THE BLUE AND GOLD - Friday, 13 October 2023

Dear TGS Families,

It is my great pleasure to welcome all our students and their families back to Toowoomba Grammar School as we commence Term 4. Although this term may be relatively short, it is without a doubt a busy one. With various celebratory events on the horizon, we stand at the precipice of an exciting period, particularly for our Year 12 students.

To our Year 12s, I extend my heartfelt best wishes for the final preparations leading up to your external exams. Your dedication and hard work have brought you to this pivotal moment and I am confident in your abilities. I would also like to acknowledge our devoted teachers and staff who will be unwavering in their support as you embark on this academic journey.

As we celebrate the Year 12s' milestone, we must also recognise the dedication of our Year 11 students. Over the holidays, 48 Year 11 students, along with eight Year 12 students, joined their peers from The Glennie School and Fairholme College at TGS for our annual Sony Camp. This unique respite program sees our students taking on the admirable responsibility of caring for 36 children with disabilities, providing their families with a much-needed break. The young men involved this year have set a shining example for their fellow students, and I hope that this wonderful program will continue to inspire others in the years to come.

Additionally, the break was a bustling time for our students, with participation in sport camps, performances, and tournaments in both school and external activities. I extend my gratitude to our dedicated staff and supportive parents who made these opportunities possible.

In terms of School values, the Head of Senior School, in collaboration with our teaching staff, students and Heads of House, has been reviewing the School's Creed. We are aiming to enhance the Creed by incorporating character virtues that the boys report as being important in their own development. A recent survey of Senior School Students revealed that the virtues of "Being your own person" and "Being kind" are of particular significance to them. Further exploration is underway but the inclusion of these virtues in our Creed will align perfectly with our strategic focus on character development. Further consultations will follow, and we look forward to sharing more information about the new School's Creed in due course. Rest assured; "Fidelis in Omnibus" will remain an integral part of our values.

To all our families, I extend my best wishes for the upcoming term. May it be a time of growth, learning and cherished memories.

Dr John C Kinniburgh
Headmaster

Staff Appointments

Gabriel Robbie accepted the position of Head of Curriculum and will officially join TGS in January 2024. Gabe brings with him a wealth of experience and a strategic approach to education leadership. Currently, he holds the position of Head of Department for English, HASS, and Languages at Concordia College. Additionally, he serves as a lead marker with QCAA for Modern History. Gabe holds a Bachelor of Education and Bachelor of Arts (with a focus on History and English) from Sydney University. Furthermore, he possesses a Master of Education in Gifted Education, with Excellence, from the University of New South Wales. This year, he successfully completed the Aspiring Leaders program with Independent Schools Queensland.

Amanda Gibson has accepted the position of Head of Department for Diverse Learners and is set to commence at the beginning of Week 5, 30 October. Amanda has extensive background working with diverse learners, having pioneered a 'Whole School Inclusive Education Framework' designed to support students’ needs. With her wealth of experience as a Pedagogy Coach: Inclusive Practices at Toowoomba State High School, Amanda brings a high level of expertise to the curriculum review process. She holds a Graduate Diploma of Education (Secondary) and a Graduate Certificate in Business Administration from the Queensland University of Technology, along with a Bachelor of Health and Science from the University of New England Armidale.

Mark Alexander has been appointed to the position of Head Cricket Coach. Mark is a familiar face in our School community, having served as a Cricket Coach since 2021 and more recently as a Boarding Supervisor in Corfe. Mark is also a TGS Old Boy. He brings a wealth of experience in cricket coaching, including commentary for the Brisbane Premier League and coaching for the Darling Downs cricket franchise within the same league and holds a Level 2 Coaching Qualification.

Leah Beadle, Cathy Pickering and Tahnee Dearling will be joining the team in our Health Centre providing casual relief as highly qualified Registered Nurses. Leah Beadle has over 22 years’ experience as a Registered Nurse, her education includes a Graduate Diploma of Midwifery from Australian Catholic University and a Bachelor of Health Science Nursing from Central Queensland University. Cathy Pickering is an experienced Clinical and Registered Nurse with extensive experience in Paediatrics. Having completed a Master of Nursing in 2017 and a Graduate Diploma of Nursing majoring in Paediatric, Child and Youth Health both from Queensland University of Technology (QUT), and a Bachelor of Nursing from University of Notre Dame, Cathy brings a wealth of experience and knowledge in Paediatric Health Care. Tahnee Dearling is also a Registered and Clinical Nurse who is currently working in the Emergency Department at St Vincent's Hospital, she has previous experience in Intensive Care and Orthopaedics Departments. Tahnee has studied Paediatric Advanced Life Support and Trauma Nursing. Tahnee holds a Bachelor of Nursing from USQ and has been nursing since 2012.

Kerry Noll who will be joining TGS in Week 3 as the Performing Arts Administration Assistant. Kerry brings with her a wealth of experience, having spent over a decade in school environments, serving as an Administration Officer and Receptionist at Sacred Heart Primary School and Concordia Lutheran College respectively.

We welcome all new staff to the Toowoomba Grammar School community.

