In this issue

Mr David Marriott | Director of Boys’ Boarding & Ms Amy Woodgate | Director of Girls’ Boarding and Head of Middle School

New Girls – Old Girls Night

Recently, we held our ‘New Girls – Old Girls’ Night in Girls’ Boarding.  It was a fantastic evening that saw each of our year levels come together and perform a routine for our boarding house.  We had everything from the Spice Girls to choreographed dances and a visit from our College mascot.

The girls spent hours rehearsing, choreographing their dances and learning their routines, as well as putting together costumes and music.  Our Year 12 group did a wonderful job of supporting the younger girls to come together as a grade and organise their performance.

A highlight of the night was the passing down of a song from the Year 12s to the Year 7s.  The year 12 group sang the song that was passed down to them when they were in Year 7 and then shared a new song with our current Year 7s for them to pass on when they reach their final year of boarding.

We ended the night with a ‘Cold Rock’ style dessert and a dance party.  It was a night full of encouragement and support for one another with some hilarious performances and was a great way of strengthening our boarding community and connecting our new and old girls.

Pink Boarders

Our SCOTS PGC boarders completely embraced our ‘Pink Day’ last week. The event was a wonderful success and raised awareness and funds for the McGrath Foundation, which supports women and families affected by cancer by training specialist breast care nurses. It was great to see so many girl and boy boarders get dressed up in their best pink outfits and also contribute to the funds raised.

Adopt a Boarder weekend

Thanks to all those families in the SCOTS PGC community who were able to support this activity by hosting a boarder. Over sixty per cent of our boarders enjoyed a great weekend with friends and family, no doubt starting and consolidating some friendships for times ahead.  We look forward to the next ‘Adopt a Boarder’ weekend in the middle of Term 2.

Ms Amy Woodgate | Director of Girls’ Boarding and Head of Middle School

I have long been a follower of well-known Australian educator and author, Maggie Dent, and always find her own writing and presentations as well as the content she shares from others incredibly practical and valuable as a resource when supporting young people.  Recently on social media, Maggie shared a link to an article written by Australian educator,  Michelle Mitchell, titled ‘10 things kids need now, before the teenage years’ that described insights she has gleaned from her work with tweens and adolescents when writing her new book ‘Tweens’.

Like any ‘blog list’ or ‘how to guide’ you see on social media, I read the article with a critical eye as quite often these pieces can be rather simplistic or just motivational quotes spun into paragraphs.  However, as I read through Michelle Mitchell’s list, I found myself agreeing with the insights she shared and reflecting upon my experiences working with young people.  Michelle’s full list of insights she developed based on her research with tweens and teens can be found in the article, with my summary of these key elements of the transformative years in the lives of our boys and girls outlined below.

Insight 1 – Understand Development

The years of early adolescence are a time of significant physical, social, emotional and cognitive changes.  Our young teens and preteens are in a constant state of change that filters into all aspects of their world, particularly their feelings and actions.  We begin to see those ‘big’ emotions unfold often with our tweens not really understanding how or why they have reacted in a particular way.  Recognising and acknowledging the developments underway in their world is important.

Insight 2 – Invest Time Intentionally

Prioritising time is important.  As the significant adults in the lives of our tweens and teens, we can often feel that we are being sidelined for the company of their friends.  Making the most of opportunities that present themselves is key.  These are memories and experiences that both young and old will value.

Insight 3 – Support Mental Health

Mental health and wellbeing is equally as important as physical health and wellbeing, particularly at this time of transition and change from childhood to adolescence.  Seeking professional support and opening up the conversation about mental health is incredibly important and something as adults we should model to our young people.

Insight 4 – Big Issues, Little People

We can often feel that our children are growing up too fast and are exposed to too much.  This may be the case, but it is also important to keep this in perspective.  Our tweens and teens may present with a worldly exterior but on the inside, they are seeking support and guidance from their key adults as they try to navigate an incredibly complex world.

Insight 5 – Don’t Minimise Challenges

I don’t know about you, but my teenage years seem like a distant memory and in comparison to the day-to-day tasks of adulthood, I realise I didn’t appreciate the simplicity of those years for what they were.  At the time, it all seemed very overwhelming and adults didn’t understand how hard it was.  Our young boys and girls are quite likely thinking the same thing about us today.

