St. Therese's School is situated in Essendon, an established residential north western suburb of Melbourne.
Archbishop Mannix officially opened the Church on March 11th, 1923 and the school opened for 30 pupils on April 9th, 1923. The Parish was first named St Teresa's after St Teresa of Avila, until St Therese, the Little Flower, was beatified on March 17th, 1925. After this, the Parish came under the patronage of St. Therese.
Our present student population, as at February census, was 520. The school currently comprises 21 classes and we are 3 stream across the school.
At present, there are approximately 50 staff when all part and full time staff are considered. These include classroom teachers, specialists, learning support officers, administration staff and our school psychologist.
Parent involvement in the school is encouraged. Parents participate in the school in many ways, both formally, through representation on the Board and Committees, and informally, through assistance both inside and outside the classroom. The school operates a School Board, a Parents and Friends Association, a Family Support Group, an Out of School Hours Program (in partnership with OSHCLUB), and Parent Class Representatives.
St. Therese’s Parish is a feeder for St. Bernard’s College (a secondary school for boys), St. Columba’s College and Ave Maria College (both secondary schools for girls). The majority of St. Therese’s School students apply to these schools, however, a small number of students seek other options.
The VRQA Minimum Standards for School Registration includes a standard concerning the school’s adherence to Australian democratic principles and practice. This standard is as follows.
St Therese's School is committed to the principles and practice of democracy in Australia, including a commitment to:
an elected Government
the rule of law
equal rights of all before the law
freedom of religion
freedom of speech and association
values of openness and tolerance.
The purpose of this statement is to affirm the school’s adherence to the principles and practice of Australian democracy.
We believe in an accountable, democratically elected government.
We respect and observe the rule of law, and believe that no person is above the law.
We believe in equal rights for all before the law, regardless of race, ethnicity, religion, sexuality, gender or other attributes.
We believe not only in the freedom of religion, but also the need to practice tolerance and understanding of others' beliefs.
We believe in the value of freedom of speech and freedom of association, but also acknowledge that we have the responsibility not to abuse this freedom.
We believe in the values of openness and tolerance, and value and respect all members of the school community regardless of background.
This Statement of Democratic Principles is communicated to staff, students, parents and guardians and the school community.
The school endeavours to inform parents of important policy documents in the following ways:
excerpts may appear in the Newsletter
policies relevant to the parents and community will be uploaded to the school website
relevant policies will be distributed to families in the enrolment process
parents can request a meeting with the principal to discuss matters relating to policy
the Skoolbag App alerts parents to important information, newsletters and new material added to the website.
Please find below our current list of school policies. Our policies are updated on a regular basis through the guidance of school leadership staff, school board, and teaching staff.
St Therese's Parish Church
The St. Therese's Parish Church is located on the corner of Lincoln Rd and Florence St. The school is fortunate enough to have access to the church via gates from the school grounds. The church is used for a number of religious celebrations and learning experiences throughout the year. All school masses, both sacramental and class, are hosted in the church.
The Parish Pastoral Administration Centre (PACE) is a place for parishioners to not only gather and meet, but will also offers two rooms for hire (an area for up to 60 guests and a smaller area for 12-15 people). This space is available to those who wish to gather after a funeral, baptism or celebration at St. Therese's.
For any parish enquiries, please phone 9401 6330.
Performing Arts Centre
The St. Therese's Performing Arts Centre (PAC) is a state of the art facility that is utilised for school and parish purposes. The PAC is equipped with high quality sound and lighting, wireless connectivity for both audio and video devices, widescreen wall projector, programmable LED bank lighting fitted around the venue, and a functioning theatre stage with curtains.
Tennis Courts
St Therese's Parish has three all-weather tennis courts. The courts are utilised as school playspace between 8.30 a.m. and 3.30 p.m. Monday to Friday. St. Therese's Tennis Club provides lessons and graded competition at various other times during the week and weekend. All tennis coaching enquiries should be directed to Catherine O'Dea (Catherine O'Dea Tennis Coaching) on 0419 517 009.
The school currently has well maintained play areas, which include two adventure playgrounds (one for Senior students and one for Junior students, with equipment set at appropriate heights), a netball court, a volleyball court, a synthetic turfed basketball court with state-of-the-art fusion goals, and access to three all-weather tennis courts which are used for a variety of activities.
