FEBRUARY

MRS. BINKLEY, LOWER SCHOOL PRINCIPAL UPDATE

Chapel this week was a great reminder that we are heading into the season of Lent. There is much joy in knowing the truth that He is Risen as we celebrate Easter. It is also nearing the end of the 3rd quarter and a final stretch to the finish line after spring break.

Time is fleeting, but great things are happening. 5th grade showed off their Revolutionary War Open House this week and shared with parents, family, and other grade levels what they have learned in a creative classroom display. The costumes were an amazing touch to make it feel real. Also our 4th graders are working on a Midwest Road Trip Journal, planning a trip across the Midwest, highlighting various cities, attractions, and foods from the region. These are just a few of the amazing projects that are taking place during the school day.

We are thankful for the amazing and talented teachers God has brought to our school, who continue to serve HCLA year after year. Our teachers and students are what make HCLA the family it is today. We are also grateful for the families who support HCLA and the students who grow up here. We have a 94% retention rate and celebrate the partnership we have with current families to work together to provide a positive spiritual and academic environment for our students. 

DR. LUNARDI, UPPER SCHOOL PRINCIPAL UPDATE

At Upper Campus, it feels like we just came out of Christmas break and we’re already making plans for graduation and the end-of-the-year whirlwind. This is my 25th year as an educator, and it seems like the years go by faster each time! I’ve been proud of the way that our students and staff have stuck together and continued to work hard through the year’s longest stretch of weeks without a multi-day break. It’s also been a lot of fun cheering and applauding our winter athletes, musicians, and theatre performers, culminating with our Varsity Boys Basketball team playing in the Sunshine Christian League State Championships today! The maturity and growth within each grade level has been evident, and it’s exciting to start the process of course selection for ‘25-26 and think about each of our students as future “next graders”. And for our seniors, we’re walking through the bittersweet process of helping them make decisions about colleges or next steps towards careers. 

While we love the opportunities that come from having new families join us at HCLA, it bears mentioning that our student and staff retention rate for next year is nothing short of unbelievable. As of today, over 90% of our families are planning to return and that number is 100% among our teaching faculty. We realize God may have other plans for some between now and August, but these numbers speak to the amazing work that the Lord is doing at HCLA through our students, families and staff. Thank you so much for partnering with us, trusting us with your children, and supporting us on this journey.

Mrs. Owens 10th grade ELA class is studying the play "A Raisin in the Sun" by Lorraine Hansberry as part of a unit that focuses on African American writers. Students created character silhouettes that highlight the character's dreams, aspirations, motivations, and their influences as part of a character analysis.  

Some highlights of projects and activities on our Lower and Upper Campuses.  

Last year's Gala proceeds were directed to the cost of purchasing and installing this custom playground.  Our Lower Campus students are enjoying having the extra slides and ladders and more!  Thank you to everyone that contributed!  We want to thank Diego and his team from Go Outdoor Amenities for their work and cooperation as we got this playground just right for our students.

🔥HIGH SCHOOL STUDENTS - BONFIRE!  Next Friday, March 7
$5 Sign up and pay here | Price goes up to $10 day of. 🔥

Get ready to travel back in time for a dazzling night at the 2025 Junior-Senior Prom, The Great Gatsby,

on Saturday, May 10, at 6PM at Alaqua Country Club. 

Formal attire is required, and 1920s evening wear is encouraged for a night of elegance and nostalgia. Tickets are now on sale for $75, increasing to $90 on March 14. Sales end April 17, so don’t wait!

Join us for an unforgettable evening of music, dancing, and Roaring Twenties elegance. See you there! If you have any questions, please reach out to Miss Amelia Stark at astark@thehcla.org

RSVP and purchase tickets at www.thehcla.org/athletics 

The Central Florida Cross Network (Holy Cross Lake Mary, Resurrection Church, The Cross Orlando) is looking to launch a young adult apprenticeship program called Common Life. This program is focused on high school graduates and college-aged students between the ages of 18-21. The desire is to help develop the skill of living a common life, which is built on Luther's theology of vocation and the approach to discipleship: Meditatio, Oratio, Tentatio. Their program will include a weekly meal, congregational commitment, community service, a vocational mentor, and Biblical instruction. As they develop this program, they would love to get some feedback from parents in our community. Please help them by filling out the parent survey that they have included HERE. 

Please consider donating your items to PALS for a Community Garage Sale in May.  We cannot accept drop offs outside of the times listed.  Any items not sold at the event will be donated to a local non-profit charity and not returned to the original owner.

HOW to view your TUITION/ BILLING breakdown on FACTS and to print off payment summary needed for your TAXES:

1. Login to your Family Portal account

2. Select Financial (on the left

3. Select Financial Home (on the right) - here you can view your current balance and past due balances on account

4. Select View Details (in the middle of the page) for a more in depth look.

5. Select View Payment Summary

6. Select the dropdown box with the year listed and change it to the year you need summarized.

   • If you need a specific time window of transactions you can select Date Range and input the Start and End date you need and then click View.

7. Select Print at the top right and Save as PDF.

🦞 ANNUAL CRAWFISH BOIL 🦞 

Tickets go on sale this Sunday at hclm.org/crawfish.  This is a fundraiser for high school youth to help offset the cost of their Summer Mission Trip to Tennessee to help with home repairs.  This is a fun night with all you can eat crawfish, shrimp, sausage, potatoes and corn.

