Ulladulla High School logo

Ulladulla High School

Ulladulla High School

World Class Global Learners who achieve the Summit

Telephone02 4455 1799

Emailulladulla-h.school@det.nsw.edu.au

Reflecting on the Year

14 Dec 2020

Donations from Robert Townsend school

People say, “It is not the circumstances and tragic events that define us, rather the way in which we respond to the challenges”. That completely sums up the view I see as we reflect on 2020.

 

local community member with students

The year began...

We began the year with cloudy and smokey skies. The devastation that surrounded us stretched for many hundreds of kilometres. We were catapulted into the spotlight across the world. Many of our students and their families had experienced the fury of nature and, as a community, we were seeing our summer vanish as people evacuated to safety. On return to school we responded with ‘hope and joy’, leveraging philanthropic and community support to get our students back into learning. Many organisations and the Department came to our aid, providing the things our students needed. We set up levels of support to ensure our students had the ‘wrap around’ services, learning bridges, counselling and care they needed. All was in place to reset the pathway. I was extremely proud of how our students responded so positively to a challenging summer.

 

Zoom meeting

Then COVID19…landed on us

At the 8 week mark we transferred learning online as the borders, schools and businesses closed their doors. Our teachers and students made a 360 pivot to embrace online learning. On the strong platform of our BYOD program, we created the springboard to the “Cadence of the Day’ across the school, through CANVAS, MS TEAMS and GOOGLE Classroom.  Almost overnight, we continued the rhythm of school, albeit online. What a learning curve! As students slowly returned to school (under strict guidelines 1.5 metres, year groups only together, strict staffroom protocols and on and on), the ‘new normal’ reflected greater understanding of learning, how best as a school we can work and learn. How classrooms can reflect a new view of student agency. The research by the SRC Research Team, delivered the ‘Student Experience’, with suggestions on how students learn best and how the school can respond to that through a continuation of the ‘Cadence’. There was a silver lining to all the disruption.

 

students working online
students social distancing in the hall
Paper cranes for Zoie Bell

Losing our own…

It seemed that we were all just getting our feet onto the ground when we tragically lost a beautiful soul from our student body. The school community were in deep shock and grief, as we again endeavoured to make sense of such great loss. Our hearts are with Zoie’s family and friends as we finish the year.
As I reflect on this year, I am extremely grateful for this community and all the students who are both caring and focussed. Our 2020 Year 12 cohort, you have been an inspiration through these challenges, along with each and every student who will begin the summer break with much quiet wisdom and knowing. As I articulated at the beginning of this note, ‘it is not the circumstances that define us.. it is how we respond to those circumstances’. I take my hat off to all our school community. Over the break, take time to reflect, be proud of how you responded, your growth and your achievements. Be mindful to rejuvenate and rejoice in how far you have come. The very best for the new year. #youhaveGotThis #betterthanBefore #grateful

 

Ulladulla High School

General enquiries

CallGet directionsMail

Follow us

We would like to acknowledge and pay our respects to the Murramurang people, the traditional owners and custodians of this land. We also pay respect to Elders past, present and emerging, and extend that respect to other Aboriginal people.

Copyright for this website is owned by the State of New South Wales through the Department of Education. For more information go to http://www.dec.nsw.gov.au/footer/copyright.