Internal Staff Appointments

I am delighted to announce the appointment of Senior School Teacher, Tony Wallis as the Head of House Day for Boyce House. Tony has been acting in this capacity since January, displaying strong leadership qualities and a profound understanding of the School's goals and values. I am sincerely grateful to Tony for accepting this role ensuring continuity for the Boyce House boys.

Kabe Cicolini has accepted the position of Assistant Head of House Corfe and has already begun working with Henry White and the Boarding Team in Corfe House. Kabe will maintain his role as Head of Sport – Basketball but will step down from his position of Head Coach – 1st V Basketball position. Kabe has an extensive background in boarding at TGS and other schools and we look forward to the positive impact he will have on the youngest members of our boarding community.

We are pleased to announce that Peter Nicolls has accepted the position of Assistant Head of House – Groom and will assume his new role in January 2024. Since 2021, Peter has been a dedicated Junior School teacher at TGS. Starting from 2022, he also took on the important role of IT Coordinator for the Junior School. Peter is enthusiastic about expanding his pastoral involvement within the boarding community.

Staff Resignations

It is with a mix of emotions that I announce the resignation of our Head of Operations, Mr David Klan, from the end of the year. David leaves TGS to join the staff of Toowoomba Anglican School where he has been appointed to the position of Head of Secondary. I am very pleased to extend my heartfelt congratulations to David on this well-deserved promotional appointment. David began his journey at TGS as a Junior School Teacher in 2007. During his time in the Junior School, he also held the roles of JS IT Co-ordinator, Head of House Parkinson and was a member of the JS Curriculum Development team. In 2013, David was appointed to the position of Head of Year 7 wherein he meticulously oversaw the transition of Year 7 students from the Junior School to the Senior School, ensuring that this significant move was smooth, supportive, and beneficial for all students involved. In addition to his teaching commitments across the Junior and Senior Schools, David’s contributions to the pastoral care of many TGS students has been significant. In Term 3 2022, David was appointed to the position of Acting Head of Senior School – Operations following which he was appointed to the newly created role of Head of Operations. David's organisational skills and strategic mindset has brought tangible enhancements to our School's operations.

Senior School Geography Teacher and Head of House Mackintosh Day, Andrew McKinnon, has submitted his resignation, effective at the end of Term 4. Since joining TGS in 2010, Andrew has consistently shown exceptional dedication and leadership. He has held various roles including Subject Coordinator of Geography in 2013, Assistant Boarding Housemaster of Boyce House in 2014, and taking on commendable acting roles as Head of Department for Geography and Head of House Boyce Day. Beyond his teaching and pastoral care responsibilities, he made a significant impact as the 1st XV Rugby Assistant Coach, earning the appreciation of both players and the School. Andrew was appointed to the Head of House Mackintosh Day role in 2020. We are delighted to announce that Andrew has accepted the position of Head of House at Townsville Grammar School, beginning in 2024, which is a testament to his exceptional pastoral care abilities. We extend our warmest congratulations to Andrew on this new opportunity and wish him the utmost success in his forthcoming role.

Senior School Teacher of English, Jackie Gallagher, has informed us of her intention to resign from TGS at the end of the year. During her nine-year tenure at TGS, Jackie has made significant contributions, leaving a lasting impact on various aspects of our School. Notably, she has played a key role in expanding and improving our Track and Field program. Additionally, her dedication to pastoral care initiatives has been invaluable, and she has served as the Assistant Head of House Day for Boyce House since 2020. We want to express our appreciation to Jackie for her contributions to our academic, pastoral, and athletic endeavours.

Dear Parents,

The conflict in Israel-Gaza is currently in the mainstream news and our thoughts are with those who are caught in the war. Whilst the mainstream media filters the content that is shown on our screens, we encourage parents to be mindful of their sons’ use of social media during this time. It is believed that Hamas have indicated they would broadcast Israeli hostages being executed on social media. This would be distressing for any young person to see. It is natural that our boys will have questions about what is happening in this conflict, as they may have already been exposed to upsetting images on the news or social media.

As parents you can help, as there is strong evidence to suggest that having a supportive discussion about a stressful event can actually decrease distress. It is important for parents and caregivers to combat any misinformation and ensure they provide reliable information from reputable sources. Children need to know that they are taken seriously. It is recommended that you don’t avoid the difficult questions. Ensure you address their questions honestly, sensitively and in a developmentally appropriate way.

Worry about the war in Israel-Gaza or the Ukraine is not all bad. It can mean that your son has empathy, which can even be productive. However, with less life experience than adults, young people may need help navigating news about the crisis. It is an opportunity for adults to model compassion towards others, regardless of distance or circumstance.

Kind regards,

Mark Oliphant
Head of Senior School

Dear Parents and Carers,

We would greatly appreciate you sharing the following information with other non-TGS families:

Each year Toowoomba Grammar School awards a number of Trustees' Academic Bursaries to boys entering Year 7. Applications for boys entering Year 7 in 2025 are now open.

To apply for a Trustees' Academic Bursary, please register your son, who should be in Year 5 in 2023 or Year 6 in 2024, for the ACER scholarship examination here.

