Let me start this edition of the Thistle by wishing all of the mothers in the Scotch community a very happy Mother's Day for this coming Sunday 13 May; including parents, grandparents and of course our female staff. Any man worth a grain of salt is well aware of just how important mums are, and, the crucial role they play in our formation while growing up and then continuing to support us as adults. Barton Goldsmith, a columnist, lists 10 reasons why mums are so special, although some of these tasks are not just restricted to mums.

1. If it weren't for your mum, you wouldn't be breathing right now. If nothing else, you should thank her for that.
2. Mothers are the emotional backbones of the family. They provide the holding place for everyone's feelings and do their best to keep us from being hurt.
3. Mothers have the magic touch (and kiss) to help us heal our wounds, physical and emotional.
4. Truly, our mothers worked hard and made sacrifices, so our lives would be better. There are not a lot of people willing to do that, so let her know you appreciate it.
5. Mothers are forgiving so forgive her in return. Perhaps nothing will be as valuable a gift to both of you as forgiveness. Open your heart and drop your resentments. Now that's love.
6. When you want to climb the tallest mountain, your mother will make your lunch for you. She is the one who will support your dreams when no one else will. She will also remind you to wear clean underwear.
7. Her boundaries made you a better person. You may not have liked some of her decisions, but she does try and keep you out of trouble.
8. A mother's ears and eyes hear and see everything. They also have a computer-like memory for all the good (and some of the bad) that came your way. It's nice to have someone with whom you can reminisce about your life.
9. Mum taught you to be a functioning adult. That was her job, and without that, making it through the modern world would be very hard. Your mum may have forced you to do your homework, but now you see how important it was.
10. A mother's smile, when it is directed toward you, makes your day a whole lot better. All she needs is to know that she has helped you to be and feel your best.

It is also important that we remember that some of our boys and others in our community, may have lost their mums way too early; unfortunately, this is one of the challenges that life puts in front of us. Just remember our memories are no less meaningful. While my own mum passed away 18 years ago this week, there is not a day that goes by where my family and I are not reminded about her and how much she contributed to our lives. So, remember to give thanks to your mum, in person or in prayer, not just on Mother's Day, but on each and every day of the year. Never take your mum for granted.

Last year I made reference to an up and coming review from a panel chaired by David Gonski AC. In the last week many of the community may have either read or heard press items about the recently released 'Through Growth to Achievement' report. As with all of these types of reports there will be many discussions and debates regarding the recommendations and implementation. What I can say is that as a College we are already doing many of the recommended initiatives. If anyone is interested in reading the full report it can be accessed here.

In particular, the report referenced doing more with what in the National Curriculum calls 'General Capabilities'. At Scotch College, as a result of one on one interviews we conducted with many of our boys three years ago, we commenced a project where we are reporting on the 'Approaches to Learning (ATLs)' for each boy. While an International Baccalaureate construct, the ATLs are essentially similar to general capabilities.

In summary the report listed three key priorities

1. Deliver at least one year's growth in learning for every student every year;
2. Equip each child to be creative, connected and engaged learner in a rapidly changing world; and
3. Cultivate an adaptive, innovative and continuously improving education system.

While these are very broad statements, I am confident that our teaching and learning strategy, coupled with our focus on wellbeing, will ensure that Scotch College not just meets, but will lead in education for many years to come.

Have a great fortnight.

Dr Alec O'Connell
Headmaster

Scribblers Festival; an exciting start to Autumn Term

As part of the College's ongoing partnership with FORM, we are delighted to be hosting the school programme in the inaugural Scribblers Festival;

Storytelling. Characters. Plot twists. Beginnings, middles, and ends. From Young Adult fiction to the children's comic, the new annual Scribblers Festival has the words and pictures, authors and illustrators to go full volume with young Australians' favourite books.

Over three days, from 9 - 11 May, Scotch College will be opening its doors to students from across Western Australia as they join our boys to engage with over 20 authors and illustrators from across the globe.

With a specific Junior, Middle and Senior stream, students across all three sub-schools will benefit from this opportunity to develop their passion for literacy; a fundamental key to engaging boys in learning.

Over the lunch breaks, students will be able to purchase books, have their copy signed and be entertained by roving artists and performers on the College's oval.

Our vision for hosting this festival is to inspire our boys through encouraging the avid readers to read more and to light a flame for the reluctant readers. Reading is a powerful tool not just for learning but to open one's mind to a world of endless possibilities.

'Once you learn to read, you will forever be free' - Fredrick Douglas

More information about the entire festival from 9 - 13 May can be found here: https://www.scribblersfestival.com.au/

Mr Peter Allen
Director of Teaching and Learning

Friendly Schools

At the Professional Development day held on the Monday of Week 1 this term, Scotch College was very fortunate to have Erin Erceg present to our staff regarding the importance of creating and developing a safe and welcoming environment within our school, where all students feel comfortable to be themselves and are confident enough to grow and explore and expand their horizons. Erin is the National Director of the 'Friendly Schools' Project and an Honorary Research Associate with the Telethon Kids Institute. She has enormous experience working in the areas of social-emotional learning and bullying prevention. We are a 'Friendly Schools Plus' school and we use this programme primarily in the Junior School.

