THE BLUE AND GOLD - Friday, 10 June 2022

Whilst it's been a chilly end to the term, the weather has not impacted the School’s operations nor the numerous activities that have taken place. Overall, we have had a positive end to Term 1 despite the challenges of influenza, which has been a consistent risk in over the last few months. Irrespective of the circumstances, the boys have finished the term well and we look forward to an excellent final week that will conclude with a full round of football and tennis fixtures with Gregory Terrace next Friday, 18 June 2022.

As I reflect on the term past, there have been several noteworthy events and achievements that have taken place. The beginning of this term saw publication of our Strategic Plan 2022 – 2026 and I thank families for their positive feedback about the final plan. The School’s executive team is now focussed on implementing the Plan’s initiatives and we look forward to sharing progress with you. Keep an eye on our new TGS Blog and forthcoming editions of The Blue and Gold for articles that will focus on the five pillars of character and wellbeing, teaching and learning, people, community engagement and stewardship.

TGS hosted the Toowoomba Chamber of Commerce’s Business@Dusk networking event in May. This was an excellent opportunity for us to showcase TGS to the close to 200 attendees and we discussed the future of education and its impact on the Darling Downs region, how TGS connects students with local businesses, and how our School provides multiple pathways and opportunities for the boys. It was great to have many TGS Old Boys in the audience.

We have also celebrated ANZAC Day, National Boarding Week and National Reconciliation Week. Honouring our Old Boys who have served in the military, showcasing TGS boarding and embracing our Indigenous culture are vitally important to our TGS community and it has been a privilege to be involved in these celebrations this term.

Congratulations to our music and drama students for their outstanding results at the recent Toowoomba Choral Eisteddfod. Our results saw TGS become Toowoomba’s most successful drama school, a wonderful achievement for boys and their teachers.

TGS has been on tour again throughout Term 2, visiting Goondiwindi, St George, Condamine, Taroom, FarmFest, Augathella and Blackall, where we also attended the Isolated Children’s Parents’ Association Queensland conference. These tours are an excellent opportunity to visit past and present families, meet new families and catch up with Old Boys. The Term 2 holidays will see us on the road to Roma, Katherine and Darwin.

Deputy Headmaster, Mr John Anderson, will be on long service leave for Term 3 and we wish he and Veronique all the best for safe travels. Head of Senior School, Mr Mark Oliphant, will be Acting Deputy Headmaster and we will announce details of the arrangements for Acting Head of Senior School in due course.

I wish our TGS community a very safe and restful winter holiday break and I look forward to seeing everyone in Term 3.

Dr John C Kinniburgh
Headmaster

Staff Appointment
I am pleased to announce the appointment of Mr Ron Robinson to the position of Director of Information Technology. For the past five years Ron has held the role of Manager ICT with St Andrew’s Toowoomba Hospital where he has been responsible for redefining and developing technology practices, including ISO Aligned ICT Risk and Governance across the organisation. Ron has 20 + years’ experience in ICT with NFP Health and Allied Health sectors, Higher Education, Government (Federal and Local), ASX listed Oil and Gas, Mining/Concrete industries. Ron holds an MBA from the University of South Australia and will commence with TGS on Monday, 18 July 2022 (Term 3, Week 2). This appointment follows the resignation of Mr Jayson Mullins earlier this year.

Staff Leave
Our Deputy Headmaster, Mr John Anderson, will be taking long service leave for the duration of Term 3 and Mr Mark Oliphant has been appointed to the position of Acting Deputy Headmaster during this period. Members of the teaching staff were invited to apply for the position of Acting Head of Senior School and I look forward to making this announcement shortly. We wish John and his wife, Véronique, a very well-deserved break in Term 3.

Our Student Officer, Mr Matthew Harrison, has requested to move part-time from the commencement of Term 3 for a period of 12 months to enable him to undertake study. I am pleased to advise Mr Jacob Zupp has been appointed to the .5FTE position of Student Officer and will work in a job share arrangement with Matthew throughout the 12 months, with Jacob working Monday – Wednesday and Matthew working Thursday – Saturday. Some staff and students will already know Jacob as he has been a TGS Basketball Coach since 2019 involved with GPS and Friday night competition and is currently a Resident Supervisor in Mackintosh boarding house. Jacob holds a Bachelor of Sport and Exercise Science from USQ and we will welcome him to the School as part-time Student Officer on Monday, 11 July 2022.

