September 2024

Back to School means busy and joyful days for everyone Chez Nous. We welcomed students with an Orientation focused on the school's 24-25 theme of Belonging. We're delighted to also welcome 5 new faculty and staff members this school year. Many ND students made their marks this summer, and a couple are featured below. Finally a huge thank you to Notre Dame alums who rose to the challenge set by the Heckscher Foundation and helped us earn the $100,000 matching grant. What a way to start the new school year!

Centered on the theme of Belonging, Orientation 2024 brought ND Sophomores and Seniors back to the building the morning of September 4th and our Juniors and 9th Graders on September 5th. Students heard from school leaders Karina Vargas and Colleen McGrath before meeting in their homerooms and then gathering in small groups to forge connections and work on a communal art project. Both new and familiar faces were all smiles as ND launched the 24 - 25 school year!

A warm Chez Nous Welcome to our new faculty and staff for the 24-25 school year! Our students are doing their best to make this exceptional group of professionals feel right at home. (Pictured: Standing, r to l:

Mr. Edwin Ortiz, Theology and Mission; Mr. Curt Sankar, Science;

Mr. Lucas Barry, Science; Seated, r to l: Ms. Sarah McGowan, Development; Dr. Erik Meddles, Social Studies; and Ms. Shabnam Abedi, Music).

Ella Esperrago '26 spent the last weeks of August and the first week of September as a vital part of the Ball Crew for the US Open Tennis Championships at the Billy Jean King Tennis Center in Flushing Meadows, NY!

Reflecting on her expericence, Ella counts highlights as "watching the amazing and impressive tennis; friendships I developed; walking around and passing by Fritz, Zverev, Pegula, Shelton, Djokovic, and Gauff; meeting Matthew McConaughey, Anna Winter, Taylor Swift (!!), Travis Kelce, Travis Scott, and Patrick Mahomes; the energy that the games brought to New York; and people coming up to me on my commute talking tennis and asking about my role on the ball crew.

I am so grateful I had the opportunity to play such a special and unique role in the world's most famous tennis event; I will never forget the memories and opportunities this job has provided me the past two years, and I cannot wait for next years Open."