Clan | Edition #131

UNITING THE SCOTCH COMMUNITY

A Community for Life Edition 131 | May 2021

8

Captain of School

10 Service Council

13 Wellbeing

16 March Out

21 Middle School

27 Boarding

29 Sports

37 Archives

40 Scotch Parents

In this issue…

Clan is a periodic news pictorial for the Scotch College community.

Clan © Scotch College 2021

3 Headmaster

15 Enrichment

5 Chaplain

16 March Out

6 Council

18 Junior School

7 Foundation

UPDATE

21 Middle School

Editor: Samantha Leung

8

Captain of School

24 Senior School

Design: PaperScout

9

Vice-Captain of School

27 Boarding

11

Student Council

29 Sports

12

Teaching and Learning

37 Archives

Front cover: Tyrelle Monado (right) and Zaide Moxham (left) embracing at March Out 2020, photograph: Derren Hall

13 Wellbeing

42 Old Scotch Collegians

Dr Alec O’Connell

Headmaster

Donating to the Future We have a long history of giving at Scotch College.

The current concept of philanthropy might be a modern one, but for the College, it is nothing new. Giving goes back to our roots, long before the term ‘philanthropy’ came into fashion.

A History of Giving In 1896, Jane Alexander proposed a Presbyterian school for boys in Perth to Reverend David Ross, the minister representing the Presbyterian Church in Western Australia, at a dinner party. Jane, within the constraints of the time, was a woman of action. It was Jane who called on the Reverend the following day, offering a £500.00 donation towards the school’s establishment and the erection of a new hall.

At the time, this was a considerable amount of money – the equivalent today would likely be in the millions.

for the past ten years. Why should I give?”

But philanthropic giving is not simply about supporting your child’s education; it is about investing in other people’s children and the students of the future. School fees represent the here and now. They support our daily operations: our day-to-day programmes, salaries, operating expenses and allow us to provide strong co-curricular activities. If we only relied on school fees, we would shut.

This is why we have an Endowment Fee; it provides a baseline, but it is not enough to sustain the required growth. We would not be able to build afresh, reinvigorate or develop our facilities. And we would not be able to offer educational opportunities to those who cannot afford them.

Tàlantach Scholarships There are three arms of philanthropy: bequests, donations and capital works.

In making a donation or leaving a bequest, you are contributing to a legacy. They

secure our future, making sure that the College continues to thrive and flourish.

Giving has allowed us to provide significant scholarships, including our unique Tàlantach Scholarships of 2020. Available to students entering Years 3–7 in 2021, Tàlantach enabled students of high academic ability to attend Scotch through a series of supported bursaries. This programme formed part of Scotch’s commitment to providing a world-class education to academically capable boys from all backgrounds.

The substantial scholarship recognised our founding values and desire to promote academic excellence and diversity. We are very proud to welcome almost 40 hardworking and talented students, thanks to Tàlantach and the generosity of our donor community. Scholarships like Tàlantach make a difference, not only in the lives of the recipients but for all. We look forward to the contribution that our new students will make to our community.

Philanthropy, drawn from Ancient Greek philos and anthrõpos, translates literally as a love of humanity or mankind. Thus, at its core, it means to benefit people that you do not know.1 In 2020, we established an Office of Advancement and Philanthropy, headed by our new Director of Advancement and Philanthropy, Kate Quinn. In doing this, we recognised that philanthropy is about creating a culture of giving, not simply amassing funds. Like its Ancient Greek root, it is about giving forward.

At Scotch College, we are proud to have a long history of generous benefactors.

From the pioneering Jane Alexander to the Gooch and Bunning families, to name just a few, giving is immortalised in our culture.

I think people often get derailed on this topic thinking that: “I’ve already paid school fees

Left to right: Captain of Boarding Brenton Macaulevy, Captain of School Joshua Ledger and Headmaster Dr Alec O’Connell at Friday Marching

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Jubilee celebrations at the Gooch Pavilion, 1954

Giving to the Gooch Visiting the great schools in the United States and England, I witnessed the entrenched culture of philanthropy and generational pride in giving that exists in those communities. For those communities, philanthropy represents making a commitment that extends far beyond your lifetime. And we see this at our College on the hill. The Gooch Pavilion is part of our vernacular – playing a game in its sight and marching past it in the annual graduation ceremony, March Out, forms the fabric of life at Scotch College. People tell us about the Gooch all the time, long after they have left the College. The Gooch originally opened in 1954 thanks to a donation by G G Gooch, who was a generous philanthropic donor to the College.

Giving leaves a legacy like no other. It is not a financial investment and should not be seen as such – it is emotional banking, not financial banking. You might put your money in stock and see dollar returns, and that is great. But after you have gone, after you have passed away, remember, people still talk about the Gooch.

The Gooch Pavilion has long needed refurbishment, and on Thursday 20 May 2021, we launched a new one-day digital giving campaign: Give to the Gooch. You might ask, “Why didn’t we knock the Gooch over?” After all, it is only a building. The answer is simple: our legacy and history make us what we are. They are something to be valued and protected. Revitalising the Gooch connects our current students to all who have come before and all who will come after. Since 2017, we have refurbished Memorial Hall, the Scotch Heritage Centre and Chapel, and are now looking to the Gooch and Boat Shed. These works all form part of our capital master plan. Our next planned facility will be one that can be used by all – students, Old Scotch Collegians and members of the wider community – and I very much look forward to sharing the details of this over the coming year.

that, for others, this is not possible. I want to reiterate; it is not about how much you give but why you give. There is still time to make your mark on the Gooch and, if you are interested, I encourage you to complete the included donation form. Scotch is a community for life, and I thank every one of you for being part of it.

In closing, let me remind us all that by giving we plant trees under whose shade we may never sit. Giving forward is recognising those who have already given – a legacy that has made us the College we are today.

Dr Alec O’Connell Headmaster

Thank you to all who gave to the Gooch on this inaugural giving day. We recognise and value your contribution to our school. Giving is relative and Give to the Gooch welcomed all donations equally, large and small. We appreciate that some families are able and willing to donate substantial amounts and Merriam-Webster, ‘Philanthropy’, Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary [website], https://www.merriam-webster.com/ dictionary/philanthropy, (accessed May 2021).

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Revd Gary van Heerden

Chaplain

The line in William Wordsworth’s poem My Heart Leaps Up – “The Child is father of the Man” – reminds me how often I daydream and escape into my past.

I am prone to remembering insignificant events, details and dates that others have long forgotten, and replaying conversations over and over. As we look back on how our lives have unfolded, childhood may seem like a distant memory. We hardly recognise our younger selves, particularly the younger versions of ourselves that we are less proud of. But the distinguished American writer, Joan Didion, warns against this: “I think we are well advised to keep on nodding terms with the people we used to be, whether we find them attractive company or not. Otherwise they turn up unannounced and surprise us, hammering on the mind’s door at 4am of a bad night.”1

Our younger selves have a way of reappearing when least expected. I like Didion’s idea that we should stay “on nodding terms” with the people we used to be, for the memories will come, but these memories should not be allowed to undermine our sense of self. In pastoral conversations with people over the years, I have heard many stories of regret, anger and bitterness over things that happened long ago. We have all said and done things that we regret, that we wish we could take back. Unacknowledged, our regrets, anger, bitterness can disturb us deeply, causing selfdoubt and wrecking our fragile calm.

In the context of our spiritual journeys, learning to befriend our younger selves can be very liberating. While sometimes being bearers of doom and gloom, they are also bearers of good news, reminding us of joyful experiences; of times when life held promise and was full of dreams. Embracing ‘the people we used to be’ can facilitate healing, acceptance and understanding, of ourselves and of others.

I Will Not Die an Unlived Life: Reclaiming Purpose and Passion [extract]

By Dawna Markova I will not live an unlived life, I will not live in fear of falling or catching fire.

I choose to inhabit my days, to allow my living to open me, to make me less afraid, more accessible, loosen my heart until it becomes a wing, a torch, a promise.

I choose to risk my significance: to live so that which comes to me as seed, goes to the next as blossom, and that which came to me as blossom, goes on as fruit.

1 Didion, J., 1968, Slouching Towards Bethlehem, Farrar, Straus and Giroux, United States

Left to right: Joshua du Sart (Pre-Primary) with his grandmother Nancy Harrod; Henry Finlayson (Pre-Primary) with his grandmother Kathy Finlayson; Fareeq Nor Arman (Year 5) with his mother Farydah Zawawi

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Mr Mark Paganin

Council

This time last year, Western Australia was in a totally different environment with a high degree of uncertainty and challenges arising from the impact of the pandemic.

Whilst many sectors are still suffering the economic impacts, there has been a betterthan-expected economic recovery. I start with that assessment because the Council minimised school fee increases to nominal levels due to the challenges in the Western Australian economy in the years leading up to the pandemic and the consequent impact felt by our Scotch families. During the pandemic, the Council also provided an 18.75% rebate on Autumn Term fees to reflect the offcampus learning period, originally predicted to last for the whole term, and the offerings that could not be delivered as a result.

Thankfully, the boys were able to return to campus in the second week of Autumn Term.

I also have great pleasure in congratulating Council member Roy Kelley on being recognised in the Australia Day 2021 Honours List as a member of the Order of Australia for service to education and professional associations.

The emergence of COVID-19 caused the Council to pause and reassess its Master Plan. Fortunately, the Mathematics and Commerce Building was already funded and officially opened in September. The Council, with the support of the Foundation, identified two iconic projects in need of refurbishment, namely, the Gooch Pavilion and Boat Shed.

Works have commenced on the Gooch Pavilion and are due for completion by midyear, whilst the Boat Shed works will likely commence this summer.

2020 Financials

The Council reassessed its strategy from our session in late 2019, factoring in the pandemic’s impact. We are progressing the revised strategy and anticipate that we will be able to update the Scotch community by the end of 2021. We will be including several learnings, resulting from the College’s response to the pandemic, particularly around online learning and delivering oncampus education.

We constantly review the collective experience and skillset of the Council to ensure they are relevant to the needs of the College. I am most pleased to welcome Martina Crowley to Council, who is also a Scotch parent.

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The Council is very pleased with the significant leadership appointments since last year with the renewal of our Headmaster, Dr Alec O’Connell’s tenure, the appointments of Peter Burt as Head of Senior School, Maria Hodges as Head of Junior School, Brad Gill as Head of Middle School and Dr Ian Anthony as Chief Financial Officer. We warmly welcome the new appointments.

The College finished the year in a solid financial position, having weathered the economic uncertainty experienced by all through a year heavily impacted by the pandemic. The Council acknowledges the ongoing support it received from the Scotch community, especially from current families in their timely payment of fees.

Tuition and Boarding Fees were significantly reduced, mainly due to the Council-approved fee rebate at the start of Autumn Term.

Additionally, the College refunded Boarding Fees for the period that students were unable to be in residence. Consequently, the overall income split shifted noticeably in 2020, with tuition and boarding income reducing to 71.2%, Government grants rising to 27.4% and other income remaining steady at 2.2%. However, with the Commonwealth Government’s new funding model, based on the taxable income of families with students at a non-government school, Scotch College will experience a major reduction in Commonwealth funding over the next few years, and the proportion of income from fees will again rise as income from Government funding falls.

Given the economic impact of the pandemic and the uncertainty it continues to cause, the College has worked hard to contain costs, seek operational efficiencies and ensure that the school’s mission-critical activities were appropriately funded. For each dollar of income received, 64.4% was spent directly on teaching or boarding, including salaries and curriculum-related expenditures.

Administrative and overhead expenses accounted for 10.1%, followed by interest at 8.9% and facilities at 7.3%, to produce an overall surplus of 9.4%, albeit on reduced overall income. This surplus was applied to fund capital purchases, refurbish facilities and make principal repayments on loans.

It is most pleasing that the 2021 academic year started with strong enrolments and new families entering Scotch College. We welcome each of those families and their children.

On behalf of the Council, I would like to recognise the continued leadership of our Headmaster, Dr Alec O’Connell, his Executive and all staff for their enormous commitment to enhancing the educational experience of our students and for the positive manner in which they responded to a disruptive year.

2020 Income Tuition and Boarding Fees

71.2%

Government Grants

27.4%

Other Income

1.4%

2020 Expenditure Teaching Salaries and On Costs

55.4%

Tuition and Boarding Expenses

9.0%

Administration and Overheads

10.1%

Facilities

7.3%

Interest and Depreciation

8.9%

Surplus

9.4%

Mr John Flecker

Foundation Over the decades, the role of the Foundation has changed subtly to remain in step with the College’s strategy and prevailing economic and social environment.

One thing that has not changed is the Foundation fulfilling its role as the safe custodian of any funds it receives, with the strategic, long-term support of the College at its centre.

That safe custodianship is delivered by a well-credentialed Board and an exceptional Investment Committee. All are wonderful volunteers, supported by Ian Anthony and Shadforth.

The Foundation is currently supporting the College through the following initiatives: • Providing principal repayment holiday to the College on a $5.5m loan for the completed Middle School building, given the economic constraints during 2020 • Providing a loan to enable the completion of heritage refurbishments and upgrades to the Gooch Pavilion and Boat Shed

• Provision of Foundation Scholarships • Applying funds from the Brinsden and Ackland Bequests to support staff development and leadership • Contributing funds to support the Office of Advancement and Philanthropy.

The Office of Advancement and Philanthropy, led by Director of Advancement and Philanthropy Kate Quinn, works closely with and is supported by the Foundation.

It manages any project-specific capital campaigns, with a dedicated campaign committee.

Initiatives such as capital campaigns and annual appeals raise funds for specific projects, not towards increasing Foundation’s funds under management.

