Notre Dame High School (New Jersey)

Notre Dame High School is a coeducational Catholic college-preparatory school in the Lawrenceville section of Lawrence Township, in Mercer County, in the U.S. state of New Jersey. The school operates under the supervision of the Catholic Diocese of Trenton andCatholic School Directory, Roman Catholic Diocese of Trenton. Accessed December 4, 2023. has been accredited by Cognia since 2013.Find Accredited and Certified Institutions, Cognia. Accessed March 26, 2024.

As of the 2023–24 school year, the school had an enrollment of 894 students and 67.8 classroom teachers (on an FTE basis), for a student–teacher ratio of 13.2:1. The school's student body was 77.6% (694) White, 5.6% (50) Black, 5.0% (45) two or more races, 4.6% (41) Asian, 6.7% (41) Hispanic and 0.4% (4) American Indian / Alaska Native.School data for Notre Dame High School, National Center for Education Statistics. Accessed September 1, 2025.

History Built in 1957, Notre Dame High School is located in Lawrenceville, near Princeton University, Rider University, The College of New Jersey, the Lawrenceville School and the Hun School of Princeton. The Diocese of Trenton also neighbors the school. The main building itself is square in shape, housing classrooms on two floors. Its mascot is the "Irish," usually displayed on athletic wear as a shamrock affixed to "ND." The current president is Ken Jennings, accompanied by principal Michele Martinez.Governance, Notre Dame High School. Accessed February 16, 2025.

The school uses a form of block scheduling for its students. In a typical semester, a student has three 80-minute block classes and two 40-minute blocks. One of the 40-minute periods is usually reserved for a lunch period, while the other is reserved for physical education or an additional 40-minute class. There is an "activity period" between the four 80-minute blocks during the day in which students can study, take an additional lunch period, or participate in various school activities (groups, clubs, community service).

The school features a newly renovated theatre, gymnasium, student center (cafeteria), several standard classrooms, offices, film lab and science labs, school store (The Leprechaun Shop), a renovated track, wrestling room, cross country path, weight-room, two turf fields with lights and stands, tennis courts, various outdoor playing fields, media center–library, chapel, campus ministry, broadcasting studio, college and school counseling office and courtyard.

Parallel to the school's student parking lot flows Shabakunk Creek, which was the location of a Revolutionary War skirmish between American rebels led by Colonel Edward Hand and the British military, delaying the British before the Second Battle of Trenton. A small commemorative sign marks the spot where the battle occurred.

Class of 2023 Student Data The 2023 averages of the school's SAT scores were 560 Evidence Based Reading and Writing and 547 Math. Eighteen Advanced Placement Program courses were tested. Of 374 AP exams taken, 80% of students scored a 3 or above. The class had 7 students who were recognized as Commended Scholars by the National Merit Scholarship Program, 1 National Hispanic Recognition Scholars, 2 National African American Recognition Scholars, 23 Advanced Placement scholars, 15 Advanced Placement Scholars with Honors and 19 Advanced Placement Scholars with Distinction. 99% of students went on to college.

Athletics The Notre Dame High School IrishNotre Dame High School, New Jersey State Interscholastic Athletic Association. Accessed October 20, 2020. participate in the Colonial Valley Conference, which is comprised of high schools from Mercer, Middlesex and Monmouth counties, and operates under the supervision of the New Jersey State Interscholastic Athletic Association. The football team competes in the Capitol Division of the 94-team West Jersey Football League superconferenceNotre Dame Fighting Irish, West Jersey Football League. Accessed May 1, 2023.Home Page, West Jersey Football League. Accessed May 1, 2023. "The WJFL is a 94-school super conference that stretches from Princeton to Wildwood encompassing schools from the Colonial Valley Conference, the Burlington County Scholastic League, the Olympic Conference, the Tri-County Conference, the Colonial Conference, and the Cape Atlantic League. The WJFL is made up of sixteen divisions with divisional alignments based on school size, geography and a strength-of-program component." and was classified by the NJSIAA as Non-Public Group A (equivalent to Group II for public schools) for football. The school is historically known for its football team and track program, which have both earned numerous awards and acknowledgments.

The boys soccer team won the Non-Public Group A state championship in 1961 (defeating runner-up St. Cecilia High School in the final of the tournament), 1966 (vs. St. Aloysius High School), 1967 (vs. Trenton Cathedral High School), 1970 (vs. St. Joseph High School), 1974 (vs. Christian Brothers Academy), 1975 (vs. Seton Hall Preparatory School), 1977 (vs. Seton Hall Prep), 1982 (vs. Don Bosco Preparatory High School), 1983 (vs. Hudson Catholic Regional High School), 1984 (vs. Don Bosco) and 1991 (as co-champion with Don Bosco). The program's 10 state titles are tied for fifth in the state.NJSIAA History of Boys Soccer, New Jersey State Interscholastic Athletic Association. Accessed May 1, 2023.

