Mission, Vision & Values

Our Mission

In the tradition of the Sisters of Notre Dame, Notre Dame High School provides a Catholic, affordable, culturally sensitive, college preparatory education enhanced by professional work experience for young men and women from families with limited income.

Our Vision

Notre Dame High School will be known for graduating confident, academically successful students who are spiritually rooted, intellectually curious, active community and global citizens and college graduated leaders.

Our Core Values

• Goodness of God

• Integrity

• Family

• Education for Life

• Respect

• Community

History

Notre Dame High School (NDHS), located in the heart of Lawrence, Massachusetts, is a college-preparatory high school serving low-income, predominantly minority youth in grades 9-12. The school is unique in that it offers students the opportunity to earn a portion of their tuition through its Corporate Work Study Program while it also prepares them for higher education through a college preparatory curriculum. The mission of NDHS is to provide a family-centered, secondary education in the tradition of the Sisters of Notre Dame de Namur who commit themselves to educating and serving those who are poor and marginalized. Under the leadership of the Sisters of Notre Dame, the school provides a culturally sensitive, innovative, private education that equips disadvantaged youth with the necessary tools to go on to college and ultimately to become self-sufficient and to lead productive lives.

In 2004, NDHS officially opened its doors to 80 freshmen. In 2006, the school began a $5M Capital Campaign to make improvements to the nearly one hundred year old building. The improvements transformed the building from an aging structure to a first-rate educational facility. Classes continued in the building during construction. The dramatic renovations were complete in September 2009. To date $136,000 needs to be raised to complete the ambitious capital campaign.

In 2008, NDHS celebrated its first graduation. All of the 57 graduates were successfully accepted into four-year colleges. NDHS continues to keep connected with its graduates to ensure they have our support to complete college.

Currently, our enrollment is 260 students. Most recently, we had the highest number of admissions' applications than in any other year! NDHS's continuum of growth over the last seven years demonstrates that the community embraces the school and acknowledges that it provides high-quality opportunities for the many students in Lawrence and the surrounding communities. NDHS believes that by serving the youth of its community and surrounding areas, it is uniquely placed to contribute significantly to the long-term growth and strength of this diverse, vibrant Merrimack Valley area.