It is our belief at Scotch College that we have a fundamental duty to ensure each of our students feels safe and valued, and that they feel a sense of belonging. The fact is that we are not always as successful in achieving this as we would like, but we are committed to this goal, knowing that it is crucial to our boys making progress in all other fields of endeavour.

The research which Erin presented was interesting in a number of ways. She outlined a number of the reasons why students engage in bullying behaviour. This is interesting because understanding what drives bullying should be used to shape how we respond to such behaviour - it is not a case of one size fits all. Erin also explored with us the main reasons why most children do not engage in bullying. The top five reasons were:

• Good social skills and healthy relationships
• A belief that bullying is wrong and that their parents would be angry/disappointed
• Feeling good about themselves, and not needing power over others
• Not wanting to be treated that way themselves
• Being too busy!

We are hoping to build on the work done by Erin and work with her as we continue to seek ways to enhance the environment for every student at Scotch College. A powerful observation which Erin made was that students are the key to stopping bullying and we are keen to explore this. Student voice and support from fellow students are crucial elements in developing a positive environment and positive relationships. We know that boys' perceptions of who to turn to for help regarding problems they may be facing (bullying, in particular) shifts dramatically: in the Junior years, it is teachers and parents; in the Senior years, it is friends, parents, the internet and teachers. This highlights two keys for me. The first is the crucial role parents play - we need your help to deal with difficulties your son may be experiencing. And secondly, we need to keep working at ways to develop more effective communication channels at school. Using other, older students may well be beneficial in this regard.

Erin set out four clear statements which encapsulate what we hope each of our boys can say to themselves and believe about themselves:

• "I am learning to manage my life"
• "I have people around me who can help"
• "I am a person people can like or love"
• "I can find ways to solve the problems that I face"

I hope that you feel these statements apply to your son. If you have any concerns about your son, I urge you to let us know as early as possible, so that we can work together to make our school environment as positive as possible for him.

Mr James Hindle
Director of Student and Staff Wellbeing

Getting ready for winter?

Along with cleaning out your gutters in preparation for winter, we strongly encourage you to clean out your wardrobes too. As in previous years, the College will be supporting the Bindaring Clothing Sale by having collection points at each sub school reception and clean and folded donations are very welcome.

This is a significant annual fundraising event for the Red Cross and promotes the reusing of unwanted clothes, which may otherwise go into landfill.

The Bindaring Clothing Sale attracts many buyers looking for a bargain, especially in the vintage and designer label/boutique sections. This year's sale is on Saturday 19 May from 9.00am - 3.00pm in the Robinson Pavilion at the Claremont Showgrounds.

You can drop donations off at each of the sub school receptions. Look out for the Red Cross boxes which will be removed on 11 May.

As well as clothing donations, we are also chasing any football boots which can be donated in the bin at Senior School Reception.

Year 9 East Kimberley Tour

All Year 9 parents should have received a letter seeking expressions of interest in the 2018 East Kimberley Tour. Below is an excerpt from the letter.

The trip will incorporate activities and visits with Kununurra District High School, specifically the Clontarf Academy, Doon Doon Community and Wyndham District High School. The focus will be on engaging with Aboriginal students in a variety of settings, building relationships between Scotch College and these communities and increasing our awareness of the rich and diverse cultures in the region.

Please send me an email if you did not receive this letter.

Mr David Kyle
Director of Community and Service

Middle School Tours

Prospective families of Scotch College are warmly invited to attend the Middle School Tours this month.

Come see and hear about how our Middle School is loaded with innovative thinking and practice and rich in engagement to nurture and build resilience before entering Senior School. Meet our Head of Middle School and find out how your son will be supported, encouraged and challenged both academically and personally.

Visit the Scotch College website for further information and to register your attendance: www.scotch.wa.edu.au/tours

Residential Life News

Boarders Parents Dinner

Thank you to all the parents and staff who attended last term's Parent Dinner. It was a terrific night and I think I can speak for everyone when I say it was enjoyed by all. There were lots of opportunities for conversation and people to catch up and the vibe around the room/s felt extremely positive. Unfortunately, because we were so talkative there were no photos taken by us on the night so if anybody managed to snap some sneaky ones and would like to share them we would certainly appreciate them being sent through.

A big thank you to the catering team, who again helped us put the night together and supported us throughout the evening.

Read more Residential Life news here.

Mr Marcus Wilkinson
Director of Residential Life

Year 7 Scholarships 2019

The Headmaster and College Council are delighted to announce the following awards:

JA Gooch Scholarship

James Winch (Scotch College)

GG Gooch Scholarship

Jonathan Foster (John XXIII College)

Academic Entrance Scholarship

Rory Fleming (Scotch College)

Adrian Garbowski (St Thomas' Primary School)

Alastair Walker (Scotch College)

David Walton (Scotch College)

New Sport Website

A reminder about the new sport website. The new site is available from home.scotch.wa.edu.au by searching for sport or by directly going to the site https://sport.scotch.wa.edu.au.

Parents can find a copy of the one-page fixture under the tab 'Sports Information' but we encourage you to open the new website and explore all the new information in addition to opening it on your phone as it is customised to allow for quick and easy access. For more information on how to use the website on your phone please click HERE.

