Dear Parents,

If you'd seen Dr O'Connell out of school in the last few months, chances were he had his hiking boots on, was carrying a 25kg backpack and pushing himself up a hill. It is not a leisure activity many would take on without a specific reason. Dr O'Connell is away this week, along with Year 7 teacher Karen Woods, seven Year 11 boys and a contingent of students and teachers from Bunbury Cathedral Grammar, walking the Kokoda Track in Papua New Guinea. The Trek is a combined Service and Duke of Edinburgh Award expedition that walks the trail from Owens Corner at the Port Moresby end to the highland village of Kokoda. It is a track steeped in history, most famously used by Australian and Japanese soldiers during World War II. The Kokoda Track is 96km long and will reach an elevation of over 7000ft with at least 10 summits to climb over the seven day trek. I found this summary of the trek on Wikipedia: it gives a pretty neat outline of our Headmaster's coming week.

"Hot, humid days with intensely cold nights, torrential rainfall and the risk of  endemic tropical  diseases   such as  malaria  make it a challenging trek."

The three week mid-year break was well used by more than just the Headmaster preparing for Kokoda judging by holiday recounts I heard from boys and families last week. Along with Scotch College, Presbyterian Ladies College (PLC), Wesley College and Guildford Grammar also see the value of a three week mid-year break. It is worth recounting for families new to the College some of the activity that unfolds during this time:

• 120 Year 9 boys embarked on the week long Canberra Tour, a combined tour with PLC
• 100 Year 10 boys completed their required Outdoor Education tours to Ningaloo and Karajini
• The majority of our Year 8 boys used the break to complete their MYP Community Project service hours
• The Junior Da Vinci Decathlon boys competed at the National Da Vinci Decathlon event in Sydney, impressively winning the Science category
• Our PSA sailing team competed, and came second, in the National Youth sailing championships held in Blairgowrie, Victoria.

All of this activity in holiday time and having little or no disruption on the term academic programme.

One of the big reasons for the three week break comes for our Year 12 boys who are in the process of finalising course work across their subjects, wrapping up their extended essays and using the break to physically recover from the heavy demands of Winter Sport allowing them to be physically and mentally in good shape for their last eight weeks before examination season kicks in. In my own opinion, I believe the three week break will be a model adopted by more schools similar to ours.

Other aspects of the school utilised the three weeks well too. If you drove down Shenton Road during the break you may have noticed workmen installing the 1600 solar panels onto the roofs across the Senior and Middle School campuses that will produce on average 485 kilowatts of power each day, an amount that will make a serious dent in the electricity bills we receive each month. The Pipe Band had uninterrupted use of the Senior School oval for extended rehearsal and practice each day prior to embarking for the Edinburgh Tattoo last weekend.

Our Winter Sport season draws to a close in two weeks' time before we move into our Athletics season and the excitement and colour of our three sub-school carnivals. They are something to look forward to with every boy in the school participating to some degree. The Pipe Band performance on the Saturday of the Senior School carnival is a great culmination to a week of athletic endeavour. I am however looking forward to the return of the Headmaster next week and listening to the accounts of the Year 11 boys and just what Wikipedia meant by challenging as they recount their Kokoda Track experience.

Mr Richard Ledger
Acting Headmaster
Head of Middle School

NAIDOC Week 2018 - Because of her, we can!

During Week 2 of this term the College will be celebrating NAIDOC week with a focus on the history, culture and achievements of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples.

Currently at the College we have forty-one Indigenous students from across Australia. Thirty-six of these students reside in our residential community whilst five are day boys. More information about the Indigenous programme at the College can be found here.

Over the last year we have been revisiting the College's Reconciliation Action Plan (RAP) and this will be presented at NAIDOC assembly on Friday 3 August.

A Reconciliation Action Plan (RAP) is our formal statement of commitment to reconciliation.

Our RAP focusses on the actions we can take in the classroom, around the school and with the community to promote reconciliation. We can do this by continuing to build relationships, ensuring a culture of respect and looking for opportunities to engage with Indigenous communities. A summary of our RAP can be seen in the poster below.

A key part of the delivery of the Australian Curriculum at the College is the Cross Curricular Priority of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander histories and cultures:

A conceptual framework based on Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Peoples' unique sense of Identity has been developed as a structural tool for the embedding of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander histories and cultures within the Australian curriculum. This sense of Identity is approached through the interconnected aspects of Country/Place, People and Culture. Embracing these elements enhances all areas of the curriculum. (SCSA, 2018)

Thank you for trusting us to educate your sons.

Mr Peter Allen
Director of Teaching and Learning

Lasting Impressions

I don't suppose that many people have seen it, but in the footpath on the southern side of Shenton Road just near the car park at the top of the school, there is the imprint of a gum leaf set in the concrete. I walk past it often and each time I do, I wonder whether that mark is there as the result of a conscious decision by someone who placed the leaf in the concrete when it was still wet, or whether it is there simply because the wind shifted that random leaf into that position.

I mention this because, each time I see it, that impression of a leaf reminds me of the importance of putting things in place early if we want them to last. Impressions like this one needed to be made as the pavement was forming. It reminds me of the footprints of dinosaurs walking through mud, footprints that have dried and lasted millions of years.

So it is with young people; if we can put things in place during their formative years, these will last. Of course, we want as many of these habits and attitudes to be positive, although not all of them are. Sometimes, these things may happen by accident, but the good habits are often a result of the environment we work hard to form around them.

At the end of last term, we began working with Mindfulness Meditation Australia. This is a group founded and based in WA which has as its aim, "To improve the happiness and wellbeing of all Australians". We have been working with them to enhance the wellbeing of our staff by allowing them to explore mindfulness as a concept and a practice. The longer-term view is that this will hopefully be something staff choose to incorporate into their own lives for their wellbeing, and which they recognise as being beneficial for students. The sessions have provided an excellent entry point, exploring the science behind mindfulness as well as some simple practices. Some staff in Junior and Middle Schools have already begun to incorporate some of these practices into their daily classroom routines. We continue to explore avenues for expanding mindfulness and this will hopefully include parent sessions in the not-too-distant future.

