THE BLUE AND GOLD - Friday, 26 May 2023

2024 Term Dates

The School term dates for 2024 have been confirmed. Every six or seven years there is a correction in school term dates to move the start of Term 1 later in January to avoid the ongoing date creep forward. There is also a corresponding correction at the end of Term 4 where the concluding date is moved later.

The adjustment in term dates for TGS means a usual start date for Term 1, but a 9-week Term 4 to finish later in November 2024. The start date for 2025 will then move back a week which maintains the eight-week Christmas school holiday break in 2024/2025.

The TGS term dates for 2024 can be found on the School’s website or via this link.

Traffic Safety

We endeavour to provide a safe environment for our students, parents, staff and visitors. Over recent years, we have worked to improve vehicle flow and pedestrian safety with the installation of speed bumps, drop off areas in the Herries St loop and speed indicator signs in an effort to keep vehicle speed at a safe limit. We ask parents to take note of the requested speed limits and traffic signage to ensure the safety of our pedestrians.

The Margaret St loop contains a bus zone lane for student drop-off and collection. Parents can pick-up and drop-off students in this lane if there are no buses arriving. It is imperative that parents always give right away to school buses and to please leave this bus lane free when buses are arriving to school. Please follow the directions of staff in this regard. Once again, this expectation is to ensure the safety of our children and assist the smooth traffic flow in this area.

Service Opportunities – Primary School Assistance

TGS Senior School boys from various year levels have provided terrific volunteer service to primary schools and their students. One such program, called the Homework Assistance Program (HAP), has our Year 11 boys travel to Darling Heights State Primary School to offer homework assistance to refugee children each Wednesday afternoon after school. The boys are doing a tremendous job and are providing valuable help to the young students.

Closer to home, we have Year 11 boys also volunteering to assist during lunch time with the Junior School boys while they play on Mills Oval. This provides a great opportunity for the older boys to get to know the Junior School boys and vice versa. Senior School boys of all ages have also volunteered to assist the Junior School sports and clubs program that runs after school. The older boys provide great assistance to the staff and their expertise in some programs provides great inspiration to the Junior School students. It is wonderful to see so many boys volunteering their own time and developing their character through helping others.

White Ribbon – Family and Domestic Violence Awareness and Prevention

Since 2017, Years 11 and 12 boys are invited to join the School’s White Ribbon committee. White Ribbon is the world’s largest movement engaging men and boys to end men’s violence against women and girls, promote gender equality and create new opportunities for men to build positive, healthy and respectful relationships.

Over 50 boys are involved in the committee this year with their purpose to understand what Domestic and Family Violence is, how to raise awareness in our community and consider prevention strategies. The month of May is Domestic and Family Violence awareness month and the School’s White Ribbon committee focus their efforts this term and into Term 3. Boys have been involved in the Domestic Violence Action Committee (DVAC) community Candle Lighting Remembrance Ceremony and Community March and attended a breakfast at TGS with guest speakers, Adair Donaldson and Adam Walsh, presenting on this topic. Boys will share presentations on School Assemblies, raise awareness through selling White Ribbons at home games, arrange the White Ribbon Gift at the House Track and Field Championships to name a few initiatives. We hope our young men take their awareness of Domestic and Family Violence well into their future and to “Stand Up and Speak Out” against any situations they may become aware of.

Our boys were enthralled with the story of Adam Walsh at our recent “Game Changer” breakfast hosted by Adair Donaldson at TGS. Adam shared his difficult family circumstances as a child and how adult mentors were vital in his support and rehabilitation following a period of exposure to domestic and family violence. Following a career in the army, Adam is now the Wellbeing, Education and Integrity Manager at the Brisbane Broncos and provides great mentorship to the players. Adam shared his advice about leadership and supporting others and this was valuable advice for our boys to hear.

Term 2 Assessment

As we approach the end of the second term, the boys enter a period of assessment in most subjects. I hope the boys are well-prepared for each examination and are pleased with their outcomes.

John Anderson
Deputy Headmaster

Tickets for the Toowoomba Grammar School - Fairholme College production of Footloose the Musical are now on sale via the Empire Theatre box office and Empire Theatre online.

Footloose The Musical - Empire Theatre

These talented performers have been rehearsing since the start of the year for this biennial production. Don't miss out on your seat - book now!

Kick off your Sunday shoes with a VIP function before enjoying the sensational show, Footloose the Musical.

