History:
In 2003 St Mary's School celebrated 50 years of meeting the educational needs of children in the Alexandra area.
It was in 1953 that the older part of our present school was completed and blessed by Archbishop Simonds. Sisters Leo, Clement and Bernadette (Sisters of St Joseph) arrived in January 1953 to open the school with an enrolment of 85 children. Eventually school numbers climbed to 150 from Prep to Year 10 (previously Form 4).
In September 1980 the church hall was moved to the school grounds to be used as part of the school buildings. During March 1990 Archbishop Little opened an extension which added two learning areas, a library, a staffroom, a bathroom, first aid and photocopy rooms, an administration and reception area and office, and a principal’s office. Refurbishment works were completed in 2004, and a new library resource centre was opened in 2006.
Today, St Mary’s strives to provide the best educational opportunities for the children in our care.
Description:
The township of Alexandra is nestled in a landscape of mountains, forests, lakes and sparkling streams. Once a gold mining town, Alexandra is now known for its agricultural and timber activities. Its close proximity to Lake Mountain, Marysville, Lake Eildon and both Eildon and Fraser National Parks means that it has a strong outdoor tradition and has become a popular tourist destination.
Students living in these outlying areas travel to Alexandra schools on buses leaving from Eildon, Narbethong, Merton, Spring Creek, Marysville and Rubicon.
There is a strong community spirit that creates a friendly and caring environment, reflecting the ethos of our Catholic school.
Features:
Our school is a busy place and the members of our vibrant community work together to create a wonderful atmosphere. Visitors to our school enjoy the natural setting of the school and comment on the warm welcome they receive. The school's strengths are the community spirit, the culture of caring and valuing each child, and the dedicated team of professionals. We have high expectations for each student and continue to make significant gains in maximising the learning of the children. In recent years St Mary's has been recognised for its innovative teaching practices by winning two State Literacy Awards. The teachers meet weekly to discuss teaching practice and the staff have a shared responsibility for the wellbeing of each student. Children are given opportunities to participate in a broad spectrum of activities. These include singing, outdoor education camps, Bike Education, an art exhibition, spiritual development, sport competitions, Maths competitions, guest speakers, Tabloid Sports, Special Person’s Day, excursions, BBQs, skiing and swimming programs, and leadership opportunities.