Principal’s Message

Wonderful Things Happen Here!

May I extend to you a very warm welcome  to  Eileen O’Connor College Lewisham, a Catholic K-12  school catering for  children with a  moderate intellectual disability. Our college is named after Eileen O’Connor, the co-founder of Our Lady’s Nurses for the Poor, who’s ministry of healthcare, advocacy and friendship to the poor and disadvantaged was even more remarkable because of her  own disability. With Eileen’s charism as our guide, the College’s vision for children is simply stated within the  school motto: 

Celebrating Diversity, Unlocking Potential & Transforming Lives.

I feel privileged and honoured to be a part of this strong and vibrant school community: a community that pursues excellence in teaching  and learning whilst nurturing the social and emotional needs of students to support them to become confident and resilient individuals.

We pride ourselves in providing a school with a warm, safe, happy environment where students feel welcome and cared for. Our aim is to provide opportunities that meet the needs of every child.

Great schools are a shared responsibility and we are fortunate at Eileen O’Connor College to have a dynamic and vibrant school where there is strong community, parent and family engagement. I feel privileged and honoured to be a part of this vibrant Catholic community. I would like to invite you  to view the website and contact  us if we can be of assistance to you..

Deborah Bestulic
Principal

Eileen O'Connor Catholic College Lewisham History and CharismHistory
Eileen O’Connor Catholic College Lewisham was established in 2016 as the first Sydney systemic Catholic special school. The college began with an enrolment of 20 students in Year 7 and 8 and continued to grow annually to become a K–12 college that can accommodate up to 110 students.

The college has been established on a site steeped in Catholic history that is shared with a number of catholic organisations including the Parish of St Thomas of Canterbury and the Society of St Vincent de Paul. The repurposing of the site took place over multiple stages beginning with the secondary school (2016–17), followed by the primary school and the administration block (2020).

Charism
Eileen O’Connor was the co-founder of the religious order, Our Lady’s Nurses for the Poor, which was charged to assist ‘the poor and the poor only’. Since its inception, the order has performed a unique ministry of healthcare, advocacy and friendship to the poor and disadvantaged in Sydney, Brisbane, Newcastle and Wollongong. Eileen was severely disabled by a fall that broke her spine when aged three but went on to live a remarkable life until her death in 1921 at just 28 years of age.

Today, the mission of Our Lady’s Nurses for the Poor remains as important as ever and guides our model of service delivery here at Eileen O’Connor Catholic College.

Eileen O'Connor Catholic College Lewisham MissionOur Vision
Our vision is to provide an excellent standard of education, within a stimulating Catholic environment, by committed and caring professionals, with inclusion at the heart of all teaching and learning practices.

Our Mission
Our mission is to provide, support and sustain innovative and dynamic teaching and learning practices that transform the lives of all our students.

Our Aims
At Eileen O’Connor Catholic College Lewisham, we aim to:

  • Encourage and instil in our students a curiosity, enjoyment and enthusiasm for learning which will last for life.
  • Achieve high standards of teaching and learning to enable all students to reach their full potential as individuals and as a community.
  • Provide a stimulating education designed to develop the whole student that enriches them socially, emotionally, physically, intellectually, creatively, morally and spiritually.
  • Foster a sense of trust and belonging within the college, parish and local community.
Eileen O'Connor Catholic College Lewisham ParishEileen O’Connor Catholic College is located in the parish of St Thomas of Canterbury, Lewisham. There are strong links between school and parish including a Sacramental program, regular Masses and Liturgies. Students at the college come from all over Sydney and are encouraged to attend their local parish to continue to build their faith and relationship in their local area.

Parish Administrator: Rev Samuel Lynch
A: 5 Drynan Street, Summer Hill, NSW 2130
P: (02) 9798 6016
E: office@thomaspatrick.org.au
W: www.thomaspatrick.org.au

Day Time
Saturday 9.00am
Sunday 10.30am and 5.00pm
Tuesday- Friday 7.00pm
Proudly Part of the Community of Sydney Catholic Schools

Our school is part of a system of 147 low-fee Catholic schools in the Sydney Archdiocese.

Sydney Catholic Schools are thriving Catholic communities that ignite a love of Christ through excellent teaching and learning to empower students to reach their full potential.