The Foundation’s income derives from three main sources:

Endowment Fees Upon entering the College, all parents pay an Endowment Fee, which goes to the Foundation. This gives the Foundation a steady base income which it prudently invests to leverage growth of funds over time and enables it to support the College immediately through the initiatives mentioned

above. All current students benefit from the application of these Endowment Fees, paid by prior generations of parents, and future students will similarly benefit from Endowment Fees paid by current parents.

Investment Income Operating under a well-considered investment charter, the Investment Committee has a strong track record of delivering sound earnings from the funds invested.

Bequests Individuals can provide bequests with specific instructions for the funds’ application.

However, general bequests to the Foundation are encouraged as they enable the Foundation to grow its funds for the future support of the College, as appropriate at the time, entrusting the Foundation to be the safe custodian of those funds.

The Alexander Society was created to encourage and honour bequests. The Foundation, along with the Office of Advancement and Philanthropy, will be increasing our engagement in this area.

We welcome input and assistance on our Bequests Committee. Please contact foundation@scotch.wa.edu.au if you have an interest in participating.

Thank you for contributing to our online giving day on 20 May and ensuring the iconic Gooch Pavilion can be enjoyed by generations to come.

There is still time to play a part. Complete the included donation form and return it via the reply-paid envelope. All donations are tax-deductible.

To learn more, contact Director of Advancement and Philanthropy Kate Quinn on philanthropy@scotch.wa.edu.au or +61 8 9383 6832. reports | 7

Joshua Ledger

Captain of School At the beginning of the 2021 academic year, the Year 12 cohort designed a theme: Seize the Opportunity, Excel as One. With the vast number of events that occurred in this semester alone, it is safe to say the school has followed this effortlessly.

The academic year began with another brilliant March Out. These celebrations epitomise what our community stands for.

We see our leaving Year 12s march with their Houses for the last time and have the privilege of witnessing how much they care about their school as they reflect on their time at Scotch. We then celebrated the return of the old boys for Founders’ Day as they watched Assembly and took part in the Pipe Band once more.

In Summer Term, we welcomed the new Year 9 students to the Senior School. The nervous but eager group of boys had an unusual introduction into Senior School life, with COVID-19 sending WA into lockdown and forcing schooling online. The way both boys and staff approached this obstacle should not go unmentioned. We were all required to respond to the change quickly, and the positive and motivated attitudes possessed by all enabled a very smooth transition from in-classroom to online education.

Fortunately, the Year 12 Ball went ahead in the third week of term. The Italian Summer theme blew everyone’s mind, and I think I speak for all when I say the night will be remembered. Again, thanks to all the parents and staff involved in organising the night.

An event as large as our Ball takes countless hours of hard work; thank you for everything.

The 2020/21 Summer Sport season was one that I am sure brought a big smile to the face of our Head of Sport, Mr Foster. Scotch had huge success across all Sports, winning the Darlot Cup in Cricket, the Challenge Cup in Rowing and the Corr Cup in Tennis, with the boys celebrating an undefeated season.

The First Basketball and Water Polo teams had great seasons, placing second in the Inter-School competition. Congratulations must also go to those involved in Sailing, who placed second in the State Schools Team Racing Regatta. The Scotch Swimming team completed another very successful season, placing second at the Inter-School Swimming Carnival to continue their fantastic rise in

recent years. A huge congratulations to all the boys for their involvement in the Summer Sport season; the level of competition and sportsmanship was really pleasing.

Towards the end of Summer Term, respect for women and the behaviours displayed around and about women were under focus.

The website Teach Us Consent was created

by Chanel Contos and invited teenagers and adults to submit testimonies of sexual assault online. Respect and consent were discussed at Assemblies, in Chapel and in House Assemblies throughout the remainder of the term, focusing on identifying the types of behaviour that exist and emphasising that they are not acceptable. We have planned discussions for Mentor Periods in Autumn Term around this behaviour and language, which will take place following the Semester 1 examinations.

The first half of the year has been a memorable one, and I know that we are looking forward to Semester 2.

Jack Kampf, Pierce Davis, Cody Price, Curtis Sciano and Wesley Huang at the Year 12 Ball, photograph: Rift Photography

Senior students preparing for Marching during Scotch’s NAIDOC Week, photograph: Pixel Poetry

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Captain of School Joshua Ledger speaking at the Year 12 Ball, photograph: Rift Photography

Jarvis Banfield

Vice-Captain of School (Operations)

Ross House’s winning student basketball team and their competitors, the staff

This semester has been jampacked with House events, from soccer to chess to debating, seeing wonderful support and participation from students and teachers.

The year started with the very intense competition of Senior (Year 11/12) Basketball.

The entire gym floor and balcony was absolutely packed with supporters, creating an incredible atmosphere as the boys cheered for their respective Houses, loudly and proudly. After three weeks of spirited competition, Ross House secured the win.

They went on to play against an elite team of staff and again were victorious.

The high standards continued as the Senior Debating and Water Polo competitions started. A special mention to all those boys who were not overly confident with public

speaking or being in the water but took themselves out of their comfort zones and gave it a go, which in the end is what the Staff Trophy (House Competition) is all about.

In Senior Debating, the winning House was Cameron, who then debated against a team of teachers. The topic was ‘The Scotch haircut policy should be repealed’ with teachers on the affirmative side. With a lot of funny points made, the teachers took the win.

Look out for the infamous mullet in 2022!

It was great to have some new faces in Summer Term, as the Year 9 cohort joined the Senior School. They began the term with their first Marching, and with minimal preparation, there were a lot of ‘square-gaiters’ but in no time, the Year 12s taught them how to get it right.

The first Inter-House event for the Year 9s was Junior (Year 9/10) Soccer, which enabled them to experience the support, mateship and competitiveness of the Staff Trophy.

Junior Debating and Senior Chess followed, and the term was in full swing.

The major Inter-House event of Summer Term was the Inter-House Swimming Carnival. The event was supposed to take place in Week 2 but was postponed to Week 8 due to a COVID-19 scare. It was a great event and ran smoothly. Congratulations to Anderson House for winning the Carnival and receiving the MacKinlay Cup for the very first time since it came into existence in 1971.

At the end of Semester 1, the top three Houses on the Staff Trophy ladder were: 1. Anderson 2. Brisbane 3. Alexander The 10 House Vice-Captains of Operations have all been incredible, organising teams and ensuring the events ran smoothly.

Thanks to all the staff and students for their involvement, and we look forward to all the highlights of Semester 2. reports | 9

Simon Arnott

Vice-Captain of School (Service) Service is always an avenue that is hard work yet rewarding, and this has continued to be the case in Semester 1, 2021.

After welcoming and settling new Year 12 students into their respective House Service roles, we had an eager group willing and wanting to make a start. The first term of the academic year saw Houses get ready for their House and school-related Service events, offering All Abilities Cricket and Soup Kitchen on respective afternoons.

The notable Cameron House fundraiser took place and saw groups of wizards, bananas and princesses take the field in a game of soccer which was intense yet comedic, with Anderson House named best dressed and the overall winners of the competition.

In our major event of Spring Term, the Uniting Christmas Appeal, Houses were given Christmas trees to decorate and place non-perishable goods under. Overall, the event was a significant success, with cans of

food blocking entry to the Campbell House reception. Over a thousand cans and nonperishable goods were collected for those in need during the holiday period.

Summer Term saw the school hold the inaugural Service Day, an opportunity for the Vice-Captains to choose a cause and theme and run an event designed to raise money and awareness. The chosen theme was ‘Water Safety’ with proceeds going to Royal Life Saving WA. Before the event, we were fortunate to have the CEO Peter Leaversuch speak with students about water safety and awareness in both metropolitan and rural Australia, presenting staggering statistics for the boys to reflect on. The event entailed a slip-n-slide, ‘bombie’ competition and sausage sizzle, providing a great atmosphere on the top oval.

Ross House Year 12s dressed as wizards for the Cameron House fundraiser

Jim Allan (Year 12)

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Lewis Castleden (Year 12)

The main event for Summer Term was the annual World’s Greatest Shave. The boys could shave their heads and raise money for the Leukaemia Foundation, with the eager Year 12 cohort quickly signing up with a total that grew each week. The Shave took place in the final week of term at Presbyterian Ladies’ College, with 134 boys and two staff members participating and raising a total of $80,700.27. We raised the most money in Western Australia, the most of any school, and placed fourth out of the whole of Australia for money raised. This would not have been possible without the boys’ willingness to be involved and the donations provided by friends, families and the Scotch College community, so thank you.

Jim Allan

Student Council

Ferguson House marching on Santa Hat day

The 2021 Student Council, comprising a representative from each House and supported by the Staff Representative, first Mr Jones and later Ms Spanbroek, set out to improve the daily life and culture of the College.

A focus for the first term of the academic year was GRIT Week. Standing for ‘Growth Resides in Trying’, the aim was to encourage boys to embrace failure and develop a more constructive mindset. During GRIT Week, the Student Council ran Mentor Period activities that tested the mental resilience of boys, such as puzzles and quizzes, teaching them about the value of resilience and grit within a familiar setting. Lunchtime activities, including juggling and cornhole tossing, introduced the

practice of grit in a physical setting, which saw great participation from all the boys.

Live Music Monday, a staple of the Student Council, returned, featuring songs focusing on failure and disappointment.

Near the end of the term, the Student Council organised Christmas-themed activities to refresh the boys’ lives around the school as the holidays approached. The Council introduced Santa Hat Marching on the final Friday Marching of the year, with all boys donning a Santa hat as they marched.

The festive spirit was carried forth into the Christmas Free Dress Day, where each boy wore Christmas colours to school. The day was accompanied by karaoke performances of Christmas-themed songs at lunchtime, with Mr Jones and Josh Ledger’s performance of Wham!’s Last Christmas, a clear crowd favourite.

We held Pi Day on 14 March, where boys attempted to rattle off as many digits of the infamous number as possible. Our eventual winner was Kanwal Singh (Year 12), who was able to name an amazing 55 digits! We also ran a House Spelling Bee with the winner from each House competing in a highly contested final. After a tough battle, James Walker (Year 11) secured the win.

The year 2020 was Mr Jones’ final year at the College, leaving the Student Council after six years as the Staff Representative, with Ms Spanbroek taking up the role. We greatly appreciate the work Mr Jones did behind the scenes, and we would like to thank him for his service to the Student Council and wish him well in the future.

The new year brought a fresh term for the Student Council, where we ran several lunchtime activities and competitions. reports | 11

Mrs Cara Fugill

Teaching and Learning The Power of Three Although the power or rule of three is well recognised in everything from writing and speech making to basic patterns in mathematics, its meaning in this article relates to the College’s three sub-school structure that has distinct and measurable benefits for our boys.

The teaching and learning needs of a sixyear-old are vastly different to an 11-year-old, and five years on, there is an even greater leap to those of a 16-year-old. At Scotch, we have designed our teaching and learning programmes to target relevant learning milestones whilst being cognisant of the physical and emotional developments that are occurring concurrently.

In Junior School, boys are active, hands-on learners who do not see the world in discrete disciplines like Science, Mathematics, English and Humanities. They want to make meaning of the world and benefit from a curriculum that ties the world together, allowing them to harness their curiosity with purpose. Similarly, learning at this age should engage our children whilst placing a greater emphasis on understanding. Although building memory skills are still important, without a solid basis of understanding our children cannot place their new learning into useful memories.

Therefore, learning can seem disjointed under a traditional model. Under the International Baccalaureate’s Primary Years Programme, students learn through units

Year 6 students with their iPads

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of inquiry that combine disciplines into one central idea, taught in a way that encourages student agency and skill development.

An example of this in action is our enhanced model of inquiry offered in Year 2 that allows our boys to explore important aspects of the curriculum away from the school desk. Beach and River School takes learning into the local community and teaches Science, Humanities, Literacy and Mathematics by asking students to explore ‘big ideas’ such as ‘Who we are’, ‘How we organise ourselves’ and ‘How we share the planet’. Seven-year-old boys benefit from experiencing learning as creative, curious, physical learners who can make meaningful connections when provided with the opportunity to interact with the world around them. This inquiry model offers both group work and a hands-on component that fosters important social and thinking skills, influencing the way they problem solve into the future.

In Middle School, boys benefit from a more complex structure that includes greater subject specialisation whilst still finding crosscurricular links. It is important that, as early as Year 6, students are forming good habits that improve their ability to self-manage and act independently. From age 11 to 13, peers play an important role in establishing their sense of identity. They can feel awkward or challenged by their own behaviour and need a strong pastoral model to help them navigate these challenging times. As such, the Middle School is designed to grow independence whilst allowing boys to do this away from young men who have already passed through this stage.

Our Middle School teachers specialise in either Humanities and English, Mathematics and Science, or in the other areas of specialty, such as the Arts, Languages, Physical Education and Design and Technologies. In the classroom, boys still need to be physical, interactive and allowed to explore concepts through rich discussions or collaborative partnerships. The inquiry model encourages thinking and research skills to develop academic independence but uses plenty of group work to promote

communication and social skills to enhance personal capabilities. There is a greater emphasis on boys receiving feedback and making actionable goals to take responsibility for their learning. In addition, more subjects are on offer so students can try different disciplines, helping them uncover talents and understand how they can harness their potential.

By the time our young men hit Senior School, it is evident they have a firmer grasp on who they are and how they can employ the skills developed in their earlier years of education to find academic success. By now, their self-management strategies have refined, and they can make personal choices about how they learn best, using feedback to guide them. Teachers build content knowledge with students at a rapid rate, tying together new with prior learning to deepen students’ understanding. With this in mind, our Senior School employs teachers who are passionate and knowledgeable about their discipline.