Conveniently hosted at the Empire Theatre’s Supper Room, you’ll be treated to some delicious canapés by Gip’s restaurant and a glass of wine or beer. Additional drinks are available at the bar.

The event starts at 5:30pm and concludes at 6:45pm leaving plenty of time to get to your seats to enjoy the musical.

Supporters of The Arts (SOTA) has put together the special function as a friend raiser to connect families and fundraiser to support the arts at TGS.

Tickets are $59 and available from https://www.trybooking.com/CIAQM

Guests need to be 18+ (no school students) to attend.

A reminder to all our families about our excellent resource for parents: SchoolTV

This resource covers a range of topics presented by experts in their field including Cybersafety, Mental Health, Wellbeing, School Survival and Positive Parenting.

SchoolTV is regularly updated with new articles and videos and provides insightful information and handy tips for parents.

Click here to check it out

You can also access SchoolTV via 'Links' at the very bottom of our TGS app.

As high school students approach their final year, they may experience a phenomenon known as "Senioritis" - a decrease in motivation and productivity, often accompanied by procrastination, complacency, and negative risk-taking behaviours. TGS SChool Counsellor, Lyle Gothman has some useful strategies to help your child change their behaviour. https://lnkd.in/g7iQDY3W

Many of us dream of that lucky break that will change the course of our life; a financial windfall, meeting the love of your life, landing that dream job…
Waverley Stanley's lucky break came when he was in Year 7 in 1979. His teacher, Mrs Rosemary Bishop saw his potential. She believed this young indigenous boy from Murgon had something special to offer the world and she fought to put him on the path to greatness. Read his inspirational story here and how he's helping indigenous youth of today https://bit.ly/3q6rqKq

There is a lot happening over the school holidays and many of the universities are offering a variety of workshops for school students. I have included a few of these here for you to explore. I always encourage the boys to research and investigate the many opportunities that are available to them to help inform their career decisions or assist with their study planning and preparation. The UQ study and motivational tips is particularly timely for the boys as they head into assessment.

University of Queensland

The University of Queensland is offering a Biology Winter School over these next holidays and has also prepared some study tips for students in Years 11 or 12. Click on the links below to read the article or register to attend this winter school. UQ study and motivational tips

Biology Winter Schools
3 & 4 July
Year 11 Queensland Biology Winter School

Apply

26 & 27 June
Year 12 Queensland Biology Winter School
Apply

Bond University

Bond University’s Year 12 Early Guaranteed Offer Scheme recognises the challenges students have faced over the past few years of senior schooling. Eligible students can receive an offer to study at Bond in 2023 before final ATAR or IB Diploma results are released, providing certainty about their future study options.

Find out more.

Work Experience

If any of the boys are intending to do some work experience over the holidays, they will need to meet with Mrs Rathie in the Careers office to arrange insurance paperwork before the end of Week 8.

If you would like to make an appointment to speak with one of our Careers Advisers, please email us or phone to make a suitable time.

Kind regards

Anthea Richters

HOD Careers

In recent years the word ‘disruption’ is one we’ve become more familiar hearing, particularly in reference to technology and entrepreneurial pursuits. Disruption could be at risk of being overused in some contexts but at its core it can be entirely appropriate when used to describe a radical change or disturbance to something. A research report, ‘Seven disruptors impacting the future of education’, caught my interest from McCrindle, a research organisation that draws on a range of data sources to produce insights to help inform decision making for their clients. The seven disruptors were distilled from interviews and surveys with educational leaders and teachers across Australia and included the following:

• Artificial intelligence and technological change
• Individualisation of learning
• Mental health and wellbeing
• Consumer approach to education
• Teacher burnout
• Attracting and retaining the next generation of teachers
• Achieving educational reform in a risk averse culture

Artificial Intelligence (AI) and technological change, how they can support and enhance the learning experience for students and teachers. Individualisation of learning, the designing of tailored learning programs and feedback for students, feeling informed on learning progress. Mental health and wellbeing, helping young people to navigate their understanding of wellbeing and how to lead a healthy life now and into the future. Consumer approach to education, a more outcomes focused agenda from a school experience. Teacher burnout and recruiting the next generation of teachers, recognising the value of teachers in schools, the quality of their experience in educating and supporting young people, honouring the profession in a school setting. Achieving educational reform in a risk averse culture, creating exceptional learning experiences whilst meeting relevant compliance mechanisms to ensure a safe environment. These are all worthy topics in the educational landscape to consider in shaping future learning environments.