Over the coming weeks and next season further information will be added to the site with many more features to be released such as team members for Years 9 to 12.

Should you have any questions please email 1degree@scotch.wa.edu.au or chat to the Heads of Sport in your sub-school.

Mr Richard Foster
Head of Sport

The Raven

A new edition of The Raven is out. If you would like to read some great creative writing by the following boys, please go to the Summer edition 2018. This edition includes creative works by: Campbell McCracken (Year 12, Alexander), Benjamin Skelton (Year 12, Ferguson), Jordan Bowling (Year 12, Ross), Bailey Flecker (Year 12, St Andrews), Hugh Edwards (Year 12, St Andrews), Brent Morton (Year 12, Keys), Max Hollingsworth (Year 12, Shearer), Nicholas Price (Year 12, Cameron), William Wiese (Year 12, Keys), Joshua Dyson (Year 12, Ferguson), Alexander Comstock (Year 12, Cameron) and Alexander Omari (Year 12, Alexander).

These boys are to be congratulated on their very fine writing.

Please enjoy reading this work by visiting the electronic version of The Raven via the Scotch homepage. Any boy who has creative writing that he would like to submit to The Raven can send a copy to jeannette.weeda@scotch.wa.edu.au.

All entries are considered for the Raven Speech Night prizes and other writing competitions.

Dr Jeannette Weeda
English Teacher

Focusing on the Strengths in our Boys

As the psychologist in the Junior School and one of the psychologists in the Senior School, it is enjoyable to witness the similarities and differences between the boys in their respective sub schools. A commonality between some of the boys is the desire to 'compete and compare'. It is natural to compare ourselves to those around us. Comparing ourselves to others can sometimes be beneficial as it can lead us to try new things and grow our skillset. However, when we compare ourselves to others too often, it can become problematic. We know that if boys solely focus on others around them and not on their own strengths, it can contribute to them developing mental health issues. Many boys who suffer from anxiety and depression, continually compare themselves to others. When this is explored further, it is suggested that boys are putting too much of their energy into focusing on their peers strengths and are unconsciously minimising their own. As they continue to focus on their peers a cycle can occur. Within the cycle, boys focus on their peers strengths, unconsciously ignore their own and then begin to magnify the traits that they consider to be their weaknesses.

In an effort to break the cycle and assist your son in not always comparing himself, there are a few things that we can do to assist him.

• Acknowledge that your son is frustrated with the situation.
• Discuss with your son how he can improve and build upon his strengths.
• Remind your son that it is impossible to excel at everything.
• Encourage your son to praise his peers for their strengths.
• Remind your son that he excels in his own way.
• Praise your son for things he does well, whilst he is doing them.

Mr Jon Marginis
Psychologist in the Senior and Junior School

Scotch College Regains State Sailing Title

During the first week of the holidays, three Scotch teams took part in the State Schools Teams Racing Competition at Nedlands Yacht Club. Our Firsts Team took the title after winning every race in the two day qualifying series and the final series. Christ Church Grammar School were placed second, with our seconds gaining fourth, and our thirds a very commendable overall fifth place. A full report will be in the coming Clan.

This means that Scotch College has won three out of the last four years (coming second and third in 2017). Congratulations to our First Team: Captain of Sailing: Adam Brenz-Verca (Year 12, Stuart), Marcello Torre (Year 11, Cameron), Raffael Torre (Year 9, Cameron), Daniel Bower (Year 9, Ross), Lachlan Norcott (Year 10, Anderson), Rory Blackley (Year 12, Ferguson) and Toby Webster (Year 8, David), who have now qualified to compete for the National Title which will be held on the Mornington Peninsula in Victoria during the July holidays. Go Scotch!

Mr Brad Watson
Teacher in Charge of Sailing

Auditions for Year 8 & 9 Production - Oliver Twist

Students from Years 8 and 9 are invited to audition for the 2018 production of the classic tale of Oliver Twist. Auditions will be held in the Foundation Theatre over two afternoons. Students are advised that they will only need to attend one audition and no prior preparation is required.

Week 3

Tuesday 15 May 3.30pm - 5.30pm
Friday 18 May 3.30pm - 5.30pm

Uniform Shop

Opening Hours

The Uniform Shop will be closed for the Mid-Term Break and Public Holiday (ie Friday 1 June).

Supporters' Tops

Supporters' tops are available in the Uniform Shop. We have a softshell jacket and vest, a rugby jumper and a warm polar fleece vest - all ideal for those cold winter mornings next to the playing field!

Generations in Jazz Tour Success

Touring is one of the most exciting and rewarding aspects of being in a band, or ensemble. It is physically demanding, there are long hours involved in the preparation and then during the tour, but in the end, the experience is worth it. For many Scotch College students, tours are a highlight of their school journey. Tours create community, they inspire higher pursuits in the disciplines of performance, they refresh and invigorate passion and build lasting networks and friendships.

Twenty one of the Scotch College jazz students recently returned from their tour to Generations in Jazz. This festival, held in Mount Gambier, South Australia is the preeminent school jazz festival in Australia, this year with some five and a half thousand participants.

