THE BLUE AND GOLD - Friday, 26 April 2024

Dear TGS Families

Welcome back to the start of Term 2 at our School. As we embark on this new term, I hope that the Easter break provided everyone with a chance to rest, reflect and enjoy precious moments with family and friends. This period of renewal is especially significant as it invites us to leave behind the old and embrace new beginnings, fostering personal growth and introspection. We look forward to continuing this journey of learning and growth with our students and embracing the opportunities that lie ahead.

In my conversations with the staff and students this week, I emphasised the importance of supporting each other and bouncing back from challenges. The Japanese proverb "Nana Korobi Ya Oki," meaning "fall seven times, stand up eight," encapsulates this spirit of resilience that is so crucial in our lives, particularly within our School community.

As we navigate through this term, let us remember the lessons from our recent camps week, where despite adverse weather conditions, our students showed remarkable persistence and positivity. These experiences are invaluable in building resilience, an essential skill in life.

This term also brings exciting opportunities in sports, co-curricular activities and academics. I encourage everyone to engage fully and make the most of these opportunities to forge new friendships and strengthen existing ones. Let us all commit to being the best versions of ourselves, supporting one another and making this term productive and enjoyable.

On the front of our School's infrastructure, we are excited about the ongoing developments in our Capital Works projects:

• Design Engineering and Technology Building: Design work continues, entering a new stage that will span the next 20 weeks, concluding by the end of August. We are collaborating with a local architectural firm, with construction anticipated to start in the final quarter of 2024. We look forward to hosting classes in this state-of-the-art facility starting Term 1 of 2026.
• Blaikie Health Centre: To accommodate the new DET building, the Blaikie Health Centre will be relocated to the ground floor of Boyce Taylor boarding houses. This move has begun, with the new centre expected to be operational from Term 3.
• Aquatic Centre Carpark: This greatly improved carpark is now in use.
• Other projects in the design phase include a new BBQ area at the Pavilion and an Old Boys' Deck off the Promenade, promising exciting developments ahead.

A special welcome to the families joining our community for the first time. We are thrilled to have you with us and look forward to your contributions to our vibrant School life.

Yesterday, as the first light graced the sky, members of the School community gathered at The Mothers’ Memorial in Toowoomba to honour and remember the courageous souls from our region who gave the ultimate sacrifice during World War I. This followed a beautiful service held at the School on Wednesday of this week, which included an amazing fly-over.

Once again it was special to be able to attend this ceremony, where the wreath we laid is a modest symbol of our profound gratitude and remembrance. Yesterday and also at the School service, we especially recalled the 66 Old Boys and Trustees of Toowoomba Grammar School who journeyed far from home between 1914 and 1918 and did not return. Their sacrifice was made in the hope that the nation, and indeed the world, might live in peace.

ANZAC Day is about remembrance. It is a poignant reminder of the tragedy that accompanies war, urging us to reflect on the tremendous cost—the lives lost, the suffering endured, and the impact on humanity. The Great War, with its unimaginable scale of devastation, remains a powerful chapter in our collective memory, a stark lesson on the tragedies of conflict.

I hope this week has been an invitation to remember and honour all those who have answered the call to serve in times of war, sacrificing their futures for the freedoms we hold dear. Lest we forget.

Here's to a fantastic Term 2 filled with growth, learning and success. Thank you all for your continued support and commitment to our community.

Warm regards

Dr John C Kinniburgh
Headmaster

What an honour it is to work in this distinguished institution, and I could not have asked for a warmer welcome from the TGS community.

The reimagining of this executive position to span Prep to Year 12 marks the School’s strategic vision for educational excellence and it will be my mission to foster a culture of strong academic growth for all, achieved through an innovative, knowledge-rich curriculum that aligns with the science on how students learn. A thriving academic culture that is underpinned by the School’s values.

Achieving this goal will take a collective effort and to that end, it is my pleasure to introduce the educational leadership team at TGS which includes:

• Head of Curriculum, Mr Gabe Robbie, who oversees Years 7 to 12 curriculum and assessment, coordinates testing (e.g. NAPLAN), and supports students with Access Arrangements and Reasonable Adjustments (AARA), QCE and subject changes.
• Deputy Head of Junior School (Teaching and Learning), Mrs Chantelle Bauer, who oversees the Prep to Year 6 educational program and pedagogical practices.
• Head of Teacher Development, Mr Luke Rawle, who coordinates the professional learning and development of teachers.
• Head of Diverse Learners, Mrs Amanda Gibson, who ensures all students are supported in inclusive classrooms to access and demonstrate their learning.
• Data Analyst and Timetabler, Dr Ian Waite, who analyses and evaluates data pertaining to student and program outcomes.
• The Heads of Departments who lead their teams with best practice in mind to ensure all students learn and grow to achieve their best.

