Notre Dame College Prep was one of the first Catholic high schools to open in the suburban Chicago area. It was opened at the request of the then Cardinal Archbishop of Chicago, Samuel Stritch, with the supervision of the Priests of the Congregation of Holy Cross. The timing of the new school corresponded to the closing of the Congregation's school in Portland, Oregon. About half of the faculty came east from Portland to start the new school in Illinois. They also brought with them the old school's athletic uniforms, which necessitated the new school's colors to be the same as the Oregon school's. Even the old school's fight song was brought along, with appropriate new wording changes made by an early music teacher. The original name of Notre Dame High School for Boys drew a connection between the Congregation's most noted local center of higher learning, the University of Notre Dame, and the Chicago area, which had given its support to the University and the congregation over many years. An excerpt from the Congregation's Province Review in 1954 noted:
For years the University and the Community have been helped by a large group of loyal friends in the Chicago area. It is fitting that the first major high school work undertaken by our Province should be in Chicago. Many elements entered into the decision to accept this school, but one of the most sincere was the desire to express the Community's gratitude to the Catholics of Chicago for their past support and friendship.
In the summer of 2006, the Congregation announced that it would be ending its formal association with the school, effective at the end of the 2006–07 school year. Since then, a board of both religious and lay people have run the school and maintained a relationship with the Archdiocese.
Academics
The school offers four programs designed for students of differing levels of skill which focus on college preparation - Hesburgh Scholar Program, College Prep Program, St. Andre Bessette, and the CSC Scholar Program. The Burke Scholar Program is for students with developmental and learning disabilities who are below grade level but can function in a classroom without 1:1 support. Students in the program have a choice of attaining a high school diploma or a certificate of completion, the latter of which will enable the student to continue receiving special education services until reaching the age of 22. The following Advanced Placement courses are offered: English Literature, English Language, Italian Language, Studio Art, Spanish Language, Calculus, Government, US History, World History, European History, Latin, and Computer Science Principles. AP Biology, AP Chemistry, and AP Physics 1 and 2 are offered on a longer-term rotation, where at least two of these courses are available at any given time.
Athletics
Notre Dame College Prep sponsors teams in 15 sports that are governed by the Illinois High School Association: baseball, basketball, bowling, cross country, football, golf, soccer, swimming & diving, tennis, track and field, volleyball, and wrestling. All of these teams compete in the East Suburban Catholic Conference. The school also sponsors teams in ice hockey and lacrosse. Lacrosse competes in the Chicago Metro Conference, and plays in a state tournament governed by the Illinois High School Lacrosse Association. The hockey team plays in the Chicago Suburban Catholic League. In addition, Notre Dame College Prep offers boxing, but does not compete other schools in that sport. The following teams placed in the top seven at IHSA sponsored state tournaments:
Baseball •• State Champions
Football •• 2nd place
Football •• State Semi-Finals
Cross Country •• State Team Qualifier
Bass Fishing •• 3rd place
Cross Country •• State Individual Qualifier
Cross Country •• State Team Qualifier
The hockey team won three state tournaments in 1976, 1992, and 2010 in the AHAI State Tournament, the governing body of hockey in Illinois. The School is a Rival of St. Patrick High School and Loyola Academy.
