Week 11, Summer Term 2019
The end has come for Summer Term and to say the boys are excited about that is an understatement. They are ready and are really looking forward to a great break. It was encouraging to hear that some of them though, are thinking about what is approaching next term, and acknowledging that they have to do some school work during the break to ensure they are going to meet those academic deadlines.
I would like to thank everyone for the support that has been provided to the staff during this first term, it has been busy and we have had lots going on, but all in all, it has been a very successful start to the year. The boys have settled and worked well and have set themselves up positively for the next three terms.
We hope you enjoy your break and look forward to welcoming you all back next term.
N.B. The Year Group pages have been updated and we encourage you to read through them to see what the different year levels have been up to.
Autumn Term Return
Just a reminder that Autumn Term begins on Tuesday 30 April with the boys due to return to the Boarding Houses on Monday 29 April from 3.00pm. We also encourage you drop them off before 5.30pm, you are welcome to stay for dinner, so that they have time to unpack their boxes and prepare their rooms, catch up with their mates and get themselves prepared for the week ahead.
Classes and sport for the Senior School will start on the Tuesday so there is no ease in period and the boys need to be ready to hit the ground running.
2019 Parent Boarding Dinner
Another very successful Boarding Parent Dinner was held again last night and we thank all the parents and staff who came along. We were a bit worried about the weather but it held off and we had a great night. Some of us sensible ones headed off at a reasonable hour though there are rumours out there that others could still be seen on the balcony long after midnight!
We all hope you enjoyed the concept of the evening and we are happy to take on any ideas for future events and we would also like to give a big thank you to our catering team who looked after us superbly once again.
Flu Vaccinations
Flu vaccinations for Boarders will be carried out in the Health Centre on Thursday, May16th at a cost of $26. The cost will be added to your son/s account.
Please fill out the consent form which can be found under Forms in this Newsletter, and email to HealthCentre@scotch.wa.edu.au.
Year 8 and 9 Bib Track
They Year 8 boys had a very successful first up walk for the year and this is especially pleasing considering the size of the group that walked after we lost a staff member just days before the trek. The boys returned happy, but sore, and seemed to enjoy the experience. As always there are some pretty funny stories that emerge which I’m sure at some stage during your break they will be happy to share.
The year 9’s were also experiencing a great walk with both groups making good ground after a some big distances that needed to be covered when for the first time in our Bib Track history we had a student bitten by a snake. Luckily for the boy concerned it was a ‘Dry Bite’, no venom injected, so he has not received any serious side effects. The group involved worked very well in assisting with the rescue extraction but this did take a lot out of them so the decision was made to end the experience half way through. We will look to make this time up sometime next term.
Year 11 and 12 Scotch Social
Last Saturday night we held our first Boarding Social for the year and it proved to be a very successful event. The theme for the night was to come as “What do you want to be when you grow up?” and from our point of view it looks like we are going to have a lot of our guys working in the Construction Industry as most came in High Vis gear!!
Well done to Chris Stretch, Grant Bennett, Ashley Keatch and the Year 12 Boarders for organising a very successful event.
Chat about Sexual Harassment
Prior to last weeks social we received a few reports through from other schools that there had been some inappropriate behaviour occurring at some previous socials. There was no suggestion that our boys were involved in any of these actions but we felt it was timely to discuss with our Year 9 to 12 boys what actions could be considered to be sexual harassment, what the law states in regard to sexual harassment and what the school’s position is if a boy is accused of sexual harassment. While you have your son’s at home it may be a good opportunity to reinforce the above and discuss with them what respectful behaviours are and look like.
Thankyou Denyse
We would like to thank Denyse Houston for stepping into the Year 9 House Parent role for this term. She has fitted in seamlessly and the boys and staff have all appreciated Denyse’s professionalism and attention to detail. It has been fantastic to have Denyse as part of our team and even though she finishes in this role she will still be available to come in and cover for any of the House Parents in the future, so will not be lost to us entirely.
