Notre Dame High School (Harper Woods, Michigan)
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Notre Dame High School was a Catholic, all-male, non-residential college preparatory school in the Detroit suburb of Harper Woods, Michigan. It was closed in 2005 after more than 50 years in commission due to budget concerns, according to the Archdiocese of Detroit. The school had about 300 students at the time of closure, down from almost 600 during its peak enrollment some ten years earlier. It was founded in 1954 and operated by the Marist Fathers and Brothers.
[edit] Closing
The Archdiocese of Detroit announced in early March of 2005 that 18 Detroit-area schools -- including Notre Dame High School -- would be shut down because declining enrollment was escalating the budget deficit. Archdiocese spokesman Richard Laskos called the decision "irrevocable" despite protests from family, students and alumni of the school.[1]
Friends of Notre Dame Incorporated filed a lawsuit in June to keep the school open, but a Wayne County Circuit Court judge ruled against them on June 20.[2]
Entertainer Bill Cosby, who has spoken in support of keeping the school open, was scheduled to attend a meeting with activists protesting the school's closure in late June, but cancelled at the last minute.[2] Displaced students from the closed schools had to decide where to finish their high school education, and dispersed to many area Catholic, private and public schools, including a handful who relocated to Notre Dame Prep in Pontiac, Michigan [1]
[edit] Notable alumni
- Dave Coulier, comedian and entertainer.[3]
- David Bonior, former United States Congressman.[4]
- Doug Weight, a center for the St. Louis Blues.[5]
- Ben Blackwell, drummer in Detroit based group The Dirtbombs, and nephew of Jack and Meg White of The White Stripes.
- Matt Servitto, actor from The Sopranos.
- Zachary Chopp, winner of 2002 Macomb Daily Spelling Bee for the word impossible.
- Timothy Ossman, star of Disney's High School Musical (the black guy)
[edit] References
- ^ a b Stan Donaldson, "Trinity, Notre Dame fight back: Two Catholic high schools in Harper Woods rally after closing announcement" (Google cache), Detroit Free Press, March 31, 2005.
- ^ a b "Cosby cancels visit to seminary event", NDORGS.com. The story is on the non-official Notre Dame web site, and is attributed to Stan Donaldson and Patricia Montemurri of the Detroit Free Press, June 22, 2005
- ^ "Dave Coulier" at the Notable Names Database; URL accessed May 6, 2006.
- ^ "BONIOR, David Edward" at Congress.gov; URL accessed May 8, 2006.
- ^ "Carolina's Weight finally lifted, well, almost"; Detroit Free Press, June 21, 2006; URL accessed July 3, 2006.
