“It’s the well-rounded student who will be successful in the classroom and also contribute to the community. What you put into high school is what you get out of it, and often the students who put in the most like it the best.”
--- Christopher Cipriano, Principal
At Notre Dame, we like to say the pillars of our education are character, faith, and intellect. But these aren’t just words. We stress these three pillars every day, in all we do with our 480 students. Our students come from 32 towns and we provide transportation from several towns.
One of the hallmarks of Notre Dame is our service to the community. Our students are required to complete service hours in the community each year. They practice 26 Acts of Kindness, a response to the tragedy at Sandy Hook. Some spend a week building homes in rural Appalachia. Some spend a weekend in Camden, NJ. And they do it all while balancing a rigorous academic program led by teachers who encourage debate and discussion and seek out hands-on ways to make learning relevant. At Notre Dame, students are encouraged to develop their natural talents, explore new ones, and become the best they can be both intellectually and spiritually.
Our college preparatory curriculum along with a Honor and High Honors curriculum prepare students for the rigor of college. AP classes are offered to students beginning sophomore year. A select number of first-year applicants are invited to pursue their education as Notre Dame Distinguished Scholars. The Notre Dame Distinguished Scholars Program is grounded in a challenging and diverse curriculum featuring interdisciplinary inquiry, independent initiative and commitment to academic excellence. Studying and learning together in this small, high-honors group, a community of scholarship and intellectual curiosity is fostered, on a more advanced level, for future studies and opportunities in higher education. All Distinguished Scholars complete an off-campus capstone project in the Senior Experience Program. Students in the Distinguished Scholars Program are invited to participate in an international Advanced Studies summer program at Oxford University, England, at the world-renowned Brasenose College.
After learning more about ND, you will agree that Notre Dame is a special place. More than a school, it’s a place where students, faculty and staff come together as a community. It’s a place that students enter in ninth grade and leave four years later having grown academically, spiritually, and socially. And it’s a place where those students forge connections and learn to think in ways that will shape their lives for years to come.
We also believe in the learning that takes place outside of the classroom. Our students are involved in 30 athletic programs, 36 clubs and are offered various opportunities to listen to outside speakers expanding their knowledge on a variety of topics. Our students leave here prepared for college and the world beyond.
Our Vision at Notre Dame is very clear. We are energized in our quest for excellence and in our purposeful growth in character, faith, and intellect. As a diverse learning community, we educate to develop the whole person—to provoke the mind, enkindle the heart, and foster the search for truth, goodness, and beauty. We are collaborators and innovators, using our knowledge and wisdom to serve our community, solve problems, and have a positive impact in society.
The fulfillment and joy of a Christ-centered life is encountered in our culture of vibrant Catholic faith. As Imitators of Christ, we are servant leaders—courageous, moral, and engaged, striving through God’s grace to be leaven in the world.
One of our greatest strengths is that we prepare students for the rigors of college. The Guidance Office is available to assist students to discover and develop their aptitudes, interests, and opportunities so that they may enrich their lives and attain their maximum potential whether it is in further education or immediate entry into the world of work. We have a strong record where 100% of our students are accepted to college and last year received over 18 million dollars in scholarships.
The department aids in helping students make career plans. This includes recommendations and suggestions involving application to college and other schools of higher learning. The school feels that the selection of college is the decision of a student and his/her family, although counselors assist in the process when invited to do so.
Workshops on topics such as college testing, financial aid, and college selection are held annually for students and their parents. In addition, Notre Dame serves as a testing center for the SAT's during the school year. Representatives from colleges across the country visit Notre Dame during the fall to meet with students interested in specific schools.
Sacred Heart University and UCONN have each entered into mutually cooperative relationships with Notre Dame High School allowing our students the use of their collegiate educational resources. Our students can earn college credit while still in high school. Sacred Heart University allows our students to use their library and other facilities. They also offer qualifying students a fifty-percent discount on their tuition.
There’s an energy to Notre Dame, and you can feel it when you walk the halls or visit a classroom. But don’t take our word for it—come visit, and experience the magic of this place for yourself.
