First graduating classes for McAuley and St. Anne’s Colleges

As the first group of Year 12 students graduated from McAuley Catholic College in Tumut, throwing their caps into the air, principal Eamonn Moore felt the full force of the emotional moment.

“We have come to the last of our firsts, the first of our last, the last event for our first graduating class,” he said.

“They’ve been a great bunch, always looking after each other, especially reaching out to marginalised or sad kids. This has defined their year group.”

At St Anne’s Catholic College in Temora, principal Grant Haigh reflected on his first Year 12 cohort graduating, expressing a sense of accomplishment and wishing them well. “They have created a legacy for future students, and it’s been a privilege to be part of something special in the school’s history.”

Both principals noted the advantages for students staying at home with their families during Years 11 and 12 instead of leaving town for a Catholic education.

“There is less financial burden for parents, and the town prospers with having their youth around still,” Grant said.

“Students in Years 11 and 12 need the support of their families when going through the most important years of their schooling life, and to be able to offer this locally is amazing.”

“I think we learnt in Covid that family is everything,” Eamonn said. 

“For these students, they haven’t had to go to boarding school. They could have a little job in town. They could continue playing sport with their team.”

Both McAuley College and St Anne’s reported significant enrolment increases since the announcement of Years 11 and 12. “We’re up more than 20% and have waitlists in every year group,” Eamonn shared, noting the appeal of remaining in a Catholic school. St Anne’s saw a 34% rise in student numbers, according to Grant said, who added that these years has created more local teaching jobs and provided families with more options for senior schooling.

Eamonn said the inclusion of virtual learning had played a significant part in the students’ education. 

“We have offered biology and business studies virtually, and other schools are coming on board to offer commerce, legal studies, PDHPE – so it is growing,” he said.

“Many universities now offer fully online courses, preparing students for a different future while keeping them with their families, which is beneficial for their mental health. That’s our purpose.”