St Mary's Primary School
St Mary's School was founded in 1958 after Father Gerald Payne obtained the services of three Sisters of St Joseph to staff it. The school was built at a cost of 29 000 pounds, with 76 students enrolled from Grade Prep to Form Three. In the same year a Mothers' Club was formed. Twenty football jumpers and socks were purchased in 1959 and a football match was played against Hopetoun.
In 1969, the secondary part of the school was discontinued and Grades Prep to Six remained. In 1971, the first Gala Day was held. Over the years, St Mary's has competed in the Tyrrell Athletics Sports, with the school winning the shield on many occasions.
The features of Josephite schools, easily discernible in the early history of the order, are clearly in evidence in the present St. Mary's School, which works in simple, ordinary ways to bring to all the message of their human dignity and of Christ's saving love. It serves the local church and discerns with the parent community the urgent needs of the time.
Sr Patricia Day, past Principal, was the last Josephite to teach at the school. Since 2000, lay Principals have continued to provide leadership for the school community ending 42 years of Josephite leadership.
St Mary's offers a wide curriculum, with programs such as Blue Earth, PMP, Reading Recovery, Literature Enrichment and Vic Arts performances. Grades 3-6 take part in the Camps program, whilst Grades P/1/2 have an annual excursion.
St Mary's is part of the Northern Zone, Ballarat Diocese and a member of the Tyrrell Cluster. Students have an opportunity to represent the school and cluster in all sports. St Mary's competes in the Tyrrell Cluster Athletics Championships. Many of the students represent the Cluster at both the regional and state championships. The majority of the children travel to school by bus while the children from the Sea Lake township walk or ride bikes to school.
In 1994, St Mary's was refurbished, the Library extended, and a new Art Room built. The school also embarked on a building program in 2004, building a new boys' and girls' toilet, and refurbishing the girls' toilet into a cloakroom. Shade structures were erected over the playground.
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