Over the last two weeks we have yet again experienced how our traditions and values form the core of whom we are; and how a community for life is what we are really developing at Scotch College for each and every boy.

In 1997 a review of the College history was written by Nigel Creese in the journal Independence. It is interesting to note that in this review, he draws attention to the fact that a question was posed in the history as to whether what has done well for the College for the first century, will also do well for the second. As we celebrate our 120^th year of existence in 2017, let me suggest the answer is categorically 'Yes' and anyone at the opening and rededication of the Memorial Hall on 20 October 2017 will no doubt agree.

The ceremony for Memorial Hall was a generational event for our College and the whole community. The service included our current group of Senior School students who were fortunate enough to witness another piece of our history unfold via the modern medium of online video streaming. This event highlights how the marrying of tradition with the new will always be possible. I would like to thank everyone who attended, the staff who made the day possible and the students' mere presence as they are our reason for what we do each and every day.

Another great example of generational connectivity occurred on the same day as the Memorial Hall service, when our Junior School held their annual grandparents' day. There were two separate sessions to cater for the amazing turn out of grandparents. The day involved the boys showing their grandparents their classrooms, followed by a picnic and then a celebration assembly. Congratulations to Mr Stewart and all of the Junior School staff for making our grandparents, many of whom are old boys, feel so special, loved and indispensable.

Finally, on Thursday 26 October, the Scotch Parents hosted an amazing presentation by Mr Mike Utsler, Chief Operations Officer of Woodside. Over 290 families were challenged and inspired by the story of the cleanup operation of the Deep-Water Horizon Platform off Louisiana USA. The most poignant part of his presentation came at the start when Mike highlighted the core values of Scotch and those of Woodside. He did so by challenging all of us to keep our values at the centre of who we are and that in life we should treat each other with respect and act with humility.

Let me conclude by sharing what our guest speaker referred to as Mike's 5 Cs for life.

1. Courage: standing by your values is not always easy.
2. Committed: commit to what you believe, what you promise and how you live your life.
3. Compassionate: we all matter as human beings. Ask yourself 'What can you do to make things better or to enhance the life of others?
4. Community: you have to connect with others throughout your life. Being part of and committed to a community is critical.
5. Credible: be genuine, authentic and trustworthy

With those thoughts, all that is left to say is to have a great fortnight and I look forward to bumping into many of you around the College or the wider community and remember to keep the Year 12s and their families in your thoughts and prayers as the Year 12s continue to prepare for their final examinations.

Dr Alec O'Connell
Headmaster

A foray into thinking skills

Commencing my teaching this week came with an unusual set of nerves. As the academic year changed in the Senior School, a new timetable was issued and upon it was the subject I had agreed to teach for the first time; thinking skills.

At Scotch, boys in Year 9 and 10 have one lesson of thinking skills each fortnight. The nerves did not resound around teaching, more the nature of teaching about thinking.

It is interesting that as a teacher, who is trained to make students think, should be nervous about teaching students to do just this. Yet, with the removal of content, the vehicle in which I had become accustomed to teach with was gone. What replaced my typical Australian Curriculum of History, clearly laid out for me with details of what to teach, was a subject void of any real content.

So, what do we do in order to teach students to think, without any direction from curriculum in the form of content?

The answer is actually extremely liberating; we choose.

Between Mr Sam Sterrett, Mr Brendan Zani and I, we consider some the International Baccalaureate approaches to learning that students need to develop in order to improve their thinking skills. For example, the Year 10 course will be built on the basis of four units:

1. Creative Thinking
2. Arguments and Fallacies
3. Reasons on Trial
4. How ought we live

By examining patterns of thinking around creative thinking, divergent thinking, ethics and other ways people engage with knowledge, our aim is to equip the students with a series of thinking strategies that can be applied across their subjects as well as beyond their school life.

Take for example our current Year 10 unit which is explicitly teaching students about creative thinking. By working with students to understand the conditions that need to be present in order to allow for creativity, we are developing strategies for boys that struggle to start an essay in English or come up with a design idea in Design and Technology. A tangible example exists in this week's challenge question:

Is your plan for your personal project creative and unique or is it a good replica of something that you have seen before?

In a society where grades matter and scores drive motivation the challenge is to give relevance to this subject, by connecting the thinking skills we teach explicitly to other subjects and projects the boys are completing they will be able to see the application of what they are learning.

Mr Peter Allen
Director of Teaching and Learning

Humour and laughter

Humour did not begin its life meaning what we understand it to mean. The ancient Greeks believed that the body was made up of four 'humours' (black bile, yellow bile, phlegm and blood). Keeping these in balance was essential to remaining 'good humoured' and the relative amounts of each inside a person explained that individual's temperament. This understanding was present during Shakespeare's times and many of his plays contain references to the humours which shape his characters. In Henry IV, Parts 1 and 2, there are four main characters, each dominated by one of the humours and each having roughly the same number of lines. The modern meaning of humour as something amusing emerged around the late 1600s.

