As a college we are very fortunate to participate in activities and programmes that both enhance and enrich our boys. The current couple of weeks may well prove to be seminal in the history of our College. For our young boys coming through the College it is critical that they understand what may lie ahead and in doing so set some aspirational goals.

I am writing this Thistle having just returned from spending a couple of days with our Year 9 and 10s who have just commenced their two week live-in academic extension programme at Stanford University. This is the first time Stanford have hosted an Australian College in their summer school programme and the first time where the two week programme has been written specifically for a single school. Today (Aug 12) I sampled three courses - Architectonics, Intuitive Problem Solving and Introduction to Game Design. Each experience left me desperately disappointed knowing that I was not staying for the whole two weeks and that I was missing out on something very special.

Over the ensuing two weeks our boys will attend courses in Physical Education and Nutrition, Endocrinology, Mathematical Explorations, Compassionate Leadership, Decision, Leadership and Negotiation, Investigations in Engineering and Creative Writing. The academic programme will be supplemented and dovetailed with visits to The Canton Arts Centre, Monterey Field Trip, Apple Campus, Digital Anatomy Laboratory and a series of Stanford Campus tours. The boys will have to engage in journal writing and presentations. The programme is being delivered by leading Stanford lecturers and others engaged by the University's summer school.

What was really encouraging was the feedback from the course coordinator after two days. The level of participation, quality of knowledge and type of thinking exhibited by the boys has already drawn the attention of the staff. The fact that we are an IB World School also drew particular attention. One lecturer said to the boys that if you simply do your standard curriculum and the basic requirements of most state based programmes you will not get into Stanford. They look for students who have clearly gone beyond the confines of the basic school curriculum.

This gives me great solace that offering the three IB programmes and both curriculums at Scotch in Year 11 and 12 will give our students the option to pursue difference.

Some families may have heard about the Khan Academy. I came across this five years ago in the USA when it was very much a fledging organisation. Dr McEwan and I were very fortunate to be given a private tour with the Academy's senior staff today (12 Aug). The Khan Academy offers free online tutorials in an array of subjects. They are funded through philanthropic support and engage in no paid advertising revenue. Without an invitation to visit the Academy one would not expect to find them in the Silicon Valley. It is an example of where a simple idea to help his niece, coupled with passion has resulted in an amazing outcome. If families are interested they can visit https://www.khanacademy.org/.

My hope is that we will be able to find some ways to engage with them as we evolve our pedagogical strategies and respond to an ever increasing demand for flexible learning options. What is important is that this increased flexibility will not compromise our strong physical presence as a college with an already growing academic programme and an extensive co-curricular and sporting programme. It will merely enhance our strategy to increase individualised educational opportunities to allow every student to reach their potential.

If Stanford and the Khan Academy weren't enough, today I received an online news item that was reported in USA Today media outlet quoting our School Captain Oliver Heath, speaking about what it is like to be performing in the Royal Edinburgh Military Tattoo. These two events are miles apart and yet share a common philosophical goal of our College; the provision of a truly authentic international education. Both experiences involve performing and being benchmarked on the world stage. The feedback from the organisers has already identified our boys as incredibly well prepared and professional.

The other correlation is the commitment of our staff to put in the work required to deliver these experiences and role model why an international focus is critical. Fortunately being an IB World School and a member of Round Square group of schools ensures that an international focus is now part of our DNA and curriculum.

In the morning (Aug 13) I fly to Edinburgh to be with our boys at the Tattoo. I know for me that this is a once in a lifetime moment and cannot even begin to imagine how I will feel as I witness our boys march out onto the parade ground on 17 August.

By the time this edition hits the printing press, we should know the final outcome of the PSA winter programme. Our teams in Soccer, Rugby and Hockey have had a stellar PSA Winter. Notwithstanding the final outcome I would like to congratulate all of the boys for their performance in the PSA Winter sports programme and thank all staff and coaches for their commitment to our College.

The activities I have reflected upon in this Thistle need to be seen as end points of our strategic focus on graduating students into a global community. Upcoming school based activities such as the MYP and PYP exhibitions are further examples of this.

I look forward to sharing some of these experiences in person on my return.

Have a great fortnight.

Dr Alec O'Connell

Headmaster

Tell Us

If you have visited home.scotch lately you may have noticed a new button on the parent page. This is the thumbs up thumbs down symbol, as shown below, with Tell Us underneath. This button is for parents to either share a concern, pass along praise or share an idea. Clicking this button allows you to enter information into our tracking system that can then be addressed or passed on in a timely manner.

Praise will be passed along to the area of the School and/or the individual staff member as applicable. Likewise any concerns will reach the highest levels and be actioned appropriately.

Access via home.scotch provides 24/7 accessibility to lodge a concern or pass along praise from any device.

We hope that parents take the opportunity to use this new method of communication with the College.

Athletics and Summer Sport Dates Winter Term 2015

Please note the following dates:

Saturday 15 August: PSA Winter Season (Year 7 to 12) concludes

Friday 21 August: Mid-Term Break

Summer Sport Training will be held on the following dates only this term

Tuesday 15 September: Year 10, 11 and 12

Wednesday 16 September: Year 7s, 8s and 9s

Friday 18 September: Year 7s, 8s and 9s

There will be no training on Thursday 17 September

There will be no sport training in Week 9 of this term

Friday 25 September: Year 7s and 8s undertake an alternative afternoon activity

Summer training will re-commence in Spring Term

Wednesday 14 October for Year 7s, 8s and 9s

Thursday 15 October for Year 10s, 11s and 12s

First Summer sport fixture on Friday 16 and Saturday 17 October

Athletics Carnivals

Wednesday 26 August: Year 1 to 5 Junior School Inter-House Athletics Carnival at Scotch College

Thursday 27 August: Year 6 to 8 Middle School Inter-House Athletics Carnival at Scotch College

Friday 28 August and Saturday 29 August: Year 9 to 12 Senior School Inter-House Athletics Carnival at Scotch College

Friday 4 September: Quads Athletics Carnival Years 7 to 12 at Scotch College (1.30pm to 6.00pm). Students selected from Year 7, 8 and 9 will be involved with this, with remaining students undertaking an alternative afternoon activity on this day.

Friday 11 September: Inter-School Athletics Carnival Years 7 to 12 at the WA Athletics Stadium (9.00am to 3.00pm). Students selected from Year 7, 8 and 9 will be involved with this, with remaining students undertaking an alternative afternoon activity on this day.

