Communications

 

 

July 27, 2020

 

Dear NDP Families,

This morning I attended a meeting with all the principals from the Diocese of Phoenix and our superintendent of Catholic schools, Domonic Salce.

It has been determined that for the health, safety and welfare of all students and faculty, the Catholic schools throughout the Diocese will conduct classes fully online until September 8. We are prepared and will implement our synchronous virtual model for online learning using our new state-of-the art technology. 

The Diocese is taking direction from recent CDC guidelines. This policy will be consistent among all Catholic schools in the Diocese to keep our students safe until the number of COVID-19 cases registers less than 5% positivity rate of those tested for COVID-19. Today it is 21.7% with 2,106 reported cases in the 85260, 85254 and 85255 zip codes combined. The positivity rate fluctuates regularly. Click here for the most up-to-date information.

Notre Dame Prep will start school online, Friday, August 14 as planned with the Wednesday schedule. This will give all of our students the opportunity to meet their teachers and familiarize themselves with their syllabus for each class. The regular bell schedule will begin online, Monday, August 17:

 

MONDAY	TUESDAY	WEDNESDAY	THURSDAY	FRIDAY
Period 1     7:40-9:00	Period 5     7:40-9:00	Period 1 7:40 - 8:10	Period 1     7:40-9:00	Period 5     7:40-9:00
Break (20 minutes)	Break (20 minutes)	Period 2 8:15 - 8:45	Break (20 minutes)	Break (20 minutes)
Period 2 + Prayer        9:20-10:45	Period 6 + Prayer        9:20-10:45	Period 3 8:50 - 9:20	Period 2 + Prayer        9:20-10:45	Period 6 + Prayer        9:20-10:45
House (15 minutes)	House (15 minutes)	Period 4 9:25 - 9:55	House (15 minutes)	House (15 minutes)
Break (25 minutes)	Break (25 minutes)	Break  (20 minutes)	Break (25 minutes)	Break (25 minutes)
Period 3 + Examen       11:30-12:55	Period 7 + Examen       11:30-12:55	Period 5 10:15 - 10:45	Period 3 + Examen       11:30-12:55	Period 7 + Examen       11:30-12:55
Break (20 minutes)	Break (20 minutes)	Period 6 10:50 - 11:20	Break (20 minutes)	Break (20 minutes)
Period 4 1:15-2:35	Period 8 1:15-2:35	Period 7 11:25 - 11:55	Period 4 1:15-2:35	Period 8  1:15-2:35
		Period 8 12:00 - 12:30

 

Please make sure that your computers/devices are up-to-date and ready for online instruction. If you are unsure, you should make an appointment with our IT department. Our team of desktop analysts will make sure that you are ready for the start of school. Email them at helpdesk@ndpsaints.org. 

Your course schedules will be emailed early next week. If you require changes, counselors will be available via email to handle your requests. Click here to find your counselor.

Our fall athletic programs are still in Phase 1 of reopening. Each sport requires different safety protocols. More information will be forthcoming from our Athletic Director as decisions are made at the AIA-level for each individual sport. 

We will continue to update you regularly on the status of our academic, student life and athletic programs. 

Please continue to pray for an end to this pandemic and for all those affected by COVID-19. 

 

Yours in Christ,

Jill Platt, M.Ed.
President/Principal

July 20, 2020

NDP Families,

Thank you to all the members of our community for your positive response to the video we presented last week regarding reopening our school. Now we would like your feedback concerning two specific items: attendance and COVID-19 testing.

Please complete this quick survey by Monday, July 27. 

​We appreciate your time, input, and patience in helping us bring our Saints Back Safely. Please continue to pray for all those affected socially, financially, mentally, and physically by this pandemic. 

Be Safe, Be Well and God Bless,

Jill Platt, M.Ed.
President/Principal Notre Dame Prep

July 13, 2020

NDP Families,

We are getting closer and closer to the start of the 2020-21 school year. We have worked hard to provide you with comprehensive solutions that tackle the challenges caused by the COVID-19 crisis. We have formulated a solid plan that took into consideration the concerns of our parent, student, and faculty populations and that works in all possible scenarios. We feel that we have arrived at a plan that best meets the needs of our community. 

