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November 14, 2014

In This Issue
Thank You
Congratulations
This Week at ND
Parent/Student Information
Club News
Campus Ministry
Guidance Department
Alumni Association
Parent Association
Advancement Office
Athletic Department
Dates to Remember

Thursday, Nov. 20
Academic Awards Banquet and Honor Society Inductions
6:30 pm - Gym

Tuesday, Nov. 25
Dismissal at 1 pm
Faculty Professional Development/
ND Family 
Thanksgiving Mass
6:30 Gym

Wednesday, Nov. 26
Half Day Schedule
Powder Puff Game

Monday, December 1
26 Acts of Kindness Campaign Begins

Wednesday, Dec. 3
Winter Arts Celebration
7:00 pm

Quick Links...

Plus Portal

Click here to access 

Plus Portals.

Send us an email if you are having difficulty setting up your account. 

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 kphilipp@notredame.org for questions.

ND Tutoring Center

The ND Tutoring Center is open Monday through Thursday from 2 - 3 pm in Room 212. No appointment necessary. The Center is staffed by NHS and SHU tutors

Library Hours 
The library is open Monday - Thursday until 4:00 pm and on Fridays until 3:00 pm.
 
Register Your Target Red Card 
Notre Dame received a check for $321 thanks to friends of the school who linked their Target Red Card to Notre Dame. Notre Dame receives 1% of all purchases you make. To sign up your card, click here.  
  
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Stop and Shop A+ Rewards

Families are encouraged to register their Stop and Shop card for the A+ Rewards Program. 
Click here to register. 

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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
ccipriano@notredame.org. We look forward to the opportunity to share your good news with the entire Notre Dame community.
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Thank You...
Thank you to the Notre Dame family for contributing over $3,200.00, which was donated to the family of Zaire Hall, a sophomore from Kolbe Cathedral, who passed away two weeks ago. The donation will help the family cover funeral expenses and medical costs. Thank you for showing your support for the Hall family!
Congratulations...
... In anticipation of inducting the newest junior and senior members of the National Honor Society, the NHS held its annual election of officers this week.  For the 2014-2015 academic year, the National Honor Society officers are:
  • President: Rebecca Stefanatos
  • Vice-President: Sara Keden
  • Secretary: Patrice Lauture
  • Treasurer: Morgan Sweeney
  • Historian: Ashley Maitland
These students will coordinate the various service projects the NHS will be sponsoring this year, notably the Red Cross Blood Drive in second semester.  Congratulations, seniors!
This Week at ND...
Senior Retreat
On November 11, the seniors experienced their class retreat on the Sacred Heart campus. The theme of the retreat was Time: Looking Back and Looking Ahead.  Special thanks to the Sacred Heart Campus Ministry Team for their assistance and to all the families of seniors who wrote palanca letters to help complete the day.  

Students Raise Money for Veterans
Mr. Sweeney's students collected over $250.00 in gift cards for Dunkin Donuts for veterans who reside at Homes for the Brave in Bridgeport. Thank you to all who donated.

Faculty Members Attend Kristallnacht Commemoration
On Monday, Fr. Luke, Mr. Sweeney, Mr. Philipp and Mr. Cipriano attended Sacred Heart University's annual Kristallnacht Commemoration. Kristallnacht remembers the large-scale Nazi attack on Jewish homes, businesses and synagogues in 1938. Rabbi Abraham Skorka was the keynote speaker. Rabbi Skorka is a personal friend of Pope Francis, has co-authored a book with the Pope and shared some personal stories about his close friend over dinner with a small group, including the ND representatives.

Veteran's Day Prayer Service
Fernando Moreno '04 speaking to student body during service
On Veteran's Day, Notre Dame remembered all veterans and their families for their many sacrifices, especially those veterans who have graduated from Notre Dame. Over 100 names were read, with a brief description of their military service, including the six Notre Dame graduates who were killed in action, five in Vietnam and one in Iraq. The following students read the names of our veterans: Raina Ceryak '16, Alyssa Bergamasco '15, Kenny Fan '15, Sara Keden '15, Patrice Lauture '15, Jon Suporn '15, Caitlin Lonergan '15, Jessica LeMere '15, and Cheyenne Perez '15. 

To conclude the prayer service, Fernando Moreno '04, a current saergent in the US Army, spoke to the student body about his ND and military experiences. He also presented a flag and certificate to the school which reads: "This certifies that the accompanying flag of the United States of America was flown in the Intensive Care Unit at SPC Jordan Byrd Trauma Center at FOB Sharana, Paktika, Afghanistan. It bears witness to a collaborative international effort to destroy terrorist, oppressive forces who threaten the freedom of the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan, the United States of America, and the world." This special presentation was a thank you for the collection of school materials Notre Dame completed and sent to Sgt. Moreno for distribution to local schoolchildren in Afghanistan. To read the full list of ND veterans remembered on Veteran's Day, click here.
Attention Parents and Students...

