The Arrow, Term 1. No 1

Dear Staff, Students and Parents,

Welcome to 2026. Wishing you all a happy new year and all the best for the year ahead. I extend a warm welcome to all members of our community, including the many new students, staff, and families joining us this year. Auburn High School continues to grow, and in 2026 we are proud to be a thriving community of 860 students and 85 staff, with alumni doing remarkable things across a range of fields.

2025 was full of highlights, and our dedicated staff will continue to provide exceptional education and support to our students. Our work is grounded in strong teacher–student relationships, knowing our people, and ensuring every student and staff member feels valued and empowered to succeed. Parents and guardians, your ongoing support and trust remain central to our collective success.

Important Dates for Term 1

1. Student Free Day: February 12^th Staff Professional Learning – positive classrooms.
2. Year Level Community Picnic: February 10^th (5.30pm – 6.30pm) lower oval.
3. House Swimming carnival: February 19^th.
4. NAPLAN testing: Scheduled during normal school timetable between March 12^th – 20^th.
5. Parent-Teacher Conferences: March 24^th (12pm – 7.30pm), March 25^th (2.30pm – 4.30pm).
6. School Council elections: nominations open February 23rd, elections close March 13^th.
7. Labour Day holiday: March 9^th.
8. School Council Meeting of new council: March 23^rd.
9. End of Term 1: April 2^nd (Good Friday April 3^rd)

We are thrilled to welcome several new staff members to our school community this year. Each brings a wealth of experience, knowledge, and enthusiasm that will enhance our educational environment. Please join me in warmly welcoming:

Lonan O Lorgnain                         French Teacher

Thomas Quinn                              Health, Physical Education Teacher

James Gordon                               English Classroom Teacher

Trent Adams                                  Business Manager

Elise Su                                           Finance Manager

Shaina Khan                                   Science Laboratory Technician

Tim Coad                                        Classroom Support

Sonja Sampieri                               Classroom Support

Emma Chan                                     Art Assistant

 We are also pleased to have some experienced teachers returning from leave:

Jacob Bevacqua                            Health, Physical Education Teacher and Learning Area Leader

Alexandra Clarke                          Art Teacher

Brock McDonald                           English and Humanities Teacher

Jesse Weymouth                           English and Humanities Teacher

Auburn High School begins 2026 from a position of real momentum. Our story is one of a maturing, high‑performing school with strong programs, a clear identity, and a community that trusts the work we do. Our students benefit from a rich, multi‑layered education (academic, social, and extra‑curricular) and they respond positively to the investments we make in them. This year we will be teaching updated curriculum across all subject areas, with excitement around our new Year 9 and 10 subjects. Teachers and students will be creating positive classrooms as we adopt the updated Victorian Teaching and Learning Model, and students will have expanded opportunities through our broadened house competitions and tutor group leadership programs.

Our staff profile is a wonderful mix of experience and fresh energy. Staff are proud of the direction of the school, and our families remain supportive and engaged, a powerful combination. The strength of our culture is evident across the school, and this year we will continue to focus on the connections students make and the pride they take in their school.

In 2026, our strategic direction is centered on embedding the significant work completed in 2025, strengthening consistency across classrooms, and maintaining the professionalism and collaboration that define our programs. Rather than adding more, we are consolidating what works; refining our systems, sharing expertise, and staying creative in how we manage our work. Exciting times ahead.

Until next time,

Ross

Teaching and Learning at AHS

We are proud to have high quality curriculum documentation at Auburn High School. This is a testament to years of development to our embedded instructional model (GANAG) and our commitment to reviewing Learning Area scope and sequences from Year 7 to Year 12. As your child has started back at Auburn High School in 2026, they have been accessing our Unit Planners and experiencing lesson sequences that align with our instructional model, GANAG.  In 2026, we, along with all government schools, are implementing the Victorian Curriculum 2.0 in our classrooms. Our Reimaging Curriculum project has well prepared our staff to ensure that our learning sequences for our students have been enhanced alongside this new curriculum.

