St Joseph's School, Oamaru facts for kids

St Joseph's School is a primary school located in Oamaru, a large town in North Otago, New Zealand. It is found on the South Island. The school was started by Catholic nuns from the Dominican Sisters. They began teaching in Oamaru in 1882. St Joseph's School is also connected to St Patrick's Basilica, Oamaru.

School History

Early Days and Growth

In 1884, the very first classrooms for St Joseph's School were in the presbytery. Up to five classes were taught there by the Dominican nuns. Priests often visited the school. They were interested in how students did on tests and also enjoyed cultural events like music shows.

In 1928, a group called the Christian Brothers started running St Patrick's primary school for boys in Oamaru. Two Christian Brothers traveled daily from St Kevin's College, which had opened in 1927.

Changes Over Time

St Patrick's school for boys continued until 1973. At that time, the school was reorganized and closed. Younger boys then moved to St Joseph's School. Older boys went to St Kevin's College.

In 1984, St Joseph's School changed again. It became a full primary school for both boys and girls, teaching students up to Year 8. The old red-brick building that was once St Patrick's is now used for the younger students at St Joseph's. Older students learn in newer buildings, which are closer to St Patrick's Basilica on Reed Street.

Keeping Traditions Alive

St Joseph's School still keeps its connection to the Dominican Sisters. For example, a "Dominican choir" was started in 2008. The school also has a strong link with St Kevin's College. Most students, about 99%, go on to St Kevin's College after finishing at St Joseph's.

Life at St Joseph's

Student Leadership and Learning

St Joseph's School believes that student leadership is very important. Students from Year 3 to Year 8 can be part of the school council. This helps them learn how to be leaders.

The school also encourages students to learn about their local environment. For example, students studied the little blue penguins that live in Oamaru. This project helped them improve their skills in English, Social Studies, and Science. It also helped them meet learning goals for their age group.

This penguin project was part of a "Living Heritage" program. It aimed to help students learn about digital literacy, which means being good at using computers and the internet. The main goal was to create a website about the penguins. This project was similar to another bird monitoring program the school did as part of the Ministry of Education's "LEARNZ" program.

Recognizing Positive Attitudes

Miss Melanie Sloan is a teacher who works with students in the middle grades. In 2010, she received a special award called the "Spirit of Attitude" award. This award is given to people who show a positive attitude even when facing challenges. Miss Sloan was given the top award by a government minister in Auckland.