Appalachia 2015 Applications Due

Any sophomores, juniors or seniors interested in the 2015 trip to Appalachia (Notre Dame's 24th annual trip) are reminded that applications are due to the Main Office no later than Friday, November 21. This year's trip will return to Neon, Kentucky from June 27-July 5, 2015. To view the application (which contains trip details), click here.

 

Attention Juniors! Caribe Youth Saturday Academy - 

SAT Prep

Bridgeport Caribe Youth Leaders is launching its 6th annual SAT prep program for Bridgeport high school students. An Orientation will be held on December 6, 2014 for both student and parent. The orientation is mandatory due to a pre-test assessment. The course runs from January 2015 to March 2015 and will be held Saturday mornings from 9:00 - 1:00 on the University of Bridgeport campus. Due to a partnership with UB, Caribe is able to keep the program fee very low for students ($70) and all costs go to cover books, materials and college tours. If you are currently a junior from Bridgeport please consider learning more about the program as space is limited. The last 5 classes have recorded at least 100 point improvement in their SAT test compared to pre-test! Click here for more information. 


Pre-Order Your 2015 Yearbook

2015 Yearbooks are available for pre-order. To reserve your copy now for only $75, click here. Enter the school code: 14196 to begin the order process. If you'd like to pay by cash or check, send your payment in to the Main Office. 
 
Senior Experience Applications
Seniors planning to submit a proposal for the Senior Experience program are reminded that applications are due by Tuesday, November 25, 2014. The Senior Experience program affords students an opportunity to complete a four week internship or community service project from April 27-May 22, at the conclusion of their senior year. For additional details or to download an application packet, click here.

Cheerleaders to Hold Clothing Drive

Email Denise Gagne with any questions.
Club News...
Drama Club
The Notre Dame Drama Club is excited to announce that their spring musical (May 8 - 9, 2015) will be The Drowsy Chaperone.  Winner of five Tony Awards, The Drowsy Chaperone is for anyone who loves American musicals.  Auditions are open to all ND students and will be held in December. See Mr. St. Onge or Mrs. Marzik with any questions.  

Chess Club
Juan Bareto '18 and Roberto Rojas '16 square off during chess club competitions. The Chess Club meets Tuesdays in Room 319. See Mr. Carlino with any questions.  

Debate Club 
Debate club will meet weekly on Thursdays at 2:05 in Room 308. There will be no meetings on half days.
 
Spanish Club
The Spanish Club celebrated "El Día de los Muertos" with a fiesta.  Members dined on Mexican food and desserts, and also had the opportunity to make "El Día de los Muertos" themed key chains, commemorating the celebration of the lives of those who have passed on. 
 
Key Club Turkey/Food Drive
It is November and that can only mean that it is time for the Turkey Drive sponsored by the Key Club. We would like to reach a goal of 200 donated turkeys for this Thanksgiving. We are asking anyone who can donate a frozen turkey to bring it to Notre Dame on Friday, November 21 between 7 and 8 am.  After 8:00 am, we will load the cars/vans and bring the turkeys and any canned foods to Sr. Theresa Trembly who will provide them to needy families.  This has become an annual event and Sister is so appreciative of our support  Please email Miss Zembrzuski or Mrs. Miller to sign up to bring in turkeys or if there are any questions or concerns.  Please note, we cannot take the turkey before November 21 because we do not have the capacity to keep them frozen. Each homeroom is also being asked to bring in non-perishable items.  The list is attached here.  Thank you to everyone who is able to make this another successful Thanksgiving turkey/food drive.  Happy Thanksgiving to everyone!
Campus Ministry...
Rake & Bake Family Service Day
On November 9, Notre Dame sponsored its first Rake & Bake Family Service Day.  Families met for mass, breakfast, and then went out to various homes in the surrounding areas to rake for elderly or disabled neighbors.  A huge thank you to all participants especially parents and the ND football coaches.


Students Participate in "Off the Streets" Fundraiser
On Monday evening, Miss Medoff took students to join Assumption Youth Group in a fundraiser for "Off the Streets" Foundation.  It took place at Chip's in Fairfield and raised money to give to the homeless for security deposits so they can rent an apartment sooner. Participants included Sam Halstead '14, Maggie Halstead '16, Rose Brennan '16, Cheyenne Perez '16, Kate Muldoon '16, Emily Schofield '16, and Lucy Grant '18.

