VISION 2020 CAMPAIGN

ADVANCING OUR CATHOLIC MISSION: VISION 2020 CAMPAIGN

During the 2018-19 academic year, NDP engaged the entire community in strategic planning. Together we articulated and prioritized goals to advance our Catholic mission and, ultimately, established the Vision 2020 Campaign. This vision represents our collective aspirations for our students and accounts for the ever-changing educational landscape.

Thanks to the generosity of our donors, NDP began construction of the St. Catherine of Bologna Performing Arts Center in the Fall of 2019. This facility will have a tremendous impact on the entire student experience at NDP and provide the following opportunities:

“Be careful always to do good.”

ST. CATHERINE OF BOLOGNA

Academic space to support theater, instrumental, choral and digital media programs Expansion of the performing arts curriculum to include theater tech and stage design Gathering space for large community events, including Mass, Christian service activities, lectures, parent gatherings and House meetings

We continue to engage donors and secure funds for this project. Once funding is covered, we anticipate moving quickly to address other needs, including the completion of the Stadium Complex, STEM classrooms and the construction of “Saints Hall” to accommodate indoor dining and large gatherings, among other priorities.

AND JUST LIKE THAT COVID-19 Changed Everything

Without warning, we were told by government and health officials that we needed to shut down our school for two weeks, then four weeks and the

next thing we knew, our campus was closed for the remainder of the year.

We didn’t get to say goodbye, see ya later or have a nice summer. Nope, when everyone left for spring break last year it was last we saw of each other for months!

Our faculty and administration worked quickly and tirelessly to adjust to online learning and instruction, keeping our academic standards high. We kept in constant contact with our community through video classrooms, daily newsletters, social media and email updates as the situation unfolded. We were #togetherapart.

We stayed focused on what makes us a special community, with livestreamed Mass and Adoration so that we could pray for an end to the pandemic together. We celebrated the annual May Crowning of Mary social distance style, with flowers dropped off through car windows.

Our 2020 Reflection Auction was held online and over the span of four days, we raised more than $75,000. Of course, we missed the Fashion Show, but we celebrated our seniors with a virtual toast

when the online auction ended.

As a community, we remained focused on service to others. We held two extremely successful emergency drive-thru food drives.

We broke the record for the number of pounds of food delivered to St. Mary’s Food Bank by a single organization in a day. Our students and families made 2,000 peanut butter sandwiches, and decorated thousands of lunch sacks with

inspiring messages for homeless teens served by The Aris Foundation.

On May 14 (what would have been graduation day) Mayor Jim Lane of Scottsdale joined us for a drive-thru senior celebration. Seniors and their families drove through Loop Road lined with members of our faculty and staff congratulating them on completing high school. A month later, we pulled off what seemed to be the impossible; we held a socially distanced outdoor commencement ceremony and gave our graduates that moment to walk across the stage and begin their future as Notre Dame Alumni.

Yes, COVID-19 changed everything and we grew to trust in God and each other more faithfully. “We held two extremely successful emergency drive-thru food drives. We broke the record for the number of pounds of food delivered to St. Mary’s Food Bank by a single organization in a day.”