As you familiarise yourself with your child’s learning program for this semester, we encourage you to interact with our documentation on Compass to guide their learning at home and positively influence their attitude towards learning in the home. Our goal when working with our parent community is to engagement you to be involved with our school by attending community events, helping to guide your child’s schooling, but most importantly being engaged with their learning. Research by AITSL states that conversations at home that link schoolwork to current events, and that discuss the value of schooling, future and expectations also relate to academic achievement across the secondary school period (Hill & Tyson, 2009; Wang & Sheikh-Khalil, 2014).

https://www.aitsl.edu.au/research/spotlights/strengthening-parent-engagement-to-improve-student-outcomes

What can you look for to support learning at AHS?

Our Unit Planner: 

• Helps students to be autonomous agents for their learning across a unit.
• Will be posted on the Compass newsfeed so families can also see what their child is learning in each subject. Students can also print & glued this into their books.
• Outlines essential that lesson that are numbered so that students can track missed lessons if they are absent.
• Outlines the CAT/SAC date.

What is happening in each lesson?

Students are engaged in a sixty-minute lesson sequence designed alongside our GANAG instructional model. GANAG has been part of our Auburn High School lesson design since our foundations and continues to be enhanced as we respond to current research and DET initiatives.

GANAG stands for:

• Goal
• Access Prior Knowledge (APK)
• New Knowledge
• Apply Knowledge
• Goal Review

Each phase of GANAG makes up sequenced steps that allows for high quality, consistent lesson and unit design. It is used by all Learning Areas at Auburn High School.

We are currently aligning the DET’s Victorian Teaching & Learning Model (VTLM 2.0) with our GANAG instructional model, embedding the contemporary evidence about the way students learn and the most effective teaching practices and approaches to achieve strong learning outcomes for students, including priority cohorts. Staff at Auburn have been engaging with the science of learning since last year, understanding how the stages of students’ memory support learning and aligns with the phases of GANAG.

This work will further enhance our instructional practice in the classrooms as we update our frameworks, tools and resources to support our teaching staff.  The science of learning will also be embedded gradually into the Education For Life (E4L) curriculum to help students to understanding their own neural basis of learning and how they can foster effective strategies to support their success at school. We look forward to the upcoming Study Success Seminar Days for our Year 10 and Year 11 students where they will all engage in an incursion featuring a guest speaker who will introduce them to evidence-based methods they can begin to embed into their academic programs.

Ella Price

Assistant Principal (Teaching & Learning | Senior School)

Opportunities to start strong and get connected 

As we begin the new school year, the Junior School Team would like to warmly welcome our returning students, our new students, and all families to the Auburn High School community. Our work in the Junior School this year is grounded in a clear priority: connection. Connection to learning, connection to our goals, connection to one another, and connection as a wider school community. When students feel known, supported and connected, they are more confident learners and more willing to step outside their comfort zone. In the first 3 weeks of the year, I have been incredibly proud of our Junior School students. Students have arrived punctually, in full school uniform, and well prepared for learning. Students have shown kindness to one another, asked questions and been creative in their approach to problem solving.

A special congratulations to our Class of 2031, who have made a positive and confident start to secondary school. Our Year 7 students have already embraced the AHS DARE values and are settling into their routines with enthusiasm, kindness and resilience. During classroom visits this week, it has been wonderful to see students forming relationships with their teachers and peers while engaging thoughtfully in their learning.

We began the year together as a whole school, celebrating leadership and community in our first assembly for 2026. Our Senior Leaders were formally presented with their student leadership badges, and we heard the first address from our 2026 School Captains. We were also fortunate to welcome the Federal Member for Kooyong, Dr Monique Ryan, who shared her perspective on leadership and the responsibility we all have to positively contribute to our community. It was a powerful way to set expectations and aspirations for the year ahead.

Term 1 is an exciting time in the Junior School, with many opportunities designed to strengthen connection and foster a strong sense of belonging. At Auburn High School, we know that learning does not only happen in classrooms, but it also occurs through shared experiences, participation and involvement in school life. These moments help students build friendships, confidence and pride in their school.

We strongly encourage families to support their child’s involvement in our enrichment and community‑building opportunities, including:

• Year 7 Camp, where students build friendships and independence
•  in a supportive environment
• Encourage your child to participate in our extra‑curricular program, commencing in Week 4, allowing students to explore interests and connect with peers across year levels,
• The Swimming Carnival, where students contribute to house spirit, challenge themselves and support one another.
• The Year 9 City Project and Presentation Evening, where students explore a social issue in Melbourne as part of their first Year 9 English assessment. Families are invited to attend the formal presentation evening to celebrate the impressive work students produce during this experience

These experiences play a vital role in helping students feel connected to their school community, and parental encouragement makes a meaningful difference to student participation and confidence.

Junior School Learning Focus

Our year level statements guide the holistic development of students in the Junior School. Each year, we facilitate extended tutor groups and community‑building activities to support a smooth transition and help students connect meaningfully with their learner qualities and year level focus.

Creativity (Year 7)
Students develop curiosity and an open mind, exploring possibilities, thinking innovatively and acting on their ideas.

Collaboration (Year 8)
Students learn to work together, listen to understand and ensure all voices are valued. Through trust, communication and diverse perspectives, students support and motivate one another.

Citizenship (Year 9)
Students actively contribute to our school community, model our values and develop an understanding of their place in society, striving to make a positive local and global impact.

Parent Involvement and Connection

Connection with families at Auburn High School is not a one-off event, it is an ongoing partnership built through regular communication, shared understanding and trust. Our recent Community Picnic was a valuable opportunity to meet families informally, strengthen relationships and reinforce the sense of belonging that is so important for our Junior School students.

We know students are most successful when families feel informed, confident and connected to their child’s learning. Throughout the year, families can engage with their child’s progress in meaningful ways with Compass being our central hub for information sharing, enabling you to access vital information about your child’s learning and our school community. Additional guidance on using Compass can be found here:

• Compass Education Website Guide
• Compass Parent Guide

A big thank you to all of our families who joined our 2026 Year Level Community Picnic, it was a wonderful sun filled afternoon.

Below you can find our year level leaders for 2026 and an email address should you need to contact them

A warm welcome to our newest staff members at Auburn High School. We would like to introduce you to a few new faces around school.

I’m James Gordon. I’ve come from St Bede’s College, and I’m thrilled to be joining the English team at Auburn High School. This year I’m teaching English, the DARE project, and Year 10 elective subjects. When I’m not in the classroom, you’ll find me cooking up feasts at home, including the world’s best lasagne.

I’m Thomas Quinn, in 2025 I was a casual relief teacher at Auburn High School after working at De La Salle in 2024. I have joined AHS as a Health and Physical Education Teacher in the Junior School. When I’m not in the classroom, you’ll find me on the Tennis Court or Travelling.

I’m Carla Broughton, this is my first role in a school. I was previously in the fashion industry in various head office roles and most recently at Levi’s. I am the new accounts receivable, communication and events administrator. Outside of my role, travelling is what sparks joy. I will take any opportunity to travel locally or internationally when I can.

Elise Su – I previously worked at Blackburn Primary School at the Finance Officer and have joined Auburn High School as the Finance Manager. Outside of work you will find me painting with water colour.

I’m Sonja Simpieri and I have joined Auburn High School this year after working at east Doncaster Secondary College & Blackburn High School. I love baking break, eating Greek food and playing Badminton. I am really enjoying working in the Inclusion team at Auburn High School and seeing our students grow academically and socially so that they become stronger and persistent in their journey of learning.

I’m Tim Coad and have joined the Inclusion team at Auburn High School this year; after working at Blackburn High School.  I have two children who are 18 & 20 – I am still active in both Softball (as an umpire) and Baseball as a player. I worked with Telecom and Telstra for 32 years as well as some other technical workforces for about 5 years prior to undertaking the Educational Support role – 40 years in the workforce! I love helping students achieve in the classroom and enjoy their learning every day. With such diverse staff here at AHS, I am looking forward to meeting as many as possible and being involved with their classes as I learn from them every day, French is one of my new challenges!

“ Bonjour ! I (Lonán / Monsieur Ó) am very excited to join the Auburn High School community & the French team, in particular. Proud Melbourne/Naarm local and have French family on my father’s side in Le Mans, which raised my interest in the language & culture. I have just returned after teaching in Ireland’s Gaeloideachas / Irish-speaking schools sector since 2021 (where I taught, amongst other things, French). I enjoy swimming & travelling. Looking forward to working & learning with the Year 7 & 8 students this year”

School Photos

We are looking forward to our annual School Photos in Week 4 on Wednesday 18th February.

The photos will be used on 2026 student cards, concession cards and Compass profiles. It is important for the students to be in our full school uniform and upholding the requirements of our school uniform policy (available on Compass and our school website).

Families can now order their photos through MSP Photography on Compass. Please contact them directly with any questions.

Please note:

• Students get a portrait photo only. There are no Tutor Group or class photos. The group portrait option for Year 7 – 11 will be individual portraits of students in their Tutor Group.
• There will be a whole Year 12 group photo.
• Schedule: Times for photos will be published closer to the school photo date. Students and teachers are the check Compass for information, particularly for group and family photos.
• Families need to ensure that they have updated their consent on our media authorisation form so that the printing of photo booklet reflects your current consent. Please access a digital version of the policy & provide consent HERE, You can opt in or out of each category individually using the tick boxes provided.

 There will be a catch-up photo day on Friday 28th February for staff and students who are absent on the 18^th of February.

From 10-12 December 2025, AHS hosted its first International Student Connection Camp at The Summit in Trafalgar. Alongside our wonderful staff, I had the pleasure of attending and sharing this special experience with our students.

From the moment we arrived, the students were full of energy and enthusiasm. Students and teachers took part in laser skirmish, rock climbing, the giant swing, abseiling, the cave challenge, the muddy monster course, and a water slide. There was plenty of laughter, a little bit of mud, and lots of teamwork. It was wonderful to see everyone jump in, challenge themselves, and cheer each other on. For many of our international students, this was a completely new experience, and they absolutely loved it.

On the final day, we took on the 28-metre tower and the high-wire challenge. Students worked in pairs, climbed high, balanced together, and encouraged each other every step of the way. It was amazing to watch their confidence grow.

What stood out most was seeing students push beyond their comfort zones, support one another, and grow stronger as a team. It was truly a special experience, and everyone returned home with big smiles, wonderful memories, and a little extra sunshine on their faces.

A big thank you to Mr Jeffrey Wang and Ms Yidan Luo for accompanying our students and helping create such a positive and unforgettable experience.

Excitement is building as auditions are now underway for our 2026 school production, Singin’ in the Rain Jr. Students have been showcasing their singing, dancing, and acting skills, and the talent on display has been fantastic. We are thrilled by the enthusiasm and commitment shown by all who have auditioned so far.

Our cast will be announced in just under two weeks so stay tuned as we prepare to step into the spotlight for another unforgettable school production.

Congratulations to Tully Dick who spent the past few weeks as a ball kid at the Australian Open. In her final year in the program Tully had an array of experiences that were highlights on television programs, social media, and of course, coverage of some of the biggest games at the tournament! Tully also met the two top ball kids from Roland-Garros and practised her French on her breaks during the tournament. It is fantastic to hear about our student contributions in our wider community, particularly in areas that align with their passions.

Read more about Tully’s experience:
My time as a ball kid was an unforgettable experience that I loved from start to finish. I was there for four years, where I made amazing friends and met so many great people along the way. In my final year, I had the opportunity to be a ball-kid leader, which was an incredible experience and responsibility. I worked many unforgettable matches, including games featuring both world number ones. My highlights of the tournament being the men’s semi-final with the long 4-hour match of Novak Djokovic vs Jannik Sinner and the Women’s final with Aryna Sabalenka vs Elena Rybakina. Overall, I loved every moment of the tournament, and I am so grateful to everyone who helped make it so special.

