APC 2023 Year in Review

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PRINCIPAL AND SCHOOL COUNCIL PRESIDENT REPORT

Welcome to this review of another successful year at APC. Our college is a special place – one that encourages academic high achievement, fosters personal development, and engages young people. It is a vibrant, engaging network of campuses whose quality is praised by world experts.

As some of you may have noticed, the reporting about education these days is often negative, featuring too much bad news, and placing a lot of pressure on schools to retreat inwards, do less, and concentrate on the 3Rs. APC has succeeded in bucking this trend.

We want to thank every member of our wonderful school community for supporting our belief that education must be about a lot more than merely the basics.

We have proven that it is possible to combine the teaching of academic virtues with the encouragement of civic virtues.

Academically, we demonstrated outstanding growth in literacy and numeracy in the NAPLAN tests – which means our students will be well placed to maintain or even improve the impressive VCE and IB performance we have produced since our inception in 2011. This year our VCE Median Study Score kept us in the top 7 per cent of public schools by academic achievement.

Our positive education program continued to encourage students to care about themselves, their friends, their community, and their world.

Their leadership was demonstrated by the sleepout

they organised to raise funds for the homeless – something important in a fortunate community like ours.

Our dance show, musical and music evening were huge successes, as were our middle years creative events. We included the whole community in the creative process through our Lit Fest, Art Show and – something new – as host of Port Melbourne’s Indigenous Art Fair.

Our academies grew. You may already know about the surprising success of our rowing, sailing and volleyball teams, but this year we broadened the academies to include triathlon and mathematics – and next year we are adding an academy for the creative arts. This is where the artists and creative talents of the future will come from.

We also held 32 camps. Many schools contracted their camp programs – ours expanded.

We have our eyes on the future, preparing our young people for the complex, technologically sophisticated and in many ways imperilled world they will inherit.

We hope you all have a pleasing and relaxing summer. May you get lots of rest, enjoy great company and great food, read interesting books, and help us create a great 2024 for APC. Steven Cook Foundation Principal Simone Cresp School Council President

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We ’r e n a m e d o n e o f the best schools in the country Our year started in spectacular fashion when APC was chosen by world education expert Pasi Sahlberg as one of the top schools in Australia.

His views on the school were reported in News Limited papers around the country, while Herald Sun columnist Joe Hildebrande visited APC and later wrote glowingly about our teaching philosophy, and how it has led to academic success.

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VC E a n d N a p l a n APC once again passed the test.

In NAPLAN we performed well above the highest achieving band of schools in Victoria – in reading, writing and numeracy. Writing was a particular standout.

highlights, with our Dux Ash Hill achieving an ATAR of 99.5, Lauren Reed scoring a perfect 50 in Food Studies, and Celina Safwan topping the state in the study of Arabic.

Well done, Class of 2023. Well done, parents of 2023. And well done to our teachers.

Our hardworking VCE students produced a Median Study Score of 31, placing us in the top 7 per cent of public schools. There were some fantastic individual

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Our students lead t h e way APC is extremely proud of its strong leadership philosophy.

Each year up to 80 positions - college captains, portfolio leaders and ambassadors - are chosen by the student population to represent their views on specific areas of curriculum and school life.

The leadership group were presented with their leadership badges and certificates at the start of the year in a special ceremony in front of their proud families at the Bay St campus.

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Vision captured in words More than 120 people crowded into the Danks St library early this year to officially help Foundation Principal Steven Cook launch his new book.

The book, “From The Ground Up: How a Community with a Vision and a Principal with a Purpose created a Thriving State School”, revealed how the Albert Park community worked closely with Steve to create one of Victoria’s top secondary schools out of the rubble of its failed predecessor.

APC parent and media personality Kate Langbroek launched the event with a passionate speech about the importance of public education, and how grateful the local community was for the college that Steve and his leadership team had created.

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Tr i b u t e t o t h e p o w e r of literature Families from across the school community came to the Danks St campus to listen to a strong line-up of authors for APC’s annual LitFest.

The annual event is a tribute to the power of the written word, which this year brought together acclaimed novelists Sarah Krasnostein and Laura McPhee Browne and talented singer-songwriter Hanna McKittrick, who were all interviewed by APC students.

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Where learning never stops One of the things that sets APC apart from other schools is our absolute commitment to the professional growth of our staff.

A highlight was a session conducted by one of the world’s leading educators, Pasi Sahlberg, to discuss some of the global trends in education.

In May, APC gathered for a two-day residential conference to discuss topics such as how to keep students engaged in their learning, how to maintain class discipline, how to teach students about the positive and negative impacts of artificial intelligence, and how to use virtual reality in the classroom.

Truly, we’re a school where learning never stops.

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Rachael gets a seat in Canberra Earlier this year, APC’s head of mathematics, Rachael Gore, was chosen by the Victorian Education Department to represent public school teachers in Canberra to discuss the future of education.

national focus should be directed to close gaps in educational outcomes that deliver world-class schools. The report was released this month.

