| St. Kevin's College, Oamaru | |
|---|---|
| Location | |
| 57 Taward Street Oamaru, New Zealand |
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| Information | |
| Type | Integrated co-educational secondary |
| Motto | Latin: Facere et Docere ('To Do and To Teach Through Service to Others') |
| Established | 1927 |
| Founder | His Lordship The Most Rev. James Whyte |
| Ministry of Education Institution no. | 369 |
| Headmaster | Brent Russell, B.A., Dip.Ed., Dip.Tch. |
| Chaplain | The Very Rev. Fr Wayne Healey |
| Grades | Years 9-13 |
| Enrolment | 411 (2011) |
| Affiliations | Roman Catholic, Christian Brothers, Dominican Sisters |
| decile rating (10 is high) | 7 |
| Website | www.stkevins.school.nz/ |
St Kevin's College in Oamaru, New Zealand was founded in 1927. It is a Catholic school run by the Christian Brothers and Dominican Sisters for boaders and day students. St Kevin's became a co-educational school in 1983.
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Although the establishment of a Catholic boarding school for boys in Otago had been mooted as early as 1890, it was not till 1925 that the project was seriously taken in hand. The Bishop of Dunedin, His Lordship Most Rev. James White, called for the co-operation of the Christian Brothers, who for many years had conducted a school in Dunedin, to which for some years a hostel was attached. Various sites were inspected by the Bishop and the Provincial of the Christian Brothers, Rev. Br P. I. Hickey. Finally "Redcastle" was settled on as being most suitable.
In 1925 the Church authorities purchased the homestead and property on which the college now stands, including 40 acres (160,000 m2) of land for 8000 pounds securing an option over ten additional acres, which were purchased for 1000 pounds in 1928.
In May 1926 Rev. Br Moore came to Dunedin to organise a bazaar and art reunion to defray the expenses of the new foundation; and Rev. Br Dowd toured the country districts soliciting donations. These joint operations resulted in a nett return of 7000 pounds. That same year building operations began under the supervision of Rev. Br Prunster.
The solemn blessing and opening of the new college, named St. Kevin's after the great founder of the monastery and school of Glendalough, took place on Sunday, 6 February 1927. Present were Archbishops Redwood and O'Shea, Bishops Whyte, Cleary, Brodie and Liston, the Reverend Fathers Lynch, C.Ss.R., Goodman, M.S.C., Dr. Geaney, O'Reilly P.P., Collins, Fenelon, McGettigan, Monaghan, Scanlan and Findlay. Among the some 2,500 laity present were contingents from Dunedin and adjoining parts of both provinces.
In February 1983 St Kevin’s became co-educational with the introduction of boarding and day female students. This step came at the same time as Integration into the state education system.
Until 1979 girls boarded at Teschemakers, about 12 km south of Oamaru. When Teschemakers closed the St Thomas’s Hostel Trust was formed and it bought flats in Balmoral St. These were used for girls boarding until 1984 when the hostel moved onto the former junior college site. Today, under the direction of the St Kevin’s College Foundation, it can accommodate over 100 girl boarders.
More buildings, new library, administration block, technical block, gymnasium, art and music suites and refurbished hall, bring us to the present day.
In 1996 the College appointed its first lay Principal as Mr Justin Boyle succeeded Brother Joe Lauren who had been the thirteenth and longest serving Rector. In 2002 the second lay Principal, Mr Brent Russell was appointed. The Christian Brothers handed the school to lay management ending a 75 year presence at Redcastle.
The Christian Brothers remain the school’s proprietors, and look forward to a future of promise and challenge for the college, under the leadership of Mr Colin Brent Russell.
In 2007 the school had a roll of 437 students (Girls 53%; Boys 47%). Its ethnic composition was New Zealand European/Pākehā 89%; Māori 8%; Pacific 1%; Asian 1%; Other1%. Forty-two percent of students are accommodated in St Kevin’s College Hostel, the largest co-educational boarding facility in the South Island.[1]
For senior years the school offers the National Certificate of Educational Achievement assessment system (NCEA). In 2007 the school was the third-highest achieving school in Otago, outperforming both other Oamaru High Schools.
