Tonight we've invited all parents to come to the theater to find out about next year's curriculum and academic initiatives. Here's a copy of the slidedeck. Here's a peek at some of the highlights:

1. Dual Enrollment: Next year we'll be offering the following college courses here at ND taught by ND teachers for only $12 per semester: Culinary Arts, Biology, Geology, Physics, Precalculus, Statistics, Calculus, English, and US History. We expect that many of our students will earn 18- 22 college credits next year, putting our juniors in position to earn a year of college credit while at ND!
2. Immersion Week: In the first week of January, none of our students will be in regular classes. The seniors will be engaging in internships off campus, the juniors will be in a "College Bootcamp" where they will visit at least 4 schools (one community college, one private university, one CSU campus, and one UC campus), and the 9th & 10th graders will be on retreat, on field trips, and otherwise immersing in some in-depthy experiential learning.
3. Service & Justice Class: The seniors will be taking a Service & Justice class this fall where every Thursday they will be engaged in actual service such as Dorothy's Place.
4. STEM & STEAM seals: We'll be offering special seals on diplomas for students who take 9 years of math/science and 9 years of math/science and 2 years of VPA.
5. We're offering new elective courses in orchestra, dance, drama, AP Drawing, and fitness.

There's a lot of new innovative curriculum. I hope you can join us for the meeting to understand how different Notre Dame is going to feel next year.

Go Spirits!

Dr. Tim Uhl

• Here is a link to purchase tickets for the Rico Pozole Sale to benefit VPA.

• Click this link to take the February Stakeholder survey

• The 2025-26 school calendar is out!

• The student announcements for the week can be found here.

• THe 2025 Youth Poet Laureate contest is open

• Here's a letter explaining the AI summer program which has a link to a brochure.
• We've launched this simple Google Form to "crowdsource" alumnae information. If you know of any alumnae, feel free to share the link
• Here is a Google Doc with student service opportunities

Here is the link to the Student Handbook. We're continuing to adjust as issues arise.

• Feb 26th: Parent Meeting about Dual Enrollment & curriculum, 6:00 pm in the theater
• March 8th: Rico Pozole sale to benefit VPA
• March 13-15: Sacred Heart's Peter Pan at Notre Dame's Theater
• March 18: Notre Dame's Day of Giving
• April 11-12: Notre Dame's spring musical "The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee"
• April 12: Notre Dame's Pickleball tournament
• May 16: "Our Story of the Beatles" production
• May 23: Baccalaureate Mass 10 am Sacred Heart Church
• May 25: Graduation 3:00 pm at the ND Theater

As we continue to add games, here is the the lacrosse schedule, and the swimming schedule. This fall's volleyball and tennis schedules are now being built.

Every interested Spirit coming out for spring sports needs to be up-to-date on Home Campus. Every new student-athlete was emailed information this week.

California students and families faced another year of delays in financial aid applications due to federal delays and necessary alignment. The delays impact families who depend on learning about financial aid resources early in the fall to make decisions on what college they can afford to send their student(s) to. As the 2025-26 financial aid application cycle officially opened on December 1, 2024, (two months later), students had less time to apply for financial aid. Due to these extenuating circumstances beyond their control, fewer students have completed financial aid applications in California. For more details, please view EOM 2025-04.

Senior Scholarship Lab this Wednesday + Approaching Deadlines
Scholarship deadlines are approaching! Be sure to check the 24-25 Scholarship Opportunities document for eligibility, deadlines, and application requirements. All seniors are strongly encouraged to complete the MPC (Deadline: 3/2), Hartnell (Deadline: 3/3), and the Community Foundation for Monterey County (Deadline: 3/15) Scholarship Applications. Need help? Stop by the Senior Scholarship Lab this Wednesday to get support with your applications!

Hartnell College Workshop for Seniors – Tuesday, March 4
There will be a Hartnell College Workshop for seniors on Tuesday, March 4, during lunch in Room 11. The Hartnell College Pathways team will be on campus to assist with priority enrollment steps, including placement, orientation, and the Salinas Valley Promise application. If you started but didn’t complete your application during last month’s workshop, be sure to finish it at least three days before this session.

Women at Work Speaker Series: Business & Entrepreneurship
Next week, we kick off our Women at Work Speaker Series, featuring Notre Dame alumnae with careers in business and entrepreneurship. This is a fantastic opportunity for students to connect with successful alumnae, gain insights into different career paths, and explore opportunities in various industries. The first panel will be held on Thursday, March 6th during the activity block in the theater. All students are expected to attend.

Spring Break Approaching: A Great Time for College Visits!
Spring break of junior year is the perfect opportunity to visit college campuses and explore your options. To help you make the most of your visits, check out these valuable tips from the National Association of College Admission Counseling (NACAC). Start planning now to make the most of this important step in your college journey!

Outside Opportunities:

• Monterey Recreation Summer Job Opportunities: The City of Monterey Recreation is seeking enthusiastic and responsible students to hire to fill leadership positions in their various summer programs. View the Summer 2025 Job Brochure, Job Descriptions and Download a Job Application.
• Monterey County Youth Poet Laureate: The Arts Council for Monterey County, in partnership with Urban Word, is seeking applicants for the Monterey County Youth Poet Laureate program. Open to poets ages 13-19, the winner will serve a one-year term (May 2025 – April 2026), represent the county at events, and receive a $1,000 honorarium. Applicants must reside in Monterey County and submit five original poems by March 19, 2025.
• 2025 National Youth Science Camp-Apply by 2/28: High-achieving juniors and seniors interested in science, technology, engineering, arts, and math (STEAM) are invited to apply for the 2025 National Youth Science Camp, a prestigious, fully funded summer program held in West Virginia and Washington, DC, from July 10 to August 2.
• SAT & ACT Practice Opportunities: Revolution Test prep will be offering Notre Dame Students a free online opportunity to take a practice SAT (3/1) and ACT (3/8). View details and register here.

2024-25 Scholarship Opportunities

Here is a link to the February Alumnae Newsletter. This went out to our entire database of Alumnae emails (5,000+) and includes stories and pictures about this year. Feel free to share!

Information on the Notre Dame Class of 2005 reunion.

Email: tuhl@notredamesalinas.org

Website: www.notredamesalinas.org
Location: Salinas, CA
Phone: 831-751-1850
Twitter: @drtimuhl

TheCatholic School Matters podcast is on hiatus until March.

Previous episodes this season:

• conversation with Dr. John Reyes of Boston College discussing the concept of "polycrisis" and how that impacts leadership in these turbulent times.
• A conversation with Ryan Collins, an Educational Technology blogger and administrator, discussing how AI is changing educational technology and instruction.
• A discussion about burnout and balanced leadership with consultant and former Catholic school leader Andrew Murray. Based in New Zealand, Murray has a unique perspective on finding balance after a tough bout with long COVID.