The P&F is excited to host our first "Ladies Evening".

This event is for all year groups from Prep to 12 and you are more than welcome to bring friends. It will be held in the garden at Gip's Restaurant on Saturday, 14 May and will move inside if it rains.

Tickets include canapés and a welcome drink, and are currently on sale via the TGS website.

Toowoomba Grammar School - Online Payment (westpac.com.au)

Injury reporting

Please ensure the Health Centre is aware of any injuries that your son may have suffered while not at school. Your son may not be able to participate in sport/PE and staff need to be made aware. All detail is kept in the confidential notes for your student and allows the Health Centre quick access to notes for when your son presents to the Health Centre unwell.

Concussion

If your son suffers a head knock or concussion while not at school please inform the Health Centre. Each sport has its own national requirements for any head knock, and it's our duty-of-care to ensure protocols are followed. A medical letter and injury report form needs to be supplied to the Health Centre as soon as a head knock has occurred.

COVID reporting

COVID is still out there, and Queensland Health still has monitoring requirements. If your son is diagnosed with COVID, or is a close contact, please ensure the form is completed on the TGS App or through Parent Lounge. All close contacts are required to wear a mask at all times while outside the home and have a Rapid Antigen Test day 0, 2, 4, 6. We need to remain vigilant.

Influenza

With everyone out and about again, Influenza is already being recorded in large amounts around Queensland. Please do not forget to have your flu vaccine. Yes, everyone is ‘vaccine fatigued’ but we need to remember that we have been isolating for such a long time that the normal flu viruses will be more prevalent and cause more illness.

Mental Health

If your son is experiencing any anxieties, worries, mental health concerns, please let teachers and the Health Centre know. With our younger students, more often, they will present to the Health Centre with physical symptoms (abdominal pain, headaches, nausea). If we, and the teachers, are aware something may be going on, then we can help you help your son. It may just be reassurance or asking some other questions that will help relive their anxieties. Our nurses are all trained in basic mental health assessment and know when to contact parents if concerned.

Vaping

Do you notice a sweet, floral, lolly smell around the kids sometimes, that isn't their normal aroma, especially in the afternoon? This could be from vaping, or being around others who are vaping. Vaping is a major concern in young adults in Australia. Young people seem to think 'it's safer then smoking cigarettes'. It's far from that. Unfortunately, there are many easy ways students can access vape pens/devices, and many parents may not even know what they look like. Many vapes just look like a regular pen or USB stick. Below is a link from Q-Health with further information.

What's really in vape juice? | Queensland Health

Keep well,

Your TGS Nurses

Dear TGS Families,

Please click the link below to access the Term dates for 2023

1 Term Dates 2023

TGS Master Planning Activities

Toowoomba Grammar School has recently launched its Strategic Plan 2022-2026. Under the Plan, the School is committed to:

• developing contemporary and innovative learning spaces for the long-term benefit of the School and its students; and
• providing a high-quality boarding experience and facilities for boarders.

We are now in the process of developing a Master Plan to help deliver on these strategic initiatives. This Master Plan will aim to balance built form and open space across the campus. Under this Plan the delivery of the following works may occur over the next 10 years:

• the refurbishment of existing classrooms
• the extension of an existing building for student services
• the development of a boarding precinct to consolidate and renew our boarding facilities
• the refurbishment and possible extension to the library
• the development of a music, art and drama centre
• the development of a technology centre
• the conversion of an existing building into an early learning centre
• the development of a multi-purpose assembly hall
• improvements to existing onsite parking areas (including increased capacity)
• a future temporary carpark on Herries Street (final location to be confirmed)
• additional landscaping and external works throughout the campus

The proposed Master Plan involves buildings that are predominantly 2 storeys at the edge of the campus and 3 storeys towards the centre of the site. The School expects that its capacity will generally be maintained at approximately 1,425 students (including 350 boarders) with allowances for normal changes in school population over time.

The designation will be for the purposes of:

• education facilities; and
• facilities at which an education and care service under the Education and Care Services National Law (Queensland) is operated.

The proposed MID has been requested in accordance with Chapter 2, Part 5 of the Planning Act 2016. If the Master Plan and MID is approved, this designation would acknowledge and reflect the current use of the site and secure development of the campus in the future.

Having your say

We are at the early stages of the project and encourage you to review and have your say about the School’s master planning activities and proposed MID through this website link.

Alternatively, you can submit an enquiry via email to tgs@twgs.qld.edu.au. If you are interested in our master planning activities and proposed MID and would like to meet with a member of our team, please contact the Christina Onley, Chief Financial Officer at Toowoomba Grammar School on 07 4687 2500.

This early consultation period will be open for your comments until Thursday, 12 May 2022.