Training for Athletics commences on Monday 17 August and concludes on Thursday 10 September with training dates and times outlined below:

Mr Richard Foster

Head of Sport

Year 8-10 Drama Production: The Island of Dr Moreau

Tickets are now available for the Year 8-10 Drama Production of The Island of Dr Moreau. The play follows the character of Edward Prendick who, after being washed ashore on an island, finds himself trapped inside a strange biological experiment: Dr Moreau has created a race of pseudo-humans out of the animals he found living on the island. Taken in by the 'Beast Folk', Edward witnesses the struggle between animal instinct and man's façade of civility as he tries to navigate his way through this strange new world. As primal forces begin to take control, the island is plunged into chaos and Edward is left with only one option - to find a way to escape.

The performance details are as follows:

Wednesday 2 - Friday 4 September at 7.00pm

Saturday 5 September at 2.00pm

Tickets are $20 for adults and $15 for students/concession. All performances will take place in the Scotch College Dickinson Centre. Tickets are available by clicking the following link: http://www.trybooking.com/IQJQ or via the Scotch College website.

Please direct any ticketing inquiries to Deborah Lee dlee@scotch.wa.edu.au.

Miss Kathryn Shaw

Head of Drama

Parenting Ideas

To further support the Scotch community, the College continues to subscribe 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.

Follow the link to access the Parenting Ideas Magazine.

http://www.parentingideas.com.au/Parent_Magazine.html

Also have a look at the attached article - Teen time: dispelling the myth that teenagers don't need parents

Community and Service

Volunteer required for Foodbank WA

Foodbank WA has contacted Scotch to ask if there would be any interest in a group of parents volunteering their time in the new commercial kitchen that has been established by the agency. Foodbank is a well-known and respected organisation which acts as a pantry to the charities and community groups who feed the hungry. Foodbank recently moved into a purpose built facility near the airport that includes a warehouse, administration, training and support services.

The new kitchen has been established as a social enterprise. It not only provides nutritious meals for people in need, it also contributes to the overall operations of Foodbank WA. The organisation is looking to build momentum in the kitchen and increase output.

A flyer can be found here and a video providing insight into the operation of the kitchen can be found here.

If there were a group of parents interested in volunteering their time, it would be helpful if a representative of the group were to contact David Warren the HR Manager at Foodbank davidwarren@foodbankwa.org.au.

Logging Community Service Completed

Boys in the Senior School have pages in their Student Diaries that can be used to log the details of any service that they have completed. For the most part, service completed as part of a School activity is logged as a matter of process. For example, service undertaken as part of the Year 10 Community and Service Programme or a House service activity is entered upon completion. The pages in the Student Diary enable other service to be logged. Many boys serve in the broader community outside school and it is important that this service is recorded. Increasingly tertiary institutions are requesting community service records as part of their admissions process.

As an alternative to the Student Diary pages, a logging sheet can be found here. These are also available from the Student Services office. Boys in Year 12 have had an opportunity to check the records of their service this past week and to update their record if necessary. Once service has been logged it is used for determining eligibility for Colours and Honours in Community Service.

UnitingCare West Winter Appeal

UnitingCare West is now collecting clothing as part of its Winter Appeal. Boys in all three Schools are now collecting for this appeal. There has been a particular request for jeans. Mens jeans are a priority; however, ladies and childrens jeans will also be greatly appreciated. Please ensure jeans are clean and of a wearable quality. Boys in Junior and Middle Schools can deposit clothing in the areas provided. Boys in the Senior School should drop clothing off with their House Head or with Mr Cordner. A reminder also that Scotch has its own Good Samaritans bin located near the Dining Hall. This can be used to deposit clothing at any time.

Mr Bill Cordner

Director of Community and Service

Music Department

On Sunday 9 August, four Scotch College Jazz Ensembles and the Combined Symphony Orchestra participated in the 2015 WA School's Festival held at Churchlands Senior High School and Carey College, Harrisdale. All groups should be proud of their efforts on stage during the day, particularly as some late reshuffling of jazz ensemble membership was needed to accommodate regular band members being unavailable due to illness, or because they are part of the pipe band tour to Edinburgh. Captain of Music Stuart McCowan (Year 12, Ferguson) was also absent as he was attending the Brubeck Institute in the USA as part of an International Jazz event.

While the bands are not 'ranked' during this festival, a small number of prizes were given to performers including seven section awards (ie rhythm section, saxophone section etc) to recognise outstanding musicianship during the festival. Scotch College ensembles were awarded two of these prizes from the adjudicators with the Stage Band saxophone section and the Jazz Ensemble trumpet section both being awarded citations of excellence and a 'section award'.

This is fantastic recognition of the hard work that the Ensemble Directors and the boys put in to their ensembles, as to be awarded two out of the seven awards available is a great achievement, especially given that more than 60 jazz bands performed at the festival.

The Combined Symphony Orchestra performance at Churchlands Senior High School on Sunday afternoon was awarded the highest result of 'Outstanding' which reflects the hard work and effort that everyone put in to produce a very special performance. The adjudicators were very impressed by the musicality, depth of dynamic range, long musical phrases and rhythmic drive. Dr Lourens, (Conductor and Head of Music at UWA), and all of the Music Teachers are very impressed with the result and the complimentary adjudication report.

Congratulations to all Performers and Ensemble Directors for their work in preparation for this Festival Weekend.

Last Thursday 13 August, the String Department presented their annual String Showcase 'Con Brio' in the Dickinson Centre. This was a great event with solos, orchestras, chamber groups and special guests. My thanks to Ms Ibolya Mikajlo for her work with the String players and Instrumental Teachers. A more detailed report will be published in the next edition of the Thistle.

Upcoming Events:

There are several entertaining events scheduled for this term outlined below and I commend all of these performances to you.

In Week 4, on Tuesday 18 August, the Concert Band Showcase will be presented at 6.30pm in the Dickinson Centre. This Concert Band Showcase is a new event, in reality, a renewal of an event that used to be held (in high regard by the Scotch College community) in the 1980s and 1990s. This concert enables the Senior Concert Band to present a programme of music that has been developed throughout the year. Typically, the Senior Concert Band has only been able to perform one or two pieces at each Senior Concert that has not enabled the musicians in the group the opportunity to really show what they are capable of producing and to showcase the wide variety of music that is rehearsed each week. The boys and I are looking forward to sharing all that has been rehearsed for everyone's enjoyment.

A highlight of the Term is the Senior Spring Concert presented on Friday 11 September at 6.30pm in the Dickinson Centre. This concert encompasses all of the ensembles that rehearse each week in the Senior part of the school, and is a great opportunity to thank and farewell the senior musicians who have given so much of their time and energy to the musical life of the school.

