Sion in Kansas City,

Missouri

USA

Educating Minds, Expanding Hearts, Empowering Lives

One School - One Mission

Two Campuses

Grade School - Co-ed High School - All girls

High School Admissions Website

Mission Statement

Notre Dame de Sion School of Kansas City is an

Independent Roman Catholic school providing the highest

quality college preparatory education from preschool

through grade 12. Sion continues the tradition of the

founding sisters, the Congregation of the Sisters of Notre

Dame de Sion, inviting students to encounter God in a

Catholic atmosphere that respects all faith traditions. The

school partners with families and the community to prepare

students for socially responsible, values based leadership

in a culturally and religiously diverse world.

Vision Statement

Kansas City families will choose Notre Dame de Sion to

educate their children because of its academic excellence and

Biblical values. They will cherish the school as a nurturing

community where Catholic values, integrity, and respect

prevail. At Sion, students will be empowered to develop and

encouraged to use their unique gifts as they become self-

confident, faith-filled adults who will know their "blessing" and

bring about the Kingdom of God.

Statement on Diversity & Inclusion

At Notre Dame de Sion Schools of Kansas City, we affirm our

ongoing commitment to value diversity, a commitment which flows

directly from the charism and welcoming tradition of the Congregation

of Our Lady of Sion. Our goal is that the entire Sion community -

from our youngest students to our most seasoned alumnae and

alumni, from our parents to our faculty and staff members - embrace

the unique gifts of each individual and value the distinctiveness of

each group of people. Born of diverse backgrounds and identities, we

uphold first and foremost the dignity of each person. We are called to

actively welcome and respect the individual differences of all.

Cultivating this attitude is a lifelong process and is the essence of

Notre Dame de Sion.

School Description

Notre Dame de Sion was founded by and is affiliated with the

Congregation of the Sisters of Notre Dame de Sion and is one of

19 schools internationally. Recognized by the Diocese of Kansas

City-St. Joseph, Notre Dame de Sion is an independent Catholic

school managed and operated by a lay Board of Trustees,

administration, faculty, and staff who remain committed and faithful

to the Sion Mission.

• High School Enrollment: 403 students

• Grade School Enrollment: 248 students

School History in Kansas City

Important Dates & Meetings - Board of Trustees

September 15, 2016 TRUSTEE MEETING

September 28, 2016 Trustee Tour Day, 11:00 - 1:00pm Grade School

October 14 - 16, 2016 Homecoming, Open House, Alumni of the Year Luncheon

November 17, 2016 TRUSTEE MEETING

December 1, 2016 Trustee Tuition and Enrollment Meeting

December 5, 2016 Grade School State of the School Address, Holiday Reception

January 19, 2017 TRUSTEE MEETING

January 20, 2017 Sion Feast Day & Heritage Celebration

March 4, 2017 Annual Gala Auction, InterContinental Hotel

March 9, 2017 TRUSTEE MEETING

April 2, 2017 ISACS Welcome Reception, 4:00, Grade School

April 3-5, 2017 ISACS Visiting Team, both campuses

May 1, 2017 May Crowning, Dedication of HS Outdoor Chapel and Grotto

May 18, 2017 TRUSTEE MEETING

May 19, 2018 8th Grade Graduation, Grade School

May 25, 2017 High School Graduation at the Kaufman Center

June, 2017 TRUSTEE End-of-Year Retreat, TBA

Board of Trustee Meetings

Five Per Year - Alternating months with Board Committee Meetings

Typical Agenda

4:00 pm Opening of Meeting (prayer, preliminary business)

4:15 Finance Committee Presentation (Quarter Financial Statement/Forecast,

Update of current year Budget/Enrollment Forecast)

4:45 Strategic Issue Discussion

5:10 Head of School Report

Trustee Sub Committee Reports

5:30 Old Business

5:45 New Business

18 Current Members* of the Board of Trustees

Members are selected by a committee based on the skills and

perspectives they bring to the school community.

Alumnae 2

Current Grade School

& High School Parent 3

Current Grade School Parent 3

Current High School Parent 1

High School Alumnae Parent 8

KC Diocese Representative 1

NDS Congregational Rep 1

Community Leader 1

Male/Female 33/66%

White/People of Color 83/17%

Christian/Muslim 94/6%

*Some members appear in multiple categories

Board Committees

● Executive Committee

● Advancement

● Audit - done annually by an independent firm

● Committee on Trustees

● Education

● Enrollment & Marketing

● Facilities & Properties

● Finance

● Investment

● Mission

● Strategic Planning Committee

● Trustees serve a three year term. They may be chosen to serve an

additional three years.

● The Executive committee is composed of four elected officers:

Chairperson, Vice Chairperson, Secretary, and Treasurer. This

group acts in place of the Board between meetings but does not

make policy.

Board of Trustee Members

National Association of Independent Schools

Principles of Good Practice and Independent Schools Association Standards for

Governance and Administration

Board of Trustees

Overview: The board is the guardian of the school’s mission. It is the board’s

responsibility to ensure that the mission is relevant and vital to the community it

serves and to monitor the success of the school in fulfilling its mission. The

following principles of good practice are set forth to provide a common perspective

on the responsibilities of independent school boards. The board and the head work

in partnership to fulfill these principles.

National Association of Independent Schools

Principles of Good Practice and Independent Schools Association Standards for

Governance and Administration - Board of Trustees – Responsibilities

1. Adopts mission, vision, and strategic goals and establishes policies and plans

consistent with this statement.

2. Reviews and maintains appropriate / Legal bylaws.

3. Assures operational compliance with applicable laws and regulations,

minimizing exposure to legal action.

