Parramatta Marist High School
Encyclopedia
Parramatta Marist High School is the oldest Catholic school
in Australia
.
Parramatta Marist began as a school established by Father John Therry in 1820, under the direction of Mr George Morley. The school was transferred to the site of the present Cathedral in 1837 and entrusted to the care of the Marist Brothers in 1875. This makes Parramatta Marist the oldest Catholic school in Australia.
The school was entrusted to the care of the Marist Brothers
in 1875, thus becoming Parramatta Marist High. In the 1960s a decision was made to move the secondary classes to a site in Westmead and leave only the primary classes at the Parramatta site. The Westmead
campus was opened in 1966. In 2008, Parramatta Marist High introduced Project Based Learning
into Year 9 to cater for a new technology-rich modern learning environment. Classroom
s were redesigned to cater for this technology rich environment. This ensured that each student in year 9 had access to individual computers. The school has since also implemented new strategies such as 151 (One Five One), as of 2010 and 1222 (Twelve Twenty-Two), as of 2011.
Catholic school
Catholic schools are maintained parochial schools or education ministries of the Catholic Church. the Church operates the world's largest non-governmental school system...
in Australia
Australia
Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...
.
Parramatta Marist began as a school established by Father John Therry in 1820, under the direction of Mr George Morley. The school was transferred to the site of the present Cathedral in 1837 and entrusted to the care of the Marist Brothers in 1875. This makes Parramatta Marist the oldest Catholic school in Australia.
The school was entrusted to the care of the Marist Brothers
Marist Brothers
The Marist Brothers, or Little Brothers of Mary, are a Catholic religious order of brothers and affiliated lay people. The order was founded in France, at La Valla-en-Gier near Lyon in 1817 by Saint Marcellin Champagnat, a young French priest of the Society of Mary...
in 1875, thus becoming Parramatta Marist High. In the 1960s a decision was made to move the secondary classes to a site in Westmead and leave only the primary classes at the Parramatta site. The Westmead
Westmead, New South Wales
Westmead is a suburb of Sydney, in the state of New South Wales, Australia. Westmead is located 26 kilometres west of the Sydney central business district, in the local government area of the City of Parramatta and is part of the Greater Western Sydney region....
campus was opened in 1966. In 2008, Parramatta Marist High introduced Project Based Learning
Project-based learning
Project-based learning, or PBL, is the use of in-depth and rigorous classroom projects to facilitate learning and assess student competence . Students use technology and inquiry to respond to a complex issue, problem or challenge...
into Year 9 to cater for a new technology-rich modern learning environment. Classroom
Classroom
A classroom is a room in which teaching or learning activities can take place. Classrooms are found in educational institutions of all kinds, including public and private schools, corporations, and religious and humanitarian organizations...
s were redesigned to cater for this technology rich environment. This ensured that each student in year 9 had access to individual computers. The school has since also implemented new strategies such as 151 (One Five One), as of 2010 and 1222 (Twelve Twenty-Two), as of 2011.
1880s - 1960s
The 1880s were important years for Marist. In 1888, a new monastery was built next to the school and in 1889 a new headmaster, a Frenchman by the name of Brother Claudius, took over the school. During this time enrolments increased to over 250, the first senior classes were presented for public examinations with notable success, facilities were expanded, extra classes were organised at night and on weekends, and competitive sports were promoted vigorously with next-door neighbours The King’s School being the chief opponents in cricket, rugby and athletics. The school began to flourish. Developments in the new century. In 1918, the original stone building was demolished and replaced with the building that housed the junior school until 1994. During the 1920s and 1930s numbers continued to grow, placing more pressure on classroom accommodation. The 1940s and 1950s saw the growth and consolidation of the secondary school and a fine record of scholastic and sporting success. Despite the new erection of a new wing in 1956, the school in the early 1960s was at breaking point. Enrolment was over 1000, with classes having to be taught in the Parish Hall, which had been sub-divided, on verandas, at St Vincent Boy’s Home, and even under an oak tree in the school grounds. The decision was taken to move the secondary classes to Westmead and leave only the primary classes at the Parramatta site.1966 - 2007
In 1966 the first stage of the buildings on the new Westmead campus was opened, and most classes transferred. Further buildings were completed: the Monastery in 1968, the Swimming Pool in 1968, the Library in 1971, the Senior Block in 1973, and Arts and Techniques Centre in 1982, the Administration Block in 1984. Meanwhile the fields and grounds were developed. In 1993 the Morley Centre was opened as a new multi-purpose facility, the new Science Building was opened in 2001. 2003 the library was refurbished and named the Br Ludovic Learning Centre, a new healthy Canteen was built in 2004, in 2006 an eLearning Centre was created on the lower floor of the building and in 2007 the Science laboratories, TAS and Creative Arts areas were updated and a 172 seat theatrette was built on the site of the old canteen.2008 - Present
In 2008 the school introduced Project Based Learning into Year 9. Classrooms were redesigned to cater for this technology rich environment. This ensured that each student in year 9 had access to individual computers. PBL continues to be delivered to Year 9 and 10 students in 2011 with a variation of PBL (problem based learning) now delivered to Year 11 students. This is known as 151 and has its roots based on a one day one problem approach to learning. Year 11 students undertake 151 lessons on the UWS site in a building named the Champagnat Centre.Notable alumni
- Stan WickhamStan WickhamStan Wickham was a pioneer Australian rugby union player, a state and national representative centre who captained the Australian national side on a number of occasions in the early 1900s...
, Wallaby player and captain - Mick WatsonMick WatsonMick Watson is an Australian businessman and the current director of sports at Rangitoto College.-Early life :Watson attended Parramatta Marist High School in Sydney's western suburbs, representing the school in cricket, rugby league, athletics and swimming.Between 1986 and 1992, Watson was...
, Australian businessman. - Mick KeeltyMick KeeltyMichael Joseph "Mick" Keelty AO APM , Australian police officer, was the Commissioner of the Australian Federal Police from 2001 to 2009...
APMAPMAPM, apm, or Apm may refer to any of the following:*Absolute Position Measurement, a method of measuring the position of a robot from a reference point*Actions per minute, a term used in real-time strategy games...
, Former Commissioner of the Australian Federal PoliceAustralian Federal PoliceThe Australian Federal Police is the federal police agency of the Commonwealth of Australia. Although the AFP was created by the amalgamation in 1979 of three Commonwealth law enforcement agencies, it traces its history from Commonwealth law enforcement agencies dating back to the federation of...
. - Paul HoganPaul HoganPaul Hogan, AM is an Australian actor best known for his role as Michael "Crocodile" Dundee from the Crocodile Dundee film series, for which he won a Golden Globe award.-Early life and career:...
, Australian actor and comedian. - Chris O'BrienChris O'BrienChris O'Brien may refer to:* Chris O'Brien , former owner of the Chicago Cardinals and a co-founder of the National Football League* Chris O'Brien , Australian oncologist and surgeon...
, (3 January 1952 – 4 June 2009), Australian oncologist and surgeon. - Nathan CaylessNathan CaylessNathan Frederick Cayless is a retired New Zealand-Australian professional rugby league footballer, who was a long-time captain the Parramatta Eels of the National Rugby League. His position of choice was prop forward. He is also a former captain of the New Zealand national team, whom he led to...
, NZ representativeNew Zealand national rugby league teamThe New Zealand national rugby league team has represented New Zealand in rugby league football since intercontinental competition began for the sport in 1907. Administered by the New Zealand Rugby League, they are commonly known as the Kiwis, after the native bird of that name...
rugby leagueRugby leagueRugby league football, usually called rugby league, is a full contact sport played by two teams of thirteen players on a rectangular grass field. One of the two codes of rugby football, it originated in England in 1895 by a split from Rugby Football Union over paying players...
player. - Paul GallenPaul GallenPaul Gallen is an Australian professional rugby league footballer for the Cronulla-Sutherland Sharks of the National Rugby League. Gallen's position of choice is lock and occasionally at Prop. He is an Australian international and New South Wales State of Origin representative...
, Australian representativeAustralian national rugby league teamThe Australian national rugby league team have represented Australia in senior men's rugby league football competition since the establishment of the game in Australia in 1908. Administered by the Australian Rugby League, the Kangaroos' are ranked number one in the RLIF World Rankings...
rugby leagueRugby leagueRugby league football, usually called rugby league, is a full contact sport played by two teams of thirteen players on a rectangular grass field. One of the two codes of rugby football, it originated in England in 1895 by a split from Rugby Football Union over paying players...
player.