building IMPACT THE NEWSLETTER OF NOTRE DAME HIGH SCHOOL | FAIRFIELD, CONNECTICUT | FALL 2017
Dear ND Family, Our academic year is off to an exciting start. With a student body exceeding our goal of 520 students, we welcomed
Link Welcomes Class of 2021 Students heading into their first year of high school can be overwhelmed with excitement—and just a smidge of trepidation.
a freshman class of 141—our largest
There are schedules to keep, locker combinations
incoming class in many years. It was
to memorize—not to mention a slew of new faces
application, essay and interview process to make
extremely motivating to see so many
and potential friends.
sure each was committed to the program.
new faces on the first day of school.
With a new and ambitious Strategic
old orientation program that pairs freshmen with
Ms. Cipriano said. The one-day event has evolved
Plan to guide our planning and
upperclass mentors to help make the transition to
into a support system that carries through the
growth, the future of Notre Dame is
high school as smooth as possible.
whole year, including the freshmen social, a movie
truly bright. We have already hit the
night and a midterm exam study session.
ground running with many ideas and
says Ms. Joanna Cipriano, who oversees the
new initiatives. Utilizing the talents of
popular program with fellow teacher Ms. Jessica
Leaders to make the program even better for our
all of those in our building—students,
Medoff. “Link Crew works because it is structured
freshmen,” she says.
faculty and parents—we will no doubt
and fun at the same time.”
continue to provide an excellent
for Director of Admissions Gaetano Marra, who
Catholic education while building
welcome for the Class of 2021, cheering and high-
recorded a 40 percent increase in class size from
character, faith and intellect in each
five-ing the 141 freshmen, the largest incoming class
just seven years ago when ND welcomed 87
student.
in years.
freshmen.
Christopher Cipriano PRINCIPAL
Enter Link Crew, Notre Dame’s three-year-
“Starting high school can be really stressful,”
This year, Link Crew held its annual first-day
From there, the day was spent on games
The 40 mentors were chosen through an
The Link program grows with each class,
“We look forward to working with our Link
Link Crew’s success comes at a great time
Students in the Class of 2021 hail from more
and upbeat activities to help freshmen relax, be
than 35 different communities, he says.
themselves and get to know one another. School
tours helped acclimate them to their new academic
the Distinguished Scholars Program (DSP). Now in
home.
its second year, this comprehensive, four-year high
Fourteen of the freshmen were accepted into
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