Not that I need reminding about the diversity and volume of activities occurring at any given time at Scotch, however, both of these elements were well and truly reinforced over the last fortnight.

Last week we held our final Year 12 Rewards Breakfast where our guest speaker, Dr Michael Winlo (OSC '97), spoke about his journey while at Scotch and since graduating. When I asked him about what he most remembered, his answer was the level of opportunities provided to students. In essence, he said he graduated from Scotch having participated in so many activities that when some of these were re-presented to him at University, he could easily discern which ones to pursue further and which ones he would remove from his ‘must do more of’ list. His academic journey was also important in that it gave him a platform from which to launch a very successful career. Most importantly he reinforced to the boys that it is simply not possible to determine everything you will do in life based on where you land as a Year 12 graduate.

At the other end of the spectrum, on Wednesday last week, I was invited to spend the morning with our Pre-Primary class as they celebrated their 100th day at school.  Their teacher Mrs Cumming wisely gave me an activity that even I could not mess up – making fairy bread. It is so refreshing and inspiring to witness these young boys’ enthusiasm and complete innocence regarding what may lay ahead for them as part of life’s journey. I can’t even envisage what they may do or experience. Our goal, however, remains the same for our current boys as when we first enrolled boys in 1897, that is, to provide each boy with a contemporary education which in turn will expose them to a series of experiences that will shape and prepare them for life after school.

Finally, over the last fortnight at the three sub-school assemblies, we have experienced NAIDOC week, combined Scotch & PLC Symphony Orchestra, heard stories about life as a boarder and completing the Bibbulmun Track to become an end-to-ender, experienced an array of service and fundraising initiatives, and listened to many musical and dramatic items. In essence, our assemblies offer a series of amazing displays of the things our boys can avail themselves of throughout their journey at Scotch. Don’t forget that parents also have the opportunity to get involved in myriad activities.

In essence, the concept of the more one gets involved the more one receives, applies to anyone involved in our community: student, staff, parents and our OSCs.

Have a great fortnight,

Dr Alec O'Connell
Headmaster

Life’s Many Unfinished Symphonies

"When we fail to mourn properly our incomplete lives, then this incompleteness becomes a gnawing restlessness, a bitter centre that robs our lives of delight. Because we do not mourn, we demand that someone or something – a marriage partner, an ideal family, having children, an achievement, a vocational goal or a job – take all of our loneliness away. That of course, is an unreal expectation which invariably leads to bitterness and disappointment. In this life there is no finished symphony. We are built for eternity. Because of that we will, this side of eternity, always be to some extent lonely, restless, incomplete." — Ronald Rolheise, Finding Spirituality

Symphony summons images, sounds of harmony through movements.  We strive for harmony, a synthesis of movements.  We all start a symphony but may find that it does not resonate, so we leave it unfinished and start to create a new symphony.  Many of life's symphonies remain incomplete.  Many of our hopes and dreams will never come to fruition, which does not mean we should not have them.

When we leave the incomplete, why the regret?  We are only leaving what is unfinished - not ourselves.  Being sad about some of these unfinished agendas, while at the same time celebrating what we have accomplished, seems an appropriate response.  Becoming aware of what may remain incomplete can help us to move into a more gentle, and honest, estimation of ourselves.  That kind of inner journey can be rewarding and healing.  A friend once confided that for him, life was all about 'releasing our baggage every day'.  As Michael Leunig said, 'God, give me the strength to hold on, and the strength to let go' - a great prayer for all of us.

Excellence in Thinking: Philosophy at Scotch Dominates

The teaching of Philosophy opens students' minds to big ideas and promotes deep thinking. Students learn to reflect deeply, analyse arguments rigorously, arrive at independent judgements, and articulate their views with clarity, subtlety and respect.

Philosophy lessons in our Primary and Middle School levels are largely influenced by our inquiry process through the Primary Years Programme and the Middle Years Programme. This approach to learning encourages the development of a collaborative and investigative classroom community. It cultivates useful intellectual and social habits, such as careful listening, imaginative and critical thinking, clear communication and empathy. Students learn to articulate their views and to explore disagreements reasonably.

In Senior School, Philosophy is an established subject available to students that they are able to select in Year 9 and 10.

These elective courses are designed to introduce students to Philosophy as the mother of all intellectual academic inquiry and the birthplace of all the disciplines they study at school every day. Students are provided with a philosophical compass and toolkit with which to 'think well' and think through problems together in a community of inquiry. We provide frameworks for tackling subject matter that is often ambiguous, murky and difficult to resolve. Questions of identity, reality and moral significance. Students learn to appreciate the interdisciplinary and connected nature of knowledge whilst contending with the often wildly different perspectives and world views that exist. AC Grayling, one of the greatest philosophers of our time, provides perhaps the best metaphor for what philosophy can give our students,

"We humans occupy a patch of light in a great darkness of ignorance. Each of the disciplines has its station on the arc of the circumference of the patch of light straining to see outwards into the shadows to decry shapes and thereby to push the horizon of light a little further outwards. Philosophy patrols the whole circumference, making special effort on those arcs where there is yet no special disciplines, trying to formulate the right questions to ask in order that there might be a chance of formulating answers."

We ask boys to begin to imagine what the disciplines of the 22nd and 23rd century might be?

In addition, we also offer through Enrichment and Extension, Philosothon. An annual national philosophy competition that sees the best teams from each state duke it out in the spirit of deep philosophical inquiry. Unlike the debate format, students at this competition engage in what are called 'communities of Inquiry'. This is a highly collaborative format in which 10 students sit in a circle, tackle a question over the course of an hour together, are judged by experts in various fields of philosophy, and are rewarded for their critical, creative and collaborative thinking.

