Today I am once more pondering closure.

Friday marked the last day of classes for the High School I helped to build almost twelve years ago.  At that time our younger students were leaving our English College to go to one of the many high schools in Sydney that accepted international students.  Most came back to us within a year to say they were dropping out of their high school in Australia and returning to complete their senior high school studies in their home country.

We were saddened by this because we knew the increible investment of time and money that had gone into their studies in Australia and thought long and hard as to what the solution could be.

So,  in 2000, we began to investigate what was needed to set up our own high school, specifically for international students.  Numerous forms were completed, curriculum documents, policies and procedures were developed, meetings were held and finally a submission was made.  Towards the end of 2001, after a site visit by the NSW Board of Studies, our new school was finally accredited and registered.

Then came the task of recruiting students.  Our first intake was in February 2002 and, with a  small group of 5 students and 3 dedicated and enthusiastic teachers, we launched our high school.

Taking baby steps initially, we had our first HCS candidates undertaking the exams in October 2003.  We were very excited when two of our students made it into the Distinguished Achievers list.

Over the years the school grew and we added Year 10 and a range of other subjects as the demand increased.  Each year we saw students exit with the HSC and each year we had students on the Distinguished Achievers list.

Then global economic changes, new govenrment policies and a rise in the popularity of foundation studies courses saw our school numbers eroded and we were faced with tough choices.  Firstly we closed Year 10 then, over the next two years we worked on stratgies to increased year 11 recruitment to no avail. There were too many external forces working against us.

So, sadly, we were compelled to make the decision to close.  Two weeks ago we had a lovely formal dinner with our class of 2012.  Last week we had a farewell lunch with the teachers.  Now, all that is left is to see the final students through the HSC process, generate all their graduation documents and pack up the resources.

Today, as I stood in their staffroom surrounded by piles of books, the enormity of what we have achieved in the past 12 years struck me.  We have put around three hundred students who have English as their second language through the gruelling HSC and they survived, emerging confident and strong at the end of their ordeal.  We have alumni who have attended some of the best universities in Australia and we have achieved this while maintaining a family-like environment for our students who were so far away from their own families.

I have been blessed to work with some amazing teachers in this school, many of whom I am proud to call friends,  and I will miss the daily contact with them. But there will be constant reminders of them as I go about my daily tasks here- the Dux shield, photos and the memories.

I am sad to see it end and I wish I could personally say to each of the students and teachers who have graced our halls “Well done! You did a great job!”