Female House Parent at Wellspring College

Routine

• Know each child personally and be concerned for their academic and social development and personal welfare. To this end, he/she may need to liaise with Class teachers, Year Tutors, Counsellor and relevant staff in respect of each child.
• Responsible for waking students, supervising their morning duties and ensure the timely conclusion of all morning preparation.
• Ensure that students are clean, neat and appropriately dressed when leaving the hostels for meals, classes, etc.
• Ensure students’ strict adherence to and participation in all boarding house routines/activities.
• Prepare and supervise prep, offering assistance and support to those experiencing difficulties. Where necessary, offer additional assistance outside prep hours.
• Actively participate in all boarding house social and recreational activities, and encourage students to do likewise.
• Work with the Supervisor to ensure that adequate recreational and social activities are available in the boarding house, and to encourage the boarders to be actively involved.
• Work with the Supervisor to ensure that programmes and activities are properly planned and executed in accordance with the vision of the College management. This includes social and recreational activities, visiting days, etc.
• Supervise students at meal time.
• Ensure that students properly observe “lights out”.

Communication

• Monitor and be acquainted with students’ general health, hygiene, eating, sleeping and other habits and report any concerns to the immediate supervisor.
• Frequently communicate information and reminders on Boarding house and general College matters to boarders.
• Verbal and written communication of situations and matters arising for the benefit of other boarding house staff. This includes frequent updates between House Parents sharing a shift, and upon the completion of shifts, in the handover notes.
• Responding to parents’ communications i.e., emails, telephone calls, messages, etc. within 24 hours and maintaining records of all such correspondence.

Academic

• Encourage a culture of learning, ensuring that students play an active role their academic pursuit. This will involve ensuring that students do their homework, study, copy their notes, etc.
• Keep informed of the academic challenges and progress of the boarders, initiate and facilitate academic support through the school’s academic staff.
• Keep track of individual boarders’ academic performance, motivating and holding them accountable for their academic progress.
• Pay particular attention as a mentor to individual boarders, as may be assigned.

Maintenance, Health and Safety

• Ensure that the hostels are tidy and clean, and that furniture, fittings and general facilities are safe and in good working condition. Report any concerns, damage or repairs required to the Facility Manager, with the immediate supervisor in copy. All maintenance complaints must be followed up till execution.
• Work with the rest of the team to ensure that the hostel is fully ready before the return of students from the holidays.
• When students leave for school, and for holiday, to ensure that the hostel is left in good order; windows closed, doors locked, lights and sockets off, taps turned off, garbage disposed, etc.
• Ensure compliance with the College facility policy.
• Appropriately receive visitors to the hostel with paramount concern for the safety and security of the boarders.
• To be security conscious and support the Security Team by ensuring that doors are locked on exit, particularly at night.

Medical

• Keep informed of medical information on boarders, especially with regard to ailments, treatments, allergies, existing medical conditions, medication, etc.
• Provide first aid in event of medical emergencies of any kind where no member of the medical team is immediately available to do so.
• Ensure that sick boarders receive prompt care and medical attention both during and after school hours.

General

• Ensure that students properly execute their assigned chores and other tasks.
• Enforce the College’s boarding house policy and implement a clear-cut and fair system of sanctions within the hostel in relation to the College’s Code of conduct. He/she may also introduce proactive measures to prevent the contravention of school rules and regulations.
• Ensure the physical and emotional safety and security of students in the boarding house. This would include Informing the Supervisor of any concerns regarding Child Protection or the safeguarding of children.
• To be involved in marketing the school on days and times when prospective parents are visiting and want to inspect the boarding facilities.
• To attend meetings and College functions as are appropriate to your role and play an active role in the wider life of the College.
• Report (verbal and written) on boarders, events and incidents in the boarding house.
• Properly receive boarders and assign bed spaces upon resumption to the boarding house.
• Be responsible for the whereabouts and supervision of students in the boarding house during boarding house hours.
• Act in a parental role; as a disciplinarian; a mediator for students’ disputes; deal with incidents; act as a confidant and a spokesperson.

Additional

• Deal with emergencies of any kind and accompany students to the hospital where no member of the medical team is immediately available to do so.
• Prepare weekly reports on boarders and activities/events in their hostels.
• Take roll call at least twice daily.
• Oversee students’ departure to school in the morning and receive them into the hostels at the designated time.
• Ensure that hostels are properly locked at night and checking on the students at intervals during lights out, to ensure that they are asleep.
• To do a final check when all students leave the hostel for school, meals, Sunday service, etc., ensuring that the hostel is left in good order; windows closed, doors locked, lights and sockets off, taps turned off, etc.