Residential Manager

Tomorrow Man/Tomorrow Woman – Planning for next year

Due to the success of ‘Breaking the Man Code’, the College has budgeted for ‘Beyond the Banter’ to be presented to our young men and women in 2021.  Our students will be challenged around masculinity/femininity norms; explore how men/women can look after themselves, their mates and families better; and learn about the emotional tools needed for a healthy life.  We believe that Third Term is the most suitable time in the College calendar as students are more comfortable to contribute in the sessions as they have had time over the year/s to develop their relationships.

Appointments 

We understand that at times the College will be required to transport students for emergency appointments and/or the hospital during school hours due to injury or illness.  Please be aware that if students are presenting with cold and flu symptoms and/or have communicable illnesses parents are required to collect their child as soon as possible.  Recently students are making appointments during the school day, we ask that parents and students organise appointments for after school and that prescriptions are written with an adequate number of repeats so students are not missing classes for this purpose.  If students are required to attend specialist’s appointments in Albany, it is the responsibility of the parents to transport their child to this appointment.

Vehicle Forms

We are experiencing students arriving on site with vehicles prior to these forms being completed. Students appear to be signing the forms without reading the rules around vehicle use. Could you please make sure that the guidelines are read and understood?  It is very important that students and parents adhere to our vehicle guidelines.

Prior to any student vehicle/motor cycle being brought to the College please ensure all forms are completed and up-to-date and that any vehicle or motorbike that comes on to site has been approved.  Quad bikes will not be approved as part of our recreational motor cycle program.

Southwest Adventure Tour – Camp

Can you please advise the College this week if your son/daughter is unable to attend the Adventure Tour camp. We are required to update the accommodation provider with final numbers. We do not want to be paying for accommodation and entry for students not attending.  Please contact either myself or Peter Worthington to let us know. Thank you.

REACH - LEAVE – Usernames and Passwords

I am fully aware that Reach causes many of us pain in various levels of intensity. I am constantly resetting usernames and passwords.  At a recent meeting of the other WACoA Colleges, I heard that others also experience the same issues.  A possible solution to this is to have the students create the leave request on their App or available desktop at the College.  The leave request will come through to the parent/guardian to approve either via their App, desk top or in email form.  The leave can then be approved at the bottom of the email. This may ease some of the angst around resetting usernames and passwords.

Please keep your username and password in your notes sections of your phones; quite often the reset can be completed by yourselves simply by reinstalling the app and logging in again. This is very important, you can reset your own password if you know where to find it.  I know that Reach can be troublesome but spending some time using the App might help with user issues.

Please make sure that all correct details are filled in when applying for leave.  I have recently approved leave for students who submitted leave with incorrect details.  Sorting this out involved multiple phone calls.  In future I will decline leave if the information is incorrect. 

REACH APP Features

• Create leave events
• View and Manage Leave Events
• Sign in and out of school campus
• Manage Hosts
• Personal Leave Calendar

SPEAKUP! App – Anonymous reporting

Powered by information technologists with over 40 years’ experience in hardware and software solutions, Speak UP!® is an international company that provides schools an opportunity to prevent the abuse and bullying that takes place on and off the internet.

When students anonymously report incidents through the web or phone app, they are not only helping the innocent victims of bullying and cyberbullying but they are also empowering themselves by standing up for others and for themselves.

When students report using the app the report comes through to both mine and the Principals email address simultaneously. It is compulsory that all students have the app on their phone.  All students will have access to the app.

WHY IT WORKS….

Students can report an incident when:

• They don’t want other students to know they are reporting
• They don’t feel comfortable talking to an adult about the incident
• They don’t know which adult to talk to
• There isn’t an adult available
• They want to report the incident anonymously

Tutoring and Homework Help

There is a Facebook group that you can join to access local tutor information.  Please contact the College if you would like more information regarding this.

Laundry

Our laundry staff have made a request that students take their clothing to the laundry in small lots every day rather than accumulating their washing.  This is now more important than ever for students to have their clothing laundered in the commercial machines.  Our domestic laundries have been temporarily closed.

Second hand clothing is available in the laundry.  Check with Carol and Mel our laundry ladies if you need to change sizes of clothing before buying anything new.  We welcome donations of the College uniform (in good condition) as students leave the college. 

Clothing without name tags will be displayed on the table for collection when the laundry is staffed, otherwise it will be packed away until the following shift.  A record of lost clothing is kept in the laundry.  If students have lost an item of clothing, please report it to the laundry staff.

College Uniforms

There are second hand uniforms available in the laundry and via our Facebook group WACoA Denmark – Buy and Sell – Second-hand uniforms. https://www.facebook.com/denmarkagcollege/

School Nurse

Paula Stretton is our school nurse and will be on campus on Tuesday and Thursday morning at 7.45am – 9.45am.  Please contact the College if you would like more information regarding appointments.

School Psychologist

Brigid Bolton is our Provisionally Registered School Psychologist. Brigid is on campus Tuesday and every second Thursday for students who would like to make an appointment. She can help students with strategies for settling into boarding life, managing relationships, study habits and exam stress.  We would like to encourage students to use this valuable service.  Parents can also contact Brigid at the College.

Denmark Youth Outreach Worker - Andrew Talmage

Denmark Youth Outreach (DYO) is a free, outreach support service for young people 12 to 18 years of age, operating three days per week. The service is accessible for young people and their families who reside within the Shire of Denmark.  This service is a case management, client centred and trauma informed approach which has the ability to complement existing supports being provided to a young person. Referrals to DYO are accepted through DSHS via the Student Services Coordinator or directly from individuals/families, partner agencies, health related services and youth related organisations.   Andrew will be working three days per week in Denmark and can be contacted via email, denmark.outreach@aysa.org.au or on mobile  0419 247 161.

Travel Arrangements for Home Weekend and End of Term

The College will organise travel arrangements (bus tickets) for the home weekend and the end of term. Please advise the school or your child of the travel arrangements for the Home Weekend – Term 4.  The College books outward travel for the home weekend and the return ticket is booked by the parent/guardian and must be booked to arrive early afternoon, preferably into Denmark. Late arrival will incur a pick up fee if the student is arriving into Albany of $100.00. All other travel arrangements throughout the term are to be arranged by the parent/guardian.

Medication

Reminder for all parents and students -  we require students to hand in any medication that they have to residential staff; medication is recorded, stored and administered from the residential office.

Reminders

Weekend Leave – have it in REACH by WEDNESDAY NIGHT…..or no leave.