The Holy Cross faculty and staff enjoyed their summer breaks and had some exciting experiences!
World Languages Chair Rachel Mullervy graduated from Mount Holyoke College with a master's in teacher leadership and was awarded the Teacher Leadership Innovation Award. She taught Classical Mythology at the University of Maryland, College Park, and traveled to Cleveland and Niagara Falls. She also recently got engaged to be married.
Athletic Trainer and Physical Education teacher Beth Hagler served as an Athletic Trainer for the Pan American Maccabi Games in Mexico City in July. The Maccabi Games bring Jewish teams from all over the world to compete. Her work included attending practices and training sessions for all games that were "high contact." She has previously served at the World Maccabi Games in Israel and the Maccabi Youth Games in Israel. "I've made some of the best friends I have through this experience," she says.
History and Social Studies teacher Liz Creamer spent the summer in Europe prepping for the two new courses she is teaching: geography and global civilizations. Highlights for her included the Rijksmuseum in Amsterdam and the DeGaulle in London walking tour. She also attended the opening rounds at Wimbledon, "a tennis coach's dream!" Ms. Creamer also taught about climate change with Carbon Reveal at the World Scout Jamboree in West Virginia.
Math and Science teacher Minie James travelled to her home country in Cochin, India visiting with her family and friends. She also visited Dubai, UAE to visit with colleagues from her pervious school. In the United States she traveled to Florida and Illinois. "It was one of my best vacations."
Saint Mary's Resource Program Academic Support teacher, Rusty McCrady did some testing of the quality of local waters by conducting some catch and release fishing in Rock Creek, less than a mile from Holy Cross. He was glad to find that despite some flooding due the rainstorms in July and August, there are quite a few healthy fish in the local stream. He says, "we still need to more to improve local water quality, but there is hope!"
English teacher Iryna Sirota-Basso traveled to Odessa, Ukraine to visit family. "It's a beautiful city on the Black Sea." While there, she ran the trails along the beach and tried some CrossFit as well.
Physical Education teacher Cheryl King got married in Oak Island, NC in June.
English teacher Virginia Clifford-Weis and her husband Colin welcomed their daughter Maeve Rose Weiss on June 10, 2019.
Communications Director Danielle Mahaney Ballantine '86 taught a weeklong class for adult scout leaders in the Boy Scouts of America at the Philmont Scout Ranch in Cimarron, NM. This was her ninth trip to Philmont, which is the largest youth ranch in the world (140,000 acres). One of her class participants was Julie Phillips Puckett, the granddaughter of Waite Phillips, who donated the Philmont property to the Boy Scouts over 50 years ago.
English teacher Maria Effertz and her family visited Niagara Falls this summer.
