Week 6, Summer Term 2024
Dear Boarding Families
I hope you have all enjoyed the recent long weekend with your sons, either at home or abroad. For me it has been a pleasure getting to see some of the boys in different environments in the past couple of weeks.
Year 12 Bibbulmun Track in Albany
No doubt the highlight of the fortnight in boarding was getting to celebrate the Year 12s that completed their final expedition on the Bibbulmun Track. The boys walked over 130kms in 6 days to walk from Peaceful Bay to the Southern Terminus in the centre of Albany. Whilst there were some big days of walking, the boys were often afforded day packs rather than having to carry all food, water, shelter and safety equipment like they are accustomed to. They walked through forests, walked on beaches, walked amongst the huge windmills of the Albany wind farm and eventually walked into the middle of town. For anyone that knows the stunning scenery of the south coast, it is definitely worth encouraging your sons to persist with the track to experience those final walks. The boys were even treated to a rest at the mid-way point in Denmark, courtesy of the Gooding family who gave them a home cooked meal and a shower. The boys were even a bit spoiled the next day as the Gooding’s delivered pizzas to them on the track!
On the Friday, a large number of the parent group and some siblings met with the boys on the Track for a special breakfast. Many of the parents then walked a section of the track along the beach with the boys, getting to experience about an hour and a half of what the boys have every day. A number of the parents commented on how special that was and I know the boys loved it as well. As the boys walked in on Saturday morning, they were piped in by a Year 9 Keys house boy, Hugh, who also made the journey down with his family for the weekend just to honour our boarders. The boys were presented with certificates by a member of the Bibbulmun Track Foundation, it was a really lovely ceremony. All parents and boys then shared a lunch together later in the day before heading off to enjoy the rest of the long weekend. Many of the families made a weekend of it and stayed in Albany as a family.
The Bibbulmun Track experience is an incredibly enriching experience for our boys, and the final stage is also a very special time for Year 12 parents. I urge all parents to encourage the boys to persist with the Bibbulmun Track experience, whether they boys have completed every section or not. It becomes a truly memorable experience, and it was clear for all to see what a special bond that group of young men had on the track, forming memories that will last a lifetime. It is opportunities like these that make Scotch such a special school.
There will be a Bibbulmun Track presentation by the Yr 12s in Week 1 of next term. If you are able to attend, please join us on Friday 19th April at the Senior School Assembly to congratulate the boys on their incredible achievement.
Year 8 Bibbulmun Track
On Monday 18th March we walk again with our Year 8s. I am excited as I will actually be walking with the boys that week. They were such an enjoyable group to walk with last year so it will be great to link up with them again. The other teacher walking with the boys is Mr Peter Tresise, a Middle School teacher who also works in the Boarding House. We will be walking from Brookton Highway to Gringer Creek, roughly alongside the Albany highway from around Serpentine to North Bannister. If any parents are in the area and want to come and say hello, please get in contact with Katelyn Guy from the Outdoor Adventure and Learning Department – Katelyn.Guy@scotch.wa.edu.au
Katanning and Wagin
This week myself, Mrs Nixon and Mr Montgomery are heading down south again to host an event in Katanning for our families down in the Great Southern. It is a great chance to catch up with you in your own back yard and to hear about your sons in a face to face conversation. Please also feel free to bring any friends or family along who might be considering boarding school and we can answer any questions that they might have. On Friday and Saturday we will be attending the Wagin Woolorama. If you are in the area, we would love to see you there, please come and say hello at the education stand.
Year 9 Rottnest Camp
Last week the boys went to camp on Rottnest Island, which is always a great time and a meaningful induction into life in Senior School. The boys were able to play beach games, snorkel, learn about the history of the island and its ecology. I was able to get over to the island for three days of the camp and helped take the history lessons for the boys alongside Mr Hindle. I was having flash backs of being in his history class as a Year 12 student! Good memories of course! It was a great opportunity for the boys to form new friendships now that they have been reshuffled into their senior school house groups and to bond with their House Head in a relaxed environment. The boys behaved very well and it was great to see the boarders mixed amongst the day boys, which I don’t often get to see.
