A Strategic Initiative for Notre Dame High School - St. Louis

• FirmlyUnited is inspired by the last line of our present school song. It reflects

our long history of working together, side by side.

• Committed to our Future indicates that we have a bold vision and the

determination to make it a reality.

• Together, this unity and commitment enables us to build a strong future and

have a profound effect on the next generation of young women.

FaithfulandtrueheartedLetuscheerforNotreDameWerevereher&defendherAndhercolorsproudlyclaim.Wewillstandforher,unitedOf herdeedswegladlytell,Hercolorsstreaming,Gladfacesbeaming,

Sohere’sacheerforNotreDamewelovesowell.Joyous,andeverloyal,

Letusflythewhiteandblue.Leteveryheartsing,Leteveryvoicering,

We’llbeevertruetoyou.It’severonward;

Ourcoursepursuing.Maysuccesscrownhergloriousname.

Firmly UnitedWewillcheerfordearoldNotreDame.

It is with great pride that I introduce you to FirmlyUnited,CommittedtoourFuture,

a strategic initiative intended to honor the rich 80 year history of Notre Dame

High School and take our mission to the next level of excellence.

During the planning stage of this project, I have been truly touched as hundreds

of students, faculty and staff members, parents, alumnae, School Sisters of

Notre Dame, and volunteer leaders have all expressed what Notre Dame means

to them, what makes us different, and what our future should look like. The

collective voice of these passionate stakeholders has enabled us to establish a

bold vision for the future which is laid forth in this case for support.

Our immediate plan calls for investments in our science and technology

programs, additional support for our outstanding faculty, increased tuition

assistance, and the strengthening of our marketing and recruiting. Longer term

priorities include enhancements to our entranceways, gym and theatre facilities,

and an increase to our endowment.

I invite you to review the information in our case for support. Please consider

making a financial commitment to our school’s future over the next five years.

In doing so, you will honor our past and also enhance the lives of future

generations of young women.

Sincerely,

Gail Guelker, SSND ’60

President

Message from the President:

2013-2014 Projected

enrollment Increase

10%

Leadershipnotre dame mInIstrY corPoratIon

Mary Anne Owens, SSNDSSNDProvincialLeader,CentralPacificProvinceMaria Elena Ferrer-Lopez, SSNDSSNDProvincialCouncil,CentralPacificProvinceDianne Perry, SSNDSSNDProvincialCouncil,CentralPacificProvinceGail Mazanec Sneed ’84SSNDMinistryCorporationBoardPresident

David BoersigGail Buckman, SSNDAndrew DawsonRich KeussDoug MertzlufftMary Beth Enger Ortbals ’60 FocusGroupChairDiane Perry, SSNDSusan Preis ’73Ann Rackers

notre dame HIGH scHool admInIstratIon

Gail Guelker, SSND ’60NotreDameHighSchoolPresidentDr. Michelle Emmerich, SSNDNotreDameHighSchoolPrincipal

marketInG commIttee

Gail Guelker, SSND ’60Tim KilperMeredith MetzgerSandy Montgomery ’01Katie Whalen Peroutka ’97Chris SchillerTom SchillerMelissa Hack Thomas ’86

FIrmlY UnIted,

commItted to oUr FUtUre

steerInG commIttee

Pat Martens Balke ’61Mary Helen Bender, SSND ’60Father Rich CreasonGail Guelker, SSND ’60Cheryl Mertzlufft Sandy Montgomery ’01Mary Beth Enger Ortbals ’60Dan OssolaAndy Pauk Co-ChairNancy Wissler Pauk ’79John SchottMarlene Kemper Schumm ’72Gail Mazanec Sneed ’84 Co-ChairLaurie Gorman Welsch ’73

FacIlItIes commIttee

Steve EpleyGreg Hayden ChairJohn HoffmannGarry StockmannPam Thebeau ’96

FInance commIttee

Virginia BurnsCheryl Brown Hanson ’90Joan Himmelberg Hayes ’86Sean HoganJames LipsmireCynthia McKeeDoug MertzlufftChairJeff Potts

“NotreDameHighSchoolservesanimportantroleinthiscommunityandintheworld.LikeourfoundressBlessedTheresa,ourstudentsareeducatedtogooutandmakeadifferenceinourworld.Thisiniativeensuresthatfuturegenerationshavethosesameopportunities.”