During Head Start at Auburn High School at the end of last year our IB Year 11(2026) & Year 12(2026) students went on an excursion to the State Library of Victoria where they learnt relevant study skills and were given an interesting tour including Indigenous exhibits to tie in with the Melbourne Museum in the afternoon. Students visited the First Peoples (Indigenous) Gallery at Melbourne Museum, answered questions on a booklet, and did a self-guided museum tour. A worthwhile day of exploration and learning.

Our Year 12 Study Camp: A great way to Kick-off 2026

Our Year 12 students have just returned from their three-day Study Camp at CYC:The Island, Cowes. The purpose of the camp is to build connectedness within the Year 12 cohort for their final year at AHS and to upskill students in effective study and mental health strategies. The formal sessions included strategies for motivation (intrinsic and extrinsic), Mind-Hooks (self-talk), Wellbeing: How to look after myself, an opportunity to build AHS House Spirit and careers and post-secondary course selection advice.

One highlight of the Study Camp was the opportunity to hear from a panel of 2025 past students about their experiences of Year 12 and what they are doing now. Jack, Ivy, Luke, Prateek, Ihsaan, Tate and George passed on their well-received advice to the 2026 Year 12 group.

Apart from the study sessions, we enjoyed a range of other activity experiences: a morning beach walk, initiative challenge games, bike riding around Cowes, the flying fox, the giant swing, the Pinnacle (rock climbing), archery, the Circatron, swimming at the beach, the Trivia Quiz and some down time around camp to enjoy one another’s company.

On the final day, students were introduced to their Mentor Teachers and group. The Mentor Program at AHS is a voluntary opportunity for students to connect with a chosen Mentor Teacher. The Mentor Program enables the participants to regularly catchup and chat about any aspect of the year that they wish and to seek advice. Students value the opportunity to have a key Mentor Teacher with which to work across they sometime “roller-coaster” of a year.

Students commented that the highlights of the camp were: “getting advice from last year’s students”, “the group activities and catching up with friends”, and “going to the beach”. They said that the best pieces of advice they received was: “to use intrinsic motivation”, “how to balance between play and study”, “That getting a minimum of 8 hours of sleep a night is very important.”, “to plan and pace yourself”.

On behalf of the staff who attended the camp, I wish to congratulate the Year 12 Cohort for making our Study Camp such a wonderful experience. We, the staff, thoroughly enjoyed spending quality time with the group and are now looking forward to a successful year.

Kind regards,

Mr McPherson and Miss Jayasuriya.

We are excited to announce our 2026 Student Leadership Team

Everyday Counts – Important Attendance Information

Going to school every day is an important part of your child’s education. Children and young people learn new things at school every day, connect with friends, have fun and develop good habits that help them to succeed. Attending and participating in school will help your child:

• develop important skills and knowledge to help them learn
• develop social and emotional skills such as good communication, resilience and team-work
• establish friendships with peers which help develop self-esteem and a sense of belonging.

There is no good number of days for missing school. Being away from school for 1 day a fortnight adds up to missing 4 whole weeks of school a year. Where possible, you should avoid your child missing school, for example, make appointments for your child outside of school hours and keep family holidays to outside term time.

The school must be informed of ALL absences, whether it be illness, appointments, holidays or any other reason. You can do this by entering the absence on Compass at the earliest opportunity. If it is a planned absence, this can be done in advance. Parents are asked to submit a Holiday Notification Form to the relevant Assistant Principal in the event of a planned family holiday during term time.

If a student is absent on a particular day and the school has not been previously notified by a parent, or the absence is otherwise unexplained, Auburn High School will notify parents by SMS. The Year Level Leader, Tutor Group teacher or Attendance Officer will attempt to contact parents as soon as practicable, soon after a short period of unexplained absence, allowing time for the parent to respond.