The examination will take place at Toowoomba Grammar School on Saturday, 24 February 2024. ACER does offer alternate test centres for candidates who live in remote areas.

Applications close at midnight on Sunday, 4 February 2024.

Location

The Margaret and Mackenzie Streets intersection in East Toowoomba.

Timing

Construction works commenced in mid-September 2023 and are expected to be completed in mid-to-late December 2023, weather permitting.

Works being completed

Installing traffic lights, upgrading kerb and channel and introducing bicycle awareness zones to improve the overall operation and safety of the intersection and cater for future traffic demands.

Current road closures

Thursday 19 October to mid-November 2023

Future road closures

• Weekend of 28 to 29 October (exact dates and times to be confirmed).
  Margaret Street between Godfrey Street and the southern section of Mackenzie Street will be closed. Local access will be maintained. Detours will be in place for all other traffic.
  
  
• Mid-November to early December 2023 (exact dates and times to be confirmed closer to the closure).
  Margaret Street between Godfrey and Curzon streets will be closed to westbound traffic. Local access will be maintained. Westbound traffic will be detoured via Arthur Street.

Traffic control will be in place during all road closures.

Council apologises for the inconvenience and thanks businesses for their patience and co-operation.

Further information:

Please contact Kate Obst, Stakeholder Engagement on 4688 8614 or kate.obst@tr.qld.gov.au

Have you ever wondered what a teenage boy truly thinks about the impacts of TikTok on society, gratitude, mindfulness, sleep deprivation and education? Here's a very rare opportunity to find out. We are very proud to share these insightful and thought-provoking articles written by some of our Year 9 students. You will be surprised with what you will learn from these young minds. Follow the link here https://bit.ly/3NbTV0G and look for the 'student contribution' articles.

We are excited to introduce the new TGS Athletic Development Academy, headed by Jackson Stone (TGS Old Boy 2003-14). This holistic program will focus on the long-term development of physical, mental, technical and tactical areas to benefit all boys, no matter their ability. We hope this fabulous initiative will foster improved participation rates in physical activity, self-perception and adaptability to hardship. Discover more here https://bit.ly/46qzhm7

Students in their final year of school are considered a high-risk group for depression and anxiety. Sleep deprivation, diet and social media are some of the biggest issues faced by this group of teens. Therefore it is vitally important that a student’s mental health is looked after as well as their physical health.

Keeping things in perspective for students and parents alike, can help prevent everyone getting overwhelmed. Although this final year is important, it will not be the most important year of your child’s life.

There are many strategies that students can implement to help themselves. Parents can provide support, not only emotionally, but also practically by keeping their child well-nourished and encouraging physical activity.

In this special report, parents will find useful tips to support their child during this often stressful time.

We hope you take time to reflect on the information offered, and as always, we welcome your feedback.

If you do have any concerns about the wellbeing of your child, please contact the school for further information or seek medical or professional help.

Here is the link to your special report:
https://twgs.qld.schooltv.me/wellbeing_news/year-12-exam-stress-special-report

We would like to invite everyone from the Toowoomba community to support St Vincent de Paul through the third annual Boyce House TGS Cardio for Care fundraiser on Old Boys' Memorial Oval at Toowoomba Grammar School, Saturday, 14 October 2023 from 8:00am - 9.30am.

All ages and fitness abilities are catered to as we aim to raise $10,000 with all proceeds going directly to St Vincent De Paul to assist people experiencing poverty and inequality on the Darling Downs and beyond.

Come and have some fun while raising money for a great cause! Register here https://bit.ly/463cA7z

You are warmly invited to our inaugural P&F Ladies' Lunch at Gip's Restaurant.

Only a few seats remain, so don't miss out - get some friends together and book now https://bit.ly/3Q49vOO

This week, we will host many of our employers at a small function to thank them for their continuous support of our students. We are very grateful to our local community who offer our students the opportunity for work experience and employment and training as school-based traineeships or apprenticeships.

Year 10

As we move into the final weeks there are several activities coming up particularly for our vocational students. We are excited to offer the Trade Taster Program to selected Year 10 students who will be attending TAFE next year. The boys will go to TAFE one day per week for six weeks and participate in a variety of trade tasters. This will provide the students with an opportunity to make more informed decisions and develop a better understanding of the different vocational trade areas.

The students who have enrolled in the Certificate III in Agriculture for 2024 will be required to attend the sign up on Thursday, 23 November. Correspondence from Dr Young and Mrs Rathie will be out shortly with details for this event.

Students who have applied for a TAFE program in 2024 will soon receive an email from TAFE to finalise enrolments. If there are any questions about enrolment for any VET programs, please contact Mrs Marian Rathie in the Careers Office via email m.rathie@twgs.qld.edu.au and she will be happy to provide support.

Work Experience

If any students in Years 10 or 11 are considering work experience, it is very important they meet with Mrs Rathie before the work experience takes place. Mrs Rathie will support the boys through the process and ensure all insurance paperwork is completed prior to starting. This needs to be done by early November.

