History:
Catholic education in Collingwood dates back to 1855 when the first Catholic school opened in Ryrie St (now Alexander Parade). Other schools subsequently opened in Budd St in 1857 and Wellington St in 1858. Later in 1858 the three schools merged to form the Stanley St Catholic School and in 1860 all of the girls moved to the present site in Otter St and the boys to Moor St, Fitzroy, combining with the Collingwood Quarries School (which had opened in 1855 in Kerr St, Fitzroy).
In 1861 the west nave of St Joseph’s Church in Otter St was opened as a school/church. In 1886 the school moved into the present hall building. In 1891 the Sisters of Charity came to St Joseph’s and stayed until 1993 when the first lay principal was appointed. In 1904 the present Junior School building was completed and in 1912 the Senior School block was built.
Description:
St Joseph’s is an inner-city school in Collingwood. Rich in history, we are a welcoming community, working together to provide a safe and happy learning environment. Our purpose is to nurture our faith in the context of the Catholic Tradition. At the heart of this is living the Gospel values of Jesus Christ in our care for each other.
As a learning community with high expectations, we encourage everyone to become informed, confident, thinking, skilled and just. We recognise and cater for individual differences and create a secure environment where learning from each other is valued.
Our programs are dynamic and designed to give every student the opportunity to experience success. Celebrating the unique qualities of each person, we nurture growth, acceptance, respect and care for all. We are enriched by the cultural and spiritual diversity which is evident in the life, values and enthusiasm of our community. At St Joseph’s School we share an excitement about life and a belief that each one of us, as members of society, has the ability to make a difference. (Vision Statement).
Features:
St Joseph’s School is one of three non-government schools across Australia to win a National Award for Excellence in Literacy Teaching (2001). We also won a Literacy Award from the State Government in the same year.
St Joseph’s has adopted two very strong initiatives developed by the Catholic Education Office Melbourne – Children’s Literacy Success Strategy (CLaSS) and Success in Numeracy Education (SINE). Both programs have markedly improved learning outcomes for students.
The curriculum at St Joseph’s School is based on an integrated approach with a strong emphasis on developing skills. We support and address individual needs, interests, abilities and learning styles through a developmental approach. We support children with high learning potential, and those who experience learning difficulties engage in Intervention Programs (e.g. Reading Recovery, Corrective Reading) and work from Individual Learning Plans.
When we plan learning experiences we take into account various cultural and other perspectives, e.g. Aboriginal and Asian Perspectives, Environmental Education, Civics and Citizenship.
St Joseph’s School has specialist Music and Physical Education programs. These, in addition to computer skills and Italian, are taught at all levels. Parental involvement is strongly encouraged in all school activities, especially our Classroom Helpers Program and our Parent Forums.