Notre Dame High School 2019 Admissions Brochure

e c n e i r Expe

Look Inside 3-4 5 - 12 13 - 16

Why Notre Dame Women’s Education Catholic Tradition

17 - 22 College & Career Preparation 23 - 28

Access & Opportunity

29 - 32

Urban Landscape

33 - 36

The Notre Dame Experience

"What I like the best about Notre Dame is the sense of sisterhood. The Notre Dame community is welcoming and it's very diverse. Being part of such a close-knit community gives me support that I know I can count on, from academics to co-curricular activities."

Divya '20 1

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Why

Notre Dame

Since 1851, Notre Dame has provided a distinctive Catholic, college-preparatory education for the young women of Silicon Valley. Building on a strong tradition of teaching students "what they need to know for life," Notre Dame educates today’s young women for leadership, global citizenship and socially-responsible entrepreneurship. Our rich urban landscape and innovative programs cultivate young women with strong voices who will bring intelligent compassion to their world — young women who become active leaders in our local, national and global communities. We further commit to that vision with the construction of the Center for Women’s Leadership, a classroom building with learning labs, a center for career and life success, and a meditation space to promote spiritual growth.

I invite you to learn more about Notre Dame's history, strong and sustainable finances, leadership, programs and students. Visit our campus and witness the transformative impact of a Notre Dame education.

In Notre Dame,

Mary Beth Riley NCEA Catholic Secondary Schools Educational Excellence Award Silicon Valley Business Journal 100 Women of Influence YWCA Tribute to Women Award

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Women's

Education

Educating young women who dream broadly about the future and are uniquely positioned to achieve those dreams is at the heart of the Notre Dame experience.

Studies have shown that students thrive in an all-girls environment. They are more confident, have higher career aspirations, and are more competitive and willing to take positive risks. Young women studying STEM subjects in an all-girls environment have been found to outperform their counterparts at co-educational schools. Additionally, such an environment fosters more meaningful relationships with teachers and mentors.

As the oldest all-girls school in the western United States, Notre Dame has an established history of providing education that develops young women of impact.

Notre Dame's Education for Justice and Leadership program defines the distinctive curriculum that forms young women for compassionate and socially-just leadership.

5

D

21

regional & national conferences

AR

college preparatory courses offered

D IV

W

100

14

LE

A

year tradition of educating women

+

faculty members presented at

FE M

168

18 AP CSP 20

E R SIT Y

A

2018 AP Computer Science Principles

FEMALE DIVERSITY AWARD WINNER

6

"One of my favorite memories is being part of the Woman's Place Project (WPP). Through the deep research and writing components, I was able to honor a woman that inspired me as a person and as a future influential woman. The WPP brought me together with my class and also helped me learn about myself on a deeper level. It also allowed me to show my creative side and my analytical side too."

Alisa '22

Learn more about our integrated approach to women's education.

View our flipbook at: www.ndsj.org/WomensEducation

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Distinctive Program: Women's Leadership

23

years of Woman’s Place Projects

created by more than

3,795

FRESHMEN

100

%

OF SENIORS

design & implement a capstone servicelearning project

SIGNATURE EVENTS THAT SUPPORT

WOMEN’S LEADERSHIP

YO U N G W O M E N Ê S

A DVO C AC Y S U M M I T

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EvidenceB ased Practices "Notre Dame provides an innovative emphasis on learning in areas that are often dictated by rote memorization. In place of a traditional finals week, we are given a variety of projects and assessments that require us to apply what we've learned over the year. Notre Dame also hosts demos and workshops in collaboration with local organizations where we learn more about real-world applications. In my trigonometry class, I designed a structure to transport water from a tank into a cup with the help of Santa Clara University engineering students.

This project let us see how engineering and mathematics are used to create the infrastructure we use daily."

