Issue 2, 2026
Inlet Views Newsletter
A WA College of Agriculture Denmark publication.
In this issue
Welcome to the latest edition of Inlet Views News, where we bring you the latest updates, stories, and events from WA College of Agriculture Denmark.
Michele Walker
College Principal
It’s been an exceptionally busy term!
As we move through what has been an exceptionally busy and rewarding term at WACOA Denmark, it has been wonderful to see our students engaging so positively in a wide range of learning opportunities, events and celebrations across the College.
Our Year 12 students are certainly embracing their final year, proudly wearing their leavers’ jumpers. They look fantastic and represent the strong sense of pride and belonging that comes with being part of our college community.
Our Year 10 students recently had the opportunity to attend the Peaceful Bay camp, an experience designed to strengthen connections with peers, build relationships and further develop teamwork skills. Camps such as this play an important role in supporting student wellbeing and fostering positive peer relationships.
We were also extremely proud of the students who represented the college at Wagin Woolorama. Once again, WACOA Denmark students showcased their skills, professionalism and passion for agriculture, walking away with several awards. Their efforts and achievements reflect both their hard work and the dedication of staff who support these valuable learning experiences.
Our College farm activities have also been a significant highlight this term. We are coming to the end of our first calving for the year, providing students with hands-on learning opportunities and real-world experience. Students have thoroughly enjoyed interacting with and feeding the Friesian cattle, as well as learning to safely operate agricultural machinery under staff supervision. We also recently celebrated a successful grape harvest, further showcasing the diverse agricultural programs available to our students and the strong practical focus of learning at the College.
The College Ball was another highlight of the term and a truly fantastic event. It was wonderful to see students enjoying a formal evening together, celebrating friendships and creating lasting memories.
We are also delighted to share that our history wall celebrating the 1940s and 1950s has now been completed and is proudly displayed in the dining hall. This project honours the rich history of our College, with plans already underway to continue adding displays for each decade. A sincere thank you is extended to our Old Collegians for their support and contributions to this initiative.
As always, we continue to closely monitor students’ academic progress. Progress reports will be released at the end of term, and families will receive information on how to book interviews with your child’s teachers. These conversations provide an important opportunity to discuss learning progress and set goals for the remainder of the year.
Thank you for your continued support of WACOA Denmark. It has been a busy term, but one filled with outstanding achievements, meaningful experiences and strong community connections.
Alf Mungioli
Deputy Principal
So many students are taking their work at our College seriously!
Assemblies
We recently had assemblies with different year groups and acknowledged the great efforts of students with their progress / results / Farm work / Values. Students would have either received certificates and or points that contribute to obtaining other rewards.
Attendance
So many students are taking their work at our College seriously. It is pleasing to note that 40 out of 48 Year 10 students have achieved over 90% attendance so far this term. Significant improvements have been made by so many Year 11’s and Yr 12’s with their attendance, in comparison to late last year. Thanks again to the support of parents / carers in helping our students understand the importance of being at work and being successful.
We can appreciate that, at times, illness and other factors impact on attendance and our Student Services Team and Residential Manager work closely with students to support them in these scenarios.
Please note that when students are away on a farm day, they miss a rotation on a section of the farm that they may not be exposed to for over 7 weeks. This impacts on the students ability to complete the required work for their Certificate II in Agriculture.
Please also bear in mind that if a student's attendance is 80% or less, this means that they miss almost a term of work over the whole year.
Online Literacy and Numeracy Assessment (OLNA)
As you may be aware, to achieve secondary graduation, students need to demonstrate a minimum standard of literacy and numeracy, either through prequalifying by achieving Band 8 or higher in their Year 9 NAPLAN or through the Online Literacy and Numeracy Assessment (OLNA).
The OLNA has three components - reading, writing and numeracy. The reading and numeracy components comprise 45 multiple‐choice questions; the writing component is an extended response of up to 600 words. Students are allowed 50 minutes for the reading and numeracy components and 60 minutes for the writing.
Mrs Lewis has worked hard to arrange extra support materials our year 11’s and 12’s can engage in as mentioned in her article. We have found those students that work through these all pass their OLNA by the end of Year 12.
University Tour
Unfortunately, the University Tour scheduled for 27, 28 and 29 did not go ahead as planned. Events at the universities in Perth were postponed last minute due to expected severe weather. We hope to be able to attend if events are rescheduled.
