Welcome back from the Easter break. I trust you found time to reflect and relax during this important time for the Christian calendar.

Congratulations to all of the boys who recently completed the summer PSA and JPSSA sporting calendar. Your participation and level of sportsmanship is very much appreciated by everyone involved at the College. Special congratulations must go out to Mr (CJ) Jackson (Coach) and Mr Mecham (Assistant Coach) and of course our boys of the First V Basketball team who took out this year's Blackwood Cup. The last time we held this was in 2012, so well done to the team and the many mums, dads and other family members who came each Saturday to cheer the boys - it makes a real difference and I know how much they appreciate your support and love.

In this, my last newsletter for Summer Term, I would like to share some exciting news with regards to the College's capital master plan.

Just last week we received the exciting news that the College's planning application for the new teaching and learning facility had been given the green light by the relevant planning authorities. This means it is now full steam ahead to commence the building process.

The new facility will provide Scotch with a state of the art teaching and learning facility on the Senior School Campus. This facility will cater for our extensive and ever-expanding Mathematics, Business and Commerce courses. When complete, the facility will provide 15 teaching spaces, a flexible learning centre, a dedicated lecture theatre, staff resource centre and numerous interconnected informal internal and external learning spaces. As with the existing Science, Design and Technology Centre, the street profile will be three-storey, and the inward facing profile will be two-storey at the oval level. Ultimately the building will be connected to the Middle School via the underpass.

Completion of this exciting new facility will allow us to plan for the demolition of a significant part of the current 'M' block in order to provide the Senior School boys with more passive and open recreational space.

Student movement between the North and South campuses will require modification to allow for the construction phase. Construction is envisaged to be complete in October 2019. Over the coming months we will inform the community as to all new arrangements and plans.

Not only will this new building provide state of the art teaching and learning spaces, but it will continue to position Scotch as a leader in the field of Mathematics and Business. The building will also provide the local community with an iconic educational facility, further enhancing Scotch's reputation as a leading school, locally, nationally and globally.

Following are some of our architect's impressions of the new facility, including floor plans.

This is truly a great way to finish off the term, and we look forward to this next phase of growth at Scotch College.

Have a great break and I look forward to seeing everyone back refreshed and ready to commence Autumn Term.

Dr A J O'Connell
Headmaster

IB Global Conference

Our role as educators at the College is to ensure we are constantly reflecting on our practice to meet our strategic intent of empowering all boys to achieve their potential and become engaged in the global community.

Last week the Headmaster along with the College's teaching and learning leaders travelled to the IB global conference in Singapore to engage with 1800 educators in the pursuit of constantly improving the academic offering for our boys.

Dr Pak Tee Ng, Associate Dean of Leadership Learning at the National Institute of Education detailed how Singaporean education has reached the pinnacle of education globally. Even as revered as Singaporean education has become, the country continues to innovate.

Dr Ng detailed the 'Teach Less, Learn More' programme aimed to develop education in Singaporean schools. Whilst somewhat oxymoronic he explained that the nations push was to deliver quality over quantity. To this extent, the programme is training teachers to consider how they teach to ensure that every lesson has maximum value. There were many important messages that we can share with our staff.

This message, as well as many others delivered over the three day programme, reinforced the strengths of the IB philosophy and how it shapes the teaching and learning approach at Scotch College. In particular the explicit teaching of the Approaches to Learning, or the key skills that students develop alongside content mastery, where a highlight of the current direction for education globally. The College is well placed by teaching the skills of Communication, Social Skills, Self-management, Research and Thinking skills alongside content delivery in our classes.

As an International Baccalaureate World School, Scotch College is proud to deliver the PYP, MYP and the DP. As part of the Colleges commitment to the IB we are required to partake in an evaluation of our programmes in May of 2018. This process occurs every five years and involves a thorough self-study where we ensure all of the Colleges programmes meet the standards and practices set out by the IB. We look forward to receiving the visiting teams in Week One of next term.

More information on the approach of Dr Pak Tee Ng can be found in his book; Learning from Singapore: The Power of Paradoxes, 2017, (National Institute of Education, Nanyang Technological University, Singapore)

Mr Peter Allen
Director of Teaching and Learning

Learning to sail my ship

I saw a young couple with their three or four year old son the other day; the boy was on a bike and they were going up a small hill. The son was complaining and wanted to get off and walk the bike, but both the mum and dad told him to keep going. He got to the top without too much difficulty and the parents did not make a big deal out of the situation. This captures two elements which I think are very important - developing the capacity to keep going and not over-praising. If we want young people to be able to deal with difficulty and make the most of every occasion, then we have to challenge them in lots of small ways every day. And we have to normalise that approach; taking on small challenges helps to prepare them for bigger ones and it is a part of everyday life. It is not something we should expect to be rewarded for every time we overcome some difficulty.

We ought to remind ourselves and young people of the importance of resilience and grit, which Angela Duckworth defines as persistence plus passion. We should do this on a regular basis. I coach Rowing and each year at our end-of-year wind-up, I encourage the boys to continue with rowing even though they often find it hard going. I worry that, as a society, we are teaching young people to quit when things get hard. Of course, we all have to be careful about continuing down a pathway when that road is not leading to where we want to go, but sometimes I think we should walk a little bit further just to see if it is actually the wrong way before we turn around or take a new direction. Life is a constant effort to maintain a balance and we should accept that there will be times - a lot of times - when our lives are not as balanced as we would like. Things will not go as planned or hoped, and we have to equip our boys so that they can handle this. This can be done each day in little ways, such as the example of the young boy on the bike.

Louisa May Alcott once said, "I'm not afraid of the storm, for I'm learning how to sail my ship." This is the lesson to share with our boys. Fine weather does not teach us how to be a good sailor; testing conditions are where we can learn so much more about ourselves. As Mark Manson explains in his book, too often we look for who is at fault, rather than taking responsibility. Sometimes things happen and they are somebody else's fault. Sometimes, they are nobody's fault - bad things happen. But until we take responsibility for doing something about the situation we find ourselves in, little is likely to change. Each of us gets to choose how to see things and how to respond to circumstances.

