When Mr Matthew Dufty joined the SCEA Head Office earlier this year in the newly created role of ‘Manager of Data Strategy & Analytics – SCEA’, the aim was to create a level of transparency across our schools to assist with planning and timetabling.
However, the man known in the SCEA Head Office as ‘Matrix-Matt’ is exceeding all expectations through his programming wizardry!
Mr Dufty first wowed the SCEA world by joining Ellenbrook Christian College (ECC) as the Head of Secondary, where he taught, mentored, and guided the secondary school through several years of prosperity. He then turned his hand to cross-SCEA projects, assisting schools with timetabling efficiencies.
He was instrumental in navigating the area of ‘internal relief’ coverage in SCEA schools (this refers to teaching staff covering for absent colleagues) and his value across the SCEA system has allowed him to utilise his talents in creating a ‘Dashboard’ that will assist Principals in planning and provisioning for staffing and resources.
So, why do they call him ‘Matrix-Matt’?
“It might be the green and black screen that I use when I am programming, or perhaps it is the Matrix-like coat that I occasionally wear on cold days to the office,” says Matt as he continues to code his Dashboard functions through Python – a sophisticated piece of software that synthesises multiple Excel spreadsheets simultaneously.
“I must stress that what I am creating in the first instance is a prototype and is very much in the technical testing phase,” says Matt.
It certainly looks very technical.
“In a nutshell, we are really looking at how teachers are timetabled and how we can create efficiencies across the system. My job is to anticipate when issues will arise and address them as quickly as possible.”
The Dashboard can already provide our SCEA leaders with ‘live data’ across a range of measures.
Dr Graeme Cross (Chief Executive Officer – SCEA) welcomed the progress being made on the SCEA Dashboard this week, with Matt presenting the prototype to the Senior Leadership Team (SLT).
“This dashboard, which is still in the testing and development phase, enables our school leaders to access high-quality data and make informed decisions for their school communities,” said Dr Cross.
Stay tuned for more updates about the SCEA Dashboard later in 2025.