A documentary released last year, 'Perlstein's Last Laugh' examined a strange topic, exploring the link between the Holocaust and humour. Whilst humour can sometimes cross the line as to what is socially acceptable, the film makes the point that there is humour in even the darkest of places. People who survived the death camps spoke of the importance of humour and laughter in that world. They describe laughter (the physical reaction to humour) as a type of sustenance, almost the food of hope. It was a form of respite from the day-to-day horror. It was even a form of revenge, to be able to laugh in the face of such evil. On our recent visit to Auschwitz on the History Tour, as we walked through a display of photos of inmates, I was struck by one who was smiling back at the camera. To me, this was the ultimate act of rebellion.

Humour has the power to illuminate or console; it can be used as satire to mock the powerful, and as an exploder of vanity or stereotypes. True, it can sometimes be a reinforcement of stereotypes, but it is also a weapon for the weak and a way to combat arrogance and ego. Laughter in particular can act as a release and a reality check. And it creates a powerful bond between people.

Laughing at ourselves is also an important skill. It is a sign of self-awareness and an avenue for personal growth. We should encourage young people to laugh when they do something funny, or mildly embarrassing. A failure to laugh at ourselves suggests an unwillingness to acknowledge mistakes and to grow from that.

It turns out that laughter may actually be the best medicine. There is a growing body of science that shows laughter has positive effects on the human body. Laughing relieves tension and stress, it boosts our immune system, it triggers the release of endorphins, protects the heart and can even temporarily relieve pain. Perhaps even more importantly, at the same time it does all of this, laughter draws people together.

Most importantly, I believe that humour, and laughter in particular, is a powerful tool in our social-emotional toolkit for helping us to keep things in perspective; handy for those times when we take ourselves a little seriously, or a situation is in danger of swamping us and leaving us without hope. To me, laughter is the voice we give to hope. It can brighten up the darkest of circumstances. It is also the expression of joy. In this way, it can help to provide just a little balance. Even the greatest Shakespearian tragedies contained a comedic figure, to break the tension and ease the audience's burden as they watched the suffering of the protagonist. We all need this now and again.

The shortest distance between two people is a smile. And what starts as a smile can grow into a laugh, a shared experience and a connection, which in turn becomes a bond.

Mr James Hindle
Director of Student and Staff Wellbeing

The sounds of summer - a revamped Australian Cricket Champs

Claremont-Nedlands Junior Cricket Club have been running a programme at Creswell Park for the last five years catering for children with special needs and abilities. This has been part of a state-wide initiative called Aussie Cricket Champs. Despite the programme ceasing to exist, Claremont-Nedlands has continued a similar programme, redesigned as an All Abilities Group, meaning they have extended participation to adults as well as children.

The emphasis of the programme is about having fun, practicing skills such as catching, throwing at stumps, batting off tees, and finishing with a net session.

As in past years, some of the College's senior cricketers will be helping out with the group on Friday evenings and we wish them well.

The programme runs at Creswell Park on Friday evenings between 5.30 and 7.00 pm between Friday 3 November - Friday 8 December, and Friday 2 February - 23 February.

Round Square International Service Trips

Round Square International Service Trips are particularly worthwhile opportunities for students to take part in international experiences with students from diverse backgrounds. The College has had three staff members lead these trips and they are particularly well organised, with a strong focus on ensuring students undertake worthwhile service opportunities and experience the culture of the country they are working in. Furthermore, students develop lifelong friendships with students from throughout the Round Square network of schools.

See below for 2018 opportunities.

For more information, please email Mr Kyle at David.Kyle@scotch.wa.edu.au.

Mongolia

The Bright Blue organisation, founded and run by former Police Commissioner, Karl O'Callaghan, is taking a group of Perth Modern students to Mongolia in 2018. The group works in the hospital funded by Bright Blue and gets an insight into Mongolia, its history and its people.

The trip is in the October holidays 2018 and costs about $7000 (all inclusive). Generally, it is Year 9's and 10's who choose to go, but some Year 11's have also gone in the past.

This year Beyond Blue is holding a movie night on 14 November, 6.00pm at Perth Modern. Any interested students and parents are welcome to attend.

For more information, please email Mr Kyle at David.Kyle@scotch.wa.edu.au.

Boardies Day

Finally, the whole College will be taking part in Boardies Day on 5 December. I will have more information soon but the focus is on raising awareness of water safety as the summer begins and raising funds for the Surf Lifesaving Western Australia. #boardiesdaywa #showusyourboardies.

Mr David Kyle
Director of Community and Service

Little Pipers co-ed three year old Kindy Programme

Due to the positive response to our Little Pipers three year old Pre-Kindy Programme on Wednesdays in 2018, we are seeking interest for additional days.

