TWO new state-of-the-art boarding houses at Kinross Wolaroi School will ensure the school continues to grow and offer the best facilities for its students, according to director of boarding Alistair Miller.
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The construction also means the school will “stay ahead of the market” in the boarding sector, increasing its maximum number of boarders from 350 to 375.
“Internationally, national and locally, boarding is a shrinking market that’s very much in decline, but we’ve been able to buck the trend a little,” Mr Miller said.
“In the last two years we’ve increased our number of boarders from 290 to 340 so we’re certainly not taking it for granted and believe these investments mean we’ll be able to keep our standard up to a high, appropriate level.”
Mr Miller believes the new boarding houses will have a positive impact on the students and their studies.
“Living in a new and aesthetically positive area will have an impact on the students ... to be surrounded with state-of-the-art facilities,” he said.
“These changes will also mean each student will be able to work in a private section of the house and have better access to academic support.”
Mr Miller said construction work would be finished in two stages, with the first section of boarding house one and a huge common area and entrance scheduled for completion in April, 2015.
“That date is not settled, but after it’s finished, we’re hoping to get started on section two, which is the second boarding house, pretty much as soon as section one is finished,” he said.
Each boarding house will cater for 50 students, consisting of 11 double rooms, 12 single rooms and four quad rooms.
“Our original brief was to put together a wish list for our boarding house and after a couple of trips to Sydney boarding houses we thought it was best practice to make sure we had smaller houses with higher staff ratios,” Mr Miller said.
“That’s why we’ve built two boarding houses rather than one and we think everyone will benefit.”
The boarding houses will feature:
* Wireless and hard wire connectivity.
* Each bed has a storage area together with double cupboards and high storage for bags etc.
* Each room has king-single beds.
* Each room has a desk, shelves, hard-wired internet power and storage.
* No bunk beds;
* No space savers;
* Built-in furniture;
* Extra bathrooms, toilets and showers for students.
* As well as single common room there will be six break-out rooms (mini common room) featuring televisions, kitchenettes, fridge, storage, furniture, coffee table.
* Extra staff accommodation.
* Higher ceilings (2.7m).
* Wider hallways (1.8m wide).