From our Boarding Houses

From Boys’ Boarding | Mr David Marriott

Whilst the return to the boarding houses was delayed in 2022, all boys are now back ‘home’ and thriving at SCOTS PGC in both Hawkins House (Years 8-12) and Cunningham House (Years 5-7).

Already, the year has been filled with many new experiences for both new and returning students, with new friendships formed, new routines put into place and new boarding staff joining our SCOTS team.

I would particularly like to congratulate Peter McFarland (Boys Boarding Captain) and Scott Taat (Boys Boarding Vice Captain) for their support, leadership, and friendly manner in welcoming all the boarders over the initial weekend. Both young men, and several other long-time boarders, proved to be very helpful to staff and new students during the initial days of boarding. This respectful approach truly demonstrates the positive spirit of boys’ boarding at SCOTS.

As we progress toward the end of week 4 of term, the girls and boys boarders look forward to our first combined weekend activity of swimming, games and a BBQ at Leslie Dam on Saturday.

From Girls’ Boarding | Mrs Susan Everson

A very warm welcome to our boarding families for the 2022 school year.  While it’s been a later start than usual, we are all excited to make 2022 a great year.  I would like to pay tribute to the wonderful examples set by last year’s seniors; in particular, our House Captain Erin Fearby and Vice-Captain Arena Wheeler. Both girls led the House with distinction and their kindness and positivity created an atmosphere of inclusion and fun.  This year Matilda Bryant from Mitchell has been appointed as our House Captain and Kaysan Miles from Mareeba, has been appointed as our Vice-Captain.  Matilda began boarding at SCOTS PGC in Year 7 and Kaysan in Grade 9.  Both girls have an appreciation of the challenges faced by girl boarders and importantly have thrived in this environment.  I look forward to working with them throughout the year as we make Locke Street a “home away from home” for everyone.

To cater to the growing demand for girls’ boarding, the Upper Mackness refurbishment is now complete. What were four open-style, six-bed dormitories with only a curtain for privacy, have now been transformed into four University-style bedsits with three single bedrooms, shared table and chairs, and a lounge. The new bedsits have been well received by the Year 12’s living there and have become quite the envy of the rest of the House.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 


We’re also pleased to share that our Boarding pages on SCOTS Connect are now being populated with information and updates on the daily happenings within boarding.  Here you’ll find photos and blog-style posts of weekend activities, sporting and co-curricular results and general ‘boarding life’ updates.

From the Co-Curricular Desk

Mr Tom Bradbury | Acting Director of Co-Curricular Activities Cattle Club Students involved in Cattle Club have started the year well with good numbers attending …

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From the Co-Curricular Desk

Mr Tom Bradbury | Acting Director of Co-Curricular Activities

Cattle Club

Students involved in Cattle Club have started the year well with good numbers attending training after school with Mr Collett. Shows have been postponed or cancelled so our first event will likely be the Pittsworth Show Friday 4 March. For information on Cattle Club and how to become involved, please contact Mr Collett – (Teacher in charge)  peter.collett@scotspgc.com.au

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Equestrian

Student numbers at Equestrian are increasing all the time and this year we have an influx of participants in both English disciplines and the Campdrafting arena which has necessitated us to increase stables and turn-out yard capacity at the Centre. Enquiries for Equestrian should be directed to Mrs Cheryl Paganin – (Centre Co-ordinator)  cheryl.paganin@scotspgc.com.au

Tuesday afternoon saw members of the team sit down with coaches to set out their goals for 2022. This is a pivotal part of the learning process in any sporting space and our Equestrian Team have a great staff to guide them through what they need to do throughout the year to achieve these goals.

Girls Futsal

Last week the competition kicked off in Toowoomba with games against Downlands, St Ursula’s and Highlands. We had several new players in the U16 team and our U12’s were all brand new to the game. All teams were very competitive but some are on a steeper learning curve than others.

The Senior Girls Team were 2 nil down at halftime after a flustered start but came back to tie up the game in a much better second half to record a 2-2 draw against Downlands 1st V.

All teams looked resplendent in their new playing strips and this was noted by several opposing team coaches and players. The enthusiasm across all teams was palpable and the girls can’t wait until next time.

Our Boys Teams kick off their summer season this coming week at Harristown.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Border District Touch and Cricket Trials

Several students attended the Border District Touch and Cricket Trials last week and the following were successful in gaining selection to represent Border District at their respective Darling Downs Trials.

Touch:

Open – Erin Keogh, Kaysan Miles, Peter McFarland

U15 – Charlie Bergemann, Nelson Madua, Eleanor McFarland, Elliza Moore-Kirkland

 

Cricket:

Open – Jesse Bohm, William Bryant, Jack Ragh, Mackenzie Mayall, Percy Kruger, Lachlan Woods,

U15 – Rory Farrell, Samuel Bourke, Seth Esson, Tanner Henley, Matthew Howard

We congratulate all on their achievements and wish them well at their respective Darling Downs trials.

 

Southern Downs, Darling Downs and Border District Trials

There are several different trials coming up for Border District, Southern Downs, and Darling Downs Teams in a wide variety of sports. Students who have already nominated for these events will receive information in the coming days and weeks prior to the trials. If you are of a high level of skill and have not nominated for these events through the Microsoft Form sent earlier this month, please email Mr Bradbury ASAP. – tom.bradbury@scotspgc.com.au

Darling Downs U19 Cricket Trials

This week Jesse Bohm, William Bryant, Jack Ragh, Mackenzie Mayall, Percy Kruger, and Lachlan Woods, attended the Darling Downs U19 Cricket Trials at Toowoomba Grammar School as representatives of the Border District Schools.

The boys put up a good show but as some of the younger and less experienced trialists, they were up against stiff opposition. The boys utilised the day as a valuable learning experience that has left them both hungry to return next year. Unfortunately, Mackenzie Mayall was unable to attend due to illness.

In late-breaking news, we are excited to announce that three boys made it through to the final selection process in Lachlan Woods, Jack Ragh and Percy Kruger. From this, Percy and Jack have been selected to the Darling Downs U19 Schoolboys Cricket Team to contest the State Championships later this year. We congratulate all the lads and also our coach Mr Cahal Davis who has been building the skills of our team over the past few years to enable such success fuelled by the boy’s enthusiasm.

Arranmore Sport Activities

Developmental activities commenced this week in the areas of hockey, gymnastics and tennis with good numbers availing themselves of the broad offerings. Also, the cognitive activities of cooking, craft corner and role-playing and strategy games kicked off with their respective leaders reporting strong numbers. With the increasing enrolments across our campus, spots in our afterschool programs are at a premium. Groups are still being finalised but all should receive communications prior to commencement with further details. Enquiries can be directed to Miss Alexis Carey – alexis.carey@scotspgc.com.au

Senior Netball Commences

Tuesday 15 February will see the commencement of Senior Netball Fixtures at WIRAC. The College has two teams nominated Cardinal (1sts) and Green (2nds). This competition is for girls aged 14 years and older. There are possibly some spots available in the Green team if you are interested. Contact Mrs Estie Wiid – hester.wiid@scotspgc.com.au – for details or turn up to training Thursday and Friday mornings in the John Muir Sports Centre from 7:00-8:00am.  Interested students must express their interest this week for the Green team so team lists can be confirmed.

Southern Downs and Darling Downs Swimming Qualifiers

With the postponement of our College carnivals for Swimming in the early part of the term, we conducted swimming trials for those students who felt they were talented enough to give it a go. These trials were held at the WIRAC and unearthed the following student qualifiers for the Southern Downs (9-12 years) and Darling Downs (13-19 years) Swimming Carnivals to be held in the coming weeks.