The programme plans to run Monday - Friday from 8.30am - 3.00pm with an early drop off option available from 7.40am in the library, as well as late pick up at 4.00pm.

It is a play based programme that includes phonics work, fine and gross motor skill development, indoor and outdoor learning. Fee is $90 per day during the school term, no registration or confirmation fee.

Please contact our Registrar Di Moran Dianne.Moran@scotch.wa.edu.au or phone 9383 6809 to register your interest.

Uniform Shop

Holiday Opening Times

The Uniform Shop opening hours for the general school community during the holidays are as follows:

Summer Holiday Opening Hours (9.00am - 12.00pm and 1.00pm - 4.00pm)

• Tuesday 23 January
• Wednesday 24 January
• Thursday 25 January
• Saturday 27 January
• Monday 29 January

Normal trading hours resume on Tuesday, 30 January 2017:

• Tuesdays 8.00am - 5.00pm
• Thursdays 7.30am - 11.30am
• Fridays 7.30am - 11.30am

Online Uniform Shop

Uniform can also be purchased in the online Uniform Shop. Payment is by credit card or PAYPAL.

Please go to www.flexischools.com.au and click on Register, then follow the instructions in the email that you will receive. Once you have registered at Flexischools, you will need to add your son ("Add a student") as a student at Scotch ("Scotch College WA"). Enter him as a student in the year group he will be going into in 2018 (any class is fine).

If you need help with this process, please contact the uniform shop.

Secondhand Exchange

The Uniform Shop accepts all current items of uniform for resale. All items should be clean. Blazers must be dry cleaned and in good condition. The old-style blazer will be donated to charity. A frayed cuff, worn elbows, very old crests, rips and tears on blazers make them unacceptable for resale. Items will be purchased from you outright as long as they are in good condition and the shop is not overstocked. Bathers, hats, socks and restricted sportswear are not accepted for resale, but will be donated to charity if handed in.

Year 12 Blazers

Year 12 blazers are available for sale. Because of the unknown nature of the overall size of Year 12 boys and to avoid disappointment, it is recommended that you come in for sizing as soon as possible.

Performing Arts

Events

Congratulations and thanks to the many boys who performed at functions held at the College over the past two weeks. The Senior String Quartet, Studio Orchestra and Senior Vocal Ensemble were involved in the official opening of the Memorial Hall, Julien Montandon (Year 7, Robert) performed as a soloist at the Middle School Assembly while Ethan Lamb (Year 10, Ross) and our Junior Guitar Ensemble entertained audiences at Grandparents Day functions in the Junior School.

Thanks also to William Mahaffy (Year 5, Andrew), Marcus Whittome (Year 2, David), Kristian Bellekom (Year 4 Andrew), Jack Mayo (Year 3, Bruce) and Vincent Zhu (Year 4, Andrew) who all gave a great performance of their String Instruments for the Year 2 boys last week under the guidance of Ms Mikaljo. I hope their demonstration will help the Year 2s when they come to choose their preferred string instrument to play next year.

Please take note of the dates on the term planner below as we have some exciting end of year concerts in the coming weeks.

Contact Details

The Instrumental Programme is administered by the Senior School Music Department and all queries should be directed to the Music Administrators, Julia Robinson (Monday to Wednesday) and Donna Ranauro (Thursday and Friday) via phone 9383 6841 or email music@scotch.wa.edu.au.

Alternately, please contact Mr Chris McMillan, Head of Performing Arts, via email Chris.McMillan@scotch.wa.edu.au or phone 9383 6842.

If you wish to become more involved in supporting the Music Department, please contact FOSM@scotch.wa.edu.au

Mr Chris McMillan
Head of Performing Arts

Residential Life

October Orientation

Last weekend we welcomed our new students and families for 2018 with the October Orientation. The boys started the weekend with some Academic Testing before accompanying the rest of our community in a normal weekend of activities. While the boys were engaged, our new parents were given some 'transitioning' advice from Debbie Bushell.

Later that night we shared dinner together and participated in a quiz show hosted by our Senior Residential Student Leaders. The quiz consisted of some great rounds of questions with the favourite being the music round. We could see across the tables that there were some budding dancers just itching to jump up and show us their moves.

It was another successful weekend and one that we hope goes a long way to reducing the anxiety and concerns that our boys and families often feel when preparing for boarding life.

Read more Residential Life news here.

Mr Marcus Wilkinson
Director of Residential Life

A Culmination of a Journey

"Without applying the understandings and consolidating the new knowledge through practical experiences, students remain disconnected from the learning."

I often find myself thinking back to when I was young(er). I think about how different things are today from then. Technology has changed much of our life and has impacted on childhood. My recollections of my primary school days bring to mind images of sitting in rows facing the green board, rote learning, the dreaded spelling test and recess snowball fights. We did get to prepare projects with the topics we could write about selected from a list set by my teacher.