Sandhya'21 11

BENEFITS

SCHEDULE

of our learning & assessment model:

• 85-minute block scheduling with mentoring, free block and community building

• Promotes learning rather than memorization

• Aligns with emerging trends in universities

• Late start on some days allows for extended sleep time, life-skills workshops, faculty interdisciplinary work time, personalized support and time for group and project work

• Blends traditional assessments with current best practices

• Designated unstructured time promotes student choice

• Supports student wellness • Develops skills alongside content

98%

98%

99%

100%

of students report that ND has a strong sense of learning and achievement *

of current students feel that ND meets or exceeds their learning needs *

of students believe that ND’s academic program requires a high degree of learning rigor *

of surveyed alumnae report feeling academically prepared for college

* 2018 Notre Dame WCEA student survey data

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Catholic

Tradition

At Notre Dame, we develop spirituallygrounded young women. Guided by the wisdom of Saint Julie Billiart, foundress of the Sisters of Notre Dame de Namur, we have provided a relevant and challenging Catholic education for more than 168 years.

Through our program, students at Notre Dame develop a strong spiritual core and sense of self as well as their individual perspective on social issues. Under the direction of the religious studies and ministry faculty, students engage in their journey through theological inquiry and spiritual practice. More than 102 student leaders help plan and implement Catholic liturgies as well as opportunities for meditation, reflection and prayer for students of all faiths.

All students take religious studies courses, participate in spiritual retreats and serve at local agencies in the community. Seventyseven percent of students exceeded their community service-learning requirement.

As young women of service and impact, they are spiritual seekers and justice advocates who take their place as community leaders.

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in the state of California for

3

consecutive years

STUDENTS SERVED:

17,653

HOURS

Top 10

Catholic High School

of community service with

90

local agencies

120

Notre Dame is

ONE OF

SCHOOLS IN A GLOBAL NETWORK SPONSORED ACROSS

5 continents by the

Sisters of Notre Dame de Namur

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"The Catholic learning community at Notre Dame is inclusive. Faith plays an important role in all of our lives.

In addition to regular religion classes, we have liturgies at the Cathedral Basilica in downtown San Jose. It's a beautiful experience and I find these liturgies to be a powerful way to share our faith."

Addie '21

Learn more about our Notre Dame Catholic tradition.

View our flipbook at: www.ndsj.org/CatholicTradition

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College & Career Preparation

A Notre Dame education empowers today's young women for college degrees and careers in emerging fields and encourages them to develop personal skills for a whole and healthy life.

Notre Dame prepares students for college and beyond through a program of personal support and access to opportunities, both key to helping students discern their life path.

In preparation for college admissions, students at all grade levels take standardized tests and more than 80% of our juniors and seniors choose to take Advanced Placement exams. Beyond traditional testing, we prepare students through assessments that demonstrate skill and applied learning. On average, 60% of seniors choose a college or university in California and 40% matriculate to a school in another state or country.

Within our innovative learning environment, tech integration and design thinking prompt students to be solution-finders and active citizens. By leveraging the extensive life and career knowledge of our community partners, parents and alumnae, we help each student discern her life path and empower her to explore possibilities for the future.

LAST YEAR

170 116

college representatives visited campus 17

Career & Life Skills

community partners provided career experiences and served as guest speakers

200

+ ALUMNAE

23

visited campus for

NETWORKING EVENTS with current students

350

+

students have participated in Notre Dame's nationally recognized

College Application Prep Class

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College Readiness

AP PASS RATE

100

• Biology

• Chinese

%

• Spanish Literature & Culture

90

ABOVE

• Calculus BC Subscore

%

• Computer Science Principles • English Language & Composition • Psychology • Spanish Language & Culture • U.S. History

SAT in Evidence-Based Reading & Writing

710 ND Upper Quartile

• Statistics

CLASS of 2019

647

ND Mean

536

ND Upper Quartile

96

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offered in scholarships to 153 students Graduates matriculated to schools that are:

640

ND Mean

531

National Mean

• World History

%

$

National Mean

SAT in Math

730

18

MORE THAN MILLION

DEMONSTRATED SUCCESS

of ND students passed one or more Advanced Placement tests

• 51% Private

100

%

of seniors were accepted to colleges and universities

71

%

of the students in the Class of 2019 are matriculating to one of the Princeton Review’s

BEST 382 COLLEGES

Most popular majors

• 36% UC/CSU

for the Class of 2019:

• 6 CC or Gap %

• 15 Out of State Public %

• 3% International

25 %

of graduates

matriculated to highly selective colleges (accepting 33% of students or less)

• Psychology/Cognitive Science/Neuroscience • Chemistry/Biology/BioChem • Business/Econ • Computer Science • Nursing • Political Science/International Affairs • Engineering • Arts (Visual/Performing) • Environmental Science

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Distinctive Program: Career & Life Success Experiential Learning Our unique learning opportunities include community partnerships, guest speakers and interdisciplinary field trips at each grade level.