Mindfulness is the ability to pay attention and to respond in the most appropriate way in any given moment. It is a shift from automatic, reactive thought to conscious, directed thought. Improving our capacity to pay attention (or focus) is crucial in terms of our efficiency, capacity to learn, remember and to discriminate. It enables us to respond wisely, rather than reacting blindly, to circumstances. Mindfulness assists us in recognising unhelpful thoughts. It enables us to detach these unhelpful thoughts from unhelpful emotions, which often lead to unhelpful actions. Clearly, this is something from which all of us would benefit, and if we can show young people the advantages of this approach early, we hope that this will provide them with skills which can sustain them throughout their lives. You may like to watch this short video on the subject: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=w6T02g5hnT4 .

Meditation is a technique that relaxes the body quickly and calms the mind. It involves learning to calm quickly and consciously, as well as learning to pay attention and so keep your mind on track. Relaxation and attention work together; they are closely connected. Focusing on the body relaxes it, and the act of focusing assists with managing thoughts and helps to calm the mind. We are continuing to work with Helen Heppingstone to incorporate meditation at different levels of the school and at different times of the year. We ran sessions in Middle School at the end of last term and we will be running sessions on Friday afternoon for Year 7s towards the end of this term. We will also be expanding the sessions offered to Year 11 and 12 students in the lead-up to their end-of-year examinations. If we can impress upon our sons and students the benefits of such habits, I believe that we can equip them just a little better for life beyond school.

Mr James Hindle
Director of Student and Staff Wellbeing

International Exchanges 2019

Thank you to everyone who attended the Round Square exchange information evening on Thursday night. Full details on exchanges can be found here.

Applications are due Thursday 16 August.

Kokoda Trekking for the Duke of Edinburgh's International Award

We hope the Year 11 boys, Dr O'Connell and Mrs Karen Woods are enjoying their walk along the Kokoda Track. You can follow their journey at the link below and we look forward to seeing photos and hearing of their experience.

http://www.ontrackexpeditions.net/trackatrip

The boys below received their Duke of Edinburgh International Awards on Friday and are to be congratulated.

Name	Award	House
Jim Allan	Bronze Award	Year 9, Cameron
Charlie Castleden	Bronze Award	Year 11, Stuart
Joshua Croker	Bronze Award	Year 11, Shearer
Adam Darley	Bronze Award	Year 10, Anderson
Ryan Hodgetts	Bronze Award	Year 12, Brisbane
Jesse McDonald	Bronze Award	Year 11, Anderson
Darcy Saggers	Bronze Award	Year 9, St Andrews
Mitchell Anstiss	Silver Award	Year 11, Brisbane
Auxence Gide	Silver Award	Year 12, Anderson

Tanzania 2018

Sunrise over Mt Kilimanjaro, July 2018

The Tanzania Tour was an outstanding success and a final tour report can be read here.

Images posted throughout the tour can be located here.

We will be publishing a full report into the service project at Matipwili soon.

Mr David Kyle
Director of Community and Service

Performing Arts

As I write this article, some twenty one students from the Scotch College Pipe Band A Team are packing their instruments and equipment in preparation for their tour to the Royal Edinburgh Military Tattoo. It is an incredible honour to be invited to join the bands, musicians and performers from all over the world. It's particularly poignant that this year's theme The Sky's the Limit was chosen to embrace Scotland's Year of Young People.

Hundreds of hours of rehearsal and practice are about to culminate in an experience many could only ever dream of achieving.

Touring with any kind of performing arts ensemble is one of life's most exciting and rewarding experiences. It's different to touring for a sporting fixture, or a community service trip, a cultural immersion tour or going on a holiday. In any performance situation, the group is only as good as the weakest member of the ensemble. This builds an innate sense of reliability and responsibility: each member of the ensemble relies critically on the others performing with the highest level of skill. Deep relationships are formed as a result. Memories are forged and they'll last long enough to have stories for the grandkids. Those that are able to experience such an opportunity are truly privileged.

Planning for future tours from within the Scotch Performing Arts Department is well underway. In 2019, our Drama students will have the opportunity to tour to the National Institute of Dramatic Art (NIDA). Pipe Band students will have the opportunity to audition for performance opportunity at the Basel Tattoo and Jazz Musicians will have the opportunity to tour to Generations in Jazz. In 2020, other musicians will have an opportunity to tour for performances in South East Asia. Opportunities such as these are one of the many benefits of choosing to be involved in the Performing Arts at Scotch College.

As you read this article, the Pipe Band boys and staff will be mid-way through a demanding series of four full fourteen hour rehearsal days. They will follow this with a month of nightly performances (most of them double shows). I invite you to think of the boys during this time and tune in with a sense of pride when the Tattoo is televised (usually on New Year's Eve)!

Mr Scott Loveday
Head of Performing Arts

Uniform Shop Opening Hours

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

The Uniform Shop will be closed for the Mid-Term Break, Friday 17 August.

College Tours

Junior and Middle School Tours 

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 below or call Admissions on 9383 6809 to arrange a tour with our Registrar.

 

Year Group Contact Lists 2018

Year group contact lists will be sent out again this term to include all our new families, please advise any contact or address changes by email to admissions@scotch.wa.edu.au by Friday 3 August 2018 so we can have the lists out as early as possible.

Residential Life

Carnarvon and Exmouth

Richard Ledger and I will be heading to Carnarvon and Exmouth from Thursday 9 August until Sunday 12 August.  As part of our trip we will attending the Long Table lunch in Carnarvon on Friday 10 August and the Mantaray BBQ Dinner in Exmouth on Saturday 11 August.  We hope to try and catch up with as many of our families as can while we are in the region.

For more Residential Life news - click here. 

Mr Marcus Wilkinson
Director of Residential Life

From the Head of Junior School

Steve Jobs, the co-founder of Apple, said, 'Things don't have to change the world to be important.' Social responsibility is driven by a sense of responsibility and compassion, and aim to make other people's lives better.

