Chez News
Notre Dame School
of Manhattan
May 26, 2020
Letter from the President
May 26, 2020

Dear Notre Dame,

As I mentioned in a previous email, Ms. Brilliant, Ms. Vargas and I have been planning how best to prepare for opening Notre Dame School in the Fall 2020. We have attended many meetings with other Heads of Schools from the New York Association of Independent Schools (NYSAIS) as well as with administrators from the National Coalition of Girls' Schools (NCGS) and principals from the Archdiocese of New York (ADNY). Our consultations focus on the best way to proceed given what we now know about the coronavirus. The details of our plan continue to be worked out. We hope to announce this plan shortly. Rest assured, Notre Dame is fully committed to continue our mission of education, even if it may look different given the coronavirus pandemic.

This newsletter highlights what is more certain, given it is more immediate. Our virtual  Chez  Nous Benefit will be streamed on YouTube and Facebook from Noon to 1pm on Saturday, June 6th. Registration is free and available by clicking the link in the  Chez  Nous Benefit section. This is Notre Dame's largest fundraiser. I ask you to spread the word to all your friends and relatives so that we may reach as many supporters as possible. 

Our feature Greet the Graduates continues to allow us to spotlight the members of the Class of 2020. We are so proud of each one of our graduates. Plans are underway to mark the original dates of their Graduation Mass and Graduation next week. 

Our wonderful teachers continue to teach through Zoom. While the Class of 2020 have completed their classes, our younger students are actively engaged and in their final weeks of school. I hope you enjoy seeing Ms. Halloran's classes' project on the Romantic Poets. You may also want to check out the two candidates running for Student Council President for the 2020-2021 school year. 

The final announcement in the Chez News is about our Virtual Summer Camp, from June 29th to July 23rd. This year there is a session for rising 7th, 8th and 9th graders and one for rising 10th, 11th and 12th graders. Eligible students can access camp from any location. Please spread the word about our summer camp as it will be engaging and fun!

This coming Sunday is Pentecost, the birthday of the Church. There is still time to join the novena that we mentioned last week. CLICK HERE t o participate. While church services may not have been accessible in person, there are countless stories of people who have served their neighbors in this stay at home time period. Let us keep looking for ways to look out for each other. We have daily opportunities to give thanks and care for one another. Pass a smile along to all those you meet.
Warm regards,
Dr. Virginia O'Brien, SU
President 
Notre Dame School
Auction Action!
JOIN US ON SATURDAY, JUNE 6TH
Live streamed on YouTube and Facebook
Noon until 1:00 pm
MUST REGISTER TO PARTICIPATE

Registration is free and all invited to participate in this year's Chez Nous Benefit, so we encourage you to register before Monday, June 1, if you haven't already. At our live streamed event on Saturday, June 6th, you will hear from our students, honorees, Principal and President, along with a few others so be sure to tune in to our 1-hour long event!
Not registered for the auction? No worries. You can do so now! The link below will take you to the  Chez Nous  Benefit website homepage. Click the "Register Here" button and fill out your information accordingly. Then, let the fun begin!
Our silent auction is now open for your viewing pleasure! Take a close look at the two items we are highlighting this week, and start planning your bidding strategies now. Use the link above to explore over 140 of our auction packages.
Beacon Weekend Getaway
The cozy condo in Beacon, New York, with stunning waterfalls nearby
(Fair market value - $728)
Feeling trapped in the city? Treat yourself to a weekend in Beacon, New York, a historic town with 19th-century brick buildings and a quintessential Main Street. But this quaint city, perched above the Hudson River in the shadow of Mount Beacon, has so much more to offer, including unique galleries, restaurants, and the renowned Dia Beacon, a contemporary and modern art museum. Enjoy a two-night stay in a loft-like condominium built in a uniquely renovated factory. With a stunning waterfall and Mount Beacon nearby, you can choose to enjoy the natural beauty of the region, or stay in town to revel in the live music and delicious foods in the many pubs in the area.

As the evenings can still be cool there, we have added some items to pack in your suitcase. First, we have included a Heartloom sweater. Heartloom is known for its casual, cool and modern sophistication, and this sweater will add style and comfort to your weekend wardrobe. And to keep your fast pace going, these Free People Socks will do the job. Free People is an American apparel and lifestyle retail company for women who keep busy and push life to its limits. These socks were made for the non-stop activities of your weekend away. Finally, when your day is down and you are cozily nestled in the condo, slip on these Lemon Slippers. Since its founding 20 years ago, the Lemon Collections has been working with some of the world’s leading designers to create high-end footwear for the modern woman. Pamper yourself or treat a friend, and get away from it all!
Master Griller's Set
Master Griller's Set
 (Fair market value $475)
This grill set includes a variety of cooking items and everything you need for a feast, whether you stay in and make it yourself, or go out on the town. First, create your own barbecue smorgasbord with this Grill Art BBQ Set, filled with professional accessories and everything you need for grilling. And while you are manning the grill, treat your guests and yourself to specialty cocktails made with Brugal Anejo Rum (750 ML), a superior Dominican Republic rum aged using the same wood process as the world's Finest Single Malt and Scotch Whiskies; and Jameson Irish Whiskey (750 ML), the famous whiskey produced by the Irish Distillers in County Cork. To guide your creative culinary strategies, enjoy recipes from Todd English’s cookbook.