Another important element in resilience is flexibility. I read somewhere that when it snows, the branches on trees bend with the weight of the snow until the snow slides off and the branch springs back into position. If they did not bend, they would snap. So it is with people.

Creativity is another crucial element in becoming resilient. If we have a flexible mindset, we do not become trapped by tunnel-thinking and we can explore alternative solutions. It is one of many reasons boys should be encouraged to study the Arts. Having said that, I strongly believe that all great achievements are a result of creative thinking and persistence. Stephen Hawking is a fine example of creativity, and flexibility and indeed of resilience. He made us think differently about the universe and he did so whilst showing us the courage that goes with handling adversity with dignity. And he was perhaps far more grateful than many of us are for the life he had, because he was confronted by the fragility of his own life and this made him aware of the opportunities that exist.

Happiness is an outcome of resilience; it is the by-product of tackling problems and overcoming challenges and being curious and enjoying all that life has to offer. Sometimes we will make it to the top of the hill, and sometimes we will not but there is happiness and a sense of satisfaction to be found in both if we have learned to look for them.

Mr James Hindle
Director of Student and Staff Wellbeing

A Close Shave...

Last Monday, despite a light drizzle descending on the Memorial Grounds, Scotch College and PLC showed a huge amount of support for the World's Greatest Shave to support the Leukaemia Foundation. About 70 students shaved their heads, as well as a few PLC girls. Congratulations to Luke Beeson (Co-Vice Captain of School - Service) and his leadership team for the outstanding success of the day and for currently sitting second in Australia in terms of fundraising. This is a huge effort. A special mention to Mrs Hayley Gale, who now has an undercut after raising in excess of $2000.

Check out all the photos from the afternoon on Gallery - here.

The Middle School is holding their event on 4 April and we look forward to seeing their results. The shave takes place between 9.40am and 10.00am and a number of staff and boys will be shaving their heads.

We encourage everyone to donate, which can be done here.

Quiz Night Ticket Sales Close Tomorrow

The Tanzania Quiz Night is promising to be a great night. We have some incredible auction items and the quiz and competitions are shaping up to be a lot of fun. All of the Scotch College and PLC communities are encouraged to purchase tickets or a table of ten. Don't forget, it is BYO and there will be great prizes.

Ticket sales close on Wednesday 4 April at 9.00am. Come along and support Scotch College and PLC's long term commitment to the village of Matipwili in northern Tanzania.

Tanzania Quiz Night on Saturday 7 April. Book your tickets here.

Mr David Kyle
Director of Community and Service

We invite you to come along to one of our specialised tours held throughout the year. Dedicated to specific age groups, our specialised tours provide an insight into the developmental needs of your son as he journeys through the College.

We will share our philosophy and approach and why we choose to deliver the Australian Curriculum through the International Baccalaureate (IB) Programme in all our sub-schools. Plus, provide details on the depth of support and guidance we provide while you experience our unique environment. This is your opportunity to hear first hand how "Knowing the Boy" guides everything we do at Scotch College.

Register for your preferred Tour here or call Admissions on 9383 6809 to arrange a tour with our Registrar.

Dates for Term 2, 3 and 4 tours will be advised soon.

Insurance Against Injury

Scotch does not provide insurance cover for students on a 24 hour basis. However, we do have accident insurance for all boys whilst they are in the charge and under the control of the College. This includes cover whilst on work experience. The amount of cover is dependent upon the type of injury, generally to a maximum of $1,000.00, with the exception of total and permanent disability. This cover does not include expenses which can be claimed through Medicare and private health insurance or the Medicare Gap and only provides limited cover for dental expenses. Parents are strongly recommended as a minimum to take out insurance cover with their own private insurance.

What's Wrong With Our Boys? - Mission Australia Youth Survey Report 2017

For the last sixteen years, Mission Australia has surveyed young people annually in order to identify their values and issues of concern.

In 2017, over 24,000 15-19 year olds were surveyed. There were some really hopeful findings - young people value their family relationships and school satisfaction. They were generally optimistic with around two thirds feeling positive about the future.

When asked about issues they had personally been concerned with over the last twelve months, they said coping with stress, school/study problems and body image ranked as the top three issues of concern. The top national issues identified were equity and discrimination, alcohol and drugs.

For the first time, young people identified mental health as the most important issue in Australia today (doubled since 2015, tripled since 2011).

See the findings here.

Ms Shauna Lipscombe
Senior School Psychologist

Uniform Shop

Opening Hours for Winter Uniform Changeover

No appointments are necessary. The Uniform Shop will be open extra hours over and above the normal opening times, as follows.

Summer Term Extra Opening Hours

Wednesday 4 April	7.30am to 9.00am
Wednesday 11 April	7.30am to 9.00am

Holiday Opening Hours

Friday 27 April	9.00am to 4.00pm (lunch: noon - 1.00pm)
Monday 30 April	9.00am to 4.00pm (lunch: noon - 1.00pm)

Boys need to be in Winter uniform on Tuesday 1 May (start of term).

Performing Arts

What better way to finish off Summer Term than to enjoy one of the exciting performances that students in the Performing Arts are showcasing over the coming two weeks.

Midde School Theatre Production James and the Giant Peach. Thursday 5, Friday 6 and Saturday 7 April in the Foundation Theatre. Tickets can be purchased here.

Generations in Jazz pre-departure concert, featuring jazz students from Scotch College and Carey Baptist College. Sunday 8 April, Memorial Hall, free entry.

I wish all families a fantastic April holiday break.

Mr Scott Loveday
Head of Performing Arts

From the Head of Junior School

Say it isn't so

'Shoeless' Joe Jackson was an American professional baseball player who played in the early 1900's. He was renowned for his performance both on the field and his association with the Chicago Black Sox Scandal of the 1919 Major League Baseball World Series. His involvement in that betting scandal resulted in a lifetime ban from major league baseball at the prime of his career.

