There is always some major event each week at the College and last week was no different. Congratulations to our Year 11 boys and their fine turn out to their annual dance. I would also like to acknowledge the many hours of planning and preparation put in by many parents. I hope your sons gave you a big thank you for making their Cuban Nights dance such a special evening. As with all of these events, when the Dickinson Centre (DC) is decked out thematically for major functions, it is hard to reconcile that on most days the DC is a regular assembly hall. Thanks also to all of the staff who turned out to support the boys. Well done everyone on a magnificent evening.

On Friday, one of our Round Square exchange visitors came to see me to thank us for the incredible experience he had on exchange with us for the past six weeks. Priyank Nahata came from one of our fellow Round Square schools, Daly College in India. On the inside cover of the note he gave to me as a gift were these words

'It was an amazing trip; you have a beautiful campus and it was an honour attending school at Scotch. Thank you for the plethora of opportunities you gave to me at Scotch'

 In these very simple and genuine words he summed up what has proved to be one of the real benefits of being linked to a series of global colleges through Round Square, that is, the extensive international and national exchange opportunities.

Given Priyank's reflections on his Scotch experience, and the fact that we have a teacher in residence and on exchange with us at present, Mr Simon Walker from Colorado Springs, I thought it is fitting to provide the community with a reminder about the background to Round Square and what our membership is about.

Round Square founder Kurt Hahn

Kurt Hahn was a German educator and a key figure in the development of experiential education. To this day, his philosophies have far-reaching international influence that has stood the test of time. Hahn believed that students could only really understand life by experiencing it in many exciting and challenging ways. By testing themselves, students would be able to develop their courage, generosity, imagination, principles and resolution. Ultimately, they would develop the skills and abilities to become the guardians and leaders of the future. He also believed that the greatest thing one could learn - and inspire in others - was compassion. Inspired by this principle, the Round Square network of schools share practical opportunities to guide and support students in becoming courageous and compassionate leaders.

Who is Round Square?

Round Square is a not-for-profit membership network, registered as a charity in the UK and governed by a Board under the Presidency of His Majesty King Constantine. Currently there are 150 Round Square member schools worldwide representing a student capacity in the region of 90,000 and a teacher/management workforce of around 7,500. The Round Square Management Team has a worldwide office in Windsor, UK and Regional Support Managers based and working with the network in each of the Round Square regions.

What does Round Square Do?

Round Square schools share a passion for experiential learning. Together Round Square Schools endeavour to ensure that pupils have every opportunity to achieve in ways and to levels beyond their perceived limits. The Round Square also believes that in order to prepare for adult life, young people must be encouraged to discover and embrace the similarities and differences between cultures and nationalities in ways that promote meaningful and lasting understanding, tolerance and respect.

The Round Square approach does not focus on what is taught but rather how learning takes place. It recognises that learning is most effective when it is practical, cross-cultural and collaborative, and when it is infused through a broad spectrum of inter, extra and co-curricular activities. In joining the Round Square Network, member schools make a commitment to embedding our shared IDEALS throughout every day learning activities within our College.

Why does Round Square do what it does?

Round Square cares passionately about what happens in the future to our world and to the fascinating variety of cultures and communities it supports. As a combined group of schools, we want those communities to thrive and prosper and care about each other in mutual co-operation.

That is quite a challenge. As educators we believe that we have a responsibility to shape the way in which the next generation of business, political and community leaders understand, prepare for, and respond to, this challenge.

How does Round Square try to achieve its goals and aims?

Round Square is a collaboration of like-minded schools.

Supported by an elected Board and an employed staff team, member schools work together to build and benefit from a mutually supportive and respectful network. Each school shares - and benefits from others' - ideas, methods, experience, opportunities, locally, regionally and internationally. Collaborative initiatives include local, regional and international:

• Projects that connect students directly with communities where their hard work as volunteers can be of real practical benefit;
  • student and teacher visits and exchanges
  • student-led conferences that celebrate cultural diversity; and
  • training and professional development opportunities for teaching staff.

In essence, we believe that our vision and mission at Scotch College closely aligns to the work of Round Square. Our membership opens up opportunities to enhance the educational journey of students, staff and families as a result of being part of the Round Square group of schools.

In terms of longevity, we have only just begun our journey as a Round Square school and there is still much to be done to embed the IDEALS into our College. Should anyone wish to discuss anything pertaining to Round Square please feel free to contact Mr David Kyle, our Director of Service and Citizenship. Mr Kyle has Executive responsibility for Round Square at the College and has been integral to how far we have come in such a short time. Should anyone wish to do their own research about Round Square they can do so by visiting www.roundsquare.org.

Sometimes in the busyness of all that we do, we need to reflect on the many initiatives, such as Round Square, that we undertake at the college in order to ensure that all of our boys are given every opportunity to graduate with open minds and multi-tiered experiences.

Have a great fortnight.

World Refugee Week

In our chapel services this week we have been reminded of the plight of refugees and asylum seekers. The world has some 25 million refugees but fewer that 1 percent get the chance to resettle in a safer country. We remember that refugees are ordinary people like us, but they have survived and escaped from persecution and violence. As we listen to the stories of refugees who were fortunate enough to settle in Australia, we acknowledge their positive and lasting contribution to our society.

Building a new life, in a new country has many challenges. Refugees can experience a wide range of problems including isolation, anxiety and poverty. As Christians, what should we do to help refugees feel welcome and valued in our community?