Interim Reports and Parent/Teacher afternoon
Feedback of student progress will soon be sent home in the form of an Interim / Progress Report. Teachers have provided feedback on classwork and assessment task progress while also providing feedback on attitude and effort of students.
We suggest parents / carers make a booking to attend the Parent / Teacher information afternoon on Monday, 20th April. This is a great opportunity for parent and carers to visit the College and meet teachers. Information on booking a Parent / Teacher interview will accompany the Progress Report.
I wish all students and their families a restful holiday and look forward to more student successes in Term 2.
Corporate Services
denmark.wacoa.adminstaff@education.wa.edu.au
Student Allowances - Don’t miss out!
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The SAS is made up of 2 allowances:
The Education Program Allowance is $235. This is paid directly to the College.
The Clothing Allowance is $115. This is paid to the applicant’s nominated bank account. For public school students, parents and guardians have the option to pay it to the College.
Applications close 2 April 2026.
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The 2026 BAHA amount is $1,461 if your child boards for 4 terms. Pro-rata payments will be made if they board for a shorter time.
Payments will be made to the boarding provider for applicants residing at a Western Australia College of Agriculture.
Applicants residing at a private facility or second home can choose to have the BAHA paid directly to the boarding provider or to their own bank account.
Applications close 31 July 2026
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The 2026 BAHA amount is $1,461 if your child boards for 4 terms. Pro-rata payments will be made if they board for a shorter time.
Payments will be made to the boarding provider for applicants residing at a Western Australia College of Agriculture.
Applicants residing at a private facility or second home can choose to have the BAHA paid directly to the boarding provider or to their own bank account.
Applications close 27 November 2026
Upcoming events
Whilst every effort is made to ensure the accuracy of the above information, please refer to the Compass calendar for the most up-to-date details.
Program Coordinator
Teaching & Learning
Jess Lewis
A warm welcome to our new students, parents and carers!
My role at the College is to support students with anything that affects their learning, including extra support for ATAR students. I consider myself to be an intermediate between students, teachers and executive staff so often I can solve issues quickly and fuss-free. I am also involved with the continuous improvement in the delivery and outcomes of teaching, especially those that are agriculture related.
Education Plans
Based on information gained at enrolment, we have now completed the education plans for new students that may require a bit of extra support. This might be a diagnosed or assumed learning difficulty, hearing or vision loss or behaviour that requires a bit more understanding. These have been discussed with students to ensure they are accurate and helpful and sent home for parents / carers to review and make any other suggestions. All plans for existing students in Year 11 and 12 have been reviewed and rolled over for this year. If you have not been contacted about your student and you believe they should be on an education plan, please get in touch asap.
OLNA
The Online Literacy and Numeracy Assessment (OLNA) data has been analysed and distributed to all relevant teaching staff. I have set up online subscriptions for all Year 11 and 12 students that have outstanding tests. These have now been active for over a month, and students should have their username and password. Students are strongly encouraged to engage with practice questions on a regular basis to be as best prepared as possible. Tests are scheduled for the start of Term Two, so there is no time to delay.
If your Year 10 student had a strong performance in Year 9 NAPLAN, then they may have already prequalified for OLNA and will not need to sit any more assessments. Some may already have had their “first attempt” at the OLNA during Year 9, so may not be eligible to try again in this first window but will get a second chance in Week 8 of Term 3. The Schools Curriculum and Standards Authority (SCSA) have practice tests on their website and feedback on how to improve will be provided to both students and teachers where available. All Year 10 students have been given their OLNA status and should have logged into the SCSA website to complete a practise test.
Academic Support for Residential Students
Teachers, and our fabulous Education Assistant Mrs Green, will be working closer with residential staff this year to support students to complete assigned tasks during prep time (7-8 pm). This may be reminders about homework, upcoming (or overdue!) assessments or specific requests for help for example with OLNA. We hope better communication between the day and residential program will help students be more proactive about their learning and achieve their potential.
Mrs Green has kindly offered to met with any parents at the Parent Teacher Interviews at the start of next term to discuss the learning needs and styles of students. If you think this would be a useful conversation, please let me know and I will arrange a time she can be available.
If you have any questions or concerns about your student’s learning, please don’t hesitate to get in touch by emailing jessica.lewis@education.wa.edu.au.
