In this issue

Mr David Marriott | Head of Senior Boys’ Boarding

It has been another busy and productive couple of weeks in Hawkins House with several highlights to mention. From an academic sense, there are now a number of staff tutors attending the boys’ homework or ‘Prep’ sessions each evening, Monday to Thursday. This is certainly a positive move and all Senior Boys Boarding staff are continuing to encourage the boys to make the most of these opportunities, whether it be to improve their individual study skills or by seeking assistance with homework or upcoming assessment items. In the co-curricular area, a number of boys have recently attended Boarder District or Darling Downs trials, each putting in commendable performances. Further, participation in school based sports and activities continues to grow, in particular with the recent commencement of rugby training sessions. The boys from Hawkins will be very strongly represented in this sport. Socially, many boys took the opportunity to spend time with friends or family last weekend as a part of the ‘Adopt a Boarder’ program. In addition, all boarding houses (girls and boys) have again shared meals, chapel time and activities together. Finally, the comradery and support for each other shown by the boys continues to be impressive as they strive to keep the high standards of respect and good behaviour each and every day.

Boarder Profile | Darcy Zammit (Year 12) – Captain of Boys Boarding

Darcy started at SCOTS in Year 8 as a boarder and now has two younger brothers here, Hank (Year 10), Cody (Year 7), with another on the way ‘when Mum lets him come to boarding’. The family used to live near Tully, but now have a property with cattle ‘near Julia Creek’. Darcy really enjoys living in Hawkins House because he gets to ‘live with his mates and be independent’. He plays cricket ‘not very well’ and will also play rugby this season. He knew SCOTS was the right place for him because everyone was very friendly and seemed to care…….and it had girls here too’. As a leader, Darcy believes it is important to ‘lead by your actions’ and he enjoys ‘supporting the younger boys in the House and at Junior’s too as well as ‘helping SCOTS have a great reputation as a great school’.

The uniform shop will be closed from Tuesday 9^th March and will re-open on Monday 22^nd March.

Dan Hughes | Year 10 Cattle Club Member

Last weekend the SCOTS PGC College Cattle Club took part in the Millmerran Show and it proved to be a great success. Congratulations to the following students:

• Ben Carey: 2^nd in 13-15 years Paraders and 2^nd in 15 years and under Cattle Junior Judging.
• Tommy Worboys: 2^nd in 12 years and under Paraders and 1^st in 15 years and under Cattle Junior Judging.
• Marty Worboys: 3^rd in 13-15 years Paraders.
• Georgia Mulcahy: 1^st in 12 years and under Paraders and 3^rd in 15 years and under Cattle Junior Judging.
• Lily Emmerton: 3^rd in 15-25 years Paraders.
• Dan Hughes: 3^rd in 15 -25 years Cattle Junior Judging.

Mackenzie Taylor, Grace McIlroy, Georgina Buchan, Maddie Taylor, Ivy Westley and James Buchan all lead cattle in various classes throughout the day and also competed in Junior Judging and Paraders.

In the cattle classes, SCOTS PGC’s “Sco-mo” won the champion led steer and SCOTS PGC “Quantum Q6” came first in the British breed bulls 16 -20 months.

Overall, the Millmerran Show, was a great experience for everyone who attended. Thank you to Mr Collett for organising everything, supervising us and driving us to and from Millmerran. Thank you also to Ms Mortison for taking time out to assist with supervision, it was greatly appreciated. Also, thanks to Mr Adam Worboys and Mr Cameron Mulcahy for transporting our cattle to and from Millmerran, as we would not have been able to compete without your assistance.

Mr Richard Dobrenov | Deputy Principal and Head of Senior School

As a father of two boys myself and having worked in an all-boys environment for many years, at times I still find myself struck with just how thoughtful and thoughtless they can be, as they discover who they are and what they stand for.  One of the leading parent educators and the founder of Parenting Ideas, Michael Grose recently identified the importance of time and timing when it comes to successfully parenting of boys.  To begin with, boys on the whole mature later and take longer to mature than girls, and this is clearly evident when entering Middle School.  A typical Middle School classroom contains a wide range of levels of maturity and the sense of balance regarding academic willingness and socialisation often doesn’t emerge until the end of Year 10.

Grose identifies that a first born son, followed by a sister a couple of years younger, will often share similar levels of academic and social ability and this in itself can be a source of anxiety among boys either leading to them giving up, or being nasty towards the younger sister.  Grose warns that it is dangerous to make comparisons, as the first born likes to have a competency gap clearly established between them and those that follow.

Motivating Boys

It is true that most teenagers live for the moment and in the now, but it is particularly prevalent with boys.  The need for instant gratification often outweighs the thought process of repercussions of actions and asking “What possible good can come from this?”  Almost daily, I discuss this very thought process, or lack of thought process with boys when they just get it wrong.   Grose suggests avoiding lecturing teenage boys about their current behaviour having an impact on their later adult life; instead link the impact of their behaviour to their present lives.  For example, saying that eating healthily and having regular exercise and sleep patterns is going to have a positive impact on their ability to play football, run or play music will be far more motivating to a teenage boy than linking such habits to their long-term health.  At the age of 15 most boys are more concerned with the next 5 days than the next 5 years, so it is important to get in to his timeframe and show an interest in their present lives, their friends and interests.  Grose points out that by doing so, it will give you permission to press them further on their goals and ambitions in the future.

The Ability of Boys to Focus

Unfortunately, teenage boys have difficulty in applying equal effort to everything they do, particularly schoolwork.  If a boy identifies that the assessment piece isn’t important to him then his efforts are often reduced and this can be compounded if the deadline is too far away.  Many boys will saunter along until two days before and then with a huge rush (and sometimes tears) they will complete the project.  An effective way of addressing this can be to reduce the time period for completion or to set smaller mini-deadlines (chunking) that must be met along the way.  In this way, the boy stays on task and his motivation doesn’t falter. Most boys are Lego builders and like to have the instructions and stages to follow.  In particular, they like to see reward for their effort, and a practical purpose for doing the assessment.  Even a small tangible reward can be a great motivator.

Time as a Gift

Grose states that some of the greatest gifts to boys revolve around time, particularly with their fathers as long as it’s done in an age appropriate way.  In doing so he suggests that there are two aspects of time to consider.  The first is that it takes time and patience for a boy to grow and develop.  All too often parents want their boys to be what they want them to be within an adult timeframe.

The second element revolves around successfully communicating with boys.  By being able to enter the teenage boy timeframe, a successful adult can communicate with them about what interests them and is important to them now.  Often conversations in the car are an excellent way of communicating with teenage boys.  There is no eye contact (you should be watching the road) and open ended questions can often lead to valuable conversations as the kilometres tick by.

By getting in to their timeframes, giving them time and understanding what is important to them are, according to one of Australia’s leading parenting experts, an excellent way of communicating with adolescent boys.  Our sons hold our hands for only a little while, but they hold our hearts for a lifetime.

With the ongoing campaign against COVID still very much at the forefront of Government Policy and the news, we need to reaffirm the College’s stance on students with flu-like symptoms.

In order to protect our College and the wider community, we are required by the Government to implement the following protocols to manage students who present with symptoms of illness:

• If your child is unwell, please keep them at home until they are symptom-free.
• If your child becomes unwell at school, they should report to the Health Centre to be assessed. If staff observe symptoms, students will also be referred to the Health Centre.
• The Health Centre will contact parents to collect their unwell child as soon as possible.
• The Queensland Government is strongly urging anyone who has any symptoms of COVID-19 (fever, cough, sore throat, shortness of breath, runny nose, fatigue or loss of smell/taste), no matter how mild, to get tested.
• Students will not be able to return to school unless they have received a negative COVID-19 test result, and they are symptom-free.

Until advised otherwise, the College has no option except to abide by the above protocols. I respectfully ask all our parents to understand and comply with these mandated responses. While I understand the inconvenience these protocols may create for all of us, including the College, I would ask that appropriate consideration be given to the staff charged with the responsibility of implementing these safety measures. We appreciate the good grace that many of our parents have shown in these circumstances.

