Four regional Catholic schools in South Australia have enjoyed their first weeks as expanded Reception to Year 8 schools.
The schools welcomed their first cohort of secondary students in Years 7 and 8 at the start of this term.
Congratulations to:
The growth will see each school offering Reception to Year 9 education, with Year 9 added from 2023.
This will take the total number of Reception to Year 9 schools in regional SA to five including St Barbara’s Parish School in Roxby Downs which already offers a R to 9 education.
To provide the secondary education curriculum, each school has opened a specialised learning facility that include areas for Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) and Arts, and incorporate outdoor spaces designed to cater for the diverse and specific needs of young adolescents.
Tom Gilligan, Assistant Principal Middle Years, St Joseph’s School Clare said there was a huge feeling of excitement and pride at the school as they opened their new facility to Year 7 and 8 students on January 31.
“The building looks beautiful. The students recognise the new building is a new opportunity and a new beginning. They are enjoying using the open library and working in the breakout spaces. They have brought the energy to the building and are already feeling at home.”
Rebecca Fahey, principal, St Joseph’s School Peterborough said their first day of 2022 came with pride and excitement as they welcomed the first group of secondary students into the brand new Tenison Woods Centre.
“Our secondary learning space is fantastic. The students are thriving in their new environment and think that it is very special to have such a wonderful, bright, new learning space and to be the first students to engage in learning in this building.”
The expansions are part of a system strategy to extend pathways in regional areas to high quality Catholic education in preparation for transition to senior secondary years.
There were previously no secondary Catholic education pathways for families and students in these regional areas.
Nichii Mardon, Director, Catholic Education Diocese of Port Pirie, said a thorough consultation process in these communities confirmed that there was a strong desire for their children to remain within their familiar school communities as they prepare for senior secondary education options.
“Parents told us they desire their children to stay at their school for Year 7 to 9 because of the overall focus on the kids, not just on the academic but on their wellbeing, and now that opportunity exists. They still have their friends, and all the wonderful values and community culture continues into their secondary education”.
The Reception to Year 9 model also enables schools to provide personalised learning and care for children aged up to 15.
“Adolescence is a time of significant developmental change and students in Year 7 to 9 are ready for more independence and increased responsibility. They require personalised schooling, where academic and personal growth is nurtured in ways that are relevant to stages of development”, said Nichii.
“This approach enables strong spiritual, learning and wellbeing support and a smooth transition to senior secondary years, through specialist teachers, tailored curriculum and custom-built facilities.”
The expansions further strengthen the educational offering to students at the schools, some of which have provided Catholic education for over 150 years.
Michelle Miller, principal, St Mary MacKillop School Wallaroo said their expansion has built on the high-quality education and pastoral care that was already provided at St Mary MacKillop.
“We are excited to be able to offer specialist facilities to cater for the specific learning needs of our new secondary students.”
From 2023 of the 19 regional Catholic schools throughout SA:
We are pleased to introduce Trish Jarvis, Executive Officer of Catholic School Parents SA (CSPSA). The establishment of CSPSA was announced by the South Australian Commission for Catholic Schools (SACCS) in November 2020.
