Woopi News - Bishop Druitt College Honours Scott Rodham

Maths Supremo Scott Rodham honoured by Bishop Druitt College

Woolgoolga resident Scott Rodham, who was acknowledged as Plantations Lifestyle Resort 2023 Communitarian of the Year, has received further recognition for his service to the Mid-North Coast community, this time from Bishop Druitt College (BDC), Coffs Harbour, where he taught mathematics for 18 years, as Deputy Principal. Before accepting an appointment at the College in 1994, Scott taught mathematics for 47 years at Nyngan, Coonamble, Tamworth and Grafton.

Scott became one of the founding fathers of the College’s science and mathematics faculty. Appointed Head of Secondary in late 1994, he ‘stood up’ the new secondary school with a $60,000 budget by the beginning of the 1995 school year in February. He established a computer lab, procured essential equipment for the Science laboratory, sourced textbooks with the assistance of two other foundation staff members and created the new school’s class timetable. Scott was the first Head of Mathematics and taught at the College until he retired from the classroom in 2012.

The Principal, wishing to keep Scott ‘on the books,’ reassigned him to a unique role as the Alumni Officer and Archivist after he retired from teaching, he still holds this appointment at 78 years of age in 2024. In this postretirement appointment, he researched, compiled, and published a commemorative book, The Collegian, 20 Years

On, and applied his love of singing to crafting the initial rendition of the College song. He went on to assist in the publication of a 30th Anniversary commemorative book containing further articles on College history and vignettes on high-achieving alumni.

Unbeknown to Scott, the College wished to acknowledge his contribution in an enduring and formal way. In anticipation of the opening of a new modular Mathematics block consisting of four classrooms with operable walls, a meeting room with a kitchenette, as well as a mathematics staff room and storeroom in March 2024, the College Executive and Council decided to name this building ‘The Rodham Building’.

The BDC student choir, College Executive, College Council and representatives of the Grafton Diocese attended the opening of the Rodham Building on 5 March, where Scott amused attendees with the announcement that the combination of his primary and secondary education, his pre-BDC teaching career and his years at BDC, he had been ‘at school’ for 73 years.

✍ Bob Breen OAM