Kirra-Louise Kuhn and Madison Kane

Hello and welcome to our next instalment of “Getting to Know…”, where this week we get to know John Rogers, our very own Master Chef!

At our school, we are very lucky. Whilst students at other schools are up each morning packing lunchboxes, we as SCOTS PGC students can happily while away our mornings carefree. For us, when the morning tea bell goes, we walk to the dining hall and are given a fantastic array of cakes, biscuits and muffins. At lunchtime when the bell goes, we all file, once again, to the dining hall, where we grab a plate and lunch is served to us.

Throughout our days, we often see John around the dining hall. Always with a smile, he lets us know what the meal that has been prepared for us is and what extras are available with the salads. How many of us really know John, further than the ‘hellos’ that we exchange and the smiles of greeting? Well, we decided to remedy this issue, and ask John a few questions so that we as a community can get to know the man behind the chef’s hat.

As many us know, John is a very busy person, so we bent the rules of a traditional interview and emailed him the questions in advance. John was then able to type his responses, allowing us the time to get to know him better, without detracting from his important and busy job. Thanks again, John!

How long have you been at SCOTS and what influenced your decision to work here?

SCOTS has been privileged to have John with us for seven years now. Originally, he was looking for a job in the mining sector, however, a company he applied with asked him if he had considered a school. Previously from Ballandean, John had heard about SCOTS through customers at his previous job and luckily for us, this connection brought him to inquire taking up the post at SCOTS PGC.

We heard that you ran a restaurant before coming to SCOTS, can you tell us what this was like?

John and his wife had Shiraz Restaurant in Ballandean for eight years. John has managed clubs and restaurants previously, and even owned his own restaurant! However, these were all located in Brisbane and the Gold Coast, so Shiraz Restaurant was something special due to its rural location. John and his family enjoyed living in Ballandean and he was able to focus on certain aspects of catering that he finds exciting. John wrote, “Ballandean was a great little community and, happily, a lot of people in that community made wine for a living. I enjoyed working with winemakers to make dishes to match their wines”. Personally, we found it intriguing how specific wines can affect how particular meals taste and spent a successful procrastination session finding out more.

Is catering manager at a school something you have always been interested in doing?

John mentioned that he had previous catering management roles, but never at a school. This position intrigued him due to the uniqueness of the situation. Most schools only cater for boarders however, SCOTS PGC caters for all students.

What is one of the most rewarding parts of your job?

“Nutrition and exercise have been interests of mine for a long time. I really enjoy the opportunity to provide a balanced diet to our busy students and, hopefully, inspire healthy lifestyle habits”, states John. What a great sentiment, I don’t think we as students understand the thought and preparation that goes into each meal that is prepared for us. How lucky are we?

Is there a specific moment in your life when you realised your passion for cooking?

“My mother used to cook a lot and I spent a lot of time in restaurants from a young age”. There wasn’t a specific moment that John realised his passion for cooking, it was more the fact that his mother spent a lot of time cooking and he has always been around the restaurant scene.

Lastly, do you have a favourite dish to prepare and/or to eat?

We got a very specific answer from John when this question was posed. He explained that it was a signature dish a long time ago, but despite its age, it’s still a classic. The dish is grilled Queensland scallops, white truffle potato, coriander pesto with leek and salmon caviar. John also mentioned that Mr Thompson can attest to the greatness of this meal.

Well, there you have it, our very own Catering Manager John Rogers. We hope that you have enjoyed this week’s article “Getting to Know: John Rogers – Our School Chef” and have gained a further insight into the experience and thought that goes into our daily meals here at school.

