Welcome

Dear Friends,

Welcome to the newly redesigned Beyond the Academy! Within these pages you’ll find fresh voices, new features, and an updated layout. Most importantly, you’ll discover the ways Notre Dame Academy continues to redefine the high school experience and prepare young women for tomorrow’s careers.

We are thrilled to preview our unique Emphasis Program, a brand new offering we’re piloting this year. The quintessential “pick your own path” for high school students, it transforms traditional secondary education with real world skills and experience. Hear from current students on page 7 about their experience of our very first community-wide symposium featuring media inquiry.

In addition, on the next page, you’ll meet our freshman faculty and learn about our efforts to smooth each student’s transition from middle school to high school. Our team of expert educators helps girls from all over Los Angeles build confidence and develop strong habits of mind as they join our community of scholars.

All of these efforts reflect our school wide theme “grace and grit.” As we learn and work as a community, together we grow in grace as we collaborate, give others the benefit of the doubt, and engage in meaningful conversation. And as we evaluate and refine our emphasis program, try, perhaps fail, and try again, and confidently anticipate new challenges, we develop the emotional grit essential for future success.

As you learn about all that’s new at Notre Dame Academy, you’ll also see our most recent celebrations of the traditions you cherish. I hope you’ll recognize our efforts to keep NDA both timely and timeless.

In Notre Dame,

Lilliam Paetzold ‘84 President/Head of School

academic excellence

Freshman Faculty Team Teaches Newest Regals to Be Scholars

Each fall, Notre Dame Academy welcomes a new class of freshmen who come from more than 40 different middle schools and 70 different zip codes all over Los Angeles. In addition to adjusting to a high school workload, getting the hang of the rotating schedule, or even memorizing their new locker combination, they must acclimate into the Regal community, complete with its own language of growth mindset and habits of mind. Luckily for them, we have handpicked a team of expert educators prepared to shepherd them from unsure eighth grader in August to wellestablished ninth grader by the end of their first semester.

“Part of the mission is gauging where students are coming from,” said Oscar Navarro, freshman English teacher. “With so many different middle school experiences, it’s essential to get to know one another within an encouraging environment in order to build confidence.”

“Confidence is key,” agreed Spanish teacher Blake Dirickson. “Students must be comfortable to make mistakes and recover -- that’s how we’ll all learn together.”

Math teacher Ron Lebron also prioritizes differentiation and collaborative learning: “Many students are eager to participate and share their knowledge. By working together, each student develops the confidence to work hard and put her best self forward – that’s more important than any math skill.”

“It’s about critical thinking -- not about content,” said Bridget Higgins, who teaches Engineer Your World, the hands-on class for freshmen in NDA’s new physics-first science curriculum. “Each project builds on critical thinking and problem solving skills that are foundational to success not just in science, but in math, literature, and even the arts.” The faculty also acknowledge that these young women are growing as much outside the classroom as they are academically.

“It’s a moment when they’re making new friends and figuring out who they are,” said Ms. Higgins. “As a faculty team, we encourage a diversification of strengths so that girls get a chance to shine even if their strengths are not exclusively academic.”

“They’re not only developing new friendships and collaborating with a whole new group of peers,” added Jacqueline Davis, freshman English teacher, “but they are also building relationships with at least seven different teachers, all of whom have different styles. That’s one reason we’re intent on using a common vocabulary to support skill development across the curriculum.”

The freshman teachers’ approach reflects the philosophy and language of our community as a whole. While content is important, more critical are the development of executive functioning skills and habits of mind that will be essential for success in college and career. The team’s efforts are just one small part of NDA’s commitment to supporting all of the members of our diverse community with four years of differentiated instruction, student support, and spiritual formation.

“We are helping our newest students to become scholars,” said Amy Hickl, dean of faculty and freshman religion teacher. “We are helping them establish good habits and study skills that will enable them to access all of the curriculum over the next four years.”

Learn more about all of our faculty members at ndasla.com.

Freshman faculty shown center from top left to right: Ronald Lebron, Jacqueline Davis, Sarah Case, Raynelle Duronslet, Kristin Duerr, and Anthony Heim. Bottom left to right: Sophia Beauvy, Amy Hickl, Bridget Higgins, Oscar Navarro, and Blake Dirickson.

campus life

Welcome Dance

The first dance of the school year was a resounding success despite moving completely outdoors to comply with COVID restrictions. The

“Tropical Turn Up” featured a Hawaiian theme complete with Kona Shave Ice.

Student Council leaders worked hard to entertain nearly two-thirds of the student body that evening.

Notre Dame Day

Regal spirit was on full display for Notre Dame Day in October! Following Mass in honor of Our Lady, the Football Freshmen, Sleepy Sophomores, JetSetting Juniors, and Spy Seniors all did a great job representing their themes. The event featured all of the highlights of a traditional Notre Dame Day: banners, decorations, costumes, skits, chants, dances, and volleyball.

New Affinity Groups

Two new affinity groups established this fall have already made a significant impact on NDA’s campus.

The Latin American Hispanic Student Organization (LAHSO), which celebrated its inception in October, organized a college information event and dinner especially for first generation students and their families. In addition, members of the association for Asian Pacific Islander Desi Americans (APIDA), inducted at the end of November, were instrumental in the school’s first Symposium Day, leading a break-out conversation about colorism in the media.

Fine Arts Night

On Saturday, December 4, nearly half of the NDA student body participated in Fine Arts Night. The annual celebration highlighted our award-winning visual arts, drama, dance, and choir programs. For the first time, the event was an indoor-outdoor affair, with an art show in the gym followed by performances from all grade levels on a stage in front of Rosa Mystica Hall.

Junior Ring Ceremony

Seventy members of the junior class marked an important rite of passage in November as they celebrated the blessing of their class rings. The treasured symbol and celebration of the transition to upperclasswomen remains a highlight of the year for students and their families. From Ms. Paetzold, president and head of school, “As important as the ring is to each of you tonight, it will grow in significance as you complete your high school career and embark on new adventures in college, family, and career. Your beautiful ring will become a physical reminder of your transformation over four years at NDA and of the foundation established and informed by the Sisters of Notre Dame.”

Athletics

We are very excited to announce the formation of a Regal golf club this year, with a goal of growing into an official team next year. Nuvision and the Southern California PGA donated five sets of golf clubs to get us started. The club practices both on campus and at local driving ranges.