“Memory Play”:  One of the literature selections presented in Grade 11 is The Glass Menagerie written by Tennessee Williams. In the opening scene, Tom, a main character says, “In memory everything seems to happen to music.”    These memories presented by Tom are ones which have been influenced by his choices of what to remember and in what context these memories might have existed.
                Notre Dame alumni (ae), families, and friends:  to what music do you connect your memories of Notre Dame?  What is the mood of your memories?  Think for a minute before continuing to read.  In each alumni newsletter, Mr. Barren includes some memories of the years here at Notre Dame.  They reflect the memories of some former students but, probably, not you.  What are your memories?  What music is linked to these memories?  If your class has conducted a reunion, do you share these memories with your classmates?  Do you laugh a lot and, maybe, cry a little.   What made Notre Dame so special in your life?
                A few years ago, our Dean of Students, Mr. John Gormley died unexpectedly and I was asked to give the eulogy.  My remarks were based on the song, “Seasons of Love” from the Broadway play, Rent.  The words to the song, my musical memory, are:
                “Five hundred twenty-five thousand six hundred minutes
                Five hundred twenty-five thousand six hundred moments so dear
                Five hundred twenty-five thousand six hundred minutes
                How do you measure, measure a year?”
Notre Dame Jr.-Sr. High School is celebrating 50 Years or 26,280,000 minutes.  By what measure do we evaluate these valuable, personal yet communal minutes?  The lyricist goes on to say:
                “It’s time now, to sing out
                Though the story never ends.
                Let’s celebrate, remember a year
                In the life of friends.”
This year we are celebrating 50 Years “in the life of friends.”  That means sharing with approximately 2,500 alumni who have formed friendships as they prepared for their future lives within the context of a Catholic education.  That reality is impressive.
                Another song that should be a part of our alumni’s memories of Notre Dame is The Impossible Dream from the Broadway play, The Man of La Mancha.  This is the music for our Alma Mater which states that at Notre Dame we dreamed of our futures and:
                “Though some day we must leave all our friends
And must make it alone.
                May the dreams that we have in our youth
Make us stronger for love.”
These are our memories and our inspiration in song.  Hopefully, you have been made stronger for love during your years here.
                Some of our alumni were here for six years, some for four, and others maybe only a year or two.  You may have carved out six of the fifty years.  Obviously, there were some or many students here before and after you.  The important part is that you are a part of our 2,500 alumni, a small but powerful group of people.  Only you can wear the Notre Dame Class Ring and I hope you wear or store your ring with great pride.
                We have to give thanks to Monsignor Cawley and his vision of a Catholic high school in the Stroudsburg area.  But as we are thanking him, we must also thank the many families, businesses, and individuals who have supported Notre Dame throughout the years.  We have to thank our bishops, pastors, priests, the IHM Sisters, and the many lay teachers who have put forth their best effort to educate our students.  Hopefully, they are a part of your memories and I would be interested in knowing the music that you connect with them.
                The Class of 2018 will be finishing their ND memories in ten months; the Class of 2023 will just be beginning to create their memories.  We want Class Rings for the Class of 2025 and 2050, and 2067 (our 100th Anniversary) but this celebration won’t occur without everyone’s financial support.  We will be “kicking off” our annual Fund Drive in the fall and I hope and pray that all of our alumni, parents, and friends will aid us in whatever way possible. 
                Think of the most exciting, rallying song in your “play list” and sing that song out loud as you write that check or list your credit card information knowing that you have had a part in allowing future ND students the opportunity to belong to our ND family.  Whether it’s a Christmas song or a “Three Dog Night Song”, Joy to the World would be in the giving spirit.  We are being called to help.  Please answer the call.
 
                                                                                                                                                Mr. Lyons 

                                                                                               
Dear Alumni (ae), Parents, and Friends of Notre Dame Jr.-Sr. High School,
Today is the day after our annual Homecoming activities.  Some of you may remember the “Spirit Week” activities of your time at Notre Dame.  You may remember decorating the halls and the windows, preparing the Cawley Auditorium for the Homecoming Dance, possibly being presented with the crown of Homecoming Queen or King, playing in the soccer or field hockey games on that day, preparing booths, floats, cars, and faces for the fall festivities, or joining us in celebrating the liturgy at 4:00 p.m. on Saturday afternoon.  Some of you may have continued your celebrations at the homes of your high school friends.  I’m sure there were stories of the time that you ……; or other stories of what one of your teachers said or did.  Your Notre Dame experience was relived in some form during that fall afternoon or evening.  High school did have many unforgettable moments.
I find the reality hard to grasp but 49 years ago Notre Dame opened its doors.  “Peters' Farm” had been transformed from pasture land to a land of Catholic educational opportunity for the East Stroudsburg area.  The Class of 2016 was the 46th class to be awarded diplomas from our school on Spangenburg Avenue (and now Highland Drive).  Our 38 acres are currently populated with two schools as Notre Dame Elementary has joined us at this campus and we now house 523 students in Grades Pre-K through 12.  The Class of 2016 boasts a graduating class of 72!  This class also boasts of having been granted scholarships in the amount of $12,022,000.00.  The class had three valedictorians (all with 4.0 GPAs) who will be attending The University of Delaware, Fairfield University, and Dartmouth College and one other student attending the United States Naval Academy.
I recently received a communication from a Catholic college which announced that, “To thrive and lead in a world that is increasingly global and complex, students today must learn to think critically, communicate clearly, and act with integrity.”   I believe that is quite a challenge for today’s Catholic schools.  For 49 years, Notre Dame has been attempting to fulfill that goal.  Our Mission Statement does not use those exact words but the idea is very similar.  Tomorrow’s adults must be educated in these areas.  As a Catholic school, Notre Dame has placed increasing amounts of effort in helping our students understand that they have the obligation to act with integrity in a world that doesn’t seem to live that lifestyle although most people admire those who do.  This is today’s challenge and the Notre Dame Schools (Notre Dame Elementary, Monsignor McHugh Elementary, and Notre Dame Jr.-Sr. High School) are continuing to take that challenge seriously in order to fulfill our mission.

