Thanksgiving Turkeys Needed

Notre Dame's annual Thanksgiving Food Drive will be starting at the beginning of November.  The Key Club would like to prepare 30 or more Thanksgiving dinners to send to the needy. Last year we were able to donate thirty dinners plus just under 300 frozen turkeys to a local food pantry. If your family is able to donate a frozen turkey to our food drive (an extra one from work or from grocery store coupons), please email Mrs. Casceillo at casceillo@notredame.org. 

Nancy Drew Books Needed

The Key Club is collecting used Nancy Drew books for the Seventh Day Adventist School in Bridgeport.  The last day for collection is October 17. Please bring books to Room 313. 

Additional Key Club News

In October, the Key Club will be completing the  annual collection for Unicef.  Students are reminded of their $12 dues which are due no later than October 20.

Open House Update

The school's annual Open House was held for prospective students and their families on October 2. Our best estimate is that between 1,300 and 1,500 people visited that evening. Over 500 eighth graders took our fall entrance exam. Thank you for helping to spread the good news about N.D. If you know of a student who would like to apply to the school but missed our first exam, it's not too late. We have a second exam scheduled for November 8. They should contact the Admissions Office for information.

Junior Class Trip

Parents of juniors are reminded of the upcoming class trip to Boston on Tuesday, October 28. Students must be at Notre Dame by 6:00 a.m. and a ride should be waiting for student pick-up at 8:30 p.m. Students are reminded that the day after the trip is a school day, and they are expected to be in school.

Lost and Found

Lost and Found is in the main office.  We already have many books, sweatshirts and jackets.

Report Card Distribution

Report cards will be available for pick-up by parents on Thursday, November 13 between 1:00-4:00 and 6:00-8:00 p.m. Teachers will be available during this time for conferences to discuss students and their academic progress. No report cards will be mailed home. If a report card is not picked up on the 13th, they will be available for pick-up in the main office and must be picked up by a parent.

School Calendar Updates

Families are reminded that Wednesday, October 15 will be a half-day for students. Freshmen, sophomores and juniors will be taking standardized tests. Seniors do not have school but are encouraged to visit colleges on this date. In addition, Monday, October 20 will be a half day for students for the N.D. Walk-a-thon.

Homecoming Dance

The annual Homecoming Semi-Formal will be held on Friday, October 24.  The dance will begin at 7:00 and will end promptly at 10:30 p.m.  Tickets will be available for purchase during lunch the week before the dance.

Underclassmen Yearbook Pictures

Yearbook pictures for freshmen, sophomores and juniors will be taken during English classes on Wednesday, November 5. Students will receive order forms for pictures from their English teacher. Pictures are received and distributed to students in mid-December.

Senior Class Trip to D.C.

All seniors should have received information regarding the class trip to Washington, D.C. from March 27-30, 2009. A $150.00 deposit is due by October 17, 2008 to secure a spot on the trip.

Alumni Hockey Game

On Friday, November 23, the Frank Carrano Memorial Hockey Game will be held at the Milford Ice Pavilion beginning at 6:00 p.m. All proceeds from the evening will benefit the Frank Carrano Memorial Scholarship Fund. Contact Rob Bleggi (bleggi@notredame.org) for information.

Marking Period Ending

The first marking period will be closing on Friday, October 31, and the second marking period will begin on Monday, November 3. Families are reminded that once the first marking period comes to an end, polo shirts can not be worn again until the fourth marking period. Gentlemen must wear a shirt and tie and ladies wear blouses.

Guidance News

First marking period progress reports have been mailed home.

The Guidance Office will be sponsoring a testing day on Wednesday, October 15. Freshmen will be taking the National Educational Development Test (NEDT) which provides students with comprehensive information about their educational development in the areas of English and math. Sophomores will be taking the PLAN assessment. This test is more focused on a student's ability to learn and process new information, as opposed to what they already know. Juniors (and high honors sophomores) will be taking the PSAT as a practice for the SAT reasoning test, to get feedback about critical academic skills and to enter scholarship competitions. Students who take the PSAT will receive a score report that allows them to review each test question, their answer, and the correct answer with explanation. The results of these tests will be mailed home in December.

Senior Timothy Cassidy is congratulated on being named a Commended Scholar in the 2009 National Merit Scholarship Program. He has been recognized for his exceptional academic promise demonstrated by his outstanding performance on the qualifying test.

The counselors are currently meeting with members of the freshman class.

College Application Information

Seniors and parents are reminded that the deadline for registering for the December SAT is November 5. All seniors must have a code to use their Naviance account. Seniors should currently be working on their college applications. You are encouraged to apply early and be aware of deadlines. Counselors are available for parents if they wish to make an appointment. There will be a college financial aid meeting on October 23 at 7:00 p.m.

Junior Parents

Mark your calendars - a college planning meeting for junior parents will be held on Tuesday, November 18 at 7:00 p.m.

All Sport Booster Club

Don't forget that our 2nd Annual "Ladies Night Out" evening will be held on Monday, November 3 from 5:30-9:00 p.m. in the ND gym.  Last year's event was a great success and this year's event promises to be even better.   Tickets are $40 per person and includes a catered buffet dinner, wine and soda and coffee and dessert.  In addition, there will be plenty of vendor tables available so you can do some early Christmas shopping.  For more information about tickets or vendor information, please contact Natalie Mazzola at natmaz@optonline.net.   This is one event you won't want to miss!

