Although we are now entering week two of the term, given this is our first Thistle it is appropriate to welcome everyone back after our inaugural three week break. Having spoken to a number of staff, students and parents, the concept of the longer break in mid-year appears to have been well received. A main driver for this change was to build into the year another opportunity for our Year 12s to recharge so that they are ready for the run home to their final assessment and exams. Speaking of this I ask that all families keep our Year 12s in their thoughts and prayers as they face what is the most challenging part of their schooling.

Last Saturday I was at the airport to farewell the boys in the Pipe Band who are representing Scotch as part of the Edinburgh Military Tattoo. As I said to the boys at Assembly, there are moments in history which will not be repeated and this group of boys will forever be the first group from Scotch College to play in the Edinburgh Tattoo. On behalf of our community I wish them well and know that they will do the College and their families proud.

The first couple of weeks is proving to be very special for many reasons. On Friday last week I had the privilege to present our 2015 winning First VIII rowers with their oars to commemorate their place in history. On Monday 11 August 29 Year 9 and 10 boys fly to Stanford University to commence a two-week live-in extension programme. The boys will be accompanied by Dr McEwan and Mr Sterrett. We look forward to hearing about how their course went and what the boys will bring back as a result of their experience in a University that carries so much status on the world stage.

Congratulations to all of the Junior School students who were commissioned into their new leadership positions. I look forward to seeing and experiencing the great things they will do this semester.

To all new families and staff welcome to our community. Whether you are new or returning do not hesitate to come up and say hello wherever you see me. It is always great to be able to catch up with families during the course of my work. Speaking of work you will not see much of me over the next couple of weeks. I will be travelling to Stanford, Edinburgh and London from 10 August to 26 August. The first two are to be with the students. We are also hosting an Old Scotch Collegians reunion in both Edinburgh and London. These are great ways to reconnect with our network of ex-students who are so important to who we are at Scotch.

Have a great fortnight and I look forward to seeing you all on my return.

Dr A J O'Connell

Headmaster

Semester 2 - Consolidating and Showcasing Our Learning

Returning to school after the three-week break, it is great to hear the voices of the boys (and girls) fill the corridors again. Semester 2 will bring with it a raft of opportunities, as well as some challenges, for our more senior boys as they embark on their final examinations.

Whilst quiet, the College remained a busy place over the holidays with the establishment of a July revision programme, which was well attended by our senior boys. Nearly 300 individual subject registrations showed a great commitment to achieving a balance between relaxation and study over the extended holiday.

Multiple sessions were on offer from improving study skills or essay writing, revision sessions with teachers to prepare for examination, as well as Old Scotch Collegians returning to give tips to our students in Mathematics, English, Science and the Humanities.

Winter Term is relatively short with nine weeks until the October break. It is a crucial period of time for students across Years 1 to 12; a time to really develop and consolidate the knowledge gained in Semester 1 as well as prepare for the change into the year level above.

Two of the College's showcase events will occur during Winter Term with the Year 5 Exhibition on Wednesday 19 August and the Year 10 Personal Project Showcase on Friday 18 September. These two events culminate the 5 years of each the PYP and the MYP respectively and serve as excellent examples of the experiences that the boys have had whilst progressing through these phases of the International Baccalaureate Programmes.

I encourage all families, regardless of which year group your son is in, to attend these events in support of the boys and see the remarkable progress that each individual has made as they complete another aspect of their education.

Mr Peter Allen

Director of Teaching and Learning

Staff Movements

Tell Us

If you have been on 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 school.

NAIDOC Concert - Yira Yarkiny

Yira Yarkiny means 'standing tall' and the concert will showcase Indigenous Students performing in dance, music and song. This is a free event on Wednesday 5 August in the Dickinson Centre from 6.30pm to 8.30pm. I would be delighted if you could attend with your families as I am sure you will find it both entertaining and educational. To reserve your ticket go to the Scotch College website and click on 'Book a Scotch Event'.

Mrs Felicity Byres

Indigenous Programme Coordinator

Indonesian Evening Classes at Scotch

Scotch College, in partnership with the Balai Bahasa Indonesia Perth (BBIP), offers evening Indonesian Beginner Level 1 and 2, and Conversation classes. Winter Term 8 week courses commence on Tuesday 28 July until Tuesday 15 September 2015 from 6.00 - 8.00pm and are available to students, staff and parents, as well as members of the wider community.

Beginner Classes (Level 1 and 2) are designed for all ages to develop basic communication skills for the purpose of exchanging personal information and transactions. These classes are ideal for individuals travelling to Indonesia for work or holiday, who wish to understand more about the Indonesian language and culture.