High performing Philosophy students are selected to take part in rigorous intellectual training sessions with our Scholar in Residence, Akram Azimi, around challenging stimulus material.

Scotch has dominated the state competition over many years now, winning the competition in 2014, 2015, 2017, 2018, 2019 and 2020 and securing first place in the national competition in 2016.

We wish this year's team well in their preparation for the first online Australasian Philosothon that will take place in late September.

The Odyssey 

In the last edition of the Thistle, I wrote about the privilege and obligation of travel. I would like to build on that theme by writing about one of the earliest travelers in western literature, Odysseus. The tale was first created by Homer in the 8 th  century BC and to this day, it remains one of the most powerful stories we have of facing up to adversity and dealing with setbacks in many forms. It is tailor-made for our times; I encourage you to get an age-appropriate version for your son to read. The Odyssey chronicles the challenges which Odysseus and his crew face as they try to make their way home from the Trojan War – a journey which takes them ten years. 

Book One begins with these wonderful lines:

"Sing to me of the man, Muse, the man of twists and turns

driven time and again off course, once he had plundered

the hallowed heights of Troy.

Many cities of men he saw and learned their minds,

many pains he suffered, heartsick on the open sea, 

fighting to save his life and bring his comrades home.

But he could not save them from disaster, hard as he strove – 

the recklessness of their own ways destroyed them all,"

Perhaps the major theme running through the book concerns the importance of being a good host, and the way that different characters fulfil their obligations as host (the Lotus-Eaters feed their guests and get them to completely forget their homes; Calypso changes his crew into animals; Polyphemus the cyclops eats some of them until Odysseus blinds him; and Odysseus' wife Penelope is required to entertain all of the suitors – over ten years – as they strive to replace her husband when it appears that Odysseus is dead). The relationship between host and guest involves the moral obligation to welcome and protect the stranger, an obligation imposed on civilized people by Zeus, who is the enforcer of a code of conduct that helps to make travel possible in a world of piracy and war, where no firm, central authority exists to impose law and order. It is a salient lesson for today's world, where strangers are no longer welcomed, and where there is no central authority to impose good manners upon men. Good manners and being a good host are still important habits for young people to learn. 

The story is also about the level of responsibility that men are willing to take for their lives, and the part played by luck, or the gods, depending on how you wish to see it.

As Zeus says:

"Ah, how shameless – the way these mortals blame the gods.

From us alone, they say, come all their miseries, yes, 

but they themselves, with their own reckless ways, 

compound their pains beyond their proper share."

And the story delves into the difficulties of life that lie ahead, for Odysseus, and for all humans. He is faced with the classic dilemma of having to navigate his boat between the twin dangers of Scylla (a sea monster) and Charybdis (a whirlpool); by avoiding one, he is drawn closer to the other. Polyphemus the cyclops kills and eats his men and Odysseus  has to  use  all of  his cunning to escape with what is left of his crew. He even  has to  prove to his wife that he is who he says he is, even though he is greatly changed from the person she once knew him to be. 

At different points, it seems that it would be far easier for him to give up on his efforts to return home. Calypso tries to lure him into staying with her. After escaping her island, he and his crew arrive in the land of the Lotus-eaters:

"Nine whole days 

I was borne along by rough, deadly winds

on the fish-infested sea. Then on the tenth 

our squadron reached the land of the Lotus-eaters, 

people who eat lotus, mellow fruit and flower…  

Any crewman who ate the lotus, the honey-sweet fruit, 

lost all desire to send a message back, much less return, 

their only wish to linger there with the Lotus-eaters, 

grazing on lotus, all memory of the journey home 

dissolved forever."

It is this section which reminds me so much of Perth. I read this as a warning against complacency and a reminder to guard against thinking that our wonderful, protected lives will go on forever uninterrupted; that we can consume indefinitely without considering the consequences. There is a big world around us which it has an impact on us, just as we should be striving to have a far greater impact on making it a better place, content as we may be to stay in our safe and comfortable cocoon. 

The desire to return home – to belong somewhere – is strong in most of us, wherever home may be. Whilst this is a tale about a journey, it is also about how – and where – we see ourselves and who we become as a result of our experiences. 

" Nevertheless  I long – I pine, all my days – 

to travel home and see the dawn of my return.

And if a god will wreck me yet again on the wine-dark sea,

I can bear that too, with a spirit tempered to endure.

Much have I suffered, laboured long and hard by now

in the waves and wars. Add this to the total – 

bring the trial on!"

The Odyssey is a tale of caution – of making sure that we finish the job before we relax. Odysseus gets his crew so close to home that they can  actually see  it (in Book 10) and, as he does, he falls asleep. He lets his guard down because he thinks the job is done. And it is at this point that his crew untie the bag he was given by Aeolus, thinking it contains treasure, and they let loose the winds which drive the ship back to Aeolus's island, where pleas for assistance a second time are rejected. This adds another fourteen books to the saga!

By the time he gets home, Odysseus has been away from his homeland for 20 years: 10 at war with Troy and then 10 more on his meandering way back to Ithaca. When he returns, he realises  that no one there has any experience of war, and so he never talks about it – the same silence we hear from generation after generation of men who return from conflict. 

