STOP PRESS

GOVERNOR OPENS

SENIOR STUDENT CENTRE

The Governor of Tasmania, The Honorable William Cox AC RFD ED, officially opened the new Robert Dean Senior Student Centre on the College’s Penquite Campus on Friday, 9 March, in the presence of 120 guests and hundreds of students.

The Governor was greeted by the Principal, Andrew Barr, a college bagpiper, and a student guard of honour.

Designed with Year 11 and 12 students in mind, the state-of the-art Robert Dean Senior Student Centre, named after former Scotch College Principal, the late Robert Dean, is the first stage of Scotch Oakburn’s $10.5m ‘Master Plan 2006-2010’ Building Projects’.

“New York-based, international education planner, Prakash Nair, has been engaged to help us develop innovative, imaginative learning spaces to best suit the needs of students the 21^st century,” said Scotch Oakburn Principal, Andrew Barr.

“So much more is known today about appropriate learning environments. We are pleased to have the advice and guidance from Mr Nair who has worked with schools in Europe, North America, Asia and other States of Australia.”

The construction of a Penquite Road Underpass and a new Health & Physical Education Centre, which is the second stage of the Master Plan Projects, is due for completion at the beginning Term 2, 2007. The third stage, the building of a purpose-built Middle School, will commence soon after.

The original Robert Dean Centre was opened in 1978 by His Excellency The Governor General Sir Zelman Cowen. Designed at the time to be the focal point of the College, it provided space for sporting and performing arts activities and an assembly hall for 700 students. A year earlier, in 1977, the then Governor of Tasmania, Sir Stanley Burbury, laid the foundation stone in the presence of Robert Dean and his family.

Mrs Margaret Dean and other members of the Dean family attended the opening, together with other special guests including former Principal of Scotch College. Jock Herbert and his wife Gwen, Don Wing, and the Mrs Joyce Speedy.

Japanese Ambassador

visits language students

The Ambassador of Japan to Australia, his Excellency Mr Hikeaki Ueda, and his wife Mme Ueda, visited students of Japanese language at Scotch Oakburn College on 30 November.

“During his current tour of Tasmania, Ambassador Ueda asked the Premier’s Department to arrange a visit to a school that taught Japanese language. I am very pleased that Scotch Oakburn was selected,” said the Principal of Scotch Oakburn College, Andrew Barr

“Ambassador Ueda addressed Grade 8 boys and girls in their Japanese language classroom on our Penquite Campus, encouraging them to use their knowledge of the Japanese language as a window to another culture through reading Japanese books, and studying the country, and its way of life.”

Ambassador Ueda was appointed as Ambassador to Australia in December 2004.

“This is my second posting to this wonderful country. I was last in Canberra twenty-five years ago as First Secretary, Embassy of Japan,’ said Ambassador Ueda.

“Since that time, the Australia-Japan relationship has developed into one of cooperation and complementation.”

Ambassador Ueda graduated from Tokyo University and joined the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in 1967.   He completed his Masters at Harvard University in 1969.  Ambassador Ueda's early background was in Eastern Europe and Russia.  He served at the Embassy of Japan in Moscow on three separate occasions during the '70s, 80s and early '90s and was Ambassador to Poland from 2000 to 2003. In 1990 he published 'Rise and Fall of the Far Eastern Republic".

Ambassador Ueda is married with three children.

Launceston student wins

national public speaking award

A fifteen year Scotch Oakburn student from Newstead, Emily Ingram, won the National Final of the Legacy Public Speaking Award yesterday in Hobart.

This is the first time a Tasmanian has won the competition in the ten years that Tasmania has participated in this national contest.

Jenny Fraser, the public speaking coordinator at Scotch Oakburn, said Emily Ingram competed against ten contestants from around Australia to win the National Final of the Legacy Public Speaking Award.  

“Another Scotch Oakburn student, Emma Davey, also fifteen years old, joined Emily as one of the only two Tasmanian representatives in the competition,” said Jenny Fraser

The National Final of the Legacy Public Speaking Award was held in the Theatrette of Old Woolstore Apartment Hotel in Hobart, on Monday, 13 November. 

