Clonard College
Encyclopedia
Clonard College is a girls' secondary school located in Geelong West, Victoria, Australia.
Founded and owned by the Brigidine Sisters
in 1956, Clonard College draws its rich heritage from the traditions of Brigidine order.
In 2010, Damian McKew was appointed Principal after spending four and a half years as Principal of Trinity College Colac.
Clonard - as a school - came into existence (officially) in 1956. At the invitation of Father John Tresidder (Manifold Parish Priest), the Brigidine Sisters acquired the Clonard property and retained the name "Clonard" because of the association between Saint Brigid and Saint Finnian of Clonard in fifth century Ireland. There was a crisis in Catholic education at the time as Sacred Heart, Geelong's only Catholic college, was severely overcrowded.
Early in 1956, a group of founder sisters, including the much lauded Sister Lelia Grant, began taking classes at Clonard. In its initial year, Clonard College boasted 40 students.
Clonard College was officially opened on February 9, 1958.
Key moments in the College's development included the simultaneous construction of an assembly hall and library, in 1977, partly funded by the first Federal grant. In 1983, Mr John Shannon became the first full time lay Principal. In the late 1990s Clonard's leadership followed the example of some other Brigidine schools in adopting Co Principalship model when Mrs Vicki Myers (a former Clonard student) joined Mr Michael Doyle in the Co Principal positions.
The late 1990s and early part of the 21st century saw revitalised enrolment growth, accommodated by expansive building programs, delivering a theatre, design education centre, materials technology room, expanded office space, refurbished science facilities, a gymnasium and multi purpose court within the school grounds.
In 2006 Clonard celebrated its 50th anniversary with a range of functions involving past students and key founders. The year of celebration reached its peak with the Anniversary Dinner at Kardinia Park and concluded with the 2006 Celebration of Achievement Evening at Costa Hall, whose theme reflected 50 years of achievement in the name of Clonard.
In physical terms, the College's expansion and development continued with the opening of the newly built two-storey Year 12 Center, containing a number of modern and flexible learning areas and office spaces on its upper floor and the large "Independent Learning Centre", beneath, dedicated to serving the particular personal and academic needs of the College's Year 12 girls.
Early in 2008, the year 7 rooms along Church Street were demolished to allow construction of a modern, two-storey Year 7 Centre, equipped with a range of sustainability technologies. The Year 7 Learning Centre was officially opened on 24 April 2009.
Today Clonard educates close to 800 girls and provides a broad range of VCE studies.
Founded and owned by the Brigidine Sisters
Brigidine Sisters
The Brigidine Sisters are a global Roman Catholic congregation, founded by Bishop Daniel Delany in Ireland on February 1, 1807...
in 1956, Clonard College draws its rich heritage from the traditions of Brigidine order.
In 2010, Damian McKew was appointed Principal after spending four and a half years as Principal of Trinity College Colac.
Clonard - as a school - came into existence (officially) in 1956. At the invitation of Father John Tresidder (Manifold Parish Priest), the Brigidine Sisters acquired the Clonard property and retained the name "Clonard" because of the association between Saint Brigid and Saint Finnian of Clonard in fifth century Ireland. There was a crisis in Catholic education at the time as Sacred Heart, Geelong's only Catholic college, was severely overcrowded.
Early in 1956, a group of founder sisters, including the much lauded Sister Lelia Grant, began taking classes at Clonard. In its initial year, Clonard College boasted 40 students.
Clonard College was officially opened on February 9, 1958.
Key moments in the College's development included the simultaneous construction of an assembly hall and library, in 1977, partly funded by the first Federal grant. In 1983, Mr John Shannon became the first full time lay Principal. In the late 1990s Clonard's leadership followed the example of some other Brigidine schools in adopting Co Principalship model when Mrs Vicki Myers (a former Clonard student) joined Mr Michael Doyle in the Co Principal positions.
The late 1990s and early part of the 21st century saw revitalised enrolment growth, accommodated by expansive building programs, delivering a theatre, design education centre, materials technology room, expanded office space, refurbished science facilities, a gymnasium and multi purpose court within the school grounds.
In 2006 Clonard celebrated its 50th anniversary with a range of functions involving past students and key founders. The year of celebration reached its peak with the Anniversary Dinner at Kardinia Park and concluded with the 2006 Celebration of Achievement Evening at Costa Hall, whose theme reflected 50 years of achievement in the name of Clonard.
In physical terms, the College's expansion and development continued with the opening of the newly built two-storey Year 12 Center, containing a number of modern and flexible learning areas and office spaces on its upper floor and the large "Independent Learning Centre", beneath, dedicated to serving the particular personal and academic needs of the College's Year 12 girls.
Early in 2008, the year 7 rooms along Church Street were demolished to allow construction of a modern, two-storey Year 7 Centre, equipped with a range of sustainability technologies. The Year 7 Learning Centre was officially opened on 24 April 2009.
Today Clonard educates close to 800 girls and provides a broad range of VCE studies.
Clonard's sister schools
There are eight sister schools to Clonard in Australia that also follow the Brigidine Order:- St. Joseph's CollegeSt. Joseph's College, EchucaSt. Joseph's College is a Roman Catholic, co-educational, Secondary College in Echuca, Victoria, Australia. St. Joseph's works under the governance of the Brigidine sisters. The school was established in 1886.-St. Joseph's sister schools:...
, Echuca, VictoriaEchuca, VictoriaEchuca is a town located on the banks of the Murray River and Campaspe river in Victoria, Australia. The Border town Moama is on the northern side of the Murray river in New South Wales. It is the administrative centre and largest settlement in the Shire of Campaspe...
(1886) - Marian CollegeMarian College (Ararat)Marian College is a Roman Catholic, co-educational secondary day school in Ararat, Victoria, Australia.Established in 1955, Marian College works under the governance of the Brigidine sisters....
, Ararat, VictoriaArarat, VictoriaArarat is a city in south-west Victoria, Australia, about west of Melbourne, on the Western Highway on the eastern slopes of the Ararat Hills and Cemetery Creek valley between Victoria's Western District and the Wimmera...
(1889) - Brigidine College, Randwick, New South WalesRandwick, New South WalesRandwick is a suburb in south-eastern Sydney, in the state of New South Wales, Australia. Randwick is located 6 kilometres south-east of the Sydney central business district and is the administrative centre for the local government area of the City of Randwick...
(1901) - Kilbreda CollegeKilbreda CollegeKilbreda College is a Roman Catholic private girls secondary college located in Mentone, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia. It was founded in 1904 by The Brigidine Sisters and is administered by the Brigidine Order. In 2004 Kilbreda celebrated its centenary....
, MentoneMentone, VictoriaMentone is a suburb in Melbourne, Victoria, Australia, 21 km south-east from Melbourne's central business district. Its Local Government Area is the City of Kingston...
(1904) - Killester CollegeKillester CollegeKillester College is a Roman Catholic girls secondary college in Springvale, Victoria, Australia. Killester works under the governance of the Brigidine Sisters...
, Springvale, VictoriaSpringvale, VictoriaSpringvale is a suburb in Melbourne, Victoria, Australia, approximately 20 km south-east from Melbourne's central business district. Its Local Government Area is the City of Greater Dandenong...
(1955) - Marian CollegeMarian College (Sunshine West)Marian College is a Roman Catholic girls secondary college in Sunshine West, Victoria, Australia. Marian College works under the governance of the Brigidine Sisters...
, Sunshine West, VictoriaSunshine West, VictoriaSunshine West is a suburb 13–16 km west of Melbourne, Victoria, Australia. Its Local Government Area is the City of Brimbank. At the 2006 Census, Sunshine West had a population of 15,906.Sunshine West is a residential and industrial area...
(1958) - Kildare CollegeKildare CollegeKildare College is a Roman Catholic secondary college for girls in Holden Hill, South Australia. The school works under the governance of the Brigidine Sisters and was established in 1966.- Houses :Kildare has four houses...
, Holden Hill, South AustraliaHolden Hill, South Australia- Government :Holden Hill is in both the City of Port Adelaide Enfield and City of Tea Tree Gully local government areas, and is in both the South Australian House of Assembly electoral districts of Florey and Torrens. It is also in the Australian House of Representatives Division of Sturt.The...
(1966) - Brigidine College, St Ives, New South WalesSt Ives, New South WalesSt Ives is a suburb on the Upper North Shore of Sydney in the state of New South Wales, Australia. St Ives is located 18 kilometres north of the Sydney Central Business District in the local government area of Ku-ring-gai Council...
(1954)
See also
- List of schools in Victoria
- Victorian Certificate of EducationVictorian Certificate of EducationThe Victorian Certificate of Education or VCE is the credential awarded to secondary school students who successfully complete high school level studies in the state of Victoria, Australia. Study for the VCE is usually completed over two years, but it can be spread over a longer period in some cases...
- Vocational Education and Training
- Victorian Certificate of Applied LearningVictorian Certificate of Applied LearningThe Victorian Certificate of Applied Learning is a 'hands-on' option for students in Years 11 and 12 in Victoria, Australia.The VCAL gives students practical work-related experience, as well as literacy and numeracy skills and the opportunity to build personal skills that are important for life...