18 | DEVELOPMENT Auckland Catholic Diocese - St Ignatius of Loyola Catholic College T T Anne Boswell Vision realised for Catholic community T T to page 20 Your Business, Your Industry, Your News. Each edition priority delivered to your door. i i i i li . www.waterfordpress.co.nz/subscriptions . t f . . / i ti 03 983 5525 Stay informed; we work with business owners and decision-makers across all economic sectors, profiling their success. t i f r ; r it i r i i - r r ll i t r , r fili t ir . businessnorth th “The Catholic community’s perseverance has finally seen the college established, and the work of providing a Catholic education has begun. The college is proving to be hugely successful.” After decades of vision, planning and persistence, the dream of establishing another Catholic secondary school in South Auckland has finally come to life. St Ignatius of Loyola Catholic College in Drury opened its doors to students in February 2024, marking a major milestone for the Catholic community in the region. The college is the result of a long-held dream by the Catholic community, who, for 20 years, had earmarked this church-owned land for a school to service the community. The project faced delays in securing the support of the Ministry of Education in the form of an integration agreement. Now, that dream has become a reality with a state-ofthe-art college grounded in the Jesuit charism and focused on “growing people for and with others”. Led by foundation principal Dean Wearmouth, the newly established college currently caters to 450 students across years 7 to 9, with a plan to expand year by year to year 13 and reach a full roll of 900 students. The academic and spiritual programme is rooted in Ignatian values, including Cura Personalis – care for the whole person, and Magis – the pursuit of excellence for the greater glory of God. St Ignatius College is being constructed in three phases. Stage 1, completed in time for the school’s opening, includes a four-storey administration and teaching block, a hall, a music centre and a chapel – designed to provide a balanced educational experience for students in a space that honours the Catholic character of the college. Stage 2 is currently underway, and will see the addition of a second teaching block with 27 classrooms. Due for completion by December 2025, this next phase will enable the college to accommodate up to 900 students as enrolments grow. Stage 3 will focus on the development of a gymnasium to support student wellbeing and physical development. A critical part of the project’s success has been the Catholic community’s ongoing involvement. Auckland Catholic Diocese property and development manager Michael Butler says the college is the result of a determined and passionate grassroots movement. “The church secured the land 20 years ago, but it has been unable to secure funding and an integration agreement with the Ministry of Education until now,” Michael says. D HWRIGHT P L U M B I N G L T D Mike Owston-Doyle 021 931 500 Phone: 09 571 3051 Email: mike@dhwright.co.nz We are very proud to be associated with Savory Construction on this project
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