First day for the diocese’s newest primary school

184 students from Kindergarten to Year 4 arrived at their newly built state of the art school

Lisa Taha, farewelled her twins Lana and Roman, on their first day of Kindergarten at the new school

On Monday 30 January, the newest primary school in the Diocese and City of Parramatta, Mother Teresa Primary Westmead, officially welcomed students to their newly built state of the art school.

The 184 students from Kindergarten to Year 4 arrived for their first day of school and were greeted not only by their principal, Gary Borg, but also a news crew and local media who were there to capture the historic day. Mother Teresa Primary is the first primary school to be opened in the City of Parramatta for 40 years.

There was much excitement all around for first day of school but it was doubly special for twins, Lana and Roman Taha, who started their first day in Kindergarten.

‘They were so excited, they barely slept at all last night,’ said Lana and Roman’s mother, Lisa. ‘The new facilities are fantastic and the link between the primary and high schools is a big plus.’

Executive director of schools, Greg Whitby said that Mother Teresa builds on the great things happening across the diocese.

‘Mother Teresa is part of a system of schools focused on delivering the best learning opportunities for students,’ said Greg ‘This is supported by flexible learning environments that are technology rich and adaptive to the needs of today’s learners and teachers.’

Mother Teresa’s principal, Gary Borg, said that the he was impressed with the resilience of the older students who have relocated from their sister school, Sacred Heart Primary, Westmead where they were housed prior to the completion of their new school.

‘It has been a very exciting day for the students, parents and teachers,’ said Gary. ‘I am so impressed at the way our returning students have adapted so quickly to their new environment and settled back into their learning.’

Mother Teresa Primary serves the Sacred Heart parish of Westmead and has been established as part of the Westmead Catholic Education Precinct that includes Catherine McAuley Westmead and Parramatta Marist on the same site, providing the opportunity for a Kindergarten to Year 12 education within the one precinct. It will grow to accommodate 420 students within the next few years.

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