School linked to Australia's first saint set to close doors

Nicole Mathewson Reporter from Dunedin News

From reporter Hamish McNeilly:

A small Dunedin school with links to a saint is set to close amid falling student numbers.

Bishop of Dunedin Michael Dooley confirmed St Joseph’s School, in Port Chalmers, would close on January 27 next year.

The school, which began in 1882, had a roll of seven children in 2021, down from 16 in 2017.

The closure comes after a consultation process, which was initiated last year and approved by the associate minister of education.

“I acknowledge that the uncertainty around closure has been challenging for the pupils, staff, board, families, parish and wider community of St Joseph’s Port Chalmers,” Dooley said in a statement to the school community.

“I thank you for your patience and understanding as we have worked through the process with the added complication of the Covid crisis adding to the extended time frame.”

Dooley acknowledged the staff who had worked at the school over its 140 years, including Mother Mary MacKillop, who “left a lasting contribution to the charisma of the school when she was head teacher in the early years”.

MacKillop was recognised as a saint – Australia’s first – by Pope Benedict XVI at the Vatican in 2010, and is known as Saint Mary MacKillop, or St Mary of the Cross.

MacKillop arrived in Dunedin in 1898 and was the first head of the refurbished St Joseph’s, which was previously called St Mary’s School.

With the impending closure, Dooley said: “It is important that we document and celebrate the many achievements of the school as the final chapter in its history draws to an end.

“I am committed to supporting the community at this challenging time and working with them to explore options for the future use of the facilities.

In 2019 the property had a capital valuation of $905,000.