Notre Dame High School (New Jersey)

Notre Dame High School is a coeducational, Roman Catholic, college preparatory school in the Lawrenceville section of Lawrence Township, in Mercer County, New Jersey, United States. The school operates under the supervision of the Roman Catholic Diocese of Trenton.[5] The school is accredited by AdvancED.[3]

Notre Dame High School
Front of the school
Address
601 Lawrence Road (US 206)

Lawrence Township
,
Mercer County
,
New Jersey
08648

United States
Coordinates40°15′19.76″N 74°44′38.06″W
Information
TypePrivate, college preparatory, coeducational
Religious affiliation(s)Roman Catholic
Established1957
OversightDiocese of Trenton
NCES School ID00866498[1]
PresidentKen Jennings
PrincipalJoanna Barlow
ChaplainRev. Jason Parzynski
Faculty74.1 FTEs[1]
Grades9–12
Enrollment1102 (as of 2017–18)[1]
Student to teacher ratio14.9:1[1]
Color(s)  Blue and
  white[2]
Athletics conferenceColonial Valley Conference
West Jersey Football League
Team nameIrish[2]
RivalLawrence High School (New Jersey)
AccreditationAdvancED[3]
PublicationEtc... (literary/art magazine)
NewspaperThe Voice
YearbookThe Canticle
Tuition$15,300-$15,800 (2020-21)[4]
Websitewww.ndnj.org

As of the 2017–18 school year, the school had an enrollment of 1102 students and 74.1 classroom teachers (on an FTE basis), for a student–teacher ratio of 14.9:1. The school's student body was 74.2% (818) White, 9.0% (99) Black, 6.3% (69) Asian, 6.1% (67) Hispanic, 4.0% (44) two or more races, 0.3% (3) Native Hawaiian / Pacific Islander and 0.2% (2) American Indian / Alaska Native.[1]

History

Built in 1957, Notre Dame High School is located in Lawrenceville, near Princeton University, Rider University, The College of New Jersey, The Lawrenceville School, and Hun School of Princeton. The Catholic Diocese of Trenton also neighbors the school. The main building itself is square in shape, housing classrooms on two floors. Its mascot is the "Irish," usually displayed on athletic wear as a shamrock affixed to "ND." The current president is Ken Jennings, accompanied by principal Joanna Barlow, senior vice president Maggie Kelly, vice president Donna Grabowski, assistant principals Eleanor MacIsaac and Lisa Lenihan, Chaplain Rev. Jason Parzynski and Director of Athletics, Richard Roche.

The school uses a form of block scheduling for its students. In a typical semester, a student has three 80-minute block classes and two 40-minute blocks. One of the 40-minute periods is usually reserved for a lunch period while the other is reserved for physical education or an additional 40-minute class. There is an "activity period" between the four 80-minute blocks during the day in which students can study, take an additional lunch period or participate in various school activities (groups, clubs, community service).

The school features a newly renovated theatre, gymnasium, student center (cafeteria), several standard classrooms, offices, computer and science labs, school store (The Leprechaun Shop), a renovated track, wrestling room, cross country path, weight-room, turf field with stands, tennis courts, various outdoor playing fields, media center–library, chapel, campus ministry, College & School Counseling office, and courtyard.

Parallel to the school's student parking lot flows Shabakunk Creek, which was the location of a Revolutionary War skirmish between American rebels led by Colonel Edward Hand and the British military, delaying the British before the Second Battle of Trenton. A small commemorative sign marks the spot where the battle occurred.[6][7]

Class of 2019 student data

The 2019 averages of the school's SAT scores were 536 Critical Reading, 536 Writing and 544 Math. Fourteen Advanced Placement Program courses were tested. Of 519 AP exams taken, 108 students had a score of 5; 151 had a score of 4; and 156 had a score of 3. The class had one student who was recognized as a semi-finalist and 11 students who were recognized as Commended Scholars by the National Merit Scholarship Program. 99% of students went on to college, with 87% going on to a four-year college, 12% to a two-year college, and 1% to employment or the military.[8]

Performing arts

Notre Dame High School has an active performing arts department which presents three productions annually: a fall drama or comedy, a late-winter musical, and a late-spring comedy, drama, or musical. Past performances have included The Little Mermaid, Show Boat, Kiss Me, Kate, Godspell, Man of La Mancha, Inherit the Wind, Grease, West Side Story, The Crucible, Beauty and the Beast, You Can't Take It with You, Scapino!, Les Misérables, The Pajama Game, Peter Pan, Footloose, Seussical, Hairspray and Anything Goes. The musicals annually perform for audiences from 3,500 to 5,000.