In the Old Testament, amongst the laws brought by Moses to the people of Israel, is an unequivocal instruction from God:

“When a foreigner resides among you in your land, do not mistreat them. The foreigner residing among you must be treated as your native-born. Love them as yourself, for you were foreigners in Egypt. I am the Lord your God.” (Leviticus, 19:33-34)

It would seem to me that we should at least offer hospitality and kindness to our refugee neighbours. We would do also do well to remember that important, but often overlooked, chapter of the nativity story in which the baby Jesus and his parents flee to Egypt to escape King Herod. When God chose to enter into life as the most vulnerable of human beings – an infant refugee – what point was God making?

Education that Counts

As a parent, choosing the right school to educate your child is perhaps one of the most considered decisions you will ever make. Knowing that your son or daughter is a unique individual who needs to be stretched, nurtured, extended and supported at various times and perhaps in a different way to the next child, makes selecting a single institution a challenging task. To add to that complexity, if you are also factoring in the future focussed rhetoric, claiming the current model of education is sorely lacking in building our children's capacity to cope in this changing world, you would not be alone in feeling a little concerned. In fact, for many of our parents who care deeply about their child's education, this has already been a hard decision and you have trusted Scotch College to guide and help answer some of these questions. It's important that you know how our school is making a difference in preparing your son for this journey.

Often a school will be measured by its performance when it really counts. And, if you believed the generalised statements in the media, it counts when NAPLAN scores are high, the median ATAR places you further up the league tables and the number of students earning subject awards is at an all-time record. But our community knows that these measures are limited and only fit within an Australian context. Equally, correlation between these measures and success beyond the classroom is weak at best. Education is far more complex than that and if people are solely interested in these limited methods, they will be falling well short of what education is supposed to be in this modern era. Education really counts all the time. It is the engagement in the classroom, it is the connection with the teacher, it is the deep level of understanding that is developed when young minds are allowed to inquire. But further to this, quality education is concerned with the learner. It is equally designed to draw out their social capabilities as it is to teach them the magic of learning theories and concepts that invested academics have worked hard to uncover, and at the same time try to create an environment where the student feels the discovery was all theirs.

Further to this, education in a modern era understands that no child is able to learn to their potential unless they feel safe, nurtured and supported. A child needs to know that people within their school care more about them than their performance. This doesn't mean that the school does not have high expectations, these are critical too, but a child's wellbeing is paramount when it comes to reaching their potential. Without a sense of self and a sense of belonging, a child's ability to focus and engage is compromised. Setting goals and providing feedback makes a student own their learning journey and again places them at the centre of the experience. And, just to make sure that all this learning has relevance in the global community, modern education will teach students about the importance of service learning and how their unique human qualities can provide so much for others and at the same time support their own wellbeing.

Finally, if education is able to balance this with the opportunities to discover strengths and talents, whether that be in co-curricular programmes such as academics, sporting, or the arts, it is now starting to create an education system that really counts all the time. It's not easy to explain to another parent the value you see in the education you have chosen for your child, because it offers something different for everyone. I would argue, that is the value.

We Are What We Look For

What you look for is what you see;

What you search for is what you find.

Often, articles I read that relate to wellbeing centre around our power to choose. Victor Frankl was a man who survived the concentration camps run by the Nazis during World War Two. His thinking was shaped by his experiences in those places, where he saw people survive because of their positive will to live. He came to believe that, even in the most horrendous of conditions, each of us still has the ability to make a choice regarding how we respond to those circumstances:

“In between stimulus and response, there is a space; in that space lies our power to choose our response;

in our response lies our growth and freedom.”

The choices we make shape who we are.

We find those things for which we search, perhaps not always, but more often than not. There is a very simple activity which I have encouraged some of our students to incorporate into their lives as a habit, and this is to write down each night three good things that have happened that day. It might be a positive interaction they had with someone, taking in a pleasant view, or reading a good book. It can be anything – big but, more often than not, small and always particular to the individual. Some find this hard at first, because of our in-built negativity bias. We are wired to look for danger and to keep an eye out for the bad. But research shows that looking for and recording the good – and being grateful for the good things and people in our lives – actually enables us to get better at recognizing the good. The more we look for the good, the more we see of the good. We start to see the good in ourselves more often and we start to see the good in others as well, so that this becomes our default position.

It is important to realise that looking for the good does not mean ignoring what is bad or what is wrong or what needs to be challenged or changed. It is about accepting that, even though our world may be filled with difficulty, there is good there, particularly in the small and everyday things. And by finding the good in the world around us, it filters into us as well.

We are so fortunate at Scotch to be surrounded by good – in our students, staff and parents, and in the activities which take place. The Senior School Production of “The Government Inspector” in Week 6 was a perfect example. The joy of watching the cast perform, and the joy they derived from their performance, lifted everyone’s mood. And even though the messages of the play, relating to the need to guard against the excesses of human nature and the dangers of a corrupt and repressive system of government, are just as relevant today as when Gogol wrote it in the 1830s, the humour he used makes those messages even sharper.

Week 7 in Senior School has been dominated by the heats of the House Singing competition. When the boys sing in their House groups together, to me it is a celebration of many things. It is the willingness of a group of young men to work together in a common cause, to go out of their comfort zones but to do so in the knowledge that they are part of something good, something bigger than them as an individual. Congratulations to all Houses on their efforts this week – I have loved seeing and hearing them perform. In particular, well done to Ferguson, Keys, Ross and Shearer who have made it through to the final, which will be held at the last assembly of the term, on Friday 5^th July. Please join us, if you can, for these performances.

We have also been running mindfulness sessions with the Year 10s in their House groups during their Wellbeing lessons, and these will continue into next term. Our Brain Reset sessions will recommence in Week 8 (Wednesday 19^th June) and Week 10 (Wednesday 3^rd July) for interested Year 10s – 12s, from 3.45-4.30pm. These too will continue into next term. And our Year 1-3 students are continuing with their Yoga programme on Wednesday afternoons.

