By Morgan Wirtanen
Dorm Parent at King’s-Edgehill School & Software Technical Support at Reach
Being a houseparent is a unique and rewarding role, but it comes with its fair share of challenges, especially when you’re still getting to know all of your students. From early morning check-ins to late-night duties, each day is filled with opportunities to connect, guide, and ensure students are where they need to be—both physically and mentally. With a busy schedule and a growing list of names and faces to remember, having tools like Reach can make all the difference. Here’s a glimpse into a day in the life of a King’s-Edgehill School houseparent, and how technology helps balance it all.
7:15 am – Breakfast in the cafeteria
Every morning starts with a nutritious breakfast and lots of coffee! This is also the first opportunity to check in with the students. Each student from my flat will come find me, so I can do attendance and quickly check that they’re in proper uniform before they head off to class. Since there may be days where I can’t make it to breakfast, we have a “breakfast buddy” system with the other houseparents. If your buddy won’t be in the cafeteria, you’re responsible for handling attendance for their flat.
This can be stressful at the beginning of the year! I’m still learning my students’ names and faces, so adding another 15 kids that I’ve barely met can definitely make my mornings more difficult. Thankfully Reach is a helpful tool that can alleviate most of this stress. The Rollcall module in Reach includes students’ school pictures, so I can easily ensure I’m checking in with the right students.
8:00 am – Room inspection
The most dreaded part of every student’s morning routine… In the few minutes between breakfast and class, each houseparent will do a room inspection for each student in their flat. Is their bed made? Is their desk tidy? If any students fail room inspection, a note can be placed on their profile in Reach. This is helpful to keep track of any patterns or to let duty teachers know they need to check back on that student’s room later in the day.
And then I’m headed to the office! As a houseparent with a full-time job off campus, I sometimes feel like I’m missing out on what the students are up to during the day. Even though I can’t make it to every game or event, I can see on Reach when my students are involved in an activity. This is a great way for me to stay in the loop and allows me to check in with my students and feel like I’m still able to support them throughout their day.
5:00 pm – Supper time
This is a great time to follow up with the students, connect with others who aren’t in my flat, and check in with other houseparents about how the day went and what’s on the go for tomorrow.
9:30 pm – Bedtime duty officially starts
Once the duty teacher leaves at 9:30pm, the houseparent on that night will meet with them briefly to see how the evening went, and to pick up the duty cell phone. This is also when prep snack begins, so I always run into a few girls in the hallway as they’re headed down to the cafeteria. All of the students have an evening snack, and 30 minutes they can spend with friends in the cafeteria or in the student lounge. After these 30 minutes, it’s time for…
10:00 pm – Call up!
This is the part of the night where the houseparent and Steward on duty go to the common areas to make sure everyone goes back to their dorms. Most of the time, it goes smoothly and all of the students head to bed right away. But sometimes… Teenagers will be teenagers, and it takes them a little more effort to follow the rules.
Being able to write Pastoral Notes and Duty Reports in Reach from my phone means that I can make notes of those trickier situations as they’re happening. I can mention any students who were reluctant to go back to their dorm, and with the Pastoral Overview, it’s easy to notice any patterns or any students that will need follow-up.
10:30 pm – Lights out
For a new houseparent that’s still meeting all the students, this is one of the toughest parts of my day. How am I supposed to confirm if a student is there if I don’t know who they are yet?
With Reach, I can sort my Rollcall by floor and room numbers, so the students show up in order of each room as I’m walking down the hallway. Since Reach also includes student photos in the app, I can check in with students that I see in the common room or walking through the halls. These features definitely give me more peace of mind than a clipboard with a paper attendance list.
As a houseparent, balancing care, connection, and organization can be overwhelming at times. But with Reach, you have a tool that simplifies daily routines, helps you stay informed, and ensures that every student is accounted for—whether it’s during rollcall, room inspections, or nighttime check-ins. If you’re looking for a way to streamline your duty of care and ensure nothing is overlooked, Reach is here to help.
Learn more about how Reach can support you and your school by visiting REACH or Scheduling a Demo today.
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About Morgan: Morgan has a Bachelor of Science from UNB, four years of experience in the tech industry, and a background as a dorm parent. Morgan brings a wealth of knowledge and a deep understanding of the unique needs of our community.
