Dear Members of the NDP Community:
As Notre Dame Preparatory School enters its 151st year of transformational education rooted in our Catholic faith, the Board of trustees is pleased to share “transforming the Future,” a three-year strategic plan that seeks to lay a strong and sustainable foundation for the school’s continued excellence.
this plan was developed using a process that incorporated input from many NDP stakeholders including donors, alumnae, school leadership and administrators, faculty, staff, and members of the Board of trustees. the result is a single, integrated plan that will, over the next several years, help to focus and align the efforts of administration, faculty, and staff, as well as the work of the Board of trustees.
We are grateful for the leadership of the Board’s Strategic Planning Committee, school leadership, and faculty and staff members who chaired the various work groups and committees that collaborated on the diverse aspects of this plan. Our gratitude also goes to all of you who participated in the surveys, discussions, and meetings in which NDP as a community identified and articulated the vision, pillars, and initiatives contained herein. In addition to the document developed via this process — a document intended to guide all our efforts in the years to come the many hours spent in conversations among diverse groups of stakeholders are invaluable to NDP as a community. the combination of common ground and diversity we experienced with each other will continue to enrich and inform our work together as we move forward.
rooted in NDP’s history and identity, the plan represents a particular expression of our collective aspirations and intentions at a specific point in time, the 150th anniversary of NDP’s founding. The process of considering and articulating our desired future is ongoing as we celebrate our successes, identify areas for improvement, and respond to the shifting environment in which we live and work. Only the mission and the overall goal remain constant: to educate young women to transform the world in the finest tradition of our SSND founders.
Sincerely,
Sister Jane Forni, SSND, ed.D. Chair of the Board
Sister Patricia McCarron, SSND, Ph.D. Head of School
our ViSioN
Notre Dame Preparatory School, true to its Mission, is the leading Catholic School for girls in Maryland; it empowers its young women to grow into faith-filled, compassionate, and confident leaders who will have a positive impact in the world.
our miSSioN
Notre Dame Preparatory School educates and empowers girls to become women who transform the world. As a Catholic, independent, college preparatory school for girls in grades 6 through 12, Notre Dame Prep inspires students to pursue academic excellence, spiritual growth, and the practice of justice. Infused with the spirit of the School Sisters of Notre Dame and rooted in the teachings of the Catholic Church, the NDP community strives to answer God’s call “…to act justly, to love tenderly, and to walk humbly with God.” (Micah 6:8)
PillArS for The fuTure
Over 18 months, the Board of trustees, the Strategic Planning Committee of the Board, and School Leadership, together with input from faculty and staff, administration, parents, alumnae, donors, and other key constituents, identified five key themes in NDP’s three-year Strategic Plan:
PILLAr
AcADemicS
Strengthen our transformative academic program to ensure it remains current and relevant
Notre Dame Preparatory School believes in promoting academic excellence in an environment that is transformative and uniquely suited to each girl’s interests. We will continue to develop signature programs and leadership initiatives that reflect best practices and incorporate cutting-edge technology to optimally prepare our graduates for college and beyond.
iNiTiATiVe 1: Design programming that supports individual student needs and fosters continued academic development and personal growth.
iNiTiATiVe 2: ensure a dynamic and interdisciplinary curriculum that cultivates responsible leadership, global awareness, and preparedness for success in college and beyond.
iNiTiATiVe 3: establish Notre Dame Preparatory School as a technology leader.
PILLAr 2
cATholic iDeNTiTy
reaffirm a strong commitment to our catholic identity, catholic Social Justice Teaching, and the charism of the School Sisters of Notre Dame (SSND)
Our vision embodies this strong commitment to the teachings of the Catholic Church rooted in Gospel values and the unity-centered charism of the School Sisters of Notre Dame. these beliefs make us unique among other schools, are woven into the fabric of the School, and are at the heart of all we do at NDP.
iNiTiATiVe 1: Provide faculty and staff tools to embody the vision.
iNiTiATiVe 2: enhance the opportunities for students to live out Catholic Social teaching.
iNiTiATiVe 3: Create and sustain an environment conducive to experiencing the presence of God at NDP.
PILLAr 3
fAculTy AND STAff
ensure Notre Dame Preparatory School is a career destination for outstanding faculty, staff, and coaches
Dedicated teachers and a supportive staff are at the heart of the School Sisters of Notre Dame’s mission to provide an unsurpassed, well-rounded education for girls. this belief compels us to recruit, develop, retain, and care for an enthusiastic team of excellent, diverse, and mission-driven faculty, staff, and coaches who feel meaningfully supported.
iNiTiATiVe 1: retain our outstanding faculty and staff.
iNiTiATiVe 2: Make Notre Dame Preparatory School a career destination for superior teachers.
iNiTiATiVe 3: Develop our faculty and staff so Notre Dame Preparatory School remains at the forefront of educating girls.
PILLAr 4
STuDeNT exPerieNce
Shape confident, motivated, and secure women who are well-prepared for life
Appreciating that students are much more than their academic achievements and recognizing that each is unique, Notre Dame Preparatory School adopts a holistic view toward the development of the whole person while ensuring it aligns with the individual’s needs, values, aspirations, and the mission of the SSND. Our approach encompasses extracurricular involvement, physical and mental wellness, spiritual growth, and a sense of belonging.
Notre Dame Preparatory School nurtures self-confident, faith-filled, motivated, and well-prepared women through a holistic education that honors the unique needs and values of each student in alignment with the SSND mission. this approach fosters spiritual growth, physical and mental wellness, and a strong sense of community belonging.
iNiTiATiVe 1: ensure that extracurricular activities and events support student wellness.
iNiTiATiVe 2: enhance the Middle Level and upper Level Advisory Program.
iNiTiATiVe 3: Align student-centered initiatives and programs with the needs of the NDP community.
fiNANciAl SuSTAiNAbiliTy AND effecTiVe STewArDiNg of reSourceS
effectively, efficiently, and creatively increase and steward our resources to make our vision of the future a reality
We envision a future where Notre Dame Preparatory School stands out as the leader in educating girls. We understand that to remain on the cutting edge of middle school and high school education, we must constantly monitor, upgrade, and invest in our academics, faculty and staff, and facilities to ensure that our program is second to none. To do so requires efficient and creative approaches to maximize our operating funds and our endowment so we have the capital necessary to make our strategic goals a reality.
iNiTiATiVe 1: Align Advancement with Strategic Plan priorities.
iNiTiATiVe 2: Strengthen our financial systems to achieve strategic goals and enhance operational excellence.
iNiTiATiVe 3: recruit and retain outstanding students and families who reflect and support the school’s mission and values.
iNiTiATiVe 4: Increase and effectively allocate resources to meet current and future strategic goals and program needs.
NoTre DAme PrePArATory School
boArD of TruSTeeS 2024–2025
Sister Jane Forni, SSND, ed.D., Chairperson
Patrick Antkowiak
Karyn Danielczyk Bauer, CPA ’93
April e. Bell, Ph.D.
William Benassi
James Brennan
Margo Bryant ’91
Victoria B. Chou, M.S., Ph.D. ’92
Michael Constantine
rosanne Lucas DiFonzo
Matthew C. Franke
Mary Glagola
Allison Nicolaidis ’94
John Schiech
Jennifer Brune Speargas ’92
richard Stromberg
Kathleen Willis
Kathy Stanley Wilmot ’77
Sister Mary Fitzgerald, SSND— SSND Liaison
Sister Patricia McCarron, SSND, Ph.D.— Ex Officio
JenniferPoitras — Faculty Representative