Further information and some biographical details see: Congregation of Christian Brothers in New Zealand
In 2001 The Christian Brothers left their Oamaru base at Recastle, which is on the site of the College. The last Christian Brother to teach was Brother Tony Sisson, who left at the end of 2001. In 2002 the Brothers handed the school over to lay management.
The last Christian Brother to be Rector was Brother B J Lauren, B.A., T.T.C., Dip.Cat., Dip.R.E., Dip.Ed., 1980 - 1996. He was the 13th and longest serving Rector. He relinquished the Rectorship half way through 1996 to become Leader of The Christian Brothers Province in New Zealand.
The last Christian Brother to be on the Senior Management/Administration team at the College, holding the positions of Senior Administrator and Dean of Year 13, was Brother Frank W. Perkins, B.Sc., A.T.C.L., T.T.C. He left in 1999 to become Principal of Nukutere College in Rarotonga, Cook Islands.
In 1983 the Dominican Sisters came to the College when it amalgamated with St Thomas' and Dominican College, Teschmakers, girls' schools. The three sisters to come to the College were Sr Joan T.Dip.T., T.Dip.P.S., Dip.R.E., Sr Catherine-Laboure Dip.R.E., T.T.C. and Sr Madeliene, B.A., Dip.Cat., Dip.Tch.
Sister M. Therese and Sr Bennett were on the Board of Truetees in the late 1980s and early 1990s although they never taught at the College.
Sr Catherine-Laboure, who was Head Mistresss of St Thomas', took up the positions of Senior Mistress and Director of Religious Studies and Christian Living. Sr Madeliene took up the post of Dean of Form 3 (Year 9). The Dominican Sisters have now left the College and until the end of 2008 there were Sisters on the Board of Trustees
In 1996 the College appointed its first lay Principal, Justin Boyle, B.A., Dip.T. In 2002 Brent Russell was appointed as the 15th Principal and second lay Principal.
The first Lay Deputy Principal was Mr K. C. Walker, BA, DipArts, DipRE, DipTch appointed in 1985 as he succeeded Br. I. T. Mahon MA (Hons), BSc, DipSocSci, TTC.
The First Senior Mistress (Assistant Principal) was Mrs J. I. Palmer, BBS, DipComT, TTC, DipTch appointed to the position in 1987. The last Brother to hold the position of Senior Master was Bro. D. M. Murray, TTC., who held the position from 1975 until 1994. He was also Boarding Master up until 1992 when he relinquished that position.
Lay staff and these days lay management and principals have become necessary in Christian Brothers schools because of the ageing congregation, lack of recruits and the requirements of the Private Schools Conditional Integration Act 1975.
The first lay person to be the Director of Religious Studies and Head of Special Character was Mr James Barns BA, MA (Theology), TTC, as he succeeded Bro Michael McMenamin MA (Hons). Mr J. Barnes was appointed in 1988. He held the position for nearly ten years, when he returned to his native America during 1997. Karen Austin, the year 9 Dean at the time.
The Director's of Religious Studies for 2008 were:
Mrs M. J. Burton MREd, BEd, TTC, DipTch, DipEvn, DipHSc (1st Half of the year)
Mr A. J. Mullally BTheol, DipThSt, DipTch, NZCD (Arch) (2nd Half of the year)
The role was shared as Karen Austin was appointed to the Position of Assistant Principal of the college and a permanent replacement had not yet been found.
Culture is a large part in the life of a St Kevin's College student. Major cultural events on the SKC calendar include:
The College has produced 19 Christian Brothers and 7 Brothers belonging to other Religious Orders, 101 Priests, 1 Bishop, 1 Archbishop (who was also a cardinal). In sport, 1 Silver Fern and 7 All Blacks (including 3 captains) have been students at St Kevin's.
Notable former students include:
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