On Sunday 13 September, PLC is holding their Centenary Showcase at the Perth Concert Hall. Tickets are available via the link below and all are welcome to attend this once-every-one-hundred-years event.

http://premier.ticketek.com.au/shows/show.aspx?sh=PLCCENTE15

The Junior School strings present their Soiree event on Thursday 17 September in MacKellar Hall. This is a chance to enjoy the developing sounds of the younger string musicians who have been working hard all year developing their skills to share. Everyone is invited to enjoy this event.

Supporting the musical activities is Friends of Scotch Music (FOSM) a group of parents who enthusiastically support the work of boys and staff in the Music Department. FOSM meets once or twice each term with all meetings beginning at 7.00pm. Meetings go for approximately one hour, and are held in the Senior School Music Room with everyone welcome. Please consider becoming involved in the FOSM Parent Support group as an excellent way to support your son and the Music Programme at Scotch College.

Contact Details

The Instrumental Programme is administered by the Senior School Music Department and all queries should be directed to the Music Administrator, Julia Robinson (9383 6841) music@scotch.wa.edu.au.

Alternately, please contact Mr David Coughlan, Head of Music, via email DGCoughlan@scotch.wa.edu.au or phone 9383 6842.

If you wish to become more involved in supporting the Music Department by receiving information about the work of FOSM, please contact FOSM@scotch.wa.edu.au.

ATSE (Australian Academy of Technological Sciences and Engineering) - Eminent Speaker Series

Everyone welcome especially students from Year 11 and 12

Dr Vanessa Guthrie (Member of School Council 2009 - 2014 and past parent) is Managing Director/CEO of Toro Energy Limited, responsible for delivering Toro's maiden uranium product from the Wiluna Project. She has over 25 years of experience in mining operations, company strategy, sustainability, indigenous affairs and environment. She as a former mine manager for WA's Huntly bauxite mine at Dwellingup, and was head of Sustainable Development for Alcoa World Alumina Australia and then Woodside Energy for over 8 years. Dr Guthrie was the winner of the 2013 Outstanding Professional Woman award from the WA Chamber of Minerals and Energy and was also recognised in 2013 in the world's Top 100 list of inspirational women in mining globally. Dr Vanessa Guthrie was appointed by the Prime Minister, the Hon Tony Abbott, MP to the Australia-India Prime Ministers' CEO Forum in January 2015, to help drive the bilateral economic relationship between Australia and India.

Dr Guthrie will discuss the role of uranium to provide energy for the future and will reflect on her long career in the mining industry.

Uniform Shop Opening Hours

The Uniform Shop will be closed for the Boarders' Long Weekend (ie on Friday, 21 August).

Reflective

I thoughtfully consider the world and my own ideas and experience. I work to understand my strengths and weaknesses in order to support my learning and personal development.

In the Junior School we have a mission to ensure our boys develop the essential basic skills to assist them to access the wider curriculum as the journey through our institution. We aim to provide this through both discrete skills, specific teaching and through our transdisciplinary approach. Our goal is to provide an engaging and challenging inquiry based education.

The six transdisciplinary themes assists us to deliver a basic skills programme and inquiry learning that provides a context the boys can relate to and share. As the boys travel through the School they learn about topics that they can relate to their immediate world and to topics and concepts of a national and international nature. Our units of inquiry are designed to engage, educate and to challenge the boys to reflect on what they know and to consider the experiences of others. Our Year 5 boys are experiencing this now.

The Year 5 exhibition's central idea is "Challenges, risks and opportunities may lead to migration." The topic has once again challenged the boys to explore the casual factors that influence migration. The boys have examined migration, both modern and historical, and reviewed evidence from primary and secondary sources. Some were able to interview relatives and friends to learn about what drove them to migrate to Australia. These first hand accounts have significantly impacted on the boys.

As they have worked through the exhibitions process, reviewed their research and prepared the reports, the boys have been asked to reflect on what they have learned. They have been asked to consider the experiences of others and their own opinions. As Jesus told us, "do not judge another until you have walked a mile in his sandals. " Not surprisingly, the topic has lead to some profound conclusions by the boys and some changes of attitudes as well.

The ability of a Year 5 boy (10 years old) to research, write and reflect on his learning in such a mature manner always impresses me. Our Year 5 boys are able to speak about their learning with a passion beyond their years and challenge us to think about what we believe. The Year 5 PYP Exhibition for 2015 opens on Wednesday 19 August. It will remain available for viewing by the Scotch Community until Tuesday 25 August. I invite our community to visit the Gallery in the lower level of the Junior School/ Middle School Library to be challenged and to reflect on what they will learn from our boys.

Mr John Stewart

Head of Junior School

Primary Years Programme (PYP)

PYP Exhibition

The PYP Exhibition represents a significant event in the life of a PYP school and student. The boys were immersed in an 8-week collaboratively constructed unit of inquiry. This event is the culmination of the 5-year journey undertaken by the students and is a celebration of not only what they learn, but also how they learn in an inquiry-modelled approach. Students are involved in all of the essential elements of the PYP and share them with the whole school community in an exhibition presentation.

The PYP Exhibition has a number of key purposes:

• For students to engage in an in-depth, collaborative inquiry
• To provide students with an opportunity to demonstrate independence and responsibility for their own learning
• For students to synthesise and apply their learning of previous years and to reflect upon their journey through the PYP
• To demonstrate how students can take action as a result of their learning
• To unite the students, teachers, parents and other members of the School community in a collaborative experience that incorporates the essential elements of the PYP

This year the boys' inquiries will be guided by the transdisciplinary theme of 'Where we are in place and time' with the central idea: "Challenges, risks and opportunities may lead to migration."

The Exhibition this year will take place on Wednesday 19 August in the new Scotch Gallery.

This is an exciting time for all and we look forward to seeing you there.

Mr Warwick Norman

Junior School Dean of Teaching & Learning

Art News

Principled students in Art

At the first Assembly this term, Mr Stewart spoke about encouraging boys to be PRINCIPLED students. Over this week, I have witnessed such behaviour on a number of occasions. During the Student Led Conference Week, classes had relief art lessons in their class. The Year 5 boys had paper machéd duck forms, in preparation for their upcoming PYP Exhibition. They were all left drying along the ledge at the end of the day, when Luca Muir Anderson asked me what would I like done with the ducks. Luca and Hugh Fellows-Smith then took the initiative to collect up all the ducks and return them safely to the Art Studio, showing caring, independent and principled behaviour.

Another Year 5 student had to deal with the disappointment and shock of discovering that his magnificent lighthouse sculpture was accidentally knocked over during an exhibition and was broken. The JS Art Technician took it on as a challenge and miraculously restored the model to (nearly) its former glory. Luca would have been understandably upset, as was the poor person who caused the accident. However, it has been a wonderful lesson in problem solving, dealing with disappointment and building resilience. Luca Datodi has shown he is a principled student through his positive actions.