In Years 11 and 12, we offer a great deal of choice through the three pathways (IB Diploma, WACE ATAR and WACE VET) to prepare our young men for the multitude of career pathways they may take. We recognise by this stage, learning may look considerably different depending on the individual needs of each boy. As such, the variety on offer helps to maintain each boy’s interest in learning and encourages every boy to design a pathway that is both academically rigorous and leaves many options open for them post-secondary school.

Through years of education that instils independence, our young men leave school having learnt to think critically about the world around them, ask relevant questions, act socially, communicate with meaning and manage themselves in a way that promotes their skills and talents. A boy’s journey to becoming a young man is complex and everchanging, as is the role of the teacher and each sub-school who makes the journey with them.

Mr James Hindle

Wellbeing

Over a year has passed since the COVID-19 pandemic began. In that time, we have entered a new period where, from now on, we will need to live with periodic pandemics.

We will be more conscious of the risks of viruses, such as COVID-19, but hopefully also more aware of what is wonderful in our world.

In the May 2020 edition of Clan, I asked what we had learned from our brief lockdown.

I indicated then that it was too early to tell and, as a student of history, I still hold to that opinion – we know that the lessons from events often take a long time and a keen eye to reveal themselves. Perhaps the lockdown here in the west, and our isolation, means that we have not been pushed to learn much or behave differently. Rather than learning new things, it is more likely that we have been reminded of forgotten truths.

The greatest disappointment is that we may not have learned much at all; that we have simply resumed normal transmission. Talk of slowing down and appreciating life more, putting less emphasis on those things we used to consider important and more on the little moments of joy and wonder in each day are still things we need to translate into daily behaviour. We must keep reminding ourselves of the benefits of the physical presence of other human beings in our lives; taking some time for ourselves, particularly to spend in the natural world; and recognising that disruption and disappointment are a part of life. Sometimes, all we can control is how we respond to circumstances.

an electronic version. The journal contains mindfulness-related information and activities, with different questions each day designed to get students thinking about the good things that have happened in their lives.

Human beings have an in-built tendency to focus on the negative (particularly when we are tired), keep an eye out for danger and remember when things go wrong. This is called ‘negativity bias’, and it is a selfpreservatory mechanism from a far more dangerous time, many thousands of years ago. The journal is designed to counter this, to some degree, and studies have shown that writing about positive experiences builds grey matter in the pre-frontal cortex and enables us to develop a more optimistic attitude and get more out of life.

Mindfulness We have continued to emphasise the benefits of mindfulness and meditation. I remain hopeful that learning these skills will become standard (if not mandatory) in all schools within a decade. We have opened our weekly Brain Reset sessions to Years 10 to 12, in the hope that students will appreciate the benefits and become comfortable with these skills at a younger age, recognising the usefulness of these when their lives become more pressured. We ran mindfulness meditation for Year 10s on a Friday afternoon and are

looking to incorporate an extended block of this activity into the Year 10 Community Service programme. We also ran the same activity for Year 9s at the end of Summer Term and will be building Wellbeing into the Year 11 Cognitive Curriculum in the latter part of Autumn Term. Mindfulness continues to be used by our Junior School teachers during their Pastoral Care time. In Middle School, we will be running another Yogi-in-Residence programme in Autumn Term and working on a new Wellbeing programme to be a part of the timetable in 2022.

Respect We always aim to demonstrate the importance of respect in all we do, particularly our Pastoral Care systems and Wellbeing programmes. The national conversation around consent, which has dominated the first part of this year, is a crucial reminder of the need for us to regularly revisit this topic, within our school and our families. We must ensure that we live with respect for ourselves, others and the planet. This message is a key element of the Keeping Safe Child Protection course, which runs in Junior School, and is delivered right through the school. We hope it is delivered most powerfully by the way we treat each other daily. There can be no substitute for kindness as a guiding tenet to shape what we think, say and do.

Wellbeing Journal The pandemic was the catalyst for our own unique Wellbeing Journal, which we rolled out to Year 9s at the start of Autumn Term.

Middle School boarders will soon use the journal as well, while we are also developing

Alexander Haynes (Year 2) with Year 12s James Holtham and Max Avon-Smith at the Year 2 & 12 Breakfast

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Teacher Feature Senior School

Junior School

Mr Rowan Knight

Mrs Rebecca Turkich

Began in 2014

Began in 2011

English Teacher

Year 4 Teacher

How did you end up at Scotch, and what do you do here?

How did you end up at Scotch, and what do you do here?

I joined Middle School as an Educational Assistant, working with Academic Support and a wide range of teachers and students.

At the end of the contract, I was offered the opportunity to teach English in the Academic Support space. From there, I migrated to Senior School with the graduating Class of 2019 and continued as their English Teacher throughout Senior School.

Having spent time raising my three young children, I was looking for a return to the classroom. Fortunately, a part-time position in Academic Support arose, and I was the lucky recipient. From here, I went on to teach Year 3 and now Year 4 in the Junior School.

If you weren’t a teacher, what would you be?

I honestly don’t know! Bored, perhaps? I’ve wanted to be a teacher since I was about five years of age, following in the footsteps of both my mother and father who, respectively, taught Mathematics across Western Australia and internationally and Pharmacy at the University of Western Australia.

What’s the strangest thing that’s ever happened in your classroom?

If you weren’t a teacher, what would you be?

Putting pen to paper and weaving tales is something I enjoy, so it would be every kind of wonderful to be a writer or journalist.

What’s the funniest thing that’s ever happened in your classroom?

Every day delivers plenty of laughs when surrounded by young lads, but the funniest thing occurs during Assembly preparation time!

Every boy volunteers for the female roles; they love dresses and wigs, and their theatrics are simply hilarious!

A baby owl had somehow made its way into my class and was hooting up quite a storm – the boys were chastised for their silly noises before we discovered our stowaway. The rest of that period then became a crash course in ornithology. We got the little fellow safely back into the gardens surrounding Senior School.

School can be stressful. How do you keep calm?

School can be stressful. How do you keep calm?

What do you get up to outside of Scotch?

I remember why I’m here: the students. Their humour, gregariousness and genuine eccentricity never fail to bring a smile to my face.

Time with family is my favourite! In our busy lives, we make a point of coming together for Sunday night dinner, where a delicious feast is mandatory. I also have a dress-up box that may be considered enviable (or questionable), and I enjoy any excuse to dress in theme!

What do you get up to outside of Scotch?

My wife, also a teacher, and I are passionate gardeners, readers and adopters of rescue animals, most notably, rabbits.

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I’ve long been a believer in the theory that energy begets energy; the more you do, the more you feel like doing! Swimming and running are my pursuits of choice, and so I begin every day with one of these feats, which keeps me healthy and calm.

Mr Sam Sterrett

Enrichment

How do we best serve our academically gifted students at Scotch?

“Step 1 is simple,” according to Dr Scott Barry Kaufman, Scientific Director of The Imagination Institute at the University of Pennsylvania and author of the bestselling book Ungifted: Intelligence Redefined. Schools need to ensure there is “a significant range of opportunities beyond the mainstream curriculum for gifted students to be able to find and develop their unique strengths and passions”.

On any given day at Scotch, there is an almost dizzying array of academic enrichment taking place beyond the classroom. By my count in Summer Term alone, boys from Pre-Kindergarten to Year 12 were involved in over 40 opportunities including a multitude of competitions, clubs and multi-disciplinary broadening courses, such as Integrative Thinking.

Author of The Boy Who Played with Fusion, Tom Clynes, goes one step further, highlighting that: “those whose abilities are identified early and who are given support to develop their talents are the ones most likely to grow into the creative, high-achieving adults who transform society, advance knowledge, and reinvent modern culture”.

To ensure students are identified, we have appointed a new Enrichment Leadership Team, consisting of Jeannette Weeda (Literacy), Oscar Burke (Numeracy) and Steve McLean (STEM), who join our Middle School and Junior School Enrichment Coordinators (respectively Gabriel Hodgson and Alison Webster). Their aim is to support every boy to fully pursue his talents, whether that be coding apps in our STEM Start Up Club or Gothic literature in The Raven, our quarterly student magazine.

Offering a breadth of opportunity beyond the classroom is only one of several factors that help us optimise the environment for our most advanced learners. As world-leading educational researcher, Yong Zhao, notes “students are diverse and have different

Henry Townes (Year 12) with Year 4’s Olivier Bedel and Elijah Little in Connect to Create; Year 11’s Winton Messina, Sean Palmer, Lochlan O’Brien and Fletcher O’Connell in Studio Scotch

levels of abilities and interests that may not align well with the content they are collectively supposed to learn in the classroom”. Adding to this diverse landscape, this year we welcomed an exciting influx of almost 40 talented and hard-working students through the Tàlantach Scholarships.

Effective differentiation is key to ensuring all our students receive a daily challenge in each lesson. As such, we are very fortunate to have educational consultant and Director of the Australian Association for the Education of the Gifted and Talented, Kylie Bice, embedded with the College this year. Kylie is currently working closely with staff across the Junior School to further enhance their classroom differentiation.

The Enrichment programme is increasingly characterised by unique and exciting collaborations between our sub-schools and cross-campus collaborations with Presbyterian Ladies’ College. Made possible by the versatility and infectious curiosity of our Scholar in Residence, Akram Azimi, boys are now engaging in Introductory Philosophy courses across Years 3–8, designed to foster intellectual curiosity and expansive thinking.

New initiatives such as Connect to Create, in which Year 12 International Baccalaureate Diploma students design and lead projects for like-minded Year 4 students, aim to further promote and embed the practice of mentorship and service within the programme – two values that underpin our programmes and are vital to our students’ healthy emotional and social development.

We recognise that having unusually pronounced gifts and talents are often coupled with real challenges including, at times, debilitating levels of perfectionism and anxiety. Furthermore, we understand that intellectual gifts can be accompanied by a kind of asynchrony or mismatch between cognitive, emotional and physical development in other areas. Therefore, it is vital we continue to offer a flexible, caring approach to the needs of every boy and their unique learning pathway. To this end, we are fortunate to be partnered with world-leading experts in the social-emotional development of gifted students, the Nueva School in Menlo Park, Silicon Valley. This is one of many by-products of our six-year collaboration with the Stanford Pre-Collegiate International Institutes – a partnership that has offered invaluable and innovative strategic directions for the programme.

We look forward to another exciting year ahead as boys develop a lifelong love of learning and pursue their many passions.

Clynes, T., ‘The “rage to master”: What it takes for those scary-smart kids to succeed, Salon.com [digital media outlet], 13 June 2015, https://www.salon.com/2015/06/13/ talent_practice_luck_all_of_the_above_what_it_takes_for_the_ gifted_child_to_succeed/ Kaufman, S. B., Ungifted: Intelligence Redefined, New York, Basic Books, 2013 Weir, K., ‘A new kind of smart’, Monitor on Psychology, vol. 46, no. 8, September 2015, p. 58, http://www.apa.org/ monitor/2015/09/smart Zhao, Y. and Watterston, J., ‘The changes we need: Education post COVID-19’, Journal of Educational Change, vol. 22, 2021, pp. 3–12, https://doi.org/10.1007/s10833-021-09417-3

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March Out On Friday 16 October 2020, our Class of 2020 marched out. This longstanding tradition symbolises both their journey onwards, leaving behind their school years, and the many steps they have taken as a class and a community.

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Opposite page: (foreground) Mitchell McVicars, Gianni Kain, Thomas Lynch (Year 12) and Nicholas Verryn with the Pipe Band; Students shaking hands; 2020 OSC President Michael Silbert (OSC 1979), 2020 Captain of School Charlie Bevan, Head of Senior School Peter Burt and Headmaster Dr Alec O’Connell; Tyrelle Monado (right) and Zaide Moxham (left) embracing Current page: Mitch Williams (Year 7) sitting in the crowd; Stuart House marching; James Rex fist bumping Headmaster Dr Alec O’Connell; 2020 student leaders handing over to the 2021 leadership; George Lewin and Liam Howgate in the Pipe Band Photographs: Derren Hall

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Mrs Maria Hodges

Head of Junior School Scotch Odyssey Pastoral Care is of the highest priority at Scotch, and it underpins all we do in the Junior School to ensure our students’ wellbeing is nurtured and supported.

The relationships between teachers and students is key in facilitating self-esteem, social skills and ensuring our children feel valued and safe. In turn, this leads to the best holistic approach to academic, social and emotional growth.

Recognising and praising children when they have made a great choice is one way we acknowledge effort and build confidence.

For example, we want to acknowledge and reward children when they are persevering, demonstrating effort or resilience in a situation, or supporting a friend.

The Scotch Odyssey is an initiative that works to reinforce these skills and encourage children.

Jax Jayasinghe and Reid Warrick (Year 3) on their way to collect their Fergus stickers in their diaries

Embarking on an Odyssey Meet Fergus. He is new to Scotch Junior School this year, and he wants to take his new Scotch friends on an odyssey throughout Scotland to discover the amazing land of the Scots.

Boys can journey through Scotland by working hard inside and outside the classroom to earn paw-print stamps in their Junior School diary from Fergus. Each time they earn six paw prints they arrive at the next destination on the map.

Fergus and I add a sticker to the boys’ diaries at each destination.

There are 15 destinations in the Odyssey and thus 15 stickers to collect.

Those who complete the Odyssey can travel to Headmaster Dr O’Connell’s office to receive a very special treat, entrusted to him

by Fergus.

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Nature School: Year 2 “Play is what happens when children are propelled by a desire to know and understand, or by the thrill of attempting to transcend their previous limits.” — Bob Hughes This year, an exciting new programme has become a permanent fixture in the Year 2 curriculum: Nature School.