The girls' outdoor track and field team won the Non-Public A state championship in 1982-1985 and 1993–2000. The 12 state championships won by the girls' squad is tied for the most by any school and the eight consecutive titles won from 1993 to 2000 marks the longest streak of any school in the state.NJSIAA Girls Spring Track Summary of Group Titles, New Jersey State Interscholastic Athletic Association. Accessed May 1, 2023. Notre Dame's Sabrina Alexander won the Non-Public A state championship in the 100m hurdles in 2013. Vanessa Romulus won the Non-Public A state championship in the high jump in 2012 and 2013. Nicole Kurtain won the Non-Public A individual cross country championship in 2001.NJSIAA Girls Cross Country State Group Champions, New Jersey State Interscholastic Athletic Association. Accessed May 1, 2023.

The football team won the Non-Public Group A South state sectional championship in 1983 and 1989.NJSIAA Football History, New Jersey State Interscholastic Athletic Association. Accessed May 1, 2023. The 1983 team won the Non-Public A South sectional title after defeating Holy Spirit High School by a score of 10-6 in the championship game.Iannuzzi, Sam. "Notre Dame edges Holy Spirit", Courier-Post, December 4, 1983. Accessed February 22, 2021, via Newspapers.com. "Notre Dame High School used stingy defense and 10 first-quarter points to capture the Group A State football championship, 10-7, over Holy Spirit yesterday."

The baseball team won the Non-Public Group A state championship in 1983 (defeating Essex Catholic High School in the tournament final), 1985 (vs. Bergen Catholic High School), 1987 (vs. Bergen Catholic), 1990 (vs. Saint Joseph Regional High School), 1991 (vs. Seton Hall Preparatory School). The program's five state titles are tied for tenth in the state.Baseball Championship History: 1959–2024, New Jersey State Interscholastic Athletic Association, updated September 2024. Accessed September 1, 2024. The 1983 team had a season record of 23-6 after winning the Parochial A title by defeating Essex Catholic by a score of 5-4 in the championship game."Notre Dame stops Essex as Navarro leads way", Courier-Post, June 12, 1983. Accessed January 27, 2021, via Newspapers.com. "Len Navarro hurled 2 1/3 innings of scoreless relief yesterday as Notre Dame High School won the NJSIAA Parochial A baseball crown with a 5-4 triumph over Essex Catholic.... Notre Dame finished the season with a 23-6 record."

The girls track team won the Non-Public indoor relay state championship in 1984, won the Group III title in 1996, the group II title in 1997, and the Group I title in 2020 (as co-champion); the four state titles won by the girls program is tied for tenth in the state. The boys team won the Group III title in 2007.History of the NJSIAA Indoor Relay Championships, New Jersey State Interscholastic Athletic Association. Accessed May 1, 2023.

The girls soccer team won the Group IV title in 1985 (defeating Morris Knolls High School in the tournament final) and the Group III state championship in 1994 (as co-champion with West Morris Central High School).NJSIAA History of Girls Soccer, New Jersey State Interscholastic Athletic Association. Accessed May 1, 2023. The team won the Non-Public A South title in 2015 over Holy Cross Academy on penalty kicks, with the score tied at 2-2 after two overtimes.Staff. "Notre Dame at Holy Cross, NJSIAA Tournament, Round, South Jersey, Non-Public A, NJ.com, November 12, 2015. Accessed May 9, 2016.

The field hockey team won the Central Jersey Group IV state sectional championship in 1985 and 1987, and won the title in Central Jersey Group III in 1994.History of NJSIAA Field Hockey Championships, New Jersey State Interscholastic Athletic Association. Accessed May 1, 2023.

The boys track team won the Non-Public Group A spring / outdoor track state championship in 1992, 1996, 1997 and 2005.NJSIAA Boys Spring Track Summary of Group Titles, New Jersey State Interscholastic Athletic Association. Accessed May 1, 2023.

The Notre Dame girls' basketball team won the Non-Public A state championships in 1995 (against runner-up Immaculate Heart Academy in the finals) and in 1996 (vs. Paramus Catholic High School).Girls Basketball Championship History: 1919–2024, New Jersey State Interscholastic Athletic Association, updated March 2024. Accessed September 1, 2024. In 2014, the girls' basketball team won the Mercer County Tournament championship for the eighth time, defeating Hopewell Valley Central High School by a score of 49–35 in the tournament final.Staff. "Hopewell Valley (35) at Notre Dame (49), Mercer County Tournament, Final Round - Girls Basketball", The Star-Ledger, March 1, 2014. Accessed October 10, 2015. "Camille Duncan, who entered the game in the second quarter, hit three 3-pointers and finished with 15 points to lead second-seeded Notre Dame past top-seeded Hopewell Valley in the Mercer County Tournament championship, 49-35, yesterday at Rider University in Lawrenceville... It never relinquished that lead on its way to an eighth Mercer County Tournament title."

The girls track team won the indoor track Group III state championship in 1996 and won in Group II in 1997.Girls Winter Track and Field Championship History: 1922-2023, New Jersey State Interscholastic Athletic Association, updated November 2023. Accessed February 1, 2024. The boys team won the Group II title in 1997 and the Group III title in 1998.Boys Winter Track and Field Championship History: 1922-2023, New Jersey State Interscholastic Athletic Association, updated November 2023. Accessed February 1, 2024.