The October Booster Club meeting will take place on Thursday, October 16 at 7:00 p.m. in the library. 

Notre Dame Community Association

Everyone is invited to attend the October meeting of the Community Association (formerly the Home School Association).  The meeting will be held on Wednesday, October 8 at 7:00 p.m. in the library.  All ND parents/guardians are encouraged to attend and get involved in the exciting events we have planned for the year.

The Community Association is still accepting cookbook recipes.  Please share your families' favorite recipes with us.  Recipes can be submitted to ndfairfieldcookbook@yahoo.com or sent in to school (attention:  Advancement Office).  Deadline for recipe submission is Friday, October 10.  Cookbooks will be available for purchase in November.

Will your child soon be driving? If so, save this date: Wednesday, November 5 (7:00 p.m.). The November NDCA meeting will include speakers from an area driving school to discuss new permit and license requirements. Officers from the local police department will also be in attendance to answer questions regarding new teen driving laws. Refreshments will follow.

Advancement Office News

Letters were recently sent home regarding our 1st Annual Walkathon for Notre Dame  to be held on Monday, October 20 (rain date October 21st).    We are asking each family to raise $50 or more in pledges.  With everyone's help, we can reach our goal of $20,000.  Students will walk around our school campus and then enjoy field day activities.  We are looking for parent volunteers to help us with this event.  Please contact our Advancement Office at 372-6521 or marzik@notredame.org.  This is a school day and attendance is mandatory.

Notre Dame's 2nd Annual Homecoming Weekend will take place on Saturday, October 25 and Sunday, October 26.  We would like everyone to join us as we enjoy a fun weekend together.  Our festivities begin at 1:00 on Saturday with Family Fun Day.  Gather your friends and family and enjoy an afternoon of tailgating and Lancer football.  We will also have a moon bounce, cotton candy, popcorn, and face painting for our little Lancers.  Our adult-only social will take place on Saturday evening from 7-10 p.m. at ND.  Enjoy all-you-can-eat pizza, salad, soda, gelato & cappuccino (BYOB-soda and water included) from the Big Green Truck Pizza (www.biggreentruckpizza.com) .  The cost is $25.00 per person and reservations are needed. 

On Sunday, join the Notre Dame community as we celebrate mass and a communion breakfast.  This mass will be held in honor of Sister Marion Rielly (former ND principal) and all deceased members of the ND community. It will be held in the newly renovated gym.  If you have a loved one whom you would like to have remembered, please contact the Alumni Office.  For reservations to any of these events, please contact the ND Advancement/Alumni Office at 372-6521 or marzik@notredame.org.

It is customary at Notre Dame not to require any "take-home" fundraisers such as gift wrap, candy or magazine sales.  So instead, please log on to Schoolpop.com and sign up to help Notre Dame.  Schoolpop.com is a great way to help our school from your own computer in the comfort of your own home.  Log on to www.schoolpop.com and click "join".  Choose Notre Dame Catholic High School-Fairfield to receive the contributions from your purchases.  Fill out your profile information and choose preferences.  Every time you want to shop online, log onto Schoolpop.com and go to the homepage of the merchant you want to shop.  It's that easy! 

Chemistry Grant Secured

Dr. Robert DeSimone, a Chemistry teacher at Notre Dame, has recently received a competitive Hach Scientific Foundation Chemistry Teacher Outreach Grant.  The grant will be used for the purchase of Analytical Chemistry Instrumentation and supplies.  The new equipment will expand the focus of both chemistry and biology labs at Notre Dame and will enable students to conduct additional experiments.  These experiments and new laboratory equipment will help Notre Dame students better understand the natural world around them.      

Batteries Wanted

The N.D. Chemistry Club is collecting used household batteries for recycling. Batteries can be brought to Room 319.

Art Club

The N.D. Art Club meets every Wednesday after school until 2:30, and all are welcome.

CT Federation of Catholic School Parents

The Connecticut Federation of Catholic School Parents represents Catholic schools in Connecticut, and is committed to educate Catholic school parents and the Catholic school community, regarding the rights and issues concerning the education of children attending Catholic schools. The Federation will work to protect, preserve and expand those rights and guarantee that children in Catholic schools are provided the public services to which they are entitled, to the fullest extent of current law.

How can you help? Lawmakers need to hear from you, their constituents, regarding Catholic schools. The Federation's Grassroots Advocacy Network is designed to reorganize Catholic school parents, alumni and those committed to Catholic education, and make them aware of the issues confronting Catholic schools. The Grassroots Advocacy network of the Connecticut Federation of Catholic School Parents makes it easier for you to stay informed and easily enables you to contact legislators.

SIGN UP AND HELP CONNECTICUT'S CATHOLIC SCHOOLS! Log on to: www.ctfcsp.org, then click on "Sign-Up for the Connecticut Catholic Advocacy Network."  Enter your information and select "Catholic Schools" as your topic of interest.