Each week, the Year 2 cohort explores the beach, river or works in nature spaces on campus.

The Nature School programme is a rite of passage for our Year 2 boys in their final stage of Early Years (PreKindergarten to Year 2). Several international studies have shown that learning in a natural environment helps improve information recall, focus and attention, executive function, fine and gross motor skills, creative problem solving and creativity. The environment is seen as the third teacher and provides rich, authentic opportunities for learning. Moving learning outdoors expands children’s sense of wonder and encourages their imagination and inquisitive nature.

Each week the boys focus on the five habits of learning.

The five habits incorporate collaboration, imagination, persistence, inquiry and discipline. After an outdoor session, the boys reflect on the habit they used the most. Outdoor learning develops children’s social-emotional regulation and enables them to have positive feelings about each other, their learning environment and a sense of ownership and responsibility to nature. Importantly, outdoor space gives children a real sense of independence, allowing them to develop naturally and safely.

We encourage parents to volunteer at our river and beach sessions. Observing their child using the five habits of the mind has helped parents at home.

“Since going to River School, I now give my children more independence and ownership of things they do at home.

They are more capable than I ever thought they were.

River School has taught me to sit back, watch and allow my children to take risks.” – Gemma, Scotch parent Mrs Fiona Alexander and Miss Rebecca Sayers Year 2 Teacher and Year 1 Teacher

Top: Year 5s (front row) Alexander Rogers, Jaxson Lee, Benjamin Roberts, Oscar Seaburne-May, Magnus Wilson, (back row) Lachlan Gillett, Eli Rigg and Aahaan Ohri Right: Year 5s at Moray Camp

Moray Camp: Year 5 Year 5 is the final year of the Junior School at Scotch. To help mark the importance of this final stage, the boys experience their first camp at Moray, Scotch’s Outdoor Education Centre in Dwellingup.

The camp is a wonderful way for students to spend time together as a Year 5 group, getting to know each other and their teachers in a completely different setting. For some boys, this event is their first time staying away from parents, or it may even be their first experience of sleeping in a tent! Whether an experienced camper or not, each boy gains several important skills ranging from building independence to challenging their physical fitness, to fostering and strengthening friendships. As part of relationship building, the boys are grouped into three teams and work together to solve problems and play games throughout the camp. They are partly responsible for running the camp, including setting up for meals, cleaning up shared spaces and setting and packing up tents.

The experience begins with a symbolic entry, walking along the Bibbulmun Track into Moray. Not only is this a great physical activity, but it also enables a rich experience of the bush, seeing nature up close with stops along the way to appreciate the local wildlife and flora. The boys go rafting on Lane Poole Reserve and complete an Amazing Race. For the latter, they work in small groups to complete activities at different checkpoints; climbing a rock wall, carting water, crawling through mud and fitness stations, and finally, orienteering with an introduction to using compasses to find clues and solve puzzles.

Woven throughout the camp are opportunities for mindfulness, reflections on overcoming obstacles, practising gratitude, stargazing and quiet time to think in nature. One of the best parts of camp is seeing boys away from their devices, connecting face-to-face and engaging with the natural world. Boys delight in pushing through their perceived limits, whether conquering a bout of homesickness, completing push-ups, getting dirty in the mud or completing the long walk.

Finally, the camp allows the boys to just be kids! There is time to play, socialise, let out all the energy, be outside, and time for fun!

Years 2s at Beach School

Mr Andrew Wells and Miss Renae Cirillo Year 5 Teachers

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Music E V E R Y D AY

Scotch College has an excellent classroom Music programme, featuring a unique application of Kodály, Orff and Dalcroze concepts of Music education in the Junior School.

Sho Tanaka (Kindergarten)

Our Sing to Learn programme, in particular, provides deep learning opportunities for Kindergarten and Pre-Kindergarten students.

The programme is based on research that identifies the benefits of daily music instruction. Daily music study has a positive impact upon regular schooling outcomes, as it enables the development of highly flexible, focused and skilled minds.

Sing to Learn offers students music experiences on a daily basis. Not only is it beneficial for students’ musicianship skills, but it also enhances their spatial understanding, literacy skills and numeracy skills. Many scientific studies have found that music education can directly impact brain development by: • Improving cognitive function, • Helping memory systems to work, • Helping us to learn a language, • Moderating our emotional states, • Solving complex problems, and • Helping our brains to be healthier later in life.

In recent years, there has been a significant body of research conducted by neuroscientists exploring the impact of music on brain development. Neuroscientists found that the structures and functions from musicians’ brains were quite different from that of non-musicians. Their studies showed that not only did their brains look different from but they also functioned more effectively. Scientific studies demonstrate that music education stimulates three areas of the brain at once: the auditory, visual and motor cortices.

Between the two hemispheres of the brain, there is a bridge (corpus callosum), which allows messages to travel. Neuroscientists identified that musicians have a much larger bridge, and the messages that travel between the two hemispheres move in more creative pathways and at a much faster pace.

Their studies revealed that musicians have high levels of executive function (a set of mental skills used when solving complex

problems involving logical, conceptual, strategic and emotional elements), highly developed memory systems and can solve problems and puzzles creatively and effectively. Neuroscientists discovered that the general cognitive capacity is raised for any student who participates in music education. According to their research, the greatest gains can be made for students who undertake regular music activities before the age of seven.

Music education is a core part of the national curriculum. At Scotch, we believe that Music education is essential for every child, which is why we will continue to expand our programme offerings for all Junior School students.

Mrs Angela Paunoski and Mrs Jennifer Sullivan Music Teacher and Music Curriculum Coordinator

Left to right: Kindergarten’s Ethan Blackburne, Chase Young and Zach Lee; Pre-Kindergarten enjoying Music Every Day; Lukas Frame, Stewart Palassis and Joe Whiston in Kindergarten with Mrs Angela Paunoski

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Mr Brad Gill

Head of Middle School As Cyclone Seroja crossed the Western Australian coast, I commenced my first day at Scotch College. Unlike Seroja, my arrival came without fanfare or, thankfully, the threat of destruction to property and human life.

The day was wet and gloomy, and as I looked out my office window, I thought that this was quite the auspicious arrival – usually, the calm comes before the storm, not during.

Day two commenced with my first Pipe Band performance. You will come to know that I am easily distracted, so the lure of six musicians walking past my office and heading to the Playing Fields was just too much to pass up.

So, at 8.30am on Tuesday 13 April, I followed these young men and found a quiet seat on the touchline of the Rugby pitch to watch my first performance as the Head of Middle School.

There is no better time to start at a new school than during a holiday period, even more so when commencing after a term of the new year has concluded. Because of the work of Gareth Williams, Pina Giglia and the Middle School team, there is little to do as I wait for the return of staff and then the boys who will fill our classrooms.

I would like to sincerely thank Gareth for the generous support he has offered during my transition, and Pina and Rebecca Kennington for their preparation for my arrival. I would also like to publicly thank Headmaster Dr O’Connell, the College Executive and the Middle School staff, for allowing me this wonderful opportunity.

So, a little about me. Yes, the rumours are true: I am an Old Guildfordian – but I did always think I would look good in tartan, and I returned my best bowling figures in a 10A’s game of Cricket on the Scotch Playing Fields, where the First XV now play.

So, I have always had a fondness for Scotch (the College, that is).

As an educator, this is even more true as I have a strong pedagogical alignment with the International Baccalaureate and a staunch commitment to inquiry learning as a model of best practice. I am also an advocate of middle schooling and have spent time working in Japan, the United Arab Emirates, United States and here in Australia in Kindergarten to Year 12 independent schools, all of which had a clear middle school.

What excites me most about this opportunity is the prospect of making our Middle School distinct. We already have so much to be proud of and I look forward to supporting our staff to continue to provide the exceptional level of experience currently enjoyed by your sons and, adding to that, the very best of forward-focused, authentic learning that prepares our boys for life.

I am excited to be joining this amazing community and equally excited to get to know our staff, your boys and you. I look forward to seeing you on campus, and hope, should time permit, that you take a moment to introduce yourself when the opportunity next arises.

Head of Middle School Brad Gill with Year 6’s Austin Griffin, Foxx Douglas, Lincoln McIntosh and Jasper Levy

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Mr Gareth Williams

Acting Head of Middle School The beginning of Summer Term was like no other that has gone before when Premier Mark McGowan announced on Sunday 31 January that we would be entering a full seven-day lockdown.

What a way to start a new year! We very quickly got up to speed; with a monumental effort from our IT department, teaching staff, parents, 200 new students and all our returning students, we were ready to take on the challenge of online learning by Thursday of Week 1.

In Summer Term, the key focus is relationship development. This was challenging through an online platform, however, the online period provided boys with the opportunity to meet their Homeroom Teacher, classmates and subject teachers over two days, with the emphasis very much on getting to know you.

When we returned to school on Monday of Week 2, I was greeted at the top of the Middle School steps by confident, smiling and reassured boys who had in many cases overcome the trepidation of starting a new school. In our year cohort meetings that week, each year group was set the challenge of being the best year group there has ever been and at the core of the judging criteria were kindness, respect and care. Boys were encouraged to speak to someone they did not know; to include new students in their recess and lunchtime activities; to greet each other in the morning; and to treat others with kindness and respect. The boys really took up the challenge, as reflected in the number of excellence awards achieved for displaying these attributes and qualities throughout the term.

The term was soon in full swing. Parent Information Evenings and Homeroom Teacher interviews spanned Weeks 3 to 5, and Year 7 Moray Camps took place, highlighting the value and importance of Outdoor Education as a vehicle for delivering transition and

The Inter-House Swimming Carnival champions Robert House

22 | middle school

relationship-building outcomes. Having spent time with the boys at Moray, I gained firsthand experience of the lifelong friendships and bonds being developed.

The Year 8 Community Project commenced with a launch in Week 2, and boys are in the process of working collaboratively in groups to deliver projects that provide a service to the community.

The highly anticipated Swimming Carnival finally took place in Week 9 in much cooler conditions than normal, with Robert House taking out the trophy in another tight contest.

Jack Ashby (Year 7) set two new records in Breaststroke and Backstroke, Xavier Smith (Year 8) in Breaststroke and Freestyle, and Chris Nathan (Year 8) in Butterfly. In the relays, Year 6 Gordon House and Year 8 David House set new records to cap off an amazing day in the pool.

The Middle School moves into a new chapter under the stewardship of Mr Brad Gill, and I would like to wish him all the very best as he and his family begin their journey at the College.

An action-packed Swimming Carnival

Outdoor Education Scotch College’s Moray Outdoor Education Centre is the heart and soul of the College’s Outdoor Education programme. At Moray, students get to experience personal achievement, self-fulfilment and develop citizenship in a communal living environment. During Summer Term, Moray hosts the Year 7 programme.

As part of the Year 7 programme, the boys built on their outdoor skills, participating in many activities including canoeing, raft building, rock climbing, crate stack, orienteering and cooking. A central focus for this programme, and throughout their Outdoor Education at Scotch, is environmental stewardship and helping others succeed.

Rock climbing, crate stack and canoeing are always a crowd favourite for the boys as they encourage and push each other through new exciting comfort zones.

For some boys, this camp is the first time they have had to cook for themselves, and most were very pleased and proud of the delicious dishes they created.

This experience and interaction have assisted the boys in building a greater appreciation and sense of custodianship of the natural world.

The boys experienced a wide range of activities run by Wardandi Elder and artist Viviane Brockman and her daughter Wardandi artist and custodian Mitchella Hutchins. Activities included ochre painting, learning how to play the didgeridoo and listening to Dreamtime stories.

Ms Katelyn Guy and Mr Rhys Holdman Outdoor Education Teachers

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Mr Peter Burt

Head of Senior School Personal Excellence One of the attributes we focus on at Scotch is personal excellence and the importance of striving to be the best you can be in all areas of your life. Personal excellence does not depend on comparison with others; it is about producing your best in any given situation, striving to be better than last time, every time. With this, there are obviously times when we do not meet those levels or standards, where we fall short of our hopes or expectations, but where some of our greatest learning takes place.

We all have different strengths and areas that we need to focus on in our development, and to do this, we need the strength of character to acknowledge these, and the discipline and courage to challenge ourselves. This is not always easy to do, but a supportive environment helps, created by a student’s peers, teachers, parents, guardians and our community.

At Scotch, we work hard to build an environment where students feel challenged but supported. Where they have the opportunity to put themselves out there and learn from their mistakes and experiences, without feeling judged or being criticised for trying something new; for going beyond their comfort zone.

In his 2019 TEDx Talk, Jason Patera, Head of School at The Chicago Academy for

Left to right: Richard Walton (Year 12); Jim Allan (Year 12) in the Senior Inter-House Debating Final

24 | senior school

the Arts, discussed how some educators measure personal excellence using standardised test scores as their sole gauge. He queried why this was more important than a relentless pursuit of excellence in an area that an individual is passionate about. He argued that we find our “best selves” by doing this, and the skills that we need to thrive in our world are central to this pursuit.

However, he also reflected on the things that hold us back from this: “we rarely feel like we are living our best lives because… we avoid taking the risk for fear of failure and embarrassment.

Unfortunately, we don’t know what this feels like because we listen to the voice in the room or in our head that says, we can’t do this”.

The University of Houston Research Professor Brené Brown has investigated the challenges that life throws at us, big and small, and the importance of embracing these experiences, even when we feel vulnerable. Accepting this vulnerability and managing the uneasiness that comes with it is important for our growth as individuals.

“Maybe in that way, bravery becomes a practice and feels less scary. But I think, I know for myself, every time I’m being brave, I feel scared,” Professor Brown said.

