Orara High School

Orara High School is a government-funded co-educational comprehensive secondary day school, located in Coffs Harbour, in the Mid North Coast region of New South Wales, Australia.

Orara High School
Location
Coffs Harbour, Mid North Coast, New South Wales

Australia
Coordinates30°16′56″S 153°6′45″E
Information
TypeGovernment-funded co-educational comprehensive secondary day school
MottoOpportunity, innovation, success
Established1970 (1970)
School districtCoffs Harbour; Regional North
Educational authorityNSW Department of Education
PrincipalMalcolm McFarlane
Teaching staff54.6 FTE (2018)[1]
Years7–12
Enrolment593[1] (2018)
CampusRegional
Colour(s)Green and white   
Websiteorara-h.schools.nsw.gov.au
[2]

Established in 1970, the school enrolled approximately 590 students in 2018, from Year 7 to Year 12, of whom 19 percent identified as Indigenous Australians and 15 percent were from a language background other than English.[1] The school is operated by the NSW Department of Education; the principal is Malcolm McFarlane.[2]

Overview

On 12 November 1969 approval was given for a new high school to be built on Joyce Street. In August 1970 positions at the new school were advertised. In 1972 Orara High opened at its present Joyce Street site. Current student enrolment is more than 780.[3]

Orara High School is a comprehensive school that is known for the wide variety of cultural activities that its students are involved with. Every year Orara High School celebrates its diversity by participating in NAIDOC day celebrations, Harmony Day, Creative and Performing Arts evenings and other related activities.

Notable incidents

1991 Shooting

On 19 June 1991, a student entered the grounds of Orara High School and fired several shots. Three persons were injured, including 2 members of staff and 1 student. The gunman was apprehended by a number of students who managed to tackle him to the ground, successfully ending the ordeal. The incident marked the first recorded instance of a shooting within an Australian high school.[4][5][6][7]

Controversy

On 29 November 2013, the then Deputy Principal of Orara High School, Andrew Minisini, was charged with two counts of recruiting a child to engage in criminal activity, one count of malicious damage and one count of supplying a minor with alcohol. Minisini is alleged to have supplied and consumed alcohol with three female students who he had befriended, aged 16 and 17, before committing acts of vandalism against the home of the then school principal, Frank Stanton in Valla Beach. It is understood that Minisini was embroiled in a personal matter with Mr. Stanton at this time and is alleged to have recruited the girls to commit the malicious acts on his behalf.[8] Minisini denied all accusations,[9] appearing before the Coffs Harbour District Court in April 2014.[10]

Notable alumni

See also

References
  1. "Orara High School, Coffs Harbour, NSW: School profile". My School. Australian Curriculum, Assessment and Reporting Authority. 2019. Retrieved 2 August 2019.
  2. "Annual Report 2018" (PDF). Orara High School. New South Wales Department of Education. 9 May 2019. Retrieved 12 July 2019.
  3. "Official Orara High School Webpage". Orara High School. n.d.
  4. "Student Shoots Three Outside His School". Associated Press Archives. Retrieved 20 April 2014.
  5. Lees, Meg (1998). Sporting Shooters Association shoots itself in the foot. Australian Democrats.
  6. Cornwall, Deborah (21 June 1991). "Shooting not their fault students told". Sydney Morning Herald.
  7. Cornwall, Deborah (20 June 1991). "There was blood on his shirt. I just couldn't believe it". Sydney Morning Herald.
  8. Olding, Rachel (6 December 2013). "Teacher accused of getting girls drunk so they would vandalise home of enemy". Sydney Morning Herald. Retrieved 20 April 2014.
  9. Grewal, Jessica (21 January 2014). "Teacher denies supplying girls with alcohol". Coffs Coast Advocate. Retrieved 20 April 2014.
  10. Grewal, Jessica (4 March 2014). "Case against bad teacher could be heard next month". Coffs Coast Advocate. Retrieved 20 April 2014.



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