And  so we have been gifted the term 'odyssey', to describe a long journey, often full of trials and tribulations. It is good for boys to read such tales, full as they are of resilience and resourcefulness. Our job is to be there to mentor them through their own journey. We should remind them that whilst they will face challenges, they can overcome these, and that they always have a place where they will be welcome, a place which is 'home' and which is a part of who they are.

Uniform Shop

Opening Hours

Tuesdays: 8am–5pm

Thursdays: 7.30–11.30am

Fridays: 7.30–11.30am

The Uniform Shop will be closed for the mid-term break on Friday 21 August 2020.

New Sports Uniform – Reminder

In 2016, we commenced a systematic review of our Sports apparel. The key drivers were to modernise our apparel using functional, breathable fabrics with the goal of projecting a strong image which is distinctly Scotch College.

Please be aware that the new sports apparel is compulsory from 2021.

Senior School Production

Get ready to rock!

On Wednesday 26 August, the Scotch College and PLC production of  We Will Rock You will finally hit the stage.

This smash-hit West End musical by legendary rock band Queen and comedian and writer Ben Elton celebrates the spirit of rock and roll, the fight for freedom and individuality. 

The story is set in a dystopian future where musical instruments are banned and rock music has never been heard. Instead, everyone listens to computer-generated music and lives virtual lives. Until one day Galileo, Scaramouche and a band of rock rebels known as the bohemians refuse to conform and take a stand against the ruthless Killer Queen and her partner in crime Commander Khashoggi.

Scotch and PLC students from Year 9–12 have been rehearsing We Will Rock You since February until everything was put on hold when the pandemic hit. Now rehearsals are back in full swing, the cast and crew are ready to rock the Dickinson Centre and celebrate the incredible music of Queen. 

Don't miss out on a hilarious night of entertainment.

Please be aware tickets are limited due to COVID-19 capacity restrictions. If Stage 5 comes into effect on Saturday 29 August, there will be 100 more seats available for the Saturday matinee and evening performance.

Show Dates

• Wednesday 26 August, 7pm
  
• Thursday 27 August, 7pm
  
• Friday 28 August, 7pm
  
• Saturday 29 August, 2.30pm & 7.30pm
  

BUY TICKETS

Public Transport Authority Notice

 Lane Separator Installation Works: Claremont Crescent West

 To implement the approved temporary westbound lane closure on Claremont Crescent West, installation of lane separation battens will occur during the week commencing Monday 17 August 2020.

 Batten installation is subject to an approved traffic management plan that accommodates eastbound traffic only on Claremont Crescent and closure of the verge in the Public Transport Authority rail reserve, as shown below.

This arrangement will be coordinated by on-site traffic managers to ensure the safety of pedestrians, cyclist, motorists and personnel performing the batten installation work.

Other works required to implement the westbound lane closure include the approved removal of fig trees within the rail reserve. This area will be subject to a redevelopment and revegetation program in consultation with the Town of Claremont in due course.

Pedestrians, cyclists and motorists should take extra care and follow all traffic management directives on the Principal Shared Path and along Claremont Crescent east during the establishment of the one-way, single-lane arrangement.

The arrangement will be in place until March 2021 to accommodate critical works along the city-bound Fremantle Line for the METRONET Claremont Station Project.

To ensure the safety of pedestrians, cyclist, motorists and personnel performing the work, the approved arrangement is as follows:

1. Claremont Crescent to be one-way for motorists, accommodating eastbound traffic only, from Australind Street to Stirling Road; and
2. The westbound lane of Claremont Crescent to be converted to a temporary Principal Shared Path to accommodate east and westbound cyclists.

For inquiries regarding this work or the Claremont Station Project call + 61 8 9326 3666 during business hours, or email info@metronet.wa.gov.au. To register for project updates, visit www.metronet.wa.gov.au.

Student-Led Conference and NAIDOC Week Highlights

Often parents ask their children at school pick up “How was your day today?” or “What did you do today?”. Parents are frequently met with a reply of “good” or “nothing” and this most likely closes the conversation down rather swiftly. Week 2 in the Junior School, however, was far from ‘nothing’ which was due to the celebrations enjoyed by our students with the annual Student-Led Conferences and NAIDOC Week.

Our Junior School families celebrated Student-Led Conference week and parents of boys from Year 1 through to Year 5 took the time to come in, sit with their son and experience what learning has taken place throughout the first half of the school year. The boys walked their parents through their learning across all specialist areas, as well as work they completed in class through Literacy, Numeracy and the PYP Unit of Inquiry. It wonderful seeing the smiles on the boys faces as they showcased their work.

 

During NAIDOC week celebrations, the Junior School boys were extremely fortunate to have Middle School and Senior School boys from the SCINS (Scotch College Indigenous Network Scheme) visit various times during the week and work with each of the Junior School classes. The theme for 2020 ‘Always Was, Always Will Be’, reminds us of the long-standing history of our country. The students learnt about Aboriginal dance and language and they practised some traditional dance moves through learning and interacting with the older boys. The younger Junior School students enjoyed the Sand Mandala activities and learnt how stories and symbols aid in sharing history. The Junior School sincerely thanks all of the Middle School and Senior School boys who visited and work with us to celebrate NAIDOC week. 

  

There was a wonderful atmosphere around the school for Student-Led Conference and NAIDOC week, as our boys proudly shared and took ownership of their learning. The boys took great delight in showcasing their work as they explained to their parents what they have discovered this year in class. Thank you to all the parents who took the time to come and experience the learning journey with their son. Your time and presence is greatly appreciated by both the boys and their teachers.

