Principal's Welcome

Dear parents and carers,

Welcome to the commencement of the 2022 academic year and a special welcome to the many families that are joining us for the first time. It is a natural feeling to look forward to a new year and for those who know me, I always look for positive directions when experiencing troubling situations.

Western Australia has experienced a number of disruptions to our educational offerings due to COVID-19, but these have been minor compared to other Australian States. However, the reality is that a significant number of West Australians will experience infection and absence from work/school during 2022.

We will regularly communicate with you on this matter and currently our education system is waiting for directions on future operations. The WA Government will make decisions based on what has happened in the Eastern States.  Having said that, the following rules currently apply:

1 - Masks: 

Staff, parents/carers, and all secondary school students must wear masks at school, on public transport and at public indoor venues.

2- Mandatory Vaccinations: 

All staff must be fully vaccinated and provide proof of this as of 31 January 2022.

3- Social Events at external venues:

• School Ball – The Duxton Hotel was previously booked for this event. Students aged 16 years and above are not permitted to enter such venues unless they have proof of vaccination. This recent ruling has seen the need to survey our students as to their vaccination status and after considering all options, the Ball will go ahead at the Duxton Hotel.
• Swimming Carnivals – We are still waiting for a ruling from our booked venue, as it appears students aged 16 years and above would need to have proof of vaccination.
• Year 10 River Cruise – This event is normally held at the end of the year when many students will have turned 16. Once again, we need to consider options.

The College will keep you informed as we navigate these uncertain times. A major topic for discussion is our academic offerings and curriculum delivery should we experience a predicted 20% absentee rate due to COVID-19 infections.  I would imagine rapid antigen testing will be a needed procedure in all workplaces in Australia, but we are still waiting to see how this will be implemented in the Eastern States and eventually in WA.

Earlier in this letter, I indicated the mandatory vaccination requirement for all staff. While this requirement will produce staffing difficulties for a number of schools, The King’s College will be fully operational in terms of staff as we commence the year.

Best wishes and God bless.

Principal  K-12

Mr Ian Elder