Ryan Hreljac lives in Canada. When he was six years old, he learned about the devastating consequences that people faced in countries where there was poor sanitation and no access to fresh, clean water. Although he was very young, he felt so strongly about it that he wanted to help tackle the problem. At first, Ryan set about doing extra chores to earn money. Later, he started participating in public speaking events with the aim of raising the $2,000 needed for his first well in northern Uganda. Three years later, the Ryan's Well Foundation was born.

Today, over 992 communities have clean water due to this project and 1,153 toilets have been completed in 16 countries. The Foundation has saved lives by reducing the risk of disease and given more than a million vulnerable people the prospect of a brighter future.

Eight years ago, Cassidy Strickland saw a homeless man rummaging in a bin for food near her house in the Hawkesbury region, NSW. She thought, 'How can anyone be that hungry?'

She told her mum she wanted to do something to help other people in the same situation, so that weekend they made soup and served it to homeless people in their local park. That first day there were only five people there. The following weekend they did the same - and word had spread.

Making the venture official, Cassidy set up Hawkesbury's Helping Hands, a charity that provides meals to the area's homeless and disadvantaged. At first, Cassidy's family bought everything and cooked it - soups, salads, roast dinners. Then some cafes and restaurants started donating food and people began to donate money. Today, the charity feeds around 65 people every weekend, and provides hot meals, takeaway lunch boxes, sleeping equipment and toiletries. The charity has provided 100,000 meals since it started in 2011.

At Scotch, we try to make a difference in the lives of others. We undertake acts of service that benefit others. Recently we had the 'walk for water' around Lake Claremont that helped fund the drilling of wells in Africa. Our Year 3 classes provided a French morning tea for residents of a home for disabled adults and created their lovely Love Angels cards that supported the Ubud Birthing Centre in Bali. Our Year 5 Semester 1 Captains worked with leaders from the Senior School to make sandwiches for homeless people in Perth, and most recently boys from our Senior School and girls from PLC travelled to Tanzania as part of the college's overseas service tour assisting in the village of Matipwili.

Service is in our nature here at Scotch College. On Friday, we recognised our Junior School Class Representatives and Year 5 Semester 2 Captains. Young men who have asked to serve their school community.

Ryan and Cassidy are courageous, caring and compassionate leaders. Leaders who led by example who do the right thing. By the example they set, they have been successful in getting others to follow. As with the students of Scotch College, their actions have made a difference.

Mr John Stewart
Head of Junior School

Year 4T News

A Visit by Mark Greenwood

The Year 4 boys have recently embarked on a literary unit of inquiry under the How The World Works theme. The boys have read an abundance of myths, especially of a Greek nature, researched real-life legends, both past and present, and considered the impact of their stories on our culture and values.

To support the direction of our learning, we invited renowned history hunter, Mark Greenwood to speak with the boys. He enjoys searching for long lost explorers, glittering treasure, solving famous cold cases and delving into Australian history's most baffling mysteries.

Mr Greenwood shared the spark that fueled the fire for many of his books and taught the lads that writing is simply talking on paper. The boys made a 'sloppy copy', entitled, My Book of Curiosities, which demonstrated how simple it was to generate ideas. Mr Greenwood also encouraged the boys to find objects or treasures that fascinated them and then to explore the story of each curious thing. The boys were mesmerized for the duration of the event and walked away enthused by the mysteries Mr Greenwood imparted.

After such inspiration, we encourage every boy in Year 4 to pop into the Scotch Library, borrow some of Mr Greenwood's books and invest some warm winter moments in his amazing and legendary stories.

Mrs Rebecca Turkich
Year 4 Teacher

Extension and Enrichment News

Enrichment in the Junior School

As the term has unfolded, boys have enjoyed a multitude of opportunities that offer enrichment and extension in their learning. Competitions aimed at developing their subject skills and areas of talent, have seen an impressive level of entries and the boys have performed very well in ICAS Writing, Mathematics, Science and Cluedunnit, being successful in the results that they have achieved. Of particular note, three of our students were prize winners in the Shaun Tan Awards, demonstrating that the Visual Arts programme at Scotch is developing some wonderful artists. Congratulations to Eryn Richards (3W), Jack Mayo (4T) and Ben Marris (5L) for their entries.

The Inter School Speakers Challenge provided a wonderful platform for boys to refine their public speaking skills and our Year 5 boys, Caden Hart, Abel Algie and William Arundel competed admirably in a field of 50 of the best speakers from across the region. The standard was exceptionally high and the audience was suitably impressed and entertained by the speeches entered.

During Semester 2 students will have the opportunity to compete in Tournament of the Minds where their creative thinking skills will be put to the test in an exciting and innovative series of long and short-term challenges that culminate in State Finals held at the University of Western Australia. The Junior School Spelling Bee and Inter School Spelling Bee will challenge those students who excel in this area and will also require nerves of steel from their accompanying parents as they watch their children compete at Guildford Grammar for the esteemed prize. It is not for the faint-hearted.

Many boys have commenced their Passion Projects and are talking enthusiastically about their learning, intrinsically motivated to explore a subject that is exciting to them. From Pre-Primary to Year 5, boys have amazed me with their commitment and drive as they immerse themselves in a project of their choosing, one that inspires them and also demonstrates their talents in their chosen area of speciality. We have seen fantastic planes, designed to forecast the weather, computer games based around Norse mythology, research projects into nuclear power and many more. I look forward to mentoring the boys as they continue with their projects and know that I will learn many new things from their body of work.

Meanwhile, in class, I look forward to working weekly alongside the teaching team in the Junior School, across all year levels, as we differentiate the programme to offer all of our boys many challenging and stimulating activities in an inquiry-based context.

