Message from the
PRESIDENT Dear Alumni, Families, and Friends, The start of the school year has been energizing, productive, and filled with opportunities for our NDA learning community to live our mission each day. Faculty and staff have been diligently preparing for an accreditation visit from members of the New England Association of Schools and Colleges (NEASC) in early November. This visit is part of a multi-step evaluation process of the standards, environment, and culture that make up NDA. I am grateful for the hard work and thoughtful effort that have positioned us well for this assessment as we reflect on our strengths and recognize areas for growth. Our Campus Mission & Ministry Office has been very busy this fall. In early October, students in the Upper School participated in “Camp Out to Stamp Out Hunger”, an overnight event designed to bring home the realities of food insecurity and homelessness. Our community also celebrated the Feast of St. Francis with a Mass and a special visit and blessing of local farm animals. Thanks to a generous donor, the Academy also now has its own passenger bus that will enable our students to complete more mission work throughout the community and participate in student life activities on a regular basis! I feel fortunate to be among a community of people who consistently seek ways to make a difference and challenge themselves to do more. This is our mission at work and it makes us the best we can be today while ensuring our success for tomorrow. Sincerely,
Dr. Vittoria Pacifico President
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T H E G AT E W AY E X P R E S S
Rachel’s
RUN
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lease join us on Saturday, November 19th for Rachel’s Run. This annual event commemorates the life and spirit of Rachel Anne Morrison, NDA Class of 2005. In year’s past, 100% of every donation and registration fee from the event benefited the Rachel Anne Morrison ’05 Memorial Scholarship and the Rachel Morrison Scholar/Athlete Award for graduating seniors, and supported initiatives that were dear to Rachel’s heart, specifically science and athletics. Over the years the event has grown and evolved thanks to the generosity of the Morrison family and all participants.
This year, we are delighted to announce that 100% of the proceeds from the 2022 Rachel’s Run will support the construction of the Rachel Anne Morrison ’05 Science Lab, a new state-of-the-art laboratory on the third floor of our high school wing. We are grateful to the Morrison family for continuing to partner with us as we honor Rachel and strengthen NDA’s commitment to science education and STEAM initiatives. The Rachel Anne Morrison ’05 Science Lab will provide our students, the majority of whom, like Rachel, go on to pursue STEAM majors and careers, with a new space for hands-on discovery, learning, and innovation. We hope you will consider being a part of this special project by participating in Rachel’s Run and/or making a gift to the Rachel Anne Morrison ’05 Science Lab. ndatyngsboro.org/rachelsrun/
NDA’S BIO-BUILDER
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team
DA has started their first ever BioBuilder team! BioBuilder, offered by MIT, is an innovative science and engineering program for schools all around the nation. NDA’s BioBuilder Team, nicknamed the “Bio-Lancer” is advised by Upper School biology teacher Dr. Wang, and includes four team members from the high school. During L to R: Maya Bergeron, Jomana Elghamrawy, Abigail Nunes, the season, ranging from October-March, members are Katherine Duanmu and team advisor Dr. Wang able to conduct their own individualized experiments from the provided lab testing kits. At the end of the season, the Academy is invited to present in the virtual Final Assembly in March. The goal for this season is to effectively participate in the program and establish a strong process that will help members learn about synthetic biology. (By Katherine Duanmu ’25)
CAMPUS
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ministry
T H E G AT E W AY E X P R E S S
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he Campus Ministry and Mission Office has some new mascots! Dolores and Miguel, the Deignan family’s pet rabbits, have a new temporary home at NDA and plenty of eager caregivers.
DONOR
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thank you
hank you to Catherine Oganowski ’06 and Oganowski Farm in Dracut for donating thirteen beautiful mums for our Chapel.
ciao T
ITALIA!
his month, the Academy’s Upper School welcomed a delegation of students from Novara, Italy as part of our inaugural exchange program with Liceo Classico E Linguistico Statale Carlo Alberto. Visiting students will be staying with Upper School families, attending classes with their Lancer peers, and visiting some of the attractions in Greater Boston. During the April 2023 break, 11 NDA Upper School students will travel to Novara, Italy to visit Liceo Classico E Linguistico Statale Carlo Alberto and stay with their new Italian friends.
