NEW ORLEANS – Holy Cross School has named Sean P. Martin (class of 1992) as its new Headmaster. The appointment is effective Saturday, July 1, 2017, following current Headmaster Charles J. DiGange’s retirement on Friday, June 30, 2017, after 13 years of service as Headmaster (July 2004 – June 2016). The announcement was made by Dr. James Meza, chair of the Holy Cross School Board of Directors.
Following DiGange’s retirement announcement in January 2016, Holy Cross School Board of Directors formed a Headmaster search committee comprised of talented, successful, invested individuals who care greatly about the school and were committed to finding the right candidate to succeed DiGange, school reps said. After an extensive national search and months of reviewing, vetting and interviewing potential candidates, the committee unanimously recommended Martin to the Holy Cross Board of Directors, which voted to name Martin as the new headmaster.
“The committee was tasked with identifying a candidate with an established career focused on educational administrative experience coupled with a proven history of exceeding development goals,” Dr. Meza said. “We stressed the importance of finding a candidate with a deep understanding of the school’s mission and a charismatic personality that would resonate with the entire Holy Cross Family. We felt all of these qualities combined were paramount to continuing the school’s legacy as the premier young men's college preparatory school in New Orleans.”
With more than 18 years of experience as a professional educator, Martin has experience in academic, student, business and external affairs, including advocacy and fundraising, school reps said. Martin currently serves as executive director of WorkReady U – a program of the Louisiana Community and Technical College System (LCTCS) – which is a nationally recognized model for providing comprehensive adult educational services to Louisiana’s undereducated and underemployed citizens. In this role, Martin is responsible for establishing and maintaining a strategic plan for 34 educational providers and more than 500 employees throughout the state, which provide services to approximately 40,000 students on an annual basis. Martin previously served as the LCTCS state coordinator for its Accelerating Opportunity initiative, which focused on redesigning the adult education system for the state of Louisiana.
“As a second-generation Holy Cross man, Mr. Martin has an intimate knowledge of the school’s history, mission and its Catholic identity,” DiGange said. “I am confident that Mr. Martin will approach the role of Headmaster with the proper enthusiasm and dedication the office requires, ushering in the next generation of leadership at Holy Cross School.”
Prior to joining LCTCS, Martin worked at Delgado Community College (DCC) for 15 years. He held various positions during his tenure with DCC, including Director of Teacher Education and Adult Literacy. In this role, Martin co-authored the curriculum for Louisiana’s first statewide community college block transfer degree. He also provided oversight for the college-wide teacher education program and was the founding director of the adult education program at DCC.
Martin holds a bachelor of arts in social sciences and a master of education in educational administration and supervision from Our Lady of Holy Cross College (now the University of Holy Cross). A native of New Orleans, Martin graduated from Holy Cross School in 1992. During his time at Holy Cross, he received numerous accolades, graduated with honors, served in student leadership and was a multi-sport letterman and team captain, school reps said. Martin lives in New Orleans with his wife Jenna and their five children – four sons, one of which is a sophomore at Holy Cross School, and one daughter.
“Much of my career has been centered on instructing students through innovative strategic programming and initiatives designed to challenge the status quo,” Martin said. “I am humbled to serve my alma mater and apply my passion for teaching others to the young men of the Greater New Orleans Area. It is my hope that Holy Cross School will continue to be a beacon of life-long learning with an emphasis on respecting tradition, while fostering servant leadership and holistic growth.”
For more than 160 years, Holy Cross School has served the Greater New Orleans community as the premier young men’s college preparatory school, school reps said. After Hurricane Katrina devastated the original school complex at 4950 Dauphine St., the school relocated to its current 20-acre campus in Gentilly in March 2010. From pre-K through twelfth grade, Holy Cross is "One Family united by the Cross, Our Only Hope."
