History:
St Mary鈥檚 Primary School, Castlemaine, was established when gold was found in the area. The school was initially a wooden building, followed in 1896 by the construction of a brick building near where the library stands today. The school was placed initially under the direction of lay teachers. In 1905 the Sisters of Mercy took charge, opening a secondary school at the same time. In 1988 a lay principal again took up the leadership of the school.
Description:
Castlemaine is situated 128 kilometres from Melbourne and has a population of about 8,000 citizens. St Mary鈥檚 is situated near the town centre, though because of its location behind the church it has a feeling of seclusion. The school grounds cover a large area consisting of a grassed oval, cricket nets, tennis courts, an adventure playground and a quadrangle.
The school has six classrooms, as well as an art room, a library and information technology facilities. In 1998 the classrooms were refurbished and an administration area and staff amenities were added.
Features:
St Mary's School is committed to an integrated approach to curriculum via inquiry learning. The Children's Literacy Success Strategy (CLaSS), Reading Recovery and the Success in Numeracy Education (SINE) program are part of the overall school curriculum. The school has a comprehensive Arts program. There are computers in classrooms as well as a mini lab in the library. The establishment and implementation of a leadership and student welfare program are a high priority.