Colegio Católico Notre Dame is a coeducational Roman Catholic school located in Caguas, Puerto Rico. Notre Dame is composed of an Pre-Kinder, Kindergarten, Elementary School, a Middle School and High School. Not all schools are in the same campus.
History
The Colegio Católico Notre Dame was founded on October 3, 1916 by Redemptorist Priests (of the Congregation of the Most Holy Redeemer) with the help of the Congregation of the Sisters of Notre Dame. Originally, the school had the name of Colegio Dulce Nombre de Jesús but it was eventually changed to the name it has today. Notre Dame initially accepted students from Kindergarten to the fourth grade. By 1921, the school continued until the eight grade. In 1947, the first 24 students graduated twelfth grade from Notre Dame.
In 1956, the grades from seventh to twelfth moved to Troche Avenue in Caguas, its current ___location. The high school was then named Notre Dame High School in honor of the Virgin Mary and the Sisters of Notre Dame. The elementary school is located next to the Cathedral Dulce Nombre de Jesús in the "plaza" of Caguas. Notre Dame also has a pre-kinder (formed in 1986) and a kindergarten (formed in 1950) located in the same campus as the high school.
In 1964 Notre Dame received accreditation by Middle States Association of Colleges and Schools. Eventually, the school went back to the name Colegio Católico Notre Dame in order to unify the schools. In 1997, the Elementary School received the "Blue Ribbon Award" of Excellence in Education awarded by the "Blue Ribbon Schools Program".
Notre Dame is currently the biggest private school in Puerto Rico with more than 2,300 students from Pre-Kinder to twelfth grade.
School's Motto
The school's motto is Virtus et Scientia. This translates to Virtue and Knowledge.
Clubs and Organizations
Some of the school's clubs are:
- Scala, the school's newspaper was founded in 1945.
- Student Council - formed in 1958.
- National Honor Society
- Chemistry Club
- English Club
- T.E.A ("Taller de Expresión Artística" or Drama and Art Club)
- Forensics Club
- French Club
- History Club
- Chess Club
- Library Club
- School Band
- Oratory Club
- Ministry of Music
Facilities
The elementary school is located next to the city's cathedral and students attend mass there. The high school campus has a baseball field, a track, voleiball and basketball courts. The Neumann Hall Auditorium serves as a cafeteria and a place to hold large events and mass.
Famous Alumni
Carlos Manuel Rodríguez - candidate for future canonization; beatified on April 29, 2001.