Alford Academy

We have had an amazing 35 teams from our Business and Digital Education S1 – S3 pupils enter the “Minecraft Santa’s Challenge” competition from the LoveLearning team within Aberdeenshire Council.

Pupils have designed a new workshop for Santa, in Minecraft, with 4 Success Criteria: –

• An area where the toys will be built.
• An area where Santa can relax.
• An area for Santa’s sleigh.
• An area where the reindeer are housed.

In all of these areas, there needed to be at least one innovative way where Santa can use technology to make things easier.

Competition entries consisted of a two-minute screen recording of the Minecraft world.  During this challenge pupils have demonstrated collaboration, teamwork, hard work and determination.

Well done teams and we wish you all good luck!

Mrs Czarnecki and Miss Collett

   

On Monday 18^th December, 65 pupils from our Business and Digital Education classes attend a “Christmas with RGU” event at The School of Computing, Robert Gordon University in Aberdeen. The session showed the pupils how easily we can be hacked, discussed the question “Why computers are not smart?” and demonstrated the use of Artificial Intelligence (AI).

Feedback from the pupils has been really positive and definitely sparked interesting in computing and AI. Our pupils were particularly interested in “Pepper” RGU’s AI bot. It goes without saying the sweets were a highlight too!

We are very proud of the way our pupils conducted themselves and they were a real credit to Alford Academy.

We can’t wait until next year’s event!

Mrs Czarnecki and Miss Collett

Our Business and Digital Education classes have been invited to attend a “Christmas with RGU” at The School of Computing, Robert Gordon University in Aberdeen. The session will cover Cyber Security, Creative Design and Computer Science.

We will leave Alford Academy at 8.45am for the session at RGU 10-12pm, then return to Alford Academy at approximately 1.15pm. Pupils will have lunch at normal school lunchtime. There is a cost of £5 to cover the coach.

Letters and consent forms are being handed out in Business and Digital Education classes or can be collected from Mrs Czarnecki and Miss Collett and returned by Friday 15^th December.

We hope you can make it!

     

Winter Dances : Pre-Loved Formal Wear

The dress code for the Winter dances is ‘smart clothing with appropriate footwear’ e.g. dresses, smart trousers, kilts, shirts etc.  In order to promote sustainable living we have a small amount of pre-loved formal wear that can be borrowed, at no cost,  by any young person, these can be viewed / borrowed during lunchtime on Wednesday 6^th December in C1-30 (Mrs Taylor’s room). If you are unable to make this time then please come and speak with Mrs Taylor or Mrs Munro to make alternative arrangements.

Borrowed items should be returned to Mrs Taylor or Mrs Munro by Thursday 21^st December.

Junior dance – 18^th December (7 – 9.30pm)

Senior dance – 19^th December (7 – 10pm)

Tickets

Tickets cost £5 and will be on sale during the 4th — 13th of December in the PSE rooms from 1.30pm at lunchtimes.

They will be sold on a first come, first served basis.

You will only be able to buy a ticket if you have completed the online consent form, which will be sent out to parents via email before the 4th of December. NO CONSENT FORM = NO TICKET

 

Dress Code

Please wear smart clothing to the dance with appropriate footwear. For example – dresses, smart trousers, kilts, shirts etc.  You can also see Mrs Taylor in C1-30 to borrow pre-loved formal wear and promote sustainable living.

The Scottish Youth Parliament elections are open, and close at the end of this week.

Young people from Aberdeenshire are standing in a number of constituencies.

Young people aged 12 – 25 can vote in this online election.

Young people can vote at https://elections.syp.org.uk/elections/19/