After a day travelling to Mount Gambier involving a very early wake up time and two flights, the group landed in Mount Gambier and witnessed first-hand the first adjudication concert for the 2018 James Morrison Scholarship. The following day the group received a two and a half hour workshop from renowned Australian Jazz musician, arranger and composer Graeme Lyall AM. This put the final touches on preparations for the stage band competition the following day.

The Scotch College Big Band Two performed in Division 3.1 of the festival and achieved sensational results, placing first in the division and receiving a monetary prize in doing so. Guitarist and 2018 Scotch Music Captain Kyle Imlah (Year 12, Keys) was recognised as the best jazz guitarist in the division, and awarded a place in the Division 3 Superband as a result.

Jazz Combo Two learnt a lot from the experience, gaining valuable insight into the level of preparation and skill base required for jazz performance in this context.

Three public concerts later, with none other than jazz vocal legend Patti Austin (USA) and James Morrison's all star big band (Australia), Jeff Clayton (Los Angeles), The Cat Empire (Melbourne) and the Idea of North, not to mention the 2018 scholarship finalists and past winners of the Division one bands, the students were completely saturated with jazz music goodness.

My thanks to the music staff who have patiently rehearsed and directed the Big Band and Jazz Combo over the past two terms. To Mr Tim Simpson and Mr Graeme Bell, the dedication and commitment to student learning through this tour involved many hours of hard work and time away from family. Both of you have gone above and beyond your call of duty.

Congratulations to all of the boys involved. Long may Scotch Music enjoy the fruits of this success.

Mr Scott Loveday
Head of Performing Arts

Mother's Day

The ancient Greeks and Romans both had festivals to honour the mothering goddesses Rhea and Cybele. Christians in the middle ages celebrated Mothering Sunday. A day when people travelled back to their 'mother church' and went to mass with their family and mother. This day was the closest to today's Mother's Day.

The modern version of Mother's Day has its origins in the United States. Anna Marie Jarvis admired her mother who had tended to the wounded during the American Civil War. When Anna was 12, she heard her mother pray that perhaps one day there might be a Memorial Day for mothers for all the good that they do. Upon Anna's mother's death in May of 1905, Anna began her plan for a holiday to remember and recognise mothers. In May of 1908, Anna held a memorial in honour of her mother's good deeds and handed out white carnations, her mother's favourite flower. From here the celebration spread throughout her state and across the country. In 1914, President Woodrow Wilson signed a bill making the second Sunday in May officially Mother's Day in the United States.

The day was meant to be spent in church followed by sons and daughters writing letters to their mothers. Carnations were worn, red or pink for living mothers and white for mothers who had passed away. Sales of carnations took off on Mother's Day and by 1920, greeting cards began replacing hand written letters, much to the dismay of Anna Jarvis.

Mother's Day began in Australia in 1924 in Sydney when Mrs J Heyden would bring gifts to lonely mothers. Whatever the origin, Mother's Day has become, not only one of the busiest days for phone companies and florists, but a day to say thank you and I love you to our mums.

Do you remember your mum treasuring the pictures you drew or painted as a child? Do you remember your mum teaching you how to tie your shoelaces before you started school? Whether she read with you before bed after working all day, prepared dinner and tidied the house or perhaps she did these things before she rushed to collect you from school only to happily take you to sport, music or some social event. Each day mothers demonstrate true selfless love.

Our mums mean a lot to us. Motherhood is a great investment that can have incredible daily rewards. You can never overestimate the influence of a good mother. Tomorrow's leaders are moulded in the homes of today.

Mothers make an indelible mark on the hearts of their children - their words are never completely forgotten and their touch and the memory of their presence lasts a lifetime. I hope that on Mother's Day, all of the mothers of our community will feel the special love their children have for them. I wish to thank the mothers of Scotch for all that they do for their sons and for the wonderful young men they are raising.

Mr John Stewart
Head of Junior School

Deputy Head of Junior School

Friendly Schools Plus and Wellbeing

Scotch College Junior School uses the Friendly Schools Plus programme as part of its Health Curriculum delivery. Last term Miss Phebe Samson, Mrs Fiona Alexander and myself attended professional learning with Erin Erceg, a co-founder and programme developer of Friendly Schools Plus. She spoke to us about the importance of social and emotional development of children and their importance in navigating school life and overcoming adversity.

Using this programme alongside other professional learning, looking at the Junior School's current practice and matching this to the Wellbeing Strategic Plan, is part of the next stages for the Wellbeing journey of the Junior School.

Friendly Schools Plus defines bullying as;

Repeated behaviour; that may be physical, verbal, and/or psychological; where there is intent to cause fear, distress, or harm to another; that is conducted by a more powerful individual or group; against a less powerful individual or group of individuals who are unable to stop this from happening.

This is also nicely represented in this poster shared by the Middle School;

Miss Penny Hooper
Deputy Head of Junior School
(Administration and Pastoral Care)

Pre-Primary News

We have had a fabulous beginning to the new Pre-Primary year, with twenty one energic and intelligent boys willing to learn, grow and engage in all matter of learning.

This year, for the first time in our recent ELC history, we will be running all four PYP Units of Inquiry concurrently. This is a daunting, however, a very exciting challenge, as we are able to truly delve deeper into the inquiry process and utilise the Reggio Emilia Philosophy to bring forward the theories and wonderings the boys have.

