History:
St Paul Apostle Parish was founded in 1980 under the pastoral leadership of Fr Frank Martin. The parish motto, 'We Live as One Family', reflects unity in diversity for this dynamic multicultural Catholic community.
St Paul Apostle South School commenced on 19 February 1981 with Sr Joan Kennedy as Principal and with the support of the Presentation Sisters. The school opened with an enrolment of 246 students, which increased until a second parish school was established in 1985, sharing accommodation on the South school site. In 1986 St Paul Apostle North School moved to its present location.
In 1998 the Passionist priests assumed pastoral leadership of the parish, with Fr John Pearce CP as parish priest and Fr Tim O'Toole CP as assistant priest. In 2001 Fr Chris Monaghan CP was appointed to assist Fr Pearce with parish ministry. Fr. John Pearce was transferred to Marrickville in Sydney in January 2009 after serving as Parish Priest for 10 years. St Paul Apostle Parish was a host to over 300 pilgrims during World Youth Day in 2008.
Description:
The administration building is a recently built brick building in very good condition. The remainder of the school consists of 12 classrooms, a Mandarin Room, a music room, an art room, a choir room, a library and a computer laboratory. These buildings are heated by gas wall units and have evaporative or refrigerated cooling.
Teachers make attractive displays to ensure the classrooms are stimulating learning environments for students. Personal computers are housed in classrooms from Year 3 to Year 6. Years Prep–2 share a bank of computers housed in a common 'wet' area. In 2003 the Nano Nagle Wing was built to house the Early Learning centre of four classrooms with an interconnecting office, storerooms and wet areas, as well as a Literacy Coordinator's office, a Reading Recovery office, and staff and student toilets.
The library is very neat and well maintained and was originally three classrooms. The library is the hub of the school with extensive before- and after-school borrowing, which parents and students value highly. Staff value and use the library for level planning meetings and classroom preparation. It provides excellent resources and the highest standard of support for staff. In 2009 the school will rebuild the library to house a new Learning Resource Centre and multi-purpose area which will be used for assemblies, drama, meetings and information evenings. A computer laboratory of 16 computers was installed in 2007.
Features:
The Passionists have added a strong spiritual dimension to the school with their focus on families and their constant support and generous presence in the school; for example, weekly class Masses, monthly school family Masses, liturgies for Years 5 and 6 school camps, adult faith development for staff, participation in the Religious Education classroom programs, collaborative parish–school sacramental programs and other rituals and celebrations.
St Paul Apostle South is undertaking significant curriculum development. The school is committed to achieving high standards in literacy and there is a whole-school approach to literacy and numeracy. Mandarin is offered as the LOTE program and there is a specialist performing arts program as well as Physical Education and Art. Inter-school sports are arranged through a government school district organisation. Pastoral programs are offered to support the personal development needs of students.
The two parish schools work effectively and harmoniously together. Professional development is a focus for ongoing improvement and the school has been awarded with a Performance and Development Culture Accreditation. Further combined work with local agencies will strengthen pastoral provision across the two parish schools.
Extend offer before and after–school programs and the Australian Government has provided support for the Active After Schools Communities Program by offering such after-school activities as cricket, basketball, volleyball, cheerleading, hip hop dance and soccer.