Other members of staff on leave will be Senior School Teacher of English, Mrs Jackie Gallagher and Senior School Teacher of Modern History, Mr Douglas Michael, Full-time Boarding Supervisor, Mr David Tranberg (Term 3), Senior School Teacher of Science and Mathematics, Mr Jake Platen (Semester 2) and Senior School Teacher of English Mrs Lisa Purves (maternity leave duration of 2022 - September 2023).

Staff Achievement
I am delighted to inform staff that Senior School Techer of Mathematics and Business Studies, Mr Thomas Schmierer, has had a very complex, technical paper published in a Q1 journal (Health Information Science and Systems). Thomas' research thesis for his Master of Science (with a major in Applied Data Science) at USQ was in the development of machine learning algorithms for determining the depth of anaesthesia in patients during surgery based on real time Electroencephalography signal (potential difference due to brain activity). Staff can find Thomas' published research at A novel empirical wavelet SODP and spectral entropy based index for assessing the depth of anaesthesia | SpringerLink. Congratulations Thomas!

Baby News!
Senior School Teacher of Modern History, Mr Douglas Michael, and his wife, Kaitlyn, welcomed the arrival of Mina Peggy Michael (named after her Great Grandmothers Palmina and Peggy) on Thursday, 9 June 2022. Mum and bub are very well and brother, Franklin, was most excited to meet his younger sister. Congratulations to the Michael family!

Parent Teacher meetings provide an excellent opportunity for you to catch up with your son’s teachers and ask questions about his progress. Meetings will be held “in person” with teachers.

The meetings can be booked online through the Parent Lounge. The Parent Lounge will be open to commence booking meetings at 8:00am on Wednesday, 15 June and will close at 4:00pm on Sunday, 10 July.

The meeting details are as follows:

Term 3 Meetings - Years 7 to 12

Monday, 11 July

Hugh Rose Classrooms Times

• 1:30pm – 3:30pm
• 5:00pm - 7:00pm

How to Book Parent-Teacher Meetings

Meetings with subject teachers can be made through the Parent Lounge. Please note the following with regards to the booking system:

• Once you have logged in to the Parent Lounge the link to booking Parent Teacher Interviews is located on the left-hand menu. Follow the links to book meetings with the teachers you wish to meet with.
• A printout of your meetings cannot be made until the booking system has been closed to allow for possible changes to teacher availability. This will occur at 4.00pm on Sunday, 10 July 2022. If you wish to print your interview bookings prior to the closing date, please take a screen clipping. After the booking system has been closed, an option for printing your bookings will become available through the interview booking system.
• All meetings need to be made prior to 4.00pm on Sunday, 10 July 2022.

The 2022 School Calendar indicates that there is also a session from 11am until 12.30pm. Due to a guest presenter at the staff Professional development session that morning, we are unable to offer that session. If you do have any concerns or issues with making interview bookings, please do not hesitate to call the Student Services Office on 4687 2653.

As we count down to school holidays, most students and their families are excited by the anticipation of slowing down and having a rest. For most students, the school holidays are a time to unwind and recuperate after a busy term. For others, the school holidays can be a stressful and lonely time away from their peers and support networks. Some students also struggle with feelings of isolation, worry and self-doubt stemming from the overthinking that occurs when taken away from routine, structure and daily contact with their friends. In support of the wellbeing of all TGS students over the coming holidays, the following resources might be beneficial:

eHeadspace: A range of personalised services, information and support for young people aged 12 to 25 years. Open 9:00am – 1:00am (Melbourne time) 7 days a week for a 1-on-1 chat with a trained clinician. A confidential, free and a safe space to talk about what’s going on.

Online & phone support | headspace 1800 650 890

Kids Helpline: Phone and online support and information for young people of all ages. 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.

Kids Helpline | Phone Counselling Service | 1800 55 1800

Beyond Blue: Phone and online support and information for young people and adults. 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.

Helpful contacts and websites for young people - Beyond Blue 1300 22 4636

Reach Out: Online information and forums to provide supportive, safe and anonymous space where young people can talk openly, with like minded people.

Welcome to ReachOut.com | ReachOut Australia

Bite Back: is a free, self-guided online wellbeing and resilience program for young people aged 13–16 years old.

BITE BACK

Brave Program: is an interactive, online program for the prevention and treatment of anxiety. The program is free and provide ways for children and teenagers to better cope with their worries.

