Open House is one of NDB’s biggest events and a chance for future Tigers to see what life here is really like. This year, it took place on Sunday, October 19 from 11 a.m. to 1:30 p.m., serving as the first major admissions event of the school year.
The event was organized by the Admissions Office with help from staffulty and students. Director of Admissions Debbie Anderson explained that Open House gives families a look into NDB and what makes the community stand out.
“Open House is an opportunity for prospective families to come and experience everything that Notre Dame has to offer, because it’s really all hands on deck here,” said Anderson. “All the coaches, all the programs, all the teachers and about 100 students come to volunteer. So, it’s really just a full, fun, festive environment.”
After checking in, visitors joined guided tours on campus. Student ambassadors played a key part, leading families through classrooms, introducing them to teachers and sharing their own experiences.
Co-President of the Ambassador Board and senior Autumn Deetz-Rodriguez shared, “Our role is to make sure all the families feel welcomed here on campus when they’re touring.”
She added that ambassadors help families get a sense of student life at NDB, adding, “I know when I came and I toured in eighth grade, I noticed, like those girls in the blue polos, and knew that is what I wanted to be doing.”
Anderson added that many parents notice something special about the students, like Deetz-Rodriguez, who volunteer at Open House.
“I get comments every single year after Open House … of how articulate our students are, how welcoming, how friendly, how mature, how poised – I could go on and on and on,” shared Anderson. “It’s just the little things. It is saying hello … making eye contact when they’re talking, all the things that are very normal here, but it’s not really the norm when you go elsewhere.”
Performances and classroom showcases filled the campus with energy throughout the day. The NDB cheer, InStep and pom teams all performed in the Moore Pavillion, while teachers and students in classrooms displayed art, lab projects and classwork.
Pom team member and senior Avery Jones said, “Performing at Open House means that we can get a bunch of new talent coming in next year, and it’s a way for everyone to understand what Pom really is.”
She added, “Our team really worked on our … energy, hopefully to get a bunch of new students to wanting to join next year.”
Anderson added that another goal of the event is helping families feel comfortable with NDB’s all-girls environment, a question many parents have when they first visit.
“I hope they realize not to be scared by the all-girls thing,” she said. “That’s often what students and parents are most concerned about. But, once they experience it and talk to current students, it becomes their favorite thing. I know it was for me, how just comfortable you feel here, and it becomes to feel like a second home.”
Freshmen who attended last year remembered being in the same position as this year’s guests. They shared that visiting in person made it easier to imagine themselves as part of the school.
“I just remember meeting all the teachers and seeing all the classrooms. I was most interested in ASL and Religious Studies. I thought they were pretty unique classes that Notre Dame had,” recalled freshman Ma’Ata Heimuli. “Honestly, just seeing the school and how the students were around, the environment was really nice.”
Open House continues to be one of NDB’s most memorable traditions. It gives families a look into the school’s energy, community and spirit as well as shows what being a Tiger is all about.
