THE HISTORY OF OUR SCHOOL
Our Lady Star of the Sea School is an integral part of the Catholic Parish and community of Howick. In 1847 Father Garin S.M. and the early European settlers started a school on a site next to the Catholic Church in Picton Street.
This was staffed by lay teachers until 1904 when the Mission Sisters took over the running of the school. In 1925 Bishop Cleary purchased a property in Granger Road for the purpose of founding an orphanage for girls to be placed under the care of the Sisters of Mercy. At this time a two-classroom school was erected on the site.
In 1930 an existing well-house was converted into a small classroom. Later Our Lady Star of the Sea became the Parish School and as the numbers grew more classrooms were added; two prefabs in the 1950s and an attractive brick two classroom block in the 1960s.
The Sisters of Mercy closed the orphanage in the mid 1970s and themselves left at the end of 1978. From 1979 until September 1996 the school, staffed by lay teachers committed to the ideals of Catholic Education in Howick, continued at Granger Road.
The school became an integrated Catholic School in 1982, a move which promised the upgrading of some present buildings and facilities and the building of a modern two classroom block and administration centre. This work commenced at the beginning of 1987 with the upgrading of four existing classrooms and in 1988, the addition of a new two-classroom block and library.
Two further classrooms and a resource room were placed on site for the 1991 school year.
At about this time the present school site was purchased and planning to relocate the school to meet the needs of a growing population commenced.
The school moved to its new site at Oakridge Way, North Park in September 1996 and opened with ten classrooms, administration area, library and resource rooms and extensive play areas. At the beginning of 1998 four new classrooms were opened to meet the demand for enrolment.
Since, a further classroom has been added in 2000 adjoining the administration block, then two more in 2001. A new purpose built block of four classrooms was completed in 2003.
The school and parish community had been working toward a hall and the completed building was opened early in 2003.
In 2009 the Administration block was upgraded to provide Offies for Management, a work space for teachers and a larger staffroom to provide for the increased number of staff. The Admin block was officially opened on 19 March 2010 with a special Blessing Ceremony conducted by Bishop Patrick Dunn.
The attractive design has proved very popular with pupils, staff and parents and we are thoroughly enjoying our new environment as we enter this exciting stage in the development of Catholic education in Howick.