Welcome to the final W-Files of 2022. It has been pleasing to see a large number of events, activities and end-of-year excursions take place at this busy time of the year. This includes arts and media showcases, music concerts, transition events, Year 9 Immersion project expo, exams and Headstart programs. We welcomed new families with our Year 6-to-7 orientation evening followed by an orientation day for our next crop of students.








We also returned to the Williamstown Town Hall for our traditional end-of-year whole school assembly, where we celebrated student achievements, showcased our LOTE and arts programs and presented reflections and plans for the future.
In my address to the students, I spoke about how we have all been through so much over the past three years. However, with the support of our peers, our families and our teachers, students have continued their learning journey and also continued developing as beautiful global citizens. The theme of ‘thank you’ was very evident throughout my speech and within my reflections and our plans for the future:
It would be remiss of me to start without acknowledging the challenges we have all experienced in returning to a sense of normality following the challenges of the COVID pandemic in recent years. I am sure you are well and truly over it but have also appreciated the endless supply of RATs we have provided. Each of us have dealt with these challenges both individually, as a family and as a school community. One of our school values, Excellence and Creativity in our achievements and ambitions, has helped drive both our supports and our work during this time, reminding us that despite any challenges or hurdles that emerge, we value not only the wellbeing of you, our students, but also your ambitions.
With this in mind, I would like to take this moment to thank you all, both students and staff for a great year. Thank you for overcoming any hesitation about returning on site, thank you for rediscovering old or identifying new ambitions. And thank you for striving for excellence and being the best version of you.
A particular highlight this year has simply been the return of in-person productions, concerts with live audiences, debating, sporting events, camps, excursions and incursions, parent-teacher-student interviews, and more. Perhaps our appreciation of these has increased due to the experiences of recent years, and to me this has been a real positive. Thank you to you, the students, for not only your kind words of appreciation to the staff at WHS but thank you also for embracing these opportunities and for your positivity and joy expressed at being able to showcase your wonderful talents in front of your peers, teachers and, of course, families and friends.
Further highlights this year have been:
The outstanding work of our student leadership teams at both campuses. Our student leaders have led awareness raising activities for the school community in a range of social issues not only within our school grounds but well beyond too.
The installation of a formal Acknowledgement of Country plaque and smoking ceremony at our new Pasco Campus entrance.
Students working with staff to create and introduce a statement of inclusivity for WHS now on display in every classroom.
This year we demanded Compass develop software to provide the option of pronouns to be added to class roles. Although it has taken all year, it is now in place and our persistence has seen this change not only benefit our students but is now also being offered to all Compass schools Australia wide. This improvement, together with classroom pronoun posters, will be a visible reminder to all. Thank you to the students who have shared their experiences with us to help us better understand and push for positive change.
A new outdoor table tennis table for our Year 11 students and upgrade of the table tennis and basketball facilities at the Bayview Campus. This followed a presentation and lobbying from a team of five Year 9 students in the Immersion program.
Facility upgrades across both campuses, including new shade sails and solar panels, installation of chilled water fountains, new carpeting in classrooms, and other painting, fencing and landscaping upgrades.
I receive a number of glowing emails from community members about the students at my school. Often talking about your maturity and your social awareness, and this all adds to the great reputation we have in the community. This certainly opens opportunities and helps place you at the front of the queue when you go for a job or course interview.
Part of this has resulted from the pride you have in your school, in your school motto and in your uniform.
Hence this year we concluded our uniform review, resulting in a new school jumper. We bid a warm farewell to the traditional cherry red jumper that has played a large part in our wonderful history, and welcome a modern, eco-friendly and striking new black version that Willi High students will wear with pride both at school and in the community. Your voice told us our jumper needed to change, and change it has. This is another wonderful example of student voice influencing your school experience.

Remember, when you are wearing the Willi High uniform, you are representing yourself, your family and your school and this year you have done so with pride so I thank and congratulate you all once more for doing so.
In 2023 we will continue to return to familiar school routines from before the COVID interruption. International events such as our World Challenge adventures, and LOTE and Arts USA trips will resume with World Challenge and Arts occurring in 2023 and French and Indonesian early in 2024. We will complete the building of our Performing Arts Centre and new Year 12 Study Centre following a number of delays - beyond our control - experienced this year. Our Pasco student toilet blocks will receive a half-a-million-dollar upgrade with modern and inclusive facilities built. Synthetic courts at Bayview will be redone and plans are in place to look at a surface upgrade of the basketball courts at both campuses.
We will continue to have the highest expectations of our teaching and learning programs, and the closely linked focus on the “wellbeing of learning” will be prominent. We await with great anticipation the music and art shows and our 2023 whole school production of “FAME”, and look forward to being entertained by our talented students as well as equally talented Arts staff. We will look to enhance our Immersion program with the introduction of an Immersion Camp at Year 9, as well as continue to build on the many programs we have. What a wonderful school we are all part of, and I am both humbled and proud to be your principal.
In recent years I have finished off with a message asking you to do things such as focus on the road ahead or appreciate what you have rather than what you do not have. For this year, I want the words of my end-of-year message that remain with you to be ones from the theme of this speech. Quite simply: Thank you. Thank you for being who you are. Thank you for bringing your diversity and your commitment. Thank you for being part of a school whose old school song has the words “the greatest school of all”.
I wish you all a happy and safe holiday and, at all times:
Hold Fast!
PFA and School Council
I would like to recognise and acknowledge all members of our School Council and Parents and Friends (PFA) Association for their time, energy and support this year. Early in 2023, I will be calling for nominations for a number of vacated School Council positions. I certainly encourage everyone to consider nominating.
Contributions to “Teens Give Back” campaign - note of thanks
Please see below a note of thanks for our recent involvement in this campaign by Bubbling Up:
I'm writing on behalf of the Bubbling Up! team, West Welcome Wagon, and the local asylum seekers they support, to say a HUGE thank you for taking part in our "Teens Give Back" Campaign this year.
Yesterday, we had the privilege to deliver all of the school items collected and donated by our community to West Welcome Wagon. We met the Chair of the West Welcome Wagon Board and some volunteers and they are so grateful for the support we've provided this year - especially because educational items are in such demand ahead of a new school year. It is wonderful to know that our community has come together to support young people from asylum-seeker families in the west of Melbourne to start the new school year with what they need to learn and grow.
We would like to express our gratitude to everyone involved at Williamstown High School for contributing - thank you to every young person, teacher, parent or carer who spread the word, donated items, put bags together and wrote encouraging messages. I attach a few photos for you to share with the school community to show the impact of your generosity.
We know this is a very busy time of year for schools and your hard work and dedication to making a difference is something to be very proud of.
We are very much looking forward to working with you again next year and we'll be in touch in the new year as we are planning our Bubbling Up! calendar of events for 2023.
In the meantime, we wish you a wonderful festive season and a well-deserved summer break.
Best wishes,
Julie du Plessis and Julie Noonan
Co-Founders - Bubbling Up!

2023 Student Captains
Congratulations to our 2023 Student Captains, who were announced and proudly presented to the recent year-level assemblies:
The Class of 2022
The class of 2022 will indeed be remembered fondly for many reasons. Above all else, they have been an extremely talented and resilient cohort. They should reflect with great pride their efforts in completing Years 10 to 12 while overcoming the challenges of a global pandemic. Thank you to the fantastic team of Year 12 teachers and the Student Management Leaders, David Urwin and Melissa English, for their great leadership and care. The support from parents, guardians and families during their final year of schooling is a vital component and something that is appreciated by all staff members at Williamstown High School.
It was very pleasing to be able to finish the year with both a Year 12 Formal and Year 12 Graduation Night. Students and staff were able to celebrate the many successes and reminisce about the challenges in both a relaxed and formal setting. We set a record for WHS with 38 students achieving an ATAR over 90, and almost 50 percent received an ATAR over 80. We had 80 40-plus study scores, and a perfect study score of 50 in English Language, Media and Accounting. Shirley Lin was named the 2022 Dux with an ATAR of 99.70. The school also attained a median study score of 32.
We are extremely proud of the efforts of all our students and staff, and all of their achievements. Additional information relating to student achievement will be provided in our 2023 W-Files. We wish the class of 2022 the best of luck as they venture beyond the school environs, and we look forward to hearing about their future successes in the years that follow.
I would like to wish the whole school community a happy and safe holiday and I look forward to an exciting 2023.
Hold fast!
Williamstown High School.
Gino Catalano | Principal