  

Mrs Alison Webster
Enrichment Co-ordinator

Pre-Kindergarten and Kindergarten News

Last term the Pre-Kindergarten and Kindergarten students investigated the transdisciplinary theme of "How We Express ourselves" with the central idea focusing on "Senses help people explore the world." The student's curiosity was engaged through a variety of immersion experiences to evoke all of their senses. Experiences such as blind taste tests, mystery scent pots, sensory walks and cooking throughout this inquiry encouraged the development of a rich sensory vocabulary to assist the children's discovery and expression of their ideas and feelings.

These photos illustrate one of the children's favourite experiences whereby they completed a sensory walk blindfolded and had to describe what sensation they were feeling under their feet. The words used were so descriptive and imaginative. So much fun was had by all.

   

Mrs Medine Mazzuzchelli
Pre-Kindergarten and Kindergarten Teacher

From the Head of Middle School

I gave the boys the Premiership Quarter speech last week. For the Year 8s this may have been the third time they have heard this one, but we still feel it is an important point to be made at this time of the year; following holidays and still seemingly a half a year to go to the next school report. The evidence I quote the boys, basically AFL statistics, all say that it is the team that makes the running in the third quarter, the team that turns for home with its nose in front, they, statistically, are the ones that win 91% of the time. The Gold Coast Suns win over Sydney 2 weeks ago was a brilliant, on cue, illustration. The third quarter, the third term, I hope I was not too subtle.

This term we want our boys to continue on with the energy and the focus they had at the end of last term and carry that into this term. To support this each Homeroom Teacher runs some goal setting sessions that allows boys to analyse in detail the commentary on their assessments from last semester, their grades and the requirements of different criterion across the subject areas. Then based on this information, they determine 2 or 3 goals that can be set and worked toward over Semester 2.

This week we open the online booking process for our Student Led Conferences held across Week 3 & 4. In these 10 minute conversations your son will share his goals, describe how he arrived at them and then with our help map out a plan to achieve these goals by the next reporting period. Whilst the goals and the actions are important, it is developing this reflection process in our Middle School boys that is the critical element. We want to send boys into Senior School with the habit of looking at what they have done, what they want to achieve and becoming increasingly accountable for how they achieve their goals. I think this is a good skill for life. I look forward to seeing many of you in the corridors in Weeks 3 & 4.

There are three significant events I wish to draw your attention to this term:

1. Middle School Athletics Carnival: Week 5B, Tuesday 22 August is a fantastic day of activity, effort and colour. I hope you can join us.
2. Year 8 Community Project Showcase: Week 8A, Wednesday 12 September. Year 8 boys are in the final stage now of preparing their presentations based on their projects.
3. Highland Games in Week 9B, Friday 21 September: Painted faces, flying kilts and bagpipes, it is a fun afternoon, a great way to finish the term and a neat connection with College tradition.

Mr Richard Ledger
Head of Middle School

C'est délicieux!

Throughout Summer Term, boys in Year 8 French based their learning around the unit of 'en ville', in which they learned how to ask for different products in shops and to understand the reply from the shopkeeper. They finished first term with 'on fait des projets' in which they learned about different countries, nationalities and travelling by various means of transport.

The boys started Autumn Term with the unit 'de jour en jour' which focused learning on comparing schools in France and Australia as well as language learning about school subjects and the school day. The final unit was 'en famille' where the boys learned how to describe themselves and others.

As the boys start to think about their upcoming unit of French cuisine, some classes have already had the opportunity to combine their French learning with that of their Food Design learning. After learning: about the history of crêpes; how they are made and vocabulary linked to crêpes with their French teacher, the boys then made their own batter and crêpes with their Food Design teacher.

All boys agreed that the crêpes were 'délicieux'!

 

Mdm Shaye Pett
Middle School French Teacher

Student Achievements

Congratulations to Digby Gardner (Year 6.3T) who has been selected to represent Western Australia in the SSWA Hockey 12s at the National Championships in Newcastle next month.

Middle School Indonesian

Highlights so far this year in Middle School Indonesian were:

1. Year 8s participated in Kompetisi Klip klip & interactive lesson using the virtual travelling activity.
2. Year 7s enjoyed a language ambassador visit with inspiring- Jack Collard and a cooking lesson.
3. Year 6s explored fun language immersion activities - costume, sing, dancing & playing congklak.

Our Year 6 students had a smooth start in their journey of learning a new language in Semester 1. Not only do they now know basic greetings, numbers and colours in Indonesian, but they also learned about Indonesian culture through dressing up in traditional costumes and wearing 'peci'. They also got competitive, playing the traditional game of congklak, enjoyed singing and dancing, and had the chance to show some moves to Indonesian tunes. Students also indulged in Ibu Suri's Nasi Kuning dish.

Students in Year 7 Indonesian had the opportunity to meet and listen to an inspiring talk by Jack Collard, a young Indonesian Language Ambassador. Jack has been studying Indonesian language since Year 5 and has recently just won the 2018 Indonesian Speech Competition organised by the Indonesian Embassy in Canberra. Jack shared his personal stories relating to his study and love of Indonesia and the Indonesian language with our students, inspiring them to pursue a lifelong engagement with Indonesia. The Year 7 students also had great fun experiencing a lesson in cooking nasi goreng, learning about the ingredients and how to cook the dish.

Year 8 Indonesian students have been learning about giving and taking directions in the unit "Lost in the City". As part of their learning, they have worked on a Virtual Travelling Activity where they have to solve direction challenge and navigate Indonesian streets using the technology of Google Maps and VR goggles. They were enthusiastic in completing the direction challenge and learned about the differences between streets in Indonesia and Australia.

Besides the above, a number of Indonesian students in Year 8 are participating in a video clip competition held jointly by the Indonesian Consulate and the Westralian Indonesian Language Teachers Association (WILTA). Of all the amazing entries that we have received, three have been submitted to the competition. One of them is a rap music video by Ollie Cooper, James Anderson, Lochlan O'Brien, and Jack Williamson. In the song, they rap about liking delicious nasi goreng and asking their teacher, Pak Jonathan to let them play Kahoot!. The winner will be announced in Week 3 this term.

