Before the announcement was made, word spread on social media and throughout the world that is Notre Dame High School. After more than 75 years as a male-only institution, the school will go co-educational with the incoming freshman class of 2025.
A statement made by the school indicated the institution, founded by the Brothers of the Holy Cross in 1946, was the result of much discussion over the last several months.
“This is the result of the decision of the Board of Corporate Members to accept the unanimous recommendation of Notre Dame’s Board of Directors to begin admitting women. The Board of Corporate Members includes Notre Dame High School alumnus Brother Thomas A. Dziekan CSC ‘66, Provincial Superior of the Moreau Province of the Congregation of Holy Cross. In making its recommendation, the Board of Directors relied heavily on the work of its Strategic Planning Committee,” the statement read.
As a result of today’s announcement, 19 of the 22 Congregation of Holy Cross-sponsored secondary and post-secondary academic institutions in the United States are now co-educational.
Making the decision to go co-ed was a matter of dealing with how to best keep the school growing and expanding its focus.
“This decision allows Notre Dame to sustain and expand its mission and offer the distinctive academic opportunities of a Holy Cross education to talented young women as well as young men. The strong, value-based education Notre Dame has offered for over 75 years is complemented by Signature Academic Programs including the International Baccalaureate Program, a rigorous academic offering known worldwide; an Engineering Program; a Sports, Exercise, and Health Science Program; and NDXL, Notre Dame’s Experiential Education Program,” the statement read.
“As Notre Dame becomes a co-ed school, one of the highest priorities will be maintaining the Holy Cross tradition and the four pillars of our educational model, which will benefit both male and female students: bringing hope, educating hearts and minds, building respect, and being family,” the statement read.
The decision was on social media before the official announcement came over the wires. Many alumni lamented the move, while others saw it as inevitable in a changing world where society is becoming more secularized.
In a recent study, Connecticut was ranked as the second most ‘unchurched” state in the union behind Oregon, a fact that is shown by declining church attendance in all denominations. The Archdiocese of Hartford has seen a 40% decrease in attendance since the COVID-19 outbreak, putting average church attendance in the 20%-25% category. This has led to the closure and merging of churches.
West Haven, which once had five Catholic churches, now has two under one parish, St. John XXIII Parish, with St. John Vianney and St. Louis churches as the remaining buildings. The city’s oldest Catholic church, built in 1903 was “decommissioned” last year.
How this new decision to go co-ed will succeed is unknown. The school is now in competition with Sacred Heart Academy in Hamden and Our Lady of Mercy Laurelton Hall in Milford. All three will be seeking students from the same areas.