A famous line in the folklore of baseball came out of that incident when a young boy stood on the steps of the Baseball Commission when 'Shoeless' Joe and his teammates from the White Soxs entered the commission for their final hearing. The young boy looked up to his sporting hero and said 'Say it isn't so, Joe. Say it isn't so!' Imploring his baseball hero to tell him that he didn't cheat in the 1919 World Series.

Over the past weekend, the Australian cricket world was rocked by the cheating scandal involving the Australian Captain, the Vice Captain and a player. If you remember back to the Summer when Vice Captain David Warner commented on the integrity of Australian cricket as he complained against the perceived cheating by South Africa in the 2016 Test series, "I won't comment on the way (South Africa) have been behaving but I just know from an Australian cricket perspective: we hold our heads high and I'll be very disappointed if one of our teammates (did that)," he said. Looking at his recent actions, the hypocrisy of that statement is very clear today.

So, how do we talk about an incident such as this with our children? How do we explain to them that the people we look up to, their heroes, have done what they have done and have brought such ridicule upon Australia and the fine sport of cricket? It is a challenging one.

At Scotch we talk daily about integrity, about honour, about doing things properly and demonstrating the best characteristics of a Scotch boy. Characteristics which we hope will be demonstrated as the best characters of a fine young man as he leaves our College. We talk about fair play, having a go, not being afraid to fail. The context of which we will have to put the action of those cricketers into is likely to be human fallibility. Perhaps an over-competitive drive and the idea that doing whatever it takes to win is perhaps is not always the best motto especially if it involves unfair play.

My hope is that our boys will learn a valuable lesson in the disappointing actions of the Australian cricketers. They will see that winning at all costs is not worth it, especially if that cost is your integrity, your honour and your reputation.

The College values excellence coupled with stewardship, acting with responsibility in an honourable manner, service acts that are helpful, providing assistance and support and above all integrity. We ask the boys to adhere to moral and ethical principles and soundness of moral character and honesty. High ideals I know, but these are things to aspire to as life goes on around us. We may falter but we hope that our boys will learn, continue to work towards these values and see them as important.

Mr John Stewart
Head of Junior School

Year 4T News

The 4T boys have bounced into the school year with enthusiasm for new friends and new learning. Friendships were quickly re-established and strong routines adopted. Vibrant personalities with strong leadership potential and a zest for life fill our classroom and the dynamic is exciting and wonderful!

Our first Unit of Inquiry 'Who We Are', saw us investigate our overall well-being through the lens of physical, mental, emotional and spiritual health. Boys engaged in a vast range of activities that allowed them to consider actions that supported optimum health. Physical activity was a given, but we gained a deeper appreciation for good nutrition, meditation, drawing, music to create a peaceful space, the positive effect of strong sleep routines and the calming nature of soft things like cuddling pets and snuggling toys. We are sensory creatures and should encourage natural and healthy practices that support this.

With blood and guts playing a part in our investigation, scientific experimentation took front and centre to support boys making deeper conceptual understandings to broader physical issues. Jelly, marshmallows, jaffas and sprinkles made a deliciously gruesome cup of blood. And observing eggs soaked in vinegar left us quaking at the effect of food acid on the teeth. We researched the amount of sugar in our favourite Boost Juice order and shuddered in horror at the amount! Using glucose syrup, we watched how the absorption of sugar into the bloodstream was quick and immediate but noted that flour took longer to absorb. We relayed this to the type of foods we consume and the release of energy from them. A unit in measurement also allowed us to explore our digestive systems and we actually measured the length of our entire guts. As you might well imagine, the lads had a glorious time mucking about with it all!

Continuing the theme of the gruesome and grotesque, boys celebrated their love of language by dabbling in the realm of spook. Poetic phrases were written about body parts, and narratives were written to frighten and scare. Despite the dark and demonly landscape, each boy pursued the element of fear and suspense with rigour, creating a whole host of stories to frighten the life out of you. Oh, the power of words. Strangely, the only ones not scared were the lads themselves.

I could continue to wax lyrical about the wonders of our year's beginning, however, most important is that each and every boy in 4T is to be congratulated for the effort and effervescence they have brought to our classroom and our school. We can only look forward to celebrating and harnessing all this enthusiasm as we go forth.

Mrs Rebecca Turkich
Year 4 Teacher

Year 3S News

We have had an action-packed start to the year in 3S and it is only the beginning (pardon the pun) of our Year 3 learning journey. We have explored so many exciting topics and seen some fabulous things. Highlights include our excursion to Penguin Island during our first unit of inquiry, where we explored animal communities before looking closely at the communities we ourselves are associated with. Another highlight was our involvement in sorting out the Loose Parts for everyone to enjoy. We incorporated new toys to use during recess and lunch and discarded old ones that could no longer be used. We then delivered all new Loose Parts to the ELC, we spent time helping them set up an Essential Agreement for using their new toys and even stayed around to play with them, giving them some creative ideas. Overall, we learned a great deal about communities but more importantly, we learned how our active involvement can improve our community and make a positive difference to others.

In our current unit of inquiry, we have been exploring human rights, as well as animal rights, and look forward to presenting our learnings in our upcoming assembly. We hope to shed light on the fact that not all humans, or animals, are afforded the same rights as each other and that in order for the world to be a better place for everyone and everything, this needs to change. In coming weeks, we will investigate some of the reasons as to why not everyone has the same opportunities, including race, gender, poverty and government influence. Overall, this is a confronting unit, but we look forward to learning more about how people exist around the world and what we can do to reach out to those less fortunate than ourselves.

Mrs Larree Springall
Year 3 Teacher

Enrichment News

Enrichment in Junior School - Passion Projects

It is an exciting prospect to work with students across all stages of the Junior School and one that I am thoroughly enjoying. Seeing the boys grow, watching them discover and broaden their skills and knowledge, is such a privilege after working in one specific stage of their Junior School journey.

