On 3 August 2018, I awoke early and sat in the dark and silence of dawn watching a small reflection service at the Isurava Memorial on the Kokoda. (The Battle of Isurava took place over 26 August to 31 August 1942 forming part of the Kokoda Track campaign of the Second World War).  The surrounding mountains were clad in low cloud but I could see four small lights highlighting the word on each commemorative stone at the memorial, Courage, Endurance, Mateship and Sacrifice. These words are those that lay upon the various battle grounds and continue to be synonymous with the ANZAC spirit.

 Isurava Memorial

Templeman's Crossing

Twelve hours earlier, we had conducted our own dusk service where we asked our boys to stand under the stone that most reflected how they felt about the then six completed days on the Kokoda. Without any prompting or consultation with each other, the seven Year 11s chose the stone with the word 'Mateship'. Believe me, to have reached where we were, required all four characteristics, but for the seven Scotch College boys it was 'Mateship' that drove them as a group and meant the most to them.

This defining word was alive and well last Friday night when some of the Class of 1978 attended our Senior School assembly and then their evening reunion. What stood out was not just that it was a social opportunity to reunite, but a chance to reflect on their time together as students; no different to the Year 11s of 2018 sharing their Kokoda experience. The most poignant moment was when 10 names of the 1978 class were read out as no longer being with us. This is a large number from what was probably only 100 graduating students. The message, however sad, is that the Scotch journey does not conclude when the formal years of schooling are over. This is what defines our College community and will continue to do so for many years to come.

On 2 August 2018, the ABC posted a story headed 'Fields Medal: Aussie Genius Akshay Venkatesh wins Nobel Prize of mathematics'. In 1994 this same Scotch College student appeared on TV explaining how he was finishing his schooling early and hoping to become a mathematician. As they say in the classics 'the rest is history'. Last Friday we were able to present one of our current Year 10 students with a medal he won as part of the Australian Mathematics Olympiad team who attended the 2018 International Mathematics Olympiad in Romania. The team competed against 594 students from 107 countries. William Steinberg was one of the few who medaled with a silver and one of only three in the team to place within the top 100. The last person from Scotch College to win a medal at the IMO was Akshay. Congratulations to both Akshay and Will.

Mathematics at Scotch College is looking bright. The College has just appointed a new Head of Mathematics from within our ranks, Ms Shirin Reyhani, and secured two more highly committed teachers of mathematics to join the already very strong Mathematics team at Scotch College. In a few weeks we commence our new teaching and learning building which will house our teaching areas of mathematics and business. We look forward to building upon our already rich and successful culture in these subjects.

Across the three sub-school assemblies last week there is so much to celebrate. What is great is that the successes are a mix of individual brilliance, coupled with team and collective success. Seeing boys of all ages take every opportunity is very encouraging. Notwithstanding individual success and recognition, it is important that we continue to promote personal best as our driver. Every boy can achieve their personal best, whether in the classroom or through their co-curricular pursuits. We all know when we have tried our best and this is more important than comparing ourselves to anyone else.

Finally, a big thank you to our OSCs and our Alumni Officer Cass McGowan, at the success of the 4^th Festival of the Boot which took place on Sunday 12 August; our OSCs ensured that the trophy has remained at Scotch College for at least another 12 months. The OSC Festival of the Boot is yet another example of how life goes on for our graduates well beyond their years of formal schooling at Scotch College.

Have a great fortnight.

Dr Alec O'Connell
Headmaster

Transition to a six-period day; October 2018

Following a series of discussions with the boys, teaching staff and our colleagues at PLC, both schools have agreed to shift from a five-period day model to a six-period day model. This change will impact Scotch College across the Middle and Senior School. The Junior School transitioned to a six-period day at the commencement of 2018.

The six-period day model will come into effect from the start of Spring Term, commencing on 10 October.

The major reasons behind this shift are:

1. To increase the frequency of lessons in the cycle of a fortnight
2. To ensure focus is maintained in lessons for the full 50 minutes
3. Increased opportunity for common assessment time
4. To allow our senior students to engage in a specifically tailored programme on Friday afternoon.

It is important to note that timings in regard to the commencement and conclusion of the school day have not changed.

The new structure will also see us be able to maintain the cross-campus class arrangement with PLC.

More information will be released closer to the transition and we will be working with the boys to ensure they adapt to the altered timings of the school day.

Mr Peter Allen
Director of Teaching and Learning

Patchwork Quilts and Kintsugi

There are many ways to look at Wellbeing and many analogies are used to explain it. One which I like is a patchwork quilt. A patchwork quilt takes time and love to put together. It takes small pieces of material and stitches them together to make something beautiful and practical. Its overall usefulness far outweighs the sum of its parts. In many ways, this is what wellbeing is about; it is about sourcing and then putting together the skills which, over time, can keep us healthy and helpful to others. What I also like about quilts is their mobility – they are something you can take with you and use as needed, something you can curl up with in front of a fire on a cold, wet and miserable day when your mood matches the weather. A patchwork quilt, like a strong sense of wellbeing, can help to change how you feel.