We ask our boys to step up and take a chance, challenge themselves, try new things and support each other in doing

the same. We know that this will make many boys feel nervous, vulnerable and concerned about how others may see them.

For this reason, it is essential that the school environment is encouraging and supportive, where success and failure represent learning experiences and where the boys can build upon their resilience with each new challenge. A great example of this was GRIT (Growth Resides in Trying) Week, introduced last year. It enabled boys and staff to share different experiences and try new activities, with a focus on involvement and learning as we go. ‘Failing’ in many of these pursuits was central to the learning that took place, and this was embraced by our community.

While we work hard to make our school environment a supportive one, we also know that in society, unfortunately, there are those who are willing to pass negative judgement on others, and this can often become quite personal. Professor Brown shared her thoughts on this: “There are millions of cheap seats in the world today filled with people who will never once step foot in that arena…But they will make it a full-time job to hurl criticism and judgment and really hateful things toward us. And we have got to get out of the habit of catching them and dissecting and holding them close to our hearts. We’ve got to let them drop on the floor.”

This advice is simple but, for many of us, it can be difficult to implement. There are times when we may not want to put ourselves out there, to feel exposed but, to grow, we need to build our resilience and experience our lives to the fullest.

At this time of year, we have students engaged in examinations, the Drama production, Debating, Winter Sport and Outdoor Education experiences ahead, to name a few. Individuals will approach these experiences in different ways, and they will feel challenged in various aspects of these activities. This is important for their growth and experience, but just as important is the supportive environment in which they operate.

Brisbane House practising for their performance

Preparing for Friday Marching

Year 9 Rottnest Camp

Pastoral Care Summer Term is always an opportunity for new beginnings. Whilst our Academic Year in Senior School starts in Spring Term, Summer Term always arrives with an air of excitement, hope and possibility, as we welcome our new Year 9 students to the Senior School.

As they don their new House ties, they become initiated into the Senior School’s unique traditions and rites of passage: learning to march, Friday morning Assemblies, Rottnest Camp and competing in the Staff Trophy events. The Senior School journey starts on day one in the Dickinson Centre, where the captain meets the freshfaced arrivals and leads them to their House meeting to meet the Year 10s, 11s and 12s.

This seemingly unnoteworthy activity is not merely about showing them around the campus but is the beginning of the many important and rich relationships that they will make.

Developing relationships is the central focus of Summer Term, and our connections are important in forming a sense of belonging.

In 1938 Harvard University began a study, which continues today, 83 years later, with 60 of the 600 men still alive and participating.

The study’s findings are conclusive: good relationships keep you happier and healthier in life. Social connections to family, friends and the community are really good for us.

People with good connections live longer lives. Good relationships protect our brains, not just our bodies.

The study identified what a meaningful relationship looks like. Honesty and trust are crucial, open communication takes place, conflicts are managed, and all parties place a high value on the relationship.

Professor Donna Cross of the Telethon Kids Institute goes one step further. Her research suggests that social competencies are central to students’ optimal development and the relationships they develop, not just with their peers but with older and younger students, play a critical role in this development. Our vertical House system is structured to facilitate the development of relationships built on respect and trust.

Through Mentor groups, Inter-House competitions and chats by the lockers, younger and older students get to know each other. Younger boys look to the older boys for guidance and support, and our older students learn the importance of looking out for others, developing patience, empathy and compassion. All boys develop their understanding of mutual respect and how to navigate conflict and challenging situations.

captaincy speech, they reference the captain from when they were in Year 9. With awe in their voice, they describe the influence the Year 12 leadership group had on them and the esteem in which they still hold them.

Scotch recognises that developing social competencies and building relationships is not always easy and that, in any community of over 700, conflict is inevitable. Hence the importance of the relationships that are fostered within, and indeed by, our House system.

So, as we look to Autumn Term, the campus will seem more familiar to the Year 9s, as will the beat of the drum as they march past the pipes shoulder-to-shoulder with their House.

Whether it is the conversation as they fall out from marching or delivering a speech to their House, we believe every interaction allows each boy to benefit from the diverse talents of the students around him, developing his sense of self, confidence and belonging.

Ms Kate Webster-Blythe Acting Deputy Head of Senior School

Each year, without fail, as the Year 11 Leadership students give their House

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The Humanities Remain Strong at Scotch Australian Geography Competition State Prize Winners Daniel Cooper (Year 12) and Quinn Arundel (OSC 2020)

In Western Australia, Humanities or HASS (Humanities and Social Sciences) is a broad range of disciplines that include Geography, History, Politics and Law, Accounting and Finance, Economics and Business Management.

The learning area has been in the news of late, most notably last year when the Federal Government unashamedly announced that Australia does not need more humanities graduates. In passing contentious laws, it slashed the price of STEM-based courses, whilst ramping up some of those within humanities.

By changing laws to deter students from studying humanities, our elected officials have effectively labelled the learning area as less important. The problem is, many business leaders are now concerned that younger workers cannot think for themselves, ask questions, explain what they think or turn ideas into actions.

Humanities promote all these skills and more. According to the Academy of the Social Sciences in Australia, two in three CEOs of ASX200-listed companies have a

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degree in the social sciences. Seemingly, the humanities are important in developing skills beyond a laboratory and should be seen to complement STEM to provide a more complete education.

At Scotch, the subjects within Humanities remain a popular choice for students.

The number of Year 11 and 12 classes have remained stable, and in some cases increased, despite a statewide decline in some subjects. Effective teaching is evidenced by many subjects consistently appearing in the ‘top schools’ list published by the School Curriculum and Standards Authority each year. Our teachers continually refine programmes to promote authentic and relevant learning experiences for our students. For example, this year, we are incorporating a financial literacy programme into Year 9. Humanities students at Scotch

are capable and competitive and consistently achieve outstanding results within the WACE and International Baccalaureate programmes.

If one interpretation of the humanities is the study of what makes us human, then this includes not only how we have lived, but what shapes our thinking and how we choose to live. If young people want to pursue a career in an area that genuinely makes a difference to the world we live in, they should consider the humanities.

Mr Matt Hildebrandt Curriculum Leader – Humanities and Commerce

Mr Jordan Owenell

Boarding

Scotch Boarding has had a fantastic start to 2021. There is a real vibrancy around the community, and our new structure is working well.

The term certainly got off to a strange start in our first week. No sooner had we concluded our orientation weekend for our new boarders on Sunday, than Premier Mark McGowan announced the COVID-19 lockdown, and we asked all our boarders to return home!

Thankfully the boys were all back on deck in week two and raring to go.

At the start of this year, we realigned our boarding houses more closely with our sub-schools. We now have two distinct residences for our boys, a Middle School Boarding House for boys from Years 6 to 8 and a Senior School Boarding House for Years 9 to 12. We have divided Senior School Boarding into two ‘clans’, with each having boys from Year 9–12. We have named our Clans after two of Scotland’s most famous castles, using the symbolism of castles to represent boarding. Our two Clans are Stirling and Blair, and I urge our community to look up the history of these wonderful Scottish

castles. Old Scotch Collegians would be familiar with a vertical boarding system from back in the days of Brisbane, Anderson and Keys Houses and, I am sure, could appreciate the friendly rivalry that comes out of it. We have been able to strike up a new trophy for our Clash of Clans competitions normally held on a Friday night or Sunday afternoon, alongside a barbecue, throughout the term. These competitions are organised and run by the Year 12 boys, and, so far, we have enjoyed mini golf, volleyball and indoor soccer. The atmosphere for these friendly competitions is always good, and the staff have enjoyed being able to step back and watch the older boys lead the way.

Regarding Middle School Boarding, we have been very excited about our new refurbishment project in the Middle School House. The living space is transforming into a more open-plan space, which will be incredible for our boys. We are also rebuilding our downstairs bedrooms to slightly increase our capacity and provide a more modern facility. The building project is set to conclude in July, and the boarders will move into their new home in Winter Term.

I have thoroughly enjoyed getting out on the road and visiting families in their local communities. It is one of my favourite aspects

Scott Galipo at the Katanning Agricultural Show

of the role, and I encourage all current families and Old Scotch Collegians to keep an eye out for when we are visiting an area near you. Headmaster Dr O’Connell and Richard Hales recently made Scotch’s annual trip to Albany, visiting families and celebrating our Year 12s completing their Bibbulmun Track journey. I recently visited Manjimup and Frankland River and look forward to visiting families in the Wheatbelt, Pilbara, Mid West and Kimberley in the coming months.

Our boarding families in the Mid West and Wheatbelt are particularly in our thoughts in the wake of Tropical Cyclone Seroja, which has affected so many.

Left to right: Vice-Captain of Boarding Darcy O’Halloran (Year 12) and the boys from Stirling Clan celebrate their win in the mini-golf competition; Year 8s Nicholas Chi and Campbell Johnston with Mr Seb Crossley in the Middle School Boarding House

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Middle School boarders on their first day of school

This year in the Boarding community has been very different from past years.

We have decided to go with a totally different structure and have shifted the Year 9 boarders into the ‘big house’.

We now have two Clans, led by Mr Mellor and Mr Hales. James Holtham is the leader of Blair Clan, run by Mr Mellor, and Darcy O’Halloran is the leader of Stirling Clan, run by Mr Hales.

Mrs Mia Sullivan with Year 7s Jack Smith and Oliver Keamy in the Middle School Boarding House

We wish our community all the very best in recovering from the cyclone’s damage and hope that this year’s seeding and harvest have not been too adversely affected, not to mention the damage that has been done to properties. Please reach out to the College if there is anything that we can do to help.

I also want to make a special mention of our international boarders. Some students in our boarding community have been unable to visit home since January last year and have shown incredible resilience to be away from their family for so long. I feel for the parents who have been unable to see their sons. One small token that we have been able to do this year is to celebrate Chinese New Year as a boarding community and hear from some of our students about their home life and traditions. This was an initiative from a couple of our students themselves, which was fantastic to see. We invited our local Chinese community members to a special dinner and presentation – a real highlight of last term.

I would like to formally extend my gratitude and support to our international families.

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Finally, I am excited to announce that we have recently appointed a new Indigenous Student Programme Coordinator. Mr Micheal Spratt joins us, having spent five years at Wesley College helping to facilitate their programme. Micheal is a former boarder himself and recognises the challenges that many of our boys face living away from home and the wonderful opportunities our College offers boys from regional areas. Micheal is a fantastic young man who will make a significant impact on our programme and in the lives of our young Indigenous students.

I thank our staff for all the work they do to enrich the lives of our boys and the countless hours they put into their work. We have a great boarding community at Scotch, and we look forward to exciting times ahead.

The Boarding leadership group has been putting in a lot of work for the boys to have the best experience possible. So far this semester, we have held a lot of fun activities and games, not only by ourselves but with fellow schools so the boys can build a better connection with peers and people from other schools.

Events included a Chinese New Year dinner, barbecues with Presbyterian Ladies’ College, quiz nights and more.

However, the most interesting activities would have to be the Clash of Clans events, which take place between the two Clans. So far, we have had three clashes, with mini-golf and soccer going to Stirling Clan and, more recently, volleyball, which was won by Blair Clan.

This year so far has been amazing and will only get better as it goes on. The younger boys now feel more aligned, closer and more comfortable with the older boys.

This is what we wanted, as it builds a better connection between the younger and older years and highlights how inclusive we are as a boarding school.

Brenton Macauley Captain of Boarding

Co-Captains Zavier McGillivray & Tom Lynch

Basketball

The Scotch Basketball season began long before the first game commenced. Thanks to Head Coach CJ and Assistant Coach Alex Wood, we played multiple scratch matches against the Perth Redbacks’ Western Australian Basketball League teams.

At this point, the team did not know each other as well and these tuneup games really allowed us to bond, getting to know our strengths and weaknesses.

By the time the first game rolled around, we had already been training for weeks. Coming up against one of the better teams in the first round, Aquinas College, was going to be tough. Although we showed effort, a lack of execution saw us defeated. On the bright side, the only way now was up. We looked around at each other after the game, and I think we all knew that the rest of the season would be different.

In the next few games, we built up momentum getting hard-earned wins against Wesley College, Christ Church Grammar School and Guildford Grammar School. In these games, we really came together – our fitness level was possibly the best in the league – and we were winning on grit and outrunning teams.

Trinity College was next, and we were ready. It was close all game, but in the last quarter, we banded together and hunted the boards, which gave us the edge in the end. Now, with a 4–1 record, we were set to play Hale School, a team with a similar record.

Hale had a tall squad which meant that our boxing out and defence was crucial. By half time it was close and emotions were running high as we began to get under their skin. An inspirational speech from CJ and Woodsy at the half gave us the drive we needed to continue to fight. A few cheeky charges taken by Maxx Della Franca saw us gain the momentum to take it home. We finished victorious 64–48 and concluded our first half of the season with a 5–1 record, giving us second place on the ladder.

After the first week was cancelled due to COVID-19 restrictions, the boys were eager to get back, having trained throughout the holidays.

The first game against Wesley saw a big win, giving us momentum to take on Aquinas, a top of the table clash, with only a two-day break.

A gruelling game against the then-undefeated Aquinas, with the season on the line, saw the Scotch boys exchange hit after hit.

With Aquinas up by five points with two minutes to go after trading buckets for most of the fourth quarter, a huge three-pointer from Tim Imison (Year 12, Ross) set the scoreline to only two points.

Scotch and Aquinas traded scores for the rest of the game until the buzzer, with Aquinas winning, 64–62.

As much as the loss cut deep, we were adamant that we would not drop a game for the rest of the season in hopes that some other team would knock off Aquinas. With the boys full of energy, Scotch remained undefeated with a final record of 10–2 and second place in the Blackwood Cup. While we did not get the fairy-tale ending that we would have liked, it was a great final season for all the Year 12s, leaving everything on the court.

Scotch vs Trinity College, photograph: Thomas Campbell; First’s Taye Barlow playing Aquinas College, photograph: Tiarna Rose; Scotch vs Hale School, photograph: Tiarna Rose

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Captain Nicholas Paganin & Vice-Captain Alexander Melville

Cricket

The 2020/21 Cricket season was another successful one, culminating in a memorable Darlot Cup win for the First Cricket team on the season’s final day.

Scotch enjoyed reasonable success throughout the Years 7, 8, and 9 teams. Scotch fielded eight teams and played a positive brand of cricket. The Year 9A team had an outstanding season, with some exceptional performances.

Congratulations to Max Hampson, Charlie Robinson, Alex Donald, Jonathan Gattorna, Gabe Reynolds, Tom Harris, Ethan Kerr and Alex Hudson, who received their respective coaches’ awards.

Senior Cricket was a rewarding one, with over 50 boys taking part.

The Second, Third and Fourth teams played very competitively, with the Fourths showing significant improvement. They were led admirably by veteran Jim Allan, who received the coaches’ award for his efforts.

A big thanks to Graeme Walter for ensuring these boys got the most out of their season. The Thirds built good momentum, winning their last few games. Congratulations to Oscar Bird on his coaches’ award and for the way he led the team.

Under the guidance of Steve Malaxos, the Seconds finished the season strongly, beating Guildford Grammar School and Christ Church Grammar School in their last two games. Congratulations to Banjo Harold on receiving the Seconds’ coaches’ award.

The First XI began their successful 2020/21 campaign by welcoming six new players. Scotch battled with consistency in the 50-over format of Spring Term and only managed two wins: emphatic victories

Ned Gaffey (Year 12) celebrating his maiden Darlot century

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Rory King (Year 11) in full flight

against Aquinas College and Christ Church. At the end of the term, we were in fifth position, 15 points behind leaders, Wesley College.

The traditional two-day Darlot format of Summer Term gave us an opportunity to get back in the hunt. Scotch was solid in the batting department, with significant scores of 300 and 355. A crucial clash with Wesley was vital, however, Scotch lost this fixture, which severely dented our Darlot aspirations.

The following week against a strong Hale team, the boys defied expectations and put on a terrific bowling display to defend 170.

This victory instilled confidence, and we won our next two games against Trinity College and Guildford.

Heading into the final round against Christ Church, Scotch needed an outright victory and for Wesley and Hale to lose to have a chance of winning the Darlot. A near-impossible task.

As fate would have it, everything went Scotch’s way; we defeated Christ Church by an innings and eight runs and Wesley and Hale both lost. The outright victory gave Scotch a total of 23.21 match points, moving us ahead of Wesley by a mere 0.04 points – a terrific achievement and the closest finish to a Darlot season in recent memory.

Congratulations to the First’s Benjamin Melville who received the best and fairest award and Alexander Melville who received the coaches’ award.

We would like to thank all coaches and parents for their unwavering support during the season. To all the boys, well done on a great season and for showing outstanding commitment and an exemplary attitude. Scotch Cricket is in good hands, and we wish you all the best for the future.

Ben Champman (Year 12) on his way to a fine 71 against Trinity College

Captain Ben Scott

Rowing

This year the Boat Club took home the Challenge Cup, with the First VIII winning the annual Public Schools Association Head of the River.

Pre-season training kicked off in late August, and while the October camp in Albany saw great technical progression from all crews, Spring Term presented many challenges. Numbers were slim, and results were not ideal, but the seniors went off to the December camp in Ravenswood hungry for improvement. The momentum found here was carried over the summer, and all crews entered the January camp intending to make big strides in their performance.

The cancellation of the first regatta and the week-long lockdown at the beginning of Summer Term was not an interruption as much as it was an opportunity. Keen on getting that extra edge over our competitors, the seniors engaged in virtual training, joining live streams to complete sessions at home that otherwise would have been done in the boat. Empty sidelines and different racing times created an unusual atmosphere for the following regatta.

The rowers were quick to adapt, and the First VIII moved from the back of the field in Spring Term to winning by 0.46 seconds at the second regatta.

For the next three regattas, spectators witnessed some of the closest racing in the history of the PSA First VIII competition. The Firsts continued to get out of the blocks quicker than the competition but were unable to come away with another win before the big day.

Speaking with the crew on the night before the Head of the River, Coach Bill Hutton predicted how the race would be won: “us by a boat length and a half”. How the crew managed to win by two will be discussed for years to come, but the boys got the job done, and it was truly memorable.

The success of the First VIII was a testament to the hard work of all the Rowing staff and the tough competition from the Second VIII every training session. What was particularly inspiring was seeing how the younger boys embraced the many challenges thrown at them. Being right on the numbers in the Year 9 and 10 divisions, Year 8s were called on to step up to fill places in the Year 9 division, and the Year 10s demonstrated their own ability to stick with the front runners. These signs are indicative of a promising future for the Boat Club.

Top: Rowing 1st VIII featuring (front row) Year 12’s Terry Zhou, Lachlan Bowen, Sam Dyball, Jack Hendricks, (back row) Ben Scott, Hudson Wheeler, Sebastian Salt (Year 11), George Johnston and George Purser

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Captain Harry Williams

Sailing

The Scotch College Sailing Team trained well throughout the season with numerous new team members improving each week.

Leading into the States, the team were one of the favourites to take out the trophy in 2021, as the event was cancelled the previous year. Scotch entered two teams into the 2021 Secondary Schools Team Sailing State Championships.

The regatta started slowly with a delay, while the wind was yet to be seen on the course, leaving the sailors frustrated on the shore and keen to get racing. After the first day of qualifying for the finals, the First VII secured the top spot, leading into the second day with six wins out of our seven races, while the Second VII remained in eighth position.

Left and top right: Scotch’s Sailing teams competing in the Secondary Schools Team Sailing State Championships. Bottom right: Daniel Bower (Year 12) fist bumping a Shenton College student

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The second morning of the regatta brought some stronger winds, in which the Scotch teams thrived, with both teams managing to secure more race wins. As the qualifying round came to an end on the second day, the First VII extended the lead on top ready for finals, while the Second VII climbed their way up into seventh place, unfortunately missing out on the final’s series.

Unfortunately, the Firsts struggled in the light winds of the afternoon finals, racing against Christ Church Grammar School in the grand final, and came home with the silver medal. The Scotch teams finished second and seventh overall in a great regatta done by the boys. We have lots of new talent in the squad, which will be great to see in the coming years of the programme.

A big thank you goes out to our Team Manager Mr Watson for organising all the training and events and to coaches Andrew Briggs and Adam Brenz-Verca for all the work they put into the team throughout the season, helping the boys’ progress.

Co-Captains Ruan Van der Riet & Nicolas Le Page

Swimming

Scotch’s path to success in the Public Schools Association Swimming Competition has continued into the 2021 season. The depth of this team has grown exponentially over the past few years, a continuation of Jesse’s strong leadership.

The boys’ commitment was their greatest attribute and led to our success. To see countless boys turning up to train, in addition to the hard effort and focus that accompanied their loyalty to the team, was truly inspirational.

I paraphrase Mr Doney when I say this, the “guts” of the boys to put themselves out there and compete proudly for the College.

On the behalf of the Year 12s in the team, we can definitely say that the 2021 PSA Senior Swimming Carnival was a night that will not be forgotten. We were extremely impressed by the sheer volume of cheering emitted, even with no assigned cheer squad. It is a testament to the team’s culture and attitude that, despite coming short of the win, we still cheered and celebrated the loudest and proudest of all.

In the end, the enormous number of boys training led to the formation of our strongest team in recent decades. And it showed on the night, not just in swimming, but the leadership demonstrated by the entirety of the Year 12 group. Due to COVID-19 regulations, we were unable to have a cheer squad present, so certain students took it upon themselves to form a cheer squad and really get around the boys racing; the other schools quickly followed suit.

Thank you, particularly to the staff and parents for this season. It is no coincidence that since Ryan Steenkamp began as the Head of Swimming last year, the team has improved significantly. Although he is an incredibly humble individual, he deserves recognition and praise for the excellent job he has done in the last two years. Thank you to the assistant coaches Thurston, Bella and Jesse for helping out Ryan, and ourselves, in managing such a big team of boys.

A big thank you to the parents as well, they really stepped up to the challenge this year in supporting the boys. Although they could not be at the venue to cheer us on, none of our success would be possible without your support.

What really stood out to me was not the winning, but the determination of every boy in every race. One memorable moment was watching the Under 15 division’s two-medley relay when this Scotch boy swam his heart out to just touch out the Hale School boy next to him. These are the moments which differentiate us, Scotch boys, from the rest: the determination and,

Finally, to the swim team of 2021, we cannot thank you enough for making it such a memorable year for all the Year 12s. We are sure that the College’s Swimming success will continue under the leadership of Ryan and the assistant coaches far into the future. We look forward to seeing what is to come for the team.

Left to right: Jack Ashby (Year 7) in 50m Backstroke Division 1; Alexander Riley (Year 7) competing in Medley Relay Division 2; photographs: Thomas Campbell

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Captain Ryan McConkey

Tennis

With a strong team full of talent and tremendous depth, the boys knew our potential and were eager to make their mark as one of the top teams in the Public Schools Association, continuing Scotch’s rich history as a successful tennis school.

The season commenced with the appointment of Mr Matt Bradley as the new manager of the First VIII and the addition of another highly skilled coach, Scott Webster (OSC 2013), working alongside Jack Dowland (OSC 2013) in his final year as coach. This created a fresh and competitive environment at training leading up to the season, fueling the boys’ hunger for victory.

The team’s strength was evident early on with 24–0 victories against Aquinas College and Wesley College in our first two fixtures. Round 3 came around quickly with a home game against Christ Church Grammar School – a clear threat to us. To everyone’s surprise, Scotch thundered over Christ Church with ease, taking out the fixture 23–1, with a display of quality tennis and great performances from the whole team. The remainder of the Spring Term fixtures were convincing clean sweeps, winning all and losing no more than three sets to any school.

At the commencement of this year, Scotch was the team to beat.

The fixtures were announced, and the Christ Church game was set for

Left to right: Oscar Warner (Year 11); Ryan McConkey (Year 12); Wesley Huang (Year 12); photographs: Thomas Campbell

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the final round, meaning the boys had to continue to work hard, test each other and sharpen their skills. Subsequently, the team enjoyed dominant performances against Aquinas, Wesley, Trinity College, Guildford Grammar School and Hale School.

Coming into the last round, Scotch had already secured the Corr Cup, but we were determined to complete the season in a proper fashion. We knew it was going to be tough, and Christ Church put up a tremendous fight. However, we proved our strength, taking out the day 16–8 and claiming the Corr Cup in great style with an undefeated season that was one to remember.

This fantastic season was the product of a great Year 12 leadership group with Will Hudson as Vice-Captain, ably supported by Max Weir, Sam Gray and Wesley Huang, who effectively strengthened the culture for the younger boys: Jacques Creighton, Austin Prendiville, Jurie Terblanche, Ben Walsh and Oscar Warner. As a team, we must extend our gratitude to the coaches Jack and Scott and the manager, Mr Bradley, for their support and commitment towards the team, which played a vital role in our success.

Scotch’s successful Tennis season was seen not only at the First VIII level but throughout the lower teams. Both the Second VIII and Third VIII teams were able to finish the season in a convincing manner, only losing a total of two fixtures. With very strong performances across all levels of Tennis, it is clear that the College can look forward to building upon the success experienced during the 2021 season.

Co-Captains Bailey Thomson & Cody Price

Volleyball

With an extraordinarily close Western Australian Schools Cup victory to kick off the pre-season, spirit and morale were high from the group coming into the opening games of the Public Schools Association season.

The season started with the introduction of many new boys to the First’s team, coming from other divisions or returning to Volleyball after some time. With the team not having played many games together, and thus lacking some team chemistry, we found it a bit challenging to get started. After a few close losses to some impressive teams from Aquinas College, Hale School and Wesley College, we found our foothold with our game against Guildford Grammar School, showing off our significantly improved skills and game sense, along with the chemistry we had built.

Lewis Crump with a pass back to the setter Connor Christensen

Throughout the Summer Term, after some progressive holiday training, we put up more of a fight to the other schools.

We managed to get to five sets against Christ Church and maintained parity with the top team, Hale, for the sets, only losing grasp in the final moments. I must thank both our Manage Oscar Burke and Coach Matt Hennig for holding us together through the tough season, and both being the first down at training and the last to leave. They both dedicated considerable hours to helping us improve as a team, from individual skills to team cohesion.

To the parents, thank you for the arvo pick-ups, watching a few games and overall support. It was very much appreciated. Looking back on the season, from our first scratch match against Hale (our first game as a team) to our final game against Christ Church, or our last game against Hale, it is really quite impressive to see how far we have come as a team. We look forward to seeing the coming Scotch team grow and put up a fight to the top schools.

The Volleyball Seconds team celebrating a win against Christ Church Grammar School

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Captain Will Marshall

Water Polo

This year, Scotch Water Polo experienced different measures of success, with the major improvement being the camaraderie amongst the team and players.

Having come off a Dickinson Cup-winning season, many of the older boys were determined to go back-to-back, with the team embracing the difficult challenge ahead. With an abundance of experience both in school and club water polo amongst the players, we knew that we were in with a good chance.