When I read reports such as these, I’m heartened in the first instance that we are part of an industry that cares about its future, researching the factors to be considered when shaping the next generation. I also feel extremely fortunate to be a member of a school community that offers an educational experience for students, families and colleagues that is forward facing and aspirational, that considers the individual learning needs of students and how we can best deliver those for families, and one that is genuinely mindful of wellbeing through the development of character to cultivate personal mental health. A consumer approach to education…perhaps more apt in our setting is a partnering approach with families to achieve shared outcomes we have for student learning and personal growth. Valuing the role of teachers, their expertise, their care and their own professional development is one we honour and are tremendously grateful for. Lastly, designing educational experiences that challenge and inspire is at the forefront of our thinking, understanding compliance mechanisms to safely create these experiences is a part of the process.

The past ten years have been incredibly dynamic in education, as will the next ten years, I’m sure. It's an exciting time to be a student, and an educator, with so much opportunity before us to explore. I’m particularly excited about the technological innovations unfolding with AI and how this could support individualised learning approaches. Also, our genuine care for mental health and wellbeing as a society can only be a positive move for educating young people on the value of looking after ourselves. There’ so much to be grateful for already, but I’m equally grateful for the opportunity to consider where we go next.

On other matters

Thank you to all families for your understanding and support while we relocate our administration services temporarily into the J1 and J2 rooms. The refurbishment of the administration building could take up to three months to complete, during which time the same contact numbers and processes will be in place albeit from the J1 room adjacent to the administration building. Outside School Hours Care has relocated to the Junior School Hall during this time also.

At the time of publication our Years 3 and 4 cohorts will have been enjoying their camp experience at the Sunshine Coast. We look forward to sharing their adventures at next week's assembly and in the next edition of The Blue and Gold.

There have been lots of happenings over the past two weeks including an exciting Under 8’s day celebration which is included in this publication. Also, Year 6 incursions with Science to read about; updates in Sports and Music. Our co-curricular programs are in full swing with Winter sports and afternoon activities, always lots happening on-campus.

As we enter the back half of this term and the weather gets cooler, days shorter and fuller, our messages to the boys have been to maintain our routines without adding anything new in the schedule, eat well and sleep well, which sounds like good guidance for all of us.

With warmest regards, and appreciation,

Ken Raven
Head of Junior School

Reporting

As we move closer to the end of this semester, we would like to emphasise the place of academic reporting at Toowoomba Grammar School - Junior School. Academic reporting serves as a valuable tool for tracking your child's progress, identifying strengths, and addressing areas that may require additional support. Here are some key points to consider:

Parent-Teacher Meetings: Parent-teacher meetings offer a valuable opportunity for face-to-face discussions about your son’s academic progress. These meetings allow you to gain a deeper understanding of their strengths, challenges, and learning strategies. By actively participating in these meetings, you can collaborate with teachers to set academic goals, explore support options, and develop strategies to enhance your child's learning experience.

Communication Channels: We encourage you to maintain open lines of communication with your son’s teachers throughout the year. If you have any concerns or questions about their academic progress, reach out to the respective teachers via email or schedule a meeting. By establishing a strong partnership with the teachers, you can address any challenges promptly and work together to support your child's academic journey.

Celebrating Achievements: Academic reporting not only highlights areas for improvement but also celebrates your child's accomplishments. Take the time to acknowledge and appreciate their efforts and achievements. This recognition boosts their confidence, motivation, and enthusiasm for learning. Celebrating their progress will help foster a positive attitude towards academics and encourage boys to reach their full potential.

By actively engaging in this process, you can ensure that your child receives the necessary support and guidance to excel academically. We value your partnership and commitment to your child's education.

Warm regards,

Chantelle Bauer
Deputy of Junior School - Teaching and Learning

Singers’ Trophy
The Junior School Singers’ Trophy will be held on Thursday, 8 June at 6:00pm in Old Hall. This adjudicated competition has been held annually since 1997 and is open to all boys from Years 2 to 6, with trophies awarded for 1st, 2nd and 3rd places. A letter and nomination form was emailed to all parents, and nominations are due on 30 May. Please feel free to come along for a lovely evening of vocal performances.

String Out
Years 5 and 6 String Ensemble members will be involved in String Out on Wednesday, 7 June. String Out is an all-day string extravaganza held at the Empire Theatre involving over 300 students from across the Toowoomba area. A letter with more information will be sent to parents with boys involved.