It is important to note that formal community consultation will be undertaken later in the MID process. This will provide neighbours, key stakeholders and residents with the opportunity to make a submission or simply learn more about our master planning activities and proposed MID.

Vaping

Paul Dillon is the founder of Drug and Alcohol and Research Training Australia (DARTA) and Paul will be addressing our Year 10, 11 and 12 boys on the dangers of vaping in July. Paul reports that in 2017 21% of 16- and 17-year-old students had reported that they had tried vaping. Over the recent months there has been concern that the number of young people vaping is increasing as it is becoming “trendy”. This concern is shared by the staff at Toowoomba Grammar School and the boys were recently reminded on Assembly that vaping is not allowed at school.

It is important that all parents are aware that e-cigarettes come in all shapes and sizes: they can even look like a pen, highlighter or USB. Some can be disposable, and some are small enough to fit into a pocket or a pencil case. The most common brand of vapes found at school are the iGet XXL and you can see images of these vapes through a simple Google search for the brand. These vapes have the equivalent nicotine content of approximately 3-4 packets of cigarettes. Not all e-cigarettes emit visible aerosol. The easiest way to detect e-cigarette use is if there is an unexplained scent in the air from the e-cigarette flavouring. Teens tend to use fruit or confectionery flavours, so this scent is usually quite sweet.

SPECIAL REPORT: Vaping | Toowoomba Grammar School (schooltv.me)

Quit_Infographic_Health_Risks_for_Adults_2021.01.pdf (mcusercontent.com)

The known harms of e-cigarettes and vaping | Queensland Health

PARENTS-VAPING-WHAT-TO-DO-FINAL-2022.pdf (darta.net.au)

What should parents say when their teen says "But it's not smoking" when they find out they're vaping? (doingdrugs-darta.blogspot.com)

Traffic

We are conscious of how busy the traffic is around the school each morning and afternoon and in recent years we have updated the parking and traffic flow in the Herries Street and Margaret Street loops as well as the Junior School and Aquatic Centre areas. I ask all parents to please remember that they are driving in a school zone and need to adhere to the road rules. The boys should be encouraged to use the crossings both at school and in the surrounding streets. The safety of the boys is paramount.

Please take care when dropping off and picking up your sons and be particularly mindful of the following:

• Children can be unpredictable, and our boys often move around the campus and forget they are crossing roads.
• The speed limit is 40km/h in the streets surrounding the school.
• Do not park in the drop off/pick up zones.
• Do not wait in the bus zones.
• If you are waiting in a drop off/pick up zones, please stay as far left as possible. If you are holding up traffic and your son is not there, please do a lap of the loop to allow other parents to collect their sons.
• The drop off/pick up zone between the Trenerry Gym and Aquatic Centre is narrow. If you are driving a large vehicle, consider arranging an alternate drop off/pick up spot.

Bullying and Wellbeing Surveys

The boys have recently completed both the Wellbeing and Bullying Surveys. It is vital that, if we are to provide quality programs, we get good feedback from the boys on how they are progressing. The results of these surveys will be shared with staff, and, where appropriate, the boys once the results have been collated and analysed.

GPS Cross Country Championships

One co-curricular event which occurs during school time is the GPS Cross Country Championships, which all Year 9 boys will attend as spectators on Thursday, 19 May 2022. This is a great School and GPS community event and it is expected all Year 9 boys will support our team. We will send more details to the boys via email in the lead-up to the event. I wish all the Cross Country athletes representing our School the very best at the GPS Championships.

School SunSmart Policy

Queensland has the highest rate of skin cancer in the world. Given students are at school during peak ultraviolet radiation (UVR) times throughout the day, between 10:00am and 3:00pm, schools play a major role both in minimising a student’s UVR exposure and in providing an environment where policies and procedures can positively influence student behaviour. As children will spend a portion of their day outdoors, we are committed to protecting them from the harmful effects of the sun. With this in mind Toowoomba Grammar School realises the need to protect children’s skin and educate the boys about SunSmart behaviour, thus reducing the risk of skin damage from exposure to the sun.

As part of our SunSmart Policy we will:

• attempt to ensure that all boys wear their Akubra hats at all times they are in uniform and outdoors;
• require that all boys wear sports hats or their Akubra hats and sunscreen at all other times when they are outside;
• provide approved sunscreen at a number of strategic locations around the School;
• encourage students without adequate sun protection to use shaded or covered areas at recess and lunch times.

Year 12 References

Parents of Year 12 boys will have received an email from me this week regarding School References. Should Year 12s require a School Reference for university, work or accommodation application, then they must email their Head of House requesting a reference.

