Newsletter, Term 4, Friday 13 December 2024

2024 HSC Results Celebration Morning Tea • Wednesday 18 December, 10.00am, Senior Study Centre

Year 7 and Year 12 Boarders arrive at Boarding Houses • Wednesday 29 January, from 1.00pm (afternoon tea for families from 2.30pm)

Year 7 and Year 12 commence school • Thursday 30 January, 8.45am (arrive from 8.20am)

Years 8-11 Boarders arrive at Boarding Houses • Thursday 30 January from 1.00pm (afternoon tea for families from 2.30pm)

New Student Years 8-11 orientation session • Thursday 30 January, 1.30-3.20pm (meet at Senior School Reception)

Senior School (Years 7-12) New Parent Information Session and Afternoon Tea • Thursday 30 January 2.30pm, Chapel Hall

Years 1-11 commence school • Friday 31 January, 8.45am (arrive from 8.20am)

Morning Tea for New Scots Families • Friday 31 January, 9.00am, Quad - everyone welcome

Kindergarten commences • Monday 3 February - please note your child's arrival time in your commencement information

Morning tea for Kindergarten Families • Monday 3 February from 9.00am - join us after drop-off

Welcome to 2025 Scots Community Breakfast • Tuesday 4 February, from 7.30am - please RSVP HERE

I can’t believe that I'm writing my last Newsletter for the year. It only feels like yesterday that I nervously walked through the front gates on my first day, wondering what was ahead of me, hoping that I'd enjoy my new position. On that first day I could never have predicted how much I would love my first year at Scots.

2024 has been an absolutely wonderful year in every way. I have really enjoyed getting to know the students by being at the gates in the mornings and afternoons, by spending many recess and lunch times in the playground and by teaching many different classes across the junior and senior schools.

I found the Scots students to be the most polite, respectful and well-behaved students I've ever had the pleasure to work with. Coupled with this, they are happy, relaxed and enjoy a chat, a joke and a laugh. I have thoroughly enjoyed coming to school every single day because I get to spend my days with such wonderful young people.

As we head into the Christmas season, I'd like to thank the students, families and staff for everything you have all done to make me feel welcome in 2024. I hope that you will get to have a very Merry Christmas and a very Happy New Year. I hope that over the break you get to spend quality time with your families, friends and loved ones. I hope that you all get some time to slow down, to stop and to do some things that bring you joy and happiness.

I look forward to seeing you all in 2025.

FAREWELLS

Sadly, at this time of year we need to say farewell to friends, colleagues and workmates.

I’d like to take this opportunity to say farewell to those students and their families who are leaving Scots. I hope that you have enjoyed your time with us and I wish you much happiness and many successes in your new school.

We also have some staff who are leaving us;

Ms Kelly McKay, Ms Madeline McLean, Ms Paula Gleeson, Ms Jade Workman, Mrs Jacquie Salinger, Mrs Lauren Hanna, Mr Jacob Hanna, Mr Mitchell Seers, Mr Brock Dixon and Mr Lochlan Cummings.

I'd like to thank each of these staff for their many contributions to Scots and I wish them great success in their future careers.

Ms McNeil and Ms Laycock will each be taking a year of leave and we look forward to welcoming them back in 2026.

JUNIOR SCHOOL UPDATE

Last week we received the very exciting news that we have been awarded an additional $1.2 million in Commonwealth funding for the stage 1B refurbishment of our current library and adjoining classrooms. This is in addition to the $1.5 million NSW Government grant, which we received earlier in the year for stage 1A, which is the building of 8 new classrooms. With both of these grants and the generosity of our Scots community, we will now be able to complete both stage 1A and 1B simultaneously. We should have our new Junior School finished in approximately 18 months and building works will commence in January.