Year 11

The UniSQ Head Start program applications are now open for high achieving students in Years 10 or 11. This is an opportunity for students to study a university subject during Semester 3. If you would like to find out more information, please email me or visit the Careers Office.

This term, interested Year 11s have been invited to attend the University Tours which will be held in Week 4. We will visit the University of Queensland and QUT as well as St John’s College and King’s College. The boys have been asked to complete an Expression of Interest form that was sent to them last week. Further details will be sent to parents of interested students.

Year 12

Our Year 12 students will be invited to participate in the Next Step Year 12 Completers survey starting in March 2024. The short confidential survey will ask questions about graduates’ activities since finishing school, like study and work.

Graduates can expect to be invited to the survey via a letter from the Minister for Education or an email or phone call from the Queensland Government Statistician’s Office on behalf of the department. Year 12 students are asked to check that their contact details are correct with School and on their learning account by logging into the student portal at https://myqce.qcaa.qld.edu.au/.

As our Year 12 students finish formal classes next week and move into external exams, I would like to wish them all the very best for these final few weeks. Most university applications are now finalised and some students will start to receive offers over the next few weeks. The major offer dates are 21 December and 11 January. I will be available to provide support if needed around this time and can be contacted via email a.richters@twgs.qld.edu.au. ATARs will be released 15 December. Please don’t hesitate to contact us if you need assistance with any pathway planning.

The Careers Department have thoroughly enjoyed working with the Year 12s and wish them every success in their chosen pathway.

Best wishes

Anthea Richters
Head of Careers

Congratulations to Year 12 Art students, Ben Rosenberg, Ruben Fitton and Rowan Ahern for their success in the Creative Generation Excellence Awards in Visual Arts.

Their work, along with work of 44 other Darling Downs school students, is currently on show at the Toowoomba Regional Art Gallery until October 15.

Ben's short film, Mitchell also received an 'Excellence Award', one of the highest honours, and will be on display at the Gallery of Modern Art in Brisbane during 2024. You can view Ben's film here https://bit.ly/3rA54SJ

Ruben's beautiful painting Flying Eagle received a commendation award and adorns the regional exhibition poster.

Welcome back. It’s a lovely feature of every first week of term to hear the excited conversations between students, and parents too, as they catch up with friends and share stories of their break. I hope it was a restful and enjoyable break for you and your family. Term 4 has much to look forward to across all the year levels, but each class also will have their own special features for each student to enjoy too.

Term 4 is known for its full program and community events, these are largely held in the final few weeks intentionally so that the majority of our time is devoted to maintaining our regular learning programs. This will be our key messaging to students, we are in ‘learning mode’ all the way through the term, then enjoy a well-deserved break at the end. See below a quick snapshot of the term ahead with key events for your family calendars at home.

Blazer uniform will be worn for Junior School Assemblies held every second Thursday of term: 12 October, 26 October, 9 November, 23 November.

GPS, Clubs, Music Ensembles, Groups and Activities are all operational and can be accessed through the TGS App for times, locations and details.

• Musicians’ Cup: 12 October in the Junior School Hall, 5:30pm - 7:30pm
• Year 3 Billy Carts: 20 October, Junior School Hall, 12:30pm - 3:10pm
• Year 6 Camp: 30 October – 1 November, Emu Gully
• Year 5 Leadership Day: 30 October, Junior School Hall
• Year 4 Excursion: 1 November, Wivenhoe Dam
• Year 5 and 6 Social with Fairholme and Glennie: 3 November, held at TGS, 6:00pm - 7:30pm
• Year 2 Strings Concert: 7 November, Junior School Hall, 9:30am - 10:00am
• Year 4 Instrumental Concert: 9 November, Junior School Hall, 9:30am - 10:00am
• Remembrance Day Ceremony: 10 November, Junior School Hall 10:50am
• Year 6 Dinner: 10 November, Junior School Hall, 6:00pm
• Twilight Concert Prep to Year 6: 17 November, Old Boys Memorial Oval, 6:00pm - 8:00pm
• Transition Day Prep to Year 6 for 2024: 20 November, Junior School classrooms, 8:30am - 10:30am
• Picnic Day Prep to Year 6: 21 November, Junior School and various locations, 8:30am - 3:10pm
• Junior School Speech Day: 23 November, Glen McCracken Sports Centre, 9:00am - 10:30am

It is a full calendar, but we do maintain our regular routines throughout the term.

Preparations for 2024
Teachers and the Learning Support team are composing class lists for 2024 in readiness for Transition Day in the final week of this term. This enables both students and teachers to be familiar with each other, the classroom and features of the year ahead prior to the holiday break. Classes are composed by factoring the range of student learning needs and abilities, pastoral and social supports in a balanced manner across the cohort. If your son has specific needs that you would like us to be mindful of, that the Learning Support team may not already be aware of, you are welcome to email Mrs Chantelle Bauer – Deputy Head of Junior School Teaching and Learning with these details for us to consider in our process. Teachers and the Learning Support team carefully consider class composition to cater for each students learning needs.

