Eileen O’Connor Catholic School
Catholic Schools Broken Bay is a system of schools committed to providing an inclusive model of education for students with disability. Our schools exist to form young people in Christ’s vision of love as it has been interpreted by the Catholic community of faith. Our inclusive model of education focuses on strengths to promote engagement, enable learning growth and flourishing.
Catholic Schools Broken Bay Vision of Learner Diversity
Eileen O’Connor Catholic School will provide quality Catholic education for students with a disability from Kindergarten to Year 12. Collaborating in the Mission, focusing on human flourishing, using Christ’s example to serve, we believe that every child is a unique individual created by God and valued as an individual learner with strengths, gifts, and talents.
Eileen O’Connor Catholic School (EOCS) will provide a flexible and responsive model of education for students with disability through the structure of a Base School and a network of Support Classes in local parish schools. Transition between the Base School and Support Classes, or Support Classes and local parish school enrolment is facilitated.
Catholic Schools Broken Bay currently has Eileen O’Connor Support Classes for students with a disability at St Martin’s Catholic School at Davidson, St Brendan’s Catholic School at Lake Munmorah and Prouille Catholic Primary School, Wahroonga .
Enrolment Enquiry for Eileen O’Connor Catholic School
Families interested in seeking more information for enrolment can do so by using the button below.
Meet the first cohort of Kindergarten students in their Support Class
2023 saw our first-ever Eileen O’Connor support class kick-off at St Martin’s Catholic Primary School, Davidson. Our families express their desires for their children in this new learning environment.
Why Eileen O’Connor?
Families express their journey with finding a school for their diverse learning children and the need in the community to find a place where all school-aged children can thrive.
Eileen O’Connor’s Extraordinary Life!
Diocese of Broken Bay’s Bishop Anthony Randazzo has long admired Eileen O’Connor as an extraordinary woman who constantly thought of others. Bishop Anthony notes the importance of Eileen as a beacon for human dignity,
“…a symbol of hope in our time when so many issues where the life and dignity of the human person are under question.”
Eileen O’Connor (1892-1921) suffered a crippling break in her spine as a three year old and was in constant pain throughout her life. A visitation from the Blessed Virgin Mary in her teen years encouraged Eileen to offer up her health and suffering for the good of others. Eileen co-founded and lead the religious order of Our Lady’s Nurses of the Poor — more commonly known as the Brown Nurses. She was affectionately nicknamed “The Little Mother”.
Eileen O’Connor became a Servant of God in August 2018, and is on the path towards becoming Australia’s second saint. Postulator for her cause, Fr Anthony Robbie, describes Eileen as “a very compelling, magnetic individual”. He recognises her twice-exceptionality when he goes on to say “She’s a little person of this world in every visible way, [yet] supernaturally she’s a giant. She exceeded the bounds of her human nature in the most wonderful way and brought happiness and light and life into the lives of so many people. And that’s never passed away.”
We will proudly honour and continue her legacy through the Eileen O’Connor School.
Eileen O’Connor Catholic School Fly Through
Eileen O’Connor Base School (Tuggerah) is in the planning stages. The school will provide quality Catholic education for students with a disability of autism and/or moderate intellectual disability.
Eileen O’Connor Catholic School (Tuggerah) will be developed as a Kindergarten to Year 12 school with the initial stages for Kindergarten to Year 3 and continue to grow each year.