Kintsugi (meaning "golden joinery") is the Japanese art of repairing broken pottery with lacquer dusted with gold, silver or platinum. This artwork has a practical element to it: it is a way of making use of something which may appear damaged or imperfect. These pieces are incredible, and are actually stronger as a result of their kintsugi. This, too, we hope, is the effect that wellbeing will have; not only overcoming any challenges that get in our way, helping to repair ourselves when we suffer setbacks, and enabling us to come back stronger than before, but also being proud of the scars of life. Kintsugi treats breakage and repair as part of the history of an object, rather than something to disguise. If an object is well-used, it will suffer wear and tear. This can be seen as a rationale for keeping an object around even after it has broken, highlighting the cracks and repairs as simply an event in the life of an object rather than allowing its service to end at the time of its damage or breakage.

Things can actually become more beautiful, more effective, through the passage of time and the enduring of hardship. Like the laugh-lines on a face, we should not try to hide these, but celebrate them. These lines are the lines that describe a life lived in its entirety. Even the most well-made piece of porcelain is not perfect, and we should recognise this same fact in humans. We all need repairs at some stage, and those repairs can allow us to function better than before.

Brain Reset

As we approach the examination period for Years 11 and 12, we will again be running our Brain Reset sessions with Helen Heppingstone after school. These sessions are designed to help the students better manage their stress. They do this through learning to relax their bodies, which then allows them to learn how to relax their minds. This enhances the capacity to remember and enables each person to get more out of their time. Some people think there is not much to be gained from using mindfulness and meditation, but this gymming for the mind. And like going to the gym, if we only do something once or twice, we cannot expect to gain much benefit from it.

Students who attended the last set of sessions provided overwhelmingly positive feedback. I have spoken to the Year 12s about this twice and have also contacted the Year 11s. I would ask you to strongly encourage your son to attend – the sessions are free and the greatest benefit is gained by regular attendance. This should become a part of your son's routine in the lead-up to the exams. The sessions will run on Tuesdays and Wednesdays this time, to accommodate students who have after-school activities.

• Tuesday 21 and Wednesday 22 August (3.45-4.30pm) (Week 5)
• Tuesday 28 and Wednesday 29 August (3.45-4.30pm) (Week 6)
• Tuesday 4 and Wednesday 5 September (3.45-4.30pm) (Week 7)
• Tuesday 11 and Wednesday 12 September (3.45-4.30pm) (Week 8 – Year 11 exams)
• Tuesday 18 and Wednesday 19 September (3.45-4.30pm) (Week 9 – Year 11 exams)
• Tuesday 25 and Wednesday 26 September (3.45-4.30pm) (Holidays Week 1 Year 12 exams)

We will also be running similar sessions with Year 7 students during school time on Friday afternoons after the end of the Winter Sport season. The earlier our boys can learn these skills, the better for their long-term wellbeing. The dates are:

• Friday afternoon 1.15-3.15pm 24 August (Week 5)
• Friday afternoon 1.15-3.15pm 31 August (Week 6)
• Friday afternoon 1.15-3.15pm 7 September (Week 7)
• Friday afternoon 1.15-3.15pm 14 September (Week 8)

Mr James Hindle
Director of Student and Staff Wellbeing

The Heart Foundation Winter Sports Round

Vice Captain of School – Service, Luke Beeson (Stuart House) organised the inaugural Heart Foundation Winter Sports Round on Saturday. The Firsts teams wore red socks and The Heart Foundation had representatives at the Memorial Grounds to collect donations and spread the message regarding heart attacks and cardiovascular disease. Cardiovascular disease kills one Australian every 12 minutes and Scotch College is proud to be working with The Heart Foundation to raise awareness and funds for their research and educational work.

East Kimberley Cultural Immersion Tour

Last week's East Kimberley Cultural Immersion Tour was a great success. The group spent time with The Clontarf Foundation in Kununurra, Mawul Primary School at Doon Doon Remote Community, and Wyndham District High School. The hospitality of these three organisations was immense and we are extremely grateful to them. The group was also fortunate to spend a morning with the EON Foundation at Doon Doon and a big thanks to Laura Priest from EON who came down form Kununurra for the morning.

The trip was full of highlights and had a very busy itinerary. The group was able to get a sense of three very different communities in the region and interact with students from a range of backgrounds. Some particular experiences of note include attending the East Kimberley League Grand Final between the Kururrungku Roos and the Wyndham Crocs, attending the Kununurra Rodeo, being taken to some rock art in the Cockburn Ranges, hunting bush turkey on Glen Hill Station and spotting a large male crocodile in a billabong not far out of Wyndham.

Importantly, the trip was the first step in building some relationships in the region and it was very successful from this perspective. We look forward to building on these and hopefully hosting some of these organisations at Scotch.

  

Year 10 (2019) Student Exchanges

Max Jones (Year 10, Anderson) gave a wonderful account of his exchange experience with the International Day School, Zurich, on Friday at Senior School Assembly.

Year 9 students and their families are reminded that applications for 2019 close on Thursday 16 August.

More information can be found here.

