Yesterday, on Labor Day 2017, like many others in the U.S., Fr. Leon Olszamowski, s.m., corporate president of NDPMA, found it to be a good day to unwind a bit. He also thought it was a good day to ruminate about Notre Dame: its past, its present and most importantly, the exciting future taking shape on the east side of the school’s main campus.
Through the looking glass
Last week, the walls for the new science, art and technology wing began to go up.
Perspective is everything. Lately, I have been standing in the media center at the main campus watching a busy group of twenty or so workers busily constructing our new science, art and technology wing. Incidentally, our students are doing exactly the same thing — in and out of the media center during change of class and lunch periods — watching and waiting. I said to myself, as I look through the media center windows, how small the project seems to be, and how little progress has been made to date. I wonder if the kids are thinking the same thing.
Fr. Leon Olszamowski, s.m., is overjoyed about the upcoming new wing, which is currently under construction on the school’s main campus.
But this past Saturday, I took a closer look at the project, walking out back on the actual construction site. I was thoroughly amazed at how much has been done and how huge the building footprint is. I stood in the school rooms as plotted out by the concrete footings and imagined our students moving through the corridors of this new wing. I smiled and said to myself how important this new structure will be for our kids and their futures. I walked through imagined collaboration spaces, science labs, art rooms, the robotics lab and, of course, my beloved botanical lab/greenhouse and gardens. I was pleased with the wing’s development, and repeated one of my personal mantras: “It’s all about the kids.”
I have had many such imaginings during my 24+ years at our 1300 Giddings campus and more recently at our 1425 campus. I am content with our progress to date; but there remains, to my mind, a much larger agenda for providing our kids with the best Marist, Catholic education . . . for here and hereafter.
I am very proud of our NDPMA families and their support of our Marist Fathers and Brothers mission here in Pontiac. Here’s another mantra: “To build a great school you must have three elements: constant prayer, hard work and hard cash.” We have been blessed with all three. Each night at prayer our Marist Fathers and Brother pray to our Blessed Lady for the success of her school, and we pray for the intentions of our generous donors.
As you may be aware, recently we received a tremendous designated gift for the renovation of our baseball and softball fields. I am so thankful to the kind-hearted donor who stepped forward to help. Again, this is an answer to our prayers, for, as you know, without gifts, no matter how big or small, we could not deliver our mission effectively.
A dedicated robotics lab/room will play a major role in the school’s new wing.
Many good things have happened here at NDPMA, and there is more yet to do. We still need to complete payment for our new science, art and technology wing, and several of us continue to reach out to our families who can help support our building project. Should you receive a call from school personnel asking to meet with you to request your financial and/or gift-in-kind support, please say “yes.” And, even if you do not receive a call, please be willing to step forward to invest in future greatness for students now and yet to come. It is in the end “all about the kids and their future success.” Is it not? Student success is our heartfelt sentiment; we hope it is yours, too! Please join us in bringing our “March on to Victory” campaign to completion.
Blessings,
Fr. Leon M. Olszamowski, s.m.
Corporate President
More on the Notre Dame March on to Victory campaign is here.
Comments or questions? mkelly@ndpma.org.
Follow Notre Dame on Twitter at @NDPMA.
About Notre Dame Preparatory School and Marist Academy
Notre Dame Preparatory School and Marist Academy is a private, Catholic, independent, coeducational day school located in Oakland County. The school’s upper division enrolls students in grades nine through twelve and has been named one of the nation’s best 50 Catholic high schools (Acton Institute) four times since 2005. Notre Dame’s middle and lower divisions enroll students in jr. kindergarten through grade eight. All three divisions are International Baccalaureate “World Schools.” NDPMA is conducted by the Marist Fathers and Brothers and is accredited by the Independent Schools Association of the Central States and the North Central Association Commission on Accreditation and School Improvement. For more on Notre Dame Preparatory School and Marist Academy, visit the school’s home page at www.ndpma.org.