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Principal’s Welcome

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​​​​​​​​​​Welcome to the Aldridge State High School community and thank you for taking an interest in our great school. Aldridge State High School is a highly regarded school located in Maryborough, just 20 minutes from Hervey Bay and Fraser Island and 3 hours north of Brisbane. Founded in 1974, the school grew to a peak enrolment of 1180 in 2016 and now has a steady enrolment around 900 - 1000 students. 

Aldridge enjoys an excellent reputation and has outstanding achievements across the academic, cultural, citizenship and sporting areas.

The school’s Gifted and Talented program begins in Year 5 and has pathways extending into the Tertiary sector. A feature of the program is the tailoring of individual curriculum plans for students whose academic ability sits more than 1 year above their peer group. An Extension Music program in Years 7 and 8 supports those with a passion and flair for music performance. The classroom and Instrumental music programs are closely linked.

STEM focused students are provided with a number of opportunities in expand their knowledge, and the application of that knowledge. In the Junior school, support is given for students to engage with UNSW Science tests, Bridge Building competitions, Coding & Robotics to name but a few. In the Senior phase (Year 10 – 12) STEM students are able to be immersed in subjects such as Physics, Chemistry, Information Technology, Specialist Maths from the first day of Year 10.

As the only school with a system endorsed Sporting Excellence program (Volleyball) in the local area, the school takes a good deal of satisfaction from building student’s ability in this specific sport from scratch to now having medalled at the highest level (Volleyball Australia – National Cup) for each of the last 10 years with at least one team. A number of students have graduated from Aldridge to then play in the State Premier League (predominantly with the UQ Premier League side). Several students have also been offered college Volleyball scholarships in the USA at the end of the time at Aldridge.

In addition to Volleyball, the school has very strong hockey and athletic squads. The strength of the hockey program is due primarily to the wonderful work done by the Hockey Clubs in Maryborough however the Athletic success owes a good deal to one of the school’s current teachers who has Level IV Coaching accreditation. Over the last 4 years, Aldridge has been the school with the greatest representation of students amongst Wide Bay Athletic teams that have travelled to the State Championships in Brisbane.  

Another feature of the school is our Agricultural facility. Students with an interest in rural pursuits are able to complete a Certificate II in Rural Operations or Agriculture as well as study the more formal Agricultural Science subject. Our “Cattle Club” attends a number of shows each year where students learn the skills of leading and judging cattle. A recent addition to the Ag farm offerings has been Equine Therapy. A number of students are able to manage issues associated with anxiety and social pressure through the regular interaction with appropriately trained animals. In line with this the school’s Learning Enhancement Centre has a “PAWS” program where Monnie and Toby (trained therapy dogs) comes up twice ​a week to work with a variety of students and their wellbeing.

In 2013, the school became one of the first 26 schools in the state to become an Independent Public School.

We have outstanding staff who have contributed much to the lives of our students over the years. Aldridge State High School provides you with many new, comprehensive and exciting opportunities for participation over your 6 years of high school. One of the hallmarks of Aldridge State High School is the safe, disciplined and inclusive educational environment where young people can focus on achieving excellence in a range of academic, vocational, sporting and cultural pursuits.

As the principal of Aldridge State High School I will be sharing your journey over the coming years and I am looking forward to meeting and getting to know you. As a leader I am strongly focused on ensuring that each student has an opportunity to achieve their full potential by building a school culture that models and promotes high expectations of learning, behaviour and uniform.

As a teacher and parent I cannot stress enough how important a little bit of perseverance (not giving up) and hard work (setting aside study time at home) is in getting the best possible results. A weekly commitment to study and revision – by setting aside extra time at home - should be a priority for all students wanting to achieve success in their studies and in their lives beyond school.

I am convinced that your course of study at this school will bring great benefits to you personally and professionally in the future. In the end success at school involves a healthy combination of hard work and commitment mixed with fun and enjoyment.

This is an exciting, comprehensive and culturally vibrant school community where all students are challenged to work towards our school vision. We value parental involvement in our school activities and welcome visits from interested members of the school community. I trust that your education at Aldridge State High School is an enjoyable and rewarding experience.

Mr David Burns

Principal

 

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Last reviewed 20 July 2022
Last updated 20 July 2022