The educational opportunities that have been presented to our boys are vastly different from when I was young. Over the course of their journey through the Primary Year Programme (PYP) the boys develop their thinking, social, communication, self-management and research skills.

The boys' skills as inquirers have also changed. Initially they were guided through their units of inquiry. They learned to collaborate, research, ask questions and communicate. As the boys get near to the end of their PYP journey they are involved in units of inquiry that provide them with increased opportunities to direct the units into areas of their own interest.

The boys in Year 5 have been engaged in a self-direct inquiry that has allowed them to demonstrate their transdisciplinary skills. The PYP Exhibition is the culminating experience of a boy's journey. It allows them to take ownership for their inquiry, to research, write, communicate and present their learning and their work.

The central idea for this year's Exhibition is: Beliefs, values, culture, health and the environment have an impact on who we are as individuals. Each boy has created their own burning question, have researched their topic and have worked tirelessly to prepare for this week's Exhibition.

On Wednesday, the boys will proudly present their Exhibition to their parents and the school community in the College Gallery. They will speak passionately and confidently about their topics and impress with their knowledge.

Our boys have consolidated their understanding, demonstrated their knowledge and connected to their learning. I encourage parents of the Junior school to visit the Gallery on Thursday to see the wonderful work of our boys.

Mr John Stewart
Head of Junior School

The 2017 PYP Exhibition

The PYP Exhibition represents a significant event in the life of a PYP school and student. This year, the Year 5 boys were immersed in a 9 week collaboratively constructed unit of inquiry. The exhibition is the culmination of the five year journey undertaken by many of 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 will share them with the whole school community in an exhibition presentation.

This year has also meant for some of our students, their first foray into the workings of a PYP community. They have had to learn how to question, research, problem-solve and develop an understanding of how to see the world through a variety of conceptual lenses.

We also welcomed two new Year 5 teachers (Mrs Fiona Alexander and Ms Irene Louden) to Scotch College, and I would like to take this opportunity to say to all of our new members, as well as established staff and students, congratulations for all of your hard work. Welcome to a way of learning that will keep you in good stead for the rest of your life-long learning journey.

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 synthesize 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.

In 2017, the boys' inquiries will be guided by the transdisciplinary theme of; 'Who we are' with the central idea; 'Beliefs, values, culture, health and the environment have an impact on who we are as individuals.'

The Exhibition will take place on Wednesday 1 November. This is an exciting time for all and we look forward to seeing you there.

Mr Warwick Norman
Junior School Dean of Teaching and Learning

French News

Bonjour everyone. Year 5 is very excited to tell you about their Soldier Letter Project. All three classes have spent the last unit of inquiry brainstorming how to reach out to French soldiers currently serving around the world. We discussed how these French men and women are braving conflict areas to bring peace and an end to conflict far from home. We discussed what life must be like on active service and how we could bring a bit of friendship and comfort to them with our letters. The boys worked with sentence starters based on expressing "I am, I have and I like" in order to describe themselves in French and share a bit about their lives with the soldiers.

They also learnt a new way in which to ask a question in French, so that they could ask the soldiers about their lives as well. The boys worked individually on their letters and then brought them to Madame Vinton and her prac student Marie Badoche for editing, advice and suggestions. The final version of the letters will form the French display as part of the Year 5 Exhibition in Week 4. Once the Exhibition is completed, our French captains, Nick Everett and Ronan Leishman will package up our letters - along with a picture from every boy - to send off to service men and women working for the French Government in French territory around the world.

We hope that our letters will bring a smile and a touch of Scotch College friendship to our French counterparts doing their best to make the world a better place.

Madame Vinton
French Specialist

Year 3S News

3S had a very lovely start to Spring Term, with our first Outdoor Education experience. We were lucky enough to visit the John Forrest National Park, where we learned about Aboriginal Dreamtime Stories and the meaning behind them. We studied different colours and Aboriginal symbols before sitting down next to a beautiful babbling brook to hear a version of the Rainbow Serpent. Using this, and the wonderful surrounds as inspiration, we created dot paintings to tell our own Dreamtime stories. After this, we went on a bushwalk to explore the park even further. We learned about native trees as well as wilderness survival skills. Overall, it was a great day out and we would like to take this opportunity to thank the Scotch College Outdoor Education team for the experience.

In other news, our art unit is sadly coming to an end. We participated in so many exciting activities over the past six weeks, including visiting the Sneakerheads exhibition at the Western Australian Art Gallery and walking the streets of Northbridge to learn about street art. Furthermore, in class, we completed a number of fun and engaging art projects. Some of them included creating pictures using mathematical lines, drawing symmetrical pictures of our faces and publishing several pieces of poetry. It was a rich, deep and engaging unit that we thoroughly enjoyed, however, we look forward to our next adventure where we will be learning about cultures within Australia.

