One year on from welcoming its first Year 12 students, St Lucy’s School has marked another major milestone in its mission with the opening and blessing of its new Catherine Centre.
The innovative, purpose-built facility at the special needs school on Sydney’s upper north shore will serve its growing senior cohort with tailored learning environments and faith formation.
Vicar General for the Diocese of Broken Bay Fr David Ranson was on hand to bless the new centre, officially opened on 20 May by Greg Warren MP on behalf of the Deputy Premier and Minister for Education and Early Learning Prue Car.
The Catherine Centre construction comes after other key parts of the school were remodelled, including the primary classrooms and the Veritas Centre, which contains classrooms for specialised learning and work experience training.
Its sensitive design includes deadened acoustics in the hallways and classrooms to instil a sense of quiet, rooms with two breakout areas for additional quiet spaces or small group study, and a kitchenette area.
Principal David Raphael says the new centre will increase the number of students St Lucy’s can accept, and that enrolment has steadily increased over past eight years, from around 100 students to the current 240.
“Eight years ago when we started this project, we were looking at essentially doubling the size of the school and that’s effectively what’s happened,” he told The Catholic Weekly.
St Lucy’s renovation and expansion has been well received by students and their families as it can now provide a full Kindergarten-Year 12 education, including religious formation.
Maria and Graham Sproats, grandparents to St Lucy’s student Austin, told The Catholic Weekly his understanding of and participation in Catholicism and its traditions have increased since he began at the school.
“Just little bits of our faith that we take for granted but he knows these things from what he’s learned at school,” Graham said.
“He can make the Sign of the Cross; he says a prayer at night.”
Representatives of the Dominican Order were also present on the day, and Head of Mission and Identity Courtenay Peters said the school’s Dominican heritage is instilled in the students through the teaching of its religious education curriculum and a dedicated sacraments program.
“The goal is to break down those barriers our young people often face in accessing the sacraments,” she said.