Notre Dame Belmont Empowering Young Women for 100+ Years
Voted Best Private High School in SF Bay Area For Three Consecutive Years
Welcome to Notre Dame Belmont As the Director of the International Student Program since 2012, I’ve had the honor of mentoring students from around the world, and guiding them on their path for admission to many of the top 100 U.S universities. Our program is designed to provide personalized support and guidance to ensure each student not only excels academically, but also thrives personally and culturally during their education at Notre Dame. Over the years, I have witnessed our students mature into confident, ambitious individuals contributing to the campus community a wealth of diversity and fresh perspectives. The young women representing multiple countries continue to impress us with their resilience, determination, and eagerness to succeed. This viewbook offers a glimpse into life at NDB—where students are supported, challenged, and encouraged to reach their full potential. Our goal is not only to prepare them for academic success, but also to help them become compassionate, well-rounded leaders who are ready to take on the challenges of university life and career. Please don’t hesitate to reach out if you have any questions. We’re here to support you every step of the way as you explore the opportunities that await you in our program. With warmest regards,
Raena Mullan Director of International Student Program rmullan@ndhsb.org
Proclaim God's Goodness
Dignify All
The Hallmarks of an NDB Education
Empower Young Women to Act for Peace & Justice
Commit to Service
Create Community
Embrace Diversity
Learn for Life
Distinguished Academics
Voted Best Private Named Best Private High School in High School Near SF Bay Area for Three Santa Clara Consecutive Years SFGATE spotlights the top-tier businesses and schools that make our Bay Area community shine, and Notre Dame Belmont has won the public vote as Best Private High School for three consecutive years.
SFGATE has named Notre Dame Belmont one of the best private high schools near Santa Clara. Private high schools on this list have an A+ rating from Niche.com, a 4-star rating from a minimum of 60 combined reviews from Niche, Google and Private School Review.
AP Honor Roll Platinum Designation
NDB Stands Out on Niche Best School Rankings
The AP School Honor Roll offers four levels of distinction: Platinum, Gold, Silver and Bronze. NDB has been designated as Platinum for our second consecutive year. In May of 2026, 212 students took 439 examinations in 20 subject areas. From this total, 71% earned a score of 3 or higher.
On Niche.com, NDB ranks: #3 in Best Catholic High Schools in San Mateo County #5 in Best AllGirls High School in the SF Bay Area Niche rankings are based on rigorous analysis of data and reviews.
FAMILY TESTIMONIALS "An NDB education is invaluable to myself, to my daughter and our family. The NDB community is so commanding of the spirit of empowering young women and building lifelong confidence. In any NDB student that you will meet, you will recognize an underying confidence that is folded into every aspect of the curriclum, community and extracurriculars at NDB. As a single mom, the faculty and staff are my co-parents and partners, and we are incredibly grateful to be here." Ena Aczon, Parent ‘29
"Receiving an education from NDB means that my daughter is going to be empowered, a real leader in the world, and that she's going to have a sense of confidence to go out there and do anything that a man can do, and do it better. That sense of empowerment is built into the fabric of the school." Bobby Thompson, Parent ‘26
"I love an all-girls education because it means that there will be young women in every single leadership opportunity in the school. At NDB, I was prepared academically, athletically and through my experience in student council to gain confidence and to move onto college, and now my daughters will be as well." Liz Stapleton Zerella '95, Parent '25, '27
"Every single teacher knows every single student and knows something about them in a unique kind of way. That doesn’t happen in your public school, and I think that’s important. The school will amaze you no matter what. To find my daughter a place that she likes, that she looks forward to going to every day - you just don’t find that anymore Notre Dame is exceptional." Mark Butler, Parent ‘27
ALL-GIRLS ADVANTAGE ALL ACTIVITIES ARE FEMALE-DRIVEN Whether it be participating on a student leadership board, starting a new club or leading a service learning project, students develop a tremendous amount of confidence in realizing that they, as women, are driving each of these school activities.
