Week 10, Summer Term 2022
Dear Boarding Families
Firstly and most importantly, I want to wish you all a joyful and well-earned rest over the April Holidays. This has been a term like no other! Whilst there has been adversity and challenges, this is also the time that I have been able to reflect on the strength of our community. Our boys have been incredibly resilient, our parents have been wonderfully supportive and patient, and our staff have been extremely hard working and compassionate. We have also had support from our wider network of family and friends as well as our Heads of School and Headmaster, all of whom have rallied around boarding to make sure that we are doing our absolute best to support students and their families. As parents come to pick up their sons and take them home for the holidays, I just want to extend my wholehearted thanks for your support and my best wishes for you and your families to enjoy your Autumn break. There is nothing like family and community, it gives us purpose and fills us with love.
Our Year 8s have been able to get out on the Bib Track this week which is a really positive sign and it has been fantastic for Mr Edwards in Outdoor Education to be able to plan the expedition, given that camps are currently not allowed. The boys have gone on four consecutive day excursions to walk the track. By all reports they have had a great time and it’s been good to get them outdoors and back into nature.
At School, the boys have been moving towards assessments coming up in the final two weeks of term. We also have Year 11s and 12 preparing for their examination period just after the Autumn holiday break. It is a tough slog for the senior boys, after such a long term and the needing to spend a significant part of their holidays studying before an exam period and then another term. I encourage the boys to make sure they spend a good week of their holidays relaxing, whether it is only studying half days, or taking a week and then studying for a week. It is really important to recharge your batteries so that you have energy and momentum going into exam week.
With regards to other boarding matters, I have some staffing updates and exciting news for families. We have warmly welcomed Mr Brad Gill into our Boarding Department this term, who will work with me to advocate for boarding at the Executive level of the College. Mr Gill, a boarder himself in the past, as well as someone who in his early career worked as a Boarding mentor ran a boarding house later on, brings a wealth of experience and passion to our department. We have also recently added two other important staff members to our department this term, Mrs Catriona Nixon has joined our Admissions department to work closely on boarding admissions. Catriona is a mum of a past Scotch boarder and has previously worked in boarding admissions at St Hilda’s before a chance conversation at last year’s boarding graduation dinner encouraged her to apply for a job with us at Scotch in 2022. Catriona’s passion for boarding has been very evident and we are pleased to report that we already have very healthy enrolment numbers confirmed for next year and we have already had almost 30 new boarders start this year, including 16 Year 7s. Coincidentally, Catriona’s husband Mike and Brad Gill actually went to boarding school together! We also celebrate the recent appointment of Mr Mike Valentine. Mike joins us to help develop our online transition programme for boarding at Scotch, having previously run the successful Hale@Home programme. Our incoming Yr 7 boys will now start their experience with an orientation day in May, before a camp in July and then an online programme for Term 3 and 4 aimed at preparing them and their parents for boarding the next year. It is great to see that Boarding is in such a strong position moving forward.
Sadly, however, we are saying goodbye to a very important member of our team at the end of this term. Mr Richard Foster, after more than 10 years in boarding, is moving off campus and will not be working in boarding next term. Richard and Sherilee have recently built a new house in Karrinyup and will be ready to move in over the holidays. That, coupled his recent promotion to Director of Co-Curricular at Scotch has meant that sadly he will leave boarding. I cannot speak more highly of Richard as a professional and as a man. Having the pleasure of being his neighbour for the past two years and getting to know his family as well as working closely alongside him has been fantastic. All of us in boarding wish Richard, Sherilee, and the kids all the best as they move into their new family home. We will be interviewing for our next Assistant Head of Middle School Residence to work alongside Mr Mecham and Mrs Sullivan in the coming week with the view of having a new senior member of our staff starting next term.
We have also been advertising for a new House Parent this term. We have gone through the process whereby a candidate had accepted the position, only to accept another job on the eve of starting with us after mid-term break and so we have had to readvertise. That has been the reason for the delay in an appointment and we will be interviewing for that position soon, with the plan to start next term. We are pleased to announce that we have hired Mrs Denyse Houston on a casual basis to be able to help Mrs Pam Seaby in the Senior House. Pam has been incredible this term, being the only House Mother in the Senior House and dealing with the COVID situation with the highest level of care for the boys and families. Both Pam and Fiona Richmond deserve a medal for their efforts this term!
