NEWSLETTER - FALL 2016
IN THIS ISSUE...
Notre Dame 2016 Central Coast Plunge Immersion Participants
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Planning for the Future of Notre Dame High School in San Jose
Connecting with Our Sister School in Japan
Notre Dame Board of Directors Welcomes New Members
Alumnae Moms with Class of 2020 ND Freshman Daughters
S trategic P lan 2015-2020 Notre Dame’s 2010-2015 strategic plan focused on tactical initiatives that would strengthen the school’s governance and financial position, while developing distinctive program. Mission accomplished! Over those five years, Notre Dame’s Board of Directors grew in number and influence and have made provisions for a board-designated endowment of seven million dollars. That endowment, along with a perpetual endowment of $1,850,000, assure the ongoing stability of the school. The strong organizational business operations of the school, as affirmed in the annual audit, have allowed for substantial program growth that includes an integrated theme of education for justice and leadership that weaves mission into every class and activity. The building of the 2015-2020 strategic plan took on a completely different and fresh focus. With strong operations and distinctive mission-aligned programs in place, the steering committee and various task forces were free to brainstorm about where Notre Dame San Jose would set its sights for the next five years. These five strategic initiatives will serve as the guideposts for day-today operations, programs, facilities and resource development. Two of the initiatives, Environment of Innovation and Catholic in the 21st Century, serve in a critical thematic role, threading across the three additional initiatives. 1. Environment of Innovation Cultivate innovation throughout our institution in order to exemplify a collaborative, experiential and transformative learning community. 2. Catholic in the 21st Century Witness joyfully and prophetically to the Gospel and our Catholic faith by listening contemplatively, praying boldly, and acting justly to reveal the face of the good Jesus in our fragmented world. 3. Leaders of Tomorrow Develop dynamic women leaders who are agents of positive change in their local and global communities. 4. Career & Life Success Empower young women to identify and nurture their individual gifts and talents as they explore opportunities for future career and life success. 5. Lifelong Network Create a global network that supports the life-long growth of each Notre Dame woman.
Principal’s Message I had a very engaging conversation with a new faculty member recently who assured me that it was not an effort to win favor when he said, “I have worked at three different high schools and this school is incredibly organized, the most organized school that I have experienced.” I asked for some examples of how Notre Dame benchmarked against the other high schools. This teacher noted that almost all schools use language around teaching the whole student and creating crosscurricular function. “But Notre Dame actually does it - robotics is as important as athletics, as is speech and debate, as is performing arts. And teachers reach across disciplines and grade levels to integrate thinking, learning and projects.” It is always good to hear from new faculty that they experience our mission in real time. This is a community committed to shaping young women to be life-long learners, spiritual seekers, justice advocates and community leaders. And those words that punctuate our graduation outcomes roll off our tongues with ease because we educate with intention towards them. Last year, the faculty and staff took another collective step forward to implement our 2015-2020 strategic plan. All of our programs developed 3-5
year plans that align with the vision. Here are two of my favorite themes found across those plans: projects that integrate social justice concerns and Catholic social teaching and a focus on creating innovative spaces for learning. I see these themes already coming to life in a geometry project that will design ‘tiny houses’ that address issues of housing affordability and use of resources in communities, the new online Mandarin class that gives students access to language and culture, the integration of maker spaces in classrooms to promote creativity and problem-solving, and even in creating a virtual space for our alumnae to network with one another! It’s infectious to be part of a learning community with innovative and engaged learners that include our students, faculty and staff, parents, alumnae and board members. Together, we live out a mutual commitment to integrate at every level, in every relationship, and in every organizing structure that bolsters the good work done at Notre Dame. Our new faculty member recognized this, and that is what makes it different here. I hope you enjoy this edition of Notre Notes and look forward to partnering with you in our vision of a Notre Dame education! Ora et labora,
Mary Beth Riley
On the Cover....
Accompanied by chaperones Deidre Savino and Elizabeth Milanovich, students spent several days recently exploring the central coast to gain an understanding of the fragile ecosystem that connects the farmlands, wetlands and ocean. They also learned how overuse or abuse in one area has negative effects on another. “The connection is interesting - the life in the ocean is really impacted by what happens in the sloughs,” explains Audrey Cox ’19. “The farms impact the water in the sloughs, which goes to the ocean and impacts the fish in the ocean - which we then eat. Everyone should care, because everyone is affected!” This central coast plunge immersion is one of several offered at Notre Dame. Notre Dame supports global citizenship through cultural and justice immersion trips to Latin America, Europe, Asia, Africa and within the United States.