Along with theatrical productions, a dance program entitled Fusion, based on contemporary dance styles, is rehearsed during the fall and performs later in the winter. The dance program, which is headed by Debby Rittler Gibilisco, has three separate levels. The Performing Arts Department, led by Lou Gibilisco, offers classes such as Digital Recording, Piano Technique, and Musical Theory, along with overseeing the various musical groups in the school: Concert Choir, String Ensemble, Concert Band, Jazz Band, and Madrigal Choir (the latter two requiring auditions). The Concert Band, Fusion dance, and Madrigal all travel to Disney World (alternating every year between the Concert Band and the Madrigal/Fusion) to participate in workshops, master classes, and performances.

Athletics

The Notre Dame High School Irish[2] participate in the Colonial Valley Conference, which includes high schools from Burlington and Mercer counties, and the West Jersey Football League (WJFL). Both leagues operate under the supervision of the New Jersey State Interscholastic Athletic Association.[9] With 865 students in grades 10-12, the school was classified by the NJSIAA for the 2019–20 school year as Non-Public A for most athletic competition purposes, which included schools with an enrollment of 381 to 1,454 students in that grade range (equivalent to Group III for public schools).[10] The football team competes in the Capitol Division of the 95-team West Jersey Football League superconference[11][12] and was classified by the NJSIAA as Non-Public Group IV for football for 2018–2020.[13] In the 2018 season, the football team won the Capitol Division. The school is historically known for its football team and track program, which have both earned numerous awards and acknowledgments.

In the 2012–13 season, Notre Dame won seven Colonial Valley Conference Championships (in girls' soccer, boys' basketball, girls' basketball, boys' swimming, ice hockey, baseball, and girls' lacrosse) and three Mercer County Titles (in boys' basketball, ice hockey and baseball). The boys' basketball and girls' lacrosse teams had their best seasons in school history. The boys' basketball team finished with a record of 25-4 while the girls' lacrosse team went 17–4, losing in the Group III South state final to national power Moorestown High School. The ice hockey team had a six-year, 81-game winning streak in Colonial Valley Conference play, spanning from 2011 until a close loss to rival Princeton High School 4–3 on January 6, 2017.[14]

The boys soccer team won the Non-Public Group A state championship in 1961 (defeating runner-up St. Cecilia High School in the final of the tournament), 1966 (vs. St. Aloysius High School), 1967 (vs. Trenton Cathedral High School), 1970 (vs. St. Joseph High School), 1974 (vs. Christian Brothers Academy), 1975 (vs. Seton Hall Preparatory Academy), 1977 (vs. Seton Hall Prep), 1982 (vs. Don Bosco Preparatory High School), 1983 (vs. Hudson Catholic Regional High School), 1984 (vs. Don Bosco) and 1991 (as co-champion with Don Bosco). The program's 10 state titles are tied for fifth in the state.[15]

The girls' outdoor track and field team won the Non-Public A state championship in 1982-1985 and 1993–2000. The 12 state championships won by the girls' squad is tied for the most by any school and the eight consecutive titles won from 1993 to 2000 marks the longest streak of any school in the state.[16] Notre Dame's Sabrina Alexander won the Non-Public A state championship in the 100m hurdles in 2013. Vanessa Romulus won the Non-Public A state championship in the high jump in 2012 and 2013. Nicole Kurtain won the Non-Public A individual cross country championship in 2001.[17]

The football team won the Non-Public Group A South state sectional championship in 1983 and 1989.[18]

The baseball team won the Non-Public Group A state championship in 1983 (defeating Essex Catholic High School in the tournament final), 1985 (vs. Bergen Catholic High School), 1987 (vs. Bergen Catholic), 1990 (vs. Saint Joseph Regional High School), 1991 (vs. Seton Hall Preparatory School). The program's five state titles are tied for eighth in the state.[19] The 1983 team had a seson record of 23-6 after winning the Parochial A title by defeating Essex Catholic by a score of 5-4 in the championship game.[20]