 

 

Ibu Francesca Gabby Surijata
Middle School Indonesian Teacher

ILT - Winter Weather Awareness

We are currently in Winter and experiencing inclement weather. Over the past few weeks we have seen an increase in repairs based on water damage so it is important that extra care is taken when moving in the rain or around the campus. Further information on this can be located for parents and students respectively within Seqta Engage and Seqta Learn.

Scotch College ILT Department

Important Dates in Middle School Winter Term

Tuesday 31 July	MS Photo Day - full winter uniform required
Friday 3 August	All Schools Cross Country 2pm Aquinas College
Monday 6 August	MS Student Led Conferences Commence
Wednesday 8 August	Con Brio Concert, 6.30pm Memorial Hall
Thursday 9 August	Australian Mathematics Competition Year 7 Indonesian Excursion, 9.30am - 2.00pm
Friday 10 August	MS Assembly including Certificates of Academic Excellence, 11.30am DC PSA Cross Country, 2pm Kings Park
Monday 13 August	Year 8 Academic Assessment Testing, 8.30am - 12.30pm
Tuesday 14 August	Year 7 Academic Assessment Testing, 8.30am - 12.30pm
Thursday 16 August	Year 6 Science Fair, 10.25am - 11.25am MS Building MS Student Led Conferences Conclude
Friday 17 August	Mid-Term Break (no classes) MS Pipe Band Performance, Perth Arena
Monday 20 August	Mid-Term Break (no classes)
Tuesday 21 August	Reporter Music Photo Day - involves all MS boys in Music ensembles
Wednesday 22 August	MS Inter-House Athletics Carnival, 8.30am - 3.25pm
Thursday 23 August	Reporter Photo Day - involves all Year 8 boys and some Year 6/7 boys who have represented Scotch College at Inter-School competition or participated in the School Drama productions. Year 6 Dads' Drinks Evening, 7pm Varsity Bar
Friday 24 August	MS Assembly (internal), 11.30am MacKellar Hall
Monday 27 August	R U OK? Week
Wednesday 29 August	Year 8-10 Production Oliver Twist, 7.00pm DC
Thursday 30 August	Year 8-10 Production Oliver Twist, 7.00pm DC
Friday 31 August	PSA Quads, 3pm CCGS Year 8-10 Production Oliver Twist, 7.00pm DC
Saturday 1 September	Year 8-10 Production Oliver Twist, 2.00pm DC
Thursday 6 September	JPSSA Inter-School Athletics Carnival, WA Athletics Stadium Year 6 Scotch/PLC Students Quiz Night, 6pm MacKellar Hall
Friday 7 September	PSA Inter-School Athletics Team Photo, 7.15am DC PSA Inter-School Athletics Carnival, WA Athletics Stadium MS Assembly, 11.30am DC Year 8 Scitech Excursion, 1pm - 3.30pm
Tuesday 11 September	Year 8 Vaccinations Round 2
Wednesday 12 September	Year 8 Community Project Showcase, 4pm - 6.30pm MS
Wednesday 19 September	MS Free Dress Day & Motor Neurone Ice Bucket Challenge
Friday 21 September	MS Assembly (internal), 9am MacKellar Hall MS Highland Games, 11am - 3.25pm Playing Fields Winter Term concludes

From the Head of Senior School

Welcome back to Winter Term. I trust you have enjoyed a wonderful break. The holidays have seen a number of fantastic activities take place across the College. Thank you to all the students with whom I shared time on the Canberra Ski tour. It was a very busy time away and a wonderful experience. The participation and behaviour of the boys was wonderful and the feedback has been terrific. I would like to say a huge thank you to the staff who accompanied the students on tours. Giving up holiday time to enable such opportunities for the boys is greatly appreciated. Congratulations to the students who travelled to Tanzania on the Community Service tour. The group achieved a great deal and contributed significantly towards long-lasting change in the lives of many while they were away. Finally, congratulations to the students who represented the College in the Australian Secondary Schools Team Sailing Championship. Wonderful performances over the week saw the Scotch College team finish second in the country. Well done boys!

Returning to school after a long break is the perfect time to think about study schedules and establishing or re-establishing good study habits. Remember that study involves not only completing homework, but revising work covered over longer periods of time. Regular revision of content through summarising notes and practising skills helps to retain knowledge and skills, making preparation for tests and examinations more effective.

Planning a weekly schedule for the first time can be a challenge and adhering to it even more challenging, so being flexible is important. Below I have written some steps to consider in establishing a flexible study routine.

Step 1. Keep track of how you use your time for one week. Add up the totals for all your different activities including school, sport, eating, sleeping, leisure, homework/study, TV, etc.

Step 2. Plan a balanced weekly schedule. Include all the weekly activities you identified in Step 1. Start by writing in the obligated times such as school, sport and work. Remember to give yourself time off for relaxation and, importantly, schedule in that time. I believe it is a good idea to include those items first and work around the activities which give you joy. The trick is to enjoy this time and stick to the time you have dedicated to study. Now, write in flexible time requirements such as sleep (9.25 hours a night preferably) and recreation. Finally, fill in the time you intend to commit to study. Normal time for study is one to two hours per night for Years 9 and 10 and three hours per night for Years 11 and 12. Remember to maximise this time by removing distractions and plan small breaks every 45 minutes or so.

Step 3. Stick to this schedule for a week. This will help you to identify your priorities.

Step 4. Use a monthly calendar to help allocate your study time on the weekly schedule. Know what is coming up by entering all the important dates on the calendar (assignments, tests, exams) at the beginning of each term. Estimate the time needed to prepare for each of these and enter this into your weekly schedule. Breaking a large task up into smaller tasks is always a good way to approach what may seem too challenging upon first investigation.

Step 5. At the beginning of each week transfer important items from your calendar to your weekly schedule. This will help you use your time more effectively and reduce pressure.

Step 6. Continually review your weekly schedule. Your lives and priorities are continually changing. You need to adjust your schedule accordingly. You should never feel guilty about adjusting your study schedule, just committed to finding the time and being consistent and diligent in your approach.

