Deniliquin High School has welcomed six new teachers into their classrooms this year amidst ongoing challenges securing staff due to state-wide shortages and low rental vacancy rates in town.
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Now a few weeks into term one of the school year, the teachers - Amanda Bode, Tanya Fulton, Vy Pham, Benjamin Clark, Inna Flanagan and Georgia Booth - are beginning to find their rhythm and settle into their new positions at Deni High.
Between them, they cover English, maths, history, business, geography, human society and environment (HSIE), legal studies, as well as technological and applied studies (TAS).
The majority of the new teachers have relocated to Deniliquin for the job, but there is one familiar face amongst them.
Amanda Bode, 44, is a Deni local and you may recognise her from when she ran East End Store and then Smoko Shak with husband Josh.
After five years working at the high school as a student learning support officer (SLSO), while also studying her Bachelor of Education, Mrs Bode is back this year as one of the new graduate teachers.
“I have been fortunate to have worked in the school for a few years now, so I know many of the students and vice versa,” she said.
“This has made my transition from SLSO to teacher a bit smoother.
“The role has been exciting, nervous, rewarding, and exhausting all at once.”
With more than 20 years experience in the hospitality industry as a chef, Mrs Bode said she is teaching food technology and PE, and also working in a support role.
Principal Glen Warren said finding accommodation for staff who would help educate the 480 students at Deni High has been a bit of a hurdle this year.
Two teachers who were meant to join the team at the start of the school year had to turn down the job last minute because they could not find suitable long-term accommodation.
It leaves the school with a staff of 53 teachers, which Mr Warren said is three teachers and two support staff less than needed.
For many of the new DHS teachers who were not already living locally, finding a rental amongst ongoing low vacancy rates was difficult.
One of those teachers is Vy Pham, 31, who has relocated from Grafton with her partner.
She said she experienced a lot of trouble with securing a rental in Deniliquin.
Ms Pham said prior to securing teacher accommodation in Mathoura, they considered renting in Echuca because there was nothing locally.
She is currently teaching English for Years 7 to 10, after previously working as a primary teacher in Grafton.
Similarly, Georgia Booth, 24, was initially living in Hay until teacher housing became available in Deniliquin.
Ms Booth joined the TAS faculty and is teaching textiles and design and food technology for Years 7 to 11.
It is her first graduate role since she completed her master of teaching at the end of 2022.
She had previously studied design in fashion and textiles, and worked in the design industry at Birdsnest in Cooma.
“As with all new jobs, it has been very busy and slightly hectic,” she said.
“I am lucky to be working with a great team of teachers in the TAS faculty that are very supportive and guide me through every step of the way.”
Although it’s her first time living in Deniliquin, the town is not unfamiliar to Ms Booth who grew up “just down the road in Hay”.
“I decided to join the team at DHS as I enjoy living in rural communities and wanted to experience working in a bigger school,” she said.
“The close proximity to my hometown was also an added bonus.”
Ms Booth describes her impressions so far of Deniliquin as “a great little community with lots of friendly people”.
“The river is beautiful and there are some cute little unique shops,” she said.
“All staff and students at DHS have been very welcoming and I am enjoying building new relationships.”
Benjamin Clark, 50, said he also received support from Teacher Housing to relocate to Deniliquin with his wife and three children from Sydney.
“Teacher Housing was great and we managed to secure a rental with them prior to coming down,” he said.
After four years of teaching in the business field, Mr Clark said he retrained in administration and IT.
He was “looking for a tree change” and new career opportunities when he applied for a teaching position at DHS.
The TAS timber teacher said it is taking some time to adjust to his new position, but he is beginning to find his rhythm.
“Deniliquin is a lovely town with everything a person would need within a short distance,” he said.
“The school has been welcoming and my faculty has been greatly supportive.”
Fleur Connick is a rural and regional reporter with The Guardian Australia, embedded with the Deniliquin Pastoral Times.