Performing Arts News

This term, boys from Year 1 to 4 have been introduced to Timmy and the Breakfast Band, a trio of performers who combine music and circus to explore how music affects our emotions. So far, the boys have engaged in activities where they've created their own music to accompany a silent film, exploring how sound and music can influence a scene; they've written music inspired by Rimsky-Korsakov's Flight of the Bumblebee to tell an emotive story; they've played games where students have guessed each other's emotions to music by analysing facial expressions and body language; and, they've been introduced to the instruments from the show.

It has been wonderful to hear how our Performing Arts stars have continued their classroom inquiries beyond the Performing Arts room. This has included searching for pieces on Spotify and YouTube at home to share with their families, discovering different instrumental versions of these pieces, as well as bringing in instruments from home that are similar to those played by the musicians.

Under normal circumstances, the boys would be treated to a live performance by the group, however, this year we'll be engaging with the band via a Live Stream performance, enabling us the opportunity to use the fabulous technology we have here at Scotch. Who knows, maybe next year we'll be able to engage with some international artists via this platform. The Timmy and the Breakfast Band performance is set to take place on Monday 17 August, so be sure to ask your son all about the show!

   

Miss Phebe Samson
Performing Arts Teacher

Information Learning Technology 

Using ILT to Enhance Junior School Intervention Programmes

The SCOT programme provided a major challenge to our Junior School Academic Support team as their intervention programmes normally did not require any technology. During term time, students arrive early before school intervention programmes in Maths and Literacy. Extending Mathematical Understanding (EMU) and Levelled Literacy Intervention (LLI) are delivered in small groups and provide direct instruction to the boys. Up until COVID-19 closed the school, the support teachers only used technology to photograph the learning and video record any reflections at the end of a session.

When the Government closure of all schools meant we had to move to SCOT, the Junior School Academic Support team recognised that they needed to connect with boys at home to continue with their successful EMU and LLI programmes. The support teachers also knew that they could not ask the parents to run the programmes or understand the resources and support material to deliver the lessons. The solution was using technology to allow the academic support teachers to contact each child individually and ensure that the intervention programmes could continue successfully.

The support team utilised a number of apps to help them deliver the best at-home experience. Microsoft Teams was used so the teachers could see and hear the students read, ask their comprehension questions and then adjust for the next lesson the next day. Getting levelled readers out to boys seemed almost impossible, however, the library app Sora and the Epic reading app allowed the teachers to provide access to quality levelled literacy that would still allow the intervention programme to continue. The Seesaw app was used to capture progress and share resources.

Through this journey, the Academic Support team took on so much new learning about technology and have now actively included this in their current practice in the support classroom. The support teachers all use the Seesaw app in their repertoire of tools to share the successes and learning during the before school intervention programmes. Success stories like this one are why I love working with technology to help teachers develop solutions to provide the best learning experience for our boys.

Mrs Amanda Ritchie
ILT Integration Specialist

Kindergarten News (3 Day)

"Dinosaurs may be extinct from the face of the planet, but they are alive and well in our imaginations." — Steve Miller

This term our unit of inquiry is ‘How the World Works'. Through our central idea, 'What Lies Beneath', we have started to explore and discuss what lies beneath us and how living and non-living things work. The Kindy children thought of some fascinating questions, including:

• What lies beneath our bones and skin?
• What lies beneath the ocean?
• What lies beneath the earth?
• What lies beneath a dolphin?

From here, we started to discuss, what lies beneath the ground and became interested in dinosaur bones and fossils. 

We started our inquiry by reading numerous dinosaur books to immerse ourselves in the wonderful prehistoric world and have been thoroughly enjoying role-playing in our palaeontology centre. In the centre we have been making phone calls, studying fossils, using our binoculars to search for bones and looking after some dinosaur eggs. We have also been drawing and painting dinosaurs and fossils, using videos, photographs and books to carefully consider what dinosaurs looked like. The Kindy children consistently ask thought-provoking questions which have allowed them to lead their own learning and inquiries. 

One learning experience the children particularly enjoyed, involved following a map and using key features and directions to discover some fossils which had been buried beneath the ground. The children showed their open-mindedness by listening to each other and respecting ideas, they also demonstrated their curiosity by wanting to find out new information. Throughout this activity, the children were enthusiastic, respectful and creative. More recently, the Kindy children have shown a real fascination with nests and what they can be made from. They decided to create their own dinosaur nests from clay and used words such as ‘delicate’ and ‘protective’ to describe their creations. We cannot wait to see where the children's fascinating minds and curiosity lead us next! We look forward to showcasing our Kindergarten learning with our families at the conclusion of this inquiry.

   

 

Miss Rebecca Sayers
Kindergarten Teacher

Head of Middle School

Our NAIDOC Week activities last week were an exciting mixture of dance, art, food, sport and inspirational speakers. The challenge is, as it is every year, to sustain the respect, enthusiasm and interest in learning about Indigenous culture throughout the year. Pictured below is a completed sand mandala created by the Year 7 & 8 boys that depicts their journey from home to Scotch College and another that shows the boys prior to the BBQ they hosted for Middle School.

Last Friday's Middle School assembly was our Academic Excellence Awards Assembly where we acknowledged students who achieved at a high level across the curriculum in Semester 1. The criteria to earn a Certificate of Academic Excellence is a total of 30 points or more across any five subjects. Senior School use a similar criterion to award Academic Excellence in Years 9–12 with boys who earn Academic Excellence across those years able to receive Academic Colour Ties and the possibility of Academic Honours. A more detailed description of how to earn Academic Colours and Honours in Senior School is outlined on the Teaching & Learning page.