With so much information to disseminate, we decided the best way to present our plan is via this video. There are a few details that I want to clarify from the presentation:

• The 7:10 a.m. daily Mass in Chapel is optional as it has always been
• Everyone on campus will be required to wear a mask
• Each student will receive a complimentary NDP mask the first day on campus
• Unfortunately, the first Kairos retreat of the year has been canceled, and the soonest rescheduled date will be in November

​Please mark your calendars for the following dates:

• Aug. 13 | New Freshman and Transfer Student/Parent Orientation (details to come)
• Aug. 14 | Virtual First Day of School for all students, all periods, early release (Wednesday B schedule)
• Aug. 17 | New Bell Schedule Begins

As you know, our dates could change depending on the situation and our directives from the Diocese of Phoenix and the state government. Our next step will be to send out another survey to confirm your family's wishes for your family's attendance preference. If you have any questions, please feel to contact us.

We appreciate your time, input, and patience in helping us formulate this plan. Please pray for an end to the Coronavirus pandemic and for all those affected socially, financially, mentally, and physically. 

Be Safe, Be Well and God Bless,

Jill Platt, M.Ed.
President/Principal Notre Dame Prep

July 9, 2020

Dear Incoming Students and Parents,

The theme for this school year is We Rise...

As we move closer to the start of school I am confident that our students will rise to the occasion to learn in a new educational environment.  To help, we have two upcoming events: Gonzaga Program and Required English and Math Summer School and our  IT Tech Support Appointments. 

1. IT Tech Support Appointments For All Freshman and Transfer Students
   This is a MUST DO if you haven't had your IT appointment yet. Notre Dame Prep's IT department is available to meet with incoming students and parents to set up their NDP email, explain how to access Canvas and other systems, and to answer all of your laptop and device questions. It is required that all incoming students take part in one of these tutorials. Appointments are available from July 13 - 24. Click here to register for your IT appointment. If you have questions about which devices are best for NDP students, click here for our recommendations and information regarding our Bring Your Own Device (BYOD) program. 
2. Gonzaga Program and English Skills and Math Sills Summer School
   Summer School for students in the Gonzaga program and students who were accepted to NDP with the contingency of completing the English and/or Math skills course will be held online from July 20 to July 31. Students enrolled in this session of summer school should sign up for the first week of IT Appointments so that they are good to go before the start of classes. For the course schedule and more information regarding summer school, click here. 

As always, please contact the admissions office with your questions. We are here to assist you in any way we can. 

Be Safe, Be Well and God Bless,

Matt Rylski
Director of Admissions and Summer School

June 25, 2020

Dear Incoming Freshman Students and Parents,

Our Notre Dame Prep community continues to pray for all individuals and families affected by COVID-19. We raise up not only those physically suffering but also the many struggling emotionally. We will continue these prayers as we look forward to the return of "normal" life on campus. To that end, please know, the faculty and leadership of NDP are working tirelessly on our fall schedule and campus facilities to ensure a safe and successful 2020-21 school year. Here are a few updates we can provide in preparation for August:

1. Gonzaga Program and Required English and Math Summer School Summer School for students in the Gonzaga program and others that were accepted to NDP with the contingency of completing English and/or Math skills course work will be held on campus from July 20 to July 31.  Students in the programs will be automatically registered and sent specific locations, requirements and times in the coming days.
    
2. IT Tech Support Appointments
   Notre Dame's IT department will be available to meet with incoming students and parents to set up their NDP email, Canvas account, and to answer all of your laptop and device questions. It is required that all incoming freshmen take part in one of these tutorials. These sessions will run July 13 - 24 and registration is available now. Click here to register for your IT appointment.
    
3. Placement Exams
   Placement exams in Math and World Language (Spanish or French) will take place on campus in the NDP cafeteria on July 13 - 17. These exams ARE NOT required. Students that wish to take Algebra 1 and Spanish/French 1 do not need to take a placement exam. Please click here to register for your preferred time and date.
    
4. Freshman Leadership Camp
   The NDP Summer Leadership Camp is set for July 20-22, on the NDP campus.  This is a great chance for incoming freshmen who are interested in getting involved in student leadership. Opportunities include leadership skills, what it takes to be a grade-level House leader, getting to know upperclassmen from their House, and helping to plan student activities for the upcoming school year. 

   Those interested must complete the following application by July 10.  Only a limited number of spaces are available for freshmen to attend the camp.  The Student Activities Office will review all applications and notify the selectees by July 14.

NOTE: Students and Parents that attend any of these on-campus events will be required to wear a mask and have their temperature taken at check-in. Faculty and staff assisting will be subject to the same protocol.

As always, please contact the admissions office with any further questions.