With each of these activities, our boys have a choice to make regarding how they will engage. If they decide to approach it with a positive attitude, one where they look for the good and look for what they can take from it, they find the experience far more rewarding. This seems to me to be such an important thing for us to encourage if we want to prepare them for life in all its glory.

A diverse, vibrant and connected network

As the Headmaster has written above, the College’s Round Square membership allows us to be a part of a global network and in recent weeks this has meant visitors from all over the world, including staff from Nauru and the United States. The diversity of experiences and knowledge that they bring gives our staff and students an insight into different ways of approaching schooling and allows us to question why we do things and if we are doing them for the right reasons. These staff are also able to take away what they discover at Scotch and hopefully implement some of our approaches when they return to their schools.  

Simon Walker, a history teacher, boarding house master and Round Square representative at Fountain Valley School in Colorado has been visiting the College. Simon is staying in boarding, has been coaching rugby and assisting in a number of senior school classes. Previously Simon has taught at the Hotchkiss School in Connecticut and prior to that at schools in the United Kingdom so he brings a wealth of experience and insights.

Simon’s impressions of Scotch have been of great benefit to both boarding and academic staff. He had no idea of the extent of the mandated curriculum requirements in Australia which is a complete contrast to the academic anonymity in independent schools in the United States.  

Simon said, “it has been a wonderful opportunity to immerse myself in the rich traditions and culture of such a prestigious institution. I am excited to return to Colorado with numerous examples of best practice and different styles and methods of pedagogy”. This week Simon will visit Moray and drop in and see exchange students he has at Bunbury Cathedral Grammar School and Ivanhoe College in Melbourne.  

Another recent visitor is the Principal at Nauru College, Sharina Deiye. Sharina spent a week shadowing Year 6 teacher Justin Shaw in the Middle School.

While here, Sharina began working on a project that she and Justin will both deliver to their respective classes and we are hoping to continue to seek opportunities to collaborate in the future. Justin will also spend a week in Nauru later this year and get an insight into the environment that Sharina and her staff work in. No doubt Justin will be able to contribute to the school and also bring back some ideas and insights for our Middle School.

Dr O’Connell noted that Priyank Nahata left us on Friday after spending six weeks at Scotch. Priyank was staying with Simon Arnott’s family and attends Daly College in Indore, India. Simon will travel to India to stay with Priyank in September. And today, we have welcomed Luke Brown from St Stithians College near Johannesburg in South Africa. Luke is staying with Lachlan Watters’ family and Lachie will travel to South Africa in August.  

Being a member of Round Square gives the College access to a vibrant and connected network and we are fortunate to have such diversity in our visitors. While our exchange programs and student trips and tours give many of our boy’s global experiences, having people to our campus impacts everyone and ensures our whole community benefits.

Below is a photo of Priyank Nahata with the guitar he made in his Product Design class.

REMINDER - The Tanzania 2020 Information Evening is tonight at 6.30pm in Memorial Hall 

For an insight into the 2018 experience please view the 2018 highlights video and the website which has the 2018 Tour Report and an insight into the work undertaken in Matipwili. PLC and Scotch have built a relationship with Matipwili since 2004 and we are extremely proud to be able to offer a service experience that has been ongoing (or “continuation” as the letter read in the video says) and is built on mutual benefits and well-established relationships.  

The tour is aimed at 2020 Year 11 and 12 students and their parents, but all are welcome to attend.  

Senior School Information Session

Scotch College invites interested families (new to the College) to attend our July Senior School Information Sessions on Tuesday 2 July, 5.30pm - 7pm.

Discover the vibrant Senior School learning community and hear about the choices and pathways offered in Years 11 and 12 (International Baccalaureate (IB) Diploma, WACE and VET), the opportunities, experiences and networks that lay ahead for your son.

If you know a family who may be interested, please direct them to the College website for further information and to register: http://bit.ly/2GmdnIt

Annual Appeal 2019

The 2019 Annual Giving Programme will be dedicated to the Scotch College Scholarship and Bursary Fund. Each donation from the Scotch community will help us to offer the gift of a Scotch College education to students to whom it may not otherwise be available.

Donations to the Annual Appeal are tax deductible and can be made online here. Alternatively, please download and complete this form and return it to the College.

For more information, please contact Kate Quinn, Director of Marketing, Advancement & Community Relations on Kate.Quinn@scotch.wa.edu.au or (08) 9383 6832.

Jazz Night

Scotch College presents Jazz Night Friday 28 June 2019.  Tickets available via www.scotch.wa.edu.au

Uniform Shop Opening Hours and Holiday Times

 The Uniform Shop will be open on Monday, 29^th July (the day before Winter Term commences) from 9.00am - 12.00 noon & 1.00pm - 4.00pm.

From Tuesday, 30^th July normal term opening times will apply:

Tuesdays: 8.00am - 5.00pm            

Thursdays: 7.30am - 11.30am             

Fridays: 7.30am - 11.30am

Oratory

'He who wants to persuade should put his trust not in the right argument but in the right word. The power of sound has always been greater than the power of sense.'

The history of oration goes back some millennia. It was in ancient Greece that speech was raised to an art and true oratory was born. As the Roman empire expanded, oratory also grew and thrived in the courts and the senate.

Oratory is not merely speaking but speech that appeals to our noblest sentiments and makes our souls stir passionate emotions and inspires virtuous action.