Junior School Supporters Group Donation
I would like to extend a sincere thanks to the Junior School Supporters' Group for a donation of money to purchase two Lego tables as a resource for our afterschool Lego Challenge activity and lunchtime play. These are purpose built tables with generous surface space to build full landscapes and storage compartments underneath to organise mountains of Lego. Our boys, and staff, will thoroughly enjoy using these tables in the weeks, months and years to come.

Finally, I would like to share my immense gratitude again to everyone for your support of the end-of-term Colour Run event in Term 3. It was a tremendous initiative from the Year 6 Charity Monitors to combine with the Junior School Supporters group to create a community event with great spirit and thoughtful fundraising for Base Services inc., an organisation that does such valuable work locally in Toowoomba.

The event raised $1,115.00, which will be gratefully received. We also had a fabulous time together as a community and invaluable leadership experiences for our Charity Monitors, House and School Captains in helping to coordinate the occasion. Well done to all. Thanks in particular to Mrs Amelia Grills, Charity Coordinator for her work with the Charity Monitors, and Junior School Supporters' President, Ms Tessa Chamberlain for supporting the event and coordinating parent volunteers on the day.

Term 4 is a fabulous term, certainly action packed in the final few weeks but mostly a continuation of the valuable learning program for the first six weeks, as we’ve operated throughout the year. As always, if you have any questions or would like clarification around any particular matters, please feel comfortable making contact with either myself or your child's classroom teacher. My sincerest best wishes for the term ahead.

Warms regards, and appreciation,

Ken

New Routines
Have you been told about ‘Blue and…..Gold!’ or ‘5, 4, 3, 2….1!”?

Last week, Toowoomba Grammar School teaching staff and members of our support team attended a professional development day focusing on Classroom Mastery, presented by Dr Tim McDonald. This professional learning will allow us to further build on our ability to:

• Create consistently productive, safe and calm learning environments.
• Improve student wellbeing and create the classrooms they need with belonging, mastery, generosity and responsibility.
• Dramatically improve student learning outcomes through increased engagement.
• Apply evidence from the Science of Learning and the insights of cognitive load theory.

Student behaviour affects community perception, teacher efficacy and wellbeing, and the academic achievement of all students. With this in mind, part of the day involved refining our norms, routines and rules. All staff were part of creating a whole-School (Prep to Year 12) approach to entry and exit routines. The other routine was our ‘Cue to start’, which allows teachers to call the class to attention and scan for their readiness to learn. Ask the boys about what they need to do each day.

By implementing consistent routines across the School, we reduce the cognitive load on boys so that they can better focus on their learning.

Here is one of our Year 5 classes modelling exactly how we line up at TGS.

Chantelle Bauer
Deputy Head of Junior School (Teaching and Learning)

Together Sing
The aim of Together Sing is to raise awareness of the value of Music Education and singing together to improve mental health and wellbeing. Together Sing is the culmination of a week-long event during Mental Health Week (7 to 15 October), with over 150,000 participants from schools and community groups worldwide.

All boys from Prep to Year 6 have been practicing the 2023 song, Fill the World with Song during their weekly music lessons and discussing the benefits of singing and making music together, including belonging, community and confidence. Fill the World with Song was performed by the Junior School community at yesterday's assembly.

Some benefits of singing together include:

• Reduces stress
• Fosters a sense of belonging and community
• Exercises lungs and facial muscles
• Promotes wellbeing (releases endorphins)
• Increases self-esteem and confidence
• Widens your circle of friends
• Improves posture and mental alertness

Musicians’ Cup
Last night, 11 of our young musicians competed in the annual Musicians’ Cup. This is open to all boys from Years 4 to 6 who are performing at a minimum Grade 2 AMEB (or equivalent) standard. Congratulations to all boys who competed.

Our adjudicator, Mr Phil Ryan awarded the following prizes

1^st – Ruhan Bulchandani (cello)

2^nd – Liam Galappaththi (alto saxophone)

3^rd – Tom Byatt (piano)

HC – Suhaan Chowdhury (violin)

HC – James Andersen (alto saxophone)

Final Cadence Concert - Save the Date
On Tuesday, 7 November, our instrumental and choral ensembles will present a concert showcasing their work throughout the year. The concert will be held in the Junior School Hall at 5:30pm. Please find below a list of ensembles who will be included in this concert. More details will be sent to parents in the coming weeks.

• Introductory Strings
• Tribe
• Tribe Junior
• Percussion Ensemble
• Chamber Winds
• String Ensemble
• Chamber Strings
• Concert Band
• Jazz Band

Save the Date

Year 2 Strings Concert - Tuesday, 7 November, 9:30am in the Junior School Hall

Year 4 Instrumental Concert - Thursday, 9 November, 9:30am in the Junior School Hall

In Week 6, all students in Years 2 and 4 will perform as part of a concert for parents and friends to showcase the skills they have learnt on their instrument this year. An invitation will be sent to parents, but for now, please save this date in your diary.

Kellie Dixon
Head of Junior School Music

Welcome back to Term 4. It is a fast and furious ride to the finish line.

There are still several big events happening in sport.

