Notre Dame 2021 Guide to Giving & Getting Involved

Guide to Giving

& Getting Involved

Congratulations on choosing Notre Dame for your daughter’s education! You are an essential part of Notre Dame’s committed and caring community of parents and educators teaching young women what they need to know for life.

We invite you to actively participate in your daughter’s educational journey to becoming a confident, socially-responsible young woman who is an intelligent, active leader in the community.

Giving and getting involved is fundamental to maintaining and advancing the cuttingedge educational opportunities for the young women of Notre Dame today and in the future.

Opportunities to give and get involved at Notre Dame range from the ND Parent Fund to volunteering at an event, and from supporting tuition assistance to chairing a committee. All gifts and levels of participation are welcome, appreciated and celebrated!

Choosing to be a part of our culture of giving, whether through a financial gift or a gift of your time, demonstrates your commitment to expanding opportunities for the Notre Dame women of today and tomorrow.

Giving THE ND PARENT FUND The generosity of Notre Dame parents provides resources that keep Notre Dame ranked as one of the best all-girls high schools in the San Francisco Bay Area.

The ND Parent Fund is a critical component of Notre Dame’s Annual Fund, providing vital resources to grow our distinctive and award-winning academic and cocurricular programs.

The school’s two sources of revenue are tuition and gifts. Tuition income covers our annual costs to educate students, pay faculty and staff salaries, and operate the school. Beyond that, developing new programs and resources to support your daughter all depend on philanthropic gifts.

If you have questions about the ND Parent Fund, please contact the development office. Thank you for your consideration of meaningful involvement in your daughter’s academic journey. www.ndsj.org/parent-fund

TUITION ASSISTANCE Notre Dame’s celebrated diversity is one of the many reasons people choose our school. Nearly 27% of students receive some financial assistance to make their Notre Dame education possible. The generosity of donors who provide funding for tuition assistance ensures that young women from diverse socioeconomic backgrounds can experience the uniquely empowering environment of an all-girls education. You can facilitate this experience for a young woman who would not otherwise be able to afford a Notre Dame education by giving to tuition assistance or joining one of our scholarship giving circles—Sister Circles, ThirtyOne Women, Village Scholarship, or Impact ND. www.ndsj.org/tuition-assistance

EVENTS Mark your calendars! You won't want to miss these popular events!

• Women of Impact Luncheon October • Crab Fest February • Women of Impact Speaker Series September through June

CENTER FOR WOMEN’S LEADERSHIP Thanks to the extraordinary support of alum, families and the community, Notre Dame’s campus has been transformed. We invite you to commemorate your daughter and her Notre Dame journey with an engraved brick to be placed on the Women of Impact Plaza.

Take advantage of this special opportunity to recognize your daughter or another woman who has been influential in your life with a lasting tribute.

Money raised from the purchase of your brick will fund equipment, technology and furniture in the Center for Women’s Leadership. www.ndsj.org/bricks

Giving

(continued)

EMPLOYEE MATCHING Corporate matching gift programs help your donation go twice as far! Many employers will match any charitable contributions made by their employees. Contact your personnel or human resources department to see how your organization participates in gift matching.

FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS Q. What is the annual fund?

For many years, Notre Dame has been ranked as one of the most diverse private high schools in Santa Clara County. The annual fund is the backbone of Notre Dame High School’s fundraising program and supports our mission of educating young women. Parents contribute through gifts to the ND Parent Fund which is a component of the annual fund.

Q. Why does the school ask for a contribution to the annual fund in addition to tuition?

Parents of current students are asked to make a four-year pledge to contribute annually to the ND Parent Fund which provides resources that extend beyond tuition income.

As with all independent schools, Notre Dame is dependent on two sources of revenue to operate the school: tuition and fundraising. Gifts to the ND Parent Fund provide Notre Dame with resources that tuition does not cover and allows parents to benefit from the tax advantage that comes from making a donation, as opposed to paying increased tuition. As such, we expect all families to contribute by making a “stretch” gift on behalf of their daughters who attend. Unlike tuition payments, all gifts to the annual fund are 100% tax deductible to the extent allowed by law.

Q. Why doesn’t the board set tuition to cover all costs?

For years, Notre Dame has been ranked as one of the most diverse private high schools in Santa Clara County. Philanthropic gifts ensure that we are able to maintain the socio-economic diversity for which we are recognized. Keeping tuition affordable is paramount to our mission.

Q. How much should I give to the ND Parent Fund?

If you are able, we ask you to consider an annual gift of $5,000 per year over the next four years ($20,000 total pledge). If this is more than you are able to afford, please make a gift that is meaningful to you.

It is important that all parents participate in this giving program.

Getting

Involved

VOLUNTEER Volunteer opportunities abound, so be sure to check the parent page of our website regularly to see how you can be involved. You don’t have to wait for an event or opportunity to be listed though. Instead, share with us how you want to participate. And remember, your interest area doesn’t have to be the same as your daughter’s — get involved in any way that is interesting and meaningful for you. Just don’t wait! Four years will go by faster than you expect!

Watch for weekly ND News from the school and monthly emails from your friendly freshman parent mentors. They’re happy to help you get involved!

"When my girls entered high school, I thought my days of school involvement were over. What I found instead is a vibrant and welcoming parent community where I can continue to be involved in the lives of my daughters and their friends through their shared experiences, as well as explore my interests and make new friends at the same time. I’ve been able to experience Notre Dame from a different perspective than my daughters but it has been no less rewarding, and I only wish I had gotten involved sooner."

Cynthia Olavarria NDPA Chair 2021-2022

(Gabrielle ‘21, Ayiana ‘23)

To be added to the NDPA email list, please visit:

www.ndsj.org/NDPA-Interest

There are many opportunities to volunteer your time, from home or on campus, for an hour or a whole day!

Here are just a few.

Co-curricular and academic programs - chaperone a field trip, provide office help, serve as a photographer School events - volunteer for set-up, clean-up or as an ambassador or chaperone for our many events, including Open House, Spirit Week, Homecoming, dances Development events - procure donations, help with setup or supervise student helpers at events including Crab Fest and Women of Impact Career & Life Program - be a guest speaker or mentor, host a company tour, provide job shadow or intern opportunities As a Notre Dame parent, you are a member of the Parent Association (NDPA), it’s purpose being to support all areas of the Notre Dame community.

Welcome! We can’t wait to meet you!

Cynthia Olavarria, Chair Cindy Hendrickson, Past Chair ndpachair@ndsj.org

I'm here to help!

Shannon Chastaine DEVELOPMENT MANAGER (408) 294-1113 ext 2123 schastaine@ndsj.org

596 S. 2nd Street, San Jose, CA 95112 | (408) 294-1113 | (408) 293-9779 Fax | www.ndsj.org/support-nd