Staffing – House Parents
As many of you would know, Mrs Kerry Wilhelm, one of our much loved House Mothers in the Senior House, has been away for an extended period of time, attending to a family funeral over in the United Kingdom. We have missed her a lot and we have really appreciated the relief work done by Mrs Mandy Martin in the interim. I am pleased to say that Kerry will be returning to work on Monday 18th March.
In the Middle School House, Mrs Pam Seaby has decided that the time is right for some well-deserved Long Service Leave. Pam will be away for all of Term 2 and around half of Term 3. We have been able to recruit a wonderful lady to work with us as the House Mother of the Middle School House, Mrs Kathy Finlayson. Kathy comes with great experience as a boarding parent, a nurse and now a grandmother of the next generation of Scotch boys. Kathy has been a nurse in both Boddington and Williams for over 17 years. Her sons went to Guildford. Many boarding families would know Kathy and I am excited for her to start work later this term with Pam and then alongside Sean in the Middle School House from next term.
End of Term Parent Sundowner and Parent Interviews
As we enter the second half of term, I want to bring parents attention to our Boarding Parent Sundowner that we host at the Gooch Pavilion on the evening before the last day of term. The Boarding Parent Sundowner this year is on Wednesday 27th March. It would be great to see as many of you as possible there to socialise with each other and with our staff. I will be hosting a Boarding Parent Committee meeting on 27th March at 3pm, before the Sundowner. The next day, Year 11 and 12 parents have the opportunity to book a time with their son’s classroom teachers. For parents that want to book in an individual time for a chat about their son in boarding, I will be available all day the next day on 28th March and Steven Montgomery and Sean Mecham are available after midday once they have finished their teaching duties to meet with boarding parents, please just email or call us and book in a time.
I wish all families a wonderful fortnight and look forward to seeing you soon.
Kind regards
Jordan
Mouthguards
Mouthguards are required by all boys playing contact sports.
If your son needs a mouthguard for Winter sport, please organise this through your local dentist when you are with your son in the school holidays.
If you are unable to do this, you can make an appointment at Swanbourne Dental on Shenton Road. Please make appointments for after school. When making appointments, please also include the Health Centre in your email so they are aware of the appointment and can co-ordinate boys walking there together.
Mouthguards take 2 weeks to make and cost $225 for one colour. Swanbourne Dental will issue you with an invoice so you can claim back from your health fund.
Winter sport will start when boys return to school on April 16th.
Bibbulmun Track
What a fabulous achievement for our young men to complete 130km walk and some of them becoming End to Ender’s. Very proud of you all. Congratulations!!
See the video link below to hear Hugh pipe the boys in.
Yr 12s being piped into Albany Southern Terminus
Around the Houses
Middle School boarders at recreation activities and celebrating birthdays. St Hilda’s invited the boys to lunch and pool games.
In the Senior boarding house we had a few birthdays to celebrate, Valentines day from the boys to Theresa for all her love and support, swims at the beach with icecream and some very happy Boarding Mentors and House mum.
Clash of Clans
Blair and Stirling Clans started the competition off with a game of Touch Rugby. Congratulations to Stirling Clan (wearing Teal) on their close win.
Boarding Parent Sundowner – Wednesday, March 27
At the end of Term 1 we like to celebrate our Boarding community with a Boarding Parent Sundowner to catch up with our wonderful parents and guardians.
If you are able to join us on Wednesday 27 March from 6:30pm at the Gooch Pavilion for a bit of jazz, welcome drink and light dinner, we would love for you to join us.
Register here for the Boarding Parent Sundowner
We provide a Welcome drink, but the event is BYO alcohol.
2024 Boarding Photography Competition
Yes, it’s on again. Get your camera’s at the ready for the biggest competition of the year. Mr Mecham will be judging the 2024 Boarding Photography Competition and the competition closes at the start of Term 3. All winners appear in the Boarding School Calendar 2026.