Scotch College

Three changes to School Council

Michael Robinson, AO

Stuart McIntyre

Pam Marshall

Jill Spargo

The November meeting of the School Council saw a number of changes in the 17-member Council. Professor Stuart Macintyre, Mrs Pam Marshall and Dr Jill Spargo retired, and have been succeeded by Mrs Sarah Bernard, Mr Craig Drummond and Dr David Kemp.

Professor Stuart Macintyre (’64) has served with distinction on the School Council since 1999. Professor Macintyre is Dean of the Arts Faculty at the University of Melbourne and Ernest Scott Professor of History. He provided a strong link with Victoria’s oldest tertiary institution, and gave a keen insight into the life and subtleties of the academic world. Professor Macintyre also played a significant role in the publication of the School’s sesquicentenary history, A Deepening Roar, and his wisdom and educational experience was of great benefit to the School Council’s deliberations.

Mrs Pam Marshall has served on the School Council for 12 years, the last nine as Chairman of the School Property Committee. Pam’s involvement at Scotch began nearly 30 years ago, and she has served on various committees, culminating in being President of the Scotch Family Association (now Scotch Parents Assoc). As Chairman of the School Council’s Property Committee and as a member of the Executive Committee since 1996, Pam has made an enormous contribution to the progress and welfare of Scotch, including overseeing the construction of the Lithgow and Staff Centre, the remodelling of the Randall Building, the installation of the new organ in the Memorial Hall and to cap it, all, planning for and overseeing the construction of the James Forbes Academy. Pam looks forward to her grandson, James, commencing at Scotch in Year 7 in 2017 as a fourth generation Scotch Collegian.

Dr Jill Spargo has served Scotch with energy and vitality since her elder son, Matt, commenced at Scotch in 1986. She served on a variety of the School’s parent committees and was a wonderful addition to the School Council in 1996. Her close involvement with Scotch enabled her to provide a highly relevant and keen insight at Scotch Council meetings. She was a very proud parent in 1998 when Matt was captain of the Senior School and her younger son, Nick, was captain of the Junior School. For a number of years Jill was the School Council representative on the Scotch Family Association, and in recent years she has been the Council representative on the Scotch Foundation. Jill has been a committed member of the School’s Property Committee for seven years and has been on the School Council's Executive Committee for the last year. Jill is the daughter of Russell Coutie (’32) and the sister of Leigh Coutie (’70).

Scotch is most grateful for the wonderful contributions Stuart, Pam and Jill have made to the welfare and advancement of our School. To take their places, we welcome Mrs Sarah Bernhard, Mr Craig Drummond and Dr David Kemp

Mrs Sarah Bernard is President-elect of the Scotch Parents’ Association. As Managing Director of Sarah Bernard Events Management, Sarah used her skills and expertise to particular effect as a member of the Main Organising Committee for the 150th Dinner. Sarah has had an extraordinarily active involvement at Scotch over the last nine years, and she was particularly proud that her eldest son, Matt, was Captain of Boats in this year’s winning Head of the River crew. Sarah also has two other sons at Scotch – William in Year 8 and Nicholas in Year 7. Her connection at Scotch goes back many years, as her father, Dr John Aberdeen, completed Year 12 in 1946 and her brother, Paul Aberdeen, was in the class of 1986.

Mr Craig Drummond (’78) is the Co-Chief Operating Officer and Managing Director of Goldman Sachs JBWere, having joined JB Were & Son in 1986, and is a leading figure in the Australian financial world. Craig came from Leongatha and was a Scotch boarder from 1976 to 1978. He is one of three former boarders on the School Council. Craig was coopted to the School’s Investment Committee several years ago, and will now play an even more important role in its deliberations. He has a son, James, in Year 10 at Scotch.

The Hon Dr David Kemp (’59) is a most distinguished Old Boy of Scotch College. He was a member of the House of Representatives from 1990 to 2004 and held many senior government positions, the most recent of which were Federal Minister for the Environment and Heritage from 2001 to 2004 and Federal Minister for Education, Training and Youth Affairs from 1988 to 2001. Prior to entering Federal Parliament, David was Professor of Politics at Monash University from 1979 to 1990. He attended Scotch from 1949 to 1959, and in his final year was dux of the school, a prefect and co-editor of the Collegian. The Kemp involvement at Scotch is legendary and David’s uncle, Len Kemp (’27), is the oldest surviving Captain of Cricket. David’s father, Charles (’29) and both his grandfathers attended Scotch, as did his great grandfather, Robert McLeod (1885). He was the eldest of the four McLeod cricketing brothers and scored the first two centuries by a Scotch boy in APS cricket. He was more than a handy bowler, taking 51 wickets at an average of 6.8. To top it off, he was Captain of Football in 1884! David's eldest son, William, attended Scotch from 1982 to 1990, and he also now has two sons at Scotch, Andrew in Year 12 and Charles in Year 6. They are fifth-generation Scotch Collegians.

Scotch welcomes the new School Council members and looks forward to the significant roles they will take as they add to the Council’s breadth of skills and experience.

Michael Robinson
School Council Chairman