Principal's Report

On behalf of the Assistant Principals, Caroline Gachon, Scott Conte, Louise Hartley and Allison Jenner, we congratulate the students for a fantastic first term and thank the dedicated teachers and ES staff for their support. Throughout the term, students quickly got back into the rhythm of school life, reconnecting with each other and with a sense of excitement and purpose. 

I encourage students to continue to make every day count and use our school values as their point of reference. We want students to take up the many opportunities that we provide both in the classroom and in other aspects of their time at school. 

The second half of the term was as eventful as the first half, with students immersed in their learning and teaching. 

In March, Year 7 and 9 students completed the NAPLAN testing, students continued to represent the school in large numbers and with distinction in the interschool sports and parents and students attended the face to face Student Progress Conferences in record numbers. Still to come this term, Freeman House will hold their annual fundraiser, the Year 8 students will have a chance to celebrate their love of History on Medieval Day and we look forward to the final House event, the Athletics Carnival. Participation in the school clubs has continued to grow with ever- increasing numbers of students taking up the opportunity to pursue their interests with other like-minded students and teachers. 

Whole school assemblies are a significant school occasion where we come together once a term to reconnect as the Blackburn High School Community. 

On Friday 24 March, ably led by our student leaders, we held the first school assembly for the year and acknowledged and celebrated outstanding effort and achievement across a range of areas. Ms. Emma Love, the Science and STEM Lead Teacher, together with the STEM student leaders, celebrated the runners-up place of our school Robotics Team in the recent national competition. Our robot also made a guest appearance and impressed us with its skills. 

We also recognised exceptional achievement at the Swimming Carnival and the House Performing Arts, and we were reminded of the National Ride to School Day.

We understand how important it is to continue to improve the school’s learning spaces in order to inspire and promote a sense of pride. The STEM Centre is an exceptional, learning and teaching space for science, technology, engineering and mathematics. 

There have been other major improvements in our school facilities including the Melba and Hollows Locker Bays and work has started on the Dunlop Locker Bay. The new bike shed is being used by an ever-increasing number of students who ride to school. We have completed the first stage of the refurbishment of the new VCE Centre and the second phase has already commenced.  An upgrade to the Resource Centre and the Art Block are also in the planning in the near future.

We wish the students, staff and parents a safe and enjoyable Easter and term break.

Joanna Alexander

Principal