Notre Dame High School (Redwood City)

Notre Dame High School (Redwood City)
Name	Notre Dame High School (Redwood City)
Type	Private, all-girls
Religious affiliation	Roman Catholic Church
Established	1884
Grades	9–12
Address	2255 Broadway
City	Redwood City, California
State	California
Country	United States
Colors	Navy and Gold
Mascot	Mustang

Notre Dame High School (Redwood City) is a private, independent Roman Catholic Church high school for young women located in Redwood City, California. Founded by the Sisters of Notre Dame de Namur, the school serves grades 9 through 12 and emphasizes college preparatory curriculum, spiritual formation, and leadership development. Notre Dame maintains connections with local and national institutions and participates actively in regional academic, cultural, and athletic networks.

History

Founded in 1884 by the Sisters of Notre Dame de Namur, the school grew alongside the development of San Mateo County and the expansion of San Francisco Bay Area communities. Early decades saw ties to San Francisco convents and collaboration with religious educators associated with Bishop Patrick Riordan and other prelatures of the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of San Francisco. During the 20th century Notre Dame adapted through the eras of the Progressive Era, the Great Depression, and the societal shifts following World War II, expanding facilities to accommodate postwar population growth linked to the Silicon Valley boom. The school navigated legal and cultural changes influenced by rulings such as Brown v. Board of Education and trends in Catholic schooling promoted by documents from the Second Vatican Council. In recent decades Notre Dame engaged in capital campaigns, alumni initiatives, and partnerships with entities including College Board, National Merit Scholarship Corporation, and regional school associations to modernize curriculum and campus infrastructure.

Campus and Facilities

The campus occupies a site on Broadway in Redwood City, proximate to landmarks such as Redwood City Downtown and transportation corridors connecting to U.S. Route 101 and Interstate 280. Facilities include academic buildings, a library/media center, science laboratories designed for advanced coursework compatible with standards from National Science Foundation initiatives and collaborations with university partners like Stanford University and San Francisco State University. Arts spaces support programs in theater and visual arts, with performances staged in auditoria modeled after professional venues found in San Francisco Civic Auditorium circuits. Athletic facilities include gymnasia and fields meeting California Interscholastic Federation requirements. Campus technology infrastructure aligns with recommendations from organizations such as EDUCAUSE and integrates learning management systems used by institutions like Khan Academy and Google for Education.

Academics

Notre Dame offers a college preparatory program featuring Advanced Placement courses governed by the College Board and honors sequences reflecting benchmarks used by the Common Core State Standards Initiative and guidance from the Western Association of Schools and Colleges. Departments span mathematics, English, social studies, science, world languages, and fine arts, with curricular connections to university feeder programs at University of California, Berkeley, University of California, Los Angeles, University of Southern California, and private colleges including Santa Clara University and Loyola Marymount University. The academic program incorporates service-learning models inspired by Cura Personalis traditions and community partnerships with organizations such as Boys & Girls Clubs of America affiliates and local nonprofits. Assessment practices include preparation for standardized tests produced by ACT, Inc. and the College Board AP Exams, and guidance counseling coordinates college admissions advising aligned with regional counseling associations.

Student Life and Traditions

Student life emphasizes leadership through campus ministries, student government, and clubs affiliated with national organizations like Key Club International, Model United Nations, and National Honor Society. Religious life features liturgies, retreats, and service projects consistent with charisms of the Sisters of Notre Dame de Namur and liturgical calendars observed by the Roman Catholic Church. Annual traditions include commencement ceremonies, class retreats patterned after programs used by diocesan schools, and events drawing alumni from chapters associated with cities such as San Jose, Oakland, San Francisco, and Palo Alto. Cultural programming engages with regional arts institutions including the San Mateo County Historical Association and museums in the San Francisco Bay Area.

Athletics

Athletic teams compete in the Central Coast Section under the governance of the California Interscholastic Federation with sports offerings such as volleyball, basketball, soccer, track and field, and softball. Student-athletes follow training and eligibility standards similar to those advocated by the NFHS and participate in tournaments against schools from districts including Sequoia Union High School District and independent Catholic schools like Menlo-Atherton High School rivals and regional opponents. The program supports athletic development with coaching staff certified through organizations like USA Track & Field and National Strength and Conditioning Association.

Admissions and Tuition

Admission is selective and considers academic records, teacher recommendations, entrance assessments, and interviews consistent with procedures used by many independent secondary schools such as Mercy High School (Burlingame), Woodside Priory School, and Sequoia High School. Financial aid and scholarships are offered through internal funds and partnerships with foundations that support faith-based education, mirroring practices of institutions that receive grant support from entities like the Silicon Valley Community Foundation and local parish networks.

Notable Alumni

Alumnae have distinguished themselves across sectors including law, medicine, public service, arts, and business. Graduates have attended and matriculated to institutions such as Stanford University, Harvard University, Yale University, Columbia University, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, and contributed to organizations like Google, Facebook, Genentech, Kaiser Permanente, California State Legislature, San Mateo County Board of Supervisors, and cultural institutions across the San Francisco Bay Area. Notable fields of accomplishment among alumnae include biotechnology leadership, legal practice, political service, and performing arts, with representation in regional boards and national associations.

Category:High schools in San Mateo County, California Category:Girls' schools in California