THE BLUE AND GOLD - Monday, 3 April 2023

Dear TGS Families,

I hope this letter finds you well. As we come to the end of the term, I wanted to take a moment to reflect on the many positive developments that have taken place at the School. Firstly, I would like to commend our students for their hard work and dedication throughout the term. We have seen many achievements, both in and out of the classroom, which have been a testament to their commitment to learning and personal growth.

I wish to acknowledge all staff and students who were involved in the Term 1 GPS sport and activities including Cricket, Volleyball, Swimming and Debating and would like to extend a special congratulations to our 1st XI Cricket and 1st VI Volleyball teams for their second-place finishes in the GPS competition. The dedication and hard work put in by both teams have been nothing short of impressive. I must also acknowledge the tremendous efforts put in by all other teams and programs, with many wonderful highlights and experiences throughout the term.

Week 10 saw all of our boys from Years 7 to 12 engaged in a range of outdoor activities as part of the Outdoor Pursuits, Activities and Camps Week. The activities were designed to challenge and motivate them, help them build resilience and teamwork skills, and also have fun! Year 7 attended an Orientation Camp at Alexandra Headlands, where they participated in various team-building activities and the School's values and culture were again reiterated. Year 8 visited YMCA Lake Warrawee, where they enjoyed outdoor activities like canoeing, kayaking, and archery. Year 9 participated in a Wilderness/Survival Camp at Total Adventures Wilderness Camp, Noosa North Shore (Lake Cootharaba). Year 10 boys had the opportunity to engage in Work Experience, gaining valuable skills and experience in the workforce. Year 11 attended the Leadership Camp at Novotel Twin Waters, where they honed their leadership skills and learned about ethical leadership, responsibility and accountability. Finally, Year 12 remained at TGS and were involved in various activities, including first aid training, defensive driving, university tours, life skills activities, responsible service of alcohol theory, and community service.

Overall, the Outdoor Pursuits, Activities, and Camps Week was a tremendous success, and we are proud of all our boys for their excellent participation and engagement in these activities. We look forward to seeing them apply the skills and knowledge they have learned in the classroom and beyond.

I would like to acknowledge the tireless efforts of our staff who have provided our students with the very best opportunities, both academically and in extracurricular activities. Their dedication to our students is truly admirable, and we are fortunate to have such a talented and committed group of educators.

We have also been privileged to be part of a supportive and connected community. We have come together for various House activities, co-curricular events, presentations, and concerts, as well as parent gatherings this term. Last week, Jo and I had the privilege of attending the 30th Grammar Art Show, which was hosted by the P&F Association. I would like to extend my sincere appreciation to the Art Show Committee, led by Mrs Jodie Humphries, for their tireless efforts in organising the many events which make up the Grammar Art Show. Moving forward, it is crucial that we continue to foster and strengthen these connections in our community and I am deeply appreciative of the numerous staff and parents who generously offer their time to ensure the success of these events.

As we look ahead to the next term, I encourage our students to engage with their learning and co-curricular activities. Every experience, whether in the classroom or outside, provides opportunities for growth and personal development.

In conclusion, I would like to thank you for your ongoing support and commitment to our School community. I wish you all a restful and enjoyable break with your sons and look forward to their return in Term 2.

Dr John C Kinniburgh
Headmaster

At the beginning of the year, the Chairman of the Board of Trustees, Mr Brendan Baulch, advised the Board that he would be retiring from the Board, effective 30 June 2023.

Mr Baulch has been Chairman since 2019. During his tenure, Toowoomba Grammar School has navigated through one of the most challenging times in its history, the pandemic, and has accomplished several significant milestones, including the recruitment of a new Headmaster and the development of a public facing five-year plan that will guide the School towards continued excellence.

We are immensely grateful for the contribution that Mr Baulch has made to the School during his time as Chairman, and we wish him all the best in his future endeavours.

I am pleased to announce that the Board has elected a new Chairman, Mr Barry O’Sullivan, who will take over the role effective 1 July 2023. Mr O’Sullivan is the owner of a property development business and brings a wealth of experience and expertise to the role. We are confident that under his leadership Toowoomba Grammar School will continue to thrive and grow.