Miss Larree Spingall
Year 3S Teacher

From the Head of Middle School

Congratulations to our Year 6 boys, their teachers and Outdoor Education staff following 2 weeks of Lancelin camps that had all the weather elements except snow. Strong winds blew tents away, whipped up sand and wild surf, rain complicated things, but the response from all boys was brilliant; they accepted the conditions as they found them and made the most of it. Judging by the activity and the smiles in the photos on display in the Middle School the boys had a great time despite the testing conditions.

MYP Community Project: Year 8 2018

Last year the College made the decision to contain the MYP, the IBO's Middle Years Programme, to a three-year programme for Years 6-8. Essentially the MYP at Scotch College now starts and finishes in the Middle School. One of the features of the MYP delivered in schools around the world is the culminating project, an individual, inquiry driven project, in the final year of the MYP. For the last 8 years at Scotch this has been the MYP's Personal Project completed in Year 10.

The IBO has also developed a Community Project, an inquiry focused collaborative project that centers on service as a result or consequence rather than an item or product as is common in the Personal Project. The underpinning ideals of the Community Project are to:

• Develop collaboration as a skill for life
• Develop service as an attitude for life

From 2018 our Year 8 students will work toward completing a Community Project as their culminating project of the MYP at Scotch College.

In brief terms the Community Project will involve students working in self-selected groups of three, each group with a supervising Middle School teacher. The Community Project will be a timetabled subject in Year 8 with a concept and skill building focus in Summer Term, the project unfolds with its service delivery in Autumn Term culminating with a Showcase presentation in Winter Term. Ideally the Community Project aims to support students working collaboratively on a project of their interest that delivers 15 hours of service. The concept of the Community Project will be introduced to Year 7 students and families this term on Thursday 23 November. More details about this event will be sent to Year 7 families soon.

Spring Term Middle School Assemblies

Due to Year 12 WACE and IB examinations happening in the Dickinson Centre over the next 4 weeks, our next two Assemblies will just be for students and staff, in Week 4 and Week 6, held in MacKellar Hall. In Week 8 we return to the Dickinson Centre for our final Assembly, our IB Learner Profile and Learner Attitudes Awards. In this Assembly we recognise students in each year group and within each curriculum area for their positive attitude to learning, their willing engagement with their peers and perseverance or sustained effort. These are the attributes we wish to highlight as being at the core of successful lifelong learning.

Mr Richard Ledger
Head of Middle School

Surfs Up In Lancelin

The 6.2C class have just arrived back from three wonderful days spent with the Outdoor Education team in Lancelin. During their stay students built on their understanding of beach safety and surf awareness whilst developing their confidence in a marine environment.

Some of the highlights included taking part in surfing lessons each day at Back Beach, working as a cohesive team in 'The Amazing Race", catching a variety of fish off the Lancelin Jetty and camping out each night in tents. All boys thoroughly enjoyed the opportunity to develop their practical skills and be challenged in a dynamic learning environment.

Throughout their stay the boys also gained a real insight into the history surrounding Lancelin and the characteristics of the area and the surrounding ecosystems. The boys even spotted a dolphin or two. It was a fun filled, action packed few days, which would not have been possible without the expertise and guidance of Mr Steele, Miss Bacon and Mr Templar.

The 6.2C boys are now eagerly looking forward to more Outdoor Education experiences in Year 7 and beyond!

Mr Michael Campbell
Year 6.2C Homeroom Teacher

Walking for Water

Can you imagine spending up to half of your day collecting water? Can you imagine carrying 20 kilos of water on your back? In these conditions, the water is not clean and it is not guaranteed to be there. People who do this chore miss out on going to school. People who suffer these conditions, often get sick. With 844 million people affected, this is a global problem that needs lots of help.

In the Winter term, iLearn and Maths were integrated when Year 7's participated in a walkathon to raise money for Water Aid. Water Aid is an organisation dedicated to transforming lives by improving access to safe water, sanitation and hygiene. By helping to establish safe water supplies and toilets, Water Aid helps people to escape the poverty trap and have happier and healthier lives.

Over 50 boys collected sponsorship money and donated it to the Water Aid cause. Together we raised a whopping $2280.85! Special thanks goes to the boys who donated over $75.00: Tane Hasler, Julien Montandon, Oliver Cropp-Chabanne, Xavier Houston and Toby Evans.

Ms Gabriel Hodgson
Year 7 Teacher

Alliance Francaise Poem Competition

During Summer Term, all Year 6 and 7 French Phase 2 students studied a poem for the Alliance Française Poem Recitation Competition. Then, 13 Middle School boys were selected for the final round which took place on Saturday 17 June. All the finalists represented the College very well, reciting a French poem that they had learned by heart and adding some gestures to their performance. All the boys really enjoyed taking part in the final and stepping out of their comfort zone.

