International Student Program

The last three years have been challenging for the International Student Program. Students have not been able to go home to visit their families, others who chose to return have had their education interrupted, while students who wanted to come have had to study with us online.

Throughout it all, the program has survived and thrived with Ms Jean Zhang at the helm as International Student Coordinator and with the determination and perseverance of our students. This year we have had the students who studied online as Year 10 students join us as Year 11 onsite students and we have had 14 more join us in the Language Centre in the second half of the year. The students already with us have maintained their focus and kept their eye on the end game.

This year, representatives from our international cohort joined with their local counterparts to participate in a student voice and agency program run by the International Education Department to promote greater connection between local and international students in schools. Our students devised a range of musical events including playing at a parent/teacher evening, singing at the Year 12 Formal and an impromptu concert with staff and student involvement as an end of term event. Local students also assisted with the orientation of the new Language Centre students and the school’s commitment to diversity was demonstrated through its library offerings and comments on our ‘Gratitude Tree’. The students won an award for the film of their efforts. Auburn High School was also chosen to make a film about what our school has to offer international students, with a focus on our Language Centre, our STEM program, our library, and our broad-ranging extracurricular program including the ever-popular Futsal competition, not to mention our academic success.

We are confident our international students will continue to enjoy their time with us at Auburn High School and that our past students will come back as part of the newly formed Auburn Alumni Association.

Ros Mills EAL Teacher

Language Centre Coordinator