“It is fitting that we mark this day. The ground beneath our feet will soon host the structure that helps to carry our Catholic mission into the future,” celebrated Bishop Alfred Schlert, Class of ’79, on Nov. 7 before he blessed the ground for the new “Academic Fieldhouse” on the campus of his alma mater Notre Dame High School, Easton.
The original Athletic Annex on the 37-acre campus of Notre Dame was built in the 1960s to support physical education classes, intramurals, and athletic offices. The original Athletic Annex has been taken down to make way for the new 40,000-square-foot “Academic Fieldhouse,” which will contain spaces like an athletic training room, wrestling room, weight room, athletic offices, a volleyball and basketball court, and an additional eight classrooms to meet the growing academic needs of the students and staff.
Bishop Schlert gave a special thank you to donors who gave to the “Faithful Futures” campaign, many of whom were alumni. “By investing in this Fieldhouse, you are investing in our students, their growth, their formation, their ability to achieve academically and athletically, while grounded in their Catholic faith,” he said.
The excitement of the day was shared by individuals like Ellen Klabunde ‘98, an English teacher in her fifth year at Notre Dame and 25th year of teaching in the Diocese of Allentown, who not only is an alumnus, but she also gets to see Notre Dame grow and thrive for her children who attend the school. Her twin boys, Hunter and Logan, are juniors at the school, and her daughter, Brynley, is a freshman. Hunter is on the baseball team, and Brynley is a cheerleader.
“It is amazing that the [auditorium (completed in 2023) and now the Academic Fieldhouse] will be built within five years of each other,” said Klabunde. “The auditorium is used daily, and this building will be used just as often. It is a blessing to have extra space for the students. The extra classrooms are going to be a benefit to everyone.”
Joe Kelly ’93, Chair of the Board of Directors at the school, shared a similar sentiment to Klabunde after he gave a sincere thanks to donors. “As an alumnus and the father of twin girls that will be walking down these hallways next year, and another one is some years away, Notre Dame is setting itself up for success,” he said.
“The Diocese, the school, and the alumni planted a flag and made it clear: Notre Dame is a force. It is a sound investment for tuition dollars, and now is the opportunity for alumni and friends of Catholic education to lean in and build a Notre Dame that will compete for the next 50 years.”
Donor Paul Biedlingmaier Jr., Class of ’72, an alumnus who played basketball and football, remembers when the original annex was opened. He continues to attend athletic events but ultimately donated to the Faithful Futures campaign because of a deeply felt call to live out the Latin phrase “cura personalis” (“care for the whole person”).
Participation in the Faithful Futures campaign was a commonsense way to live out the call to give of his “time, talent, and treasure.”
Principal Jaclyn Friel shared her thoughts enthusiastically saying, “As principal, I'm filled with immense pride and profound gratitude, as we gather to witness all of this take shape. The academic fieldhouse will stand as a place of growth for generations of students to come.”
She thanked Bishop Schlert, the Diocese of Allentown, the school board, donors, faculty, staff, students, parents, and the committee for the Faithful Futures campaign as the school gets ready to open the doors of the “Notre Dame Academic Fieldhouse” for the 2026-27 academic year.
Photos by Norm Steinruck.
Copy Permalink