Boys and their parents were very willing to share their time during the Student Led Conferences with either new boys and families or boys whose parents could not attend that day, showing principled behaviour.

Being principled students, boys enthusiastically shared their learning during the Student Led Conferences.

I hope you enjoyed "walking in your son's footsteps" for a morning or afternoon and you may understand why they come home pretty tired by the end of the day!

Ms Karen Sabitay

PYP Visual Arts

Performing Arts News

This term, on Friday 4 September, the boys in Years 2, 3 and 4 will be participating in a 'Musica Viva' Incursion. This year we have an amazing percussion band called The Rhythm Works coming to play for us. In the lead up to the performance, the boys and I unpack four of the bands pieces and have a fabulous time learning all about them through a variety of fun, creative and challenging activities. I was very excited to be able to share some of this learning together with our brave Scotch parents and grandparents during the Student Led Conferences. I will be sending out some more information about the performance shortly. Members of the Scotch Community are more than welcome to join us - I hope to see you there!

Miss Phebe Samson

Performing Arts Teacher

Friendly Schools and Families

Friendship and social support

A child with more than one good friend is less likely to be bullied than a child who is often alone or who has only one friend. Children who bully others are careful to avoid those children who have assertive and supportive friends.

How can families help their children to make friends?

• Make sure that your children play with other children at school, at home and in your neighbourhood.
• At home, encourage your children to talk and maintain contact with their extended family - uncles, aunts, cousins and grandparents and to talk with adult family friends.
• Invite other children to your home for visits, and show your children how to make their guests feel welcome.
• Help your children to make new friends by encouraging them to develop other interests and hobbies, such as sport, Scouts, dance, drama or music.
• Take your children on holidays to places where there are other children of a similar age.

Mr Warwick Norman

Friendly Schools and Families Coordinator

French News

Bonjour! My name is Madame Vinton and I am the new Junior School French teacher at Scotch College. I will be teaching the boys while Madame Edwards is away on maternity leave for the next 12 months. Last week was a very busy week for all of us with the Student Led Conferences. I had the opportunity to meet lots of parents and to play some great language games with the students and their families. The boys did a wonderful job working with all sorts of topics, such as colours, numbers, clothing and fruit. One of the most popular activities was the clothing relay. The Year 4s used their session to learn the names of six items of clothing and then they had to run a relay in teams, finding the correct item of clothing to put on before they ran. It was very funny watching everyone dress up in dresses, hats and scarves. Here are some photos from the day - don't they look wonderful? Au revoir!

Madame Vinton

French Specialist

Physical Education News

This term the students are focusing on their upcoming Inter-House Athletics Carnival that is being held on Wednesday 26 August. All the students will be competing in a minimum of two track events and two field events, and all the students' races and place finishings contribute to their overall house score. With the arrival of the athletics season, our winter sports season draws to a close and all boys are to be commended for their efforts in Physical Education in Autumn Term. The Year 4 boys in particular have acquitted themselves well in their JPSSA Carnivals and are no doubt looking forward to next year when they join the Thursday afternoon JPSSA Sports Programme.

Mr Scott Whiston

Head of Junior School Physical Education

Junior School Resource Centre

This fortnight it has been a pleasure working alongside the Year 5 students as they master skills in research, report writing and APA referencing to compete their exhibition report. These skills are the foundation, which will take them through their academic careers, which for many of the boys in this group will finish as university graduates of 2026 and beyond!

The boys are getting excited about Book Week and in library lessons this fortnight there was much discussion about the book characters the boys were planning to dress up as. The annual Book Week Parade will be held at 2.10pm on Thursday 27 August. The boys will change into their costumes at the beginning of lunchtime in readiness for the 2.05 start time. The staff, lead by Mr Stewart, are also planning a special surprise.

On Tuesday 25 August, six Year 5 boys will be heading over to MLC to compete in the Children's Book Week Readers Challenge. Not only are these boys completing their exhibition projects, they are also busy reading the short-listed books for the Children's Book Award. We wish Fletcher O'Connell, Henry Capon, Henry Vaughan (5C) and Banjo Harold, Joel Stocks and Emmanuel Radici (5W) all the best in their final two weeks of preparation. Our two Year 4 reserves are also busily reading in case they are needed on the day. A huge thank you to James Cowan and Mikhael Djauhari.

Mrs Kathryn Salt

Junior School Teacher-Librarian

1G News

The Year 1G boys have blown back into Term 3 resulting in plenty of sunshine and rainbows around the room. The boys have been very busy participating in various science experiments about the weather, in particular the water cycle and how it works. All the elements associated with the water cycle are now being pronounced precisely with perennial precipitation. They have been using their inquiry skills to predict, observe and measure the daily weather with great accuracy. Watch out BOM!

The boys have been intrigued with the fact 'seasons on Earth are caused by the tilt of the Earth's axis'. They have discovered that Spring is showery and flowery. Summer is fun and full of sun. Autumn is breezy and sneezy. Winter is drippy and very very nippy.

The forecast for the rest of the term is 'Busy with a Chance of Clear Blue Skies'.

Mrs Kristen Gray

Year 1G Teacher

Excellence Awards

Congratulations to these boys for receiving an Excellence Award.

Important Dates to Remember

Head of Middle School

As Winter sport season draws to a close we have teams hoping to achieve their first win of the season, others hoping for one more win to go through undefeated and everyone in-between on the ladder hoping to go out on a high note. The desire to win is such a powerful driver and the most often used criteria to measure success. When applied as a sole measure though it hides other really valuable success criteria such as degrees of improvement, rates of involvement, satisfaction and team collegiality and the enjoyment of the shared experiences. One major criterion I measure the success of our sporting programme is watching our boys reaction at the end of a game. Do they shake hands with their opponents? Do they pay their respects to umpires and coach's with a genuine thanks? Do they acknowledge the performance or deeds of individuals either in their team or the opposition? When we have our boys doing this spontaneously then I know our season, regardless of the win loss ratio, has been a good one.

Thank you to all the parents who have travelled to each venue, stood in the wind and rain, cut up oranges and just been there to be an encouraging voice at an away game. To our coaches and umpires, without you we would not have a competition at all. Thank you very much.

Now to Athletics!

Mr Richard Ledger

Head of Middle School

7S Read Between the Lines

Over the past two terms 7S have done what is called 'Reading Circles'. In the beginning, all of 7S were outraged (especially when they found out that not everybody else was doing it!) but through this process they have grown closer to books and started to enjoy reading.

Reading Circles is a process where you get to choose from a selection of great books to read. Whilst you read your selected book you talk to others in a forum on Conneqt and answer/create a series of questions. To answer these questions you have to use RAPS (restate, answer, prove and summarise) and your written question must be an open question.

