Dubbo College: Andrew Jones preparing to farewell school
The man in charge of public high schools in Dubbo says graduating the highest number of Year 12 indigenous students in the country is among his proudest achievements.
Dubbo News
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After 38 years of teaching Andrew Jones is preparing to leave school grounds for the last time.
The popular Dubbo College executive principal is retiring next week after two years as the head of Dubbo’s three major public high schools.
Before Mr Jones moved into the role, he was principal of Dubbo College Senior Campus for six-and-a-half-years.
Presiding over a growing number of indigenous students obtaining their HSC has been one of his proudest achievements.
“We have continuously, over the last three or four years, graduated the most indigenous students in Australia,” he said.
“In fact we have the Australian record. We graduate more indigenous students than anywhere in Australia.”
Mr Jones said the introduction of Clontarf and Girls Academy programs for Indigenous students had helped achieve the result.
The introduction of a new four-day transition program to help Year 10 students prepare for life at Dubbo College Senior Campus was another highlight Mr Jones reflected on.
“We interview parents, we interview kids, the principal goes down and talks to parents individually, not en mass.
“They go to the classes that they’re going to be in the following year, they have the teachers they’re going to have the following year and they’re sitting next to the people they’re going to be sitting next to the following year.”
Highlights from his time as principal weren’t only confined to classrooms, Mr Jones said.
“The college is growing, next year we’ll be up around the 2000 mark so that’s something we’re quite proud of,” he said.
“The Royal visit (in 2018) was very interesting. The organisation of that and dealing with police from Buckingham Palace and Federal Police was unbelievable.
“For the 2018 Year 12 students, at their final ceremony we did a flashmob and that was on YouTube and Facebook.”
Memories of Dubbo College students, like performing arts star Billie Palin and Opera performer Nathan Bryon, going on to achieve professional success after school will stick with Mr Jones in retirement.
“There was another boy called Ngali Shaw and he’s an amazing dancer, he’s just released his first album.
“Brock Larance has represented Australia in cricket and he went to England to play. I watched him grow, he was the sports captain and he didn’t want to string two words together when he walked in Year 11.
“By the time he finished he was this strong, articulate, confident young man which was just a pleasure to have watched. I’ve just been really fortunate that I get to intersect with these young people at that point in time.”
In retirement, Mr Jones said he’d be staying in Dubbo with his wife and enjoying the finer things in life.
“I’m going to go snowboarding, see if I can go back to surfing, mountain bike riding, walking the dog,” he said.
Former Cowra High and Peak Hill Central school principal Charles Gauci will replace Mr Jones when the 2021 school year commences next month.
He previously taught at Dubbo College’s Delroy Campus and has spent time in recent weeks taking part in a handover with Mr Jones.
“My experience with the college is 10 years out of date, so I’m coming back and assessing where things have moved, so far I’ve been incredibly impressed that things have moved so positively,” Mr Gauci said.
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