'They may forget what you said, but they will never forget how you made them feel.'   Carl W. Buechner

Finding these skills in children as young as Year 5 is a rare thing but on Wednesday 12 June the Junior School was blessed as they sat and listened to eight outstanding speeches delivered by a group of boys who are only 11 years old. The boys drafted their speeches, knowing that they had to deliver them not only to the people in their class but, if they were successful in that forum, to the entire Junior School. They did so with great style. They were able to take the audience on their own personal journeys, making them laugh and think, and their speeches were presented with a confidence well beyond their years.

Each year the Junior School runs the Speakers' Challenge event and each year the quality of the speeches seems to improve. The boys' ability to capture the audience's attention, to engage them in their topics and to speak eloquently about what they have written in an honest and earnest manner was breath-taking to see.

Last Wednesday, our adjudicators had a very challenging task to choose three boys to represent our school in the IPSHA Inter-School Speakers' Challenge, which is hosted by Scotch College. A task we do not envy. Well done to our three finalists: Hamish Byass (1^st place) for his speech on 'How to give a speech'; Harry Nicholls (2^nd place) for his speech titled 'The 1950's'; and William Macknay (3^rd place) about the eternal debate 'Big Mac v Whopper'. These boys will be representing Scotch College in an event that involves 18 other IPSHA schools.

Congratulations to all the boys involved in our recent Junior School competition:

      Cooper Royle (5C)                 Quidditch

      Alexander Griffin (5L)            How to become a superhero

      Luke Schauffler (5L)               Why don't woodpeckers get concussion?

      Thomas Lovegrove (5L)          Do we need music for our education?

      Leon Hugo (5W)                    Why to become a pirate?

      Daniel Weustink (5W)            How to break out of your own home

French Diplomatic Visit

In November of 2018, the three Scotch College Junior School Year 5 classes sent a package of around 70 letters to French servicemen serving in Jordan. The French soldiers (mostly pilots) were engaged in airstrikes in Syria. The letters, written entirely in French, were part of the "Who We Are" Exhibition topic, and allowed the boys to introduce themselves using a collection of sentence starters, such as "I am, I like and I have…" to reach out to the soldiers and share some friendship. The letters were transferred through a diplomatic contact at the embassy in Canberra and travelled to France and on to Jordan and finally to the military base, where their arrival amazed and delighted the French soldiers.

The French government were so touched that they asked us this year, if their Defence Attaché, Captain Philippe Petitdidier, could come to Scotch and personally thank the boys. A reception was held for Captain Petitdidier in the Memorial Hall in May, where he spoke of how our letters had meant a great deal to the French soldiers, and how he felt that they honoured a long-standing relationship between our soldiers, linking back to World War 1.

A fortnight after the visit, a package of replies from the French soldiers was received. The letters were warm, heartfelt and appreciative. They included photos, thank you mementos and the soldiers even answered many of the questions the boys had asked in their own letters. It was a wonderful conclusion to a very enjoyable project.

What we particularly like is that the French project provided our boys with a very tangible element of "Action" – a big part of being an IB school. We are so proud of last year's Year 5s and can't wait to continue this special relationship by completing the project again with the current classes of 5C, 5L and 5W.

    

Madame Vinton
French Specialist

Pre-Kindy 3 News

As we approach the last few weeks of Semester One, we can reflect on some of the experiences and the journey of learning the Pre-Kindergarten students have embarked on since their introduction to life at school. Our unit of inquiry for this semester has been 'Who We Are' with our central idea focusing on 'Learning Who I am'.

Through our exploration of self-identity, we implemented a range of experiences which have included self-portraits using natural materials that we gathered from one of nature outings.  Back in the classroom the boys took responsibility for their own learning as they carefully picked through the pile of natural materials which included sticks, flowers, bark and leaves. We talked about how we could use these beautiful resources to help portray an image of what we think we could look like, using an alternative to our everyday art pieces. Using natural resources allowed the boys to work through trial and error, curiosity and creativity as they spent time arranging pieces which reflected them as individuals. Experimenting with these resources opens a door to creative thinking, as it promotes endless opportunities of self-expression through a range of pieces. It becomes an open-ended learning experience with no restrictions, therefore, children find themselves peacefully engaged in a social experience, where communication and emotional intelligence becomes vital as they communicate their ideas through play relying on social contact and conversation as they ponder, ask questions, share opinions and wonder.

   

Mrs Tracey O'Shea
Pre-Kindergarten Teacher

Year 3S News

3S had an exciting first semester. In our first unit of inquiry we learnt all about belonging to a community. We discovered the characteristics that make a community successful and learnt about the purpose of the different communities we belong to. To conclude the unit, we put our learning into action by brainstorming ideas to help improve the local and school community. We came up with many great initiatives including 'Teddy Day' that saw the whole school bring their favourite stuffed toy for the day and raise much needed funds for Canteen; the 'Have You Switched Everything Off? Campaign' that continues to encourage staff and students to switch off all electronic devices at the wall at the end of each day; 'Five Minute Help' which is the completion of helpful five-minute jobs; 'Loose Parts Clean-Up' where the whole school is responsible for keeping the Loose Parts clean and safe; and 'Rubbish Collection Days' which allows time for the whole school to pick up rubbish and dispose of it properly.

During our second unit of inquiry, we immersed ourselves in the arts and were lucky enough to participate in workshops run by a real artist, James Giddy. We look forward to working with James again later in the year to complete a Scotch College mural.

Our third unit of inquiry was all about the adaptation of living and non-living things and our interests guided us in an unexpected direction. We ended up exploring how human impact on the environment has forced many changes in plants and animals. We presented out findings in an assembly item in the hope that many of our peers will think carefully about their environmental footprint now and in the future.