Orchestra
In order to prepare the Orchestra for our Eisteddfod performance, some rehearsal times have been booked for this term. Rehearsal times for Term 3 will be released closer to the date.

Please note that the rehearsal times are for this term only. Boys will need to bring a TGS or dark blue display folder (this may be one that he is currently using for another ensemble) with their orchestra music in, and their instrument to each rehearsal.

• Monday, 22 May (Week 6), 1:10pm – 2:10pm
• Monday, 29 May (Week 7), 1:10pm – 2:10pm
• Monday, 5 June (Week 8), 1:10pm – 2:10pm
• Monday, 12 June (Week 9), 1:10pm – 2:10pm

Ensemble Rehearsals
Ensemble rehearsals will continue up to and including the last day of school, Thursday, 15 June. Should your son be absent from a scheduled rehearsal, please email the conductor of the ensemble. There will be some extra rehearsals scheduled on the student free day (Monday, 10 July) to ensure our ensembles are prepared for the instrumental eisteddfod. Times and details for these rehearsals will be released soon.

Kellie Dixon
Head of Junior School Music

Cross Country
Week 5 was a big week for our cross country boys. On Tuesday, eight boys competed in terrible conditions at the Darling Downs trials. All boys ran well, with the Connor Talbot, Tom Oliphant and Henry Reeves successful in reaching the Darling Downs team. We wish them well in the State Championships.

On Thursday the TGS boys attended the GPS Championships. Despite an intimidating field, with about 150 boys in most races, the TGS boys performed outstandingly. Connor Talbot (6th) in Under 10 and Henry Reeves (1st) in Under 11 were our two top 10 finishers. Congratulations to both boys. Henry’s time of 10:36 for 3km on a hilly course is amazing.

The strength of the TGS team, though, was in its depth, with boys running hard no matter their place in the race. This enabled us to have an overall result of 5th place. This is a wonderful result, the best TGS Junior School result to date. Competing against much bigger schools, our boys really stood up and we should be very proud of their efforts.

Sport Homework
How far can your son hop on one foot? Test him and practice (together).

Brendan Doherty
Sportsmaster

Two teams from Toowoomba Grammar School competed at the annual IPSHA tournament with 11 teams in total competing.

Team 1 (Hiresh Wanasinghe, Ruhan Bulchandani, Isaac Tebbutt and Thenul Ratnayake) had an important job of defending the trophy that has been in the possession of TGS for the last eight years. They performed very well across their four rounds with some solid victories and a few nail-biting games that came down to mere seconds remaining. In the end, the team was successful in defending the trophy for the 9^th year in a row, finishing with a score of 14 out of 16 ahead of Concordia on 12 and half points.

Team 2 (Gursawan Randhawa, Aarav Kansagara, Aarav Desai and Swayam Prajipati) also performed well finishing with seven and a half points in 7^th place. It is always very pleasing to see the boys perform well and equally so to see how much they enjoy themselves as they play. Well done to all of the boys on a successful evening of chess.

Evan Rees
Chess Co-ordinator

On Wednesday, 17 May, Toowoomba Grammar School hosted Year 1 students from Fairholme College and The Glennie School for our annual Under 8’s week. The Year 2 boys visited The Glennie School for the morning and the Preppies were welcomed by Fairholme. All boys enjoyed the morning interacting with students from neighbouring schools and participating in wonderful activities such as team games, dancing, craft activities, singing, competitions and story time. This was such a wonderful way to celebrate the variety of learning that occurs in our junior years.

The Science Show was brilliant, our advisor Robbie from Street Science had blown us away with the magnificent wonders of science, he even brought out liquid nitrogen! A substance so cold its freezing point is -193 degrees, if you touch it with your bare hands, you would get frostbite and be burnt terribly, and if you drank it your body would freeze to death. Robbie showed us how different liquids could change the heat of a fire and their colour. He also had magic ink which changed from transparent to opaque depending on temperature. In the second half of the show, we created our own experiments, we made glitter slime, bubble slime and even fake snow. It had been a spectacular experience seeing balloons being exploded and the elephant's toothpaste live in front of us.

