There are so many times at Scotch where one can only appreciate the impact that commitment and culture has on how we are viewed as a community by those who visit us from time to time. Recently, our boarding staff hosted a dinner for the annual conference of boarding schools across Australia. This week I received a number of letters and emails complimenting our College on the dinner we hosted. More importantly the compliments were directed at our boarding students who acted as hosts on the evening. The spectacular presentation of our dining room, the quality of the food provided by our caterers LAPG, and the welcoming attitude of our boarding staff and students ensured that Scotch College was viewed as a leading college within the Australian educational sector.

The opportunity to celebrate as a community comes in many forms. We aim to offer a diversity of academic, sporting and cultural activities in order to ensure that we promote excellence in all aspects of college life. In the last two weeks we have experienced generational success on the sporting field. Our 1^st XVIII Football team has taken out the Alcock Cup for the first time outright since 1990 having shared it in 1997. Our 1^st XI Soccer team has won the Davies Cup for the first time since 1996. On top of these rare successes our Surfing team have won the PSA Surfing Trophy last Friday.

All of this success is founded upon the willingness of students to participate in teams from week to week as part of the PSA competition. I would like to thank and congratulate all students, staff and parents for their support and commitment to the College's sporting programme. In the next couple of weeks our Junior, Middle School and Senior Schools will be involved in Athletics. I urge all parents to come along and support their sons in what is a healthy pursuit.

In finishing I would like to remind everyone that all students must continue to remain focussed on their academic programme. All of our boys face numerous commitments and challenges but it is critical that we continue to ensure that each boy achieves to their full academic potential across our three sub-schools.

Dr Alec O'Connell

Headmaster

AN EXCITING FINISH TO THE TERM

It is hard to imagine a busier time in a school than in what lies ahead in the next four weeks. Book Week has been celebrated in grand style in all three sub-schools and it was my privilege to read a delightful story to Mrs Webster's Year 1 class. Dr O'Connell read the same story to Mrs Gray's Year 1 class and by all reports was a great hit so I felt a great deal of pressure on my performance. Next week we start the mentoring of the 'big boys' of the Junior School. I am looking forward to working with my group of Year 5 boys as they work towards their PYP Exhibition.

The Year 10 boys have been highly responsible in submitting their MYP Personal Projects on schedule and in a few weeks they will be assessed and on full display to our community in the Showcase on September 20, just before we all head off to the River Cruise to celebrate the end of the MYP journey. Of course, prior to that we have the Middle Years' Tom Sawyer production that is guaranteed to be a great success.

In the meantime the Year 11 boys are preparing for their end of year examinations. The Year 12 boys are preparing for their final internal assessments and all this in the midst of the end of winter sports and preparing for another exciting season of athletics. Apart from the courses run by ATARextra that are starting next week, our wonderful Old Scotch Collegians are continuing to support the Year 12s with the 'Targeted Tuition' programme that brings our young OSC to assist in the boys' preparation for these examinations. Mrs Coffey has an excellent rapport with our recent leavers and facilitates a great mutually beneficial service. Mr Tyrrell has recently tapped into Mrs Coffey's expertise and the Targeted Tuition programme as he extends the BRC hours to accommodate boys who would like to use that facility and Mrs Coffey finds recent OSC boys who can be accessed if they have queries. The comments from the boys, when asked through a survey if this would be a library service they would use, included: 'Awesome idea'; 'This is a really useful initiative'; 'Brilliant idea, love it!'; 'This is a really great initiative!'; 'Some good things happening from the support staff at the library'.

Our parents can rest assured that all of our boys are in good hands with so much available to support the boys throughout their learning journey at Scotch.

Jan Skidmore

Director of Teaching and Learning

YEAR 12 INFORMATION

YEAR 12 TISC GUIDE

All Year 12 students who are applying for university entrance in 2014 have been given the 2014 TISC Guide. This book contains important information about applying to university, enrolments & deferrals, applying to interstate universities and course codes and descriptions and much more for all courses at West Australian universities (except Notre Dame). Mr Frusher has 'walked ' students through this book but if there are any queries then please contact him on 9383 6830 or by email pfrusher@scotch.wa.edu.au.

Please ensure that this book is kept in a safe place until your student is enrolled at a university for 2014. Note that all applications for university entry in 2014 (except Notre Dame) must be made on-line by accessing the TISC website at www.tisc.edu.au and that applications are now open until Friday September 27, 2013, after such time a late fee of $135 will apply.

Notre DameUniversity applications are also now open but will require a written application. All Year 12 students will be given the 2014 Admissions Guide for Notre Dame.

Mr Frusher is available for discussion with students and parents about options for 2014. All Year 12 students will also be given an appointment time with Mr Frusher commencing in Week 6 to discuss tertiary options prior to making their application.

WACE Examinations 2013

The 2013 WACE Examinations timetable is now available on the School Curriculum and Standards Authority (formerly Curriculum Council) website. Students and parents are encouraged to make themselves familiar with the scheduled examination dates and times. Students will be given a personalised timetable later in the term.

UWAY 2014

UWAY is an equity initiative for WACE students whose academic achievements have been adversely affected by certain disadvantages. Students can apply for special entry to an undergraduate degree course at UWA. Please see Mr Frusher for more details.

University of Melbourne Scholarships

A range of scholarships is available to students who are considering applying for further study at Melbourne University in 2014. Please see Mr Frusher for further information or go on-line to: www.services.unimelb.edu.au/scholarships/ugrad/

Australian Defence Force Academy Education Award

Year 11 students who are interested in completing their university studies through ADFA in 2015 are invited to apply for the Education Award by the end of 2013. This award is based on a variety of criteria and successful applicants will be awarded a framed certificate and a new laptop computer. There is no obligation to enrol at ADFA if a student is successful in gaining the award. Mr Frusher is available to provide further information.

Central Institute of Technology Open Arvo

Visit the Central Institute of Technology Perth Campus, 30 Aberdeen Street, Northbridge on Wednesday 18 September to find out more about courses, training, university pathways and the application process and enrolment process for full-time study in 2014. Open from 3.30pm to 6.30pm. You can register your interest online at www.central.wa.edu.au/future_students/experience. Go along to Central's Northbridge campus and find out about all their course offerings. Take a tour through the media and arts areas, engineering and mining facilities, and speak to staff.

Apprenticeships

August is the month that many companies advertise their apprenticeship opportunities for the following year. Students who are seeking apprenticeships in 2014 are advised to scrutinise the Saturday The West Australian each week and to also seek advice from Mr Frusher.

SCHOLARSHIPS

RSM Bird Cameron Regional Scholarships 2014

RSM Bird is one of the largest mid-tier accounting firms in Australia and is keen to promote opportunities to students from regional areas to embark on tertiary studies in Accounting.

For 2014 there will be three scholarships of $7000 each offered to students who enrol on a full time basis into a Commerce/Business degree at any Western Australian university with a major in Accounting. Students must normally reside in an area at least 100km from Perth.

See the website at www.rsmi.com.au/careers or see Mr Frusher at Scotch. Applications close on 1 November 2013.

PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT

Over the last two weeks and in particular the long weekend many teachers have accessed exciting professional learning opportunities. These include:

• Mr Rugg attended the Asia Education Foundation Programme in Melbourne and returned inspired to forge stronger links between Scotch College and the Asian community
• Mr Burt and Ms Mullin also travelled to Melbourne to a workshop titled 'Enhancing Pastoral Care & Student Wellbeing in School'
• Mrs Menage attended the third National conference on Teaching & Supporting Students with Special Needs
• Mr Hildebrandt, Mr Duncan, Mr Foster and Mr Adeline attended State conferences of the Geography and Mathematics Associations
• Mr Bennett, Mr Bradley, Mr Menage and Mrs Freitag attended the Leaders Symposium run by the Australian Boarding Schools Association
• Seven of our Arts staff attended MYP and DP workshops in Singapore
• Five support staff attended an Apple workshop to investigate the use of iPads in their area with four more working on challenge based learning for the enrichment programme
• Five staff attended an AISWA Australian Curriculum forum on the General Capabilities
• Five Junior School staff attended the Big Write and VCOP workshop with others attending programmes on developing leaders in schools, skills development and subject specific workshops

Ms Skidmore

"A portfolio is a record of students' involvement in learning. It is designed to demonstrate success, growth, higher-order thinking, creativity, assessment strategies and reflection. A portfolio is a celebration of an active mind at work. It provides a picture of each student's progress and development over a period of time both as individual and group learners. It enables students to reflect with teachers, parents and peers in order to identify their strengths and growth as well as areas for improvement, and then to set individual goals and establish teaching and learning plans." International Baccalaureate; Making the PYP happen.

At Scotch College Junior School the boys are actively involved in reflecting on their learning and goal setting with the portfolios providing a platform for this focus. It has been my experience that the boys are very proud of their portfolios - as they should be. The portfolios I have had the opportunity to view have told a story of each individual boy. What a wonderful way to develop, share and celebrate learning.

Ms Kathy Derrick
Deputy Head of Junior School - Curriculum

MUSIC DEPARTMENT

On Thursday, 8 August, the senior musicians from Years 11 and 12 presented a range of solo and small group performances at the Senior Recital and Upson Award Performances. Ms Sojan from Presbyterian Ladies' College was asked as a guest adjudicator to provide some special comments and feedback for the performers which also assisted in the selection of the recipient of the Will Upson Performance Award. This process proved to be very difficult and after much discussion, the Upson Award for Musical Excellence was given to Harry Josland (Year 12, Anderson). Harry will have the opportunity to perform at an upcoming Senior School Assembly where he will be presented with his trophy.

The Scotch College and PLC Combined Symphony Orchestra and the various Big Bands and Jazz Combo performed at the WA Schools' Jazz and Orchestra Festival held at Churchlands High School and John Septimus Roe Anglican Community College earlier in August. These groups were adjudicated by international musicians and prominent Perth musicians and all groups performed very well. Some excellent feedback was provided and all eligible groups received awards of "Excellent".

On Wednesday, 21 August, the Scotch College String players performed at their annual Strings Soiree, "Con Brio" in the Memorial Hall. This was a great event that highlighted the pathway open to the string players from Year 1 through to Year 12. It was also fantastic to hear the swinging and funky Jazz Trio led by Charlie McCarthy as the guest ensemble.

The Senior musicians' term concludes with the finale performances of the 2013 academic year, the Scotch College Senior Spring Concert, held at 6.30pm in the Dickinson Centre on Friday 6 September, and the PLC Senior Spring Concert, held the following day on Saturday 7 September. These free performances which are open to the whole Scotch College community, are an opportunity to celebrate the work of all performers in the senior ensembles and to farewell our senior Year 12 musicians who give so much of their time and energy supporting the musical life of the school.

A final performance for Junior boys, held on Thursday 12 September in the MacKellar Hall, is the Junior School Strings Soiree, an opportunity to enjoy the work of our youngest string players - the Year Three String Programme musicians.

The last event for Winter Term, in amongst the various exams, is the Annual Music Dinner for Senior boys. This event, to be held on Thursday 19 September, is an opportunity for boys and Music Teachers to celebrate the year, thank the leaving Year 12s and the outgoing Music Captain, and also announce the Music Captain for 2014. An excellent way to complete a very busy and worthwhile musical year.

The Music Department holds a variety of performances for the Scotch College community throughout the year plus events for Scotch College boys and the girls from PLC who participate in Combined Ensembles. A more detailed version of the Music Department's Newsletter can be found by following this link.

https://ishare.scotch.wa.edu.au/groups/thevmdthevirtualmusicdepartment/wiki/a583e/Music_Department_Newsletter.html (Please use your Scotch Parent login.)

COMMUNITY AND SERVICE

The Giving Tree: Service Club in the Junior School

The idea that there are people in our community in need is nurtured from a young age in the Scotch Junior School. Each fortnight, a new club, 'The Giving Tree' meets to investigate ways of sharing and caring for our planet person-to-person and community-to-community in our world. This year, the group has gathered school shoes for an orphanage in Bali and sports shoes to send to an indigenous school in the Kimberly. During the winter months a collection of warm clothes and bedding was donated to the homeless of Perth. The group also acts to care for the environment - looking at our use and disposal of plastic.

Starting children on the journey of life-long awareness of others in need and motivation to act is an important teaching goal. The mission to encourage giving by children in Western Australia was given a boost through the creation of a web site supported by the Governor, Mr Malcolm McCusker, Mrs Tonya McCusker and the McCusker Charitable Foundation. The link to the 'Kids Who Give' web site is http://www.kidswhogivewa.com.au.

Scotch and Presbyterian Ladies' College Tanzania CEFPI Link

In the last edition of The Thistle, Dr O'Connell wrote about the CEFPI (Council of Educational Facility Planners International) connection with the work that Scotch and PLC have been doing in Matipwili village over the past four expeditions to Tanzania. The background to the recent trip by a group of architects and teachers to Matipwili, as well as an outline of the process followed while working in the village can be viewed on the following Youtube clip at http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KFiUApqzOpk&feature=em-share_video_user.

There is a wonderful opportunity for the Scotch and PLC communities to add substantially to the teaching and learning facilities in an African village where currently only basic structures exist. Anyone interested in contributing towards the Matipwili Project, as the design and build becomes a reality, can contact Mr Bill Cordner wjcordner@scotch.wa.edu.au.

Re-establishing Contact with Aceh

This week I attended the screening of Hafalan Shalat Delisa along with a large group of Year 8 boys from the Indonesian language classes. Students learning Indonesian from other Perth schools also attended. The film was set in Lhoknga in Aceh province of Indonesia. It has special significance to Scotch College. Shortly after the 2004 Boxing Day Tsunami, the Rev Chas Lewis and then Head of Junior School, Greg Stowe, visited Lhoknga, the community that perhaps suffered the most in the disaster. Shortly after their visit, Scotch hosted a visit of three boys and a teacher Putri Albaniah from Lhokgna. Following the recent screening, contact has once again been established with Putri with the view to establishing links between classes in the respective schools. The community of Lhoknga has not forgotten the support Scotch offered at a time of great need and it will be good to continue the partnership at some level with a generation of students perhaps too young to remember the turmoil in 2004.

Service to Our Local Community

We have a lot of boys who request that their patrol hours served with local Surf Clubs are logged on our Community and Service database. We are happy to do this indeed, we encourage boys to request the logging of all genuine service performed outside school. Providing it can be verified, it is entirely appropriate to acknowledge service beyond school. After all, we want to prepare boys for life and encouraging service in the broader community promotes a level of engagement that will be lasting. Surf Clubs provide great service to our community and boys who take part should be applauded. There is a nice link here for our boys who also take part in Disabled Surfing (DSA) events, enabling less able members of our community to experience the beach environment. Scotch in Swanbourne, the beach and service - a wonderful mix! The DSA website is http://disabledsurfers.org/wa/perth-branch/.

PARENTING IDEAS

To further support the Scotch community the College has subscribed to Parentingideas, a leading provider of parenting education resources to Australian schools. Scotch parents can access parenting advice on a wide range of topics and themes such as;

§ Life skills for children

§ Kids, school and learning

§ Social challenges and

§ Children and behaviour

We encourage parents to have a look at this exciting resource. For further information visit the following link:

http://www.parentingideas.com.au/Home

To login as a school member; User name: scotchcollege, Password: 6010

One of the latest articles is entitled- The Language of Resilient Families

Also available is the Parenting Ideas Magazine; visit the following link:

www.parentingideas.com.au/Parents/Parenting-Magazine

UNIFORM SHOP OPENING HOURS

Normal term opening hours apply until the shop closes at 11.30 am on Thursday, 26 September. The Uniform Shop will be open during the holidays on Monday, 14 October only, from 9am - 12 noon and 1pm - 4pm.

Normal term opening hours will resume on Tuesday, 15 October:

Tuesday - 8am to 5pm

Thursday - 7.30am to 11.30am

Friday - 7.30am to 11.30am

Being a Communicator

The ability to communicate comes in many forms. We set out on life's journey communicating through sounds and expression. Eventually we develop the ability to speak and learn to ask a lot of questions and listen carefully to the answers. The complexity of communication continues to develop as we grow and we are fortunate to experience it in many ways.

The International Baccalaureate identifies being a communicator as "expressing oneself confidently and creatively in more than one language and with respect for the dignity and rights of people everywhere."

At Scotch we develop communication skills through our enriched and balanced curriculum. In Literacy we teach the children to read and write. Through the Arts we educate the children to express themselves in a creative manner and to develop their confidence, often being a risk-taker. Through Sport they get to communicate their physical side and through French they are provided the opportunity to communicate in a different language.

"We are stronger when we listen, and smarter when we share."

― Rania Al-Abdullah

On their own, these are fine opportunities to develop the skill of communication, however, through inquiry it is truly enhanced. The boys learn to question and challenge, to share their thoughts and ideas and to agree and disagree. They learn to respect the opinions of others and how to defend their own. Inquiry affords them the opportunity to take stance, formulate an argument and to take action. The addition of inquiry to our pedagogy adds another dimension to the development of this essential skill.

Our boys have many opportunities to communicate and collaborate at Scotch. In Week 8 and 9 we will exhibit the communication skills of our boys in two special celebrations. In Week 8 the Scotch College Inspirations Art Exhibition will open on Wednesday 11 September from 6:00 to 8:00pm. It will remain open for viewing until Friday 13 September. The exhibition will showcase examples of the outstanding art experiences the boys have had this years and allow them to communicate their learning and feelings. While we will not be able to display art from all of our students, we will provide an excellent sample of what our boys have produced this year. On Wednesday 18 September will see the Year 5 PYP Exhibition. This is the culminating experience of their Junior School journey and will showcase the boys' learning through inquiry and the action they have taken. I hope families will join us for these two special events.

Mr John Stewart
Head of Junior School

JS Library

Hello from the Library. I have put together some words that might inspire those of you out there who are not currently reading as much as they could do:

Reading is an active mental process that improves your concentration and focus:

It makes you use your brain, helping you to reason out things which are unfamiliar to you.

Improves your discipline and memory:

Making time to read is something we all feel that we should do, but few of us schedule book reading time every day. But adding book reading to your daily schedule and sticking to it, improves discipline. Reading helps to stretch your memory muscles and requires you to remember details, facts and figures, plot lines, themes and characters.

Builds self-esteem and improves creativity:

The more you read, the more knowledgeable you become and with more knowledge comes more confidence. More confidence builds self-esteem. Reading about the diversity of life and exposing yourself to new ideas and more information helps to develop the creative side of the brain and filters innovation into your thinking process.

Reading improves your vocabulary:

When you are reading books, especially challenging ones, you will probably find yourself exposed to many new words. Challenge yourself to incorporate these new words into your vocabulary (hint: make SURE you are using the word in context in order to avoid embarrassment).

Gives you a glimpse into other cultures and places of the world:

Reading gives you an insight into the diversity of ethnicity of people, their customs and their lifestyles. You will develop insights into cultures, different places and their codes of conduct. Ideally, reading should be split between fiction and nonfiction books. Fiction books for adventure and emotional stimulation, non-fiction books to assist in increasing knowledge.

Now - if you are feeling energised to borrow a book, it's time to visit the Junior School Library to look through the Teacher/Parent Collection and choose a good book to get stuck into.

Warwick Norman
Teacher Librarian

Congratulations to the following boys:

Year 1

Max Casalanguida-Spanghero

Ethan Kerr

Luke Megson

Oliver Quarterman

William Salom

Year 2

Thomas Byass

Mikhael Djauhari

Xander Dore

Tom Gray

Daniel Kerfoot

Ryan Shine

Year 3

Harry Clark

Nagarjun Kokkerchedu

Year 4

Brad Avery

Leo Bowles

Angus Byars

Tony Ghiselli

William Hannaford

Will Hudson

Matthew Kerfoot

Alexander Melville

Milan Narula

Nicholas Paganin

Ben Ramsden

Glen Turney

I would like to congratulate our Year 5 boys on an outstanding winter sport season. The boys represented Scotch to the best of their ability, always striving to give their best, which was very pleasing to see.

Our Year 4 boys competed in a JPSSA Rugby carnival held at Hale School. All the boys showed fantastic sportsmanship and tried their best in very wet and muddy conditions.

The Junior School athletics carnival is fast approaching. Wednesday 28 August is the big day and all the Junior School boys are busily preparing for the competition. The carnival will run from 9.00am to 2.30pm. Parents please ensure that you check the programme prior to the day for times and event numbers. Programmes will also be available on the day.

Jason Caniglia
Head of JS Sport and PE

Parent workshop - iPads in the Early Years

Thank you to all the parents who joined Andrea McNally, Warwick Norman and myself on Wednesday 14 August to showcase the work that has been happening with iPads in the Junior School. Andrea covered the pilot programme she developed with PLC last year. I took the parents through some of the creationary apps that we are using across the Junior School. Warwick Norman then demonstrated how he incorporates iPads into his lessons and gave the parents an opportunity to use the apps 'Explain Everything' and 'Google Earth'.

An iPads in the Middle Years workshop will be held on Wednesday 4 September. We will be sharing the use of iPads in Years 3 and 4, however, all parents are welcome to attend. To register, please contact Katie Kent via email: kjkent@scotch.wa.edu.au

Amanda Ritchie
PYP ILT Coach

The Year 5 boys will be bringing home their "Comment y aller?" booklet, which they have been working on in French class this year. The sharing of this work with parents and other family members is an integral component of the French Accelerative Integrated Method. It allows the boys to proudly share with the family what he has learned. The videos of the boys presenting the story can be found on the Language B wiki. Thank you very much for your cooperation.

https://ishare.scotch.wa.edu.au/groups/jslanguageb/wiki/5c0be/Year_5_Language_B.html

Kim Edwards
French Teacher

On Wednesday 14 August, from 6.00 to 7.00 pm, Year 2 students and their families met at The Clay House in North Fremantle to celebrate the accomplished ceramic/mixed media robots made by the boys. The class has been going to the new clay studio every second week over the term, to be hands-on with artist Fleur Schell. In alternate weeks in the Art Studio the boys were drawing sketches, sharing ideas and learning, reflecting and planning to continue with the design cycle.

The results were varied and creative and showcased the boys' ability to achieve a set goal. This was to produce a 3D model with movable parts that moved by either natural or man-made forces. It was gorgeous to be able to come together as a community and share our learning in such a meaningful and exciting way. Special thanks to Fleur and her family, Mrs Clancy and her family, Mrs McNally, Mr Stewart and all the parents who assisted with the clay creations or took photographs, supervised writing and drawing activities in class or attended the evening. The boys had a wonderful experience and audience for their artwork.

Karen Sabitay
PYP Visual Arts

The boys in Years 2, 3 and 4 have been captivated by the music of Adam Hall and the Velvet Players in their Performing Arts lessons. They have been engaged in a range of listening, role-play and movement activities. One of their favourite activities for the week was learning the drum pattern (played on the floor tom) to the song I Wanna Be Like You. At first the boys thought it would be easy as the rhythm is quite simple but once we sped up the tempo and added some swing we found it quite challenging. After we had familiarised ourselves with this song the boys discussed how it was different to the music they would usually listen to and how it made them feel. Most agreed that they couldn't help but smile as they unconsciously felt the beat with their hand or foot or shoulder or anything. What is it about this sort of music that just makes you want to move?

Phebe Samson
Performing Arts Teacher

Understanding the school's responses to bullying

Bullying situations can be complicated and trying to identify exactly what is happening and why can take time. Punishment alone is unlikely to be effective and may be seen to be using 'bullying to stop bullying'.

The school's priority is to stop bullying and to try to reduce the chance of it happening again.

The key to stopping bullying is getting children to talk about what is happening and decide what to do to make the situation better for everyone. This approach is called the Method of Shared Concern and will be explained in the next edition of this newsletter.

Our whole-school bullying policy provides a statement about how students, teachers, staff and families will respond to bullying situations. The link to this policy is: http://www.scotch.wa.edu.au/view/school-guidelines/bullying-policy

It is very important for children to have an understanding of behaviours that are expected of them and that these expectations are consistent at school and at home.

Warwick Norman
Friendly Schools Coordinator

Year 2's current unit of inquiry is based upon the central idea: 'Public Spaces provide people with opportunities to make connections and establish a sense of community'. The boys have enjoyed planning and inquiring into this unit with their Year 2 PLC buddies. The students have been planning, creating and sharing lots of their work and ideas on the iPads. They have also participated in many excursions to public spaces in the local community. The trip to Kings Park was definitely a highlight of this unit.

Anna Clancy
Year 2 Teacher

VIGILENCE IN AN ONLINE WORLD

Last week Sonya Ryan from the Carly Ryan Foundation spoke at an evening function coordinated by Daniel Bloch Yr 11 and Ellen Frodsham Yr 11 PLC. Sonya's message was both heart wrenching and empowering as she talked about the new online world the youth of today live in. It is a world where people can form deep relationships without meeting face to face or speaking voice to voice. Sonya's 14 year old daughter was murdered after meeting up with the person she had developed an online relationship with who claimed to be another 14 year old.

At the centre of Sonya's talk was the necessity for parents to continually, at least annually, make the effort to understand how the online world works and set fair and reasonable parameters for their children to engage in it. Basic strategies such as knowing the privacy settings on your social media sites, the geo location attributes of the camera in your mobile phone and understanding the agreements you enter into when you sign up for a social networking site were the tip of the iceberg. Scotch College 1 Degree Staff are an easy and accessible point of contact if you have a question or need some advice in this area. We are here for both the students and the parents. Sonya has dedicated her life to the memory of her daughter and trying to prevent similar tragedies. It was a moving presentation and one I am glad to have attended.

Con Brio Strings Evening

Last Wednesday evening the Music Department hosted the annual Con Brio Evening of Strings with recitals from each stringed group in the College. Having watched many of these students over five years as they have arrived and passed through Middle School it is impressive and uplifting to see and listen to their development. My congratulations to the students and their teachers on a wonderful performance.

I look forward to seeing you at the Middle School Athletics Carnival on Thursday.

Richard Ledger

Head of Middle School

NEWS FROM THE MIDDLE SCHOOL ART ROOM

The Year 6s are currently creating ceramic vessels in the style of the red and black ancient Greek narrative vessels. We have discussed about how there were NO plastic containers back in 500BC and the handmade ceramic vessels were used to transport and store many everyday items like rice, wine, oils and cosmetics. The boys have learnt how the terracotta clay vessels are handmade carefully and patiently coil by coil. Their own personal stories will be inscribed on their traditionally glazed final piece.

The Year 7s are working on Picasso inspired Cubist styled self-portraits. First we discussed and explored the use of the left and right sides of the brain, and participated in contour drawing exercises. After that we drew line versions of the self-portrait using a handheld mirror whilst learning about the proportion and symmetry of the face. The boys' self-portraits were developed from photographs taken of each boy from several angles and there were many laughs as the boys have enjoyed creating the 3D collage distortions of their faces. The completed A3 paintings will be a sight to behold.

Look out for the fabulous Inspirations Art Exhibition opening on Wednesday 11 September at 6.30pm in the Dickinson Centre. This is a great evening were you can see a snapshot of the artwork produced at Scotch from Year 1 - Year 12.

Late last term we welcomed Ms Lucinda Hill to the Middle School Art Department as our new Art Technician. Ms Hill is enjoying the challenge and demands of the job. She has been very impressed with the polite and thoughtful reception she has received from the Middle School boys.

Lastly I would like to thank the Middle School Community for their well wishes and the advice received in regards to the upcoming birth of my baby. I am very appreciative of the number of permissions from boys allowing me to use their name for my child. I look forward to spending the next three weeks saying my goodbyes and gaining valuable advice on Motherhood.

Mrs Katie Frampton

Middle School Art Teacher

STUDENT ACHIEVEMENTS

2013 UNSW Science Competition Results

Year 6

Jock Mactier Distinction

2013 UNSW Writing Competition Results

Year 6

Jock Mactier Distinction

Coen Miller Distinction

Jack Adams Credit

Max Vaughan Credit

Year 7

George Mitchell Distinction

Alexander Comstock Credit

Prentice Shepherd Credit

2013 UNSW Spelling Competition Results

Year 6

Lewis Orr High Distinction and UNSW Medal Recipient

Jed Hood Distinction

Sean Pentony Distinction

Josh Ziepe Distinction

Luca Fry Credit

Thomas Patterson Credit

Jack Taylor Credit

Max Vaughan Credit

Lachie Wilson Credit

Year 7

Frans Buys Distinction

George Mitchell Credit

Maurice Buren Credit

Connor Patton Credit

Harry Penrose Credit

IMPORTANT DATES WINTER TERM

BOOK WEEK IN 6O

Over the past week Year 6O have had a fantastic time participating in this year's Book Week celebrations. Together with Ms Lightfoot in the Middle School Library, students have taken part in many activities and events, sharing their love of reading and storytelling. They have enjoyed listening to a variety of guest readers who have shared some of their favourite stories and have also had the opportunity to create their own amazing pieces of work in class and in the library. The highlight of the week was the Book Week Parade where students were able to come to school dressed as their favourite character from fiction or non-fiction. Many characters arrived for the parade including Where's Wally, Cat in the Hat, Bananas in Pyjamas, Mr. Zombie, Kung Fu Panda and Gandalf, just to name a few. The boys have had a great time and look forward to the celebrations next year.

Ms Lisa O'Toole

Teacher 6O

CHARACTER IN ACTION

The winter sports season came to an end last week and the final rounds were approached with much anticipation. The Firsts Football team faced a top of the ladder clash with Hale in the penultimate game of the season and our Firsts Soccer needed a result in their final match to claim their respective premierships. As many now know, Scotch College won both games and now holds both the Alcock Cup (Football) and the Davies Cup (Soccer). The last time Scotch held these cups were 1997 and 1996 respectively.

While we admire acts of courage, effort and skill from so many of the boys across all year groups and a wide range of activities, it is the acts of humility that leave the strongest mark. Two such acts came immediately after the hard fought victory in the Firsts Football game against Hale. As a large number of spectators ran on to the field to celebrate the victory and consequently the season premiership, Tim Edwards (Year 12, Anderson) and Jack Prendiville (Year 12, Cameron) showed maturity beyond their years. Both Jack and Tim chose to acknowledge the opposition players with whom they and their teammates had just competed fiercely with before joining their teammates in a well-deserved celebration. While we hear and read about the development of character in young people these ideals have to be demonstrated through action. Jack and Tim certainly provided a strong example of what character looks like, both before and after the final siren.

When we talk about developing character, let us be judged by our actions.

Dr Rob McEwan

Head of Senior School

BOYS' ACHIEVEMENTS

Adrian Flexman (Year 12, Shearer), Rupert Williamson (Year 12, Brisbane), Joshua Taylor (Year 12, Keys) and Tim O'Donnell (Year 12, Anderson) represented the College at the CCI/Curtin University/Economic Teachers' Association Student Economic Forum for gifted and talented students. The boys won a prize for their presentation on the impact of the high $A on the Australian economy.

Andrew Forbes-Macphail (Year 12, Anderson), Blake Fullwood (Year 12, Cameron) and Halden Horko (Year 12, Shearer) were invited to participate in the St Georges Art Exhibition in St Georges Cathedral. The exhibition is run by the Director of the Art Gallery of WA. Their work is currently on display in the Starewell Gallery.

Workplace Learning Certificate

Ben Forrester (Year 12, Keys), Jack Freemantle (Year 12, Keys), Hamish McDougall (Year 12, Keys) and Jordan White (Year 12, Keys).

INFORMATION LEARNING TECHNOLOGY

With the increasing digitisation of student work, many staff have begun marking assessment work online and submitting results, comments and even marked papers directly into their marks books in Teachers Assistant. This has allowed parents immediate information about their sons academic progress in particular subjects. We are happy to provide parents with ongoing support with their access to the information resources at Scotch College. As mentioned in the last edition, the announcement that an iBook reader will be available in the new Apple Mavericks OS later in the year means the boys will be able to use their laptops to create and read iBooks. Recently, four Scotch staff members attended a professional development day exploring the creation and viewing of iBooks, investigating their potential for integration into the teaching and learning programmes. The interactive, multi-touch nature of the iBook, the inclusion of rich video and audio media, and interactive quizzes, to name a few, all serve students with widely differing learning modes and look to be a very exciting prospect for teachers and student alike.

The introduction of digital signage in the senior school has been a resounding success so far. Teachers, student and parents have been providing photos, videos, slideshow, notices and other forms of communication for viewing and this has given the Scotch community a great opportunity to celebrate the wealth of activities going on in our school at any time. We continue to encourage teachers, parents and students to utilise this innovative medium.

YEAR 9 SOCIAL

My thanks to all parents who allowed their sons to attend the Year 9 Social on August 9 with PLC and St Mary's AGS. We had over 200 young people there and it went very well, despite some rain on the night. The behaviour was excellent and we felt it was a good night all round. We were able to put a sizable donation to our India Charity Fund, and the hard work that goes in to such a night becomes worthwhile.

