Quarterly Board Report

Dear Friends of Notre Dame Academy,

As members of the NDA community, we all have different ways we identify our relationship with the Academy. You may be an alumna, the spouse or parent of an alumna, a member of our faculty and staff, a donor or supporter of our mission, or one of our countless dedicated volunteers. Personally, I am a proud member of the Class of 1999, the daughter of an alumna, the niece and cousin of several alumnae, the parent of two future Pandas of the Class of 2033, a former Panda softball coach, a member of the NDA Athletic Hall of Fame, and a volunteer who has served on the Board of Directors for the past 5 years. I have also had the honor of serving as Vice Chair for the Board of Directors this past year. It is with deep gratitude and humility that I now add to this list the title of Chairperson of the Notre Dame Academy Board of Directors.

Notre Dame Academy, rooted in Catholic values and the educational tradition of the Sisters of Notre Dame, is at both a critical and exciting time in its history. While recent years have brought many challenges, I’ve seen firsthand the power and commitment of so many selfless stakeholders who have faced those challenges head on because of their deep love of NDA and its mission. It’s undoubtedly something personal to each of us but also something that binds us together in a unique and powerful way. Truly a gift from the Sisters of Notre Dame, NDA is a pillar of our Northern Kentucky community that belongs to all of us because it is comprised of all of us.

With this understanding, my pledge is to seek and welcome input from all of NDA’s constituents. As a member of the Board of Directors, I believe it’s our responsibility to make informed decisions based on the perspectives of all stakeholders. This will be even more important this year as we search for the next President of Notre Dame Academy and craft a strategic plan that will guide our priorities over the next several years. You will be receiving additional information about both of these specific endeavors in the near future, and I hope you will consider contributing to the process.

With a commitment to transparency, the NDA community will have more opportunities this year to engage with the Board, to learn about the issues being addressed by the Board, and to reach out with questions or concerns when those arise. This will include a new section of our website that provides information on the duties and responsibilities of the Board of Directors, a current roster of Board members complete with biographies and pictures, a list of current officers, a list of Board committees and ways to get involved in those, an FAQ section, and an email address that can be used to contact the Board directly, among other information. Additionally, I will post quarterly updates that can be found on the website and in the Panda Press Weekly which will provide additional information and updates on important issues. As you interact with Board members at various NDA events throughout the year, I hope you’ll also take a moment to share your perspectives with us as well.

My experience as a student at NDA was transformative and made me into the woman I am today. Among the many attributes instilled in me during those formative years was a sense of responsibility—to God, to others, and to myself. I firmly believe it’s my responsibility, to the Sisters of Notre Dame and to the young women who come after me, to ensure NDA continues to educate our next generation to be women making a difference in our world.

It is with these commitments to you that I look forward to a year full of promising opportunities to move our NDA community forward in new and exciting ways.

In partnership,

Jessica Rawe