Please join me in congratulating Mr O’Sullivan on his appointment as Chairman of the Board of Trustees, and in thanking Mr Baulch for his outstanding service to the School.

Mrs Bronwen Mowbray has been appointed to the position of Head of Department - English and will commence in Term 2, 2023. Bronwen comes to us from Centenary Heights State High School where she has held the position of Head of Faculty: Performing Arts and Head of Year 12 Senior Schooling since January 2020. Previously Bronwen spent January 2013 to December 2014 as Acting Deputy Principal at Tamborine Mountain State High School. From March 2008 to August 2009 Bronwen taught in the Dubai British School, Dubai, UAE. Bronwen is currently undertaking a Master of Arts - Media & Communications with the University of New England and holds a Bachelor of Education with a double major in English/Literature and Film & Media from QUT. We welcome Bronwen to the staff of TGS and wish her all the best in her appointed role.

Ms Janelle Fletcher has accepted the position of House Parent - Corfe, starting in Term 2. Janelle has had a long association with TGS and has been employed as a Music Tutor, teaching Brass, Piano and Voice since 1992. She is well known know to the boys and parents of TGS having been involved with the school for the last 31 years. Janelle is heavily involved with the Empire Theatre as the Chairperson of the Empire Theatre Foundation and the Director of the Empire Theatre Board. She brings with her previous experience in GPS schools setting and a deep love of educating young men. Janelle will be a valuable addition to the Boarding community as a whole and we look forward to her continued contribution to the School in this capacity.

Some of our Toowoomba Grammar School Fijian students performed a breathtaking rendition of the Fiji Hymn - Noqu Masu - to a captivated audience of almost 1,000 boys at the Senior School Assembly to celebrate Harmony Week (March 20-26).

You could have heard a pin drop! Respect and appreciation for cultural diversity at its finest. We hope you enjoy this outstanding performance below.

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

Vocational Education and Training (V.E.T.) plays a central role in preparing young people for work, developing skills, and responding to the labour-market needs of the economy. Toowoomba Grammar School is fortunate to have a wonderful network of Old Boys and a strong connection with local businesses to provide our students with the best career pathway opportunities available. But what about the people behind-the-scenes who pull it altogether? Meet Mrs Marian Rathie, our V.E.T. Coordinator and Careers Assistant and read more here to discover why she says she has "The Best Job in the World" http://bit.ly/3yWyTgj

Spielberg (or Rosenberg) in the making... Discover the inspiring journey of a young filmmaker who went from making "pretty bad" movies with his friends to winning numerous awards at a national and international level and is now making films for private organisations. Find out how he plans to continue pursuing his passion after he graduates in a few short months... http://bit.ly/3zfGsyL

ChatGPT has received a lot of press since the start of the year and for good reason. Being released in November, it attained one million subscribers within five days, the fastest uptake of technology in history. Schools are facing the same challenges as every other industry grappling with this new technology. And while ChatGPT is receiving most of the press, it is just one of the many tools available. Never before has there been such a disruptive influence in education.

There is no doubt that artifical intelligence tools are disruptors, but the language of a disruptor, does not necessarily mean it is negative; just that it is forcing big changes at a rapid rate. At Toowoomba Grammar School we are taking a considered approach. Banning is not a realistic option for such ubiquitous and growing technology. Banning would also go against the basic tenets of a school to prepare students for the world they are likely to encounter once they leave school. This is supported by the Australian Curriculum (V 9), Students adapt to new ways of doing things as technologies evolve and protect the safety of themselves and others in digital environments.

Of course, this technology does raise issues of academic integrity. As a first response, the Academic and Assessment Policy has been updated to reflect that students must acknowledge all sources within their work, including work generated by AI. Failure to do this is plagiarism and will be managed as any other instance of plagiarism. While teachers are reasonably good at detecting work that is not truly representative of the student, catching up to the AI tools with our software, Turnitin, recently announcing their advances in this area. It is noteworthy that the Queensland Curriculum and Assessment Authority has started to look at their response to AI from the perspective of summative assessment in the Senior Years.