Conversation Classes are designed for intermediate and advanced speakers who wish to develop their oral communication skills via simulated immersion of Indonesian. The aim of each lesson is to expand vocabulary of a topic and conclude with a task such as a role-play, group discussion, debate or interview. Conversation classes are recommended for speakers who are already proficient who wish to 'brush up' on their skills, as well as, Year 11 and 12 students who wish to further develop their listening and speaking in preparation for the WACE and IB examinations.

All lessons are delivered by native speaker instructors from the Balai Bahasa and are held in the Kennedy Block on the Senior Campus. The cost of an eight week course is $191 and includes BBIP membership. Conversation classes are free to all current Scotch College students and staff.

To enrol in any of the Balai Bahasa classes visit: http://www.balaibahasaperth.org, click 'Course', and follow the links to the online registration.

For more information about any of the courses please contact Moya McLauchlan on ibumoya@balaibahasaperth.org or Wilfred Liauw on 9383 6854 ext. or wliauw@scotch.wa.edu.au.

Mr Wilfred Liauw

Modern Languages Teacher

Community and Service

ARAFMI

Scotch has had a long partnership with ARAFMI - the organisation that provides support to family and carers of those experiencing mental illness. Houses in the Senior School take turns to run recreational activities during one day of the holidays - as a way of giving back to the young people who provide support to their relatives. In some cases, the young person has a great deal of responsibility as a carer and this greatly restricts opportunities for enjoying recreational pursuits.

In the week prior to the activity day an ARAFMI Education Officer addressed Anderson House at tutor period. From there 16 Anderson House boys from Years 9 - 12 volunteered a day during the last holiday to assist young mental health carers between the ages of 8 to 12 in an active, fun way. The associated purpose was to raise awareness of mental illness amongst the Scotch boys and to increase empathy for those whose lives are touched by it.

The activity day began with a lesson on making animals from balloons - this involved much laughter (and accidental popping of balloons). (ARAFMI organised an outside person to run this session for an hour.) The boys then organised a game of soccer before the lunch break - pizzas in the Residence. After lunch there were some more outdoor games including sack races and touch rugby on the Chapel oval. The day concluded with a game of dodgeball in the Memorial Hall before goodbyes were said.

It was a very rewarding day for the boys - some of whom had participated in a similar day in 2014. The children left tired, but happy!

The Matipwili Project

During the July break, a group of architects, teachers and other adult volunteers ventured to Tanzania to work on the Matipwili Trade Training Centre build. This is a joint project by Scotch / PLC and CEFPI (Council of Educational Facility Planners International). Students from both schools and the architects venturing to Tanzania have raised funds for the project and further financial assistance has come from the Federal Government through the Direct Aid Programme. Following collaboration with the village on first adult trip in 2013 the outcome was a professionally drawn plan for a vocational training centre to add to the other educational facilities funded by Scotch and PLC. The overall concept is one of a 'Learning Village' where children and adults alike can engage with learning. The student trip in 2015 assisted the village to start the building project as reported previously. The most recent visit to the site enabled some of the more technical aspects of the build to be completed - again in collaboration with the village. The water collection roof structure, pictured below, was built. It is hoped that the student group going in July 2016 will witness the Trade Training Centre officially opened by the Australian High Commissioner.

UnitingCare West Winter Appeal

UnitingCare West is once more asking for assistance from our community. Winter clothing is required for homeless and needy families this winter. A collection is already under way in Junior and Middle Schools. Boys in Senior School should bring in clothing and give it to the Community and Service Committee Representative in their House. Announcements will be made in House meetings this week and next. There is a special request from UnitedCare West for jeans. Men's jeans are a priority; however, ladies' and children's jeans will also be greatly appreciated. Please ensure jeans are clean and of a wearable quality.

Mr Bill Cordner

Director of Community and Service

Music Department

Welcome to Winter Term, a shortened term that began in Week 1 with the presentation of the Senior Recital and Upson Award held on Thursday 30 July in the Dickinson Centre. Everyone enjoyed this showcase presented by the Senior Year 11 and Year 12 music students. It was a lovely opportunity to wish Stuart McCowan all the best for his trip to America for his Jazz experience and to farewell those involved in the Pipe Band tour.

Upcoming Events:

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

In Week 2 on Sunday 9 August, the Big Bands and the Combined Symphony Orchestra will be participating in the WA School's Festival held in various locations. Tickets are available at each venue with all information found at the School of Instrumental Music Website: http://www.sim.iinet.net.au.

On Thursday 13 August, the String Department wish be presenting their annual String Showcase 'Con Brio' at 6.30pm in the Dickinson Centre. A great event with solos, orchestras, chamber groups and special guests. All very much welcome.

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 everyones 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 the 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 PLC and all are welcome to attend this once-every-one-hundred-years event.

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.

