History:
St. Mary’s College Seymour offers a co-educational Catholic education to students in levels Preparatory to Year 10. The College is centrally located in the township of Seymour making it accessible to local families as well as surrounding rural areas. The rural catchment area extends to Yea, Nagambie, Heathcote, Broadford, Pyalong and Tallarook. The families of our students come from a range of socio-economic backgrounds and family structures.
The College’s Vision Statement is linked to the Mercy tradition and espouses the development of positive relationships between staff, students and their families. The parish priest, principal and staff see St. Mary’s as a community of people sharing a common belief in a Christian setting, centred on Jesus Christ, and striving to live out that life through the model and example of love, understanding, respect and service that they show to all concerned with the school. The Religious Education Program is a focal point of reference and informs all other aspects of the curriculum.
The College is supported by the Parish Education Board and the Parents and Friends Association.
Description:
The College comprises multi-age classes at all levels - Junior Primary (P–Yr 2), Middle Primary (Yr 3-4), Senior Primary (Yr 5-6), Junior Secondary (Yr 7-8) and Middle Secondary (Yr 9-10).
The Sacraments of Reconciliation and First Eucharist are offered in Year 3 and Confirmation in Year 6. The program is school-based working in close association with the Parish Priest, the Parish Sacrament Co-ordinator, the Principal, the Religious Education Co-ordinator and the teachers of the classes preparing for the sacraments. Workshop sessions are organised for both students and parents and the College’s Religious Education Program includes units on the sacraments across all levels of the College.
The College is heavily committed to an ongoing Building Program based on a Master Plan devised in 2002. The Mercy Centre, the oldest building on the site, is a two storey building and comprises the facilities for administration, sick bay, meeting room as well as some specialist learning areas including Home Economics, Graphic Communication, Art and Textiles. There are four other main buildings in the College grounds, all single storey, which mainly consist of classrooms and/or specialist learning areas. The main secondary wing also comprises the library and staff amenities rooms. The vast College grounds are partly landscaped and provide an opportunity for the College community to expand its vision for recreational, environmental and educational use.
Features:
The College is a vital part of the parish and contributes to parish activities through class liturgies, feast day celebrations, parish initiatives such as the St Vincent de Paul Conference.
Parents at St Mary’s College participate in various curricula and extra curricula activities, e.g. Reading, Science, The Arts, Religious Education and Excursions. Throughout the year parents are offered a range of activities and professional development to support them in working productively as helpers in the classroom. This is most evident in the Junior Primary classrooms.
The College is fully committed to providing access and equity to all students enrolled.
Through its close links with the rural community St Mary’s has fostered a strong emphasis on family and community involvement.