Overall, it was a very successful first semester and we can't wait to see what next semester brings.

Mrs Springall
Year 3 Teacher

Information Learning Technology

In his last Thistle article, the Headmaster reflected on the importance of time away from digital devices and the need for balance between online activity and physical activity.  This is particularly important with smart phones as well as iPads and laptops.

In the Junior School, not many of the boys have their own smart phones, however we still look to achieve balance with our 1:1 iPad programme.  iPads are used in class when they are the best tool for the task, which is not all the time in the classroom. The balance for teachers of younger students is to make sure that when the students use their iPads, their interaction is more active (creating ideas) rather than passive (just clicking to answer questions.)

Wherever possible, the Junior School boys are using their school iPads to create. Creation is important as the boys have to start with a blank canvas and produce something to demonstrate what they know or understand.

While there is a time and place for accessing content on apps– Reading Eggs quizzes or Mathspace and Mathletics allowing for practice of concepts, the iPads are really at their most effective when the students are able to design, record, draw or video to prove their understanding.

I was interested to hear Dr Joanne Orlando speak at a recent WA Education summit about current trends in children' s informal use of technology based on her research.  Her research included spending times in Australian households looking at how families managed all technology use in their homes.   At home when your child is wanting to use their iPad; options to create a movie or a stop motion video, compose a song, make an audio book, or create some code to develop a game are always great options. Any app that encourages the boys to start from scratch, create, think, act and draw will lead to great learning.

As the Headmaster stated moderation is the key, it is a great idea to set a time limit that suits your household and include some physical activity after any iPad/ screen time to balance the digital activity.

Mrs Amanda Ritchie
ILT Integration Specialist

Blurred Lines. A Joint Responsibility.

We regularly mention the concept that educating a child is a combined effort between home and school.  It is true, we are so much better working as a team than individually.  Critically, our boys need us to be working as a team.

In the human brain, the Prefrontal Cortex (PFC) is the issue.  It is not ready to do what we need it to do for our early adolescent boys.  The PFC is the part that helps us manage our behaviour, it's the bit that says to us; stop a moment and think about what you are about to do or say.  It is our executive functioning skills centre.  It's our Social Media Watch Dog, it is our Pause Button.  The PFC's influence, or not, on our decision making is monumental.

In Adolescence, the PFC is still in its early phase of development.  Medical research indicates the PFC is not fully developed in males until about 25 years of age.  At 11- 14 years of age our students are using the Amygdala, the emotional control centre of their brains to make decisions because the PFC is not fully operational.  It is why when a boy gets into trouble and we ask him; 'What were you thinking?' the truth is they probably weren't, they were simply acting on emotional impulse.

If we lay adolescent brain development and brain usage alongside the highly attractive and addictive world of online gaming and the lure of social media interaction, we can see the potential for some really hurtful scenarios.  Both gaming and social media platforms rely on and cultivate emotion to participate, encouraging adolescents to live, act and converse with minimal regulation and without the benefit of seasoned decision-making skills.

We know that online gaming and social media conversations are a 24/7 activity, they are like cities that don't sleep.  We know this when we look at internet browser histories and see activity at 2am, 3am, 4am.  We see this in the morning when we look at our son's phone and see Instagram posts arriving all through the night.

The blurred line title reference is we know that what happens at school or home influences behaviour in both settings.  Next Tuesday, 25 June we have the ySafe Parent Presentation for Year 7 & 8 parents, delivered by Clinical Psychologist Jordan Foster.  This coincides with an incursion during the school day, where Jordan will be presenting to the Year 7 and 8 boys.  Jordan has presented this powerful session for the last three years for us.  It will be an eye-opening look at adolescent life in the online world and what we as teachers and parents need to do to help our children be safe until their executive reasoning, their PFC, begins helping them out a bit more.  I am encouraging all of my teaching staff who have not been to one of Jordan's session to attend.  It is part of the united front we need to form to support our students.  The parent presentation will be held in the Memorial Hall Lecture Theatre 6:30pm – 8.00pm.  To register your attendance please use this link http://bit.do/scotch2019

6.2 Is An Energised Classroom

Have you ever wondered how electricity flows?  Do you know the differences between conducting materials and insulating materials?  What about, how does moving air and water create electricity?  Well the 6.2 class can confidently answer all of these questions and more thanks to their recent hands-on, inquiry based approach to their iLearn lessons.

Boys have really enjoyed making a variety of electrical series and parallel circuits and discovering all about negatively charged particles called electrons and how they flow from the outer shell of one atom to the outer shell of another.  6.2 students were also fortunate to spend a day at PLC recently and enjoyed racing miniature F1 cars and learning all about how they are powered and what makes them move.

   

In addition to this, boys have been using the Stile App on their iPads to think critically about the world-wide use of sustainable and unsustainable forms of energy and have begun to form their own opinion of their personal vision for Australia's energy future.

Some alternative sources of energy that the class have really enjoyed learning about include Hydro-electric power plants, Wind Farms and Geothermal Energy.  Individually, students have been thinking critically about whether sustainable energy sources are more effective than unsustainable energy sources and whether Australia, as a nation, has a moral obligation to rely more on renewable energy sources.

Mr Michael Campbell
6.2 Homeroom Teacher

8.5 An Environment for Wellness

Spaces are important.  When you spend a significant portion of your life as a 13-year-old at school, these spaces have significant influence on the way you feel, the way you respond to others and the way you learn.  In the Middle School, we are blessed with modern building design.  Large double classrooms with folding doors where we can work collaboratively with our neighbours, big bright windows to provide light to stimulate our brains and to keep our jungle of plants thriving, and purpose built spaces like the library where we can go to access exceptional resources or relax in our House coloured beanbags before a big Cross Country run.