Southern Downs 9-12 years: We congratulate Millie Petersen, Ella Hutchison, Dashielle Caslick, Lucy Hempel, Archie Holden, Hannah Bourke, Hamilton Cruz, Chloe Harm, Colby Miller, Oliver Miller and Natalie Mulcahy on attaining their qualifying standards and wish them well in their endeavours at the trials on Monday 21 February

Darling Downs 13-19 years: We congratulate Ellyse Kruger, Bailey Harm, Nicholas McGahan, River Taylor, Bridie Hutchison, and Claire Eckersley on attaining these very tough qualifying standards and wish them well in their endeavours at the trials on Tuesday 1 March.

All these students will receive details via email shortly.

Postponed Inter-Clan Swimming Carnivals

Save the date for the College Swimming Carnivals that have been rescheduled to the following dates.

  • Monday 14 March – Senior School Inter-Clan Swimming Carnival
  • Tuesday 15 March – Junior and Middle School Inter-Clan Swimming Carnival

Upcoming Trials

Please see below events in which we have students attending

  • Darling Downs 13-19 years – Cricket, Touch, Waterpolo,
  • Southern Downs (10-12 years) Sports – AFL, Basketball and Touch
  • Border District Sports (13-19 years) Sports – Basketball, Football, Netball, Rugby League
  • Saturday Cricket Fixtures
  • Thursday Futsal Fixtures
  • Friday Rugby Fixtures (commencing 25/2/22)

 

Our SCOTS Community

Each fortnight we’ll bring you news and information that pertains to our SCOTS community – it could be details regarding an upcoming event, snippets from …

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Our SCOTS Community

Each fortnight we’ll bring you news and information that pertains to our SCOTS community – it could be details regarding an upcoming event, snippets from our P & F or just one of those nice stories about our students doing wonderful things within our broader Warwick community.

From the P & F

Yesterday families received an email from our P & F President, via the College regarding the upcoming AGM which is scheduled to take place next Monday night 21 February at 6:00 pm via Microsoft Teams.

Our P & F has the core responsibility of organising social and fundraising events for the College.  All positions on the P & F committee have been declared open, so we are very keen for Monday to roll around to establish and introduce our committee for 2022.  If you’re interested in taking up a role on the P & F, please nominate using the form that was emailed yesterday.  It’s an exciting time to be involved at the College!

 

From our Student Leaders

Mr Daniel Kuhn | Head of Years 11 & 12 As Valentine’s Day 2022 fades from view, the tune of John Paul Young’s much-loved classic, …

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From our Student Leaders

Mr Daniel Kuhn | Head of Years 11 & 12

As Valentine’s Day 2022 fades from view, the tune of John Paul Young’s much-loved classic, “Love Is In The Air” reverberates, though the lyrics have been skewed somewhat to a more contemporary: “rona’s in the air…”  And with these newly arrived airborne particles, we found ourselves at the College, once again, conversing through Teams with our Seniors, and waiting patiently for the younger students to return. My age excludes me from membership in the “Digital Native Club,” but our students can all lay claim to this title, having grown up surrounded by screens and technology, and, early in the year, our College Leadership Team demonstrated exactly what being a digital native means. Despite the masks and the distance, the Student Leadership Team decided to produce a video of introduction so that all students at the College – whether at home, in boarding, or in isolation – could meet the Leadership team of 2022. Our College Captain, Hannah Myer – the genesis of this initiative – took it upon herself to coordinate the efforts of the group and, well, need I say more? Please click on the link below to view the Senior Leaders of 2022 in action.

This is an exciting group to work with and to learn from; I look forward to spending many hours with them this year as they set the standard of excellence within the College, as they demonstrate the College Spirit in all their dealings, and as they respectfully carry out their responsibilities. This new segment in the College newsletter will be a platform from which the Senior Leaders can share their views, initiatives, and thoughts with the College community. Keep an eye out for their words of wisdom in subsequent editions, as they take turns producing an article for your reading pleasure.

Welcome to 2022

Mr Kyle Thompson | Principal The year has commenced in earnest, albeit a little later than anticipated for many of our boys and girls. It …

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Welcome to 2022

Mr Kyle Thompson | Principal

The year has commenced in earnest, albeit a little later than anticipated for many of our boys and girls. It is always a pleasure to welcome back our students, and equally, it is always interesting to see the changes in stature of many of our existing students as well as the excited and occasionally nervous faces of our new starters. The beginning of each year generally brings a reinvigoration, an energy and an optimism for the year ahead. This year is no different as we ponder much of the unknown of the year ahead.

Whilst much of the year will provide some surprises and developments that are not able to be planned for, it is possible to use this time to look to the future and what we want it to hold and how we might construct our 2022 journey. As part of knowing where we are going, the College Executive and College Council devoted a full day prior to returning to school to discuss and plan the strategic direction of the College for the next 12 months and beyond. These plans will be outlined in detail at the end of Term 1 when we unveil the next iteration of our strategic plan and the College Masterplan. However, there are a number of areas that can be shared now as part of our considerations and planning the College’s future direction.

2022 saw the College commence the year with an enrolment of approximately 475 students, of whom 99 are new students. This growth is allowing the College to maintain a breadth of offerings essential to who SCOTS PGC College is and ensuring our educational offerings are as broad as our co-curricular ones. College Council and the School Executive is mindful during the phase of growth that we maintain a commitment to ‘who SCOTS is’ in regards to remaining ‘smallish’ and having a strategy behind what our school may develop into. On Strategy Day, deep discussions were held about the human, physical and financial resourcing of the College to allow it to continue to provide service offerings of excellence to our students, staff and families. As part of these discussions, the College has committed to remaining a one stream school in Prep – Year 4, maintaining our recent growth to be a two-stream Year 5 and 6, and a three-stream Year 7 – 10. The number of streams identified, we believe, will allow us to keep our strong sense of community whilst maximising the opportunities for our students. In short, we are close to achieving these streams now with a number of year levels being at capacity.

Strategically, we are now also beginning to focus on our facilities. Our educational outcomes have been excellent in the last few years and whilst ensuring we maintain these outcomes, we must turn to ensuring our classrooms and learning spaces are contemporary and of a standard that will enhance our students’ learning. As we currently review these spaces we will be making a commitment to improving and developing some new spaces over the course of this year and next and, at the same time, increasing our commitment to maintenance and improvement of our existing infrastructures.

2022 promises to be a busy and exciting year in the life of the College. I look forward to making some announcements in the near future relating to our campus development.

So just as there is a nervous energy amongst our students, I too share their excitement in sharing what will be a journey like no other – the 2022 school year.

Take a look at our first day (if you haven’t seen it already on Facebook!) https://vimeo.com/675761678

From the Junior and Middle Schools

Ms Amy Woodgate | Head of Junior and Middle Schools WELCOME TO PREP! It was a very exciting time in Prep last week as 14 …

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From the Junior and Middle Schools

Ms Amy Woodgate | Head of Junior and Middle Schools

WELCOME TO PREP!

It was a very exciting time in Prep last week as 14 boys and girls commenced their education here at SCOTS PGC.  They have had a wonderful first week at school learning and playing together.  They have visited the Dining Hall for the first time, built towers with blocks, practised writing their name, learnt some letters and sounds, played with the parachute, explored the outdoor play area, made new friends, and met many new people.  It was a big first week!

Mrs Campbell and Ms Worth have loved getting to know our new Prep friends and are looking forward to a positive and rewarding year watching our youngest learners grow and develop.

WELCOME TO YEAR 7!

This year, we have welcomed 64 students into Year 7, with more than half of these students new to the College.  In our group of 64 students, we have 21 boarding students who join us from various places around Queensland and New South Wales, quite often living away from home for the very first time.