Mr David Coughlan

Head of Music

Scotch Community Health and Wellness

The Aspire Group, located in City Beach and Osborne Park (and now Scotch Gym) are a multi facet Health & Wellness Company specialising in everything from Yoga and Pilates to Beginner, Intermediate and Advanced Circuit and Interval training. Their team of 10 are University qualified health practitioners and have a 'no ego, do what you can do' approach to their training methods. Participants are safely challenged to the best of their abilities with a strong focus on improving flexibility and mobility, strength through range, core strength and muscular and cardiovascular endurance. They have a weekly Group Training timetable of over 20 sessions as well as Personal Training, Massage Therapy, Exercise Rehabilitation and Nutritional consultation for kids through to elite athletes and the general public regardless of ability or age.

Group Sessions are $15 casually and they are offering the extended Scotch Community the ongoing 'student rate' of $100 for any 10 sessions or alternatively $50 direct debit (per fortnight) for unlimited sessions. They will also be happy to run Personal Training or organise Small Group Sessions for parents/teachers at the Scotch Gym by request.

Contact Details are:

Mr Richard Foster

Head of Sport

Uniform Shop Opening Hours

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

Head of Junior School

I would like to welcome all of families back to the new semester. It is clear the boys have enjoyed the three week mid-year break and have returned to school well rested and ready for the challenges of the term ahead.

We began the new term with the commissioning of our Semester 2 school leaders. Captains from Year 5 as well as class representatives received their leadership pins in a lovely ceremony on Friday of last week.

Last term featured a number of significant accomplishments by our boys.

Shaun Tan Young Artists Awards

Ms Sabitay encouraged the Junior School boys to enter the Shaun Tan Young Artists Awards. Three of our young artist featured in the final results. Alexander Fine was one of three finalists in the Year 1 and 2 Category, James Mahaffy was one of four finalists in the Year 5 and 6 Category and Billy Mahaffy's was listed as an exhibited artists. Well done to all our artists who took part and to the boys who's work was recognised in the finals of this competition.

IPSHA Speakers Challenge

Our three Inter-House finalists, Thomas Simich, Mitchell Hyde and Julius Kain, represented the Junior School at the IPSHA Inter-School Speakers Challenge at Carmel School in the last week of Autumn Term. The boys once again did us proud, each earning a bronze medal for the their speeches.

Australia Maths Trust Challenge Competition

Congratulations to the following boys who earned a certificate for their participation in the Australia Maths Trust Challenge Competition. The challenge involved working through a series of challenging maths problems and scenarios that involved research and collaborative work on behalf of all boys in the enrichment maths programme.

Australia Maths Trust Competition

Last week all boys in Year 3 to 5 took part in the Australia Maths Trust Competition. The boys sat a one-hour paper and had to solve a series and simple and complex maths problems. I was very impressed with the manner in which all of the boys approached the tasks and accepted the challenge.

JPSSA Cross Country

At long last we have received the results from the JPSSA Inter-School Cross Country Championships held at Aquinas College. Our boys once again did us very proud finishing with a tied first place with the host school. Well done to the runners from Year 4, 5 and 6 and to Mr Whiston on their shared success.

Term 3 will feature many key events that I encourage our community to be involved with. Of note are the Year 5 PYP Exhibition, the Inter-House Athletics and this week's Student Led Conferences. I hope to see many parents at the final round of parent coffee mornings for the year, as well as our Parent Engagement Workshops. As always, I look forward to engaging with the Junior School community and I wish boys, staff and families a fine Winter Term.

Mr John Stewart

Head of Junior School

Important Dates to Remember

Primary Years Programme (PYP)

Primary Years Programme: A concept-driven curriculum

Central to the philosophy of the PYP is the principle that purposeful, structured inquiry is a powerful vehicle for learning that promotes meaning and understanding and challenges students to engage with significant ideas.

A concept-driven curriculum supports inquiry. In the Junior School we actively use the eight key concepts, as set by the PYP framework, to help guide and drive our units of inquiry. These concepts are expressed as open-ended questions and provide the initial momentum and the underlying structure for the exploration of the content of our units.

Form: What is it like?

Function: How does it work?

Causation: Why is it like it is?

Change: How is it changing?

Connection: How is it connected to other things?

Perspective: What are the points of view?

Responsibility: What is our responsibility?

Reflection: How do we know?

By identifying concepts that have relevance within each subject area, and across and beyond the subject areas, the PYP has defined an essential element for supporting its transdisciplinary model of teaching and learning.

In our next edition we will explore how we use these key concepts to help develop Lines of Inquiry and in the older years, develop with Burning Questions.