Thank You

I am extremely grateful for the very warm welcome I have received from the staff, parents and boys since I began at Toowoomba Grammar School two weeks ago. It has been a very positive introduction to my time in the School and I feel privileged to have been invited by the Headmaster, Dr Kinniburgh to be the Acting Head of Junior School for the next two terms.

In my fortnightly newsletter articles, it will be my intention to share some reflections I have gathered over the years, which I am hoping might be insightful and give you some understanding of my role as a leader, and what I seek to achieve with the staff in providing the optimum learning environment for boys in the Junior School.

Thank you very much to Bliss Bierhoff and Tessa Chamberlain, and their hard working Committee for the superb Mother’s Day celebrations, which were held in the Junior School last week. On Wednesday, 3 May, the boys were able to make a purchase from a wonderful range of gifts for their Mum and the week concluded with the annual Mother’s Day Breakfast which was held last Friday, 5 May. It was so rewarding to see over 200 boys and their Mums sharing breakfast as a prelude to Mother’s Day on Sunday. I trust all the Mums in our community enjoyed the time spent with family and felt a little bit spoilt on Sunday.

Traffic

We are conscious of how the busy the traffic is around the School each morning and afternoon. In recent years we have updated the parking and traffic flow in Herries Street and Margaret Street loops. I would ask all parents to please remember that they are driving in a school zone and need to adhere to the road rules. The boys should be encouraged to use the crossings both at school and in the surrounding streets. The safety of the boys is paramount.

Please take care when dropping off and picking up your son(s) and be particularly mindful of the following:

• Children can be unpredictable, and our boys often move around the campus and forget they are crossing roads;
• The speed limit is 40km/h in the streets surrounding the School;
• Do not park in drop off/pick up zones;
• Do not wait in bus zones;
• If you are waiting in a drop off/pick up zone, please stay as far left as possible. If you are holding up traffic and your son is not there, please do a lap of the loop to allow other parents to collect their son(s);
• The drop off/pick up zone between the Trenerry Gym and the Aquatic Centre is narrow. If you are driving a large vehicle, please consider an alternate drop off/pick up spot.

IPHSA Conference

I would just like to advise parents that I will be attending the Independent Primary School Heads of Australia (IPSHA) National Conference from Wednesday, 25 May through to Saturday, 28 May.

‘How Come You’re Everywhere?’

In a previous school, a Year 1 boy walked up to me in the school yard and asked me why, “I was everywhere in the Junior School.”

This got me to thinking about my role and the importance of high visibility for the boys, staff and parents in a Junior School. It is a philosophy I have always strongly subscribed to, but it is only after speaking with a parent one day at a sporting event that I became aware of a leadership approach known as, ‘Leading by Walking Around – Keeping your Finger on the Pulse’.

It is absolutely critical in my view that a Head of Junior School is a person who is seen as totally engaged and connected with the school community. We talk a great deal that for boys in particular, ‘Things are caught, not taught’. If we say one thing and do another, children are extremely preceptive in realising the disconnect between what is said and what is done.

For me, with my significant focus on imbuing our boys with the essential life skills of respect, good manners and gratitude, having them understand and actively practice those skills will only be successful if I am ‘in amongst them’ demonstrating such skills. So, whether it be visiting the dynamic teaching and learning environments on a regular basis, attending after hours sporting, music and cultural events, being present at Junior School and whole school assemblies and activities, I am aiming to give strong visual representation that communication, accountability, and being approachable and accessible, are hallmarks of my leadership style.

It allows me to ‘stay in close touch’ with what is happening in school life, and to constantly show my gratitude to the staff and boys for creating a warm and engaging school for a boy to flourish. I invite all parents to approach me at anytime to say hello and do not hesitate to contact me if I can ever be of assistance with your son’s learning journey at Toowoomba Grammar School.

Mr David Hine
Acting Head of Junior School

Term 2 has started with a flurry. It is wonderful to see so many boys being physically active both during school and outside of school. Our Club teams and GPS Football and Tennis boys are great to watch.

Information regarding match times and locations can be found on the Sports and Activities website Sport and Activities – Toowoomba Grammar School (twgs.qld.edu.au)

Toowoomba Grammar School is always proud of the athletes who have been selected to representative honours. Please congratulate the following boys who have been selected in Darling Downs teams:

Rugby League

Archie Gibbons

Nate Gill

AFL

Charlie Barwick

Eli Silver

There are upcoming trials in Cross Country, Football, Rugby Union and Tennis. We wish all boys involved the best of luck.

Cross Country

The GPS Cross Country Championships will be held on Thursday, 19 May at Limestone Park in Ipswich. TGS boys have been in training and are attending pre-meets in advance of the big day. I am sure that all of the boys involved will make us proud.