Morning Mass Celebrated
On Friday morning, Father Luke celebrated morning mass and attendees were treated to breakfast in the cafeteria during homeroom. 

Upcoming Service Opportunities
Campus Ministry met on Thursday, November 13. Please see Miss Medoff or Mr. St. Onge for any upcoming service opportunities. The next meeting will be Monday, December 1. 
Guidance Department News...

Reminder to All Seniors

Seniors are reminded to meet with your counselor at least two weeks before your application deadlines. Please have your student assessment form completed and ask your teachers for recommendations with plenty of notice. This will allow the Guidance Office plenty of time to process the required paper work and allow teacher(s) the time to write recommendations by your college deadlines.

 

College Rep Visits - Week of November 17 

  • Tuesday, November 18 - Bryant University 
  • Wednesday, November 19 - Housatonic Community College 

Seniors must sign up on Naviance to visit with a college representative. Once signed up, please stop by the Guidance Office to get a pass for that day. Please come at least 2 days prior to obtain a pass. No student will be allowed to leave homeroom without a pass. All visits will be at 8:00 am and in Room 206. Check Naviance to see the full schedule.

Alumni Association News...
Breakfast With Santa
The Notre Dame Alumni Association's Breakfast with Santa will take place on Saturday, December 6 from 8:30 - 10:00 am in the ND Cafe.  This event is open to all ND alumni and their children/grandchildren.  Tickets are $5 per person.  For reservations, please contact tmarzik@notredame.org. Click here for more information. 

Alumni Association Meeting
The next Alumni Association Meeting will be held on Wednesday, November 19 at 6:30 pm in the ND library - all ND alumni are welcome to attend.
Parent Association News...
Parent Volunteers Needed
The Notre Dame Parent Association appreciates the help and support of all our parent volunteers.  Remember, before you can volunteer at an event with students, you need to complete Virtus training. To register for a training session, please click here. Once the session and a background check are completed, you will be able to volunteer for all ND events.  Please contact Kevin Philipp at kphilipp@notredame.org for questions or information on completing a volunteer packet.
Advancement Office News...
Looking for a great, long-lasting Christmas gift?  
Consider purchasing a Notre Dame commemorative brick.  Notre Dame's Advancement Office is sponsoring their annual Christmas brick drive. The commemorative bricks line the Notre Dame entrance walkway and will leave a lasting legacy.  Have them engraved for an alumni, a graduating class, student, teacher, friend or family member.  Purchase a brick as a Christmas gift and receive a certificate to give to the special recipient. For more information please click here or contact our Advancement Office at tmarzik@notredame.org.
Save the Date
Save the Date for Notre Dame's Lancer Legacy Gala which will take place on Saturday, February 28, 2015 at Sacred Heart University.  If you would like to volunteer on this year's Gala Planning Committee, please contact Theresa Marzik in our Advancement Office at tmarzik@notredame.org.
Lancer Athletics...
Baseball Meeting
There will be a meeting for all students interested in playing baseball this spring on Thursday, November 20 at 2:00 pm in the café. If you are interested, but cannot attend the meeting, please see Mr. Bleggi.
 
Girls' Basketball
A girls' basketball shooting clinic will be held on Monday, November 17 and Tuesday, November 18 from 7:00 pm to 9:00 pm, and Wednesday, November 19 from 5:30 pm to 7:30 pm. See Mr. Bleggi on Monday if you haven't signed up yet. There is no charge for this clinic.
 
Start Dates/Times for Winter Sports
Girls' Hockey - November 17 - 2:45 pm - Milford Ice Pavilion - team meeting after practice at 4:30 pm
Girls' Basketball - November 24 - Freshmen at 2:15, Sophommores-Seniors - 3pm
Boys' Ice Hockey - December 1 - 5:40 pm - Milford Ice Pavilion 
Boys' Basketball - December 1 - 2:15 pm
Indoor Track - December  1 - 2:30 pm - Chapel Lobby
Bowling - December 2nd - 2:50 pm - Nutmeg Bowling Alley - Fairfield
 
Winter Athletic Passes 
Winter Athletic Passes are available for purchase in Mr. Bleggi's office. The athletic passes will allow admission for an individual or family (immediate family members only) to all ND home athletic events at Notre Dame, the Milford Ice Pavilion, and Sacred Heart University's Pitt Center and Campus Field. The cost of an individual pass is $40 and a family pass is $75. Checks can be made payable to ND.
Community Events...

DOB - Youth Website  

Check out the Diocese of Bridgeport new Teen Space website. The page is filled with music, events, Youth Group stuff, and high school news from around the Diocese. Click here to view it now.