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Notre Dame Regional High School named top 50 Catholic school

Monday, November 10, 2008
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Notre Dame students celebrate the school's recent top 50 recognition.

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Notre Dame Regional High School has been named one of the top 50 Catholic high schools in America by the Acton Institute for the fourth year in a row. According to a news release from the school, nearly 1,300 high schools were eligible. The Acton Institute, based in Grand Rapids, Mich., is a not-for-profit research and educational organization.


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This really ISN'T such a big deal! When a school only enrolls students who make above average scores, they are going to look better on paper. I know, I have 3 friends that were denied admission into ND because they said they were't ND material.(one friend was told that, the other two said their grades weren't good enough) So really its just a club for snooty smart kids.

-- Posted by audri_p on Mon, Nov 10, 2008, at 4:05 PM

audri: you may want to check your facts before you spout off at the mouth. NDHS does not deny admission based on grades. I know this personally. Until this year, I had 2 children in NDHS. One of those kids struggled with grades. And we are DEFINITELY not "snooty snobs". While I'm not a fan of the politics that go on at NDHS, the admission policy is fair to all, regardless of grades or financial standing. It's very easy for people like you to believe and spread gossip. It only confirms that you are uneducated.

-- Posted by okellyokelly on Mon, Nov 10, 2008, at 4:45 PM

Totally agree with ozzysgirl. Think some of the rules are a little overbearing at NDHS, but no one can ever say that their child was denied admission because of grades, money, race, or religion. NDHS will accept anyone and work with that child to get their grades up and keep them up.

-- Posted by chief_fan on Mon, Nov 10, 2008, at 5:16 PM

What are you talking about, audri_p? Notre Dame will accept any and all the catholic children from the catholic schools in the region. That includes St Vincents and St Marys in Cape, Immaculate Conception in Jackson, St Joseph in Scott City, St Ambrose in Chaffee, St Augustine in Kelso, etc., etc. They have never set a level of academic achievement for admission. Please don't mislead people. And Notre Dame students are disciplined. They do expel if you don't behave. They are not like a public school whereby they have to try and educate students who habitually misbehave during classes. They will simply expel you to the public school if you don't follow rules. It is want many teacher friends of mine have always referred to as Notre Dame's 'luxury to expel'. They don't put up with habitual trouble makers and cut ups. But as long as you apply yourself and have disciplined behavior, you can attend.

-- Posted by truthselfevident on Mon, Nov 10, 2008, at 6:08 PM

Congratulations to Notre Dame High School on a job well done!

-- Posted by Danno1 on Mon, Nov 10, 2008, at 7:10 PM

Way to go ND!

ND at one time followed a stricter grading scale as opposed to other schools (public) -- something like anything below a 70% out of a 100% was an F. Is that still the case? If so, then I would support the school not allowing prospective students in that couldn't cut the mustard at a government school. If they can't make the grades at a public school -- how could they make them at ND?

-- Posted by TommyStix on Mon, Nov 10, 2008, at 9:01 PM

audri_p - I am constantly amazed at the people in this area who can't say anything nice about anything our area schools are doing. We just had two volleyball teams & track & field teams (sorry, there are quite a few, can't remember off hand how many) who won state team & individual medals, etc. from this area. We in SE MO should be proud of ALL the schools for ALL their academic, sports, bands, theater, faculty & staff etc. for the exceptional choices in schools. I happen to be a graduate of Notre Dame, my brother is now sending his daughter to ND & we are far from being "snooty." My father & mother busted their backs to pay for our tuition & now my brother & his wife are doing the same. They have received financial help through Notre Dame & HAVE NEVER felt less than anybody else who goes to ND. Are there snooty little kids going to ND, you betcha. But name one school in this area that doesn't have that group of kids. It's part of life, you deal with it!! I am proud of ALL the schools in this area, private & public, we should feel fortunate to have so many good choices in schools to choose from!!

-- Posted by happy_go_lucky on Mon, Nov 10, 2008, at 9:03 PM

the public schools are forced to take all those "bottom of the barrel" kids - since they all get a free ride, everyone is guaranteed access to acquiring an education. You just can't make everyone learn...so the kids become distracted and all become vandals or some type of criminal. The public schools are filled with stupid vandals, it is a fact. Just try putting your pumpkin out the day before Halloween around Jackson - you would not have it there for long before the local thugs come take it away...

-- Posted by jacksonjazzman on Tue, Nov 11, 2008, at 1:56 PM

Well Audri, you got your wish. The semissourian didn't make it a big deal. They wrote a lousy paragraph about it. Top 50 out of 1300 schools nation wide...you're right, no big deal. Tell that to the other 1250 schools that failed to make the top 50. Not to mention it's been four years in a row. How many of those schools have been there for all four years? I would like to know that number. I agree with the others. Support this area in general and be grateful that there are such options for our children to attend school. People in this area spend too much time degrading others of their achievements that they forget how blessed we truly are as a community.

-- Posted by dukefan on Wed, Nov 12, 2008, at 11:14 PM

Southeast Missourian, surely there will be more published about this tremendous accomplishment and honor for Notre Dame and for the region it serves? To be named to the Top 50 Catholic High Schools list for FOUR CONSECUTIVE YEARS is phenomenal and reflects very well on both the school and the community. For anyone who wants to know more, go to www.chshonor.org and read all about it, since so little is in the local paper. There is information about the Honor Roll, links to the honorees, the scoring method, FAQs, and a list of honorable mention schools in each category. Springfield Catholic, another high school among the three of the Springfield-Cape Girardeau Roman Catholic Diocese, is honored in the academics category. Only ONE other Catholic high school in the state, Gateway in St. Louis, received the same Top 50 honor as Notre Dame. I can't believe that this merits only one tiny paragraph of coverage!

By the way, Notre Dame is not for only high-income "preppy" and "above average" students, as an earlier poster said. There are plenty of kids at Notre Dame who must rely on tuition assistance and the government lunch progam to make ends meet. That doesn't sound very privileged or preppy, does it?

-- Posted by Proverb_32 on Thu, Nov 13, 2008, at 5:37 PM

audri_p, if your friend was denied admission because he/she was "not Notre Dame material," it was likely because the friend had a history of poor attitude and lack of effort that would have translated into future poor performance at a school where standards are high, rather than any economic or academic ability issue regarding your friend.

-- Posted by Proverb_32 on Thu, Nov 13, 2008, at 5:52 PM

One lousy paragraph for a national honor.

-- Posted by Proverb_32 on Thu, Nov 13, 2008, at 6:02 PM


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