The ND Spirit

As a Catholic school, we are always looking for ways to give students experiences of God and of community. For many, our school is their faith community which makes what we do here all the more important. We know that liturgies and retreats are prime opportunities to bring students closer to God. Our students need these types of experiences in order to experience God’s unfailing love.

At the same time, we have embraced immersive learning experiences. We see this on stage, in the kiln, in the kitchen, on the basketball court, in the science lab, and many more places. We inserted Immersion Week into the academic schedule this year to provide more hands-on learning for our students. Our seniors will be traveling to internships; our juniors will be visiting colleges and learning about opportunities for higher education; our 9th & 10th graders will be inaugurating The Retreat.

We want to acknowledge that as an all-girls school, there is a special bond that we embrace in order for our students to become truly extraordinary. We also need to give our students a chance to connect and make this school community their own.

The Retreat in January for 9th & 10th graders provides us with an opportunity to accomplish both goals. Our students will have an opportunity to get away from their normal school routines, from distractions such as their phones, and will get an opportunity to immerse themselves into new experiences. There will be Mass, reflection time, nature time, community time, and, perhaps most importantly, recreation and fun time.

This is a new and quite different experience. Some of our students might be uncomfortable being away from home; some of our parents might be uncomfortable with their Spirits being away from home. But it’s going to be great! We might have Spirits at graduation saying that The Retreat was their best week at Notre Dame!

Go Spirits!

Dr. Tim Uhl

• This week's students announcements can be found here.

• Please take a minute to take the Stakeholder Survey. We'd like to know how we can get better!

• The 9th & 10th grade families are selling raffle tickets ($10 each) to raise money for their January retreat (January 5-9). The prizes are gift cards with 1st prize of $500 worth of gift cards, 2nd prize $250. Tickets will be sold for next two weeks and the drawing will be at the Fine Arts showcase on Tuesday, December 9th.
• Each 9th & 10th grade family is asked to fill out and turn in these forms by the December 15th deadline.

• Here is the link to order Notre Dame letter jackets. The rep from Josten's will be here on Dec 10th during lunch for a sizing

• We have a $5 Pay to Dress on Tuesdays & Thursdays to raise money for our Christmas Sponsorship drive. This money will go to purchasing essentials for our 17 families. If you'd like to donate more, we'll gladly accept! All of our students are bringing in gifts and necessities for the families they're sponsoring.

• We've launched this simple Google Form to "crowdsource" alumnae information. If you know of any alumnae, feel free to share the link

• Here is a Google Doc with student service opportunities
• Here is a look at the basketball schedule

Here is the link to the Student Handbook. We're continuing to adjust as issues arise.

• Dec 3rd: All-School Mass & Posada (with Sacred Heart & Madonna Middle Schools)
• Dec 5-6: Fall Play
• Dec 9th: Fine Arts Showcase & raffle ticket drawing
• Dec 10th: Letter jacket sizing 1:05 pm
• Dec 16-19th: Semester Exam schedule (noon dismissal Tues-Thurs, 10 am Friday)
• Feb 7: Crab & Pasta Feed

High school semester exams, which are 90 minutes in length and account for 20% of the final grade in each class, will take place over four days in December. There will be two exams per day, separated by a 30-minute break. The provided schedule outlines the specific dates and times for each class block's exam. When the exams are finished, students are dismissed for the day.

Exam Schedule

Tuesday, Dec 16th

• 8:30 am, 7th Block
• 10:30 am, 6th Block

Wednesday, Dec 17th

• 8:30 am, 5th Block
• 10:30 am, 4th Block

Thursday, Dec 18th

• 8:30 am, 3rd Block
• 10:30 am, 2nd Block

Friday, Dec 19th

• 8:30 am, 1st Block

Preparation and Support

Students should begin preparing for exams over the one-week Thanksgiving break. Effective study strategies include:

• Organizing previous exams and quizzes

• Rewriting notes

• Setting up a study schedule

Students requiring extra assistance in preparing for exams should meet directly with their teachers and plan to study well in advance. Mrs. Uhl is available to help students organize materials and coordinate meetings with teachers if needed.

Post-Exam Event

Following the final exam on Friday morning, December 19, all current students are welcome to stay and celebrate the end of the semester at Notre Dame's Annual Home for the Holidays brunch, a gathering that also welcomes alumnae who graduated in the past four years.

Summer PreCollege Programs

For 9th, 10th & 11th grade students interested in taking courses on college campuses during the summer break, please look at this Google Sheet of resources.

Scholarship list

With a heavy and sorrowful heart, we share that Jessica Clary passed away on November 22, 2025, after a long and courageous battle with cancer. She left this world surrounded by the love and comfort of her family. Jessica was the devoted mother of alumna Amanda and her son Matthew, and she dedicated 32 years of her life to the field of education, nurturing young minds with passion, patience, and purpose.

For many years, Jessica served faithfully on the Notre Dame Foundation Board, championing the mission of Notre Dame High School and tirelessly supporting its students. At a board meeting last year, she spoke with unwavering conviction, reminding us that we must fight with every breath to ensure Notre Dame thrives. Her words, like her spirit, were filled with strength, hope, and fierce dedication.

Jessica’s kindness, her fiery determination, and the light she brought to every room will be profoundly missed. Please keep Jessica and her family close in your thoughts and prayers during this difficult time.

As we look ahead, Home for the Holidays is quickly approaching. We eagerly anticipate welcoming many alumnae back to campus to celebrate cherished friendships and the enduring beauty of Notre Dame.

Next big event coming up… the annual Crab and Pasta Feed. Mark your calendars-February 7, 2026! Tickets will go on sale on November 17th.

Email: tuhl@notredamesalinas.org

Website: www.notredamesalinas.org
Location: Salinas, CA
Phone: 831-751-1850
Twitter: @drtimuhl

The past couple of weeks mark a different focus for the podcast. This week I dive into Pope Leo's new Apostolic Letter on Education, Drawing New Maps of Hope, with Faustin Weber, a Catholic school president from Texas. We share our insights and response to this great document.

Last week, I had a conversation with Dr. Jeannine Hill Fletcher of Fordham University to discuss her new book, Grace of the Ghosts: A Theology of Reparation. We discuss incidents where the Catholic church was on the wrong side of history, such as slavery, and how people have responded.

Previous episodes this season:

• This podcast brings together Dr. Mike Daniels of LaSallian Schools along with Ashley Rae Mathis, the president of Notre Dame HS (San Jose) to discuss Dr. Ann Garrido's influence.
• This podcast explores Garrido's influence with Dr. Erin Barisano of the Diocese of Orange and Dr. Lauren Casella of LMU
• The first tribute podcast is Dr. Kevin Baxter of ACE-Notre Dame
• This podcast conversation delves into Pope Leo's new Apostolic Exhortation, Dilexi Te. I speak with David Palmieri, a theologian and high school teacher. We share reflections and insights from this amazing work
• I recorded a podcast conversation with Greg Richmond, the Superintendent of Schools for the Archdiocese of Chicago. We discussed the joys of having a pope named from your hometown (and with a long history of Catholic schools) and the challenges and disruptions of ICE raids near your schools. Here is a link to the podcast.