On Friday 3 November, three Middle School boys will receive their awards at the Alliance Française in Nedlands. I am sure the boys and their families will enjoy the prize ceremony.

Congratulations to George Houvardas (6.4E) who won 2^nd place in the Year 5-6 competition, reciting the poem: "Reconnais-toi", by Guillaume Appolinaire.

Congratulations to Arnaud McVicker (6.2C) who won 1^st place in the Year 6 Background competition, reciting the poem: "Dans Paris", by Paul Éluard.

Congratulations to Julien Montandon (7.1W) who won 1^st place in the Year 7 Background competition, reciting the poem: "Respire", by Mickey 3D.

It was a great achievement for all finalists, as the competition was run statewide and I congratulate all our boys who participated. It is fabulous seeing students extending their French knowledge and representing Scotch College in the community. Bravo again to all the finalists and winners!

Madame Emilie Perrot
Middle School French Teacher

Important Dates in Middle School Spring Term

Study and time management

As boys move into the senior years of schooling time management becomes increasingly important. Busy young men, wishing to take advantage of all that the College has to offer, can sometimes find themselves caught short with the time they have available. In the following article, I have attempted to provide a summary of effective strategies collected from various sources. I hope that parents and boys alike can adopt a few of these strategies to assist.

Time management is all about settings goals (short and long term) and at the beginning of a new academic year, it is a wonderful time to do so. Your first step is to clarify your goals, set them, assess them, develop ways to meet them and reward them. Prioritising your goals is your first step and learning to say no to events that detract from your goals is important. However, commitments are commitments, so consider the implications of taking on new commitments.

Your next step is to develop a study timetable, but make it flexible. Try it for a week - if it doesn't work for you, create a new one. Don't give up on a study timetable. Put in the things you enjoy doing and plan around them. When unexpected events arise, decide immediately when you can make up the study time missed. Sometimes there might need to be a sacrifice made.

Do your homework first, then study and commit yourself to specific times for studying specific subjects. Your study schedule should be like classes - know when you will study chemistry, mathematics, English etc. Routines save time and mental energy by helping you get down to work more quickly. Study your most difficult subjects, or those you enjoy least, first. This will make you more efficient. Start working on a new assignment on the day it is issued, then develop a plan for completing it. Divide it into chunks with deadlines and rewards. This will help your motivation.

Schedule study time in two hour blocks and be specific about what you want to achieve. Before studying each night, make a list of what you intend to do. Take a planned break every 45 minutes to an hour; study marathons are counter-productive, and change subjects when you sense your concentration decreasing. Avoid studying similar subjects back-to-back for this reason also.

Drink water while studying. Aim to drink 10 glasses of water each day. A well-hydrated brain is a smarter brain. Most students have a high energy time each day, with two periods of medium energy and one of low energy. Find these times for yourself and use them to your advantage - do difficult work during high energy times and easier work during low energy times. Schedule a time for a brief weekly review of the material covered in class. This cumulative review will pay off when you are preparing for exams.

Use a regular study area. Your body knows where you are and when you use the same place to study each day, it becomes trained. When you sit down, not lie down on your bed, in the particular place you will automatically be anticipating study. Finally, work on becoming more effective with the time you have by removing any distractions.

Good luck and remember to follow-up with your teachers any areas you cannot resolve yourself.

Mr Dean Shadgett
Head of Senior School

Senior School Important Dates

Spring Term 2017

Student Achievements

Sam Wake (Year 10, Brisbane) has been selected in the U14 State Indoor Soccer (Futsal) team to compete at the Australian Championships in Canberra, January 2018.

Gyles Davies (Year 11, Brisbane) has been selected as part of the U16 School Sport for Western Australia soccer team to represent WA at the National Championships in Adelaide to be held in December 2017.

Lachlan Cain (Year 12, Shearer) has been selected as part of the U16 School Sport for Western Australia hockey team to represent WA at the National Championships in Adelaide to be held in December 2017.

Lachlan Meston (Year 12, Ross) has been selected as part of the U16 School Sport for Western Australia hockey team to represent WA at the National Championships in Adelaide to be held in December 2017.

Ryan Hodgetts (Year 12, Brisbane) came 1^st in C Grade (level 3) at the recent Piping Society Solo Competition.

David Stulpner (Year 10, Cameron) came 1^st in Grade 4 (D Grade), 3^rd in C Grade and piobaireachd at the recent Piping Society Solo Competition.

Mitchell McVicars (Year 10, Ferguson) came 3^rd in Novice at the recent Piping Society Solo Competition.

David Stulpner (Year 10, Cameron) and Mitchell McVicars (Year 10, Ferguson) won the duo at the Piping Society Competition.

