Deni High students settle into new year as campus rebuild takes shape

“It’s fantastic to get everyone back together,” he said.

“To stand on the stage this morning and see all the staff and students in one place again, there were happy faces everywhere.

“They were excited and curious to see the new school.”

The rebuild has been extensive. The campus now includes 35 new or refurbished demountable buildings, ranging from specialist rooms to staff spaces, wellbeing hubs and upgraded science, technology facilities.

All furniture is brand new, and many rooms have been completely re‑carpeted and refitted.

“We lost two woodwork rooms, a metalwork room and all of our books,” Mr Warren said.

“So we’ve had to rebuild everything, from specialist equipment to study spaces.

“The seniors will have a dedicated area again once we restock the library... and the science labs are being set up so students can get straight back into their experiments.”

Contractors worked around the clock to make the site usable, including a team from Batemans Bay who were on site for 47 days straight.

“The amount of concrete work alone was enormous,” Mr Warren said.

“Some rooms run across two buildings, so getting everything safe, connected and ready took time.”

For students, the return has been just as significant. Vice‑captain Aria Taylor said Year 11 and 12 students adapted quickly after months of learning at TAFE.

“They had so many resources there, which made it easier for us to adjust,” she said. “With teachers helping us and everyone supporting each other, we were able to transition smoothly and look to the future.”

But the fire hit senior students at a critical time, especially those working on major works.

“I do art and music, and even though those rooms weren’t damaged, we couldn’t access our artworks or diaries,” Aria said.

“Those diaries had all our ideas. I forgot most of mine. And not being able to play as a band for months was really hard.”

Mr Warren said NESA has confirmed students will receive extensions where needed.

“Some students lost three months of work,” he said.

“They won’t be disadvantaged. NESA has been very supportive.”

The fire also disrupted assessments, with some tests destroyed before they could be marked. Students were given extensions and additional support as teachers worked to stabilise learning across multiple temporary locations.

Despite the upheaval, Aria said the community helped students regain momentum quickly.

“The community was really good at getting us back into the learning phase,” she said. “It wasn’t as hard as we expected to settle back in.”

Walking through the gates this week, both staff and students felt a renewed sense of optimism.

“There was definitely a buzz this morning,” Aria said. “Everyone was keen to see how the school looks and to start fresh.”

The new Year 7 cohort arrived wide‑eyed but enthusiastic. Aria said her younger brother, who has just started high school, was nervous about navigating a campus that even senior students were still learning.

“But they were excited too,” she said. “They didn’t think the fire would affect them much.”

Recreational space remains limited while the oval undergoes repairs, but irrigation is being installed and the area is expected to reopen within weeks. In the meantime, playground areas have been shifted to newly grassed spaces along Wellington Street.

“We’ll get the oval greened up and back in use soon,” Mr Warren said. “For now, students have adapted well.”

Despite the challenges of the past year, both staff and students say the school is moving forward with confidence.

“It’s fantastic to have everyone back on site,” Mr Warren said. “We’re looking forward to a great year.”