The Thistle - An E-Newsletter of Scotch College, Perth, Western Australia

From the Head of Senior School

It had rained all night on Thursday night and showers were still sweeping across the oval at 8.00am on Friday. Boys in coloured shirts were filing in through every gate. The Starter was heading to his tower in his waterproofs and with an umbrella, the Carnival was due to start. But, Mr Foster, Head of Sport, looked calm. And then, as if on cue, the clouds rolled away, the sun came out and the gun went off. The 2019 Senior School Inter-House Athletics Carnival was another great day of endeavour, determination and sunshine. Congratulations to Alexander House for winning the Austin P Robertson Inter-House Athletics trophy for the first time since 2005 and to Mr Foster on some great meteorological research. Amongst all the efforts, lunges on the line and every personal best, I would like to recognise the respect shown for the Pipe Band performance, the House marching and Declan Reilly's display of Scottish dancing as highlights of a great day for me. It was a day of colour, camaraderie and a celebration of being at Scotch College. To the hundreds of parents who joined us throughout the day – thankyou; your presence and encouragement adds such a valuable quality to a great event.

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We have our Quads Athletics meet between Wesley, Christchurch, Guildford and Scotch this Friday, with the PSA Inter-School Athletics Carnival the following week on Friday 13 September. Both events take place at the WA Athletics Centre. Our Week 7 Assembly, on Thursday 12 September, will feature our traditional send off for the PSA Inter-School Athletics Team.

For those who love The Arts (and who doesn't?) both Performing and Creative Arts feature prominently in the next two weeks. Our Year 12 boys stand and deliver their solo drama performances on Monday and our Year 8 to 10 boys present the drama production 'Teechers' on the Dickinson Centre stage from Wednesday to Saturday this week. Year 11 Cert II in Music boys are also on stage rocking the Badlands Bar on Wednesday. The following week, the Year 11 and 12 Art and Design Exhibition takes place in the Starewell Gallery on Tuesday, the Inspirations Art Exhibition opens in The Gallery, Middle School on Wednesday and the Scotch College Media Awards Night, the presentation of the Year 12 Media students' 5-minute film productions follows on Thursday. The fortnight is rounded off with the Year 11 Music Recitals on Friday and Saturday the PC Memorial Chapel. I hope you can join us for some of these events.

This week is RUOK? Week. As we race to finalise assignments, assessments, productions and performances before the end of our academic year, RUOK? Week is a valuable and timely reminder about the important role we all play for our students, our sons, our mates and ourselves. RUOK? Week reminds us to pause in our day, look around and give some time to those small but critical conversations that check in on a friend's emotional, social and physical health. 5 minutes for someone else – that is what RUOK? Week is about.

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