“The aim of the Award is to enhance the oral communication and public speaking skills of young high school students, and to help young people appreciate the ideals of Legacy which include voluntary service, caring and comradeship, and the need for remembrance, said Jenny Fraser.

“Students presented a five minute prepared speech, and had five minutes to prepare a two minute short notice speech on the subject ‘Your role in society.’”

The theme of Emily’s prepared speech was ‘The Legacy you live, is the legacy you leave’.

His Excellency, The Governor of Tasmania, the Honorable Mr William Cox AC, RFD, ED presented Emily with the winning cheque for $500.

Student remembers

great uncle who died in WW1

 Sixteen year old Grade 10 Scotch Oakburn student Scott Dornauf recently laid a wreath at the Menin Gate War Memorial at Ypres in Belgium to honour his great uncle who died nearby in 1917 during the battle of Polygon Wood.

Scott laid the wreath in memory of his great uncle Angus Frank Dornauf, who fought with the 32nd Battalion and whose name is on the gate. Angus Dornauf has no known grave.

Scott said he had found out about Menin Gate from his grandparents who had visited the site for the first time earlier this year.

“They suggested I lay a wreath at Menin Gate on my way to Scotland in October,” said Scott.

Scott said the most powerful moment he felt was actually on the nearby battlefield at Plygon Wood.

“Visiting the battlefield was very special for me. Although it is all neat and tidy now, I new that it was a totally different and terrible scene in 1917,” said Scott.

The wreath was laid at the last post ceremony, which has occurs every night at 8pm and has done since the 11 November, 1929. The only exception was during a four years period in the Second World War. Every night the service is attended by thousands of people.

The Menin Gate is etched with 54,896 names officers and men from all the overseas British and Commonwealth forces who fell in the Ypres Salient before 16 August 1917.  It commemorates only those who were reported missing, and whose grave is unknown.

Scott was on his way to Gordonstoun School in Scotland to represent Scotch Oakburn College at the annual Round Square Conference, where the College was being inaugurated into the international Round Square Association of schools.

Scotch Oakburn College is the only Tasmanian school that is a member of Round Square (see www.roundsquare.org/).
 

Students raise money for

 needy causes

Fox House support the
Clifford Craig Medical Research Trust

Fox House students organised a fashion parade to raise money for the Clifford Craig Medical Research Trust. The students raised $2000, which was handed over to the Clifford Craig Medical Research Trust’s executive officer Phil Baker, during Assembly on Monday 16 October.

“It was a fantastic evening of fun and fashion. The show was very colourful and highly entertaining,” said Head of Fox House, Jane Gregg.

“Dozens of students from Grade 7 to Grade 12 were involved in the modelling of fashions, which were so generously supplied by many Launceston retail outlets. It was a truly wonderful example of young people working together to achieve a common goal, which was to raise money for a worthy cause.”

Briggs House raise $2000 for LGH

Camilla Covier and Nicky Verugdenhil, House Captains of Briggs House, presented a cheque for $2000 to Jan Harper of the Launceston General Hospital.

“The money is to be put to a fund for a new playground and play equipment for the children’s ward at the hospital,’ said Head of Briggs House, Mrs Helen Unwin.

“This money was raised at the Briggs House Trivia Night, held earlier this year and the Grade 12 Committee would particularly like to acknowledge the wonderful support of Briggs families and business throughout Launceston.”

Tassie Devil expert visits

TCE students

Tasmanian wildlife biologist for the Department of Primary Industries & Water, Nick Mooney, is a major player in the race to save the Tasmanian Devil from the Facial Tumour Disease, which is racing through the Devil population in Tasmania.

Mr Mooney was invited to Scotch Oakburn by a Grade 11 TCE student, Megan Abbott, who has been working this year on a TCE Student Directed Enquiry project on the Tasmanian Devil Facial Tumour Disease. Megan’s endeavours have included field work and scientific research with Mr Mooney.

Mr Mooney made a presentation to all Grade 11 and 12 students in the Scotch Oakburn Performing Arts Centre lin October.

Megan Abbott presented Mr Mooney with a cheque for $591.20, which was raised on the College’s Penquite Campus in aid of the Tasmanian Devil Facial Tumour Disease cause.

