St John's RC High School
Encyclopedia
St John's RC High School is a Roman Catholic secondary school
in Dundee
, Scotland
by Dundee City Council. It was founded early in 1931 by The Marist Brothers
, a group of monks dedicated to the Virgin Mary. The school had 8 houses named after abbeys in Scotland: Balmerino
, Melrose
, Jedburgh
, Lindores
, Paisley
, Kelso
, Iona
and Dunkeld. In July 2011, the House system was streamlined to three houses; Jedburgh, Dunkeld and Melrose
As of September 2007 the school roll was 892 and welcomed pupils from all religious backgrounds. St John's offers a wide range of subjects including Drama, Modern Studies, Philosophy and Technological Studies. Courses are available at a wide range of levels including Access 2/3, Intermediate 1/2, Standard Grade and Higher as well as Advanced Higher in most subjects.
George Haggarty retired as rector in October 2010 and Fiona McLagan has recently joined the school to take over his role becoming the first ever female rector of St. John's. The start of the new session in August 2011 Mr John Carroll took up post as the new rector. John was a deputy head teacher at his former school, Douglas Ewart High School, in Dumfries and Galloway for 8 to 10 years.
for both boys and girls.
In 1916, the managers of the Dundee Catholic schools invited the Brothers to undertake the direction of a secondary school for boys in the city. It was proposed that alterations were made to the Brothers' house in Forebank and a new house built for them. This plan was agreed by the Provincial Council of the Brothers, and by 1918 everything was ready for the final steps to be taken. However when the 1918 Education Act came into force, the diocesan schools were handed over to the local authorities, and the plans for the boys' Secondary School came to naught.
In 1931, a new "Central School" was set up, to take the boys and girls of Post-Primary age who did not continue to Lawside Academy. It was to replace the old Supplementary Classes or Advanced Division which had been housed in the various primary schools. The new school was to be called St John's (after John the Apostle
) and the Marist Brothers were asked to run it. The new school was started in buildings in Park Place, which had recently been vacated by Harris Academy
. Occasionally some classes took place in Artillery Lane and Daniel St.
On 1 November 1967 19 year old Robert Mone
entered a needlework class taken by Nanette Hanson. He was armed with a shotgun and for 1 and half hours subjected the teacher and her pupils to a terrifying ordeal. It culminated in the murder of Nanette Hanson and the rape of a pupil.
Plans for a £11.5 million refurbishment and extension to the Harefield Road building were submitted to the Education Committee of Dundee City Council on 15 November 2004. Work took place between October 2004 and October 2006, by Muirfield (Contracts) Ltd of Dundee, with the school being decanted to the nearby former Rockwell High building in Lawton road. The demolition of the 3 storey teaching block made way for the construction of a new four storey teaching block including a 25 metre 5 lane swimming pool, games hall, community wing and dance studio. The new block contained classrooms for a number of subjects including English, Mathematics, Art, History, Religious Education, Modern Studies, Geography, Computing and Business Studies. There was also a new library, Staff room, offices, Drama Studio and multi-purpose 'learning center'. A number of improvements were made to the Physical Education department with a fitness suite, dance studio, games hall and swimming pool being built. The block to the east of the new building was renamed the Iona bock and was extensively refurbished and now contains the Science Labs and the Home Economics rooms. The new building was officially re-opened by Cardinal O'Brien on 15 February 2007at a final cost of £12.5 million.
Secondary school
Secondary school is a term used to describe an educational institution where the final stage of schooling, known as secondary education and usually compulsory up to a specified age, takes place...
in Dundee
Dundee
Dundee is the fourth-largest city in Scotland and the 39th most populous settlement in the United Kingdom. It lies within the eastern central Lowlands on the north bank of the Firth of Tay, which feeds into the North Sea...
, Scotland
Scotland
Scotland is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. Occupying the northern third of the island of Great Britain, it shares a border with England to the south and is bounded by the North Sea to the east, the Atlantic Ocean to the north and west, and the North Channel and Irish Sea to the...
by Dundee City Council. It was founded early in 1931 by The Marist Brothers
Marist Brothers
The Marist Brothers, or Little Brothers of Mary, are a Catholic religious order of brothers and affiliated lay people. The order was founded in France, at La Valla-en-Gier near Lyon in 1817 by Saint Marcellin Champagnat, a young French priest of the Society of Mary...
, a group of monks dedicated to the Virgin Mary. The school had 8 houses named after abbeys in Scotland: Balmerino
Balmerino Abbey
Balmerino Abbey, or St Edward's Abbey, in Balmerino, Fife, Scotland, was a Cistercian monastic community founded in 1227 to 1229 by monks from Melrose Abbey with the patronage of Ermengarde de Beaumont and King Alexander II of Scotland. It remained a daughter house of Melrose. It had approximately...
, Melrose
Melrose Abbey
Melrose Abbey is a Gothic-style abbey in Melrose, Scotland. It was founded in 1136 by Cistercian monks, on the request of King David I of Scotland. It was headed by the Abbot or Commendator of Melrose. Today the abbey is maintained by Historic Scotland...
, Jedburgh
Jedburgh Abbey
Jedburgh Abbey, a ruined Augustinian abbey which was founded in the 12th century is situated in the town of Jedburgh, in the Scottish Borders just north of the border with England at Carter Bar...