Please remember to speak to your teachers, your House Head or the staff in the Residence should you need assistance with your studies. We are all here to help. Enjoy a wonderful Winter Term.

Mr Dean Shadgett
Head of Senior School

Important Dates in Senior School Winter Term

Date	Event	Location	Time
Week 2A	NAIDOC Week
Monday 30 July	Year 9 Moray Camp (Group 1) departs		8.30am for 9.00am departure
	Year 10 Personal Project Meetings
	Year 11 Biology Camp departs	Dryandra
Tuesday 31 July	Year 11 Biology Camp returns	Dryandra
	WADL Debating Double Octo Finals	Shenton College	6.30pm - 8.30pm
Wednesday 1 August	Year 12 Reward Breakfast	UWA Club	7.10am - 8.30am
	Talented Young Writers' Programme	Fremantle Literacy Centre	8.35am - 3.25pm
	Scotch Parents City Country Lunch	York	8.40am - 3.10pm
	Year 11 and 12 Alliance Francaise Examinations	Rooms 9.106 and 9.206	1.00pm - 3.00pm
Thursday 2 August	Australian Chemistry Competition
Friday 3 August	East Kimberley Tour departs
	Year 12 Chamber of Commerce and Industry Forum excursion	CCI	7.20am - 2.00pm
	Senior School Marching and NAIDOC Assembly	Dickinson Centre	8.35am - 9.35am
	Talented Young Writers' Competition	Fremantle Literacy Centre	8.25am - 3.25pm
	Year 9 Moray Camp (Group 1) returns in time for PSA sport
	PSA Sport - Christ Church Grammar School v Scotch College (please check fixtures on home.scotch)	Away	1.30pm - various
	PSA Cross Country Juniors All Schools Race	Aquinas College	1.30pm - 4.00pm
Saturday 4 August	PSA Sport - Christ Church Grammar School v Scotch College (please check fixtures on home.scotch)	Away	8.30am - various
	PSA Cross Country Seniors All Schools Race	Aquinas College	8.30am - 11.30am
Sunday 5 August	Duke of Edinburgh Kokoda Track Walk final day
	Year 11 Scotch College and PLC 50 Mile Walk Practice		7.00am - 12.00noon
	Alexander House Get Together	Gooch Pavilion	3.00pm - 5.00pm
Week 3B
Monday 6 August	Year 9 Moray Camp (Group 2) departs
Tuesday 7 August	WADL Debating Octo Finals	To be confirmed
Wednesday 8 August	Parent Support Group Breakfast	Dining Room Annexe	7.30am to 9.00am
Thursday 9 August	Australian Mathematics Competition
Friday 10 August	Year 12 Chamber of Commerce and Industry Forum excursion	Chamber of Commerce and Industry	7.20am - 2.00pm
Friday 10 August	Personal Project Submissions Due	Bunning Resource Centre (Library)	8.00am - 1.00pm
	Senior School Marching and Assembly	Dickinson Centre	8.35am - 9.35am
	PSA Sport - Scotch College v Wesley College (please check fixtures on home.scotch)	Home	1.30pm - 4.00pm
	PSA Cross Country - Juniors All Schools Race	King's Park	1.30pm - 4.00pm
	Year 11 Parents' Evening	Off Campus	4.30pm - 6.30pm
Saturday 11 August	PSA Sport - Scotch College v Wesley College (please check fixtures on home.scotch)	Home	8.30am - 11.30am
	PSA Cross Country - Seniors All Schools Ray Brown Race	King's Park	8.30am - 11.30am
	Scotch Parents' Year 12 Mothers' Sleepover	Moray	3.30pm onwards
Week 4B
Monday 13 August	Year 9 Moray Camp (Group 3) departs
	Friends of Scotch Music Meeting	Senior School Music Department	7.00pm - 8.30pm

STAFF MOVEMENTS AUTUMN 2018 - WINTER 2018

Hayley Harris	AUSLAN Education Assistant
Randa Bradley	Mathematics Teacher
Nick Taylor	Library Services Specialist
Denyse Houston	Tours Administrator

Rosemary Hutchins	French
Tim Hayward	Mathematics
Dusan Vojvodic	Mathematics
Paul Newman	Mathematics
Nesci Grabe	Careers & Enterprise and Cert II Business
Anthony D'Ignazio	Science
Joanne Hallis	Administration Assistant - Tours, Camps and Excursions

Darren Mumford	Relocate from MS to SS Phys Ed & Acting Head of Alexander House	Winter & Spring
Scott Duncan	Acting Head of Brisbane House	Winter

Student Achievements

David Winton (Year 10, Stuart) has been selected in the Northern Thunder State Lacrosse Team to represent WA in the Australian U15s Boys' & Girls' Lacrosse Tournament to be held in Melbourne during the school holidays in October.

Tobias Knox Lyttle (Year 10, Brisbane) has been selected to represent WA in the 2018 Cross Country Team to compete in the School Sport Australia National Championships in Brisbane 23 - 27 August.

Lucas Ferri (Year 11, Cameron) has been selected to represent Western Australia in the Golf 17s team to compete at the School Sport Australia National Championships in Adelaide 11-19 August.

Bailey Crothers (Year 12, Keys), Rafe Harrison-Murray (Year 12, Stuart), Connor Enslin (Year 12, Stuart) and Joshua Bird (Year 12, Shearer) all took part in the Tiger Global Case Study competition. This is an annual Business, Entrepreneurship and Consulting Case Competition open to students all over the globe. The initial stage is a regional round, whereby teams compete against others in their region. Scotch College competed against various teams from different PSA schools as well as schools from Adelaide and Indonesia. Four teams from this Australasian pool were selected to compete in the Global Finals, being held at the Australian National University, Canberra, from 3 - 6 August. Bailey, Rafe, Connor and Joshua will compete in these Global Finals against teams from the European and South-East Asian pools.