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students and faculty participated in cultural and justice immersion trips last year FALL 2016
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Sharing a Special Sisterhood With Notre Dame Seishin In an increasingly globalized society, understanding different cultures and the history, economic and political issues affecting people around the world is more important than ever. To provide a unique lens through which to view different societies as well as experiential learning opportunities, Notre Dame offers 14 immersion trips for students including a biennial opportunity to visit our sister school in Japan, Notre Dame Seishin. Sponsored by the sisters of Notre Dame de Namur, Notre Dame Seishin Junior & Senior High School was founded in the city of Okayama, Japan in 1886. The school was moved to its current location in Kurashiki, a historical city in the southern Okayama Prefecture, in 1969. It is one of 130 in a network that spans five continents and fifteen countries and provides our students with an opportunity to share a unique sisterhood through a Catholic, Notre Dame education. Students and chaperones stay with host families throughout their visit and attend classes which, during this visit, included music and archery. The Notre Dame Seishin students also learned something new as they experienced a Spanish lesson presented by Stephany Amezcua ‘16 and Bayard Nielson, Spanish teacher and chair of Notre Dame’s Modern Language Department. When not in class, the group visited local cultural landmarks, were treated to a traditional Japanese tea ceremony and had the honor of meeting the mayor of Okayama, whom they presented with a painting of the Notre Dame crest created by Amanda Huynh ’18 and signed by the group. “I had such a wonderful time in Japan and if I was offered the opportunity to go again, I would take it in a heartbeat,” shared Adeline Ho ’17. “My favorite part about this trip was spending time with my host family and really getting to know one another. It was just like having an extension of my own family in a different place. They always made me feel so welcomed and so loved. I never felt like I was the odd one out. The girls at Seishin and the girls at Notre Dame San Jose are both so driven and passionate about what they do! Japan has a lot of lessons to ‘teach one about what they need to know for life’ and the most important lesson I probably learned from this experience is to have a lot of kindness and respect for those around you and to cherish every moment you have with them. My love for Japan and its people is endless!” We look forward to welcoming a group of 14 students and chaperones from Notre Dame Seishin to our San Jose campus in March!
Notre Dame Board of Directors Welcomes New Members Malcolm Bordelon (Emily ’13) was named publisher of the Silicon Valley Business Journal in January 2015. In this role, he manages all operations for the SVBJ including editorial, advertising and corporate partnerships, audience development, marketing, events, production and finance. Prior to being named publisher, Bordelon was with Sharks Sports & Entertainment (SSE) and the San Jose Sharks for 20 years, serving for 17 of those years as executive vice president of business operations. He also oversaw business operations for the Worcester Sharks, the club’s American Hockey League affiliate. As a member of senior management, he was involved in review and pursuit of new business opportunities for SSE.
Lorne Rundquist (Allison ’16) is the chief financial officer of Rosendin Electric, Inc., where he has worked since 1988. He has participated in the growth of the company, helping it become the largest privately owned electrical contractor in the United States. Prior to that he spent six years in public accounting and continues to maintain his active status as a certified public accountant. He graduated from California Polytechnic State University, San Luis Obispo, where he received his degree in business. He has been a resident of San Jose since 1966 with the exception of his college years and his time spent working in public accounting.
Nicola Tan ’03 is a graduate of Notre Dame, where she was actively involved in sports teams and student council and fondly remembers climbing to the stairs to her locker on the third floor of the old administration building. Currently, she works as a product manager at Intel in Santa Clara, focused on machine learning and artificial intelligence platforms. She has a BS in mechanical engineering from MIT, and returned to MIT for an MS in mechanical engineering and an MBA from the MIT Sloan School of Management as part of the Leaders for Global Operations program. Previously, she worked at Hewlett Packard and Amazon in various engineering and operations functions.
Notre Dame Board of Directors Terry Barton • Malcolm Bordelon • Pat Caldwell • Sr. Georgianna Coonis SND • William Del Biaggio, Jr • Helen Dietz • Claudia Galvan • Patricia Ericson ’92 Johnson • Dori Yob Kilmer • D’Arcy Kirkland • Karen Meckstroth • Celeste Martin ’72 Melehan • Kathleen O’Shea ’65 Muller • Cindy Gavin ’70 Pond • Lorne Rundquist • Divyesh Shah • John M. Sobrato • Nicola Tan ’03 • Katie Heagerty ’87 Zazueta
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Notre Dame High School’s Board of Directors is comprised of 19 individuals and includes professionals from the financial and legal industries, high tech executives, engineers and nonprofit management professionals.
Notre Dame alumnae
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Welcome Monica Gomez ’90, Alumnae Relations Associate! As a Notre Dame alumna, Monica Gomez feels right back at home working in the school where she felt inspired, motivated and determined to thrive. “I have come back full circle and look forward to building our network of alumnae so they, too, are a part of our vision and can help strengthen our legacy,” shared Monica. “Walking through the halls brings back so many great memories for me and I am proud to be a part of the ND community.” Monica has more than 20 years public relations, community relations, and media relations experience in the nonprofit sector, education and corporate environment. Monica is from San Jose where she lives with her husband and three children: Malyna (11), Isela and Michael Damian (8). To learn about opportunities to engage with the Notre Dame community and support the Notre Dame mission, contact Monica at 408.294.1113 ext. 2153 or via email at mgomez@ndsj.org.
EverTrue - Connecting Alumnae Across the Globe Notre Dame’s philosophy and programs encourage our young women to take the knowledge, compassion, confidence and adventurous spirit cultivated on campus out into the world, which is what they do! With thousands of alumnae living around the globe, it can be difficult to keep in touch, with Notre Dame and with each other, but we are determined to find new ways to build a global network that supports the life-growth of each of our Notre Dame women. To that end, we are pleased to provide our alumnae with a handy new phone app, EverTrue, that will help them find and connect with one another. So that, as an alumna, whether you find yourself in a new city looking for the best pizza joint (not every city has Pizza My Heart!) or hoping to network in your job search, you can easily connect with the Notre Dame sisters that can help you. EverTrue is available for both iPhones and android phones, is completely secure, and connects with LinkedIn and Facebook as well. The EverTrue app also allows Notre Dame alumnae to connect and network with one another using LinkedIn. After downloading the app, you will be given the choice to connect via LinkedIn or through an email address. We encourage our alumnae to log in through an existing LinkedIn account so that connections will be visible in the app. Anything marked private in LinkedIn remains private in the app.
Preserving Alumnae Composite Photos Notre Dame alumnae share a pride in their alma mater and are reminded of great memories when they see the composite class pictures displayed throughout the campus. The pictures represent a pictorial history of all the young women who have been a part of the Notre Dame tradition. Over the last several years, Nicola Moreno ’65, with support from the alumnae council, has taken on the task of preserving and repairing the composites that have begun to age, in addition to creating new composites for the classes that did not have one. Nicola does this volunteer work as a way to honor Notre Dame’s history. The school has made funding available to repair or replace one composite annually. In addition, some classes have supported Nicola’s efforts by donating toward the photo restoration project. As a result, composite photos were created for the classes of ’65, ’66 and ’74. Recently, the class of 1974 celebrated their 40th reunion and, thanks to the generosity of an anonymous donor, Nicola was able to use the 1974 yearbook photos to create a class composite for them to enjoy at the reunion. Alumnae interested in this project are encouraged to contact Monica Gomez at mgomez@ndsj.org.
Get Connected Alumnae!
Activate your EverTrue account today. It’s easy to join, just follow these simple instructions: 1. Search for EverTrue in the Apple store or the Google Play store. Once you have downloaded the app, the EverTrue logo will appear on your device.
2. Enter Notre Dame San Jose in the “Search” box. 3. Create a profile via LinkedIn or using your email address. 4. Find your friends and classmates! Have dinner, hang out, share resources or just say hi! Get connected now!
Members of Notre Dame’s Class of 1974 Purple and Lavender Pirates got together to share memories of their time at ND and the strong bonds of sisterhood that keep them connected.
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CLASS NOTES With 22 years of experience in local government, Jenny
Harwood- Haruyama ’88
became Scotts Valley’s first female city manager earlier this year. She’s a founding member of Women Leading Government, an organization to help women succeed in public service and is active in the Municipal Management Association of Northern California and has been awarded the YWCA Tribute to Women in Industry Award as well as the Rising Star Award. Jenny and her husband have two children.
Rose Gomes Jensen ’02 (1)
moved from Philadelphia and started a position as an associate physician in family medicine for UC Davis’ Elk Grove
clinic. Rose and her husband have three children — Kristen, Beatrice and Graham.
Angela Dimayuga ’03 (2) earned a
2016 James Beard Award nomination for Rising Star Chef of the year, one of only six in the country! Angela is currently the executive chef of Mission Chinese Food in New York City.She is also a strong advocate for work-life balance and effective management, willing to think creatively in her pursuit for a better workplace culture. Congratulations to Jessica Man-
ley Rojakovick ’99 (3) and her
family on the arrival of baby, Emily (“Emmie”) Katherine Rojakovick, born August 17, 2016. Big sister Lauren and big brother Michael are
thrilled that both her grandparents (Mike and Cindy Manley) and her aunt (Christine Manley Raba ‘03) live in Nashville to enjoy her! On December 18, 2015, Maria Sanidad ’05 married Adrian Espinoza at St. Catherine’s church in Morgan Hill, CA in front of close friends and family. The next day they had a formal ceremony with all of their loved ones around at Willow Heights Mansion in Morgan Hill. Maria is also happy to announce that she is pregnant with their first child, a boy, due in the fall.
Ariel Navarette ’09 (4) is current-
ly working on her bachelor’s degree in nursing at Dominican University of California in San Rafael. Recently, she embarked on her second pilgrimage to World Youth Day in Krakow, Poland, which she attended with teens of the St. Nicholas and St. Williams’ youth group. The pilgrimage was a spiritual journey that she embarked on with millions of young people from all over the world
and concluded with Pope Francis’ life-changing words of encouragement.
Grace Choy ’08 (5) graduated from
Cal Poly, San Luis Obispo, with a bachelor’s in architecture in 2013. Grace was recently engaged and will marry her fiance, Jeremy, next summer. After graduating, she made the brave move to New York City, where she is able to be further inspired for the world of architecture and design. In July of 2016, Grace completed the Architect Registration Examinations, bringing her one step closer to becoming a licensed architect.
Harleen Kaur ’12
received a bachelor’s degree from Smith College in 2016. She majored in economics and government and received her degree magna cum laude with induction to Phi Beta Kappa. Harleen spent the fall semester of her junior year studying in Washington D.C. while interning at the U.S. Department of the Treasury and her summer of 2015 as a summer analyst at JPMorgan Chase & Co. on Wall Street.
This fall she moved to Boston to work as a business risk consultant with Deloitte & Touche. In 2014, Ameera
Naguib ’12
was selected as one of only three Santa Clara University students to study abroad in Jordan. Inspired by her work there, she returned to become an advocate for refugees on local soil. Ameera is currently a research fellowship team leader for the Santa Clara University Department of Political Science. Her team is researching the effectiveness of foreign aid and public service delivery in post-conflict countries. At UC Berkeley, Izzy
Ullmann ’14 (6)
is studying peace and conflict studies. This summer, she interned in Alameda and Contra Costa County’s district attorney’s offices, working with the human trafficking and domestic violence units. She is also working with the International Rescue Committee, a refugee organization.
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Leaving a Legacy - Sue & Chuck Foltz (Katie ’12) After Katie visited Notre Dame’s open house for prospective students in 2007, she and her mom struggled for words to describe the experience. Chuck Foltz recalls that his daughter and wife, Sue, both said, “It’s just a feeling.” They had recently moved to San Jose from Walnut Creek and hadn’t anticipated that Katie would actually want to attend an all-girls school. In fact, Sue and Chuck were ready to purchase a sweatshirt for a different, co-ed school because they never imagined that Katie would find her place at Notre Dame. But the real surprise was that they all found a home at Notre Dame. More than just a school for their daughter, Sue and Chuck found a community that welcomed the entire family. Katie flourished socially, academically and spiritually. She played tennis and lacrosse, took challenging courses and made new friends. As a family, they embraced the Notre Dame community. They became actively involved as volunteers and supporters. Sue found her place working on the Women of Impact committee and was part of a small team who helped to organize the first event. Unsurprisingly, when she was asked to serve as chair of the Women of Impact event, Sue didn’t hesitate. She chaired one year and co-chaired the following year. Sue was inspired by the Women of Impact event and the opportunity to celebrate a woman’s place in history in a way that also supports future women of impact including her own daughter, Katie. Chairing the event allowed Sue to share the mission of Notre Dame with the broader community while giving back to the school that had welcomed her family and made them feel at home. After Katie graduated in 2012 they remained involved and when their family moved to Nevada in 2015, Sue and Chuck didn’t want to leave Notre Dame behind. They wanted to find a way to continue their support. While they were no longer close enough to volunteer regularly, they wanted to continue to make a difference at Notre Dame. With two children in college and facing retirement, Sue and Chuck thought it was time to update their estate plans and decided to include Notre Dame High School in their estate plan by making a legacy gift in their will. In doing so, the Foltz family became part of Notre Dame’s history as members of the 1851 Society, named in honor of the Sisters of Notre Dame de Namur who founded Notre Dame San Jose in 1851. The 1851 Society recognizes, honors and pays tribute to all donors who include Notre Dame San Jose in their estate plans. Upon enrollment in the society, members are recognized in the annual report and remembered during their lifetime and beyond in the prayers of our faculty and students at Notre Dame’s Advent Liturgy. All donors who include Notre Dame San Jose in their estate plans, regardless of the size of the gift, are eligible for enrollment in the 1851 Society.
To enroll, contact your estate planning professional to include Notre Dame San Jose as a beneficiary in your estate plans. Then be sure to inform Notre Dame by contacting Leah Schnoor, executive director of advancement at lschnoor@ndsj.org or 408-294-1113 x2181.
Alumnae mothers and daughters - left to right: Natalie Archuleta ’93 Wise & Victoria Flores ’20, Maria Danen ’90 Moore & Victoria Moore ’20, Bridget O’Brien ’93 Reyes & Fiona Reyes ’20, Sonya M. Navarro ’85 Licea & Amelie Licea ’20, Mona Faraj ’91 Boomer & Ashley Boomer ’20
Welcoming Daughters of Alumnae to the Class of 2020! For 165 years, Notre Dame in San Jose has graduated remarkable young women who have gone on to make their mark on the world in myriad ways. These women are all part of a strong Notre Dame family, a sisterhood that spans generations. In the case of these five alumnae, the family bond is even stronger! As their daughters begin high school, here’s a little about what their moms have been up to! After graduation, Natalie Archuleta ’93 Wise attended Foothill College before transferring to San Jose State. She is a busy mom of four (Jacob (18), Olivia (15), Shaelyn (11) and Bella (22 months). Most of her career has been spent as an HR generalist with the Housing Authority of the County of Santa Clara. She made an industry switch four years ago and is now at KNTV - NBC Bay Area where she is continuing her career in human resources.
Maria Danen ’90 Moore works part-time as a design associate at Calico in the San Jose store, where she helps customers design the home interior they dream of. When she’s not at work, you can typically find her ‘ubering’ her son Ryan, who is a sophomore at Bellarmine, and Victoria around!
Bridget O’Brien ’93 Reyes lives in Santa Clara with her husband, 2 daughters (Fiona, Maura), and a mini-farm of animals including chickens, guinea pigs and a dog. She works at NetApp Inc. as a program manager supporting both the globalization and information engineering teams. Her family loves spending weekends traveling around California and vacationing in Yelapa, Mexico, where her husband was born. Since graduating from Notre Dame, Sonya Navarro ’85 Licea has been working in accounting at the same company for 26 years, a job she loves! In addition to being the proud mom of a freshman at Notre Dame, Sonya and her husband of 15 years have an 11-year-old son at St. John Vianney School. After graduating from Notre Dame, Mona Faraj ’91 Boomer earned a bachelor’s degree from Santa Clara University. She has enjoyed a long career in banking and finance and is the proud mom of Ashley and her three brothers, Aidan, Anthony and Ace! FALL 2016
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NONPROFIT ORGANIZATION 596 S. Second St. San Jose, CA 95112 Address service requested
US POSTAGE PAID SAN JOSE, CA PERMIT NO. 499
SAVE THE DATES! 14th Annual
CRAB FEST
Saturday, February 4th, 6:00pm Join us for raffles, friendship and the best crab dinner in the area! Tickets go on sale on our website December 1st. Proceeds benefit co-curricular activities and the athletic program at Notre Dame High School.
B E N E F I T & AU C T IO N
SATURDAY, MAY 6th, 2017 All proceeds benefit academic programs and tuition assistance at Notre Dame High School.