PRINCIPAL

Dear Parents/Carers, Families and College Community

This will be our last Wrap-up for the year. Our office closes for the Christmas break at the end of today, though there will still be some staff around over the break keeping our Farm going.

Last week a number of staff travelled to Cunderdin to take part in professional learning and networking with staff from other agricultural schools and colleges. These are always great opportunities to learn from each other to improve our practices. 

Meanwhile our Year 10's were engaged in their work experience placements. Initial indications are that the employers were happy and impressed with their student placement and I am confident that the experience is worthwhile. 

My thanks to Amelia Raper who takes on the main coordination role for work experience.

COVID

I am sure that you will have been keeping up to date with COVID information and the vaccine mandate. In terms of schools the following summarises the situation;

• All staff or persons working in schools as paid employees, must be vaccinated as per the mandated schedule. First vaccine dose by 1 January and second vaccine dose by 31 January (start of the school year).
• Vaccination certificates must be sighted and records kept at the school.
• Parents dropping off and picking up their child do not need to be vaccinated.
• Volunteers in schools in regular activities, that is more than one day per week,  must be vaccinated.
• Students do not need to be vaccinated unless engaged in work experience in an employment type that requires them to be so.

In terms of future COVID related activities, we are ensuring that we have appropriate planning and preparation in place should we need to change our settings; including should there be a lockdown. It would appear that the broader planning is about when, not if COVID returns to WA.

Royal Agricultural Society of WA Year 11 Residential Agricultural College Scholarship.

My thanks to those students who applied for this scholarship. I would like to congratulate Blake Johnston who is the worthy recipient. 

Blake has taken advantage of opportunities presented to him at the College, including attending the Perth Royal Show to show College sheep and involvement in the AWI Young Breeders competition.  Blake has also completed Certificate III Advanced Wool Handling. 

Blake is heavily engaged in agriculture outside of the College by working on farms and undertaking a range of different jobs.  He has also attended Rylington Park Shearing School and the Brunswick Cattle Handlers Camp.

Thankyou for 2021

Finally, can I thank our entire College community for their support and efforts over 2021. Like every year it has been busy and we have dealt with some challenges along the way, but throughout our staff, students, parents and wider community have worked together to keep Harvey Ag the high functioning school that it is. 

I wish you all a safe and restful Christmas and New Year and look forward to working with you all in 2022.

Take care

Steve