If you have any attendance concerns or questions regarding an SMS message you have received, please call the school and leave a message with your child’s details and we will follow up your enquiry. Please do not reply to the SMS as this service is not available.

Unwell

Please remind your children not to contact you directly during the day to let you know they are unwell.  Instead, if they are feeling unwell, they need to ask the teacher to visit our Sickbay, and our First Aid Officer will contact you accordingly.  If you need to pick them up this will be organised via Sickbay.

VCE/IB/VM students

Please remember to provide Medical Certificates for VCE students for any medical absences.  This is to help maintain their VCE Attendance requirements for all students who are in Year 11 and Year 12 and students that are in Year 10 and completing a Year 11 or 12 subject.  Please forward certificates to our school email address [email protected] 

Protocols around students arriving late to school:

Arriving to school for the day after 8.51am (i.e. Late arrival to school):

• All students are expected to arrive at school in enough time to get organised for Periods 1 and 2 and to be punctual to Tutor Group. Students can enter the school building via the student entrance at 8:30am and have 15 minutes to organise themselves.
• Any student who arrives at school after 8:51am must report to the front office to sign in prior to going to timetabled classes. Staff at the front office will log the arrival time in Compass and instruct the student to go straight to class. A staff member will also enroll students in a lunchtime detention when students do not provide a note: IE lateness is ‘unapproved’.
• If students arrive late to Tutor Group, they will not be required to report to the front office (either in the Main Building or Senior Building). Tutor Group teachers will log the lateness/absence on Compass.

Arriving to Class (Tutor Group, scheduled class or activity) late with no approval:

If a student arrives late to any Tutor Group, scheduled class or activity the teacher will mark the student ‘late’ on Compass. Our teachers will engage in a conversation with the student and establish strategies to prevent ongoing lateness.

Regular lateness or non-attendance to Tutor Group will be monitored by a staff member on Compass and a staff member will enrol the student in a lunchtime detention for regular lateness (3 or more times) to Tutor Group, scheduled classes or activities.

Early departure from school:

All students must sign out of the school via the front office where they have an approved reason for early dismissal. Approval will be granted with a parent note via Compass prior to signing out.

Would you like an extra pair of hands at work? Would you like to participate in mentoring the next generation of workers?

Work experience is such a valuable experience for our young people, providing them with a stepping stone to get started in the workforce and the opportunity to try out a job/career before making big decisions about their future career pathway.

I would love to hear from any parents who would be willing and able to support our Work Experience program for 2026 by offering a Year 10 student an opportunity to gain valuable on the job experience at your workplace.  The Work Experience program will run for one week in Term 2 from 22^nd to 26^th June, 2026.

If you think you would be able to support our Work Experience program, please fill in this Work Experience Expression of Interest form by Friday, 6th March, 2026. 

Please note that students are not permitted to work at a home business or at a business with fewer than three employees. Students must also be paid a minimum of $5.00 per day as reimbursement for their expenses.

If you have any questions about participating in our Work Experience program, please contact:

Jenni Chisholm

Careers and Pathways Manager

Email:  [email protected]

Ph:  9822 3247

AHS 7 Pillars of Wellbeing: Health

SLEEP AWARENESS WEEK – MARCH 8-14th

Auburn High School frames wellbeing conversations through our 7 Pillars of Wellbeing: Relationships, Self-Care, Health, Resilience, Sense of Belonging, Personal Growth and Safety. One of the most powerful, and often overlooked, contributors to health is sleep.

Why Sleep Matters

Sleep is a highly active state essential for brain health, acting as a critical maintenance period for cognitive function, memory consolidation, and waste clearance. It strengthens neural connections, processes emotions, and removes toxic proteins that contribute to neurodegenerative diseases. Lack of sleep impairs decision-making, emotional regulation, and learning.

