ADVANCEMENT
MR TIM SHEARER (' 85 ) HEAD OF ADVANCEMENT
SCOTCH ‘ ADVANCES ’ TO 175TH ANNIVERSARY IN 2026
THE ANNIVERSARY WILL OFFER OPPORTUNITIES TO ‘ LOOK BACK AND FORGETFULLY WONDER ’
These are extraordinary times . Advancement teams like mine are engaged in advancing our institutions amid rapid social change , intensifying global conflicts , contentious international elections , ever-evolving technology … the list goes on .
According to Sue Cunningham , CEO and President of the international body CASE ( the Council for Advancement and Support of Education ), ‘ Advancement teams exist to advance their institutions because they matter to our communities and to the broader community . In advancement , we connect people to one another to create opportunities . As stewards of our institutions , we enable future generations to experience education that truly transforms lives and society .’ It is indeed a privilege to play such a role – which got me thinking …
The term advancement means ‘ moving forward ’, so it is perhaps somewhat ironic that the school ’ s Advancement team is leading Scotch ’ s 175th anniversary celebrations program , when we will look back at Scotch ’ s first 175 years through a number of reflective celebrations and activities .
Scotch has always respected its past , and 2026 will offer several opportunities to ‘ look back and forgetfully wonder ’. It will also provide a platform for the school to look forward , as it embraces a new strategic plan , which has been informed as much by our past , as it looks to shape our future . True to our origins , borne of the Scottish Enlightenment of the late 19th century , Scotch will again lift its eyes to articulate an ambitious program where our boys – and their future interests – are central to all that we do .
The strategic plan has been driven by our innate urge to improve , and it has been inspired by the shared belief that the school ’ s best days are ahead of it . The strategic plan will be launched by the School Council
and Principal in early 2025 as the countdown to 2026 commences in earnest .
School Councillor Andrew Wilson (’ 78 ) is chairing Scotch ’ s 175th Anniversary Committee which comprises representatives from across the school community . The committee is developing a suite of events which will appropriately acknowledge the significance of such a milestone . Scotch is the oldest surviving secondary school in Victoria .
We are looking to engage with as many members of the Scotch Family as we can across the year , but it should be noted that the committee is taking a ‘ less is more ’ approach to the proposed celebratory events , as it looks to ensure that each event has its own unique place in the program . As such , existing events such as the Foundation Day Concert and Family Day will be enhanced in recognition of the anniversary . There will , however , be one special stand-alone anniversary
70 Great Scot Issue 172 – Edition 2 2024