Sister Mary Anne Owens SSNDProvincialLeader,CentralPacificProvince

FIrmlY UnIted,

commItted to oUr FUtUre

steerInG commIttee

Pat Martens Balke ’61Mary Helen Bender, SSND ’60Father Rich CreasonGail Guelker, SSND ’60Cheryl Mertzlufft Sandy Montgomery ’01Mary Beth Enger Ortbals ’60Dan OssolaAndy Pauk Co-ChairNancy Wissler Pauk ’79John SchottMarlene Kemper Schumm ’72Gail Mazanec Sneed ’84 Co-ChairLaurie Gorman Welsch ’73

FacIlItIes commIttee

Steve EpleyGreg Hayden ChairJohn HoffmannGarry StockmannPam Thebeau ’96

FInance commIttee

Virginia BurnsCheryl Brown Hanson ’90Joan Himmelberg Hayes ’86Sean HoganJames LipsmireCynthia McKeeDoug MertzlufftChairJeff Potts

• In 1897, Sancta Maria in Ripa High School was founded for young women interested in entering the School

Sisters of Notre Dame.

• In 1934, Sancta Maria became Notre Dame High School, open to both day students and aspirants to religious life.

• In 1953, the gym and a meeting room were built, followed in 1955 by the L-shaped high school building still in

use today. Classes were moved out of the Motherhouse and into the new high school.

• With the closing of Notre Dame College in 1977, the high school acquired the use of a second building. Romana

Hall was named after S. Romana Hechenberger, SSND who served as principal from 1950-1967.

• Today, Notre Dame High School provides a strong college preparatory program to young women through

an environment of differentiated instruction. The common vision of Notre Dame High School is to educate

students toward the integration of lifelong learning, faith and service.

• Our Alumnae now number over 7,000 living in 46 states and 8 countries.

Our History

stUdent to FacUltY ratIo10 to 1

• In the summer of 2012, a Feasibility Study was conducted to gain insight into the attitudes of more than 50

key stakeholders regarding the school’s challenges and emerging needs.

• To gain further consensus, a series of Focus Group sessions were held involving almost 100 students, parents,

faculty and staff, alumnae, School Sisters of Notre Dame, and friends. Additionally, almost 400 responded to

an online survey.

• Planning participants brought forth key issues and affirmed the strengths and traditions of the school. Clearly

evident throughout was their deep affection for Notre Dame, its Catholic values, its connection with the

School Sisters of Notre Dame, and its loving and nurturing environment. Several important insights emerged:

• Notre Dame is clearly unique in providing outstanding and individualized college preparation. Our

differentiated curriculum, 10 to 1 student to faculty ratio, Advisor Program, and focus on organization

and time management skills all combine to teach our young women how to succeed in college and life.

• Science and technology are extremely important educational priorities for our students’ future and require

state of the art programs and facilities.

• Our faculty is a critical element of our ability to guide our young women, and they need to be appropriately

compensated and receive continual professional training.

• Modern, functional facilities and campus infrastructure are important aspects of providing current and

prospective students with a well-rounded educational experience.

• Many great things are taking place at Notre Dame; however, the school is not as widely known in the St.

Louis market as we desire.

• Top recommendations that emerged:

• Enhance Notre Dame’s Science and Technology facilities, infrastructure, and programs.

• Increase funding for faculty compensation and training, as well as need-based financial aid for students.

• Invest capital in facilities improvements centered on the school’s entranceways, gymnasium and

performing arts space.

• Build the endowment to provide long term support for financial aid, faculty development and

institutional sustainability.

• Aggressively promote the wonderful qualities of our school for both recruiting and development purposes.

