PERTH MODERNIAN SOCIETY
Our School
Strategic Plan
2014-2017
FOREWORD
It is perhaps a surprise to many Members that
since the Perth Modernian Society Constitution
was crafted in 1995, little has previously been
written by us, about us, on the fundamental level
of values, vision, and a plan to achieve our goals.
With this succinct Strategic Plan for 2014-2017, and with the
community-deﬁned commitments that lie behind it, we are
ﬁxing that. This Strategic Plan sets out a bold and ambitious
vision for the Perth Modernian Society Inc. It provides a clear
and important challenge to secure a constructive and
sustainable future for Perth Modernian Society as a relevant
member-focused organisation.
This Strategic Plan which arrives at an important turning point in
the history of the Society, is the result of an intense and rigorous
process of thought, questions, analysis, consultation and choices
in the context of signiﬁcant challenges, especially resourcing (i.e.
people, ﬁnances, facilities, technology).
Equally as important, the Strategic Plan has been shaped by the
characteristics and challenges faced by Perth Modern School,
and of course how the Society can stay fully relevant and
involved. As friends of this great public School take this
inaugural Strategic Plan to heart, I’m sure you and they will
suggest ways to make our case even more compelling. That’s
why I like to speak of 'interactive strategic planning' rather
than a static plan.
Established in 1911 as the ﬁrst government high school in
Perth, Perth Modern School focussed on co-educational
academic ability, preparing students for entry to the
University of Western Australia.
Over the years there have been a number of focus changes:
1959 Last selective intake before the school became a
comprehensive ﬁve year high school
1968 Music became a focus
1990 Graduate College of Dance moved to Perth Modern School
1990 Home to Western Australia’s main secondary centre for
English as a second language
2007 Reverted to the original concept of a fully selective school
for academic excellence
2011 Achieved Independent Public School status
2011 Centenary celebrated
Modernians
As a successor to various earlier bodies, the Perth Modernian
Society Inc we know today was founded in 1995 by a group of
people keen to preserve the history of Perth Modern School, at
the same time as providing typical alumni organisation services
to members. The landmark decision to create the Sphinx
Foundation Inc happened in 1999 and in 2008, the Foundation
established the Sphinx Scholarship Fund to support current
students with particular needs. To build the future, we asked
ourselves what we’re proud of as a good place to start. Via a
structured strategic planning exercise we re-examined our vision
for the Society and candidly faced the challenges ahead as laid
out in the centrefold.
Our Environment
Upon it, but only with sharing of the 'heavy lifting', we will build
the future of the Perth Modernian Society, just as creating our
own portal (website) in 2009 started us on new pathways for
meeting both Members' needs and Perth Modern School's
needs. To build the future, asking ourselves what we’re proud of
was a good place to start. By respecting those who went before
and supporting those who follow, we acknowledge the great
privilege of our education at Perth Mod.
The world of the ﬁrst Modernians might seem a far cry from
the world of tomorrow’s graduates but the strength of the
Perth Modernian Society is that it binds together the traditions
of yesterday’s students with the aspirations of today’s students
and the challenge of tomorrow’s.
Peter Farr
We must conserve, support and inspire: conserve our history,
support all graduates and students and inspire them to achieve
the extraordinary.
President
Perth Modernian Society
August 2014
As our school’s Independent Public School status returns
responsibility to the wider school community, so the Society
accepts its changing role.
The Perth Modernian Society
Council gratefully acknowledges
the support of Lotterywest via a
grant that funded an expert
facilitator, David Evans
C/o Perth Modern School, 90 Roberts Road, Subiaco, Western Australia 6008
ABN 26 056 852 570 T: (08) 9487 1192. F: (08) 9380 0550
E: [email protected]
www.perthmoderniansociety.org.au
President: Peter Farr. Tel: 0419 905 864.
E: [email protected]
PERTH MODERNIAN SOCIETY
Vision
A vibrant, respected and valued alumni organisation
that values inclusiveness, educational excellence
and collegiality.
FOCUS
AREAS
STRATEGIC
OBJECTIVES
ACCOUNTABILITY
STATEMENTS
PERFORMANCE
MEASURES
Financial
Sustainability
Build a ﬁnancially strong and
sustainable Society.
Annual ﬁnancial budgets prepared
and approved by Council. Council
will regularly monitor income and
expenditure against approved
budgets and pursue additional
initiatives to increase income.
Financial reporting and
monitoring disciplines.
Maintenance of a positive cash ﬂow.
Targeted capital base generating
investment income.
Audited ﬁnancial report tabled
at AGM.
Society
Membership
Grow and broaden membership with
deeper relationships supported by
relevant Member services.
The Council will leverage oﬀ its
membership database and School
records to pro-actively promote
beneﬁts in order to grow and broaden
membership. The beneﬁts of
membership will be conﬁrmed by a
regular survey of Members.
Increased memberships.
Increased average membership
representation for speciﬁc targeted
year groups.
Positive Member feedback.
Criticisms and suggestions are
addressed and feedback provided.
Resource
Planning 1
Establish and maintain a full complement
of Society Oﬃce Bearers and Councillors
with succession plans in place.
Through forward resource and
succession planning, the Council will
proactively and eﬀectively manage the
key resource requirements of the Society.
All Oﬃce Bearer and Councillor
positions ﬁlled.
Forward resource and succession
plans in place.
Resource
Planning 2
Increase the pool of volunteers to
support the Society's activities.
The Society understands the changing
face of volunteering and will pursue
focused strategies to reﬂect this and to
increase the pool of volunteers. The
Council will also establish regular
reporting on the number and
engagement of volunteers.
Increase in pool of volunteers.
Positive volunteer engagement
satisfaction.
Gaps identiﬁed and addressed.
Resource
Planning 3
Provide information, communication and
technology (ICT) infrastructure, including
technical expertise succession plans, to
meet the current and future technology
needs of the Society.
The Society will maintain up to date
ICT platforms that will support and
enhance the Society’s current and
future requirements.
ICT audit completed and
Action Plan in place.
Either no critical risk areas, OR
mitigation plans/actions
developed and implemented for
known risks .
Governance
Establish a sound and eﬀective standard
of governance throughout the Society,
including committees of the Society and
the Sphinx Foundation.
The Council embraces a high
governance standard culture within
the Society and keeps these standards
under regular review.
Annual 'Council Calendar' developed
and followed for Council meetings.
Annual governance review
undertaken. Weaknesses in good
governance standards to be
addressed.
Annual self evaluation of the Council.
School &
Community
Support
The Society continues to provide and
establish new innovative, relevant and
value-adding support programs and
services to the School and Community.
The Society maintains a strong and
mutually valued relationship with
Perth Modern School and the
Community.
Society’s programs and services are
valued by key stakeholders.
Strong relationships with key
stakeholders.
Regular consideration of new
programs and services.
Mission
To provide opportunities to connect Modernians;
preserve history and traditions of Perth Modern
School; and support and encourage current
students to achieve their personal best.
Values
Modernians share the core values of Perth Modern
School (see below) in addition to ensuring
inclusiveness and relevance for all past, present
and future members of the Society.
Perth Modern School