In the meantime, the Young Street car park will be closed from Friday 13 December, until the building project is completed in mid-2026. We ask for your patience during this time, as some short-term inconvenience will result in a beautiful new Junior School. There is plenty of all day parking in the streets surrounding the school and a little walk will be healthy for everybody. Before school starts in 2025, we will communicate the arrangements for ‘Kiss and Drop’ and suggested streets in which to park. Once the students finish school for the year, we will:

• move the Library to the Senior School Stage Coordinators area and into the Board Room facing the Quad

• move the Senior School Stage Coordinators to the office adjacent to the Senior School Reception

• move the Pipe Band from the demountable to classroom G1 between the Dining Hall and the Indoor Sports Centre

• convert the old uniform shop and adjacent areas into two general purpose classrooms to create more space for senior school classes

The holidays will be a very busy time preparing for the commencement of the building of the new Junior School.

We are also very excited to announce that Zauner Constructions, a local company, were successful in their tender for the Junior School project. The Zauner family are a past Scots family and they have a long and proud history of constructing Scots buildings, such as Chapel Hall and the Science Centre.

Throughout 2025, we will keep you updated on the progress of the new Junior School building, as the construction commences.

With any end, there are always new beginnings. The end of the school year is no different.

In the last month we have celebrated the graduation of the class of 2024. Their hard work culminated in a wonderful, fitting celebration of these special young people at the Albury Entertainment Centre. Thank you to the parent representatives, Cate Steer, Dale Hayes, Karen Smythe and Liv Ellis who decorated and assisted with many of the end of HSC celebrations.

We also had the opportunity to welcome our Year 7 class of 2025 for two transition days. Ms Shonetell Toohey, the Stage 4 Coordinator, planned and delivered action packed days to give these young people a real sense of life in the Senior School. The day and the young people were full of energy and enthusiasm, we look forward to welcoming them to life in the Senior School in January.

As mentioned, we have been working with our young men on developing connections and their leadership skills. We were very excited when two members of the parent community reached out to offer their support. Thank you to Micheal Butko and Paul Clancy who facilitated an early morning catch up and connection for our Year 10s and Year 11s. There will be more opportunities for our young men to build these connections with our extended community early next year.

One of the best parts of ending the school year is the opportunity to celebrate the varied successes of our young people. On our speech day, the biggest awards are the Flourish Awards; these awards support Scots philosophy of life, learning and leading and our pursuit to ensure that all learners in our school are able to flourish. During the Senior School assembly we took the time to celebrate students who have demonstrated outstanding diligence in their classes, these awards are a testament to our students' positive approach to learning. Congratulations to all of our award winners!

I would like to take this opportunity to express my gratitude to all of the staff in the Senior School. I am constantly impressed by the passion and dedication of our staff, both teaching and professional services. We have some Senior School teaching staff who are leaving us. We wish Ms Paula Gleeson, Ms Jade Workman and Mr Jacob Hanna all the best for their new adventures. Also, we wish Mr Mitch Seers, one of our amazing learning support assistants who is moving overseas, all the best. A special thank you to Mr Stuart McLean for assisting us over the last term in the D&T space- it was great to have him back at Scots!

As 2024 officially comes to a close, we look forward to the new adventures, opportunities and beginnings of 2025.

I wish all of our staff, students and families a safe and joyful holiday season. Merry Christmas!

See all the photos of our award winners on the Scots App.

Year 3
Humanitas Award - Amelie Skidmore
Spiritus Award - Evelyn Weisman
Literis Award - Divyan Wagle
Auctoritas Award - Maggie Klingner
Proficiency Awards
- Sophia Gott
- Angus McNair
- Owen Patterson
- Divyan Wagle
Outstanding Diligence Awards
- William Baxter
- Madeline Hyde

Year 4
Humanitas Award - Annabelle Staughton
Spiritus Award - Hannah Kunde
Literis Award - Ethel James
Auctoritas Award - Ned Wilkerson
Proficiency Awards
- Ruizhou An
- James Robertson
- Eloise Rogers
- Mujtaba Saleem
Outstanding Diligence Awards
- Abigail Waller
- Maya Woonton

Year 5
Humanitas Award - Eliza Hyde
Spiritus Award - Sophie Moar
Literis Award - Bronte Taylor
Auctoritas Award - Lucy Mathews
Proficiency Awards
- Georgie Barber
- James Grylewicz
- Frankie Hurst
- Eliza Hyde
Outstanding Diligence Awards
- Harvey McFarlane
- Adelaide Phillips

Year 6
Humanitas Award • Greg Newbold Award - Kate Holland
Spiritus Award • Helen Begg Award - Evie Smith
Literis Award - Beatrice Staughton
Auctoritas Award - Frederic Crapp
Proficiency Awards
- Jasmine Fowler
- Samuel Mack
- Joshua Rutherford
- Beatrice Staughton
Outstanding Diligence Awards
- Ava Bell
- Tadiwanashe Chaitezvi
Rosalind Smith Outstanding Diligence Award
- Arabella Howard
School Captains’ Award
- Darcy Baird
- Jasmine Fowler
Justin Clancy MP Award for Citizenship and Service - Isaac Kunde
Scotsonians Association Award for Dux of the Junior School - Vinul Herath

Junior School Awards
Ingrid Morgan Junior School Award for Musical Contribution - Isolde James
Barbara Tasker Junior School Award for Musical Excellence - Vinul Herath
Gay St Clair Junior School Choral Award - Georgia Murphy
Junior School Award for Excellence in Musical Theatre - Thomas Showers

Year 7
Humanitas Award - Annabel Moar
Spiritus Award - Oscar Kennedy
Literis Award - Elisabeth Klingner
Auctoritas Award - Amelia Glover
Proficiency Awards
- Ollie Cardile
- Amelia Glover
- Smyan Hegde
- Oscar Kennedy
- Sophia Martin
- William Maynard
- Ella Smith
Springfield Award for Outstanding Diligence - Oliver Mathews
Dux of Year 7 - Annabell Moar

Year 8
Humanitas Award - Lachlan Baitch
Spiritus Award - Poppy Smith
Literis Award - Xavier Clancy
Auctoritas Award - Oscar Cameron
Proficiency Awards
- Charlotte Alessi
- Lachlan Baitch
- Ember Blackstock
- Xavier Clancy
- Jamie-Lee Gatty
- Lila Mason
- Kendra Rahaley
Glenair Award for Outstanding Diligence - William Perkins
Dux of Year 8 - Maneli Hashemi

Year 9
Humanitas Award - Amy Hayes
Spiritus Award - Alexander Fraser
Literis Award - Lucy Barry
Auctoritas Award - Angus Rae
Proficiency Awards
- Lucy Barry
- Grace Brown
- Alana Bryden
- Alexander Fraser
- Jessica Grover
- Amy Hayes
- Kirsten McLennan
- Tiana Sirr
Rosehill Award for Outstanding Diligence - Isabelle Martin
Dux of Year 9 - Emily Moar

Year 10
Humanitas Award • Christine Watson Award
- Audrey Haymes
Spiritus Award - William Stewart
Literis Award - Amelie Bonhote
Auctoritas Award - Ammar Syed
Proficiency Awards
- Lucy Bolton
- Sara Butko
- Phoebe Darnley Naylor
- Charlotte Findlay
- Geordie Mahon
- Georgia Perkins
Albury Grammar Award for Outstanding Diligence - Aliera Tucker
Rosehill Woodstock Scholarship - Georgia Perkins
Albury Grammar Scholarship - Ammar Syed
Melbourne University Kwong-Lee Dow Scholar -
- Ammar Syed
- Lucy Bolton
Long Tan Youth Leadership and Teamwork Award
-Audrey Haymes
Noelle Oke Award for Excellence in History
- Amelie Bonhote
Australian Defence Force Future Innovators Award
- Ammar Syed
Dux of Year 10
- Ammar Syed