In Week 5, the Senior School Drama Production, the musical We Will Rock You will hit the Dickinson Centre stage. It promises to be an amazing showcase of talent and a very entertaining evening. In one sense it is the culmination of the Performing Arts programme at Scotch College, a programme that offers the boys the chance to get on stage or be a part of a production as a musician or actor from Year 6 onwards. The Middle School Drama production 'Kicker Thompson' is auditioning now for its season that opens mid next term.

This week I finished interviewing potential scholarship students for 2021. One of the most illuminating questions I asked was: "What book is currently sitting on your bedside table?" It was a question that opened up the conversation about reading, what they enjoyed, how often they read, whether they read hard copy books or read on a device and what they perceived the importance and benefits of reading to be. The reminder from this is that reading is like fitness – it is a habit that needs to be grooved and developed so that it becomes automatic. As young adolescents, boys will develop the habits we allow them to. Reading remains our most fundamental literacy skill, one of the key foundation stones for learning and understanding. My question is: what book is on your son's bedside table at the moment?

Fun in Food Design

The Year 6s have learned about dietary fibre and produced some excellent posters to promote the importance of fibre in the diet. By adding some tasty fruit flavour variations to muffins, the boys created their very own high fibre muffin snack, even writing their own recipe for the design challenge! The boys are always excited to learn new skills and techniques and put their learning into action during practical cooking lessons.

Image: Poster by Ryan Dent and Campbell Morgan, Year 6

The Year 7 Food Design classes have been investigating how to choose healthy foods. Knowing how to use The Australian Guide To Healthy Eating, a food selection guide which visually represents the proportion of the five food groups recommended for consumption each day, has enabled the boys to design and make delicious and nutritious burgers. Making healthier homemade fast foods such as mini quiches, sausage rolls and chicken nuggets is what it's all about!

The Year 8s had a taste of what it's like to be Junior Master Chefs with their Mystery Box Challenge which brings together meal planning and preparation. The ability to successfully cook a dish or meal with whatever ingredients are on-hand is a valuable life skill. Drawing on skills and techniques learned in Food Design and choosing from a limited list of ingredients, the boys came up with some very tasty creations.

The Asian food focus which is part of the Year 8 course has given the boys confidence in their own abilities, as they have produced a range of dishes such as steamed dumplings, Thai green curry, butter chicken and sushi.

Mrs Stella Hodgson & Mrs Angela Paunoski
Food Design Teachers

iPads in Year 6

It’s a Matter of Teaching and Learning, Not Technology

This year has seen our Year 6 teachers reflecting on their digital practice, embedding their skills with iPads, and building on the teaching and learning benefits we'd already seen. This is not just a change in device, it's actually a change in our boys' learning. They're creating their own works, selecting photos and creating videos, creating animation, and combining text, drawing and speech to capture their learning with a highly portable tool. In this way, our boys are leading their own learning.

Cognitive psychology tells us that long-term memory is enhanced when students use "dual coding", which is the combination of visual and verbal representations of information. A great example of this dual coding can be found in our Year 6 Languages classrooms. The boys first composed a letter using their knowledge and understanding of French vocabulary and grammar. This was created in text format on the iPad and the boys then used Speech to Text technology to read the letter in French while the iPad transcribed the words they were speaking. By comparing the two (the letter in text form and the dictated version) errors in the boys' pronunciation of French vocabulary became evident and they were able to work on areas of weakness while re-recording their letters.

This task clearly placed each boy at the centre of his learning, and the repetition and dual coding required meant these writing and speaking skills in French will be retained in their long-term memory.

Mrs Sophie Berry
Dean of Teaching & Learning Middle School

Student Achievements

Congratulations to the following students in Year 7 and Year 8 who achieved a Certificate of Academic Excellence for Semester 1, 2020.

Year 7

Anderson	Zachary
Arbuckle	Heath
Arundel	William
Banfield	Charlie
Berglin	Matthew
Buckley	Willem
Cairns	Lachlan
Clements	Tommy
Cooper	Oliver
Edwards	Miles
Erickson	Bruno
Gattorna	Jonathan
Ho	Oscar
Hodgson	George
Hogarth	Jack
Knuckey	Oliver
Lovegrove	Nicholas
Magtengaard	Thomas
Maxwell	Joshua
Nettleship	Luis
Pocock	Simon
Risinger	Xavier
Sarkar-Tyson	Dhilan
Spurling	Oliver
Vanden Driesen	Xavier
Vaughan	James
Wall	James
Weir	Hudson

Year 8

Abbott	Seth
Bain	James
Balnaves	Xavier
Boxshall	Hugh
Burbury	Max
Buswell	Alex
Buzza	Ethan
Campbell	Cooper
Chalmers	Tom
Coggan	Harry
Coulson	Ari
Dauth	Lachlan
Di Prinzio	George
Douglas	Jack
Ezekiel	Bram
Fleming	Rory
Fletcher-Harrison	Ned
Garbowski	Adrian
Gleeson	Thomas
Gooding	Lachlan
Henwood	Mitchell
James	Santiago
Kassner	Noah
Langdon	Ben
Leishman	Ronan
Li	Daniel
Liston	James
Mahaffy	Billy
Marstrand	Aidan
Mengler	Tom
Merry	AJ
Osborne	Harry
Pantall	Jax
Purser	Rory
Riordan	Declan
Robinson	Flynn
Silbert	Hugo
Soo	Jian
Tan	James
Teissier	Guy
Thorpe	Max
van Kranenburg	Thomas
Walker	Alastair
Wallwork	Tom
Walton	David
Wandel	Oliver
Winch	James

Important Dates — Middle School Winter Term

For all upcoming events, visit our online calendar.

