Notre Dame Preparatory School and Marist Academy CHRISTIANS | CITIZENS | SCHOLARS
Schools are more similar than different. But those differences matter. They count. True, you can learn, play, perform, program, lead, discover and grow in your faith in any number of schools. Do not settle. Find yourself. Find Notre Dame.
Notre Dame Preparatory School and Marist Academy
find /fahynd/
verb 1) to locate, attain or o or effort 2) to discover or percei noun 1) an act of discovering 2) a discovery, especial or gratifying one
btain by search
ive after consideration ly a valuable
HOME
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“ I came to Notre Dame because it felt right. I remember telling my parents after my first visit that I could see myself here. God called me to NDP, and it is a decision I feel was made for the best. I do not know where I would be without Notre Dame.� Carl, grade 12
Notre Dame Preparatory School and Marist Academy
“ Students at Notre Dame have so many opportunities to do the things we love at a high level. As a basketball player, I’ve had a great experience learning from my coaches and building relationships with my teammates. Sports are really popular here, but so are things like robotics, debate and other clubs. There really is something for everybody at Notre Dame.” Tariq, grade 12
CHALLENGE
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“ My experience at Notre Dame has been everything I’ve hoped for and more. No matter what level a student is at — AP, IB, Honors, or traditional level courses — there is a vast variety of classes from which they can choose. I am in the IB program and love it. I’ve been able to delve deeper into many current events and topics, and discuss them at length with both my fellow classmates and teachers. The teachers strive to help and challenge us to reach our full potential. Notre Dame has created a community of learners and academic scholars that emphasizes hard work and dedication in order to prepare us for life outside of high school.” Eileen, grade 12
Notre Dame Preparatory School and Marist Academy
FAITH
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“ Faith is the reason Notre Dame exists. From the beginning of the Society of Mary 200 years ago, Catholic education has been a primary ministry. We are blessed at NDPMA to have a strong, Catholic, student-centered community where we emphasize the values of mercy, humility, forgiveness and caring. It is important for all of our students, of whatever faith, to live their faith in prayer, retreats, service and to always treat others as people created in God’s image. We also are blessed to have outstanding Marist educators, both ordained and lay staff, who model and encourage the best in our students.” Fr. Joseph Hindelang, s.m. Principal, Notre Dame Preparatory School
Notre Dame Preparatory School and Marist Academy
JOY
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“ Allow yourself to be possessed by joy; dance a little.” Fr. Jean-Claude Colin, s.m. Founder of the Society of Mary
Notre Dame Preparatory School and Marist Academy
“ Across the board, students at Notre Dame are impressive. They have high expectations and are driven to be the best they can be. As counselors, we are committed to ensuring their academic and social needs are met, and that they understand and embrace their strengths as they consider where to go from here. Our purpose is to arm them with the tools and strategies they need to succeed in our classrooms, at the colleges of their choice, and in the world.” Mr. Jason Whalen, Upper Division Counselor
FORMATION
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“ We shall then turn our attention to forming the minds of our students and to advance them in the different fields of learning by every means possible.” Fr. Jean-Claude Colin, s.m.
Notre Dame Preparatory School and Marist Academy
PREPARATION
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“ I know when I graduate from Notre Dame, I will leave feeling accomplished. I know that Notre Dame has had a profound impact on me, both religiously and academically, and those lessons will carry throughout my life.� Ethan, grade 10 (above)
Notre Dame Preparatory School and Marist Academy
“ Notre Dame prepared me for a lifetime, worldwide journey to do more and be more! Combining academic, social and athletic pursuits simultaneously and learning to balance and excel in them began at NDP — to ‘do more’ than just one thing. We were encouraged to be upright citizens and Christian people — to ‘be more’ along the way — which I have continued to incorporate into my life, both personally and professionally. The fondness for my experience at Notre Dame led me to return to coach and also to lead the alumni association. And most importantly, I am eternally thankful my parents provided me with the opportunity to attend this great school.” Scott Lockhart ’98 Hillsdale College, BA University of Oxford, MBA Founder/Owner, Oxdale Ventures
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“ I am extremely blessed to have had the opportunity to attend Notre Dame Prep. Notre Dame molded me to be the student, athlete and person that I am today and I will be forever grateful. The skills and values instilled in me by my caring teachers and motivational coaches are those that I have carried with me to college and will last throughout my entire life. From the classroom, to the soccer field, to the track, I’ve been shaped as a Christian, a citizen and a scholar. I am beyond proud to be NDP!” Taylor Timko ‘14 University of Michigan
Photo (right): Michigan Athletics
Notre Dame Preparatory School and Marist Academy
“ We love the education our children have received from Notre Dame and are proud to be members of such a great community.” David (and Ann) Stone Current and alum parents
“ My family is blessed to be a part of NDPMA. Our children had the pleasure of receiving this wonderful education and will forever benefit from the experience. I am eternally grateful to Notre Dame for this, and I identify with the excellent education, discipline and morals our young students receive from this great school. I fully support the school’s mission and its wonderful efforts to advance our young people in the community.” William Kozyra Alum parent
FAMILY
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“ As a third-generation Notre Dame family, we continue to value the philosophy of the school. Through the IB and AP programs and the advancements in technology, we see how ND has challenged our children to reach beyond traditional academic learning methods. The culture fosters student academic excellence and well-rounded individual development, while maintaining its Catholic identity. We are blessed to be part of the ND family.” Rita and Paul Gaynor (right) Current and alum parents
Notre Dame Preparatory School and Marist Academy
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We hope the preceding pages have helped you find Notre Dame. On the following pages, discover a number of other features that make our school unique.
