ADVANTAGES OF ATTENDING HOLY CROSS EPISCOPAL SCHOOL

MONTGOMERY’S PREMIERE ELEMENTARY SCHOOL

WELCOMING & LOVING FAITH BASED ENVIRONMENT

• Holy Cross students begin each day by worshipping together in chapel.  Services include children’s songs, children’s prayers, and Bible stories. Many services are led by the children themselves. 
• Our smaller classrooms offer each student the opportunity to be seen, heard, and nurtured as a whole child.  
• Our buddy programs connect the younger students with the older students who serve as role models and mentors. 
• Our students are given opportunities to develop leadership skills at a young age.
• We are blessed with the presence of two Chaplains.
• Diversity is welcomed and encouraged.  Currently, one-third of our students are Episcopalians; the other two-thirds come from other denominations.
• Outreach is an integral part of the Holy Cross experience, preparing our students for lives of meaningful service.
• By concentrating solely on the elementary age child, we can best prepare students to confidently enter middle school with strength of character, a strong academic foundation and sensitivity to the needs of others.

SAFETY

•  Our school is focused on the young child; therefore, the campus is easily accessible, inviting and safe for them.
• Our elementary campus provides a safe place for students to grow and savor their childhood without being rushed into the teenage world.
• Children know and are known by the entire faculty and staff, adding a further measure of involvement in a “school family.”

FUN THINGS!

• Holy Cross offers many extracurricular activities on campus including: fall and spring soccer through the American Youth Soccer Organization; spirit squad; piano, violin and dance lessons; and tae kwon do. 

• Our Physical Education teacher offers support and coaching to our students that participate in our spirit squad. She also coaches 6^th year students as they try out for cheerleader in the school they will attend in the 7^th grade.

• As is the custom in other elementary schools in Montgomery, children who are interested in team sports participate in YMCA, Upward Bound and Dixie Youth Sports.

      AFTER SCHOOL

• Holy Cross offers an exceptional Extended Day Program.  For Pre-K and Kindergarten students, who are dismissed at noon, the children lunch together, have naptime, story time, and supervised play both indoors and outside (weather permitting). They participate in crafts, activities and receive lots of love and attention. First graders join this group when they are dismissed at 3 p.m., and they have snack time, story time and additional supervised play time and activities.

• For the older students (2^nd– 6^th grade), there is an extensive After School Program where the children have snack time, do their homework, read, play educational games, as well as have supervised play both indoors and outside.  Students also have opportunities during Extended Day to work on outreach projects for the school and community.

• Students may attend on a regular or a drop in basis.

     TRANSITIONS

• The nurturing environment of Pre-K-6^th allows our students to grow in confidence and maturity, making the transition to middle school one of anticipation and pleasure.
• Our parental feedback indicates that our graduates are well prepared for the transition to their new schools and achieve academically as well as maturing into their teenage years with excitement, spiritual growth, and compassion. 
• Our experience and research indicate that there is ample space at the many private and magnet schools in the Montgomery area to accommodate our graduates.

• Holy Cross keeps in close contact with the schools in the Montgomery area, keeping them apprised of our school’s progress and our excellent students. Our Principal and teachers are happy to help families select an appropriate school.  

• Upon graduation from the sixth grade, our students are eligible to participate in sports at the schools they attend as there is no waiting period between the sixth and seventh grades to participate in sports.  The Alabama High School Athletic Association’s rules and regulations begin in the seventh grade.

      VISION FOR THE FUTURE

• During a Strategic Planning Process, the Holy Cross Board of Trustees gave serious consideration to Holy Cross’ vision for the near future.  With extensive input from teachers, parents and the community, the Board agreed to focus efforts on providing a premiere education for pre-kindergarten through sixth grade students.  Our goal for the next few years is to provide the best elementary education possible by concentrating on early childhood and elementary students.

• Currently Holy Cross has two sections for kindergarten through fourth grade and one section for fifth and sixth grades each.  This fall we will add an additional fifth grade followed by the addition of a second section of sixth grade the following year.
• An important component of our vision is the construction of a multi-purpose facility for organized sports activities and P.E. classes, as well as classrooms, public drama performances, musical programs, various annual school-wide events, and other programs.

JOIN US ON OUR JOURNEY! HEAR THE LAUGHTER OF OUR CHILDREN!