The first day of school is always full of mixed emotions.  No one understands that more than a parent of a child with special needs dropping off their child for the first time at a new school.  This year Notre Dame School welcomes 24 new students.  That’s a big number for a small school.

Students and parents are settling into a new routine, familiarizing themselves with carpool lines and bus rules.   Notre Dame School has two buses that run morning and afternoon to satellite stops in North Dallas and Richardson, and one minivan that shuttles students to Oak Cliff.  Driving to Uptown every day would be a daunting task for parents.  Therefore the bus services are a huge help for the families that come from over 70 different zip codes in the DFW area.  Crystal Charity Ball was instrumental in funding over $150,000 for transportation needs for Notre Dame School in 2016. 

Notre Dame School educates students with developmental disabilities and facilitates their integration into society.  As the only school in Dallas exclusively serving this student population, Notre Dame is a unique educational resource in our city and provides special education to 160 students ages 6 to 21.  Notre Dame School is a Catholic school and is sponsored by the School Sisters of Notre Dame.

It’s an annual event that is highly anticipated by Notre Dame School students – The Jesuit Spring Games!  On Friday, May 11, over 100 Notre Dame School students enjoyed a windy day on the athletic fields of Jesuit College Preparatory School of Dallas.  Small groups were formed to play a variety of games such as Frisbee, parachuting, Velcro toss, and limbo.  All games were appropriately staged for students with special needs. 

“Our students have the opportunity to bond with many Jesuit seniors when they volunteer in our classrooms.  The Jesuit Spring Games are a fun culmination of the school year.  It’s an opportunity for our students to take a field trip to Jesuit and have a day of fun that is designed for them,” said Carmen Fernandez, Assistant Principal.  “We really appreciate the time and energy that Jesuit puts into this day.”

Jesuit seniors ran the games and participated with the students.  The eventsconcluded with a pizza lunch. 

Notre Dame School educates students with developmental disabilities and facilitates their integration into society.  As the only school in Dallas exclusively serving this student population, Notre Dame is a unique educational resource in our city and provides special education to 158 students ages 8 to 21.  Notre Dame School is a Catholic school and is sponsored by the School Sisters of Notre Dame.

For the 34th year, Notre Dame School proudly hosted "An Affair of the Heart - It's a Wonderful Life".  This year's theme was chosen by Notre Dame School parent and event chair, Karen Motes.  "Raising a child with special needs truly makes life wonderful!  We wanted to demonstrate to our guests that even  though parenting and teaching children with developmental disabilities can be daunting at times, these children love more deeply and unconditionally, making day-to-day life a true pleasure.  And having a partner like Notre Dame School in your corner makes a huge difference in the life of the child and their future."

Honorary Chairs of the event were the Walter S. Henrion family whom have supported Notre Dame School for many years.  The event was held in the Grand Ballroom of the Renaissance Dallas Hotel.  Emcee of the evening was Colleen Coyle, meteorologist at WFAA, Channel 8. 

The evening began with a silent auction sponsored by retailer, Tuesday Morning.  As guests enjoyed cocktails, they had the opportunity to shop early for the holidays.  Over 50 students from Notre Dame School entertained guests with two songs, followed by a seated dinner.  Auctioneer Mike Jones led the live auction. Guests danced to the band, Captain & Camille, and the evening ended with a casino in the beautiful foyer of the Grand Ballroom.

Proceeds from An Affair of the Heart support the operating budget of the school.  Families of children with special needs have a lifetime financial burden.  These children do not become affluent alumni which give back to their alma mater, therefore Notre Dame School relies on the generosity of the Dallas community and generous donors to financially support the school.  Every student at Notre Dame School receives a discount on tuition, and one-third of the students receive additional financial aid. 

Notre Dame School educates students with developmental disabilities and facilitates their integration into society.  As the only school in Dallas exclusively serving this student population, Notre Dame is a unique educational resource in our city and provides special education to 150 students ages 8 to 21.  Notre Dame School is a Catholic school and is sponsored by the School Sisters of Notre Dame. It is located in Uptown, just north of downtown Dallas.  www.notredameschool.org

Prom is a highlight of every student’s high school experience.  It’s a time of time of celebration, dancing, tuxedos and fancy dresses.  It’s a tradition at Notre Dame School as well!

On Friday around 2pm, a local florist arrived with numerous corsage and boutonniere orders.  Students flocked into the office, eagerly looking for their order.  The touch of ribbon giving a hint of the dress color that the young lady would be wearing on Saturday night. 

Saturday night finally comes and students begin to arrive at the Chase Tower Building downtown.  They take the elevator to the 40^th floor and as soon as they exit the elevator, they are greeted by the setting sun and the beautiful Dallas skyline.  The view is unforgettable.  

Students pause for selfies in front of the windows before standing in line to get the professional photo with the backdrop adorned in flowers!  The theme for the night is Garden Party, and many of students celebrated this with floral dresses and ties.

The DJ (who doubles as a Notre Dame teacher during the week) spins all favorite tunes.  Every song is outdone by the next one.  There are numerous tables for sitting, but they are empty because all the students are dancing. Notre Dame students love to dance!

“Our students are afforded the same social opportunities as their peers in other schools.  They have prom, graduation, field trips and sports,” explains Carol Battalora, teacher for the Upper School program.   “But Prom is definitely the highlight of the year for our older students.  They love getting dressed up and they love to dance!”

It’s a night they will never forget.

The 5^th Annual Quiz Night benefitting Notre Dame School had guests guessing over topics such as literature, sports, fashion and famous movie lines.   Over 60 supporters of Notre Dame School enjoyed tacos and trivia as they wowed their friends with an abundance of random trivia knowledge!  The fun event is also a fundraiser for Notre Dame School.  This year the event raised over $4,000.

Notre Dame School educates students with developmental disabilities and facilitates their integration into society.  As the only school in Dallas exclusively serving this student population, Notre Dame is a unique educational resource in our city and provides special education to 158 students ages 8 to 21.  Notre Dame School is a Catholic school and is sponsored by the School Sisters of Notre Dame.