Academic Excellence

A Century of Excellence: Notre Dame’s Commitment to Education

Notre Dame Regional High School has a long history of preparing students for life after high school through a rigorous academic program and wide array of extracurricular opportunities that promote student growth and learning.
Opening its doors to 14 students in seventh, eighth and ninth grades on September 1, 1925, St. Mary High School offered four years of Latin and two years of business subjects, religion, English, math and science labs. In 1928, St. Mary received accreditation from the state of Missouri. In 1935, classes expanded to include Geometry, Biology, Chemistry, Bookkeeping, German, Debate, Modern History, Civics, Typing and American Problems.
A Home Economics class was launched in 1940, in which students fashioned garments like skirts, blouses, dresses and pajamas, as well as learning how to cook. In 1943, Aeronautics and “Mathematics Refresher” were added to cover the fundamentals boys who planned to take a technical course in the Army may have needed. 

    • Junior Religion students studied “The Mad Morality” book in class.

In 1978, Notre Dame ventured into the world of computers. Sister Joan Andert and Mr. Brad Wittenborn drove to the Apple computer store in St. Louis to purchase two computers, without monitors. In the fall of 1981, three Apple II Plus microcomputers and two new monitors were installed. 
For the 2010 school year, Men’s Choir, International Foods and Applied Geometry were added to the curriculum.
Notre Dame began its partnership with Southeast Missouri State University in 1975, offering dual credit for the first time. The Shared Time Program allowed seniors to attend college classes while finishing high school. In the year 2000, college credit opportunities had expanded to 39 credit hours available to students through Saint Louis University and Southeast Missouri State University. Today, students have the option to take up to 91 college credits in total while in high school. The school’s partnership with SEMO has also expanded to provide sufficient dual credit and dual enrollment course work to meet the Missouri Higher Education Core Transfer Curriculum, or CORE 42, framework, which allows students to have a seamless transfer of 42 academic credits to public colleges and universities in Missouri. 

    • Caption from the February 1964 Hi-Lites: "FIGURE THAT ONE OUT!" exclaims Mr. Dormeyer as he watches Dave Patrick and Marilyn Fee, along with the rest of the Sophomore class, struggle over the English exam.

Extracurriculars
St. Mary, Cape Catholic and Notre Dame have all had a wide variety of extracurricular opportunities for students throughout the past century. In 1935, extracurricular activities included Hi-Lites, Orchestra, Study Club, Boys’ and Girls’ Basketball, and Junior Masquerade, among others. In 1947, a new group of extracurriculars and club sports were offered; including, Legion of Mary, Our Lady’s Sodality, Young People’s Club, Student Council, Hi-Lites, St. Mary Glee Club, St. Mary Band, Scouts, First Aid Club, Social Life Club, Dramatics, basketball, softball, volleyball and hockey.
In April of 1951, eleven St. Mary students took part in the competitive scholastic examinations held at the State College. The students were dubbed the “Whiz Kids” with Loretta Fuerth tying for second in civics, Ramona Sailer placing third in news writing, Judy Schwartz whole placed fourth in spelling, and Dorothea Henry who placed fourth in creative writing. 

    • Ramona Sailer, Dorothea Henry, Imelda Nenninger, Marie Diebold, Ben Emerson, Tom Rehg, Judy Schwartz, Marilyn Schwartz, Paul Rehg, Loretta Fuerth and Dorothy Schott prepare for a scholastic contest.

On April 21, 1991, the four Cape Girardeau Optimist Clubs sponsored Youth in Government Day, in which Notre Dame students participated in a mock City Council meeting.
In 2010, new clubs available to students included Debate Club and United We Geek. In 2013, Athletes Give Back was created which provided service opportunities for Notre Dame seniors who played sports.

In February of 2015, the Notre Dame robotics team advanced to state competition. Just a few months later, the scholar bowl team had an impressive fourth place finish at the state competition in Columbia, Missouri.

Today, clubs and organizations include honor societies, chapters of other national organizations like FCCLA (Family, Career and Community Leaders of America), FBLA (Future Business Leaders of America), and our newest organization FFA (Future Farmers of America). Students can compete for Notre Dame through archery and chess clubs, and participate in spiritual clubs like Women In God’s Service, St. Joseph’s Club, Friends of Mercy, and Fellowship of Christian Athletes. 

Awards
Competition, awards, scholarships…students have been exceeding in academics and extracurriculars for decades. 
Five Cape Catholic science students participated in the first annual Regional Science Fair at the Houck Physical Education Building April 5-6, 1957. Just two years later, sophomore Corena Jansen was named grand prize winner and advanced to the National Science Fair in Hartford, Connecticut. Her project demonstrated the effect of filtered light on tomato plants. 
In 1993, sixteen math students brought home 10 awards from Math Field at Southeast Missouri State University. Thirty years later, Notre Dame math students, led by Mr. Lenny Kuper, took the coveted Sigma Award at the 2023 Math Field Day. The award, given to the highest overall winner in the small school division, was also won by the 2024 group.
In the spring of 1999, Danny Robert (‘02) placed first in Business Math at the FBLA State Conference. He advanced to the national conference held in Chicago that year, marking the first time a Notre Dame student competed in FBLA at the national level. In 2021, Avri O’Daniel (‘21) placed first Graphic Design at FBLA state, and in 2023 juniors Luke Richey (‘24) and Ryan Smith (‘24) took first place in the International Business category.
In 2001, 51 percent of seniors received academic scholarships in excess of $1.5 million, including 15 percent of the class earning the Missouri Bright Flight Scholarship. The class of 2022 eclipsed $11 million in scholarships earned. 
In 2014, Notre Dame’s journalism and yearbook staffs won awards at the annual J-Day and Southeast Missouri Scholastic Press Association at Southeast Missouri State University.
In 2024, several Notre Dame students participated in the FCCLA regional competition, with all participants advancing to state. Juniors Megan Berghoff and Brooklyn Gosche advanced to Nationals in Seattle, Washington.

    • 1980 inductees into Notre Dame's National Honor Society. Sister Florentia, who left Notre Dame in 1978, was inducted as an honorary member.

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Our mission is to provide a Catholic education that develops each student’s mind, body, and spirit, centered in the teaching mission of Jesus Christ so that when you give us your child, we shall return you an apostle
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