Every Monday, lunchtime, in the Senior Study Centre, you will find the Year 12 Prefect group busily discussing and negotiating initiatives, all with the clear purpose of continuing to make Scots a better place for students and staff. Since starting at Scots, I have been so impressed with the drive and passion displayed by the student leadership groups, like the SRC and the Prefect Group. Like the way they greet our students every morning at the gate, our leaders are front, centre and engaged.
It was wonderful to see this student leadership in practice at the Senior School Swimming carnival on Tuesday. Students encouraged each other to compete and make the most of the opportunity to jump into the cool water. Students cheered for each other and the House Captains did a great job managing their house areas. There was some intense student cheering during the staff versus student relay race; I am sure there were many hoarse voices on Tuesday evening.
At the Wednesday night Senior School Trivia Night, it was the Academic Portfolio’s time to shine. Lily Lamond and her team presented an evening of laughs, brain teasers and tricky questions. As part of the teacher table, I know we were bested by the students in the contemporary pop culture questions. Well done to Lily and her team!
As part of developing a whole school wellbeing framework, there is a group of passionate staff who meet on a fortnightly basis to discuss all things wellbeing at Scots. Lara Diffey, the Wellbeing Prefect, attends these meetings to contribute all important ideas around student voice and engagement. The School community will be hearing more about this focus group and the Wellbeing strategy!
Our emerging Year 11 leaders have been working with Year 7s as part of a peer support program. They meet once a week during Learning Mentor time to play some games but also to chat about any concerns or questions our Year 7s may have about starting Senior School. The Year 11s will continue to hone these leadership skills; through their everyday practice and during their Year 11 camp at the end of the term.
However, there is still much to be done by our Prefect Group. Coming up, Bianca Blackberry, our Inclusiveness and Diversity Prefect, will be presenting some information sessions to Year 9-12, in Weeks 6 and 7, designed around inclusive language we can use when discussing gender and sexuality. The preparation for these sessions has been done in consultation with our school counselor, Ms Jessie O’Donnell.
Lylah Ellao, our Social Justice Prefect, is working hard on a Harmony Day market. Chloe Watson, the Agriculture Prefect, is working on the Agriculture Day, where the myriad of careers from the Agriculture field are celebrated, and a working group of Prefects are contributing to organisation of the International Women’s Day breakfast. There is much more to come from our student leaders!
What a dynamic, passionate group of young people we have here at Scots!
From Head of Junior School • Kelly McKay
Thank you to all families who attended our Welcome to Scots afternoon last week. It was wonderful to have our families on-site in a relaxed environment, even if it was quite hot!
We are all looking forward to the Junior School (Years 3-6) Swimming Carnival this Tuesday. The event starts at 11am and we would love to see as many families here as possible. We will have some marquees set up and encourage you to bring a chair and a picnic. Our students have been very busy preparing and are keen to show their speed! The K-2 Swim Carnival will take place in Term 4. We do ask that you please be careful as far as photography is concerned and only take photos of your own children.
All PAT testing has been completed across Years 3-6. We are currently in the process of analysing this data to inform our teaching, and you will be notified if your child requires intervention, be that further support or extension.
The Junior School is currently experiencing an increase in presentations of gastroenteritis. You will be contacted as soon as your child presents with symptoms and your child needs to be collected ASAP. If you are unable to do so we will ask that you nominate someone to collect your child. Students must not attend school for 48 hours from the time that their symptoms abate.
Our Year 6 leaders have been busy with their portfolios and assisted with the cooking and distribution of pancakes on Shrove Tuesday. They will be running their first Assembly on Friday 3 March and we hope that many of our families can join us. We will be hosting a morning tea following the assembly. I look forward to seeing many of you then.
From Head of Sport • Tim Kennedy | Senior School Swimming Carnival
Firstly, I would like to thank all the staff and students for their enthusiasm and effort in making the day a great spectacle for everyone in attendance. A special thanks to the House Leaders who put in a lot of work behind the scenes to ensure that students were signed up for events. Their enthusiasm and role modelling on the day was exemplary. Another big thank you has to go out to Geoff Coughlan for his tireless work to make the day a success. Well done to all the students who participated in the events; the House spirit was enormous, especially during the relays.
There was high energy in the novelty events, with Wilson House taking out the Novelty Cup!
We had planned to publish the Age Champions and Overall Winners in this newsletter, however with the postponement of the presentation assembly this week, we will hold these over until the next newsletter. The new date for the presentation assembly will be communicated as soon as it is confirmed - I hope to see some of you there.
We look forward to the Scots Swim Squad representing the school with pride at BISSA Swimming on Thursday 9 March.
- Tim Kennedy
From Head of Sport • Tim Kennedy | Basketball
Basketball
The Albury Basketball Association competition started recently and it was great to see so many keen Scots participants taking the court and giving their all. Please be aware that there will be some team movement over the next week or so as we try and make our Division One teams as competitive as they can be. We also need to ensure that all teams have suitable numbers.
From Head of Pedagogy • Megan Dickins
Professional Learning at Scots
Teachers at Scots are constantly refining their practice and looking to improve the learning for the students in their classes. Successful professional learning programs immerse teachers in the content they teach and provide research-based knowledge about how students learn that content. Professional learning at Scots follows a few components that align with our strategic plan.
Teachers have the opportunity across the whole school to improve their practice in deepening learning. We achieve this in many ways from working closely with an educational consultant from Independent Schools NSW, virtual teacher meetings, online learning and readings.
Teachers in the Senior School have a variety of similar opportunities to become experts in their own fields. The Junior School has a split focus on having the most current knowledge of the NSW curriculum and the PYP program. As NSW rolls out massive curriculum reforms across Kinder to Year 12 it is critical we keep ahead of any changes.
As significant flow-on from a sound professional learning program, is a shift in best practice and teacher wellbeing. We look forward to sharing the professional development opportunities of our teachers with you.
From Head of Performing Arts • Stewart Lucy
Shrek
Students are well into rehearsals for our showcase production, Shrek, which will be performed in the Chapel Hall in May. It will be performed at the following times:
Wednesday 10 May @ 10am: Community Matinee for aged care residents & local schools Thursday 11 May @ 5pm Friday 12 May @ 7pm Saturday 13 May @ 1.30pm and 7pm
About Shrek Set in a mythical “once upon a time” sort of land, Shrek the Musical is the story of a hulking green ogre who, after being mocked and feared his entire life by anything that crosses his path, retreats to an ugly green swamp to exist in happy isolation. Suddenly, a gang of homeless fairy-tale characters (Pinocchio, Cinderella, the Three Pigs, you name it) raid his sanctuary, saying they’ve been evicted by the vertically challenged Lord Farquaad. So Shrek strikes a deal: I’ll get your homes back, if you give me my home back! But when Shrek and Farquaad meet, the Lord strikes a deal of his own: He’ll give the fairy-tale characters their homes back, if Shrek rescues Princess Fiona. Shrek obliges, yet finds something appealing–something strange and different–about this pretty princess. He likes her. A lot. But why does she always run off when the sun sets?
Lead Roles
Shrek: Daniel Steer, Year 11 Human Fiona: Tegan Forge, Year 12 Ogre Fiona: Amélie Pimlott, Year 12 Donkey: Tom Jurevics, Year 7 Young Fiona: Harriett Nickols, Year 6 Teen Fiona: Patience Joss, Year 8 Lord Farquarrd: Sam Scott, Year 11 Dragon 1: Clare Barry, Year 10 Dragon 2: Matilda Player, Year 10 Dragon 3: Freya Gneil, Year 11 Pinocchio: Will Dickins, Year 10 Gingy (split role): Eden Hutchins, Year 5 Gingy (split role): Tilly Planting, Year 5
Co-curricular offerings
As we settle into term and find our rhythm in the new school year, I would like to bring your attention to the wonderful opportunities afforded to our students in Co-Curricular music. We have a wide range of music choirs and ensembles with which students can become involved. We cater for everyone, from “Come along and give it a go” all the way through to auditioned ensembles.
If you are interested in how your child can be involved, please head to our Co-Curricular page by CLICKING THIS LINK.
Updated traffic flow for Young Street Carpark
In the interest of safety for students and families, we have updated the traffic flow of the Young Street Carpark.
Please review the changes carefully, including the one-way flow of traffic and the specified Staff Parking areas, and follow the signs.
From the Library with Alley McKeon
The library celebrated Valentine’s Day last week with “Have a Date with a Book”. This was very popular, with all of our “dates” eventually being selected.
The Chess Room also continues to be very popular at lunchtime and recess. If you are interested at all in this pursuit, please come along for a look or to try a game. We have many players keen to help “newbies” to the sport. They will even debate with you whether Chess is considered a sport or not!
Year 5 and 6 players are welcome on Friday lunchtimes.
Student Achievement • Congratulations Xy
Xy Beale was presented with a CIS Blue Award for athletics in 2022 at a gala presentation night in Sydney recently. The Blue Award is presented to athletes who perform at an exceptional level.
Xy attended with her family and afterwards said: "I had a great night with my family, it was great to meet other athletes that are going through the same journey as myself, such as the difficulties we face as elite athletes. I was very proud to represent my school and myself as an athlete to accept the award."
