Week 5, Winter Term 2023
Dear Boarding Families,
I hope you all enjoyed the recent mid-term break. It seems crazy that we are halfway through this term already!
As the winter sport season has concluded, we have now begun the athletics season and it has been pleasing to have boarders participating in training. Please encourage your boys to go down to training and maintain an exercise schedule, even without PSA sport as it helps them get that initial pent-up energy out of their systems after having been in the classroom all day, it gets them playing outdoors and helps a huge amount with their general wellbeing, particularly helping them to get a good night’s sleep.
Our Middle School boys are about to embark on outdoor adventure of another kind, with the Year 8s out on Bib track next week and the Year 7s out the week after. I am really looking forward to getting out on track with the Year 7s and enjoying some time together out in the bush and working with them on our Rites of Passage Programme. A lot of work is going into developing our Bib Track programme and I have been working closely with our Director of Pastoral Care, Mr Hindle and our new Head of Outdoor Learning and Adventure, Dr Picknoll, to further refine our planning. As the boys go out on the track, our Outdoor Ed and Boarding Staff lead them through conversations around the campfire that help them grow as individuals and as a group. In Year 7 the boys explore the themes of connection and gratitude. In Year 8 the boys explore the themes of leadership by looking into important role models in their own lives. I am sure that next week a lot of parents’ ears will be burning because the boys will be discussing them at night and how important their parents are in shaping the people we are and how our parents serve as an inspiration for us.
Speaking of inspiration, we have also had a series of inspiring speeches recently, with our Year 11 group presenting to our boarders’ assembly and making their case for leadership roles next year. I was so proud of the way that the boys conducted themselves and all of the staff agree that this was a very strong group, who are clearly very passionate about boarding and creating strong relationships amongst the boys. It will be a pleasure to work alongside these boys as we start to shape what boarding will look like under their stewardship. One topic of conversation later in the week was a meeting I had with a number of Senior School students about a planned refurbishment of the Senior Boarding House, particularly our common room areas. This is a really exciting project and it was so good to get the boys’ input. We are taking our ideas to the architects and our facilities team, who are all very keen to get something happening soon. It is our plan that with a better kitchen/dining space downstairs we will be really well placed to host more functions with parents at the start and end of terms to build an even greater sense of community.
Recently we held Naidoc week at the school and were able to celebrate our Indigenous students and Australia’s indigenous culture, heritage and connection. It not only builds our human relationships, but also our sense of place, which is extremely important in boarding. Furthermore, most of our Indigenous students at Scotch are boarders, so Naidoc week has a particular importance to us. Our students took leadership roles thoughout the week, going down to the junior school to chat to boys, participating in Naidoc assembly and running barbeques during lunchtime. There was also the famous staff vs students basketball game at lunchtime which was a joy to watch.
Coming up, our Middle School boys are about to embark on some Yoga classes as part of our wellbeing programme, this will take place during half of prep, with the year 7s and Yr 8s rotating. It will be a four week block of lessons. We hope to give the boys some skills in mindfulness and helping them be in control of their bodies and being able to calm themselves down. Yoga is great for staying present in the moment, being very aware of our bodies and our minds and our breathing cycles, and also increasing flexibility and improving posture. If we ignite a passion for yoga in the boys when they are young, it is hoped that in more stressful times in life, such as when they are going through examination periods, they can take some concentrated time out to clear their mind and look after their bodies. There also a great sense of fun in learning new skills and I think that the boys will really enjoy their yoga classes.
Our year 10-12 boys are all starting to ramp up their preparation for examinations coming up. Mr Ninkov recently took the boys though some study techniques and also the importance of planning and being organised. Please encourage your sons to utilise our tutors, who are there every evening to help the boys prepare for their exams. Tutors can work with individuals or lead a small group session. Boys are able to book times in with boarders in the afternoon so that they are prioritised during prep time. Boys and parents have also recently been sent information on career tasters that boys can sign up for. There are courses in the last week of term for boys doing the AAP programme, boys can do their construction white card, a carpentry and bricklaying try-a-trade course, a barista course, a responsible service of alcohol course and a first aid course. Many of these courses are aimed at making our boys highly employable in their time after school. There are also career tasters for our years 9s coming up, an Automotive career taster, a STEM workshop, a Construction career taster and an Animation and Game-Art career taster. These are all courses that happen at TAFE and need to be signed up for, so please check your emails and chat to your sons (see below).