The boys began the semester with the Unit of Inquiry "Who We Are" where they have explored what it means to be a son, a friend, and a learner in the broader community. The boys have explored the notion of friends through a variety of learning experiences that bring together the home to school link through a variety of rich picture books, small and whole group meetings, oral presentations and the boys own family contexts. They looked at themselves, literally, to discover their own uniqueness and drew a graphic representation in the form of a self-portrait.

They then reflected on the roles and responsibilities within their family and how these link back to the jobs they do at school. Jobs such a tidying your room, relate to cleaning up after ourselves at school, caring for their toys at home translates to caring for the resources at school. Many of the boys realised that they didn't act as responsibly at home as much as they did at school and therefore asked their parents if they could begin to do chores a wonderful example of taking action.

The boys made links to the wider school community when they walked through the Junior School and surrounding buildings to find people who support them. The boys bought back their newly found knowledge and then made a mapped of the Junior School experiences in order to be able to tell others. We will be inviting members of the wider school and local community to the ELC to explain the role and responsibility they play in their specialist area with the intention of evoking the understanding that we are all connected and support each other.

This Unit of Inquiry will continue to grow along with the boys.

Mrs Sue Phillips
Pre-Primary Teacher

Art News

On Wednesday 28 March, the Year 2 boys were invited to engage in an immersive workshop at FORM, with Paul Gorman. The workshop was intended to create community building experiences and promote collaboration, and also build skill development and promote lifelong learning. Paul Gorman trained a group of artists and musicians and invited them to develop an idea of how best to relate to the Year 2's current transdisciplinary theme 'How we Organise Ourselves' and link the central idea 'Public spaces may provide people with opportunities to make connections and established a sense of community'. Working in 4 smaller groups, the boys each built their own community from found recycled objects and were able to share and discuss their creations and experiences. The boys were very excited about the prospect of building their own communities and thoroughly enjoyed the freedom of working within a new creative space.

Mrs Jane Roche
Junior Art Specialist

From the Head of Middle School

A quick survey of our Year 8 students who attended an ANZAC Service during holidays indicated that over half of our boys were either at a Dawn Service or a local council Breakfast Service this year. This is impressive and consistent with trends seen across the country. In the last fifteen years, nationally, we have seen an increase in numbers at ANZAC Day services, particularly youth numbers, reflecting on and respecting the contribution of service men and women that have gone before us. For those who have yet to visit the College's new Heritage Centre in the Memorial Hall, the displays of student memorabilia of the war years is well worth seeing. Arthur Bannister (8.6S) represented Scotch College by laying a wreath at this year's Town of Claremont ANZAC Day Service.

Last week's ySafe cyber safety incursion by Jordan Foster to all Year 8 boys and then presented again for parents the same evening was a timely reminder of the codes of conduct and levels of awareness we all need to have in the digital, online world we increasingly live within. A key message or reminder is that we all have a digital footprint. Everything we do online helps create a personal brand of sorts that can be seen by others, well beyond our regular interaction group. It is important that the footprint we create as students is a positive one, one that we do not regret in 5 or 6 years' time.

The value of last week's presentations will be enhanced if, as teachers and as parents, we have critical conversations with our boys on how they use the range of social media platforms that exist. I will not say boys love rules and structure, but they value knowing the rules and where boundaries lie. Jordan highlighted her ABC of cyber management as: Control ACCESS, Set BOUNDARIES, Openly COMMUNICATE. The appearance of anonymity in the digital world is very misleading and a trap for young people and so our combined conversations, guidance and building of knowledge until our boys are old enough to know when enough is enough, and what is appropriate or not are critical conversations to have and sustain.

A summary of Jordan's presentation and access to her resources and helpline can be found when you click here and head to the Parent's Guide to Cyber Safety. This is where you can access the parent guide that summarises the information discussed during the session, and other practical templates like our digital contract. Feel free to look at other areas of the site, including useful websites for parents and other helpful tools.

Mr Richard Ledger
Head of Middle School

James and the Giant Peach

Week 1 of Summer Term 2018 began at a cracking pace for the Performing Arts with auditions for this year's 6/7 Production James and the Giant Peach by Roald Dahl. From day one the cast brought energy, enthusiasm and a plethora of creative ideas to the rehearsal space and were instrumental in bringing this magical world to life. They were adventurous in the requests that were made of them to stretch themselves outside their comfort zone and they took on many extra roles outside their initial casting. Students worked collaboratively together to create environments and special effects as well as learning puppetry skills.

The experience of working on a production is not just about those final performances. Students work incredibly hard over a 10 week period and get to witness the creative process of a production as it comes together such as; set, costumes, lighting, sound and AV. None of which would be possible without the expertise of designers such as Kaitlin Brindley who created the incredible set and Kale Tatam who designed the lighting and AV.

Partaking in a production is not for the faint hearted. It takes dedication, resilience, hard work and sacrifices. The rewards however, can be great and this year's show was no exception. James and the Giant Peach played to 3 full houses and received rave reviews. It was a thoroughly rewarding experience in which students once again affirmed the magic of theatre and its ability to unite a community in its shared experience.

