Quarterly Board Report

Dear Friends of Notre Dame Academy,

Like many of you, I spend most of my normal work day in a corporate setting.  While my work is fulfilling and I enjoy the company of great colleagues and friends, it’s a world mostly detached from faith and spiritualism.  I contrast this to my work as part of the NDA Board of Directors, where I’m able to work among colleagues who are truly here because they feel driven by their faith and our collective NDA mission.  It is so refreshing to begin meetings with a prayer and consider the dignity of every human when making important decisions.  We believe the work we do is important not because it adds to a corporate bottom line, but because it ensures the stability and sustainability of one of the great pillars of secondary education in Northern Kentucky.  As an alumna, I know NDA is different.  I know NDA is special.  I know our SND heritage is not only a differentiator for our school, but something much more foundational to everyone who has or will call NDA home.

As a school dedicated to our Blessed Mother, May is a special month at Notre Dame Academy.  I recently had the privilege of attending our annual all-school May Crowning mass.  Have you ever looked back at something – a word, a phrase, a song, an event – and thought “I didn’t know how much I needed that”?  Not until I was sitting on a folding chair in a gym packed full of young women praying, singing, and honoring Mary did I realize how much I needed that experience at that very moment.  I was almost brought to tears by the heartfelt tribute to Mary written and delivered by one of our Seniors who had been given the honor of crowning her this year.  I sat quietly after Holy Communion listening not to the gossip and small talk that normally surrounds teenage girls, but the beautiful harmony of hundreds of voices united in song.  I watched as new students and faculty received blessed Miraculous Medals and joined their sisters already proudly wearing theirs.  This is the unique, unquantifiable result of an NDA education and the sisterhood it creates.  It’s the reason I and every one of you reading this message supports the transformational experiences that occur within our walls. 

Its no secret NDA has experienced a lot of change in the past several years, and those changes can be difficult to navigate.  Interestingly, when I was young I perceived the Sisters as stoic and unflinchingly rooted in age old traditions.  What I’ve witnessed as I’ve grown, though, is the Sisters are masters of adaptability.  They are some of the most dynamic women I know, individually and collectively.  They not just accept change, they foresee it and proactively manage it.  Why?  Because they know this ability to adapt is critical to ensuring the continued existence of what matters most to them – their mission.  We must adopt this same foresight and resilience to ensure a successful future for NDA.  We can’t just look to tomorrow, we need to look years into the future.  This is why we engaged in a strategic planning process last year, and why that plan will continue to guide our actions for the next several years.  Additionally, we are re-visiting our current President/Principal model to determine if it is still the right leadership structure for us, or if there are other options that better align with our strategic vision and objectives.  I assure you this will be a thoughtful process based both in traditional data-driven metrics as well as charism and Catholic identity. In the meantime, though, the Board and I have the utmost faith and confidence in the team we have in place.  They will ensure NDA continues to deliver the academic excellence that is the hallmark of an NDA education.

As a community, it’s easy to struggle with how you remain unwaveringly devoted to a goal in a society that is constantly changing.  Thankfully, the Sisters have answered this question for us through their words and actions.  Our mission is our guidepost.  Its consideration is fundamental to every decision we make.  We must be willing to adapt, though, to ensure that mission can remain intact for future generations.  The mission of NDA is the Sisters’ legacy, and also our legacy.

Wishing each of you the blessings and comforts of Our Lady as we honor her this month.  May she continue to inspire and guide us all.

In Notre Dame,

Jessica Rawe
Chair, NDA Board of Directors