MS Residence: From the House Mother!
Here we are at the end of term 3 and it’s hard to believe that there is only one more term to go until the end of another school year. Our Year 7’s have successfully negotiated the challenges of adjusting to boarding life and the Year 8’s are consolidating on the foundations laid down last year… I can’t help but reflect back over the year thus far with a sense of pride at how far your boys have come since their first days here at Scotch.
It’s again been a pleasure to watch how the boys have coped with life away from home, forming new friendships and developing an understanding of their role and place within the boarding community – their ‘home away from home’.
Over the course of this term the boys have enjoyed a wide range of recreational outings away from the boarding house including Timezone, Ten Pin Bowling, Inflatable World, Cockburn Indoor Water Park and Caversham Wildlife Park (visiting the Chocolate Factory on the same day!). Some of the boys have also taken the opportunity to travel on the train to Optus Stadium to cheer on the Dockers at their home games. There’s been trips to the cinema and social events organised with the boarding girls from PLC and other schools so the boys can enjoy some female company too.
The house has recently purchased fishing rods and surfboards! The boys have headed down to the banks of the Sawn River to try their hand at fishing, but so far have only managed to catch blowies (and jellyfish) but have had lots of fun nevertheless. The Boys are yet to ride the waves on the surfboards, but no doubt the warmer weather next term will entice them down to the beach to have a go.
Our new fire pit is also being well used and is a popular focal point for the boys to gather around. It is creating a really good vibe at our in-house BBQ nights and provides another opportunity for the 7/8’s to mingle with the year 9’s and occasionally the boys from the Big House too… Any firewood from our farming parents would be most welcome… Those boys that enjoy getting involved in the BBQ nights have the setting-up ‘down pat’ and are now ‘old hands’ at cooking the steak and sausages. The clean up afterwards now goes like clockwork with all hands on deck!
There have been some healthy introductions to afternoon tea including hummus and guacamole dips served with sticks of celery, cucumber & carrot. The cherry tomatoes disappear in a flash… Wraps and rice cakes have been a welcome change from the usual muffins and toasties and strawberries added to the fruit platter always brings gasps of ‘whooo and yummm strawberries’ from the afternoon tea table… Mrs Whetters Homemade soup is still a firm favourite with new additions; Chicken & Sweetcorn and Thai Pumpkin especially popular!
The boys and staff were all recently invited to lunch at Vivisen’s restaurant in Fremantle where we were treated to an amazing banquet of specially prepared Chinese Cuisine. There was an enormous amount of food consumed and all of it was delicious. The boys did themselves and the School proud, displaying excellent manners towards the Restaurant staff and their general behaviour was outstanding.
While many of the boys participated in community sports during the term, the athletics season brings a more chilled atmosphere into the house with those boys choosing not to be involved in the athletics programme enjoying some downtime relaxing around the house, watching movies and making the most of the free time together. There’s still lots of active playtime though; shooting hoops, getting on their scooters and spending time at the pool.
No Tech Tuesday also continues to see the boys getting out in the fresh air and enjoying each other’s company.
Have a safe and relaxing holiday break and I look forward to seeing the boy’s back in the house next term.