GPS Athletics
A group of boys have been training very hard in preparation for the GPS Track and Field Championships held at QSAC on Friday, 20 October. This is the epitome of the season and follows on from several late Friday nights attending pre-meets in Brisbane and the Gold Coast. We wish all boys the best of luck in this high level event.

Club Cricket
In what is very popular for TGS cricket lovers, a large number of boys in the Junior School have taken the advantage of playing cricket with their TGS mates on a Saturday morning. Thanks to Mr Maddox for all of the organisation to ensure this season is another success. Good luck to all boys involved.

Friday Night Basketball
TGS has three teams competing each week against local school teams in a Friday night basketball competition. Mr Kabe Cicolini and Mr Jacob Zupp have been instrumental in the huge popularity of this sport. I am sure this will be a great learning experience and great fun for all involved.

Wishing you a great start to the Term.

Brendan Doherty
Sportsmaster

It’s hard to believe that we are two weeks into Term 4 already, I can feel the summer holidays approaching! This term will fly by, so make sure you keep track of all the events and activities that are coming up.

Junior School Supporters has a few things happening this term:

• Bowls Afternoon - Sunday, 22 October, 2:00pm at Club Toowoomba. This event is open to all parents. If you haven’t booked a ticket yet, bookings close today (Friday, 13 October).
• Wheelbarrow of Cheer Raffle - Tickets will go on sale for the raffle very soon. We would love someone to donate a wheelbarrow please. Donations of food and drink items, or any other items for the raffle, will be gratefully received. These can be dropped off at the Junior School Office. If you are donating on behalf of your business, please make sure you contact us so we can give you a shout out! The raffle will be drawn in the last week of the term.
• JSSG AGM - Monday, 6 November. Forms to nominate for committee positions will be emailed in advance of the meeting. At the AGM we will be saying goodbye to our wonderful secretary, Felicity Constable, so if you’re considering getting involved in the group, we would love to hear from you. Please get in touch to have a chat about what we do and what role you may be able to help with.
• Twilight Pizza Catering – Friday, 17 November. JSSG organises pizzas for families to purchase for the Twilight Concert every year. Orders for these will be open on the Parent Lounge closer to that time. We will need some volunteers on the night to help serve, so please keep an eye out for a volunteer sign up coming out soon.

Tessa Chamberlain
JSSG President

On Monday, we will celebrate the performing arts at Toowoomba Grammar School with the annual Take Note Concert and Performing Arts Awards Night.

Starting at 6:30pm in our Senior School Assembly Hall, attendees will be treated to a night of amazing music and drama performances while students will receive awards in excellence or encouragement in Music and Drama.

Entry is free though we encourage you to book tickets via the Trybooking link on the poster or here: www.trybooking.com/CLQQN. If you fancy a bite to eat, there are platters also available to order from Trybooking. There will be drinks available to buy on the night.

We look forward to seeing you there.

Congratulations to Year 7 student, Jack Elmes. Jack has been offered a place in the 2024 Gondwana Choir.

The Gondwana Choirs is a leader in Australian choral performance, shaping the Australian sound through the creation and presentation of innovative new works, and providing opportunities for talented young Australians of all backgrounds to take part in world class training headed up by leading artists.

As a recipient of an Empire Theatres Foundation Youth Bursary, Jack has used this bursary as part of his successful application for Gondwana. Well done on this wonderful achievement Jack!

Darwin Tour

A team of nine boys attended the National Regional Championships in Darwin from the 29 September returning on the 4 October. The weather was extremely hot and humid, but the boys seemed to thrive in the conditions. The program was a heats and finals format with swimmers competing in the morning to try and secure a spot in the evening's finals. All our boys managed to achieve this throughout the meet. The boys came home with loads of medals and many personal best times.

Congratulations to Blake Best, Ben Cooper, James Fagan, Ryan Grimes, Cadel Hardgrave, Cooper Healey, Harrison Healey, Lachlan Mcnamee and Edward Rogan.

Harry Healey, Master Chef!

During the first week of the September school holidays, Toowoomba Grammar School Army Cadets proved their mettle at the Australian Army Cadet South Queensland (AAC SQLD) Annual Field Exercise (AFX23).

The week-long camp was held at Greenbank Military Training Area, Kokoda Barracks, Canungra and was attended by about 1500 cadets and staff from around the state. AACSQ Brigade is made up of five battalions, and each battalion is made of a number of units. Toowoomba Grammar School Army Cadet Unit belongs to 16^th Battalion - School Based Unit alongside ACGS, TSS and St Paul's Anglican College.

The camp is divided into Tier 1 (first year cadets) and Tier 2 (cadets with more than one year's experience). Tier 1 cadets spent two days in field participating in a range of activities including navigation, camouflage and concealment and construction of mud models.

Tier 2 cadets were bussed to Kokoda Land Warfare Training Centre and divided into their electives. These included robotics, survival, engineering, first aid and navigation. The inaugural Public Affairs Course was also run in conjunction with Tier 2.

By all accounts, the cadets who attended said AFX 2023 is an experience that all army cadets should strive to attend. AFX builds friendships, knowledge and provides valuable experience in what you learn at home training, just on a much larger scale.

