Holy Cross District High School

Speaking as an alumnus and recent graduate, Holy Cross is a well connected, diverse, and properly managed school. I would disagree with a notion that it is too focused on athletics. Most students participate in athletics, but there are plenty of other clubs that don't involve sports, most of which I was involved in. Any bad teachers don't stay long, and the teachers that stay are loved and literally are infused into the community. I have found that the school has a small environment that allows people to know everyone, while at the same time big enough to suit less outgoing people. Pride for the school within the community and student body soars, which adds to a family atmosphere. The diversity of the student body really allows students from all walks of life to blend, which I think teaches an important lesson in life. Many teachers are also adjunct professors, and I entered college with upwards of 40 College Credits, all of which transferred. They have one of the highest ACT averages in the area, commendable especially when you consider their appeal to students with learning disabilities. Overall, Holy Cross equips its students with tools needed to succeed in college and beyond.

My child is currently a student at Holy Cross. We have found that there is a strong emphasis on athletics. However, this is sometimes to the detriment of other aspects of student life and academics. For ex. there are very few ways to become involved at the school if you are not into sports or dramatics. There are too many teacher/coaches there and one teacher could not meet to help my son after school because he was too busy with coaching. On a parent night, half my child's teachers were not available to discuss progress reports due to games. The director of the Academic Enhancement Program, a drawing card for the school, is very busy also being the athletic coordinator. We have found the quality of instruction to be uneven and unless you take AP courses, the homework is not demanding. There are plenty of opportunities to volunteer at school fundraisers but since we don't drink much and never gamble, we felt uncomfortable participating. Overall, we had high expectations of the school and have been disappointed.
—Submitted by a parent

I am an alumna of Holy Cross High School. This is a good school for some students, especially those who have a major interest in athletics. As for the statistics from my class, I'm fairly positive that about 20% of my graduating class has ended up completing some form of higher education (Associates or Bachelors Degree) after approximately six years. Of those, I'm aware of only three who have continued to a form of graduate or professional school. My least favorite part of the school was its "incestuous" nature. Many of the recently hired teachers are children of previous teachers or they are an alumnus. I understand many private schools cannot pay enough to get super-high quality teachers, but I always felt that we were stuck with teachers that could not find a job elsewhere. Don't get me wrong, several of the older teachers are great and all the teachers seemed to genuinely care about the students' well-being. Although I was in Honors and AP courses at HCHS, I always felt the coursework was always slower and less in-depth than my peers at nearby public schools.

My husbands family all graduated from HCHS and all 3 of our children have attended HCHS. We love the small school Christian atmosphere.
—Submitted by a parent

I like HCHS because it has a small school atmosphere. Every student knows each other from Freshman to Senior.
—Submitted by a parent

i attended holy cross high school. in my opinion it is the best school in the state of ky. i could not have been more prepared for college. it's not just a school it's a family.
—Submitted by a student

My son is now a freshman in college and I am so glad that he chose to go to Holy Cross. The teachers are great and really care about their students. If you want a caring environment with good academics, Holy Cross is the place. This is a school that 100% when it comes to helping all of its students succeed.
—Submitted by a parent

My husband, myself and my son all attended Holy Cross High School. The family atmosphere, strong commitment to the students and christian atmosphere made it a wonderful experience for all of us.
—Submitted by Diane Wagner, a parent

I would like to say that this was one of the greatest schools in Kentucky. I would highly recommend this school if you are going to send you child to a catholic high school, or really to any school. Some of the great things about this school include it's great teachers, sports programs, as well as it's great leadership.
—Submitted by a former student