Principal's Desk

Dear Warrandyte High School Community

Welcome to another edition of the Warrandyte High School Gang Gang iNewsletter for 2025. As we come to the end of Term 3, it is a great moment to reflect on the many achievements and highlights over the past nine weeks.

A true standout this term has been our spectacular production of Alice in Wonderland Jr. Opening night was a huge success, and across all four performances our students showcased incredible talent, creativity, and teamwork. A heartfelt thank you goes to the staff, students, parents, and volunteers who dedicated countless hours to making the production possible. Your efforts ensured the production was both successful and memorable.

Another milestone this term has been the release of our 2025 Attitudes to School Survey results. I am delighted to share that this year’s results were the strongest in our school’s history, reflecting the positive culture, commitment, and sense of belonging that exists across our school. This is an achievement we can all be very proud of.

Currently, we are undertaking our School Review. This is a Department of Education process that takes place every four years. The review reflects on our progress against our goals over the last four-year cycle and, importantly, helps shape the direction of our new School Strategic Plan for the next four years. This is a significant opportunity for our school to build on our successes and set a clear vision for continued improvement.

Term 3 has also been an exciting one in sport. Well done to all our teams who represented the school with pride and sportsmanship. It has been wonderful to see so many students participating and achieving success at the representative level.

Over the past four weeks, WHS has also hosted a series of ‘Taste Tester’ mornings, welcoming Year 5 students from five of our local primary schools. These sessions gave students a first-hand experience of high school life, from engaging in sample classes to exploring our facilities. It was a wonderful opportunity to showcase our supportive and vibrant school environment.

Looking ahead, there are some exciting events on the horizon. Our Italy Trip departs on Tuesday 16 September, providing students with an incredible cultural and educational experience. Mr Joseph Caruana and Mrs Peta May will be leading our group of students. 

On Wednesday 17 September our Parent Student Teacher Conferences will be held. These conferences are a valuable opportunity for three-way conversations about student learning progress, identifying areas for improvement, and setting future goals.

This year, we have made attendance a school-wide priority, reinforcing the message that every school day counts. I am pleased to report that as we approach the three-quarter point of the year, we have reduced by two thirds the number of students who have been absent for 30 or more days. This is a significant achievement, and I thank families and students for their ongoing commitment to being at school every day. We ask that this positive trend continue.

As we turn our attention to Term 4, our senior students will begin with their Unit 3/4 practice exam week in Week 1 (Monday 6 October – Wednesday 8 October). We wish all students undertaking a Unit 3/4 subject this year the very best as they also prepare for their VCAA examinations commencing Tuesday 28 October. This is an important milestone, and we are confident our students will approach these assessments with determination and resilience.

This year we are taking a different approach to how students transition to the next year level. Weeks 8 and 9 of Term 4 will see the whole school undertake a two-week transition program, essentially getting a head start on the work for the next school year. Students will be placed in their 2026 classes and operate in their 2026 timetable. While beneficial to all students, this will be of greatest benefit to students who will be undertaking Unit 3/4 subjects. Importantly, students will be able to finish the coursework earlier the following year, thus affording them more crucial revision and exam preparation time at the end of Term 3 and the beginning of Term 4 of 2026. 

As we move into the final term of the year, I would like to thank our staff, students, and families for your continued support and dedication. Together, we are building momentum, pride, and achieving ‘Growth’ at Warrandyte High School.

Luke Ventieri

Principal

Warrandyte High School