Miami State High School

Miami State High School is a school in the suburb of Miami (Queensland, Australia) established as "South Coast District State High School" in 1963. It is currently the Gold Coast's second oldest state school, second in age only to Southport State High School (established 1955).

The traditional custodians of the land on which Miami State High School rests are the Yugambeh Language Group of the Bundjalung Nation.

Originally named South Coast District State High School, Miami High was officially opened in April 1963. It soon became known as Miami High and, after a number of years, the more compact name was officially adopted. It was built to meet the needs of the rapidly expanding population on the Gold Coast. At the time, the only public high schools were Southport High School and Tweed River High School, about 35 km apart, with the site of Miami High about midway between the two on the Gold Coast Highway at the very northern end of Miami.

Initial Construction
The chosen site presented a number of construction challenges because the southern half was a swamp and the northern half was on the steep slope of Nobby's Headland, an upthrust of schist about 50 m high at its highest point. The challenges were met by the simple expedient of blasting the slope and dumping the rubble in the swamp, but with a consequent complete loss of topsoil that created enduring problems for many years.

It construction in the sixties always stayed behind the needs of the students for three reasons:  (a)

competition with established schools for resources; (b) the transition of the Baby Boom Generation from primary school to high school; and (c) the inclusion of year 8. 

1965 and 1966 saw open underschool areas, originally intended for protection from sun and rain, being converted to temporary classrooms and several flimsy demountable buildings being installed as other temporary classrooms.Despite their nominally temporary nature, many of these structures were still in use twenty years later.

Buildings
The school has a assembly hall with a 1,500 seat capacity. This assembly hall as the first venue on the coast that could seat more than 1,000 people. It has hosted performers such as AC/DC, Sherbet, Skyhooks, and Hot Chocolate.

In 1967, the Australian federal government built a two-story, four-laboratory science block, as part of a program to improve the teaching of science throughout Australia. Several of the laboratories were promptly pressed into service as regular classrooms.

In 2014, construction of a multi-storey learning facility for years 7 and 8 was completed, as part of the “Flying Start” program, which brought year 7 students into the Queensland high school system. The building has two prominent brick murals composed of brickwork in a standard grey mortar with recessed joints, dually functioning as cladding and a piece of artwork. The northern elevation has a brick mural depicting a breaking wave. The pattern is said to be a surfing metaphor for "the need to focus on the task at hand from start to finish and achieve the best outcome for you.", similar to the principles of surfing a tube which requires "a good start, stay calm and composed in the middle, before ending the journey in one piece, albeit a changed and inspired person." The western elevation, facing the highway, has a "binary wall" mural, featuring a binary computer code spelling out the school's slogan and motto, "Miami State High School, Learning through a team effort, Semper Costa Floreat". The architect, Conrad Garget, described it as "a cost effective, artistic, inspiring, character enabling, durable and low maintenance structure which both describes the story of development in education through the use of computers."

The building prompted the then school principal, Jim Baker, to have the word ‘Inspire’ rise vertically on the western elevation of the entry building, and, subsequently, to similarly name all the school's existing buildings.

Sports
Miami State High School possesses an all-weather playing surface featuring four basketball, four netball and three volleyball courts, a sports field, fully equipped gymnasium and 25 metre swimming pool.

In January 2024, The Sports Centre of Excellence was officially finished and open for school and approved community usage. Students can utilise the building's world class sports facilities to develop their athletic abilities and excel in their chosen sports.

The new hall features two sports courts, a kinesiology lab and theory room, three learning areas and a staff room. There are also additional amenities and equipment storage, office space, a performance stage and a kitchen with kiosk facilities.

An exciting addition to the sports courts are professional glass backboards for basketball, which were jointly funded by the school and the Department of Education.

A total of $13.2 million (including GST) was invested to deliver the new multi-purpose hall.

TV and film studio
The school has a film and TV studio.

Hollywood Sign
Miami's most iconic landmark is the school's yellow ‘Hollywood-style’ sign. Exerect in 1979, the sign was the brainchild of then principal, William Callinan, and was designed to cover the scarp face, once the site of a rock quarry. After a trip to Los Angeles, Bill was inspired by the Hollywood sign to build the school's sign in the same design. Originally, it read 'Hi Miami High', but it now reads simply "Miami High". The school's sign on the side of the hill is listed on the Gold Coast Local Heritage Register, due to it being "historically significant in demonstrating the important fun and fantasy phase of development on the Gold Coast.".

Fencing
The school grounds are enclosed in a 2-metre tall spiked black steel perimeter fence. The fence was constructed in 2022, as part of a state government initial which saw similar fence erected in 140 school in 2021. The reason for the fence was attributed to the general "rise in crime around state schools in south-east Queensland".

Exchange Academy
Miami State High School offers a number of Excellence and Specialisation programs for high achieving and goal driven students in the following fields: Academic, Cultural and Sporting.

Each program has been developed and refined to address the needs of our students and community. With a large focus on links with external providers and creating viable career pathways for our students.

Exchange Program
Miami High has introduced an international exchange program with students from all over the world now attending the school.

Aviation
Since 2007, Miami State High School has offered Aerospace studies. In 2012, this made it unique as the only school in south east Queensland to offer aviation as a subject in the senior syllabus.

Languages
The school's language department offers Japanese, Spanish, and Auslan (Australian Sign Language).

As part of it extra-curicullar program it organises international trips to Japan and Spain.

Principals
The following is a full list of the school's principals since the schools inception:

In 2024, the current principal of Miami State High School was Clint Curran and the deputy principal is Michelle Flynn.

Years
In 1964, Queensland's primary schools ceased to teach year 8, which was transferred to the high schools. The "infant" Miami State High School went from catering to year 9 to catering to years 8–10, causing the school to be barely being able to provide enough classrooms for the start of the year.

As part of a 2013 trial, officially implemented in 2015, year 7 was subsequently included, so that Miami State High School now catered for years 7–12, to align Queensland with the other states, as part of Anna Bligh's state-wide "Flying Start" program.

Student enrolments
In 2022, Miami State High School was reported to have a maximum student enrolment capacity of 1,449 students.

The trend in school enrolments (August figures) has been:

Notable alumni
The following are notable alumni of the school: