Say hello to some of the people who will be there every step of the way along your educational journey.
Everyone of these people is committed to providing an unforgettable experience that will be celebrated long after they’ve left the College.
Favourite song: Let’s Get Down by Supafly
Favourite place: Anywhere in the bush, but particularly the coast and mountains of Tasmania.
Inspired by: my wife. She’s caring, diligent, funny, intelligent and inspires me to be a better person.
Favourite book: Tribe by Sebastian Junger.
If you could be any animal? Polar Bear. Versatile and efficient on land or water, strong but nurturing, inquisitive and adaptable.
Why SOC? It’s a very positive and dynamic place to work. The students are fantastic, and my colleagues are fun and innovative to work with. The College has a lovely atmosphere about it.
Favourite song: If I Could Turn Back Time by Cher
Favourite place: Swanwick
Inspired by: My children, looking at the world through the eyes of a child makes me wonder and want to learn more.
Favourite book: Tandia by Bryce Courtenay
If you could be any animal? Dog, they find happiness in the smallest of things.
Why SOC? The holistic approach to education, wanting every student to achieve their potential no matter their interests.
Favourite song: Blackbird by The Beatles
Favourite place: Port Sorell, North East Tasmania
Inspired by: Family, friends and Pinterest
Favourite book: Flowers in the attic by Virginia Andrews
If you could be any animal? Probably one of my rabbits… they’re pretty spoilt!, or Paddington, our College Therapy Dog.
Why SOC? There is a sense of community at SOC that I have never seen at a school before. The staff, students and families all have the same goal – to have the students grow up to be the best possible humans that they can be.
Favourite song: Beautiful Day by U2
Favourite place: Sandfly, Tasmania
Inspired by: Don Bradman
Favourite book: Watership Down by Richard Adams
If you could be any animal? Emperor penguin. They’re legends: largest of all penguins, demonstrate exceptional team work by huddling together during blizzards and the fathers rear their young during the Antarctic winter while fasting for 2 months.
Why SOC? I love being a part of SOC because of the people. We have an amazing community of staff, students and parents who are incredibly supportive.
Favourite song: Anything I can sing or dance to!
Favourite place: Home / Tasmania
Inspired by: I am inspired by music
Favourite book: I don’t really have a ‘best book.’ I rate The Great Gatsby highly, but I also love Tim Winton and Ian Rankin. Crime thrillers/crime fiction always wins for me.
If you could be any animal? An elephant or a dolphin. They’re intelligent, work together and look after each other. If I was a dolphin, it might help me overcome my irrational fear of seaweed!
Why SOC? SOC is at the forefront of providing high quality educational opportunities and exceptional learning outcomes for its students.
Favourite song: Funhouse by Pink
Favourite place: Red Bill Beach, Bicheno
Inspired by: My Grandmother
Favourite book: The Other Boleyn Girl by Philippa Gregory
If you could be any animal? A bird
Why SOC? I’m proud to be a teacher at SOC because of it’s forward and modern thinking and teachings.
Favourite song: Who Let the Dogs out by Baha Men
Favourite place: Anywhere where there is food!
Inspired by: A tie between Scooby Doo and Pavlov’s dogs
Favourite book: Spot Goes to School
If you could be any animal? A cat, nah just joking. I’m awesome, I’ll just be me.
Why SOC? Are you kidding? SOC has a renowned reputation for employing only the best wellbeing and therapy dogs. It is an honor to be here.
Favourite song: really depends on my mood but Cowboy Junkies Blue Moon has to get a mention.
Favourite place: Riding my Clydesdale George
Inspired by: People who persist despite knockbacks and adversity.
Favourite book: Got to love a good murder mystery!
If you could be any animal? I think Paddington has a pretty good life!
Why SOC? SOC provides a positive and caring learning environment with a firm focus on holistic development and wellbeing.
Favourite song: Lose Yourself by Eminem
Favourite place: Any beach in Tasmania!
Inspired by: Ordinary people doing extraordinary things.
Favourite book: The entire Harry Potter series!
If you could be any animal? Swings daily between a Sloth and a Cheetah!
