Residential Manager Report

ANZAC Day

Several of our students attended the ANZAC Day ceremony and parade held in Denmark on Sunday 25th April. There was a return to a more traditional service this year and so we were able to lay a wreath at the RSL Memorial. The commemorative service was both moving and inspiring as we remembered and honoured the sacrifices made by Australian and New Zealand troops, past and present.

The College maintains its traditions in attending the ceremony, it has a deep connection associated with the war effort. While some 27 years on from the ANZAC campaign, in1942 the Narrogin School of Agriculture was commandeered by the Army for a convalescent centre. This left the students without residential facilities. Denmark was chosen as the alternative site for the school as it had the only agricultural research station available at the time where students could gain practical farming experience. 

Students were accommodated within Denmark in a boarding house, while using the farm for practical work...this was the start of the Denmark School of Agriculture, even though the Denmark community had raised the issue of having a Farm School as early as 1938.  

Home Weekend Arrangements

As mentioned by the Deputy, a home weekend has been planned for the WA Day public holiday weekend from 5th June to 7th June.  The College learning programme will continue to 2.10pm on Friday 4th June and resume 8.10am on Wednesday the 8th June. The College provides a travel day on leave weekends to allow students extra time at home. The College is providing an early close of 2.10pm on Friday 4th June to allow students and parents to travel home during daylight hours.  

Please provide leave request details in REACH and be aware that I will not approve leave that has students leaving the College before 2:10pm on the Friday without confirmation that a conversation has been held with Mr Swallow or Ms Gaunt.

Travel Arrangements

The College will organise travel arrangements (bus tickets) for home weekend and end of Term. Please advise the school or your child of the travel arrangements required for the Home Weekend.  The College will book outward travel, the return ticket is to be booked by the parent/guardian and must be booked to arrive early afternoon preferably into Denmark. Late arrival will incur a pick up fee of $100 if the student is arriving into Albany. All other travel arrangements throughout the term are to be arranged by the parent/guardian.

REACH

Students have been provided with their username and password and can submit leave for parents to approve.  We still have some students who are not using REACH due to outdated phones/devices, however, they can log on through a College computer and use a browser to access Reach.

If Parents are having issues with using the App, please log on through your browser and/or approve leave via the email you will receive once your child has submitted a Leave Request.  

Please note….I will not approve last minute leave.  Please have leave requests organised prior to the weekend.

Country Week

Country Week information has been sent out to parents/guardians of the students who are attending Country Week.  Please complete the permissions and make your payment before Monday 21st June 2021. 

Tutoring & Homework

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.

Appointments, Health & Wellbeing

We have recently noted that parents and students are requesting leave during the school day to attend regular and non-urgent appointments, such as driving lessons. This is causing a disruption to the learning programme and we ask for these appointments to be scheduled for afterschool, weekends and school holidays.

The College continues to provide support to students requiring doctors and other health related appointments. Where possible these appointments are made outside of school hours to minimise disruption to the school program. For any follow up appointments with specialists the College asks parents and carers where possible to make these during school holidays.  Please contact the College if your child has any medical imaging needs before appointments are made in Albany.  

When students are ill in residence the College will provide immediate care and will arrange necessary medical appointments. To minimise the spread of illness all students who are unwell are required to remain in their rooms/Medical Centre, eat after all other students and minimise contact with other students until recovered. If students are unable to participate in the learning program for more than one day the College will contact families to discuss alternative care arrangements.

Laundry

Lost Property

The laundry has a large number of clothing items in their lost property.  We have tried various different ways for students to claim their items however the pile is not diminishing.  If you are at the College please take the time to speak with our laundry ladies and check the lost property for any clothing that your child may be missing.

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.

Please Sort Your Clothes

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.  Students are over-stuffing their underwear bags, which is causing multiple issues for the laundry staff.  Could parents please remind their students to be respectful of the ladies and turn their washing in the right way, socks etc. and sort it into the bags provided in the laundry.  Carol and Nang do an amazing job in the laundry so reminders to students by all parents would be greatly appreciated.  Thank you 

Second Hand Clothing & Uniforms

We have second hand clothing available in the laundry.  Check with our laundry ladies if you need to change sizes of clothing before buying anything new.  We also welcome donations of the College uniform (in good condition) as students leave the College.  You can also access information about second hand uniforms via our Facebook group WACoA Denmark – Buy and Sell – Second-hand uniforms 

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.