Program Coordinator
Trades & Training
Mark Boynton
Welcome back to all students and families!
The first few weeks of the term have been very busy getting organised for our Year 12 course completion, planning excursions and welcoming new staff and students.
Mr Edward Grant has started teaching with us and is also teaching in maths and agricultural subjects. Mr Grant comes to us from a Perth school and has a strong background and knowledge of agriculture and engineering from his farming family and previous roles. Mr Grant replaces Mr Toon who has moved to South Regional TAFE. Mr Grant has settled in quickly and already making great efforts to support our teaching and learning goals. It’s very positive to have such a capable and effective team member on staff.
I would like to thank all students who are meeting the expectations on Hi-Viz uniforms, as I’m sure you know, we are not allowing any jewellery while in this uniform. This is in line with industry expectations and keeps the uniform simple.
I would also like to remind our new students about behaviour and expectations. I’m determined to ensure the safety of all members of this school community, and we cannot allow poor attitudes and behaviour, especially in our potentially hazardous environments. Students who do not follow simple instructions will be removed from practical activities if it is deemed unsafe for them to be there.
Industry Adventure Tour
This week, Mr Hamilton and his team have ventured out with Year 10 students for the 2026 edition of the Industry Adventure Tour. This year, they are visiting the Southwest Region around Harvey and staying at the Mornington Adventure Camp.
Several industry visits and fun activities are planned for the week. The tour is a great opportunity for interacting with peers and finding out more about the industry and employment opportunities. If any families have ideas about other locations we could visit in the future, please let us know.
It’s important to note that students on the Tour will be under supervision of school staff and always representing the College. Any behaviour deemed unsuitable or unsafe may result in the family of the student being required to collect them from site.
Automotives
Students in Automotives are really getting stuck into the vehicles we have sourced recently. Year 10’s have been busily dismantling and examining older cars which has been a great learning experience in the use of hand tools and learning how things work.
Other students have been assigned projects and are working on continuous improvements to the training area. Year 12’s often spend time working on improvements and servicing of their own vehicles. We are very fortunate to have the facilities and staff to support all of these activities.
We are always on the lookout for project cars and motorcycles, please get in touch if you have any vehicles we might be able to use for training.
Engineering
Year 12 Certificate II in Engineering Pathways students are busy planning and getting into their new projects, some are quite ambitious and we will be watching these projects grow by the week! Our Engineering course has quite a focus on planning and design with students already benefitting from taking that extra bit of time to get themselves prepared. Our AutoCAD and Fusion Software is being used well and contributes to the ‘Interact with Computing Technology’ Unit of Competency.
Year 10 and 11 students are working hard towards Units of Competency and the completion of their minor projects, many of which will be displayed on Open Day later this year. Set projects include sheet metal storage boxes and chook feeders, folding BBQ plates and rocket stoves. Completing these in the early part of the year enable students to learn the foundation skills that will go on to help make them capable, employable young people.
Materials Design & Technology - Metals
Our Materials Design and Technology - Metals course is likely to be phased out for 2027 in favour of increased numbers in Certificate II in Engineering Pathways. While the course has had some success, students appear to prefer the opportunities to achieve a Certificate II.
Equine
Horse Care is always a busy area, we have seen a real influx of capable, confident riders this year. Its definitely a positive to have your horse here while you study. As the weather cools, please ensure you are ready for the rugging and un-rugging that may be required over winter.
Horse Care students are able to complete a range of Units of Competency in riding and general horse care. Miss Pagan makes efforts to ensure all students get opportunities to ride, and succeed, but with this comes the responsibilities of looking after your horses.
Any student who is not prepared to complete sufficient feed and support for their horse should consider if having their horse here is a good idea. Arrangements can be made for other students to look after the horse on weekends etc., but you do need to plan and communicate this via the QR form available the Equine Area.
Conservation & Ecosystem Management
Our Conservation and Ecosystem Management course will be phased out in 2027 in favour of a Rural Operations course. At present we are looking at a range of options in this area and hope to find a way to deliver skills and knowledge with a balance of agriculture, bees, forestry, land care and engineering / mechanical tasks.