SELF-EXPRESSION BECOMES SECOND NATURE Research finds that it’s beneficial and powerful for girls “to see it in order to be it.” When students see their peers leading a club, excelling in student government or succeeding on the robotics team, they get the clear message that they too can excel in those areas. Expressing oneself, sharing their unique perspective and using their voice becomes second nature. This is the power of an NDB education.
100% 96%
BEING YOURSELF IS A SUPERPOWER
95%
Whether students are invited to speak their mind in class or sing chants of sisterhood at the top of their lungs at a rally, being oneself is a superpower. Being in an environment where every student is seen and appreciated for who they are inspires students to speak with confidence, develop leadership skills with prowess and ultimately create positive change.
93% 6x
“Being in an all-girls, smaller school environment gave me the confidence to step outside my comfort zone, take on leadership roles, and grow into who I am today.” Lily Logan ‘26 Psychology Major Villanova University
Introducing NDB’s New STEM Wing NDB’s STEM Wing is where experiments spark innovation, ideas become solutions and science meets purpose. Our new STEM Wing features cutting-edge labs and classrooms for biology, chemistry, forensics, physics, mathematics and more, creating immersive learning experiences that bring STEM to life. Unique to this space is a dedicated focus on ethics, encouraging students to explore ethical implications of scientific discoveries and technological advancements.
Tigers
are spirited.
Aquacades
Rallies and Assemblies
Class Spirit
Students bring an 80+ year tradition to life as they perform swim, dance and cheer routines with cheering that raises the roof off the building every year.
Spirit rallies are held several times during the year to honor NDB sports teams, recognize achievements and celebrate NDB school spirit.
Each class has its own class color and mascot, which strengthens the bond of sisterhood. Classes engage in spirit competitions throughout the year.
Tigers
are athletic. Year-round Athletics
16 Sports
29 Teams
Varsity Cheer, Varsity Pom
Fall Athletics JV/Varsity Cross Country, Varsity Golf, JV/Varsity Tennis, JV/Varsity Water Polo, Frosh/JV/Varsity Volleyball, JV/Varsity Flag Football
Winter Athletics JV/Varsity Basketball, JV/Varsity Soccer, Varsity Wrestling
Spring Athletics JV/Varsity Beach Volleyball, JV/Varsity Lacrosse, Varsity Softball, JV/Varsity Swimming, JV/Varsity Track and Field Laura Gill Director of Athletics lgill@ndhsb.org
Tigers
express themselves.
Art has the potential to expand and transform every student in miraculous ways. Many students share their artistic skills with their peers and have an opportunity to teach others. Some students arrive feeling as if they are not creative, only to find an opportunity to unleash a talent they had only imagined! Students participate in a variety of visual and performing arts:
Theatre Arts
Photo & Video
Band & Choir
Visual Arts
Dance
Tigers
engage with their co-ed peers.
The Best of Both Worlds. NDB students engage with their peers at Serra High School and Mercy High School through a variety of activities:
CO-ED ACTIVITIES Serra Frosh Splash NDB Frosh Dance Serra Tri-School Dance Winter Formal Prom Retreats Community Service
CO-ED ATHLETICS NDB students cheer on the Padres at Serra athletic games and Homecoming. NDB Spirit Team cheers at Serra games. Co-ed track and wrestling meets Serra Aquatic Center is home for water polo and swim meets.
CO-ED CLASSES Anatomy and Physiology AP Art History AP Chinese Language and Culture AP French Language and Culture AP Psychology AP Spanish Language and Culture Concert Band Creative Solutions for the Global Good Dance: Partnering and Performance Drama I, II, III, IV French III Honors French IV Mandarin I, II, III, IV Sports Management Sports Medicine Symphonic Band Jazz Band Video Production
Tigers
are faithful.
Spirituality is a lived experience that each of us embodies. We are a Catholic school and believe in the holiness and wholeness of each person. With 50 percent of the students being Catholic, 50 percent represent virtually every other faith tradition. By studying all world religions, NDB students embody acceptance, openmindedness, respect, social awareness and intellectual curiosity.
Spiritual Life Classes NDB empowers each student on her personal faith journey of social, emotional and spiritual growth. Students of all faith backgrounds are welcome, as they engage with their peers through the lens of their personal faith traditions.
Tigers
are leaders.
