Our College

Emmaus College Vision Statement

Emmaus College is a Catholic community of learners. The Emmaus journey seeks truth, wisdom and justice.
As a community of hope and justice we celebrate God’s love and the dignity of each person.
Walk with us and let Christ’s fire burn within us.

Central Ideas

Reflection on the Emmaus story in Luke’s Gospel anchors our College’s practices in the teachings and way of life of Jesus. The central ideas taken from the Emmaus Story are  –

Journey Seeing every human life as an on-going exploration and discovery.
Welcoming Understanding that God might be encountered in each person whose path we cross.
Community Promoting a faith based on the community’s openness to recognising God in the events of daily life.
Hope Providing nurture and encouragement for those who struggle.
Commitment    Developing an environment where people are prepared to commit themselves to doing what God calls them to do.
Enthusiasm Acting out the dictates of our hearts. Emmaus College stands for the liberation of Christ’s holy fire that burns within every disciple.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Educational Mission Statement

The educational mission of Emmaus College is to provide holistic, relevant, Catholic secondary education to students and families who seek its values. This mission is enacted through a wide variety of learning experiences which are enriching and founded on right relationships.
Educational Mission Words: Respect, Relationships, Integrity, Empowerment

Pastoral Mission Statement

The pastoral mission of Emmaus College is to be a community of care, which gives witness to the message of Jesus. This mission is enacted through pastoral support that provides care and encourages each person to accept responsibility for their choices and to live justly.
Pastoral Mission Words: Support, Nurture, Justice, Belonging

Religious/Spiritual Mission Statement

The religious/spiritual mission of Emmaus College is to have a clear Catholic identity that is open and inclusive. As part of a wider faith tradition, this mission is enacted through the provision of opportunities for spiritual growth of the community and all its members.
Religious Spiritual Mission Words: Faith, Compassion

Our motto – ‘Light My Way’

Our motto draws inspiration from the theme of journey that is woven into the fabric of our College’s life.  The journey of discovery, enlightenment and commitment made by the disciples on the road to Emmaus can be repeated in all our lives. Our pre-eminent belief is that the person and teachings of Jesus can give direction, strength and joy to all of us in our journey of life.

Christ’s role as “light of the world” and the capacity of learning to enlighten our lives are called upon to illuminate the journey.

The influences of the mottos of Marian/St Stanislaus College, “Let Your Light Shine to the Glory of God” and Emmaus Senior College, “Way, Truth, Life” are apparent.

Our badge

The symbolism is:

Cross:                 our Christian Catholic tradition

Road:                  the Emmaus journey

Star:                    the link to Marian/St Stanislaus College, the Christian Brothers and Sisters of St Joseph

Mountain:      a local touch, the Berserkers.

The badge was designed by Mr Noel Brady, a former staff member.

Our Rich History

St Stanislaus College, founded by the Christian Brothers as a boys’ school, opened in 1958 on a site in Main Street where Emmaus College now stands. The Sisters of Mercy pioneered secondary education for girls in North Rockhampton by introducing a secondary section to St Mary’s school in 1961.

In 1964, junior secondary education for girls in North Rockhampton was transferred to Marian Secondary School for Girls, a school founded by Mary MacKillop’s order – the Sisters of St Joseph. This school commenced on the current Yaamba Road site. St Stanislaus College expanded its junior secondary education to the Yaamba Road site, with its primary department continuing to operate on the Main Street site.

Emmaus (Senior) College was established on the Main Street site in 1983 as a Year 11 and 12 co-educational college. The decision to unite the two junior secondary colleges, St Stanislaus College and Marian Secondary School for Girls, was ultimately carried out in 1985. The new college, Marian/St Stanislaus College, provided co-educational junior secondary education. Both Marian/St Stanislaus College and the original Emmaus (Senior) College ceased operation in December, 1992. The current Emmaus College, a 7-12 school, was established in 1993.

Emmaus College strives to build upon the values and traditions of its predecessor college to provide quality Catholic education in Rockhampton. In 2013, Emmaus celebrated 20 years of existence.


Statement of Special Religious Character

Approved June 2020

Our Emmaus College Community acknowledges the Traditional Custodians of the land – the Darumbal people – and recognises their ongoing spiritual connection to the land where learning and ceremony have taken place over thousands of years.