​Admit it!  You know you do it!  Whenever you see Roman Numerals, you think of the Super Bowl or the year a building was erected.  Of course, this headline has absolutely nothing to do with football or the construction industry.  No, the numbers of which I am speaking are MCMLXVII and MMXVI.  Of course you have translated these numbers to read:  ____________ and _____________.  The headline numbers are five and forty-nine.
            Your next problem is what do 5 and 49 have to do with Notre Dame.  For the non-historians, to the best of my knowledge, there have been five Deans of Students in the forty-nine year history of Notre Dame, i.e., there have been five until February 6, 2016.  On February 6th, Mr. Noel Labenberg officially resigned his position as Dean of Students after being at Notre Dame for 18 years.  With no sense of irony, Mr. Labenberg ended his career after the Athletic Hall of Fame inductions in which one of his tennis players, Dan Drago, was added to our inductees.
            Mr. Labenberg (Noel) came to Notre Dame also in the middle of an academic year.  The year was MCMXCVIII.  During his tenure at Notre Dame, Mr. Labenberg served as a Social Studies Teacher, Varsity Boys’ and Varsity Girls’ Tennis Coach, Varsity Girls’ Head Basketball Coach, Varsity Boys’ Assistant Basketball Coach, Senior Class Trip Advisor, Backstage Monitor for musicals, and Dean of Students.  That’s quite a few hours of time per day, per week, per month, and per year.  He also helped in scheduling students for classes and chaperoning any number of after school activities.  He, when not involved in any of the above activities, dealt with the discipline issues of our school.  On top of this dedicated service, Mr. Labenberg lived one hour away in the Lehigh Valley.  What a tremendous service to the students and families of Notre Dame.
            Mr. Labenberg told the students at an assembly on February 5th that he was leaving his Notre Dame Family to join his Labenberg Family in North Carolina.  Noel and wife, Megan, recently became the grandparents of Olivia Labenberg and the new grandparents decided to join their son, daughter-in-law, and granddaughter at a home close to the shore of North Carolina.  Who can argue with anyone who puts family first?
            Today, on behalf of the entire Notre Dame Family, I would like to thank Mr. Labenberg for his dedication to all of the students and families he served in his eighteen years at Notre Dame.  His final words to our Notre Dame family were (and are):
 “WE ARE __ __!”  No one said it better.         

Dear Notre Dame Families and Friends,


Welcome to “Catholic Schools’ Week!”  As you know, “Catholic Schools Week” begins this Sunday, January 31st and ends on Saturday, February 6th.  Please come to and/or invite interested family and friends to our Open House which will be held on Sunday, January 31st from 1:00 – 3:00 p.m.  This will be a tremendous opportunity to introduce prospective students and parents to our students, our teachers, our programs, and our campus. Help us to share our commitment to FAITH, KNOWLEDGE, AND SERVICE by inviting or bringing those who might be interested.

We also invite you to our “Catholic Schools Week” Liturgy on Thursday, February 4th at 9:00 a.m.  Let’s pray together as our Notre Dame Family.

Thank you for being a part of Notre Dame and I hope to see you next week!


Sincerely,


Jeffrey N. Lyons, Principal

A common sports’ axiom which can be found on locker room walls is: “There is no ‘I’ in TEAM.”  I believe we all understand the clever turn of this phrase stating that the team is that which is most important, not the player.  Yet, maybe we need to take a look at this platitude.
Allow me to share a scenario.  As we are preparing for the “Visiting Team” representing the Middle States Association, Commission on Elementary and Secondary Schools, we have been evaluating all aspects of Notre Dame from our Mission Statement to our standardized test scores to the temperature in each classroom.  We are also preparing to showcase Notre Dame in the best light.  Our Internal Coordinators decided that a short video could be perfect.  That group sent the task to our Marketing Committee and they recruited a few college film students to complete the task.  These two fine young men, after listening to members of our Notre Dame family, decided to utilize the refrain, “I am N. D.” and each interviewed student, faculty member or administrator was to tell a story and end with, “I am N.D.”
Now you see the problem.  If “I am N.D.” then what is, “We are N.D”?  If there is no “I” in the N.D. team, then what are we saying?  A conundrum at best.
Then the thoughts began to surface.  What is Notre Dame and who decided?  Notre Dame has had many teachers here for many years. Did each decide who or what is Notre Dame?   Is Monsignor Bergamo N.D.?  Is Mr. Gaa?  What about A.M. in the a.m.?  The answer is, yes, each is Notre Dame.  Notre Dame is made up of each one of us, each “I” is part of the “We” and without the “I’s”, there would be no “We.”  I know I had a difficult time saying, “I am N.D.” when my interview ended and I spoke to others who felt uncomfortable using that expression because each of us knows that it takes all of us to be N.D., yet it also takes each of us believing that we are N.D. in order to make us who we are.
So, maybe, Virginia, there better be an “I” and many “I’s” to make us who we are.  So go on, say it:  “I am N.D.”  Me, too.  (Check out our “I Am N.D. video on our webpage.)