The Planning

“IchallengeallalumnaetothinkabouthowNotreDamechangedyourlife.Thisisnowyourtimetoreallymakeadifferenceandchangethelivesof somanymoreyoungwomen.”

Gail Mazanec Sneed ’84

StrategicInitiativeCo-Chair

accePtance rate

to colleGe

The Response• Starting in early 2013, Notre Dame’s Leadership decided to embark on an ambitious five year Strategic Initiative

which is aptly named FirmlyUnited,CommittedtoourFuture.

• The contributions of the planning participants helped form the foundation of our short and long term funding

priorities and also our vision for the future.

• The Strategic Initiative’s immediate funding components will include: renovation of the science labs,

modernization of our technology, increased compensation and training for our faculty, increased financial aid

for students in need, and new marketing initiatives.

• Longer term priorities will include: renovation of our entranceways, improvements to our gym and performing

arts facilities, and the growth of our endowment.

• Successfully accomplishing these goals will touch every current and future student at Notre Dame, and also

have a significant and positive impact on enrollment.

• Our initiative will focus on securing five year pledges to support these funding needs, while building a foundation

for long term support through Planned Giving and a Major Gift program.

accePtance rate

to colleGe

100%

Immediate Funding Priorities:scIence dePartment: $300,000• Cabinetry and refurbishments in 3 labs and lecture room

• Addition of highly efficient, functional student work stations

• Upgrades in scientific software providing virtual lab learning

• Upgrade and modernization of teaching materials

• Installation of safety showers

tecHnoloGY: $150,000• Creation of fully wireless campus

• Tripling of our fiber-optics bandwidth capacity

• Implementation of 1 to 1 student to digital device program

• Faculty training to fully utilize and embrace new technology advances

InstItUtIonal sUstaInabIlItY: $550,000• Increase in Faculty compensation to industry standard

• Faculty professional training and development

• Increase in need-based tuition assistance

• Supplements to recruiting, advertising and development budgets

• Strategic Initiative Costs

FacIlItIes: $750,000• Renovation of entranceways

• Traffic flow and access changes

• Gymnasium/theatre improvements

endowment Increase: $250,000

“WhatNotreDameoffersismoreof anoverallexperiencethatgoesbeyondbasicMath,History,andEnglish.Theindividualattention,support,andopportunityforpersonalgrowththegirlsreceivehereisveryunique.”

Andy PaukStrategicInitiativeCo-Chair

Fatherof Amy’01,Stacey’03,Emily’08,andJamie’12

The Larger Vision: next FUndInG PrIorItIes:

The following individuals offered valuable insights and were an essential part of this process through their participation

in the Feasibility Study, Focus Groups, One-on-One meetings, and Initiative Video Filming:

Thank you as well to the nearly 400 individuals who took our

on-line survey and offered so many additional comments and

suggestions.

Thank You

FInancIal aId awarded In 2012-13

$172,000

Steve and Mary Ann Abegg Mikayla Baker ’14Joan Gildehaus Barry ’59Mark Bayens Nancy Becker, SSND Brad Behrmann Mary Helen Bender, SSND ’60Mary Bequette Jan Berberich, SSND ’67Gaspare and Christy Burkert Biundo ’83Mary Lee McAllister Block ’63David Boersig Gail Buckman, SSND Amy Pauk Bush ’01Dennis and Terri Lato Chastonay ’88Norm Christensen Brittany Cooper ’14Lillian Corzine ’16Ellen Dalton ’15Pat Delaney, SSND Anna Schneider DeMerit ’68Joan DiProspere, SSND ’64Emily Ellison ’13Ruth Emke, SSND ’69Dr. Michelle Emmerich, SSND Lauren Epley ’14Patty Horas Fagin ’73Al and Karen Faust Katie Fernandez ’13Maria Elena Ferrer-Lopez, SSND Mike and Bridget McDermott Flood ’74Anna Forder ’57Kathryn Frank, SSND Lucy Freitag ’14Mathew George Mary Schillinger Gillespie ’65Mary Tabash GodefroidKristen Goulden ’13Patricia Gravemann, SSND Gail Guelker, SSND ’60Cheryl Brown Hanson ’90Greg Hayden Emily Hayes ’16Scott and Joan Himmelberg Hayes ’86 Steve Henry Sue Armbruster Herndon ’73Ariel Hoeffken ’09Wes Hoeffken Jo Ellyn Hanlon Hoffmann ’60Maria Hoft

