Principals Report

Principal’s Report – June 20, 2025
Congratulations, we’ve reached the halfway point of the academic year. Term 2 is ending, and a well-earned break awaits. There’s much to celebrate as we reflect on the achievements and milestones of the past ten weeks.
Parent Payments
I would like to thank the parents who have responded to Leo Pappas’, School Council President, message regarding parent payments. As well as curriculum funds being added to, there have been generous donations to our Building Fund and Library Fund. As Leo communicated this money will be used to ensure that our programs and facilities continue to improve. I would like to express my gratitude to parents for responding to Leo’s message.
International Students and Global Connections
Next term, Auburn High School will have over 60 international students in our programs. These students enrich our school community with their diverse perspectives and experiences. They come from countries including Vietnam, China, the USA, Cambodia, and Malaysia. Their brave decision to study abroad, often in a second language and within homestay environments, is truly commendable. Next term there will be several cultural events including a national dress fashion show. Thank you to Jean Zhang, Lushi Lin, and Roslyn Mills for all their guidance, and support for these students.
Year 12 Formal – A Night to Remember
On Thursday, June 12th, our Year 12 students celebrated their formal at The Luminaire in South Melbourne. The evening, coordinated by the Formal Committee with support from Mr McPherson, Ms Price, and a dedicated team of parents, was a resounding success. Students dazzled in their formal wear and enjoyed a night of celebration, laughter, and dancing. I’m incredibly proud of the Class of 2025 for the way they represented themselves and our school.
GAT and Senior School
The following week, on June 17th, our Year 11 and 12 students undertaking VCE/VM studies completed the General Achievement Test (GAT). While not as glamorous as the formal, the GAT plays a vital role in the VCE/VM assessment process. In a show of camaraderie, our IB students hosted a BBQ lunch to support their peers—an uplifting example of the unity within our senior school.
Brevet Exams and Academic Milestones
This week, we received our Year 9 French Binational Brevet exam results. It is official that the 2025 class of FBN have achieved our highest results ever. Ms Papon and the French Teaching staff will provide more information. On behalf of the school, I would like to congratulate the students on such an outstanding effort. Regardless of the grade received the students have shown such determination, resilience and optimism throughout the stressful exam time. The FBN program is an acceleration program on three levels: language, academic rigour, and three years of curriculum in two and a half years. Congratulations to the parents as well for their support and encouragement. The program is a huge commitment for the whole family.
These results are also a credit to the programs at Camberwell PS and Caulfield JC. Both schools do an incredible job teaching young people bilingual studies and creating a passion for French language and culture.
Looking Ahead: Athletics Carnival
With the Athletics Carnival set for September 5th, now is the perfect time to start training—especially for Freeman House, who are eager to reclaim the House Cup! It takes around 6 weeks of training to see significant benefits, so whether you want to jump further, throw further, jump higher, run faster, or have more endurance; start now!! Perhaps we can find the next Gout Gout.
Campus Developments
I am excited about the upcoming landscaping project between our new building and the oval. Our small, but willing and able Vocational Major class are working towards final designs for an indigenous garden that will integrate the new building landscape with the old quarry face. This will be a transformative addition to our campus.
We also have a group of students who will be organising a working bee for the first week of September. The aim is to rejuvenate the garden beds around the main building and to renovate some of the existing seating. Please stay tuned for more information.
Wishing everyone a restful break. Enjoy the outdoors, recharge, and I look forward to seeing you all in Term 3. Don’t mind me, I will be on the golf course and going skiing.
Warm regards,
Ross Pritchard
Principal