Mr Warwick Norman

Junior School Dean of Teaching & Learning

Art News

How our upcoming engineers developed their ideas in Art

Students in Year 1 have just completed a unit of inquiry based on How We Organise Ourselves, learning about how transportation can enhance functioning within communities. Boys closely observed and drew toys, as a way to investigate lines and various forms of vehicles, adopting different strategies and viewpoints. They used recycled materials to join shapes into single forms and painted them black. Then came the assemblage and decoration phases of the project. Boys added features like axles, bumper bars, wheels, aerials and roof racks. Windows were cut out and doors were constructed to open and close. Finally it was time to test race our vehicles and then make any modifications. Aidan had worked out that if he loaded the vehicle with weight, it would go faster and it DID! A special thank you to all the parents who managed to join in celebrating the big Race Day. In particular, thank you for being risk takers in sharing some of your own personal stories about how you overcame disappointments in your life when you were growing up. This really helped the boys overcome their frustrations when their car either crashed, broke or did not perform as well as they had hoped. This was an invaluable and impromptu part of the whole project.

Ms Karen Sabitay

PYP Visual Arts

Friendly Schools and Families

How can families help create a supportive school culture?

We can help children to feel safer and happier at school by demonstrating that families and schools work together as partners. The support of families is very important in creating a friendly and supportive school environment.

How can families help create our supportive school culture?

• Get to know our school's behavioural policies that address bullying/cyberbullying and discuss these with your children.
• Maintain regular contact with your children's teacher.
• Try to attend school functions, for example assemblies and/or volunteer at school to demonstrate your support for your children and the school.
• Read the school newsletter and discuss items of interest with your children.
• Model a positive attitude toward school and encourage your children to see the positive aspects of school life.
• If there is a problem with your children at school, try to work together with the school to overcome the problem. This shows a committed partnership between families and the school to work towards positive solutions.

Mr Warwick Norman

Friendly Schools and Families Coordinator

Physical Education News

The Scotch Inter-School Cross Country Team secured an excellent result on the last Thursday of Autumn Term when they tied for first place with Aquinas College at the annual Inter-School Cross Country Carnival. Over a difficult and hilly course, the Scotch boys acquitted themselves well against the other JPSSA schools. The students trained hard before the event and this paid off with some excellent running from all age groups. The start of Winter Term sees us focus on our Athletics Carnival. Boys will be timing for the running events on the day and training for the throwing and jumping events they will be participating in. Our Physical Education lessons will be tailored to make sure all boys achieve their personal best on the day.

Mr Scott Whiston

Head of Junior School Physical Education

Junior School Resource Centre

It was lovely to welcome your sons back after the holiday break - they are certainly looking refreshed and enthusiastic. Over the break, I was assisting a number of Year 5 boys with their exhibition research. They are certainly posing some interesting questions. If any other boys need assistance they can email their "burning question" to library@scotch.wa.edu.au.

Book Week is only three weeks away. We have a group of Year 4 and 5 boys reading and analysing the shortlisted books to compete in a quiz with neighbouring schools in the Readers Challenge on August 25. The annual Book Week Parade will be on Thursday 27 August. On this day we are asking the boys to come dressed as their favourite book character. I have been discussing this in library sessions and the emphasis is on creativity and using your imagination to create a costume from what you have at home, can borrow, by purchasing fabrics and accessories from places such as Spotlight and Red Dot. Judging by the boys' enthusiasm and ideas we are in for some interesting costumes.

Mrs Kathryn Salt

Junior School Teacher-Librarian

4R News

Before the holidays, the boys in 4R started tuning in to our new unit - Where We Are In Place and Time. We brainstormed what we thought the unit might be about, what concepts we might cover and what interested us about this topic. To provoke our thinking about the main concept of this unit, exploration, we headed up to the Middle School to explore the differences and similarities between it and our sub-school. The first week back from our holidays saw our inquiry move into the Finding Out stage. We completed a Nature Challenge where we had to locate twenty unique items and work collaboratively to create our own definition for the term 'exploration'. Our Middle School and Nature Challenge explorations gave us valuable insight into the different reasons for explorations. To understand these better, we created our own role-plays depicting why people explore and then categorised a series of famous explorer images into the main reasons: wealth, challenge, religion, adventure, trade, fame, science and land opportunities. We are looking forward to finding out about world explorers in the coming weeks and completing our own exploration at Bold Park later in the term!

Ms Liza Richardson

Year 2R Teacher

Week 11 - Excellence Awards

Dear Parents,

'A ship in a harbour is safe, but that is not what ships are built for.' You've seen this advertisement on television haven't you? It is from a banking advertisement encouraging an investor to be bold, to take a risk, challenge themselves to succeed and to have a go knowing that they have the support of a safe, supportive backstop. Swap out ship for student and harbour for school and it isn't too hard to apply this quote to the concept of student interschool, intercultural exchange.