The opportunities provided to the Tier 1 Cadets are often the most memorable, including shooting at the Weapons Training Simulation System (WTTS) facility and conquering the confidence course. As for the Tier 2 survivalist, a shower and a hot meal was all they could ask for after spending four days in the scrub with only one meal a day.

The PA course students were provided with cameras and a very knowledgeable teacher and learnt so much about photography, videography and social media and they look forward to bringing their knowledge back to their units to share.

I am excited to welcome all of the boarders back for Term 4. The common theme of the conversations I had with boarding parents at drop off on Tuesday was that the holidays went far too quickly and after these first two weeks of school, I don’t think the pace has slowed down! Many of the boarders had ‘working’ holidays at home and it has reinforced to me the connection our boys have to their properties and the support they offer to their families.

There have been two events already this term that encapsulate those intangible bonds that are formed in a boarding school. The first was the Boarding Parents' Appreciation Afternoon. I really like this event as many of our day school parents were boarders themselves when they were at school. I’m thankful to these parents as they understand boarding and this shared knowledge provides that extra level of support to our boarders. However, Steph Smart, who is our new Boarding Parents' Support Group President, perfectly summarised the tone of the evening in her speech by saying:

"Tonight’s function is to show appreciation to our day families, and to say thank you for supporting our boarders and their parents. You may have been invited because you have taken a boarder out on leave, you may have driven a boarder to sport, you could be a club sport coach or manager, you may have dropped some food off or taken a boarder to an appointment. You could be here because your son may be in the same House and has been kind, helped a boarder settle in and feel included. There are many reasons that you may have been asked to come this evening and you may not think that your act of kindness was a big deal but let me assure you, it has meant a lot to a boarder. And for that boy’s parents, that small act of kindness provides tremendous relief and support."

Last Sunday was the second event that demonstrates how special those bonds in boarding are. I had the privilege of joining a group of Year 12 boarders who wanted to have a final opportunity to go on a Boarders' Recreation Activity. They had been asking for this event since the start of the year and the aqua obstacle course at the GC Wake Park in Oxenford was the perfect venue for the boys to have some fun and to just hang out together. We haven’t traditionally run an event for our Senior Boarders like this before but, after last weekend, it is locked into the calendar for 2024.

I hope everyone in our community has an enjoyable Term 4!

Mr Nick Byron
Director of Boarding

Day families who have assisted a boarding family were recently acknowledged at the Boarder Parents' Appreciation Afternoon.

Boarder Parents' Support Group President, Stephanie Smart made the following speech, outlining the importance of our boarding and day family connections:

My husband Ben and I are four years into our boarding journey at Toowoomba Grammar School; we have two boys in Mackintosh House, Josh in Year 10 and Archie in Year 9, and a daughter Ella who is home with us for one more year before we become empty nesters. We are in the fortunate position that we live reasonably close, so we have the privilege of taking our boys home often and can attend most School events. For many of our boarding families, this is not the case, they live great distances away and may only travel to Toowoomba once a term to visit, if at all. Consequently, many boarders never get to go home during the term. The weeks can be very long for these boys and their families. I was a boarder myself for five years and I was one of these kids; I grew up on a cattle station near Cloncurry and we lived eight hours away from my school. We never went home during the term, and it was rare that my family could come and visit, so I can relate to these boarding families.

This is when the connection with day boy families becomes so important. They may be able to take your son to their home on leave, drive them to sport or take them to an appointment. These acts of kindness help a boarder settle in and feel included, and for that boy’s parents, that small act of kindness provides tremendous relief and support because when you are so far away you are often consumed by guilt for not being there.

There are many benefits to attending a school that has boarders, it gives day boys the opportunity to form connections all over Australia and overseas. They may get an insight into life on the land, living on an island or in a remote community. I encourage our boarding and day families to get to know each other and pursue these connections as they offer excellent learning opportunities for our boys, and they can give each other understanding into the very different lives they live. Lifelong friendships are often formed, and your sons have access to a network that spreads far and wide.

Many boarders may not have ever experienced life in a populated area like Toowoomba until they became boarders. Many of these boys did not attend a traditional primary school, many were home schooled by their mothers and their only classmates were siblings. They had never worn a uniform and bare feet was totally acceptable. The transition into boarding in a city can often be daunting for these boys who are still so very young. Not only do they have to adjust to everything being bigger and different, but there are also rules they must follow and everything is timetabled - when they eat, when they shower, when they study, when they play. The freedom they are used to is very limited and they miss their home, their family, their friends and their animals. Homesickness is often worse when they are in younger years; however, it can strike at any time and often older boys who start boarding suffer the most as their peers have usually outgrown their homesickness. They struggle with the restrictions and miss their home cooked meals, yet most will learn to love boarding and will look back in later life on TGS as some of the fondest memories they have.

There are some boys here in boarding who don’t venture past the School gates often unless it is for sport or a School activity. Being taken out on leave, even if it is just for a few hours, may offer a much-needed reprieve and may help a boy reset and be able to make it through the rest of the term. Day families, please do not underestimate the value of all that you do for boarders. A change of scenery, a simple home cooked meal, or just having the opportunity to play with your pet or your son’s younger siblings. Most boys won’t admit it, but they do miss their own siblings at home, and they very much enjoy being in a family environment.