Year 9 Academic Excellence Awards - Semester 2

Year 10 Academic Excellence Awards - Semester 2

2017 RACI Australian National Chemistry Quiz (Years 9 to 12)

The 2017 RACI Australian National Chemistry Quiz was held on Tuesday 1 August 2017. Scotch students achieved higher than average scores across Australia for Years 9-12.

Scotch obtained 6 certificates of High Distinction of Excellence, 16 certificates of High Distinction, 25 certificates of Distinction, and 13 certificates of Credit.

High Distinction of Excellence (outstanding performance):

High Distinction (top 10% in the State):

Distinction (the next 15% in the State):

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 Leanne.McCoy@scotch.wa.edu.au.

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

Careers Information

Year 12 Leavers Information

Year 12 Leavers Results Online

All 2017 WACE students with at least one scaled score will be able to access their TISC Universities Admission Advice Letter information (including scaled scores and ATAR) via the TISC website at www.tisc.edu.au. Results will be available from Tuesday, 19 December 2017.

Changing Preferences

Once they have applied, students may change preferences as many times as they wish, until closing date 4 January 2018, without incurring any extra charge. However, it is advisable for them to wait until their university admission information is available from Tuesday 19 December 2017 before making changes.

University Advice

Check individual university websites for opening dates and times for students to access advice about courses, enabling programmes and preference changes.

C.A.S. HAWKER Scholarship

Applications for C.A.S. Hawker Scholarships open on Monday, 4 December 2017 and will close on Friday, 5 January 2018. This generous scholarship is valued at up to $45,000 over three years. Selection is largely based on personal qualities and demonstrated leadership as well as academic ability. Undergraduate and post-graduate Hawker Scholars are able to attend a range of Australian educational institutions. Further information about the C.A.S. Hawker Scholarship and an application form are available at www.hawkerscholarship.org.

TAFE Information

Applications are still open for Semester 1, 2018 - so if you have any students who are still considering a TAFE course next year, here's some useful information to help secure them a place.

Step 1Browse our courses. We have over 500 full-time, part-time, online, apprenticeship/traineeship courses across 11 industries.

Step 2 Apply

Key dates

8 December 2017 TAFE Admissions round one applications close (full-time)

3 January 2018 TAFE Admissions round two applications close (full-time)

Up to 9 January 2018 Offers issued (full-time competitive courses)

9 January 2018 Offers issued (full-time non-competitive courses)

Information Nights

We're hosting a number of Information Nights to give students the opportunity to meet lecturing staff, view campus facilities, participate in a range of activities and ask a whole lot of questions. Visit our website for dates, times, study areas and to register.

Pre-Apprenticeships available

Did you know that we have six-month pre-apprenticeship programs on offer for students who have completed Year 10? Pre-apprenticeships give students a taste of the industry, practical hands-on experience in the trade and work-placement with an employer which generally leads to an Apprenticeship (Certificate III).

Pre-apprenticeships are available in:

• Automotive Electrical & Servicing
• Bricklaying & Blocklaying
• Carpentry & Joinery
• Painting & Decorating
• Solid Plastering
• Wall & Floor Tiling
• Electrotechnology
• Heavy & Light Fabrication (Engineering)
• Cabinet & Furniture Making
• Plumbing

Visit our website and search using 'pre-apprenticeship' to view the full list.

Defence Force Information Sessions

31 October, 7.30pm - Perth: Army Reserve Information Session

Find out more and reserve your spot - https://www.facebook.com/pg/DefenceJobsAustralia/events/

Medical Interview Training Sessions

MedEntry will be conducting an intensive Medical Interview Training workshop in all major cities in Australia and New Zealand from November to January. The sessions are conducted by Doctors for Doctors-to-be and are specific to the university/course for which you are applying. Due to popularity of this unique program, classes have already started to fill up. Places are strictly limited. Details at: http://www.medentry.edu.au/

SAT Test Dates

SAT test are used as an admission bench mark for US universities. Registration for November and December 2017 testing has closed.

The following dates are scheduled for international testing in 2018:

10 March 2018 - registration by 9 February 2018

5 May 2018 - registration by 6 April

More information can be accessed at:

https://collegereadiness.collegeboard.org/sat/register/international

Academic Task Force

• January ATAR Head Start Program with Academic Task Force- Increase your confidence and start your Year 11 and 12 studies with a boost with our Head Start Courses. We offer six hour subject courses in Year 11 and 12 ATAR subjects, Essay Writing and Study Skill during the Summer Holidays from the Tuesday 16 January -Thursday 25 January 2018 at Rossmoyne SHS and Churchlands SHS. Enrol online today at www.academictaskforce.com.au or call 9314 9500 or email learn@academictaskforce.com.au
• January Year 7-10 Head Start Program with Academic Task Force. Programmes available in Naplan Preparation, GATE and Scholarship Preparation, Intermediate English, Advanced Maths, Foundation Maths and English, Learning Skills and Essay Writing. Our 2018 January Head Start programme will run from Tuesday 16 January - Thursday 25 January 2018. Each subject is six hours, over two days. Enrol now online at www.academictaskforce.com.au or call 9314 9500 or email learn@academictaskforce.com.au.