Login | BRAVE Self-Help Program (uq.edu.au)

MoodGYM: is a free, fun, interactive program helps young people identify and overcome problem emotions and shows them how to develop helpful coping skills for the future.

moodgym - Interactive skills training for depression and anxiety

As always, if the TGS Counselling Team can provide any further support, please don’t hesitate to contact us directly on 46872 627.

Wishing you a safe and relaxing holiday period.

Warm regards,

Miss Jen Johnson-Saul
School Counsellor

Lately, I have stumbled across a few podcasts and articles discussing the idea of a “healthy reading diet”, the idea being, that, in much the same way as we maintain a healthy balance of foods to keep ourselves properly nourished; we should also read from a balanced, healthy selection of texts, to keep healthy mentally, for learning and enjoyment.

To break it down further, we should select our choices from a variety of sources, and make sure that there is a healthy balance.

We’ll start with Veggies. Veggies are non fiction, things that are factual and true, that could be a biography, a sports book or any book about real events or items.

Next we have our Carbs, the stories, just as carbs give us energy, stories can be energizing; they are an element that we need in our daily lives, most people will engage with a well told story, whether it is an epic tale of adventure or simply what happened on the weekend, tell it well, and you’ll have an audience.

Meat (or meat substitutes) give us substance. Here I’d like to insert works of literature that are more substantial than non fiction and stories, though they may also fit into those categories. These are the great works of literature and great works of philosophy. Enduring classics that have stood the test of time, shaped our culture and changed the way we think about the world around us.

Time for some Snacks! In this category I’d place magazines, internet articles, newspapers and blogs. Bite sized and digestible, these are the texts you can engage with in a short period of time, or just tot top up your reading energy.

Discretionary dietary additions. These are not required for a healthy diet, but sometimes we may wish to give ourselves a small treat, a break from all the big stuff, maybe a palette cleanser, maybe a splurge….. can be included, just not all the time.

Pulp fiction (not the movie), cheesy, easy-to-read books, comics and kids books. You may even stretch this section to include a movie adaptation (just read the book first).

So cast an eye over your reading habits, how’s your diet looking? Perhaps if there is a gap, try and fill it. Remember reading should be fun and engaging, don’t force it, there are a lot of books out there. I am positive you can find something you will enjoy in each of these categories.

Good luck and good reading,

Dan Crook
Head of Library and Information services

Our rugby medical team is looking for some volunteers to assist at rugby home games in Term 3.

We have four home games this season and it's important to have a doctor to help with our first aid response to ensure the best care of all our rugby players. We ask for just four hours of your time to help our physios, first aiders and TGS nurses with injury assessment. It's a great way to meet other medical professionals while supporting our rugby teams. Skills highly sought after are trauma, ENT, emergency, general practitioner and orthopaedics. We'll provide you with food and drinks in return!

If you or any colleagues are interested please contact Sharon Morgan at the TGS Health Centre on 46872504.

Thank you from the Health Centre

Recently the Board of Trustees approved changes to the School’s Child Protection, Student Behaviour and Complaints Handling Policies. Shortly an email will be sent to families with more details on these changes and links to the updated policies. Please keep a look out for this email from the Deputy Headmaster.

The School is also in the final stages of updating its Conditions of Enrolment, which will include the introduction of a Parent and Guardian Code of Conduct. Further information on this will be provided to families in Term 3.

The School provides an opportunity each year for students to make their Confirmation if they would like to. The Confirmation Service is scheduled for Sunday, 4 September 2022 to be held at St Luke’s Church, Ruthven Street, Toowoomba.

In order to prepare for Confirmation, a number of preparation classes will be held at the School in Old Hall on consecutive Monday evenings from 5:30pm to 6:30pm commencing Monday, 18 July with the last class being held on Monday, 22 August 2022. The course will be instructed by the Reverend Canon Paul Mitchell from St Luke’s Church.

Should you wish your son to be involved (Year 10 and above), please contact the Deputy Headmaster’s Secretary, Mrs Helen Hemmings, on (07) 4687 2503 or email at deputyhead@twgs.qld.edu.au by Monday, 13 June 2022.