Mr David Kyle
Director of Community and Service

ILT Department

The current release of SEQTA Engage uses features that require the more recent versions of web browsers. SEQTA's list of preferred browsers is

• Mozilla Firefox, version 60 or newer
• Google Chrome, version 66 or newer
• Apple Safari, version 11 or newer
• Microsoft Edge, version 41 or newer

Microsoft Internet Explorer 11 is flagged as old, and will not be supported from 2019.

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).

Residential Life News

Field Day season is upon us and the Residential Life team are busy preparing for the below dates. This is an ideal opportunity to catch up with them and to keep up to date with progress at Scotch College. Please encourage any new families to come along and hear what Scotch College has to offer their sons.

Mingenew Midwest Expo
The Mingenew Midwest Expo is in its 35th year and is the largest agricultural expo in Western Australia's Mid West.
Wednesday 15 and Thursday 16 August
Matt Bradley and Grant Bennett will be attending.
You can also join them for a family friendly function on Wednesday 15 August in Geraldton at:
The Provincial
167 Marine Tce, Geraldton
6.00pm - 8.00pm
Light refreshments and pizza will be provided
If you would like to attend the function, please RSVP to ResidentialLifeAdmin@scotch.wa.edu.au

Dowerin GWN7 Field Day
The Dowerin Field Day is an agricultural expo located in the Central Wheatbelt. It has been expanding over the last 53 years to become the most successful event of its kind in the State.
Wednesday 29 August - Marcus Wilkinson, Pam Seaby and Richard Hales will be in attendance.
Thursday 30 August - Marcus Wilkinson, Kim Whetters and Scott Siekierka will be in attendance.

For more Residential Life news, please view the newsletter.

Mr Marcus Wilkinson
Director of Residential Life 

The Concept of Learning

Can we get smarter or is academic potential predetermined? Professor Guy Claxton of Department of Learning Science at the University of Winchester and originator of Building Learning Power says, the ability to learn is in itself very learnable. It consists of curiosity, the ability to ask good questions, persisting in the face of difficulty, being resourceful, being able to have a range of different strategies to call upon, being a good collaborator and to be able to be thoughtful or reflective. It is a balance of being imaginative while being able to think clearly and rigorously and in a disciplined manner. He believes it is possible to address these skills in lessons to strengthen these real-life intelligences.

By making small adjustments to the way we talk to children about the activities they complete in class, we can shift the focus from perceived 'work' to 'learning'. We can see children become more interested in the process of learning itself. Making simple changes to how we display work on the walls can illustrate this. We generally display the edited and crafted final product. By displaying the initial versions, we highlight and recognise the learning that has taken place to lead to the finished piece. This learning will have involved the drafting, the trying, the steps forward or back that have assisted the student to learn and to achieve success.

This approach leads to a culture change. The children see that what they do at school is not about completing tasks but is about stretching their learning muscles, their mental 'fitness' in ways they will understand will help them in all aspects of their life.

Children who feel more confident, more resourceful, more resilient, do better. They are able to talk about their learning. When faced with a challenging or confusing question or problem, they are able to stay engaged and give their best effort. The goal of education is not just about exams or qualifications. It is about the acquisition of skills that will help a person to succeed in a range of areas.

At Scotch, we are privileged to have two programmes that by design, lend themselves to helping a child to learn how to learn. The Reggio Emilia approach we follow in the ELC, as well as the International Baccalaureate Primary Years Programme, provide the children with opportunities to explore how they learn, to consider questions they want to explore, to use their imagination and to try, regroup and try again. Both programmes aim to develop resilience in the children while teaching them how to learn.

We work to ensure we address the key building blocks for long term success in terms of basic skills while presenting the children with a range of opportunities to assist them to acquire and refine their learning skills and style. We do not believe academic potential is predetermined, we believe every child can improve and grow. By teaching them how to learn, we set them up for success now and in years to come.

The Idea of Building Learning Power – Prof Guy Claxton

Mr John Stewart
Head of Junior School

5A News

For our Unit of Inquiry last term, Sharing the Planet, the central idea was biodiversity relied on maintaining the interdependent balance of organisms within systems. As a result of this, the whole class became obsessed with the decomposer, fungi. Everywhere we turn there is a fungi spore ready to act and decompose, bringing a balance to our world. The boys turned into journalists and took pictures, made videos, keynote presentations all to document the wonder of fungi.

Following from this unit we are now exploring How the World Works, which ties in nicely with our last Unit. The boys have been investigating different states of matter and their properties. This week they focused on how a liquid and a gas can come together to make a solid one, in particular, is called plastic.

Plastic, plastic, plastic has become Year 5A new obsession. What do we do in a world full of plastic, where there is no natural decomposer like the fungi. How can remove this thing we have created that is now filling our oceans, land and even space? How can supermarkets stop giving out free plastic bags to charging for a more heavy-duty bag, which will cause more havoc in our waterways? The wonder questions the boys have been looking into and researching are making some environmental aware children. Watch this space to see where they will take their new-found knowledge and act upon it.

