Welcome to 2024. Wishing you all a happy new year and all the best for the year ahead.

I extend a warm welcome to all students, staff, and families. We have a significant number of new staff, and students, and by default families, this year. Throughout the last decade the Auburn High School community has continued to expand and in 2024 we have 814 students, 80 staff, associated families, alumni doing amazing things and a school site that is providing numerous opportunities for recreation, education, and social connection. I will refer to the word ‘community’ many times throughout the year. Auburn High School brings together local people, international students, families of different origins, and students from outside our zone who are pursuing specialised education. The school values, ‘Diversity Aspiration Respect and Excellence’, are community building values and are spoken about, demonstrated and celebrated every day at Auburn High. Our recent assembly is a good example of this. Our special guest, Hon. Member for Kooyong Monique Ryan, spoke about the value of each person showing leadership and contributing to the greater good. She then presented badges to our 2024 Student Leaders. We are proud of the community we are.

I would like to highlight some key events that will be happening this year. As previously stated we are celebrating 10 years of Auburn this year. The new building on Auburn Rd will be finished in April. Our first International Baccalaureate Diploma Program graduates will complete final assessments in November. Two international trips for students will take place, to France in April, to NASA and the US in September. These are all exciting and stay tuned for updates throughout the year. For example, our first parent event is the ‘Meet your Year Level Community’ evening on Thursday February 15th. This is an opportunity for parents to meet tutor group teachers and some other teaching staff. There’s that word ‘community’ again. Please look out for more information regarding the specifics of the evening.

Following the success of the students last year, and a very positive outcome of our school review, our strategic direction has been set. There will be continuation of our programs and teaching strategies that link high quality teaching, student academic and personal outcomes, and a positive classroom and school setting. Teachers will be investing in their own, and their team’s teaching practice, by focusing on High Yield Strategies that are integral to our GANAG instructional model. These will be complimented by the introduction of High Impact Wellbeing strategies, and the work of our wellbeing team. Faculties are preparing for the Victorian Curriculum upgrade by planning for new content. Staff are leading the development of the Vocational Major program that provides students an additional pathway in senior school.

Student voice and agency, and student leadership also enters a new phase of improvement and implementation. Students will have the opportunity to work with two Leading Teachers in focus groups, working parties, leadership development and community engagement forums. The additional staff investment is an exciting development for the students and arose from the review feedback. Students, staff, and parents indicated that Auburn High was now a larger school and some of the lines of communication and roles needed clarification. I have done this, and believe in the importance of collaboration between teachers, students, and parents, and a sense of school pride that will be enhanced with the 2024 improvements.

In line with the Department of Education’s priorities, Auburn High continues to provide a safe and positive learning environment. Education of young adults can be complex, and our philosophy, vision, values are all designed and implemented to create a safe space that acknowledges the needs of young people, and the staff. Our school council has endorsed recently all the updated policies and protocols and they are available on Compass, under School Documentation. Please refer to these as required.

The priorities above are focused on maximising individual student improvement and learning outcomes each year. We are fortunate to have aspiring families, supportive of high expectations, and this role models a vigorous work ethic for our students. The goal is for Auburn High students to graduate with the best ticket for their future, and this is possible via efforts across academic, social, and extracurricular opportunities. Our DARE, whole school and Year Level assemblies celebrate these things.

It will be a great year for parents to jump on board and get involved in school programs and events. There will be regular communication encouraging parental involvement and community engagement. Opportunities for volunteering, joining committees, or attending school events will be fantastic ways for us to create a sense of belonging. It takes a village, they say. In addition, I would be very interested to hear from parents with ideas around partnerships or collaborations with local organizations, businesses, or community leaders. Auburn High students have a wonderful reputation and are complimented on their behaviour. It makes sense to get them out and about meeting new people and having a diverse range of experiences.

To conclude, 2023 had many success stories and achievements, from our VCE scores to attendance rates, to students who overcame significant difficulties, to staff who made a difference in students’ lives, and proud parent moments. This success, which fosters a sense of pride and community spirit, is just the beginning and I look forward to sharing many more positive stories.

Until next time,

Ross Pritchard

Instrumental Music