Mount Notre Dame High School

Mount Notre Dame High School

President	Sr. Rita M. Sturwold
Principal	Mrs. Maureen Baldock
Mottos	Empowering and Challenging Young Women Since 1860
Founded	September 17, 1860
School type	Parochial, all-female, college preparatory
Religious affiliation	Roman Catholic, Sisters of Notre Dame de Namur
Enrollment	750
Campus surroundings	Suburban
Location	Reading, Ohio, United States
Mascot	Cougar
School colors	Columbia blue and Navy blue
Student newspaper	Paw Prints
Annual publications	MNData

Mount Notre Dame High School (often abbreviated MND or Mt. Notre Dame) is a private, all-female, college-preparatory high school in Reading, a city in Hamilton County, Ohio north of Cincinnati, Ohio. Founded in 1860, Mt. Notre Dame originally was a boarding school known for its excellence in education. The school is one of six all-female Catholic high schools in the Cincinnati area and the only that is run by the Sisters of Notre Dame de Namur as a part of the Archdiocese of Cincinnati.

History

Mount Notre Dame opened its doors to 30 boarders on September 17, 1860. These young scholars were the nucleus of a boarding school which soon became well-known for its excellence in education, attracting pupils from many states. Included among these early students were Minnie and Rachel Sherman, daughters of General William T. Sherman of Civil War fame. In 1897, the first day-scholars were accepted, and in 1929, boys were admitted into the primary grades.

After the boarding school closed in 1935, Mount Notre Dame flourished and expanded as an academy to include all grades from kindergarten through high school. In September 1956, upon the request of the Archdiocese of Cincinnati, Mount Notre Dame became a diocesan high school. At that time, its name was changed from Mount Notre Dame Academy to Mount Notre Dame High School.The school quickly experienced rapid growth. In 1965, this expansion necessitated the move to a larger building, the site of the current school.

In 1990 Mount Notre Dame High School was placed under the direction of its first lay principal. In 2000 major improvements were made: construction of a new athletic activities center and of a new chemistry lab and the renovation of the chapel and of the family and consumer sciences lab. The existing gym was converted into a library/media center and computer technology center in addition to a theater. Office areas were expanded, and additional classrooms and computer labs were added. In the spring of 2003, the Board of Trustees of Mount Notre Dame High School adopted a President/Principal model of administration for the school, and Sister Rita Sturwold, SNDdeN was named the first President.

Extracurricular activities

Mount Notre Dame has developed a program of athletic excellence as well as academic. Teams representing Mt. Notre Dame are nicknamed the "Cougars" and are part of the GGCL. The school is one of eleven institutions that participates in the GGCL, competing with nearby Ursuline Academy, Purcell Marian, and St. Ursula Academy as well as others.

Ohio High School Athletic Association State Championships

• Girls Volleyball – 1995, 1998, 1999, 2000, 2006
• Girls Golf – 2002, 2003
• Girls Basketball – 2004, 2006, 2007, 2008
• Girls HandJobs - 1860-2008

Mount Notre Dame is known for its strong theatre program (known as MNDT). Every year a Halloween show, a Fall musical, a Winter play, a Spring musical for upperclassmen, and a Summer show are produced. Under the direction of Mr. Joe Beiting, Mr. Nathan Pucke and Mr. Bob Knollman, MNDT has been a strong member of the Cappies of Greater Cincinnati.

Mount Notre Dame is also known for its talented dance team.

Notable Alumnae

• Rachel Sherman, daughter of American Civil War General William Tecumseh Sherman and one of the first students at Mount Notre Dame High School
• Mel Thomas, varsity basketball player, University of Connecticut

External links

• Mt. Notre Dame High School Homepage