2025 New Boarders for a Night • Wednesday 20 November, 4pm
Year 7 2025 Transition Day #2 • Thursday 21 November
Year 8-11 2025 New Students Orientation Session • Thursday 21 November, 8.45am-11.15am
Pupil Free Day and Boarder exeat Weekend • Friday 22 November
Great Victorian Bike Ride departs • Saturday 23 November to Wednesday 27 November
Boarders return • Sunday 24 November from 3pm
K-2 Swimming Carnival • Thursday 28 November
From the Principal • Mark Hemphill
The month of September has certainly been a very busy and enjoyable four weeks.
Scots Fair
It was great to attend my very first Scots Fair on Saturday 14 September. Over the years I had heard many glowing reports about the Scots Fair, so it was very exciting to experience the Fair first-hand. It certainly lived up to its reputation. Although the weather wasn't the greatest, the Fair still attracted a huge crowd.
Thank you to Community Relations and Advancement Manager Petra Barber and her incredible team for all their hard work to make the Fair such a great success. An enormous thank you to the many parents who were involved in a myriad of ways to support the Fair. The Fair could not have run without the amazing generosity of our parents who graciously donated their time, produce and prizes. Also, thanks to the Scots staff for all the work they did to support the Fair in a variety of different ways across the whole weekend. Although The Scots Fair was essentially a Fundraiser, more importantly it was a significant "Friendraiser". The Fair brought the whole Scots family together and was a powerful example of our connectedness in this amazing community.
Henty Field Days
Scots was well represented at the annual Henty Field Days from September 17 to 19. Key staff attended Henty across the three days. It was wonderful to be able to catch up with prospective families, current families and many alumni who called into our tent for a chat.
2024 Sports Assembly
We celebrated the many sporting successes of our Scots students at our annual Sports Assembly on Monday 16 September. There were many outstanding team and individual sporting achievements across this year and our students should be very proud of themselves.
Year 12 Events
Term 3 is always a term filled with events celebrating the achievements of our Year 12 students.
On Tuesday 3 September, the Year 12 HSC music students: Jonathan Coe, Freya Gniel, Neve Harris, Audrey Joss, Liam Nicolson, Sam Scott, Daniel Steer, Storm Tanuvasa, Damon Wright and Zoe Coughlan entertained their peers, families and staff by performing two of their prepared HSC pieces. The variety and quality of the performances was incredible and a wonderful evening was had by all who attended. The concert was an excellent opportunity for the Year 12 HSC Music students to practise before their final performance exams, which were held last week.
On Thursday 5 September, the Year 12 HSC Industrial Technology students: Josh Antonello, Drew Cameron, Jonathan Coe, Mackenzie Hodges, Charles James, Liam Nicolson, Archie O'Brien, Ellie Simpson, Alexander Smythe, Bianca Sparkes, along with the the Year 12 HSC Art students: Claudia Alessi, Alexandra McNamara, Daisy Turner and Indita Yaxley, exhibited their major works for the Scots community to view. Their major works had been marked by the HSC examiners earlier in the day. Again, the quality, variety and workmanship of each of the major works was incredibly impressive. Indita Yaxley was awarded the Acquisitive Art Prize and Drew Cameron received the Principal's Award for Industrial Technology.
During this term, the Year 12 students have completed their Trial HSC Exams and are now busily preparing for their final HSC exams, which start next term. Having worked in a number of senior schools across many years, I have never had the joy of working alongside, guiding and leading such a respectful and exemplary group of Year 12 students. They have demonstrated incredible maturity, inclusivity and their behaviour this term has been the very best I've ever seen. They have been a credit to the school and their families.
This last week of term has been filled with celebrations to mark the end of 13 years of school. Six Year 12 students: Audrey Joss, Will Maguire, Will Rogers, Daniel Steer, Daisy Turner and Damon Wright have been at Scots since Kindergarten and three Year 12 students: Jonathon Cotter, Madeline Perkins and Ellie Simpson have been boarders for six years.
On Monday, the Year 12 students came dressed in a costume associated with the initials of their names. There were some very creative costumes! Then in the evening, it was the Year 12 Boarder’s farewell dinner, which was a fun event where the students reminisced about their time in boarding.
On Tuesday, we celebrated our Final Chapel in a beautiful service and continued the special Scots tradition where the Kinder students present each of the Year 12 students a candle and walk out of the Chapel hand-in-hand. That evening, the Year 11 students hosted the Year 11/12 Farewell Dinner and a wonderful evening was enjoyed by students and staff.