Ben Marshall (Year 11, Ross) and Matthew Murphy (Year 12, Shearer) were selected in the Australian Under 20 Water Polo team to compete at the Pan Pacific Games held in Auckland during July.  The Australian team went on to win a Gold medal at the games.

State Solo Piping at Mater Dei College, Joondalup on Saturday 14 July

David Stulpner (Year 10, Cameron) - 1^st Open Piobaireachd, 2^nd Grade C, 1^st Grade D

Ryan Hodgetts (Year 12, Brisbane) - 2^nd Grade D

Callum Griffiths (Year 11, Shearer) - 3^rd Grade D

Year 12 Certificates of Academic Excellence - Semester 1

Luke Beeson, Stuart

Maurice Buren, Shearer

Frans Buys, Stuart

Liam Corrigan, Cameron

Bailey Crothers, Keys

Nicholas Crump, Shearer

Harry Foley, St Andrews

Matteo Fortier, Stuart

Darcy Frazer, Ferguson

Charles Harding, Stuart

Joshua Hook, Brisbane

Fletcher Houston, Anderson

Max Kailis, Ross

Jack Knobel, Ross

Aren Leishman, Ross

Daniel Manetas, Ferguson

George Mitchell, Shearer

Brent Morton, Keys

Laine Mulvay, St Andrews

Connor O'Sullivan, Ferguson

Conor Patton, Ross

Arthur Payne, St Andrews

Lachlan Phillips, Anderson

Alexander Porter Wilkinson, Brisbane

Nicholas Price, Cameron

Prentice Shepherd, Ross

Benjamin Skelton, Ferguson

Stuart Wallace, Keys

Falk Wiegmann, Keys

Academic Colours

The following boys have received Academic Colours previously and have also been awarded Colours for Year 12, Semester 1.

Luke Beeson, Stuart

Frans Buys, Stuart

Nicholas Crump, Shearer

Harry Foley, St Andrews

Darcy Frazer, Ferguson

Max Kailis, Ross

Jack Knobel, Ross

George Mitchell, Shearer

Brent Morton, Keys

Connor O'Sullivan, Ferguson

Conor Patton, Ross

Nicholas Price, Cameron

Prentice Shepherd, Ross

Benjamin Skelton, Ferguson

New Academic Colours

Arthur Payne, St Andrews

Alexander Porter Wilkinson, Brisbane

Year 12 Academic Honours

Luke Beeson, Stuart

Nicholas Crump, Shearer

Harry Foley, St Andrews

Darcy Frazer, Ferguson

Max Kailis, Ross

George Mitchell, Shearer

Brent Morton, Keys

Connor O'Sullivan, Ferguson

Conor Patton, Ross

Prentice Shepherd, Ross

Benjamin Skelton, Ferguson

I would also like to acknowledge the boys who are working hard to raise their grades in different subjects or across the board. Whether that be raising a D grade to a C, or a C to a B. Or improving your Diploma Grades it is all important and a credit to the time and effort you are putting in. The improvements you are making worth striving for and you should be proud of them.

Scotch College Sailors Make Nationals

As we announced last term our sailing team consisting of the following boys:

Adam Brenz-Verca (Year 12, Stuart) - Captain

Rory Blackley (Year 12, Ferguson)

Daniel Bower (Year 9, Ross)

Lachlan Norcott (Year 10, Anderson)

Marcello Torre (Year 11, Cameron)

Raffael Torre (Year 9, Cameron)

Toby Webster (Year 8, Davies)

These boys competed in the National Championships over the break and finished in second position, going down to Westminster in a tight Grand Final. They have now qualified to compete at the Interdominion Championships in New Zealand later in the year.

Mr Brad Watson
Teacher in Charge of Sailing

Canberra Tour

Australian Government Assistance for National Capital Excursion

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

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

We would like to thank the Australian Government for their support of this programme. The Canberra Tour was a rewarding experience for all students, with 105 boys and 10 teachers attending.

Careers Information

Year 12 Parents and Students

Year 12 WACE and IB Diploma examination timetables have been released and are attached to this edition of Thistle. These attachments also contain additional important information in regard to the respective examinations. Please ensure that both you and your son are both aware of this information and if you have any questions, check the respective websites or contact Michael Scaife for IB Diploma enquiries or Peter Frusher for WACE enquiries. (link timetable attachments)

The applications for further study at either TAFE or University have NOT been requested by the respective tertiary institutions at this stage. In August students will be given the 2019 TISC Guide that will outline all the procedures and dates that are relevant to the university application process and beyond. Mr Frusher will also be talking to the students as a group and explaining the TISC Guide, together with the application process. In August/September, Mr Frusher will be conducting one-on-one interviews with all Year 12 students to discuss applications and to offer advice. Even if applications have been submitted, they are still able to be adjusted for several months.

At this stage of the year all Year 12 students should have received a Prospectus from each of the WA Universities via the Careers Expo or Mr Frusher and a Year 12 WACE Information Handbook 2018 (on-line at Schools Curriculum & Standards Authority - www.scsa.wa.edu.au). Following on from the Scotch Careers Expo, students are encouraged to attend university and TAFE Open Days throughout July/August.

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

TISC Information

1. Semester One 2019 Applications open on Monday 6 August. Student will receive the TISC Guide and personalised letters in the coming week. The application fee for current WACE and IB students is$40 until Friday 28 September. After this date, a late application fee of $160 will apply.
2. Results and ATARs will be available from Monday 17 December 2018.
3. One major round offers will available from Friday 21 December 2018 with another major round of offers being available from Tuesday 22 January. Most Year 12 students will get an offer in the December round. Those waiting on final results (IB students) or those who need to sit a second chance English test will get an offer in the January round. Universities will make sure that there are places available in all courses in both offer rounds. No student will be disadvantaged by these changes to offer dates.

For further information go to the TISC website: www.tisc.edu.au.