Mr Peter Frusher
Careers Adviser

Pipe Band Christmas Fare

The Scotch College Pipe Band Christmas Fare and Gifts 2017 is now open for ordering.

This year we are pleased to offer delightful Christmas treats from 'For the Coffee Table' that include their cakes, shortbread, cookies and Christmas bark. We also have a selection of Pipe Band merchandise that includes glassware, the Scotch wool picnic rug, TSA approved luggage straps, hessian bags with the piper logo, plus much more. Please click here to see the list of goods on offer.

To place your order, please complete the order form and email it to PBPSG@scotch.wa.edu.au or pay by credit card over the phone by calling Meg Dyson on 0407994 078 or Linda Marley on 0408 902 666. Orders will close on Monday, 20 November 2017.

Please collect your order from the Pipe Band room on:

Thursday, 7 December 8.00am - 9.00am OR 2.30pm - 3.30pm

Friday, 8 December 8.00am - 8.30am OR 1.00pm - 2.00pm

All proceeds raised go towards uniforms and equipment for the Scotch College Pipe Band. Thank you for your continued support of the Scotch College Pipe Band.

Any queries please contact PBPSG@scotch.wa.edu.au

Mrs Margaret Shine
President

Scotch Parents

Year 12 Parent Lunch after March Out - Friday 13 October.

Our Year 12 parents (city and boarding) attended the annual 2017 March Out Lunch at the Royal Freshwater Bay Yacht Club on Friday, 13 October.

Organisers Sharon and Lisa commented that "it was a wonderful afternoon and we were very pleased with the turn-out of so many proud and happy Scotch parents. We all loved the final assembly and March Out too - so special and memorable for our boys."

Morning tea for the Reopening and Rededication of Memorial Hall on Founder's Day Friday 20 October

Many thanks to Carissa Paganin and her team of parent helpers who served morning tea to 250 VIP guests on this special day for the school.

Guest Speaker Programme - Mr Mike Utsler, COO Woodside gave a sell-out presentation in Memorial Hall last Thursday.

Scotch Parents hosted a very memorable guest speaker for the very first function in the refurbished Memorial Hall on Thursday 26 October. Over 300 boys, parents, OSC and prospective parents attended in which Mike Utsler, COO for Woodside provided an account of his experience managing the three year recovery program after the explosion on the deep water drilling platform off the Gulf of Mexico.

Scotch Parents Special Purpose Grants Committee Funding Approvals

The Scotch Parents Special Purpose Grants Committee recently met and approved a number of projects around the College.

As has occurred in previous years Scotch Parents encourages the Student Council to prepare, research and present worthwhile projects that they consider will make a significant contribution to the boys experience at Scotch. This year the leaving Student Council was successful in gaining approval for additional Bike Racks and Table Tennis tables for the Senior School Campus. The leaving Year 12 cohort also received approval for a whole of school LED lit map at the main entrance around the school (the school will purchase the other maps). The cost of the bike racks, table tennis tables and the school map was approximately $10,000.

In addition the Committee approved the provision of booth seating for the Middle School Library at a cost of $7,500. For a detailed list of projects Scotch Parents have funded please click here.

Scotch Parents Annual General Meeting 7.30pm Tuesday 14 November

The first AGM for the new Scotch Parents association will be held in the Dining Room Annexe at 7.30pm Tuesday, 14 November.

All positions will be open for nomination including:

• President
• Secretary
• Treasurer
• Vice President - Special Purpose Grants
• Vice President - School Reps
• Senior School Year Group Reps
• Boarders Rep
• Members of the Special Purpose Grants Committee

Junior and Middle School Class Reps will be confirmed early in 2018

Please email your nomination by email to Lucia Barrett - luciabarrett@hotmail.com prior to Monday 13 November.

If you have any enquiries please email scotchparents@scotch.wa.edu.au. We encourage parents across the school - Junior, Middle and Senior - to come along to the AGM.

Year 12 parents (leaving) are invited to evening drinks and light snacks at 7.00pm immediately prior to the AGM, to thank them for their valued support, service and contribution to Scotch throughout their years at the College.

Upcoming Events

• Scotch Parents AGM - Tuesday 14 November 7.00 for 7.30pm start
• Valedictory Dinner and Chapel - Friday 24 November - Chapel commences at 6.00pm

Mr Ian Knobel and Ms Stephanie Debnam
Co-Presidents
Scotch Parents

Replacement of Ashton Avenue Bridge, Claremont

Main Roads have advised us about the upcoming replacement of Ashton Avenue Bridge, Claremont.

If you would like further information please click here.