Be Safe, Be Well and God Bless,

Matt Rylski
Director of Admissions and Summer School

 

June 25, 2020

We Rise …Returning with Reverence, Respect, and Responsibility

As we prepare for our Saints to return in the fall, we want to ensure that all are returning with Reverence to our Catholic identity and to honoring others as creations of God’s image.  We want to ensure that all are returning with Respect by loving our neighbors and assuming the best of all of God’s people.  We want to ensure that all are returning by taking Responsibility for being aware and actively living the guidelines set in place for NDP’s re-opening.  

I hope you are enjoying a little bit of the summer. Thank you to all who filled out last week’s survey. The survey helped us solidify that our community wants to be together on campus, in a safe way. 

We are working diligently to ensure that we bring our Saints Back Safely to campus. We followed the call to a vocation in education to help form the next generation of moral leaders, and school is more engaging and vibrant for all of us when we meet face-to-face. Over the past few months, we formed a Saints Back Safely Task Force comprised of administrators, faculty members, parents, and members of the greater community. The task force is divided into the following subgroups:

• Logistics
• Communication
• Curriculum
• Technology
• Social/Emotional Health and House System
• Catholic Identity

 

We as a diocesan school do not work in isolation, as we are not fully independent. We are part of a much larger network of schools under the Diocese of Phoenix, therefore we must operate under the guidelines set forth by the Centers for Disease Control, Arizona Department of Education, the Diocese of Phoenix, and other health organizations. Educating our students in a safe and healthy environment is our top priority. Here is some new information for the fall semester.

 

1. Your student will have an engaging learning experience and access to the classes they need. Courses may be delivered in a blend of in-person and remote sessions. In-person classes will be kept at a size to ensure we can maintain safe social distancing. When your student is not attending class in person, they will attend via synchronous learning technology, a dynamic digital learning model that enables students to livestream classes, ask questions, and collaborate with classmates and teachers. This remote model is more advanced and reliable than the programs used spring 2020 semester. All of our classrooms are outfitted with new technologies, and faculty members are receiving specialized training over the summer.
    

2. Practicing safe-distancing will be an essential component of on-campus learning. We will achieve safe distancing through smaller class sizes utilizing all available meeting spaces throughout the campus. 
    

3. To accommodate our space needs, we have also decided to allow seniors who have met the graduation requirements for science (Biology, Chemistry, and Physics) to opt-out of a fourth-year science class. Those seniors who are taking honors or AP science courses are still encouraged to do so. 
    

4. Because of our limited space, underclassmen MAY reduce their time on campus to 7 periods by eliminating study hall and/or an elective, while seniors may reduce their time on campus to 6 periods by eliminating study hall, a fourth-year science class, or electives. Please review course choices with your student(s) and email your selected changes to lmcmorrow@ndpsaints.org, by July 2nd to help us solidify schedules.

NDP is proud to be your partner in this new school year. As an elite Catholic preparatory high school, we want to continue to provide high-quality education in our family-friendly environment that promotes faith and morals while supporting each and every child through their educational journey. 

We will provide you with weekly updates regarding reopening, daily schedules, staggered pick-up and drop-off times and protocols. In the meantime, if you have questions, we invite you to submit them here and your question will be directed to the appropriate staff member.

Thank you for your patience and understanding. Please know that the safety and welfare of all our students, faculty and staff, and the community is of the utmost importance. We will get through this together and your children will receive an excellent Catholic, college-prep education as we navigate this uncharted territory with Reverence, Respect, and Responsibility. 

Yours in Christ,

Jill A. Platt, M.Ed.
President/Principal Notre Dame Preparatory

June 12, 2020

Dear NDP families,

Although we may not know what the start of the 2020-21 school year will look like, we will be prepared. Our number one goal is to welcome our Saints Back Safely recognizing there is no real substitute for in-person instruction and interpersonal exchanges in the classroom.

Our Saints Back Safely task force is actively seeking ways to best serve our students: mind, body and soul. We offer a rigorous college-prep curriculum that often requires extra support from our faculty, especially for our incoming freshmen who need time to acclimate to high school and upperclassmen as they focus on college search and testing processes.  

Balancing the academic and social needs of our students and keeping our entire community safe and healthy is a challenge like nothing we have faced before, but it is something we can handle with your help. 

Please lend your voice to the conversation and help us understand what elements of public safety concern you the most. I cannot stress enough that we are flexible, accessible and responsive to the needs of all on campus, and we will do our best to serve the health and learning differences of our community. 

Thank you for taking the time to complete this short survey.

Have a blessed weekend,

Jill Platt, M.Ed.
President/Principal Notre Dame Prep