Year in Review 2020

YEAR IN REVIEW

Digital Recognition We had hoped to mark our tenth anniversary with lots of collective celebration as we strived for new heights of success. There was much for us to high-five about early, including becoming an Apple Distinguished School, which recognised our leadership in online teaching. This strength was obviously to come in handy later on.

Fun in the Summer Sun Our year started with a splash, with perfect sunny weather for our swimming carnival. Winton House won by half a pool.

Leaders of tomorrow Our future leaders interrogated national politicians about global warming and other issues.

Dancing on the beach And our dancers honed their moves for their new production to raise funds for bushfire relief.

Then Covid hit.

Staying together, online Events forced us to find new ways to learn and care for each other.

For most of the year we were forced into lockdown. But we didn’t let it stop us from getting on with the job. We moved teaching online through remote and flexible learning. We showed it could be done.

Teaching and learning in new ways Our students studied incredibly hard and many flourished – because we recognised that online learning comes naturally to them. Attendance never dipped below 97.5% – actually higher than for face-to-face learning. Though of course, we would rather have had everyone here.

The show went on The show went on – online – with record bookings for the Art Show and Lit Fest.

Keeping creative and active Enrichment activities and Create Clubs showed amazing innovation: making music together, cooking together, creating great art together, moving our student leadership elections and even our athletics carnival online.

Connecting in new ways Moral leadership emerged.

Our senior students especially showed the way by connecting with each other. The Huddle was just one example. We even established our own studentled TV Channel: APCTV. We innovated, successfully.

Staying a community We kept up our strong community connections. Putting parent-teacher interviews, career guidance and our open day online, with higher than normal participation rates. Why did we succeed when the result could have been so different?

We were well prepared. This year confirmed the soundness of our investment in learning systems: our guaranteed online curriculum, our portal, our technical knowhow and our infrastructure.

We stayed positive We looked at the bright side. We rediscovered our families! We slowed down and breathed the cleaner air – even if through a face mask. Mostly, we recognised that change isn’t necessarily a bad thing, and found that in difficult times we could rise to any occasion. Which, when you consider it, is a good lesson for life. We were so happy to return to (nearly) normal for Term 4.

Celebrating academic success We continued to celebrate success, with two of our year 12s winning the UniMelb Maths and Statistics Research Competition.

Celebrating the scientists of tomorrow Our STEM students performed exceptionally well this year, winning the REA Fellows Awards at the 2020 F1 in Schools National Final. Although we spent much of the year cooped up at home, with faith in our scientists and their search for a vaccine, we hope to be able to be come together with friends and teachers next year.

A new look for Danks Street With everyone learning from home, we took the opportunity to do some renovations at Dank Street. We opened up our learning spaces, changed the layout of the Library and extended it across the first floor, creating a new VCE Study Centre. The things you will notice most are the new, yellow themed lockers and stairwells, which give the place a fresh, cheery look.

Expect more changes when you return next year.

Environmental leadership from our students Our student leaders kept up the pressure for a more sustainable school. We improved waste collection, cut consumption and made great progress towards an alliance of local schools to generate solar power for our community. Watch this space in 2021. We continued to recycle, everything!

Farewelling our year-12 friends in style While the lockdown made many of our traditions difficult to maintain, there are some things you can’t stop. With Covid restrictions relaxed, we managed to combine the cancelled Formal and the Graduation Evening together in one glittering event held at Station Pier. Hundreds of parents watched at home as we saluted the class of 2020. And didn’t they look great!

Swimming in the currents Despite everything we faced, we sent another year group out to swim happily in the currents of life. No matter what they choose to do in the years ahead, we know they’ll be doing it in an intelligent, creative and socially responsible way. The Albert Park College way. Watch out for them in the future.