Reading Circles take place in the MS Library and the classroom and are run by Mrs Lightfoot and Miss Schorer.

There are a plethora of benefits gained from participating in Reading Circles, but the main one is that boys who did not necessarily enjoy reading before, can still find books that they enjoy and that Reading Circles, no matter your level, improves your reading.

Some of our favourite books so far have been Once by Morris Gleitzman, The Rig by Joe Ducie , Tomorrow when the War Began by John Marsden and The Boy In The Striped Pajamas by John Boyne .

Overall, Reading Circles continues to be an extremely beneficial program for all of us in 7S.

Having fun isn't hard when you have a library card!

Written by Enyeto Ingrilli, Angus Hume and Taj Clarke

Edited by the students of 7S

Sensational Science in 6T

As part of the upcoming Science week, the 6T students climbed the stairs and had their first taste of the Science labs. The good people from Scitech had come to present on the Fascination of Water. In the first session the boys participated and watched a demonstration on many tricks and experiments with H2O.

The wonder of coloured water travelling down a string into a cup, metres away from another, blew the minds of the boys. The students then looked at how much water is in our body by drawing a human body outline on a large zip-lock bag and then filling it up with roughly 70% of water. The balloon blowing experiment was next with the boys seeing how long it would take for a balloon to pop without water in it, and with water in it.

Session Two saw the boys form into groups and do some hands-on problem solving activities. They had to create a dam using only rocks, some plastic, tape and a little bit of rubber. The aim of the task was to create a barrier then pour water into one half of the box and then keep the other side of it completely dry. Overall, the boys enjoyed their time upstairs and realised that water is more than just what comes out of the tap!

Mr Daniel Turco

Teacher 6T

In the words of the 6T boys

In Week 2 we were very lucky to have an incursion by Scitech. They taught us how water is very sticky and how important it is to us for life. We were all very excited because we were told that they were going to perform some experiments. The first experiment was a string in a cup on the floor and attached to another bottle elevated from the ground, which had water in it. Before the scientist started she asked us what our educated guess was [hypothesis] and many students hypothesis was that the water was going to drip off the elevated bottle onto the ground. Then she started the experiment and started pouring the water from the elevated bottle. Amazingly, the water stuck to the string all the way down to the bottle on the ground, which then filled up.

She also did another exciting experiment on a latex balloon filled with water. Before she did the experiment she asked us to make another educated guess. This time students said that the water was going to boil in the balloon and that the balloon would not pop or that the water would increase in temperature, stay in the balloon for quite a while and then pop. Then she carefully put the Bunsen burner under the air filled balloon and the balloon exploded into pieces instantly. The reason why it popped straight away was because the heat from the flame melted the latex because there was nothing to cool the latex down. Then she put water into another balloon and put the Bunsen burner carefully under it. It took about 5-10 seconds until the balloon burst and water gushed everywhere and went all over Sam Bennett. The reason why it took longer for the balloon with water in it to pop was because the water cooled down the latex down so it didn't melt as quickly. It was a very enjoyable period in the day!

Nicholas Paganin 6T

In the early weeks of Winter Term Year 6T went to a Scitech show and practical class, we watched a show about H2O and cool experiments that you can do with water and then we all got to pair up and build a model dam and build it to try and withstand the water we poured into the container. My group had to rethink the design a bit but eventually we got it! My favourite part was definitely seeing the water travel from one glass to another through the string. I highly recommend this show to all students it was pretty cool!

Taj Massey 6T

Middle School Events

National Science Week

Science becomes the centre of our attention this week in Middle School with Year 6 classes presenting their Science Fair projects on Thursday and the Year 7 & 8 students involved in a great series of science guest speaker visits, laboratory sessions and quizzes.

Wear Purple for Mo Day

This Wednesday 19 August is Wear Purple for Mo Day. It is a day when we remember our friend Mo Maslin. Wearing purple reminds us of Mo's passion for his beloved Fremantle Dockers football team and is a chance to contribute toward the Mo, Evie and Otis Foundation and its research work on Dyslexia. Any size gold coin greatly appreciated.

Excellence Awards

Student Achievements

Congratulations to William Smith-Gander (8.5K), Ben Olson (8.4C), William Lewis (7.1PG), Nicholas Verryn (7.8M) and Hugh Plowman (7.6T) who were selected to participate in the WA U13 Regional Hockey Tournament during the holidays. Their team, West Metro, won the tournament after playing 6 games.

Congratulations to Deen Goring (6.4B) who achieved honourable mentions in several categories at the International Modelling and Talent Convention held in New York during the holidays; namely screen test, monologue, commercial, fashion and swimsuit modelling. Deen had 5 agents express their interest in him during the convention.

Congratulations to William Steinberg (7.7K) who achieved High Distinction in the recent Mathematics Challenge for Young Australians.

2015 UNSW Digital Technologies Results

Year 6

Year 7

Year 8

2015 UNSW Science Results

Year 6

Year 7

Year 8

Australian Geography Competition 2015

Year 8

Important Dates in Winter Term

Compassionate Leadership

At the time of writing this article, I, together with 28 boys and Mr Sterrett, have just returned from two inspirational presentations as part of the Stanford International Youth Programme. One of these presentations was on Compassionate Leadership. As part of this presentation, boys had different coloured stickers placed on their forehead and were then asked to organise themselves into a group without speaking to each other. After each set of groupings the lecturer would say, "No, I want you to organise yourself into a group". The boys would try another set of groupings based on the colours of the stickers only to be asked to do the same thing. After a number of attempts the boys made one large group thinking surely they had done what the presenter was asking, only to be told, "No, I want you to organise everyone into a group". While the boys were close in forming one large group they had not included the presenter. His point was that we have the ability to influence all of the people around us all of the time, either positively or negatively. We have a responsibility to include all of the people around us. If we limit our positive influence to those in our friendship group or any other group that does not include everyone, we are not being strong leaders. Great leadership involves all of us, regardless of position.

Before being able to lead others we need to know who we are. Boys shared personal thoughts and feelings in a safe, accepting and supportive environment before being taught about mindfulness, however, with an important difference. Compassionate leadership requires us to be mindful of other people's thoughts and feeling, not just our own. The boys were encouraged to replace 'I' with 'we'. The workshop was impressive not only in the thought provoking material being presented but equally in the manner in which the boys responded.

