Jim Gillespie and Patrick Rosato
Catholic schooling is a work of love and nowhere is the work of love and learning more evident than in the relationship between teacher and student.
Research highlights that teachers’ belief and commitments are the greatest influence on students’ achievements.
In a four-part series, we’ve taken a closer look at the teacher-student relationship and how it makes better learners and teachers. Jim Gillespie teaches Year 12 student Patrick Rosato at St Columba’s Catholic College, Springwood
Patrick says Mr Gillespie is a good guy who is more than just a teacher.
‘He is hard working, he helps everyone and he’s fair, honest and helpful,’ says Patrick. ‘Mr Gillespie is really committed to his students as individuals and I respect him because he treats me with respect.’
‘He has really made a difference to my learning and he set up extra classes to help students who want to do more study. He tests us in class to make sure we know what we have to know,’ said Patrick.
Patrick says Mr Gillespie loves his subject and this comes across in his teaching. ‘He expects everyone to work as hard as they can and get the best results they can and he makes the subject accessible and creates a want for learning,’ said Patrick.
Jim Gillespie says he sees the good in all kids and wants to see them flourish.
‘In Pat’s case, I have learned that adversity can make people even stronger,’ said Jim. ‘Even through the hardship of losing his home in the bushfires, Pat’s attitude to his learning has not changed. He is respectful, always cheerful and dedicated to his studies.’
‘I have seen Pat grow from a sound student in Years 7 to 10 to now as a Year 12 student where he works to achieve the best result,’ said Jim. ‘He understands what hard work is and the effort needed to achieve excellent results.’
Jim says he is motivated by seeing students achieve at a high level and the enthusiasm that this instills in them.
‘I have a great love of working with young people and seeing the rapport that is built between teacher and student. I think I have a never-give-up attitude.’
Catholic Schools Parramatta Diocese
www.parra.catholic.edu.au
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07 Aug 2026
From Facebook
It's late Friday afternoon and Andrew has found the perfect vantage point to contemplate the weekend ahead. #doesnteveryschoolhaveitsownpeacock
07 Aug 2026
From Facebook
Our Engineering Club are enjoying an equipment upgrade - from toaster ovens and sandwich presses to a you beaut, state-of-the-art heat press - all thanks to the Western Sydney International Airport Soaring Scholarship that we were awarded earlier this year. The club members are busily turning waste into useful objects, keeping plastic out of landfill and giving it a second life. They have already built a shredder using the guide from Precious Plastic Community and prototyped coasters and guitar picks. Now with the heat press they are moving onto bigger products like clipboards. Families can keep waste out of landfill and support the Engineering Club by donating HDPE 2 plastic lids. FOR SAFETY, all lids must be washed and dried and can only be HDPE 2 (look for the 2 inside the triangle). Lids can be dropped off in the box in Nicky's office in the library. Catholic Schools Parramatta Diocese
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07 Aug 2026
From Facebook
It's late Friday afternoon and Andrew has found the perfect vantage point to contemplate the weekend ahead. #doesnteveryschoolhaveitsownpeacock
07 Aug 2026
From Facebook
Our Engineering Club are enjoying an equipment upgrade - from toaster ovens and sandwich presses to a you beaut, state-of-the-art heat press - all thanks to the Western Sydney International Airport Soaring Scholarship that we were awarded earlier this year. The club members are busily turning waste into useful objects, keeping plastic out of landfill and giving it a second life. They have already built a shredder using the guide from Precious Plastic Community and prototyped coasters and guitar picks. Now with the heat press they are moving onto bigger products like clipboards. Families can keep waste out of landfill and support the Engineering Club by donating HDPE 2 plastic lids. FOR SAFETY, all lids must be washed and dried and can only be HDPE 2 (look for the 2 inside the triangle). Lids can be dropped off in the box in Nicky's office in the library. Catholic Schools Parramatta Diocese
05 Aug 2026
From Facebook
Congratulations to Amelia (Y10) on her outstanding performance at the 2026 The Horse Den State Interschools Championships during the school holidays. In a very competitive field, Amelia and her pony Ajah finished 7th in the 1.1 dressage and first in the 1.2 dressage. The St Columba's community is very proud of Amelia's wonderful achievement!
05 Aug 2026
From Facebook
We love welcoming our alumni back to the College! Sebastian Andrews (College Captain - Class of 2023) called in today to see the new buildings and catch up with some of his former teachers. He agreed that the new buildings were 'just a little bit better' than the demountables that he learned in while he was a student here. Thanks for stopping by Sebastian, it was great to see you.
