Our school was founded by the Sisters of St Joseph in 1933. It was originally called St Joseph’s, Richmond.
We were renamed Tenison Woods Catholic School after the amalgamation of St. Joseph's, Richmond and Kilmara, Thebarton. This was initiated in 1995 and the merger took place in 1997 following significant refurbishment of the Richmond site.
Our school is named after Father Julian Tenison Woods, a Priest who worked in the South East of South Australia with St Mary of the Cross MacKillop. Together they established the Josephite Religious order of sisters and set about making Catholic Education in South Australia an option for all children. Their compassion and work with underprivileged and outcast members of society is what inspires our community.
The picture below is titled 'The Vision' and painted by acclaimed Brisbane artist Jan Williamson. The painting was commissioned by the Congregration in 2016 to celebrate the 150th anniversary of the day Mary MacKillop realised her calling and her vision to educate children. Fr Julian Tenison Woods shared this vision and promised to build a school for Mary in Penola.