As I listened to the presentation on compassionate leadership, I was reminded of the outstanding leadership shown by Yarlalu Thomas (Year 12, Stuart) only a week earlier. Yarlalu's idea to hold a concert that involved indigenous community leaders together with performing groups from a number of schools in an event that celebrated the history and culture of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples was the first of its kind at Scotch College. With Mrs Felicity Byres supporting, encouraging and assisting Yarlalu, the inaugural Yira Yarkiny concert was held before an audience of approximately 400 people in the Dickinson Centre in Week 2 of this term. There are few better examples of compassionate leadership than that shown by Yarlalu. He brought people together, both across schools and cultures, did so without a formal leadership position, exhibited the greatest respect and humility to everyone involved, from Dr Richard Walley OAM through to the younger students compering and performing on stage. I have no doubt that the examples shown by so many of our current Year 12 boys at different times of the year and the responsiveness and maturity of the boys in Year 9 and 10 during the Stanford presentation, that we will witness many more examples of authentic leadership for the benefit of all in the years to come.

Dr Rob McEwan

Head of Senior School

Boys' Achievements

Duke of Edinburgh Bronze Awards

The Duke of Edinburgh's International Award is the world's leading achievement award for young people, bringing together practical experiences and life skills to create committed global citizens and equipping young people for life. It is very accessible to Scotch College students and anyone interested in starting the award is encouraged to see Mr Kyle.

The boys have shown commitment to a diverse range of skills and activities over a six month period. This brings the total number of boys to have completed the award this year to 22 Bronze Awards and two Silver Awards. On top of these achievements, we have two Year 12 students completing their Gold Awards.

The following boys have completed their Bronze Duke of Edinburgh Award:

Excellence in the Workplace Awards

Gold Status is awarded to Workplace Learning students who demonstrate a strong work ethic and outstanding enthusiasm and motivation each week when they attend their work placement. Gold Status also reflects exceptional diligence in meeting all the programme requirements including a very thorough and detailed logbook. As well as the high level of commitment shown in the workplace, students must also be committed to maintaining good grades in their school work and catching up on all work missed on the day they are in the workplace.

The following students are awarded Gold status for Excellence in the workplace:

World Scholars Cup

Earlier in the year Scotch College entered 10 teams into the Perth Round of the World Scholar's Cup. Three of those teams comprised boys from the Senior School and seven teams from the Middle School. The teams met every Friday afternoon in the BRC over Summer and Autumn Terms to prepare. This year we had two Year 11 boys, Drummond Orr (Year 11, Ferguson) and James Naylor-Pratt (Year 11, Anderson), coach the teams and lead the weekly study sessions.

All ten teams were entered into the 11 to 14 years age division.

The results were outstanding. So strong was the Scotch College contingent the organiser who was compering the awards ceremony announced the results for the over 15 year age group as, the non-Scotch division as we had dominated the 11 to 14 year age division. While boys placed and won a number of categories, overall Scotch College had six teams place in the top 12, including 1^st, 2^nd, 4^th and 5^th.

Congratulations to the following boys in their awards:

Of particular note, congratulations to:

Darcy Frazer (Year 9, Ferguson) who placed first in the Science Challenge; and

Rafe Harrison-Murray (Year 9, Stuart) who placed in the top three in six events to finish as the third highest scoring individual from all students competing in the event

Congratulations to the coaches Drummond Orr and James Naylor-Pratt for leading the Scotch teams to achieve these outstanding results.

Athletics Appointment

Senior School Important Dates

International Baccalaureate Diploma Programme

"Being forced to learn French or Spanish in school might seem like a chore, but according to a new study, you might want to thank your teachers for the brain boost."

Eileen Shim

The IBO's Mission Statement foregrounds its commitment to creating global citizens who are internationally minded and, therefore, insists on students learning a language other than Mother Tongue as a part of its broad-based education in its three programmes: the PYP, MYP and Diploma Programme.

What are the merits of such an education?

There are the obvious: more job opportunities and improved cultural sensitivity in today's global economy. As General Peter Cosgrove observed, "Language skills and cultural sensitivity will be the new currency of this world order."

However, researchers have discovered that there are significant intellectual benefits as well. Researchers from Pennsylvania State University have published a study supporting the thesis that learning a second language "strengthens the brain". Scientists have discovered that learning new languages slows cognitive decline, improves the ability to focus and promotes faster executive functioning.

To read more about this research, read the article by Eileen Shim: https://agenda.weforum.org/2014/11/how-learning-a-language-improves-your-brain/

A second article by Larry Taylor is also worth reading about language acquisition and brain function: https://agenda.weforum.org/2015/02/how-the-language-you-speak-changes-your-brain/

The IB Diploma Programme was first implemented in 1968 and has grown rapidly throughout the world: there are now 4000 schools worldwide delivering IB programmes to more than one million students. It is a programme continually informed by respected, independent researchers and continues to evolve to provide students with an education that develops the whole person and prepares them to be life-long learners. Diploma students are better prepared to manage demanding workloads and satisfy international standards of academic excellence and also benefit from a course of study that is shaped by on-going, objective research.

Mr Michael Scaife

IB Diploma Coordinator

Targeted Tuition Seminar

As a means of rectifying common mistakes and preparing the boys for their final examinations, a group of distinguished OSCs headed by Mrs Samantha Scott delivered four specific study skills seminars on 23 and 24 July.

Targeted at students currently sitting on an IB grade of 4 or a WACE grade of C, these sessions drew upon the OSCs' detailed knowledge of past exam papers, moderated this knowledge with the insights of the teaching staff, and finally produced a succession of sessions aimed at empowering the boys with an accessible breakdown of their exams. Along with this breakdown the boys were directed to a plethora of available resources, both as a means of filling conceptual gaps and testing the limits of their acquired knowledge. One of the key concepts reinforced throughout all the IB sessions was the importance of collaboration: as the Baccalaureate programme is not scaled, students are rewarded for studying in groups. The sessions were also marked by a sense of optimism shared between the current students and OSCs: a confidence that, while looming, the task ahead of them is accessible and the rewards immeasurable.

We wish the boys all the best as they undertake the final leg of their academic journey.

Mrs Samantha Scott

Academic Support

Scotch Tours 2016

See attached updated tour information for 2016.

Learners Permits and Driver Licenses - Proof of Address Documentation

This documentation is available upon request from the Headmaster's office. Please send emails through to the Headmaster's Secretary on LMcCoy@scotch.wa.edu.au.

Please allow at least two working days for the document to be prepared.

Personal Project Showcase and Exhibition

Congratulations to Year 10 students who have all completed their Personal Projects. To celebrate this event, the students' achievements will be showcased on Friday 18 September in the Dickinson Centre from 5.30 - 7.30pm. All families and staff of the Year 10's are warmly invited to attend this event.

For members of the wider Scotch community who would like to view the products on display, the exhibition will also be open in the Dickinson Centre during school hours on Thursday 17 and Friday 18 September. Year 9 students are particularly encouraged to walk through the exhibition as they begin exploring ideas for their own Personal Projects.

