Notre Dame Academy on Thursday celebrated its recent national television debut and brush with Oscar fame.
The campus was featured on "Profile Series," a Discovery Channel documentary on innovative schools and their academic successes. Actor Louis Gossett Jr. hosted the show.
The Duluth campus of nearly 500 is the nation's first Catholic elementary school to earn the prestigious International Baccalaureate Primary Years Programme credential. The designation is given to schools that meet international requirements on academic rigor and encourage students to have a world view of their education. IB students are pushed to be risk-takers as they learn new ideas.
"It's inquiry-based instruction," said Dana Landers, program coordinator. "Students have a hand in their learning. The teachers build their lessons based on student questions. After each unit, students make presentations to their parents or another class about what they have learned."
The school hosted a viewing party Thursday to share the documentary with students.
"This is fabulous. I am so proud," said elementary principal Julie Derucki. As students gathered to see themselves on the video she thanked them and their teachers for the work they have done that landed the school in the national spotlight.
"We have accomplished so much and you are a big part of it," Derucki said.
In the documentary, Gossett said of the schools featured on the segment that they were among "the people and the ideas making a difference in the way we as a society move forward" and view education.
In addition to the IB program, the documentary also discussed the academy's daily fitness program for students, it's Catholic teachings and use of technology in the classroom. Nearly all classes have SMART boards. Each of the three campuses also have computer labs as well as carts equipped with iPods and iPads for classroom use.
After the ceremony, first graders used iPads to research and write reports on weather formations.
"I think they are pretty cool,” Katey Price said of the iPad. "My dad says at the end of the year, if I am really good, he will get one for me."
Notre Dame opened in 2005 to offer educational options to the growing population of Catholic families in Gwinnett County. It was authorized as an IB World campus in 2007 and has since outperformed the nation on standardized exams.
About 22 percent of students are non-Catholic. The academy seeks a diverse population as part of its Marist teachings, which promote inclusion and simplicity. Notre Dame offers financial aid to help offset tuition, which varies from $9,735 for kindergarten to $11,895 for grades 6-8.
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