Ruhan Bulchandani (6H)

Street Science

This morning from 8:30am to 10:25am we experienced a science day with Rob. We first started the day by watching Rob add chemicals to a flame which made it change its colour and heat. We then did some more experiments with Rob until he said that we could take over and try some of our own. The first was a slime experiment where we tested two slimes, the first slime was a glitter type and the other was a corn flour type. I preferred the corn flour slime as it was better to use and play with. The final experiment was with water and baby powder, when we mixed the two it expanded to make instant snow. I really enjoyed the Street Science day and learnt many things.

Charlie Barwick (6H)

The TGS Cross Country teams competed in the Junior and Senior GPS Championships last week at Limestone Park, Ipswich. In what is a gruelling up-hill course, 110 students from U10s through to the Open age divisions gave their all for the Blue and Gold TGS colours. The students have been training throughout Terms 1 and 2, braving the cold early mornings and balancing other co-curricular involvements. The involvement of the Junior School students in all the training sessions this year has been a huge winner. Students from Years 3 to 6 participated in all the senior training sessions, providing great mentoring for the next generation of TGS runners. TGS long distance running is in good hands in the years to come.

The Junior School teams finished in 5^th place overall which is the highest position TGS has ever placed in the event. The Senior team finished 9^th overall but scored more points than previous years. Below are some notable statistics from the day on the awesome performances the TGS runners achieved.

Notable TGS Cross Country statistics:

• Most TGS runners competing at the GPS Championships in many years
• Most top 10 finishes for TGS in many years (Connor Talbot, Sam Gladwin, James Wilson, Emmanuel Gue, Henry Reeve)
• Best Junior School result ever for TGS (5^th overall)
• U11 Age Group finished (4^th overall)
• U12 age group finished (3rd overall)
• The U13 age group score 213 points. This would have placed them 6^th overall in 2022. However, this year this year they finished 9^th which shows how tough the competition standard is in the Championships.
• The Open team finished 8^th overall and was the best placed TGS team in the Senior competition

Running for Fitness Training

Long distance running training will remain on Wednesday mornings and Thursday afternoons for the rest of the year. These sessions will be staffed by some of our experienced TGS running coaches and are open to all students from Years 3 to 12. Students preparing for pre-season programs in other GPS sports, play club sport externally, or who have personal fitness goals - these sessions are open to anybody to attend. Students simply need to attend the running sessions to participate on the times and locations listed below.

Starting Week 6

Wednesday – 6:45am – 7:45am (Meet P&F Oval)

Thursday 3:30pm – 4:45pm (Meet Woodford Shed)

We have wrapped up Part 1 of the Toowoomba Eisteddfod and as promised last week, here are the results:

Shields and Championships

Placings & Highly Commended

1st - 7

2nd - 10

HC - 12

Place Getters & Highly Commended

TGS Choir - 1st Secondary School Choir

Senior Voices - 2nd Secondary School Boys Choir

Grammarphones - HC Secondary School Vocal Ensemble

TGS Tribe - 1st Primary School Boys Choir; HC Primary School A Grade Choir; HC Primary School Modern Choir

TGS Tribe Junior - HC Primary School Yrs P-4 A Grade Junior Choir

TGS Voiceworks 2/3 - HC Primary School Yrs P-4 B Grade Junior Choir

TGS Voiceworks 6 - HC Primary School B Grade Choir

Ruben Fitton - 1st Years 10-12 Vocal Championship; 1st Year 12 Male Vocal Solo; 2nd Year 11 or 12 Australian Composer Solo; 2nd Years 10-12 Contemporary Commercial Vocal Solo; HC Secondary Jazz Solo

Ruben Kruger - 1st Years 8 & 9 Contemporary Commercial Ballad Solo, 2nd Secondary Jazz Solo

Thomas Dixon - 2nd All ages Graded Piano Solo Grades 7 & 8; HC Years 11 or 12 Piano Sonata

Harry Bland - 2nd Years 10-12 Popular Piano Solo; 2nd Years 10-12 Piano Duet w/-Thomas Bland

Artharsh Gajaharan - HC YEars 7-9 Australian Composer Piano Solo

Kallan Robertson & Ari Chadwick - 2nd Year 8 Duologue

TWGS 1 - 1st Years 7-9 Dramatisation of a Poem Group

Jack Elmes - HC Year 5-7 Contemporary Commercial Vocal Solo

Oscar Dunk - 1st Year 4 and under Contemporary Commercial Vocal Solo

Thenul Ratnayake - 2nd Year 4 Piano Solo; HC Year 4 and under Australian Composer Piano Solo

Joseph Chu - HC Year 2 and under Piano Solo

Other Competitors

Ruhan Bulchandani, Hiresh Wanasinghe, Connor Brownlie, Finn Brady, Hamish McCollum.