Yesterday was a huge day for our Year 12 students as they enjoyed a fun day of laser tag and mini golf, followed by games and lunch back at school. The day concluded with our Year 12 students celebrating their Final Assembly with the Senior School students, their families and friends. During the Final Assembly, the achievements of the Year 12 students were recognised. This also was an opportunity to farewell this cohort of incredible young men and women. There was a real mixture of emotions at the Final Assembly - joy, sadness, laughter and tears - and was a very fitting way to mark 13 years of schooling. The Year 12 students now have their final few weeks of study before the HSC exams commence on Tuesday 15 October. We are very proud of our Year 12 students and we look forward to hearing of their many successes in the future.
As you can see September has been an incredibly busy month, with so many different events and celebrations. Our strong sense of community was particularly evident this month, in each of the different events. It was lovely to see so many students, families and alumni engaging so positively with the school over the past month.
As we move into the Term 3 holidays, I wish everyone a safe and relaxing break from school. As the weather warms up, I hope that everyone gets a chance to relax and rejuvenate before a busy last nine weeks of the year. I look forward to seeing all of the students back eager and ready for Term 4, on Tuesday 15 October.
Stay safe and keep well.
From the Deputy Principal + Head of Junior School • Kelly McKay
A Wonderful Term in Review
As we bring this term to a close, I want to take a moment to reflect on what has been a truly wonderful and vibrant few months here in the Junior School. The energy, enthusiasm, and spirit shown by our students have made this term a memorable one, full of exciting learning experiences, growth, and fun.
One of the highlights of the term was undoubtedly our Grandparents & Special Friends celebration today! It was heartwarming to see the joy on the faces of our students as they welcomed their grandparents into the school, sharing their classrooms and their learning journeys. The stories, laughter, and connections that filled the day were a testament to the special bond between generations. It was a day that truly brought our community together and reminded us of the importance of family and tradition.
As we now look ahead to the upcoming school holiday break, I would like to extend my warmest wishes to all our families. This break is well-deserved, and I hope it provides an opportunity to rest, recharge, and spend quality time together. Whether you’re travelling, enjoying the outdoors, or simply taking time to relax at home, I hope the holidays are filled with joy and fun.
We look forward to welcoming everyone back next term, refreshed and ready for more exciting learning adventures. Thank you once again for your continued support, and for being a part of this wonderful Junior School community.
From the Head of Senior School • Janine Haymes
It has been a joy watching the Class of 2024 celebrate their last few weeks of school at Scots. The students have made the most of their final week, sharing their gratitude with their teachers, preparing keepsakes, working on final videos, but most importantly, spending time together as a cohort.
I know that, after the celebrations of the final week, they will knuckle down and work towards those final examinations; it really is amazing to see what our young people can achieve between now and their HSC examinations. The exams will come and go quickly, but the memories of this year will remain. It has been a pleasure working with such a special group of young people. I must also express my gratitude to Mr Matt Patching for all of his work and support of students over the year.
Another pleasure has been my time away with the current Year 11 students on their university experience in Melbourne. The students had the opportunity to visit many tertiary institutions and think about possibilities after Scots. The Year 11s impressed with the way they approached the camp with positivity and openness. At one stage, I was holding open a gate for the students at Southern Cross Station, there were V/Line staff standing with me. As the students walked through, every student looked at me and the station staff and said ‘thank you’. The V/Line staff turned to me and said, ‘who are these kids?”. They just couldn’t believe how polite and friendly our students are! A big thank you to Ms Sarah Rae for all of her work organising the camp; it really was a wonderful opportunity for our young people.
As mentioned in my last article, this term some members of the Year 11 cohort have been going through the 2025 Prefect selection process. I would like to take this opportunity to congratulate the below students:
School Captains Oliver Baitch and Poppy Milgate-Kimball
Boarding Captains Anastasia McFarlane and Ty Salter
House Captains Robertson: Bill Butko and Georgie Sockett Sellars: Taylor Brown and Alice Eggleton Simpson: Adelaide Hiscock and Sammy Walch Wilson: Jessica Dean and Molly Southern
These students will be formally appointed during a ceremony in Term 4. I would also like to thank all the students who have participated in the process; we will spend some time in Term 4 gathering feedback from the students on the selection process. I wish all of our families a restful and safe holiday break. I look forward to seeing you all in Term 4.
Welcome to the Future of Learning: Our New Junior School
We are thrilled to announce details of our state-of-the-art Junior School, a visionary project designed to enhance the educational experience for our youngest learners.
A Transformative Investment Our new Junior School is set to be a remarkable addition to our campus, with an overall investment of around $10 million. This ambitious project will create an environment where students can thrive, learn and grow.
Stage One: Innovative Learning Spaces In the initial phase, we will unveil eight modern classrooms, complemented by versatile multi-purpose areas and dynamic learning streets. These spaces are designed to foster creativity, collaboration and engagement, providing students with an inspiring place to learn.
Future Developments Looking ahead, we have plans to refurbish our library with a major reconstruction. This expansion will create a seamless link between our Junior and Senior Schools, bringing our educational community closer together and streamlining administration.
Innovative Design The new Junior School features a pavilion-style design, abundant glass and an open-plan layout that promotes an airy, inviting atmosphere. The learning streets will connect classrooms, while a large multi-purpose hall will support various activities and events.
Improved Traffic Flow and Safety As part of our commitment to convenience and safety, we are expanding the car park to include a dedicated kiss-and-drop area. This enhancement will streamline traffic flow and ensure a safer drop-off and pick-up process for families.
We are incredibly excited to see these concepts become a reality with works commencing late 2024.
Junior School Break Ground • 9.30am Friday 25 October
Witness the first physical step in the construction of our new Junior School by joining us for the Break Ground event on the site of the new Junior School at 9.30am on Friday 25 October 2024.
Join our Foundation members and special guests as Foundation Chair Geoff Wright makes the first ceremonial dig into what is currently a carpark. As part of the new construction, a designated Kiss & Drop area will be included to expedite pick-up and drop-off to keep our students safe.
There are many ways on Friday 25 October to get personally involved in bringing the Junior School to life - start with this one!
Scots Foundation Giving Day • Friday 25 October
Mark your calendars for a day of generosity and community spirit! We invite you to participate in our 2024 Giving Day, a special opportunity to be part of the building of our new Junior School. Every donation—big or small—makes a difference.
On Giving Day - Friday 25 October 2024 - let’s come together as a community to invest in the future of our students. Get ready to make an impact!
Thanks to our very special and generous matching donors, every gift you make will be doubled. If you donate $100, it becomes $200, $500 becomes $1000 and $2000 becomes $4000. Stay tuned for new matching donors and ways to give.
If you would like to contribute your time to help us reach out to others, please get in touch with the marketing team at marketing@scotsalbury.nsw.edu.au
Together, we can turn our collective passion into action!
Canapes for Classrooms • 7pm Friday 25 October
It's going to be a night to remember • Limited tickets available, don't miss out! Get your tickets HERE.
Fun and frivolity at the Scots Fair
The 2024 Scots Fair was a resounding success in every way. It was a celebration of our School; bringing together School families and the broader Albury community in a vibrant, fun-filled afternoon filled with laughter and joy.
Importantly, the Fair raised more than $21,000 for the new Junior School.
Thank you to all the parent volunteers, teachers, vendors and attendees for making the event unforgettable.
Oscar Clelland (Year 12), Harvey Correll (Year 12) and Jock Correll ( Year 11) and their Wangaratta Rovers teammates triumphed in the Ovens & Murray League Navara Cup grand final, beating Wangaratta 55-41. Oscar kicked two goals and Jock kicked one. Both Jock and Harvey were named among the Rovers' best players. It capped a scintilating year for Oscar, who won the John Longmire Medal for the O&M leading goal kicker at the Morris Medal Awards ahead of the grand final. Class of 2023 alumni and Sports Captain Charles Ledger also tasted success when his team, Wangaratta Rovers, beat the Yarrawonga Pigeons in the SS&A Cup. Charles attends university and football training in Melbourne and travels home to Wangaratta to play with the Rovers each week.
Write Around the Murray
Eloise Rogers (Year 4) and Nirvana Rai Lohani (Year 4) collected a swag of titles in the Barry Young River of Stories student section of the Write Around the Murray festival.
Eloise picked up a first place in the Year 3/4 poetry section with her submission Potions and was a joint winner of the Year 3/4 Short Story section, with a piece titled The Magic of Walnut Street.
Nirvana was runner up in the short story section with Portal Problems Part 1 and was highly commended in the poetry section with The Anzac Magic.
Cricket
Congratulations to Darcy Baird (Year 6) who has been selected in the Combined Independent Schools (CIS) NSW cricket team to compete at the NSW PSSA carnival in Armidale in mid October.
He was the only regional boy to make the CIS team this year.
Soccer
Daisy Stratton (Year 11) has been awarded the Albury Wodonga Football Association Star Goal Keeper award (Div 2) for 2024.
A regular junior representative player, 2024 was Daisy’s first year playing as a full-time Goal Keeper. Through her hard work and dedication, Daisy made 26 saves for Albury United to top the sheets for the league.
Well done Daisy!