In 1958, the Christian Brothers began St Stanislaus College on a site in Main Street and in 1964 the Sisters of St Joseph began Marian Secondary School for Girls on the Yaamba Road site, after the Sisters of Mercy had pioneered secondary education for girls at St Mary’s School from 1961.

Bishop Bernard Wallace DD chose the name “Emmaus College” in 1982.  From 1993 Emmaus College became a secondary college for students from Years 8 -12 and then from Years 7 -12 in 2015.     Emmaus College strives to build upon the values and traditions of its predecessor colleges and the Religious Congregations that established them to provide quality Catholic education where students can live out their faith through the curriculum and participation in the liturgy, sacraments, community life and service.

The Catholic identity and ethos of the college is central and permeates our entire curriculum.

The college motto “Light my way” on the Emmaus College badge with its image of the cross as crossroads is a prayer asking for guidance on life’s journey.

Ongoing reflection on the Emmaus journey from Luke’s Gospel (24:13-35) anchors our school’s practices in the teachings and way of life of Jesus. From the Emmaus journey we hear the message – Walk with us; “Stay with us” and eat; Sharing the Good News with “hearts burning.”

Walk with us (Luke 24:15)

We are invited:

on a journey of encounter, exploration, discovery and learning.

We can look for and find God in everyone we meet.

 “Stay with us” and eat (Luke 24:29-30)

We are encouraged:

in our community, to invite God into the events of our daily life.

With God’s help we nurture, support and encourage all members of our

Emmaus Community.

Sharing the Good News with “hearts burning” (Luke 24:32-33)

We are inspired:

to continue to live and share the story of the resurrected Jesus – a story that burns in our hearts. Emmaus College encourages the recognition and liberation of Christ’s love that burns within each of us.

The journey of discovery, enlightenment and commitment made by the disciples on the road to Emmaus can be repeated in all our lives. The students’ time at Emmaus will be an important part of their journey of life, and our college community meets the needs of students at different stages of their lives. Jesus and his teachings “light our way” and give direction, strength, joy and peace to us on our Emmaus journey.

 

Racism Statement

In Australia, the Human Rights and Equal Opportunity Commission (1998) defines racism as:

Racism is an ideology that gives expression to myths about other racial and ethnic groups, that devalues and renders inferior those groups, that reflects and is perpetuated by deeply rooted historical, social, cultural and power inequalities in society.

Conference of Education Systems Chief Executive Officers, (2000) Racism No Way. A Guide for Australian Schools. https://racismnoway.com.au/wp-content/uploads/2015/12/guide.pdf p. 4

Emmaus College Definition of Racist Behaviour

Emmaus College defines racist behaviour as any action that devalues, offends, humiliates or intimidates a person or group due to their race or cultural background. These behaviours will not be tolerated at our school.

Inclusivity Statement

As a Catholic school, we need to walk on a journey together, encouraging and celebrating as Jesus taught the disciples on the road to Emmaus when their hearts were burning.

Our college is made up of a large number of students and staff from different cultures, genders, abilities, socio-economic levels and belief systems. All students, families and staff have the right to attend a school community where they feel culturally and personally safe and can be expected to be treated with fairness, dignity and respect.  Our aim is to bring all cultures together, by learning from each other and celebrating our differences to bring unity and inclusion to our school community.

Emmaus College, as an inclusive educational facility aims to develop a community where everybody feels that they are valued, safe, understood and accepted for who they are.

‘Love your neighbour as yourself.’ Matthew 22:39

Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Statement

The Emmaus College community acknowledges that Australia is a country that for thousands of years has been occupied and cared for by Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples, Australia’s First Nations Peoples.

Emmaus College stands on the lands of Darumbal people who continue to maintain their physical and spiritual connection to and responsibility for Country and it is here where the first teachings began many years ago.  The Emmaus College community respects the learning that has gone before us and the future learning that will take place as we journey together in pride as Indigenous and non-Indigenous Australians, celebrating each other’s success and cultures.

Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander students come from an enduring heritage with a rich, living and growing tapestry of culture, infused through identity and learning and contributes immeasurably to a strong and diverse college community.

Emmaus College acknowledges that relationships with the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander community, built on mutual respect, trust and inclusiveness, help to create opportunities for all in the College community.

Emmaus College values and respects the gifts of all students and as a Catholic community, we celebrate God’s love and the dignity of each person.

 

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