In class, the wonderful differentiation that has always operated will be enhanced through additional support and supplementary sessions. Links between home and school will be fostered through the creation of Passion Projects, where children can immerse themselves in their chosen subject area, utilising inquiry skills and showcasing their talents and creativity, to produce an open-ended assessment piece that they can work on both at home and in class.

The concept of 'Passion Projects' or 'Genius Hour', is one commonly associated with innovative companies like Google. Engineers spend one day of their working week immersed in projects that they are interested in and passionate about. This allows people to explore concepts or areas that spark their interest. Thus, the motivation becomes intrinsic rather than extrinsic, and this has had a huge impact and benefit to companies as production rates increase. An example would be Gmail, an idea that started as one Google employee's interest, and has now become hugely beneficial to millions of people, not to mention profitable for the company.

During the coming weeks, identified students will be interviewed and mentored in order to select such a Passion Project, something that they can work on both in and out of school and an additional area of enrichment that will foster their natural curiosity and creativity. I look forward to sharing their ideas and assisting the boys to develop their natural talents, empowering the students to transform themselves into active and critical citizens in their education and future lives.

Mrs Alison Webster
Enrichment Co-ordinator

French News

Things were decidedly fishy in the Junior School on the last day before the Easter long weekend. Our French Captains, Nic and Jarrod, organised a special event, the Poisson d'Avril. In France, April Fool's Day is celebrated with the tradition of secretly sticking paper fish on each other's backs. Our Captains heard about the tradition and decided to put it in place in the Junior School. 1 April falls over the weekend, so we borrowed 29 March as our day for the event. From Period 1 to 4, all boys were encouraged to secretly stick paper fish on each other, their teachers and even… Mr Stewart!

Lots of fun was had by all, and plenty of poisson was fluttering off backs all morning long!

Madame Vinton
French Specialist

From the Head of Middle School

One of the most frequent snippets of feedback I hear from former students is, that in hindsight they wished they had continued on with a musical instrument whilst they were at school or had gotten involved in drama production. With the freedom to run their lives, to choose how they spend their spare time, huge numbers of 18yo+ seek out bands, go to concerts, circus, talent, comedy or theatre performances and they save their money and travel the country to attend festivals that are weekends of colour, music, dancing, laughter and creativity. Why? Because it is fun, enjoyable, it feels great. The performing arts and all the permutations it can come in is a celebration of human ingenuity and innovation. However, as our past students often tell us, they recognise that it is the performers, the guys in the band, the crew that are onstage who are having the most fun. They wish they were up there too but feel it is too late to have a go.

For the vast majority of kids who take up Music and Drama at school and learn an instrument or memorise a script, it is not about embarking on a performing arts career pathway. It is about enjoyment, an inner satisfaction that comes in part from utilising that latent streak of creativity in all of us. The Arts, both performing and productive, is an enjoyable pathway to take; it is fun, very satisfying and very cool. This week 'James and the Giant Peach' the first of the 3 dramatic productions Scotch delivers each year takes to the stage in the Foundation Theatre for a short but very exciting three performance season, from Thursday to Saturday. For those that have never thought of the performing arts as something for them, or do not want to leave school and say, I wish I'd had a go at some more drama when I was at school, I urge you to come and see "James and the Giant Peach" and we will see if we can inspire you for next year.

Mr Richard Ledger
Head of Middle School

All About Art

Visual Arts in the Middle School has had a very positive start to 2018, with consolidation and slight adjustments to existing programmes seeing very pleasing standards in the boys' work across the three year groups. Energy levels are good and enthusiasm is high!

We have approached FORM to initiate some workshops within the framework of the agreement between Scotch and FORM, and should see that materialise into opportunities for several groups to visit the Goods Shed and undertake enrichment activities designed to develop transferrable skills early next term.

The Art extension group continues to build on their skill base, which they have been developing over the course of the last 12 months, and some of their work is featured alongside this article. As you can see, there is some quite refined and sophisticated work being produced by boys who are not so far into Year 8. Art extension remains open to boys who have an interest in Art, and would like to spend a couple of hours developing their skills on a Thursday afternoon after school. If your son would like to participate, please have him contact me.

Mr Scott Bycroft
Middle School Art

News from Year 8.6S

This term Year 8.6S have been busy studying the Biological Sciences unit with the boys being exposed to a diversity of learning experiences. In Biology we have focused on how multi-cellular organisms contain systems of organs carrying out specialised functions that enable them to survive (circulatory, respiratory and digestive) and reproduce.

We have handled microscopes, created 3D cells, studied, investigated and dissected organs relating to the circulatory, respiratory and digestive systems and found time to research the effects the misuse of antibiotics can have on the evolution of bacteria. With such a busy start to Year 8, I must commend the boys for the energy shown in Science and a real want to learn displayed by all.

Most recently, the boys had an opportunity to listen and interact in a question and answer session hosted by Infectious Disease Consultant Dr Astrid Arellano. Most pleasing was that all the boys demonstrated a genuine interest in the presentation and asked questions relating to cutting edge technologies currently in their infancy or being explored today.

The Community Project: What a wonderful opportunity for students! A chance for the boys to learn responsibility, experience the satisfaction that comes with helping others and to acquire new skills. In saying that the ball is well and truly rolling in 8.6S with all boys having the opportunity to pitch their idea to the class over the coming weeks. Shark tank watch out!

To fuel the Community Project fire 8.6S was provided a $25.00 gift card to be used to support people looking to create a better future for themselves, their families and their communities. Kiva, an international nonprofit organisation founded in 2005 was chosen by Scotch and aims to connect people through lending to alieve poverty.

After much deliberation 8.6S loaned Vangjel, a seedling cultivator from Lezhe, Albania $25.00 to help expand his family business. Monies earned from market sales will be paid back over the course of 7 months and the boys are looking forward to their next investment!

