History:
St Dominic's School, Camberwell, was first established on 9 February 1925 in what is now called the Parish Centre, situated behind St Dominic's Church and the Dominican Priory on Riversdale Road. The school on the present site (Highfield Road) was opened on 8 October 1939 by Archbishop Mannix. Throughout the school's development the Dominican ethos has been an important aspect of school life.
Description:
At present, St Dominic's School has 12 classrooms, a multi-purpose room, a library and an administration area. A master plan has been developed as part of planning for changing educational needs into the future. Stage 1 was completed in 2006. Stage 2, 3 & 4 were completed in 2011.
The playground is limited in space and teachers often use Highfield Park for sport and physical education sessions. Children in years P–6 are sometimes taken to the park for the lunchtime break. Lynden Park is also used for interschool sport.
The Library Resource Centre is fully automated with a student inquiry terminal, and is continually updated with resources. Technology for both administration and learning activities is reviewed and constantly updated.
To encourage our school to continue to be a Catholic community focusing on learning, various committees have been established:
• Parish Board
• Parent–Teacher Association (PTA)
• Staff Leadership Team
• Building & Maintenance Team (BAM)
• Student Action Leadership Team (SALT)
• Student Action Council (SAC)
• Student Wellbeing Team
• Consultative Committee
Features:
St Dominic's School is a Community School, closely liaising with St Dominic's Parish. School Masses are regularly held.
A School Improvement Plan is monitored and implemented, with an emphasis on professional development. The school also has a clearly articulated Vision Statement, Policies and Procedures, based upon student learning and the Catholic ethos.
At St Dominic's there is an Integrated Approach to Curriculum Planning, with a focus on learning. An Evaluation Process ensures the curriculum reflects policies and is relevant to the student learning.
Assessment / Reporting Strategies are consistent, and an Educational Support Program catering for students experiencing difficulty, as well as those who have well-established skills and need extension, has been established.
Specialists support the Integrated Curriculum (Performing Arts, Italian, Library), and the school runs an Inter-School Sports / Outdoor Education, PMP and Specialist PE program. Parents and students are encouraged to participate in and contribute to the school community.