Mrs Fiona Alexander
Year 5 Teacher

Year 3S News

3S finished the first semester with a bang! After exploring how and why products go through a process of change before being distributed and consumed, we engaged in a two-week long project to design and build a cardboard chair that could hold the weight of our teacher. We learnt about how cardboard is made before undertaking research for our designs. We hypothesised and tested theories by constructing miniature prototypes and drew blueprints for the real thing. After extensive investigations, the build began. At the conclusion of the project, we invited friends and family to view our hard work and our nervous teacher got to test out the chairs. Most were successful, however, some designs saw Mrs Springall (and in some cases Mr Stewart) fall flat on the floor. The exhibition is still on display in the gallery space underneath the JS/MS Library and we encourage you to check it out.

This term also had an exciting start as we delved into Aboriginal culture during our NAIDOC week celebrations. We shared in dreamtime stories, had our faces painted and threw boomerangs, all of which we shared in our assembly item.

Furthermore, we were privileged to share our learning journey (to date) with our families at the Student-Led Conferences, a process we thoroughly enjoyed. Thank you to everyone who came along and made the day extra special.

Finally, we began exploring the need for scientific classification in our fourth Unit of Inquiry. So far, we have learnt about the process of classification including how things are classified, and we are currently exploring the features and characteristics that make something living or non-living. We look forward to enhancing our science knowledge even further and putting it to good use through our actions.

 

Mrs Larree Springall
Year 3 Teacher

French News

Bonjour everyone! Have you ever thought that French sounds like quite a musical language? Well, 5A decided to put this to the test by singing a French song for their assembly item with Madame Vinton this week. The song - La Nuit - came from the beautiful French film, "Les Choristes", translated as 'The Choir'. It is a 2004 film, remaking a much older French film from the 1940s and hence is set in that time period. It follows the story of a teacher working in a difficult boys' boarding school who tries to reach out to his badly behaved pupils through teaching them to sing. We knew it was an ambitious endeavour, as the original film was nominated for an Oscar and the singers from the film went on tour afterwards, but through sustained practice and hard work, the words started to flow freely. We knew we were getting close when the 5A classroom teacher, Mrs Alexander, said our French singing gave her goosebumps! The song is broken into two versus, the first of which we all sang, the second, sung by a select group of 11 confident singers who carried it alone. Our audience got to see a portion of the film which we sung along to, and the response to this beautiful piece of music and the wonderful voices of 5A was pretty spectacular. If you missed it, why not look for a clip online and have a listen. Our boys really are as gifted as the singers in the film. Fantastique! Au revoir.

 

Madame Vinton
French Specialist

From the Deputy Head of Junior School

Fresh Enthusiasm

On Friday 27 July, the Junior School community commissioned Semester 2 Captains and Class Representatives. These boys received their badges as they were sworn in by the Headmaster in front of their peers and parents. Each week I have the pleasure of working with the Semester 2 House and Specialist Captains, and I am always amazed by the fresh enthusiasm that comes from the boys taking up their new positions. It is also a wonderful opportunity for me to work with all of the new boys who joined Year 5 at the beginning of the 2018 school year.

With such fine history and a long line of traditions, this time of the year reminds me of what can come from welcoming new people, new experiences and being open to new opportunities. It provides a time of mixing the young and the old, the current and the new, and finding a nice blend as new people who are indoctrinated into the strong traditions with fresh perspectives on their arrival.

These new captains will be fortunate to have an interactive morning of games with the Year 12 leadership team, thanks to Lachie Philips our 2018 School Captain. Already the Year 12s have pencilled in an opportunity to meet these new Year 5 Captains and share their leadership experiences through games and 'getting to know each other' activities. The fact that the older boys have offered their time for this morning is very much appreciated, given that the final leg of the Year 12 journey is upon them.

I thank the Semester 1 Captains for all of their hard work, whilst at the same time I look forward to seeing what this new group of leaders will bring to the positions they hold. If the last few weeks are anything to go by, we have many great things to look forward to.

  

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

From the Head of Middle School

Thank you for your participation in the Student Led Conferences this term. It has been particularly pleasing to see and listen to our boys through Year 6, 7 & 8 demonstrate a deeper connection with their learning, with an increasing emphasis not on what they have learned from a content perspective but on how they have learned, and how they prepare for what is coming next. In particular, we hope our departing Year 8 boys leave the Middle School with a heightened sense or greater accountability for their role in their education. Our Student Led Conferences are a valuable window into their mind set about this.

Congratulations to the boys who received Academic Excellence recognition at our Assembly last Friday.  Academic Excellence Awards commence in Year 7 and are for boys who achieve a total of 30+ when adding their top five MYP subject grades in their semester report. Academic Excellence Awards continue into Senior School and become part of the process and criteria toward Academic Colours and Honours.

Our JPSSA and PSA Winter Sport fixtures concluded last week and following the mid-term break this weekend we move into Athletics season. The high point of this is our own Inter- House Athletics Carnival on Wednesday 22 August. It is a great day of activity and colour. Students rotate through jump, throw, short and long distance running events. It is a busy day with events running simultaneously all around the ovals. Our Inter-House Athletics is always well supported by parents and grandparents and a programme of the day will be emailed separately to you this week.  Following our Inter-House Carnival boys keen on trialling for the Inter-School Carnival continue with after school training for the remainder of the term.