I am immediately impressed by this team’s expertise and their desire to leverage existing strengths and fulfil the goals of the TGS Teaching and Learning Strategic Plan Pillar.

In my classroom visits to date, I have witnessed positive student-teacher relationships, something I believe to be the foundation for attaining strong student outcomes. Known as relational pedagogy, this intentional practice of teachers building strong relationships with their students is paramount because students will rise to the challenge, academically and behaviourally, for teachers who believe in them, enjoy teaching them, and celebrate their triumphs. This is especially important for boys; particularly adolescent boys who are at an age of forming, understanding and asserting their personalities. There is a positive correlation between relational pedagogy and students having self-determined motivation for academic success.

The notion of self-determined motivation comes from Deci and Ryan’s Self-Determination Theory (2000) which has shaped my personal educational philosophy. It differentiates between quantity of motivation and quality of motivation and argues that all humans are born with three basic needs. They are:

• Autonomy: the need to control one’s own life and choices
• Competence: the need to learn and master skills
• Relatedness: the need to feel part of a group or community.

According to this theory, and as applied to education, an individual who has all these needs met will be ‘psychologically healthier’ and demonstrate a more positive mindset during learning than an individual whose needs are not satisfied. In other words, they will be more motivated.

Deci and Ryan's research shows that the type of motivation matters more for learning success than simply how motivated someone is. They propose that an individual’s motivation can fall on a spectrum from amotivation (a lack of motivation), through extrinsic motivation (motivation from external sources) to intrinsic motivation (motivation from within an individual). Intrinsic motivation sits at the self-determined end of the continuum.

With high levels of autonomy, competence and relatedness, intrinsically motivated learners tend to have a better ability to self-regulate. They can also achieve better long-term results and stay at it for longer than those driven mainly by external factors. At the same time, learners who have no level of extrinsic motivation tend to lack the competitive drive needed to care about improving or achieving high grades. That is why most psychologists agree that a combination of both intrinsic and extrinsic motivation is optimum for academic growth and high-performance.

So how do we apply this to teaching? In terms of developing an academic program, Self-Determination Theory reminds educators of the need to create a learning environment where students can feel competent; experience some level of control over their own success and feel that they belong in order to maintain the motivation to stay at their learning when things get hard. It also reminds us that success largely precedes motivation and to thrive, students need to experience the iterative process of learning and succeeding repeatedly. That is, students need to be incrementally presented with new material; practice under guidance; experience success and build on that with the next material. This aligns perfectly with TGS’s commitment to explicit teaching practices, ensuring a solid foundation for students’ lifelong learning journey.

I look forward to sharing more about our instructional approaches in future newsletters.

Kind regards

Mrs Crystal Hede
Director of Learning and Innovation

Appointment

In the IT Department we will soon welcome Dakota Downs to the position of IT Customer Service Officer. Dakota brings extensive expertise in technical support, hardware maintenance, and software applications. With a combined experience of over 7 years, Dakota has previously worked as the ICT Assistant at Ipswich Grammar School and more recently as the Service Desk Officer at Sheldon College. Dakota has successfully attained his Certificate III (IT) from TAFE Queensland and he will commence at TGS on Tuesday, 7 May.

Resignations

Ray Morgan has announced his resignation from his teaching position. Ray has been an integral part of our community since joining TGS in May 2004. Throughout his tenure, Ray has showcased his dedication and versatility through various roles, including Student Officer, Workplace Health, Safety and Compliance Officer, and Senior School Teacher in the Technologies and Mathematics Departments. His significant involvement in the co-curricular program, particularly his support for the cadet program and coaching rugby, has left a lasting impact on the students. Additionally, Ray's contributions to the School musical and other productions, through set construction and backstage management, have been highly valued. Moreover, his generosity in assisting students, whether it's preparing cars for transportation to the School Formal or offering help in the workshop during lunchtimes or after hours, has been commendable. We extend our deepest gratitude to Ray for his unwavering commitment to TGS and the students under his care, and we wish him every success in his future pursuits. Ray's last day will be Friday, 3 May.