NDB students are positive, articulate and confident leaders. More than 185 members of the student body hold leadership positions and roles: On Leadership Boards: On the Field: Ambassador Leadership Board Athletic Team Captains of Associated Student Body 16 Sports and 29 Teams California Scholarship Federation Diversity, Equity, Inclusion and On the Stage: Belonging Board Tri-School Productions Hallmarks in Action Board Tri-School Chorus and Orchestra Link Crew Board Marketing and Communications Board In the Classroom: National Honor Society 21 AP and 15 Honors Courses Student Council/Homeroom Presidents On 30+ Clubs: On Academic Teams: Club Presidents Tigerbots Robotics Team Math Team Mock Trial
Tigers
are ready for the world.
NDB graduates are thoughtful, collaborative leaders. NDB graduates are prepared for careers not yet imagined because success comes from an ability to: Take initiative Practice intellectual curiosity Remain open-minded Be resilient Take responsibility Practice self-awareness Be socially aware Engage in teamwork
RECENT GRADUATE TESTIMONIALS "NDB teachers had a huge impact on my path to college. Their knowledge, kindness and passion made the classes I had with them so enjoyable and inspired me to continue studying STEM. NDB prepared me for my future by building my confidence. Being in a supportive all-girls environment allowed me to discover my passions in a comfortable, collaborative place." Maggie Blanchard ‘26 Electrical Engineering, Stanford University "At NDB, I learned the importance of building meaningful relationships while gaining valuable leadership skills. I was constantly encouraged to support others, grow as a person and lead with kindness. NDB encouraged me to step outside of my comfort zone and truly cared about my success both inside and outside of the classroom. The constant support, guidance and belief in me have helped shape me into the person I am today and have prepared me for success at Santa Clara University and beyond." Laila Daheb ‘26 Communications, Santa Clara University "NDB faculty's love for academics was contagious, and their amazing teaching skills and care for our personal well-being and academic journey inspired me to pursue biology in college. NDB has prepared me well for the future by giving me the unconditional vote of confidence and the ingredients to succeed—including the value of hard work, confidence, leadership and advocacy skills." Aleeya Baqai ‘26 Molecular and Cellular Biology, UC Berkeley “After being at Notre Dame, I felt prepared to go to a big college out of state. NDB prepared me for my future by giving me leadership skills that can help me succeed in any career field. NDB taught me that women and girl empowerment can be a powerful thing, especially in male-dominated fields and gave me skills, friendships and memories that will last a life time” Autumn Deetz-Rodriguez ‘26 Sports Management, Louisiana State University
Top University Acceptances
Auburn University Baylor University Boston University Brandeis University Cal Poly Pomona Cal Poly San Luis Obispo Cal State Long Beach Carleton College Carnegie Mellon Case Western Chapman University Clemson University Colby College College of William & Mary Drexel University Elon University Emory University Fordham University Georgetown University
George Washington Univ. Gonzaga University Harvey Mudd Indiana University Johns Hopkins Lafayette College Loyola Marymount University Middlebury College Michigan State University New York University Northeastern University Occidental College Ohio State University Oregon State University Penn State University Pitzer College Purdue University Rensselaer Polytech Institute Rochester Institute of Tech.
San Diego State Univ. San Jose State Univ. Santa Clara University Sarah Lawrence College Scripps College Southern Methodist Univ. Stanford University Syracuse University Texas Christian University Tulane University UC Berkeley UC Davis UC Irvine UC Los Angeles UC Merced UC Riverside UC San Diego UC Santa Barbara UC Santa Cruz
Univ. of Arizona Univ. of Colorado, Boulder Univ. of Denver Univ. of Illinois Urbana-Champaign Univ. of MA Amherst Univ. of Miami Univ. of Michigan Univ. of Montana Univ. of Oregon Univ. of Rochester Univ. of San Diego Univ. of San Francisco Univ. of Southern CA Univ. of Tennessee Univ. of Utah Univ. of Wisconsin Villanova University Wake Forest University Worcester Poly Tech
1540 Ralston Ave, Belmont, CA 94002 | 650.595.1913 | ndhsb.org | @ndbtigers