Mr Scott Siekierka
Year 8.6S Homeroom Teacher

Year 7.3GT: Skills, Concepts and the Learner Profile at Moray

In Week 8, Year 7.3GT and 7.4A travelled to Moray as part of our Outdoor Education Programme. Our Moray experience allowed us to improve and develop upon a variety of skills, many relating to our class' core values, such as communication, confidence and resilience. We realised we had to be persistent and patient with others, and the challenges we faced. We also greatly improved our collaborative abilities with the majority of the activities being based on individuals banding together to complete a task. One of the highlights of Moray is the opportunity to really get to know the students in 7.4A, resulting in many new friendships which will continue into the future.

A key concept that we addressed at Moray was sustainability, and we put this into practice through the building of simple worm farms out of empty milk cartons and the planting of tomato seeds in tin cans as a real-life example of a sustainability cycle.

The attributes of the learner profile were continually demonstrated in our actions at Moray. We were thinkers when planning the ergonomics of our rafts (raft building) and were knowledgeable when we managed to keep them afloat! We were risk takers when we tried climbing away from our comfort zones on the ropes course. We had to be effective communicators with our teammates to solve problems, follow instructions and work together throughout the activities.

While reflecting upon our experiences we realised that the Learner Profile attributes are applied anywhere, at any time, and our experience at Moray was a perfect example of this.

Ms Andrea Goodison & Ms Sarah Thomas
Year 7.3GT Homeroom Teachers

ySafe with Jordan Foster - Year 8 Parent Workshop

The world of social media and technology is fast becoming the centre of our children's universe. It can be a challenging task for parents to stay on top of the dangers of social media and technology, while monitoring their child's online behaviour and finding balance.

We are offering a workshop for Year 8 parents on Thursday 3 May, 6.30pm in the Memorial Hall to learn more about managing children's technology use, including an introduction into the most popular social media platforms and practical tips for keeping kids safe online. We will also cover information on setting boundaries around technology, online behaviour management, and tools for managing technology both in and outside of the home.

If you have ever struggled with getting your kids off their games and into bed, worried about knowing what your child is accessing online, or felt concerned that your child was spending too much time in the digital world, this workshop is for you!

Please Click Here to register your attendance for this important Year 8 Parent event. There is no charge to attend.

Mrs Pina Giglia
Deputy Head of Middle School

Headmaster's Commendations

Congratulations to the following Middle School boys who were awarded a Headmaster's Commendation this term:

8.3O	Jackson Loader
8.3O	Thomas Simich
8.4F	Tane Hasler
8.7B	Harry Jenour
7.3GT	Thomas Robinson
6.1S	Noah Kassner
6.1S	Alex Hudson

Important Dates in Middle School Summer Term

Wednesday 4 April	World's Greatest Shave - Free Dress for a gold coin donation Year 8 Medieval Festival, 5.15pm Gallery
Thursday 5 April	Year 6/7 Production James and the Giant Peach Opening Night 7.00pm Foundation Theatre
Friday 6 April	MS Assembly 11.30am DC Parents Welcome Year 6/7 Production James and the Giant Peach 7.00pm Foundation Theatre
Saturday 7 April	Year 6/7 Production James and the Giant Peach 2.00pm Matinee Foundation Theatre Tanzania Fundraising Quiz Night 6.30pm Dickinson Centre
Monday 9 April	Year 8 Bibbulmun Track Departs (Residential Students only) Year 6 Maths Relay at PLC
Thursday 12 April	Year 9 Bibbulmun Track Returns
Friday 13 April	Summer Term concludes

From the Head of Senior School

Year 9 Focus

Thank you to all the parents who attended the Year 9 Parent and House Head Dinner on Tuesday. It was lovely to have the opportunity to meet with parents in such a forum. Our House Heads also appreciated the opportunity to share a meal and many friendly discussions with those present.

The evening gave us the opportunity to discuss many topical issues facing Year 9 students. I mentioned in my address the challenge of Year 9, a time characterised by inner turmoil, both in regards to the physical and chemical changes in their bodies and beginning to question where they fit in the world. In addition, distractions abound due to students being bombarded by social media and the boys living in an online world. I suggested the key to navigating this period being clear expectations, a willingness to negotiate, on occasion, and developing protective factors in our boys such as connections to community and a combined, supportive approach from families and schools.

A strength to our sub-school structure is making the Year 9 students the focus of attention when transitioning into the Senior School. At many other schools the students have been in high school for two years and are very comfortable with the systems, Year 9 is an in-between year. Our welcoming Senior School environment is new and different to Middle School and offers the students a fresh start at a time where, in other schools, students can become complacent in their environment. Year 9 students are the focus of attention as they move into their new House and the older students are charged with leading and transitioning them in the Senior School. Our House Heads and Tutors actively engage in getting to know the boy through various wellbeing and House activities as well as spending four days away with the boys at Rottnest, getting to know the boy outside the constraints of the classroom. The Rottnest Camp is a special programme. Each and every House Head spoke of the wonderful opportunity it provides for both them and the boys in their House to come together and begin to develop their House identity.

A very important three-way partnership exists between parents, the College and your son. While some may think this sounds a little cliché, experience tells me when parents, teachers and students are working together the outcome is invariably richer. An important aim in Year 9 is the development of a solid, consistent work ethic and the ability to persevere in the face of adversity. I believe these attributes combine well with the message of personal excellence and I have discussed this concept in a recent Thistle article. Being focused on the amount of growth you make rather than attaching yourself simply to the outcome or comparing yourself to the person sitting next to you. Your level of personal excellence is measured against your growth, your improvement, not somebody else's. Experiencing success on the back of hard work is something that helps students develop the self-belief to persevere.

Thank you to the Scotch Parents for their terrific work in organising the evening, in particular to Catherine Watters for her coordination of the event, and to Lucia Barrett and Dina Le Page for their help and support. Thank you also to all the volunteers who helped to set up and pack up the event. The success of evenings such as this cannot occur without your support. Thank you also to the wonderful catering staff for the magnificent job they always do at our College functions.

It has a very busy Summer Term and I would like to wish you all a Happy Easter and hope you enjoy the Easter Long Weekend with family and friends.

Mr Dean Shadgett
Head of Senior School

Important Dates in Senior School Summer Term

Date	Event	Location	Time
Week 10B
Tuesday 3 April	Year 10 Enrichment Activity
	New York Arts Tour Information Evening	Memorial Hall	7.00pm - 8.00pm
Wednesday 4 April	Art Camp departs	Moray
	Year 10 Allwell Testing
	Year 11 and 12 Brain Reset Session	Room 13.103	3.45pm - 4.30pm
Thursday 5 April	Year 10, 11 and 12 winter sport training commences. Please refer to schedule on home.scotch	Various	3.30pm onwards
Friday 6 April	Year 10 Da Vinci Decathlon	Wesley College	8.15am - 3.30pm
	Talented Young Writers' Competition	Fremantle Literacy Centre	8.30am - 3.00pm
	Senior School Marching and Assembly	Dickinson Centre	8.35am - 9.35am
	Year 9 winter sport training commences. Please refer to schedule on home.scotch	Various	1.30pm - 3.30pm
	Inter-House Surfing	Trigg Beach	1.00pm - 5.00pm
	Combined Years 9 and 10 Cadet Camp	Woodman Point	Departs 1.00pm
Saturday 7 April	Combined Years 9 and 10 Cadet Camp	Woodman Point	Returns 3.30pm
	Tanzania Tour Fundraising Quiz Night	Dickinson Centre	6.30pm for 7.00pm start
Sunday 8 April	Year 9 Bibbulmun Track Expedition departs
	St Andrews House Fun Run	Kings Park	7.15am- 9.30am
	Pre-Departure Concert for Generations in Jazz	Memorial Hall	3.00pm - 5.00pm
	Anderson House Family Gathering	Gooch Pavilion	4.00pm - 6.00pm
Week 11A
Monday 9 April	Year 9 Da Vinci Decathlon	Wesley College	8.15pm - 3.30pm
	Cricket Dinner	Dining Room Annexe	6.30pm - 9.30pm
Tuesday 10 April	Water Polo Dinner	Dining Room Annexe	6.30pm - 9.30pm
	Year 11 and 12 Performing Arts Perspectives Excursion	Perth Concert Hall	7.30pm - 9.30pm
	WADL Debating Make Up Round	Shenton College	7.20pm - 9.30pm
Wednesday 11 April	Year 10 Allwell Testing Catch Up	Classrooms	8.30am - 12.30pm
	Year 11 and 12 Brain Reset Session	Room 13.103	3.45pm - 4.30pm
	Year 9 Bibbulmun Track Expedition returns		Approx 4.00pm
	Basketball Dinner	Dining Room	6.30pm - 9.30pm
Thursday 12 April	Residential Life Parents' Dinner	Memorial Hall	6.00pm start
	New York Arts Tour departs		10.00pm
Friday 13 April	Senior School Marching and Assembly	Dickinson Centre	8.35am - 9.35am
	Summer Term ends for Senior School boys (No Year 9 sport training)		12.40pm
	Residential Life Parent Teacher Student Interviews	Dickinson Centre	1.30pm - 3.00pm
	Abrolhos Islands SCUBA Diving and Oceanography Expedition departs
	AFL Tour departs
	Rugby Tour departs
Saturday 14 April	Indonesian Study Tour departs
Week 1B
Monday 30 April	Staff Day (no classes)
	Boarding House opens		3.00pm
	Boarders to be back in Boarding House		by 5.30pm
Tuesday 1 May	Autumn Term commences for Senior School boys (Winter Uniform)
	Winter sport training commences in the afternoon (please refer to home.scotch for details)
	FOSM Meeting	Senior Music Department	7.00pm - 8.30pm
Wednesday 2 May	Year 11 and 12 Brain Reset Session	Room 13.103	3.45pm - 4.30pm
	Year 10 Parent Teacher Student Interviews	Dickinson Centre	4.00pm - 7.30pm
Thursday 3 May	Generations in Jazz Festival departs	Mt Gambier
Friday 4 May	Senior School Marching and Assembly	Dickinson Centre	8.35am - 9.35am
	PSA Sport - Trinity College v Scotch College (please refer to home.scotch for fixtures)	Away	2.00pm - 4.00pm
Saturday 5 May	PSA Sport - Trinity College v Scotch College (please refer to home.scotch for fixtures)	Away	8.30am - various
Sunday 6 May	PSA Golf Day
Week 2B
Monday 7 May	Year 12 Diploma, Year 11 and 12 WACE and VET (ATAR and General) Examination Period commences
	Year 10 Personal Project meetings this week

Summer Term will conclude for Senior School boys at 12.40pm on Friday 13 April 2018.

The final marching and assembly of the term will take place on Friday morning in the Dickinson Centre commencing at 8.35am. As always, parents are welcome to attend.

Autumn Term commences on Tuesday 1 May, Week 1B, with the boys heading straight to class. Boys are to be dressed in their winter uniform on their return to school. Boys are reminded that personal presentation in regards to uniform, haircuts and shaving, is to be addressed prior to the commencement of term.

Normal sport training resumes for all boys on the afternoon of Tuesday 1 May (no morning training). All sporting information is available on home.scotch and will be updated throughout the term.

