Welcome back to Term 3
It is wonderful to be back at TGS after my term of Long Service Leave. I am looking forward to the term and excited to be welcoming our current and new Senior School students on Tuesday, 15 July.
The purpose of this letter is to remind you and the boys of the expectations for their final semester and highlight some key dates for your diaries.
Term 3 will start with an assembly at 8:30am on Tuesday, 15 July in the Assembly Hall. It is a Blazer Dress day. All boys need to be ready for the term ahead. Boys are encouraged to check Student Café for timetable changes and prepare for their classes.
Communication Avenues for Families
A reminder of the range of avenues families can access to communicate with staff at School.
Parent Lounge
Parent Lounge is best for finding your son’s teachers contact details, event details or logging an absence.
Student Services
Email or Telephone (studentservices@twgs.qld.edu.au or 07 4687 2653)
This is best for real-time responses, passing on information/updates on arrangements, clarifying details, asking where or who is the best point of contact for a query.
Emails to Staff Directly
Emails are useful for sharing more detailed information, seeking further clarification, organising future meetings or arrangements for your son. Teachers will typically check emails daily during the week, but depending on class schedules may not check emails during the day. Staff will endeavour to provide a response or acknowledgement in a reasonable timeframe.
Who should I go to if I have a question about my Senior School son?
Please find attached a reference document to help guide parents in who to contact should they need to discuss their son.
A Reminder of Student Expectations and Procedures
Uniform
Boys are to always wear each School uniform correctly. In Blazer Dress, the shirt buttons at the collar and cuffs must be done up. Ties must be worn neatly and correctly. The Akubra is to be worn at all times with Blazer Dress and Blues. Akubras which have holes in them or are out of shape are not permitted. When dayboys visit the School out of school hours, they must wear the same uniform expected of boarders. Boys are not permitted to wear the spray jacket or hoodie under their blazer.
Blazer Dress days are Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday. Boys spectating at sport are to wear Blazer Dress with their Akubra (home games) or sport cap (away games). This means that when coming into School on Saturday during winter they must have their Blazer uniform on until they warm up and play their various matches.
Hair
The School’s regulations concerning haircuts are as follows:
- the hair must not be over the collar, and must be neatly shaped at the back of the neck
- the ears must not be obscured and sideburns must not extend past the middle of the ear
- fringe must not extend past the eyebrows
- extremes of hairstyles are not permitted and the sides must be blended with the length of the hair on top
- minimum blade length is a number 2 blade (5mm)
- hair must not be dyed or coloured.
It is expected that a student’s hair is neat and presentable at all times and that boys are cleanly shaven every day. The School recognises that some students will request exemption from these regulations based on their cultural and faith backgrounds. This can be done via parents/guardians in consultation with Heads of House.
Should a student arrive on Tuesday with an inappropriate haircut or one that does not meet the requirements above he will be sent home to have it rectified or until it is more appropriate for school.
Attendance
The School expects that students will attend school and other educational programs (e.g. TAFE courses) every day the program is offered. Acceptable absences from school are medical, family reasons and co-curricular representation.
In having your son enrolled at TGS, Parents/Guardians accept responsibility to:
- Enable their child to attend punctually every day and to comply with the education program being offered.
- Provide an explanation to the School whenever their child is absent.
- Inform the Head of Senior School whenever their child is going to be absent for a period of more than 2 days
Late to School/Class
- A Parent Notification via Parent Lounge is required for late to school arrivals.
- Students must sign in at Student Services for a late slip.
Appointments/Departing Early
- A Parent Notification via Parent Lounge is required to update the roll and allow boys to leave class
- If there is no Parent Notification, boys must visit Student Services to call their parents and request one
- Students must sign in/out at Student Services when departing/arriving during school hours
- Parents must record appointments prior to 8:00am each day.
Visiting the Health Centre and Leave Due to Illness
If your son is unwell during the day he should visit the Health Centre during one of his break times. The Health Centre nurses will assess him and contact parents when required. Boys should not be contacting their parents directly to collect them from School. Communications must go through the Health Centre staff.
Mobile Telephones
- Mobile phones are NOT to be used during School Hours (8:30am to 3:10pm), at the Tuckshop for payments, or to contact parents.
- To contact home, boys must use the Student Services Office phone during lunch, before or after school.
- Mobile phones must be locked in lockers or kept in boarding houses unless:
- a staff member grants permission for use during a specific class/event.
- Phones must be returned to lockers immediately afterward.
Breach of Mobile Phone Policy:
- Teachers will issue a 90-minute detention, confiscate the phone and hand it to Student Services for collection at 3:10pm that day.
- Five (consecutive) day phone submission: if a boy receives a phone detention he is also expected to hand in his phone to Student Services before school each day and collect them at the end of the school day for the five days after infringing the phone policy.
- Students caught handing in a burner/second phone will receive a Saturday detention.
Mark Oliphant
Head of Senior School