Year 11
Humanitas Award - Bill Butko
Spiritus Award - Joshua O'Brien
Literis Award - Ebony Deverell
Auctoritas Award - Taylor Brown
Proficiency Awards
- Jericho Ellao
- Syun Hegde
- Adelaide Hiscock
- Samarth John
- Anastasia McFarlane
- Poppy Millgate-Kimball
- Beccy Plowman
- Matilda Tainton
Woodstock Award for Outstanding Diligence - Alice Eggleton
Scotsonians Association Award for Dux of Year 11 - Oliver Baitch

Senior School Awards
Kent Hilton Pipe Band Award
- Liam Nicolson
- Damon Wright
Ingrid Morgan Choral Award
- Freya Gniel
- Daniel Steer
Hazelwood Music Award
Neve Harris
Sportsman of the Year - Charles Baxter
Sportswoman of the Year - Hayley Whitsed
Joy Todd Musical Theatre Award - Ruby Ersvaer-Gotje

Year 12
Prize List
Humanitas • Robyn Rodd Memorial Award - Daniel Steer
Spiritus Award - Charlotte Dean
Literis Award - Maxwell Taylor
Auctoritas Award - Lucy-Jane Dowling
Dux of The Scots School Albury Parents & Friends Association Prize - Madeline Perkins
Proficiency Awards
- Claudia Alessi
- Callum Cooper
- Madelaine Hayes
- Ellenor Pretty
- Daniel Steer
- Maxwell Taylor
La Trobe University Award for Outstanding Diligence - Charlotte Dean
William Schultz School Captain’s Award
- Freya Gniel
- Daniel Steer
Lawrence Warren Award for Citizenship and Service - Daisy Turner
Justin Clancy MP Award for Citizenship and Service - Zoe Coughlan
Acquisitive Art Prize -Indita Yaxley
Headlie Taylor Agriculture Award - Madeline Perkins

Year 12 Academic Awards

- Claudia Alessi -
First in Business Studies
First in Visual Arts

- Joshua Antonello -
First in Industrial Technology

- Oliver Baitch (Year 11) -
First in Mathematics Advanced
First in Mathematics Extension 1

- Amelie Cameron -
First in Mathematics Standard 2
Diligence in PDHPE

- Callum Cooper -
First in Engineering Studies
First in English Standard

- Odin Cooper -
Diligence in Economics

- Harvey Correll -
First in Modern History

- Jonathon Cotter -
First in Mathematics Standard 1

- Zoe Coughlan -
Diligence in Modern History

- Charlotte Dean -
Diligence in English Advanced
Diligence in Geography
Diligence in Mathematics Standard 2

- Ruby Ersvaer-Gotje -
Diligence in Biology
Diligence in English Extension
Diligence in Mathematics Extension 1

- Freya Gniel -
Diligence in Agriculture
Diligence in Biology
Diligence in Chemistry
Diligence in Music 1

- Neve Harris -
Diligence in French Continuers

- Madelaine Hayes -
First in Economics
First in Legal Studies

- Mackenzie Hodges -
First in Physics

- Tessa Howden -
First in PDHPE
Diligence in Legal Studies
Diligence in Mathematics Standard 2

- William Maguire -
Diligence in English Standard

- Archie O'Brien -
Diligence in Engineering Studies
Diligence in Mathematics Advanced
Diligence in Physics

- Madeline Perkins -
First in Agriculture
First in Biology
First in Chemistry

- Ellenor Pretty -
First in Mathematics Extension 2

- Holly Robson -
Diligence in Hospitality

- Isabella Simpson -
Diligence in Industrial Technology
Diligence in Mathematics Standard 1

- Daniel Steer -
First in English Advanced
First in English Extension 1
First in English Extension 2
First in French Continuers
First in Music 1

- Matilda Tainton (Year 11) -
Diligence in Mathematics Advanced

- Maxwell Taylor -
First in Geography
First in History Extension

- Daisy Turner -
First in Hospitality

- Indita Yaxley -
Diligence in Business Studies
Diligence in English Standard
Diligence in Visual Arts

Performing Arts at Scots has truly shone this term, with many events showcasing the incredible talent, dedication, and creativity of our students, as well as the countless hours of hard work that have gone into this year.