The girls track team won the Non-Public indoor relay state championship in 1984, won the Group III title in 1996, the group II title in 1997, and the Group I title in 2020 (as co-champion); the four state titles won by the girls program is tied for tenth in the state. The boys team won the Group III title in 2007.[21]

The girls soccer team won the Group IV title in 1985 (defeating Morris Knolls High School in the tournament final) and the Group III state championship in 1994 (as co-champion with West Morris Central High School).[22] The team won the Non-Public A South title in 2015 over Holy Cross Academy on penalty kicks, with the score tied at 2-2 after two overtimes.[23]

The field hockey team won the Central Jersey Group IV state sectional championship in 1985 and 1987, and won the title in Central Jersey Group III in 1994.[24]

The boys track team won the Non-Public Group A spring track state championship in 1992, 1996, 1997 and 2005.[25]

The Notre Dame girls' basketball team won the Non-Public A state championships in 1995 (against runner-up Immaculate Heart Academy in the finals) and in 1996 (vs. Paramus Catholic High School).[26] In 2014, the girls' basketball team won the Mercer County Tournament championship for the eighth time, defeating Hopewell Valley Central High School by a score of 49–35 in the tournament final.[27]

The girls track team won the indoor track Group III state championship in 1996 and won in Group II in 1997. The boys team won the Group II title in 1997 and the Group III title in 1998.[28]

The softball team won the Non-Public A state championship in 2006 and 2007, defeating Mount Saint Dominic Academy in the tournament final both years.[29] The team won the 2007 South A state sectional championship with a 2–1 win over Red Bank Catholic High School in the tournament final.[30] The team then won the Non-Public Group A state championship with a 1–0 win over Mount Saint Dominic Academy to finish the season with a record of 26-4.[31][32] NJ.com / The Star-Ledger ranked Notre Dame as their number-one softball team in the state in 2007.[33]

The tennis team won the 1999 South A state sectional championship with a 4–1 win over Monsignor Donovan High School in the tournament final at Veterans Park.[34]

The Notre Dame golf team won their first Mercer County Golf Championship in 2009, ending a 23-year drought with a total team score of 314, six shots better than the closest team.[35]

The boys' swim team capped their 2009–10 season undefeated and went on to win the Mercer County Tournament for the third straight year.[36][37]

In the 2014–15 season, the athletic programs won three state regional championships.

In 2018, wrestler Joe Schneider broke the all-time win record at the school.

In 2019, Angelina Romero became the first wrestler in the school's history to place at states, coming in second in the 118-lb. girl's category during the New Jersey State tournament in Atlantic City.[38]

Notable alumni

References
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  2. Notre Dame High School, New Jersey State Interscholastic Athletic Association. Accessed October 20, 2020.
  3. Institution Summary for Notre Dame High School, AdvancED. Accessed September 5, 2020.
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  5. School Finder, Roman Catholic Diocese of Trenton. Accessed February 26, 2018.
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  33. "Softball: Every No. 1 team in the state from 1979 to 2015", NJ Advance Media for NJ.com, June 21, 2015, updated August 24, 2019. Accessed January 4, 2021. "Following are the teams that finished as the NJ.com No. 1 softball team in the state with year and record.... 2007: Notre Dame (26-4)"
  34. Staff. "Undaunted Ocean downs Princeton in CJ III final", Asbury Park Press, May 26, 1999. Accessed September 1, 2011. "Notre Dame 4, Monsignor Donovan 1: Straight-set victories at first and second doubles powered the Irish (12-4) to a South Jersey Parochial A victory over the Griffins (13-3)."
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  55. Sherman, Steve. "Soccer: Popularity aside, a new skill is mastered in Bristol", Bucks Local News, August 22, 2012. Accessed November 2, 2017. "'You can’t just stand there flat-footed,' said Robinson, a former Trenton resident and three-time All-American at Adelphi University (1990) who graduated from Notre Dame High School in 1986."
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  58. Bob Terlecki, Baseball-Reference.com. Accessed May 14, 2020. "Born: February 14, 1945 (Age: 75-090d) in Trenton, NJ; High School: Notre Dame HS (Lawrenceville, NJ)"
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  60. Staff. "Verrelli Sworn in to Represent 15th District", Inside NJ, August 6, 2018. Accessed December 13, 2018. "Verrelli, who resides in Hopewell Township with his wife and daughter, graduated from Notre Dame High School in Lawrence before working as a carpenter."
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