Dressed for success
A 90s style tweed Chanel-inspired dress made by Annabel Moar, Year 7, was runner-up in the Henty Natural Fibre Fashion Competition 2024. The dress, pictured on a Henty model, was made of cotton tweed, raw and mulberry silks.
The body of the dress was cotton tweed, the jacket was mulberry silk and the flowers raw silk to comply with competition rules that the fabric must be at least 70% natural fibre.
"I made it to be fitted and formal, as well as adding handmade silk flowers and a flowing silk jacket for a touch of creativity," Annabel said.
This was Annabel’s second consecutive year of being runner-up and each time she has competed against adults.
2025 Senior Production
We are pleased to announce the 2025 Senior Production - Mamma Mia! Auditions are currently underway, with rehearsals beginning early Term 4. We are also excited to share that our current Year 9 cohort will all be featuring for some special moments during the show. This one promises to be big, if students would like to be part of Mamma Mia including leads, ensemble, tech crew or pit band, please make sure you register your interest via this link:
A massive congratulations to our Year 9/10 Netball Girls, who recently competed at the NSW Netball Phase Two Finals in Wagga.
Despite being hit with injuries both before and during the tournament, our girls displayed grit, skill and athleticism. They won three games and went down twice to the overall winners.
A special thanks to our outstanding volunteer umpire, Anastasia McFarlane, Coach Jane Mackinlay and the loyal families who traveled to Wagga to support the team.
Super effort, girls – we’re incredibly proud of you all!
Results:
Game 1 v Mater Dei (18-6 loss) Game 2 v Murrumbidgee Regional School Wade campus (19-5 win) Game 3 v Cootamundra HS (40-1 win) Game 4 v Mater Dei (22-10 loss) Play-off game v Marian College (23-11 win)
Players: Lexi Gneil, Ruby Thomas, Annabel Cavagna, Sienna McFarlane, Addie Bartlett, Ella Maguire, Millie Wilkerson, Charlotte Packer, Tia Sirr, Eliza Kelly and Georgie Cardile.
Snowsports
What a way to cap off the snowsports season! A huge congratulations to the following Scots students for their outstanding performances at the National Interschool Snowsports Championships. Special mentions to Jimmy Shannon and Sara Butko for being crowned National Champions!
Results:
Year K-2 (Division 6) Lochan Magaharan placed 13th Overall in the Male Alpine Giant Slalom and 36th Overall in the Male Ski Cross. Year 3-4 (Division 5) Ardan Magaharan achieved 11th Overall in the Male Alpine Giant Slalom and an impressive 3rd Overall in the Male Ski Cross. Percy Ross placed 35th in the Male Alpine Giant Slalom and 42nd in the Male Ski Cross. Sam Martin placed 41st in the Male Alpine Giant Slalom and 35th in the Male Ski Cross. Scots Team A, comprising Ardan Magaharan, Percy Ross, and Sam Martin, placed 9th in the Male Alpine Giant Slalom and 5th in the Male Ski Cross. Year 5-6 (Division 4) Gracie Ross placed 22nd Overall in the Female Alpine Giant Slalom, 13th in Female Moguls, and 6th in Female Ski Cross. Year 7-8 (Division 3) Archie Ross competed in the Male Alpine Giant Slalom. Year 9-10 (Division 2) Sara Butko was crowned National Champion, placing 1st in Female Ski Slopestyle. Year 11-12 (Division 1) Jimmy Shannon claimed the title of National Champion, placing 1st in Male Ski Slopestyle. Alex Symthe placed 10th in the Male Snowboard Cross and 13th in the Male Snowboard Giant Slalom. James Sheldrick placed 16th in the Male Snowboard Cross and 15th in the Male Snowboard Giant Slalom. Scots Team A, made up of Alex Symthe and James Sheldrick, placed 5th in the Male Snowboard Cross and 4th in the Male Snowboard Giant Slalom.
Well done to all students for their incredible efforts and achievements on the national stage!
Rugby 7s
We are thrilled to congratulate Year 9 student Charlotte Packer on her selection in the team to compete in the Darwin Hottest Rugby 7s Tournament, starting this Saturday, 28 September, in Darwin. Charlotte’s journey began when she was scouted during her club games, leading her to trial alongside 75 other talented players. After an impressive performance, she was selected for a trial game with 20 players and has now earned her place in a final team of 10.
Charlotte and her team will be taking on teams from across Australia, New Zealand and Fiji in this exciting competition. The tournament also is a talent identification program for prestigious teams such as the Brumbies and the Waratahs, making it a significant opportunity for Charlotte. We wish you the best of luck up north, Charlotte – your Scots family is cheering for you!
