Scotch College Headmaster Dr Alec O'Connell is at the forefront of Australian education. In this interview, Alec reflects on the key people and pivotal experiences that have shaped his diverse career spanning 35 years. Alec shares his insights into the challenges of leading a school in the midst of a looming pandemic and a community gripped with uncertainty and fear. We discuss some of the silver linings to emerge as the College was forced to rapidly transition to its remote online learning model, SCOT. Finally, we explore how we might balance depth and breadth in a 21st-century curriculum that values both specialised and interdisciplinary approaches to teaching and learning. Fremantle Dockers tragic, Bob Dylan fan and man of considerable 'range', we hope you enjoy our chat with Dr Alec O'Connell!