St Rita's College, Clayfield
| St Rita's College |
| Location |
41 Enderley Rd, Clayfield, Queensland, Australia
|
| Information |
| Motto |
Virtute Non Verbis,
Actions Not Words |
| Patron saint(s) |
St Rita |
| Established |
1926 |
| Principal |
Mrs Dale Morrow |
| Vice principal |
Mrs Cathy O'Kane |
| Vice principal |
Ms Catherine Allen |
| Chaplain |
Fr Bill McCarthy |
| Grades |
8 - 12 |
| Enrolment |
800 |
| School Colour(s) |
Brown █ and White █ |
| Yearbook |
The Annual |
| Newsletter |
Verbis |
| Alumni Newsletter |
Virtute |
| Website |
www.st-ritas.qld.edu.au |
St Rita's College is a Catholic, all-girls high school located in Clayfield, Queensland, Australia.
The school was founded in 1926 and follows in the tradition of the Presentation Sisters, and currently educates approximately 800 girls from grades 8–12.[1]
The school's motto is Latin, Virtute Non Verbis, which translates to English as Actions Not Words.
History
St Rita's College was founded by two Presentation Sisters, Sister Alice Kennedy and Sister Mary Madden, and was established as a kindergarten through to senior school on 27 September 1926. The initial enrolment consisted of 16 students with kindergarten - grade 3 being co-ed and grade 4 - senior girls only. Boarders were accepted from all grades.
By 1960 the primary school grades of St Rita's had been closed, due to the opening of St Agatha's Primary School. By 1970 St Rita's College no longer offered a boarding facility to its students.[2]
School buildings
The school is home to many buildings, both beautiful and architecturally advanced for its time. These include:
- Aqua Rosa Centre: In 2003, the Acqua Rosa Centre was completed – a 25 m x 25 m x 2 m heated pool. Not only is this building state of the art, but it is also aesthetically pleasing. The foyer houses the stained glass windows depicting St Rita’s life as well as the structured glass windows that depict the logo and emblem of each House. The pool itself is inlaid with a stain glass rose. In the beautiful landscaped gardens rests one of the blocks from the old pool.
- Eirene Centre: Construction of the Eirene Centre with its multi-purpose hall, Art classrooms, Film and TV classrooms and function room was completed in 2000. This building also housed a 120,000 litre tank to store storm water from the extensive roof. This water is being used to irrigate the grounds.
- Kennedy Centre: Built in 1938, the Kennedy centre is named after one of the founding sisters of the school and the school's first principal, Sr Alice Kennedy, the centre contains multi-purpose classrooms.
- Nagles Centre: Constructed during the 1970s, the Nagles centre, named after Nano Nagle, houses 4 science laboratories. 1 Junior Science laboratory, 1 Chemistry laboratory, 1 Biology laboratory and 1 multi-purpose laboratory. The centre is also home to many of the school's science pets.
- Presentation Centre: Built in 1995, the Presentation Centre houses the school's Pantry, Computer Laboratories, Hospitality Rooms and Library.
- Sacred Heart Centre: Built in 1964, the Sacred Heart centre contains the school's reception as well as 10 multi-purpose classrooms and a state of the art Physics laboratory.
- Stanley Hall: Built in the late 1880s, and originally the only building on the school's grounds, it was once used to accommodate the 14 nuns that lived at the school in the Presentation Convent. During 2009 the school's nuns chose to move to a more convinent residence, therefore the Convent is not currently in use.
- Trinity Centre: Constructed in the early 1980s the Trinity centre houses the school's auditoriums, concert hall, music room, band room and drama rooms. The centre takes its name from the Father, Son and Holy Spirit Trinity.
Notable alumnae
Sr Elvera Sesta - Principal of St Rita's College - 2008
Eloise Amberger - Olympian, Synchronised Swimming
Judi McCrossin - Writer (The Secret Life of Us)
Zara McKenna - Fashion Designer
References