St Paul’s Catholic College at Booragul will host an information evening and guided tours of the newly expanded school’s facilities next week.
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The open evening, to be held on Thursday, March 15, is for any interested locals, including the families of prospective students.
Principal Graeme Selmes said the high school’s makeover had been accompanied by a name change and rebranding.
Founded on Primrose Street, in 1984, as St Paul’s High School, the school has this year been renamed St Paul’s Catholic College.
“For whatever reason, our founders did not see fit to include ‘Catholic’ in our name,” Mr Selmes said.
“Our community recognised this and a survey was commissioned in early 2017. The overwhelming majority felt that it was important to celebrate our Catholic foundations and the name St Paul’s Catholic College was chosen.”
Mr Selmes said the new name was just one of the changes students were enjoying.
“The college’s new administration and classroom block began formal operations after a two-year build. And in the next few weeks, the new chapel will be completed with stained glass windows of St Paul, along with the four house patrons, and it will become the college’s centre of prayer and reflection, with the capacity to hold up to 120 people,” he said.
“Eight new air-conditioned, flexible learning spaces will be commissioned with state-of-the-art Promethean smart television/computer boards to work with the full wireless technology that is employed at the college.”
The new additions would complement the recently completed Damascus Centre, which houses the college library and multiple flexible learning spaces, he said.
“We have always been proudly Catholic, serving parishes from St John Vianney, in Morisset, to the south to St Kevin’s, in Cardiff, and out to St Benedict’s, at Cameron Park and Edgeworth,” Mr Selmes said.
“The proud catholic heritage has been the cornerstone of who we are, making us unique as a place for families to send their children for a quality education that is underpinned by our faith in Jesus.”
He said the college had a fine record of academic achievement with graduates consistently gaining “excellent marks in the HSC with recent ATARS of over 95”.
“Our students enjoy entry into Newcastle University as well as universities Australia wide,” he said.
“The college also has excellent links to industry though our trade training centres as well as links to the various TAFE centres and other training organisations in the greater Newcastle area.”
The college was also a nurturing environment, he said.
“Along with the excellence in the education the students receive, the staff at St Paul’s work tirelessly to promote a safe and welcoming community for all. St Paul’s is proudly a Catholic college and believe in the dignity and wellbeing of all members of its community,” Mr Selmes said.
The college was now inviting applications in all years, he said.
On Thursday, the first student-led tour of the school will set off at 4.30pm.
Tours will then be held every half hour until 7pm.
Each faculty of the college will be represented, and a barbecue will operate for the benefit of visitors.
To register your interest in attending the open evening, visit the college’s website booragul.catholic.edu.au/
