Notre Dame High School Parent Brochure 2017

e c n e i r e p Ex

Look Inside

Why Notre Dame 3-4 Women’s Education 5-8 Catholic Tradition 9-12 College & Career Preparation 13-16 Access & Opportunity 17-20 Urban Landscape 21-24 The Notre Dame Experience 25-28

"I love Notre Dame’s community and diversity.

All students and faculty care about each other.

We have a strong sense of sisterhood that fosters a safe and supportive environment.

We include everyone and embrace different cultures."

Charlotte '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.

I invite you to learn more about Notre Dame. 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

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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, are more competitive and willing to take positive risks. Girls studying STEM subjects in an all-girls environment have been found to outperform their counterparts at coeducational schools. Additionally, an allgirls 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.

Through a program focused on leadership development, critical thinking skills, complex problem-solving abilities and effective communication, our students are empowered to find their voice and use it to bring about the change they want to see in the world.

166

year tradition of educating women 5

17

faculty members

presented at regional and national

conferences last year

297

elected & selected leadership positions available to students on campus

8,000

+

ALUMNAE NETWORK

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Innovative Schools Network Notre Dame is the only school in Silicon Valley included in this prestigious education network.

Academic Pathways Students can personalize and specialize their learning in areas of interest.

Leadership Development Each student can develop her leadership skills and experience through exemplary curricular and co-curricular programs.

Technology as a Tool At Notre Dame, technology empowers student-centered learning and allows for global collaboration.

Personalized Support The size of our student body encourages personalization and access to faculty, mentors and counselors.

Experiential Learning Our unique learning opportunities include travel, community partnerships, guest speakers and interdisciplinary field trips at each grade level.

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

View our flipbook at:

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www.ndsj.org/WomensEducation 8

At Notre Dame, we are developing women leaders for a more just world. 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 165 years.

At Notre Dame today, Education for Justice

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#

BEST

Catholic Tradition

Catholic High School in Santa Clara County

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CHOSE TO RECEIVE

Sacrament of Confirmation with the ND faith community

program that forms young women for compassionate and socially-just leadership.

Rooted in our mission and call to provide experiences steeped in Catholic values,

15,892 served at 88 agencies

this commitment to educate towards goals of personal engagement, responsibility,

HOURS

and Leadership defines the distinctive

study and direct experience.

Under the direction of the campus ministry department, more than 135 student leaders help plan and implement opportunities for meditation, reflection and prayer for students of all faiths.

Through our program, the young women at

119

STUDENTS

requires purposeful integration of academic

28

ADULTS

stewardship, solidarity and advocacy

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Notre Dame develop a strong spiritual core

on justice and service trips last year

and sense of self as well as their individual perspective on social issues. As young women of service and impact, they take their place in the community, standing with, and speaking for, the marginalized.

58,473

$

DONATED

through the Sister Project in support of Sacred Heart Community Center over 3 years

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"Notre Dame prompts us to do community service and truly understand why we are doing it, how it impacts us, others, and the environment, and how it strengthens our relationship with God."

Katelyn '20

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 encourages and prepares today's young women for college degrees in emerging fields and empowers them to identify and nurture their individual gifts.

Embracing Saint Julie's tenet to 'teach young women what they need to know for life,' Notre Dame guides students as they discern their individual path to success in a changing and increasingly challenging world.

Nationally, women represent 34% of practicing physicians, 19% of the U.S. Congress, 14% of executive officers and only 4% of S&P 500 company CEOs, even though they earn 60% of college degrees awarded each year. We are committed to growing women’s leadership and engagement in careers and fields where they have been underrepresented and graduating young women who will change those statistics.

Studies have shown that the development of soft skills including communications, decisionmaking, self-motivation and teamwork are critical to 21st century success. Notre Dame's Career & Life Success Program prepares young women for life beyond college by empowering them to identify and nurture their individual gifts and talents as they explore opportunities for future success.

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CLASS of 2017

16

MILLION

$

OVER

offered in scholarships Students were accepted to an average of 5.7 colleges last year.

SAT

in Writing

of the students in the Class of 2017 are matriculating to one of the Princeton Review’s

Best 381 Colleges

SAT

in Math

690

660

600 ND Mean 485 CA Mean 482 Nat'l Mean

584 ND Mean 500 CA Mean 508 Nat'l Mean

ND Upper Quartile

15

74

%

ND Upper Quartile

SAT

in Critical Reading

680 ND Upper Quartile

598 ND Mean 491 CA Mean 494 Nat'l Mean

Most popular majors for the Class of 2017:

• Chemistry/Biology/BioChem • Engineering • Business/Econ • Computer Science • Psychology • Nursing • Environmental Science • Political Science/International Affairs

63

%

attending

college within California

61% Private 28% UC/CSU 5.5% CC or Gap 5% Out of State Public 0.5% International 22% of Class of 2017

is matriculating to highly selective colleges (accepting 33% of students or less) up from 18% for the Class of 2016

37

%

attending

out-of-state colleges

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 program access for everyone. Our focus is on process, every day and for every student.

Athletics

Campus Ministry

Through six co-curricular programs and more than 30 different clubs and organizations, students benefit from myriad opportunities on and off campus. Employing a unique approach to program leadership, Notre Dame co-curricular offerings are studentcentered and led by adults with area

Robotics

expertise.

Students are encouraged and empowered to create and build and, if they fail, try again.

This unique approach cultivates resilience and builds hand-on skills. Our young women develop voice and experience in an empowering environment.

Speech & Debate

Student Leadership

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Visual & Performing Arts

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"Notre Dame provides opportunities for leadership experience for every student.

Through sports, clubs, student leadership and many others, every student can become a leader in some way."

Anya '18

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

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

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Urban

Landscape

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

Classes regularly visit local art installations, historic landmarks, civic and political organizations, and culturally-rich communities representative of the diversity of our students — all within walking distance of the Notre Dame campus.

From modern language culture walks to social studies field trips to the Martin Luther King Jr. Library and the San Jose Museum of Art, classroom learning is applied in a realworld context. Themes of global citizenship, geography, advocacy and history are woven with classroom learning and encourage students to think critically and creatively about the world around them.

Through regular interaction with the city as a classroom, students develop an understanding of the complexities and interdependencies of an urban environment and learn to navigate confidently in a microcosm of the global community.

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54 16 downtown doors feature ND student art

326

3 museums & galleries 12 places of worship 14 professional theaters

families carpool to campus

families easily access campus from

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ZIP CODES

32

downtown locations WITHIN WALKING DISTANCE

walking field trips

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

View our flipbook at:

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www.ndsj.org/UrbanLandscape 24

Notre Dame

Experience

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 backgrounds 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 joining the oldest alumnae association in California, creating the opportunity for networking and life-long relationships.

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"Notre Dame has helped me become the 'woman of impact' I am today by instilling in me passions for leadership and activism.

I am thankful for the experiences I've had and the people I've met."

Sabreen '17

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Find yourself at OPEN HOUSE: Saturday, October 21, 2017 10:00am to 1:00pm

8TH GRADE DAY: Friday, November 10, 2017 8:00am to 12:00pm

SHADOW VISITS: For 8th graders from September through December

PLACEMENT TESTS: Saturday, January 20, 2018 & Saturday, January 27, 2018

APPLICATION DUE: Wednesday, January 10, 2018

7TH GRADE PREVIEW AFTERNOONS: April 2018

Notre Dame AT A GLANCE:

640 640

student population

10:1 30

+

student to faculty ratio

student clubs, organizations & interest groups

24

average class size

29

Honors & AP courses

To register for events and apply online, visit:

www.ndsj.org/Admissions

Mission Statement Notre Dame High School, in the heart of downtown San Jose since 1851, provides young women an exemplary Catholic and college-preparatory education.

We do so in the spiritual legacy of Saint Julie Billiart, the foundress of the Sisters of Notre Dame de Namur, embracing the gift of God’s goodness to support the personal journey of each student. This journey occurs in a uniquely compassionate community with meaningful and integrated learning programs that foster intellectual curiosity, critical thinking, reflection, social awareness and responsibility, and the discovery of each young woman’s voice and leadership capabilities.

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

www.ndsj.org