Brendan Doherty
Sportsmaster

Choral Showcase

On the evening of Friday, 29 April, Tribe and Tribe Junior performed at the TGS Choral Showcase. Both Junior School choirs performed well and should be commended for their efforts. This was an invaluable performance opportunity for the boys in the lead up to the Eisteddfod. Congratulations to all boys involved.

Toowoomba Eisteddfod

Congratulations to all boys from Prep to Year 6 for their involvement in the choral section of the Eisteddfod. Results from the recent Eisteddfod performances will be published in the next newsletter.

Singers’ Trophy

The Junior School Singers’ Trophy will be held on Thursday, 2 June at 5:30pm 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. Nominations are now open for Singers’ Trophy and due to the School office by Friday, 20 May. A letter and nomination form were emailed to parents last week.

Musicians’ Concert

The Term 2 Musicians’ Concert will be held on Thursday, 26 May in the Junior School Hall, commencing at 2:10pm. If your son would like to nominate to perform at the concert he is required to complete the nomination form, and return it to his class teacher by Thursday, 19 May. A letter and nomination form were emailed to all parents on Monday, 9 May.

Orchestra

In order to prepare the Orchestra for our Eisteddfod performance, four rehearsal times have been booked for this term. Rehearsal times for Term 3 will be released closer to the date. The rehearsal dates and times have been planned around class timetables and rotate to minimise classroom disruptions.

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.

• Wednesday, 25 May (Week 6), 11.45am – 12.45pm
• Monday, 30 May (Week 7), 10.50am - 11.45am
• Thursday, 9 June (Week 8), 10.50am – 11.45am
• Tuesday, 14 June (Week 9), 2.10pm - 3.10pm

Kellie Dixon
Head of Junior School Music

The Junior School Supporters' Group had a fabulous week of Mother's Day activities. Our Mother's Day Stall sold almost 900 gifts and the boys were an absolute joy to work with. They all made considerate purchases and were always thinking if it was the right item for Mum. Our favourite comments were with the cannister of makeup sponges, as 99% of boys replied that their Mum doesn't wear makeup so she wouldn't use those!

On Friday, we hosted 220 mothers and their children in the Junior School Hall for a sit down breakfast. Thank you to Anita at Impressions on Scott for her extraordinary work. Mel Buchholz played piano for us and created an amazing atmosphere. We had a team of Dads serving food so all Mums were able to sit down with their children. There were 17 lucky door prizes which all included vouchers generously donated by The Cosmetic Tattoo Room.

Thank you to the boys, all of our volunteers, participants and to those who made such kind donations. We hope you all had a wonderful Sunday.

Mrs Bliss Bierhoff
President, Junior School Supporters Group

Term 2, Weeks 5A & 6B

On Tuesday, 9 May the Year 8 Junior TiGAA ensemble competed in the highly competitive Year 8 Duologue section at the Toowoomba Eisteddfod. Of the 12 entries, TGS was represented by six duologue pairs.

The standard was exceptionally high and the adjudicator was extremely complimentary about all the performances.

All of our six TiGAA duologues boys received a place!

1^st place: Artharsh Gajaharan & Zac Brown - Dentist in a Box

2^nd place: Archer Bracey and Banjo Seaniger – The Airline Pilots Sketch

3^rd place: Mitchell Wilkes and Nethul Manamperi – An Interview with Anne Elk

Highly Commended (x3):

Roan Bronkhurst and Param Singh – The Argument Sketch

Taj Kahn and Alex Vanzella – The Package

Isaac Whitcombe and Chris Piccini – The Penultimate Supper

This is the first time in memory that all TGS students have placed in a section, which is a credit to the hard work the boys all put into their performances. Congratulations!

The Years 7 and 8 Junior TiGAA boys competed recently in the Toowoomba Eisteddfod. The Year 7 students were successful in the Group Performance of a Poem, with the two groups coming 1^st and 2^nd. In 1st place performing ‘The Pig’ by Roald Dahl were students Ollie Wells, Praj Gupte and Finn Brady. In 2nd place were Jordan Benz, Hugo Tebbutt and Dominic Walsh performing ‘Television’ by Roald Dahl. For all of these boys, it was the first time they had ever performed on stage, which was a wonderful effort.

As mentioned in a separate article, Year 8 TiGAA entered the Duologue section, presenting a selection of plays ranging from Monty Python classics to more contemporary scripts. This was a highly contested section with 12 competing groups. The six duologues of TGS students entertained the audience and were awarded:

1^st place: Artharsh Gajaharan & Zac Brown - Dentist in a Box. 2^nd place: Archer Bracey and Banjo Seaniger – The Airline Pilots Sketch. 3^rd place: Mitchell Wilkes and Nethul Manamperi - An Interview with Anne Elk. Highly Commended: Roan Bronkhurst and Param Singh – The Argument Sketch; Taj Kahn and Alex Vanzella - The Package; Isaac Whitcombe and Chrisopher Piccini – The Penultimate Supper.

