Explanation of the School Crest
Notre Dame Catholic School (NDCS) was founded in 1985 under the name of St. Theresa’s Catholic School. Over the years there have been many logos and symbols that represented the school. In January 2015, in preparation for the 30th anniversary of the school, the administration had a vision that the school needed a brand that would be used as the symbol for the school and for its future. The school crest now embodies many of the symbols that represent the school and its history.
The outer ring of the crest reflects the name of the school and the date that the school was established. This circle is a significant Christian symbol to represent eternity as it has no beginning or end. NDCS believes that we are not just educating our students for this world but for eternity. The twelve stars that appear on the inside of the circle represent each of the twelve apostles and speaks of the apostolic tradition in which the school was founded.
At the top of the crest is a symbol for Mary, the Mother of God. At the center of the symbol is a large letter M, this symbol at the top of the crest represents our patron who is the Blessed Mother. The crown reminds us that Mary is Queen of Heaven and Earth.
In the first quadrant of the crest is the image of the cross and an open book. This is the logo that was used for the school when it first opened in 1985. This image represents the fact that we teach religion in all of our courses and that the education of the children, academically and in the faith, is our primary focus.
The second quadrant is the fleur-de-lis which was the first logo of Notre Dame Catholic School. This logo is significant to show the history of the school and its deep connection to the Blessed Mother since its dedication under the new title, Notre Dame.
The third quadrant is the Eucharist. As a Catholic school the Eucharist is the most central teaching and belief that we have. As a Catholic community we believe that the simple bread and wine become the Body and Blood of Christ. We participate in weekly Mass as a school community and attend Adoration of the Eucharist throughout the school year.
The fourth quadrant is the community that we are. We are a faith based community of believers who truly believe that we are not here to be served, but to serve. It is in serving one another and being witnesses of our faith that we truly become the hands and feet of Christ in this world.