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T H E G AT E W AY E X P R E S S
ANNUAL FUND
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update
e’d like to thank more than 1,000 generous donors who supported the Academy last academic year and helped us raise more than $2.1 million! Your annual donation to the Fund for Notre Dame is a vital piece of the philanthropy puzzle, as it helps us bridge the gap between the educational experiences that are covered by tuition and all the opportunities we actually provide to our students in fulfillment of our mission to educate for life. Your gift supports our school in a number of areas, such as student tuition assistance, curriculum, athletics and extracurriculars, faculty and staff development, capital improvements, technology, classroom supplies, and more. If you can only make one gift to NDA this year, make it a gift to the Fund for Notre Dame. We strive for high levels of participation from alumni, families, faculty, staff, and friends, because every gift makes a difference! We hope we can count on your generosity again this academic year. Your support allows us to meet the immediate needs of our student body and plan for the future. Thank you for considering a gift to NDA. Link to ndatyngsboro.org/giving/
HOMECOMING
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recap
n Saturday, September 24th NDA welcomed over 500 alumni, families, and friends at this year’s Homecoming. The day was filled with food and fun and Mother Nature did not disappoint. The Academy was honored to dedicate the 22 light posts that now line the front of the school thanks to the generosity of more than 245 donors. The lights now shine brightly in recognition of alumni, families, parents, grandparents, faculty members and friends who have been important members of our school community. We hope you will Save the Date for next year’s Homecoming!
join us T
T H E G AT E W AY E X P R E S S
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FOR CAREER DAY
he Alumni Office is in search of Career Day Mentors! On Wednesday, December 7th the Alumni Office and the school counselors from the Upper School will host a Career Day for grades 8 through 12. Alumni and parents are invited to speak with students about exploring careers, effective job search strategies, how to market themselves in a competitive environment, and what they should be doing now to be successful in the future. If you would like to speak with students about your career path please register here. If you would like to participate in this event virtually, we will be able to host Zoom sessions as well as in person discussions.
blue & gold
ONLINE AUCTION
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he Blue & Gold Online Auction is now live! Keep the momentum of investment in the Academy alive and don’t forget to bid to benefit NDA before the Auction which wraps up on November 6. The entire NDA community, near and far, can bid on special gifts, unique items, one-of-a-kind classroom projects, and fun experiences! Proceeds from the auction will benefit the new Sr. Kathryn Fund for Student Development, supporting the areas of our school that were most important to her. With your support, we will enhance the student experience through an investment in athletics, academics, scholarships, student life, and faculty support. ndatyngsboro.org/onlineauction/
NDA
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open house
he Academy is hosting an on-campus Open House for interested students and families on Thursday, November 3rd at 6:00 PM. Meet NDA Faculty and Staff, Principal, Athletics Director, and Upper School students. Tours of campus and a dynamic student panel will help you learn more about our academics, extracurricular activities, and student life. Learn more about why so many families choose NDA! To register CLICK HERE
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T H E G AT E W AY E X P R E S S
in memory
OF MR. STEPHEN FLYNN
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ecently, NDA lost Mr. Stephen Flynn, our beloved English Teacher & Drama Guild Director. In his four short years at the Academy, he left a lasting impact on both his students and fellow colleagues. The following is an excerpt from a faculty profile written by Campus Minister Jaime Deignan, which speaks to Mr. Flynn’s love for theater and his dedication to educating the whole person: When Mr. Stephen Flynn was 12, his mother took him to Boston to see a production of Camelot. “I instantly fell in love with musical theater,” he said. This life-long love affair has led to directing a total of 237 shows to date- professionally, at the college, high school, and middle school level, and in community theater. Mr. Flynn is also an actor and singer who performed professionally at The Bucks County and Pocono Playhouses in the roles of Julian March in 42nd St., Daddy Warbucks in Annie, Don Quixote in Man of La Mancha, Lazar Wolf in Fiddler on the Roof, and Max in The Sound of Music. He was also a singing host on the Disney Cruise Ships! Through his many years in theater arts, Mr. Flynn recognized the huge benefits to exercising the theatrical part of the brain. “I have found that becoming involved in the performing arts not only helps the student who is ordinarily shy to open up, but also allows students to find their voice and become more confident as well as more disciplined.” Mr. Flynn also felt that the theater was a place where everyone can feel like they belong and are welcome. “Whether backstage or onstage, there is room for everyone. It is a great bonding and learning experience, and no prior experience is needed.” He encouraged all of his students to be involved in some way, because he valued the importance of educating the whole person for life at NDA. “If you want a place to lose yourself, be creative, lend a helping hand or meet people who may become your lifelong friends, then theater is the place you want to be. There is no greater bond that one can share than with a fellow actor or techie. All are accepted, and none are turned away!” The entire Academy community celebrated the life of Mr. Flynn at the All Saints Mass on Tuesday, November 1 at 1 pm in Our Lady’s Chapel. Thanks to the generosity of our families, a scholarship has been created in Mr. Flynn’s name. If you would like to make a gift in memory of Stephen Flynn, please visit our website.