Students need to also understand the limitations of the technology. Schools have tested the quality of work generated by ChatGPT against assessment rubrics, and most agree that the quality of work generated by AI does not reflect the higher standard of work able to be generated by a student. The AI tools are not capable of the higher level analysis, critical or creative thinking that higher level students can achieve. Usually, ChatGPT can only achieve a C+ or B-! Other limitations are that ChatGPT will "hallucinate"; make up information that "sounds right" when it does not have the necessary information. It will make up references (which teachers are well aware of and checking) and at the time of writing, its information is not current. ChatGPT is not aware of the war in Ukraine!

The School is looking to AI tools for their potential to support teaching and learning. As teachers explore its potential, we are finding wonderful ways of using the technology to create engaging and "realistic" experiences for the students. We also encourage students to use the tool with integrity to support their learning. Students can generate practice questions for exams, receive feedback on assessment or generate summaries as examples. What it essential is that the human element is never removed. Students need to use their own knowledge to critically evaluate any information generated by AI.

Teachers who have engaged with the technology, have come together to form a focus group who will examine in more detail how we can use AI tools productively to enhance the learning experience. For students, at this point in time, it is probably best for them to check with their teachers as to how AI use within a task would be acceptable to ensure they do not cross the line into breaching academic integrity.

A favourite question I enjoy asking students is, “what are you learning about at the moment?”

Such a simple question, but there’s a lot behind it. You could easily mistake the question for asking what they are doing, but that’s not quite the same. What students are ‘doing’ could be an activity, project or task. What students are learning about invites them to explain the knowledge, concept, skill, or understanding they are acquiring – ‘learning about’ is the generation of knowledge and understanding, ‘doing’ is putting that to work. There is certainly interplay between the two and value for both, but I find it’s a great exercise to ask a student what they are learning about or have learned to get a sense for learning growth.

This is a good prompt for families as we enter the holiday period when we typically have time to reflect back on the term; ask your sons to consider what have been some of the core learnings for them over the past term. What have they enjoyed learning about? Where do they feel they’ve made the most progress? What’s something they would like to learn more about? Reflection takes some practice so don’t be surprised if the responses are a little short at first, it takes some time and follow up questions to get the conversation going, but these are conversations worth having and tremendously valuable over time.

We’ve just enjoyed a very full Term 1. There have been so many wonderful events and activities that I hesitate to list them all for fear of missing one, but I will attempt a quick snapshot. We’ve welcomed our Preps into the School; a charismatic bunch, instantly endearing themselves with everyone they meet. Please see Mrs Chantelle Bauer's article in this newsletter edition for her comments on our Preps' progress in literacy learning, combined with some video examples, they’re wonderful! We’ve also enjoyed successful Swimming and Cross Country Carnivals, with the excitement amplified by spirited House cheering! Our Years 2, 5 and 6 students attending camps on Old Boys' Memorial Oval, Tallebudgera and Stradbroke Island respectively was a tremendous highlight for them. We’ve enjoyed music performances at assembly, an Art Show, free-dress day for Lighthouse reading foundation and yes, enjoyed NAPLAN too! Our adventurous boys throw themselves into everything from Master Chef, Digital Media, Fitness, Tribe, Arts, Languages, Chess and Coding. And why wouldn’t they! We encourage boys to have a go, stretch and challenge themselves, work hard and have fun. We’re proud of them, and I’m sure you are too. Our amazing educators lead the way, they truly are fabulous, cultivating learning environments that inspire boys to be bold, ask questions and be their best self in all they do.

Best wishes for the break ahead. For those travelling, enjoy and take care. Those remaining local, take advantage of this beautiful time of year. I look forward to an exciting Term 2 ahead with everyone.

Ken Raven
Head of Junior School

We are thrilled to share with you the exciting progress of our Preps as readers and writers! These milestone achievements are a testament to our core focus on literacy and our use of the Promoting Literacy Development (PLD) program in our teaching.

We understand the importance of literacy in a child's educational journey. That's why we incorporate the science of learning and reading into our teaching methods to provide our students with the best possible foundation for their future academic success.

Our teachers, Mrs Grills and Mrs O’Connell, have been working diligently to ensure that every student receives the individualised attention they need to succeed in these early phases of their literacy journey, incorporating interactive and engaging activities that have helped our students develop their writing skills. Through our PLD program, our Prep students have been exposed to a variety of literacy activities that have helped them develop their phonetic awareness, vocabulary, and reading comprehension skills.