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

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

University Information

The University of Melbourne New Scholarship

Melbourne National Merit Scholarship will offer a one-off allowance of $8000 to talented students who achieve an ATAR of 99.00- 99.85 from Australian states other than Victoria, to assist with the cost of moving to study in Melbourne. Students will additionally be offered accommodation for the first year of study.

Further information is available at: https://scholarships.unimelb.edu.au/merit-scholarship.

Scholarships

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

University of New South Wales - Canberra

• ADFA Trainee Officers study Arts, Business, Computing and Cyber Security, Engineering, Science, or Technology degrees (while receiving military training and subsidised accommodation and living costs)
• Defence Civilian Undergraduate Sponsorship students study Computing and Cyber Security or specialist Engineering degrees in Aeronautical, Civil, Electrical, or Mechanical (with full tuition fee scholarships and stipends)
• Non-Defence Undergraduate students study specialist Engineering degrees in Aeronautical, Civil, Electrical, or Mechanical or Engineering / Science double degrees (with paid work experience opportunities).

All students are provided with a unique study experience, access to custom-built facilities and resources, outstanding industry networks, and graduate with a degree from one of the top universities in the world.

Find out more - http://www.unsw.adfa.edu.au/study

Notre Dame University - ATAR Geography Student Revision Seminar

September 8, Fremantle

Presentation will focus on typical ATAR Examination questions, how to deconstruct questions and plan suitable answers.

Find out more - https://www.eventbrite.com.au/e/gawa-2018-metro-yr12-atar-geography-student-revision-seminar-tickets-46835738956?aff=ebdssbdestsearch

Defence Force Info Sessions

Tuesday July 31

Karrakatta: Army Reserve Information Session

Apprenticeships for 2019

Many large organisations are recruiting now for apprenticeships commencing in 2019.

Check out the Job Search sites (http://www.mhscareers.com) or Google 2019 apprenticeships.

Rio Tinto Apprenticeships - 2019 Intake Applications Open July

Applications are now open for Rio Tinto's incredible apprenticeship programme. If students are interested, they are encourage to do their research and start putting their documents together to apply.

The four year programme offers qualifications in the following areas - electrician, heavy duty diesel mechanic, mechanical fitter and light vehicle maintenance.

Applications will be advertised here - www.riotinto.com/careers

Find out more - https://www.facebook.com/RioTintoWA/photos/a.1645766462359316.1073741828.1644968555772440/2073578589578099/?type=3&theater

Jobs & Skills WA Job Board

A fantastic resource for job and apprenticeship seekers.

Apprentice electrician, SGL Electrical, Malaga

Apprenticeship program (2019) various trades, Westrac, Perth metropolitan

Jobs & Skills Centres

Western Australia's TAFE Jobs and Skills Centres are one-stop shops for careers, training and employment advice and assistance. Services are free, and accessible to all members of the community.

The centres are located on TAFE campuses, with additional outreach locations for regional areas. 5 are currently open, with more coming online over the next 12 months:

• Joondalup
• Balga
• Northbridge
• Thornlie
• Rockingham

Find out more - https://www.jobsandskills.wa.gov.au/jobs-and-skills-centres

Mr Peter Frusher
Careers Adviser

End of Season Sport Dinners – Save the Date

The end of season sporting dinners for 2018 will be held on the following dates -

• Hockey - Tuesday 21 August
• Football - Tuesday 28 August
• Soccer - Thursday 23 August
• Rugby - Saturday 25 August

Full details for these events will be available shortly and bookings will be available by visiting the Scotch College website www.scotch.wa.edu.au and clicking on the "Book a Scotch Event" icon.

Pipe Band Parent Support Group – Athletics Day Information and Manure Drive

The Middle School Athletics Carnival will take place on,  Wednesday 22 August. The Scotch College Pipe Band Parent Support Group will be in attendance selling coffee, toasted sandwiches, drinks and baked goods.

The Senior School Athletics Carnival will take place on,  Friday 24 August. Please note there is no Saturday athletics this year. There will be a Pipe Band display in the afternoon as well as bacon and egg rolls, a sausage sizzle, baked goods, coffee and drinks for sale by the Scotch College Pipe Band Parent Support Group throughout the day.  

If you require any information please contact Claire Howie at:  claire@austwide.com.au

In addition, the annual Manure Drive takes place on 1 September. Please place your orders by visiting the  Scotch College website www.scotch.wa.edu.au and click on the "Book a Scotch Event" icon. Kindly place all orders before 21 August.

Mrs Natasha Taylor
President
Pipe Band Parent Support Group

Soccer Support Group

The First XI are playing a knock out Cup Game against Bunbury Grammar Tuesday 31 July at home, commencing at 4.00pm. It would be great to have Scotch supporters down there cheering our boys on.

Save the Date: End of Season Scotch Soccer Dinner and Awards Night for all Year 10-12 players and their parents will be held on Thursday 23 August 2018.

Mrs Kate Reynolds
Soccer Support Group

Perth Symphony Orchestra presents: C.A.L.M

Escape the rush hour and join Perth Symphony Orchestra for some bite sized culture after a busy work day. Find sanctuary in the heart of the city and take 40 minutes to calm your mind. Head home relaxed, refreshed and renewed.

A brand new symphonic concert, focused on improving your mental health and wellbeing. A truly mindful experience.

A pop-up bar will be open before and after the performance for those who relax best with a glass of wine in hand.

Date: Thursday 16th August
Time: 5.30pm doors, 6pm concert
Venue: Perth Town Hall
Tickets: Seated, $35, Standing, $25, Relaxation Mat, $35 - available at www.perthsymphony.com

Group bookings and corporate discounts available.

VacSwim 2018

With swimming pools and beaches a big part of the Western Australian lifestyle, ensuring your children can swim competently and safely is essential. You can now enrol your children in VacSwim swimming lessons during the October and December/January school holidays.

VacSwim is for all children - from beginners to more advanced swimmers and young people doing their Bronze Medallion. Your children can start as young as five years old. Your children can join in the fun of learning to swim at pools and open water venues across the State.

Enrol your children in VacSwim now at education.wa.edu.au/swimming.