Pages Navigation Menu

Notre Dame School Celebrates Golden Jubilee

 

Notre Dame School of Dallas celebrates 50 years of service to students with special needs during this school year.  The school opened for the 1963 school year and remains the only independent school in Dallas specifically designed to meet the special needs of students with intellectual disabilities. Brooks and Associates is helping the school gain visibility throughout Dallas during this Golden Jubilee.

The Story

The students at Notre Dame have a variety of disabilities and fall into the range of mildly to moderately intellectual disabilities. The school philosophy is that these students can become contributing members of our community if they receive intensive, individualized instruction. The program includes academics, daily living skills, community-based vocational training, and a wide variety of extra-curricular activities. Everyone connected with the Notre Dame School concentrates on each child’s gifts instead of their challenges, making the motto “No Limits – Just Possibilities” a reality that has lasted 50 years.

How We Told the Story

Our first step was to develop a specific logo for the Jubilee, followed by a Jubilee brochure for distribution at the school and all school events, as well as mailing to the school database of supporters and friends.

The plan for the year-long celebration includes several special Jubilee events already held and others coming up later in 2014.  The themes of these celebrations are meant to symbolize areas of importance in the school’s curriculum, including spotlights on service, faith, learning and education, and giving and gratitude.

  • Jubilee of Service –  held September 20, 2013

This was a special one-day service initiative by Notre Dame students at Dallas area non-profits. One hundred students went to 10 locations (non-profit agencies and organizations) to do work, and students back at the school also worked on a project for the community.

  • Jubilee of Faith – held October 19, 2013

A Mass and reception were celebrated at the Guadalupe Cathedral for 300 students, families, supporters and friends.

  • Affair of the Heart, Jubilation!! – held November 16, 2013

The Notre Dame School annual gala highlighted the 50th anniversary.  This successful fundraiser benefitted the school and its programs.

  • Jubilee of Learning/Education – will be late held in  January, 2014

During Catholic Schools Week that month a special activity will be held to acknowledge the school’s commitment to personalized quality education for all students.

  • Jubilee of Gratitude – will be held in April, 2014

A formal reception for benefactors will celebrate 50 years of donor generosity and continued support of the school.

In addition to an intense program of media outreach, we told the story through stories, photos and videos on the Notre Dame School Facebook page, a photo display for all events, a video for sharing at the Affair of the Heart, and a special page about the Golden Jubilee on the Notre Dame School web site.

The Result

The goal of the outreach program for the Notre Dame School 50th anniversary is to build awareness and recognition for the school in the Dallas community.  This has already been achieved through stories and photos in the primary local newspaper, local TV coverage of the Jubilee of Service event, coverage of the anniversary by the main communication vehicle for the Dallas Catholic community, doubling the followers on the Notre Dame School Facebook page and improving the interest in the school website.

We helped the school gain media coverage for the Jubilee of Service that included:

For Brooks & Associates, it has been an honor and pleasure to be part of this significant anniversary of the Notre Dame School.  We salute the Sisters of Notre Dame, the school teachers and staff, the generous supporters of the school, and the students themselves for their unflagging devotion to the foundational principles that make this school so great! And special thanks to Account Executive Nanci Williams for spearheading this successful public relations program.