Chez
News
Notre Dame School
of Manhattan
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Letter from the President
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Dear Notre Dame,
Yesterday, Holy Week began with Palm Sunday. If we were able to participate in any virtual Mass for Palm Sunday, we heard the account of Jesus’s Passion according to Matthew 26:14-27:66. The end of this section of the Gospel has a dialogue among the chief priests and the Pharisees gathered before Pilate reminding him that “this imposter” while still alive said, “After three days I will be raised up.”
The chief priests and Pharisees wanted to have Pilate secure the grave until the third day, lest his disciples come and steal him and say to the people, “He has been raised from the dead.” Pilate gave the guard and told them to secure the tomb as best they can.
The tree outside my apartment resembles the one in the photo above. It looks quite dead, with no sign of life. This week may be the “apex of the curve” in New York City, a sign that more deaths will occur due to the coronavirus. We do all we can to flatten the curve by closing the school, staying inside, remaining 6’ away from others, but the coronavirus still spreads. Our reality is difficult to endure.
If anyone had said to me in September you will have to close the school, instruct the teachers to teach online, have the girls learn from their homes and remain indoors from March 13th at least through April 30th, and postpone special events such as the school musical, I would have responded: “That’s impossible.” Looking back to March 13th though, we have all done what was thought to be impossible. We are all managing to do our best with school, our lives, our families and friends. We have found the strength to keep going.
We are grateful to have each other these difficult days when we are all feeling quite vulnerable. We can go forward with the support of each other. Most especially, we go on through the days of this Holy Week knowing the end of the Gospel that was read today is not how the story ends. Jesus dies, Jesus is Risen, Jesus will come again. While we wait for his coming again, let us lean on and support each other.
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To listen to
Lean on Me
, by Bill Wither
s,
CLICK HERE.
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Dr. Virginia O’Brien, SU
President
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Just a small sample of the exceptional college acceptances by the Class of 2020!
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During these challenging times, it is certainly uplifting when there is good news to share. And WOW, does Notre Dame's Class of 2020 have good news. 100% of the Class of 2020 has been accepted to a four-year college or university, and 93% of the class has received over $22 million towards academic scholarships! The wide array of acceptances by these incredible students did not happen overnight. The Senior Class has been working hard their entire ND careers for this moment, and the school community at large is so proud of their accomplishments.
Of course, the students were supported from the very beginning by the school's stellar Counseling Department. Notre Dame has three full-time counselors on staff, Ms. Lauren Cimera, Ms. Dashea Hickson, and Ms. Carly Savino. Their jobs begin the minute a ND girl walks through the campus doors as a new student until she graduates as a senior. The counselors have a two-fold task. First, they educate the students on wellness and safety issues, and are ever-present for their individual personal growth. Second, they assist in the entire college process. The three counselors get to know the girls in a unique and holistic manner. They each are assigned a third of the class in the 9th grade, and remain guiding that same group all four years, thus gaining a deep understanding of the gifts they each possess. During 9th an 10th grade, the counselors build a strong rapport with them through classes and activities.
As the students begin their junior year, the college process begins. Their counseling classes turn into college classes, in which the students complete research projects on the college process, using sample students with created transcripts. Through this exercise, they deepen their understanding of the process, including how to use Naviance, a respected software provider of college application process and assessment tools. When senior year begins, the students begin to meet one-on-one with their counselor. The counselors will hold mock interviews for their students, preparing them for the more than 50 schools that will visit ND from September through November. The counselors guide them through the submission of all application materials, and motivate them to be positive and to continue their senior year successfully while they wait for their results. And as you can see, they did well!
All three counselors are passionate about their jobs and truly love their students. Ms. Lauren Cimera, Counseling Department Chair, summed up her team's feelings about their department. "I feel like we are all really interested in looking at our students as a whole. We know that grades are just one part of the process, and sometimes the girls get stuck thinking that is their only part. They have so many strengths and we want to make sure they know that! I think more than ever, I feel really blessed to be in a job I love, and being in quarantine has made me realize that even more. The interactions and counselor/student relationship is truly special, and something I hope makes an impact with our students as they go onto college. We are their cheerleaders!"
It is obvious that the counselors are major advocates for all of their students at Notre Dame, as are the teachers and staff who support these future leaders with the same passion. The entire ND community congratulates the Class of 2020 on their amazing accomplishments and know they will go out to do great things for the world!
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African American History students research Brown vs. Board of Education for remote class discussion
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It is so impressive to see how quickly Notre Dame has acclimated to attending school each day online, and the teachers have all agreed that their students have embraced this new way of learning and are flourishing as a result.
Each week we will continue to highlight some examples of the classes that have taken place that showcase the innovative approaches to the school day.
