Colégio Santa Cruz, São Paulo

Colégio Santa Cruz is a private educational institution located in Alto de Pinheiros, São Paulo. It was founded in 1952 by Canadian priests from the Congregation of Holy Cross.^[2] The school has notable alumni, including Chico Buarque, Fernando Meirelles, Candido Bracher, and Marcelo Rubens Paiva. It is a Catholic school, pluralistic, open to students of all religions, and committed to diversity of ideas and respect for different opinions.

Colégio Santa Cruz
Location
São Paulo , SP , 05466-000 Brazil
Coordinates	23.551°S 46.717°W / -23.551; -46.717
Information
Religious affiliation(s)	Catholic
Established	1952
Founder	Father Corbeil, C.S.C.
Headmaster	Fábio Aidar
Faculty	626[1]
Number of students	3,300
Classrooms	Campus Arruda: 93 classrooms
Campuses	Campus Arruda, Campus Butantã, Campus Orobó
Color(s)	Blue and Yellow
Nickname	Santa, Santinha
Affiliations	Congregation of Holy Cross
Website	santacruz.g12.br

The school has established itself as a prestigious humanistic educational institution, forming critical and engaged citizens.

Located in Alto de Pinheiros, the main campus, Campus Arruda, spans 50,000 m² and serves approximately 3,000 students, including regular and night courses (EJA and technical courses). The school also has a campus in the Butantã neighborhood for sports activities and social projects.

In 2021, the school launched the Santa Plural Program, which promotes anti-racist education. One of its pillars is increasing racial diversity in the school through quotas and scholarships for Black and Indigenous students.

In 2025, the school inaugurated Campus Orobó, dedicated to Early Childhood Education and the first year of Elementary School, serving about 300 children. Located one block from Campus Arruda, on a 3,000 m² plot, the new campus features spaces and facilities designed to enhance early childhood education.^[3]

Congregation

The Congregation of Holy Cross is the institution’s managing body. It is also affiliated with Colégio Santa Maria, located in the southern zone of São Paulo, as well as Notre Dame School in Campinas, São Paulo, and Colégio Dom Amando in Santarém, Pará.

Educational approach

The school's educational philosophy aims to foster the development of critical citizens with strong academic and cultural backgrounds, ethically committed to humanistic and Christian values.

The institution encourages critical thinking and autonomy as tools for personal fulfillment and active citizenship, promoting curiosity, reflection, and responsible freedom.

Notable alumni

• André Franco Montoro Filho, economist
• Candido Bracher, banker
• Chico Buarque OMC  • ComIH, singer, songwriter, and writer
• Didi Wagner, television host
• Domitila Becker, journalist and presenter
• Eduardo Giannetti, economist
• Fernando Grostein, filmmaker
• Fernando Limongi, political scientist
• Fernando Meirelles ORB • OMC, filmmaker
• Fernando Reinach, scientist
• Fred Wagner, entrepreneur
• Joel Pinheiro da Fonseca, economist
• Lucas Di Grassi, racing driver and former Formula 1 driver
• Luciano Huck, television host
• Mallu Magalhães, singer-songwriter
• Marcelo Rubens Paiva, writer
• Marco Bianchi, television host and comedian
• Mariana Kotscho, journalist
• Marina Person, actress, filmmaker, and presenter
• Paulo Bonfá, television host and comedian
• Paulo Vita, director and presenter of the channel Desimpedidos
• Ricardo Kotscho, writer and journalist
• Roberto Setubal, banker
• Theodoro Cochrane, actor and presenter
• Tim Bernardes, singer, songwriter, music producer, and member of the band O Terno
• Tó Brandileone, singer, songwriter, music producer, and member of the band 5 a Seco
• Xexa, former player of the Brazil men's national handball team
• Zeeba, singer and songwriter

Other notable people

• Father Charboneau
• Father Corbeil (Founder)
• Prof. Luiz Eduardo Cerqueira Magalhães (Former headmaster)
• Prof. Antônio Mendonça (Former teacher)