Hannah Winter tendered her resignation from TGS effective at the end of last term. Since joining TGS in April 2022 as a Senior School Teacher in the Technologies Department and more recently the position of Assistant Head of Department - Technologies, Hannah has made significant contributions to our educational community. We would like to express our sincere appreciation to Hannah for her dedication and hard work during her time at TGS. Her efforts have undoubtedly enriched the learning experiences of our students, and we wish her all the best in her future endeavours.

Also leaving us at the end of last term was Vlad Savovski who has placed his resignation from his position of Boarding House Manager – Taylor. Vlad joined TGS in January 2023 and has played an important role in setting and maintaining standards throughout Taylor House. Vlad has placed his resignation to relocate his family to Stanthorpe. We thank Vlad for his contribution to the Taylor House boarding community and wish him and his family all the best in their future endeavours.

We are pleased to welcome our newest member to the team, Mrs Cate Cousen, who has certainly hit the ground running. This term we are also lucky to have a third-year nursing student with us, Bettina, who is here for the next month as well. She has certainly enjoyed getting to know the boys.

Flu season is certainly approaching and we have already had inquiries about flu vaccinations for the boarders. This year the government has made flu vaccinations free for all. Please see the 2024 Influenza (flu) vaccination – Consumer fact sheet for further information.

The health centre team are currently in liaison with private companies about offering a service to us here. We will send out some correspondence once we have more information. In the interim, if you would like for your son to receive a flu vaccination, please contact the health centre staff and we can help organise for this.

Families are reminded that if they have sent their son back with vitamins, regular medications etc, they must be handed into the health centre staff - we still have quite a few medications outstanding that have not been handed in.

We are looking forward to supporting your sons this term, so please don't hesitate to contact the nursing staff for any concerns.

Kind Regards

The Health Centre Registered Nurses

It’s been a full schedule to commence Term 2; we’ve already held a House Cross Country carnival, opened our new carpark, welcomed grandparents and friends to Grandparents' Day and honoured the Anzacs with a whole school service. This sets the tone for the many activities and highlights to enjoy for the term ahead. Some key dates are noted below but please visit the TGS App or Parent Lounge to access the complete calendar.

• Wednesday, 8 May – Mothers’ Day Stall
• Friday, 10 May – Mothers’ Day Breakfast, 7:00am, in the Junior School Hall
• Wednesday, 15 May – Under 8's Day, specific year level activities to be shared closer to the date
• Eisteddfod program – dates to be shared by the Music Department
• Wednesday, 12 June – Junior School House Athletics Carnival

House Cross Country

It was wonderful to finally hold the House Cross Country Carnival after the original postponement for wet weather at the end of Term 1. For most of the event, we enjoyed beautiful weather but it seems we were destined to run in the rain at some point with the Ekiden run (all age group relay race) enjoying a cooling downpour for the final 30 minutes at the end of the day. Still, all the individual age group races were held in good conditions and presentations, held at the end of the day, recognised Age Champions and House Shield winners. Please visit the Sports News section of the Blue and Gold for the results. Thank you to Mr Doherty (Junior School Sports Coordinator) and Mrs Pratt (Sports Administrator) for your organisation of this terrific event, twice!

Junior School and Aquatic Centre Carpark

The much-anticipated carpark facility opened last Thursday, 19 April with many families eagerly taking their first drive-through on Thursday morning. Please take some time to review the documentation provided below for traffic flow and parking as this is quite an upgrade from the old carpark. It’ll take a little time for everyone to familiarise themselves with the new format, but the immediate benefits of longer drop-off/pick-up zones and a return loop are already being utilised well.

• Map
• Letter

Science of reading

On the first day of Term 2, teaching staff welcomed Simmone Pogorzelski from The Knowledge Society group to deliver a workshop on developing reading proficiency in Prep to Year 6. The Knowledge Society group specialise in evidence-based practice in schools to promote learning. This session focused directly on the explicit instruction of reading practices including daily literacy block design, text selection, reading strategies, oral language in reading, phonological awareness, phonics, vocabulary, fluency and comprehension. These professional development workshops are incredibly valuable for our staff to revisit evidence-based practices and share their expertise together. There were many highlights from the day that our staff were able to immediately put into practice and also deep insights into the science of reading that will be a great benefit for families to know also. We look forward to sharing these insights with you in the weeks and months ahead.