Why SOC? The Inter-House Singing carnival is THE most important date on the calendar! How fabulous is that?!
Favourite song: Here comes the sun by The Beatles
Favourite place: Anywhere quiet with a good view of the sky or where I can spend time with friendly faces.
Inspired by: People who have infinite amounts of patience and good humour.
Favourite book: George’s Marvellous Medicine by Roald Dahl. The first ‘long book’ I read.
If you could be any animal? I’d be my dog, because she is living the dream!
Why SOC? I love that it’s a place that is friendly and fun and open to new ideas and challenges. The students are great to work with and we all encourage each student to carve their own path.
Favourite song: Too tough to narrow down to one.
Favourite place: Hobart (Although I shoudn’t really say that!?)
Inspired by: My work colleagues and family are inspiring people – Generally inspired by people who live with purpose and passion.
Favourite book: Nuclear physics for babies is a good read.
If you could be any animal? I’ll stick with human.
Why SOC? SOC is a place that connects simultaneously with local and international communities and the opportunities are far-reaching. If students (or staff) have a passion for academics, arts, sports, etc the College will always support people in achieving those goals.
Favourite song: Lyrical Lawyer by DJ Wince featuring Nicky T (Written and produced by Year 12 Music students in 2017)
Favourite place: Mountain tops
Inspired by: Mother Teresa
Favourite book: Eragon by Christopher Paolini
If you could be any animal? Horse
Why SOC? The fantastic people I teach and work with and the facilities that make anything possible.
Favourite song: Luca Brasi’s cover of How To Make Gravy by Paul Kelly
Favourite place: Tasmania’s National Parks and its East Coast beaches
Inspired by: Dylan Alcott
Favourite book: Impossible to have one, maybe Island Home by Tim Winton
If you could be any animal? Wedge Tailed Eagle
Why SOC? A fantastic sense of community, great students and great staff come to mind!
Favourite song: Better Than by John Butler Trio
Favourite place: Home is Western Australia so it would have to be there.
Inspired by: Bethany Hamilton – who after a tragic shark attack at a young age had the strength and determination to achieve her dreams.
Favourite book: No favourite, but I do enjoy biographies.
If you could be any animal? Dolphin – social, intelligent and playful.
Why SOC? We strive to be innovative and provide a safe and supportive environment for everyone. There is a great sense of belonging and opportunities for students to engage with our broader community.
Favourite song: Accidentally Kelly Street by Frente!
Favourite place: Cradle Mountain, followed very closely by Japan
Inspired by: My family
Favourite book: Tess of the d’Urbervilles by Thomas Hardy
If you could be any animal? A dolphin
Why SOC? SOC is a supportive environment to work in. Its focus on the individual as a whole creates a fulfilling workplace.
Favourite song: Sweet Child O’ Mine by Guns N’ Roses
Favourite place: Quamby Golf Club
Inspired by: Albert Einstein
Favourite book: The Magus by John Fowles
If you could be any animal? Dog
Why SOC? Friendly, welcoming and supportive community.
Favourite song: Halo by Lewis Watson
Favourite place: East Coast of Tasmania
Inspired by: Janine Jansen
Favourite book: Not a favourite book but my favourite story is Les Misérables.
If you could be any animal? A kookaburra because I could fly, sit in trees and laugh all day.
Why SOC? Scotch Oakburn provides a positive and caring learning environment where students are nurtured to reach their full potential.
Favourite song: Even though I’m a wordy person, I love sweeping melodies: Layla by Eric Clapton, Local Hero – Dire Straits, Forever Autumn – Jeff Wayne.
Favourite place: Send me to a beach in any season.
Inspired by: Michelle Obama (such an intelligent, classy lady!) and my beautiful family.
Favourite book: I did recently enjoy The Tattooist of Auschwitz by Heather Morris. I found it exceptionally inspiring.
If you could be any animal? I’ve always admired elephants for their majestic presence and loyalty to family.
Why SOC? There’s no other place I’d rather be! The opportunities are endless for everyone, the support is phenomenal but most of all, I just love the kids.