I am proud to report that our COVID response has been outstanding this term in my view, working through approximately 40 confirmed cases of COVID within boarding this term and at least double that of close contacts or household contacts. The WA Health guidelines pertaining to boarding has meant that we have not only had to deal with confirmed cases of COVID, but roommates being classified as household contacts and then other boys who have shared common spaces with masks off being classified as close contacts. We have had to manage three tiers of classification and different isolation protocols for each and we have had to adapt mid-term once the WA Health advice was updated. The challenges for families of boarding students, who may have had to isolate from boarding, and yet be able to attend school, has been frustrating at times but our parents have been incredibly understanding. I am proud of our staff for working tirelessly to try and provide support and flexibility for families in these times and for all the extra work they have done on top of the regular daily tasks. I have also being incredibly grateful for the understanding and support of parents and also the support we have received from Mr Burt in Senior School, Mr Gill in Middle School and Dr O’Connell as Headmaster. Our approach has helped limit the spread of COVID and keep boarding operational and we have been able to keep on top of the flow of students in and out of isolation. Other boarding schools in Perth have not been as smooth and some of the stories I have heard from my colleagues at other schools makes me feel lucky, but also proud of our planning and processes.
We have our Boarding parent committee meeting on Friday and this is a good chance to speak about boarding from a parents’ perspective. Our committee have been fantastic at communicating with me and setting up chat groups with other parents in the year group to discuss issues. One thing I am keen on this year is to organise a fantastic Ag Day on 10 June to showcase boarding and regional WA to the rest of the school. We are looking for parent help to get involved and any ideas are welcome, please pass them on to your year group representative and we welcome any help. Even if you are not on the committee, you are always welcome to our meetings and our meeting on Friday is at 12pm – 1pm in the Dining Hall annexe. If you would like to be sent the TEAMS link to listen online, please email Mrs Usher at Boarding.Admin@scotch.wa.edu.au
I wish all families a wonderful break
Kind regards
Jordan
Year 8 Bibbulmun Track day walks
Over the past 4 days the Year 8 boarders have been completing day walks through the Darling Range. Whilst it hasn’t been the same experience of camping out on the track, the boys have enjoyed the walks and no doubt a shower and their bed each night. They boys started on Monday walking 15km from Brookton Highway to Goglan Rd. On Tuesday they walked over Mt Vincent and Mt Cuthbert accumulating another 15km. Wednesday was the toughest day for the boys tackling 20km and hiking over Mt Cooke. The final day the boys’ finished with a 7km stroll from Nerang Hut to Gringer Creek. To date, the boys have now walked 140km through the Darling Range with their next walk taking them into the Dwellingup area. Well done, Mr Edwards.
Around the Middle School Residence
A warm welcome to our newest Boarding Mentor, Sophie De Jong, who is working in the Middle School Residence and started this week.
Awards
Van Jasper, Harry Russell and Oliver Keamy each received a coaches award medal.
Phys Zen
This popular evening activity sees boys using yoga, meditation and mindfulness to calm their minds and bodies.
Easter at Scotch
The Dining Hall caterers have outdone themselves with the Easter display and array of delicious desserts. Nic Chadwick is seen here enjoying the spoils and the boys were super impressed!
Spencer won a massive hamper in the MS Easter raffle supporting Qld flood victims.
Bubble Soccer
By all accounts this is a favourite of the boys.
Senior School Residence
Photo’s from Rec at the Driving Range in Wembley which the Year 9 & 10s always enjoy.
Timezone
King of the Pack
Yr 10’s enjoying a game of King of the Pack before dinner.
Flu Vaccinations
Fiona Richmond, Nurse Manager from the Health Centre has organised for all boarders to receive a flu jab on Thursday May 5th from 7 am – 9 am.
Please download the form below and return to Fiona.Richmond@scotch.wa.edu.au as soon as possible.