Equestrian Team
Class of 2012 Alumna Teegan Ashby was presented with a personalised Scots jacket by Scots Equestrian captains Mia Ennis and Rory Hamilton as a thank you for her years of coaching when the team had its first training day of the year last week.
Teegan has a string of horses and competes to a high level in Equestrian Australia Eventing, which combines dressage, showjumping and cross country in the one event.
Every year Teegan runs a coaching clinic for the Scots riders and helps the team prepare for the Scots-hosted Equestrian Interschool Challenge, being run this year on Saturday 6 and Sunday 7 May.
Last week she coached students as young as Mae Cuming, Year 3, right through to our Year 12 Equestrian captains, honing their showjumping skills and focusing on straightness, their approach to the jump, impulsion and negotiating a course. Then she stayed for a barbecue with the riders.
Teegan and her parents founded the Scots Equestrian Team in 2012 and Teegan has been involved ever since.
The Equestrian Interschool Challenge was postponed several times last year but was eventually held after the school year finished, just before Christmas.
Outstanding results for Scots riders from that event are as follows:
Rory Hamilton: Mount and Rider Senior Novice (HER King Lenny) 6, Novelties Senior (Fort Cluster) 6, Senior Novice 2A (Fort Cluster) 3, Senior Novice 2B (FC) 3, Senior Preliminary 1A and 1B (EHR KL) 6, Senior 90cm one round (FC) 4, two phase (FC) 2, Senior 90cm Runner up champion. Senior Handler (HER KL) 4. Off The Track Senior Runner Up Champion.
Lyla Ferrari: Mount and Rider Intermediate Advanced (Material Gurl) 5, Intermediate Novice 2A 6, Intermediate Novice 2B 5, Intermediate 105cm one round and Two-Phase (Myridersnotaroxstar) 1, (Prince Calaf) 2, Intermediate 105cm Champion and Runner-up, Intermediate 90cm one round (Autumn) 3, Material Gurl 4, two phase (Autumn) 3, (Material Gurl) 6. Off The Track Intermediate Runner Up Champion (Prince Calaf).
Mya Player (Whitelea King of Hearts) : Mount and Rider Intermediate Novice) 3, Novelties intermediate 3, Intermediate Handler 5.
Sarah Wicks: Primary Handler (Burrowa Blisse) 1, Primary 75cm one round and two phase 1, Intermediate 75cm Champion.
Mae Cuming: Primary Handler ( Cowboy Joe) 5.
Mia Ennis: Senior Preliminary 1A and 1B (Ella Isabella) 3.
Sasha Toepfer (Stylish Roy): Intermediate 75cm one round 2, two phase 3, Intermediate 75cm champion.
Lucy Bolton (Millie): Intermediate 45cm two phase 2.
New Staff • Welcome Mayuka
Welcome to our Japanese Assistant, Mayuka Muta.
We have been fortunate enough to have Mayuka join our Japanese Team for Term 1 to support and encourage the teaching and learning of Japanese at Scots. Mayuka is a university student at Waseda University, Tokyo where she is studying Education. As well as supporting us in our teaching and learning, Mayuka hopes to enrich her own learning by gaining an understanding of how we teach Japanese in Australia and by practicing her English language skills.
Mayuka arrived last week and will be with us until 1 April. She is staying in the girls boarding house and is looking forward to making the most of her time here. She would love to experience a home stay for a weekend if anyone is keen to host her. Please contact Jacqui Salinger jsalinger@scotsalbury.nsw.edu.au if you are interested in sharing your family and home with Mayuka. You will make a friend for life!
- Jacqui Salinger
From the Wellbeing Prefect • Lara Diffey
Clean Up Australia Day activity
Simpson House students have organised a community service event for Scots students from Years 7-12 to participate in the Clean Up Australia Day activity at the Eastern Hill Lookout in East Albury on Sunday 5 March.
Students are encouraged to wear casual clothes and bring gloves or tongs, a bucket or bag and wear a hat and sunscreen.
The group will meet at the Eastern Hill Car Park, East Street, at 9am and pick up rubbish and clean up the area until 10am.
New Pickles Staff (Uniform Shop) • Welcome Joanne
Welcome to Joanne
Pickles Schoolwear is pleased to introduce Joanne, our new Uniform Shop Manager! Joanne has lived in Albury Wodonga most of her life and is mother to two (now grown) children, enjoys looking after her grandson and is a bit of a green thumb! Joanne is an experienced customer service guru and is very excited to meet and assist the Scots community.
Scots Uniform & Uniform Shop (Pickles) Survey
We would like to hear your feedback on the Scots Uniform and the Uniform Shop (Pickles). Please complete our short survey - it should take no more than 10 minutes. We appreciate all your input.