Thank you, Rachael, for helping lift up all schools.

The Canberra gathering was organised by federal and state education ministers, who set up an Expert Review Panel to recommend where the LEAD 9

Dennis heads up national teacher campaign The Federal Government recently released a new advertising feature to encourage people to consider a career in teaching.

Called “Be that teacher”, the campaign demonstrates how individual teachers can make a difference to young people’s lives while building a satisfying career for themselves.

APC is proud that the exemplary teacher chosen to represent Victoria was our very own Dennis Wong.

While chuffed to be chosen to represent Victorian

teachers, the passionate STEM teacher said that it could have been almost anyone from APC, as his colleagues all had the drive and sense of compassion needed for a career in teaching.

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Dancers deliver to full houses After months of rehearsal, APC’s dancers delivered a fantastic performance to full houses at The Lawler Theatre.

No fewer than 22 dancers from years 7 to 12 participated in the show. A special mention goes to our year-12 dancers who have worked so hard at perfecting their craft over several years.

The Dance Show is always one of the creative highlights of the APC calendar. In keeping with the college’s creative traditions, “The Thoughts of Nanushka” was an original APC production, choreographed by our Artist in Residence and experienced industry professional Jordan Bretherton.

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P e r fo r m e r s w o w the crowd The Annual Music concert is one of the biggest events on the APC calendar.

At the Memo Music Hall in St Kilda in July, almost 100 students delivered powerful performances showcasing a full range of music types: vocals, percussion, chamber strings and, of course, pop and rock.

The student band Mansplainers, who had performed earlier in the year at Federation Square, were a big hit, along with the senior rock band.

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H a r d w o r k p ay s dividends More than 60 students wowed families and friends with a passionate school musical at the National Theatre in St Kilda over two nights in August and and September Called Working, the high-octane production celebrated the lives of everyday people.

then wrote the songs and script, directed the scenes, choreographed the dancing, and designed the set, costumes and lighting.

As a school we insist on originality and creativity, and the cast and crew delivered in every way.

Adapted from the Broadway musical of the same name, students interviewed members of the community to form the basis of their work. Students

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Da Vinci creations on show The Year 9 da Vinci curriculum asks students for a creative response to an important environmental issue and our students put heart and soul into their work.

A big crowd of families and friends attended two exhibitions this year to admire their fantastic original work.

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Music energises o u r d ay APC has a strong music tradition and throughout the year our main Danks St campus rocked and rolled with almost weekly music concerts and student-led bands at lunchtimes.

Much of our students’ creativity is inspired by the incredibly talented musicians on our teaching staff.

Professional musos in their own right, our music teachers release regular albums, work as session musicians and continue to tour with local and international bands.

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A r t s h o w wa s outstanding Thanks to APC’s hardworking art show committee, the recent Albert Park Art Show was - again - an outstanding success.

It was an incredible gesture of generosity from the Archibald prize winner, and reflects the great support APC receives from our amazing community.

Held over three days at our arts campus at 120 Bay St, it brought together the works of students, as well as emerging and professional artists from across the state.

A highlight of the event was the auction of a donated work from the private collection of celebrated artist Lewis Miller, which sold for $3300.

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INSPIRE

S t u d y r e t r e a t fo r g e s vital bonds At the start of the year we launched our first Year-12 study retreat. It was an overnight camp combining study seminars with fun team building activities, such as raft making, designed to foster friendship and mutual support.

This very first retreat, held in the cool regional town of Kyneton, was a huge success. Our students were fantastic, they were engaged throughout and it was a wonderful experience for all. A great way to start the year.

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We o p e n o u r d o o r s t o t h e n ex t g e n e r a t i o n Our Open Day in May was a stunning success, as an estimated 500 people took the opportunity to visit the college and learn more about life at APC. Four campuses were open – Danks St, Bay St, Studio 120 and Pickles St – and APC staff and students were amazing ambassadors for the school as they answered questions and conducted tours.

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A calendar chock-full of adventure This year we offered a full calendar of expeditions and ski camps to allow our students to see the world and gain full awareness about our global environment. Fun and educational all at once.

Inspire Study tour of Europe, which took in England, France, Belgium and Germany.

Few schools offer such an incredible set of camps.

This year there was no fewer than 32 camps – from local ones such as the Year 12 study retreat and the Wilsons Prom hike all the way to the New Caledonian French Immersion Study tour, and the

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S w i m c a r n i va l r i va l r y Lots of fun, mixed with a healthy dose of house rivalry marked APC’s annual swimming carnival early this year.

Flannery took out bragging rights, leaving Freeman and Winton in its wake.

As is tradition, the Year 12s marked their last ever swim carnival by taking a group plunge.

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Te e n s p i r i t o n t h e t r a c k The athletics carnival was a day full of teen spirit as students displayed their skills on the field.