We are proud to say that our efforts, and our Prep's efforts, have made great progress this term and our boys are now well on their way to becoming confident, independent readers and writers.

We want to thank you, parents, for your continued support in our efforts to provide the best education possible for your sons. We look forward to seeing our Prep students continue to grow and thrive as they progress through their educational journey.

Chantelle Bauer
Deputy Head – Teaching and Learning

Junior School Co-curricular Clubs and Activities
The Junior School Term 2 Clubs and Activities lists have been finalised and added to your son's schedule, which can be found in the 'Sports, The Arts & Activities' tab on the TGS App. Clubs will commence on Tuesday, 18 April.

Junior School - Winter Uniform
The boys return to School in winter uniform in Term 2, which commences on Tuesday, 18 April. The boys are required to wear winter uniform in Terms 2 and 3. The Term 2 uniform change is predominately the trousers. The long sleeve shirt is not a compulsory item. When the weather is colder, your son must wear the School jumper as the first item of selection. If he needs more warm clothing, a navy blue or black t-shirt may be worn under the School shirt and he may also wear his vest under the School jumper. The School rain jacket is the last item to be used to keep warm.

Haircuts
Boy's hair must be neat and tidy and not over the collar and must be neatly shaped at the back of the neck. Please refer to the Parent Handbook for more specific information around haircuts and styles.

Mike Sharpe
Deputy Head of Junior School

It has been a fantastic first term of sport in 2023. With lots more to happen this year, things are only just warming up.

GPS Cricket and Volleyball
Congratulations to all boys who have participated in Term 1 GPS sports. The boys have certainly improved their skills, had fun and met some new people. Thanks to all coaches involved for adding so much to the TGS community.

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

Club Football and Club Rugby
Club Football and Rugby pre-season training has finished with an excellent afternoon of activities last Friday. We are very thankful to the many guest coaches who gave up their time to help our youngest members of the TGS sporting community prepare for their season ahead. The rugby boys had an added treat with members of the 1st XV helping out at training and then joining the boys for a sausage sizzle. The sausage sizzle was a big hit and we thank the Rugby and Football Supporters’ Groups for their generosity.

Cross Country
Our Inter-House Cross Country Carnival was held today. Congratulations to all boys involved. Cross Country is not a sport that enthuses everyone, but I am thankful for the spirit in which all boys tried their best.

Congratulations to Mackintosh House on winning the House Shield and Boyce for winning the Spirit Trophy. Congratulations also to the boys below who were age champions and runners up.

Have a great break and we look forward to an even bigger term of sport in Term 2.

Brendan Doherty
Sportsmaster

As always, we in the Art department are indebted to the TGS Art Show Committee for sponsoring the TGS Art Competition for the boys. The provision of a platform to exhibit the boys’ art is not to be underestimated. All boys are given the opportunity to enter the art competition. The competition is a superb motivational tool and the anticipation as the day of judging approaches is wonderful to witness. Mr Giles Murfin (Head of Visual Arts) carried out a blind judging of the entries and awarded prizes as listed in the following table.

With the departure of our longstanding champion, Phoenix Bird, it seems Teddy Stearn has stepped up and has been judged a prize-winner for the second year running.

Congratulations to all boys who created entries, some working during their lunch hours, for it’s the collective who create the spirit of the competition.

TGS Art Show Prize Winners

Mary Lou Fraser
Art and Woodwork Teacher

Eisteddfod – choral
All boys from Prep to Year 6 will be performing at the Toowoomba Eisteddfod in Term 2. Boys have been preparing pieces in their weekly Voiceworks rehearsals. The proposed dates for the choral section of the eisteddfod are Thursday, 4 May – Sunday, 7 May. It is most likely that all Voiceworks performances will occur on Sunday, 7 May. A letter with all details will be sent home early next term once times and sections have been confirmed.

Choral Showcase – Friday, 28 April
The Choral Showcase will feature performances from Tribe and Tribe Junior, as well as all Senior School choirs. The Choral Showcase will be held in the Senior School Assembly Hall on Friday, 28 April, commencing at 6:30pm. All members of Tribe and Tribe Junior are expected to attend for their performances.

