From the Principal 

Welcome back to Term 4 (already)! It is hard to believe that the majority of our Year 12s have finished up for the year, with a few remaining to complete short courses, major projects, Certificate III Requirements and prepare for WACE exams.  

We anticipate an early start to harvest, which will provide ample opportunity for our Year 11s to spend time on the header practicing their machinery operation skills in a real-world commercial setting.

Australian Training Awards Finalist

During the recent holidays we were announced as a finalist in the Australian Training Awards, with the presentation ceremony to be held in Hobart in November.

These acknowledgements at the highest of levels reinforce the quality of training on offer at our college, and the ongoing success and achievements of our students. Cunderdin Ag is most certainly full of opportunities for students to take advantage of and caters for students with a variety of interests and pathways.

GRDC and Facey Group Harvester Set Up Forum Success

We continue to strengthen our partnerships with industry. The recent GRDC Harvester Set-Up Forum on the last day of Term 3 was a huge success. 

This day was facilitated by the Facey Group, and we had over 100 local growers in attendance and a number of our students also took advantage to learn more about current technologies, measuring loss, enhancing efficiencies and collaborating with growers who are leading the way in this space. 

Drought Resilience Challenge Update

We are currently finalising this year’s Drought Resilience Challenge. Students were challenged to design an innovative tool, system or solution that will increase future economic, environmental and social resilience of WA farmers in a hotter, drier and more variable climate. We look forward to announcing the winners in the near future. 

Student Voice

We are in the process of reviewing our Staff, Student and Parent surveys administered last term. The incoming Student Council identified themes within the survey which included areas such as the management of student behaviour, how students interact with each other and students feeling like their opinions are not taken seriously by the school.

The group looked at possible contributors as to why these areas may have been highlighted in the survey, and also possible solutions moving forward. I intend to meet with more Year 11 students to seek their opinion on these matters in greater detail and provide this feedback to staff. Staff are currently analysing all feedback in a similar manner, looking at areas for improvement and strategies that may be implemented moving forward.  

Royal Show Success

A huge congratulations to the students who competed at the Perth Royal Show and Farm Skills Competition.  Well done in particular to the team who took out the AWI Young Sheep Producers Challenge and dominated this event with a near-perfect performance!

Additionally, our College wool took out multiple prestigious ribbons, including Reserve Grand Champion Farmers Fleece, Reserve Grand Champion Farmer’s Ewe or Wether Fleece and most prestigious of all, Grand Champion Ewe or Wether Fleece, beating out commercial studs. 

Open Board Meeting

On Friday November 3 at 11.30am we have an Open Board Meeting where members of the college community are welcome to attend. Please contact the college to register your attendance in advance should you wish to come along.

All the best for harvest, and may the weather work in your favour from here on in.