Gateway Express Fall 2023

Message from the

PRESIDENT Dear Families, Alumni and Friends, It is my pleasure to share the first Gateway Express of the 2023-2024 School Year! It is hard to believe that we are nearly 8 weeks into the year! We’ve been busy, as this year’s enrollment is 543 students, up 31% over last school year. We’ve been blessed to welcome 216 new students, their families, and several new faculty and staff members to our school community.

As you know, the Academy actively lives our mission to educate the whole person for life and upholds the Hallmarks of a Sisters of Notre Dame de Namur Learning Community. This year we place a special focus on Hallmarks 2 and 5: “We honor the dignity and sacredness of each person” & “We embrace the gift of diversity.”

I am happy to share the news that the New England Association of Schools and Colleges (NEASC) recently voted to grant Continued Accreditation to the Academy. This marks the end of a two-year, comprehensive re-accreditation review process, a process that helped us to identify our strengths and opportunities for growth. Thank you to all those who supported this process!

With Appreciation,

Dr. Vittoria Pacifico President

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NAMES AND FACES OF NDA MEET SR. JOANNE SULLIVAN ’68 We are excited to report that NDA welcomed 543 students on the first day of school! This significant increase over last year allowed the Academy to hire a number of new faculty and staff members including our first Sister of Notre Dame in over four years, Sr. Joanne Sullivan.

Sister Joanne is no stranger to NDA Tyngsboro, having graduated from the Upper School in 1968. Her role at the Academy will include working with leadership to strengthen our mission and ministry programming as well as build community partnerships within the Merrimack Valley. Sister Joanne, former principal of St. Patrick’s School in Lowell, will be a valuable asset and resource to the Academy. We are blessed to have her and the presence of the Sisters of Notre Dame with us once again!

We prepare students for life’s greatest tests.

MCAS isn’t one of them.

Join us for An UPPER SCHOOL OPEN HOUSE WEDNESDAY, November 8 • 6:00 pM - 7:30 pM Home to Merrimack Valley’s only geodome for hands-on environmental learning

Register at admissions@ndatyngsboro.org or call 978-649-7611, ext 351

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RACHEL MORRISON ’05 SCIENCE LAB The Academy is delighted to share that the construction of the Rachel Morrison ’05 Science Lab, a new state-of-the-art laboratory on the third floor of the Upper School wing will soon be underway.

Architectural renderings are completed and contractors are ready; Now we need you!

We are grateful to the Morrison family and our Science Lab supporters for continuing to partner with NDA as we honor Rachel’s memory and strengthen NDA’s commitment to science education and STEAM initiatives. The addition of this third lab will ensure adequate lab space for our rapidly growing high school enrollment and will enable the Academy to expand our science curriculum in all disciplines, including biochemical-tech level labs. This new space will also allow us to enhance STEAM-related extracurricular offerings for our students.

NDA already has $260,000+ committed to this project toward our goal of $500,000. We need new partners to make this dream a reality. If you are interested in enhancing the educational experience for our students, there are a number of ways you can help!

WAYS TO SUPPORT THE RACHEL ANNE MORRISON ’05 SCIENCE LAB 1. MAKE A CONTRIBUTION TO THE SCIENCE LAB. Gifts of all sizes are welcomed and will be used to purchase lab equipment and consumables such as glassware, lab aprons & protective eyewear, molecular biology laboratory kits, reagents, micropipettes, etc.

2. IN-KIND DONATIONS are also welcome after faculty approval. If interested please contact Lauren Marquis at lmarquis@ndatyngsboro.org.

3. PARTICIPATE IN THIS YEAR’S RACHEL’S RUN on Saturday, November 18, 2023. All proceeds from this event will go directly to supporting the Rachel Morrison ’05 Science Lab.

4. SPREAD THE WORD. Share the exciting news with your social and business networks who may be interested in making this science lab a reality for our students.

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HOMECOMING On Saturday, September 30, we welcomed more than 500 families, alumni, community members and friends to campus for NDA’s annual Homecoming. The weather cleared making it a lovely day to celebrate the spirit of the Academy. NDA volleyball and soccer teams put on stellar performances, students and family members smiled wide as they rode the amusement rides and jumped high in the bounce house.

Tasty food was consumed, friends old and new mingled and alumni toasted to the memories of their alma mater. The day concluded with a 4 PM Community Mass in Our Lady’s Chapel as we gave thanks for our many blessings. We hope you will save the date for next year’s event!

JOIN US FOR RACHEL’S RUN Saturday, November 18, 2023 8:00 AM - 11:00 AM

Each November, the NDA community comes together to remember Rachel Anne Morrison, Class of 2005 valedictorian and 12-season runner. After she graduated, Rachel would come home for Thanksgiving RACHEL’S RUN and organize an alumni run with her cross country coach, Harry Mann.

AND COMMUNITY WALK Saturday, November 18, 2023 After her untimely passing in 2014, her family sought to preserve that tradition through the establishment of Rachel’s Run, a 5K on the NDA cross country trail now known as Rachel’s Trail. 100% of every tax-deductible registration fee and/or donation will support the construction of the Rachel Anne Morrison ’05 Science Lab, a new state-of-the-art facility on the third floor of our Upper School wing. PARTICIPATE IN THIS YEAR’S RACHEL’S RUN

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Celebrate the holiday season with NDA! This special night will feature student performances, a festive silent auction, delicious hors d’oeuvres and signature cocktails, and the chance to mix and mingle with the Academy community. Registration will open soon.

WELCOME HOME, ALUMNI! Alumni and reunion classes ending in 3s and 8s gathered at an Alumni Reception following Homecoming on Saturday, September 30th. Classmates and friends began their celebration with Mass in Our Lady’s Chapel followed by cocktails and delicious hors d’oeuvres in the Parlors.

It was a lovely evening filled with smiles and laughter, and stories of the past and present. Guests were serenaded by NDAs glee club which added a special touch to the evening.

Classes ending in 4s and 9s, we look forward to welcoming you back next fall to this new annual event.

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UPCOMING ALUMNI EVENTS YOUNG ALUMNI PANEL

THURSDAY, JANUARY 4, 2024 • 11 AM - 1 PM

Are you a recent graduate? Alumni from the classes of 2019 through 2023 are invited to share your college experiences with current NDA seniors. Tell them what you have learned about college academics, dorm life and extra curricular activities, as well as how you are putting the value of your NDA educational experience to good use. After the panel, enjoy lunch with the seniors, faculty and staff.

ALUMNI BASKETBALL GAME

SATURDAY, JANUARY 6, 2024 • 1:00 PM WARM-UPS • 2:00 PM TIP-OFF

Relive the glory days! Hit the parquet with former teammates and current NDA basketball players at the annual Alumni Basketball Game on Saturday, January 6. Share stories, laughs and competitive camaraderie as you scrimmage for bragging rights! Families and fans are welcome!

For registration and more information for these events please visit ndatyngsboro.org/alumnievents/ or call (978) 649-7611 Ext. 323.

ST. JULIE LEGACY SOCIETY The St. Julie Legacy Society was established to honor individuals who have included the Academy in their estate or trust plans. The Society is named after Saint Julie Billiart, the Foundress of the Sisters of Notre Dame de Namur, whose visionary mission and legacy continues to meet the needs of our times. Alumni, family, and friends have an opportunity to leave a lasting legacy that will provide for the Academy’s future and for generations of students to come.

If you have included the Academy of Notre Dame in your estate plans or would like more information about joining the St. Julie Legacy Society, please contact the Office of Institutional Advancement at jklein@ndatyngsboro.org or (978) 649-7611, Ext. 332.

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DECADES OF DEDICATION TO NDA Kim McGovern, from the class of 1981, has been a faithful donor to NDA since shortly after her graduation going back to 1987. Recently, the alumni office started to recognize donors whom we can count on every year by creating the Loyal Lancer Giving Society. Loyal Lancers are donors who have given consecutively for three years or more. Kim has been giving consecutively for over 15 years!

