Principal's Message

Parent Update Week 5, Term 3 2026

Dear Applecross SHS Families

This term has been filled with special events, themed weeks, celebrations, and learning experiences, and the school calendar shows plenty more to come.

Last week, I had the pleasure of attending the Paragon Senior School Music Showcase. For families who may not be familiar with this event, Year 11 and Year 12 students submit a proposed piece of music for performance, along with the group of students they would like to perform it with. The Music Team then curates the evening's program based on these student submissions. This is a wonderful example of learner agency, with students taking an active role in designing their learning experience and contributing to the event's educational outcomes. Well done to all the students involved and thank you to the staff and families who supported them.

I have previously mentioned my attendance at a variety of art exhibitions across Perth in a Parent Update. Last week was the opening night of the Young Originals Exhibition at Gallery Central, North Metropolitan TAFE. Approximately 200 student artworks were submitted for consideration from across Western Australian government schools, with 50 works selected for exhibition. We were delighted to have seven Applecross SHS student artworks selected. This is a fantastic achievement and a wonderful recognition of our students' creativity, skill, and dedication. Well done to all the students involved and thank you to the families who continue to support and encourage their children to pursue their artistic interests and passions.

Last week, I also attended the annual WASSEA Conference, which also supports the Young Originals event. WASSEA is the Western Australia Secondary School Executives Association, and the conference is a two-day professional learning and networking event for Principals and school leaders. This event gives leaders valuable opportunities to network, share leadership practices, and hear from respected speakers across a range of fields. We heard some remarkable and inspiring stories, with speakers sharing powerful personal experiences to illustrate their leadership messages. One speaker was Rachel Robertson, the Executive Lead for a year-long Antarctic expedition. Rachel spoke about her leadership philosophy of “leading without a title” and developing a team culture of “no triangles”. The latter refers to avoiding conversations about others and instead speaking directly with the person concerned. It is a simple but powerful reminder about the importance of respectful, direct and authentic communication. We also heard from the Minister for Education, the Hon Sabine Winton MLA, and the Director General, Mr Jay Peckitt. Common themes in their messages included student and staff wellbeing, inclusion and creating positive environments in our schools. It was a valuable experience for our Executive team, and the knowledge, ideas and insights gained will continue to be shared, reflected upon and inform our work moving forward.

My favourite part of any school week is engaging in classroom experiences. I have continued my teaching and learning initiative of engaging in classes as a student, allowing me to gain a deeper understanding of the student experience at Applecross SHS and identify patterns across the learning experiences our students encounter. Over the past two weeks, I have visited a range of Technologies classes and had the opportunity to experience a variety of learning activities. These have included making pizza pinwheels and sausage rolls, completing isometric drawings in preparation for hovercraft construction, creating a “metal man”, making a bookmark using a sewing machine, completing CAD drawings and, perhaps most importantly, making my first coffee using a real barista coffee machine. For a non-coffee drinker, I have to say the long macchiato was not too bad! These classroom visits continue to reinforce for me the breadth of learning experiences available to our students and the importance of providing opportunities for students to learn through doing, creating, problem-solving and applying their knowledge in practical contexts.

A summary of themed weeks and special days that are coming up:

Languages Week was in Week 4, Term 3. It is an annual event that raises awareness of the benefits of language and highlights the linguistic diversity in our community. The school’s languages team led activities during break times and through Core classes.
National Science Week is Week 5, this week, with the theme Seeds of Science: nurturing science for all. The theme invites students to explore the power of curiosity, inquiry and shared learning in growing scientific understanding.
Book Week is Week 6, it is an annual event to celebrate children’s books and authors, encouraging kids to love reading. The theme for this year is ‘Symphony of Stories’, and we have an array of activities planned for the week delivered by the English Learning Area and Student Representative Council.
Wear it Purple Day is on 26 August this year; students will be able to wear a purple accessory if they choose. This Day is to show support for LGBTQIA+ youth, letting them know they are seen, valued, and safe. This year’s theme is Colours of Courage.
R U OK? Day will be held on Wednesday 9 September at the school. It is a national day of action to remind people to meaningfully check in with family, friends, and colleagues who may be struggling with life. The Student Representative Council have designed a program of activities for the day.

All these events support the enhancement of school culture and connection between staff, students and their families. I thank you all for your continued support of these activities, the school, and your children’s education journey.

Karena

Karena Shearing, Principal, Applecross SHS