Extracurricular Activities

Music Lessons

Students are able to arrange for onsite piano, violin, cello or guitar lessons. Depending on the student's school schedule, these lessons often can be scheduled during the school day.

Villa Sinfonia

NDV is home to the Villa Sinfonia Chamber Orchestra. The Villa Sinfonia is made up of musicians of all levels, from school-aged children, most of whom take violin lessons at NDV, to well known local professional musicians. The orchestra has performed at Carnegie Hall, as well as throughout Europe.

Parent Education Programs

NDV provides information to its families about parent workshops available throughout the Bay Area on such topics as raising teenagers or coping with peer pressure. NDV has also hosted speakers for parent meetings at the school. Recent speakers have made presentations on the following topics: Spirituality and the Family, Safe Use of the Internet at Home, and Raising Responsible Teenagers.

Student Council

Students in grade four through eight may run for Class Representative to the NDV Student Council. Qualified students entering eighth grade are eligible to run for the year long offices of President, Vice President and Commissioners of Sports, Publicity, Religion, Spirit and Ecology. Qualified students entering seventh grade can run for Secretary and Treasurer. The student council meets twice a month and actively participates in fundraising, school publications and events.

California Junior Scholarship Federation (CJSF)

The CJSF is a service organization open to qualified students in the seventh and eighth grades. CJSF sponsors a Canned Food Drive each year and provides other services to fellow students.

School Council-Sponsored Talent Show

A school favorite, the annual Talent Show offers students an opportunity to showcase their dancing, acting, singing, recitation, and musical skills in a supportive environment. All students, including kindergartners, are invited to audition, rehearse, and perform their talents in front of the enthusiastic NDV community. Student Council representatives orchestrate the entire event from start to finish, serving as emcees, light/sound technicians, ticket sellers, and backstage monitors.

Art Show

Though students work on exciting art projects throughout the year, a formal exhibit of their work is on display during the annual Art Show. Representative student work in all media, from charcoal sketches to ceramic sculpture, is viewed by a visiting and appreciative public.

Art Club

Students in grades four through eight are eligible to join the Art Club, which meets on a monthly basis after school. Various artists are studied and excursions to nearby museums are planned.

French Club

Eligible students in grades four through eighth can join the French Club, which meets on a monthly basis after school to enjoy French food, films, guest speakers and cultural events.

Ecology Club

Students in grades five through eighth can join the Ecology Club, which connects with nature through positive learning experiences that benefit ourselves, our environment and wildlife in our community. Club members facilitate the composting and recycling programs at NDV.

Art Workshops

Each semester, the art teacher offers a series of after school workshops open to students of every grade. Many of the projects are seasonal and all are hands on.

Eighth Grade Play

NDV's school year culminates with the eighth grade play, performed in the school's spacious theater/auditorium. The students are cast in a full-length musical, and are fortunate enough to make their big debut under the guidance of a professional stage director, music director, and choreographer. After months of theater rehearsals and preparation, the eighth grade students take stage, revealing not only their many musical and theatrical talents, but also their collaborative spirit, perseverance, and commitment. These high-quality productions typically receive rave reviews from members of both the school and local community, and are a source of delight and inspiration to younger students.

Safety Patrol

The safety patrol is a service-oriented program for students in grades five through eight. Supervised by the faculty, the members assist students and parents during carpool before and after school.

Altar Services

Catholic students in grades four through eight may be trained by NDV parish staff to serve at school liturgies and parish Masses during the school year.

Spelling Bee and Geography Bee

Students in grades three through eight are invited to participate in the school wide spelling and geography bees. Winners of each event represent NDV in the citywide competitions.

Academic Decathlon

NDV's academic excellence is demonstrated through its participation in the annual Academic Decathlon of the Catholic Schools of the Archdiocese of San Francisco. In its competition against 15 other Catholic schools, NDV typically places among the top five finishers, and in a recent competition, NDV took first place overall. The students demonstrate their superior knowledge in logic, mathematics, English, religion, social studies, science, fine arts, and literature.

Robotics Challenge Team

The LEGO Robotics team works together to build a LEGO robot and have the robot complete a work project during a timed competition. In its first year of competition, the NDV Robotics team advanced to the state championship.