St Scholastica's College
Encyclopedia
St Scholastica's College (commonly referred to as Schols), is a day
and boarding
, Roman Catholic
school for girls, located in Glebe Point
, an inner-city suburb
of Sydney, New South Wales
, Australia
.
Established in 1878 by the Sisters of the Good Samaritan
, the College
provides a moderately-priced Catholic-based education to girls from inner-Sydney and rural New South Wales, and currently caters for approximately 860 students from Years 7 to 12, including 80 boarders from international, remote and urban areas.
St Scholastica's is a school of the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Sydney
, and is affiliated with the Australian Boarding Schools' Association (ABSA).
St Scholastica's College prides itself on its Benedictine values of Harmony, Compassion, Stewardship, Hospitality and Wisdom, which can be seen throughout the school, its teachers and its students. St Scholastica's also holds importance on creating strong young women through education, its well-resourced faculties providing many opportunities for girls from Year 7 right through to their completion of the HSC in Year 12. This could be seen through the College's 2007 HSC results where it was ranked 75th in the state by the Daily Telegraph and Sydney Morning Herald. The College was again ranked within the top 200 schools in NSW for the 2008 HSC.
A distinctive feature of the College's curriculum is the Wychwood Independent Learning Centre - a lovely old cottage on the College site housing an independent learning centre where students can undertake project-based learning in subjects such as Elective History, Elective Geography, Aboriginal Studies and Philosophy.
The uniform was officially changed at the start of 2008 in a refreshment of the school, which includes the addition and refurbishment of many new buildings and the embracement of new technologies such as interactive whiteboards and sets of laptop pods. Stage 2 of this building plan was completed by the end of 2008, ready for the 2009 school year. The new Benedict Learning Centre includes the Subrata Technology Resource Centre, a computer lab, two seminar rooms and a refurbished library as well as new staff facilities.
The College is well known for its work in indigenous education, supporting indigenous girls through specialised teaching, subjects and bursaries. The College's indigenous population is far greater than most other schools in the area and, because of this, the school was featured on the ABC's '7:30 Report' in July, 2008. The Year 12 class of 2007 decided that for their gift to the school, they would set up a fund for indigenous education which has been developing through 2008. The school also pays great importance to NAIDOC week, 'Make indigenous poverty history week' and many other campaigns for the health and financial positions of Indigenous Australians.
St Scholastica’s College also offers an extensive international program - it welcomes students from other countries at all year levels, from Year 7 to Year 12 as day students or boarders. The College has much to offer international students and prides itself as a multicultural establishment advocating friendship, tolerance and understanding. Every second year the College celebrates Multicultural Day, a day-long festival of food, costume and dance from the many cultures that make up the College.
The College is a sister school to other Good Samaritan schools in Australia and overseas - St Marys Star of the Sea College (Wollongong NSW), Mater Dei School (Camden, NSW) Mt. St. Benedict College (Pennant Hills NSW), Stella Maris College (Manly NSW), Rosebank College (Five Dock NSW), St. Patrick’s College (Campbelltown NSW), Mater Christi College (Belgrave VIC), Santa Maria College (Northcote VIC), Lourdes Hill College (Hawthorne QLD), Seiwa Junior and Senior High School (Sasebo Japan), Kinder School (Bacolod, Philippines).
in 1878, on a site in Pitt Street
where Sydney's Central Railway Station
now stands.
In 1901, in order to make way for the development of the railway station, the college moved to its current site in Glebe Point
, taking only the historic front gates (which are now positioned at the entrance to the school) and several stained glass windows. The Glebe Point site was previously the Toxteth Park Estate
, a property built in 1829 by John Verge
, and owned by George Allen (1800–1877), the first solicitor to be trained in Australia.
, and is divided into 3 dorms, for Years 7-8, 9-10 and 11-12. Students in Years 7-10 are housed in rooms of two, while senior students have single rooms.
The College operates its carnivals and other house events under 4 houses which are named after notable people in the schools history:
Each year the house with the most points wins the House Spirit Cup. House points are awarded to students for swimming and athletic carnival participation and spirit, and for participation in a vast range of extra-curricular and co-curricular activities.
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
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...
, Roman Catholic
Roman Catholic Church
The Catholic Church, also known as the Roman Catholic Church, is the world's largest Christian church, with over a billion members. Led by the Pope, it defines its mission as spreading the gospel of Jesus Christ, administering the sacraments and exercising charity...
school for girls, located in Glebe Point
Glebe Point, New South Wales
Glebe Point is a locality in the suburb of Glebe, in the Inner West of Sydney, in the state of New South Wales, Australia.- External links :*...
, an inner-city suburb
Suburb
The word suburb mostly refers to a residential area, either existing as part of a city or as a separate residential community within commuting distance of a city . Some suburbs have a degree of administrative autonomy, and most have lower population density than inner city neighborhoods...
of Sydney, New South Wales
New South Wales
New South Wales is a state of :Australia, located in the east of the country. It is bordered by Queensland, Victoria and South Australia to the north, south and west respectively. To the east, the state is bordered by the Tasman Sea, which forms part of the Pacific Ocean. New South Wales...