While saying farewell to Denyse, we welcome back Fran next term, and she is very eager to return to her role. She has been very open with us in letting us know how much she has missed the boys and working here and is very much looking forward to coming back!!
2019 Photo Competition
Sean Mecham has asked for the 2019 Photo Competition to be launched and it is very timely considering we are off on holidays. Make sure you have your camera ready so that you can capture that perfect shot and send your winning entries through. Sean has asked that you send that you send the High Resolution images through because if you are successful your photos will print up better on the canvas.
Year 11 and 12 Exams and Work Experience
As much as we want the boys to enjoy their holiday break we would like to remind them that arriving very quickly in week 2 next term will be the exams for the ATAR boys and Work Experience for the Alternative Pathway gents. So while it is important to take some time to recharge the batteries it also important not to spend too much time off the books and to plan a study routine that allows them to reconnect with the work they have completed so far. Hopefully by doing this, it will take a little bit of the pressure off when they return next term, and not feel so overwhelmed by the amount of study they may have to cram in throughout those early weeks.
Autumn Term Presents a New Look Newsletter!
After five years of the newsletter being presented in it’s current format we will be changing it’s look and feel from next term as we move to a new platform. At this stage we are still working on what it will be but all be revealed as of (hopefully, as of) Week 1. Some of us have got an exciting holiday break ahead!!
From Last Week
Next week sees the conclusion to a long and busy term and to be fair it is very hard to believe that it is only the end of our first for the year. There has been a lot happening and our boys, especially our new ones, have done extremely well to involve themselves in everything and we encourage them to stay focused over the next few days to end the term positively.
They are all looking forward to getting home and taking some time out and no doubt many of them will enjoy the chance to get into their own bed and enjoy a sleep in or two. We certainly hope you enjoy the break and have planned some family time together!!
School Departures
In previous terms the respective Schools Student Services team have been rather frustrated with boys leaving school at times not specified within their leave details. The school has access to the REACH system and use this to monitor the boys departure and quite often have boys coming to them in the morning when their leave stipulates that will be departing later on in the afternoon.
To try and ease their frustration we are asking that you please check your leave again to see that the time you have stipulated is the time you are still planning to collect your son, if not, can you please make the necessary changes. Of course we understand that things change last minute and if this happens we would appreciate it if you could please either give the Middle or Senior School Student Services a ring to advise them of any changes.
Boarding Houses in Use Over the Holidays
All three Boarding Houses are being used by outside organisations over the Holidays so it means that the boys have to completely pack up their rooms before they leave for the break. Each boy is being provided with two boxes to store their gear in and we ask that anything extra be taken home over the break.
8’s and 9’s Bib Track
On Sunday our Year 8 and 9 boys depart very early for their first Bib Track walks of the year. The Year 8’s will either be starting at The Hills Discovery Centre in Mundaring or Randall Road and finishing at the reverse destination. The Year 9’s will begin at either Balingup or Collie and as per the Year 8’s finish at the reverse destination. We wish the boys well for their walks and look forward to welcoming them back on the Wednesday.
Due to staff illness we have had to perform some changes to the staff walking with the groups next week so for your information the staff walking with each group are;
- Year 8s: Shawn Brogden and Rochelle Gaudieri
- Year 9.1: Jacob Miolin and Dusan Vojvodic
- Year 9.2: Sean Mecham and Marcus Wilkinson
Year 11 and 12 Scotch Social
This Saturday night it is our turn to host a Boarding Recreational Activity for the WA Boarding Community and so it is with great excitement that we welcome the Year 11 and 12’s from other Boarding Schools to our social. Grant Bennett, Chris Stretch and Ashley Keatch have been busy planning the event over the past month or so and we are expecting 200 to 250 students on Saturday Night. The social starts at 7pm and concludes at 9:30pm.
Worlds Greatest Shave
Last Monday our Year 12’s combined with the girls from PLC to participate in the Worlds Greatest Shave. With a large contingent involved from the Residential Community this fundraising opportunity has certainly grown in stature over the past few years and with the amount of money that has been raised, in excess of $95,000, is proving to be a very good way for our students to contribute to a great cause.