Today marks the commencement of National Science Week.  It is a big week in the calendar for our Year 6 boys who will present and speak about their Science Fair project. If you are interested in explosions, moulds, melt rates, the correlation between friction and velocity, the dissolvability rates of different coloured M&Ms or any of the myriad of things that 11 year old boys like to investigate, come and visit the Year 6 Science Fair on the ground floor this Thursday morning between 10.25am – 11.25am.

Mr Richard Ledger
Head of Middle School

Groundwater Replenishment with 7.6G

Did you know that 99.97% of all the liquid that makes it way to a wastewater treatment plants in Western Australia, is clean, uncontaminated water? Only 0.3% of the water that makes it way down the drains is actually waste. On a recent excursion to the Groundwater Replenishment Centre in Beenyup, the students in 7G learned all about this. They were taken on a guided tour that showed them the process and the expensive machinery used to clean our wastewater and return it to nature and most importantly back to the Yarragadee and Leederville Aquifers. The tour was filled with valuable information that will help them in their Water Solution Inquiry and Separation Challenge experiments in the coming weeks.

 

Mr Peter Gaspar
Year 7.6G Homeroom Teacher

6.1S Sensational Science

Have you ever found yourself asking any of the following questions;

Can fruit and vegetables power a light globe?
Does acidity influence the sweetness of fruit?

What makes someone a super taster?

These are just a few of the ideas that 6.1S have been exploring using the Scientific Method this term. After visiting the labs and generating an aim, hypothesis and method boys practiced the skills needed to conduct thoroughly planned, fair and accurate trials. Our first investigation aimed to find out which brand of paper towel was the strongest; Viva, Handee or Black and Gold. A focus on observing and reflecting led to some interesting conclusions.

  

As a part of our Interdisciplinary unit the class have started to put their understandings and inquiry skills to the test by planning and conducting their own experiment with a focus on measuring a dependent variable related to chemistry, biology or physics. Boys are currently drawing their conclusions and getting ready to share their findings at the Year 6 Science Fair, part of Science Week in the Middle School.

 

If you would like to find out more about the questions above or see what the boys have been exploring, the Science Fair will be held between 10.30am - 11.30am on Thursday 16 August in the Middle School. 6S cannot wait!

Mr Justin Shaw
6.1S Homeroom Teacher

Student Achievements

Certificates of Academic Excellence Semester 1

Congratulations to the following boys who received Academic Excellence for Semester 1, 2018:

Allan	Henry	7
Bath-Pinnick	Tobias	7
Berglin	Benjamin	7
Brookes	Aidan	7
Browne	Caelan	7
Burbury	Harry	7
Cook	Jack	7
Cowan	James	7
Dore	Xander	7
Elliott	Lochie	7
Ellis	Harry	7
Feutrill	Henry	7
Fraser	James	7
Ghiselli	Marco	7
Graham	Matthew	7
Gray	Tom	7
Griffin	Joshua	7
Hayers	Oliver	7
Jackson	Thomas	7
Kerfoot	Daniel	7
Lee	Alexander	7
McIntosh	Fletcher	7
McVicker	Arnaud	7
Orr	Alasdair	7
Palmer	Jack	7
Pigneguy	Alex	7
Pocock	Jason	7
Richardson	Lachlan	7
Romero	Sam	7
Smith	Harry	7
Sumich	Oscar	7
Turkich	Matthew	7
Walker	Andrew	7
Whittome	Ross	7
Wiese	Louis	7
Woolf	Lucas	7
Cooper	Henry	8
Cooper	Oliver	8
Coutts	Matthew	8
Cropp-Chabanne	Oliver	8
Digby	Leo	8
Dinas	Craig	8
Duplock	Charlie	8
Fellows-Smith	Hugh	8
Harold	Banjo	8
Hegge	Nelson	8
Hyde	Mitchell	8
Jenour	Harry	8
Kain	Julius	8
King	Rory	8
Loader	Jackson	8
Messina	Winton	8
Meston	Hamish	8
Montandon	Julien	8
O'Brien	Lochlan	8
O'Connell	Fletcher	8
Palmer	Sean	8
Radici	Emanuel	8
Raffan	Kofi	8
Rogers	Oscar	8
Russell-Weisz	Alex	8
Salt	Sebastian	8
Schinazi	Raff	8
Sharrin	George	8
Simich	Thomas	8
Terblanche	Jurie	8
Van Wyk	Nicholas	8
Vaughan	Henry	8
Waddell	Benjamin	8
Walker	James	8
Walton	Seamus	8
Warner	Oscar	8

UNSW Science Competition Results

Year 6

James Winch

Distinction

Year 7

Jason Pocock	Distinction
Alasdair Orr	Credit

Year 8

Hugh Fellows-Smith	Distinction
Alexander Russell-Weisz	Credit
Henry Vaughan	Credit

UNSW Digital Technologies Competition Results

Year 6

Tom Duffield	Distinction
James Winch	Distinction
Ryan Wang	Credit

Year 8

Hugh Fellows-Smith	Credit
Winton Messina	Credit
Ben Waddell	Credit

Congratulations to Charlie Duplock (8.2R) who received a Gold and Silver Medal at the Karate championships last weekend.

