Tools for Contemporary Learning

Technology @ NDP
Technology at Notre Dame Prep centers on the belief that sensible technology—that is technology that advances learning goals—can enhance teaching, motivate learning, and prepare students to meet the technological demands of higher education and the workplace.
Faculty and students use technology to develop meaningful 21st-century skills, such as communication, collaboration, creativity, critical thinking, and problem-solving. Throughout our campus-wide wireless environment, the integration of technology is woven into the NDP curriculum, and students receive a state-of-the-art education adaptable to whatever path their lives take after graduation.

 

List of 7 items.

  • Technology Mission Statement

    To infuse technology into the NDP experience in order to enrich our students’ learning, broaden the perspective from which they view the world, and empower them as they move beyond our walls while encouraging and promoting 21st-century technology skills and digital citizenship.
  • Technology Resources

    The NDP community uses PrepNet (a Blackbaud learning management system) for teacher and student communication. Teachers and students continue the learning/instructional program even in the event of school closures due to weather or other unforeseen events. PrepNet brings all course content to each student’s personalized dashboard. It features a password-protected secure collaboration environment with tools like wikis, blogs, discussion boards, journals, and file sharing, as well as instant access to homework and class lessons.

    All students have on-campus and at-home access to a myriad of paid-subscription research databases through our Library Department which enable students to access accurate, current and filtered content in each core subject area.

    In addition to the 1:1 laptop program in the Upper Level, NDP has several computer labs throughout campus, including labs for writing and publications, architectural drawing, and a multimedia lab for the Language Department. There is also an Apple iMac lab for photo editing and graphic design.

    Through our STEAM initiative (Science, Technology, Engineering, Art and Math), interactive projectors have been placed in all Upper Level classrooms.

    A new Engineering laboratory opened in 2011, bringing computer-aided design software and a hands-on experience for imagining, designing and creating. Continued partnerships with Northrup Grumman, Johns Hopkins and Towson Universities, the National Security Agency and other institutions in the Baltimore area engage our students with topics like computational linguistics, programming, cyber threats and security, privacy and digital citizenship, just to name a few.
  • Middle Level Technology

    In the Middle Level, students are able to utilize diverse NDP-owned equipment, including a laptop cart and standalone devices in the Innovation Technology Lab. All Middle Level classes have access to these computers for application-specific programs in their classes. Students participate in a required Bring Your Own Device (BYOD) program explained in the next section.

    All Middle Level classrooms are equipped with interactive projectors, which allow students to be actively engaged in the whole learning experience. Teachers develop lessons incorporating hands-on creative problem solving and exploration for all types of learners – from those who are advanced in the subject and can quickly move from problem to problem – to those who need more time reviewing each problem-solving step.
  • Middle Level BYOD Program

    NDP has a required Bring Your Own Device (BYOD) program in the Middle Level. Students bring their computer devices to campus on a daily basis. By allowing students to use their own BYOD technologies, students are able to take notes, perform research, modify live documents during student collaboration work sessions, access files and utilize their device before and after school for homework and studying.

    Each year, devices that students bring as part of this program are registered on a separate wi-fi system for the BYOD program. Allowable devices include laptop or tablet computers with an attached keyboard running a fully supported version of Windows or macOS. The screen size must be 11.6" or greater and the device must support 5ghz Wi-Fi capability. Chromebooks and iPads are not permitted as part of our 2021-2022 program. In addition, no cellular telephones will be permitted. These minimum requirements are re-evaluated each academic year and are published in advance.
  • Upper Level Technology

    The NDP community uses the PrepNet (a Blackbaud learning management system) for teacher and student communication. Teachers and students continue the learning/instructional program even in the event of school closures due to weather or other unforeseen events. PrepNet brings all course content to each student’s personalized dashboard. It features a password-protected secure collaboration environment with tools like wikis, blogs, discussion boards, journals, and file sharing, as well as instant access to homework and class lessons.

    All students have on-campus and at-home access to a myriad of paid subscription research databases through our Library Department, which enable students to access accurate, current, and filtered content in each core-subject area.

    In addition to the 1:1 device program in the Upper Level, NDP has several computer labs throughout the campus for technology-specific courses like architectural CAD drawing, a multi-media lab for the Language Department, and an Apple iMac lab for photograph creation and editing and graphic design using the Adobe Creative Cloud Suite. Every classroom features Epson interactive projectors, allowing students to be actively engaged in the whole learning experience. Teachers develop lessons incorporating hands-on, creative problem solving and exploration for all types of learners—from those who are advanced in the subject and can quickly move from problem to problem to those who need more time reviewing individual problem-solving steps.

    Continued partnerships with institutions such as Johns Hopkins engage our students with topics such as computational linguistics, programming, cybersecurity, and digital citizenship.
  • Upper Level Laptop Program

    In 2006, the NDP Upper Level became a fully implemented wireless laptop learning environment. To that end, all incoming grade nine students are required to have fully operational laptop-equivalent devices running either a supported version of Apple’s macOS or Windows 10/11 operating systems.
     
    All students are required to attend a summer Laptop Camp
    and Orientation sessions in preparation for high school, regardless if they purchased their devices through NDP’s program or not. These sessions are filled on a first-come-first-served basis.
  • Technology Staff

    Five full-time members service NDP's technology program, including a Technology Director, Assistant Director, Coordinator of Educational Technology, IT Support Specialist, and a Help Desk Technician.

NDP Help Desk

NDP's Help Desk is open daily from 7:30 a.m. through 3:30 p.m. Support is also available most holidays and during the summer months. Email helpdesk@notredameprep.com.  

Nonpublic Textbook Program

NDP participates in the Maryland Nonpublic Student Textbook program which provides funds from the State of Maryland to help defray the rising costs of textbooks/technology essential to our curriculum.

Notre Dame Preparatory School

An Independent, Catholic Girls School, Grades 6-12, Sponsored by the School Sisters of Notre Dame