Mr. Glenn Stordeur's African American History Class
Notre Dame teachers take pride in creating innovations in their curriculum and Mr. Glenn Stordeur's African American History course is one stellar example. The African American History class is a new course designed to continue to strengthen the school's mission of diversity and an understanding of all global citizens. Mr. Stordeur created the new curriculum just this year, after many students asked for a more focused study on the stories of African Americans since the country's founding. The redesigned class is for 9th grade students. It is a year-long course and covers African American history from 1619 to current day issues.
Currently, the students are studying the Plessy vs. Ferguson case, which established the infamous “Separate but Equal” premise of segregation that will take until the Brown vs. Board of Education decision of 1954 to rectify. Mr. Stordeur keeps the students engaged through readings, video clips, and vibrant discussions. Even through remote learning, he states that the students are enthusiastic about the material and the conversations. This class allows for a contemporary understanding of these issues, giving our students new insights and empowering them to make a difference in the future. Well done, Mr. Stordeur!
Ms. Nicole Wakabayashi's Glee
This is certainly not the first time that there has been an article on the fabulous music at Notre Dame. Under the direction of Arts Department Chair, Ms. Nicole Wakabayashi, the music program at ND has grown and flourished. Even during these recent weeks of remote learning, the students continue working diligently to create beautiful music, and their efforts are remarkable. One noteworthy example is the recent recording by Glee. Glee is actually an extracurricular offering that Ms. Wakabayashi created for those who wanted to continue their music outside of the regular school day. It is an elite group composed of singers from all four grade levels. The students must formally audition for membership, and commit to a regular practice schedule. In all, there are 22 performers.
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Members of Notre Dame's Glee
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Even while learning remotely, members of Glee log into Zoom for rehearsal each Tuesday after school at 3:00 pm. They first warm up and catch up, and then get down to business. They just completed a recording that is outstanding and we share it with you here. It is Glee's rendition of
Show Me Love
, by Hundred Waters. The sounds are gorgeous and the harmony mesmerizing.
But how did they accomplish this when they were not together? Ms. Wakabayashi explains her technique. First, she recorded the alto line with an audible metronome click and sent that out to everyone in Glee. Then they listened to that recording or "click track" as they call it, with their headphones and used their phones or iPads to record a voice note of themselves singing their respective vocal parts (alto, soprano 2 or soprano 1). She was able to take all of these parts and put them together utilizing Garage Band (a music production app), and added a piano accompaniment to it afterwards. I am sure you will agree that the end result is extraordinary and we hope you enjoy it!
What a way to keep our spirits high. Thank you Ms. Wakabayashi and Glee!
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Student Council Spirit Week included 'Take Your Pet to Class Day'. Gabriella Mills '22 made sure hers was invited!
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The winner of 'Take Your Pet to Class Day' went to Maddie Nares '20 for including her pup in a clever way!
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The Notre Dame students have shown great dedication, courage, and resilience as they have immersed themselves in their online classes from home and have maintained their academic routines successfully. They miss
Chez Nous
, however, and have expressed a sense of disconnection from each other and their teachers. Understanding the need to care for the whole person, (the Ignatian value of
cura personalis
), the ND faculty and staff are addressing this feeling of isolation in a variety of ways. Just last week, the school established Friday Zoom Homeroom. On campus, homeroom has provided an opportunity for students to greet each other first thing in the morning and connect with their friends before class. This same experience will now happen again, albeit remotely. From 8:30-9:00 am on Fridays, the girls will connect with their own homerooms through Zoom so that they can catch up with each other socially, stay in touch with their HR teacher, and have a chance for carefree conversations before class. Students are excited to be able to 'see each other' outside of the classroom this way and are grateful for this new chance to do so.
It is not only the administrators who are creating new ways of connecting. As has already been outlined in previous issues, the Student Council continues to be a strong presence in bringing the school community together. The virtual Spirit Week last week was a huge success, and the students were excited to share photos of their themed attire each day with their classmates (including the very popular 'Take Your Pets to Class Day'.) The Student Council Executive Board also began to create video announcements to share with the entire school community. These brief messages contain fun advice and tips on how to stay healthy and happy while away from campus.
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An example of the positive messages sent from the ND Counseling Office
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Finally, the ND Counseling Department has been pivotal in alleviating a feeling of disconnection felt by those within the community. Daily, the three amazing counselors at Notre Dame, Ms. Lauren Cimera, Ms. Carly Savino, and Ms. Dashea Hickson send out emails with suggestions, prayers, and motivational tips to make sure that all members in the
Chez Nous
community feel safe, happy, and heard. Not only do they support the students but are always available to the teachers and staff as well, giving tools to help cope with the anxiety and stress of this current situation.
The hallmark of Notre Dame has always been its strong sense of community.
Chez Nous,
of course, means
Our Home
, and the school is going the extra mile to ensure that all its students continue to have this sense of belonging, even remotely.
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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.
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Contact Information
Elizabeth Bixenman
Director of Development &
Alumnae Relations
(212) 620-5575, Ext. 317
bixenmane@cheznous.org
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ANCHORING LIVES
for
GENERATIONS
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