Program Coordinator
Student Services
Brad Woodruff
Another exciting development has been Tom Lynch’s involvement in exploring the Pit Stop Program. Tom has been working closely with Farm Manager, Kevin Marshall, to investigate the possibility of introducing this initiative at the College. Pit Stop is designed to support men’s mental health through practical engagement, hands-on activities, and open conversations, creating a safe space for connection and wellbeing. This program has the potential to provide valuable support for students, staff, and the wider College community.
We are proud of the initiative and leadership our students are showing. Their efforts are helping to create a more connected, supportive, and inclusive environment for all.
Student Leaders Attend GRIP Leadership Programme
At the beginning of the term, our student leaders had the exciting opportunity to attend the GRIP Leadership Programme, joining student leaders from a range of other schools. It was a fantastic experience that allowed them to connect, share ideas, and learn from one another.
Throughout the day, students explored common challenges within schools and worked through practical ways to address them in their own context. Sessions also focused on the personal challenges of leadership, encouraging students to step outside their comfort zones, build confidence, and develop skills in areas such as event planning, public speaking, and creating a positive school culture.
The day was attended by our Year 12 Prefects, and it was particularly pleasing to observe how engaged and enthusiastic our students were throughout the programme.
Fella Workshops: Building Confidence and Challenging Stereotypes
Our Year 10 students recently participated in workshops run by Kia Fella, a program that has been successfully running at the College for some time. The sessions were split into separate groups for boys and girls, allowing targeted discussions and activities relevant to each group.
The boys’ workshop focused on exploring gender stereotypes, encouraging them to reflect on societal expectations and how these can influence behaviour and relationships. Meanwhile, the girls’ session centred on stepping into confidence, examining the impact of friendships and social media on self-concept and self-esteem.
These workshops provide a safe and supportive environment for students to explore important issues, build self-awareness, and develop skills to navigate social challenges positively. By addressing these topics early, the program helps our Year 10 students grow into confident, thoughtful, and resilient young adults.
Year 10 Girls Attend PPEP Seminar: Understanding Period Pain and Endometriosis
Our Year 10 girls recently attended a seminar delivered by the Pelvic Pain Foundation of Australia (PPFA) as part of the Periods, Pain and Endometriosis Program (PPEP Talk®), focused on supporting their health and wellbeing. This is the second year the College has been involved with the program, which was well received by last year’s students. The session covered important topics including period pain, endometriosis, common symptoms, management strategies, and when to seek medical advice.
The seminar provided a safe and supportive environment for students to ask questions, gain practical knowledge, and better understand their bodies. By increasing awareness of these issues, the College aims to empower students to take care of their health and make informed decisions.
We’re proud to continue offering programs like this that support student wellbeing, and we look forward to building on this positive experience in the future.
Starting life at the College is a big step, especially for students who are living away from home for the first time. We know this transition can come with a mix of excitement and nerves—for both students and parents.
At The Hive, our Student Services Team has been working closely with Residential Manager, John Overton, and the Residential Supervisors to make sure students feel supported as they find their feet.
Life at an agricultural college brings some fantastic opportunities, but it also means new routines, responsibilities, and challenges. We’ve been keeping a close eye on how students are settling in and offering extra support where it’s needed.
Whether it’s helping students adjust to dorm life, stay on top of their schoolwork, or just having someone to chat to when they need it, our team is here to support their wellbeing every step of the way.
If you have any concerns about how your child is settling in, please don’t hesitate to give The Hive a call on 9848 0275 or reach out to us directly — we’re always happy to help.
Student Services Team at The Hive – Here to Support Student Wellbeing
We’re pleased to share that the Student Services Team at The Hive remains largely unchanged from last year, with the addition of Romy Stoner as our new School Psychologist, replacing Abi Fretwell, and continuing to provide dedicated support for our students.
Our team includes:
Dana Boston – School Nurse Dana.Boston@health.wa.gov.au
Romy Stoner – School Psychologist romy.stoner@education.wa.edu.au
Chris Urschitz – School Chaplain Chris.Urschitz@youthcare.org.au
Brad Woodruff – Program Coordinator, Student Services bradley.woodruff@education.wa.edu.au
Students and parents can book appointments with any team member by:
Emailing us directly
Calling The Hive on 9848 0275
Contacting College administration on 9848 0200
We’re here to support students' wellbeing and success — please don’t hesitate to reach out!
