In this issue

Please help us update your details!

Thank you to all the families who have already completed the ‘Update your details’ form which was sent out last term.  We are in the process of following up families who are yet to provide or confirm the contact information we have on file is correct.

It is important for us to have accurate details on file for all families so that we can ensure parents and carers can easily be contacted in case of an emergency.  It also helps us provide appropriate care for students if there are specific dietary, medical and care arrangements that we need to be aware of.

If you are yet to provide this information, please visit this link to update (or confirm) your details:

** Update your details **

Checking in from Scotland

Further to the update we shared on Facebook last week, we are pleased to share that our five pipers and drummer have done extremely well at the World Championships in Glasgow, Scotland, last week.

Competing against bands who are the ‘best in the world’, Nicholas, Fraser, Samuel, Rory and Joshua played with the Brisbane Boys’ College Pipe Band and placed 6th in the Grade 4b.  That’s 6th in the world!  We are so proud of them and this wonderful achievement.  Congratulations on such an amazing achievement.

Chooks for sale

The College Agriculture department has 3 Barnevelder and 3 Isa Brown chooks for sale. They are point-of-lay pullets and are $15 for Isa Brown and $20 for Barnevelders. Please contact the College Reception if you’d like to purchase them.

From Boys’ Boarding

Mr David Marriott | Head of Senior Boys’ Boarding

We’ve had a great few weeks since we last checked in.  Last weekend we enjoyed a day trip to the EKKA which was a great outing for everyone involved.  The EKKA has not been held for the last two years due to the pandemic, so for some, this was their very first time experiencing the shining lights and excitement of the sideshow alley.  Thank you to all the staff who accompanied all our boarding students and made the time a memorable one.

Our Years 8 & 9 boys have introduced a new tradition to the boarding house… Monday nights are now known as ‘Beanie night’.  Everyone is encouraged to wear a beanie to Prep – a fun way to help everyone get into ‘study mode’.  Here’s a photo of our first ‘Beanie night’.

From Girls’ Boarding

Brooke – The food is the best!  We are lucky to have John make us great food.

Melissa – I love living with my friends.

Macey – Knowing that I have a good opportunity to do things that I would’ve never done in my home town

Akayla – Hanging out with friends you’d normally only see once a day

What has been your favourite boarding activity this year?

Brooke – The trip to Ekka was great – we all had heaps of fun.

Melissa – Watching the Broncos vs Raiders game at Suncorp Stadium was awesome.  The atmosphere was great to be part of.

Macey – Participating in the Aboriginal art show.  I really liked being able to show others my art.

Akayla – Going to the footy matches at Suncorp Stadium was pretty fun!

All girls love all the activities that SCOTS offers.  This year, they have all joined the Rugby 7s team and have had the opportunity to play over the last few weeks.  Here’s a photo they snapped at their game last week.

With the term at the halfway mark, it is exciting to share some of the highlights from weeks 4 and 5 as we wrap up what has been a whirlwind first half of Term 3 where we have had six Athletics Carnivals to negotiate, Rugby fixtures, Netball fixtures and the EKKA in all its glory. Thanks to all staff, students and parents for your contributions to this busy time of the year and the successes of our students in this time. 

 Inter Clan Athletics Records

 Following the Inter-Clan Athletics, we are pleased to announce the following Records were broken by students across the 9-19 years program of events. 

 Sophie Benz – 9 Years 200m – 37.80sec (prev. 38.50sec – Ellyse Kruger) 

Sophie Benz – 9 Years 800m – 3:34.9min (prev. 3:44.63 – Naomi Ratcliffe) 

Amalee Salvestro – 9 Years Shot Put – 6.37m (prev. 5.16m – Hayley Wainwright) 

Jemmah Neilsen – 10 Years 1500m – 7:27.9min (prev. 7:48.7min – Leah Mauch) 

Cooper Keogh – 11 Years 1500m – 6:06.2min (prev. 6:09.3min – Lachlan Groves) 

Benjamin Carey – 16 Years 400m – 55.4sec (prev. 55.88sec – M Campbell) 

 Well done to our record breakers on their significant efforts. The longest-standing record broken this year was the  16 years 400m record by Ben Carey which was previously set back in 2012.  

Rugby Roundup

 The Super Schools Cup continues with mixed results across the three grades, but still potential to reach the finals in all three. All hangs on our final round games this coming Tuesday 16th August at Briggs Oval. 

Our final home games will be at 2.15 pm for the U15, 3.15 pm for U13 and 4.15 pm – First XV on Briggs Oval against St Mary’s College.  This will be our last match prior to the finals series and as always looms as a cracking contest. 

 Get on down to Briggs to support our lads in this event. 

Representative Success

Recently we had the Southern Downs Cricket trials for boys and girls. We congratulate Ben March on his selection to the Southern Downs Team to attend the Darling Downs trials in the coming weeks. The big-hitting Ben impressed the selectors with his strength and timing of the ball. Best of luck Ben!! 

Congratulations to Phoebe Bryant who caught the selector’s eye and has earned her spot on the Darling Downs 15 years Cricket team.  Phoebe, along with her Darling Downs teammates, will contest the State Titles later this year.  It’s so great to see another female cricket star in our midst since Kira Holmes was graduated 2020.

Also, in recent weeks the Southern Downs Rugby League trials were held for our 11-12 year old girls. Macey Mitchelll proved to be a worthy selection in the Southern Downs Team and after a solid performance at the Darling Downs Trials was named a shadow for the Darling Downs Team. We look forward to seeing Macey join our 7s program next year. 

Last week Briana Groves attended the State U15 Basketball Championships as a member of the Darling Downs Team. The team struggled against their more fancied city opponents but Briana performed at her best giving her all and representing the College with distinction. 

Finally, we wish Bailey Harm the very best at the National Schools Swimming Championships this week 15-20 August at the Brisbane Aquatic Centre, Sleeman Sports Complex at Chandler. On behalf of all at the College, we wish you all the best at these championships and look forward to hearing about your experience. 

Warwick All Schools Athletics

Last week the College Athletics Team contested the Warwick All Schools Athletics Championships at Warwick SHS. 

This year was the 100th edition of the Warwick All Schools event and special medals were struck for the occasion for our Age Champions along with a commemorative plaque for each of the attending schools. 

The WSSSA was founded some 110 years ago with Principal Briggs from SCOTS one of the founding members of the association. The Athletics Carnival itself has survived two pandemics and two world wars, and these events have threatened the actual existence of the event. It is only been the dedication of our many sports co-ordinators and principals over many years who have valued the event enough to honour those who have gone before us and keep it going. 

The event has produced several Australian representatives including Don Wright 1982 Commonwealth Games medallist and more recently Olympian and Commonwealth gold medallist Matt Denny. 

This week’s event saw several SCOTS PGC students to the fore as age championships and runners-up across the twelve age groups contested. 

Age Champions

• Beth Moore-Kirkland 12yrs,
• Charlie Montgomery 13yrs,
• Bailey Harm 14yrs,
• Phoebe Sellick 15yrs,
• Darcy Noller 16yrs,
• Tom Denny Open 

 Runners-up:

• Oliver Miller 12yrs,
• Ben Carey 16yrs,
• Briana Groves 15yrs,
• Alexandra Rickert Open 

As a team, we won the day taking the Allora P&C Percentage Shield which is the major trophy of the day.  Alongside this award, we also took out the Junior Boys, Junior Girls and Senior Boys Aggregate trophies. Finally, we also won the Senior and Junior Boys relay trophies.  

A few students also cemented their place in the Darling Downs Championships with final qualifying performances before the nominations close this week. 

Thanks to all participants and staff for making the day such a success. 

Darling Downs Track and Field Championships

Following the conclusion of the WAS Championship, we are excited to announce that 35 students have gained qualifying performances to attend the Darling Downs 13-19 years Championships. 27 students have qualified for track events whilst 17 students have gained field event qualifiers. We wish these students all the best at the Darling Downs Championships on 25-26 August in Toowoomba. 

Southern Downs Athletics Carnival (9-12 years)

Congratulations to all students on their efforts at the recent Southern Downs Athletics Championships. We selected a team of some 39 students who qualified to attend the day. Many took up this opportunity to attend and pit themselves against the best young developing athletes of the Southern Downs. 

We particularly congratulate the following students on their selection to the Southern Downs Team which will now head to Toowoomba on Wednesday 24 August to contest the upcoming Darling Downs Championships.

Sophie Benz, Will Grayson, Connor Hoffman, Oliver Miller, Natalie Mulcahy, and Chloe Harm 

In what was certainly a highlight of the day, Oliver Miller was named Most Outstanding Athlete of the Carnival after winning all 6 of his events contested across the day. Oliver has qualified for all these but will take on his favourite 5 as he heads to the Darling Downs Championships.

Well done to all once again and best wishes for the Darling Downs Championships. 

QCIS 7s 2022

Last Friday our Rugby 7s Girls headed to Downlands College in Toowoomba for the QCIS 7s competition.

In a tough afternoon’s competition, our girls never gave up and missed out with a few narrow losses. A big thank you to our coaches Miss Jaime Slattery, Ms Tess Enchelmaier and Mr Jonathan Fender for their continued work, particularly with our emerging students who have recently joined our program. Also, we thank Mr Dean Cullen for his refereeing of our teams when away. 

The final results are as follows. 