10 Essential Skills for Career & Life Success Notre Dame's ten career and life skills are integrated throughout the curriculum: • • • • •

Adaptability Collaboration Communication Critical & creative thinking Cultural competency

• • • • •

Discernment Personal efficacy Philanthropy Solution-finding Wholeness

"I have attended a variety of cohorts for STEAM and I learned about many things that are being used in technology today.

One woman spoke about artificial intelligence, which is a subject that I am deeply interested in learning more about. She spoke about how it's part of her job and helped me learn more about the subject with an intriguing presentation. I love being able to attend the STEAM speaker series because they help me learn more in areas that I want to study in the future."

Raiya '21 Learn more about our commitment to college and career preparation.

View our flipbook at: www.ndsj.org/CollegeAndCareerPreparation

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Access &

Opportunity

Notre Dame's rich program offerings and smaller student body translate to more opportunities for students. Our focus is on engaged learning, every day and for every student.

Six co-curricular programs, more than 30 different clubs and organizations and a rich Global Education program provide students with myriad opportunities on and off campus.

Over the last two years, 24 justice, leadership and cultural immersion trips have taken students to destinations around the world.

Through these experiences, students learn to work with diverse populations in a variety of settings to build global perspective, cultural competency and cultural fluency.

On campus, Notre Dame co-curricular offerings are led by adults with area expertise who provide guidance and structure while allowing students to learn by doing and experiencing rather than simply watching.

This unique approach cultivates resilience, builds hands-on skills and helps students develop a growth mindset, understanding that learning is a process without limits or preconceived boundaries.

MORE THAN

90

%

of students believe there are leadership opportunities available to all students at Notre Dame

23

30k

square foot

Center for Women’s Leadership UNDER CONSTRUCTION

320

+

on & off-campus opportunities for students to showcase talents

LAST YEAR

157 14

STUDENTS traveled to DESTINATIONS as participants in our Global Education program

326

elected and selected leadership positions are available 24

Athletics Students have access to 10 sports and 17 teams, with 35 athletes achieving league awards last year

Campus Ministry 100% of students participate in service, retreats and liturgies

Robotics Four committees form 1 team with 20 coaches and 10 corporate sponsors

Speech & Debate Students participated in approximately 30 tournaments and hosted one on campus last year

Student Leadership Our program includes formal leadership training for all students in their sophomore year

Visual & Performing Arts Students participated in more than 50 performances and exhibits on and off-campus last year

Learn more about our wide variety of co-curricular opportunities.

View our flipbook at: www.ndsj.org/AccessAndOpportunity

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Reasons to Love ND "One of my favorite memories each year is Spirit Week, a time of celebration when students can express their ND and class spirit. We have a different dress-up theme every day and school rally every day after class. Spirit Week reminds me of the strong ND community that I'm a part of and allows me to appreciate all the friends I've made."

Layla '22 TOP REASONS

• Academics • Opportunities for development of career and life skills

parents choose to • Innovative learning environment send their daughter to • Leadership opportunities Notre Dame • Safe environment

• Daughter's choice

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165

+

STUDENTS at freshman sleepover each year

MORE THAN

8,500

+

ALUMNAE NETWORK

TOP REASONS

seniors love their Notre Dame experience

3,185 crazy costumes

FOR SPIRIT WEEK

• Personal support • Challenging classes • Grade-level bonding • Clubs & activities • Leadership opportunities • Use of technology

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Urban

Landscape

A Notre Dame education extends well beyond the footprint of our downtown campus, out into the tenth largest city in the United States and the thriving center of Silicon Valley.