This semester Middle School hosts three sets of Year 8 Round Square exchange students. We have seven of our own Year 8 boys going to and then hosting exchange students from Ivanhoe Grammar in Victoria, Westminster Grammar in South Australia and Scotch College Oakburn in Tasmania. Student Exchange is a wonderful amalgamation of attitude and attributes: it requires stepping outside of your comfort zone, taking some calculated risks, a willingness to broaden your horizons, accept a little more independence and self management, a preparedness to be open minded and embrace new experiences, new people and to have some fun. The College's affiliation with the Round Square organisation provides us a well-structured framework to offer student exchanges. In Middle School we have focussed on short 2 week interstate exchange opportunities. Once in Senior School boys have the opportunity to go on international exchange. This year Senior School has hosted and had our own boys return from 6 week exchanges to Germany, Denmark, Chile, USA, South Africa, Korea and India to name a few of the places.

We will offer the opportunity for exchange to Year 8 students in Summer Term next year and hope that it becomes a permanent part of the culture of Middle School.

Mr Richard Ledger

Head of the Middle Harbour

Parent Student Teacher Interviews

This week we host our student led Parent, Student, Teacher Interviews. The purpose of this is to look forward, to capitalise on where your son is now and what he has done to reach this point. At the heart of launching onwards and upwards into this semester, as contrary as it sounds, is the IBO attribute of Reflection or looking back. For the past week students have been analysing their Semester 1 report card, talking with their teachers and identifying criteria, behaviours or attributes that they can set as targets to work on and improve over the next 16 weeks.

Crucial to the effectiveness of goal setting is creating a plan that supports goal attainment. This is the thrust of PST Interviews this week, having your son articulate what it is he wants to achieve this semester and how he is going to do it. Goals may be as simple as improving criteria A in Science, or handing in every assignment on time or simply a commitment to asking a clarifying question at least once in each lesson.

My hopes for our Student Goal Setting process are: in each student we,

1. continue to groove the habit if being reflective and to plan for improvement.
2. continue to reinforce the notion that success, achievement, fulfilment, happiness, is most frequently achieved one small step at a time, not in one great, mad rush when the end is in sight.
3. continue to reaffirm that behind each student is a strong and positive parent, teacher commitment.

Year 6 & 7 Quiz Nights

Once again the Scotch Auxiliary are helping Middle School host combined Scotch & PLC Quiz Nights for our Year 6 & 7 students. Interested boys are asked to form groups of three and register at Middle School Reception. There is no cost, but as hosts, boys are expected to bring a plate of food that will be shared as supper on the evening.

• Year 6: Week 6 Wednesday 2 September 6-8pm
• Year 7: Week 6 Thursday 3 September 6-8pm

A separate combined event for Year 8 students is still looking for a suitable date.

French News

Bonjour!

This Autumn Term, Year 6 Phase 2 students have been busy learning about houses, furniture and differences between houses here and in France. The Year 6 boys have built their Dream Houses and presented them to the class. It was great seeing them being hands-on and speaking French in front of an audience!

The Year 7 Phase 2 students learnt about cities and how to get around in a French city, and they created their ideal cities in groups. Students also made a news report in English about a French city using iMovie and some of them were truly amazing and so creative. Phase 2 students also learnt their numbers up to 1000! Bravo!

All Year 6 and 7 phase 1 and 2 boys entered a Sticker Competition organised by the Teachers of French Association of WA. Fingers crossed!

The Year 8 Phase 2 students spent Autumn Term learning about school and the French school system. They created a video in groups to present Scotch College in French; the three videos were impressive and reflected everything they had learnt about the topic.

Overall, it was a very productive and busy Term and I look forward to Winter Term.

Mademoiselle Perrot,

Phase 2 Middle School Teacher

Important Dates in Winter Term

Student Achievements

2015 UNSW Digital Technologies Results

Year 6

Year 7

Year 8

A busy term ahead

The best time to start was the beginning of the academic year. The second best time to start is now.

The end of the academic year is fast approaching with only eight weeks to go before all boys in the Senior School move up into their new year levels. For many this period will involve frantic activity and busy schedules as boys work to meet deadlines. For some, these deadlines may become overwhelming. How many times have we heard (or said), "If I just had one more day, one more hour of sleep or one more …"? These comments are made at the end of the time period but the opportunity to have more time exists at the beginning.

As we start the new term, I encourage all boys to make it happen. Now. Start, whatever the task, before you leave school, before the end of the day or before the end of the week. Don't wait until the deadline is looming.

For Year 12 boys, this term is their last of timetabled classes at Scotch College. For many the coming months will mark the end of many years at Scotch and will be filled with mixed feelings. While the next eight weeks will be a period of intense effort and focus in the lead up to final Year 12 examinations, it is important for all Year 12s to savour this time and strike a balance between the achievement of longer-term goals and the enjoyment of every moment.

