Message from the
HEAD OF SCHOOL Dear Friend, I am pleased to share the latest issue of the Gateway Express with updates from our vibrant, hardworking, and creative NDA community. As you can imagine, the pandemic has had a dramatic impact on how we serve our mission, but we ARE serving it! Our faculty, staff, and students have not missed a beat as we continue to find creative ways to teach and learn in these unprecedented times. Educating the whole person has never been as relevant and necessary as it is today, especially in light of the national conversation around racial injustice in America. The Academy stands with the black community, and I invite you to read our statement about the current events in our country if you haven’t had a chance to see it. Challenged by a global pandemic and presented with a powerful teaching moment, it has been our task over the last few months and the foreseeable future to ensure that our students continue to be educated, supported, protected, and valued, and for that I am so proud. We are developing plans to continue serving our students and area families over the summer through a reimagined Camp NDA, with virtual opportunities for students of all ages. As our school prepares to re-open this fall, the leadership and crisis management teams are closely following federal, state and local guidance as well as participating in webinars on best practices. We will be sharing our new expectations to reduce risk, keep our school community safe, and create contingency plans should there be a need to close for any reason. To put our plans into action and ensure students are able to return to campus, there will be needs, which is why I am hoping those who are able will join us on June 8th for our first Day of Giving, #NDAforGood. For those of you who have been on the Academy’s “frontlines” (I’m talking to you parents, teachers, and staff!), have kept NDA in your thoughts, have reached out with resources and advice, and have made gifts to benefit the urgent needs of our students and school community, thank you. We are grateful to you beyond words and we will continue to need you and others who care about NDA as we chart a brave course for the future. By coming together, we will emerge a stronger, wiser, and more compassionate community. Stay well, Dr. Vittoria Pacifico
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T H E G AT E W AY E X P R E S S
innovation
UNPRECEDENTED TIMES CALL FOR
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s the world continues to combat an ever-changing pandemic, people everywhere are wondering how they can lend a helping hand. Since the start of quarantine a multitude of projects have been launched to ease the societal effects of coronavirus. We have seen many of our school community members participate in these projects, but one of our students in particular has been using innovative technology to create much needed front line personal protective equipment. Aimee Lewis, Class of 2020, and her father, Andy, of Litchfield, NH, were gifted a 3D printer a few years ago and have since turned it into one of their biggest quarantine hobbies and ways to give back. The father-daughter team began printing face shields in late March once a design by the National Institutes of Health was approved by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services for use in hospitals. Aimee explains that “it is a basic face shield that allows for safer working conditions for hospital employees. The top part of the shield is printed and is held on the wearer’s head using a form of elastic that goes around the back of their head. The plastic shield is actually a binder divider designed by Avery.” Each top part of the shield takes two and half hours to print. So far, they have delivered over 60 shields to people in their town who work in hospitals, nursing homes, and extended care facilities. In the fall, Aimee will be off to the University of Chichester (UK) where she plans to study sound engineering. We are so proud of you, Aimee! To learn more about the specifications of this project please click here.
Thank you
CATHOLIC SCHOOLS FOUNDATION
The Academy has been awarded nearly $25,000 in scholarships for current and new students from the Catholic Schools Foundation (CSF). The grants are part of a multi-million dollar effort by CSF to support Catholic elementary and high schools in the Archdiocese of Boston. A portion of the grant will provide Emergency Funding for NDA families impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic. Join the movement to support our students and the Academy’s crisis response by donating to the Urgent Needs Fund.
T H E G AT E W AY E X P R E S S
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DA has been so impressed with and uplifted by stories of our community members doing good in the world that we decided to make it a thing! Help us identify Legendary Lancers who are upholding the NDA values of service, justice, peace, dignity, community-building, and diversity in their lives, and particularly during these trying times by nominating a Lancer (or honorary Lancer) who deserves to be recognized!
SPECIAL STUDENT DELIVERIES SPREAD
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cheer
ith end of year celebrations being reenvisioned, NDA creatively spread love and cheer to our graduates from Kindergarten, 8th grade, and 12th grade! Car parades made special deliveries in the form of lawn signs, handmade posters, and graduation memorabilia! The traditional NDA Medallion was also hand delivered to each member of the Senior Class. Thank you to our dedicated faculty and staff for your commitment to our students!
