Mater Maria Catholic College

Mater Maria Catholic College
Location
Warriewood, New South Wales 2102,
Information
School type	Private
Motto	Walk in New Life
Religious affiliation(s)	Roman Catholic
Founder	Sisters of the Good Samaritan
Principal	Mrs Julie Terry
Staff	65
Enrolment	895
Language	English
School fees	$4, 500 per annum
Website	http://www.matermaria.nsw.edu.au/

Mater Maria is a Catholic High School in Warriewood, New South Wales, Australia. It was founded in 1962 by the Sister of the Good Samaritan. John Ducker, the former president of the Australian Labor Party, the Australian Council of Trade Unions, and a member of the NSW Legislative Council, was the first chairperson of the Parent's Board. One of the school buildings is named after Ducker.

History

The story of Mater Maria Catholic College began in January 1962, when the Sisters of the Good Samaritan founded a secondary school for thirty-eight Catholic girls at Narrabeen. In 1964 the College moved to Forest Road at Warriewood. The modest facilities matched its youthful size and in the secluded bushland of the Warriewood valley, the priority of the Sisters was to educate the girls in a peaceful environment. By 1979, the local population growth and demand led to the decision to expand and establish the College as co-educational. In 1984, students sat for the Higher School Certificate for the first time at the College. The majority of these students had been the pioneers of co-education at the College in 1979 and had become the founding members of the new senior school.

Over the next decades, new facilities were built concurrent with developments in curriculum and soaring enrolment figures. The Commonwealth and generous contributions from the five feeder parishes of the College financed five new buildings that were opened in the period from 1974 to 1990. Many people were involved in the College's development, most especially a strong and dynamic Parents' Association, a supportive and nurturing staff and the Sisters who in 1980, donated the land to the College in perpetuity.

In 1990, Mater Maria welcomed its first Lay Principal.^{[undue weight?]}The 1990s heralded significant changes in management, pastoral care and curriculum. Courses were revised, new courses were introduced and an extensive co-curricular program was developed, establishing Mater Maria’s commitment to rich educational opportunities.

In 2002, the Bush `log' Chapel was officially closed and decommissioned in preparation for the largest building works at the College. Today, as we move towards our Jubilee celebrations in 2012, state of the art facilities and the latest learning technologies enable Mater Maria to offer our students exciting opportunities for the future.

Principals

Years	Principal
1962–1964	Sister Pius McMahon (SGS)
1965–1966	Sister Cecily Pullen (SGS)
1967–1977	Sister Honorius Fitzmaurice (SGS)
1978–1984	Sister Therese Marie Fleming (SGS)
1985–1989	Sister Marie Julie Duffy (SGS)
1990–1994	Mr Bernard Edwards
1995–1998	Mr Ross Cleary
1999–2005	Dr Tony Bracken
2005–2010	Mr Ray Werren
2011-	Mrs Julie Terry

References