The benefits can work both ways, by cultivating these relationships our day boys, and perhaps their families, may potentially be invited to a boarding family’s home. This offers some unique holiday destinations and experiences. It gives our city-based families the chance to experience a life quite different from their own and gives them an insight into what life is like on the land, on an island or in a remote community. To see for themselves what challenges some of our boarding families are faced with in terms of lack of services, isolation and distance and to have a taste of how totally rewarding and beautiful their lifestyle can be and why they live there. Your son may choose to take a gap year and there are many boarding families who can offer them a unique work experience opportunity, giving you peace of mind that they will be well looked after. Likewise for those boarders who like what the city has to offer, they could be prospective employees of local day family businesses, and bring with them the independence, maturity and a good work ethic that TGS boarding instils in them.

All parents at TGS make sacrifices to provide for their sons so that they can receive a good education, but by far the biggest sacrifice is having to send your son away from their home, so thank you to the Day Families for making a difference and making life easier for a boarder and their parents.

by Stephanie Smart, President Boarder Parents' Support Group

We hope our Old Boys will join us for this always popular luncheon. A chance to relax and reconnect with other TGS Old Boys.

Book here https://www.trybooking.com/CKRAM

Nicole McKillop is an accomplished Certified Behaviour Analyst (CBA) and Board Certified Behaviour analyst (BCBA) with a Masters Degree in Applied Behaviour Analysis (ABA). With over 16 years of experience, she has supported autistic individuals across the lifespan and different community environments.

Currently, Nicole supports autistic children as Manager, Innovation and Clinical Design at AEIOU Foundation, where she pursues her passion in providing inclusive education, addressing complex behaviours of concern, crafting innovative service solutions, and promoting transdisciplinary working. In her role, Nicole is committed to working closely with autistic children and their families to empower them with the skills to lead and engage in the life they want. Leveraging her expertise in ABA, she tailors interventions to align with the unique needs and aspirations of each individual. Nicole’s dedication to her work shines through her ability to create positive, socially significant outcomes for everyone she engages with.

This event is open to all interested members of the public. The seminar is free but seats are limited. Registrations are essential: https://www.trybooking.com/CLVEH.

Is your son currently in Prep or due to start in 2024 or 2025? We are excited to invite him to Toowoomba Grammar School's Prep Come & Play day on Saturday, 28 October.

Come and meet our warm and nurturing Prep teachers, along with key staff from TGS, explore our beautiful facilities and enjoy a sneak peek at how the years ahead could look for your little boy as we help to ignite his love of learning.

Register here https://bit.ly/40iZgZ9

Join Us - Reclaim The Night
Friday, 27 October 2023 5:00pm - 7:00pm, Village Green, Toowoomba Library

Queensland Sexual Violence Awareness Month (SVAM) is held each October to raise community awareness about sexual violence, promote the support of people affected by sexual violence and advocate for the end of sexual violence in our community.

An initiative of SVAM by Domestic Violence Action Centre (DVAC), Service Against Sexual Violence is your community specialist service and we ask that you join us on Friday, 27 October for Reclaim The Night, 5:00pm - 7:00pm, Village Green, behind Toowoomba Library.

Reclaim The Night marches are held every year by domestic and sexual violence services across the country and this year’s important event is an opportunity for the community and supporters to join us by raising awareness of sexual violence and abuse for the right to be heard and be safe.

We will be walking and chanting in the Toowoomba CBD to raise awareness of sexual violence and abuse.

Further information here Reclaim The Night Flyer.

We hope our Old Boys will join us for this always popular luncheon. A chance to relax and reconnect with other TGS Old Boys.

Book here https://www.trybooking.com/CKRAM

We warmly invite you to join us at the TGS Football Supporters' Group Spring Carnival Raceday at the Toowoomba Turf Club on Saturday, 21 October 2023.

Enjoy canapes and a two course meal, complimentary drink on arrival, live band, multi-draw raffle and auction.

Tickets available here https://bit.ly/3LzPgGy

We understand that from time to time and for a wide variety of reasons, families will make the decision to leave TGS. As a School, we will always strive to work with families to ensure an outcome that is in the best interests of each boy.

It is also important to note and as a reminder to all families enrolled at Toowoomba Grammar School, our conditions of enrolment clearly stipulate that at least 10 weeks’ written notice of the withdrawal must be provided to the School.

As per the School’s Conditions of Enrolment, all tuition and fees must be paid for the Term in which the notice of withdrawal expires. For situations where 10 weeks’ notice is not provided, the following Term’s fees are payable.

This 10 weeks’ written notice period also applies to boys changing their enrolment status from boarder to dayboy.

If you are considering withdrawing your son, we would strongly encourage you to contact his Head of House, the Head of Junior School, the Head of Senior School or the Deputy Headmaster.

We would appreciate the opportunity to discuss all considerations in this regard with you.