challenge was set for the boys to tackle with their Lego kits . The interest in this activity was fantastic , with up to 60 boys each week spending some time at home creating amazing structures and scenes with Lego , and then photographing themselves with their creations . All of the boys ’ photos were then used to make weekly slideshow movies that the Junior School families could sit down and watch .
Our weekly Monday Assemblies were also posted onto this part of the website , allowing not only the boys to participate in one of our normal activities , but also enabling parents to be part of them as well .
In Term 3 we switched the weekly challenge to a new pastime that boys could easily do at home – Junior School Master Chef . Once again the boys responded magnificently , and we had some wonderful meals and recipe favourites displayed by the boys each week .
All of these activities were great in allowing the Junior School community to feel they were still connected in some way . However , we also wanted to find something for the boys to look forward to each week , given so many of their favourite things had been halted by the lockdown regulations .
What we came up with was ‘ Friday Funnies ’, a weekly posted video on ‘ Keeping Scotch Connected ,’ consisting of a variety of fun segments for the boys and their families to sit back and have a good laugh at .
The segments included the irreverent Mr McScience , who shared his knowledge of scientific principles by performing wacky experiments on the Head of the Junior School , usually with disastrous results for the Head !
Other segments involved boys sharing their favourite jokes and gags , boys and staff contributing short dance segments that were combined into a weekly dance clip , and also a segment called ‘ Teacher Creatures ’ where various Junior School teachers were transformed into an array of creatures , with the voice of David Attenborough narrating their particular habits and behaviours . It was all good fun , and a way to provide some light relief for the Junior School community each week .
Although the Junior School boys and their families could not be connected in a physical sense throughout the lockdown periods , the various online activities and presentations have , we hope , helped to keep them connected in a 21st century fashion . It is true that we never really appreciate just what we have until we no longer have it . We have all missed that sense of connectedness and belonging , and look forward to a time , hopefully not too far into the future , when we can enjoy these simple pleasures once more . www . scotch . vic . edu . au Great Scot 9