Penola Catholic College facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Penola Catholic College |
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| Location | |
| Information | |
| Type | Private, co-ed, Catholic school, day school |
| Established | 1995 |
| Principal | Ms. Tracey Kift |
| Campuses | Broadmeadows (Senior/Main campus) and Glenroy (Junior Campus) |
| Colour(s) | Maroon, gold & blue |
Penola Catholic College, often called PCC, is a school in Melbourne, Victoria, Australia. It's a co-educational secondary school, meaning both boys and girls attend. The school's special patron saint is Saint Mary MacKillop.
Penola Catholic College has two main locations. Younger students in Years 7 and 8 go to the junior campus in Glenroy. Older students, from Years 9 to 12, attend the main campus in Broadmeadows.
The college started in 1995. It was formed by combining three older Catholic schools: Therry College, Geoghegan College, and Sancta Sophia College. The senior campus in Broadmeadows is where Therry and Geoghegan Colleges used to be. The junior campus in Glenroy is on the original site of Sancta Sophia College.
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College Emblem: What It Means
The Penola Catholic College emblem has a special design. It shows three leaves, which stand for important things. These leaves represent how students can grow in their spirit, body, and mind. They also remind us of the three schools that joined together to create Penola Catholic College.
The cross in the middle of the emblem is like the trunk of a tree. It points to the life of Jesus Christ as a guide for everyone at the school. The tree design also connects to the Aboriginal meaning of the name Penola, which means "stringybark" tree.
Around the emblem, you'll see three important words: Faith, Excellence, and Community. These words are the main ideas and values that the school is built upon.
Why the Name "Penola"?
The name Penola Catholic College was chosen for a good reason. The Broadmeadows campus has a strong connection to Saint Mary MacKillop. In 1901, the Sisters of St Joseph, an order of nuns, started a home for children on this very site.
Penola is also a small town in South Australia. This is where Mary MacKillop opened her very first school in 1866. She also founded the Sisters of St Joseph of the Sacred Heart order there with Julian Tenison Woods. The Sisters of St Joseph helped the local community and lived on the Broadmeadows site until the late 1980s.
School Houses: Teams for Students
Penola Catholic College uses a house system. This means students are divided into six different groups, or "houses," when they join the school. Students stay in the same house throughout their time at the college.
These houses compete against each other in various activities. This includes sports, debates, and other extra-curricular events. Students earn points for their house, which encourages teamwork and friendly competition.
Here are the six house groups:
- Mackillop: This house is named after Mary MacKillop, who is the school's patron saint. Its colour is orange.
- Nolan: Named after Sister Livinus Nolan, who was a dedicated Catholic school educator. Nolan's colour is purple.
- Geoghegan: This house is named after one of the three schools that combined to form Penola Catholic College. Its colour is green.
- Smyth: Named after Thomas Smyth, who was the first Principal of Penola Catholic College. Smyth's colour is blue.
- Therry: Named after another one of the three original colleges. Therry's colour is gold.
- Sancta Sophia: This house is also named after one of the three colleges that joined together. Its colour is red.
Well-Known Former Students
Many students have gone on to do great things after graduating from Penola Catholic College. Some notable former students include:
- David Rodan
- Adrian Zahra
- Jeremy Synot
- Eziyoda Magbegor
