided into the Middle School (6-8) and High School (9-12). There are approximately 250 students enrolled in grades 6-12, with about 25 students per middle school class and 40 students per high school class. The original school was located on Vernon Avenue in Glencoe, IL. The second location was in Niles, IL.

References

  1. 1 2 3 "Holy Cross Academy". National Center for Education Statistics . Retrieved 2011-05-06. Total Students: 95 (2007-2008)
  2. 1 2 3 4 "NAPCIS - National Association of Private Catholic and Independent Schools". New York - Private Catholic Independent Schools. Retrieved 2011-04-14.[ permanent dead link ]
  3. 1 2 3 "Holy Cross Academy". Background. Archived from the original on 2002-02-02. Retrieved 2011-04-14.
  4. ↑ "Oneida Daily Dispatch". Oneida Civic Chorale adds singers, musicians from Holy Cross Academy for holiday concert. Retrieved 2011-04-27.
  5. ↑ "National Catholic High School Honor Roll". Holy Cross Academy | Catholic High School Honor Roll. Retrieved 2011-04-27.
  6. 1 2 "Syracuse Diocese" . Retrieved 2011-04-14.
  7. 1 2 3 "Holy Cross Academy". HCA History. Retrieved 2011-04-14.[ permanent dead link ]
  8. 1 2 "U.S. Department of Education" (PDF). U.S. Department of Education: State Regulation of Private Schools. Retrieved 2011-04-14.
  9. 1 2 "Holy Cross Academy". Faculty and Operations. Archived from the original on 2003-02-15. Retrieved 2011-04-14.
  10. ↑ "Private School Review - Profiles of USA Private Schools". Private School Review. "Holy Cross Academy - Oneida, New York/NY - Private School Profile - Private School Review.". Retrieved 2011-04-14.
  11. ↑ Alvord, David. "The Oneida Daily Dispatch : Serving Madison and Oneida counties (OneidaDispatch.com)". Remember When. Retrieved 2011-04-14.
  12. ↑ Monaski, Jeff. "WIBX AM 950 Radio - Utica's News Talk Sports". Local Music Director Singing Anthem At NBA Game Tonight - NEWSRADIO 950 WIBX. Retrieved 2011-04-14.
  13. ↑ "NCAC Homepage" . Retrieved 2011-04-14.
  14. 1 2 3 4 "Holy Cross Academy" (PDF). Holy Cross Academy Course of Studies 2010-2011. Retrieved 2011-04-14.[ permanent dead link ]
  15. ↑ "Holy Cross Academy" . Retrieved 2011-04-14.
  16. ↑ "Catholic High School Honor Roll | Home". About the Catholic High School Honor Roll. Retrieved 2011-04-14.
This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.