CIS Athletics Championships - Sydney, Tuesday 24 September
A huge congratulations to the 18 Scots students who participated in the prestigious Senior CIS Athletics Championships in Sydney. We were incredibly proud to have so many students representing the school on such a big stage. Their hard work, dedication and passion for athletics have shone through and we are excited to celebrate their achievements. Well done to all involved: Lachlan Baitch, Year 8 Lucy Bolton, Year 10 Grace Brown, Year 9 Ollie Cardile, Year 7 Abbey Fowler, Year 8 Millie Glover, Year 7 Indi Hogan, Year 9 Lucy Kilgour, Year 7 Elisabeth Klingner, Year 7 Chloe Lewin, Year 7 Ollie Mathews, Year 7 Henry Miller, Year 8 Winnie Monaghan, Year 8 Harriett Nickols, Year 7 Charlotte Packer, Year 9 Ruby Thomas, Year 10 Eila Thornton, Year 11 Hayley Whitsed, Year 11.
Hockey • Doug Agar
Season Wrap-Up
The winter Hockey season finished with both our Under 14 Girls and Division 3 Women as runners-up in their respective Grand Finals. Our Under 16 Girls made their semi-final, while our Under 16 Boys were in with a chance of making Finals up until the last round. A massive thank you goes out to the coaches, managers, parents and players for another season of consolidation and growth. Next year, we are aiming to field a Senior Men’s team if possible. Please get in touch with Mr Agar or Mrs Dickins if you would like to be a part of any Scots Hockey team in 2025.
This year, Grace Brown (Year 9) was named Best on Ground in the Division 3 Women’s Grand Final, while Jenna Dickins was named Under 14 Girls Best & Fairest for the Association. We also acknowledge the achievements of Scots students past and present who played in Grand Finals for community clubs this season, as well as those players who were selected for local or State representative teams.
We also are planning to field a number of teams in the summer Twilight Hockey competition this year. If you have not yet signed up for a specific team, please register your interest at the link below and we will arrange a team for you.
Todd Woodbridge Cup - Year 5 and 6 Success Our Year 5 and 6 students had a fantastic day at the Todd Woodbridge Cup, with three teams representing our school in a fun-filled day of tennis. We are proud to share that our teams performed exceptionally well, finishing second, third and fourth overall. It was great to see our students displaying such enthusiasm and teamwork throughout the day. Congratulations to all our players for their hard work and positive attitudes both on and off the court. A big thank you to Brock for assisting us on the day.
Jump Rope for Heart Success We are thrilled to announce that our school has raised an impressive $4191 for Jump Rope for Heart this year! A huge thank you to everyone who participated and contributed to this fantastic cause. A special shout-out goes to our top fundraisers, Hamilton Blight, who raised an incredible $512, and Pip Curry, who contributed $348. Well done!
Our Jump Off morning was a big hit, with students from Kindergarten to Year 6 showing great enthusiasm and participation. It was wonderful to see so many smiling faces as they skipped their way through the activities. Thank you all for your support in making this event such a success!
The book fair was again a hugely successful event for the library. Scots book orders raised over $1000.00 in commission, which we receive in the form of new books. We now have 120 fabulous new Scholastic books on the shelves. Thank you to Mrs Jane van der Vliet for helping to cover these in record time.
Chess tournament
The library will be hosting the school’s first ever whole-school chess tournament in Term 3. Entries are open via Scotty.
Author Event • Tony Armstrong
We have been lucky to secure Media Personality, Tony Armstrong, as a visiting author in Term 3. Tony has written his first children's book called George the Wizard. Tony will be reading his book to the Infants in Period 5 on Tuesday 22 October, 2.20pm-3.20pm. Parents are welcome to attend.
Tony is a proud Gamilaroi man and grew up in rural NSW before playing professional AFL for Adelaide, Collingwood and Sydney. He then went on to become a radio and television presenter. As well as being a rising star in Australian media, Tony is a talented writer and creator who is the process of developing some television projects.
Anyone wishing to purchase Tony's book can use the QR code on the flyer. Tony will be available to sign the books after his presentation. - Alley McKeon
French Escape Room
Year 8 to 10 French students welcomed Le Cambriolage Escape Room from the University of Melbourne last Monday. Students were invited to complete a range of increasingly complex logic and language tasks in French in order to solve a crime.
Taking place both in a classroom and in the University’s purpose-built van, they were asked to analyse pictures and texts and use a variety of technologies, to discover stolen objects and find keys to eventually open the thief’s safe.
All students worked hard to do their part, and were successful in following the clues to their conclusion.
