From the Principal 

That's a Wrap!

It is hard to believe that we are at the end of Week 7 Term 4 already and this is our last "regular" Chatter for the year (stay tuned for a special edition next week showcasing our Year 11 awards and scholarship recipients)! 

This year has most certainly gone by quickly, however, we must not forget the extremely challenging period we all went through in Semester 1 as we navigated the real impact of COVID-19. Although it seems like a distant memory, it was not that long ago that we had many staff and students out needing to isolate (in some instances more than once). I must commend our students for their resilience, their ability to adapt to change, for being understanding and for making the most of what was a tough situation. I'd also like to offer my sincere thanks to the families who were incredibly responsive and supportive throughout 2022 and were available, at the drop of a hat, to work alongside us during that time.

I'd like to also acknowledge our eternally committed, dedicated and hardworking Staff. This year has been a tough one indeed and all staff across all areas of the College have worked together to cover colleagues who were out, due to either having COVID or caring for family members with COVID, as we had limited access to relief staff. I am always impressed with the level of collegiality amongst the staff here at the College. 

SCSA Awards 

Congratulations to Jillian Morris, Cejay Hill and Danielle Iles for being selected for interview for the 2022 SCSA Awards for Outstanding Achievement in VET! We look forward to sharing their achievements once the awards are published. Good luck Jill, Cejay and Dani!

In addition, congratulations to Year 12 student, Danielle Iles for being selected as a finalist for the prestigious Beazley Medal (VET) for 2022!

Open Board Meeting

Following our Year 11 Awards Ceremony, we have our annual 'Open Board Meeting' where members of the College community are welcome to attend. This will be our final meeting for the year and also the final meeting for outgoing Board Chair, Greg Paust.

Greg is a former Deputy Director General of the Department of Agriculture and commenced as Chair in 2020 bringing along extensive knowledge and experience within the Agriculture sector. Greg was incredibly supportive during my transition to the College as Principal and I have thoroughly enjoyed working with him over the course of the last two years.  I'd like to thank Greg for his service and also welcome local Agribusiness owner and stalwart to the Cunderdin community, Graham Cooper to the role of Board Chair.

In addition to owning Farmways Elders, Graham has previously worked in local government, the Wheatbelt Development Commission, the Department of Agriculture, Lions Club, the Cunderdin sub-branch of the RSL and the Football Club (to name a few). Graham has received an Order of Australia Medal for his tireless volunteer work advocating for the Wheatbelt community and is involved with numerous community groups. Graham will enhance our College's relationship with the local Cunderdin community and support us in our journey toward continuous improvement.

Wishing you all a successful harvest and an enjoyable rest of the year. Looking forward to celebrating our Year 11's successes on Friday and wishing them well for a relaxing break (or working holiday for most).

Thanks again for a fantastic 2022!

Matt Dowell

Principal