To highlight the busy term ahead, 21 members of our Pipe Band have just arrived in Edinburgh for the commencement of a month of rehearsals and performances in the Edinburgh Military Tattoo; 28 boys in Years 9 and 10 fly out next Monday to attend a two-week residential school at Stanford University; and wellbeing and NAIDOC activities will be held at lunch time throughout this week. One of the highlights of NAIDOC week will be the inaugural Yira Yarkiny Concert, 6.30pm, Wednesday 5 August in the Dickinson Centre. This concert was the initiative of Yarlalu Thomas (Year 12, Stuart House) and features speakers and performances that celebrate the history and culture of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples. Please see the concert flyer in this newsletter for details.

I look forward to seeing parents in the audience and on the sidelines as we watch the boys performing, playing and working in any number of activities and opportunities available this term.

Dr Rob McEwan

Head of Senior School

Senior School Important Dates

Year 11 - PC Anderson and WR Dickinson Scholarships 2015

Students currently in Year 11 are invited to apply for the PC Anderson Scholarship OR the WR Dickinson Scholarship.

The PC Anderson Scholarship was established by the Old Scotch Collegians to commemorate the contribution made by PC Anderson as Headmaster. It is awarded to a boy who is a son or grandson of an OSC.

All other current Year 11 students may apply for the WR Dickinson Scholarship.

The Scholarships are available to boys in Year 11 for their final two years of school and the fees for the successful recipients are adjusted accordingly.

The criteria for both scholarships is based on:

• Academic ability and performance
• Leadership qualities and aspirations
• Interest and success in PSA sports and:
• Involvement and success in a broad range of co-curricular pursuits.

Please see Ms Quinlivan, located in Campbell House, for an application. Applications close 14 August.

Applications are to be collected by the students.

Canberra Tour

Australian Government Assistance for National Capital Excursion

Students from Scotch College have recently undertaken an educational tour of the national capital. While on this tour, they participated in a variety of educational programmes focused on Australia's history, culture, heritage and democracy.

The Australian Government recognises the importance of all young Australians being able to visit their national Capital as part of the Civics and Citizenship education. To assist you in meeting the cost of the excursion, the Australian Government is contributing funding under the Parliament and Civics Education Rebate (PACER) programme toward the travel expenses incurred. This contribution will be paid directly to the School upon completion of the excursion. Once this has been received by the School, it will be refunded to you and shown as a credit on your fees statement.

We would like to thank the Australian Government for their support of this programme.

The Canberra Tour was a rewarding experience for all students, with 151 boys and 100 girls from PLC attending.

Student Wellbeing: Failing and Mindsets

In a school setting it is common for students to feel like they are competing against each other. This can make failure very hard as they may compare themselves to a friend or another student who has done better and feel as though they will never be able to succeed at the same level. It is therefore important that teachers and parents represent failure as a positive and necessary step to improving. When a student does not achieve a result they are hoping for, let him know that it's not because he can't do it, it's just that he can't do it yet. This will encourage him to adopt a growth mindset and see failure as an opportunity to do better next time and not a final determination of how good/bad he is at something.

Failure is one part of life we all experience at some point. It's how we deal with failure that determines how much we grow and learn though experiences. Learning from failure is fundamental to student achievement and motivation at school.

Psychologist Carol Dweck is a pioneer in the areas of motivation and why people succeed. Her research is on growth mindset - the idea we can grow our brains capacity to learn and to solve problems. Interestingly, she has found that praising a child's intelligence and ability doesn't necessarily foster self-esteem or lead to accomplishment, but may actually jeopardize success. It's not just our abilities and talents that bring us success, but whether we approach our goals with a fixed or growth mindset.

Ms Shauna Lipscombe

Senior School Psychologist

Career Information

University Information

Year 12 Parents and Students

The applications for further study at either TAFE or University have NOT been requested by the respective tertiary institutions at this stage. In August 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

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

Scholarships

Scholarships applications to most universities are now open and students need to start preparing their applications as soon as possible. Scholarships information can be accessed on individual university websites and also by contacting Mr Frusher at Scotch. There are many different scholarships available with different criteria attached to each. Applications for scholarships are made direct to the university concerned but some are made via a nomination by Scotch and students will be notified of these in the near future.

UWA Scholarships

UWA opened their applications for scholarships specifically directed at Year 12 students on June 1 via the on-line portal www.scholarships.uwa.edu.au. It is hoped that this will give students a larger window in which to complete applications for these scholarships rather than only during the already stressful months of August and September. The 2016 Scholarships Booklet will be distributed to students this week.

Applications for both Fogarty scholarships will close on 31 August 2015, whilst all other scholarships will close on 31 October 2015.

Students should apply for all the scholarships for which they consider they are eligible. If they're not sure, apply for all of them and UWA will sort out the eligibility at their end.