Choral rehearsals
Some extra choral rehearsals have been scheduled for Tribe and Tribe Junior on the Student Free Day (Monday, 17 April) to ensure we are prepared for our eisteddfod performances. These extra rehearsals are in addition to all regular scheduled rehearsals. Please see the rehearsal times listed below. A note with all details has been sent to relevant parents.

Blue Care visit
Tribe and Tribe Junior will be travelling to Blue Care on Thursday, 20 April to present a concert to the residents. A letter with all information has been sent home to parents. Please log onto the Parent Lounge and accept the invitation so your son has permission to attend.

Ensemble Rehearsals
All ensemble rehearsals will resume in Week 1 next term, from Tuesday, 18 April. If your son is unable to attend a scheduled rehearsal, please email his conductor to inform them of his absence.

Kellie Dixon
Head of Junior School Music

Reading is vital to education

Reading is fundamental to functioning in today's society. It is a vital skill required for success and accomplishment. Reading is important because it aids the growth and development of the human mind. It’s like any other muscle in our bodies. It needs regular exercise. Starting this exercise early will help develop the imagination and language skills and allow a child to discover new things and ideas and build on their word bank. Reading helps to improve vocabulary and is instrumental in how words can be used in different contexts. Good readers will have a positive self-image and confidence in their conduct in different social settings.

Reading is important because words, whether spoken or written, are the building blocks of life. The old saying, "The pen is mightier than the sword", sums up this ethos nicely. For the development of the human race, the flow of ideas must continue. We need to read and research to build on good ideas. Only by reading can we equip our future generations with the necessary tools to tackle challenges they may face in an unknown future.

D.E.A.R. - Drop Everything And Read

The whole school, including staff, stops, drops everything and reads. Your child has D.E.A.R. every day, so instead of asking, ‘How was your day?’, you could ask, ‘What are you reading?’. Every boy should be reading a book during this time. Reading is a skill that must be practised daily, like music or sport. It needs to be done daily for a boy to improve. I would encourage parents to do D.E.A.R. at home. Set aside ten minutes every evening when your son must read and only read. I would encourage the whole family to take part in this activity. After the set reading time, ask your son about the book he is reading.

Before your child reads a book, ask:

• Why did you select this book?
• What makes you think this book is going to be interesting?
• What do you think the book is going to be about?
• Does this book remind you of anything else you’ve read or seen?
• What kind of characters do you think will be in the book?
• What do you think is going to happen?

While your child is reading a book, try asking:

• Will you catch me up on the story? What’s happened so far?
• What do you think will happen next?
• If you were that character, what would you have done differently?
• If the book was a TV show, which actors would you cast?
• Where is the book set?
• If the main character in that story lived next door, would you be friends?
• What does the place look like in your head as you read? Would you want to visit there?
• Did you learn any new words or facts so far?

After your child has finished a book, ask questions like:

• What was your favourite part of the book? Why?
• Who was your favourite character? Why?
• What was the most interesting thing you learned from the book?
• Why do you think the author wrote this book?
• Would you have ended the book differently? Did it end the way you thought it would?
• Did the problem of the book’s plot get solved?
• If you could change one thing in the book, what would it be?

Michelle Worthington
Teacher-Librarian

The Toowoomba Primary Schools Chess Championship took place on Tuesday, 7 March. After COVID-19 resulted in the cancellation of this tournament last year, it was very exciting to see its return. Toowoomba Grammar School had 38 participants taking part from Years 1 to 6 with a number of boys enjoying their debut tournament.

In the Novice division, Francis Fu (Year 1) walked away with some silverware with the award for Best Performance by a Year 1 player. Francis recorded four wins from seven games in his debut chess tournament which is a fantastic achievement. Other notable performances included Orion Khatri (Year 2) finished in the top ten with five wins from seven games and Gursaanj Randhawa (Year 3) who also had five wins.

In the Open Division we also enjoyed success with Isaac Tebbutt taking the Best Year 5 player award and finishing in 5^th overall and Ruhan Bulchandani (Year 6) coming in second place overall.

Well done to all of the boys who competed. It was wonderful to see the high quality of chess on display and there are many more competitions to look forward to as the year progresses.