We chatted with Kim to learn more about her passion and faithfulness to NDA. Kim shared that giving to the education of others is one of her highest priorities.

She gives to her college, her children’s school, and NDA, which is always high on her list.

Her time here was instrumental in giving her a worldview beyond her small neighboring town of Dunstable. She is forever grateful for those who gave philanthropically back in the 80s so that she could have a scholarship to attend. She believes that the quality of teachers and focus on students and their personal growth at NDA was extraordinary.

Kim McGovern (far left) celebrates reunion with classmates.

She fondly remembers her time as a player on the basketball team when she experienced one of the championship years as a freshman. Mrs. Innis, beloved NDA English teacher, had an enormous impact on her life. Mrs. Innis opened up her life to the world of books, poetry, and universal stories. “I spend the weekend on my couch, re-reading Ulysses,” she recalls Mrs. Innis sharing. Kim went on to major in English and Government before attending law school.

“EDUCATION IS THE GREATEST GIFT WE CAN GIVE OUR CHILDREN OR TO SOMEONE ELSE’S CHILDREN.” - Kim McGovern ‘81 If you’d like to join Kim by becoming a Loyal Lancer or making a gift to scholarship, please reach out to Lauren Marquis, Director of Institutional Advancement, or go online ndatyngsboro.org/giving/.

Thank you, Kim, for sharing your story and inspiring us all!

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Victoria Wasylak, a 2013 graduate and awardwinning music journalist, has been selected

by Forbes for the publication’s inaugural 30 Under 30 list for Boston. This distinction follows Victoria’s three Boston Music Awards for “Music Journalist of the Year” (2019, 2021, 2022) and the 1,500-plus articles she has written for The Boston Globe, Vanyaland, and Paste. Victoria has a decade of experience in the realm of music and culture journalism, and recently ventured into podcasting for two years, writing scripted episodes of DISGRACELAND, the number-one most downloaded music podcast in the world. Her episode on Taylor Swift is one of the most-downloaded episodes in the show’s history. She currently serves as Music Editor, Boston, at Vanyaland and City Editor at BOStoday.

Do you know a Legendary Lancer? Help us identify Legendary Lancers who are upholding the NDA values of service, justice, peace, dignity, community-building, and diversity in their lives. Nominate a Lancer (or honorary Lancer) who deserves to be recognized for their hard work, dedication, or kind heart! by emailing alumni@ndatyngsboro.org. #LegendaryLancers

SPOTLIGHT ON SOCIAL MEDIA

The Office of Institutional Advancement has been adding content to our Instagram, Facebook, and LinkedIn social media accounts. If you want to stay up-to-date on all the cool stuff happening at NDA in real time, then give us a like, follow, and share. If you missed out over the last few months, you need to check out the inspiring wall mural painted in the Upper School hallway by Natalie Foy ’23 on Instagram and Facebook.

You can also connect with fellow alumni, parents and friends on LinkedIn. If you are searching for a job or networking opportunities and want to tap into your NDA network, then please add NDA as your alma mater to make you searchable to fellow alumni!

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THANK YOU TO OUR GENEROUS DONORS Thank you to all those who supported the Academy during the 2022-2023 School Year. We look forward to recognizing all our donors in our Annual Report, which will be mailed next month. We had an ambitious goal to raise $2.2M for NDA in one year, but thanks to the generosity of our community, we squeaked past our goal,

RAISING $2,280,449 FROM 998 DONORS!

This is the highest single year of fundraising in Academy history, which enabled us to invest in tuition assistance, technology, faculty development, curriculum, wellness programs, extracurriculars, and campus improvements. It takes a village to raise a child and it takes YOU to continue our mission to educate the whole person for life. Thank you for your commitment to NDA.

GROWING TOGETHER TREE CAMPAIGN “YOUR CHILDREN WILL GROW LIKE A TREE IN THE GRASS, LIKE POPLAR TREES GROWING BESIDE STREAMS OF WATER.” – ISAIAH 44:4

The Academy is excited to offer our community the opportunity to adopt one of five trees that will replace diseased trees taken down while the school was being connected to the Town of Tyngsboro’s sewer system and installed 22 light posts along our iconic front drive.

