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Santa Sabina College

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Coordinates: 33°52′39″S 151°5′42″E / 33.87750°S 151.09500°E / -33.87750; 151.09500
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For other uses, see Santa Sabina (disambiguation).

Santa Sabina College
1894 Santa Sabina College building, pictured in 2007
Location
Map
Strathfield, Inner West Sydney and
Tallong, Southern Highlands, New South Wales

Australia
Coordinates33°52′39″S 151°5′42″E / 33.87750°S 151.09500°E / -33.87750; 151.09500
Information
TypeIndependent co-educational and single-sex early learning, primary, and secondary day school
MottoLatin: Veritas
(Truth)
Religious affiliation(s)Dominican Order
DenominationRoman Catholic
EstablishedJanuary 1894; 130 years ago (1894-01)
Educational authorityNew South Wales Department of Education
OversightArchdiocese of Sydney
ChairpersonKitty Guerin
PrincipalPaulina Skerman
Staff~127[2]
YearsP–12
Gender
Enrolment$8,290–$24,480[1] (2020)
Campus
Campus typeSuburban and regional
Colour(s)Black, white and red    
SloganShake the world
NicknameSanta
Affiliations
Brother schoolSt Patrick's College, Strathfield
Websitewww.ssc.nsw.edu.au
Map

Santa Sabina College (abbreviated as Santa, Santa Sabina or SSC) is a multi-campus independent Roman Catholic, single-sex, early learning, primary and secondary day school for girls from Year 5 to Year 12; and a co-educational day school from early learning years through Prep to Year 4. Located on eight hectares in Strathfield, an inner-western suburb of Sydney; and on 97 hectares in Tallong, in the Southern Highlands of New South Wales, Australia; students are educated in the Dominican tradition. Established in 1894, Santa Sabina has a non-selective enrolment policy and as of 2007 catered to approximately 1,400 students.[3]

The College is owned by the Congregation of Dominican Sisters of Eastern Australia and the Solomon Islands[4] and located within the Archdiocese of Sydney.[5] The College is affiliated with the Association of Heads of Independent Schools of Australia (AHISA),[6] the Junior School Heads Association of Australia (JSHAA)[7] and an affiliate member of the Association of Heads of Independent Girls' Schools (AHIGS).[8] The College Principal is Paulina Skerman.

History

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Eight Dominican sisters arrived from Ireland in 1867, to establish schools for Catholic children in New South Wales. Subsequently 3 hectares (6.5 acres) of land and a house in Strathfield were purchased from a wine-grower, Harold Lindeman. Santa Sabina College was established on this site in January 1894, with seven day students. The first three boarders were enrolled in April of that same year.[9]

Although the College saw its first student matriculate in 1906, it was not officially recognised as a secondary school until 1912, with the passing of the New South Wales Bursary Act. Organised sport was first introduced in 1918, with Tennis the most popular sport at the time.[9]

In 1936, Santa's most prominent building, Holyrood—originally built as Illyria by industrialist Charles Hoskins in the early 1890s—was purchased from William Adams of the Tattersall's Hotel. The carved sandstone facade came from the City Bank building in Moore Street (now Martin Place). This building was used as the College boarding house until boarding ceased in 1976. The building now houses the College music department.[9] The Del Monte property, located across the road from the College, was leased in 1949, with the first primary school students taking up residence later that year. In 1950, the owner of the property, Mary Bailey, died, leaving the property to the Sisters. Del Monte was subsequently renamed Santa Maria del Monte. Santa Maria del Monte was expanded in 1968, with the purchase of Lauriston,[9] which had been the home of the Presbyterian Ladies' College, Sydney during the Second World War.[10] This purchase provided the school with a sports ground and additional classrooms.[9]

In 1991 the campus was used as the backdrop for the Australian TV series Brides of Christ.[11]

1996 saw the establishment of the Out of School Hours Centre (OOSH), and in 1997, a property at Tallong was purchased for outdoor education. In 1998, Mary Bailey House was opened as an Early Childhood Centre, and in 2002 classes for Years 6 and 7 commenced at the middle school campus, Martin De Porres.[9]

Santa Sabina is recognised as an employer of choice for women by the Equal Opportunity for Women in the Workplace Agency.[12]

Principals

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The following individuals have served as Principal of Santa Sabina College:

Ordinal Officeholder Term start Term end Time in office Notes
1 M. Bertrand Walsh 1894 1894 0 years [8]
2 M. Pius Collins 1895 1900 4–5 years
(1) M. Bertrand Walsh 1901 1906 4–5 years
(2) M. Pius Collins 1907 1913 5–6 years
3 M. Teresa Casey 1914 1922 7–8 years
4 M. Philippa Byrne 1923 1924 0–1 years
5 M. Gonsalvo Byrne 1925 1929 3–4 years
6 M. Benignus Baker 1930 1930 0 years
7 M. Concepta O'Donohue 1931 1935 3–4 years
(4) M. Philippa Byrne 1936 1941 4–5 years
8 M. St John Hewit 1954 1960 5–6 years
9 M. St Luke McKervey 1961 1964 2–3 years
10 Diana Woods (M. Julie) 1965 1967 4–5 years
11 Anne Banfield (M. Joseph) 1968 1970 1–2 years
(10) Diana Woods (M. Julie) 1973 1973 0 years
12 Mary Britt (M. Reginald) 1971 1972 0–1 years
13 Delma Richardson (M. Leo) 1974 1979 4–5 years
14 Rosemary Lewins 1980 1986 5–6 years
15 Judith Lawson 1987 2007 19–20 years
16 Kate Clancy 2008 2012 3–4 years
17 Maree Herrett 2012 2019 11–12 years
18 Paulina Skerman 2020 – 3–4 years

The current principal, Ms Skerman was previously, the principal at an independent, Catholic, girls’ secondary day and boarding school for 5 years.[13] She is a member of the Australian Heads of Independent Schools and the Alliance of Girls’ Schools Australasia. In 2017, she was named as a Finalist in the Telstra Business Women’s Award for leading growth and inclusivity through innovation.[13]

Campus

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The College comprises five campuses: four situated along The Boulevarde in Strathfield, and an outdoor education campus at Tallong in the Southern Highlands of New South Wales. The four city campuses are Mary Bailey House Early Education Centre (Pre-school), Santa Maria del Monte (Primary Years) and Santa Sabina (Middle and Senior Years). Santa Maria del Monte also takes boy students from Kindergarten to Year 4,[14] with most boys then continuing on to St. Patrick's College to complete their schooling.

The Strathfield campus includes a 33-metre (108 ft) outdoor swimming pool, six tennis courts, three ovals and a chapel. In 2002, a Middle School was established for students in Years 6 and 7. In 2005 The Aquinas Centre was opened, featuring a library, lecture theatre and student services facility.

Co-curricular activities

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Debating

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The College debating activities include: The Archdale Competition for Years 7 to 12, against twenty similar type independent girls' schools; the AHIGS Festival of Speech; the Catholic Schools' Debating competition; Schools' Speaking competition; the Catholic Schools' Speaking competition; the Junior Legacy Speaking competition; Senior Plain English Speaking competition; and the Rostrum Voice of Youth Competition.[15]

Middle and Secondary School students participate in social debates with schools such as St Gregory's College, Campbelltown, Saint Ignatius' College, Riverview, and St Vincent's College, whilst the Primary and Middle School debate MLC School and PLC Sydney.[15]

Debating and Public Speaking is also offered through inter-house competitions.[15]

Arts

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Santa Sabina is seen as the sister school to St Patrick's College. As such the two schools combine drama classes to stage shows, and musicals.[16]

Sport

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The sporting program at Santa Sabina includes: School sporting clubs, Saturday and midweek competitions, gala days, and representative opportunities up to national level. Each year the College takes about 2500 sports registrations for approximately 85 sports competitions and activities across 22 sports.[17]

Controversies

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The school was the subject of international news coverage following the suicide of Charlotte O’Brien, a 12-year-old student enrolled at the school, following allegations of years of “relentless bullying” in September 2024.[18][19] The school administration was accused of failing to respond to reports of the bullying, and public outcries mounted over the school’s alleged inaction in the aftermath.[18][20] In the days following, some former and current parents and students of the school have come forward to question the school’s handling of the incident and whether enough was being done to tackle the issue of bullying.[18][21]

A former staff member at the school took their own life earlier in 2024 and had informed their family there was “a culture of bullying at the school”.[22]

Principal Paulina Skerman responded to these reports, "suggestions of a culture of bullying at the college are confronting and go against the very fabric of our faith and the way we live our lives” clarifying, "they are certainly contrary to what we have witnessed in our community over the last few weeks."[23][19] Skerman said the allegations are “new claims to the College and are not consistent with school records,” though O’Brien’s parents said they sent several emails to the school, the first in August 2022, that “begged” the school to intervene.[19][18][24]

Notable alumni

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Notable staff

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Wikimedia Commons has media related to Santa Sabina College.
  • Lauriston
    Lauriston
  • A sculpture in the College grounds, pictured in 2007
    A sculpture in the College grounds, pictured in 2007
  • A College building, pictured in 2007
    A College building, pictured in 2007
  • Holyrood
    Holyrood
  • Brunyarra
    Brunyarra

See also

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References

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  1. ^ "2020 Fee Schedule".
  2. ^ "Annual Report 2006" (PDF). About Us. Santa Sabina College. 2007. Archived from the original (PDF) on 28 August 2007. Retrieved 11 December 2007.
  3. ^ "Overview". About Us. Santa Sabina College. 2007. Archived from the original on 27 September 2007. Retrieved 11 December 2007.
  4. ^ "Governance and Policies". ssc.nsw.edu.au.
  5. ^ "Directory of Schools for the Archdiocese of Sydney. Head Nun Kate is a charming lady with quite the personality which resonantes with her work in the community". Our Parishes. Archdiocese of Sydney. Retrieved 11 December 2007.
  6. ^ "AHISA Schools". New South Wales. Association of Heads of Independent Schools of Australia. November 2007. Archived from the original on 13 July 2007. Retrieved 19 June 2007.
  7. ^ "JSHAA New South Wales Directory of Members". New South Wales Branch. Junior School Heads' Association of Australia. 2007. Archived from the original on 17 January 2008. Retrieved 11 December 2007.
  8. ^ a b "Heads of New South Wales Independent Girls' Schools". About AHIGS. Association of Heads of Independent Girls Schools. Retrieved 11 December 2007.
  9. ^ a b c d e f "Our History". About Us. Santa Sabina College. 2007. Archived from the original on 2 September 2007. Retrieved 11 December 2007.
  10. ^ McFarlane, John (1988). "War And Disruption 1942–1945". The Golden Hope: Presbyterian Ladies' College, Sydney 1888–1988. Croydon, NSW: P.L.C Council, Presbyterian Ladies' College, Sydney. pp. 89–98. ISBN 0-9597340-1-5.
  11. ^ Brides of Christ
  12. ^ "Santa Sabina College" (PDF). Organisational Profile. Equal Opportunity for Women in the Workplace Agency. Retrieved 11 December 2007.
  13. ^ a b "Meet the Principal - Santa Sabina College". www.ssc.nsw.edu.au. Retrieved 5 January 2021.
  14. ^ Santa Maria del Monte Archived 5 August 2012 at archive.today
  15. ^ a b c "Debating". Co-Curricular. Santa Sabina College. Archived from the original on 21 July 2006. Retrieved 11 December 2007.
  16. ^ College Musicals Archived 22 August 2011 at the Wayback Machine
  17. ^ "Sport Overview". Sport. Santa Sabina College. Archived from the original on 14 July 2006. Retrieved 11 December 2007.
  18. ^ a b c d Lewin, Rhiannon (29 October 2024). "Parents of schoolgirl who took her own life dismayed after meeting with Santa Sabina College principal". Seven News. Retrieved 29 October 2024.
  19. ^ a b c Ayoub, Sarah (21 September 2024). "'Unless parents are pushing the issue, it can fizzle out': what to do if your child is bullied at school". The Guardian. Retrieved 29 October 2024.
  20. ^ Hathaway-Wilson, Joseph (26 September 2024). "Parents of 12-year-old Charlotte O'Brien pay tribute to daughter after reported bullying and suicide". ABC News. Retrieved 29 October 2024.
  21. ^ Evans, Jack (22 September 2024). "12-year-old Santa Sabina College student's heartbreaking message to parents". news.com.au. Retrieved 29 October 2024.
  22. ^ Baker, Jordan (18 September 2024). "The death that shocked Sydney and puts a school's actions in the spotlight". The Sydney Morning Herald. Retrieved 29 October 2024.
  23. ^ Patel, Vinay (1 October 2024). "Who Is Charlotte O'Brien: Cause Of Death, Who Bullied Her And What You Need To Know". International Business Times UK. Retrieved 29 October 2024.
  24. ^ Magennis, Molly (23 September 2024). "Father of girl who took her own life after alleged bullying slams Santa Sabina College". 7News. Retrieved 29 October 2024.
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