Tue 18 Aug	Reporter Photo Day MS Drama Production Auditions, 3.30–5pm Foundation Theatre
Wed 19 Aug	Year 6 Science Fair JS/MS Winter Soiree, 5.30–7.30pm Memorial Hall
Thu 20 Aug	Reporter Music Photo Day
Fri 21 Aug	Mid-Term Break – NO CLASSES
Mon 24 Aug	Mid-Term Break – NO CLASSES
Tue 25 Aug	UNSW English Competition
Wed 26 Aug	Crazy Sock Day
Fri 28 Aug	MS Assembly (Staff & Students only), 12pm MacKellar Hall
Mon 31 Aug	R U OK? Week Commences
Tue 1 Sep	UNSW Spelling Competition
Thu 3 Sep	Year 7 Immunisations Round 2
Fri 4 Sep	R U OK? Week Concludes
Sun 6 Sep	Year 8 Bibbulmun Track Departs (Boarders Only) Year 7 Bibbulmun Track Departs (Boarders Only)
Mon 7 Sep	Year 7 Bibbulmun Track Returns (Boarders Only)
Wed 9 Sep	Year 6 Dental Screening, 9am Health Centre
Thu 10 Sep	JPSSA Inter-School Athletics Carnival, 9am WA Athletics Stadium Year 8 Bibbulmun Track Returns (Boarders Only)
Fri 11 Sep	PSA Inter-School Athletics Carnival, 9am WA Athletics Stadium MS Assembly, 12pm Dickinson Centre
Tue 15 Sep	MS Inter-House Philosothon
Wed 16 Sep	Year 8 Community Project Submissions
Fri 18 Sep	MS Photo Day (Individual and Class Photos) Year 8 Social
Mon 21 Sep	MS Languages Week Commences
Thu 24 Sep	MS Free Dress Day
Fri 25 Sep	MS Assembly (Staff & Students only), 11am MacKellar Hall MS Inter-House Highland Games 12.30-3.15pm Agricultural Day Winter Term Concludes

Service for Others

It has been great to have our Year 10 Service  programme  up and running and, while there remains a small number of external activities that cannot yet go ahead, most are now operating. The activities are an important part of each student's journey through the Senior School, with Service being one of our three Core Values.

Our values or tenets are: 

• Integrity: adherence to moral and ethical principles; soundness of moral character; honesty.
• Service: acts of helpful activity; assistance and support; to do someone service.
• Stewardship: using talents, abilities and resources in a responsible and honourable manner.

Our students continue to seek ways to help and support others within our own community and on a wider scale. Much of this work in the Senior School is undertaken through Houses or under the leadership of the Student Council. 

Earlier in the term, the boys held an 'upcycling' free dress day with the clothes worn that day then being donated to the Salvation Army. In Summer Term the boys were once again outstanding in their support of the World's Greatest Shave, despite the event moving to an online forum. The students continue to lead these events and look for ways to help others whose circumstances are not as fortunate as their own. 

Fight MND

Last week our Student Council ran a 'Big Freeze' event to raise money for research into Motor  Neurone  Disease (MND). As many will know, even though this disease was first described over 150 years ago, there is not yet an effective treatment or a cure. MND is a debilitating disease where the  neurones  fail to work normally and the muscles become weak and waste away as the  neurones  degenerate and die. Those individuals afflicted with the disease find their speech and ability to walk, swallow and breathe affected, while their mind and senses usually remain intact. Unfortunately, the disease is terminal.

This year the Student Council chose to help join the fight and support those researching treatments and a cure.  The House representatives helped promote the event with 200 beanies sold in the Senior School and  a number of staff members dunked into an ice tank by some enthusiastic students.

While this is an important cause, it is also close to the hearts of many in the Scotch community as our fifth Headmaster, Bill Dickinson, battled the disease in the later years of his life. The Student Council have talked about this connection and while this is our first year of involvement in the Big Freeze, we plan to continue our association and support into the future. 

For further information please visit the Fight MND webpage.

Boys’ Achievements

Scholarships

W R Dickinson Scholarship 

Yan (Terry) Zhou
Year 11, Cameron House

P C Anderson Scholarship 

William (Will) Marshall
Year 11, Ross House

Captains Announcements

Co-Captains of Surfing

Archibald (Archie) Frazer
Ferguson House

Nicholas Verryn
Alexander House

PSA All Schools 3km Race

Congratulations to Tane Hasler (Year 11, St Andrews House) and Joshua (Josh) Keatch (Year 12, Keys House) who placed first and second respectively in the PSA All Schools 3km Race last Saturday, separated by 0.2 of a second.

Scotch College placed second overall.

Important Dates — Senior School Winter Term  

For all upcoming events, visit our online calendar.

