Week 2, Summer Term 2022
Dear Boarding Families
It has certainly been a busy fortnight in boarding for the start of term but I have been thoroughly impressed with the way in which the boys have returned and settled back into boarding. I would also like to take this opportunity to welcome all new families to boarding. In all, we have 16 new Year 7s, 3 new Year 8s, 5 new Year 9s, 3 new Year 10s and a new Year 12 to our boarding community. It certainly makes for exciting times and the new boys have started well. There is inevitably some homesickness going to happen, both with new boys and some established boarders, especially after this first couple of weeks once boys settle in to routine and the academic workload kicks in. Please remember to keep in contact with boarding staff with any issues relating to your son so that we can work together in partnership to address any issues. However, as I have said, I have seen a lot of happy faces so far and the boys have enjoyed connecting with friends and getting their year off to a good start!
This week we are looking forward to the Year 12 Ball which happens on Saturday. The boys are looking forward to it and the new format ‘under the stars’ will be really exciting and memorable, I think. I hope the boys are reminding their partners to perhaps pack a wrap! We have a family get together on the lawn of Royce House (uniform shop) in the afternoon and then boys are free to either go off to another pre-ball event or go for a drive to Kings Park for some photos. Our boarding event goes from 4.00-5.00pm and the ball begins from 6.30pm. For year 12 parents, we traditionally meet down at 7pm at the C-Blu restaurant for a relaxed dinner and chat once the boys and their partners are safely delivered to the ball. I also want to thank the Year 10 boarders for volunteering to be waiters for the evening. We had 16 out of 20 boys volunteer this year which is fantastic to see! I think it is a sign of the brotherhood in boarding, with younger boys willing to help out their mates in Year 12.
On that theme, I am also impressed with the way that the year 12s have started with their leadership initiative this term. Kody Waters, our Vice Captain of Boarding for the Middle School residence has worked with Mr Mecham and Mrs Sullivan to develop the “Buddy Up” programme, assigning each new Year 7 with a Year 12 buddy. The boys have already done several exciting activities and ice breakers to get to know each other. Soon this will also translate to some help in prep as well as general organisation and relationship building. New boys in other year groups have been paired with a peer to make sure they have someone to talk to and be shown around the school. The Year 12s have also started their first ‘Clash of Clans’ activity which was a game of backyard cricket last Saturday night on the Chapel lawn which went really well. The boys are setting a great tone in the House and the younger boys are jumping on board to support their initiatives.
COVID-19
As we have transitioned to “High Caseload environment” in WA with regards to COVID-19, we have been able to make some adjustments to our procedures. Firstly, I think it is wonderful news for boarding families that the isolation period is down to 7 days, particularly as many boarding families will be relying on Perth guardians during this time. I also welcome the change in definition for close contacts. I ask that you urge your sons to be mindful of social distancing because we are not mandating masks within the boarding house or Dining Hall. We are socially distancing boys during study time as much as possible and trying to limit exposure time to less than 15 minutes of close contact but we will really need the boys’ help with this. One thing that we are being quite strict about is that boys are not to socialise in bedrooms and rather need to socialise in well ventilated common areas and socially distance. Boys can use the balconies connected to common rooms and we urge them to spend time outside where possible. In terms of isolation requirements, we will always work with families on this but I once again urge families to have a viable Perth guardian and, as with any communicable illness, symptomatic boys must be isolated off campus. If boys are asymptomatic close contacts, we have looked to increase our ability to isolate boys on campus whilst they await test results if a guardian is not available (we only have very limited space to do this). As always, the Headmaster’s communications will be the main port of call for families, however, families can ask me boarding specific questions relating to COVID-19.
Boarding Parent Committee
Relating to parent communication, I would like to once again offer parents a spot on our Boarding Parent Committee. We have a number of year group representatives that have volunteered already and I am excited about working with the committee this year. I am always happy to take new nominations. Our committee this year is as follows;
Yr 7 Jo Macnamara (Archie)
Yr 8 Melina Turriff (Patrick) and Sharon Crombie (Declan)
Yr 9 Vanessa McGinniss (John)
Yr 10 Dani MacCreery (Noah)
Yr 11 Mel Thompson (Sam) and Shay Creagh (Myles)
Yr 12 Vanessa McGinniss (Sam)
So, as you can see, we have room for more volunteers, especially in Year 9 or Year 12. However, we are always keen on help and there is no reason why we can’t have two parents per year group. Our meetings are normally at pick up times and the first one for this year is scheduled for Friday 8th April, the last day of term.