Quality sleep supports students:

• Memory consolidation and learning: Slow-wave sleep helps stabilize new memories, while REM sleep integrates experiences and fosters creativity, strengthening neural connections made during the day.
• Clearing out toxins: The brain uses the glymphatic system during sleep to flush out toxins, such as amyloid-beta, which is associated with Alzheimer’s disease.
• Emotional regulation: Quality sleep helps regulate emotions, whereas sleep deprivation can lead to increased reactivity in the amygdala, contributing to anxiety, depression, and mood swings.
• Cognitive function and performance: Adequate sleep is crucial for focus, decision-making, and problem-solving. Poor sleep impairs these functions, often resulting in a “foggy” brain, slow reaction times, and poor judgment.
• Brain plasticity: Sleep allows the brain to adapt to new information. Without it, the ability to learn and form new pathways is severely reduced.

When sleep is disrupted, young people are more likely to experience low mood, difficulty concentrating, and reduced resilience.

What Is Sleep Hygiene?

Sleep hygiene refers to the habits and environments that support healthy, consistent sleep. While sleep hygiene alone may not resolve all sleep difficulties, it plays a critical role in promoting wellbeing and establishing healthy routines.

Key Sleep Hygiene Tips for Adolescents

Changing habits can be hard, be kind to yourself while you’re trying new things. You don’t have to do everything at once, set yourself a small goal, choose something that’s easier for you to do, then add other things later. Achieving your goals can help build your confidence.

Healthy sleep habits include:

• Maintaining a consistent wake-up time (even on weekends)
• Creating a consistent and calming pre-bed routine
• Reducing screen use 30–60 minutes before sleep
• Use the blue light filter on your phone and lower the brightness at night.
• Getting regular physical activity and daylight exposure
• If you find it hard to wind down, try a mindfulness exercise; you might try a mindfulness app
• Limiting caffeine and heavy meals in the evening
• If you can’t get to sleep within 30 minutes, do something else. You could try reading a physical book, doing some chores/tidying, or listening to calming music until you feel tired
• Aim to get between 8-10 hours of sleep a night

A supportive sleep environment includes:

• A comfortable bed and clean bedding
• A cool, dark, and quiet room
• Using the bed primarily for sleep and not be on screens or study in bed

Health, habits & help-seeking

Adolescence is a time of rapid brain and body development, making sleep essential for long-term health. We encourage families and students to view sleep as a non-negotiable, not something to sacrifice for study, socialising, or screen time as well rested students are better equipped to learn, grow, and thrive.

If sleep difficulties are ongoing or significantly impact daytime functioning, families are encouraged to seek support from a GP, health professional, or reach out to the AHS Wellbeing Team for more information and support.

Year 9 DARE Project

As part of our Reimagining Curriculum project in 2025 our Year 9 program was reviewed to ensure that a student’s holistic academic program balanced both our core subjects, greater choice in their Arts & Technology subjects, and an opportunity for them to step outside their comfort zones, take greater responsibility for their learning, and explore who they are as individuals and learners.

Year 9 students have previously provided feedback they feel they benefit from learning experiences that are relevant, hands-on, and connected to real-world issues, helping them stay engaged and motivated. We therefore want to incorporate this feedback into their future academic programs while providing them more opportunities to experience tasters of the learning programs they can choose when they enter the Senior School (VCE, VCE Vocational Major or the International Baccalaureate).

In 2026 we are excited to launch the Year 9 DARE Project for our Year 9 student community. The AHS DARE Project empowers students to see themselves as agents of change both in their local communities and in the wider world. This subject providing students the space, time, and opportunities to develop their critical and creative thinking. The program runs across two semesters and has been designed to nurture global awareness and local responsibility.

By combining academic challenge with opportunities for personal growth, creative exploration and pursuit of topics and issues of interests, the Year 9 DARE Project prepares students to thrive as thoughtful, informed, and compassionate global citizens.

What will this look like?

Students complete the DARE Project in collaborative classroom environments encouraging connectedness across the Year 9 community. You can see some of their learning experiences as well as their personal trademarks which they have been developing since returning from the summer holidays.

Andrea Ganotis (Leading Teacher: Curriculum Year 9 & 10) and Letesha Ruberto (Leading Teaching: Student Leadership & Community Engagement)