Xavier High School Albury

Albury, New South Wales

Albury is a major regional city in New South Wales, Australia, located on the Hume Highway on the northern side of the Murray River. It is located wholly within the boundaries of the City of Albury Local Government Area...

 is a Catholic

Catholic

The word catholic comes from the Greek phrase , meaning "on the whole," "according to the whole" or "in general", and is a combination of the Greek words meaning "about" and meaning "whole"...

 Secondary School

Secondary school

Secondary school is a term used to describe an educational institution where the final stage of schooling, known as secondary education and usually compulsory up to a specified age, takes place...

 located within the New South Wales

New South Wales

New South Wales is a state of :Australia, located in the east of the country. It is bordered by Queensland, Victoria and South Australia to the north, south and west respectively. To the east, the state is bordered by the Tasman Sea, which forms part of the Pacific Ocean. New South Wales...

 city of Albury, 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...

.

Xavier High School is supported and partially funded by The Catholic School's Office, Diocese of Wagga Wagga, continuing a long history of Catholic education in the region, forming from the amalgamation of St Joseph's College for girls and The Aquinas Boys College in 1983.

To date, the school hosts over 900 students across 6 year levels.

The Principal of the school is Mr Neville Powles with the school motto

Motto

A motto is a phrase meant to formally summarize the general motivation or intention of a social group or organization. A motto may be in any language, but Latin is the most used. The local language is usual in the mottoes of governments...

 reading "The Truth Will Set You Free"- a direct reference to the Gospel

Gospel

A gospel is an account, often written, that describes the life of Jesus of Nazareth. In a more general sense the term "gospel" may refer to the good news message of the New Testament. It is primarily used in reference to the four canonical gospels of Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John...

 of John

Gospel of John

The Gospel According to John , commonly referred to as the Gospel of John or simply John, and often referred to in New Testament scholarship as the Fourth Gospel, is an account of the public ministry of Jesus...

, verse 8:32.

History and Amalgamation

Catholic

Catholicism

Catholicism is a broad term for the body of the Catholic faith, its theologies and doctrines, its liturgical, ethical, spiritual, and behavioral characteristics, as well as a religious people as a whole....

 schooling in the Albury region has experienced a long and successful tradition, dating back to 1868, wherein the Sisters Of Mercy

Sisters of Mercy

The Religious Order of the Sisters of Mercy is an order of Catholic women founded by Catherine McAuley in Dublin, Ireland, in 1831. , the order has about 10,000 members worldwide, organized into a number of independent congregations....

 established St Brigid's College on a small block of land owned by St Patrick's Parish

Parish

A parish is a territorial unit historically under the pastoral care and clerical jurisdiction of one parish priest, who might be assisted in his pastoral duties by a curate or curates - also priests but not the parish priest - from a more or less central parish church with its associated organization...

, in South Albury. In 1885, Patrician Brothers opened a school for boys in an adjacent block in Olive Street, also owned by St Patrick's Parish. This school for boys was re-inaugurated by the Christian Brothers

Congregation of Christian Brothers

The Congregation of Christian Brothers is a worldwide religious community within the Catholic Church, founded by Blessed Edmund Rice. The Christian Brothers, as they are commonly known, chiefly work for the evangelisation and education of youth, but are involved in many ministries, especially with...

 in 1917, the same year St Brigid's College was redeveloped and renamed, St Josephs Ladies College.
For the majority of a decade, The Sisters of Mercy and Christian Brothers delivered Catholic-based education to thousands of students across the area. All teaching during this time period was performed by clergy

Clergy

Clergy is the generic term used to describe the formal religious leadership within a given religion. A clergyman, churchman or cleric is a member of the clergy, especially one who is a priest, preacher, pastor, or other religious professional....

 of the Church, linking closely with St Patrick's Parish.
in 1959, a northern campus of the Boys College was established in Fallon street North Albury, the site of the present day Xavier High. This establishment was named Aquinas College. In 1983, the Boys and Girls schools were amalgamated to create a co-educational system under the name "Xavier High School", named after St Francis Xavier. The campuses remained separated until 2001, wherein the school united to share the redeveloped Northern campus, the site of the present day school.
The school promotes its history to the student body, with many of the 8 Houses within the school named after the aforementioned colleges- see "Houses".

Today, the school employs over 50 teaching staff

Teachers

Teachers may refer to:* Teachers, people who provide schooling for pupils and students* Teachers , one of the five Ascension Gift Ministries* Teachers , a British sitcom* Teachers Teachers may refer to:* Teachers, people who provide schooling for pupils and students* Teachers (ministry), one of the...

 in addition to numerous support staff and several volunteers. Additionally, continual redevelopment of facilities and structural expansion is currently in progress to accommodate the increasing number of enrolled students at the school.

Facilities

Xavier High School has undergone considerable development since its establishment, resulting in a host of educational facilities available for students, including;

• a 900-seat Arts Centre, complete with elevated stage, stage lighting, an overhead projector
  Overhead projector
  An overhead projector is a variant of slide projector that is used to display images to an audience.-Mechanism:An overhead projector typically consists of a large box containing a very bright lamp and a fan to cool it. On top of the box is a large fresnel lens that collimates the light...
  
   and audio-booth
• 3 Visual Arts rooms
• 3 small sound-proof music/tuition rooms assisting in private study, with recording equipment
• An fully surfaced indoor stadium, catering for a range of indoor sports including basketball and indoor soccer as well as PDHPE
  PDHPE
  PDHPE is a subject in the New South Wales school curriculum. It is a compulsory subject in the K-10 curriculum, and available as an elective in years 11 and 12...
  
   practical classes
• A re-surfaced outdoor soccer/basketball court and access to 3 large sporting ovals.
• 4 fully equipped science laboratories and laboratory preparation room
• 5 Computer rooms, offering internet access and a range of software programs
• A recently constructed library with full range of fictional and non-fictional reference materials, 5 computer bays and seminar room
• 2 fully equipped Hospitality kitchens
• Modern Industrial Technology workshop
  Workshop
  A workshop is a room or building which provides both the area and tools that may be required for the manufacture or repair of manufactured goods...
  
  , catering for a range of Industrial and VET-based subjects
• A textiles room
• A recently refurbished/re-landscaped quadrangle
  Quadrangle (architecture)
  In architecture, a quadrangle is a space or courtyard, usually rectangular in plan, the sides of which are entirely or mainly occupied by parts of a large building. The word is probably most closely associated with college or university campus architecture, but quadrangles may be found in other...
  
  
• Access to a developing wetland
  Wetland
  A wetland is an area of land whose soil is saturated with water either permanently or seasonally. Wetlands are categorised by their characteristic vegetation, which is adapted to these unique soil conditions....
  
   facility
• A newly constructed block of 4 classrooms and central computer room
• 4 recently constructed student locker
  Locker (cabinet)
  A locker is a small, usually narrow storage compartment. They are commonly found in dedicated cabinets, very often in large numbers, in various public places such as locker rooms, work places, schools, transport centres, and the like...
  
   bays and toilet facilities

Xavier High School is currently undergoing Stage 3 development, which presently includes redevelopment of the school's main office, with work expected to be completed by early 2011.

Houses

Xavier hosts an annual House-Cup competition between the 8 House groups of Xavier High School, with points awarded for House achievement and participation in sporting carnivals and events, fundraising, inter-house trivia and novelty events such as Melbourne Cup Day celebrations. The House-Cup winners for 2010 were Aquinas House, led by House Coordinator Jo Gleeson and House Captain Thomas Freeman and Julia Rossiter.

Each House is briefly described below, outlining of the House leaders for 2010:

• Aquinas "Enlightenment through learning, faith through understanding". Named after St Thomas Aquinas and Aquinas College, Aquinas' House colour is maroon, in 2010 being led by House Captains Thomas Freeman and Julia Rossiter, coordinated by Jo Gleeson.
• Clark "Persistence, task completion, fitness, working joyfully". Named after Mrs Thelma Clark, the first lay teacher of St Joseph's Ladies College, Clark is represented by the colour gold and was led by Maeve O'Kane and Christopher Duck under House Coordinator Georgie McMahon.
• Dynan "Gentleness, inner strength, striving for excellence, preserving what is good". Named in honour of Brother Dynan, a pioneer of Aquinas College. In 2010, Dynan House was led by Dominic Wild and Laura Hill in addition to House Coordinator Catherine McKinley. The House colour of Dynan is red.
• Joseph "Simplicity, Love of work, courage, faith". Traditionally, Joseph is named in honour of Joseph, the father of Jesus Christ, in addition to recognising St Joseph's Ladies College. The 2010 House Captains of Joseph were James Eggleston and Madeline Dunstan, their House Coordinator was Margaret Beecher and the House colour is white.
• Loreto "Holy place- in the way of Mary, loving and thoughtful". Loreto House is named after the village wherein the house of Mary the Mother of Jesus is situated and is represented by the colour blue. The 2010 leaders of Loreto were Laura Wilcox and Brendon Lloyd, assisted by House Coordinator Paul McAlister.
• MacKillop "Faith Bravery and Strength- forthright and battling adversity". Mackillop is named in honour of Sister Mary MacKillop
  Mary MacKillop
  Mary Helen MacKillop , also known as Saint Mary of the Cross, was an Australian Roman Catholic nun who, together with Father Julian Tenison Woods, founded the Sisters of St Joseph of the Sacred Heart and a number of schools and welfare institutions throughout Australasia with an emphasis on...
  
  , who, once cannonised, will become the first Saint born in Australia. MacKillop are represented by the colour green and in 2010, were led by House Captains Patryck Lloyd-Donald and Emily Wornes under the assistance of House Coordinator Melina Matsinos.
• McAuley "Working with others, leadership, dignity of all people, courage and compassion". McAuley House is represented by the colour purple and is named after Catherine McAuley
  Catherine McAuley
  The Venerable Mother Catherine Elizabeth McAuley was an Irish nun, who founded the Sisters of Mercy in 1831...
  
  , founder of the Sisters of Mercy. In 2010, McAuley was coordinated by Belinda Taekata and led by Jack Pieri and Brook Cincurak.
• Rice "To do, to lead and learn, working for others". Rice House is named after Edmund Rice
  Edmund Ignatius Rice
  Blessed Edmund Ignatius Rice , was a Roman Catholic missionary and educationalist. Edmund was the founder of two orders of religious brothers: the Congregation of Christian Brothers and the Presentation Brothers....
  
  , advocate for disadvantaged education and inspiration for the Christian Brothers. The colour of Rice House is orange, with the 2010 House leaders being Liam Carey and Molly Linder in addition to House Coordinator Janice O'Rourke.

Sports and Extra-Curricular

In addition to a focus on academia

Academia

Academia is the community of students and scholars engaged in higher education and research.-Etymology:The word comes from the akademeia in ancient Greece. Outside the city walls of Athens, the gymnasium was made famous by Plato as a center of learning...

 and Catholic education

Education

Education in its broadest, general sense is the means through which the aims and habits of a group of people lives on from one generation to the next. Generally, it occurs through any experience that has a formative effect on the way one thinks, feels, or acts...

, Xavier High School is represented in a number of sporting activities

Sport

A Sport is all forms of physical activity which, through casual or organised participation, aim to use, maintain or improve physical fitness and provide entertainment to participants. Sport may be competitive, where a winner or winners can be identified by objective means, and may require a degree...

, including;

• School based Athletics, Swimming and Cross-country carnivals
• BISSA level individual and team sports
• CCC level individual and team sports
• A range of state-level and national individual and team sports

Sports focused on at Xavier High School primarily include Australian Rules Football

Australian rules football

Australian rules football, officially known as Australian football, also called football, Aussie rules or footy is a sport played between two teams of 22 players on either...

, Soccer, Basketball

Basketball

Basketball is a team sport in which two teams of five players try to score points by throwing or "shooting" a ball through the top of a basketball hoop while following a set of rules...

, Swimming

Swimming (sport)

Swimming is a sport governed by the Fédération Internationale de Natation .-History: Competitive swimming in Europe began around 1800 BCE, mostly in the form of the freestyle. In 1873 Steve Bowyer introduced the trudgen to Western swimming competitions, after copying the front crawl used by Native...

, Athletics, Cross-country running, Hockey

Field hockey

Field Hockey, or Hockey, is a team sport in which a team of players attempts to score goals by hitting, pushing or flicking a ball into an opposing team's goal using sticks...

, Golf

Golf

Golf is a precision club and ball sport, in which competing players use many types of clubs to hit balls into a series of holes on a golf course using the fewest number of strokes....

, Rugby League

Rugby league

Rugby 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...

, Touch Football

Rec Footy

Recreational Football is a non-contact version of the Australian rules football game sanctioned by the Australian Football League...

 and Cricket

Cricket

Cricket is a bat-and-ball game played between two teams of 11 players on an oval-shaped field, at the centre of which is a rectangular 22-yard long pitch. One team bats, trying to score as many runs as possible while the other team bowls and fields, trying to dismiss the batsmen and thus limit the...

.

Extra curricular ran at Xavier High School encompass, but are not limited to; Blood Donation

Blood donation

A blood donation occurs when a person voluntarily has blood drawn and used for transfusions or made into medications by a process called fractionation....

 through the local Vampire Shield, Rotary

Rotary International

Rotary International is an organization of service clubs known as Rotary Clubs located all over the world. The stated purpose of the organization is to bring together business and professional leaders to provide humanitarian service, encourage high ethical standards in all vocations, and help...

 Debating, Local "Mock-trials", Musical Performance

Music

Music is an art form whose medium is sound and silence. Its common elements are pitch , rhythm , dynamics, and the sonic qualities of timbre and texture...

 evenings, Art Exhibitions, Musicals/Stage Productions and involvement in ANZAC day

ANZAC Day

Anzac Day is a national day of remembrance in Australia and New Zealand, commemorated by both countries on 25 April every year to honour the members of the Australian and New Zealand Army Corps who fought at Gallipoli in the Ottoman Empire during World War I. It now more broadly commemorates all...

services/supporting Legacy in addition to involvement in cultural events such as the LOTE (Languages other than English) festival.