Principal's Report
Setting foot on new ground
Responding to Bishop Daniel Delany’s call, four courageous and committed Brigidines left Tullow, Ireland, for Echuca and established St. Joseph’s College at 21 Dickson St. Echuca, the former home of Echuca’s founder, Henry Hopwood.
Since March 22, 1886, St. Joseph’s College has provided quality Catholic education to students from the Echuca/Moama region.
In 2014, the Brigidine sisters again displayed courage and commitment by establishing Kildare Ministries, a body that has both Church and civil authority that can more fully involve lay people in the missions of the Brigidine and Presentation Sisters.
For some time now we have known that the Dickson St. campus is too small to cope with the growth in demand for Catholic education in the Echuca/Moama region.
In order to achieve our vision of an inclusive Catholic learning community where all people are valued, where all creation is sacred, where the pursuit of personal excellence is paramount, and where our core values of Wonder, Courage, Justice, Hope, Compassion and Hospitality are our hallmarks, we simply had to find more space. Where is the inclusiveness and hospitality if we cannot welcome all who wish to join our learning community?
In 2017, the St. Joseph’s College community chose to act with the same courage and commitment that has been so well role-modelled for us over the last 133 years.
In 2018, the Future Facilities Steering Committee (FFSC) was formed, and an experienced project manager engaged. The brief was twofold: how to refurbish the Dickson Street Campus, and how to meet the demand for growth. In September 2018 the Kildare Ministries Trustees approved the FFSC’s proposed refurbishment of Dickson Street Campus and the purchase of land for a second campus.
The development of the Master Plan for the refurbishment of the Dickson Street Campus. is well advanced and last week Sr. Louise Cleary, Chairperson Kildare Education Ministries Board, announced the purchase of 80 acres of land on the north-west corner of Stratton Road & Mt. Terrick Road, for the establishment of a Year 7 – 9 campus.
Early consultation for both projects highlighted the need to acknowledge the history and tradition of St. Joseph’s College, Echuca. Unequivocally, who we are will stay the same. Just as the roots of our Oak tree are deep, so also are the values embedded within us over the last 130 years or so by the Brigidines and over 2000 years by the message of Jesus Christ.
Even as we embrace this new opportunity for an expansion of space, opportunity and experience, we remain all part of the one community: St. Joseph’s College.
Our architects, Clarke, Hopkins, Clarke,working closely with landscape architects, Orchard Designs, presented their initial concept plan for the Master Plan of the new site at last week’s announcement.
There was much excitement and positive feedback that they had well and truly given us an excellent start with the way the proposed plan acknowledges our history and tradition.
Both the Dickson Street. and Mt. Terrick Road Master Plans will be on display next Monday, 12 August, at the Public Information Evening at 6pm in the Oak Centre. The architects will describe the rationale behind both plans, in particular for the new site. It would be good to see a large proportion of our community present.
I would like to thank all those who have helped to get this project to this stage. Whilst the real work has only just started, we couldn’t be planning the way that we are now without knowing the address of a new campus.
Thank you also to the staff and students who have returned to Term III and settled down very quickly to providing and making the most of the learning opportunities provided here at St. Joseph’s College.
God bless
Michael Delaney
Principal