, Lindores
Lindores Abbey
Lindores Abbey was a Tironensian abbey on the outskirts of Newburgh in Fife, Scotland. Now a much reduced and overgrown ruin, it lies on the southern banks of the River Tay, about north of the village of Lindores....
, Paisley
Paisley Abbey
Paisley Abbey is a former Cluniac monastery, and current Church of Scotland parish kirk, located on the east bank of the White Cart Water in the centre of the town of Paisley, Renfrewshire, in west central Scotland.-History:...
, Kelso
Kelso Abbey
Kelso Abbey is what remains of a Scottish abbey founded in the 12th century by a community of Tironensian monks first brought to Scotland in the reign of Alexander I. It occupies ground overlooking the confluence of the Tweed and Teviot waters, the site of what was once the Royal Burgh of Roxburgh...
, Iona
Iona Abbey
Iona Abbey is located on the Isle of Iona, just off the Isle of Mull on the West Coast of Scotland. It is one of the oldest and most important religious centres in Western Europe. The abbey was a focal point for the spread of Christianity throughout Scotland and marks the foundation of a monastic...
and Dunkeld. In July 2011, the House system was streamlined to three houses; Jedburgh, Dunkeld and Melrose
As of September 2007 the school roll was 892 and welcomed pupils from all religious backgrounds. St John's offers a wide range of subjects including Drama, Modern Studies, Philosophy and Technological Studies. Courses are available at a wide range of levels including Access 2/3, Intermediate 1/2, Standard Grade and Higher as well as Advanced Higher in most subjects.
George Haggarty retired as rector in October 2010 and Fiona McLagan has recently joined the school to take over his role becoming the first ever female rector of St. John's. The start of the new session in August 2011 Mr John Carroll took up post as the new rector. John was a deputy head teacher at his former school, Douglas Ewart High School, in Dumfries and Galloway for 8 to 10 years.
History
The Marist Brothers came to Dundee in 1860 and directed the Roman Catholic Primary Schools in the city (St Andrew's, St Mary's Forebank, St Joseph's). At that time, Roman Catholic Secondary Education was provided by the Sisters at Lawside AcademyLawside Academy
Lawside Academy was a state secondary school in Dundee, Scotland. It was a denominational school within the Catholic religious tradition, although it welcomed students from all religious backgrounds. It had a unique claim in that it was the northernmost state Catholic school in Europe. Lawside's...
for both boys and girls.
In 1916, the managers of the Dundee Catholic schools invited the Brothers to undertake the direction of a secondary school for boys in the city. It was proposed that alterations were made to the Brothers' house in Forebank and a new house built for them. This plan was agreed by the Provincial Council of the Brothers, and by 1918 everything was ready for the final steps to be taken. However when the 1918 Education Act came into force, the diocesan schools were handed over to the local authorities, and the plans for the boys' Secondary School came to naught.
In 1931, a new "Central School" was set up, to take the boys and girls of Post-Primary age who did not continue to Lawside Academy. It was to replace the old Supplementary Classes or Advanced Division which had been housed in the various primary schools. The new school was to be called St John's (after John the Apostle
John the Apostle
John the Apostle, John the Apostle, John the Apostle, (Aramaic Yoħanna, (c. 6 - c. 100) was one of the Twelve Apostles of Jesus. He was the son of Zebedee and Salome, and brother of James, another of the Twelve Apostles...
) and the Marist Brothers were asked to run it. The new school was started in buildings in Park Place, which had recently been vacated by Harris Academy
Harris Academy
Harris Academy is a co-educational comprehensive school located in the West End of Dundee, Scotland.-Admissions:The school's current rector is Mr. James Thewliss....
. Occasionally some classes took place in Artillery Lane and Daniel St.
On 1 November 1967 19 year old Robert Mone
Robert Mone
Robert Francis Mone is a Scottish convicted murderer.Mone was born in Dundee and grew up with his parents and two sisters. He claims to have had a dysfunctional home life and traumatic childhood. In 1964 he was expelled from St John's RC High School. He then joined the Gordon Highlanders and...
entered a needlework class taken by Nanette Hanson. He was armed with a shotgun and for 1 and half hours subjected the teacher and her pupils to a terrifying ordeal. It culminated in the murder of Nanette Hanson and the rape of a pupil.
Plans for a £11.5 million refurbishment and extension to the Harefield Road building were submitted to the Education Committee of Dundee City Council on 15 November 2004. Work took place between October 2004 and October 2006, by Muirfield (Contracts) Ltd of Dundee, with the school being decanted to the nearby former Rockwell High building in Lawton road. The demolition of the 3 storey teaching block made way for the construction of a new four storey teaching block including a 25 metre 5 lane swimming pool, games hall, community wing and dance studio. The new block contained classrooms for a number of subjects including English, Mathematics, Art, History, Religious Education, Modern Studies, Geography, Computing and Business Studies. There was also a new library, Staff room, offices, Drama Studio and multi-purpose 'learning center'. A number of improvements were made to the Physical Education department with a fitness suite, dance studio, games hall and swimming pool being built. The block to the east of the new building was renamed the Iona bock and was extensively refurbished and now contains the Science Labs and the Home Economics rooms. The new building was officially re-opened by Cardinal O'Brien on 15 February 2007at a final cost of £12.5 million.