In brief:

• The first students are now attending Canberra’s newest public school – Aunty Agnes Shea High School.
• The school is named after late senior Ngunnawal Elder Aunty Agnes Shea.
• This week, over 50,000 students return to public schools across the ACT.

The brand-new Aunty Agnes Shea High School in Taylor welcomes its first students this week.

The ACT’s 92nd public school, it will cater to up to 800 years 7–10 students in the growing suburbs of north Gungahlin.

The new school’s students are among over 50,000 returning to public schools across Canberra.

Named for a great Canberran

The new school's name honours late senior Ngunnawal Elder Aunty Agnes Shea.

The school’s logo and uniform design derive from the artwork ‘Journeys’ about Aunty Agnes Shea.

Artist Selina Walker is Aunty Agnes Shea’s granddaughter. She gifted ‘Journeys’ to the school.

The logo was co-designed with Aunty Agnes Shea’s family. The school’s first cohort of students and their families also contributed to how ‘Journeys’ is shown on the school uniform.

Contemporary facilities

The school features state-of-the-art learning spaces. It is also fully electric in its operations. The buildings use sustainable materials and a large solar panel array.

Students can also enjoy:

• a double gym with basketball, netball, futsal, volleyball and badminton markings
• a covered hard court suitable for basketball and netball
• kickabout spaces for ball sports
• external fitness equipment.

Spaces in the school are available for community use.

Aunty Agnes Shea OAM

Aunty Agnes Josephine Shea OAM dedicated most of her life to bettering the world for future generations of Aboriginal Australians.

She worked tirelessly in many different roles for the varying range of communities that call Ngunnawal Country home.

Aunty Agnes Shea’s achievements and dedication have been recognised over the years.

In 2001 she was awarded the Centenary Medal. In 2004, she received the Medal of the Order of Australia.

In 2010 she was awarded an ACT Senior Citizen of the Year award. She also gained a place on the ACT Honour Walk that same year.

Find more on the Aunty Agnes Shea High School website.

^{The brand-new school offers state-of-the-art facilities.}

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