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Music
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22 June 2001 No. 19
From Head of the Junior SchoolI trust parents found the Reporting and Parent/Teacher Interview process informative. The staff spend an enormous amount of time on top of their normal duties ensuring that appropriate feedback is provided to parents. Parents who feel additional time with class or specialist teachers would be beneficial, please do not hesitate to contact the staff member directly through the Junior School Office. Today saw the running of our annual House Cross Country event. For the first time, boys from Prep to Year Two were also involved and whilst at the time of writing the event had not been run, I trust all boys enjoyed the special nature of this facet of our sporting program. Full results will be published in next week's newsletter, but I do take this opportunity to thank the many parents and friends who will have attended today - your support is always appreciated! Special thanks are extended to Mr Hawkins, Miss Colaneri and the staff who ensured the smooth running of the day. This year, the annual Foundation Day Concert will be held at the Rod Laver Arena on Friday, 31 August and will involve every boy in Years Four to Six. Parents should mark this important date in the family calendar as this is considered a compulsory activity for these boys. Further details and ticketing information will be forwarded to parents in the near future. Congratulations are extended to Rafe Wilson (3C) who recently competed at the Victorian Karate Championships. Rafe competed in the "Pee Wee" section and was awarded 1st place in the 'Sparring' section and 2nd place in the 'Forms' section. Rafe will now represent Victoria at the National titles to be held in Queensland in July. Good luck and well done, Rafe! My thought for the week…. You must take praise, blame, love, hatred all in your stride. Robert Gordon Menzies 1894 - 1978 Guy B Mason MusicYears Five and Six ConcertThe Years Five and Six Concert will be held in the Memorial Hall on Thursday, 28 June at 7.45 pm. All Year Five and Six students will perform in this concert, as well as some Year Four boys. All participants should have already received a letter regarding this evening. Other members of the Junior School community are most welcome to attend the concert as audience members, particularly if you are interested in the Upper Primary instrumental programme and ensembles. Non-participating students should wear their school uniforms and sit with their families. Foundation Day ConcertThe Foundation Day Concert will be held on Friday, 31 August at the Rod Laver Arena. All students from Years Four to Six will be performing at this exciting event, so please keep this evening free. All students will sit in their designated areas and will not require tickets. All Club 150 members and the Principal's special guests will have received their invitation. Other members of the Scotch Community will receive theirs early next term, along with booking details. Jenni Allen - Head of Junior School Music Literature Festival '2001 - A Book Odyssey'The Scotch Literature Festival is being held during the week of 13 - 17 August. The Festival aims to:
Many activities have been planned to be held at the Junior School for the Junior School families. Further details of these will be provided early next term. I would like to draw your attention to the following whole school activities that are suitable for parents and boys who will be in the Senior School in the next few years. There are limited places in these events, so please contact the appropriate people. Books, Blokes and BreakyFathers and sons - come to breakfast and share your love of books and food, outstanding company and, of course, books.
Date: Wednesday, 15 August
Best Books For BoysA panel of authors - Libby Hathorn, Archie Fusillo and John Larkin will guide, entertain and inform parents and students about the tricks and hooks for turning boys onto books.