Classes regularly visit historic landmarks, civic and political organizations, and culturallyrich communities within walking distance of campus. Recognized as the most diverse private school in Santa Clara County for the past three years, Notre Dame prepares students for careers in an increasingly global society. In addition, studies have shown that diverse learning environments lead to better critical thinking and problem-solving skills.

Our location in the SoFA district provides students with easy access to the art and culture center of San Jose. Classroom learning across the curriculum is applied in real-world contexts through visits to our local neighbors including the Martin Luther King Jr. Library, Guadalupe River Park, the Tech Museum and San JosĂŠ State University.

These are just a few of the rich resources that provide opportunities for faculty to empower students to think critically and creatively about the world around them.

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36

downtown doors

have featured Notre Dame student art

WITHIN WALKING DISTANCE:

3

professional theatres

12

museums & galleries

14

places of worship

30

67

walking field trips to

23

downtown destinations

"Notre Dame uses resources in our downtown neighborhood like theatres and museums to enhance our learning. For example, last year our English II Honors class was reading the Merchant of Venice and so we walked across the street to watch the City Lights production of the play. Our use of downtown San Jose provides students with a chance to see how what we are learning in class relates to the real world outside our gates."

Reeya '20

families easily access campus from

4

68

ZIP CODES

330

families carpool to campus

ND SHUTTLES run daily to/from the Diridon station & campus

Learn more about the benefits of education in a downtown setting.

View our flipbook at: www.ndsj.org/UrbanLandscape

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Notre Dame

Experience

Sisterhood, diversity and joy are evident at Notre Dame every day. This unique spirit began with the two women from very different backgrounds who founded the Sisters of Notre Dame de Namur.

They appeared to have so little in common.

Julie Billiart’s family was considered peasant stock. Françoise Blin de Bourdon was a member of the aristocracy. Although it was not immediate, a deep friendship developed between these two women whose lives were so different. Together they founded the Sisters of Notre Dame de Namur, the sponsoring community of Notre Dame High School.

The sisterhood they shared is replicated at Notre Dame every day. Through activities that have become well-loved traditions, students develop strong bonds of friendship.

It begins with the freshman sleepover, where the class chooses the colors and mascot that will identify them throughout their four years at Notre Dame. The friendships that begin forming are strengthened each year through class color days, retreats, events and everyone’s favorite, Spirit Week!

After graduation, students continue the experience of sisterhood by being part of the oldest women's alumnae network in California, creating the opportunity for lifelong relationships.

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"Notre Dame's environment is always so warm and friendly with great faculty and staff always there to support students.

Being at an all-girls school allows young women to discover their true selves and become more confident. Notre Dame encourages students to take on leadership roles and lead a life as a woman of impact, which is incredibly compelling to me."

Vanessa '21

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OPEN HOUSE: Saturday, October 19, 2019 10:00am to 1:00pm

8TH GRADE DAY: Monday, November 11, 2019 8:00am to 12:00pm

SHADOW VISITS: For 8th graders from September through December

PLACEMENT TESTS: Saturday, January 11, 2020 Saturday, January 25, 2020

APPLICATION DUE: Thursday, January 9, 2020

7TH GRADE PREVIEW AFTERNOONS: Monday, April 27, 2020 Wednesday, April 29, 2020 To register for events and apply online, visit:

Notre Dame AT A GLANCE:

10:1 student to faculty ratio

34

640

student clubs & interest groups meet at lunch

23

average class size

30

Honors & AP courses

FOLLOW US

www.ndsj.org/admissions

@notredamesj

for campus updates and student accomplishments

Mission Statement Notre Dame High School, in the heart of downtown San Jose since 1851, provides young women an exemplary Catholic, collegepreparatory education to become life-long learners, spiritual seekers, justice advocates and community leaders. We are inspired by Saint Julie Billiart and the Sisters of Notre Dame de Namur. We empower young women and “teach them what they need to know for life.�

596 S. 2nd Street San Jose, CA 95112 408-294-1113

www.ndsj.org