History
June 10, 1910: Fr. John Toomey sees the cornerstone of Holy Cross School put in place, and the school building serves as a combination school and church until the new church is built.
September 14, 1911: The Sisters of St. Joseph are entrusted with the education of the 113 students who arrive when Holy Cross School opened its doors; three weeks later enrollment reaches 130.
1919: School enrollment grows to over 300 students.
1920’s: Enrollment grows even higher to 400 students; however, the opening of two new parishes nearby reduce the school’s numbers to near 200.
1940’s: Enrollment returns to 400 students.
1950’s: Enrollment tops out at 602 students in 1957.
1967: Holy Cross begins to organize the school library circulation system. Also, The Mother’s Club is formed to develop a communication network between parents and teachers, to raise funds for classroom supplies, and to subsidize field trips for students.
1969: The Mother’s Club becomes the Home & School Association.
1970’s: Many improvements are made to the Holy Cross school building, including, new windows, panic bars on all doors, installation of new auditorium floor, and the building of a kitchen in the auditorium.
1980’s: Kindergarten was added with 24 students enrolled. Enrollment is restricted to no more than 30 students in a class, and enrollment approaches the optimum of 264 in 1988. A music program, an after-school program, a new computer lab, a new backup boiler for the church and school are added. The school auditorium kitchen is replaced, the school is completely repainted and the parking lots are repaved.
1989: Holy Cross faculty and school community begins work on Middle States accreditation, a process of self-study and self-improvement.
1993: Holy Cross School achieves its first accreditation by Middle States Association.
1995: A pre-Kindergarten opens, but after 4 years of declining numbers, closes in 1999.
1996: Physical education classes begin in the gym of the nearby Lutheran Theological Seminary.
2000’s: Upgrading of school electrical system is accomplished and the installation of a wireless network and new computer lab.
2001: Art teacher is added to the school staff.
2004: Holy Cross School is granted re-accreditation after school faculty and school community engage in a self-study to develop an Action Plan for the future.
2007 and 2008: Holy Cross School 5th grade students are chosen to receive two expense-free years of “Dancing Classrooms Philadelphia,” a ballroom dancing experience.
2008: Holy Cross establishes a three-year “Family, Street, Neighborhood Peace Program” which is supported by a grant from the Josephine C. Connelly Foundation. The Connelly Foundation continues its financial and curricular support of Holy Cross School with a grant for a new wireless laptop cart and 16 new laptops.
2009: To enhance communication among school families and the faculty and staff, Holy Cross launches a new website for the school as well as individual sites for all of the teachers.
2010: Holy Cross celebrates 100 years of Catholic Education in Mount Airy.
2013: Holy Cross becomes an Independence Mission School and joins a network of 15 Catholic schools located throughout Philadelphia.
2016: Holy Cross is celebrating 105 years in the Mount Airy community
and flourishing as an Independence Mission School (IMS), welcoming over
250 students.