We will begin our efforts to plant five mature Ginkgo Biloba Trees across from each light post to further enhance the school’s entrance and in support of our commitment to Laudato Si, Pope Francis’ encyclical on care for our common home – earth. They will serve as a beautiful reminder of our obligation to protect nature and of the people for whom they are dedicated.

With a gift of $10,000, supporters will receive a ground plaque in front of the tree to commemorate their contribution to this important project. We hope you’ll consider honoring a classmate, family member, student, faculty member, or friend by making a $10,000 pledge.

More information can be found here or call the Advancement Office at (978) 649-7611, Ext. 321.

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LANCERS ON A MISSION: AN UPDATE FROM CAMPUS MINISTRY Since the start of the school year, our Campus Ministry Office has guided our community as we “commit ourselves to community service” and “honor the dignity and sacredness of each person.”

HERE ARE SOME OF THE AMAZING ACTIVITIES AND INITIATIVES OUR STUDENTS HAVE PARTICIPATED IN TO DATE: • The Classes of 2024 and 2027 had Community Day Retreats • We hosted two ALL SCHOOL LITURGIES, one with our third annual Blessing of the Stuffed Animals for the Feast of St Francis • We developed a new partnership with the COALITION FOR A BETTER ACRE to provide our campus grown produce to those most in need • 72 high schools students (and faculty volunteers) spent the night in solidarity with the homeless by sleeping outside at our second annual CAMP OUT TO STAMP OUT HUNGER • We made 350 sandwiches for the ST FRANCIS HOMELESS MINISTRY, which provides meals to tent communities in Greater Lowell • We peeled and chopped 125 pounds of vegetables for the SAINT VINCENT DE PAUL FOOD PANTRY • Students made 30 fleece blankets for the HOUSE OF HOPE • Our community saved more than 2,000 bottle caps from the landfill for the BOTTLE CAP SUNFLOWER MOSAIC PROJECT as part of September’s NDA Cares • We gathered more than 780 items for the Nashua Food Pantry for October’s NDA Cares • September’s CASUAL DAY FOR A CAUSE, “Dot Day,” benefited our arts department, and was used to purchase 10 barrels full of clay, which will be used to create pottery in a new kiln • October’s Casual Day for a Cause invited students to dress in any shade of blue for a $1 donation, providing 12,650 gallons of clean water to children throughout the world through the Sisters of Notre Dame CLEAN WATER FOR LIFE project.

COMING UP: “Fleece Navidad: Make-One, Take-One Blanket Project” will start on Monday, December 4. If you’d like to donate materials, come to the event or make a blanket at home, please contact Jamie Deignan, Campus Minister.

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THERE ARE MANY WAYS THAT YOU CAN ENGAGE WITH OUR SCHOOL COMMUNITY! ATTEND AN EVENT VOLUNTEER YOUR TIME

Reach out to Lauren Marquis in our Advancement Office if you want to explore volunteer opportunities.

CELEBRATE MASS WITH US

NDA’s liturgies are open to families, alumni and guests. Please check our school calendar or contact Jamie Deignan, our Campus Minister.

CHEER ON OUR LANCERS

Our student athletes would love to see you at sporting events! Check our school calendar for the schedule.

MAKE A GIFT -

NDA is reliant on philanthropic support to thrive. Please consider making a charitable donation to the Fund for Notre Dame or an initiative of your choice.

RECOMMEND NDA TO A PROSPECTIVE STUDENT

Our enrollment cycle for the 2024-2025 school year has already begun. Please share our Upper School Open House date (Wednesday, November 8, 2023) or connect a prospective family to Charlotte Kelly, Director of Admissions.

SPREAD THE GOOD NEWS

Follow us on Facebook @ndatyngsboro and Instagram @nda_tyngsboro for candid photos, stories about our amazing alumni, student news and other happenings on campus. Please share our news with your friends.

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