Another important issue isthat for the scholarships in the Year 12 round, students MUST apply whilst in Year 12. If they are successful and receive a scholarship, they can defer it while they take a gap year, but these scholarships cannot be applied for at the end of a gap year.

UWA Winthrop Scholarships will be automatically awarded to high academic achieving school leavers plus students accepting a place in the Bachelor of Philosophy. These are valued at $5,000 per annum for up to eight semesters. No application is necessary.

For students not in Year 12 this year, we recommend that for Years 11 and 12 they keep a portfolio of activities and achievements and keep copies of important documents such as certificates, letters of commendation, advices of inclusion in teams/development squads, performances in artistic endeavours, any achievements at all in the categories of Academic, Arts, Leadership, Community Involvement or Sport. By keeping a portfolio, this will reduce the time required at the time of completing an application. Evidence of achievements is required for the UWA Fogarty Foundation Scholarships and the Vice-Chancellor and UWA Alumni Awards of Distinction.

Other scholarships are mainly for students experiencing financial hardship. There are many scholarships for students in this position, particularly once they commence their studies at UWA, so if they are unsuccessful in the Year 12 round, they will have many more opportunities to apply for scholarship assistance. Support of equity and access programs is a priority of this University to ensure that students have the opportunity to study at UWA regardless of their background.

University Open Days

Edith Cowan University (Mount Lawley campus including WAAPA) Sunday 9 August

University of Western Australia Sunday 9 August

Notre Dame University Sunday 16 August

Most Open Days commence at 10.00am and close at 4.00pm. Please check individual university websites for further details.

UWA University Hall Prospective Residential Students

Start the day fresh with an exclusive buffet-style breakfast at University Hall.

Experience first-hand the vibrant community present at the Hall and take a tour with our ambassadors to hear their personal stories and to see the rooms for yourself.

For further information please contact 9273 3488 or marketing@unihall.uwa.edu.au.

(University of Melbourne, Parkville and Southbank campuses www.openday.unimelb.edu.au)

Australian students and their parents visiting from interstate or overseas as well as students visiting from New Zealand are invited to a special information session on Open Day. Lunch will be provided following the information session.

Go along and learn more about:

• Undergraduate degrees and graduate pathways at Melbourne
• Entry requirements and how to apply
• Scholarships
• Residential colleges and housing options
• Stories from current students who have moved to Melbourne to study
  • Student support services.

This is a free session, but registration is required. For more information, go to:

www.futurestudents.unimelb.edu.au/open-day-interstate-lunch

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)

The VTAC Guide 2016 is now available for download on the VTAC website. The VTAC Guide will be on sale in newsagencies from Friday, 31July.

Applications for 2016 courses open at 9am on Monday, 3 August.

Defence Forces

Australian Defence Force Academy

Year 11 students who may be interested in entering the Defence Force Academy at the completion of Year 12 are encouraged to apply for an ADFA Education Award. This award is presented annually to Year 12 students in recognition of leadership potential, and academic and sporting achievements exhibited in Year 11. The award comprises a laptop computer and certificate for the student and a recognition plaque for the School. There are 120 awards offered and there is no obligation for the student to attend ADFA.

The application process comprises the ADFA entry aptitude test, medical testing and a series of interviews including an Officer Selection Board. These are conducted in Canberra during April/May 2015 with all fares and accommodation provided.

For further details contact the local Defence Force Recruiting Centre on 131901 or visit www.defencejobs.gov.au/adfa or contact Mr Frusher at Scotch College.

Defence Forces 2016 Gap Year Programme

Applications have reopened for selected Gap Year jobs in the Army and Air Force.

Go to www.defencejobs.gov.au/gapyear to apply.

The Royal Military College

The Royal Military College (RMC) in Duntroon, ACT, is one of the world's truly outstanding military training institutions. Every course at RMC focuses on bringing out the best qualities and equips students with the confidence and skills to make decisions, think quickly on their feet and motivate others in any situation. At RMC, students learn all the skills and knowledge needed to turn from a regular civilian into a world-class officer in today's Army. Training will focus on bringing out their best, and the leadership courses offered are second to none. Training in everything from infantry tactics and strategy, to military technology and communication, will ensure graduates are ready to lead.

To find out more or start the application, please call 131901 or visit www.defencejobs.gov.au or see Mr Frusher for more information.

