St Brigid's College
Encyclopedia
St Brigid's College is an independent
Roman Catholic, day
and boarding school
for girls in Lesmurdie
, a suburb of Perth
, Western Australia
.
The campus consists of a girls high school
for years 8-12 and a coeducational junior school
for years K-7, sporting grounds, and boarding facilities
for 137 students. The college has strong ties with Mazenod College where many male students attending St Brigid's Primary School continue their education.
as an extension of the West Perth
convent and college also named after Saint Brigid of Kildare
. Construction of the buildings commenced in 1913 for Archibald and Maude Sanderson, and were used as a private day and boarding school for approximately 20 students.
In 1919, at the end of World War I
, the buildings were sold to the Red Cross
for use as a hospital. In April 1929, the property was purchased by the Sisters of Mercy. This new school opened on 21 April 1929, with Mother Teresa Rielly and seven sisters providing education to 35 boarding students and three day students.
in Perth, Western Australia
. The school falls into the South Ward of the Shire of Kalamunda
.
The campus has been extended over its history as funds and space have become available. A Sisters Convent and Chapel was constructed in 1965 as an addition to the original building, which has been listed with the Heritage Council of Western Australia
. This was followed in 1990 by the construction of a 157-person Boarding House to the rear of the campus.
The McAuley Wing was constructed in 1999 as a dedicated Technology, Science and Art building. The building is also used by the Senior School as form rooms when not in use for other classes.
one of the college's additions is the Sister Mary Rose Fitness Centre, completed in 2002, which houses an indoor heated swimming pool, sprung dance floor and fitness equipment. The facility is available for paid use by the public.8am-5pm
program called "Mercy In Action - Making A Difference", which encourages the spirit of mercy as espoused by Catherine McAuley
, the founder of the Sisters of Mercy. This program requires students to complete a number of community service hours each year as part of their Religious Education study. Some of the suggested activities in Years 11 and 12 are blood donation
, Red Cross
soup patrol, peer mentoring and assisting community organisations.
Independent school
An independent school is a school that is independent in its finances and governance; it is not dependent upon national or local government for financing its operations, nor reliant on taxpayer contributions, and is instead funded by a combination of tuition charges, gifts, and in some cases the...
Roman Catholic, day
Day school
A day school—as opposed to a boarding school—is an institution where children are given educational instruction during the day and after which children/teens return to their homes...
and boarding school
Boarding school
A boarding school is a school where some or all pupils study and live during the school year with their fellow students and possibly teachers and/or administrators. The word 'boarding' is used in the sense of "bed and board," i.e., lodging and meals...
for girls in Lesmurdie
Lesmurdie, Western Australia
Lesmurdie is a suburb of Perth, Western Australia, located within the Shire of Kalamunda.It is viewed as being a rival suburb to the neighbouring suburb of Kalamunda directly to the north. The main access to the suburb from the Swan Coastal Plain is via Welshpool Road, that snakes its way up the...
, a suburb of Perth
Perth, Western Australia
Perth is the capital and largest city of the Australian state of Western Australia and the fourth most populous city in Australia. The Perth metropolitan area has an estimated population of almost 1,700,000....
, Western Australia
Western Australia
Western Australia is a state of Australia, occupying the entire western third of the Australian continent. It is bounded by the Indian Ocean to the north and west, the Great Australian Bight and Indian Ocean to the south, the Northern Territory to the north-east and South Australia to the south-east...
.
The campus consists of a girls high school
High school
High school is a term used in parts of the English speaking world to describe institutions which provide all or part of secondary education. The term is often incorporated into the name of such institutions....
for years 8-12 and a coeducational junior school
Primary education
A primary school is an institution in which children receive the first stage of compulsory education known as primary or elementary education. Primary school is the preferred term in the United Kingdom and many Commonwealth Nations, and in most publications of the United Nations Educational,...
for years K-7, sporting grounds, and boarding facilities
Boarding house
A boarding house, is a house in which lodgers rent one or more rooms for one or more nights, and sometimes for extended periods of weeks, months and years. The common parts of the house are maintained, and some services, such as laundry and cleaning, may be supplied. They normally provide "bed...
for 137 students. The college has strong ties with Mazenod College where many male students attending St Brigid's Primary School continue their education.
History
St Brigid's College was founded in 1929 by the Sisters of MercySisters of Mercy
The Religious Order of the Sisters of Mercy is an order of Catholic women founded by Catherine McAuley in Dublin, Ireland, in 1831. , the order has about 10,000 members worldwide, organized into a number of independent congregations....
as an extension of the West Perth
West Perth, Western Australia
West Perth is an inner suburb of Perth, the capital city of Western Australia. It is part of the inner mixed zone, and has predominantly office blocks which have displaced residential buildings. There is a high proportion of miners and consultants, and particularly medical specialists, compared to...
convent and college also named after Saint Brigid of Kildare
Brigid of Kildare
Saint Brigit of Kildare, or Brigit of Ireland , nicknamed Mary of the Gael is one of Ireland's patron saints along with Saints Patrick and Columba...
. Construction of the buildings commenced in 1913 for Archibald and Maude Sanderson, and were used as a private day and boarding school for approximately 20 students.
In 1919, at the end of World War I
World War I
World War I , which was predominantly called the World War or the Great War from its occurrence until 1939, and the First World War or World War I thereafter, was a major war centred in Europe that began on 28 July 1914 and lasted until 11 November 1918...
, the buildings were sold to the Red Cross
International Red Cross and Red Crescent Movement
The International Red Cross and Red Crescent Movement is an international humanitarian movement with approximately 97 million volunteers, members and staff worldwide which was founded to protect human life and health, to ensure respect for all human beings, and to prevent and alleviate human...
for use as a hospital. In April 1929, the property was purchased by the Sisters of Mercy. This new school opened on 21 April 1929, with Mother Teresa Rielly and seven sisters providing education to 35 boarding students and three day students.
Campus
St Brigid's College is located in the suburb of Lesmurdie, which is atop the Darling ScarpDarling Scarp
The Darling Scarp, also referred to as the Darling Range or Darling Ranges, is a low escarpment running north-south to the east of the Swan Coastal Plain and Perth, Western Australia...
in Perth, Western Australia
Perth, Western Australia
Perth is the capital and largest city of the Australian state of Western Australia and the fourth most populous city in Australia. The Perth metropolitan area has an estimated population of almost 1,700,000....
. The school falls into the South Ward of the Shire of Kalamunda
Shire of Kalamunda
The Shire of Kalamunda is a Local Government Area in the eastern suburbs of the Western Australian capital city of Perth, located about east of Perth's central business district. The Shire covers an area of , much of which is state forest rising into the Darling Scarp to the east...
.
The campus has been extended over its history as funds and space have become available. A Sisters Convent and Chapel was constructed in 1965 as an addition to the original building, which has been listed with the Heritage Council of Western Australia
Heritage Council of Western Australia
The Heritage Council of Western Australia is the Government of Western Australia agency created to identify, conserve and promote places of cultural heritage significance in the state.It was created under the Heritage of Western Australia Act...
. This was followed in 1990 by the construction of a 157-person Boarding House to the rear of the campus.
The McAuley Wing was constructed in 1999 as a dedicated Technology, Science and Art building. The building is also used by the Senior School as form rooms when not in use for other classes.
one of the college's additions is the Sister Mary Rose Fitness Centre, completed in 2002, which houses an indoor heated swimming pool, sprung dance floor and fitness equipment. The facility is available for paid use by the public.8am-5pm
Community service
St Brigid's contributes to the community through community service activities including school-wide projects such as fundraising and food drives on behalf of charities. Students in years 7 to 12 are also involved in a service-learningService-learning
Service-learning is a method of teaching, learning and reflecting, frequently youth service, throughout the community. As a teaching method, it falls under the philosophy of experiential education...
program called "Mercy In Action - Making A Difference", which encourages the spirit of mercy as espoused by Catherine McAuley
Catherine McAuley
The Venerable Mother Catherine Elizabeth McAuley was an Irish nun, who founded the Sisters of Mercy in 1831...
, the founder of the Sisters of Mercy. This program requires students to complete a number of community service hours each year as part of their Religious Education study. Some of the suggested activities in Years 11 and 12 are blood donation
Blood donation
A blood donation occurs when a person voluntarily has blood drawn and used for transfusions or made into medications by a process called fractionation....
, Red Cross
International Red Cross and Red Crescent Movement
The International Red Cross and Red Crescent Movement is an international humanitarian movement with approximately 97 million volunteers, members and staff worldwide which was founded to protect human life and health, to ensure respect for all human beings, and to prevent and alleviate human...
soup patrol, peer mentoring and assisting community organisations.
House system
The College houses are named after significant persons in the history of the College and the Sisters of Mercy:- McAuley - blue - named after Venerable Catherine McAuley, founder of the Sisters of MercySisters of MercyThe Religious Order of the Sisters of Mercy is an order of Catholic women founded by Catherine McAuley in Dublin, Ireland, in 1831. , the order has about 10,000 members worldwide, organized into a number of independent congregations....
; - Watson - red - named after Mother Bridget Watson, the Congregational Superior who purchased the original buildings from the Red Cross;
- Reilly - purple - named after Mother Teresa Reilly, who was the Mother of the original Sisters working at the school;
- Docherty - green - named after The Docherty family, who provided support for the boarding school, as well as establishing the expansive lawns which provide greenery to much of the campus;
- Shine - yellow - named after Sister Phillip Shine, noted for her contribution to the musical education of the students.
- O'Connor- orange- named after Catherine O'Connor
See also
- Mazenod College, Western Australia - St Brigid's brother school
- List of schools in Perth, Western Australia
- List of schools in Australia
- List of boarding schools