Favourite song: Piano Man by Billy Joel, but the students would say Friday by Rebecca Black!
Favourite place: I love the East Coast of Tasmania, especially Coles Bay, but I would have to say Pencil Pine Hut up in the Walls of Jerusalem.
Inspired by: I have three for various reasons; John Hunter, Simon Sinek, and Nelson Mandela.
Favourite book: Leaders Eat Last by Simon Sinek
If you could be any animal? Cheetah. It is majestic, graceful, and fast.
Why SOC? The vision and values of the College align with my personal values. Our education can be exciting, as well as engaging and academically motivated.
Favourite song: Runaway by Ziggy Alberts
Favourite place: Marourds Beach at St Helens, Tasmania.
Inspired by: Beau Vernon
Favourite book: The power of one by Bryce Courtenay
If you could be any animal? A Cheetah, they are really fast and have orange hair like me!
Why SOC? SOC is always changing for the better, looking for innovative ways to offer opportunities to all students and staff. SOC motivates everyone that walks through the gates to do extra and chase their dreams on the way to becoming a well-rounded member of the community.
Favourite song: Beloved by Mumford and Sons
Favourite place: Croatia as a tourist destination. North Lilydale on a sunny day with family.
Inspired by: Le Bron James, but importantly anyone who truly challenges themselves.
Favourite book: I am a lover of autobiographies- Stan Alves, Chris Judd, Mike Tyson, Matthew Hayden….
If you could be any animal? A wedge-tailed eagle.
Why SOC? After 23 years of teaching & seeing the world, it is great to come back to my home state & an amazing institution. It has an international school feel, where teaching & learning as well as wellbeing of students takes centre stage.
Favourite song: Titanium by David Guetta
Favourite place: Miyajima (Japan), also Cradle Mountain
Inspired by: My Taekwondo instructor, Ben Munting
Favourite book: I don’t have a favourite book, but I enjoy reading and do so every day.
If you could be any animal? Meerkat
Why SOC? A supportive workplace and the students I get to know are wonderful.
Favourite song: Candy by Iggy Pop
Favourite place: The top of any mountain.
Inspired by: The people I work with.
Favourite book: To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee
If you could be any animal? A pelican – flying around with your gang, eating seafood and chilling out on sandbars. What a life.
Why SOC? The culture – progressive and caring.
Favourite song: Bad Bad News by Leon Bridges
Favourite place: Waikite Valley Thermal Springs, New Zealand
Inspired by: Food from cultures around the world.
Favourite book: Raising Boys by Steve Biddulph
If you could be any animal? I would be a lioness!
Why SOC? Opportunities for teaching and learning are endless. There is such a focus on the development of the whole student, not only academic rigour.
Favourite song: Stairway to heaven by Led Zeppelin
Favourite place: Greek Islands
Inspired by: Nelson Mandela
Favourite book: The man who was Thursday by GK Chesterton
If you could be any animal? A Seychelles Giant Tortoise…they live a LONG time!
Why SOC? Great students, great staff and great facilities.
Favourite song: Too difficult to pick just one, and it depends on my mood!
Favourite place: Antrim Castle Ground, Northern Ireland
Inspired by: My Grandfather, he is 94 and amazing! Kind, loving, positive, energetic, generous, active and fun. He also lives across the road from my favourite place, probably why it is my favourite place!
Favourite book: Again, too difficult to choose! So many! The Harry Potter Series, Atonement by Ian McEwan….
If you could be any animal? A Golden Retriever
Why SOC? Coeducational; passionate, caring and dedicated staff; an excellent variety of opportunities and experiences available; great facilities; wonderful students.
Favourite song: That depends on my mood. Anything from classical to metal.
Favourite place: Sunshine Coast Hinterland, Queensland
Inspired by: Sir Richard Attenborough
Favourite book: Too many to list. “If trees could speak” by Bob Beale?
If you could be any animal? Brahminy kite: freedom of flight, lives by the ocean.
Why SOC? The great sense of community. Wonderful, supportive staff who genuinely want the best for our future leaders – our students.
