“To be entrusted with the teaching of the young is a great gift and grace of God.” – St John Baptist De La Salle
The De La Salle Holy Cross College Academic Programme is based on the morals, values, and inclusivity of our Ethos. Every child receives a holistic education which caters for the needs of the individual child and ensures that they achieve their personal goals. All academic procedures are subject to stringent quality control measures that are underpinned by the standards set by the IEB.
The College prides itself on the quality and professionalism of teaching and administration staff, working as a team to offer an education that is holistic, progressive and relevant. By upholding our Lasallian Holy Cross principles, we ensure that each child entrusted to our care develops in a way where they can be the best they can be. De La Salle Holy Cross College focuses on releasing into the world young people who reach their academic potential as well as deep spiritual and moral values that will position them to serve their communities and others with compassion and consideration.
It is a blessing to accompany young people as they walk their path of education and embrace all that school life and childhood has to offer. With Christ at its centre, De La Salle Holy Cross College is an environment where childhood is celebrated, individuality is appreciated, and the needs of our children are met in a caring, holistic, and developmental way.
The College is continually grateful for the support and guidance we receive from our owners, the De La Salle Brothers and the Holy Cross Sisters. They are ever-present examples of our school motto and ambassadors of hope to so many people across the world. We cherish our distinctive historical roots which clearly direct and define who we are. Our #OneCollege is inspired by the faith, trust, shared hope, and unique community spirit that exists in our school. Going beyond close ties and common interests, it is a combined effort towards togetherness. Differences are seen as gifts and not obstacles, opportunities for growth are recognised, and challenges are overcome. #OneCollege forms the soul of our school and we do not take it for granted.
The exciting and diverse opportunities offered aim to bring out the best in every child. Through its owners, dedicated staff, committed parents and guardians, supportive Board of Governors, passionate alumni, and various committees, De La Salle Holy Cross College has consistently proven to be a holistic schooling and spiritual treasure which goes beyond education. Every act of kindness, support and encouragement which we encounter creates the collective potential of the College, and directly benefits our children. Opportunities, no matter how abundantly they are presented, bear fruit only when identified and seized. School must both present chances and teach young people the importance of making the most of them.
Our core principles of faith in the presence of God, inclusive community, respect for all, concern for the poor and social justice, and quality education, provide a character education and a moral compass that enables our children to realise their true potential and contribute to society in a meaningful and sincere way. This ethos, embedded in gospel values, holistic education, and mirrored in our faith, is the foundation of our school which continues to move forward with significance and relevance, fostering the unique spirit that is De La Salle Holy Cross College.
Catholic schools participate in the mission of the Church to share the Good News of Jesus Christ with their communities. They aim to create a space where children learn to know God better, and where they are secure in the knowledge that God loves them unconditionally.
We promote our faith through the constant awareness that we are in the presence of God and in our efforts to live out the Gospel values. The aim of the Religious Education programme is to nurture the gift of faith in the students so as to bring into their daily lives awareness, growth, guidance and healing. We aim to equip them to be responsible citizens who build communities that are signs of hope for the world.
We are made in the image and likeness of God. “I have come that they may have life and have it to the full”. Inspired by the Gospel, Catholic schools respect the freedom and dignity of every human being and try to develop the qualities of integrity, moral courage and social responsibility. – (SACBC:2009)
Every person is created in the image of God. Therefore, each and every person is valued and worthy of respect as a member of the human family. The dignity of the person grants them inalienable rights – political, legal, social, and economic. It is from our dignity as human persons that all other rights and responsibilities flow.
Equality of all people comes from their inherent human dignity. There are many differences amongst people – gender, age, nationality, sexual orientation, education, interests, abilities, appearance, ideological outlook, cultural background and so on. These differences are part of God’s plan, but discrimination against anyone on the grounds of any of these differences is not. All people must be treated equally.
The human person is not only sacred but also social. The way we organise society directly affects human dignity and the capacity of individuals to develop. People achieve fulfilment by association with others – in families and other social institutions. As the centrepiece of society, the family must be protected, and its stability never undermined.
Individual rights are always experienced within the context of promotion of the common good. The common good is about respecting the rights and responsibilities of all people. The individual does not have exclusive rights at the expense of others, but nor are individual rights to be subordinated to the needs of the group.
We are one human family. Our responsibility to one another transcends national, racial, economic, and ideological differences. We are called to work globally for justice. The principle of solidarity requires of us that we do not concern ourselves solely with our own individual lives, but live and act in solidarity with the entire human race. We need to be aware of what is going on in the world around us.
We have a responsibility to care for the gifts God has given us. This includes the environment, our personal talents, and other resources.
We are becoming more aware that a religious outlook and an ethical system must embrace every living thing. The extent of ozone depletion, deforestation, extinction of species, contamination from toxic and nuclear wastes, and global warming indicates that human beings have been behaving as callous masters of a pliant earth, taking whatever they want from it. We must recognise that everything belongs to God, and we are merely guests on God’s earth. We must treat the earth as we do our home.
The Five Core Principles guide our decision-making and underpin the ethos of the College.
De La Salle Holy Cross College is a Catholic Co-educational Independent school dedicated to the holistic education of boys and girls (Grade RR – 12).
The amalgamation of De La Salle College and Holy Cross Convent in 1986 was a momentous historical event. The agreement for the amalgamation was unanimously accepted by the De La Salle Brothers and the Holy Cross Sisters, a testimony to their faith, respect, trust and loyalty to their respective religious congregations. Today the College has grown to be a proud institution serving over 1100 pupils and 750 families, with a staff complement of just over 160.
The College provides a caring, family-oriented environment in which the College community sets and maintains standards of excellence by offering a balanced curriculum which encourages pupil participation in a variety of academic, spiritual, cultural, sporting and community-related activities in preparation for the IEB Senior Certificate.
In 1953, Father Nolan invited the Holy Cross Sisters to send the Sisters, and the children would follow. Sister Mary Ita Bermingham became the Principal of a convent school in January 1954, with classrooms being built. The first Primary School block opened in May 1956. The De La Salle Brothers were invited to open a boys’ school in Victory Park in 1958. The Sisters offered classrooms to the Brothers until a school was built. De La Salle College officially opened in 1959.
A strong relationship developed between the Sisters and Brothers, with students attending classes at each other’s schools. Parents later requested an amalgamation of the two schools for various benefits. In 1986, Holy Cross Convent School and De La Salle College merged to form De La Salle Holy Cross College, an independent, Catholic co-educational school co-founded by the Holy Cross Sisters and De La Salle Brothers.