I wish all families a great week ahead and I hope that some of you are able to make it to the athletics carnivals on Thursday and Friday.
All the best
Jordan
Middle School Residence Courtyard refurbishment
We’d like to share a few photos of the refurbishment of the Middle School Residence courtyard.
Surprise Barbie Dinner
Catering staff surprised the boys with a Barbie themed pink dinner. The boys tucked into Pink burgers, pink gnocchi and pink icing on cupcakes.
Senior School Residence
Ms Theresa captured the Year 9 footy boys after their games looking pleased after a good season.
Jayden Clarke, Toby Jones & Jaezari Wynne who were all members of the Alcock Cup winning (outright) 1st XVIII footy team when Scotch 8.18.66 def Aquinas 7.3.45, meaning that the team also went through the season undefeated, 12 wins from 12 games. Completing a historic four-peat (2020-23) in the process.
1st XV Rugby team
Donnacha who was a member of the Brother Redmond Cup winning (outright) 1st XV rugby team, when Scotch 51 defeated Aquinas 5. It meant the team finished the season undefeated with 11 wins and one draw record from 12 games.
Year 9 Career Taster program
The Year 9 Career Taster Program (CTP), which is run in conjunction with North and South Metro TAFE, aims to inspire secondary school students to become ‘career curious’ about further study opportunities and potential careers.
The program offers the following.
- Industry-led experiences and activities that will introduce them to new and different areas of work and career opportunities.
- Career development training that will assist them in making informed decisions on their subject selections and post-school options.
We are delighted to be able to offer a variety of Career Taster’s to your son. This is a pilot programme being run at Scotch College with the aim to make this available to every Year 9 student in the coming years.
The experiences that we have on offer are as follows:
Automotive Taster- 22 September @ Kwinana
Students will have a full day at South Metropolitan TAFE’s dedicated automotive campus in Kwinana where they will get to be in a real-life workshop.
They will be provided with a pair of safety glasses for the day and get to tour the workshop facilities. Students will get to hoist the vehicles up to where they will learn how to change tyres, check the pressure, and hoist them back down again. They will be shown a variety of engines and end the day by seeing how air bags are deployed with the inclusion of strapping watermelons on them to see how they burst!
Students must wear steel capped footwear, long trousers (no jeans) and t-shirt preferably long sleeve with no offensive print.
STEM workshop- 9 November @ Munster
STEM Workshop collaboration with Sci-Tech to discover all things STEM!
Students will be able to explore South Metro TAFE’s Munster Campus where they will have a quick morning welcome before taking part in 2 activities, one hosted by Sci-Tech, the other hosted by SMTAFE.
Sci-Tech will host a Bucket Tower Challenge where students will work together to find innovative solutions to a complex problem and South Metro TAFE will host hands on activity involving a robotic arm where students will try to program it to pick up certain items.
Construction Taster- 27 November @ Rockingham
Students will undertake hands-on experiences in the Construction Industry at South Metropolitan TAFE’s Rockingham campus.
This taster program will give students a great introduction into the building and construction industry. This taster will see students getting their hands dirty in 3 different trade industries across bricklaying, plastering/tiling and wall and ceiling.
Students must wear steel capped footwear, long trousers (no jeans) and t-shirt preferably long sleeve with no offensive print
Animation and Game Art- 5 December @ North Bridge
Build your own robot!
Students will have a chance to learn all about robotics in this taster experience. Students will have the opportunity to model and texture a robot using real industry software.
To gauge interest and assign your son to a taster programme, we ask that you please complete the form below by Friday 1 September. Transport will be provided to all the Career Taster programmes and there is no cost involved.
Career Taster Expression of Interest Form
Middle School Athletics Carnival
A great day for the MS Athletics carnival on Thursday this week, with glorious weather.
The results will be announced on Monday 4th September.
End of Winter Term – Reach entries and Transport
The last day of Winter Term is Friday 22 September and Middle and Senior School finish at 12:55pm.
If you have flights, bus or train tickets booked, would you please add these to Reach or email to Boarding.Admin@scotch.wa.edu.au
Reach – Holiday Travel Arrangements Creating a Leave Request