During the first week of Year 7, all our new and continuing students take part in the Year 7 Transition Program.  The goal of the Program is to promote a positive transition experience for our students as they move into this next phase of their education.

The objectives of the program are to:

  • Foster a sense of belonging for all students in Middle School
  • Establish a positive connection to peers for both new and continuing students
  • Identify character strengths, interests and learning styles
  • Establish individual goals
  • Promote an understanding of our College values
  • Provide familiarity with the College campus, routines and expectations
  • Get to know key staff and ways of accessing support
  • Nurture the development of a Year 7 community of both Day and Boarding students

Here are some reflections from our Year 7 students following the Transition Program last week. The group had a fantastic week together and I know that they are ready to get underway with their classes and experience all that is Year 7 at SCOTS PGC.

The best part of Year 7 Transition was getting introduced to the new subjects. We tried out HPE, French and Humanities. I’m excited to see what happens in my classes this year.

-Ciara McRae | 7 NAVY

 It was scary at the start of last week because I didn’t know anyone. I had just moved into Girls Boarding on the weekend too. Year 7 Transition week was full on and we did lots of listening to different people about things like how to get onto SCOTS Connect and the College expectations. The biggest change would have to be having to wear a really long skirt and not being able to wear shorts. I’m feeling excited but still a little nervous at the same time.

– Akayla West | 7 NAVY

 Last week, I moved into boys boarding and started Year 7 at SCOTS. We sat together in the Bandy Theatre and learnt all about school. There were some fun moments like when I got to go downtown for the first time and went to KFC and Donut King. I’m feeling good about Year 7 because I’ve met some great people.

-Cash Johnson | 7 GREEN

 I was at SCOTS in Year 6 and the biggest change I’ve noticed starting Year 7 is having to wear a belt every day with my formal uniform. I feel like Year 7 is easy at the moment but I think it will get hard towards the end of the year.

-Tom Worboys | 7 NAVY

Learning about the College values from Mr Thompson.

 

From the Senior School

Teamwork makes the dream work An update from our Senior English classrooms | Mr Colin Alley To borrow from the American sporting coach, Ted Sundquist, …

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From the Senior School

Teamwork makes the dream work

An update from our Senior English classrooms | Mr Colin Alley

To borrow from the American sporting coach, Ted Sundquist, ‘good teams incorporate teamwork into their culture’, which in turn form the ‘building blocks’ for success. This philosophy is being incorporated into the Year 11 and Year 12 General English classes, which have transitioned from the traditional classroom model into a more flexible and creative student-centred learning approach. Currently, the students are working in a more open and more collegiate structure, in which one of the teachers initially presents a key concept or understanding, after which the students are able to form their own teams in one of several locations to work together to apply and implement this learning. In this manner, the students are being exposed to a working style more closely associated with the university structure, as well as providing an environment that allows the students to take active ownership of their own learning – the building blocks for success.

 

 


Inspirational Week of Mathematics

Ms Angela Brittain | Head of STEM

Years 6 to 10 participated in this year’s Inspirational Week of Mathematics.  The goal of the week is to get students back into thinking and reasoning mathematically after the holidays and to promote key ‘Growth Mindset’ ideas to set students up for a year of success.

Students are encouraged to remember 4 main ideas.

  1. Mistakes are valuable. When a mistake is made and reflected on, learning happens.
  2. Speed is not important. Gone are the days where the focus was on recalling facts as quickly as possible.  Students can look up facts, but they need to build their understanding of concepts so that they can apply them when needed.
  3. Anyone can learn Mathematics to the highest level. There is no such thing as a ‘Maths brain’.  Like any sport, if you put in the time to develop skills and use these in real games, you will improve.  Mathematical thinking is developed the same way.  Practising skills and developing a deep understanding of why they work allows application in the real world.
  4. Believe in yourself. Confidence is an important element for a student to engage in productive struggle.

If you would like to view a short video about the mindset we are encouraging in Mathematics, please use the link below.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bxrPy1fjVU4