Mrs Niki Browne-Cooper
Middle School Drama Teacher

Middle School Music

A New Middle School Music Ensemble

This term, there will be a new ensemble rehearsing in the Middle School. On Friday mornings boys from Years 6, 7 and 8 will be rehearsing alongside similarly aged musicians from the local Perth community. This is a unique opportunity for our boys as they will have the chance to play with musicians from the Perth community with a similar ability level. This ensemble will be conducted by Ms Jennifer Sullivan (Middle School Music Coordinator) and Mr Tim Simpson (Head of Brass). This ensemble is an auditioned ensemble only and the first rehearsal for the term will start in Week 2.

Classroom Music

In the Year 6 Music classroom the boys have made wonderful progress on their concert band instruments. They have developed their sight-reading skills and worked on developing their tone, technique and musicality within the classroom ensemble. This term they will compose a piece of music for their own instrument using the music software program Finale.

In the Year 7 Music classroom, the boys have been conducting an investigation on music from around the world. This term the boys will be presenting their findings to the class. The students really enjoy learning about all of the unique instruments that originate from countries around the world; as well as listening to a variety of traditional and contemporary music examples.

Boys in Year 8 Music Extension have been studying the basis of music from the entire 20^th Century, The Blues. Currently they are working on creative compositions using the latest Sibelius Scoring software commonly used by music and film composers globally. Some boys have created some interesting Blues lyrics about the trials and tribulations of going to school.

Year 8 Music General boys are also moving into their creative compositions with a slightly different twist. Working in teams similar to current music industry practices all music is either recorded or created using DAW Software and the boys also learn how to interact using Audio Interfaces, studio quality microphones, and of course traditional instruments.

Ms Jennifer Sullivan
Middle School Music Coordinator

Student Achievements

Congratulations to Rio Bowling (8.2R) who has been selected to represent WA at the Men's Gymnastics Championships in Melbourne in May.

Congratulations to Sean Christie (7.4A) who has been selected to represent WA in the U13 National Ice Hockey Championships in Melbourne later this year.

Important Dates in Autumn Term

From the Head of Senior School

Study Habits

With the much needed holidays now over, it is time for students to re-establish, or possibly establish for the first time, their study habits.

Studying requires a definite set of skills that must be understood, developed and practised. Studying is a concentrated attempt to learn. Effective study is an active process and it involves steady progress and the efficient use of time. It is the aggregation of effective habits that pays dividends over time. I thought it would be worth reviewing a number of considerations for students to improve concentration, remove distraction and to set yourself up for success.

1. Establish a place for study. Does it have adequate lighting and ventilation? Does it offer space and comfort? Is it too warm or too cool? Are there too many distractions? By removing distractions, not only are you completing the work more efficiently, but by concentrating and focusing on the task at hand your attention to detail is improved. This allows for greater accuracy and for stronger links between concepts when developing understanding.
2. Are the things you need for study readily accessible? That is, paper, pens, books, calculator. Establishing a routine as simple as this removes opportunity for procrastination and distraction. It is natural to allow oneself to procrastinate when needing to complete tasks one finds less than enjoyable. Set up your location and your resources and begin.
3. Establish a regular routine of eating, sleeping and exercise. Students who do this generally gain higher marks. Plan to do the things you enjoy. There is no harm in prioritising these, as long as you leave the quality time you need to do what you must.
4. Establish a clear goal for what you want to accomplish during the study session. Make a list. This will assist you to focus your attention on the specific task at hand and provide you with feedback about your progress.
5. When you are not actually concentrating on the work in front of you, have a break. Avoid fooling yourself by faking study behaviour. Work for a maximum of 45 minutes and then take a short break of 5 to 10 minutes. Stand, walk, go and get a drink of water. Just enough time to refresh yourself.
6. Change the subject or task you are working on every 45 minutes or so. The brain does not easily assimilate the same or similar material continuously. This means that anything you want to learn or remember should be started early and revisited over many nights.
7. Study the hardest, most challenging, least enjoyable subjects first. Put a time limit on how long you will study them for, e.g. 30 minutes, so you know there will be an end. This makes it easier to face uninteresting study tasks.
8. Develop a system to organise, reduce and store information for each class. Review your notes (read, think, write, talk) at the end of each day and create summaries. Give 10 minutes for every one hour of new material learnt. If you don't recall what you have learnt on a given day, within 24 hours you will lose 50-80% of it. Review and consolidate your notes at the end of each week and then again at the end of each month.

As I mentioned in the opening paragraph, successful study is often the aggregation of many habits. I hope you can apply some of these suggestions above to great effect.

Mr Dean Shadgett
Head of Senior School

Student Achievements

William Steinberg (Year 10, Brisbane) been selected as a member of the team which will represent Australia at the 59^th International Mathematical Olympiad (IMO). The Olympiad will be held in Cluj-Napoca, Romania from 3 - 14 July 2018.

Campbell McAullay (Year 10, Shearer) has been selected to represent Western Australia in the 2018 Water Polo Team to compete at the national championships in Perth 20-25 May.

Ruan van der Riet (Year 9, Ross) competed in the National Age Swimming championships over the holidays. His performances were highlighted with a 5^th place in the 200m butterfly and 6^th in the 400m IM.

Jospeh Crowley (Year 9, St Andrews) won a silver medal in the 2km beach run at the Australian Life Saving national titles at Scarborough.

