Scotch College

Editorial

Words: Mr Tim Shearer • Editor, Great Scot

This edition of Great Scot focuses on ‘Sustaining Scotch’.

Over the past few years the school has invested heavily to ensure that the campus can meet the challenges presented by our harsh environment. The significant reduction in annual rainfall has threatened our sportsfields and amenities – and the school has responded appropriately. Planting water-conservative plants, installing a number of water tanks, resurfacing ovals to drought-tolerant surfaces, and installing a synthetic surface on the Junior School Oval have helped make enormous water savings for the school, and will provide our students with safe playing surfaces.

The Class of 2008 has sustained – and enhanced – Scotch’s academic reputation. The year group achieved the school’s best-ever VCE results since the system was introduced in the 1990s. Many students stretched themselves and, collaborating with our staff, achieved exceptional outcomes. There were examples of courage, commitment, dedication and good old ‘plain hard work’. The school extends its congratulations to these students.

The Class of 2009 has sustained Scotch’s commitment to community service. The response of the school community to the Victorian bushfire tragedy – led by the Class of 2009 committee and prefects – was immediate, uplifting, spirited and generous, but perhaps unsurprising. The current school community has raised $60,000 to support this worthy cause. Thank you to everyone who responded so generously.

The School – and the community at large – not only need to respond to the changing environmental conditions, but we also need to respond to the changing financial conditions. The 2009 Annual Giving program has been launched, and we hope the Scotch Family will sustain Scotch’s reputation as a leader in educational philanthropy. The theme is ‘Scotch has helped shape you – now you can help shape Scotch’. I do hope that you will support the program in 2009 to sustain our building program, our scholarship program and other initiatives at the School.

I hope you enjoy this edition of Great Scot.