The beginning of 2019 has been pretty fantastic for 8.5.  We have spent time reflecting on why we are pretty awesome people, how lucky we are to have the opportunities we have and look at other places in time and space.  8.5 students have thought critically about our geographical environment and how we protect our coastal landscapes, they’ve investigated medieval Europe and how different life would have been growing up long ago and explored how life would be very different even growing up in a different part of the world today.  All these experiences help to develop our boys as global citizens and lead them to discover the importance of taking action.  8.5 are lucky enough to take action with their 8.6 and 8.7 neighbours through their Community Project.  Some of the boys have already assisted minority groups, held coastal protection events and organised close to home support for Scotch Dads through The Fathering Project.  

 

With such a wonderful, warm and inspiring classroom environment, no doubt 8.5 will have many more moments for wellness, learning and action.

Mrs Mia Sullivan
8.5 Homeroom Teacher

Student Achievements

Congratulations to Digby Gardner (Year 7.3), Angus King (Year 7.1) and Val Davies (Year 6.1) who have all been selected to represent Western Australia at the Australian School Sport Hockey Championships in Bendigo later this year.

Congratulations to Oliver Knuckey (Year 6.3) who has been selected to represent Western Australia at the Cross Country National Championships in Wollongong later this year.

Important Dates in Middle School Autumn Term

Tuesday 18 June	Year 6 Coffee Morning, 8.30am Shorehouse Swanbourne
Wednesday 19 June	State Schools WA Orienteering Championships, 8.30am Manning Park
Thursday 20 June	Year 7 Scotch v Dulwich Singapore Rugby March, 2.45pm JS/MS Music Winter Soiree, 5.30pm Memorial Hall
Friday 21 June	Year 8.5 & 8.6 Moray Returns Scotch v Aquinas College (home)
Monday 24 June	Ride2School Year 8 East Kimberley Tour Parent Meeting 6.30pm MS
Tuesday 25 June	Ride2School Year 7 & 8 ySafe Incursion, Periods 5 & 6 Year 7 & 8 Parents ySafe Presentation, 6.30pm Memorial Hall
Thursday 27 June	Chapel in the City Excursion (Year 7 & 8), 9.00am – 12.30pm JPSSA Inter-School Cross Country, 1.00pm
Friday 28 June	MS Assembly, 12.00pm DC Trinity College v Scotch (away) Jazz Night, 6.30pm DC
Sunday 30 June	Scotch Dog Walk Event, 12pm – 3pm Memorial Grounds
Friday 5 July	Autumn Term Concludes Semester 1 Reports published in SEQTA Engage

Resilience

This year was the fifth instalment of the Big Freeze, an event designed to raise awareness of, and funding for, the fight against Motor Neurone Disease. The event takes place before the Melbourne and Collingwood Queen's Birthday game and, in the lead up to this year's match, Neale Daniher, who suffers from MND, addressed the Melbourne Football Club. His message was important and emphasised many of the aspects we see as central to our Wellbeing and Leadership curriculums in the Senior School.

Neale spoke about his new grandson, what he wishes for him and what he wants him to know. "Life is good, but life doesn't promise to be fair… there will be good times, but there will be hard times. There will be mundane times, life can be tough". This is a notion we have all no doubt heard many times, but the context in which Neale used it is of particular importance as he spoke about conducting ourselves in the right manner when times invariably do become tough.

One of the three pillars of Wellbeing at Scotch is Resilience (perseverance; grit; self-motivation; mindfulness). We are intent on helping students work through failure, disappointment and setbacks. We all experience these in our lives and we all find the going tough. Neale spoke about summoning the courage to take responsibility when this happens, not shy away from it, but instead to do something about it. If we are able to do this, "what will emerge inside you is the better side of your character that will allow you to prevail, allow yourself to move through it". This links in with our Leadership programme, which aims to challenge the students on their journey of personal development. The boys are encouraged to reflect on who they are and who they would like to be, in regards to their morals, values and purpose.

Neale also talks about looking for opportunity in every situation, no matter how tough it may be. Focusing on the negatives, which can be easy to do, can mean overlooking an opportunity to grow. Even in his situation, battling a disease that he knows will eventually take his life, Neale has discovered an opportunity. "My opportunity was to fight and that's allowed me to prevail. It's allowed me to find purpose, to transcend what's happening to me".

It is important to focus on those words, to think about how we might try to implement them into our own lives. We will continue to face ups and downs throughout life, but the better equipped we are to work through them, the more we will find these opportunities and be able to pick the path we want to take, as individuals or as a community. As Neale said, "your attitude in any circumstance, to choose your way, that's something not only to wish for, but to aspire to".

I have included the link to Neale's speech for those who wish to listen to it.

Careers Information

THANK YOU!

Thank you to all the students and parents who attended the Scotch College Combined Schools Careers Expo last Wednesday to make it a very successful events with very positive feedback from the institutions and organisations that attended. Comments included: 'focussed students', 'inquisitive and asked great questions', 'polite', 'love attending this expo' If you were unable to attend and your son is still seeking career and course information, the university and TAFE Open days commence in July. Mr Frusher is also available for further studies and career advice.