Peter Freitag

ATHLETICS EVENTS

Inter-House Athletics - Friday August 30 and Saturday August 31 2013

All Senior School boys are expected to attend the Inter-House Athletics on Friday August 30 from 1.00pm to 3.30pm and on Saturday August 31 from 8.50am to 1.00pm at the Memorial Ground. The March Past will take place at approximately 12.30pm on Saturday. The Pipe Band Parents Support Group will run a cafe providing hot food on Saturday plus drinks, ice-creams and afternoon tea along with a Cake Stall. If the Carnival is cancelled due to poor weather there will be a notice on the Scotch website.

Athletics Quads-Meet: September 6 2013

Christ Church Grammar School will host the Quads-Meet Carnival between Scotch, Christ Church, Guildford and Wesley at Scotch College Friday September 6th commencing at 1.30pm.

PSA Inter-School Athletics:

The PSA Meeting will commence at 9.30am on Friday September 13 at the new A K Reserve Athletics Stadium in Mt Claremont.

2014 MEGACITY TOUR - USA

Deposits for the 2014 Megacity Tour to the United States are now being sought. The tour will be travelling to San Francisco and New York and will run during Week 10 of Summer Term into the April school holidays. Students currently in Years 9, 10, and 11 are invited to attend. Whilst the tour is designed to complement the units of work studied in Years 10-12 Geography, students who do not study Geography are more than welcome to attend. Please contact Mr Hildebrandt for an information package, mshildebrandt@scotch.wa.edu.au or 9383 6927.

YEAR 10 PERSONAL PROJECT

The opening of the 2013 Personal Project Showcase will take place on Friday, 20 September in the Dickinson Centre from 5:30 - 7:00 p.m. You are all warmly invited to attend this event, and the boys are certainly looking forward to the River Cruise as a just reward for all of their hard work throughout the year.

Boys who have indicated that they will be using their laptops to display their product have been told that their laptop is to go home at the end of the evening with a family member; they will not be permitted to take their laptops on the River Cruise. The Dickinson Centre will be locked over the weekend and students will not have access to any materials left behind in the venue. Students may well need their laptops to complete school work on the Saturday and Sunday and classroom teachers have been instructed not to accept the excuse that boys left their laptop at the Showcase.

All materials (products, reports, photographs, posters etc) will need to be collected from the Dickinson Centre on or before Tuesday, September 24 by boys or their family. Any unclaimed items after this date risk being thrown out. We are not in a position to store such volumes of work anywhere other than the Dickinson Centre and it is needed for other school functions.

We look forward to seeing you all on Friday night in Week 9 as boys are rightly very proud of their efforts and deserve to exhibit the fruits of a year's hard labour!

SCOTCH COLLEGE TOURS 2014

Attached is the list of Tours for 2014. These exciting opportunities depend on the enthusiasm of staff prepared to give up their time to give boys the best possible life experiences. If you have any interest in these tours or any queries please contact Denyse Houston on 93836956 or via email DRHouston@scotch.wa.edu.au. As always, more detailed information about each tour will be become available nearer to the time.

*The school reserves the right to cancel the tour if minimum numbers are not reached.

Saturday 10^th August was a massive day for PBPSG fundraising with both the Sheep Manure Drive and the Lone Piper Event and commemorative wine sale. It was a highly successful day on both counts with significant funds raised to support the Pipe Band with instruments, equipment, uniforms and performances.

Thank you to everyone within the school community who placed orders - your support is really appreciated. Additional thanks also go to those who helped out on the day and in particular to Stephen White and Nick Perrignon for the Manure Drive and Gary Steinepreis for the Lone Piper Event and wine sales.

Next up is Athletics Day on Saturday 31^st August and all Pipe Band parents are asked to help out with the various stalls. If you can help out please contact the following:

Year 8 - Ice Cream & Soft Drinks stall - Allyson Schaff (chuckandally@me.com)
Year 9 - Cake stall - Yvonne Dudfield (ydudfield@hotmail.com)
Year 10 - Gooch Café - Steph Debnam (robandsteph@westnet.com.au)
Year 11 - Hot Food stall - Michael Cross (michaelcross@westnet.com.au)
Year 12 - Memorabilia - Carissa Paganin (carissapaganin@iinet.net.au)

In the lead up to Aths Day the next PBPSG meeting will be at 7:30pm on Thursday 29^th August in the Gooch Pavilion.

In terms of performances, the Pipe Band recently performed before the Fremantle Dockers versus Greater Western Sydney Giants AFL game at Patersons Stadium. Upcoming performances include Junior School Athletics Day on Wednesday 28^th August, Senior School Athletics Day on Saturday 31^st August and the Spring Concert on Friday 6^th August.

BEHAVIOUR TONICS

Behaviour tonics are offering courses in the following -

• 123 Magic and Emotion Coaching Parent Course

• Bullying - Don't Just Stand There
• Protective Behaviours and
• Growing Your Kids Socially (Social skills course for parents of 3-7 year olds).
• Engaging Adolescents

For more information see here.

Also a two session presentation held over two nights from Dr Dorothy Lenthall on Parenting Skills for resolving teenage behaviour problems (separate attachment).