First up was the hardest game of the season: taking on the renowned Aquinas College. After our brief one-week period of pre-season training, we were in the pool once again. Unfortunately, despite our best efforts, our excitement got the best of us, with the team falling short by four goals due to lack of composure and poor defence.

Despite losing this first match, the boys held their heads up high and continued to train and play in a manner which represented the school proudly. The next two weeks saw Scotch win two games by just one goal each, thanks to grizzly veteran Fraser Davis scoring a last-second goal against Wesley College and star player, Tom Simich, scoring a cross-cage shot in the dying minutes of the Christ Church Grammar School game to get the team over the line.

The remainder of Spring Term saw Scotch defeat Trinity College, Hale School and Guildford Grammar School, with the team going into the break with just one loss.

Due to our best friend COVID-19, the team could not reunite until the second week of Summer Term, where we played Aquinas College first up once again. In what was the best game of the season, Scotch narrowly lost, with Sam Lodge being an unstoppable force in goals and Rory White displaying an array of difficult shots in attack.

In the same fashion as the previous term, Scotch finished off the season with just two losses to Aquinas, ending up in a healthy second place.

Despite not having won the cup, this season displayed what we were really trying to achieve as a team. As consistently referenced by our coach, it did not matter whether we won games or not, what mattered was that we walked away from every game proud of our efforts. And, as a player of this team, I can say that we achieved that together.

A large thank you must go out to Mr Tresise, who coached and managed us throughout the season, as well as Mr Foster who put our fixtures together and Dr O’Connell who came down to just about every second game.

Top and middle: Will Marshall (Year 12) Bottom: Rory White (Year 12)

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Ms Yasmin McDonald

Archives

Bruce Baxter Bruce Baxter (OSC 1957) donated textiles, photographs, letters and books, including a Scotch tie pin, kilt pin, thistle pin, Cadet cap and Pipe Band brooch with an inlaid stone. The 1954 images feature the Pipe Band at an Anzac ceremony, Bruce playing the pipes in full kilted regalia and a portrait of him as a 16-year-old student.

The donated booklets included a 1954 royal visit programme, fees booklet, song page and Junior School concert card invitation.

Letters relating to registration acceptance, enrolment and the fete were also donated.

A character reference letter, written by Headmaster Maxwell Keys on 16 December 1957, states that Bruce is of an excellent character. At the time, character reference letters were essential documents for leavers to take to employment and university entrance interviews.

Gary Cotterell Gary Cotterell (OSC 1956) donated two photographs, including an early 1900’s photograph of Guy Taylor (OSC 1904) taken at the Clarke and Son Photography Studio in Perth. Guy is pictured in his Cadet Officer regalia during his final years at the College, with the image most likely taken in his leaving year. The second hand-printed image depicts the 1919 Football Team XVIII, featuring Gary’s father Sydney Vavasoush Cotterell (OSC 1920).

John Booth John Booth (OSC 1957) donated an extraordinary collection of photographs and books from his time at Scotch.

This comprehensive collection features large black and white prints of the 1954 and 1956 Athletics Team, 1955–57 First Football Teams, 1956 Air Training Corps and Navy Sea Cadet officer display, 1956 and 1957 First Cricket Teams, 1956 Prefects, 1957 Adelaide Football Tour and 1957 Boarders Librarians. Old Scotch Collegians (all 1957 graduates) Stuart Munroe, Alton Jackson, Bill Robertson, Neville Davis, Patrick Moore and Harvey Barnett are featured. John also donated a very old photograph of the 1923 Rowing Crew IV, featuring Gavin MacRae (Tom) Bunning (OSC 1927) (cox), Cliff Gregson (OSC 1923) (stroke), Henry (James) Branch (OSC 1925) (2), Howard Reilly (OSC 1923) (3) and Melville Sheppard (OSC 1924) (bow).

Top: 1954 Athletics Team Middle: 1957 Cricket First XI Team Bottom: 1956 Football VIII Team’s PSA match against Guildford Grammar School

Glenys Dickinson ​ lenys Dickinson donated a 1920’s G photograph of Gertrude Murray, former Music Teacher at the College, and mother to Arthur Murray (OSC 1911), Glenys’ grandfather and greatgrandmother, respectively. Glenys also gifted a 1925 school prospectus, given to Gertrude as a staff member.

Far left: Geoffrey Guy Taylor (OSC 1904) in his Cadet uniform Left: Former Music Teacher Gertrude Murray, c.1890s

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Archives Jill Griffiths Jill Griffiths generously donated a range of objects, including books, uniforms and photographs belonging to her father David Stewart (OSC 1938). David’s images feature close friends Wharton Gaze (OSC 1940), Kenneth (OSC 1940) and his brother Frank Sounness (OSC 1939) posing on the top oval in blazers and wide-legged cream slacks. Lunchtime scenes of Senior

School buildings with easterly glances offer the viewer a sense of congregational spaces outside the classroom. The 1938 images depict the newly completed fence lining Shenton Road, the senior dormitory and an incredible view of David and his fellow First VIII winning the Head of the River with thousands of Western Australian spectators cheering on. Seven antiquarian books dated from 1926 were donated, featuring the curriculum of the day – Mathematics, Chemistry, Science, Trigonometry and Physics – along with David’s blazer and Colours braid for Shooting and Rowing.

Peter Larsen Peter Larsen (OSC 1975) donated his burgundy woollen school blazer and grey winter suit, which he wore during his College days between 1972–75.

Robert Lilley Robert Lilley (OSC 1996) donated textiles from his time at the College, including a school jumper, caps, football jersey and school jacket featuring the Scotch College crest.

Allen MacKinnon Allen McKinnon (OSC 1963) donated 13 Reporter editions from his schooling years, from 1959–68, and editions of The Raven from the mid-1990s, along with a PSA historical booklet. Allen also donated Scotch College centenary programme and dinner booklet invitation, dated June 1997.

1938 Rowing First VIII Crew winning the Head of the River

Geoff McMullen Geoff McMullen (OSC 1956) donated 60 photographs from a breathtaking album created in the mid-1950s during his final years at school.

The collection comprises never before seen photographs of Geoff and his friends throughout the senior campus, including classes run by Peter Cowan, Ray Gamble, Mr A L Jenkinson, Mr Crocket, Don Thomas, Mr Gray, Mr McLeod, Mr B Massey, Mr Dry, Mr Ruse, Mr W Dancer and Mr A W Mac Murchie, as well as the school fete, South West bike tour and boxing matches, surrounded by collegiate spectators on the top oval. The carefully crafted images capture Geoff’s natural talent as a photographer, offering glimpses into the daily running of College.

A set of mischievous photographs feature Form 6A students making their way to Wesley College to return their re-fashioned flag. The 1956 Reporter documents: “There was the midnight flag raising after the football disaster, also the ‘Inters’. In some strange manner, known only to the men of 6A, the Wesley flag disappeared just before the mile event. It was next sighted fluttering with the Scotch pennant from the verandah of Peter Butterworth’s (OSC 1956) house”. The blackboard of 6A states: ‘Who did this? We don’t know’, written in chalk next to the hanging flag. Antics of the great flag heist are well documented at every stage, with a concluding image of it dressed up with a Scotch-crested pin and tie surrounded by the many smiling faces of Form 6A. 38 | archives

Top left: Band drummers at Northam Cadet Camp Top right: 1956 Rowing Crew First IV at the University of Western Australia’s Boat Shed Bottom: 1956 Form 6A with the Wesley College flag

Head of Rowing Grant Ford with Brad McMeikan (OSC 1976) donating his grandfather William McMeikan’s (OSC 1915) handmade oar

A 1915 letter by an unknown boarder

Brad McMeikan

Walter and Elisabeth Pidgeon

Peter Plaisted

Brad McMeikan donated a handmade rowing oar belonging to his grandfather William McMeikan (OSC 1915). The oar, hand-painted in maroon and gold, features William’s weight and position in the crew, school crest and states: “Challenge Eight Crew Race, Second Rower 9st 6lbs, W R B McMeikan, Scotch College Winners, Eight 1915”.

Walter (OSC 1956) and Elisabeth Pidgeon donated six videos highlighting 1990’s Pipe Band displays, featuring their sons Cameron (OSC 1991) and Andrew (OSC 1993). Their accompanying textile donation includes a tartan kilt, belonging to Andrew, and a knitted woollen football jersey belonging to Walter, who played matches between 1954–56. A 1955 PSA Head of the River programme was also donated, along with a very old letter written by an unknown boarder named Jack. Addressed to his mother, the 1915 handwritten ink quill letter asks about home and talks about Masters enlisting in World War I, as well as reporting on class, sporting matches and the happenings at the Boarding House. Jack signs off with a loving statement “I remain your loving son Jack”.

The letter has been handed down in the Pidgeon family, and likely belonged to Nanna Eve Pidgeon, mother to Bob (OSC 1955) and Walter, who had many friends with sons at the College.

Peter Plaisted (OSC1963) donated two antiquarian books from 1928 and 1936, respectively. The first book, English Composition by E E Kitchener, belonged to Old Scotch Collegian J C Bartlett (OSC 1933) and was signed by Headmaster P C Anderson. The book had a second life, handed down to Ernest (Jack) Matson (OSC 1939). Surprisingly, after a second glance inside the front cover, a wonderful portrait of Ernest is revealed. He is featured in his new winter school uniform out the front of M Block. This amusing photograph of Ernest was most likely placed there to eliminate any loss or misplacement of the book, as he has firmly written his name ‘Jack Matson (B.A.)’ and school next to the photograph. The second book, Mr Midshipman Easy by Captain Marryat, was awarded to J Bartlett in 1928 for general proficiency. The book contains wonderful illustrations throughout

by Charles Pears.

Peter Munro Peter Munro, father to the late Allan Munro (OSC 1970), donated geological rock samples that he collected on a geological expedition to Marble Bar. Included in the donation is a rock specimen collected

by Glen Munro (OSC 1973) from the base of the Yarra River when Glen was the Senior Construction Engineer of the Melbourne Underground Tunnel Project. The donations will be added to the Scotch College Geological Collection.

Keith Parnell Keith Parnell (OSC 1970) donated photographs from his time at the College.

The images feature the 1970 First XI Hockey Team, 1970 Pipe Band, 1970 Second IV Rowing Crew, 1970 Athletics Team and students performing in the 1967 production of The Crucible.

​Roy Stall Roy Stall donated five photographs of teachers and students at the Moray campsite in Dwellingup from the mid-1980s.

Roy remembers at the time all that was built was a large corrugated tin shed. Before accommodation was built, students slept in “hootchies which they had to rig up and dig trenches around to prevent the ingress of rainwater around their tents”. archives | 39

Scotch Parents Life at Scotch is about the community and staying connected.

After a less than normal start to the school year, which commenced with a COVID-19 lockdown and the cancellation of our Welcome Back BBQ, it has been such a relief to see so many of our social activities and events return. One thing is for certain, we have come to truly appreciate the value of our Scotch community and the privilege of meeting with family and friends in person.

Our community’s strength has been evident throughout the Summer Term. Parents and their families have enthusiastically embraced the many Scotch Parent events, including sundowners, family catch-ups, coffee mornings, mums and sons surfing, the Year 9 House Head dinner and Easter egg hunts.

We are truly grateful to have the support of so many volunteers who enable us to connect and create lasting memories. Of course, the year would not be complete

without the celebration of the Year 12 Ball. Congratulations to the Ball Committee, Year 12 parents, Year 11 parent volunteers and the Year 10 boys for delivering an Italian summer-themed extravaganza.

The Year 11 Dinner Dance Committee also busily prepared the neon beats-themed dance on Saturday 8 May, which was a night our boys will always remember.

Thank you to our wonderful parents for your continued support. Your $25 contribution each term ensures the ongoing funding of important projects throughout the school, benefiting our boys and enhancing the College. This year, we have approved funding of barbecues for the refurbished Gooch Pavilion. As well as hosting many Sports, the Gooch Pavilion hosts events such as March Out, Founders’ Day Marching and whole-school community celebrations. We are delighted that it will be the new home of the Scotch Parents, and no doubt a very popular venue.

We are excited to announce several new initiatives that foster connections between our current and past parents. Commencing in Autumn Term, a professionally conducted Scotch Parents Choir and Lake Claremont Walking Group will provide opportunities for parents to enjoy and reconnect with our community. To get involved, please contact scotchparents@scotch.wa.edu.au We welcome all parents to stay connected by attending our meetings. Enjoy a relaxed evening with a glass of wine whilst being entertained by our guest speakers, who share invaluable insights from their areas within the school, a school update including the latest news and future plans, and an overview of our activities and project funding.

On behalf of the Scotch Parents Committee, we look forward to sharing an exciting year ahead with you at Scotch.

Mrs Heather Cowan Scotch Parents President

Clockwise from bottom: Easter Egg Hunt; Rebecca Bradley and her son Quinn Warrick (Pre-Primary) with their Easter eggs; Year 12 Ball Committee; Year 10 Mums and Sons Surfing; Year 11 Parents Function

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Stanford University Tour, 2019 Right: Beverley Wishaw

Philanthropy Leaving a Legacy

Named in honour of our founding donor Jane Alexander and her husband, the Alexander Society celebrates those in our community who have left a bequest.

Support from Pragma Lawyers

Bequests enable the College to expand the educational experiences and development of our students and staff. A bequest can include a nominated sum of money, percentage or residual of an Estate, or assets including real estate, shares, bonds or other personal property.

To arrange a free will or receive advice on wording for an existing will contact Pragma Lawyers via + 61 8 6188 3340 or hello@pragma.law.

