Preston High School: new era for excited students

The first students of a new high school in Melbourne’s north went to class last week after a five year community campaign to get the school off the ground.

Students Harriet, Peta, Nikita and Alyssa were jumping for joy at the new Preston High School. Picture: George Salpigtidis

THERE were plenty of excited students for their first day at the new Preston High School but once they were off to class parents settled in to hear the real announcements.

The lunch order protocol.

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School principal Sean Butler told the crowd it was “absolutely fabulous” to see the smiling faces ready to start Term 1 and thanked parents, staff and friends for getting the school off the ground.

“This wouldn’t exist without the community who helped us get to where we are,” he said.

Eventually celebrations turned to school administration and parents heard the announcement of the new phone number, lunch order information and the dates of the upcoming sports carnivals.

New students Nikita and Alyssa were keen to get to art class.

School council president Anh Mai started the campaign, backed by the Leader, for a new Preston high school in 2014 and said she felt “incredibly proud” for those who joined her on the journey.

“To see the school open today is just an amazing feeling. These kids have a chance to make it their own,” she said.

With a uniform designed by parents and teachers, the 125 students who make up the cohort of 2024 filled the halls of Melbourne Polytechnic, a temporary home until the site at the old Preston Girls School is complete.

Flooding and storm damage during the summer holidays created delays to construction.

The students will move into the Cooma St school no later than March 18.

Preston state Labor MP Robin Scott congratulated the community on the culmination of years of work, and said the “magnificent” struggle had paid off.

Cooper federal Labor MP Ged Kearney said the school would “cement a wonderful future for our community” and announced the first scholars to receive the Ged Kearney Scholarship.

Six girls were brought up on stage as the first to go through the mentoring program and will participate in leadership workshops and regular face-to-face mentoring sessions with Ms Kearney.

Two students will be added each year.

@richardapearce

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