Not in the mood to barbecue at home? Then let a trendy restaurant do it for you! This $200 Gift Card to Pig Beach Restaurant (Brooklyn) should do the trick. Pig Beach is a laid-back outdoor bar & eatery that offers selections of pit-smoked BBQ and other smoked meats, as well as draft beers and cocktails.

This package has everything you need to eat, drink, and be merry!
Greet the Graduates!
We continue our series of honoring our seniors and their next chapters. We asked each member of the Class of 2020 to take a photo with their college acceptance letter, sweatshirt, poster, or whatever they have to celebrate their college choice. Notre Dame is so very proud of the Class of 2020 and wants to share their accomplishments to all readers.

Notre Dame's Profile of a Graduate outlines what is expected from ND alumnae. Each day, a section of the profile is printed below. It is clear from the achievements of this class that they have lived up to this profile, and we ask that you help us 'greet the graduates' and congratulate them on their successes.

Notre Dame’s Graduate Profile

The Notre Dame School graduate demonstrates experience and growth in the following:
Faith & Values
  • Understands the importance of a personal relationship with God through prayer and service.
Chanel Torres
University of Tampa
Tatiana Brown
CUNY Baruch University
Aliyana Bonilla
Binghamton University
Rebecca Zaletofsky
Bryn Mawr College
Isabel Eccles
Loyola Marymount
Emma Bala
SUNY Oswego
Class Clips
A sampling of where Ms. Halloran's students found beauty in nature. (See link below for more examples).
Each week we are continuing to highlight some of the innovative approaches taken by our faculty and staff, both in the classroom and through extracurricular activities as remote learning continues. We encourage you to read on to learn of this week's highlights:

Ms. Jean Halloran - British Literature
Ms. Halloran’s 10th grade British Literature class is currently looking at Romantic Poets, including William Wordsworth. Wordsworth was most remembered as a poet of spiritual speculation. He was focused on human relationships to the natural world and looked at nature as Spiritual Sustenance. Ms. Halloran wanted to have her students connect their own experiences in nature and encouraged them to think about all the beauty in the world. The challenge of course, was the limited access to nature these days. For some settings, students could still walk to (with masks on), a special park, tree or flower bed. Other settings were fondly remembered from afar and hopefully, would get back to visit soon! The students enjoyed connecting the Romantic poets to their current situation, and produced some beautiful responses. For examples of their wonderful works, CLICK HERE .


Ms. Glenn Stordeur - Student Council
Mr. Stordeur wears many hats at Notre Dame. In addition to chairing the history department and teaching many history classes, he is also the moderator for the school's Student Council. The students involved in school government take their roles very seriously, and Mr. Stordeur has continued to meet with the Student Council members even during these months of remote learning. Every year at this time, elections take place for the next year's governing board. One would think that such would be challenging during these stay-at-home days, but not so for Mr. Stordeur. He has established an election system that will take place completely online this year. This week, candidates have sent their campaign ads via email. Following that, candidate videos will be sent out for students to view for each candidate for the four executive offices - President, Vice President, Secretary and Treasurer. Each candidate has been asked to give a brief speech in 1-2 minutes that shares one of Anne’s Values that has inspired or helped them during this time. ND students are required to view these videos before they vote.
Campaign ads for the two ND presidential candidates.
At the end of this week, an electronic ballot via email will be sent to Google Forms. The school community has until the end of the school day on Friday May 29th at 2 pm to complete all ballots.

The candidates have embraced these new procedures and are relieved to know that the election process will continue as usual (albeit unusually!) for the 2020-2021 school year. Let’s hear it for Mr. Stordeur and the democratic process at Notre Dame! Good luck candidates!
ND's 2020 Virtual Summer Camp
Since 2005, Notre Dame has offered an academic summer camp experience for girls entering 7th, 8th, and 9th grades. Historically, research has shown that middle school girls begin to lose interest in certain subjects, especially math and science (for an interesting article on this topic, CLICK HERE. ) But not so for students who attend the Notre Dame Summer Camp. This four-week program motivates and inspires these students in math and science as well as English and art. Through interactive projects and a collaborative approach, the faculty work with the students every day and help them develop critical thinking skills necessary for academic success.

This year for the first time, the camp will be virtual, with all classes online, allowing for girls from all around the country to participate. In addition, this year’s offerings include high school level courses as well. The classes are all taught by Notre Dame teachers, who make sure that their curriculum will be fun, engaging, and educational. Lessons will be designed to engage students based on their grade level, strengthening their academic foundation for the new school year.

The Summer Camp Program will run from June 29, 2020 through July 23, 2020. See further information below and   CLICK HERE   to register online!

For additional information and/or questions, please contact Mr. Kevin McDonald at ndsummercamp@cheznous.org.
Prayer Requests
The Notre Dame community would like to keep in mind and pray for all of us, our extended families, relatives and friends. We have thought of a way to do that and invite you to make a prayer request by CLICKING HERE .

You will be asked for your name, the name of the persons you want to pray for, and to state in a few words what you want to say about the people whose names you write. We will keep this list going and pray for all those you recommend to us.
Contact Information
Elizabeth Bixenman
Director of Development &
Alumnae Relations
(212) 620-5575, Ext. 317
bixenmane@cheznous.org

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