St Michael’s is a Microsoft Lighthouse School – recognised for ‘using Surface technology in innovative ways and displaying a truly future-focused commitment to teaching and learning.’
We are pleased to share that our School has recently earned the distinction of a Microsoft Lighthouse School. This prestigious recognition, held by only 22 schools in Australia, is a testament to our focus on enabling inclusive learning experiences that nurture creativity and provide students with safe and equitable access to technologies. Our innovative practices are supported by the use of Microsoft 365 tools, our approach to the Years 7 to 9 Surface Pro program and our recent transition to Surface laptops for all staff following an extensive collaborative review as to the best fit for our School needs.
Our Learning Technologies and ICT team, led by Director, Mr Matt Heinrich, has transformed digital access and productivity through a strategic shift underpinned by co-design and a focus on enabling all learners. At the beginning of this year, our team seamlessly rolled out new devices to 250 staff and over 150 students. This was a highly personalised experience and significant undertaking that demonstrated our commitment to ensuring all members of our School community have access to the tools they need for effective learning, teaching and working.
As a School, we pride ourselves on being progressive, where creativity, flexible problem solving and empowerment are valued and students are nurtured to become positive, contributing citizens. In the wake of the pandemic, we continued to reimagine our collective relationship with technologies and increased our investment in device management, productivity and security.
Microsoft captured and celebrated this story, recognising the diligence in how we approach leveraging technology whilst demonstrating a visible commitment to the collective wellbeing of our staff, students and parents: St Michael’s device strategy has culture at its heart.
Access to technology is, and should be ubiquitous, but there’s a really important distinction to this, which is around it being used with purpose. For us, that means being in alignment with our Teaching, Learning and Caring framework. It’s about students having the opportunity to co-design, collaborate, communicate and develop critical literacy and citizenship with flexibility and a sense of autonomy. Also, recognising we’re doing students a real disservice if we’re amplifying their voice without giving them the right tools and knowledge that provide the guardrails, so they are safe and secure. Mr Matt Heinrich
Looking towards 2030, we will continue to make technology decisions and embrace emerging technologies using a constructive and purposeful approach co-designed with our students. You can read more about our Learning Technologies and ICT approach here.
