Orientation 2023

Orientation 2023 centered on the theme of Friendship Chez Nous on Wednesday, September 6th for Notre Dame sophomores and seniors and on Thursday, September 7th for our juniors and our new ninth graders. Sr. Virginia welcomed students with a reflection on ND's mission as it relates to gospel values and making sure everyone feels a sense of belonging in our community.

Principal Karina Vargas outlined the day's plan to our returning and new students, and Assistant Principal issued reminders about the school's policies and expectations, including helpful advice about how to email with etiquette!

Students then met their homeroom teachers before breaking into small, mixed grade groups for ice-breaker conversations while making friendship bracelets. They will meet in these special "Anne Values" groups about once a month throughout the year.

The day ended with a return to the Dolan Center and a spirited rendition of our alma mater.

Notre Dame is pleased to welcome three new members of our faculty and staff community: Art Teacher Robin Reczek, Development Associate Molly Grote, and Business Manager Anthony Jenks. We asked our new colleagues what brought them to ND, how these first weeks are going, and about their own first impressions.

Robin has taught visual arts for fifteen years and currently also teaches at the Whitney Museum of American Art on weekends. She has taught in an all-girls Catholic school before and was looking for an opportunity to return this setting that she finds very aligned with her values; "ND felt right." Robin has found her new co-workers "so welcoming it has made the first days' jitters more manageable." She is already very impressed by the maturity and kindness of ND students. Robin is especially relishing her AP classes and "getting to share and expand my art experience with students who love the subjects as much as I do."

Molly comes to ND with over ten years experiences as a publicist for university and trade presses. She was seeking a mission-driven employment environment and is "thrilled to have landed that Chez Nous." Molly has deep familiarity with the school, as her father, former Director of Admissions, Bob Grote, was with Notre Dame for 33 years before retiring in 2021. Molly's mother, Penny Grote, has been part of the ND team for over 20 years, and even her brother taught science here for two years! Notes Molly, "While I've always heard about what a warm and welcoming place ND is, it's really wonderful to experience that firsthand." She is looking forward to building relationships with ND faculty, staff, students and treasured alumnae.

Anthony has many years of financial analysis and reporting experience in publishing and in a large law firm. As husband of longtime faculty member, Jackie Brilliant, he has been familiar with and a supporter of Notre Dame for decades. He spent the summer working alongside and learning the ropes from retired CFO Jim Hillman: "I was warned that when the teachers and students return, things get busy. And boy was that right!" He admires the "blend of deep compassion and high expectations" fostered at ND. As for his goals: "The better I am at my job, the easier things will be for others. I always want to be getting better at my job."

Welcome and Godspeed, Robin, Molly, and Anthony!

This summer sophomores Sienna Estrella and Scarlet Kelly had the opportunity as members of the Young People's Chorus of NYC to represent the United States at the 2023 World Choir Games in Gangneung, South Korea. They got to meet other choirs from places around the globe, such as China, Indonesia, Philippines, Austria, and Australia. Their choir, the Young People’s Chorus of New York City, won five gold medals, including three first place prizes in the categories of Children’s Chorus, Mixed Youth; Scenic Folklore; and Gospel and Contemporary. Sienna and Scarlet report that "Exploring the culture of South Korea by learning new music, eating traditional food, and trying out phrases like 'hello,' 'thank you,' and 'nice to meet you,' really tied up the whole experience." Perhaps, most important of all, as Sienna puts it, the two "learned how music connects the whole world in a beautiful way." ND is so proud of these two musical ambassadors!