Eunice Pineda

Former public school student Vivienne Tarassians ‘28 and former catholic school student Nicole Ching ‘28 learn to navigate freshman year together.

Going into my freshman year at Notre Dame, I didn’t know what to expect. Instead of being excited, I was afraid of leaving a familiar place and being in a completely new setting- a private school.

The transition from middle school to high school has its own set of challenges, but  shifting to a private Catholic school such as Notre Dame, is even more daunting.

In some ways, it was comforting to know I was not alone. 

According to Mr. Brian Milone and Ms. Kim Muno, Directors of Admissions at Notre Dame, this year, 33% of our freshmen class came from a public school.

But what could I expect? Would I make friends? Would the school be smaller or larger than what I am used to? Academically, would I be able to compete? Would we be going to mass every day? What would Religion class be like? So many questions, and until I finally set foot on campus for the new school year, I would not know the answers. 

As a school community, ND was prepared to address the concerns of all new students. To make the transition for the Class of 2028 easier, Moreau Mentors and our Associated Student Body (ASB) dedicated their last week of summer break towards helping incoming freshmen adapt to a new educational environment. 

They focused on a singular goal: To make the freshman class feel like part of the ND family.

Director of Student Activities, Ms. Alex Patarias said, “Students can help students succeed. Moreau Mentors are the positive role models, motivators, leaders, and teachers who guide the freshmen to discover what it takes to be successful at Notre Dame High School.”

This was evident during Freshman Orientation, as we gathered in small groups, participated in ice breakers, competed in games, and attended our first rally.

These activities helped students connect with one another, introduced them to the importance of school spirit, and helped us understand our school’s four pillars: Bringing Hope, Being Family, Building Respect, and Educating Hearts and Minds. These pillars are embedded in our school’s values and serve to create a school community that can be successful as a whole.

Aside from helping freshmen learn about the ND mission, orientation also introduced us to new traditions such as our Alma Mater, Fight Song, and cheers like “Hey Knights!” 

With the help of ASB and our Moreau Mentors, we were able to make new friends and meet upperclassmen who would be there to answer our questions about school culture and how to socially adjust.  

Classes would be the next source of anxiety for freshmen.

Adapting to a block schedule is not easy for everyone. With this schedule, students have each class every other day, but for a significantly longer period of time. 

This new shift in a student’s schedule can be challenging.

Changing from six or seven 55-minute classes each day, to three to four 80-minute classes each day can be confusing and can challenge the attention spans of even the most disciplined students. 

However, a block schedule has its advantages. Students have more time to complete assignments, are less overwhelmed, and have the ability to focus more on each of their classes.

But how do the freshmen feel about this?

Former Walter Reed Middle School student, Ronin Wolfe ‘28 said, “Changing to block schedules from [having] all the classes in one day has been great because of how much easier it is to get work done before the next time I have that class.”

An additional advantage to the block schedule is the existence of X-period. Available to all students after school on Gold Days, students can use this 80-minute period to reach out to teachers for help with assignments, to ask questions, and to get the extra support they might need.

Most students find X-period very helpful, as it furthers their understanding of assignments and allows them to develop relationships with their teachers.

A former private school student from Our Lady of Perpetual Help School, Bryant Sauv ‘28 said, “I feel that it is easier to advocate for myself at Notre Dame because of the amount of support we receive. My school had office hours and all that, but I find it easier at Notre Dame because there are multiple teachers for me to reach out to.”

Private school students are accustomed to being given sufficient attention and assistance from their teachers due to a smaller class ratio, which overall helped them thrive academically. Public school students can now take advantage of similar opportunities.

In addition to adjusting to a block schedule and the rigors of a college prep school, some freshmen may need to get used to the religious values that Notre Dame students are exposed to. Public school students never took part in a religion class nor did they participate in morning prayers or monthly masses.

Former Robert Frost Middle School student, Vivienne Tarassians ‘28, shared that students who came from Catholic middle schools adjust better to religion classes and religious services at Notre Dame. Those students have an advantage because they are already well-versed in scripture study.

As public school students, we may have similar values and morals, but we were never taught the foundations of Catholicism. Taking a religion class is another adjustment some freshmen need to make. 

But are those who came from public versus private schools really that different?

A former St. Bede Catholic School student, Nicole Ching ‘28 said, “I honestly don’t find a big difference because to most people, it doesn’t really matter. But then again, I came from a really small school, so I realize so many people have connections with others, either from sports or they all came from the same middle school.”

A former public school student at Portola Middle School, Alicia Reyes ‘28, agreed and said, “I think there’s not much of a difference between me and students from private schools. It was easy to befriend them because although they had their different educational settings and lifestyles, we shared similar personalities and values.”

So, although you might have a different middle school experience from another freshman, just know that you’re adjusting to a new school just like everyone else. It’ll get easier along the way, especially with all of the support from the rest of the Notre Dame community.