Notre Dame Regional High School

Notre Dame Regional High School is building on excellence.

Halfway through a $5.5 million campaign, the Catholic high school in Cape Girardeau is building for both current and future needs. It is the 86-year-old school's first multiphase expansion project since moving into its current home at 265 Notre Dame Drive, off Route K, in 1998.

Increasing enrollment and changes in the school's curriculum to allow for more advanced courses are driving the need for the expansion, according to Tony Buehrle, the school's development director. The building project features everything from a new gymnasium/multipurpose room to a classroom addition.

Notre Dame's enrollment continues to steadily increase at a rate of 5 to 6 students each year, with 528 students currently attending the school.

"While some schools across the country are seeing shrinking class sizes, we are blessed with a growing enrollment and the largest freshman class in the school's history," said Brother David Migliorino, principal at Notre Dame.

And the students appear to have some big shoes to fill, based on the successes of the school's most recent graduating class.

"The class of 2010 certainly left a great mark on Notre Dame, with 70 percent of the class earning college scholarships in excess of $4.5 million and 20 percent of the class earning Bright Flight Scholarships," Migliorino said.

"The class won district, conference, regional and state championships, and were always number one in Spirituality and Service," he continued.

As the class of 2010 graduated, the first phase of Notre Dame's building project kicked off in May with the construction of a new gymnasium/multipurpose room. The school's second gym, which will be ready for use early this year, has been designed to house extracurricular activities, athletic practices and smaller athletic events.

In October, the second phase of building began with the construction of additional classrooms and a presentation room. The addition, which will allow for expansion in the school's science rooms, is expected to be completed in time for the 2011-2012 school year.

With half of the four-phase building project nearly completed, Notre Dame will continue campaigning for funds for the remaining phases. The school plans to enhance its cafetorium, a combined cafeteria and auditorium, to transform the space into a more theater-like setting. And phase four will expand the school's original gym to allow for additional seating.

In the midst of the building campaign, more than 450 alumni and friends celebrated 85 years of Notre Dame at the first All School Reunion in July.

"It was just a magnificent event, one that made everyone so proud to be part of this great institution," Migliorino said.

Notre Dame has been ranked among the top 50 Catholic high schools in the nation each year since 2006. Approximately 1,200 schools apply for the distinction from Acton Institute.

Notre Dame's mission is to combine faith with living and learning: "Give us your child, and we shall return you an apostle."