Student Leadership Team - Making a Positive Impact
Our Student Leadership Team has been busy making a meaningful difference across the College, focusing on building connection, inclusion, and student voice.
One of their newest initiatives is the creation of a “hometown map,” where students are invited to share where they come from. This project is being coordinated by our Year 10 students - Samara Edwards, Millie Eames, and Abby Gorman. While still in its early stages, the initiative is expected to become a valuable way for students to connect with others from similar regions, celebrate the diversity of our College community, and build pride in where they come from.
The leadership team is also working hard in preparation for Do It For Dolly Day, with Ida Brown, Beth Lockwood, and Phebee Forman leading the way. They are planning a range of activities to raise awareness across the College, encouraging students to reflect on the importance of kindness and the impact of their actions. Fundraising efforts will also form part of the day, giving students an opportunity to contribute to this important cause.
In addition, Louis Ford is taking the lead in preparing for World’s Greatest Shave. As part of this, he is stepping into an ambassador role for the program, helping to raise awareness and funds to support Australians impacted by blood cancer while developing his leadership skills. Dashel Shanhun will play an important role in delivering this program.
Life at an agricultural college brings some fantastic opportunities!
Kevin Marshall
Farm Manager
What’s been happening on the farm?
Well, as usual, it’s been a busy start to the year with new and old students beginning the year with lots of activities.
The farm continues to operate the dairy with silage and grain pellets being the primary feed source which is providing the milkers with enough protein, energy and roughage to maintain good milk production. This is a daily routine to mix the feed required and then feed out specific volumes into each of the three feed rotation paddocks. Cows are maintaining approximately 31 litres a day this considering first calving heifers are now being introduced to the system bringing down the overall daily volume average.
Dairy and beef herds have been calving for three weeks now, and things are going very well. Calves have been arriving small; however, we have had a lot of twins where generally one of the twins ends up at the dairy calf shed being hand raised. Stud Simmental calves are tagged and weighed at birth with the calves arriving with moderate weights and good panda eye pigment colouring.
Certificate II in Wool-handling
Over the last two weeks, Year 11 students have been busy training towards their Certificate II in Wool-handling. External shearers undertook the shearing whilst our students were trained by Mr Schulz and Mr Taylor. The course covers all yard work, shed preparation, penning along with the board duties, wool-handling and pressing. Students were really engaged and great results were achieved in a relatively short time. Well-done to all who participated.
Wagin Woolorama
During early March, selected sheep and cattle students attended Wagin Woolorama to enter the Junior Judging events. Unfortunately, the farm did not enter sheep or cattle this year, however students still participated in the judging events. What a tough day! It was 38 degrees with no wind and for us south coast residents, it was challenging. It is pleasing to note all students did an amazing job at looking after themselves, maintaining water intake and completing events, sometimes dressed in formal uniform and blazers.
Overall results were great with several students achieving awards in both the sheep and cattle areas.
Fertiliser Spreader Calibration Day
Year 12 students attended a fertiliser spreader calibration day held at a local Torbay property. This was run by the Torbay Catchment Committee and was an opportunity to test out various makes of fertiliser spreaders and evaluate their accuracy and spreading capabilities. The farm took along our CGS spreader and students were involved with the spreading, collection and weighing of the product. This data was then loaded into a program producing efficiency graphs demonstrating the spreader capabilities. The CGS spreader performed quite well spreading urea granules at 20 metres intervals.
Around the Farm
The farm has been experiencing challenges with filling vacant Technical Officer – Agricultural Instruction positions in recent months. We are very pleased though to have secured some new farm staff with Mr Craig Walker and Mr Carl Richards joining the farm team. Mr Walker will take on a combination of general and horticulture roles, while Mr Richards will take on some workshop and general farm duties. We are very pleased to also have Miss Hannah Price (former student) acting in the general and sheep roles. Hannah has been tasked many different duties, such as speed tilling and slashing of dry stubbles.
As the April holidays speed towards us, along with a global shortage of fuel and fertiliser, the farm is now getting prepared to sow early grass crops and get seeding underway. At present we cannot secure the normal compound fertilisers required, however, we will make a start with a substitute phosphorus-based product.