ANZAC Service and Grandparents’ Day

On Wednesday, 24 April, an ANZAC service was held on Old Boys’ Memorial Oval in the morning, attended by all students in Year 3 to Year 12, staff, family, friends and special guests. The TGS Cadet Unit core led the service which is a fitting tribute to honour the ANZAC legacy.

This day was also an opportunity to recognise and celebrate the valuable contributions our grandparents have in our community. Junior School students were delighted to welcome their grandparents into the classroom for the morning before enjoying a shared morning tea together. It was lovely to hear the broad variety of honorary titles our grandparents hold in our community. There were - Grandma and Grandpa, Nana and Papa, Grand-mère and Grand-père, Obachan and Ojiisan, Oma and Opa, Naniji and Nanaji, Dadiji and Dadaji, Wàipó and Wàigōng, and no doubt many more. It was tremendous to see the joy on the students' faces as they shared their school world with their grandparents, as well as the joy also from grandparents connecting with their grandchildren. It was a lovely occasion of community.

Eisteddfod

Eisteddfod is a large focus for the first few weeks of this term with every cohort participating along with special ensemble groups and choirs. Mrs Kellie Dixon, Head of Junior School Music, provides more details in her section of this Blue and Gold around the Eisteddfod schedule and the groups involved. Participating in Eisteddfod has tremendous value for all boys; rehearsing and performing not only develops their musicality but also their work habits to follow a routine, work together as a group and understand the level of focus required for a top performance. These are all transferable skills that will have value throughout their life.

Mothers’ Day

Our Mothers' Day breakfast and stall is always a special feature on the calendar to celebrate. This is such a wonderful opportunity for us to all share how grateful we are for the role our Mums and mother figures play in our lives and thank them, but also for our community to connect together. More information will be shared from our Junior School Supporters Group (JSSG) President, Ms Tessa Chamberlain in the weeks to come; please also look out for the Mothers’ Day stall organised by the JSSG which will allow your son to purchase a lovely gift for their mother.

JSSG President – Ms Tessa Chamberlain, t.chamberlain@twgs.qld.edu.au

My sincerest best wishes for the term ahead, it’s a full but brilliant one.

Warm regards and appreciation,

Ken Raven
Head of Junior School

The Power of Retrieval Practice: Enhancing Learning Through Active Recall

Dear Parents and Carers,

As we continue our journey in education, it is essential that we continue to explore and implement evidence-based strategies that enhance learning and promote long-term retention. In this week’s article, I want to delve into the fascinating world of retrieval practice and its alignment with the Science of Learning.

What is retrieval practice?

Retrieval practice involves the process of withdrawing learned information from long-term memory into working memory, which requires effort. This active recall produces direct benefits, making it easier to remember later and leading to improvements in memory, transfer and inferences. In simpler terms, it’s like flexing our mental muscles to strengthen our knowledge.

The science behind retrieval practice

When students repeatedly retrieve information from memory, accuracy improves. Think of it as a mental workout that strengthens our memory pathways, enhancing memory recall. The process of retrieval practice improves comprehension, encouraging deeper understanding. It’s not just about memorising facts, it’s about connecting the dots and grasping concepts at a fundamental level.

Retrieval practice increases the transfer of knowledge by helping students to apply what they’ve learned to new contexts. It bridges the gap between classroom knowledge and real-world situations. Unlike cramming, which leads to short-term memory, retrieval practice ensures that information sticks around for the long haul.

Active recall forces students to engage with the material, analyse it and think critically thus boosting critical thinking and problem-solving. Successful retrieval builds confidence and motivates students to dive deeper into their learning journey. Added to this, by emphasising effort and persistence, retrieval practice aligns perfectly with the growth mindset philosophy.

Retrieval practices

Currently, our teaching staff include retrieval practice in a number of ways. These may include:

• Daily warm-ups.
• Unit test reflections (often, these insights reveal higher-level thinking beyond specific test questions).
• Concept maps and graphic organisers (these tools encourage students to retrieve and organise information visually, reinforcing connection).
• Flashcards and multiple-choice questions/quizzes.

