Principal

Well, it appears quite cliché to say, but as we reflect on the end of yet another term, we pause to ask ourselves, where has the term gone? Term 2 will most definitely be remembered as a tricky one as we navigated the loss of staff and students with COVID. Earlier in the term, we experienced staffing stress and were forced to collapse Year 10 classes as both our student and teaching staff numbers declined. We regrouped in the middle of the term as students and staff returned. At the time of writing, it appears that the return to normal was short-lived, as we are again experiencing climbing COVID numbers. We will continue to respond in a flexible manner ensuring that as little interruption to learning is occurring as possible. We ask that our community is patient and flexible as we again navigate these tricky waters.

Board Chair

At the last Board meeting, I tendered the resignation of our Board Chair on his behalf. Steve Jones has served as a Board member since 2014 and has been the Board Chair since 2017. His contribution to the College has been great and he is especially remembered for his work towards the Farm Business Plan and the College’s achievement in gaining Independent Public School status. I wish him well with his future endeavours and look forward to formally recognising his contribution at graduation later in the year.

During the same meeting, I called for nominations for a replacement Board Chair. It is with much pleasure that I announce the new Board Chair is Mick Pratt. Mick is a name familiar to many of those within our community. As a past parent and board member, he has been a strong advocate for the College for many years. I look forward to working with Mick over the coming months and years.

Open Day / Primary Awareness Day

Preparation for Open Day and Primary Awareness Day are well under-way and we look set for a great day. As previously advertised, Open Day will occur on Saturday the 27th August and Primary Awareness Day a couple of days later, on Tuesday the 30th August. At this stage, we hope to host the events without COVID restrictions and currently have no limits on attendance. We do ask though that all Open Day attendees register via this link https://www.eventbrite.com.au/e/open-day-tickets-360226345697 This will assist us with catering and provide some indication of numbers should we need to enforce COVID restrictions.

Staffing

We recently advertised state-wide for a Deputy Principal to replace Amanda Gaunt while she accesses 9 months Long Service Leave. I’m pleased to report that Alf Mungioli is the successful applicant. Alf comes with a wealth of leadership experience, most recently as the RTO Manager at Australind Senior High School.

Similarly, we also recently filled a newly created position of a marketing and administration officer. This is a new position for the College and will have a varied portfolio including the development and production of a range of printed and online materials to support marketing activities, sub-editing publications and media releases as well assisting in the coordination of school events and activities. Rebekah Henderson is the successful applicant; as a freelance journalist she brings a great depth of experience to the College.

We look forward to welcoming both of these staff members to our school community next term.

Self-assessment

As part of the College’s self-assessment process, I have been leading reflective conversations about our current academic offerings as we plan for 2023. We have collected data from our current students, staff and recently graduated students ascertaining what aspects of our College program they found beneficial and relevant to their pathway. The conversations have been interesting and cement my firm belief of the very real need to regularly engage in whole school reflection to ensure that our curriculum decisions continue to be evidence based and student-centred. 

Enrolments 2023

Enrolments look strong for 2023. The College, as well as two other Agricultural Colleges, have recently volunteered to be part of a new enrolment trial supported by both the Director of Agriculture and the South West Directors of Education. This trial has resulted in us streamlining our processes and cementing the importance of enrolling students with an interest in the agriculture and/or trades industry. Ms Gaunt and I have been busily interviewing prospective students and inviting them to tour the school facilities. I must say I am excited about the calibre of students we are enrolling. I encourage all families, wishing to enrol their children, to complete and submit their documentation quickly. We begin our third round of interviews next term; with final offers announced early Term 4.

Semester Reports 

I wrote to parents recently to inform them that due to the interruption to learning because of COVID, Year 10 students would not be receiving comments on their reports. Instead, they would receive a grade and an assessment on their attitude, behaviour and effort.  Year 11 and Year 12 comments would remain unchanged.  As always, teachers are contactable for further information and can be reached either by phoning the college or emailing the staff member directly, should you require more information than what is presented in the semester report.

Vaping

The Department of Education has launched a campaign to address the increased frequency that young people are engaging in vaping. While we have been fortunate to not experience this first hand at the College, it is a timely reminder to ensure that we are all kept informed about the risks. Research has shown that in WA, 13.5% of secondary students have tried an e-cigarette. The Department has released an anti-vaping toolkit to increase awareness about vapes and the health risks of vaping while addressing the myths and misperceptions around vaping. The tool kit can be accessed at Vaping | 

Education Resources. We will be introducing some of these materials into our Year 10 Health classes.