Mr Schulz has been servicing the Vaderstad seeder and calibrating the new seed varieties. With wet weather forecast, farm staff will begin seeding into worked-up soils in the hope that the rain will penetrate the drier paddocks, providing a good seed-bed and supporting strong germination. This year we will be using a new variety of mixed rye grass blends along with Bannister oats. Rye grass will be sown at 25 kg/ha and oats at 50 kg/ha. Bring on the rain!
Time is flying by and Term One is nearly done. We are very pleased to say that students, both new and returning, have presented to the farm extremely well and have approached all tasks with a very positive attitude. The new Year 10 group has settled into their routines with ease and is responding strongly to the training and opportunities provided. We encourage all students to maintain their excellent effort and attitude, and we look forward to seeing some great results achieved throughout the year.
John Overton
Residential Manager
Term 1 is always an exciting and important time as both new and returning students settle into College life.
We are very pleased with the structured approach taken to commence the school year, which has focused on providing a meaningful transition and a comprehensive induction for our newly enrolled students.
While the Term 1 calendar is full and fast-paced, it has created a strong platform to begin the year. Our staff have worked collaboratively to refine elements of the start-of-year program, and these improvements have played a key role in supporting our boarders to navigate life at WACOA Denmark in 2026.
Within residence, we have 91 students living onsite from a wide-ranging list of locations across WA and one interstate boarder this year. This reflects the broad reach of our College with most of our boarders residing from the South West and Great Southern regions, however we continue to attract students from north of Perth as far as Paraburdoo and across to Victoria. The diversity is a testament to the growing reputation of the College as a truly state-wide and national institution.
Orientation Program
Our Orientation Program continues to evolve, with student voice playing a key role in shaping its delivery. Following feedback from our 2025 College Leaders, Prefects were actively involved in welcoming new students, leading tours, and participating in a Q&A panel with our Board Chair, Mick Pratt.
This student-led approach created an inclusive and supportive environment, allowing new students to connect with their peers from the outset. A highlight was our shared dinner, where both day and residential students came together, reinforcing a sense of whole-College connection.
Day 2 focused on exploring what makes WACOA Denmark unique and the opportunities within the agricultural industry. Students heard from a range of internal staff and guest speakers, gaining valuable insights into pathways and experiences within the sector.
Overall, the program continues to provide a strong foundation for building relationships, easing transition, and introducing students to life at WACOA Denmark.
Peaceful Bay Camp – Year 10 Orientation
A key highlight of the Term 1 program was the Peaceful Bay Camp, which in 2026 was specifically designed for our Year 10 cohort as part of their transition into life at the College.
Held at Peaceful Bay Caravan Park, the camp provided an opportunity for students to further develop connections, build independence, and consolidate their orientation experience in a relaxed, camp setting.
Students participated in a range of recreational activities including fishing, swimming, snorkelling, beach walks and camp games. While the weather was mixed, it did not dampen the experience, with students embracing the opportunity to unwind and engage with one another.
A pleasing aspect of the camp was the willingness of students to contribute to daily responsibilities such as camp setup, kitchen duties and pack-down. These contributions not only supported the smooth running of the camp but also strongly reinforced how much we rely on teamwork within our setting.
I would like to thank the residential team for their commitment in supporting the camp and extend a special mention to the kitchen team for preparing our meals and menu options.
College Ball 2026
The College Ball, held last weekend, is one of our signature events within the calendar and was a fantastic success. It was pleasing to see students present themselves with pride and enjoy the occasion. A huge thanks to our Ball Committee led by Year 12 Prefect, Phebee Forman. Phebee and the Committee did an outstanding job to prepare for a student-centred event.
A sincere thank you must go to the residential team for their involvement in the event. Keir Morrison led the event management and coordination of the event – a massive thanks to Keir for the way the venue was presented, organised and for the personal touches that made all the difference on the evening.
The evening felt like we are well on our way to creating a connected community which positively celebrates our staff and student efforts.
Boarding Framework: Coordinator Positions
Within boarding and amongst our team members we have established and defined our key focus areas:
Pastoral care and well-being
Activities and programs
Positive behaviour management
Wellness
Each of these key focus areas now have coordinators attached (staff) which is designed to enhance our borders’ experience. Ultimately all our staff contribute to each of these areas, however the coordinator consolidates ideas, actions tasks and promotes their particular area as an additional resource within our team.