Insight 6 – Expect Meltdowns

As the Director of Girls’ Boarding and also the Head of Middle School at SCOTS PGC, I can see first hand the ‘big’ emotions felt by our young people and how this can spill over into their friendships, sport, academics and general way of life.  I believe that like we do with children in the early years, it is equally as important for children in the early stages of adolescence that we support and guide them to de-escalate and regulate their emotions.  They need a ‘soft place to fall’, to know that the adults in their world are there to support them and that we can provide them with tools and strategies to navigate the complexity of their feelings.

Insight 7 – Be the Source

Developing a broader understanding of the world is a key component of a child’s development during these years.  Their world expands beyond their immediate family and they become curious about the wider world, social issues and complex ideas.  At the same time, they quite often have access to an online world with reputable and non-reputable sources of information.  Create the time and space for those difficult discussions about big topics.  At SCOTS PGC, we encourage our young people to seek support from adults, to ask questions and to critically evaluate the information they encounter.

Insight 8 – Keep Building Skills

I am always amazed at what our young people are capable of if just given the chance.  We are fortunate at SCOTS PGC that we get to see this each and every day in our classrooms, on the sporting field, in the paddocks or in the Tech Shed.  Our boys and girls truly have access to a wide array of opportunities to challenge their skills and enhance their capabilities.

Insight 9 – Expect to Need to Change

Like for our young people, this is also a time of change for the adults in their lives and as I often say to the students in Middle School who just ‘pop in for a chat’, change doesn’t have to be a bad thing.  It can be uncomfortable and it can be a bit bumpy along the way, but it can also be rewarding and an opportunity for us all.

Insight 10 – Breathe – You’ve Got Time

Thankfully, for both the adults and the tweens, these changes physically, emotionally and cognitively do not just happen overnight.  There is time for all of us, at home, at school and in the community, to support and guide our young people as they navigate their world during these years.

There is no doubt that these early years of adolescence can be challenging for both the young people and the significant adults in their lives, but it is also important to remember how wonderfully empathetic, hilarious, surprising and insightful teenagers can be.  As someone who has worked with young people for close to 20 years, seeing them grow through these years and ‘come out the other side’ is definitely the most rewarding part of the job.

Useful Resources

https://michellemitchell.org/

https://michellemitchell.org/10-things-kids-need-before-the-teenage-years/

https://www.maggiedent.com/

Emma Bradbury & Alexis Zerner | Publications Prefects

Continuing on with the introduction of the 2023 School Leaders, next we have our College Vice Captains, Lexie Zerner and Mitchell Twidale. They were asked some questions, from covering their plans for the year to fun facts about themselves. Before I progress, if you are interested in the School Publications Portfolio, please contact Lexie at alexis.zerner@scotspgc.com.au or myself at emma.bradbury@scotspgc.com.au

Now to business,

Question 1 – What legacy would you like to leave behind as the 2023 College Vice Captains?

Mitch: I’d like to leave the school knowing that we were closer together and connected with each other across all areas of the College.

Lexie: I’d like to leave the school knowing that Mitch, our cohort, and I have inspired younger students to try their best and proudly represent our College. We have an amazing history and I would like for that history to be continually honoured, even after the cohort of 2023 is long gone.

Question 2 – What has been your favourite memory at SCOTS PGC?

Mitch: My favourite memory would be every year at the athletics carnivals with all my friends.

Lexie: I think my favourite memory at SCOTS was one of The Clan’s (rock band) performances in 2021. We were provided with the opportunity to perform at the opening of the Junior School playground, it is definitely a moment I will never forget.

Question 3 – What are you most looking forward to in 2023?

Mitch: I’m most looking forward to finishing school on a high and doing so with everyone I’ve been with over the past 6 years.

Lexie: I am most looking forward to our Year 12 Cardinal in May!

Question 4 – What is your favourite movie?

Mitch: The old Get Smart.

Lexie: This is a bit of a tricky question as I love so many movies, but at the moment, I’d have to say Harry Potter and The Prisoner of Azkaban is my favourite movie.

Question 5 – If you could go anywhere in the world, where would you go?

Mitch: I would want to go to Germany.

Lexie: I think I’d like to go to either England or Scotland to visit all of the castles and old ruins.

Question 6 – What year did you come to SCOTS PGC College?

Mitch: I started at the College in 2018, when I was in Year 7.

Lexie: I started attending SCOTS PGC in Prep, which was in 2011.

Question 7 – What is your favourite part of the college campus?

Mitch: My favourite place at the college is the Tech Shed.

Lexie: My favourite part of the campus is the Senior School during spring when all the trees and plants begin to blossom. It makes the College look almost fairytale-like.

Question 8 – Do you have any funny stories from your time at school?

Mitch: I think my funniest memory is watching Hank trying to do the nutbush in our Cardinal dance practice.

Lexie: I think my funniest story from school would be the time my tech project, a wooden money box, got caught on one of the sanding tools and was flung into a nearby wall. I definitely owe Mr Retallick a massive thank you for helping me remake it.

Question 9 (and most importantly) – Would you rather be trapped in a room with 10 horse-sized chickens or 100 chicken-sized horses?

Mitch: I would rather 10 horse-sized chickens!

Lexie: I think I’d have to pick one hundred chicken-sized horses as chicken-sized horses don’t sound anywhere near as scary as horse-sized chickens!

Thank you for your time, Mitch and Lexie. We hope you have a fantastic year and cannot wait to see what the future holds for everyone.

Thank you for reading, we hope you continue to flourish in 2023!

Mr Tom Bradbury | Director of Co-Curricular Activities

Representative Program

The Border District Winter Trials saw several students attend trials for Football, Rugby League, Netball and Basketball the following students attended.

• Football: Under 16 Boys – Layth Al-Eidani, Oliver Swift, Matthew Howard, Jake Lyons, Under 15 Girls – Charlie Pennell, Jodie Bergemann
• Rugby League: Under 15 – Charlie Bergemann, Angus Bauer, Murphy Benson, Declyn Wren, Will Peters, Hugh Holden, Under 18 – William Bryant, Cooper Heinemann, Paul Costello, Nelson Madua
• Netball: Under 15 – Sienna Sparksman, Amira Duffy, Elliza Moore-Kirkland, Bridie Hutchison, Chloe Harm, Hannah Bourke, Holly Sheppard, Under 19 – Kyra Detmers, Bridget Hardy, Abigail Skaines, Elyse Peters
• Basketball: Under 16 – Lachlan Groves, Lachlan Tweddell, Ben March, Nicholas Fauske, Oliver Miller, Sam Fauske, Adam Stephenson and Briana Groves, Under 18 – Daisee Lawson
• The following of these students were selected to the Border District Teams for their respective sports.
• Football: Under 16 Boys – Oliver Swift, Girls – Charlie Pennell
• Rugby League: Under 15 Murphy Benson, Darcy Hodges, Declyn Wren, Under 18 –Nelson Madua
• Basketball: Under 16 – Sam Fauske, Briana Groves, Under 18 – Daisee Lawson

We congratulate all students on their success and wish them well at the Regional Trials.

Darling Downs Success

Amelia Kuhn may have been our first Darling Downs representative for the year with her selection in the 12 years Girls’ Cricket team, but she was quickly followed by Jack Ragh who also was selected for Darling Downs Cricket in the Under 19 Boys team. Percy Kruger was unlucky not to make the final cut and will likely be a shadow player in the event of a withdrawal.

We sent five students to the Darling Downs Waterpolo trials with Bailey Harm, Ellyse Kruger, Ella McGlashan, Chloe Harm and Krystal Petersen representing well in the hard-fought trials. Bailey was our only successful participant gaining selection in the Darling Downs Team once more. He will now attend the State Championships in Brisbane in late April.

Week 7 holds many trials for our students across the College and we wish them well.

Southern Downs Swimming

Following the Southern Downs Swimming Championship held at the WIRAC last week, the following students were selected in the Southern Downs Team to attend the Darling Downs Championship on Tuesday 28 February.  Congratulations to:

• Ella Hutchison
• Charlotte Stevens
• Lallie Gamble
• William Dare
• Bronx Hamilton
• Tori Winters

We wish you all the very best for the Darling Downs Championships.

Warwick All Schools Swimming

In a very solid display, the SCOTS PGC Swim Team held their own against Assumption, Warwick SHS, Clifton, Allora SHS, Warwick Christian School, Killarney SS and SOTE at the 96th Annual Warwick All Schools Swimming Carnival.

The following students turned in Age Champion or Runner-up performances and were the key to our overall success on the evening.

• 12 years Boys – Bronx Hamilton | Runner-up
• 13 years Girls – Chloe Harm | Age Champion
• 13 years Boys – Cruz Hamilton | Runner-up
• 14 years Boys – William Peters | Age Champion
• 15 years Girls – Ellyse Kruger | Age Champion
• 16 years Boys – Sam Fauske | Runner-up
• 16 years Boys – Samuel Bourke | Age Champion
• Open Boys – Darcy Noller | Runner-up

In the major trophy categories, our students took away the top gong or second across the board:

• Junior Girls Cup – 1st
• Girls Relay Trophy – 1st
• Senior Girls Cup – 2nd
• Junior Boys Cup – 1st
• Boys Relay Trophy – 1st
• Senior Boys Cup – 2nd
• Senior Boys and Girls Relay – 1st
• Allora P&C Average trophy – 1st

To top off all this individual and team success, Ellyse Kruger was named Female Swimmer of the Carnival for her 50 points amassed and 1 record broken. This record was in what is fast becoming Ellyse’s pet event, the 100m Freestyle, where she lowered the old mark by some 6.3 seconds to set the new one at 1.03.9min. A fantastic effort from the young champion.

Congratulations team on an outstanding performance both in and out of the pool. Thanks to Miss Carey and Mrs Stephenson for their supervision and management of our team and to all involved in running the event. We congratulate and also thank our opponents for the stiff competition and sportsmanship demonstrated throughout the evening.

Debating

Connie-Anne Sue Tin and Magdalena Abbott

Debating is an organised and competitive argument, based on a topic. There are two opposing teams, which feature three people per team, one that is ‘for’ the topic (affirmative) and the other that is ‘against’ the topic (negative). While the majority of a debater’s speech is prepared prior to the competition, there are also opportunities in the moment, to present rebuttals, where members can point out flaws and inconsistencies with the opposition’s arguments and points.

On Wednesday night, the Year 10 SCOTS PGC Debating team went up against Toowoomba Grammar School for their first debate of the season. The topic of the evening’s debate was ‘That the senate should be elected by lottery.’

It was an entertaining and fulfilling debate. Unfortunately for us, Toowoomba Grammar was victorious on the night.  We learned a lot to help us prepare for our upcoming debates. Our next debate will be a short prep round in 3 weeks, and we are very excited to see what happens next. We will have a minimum of two other debates in Term 2 and are hoping to improve further throughout the year.

Cricket 

In Week 5, we made another baggy cricket cap presentation to Jesse Bohm, who was named in our First XI squad prior to the match against St Marys.  Captain Jack Ragh, presented Jesse with his cap, who went on to have a great game!

First XI Match Report v Concordia | Mr Callum Blake

The First XI game went right down to the wire, with Concordia taking the chocolates after running a bye off the very last ball. SCOTS PGC batted first and got off to a flyer with Daniel Hughes hitting a half-century, including multiple sixes. Unfortunately, he played a lone hand, as the team were kept to 108 at the end of their 20 overs. In the field, SCOTS PGC were electric, stopping and backing up every ball that came their way. This was backed up by some tight bowling, particularly from Jack Ragh and Phoebe Bryant who, once again, took wickets at key moments. With 7 runs required off the last over, the Concordia batters were able to keep calm and get their team over the line in a tight finish.

Junior XI match Report v Concordia | Mr Dan Kuhn

The mighty Junior XI came away with a win yesterday, proving the old adage that catches win matches! Their fielding effort was a million miles away from their first game three weeks ago, and they are starting to look like a cricket team. Concordia batted first and were bowled out for 62 or 74 depending on which way you look at it. 62 with their batters and then our Nav and Annabel batted for them and helped them get to 74. Our bowlers were in the wickets with Oliver Swift, Amelia Kuhn and Matt Howard all on hat tricks at some stage of the innings. Oliver 3/14, Amelia Kuhn 3/6, Matt Howard 2/3, Dan Kuhn 1/3 off 2 were the pick of the bowlers. The run chase saw Matt Howard compile a well composed 30 off 44 and Sundries played a great supporting role establishing a crafty 37 in total. We ended our 20 on 8/93.

SCOTS PGC Equestrian Extravaganza

Mrs Rachel Bruyn | Equestrian Centre Manager

The SCOTS PGC Equestrian Extravaganza for 2023 was held on 18 & 19 February 2023.  Our competitors and our band of helpers worked hard through the heat for a fantastic weekend.  It was great to see our students out in force representing the College among a field of worthy interschool competitors.  Sophie Poole, Jessica Angus, Charlotte Kielly, Jessica Howard, Phoebe Sellick, Laura Joubert, Hannah Lawler, Ivy Westley, Mac Sanderson, and Zoey-Ella Nowlan represented our school with great sportsmanship and skill, with many clear rounds and round placings throughout the weekend.