Benjamin Scott (Year 9, Ross) was part of his Club water polo team (Sydney Uni) who won the U14 national championship which was held in Canberra.

Cooper Lindsay (Year 12, Ross) competed in the CrossFit Open Championships. Despite being injured, he made the Top 10 in the Pacific Region. Just five spots away from being one of the of CrossFit athletes that make it to the World CrossFit Games. This is an outstanding achievement.

Year 10 Certificate of Excellence - Semester 1, 2018

Important Dates in Autumn Term

Sports Captains

Perfectionism on the Increase

More than a desire to 'always do our best', perfectionism is "a combination of excessively high personal standards and overly critical self-evaluations". It leads to increased pressure and reduced likelihood of being able to achieve life satisfaction.

A recent study suggests that perfectionism is on the rise and that millennials are the generation most predisposed to perfectionism, leading to a level of pressure that impacts wellbeing.

The authors suggest three types of perfectionism: self-orientated, socially prescribed, and other-oriented. The authors noted the impact of general culture change as well as the important influence of social media (especially with regard to anxiety about body image and social isolation).

Thomas Curran from the University of Bath (the study's lead author) noted that "meritocracy places a strong need for young people to strive, perform, and achieve in modern life", and observed that "young people are responding by reporting increasingly unrealistic educational and professional expectations for themselves. As a result, perfectionism is rising among millennials."

Ms Shauna Lipscombe
School Psychologist

Scotch College Tours 2019

See here for a list of tours on offer in 2019.

Mrs Denyse Houston
Tours Administrator

Senior Library Closure Week 2

The Senior Library will be closed for all students and staff from Period 3 on Tuesday, 8 May through to Friday, 11 May as we host the authors from the Scribblers Festival. This includes before and after school hours. No camera equipment, photocopying or print resources will be available during this time.

1Degree and Dr Spadaccini will be available in the Tech Centre, Mr Tyrrell will be working in the Junior Middle Library, and the Teacher Librarians will be away on Professional Development. Email is the preferred contact option if you need assistance during this time.

The Year 12 Study Room below the library will continue to function as normal with access through the lower doors only.

Careers Information

Careers Expos

The first Careers Expo for 2018 will be held at the Perth Convention and Exhibition Centre on 17-20 May from 10.00am - 4.00pm each day. For more information www.careers-expo.com.au. This free event will include both tertiary education and vocational training opportunities with a huge variety of universities and other tertiary institutions from WA and across the country and VET specialists in everything from plumbing and painting, personal training, multimedia design, aviation and many more.

The annual Scotch College Combined Schools Careers Expo will be held in the Dickinson Centre on Wednesday 13 June 2018 from 5.00pm - 7.00pm. Students in Year 10, 11 and 12 are invited to attend this Expo that will have representatives from all Western Australian universities and TAFE Colleges, Eastern States universities and many other private providers.

Year 12 Career Focus Breakfasts

Each year Old Scotch Collegians sponsor Career Focus Breakfasts where OSC members from various career areas attend a breakfast to talk about what their career involves, how they got there and offer to some helpful advice. These breakfasts occur each Tuesday in June from 7.15am - 8.25am at the Boarding House dining room annexe.

Year 12 students may attend as many breakfasts as they wish providing they have an interest in the career areas being offered on that day. To register for a breakfast, they need to complete the flyer emailed to them and return it to me. Please note that there will be a limit on numbers for each breakfast. Students from previous years have gained interesting career information, tips on appropriate university courses and have made a start to their networking contacts.

Please encourage your son to register for one or more of these breakfasts.

University Information

Curtin Psychology Info Session

Tuesday 15 May, 6.30pm - Curtin Medical School

Our psychology information evening and webinar provides a great opportunity to speak to the experts about your study options. Register online to attend.

Find out more

Curtin Medical Radiation Science Info Session

Wednesday 16 May, 4.00pm

This information session will provide prospective students with detailed information about Medical Radiation Science courses, fees, admission requirements and much more.

Find out more

Murdoch University -Law & Criminology Information Evening

Here how the Murdoch Law School provides students with real-world practical experience and unrivalled support and flexibility.

Wednesday 23 May, 6.00pm - 7.30pm at Murdoch Campus

Register at: www.murdoch.edu.au/FutureStudentEvents

Monash University Information Evening in Perth

Monday 21 May, 6.30pm - 8.00pm

Novotel Langley, 221 Adelaide Terrace, Perth

Register at: www.monash.edu/information-evenings/perth

Notre Dame University

You and your students will be able to find all there is to know about Notre Dame's programmes, events and how to apply direct in the dedicated future students section of the site - notredame.edu.au/study.

Year 10 Parent Information Evening and Pizza Night

Are you currently in Year 10 and trying to choose subjects for next year? Well grab your parents and come along to the ECU Year 10 Pizza Night!

If you don't know what subjects to pick next year or you just want to find out about university and the courses we offer, this is a great opportunity to have a chat with our friendly Student Recruitment Team over pizza!

