GOOD NEWS: A rich history, builds a foundation for the future in St Kilda
January 27, 2021

Christian Brothers College (CBC), located in St Kilda, is stepping into a reimagined future. After 142-years of rich history as an all–boys school, it will open the doors this week as a coeducational school and be renamed St Mary’s College. 


This significant step in the school’s history has been spurred on by the growing demand in the inner South East of Melbourne for co-educational schools, alongside the opportunity that presented itself with the closure of sister school, Presentation College. 

St Mary’s College will continue to foster a strong community where everyone knows one another. The four touchstones of (1) inclusive community, (2) liberating education, (3) social justice and (4) gospel spirituality will continue to be the heartbeat of the school. Students from different backgrounds and life experiences will always be embraced. 


To support the college in their new chapter, Catholic Development Fund (CDF) provided a loan for a much needed and impressive school renovation. Andrew O’Brien, college business manager, says “the presentation of the campus is very important in living out the deep values that the school stands for and this renovation, gave us space for greater connections.” 


The upgrade included a multi-purpose room, air-conditioning throughout the building, a student plaza, classrooms and a very special space dedicated to teachers. The renovation of the staffroom was particularly important to the school to show staff appreciation for their leadership. 


Andrew says, “we wanted to give back to teachers because they go through a lot. Staff work hard so we wanted to show them our support through this renovation by giving them modern amenities and a nice environment to walk into each day.” 


Classrooms were redesigned, so they became modernised, yet at the same time the paid homage to the history of college. The most impressive aspect of the school upgrade is the student plaza. An area that was once dark and dingy has now been transformed into a lively, bright and light space. This versatile and flexible area acts not only as an assembly area but has multi-purpose rooms, a commercial grade kitchen, tuck shop and is adaptable for community group use. 


CDF has had a long-standing relationship with CBC and now looks forward to the future with St Mary’s College. Andrew O’Brien says, “CDF has gone above and beyond in giving us guidance, advice and support. Personally, in my professional career, working with CDF has been one of my best experiences.”



“There is no doubt that the school has greatly benefited and transformed from the refurbishment. We are a school not just about numbers but about our community, and the school upgrade and re-enlivened learning spaces reflect this ideal. CDF has been our key partner in achieving our redevelopment goals. Being a Catholic organisation, they understand our Catholic ethos and values”, he says. 

  • Pictured: St Mary’s College ready for Term 1 2021

    Write your caption here
    Button

  • Pictured: St Mary’s College ready for Term 1 2021.

    Write your caption here
    Button

Share this article:

Related articles

Is My Data Safe? - Lessons to Learn from the CrowdStrike Outage

By Seth Khouri • August 16, 2024
A Major IT Outage: What Happened? On July 19, 2024, a significant IT outage disrupted services worldwide. Banks, healthcare facilities, emergency services, and payment systems faced interruptions, causing widespread business closures and even flight cancellations. This global incident left many travelers stranded and businesses scrambling to restore operations. What is CrowdStrike? CrowdStrike is a leading American cybersecurity company specialising in software to monitor and detect cyber threats. Their flagship product, Falcon EDR (Endpoint Detection and Response), acts like a powerful antivirus tool. It detects and mitigates security threats, alerting of potential hackers. During a recent update, it caused many computers to crash, resulting in the infamous Blue Screen of Death (BSOD) on Windows systems. Given that Microsoft systems constitute about 70% of desktop operating systems worldwide, the effects of this outage were extensive, impacting millions globally. * Is My Computer Safe? The good news is that CrowdStrike's products are primarily used by organisations, not individual home users. If you are using regular antivirus and anti-malware programs, you would not have been affected by this outage. However, it raises an important question: what can I do to prepare for future outages?

Saint Ignatius College, Geelong embraces the flame and follows the footsteps of Mary MacKillop with the opening of a new senior learning centre

By Seth Khouri • August 9, 2024
On the third floor of the MacKillop Senior Centre at Saint Ignatius College Drysdale, on the Bellarine Peninsula, a small group of students take up positions in a comfortable alcove outside the main classrooms. Some pull tables together and spread-out folders and books, others face each other in pairs in animated discussion, while others work in contented independence on their laptops. The centre, completed in March 2024, and its many well-designed informal and formal learning spaces, is part of a broader vision that helps achieve the college’s mission to provide the best quality co-educational Catholic education in the Geelong region. “It’s a beacon of opportunity and collaboration”, says College Principal Michael Exton.

Celebrating Unity and Culture: 2024 CDF Wardandi Gift

By Michelle Ross-FitzGerald • July 9, 2024
At the heart of the vibrant South West region of Western Australia, a special event unfolded on May 9, 2024, that showcased the beauty of unity, culture, and community spirit. St Mary’s Catholic Primary School in Bunbury emerged victorious in the CDF Wardandi Gift, held on the grounds of Bunbury Catholic College . Created in 2023 to celebrate Bunbury Catholic College’s 50th anniversary, this year’s event was a wonderful culmination of hard work by college event coordinator Michael Chappel and Indigenous Student Coordinator Tobie Watson. The CDF Wardandi Gift was more than just a relay race. It was a celebration that brought together approximately 200 students from five primary schools: St Mary’s and St Joseph’s Catholic Primary Schools in Bunbury , Our Lady of Lourdes Primary School in Dardanup , St Mary’s Primary School in Donnybrook , and Djidi Djidi Aboriginal School in Bunbury . These schools gathered on Albert Oval for a day filled with activities that honored Aboriginal culture. The event was not just a celebration of culture, but also a reflection of Catholic values. It emphasised the importance of community, respect, and inclusivity, core tenets of our faith. As Pope Francis often reminds us , "The Church is a community of those who have encountered Jesus Christ and have made a commitment to follow him." The CDF Wardandi Gift embodied this spirit of community and commitment. It was a day where many came together to honor the rich cultural heritage of our Aboriginal brothers and sisters, recognising the divine presence in every culture and tradition.
More

CDPF Limited, a company established by the Australian Catholic Bishops Conference, has indemnified the Catholic Development Fund ABN 15 274 943 760 (the Fund) against any liability arising out of a claim by investors in the Fund. In practice, this means your investment is backed by the assets of the Catholic Archdiocese of Melbourne. The Fund is required by law to make the following disclosure. Investment in the Fund is only intended to attract investors whose primary purpose for making their investment is to support the charitable purposes of the Fund. Investors’ funds will be used to generate a return to the Fund that will be applied to further the charitable works of the Archdiocese of Melbourne and the Dioceses of Sale and Bunbury. The Fund is not prudentially supervised by the Australian Prudential Regulation Authority nor has it been examined or approved by the Australian Securities and Investments Commission (ASIC). An investor in the Fund will not receive the benefit of the financial claims scheme or the depositor protection provisions in the Banking Act 1959 (Cth). The investments that the Fund offers are not subject to the usual protections for investors under the Corporations Act (Cth) or regulation by ASIC. Investors may be unable to get some or all of their money back when the investor expects or at all and investments in the Fund are not comparable to investments with banks, finance companies or fund managers. The Fund’s identification statement may be viewed here or by contacting the Fund. The Fund does not hold an Australian Financial Services Licence.