Date	Event	Location	Time
Week 4A
Tuesday 18 August	Reporter Photo Day	Dickinson Centre
	Year 12 Diploma Music Showcase	Memorial Hall	6–7pm
	Year 9 OLNA Testing – Numeracy		8.55–10.30am
Wednesday 19 August	Surfing WA Competition (Metropolitan Round)	South Trigg Beach	7.15am–4pm
Thursday 20 August	Reporter Photos (Performing Arts)	MacKellar Hall
	PSA Football, Hockey and Soccer – Christ Church Grammar School v Scotch College	Away	2.30–5pm
	PSA Badminton and Rugby – Aquinas College v Scotch College	Away	2.30–5pm
	PSA Cross Country – All Schools 5kms Race	Waterford Playing Fields, Manning	2.30–5pm
	Instrumental Music - Parent Teacher Student Interviews	Dickinson Centre	3.30–7.30pm
	50 Mile Walk departs		Final day Friday 22 August
Friday 21 August	Mid-Term Break (no classes) no academic or administrative staff
	PSA Surfing Competition	Scarborough Beach	7am–1pm
	PSA Golf Competition	Seaview, Cottesloe	7am–12pm (7.30am start)
Sunday 23 August	We Will Rock You Dress Rehearsal	Dickinson Centre	9am–3pm
Week 5B
Monday 24 August	Mid-Term Break (no classes) no academic or administrative staff
	We Will Rock You Dress Rehearsal	Dickinson Centre	9am–3pm
	Boarding House opens		3pm
	Boys due back in Boarding House		5.30pm
Tuesday 25 August	Year 9 Bibbulmun Track Expedition departs		Final day Friday 28 August
	Year 12 Career Focus Breakfast – Allied Health	Dining Room Annexe	7.15–8.25am
	We Will Rock You Dress Rehearsal	Dickinson Centre	9am–3.30pm
Wednesday 26 August	We Will Rock You Opening Night	Dickinson Centre	7–9.30pm
Thursday 27 August	We Will Rock You	Dickinson Centre	7–9.30pm
Friday 28 August	Senior School Marching (No Assembly)
	Scotch College v PLC Netball	Gymnasium	12.55–1.30pm
	PSA Sport – Wesley College v Scotch College	Away	1.30–4pm
	WA State Schools Surfing Competition	South Trigg Beach	7.15am–4pm
	We Will Rock You	Dickinson Centre	7–9.30pm
Saturday 29 August	Pipe Band Manure Drive
	PSA Sport – Wesley College v Scotch College	Away	8.30am onwards
	PSA Cross Country – All Schools 3 Man x 5kms Relay	Aquinas College	8.30–11.30am
	Year 9 Cadet Camp departs	Point Walter	4pm departure
	We Will Rock You	Dickinson Centre	2.30–5pm
	We Will Rock You	Dickinson Centre	7.30–10pm

Careers Information

Year 12 Parents and Students

Year 12 WACE examination timetables have been released and students are able to access these via the Schools Curriculum & Standards Authority. Please ensure that you and your son are aware of this information and if you have any questions please get in touch.

Year 12 IB Diploma final examination timetables have been released.

Due to COVID-19, the application process to respective tertiary institutions is different from previous years. From August to September, I 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.

All Year 12 students should have received a prospectus from each of the WA universities and visited the online Year 12 WACE Information Handbook 2020.

For information on interstate and overseas universities visit the relevant websites or get in touch.

Course Seeker Website

Universities across Australia have been working with the Australian government over the past two years to provide clearer information on entry requirements for university courses. One of the outcomes of this work has been the development of the Course Seeker website, which allows students to search and compare courses across the country. This website will be particularly useful for students considering studying at interstate universities.

Interstate University Applications

Students planning to apply to interstate universities need to access the links below. The application closing date is 30 September 2020. Most admissions centres will allow changes to preferences after the closing date.

• NSW & ACT
• VIC
• QLD
• SA & NT
• TAS

Scholarships

Curtin University – John Curtin Scholarship

Recipients will be selected on the following criteria:

Academic excellence

School leavers need to have a predicted ATAR in the top 5% of Year 12 graduating students at Scotch College.

Vision & Leadership

Demonstrated leadership through being involved in school leadership roles, coaching roles, fundraising, youth groups or community volunteer coordinators.

Community Service

Involvement in the community as student mentors, members of fundraising or charitable groups, volunteers for school or community groups, or other similar community work.

The nomination form is to be completed by the Headmaster and the nominated student. This form is available to download from the scholarships website.

These scholarships close for application on16 September 2020.

Melbourne National Merit Scholarship

This scholarship will offer a one-off allowance of $8,000 to talented students who achieve an ATAR of 99+, from an Australian state other than Victoria, to assist with the cost of moving to study in Melbourne.

Students will additionally be offered accommodation for the first year of study.

Find further information on the Merit Scholarship

No application is required. You will be automatically be considered for this award.

Edith Cowan University

ECU Excellence Scholarship is open to Western Australian Year 12 school leavers displaying outstanding academic excellence.

Curtin University

The Curtin Excellence Scholarship has been developed to reward and assist students who have demonstrated academic excellence through their ATAR in 2020 and want to pursue study at Curtin University. Up to $15,000. Students do not need to apply for this scholarship it will be automatically granted upon receipt the nominated ATAR.

Virtual Open Days & Weeks

Australian National University

22–28 August 2020

Virtual Open Week is all about learning why ANU is the university for you.

REGISTER NOW

Notre Dame University 

Sunday 20 September (online)  

Students who have already applied for Semester 1, 2021 will be invited to an exclusive on campus experience (limited spaces available). Apply direct for 2021.

Register now

Curtin University Virtual Open Day

13 September 2020

Register now

UTas Virtual Open Day

10am–5pm, Friday 28 August – Sunday 30th August

Register now

US & UK Universities

Discover how to get into Harvard, Oxford and beyond.

Learn all the basics of the US and UK application process in one free webinar. Perfect for Year 9–11 students and parents covering subject selection, scores to aim for, scholarships and more.