The Brinsden Bequest

The Beverley Wishaw Bequest

In 2006, Professor Gilbert Brinsden (OSC 1937) left a bequest to the College, having dedicated his life to education in Australia and overseas. After studying at the University of Western Australia and Melbourne University, Gil became the first lecturer in Dentistry at UWA, and later worked at Northwestern University, Illinois. Thanks to the Foundation’s prudent investment, Gil’s generous bequest has contributed to our academic staff’s lifelong learning and, in turn, to the excellent education of our students.

Beverley Wishaw had a lifelong association with the College. As a Presbyterian Ladies’ College student, Bev enjoyed socialising with Scotch boys at dance classes and school balls. Her brothers Terry (OSC 1949), Ian (OSC 1959) and Bruce Palmer (OSC 1961) all attended the College, and in the early 1960s Bev and her husband Len moved to Claremont to be close to Scotch and PLC, where their three daughters, Jane, Didie and Suzie were pupils. Her son Peter Wishaw (OSC 1979) and grandsons Michael (OSC 2009) and Robert Debenham (OSC 2012) attended Scotch College.

As a result of his significant bequest, our Head of Enrichment Sam Sterrett attended a conference in the United States and visited Stanford University to learn about their offerings for gifted and talented students. Since this fortuitous trip, Scotch has become one of just 12 collaborators with the Stanford Pre-Collegiate International Institutes and was the first Australian school to join. Over 120 boys have travelled to Stanford to participate in this programme in the last six years (prior to COVID-19). More recently, this collaboration has led to a new relationship with The Nueva School in Silicon Valley. In 2019, Sam and Headmaster Dr O’Connell undertook professional development with their Giftedness Institute, leading to further collaborations for our staff.

Professor Brinsden’s generous bequest is a lasting tribute to his memory and commitment, both to this College and to education.

OSC President and Pragma Managing Director Aaron McDonald (OSC 2001) has generously offered Pragma’s services to prepare your will free of charge, for those wishing to make a bequest to the College or our Foundation.

If you are interested in leaving a bequest, we encourage you to get in touch with the College via +61 8 9383 6832 or philanthropy@scotch.wa.edu.au.

As President of the Speech and Hearing Centre in 1979, Bev had great compassion, empathy and understanding towards others, especially those less fortunate. Fittingly, due to her bequest, the Beverly Wishaw Award has enabled a Senior School student nominated by the Academic Support Department to attend one of our community-based service trips. The recipients have been able to connect with fellow students, united in a desire to contribute to the lives of others throughout the world.

We look forward to more students having this opportunity in the years to come.

Mrs Kate Quinn Director of Advancement and Philanthropy

philanthropy | 41

Mr Aaron McDonald

OSC President

I am thrilled to be attempting to fill the big shoes left by Michael Silbert (OSC 1979) in his role as President of Old Scotch Collegians.

‘Silbs’ commandeered the OSC for the better part of 10 years with passion and gusto.

He will remain on the OSC Committee in an ex-officio capacity, and we are very fortunate to have him.

OSC in 2021 I recently dug out the Old Scotch Collegians’ Constitution. It states that the objectives of the OSC are to: • further the welfare of the College and the OSC; • provide both financial and non-financial assistance of any kind to the College, ex-scholars of the College and any sporting, cultural or other association of ex-scholars of the College;

• promote friendship and unity among ex-scholars of the College; and • maintain the interest of ex-scholars in the College.

I am keen to ensure the Board is taking steps to achieve these objectives by using its resources as efficiently as possible. If you have any ideas for the Board regarding the above, please reach out to me on +61 401 919 456 or aaron@pragma.law.

Many of you will know Cass Macgowan, who held the role of Alumni Officer for four years.

Cass left Scotch College at the end of 2020 with our very best wishes for her contribution to the OSC over the years.

In 2021, we welcome Alumni Officer Nadia Sierakowski and Alumni Assistant Kate Chesson to the OSC. Nadia and Kate are a dynamic pair who come to Scotch with experience in membership organisations and will assist in the growth of our organisation.

To contact the Alumni office, call +61 8 9383 6849 or email osc@scotch.wa.edu.au.

Respect and Consent You may have read in the media the leading stance made by the College and, in particular, Headmaster Dr Alec O’Connell on the issue of respect and consent involving boys’ behaviour towards girls and men’s behaviour towards women. The OSC stands side by side with the school on this topical issue and tabled a letter to the Headmaster and Reverend Gary van Heerden on its preparedness to support and advance this important conversation.

OSC Events I hope all OSCs can get involved in some of the exciting events we have coming up this year, including the Celebration of Scotch Football Dinner on Friday 18 June and Wine Tasting on Thursday 26 August.

Please mark these dates in your diary, and keep an eye on your inbox for booking information on these events and more.

Best wishes to all for the year ahead.

Headmaster Dr Alec O’Connell, the Hon. Roger Cook MLA (OSC 1982) and former OSC President Michael Silbert at the 2020 Founders’ Day Dinner

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Old Scotch Collegians Calendar

Celebrating Lives

18 June 2021 Celebration of Scotch Football Scotch College Dickinson Centre

14 October 2021 New Members Function (OSC 2016–20) Varsity Bar

25 June 2021 Class of 1991 Thirty Year Reunion Scotch College Dining Room

15 October 2021 March Out Scotch College

31 July 2021 Return to the Grounds Scotch College Playing Fields

22 October 2021 Founders’ Day Dinner and Marching Scotch College 11 November 2021 Remembrance Day Collegians House

Please note the dates for the following events are not confirmed.

Edward (John) Cook

1945

Walter Murdoch King

1949

Robert Phelps

1953

Frank Gow

1959

Lindsay Wilson

1960

Bruce Mazzucchelli

1963

Rendel Hatch

1966

Tennis Tournament Claremont Lawn Tennis Club

George Bentley

1968

Peter Hasson

1973

Colin Hasson

1976

To book, visit calendar. scotch.wa.edu.au.

Geoff Gawler

1980

Upcoming Reunions Class of 1961 Class of 1971 Class of 1981 Class of 2010 Class of 2011

26 August 2021 Wine Tasting Swanbourne Cellars

Jeremy Entriken Murray Gill

2009 Past Staff

Business Spotlight Old Scotch Collegians created the Business Spotlight to support its members and their business ventures through the challenges of COVID-19 and beyond. The initiative highlights alumni and their businesses through the OSC eNews, publications, social media and a Scotch online business directory, launching later this year.

Email osc@scotch.wa.edu.au to have your business featured.

Domaine Naturaliste

Ezekiel Eyes

Bruce Dukes (OSC 1984)

Damon Ezekiel (OSC 1984)

Domaine Naturaliste are growers, makers and purveyors of wine.

They create wines that capture the freshness, flavour and texture of their pristine Margaret River fruit. Find Domaine’s cellar door at the vineyard at 160 Johnson Road, Wilyabrup, open daily.

Ezekiel Eyes offers a full scope of optometry services and specialises in all contact lenses. The boutique, family-owned practice is passionate about providing the highest standards of care for eye health and eyewear to suit the most discerning patient.

Bruce began life at Scotch in 1977. For him, it was a great foundation to build lifelong friendships, which continue today. An interest in plants and microbiology led him to study Agricultural Science at the University of Western Australia from 1985–90. Bruce gained practical experience in the Margaret River wine industry and completed a Masters in Viticulture and Enology at the University of California. He spent five years in the Napa Valley working for Francis Ford Coppola at the legendary Inglenook Vineyard. Bruce is now enjoying his 30th year working with wine. He feels blessed to live in Dunsborough with his wife Wendy and sons Oscar (16 years) and Tim (14 years).

He cites his major success has been in keeping in touch with his mates from Scotch.

Damon thoroughly enjoyed his time at Scotch and was involved in as many activities as he could manage. In 1989, he graduated from the University of New South Wales with a Bachelor of Optometry. In addition to owning and managing Ezekiel Eyes, Damon is a contact lens consultant to various research organisations. He regularly lectures and conducts workshops in contact lens practice throughout Australia, Asia and the United States. In 2014, Damon taught at the Vietnam National Institute of Ophthalmology in Hanoi, on behalf of the charity organisation Sight For All. He treats patients with conditions such as keratoconus and those who are post-graft and post-refractive surgery. He regularly treats children following operations for congenital cataracts.

Domaine Naturaliste has hosted young winemakers every year since 1998. They encourage any young OSC interested in winemaking and viticulture to get in touch.

Damon welcomes alumni who are interested in studying optometry for work experience.

old scotch collegians | 43

Events Founders’ Day Dinner and Marching More than 100 Old Scotch Collegians attended the 2020 Founders’ Day Dinner on Friday 23 October. The day began with Founders’ Day Marching, in which past pipers and drummers played alongside current students.

The evening’s guest speaker was the man of the moment, the Hon. Roger Cook MLA (OSC 1982), Deputy Premier, who oversees the Health; Medical Research; State Development, Jobs and Trade; and Science portfolios.

Roger, who was Vice-Captain of School, Captain of Alexander House and Captain of Rugby, shared firsthand how the State Government was managing WA’s response to the COVID-19 pandemic. He also touched on the challenges to state border laws and reminisced fondly of his school days.

Scotch is one of few remaining PSA schools to hold an annual dinner of this nature. This event, marking the College’s foundation, is believed to be the oldest, continuous PSA alumni event in WA, excluding a war year.

Class of 1960 Sixty Year Reunion Sixty years after graduating, about 40 members of the Class of 1960 returned to school on 4 December 2020. They enjoyed a school tour and Chapel service before having lunch in the Dining Hall.

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Class of 1970 Fifty Year Reunion It was half a century since members of the Class of 1970 graduated. More than 30 members gathered at Claremont Yacht Club on 20 November 2020. Prior to lunch, some spent the morning watching House Marching and the Pipe Band, followed by a tour of the campus and the Heritage Centre.

Class of 1990 Thirty Year Reunion The Class of 1990 gathered at the Claremont Football Club on 21 November 2020.

More than 45 attended to reconnect and reminisce – 30 years after graduation.

1970 Darlot and Alcock Cup Reunion About 20 members of the winning 1970 Alcock and Darlot Cup sides gathered at The Sandbar in Scarborough on 21 November 2020 to relive their glory days. Coaches Ian Saggers and Ian ShortlandJones attended, with the Alcock Cup also making an appearance.

old scotch collegians | 45

Class of 2000 Twenty Year Reunion Twenty years after graduating, 45 members of the Class of 2000 gathered on 16 October 2020 at the Cottesloe Hotel. Attendees travelled from all over the state.

Special thanks to our 2000 Captain of School, Andrew Johnston, for his work in preparing some interesting statistics and stories for the evening.

Seniors’ Lunch After being postponed from its regular May date due to COVID-19, more than 60 OSC attended the 2020 Seniors’ Lunch on 13 November. The annual event is open to past students who graduated more than 50 years ago, with attendees invited to watch House Marching and the Pipe Band, attend Assembly and visit the Heritage Centre, before lunch in the Dining Hall.

Beverley and Districts Combined PSA Dinner The 86th Annual Beverley and Districts Combined Public Schools Old Boys’ Association Dinner was held on 26 March 2021 at the Beverley Golf Club. The event was well attended by 81 past-PSA school students from around the Avon area and hosted by Christ Church Grammar School. Christ Church alumnus, author and comedian Jon Doust was the guest speaker who kept the audience entertained with tales from his boarding school days. In 2022, Scotch will host the event.

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Class of 2001 Twenty Year Reunion The Class of 2001 was the first cohort to kick off the OSC reunions this year, holding theirs on 17 April at The Sandbar in Scarborough. About 47 members attended the evening, with special thanks to owner Ben Randall, new OSC President Aaron McDonald and Jason Beard (all 2001 OSCs) for coordinating the reunion.

What have they been up to?

What have you been up to?

If you graduated in 1961, 1971, 1981, 1991, 2001 or 2011, send us an update.

Email osc@scotch.wa.edu.au and send us a photo to include alongside your submission. We will be featuring updates in Clan this year.

Brian Walker (OSC 1971)

Justin Linney (OSC 2004)

I left Australia for Scotland in 1970. After attending medical school at Dundee, I worked as a medical practitioner in Scotland, England, Germany, Russia, China and Hong Kong.

After finishing school, I went to Curtin University, majoring in Jewellery Design, joined the Army Reserves and did some travelling. Whilst studying I worked with disadvantaged kids at Adventure Club, which led to a management role at The Great Escape. Meanwhile, I started my own business making men’s jewellery and exhibited my contemporary jewellery at various art galleries in WA.

After returning to Australia in 2008, I settled into medical practice in Kununoppin, taking over from Dr John Radunovich (OSC 1949).

Whilst thinking of semi-retiring from Kununoppin, I took on a position in Serpentine but then found myself elected to the Upper House of the WA Parliament for the Legalise Cannabis WA Party. No doubt to the amusement of my classmate John Shadbolt (OSC 1971) of Mukinbudin!

Towards the tail end of my degree, I joined the family business, Linneys Jewellery, to implement CAD (computer-aided design) technology specific for jewellery design and manufacturing. This evolved into a sales, design and procurement role, and I moved

to California to become a gemmologist at the Gemological Institute of America.

More recently, I have taken over my father’s role as Creative Director at Linneys and have been heavily involved with the succession planning. Through this work, we were awarded the Family Business Australia Hall of Fame award in 2019. This year, I was recently announced as a winner of the 40under40 Awards.

My wife Catriona and I had a baby, Elle, in February this year. I am hoping to still make it up north this year for my annual one-week surfing hiatus. I have enjoyed staying in touch with Scotch through making the graduation rings each year.

76 Shenton Road Swanbourne WA 6010 +61 8 9383 6800 mail@scotch.wa.edu.au www.scotch.wa.edu.au CRICOS PROVIDER CODE: 00449M