Boys' Achievements

Swimming Age Champion Boys

In 2018 the Swimming Champion Boy awards will be selected using the following criteria:

1. Number of points attained at the Inter-School Swimming Carnival

2. Division of events that swimmer has competed in (Division 1 or 2)

3. Place(s) achieved in the 200m races, School Age Championships, Quads and Inter-School Carnivals

4. Number of events competed in

5. Versatility of the swimmer

6. Training attendance and attitude

7. Contribution to the Swimming Team

U/15:	Ruan van der Riet (Year 9, Ross)
U/16:	Nicolas Monger Molowny (Year 10, Alexander)
U/17:	Hugo Clegg (Year 11, Shearer)
OPEN:	Matthew Murphy (Year 12, Shearer)

Inter-House Cross Country Results

Place	House	Points
1.	Alexander	321.7
2.	St Andrews	322.9
3.	Cameron	325.4
4.	Ferguson	328.8
5.	Anderson	367.0
6.	Brisbane	371.2
7.	Stuart	373.9
8.	Ross	374.4
9.	Keys	375.4
10.	Shearer	407.3

The top three runners in each age group were as follows

Year 9

• Max Mumme, Shearer - 10:52
• James Macgeorge, Anderson - 10:59
• Heath Muller, Ross - 11:04

Year 10

• Tobias Knox Lyttle, Brisbane - 10:01
• Riley Waters, Anderson - 10:45
• Joshua Keatch, Keys - 10:46

Year 11

• Harry Imison, Ross - 10:39
• Oscar Grant, Alexander - 10:48
• Edward Hopkins, St Andrews - 10:54

Year 12

• Arthur Payne, St Andrews - 10:16
• Connor Enslin, Stuart - 10:21
• Bailey Flecker, St Andrews - 10:42

Careers Information

Schools Curriculum & Standards Authority Notices

Non School-Candidates 2018

Non-school candidates are typically Year 12 students who wish to sit a language examination through interstate language examination where the course is not offered at Scotch College (eg Italian, German, Indonesian Background Speaker) or a Year 12 student who is undertaking the French background language examination where the course is not offered at Scotch College.

Applications forms for Non-School Candidates are available from Mr Frusher at Scotch College. Applications close on Thursday 5 April, 2018.

Changes to Enrolments Year 12 students

Thursday 5 April, 2018 is the final date for changes to enrolments in ATAR and General courses for Year 12 students.

Year 12 students are able to withdraw from ATAR courses with practical examination components up until Friday, 27 July and from ATAR courses which do not have practical examination components up until Friday, 17 August, 2018.

Year 12 students are able to withdraw from General courses up until Friday, 17 August, 2018.

Students need discuss any changes of enrolments with Mr Frusher prior to the dates indicated above.

University Information

Which is the best University?

I am often asked this question so here is a website that you can access to provide some insight into the question. The top 10 is made up by cities from eight countries, including one Australian entry. Read More

When you open this site, there are links to many universities and the courses they offer.

UWA Health Campus Open Day

For students interested in studying healthcare or pursuing a career in the fast-growing and in-demand health industry, UWA is holding a Health Campus Open Day on Sunday 8 April 2018.

Those attending will be able to meet staff and current students from the Faculty of Health and Medical Sciences and discover courses available in areas like medicine, biomedical engineering, sports science and pharmacology. The full programme is available here.

Simulated UMAT Day 2018 - PERTH - 21 April 2018

Where: UWA
Time: 9.00am - 5.30pm

Students who are in Years 10, 11 or 12 and are considering a career in medicine or dentistry, will need to sit a compulsory entry exam known as UMAT (Undergraduate Medicine and Health Sciences Admission Test) before they can apply for relevant placements in the above fields with universities.

While the Simulated UMAT Day is extremely beneficial for Year 12 students, who will be attempting the real UMAT on 25 July 2018, this workshop is also highly recommended to anyone in Years 10 - 11 and aiming for a head start in UMAT preparation.

On 21 April 2018, NIE will be conducting a full day UMAT preparation workshop. All details are available via www.nie.edu.au.

The workshop includes an overview of the entire UMAT process - exam, scores, standardising, applications, university requirements, interviews, past experiences, professional advice, performance expectations, and more. Each student is individually assessed and fine-tuned for peak performance. Strategic problem solving and tuition in each UMAT construct, and of course medical interviews (MMI and structured panel). Parents are invited to join their children at the final part of the day. The workshop will be conducted by highly experienced and expert lecturer who will define and explain each UMAT construct. A full practice test conducted under exam conditions, followed by marking and feedback session. This intense full day preparation workshop allows students to identify and explore their true strengths and weaknesses in relation to UMAT-readiness.

Cost: $289 (food and refreshments will be provided)

'Click here' to enrol online.

UWA - Year 10 - Individual Advisory Sessions

School holiday sessions designed to help students answer questions about future study.

Date: 17-19 April 2018

The Circle Room, Reid Library, 35 Stirling Hwy, Crawley

April school holidays (17-19 April). 10.00am - 8.00pm (last appointment 8.00pm)

St George's College

St George's College provides accommodation for students studying at universities in Perth and is the oldest and most prestigious residential college in Western Australia. Free gym memberships, tutoring, social events and three meals a day are included in our competitive fees. Apply today to join the community of St George's College for 2019. Applications are welcome from metropolitan, regional and international students.

For more information check out our webpage www.stgeorgescollege.uwa.edu.au, email admin@stgeorgescollege.uwa.edu.au or call 9449 5555. Information about scholarships can be found here: http://stgeorgescollege.uwa.edu.au/future-students/scholarships/.

University of Melbourne will be conducting an Information Day for interstate students and their families at the Parkville campus on Monday 16 April from 8:30am.

Rather than focusing on course information readily available on the website, this event looks specifically at the Melbourne experience for interstate students.

The programme includes information about the application process, scholarship opportunities, student services, accommodation options and financial assistance. They will also have the chance to ask current interstate students about their experiences and hear how they managed the transition to Melbourne and experience what it is like to live in one of the Residential Colleges with lunch in a college dining hall as well as a college tour.

When the main programme finishes at 3.30pm participants can also opt to stay on for extra tours of the Residential Colleges or the Victorian College of the Arts at the beautiful Southbank Campus.

Date: Monday 16 April 2018

Location: University of Melbourne, Parkville, Victoria 3010

REGISTER NOW

https://futurestudents.unimelb.edu.au/explore/events/victoria_and_interstate/victoria/interstate_student_and_family_information_day

Bond University Upcoming visit to Perth

A Bond University representative will be available in Perth to meet with prospective students and their families on the following date:

Monday 9 April - Friday 13 April

If families would like to book an appointment with Jennifer Latorre, please contact her directly at jlatorre@bond.edu.au or phone 0437 024 134.

