Finding Your Community at Notre Dame Academy
Choosing a Catholic school is about much more than academics. For many families, it is about finding a place where children feel known, supported and inspired, and where parents feel equally welcomed and connected.
At Notre Dame Academy, we believe a truly exceptional education happens within a community. Our Christ-centered, inclusive and innovative learning environment is designed to help each student discover their unique potential, while giving families opportunities to grow alongside them.
So as a new school year begins, here are a few questions worth asking about becoming part of the Notre Dame Academy community.
Check out our New Family Guidebook to view some of the questions our new parents typically have.
How can my family get the most out of our Notre Dame Academy experience?
One of the best ways to experience NDA is simply to become part of it.
There are countless ways for families to participate throughout the school year, from volunteering at an event to attending Mass, cheering on students at the school play, joining a Home and School Committee meeting or helping with one of the many traditions that make the NDA calendar special.
The real value of volunteering extends far beyond the hours you give. It is often where connections begin.
You might meet another parent while helping students shop at the Christmas Boutique, strike up a conversation while volunteering at a school event or discover that the family you met through NDA lives just down the street. Over time, those small interactions can grow into friendships, carpools, playdates, neighborhood connections and a network of families who genuinely know and support one another.
That sense of connection is one of the most meaningful parts of the NDA experience, and we encourage families to find one way to participate that feels authentic to them.
What is the Home and School Committee, and why should I get involved?
The Home and School Committee (HSC) is one of the ways parents help shape and strengthen the NDA experience. Made up of NDA parents and guardians, the HSC encourages active participation in the academic, spiritual and community life of the school.
The committee meets monthly and welcomes visitors. Meeting dates and times are shared on the NDA Calendar.
For families who are new to NDA, the HSC can also be a wonderful way to meet other parents. School communities become richer when families know one another, and the relationships built through the HSC and other school activities often continue well beyond the school doors.
Curious to learn what it looks like to get involved with the NDA Home and School Committee? We’d love to see you at our next meeting. View our webpage for more information.
What is a Good Shepherd family, and how can they help my family?
Starting at a new school can come with a long list of questions. Where do I go? Who do I ask? What am I supposed to know that I don’t know yet? That is where our Good Shepherd families come in.
Good Shepherds are experienced NDA parents who help welcome new families into the community. Each new family is paired with a Good Shepherd family who has a child in the same grade, creating an immediate point of connection with someone who has been in your shoes.
They can answer questions, help you find resources or simply reassure you when you are wondering whether everyone else already knows something you have somehow missed.
More importantly, Good Shepherds represent something fundamental about NDA: we look out for one another. The goal is not simply to help a new family learn the logistics of school. It is to help them feel that they belong.
What Makes Notre Dame Academy Different from Other Catholic Schools?
Every school has its own traditions and philosophy. At Notre Dame Academy, faith, academics and community come together in a Christ-centered PreK–8 environment where students are encouraged to discover their strengths, grow in confidence and work toward their unique potential.
While NDA families reside primarily from Minnetonka, Hopkins, Eden Prairie, Plymouth, Wayzata, St. Louis Park and communities throughout the surrounding area, we all bring different neighborhoods and experiences together under one roof.
From weekly Mass and student leadership to the spring play, school traditions and everyday moments between families, there is a sense of continuity that grows with time. Younger students learn from older ones, families become familiar faces and children have the opportunity to grow within a community that knows them from their earliest years through eighth grade.
Finding Your Rhythm at Notre Dame Academy
The first few weeks of Catholic school have a rhythm all their own. There are new routines to learn, names to remember and, inevitably, a few questions along the way. You don’t have to have it all figured out on day one.
Insight, emailed each Wednesday, is a helpful place to start. Along with the Parent Resources page and Family Handbook, it keeps families connected to the details of everyday school life. And when something isn’t clear, ask. A teacher, your Good Shepherd family, the school office or another parent is often just the person you need.
Welcome to another year at Notre Dame Academy. We hope, in time, it feels like home.