Important Dates in Middle School Winter Term

Tuesday 14 August	Year 7 Academic Assessment Testing, 8.30am – 12.30pm Year 7.5M iLearn Excursion 12.45pm – 3.25pm
Thursday 16 August	Year 6 Science Fair, 10.25am – 11.25am MS Building Year 7.1W iLearn Excursion 9.30am - 12.30pm 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 7.3GT iLearn Excursion 11.15am – 1.45pm Year 7.2H iLearn Excursion 12.45pm – 3.25pm 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, 7.00pm DC
Tuesday 4 September	Year 7.7T iLearn Excursion 8.25am – 10.45am
Wednesday 5 September	Year 7.4A iLearn Excursion 12.45pm – 3.25pm
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
Friday 14 September	Year 8 Parents Coffee Morning, 8.30am Tee Box Café, Claremont Golf Course
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

Online Safety

The issue of online safety raised its head again last week as we were made aware of a situation involving many students across several schools. We, as a school, took the approach of informing our parents to allow conversations to take place and assistance to be sought if required.

Students in Years 9 and 10 have again this year heard from Mr Paul Litherland. Paul is one of Australia's leading key note speakers on Internet Awareness and has worked with the College over several years to educate the boys on the challenges of living in an online world. He does not demonise the technology, but aims to inform the students by example of how the technology can be used by people who may not be acting with their best interests at heart. Paul's background in policing and working within the Technology Crime Unit allows him to give compelling accounts of issues that he has dealt with as a Police Officer, not just dealing with the criminals, but with the families of those targeted.

Paul also ran a parent session where he shared his knowledge regarding the challenges of living in an online world with those in attendance. One of the issues Paul identified was the concern of young people reporting incidents which occurred online. That is, the fear that the technology would be removed by parents if it was reported. Please find below a number of facts and tips taken from the esafety.gov.au website. While it is targeted at 10 to 14 year-old children, much of the information and advice still remains pertinent to older adolescents. I trust these will go some way to both inform you of the facts surrounding these areas and assist with any conversations you wish to have with your son. More information is available on the www.esafety.gov.au  website. The 'Parent's guide to online safety' can be found at - https://esafety.gov.au/about-the-office/resource-centre/brochure-parents-guide-to-online-safety

Social media

Fact: On average, children aged 10 to 14 years have two active social media accounts.

1. Talk regularly with your child about privacy settings on social media. Updating your own privacy settings sets a great example and helps you understand potential safety issues. Be aware of any minimum age requirements.
2. Keep your ears and eyes open. Other parents and the media can be a great source of information when it comes to the latest or most preferred app.
3. Let your child know that you are really interested in how they are connecting with friends. They might be more inclined to talk openly about social media if you talk about what others (their friends and peers) are doing online.

Personal information

Fact: 12% of 10 to 14-year-olds share personal information online.

1. Get your child on side with online privacy by exploring how their personal information can be used now and in the future.
2. If you have your own social media account, think about the types of photos and information you share. Do you post photos of your child that show details of their school, sporting club or other activities? Take the opportunity to review your own habits and model safe online behaviour.
3. Get involved - play along with your child to get a feel for how they are managing their online privacy in the gaming world.

Inappropriate content (the nasty stuff! – like violence, offensive or sexually explicit material)

Fact: 9% of 10 to 14-year-olds reported being exposed to inappropriate content.

1. Be vigilant, especially if your child is prone to taking risks or is emotionally or psychologically vulnerable.
2. You can use parental controls, filtering software and safe searches (like Google Safe Search) to help block some of the nasty stuff. Remind your child not to open spam email or click on pop-ups.
3. Keep your child connected to trusted friends and family online and offline and discuss the importance of healthy and respectful relationships.

Contact with strangers

Fact: 36% of 10 to 14-year-olds said they had talked to strangers online.

1. Help your child understand why it is important to be vigilant about new online 'friends'. Someone who says they are a 14-year-old girl or boy could actually be a 40-year-old man!
2. Encourage your child to tell you or another trusted adult if they feel uncomfortable or worried about online contact with a stranger - there are tools in social media and in online gaming that can help block people.
3. Work with your child to save examples of the messages in case you want to follow up with the police. Taking screenshots is easy, use the print screen (PrtScrn) button on your computer or the Shift-Command-4 function on a Mac. You can also use your phone to take a quick photo of their device with the message.

As always, we remain here to assist if any situations arise and please feel welcome to contact either myself or our Pastoral Care team for further advice.

Mr Dean Shadgett
Head of Senior School

Scotch College SCUBA Club

To find out more about the next dive in September click here.

Learners Permits and Driver Licenses – Proof of Address Documentation

This documentation is available upon request from the Headmaster's office. Please send emails through to the Headmaster's Secretary on Leanne.McCoy@scotch.wa.edu.au. Please allow at least two working days for the document to be prepared.

Careers Information

Year 12 Parents and Students

Year 12 WACE and IB Diploma examination timetables have been released and are linked. 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.

