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Seeing the crowds, he went up on the mountain, and when he sat down, his disciples came to him. And he opened his mouth and taught them, saying: Blessed...
By providing engaging, inclusive learning environments that support students to discover their potential, we ensure all students have opportunities to create their own future.
Our teachers are dedicated to ensuring every child has the opportunity to learn, grow and belong. We encourage all of our students to think independently and learn to know, love and respect themselves and others. Catholic schools offer a genuine educational choice to all parents who seek a Catholic education for their children. After all, that is our calling.
REGIONAL OFFICER / Carlo Pardini 0408 924 309
SCHOOL IMPROVEMENT ADVISOR carlo.pardini@cewa.edu.au
ADMINISTRATIVE ASSISTANT Amanda Tuberes 9726 7200
amanda.tuberes@cewa.edu.au
RELIGIOUS EDUCATION Sr Christine Clarke 0410 698 361
CONSULTANT christine.clarke@cewa.edu.au
FIRST NATIONS Leon Ridgeway 0429 022 780
CONSULTANT leon.ridgeway@cewa.edu.au
COMMUNITY LIAISON Sharon Cooke 0418 839 647
OFFICER Sharon.cooke@cewa.edu.au
PSYCHOLOGISTS Alan Power 0497 307 100
alan.power@cewa.edu.au
Dr Kimberlee Burrows 0417 176 874
kimberlee.burrows@cewa.edu.au
Donna Francesconi 9380 1614
Donna.francesconi@cewa.edu.au
Natalie McAllister 9380 1651
Natalie.mcallister@cewa.edu.au
STUDENTS WITH DISABILITIES Deborah Saffy 0487 000 324
CONSULTANTS deborah.saffy@cewa.edu.au
Helen Brown 0448 441 344
helen.brown@cewa.edu.au
SCHOOL SUPPORT CONSULTANTS Jan Flemming 0427 638 140
jan.flemming@cewa.edu.au
Penny King 9726 7206
penny.king@cewa.edu.au
LITERACY COORDINATOR Isabelle Barber 9380 1772
Isabelle.barber@cewa.edu.au
WORK HEALTH AND SAFETY Lee deGrussa 0455 743 566
CONSULTANT lee.degrussa@cewa.edu.au
COORDINATOR SCHOOL SUPPORT Matt Ristovic 9380 1804
ACCOUNTANTS SOUTH WEST matt.ristovic@cewa.edu.au
SCHOOL SUPPORT ACCOUNTANT Sam Chernabaeff 9726 7219
sam.chernabaeff@cewa.edu.au
Supporting
Our schools, colleges and centres offer a genuine educational choice to all parents who seek a Catholic education for their children. In partnership and dialogue with parents and the wider community, Catholic Education contributes to the development of young people.
Our schools, colleges and centres value all human learning and encourage the human quest for truth. They teach and integrate Gospel values such as justice, love, compassion, peace and forgiveness into their life and curriculum. They promote in students a spirit of Christian service and foster in them an understanding of the responsibilities they have to the common good of the wider society. Through our schools, colleges and centres, students are provided opportunities to experience what it means to follow Jesus as members of Catholic communities and parishes.
Catholic schools and centres form young people in Christian discipleship to bring the love, compassion and justice of the Gospel to all and so to contribute to the development of Australian society.
From early beginnings in 1843, when the first Catholic school opened in Perth, Catholic schools in Western Australia have been responsive to the needs of communities – offering a Catholic faith-based education for all who seek it.
Our Catholic schools and centres continue to play a vital role in the mission of the Catholic Church in Western Australia today by demonstrating the Church’s commitment to the dignity of the individual.
The Bishops of Western Australia together establish Catholic Education as part of their pastoral mission to the life of their local dioceses. The Bishops, through the Catholic Education Commission of Western Australia, provide governance for Catholic Education in the state.
St Joseph’s College is a school community focussed on the development of Three-Year-Old to Year Twelve. With Jesus as our role model, we are proud to be an inclusive community where each child and their family are recognised as individuals and as valued members of the College.
Our vision declares our context and our long-term aspiration: In the context of Catholic faith and values, we aspire to be a leader in the development of young people in the Great Southern community.
Our mission and motto ‘Open to Wisdom’ are at the heart of how we bring our vision to life. To be a leader in the region requires a holistic approach to student development, an openness to learning and all in the College community seeking to empower others to reach their full potential.
In partnership with parents and caregivers therefore, we seek to empower all to:
Underpinning our vision and mission is a commitment to our core values. These values guide the way that we go about our daily work.
Our core values are:
St Joseph’s College was founded in 1978 with the amalgamation of Ave Maria College, Pius X and St Joseph’s Primary School. Today it is a co-educational Catholic College that caters for students from the Three-Year-Old Program to Year Twelve. The College now has well developed educational facilities and opportunities for students from Three-Year-Olds to Year Twelve. A unique feature of St Joseph’s College is that every grade in primary and secondary education exists together as one school community creating a very special educational experience for students and staff.
St Joseph’s College is a place where young people are valued for their God-given individual gifts, encouraged to accept responsibility for their actions and challenged to enact Jesus’ Word and deeds.
St Joseph’s Junior School caters for children from Three Year Old to Year Six. It provides a foundation of quality learning. The Junior School provides a learning environment that caters for the spiritual, academic, social, physical, and emotional requirements of early and developing learners. It aims to develop the whole person through academic activities, play, reflection, prayer, music, sports activities and active learning.
Middle Schooling has been implemented at St Joseph’s College after a process involving extensive educational, parental and community consultation. Middle Schooling aims to promote the abilities and talents of students in Years Seven to Nine, in a positive and vital way. It seeks to validate and invigorate a vital stage of life by providing a sound educational context and purpose for young people and their learning. Instead of separating Junior and Senior Schooling as discrete and totally distinct stages of human learning and development, Middle Schooling provides an intermediary phase which draws and builds on the strengths of traditional Junior and Senior Schooling practices, celebrates the Middle School years in their own right and also prepares students for their Senior School studies.
St Joseph’s College Senior School acknowledges that the emotional and psychological needs of adolescents aged between fourteen and seventeen are significantly different from younger children. As a result, educational methodology needs to reflect those needs. Older adolescents need to be exposed to greater freedom and independence in order to achieve personal development and growth. The structure of Senior School addresses these needs. Senior School students are provided with more choices and greater responsibilities.
Our Lady of Mercy College is a welcoming and nurturing co-educational secondary school for students from Year 7 to Year 12.
Situated in a peaceful environment, our beautiful College has been designed with students in mind. It features modern learning environments, an abundance of open space, and excellent sporting facilities.
The Catholic faith, in the Mercy tradition, is at the heart of the College. Our community is guided by Mercy Values that provide students with a strong foundation for life and learning. We are committed to helping young people grow into compassionate, confident individuals who live with purpose and integrity.
Our College philosophy, “Embracing Life, Nurturing Faith, and Inspiring Learning”, shapes all that we do. We encourage students to embrace all aspects of life, to nurture their spiritual journey, and to let their natural curiosity inspire deep learning.
The Sisters of Mercy arrived from Ireland in 1883 with the resolve to bring Catholic education to girls in the coastal community of Bunbury. The Marist Brothers arrived in Bunbury in 1954 and established St Francis Xavier’s boys’ school. By 1973, the two schools amalgamated to form what is known today as Bunbury Catholic College. To cater for growth in population in the community , the School established a second campus in Australind in 2015.
In 2019, the Australind Mercy campus become a standalone college known today as Our Lady of Mercy College with a strong identity linked to the Mercy tradition.
To build a CHRIST centred community that inspires every individual to think, learn & strive for academic excellence
C.H.R.I.S.T Values | |
C | Courage and Compassion |
H | Honouring Each Other |
R | Reverence |
I | Involve and Include All |
S | Seek to Serve |
T | Truth and Justice |
The Bishop directed that a survey be conducted into the feasibility of establishing a parish for the spiritual and pastoral needs of this community. Sister Claude McNamara, of the Presentation Order, already involved in pastoral care amongst the families, undertook the survey together with members of a steering committee. A pathway connecting the school to the church was named in honour of Sister Claude’s early work for the community.
Following the survey, the Bishop expressed a desire to build a Catholic primary school to provide for the needs of Catholic families and to build a parish of its own. The steering committee and dedicated parishioners then set about the task of building a new school.
The first stage of the building programme began in 1985. Parents and parishioners were called upon to move furniture, develop and reticulate the grassed areas, build climbing frames and perform many other tasks. It was a time of great excitement and challenge in which a very special spirit was established and has continued to develop to this day.
And so Leschenault Catholic Primary School was established in 1986 as the culmination of years of planning and hours of voluntary work by groups of people dedicated to Catholic education. Having worked with the community in 1985, Mr David King took up his position of inaugural school Principal. The first school day on Wednesday 5 February 1986 welcomed 68 students from Pre Primary to year three with five staff members, a part-time librarian and a voluntary secretary. Father Pat Rooney, our first Parish Priest, celebrated Masses for the school students and parishioners in the ‘chapel’ – which is now the year one classroom. The Presentation Order continued to be a presence in the school, firstly, with Sister Flora Ricupero and then with Sister Francis O’Halloran until the end of 1988.
In 1987 the community undertook the second stage building programme, completing a multi-purpose room, now our library. This provided a venue for assemblies and became our new ‘chapel’ for school Masses and Paraliturgies and also for weekend liturgies.
In 1989 stage 3 of the building programme was undertaken, completing what is now the intermediate block.
By 1990 the school operated as a single-stream school from Pre Primary to year seven catering to 225 students.
Our Parish Church ‘Christ the Living Vine’ was officially opened on 10 May 1992. Masses and Paraliturgies in the library of the school had become so overcrowded that parents and parishioners, more often than not, found themselves standing and often had to listen to services outside the room.
Stage 4, the second stream Pre Primary, was built in 1993. This building was officially dedicated to the memory of Joe Kelderman. Joe was a member of the steering committee and Foundation School Board Chairman at Leschenault. His vision, enthusiasm and commitment contributed a great deal to the development of the school.
In 1994 two classrooms and a storage area, additions to the junior block, were completed for stage 5 of the building programme. The School Board and P and F Association also took on the building of our undercover area without any financial assistance. This year saw the establishment of a formal school choir and a double stream of year ones. It was also Father Pat’s last year with us.
In 1995 we recognised the 10th anniversary of the school Double streaming continued into year two and Father Kevin Johnston was appointed our new Parish Priest.
In 1996 the sixth building stage was completed incorporating two more classrooms and a toilet area and storage for year six and seven classes. The school continued double streaming to year three. In this year we established our motto to be incorporated onto our school logo – Christianity, Friendship, Respect.
In 1997 Kindergarten for four-year-olds commenced and the school went double stream to year four. In this year we also said farewell to David King, our Foundation School Principal, leaving to take up another Principal’s position in Bunbury. David served our community for 12 years with great leadership, dedicated commitment, enthusiasm and humour.
In 1998 Mr Greg Ward took up his position as Principal at Leschenault. Significant developments in curriculum and technology have been undertaken.
In 1999 two additional classrooms, one of which was designed to be used as a multi-purpose area, were built to accommodate the development of student numbers.
In 2003 the Administration renovated and extended and completed the two stream facilities (less one classroom).
The school had now grown double stream to year seven and had 492 students enrolled
In 2007 Mr Greg Green took up his position as Principal at Leschenault. In 2010 a new Library and Computer Lab were built as well a new area to for our Kindy students. We began a Pre-Kindy Program in 2011.
In 2013 Ms Paula MacKenzie took up her position as Principal at Leschenault. In 2015 the Junior Block Classes were extended to increase the size of the learning area. In 2016 the classes were officially opened for years 1 and 2.
In 2018 Mrs Kerry Hewitson commenced her tenure as Principal and invested heavily in improving the school by partnering with Fogarty Foundation’s EDvance School Improvement Program. Mr Daniel Graves commenced as Principal in 2022.
The growth of the school is a testament to the vision of earlier days and to the dedication, commitment and involvement of a wonderful community of parents, staff, children and parishioners. There has been significant development over the years in the facilities, curriculum, school environment, teaching practice and access to Information Computer Technologies.
St. Mary’s Catholic School is committed to the education of the whole child based on Gospel values and the person of Christ.
We strive for excellence in all areas and involve the parents and community in the education of the children of our school.
We hope to lead the children to an integration of faith, life and learning and in doing so assist them to prepare for their place in society.
This we do in a caring atmosphere where individual needs are catered for in a spirit of compassion, understanding and encouragement.
“Growing Through Christ”
Our School is dedicated to Mary, the Mother of Jesus. Mary leads us to Jesus and asks us to follow Him as she did.
The ‘S’ and ‘M’ on the Crest represent St Mary’s.
It is through the person of Jesus that we grow to be the people God created us to be. He is The Way, The Truth and The Life. We model ourselves on Him and His teachings.
The † symbolises Christ’s love for us and our love for Him.
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St Mary’s school was estbalished in 1957 after Bishop Goody recognised the need to establish a Catholic school in the town of Boyup Brook.
Initially the school was staffed by the nuns of the Presentation Sisters and they remained here until 1990 when the school’s first lay principal was established.
The school initially consisted of two classrooms, a small music room and toilets. Over the years there have been many changes and transformations in terms of the physical layout of the school but the community spirit has remained the same.
Most recently, our school enjoyed a positive re development through the Building and Education Revolution and in 2011 a new Admin building and Library/Multi purpose room was opened. This still remains a focal point within the school.
Currently, our school enjoys well resourced classrom facilities and spacious playground areas.
St Brigid’s School Bridgetown, located in the heart of the South West of Western Australia offers Catholic Education from a 3 year old program through to Year 6, with all single stream classes. We strive to create a learning environment that develops the whole child; and encourages students to grow spiritually, academically, physically, socially, and culturally. We aim to nurture and challenge children in a safe environment with dedicated and experienced staff. Beyond the classroom curriculum, St Brigid’s provides opportunities and support through a variety of programs.
St Brigid’s school was founded by the Mercy Order of Sisters in 1905 and had an opening enrolment of 33 students.
In 1925 the Parish Hall was constructed to serve the growing number of students seeking Catholic education. In 1956 the present school was built and since then has been extended multiple times; 1984, 1990 and 2000. Our current library was built in 2011 as part of the Government ‘Building the Educational Revolution’ program. We have also welcomed the addition of a multi-purpose classroom for art and science in 2022.
In 1981 St Brigid’s appointed their first Lay Principal and by 1989 the Mercy Sisters had left Bridgetown and the convent building was established as a retreat house.
From humble beginnings, St Brigid’s school has thrived, and we now have more than 170 children enrolled from our 3 year old Kindy program to Year 6.
St Michael’s Catholic Primary School is a welcoming community, embracing the Gospel values of faith, hope and love. We provide a Catholic education that nurtures the development of all children to their full potential. Through Christian witness, we offer a safe and supportive environment for the families in our community.
Our Motto
“To act justly, to love tenderly and to walk humbly with your God.” (Micah 6:8)
Our Vision
Our students will become confident and compassionate young adults, inspired by the teachings of Jesus, to make a difference in a changing world.
Our Mission
We strive to be a learning community in the Marist tradition, empowering students to achieve their personal best.
The Sisters of Mercy arrived from Ireland in 1883 with the resolve to bring Catholic education to girls in the coastal community of Bunbury. The Marist Brothers arrived in Bunbury in 1954 and established St Francis Xavier’s boys’ school. By 1973, the two schools amalgamated to form what is known today as Bunbury Catholic College. To cater for growth in population in the community , the School established a second campus in Australind in 2015. In 2019, the Australind Mercy campus become a standalone college known today as Our Lady of Mercy College with a strong identity linked to the Mercy tradition.
Irish born Catherine McAuley founded the Sisters of Mercy order in 1831. Her simple works of extending help to the poor and needy of Dublin spread rapidly throughout the world with the growth of the Mercy Sisters order. In 1883, three Mercy Sisters arrived in Bunbury to pioneer Catholic education and St Joseph’s School was established.
Bunbury Catholic College is part of the Marist Brothers story, which began with our College Patron St Marcellin Champagnat (1789-1840). Ordained as a priest in France in 1816, Marcellin then founded the Marist Brothers to teach and help others, especially the poor.
The Marist Brothers officially opened St Francis Xavier’s College on January 31 1954 under the directorship of Brother Valentine Flynn who was assisted by Brother Martin Munroe. A total of 84 boys were enrolled at the Rodsted Street campus.
The St Joseph’s Catholic Primary School Community continues the mission of our Sisters of Mercy founders.
Staff, students and parents work collaboratively in an inclusive environment to empower the whole child to grow and learn about God, themselves and the world.
Through the provision of excellence in education, the students are supported in becoming compassionate, resilient and active members of their community who have the courage to act on their beliefs.
St. Joseph’s Catholic Primary School is a Christ-centred community, within the Bunbury Parish, which aspires to educate and develop the whole child in a caring, Catholic environment, recognising and respecting the uniqueness, dignity and the rights of others.
St Joseph’s school community is committed to fostering an inclusive learning environment where high expectations and opportunities will produce resilient, life-long learners.
Catholic Education was first established in Bunbury by the Sisters of Mercy in 1898. Their tradition of faith and service was continued when St Mary’s opened in South Bunbury in 1904, and again when the Marist Brothers opened a college for boys in 1954. In 1972 a School Board was formed to review the provision of Catholic Education in Bunbury and to plan for future needs. The following year the college became the co-educational Bunbury Catholic College.
In 1978 the junior school, which had been established at St Thomas’ in Carey Park, was amalgamated with St Mary’s, catering for all the junior primary children in Catholic schools in Bunbury. St Joseph’s, in the centre of town, was the site for middle and upper primary children. The Sisters of Mercy were, by then, ready to move into other areas of service in Bunbury. So the central town site, focused on the old convent, was sold and the present St Joseph’s building was commenced on the boundary of Glen Padden on four hectares of land made available through the generous donation of Deacon Michael and Phyllis Flynn.
The school moved out from town in 1982. In 1985 separate School Boards were formed for secondary and primary schools and over a transitional period, St Mary’s and St Joseph’s developed the resources to accept enrolments for Pre-Primary to year 7 children on each site. At the end of 1992 Bunbury Catholic Primary School ceased to exist and St Mary’s and St Joseph’s became fully independent primary schools.
St Joseph’s is a double stream primary school catering for approximately 500 students. The school is located four kilometres from the main Mass centre, being the St Patrick’s Cathedral site. The school has a purpose-built Chapel which is used for weekly staff prayer and year level liturgies. The covered assembly area is also used for whole school Masses.
During recent years the school has experienced steady student population growth. Strong housing development in the southern Bunbury region, particularly in Dalyellup, has contributed to this growth. Generally, this increase in enrolments has resulted in some classes reaching capacity, with a current waiting list, whilst others are in the vicinity of 30 students.
Students at St Mary’s Catholic Primary belong to a dynamic community. They are inspired, engaged, challenged and nurtured throughout their learning journey. The staff are driven to provide the best possible learning opportunities for every child.
We support and affirm the unique gifts of each person, and the gift of diversity.
We provide opportunities to develop faith in self, in others and in God.
We value and develop the inner strength to venture, persevere and discover.
St Mary’s Church School, in Columba Street, was opened and blessed by Bishop Mathew Gibney in 1904. Two classrooms were added to the original church in 1927 and were used until 1993. From 1955, the original school has been used for church purposes. Catherine McAuley (born Dublin, 1781) founded the Order of Mercy in 1824 to carry mercy to Dublin’s needy. Although it was not established as a religious institute, the order quickly became associated with the Catholic Church. Six Sisters of Mercy were chosen to travel to the colony of Western Australia, arriving in Fremantle on 8 January 1846. They were the first religious order of women in Australia and from Western Australia they established branches in the Eastern colonies. On arrival in Western Australia the Sisters initially lodged with a Protestant lady before moving into a four room cottage in St George’s Terrace, Perth, which became their temporary convent. The sisters soon opened a school for Catholics and Protestants alike, and they also began to take in orphans, including Aboriginal children. In June 1883, the Sisters of Mercy established a branch house in Bunbury. For 14 years, the Sisters occupied a two roomed cottage and taught in a small detached room. [The location of the convent and school room is not known.] To accommodate the increasing number of students, St Joseph’s Hall was built [now demolished]. Bishop Gibney did not approve of the system of branch convents, whereby branches were dependent on the mother house. In accordance with his wishes, the Bunbury convent severed its connections with the Victoria Square community in 1897. At this time, there were four sisters, an assistant and a mother superior in Bunbury. From Bunbury, the Sisters of Mercy established themselves in Bridgetown and in 1915, they were asked by Archbishop Clune to take over the flourishing schools which had previously been run by the Sisters of St John of God in Greenbushes. In 1937 under the direction of the Most Reverend Dr Prendiville, Archbishop of Perth, the Sisters of Mercy in Bunbury and other parts of the State agreed to amalgamate with the Victoria Square convent for the benefits of uniformity in training and facilities for university education. Most agreed to do so at a meeting hosted by Prendiville in Bunbury in 1937. The Sisters of Mercy were mainly known for teaching and nursing but also ran and taught in primary and secondary schools, hospitals, orphanages and Magdalen homes. They are best known for expanding education in Western Australia from one student in 1846 to many schools in the State. On 8 October 1954, the Sisters of Mercy engaged A. D. Dalton to build a new brick convent school at Lot 170 Columba Street at an estimated cost of £7,500. The following year a separate new primary school was completed in Mary Street and the original school building was then used solely for church purposes.
St Mary’s Catholic Primary School is a co-educational Pre-Kindergarten to Year 6 school that offers holistic education, embracing the spiritual, intellectual, physical, social and emotional development of all students.
Serving the parish community of Bunbury, St Mary’s caters for individual needs, offering literacy and numeracy support across all years. The use of Information Technology is integrated into the learning process and social/emotional programs are in place to support the development of resiliency and interpersonal skills.
Inter-house and inter-school competitions are held in athletics, swimming and winter sports, and students have the opportunity to participate in music and performing arts competitions.
St Mary’s has developed a strong sense of community where school, parents, and the parish work together to provide for the needs of students.
We offer an education founded on Gospel Values which encourages students to aspire to our Motto – Respect, Faith Courage – in all facets of their lives.
St Mary’s, in partnership with the Parish, is a community focusing on the development of Faith, enhancing the dignity of the individual and fostering the seeking of truth.
Our school community strives to achieve the full potential of excellence, valuing individual differences as gifts from God.
At St Mary MacKillop College, we seek to choose life in its fullness, not only for ourselves but also for others. The directive to ‘Choose Life’ comes from the Hebrew Scriptures (Deut 30:19), and John’s gospel says of Jesus: “I have come so that you may have life, and have it to the full” (Jn 10:10).
Living with courage challenges us to be passionate people and dare to be even more than we imagined possible. Courage is one of the great qualities of Mary MacKillop that we strive to emulate. It calls for discernment, compassion and integrity, seeking to make a positive difference and transform the world.
St Mary MacKillop College aspires to deliver a quality, holistic education that is grounded in the Catholic tradition for all students who ‘choose life with courage’ in the spirit of Mary MacKillop.
We are committed to the traditions of the Sisters of St Joseph, our patron Mary MacKillop, and the example they provide. We are a welcoming faith community where individuals learn and grow together, embracing life and choosing to serve.
Our school community is committed to fostering a love of learning, the development of the whole person, and openness to meaningful relationships with God, self and others. Our decision making is grounded in our core values — we call these our FIRST principles.
The story of St Mary MacKillop College goes back to 1922, when the Sisters of St Joseph of the Sacred Heart took over a small convent school from the Vasse region.
The first dedicated primary school buildings were officially opened in Busselton in 1954, and the school continued to grow steadily in the parish, moving to its current location in 1987.
In 1994, with strong support from the parish and community, the first Catholic secondary school in the region was built on adjoining land, attracting families from Busselton, Vasse and Dunsborough, as well as Yallingup, Margaret River and Cowaramup, and as far as Capel, Augusta and Nannup. The schools grew and flourished side by side for two decades with a common charism, following the example of Australia’s first saint, Mary MacKillop.
St Joseph’s School and MacKillop Catholic College began the process of amalgamation from 2014, and St Mary MacKillop College opened in 2016 as an outstanding K-12 Catholic College, which has since grown steadily to nearly 1,500 students from Pre Kindy to Year 12.