Under sunny autumn skies, it turned into a battle between Flannery and Freeman, and by the end of competition, the two houses were separated by a mere 27 points.

In the end, Freeman took the crown with 1528 points. Flannery followed closely behind with 1501 points with Winton in third place with 1005 points.

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Clubs continue to grow Early in Term 1, the college held its annual Inspire clubs fair, giving students the chance to join a club, or create one themselves.

bringing a taste of the good old USA to APC, while a late addition was the Zine Club, where students created their own magazine, using a mixture of creative writing, artwork, sketches and poems.

The list of clubs this year was impressive. Board Game Club, F1 Club, Ultimate Frisbee Club… the list is endless.

One of the most popular new clubs was the Cheerleading Club, with 55 new members intent on

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Maths academy joins the team APC is proud to have an extensive number of Academies - led by experts in their fields - to nurture, train and inspire students at all year levels.

From the performing arts to AFL, to rowing, basketball, netball, volleyball, athletics and triathlon academies, each enjoyed great participation and success.

This year APC launched a new venture – the Maths Academy – to great enthusiasm.

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Ro w i n g t e a m r u l e s the river We may be a public school, but APC continues to be a feared competitor in the private school world of rowing.

Earlier this year, 10 crews of APC rowers competed at the Head of the Schoolgirls regatta in Geelong with some outstanding results.

while Year 10 students Emma Westerbeek and Alice Roberts took silver.

Under our coach, Olympian Virginia Lee, APC’s boys and girls rowing teams continue to make waves.

In the double sculls, Olivia Lewis and Ella Kilpikoski took out gold in the senior event INSPIRE 24

Cross country gold rush The young guns from the APC ski team swept all before them to take the honours in the 2023 Victorian cross country interschools championships at Mt Buller.

Clancy Merrick Harvey won gold and Boris Stanish came in second to take silver in the 3000m Division 1 Classic, and the pair combined with Leewin Harridge to take out the Division 1 teams and relay events.

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Ta l e n t e d i n m a n y f i e l d s Many of our students are incredibly talented sportspeople. Here is a sample of their achievements this year: Poppy Donaldson, Ruby Donaldson, Bridgette Williams and Honour Tobin came second in the under 16 women’s event at the Road Relay state championships.

School captain Alexander Dahlberg came third in the 50m freestyle at the State Schools Victoria swimming championships.

Year 9 student Bosco Misic won boxing gold - for the second year running - in the Australian Schools boxing championships, this time in the under 17s 60kg division.

Year 8 student Leontin Moumen defied gravity in the national youth climbing championships to win the lead climbing title.

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A night to remember In June our final year students enjoyed the biggest social event of the year – the Year-12 Formal.

As always, it was a great evening of fun, celebration and dancing. Our school captains made great speeches encouraging their fellow students to enjoy the year and make it one of success.

It was a wonderfully inclusive evening in which everyone had a great time.

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C l a s s o f 2 0 2 3 t a ke s the plunge Our annual August ritual continued, with our year-12 students donning their swimming gear and plunging into the chilly winter waters of Port Phillip Bay. Even some of their teachers took the plunge in a brave mark of solidarity.

Why this tradition? It’s an official wake-up call to the fast approaching exam period. It always comes around faster than we think.

It was also a big day because the senior students received their personalised rugby tops.

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A s p e c i a l b r e a k fa s t What a wonderful, uplifting morning it was as we farewelled our Year 12s with a special breakfast at Albert Park Lake.

As it was their last day in uniform, the Year 12s were given free rein to modify their school gear in whatever way they chose … after all, they’d never be worn again.

Proud families and equally proud teachers gathered to congratulate the Class of 2023 and wish them well for their upcoming exams and the future that lies ahead of them.

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Night of celebration It was a night filled with joy - and a touch of sadness - as we celebrated the Class of 2023 and farewelled them at our Presentation Evening.

From 2018 when they arrived at APC, we have watched them grow into a wonderful group of young adults and we can’t wait to see what they will achieve in years to come.

Good luck to you all.

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Alumni give back APC’s first graduating class was just seven years ago but we are proud that APC’s young alumni want to give back to the school.

Many stay in touch with APC through the new alumni association while others come back as tutors to inspire new students as they make their journey through secondary school life.

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Precinct at tender stage We naturally have plans to make the college an even more exciting and creative place, with work continuing to progress on the new Youth Arts Precinct in Gasworks Arts Park.

Despite the huge volume of state-sponsored building activity going on in Victoria at present, we managed to overcome some major planning hurdles and are currently ushering the project through the tender process. We’re looking forward to work starting in 2024.

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Thank you What a memorable year it has been at APC. Like any organisation, our success is only possible because of the ongoing support APC receives throughout the year.

The commitment of the students, the passion of our staff, and the backing of our families and the broader community all play an integral role in making us who we are.

So thank you to everyone who has helped us achieve so much in 2023.

Stay safe, enjoy the holidays, and we look forward to another exciting year ahead.

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