From the Assistant Principal 10-12

This week is National Careers Week with the theme ‘Career. It's more than just a Job.’ The students we teach today are preparing for a work where their career will be seen as their vocation, who work to live as opposed to life to work. A generation of individuals who are in the education phase of the lifetimes, and 22% of our population, it is our responsibility to guide them through their careers planning to ensure that they are aware of and have access to their future pathways. 

Our Year 11 and 12 students recently visited the Careers Expo & The University of Melbourne as part of their careers program. The Careers Expo included exhibitors from universities, TAFE colleges and training providers. Students were able to attend subject specific seminars to support them with their academic studies, as well as hear about areas of interest in the workforce. We had students inspired by GAP year programs and international exchange opportunities, and those who were considering contributions to society through organ donation. It was fantastic to see our students proactively asking questions at the stalls, seeking information to understand the possibilities that exist beyond Auburn. We were so lucky to be able to take these two-year levels to The University of Melbourne where they had a tour of the campus, hearing about all the courses. They heard from student ambassadors who were studying a variety of courses, asking questions as to how university is different from learning at school, and campus opportunities such as clubs. 

This term there is a lot of time for our Senior School students to invest in researching their future pathways. All our Year 10, 11 & 12 students have now had their Term 2 My Learning Growth sessions where they accessed their individual templates to reflect on their Term 1 attendance, learning behaviour and CAT/SAC data before setting engagement and academic goals. We know that goal setting promotes motivation and accountability, and students were supported in designing SMART goals that will support their success this term. 

When we review our individual data, we start to think about the opportunities we want to provide ourselves for the future. Our recent excursion enabled our students to begin to ask questions about their pre-requisites for tertiary study, as well as investigating which type of institution might suit best beyond school. 

Closing up Semester 1

We have entered a busy period of summative assessments (CATs & SACs) in the Senior School and I commend all of our students for their perseverance. Our Semester 1 mid-year examination timetable will soon be released, and students will have exam briefings to support their preparation. This has formed our goals for our Year 10-, 11- & 12-year level communities which Tutor Group teachers and classroom teachers will actively support in class. Academic and wellbeing strategies that can be enacted over the two-week period will be shared with students and we encourage them to work with their peers during revision, particularly in our new Study Centre. 

These examinations provide students with comprehensive evidence of their learning for this semester. Students will receive clarity about the structure and format of their exams from their classroom teachers. They are encouraged to ask questions and seek assistance if they are unsure at any point so that they can be supported in the lead up. Teachers will use unpack this data to support students in developing their academic goals for Semester 2. 

Student Attitudes to School Survey 

This week our Senior School students completed the annual Student Attitudes to School Survey. We value student voice at Auburn High School as a means to improving student engagement, wellbeing and quality instruction and have been conducting the survey to find out what your child thinks of your school in 2024. Students responded to statements that asked them to reflect on their thoughts and feelings in relation to their school, their learning, peer and family relationships, resilience, bullying, mental health and wellbeing, physical activity, and life in general.

On behalf of Mr Lanfranchi and myself, thank you for your focus and self-regulation during the survey. We were really proud with your engagement and cannot wait to unpack this data with you all next term. Students who were absent will be provided with this opportunity in the coming weeks.