Truly a wonderful effort from all boys involved and a massive thank you to our teachers and tutors for their guidance of our students. Huge effort and well done.

The boys have continued to play some great matches against BBC and ACGS.

Congratulations to our Open 2nds who have won four of their five matches and are looking to continue their run of success. Special mention to the Year 8A, 9C,10A and 10B teams on gaining wins against ACGS.

The 1st IV have played well and created some chances but have not been able to capitalise on the opportunities, despite some valiant efforts.

Round 5 – TGS v ACGS 20 May 2023

First XI v AGCS

Games against ACGS are always eventful; however, the contrast in this round of fixtures could not be more stark compared to last year's swamp following 35mm of rain. The weather gods delivered a blue sky in East Toowoomba which resulted in some cracking games between two great rivals.

TGS remained on a high from their fixture the previous week and were hopeful of a positive result against an opposition who have, to date, failed to live up to expectations.

The game got off to a flyer when Riley Schutz found the net within a few minutes of the kickoff with a tap in following some great link up play. The crowd was ecstatic as hope for a rout reached fever pitch. Alas, that was not to be.

Churchie recovered quickly and by the tenth minute they drew level from a free kick which was subsequently headed home to make the scores 1-1.

The boys regrouped and were able to control the flow of the game for large periods of time; however, Churchie were well drilled and remained patient. The remainder of the match saw chances for both sides, which on another day would have seen a much bigger score but alas on this day, nobody had the quality or desire to steal the spoils.

The scenes at the end of the game showed how cruel this game can be with many boys falling to their knees in abject disappointment. For some, this draw was not enough and would potentially see a big Premiership prize slipping.

Other results however mean that all is not lost and with three big cup finals to come, we are still in the hunt… just.

GPS Round 4 – v BBC home

BBC Home

The 1st XI followed up from their dramatic last-minute equaliser at BGS with a home game against Brisbane Boys' College who, for the second consecutive year were asked to drive up the mountain to a cool albeit glorious autumn day in East Toowoomba. This team was forced into some changes from the previous week; however, the boys selected were eager and keen to do the job.

BBC provided a polished performance and remained competitive throughout the game. After a poor first half for both sides, it took a good second half performance to bring the boys the fruits of their endeavours. Persistence and determination prevailed, with goals from Richard Dean and Jacob Austin to bring home the points on a much better day for the boys in Blue and Gold.

This round of fixtures saw some standout performances across the age groups with wins for the 4^th XI, 11A, 11C, 10C, 8B, 7A, 5A & 5B.

Bill Turner Semi-Final v Centenary Heights.

Bill Turner Cup and Bill Turner Trophy Home Page (billturnersoccer.com.au)

On 10 May, selected boys from Years 7 to 10 took part in the prestigious Bill Turner Cup semi-final day which was held at Centenary State High School. The Team is coached by Mike Mulvey (1^ST XI Head Coach) who uses the competition to find the next generation of emerging football players.

The Bill Turner Cup is a National School Boy tournament which gains the support of over 800 schools across the eastern states.

Mike Mulvey and his team were victorious in their Bill Turner Cup Semi-Final and now progress to the District Final in June.

The game itself occurred away and the boys were subjected to a full school turn out by Centenary State High School with over 800 students cheering loudly from the stands.

The home ground advantage meant the boys from TGS were in for a big day and they were certainly tested against a spirited opponent who were keen to take the scalp of a GPS school.

The game was full of drama, with goals to both sides and retaken penalties adding to the occasion. In the end, TGS ran our worthy winners recording a 5 -2 victory. Our next round will occur in June against Stanthorpe or Harristown.

All new Facebook page for the Football family has been launched

Parents and boys from across the School can get some specific Football related information from our very own Football Facebook page. Please like and share the page to keep up to date on our Football story.

Football Supporters' Group – Seeking new members

Our fantastic Football Supporters' Group continue to seek new members to become a part of the TGS Football family. If you have an interest in getting involved in the Football Program please contact the President of the Supporters' Group, Mr Matt Long on 0435 739 044 or email at m.long@twgs.qld.edu.au

Football Supporters' Group Spring Carnival Race Day – 21 October

The Football Supporters' Group has announced their Spring Race Day which is locked in for Saturday, 21 October at Toowoomba Turf Club – Clifford Park.

Everyone is invited to book a table for one of the most prestigious social events on the Grammar School’s calendar. Tickets are now on sale so bring your family or friends for a fabulous day at the races.

Parent Question of the Week

“Where do I find information about Round 7 Fixtures' Game Day information such as bus timings and match reports?

Answer

All football related information can be found by searching the TGS App,

Sports, the Arts & Activities, Notices, Football, Soccer, GPS Football

2023 GPS Football match reports are posted the week after a fixture as soon as they are compiled.

Match schedules and bus timings are also posted to the TGS App as soon as possible in the week of the games.

(All match reports can be found by searching the TGS App, Sports and Activities, Notices, GPS Football, 2023 GPS Football Match Reports)

Mini World Cup – Inverell – September Holidays

Nominations for the Mini-World Cup have now opened – nominations and payments will close on 4 June 2023

The School has once again decided to support our inclusion in the Mini-World Cup which has relocated back to Inverell, with the competition running from 25 - 30 September. We will advertise this competition soon for interested families to register. Registrations will close on the 4 June. The School intends to provide all teams with a coach and volunteer manager and the cost of entry will be between $250 and $350 per entrant. Parents interested in attending should secure their accommodation options now before local venues are exhausted.

For more information about the Mini World Cup, please visit the website.

The Inverell Joeys Mini World Cup (joeysminiworldcupinverell.com)

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/miniworldcup/

Germany Tour 2023 – Departing in June 2023.

As you are aware, the School continues to be a part of the September holidays Mini-World Cup competition in Inverell which results in some boys being selected for a Tour to Germany. The 2022 tournament resulted in six boys being selected for the trip which departs on the 16 June 2023. Many boys have taken this opportunity to find a post school opportunity to live and study in Germany following selection onto this tour.

The Tour organiser has two vacant spots. Any boy from Years 10-12 who is interested in being a part of this tour should contact the tour coordinator, Mr Heinrich Haussler via his email at ffifthco@me.com or phone him on 0427210359 for further details about joining this 26 day tour of Germany which is quoted at under $9000. Please note that whist this tour is not provided or officially endorsed by TGS, the football department does recommend and supports this option as an established route for boys seeking football touring opportunities beyond school.

Darling Downs Selections - 2023

Darling Downs School Sport (eq.edu.au)

Following trials at Harristown for the Toowoomba Secondary School Sports numerous boys across various age groups were selected for TSSS Teams to participate in final selections for Darling Downs representative teams.

The following boys have been announced in the Darling Downs 17-19 Team for 2023. Congratulations are extended to Ben Anderson, Jacob Austin, Taku Doherty, Jaydahn Hearn, Luke Parish, Aaron Picker, Kai Richardson and Riley Schutz. These championships will occur in Brisbane on the 20– 23 July 2023.

The following boys have been announced in the Darling Downs 13-16 Team for 2023. Kagan Cumming, Jack Haddow, Tdonson Hammond and Benjamin Miller. These championships will occur in Brisbane on the 20– 23 July 2023

Nine boys were selected in the Range Zone District team to attend the Darling Downs U12 selection trials which occurred in Stanthorpe on the 8-9 May. The following boys have been selected for Darling Downs to play at their championships in Cairns over the period 3-6 August. Congratulations to Ben Browett, Darcy Haywood and Alex Duncan.

This was the question posed by some extraordinarily lucky Senior Cadets and LT(AAC) Trevisani on Saturday morning when they were invited to fly in an MRH-90 Taipan Helicopter to attend the Gallipoli Barracks Open Day, Enoggera.

What an amazing experience soaring at just over 3800 feet over the mountains from Oakey to Brisbane. The flight took a little over 40 minutes and the excited faces said it all. Although we were given headsets to speak to one another, no words could describe the experience, so we sat quietly and lapped up the fresh air and the constant nattering of the pilots and air traffic control. Coming in to land on the Oval with the doors and ramp open would have to be the most amazing part of the experience – just so exhilarating. A huge thank you to Army Aviation for allowing our Cadets to have this experience, it is not one they will forget in a hurry!