Curtin - Sunday 21 July

ECU - Sunday 28 July (Joondalup Campus)

Murdoch - Sunday 28 July

UWA - Sunday 4 August             

ECU (WAAPA) - Sunday 11 August (Mt Lawley Campus)

Notre Dame - Sunday 11 August

TAFE - TBA

UNIVERSITY INFORMATION

Notre Dame University Early Offer Programme 2020

The University of Notre Dame Australia's Early Offer Programme makes early offers to Year 12 students who have demonstrated academic excellence and are making a significant contribution to their school, community or church. Students who have a predicted ATAR of 93+ for Law & Physiotherapy or 90+ for all other courses are encouraged to apply for this early offer by contacting Mr Frusher at Scotch College. If a student is successful and accepts the Early Offer, it in no way prohibits them from applying and accepting an offer from another university.

Applications are now open and close on Wednesday, 31 July, 2019. Offers will be made in September, 2019.

A Day in the Life of a Notre Dame Uni Student

Friday 19 July: 9.00am – 2.30pm (Year 12 students are invited to an optional application workshop from 2.30 – 3pm)

Year 10, 11 and 12 students are invited to Notre Dame's Fremantle Campus for A Day in the Life of a University Student to experience what student life at Notre Dame is really like! Visit the campus, take part in lectures and activities, enjoy a tour of our town university, and meet current students and academics.

Curtin University

Scholarships for students considering enrolling at Curtin University in 2020 open on 21^st July 2019 (Curtin Open Day).

There are a number of scholarships available to support students from all backgrounds to realise their potential.

For further information, please visit scholarships.curtin.edu.au

ECU WAAPA

Arts Management and Live Production Information Evening

Thursday 20 June 2019 6.00pm

Mt Lawley Campus

Register here. 

Murdoch University  Business Open Night

A Murdoch degree is where business, commerce and entrepreneurship intersect with politics, security and sustainability. Murdoch courses will kickstart your career - whether that's starting your own business, helping corporations become more sustainable, or working to minimise threats to our security.

Wednesday 19 June 2019  6.00-7.30pm

Book now

BHP Apprenticeship Program 2020 | WAIO & Nickel West

BHP are seeking diverse and talented 1st year applications for their 2020 Apprenticeship Program across BHP's WA Iron Ore and Nickel West operations. For commencement in early 2020, they are offering a number of Residential and Fly-In-Fly-Out opportunities across our Perth, Pilbara & Goldfield Operations in Western Australia.

Nationally Accredited Trade Certificates being offered in 2020 may include:

• Heavy Duty Diesel Fitting (Certificate III in Mobile Plant Technology)
• Electrical (Certificate III in Electrotechnology Electrician)
• Fixed Plant Mechanical Fitting (Certificate III in Engineering –Mechanical Trade)
• Automotive Electrician (Certificate III in Automotive Electrical Technology)
• Refrigeration Technician (Certificate III in Engineering - Mechanical Trade (Refrigeration/Air Conditioning)
• Heavy Vehicle Mechanic (Cert III in Heavy Diesel - Automotive)
• Communications Technician (Cert III in Electronics and Communications)
• Plumbing (Certificate III in Plumbing)

Submit your application here by July 7th 2019. Late applications will not be accepted.

  Qantas Group Pilot Academy

Estimates suggest that 790,000 more pilots will be required globally over the next 20 years. To meet this growing demand, Qantas Group will be opening their Pilot Academy in Toowoomba in September.

The Qantas Group Pilot Academy aims to produce industry-ready pilots with a strong focus on safety and quality of training, delivered in an inclusive and supportive environment. Training will be facilitated by Flight Training Adelaide (FTA) with support from the Qantas Group to provide an outstanding student experience.

Qantas will also be offering a scholarship program to make a number of grants available. These range from covering the cost of accommodation through to full training.

If you're born to fly and serious about a career in aviation, applications for the first intake are now open.

Find out more and apply here.

Mr Peter Frusher
Careers Adviser

Year 11 Scholarships

Current Year 11 students are invited to apply for the

• PC Anderson Scholarship

OR 

• WR Dickinson Scholarship

To be eligible to apply for the PC Anderson Scholarship you must be the son, grandson, great grandson etc of an Old Scotch Collegian. Boys who do not have an old boy connection are eligible to apply for the WR Dickinson Scholarship.

Please see Miss Rawlings in Admissions, located in Campbell House (the house situated on the opposite corner to the main Administration building).

Applications must be collected by the student. Applications close 4.00pm Friday 2 August 2019.

