Welcome back to Term 4!

In just a few days, our Year 12 students will sit their HSC English exam which signals the start of the exam period that runs until Friday 4 November. 

On Wednesday morning when the students arrive for English, there will be a lot of trepidatious students who are feeling a mix of emotions - nervous about their exams, eager to get into it and relief that the final chapter of their schooling is upon them. 

They have been preparing for these few weeks for 13 years and with the support of our dedicated teachers, I know they are ready to do their best. 

Some will still be deciding what to do after exams and will be relying heavily on the ATAR they receive when results are released in December. But many will already be on a pathway through early entry at university or arranged employment or apprenticeships. Whichever path each student treads, I know Scots has provided them a foundation from which to launch into adulthood. 

I, and all the teachers, wish them well in their exams. But if there’s one piece of advice I can give them it would be to do their best but know that while ATARs may be important they do not define who they are as people. There are many attributes that make a person a valuable member of society and Scots provides the platform and support for our students to find their niche in the world.

While our Year 12 students focus on exams, our 2023 Year 12 leaders can start settling into their new roles. 

Congratulations to our 2023 School Captains, Zara Hiscock and Fraser Bennett, our Boarding House captains, Joshua Niuila and Ali Jackson, and all those who are leading a key portfolio. I look forward to working with the new leaders as they find their feet this term.

A reminder that Boarders return from 3.00pm on Monday and classes commence next Tuesday 11 October. Term 4 means summer uniforms, don't forget your hats.

4-stream Year 10

Strong demand for Year 10 places has allowed us to move to four streams in that year level in 2023. This means that there will be fewer students in each of our Year 10 classes but, with higher numbers overall, we will be able to offer more elective options.

Enrolment growth has been strong across all year levels which is beneficial to all students because it gives us many more options in co-curricular and curriculum planning. We will still deliver on our promise of small class sizes so that each student is known and heard. A reminder that if your child will not be attending Scots in 2023 it is important that you inform the school as soon as possible as we have waitlists in several cohorts.

Staffing

We have three new staff members this term: Finance Manager, Dale Johnstone is a CPA and starts in the Business Office next week, Mary Toney will be teaching Japanese this term and Simon Goss, who was a casual teacher last term, has now come on board four days a week as our school Chaplain. 

We have made significant progress in our search for a new Head of Junior School. We have utilised ANZUK Education, an organisation specialising in education recruitment in Australia and the UK, which has yielded a strong application pool. We expect a decision in the next two weeks. 

Shrek the Musical

In exciting news, I can confirm that we have secured the rights to perform Shrek the Musical in 2023. It will be a whole school production in Term 2 next year. Planning has already started and auditions will begin in Term 4.

Shrek features songs from the Broadway production and follows the story of Shrek and Donkey as they fight their way past singing skeletons, to rescue Princess Fiona and deliver her to Lord Farquaad before the sun goes down.

A story of friendship, bravery and self-acceptance, Shrek is a fun and heart-warming show for the whole family with amazing music that we all know and love!

Senior Study Centre

You will be as pleased as I am that the Senior Study Centre is out for tender. We have experienced some delays due to the pandemic and high demand in the construction industry, but we are now on our way! Thank you to those who have contributed to the fundraising initiatives over the past year to make this vision a reality.

Events, events and more events

We have plenty happening at Scots this term. There are events specifically for Junior School students and others for Senior School students, there are some for the whole school and there are events tailored for niche groups such as the Pipe Band, our Sporting Shooters and equestrian riders.

Keep an eye on the Scots Calendar for dates and the newsletters for more information.

Some of the bigger events that you should put in your diary now include:

Our Year 4 camp in Week 2, Kindergarten transitions (which start in Week 3 and run over several weeks), Anniversary reunions for alumni on Saturday 29 and Sunday 30 October, our Infants production in Week 5, Year 12 Graduation on Saturday 12 November, and a skateboarding program for Years 1 and 2 in Week 6. Also in Week 6 is the Year 2 sleepover.

On Friday 18 November, teachers have a Report Writing and Curriculum Day so the School will be closed and it will be a pupil-free day.  

In Week 7, we have our Year 7 transition day, Year 9 go on camp, Junior School students have a disco day, the Year 11 formal is on at the Albury Entertainment Centre and cyclists leave for the Great Victorian Bike Ride.

Week 8 is one of the busiest: Year 10 and Year 12 are on camp, the Scots Dance concert is on in the Chapel Hall, we have our Year 6 Graduation, Grandparents’ Day and Carols @ Scots.

Final Chapel and Assemblies are on in Week 9, and Speech Night wraps up the School year on Friday 9 December. The only activities for our students after the last day of term is the Scots Equestrian Interschool Challenge on Saturday 10 and Sunday 11 December and the HSC morning tea to celebrate our Year 12 results on Thursday 15 December.

I look forward to seeing many of you at these events. 

What a great year it has been so far and we look forward to a final term of hard work, celebrations, achievements and being part of the great community of Scots.