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We develop women of impact who are life-long learners, spiritual seekers, justice advocates and community leaders.
Notre Notes
Click HERE or on the photo to read the fall issue of Notre Notes, Notre Dame High School's quarterly publication.
Crab Fest
In-person for 2023! Limited table sales open NOW.
Individual ticket sales will open Saturday, December 3rd at noon.
Pre-Party ticket sales will open Thursday, December 8th at 6 p.m.
Vision 2025
We are excited to share with you an overview of Vision 2025, Notre Dame San Jose’s strategic plan for building our future.
Leadership Development
Each student has the opportunity to develop her leadership skills within the co-curricular program of her choice. Students develop voice and experience in our empowering environment.
More Than 170 Years of Tradition
In the midst of a rapidly changing world, Notre Dame's spirit and traditions remain. Whether donning crazy costumes for Spirit Week, walking downtown to attend mass, or swaying arm-in-arm while singing the alma mater, generations of women have upheld these traditions and called Notre Dame home.
A Culture of Innovation
Notre Dame's progressive culture of solution-finding, resource-sharing, skill-building and partnerships promotes curiosity and creativity within a unique learning environment.
Unique Downtown Experience
A Notre Dame education extends well beyond the footprint of our downtown San Jose campus, out into the tenth largest city in the United States and the thriving center of Silicon Valley.
Folklorico dancers from Notre Dame and Bellarmine recently performed at the San Jose State University viewing of "A Song for Cesar." The film, a documentary by Abel Sanchez and Andres Alegria, presents a unique view of the life and legacy of Cesar Chavez and the farmworker movement. The film tells a previously untold story about the musicians and artists – including Joan Baez, Maya Angelou, and Carlos Santana, among others – who dedicated their time, creativity and even reputations to peacefully advance Cesar Chavez’s movement to gain equality and justice for America’s suffering farmworkers.
Students in French 3 Honors recently met with native French-speaking women to hone their language skills and learn more about French culture. Throughout the course, students have studied important women in the francophone world and, through this experience, were able to have authentic conversations in French with local women of impact.
More than 200 fathers and daughters came together on campus recently to enjoy a wonderful breakfast and companionship. Notre Dame's parent resource group, ND Dads, organized and cooked scrambled eggs, sausage, croissants and other yummy treats! They also presented roses to the seniors at the event.
Freshman classes traditionally study Japanese culture in conjunction with their reading of When the Emperor was Divine by Julie Otsuka. One aspect of that culture is Taiko drumming, which students were able to experience through an assembly featuring Heiwa Taiko, a group of inspiring grandmothers who perform on 19" drums they created themselves.
Social
Anela
Chapman University - Schmid Talent Scholarship, Provost's Scholarship
Mathematics & Civil Engineering (UCI)
ND helped me with developing leadership qualities and essentially empowered me as a young woman in society. I will forever be grateful for the opportunities I was given and the lifelong friendships I've made. I chose Chapman University because it has a beautiful campus and overall a similar environment to ND where they value community. They encourage students to try multiple things regarding curriculars and extracurriculars.The program that I am going into is a dual-degree program with 3 years of math at Chapman and 2 years of Civil Engineering at UCI. I hope to minor in music technology.
Jasmyn
University of San Francisco
Sociology
Attending Notre Dame was an experience I won't forget! Building new relations with students from all classes throughout my four years has served to be a memorable experience. The diversity throughout campus created a comfortable yet fast-growing environment that I will dearly miss. Moving forward, I will look back at all the work I put into building myself as a student and as a leader, activist, and community builder and be pleased with how much I have grown. At USF, I hope to further my studies in the community around me and develop new relationships with new friends to help strengthen my working and leadership skills. I am thankful for all Notre Dame has had to offer and the incredible support from my family throughout my high school career!
Star
University of California, Santa Barbara
Anthropology
At Notre Dame I found an environment where I could get a taste of what it takes to actually create change, from a conceptual idea all the way to a concrete change in policy. I am grateful for the lessons and insights I gained from such opportunities, and will carry them with me as I enter the new environment of college and beyond.
Bella
University of San Diego - Presidential Honors Scholarship
Marketing
The past four years have been a learning and growing experience that has gotten me where I am today. I am very excited to be attending University of San Diego in the fall and ready for the fun journey ahead.
Mito
UC Berkeley
Undeclared, College of Letters & Sciences
At ND, I was blessed with countless opportunities, as well as the resources to create my own. The school environment that values the growth of leaders pushed me to step out of my comfort zone many times, and a lot of growth has come out of it. I'm thankful for all the inspiring individuals I've met here, both friends and faculty. At UC Berkeley, I am excited to continue this journey of self-development and to embark on a new chapter of my life.
Aru
American University - Dean's Scholarship
Political Science
My four years at Notre Dame have enabled me to grow as a learner and an advocate. I learned to raise my voice to fight for what is right through being in an environment focused on women's empowerment. I am grateful for all the teachers and students I have been able to work alongside during my time at ND because they have helped me better understand myself and the world around me. I look forward to continuing this journey as a social justice leader in Washington D.C. at American University. Go Eagles!
Danijela
Saint Mary's College of California - Presidential Scholarship, Saint Mary's Scholarship, Athletic Scholarship
Business
At Saint Mary's, I encountered the same tight-knit and supportive community that I have found at Notre Dame. Notre Dame has helped shape me into the person I am today, teaching me to never give up, take on challenges, and be a leader and justice advocate. As I embark on this next chapter of my life, I hope to pursue my passions and further discover what I truly love, while continuing my athletic journey as a rower!
Sophie
California State University, Northridge
Mechanical Engineering (Focus on Mechatronics & Robotics)
Notre Dame has helped me follow and explore my passion in engineering and robotics through classes and extracurriculars, allowing me to gain life skills such as leadership, collaboration, and dedication. At Northridge I will be able to continue this growth with a large community, diverse clubs, and a specialized major.