Whilst it is not possible for all cadets to fly in a helicopter, the remaining Cadets from TGSACU did not miss out on all the fun, they were bussed down to Enoggera to take part in the Gallipoli Barracks Open Day. A chance to see, touch, and smell all things Army and what a display it was. TGS Cadets had the opportunity to climb through the MRH-90, practice target detection in a PMV – Bushmaster, speak to drivers of a M1 Abrams Tank, and stare down the scope of an EF88 Steyer. Other opportunities included speaking with members of the Military Police, exploring the unmanned aerial drone - RQ 7B Shadow, handling a range of weapons, and getting a ride on the helicopter simulator. Along with lots of networking and future planning, Cadets could be seen gasping in awe at the opportunities presented in all aspects of the Defence Force. Included in the Open Day was the opportunity for the Cadets to have an exclusive tour of the displays before it was open to the general public. The Barracks Open Day was an amazing experience for all Cadets and staff involved, it is quite different getting up and close with these weapons and vehicles. TGS ACU looks forward to bringing some of these experiences to Toowoomba Grammar in the near future.

After such a wonderful Saturday, TGS Army Cadets turned their attention to the Glennie Fair. Thank you to the wonderful Glennie Cadets for coming in and helping recruit. Thank you also to the Cadets that dropped by to say hi, we look forward to welcoming more recruits from The Glennie School in 2024.

After last week's celebrations for National Boarding Week, I must say that it is wonderful to be working in a boarding school, not a school that has boarders. On behalf of all of our boarding community, I want to thank all members of Toowoomba Grammar School; students, staff and parents who contribute so much to making the School such a great place for our boarders to live. A highlight of the week was the School assembly where our boarding captains delivered speeches and led all the young men of TGS in singing the School song. For our Corfe boarders, they were very proud to host day boys for a sleepover on the Saturday night. Much fun was had by all and I know that there have already been some plans made for weekends away to stay with dayboys as well as preparation for dayboys to travel out to stay with the boarders on their properties over the holidays.

This week has also been an interesting one for our Corfe boarders. On Monday, as part of the boarders life skills program, Peer Power delivered a seminar to the boys entitled, Adolescence to Adult-sense, which was focused upon developing their self-awareness of the social and emotional changes they are dealing with as adolescents as well as the ‘peer pressure’ dynamics of this stage of their life. I am sure that this session will be of benefit for our Corfe boarders, developing their resilience and improving their wellbeing.

Alongside wellbeing, another pillar of our boarding program is academic support and helping our boarders to be successful in their studies. To this end, our Boarders' Academic Enrichment Program has been underway for the past few weeks as the assessment period builds in intensity. Our boarders in Years 8, 9 and 10 join together for ‘prep’ during these sessions to collaborate and make use of the teachers, academic tutors and boarding staff available to them.

Finally, our Boarders' Recreation Program has been in full swing over the past couple of weeks. There have been trips to Suncorp Stadium to watch the Reds, movie trips and on Sunday we will be hosting boarders from St Margaret’s in Brisbane who are very excited to be visiting us for a fun filled afternoon of activities.

We are excited to announce that the Toowoomba Grammar School Aquatic Centre is offering a brand-new class on Saturdays at 8:00am with Sam!

The class is called S.A.S and will target Stroke Assistance and Starts.

Classes will run for 30 minutes and will concentrate on diving off blocks and address individual stroke issues with each member of the class.

Fees are the same as other classes and are payable in the first week. As this is a new class, the remainder of the term will be billed pro-rata.

S.A.S will be held in the 25m pool and as such, is only suitable for Piranha levels and above in the Learn to Swim Program. If you are unsure if your child would be suited to this class, we are only a phone call away.

Class size at this early stage will be limited to four children.

If you think your child would benefit from participating in S.A.S please contact the TGS Aquatic Centre team 46872631 or t.aquatic@twgs.qld.edu.au

Term 2 uniform is navy trousers and for Years 7 to 12 it is Blazer dress every Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday.

The Uniform Shop will open:

Monday, 17 April 8:00am to 5:00pm

Tuesday, 18 April 8:00am to 5:00pm

Wednesday, 19 April back to normal opening hours - 1:00pm to 5:00pm

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

Thank you to all our wonderful parents who volunteer at the School, or are considering volunteering. It is a requirement for all volunteers who attend the School more than seven times a year to have a Blue Card as part of child safety requirements.

If you would like to volunteer, or currently volunteer, we ask that you please get your Blue Card as soon as possible.

Thank you for your ongoing support, and your understanding that the safety and wellbeing of our boys is our priority.