Issue 3 2024 - Deputy Principal

Deputy Principal

Alf Mungioli

Semester One Reporting

Reports for Semester One have now been sent out. I am sure parents/guardians will take the time to review the progress of their child. For Year 12’s, it is an important time as they only have around 10-12 weeks remaining to complete all the required tasks for qualifications and credit towards their WACE.

As a suggestion, please encourage your child to review the comments in their report, week one of Term three. In this way, they may better remember the feedback they have obtained from teachers. The attitude, behaviours and effort section of the school report is also valuable. Feedback assists students to reflect on their learning and the strategies they can adopt to make improvement if necessary.

Well done to our students – reports overall do present a great deal of positivity of what our students are achieving. It is terrific that teachers and trainers have provided such valuable feedback.

Yr 10 Modified Program - End of Term 2

Year 10 students remaining at the College during Country Week have engaged in various important activities. To make the most of this opportunity while other students are not on site, a special program has been in place.

There has been plenty to enjoy and the students have certainly benefited. These activities include:

• Spending three days on Farm to obtain further experience and skills towards their attainment of Certificate II in Agriculture,

• Attending an excursion to Trevally Dairy Farm with the aim of getting a different experience with milking,

• Working on enterprising activities, building teamwork skills, and

• Being involved in preparation for our annual Open Day.

Work Experience (Yr 10, 11 & 12)

A letter has recently been sent home to parents/guardians of Year 10 students in regards to setting up work experience for the last week of term three. It is strongly recommended Year 10 students actively use the time over the holidays to secure a potential work experience placement. Students who leave this too long end up missing out on some valuable opportunities.

Congratulations to our Year 11 and 12 students who attended work experience successfully. While some schools are reducing these opportunities, WACOA – Denmark see our work experience program as an essential part of preparing students for life after College. Thank you to Ms Lockyer and Mrs Hardiman who have done a tremendous job in ensuring all communication has been set up effectively for employers, students and parents.

Work experience is a great opportunity for students to obtain an understanding of the work environment and what employers expect of their workers. It also provides an opportunity for our students to explore different career options. Students will receive an evaluation from employers that can assist with their applications for future jobs.

Attendance

Positive results and a good attendance are vital for student progress and success at school or when students apply for an apprenticeship/employment or TAFE. We acknowledge and accept that in some cases illness and family commitments can interfere with school attendance. If there are factors contributing to the low attendance and you would like to discuss this with College personnel, please do not hesitate to call Student Services at the College.

In the event of a student not attending school, an explanation for the absence is sought from parents/guardians, by note, phone, text or email.

The following absences will be recorded as an “Unauthorised” code:

• Holidays, birthdays, shopping, attending shows.

• Medical absences without certification exceeding five days per year.

• Private Work Experience not supported by the College.

• Other absences not negotiated in advance with the Deputy Principal or Principal.

Please take the time to discuss this information with your child. WACOA – Denmark staff and I will continue to support all students by reinforcing the importance of achieving good standards and maintaining a committed approach and positive work ethic to school and work. Understandably, it is an area that employers look at when hiring potential employees.

It is promising to see that there are improvements in the attendance of students across Years 10-12.

I wish all students and parents a safe holiday break and look forward to returning for a productive second half of 2024.

Alf Mungioli
Deputy Principal
WACOA - Denmark