Welcome to the 2025 school year! We started the year with a whole school assembly in our new Sports Centre. Our Principal, Mr McCormack, welcomed the students with the following speech:
Good morning students, and welcome. Welcome to 2025, to our wonderful Sports Centre for those who have not yet had the pleasure, and to our first full school assembly in a very long time.
To our brand-new Year 7s and the other 50-odd new students joining us for the first time across Years 8-12; welcome to Urangan. Together, we have a GREAT school, and it's a great place to be – we are so glad to have you here with us and look forward to the wonderful things that you will achieve throughout your time at Urangan.
To our most experienced students in our Year 12s; welcome to the first of your lasts. Your last first day as a high school student, and the commencement of a countdown – only 150-odd days remaining to influence your opportunities for your post school lives.
And to everyone – Year 7, Year 12, or somewhere in between – welcome to Term 1. Across the four terms this year, we have a maximum of 200 days to collectively make a difference for you. 200 days to contribute to our community through your curiosity, your creativity, and your connectedness.
Let me dig into each of these three things briefly to outline some challenges for you all in 2025. Firstly, curiosity. Being a curious learner means approaching the world with an open mind and a willingness to learn. It's about asking questions, seeking answers, and diving deeper into the things that ignite your interest. Whether it's uncovering the mysteries of science, exploring the richness of history, or mastering new skills in sport or the arts, curiosity is an essential guide. This year, I challenge you to be curious about the subjects you study, the people you meet, and the world around you. Ask yourself: What more can I learn? How can I grow? And how can I make the most of every lesson to get that little bit better?
Next, let's talk about creativity. Creativity is not confined to the music room or the stage. It's about thinking in new ways, solving problems, and imagining possibilities. Creative thinkers are those who look at challenges as opportunities, who think outside the box, and who are unafraid to try something new, even if it means failing the first time. This year, I encourage you to take creative risks—in your writing, in your projects, and in your leadership. Because everyone in our school is a leader; some wear badges, but everyone wears our uniform and is recognised in our community as a member of our school. It is important that you take every opportunity to lead the way that our community sees our uniform – your uniform – and associates Urangan with the creativity and awesome things that happen here every day.
Finally, let's focus on connection. As humans, we thrive when we are part of something bigger than ourselves. Being a connected human means building meaningful relationships, showing empathy, and contributing to our community. It's about supporting one another, celebrating diversity, and recognising the strength that comes from working together to learn. In our school, every one of you has a role to play in creating a positive, inclusive environment where everyone feels valued and respected. The most important way that you can do this, is by remembering our three behaviour expectations – respect for yourself, respect for others, and respect for the environment – and ensuring that you are meeting these expectations in the appropriate way no matter what you are doing at school and in the community.
This human connection is especially important – connecting with your peers, your teachers, and the many humans around you face to face, rather than through the filter of your device. The Queensland-wide policy of “phones away for the day" remains unchanged in 2025 and it is important that we all look to disconnect from our devices in order to connect with the humans around us. As I said last year – you will still see teachers on their devices from time-to-time to access Compass and do their work in supporting students; but by and large, devices should be off and out of sight during school time unless explicitly supervised by a staff member for curriculum use during class.
Collectively, our work to empower our community through curiosity, creativity, and connectedness is more than just a catch cry; it's a mindset. It's a call to action for all of us—students, staff, and families—to embrace these qualities in our everyday lives. I can promise you that our staff are committed to fostering an environment where students can explore, innovate, and connect. We will challenge you, support you, and celebrate your successes, big and small. But we can only do this as a staff, if you are here as students. With that in mind, it is important that you are here every day unless you are sick. As a school, we expect everyone to be here at least 90% of the time – and that means fewer than 5 days away from school each term.
As we begin this year together, I encourage you to set goals for yourselves, for your friendship groups, and for your form classes. Individually, and as a group - be curious. Be creative. Be connected. Be present. Take full advantage of the opportunities that come your way, and don't be afraid to make mistakes—they are a vital part of learning and growth. Let's make 2025 uniquely Urangan, filled with discovery, innovation, and community. Together, we can achieve great things. I'm excited to see them unfold.