SCOTS PGC College was Reserve Champion Team in the Combined Training with our team comprising Jessica Angus, Phoebe Sellick, Ivy Westley and Laura Joubert. We were also the Reserve Champion Team in the Showjumping, with our team of Phoebe Sellick, Jessica Howard, Jessica Angus and Mac Sanderson.

Individually, in the Combined Training Discipline, we congratulate Jessica Angus who placed second overall in the Secondary CT 1*, and Phoebe Sellick, who placed second overall in the Secondary CT 60cm, and Ivy Westley who placed fourth in the same class.  Phoebe was also fourth overall in the Secondary CT 80cm.

In the Showjumping Discipline, our students also experienced individual success in the arena over the weekend.  Congratulations to Phoebe Sellick, for first place overall in the Secondary 90cm and 3^rd place in the Secondary 70cm.  Jessica Angus took out fourth place overall in the Secondary 100cm, Jessica Howard was third overall in the Secondary Training 50cm, and Zoey-Ella Nowlan was fourth in the Primary 50cm.

Well done to all of our students who competed, and to those that assisted, particularly to our Extravaganza Committee – Beck Poole, Claire Angus, Kylie Brasch, Peta Sanderson and Jo Sellick, who worked tirelessly to organise and deliver the event.  Thank you to the following parents and students who also gave their time to help out over the weekend: Christine Bradfield, Rob Sanderson, Graeme Angus, Nick Poole, Jeremy and Pauline Joubert, and students (non-competing): Gabby Sellick, Tom Brasch, April Davies, Elyse Kruger, Paige Bowerman, Chelsea Leonard, Chaylee Bruyn, Mia Bischoff, Mylie Caldwell, Molly Sinclair.

In closing, may I add my deepest thanks to all listed above for without these people the show surely could not go on. Also, to the wonderful Mrs Rachel Bruyn who makes so much happen at our Centre and for our Events. She is often the glue that binds the centre and its residents together and we thank her immensely for her great work. – Mr Tom Bradbury

Ms Amanda Hall | Head of Junior School

Creative writers in Year 3

In a recent lesson in a creative narrative writing exercise, Year 3 students were tasked by Mrs Michelle Brown with writing a sequel to a story originally written by students in 2021, featuring a nasty little fairy called Rosy. The exercise was not only an excellent opportunity for students to practice their writing skills but also served as a great preparation for the upcoming NAPLAN exams.

The plots for the storylines, in both 2021 and again in 2023, were thought up by the students as they toured the old boarding house of School House and discovered the hatch to the clock tower. The 2021 class created a fairy kingdom in the clocktower which was run by Rosy. The heroes in that story made the fairy kingdom disappear but Rosy escaped and vowed to have her revenge.

Our current Year 3 students absolutely loved the story and decided to write a sequel that involved finding missing boarders who had been spirited away by Rosy. The students decided that they needed a spy to gather information and who better than a magpie named Jane Pond (003) – licensed to thrill.

The students demonstrated great imagination in their writing, creating a vivid and engaging world that kept readers hooked from beginning to end. The sequel was a testament to the power of collaborative storytelling, as students built upon the ideas of their peers to create something truly unique.

The exercise was a great success, not only in terms of fostering creativity and writing skills but also in preparing students for the challenges of NAPLAN. By working on a real-life task with clear objectives and constraints, students were able to build confidence in their abilities and develop valuable skills that will serve them well in their academic careers and beyond.

Overall, the sequel to the clocktower story was a wonderful example of the power of collaboration, creativity, and hard work. The students at SCOTS PGC College are sure to continue creating imaginative and engaging stories for years to come.

NAPLAN 2023

The National Assessment Program for Literacy and Numeracy (NAPLAN) is scheduled to be run in 2023 for all students across Australia in Years 3, 5, 7 and 9.  Students in these year levels will undertake NAPLAN tests in the four domains of Reading, Writing, Language Conventions (spelling, grammar and punctuation) and Numeracy.  In 2022, SCOTS PGC College transitioned from paper-based to completing NAPLAN online, with Year 3 student continuing to complete the writing assessment on paper.

Online NAPLAN tests are more engaging for students and provide more accurate results. Students in Years 3, 5, 7 and 9 have completed a program of preparation which included participation in NAPLAN National Practice tests in Week 4 of this term as well as focused preparation sessions for each year level.