, Australia
Australia
Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...
.
Established in 1878 by the Sisters of the Good Samaritan
Sisters of the Good Samaritan
The Congregation of the Sisters of the Good Samaritan is a Roman Catholic Congregation of religious women commenced by , Australia’s first Catholic bishop, in Sydney in 1857. The congregation was the first religious congregation to be founded in Australia. The sisters form an apostolic institute...
, the College
College
A college is an educational institution or a constituent part of an educational institution. Usage varies in English-speaking nations...
provides a moderately-priced Catholic-based education to girls from inner-Sydney and rural New South Wales, and currently caters for approximately 860 students from Years 7 to 12, including 80 boarders from international, remote and urban areas.
St Scholastica's is a school of the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Sydney
Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Sydney
The Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Sydney is a Latin rite metropolitan archdiocese, located in Sydney, New South Wales, Australia.Erected in 1842 and directly responsible to the Holy See, the Archdiocese is responsible for the suffragan dioceses of Armidale, Bathurst, Broken Bay, Lismore,...
, and is affiliated with the Australian Boarding Schools' Association (ABSA).
St Scholastica's College prides itself on its Benedictine values of Harmony, Compassion, Stewardship, Hospitality and Wisdom, which can be seen throughout the school, its teachers and its students. St Scholastica's also holds importance on creating strong young women through education, its well-resourced faculties providing many opportunities for girls from Year 7 right through to their completion of the HSC in Year 12. This could be seen through the College's 2007 HSC results where it was ranked 75th in the state by the Daily Telegraph and Sydney Morning Herald. The College was again ranked within the top 200 schools in NSW for the 2008 HSC.
A distinctive feature of the College's curriculum is the Wychwood Independent Learning Centre - a lovely old cottage on the College site housing an independent learning centre where students can undertake project-based learning in subjects such as Elective History, Elective Geography, Aboriginal Studies and Philosophy.
The uniform was officially changed at the start of 2008 in a refreshment of the school, which includes the addition and refurbishment of many new buildings and the embracement of new technologies such as interactive whiteboards and sets of laptop pods. Stage 2 of this building plan was completed by the end of 2008, ready for the 2009 school year. The new Benedict Learning Centre includes the Subrata Technology Resource Centre, a computer lab, two seminar rooms and a refurbished library as well as new staff facilities.
The College is well known for its work in indigenous education, supporting indigenous girls through specialised teaching, subjects and bursaries. The College's indigenous population is far greater than most other schools in the area and, because of this, the school was featured on the ABC's '7:30 Report' in July, 2008. The Year 12 class of 2007 decided that for their gift to the school, they would set up a fund for indigenous education which has been developing through 2008. The school also pays great importance to NAIDOC week, 'Make indigenous poverty history week' and many other campaigns for the health and financial positions of Indigenous Australians.
St Scholastica’s College also offers an extensive international program - it welcomes students from other countries at all year levels, from Year 7 to Year 12 as day students or boarders. The College has much to offer international students and prides itself as a multicultural establishment advocating friendship, tolerance and understanding. Every second year the College celebrates Multicultural Day, a day-long festival of food, costume and dance from the many cultures that make up the College.
The College is a sister school to other Good Samaritan schools in Australia and overseas - St Marys Star of the Sea College (Wollongong NSW), Mater Dei School (Camden, NSW) Mt. St. Benedict College (Pennant Hills NSW), Stella Maris College (Manly NSW), Rosebank College (Five Dock NSW), St. Patrick’s College (Campbelltown NSW), Mater Christi College (Belgrave VIC), Santa Maria College (Northcote VIC), Lourdes Hill College (Hawthorne QLD), Seiwa Junior and Senior High School (Sasebo Japan), Kinder School (Bacolod, Philippines).
History
St Scholastica's College was founded by the Sisters of the Good SamaritanParable of the Good Samaritan
The parable of the Good Samaritan is a parable told by Jesus and is mentioned in only one of the Canonical gospels. According to the Gospel of Luke a traveller is beaten, robbed, and left half dead along the road. First a priest and then a Levite come by, but both avoid the man. Finally, a...
in 1878, on a site in Pitt Street
Pitt Street, Sydney
Pitt Street is a major street in central Sydney, New South Wales, Australia. The street runs through the entire city centre from Circular Quay in the north to Waterloo, although today's street is in two disjointed sections after a substantial stretch of it was removed to make way for Sydney's...
where Sydney's Central Railway Station
Central railway station, Sydney
Central Railway Station, the largest railway station in Australia, is at the southern end of the Sydney CBD. It services almost all the lines on the CityRail network, and is the major terminus for interurban and interstate rail services...
now stands.