Special mention must go to Christopher Piccini who stepped in at the very last moment, learning a full script overnight, to take the place of a TiGAA member who developed COVID. Well done Chris!

Leader of the Arts, Ryan Murphy and TiGAA Captain, Jamie Watson, also won the Year 11 and 12 Duologue section with a hilarious performance of Blackadder’s Version of Hamlet.

The Junior and Intermediate TiGAA students will be presenting this work, along with other pieces, and their showcase concert, which is being held at the Armitage Centre, Empire Theatre on Monday, 13 June, commencing at 6:30pm. Tickets can be purchased through the Empire Theatre from next week.

Intermediate TiGAA will be performing ‘Every Novel You Ever Read in High School……in 40 Minutes’. Frustrated by the lack of interest in reading by his students, a high school principal hires a local theatre troupe to act out the plots of the novels in the school syllabus in an attempt to create enthusiasm and a love for the written word. Unfortunately the theatre troupe are as clueless as the students when it comes to knowing the stories they have been hired to perform. A fun-filled comedy that will appeal to all ages

Currently Senior TiGAA is working towards the premiere performance of ‘Greek Mythology for Millennials’, which will be presented at the Armitage Centre on Wednesday, 15 June, commencing at 7:00pm. Greek Mythology for Millennials, an award-winning play written by our very own Year 12 student, Gabriel Donaldson, details the search for a new God to take their place in Grecian mythology – the ‘God of Technology’ – as Zeus can’t seem to work out how to fix new fandangle technology items around his temple. It’s a laugh a minute as classic Grecian myths are woven together with a contemporary storyline. Tickets will open next week, and with only one show you’ll need to get in quickly to secure your seat!

Last week's Whole School Assembly saw the Junior Jazz Ensemble perform for the first time this year. They were ably supported by many members from Senior School Show Band in a rendition of C-Jam Blues by Duke Ellington. The performance was very solid and full of energy. We are very proud of their efforts.

The Grammarphones performed three songs at the Past Mothers' Lunch on Thursday, 5 May in the Jacaranda Room. It was a fantastic effort from the boys and they were very enthusiastically received.

Last Friday our vocal ensembles performed at our annual Choral Showcase.

The Grammarphones, Senior Voices Choir and Combined Voices Choir all performed repertoire in preparation for their upcoming Toowoomba Eisteddfod appearances. We were also treated to solo performances from Elliot Murfin-Chalmers, Artharsh Gajaharan and Ruben Kruger. There was an excellent crowd to support the singers and a great time was had by all.

We would like to thank Mrs Dixon and the awesome Junior School Tribe ensembles for their wonderful contribution to the evening, and SOTA for organising the pre-concert drinks and nibbles. Thanks also to our wonderful Senior School Voice Teachers, Tutors and Accompanists - Wendy Evans, Martin Paroz, Elizabeth Egan and Mel Buchholz for their amazing work with our students.

Stay posted for Eisteddfod results coming next edition.

It is said that ‘leadership of youth is a bit like herding cats’; unpredictable, very entertaining, and chaotic at times, but in the end it is unbelievably rewarding. The Australian Army Cadets is a very diverse and unique organisation involving many different types of people. Our young Cadets come from all walks of life and have very different backgrounds and personalities ranging from eager and excited to learn, to indifferent and rebellious. This can make leadership very interesting and often a juggling act to ensure that you are engaging, inspiring and educating all personalities, while still having fun.

As a leader within the AAC, you will face many challenges and will be often pushed out of your comfort zone, e.g. physically in the form of abseiling, waterman-ship activities, and leading a team in first aid scenarios; as well as mentally, when public speaking, commanding parades and meeting dignitaries. The AAC teaches you how to adapt and overcome confronting situations, while keeping a composed front to your cadets. This is a very unique and important skill to learn as a young and aspiring leader.

The opportunities and rewards in the area of leadership offered by the AAC are extraordinary. As a cadet you have the opportunity to attend leadership courses and command a section, platoon, company or brigade. You can lead teams through challenges involving first aid, navigation, engineering and quick decision exercises in locations including Townsville, Brisbane, Melbourne, Canberra, and overseas.

Overall, the AAC is a unique organisation that gives our youth incredible opportunities in leadership. The AAC pushes cadets out of their comfort zones while developing them into the best possible leaders for the future.

Congratulations to the boys who have been competing at the representative level over the last few weeks.

