Faith and Service

“The best leaders are those who take time to serve others.”

Notre Dame prepared me to be self-directed and to rise to challenges. My general take-away from Catholic-based education is to live a life of service and compassion.

Faith and Service at NDB

We are a caring and compassionate community committed to promoting justice and peace while developing responsible young women of active faith, strong intellect and Christian leadership. We develop the gifts and talents of each student and foster Gospel values in an environment of academic excellence and mutual respect.

Over the course of four years, NDB students develop a foundation for:

Loving God.

Loving yourself.

Loving your neighbor.

Loving the world.

Curriculum

Students take courses each year at NDB as they develop a relationship with God and with themselves while building a foundation for creating positive change in their communities.

Year	Class	Length
Freshman	Faith and Morality	1 Semester
Sophomore	Hebrew Scriptures Living the Scriptures	1 Semester 1 Semester
Junior	Intro to Social Justice Social Justice	1 Semester 1 Semester
Senior	World Religions Being Notre Dame	1 Semester 1 Semester

Community Service Hour Graduation Requirements

Community Service Hour Graduation Requirements

Freshman Year
1st and 2nd semester: 5 hours each semester serving with family members or a small group (at least one other person) at a non-profit organization. Hours can be completed from the start of the school year - May of that school year. Throughout the school year: 5 NDB hours. NDB hours include volunteering to help teachers, athletics, admissions or participating in any NDB sponsored service events.
TOTAL HOURS FRESHMAN YEAR: 15 Hours

Sophomore Year
1st semester: 10 hours serving at a local non profit organization or through any of our opportunities in the NDB Community Service Document. Hours can be completed from the start of Summer Break- December of that school year. 2nd semester: 10 Vocational hours- volunteering at a non-profit organization, working directly with people in need and exploring one's passion and vocation (Remotely or in person). Hours can be completed from the start of Winter Break - May of that school year. Throughout the school year: 5 NDB hours. NDB hours include volunteering to help teachers, athletics, admissions or participating in any NDB sponsored service events.
TOTAL HOURS SOPHOMORE YEAR: 25 hours

Junior Year
1st semester: 10 Vocational hours- volunteering at a non-profit organization, working directly with people in need and exploring one's passion and vocation (Remotely or in-person). Hours can be completed from the start of Summer Break - December of that school year. 2nd semester: 10 Vocational hours- volunteering at a non-profit organization, working directly with people in need and exploring one's passion and vocation. Reflection in Spiritual Life class at the end of the semester. Hours can be completed from the start of Winter Break - May of that school year. Throughout the school year: 5 NDB hours. NDB hours include volunteering to help teachers, athletics, admissions or participating in any NDB sponsored service events.
TOTAL HOURS JUNIOR YEAR: 25 hours

Senior Year
1st semester: 10 Vocational hours- volunteering at a non-profit organization, working directly with people in need and exploring one's passion and vocation (Remotely or in person). Hours can be completed from the start of Summer Break - December of that school year. Throughout the school year: 5 NDB hours. NDB hours include volunteering to help teachers, athletics, admissions or participating in any NDB sponsored service events. 2nd semester: Complete any missing hours from previous semesters and years.
SENIOR YEAR TOTAL HOURS: 15 hours

TOTAL SERVICE HOURS FOR ALL FOUR YEARS: 80 Hours Total

*Students are required to volunteer in a minimum of four different settings/places during their high school experience to broaden their social justice understanding.
*All hours need to be verified by an adult at the service organization.
*Students can enter extra hours that don’t fit into the categories in the "Miscellaneous" category in the order to be eligible for service awards, recognitions, and scholarships starting from the summer before freshman year

Class Retreats

Each class enjoys a spiritual retreat each year where each student is able to connect with themselves and their class community, come together in sisterhood and reflect upon themselves and their role in their communities.

Tri-School Walk for Catholic Worker House

Hundreds of students from NDB, Serra and Mercy participate in the Walk for Catholic Worker House. Students listen to speeches about the Catholic Worker Movement, which was started by Dorothy Day in 1933. Then, the Tri-School group walks 4.5 miles from Mercy High School to Catholic Worker Hospitality House in San Bruno with posters in hand, raising money for the Catholic Worker House.

Earth Week

NDB’s Earth Week Student Committee hosted three days of Earth Week education and celebration including a food waste contest, seed planting and an educational session on palm oil.

Kairos

Kairos, an optional retreat open to seniors, gives Tigers the space to explore how God is working in various areas of their lives. NDB holds a Kairos retreat, followed by a Tri-School retreat with Serra and Mercy High School.

Service Drives

CORA’s Closet Service Drive

Families and students participated in our April service drive benefiting CORA's closet. CORA is the only agency in San Mateo County solely dedicated to helping those affected by intimate partner abuse.

Samaritan House Kids Closet Service Drive

The NDB Community came together to gather and donate clothing for children in need through our partnership with Samaritan House Kids Closet.

Holiday Service Drive

Students and families donated toys and gifts for families in need from Mayfair Community Center in San Jose to celebrate the winter holidays.

Liturgies

Liturgies are held at various times during the school year as uplifting celebrations of the NDB Community. Students present readings and reflections and enhance each gathering with song and dance.

Hallmarks in Action (HIA) Board

The Hallmarks in Action Board inspires and creates opportunities for our campus to carry out the Notre Dame Hallmarks. Board members plan and lead retreats and large events including Laudato Si Day, Blessing of the Animals and liturgies. This board is a fantastic way to cultivate leadership and public speaking skills, as members lead reflections and prayer and take pride in planning community service and social justice events.

Blessing of the Animals

Students, parents/guardians, faculty and staff are invited to bring their furry friends to campus on the morning of Blessing of the Animals, where animals receive blessings and prayers led by our Campus Ministry team and Hallmarks in Action student board.

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Faith and Service