Life Skills Programme
We are keen to develop our life skills programme in boarding at Scotch. We have a couple of initiatives underway already that I would like to alert parents to. The Life skills programme will have a leaning towards year 11 and 12 and, in a way, will compensate a little bit for the fact that they do less recreation activities on weekends. Firstly, Year 12s have been offered to sign up for a short Barista course with a local Barista who is going to teach them how to make a great coffee and give them a skill for employability in their life beyond school. This is starting later this term and a lot of boys have already shown interest. Furthermore Year 11 and 12 boys have been provided a subscription to Student Edge which is an online micro-credential forum that allows boys to do certain online courses such as “Learning about Personal Finance and budgeting” or “planning your ideal gap year” or “Building your EQ”. We think that the boys will get a lot out of these little courses and will continue to add strings to their bow and prepare them well for life after school. Boys in Senior School have also been offered a “Workshop skills” course by Mr Van Ingen-Kal in our Design and Technology Department where boarders will be able to utilise the workshops after school once a week for some project based learning, getting skills on the tools and building things for themselves such as a bedside table, or a letter box for their home. We have other ideas for other terms such as cooking classes or mechanics courses. We think this will be fantastic for the boys and we are hoping that it will be at very low cost for families, if at all. We hope that boys and parents support these programmes.
Cottesloe Golf Club – Boarders Programme
Further to our discussions with Cottesloe Golf Club, we are pleased to offer the following;
BOARDER PROGRAM
- Clinics – depending on the students’ ages and skill levels, we could offer a Saturday afternoon clinic, limited to 8 people. The purpose of this would be to train the boys up to the point where they could start playing and then migrate them into the 9 hole casual play (see below). We propose that these run for an hour from 2:00pm – 3:00pm and they could potentially run all year round as we are not light-dependent.
- Casual Play (9 Holes) – we could arrange for this to start at around 4pm behind the Men’s Saturday field. This would have to be only in the summer months when enough light permits, i.e. terms 1 & 4. These events will be limited to 8 players and supervised at all times.
- Costs – The clinics would cost $160 per person per term, and the 9 hole play would cost $120 per person per term.
REACH Leave
I hope that parents have been able to navigate their way around our REACH Leave Management System, particularly new parents. REACH is available through home.scotch using your school login. We need all boys who go out on leave to log an application through REACH to be approved by parents and their Head of Residence. We ask that all weekend Leave is applied for by Thursday evening so that it can all be finalised on Friday morning before the weekend. I will endeavour to have the Weekend Rec schedule to families by each Wednesday so that can help your planning.
Finally, in some great news to end the week I wanted to make mention on two students. Firslty, Michael Gao has continued his intiative started last year to help organise a Chinese New Year celebration for our boarders. We will be celebrating Chinese New Year next Wednesday 16th Feb with a special meal in the dining hall and some acitivites organised by the boys. I want to also say thanks to our Perth guardians of our Chinese students who will be helping to make dumplings for the occasion. A special thanks to Jing Wei who looks after Michael. I also want to make a special mention of one of our newset members of the community, Wes Cooper, Yr 7. Wes is a brand new boarder and had the courage to audition for the Senior School Production this year and guess what, Wes has landed the lead role of Charlie Bucket in Charlie and the Chocolate Factory!! What an amazing achievement and a huge congratulations to Wes!
I wish all families a wonderful weekend and look forward to seeing you around campus soon, or perhaps even at the Wagin Woolarama in a couple of weeks!
All the best
Jordan
First day of school
The Year 7 and Year 8’s in their first day at school photo. Indi has done this many times before.
Middle School Swim Carnival
House Shirt, bag packed off we go.
Buddy Up Program
Kody Waters and Max Lonnie
This year we have introduced our new “Buddy Up” program, which aligns a Year 7 Boarder with a Year 12 Buddy who will help mentor and support them as they begin their new journey in Boarding and at Scotch College.
The program will teach, and give children the opportunity to practice, the important values of respect, care, valuing difference, responsibility, friendship and including others.
Through looking after and caring for younger boys who are just starting in Boarding and School, older children learn the skills associated with empathy and compassion through activities and conversations in the Boarding and School environments.
The program is driven by our Vice-Captain of Boarding (Middle School Residence), Kody Waters and his Year 12 Leadership Team.
Last week during Prep, Kody and his Team introduced the Buddy Up Program, then introduced each Year 7 Boarder to their Year 12 Buddy, had a chat and then ended the evening with a massive game of “Chasey” in their Buddy Teams. On the Saturday, Buddies met up at the School Pool for a game of cricket, a swim and a BBQ.
Recreation
A game of Clan cricket, a swim and a BBQ on the weekend makes it all worthwhile.
Year 9 Blair Clan
Meet the Mellor’s – Andy and Jodie welcomed the Year 9 Blair Clan boys for a meal along with their son’s Aubrey and Fergus.
COVID-19 Boosters for 16+ years
If you would like your son to have his Booster (3rd dose), please contact the Health Centre and they will organise an appointment and transport HealthCentre@scotch.wa.edu.au
GALADENT Mouthguards
You can download a form and send it directly to Galadent by going to: https://www.galadent.com.au/mouthguard-form
The boys mouthguard fittings are all done at McKeller Hall on the following dates
WEDNESDAY FEBRUARY 16 4.00PM TO 8.00PM
THURSDAY FEBRUARY 17 4.00PM TO 8.00PM
SATURDAY FEBRUARY 19 10.00AM TO 4.00PM