LONGTIME TEACHER RETIRES, LEAVES LEGACY OF DEVOTION TO HIS FAITH, TO HIS STUDENTS AND TO HIS SCHOOL

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June 26, 2024

For information on admission to Notre Dame Prep, please click here. 

Dave Osiecki retires after nearly three decades at Notre Dame Prep. Read what his students, colleagues and friends said about this 'great student of history and an equally great son of Mary.'

Dave Osiecki was hired by Notre Dame Prep on August 18, 1997, to teach social studies just as a new school year was about to begin. Since then, he's affected the lives of thousands of students with his gentle-but-firm demeanor that never strayed from the school's mission to "work with God to form Christian people, upright citizens and academic scholars."

After 27 years at 1300 Giddings Road, Osiecki has decided to retire from the school he loves and the school that definitely loves him back. Read on.

Commenting on Osiecki, Fr. Leon Olszamowski, founder of NDP and current corporate president, said he was "another gift sent by Mary when we were building the new Notre Dame Prep." He said he and the school surely will miss him.

"How do you replace a man like Dave? He is a great student of history and an equally great son of Mary," Olszamowski added. "He was a terrific classroom teacher and mentor who taught the whys and hows of history, not just the whos and whats."

Head of School Andy Guest chimed in by saying that Osiecki will be remembered as one of the greatest teachers in the history of the school. 

"His dedication to Catholic education and commitment to our Marist community will never be forgotten," Guest said. "He was a master at his trade, and he inspired students and teachers to aim high."

Check out this video from 2014 in which Osiecki talks about why he teaches and why he teaches at Notre Dame Prep.

Holly Karibo, who graduated from Notre Dame Prep in 2002, left a note online for Osiecki that said his history classes were among the most most inspiring classes she's ever taken. 

"There were a handful of teachers who convinced me history was worth studying, and you were among the top," she said. "I now try to share that passion for the study of difficult, challenging and tough topics with my college students. Thank you for the work you do, the passion you showed, and the legacy you leave as an historian."

From Paul Frost NDP'23: "Taking your AP Macro class during my senior year inspired me to pursue economics as a college degree. You inspired me to ask bigger questions and understand the 'why' behind concepts in economics and beyond. Also, I’ll never forget the greatest day of my high school career: beating you in mini golf at the end of class. Wishing you all the best in retirement. Hope you get to golf lots!"

More of the many comments and good wishes left for Osiecki are here.

Please check them out and enjoy!

For information on admission to Notre Dame Prep, please click here.

Comments or questions? mkelly@ndpma.org

About Notre Dame Preparatory School
"At Notre Dame Prep, we inspire our students to become the best versions of themselves. We challenge them through an experience of academic excellence, focused on active, project-based learning. We invite them to explore a world of opportunities beyond the classroom. We guide them as they grow in spirituality within a community strong in its Catholic and Marist identity."

Notre Dame Preparatory School is a private, Catholic, independent, coeducational day school located in Oakland County. Notre Dame Preparatory School's upper school enrolls students in grades nine through twelve and has been named one of the nation's best 50 Catholic high schools (Acton Institute) four times since 2005. Notre Dame Prep's middle and lower schools enroll students in pre-kindergarten through grade eight. All three schools are International Baccalaureate "World Schools." NDP is conducted by the Marist Fathers and Brothers and is accredited by the Independent Schools Association of the Central States and the National Association of Independent Schools. For more on Notre Dame Preparatory School, visit the school’s home page at www.ndpma.org.