Notre Dame Preparatory School and Marist Academy
MARIST
SRT
The Society of Mary, a.k.a. Marists, oversee Notre Dame, which
For 40 minutes during every block day, upper division and middle
is one of just two Marist schools in the United States. (The other
division students enjoy Student Relief Time. During SRT, upper
is Marist School in Atlanta.) In addition to schools, Marists have
division students may meet with clubs, work with a classmate on
ministries in parishes, hospitals and world missions. The religious
a project, get a head start on homework, or simply grab a hot
order was founded by Fr. Jean-Claude Colin in Lyon, France, in 1816.
chocolate and visit with friends. Middle division students have
Marists are committed to reflecting the face of Mary to the Church
similar opportunities, but also spend time learning about Marist
and the world, to think, judge, feel and act as Mary in all things.
values, performing small service projects, and team building.
CO-ED
LITURGY
The benefits of educating boys and girls together are many.
Notre Dame’s Marist priests celebrate Mass daily for the entire
Some of these are: diversity of thoughts, opinions and ideas;
community in the main campus chapel. Upper, middle and lower
exposure to male and female role models; and authentic
division students attend all-school Masses together an average of
preparation for real-world experiences, situations and success.
once a month. Lower division students attend Mass once a week.
Notre Dame wholeheartedly believes that boys and girls can enjoy a rich spiritual, moral, academic and social experience in our co-educational environment.
JOURNEY Students come from near and far to attend Notre Dame. Recently we have had families make the drive from as far away as Brighton
IB
to the west, Metamora to the north, Detroit to the south, and
Notre Dame was the first and remains the only Catholic school
Clinton Township to the east. We offer several bus routes and help
in the United States authorized as a World School offering the
facilitate carpools to assist families in getting to campus.
Diploma, Middle Years and Primary Years programmes. All students in Grades JK through 10 automatically learn in an IB environment, wherein they are encouraged to inquire, engage, think independently and work collaboratively. Students in Grades 11 and 12 looking for a rigorous academic challenge may elect to take a two-year course of study with the aim of earning the prestigious IB Diploma.
SELF-MANAGEMENT Throughout the freshman and sophomore years, guidance counselors visit classes and give students advice on how to become more organized, disciplined and reflective. Counselors also introduce Naviance, a software program that helps students understand their learning styles, interests and strengths, and helps identify colleges and professional careers that may suit
1:1
them in the future.
Notre Dame has been a 1-to-1 tablet school since the 2014-15 school year, with all students receiving leased devices from the school. Technology is a distinctive feature of Notre Dame’s academic program. Not only does it give students immediate access to a wealth of information, but it also enables teachers to connect differently with students in a modern learning environment. Further, students can better manage their work and academic progress through the Haiku Digital Learning Platform.
COLLEGE FAIR/CAREER PREP Each spring NDP holds a daytime college fair featuring more than 75 institutions of higher learning. In addition to the gamut of Michigan schools, NDP typically welcomes universities like Butler, DePaul, Indiana, Marquette, Notre Dame, Purdue, Seton Hall and Xavier. Periodically throughout the school year, upper division students are able to meet and learn from successful alumni representing a variety of professions. Past presentations
BLOCK DAYS
have featured alums from the fields of healthcare, engineering,
Every other week, typically on Wednesdays and Thursdays,
and education.
upper division and midle division students have block days. On these days, they have half their classes for about twice the length of time, i.e. periods 1-3-5-7 on one day, and 2-4-6-8 the next. Block classes are extended to one-hour and 25 minutes, which is 40 minutes longer than the regular class period. The extra time allows for more in-depth discussions, science labs, presentations, and other creative lessons that benefit from a more expansive period.
EXTENDED ESSAY Senior IB students complete the Extended Essay, the capstone of the Diploma Programme. This 4,000-word research document on a topic of each student’s choosing begins taking shape toward the end of the junior year, when the student starts meeting with a faculty/staff mentor to formulate a research question. In the ensuing months, the paper goes through several reviews, including viva voce, before being submitted for grading by an IB reader in November. Examples of past EE topics of NDP students include: “‘Breaking Bad’ and the Antihero”; “The NFL as a Brand Catalyst”; “The Media of Humanitarianism”; and “Propaganda: Stalin and Hitler’s Personality Cult.”
UPPER DIVISION
MIDDLE DIVISION
LOWER DIVISION
Notre Dame Preparatory School and Marist Academy
PERSONAL PROJECT All sophomores complete a Personal Project, the capstone of the Middle Years Programme. Guided by a faculty/staff mentor, each student selects a topic of personal interest to research over the course of many months. The student sets a goal for his research, continually reflects on his progress, and ultimately presents his product to the school community in March. Students have done projects on a wide range of topics, from building a trebuchet, to learning shorthand, to writing a novel. COMMUNITY PROJECT All 8th-grade students complete a Community Project at the midway point of the Middle Years Programme. Students are encouraged to address a problem or need of concern to them in their spiritual or civic community, and take measures to solve it individually or in a small group. Students submit and present their project to the school community in April. EXHIBITION Each spring, all 5th-grade students participate in the Exhibition, which is the capstone of the Primary Years Programme. In groups of three or four and guided by a faculty mentor, students spend several weeks researching a shared topic of interest, gathering information from a variety of sources, and synthesizing their data for a special evening presentation. Recent topics have included animal abuse and testing, overuse of antibiotics, deforestation, alternative energy, and effects of social media. INTERNATIONAL DAY Each spring, students at the middle and lower divisions enjoy International Day. Guests representing countries from all over the world give engaging presentations about history, heritage, language, food, money and anything else important to understanding their home, culture and perspective. CLASS TRIPS In the spring of each school year, students in Grades 5 through 8 have the opportunity to go on a class trip. Students in the 5th-grade go on a three-day trip to Mackinac Island, while 8th-grade students take a three-day trip to Washington, D.C. Students in the 6th- and 7th-grades take an overnight trip to Kalahari/Cedar Point. IRISH WEEK Every March, throughout the week of St. Patrick’s Day, students engage in a battle for bragging rights. Points are earned in a multitude of ways, including scavenger hunts, trivia contests, and the epic “Irish Week Games.” At the end of the week, the class with the most points in each division is crowned champion, and the most dynamic student at each level receives the coveted “Spirit of the Irish” award. Irish Week dates to 1976, when it began at Notre Dame High School in Harper Woods.
NOTRE DAME STUDENTS ENJOY LIFELONG BENEFITS FROM THE EDUCATION THEY RECEIVE AT OUR SCHOOL. WE STRONGLY ENCOURAGE YOU TO CONSIDER BECOMING A MEMBER OF THE FIGHTING IRISH FAMILY, SO YOU TOO CAN REAP THE REWARDS OF THE NOTRE DAME EXPERIENCE. Students interested in applying for admission to Notre Dame’s upper and middle divisions must take a placement test. (Students in Grade 5 and Grade 8 who test on the dates in November and December will be eligible for merit scholarships.) Applications for students at all three divisions must be completed online. Prior to applying, Notre Dame invites you to see our school come to life by visiting campus and/or scheduling a shadow day. We also invite you to attend our fall Open House and/or spring School Day Open House. Information on admissions events — including dates and times — as well as curriculum information and applications for admission, can be found at www.ndpma.org. If you have additional questions about Notre Dame and/or the admissions process, please contact the Office of Admissions at 248-373-1061.
Notre Dame, Our Mother, Tender, strong and true. Proudly in the heavens, Echoes our call to you. Glory’s mantle cloaks thee, Holy is thy name, And our hearts forever, praise thee Notre Dame. And our hearts forever, love thee Notre Dame!
Notre Dame Preparatory School and Marist Academy
Notre Dame Preparatory School and Marist Academy (Grades 6-12) 1300 Giddings Rd. Pontiac, MI 48340 248-373-5300 (Upper Division) 248-373-5371 (Middle Division) Notre Dame Marist Academy (Grades JK-5) 1425 Giddings Rd. Pontiac, MI 48340 248-373-2573 (Lower Division) ndpma.org