The Scots Dance Annual Concert set the tone with a vibrant showcase of choreography, with Performances ranging from the nostalgic charm of Grease to modern contemporary routines. A special thank you goes to our dedicated dance supervisors and MT Dance Creative, whose efforts ensured the success of this wonderful evening.

The Infant's Production “Set a Place in Space” played to a packed house and was an absolute delight. The story followed some out-of-this-world visitors learning about hu-man food and discovering that every hu-man is unique, with food being about more than just nutrition. Students in Years K-2 dazzled the audience with their incredible singing, dancing, and storytelling.

Music has also taken centre stage this term, beginning with the Junior Music Assembly, which celebrated the extensive Instrumental Music curriculum at Scots. Our youngest instrumentalists were in fine form, with the Year 3 strings charming the audience with “Twinkle Twinkle Little Star”. Year 4 delivered a beautiful French folk piece, while the Year 5’s showcased their early progress on brass and woodwind instruments. The assembly concluded with the Year 6 ensemble combining for an epic rendition of Seven Nation Army, impressing the audience with their teamwork and ensemble skills.

For our older students, the Stage 5 Music Recital provided an opportunity for Year 9 and 10 musicians to display their progress in the Music classroom. Throughout the year, students explored a variety of topics, including Music for Ensembles and Contemporary Music, honing their skills in live group performance. Each student performed in both a group piece and a free-choice piece, resulting in a program featuring an eclectic mix of genres, including pop, rock, ragtime, and traditional folk music.

The weather outside might have been frightful, but the music in Chapel Hall was delightful! Carols in the Quad took shelter from the rain in Chapel Hall, where the Co-Curricular Music program was in full swing. From traditional favourites to modern mixes, our choirs and instrumental ensembles from across both Junior and Senior School provided a delightful early Christmas to our families.

Thanks to all who performed and attended these events, and supported the wonderful Performing Arts culture at Scots. We look forward to another big year in 2025!

Thanks to everyone for a great year of Sport. I hope that you all have a great holidays and look forward to another great year in 2025. Here are the Sports highlights over the last month at Scots:

Interschool Cricket vs Trinity
The Scots cricket teams had a fantastic day of cricket against Trinity on Monday 18 November, showcasing skill, teamwork, and sportsmanship across all games. Please see below for the scores and highlights on the day.

Senior Boys Game
On a lively turf wicket, the Senior Boys batted first but struggled to build partnerships, managing a total of 62 runs. Taylor Brown was the standout batter, belting a quick 20 runs, while Ethan White contributed a solid 12. Despite the low total, Scots put up a spirited bowling performance, with Fergus Monaghan and Bailey Blackstock delivering tight spells and creating opportunities. Trinity chased down the target with four wickets down, but the game was played in excellent spirits, with the boys enjoying the experience.

Under 15s Boys Game
The 15's Boys delivered an outstanding performance, batting first compiling a healthy 154. Hugo Howard led the batting with an impressive 53 runs, supported by Archie Ross’s 41,
Thanks to disciplined bowling by Cooper Glass, Riley Parteger, Jobe Davey, Lucas Jourdain, and Archer Warner who all got a wicket, Trinity’s batters were stifled by the Scots bowlers, who gave nothing away, only allowing 54 runs over the 20 overs. It was an emphatic win for the team, highlighting the depth and talent in this age group.

Year 7-12 Girls Game
The 7-12 Girls team played a thrilling match, setting a strong total of 117 thanks to key contributions from Tilly Tainton (25), Annabel Wenn (20), Kirsten McLennan (15), and Poppy Milgate Kimball (16). The Scots bowlers maintained high pressure, bowling tightly to dismiss Trinity for just 51 runs. It was a comprehensive team effort that earned an impressive victory for the Scots girls.

Year 3-6 Game
The junior boys played a very high-quality match against Trinity, successfully chasing the 109 set by Trinity with 8 overs to spare. Highlights for the game included accurate bowling from Fergus Glass and Fin Robertson, and a double wicket maiden for Clancy Miller. Fergus (36) and Clancy (27 retired) also dominated with the bat to ensure we came away with a strong win. Both teams showed great respect for the skills of the other team and added another exciting chapter to the local cricket rivalry.

U/17 ASC Basketball Championships
The U/17 Boys and Girls from The Scots School Albury departed for the Gold Coast on Sunday 1 December, to compete in the ASC Basketball Championships. This week-long tournament brought together the best school basketballers from across the nation, promising a thrilling and competitive atmosphere.

A huge thank you to all the players for their high level of commitment, the support of their families, and our wonderful coaches, Lochlan Cummings and Matt Whitfield, for the countless hours they dedicated to preparing and coaching our teams.

Special thanks also go to Karlen McDonald for her exceptional work behind the scenes in ensuring the teams were ready and organised for this amazing opportunity. Your efforts are deeply appreciated!

U/17 Boys Results
The Scots Boys played an exceptional week of basketball, finishing with a 4-2 record. They displayed cohesive teamwork and an exciting brand of play throughout the tournament.

Game Results:
· Game 1: Scots 45 def. Newcastle Grammar 37
· Game 2: Scots 59 def. Gold Coast CC 27
· Game 3: Scots 40 lost to St Margaret’s Berwick 89
· Game 4: Scots 49 def. Yarrabilba 35
· Game 5: Scots 59 def. Rostrevor 39
· Knockout Final: Scots 39 lost to Chisolm Chargers 51

The boys demonstrated great spirit and resilience, taking on some tough opponents and making Scots proud with their efforts on and off the court.
Congratulations to the team for a fantastic week of basketball, and a big thank you to the coaching staff and supporters who helped make this experience unforgettable!

U/17 Girls Results
The U/17 Scots Girls showed incredible resilience and determination throughout the ASC Basketball Championships. Despite facing injury concerns, the team battled through each game with grit and unwavering camaraderie. Their improvement over the week was remarkable, and their high team spirit was a standout feature of their campaign.

Game Results:
· Game 1: Scots 18 lost to Meridan 65
· Game 2: Scots 31 lost to Lourdes Hill 52
· Game 3: Scots 32 lost to Woodville 47
· Game 4: Scots 18 lost to Denmark 57

While the results didn’t go their way, the girls displayed tremendous heart and perseverance, leaving everything on the court and representing Scots with pride. Well done, team!

Library
The Library is on the move!
In 1969, Albury Grammar School received a grant from the then Federal Minister for Education and Science, the Hon. Malcolm Fraser, for the construction of a new library within the school. The grant, amounting to $32,500, was to cover 80% of the new building costs.

The new library opened in February 1971 and was named The Hague Library in honor of former school council members Henry Hague and Douglas H. Hague.

The first librarian at The Hague Library was Mr. Loring Hudson, who was affectionately nicknamed "Rocky" by his students.

The Hague Library has served the amalgamated schools of AGS and Woodstock Girls' School – Scots, ever since, undergoing several updates and extensions over the years.

The new library will be located in the former well-being office.

Chess
Over the last four weeks, the inter-school chess competition has been taking place during lunchtimes and recesses in the library. With some fabulous chess played by all participants (including Mr. Cameron), the competition came down to the semi-final matches:

• Oliver Baitch vs. Henry Zhao

• Ty Salter vs. James Grylewicz

Oliver and Ty advanced to the grand final, where Oliver defeated Ty 2-0 in a best-of-three match.
Congratulations to all participants, and a special thank you to Oliver for organising the entire event.

Tree Relocation
Our beautiful library tree was relocated this week to Mrs. Byrt’s kinder room. The kindergarten students were beside themselves with excitement at its arrival.

A big thank you to Ms. Toohey’s wonderful Year 10 English class, who planned and executed the move to perfection.