Date: Monday, 13 August
For enquiries: Pam Green, President, Library Auxiliary on 9819 9427, or return the blue slip located in the back of the June edition of The Torch. Brian Sampson - Director of Studies Sporting NewsLast Saturday, Belinda Colaneri very kindly accepted an invitation to watch the Victorian Rugby Union under 10 fixture between the Harleys and the Quins, the two Harlequin Club teams in the competition. Seven Scotch boys from Years 4 and 5 played in this 'match of the season' and were delighted to see Ms Colaneri watching from the sidelines along with a large group of very anxious parents and supporters. In what was a high quality game of rugby, the Quins dominated the first half before the Harleys stormed back in the second to level the scores, 4 tries each, at the final whistle. Our thanks to Ms Colaneri for supporting the boys. Paul Mather & Terry Molloy (Harlequin U10 Coaches) From the Educational Support TeamBelow is an update of a busy, exciting and challenging first semester in the Access room. As well as maintaining a full programme catering for many of the remedial, consolidation, extension and social/emotional needs of the boys, we also coordinate many activities. I have mentioned below some activities that are carried out in first semester or early in Term Three, of which you may be unaware. CompetitionsThe Maths Talent Quest (MTQ): For the first time this year, all the boys in Year Six participated, as well as again the Year Five Acceleration group. Congratulations to all the boys for their interesting, creative and often very original investigations into mathematics in 'real life'. The boys gain a great deal of satisfaction and knowledge from these projects and I am sure the MTQ display in the hall was greatly enjoyed by parents during the Parent Teacher evenings. We are awaiting results from: MTQ - 5 entries for each Year level will compete at the Victorian level - held at University of Melbourne in Term Three (details in Term 3). Mathematics Challenge for Young Australians - 2001 - An extremely challenging Australian wide competition entered by all boys in the Year Five and Year Six Acceleration groups. New South Wales Competition - English and Mathematics - A national competition in which all Year Four and Year Six participate. Prep Screening ProgrammeScreening for vision has been completed and paediatric audiologists from Taralye Audiology and Otology Clinic will visit Scotch early in Term Three to carry out hearing tests. All Prep boys are offered this service. It might be possible, time allowing, for other boys to be tested. Should you have concerns regarding your son's hearing, please ask at Reception for the necessary forms and return them immediately to Reception (This service is bulk billed by Medicare). Day of Excellence - 10 August 2001Final preparations for the Day of Excellence, 'Ancient Times' are in hand, with many more schools now participating. I have had the opportunity for the past three years to coordinate this most successful activity where the initial six schools has grown to involve 15 schools this year. Each year about thirty Year Six boys from Scotch are invited to participate. They choose from a vast range of activities (some 30 choices). Scotch will host four workshops presented by Mrs Wyatt, 'Ancient Builders are Best!', Mr Webster, 'Crack the Code', Mr Robertson and Mrs Beams, "Orpheus versus the Underworld", and Mrs Keating, 'Inca Treasure Hunt in the Andes'. Handwriting workshopsMrs Fiona Shannon, an Occupational Therapist previously with Cedar Court Child and Adolescent Services, will be consulting with the Scotch staff early in Term Three, highlighting issues relating to children with handwriting difficulties. The possibility of Mrs Shannon conducting small group handwriting workshops (3-5 boys) at Scotch is being explored (details will be finalised as interest is known). These sessions would be at a cost to the parent: - Initial screening assessment - report to parents and school - $25.00 Workshops - 6 sessions - $180.00 Should you be interested, please complete the sheet and return it to Reception by Tuesday 26 June. Thrass - an approach to teaching spellingMs Marcia Bacon and Mrs Jane Beams would like to thank the many parents who visited the THRASS display in the Access rooms during the Parent Teacher Evenings. Parents commented how much they enjoyed this opportunity to explore and discuss the resources and materials used to support their son's learning. THRASS is organising its next Melbourne workshop at Scotch College in the Cardinal Pavilion. They have offered several of our teachers the opportunity to further investigate the THRASS approach in order to consider its application for a more general use in the classroom. Educational Support ReportsAll Access Reports will be mailed out at the end of the semester. Should you have any concerns regarding your son's progress, please contact the appropriate Access teacher to make an appointment. Educational Support TeamLife is always full of changes, and so it is within our Team. I would like to thank Mrs Gillian Comport for her wonderful work in Term Two, when she so competently filled in for Mr Sampson. We will be welcoming Mr Sampson back again next term. Also my thanks to Ms Belinda Colineri, who I know, will be greatly missed by her small group of 'little boys' with whom she worked to help them extend their English skills. Our best wishes go with her as she moves to the next stage of life at Melbourne Girls' Grammar. We will also be welcoming Mr Rod McKinlay, Deputy Head of the Junior School, and I look forward to another successful semester with the new Educational Support Team. I wish you all a very happy holiday, after next week - we are almost there. Marcia Bacon - Director of the Educational Support Services Forthcoming Events
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