Principal's Report 

I begin this newsletter by saying thank you. Thank you to all who have called me, popped in to say hello, sent me an email or messaged me wishing me well. What a great warm introduction I have had into the role of Principal of WACoA-Denmark. I continue to be blessed to have been appointed to lead such a great school. I look forward to meeting more of our community over the coming weeks and expect to see many of you on Friday the 19th November for our Year 12 graduation. 

Covid-19

At the time of writing, new COVID requirements are unfolding that will impact upon our staff at the College. From the commencement of Term 1 2022 all staff, regardless of their work fraction or role, will be required to be fully immunised.  Staff who are not vaccinated and cannot provide a medical exemption will not be allowed on site. This is an evolving space and I will share further developments with the school community as they come to hand. I understand that parents and students are not bound by this direction. I anticipate some student impact in terms of their vaccination status when engaging in off-site work experience. We will continue to communicate with families as information comes to hand. 

Year 12 Dinner

On Thursday the 14th October the school celebrated Year 12 success with a dinner.  51 staff and students attended Rustlers in Albany. They were treated to a two-course meal and soft drinks. While there were no formalities surrounding the event, it was great to see our young adults engaging so positively with each other in this setting.  It was very pleasing to see about 12 staff in attendance; a testament to the Year 12 cohort. 

Planning for 2022

Planning is well under way with enrolment numbers continuing to look healthy. We have a strong waiting list for each of our cohorts. Please contact the school office if you do not intend for your child to continue their enrolment into 2022.

2021 Survey

Thank you to those who completed the recent survey. The end of year surveys are a wonderful opportunity to register your voice.  We have a great school but there’s always room for improvement. Thank you everyone for commenting on both our successes and areas of development. The data collected here will be used to inform future planning. We encourage anyone who hasn't yet completed the survey to do so via the following links. 

Graduation

Invitations have been sent and we are eagerly preparing for a large audience to farewell our Year 12 students and celebrate our student achievements. In these uncertain times, we count ourselves lucky that we can gather in a large group but do remind attendees of COVID requirements. We ask that guests use hand sanitizer upon arrival and be mindful of social distancing. Award presenters will be asked to refrain from shaking hands with students. If you are unwell, we respectfully request that you do not attend the event. I look forward to seeing you all on the 19th November 2021 and invite you to join College Staff and I for lunch. Please ensure you have completed your RSVP to assist with catering and seating.

College Board 

Last week, the Board and I met for the first time.  It was great to hear from the Board and discuss matters of governance. A portion of time was spent unpacking the importance of student and community voice. We explored what that might look like at the College in 2022.

It was great to share with the members that we have just called for nominations for the 2022 student prefects. Ms Gaunt, Mr Irwin and I have spent considerable time with our Year 11 students stressing the value of a student voice.  I’m pleased to say that at the time of writing, we have received 14 nominations for our 6 student leader vacancies. Elections will take place later this week, with formal announcements to occur at graduation. I wish our prospective students well.  

We also discussed Board membership. Due to natural attrition we are currently seeking two new members.  We are calling expressions of interest for one parent and one community representative.  These positions have been advertised on our school website and sent via email to our parent body.  Being on the Board can be a rewarding experience and it provides a wonderful opportunity to become more engaged in our school. If this interests you, I encourage you to complete the nomination form.

Agricultural Education Update

We are pleased to provide the following update from the Agricultural Education Directorate.