Principal’s Message

De La Salle Catholic College Caringbah opened its doors on the 28th January 1958. Sixty-five boys had arrived to start fourth class with Brother Dermot.

In 1961, the year the presbytery was officially opened, secondary classes began. Father Keller (parish priest at the time), teachers and parishioners recognised an obvious need for planning for the future needs of the school. As part of this planning, Father Keller visualised a large parish complex, basing his dream on the rapid growth of the local population, particularly the local Catholic population.

The new school buildings were designed to be built in two stages. A seam can still be seen running directly down the middle of the building, discoverable near the Learning Centre, and Rooms 12 and 5. Due to the organisation of Father Keller and the hard work of the parishioners the cost of construction was kept very low.

One way of reducing costs was to purchase all internal bricks second-hand and to arrange working bees to clean the bricks. The De La Salle Brothers’ monastery (the current office and staff study) was completed in 1964 thus completing Fr Keller’s planned series of parish buildings. De La Salle Catholic College was labelled for closure in the 1990s, but due to increased enrolments and the efforts of the staff and community, this was called off and a new wave of building works began. The science labs were refurbished first and then all general classrooms, followed by massive building works to convert the library into the hall. Additional renovations included the building of a food tech room, canteen and new toilet facilities, and the conversion of the presbytery/residence to staff study and college office.

Plans are currently underway for further building works to accommodate increasing enrolments and to provide more diverse curriculum opportunities for students.