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Celebrating
THE NDA CLASS OF 2020 Charli-Rei Aldana-Proulx
Erin Doughty
United States Naval Academy
Emmanuel College
Chemistry and Political Science
Business Finance
Katherine Aste
Aleah DuBois
Molly Berard
Nina Duong
Colby Sawyer College Writing & Photography
UMass - Boston Undeclared
Rachel Deshaies
Jenna Ebeed
Merrimack College Chemistry
Boston College Psychology & Neuroscience
Norwich University Computer Science & Aeronautical Engineering
Suffolk University Computer Science
Mai Detzel
Olivia Elmstrom
Merrimack College Nursing
UMass - Amherst College of Humanities
Olivia Gavlak
Aimee Lewis
University of Tampa Film & Media Arts
University of Chichester, UK Sound Engineering
Uyen Thuy Ha
Martina Maximovich
UMass - Lowell History
Columbia University
Jocolener He
Teagan McCaffrey
UMass - Amherst Sociology
Saint Michael’s College
Criminology
Cherry Jin
Rowan McComas
Computer Science
Financial Engineering
NH Institute of Art Graphic Design & Illustration
Erin Kunze
Hannah McLeod
Marist College Film & TV Production
College of the Holy Cross Economics
Nora Leach
Brianna Monteiro
University of California - LA
Fordham University English
Merrimack College Undeclared
Julianna Muiruri
Wentworth Institute of Technology Mechanical Engineering
Ayana Nangle
UMass - Amherst Computer Science
Michelle Nguyen University of Connecticut
Lana Sukkar University of South Carolina Biomedical Engineering, Pre-Med
Joy Tu Suffolk University
Art and Design
Danielle Wuerdeman
Computer Science
University of Rochester Molecular Genetics
Rhea Patel
Aurelia Yan
UMass - Amherst Political Science
University of Washington
Jasmin Sabah
Annie Zhang
Brandeis University
Communications and Education
Neuroscience
UMass - Amherst Psychology
Lucera Story
Reiga Zhu
Middlesex Community College Chemistry
Syracuse University Forensics and Biochemistry
T H E G AT E W AY E X P R E S S
NDA’S DAY OF
O
giving
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TO BENEFIT URGENT NEEDS FUND
n Monday, June 8, 2020, NDA will host its first Day of Giving, #NDAforGOOD. The goal: 166 gifts, in one day, to support our students now and into the future. All gifts (unless otherwise designated) will benefit the new Urgent Needs Fund in support of vital tuition assistance for families impacted by the pandemic, professional development for distance learning and the changing landscape of teaching, technology enhancements for in class and virtual programming, as well as to ensure that the Academy is up to the challenge of supporting our students during unprecedented circumstances. We understand that we are not all in a position to give at this time, but we hope those who can will join us with a gift. Don’t forget to follow us on social media for some fun surprises and guest appearances on June 8th! Together we can do good! Make a Gift
NDA
O G
ather via the magic of the internet for Tykes & Tales! Our friends in Pre-K and Kindergarten are welcome to join us for a story and craft hosted by our awesome admission director, Elisa Lellios! Learn more and participate in the fun.
golf
TOURNAMENT NEWS
ut of an abundance of caution for the health and safety of our players and staff, we recently made the difficult decision to cancel the 28th Annual Golf Tournament scheduled for June 8, 2020. We have been working very closely with Vesper Country Club to select an alternative date and will update our community as information becomes available. We hope that our golfers and sponsors will consider joining us on June 8th for our first day of giving and virtual celebration of the Academy’s mission and commitment to our students, NDA for Good. Gifts on this day will support NDA’s Urgent Needs Fund in response to the COVID-19 pandemic. We appreciate your dedication to the Academy and we look forward to seeing you on the links at a later date.
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T H E G AT E W AY E X P R E S S
SPREAD THE
word
SUSAN SCANLON BRADLEY MEMORIAL SCHOLARSHIP AND WALK-A-THON
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o you know any families looking to explore their options for High School? Make sure to send them our Virtual Preview of the NDA Upper School! It’s a great way to learn about NDA and all the unique academic, extra-curricular, and athletic opportunities open to Lancers.
hile we may not be gathering at the track on Saturday, June 6 for the annual Susan Scanlon Bradley Memorial Walk-athon, that doesn’t mean that we can’t come together for a good cause. On June 6, we encourage our community to get outside and take a walk in memory of Sue, a beloved member of the NDA family and mom to Mikaela ’10, Lauren ’18, and Daniel. (Take a photo and share it with us using the hashtag, #NDAWalksforSue.) The Walk benefits the Susan Scanlon Bradley Memorial Scholarship for NDA 8th graders entering the high school and we look forward to announcing this year’s recipient very soon! All those interested in making a donation to the Bradley Scholarship can visit our website.
START YOUR
day
WITH NDA!
Join Upper School Guidance Counselor, Lauren Fish, each day for a prayer and daily reflection on the NDA Facebook page.