Santa Sabina College

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Santa Sabina College

Motto	Veritas 'Truth'
Established	January 1894
Type	Catholic all-female middle and senior school campuses; co-educational pre and primary school campuses
Principal	Sr. Judith Lawson OP
Chaplain	Rev Fr John Gibson OH
Students	1500
Grades	K�12
Location	Strathfield, NSW Australia
Campus	12 acres
Colours	Green, Cream and Rust
Website	www.ssc.nsw.edu.au

Santa Sabina College is a Roman Catholic, Dominican school located in Strathfield, a suburb in the inner-west of Sydney, New South Wales, Australia. Enrolment is open to males in grades K-4 and females K-12. The college was opened in 1894 as a boarding school for girls, however changing cultural mores led the boarding house to be closed in 1975, from whense the school operated solely as a day-school.

The College has relatively large grounds by Sydney school standards. The Strathfield campus includes a 33m outdoor swimming pool, six tennis courts and three ovals. In 2002 a middle school was established for students in years 6 and 7. In 2005 the Aquinas learning centre was opened, featuring a new state-of-the-art library, lecture theatre and student services facility. The school has its own chapel, which was recently refurbished.

Santa has been recognised as an employer of choice for women by the Equal Opportunity for Women in the Workplace Agency. It is likely that this accolade is due to the College's attempt to nuture female teaching talent and support working mothers (e.g. by establishing an on-site childcare facility (Mary Bailey House) and flexible working hours-jobshare opportunities). The school's placement as a female-friendly workplace is exemplified by the fact that 86% of the 235 staff, and 76% of senior managment, are female. However these figures are not new; since its establishment in 1894 the school has been led and run by women, the majority of whom were religious (Dominican nuns) until the last few decades.

The school encourages its pupils to aspire to personal excellence. Personal excellence is a relevant aspiration for all students regardless of their cognitive ability. This is because it is not limited to the academic, but includes the social and sporting arenas. The ethic of personal achievement, however, is tempered by the teaching that personal progress of any kind need not be at the expense of others. Rather, true success is achieved when one's efforts not only propel their own situation, but that of others.

In 1997 the College's original four-house system (Murangaroo, Lakkari, Timbarra and Kuramin) was replaced by one with six houses. These six houses have been given the following Indigenous names: Gunagulla (blue), Kurrawa (aqua), Mundawora (purple), Teangi (orange), Weelya (green) and Yetinga (red). The houses compete in Swimming, Athletics and Public Speaking.

Another significant event in 1997 was the transformation of the pastoral care/homeroom program from a horizontal to vertical arrangement. This meant that instead of each homeroom sourcing its members from the one year group, each year was represented. The purpose of this change was to encourage sisterly inter-year friendships and school spirit.

The college is a recent member of the Association of Heads of Independent Girls' Schools (AHIGS).

1 Mission
2 Locale
3 School Crest
4 Milestones
5 Notable Alumnae
6 Other Dominican Schools in Australia and New Zealand
7 Associated Schools
8 Other neighbouring schools
9 See also
10 External link

[edit] Mission

The College's Mission is to provide quality education in a caring and supportive Christian faith community.

The Dominican Charism's focus on Education for Justice is given a high priority at Santa Sabina. The College seeks to challenge its students to respond with faith and action to issues of global and local injustice. Students are encouraged to participate in supporting the marginalised, giving active witness to the Gospel values of love, compassion and service.

[edit] Locale

The College is comprised of five campuses: four situated along The Boulevarde in Strathfield, Sydney and an outdoor education campus at Tallong in the Southern Highlands. The four city campuses are Mary Bailey House Early Education Centre (Pre-school), Santa Maria del Monte (Primary school), Martin de Porres (MIddle school) and Santa Sabina (Senior school). St Patrick's College, Strathfield, a Christian Brothers School, is Santa's "brother school".

[edit] School Crest

The backdrop is a black and white shield of the Dominican Order of Preachers. At the base of the shield is the book of Gospels, containing the central motivation of the Order's existence. The rosary beads, held to be Dominican in origin since the 17th century are shown, as is a crown - signifying the joy of eternity. The dog is probably a play on the word "Dominicanes" - "hounds of the Lord".

Tradition holds that (Saint) Dominic's mother had a dream before her son was born that she gave birth to a dog with a torch in its mouth, lighting up the world with the truth of the gospel. The star signifies the compass points that the gospel is to be brought to all corners of the earth. The lily and palm symbolise a life lived with purity of intention and self-sacrifice that others might live.

[edit] Milestones

In 2005, Santa Sabina College celebrated its 110th anniversary, and to celebrate this auspicious occasion a photo was taken of the entire college community, from pre-school students of Mary Bailey House to Nuns living in the College's Convent (located in 'Santa Casa' at the South end of the Santa Sabina Campus along Jersey Road, next to the school's historic building 'Holyrood').

2006 marks the 800th Anniversary of the founding of the Order of Preachers.

From Monday 14 August to Friday 18 August 2006, students from the College appeared on the Channel Seven television quiz show It's Academic.