TISCOnline is now open and students can explore this website and are able to enter their preferences for university studies in 2019. All Year 12 students should now have a copy of the 2019 TISC Guide that will outline all the procedures and dates that are relevant to the university application process and beyond. Mr Frusher has talked to the students as a group and explained 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

Notre Dame University Open Day

Sunday 19 August from 10.00am – 4.00pm

Curtin University – Law Information Evening

August 29

Interested in a career in Law? Attend the information evening at the Curtin Law School Perth city campus to find out more about studying Law at Curtin. This evening will provide you with an opportunity to experience the teaching facilities and ask any questions you might have.

Find out more - https://www.facebook.com/events/611660495885872/

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.

NETTS Apprenticeships

Programmed Training Services specialises in the employment of apprentices and trainees for some of the state's major oil and gas companies. Starting in January 2019, a unique apprenticeship opportunity is being offered by Programmed to join the NETTS program in partnership with leading oil and gas companies. This could be your chance to start an exciting and rewarding career in the resources industry.

NETTS offers you the opportunity to join a dynamic and growing industry where safety, production targets, and environment/sustainability are balances as the program promotes efficient plant operation to minimise our footprint. This apprenticeship sets you up for a long, challenging yet rewarding career in a growing and evolving industry.

NETTS are currently offering the following apprenticeships:

• Process Plant Operations
• Industrial Electrical/Instrumentation

These are entry level positions aimed at applicants completing Year 12 high school this year, or completed in the last couple of years. It requires no previous experience in the oil and gas industry.

To find out more and apply, visit https://programmed.com.au/netts/

Applications close 5.00pm, Thursday 30 August 2018.

Medical School Admissions Seminar FREE EVENT!

Saturday 25 August 2018 11.00am – 1.00pm

UWA Social Sciences Lecture Theatre

This presentation is also based around answering key questions including:

• Why choosing a career in Medicine might be right for you
• Advice and information on applying to direct-entry Australian Medical Schools
• Requirements for admission into Medicine (ATAR, UMAT, Interview etc.)
• Information on interview systems across different Australian Medical Schools
• Insights into the academic life of a Medical student

Find out more - https://www.facebook.com/pg/MedView/events/

WA Police Force are Recruiting

Joining the WA Police Force as a Recruit is an exciting, life-changing decision. If you've got enthusiasm, a strong work ethic and a passion for protecting your community, you are all set for a highly challenging and incredibly rewarding career.

You must be an Australian or New Zealand Citizen or Permanent Australian Resident, hold a current manual 'C' class Motor Driver's Licence or equivalent and be at least 18 years of age.

Apply here - https://www.stepforward.wa.gov.au/join-wa-police/recruit/

Defence Force Australia – Careers Info Session

August 14 - Perth

Find out more - https://www.facebook.com/pg/DefenceJobsAustralia/events/

Scholarship Opportunity (Pilots of Tomorrow)

The Company of Air Pilots and Flight Experience are offering scholarships to students in Year 10, 11 and 12 who may be interested in a career as an airline pilot. Applications are now open and will close on 14 September.

For more information go to: https://perth.flightexperience.com.au/scholarships/ or http://www.airpilots.org.au/Scholarships

Skills West Careers Expo

This is the final careers expo for 2019 and will feature tertiary, skills training and jobs.

17 - 19 August, 2018, Perth Convention & Exhibition Centre, Free Entry

Royal Lifesaving Society WA

Students who may be looking for employment as a Swimming Instructor or a Pool Lifeguard can access the website below to gain the necessary qualifications.

For full course details please visit the AUSTSWIM website: http://www.austswim.com.au/Training/AUSTSWIMCourses/SwimmingandWaterSafety.aspx

Projects Abroad Alternative Schoolies

You can go by yourself or with a bunch of your friends on a two-week volunteering journey to Sri Lanka, Samoa or Thailand. Here you will help to support disadvantaged children in education and care activities in local kindergartens and care centres, as well as grassroots healthcare campaigns, outreach work in the wider community and conservation activities.

The Alternative Schoolies programmes run for two weeks from 1 December - 14 December, right after you have finished your exams. The projects are structured to give you a variety of hands on, worthwhile and rewarding work.  

Endorsed Programs

An endorsed program is a significant learning program that has been developed for senior secondary students. The program may have been developed by the School Curriculum and Standards Authority, or it may have been developed by a private provider or a school and subsequently endorsed by the Authority.

Each endorsed program consists of a series of lessons, classes and/or activities designed to lead to the achievement of a common goal or set of learning outcomes. Endorsed programs can be delivered as part of the school curriculum or as extra-curricular activities. Endorsed programs may include: Airforce Cadets, AMEB Music certificates, Recreational Skipper's Ticket, Bronze Medallion, Leeuwin Ocean Adventure, Open Water Diver, Senior Debating, Duke of Edinburgh, End to End Bibbulmun Track and others.

All endorsed programs successfully completed and reported to the Authority by the school

• are listed on the student's Western Australian Statement of Student Achievement
• may contribute towards the breadth-and-depth requirement of the WACE
• may contribute towards the C grade requirement of the WACE.

If you think your son has any Endorsed Programs that he would like registered with SCSA, please email Mr Frusher with evidence of the program. Programs completed as part of a school activity at Scotch will automatically be recorded.