Last weekend saw five TGS boys compete at the Queensland All Schools Cross Country Championships in Toogoolawah. A special congratulations to Year 11 student, Charlie Randall who placed 3rd and has made his sixth consecutive Queensland Team for Cross Country!

Queensland All School Cross Country Results:

• Alby Galbraith 21st (12 Years)
• Will Barnes 21st (15 Years)
• Max Williamson 29th (15 Years)
• Charlie Randall 3rd (16 Years)
• Sam Gladwin 13th (17 Years)

TGS will see 29 boys compete at the Darling Downs Cross Country trials next Tuesday at Kearneys Spring, in final preparations for the GPS Cross Country Championships next Thursday at Limestone Park.

After the strong start to the season, our TGS tennis boys have been training well and have had two matches against Nudgee College and The Southport School.

In our match against Nudgee College, the TGS boys managed to win 12 of the 17 matches played. The 1sts played strongly but were unable to capitalise on a number of opportunities that were created and went down narrowly.

These encouraging results inspired our boys for the matches against The Southport School, and we split the matches played 12-all. The 1sts returned to the winners list with a dominant display. The five boys that have represented our 1sts over the past three weeks (Jamie O’Shea, Maka Ofati, Mat Pese, Tom Dwyer and Faolaina Tepa Haleti), should be commended for their grit and enthusiasm.

A special mention to our undefeated TGS teams after three weeks: Open 3rds, 11D, 10B, 10C, 10D, 8B, 8C, 8D, 6B and 6C.

We look forward to freshening up over the bye weekend before taking on Churchie.

The GPS Football season is now in full swing, following three rounds against Ipswich, Nudgee and TSS. Round 2 saw our boys travel to Nudgee College where we were able to build some momentum from our first round exploits. Our 1st XI put in a much-improved performance against a very strong Nudgee team, and although we missed out this time around, we are starting to believe in our ability to challenge teams at this level. Across the age groups we have found victories hard to come by but remain optimistic about gradual improvements over time.

Round 3 took our School on the road again, this time to TSS on the Gold Coast where once again our overall results improved and our margins in defeat were encouraging. The 1st XI took part in a game of two contrasting styles where long ball met Mulvey Ball which is far more pleasing on the eye. Nevertheless, we were unable to secure the much-needed win and came out shy to a 2 – 0 loss.

Outside of GPS, our boys have been busy with TSSS Football trials in the hope of making selection to the Darling Downs Squads which will take them to the State Championships in July at Redlands and Maroochydore. With the State Championships now occurring outside of the GPS season there is every chance that some of our top talent will once again grace DD and ultimately Queensland selections in 2022.

The last week of April also brought opportunities for some boys to participate in the SWQ Futsal Titles at USQ in Toowoomba. Futsal is the indoor modified version of Football and is an important building block in developing the boys physical literacy and technique. The competitions ran over three separate days with TGS being announced champions in the 12 / 13 & 19 Divisions.

Although Term 2 is down time for those athletes in the GPS Volleyball program, a few find their way into representative sides. Darling Downs representative training has commenced leading up to the State Titles at the end of this term. There's also the chance to represent the Toowoomba Titans Club Team with the opportunity to compete against many of South-East Queensland's best junior and adult teams.

The May Day weekend saw nine TGS volleyballers represent the Titans across three different teams; Finn Moriarty, Xavier Thompson, Kurt Seckler, Rory Webster, Erik Sheppard, Marcus Seckler, Alex Denman, Will Smith and Connor Youngberry. The focus for these teams was on development, building skills and game awareness. To their credit, the number one team that had Alex, Will and Connor in the squad, managed to finish the competition undefeated until the Grand Final when they went down to claim silver. A significant effort for their first time out.

Can you believe we're almost half way through the term! I hope your son is actively involved in all TGS has to offer in Term 2.

Term 2 started with the Boarder Orientation Experience and sleepover for the Year 7s who are starting in 2023. This was a lovely evening and a great event for new and old families. Great to see so many big smiles and excited lads.

It was also lovely to see many of you attend our drinks and BBQ after drop off on the Tuesday. Great to catch up with many old families and meet new ones. This is an event not to be missed at Term 3 drop off.

On the last day of Term 1 we held our first ever BPSG meeting via Teams. I thank all those who joined online or attended on the day. The minutes of the meeting have been emailed to parents and are also available on the School Portal which can be accessed by going to http://www.twgs.qld.edu.au/ click on the “Parent Lounge”, login, then “Senior School Boarding”, Boarder Parents Support Group General Meeting.

The School continues to offer a variety of weekend activities available to all boarders. The calendar of events for Term 2 is now on the Parent Lounge. This calendar is constantly being updated as events are planned. Please encourage your boys to sign up for these events.

