Scotch College

Teaching staff on the move

At the end of the 2006 School year, nine teachers are leaving Scotch after a combined total of approximately 88 years’ excellent service to the School. Great Scot wishes all these teachers success in their future endeavours.

Ken Fisher

In 1986 Ken Fisher came to the Scotch Educational Support Unit from a Special Education position in Western Australia. On appointment he became a tutor in Ingram House, coached Year 10 hockey and helped with tennis, as well as being responsible for teaching Remedial English to Years 7 to 12.

Ken has maintained an unbroken link with the Kew Pensioners through the Social Service scheme for all his 21 years at Scotch. A change in the House system saw Ken become a tutor in Fleming House – a position he held until 1996. Ken’s interest in students outside the classroom led to an increase in Year 10 Outback trips. He led trips to Central Australia and to Kakadu and Cape York in the mid ’90s.

As a counsellor for students across the Senior School, Ken helped hundreds of students over a seven-year period. He was Teacher-in-Charge of Gymnastics for 10 years after he moved on from hockey and tennis in 1995. In 1997 Ken was appointed Head of Year 7/8 and he taught English and Drama to students at this level.

Retiring from teaching, Ken leaves an impressive legacy with Scotch. He has introduced two exceedingly valuable programs – the Peer Support Program and Restorative Practices. These programs, and his time as a counsellor and Head of Year working with students and parents to help them develop positive, productive paths out of seemingly blocked and limiting situations, have given him immense satisfaction. He also considers working with students to help them understand the special needs of pensioners and older people has been a highlight of his time at Scotch. He now plans to use his recent training and qualification as a fitness instructor and personal trainer to work with people of all ages who seek to improve and sustain their good health and fitness.

Ron Anderson

Ron Anderson came to Scotch in 1987 after a career as a History lecturer at Melbourne State College and time as a self-employed musician. He has taught History, Politics and International Studies at Year 12 level; he has been Head of Politics since 1988 and was Head of Social Education from 1990 to 1996.

A long-serving Forbes House tutor, Ron spent a season with soccer, and then settled into badminton and basketball. As Teacher-in-Charge of Badminton since 1989, he has generally looked after the Firsts, and is retiring with an impressive and enviable three premierships in the last three seasons. In Social Service, Ron supervised students visiting nursing homes and this year supervised the development of the Song Room Project.

Ron regards the classroom and successful and satisfying relationships with students across all levels and abilities as the most important factor in teaching, especially working with students who have reached or exceeded their ability. Ron leaves Scotch with the satisfaction of having played a role in introducing and developing programs in personal relationships and alcohol and drug education. He is hoping to achieve two major goals in retirement – to convert overwritten and poorly organised notes into completed books, and to continue (and expand) his musical career.

Christopher Taylor

After being Head of Art at the Yarra Valley Anglican School, Christopher Taylor became Head of Art/Chair of Design at Scotch at the end of 1992. He has taught Art and Studio Art across all year levels since his appointment, and both Design Technology to Years 7 and 8 and Multimedia to Year 10. Christopher has been Group Leader of the 1st Hawthorn/Scotch College Scout Group since 1993, has very successfully managed the Elliott Lodge Camp site at Healesville and has run numerous camps and hikes.

On arrival at Scotch he was appointed coach of the 1st rugby team, and continued in this role for five years. Christopher’s keen interest and expertise have benefited Scotch rugby, and he also held key executive roles within both the Victorian and Australian Rugby Union bodies. He was Chairman of the Australian National Championships for the full decade of the ’90s and managed the Australian ‘A’ schoolboys’ team in 2000. Christopher was again Firsts coach in 2005. For the past seven years he has been Aesthetics Advisor to Scotch as an adjunct to his position as Chair of Design.

Christopher has left the three areas of his extracurricular interest in very good health. He is deservedly proud of the diverse range of activities catering for all interests: raising the profile of Art within Scotch College, extensively developing the Scout facilities and equipment both in the Scout Hall and at Elliott Lodge, and organising coaching staff facilities and parental support to ensure rugby is strong at all levels within Scotch. In retirement, Christopher intends to work as an artist and combine this with extensive travel within Australia and overseas.

Roger Schmidli

Roger Schmidli was on the music staff at Billanook College, Mooroolbark, prior to joining the Scotch Music Department as an instrumental and classroom teacher in 1993. For the past 14 years he has taught instrumental music to classes across Years 3 to 12, provided individual tuition for trombone, and worked with various ensembles, the Symphonic Wind group and the Showband. In 2000 Roger was appointed Head of Brass, and he has worked closely and most successfully as the Military Band’s musical director.