Sean Hogan Shelley Hogan, SSND ’67Greg and Cara Holdener Mary Paul Holdmeyer, SSND Delilah Huelsing ’88Stewart Intagliata Helen Jane Jaeb, SSND Linda Jansen, SSND Susan Jordan, SSND ’60Dan and Anne Wahle Karcher ’78Laura Mowery Klein ’01Marjorie Klein, SSND Kristen Lucy Kuchem ’86Jeff and Kim Lindemann Christopher Livingston Jeff and Judy Lautenschlager Lowe ’79Jade Lubinski ’15Beth Lundy Joel Mackay, SSND Grace Magee ’14Carol Lipsmire Marinaro ’80Dr. Patricia Martens Balke ’61Marilyn Mattione Emma McCann ’13Aimilia McDonough ’14Mary McGuire Barbara McIntuff, SSND Randy and Karen Medved Amanda Meehan Martin Mengarelli Jacqueline Merkel ’16Doug and Cheryl Mertzlufft Meredith Metzger Janice Jennewein Meyer ’65Julie Bridwell Meyer ’01Suzy Meyer Bev Miller Renee Molner ’13Sandy Montgomery ’01Allison Moser ’16Cheryl Muehlfarth Kelley Neighbors Sam and Jan Orlando Mary Beth Enger Ortbals ’60Mariajose Ortiz ’16Laura Ortmann-Evenson ’84Dan Ossola Mary Anne Owens, SSND Carol Braun Padberg ’60Monika Pagano

Andy and Nancy Wissler Pauk ’79Katie Whalen Peroutka ’97Dianne Perry, SSND Betty Pfaff ’56Allison Phillips ’13Sharon Dudenhoeffer Phillips ’84Natalie Pistone ’14Jeff Potts Carol Ann Prenger, SSND ’68Diane Kochner Pridmore ’72Joyelle Proot, SSND Jennifer Puricelli Katie Puricelli ’15Marta Rasas ’15Danielle Rinck ’14Timothy Ritter Jacque Rocchio Christina Rohde ’13Susan Hoffmann Rothweil ’66Tom Schiller Nancy Thebeau Schillinger ’61Rachel Schleicher ’13Barb Schlueter Sue Schoemehl John Schott Celine Schumacher, SSND ’62Marlene Kemper Schumm ’72Maddie Siebum ’13Rick Siebum Gail Mazanec Sneed ’84Corwin and Lora Sodemann Janet Suter Springmeyer ’67Niki Miller Stilwell ’85Theresa Terry Carol Siebert Thebeau ’65Kelly Meyer Tonkovic ’88Mary Trottier Terrence and Mary Lou Tyrrell Barb Van de Riet Teresa Venker ’72Veronica Vilhard ’14Suzon Zipf Villa ’63Stephanie Walsh ’13Laurie Gorman Welsch ’73Sarah Wolter ’15John and Deb Ziegler Paulette Zimmerman, SSND ’65Jo Zinselmeyer

320 East Ripa AvenueSaint Louis, Missouri 63125

(314) 544-1015www.ndhs.net

Notre Dame High School Mission StatementNotre Dame High School educates young women to become confident, compassionate Christian leaders. Each student

is guided to reach the fullness of her potential and to use her gifts to make a difference in the world around her.

Notre Dame High School provides a college preparatory program to girls from diverse backgrounds through an

environment of differentiated instruction.

In the spirit of the School Sisters of Notre Dame and in response to the mission of Jesus in the Catholic tradition,

students are educated to integrate lifelong learning, faith, and service into their lives.