The first year you’re at Notre Dame Academy can be a little scary but not for Mrs. Sarah Oettinger.  

Ms.Oettinger, who replaced veteran administrative assistant Donna Clement in the Main Office, is excited to be working at Notre Dame Academy.  She knows the tasks expected of her and that they can be a bit tough, but she also knows she can handle them.

Mrs. Oettinger was born and raised in Brookfield, Wisconsin.  She went to St. Norbert College where she developed better communication skills. She also said her faith increased at SNC.  Right now Ms.Ottinger lives in DePere.  

What really drew Ms.Oettinger here was NDA’s being a Norbertine-based school. She has other reasons for coming to this school, such as the environment and atmosphere, as well as the type of students and people.  

Ms.Oettinger has a tough task on her hands.  

“Things I do are really different every day,” she explained. She and the rest of the Main Office workers organize schedules for the school as well as for Mr. Masarik, associate principal, and Dr. Ravizza, principal.  They order supplies for the office and the school.

“Knowing that the students are learning” is important to her. “I’m not a teacher and knowing the kids on the front lines like a teacher, but what I’m doing is still impacting the students and faculty even if they don’t know it.  It’s like doing a lot of behind-the-scenes work.”

Ms. Oettinger focuses most of her free time on her family, which she admits is “kind of tough because they live in Milwaukee.” Her husband’s side of the family is there too.

“Mrs. Oettinger has brought a breath of fresh air to our office,” said Mrs. Cathy Nick, who heads up attendance in the Main Office. “Between her outgoing personality and her vast customer service experience, she is the perfect fit to meet the demands of our busy main office.”  

In addition, Mrs. Nick described the new member of the office crew as “very, very funny and always willing to lend a helping hand.”