NEWS
Since arriving from Sydney in 2023 and becoming part of the school executive, Matt has had an opportunity to observe many qualities and values throughout the Scotch community:
“ One of the most inspiring aspects of Scotch is the boys themselves. They are exceptional individuals who continuously elevate each other to be their best. This is something I have had the privilege of witnessing firsthand, as my son is currently a Year 12 student at Scotch. The camaraderie and mutual support among the students is commendable.”
Great Scot | Issue 173 | 2025
Matt also shared his appreciation of the wider culture of the school.“ The school’ s history is filled with many achievements, and there is still so much potential for even greater accomplishments in the future. This community is driven, and ambitious.”
It’ s difficult not to notice the objects that adorn Matt’ s office— an unwrapped box of 3.5” floppy disks, the cassette single of Radiohead’ s‘ Creep’, an early 2000s Nokia mobile phone— all objects from a bygone era.
Staying ahead of rapid technological advancement is essential to avoid being left behind. Since Matt’ s appointment, the school has undertaken significant structural and technological upgrades along with more recent updates to the firewall and web filtering system.
“ Web filters, though often underappreciated, play a crucial role in a school network. We are currently fine-tuning the balance between maintaining security, minimising distractions, and enabling effective learning. Our next step is aimed at empowering teachers with the ability to temporarily unblock specific websites that are typically restricted but necessary for their lessons. This approach aims to provide a more flexible and responsive learning environment while ensuring that our network remains secure and students stay focused on their learning.”
Today’ s students experience technology in a way that is worlds apart from their parents’ early encounters. While many parents grew up with limited access, students now navigate a digital landscape filled with instant connectivity and a wealth of online resources at their fingertips, considered by some to be a complex and potentially dangerous combination.“ In my opinion technology itself is not dangerous, it is a tool.” says Matt.“ The danger comes with how we use technology, and unfortunately how others use it. Technology increases our reach and removes some natural boundaries. We are teaching young people how to use it well and make them aware of the dangers so they can
make the best decision for themselves.” Looking at the bright side, Matt spoke about how technology is an advantage to the students of today.
“ We now have access to things that we’ ve never had access to before. Long gone are the days I had to go to a specific building to look up information. I now have all the information in front of me and it’ s my duty to work out what’ s real. It also obviously breaks down lots of different barriers. I can find groups of people that are interested in my niche interest. Once upon a time, you almost had to be interested only with the things from the people that lived on your street! Now, you can go well beyond that. Technology allows us to collaborate in a variety of ways and we don’ t all have to be in the same room to do it.”
Matt’ s vision for future progress at Scotch is a strikingly clear one.
“ For me, technology in a school, at its absolute best, is silent. We don’ t talk about it, but we use it, interact with it, and it is just there. When we’ re talking about technology, it’ s when it’ s not doing what we need it to do” he described.
“ My vision for IT at Scotch is to make information individualised to the users; students, teachers and families. So that it’ s just there, instantly accessible, I’ m not having to labour to get the information that I need. It’ s seamless.”
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