2022-23 Year in Review

• Employees launched the school year with a professional development focus on equity mindsets.

• Students were introduced to Community Circles, a new restorative practice designed to allow space and time in the weekly schedule for students to make connections with peers and have a safe place to share both their struggles and their wins.

• 560 students – including guests from over 30 local high schools – attend the "Neon Nights" Spring Mixer.

• More than 40 students begin fall internships on and off campus through the Career & Life Success program.

• Regent Harmonies and Fleur de Soliel participated in the Santa Clara University Choral Festival at the Santa Clara Mission.

• Students from 11 cultural clubs presented the 2023 Diversity Showcase, a celebration of the rich diversity of the student body. The event featured songs, dancing, beautiful traditional costumes and delicious food.

• 167 sophomores and chaperones traveled to the de Young Museum in San Francisco for their grade-level, interdisciplinary field trip through the Education for Justice and Leadership program.

• Catholic Schools Week included a celebration with the schools of the Diocese of San Jose and honoring St. Julie Billiart on Foundress Day.

• The Crab Fest makes a triumphant return to an in-person format.

• The varsity basketball team hangs a banner in the gym after winning the West Bay Athletic League championship in an undefeated season.

• During Black History Month, Notre Dame celebrated voices and stories from Black communities locally and nationally. A highlight was welcoming civil rights leaders Katherine Campbell and Gayle Dickson to campus for an all-school assembly where they shared their experiences with the original Black Panther Party.

• Olympian Sophie Hitchon shared her personal and professional journey with students to kick off Women's History Month.

• During Women's Leadership Week at Notre Dame, 185 freshmen displayed their Woman’s Place Projects in a gallery in JB Hall, and in the Young Women’s Advocacy Summit 170 seniors engaged in dialogue with community leaders about social justice issues and challenges in today's world.

• The Democracy Matters in-house field trip for seniors focused on civic engagement and related careers, with a keynote address from Supervisor Susan Ellenberg and small group sessions with nine community partners.

• Spring service and justice partnerships included the Center for Farmworker Families, Sacred Heart Community Service (Sister Project), Martha’s Kitchen (Food Fight), and the Sisters of Notre Dame de Namur.

October November December

• 40 students put on five uproarious performances of "Clue" at City Lights Theater.

• Notre Dame’s signature fundraiser, the Women of Impact luncheon, returns to an in-person format with more than 400 guests gathered at the Signia hotel in downtown San Jose to celebrate women's leadership.

• Notre Dame’s Board of Directors approved new Statements of Catholic Identity and Educational Equity.

• The Funding the Future student fundraising campaign raised over $15,000 for tuition assistance during Homecoming Week.

• The school hosted author and non-profit executive director Gail Tsukiyama in the 16th annual ND Reads assembly and community event.

• Overnight retreats return after a threeyear hiatus, with Junior Retreat hosting 49 students led by five senior leaders.

• 250 guests gather for the annual Las Posadas celebration that included mariachis and food.

• Jessica Pierce '02 returns to campus to facilitate a diversity and equity training for all freshmen and new employees.

• Parents of the Gay Straight Alliance Club were invited for a meet-and-greet and panel discussion led by GSA seniors who shared what their own parents did really well to support them when they came out, as well as offer advice on what they wished their parents had done. Parents also learned about resources in San Jose that can support them as well as their students.

April May June

• Regent Harmonies joined the choir from Woodside Priory for a spring break tour in Southern California.

• 134 students including actors, theater technicians and a pit orchestra participated in sold-out performances of "Matilda: The Musical" in JB Hall.

• 46 students received the Sacrament of Confirmation at the Cathedral Basilica of St. Joseph in a school liturgy with Bishop Oscar Cantú and Deacon Steve Herrera presiding.

• Juniors and chaperones took the light rail to Japantown for an interdisciplinary field trip studying the local experience of Japanese internment through the lens of identity with a focus on cultural stewardship.

• 185 freshmen experienced their first Notre Dame retreat as well as their first grade-level experiential field trip to Guadalupe River Park and Conservancy.

• Speech & Debate students qualified and participated in the California High School Speech Association state meet, as well as the Tournament of Champions in Kentucky. Three students made it to the Elite Eight of the International Public Policy Forum and were treated to an all-expenses-paid trip to New York for the final rounds.

• The Robotics Team participated in the San Francisco Regional, finished in the top 20 and won the Sustainability Award. In the Silicon Valley Regional, the team was selected for the playoffs – the first time since 2013.

• 362 students took 853 advanced placement exams.

• The varsity track and field team closed out the season as West Bay Athletic League champion.

• 120 classes/student groups ventured off campus for experiential learning this year.

• 175 members of the Class of 2027 were celebrated at Freshman Family Welcome Day.

• Over 200 guests attend "Conversations," the Spring Dance Showcase in JB Hall.

• 350 students and guests danced the night away at the "Masquerade" Junior Senior Prom at San Jose's Corinthian Grand Ballroom.

• The Baccalaureate Mass and commencement ceremony for the Class of 2023 celebrates Notre Dame’s 172 years of educating young women in San Jose.

• More than 600 alums, friends, colleagues and family members gathered in Pardini Park to bid a heartfelt thank you to outgoing head of school Mary Beth Riley, who was honored with commendations from the City of San Jose and the County of Santa Clara, and awarded a California State Senate Resolution.