MacKillop Catholic College
Encyclopedia
St Mary MacKillop College, formerly known as MacKillop Catholic College, is a Catholic
high school in the Australian capital
of Canberra
, with two campuses in the Tuggeranong Valley. The school is the result of an amalgamation of Padua High School and St. Peter's College in 1998. It is the second largest school in Canberra after Marist College
, and the eighth largest school in Australia. Mackillop College describes itself as a "dynamic and welcoming community where excellence in education is valued". Mackillop College accepts students from year 7 to 12. There are two campuses of St Mary MacKillop Catholic College, the junior campus (years 7 to 9) in Wanniassa and the senior campus (years 10 to 12) in Isabella Plains.
s, with names derived from the language the Ngunnawal people, the local Aboriginal
people.
The uniform of St Mary MacKillop College is primarily in the school colours navy, teal and white. Students wear a summer uniform in the first and fourth terms of the school year, and a winter uniform in the second and third terms. Students in years 11 and 12 wear a separate senior uniform.
, was the founding Principal of St Mary MacKillop College, serving from 1997 to 2003. Moira Najdecki served as Principal at MacKillop from 2004 until 2006. Moria Najdecki left at the end of 2006 to take up the role of Director of the Catholic Education Office. Ms Rita Daniels moved across from St Clare's College
to take up the role of Acting Principal in 2007, returning to be Principal at St Clare's College in 2008. Michael Lee succeeded Rita Daniels as principal beginning in January 2008, having previously held positions at Hennessy Catholic College, Young and Mt Carmel School, Yass.
Paul O'Callagan has been Campus Head at Wanniassa from 2005 till 2008. Mrs Louis White took on campus head in 2009; Sandra Darley has been Campus Head at Isabella from 2008. Each campus also has an Assisant Principal Pastoral Care and an Assistant Principal Curriculum; there is a cross-campus Bursar, and the school also has other executive positions intermittently.
Catholic
The word catholic comes from the Greek phrase , meaning "on the whole," "according to the whole" or "in general", and is a combination of the Greek words meaning "about" and meaning "whole"...
high school in the Australian capital
Australia
Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...
of Canberra
Canberra
Canberra is the capital city of Australia. With a population of over 345,000, it is Australia's largest inland city and the eighth-largest city overall. The city is located at the northern end of the Australian Capital Territory , south-west of Sydney, and north-east of Melbourne...
, with two campuses in the Tuggeranong Valley. The school is the result of an amalgamation of Padua High School and St. Peter's College in 1998. It is the second largest school in Canberra after Marist College
Marist College Canberra
Marist College Canberra is an all-boys independent Catholic school school founded in 1968. The college is situated on 15 hectares and located in the Australian Capital Territory, Canberra. The college provides boys from years 4-12 with a well-rounded education. Founded by Marist Brothers, it...
, and the eighth largest school in Australia. Mackillop College describes itself as a "dynamic and welcoming community where excellence in education is valued". Mackillop College accepts students from year 7 to 12. There are two campuses of St Mary MacKillop Catholic College, the junior campus (years 7 to 9) in Wanniassa and the senior campus (years 10 to 12) in Isabella Plains.
Administration
The College is divided into four houses for administration, pastoral care and extra curricular purposes. These houses - Mindygari, Meup Meup, Gurabang and Ngadyung - represent the four classical elementClassical element
Many philosophies and worldviews have a set of classical elements believed to reflect the simplest essential parts and principles of which anything consists or upon which the constitution and fundamental powers of anything are based. Most frequently, classical elements refer to ancient beliefs...
s, with names derived from the language the Ngunnawal people, the local Aboriginal
Indigenous Australians
Indigenous Australians are the original inhabitants of the Australian continent and nearby islands. The Aboriginal Indigenous Australians migrated from the Indian continent around 75,000 to 100,000 years ago....
people.
The uniform of St Mary MacKillop College is primarily in the school colours navy, teal and white. Students wear a summer uniform in the first and fourth terms of the school year, and a winter uniform in the second and third terms. Students in years 11 and 12 wear a separate senior uniform.
Executive
Sister Noeline Quinnane, a member of the religious order founded by the college's patron Mary MacKillopMary MacKillop
Mary Helen MacKillop , also known as Saint Mary of the Cross, was an Australian Roman Catholic nun who, together with Father Julian Tenison Woods, founded the Sisters of St Joseph of the Sacred Heart and a number of schools and welfare institutions throughout Australasia with an emphasis on...
, was the founding Principal of St Mary MacKillop College, serving from 1997 to 2003. Moira Najdecki served as Principal at MacKillop from 2004 until 2006. Moria Najdecki left at the end of 2006 to take up the role of Director of the Catholic Education Office. Ms Rita Daniels moved across from St Clare's College
St Clare's College, Canberra
St Clare's College is a private, Roman Catholic school catering for girls from years 7 to 12. The college was established in 1965 and is located in the south Canberra suburb of Griffith, Australian Capital Territory, Australia...
to take up the role of Acting Principal in 2007, returning to be Principal at St Clare's College in 2008. Michael Lee succeeded Rita Daniels as principal beginning in January 2008, having previously held positions at Hennessy Catholic College, Young and Mt Carmel School, Yass.
Paul O'Callagan has been Campus Head at Wanniassa from 2005 till 2008. Mrs Louis White took on campus head in 2009; Sandra Darley has been Campus Head at Isabella from 2008. Each campus also has an Assisant Principal Pastoral Care and an Assistant Principal Curriculum; there is a cross-campus Bursar, and the school also has other executive positions intermittently.
Alumni
- Kimberley StarrKimberley StarrKimberley Starr is a novelist who moved to Australia as a young child. She began her education at the Armidale Demonstration School, moving on to Garran Primary School, and Padua Catholic High School, ACT , before completing her secondary education at Loreto Normanhurst...
, the Australian novelist, attended Padua High School from 1982-1985. - Swimmer Katrina Lewis, bronze medalist at the 2008 Summer ParalympicsSwimming at the 2008 Summer ParalympicsThe swimming events of the 2008 Summer Paralympics were held in the Beijing National Aquatics Center between September 7 and September 15, 2008. A total of 140 gold medals were expected to be distributed.-Classifications:...
and finalist at the 2006 Commonwealth GamesAquatics at the 2006 Commonwealth GamesThe Aquatics events at the 2006 Commonwealth Games were held at the Melbourne Sports and Aquatic Centre and were divided into 3 separate disciplines, with medals awarded in 54 events:*Diving *Swimming *Synchronized swimming...
, graduated in 2006. - Kate Taylor, Head newsreader for Canberra's FM104.7 attended St Mary MacKillop College
- Cameron King, St. George Illawarra Dragons
- Theres No John, Band
- Carl ValeriCarl ValeriCarl Valeri is a professional Australian football defensive midfielder who currently plays for Sassuolo in the Italian Serie B...
, Socceroos midfielder - Zed SeseljaZed SeseljaZed Seselja is a Liberal Party Australian politician. He has been a member of the Australian Capital Territory Legislative Assembly since 2004. He has been the territory's 12th Opposition Leader since December 2007, when he was appointed to the position following the resignation of Bill Stefaniak...
, Member of the Australian Capital Territory Legislative Assembly and Leader of the ACT Liberal Party. Zed also worked as a cleaner for the College in 1988.