It has certainly been another busy and productive two weeks, with the boys actively involved in the learning, cultural and sporting life of the Junior School. Over the past fortnight we have had:

• All the boys from Prep to Year 6 involved in a meaningful activity to celebrate National Reconciliation Week. The boys have each made a ‘scratch boomerang’ with their understanding of what reconciliation means. These scratch boomerangs will be displayed at the entrance to the Junior School in the coming weeks;

• Hosting a number of new boys on ‘Grammar Boy for a Day’ on Tuesday, 31 May. It has been pleasing to note a number of families have now decided to enrol their boys at Toowoomba Grammar School, following their son’s experience in the School on that day;

• Our boys’ success in the recently held Independent Primary School Heads of Australia (IPSHA) Chess competition;

• The very enjoyable Junior School Singer’s Trophy held last Thursday evening;

• The very pleasing behaviour of our Year 6 boys at the social held last Friday evening with the Year 6 girls from Fairholme College and The Glennie School;

• Our Year 4 boys attended a Mathematics Day with the Year 4 girls from Fairholme College and The Glennie School. It was rewarding to hear of the excellent behaviour of our boys at this event;

• All families making a generous donation to the Royal Flying Doctor Service this week; and

• Boys in the Tribe Choir singing in a massed choir at the Empire Theatre on Tuesday evening, which was a wonderful experience for the boys.

Delayed Gratification

Following on from last fortnight’s article, I would like to share a helpful hint for parents to use for a child as they move through life. Research clearly tells us of the benefits of teaching children the concept of ‘delayed gratification’.

An experiment conducted some years ago placed children in a room and recorded how quickly they sought gratification from chocolate cookies. Researchers noted the time each seven year old child took the cookies from the cookie jar during the experiment and then tracked these children at 14 years of age, 21 years of age, 28 years of age and 35 years of age. What they discovered is that the children who took the cookies last generally had the best social and emotional intelligence as adults. These were the children who grew up to be the adults who coped with life the best and had the greatest resilience.

Children need to learn about the importance of waiting and going without, in a world dominated by material possessions and immediate gratification. There is no doubt that the child who learns the skill of regularly accepting delayed gratification is much better prepared for the world beyond. The research also clearly showed the benefits of teaching this skill at an early age. The child becomes much less egocentric and more attuned to the needs and wants of others.

This skill can be taught in subtle little ways such as making a child wait when they want to interrupt a conversation between their parents or a sibling, telling them they can’t go to the movies this weekend but must wait for a future date, or letting them know that a parent is busy and will attend to their request in due course. The examples are endless, and all go to help grow the social and emotional intelligence of a child and help prepare them for adulthood.

Junior School Environment

It was especially pleasing for us to receive the following email from the Head of Grounds at Toowoomba Grammar School a couple of weeks ago:

Hi David

On behalf of the Grounds Staff, I would like to thank the boys and staff for minimising the amount of rubbish which needs to be picked up within the Junior School. We have been struggling with the amount of rubbish which has been left on the ground, which the grounds staff need to pick up. It sounds small but the extra work just makes the day busier and places extra pressure on everyone. The grounds are now the best in the Junior School we have seen them and there is no real extra rubbish to pick up now.

Pleasingly, this email highlights the respect the boys have shown for our Junior School property and for each other as members of the School community.

Thank You

Thank you to the parents who attended the morning tea with me last Friday. It was a most enjoyable way to meet a number of parents in our School community, and I look forward to hosting another morning tea next term.

My sincere gratitude to all parents for actively supporting their son’s involvement in Junior School activities during Term 2. Whether it be attending music or sporting events, assisting with their son’s learning at home, helping out teachers in the classroom, attending assemblies, or meeting with teachers, it is very much appreciated by the staff. I trust all families have an enjoyable and relaxing mid-year break and we look forward to welcoming the boys back to School on Tuesday, 12 July 2022.

Australian Curriculum, Assessment and Reporting Authority (ACARA)

ACARA, which administers the annual NAPLAN testing, requires schools in Australia to report to parents on four occasions during the academic year. This can either be by a written report or a face-to-face interview.

At Toowoomba Grammar School we have agreed to report to parents as follows:

Term 1 Parent/Teacher Interview

Term 2 Written Report

Term 3 Parent/Teacher Interview

Term 4 Written Report

Term 2 Reports will be available on the Parent Lounge in the first week of the school holidays, on the same day as the Senior School reports.

David Hine
Acting Head of Junior School

Readers' Cup is a school-based reading competition for boys in Years 4 to 6. It is a competition that rewards students who enjoy and are good at reading. Just as students who are good at sport receive rewards, good readers should receive prizes, medals and trophies for competing in reading.

Team challenge: Teams of students from each class read five books and then compete with other teams to answer quiz questions from the books. Each class will have a winning team.

Individual challenge: Each boy reads all five books and then competes with other boys from their year level to answer quiz questions from the books. Each year level will have a champion reader. Boys are placed from 1^st to 3^rd in this competition.

When the boys have finished a Readers' Cup book, they sit for a quiz and if they get 70%, they are awarded a badge which entitles them to a hot chocolate and chocolate. The boys love doing the quizzes and some days we are swamped in the library giving out quizzes and making hot chocolates.

Year 5 have all completed their team competitions. Years 4 and 6 will have their competitions in Week 9.

Congratulations to the following boys for being the top four readers in Year 6.

1^st: Avaneesh Pai

2^nd: Ethan Shepherd

3^rd: Charlie Pollock

4^th: Amza Fleming

The boys are currently preparing to represent the School at the Darling Downs Regional Readers' Cup on 14 June. The Regional Readers' Cup is organised by the QLD branch of the Children's Book Council of Australia and it is a state-wide competition for young readers. Teams of four students read a set of books and then compete with other teams to answer quiz questions from the books. Winners from regional competitions then compete in a state final.

We wish Avaneesh, Ethan, Charlie and Amza the best of luck!

Michelle Worthington
Junior School Librarian

TGS Junior School boys continue to display great sportsmanship and effort on the fields and courts. Congratulations, boys on being fine ambassadors for your school.

Sport Captains

Congratulations to the following boys who have been chosen as Junior School Captains of their respective sports.

Cross Country – Ethan Thompson

Tennis – Hugo Kues-Sales

Football – Iskcon Gyawali

Cross Country

The Darling Downs Cross Country Championships were held recently at Kearney’s Spring in Toowoomba. In tough conditions, with the course boggy underfoot, the TGS boys battled hard. All TGS boys ran well with Charlie Barwick being selected in the Darling Downs team. Congratulations, Charlie.

Athletics

The Interschool House Athletics Carnival will be held on Wednesday, 15 June on Old Boys’ Memorial Oval. The Under 9-12 boys participated in the pre-run 800m event on Old Boys’ Memorial Oval on Wednesday, 8 June. We are looking forward to a day full of effort, House spirit and sportsmanship.

Tennis Championships

The Junior School Tennis Championships have been taking place over the last couple of weeks. First round matches were held on 27 May with semi-finals and the final being held on June 3. Brock Farrell, James Statton, Aarush Sharma and Hugo Kues-Sales were the four boys who headed into the final rounds. The finals were tight, but James Statton won this year’s Championship with Aarush Sharma being the runner-up.

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).

Brendan Doherty
Sportsmaster

Singers’ Trophy

The Junior School Singers’ Trophy was held on Thursday, 2 June in Old Hall. This adjudicated competition has been held annually since 1997 and is open to all boys from Years 2 to 6. Congratulations to all the boys who performed on the evening. Our adjudicator, Mrs Elizabeth Egan awarded the following prizes:

1^st – Jack Elmes

2^nd – Suhaan Chowdhury

3^rd – Ruhan Bulchandani

Sing Out 2022

All boys in Tribe were involved in Sing Out on Tuesday, 7 June. Sing Out was an all-day choral extravaganza involving up to 550 students from across the Toowoomba area. Tribe boys performed an individual item as part of the evening concert, as well as being involved with the massed choir under the direction of guest conductor Mr Paul Holley.

Toowoomba Eisteddfod – instrumental sections

All boys who are currently involved in an instrumental ensemble will be participating in the Toowoomba Eisteddfod next term. Could you please ensure your son is spending some of his scheduled practice time rehearsing his ensemble repertoire. A letter will be sent home with all details once the Eisteddfod schedule is released.

Student Free Day – extra ensemble rehearsals

There are some extra rehearsals scheduled on Monday, 11 July to ensure our ensembles are ready for the Eisteddfod. A note with all details has been sent home to relevant families. Please see the rehearsal times below.

Kellie Dixon
Head of Junior School Music

The Junior School Supporters' Group needs your help! We have a wonderful parent body that is always ready to volunteer at any event. But we need more Committee members. Two positions will need to be filled at our AGM in November.

If you are not able to commit for the whole year but would still like to be involved there is another option: the Committee currently organises the Mother’s Day and Father’s Day stalls, and there is a separate convenor for these events. The role involves sourcing and purchasing the stock, as well as running the stall.

If you are interested or have any questions, please contact JSSG President, Bliss Bierhoff. There is plenty of time to dip your toe in the water before committing in November.

Bliss Bierhoff
President, JSSG

b.bierhoff@twgs.qld.edu.au

As we approach the end of yet another term, TGS Army Cadets have once again shown they can adapt and overcome challenges and have demonstrated their resilience throughout.

TGS Army Cadets were honoured to be included in the TGS Open Day on Saturday, 28 May. Staff spoke to many interested parents and enjoyed reminiscing with former Cadet Under Officer Ryan Cooling (2004) about his time in the TGSACU. We look forward to welcoming new families to the TGS Army Cadets in the future, thank you for visiting us.

Last night, the TGS Army Cadet Unit held their annual photographs and Dining In Night at the TGS Pavilion. The photographs were taken in Old Hall with all the cadets looking their best, dressed in ceremonial attire. These photographs will be available to purchase in Term 3. After photos, the cadets moved on to the Jacaranda Room for the Annual Dining In Night, a look at the traditions and customs of a Military Ceremonial dinner. The cadets were exposed to various ceremonial customs such as toasts, speeches, and the passing of the “port”. The night was thoroughly enjoyed by everyone and a huge thanks must be given to Chartwells for providing the dinner and to our wonderful Corporals who assisted with the serving and running the kitchen, we could not have done it without you.

Our attention now turns to the five Corporals who are due to set off on their Sergeant’s course at Kokoda Barracks, Canungra later this month. During this course they will be instructed in leadership, drill, lesson instruction, and advanced field skills. We wish them all the best and we know that they will do us proud.

The past two weeks have drawn us against BBC and BGS. This is the most difficult tennis fortnight in the GPS season.

The indigenous round match up against BBC was a 'welcome back' to tennis for our teams and their skill was put to the test against very tough opposition. TGS managed to win four of the 27 matches and our 10B team kept their undefeated record alive with a closely fought win. The highlight of the day was an exciting win for the 1st IV in one of the closest contests possible. The win came down to the final point of the day, when the TGS boys secured the final match tiebreak. The boys should be proud of breaking a 20+ year losing streak against the BBC 1sts!

After this difficult assignment, it didn’t get any easier against BGS, and the TGS tennis boys managed to win seven of the 22 matches. Unfortunately, the undefeated record of the 10Bs came to an end with a narrow three-game loss.

Congratulations to all boys on their efforts and patience during this rain affected season. We look forward to our next two matches against BSHS and GT.

An awesome day out for the TGS Mountain Bike team at the Rocky Trail Entertainment Academy Schools MTB race last Friday. The trails at Mount Peel were in amazing condition and gave opportunity for really fast times. The TGS students performed exceptionally well across the day and most importantly had smiles on their faces.

Special mention goes to Nate Ryals for placing 3rd in his age group... just sensational!

The team is looking forward to the next event in Term 3 at Nerang.

TGS Basketball Camp

• Saturday, 18 June to Monday, 20 June - TGS Basketball All-In Camp. The goal for this camp is to prepare our entire basketball cohort for the upcoming GPS competition, and to provide an opportunity for the boys to develop their skills ahead of Term 3. All players are strongly encouraged to attend the camp so that they maximise their skill acquisition and development ahead of future team selection. Further information can be found in Parent Lounge.
• Saturday, 9 July to Monday, 11 July - TGS Basketball A Squad Camp. Selected players will be notified by their coaches.

TGS Chess Camp

Tuesday, 21 June to Thursday, 23 June - The goal for the TGS Chess Camp is to help refine the play of our Chess players prior to the GPS competition. We're excited to welcome Gary Lane, International Master and Australian representative at the Chess Olympiads, back to the School for this year's camp. Gary Lane, with the support of the TGS Chess coaching team, will be running an extensive training program over the course of the three days. Further information can be found in Parent Lounge and on the TGS website here.

TGS Rugby Camp

• Camp 1 (live-in) - for selected 1st XV, 2nd XV and ‘A’ Development Squads from Wednesday, 7 July to Saturday, 9 July (specific dates may vary depending on age group). Selected players will be notified by their coaches.
• Camp 2 (day camp) - All rugby players not in 1st XV, 2nd XV, and ‘A’ Development Squads are required to attend a compulsory day-only camp on Sunday, 10 July from 9:00am – 12:00pm for the final ‘Confidence in Contact’ session (if required) and Round 2 Internal Trials for team selection before GPS Round 1 fixtures.

Mike Mulvey Football Camp

Monday, 4 July to Wednesday, 6 July - are you keen to learn and improve your football skills and technique in three days? The Mike Mulvey Football Coaching Masterclass has been designed around the following:

• Learn the ‘habits’ that the best players in the world practice every day
• Learn about balance, proprioception, movement
• Every young player deserves the opportunity to maximise their potential
• Learn how to dribble, pass and move
• Learn, and have fun

*Please note, this camp is open to non-TGS students, boys and girls aged 5-8 and 11-14 so tell your friends.

For further information, and to register, please email michaelmulvey2009@hotmail.com.

The date is locked in - the 2022 High School Campdraft Percentile Cup will be run from 7-9 October 2022 at the Dalby Showgrounds.

TGS competed in the High School Campdraft Percentile Cup in 2018, 2019 and 2021, with 2020 not taking place due to COVID-19. In 2019, we placed 2nd against over 30 schools, and in 2021 the TGS Campdraft Team placed 5th overall out of 34 teams, with only three points separating 1st to 5th. In 2022, we also placed in the top three teams for conduct and sportsmanship over the three days..

If you're interested in representing TGS in Campdraft, please contact Ms Richter in the Sport and Activities Office, k.richter@twgs.qld.edu.au or 4687 2529.

Our boarding community coming together and enjoying all that boarding has to offer was the highlight of Term 2.

The first of these experiences was the final two days of the Easter holidays when our Boarder Orientation Experience was held. I am sure all of our boarding parents look back upon this time of meeting other parents and their sons that have become their friends, with fondness. This was followed by our start of term BBQ and drinks for parents as they dropped off their sons on the Monday afternoon. We have also had a number of House dinners for families, along with the Year 12 mother and son events. In recent years, we have been deprived of the opportunities for informal get togethers and I am really pleased to be able to offer this again at the start of Term 3.

The dire weather that severely impacted the cocurricular program gave the opportunity for some different weekend activities such as bridge building and painting competitions. The boarders were able to make the most of it and have fun, enjoying their time in-house.

We were also privileged to have a number of boarders address assembly during National Boarding Week. Their speeches covered a range of topics from travelling to school and recognising the efforts of our support staff, to acknowledging the friendships and camaraderie that is implicit in our boarding program.

The final aspect I wish to recognise is the families that have made the effort to attend our various TGS on Tour events. I have really enjoyed getting to know you and to understand the unique context of all our families.

I hope you enjoy the final week of term and have a safe and happy holiday.

Warm regards,

Mr Nick Byron
Director of Boarding

BOARDER PARENTS SUPPORTERS' GROUP

NOTICE OF MEETING

Tuesday, 14 June at 7:00 pm in Old Hall

All boarding parents and carers are welcome.

Please contact Kym Wright on 0438 489 170 or via email kymwright@aussiebb.com.au if you have anything you would like added to the agenda.

** An email with the Teams link will be sent out the day of the meeting for those parents unable to attend in person. **

We'd like to remind our TGS families and friends to please take care and drive slowly within the School grounds. Always watch for pedestrians. Follow all normal road rules. Please do not drive around the speed bumps.

Thank you for helping keep our children safe.

Monday, 4 July to Wednesday, 6 July - are you keen to learn and improve your football skills and technique in three days? We have just the camp for you! The Mike Mulvey Football Coaching Masterclass has been designed around the following:

• Learn the ‘habits’ that the best players in the world practice every day
• Learn about balance, proprioception, movement
• Every young player deserves the opportunity to maximise their potential
• Learn how to dribble, pass and move
• Learn, and have fun

*Please note, this camp is open to non-TGS students, boys and girls aged 5-8 and 11-14 so tell your friends.

For further information, and to register, please email michaelmulvey2009@hotmail.com.

The Uniform Shop will close for the holidays at 5:00pm on Thursday, 17 June 2022

The Shop will reopen on Monday, 11 July, 8:00am to 5:00pm

Normal term time hours will commence on Tuesday,12 July 2022:

Monday 8:00am to 5:00pm

Tuesday to Friday 1:00pm to 5:00pm.

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)

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: