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good news about Notre Dame High School.

April 11, 2014

Dates to Remember

Monday-Friday,
April 14-18
Spring Vacation

Monday, April 21
Easter Monday
No School

Sunday, April 27
Spring Open House
2:30 pm
Join the Athletic Association  
Join the Athletic Association! All new members will receive a Lancer car magnet. Please contact Mr. Jim Olayos, Director of Athletic Advancement, for information or to enroll in the Notre Dame Athletic Association.
Go Lancers!




Stop and Shop and Big Y School-Wide Fundraiser
 
Purchase a gift card to Stop and Shop and Big Y through ND and the stores in turn donate 5% of the money collected back to the school. Place your order by Friday of each week and receive your cards the following Wednesday or Thursday. To order, simply click here to complete the order form and send it and your payment (checks payable to Notre Dame) in to Theresa Marzik. Happy shopping!  
Parent Volunteers  
Before volunteering at school, parents are required to go through Virtus training.  To register for a Virtus training session, please click here. Contact Kevin Philipp at kevin@notredame.org for questions.
 
Have a Target Red Card?

If you have a Target Red Card, you can designate Notre Dame to be the recipient of Target's donation of 1% of your annual purchases. All you need to do is link your card to Notre Dame, shop and use your Red Card at Target. It's that easy. In the summer, we received a check for $231.75 thanks to those who designated Notre Dame last school year. Click here to sign up for this program.

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Help Us Share Your Child's Good News ...
If you have information to share about any out-of-school achievements of your son or daughter, please e-mail that information to
cipriano@notredame.org. We look forward to the opportunity to share your good news with the entire Notre Dame community.
Commemorative Bricks  
ND is selling commemorative bricks which pave the entrance way of our school.
Commemorative bricks are a way to honor ND families, graduates, parents, faculty members and friends. Each brick is $65, of which 100% of the proceeds are allocated to helping Notre Dame maintain its high level of academic excellence. Click  here for an order form.
 
ND Mugs For Sale   

The Home School Association is selling ND mugs for $10 each. Contact Theresa Marzik at marzik@notredame.org to get yours today.
Quick Links...
Join Our Mailing List
School Vacation Hours...
The Notre Dame Main Office will be open on Monday, Tuesday, and Wednesday, April 14-16 from 9:00 am until 1:00 pm. The office will be closed on Holy Thursday, Good Friday and Easter Monday. The next issue of the ND Update will be e-mailed on April 25. Please have a safe vacation and a wonderful and blessed Easter holiday.
Spring Open House...
Notre Dame will be hosting our annual Spring Open House on Sunday,
April 27 beginning at 2:30 pm. Tours will be offered at 2:00 pm. Please help spread the word to any prospective families, including students currently in middle school or any potential transfer students. Representatives from the academic departments, coaches and athletes, as well as students and parents will all be in attendance. Come visit to see the exciting growth happening at Notre Dame!
Congratulations to...
... the March Students of the Month: Michelle DeLeon '15, Alana Merly '16, Dy-Mond LeRoy '14 and Josh Jeudy '17. Students are nominated by faculty based upon achievement, attitude, community service and academic achievement.


 

...Briana Mann '14 for being selected to the Hearst Connecticut Media Super 15 Girls' Basketball team.  

 

...Miss Hering, the future Mrs. Morales, who is getting married today, Friday, April 11. We at ND wish her all the best!

This Week at ND...
Art History
Mr. Testani's Art History class is working on Art Nouveau. The project incorporates mythical creatures and natural elements into the art. Gustav Klimt, a famous artist, was inspired by this style which came from France between 1890-1910.  
Top Row: Andrew Allen '16, Matt Merced '16, Marion Gardella '16
Bottom Row: Claudia Fajardo '16, Natalia Londono '16, Elaaine Jackson '16, Hannah Spataj '15. 
Foreign Language Department Update

Students in Spanish classes have been studying Holy Week in Seville, Spain. A bulletin board was prepared to portrait the solemnity of Seville's processions which begin with Palm Sunday and end with Good Friday. The ceremonies re-act the events leading to Christ's Crucifixion.

 

Students of Miss Alberti's Spanish I classes are currently studying food vocabulary and will be making their own videos of their favorite food. The video, in Spanish, will combine both the food vocabulary as well as items necessary to complete a table service. Of course everything is in Spanish!

 

Ms. Hering's Spanish classes have been practicing their vocabulary with some recently completed projects that are well worth checking out!

In Spanish II, students showcased both their vocabulary and grammar skills by creating posters that identified common daily routines and the time in which they are performed throughout the day. Each project demonstrates the use of recently taught "reflexive verbs" as well as a review of "telling time" in Spanish.

 

In Spanish II, students have completed projects to review their current unit's overall theme: Travel by Train. Students were asked to compile photographs in an artistic display from varying sources to demonstrate common vocabulary terms and phrases associated with this particular means of transportation. Each picture has been labeled with the terminology in Spanish to help reinforce vocabulary building skills. Several students even ventured to actual local train stations to take real-life photographs of the objects they are learning about!

 

In Spanish II High Honors, students worked on two different types of projects all dealing with our current "Food" theme. Some students chose to create a menu utilizing many of the food terms that have been taught in class, while other students chose to take a family recipe and translate it into Spanish! Either way, both are sure to create an appetizing display for viewing!

 

In Spanish III, students were asked to create a design board using elements from their previous unit about clothing and fashion. Students were asked to pretend they were in charge of selecting a male and female outfit to be featured on the cover of a leading fashion design magazine. Using pictures from various sources, students cut and pasted stylish clothing to posters (which served as their "design/inspiration board") and identified each article of clothing to a "T" - identifying colors, shapes, sizes and patterns! For a sampling of the project, Ms. Hering and her classes invite you to stop by Room 305!

 

French Class 

After masks and munchies for the month of March and MARDI GRAS, Mme Zac's French classes celebrated the arrival of April and spring. Sounding a little ... fishy? April 1st in France is April Fool's Day and is called Poisson d'Avril ... a day for pranks and paper fish! April Fool's Day has been around for centuries and is celebrated in many countries. Its origins are unclear: one theory explains that in ancient times, April 1st was considered New Year's Day. However, when New Year's Day was changed to January 1st in the 16th century by Pope Gregory, some people continued to celebrate on the 1st April - the fools! The term Poisson d'Avril means April fish and is intended to refer to a person who has been duped by an April fool's joke. Those who have been pranked are marked by a paper fish that is stuck on the person's back.   

 

Finally the school's Spanish Club celebrated with their annual Easter party. Delectable delights included many Hispanic treasures, as well as cultural dishes typical of ND's diverse population. 

Drama Club...
Tickets for the spring musical, Hairspray, are now on sale.  Seats are reserved, so get your order in early for the best seats.  Please click here for an order form.  For more information about tickets, please email ndfspringmusical@gmail.com. 

 

If you have a business or know someone who does, please consider taking out an ad in this year's Hairspray program.  This is a great way to support our Drama Club and the arts at Notre Dame.  Please click here for an ad form.
Campus Ministry Update...
Students from the Spanish Honor Society and students from Spanish 3 and Spanish 4 diligently made Easter Baskets for the children of Cathedral Academy's  Kindergarten class who attended an Easter party thrown by our Campus Ministry team.

ND Supports Events in the Community
Help ND Celebrate Fairfield's 375th Anniversary
As part of a town-wide effort to help stock the shelves at the Bridgeport Rescue Mission, Operation Hope and the Thomas Merton House, schools across the community will be collecting food the week of April 21. Each school has been assigned one item to collect. In our case, we have been asked to collect mac & cheese. Please bring boxes of mac and cheese to the main office and we will ensure its delivery to the food drive. Thank you for your support of all of our efforts to assist the needy in our area.

 

Parish Nurse Health Fair
Join the Parish Nurses on Saturday, May 3 from 11:00 AM-4:00 PM in the Parish Center at St. Ann Church, 481 Brewster St., Bridgeport, to learn more about nutrition, car seat safety, fire safety, proper exercise technique, advanced directives and ethical religious directives, medication safety, and more. Refreshments provided by Collins Medical Equipment. Visit www.StAnnBlackRock.com or their Facebook page for the schedule or call 203-368-1607.    

 

The Fairy Godmother Initiative Offers Free Prom Dresses  

The Fairy Godmother Initiative is hosting an event for local High School
girls to PAY IT FORWARD while receiving a FREE PROM DRESS to make
their night a dream come true and the planning a little easier ...
Where: Central High School - 1 Lincoln Blvd. Bridgeport, CT 06606
When: Saturday, April 19, 2014
Time: 11am - 4pm
For more information and to register visit us at www.ctpromdress.com  

Students...
Scholarship Opportunities for Juniors, Sophomores and Freshman
  • Juniors - CHET Advance Scholarships
    The CHET Advance Scholarship is an annual program offered by the Connecticut State Treasurer's Office to help Connecticut students pay for college. This spring the program will award up to 100 high school juniors a $2,500 scholarship. High school juniors must have at 2.0 GPA to qualify. Winners will be selected in random drawings from all eligible students who submit a completed application before the deadline. Click here to read FAQs about the scholarship. Click here to apply. The deadline for applying is April 30.
  • Current freshmen, sophomores and juniors are encouraged to apply for the Sister Marion Reilly and Richard LaTorre Memorial Scholarships. The deadline for submitting applications for either or both scholarships is Friday, May 9. A total of six scholarships will be awarded (two per grade level) with Marion Reilly scholarships worth $2,000 each and LaTorre scholarships $1,000 each. Click here to obtain a Marion Reilly application. Click here to obtain a LaTorre application. Each application's cover page has details about eligibility and other requirements. 
Freshman Class Trip to NYC
The freshman class will travel to New York City on Monday, May 12, 2014. The group will visit Madame Tussauds Wax Museum, take a 90 minute "Liberty Cruise" in and around New York Harbor, eat lunch in Times Square, visit St. Patrick's Cathedral, and have time to explore 5th Avenue. The cost per student is $75, which includes coach bus transportation and various admission charges. Permission slips were distributed in school or to obtain another copy, click here. Permission slips and payment are due by Wednesday, April 30, 2014 to the Main Office. 

Synod 2014 Youth Delegates
Bishop Caggiano has announced the convocation of the Fourth Synod of the Diocese of Bridgeport. This year-long process is an opportunity for the "clergy, religious and lay people of the Diocese to come together to discuss and plan the pastoral future of the Diocese". The Synod officially lasts from September 19, 2014 through September 19, 2015. Many constituencies in the Diocese are being invited to participate in this process, including the youth of the Diocese and those representing our schools.

The Diocese is requesting applications for those youth who would be interested in serving as a voice for their peers through the Synod process. There will be 25 Youth Delegates who will be a part of the entire Synod process and 400 Youth Co-delegates. Each school, parish and town in the Diocese will be represented. For details on serving as a Youth Delegate (including an application), click here. Applications are due no later than May 1, 2014. For details on serving as a Co-delegate, click here. Students interested in serving as a Co-delegate should see Mr. Cipriano, Mr. St. Onge or Fr. Cipriani.

ND Tutoring Center Open After School
The ND Tutoring Center is now open (located in room 201A). The Center will be staffed Monday through Thursday from 2 to 3 pm. National Honor Society students will staff the Center as well as Sacred Heart University students (including some of our graduates). Students may drop in for assistance as needed after school. No appointments are necessary.

 

High School Essay Contest  
Volunteersquare.com and Patch.com are partnering up to offer an essay contest open to all 9-12 graders (age 13+) in select communities in the region. In 500 words or less, describe what community volunteering means to you. Essays will ONLY be accepted starting May 5 and until May 7. To submit your essay, email them to essays@volunteersquare.com. Click here for more information.

  

Sacred Heart University Presents: Successful Study Skills 4 Students **Special Pricing for Notre Dame Students** 

Skills for School, Tools for Life™ 3-session Evidenced-Based Study Skills Workshops That Work! The S4 program is based on a scientifically proven, easy-to-implement system for student organization, note taking, test preparation, time management and much more. Led by credentialed and engaging teachers, S4's goal is to equip students with the study skills needed for academic success. Click here for more details. 

Guidance Department Update...

Currently in Guidance, counselors are meeting with junior students and their parents to discuss college planning. If you have not made an appointment with your child's counselor, please do so soon.

 

Important Testing Dates 

  • May 3, 2014 - SAT Testing at Notre Dame - The late registration deadline is April 18. 
  • June SAT - Register for the June SAT on or before May 9, 2014. Notre Dame is not a test center for June SAT's.

Revolution Prep Programs

AP Final Review Course and SAT/ACT Small Group Course

Nothing works better than a 1 on 1 personalized approach, especially for SAT Subject Test, SAT's, and AP testing. To enroll, call an Academic Advisor at (888)-773-7123 or visit www.revolutionprep.com   

 

Seniors 

It is also very important that you complete the graduation survey on Naviance. Under the "About ME" section, click on "graduation survey". Please complete the survey for Guidance records and for recognition of awards at Graduation. Please list any scholarships and/or grants you were awarded from any of schools you were accepted to. When listing the scholarships and/or grants, please indicate if the award is for one year or four years. DO NOT list any loans that you have received. If you need to add additional colleges and/or scholarships, complete the survey, then click on "graduation survey" again and you will be able to add and/or delete any of the information. Please complete the survey by Friday, May 9.

  • Naviance - Seniors are reminded to be checking Naviance for scholarship opportunities.  
  • New Scholarships This Week (see scholarship section below for more scholarships)
    • Chester J. Lapinski Scholarship
      Graduating seniors are invited to apply for the Chester J. Lapinski Scholarship, which is a $5,000 scholarship (or potentially two $2,500 scholarships). Applicants must be graduating from a Catholic high school, be Catholic, be of Polish American extraction whose mother or father's family surname has never been legally or otherwise changed and have demonstrated financial need. Students must submit an application and the FAFSA by May 12. Click here for a scholarship application.   

    • The Kate Sterling Bunnell Scholarship  

      For students who live in Stratford. Financial need and Stratford residency are the sole criteria for this award. Awards typically have ranged from $500.00 to $2,500.00. Application packages are in the Guidance Office.

    • Theta Tau Omega Chapter Alpha Kappa Scholarship  

      Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Incorporated--Theta Tau Omega Chapter. Graduating seniors from Bridgeport, Stratford, Huntington, Shelton, Trumbull, or Fairfield are invited to apply. Applicants must be pursuing higher education in a planned 2, 3 or 4 year program at an accredited institution and be active in community and extra curricular school activities. Submit SAT and or ACT scores. Applications are available in Guidance. 

Parents...
Tuition Contracts                                                                Parents/Guardians are reminded that 2014-15 Tuition Agreements are due to the Main Office by Wednesday, April 16.

End of Year Schedule                                                                  Barring any additional weather-related schedule changes, the final day of exams for underclassmen will be on Friday, June 13, 2014. A more detailed end-of-year schedule will be made available in the coming days, but many families have requested to know the last day of exams to make summer plans. 

Last Call for Yearbooks
This is the last call for 2014 Yearbook orders. Yearbooks will arrive in early May and there are only a few dozen copies still available for pre-order. Yearbooks will sell out.

There are two options for ordering: Click here to order the yearbook online. Simply enter Notre Dame's order number 14196 to begin placing your order. Or, send cash or check (payable to Notre Dame) in to the Main Office. The cost is $75. Place your order before they sell out.    
Scholarships for Seniors...

Trumbull Community Woman's Service Scholarship

Trumbull Community Women will award one $2,500.00 scholarship to a graduating high school senior (male or female) who is a resident of Trumbull. The scholarship recipient will be chosen based upon their dedicated time and effort volunteering in the community, or surrounding communities, along with a demonstrated leadership role in said community service activities, and a 500 word essay. Completed applications must be postmarked by April 24, 2014. Applications are available in Guidance.

 

Branford Rotary Club 

High School Seniors Living in Branford may apply for this scholarship. Scholastic Achievement, community service, and financial need are considered. Applications available at www.branfordrotary.org or in the Guidance Office.  

 

Council of Italian-American Societies of Greater Bridgeport
The Council of Italian American Societies will be awarding scholarships to students of Italian decent. Applications are available in the Guidance Office.  

The Jacky Durrell Memorial Scholarship

The Jacky Durrell Memorial Service Award will be granted to graduating high school seniors. The recipients must be Fairfield residents. The student should be planning to attend a post-secondary institution with a program of study of one year or longer. Two scholarships in the amount of $1,000 will be awarded to deserving individuals on the basis of: Community Service, School Service, Evidence of Leadership, Ability, Financial Need. High school transcripts, completed application, and parent and student authorization must be received by Wednesday, April 30, 2014. Mail or deliver to: Fairfield Parks and Recreation Department, Attention: Ginna Paules, 75 Mill Plain Road, Fairfield, CT 06824. Applications available in Guidance.

 

Kiwanis Club of Fairfield Scholarship (Key Club Members)  

Key Club members are encouraged to take advantage of the Kiwanis Club of Fairfield Scholarship. Kiwanis will be awarding 10 scholarships in the amount of $1,000.00. The main criteria in awarding these scholarships are financial need, Key Club or community service equivalent and academic performance. Applications are available in Guidance. 

 

Virtual High School Scholarship
Seniors currently taking an on-line course at Notre Dame are invited to apply for a $1,000 scholarship from Virtual High School. Click here for scholarship details. Deadline for applications is April 15.

 

The Vera H. and William R. Todd Foundation  

Applicants must be a current resident of Derby or Shelton, with continuous residence for a minimum of four years: a high school graduate or high school senior planning to attend college. You must request your high school to mail a transcript of your academic record, including class standing and complete record of your SAT scores to the Trustee. Complete the application in detail and answer all questions. Copies of income tax returns are needed. Student will need two letters of recommendation. Applications are available in Guidance.   


Mutual Security Community Service Scholarships 

In honor of their commitment and service to the community, six high school seniors with outstanding promise will each receive a $1,000 scholarship. Scholarships will be awarded to students, who are in good academic standing, have demonstrated financial need, and have given selflessly of themselves to improve the overall state of affairs in their community. Applications available online at  www.mscu.net and in the Guidance Office.  

 

Orthopaedic & Sports Medicine Center (OSM) of Trumbull 

The Orthopedic & Sports Medicine Center will be offering a $2,000 Scholarship and other awards of $1,000 to students from area high schools including Notre Dame. The scholarship is open to high school athletes planning to attend college in the fall who play for high schools where OSM serves as team physicians. Applications can be downloaded here: www.osmcenter.com. Applications can also be picked up in the Guidance Office. 

  

Fairfield Rotary Foundation
Seniors are invited to apply for the Fairfield Rotary Scholarship. One scholarship in the amount of $7,500 and five in the amount of $3,000 are awarded to graduating seniors from the four Fairfield high schools annually. Selection criteria is based upon academic achievement and community service. Click here to download an application. Applications must be received by May 5, 2014.

St. Patrick's Scholarship
Graduating seniors are invited to apply for the St. Patrick's Scholarship - a $24,000 scholarship - $6,000 per year. Applications are available in Guidance. Deadline for applying is May 1.
Alumni News...
Key Chains
The Alumni Association is selling custom Notre Dame key chains for $10.00. Please contact Theresa Marzik at marzik@notredame.org or call 203-372-6521 to purchase a key chain.  
 

Join The Alumni Association
For the past several months, a group of alumni have been meeting to plan and organize a formal Alumni Association. The purpose of the Alumni Association will be to maintain and promote alumni participation in the development of ND through professional, educational, and social programs and events.  A membership drive is underway.  Please see the attached form for more information.  Please consider joining the Alumni Association and get involved in your Alma Mater!  We have some great events planned for 2014.

The ND Lancer Open Golf Tournament
Save the date! The ND Lancer Open in Memory of Bob Shea will be held on Monday, September 22, 2014 at the Redding Country Club.
Congratulations to...  

Cheerleading
Jillian Gelmetti '14 - All Division, Jessica Cannon '14 - All Division, Dy-Mond Leroy '14 - All Division, Colleen O'Reilly '14 - All Conference

Boys' Basketball
Jaylen Jennings '14 - All Conference, Jake Heaton '15 (missing from picture)- All Division, CJ Davidson '15 - All Division, Jesse McIntosh '16 - All Division, Jordan Pettway '16 - Honorable Mention

Girls' Basketball 
Kayla Croswell '15 - All Division, Briana Mann '14 - All Conference, Nakia Mabin '15 - Honorable Mention.
 

ITown Store  
Notre Dame and ITown have partnered for an exciting online store where you can purchase official Notre Dame Fairfield clothing and apparel. The store will be continually updated throughout the year. ITown Store is a virtual store focused on sales of apparel and promotional products with logo customization options. Visit www.itownstore.com and click on "Find your store" to see ND's merchandise.