PRINCIPAL
MR ROB MCLAREN (' 73 ) ACTING SCHOOL PRINCIPAL
THE MANY STAKEHOLDERS OF THE SCOTCH COMMUNITY
THE ELEMENTS MAKING UP A HEALTHY , VIBRANT SCHOOL
At a recent morning tea attended by some of the 25 oldest known living Old Boys to celebrate the upcoming 107th birthday of the Rev Bill Morgan (’ 34 ), Scotch ’ s oldest known living Old Boy , one of those present , celebrating his 96th birthday on the day of the event , recalled that in 1935 , when in Prep , the then School Captain , Bill Morgan , visited the Junior School to wish the boys all the best as they journeyed through school . The fact that this took place some 87 years ago , but was still remembered by both men , gives some indication of the impact those interactions that take place during one ’ s school years can have on an individual .
Scotch is very much a community with many key stakeholders who have an impact on the lives of those at the heart of the community – the boys . There are many elements that come together to create a healthy and vibrant communally-organised school , including a system of shared values related to the School and to education in general ; common activities that link school members to each other and to the School ' s traditions ; an ‘ ethos of caring ’ in interpersonal relations ; and an extended role for teachers that encompasses more than classroom instruction .
Scotch College provides an education that is based on Christian faith and values that promote individual thought , self-responsibility , innovation and service . Our guiding star is the inherent dignity of each
individual . The School provides opportunity for each boy to discover interests and talents . It also fosters a culture which improves outcomes , both in those things which are measured and those for which school years are the formative years . It provides a broad liberal curriculum and programs that educate the whole child . The traditions and rituals of the School , which have remained constant over many years , help strengthen the sense of belonging to a cause bigger than oneself .
There are many opportunities that remind the present cohort of our past : time spent in Memorial Hall and the Littlejohn Chapel , where the honour boards remind us of ‘ deeds of those grown hoary ’, events such as Family Day , the Foundation Day Concert or the final Torch Ceremony , where the baton is passed from one generation to the next . Our Archivist , Paul Mishura , also plays a key role in developing a sense of belonging , ensuring our ‘ noble record of the past ’ is on display for all to see .
Another key factor in the development of a sense of community is that Scotch is blessed that its operation occurs predominately on one campus , allowing boys of all ages to collide , compete , reflect , perform and debate at the one location , all of which strengthen the sense of the campus being a ‘ home ’ for all ‘ Scotchies ’.
Equally important to the academic program are those co-curricular pursuits that occur in the morning , at lunch or after school . This includes sport , services
4 Great Scot Issue 167 – December 2022