Notre Dame de la Baie Academy has budgeted for 165 students in projected enrollment for the incoming freshman class of 2015-2016. However, there are hopes to exceed that number.

Over 130 families registered on Freshman Orientation Day in January, and overall the numbers for the incoming class appear to be down.

Mrs. Karen Konop, director of admissions at NDA, said, “The numbers are a bit low because the GRACE system supplies our greatest potential pool of students and its eighth-grade class is significantly lower this year.”

Claire Kini, eighth-grader at Notre Dame Middle School, said, ” I am choosing to go to NDA because my brother, Matthew, goes there and really likes it. Also, a lot of my friends are going there too. I have heard many great things about the programs that NDA offers and the great education you get there.”

Another eighth-grader at Notre Dame Middle School named Abby Meyer said, “It is a good private school that offers a great education, and all my brothers went there.”

NDA anticipates about 40 international students will be attending next year.

The school choice voucher program is another element that affects enrollment.  The program lets NDA offer a Catholic education to those families who can’t afford it but greatly want it for their children.

Students choose to enroll at NDA for many reasons, including the rigors of a college-prep environment and the opportunities of the IB and college-credit classes.  Others cite the family atmosphere and the relationships formed by the students, teachers and families. According to many top-line educators NDA’s size is ideal–big enough to have a plethora of activities but small enough to promote community.

More reasons include the core values that the staff/teachers want to teach their students, the Catholic faith being taught, freedom to talk about one’s faith, and the sense of belonging to a small community.

Mrs. Konop has been serving as Admissions Director at NDA since December of 2005.

“One of the best things about my job,” she said, “is meeting so many great families and their students. I like working with the NDA students and it’s been great getting to watch all three of my children go through NDA. I’ve gotten to feel so much more a part of their high school journey. The hardest part of my job is that there is never enough time in the day to get all of the things accomplished that I want to get accomplished.”