March 29 6 - 8PM
960 Paul Hoyer Way
Lake Mary

Thank you Diane Culpepper, one of our Central Florida Cross Network Board members, for facilitating the donation of over 1,000 library books from Dommerich Elementary. Our wonderful library volunteers will sort and review to select the best to incorporate into our current library collection.  Another example of great community partnership!  Thanks to John Bieber for picking up this amazing donation.

🎳Our Upper School Mother/Son Bowling event was a lot of fun!  Thank you Brittany Henson and PALS for organizing it and for making time for mother/son bonding. 🎳

Thank you to PALS for hosting another wonderful Daddy Daughter Dance.  These events cannot be done without the efforts of parents and we are thankful for the the dance committeeL NicoleDickinson, Carmen Bostic, Candace Kellum, Mylissa Taylor, Joisie Shaw and Crystal Guiterrez and several other parents and high school students that pitched in! 

It was a beautiful evening for our K - 8 girls and their father or special father figure in their life!  We also thank Italianos for the great food and willingness to step in whenever needed!  

We had a wonderful week celebrating grandparents on both campuses!  The bond we witnessed between grandparents and students is beautiful. Our inaugural baseball team had their first game and we had a ribbon cutting of our new playground on Lower.  Each passing day is filled with wonderful learning opportunities through strong academics, character lessons, bible truths and community!  We can never share enough pictures to show what happens daily, but we hope you enjoy the ones we share.

We are excited to invite our grandparents on campus.  

Upper Campus 10:30 February 11th - RSVP HERE by February 7 for Upper Campus so we can accommodate for space limitations

Lower Campus February 12th (VPK- 2nd) Teachers will send rsvp info

9:00 - 10:00am KP & K

10:30 - 11:30am VPK

12:00 -1:00pm 1st

1:30 - 2:30pm 2nd

Lower Campus February 13th (3 - 5th) Teachers will send rsvp info

9:00 - 10:00am 3rd

11:30 - 12:30pm 4th

1:30 - 2:30pm 5th

Our students love this special time with their grandparents!

Our students have been very busy with projects and experiments and field trips!

💻UPPER CAMPUS FAMILIES:  Please review our FAQs for common questions regarding the our 1:1 School Managed Chromebooks 💻

Love is patient and kind; love does not envy or boast; it is not arrogant or rude. It does not insist on its own way; it is not irritable or resentful; it does not rejoice at wrongdoing, but rejoices with the truth.-1 Corinthians 13:4–8

We love because God first loved us. 1 John 4:19

Dear Holy Cross Parents,

Love is in the air at Holy Cross!  Not only because it was Valentines Day this upcoming week but because it is part of the everyday actions here!  Love holds a central place in Christianity, and its importance in a Christian school environment is profound.

Reflecting Christ’s Example

In Christianity, love is a core principle because of Jesus Christ's teachings. He emphasized love as the greatest commandment: “Love the Lord your God with all your heart, soul, and mind,” and “Love your neighbor as yourself” (Matthew 22:37-39). Love reflects Christ’s love for humanity. At HCLA teachers and students  alike are called to show Christ-like love to others, cultivating an environment that mirrors His grace, kindness, and forgiveness. These examples of love, kindness and honor fill the air, circulate the vents, drips from the ceilings, soaks the carpet and wiggles its way into every corner and crevice of our buildings.

Building a Positive and Supportive Environment

Love creates a sense of community and safety. In our school, where the goal is not just academic success but also spiritual and emotional growth, love fosters a caring environment where students feel supported and valued. It encourages open communication, empathy, and mutual respect, which are crucial for both academic and personal development.

Promoting Service and Compassion

Love in our  school extends beyond the classroom. Students are encouraged to serve others, both within the school community and beyond. This spirit of service nurtures a heart of generosity and compassion, which are key elements of the Christian faith. Through acts of love and service, students can make a positive impact on the world around them.

Love is - our teachers and administrators  as they expertly teach, encourage, support and guide your child in the classroom, on the stage or on the courts or  field.

Love is - our students sharing with and caring for each other, stepping up to help out and showing manners and strong christian character.

Love is - our students gathering for chapel praying together and celebrating their love for Jesus Christ.

Love is - our students celebrating their grandparents with poetry, songs, and prayer.

Love is - our athletes showing teamwork and support for each other- win or lose. Our musicians and performing artists as they support  each other and  work hard  together as a team for months in preparation for concerts or the “big show!” 

Love is - our students going out into the community caring for and spending time with the elderly, serving the homeless, building homes for others and being the hands and feet of Jesus.

Love is - our parents, teachers and entire school community coming together showing support and “love”  for their children and our “beloved school” during sporting events, class parties, chapels, performances, PALS events  and more!  

Love is - PALS!

Love is - Holy Cross Lutheran Academy- where each and everyday we love God, love others and love learning!

In essence, love at HCLA  isn’t just a feeling—it’s a transformative power that shapes every part of the school environment, from relationships to teaching to spiritual formation. It helps create a space where students can grow in faith, character, and knowledge, all while embodying the love that Jesus taught and modeled.

Peace and much love to all,

Cindy Moon

We are so proud of our Lower campus students - they raised $955.60 for Buckets of Love 🥰 Kids brought in their piggy bank money and did extra chores to earn money to contribute.  We will be sending these funds to the Pacific Southwest District of the Lutheran Church Missouri Synod to help those affected by the fires in California.