Edith Cowan University

Mount Lawley Campus

When: Thursday, 24 May at 6:00pm

WAAPA Production Tour

Mount Lawley Campus
When: Thursday, 24 May at 6:00pm

Register here

US & UK Universities Info Session - Crimson Education

May 21, Mt Claremont

The top universities in the US and UK are within your reach! Come along to our event and find out 'Everything You Need to Know About US & UK Universities'. MHS members receive free tickets at the link!

Register here.

Scholarships

UWA Fogarty Scholarship Program

There are 10 scholarships on offer to Year 12 WA high school students.

The UWA Fogarty Scholarship Program is enriching our community by investing in exceptional young people who use their skills, abilities and commitment to lead positive change in our community, State and nation.

Each scholarship is valued at $10,000.

Applications close in May 2018

Find out more

Study Abroad Scholarship

Apply for Crimson Education's first Study Abroad Scholarship! The student with the most outstanding application will win an extensive mentoring package connecting you to a team of five to eight mentors from the world's top universities and $500 cash to get you closer than ever to your dream university.

Applications close June 1

Find out more

Woodside Indigenous Scholarships

Developed by Woodside Energy Ltd in conjunction with Curtin University to encourage and support Indigenous students to consider a career in science and engineering or a discipline aligned to Woodside's business needs. Indigenous candidates from the Pilbara and Kimberley regions of Western Australia are encouraged to apply.

Up to two scholarships will be offered to undergraduate Indigenous students who will be or are currently enrolled full-time in an eligible course at Curtin.

Find out more

Apprenticeships & Traineeships

Thiess 2018 Mid Year Apprentice Intake

Working with experienced colleagues at various Thiess projects, our four-year structured Apprenticeship Program will offer you the chance to participate in training towards a nationally recognised trade qualification.

You will need to be self-motivated, conscientious and committed to developing a career for yourself in the resources industry. A mature attitude is essential and you must be willing to learn new skills and accept direction.

Thiess Apprentices have all of their college fees and associated costs covered by Thiess and are supplied with full PPE and a uniform.

Locations - Fly In Fly Out From Perth WA

• Solomon
• Christmas Creek
• Leinster/ Rocky's Reward

Apply now

Good Universities Guide to Apprenticeships and Traineeships

Read the guide

Mr Peter Frusher
Careers Adviser

Staff Movements

Summer 2018 - leaving/left staff

Autumn 2018 - Staff returning from leave

Autumn 2018 - Staff on leave

Autumn 2018 - Permanent New Staff

Scotch Parents

The next Scotch Parents meeting will be held on Tuesday 8 May, at 7.00pm in the Bunning Resource Centre (Senior School Library). We welcome all Scotch Parents. It is a great way to find out what is going on in the school and to meet other parents. Our guest speaker David Kyle, Director of Community and Service will speak to us about the service trips and programmes available to our boys, as well as the Round Square Exchange opportunities.

New Junior School Event - Mothers' Day Breakfast
Our Mothers' Day Breakfast which will be held on Thursday 10 May at 7.15am in the Dining Room. Mothers and /or special friends of Kindergarten to Year 5 boys are invited to attend the Breakfast and it will feature a talk by VIP guest, Mrs Janny O'Connell, the Headmaster's wife.

Year 11 Dance - Saturday 26 May
A reminder the Year 11 Dance will be held on Saturday 26 May in the Dickinson Centre. If your son would like to attend please purchase your tickets and return the signed permission letter as soon as possible.

Upcoming events

• Year 8 Parent Sundowner - Friday 11 May
• Year 10 Parent Sundowner - Thursday 31 May

Please purchase tickets for all of these events by visiting the Scotch College website and clicking on the "Book a Scotch Event" icon. Please purchase your ticket as soon as possible as sales for some events will be closing shortly.

Ms Stephanie Debnam
President
Scotch Parents

Soccer Parents Support Group

Welcome to this season of Soccer!

The fixtures and training days can be found on Home.Scotch in the sport section for Friday and Saturday.

I would like to extend a particular welcome to Mr Robert Mohan who has taken up the position of First XI Coach and wish him and all the coaches an enjoyable and successful season. For those boys who are in the First XI or Seconds, it would be much appreciated if parents who attend home games, could contribute an item for morning tea to share with players and spectators.

If you have any queries, please contact soccer@scotch.wa.edu.au.

Looking forward to seeing you at the soccer.

Mrs Hilary Davies
Soccer Parent Support Group

Friends of Scotch Music (FOSM)

Jazz Night - Save the Date

The Annual Scotch College Jazz Night will be held on Friday 22 June in the Dickinson Centre. Music provided by Scotch College students and staff and Guest musicians. We hope to see you there.

Mrs Louise Broun
Friends of Scotch Music

Baroque by Candlelight

Children will recount their experiences of living in Baroque times as Perth Chamber Orchestra (PCO) presents their most acclaimed concert to date: "Baroque by Candlelight" as part of the Armadale Arts Festival at St. Matthew's Church on Saturday, 12th May.

The performance features a range of soloists from 9 year old Joshua Crestwell on the banjo, to Cathie Travers on the accordion, to Jenny Coleman (former Scotch College music teacher) on the trumpet.

View the video here.

Date: Saturday 12 May
Venue: St Matthew's Church, Jull St Armadale
Time: Matinée 4pm - 5.45pm | Evening concert 7pm - 8.45pm

More details including a link to purchase tickets can be found here.