Week 4, Autumn Term 2022
Dear Boarding families,
I am getting the very happy feeling that boarding is returning to normal, which is bringing a great vibe around the place. Congratulations to the Year 11s and 12s who have recently completed examinations and to those who have recently completed other assessment tasks and work experience placements. The Boarding House has been very quiet over the last few weeks, which has been nice in a way, but it is much better to have a full house and the boys bringing their energy to each and every day.
This week is national boarding week and today we are having some of our Year 12 boys heading over to PLC to help them celebrate by playing a lunchtime game of mixed netball. Scotch will be celebrating our boarding week in Week 7 of term, just after the mid term break from 7-10th June. During that week we will have a host of activities for the boys, including having boarders speak at assembly, a showcase of our boarding photo competition and a host of interviews of boys and staff about boarding. Two of our Middle School boys recently interviewed the Honourable Mia Davies MLA about her life in boarding and experiences in regional WA and we will be showing that during the week. The week culminates with Ag Day on Friday June 10 and I am really looking forward to that day. I sincerely hope that boarding parents can come down and be a part of it. We will have marching and a morning full of activities down at the Gooch. We have a guest speaker, Mr Ben Macnamara OSC and current CEO of CBH addressing the school, we have a careers tent for boys to look at tertiary courses and careers in the regions and we have a parent tent selling a range of produce. We also have a special boarding parents lunch planned for that day from 12:30-2:30pm so please come along and RSVP to Jan at Boarding.Admin@scotch.wa.edu.au
Although we are still dealing with boys who are having to isolate for Covid, we seem to be over the ‘hump’ and on the home straight! At least that is what I keep telling myself! I thought it was particularly bad timing for Covid to hit us, especially during the examination period. As well as boys contracting the virus, it has also been very difficult for staffing as various staff have gone down and not been able to work, making the roster challenging to juggle. However, I have been very impressed with the way in which staff have stepped up and helped out when needed. Last week, Dr O’Connell did an afternoon shift in the Middle School House to cover for Mrs Hannington who was away for the week! He did a great job but it is good to have our House Mother back on deck this week as the boys missed her and Indi. It has been a difficult time in boarding over the past year, and particularly the past 6 months with boys and staff having to isolate because they are either sick or close contacts. I am pleased that we now only have to isolate boys who are confirmed as symptomatic, and we can treat Covid more like other communicable illnesses. Having said that, with the cold/flu season approaching, please get your boys the flu vaccination! You can arrange this with the Health Centre.
I am pleased to announce that we have recently hired our new House Mother for the Senior School Residence, Mrs Wendy Garreffa. Wendy would already be known to some parents and boys because she has been working with us for the past year transporting boys to and from medical appointments. Wendy will continue in that role but we are thrilled that she is keen to extend her role to be the House Mother for Stirling Clan in the Senior School. Welcome Wendy!
This weekend we have a few big events for our boys. On Friday afternoon and evening we have our first Orientation day for our incoming Year 7s in 2023. We will be doing a tour of the boarding houses and having a dinner with parents and boys before our current students take the boys off for some games in the gym. The boys will have a sleepover in the Middle School House that night. It will be a big day but should be a lot of fun. Then, on Saturday night it is a big night for our Year 11s who will be having their Scotch Dinner Dance. The Year 11 Dinner Dance is a great day on the calendar and I imagine a lot of parents will be in Perth to see their boys dress up nicely and take their partners to the dance. I will be there for the evening and I am looking forward to it.
It has been great to have the year 10s and 11s back out on the Bibbulmun Track this week. The Outdoor Education staff have reported that the boys have had a great time and the weather has been good, mostly any rainfall has been at night and it has meant that walking through the day has been perfect conditions. The Bibbulmun track is such a wonderful part of our programme and it not only gets our boys out in nature (and off their devices!) but it also allows other boys to show their leadership and to excel. The bonding experience and the collective sense of achievement of the Bibbulmun track is really what it is all about. This year we have invited the parents of Year 12s to experience a day on the track with the boys before they finish in Albany as a way of sharing this special experience with the boys. We will also look to invite parents of Year 7s to have a day on the track as well. I am looking forward to the Year 12 boys walking in to Albany to complete the track on Saturday 18th June and I invite anyone from our community to help share the celebrations with us. There is a function at Due South on the Friday night and then the boys will walk in to the Southern Terminus on the Saturday morning.
Finally, I wanted to alert parents to something with regards to sport around the long weekend. On Thursday June 2nd (the last day of school before the long weekend) all first teams have a fixture against Hale. Please consider this when arranging transport for your sons home for the long weekend. I am sure that the boys will get spoken to by their coaches but I just wanted to make note of it here.
All the best for the weekend
Jordan
Northam
Expect a visit from Jordan, Boarding Admissions Officer Catriona Nixon, Special Projects Officer – Remote Learning Mike Valentine and Manager of Alumni Relations Nadia Sierakowski for a relaxed sundowner at 5:30pm on Thursday 23rd June. Come and meet our community, discover our unique boarding experience and enjoy complimentary refreshments.
Book your spot now at Northam visit
Feel free to pass this on to families you know in the area that may be interested in boarding for their son/s.
National Boarding Week at PLC
PLC invited Scotch Year 12’s over for a mixed Netball game. It was pretty even right up to the end when Scotch won by one point.
Year 10 Bibbulmun track walk
Rhys Edwards and Johann Schroeder took the Yr 10 boarders from Balingup to Palings Rd. By all accounts it was a great walk with good weather. They are on their way back now and are feeling tired.
Year 11 Bibbulmun track walk
Alex Wood and Katelyn Guy took the Year 11’s from Northcliffe to Inlet Rd. Six boys chose to walk this time and it looks like they had an awesome time too.
10A Footy
A comfortable win to Scotch who played Guildford with a few of our boarders in the team. Thanks to Danielle Mactaggart for the great photo.
Lachi, Oli Loch, Rory, Toby and Rohan after the game.
Recreation
Sunday afternoon the Middle School boys headed to Bounce to expend some energy.
Year 10 Meningococcal School Based Immunisation Program 2022
All Year 10 students are offered the Meningococcal immunisation at School. Please fill in the attached Department of Health form and return to Fiona.Richmond@scotch.wa.edu.au