The highlights of Roger’s time at Scotch include extending and building the brass and wind band programs, conducting the Symphonic Wind and Showband at the 2001 Foundation Day Concert in the Rod Laver Arena and the 2006 James Morrison/Showband Concert. He now moves to a senior position in the Trinity Grammar School music department.

Chris Beechey

Time working as a teacher in Japan preceded Chris Beechey’s appointment to Scotch as a General Science teacher in 2000. The following year he moved into the Biology Department, and diversified his teaching. He has taught Science for six years, Year 7 Mathematics for seven years, Biology to Years 10 to 12 for five years and Year 11 Environmental Science for two years. On appointment, Chris became a Monash House tutor, and the following year became a Year 7 form teacher.

An avid sportsman, he worked with the Fourths A and B crews for two years and Year 10 football for one year, before moving to cross country in 2001 and athletics in 2004. Chris was appointed Teacher-in-Charge of Cross Country in 2004 and Head Coach for the 2005–06 athletics seasons. Also a keen outdoorsman, he worked with the Year 8 Hike Program for three years before moving to the Year 9 Outdoor Expedition Program in 2003 – becoming Teacher-in-Charge for the last two years.

Chris became a tutor in School House in 2004 and was appointed Acting Deputy Head of School House this year. He was a member of the 2002 Nepal Tour and the 2006 Kokoda Track walk. He leaves Scotch knowing that he has had an impact on the lives of boys in a range of disciplines in the classroom, in outdoor activities, on the sporting field and on the Hill. In 2007 he will take up an appointment as Head of Wigan House at Ballarat Grammar.

Heather Hardie

Heather Hardie was a teacher of Indonesian at Eltham College before she was appointed Head of Indonesian at Scotch in 2000. She has taught Year 8 to 12 classes and has been a tutor with both Forbes and Fleming houses, as well as being a Year 8 form teacher for four years. Heather worked with the Junior Sport Program, coordinating Year 7 and 8 tennis and hockey, and coached these students during the athletics season. In 2005 she was appointed Co-Chair of the Kapumfi Project Committee and worked tirelessly in conjunction with students to raise funds and organise the 2006 visit to the new school at Kapumfi.

Heather regards the introduction of the student exchange program to host students and staff from Salatiga, Central Java, Indonesia, as well as VCE Language Immersion Camps at Scotch at Cowes and the co-initiation of the Kapumfi Project, and its subsequent achievements, as the highlights of her career at Scotch. She leaves us to become the Head of LOTE in the Senior School at Carey Grammar School.

Martyn Wood

A former advisory teacher to the Victorian Institute for the Blind, Martyn Wood was appointed as a teacher of Physics in 2004. In addition to teaching Physics to Years 10 and 11 (as Teacher-in-Charge of Year 10 Physics), he has taught General Science to Years 8 and 9 and Mathematics to Years 8 and 11.

Martyn has been a Lawson House tutor and a member of a Year 8 teaching team for all his time at Scotch.

Badminton and Year 9 soccer (as Teacher-in-Charge) have been his sporting involvements, and he has been actively involved in the Outdoor Activities Program with white-water kayaking (Teacher-in-Charge for the 2006 camp), sea kayaking in 2005 and the scuba camp this year. Martyn regards pacing a member of his tutor group for the last 12 kilometres of a second successive 100-km hike to be the highlight of his time at Scotch! Next year Martyn will become Head of Science at Mater Christi College in Belgrave.

Caroline Cotton

Caroline Cotton has been teaching Biology, Chemistry and Science at Scotch for the past eighteen months. Her enthusiasm and knowledge of her subject areas meant that we were keen to welcome Caroline back to Scotch after a number of years absent. As an outdoor activities enthusiast, Caroline assisted with the Year 9 Outdoor Expedition Program and, in addition, participated in cycling camps. Caroline is looking forward to some international travel and then some new educational opportunities in Queensland.

Lucy Hamilton

Lucy Hamilton is leaving Scotch after one year of teaching English to devote more time to her young family and to undertake a part-time teaching position at Melbourne Girls’ Grammar. In her short time at Scotch Lucy’s senior students quickly came to appreciate her expertise in her subject area and her willingness to give indivdual attention both in and outside the classroom. Similarly, her younger students and particularly those in her Year 7 form, appreciated her care and attention to their needs.

Neville Taylor
Staff