Communication is a vital part of boarding and in many ways recently, I have been reminded of how powerful simple communication can be….

• A parent who takes the time to give positive feedback on the new menu and food options within the dining hall, followed by a thank you
• An email from a new parent whose son is having trouble settling into boarding life and asking for tips…. and the House Rep and my reply
• Those ever important phone calls from our boys to hear all about their day
• An email to a Head of House, and hence the positive flow on effects of communication that travelled throughout TGS boarding staff, leadership team, teachers and coaches to put support networks around your son if need be during a difficult time
• The message in my Mother’s Day cards from my children – enough to bring a tear of happiness to my eye
• Or a simple text to, or from, a friend just checking in to see all is ok

While some of the above are personal and some are boarding related, they all reinforce to me how important good communication is. This is one aspect that our boarding staff do really well and I would like to take the time to thank all of our Boarding Heads of House and staff for their very open and honest lines of communication and the efficiency that messages are spread across the wider School community in the best interest of our boys.

It’s sometimes a very tough gig being a boarding parent and very satisfying to know that when the chips are down (and we aren’t always able to be there) that these staff members have our boys' backs! I am quite confident to say that our boarding staff are amongst the best.

That in mind, if you have any queries or suggestions regarding boarding, you are most welcome to contact your Boarder Rep or me and we will help direct you to the appropriate staff contact. Please know that your comments, opinions and suggestions are valued and that if something is concerning you, or you are simply unsure of something, there is always a solution if we communicate. All of your correspondence and ideas are respected and will be treated confidentially.

Please note the change of date for the next BPSG Meeting. Tuesday, 14 June, 7:00pm in the Old Hall. A Notice of Meeting and agenda will be circulated prior. A link will also be emailed for you to join the meeting via Teams. I encourage you to email any input to your House Representative to be included in the agenda. Everyone is most welcome to attend as the meetings are very relaxed and offer a great chance to meet other boarding parents and hear directly from TGS Executive staff members.

A reminder that our Boarder Mothers’ Luncheon is on Friday, 19 August in Term 3. Please note this on your busy calendars. This will be a great opportunity, in an informal atmosphere, to get to know mothers from your House and others. You will be given plenty of notice for this occasion in Term 3.

Keep the communication lines open and I am always available to any boarder parents - kymwright@aussiebb.com.au and 0438 489 170.

Kind regards,

Kym Wright
President, Boarder Parents’ Support Group

Please add the following dates to your diary:-

14/06/22 BPSG Meeting 7:00pm, Old Hall

19/08/22 Boarder Mother’s Lunch

04/10/22 Boarders’ Appreciation Night

Are you the next Hugh Jackman?

Or do you just love to sing and entertain for the fun of it?

We're calling on all our talented Senior School singers to enter now: https://bit.ly/3MO9YjV

Come and join us - Friday, 10 June 6:30pm, Empire Theatre Church

Supporters of The Arts (SOTA) is running a cake stall at the TGS Open Day this Saturday, 28 May and we need you help in 3 ways:

• bake or make cakes, slices, biscuits, brownies, chocolate crackles, honey joys, mini tarts, jelly cups, donuts, quiches, jams, chutneys etc. Gluten-free and dairy-free treats are welcome.

• slice and package 8-10am Saturday in the Old Hall Kitchen

• sell the goodies (set up stall from 10am to start selling at 10.30am)

Please see the volunteer sign-up below for details:
bit.ly/SOTABakeSale

If you’re baking/making, please read this guide. A few other things:

• please do not use any nuts in your cooking, including almond meal

• include a list of ingredients in your baking as we will need to have them available if anyone asks

• send in slices and large cake whole as we will package everything and sell for $5

• name your containers so they can be returned or package in takeaway containers

• if you’re able to help package on Saturday morning, bring a cutting board and sharp knife.

Any questions? Call/text SOTA President Linda Lester on 0437 357 771.

Join SOTA’s Facebook group to stay up to date: https://www.facebook.com/groups/252391559656593/

The School is committed to ensuring the safety and wellbeing of all children and young people at the School and is dedicated to protecting them from harm. At Toowoomba Grammar School we have zero tolerance for child abuse. Our child protection responsibilities are of the utmost importance for the School and, as such, the School is committed to providing the necessary resources to ensure compliance with all relevant child protection laws and regulations, and to maintain a safe and supportive School environment for all children and young people. As part of our commitment to child protection, safety and wellbeing, Toowoomba Grammar School has appointed a number of Child Protection Contact Officers as honest, mature, ethical and experienced members of the School community who can deal with sensitive issues relating to child protection and safety. Our Child Protection Contact Officers are available to report any concerns or answer any questions that you may have with respect to our Child Protection Program.

Our Child Protection Contact Officers are:

Brendan Baulch – Chairman of the Board of Trustees
John Kinniburgh – Headmaster
John Anderson – Deputy Headmaster
Mark Oliphant – Head of Senior School
David Hine – Head of Junior School (Acting)

TGS has two new Facebook pages to help showcase all the wonderful things happening in our Boarding and our Sport and Activities programs.

We invite you to like and follow these pages. Here are the links:

https://www.facebook.com/ToowoombaGrammarSchoolSportAndActivities

https://www.facebook.com/ToowoombaGrammarSchoolBoarding

Toowoomba Regional Council advises that stormwater drainage construction works will be carried out at the intersection of Suffolk and Ipswich streets from Monday, 9 May 2022. The works will involve modifying the existing stormwater drainage on the north-eastern side of the intersection.

Due to the dangers associated with trenching and the equipment needed to do the works, there will be a temporary road closure during work hours to traffic in Suffolk Street between Herries and Ipswich streets.

The works are expected to be completed in one week, weather permitting.

Council apologises for any inconvenience and thanks you for your co-operation and patience during these works.

Our year to date has been most frantic. Our Association continues to work closely with the School as we seek to support our objectives together.

An example of this has been the recent approach to the Association from Mr David Enfantie, the Head of Sport – Rugby. The approach has been about identifying Old Boys to become involved in the Rugby Program. He has spoken to us about an idea to engage Old Boys with the School’s rugby teams. The plan is to have an Old Boy assigned to a specific age group.

Peter Cook (68-72) has been engaged to look after the Open’s age group and David is now looking for about another five Old Boys to help with the other ages.

The expectation would be to attend at least one training session per week (two if possible) during Term 3, attend home games and away games (if possible). The School will provide a school rugby polo shirt and cap.

David would love to have Old Boys who:

• Have a passion for the School and the ability to relay this passion to the current boys. While the program uses rugby as a vehicle, the real tasks are to create proud Toowoomba Grammar Old Boys when they leave our school.
• Get to know the current students, learn their names, and build connections.
• Ensure that all boys in the age group are equally important, 1^st XV or A players are treated the same as 5^th XV or D players.

At the same time, there are a few things not associated with this:

• It’s not a coaching role. If there are any Old Boys wanting to coach, he is most happy to hear from you and a team will be assigned for you.
• It’s not about telling the current students about how good or tough it was back in the “old days”.
• Old Boys with a son or grandson in an age group would not be assigned to that age group.

It is envisaged that this Old Boy contact and interaction will be hugely beneficial for the boys, and it as a great opportunity to engage some wonderful Old Boys who would just love to be part of the rugby program.

No title or identity has been established for these roles as yet. David is thinking along the lines of “TGS Rugby Ambassador” but is welcoming any suggestions.

David is now ready to start locking things in to place for the season ahead. If you would be interested in being involved or know of someone who would do this “TGS Rugby Ambassador” well, please contact me and I will put you in touch with David or contact David directly D.Enfantie@twgs.qld.edu.au

Mark Creedon (1973-77)
TGSOBA President

Coinciding with the Grammar/Downlands Weekend - Saturday, 6 August - the Old Boys' Association hosts reunions for Old Boys most specifically from cohorts in multiples of ten years. This year we feature reunion events for boys who were in Year 12 or would have finished in Year 12 in 2012, 2002, 1992, 1982, 1972,1962, 1952, 1942. Thank you to the following Old Boys for coordination of their year groups.

In terms of organisation, we are still confronted with the challenge of providing a format that caters for all Old Boys who attend the weekend events. It is evident that our younger reunion groups look to just enjoy time together to catch up and are not in need of formality. Our more senior reunion groups seek some formality.

This year, we will continue with the Friday Evening Welcome Function looking to welcome Old Boys from any years, with Saturday evening being for the 10-year reunion groups. The 10/20/30 year groups will maintain the stand up and catch-up format. Our 40/50s and older groups have opted for a few more formalities, most likely with a dinner focus.

Sunday, we host morning tea for Old Boys and families and the highly anticipated School tours.

We look to do what we can to support your return, so please keep in contact and we will do what we can to help. If you have ideas on what might work for your cohort, please let your Year Coordinator or me know.

Mark Creedon (1973-77)

President, TGSOBA

Sunshine Coast organisers have locked in their annual lunch for Saturday, 22 October, this year at Post Office Bar. This is the same venue as the last two years at Maroochydore and is owned by Old Boy (1976-81) John Calcino.

A guest speaker is currently being sought.

You may like to lock in the date with further information, when available, to be sent out regarding registrations and cost.

Details of this year’s convenors follow and I am sure they would welcome contact from any Old Boys: