Catholic schools across the Diocese of Wollongong have opened their doors to families, friends and community members for Catholic Schools Week 2018. 

We joined St Brigid’s Catholic Parish Primary School, Gwynneville for a day, to see the kinds of activities local Catholic primary and secondary schools are hosting this week to celebrate their school community and showcase all the great things happening in our Catholic schools.

Principal of St Brigid’s, Kathy Uroda, said Catholic Schools Week is an exciting occasion that everyone involved in the school always looks forward to. She said it is a chance to welcome parents as partners in their children’s education and strengthen relationships between students, staff, families and the community.

“Catholic Schools Week is an opportunity for us to give expression in a special way to the ethos of Catholic education and our dual moral purpose – a richness in our shared faith and excellence in education.

“It’s a celebration of our schools, our teachers and students, and a chance to highlight what sets Catholic schools like St Brigid’s apart, our strengths and the many opportunities that Catholic schools provide for our children.”

“We are very proud at St Brigid’s to open our wonderful school to current families, prospective new enrolments, our wider community and visitors, so that they might personally witness this place of contemporary Catholic education.”

LISTEN to Principal, Ms Kathy Uroda, speak on Catholic Schools Week at St Brigid's:

Walking into St Brigid’s, the students were ready and eager to welcome people with open arms, taking them on tours of the school’s learning environments. They were keen to invite their parents, grandparents and other visitors on guided learning walks - a first-hand experience of the teaching and learning happening in their classrooms every day.

The walks featured colourful displays of work, classrooms using flexible furniture and technology to enhance learning, and a focus on students working collaboratively and designing their own learning pathways.

LISTEN to the Jego-Trunk family - Sophie (Year 2) and Ayla (Year 4) with their parents, Nicole and Adam - on their experience of today’s guided learning walk:

Students, parents and parishioners later converged in the St Brigid’s Parish Church for a prayerful liturgy led by the students, reflecting on the mission of the Church in today’s world and accompanied by beautiful music and singing.

Families were then invited to join their children throughout the school’s modern green spaces for a relaxed picnic lunch with their kids. The day was made “even more awesome” and “epic” in the students’ opinions (and many parents’!) by the arrival of ice cream and slushee vans offering a range of cool treats for the event.

LISTEN to students Matt, Mia, Aspen and Ty on their Catholic Schools Week experience today:

A memorable day for many, both young and old, with a lot of smiles and satisfaction; a positive experience no doubt replicated across many schools in the Diocese this week hosting similar open days and events.

Catholic Schools Week 2018 runs from Sunday March 4 - Saturday March 10, 2018 across NSW and the ACT. The week also marks the start of the 2019 enrolment period. Click here more information on enrolling your child in one of our schools.