Grace
UC Davis
Evolution, Ecology & Biodiversity
Throughout my time here at ND, I have grown to appreciate the small, but united, community around me. Knowing that from small classes to assemblies with the whole student body that I am always welcome and valued has greatly enriched my high school experience. I chose UC Davis because I saw similar values on their campus as well, with a tight-knit community and comfortable learning environment that I know will support me throughout my next 4 years. Go Aggies!
Bhavya
UC Santa Barbara
Pre-Economics
I am grateful for the opportunities Notre Dame has provided me with to grow as an individual and student. The strong sense of community and supportive atmosphere are values I will carry with me as I attend UC Santa Barbara. I hope to continue pursuing my interests and challenging myself at UCSB! Go Gauchos!
Kate
Colby College
Environmental Science
Throughout my four years at Notre Dame, I’ve learned to become a leader and stand up for what I believe in. I’ve found that I appreciate a tight-knit learning community where I can create strong bonds with my fellow classmates and teachers. Alongside finding a similar environment at Colby, I really like how it is a small liberal arts school that places an emphasis on STEM and environmental science. I can’t wait to see what the future holds at Colby and beyond!
Valentina
Seattle University
English
Going to Notre Dame surrounded by the excitement and diversity of a big city reinforced to me how much I wanted to continue living in a similar city in college. I love Seattle because of how vibrant (both physically and culturally) it is and it seems like an amazing place to spend time in. I may not be the biggest fan of the rain but I'm excited nonetheless because I'm certain I'll learn a lot about myself and the world. Being surrounded by so many different types of people and experiences will help me learn what I'm passionate about and want to devote my life to.
Catherine
Chapman University - Hesperia Scholarship
Psychology
I chose Chapman because it had the perfect middle ground from what I wanted in a college. It was small enough for me to personally know my teachers but large enough to where I could branch out, it was far enough from home so I could explore, but close enough to visit, and I loved it's emphasis on studying what you want and having your major be tailored to your interests. What I got from ND that will prepare me for college and beyond is being able to use my talents and abilities to help my community become stronger together.
Rachel
Seattle University - Merit Scholarship
Psychology
As I look back at my time at ND, I never realized how much this place would feel like home. I’ve learned so much from my teachers and made some of my closest friends here. I came to Notre Dame with no sense of direction of where I wanted to go or what I wanted to pursue. But throughout my time here I started to find what I was passionate about. Notre Dame’s service hour requirements gave me the chance to reach out to my community about mental health awareness. I will continue to work with those who struggle with mental illnesses at Seattle U, through their practicum opportunities. Go Redhawks!
Violet
Fordham University
Sociology
Notre Dame has allowed me to realize the importance of social justice and stepping out of my comfort zone to embark on new endeavors. In the diverse city of San Jose, my love of community service blossomed into a deeply rooted passion as I got involved with many organizations in my school and in my community. Here at Notre Dame, I learned how to be a leader and pursue what I am passionate about. I chose Fordham University located in the Bronx, one of the five burrows of New York City. This city is filled with people from all walks of life and I am eager to share the insight I have gained at Notre Dame as I study sociology at this university.
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Lauren
Baylor University - Distinction Award
Finance
Coming from Notre Dame, I was able to grow in all aspects individually and spiritually. ND’s religious commitment helped influence my decision in choosing Baylor University to further my growth as a spiritual seeker. I plan on contributing to conversations of faith and I can’t wait to continue my journey as a lifelong learner at Baylor. Sic ‘em bears!
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Ameera
Purdue University
Engineering
These last four years at Notre Dame have truly gone by in the blink of an eye. My time here has allowed me to explore my passions in a rich, nurturing environment. I'm grateful for the bright, diverse classmates and teachers I've had the opportunity to learn alongside of. Purdue offers opportunities and a community like that of ND, and I'm excited to pursue my love of learning in Indiana.
Sofia
Muhlenberg College - Presidential Merit Scholarship, Theater Talent Scholarship
Theater
Notre Dame has taught me about how important it is to have a strong community at school and throughout my four years here, I have been encouraged to pursue my interests and step outside of my comfort zone. I chose Muhlenberg because their community is just as strong and welcoming as ours is here at Notre Dame and I felt right at home the second I stepped onto campus. Additionally, I love how flexible their program is and how I will have the opportunity to take many classes that aren't related to my major but really interest me.
April
Santa Clara University
Ethnic Studies
When writing my common app essay, I chose to write about my experiences as the child of Vietnamese immigrant parents, and how their experiences – their ‘American Dream’ – shaped me into the person I am today. ND has always been big on identity, reminding us to ‘unmute,’ show ‘confidence,’ and to be ‘superheroes’ in our own story. I hope that even after I graduate, I can uphold these values as a person, a student, and a daughter. What drew me to Santa Clara University was their inclusivity. After reading Francisco Jimenez’s book Reaching Out for ND Reads my sophomore year, I aspired to attend, hoping that I could find the same community that celebrated diversity, love, and ambition.
Roxanne
Cal Poly San Luis Obispo
General Engineering
The high quality education that I received at Notre Dame has fostered my growth as a student. I will forever cherish the friendships I have formed with other students, as well as the support toward my success I have received from teachers and mentors. At Cal Poly, I will continue the hands-on education I have received at Notre Dame on my path toward becoming an engineer, and I will do so in the beautiful peaks of San Luis Obispo! I am so excited to see what the future holds.
Juman
UC Davis
Biology
I am so grateful for all the opportunities I have been involved in at ND and the support I have found along the way. My experience was filled with important life lessons that I hope to take with me to UCD and beyond! Go Aggies!