Free Webinar: Everything You Need to Know About US & UK Universities

For students in Years 9-12, this webinar is a great introduction to all things related to US and UK universities. Students will learn:

• The strengths of top universities

• The US and UK application process

• How to make your application stand out

• The financial aid and scholarships available

• The academic requirements

• The differences in the US and UK education systems

• A typical application timeline

• How to avoid common mistakes

The webinar will take place on April 14. Students can register for free at the following link:

https://learn.crimsoneducation.org/usukwebinar_2018-0

Apprenticeship Opportunities

Apprenticeship Central advertises full- and part-time apprenticeships as well as a number of opportunities for school-based apprenticeships.

http://www.apprenticeshipcentral.com.au/

Directions WA is a community based, not for profit organisation working with employers, students and jobseekers in WA. Directions also take expressions of interest for a number of other positions that are not yet open. https://directionswa.com.au/job-seekers/job-opportunities/

Interactive ICT Career Wheel

This site provides an interactive way to explore your possible future in an IT career. It shows which kinds of skills are necessary for different jobs in IT. Check it out - https://www.careersfoundation.com.au/

April ATAR Revision Courses

Academic Associates

Year 12 enrichment program at UWA 16-20 April 2018.

ATAR enrichment courses will consist of five two hour sessions each day with academic extension in ATAR courses with advanced content insight and practise in higher level exam questions.

Enrol on-line: www.academicgroup.com.au

Academic Group

ATAR Revision will help students to consolidate their subject knowledge, boost their confidence and apply what they have learnt a school to maximise their marks. The program will be taught by excellent teachers who will provide structured revision for students and prepare them for their first semester exams.

Each course is six hours at Churchlands SHS, Rossmoyne SHS and Perth Modern.

Enrol on-line: www.acdaemicgroup.com.au

ATARGET

Study skills, essay writing and subject revision for Year 10, 11 and 12 students will be offered at Christ Church Grammar School, Monday 16 April - Friday 20 April. Subject revision will consist of five two hour sessions each day with study skills and essay writing consisting of five one hour sessions each day.

Enrol on-line: www.atarget.com.au

Wed 04 Apr 2018 @ 5:30pm

AIA WA Careers Night - 4th April

Are you a student studying for a tertiary qualification in agriculture, horticulture, natural management or related field? Interested in learning about career opportunities?

Then you should come along to the Ag Institute Australia Careers Night on Wednesday 4th April.

You'll hear from representatives of 23 companies and organisations about the opportunities that abound in our broad profession.

Learn about the profession, opportunities for casual/vacation work, career opportunities and meet prospective employers.

What's more, you'll get to network with the employers and other students over free pizza!

Date: Wednesday 4th April 2018
Time: 5:30 pm
Location: Royal Agricultural Society Showgrounds Claremont
Entry & Parking: Entrance No 1
Enquiries & RSVP (for catering purposes) to James Fisher
Email: james@desireefutures.net.au

Please click here for event flyer

Mr Peter Frusher
Careers Adviser

Scottish Banquet - Save the Date

Please save the date for The Scottish Banquet which is set to take place on Saturday, 19 May in the Dickinson Centre. It is guaranteed to be an evening filled with fabulous Scottish food, music, dancing, fun and festivities. Tickets will be available prior to the end of Summer Term.

We are currently seeking donations for our Scottish Banquet Silent Auction. If you have any items that you would like to donate to facilitate a successful evening please email PBPSG@scotch.wa.edu.au.

Mrs Natasha Taylor
President
Pipe Band Parent Support Group

End of Season Sporting Dinners - Final Bookings

• Cricket Dinner - Monday 9 April
• Water Polo Dinner - Tuesday 10 April
• Basketball Dinner - Wednesday 11 April

Bookings for these events will close shortly, to purchase tickets please visit the Scotch College website www.scotch.wa.edu.au and click on the "Book a Scotch Event" icon as soon as possible.

Scotch Parents Meeting

The next Scotch Parents Meeting will be held on Tuesday, 8 May in the Bunning Resource Centre. Parents please join us from 6.45pm for a glass of wine and some cheese. The meeting commences at 7.00pm.

We look forward to welcoming you.

Save the Date:

• Year 8 Parent Evening - Friday 11 May

Tickets for this event will be available on the Scotch College website shortly.

Ms Stephanie Debnam
President
Scotch Parents

Skyplay Basketball Camps

Scotch College is pleased to advise Skyplay Basketball Camps are running skills and play programmes during the April holidays. See here for more details and registration information.

PLC OCA Art Exhibition

PLC are thrilled to announce that this year's PLC OCA Art Exhibition, showcasing emerging and established artists, will be held from Friday 25 May to Sunday 27 May.

They would like to warmly invite all artists from the PLC and Scotch community to register to include their artwork in the 2018 exhibition. Artists receive 70 percent commission on sales.

To register your interest to exhibit and/or to buy tickets to the opening night, please go to plcoca.org.au.

Artists who register to exhibit are asked to also create a miniature work which will be for sale at the exhibition. PLC welcomes anyone else who is feeling creative and wants to participate in this much-loved part of the Exhibition.

Miniature canvases can be collected from the Communications and Engagement office and returned there the artwork has been created - it is a great way to support this event. For more information, please email artexhibition@plcoca.org.au.

Old Scotch Collegians

Old Scotch Collegians look forward to welcoming back past students from the Class of 1988 at their thirty year reunion this Friday. Last-minute registrations for the reunion can be made here.

Other upcoming events include the Tartan Lawyers' Breakfast, PSA College Cup and Seniors' Luncheon. Details on how to register, as well as a full list of 2018 events, can be found via the Scotch College website, or contact the OSC Office (cass.macgowan@scotch.wa.edu.au) for more information.