A reminder that all large products and display materials need to be delivered to the Dickinson Centre on Monday 14 September. Products can then be collected from the Dickinson Centre on Saturday 19 September between 10.00am - 12.00pm. Due to other events scheduled, we do not have the capacity to store such a large volume of items. For any queries regarding the delivery and collection of products, please contact Miss Kate Flowers.

Boys who wish to use their laptops to display their product need to organize for a family member to take it home at the end of the showcase. Laptops are not permitted on the River Cruise for security purposes.

We look forward to seeing you at the Personal Project Exhibition as we celebrate the diverse goals and interests of the Year 10 students.

Miss Kate Flowers

IB MYP Personal Project

CAREERS INFORMATION

Year 12 Parents and Students

The applications for further study at universities across Australia are now open. Students will be given the 2016 TISC Guide that will outline all the procedures and dates that are relevant to the application process and beyond. Mr Frusher will also be talking to the students as a group and explaining the TISC Guide, together with the application process. In August/September, Mr Frusher will be conducting one-on-one interviews with all Year 12 students to check each application and to offer advice prior to applications being sent on-line.

At this stage of the year all Year 12 students should have received a Prospectus from each of the WA Universities and a Year 12 WACE Information Handbook 2015 (on-line at Schools Curriculum & Standards Authority - www.scsa.wa.edu.au). Following on from the Scotch Careers Expo, students are encouraged to attend university and TAFE Open Days throughout the month of August.

For information on interstate and overseas universities check the relevant websites or contact Mr Frusher who will be able to assist.

TAFE applications will open in September.

As a parent, what can your son and you do together?

• Discuss various courses in the prospectuses that may be of interest to your son
• Gather more information by visiting university websites, or requesting further information from universities
• Attend university Open Days that are advertised in each prospectus and in this newsletter
• Be positive; don't panic (yet) and communicate with as many people as possible

University Scholarships

UWA offers more than 400 scholarships every year to undergraduate students from all walks of life. In 2016, there will be in excess of $4 million in scholarships available to undergraduate students to assist them to realise their potential. Eligibility varies, however UWA's wide range of academic and equity-based scholarships provide commencing students with many opportunities to apply. 2016 Scholarships brochures (available from Mr Frusher at Scotch) highlight a number of available scholarships, including the prestigious UWA Fogarty Foundation Scholarships. Interested students can also refer to the on-line portal at www.scholarships.uwa.edu.au which includes a full list of undergraduate scholarships with details about eligibility criteria, closing dates and how to apply. Fogarty Foundation and VC scholarship applications close Monday 31 August whilst all other scholarships applications close on 31 October, 2015. Many other scholarships are offered from individual faculties, schools, residential colleges and UWA Sports. For further information on any UWA undergraduate scholarships, contact the UWA Scholarships Office.

Curtin University offers a wide variety of scholarships which are now open for students to apply. Mr Frusher has information regarding all scholarships viable at Curtin or these can be accessed at www.scholarships.curtin.edu.au.

Murdoch University

Murdoch University offers the following scholarships:

The Murdoch Academic Excellence Awards are

• awarded based on academic merit, to students currently enrolled in Year 12 who have a predicted ATAR of 90+ or 94+ for Law
• one hundred (100) awards of $3,000 each.

Please note: Veterinary Science is excluded from this programme.

The School of Engineering and Information Technology (SEIT) Chemical and Metallurgical/Environmental Engineering Scholarships are available to students studying:

a) Bachelor of Chemical and Metallurgical Engineering (Honours); or

b) Bachelor of Environmental Engineering (Honours).

The Scholarships are:

• awarded based on academic merit, to students currently enrolled in Year 12 who have a
• predicted ATAR of 80+, who specify one of the above courses as their first preference
• fourteen (14) awards of $3,000 each.

Applications for the Murdoch Academic Excellence Awards and SEIT Scholarships for 2016 admission are now open. Application forms for these scholarships are available for download at: http://goto.murdoch.edu.au/scholarships.

Recipients will be selected on the basis of:

• their predicted ATAR results
• endorsement from your school.

Applications close on Friday 30 September 2015 and applicants will be informed of the outcome in mid‐October 2015.

Edith Cowan University also offer a range of scholarships that can be accessed via the respective scholarship websites.

Edith Cowan University Health Sciences

If you're considering a career in health sciences, you can choose ECU to study nutrition, occupational therapy, occupational safety and health, sports science, or many popular degrees. ECU incorporate industry practice modules into their courses so you will receive practical and genuine experience before you graduate, preparing you for your chosen career path.

So if you want to find out more about ECU courses in this area, attend their Information Evening.

When: Wednesday, 26 August, 6.00pm

Where: ECU Joondalup Campus

You can register your attendance to this event by visiting our Future Student Events page.

Notre Dame University

Parent Information Evening - for parents of Year 10, 11 and 12 students.

Wednesday 9 September 6.00pm

Admission Information Evening - including alternative entry

Tuesday 15 September, 5.30pm expo and 6.00pm presentation

Victorian College of the Arts School of Film and Television

Applications are now open for undergraduate programmes in animation, screenwriting, and film & television writers/directors.

Apply through VTAC.

Victorian University Applications (VTAC)

Applications for courses are now open, online at www.vtac.edu.au. The VTAC Guide 2016 is now available for download on the VTAC website and is also on sale in newsagencies from Friday, 31 July.

Parent Information Evening

Central Institute of Technology is hosting a Parent Information Evening for Year 12 VET for students and their parents

Central VET in Schools students have a number of unique options and opportunities to gain entry to Central's courses once they finish school. In order to help students (and parents) make the best of these unique opportunities, we encourage you to attend this an information evening. This is a great opportunity for students to find out more about Central's VET and higher education pathways, as well as explore the career outcomes for each study area.

Enrolment guarantee for study at Central in 2016

We will also explain about Central's enrolment guarantee. Starting in 2016, Central VET in Schools students who successfully complete their course and want to keep studying at Central the following year are guaranteed entry* into one of our courses!

* A merit selection criteria may apply for some courses.

When: 7.00 - 8.30pm, Wednesday 26 August

Location: East Perth campus Foyer - 140 Royal St, East Perth

RSVP Email: vetinschools@central.wa.edu.au by August 20.

Challenger TAFE Information Evening- see attached flyer.

Message from the Australian Taxation Office for Students

Started work? Lodge your tax return with myTax - it's easy

MyTax

• is the fastest way to lodge
• is easy to access (via tablet, smart phone or computer)
• already includes some of your personal information (pre-filled from employers, banks, government agencies and more).*

How to lodge

• Get your tax file number and your birth certificate, passport or citizenship certificate ready.
• Create a myGov account at my.gov.au
• Phone the ATO on 13 28 61 and press 5 at the prompt to get your unique linking code.
• In the myGov Services page, link to the ATO with the unique linking code.
• Lodge your return through myTax by 31 October.

