Star of the Sea College

Coordinates: 37°53′49″S 144°59′49″E / 37.89694°S 144.99694°E / -37.89694; 144.99694
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Star of the Sea College
Address
Map
80 Martin Street

, ,
3186

Australia
Coordinates37°53′49″S 144°59′49″E / 37.89694°S 144.99694°E / -37.89694; 144.99694
Information
TypeIndependent, Catholic, day school
MottoLatin: Facta Non Verba
(Deeds Not Words)
DenominationRoman Catholic (Presentation Sisters)
Established1883
ChairmanVincent Savage
PrincipalMary O'Connor
Years offered7–12
GenderGirls
Enrolment~1,200 (7–12)
Colour(s)Navy blue and red   
AffiliationGirls Sport Victoria
Websitewww.starmelb.catholic.edu.au

Star of the Sea College is an independent, Catholic, day school for girls, located in Brighton, an inner south-eastern suburb of Melbourne, Victoria, Australia.

Established in 1883 by the Presentation Sisters, the college has a non-selective enrolment policy, and currently caters for approximately 1,000 female students from Years 7 to 12.

Star of the Sea is affiliated with the Association of Heads of Independent Schools of Australia (AHISA),[1] the Alliance of Girls' Schools Australasia (AGSA),[2] and is a founding member of Girls Sport Victoria (GSV).[3]

History[edit]

Star of the Sea College was founded by the Presentation Sisters in March 1883. The sisters were asked to come to Australia from Ireland by Father James Corbett, and after establishing the first Presentation Convent and school in Victoria at Windsor (now Presentation College Windsor), they moved to Gardenvale (then known as Elsternwick). The Presentation Sisters from Wagga Wagga in New South Wales, established Star of the Sea College.

The foundresses, Mother John Byrne and Mother Paul Fay, named the school after Our Lady, 'Star of the Sea' when they moved into a house called "Turret Lodge", which had a clear view of a local bay.[4]

Principals[edit]

School Principals
Year Principal
2017–present Mary O'Connor
2006–2016 Sandra Diafas
2005 Kathy Smith (Acting)
1991–2005 Rosalie Jones
1968–70, 1982–90 Sr Josepha Dunlop
1972–78, 1980–81 Sr Paschal Rushford
1971, 1979 Sr Patricia Carroll
1950–51, 1957, 1960, 1965–67 Sr Marie Michael Convery
1941–46, 1952–56, 1958–64 Sr Eymard Temby
1947–49 Sr Leonard Gartlan
1935–40 M. Angela Johnston
1919–22, 1929–34 M. Sebastian Lardi
1923–28 M. Agnes Keane
1914–19 M. Magdalen Keogh
1908–13 M. Aloysius Heenan
1883–1908 M. John Byrne & M. Paul Fay

House system[edit]

The school has four houses through which students engage in inter-house competition and other activities. The house system dates back to the 1930s, when principal Mother Angela Johnston formed Nagle (blue), named after founder of the Presentation Sisters Nano Nagle, and Stella (red), named for the Latin word for "star". Two additional houses were created in 1948: Ave (yellow) draws its name from the Latin word (in reference to "Ave Maria"), and Fay (green) is named for one of the school's two founders, Mother Paul Fay.[4] Each house has its own crest which symbolises the spirit of the house. From years 10 to 12 students participate in a vertical homeroom system in which students from the same house are group together to encourage house spirit.

Sport[edit]

Star of the Sea is a member of Girls Sport Victoria (GSV).

GSV premierships[edit]

Star of the Sea has won the following GSV premierships.[5]

  • Athletics (8) – 2001, 2002, 2003, 2004, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2008
  • Basketball (2) – 2002, 2010
  • Cricket (5) – 2004, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2012
  • Football – 2010
  • Netball (8) – 2005, 2006, 2009, 2010, 2012, 2013, 2014, 2018
  • Soccer (6) – 2001, 2003, 2004, 2007, 2008, 2019
  • Soccer, 5 a Side (2) – 2015, 2016
  • Softball (3) – 2001, 2006, 2007
  • Tennis – 2019
  • Volleyball (3) – 2008, 2011, 2016

ANZAC[edit]

Heritage Kamesburgh Gardens in Brighton, Victoria

Named for the Australian war veterans once housed there, ANZAC is Star of the Sea's Year 9 campus. Located in the Kamesburgh Gardens on North Road, Brighton, the forty-room mansion was built in 1874 and presented as a gift to the Repatriation Department in 1919. It served for a time as ANZAC Hostel before the aged care home relocated to an updated facility in 1996. The mansion was then leased by the college, and opened as a Year 9 campus in 1997.[6]

ANZAC retains a close relationship with the hostel, participating in Remembrance Day ceremonies and a "Companions Program" which allows students to engage in weekly visits with the hostel's residents.

The campus has its own system of four houses, each of which are named after well-known battles or military campaigns fought by Australian soldiers: Kokoda, Gallipoli, Long Tan and Tobruk.[4]

Stacella[edit]

Stacella is the name of the college's a cappella choir. Founded in 1996, Stacella is composed of over 120 students from years 7 to 12, and has performed for primary schools, nursing homes, local festivals, service organisations and corporate clients. The choir holds an annual concert, in which all students perform the repertoire they have learnt during the year. As well as five tours to New Zealand and a trip Fiji, to date, the choir has also released five CDs.[4]

Student-exchange programs[edit]

The school has a student exchange program for German, Italian and Japanese students. Every year girls who are learning a language in the senior years get the opportunity to be part of the student exchange program. Students in years 10 and 11 also are able to go on a study tour to either Italy or Japan.

Notable alumnae[edit]

See also[edit]

References[edit]

  1. ^ "Victoria". School Directory. Association of Heads of Independent Schools of Australia. 2008. Archived from the original on 7 March 2008. Retrieved 28 May 2008.
  2. ^ Butler, Jan (2006). "Member Schools". Members. The Alliance of Girls' Schools Australasia. Archived from the original on 19 May 2008. Retrieved 28 May 2008.
  3. ^ Mawkes, Leonie (2005). "Member Schools". Profile. Girls Sport Victoria. Archived from the original on 7 October 2007. Retrieved 3 October 2007.
  4. ^ a b c d Star of the Sea College website. Retrieved on 2007-20-10.
  5. ^ "Archives » Girls Sport Victoria". Retrieved 28 February 2021.
  6. ^ The ANZAC Experience. Retrieved on 2007-20-10.
  7. ^ a b Green, Jonathan (30 March 2005). "Famous alumni on Latham's hit list". Politics. Crikey. Archived from the original on 26 September 2007. Retrieved 6 August 2007.
  8. ^ Suzannah Pearce, ed. (17 November 2006). "CALLIL Carmen Therese". Who's Who in Australia Live!. North Melbourne, Vic: Crown Content Pty Ltd.
  9. ^ Suzannah Pearce, ed. (17 November 2006). "DARVENIZA Kaye, Hon.". Who's Who in Australia Live!. North Melbourne, Vic: Crown Content Pty Ltd.
  10. ^ Suzannah Pearce, ed. (17 November 2006). "EASSON Mary Louise". Who's Who in Australia Live!. North Melbourne, Vic: Crown Content Pty Ltd.
  11. ^ Suzannah Pearce, ed. (17 November 2006). "FITZ-GERALD Sarah Elizabeth". Who's Who in Australia Live!. North Melbourne, Vic: Crown Content Pty Ltd.
  12. ^ Liberal MP Elizabeth Miller defends her decision not to attend candidate forums

External links[edit]