04 Aug 2026
From Facebook
On Friday 31 July students from Years 7-11 participated in the annual Write a Book in a Day competition. In year group teams, students worked together between 8am and 6pm to conceptualise, write, illustrate and publish a book for young Australians aged between 10 and 16. In addition to publishing a book, the competition also requires students to raise funds for the Kids’ Cancer Project. Their finished books are distributed in children’s hospitals across Australia. It was an enjoyable challenge for our students, who enjoyed collaborating to produce engaging stories and interesting illustrations. Congratulations to everyone involved!
03 Aug 2026
From Facebook
Celebrating excellence, leadership and the bright future of St Columba's. On Wednesday morning, our College community came together for our Semester 1 Academic Awards and Leadership Commissioning, with more than 280 parents joining us to celebrate the outstanding achievements of our students. Students were recognised for their commitment to learning through the presentation of Academic Awards, along with Gold, Silver and Bronze Awards, acknowledging their dedication, perseverance and pursuit of excellence throughout the semester. The ceremony also marked an exciting milestone as we officially commissioned our new Student Leadership Team. It was a proud moment to present each of our student leaders with their leadership badge, while our 2027 College Captains, Mieke Watson and Lachlan Billiards, and Vice Captains, Lily Boersma and Beckett Kearns, received their College blazers. Congratulations to every student recognised on the day. We are incredibly proud of your achievements and look forward to seeing our new student leaders inspire and serve our College community in the year ahead. Catholic Schools Parramatta Diocese
03 Aug 2026
From Facebook
As part of the College's support for the St Vincent de Paul Winter Appeal, students from Years 7–12 took part in a Winter Stay-Out event. Through experiential learning, faith in action, and community spirit, students deepened their understanding of homelessness and poverty during an evening of challenges, reflection, and a powerful talk from Vinnies NSW Kim Crawford. A huge thank you to all the St Columba's families who contributed to our Winter Woolies Drive - your generosity has helped keep many people in our community warm this winter. 🧣❄️ #faithinactioncspd #winterappeal #socialjustice #vinniesNSW Catholic Schools Parramatta Diocese
03 Aug 2026
From Facebook
We are incredibly proud to announce that our 2026 Book Week celebrations raised $4,396.06 for the Indigenous Literacy Foundation (ILF) — our biggest Book Week donation ever! The total was made possible through the wonderful generosity of our students, families and staff, who supported our Book Week costumes, picnic lunch, cake stall, Poem Apothecary and second-hand book stall. Every dollar raised will help support the incredible work of the ILF, bringing books, learning resources and literacy programs to children and communities across remote Australia. The Indigenous Literacy Foundation is a charity that is particularly close to our hearts at St Columba’s. Supporting literacy, celebrating First Nations stories and languages, and helping children develop a lifelong love of reading are values that strongly resonate with our College community. A huge thank you to everyone who helped us reach this incredible total. What a wonderful way to celebrate Book Week — by helping share the joy and power of books with children and communities across Australia. If you’d like to learn more about the important work of the Indigenous Literacy Foundation, we encourage you to visit their website: www.ilf.org.au
03 Aug 2026
From Facebook
Over the recent holiday break, Year 12 student Nik represented New Zealand at the U18 Water Polo World Championships in Portugal. Nik made his mark on the world stage, scoring four goals throughout the tournament. The New Zealand team achieved a ninth-place finish – the highest ever placing by a New Zealand men's team at a Water Polo World Championships. What an incredible achievement! Congratulations, Nik, on your outstanding performance.
03 Aug 2026
From Facebook
Massive news out of Glasgow with St Columba's alum, Jenna Jones winning the 100m freestyle S13 at the Commonwealth Games and taking gold for Australia! Congratulations from all at St Columba's Jenna - such an awesome result! Catholic Schools Parramatta Diocese Glasgow 2026 Commonwealth Games #WeAreUnstoppable
29 Jul 2026
From Facebook
Be sure to check out the Schools on Show feature in the Blue Mountains Gazette today! Catholic Schools Parramatta Diocese
29 Jul 2026
From Facebook
Congratulations Jenna! First the gold and now the bronze! Outstanding! 🥇Gold 100m Freestyle s13 🥉Bronze 50m Freestyle S13 #jennawinsgold #jennawinsbronze Catholic Schools Parramatta Diocese Glasgow 2026 Commonwealth Games Commonwealth Games Australia