St Patrick's College, Launceston

St Patrick's College is a coeducational Catholic secondary (7–12) college, located in Launceston, Tasmania. The college has around 1301 students enrolled.

History

St Patrick’s College was established in 1919, as St Patrick's Preparatory College by the Christian Brothers. In 1958, the Christian Brothers opened a new campus for St Patrick’s College at Prospect. This became a secondary College for boys. In 1963 (not correct - Prospect was used before 1963) St Patrick's College moved its secondary classes to Prospect, leaving the city site to St Patrick's Preparatory School. In 1998, the Year 7 classes left the Newstead campus and came to join the other classes at Prospect. The process of amalgamation to a Catholic College on a single campus was complete. The College Crest, designed by staff and students, combines elements of the crests of the three Catholic Colleges that previously existed in Launceston. In 2003 St Patrick's had an enrolment of over 1200, making it the largest secondary school in Tasmania. St Patrick's shares classes with Launceston Church Grammar School and Scotch Oakburn College to offer a wide range of subjects.

The present St Patrick's College began on February 2, 1872 when the Presentation Sisters taught pupils at their convent in Launceston. Sacred Heart School, Launceston was established. The growing need for the education of Catholic children in Launceston was further met by the arrival of the Christian Brothers and the opening of St Patrick's College at York Street on February 3, 1919. The third branch of the threefold educational tradition in Launceston began with the establishment of the St Thomas More's School under the auspices of the Sisters of St Joseph in March, 1938.

The three schools flourished and the Religious Orders made a significant contribution to the Catholic community of Launceston at a time when prejudice and lack of financial assistance from the Government made the education of young Catholic children an important priority but also a difficult enterprise. Despite the hardships of earlier years, the Catholic community of Launceston continued to invest in the education of their children. Further financial strain and the challenges of a more extensive curriculum soon led to an amalgamation of the two secondary girl's Colleges of Sacred Heart and St Thomas More's. On the 3rd of March, 1978, the two schools joined to form Marian College.

In 1984, St Patrick’s became A Co-ed Secondary School. The secondary classes from Marian College were transferred to St Patrick’s. In 1987, St Patrick's Preparatory School (boys, Grade 3-6) joined with Sacred Heart School (co-educational to Grade Two, then girls only) and it continues as a co-educational primary school. In 1998, the Year 7 classes left the Newstead campus and came to join the other classes at Prospect. The process of amalgamation to a Catholic College on a single campus was soon complete.

What had begun in a very humble way with the three religious Orders of the Presentation Sisters, the Christian Brothers and the Sisters of St Joseph is now being carried on by a group of professional lay-teachers committed to the ongoing vision and ethos of Catholic education.

Crest

The college crest, designed by staff and students, combines elements of the crests of the three Catholic colleges that previously existed in Launceston. The three sides of the triangle in the crest represent the three founding orders that were involved in the school (Sisters of St Joseph, the Presentation Sisters, and the Christian Brothers). These three colleges merged to form the present college. The three red flames in the centre of the crest represent the influence of the Holy Spirit on the founding orders, and the circle running through the triangle in the crest represents the unity of the three colleges combined. The chain in the crest symbolises the college's motto, and the cross at the top of the crest represents the Christian faith as fundamental to the college.

Facilities

St Patrick's College is situated on approximately 16 hectares (39 acres) in Prospect, a suburb of the City of Launceston in Tasmania. With over 1200 day students it is the largest school accommodating years 7 through to 12 in Tasmania.

The names of the buildings tell something of the history of Catholic Education in Launceston and the history of the College.

The facilities include:

Chapel Administration Wing - Offices and Reception Brandon Wing - Staffroom, Media, Learning Support Centre Marian Wing - Humanities and Information Technology O'Halloran Wing - Offices and Humanities Art Block - Painting, Ceramics and Photography Home Economics Block (including the Shamrock Room) - Cooking and Catering Guilford Theatre - Performing Arts Wilding Wing - Humanities and Music Tennis Courts D'Arcy Wing - Language and General Science Gowans Room - Dance Williams Wing - Materials and Design Technology Barrett Wing - Gymnasium and Pool - Health and Physical Education Flood Wing - Biology and General Science Chemistry and Physics Block Breach Wing - Mathematics, Study Room and Common Room for Senior Students, Offices Brady Wing - Languages and Careers Howe IT Centre - Information Technology Mary MacKillop Library - Non-fiction and Fiction, Study Area, Tutorial Rooms and Publishing Centre The College also has its own Canteen and Clothing Store and provides car parking for staff and senior students.

As well as the above learning and pastoral facilities, there are ample spaces provided for health and sporting development; students and staff have opportunity to participate and represent the College in swimming, cricket, softball, rowing, tennis, soccer, football, hockey, cross-country and athletics. Recent opportunities have also been available in equestrian, sailing and surfing competitions.

Pastoral Care

Each student belongs to a House Tutor group which meets with the Tutor Teacher each day. The Houses are split up vertically into Tutor groups and include students from Years 7 - 12. The Tutor Teacher and the students stay with that group throughout their time at the College. The Tutor writes an overall term report to go out with reports written by subject teachers.

Career counselling commences in Year 7 and is available through to Year 12. All Year levels receive specific subject choice counselling focusing on Information Evenings. Year 10 students are given personal advice with selection of subjects for senior study. Further help is given for deciding on tertiary education in its many forms. Individual curriculum counselling can also be arranged at any time.

House system

St Patrick's College is divided into four major houses. These are: Mackillop, Tenison, Rice and Nagle. These houses act in the same way as houses do in many other Australian schools and students represent these bodies in school athletics and swimming carnivals as well as various academic competitions. Furthermore, each major house is divided into two sub-houses - Rice Chisolm & Bourke, Mackillop Barry & More, Nagle Rochester & Young, and Tenison Delaney & Cotham. This house system is intwined with the college's pastoral care system through the Tutor groups, Tutor roles and House Head support roles.

References

External links

• St Patrick's College, Launceston website