Mission and History

Notre Dame School of Manhattan offers a Catholic education for young women in the tradition of Anne de Xainctonge. Inspired by this 17th Century pioneer in women’s education, Notre Dame promotes academic excellence for girls, an awareness of God in their lives, and engagement in the world around them.

At Notre Dame in the 21st Century, the school’s small, nurturing environment encourages each student to be open to personal and intellectual growth. The rich cultural, racial, and ethnic mosaic of Notre Dame’s community and its urban location enhance global awareness. A challenging curriculum prepares talented young women for college and for lives of leadership and service.

The Sisters of St. Ursula founded Notre Dame School in 1912 when they came to New York from France. The school began in their home and hence became known as Chez Nous, an affectionate way of referring to the school that has been a second home to generations of young women.

Originally located at Our Lady of Lourdes parish (West 142nd Street, near Amsterdam Avenue), the school was known as the Academy of Our Lady of Lourdes until the Sisters moved the school to West 79th St. in 1943. At that time the name of the school was changed to Notre Dame Convent School and would eventually become simply, Notre Dame School.

In January 1989, the Sisters of St. Ursula sold the property on West 79th Street and transferred the ownership of the school to an independent Board of Trustees. The following September the school opened at 104 St. Mark’s Place in the East Village of New York City.

Strategic planning for the future of the school pointed to the need for a slightly larger student population to facilitate program changes relevant to the 21st century. To accommodate this modest growth and program changes, the school relocated to its current location, 327 West 13th Street in Greenwich Village, in the spring of 2002.

Notre Dame School continues to educate young girls in the Catholic tradition of Anne de Xainctonge, who founded the Sisters of St. Ursula. She advocated for an excellent Christian education for young women characterized by attention to each student provided in a family-like atmosphere that prepares young women for lives of service in the spirit of the Gospel and leadership for the good of others. Today, these ideals are maintained by a staff of dedicated lay people.

Notre Dame School believes that providing an excellent education for young women in the tradition of Anne de Xainctonge helps each student grow intellectually, personally, and spiritually.

We believe that a nurturing environment requires individual attention, generous praise, and gentle correction; such an environment fosters relationships that help young women focus, formulate, and attain their goals.

We believe that emphasizing service as an integral part of Catholic identity helps develop young women who will practice their faith and promote justice, the hallmark of the Church’s social teachings.

We believe that celebrating the ethnic and cultural diversity of our students serves to increase global awareness and builds bridges of understanding in our diverse society.

We believe that by maintaining a school dedicated to the education of young women, we strengthen each student’s positive self image, which encourages our graduates to assume leadership roles in all professional, educational, and social realms – even those not traditionally open to women.

We believe that parents are the first and most important educators of their children and that the school’s function is to assist them in fulfilling their responsibilities in an ever more complex world.

At the heart of a Notre Dame education lies the Christian belief that each person is a unique being created in the image of God.

Notre Dame continues the educational tradition of Anne de Xainctonge, whose pedagogical innovations stemmed from her rootedness in Ignatian spirituality. Anne was committed to providing an ambiance for her students and teachers in which their personal relationship with God could deepen and inform every aspect of their lives. She wanted her schools to be places where each individual would be treasured and feel free to grow into her unique personhood.

Notre Dame School recognizes its responsibility to follow in Anne de Xainctonge’s tradition. Her inspiration, that girls should have the same opportunity as boys for a good education, is as compelling in the 21st century as it was 400 years ago. We aim to foster skills of critical thinking so that our graduates may contribute to myriad facets of society. Notre Dame students, many of whom are the first in their families bound for college, are challenged and nurtured through a rigorous college-preparatory curriculum offered in a supportive, friendly environment. By using the city as our “campus, ” Notre Dame exposes its students to a wide range of educational experiences.

Mindful of the challenges encountered during adolescence, we are dedicated to supporting and guiding our students in this formative period. A source of inspiration and assistance for our current students are the alumnae. When alumnae and students refer to Notre Dame as their ”second home” (Chez Nous), they believe they are, indeed, following in Anne de Xainctonge ‘s footsteps. With its diverse student population and bustling urban location, Notre Dame continues to provide the educational opportunities that high school girls need to become contributing members of the global community.