▁Each ▁church ▁parish ▁provides ▁leadership ▁in ▁the ▁government ▁of ▁the ▁school ▁and ▁each ▁finan cially ▁subs id izes ▁the ▁school ▁based ▁on ▁the ▁number ▁of ▁students ▁who ▁attend ▁the ▁school ▁from ▁the ▁parish . ▁Board ▁members ▁are ▁elected ▁lay ▁people ▁from ▁each ▁parish ▁and ▁a ▁priest - chan cell or ▁who ▁represents ▁the ▁past ors ▁of ▁the ▁eight ▁church ▁par ishes . ▁ ▁Notre ▁D ame ▁is ▁acc red ited ▁by ▁Southern ▁Association ▁of ▁Colleg es ▁and ▁School s ▁( S AC S ), ▁the ▁Louisiana ▁State ▁Board ▁of ▁Education , ▁and ▁it ▁is ▁a ▁dioc es an ▁school ▁under ▁the ▁direction ▁of ▁the ▁Office ▁of ▁Catholic ▁School s ▁of ▁the ▁Dioc ese ▁of ▁La f ay ette . ▁The ▁school ▁under go es ▁periodic ▁professional ▁self - stud y ▁under ▁the ▁direction ▁of ▁the ▁Dioc es an ▁School ▁Board ' s ▁professional ▁staff ▁and ▁the ▁S AC S ▁acc red itation ▁team . ▁ ▁The ▁Mean ing ▁of ▁Notre ▁D ame ▁ ▁" Not re ▁D ame " ▁is ▁French ▁for ▁Our ▁Lady . ▁Mary , ▁the ▁Mother ▁of ▁Christ ▁is ▁the ▁patron ess ▁of ▁the ▁school , ▁and ▁her ▁statue ▁stands ▁in ▁the ▁center ▁of ▁the ▁campus . ▁ ▁Notable ▁al umn i ▁ ▁Tommy ▁Cas an ova , ▁former ▁NFL ▁player , ▁politician ▁ ▁Eric ▁Het zel , ▁former ▁ML B ▁player ▁( B oston ▁Red ▁So x ) ▁ ▁Notes ▁and ▁references ▁ ▁External ▁links ▁Notre ▁D ame ' s ▁Official ▁Website ▁ ▁Category : C atholic ▁secondary ▁schools