At Notre Dame Catholic Secondary School, it is our mission to be an inclusive Catholic learning community that inspires every student to achieve their full potential through faith and education. We recognize our call to love and serve from our Master teacher Jesus Christ, and we are committed to creating a Catholic learning community under the protection of Mother Mary.
The Catholic Graduate Expectations are our foundation as we strive for academic excellence and the acknowledgement of those who achieve it. We recognize God as the source of all life and actively work to focus on social issues within our local and global communities.
We celebrate the diversity within our community with a collaborative approach to learning, in cooperation with parents, the Catholic faith community, and other organizations that recognize the value of our mission. Within the context of Catholic teaching and Sacramental living, our school community strives to demonstrate respect and reverence for all life, thus nurturing a safe, Christian environment for the entire school community.
| School Year Calendar |
| Our Board's School Year Calendar is now available. Please subscribe to our school calendar web page to receive the latest updates and emails on upcoming events and activities happening at school. |
| Our School's Name |
| Notre Dame Catholic Secondary School was chosen by a collection of parents, students, and Board representatives. "Notre Dame" reflects the devotion of our Ajax-Pickering community to Mary, the Mother of Jesus and the Catholic Church. Mary is characterized by her devotion to God and family. We look to her as our model and intercessor. |
| Our logo |
| The crest in our school logo consists of a circle surrounding a cross. The circle represents the "circle of life." As it encompasses the cross, we are reminded that we are created in the image and likeness of God; we are all "united" as one. The choices that we make may have a significant impact on one another and the world we live in. Our motto is clearly labelled, Caritas, Sapientia, Concordia. We are encouraged to make wise and charitable choices to ensure a life of harmony for all. The cross represents our commitment to the teachings of our Catholic Church and those of Our Lord, Jesus Christ. |
| School Colours |
| Our school colours are Purple and Grey. These colours are distinctive and represent "royalty." We must always strive to live our lives with honour and dignity. |
| Our Mission - Charity Wisdom Harmony |
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In the Gospel of John it is written that Jesus said to the disciples, "I give you a new commandment, that you love one another. Just as I have loved you, you should also love one another. By this everyone will know that you are my disciples..." Inherent in this commandment is the earlier instruction from Jesus to love God and to love your neighbour as you love yourself. We at Notre Dame will seek to foster this acceptance of the Gospel message through a life which accepts the challenge to be charitable (caritas) and to seek wisdom (sapientia) and harmony (concordia). We at Notre Dame accept that our community extends far beyond the walls of our building. Our goal is to reach and serve the broader Ajax community be it through the contribution our students can make via excellence in academics or through Catholic Christian community service. The staff at Notre Dame will be committed to fostering in our students a 'love of neighbour' by continually encouraging them to serve others; the less able, those in need, the senior community. Our goal will have been reached if all of our graduates can say that they leave us as "persons for others". |
| Philosophy |
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As Catholic educators, we live according to our Father's code and to lead our students, by example, to live the basic truths of the gospel message. This is an awesome, yet inspiring challenge which we share with the parents of our young men and women. Children learn what they live. Each day we have the opportunity to teach our students:
However, a person cannot give what he or she does not have. Unless we are living the Gospel message, we cannot lead our students to do so. There are many hallmarks of a Catholic educator, including:
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| Links |
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Below are links to resources to help you achieve success while at Notre Dame Catholic Secondary School. |
| Contact Us |
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We welcome your questions, comments and concerns. Principal: Shawnn O'Connor Notre Dame Catholic Secondary School |
