From the Acting Principal

It’s beginning to feel a lot more like winter on the South Coast with a succession of cold fronts and good rainfall over the past few weeks.  Pastures and fodder crops which were seeded late term 1 / early term 2 are very pleasing and providing excellent feed for our livestock. Hopefully other agricultural areas are getting much needed rain as well. 

As I outlined to parents in an email last week, the Australian Health Protection Principal Committee released a statement providing updated advice on reducing the potential risk of COVID-19 transmission in boarding schools and school – based residential colleges.

As a result, the W.A. College of Agriculture - Denmark in consultation with the Department of Education has updated the guidelines for the College residential facility:  

• Students can return to normal pre COVID -19 leave arrangements.
• The College Gymnasium will reopen with regular cleaning of equipment. However, this building is presently being used as an additional dining facility.
• Sporting equipment can be shared but will be cleaned regularly.
• Students may participate in contact sport and training.
• Excursions to sports centres, swimming pools, restaurants, leisure facilities (e.g. ten pin bowling, skate parks, cinemas) and other recreational activities can recommence within community guidelines.
• Shopping trips to regional centres (i.e. Albany) can recommence within community guidelines.
• Students can be taken to the beach in accordance with community guidelines.
• Students can now be involved in part-time employment during the week (after school).

Social distancing and good hand hygiene remain very important. Parents and carers will be able to enter the College when picking up or dropping off their child. However, we are still asking parents to not enter the residential facility.

All students should have a guardian, contactable at any time and available to take immediate responsibility for their child in the event that they cannot remain at the College. Arrangements will be reviewed as Department of Health advice is updated.   

I believe that many of the guidelines listed above will result in a more enjoyable and positive residential environment for our students. Please contact either myself or Kelli Gillies (Head of Residence) if you would prefer your son/daughter was not involved in particular recreational activities (e.g. cinema).

I also urge you to contact me at the College on 98480200 or my mobile if you have any concerns or require further information.

College Events

The majority of College staff believe that the College Open Day and Primary Awareness Day should be cancelled for 2020. The College Board also support this position. Both events require considerable organisation and preparation time. At the present time the Department of Education has stated that school community events and incursions may recommence with totals not exceeding 100 people for indoor settings and not exceeding 300 people in outdoor settings. Physical distancing and good hygiene practices should be applied. 

Both the College Open Day and Primary Awareness Day would involve more than 300 people. There is certainly no guarantee that these restrictions will be relaxed over coming weeks. Cancelling these events will also provide additional student contact time and allow teachers, trainers and students the opportunity to make up some of the time lost earlier in the year.  

Training Update

A Competency Achievement Update will be included with the Semester 1 Report for the parents or guardians of Year 12 students. This report shows the number of competencies students have currently completed in the various industry qualifications they are enrolled in at the College and how many they still need to complete to achieve the qualification.  Please be aware that students may have completed the majority of the training and assessment for a number of competencies and the recognition of these competencies will only appear when they are fully completed. 

New 2020 – 2023 College Business Plan

College staff have been busy developing the College’s new 2020-2023 Business Plan – our second business plan since becoming an Independent Public School in late 2016. The plan was presented to the College Board for their input and feedback on Friday 26th June. 

Following parent and staff member elections late last year we have five new members on the Board: Lisa O’Farrell, Lawrence Cuthbert and Stuart Stevenson are the new parent members; Tracy Milton (Head of Cleaning) and Rob Calcraft (Science teacher) are the two new staff members. They join our continuing parent/community Board members: Josie Keam, Steve Jones and Mick Pratt, and our continuing staff members: Kevin Marshall, Daniel Gibbins and myself (while Kevin Osborne is on leave).  We look forward to sharing the new 2020-2023 Business Plan with parents when it is finalised early next term.

Early Finish on Friday 3rd July, 2020 – End of Term 2

The College learning programme will continue until 2.10 pm on Friday 3rd July and resume 8.10 am on Tuesday 21st July. The College is providing an early close of 2.10 pm on Friday 3rd July to allow students and parents to travel home during daylight hours.

Term 3 Start

A reminder to parents that Monday 20th July – the first Monday of Term 3, is a School Development Day and a Travel Day for Residential students to return to the College.  Parent/teacher meetings are also planned from 1.00 pm – 3.00 pm in the College dining room. Appointments with teachers/trainers can be made using the Schools Online Booking System. Residential and Farm Managers will also be available in their offices.  

The link will be available from 6 pm on Thursday 2nd July.

Access SOBS parent booking application

Year 12 Finish

Our Year 12 students have until Friday 22nd October (the second week of Term 4) to complete their school-based education programs at the College. They are really moving into the final term of their secondary education.  Please encourage your son/daughter to work hard and achieve to their full potential over the next few months. There is still significant time to ‘catch up’ on lost time and improve subject grades and complete Vet qualifications.   I wish our 2020 Year 12 Class all the very best for the remainder of the school year and look forward to Graduation Day on 20th November 2020.

Term 3 Home Weekend

Due to the cancellation of the College Open Day, the Term 3 Home Weekend will now be from 12.30 pm Friday 21st August 2020 to 3.00 pm Monday 24th August 2020. Students may return to the College Residence from 3.00 pm on Monday 24th August. Classes will commence at 8.10 am on Tuesday 25th August 2020.

In closing I would like to say a special thank you to our Kitchen and Cleaning staff for their outstanding work during the term. COVID-19 has made their tasks more difficult and challenging, but they have carried out their duties in a very efficient and positive manner. Thank you for all your cooperation and assistance for a job well done. Also, best wishes to Enzo Manera and Zoe Taylor who will both be on leave for the remainder of the year.

I also wish our staff, students and their parents/carers a happy and relaxing Term 2 holiday break.  Thank you for all your support during Term 2. Stay safe.