Under 13 

1. Our Lady of the Southern Cross College 
2. Downlands College 
3. Toowoomba Anglican School 
4. SCOTS PGC College 

Under 15 

1. Toowoomba Anglican School 
2. Our Lady of the Southern Cross College 
3. Downlands College 
4. SCOTS PGC College

Under 18 

1. Downlands College 
2. Our Lady of the Southern Cross College 
3. SCOTS PGC College 
4. Toowoomba Anglican School

Upcoming Trials

• DD School Girls Rugby 7s (U13, U15, Open – wraps up Friday 19 August) 
• Super Schools Cup Boys Rugby (U13, U15, Open) – finals commence Wednesday 24 August 
• Darling Downs Athletics Championships
  10-12yrs – Wednesday 24 August – Harristown SHS (6 qualifiers)
  13-19yrs – Thursday 25 August – The Glennie School, Toowoomba (Track Events – 27 qualifiers)
  13-19ys – Friday 26 August – Glynis Nunn Oval, O’Quinn St. Toowoomba (Field Events 17 qualifiers) 

• Warwick Interschool Netball (U13, Junior and Open) – continues Thursday 18 August and Thursday 1 September  

Middle School Play 

Ms Amanda Hall | Deputy Head of Junior and Middle Schools

One of the truisms learned through working with our Middle School students in Years 6-8, is that, while they can seem, and often crave to be seen as older and more mature, they are still young people and one of their most important needs is the opportunity to play!  

Research tells us that play is at the heart of creativity, intellectual curiosity, and strong peer relationships – all essential elements for a joyful Middle School environment. The play may now take on differing forms, but it is certainly evident and vibrant amongst our students. 

We are now at the halfway point of Term 3, and it is wonderful to witness active, happy students engaged in positive social interactions on the courts, in the playground and on the football field and hand ball court.   

Mr Mark Richards | Director of Teaching, Learning and Innovation

I would like to start with a story about my 3-year-old son.  He has recently become obsessed with books, insisting on reading “one more book” as a method of procrastination.  Though his version of “reading” is pointing out the words and making up whatever flights of fancy come to mind.  Mostly, about rocks and dinosaurs, or Paw Patrol rescuing said rocks and dinosaurs in the Dino Wilds, with Rex, the Dino dog. 

I find these leaps of creativity and imagination fascinating, like fireworks, sparkling, leaping, and exploding across random and unconnected thoughts.  It is a daily reminder that stoking curiosity, and finding joy in the act of learning, is as important as the learning itself.  It is also a reminder that we should embrace each student for who they are and encourage them to be courageous enough to be genuine. 

For example, my son hates having his hair washed, every time he insists on wearing a shower cap, and not a bland one.  His headgear of choice is bright and sparkling.  He says it is because it is pink and blue and that is his favourite, he doesn’t care that it doesn’t fit or that it makes him look like a baker from outer space.  No, he likes it, so he wears it. 

This is what we mean when we talk about our value of Authenticity.  It is the ability to be completely true to yourself. I think it is one of the hardest things to achieve. I always admire people who have taken the time to get to know themselves, their personality, their strengths, and their weaknesses. This quality of self-awareness is hard to achieve through the social noise of high expectations, conformity, and a distaste for the unconventional.  The constant pressure to buy this or look like that.  It is a courageous person who remains true to themselves no matter the circumstance. 

The temptation to be like others is strong. But if we always try to fit in, we will never stand out. We become just one more slice of bread in one more bland, homogenized loaf. And there are millions of bland loaves of bread out there. 

A key concept in marketing is the unique selling proposition or USP.  A USP refers to the unique benefit exhibited by a company, product or brand that enables it to stand out from competitors.  You also have a unique selling proposition: It’s you.  Nobody else has your experiences or insights or points of view. Nobody else has your style or strengths or weaknesses. You are unique.  As Oscar Wilde said. 

“Be yourself because everyone else is already taken.” 

This is particularly important when it comes to academic excellence and something that the Year 10s are experiencing this Term.  They are choosing their Senior Subjects, and I always recommend they choose subjects they are interested in, are good at and might need for their future career.  However, the pull of being in the same class as a friend or doing a subject because they feel they “should” is sometimes too strong.  It is important to be yourself and choose the pathway that suits your personality, skills and interests, because, without passion and commitment, success is extremely difficult. 

In the assemblies this week we are recognising the academic achievement of students from Years 6 to 12 over the course of Semester 1 2022.  The students being presented have achieved excellent results across the suite of subjects they have studied.  To receive a Certificate of Merit a student must achieve mostly B grades, with at least two A’s. and to receive a Certificate of Excellence a student must achieve mostly A’s. This is an achievement these students can be especially proud of. 

 Amidst the multitude of challenges that life throws at us, they have continued to strive for excellence, through tenacity and hard work.  They have shown a willingness to devote regular energy to their studies, managing their time exceptionally well.  These are very important values for students to develop and they are crucial to their success at school and in the future.   

In conclusion, you need to be who you are, regardless of what others think.  You need to be committed, and hardworking, but also true to yourself.  And, sometimes, you need to wear a funny shower cap. 

Academic Excellence in action…

It was wonderful to be able to recognise a number of our senior students in last Friday’s Assembly who have achieved excellent academic results for the first semester of 2022.  These students have worked hard and are excellent role models for their younger peers.

Congratulations to the following students: