Eight sisters of Notre Dame traveled to Cleveland in July of 1874 to teach at St. Peter School. Within four years, they founded Notre Dame Academy. By 1915, a consistent increase in enrollment and a corresponding increase in the religious community resulted in the purchase of three acres of land overlooking Rockefeller Park and East Boulevard. The large Gothic structure that was erected served as the Provincial House for the Sisters as well as a high school and elementary school for the next 50 years.

Notre Dame Academy reached its peak enrollment in the late 40's and early 50's, at which time the school began feeling the effects of Cleveland's population shift to the suburbs. By 1963, rapidly decreasing enrollment made a location transfer the only alternative to closing its doors. Eighteen teachers and 270 students moved to the Munson Township campus that September, where enrollment would again peak at 900 students during the 1969-70 academic year. Enrollment dropped again during the 1980's, and the Sisters of Notre Dame began studying the option of co-education in Geauga County.

In early 1916, Bishop John Farrelly announced the construciton of a new boys' Catholic high school - Cathedral Latin. Thirteen diocesan priests and five Marianist Brothers of the Society of Mary staffed the school with a doicesan priest acting as principal. Growing enrollment resulted in the purchase of property on East 107th Street. At the graduation ceremony for Cathedral Latin's first 11 students, a new Italian Renaissance-style building was dedicated. In 1922, the Marianists assumed operational control of the diocesan school.

Cathedral Latin's enrollment peaked at 1233 students in the academic year 1963-64; ironically, the same year Notre Dame Academy moved to Geauga County. The 1970's brought a steady decline in enrollment at Cathedral Latin and its eventual closing in 1979. CL alumni remained active through its strong alumni association - with one driving force to see its school reopen. This dream was realized in February of 1987 when the Sisters of Notre Dame invited Cathedral Latin Alumni Association to join together in forming Notre Dame-Cathedral Latin school.

In 1988 two strong traditions united to promote their shared values: educational excellence; a life based uponCatholic faith; a strong commitment to achievement in school activities; and a devotion to Mary.

In 2003, the Sisters of Notre Dame made an important stratigic decision. In order for NDCL to successfully deal with the numerous challenges facing Catholic education and to better enable the school to use all of its affiliation with Cathedral Latin, NDCL would implement a sponsorship form of governance. The school was separately incorporated and governance issues were delegated to a Board of Directors.