Remember, retrieval practice isn’t about perfection, it’s about effort and persistence. Encourage our young learners to embrace this powerful strategy, and together, we’ll unlock their full potential. Let’s continue to make learning an exciting adventure here at the Junior School.

Warm regards,

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

I hope you were able to spend some relaxing time with family and friends over the break.

We are very excited for the start of Term 2 sport. With ‘too much sport is never enough’ as our motto, we are certainly living up to that this term. We have GPS football, tennis and cross country, as well as club football and rugby, kicking off early in Term 1.

Cross Country

Congratulations to all boys who participated in the recent Cross Country carnival. After being delayed at the end of Term 1 due to poor weather conditions, tboys had a few more weeks of preparation to be at their fittest. This was certainly evident as there were some terrific runs. While Cross Country may not be the sport of choice for all, I was pleased with the level of effort of all boys who took to the course; well done!

Special acknowledgement must go to the boys below for coming first or second in their age group:

Congratulations to Mackintosh House on winning the House Shield for the fourth year in a row.

We wish all boys involved in the Range Zone Trials a fast run on Friday. Good luck.

GPS Football and Tennis

There has been a hive of activity surrounding this term’s GPS sports, football and tennis. The boys are excited about the term and have been training well in the lead up. We wish all boys involved the best of luck.

Club Football and Club Rugby

Club football and rugby kicked off their seasons last weekend. Football boys played at various venues around Toowoomba and rugby boys made the trek to what is always a fantastic carnival in Goondiwindi.

Congratulations

Congratulations to Fred Coggan who has recently been offered a scholarship as part of the Australian and Queensland Academy of Sport Volleyball program. We are very proud of Fred for this achievement and excited to see him continue to grow in volleyball. Well done Fred.

Congratulations to Ayaansh Bhardwaj and Orion Khatri who recently participated in a three-day futsal competition in Brisbane. The boys were undefeated and were crowned champions of the event. Well done Ayaansh and Orion.

Sport Homework

Throw a tennis ball (or similar) with your son in the backyard or park. The skill of overarm throwing translates to many sports so it is heavily encouraged. It is also a good chance to have a chat with your boy.

Wishing all boys involved in all sports the very best for a fantastic term of sport.

Brendan Doherty
Junior School Sportsmaster

BlueCare Concert

On Thursday, 18 April Tribe and Tribe Junior visited BlueCare Toowoomba to present a concert. This was such a positive experience for the boys and the feedback from all involved was extremely positive. This concert provided our choirs with a fabulous performance opportunity in preparation for the upcoming Toowoomba Eisteddfod. Thank you to the Probus Club for organising our visit, to Mrs Miller for accompanying our performances and to Mrs Chowdhury for attending this excursion.

Toowoomba Eisteddfod

All boys from Prep to Year 6 have been busy preparing for the Eisteddfod in their weekly Voiceworks rehearsals. It is most important that all boys are in attendance for the relevant performances. Please refer to the correspondence emailed to all families on Thursday, 18 May for all details.

Musical rehearsals

Rehearsals for our musical Finding Nemo Jr have commenced for leads this term. Rehearsals occur every Thursday afternoon from 3:30pm - 5:00pm in the Hall, and the rehearsal schedule has been shared with parents of students who are involved. All boys from Year 3 to Year 6 will commence learning their musical songs during our Voiceworks rehearsals (post-Eisteddfod).

Singers’ Trophy

The Junior School Singers’ Trophy will be held on Thursday, 30 May at 6:00pm in Old Hall. This adjudicated competition has been held annually since 1997 and is open to all boys from Year 2 to Year 6, with trophies awarded for 1st, 2nd and 3rd places. Nominations are now open for Singers’ Trophy and due to the office by Tuesday, 21 May. A letter and nomination form has been emailed to parents.

Kind regards

Kellie Dixon
Head of Junior School Music

QLD Schools State Championships, Chandler Brisbane

In the 13 – 19 Years Edward Beverland, Cadel Hardgrave, Cooper Healey, Ollie Hendricksen, Bryce Krause, Jack Leslie, Joshua Maher, Alex Reddacliff and Declan Zimmerle represented the Darling Downs.

Medal winners at the meet:

Congratulation to Declan and Bryce on making the Queensland Schools team for National Schools to be held late July on the Gold Coast.

In the 10 to 12 Years, Charlie Beverland and Tom Oliphant represented the Darling Downs with both boys swimming numerous events.

Charlie finished fifth in the 11 Years 200m Individual Medley, dropping 12 seconds from his best time! He also finished sixth in the 100m Freestyle.

National Age Championships, Gold Coast

To qualify for this competition is an outstanding achievement, with qualifying times set to only enable the absolute best swimmers in Australia for their age to compete.

Cooper Healey, Joshua Maher, Alex Reddacliff and Declan Zimmerle all swam exceptionally well, achieving personal best times in their swims. Declan stood out, making a final in the 14 Years 100m Breaststroke finishing seventh.

The GPS Cricket season was capped off in style on Wednesday evening with the Cricket Awards Presentation. Boys from all teams gathered to celebrate the performances of their fellow team mates from Year 5 to Year 12. Thank you to all cricketers, coaches, support staff and parents for their wholehearted support of the cricket program and the 2024 season.

2024 TGS Cricket Presentation Awards Day

Milestone Award Winners

This year's annual TGS Art Show was a wonderful event.

Once again, the amazing art and the beautiful school surrounds provided the perfect backdrop for our musicians to shine by creating a fantastic vibe with background music filling the air.

From the opening night where the Grammarphones and the Senior School String Quartet provided arrival music, the High Teas in the Jacaranda Room where Harry Bland, Oliver Clifford and The Strings set the scene, the Art Amongst Friends on School House Lawns where our piano and guitar soloists provided mood music, through to the many musicians who entertained the café patrons throughout the weekend - music permeated the entire event creating such a lovely vibe.

We give thanks to the following musicians and ensembles who volunteered their time to enhance this massive school event:

The Grammarphones and Mr Martin Paroz, Senior School String Quartet and Ms Teresa Brix, Harry and Thomas Bland, Oliver Clifford, Henry Paton, Jono Hall, Hamish and Charlie Lunn, Mrs Mel Buccholz, Smith Waring, Henry Geise, Riley Frappell, Mrs Fiona Hamill, George Paton, Finn Pickering, and Elliot Murfin-Chalmers.

Well done everyone!

Mr Mark Chalmers
Director of Performing Arts

Term 2 Pastoral Care

This term, the School has commenced another phase in evolving the wellbeing program by utilising the internationally renowned pastoral program called Wellio. This online support system is adaptable to the School’s needs and supplies well-informed research, whilst equipping staff and students to progress through the stages of personal character development. Students are engaged to discuss developmental topics that allow for data collection at the end of each session.

This information provides valuable insights into where we proceed to next in evolving our support systems at Toowoomba Grammar School in preparation for the next generation of students arriving on our doorstep. The Wellio platform helps the School update the scope and sequence of lessons in response to relevant topics and live data. The School is aware of the need to give students and staff the ammunition they require to teach and develop coping strategies. These skills are vital in enhancing the ability for students to not only manage all facets of their lives but also to flourish.

Many guest speakers have been carefully selected to compliment the activities and it is again wonderful to be supported by so many professionals working in the student adolescent emotional research and wellbeing sector. The largest focus of the units of work that are engaged in is relationship-based. Relationships that enhance trust and a sense of belonging are woven into the lessons. It is important for students to trust the staff that they are engaging with, so they feel safe to contribute in and out of the classroom. This term we are joined by groups such as Tomorrow Man, You Choose Road Safety, Lorin Nicholson, Alex Conway and Eric Bailey. Throughout the term we will introduce families to each of the speakers and invite you to learn a little about what they bring to the wellbeing and character development program.

Guest Speaker Focus – Lorin Nicholson

As one of Australia’s most loved inspirational presenters, Lorin is a speaker with a huge difference. Unlike the usual, naturally-gifted celebrity athlete, business person or motivational speaker who chooses to become successful, Lorin was forced to dig deep, fight hard and muster every ounce of his willpower just to be normal. Amazingly, he continues to surge on to achieve far above and beyond most abled people. His clear method for success is delivered in a way that is real, authentic, personal, completely engaging and inspirational. Lorin was, and continues to be, renowned for his exceptional interpersonal communication skills, innovative branding, industry leadership and his ongoing quest for excellence in all aspects of his life. He clearly understands how to dream big, harness opportunity, calculate risks, forge strong partnerships, create strong branding, set high goals, achieve new benchmarks and get the job done! Click here to read more.

Mr Michael Hall
Head of Pastoral Care

It is hard to believe that we are already at the end of Week 2 in boarding. It feels like yesterday we started the term and were welcoming boys back. Our boarders have certainly enjoyed the past couple of weeks with plenty happening in the classroom, on the sports field and in the activities program. Stories of the holidays have also been shared and, with plenty of rain falling across Queensland and New South Wales, the usual Easter holiday activities of water-skiing have not been as common. Indeed, for quite a few of the boys the rain has meant they were put to work sorting out some flood fencing.

Our ‘taste of boarding’ experience for the next cohort of Corfe Boarders has been in the boarding calendar for quite a number of years. Once again, this event heralded the end of the Easter holidays with the shouts of boys playing laser tag in the evening echoing through the Jacaranda Grove. The parents of these new Corfe boarders were given a glimpse of our strong boarding community with a lovely dinner and drinks event under some festoon lighting on the Pavilion lawn. Earlier in the day whilst the boys were playing games and getting to know one another, the parents heard from key members of our boarding community about how to prepare their sons for boarding in 2025. I give my thanks to Mrs Stephanie Smart, Ms Janelle Fletcher, Mr Henry White and our Senior Boarding Prefect, Stuart Officer, for their involvement in the event.

In looking ahead through Term 2, I am excited to once again be venturing out into our community to visit families as part of the TGS on Tour program. The highlight will be ‘Beef Week’ in Rockhampton and I encourage all of the TGS Boarding families who will be attending to reach out and let me know so that we can arrange a time to catch-up. Further to this there is the ever-important trip to the Queensland ICPA Conference as well as a couple of other trips out to the Darling Downs to see families and support local sporting events. I am looking forward to strengthening those relationships that underpin our program.

There are a few key activities coming up this term:

UCAT Exam

By now, all Year 12 students considering Medicine or Dentistry in 2025 should have registered to sit the UCAT exam. The booking deadline is Friday, 17 May. Please contact the Careers Office if there are any concerns or questions about this.

University Accommodation Expo

The Toowoomba Anglican School University Accommodation Expo is being held on Wednesday, 1 May from 4:00pm - 6:00pm in the Millenium Centre. This is a community event and the invitation has been extended to interested Years 11 and 12 TGS students and parents.

Year 12 students considering living on campus should now be investigating accommodation options and applying to colleges if they are considering university in Brisbane in 2025. It is not too early for Year 11 students to explore accommodation options as well. The Accommodation Expo will host representatives from various UQ Colleges and some private colleges as well. An email with registration links to the event has been sent to all Year 11 and Year 12 students and parents.

Year 10 Career Profiling

The Year 10 boys will undertake the Career Avenues Profiling on Wednesday, 8 May. We have engaged the services of an external agency, Career Avenues, whose Career psychologists will conduct a morning of aptitude and career interest profiling with the Year 10 boys. Following this profiling, a detailed report will be provided to each student and this will be used in the upcoming career plan interviews held at the end of Term 2 and beginning of Term 3. Year 10 parents will receive a letter outlining this process in the coming days.

Year 10 Parent Information Evening

On Tuesday, 30 April we will be hosting an information evening for Year 10 Parents and students to provide information about subject selection and career plan interviews. The information session will be held in the Jacaranda Room from 5:30pm - 6:30pm. An invitation has been sent to all Year 10 parents and we hope to see some of you there.

UQ Medicine Information Evening

Learn about studying medicine at UQ; hear from leading medical experts, UQ alumni and current students on the changing medical climate, how to apply for medicine at UQ and tips for success. Year 10, Year 11 and Year 12 students and their parents/guardians are welcome to register for the virtual information evening.

Date: Tuesday, 30 April.
Time: 6:00pm - 7:30pm (AEST).
Location: Online.
Register online with UQ.

We look forward to working with the boys again this term. Please don’t hesitate to contact the Careers Department on 4687 2603 if you have any questions or would like to make an appointment to speak with one of our Careers Advisers.

Kind regards

Anthea Richters
Head of Department - Careers

The annual Choral Showcase is on Friday, 26 April starting at 6:30pm.

Tribe and Tribe Junior will be performing at the event, along with choirs and soloists from the Senior School.

There will a barbecue prior to the concert where sausages and drinks can be purchased. All families are welcome to attend.