4. Accepts accountability for the financial stability and the financial future of the

school, including strategic planning, capital planning, overseeing endowments,

operating budgets and fundraising

5. Selects, supports, nurtures, and sets and evaluates HOS compensation.

Board of Trustees – Responsibilities – Continued

6. Recognizes its primary work and focus are long-range and strategic.

7. Undertakes formal strategic planning, sets annual goals, conducts annual

written evaluations for HOS and BOT, itself.

8. Keeps full and accurate records of meetings, committees, and policies.

Communicates its decisions; keeping its deliberations confidential.

9. Engages proactively with the HOS in cultivating and maintaining good relations

with school constituents as well as the broader community and exhibits best

practices relevant to equity and justice

6. Commits to a program of professional development that includes annual new

trustee orientation, ongoing trustee education and evaluation, and board

leadership succession planning.

Board of Trustees – Responsibilities – Continued

11. HOS will not be a voting member of the BOT, he/she serves as ex officio

11. School shall demonstrate boundaries between school governance and

operations

12. Board shall generate resources for providing and maintaining physical facilities,

equipment, and program materials

13. There shall be appropriate policies/procedures for management of financial

resources

14. There shall be regular, documented performance evaluation of administration,

faculty and staff, and procedures for non-renewal and employment. Termination.

15. There shall be regular, documented performance evaluation of HOS by the BOT

and procedures for renewal, non-renewal, and termination of employment.

What role do the Sisters of Our Lady of Sion play in

your College/school?

Notre Dame de Sion Schools of Kansas City are governed

by a lay Board of Trustees incorporated since July, 1990.

The Sisters of Sion do not have an official governance

position with the school but have named a permanent

Trustee position (Mrs. Kay Walkup) as a voting member of

the Board and Congregational representative for the Board

of Trustees. We also have regular communication and

visits by the North American leadership Team,

Sr. Mary Ellen Coombe.

Who ensures the formation of teachers and staff

members in relation to the Sion mission and charism?

Notre Dame de Sion School(s) of Kansas City

is lead by a single Head of School(s). The

Head of School along with Kay Walkup, the

Sisters’ representative (named by the

Congregation of Sion and voting board

member), the Mission Director (named by the

Congregation of Sion), faculty Mission

Committee, senior administrative team . . .

. . . and campus ministry staff are

responsible for the development of mission

formation and education of teachers and

staff through regular in-service and

professional/spiritual development. All

faculty and staff are hired and supervised by

campus administrators and the Head of

School.

Are you designated as a Catholic School? If so, what

does this mean in your particular context?

Yes, through the maintenance of a current

affiliation agreement with the Diocese of Kansas

City - St. Joseph, Notre Dame de Sion Schools of

Kansas City are recognized as an Independent

Catholic School. To be Recognized by the Bishop

as a Catholic Institution, the following criteria are to

be met:

● Teacher training, certification, formation is

required to be comparable to positions at the

Diocesan schools.

● Administrators and teachers are to attend

meetings conducted by the Diocesan School

Office.

● Teacher’s qualifications, curriculum and

textbooks provided for religious education and

spiritual development are to be jointly and

periodically reviewed and approved by our school

and the Diocesan School Office.

● We are to provide our students on a regular basis

sacramental and liturgical service conducted only

by priests and pastoral leaders.

● Assist with Sacramental preparation of students

to receive the sacraments of the Church at their

respective parish.

● The Bishop must approve any changes to the

mission and vision statement.

● The Bishop must approve any changes in Articles

of Incorporation or the By-Laws.

● Sion must comply with the Catholicity Standards

and expectations set forth for the schools of the

diocese. Sion must do a self study for

accreditation, study strengths and weaknesses in

this area, develop long range plans that will

maintain and enhance the Catholic and Sionian

mission. The Diocesan School Office and the

Sisters of Sion are consulted for direction in

completing the self-study. Each naming one or

two visiting team members tasked to examine the

entire school in light of its Catholic/Sionian

mission.

● The Majority membership of the Board of

Trustees must be active, practicing Catholics.

● Annual orientation of the Board of Trustees shall

include input on the school’s Catholic and Sionian

focus and how it impacts all aspects of school

life.

● The Diocese has no financial obligation, nor will

they or the parishes be solicited for financial

support. Sion is to provide a semi-annual

financial report within 60 days of the end of the

June and December reporting periods.

● The Head of Schools and Principals shall be

an active practicing Catholic.

● Furnish the Diocese with certificate evidencing

liability insurance, which includes abuse

coverage in a suitable amount that insures

Notre Dame de Sion Schools of Kansas City

and the Diocese of Kansas City - St. Joseph.

● The Diocese will financially assess Sion on the

same basis as the Diocesan schools.

● By reason of recognition of Sion schools as

Catholic, they will be listed in the Kennedy

Directory.

● In the event it comes to the attention of the

Bishop that any conditions set forth in this

agreement is not being satisfactorily fulfilled,

the Head of School and Board Chair will be

notified in writing and the school will be given

90 days to develop a plan which rectifies the

situation.

● A representative of the Kansas City - St.

Joseph Diocese appointed by the Bishop is to

maintain a permanent position of the Board of

Trustees.

Sion Song

Sion Song.2

Chant de L'École

Sion l'écho joyeux répète,

Ton nom si cher à tous nos cœurs,

Sion, nous sommes ta conquête,

Et nous serons tes défenseurs.

En ce beau jour, nous sommes toutes fières

De nous proclamer tes enfants,

De nous ranger sous ta noble bannière,

De t'offrir nos cœurs et nos chants.

De Sion, vive l'oriflamme,

Faisons partout flotter ses deux couleurs,

Que dans nos chants passe toute notre âme.

Vive Sion, chantons en chœur!

Vive Sion, chantons en chœur!

Chantons en chœur: Vive Sion

Et Notre Dame!