The NAPLAN test window in 2023 runs from Wednesday 15 March through to Monday 17 March with the finalised schedule for when students will complete testing below.

At SCOTS PGC College, we approach these days as just another day in the school year.  We prepare our students for these tests through high-quality teaching and learning programs that continually strive to enhance the literacy and numeracy skills of our students.  Students are provided with opportunities to familiarise themselves with the style of questions that may be asked and the test format they may be presented with.

More information about NAPLAN for parents and carers can be found:

NAP – Parent/Carer Support

Public Demonstration Site

Information has been sent to all Parents and Carers of students in these year levels outlining arrangements for NAPLAN preparation and ways they can support their child.

Please contact Amanda Hall (amanda.hall@scotspgc.com.au) if you have any queries or would like further information about NAPLAN in 2023.

Ms Amy Woodgate | Director of Girls’ Boarding and Head of Middle School

SCOTS Achieve and SCOTS Engage

At SCOTS PGC, it is important to us that we provide support and guidance for our young people beyond just the requirements of the curriculum.  We are always seeking to review our programs and implement initiatives that meet the needs of our students in terms of both their academic and social emotional development.

SCOTS Engage for Year 8 and SCOTS Achieve for Year 7, are two programs that have been designed to complement our existing pastoral care and wellbeing sessions and provide our Middle School students with opportunities to explore their strengths and develop skills and dispositions that enhance their ability to achieve success in their chosen pursuits.

SCOTS Engage has now been running for three years and is an opportunity for our Year 8 students to connect with who they are as individuals, as a group and as members of our community.  Throughout the year, we explore a range of topics and themes, ranging from ‘BIG’ concepts like trust and bravery, to more practical skills such as how to study for an exam, what subjects to select as an elective for Years 9 and 10 and even how to sew on a button.

The overview for SCOTS Engage is:

Term 1: ‘Knowing Yourself and Others’ – character strengths and leadership qualities

Term 2: ‘Learning to Learn’ – understanding how we learn, organising ourselves, study skills and strategies

Term 3: ‘Our Community’ – serving others and developing life skills

Term 4: ‘The Next Step’ – preparing for the journey to Senior School

The conversations we have in SCOTS Engage are some of my favourite conversations each week.  I never cease to be astounded at the depth of our students in these early years of adolescence and their ability to speak up and share ideas, be vulnerable and reflect on themselves and their relationships with others.

SCOTS Achieve is a new program that has been introduced in 2023 and will be developed throughout the year.  It is designed to expand upon our Year 7 Transition Program that takes place at the start of each year and lays a strong foundation for these students as they commence this next phase of their education.  In its simplest form, SCOTS Achieve is all about strategies for success in Middle School.

During SCOTS Achieve sessions this year, we will explore:

• Ways to prepare for learning
• How to use your textbook and other learning resources effectively
• Making study notes to help with revision
• The best ways we can organise ourselves and our belongings
• Time management strategies
• How to break down an assessment task into more manageable chunks

During this year, we will be seeking the feedback of the students in both Years 7 and 8 as their insights are what have led to the development of these unique programs within our Middle School.  Their ideas are what we use to tailor individual sessions to meet their needs at the time and ensure they feel connected and supported as they navigate these years of their education.

Mr Richard Dobrenov | Deputy Principal and Head of Senior School

Crossing the road to diminish the gap

With the beginning of a new year, a key focal area for the seniors has been bringing our sub schools together.  By simply crossing the road from Senior School to Junior and Middle Schools, our students are strengthening our College’s sense of community and founding positive, long-lasting relationships with their younger peers.

Our senior students play an important role in creating a welcoming and supportive environment for the younger students through the Class Prefect scheme, the ‘Drop Everything And Read’ program, greeting at the street crossings, and facilitating play time visits and games.  Through these connections, the seniors offer guidance and support, but also serve as positive role models, showing junior students what is possible with hard work and dedication.

It’s been wonderful to see a number of our little people stop by the notice boards at the main office and excitedly point out the list of College leaders and senior students who they now have established connections with.  They can easily identify the students by their photographs on the board and happily recall the time when that particular person visited their class, read to them or gave them a high five as they walked past at the end of a class change.

A common favourite memory for our Year 12s often recall at graduation time is the interactions they had with seniors when they were in Junior and Middle School – it is these positive experiences that they are looking to replicate themselves as senior students.   By fostering positive relationships between the sub schools, we can create a supportive and welcoming environment for all students here at SCOTS PGC.