In 1901, in order to make way for the development of the railway station, the college moved to its current site in Glebe Point
Glebe Point, New South Wales
Glebe Point is a locality in the suburb of Glebe, in the Inner West of Sydney, in the state of New South Wales, Australia.- External links :*...
, taking only the historic front gates (which are now positioned at the entrance to the school) and several stained glass windows. The Glebe Point site was previously the Toxteth Park Estate
St Scholastica's (Toxteth Park), Glebe, Sydney
Toxteth Park is an historic house that now houses St Scholastica's College, Glebe in Sydney, New South Wales. It was built in 1829 by the Australian architect John Verge and is listed by the New South Wales Heritage Council as a building of historical significance...
, a property built in 1829 by John Verge
John Verge
John Verge was an English architect, builder, pioneer settler of New South Wales, who migrated to Australia and pursued his career there. Verge was one of the earliest and the most important architect of the Greek Revival in Australia. He also brought more comprehensive range of Regency style than...
, and owned by George Allen (1800–1877), the first solicitor to be trained in Australia.
Boarding
St Scholastica's College houses up to 80 boarders, coming from metropolitan, rural and overseas homes. 'Schols' is renowned for housing and educating girls from isolated and rural locations, who would otherwise be unable to attend the school. The boarding house is located on campus, in GlebeGlebe
Glebe Glebe Glebe (also known as Church furlong or parson's closes is an area of land within a manor and parish used to support a parish priest.-Medieval origins:...
, and is divided into 3 dorms, for Years 7-8, 9-10 and 11-12. Students in Years 7-10 are housed in rooms of two, while senior students have single rooms.
Sporting
The College quietly excels in sport with a large sport program. The water polo, touch football, netball and soccer teams all do exceptionally well, playing in the Catholic Girls Schools Secondary Sports Association (CGSSSA) competitions and in local competitions on weekends.The College operates its carnivals and other house events under 4 houses which are named after notable people in the schools history:
- Davis - Yellow
- Vaughan - Red
- Ullathourne - Green
- Polding - Blue
Each year the house with the most points wins the House Spirit Cup. House points are awarded to students for swimming and athletic carnival participation and spirit, and for participation in a vast range of extra-curricular and co-curricular activities.
Notable alumnae
- Basia A'HernBasia A'HernBasia A'Hern is an Australian actress. She is well known for her roles on television shows, including, The Sleepover Club, McLeod's Daughters, Out of the Blue, Don't Blame the Koalas, and Double Trouble....
– Actress - Jennifer Anne Alexander – Chief Executive OfficerChief executive officerA chief executive officer , managing director , Executive Director for non-profit organizations, or chief executive is the highest-ranking corporate officer or administrator in charge of total management of an organization...
of the Australian Institute of ManagementAustralian Institute of ManagementThe Australian Institute of Management is Australia's largest professional body for managers. The sole purpose of AIM is to promote the advancement of education and learning in the field of management and leadership for commerce, industry and government. It is not for profit entity with branches...
, New South Wales and the Australian Capital TerritoryAustralian Capital TerritoryThe Australian Capital Territory, often abbreviated ACT, is the capital territory of the Commonwealth of Australia and is the smallest self-governing internal territory...
; Chairman of Gondwana Voices (also attended Rosebank CollegeRosebank CollegeRosebank College is a private, co-educational, secondary Catholic day school in the Benedictine tradition, located in Five Dock, an inner-western suburb of Sydney, New South Wales, Australia....
) - Mabel Eileen Furley OBE – Member of the NSW Legislative CouncilNew South Wales Legislative CouncilThe New South Wales Legislative Council, or upper house, is one of the two chambers of the parliament of New South Wales in Australia. The other is the Legislative Assembly. Both sit at Parliament House in the state capital, Sydney. The Assembly is referred to as the lower house and the Council as...
(1962–64); Foundation member of the Liberal PartyLiberal Party of AustraliaThe Liberal Party of Australia is an Australian political party.Founded a year after the 1943 federal election to replace the United Australia Party, the centre-right Liberal Party typically competes with the centre-left Australian Labor Party for political office...
; Chairman of the Federal Women's Committee of the Liberal Party of AustraliaFederal Women's Committee of the Liberal Party of AustraliaThe Federal Women's Committee of the Liberal Party of Australia was formed in August 1945 at the inaugural meeting of the party's Federal Council. That year the influenctial lobby group The Australian Women's National League merged with the Liberal Party, and as a result the Federal Constitution... - Melina MarchettaMelina MarchettaMelina Marchetta is an Australian writer and teacher. She is the middle child of three daughters. Melina is best known as the author of Looking For Alibrandi. She has twice been awarded the CBCA Book of the Year for Older Readers, in 1993 and 2004.- Biography :Melina Marchettaborn in Sydney on 25...
– Author - Malarndirri (Barbara) McCarthy - an Australian politician who has represented Arnhem in the Northern Territory Legislative Assembly since 2005. School captain in 1998.