Senior School Important Dates

Autumn Term

Date	Event	Location	Time
Week 8A
Monday 17 June	Year 10 Examination Period continues
	Year 2 and 12 Activities and Morning Tea	BRC (Library)	8.30am – 9.50am
	Tanzania Tour Information Evening	Memorial Hall	6.30pm – 7.30pn
Tuesday 18 June	Year 12 Career Focus Breakfast	Dining Room Annexe	7.15am – 8.25am
	Year 12 Marine and Maritime Excursion	Cottesloe Beach	8.00am – 9.30am
	Champion Schools Basketball – Senior Boys Competition	Bendat Basketball Centre	2.30pm – 5.00pm
	NIDA Tour Information Evening	Memorial Hall	6.30pm – 7.30pm
Wednesday 19 June	Salvation Army Soup Kitchen	Perth CBD	6.15am – 9.30am
	Talented Young Writers' Programme	Fremantle Literacy Centre	8.30am – 3.00pm
	Year 12 House Head Report Meetings	BRC (Library)	3.30pm – 7.30pm
Thursday 20 June	Final day of Year 10 Examination Period
	Telethon Speech and Hearing Fundraising Excursion	Perth CBD	7.15am – 8.45am and 1.45pm – 3.15pm
Friday 21 June	Year 9 Examination Period commences
	Senior School Marching and Assembly	Dickinson Centre	8.30am – 9.45am
	PSA Sport – Scotch College v Aquinas College (Please visit sport.scotch.wa.edu.au)	Home	1.30pm – 4.00pm
Saturday 22 June	PSA Sport – Scotch College v Aquinas College (Please visit sport.scotch.wa.edu.au)	Home	8.30am onwards
	PSA Cross Country – Seniors All Schools Race	Trinity College	8.30am – 11.30am
Week 9B Men's Health Week
Monday 24 June	Year 11 moving into Year 12 subject selections due
	Pipe Band Tour Information Evening	Pipe Band Room	6.30pm – 7.30am
Tuesday 25 June	Year 12 Career Focus Breakfast	Dining Room Annexe	7.15am – 8.25am
	Year 11 Geography Excursion	Jarrahdale	8.45am – 2.30pm
	Champion Schools Basketball – Senior Boys' Competition	Kennedy Baptist College	3.30pm – 5.40pm
Wednesday 26 June	Parent Support Group Breakfast	Dining Room Annexe	7.30am – 9.00am
	Year 10 Enrichment Excursion (Ethics Olympiad)	St Marks College	8.30am – 3.30pm
	Year 12 English and Literature (ATAR) Excursion	Curtin University	8.30am – 3.25pm
Thursday 27 June	Year 12 Geography Urban Field Studies Excursion	Perth Metro Area	8.15am – 3.15pm
	Year 11 Human Biology Excursion	BioDiscovery Centre	8.30am – 3.30pm
	Stanford Tour Information Evening	BRC (Library)	6.30pm – 7.30pm
Friday 28 June	Senior School Marching and Assembly	Dickinson Centre	8.30am – 9.45am
	PSA Sport – Trinity College v Scotch College (Please visit sport.scotch.wa.edu.au)	Away	1.30pm – 4.00pm
	Jazz Night	Dickinson Centre	7.30pm – 10.30pm
Saturday 29 June	PSA Sport – Trinity College v Scotch College (Please visit sport.scotch.wa.edu.au)	Away	8.30am onwards
	PSA Cross Country – Seniors All Schools Race	Hale School	8.30am – 11.30am
	Scotch Parents Year 11 Fathers' Sleepover	Moray

Boys' Achievements

 Rohan Baldwin, Year 9 Ferguson was awarded Junior Triathlete 2019 by Triathlon WA.

 Tane Hasler, Year 9 St Andrews received a bronze medal in the School Sports WA under 14 state cross-country. Tane will go on to represent Western Australia in the national event in Wollongong in August.

Toby Knox–Lyttle, Year 11 Brisbane,Josh Keatch, Year 11 Keys and Kane Kennedy, Year 12 Ross have also been selected to represent Western Australia at the National Cross-Country Championships in Wollongong in August.

Lewis Crump, Year 10 Shearer has been selected for the Western Australian 15's AFL team and will play in the national carnival in Launceston in July.

Max Freedman, Year 11 St Andrews and Timothy Fleay, Year 11 Brisbane will represent Western Australia in the National Under 16 Hockey Tournament in Newcastle in August.

Swimming Colours 2019

PREFERRED	SURNAME	YEAR	HOUSE	PREVIOUS COLOURS
Nicolas	Le Page	10	Anderson	Swimming 18
Ruan	van der Riet	10	Ross	Swimming 18
NEW COLOURS
Declan	Cook	10	Brisbane
Macsen	Friday	10	Alexander

Scotch Parents

As always, I am blown away by the amazing generosity and creativity of our parent community.  The Year 11 Dance on Saturday night saw the Dickinson Centre transformed over two long days into a fabulous Cuban Club…complete with food stands, vintage cars, panama hats and a host of other great decorations.  Many thanks to Sasha Jones and her very hard working team of parents for creating such a fantastic night for the boys and their partners.  We also received generous donations of equipment, fruit and items for the Dance… special thank you to Deb and Chris Edgar (Hire Society) and Nat and Tim Gardner (ArtRef). Also a big thank you to the Year 10 parent volunteers who gave up their Saturday night to make sure the evening ran smoothly together with Kale and Claire's hardworking Scotch functions team.

It was heartening to get so much positive feedback from the boys on the night and a big thank you to those Year 11 boys who also helped us pack up on Sunday.

Scotch Parents are pleased to be able to sponsor, through the voluntary parent contributions, renowned clinical psychologist and speaker Andrew Fuller.  Andrew is author of serval best-selling books including 'Raising Real People', 'From Surviving to Thriving' and 'Beating Bullies'.  He will address parents and staff next term on 'Building Resilience'.  Our funding committee are currently working through several exciting funding requests from staff and students.

The City Country lunch in Guildford was well attended and very much enjoyed.  Unlike previous years the weather was magnificent and it was a great opportunity to wander around historic Guildford and meet other parents.  Thank you to Kim Gray for her fabulous organising and also to Garry for getting us all there safely on the Scotch Bus.

Upcoming Events supported by Scotch Parents…

• Saturday 29 June: Year 11 Fathers Sleepover at Moray 
• Tuesday 2 July: Scotch Parents Meeting at 9am in Dining Room Annexe   

Sara Hector
President
Scotch Parents

Old Scotch Collegians

Old Scotch Collegians look forward to welcoming the following cohorts back for their reunions:

• Class of 1979 on Friday 30 August
• Class of 1959 on Friday 20 September
• Class of 1954 on Friday 11 October
• Class of 1969 on Saturday 12 October
• Class of 1999 on Friday 18 October

To see the full list of upcoming events, please click here. If you have any queries about the events, contact the OSC office.

As a reminder, the OSC office has a number of Reporters from 2017, 2016 and 2015 that are yet to be collected. If your household is missing a copy, please contact the OSC office to collect one.

Holiday Basketball Camps