Evolve Teen Smartphone Photography Workshop – Perth Zoo

25 August, 10.00am at Perth Zoo - 12-17 year olds

This course teaches you how to get the most out of your smartphone camera and numerous photography apps on the market.

Learn to take great shots using techniques that make your subject stand out in the beautiful surrounds of Perth Zoo. Photography principles such as lighting, composition and editing will also be covered.

Book now - https://southperth.wa.gov.au/discover/whats-on/Events/events-detail/2018/08/25/default-calendar/evolve---teen-smartphone-photography-workshop

Mr Peter Frusher
Careers Adviser

Boys' Achievements

Jack Kapinkoff (Year 9, Ferguson) has been invited to join the WACA North Mega Region Academy for cricket.

Harry Jackson (Year 10, St Andrews) WA U15 team won gold again at the DeFris national ice hockey tournament in Canberra. This is the second year in a row. WA were undefeated in the tournament. WA beat Victoria in the grand final 4-1.

Important Dates in Senior School Winter Term

Date	Event	Location	Time
Week 4A
Monday 13 August	Year 9 Moray Camp (Group 3) departs	Senior School reception	8.45am for a 9.00am departure
	Friends of Scotch Music Meeting	Senior School Music Department	7.00pm – 8.30pm
Tuesday 14 August	Scotch Parents Meeting	Dining Room Annexe	7.00pm – 8.30pm
	WADL Debating Quarter Finals	Perth Modern School	6.30pm – 8.30pm
Wednesday 15 August	Student Council Free Dress Day
	Salvation Army Soup Kitchen	Northbridge	6.15am – 9.30am
	Oliver Twist Rehearsal (as per schedule)	Dickinson Centre	3.30pm – 5.30pm
	Oliver Twist Bump In commences	Dickinson Centre	Continues all week
	AHISA Debating Round 2	Perth College	7.00pm – 10.00pm
Thursday 16 August	World Scholar's Global Round departs
	PSA Sport – Scotch College v Hale School Firsts teams only (please refer to home.scotch for details)	Home	2.00pm – 4.30pm
	Scotch/PLC 50 Mile Walk departs		3.00pm
	Year 9 Moray Camp (Group 3) returns		3.30pm
Friday 17 August	Mid-Term Break (no classes)
Saturday 18 August	Scotch/PLC 50 Mile Walk returns		12noon
Sunday 19 August	Oliver Twist Rehearsal (as per schedule)	Dickinson Centre	10.00am – 4.00pm
Week 5B
Monday 20 August	Mid-Term Break (no classes)
	Boarding Houses re-opens		3.00pm
	All boarders to be back		5.30pm
Tuesday 21 August	World Scholar's Global Round final day
	Reporter Music Photos
	PSA Chess Competition	Hale School	4.00pm – 8.00pm
	Hockey Dinner	Dining Room Annexe	6.30pm – 8.30pm
	Brain Reset Session (Year 11 and 12)	Room 13.301	3.45pm - 4.30pm
Wednesday 22 August	State Schools Surfing Titles	Trigg Beach	7.15am – 3.30pm
	PISA Testing (selected students)
	Oliver Twist Rehearsal (as per schedule)	Dickinson Centre	3.30pm – 5.30pm
	AHISA Debating Round 3	Perth College	7.00pm – 10.00pm
	Brain Reset Session (Year 11 and 12)	Room 13.301	3.45pm - 4.30pm
Thursday 23 August	Reporter Photos
	Soccer Dinner	Dining Room	6.30pm – 8.30pm
Friday 24 August	Senior School Inter-House Athletics Carnival	Memorial Oval	8.30am – 4.00pm
	Oliver Twist Rehearsal (as per schedule)	Dickinson Centre	4.00pm – 6.00pm
	Residential Life Parents Sundowner	Claremont Hotel	4.30pm - 6.00pm
Saturday 25 August	WA Classical Guitar Ensemble Festival	Carine SHS	3.40pm – 5.40pm
	Rugby Dinner	Dining Room	6.30pm – 9.30pm
Sunday 26 August	WA Schools' Jazz Festival	WAAPA	various
Week 6A
Monday 27 August	RUOK? Week
	Pipe Band Edinburgh Military Tattoo Tour returns
	Oliver Twist Rehearsal (including Dress Rehearsal from 2.00pm)	Dickinson Centre	8.30am – 3.30pm
	Year 9 Moray Camp (Group 4) departs	Senior School reception	8.45am for a 9.00am departure

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

Festival of the Boot 2018

Sunday 12 August saw the rivalry between Scotch College and Christ Church Grammar School reignited at the Festival of the Boot, the annual alumni sports day. It was a fantastic day, finishing with a sausage sizzle and a few drinks in the sun. Final results were:

Rugby: 42-38 to Old Scotch Collegians
Hockey: 3-2 to CCGS Old Boys
Soccer: 9-1 to Old Scotch Collegians
Football: Forfeit to CCGS Old Boys due to lack of numbers from Old Scotch Collegians, though they still managed to have a friendly game – special thanks to the CCGS boys who turned their shirts inside out to play for OSC.

Mr Michael Silbert
President - OSC