Engineering Student Night

High school students interested in a career in engineering, as well as parents are invited to this specially engineered event to provide information about engineering in a fun and interactive way. The night will consist of two simultaneous activities. One group will be directed to the main Scitech floor to participate in the many interesting activities and visit the activities in Rio Tinto Innovation Central. There will also be the opportunity to talk to representatives from WA universities, Challenger TAFE, Central Institute of Technology and Department of Defence. A second group will be invited to take a seat in the Planetarium and hear Scitech's star presenter Leon Smith's presentation 'Spaced-out Engineering,' including a live tour of the WA night sky, solar system and recordable known universe. Some of our young engineers joining us on the night will share their career stories including Dr Bay Yeo from Australia's Bridge, Stuart Peterson from Woodside (creator of WA's Pedal Prix, an engaging practical event for students and the community), Rashmin Gunarathe from the Department of Defence, Sebastian Bunney from Chevron and Georgina North from Wood Kenny Group. These two groups will switch places half way through the evening's activities. Pizza and soft drinks will be provided.

Academic Task Force

Weekend classes and after school classes ENROL AT ANY POINT DURING THE TERM

Venues: Churchlands SHS, Rossmoyne SHS, Perth Modern School.

See attachment for further details.

Aviation Careers

Polytechnic West's fifth annual AeroSpace Training Centre Career Expo will take place on Tuesday 11 August from 4.00pm to 8.00pm.

The night is an opportunity for prospective students, parents, schools and the general public to explore aviation career opportunities in the Aviation, Transport and Logistics industries, and view the facilities in the Polytechnic West hangar at Jandakot Airport, 14 Compass Road Jandakot Airport.

For further information call 9414 1590

Mr Peter Frusher

Careers Adviser

Boys' Achievements

University of NSW Global Science Competition

In the recent yearly Competition 56 students from Scotch participated.

3 High Distinction, 16 Distinction, 27 Credit, 3 Merit and 7 Participation Certificates were awarded.

Distinction

High Distinction

Congratulations to all participants.

Dylan Flecker (Year 12, St Andrews) Won the State Solo Championships in both the C and D Grades in the State Solo Bagpipe Championships. Dylan also placed second in the Piobaireachd.

Trenton Matthews (Year 11, Alexander) was a finalist for the Stirling Council Senior Sports Star of the Year Award for his achievements in hockey.

Scotch Auxiliary

Welcome back to Winter Term.

Thank you to all who supported our Movie Morning last term. It was a lovely morning catching up with friends, meeting new parents and then sitting down to watch an enjoyable movie together.

Upcoming events:

City Country Lunch - Wednesday 5 August

Tickets have now closed for this event.

Year 12 Mothers Sleepover at Moray - Saturday 15 August

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.

Save the Date:

Junior School

Fathers Day Breakfast in a Bun - Thursday 3 September

Next Meeting:

All parents are welcome at our next meeting:

9.00am Monday 10 August, Gooch Pavilion

Please come along from 8.30am for a cup of tea or coffee. We look forward to welcoming you.

Mrs Carissa Paganin

President

Hockey Support Group

The End of Season Dinner will be held on Wednesday, 12 August. This event is for boys in Year 8 to Year 12 and for parents of Year 12 boys and the First team.

Tickets are available by visiting the school website www.scotch.wa.edu.au and clicking on the "Book a Scotch Event" icon.

The Presidents All Codes Winter Cup

Old Scotch Collegians vs Christ Church Old Boys'

Sunday 9 August 2015

:: FOOTBALL :: HOCKEY :: RUGBY :: SOCCER ::

Age old rivalries have always been settled on the field and in a modern day setting things are no different. Scotch and Christ Church over more than 100 years have always contested strongly on the sporting field.

Please join your fellow OSCs as we battle it out against CCGS OBA across four winter sporting disciplines. Spectacular OSC Jerseys have been commissioned, and players are queuing up for them.

The day kicks off at 12:30pm at Scotch's Memorial Grounds, Wright Ave, Swanbourne, where the assembled Football, Rugby, Soccer and Hockey teams as they face off to see who will win the inaugural Presidents Cup!

With food trucks, coffee vans, supporter's tent and entertainment on hand, a great spectacle will unfold as age old rivals settle their differences on the field.

Please join us as spectators for this event and the "Afters" at The Claremont Yacht Club as we celebrate and toast the successful victors.

Michael Silbert OSC '79

President Old Scotch Collegians

Unlock Your Learning Potential

Mindscholar is a programme run by psychologists designed to optimise student performance through teaching effective learning, memory and study techniques in addition to psychological self-management strategies. Mindscholar helps students;

• adopt a 'growth mindset' to improve well-being and performance.
• change negative attitudes/build mental resilience,
• manage exam/performance anxiety, and
• become active and reflective learners.

Mindscholar seek to improve both student well-being as well as academic performance, see flyer for details.

Wembley Bright Blue Disco

Police Commissioner's Fund for Sick Kids is holding their next Bright Blue Disco on Friday 7 August. For more details see here or click Events on the website www.brightblue.org.au.

Julie Meek - Dietician

This an interactive session that will answer your burning questions about food, nutrition and performance for your children, your family and yourself. The tips and strategies that this presentation explores could change your family's health and well-being instantly. To download the flyer click here.