Mr Stewart Bailey | Head of Junior Boys’ Boarding

Many of you probably know or have heard of Mrs Roslyn Hart.  She’s a SCOTS PGC stalwart and is seen as a boarding mum to loads of SCOTS PGC students.  “Rozzy” often has a camera in hand at most College events and is also on staff as a residential supervisor.  Our Junior Boys have spent quite a few afternoons with Ros, so I asked to her to jot down a couple of tales for this week’s newsletter piece…

After almost 25 years working in both girls and boys boarding houses, I think I have seen and heard it all from both sides.  It’s hard to believe that today, in Cunningham House, I am caring for the son of a girl I cared for in Girls Boarding over 16 years ago. Thank you Mac Morris and Jenna Eyles – It’s wonderful to know that my services extend beyond generations of families.

The 2021 junior boys are a delightful group.  They all have their funny little quirks and are equally independent with their views.  When asked what they liked best about boarding, some were not really sure and were stumped for a response.  Perhaps it’s because most are relatively new and are still discovering the great benefits of boarding or maybe they are too tired from all the activities they’re involved in! 

My observations of all of them, is that they enjoy one another’s company, be it mucking about in the dorm (not too much Mr Bailey!), being outside playing games or flying toy planes (there is one on the roof!) Owen and Rayne imagined that they could retrieve it, but were told it was not an option!

All boys love and enjoy their sport, be it Rugby, Futsal, cricket, Basketball and for Darcy H and Cooper B, it’s their horses.

I really enjoying working with all the boys, (two of my boys boarded) and when they were in Year 12, helped look after the junior boarders – perhaps the love of this school and boarding runs in the family! 

After some thought and deliberation, the boys came back to me with a response as to what they really liked about being in boarding…. the answer was “my caramel slice for afternoon tea.”

Mrs Susan Everson | Head of Girls Boarding

Well, we have passed the halfway mark of Term 1 and over the last two weeks our girls in residence have been in full swing of getting through the term with commitment and confidence.  Lots of girls have embraced this busy time by immersing themselves in various club activities, sport, and taking time to catch up with others outside of boarding on the weekends.

During the week, prep time has allowed the students time to plan and organise themselves to ensure assessments are being completed on time. The girls have access to three staff members to assist them with homework, so please encourage your girls to ask for support if they ever need it – we are all here to help!

We’ve had the pleasure of a few past students visit the boarding house, which has been nice for some of our older girls to talk to past boarders and listen to their stories. We love hosting visitors, and for me, it has been lovely to see just how connected our boarding students remain to the College long after they’ve graduated.

The Girls’ Boarding house are very excited to introduce the newest member of our boarding family, “Ember”, an 8-week-old Toy Poodle who is now fondly known as our house mascot. The girls are loving our new furry friend who is also proving to be a great team member to help girls chat about boarding and other topics of discussion.

The College hosted its first Open Morning this week.  Erin Fearby and Arena Wheeler did a fantastic job of showing new families through the PGC building and provided lots of insightful information to mums, dads and potential new students.  They certainly show how much they love their time in boarding – thanks girls.

Natasha Paganin | Equestrian Captain

Over the past week our SCOTS PGC Equestrian Team has been very busy, not only at competitions but also onsite, around the centre.

On 22 February, Angie Seidel visited the centre to give some of our campdraft enthusiasts lessons to get their horses back up and running for our busy year of campdrafting ahead. These lessons will continue once a month at Goodwood Equine for all those interested in attending this is a fantastic opportunity at first class campdraft facilities.  Contact Cheryl Paganin at the centre for further details.

On Wednesday Hillary McGregor-Potter held her second very successful dressage coaching session at the College and will continue to do so every second Wednesday. David Finch will also be coming tomorrow also visited on 4 March, for jump lessons and will continue every second Thursday.

This weekend, Warwick Horse Trials is hosting a two-day event comprising Dressage, Showjumping and Cross Country. We have five equestrian team members competing – Best of luck to all! Last weekend we had a number of members compete at Millmerran show. Congratulations to everyone who competed, here are the results:

Millmerran Show | 27 – 28 February

Thomas Brasch:          1^st 1m Showjumping

3^rd 90cm Showjumping

Jess Angus:                  1^st Working Hunter

5^th Overall in Combined Training

Sophie Poole:              1 rail down in the 80cm jump off in Showjumping

1 rail down in her two 90cm Showjumps