Scotch Oakburn receives

 international recognition
 

Scotch Oakburn received international recognition by becoming a full member of the prestigious Round Square Association of schools during an international conference which was held at Gordonstoun School in Scotland, from 7 to 13 October 2006.

Five Scotch Oakburn students travelled to Scotland to attend the conference, together with the College’s Round Square Coordinator, Mrs Alex Neville, and the Principal,
Mr Andrew Barr.

Scotch Oakburn is the only Tasmanian school to be recognised in this way, and joins 50 schools from countries across five continents as a member of the Round Square Association.

“The College has comprehensively met the ‘IDEALS’ of Round Square: Internationalism, Democracy, Environmental Awareness, Adventure, Leadership and Service. There are strict guidelines for schools to meet these IDEALS,” said Mr Barr.

 Students from Round Square schools come together annually at conferences; through exchanges; and for service projects in third world countries to help build hospitals, schools and infrastructure.

“Membership of this respected association is due recognition of the range of educational opportunities for students at Scotch Oakburn and, more importantly, for the students’ desire to make a difference through service and leadership to their local community and through various environmental projects,” said Mr Barr.

“It also recognises our students’ determination and willingness to go out and make a difference in this world, in a positive way.”

National art award for

 Launceston students

In Melbourne on Friday, 18 August, a group of Grade 7 students from Scotch Oakburn were announced as one of four national winners in the Student Section of the prestigious Silk Cut for Linocut Prints Award for 2006, with their collaborative work entitled ‘Emerging Identity’. 

A group of Launceston Church Grammar School students were also announced as another of the four national winners in the Student Section.

"It was wonderful that two Launceston schools won these significant awards in a national competition! I am particularly pleased, because this is the fourth time that Scotch Oakburn students have been recipients of this Award, which is a commendable achievement," said Head of Visual and Performing Arts at Scotch Oakburn, Melissa Smith.

The Silk Cut Award was introduced in 1995 to encourage the making and appreciation of linocut prints. The award aims to provide creative opportunities for artists of all ages, and it is the only national print award to provide a special category for primary and secondary school students.

“The coloured linocut self- portraits were the result of a unit of work looking at identity and belonging. Once complete, each print was folded to make a ‘fortune teller’ and presented as an installation piece at floor level,” said Melissa Smith.

‘Emerging Identity’ will be on display alongside other winners in Melbourne at the Glen Eira Council Gallery, from 18 August – 3 September.

The Silk Cut Award is sponsored by the Australian linoleum company Duroloid, in conjunction with Forbo Krommenie, Holland, the world's largest manufacturer of linoleum products

Scotch Oakburn’s Head of Visual and Performing Arts, Melissa Smith, attended the presentation in Melbourne on Friday night to receive the Award on behalf of her students.
 

Planet Ark's National Tree Day

launched at Scotch Oakburn

TV presenter, actor, and Planet Ark representative, Rebecca Gilling, launched Schools Tree Day (28 July) and National Tree Day (30 July) for Tasmania, simultaneously, at Scotch Oakburn Park in Launceston on Friday 28 July.

The launch was followed by a tree planting session with students and volunteers in the 7.5 ha North Esk wetlands area, located adjacent to Scotch Oakburn sports grounds on the North Esk River, signalling the commencement of a major rehabilitation project for the North Esk River, to undertaken by Scotch Oakburn College.

“This project will provide students with the opportunity to plan and implement the rehabilitation of this wonderful wetland area. The project involves the clearing of willow trees, the re-vegetation of indigenous species, and the development of an educational and interpretative walk and precinct,” said Scotch Oakburn's Principal, Andrew Barr.

“The project will be integrated into the core year 8 curriculum, linking to Sciences, Humanities and the Arts particularly.”

Ms Gilling, in launching National Tree Day today, called upon schools, community groups and individuals in Tasmania to help plant National Day’s 10^th millionth tree on Sunday,
30 July. National Tree Day is in its 11^th year.

“Planting native trees not only creates natural beauty, it greatly assists the environment and ecology,” said
Ms Gilling.