Term 1 is very much about implementation and working towards an effective staff model, but so far, we have seen a lot of benefit from these positions being in place. Our next step is to link this work into REACH to improve our layers of communication with boarders and their families.
Other Events
The Term 1 calendar has also seen a variety of other events that our boarders have or will take part in:
Wagin Woolorama (Week 5)
Biology Camp (Week 7)
Gate to Plate (Week 8)
Industry Adventure Tour (Week 9)
Term 1 Conclusion
Term 1 is always a busy and challenging time, particularly for our new students, however it has been very pleasing to see how well everyone has adapted. The positive start to the year reflects the strength of our programs, staff commitment, and the willingness of students to engage in all aspects of College life.
We remain committed to aligning our approach with College values, ensuring our students are supported to grow, connect, and succeed. I look forward to continuing this momentum into Term 2.
Boarders return to the College on Monday, April 20 from 2:00pm.
Alumni
Association
Don McCausland , and
Mike Martin
Our Alumni Chairman, Don McCausland, has unfortunately developed cancer and is not in a position to be as active as he has been for the past 11 years since taking on the role of Chairman. Having known Don for the past 73 years as a lifelong friend and our College Captain in 1954, I am sure that with his usual positive attitude, he will be chomping at the bit to achieve the things that we have started which will be completed by this year's Open Day.
We are grateful for the support we are now receiving from all College staff, especially Deputy Principal Alf Mungioli, who has been very supportive to us from day one, also new Principal , Michele Walker, who is the only Principal so far to have taken a real interest in what we are trying to achieve for the College.
1970/71 Reunion
On Saturday, 14 February 2026, the 1970/71 years held their first reunion at Sanctuary Golf Club in Bunbury, they invited Don and myself to join them for dinner on the Saturday night.
It was a most enjoyable evening with all the boys giving a talk about what they have been up to since leaving the College. We were made most welcome. Don gave a speech about the association, when it started, what we have achieved so far and what hopefully will be completed by this year's Open Day.
Dining Room History Wall
Next time you attend the College, in the dining room, you will notice that two College history boards (compiled by Bev and Ross McGuinness) have been erected. The Committee is pleased to announce that the memorabilia display cabinets have been delivered to the College. They will soon be filled with all sorts of items telling the story of the College from it’s inception in 1942. These cabinets join the four retractable banners with history and old photos of the College.
Another College year has started, and we hope all the students are settling in.
All these items have been paid for by the past students from the years 1953 to 1956, especially Don Jones 1954/55 who passed away in October 2024. Don requested that money from his estate be held back to pay for the two display cabinets. Many thanks to Melanie Constable, College Captain in 2003, and Treasurer of the Association, for her help and sourcing of the cabinets.
Open Day 2026 - Saturday, 5 September
The College Open Day will be held on Saturday, 5 September this year. It is intended to hold a formal opening of the memorabilia cabinets. Don (deceased) and Alwyn Jones have been instrumental in making this finally happen and their family will be there to represent them.
The Committee will have a stand in the gymnasium and be available to talk to anyone interested in the Alumni Association.
On the day, there will be a meeting of all members of the Association in the dining room. This meeting is to recognise the retirement of almost all of the current Committee and the election of a new one. We encourage you to attend this meeting and be part of the future of the Association. Further details will be provided nearer the date.
Vale
1970/71 Reunion held Saturday, 14 February 2026, at Sanctuary Golf Club in Bunbury
Alumni Association Memorial Gazebo at South Regional TAFE (former College site)
History Wall, College Dining Room
History Wall, College Dining Room
History Wall, College Dining Room
College Noticeboard
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Ag Institute Australia Careers Night
The AIA Careers Night will be held at 5.30pm on Wednesday 1 April at the Royal Agricultural Society Showgrounds in Claremont. This free event offers students and the community a chance to explore careers in agriculture, connect with industry representatives, and learn about employment and study pathways.
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Parent / Teacher Interviews
Monday, 20 April 2026 from 1:30pm to 5:00pm.
Further information and Compass booking link will be sent with student Progress Reports this week.
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ANZAC Day Long Weekend
The College will hold an ANZAC Day Assembly on Friday, 24 April 2026.
Boarding will remain open over the long weekend.
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We value your feedback!
Help us improve! We value your input and read every response to understand what’s working and what isn’t.
Your feedback will be used to make meaningful changes to our College programs and communication.