Distance Education Update - 15 May 2026

DISTANCE EDUCATION UPDATE Mr Bradley Whale

Whilst it has not all been smooth sailing for DE over the past few weeks, it most certainly has been a joy to connect with so many students and families at our recent College Cross Country and Primary Athletics Carnivals this term. These events have been a wonderful opportunity to connect students and families with each other, as well as to build the sense of belonging that makes our Distance Education community so special. We sincerely encourage all interested Secondary students to join us at our upcoming Secondary Athletics Carnival.

We extend our sincere thanks to the entire Distance Education community - students and supervisors alike, for the patience and flexibility shown during the recent disruption to our Canvas learning platform. We are grateful for the messages of support shared towards members of our team who worked behind the scenes to maintain the integrity and security of our systems and ensure swift access, which has now been restored for student and observer accounts.

This year, we have already had a number of new, exciting announcements including new members of staff and also new initiatives including DE Leaders and Clubs. I would like to highlight two key staff members supporting our DE community: Mrs Natasha Collins and Ms Elizabeth Skewes.

Whilst Mrs Collins is not a new face to our ACC community, she is new to DE. In 2026, Mrs Collins is serving as our Community Development Coordinator, coordinating and leading many of our connection initiatives within Distance Education. She has written a short introduction to introduce herself and what she is doing in DE, which can be found below.

CLICK HERE to read Mrs Collins’ introduction!

Ms Skewes has joined us more recently as our DE College Counsellor. She is passionate about supporting the mental health and wellbeing of our students as they navigate friendships, complex social dynamics, learning and behavioural challenges within the school environment. Further information about our counselling services can be found in this short introductory video from Ms Skewes.

CLICK HERE to meet Ms Skewes!

Finally, as we move towards the busier end of the year in regards to exams and assessments, we encourage parents and supervisors to register for the helpful webinars run by Elevate Education. This term, Elevate will be covering a range of topics such as preparing for exams and supporting your child during exams. These free, practical sessions offer insights and tools to help you guide your child through learning and assessment.

Follow THIS LINK to register to join live or be notified of the webinar replay, which is often available for two weeks after each session.