St Anne’s College starts first VCE year

“I’ve been here since the very start,” she said.

“It’s a great place to be.”

Chiara said that initially, there were challenges with being at a newly-established school; however, everyone, including staff, committed to navigating through the obstacles.

“Everyone’s played their part and made it as smooth as it can be,” she said.

Apart from the “wonderful” facilities, Chiara said the school had an embracing culture.

“The community that we have is amazing,” she said.

“We’re a small group and it’s a welcoming place to be.”

For students, the school can be described as a home away from home, but the same can be said about the staff’s experience.

Community Partnerships co-ordinator Tara McGrath-Cathie said, “there is such a vibrant energy among our staff, and we’re so supportive”.

“We often refer to the ‘St Anne’s family’, and it really does have that family vibe. It’s incredible,” she said.

“Teaching or non-teaching, it doesn’t matter what position you hold at the school, you are so valued and are such a worthy part of the team”.

Mrs McGrath-Cathie said the school also had a large proportion of young staff.

“(It’s) so exciting to watch their careers flourish and the more senior staff really get around them and ensure that they’re well supported,” she said.

The college boasts several open-plan learning environments as well as more traditionally laid-out classrooms and is designed to allow every part of the school to be accessed without stepping outside

The latest addition to the school is a new wing which houses senior classrooms and staff offices.

St Anne’s College principal Susan Carroll said the school had been in a constant phase of “building design”, with the construction of a stadium and a fabrication centre currently being planned.

“It’s an ongoing process but an exciting one,” Mrs Carroll said.

The need for more staff has also increased with new year levels beginning each year.

Mrs Carroll said that, like many other educational institutions, “it’s been a really big challenge to find staff”.

“We’re constantly on the lookout for amazing vibrant teachers to come and work here at St Anne’s, in this beautiful space,” Mrs Carroll said.

Mrs Carroll encouraged parents to enrol their children at St Anne’s as the school has a particular philosophy around learning.

“We are committed to this idea that every child that comes through our door is a capable and competent learner,” she said.

“Our graduate outcomes are really about making sure that kids have the skills, attitudes, and aptitudes to be really positive, contributing members to not just the local area, but to a global society as well.”

“If you want to be part of a vibrant educational community, St Anne's would be the place.”