It’s hard to believe that we have already reached the end of Term 1! At a place as busy and vibrant as Dulwich High School of Visual Arts and Design, it always seems as though time moves at a much faster pace and it all blurs by in the blink of an eye. That being said, as we arrive at the end of the term it is always so nice to look back and reflect on a number of highlights that have occurred already this year.

I would firstly like to congratulate our students for the way they have settled into the 2024 academic year - in particular I would like to acknowledge the smooth transition that our Year 7 cohort have made into our school. They have settled in to our learning community extremely well, have forged meaningful connections with their teachers and peers and have proven themselves to be eager scholars and young people who have already adopted and model our school values of Respect, Responsibility and Relationships very well. 

Similarly, our Year 11 and 12 students are to be commended for the way in which they have engaged with their learning in their rigorous Stage 6 courses. We as a school community acknowledge the complexities and challenge that this presents you with, but your commitment, dedication and resilience is noticed and valued.

Year 12 in particular can be a busy time, with students balancing school, family, social and work commitments while also looking towards the future. I would like to thank the parents of Year 12 students who were able to attend our virtual HSC and Post School Pathways Information Evening and hope that it started some positive conversation at home and has shed some light on what I know can be a challenging process. I will launch the DHSVAD HSC and Post School Pathways Website early next term, which will hopefully help make it easier for Year 12 students and families to navigate the journey ahead. Rest assured, students will be guided through the process and mentoring will be available in the months to come.

Term 1 also saw us celebrate two important events as a school community- International Women’s Day, which was ably led by Ms O’Callaghan, Ms Mora and the indomitable Empowered Women’s Association and Harmony Day- led by the HSIE Faculty. In addition to starting important conversations and providing an opportunity for us to come together as a school community, these events also allow students to demonstrate their leadership skills as they are often driven by students. I speak on behalf of the entire staff when I say that it fills us with pride to watch our amazing young people organise and run whole school events, captivate their peers through impassioned speeches and showcase their talents across the visual, creative and performing arts to make these events truly special. An important commendation also has to go to our fantastic Entertainment Crew, who are the powerhouse behind all of these events- your efforts, dedication and drive are phenomenal and valued more than you know!

Koori Club have also been busy starting their preparations for NAIDOC 2024. We have planned to hold a number of events at school in Week 10, Term 2 to celebrate NAIDOC - the theme for this year is Keep the Fire Burning! Blak, Loud and Proud. Koori Club will be using their impressive artmaking and cooking skills, and we will have some stalls set up and an exhibition to celebrate this important event. 

A big thank you to our parent community for their contributions to our Meet the Mob evening and a very special thank you to the wonderful Nardi Simpson for launching this year’s theme with Koori Club this term - you have us a lot to think about!