Mr Peter Frusher

Careers Adviser

Year 10 River Cruise

The Year 10 boys this year will have a social occasion in the form of a River Cruise. An invitation will be extended to Year 10 girls from St Mary's, MLC and PLC.

For more information

Scotch Auxiliary

Our City Country Lunch was held on Wednesday 5 August, in Northam. It was an enjoyable day and the sun was shining. Thank you to all who joined us. Special thanks to Danielle Mactaggart and Nicole Hills, two of our boarding parents, for organsing a lovely lunch at the Duke's Inn, and to Marcus Wilkinson and Garry Hoy for driving us safely there and back.

The annual Mothers Sleepover for Years 10 and 12 have recently been held at Moray. Both evenings were enjoyed by all, with many mums catching up with friends and meeting new ones. Thank you to all the parents who organised these two successful events.

Please pop the following dates in your diaries:

UPCOMING EVENTS:

Junior School

Fathers Day Breakfast in a Bun - Thursday 3 September

Middle School

Year 8 Parent Evening - Wednesday 23 September *combined PA/SA function

Senior School

Year 9 Parent Evening - Tuesday 22 September *combined PA/SA function

Year 10 Parent Evening - Friday 18 September *combined PA/SA function

For more details and to purchase tickets please visit the Scotch College website www.scotch.wa.edu.au and click on the "Book a Scotch Event" icon. Details will be uploaded to the website shortly.

PLAY DATES, COFFEE MORNINGS AND GET TOGETHERS:

Year 1 - Play after school, Wednesday 19 August, Lake Claremont Playground.

Year 4 - Parent Evening, Friday 28th August. 7.30pm.

Year 9 - Mums' Drinks Night, Thursday 3 September.

Year 10 - Coffee morning, Friday September 4, Blue Duck, 9.30am.

Year 11 - Meeting to form working committee for Year 12 Ball 2016, Wednesday 19 August, 8.30am, Gooch Pavilion. All interested parents welcome.

NEXT MEETING:

9AM MONDAY 21 SEPTEMBER, GOOCH PAVILION

Please come along from 8.30am for a cup of tea or coffee.

We look forward to welcoming you.

Carissa Paganin

President

Parents' Association

The male role model is critical in a child's upbringing, so states Colin West, who spoke about the success and importance of "The Fathering Project" at the PA meeting on August 11. Colin, who is Schools Manager with The Fathering Project, said there were 25 schools in WA now involved with the project, which aims to enhance the role that a father or father figure can have in a child's life. The programme is targeted towards primary schools and involves forming a committee of "champion Dads" who organise social and/or skill-building activities for fellow Dads and their sons once a term. Any Junior School fathers who would like to be involved, please contact parentsassociation@scotch.wa.edu.au for more information.

Open Parents' Association Meeting

The next meeting is open to all parents and will be held in the Scotch Dining Room Annexe on Tuesday, September 8 at 7.30pm. Refreshments will be served and we would love to see you there. Come along and find out how your parent levies are spent and the work that we do as a parent committee. We are very keen to have more involvement from Junior School parents who would consider joining the PA.

Functions held

Another successful event, The Mid Year Cocktail Function, was held at the Blue Duck on July 2. The function was well attended, with 70 people braving the cold. Thank you to Susan Kennerly for organising. About 50 Year 11 parents attended their annual cocktail party at Steve's Hotel on August 7 and an enjoyable evening was had by all. Thank you to Peta Scott-Morey for organising.

Save The Dates

Friday, September 18

Year 10 Parents

Our Annual Chinese Banquet at Shun Feng, Barrack Street, Perth which coincides with Year 10 River Cruise and completion of Personal Project. Details to be confirmed shortly.

Tuesday, September 22

Year 9 Parents

Cocktail Function, Middle School Gallery, Scotch. Details to be confirmed shortly.

Wednesday, September 23

Year 8 Parents

Cocktail Function, Middle School Gallery, Scotch. Details to be confirmed shortly.

Gary Pyne

President

Scotch Parents' Association

Pipe Band Parents Support Group (PBPSG)

Athletics Days

The tradition of providing food and drink at the Senior School Athletics days on Friday August 28 and Saturday 29 continues this year. Toasted sandwiches, cakes and great coffee (provided by Leaf Bean Machine baristas) will be supplied on Friday and Saturday with the addition of hamburgers and hot dogs on Saturday. Pipe Band merchandise and ice creams will also be available on Saturday, when the day will conclude with a Pipe Band display.

This year, with the Middle School boys now involved in the Pipe Band, cakes and toasted sandwiches will also be available at the Middle School Athletics Day on Thursday, August 27.

No need to bring food and coffee, it will all be available with proceeds going to the Pipe Band. Funds raised from the PBPSG fundraising initiatives go towards the purchase of instruments, uniforms and other requirements.

NB: Pipe Band parents - your son should have brought plates home to be filled with home baked delights and returned to sell on the day. Thanking you in anticipation.

Manure Drive

The annual Manure Drive will be on the PSA bye weekend of Saturday October 31. Please save your Spring garden preparation so you can enhance your garden with sheep manure provided through this PBPSG fundraiser.

Mandy Perrignon

On behalf of the PBPSG Committee

PBPSG@scotch.wa.edu.au

Sporting Dinners

To book tickets for the following sporting dinners go the Scotch College Website www.scotch.wa.edu.au and 'Book a Scotch College Event' icon

Soccer Dinner - 6.30pm Thursday 20 August - Scotch College Dining Room

A Dinner to celebrate the season, this is open to all Soccer Players in Years 10-12 and their parents.

Football Dinner - 6.30pm Wednesday 26 August - Scotch College Dining Room

We welcome Players from Year 8 through to Year 12 together with their Parents.

Numbers are limited so please book at your earliest convenience

Rugby Dinner- 6.30pm for a 7.00pm start Saturday 29 August - Scotch College Dining Room.

We welcome Players from Year 8 through to Year 12 together with their Parents.

Numbers are limited so please book at your earliest convenience

VacSwim Holiday Swimming Programmes

Enrolments for October programmes opened on 3 August and close on 30 August 2015. It is important for every child to learn to swim and develop essential water safety skills. VacSwim's school holiday swimming programmes are conducted by qualified instructors who teach children the skills to be confident swimmers and safe in the water. This year there has been a small price increase from $10.00 per enrolment to $12.50 per enrolment (family enrolment for three or more children living at the same address is now $34.50). For further information and online enrolment please visit www.education.wa.edu.au/swimming.