Download the Quick Guide to US & UK Universities for Year 9–11 students.

Explaining Everything: An App that brings Instruction to Life

Media, Commerce and Physics are behind almost every part of our technology-driven lives. But learning about these topics is often not easy – this is where technology steps in. Explain Everything is an app designed to help teachers break down the complexity of these concepts into instructional videos called vodcasts. Students are loving the vodcasts which include different levels of complexity, combinations of modalities and interactivity and can be viewed and reviewed at any time. 

Media teacher Nicole Spanbroek and Drama teacher Sarah Combes use the vodcasts for creating multimodal instruction and feedback. This method is particularly useful for costume design as the visual elements are matched with written and verbal instruction. Television or movie scene analysis is scaffolded by modelling the analytical language students are required to use. Student feedback is enriched through annotated and verbal feedback. For example, Nicole Spanbroek records her feedback as if she were having a conversation with the student. Students can go back to the feedback as and when they need to.

Image: Multimodal Feedback for Short Answer Assessment with Nicole Spanbroek

Image: Modelling Costume Design Revision with Sarah Combes

Commerce teacher Mr Nathan Kime regularly uses Explain Everything for breaking down complex financial concepts. Vodcasts are pre-recorded to introduce students to a new topic. 'Flipping' the lesson allows students to explore and experiment with concepts and calculations in their own time and at their own pace. Class time is used for clarifying student issues through problem-solving and enriching discussion. Lessons are also recorded so students can practise the skills and consolidate learning at any time.  

Image: Annotated Instruction for Finance with Nathan Kime

Image: Animated and Interactive Photoelectric Effect Lesson with Brad Watson

During COVID-19 lockdown, Mr Brad Watson from the Science Learning Area used Explain Everything to pre-record lessons for his students to watch in advance. Scheduled class time was spent using Microsoft Teams to answer queries and consolidate knowledge. Explain Everything allows interactive websites to be embedded, so complex concepts, such as the photoelectric effect can be easily illustrated in a highly interactive and engaging way.

The shift in teaching and learning created by vodcasts is exciting. Explain Everything lets teachers create multiple modes of instruction using animation, interaction, annotation, visual and verbally. This approach accommodates a variety of learning styles and learning stages that allows students to practice and gain confidence anywhere and anytime.

Adelle Wilkes
ILT Integration Specialist

Annual Manure Drive

Free delivery on Saturday 29 August 2020 within the delivery zone.

Orders close Tuesday 18 August 2020.

Order Now

 

Scotch Parents

One mission of Scotch Parents is to undertake a programme of activities which promotes the involvement of parents and supports our boys, parents and school staff. This includes organising a variety of functions and events throughout the year aimed at bringing parents and/or boys together, to make memories and connections. This year has been challenging and we have not had the opportunities to come together and celebrate. We are all hopeful the next few months will see this change.

Scotch & PLC Parent Sundowner

So on that note, I am so pleased to announce that once again we have joined forces with our sister school to invite you all to an informal evening for parents to reconnect. Last year saw the inaugural Scotch & PLC Parent Sundowner and what a night it was! This year the sundowner is to be held at the Royal Freshwater Bay Yacht Club on Saturday 5 September, 6.30–10pm. PLC is managing the booking of tickets for the event.

Due to COVID-19 restrictions, bookings are essential as numbers are limited. This will be reviewed closer to the date if restrictions are eased further. Please book early to avoid disappointment as this event will sell out.

Buy tickets

Events supported by Scotch Parents

Year 9 Mum's Lunch

12pm, Thursday 20 August
The Shorehouse

Year 10 Parents' Drinks

7pm, Thursday 3 September
Juanita's

Save the Date

Year 10 Parent Evening

Saturday 21 September
Venue TBA

Ms Kate Reynolds
Scotch Parents President

Old Scotch Collegians

Following the disruption caused by COVID-19, it now feels as if we are moving towards normality. However, we will continue to take our lead from both the College and government guidelines in terms of planned events and initiatives, especially in light of the recent outbreaks of COVID-19 in Victoria and New Zealand.

Career Focus Breakfasts

Old Scotch Collegians are very proud to support the annual Career Focus Breakfasts for Year 12 students. With Careers Advisor Mr Frusher, we coordinate a series of breakfasts that connect students with OSCs from a range of different industries and careers. The Allied Health and Law breakfasts on Tuesday 25 August and Tuesday 1 September respectively are still open to registrations. Students are able to register online.

Reunions & Events

We have tentatively set dates for a number of our reunions and events, and we hope that many members of the Old Scotch Collegians community will take the opportunity to reconnect with their fellow alumni. You will find the list of upcoming events on the alumni website. Please note these are very much subject to change and will be dependent on what is happening in the external environment.

As provisional forward planning, reunions will be spread over the last few months of 2020 and spill over into 2021. This means that for some cohorts, you will celebrate your 'decade+1' reunion.

Class of 2019 Reporter Collection

It was wonderful to welcome back many members of the Class of 2019, who returned to Scotch College last Friday to reconnect with each other, collect their Reporters and watch House Marching. Those who were unable to make it are able to collect their yearbook from the College – please contact the OSC office to arrange a time.

Industry Mentors

A number of our OSCs, who have recently graduated or are nearing graduation from tertiary education, have reached out in the hopes of connecting with industry mentors, contacts or work experience in their chosen field or endeavour. If you would like to offer your experience, advice or workplace, please contact the OSC office.