Evan Rees
Chess Co-ordinator

As Term 1 comes to a close, I hope all boys have had a great start to the year. Enjoy your downtime for the next two weeks before we go around again!

Thank you to our wonderful volunteers, who came along to help feed the boys at our end of term Meal Deal BBQ. Thank you also to Di and Heath Ryan of Donut King Kmart Plaza for supplying donuts, and Range Meat Co for the provision of sausages.

We have a few events coming up in Term 2. Our Mother's Day gift stall will be held on Wednesday, 10 May, followed by the Mother's Day breakfast on Friday, 12 May and the whole-of-school Ladies' Night on Saturday, 13 May. Also please mark your calendars for our new Dad’s Night Out on Saturday, 6 May. More information will be sent out closer to these events.

Tessa Chamberlain
JSSG President

The Performing Arts department loves the Grammar Art Show. It makes for the perfect backdrop for our musicians to do what they do best - perform.

Friday Night Opening

Opening Night Friday saw the Grammarphones greet the guests as they arrived outside the Assembly Hall. The sound of the boys reverberated through the Parents Cover and provided lovely accompaniment and atmosphere as excitement built for the event at hand. Once the doors to the Assembly Hall were thrown open attendees were treated to the fine piano stylings of our very own Mr Greg Bland. Finally, the guests partied the night away while "Just the Two of Us", a duo made up of Sam Freer and Ruben Kruger but augmented by Kurtis Goodger and Nia Saleh, played a mixture of jazz, blues and soul into the night.

Saturday - High Tea, Cafe and Art Amongst Friends

Saturday morning started with High Tea in the Jacaranda Room. Thomas Dixon welcomed the guests with a short classical piano recital. Following tea, the entertainment moved up to the Cafe outside the hall where our students filled the air with music from 10:00am - 2:00pm. There were some brilliant performances from Elliot Murfin-Chalmers, Max Onley, Finlay Waring, Tom Morgenstern, Archie Luscombe, Mitchell Wilkes, and Will Anderson. The crowd was also wowed by the Bland family. Harry and Thomas played a range of solos and duets and Greg played a beautiful set of jazz. A huge thank you to Mrs Mel Buchholz who accompanied so many performances, so professionally.

The afternoon saw Art Amongst Friends on the lawns in front of School House. Once again Sam Freer and Ruben Kruger formed the basis for the entertainment.

Sunday - High Tea and Cafe

Another morning starting with "S", another High Tea performance. This time Sam Freer changed it up to play solo and provided a relaxed morning set. To top off the weekend another 10:00am-2:00pm session at the Art Show Cafe entertained the final people who came to see the Show. There was a brilliant set from a student band containing our own Henry and George Paton, Ben and Isaac Constable and Sam Lawrence from Concordia. Then we had solo sets from Finlay Waring, Jack Elmes, Hamish and Charlie Lunn, George Paton, Aimon Rowe, Riley Frappell, Luke Beddoes, and Kurtis Goodger. Then came pack down and the thoughts of "let's do it all again next year."

Mark Chalmers
Director of Performing Arts

There are many people to thank for their work on the night. Our judges Mr Oliphant, Mr Murfin, Mrs Bazley, and Jamie Watson for a start. The parents from SOTA for running the BBQ. But most of all a big thanks to Mrs Blaikie, Ms Andreas and Mrs Mortensen for staging one of the most entertaining nights of the year. Thank you!!!!!

If you weren't there last Friday here are some pictures of what you missed.

It is often 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, which 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.

This was certainly the case at Monday’s TGS Army Cadet Unit Training Dining in Night. The Dining in Night is a tradition that can be traced back to the time of the Vikings who held formal ceremonies to honour and celebrate battles and heroes. Whilst today's Dining in Nights are slightly tamer with no open fires, swords, and slabs of red meat, the lingering customs of raising toasts, commemorating the fallen and the fostering of camaraderie and 'esprit de corps' is still relevant.

Hosted by our 2023 Senior Cadet Under Officer, Johannah Whittle, the TGS Army Cadets got to experience the customs and traditions of the modern-day Dining in Night including the Marching in of the Flags, Toasts, and Passing of the Port (grape juice).

This year's dinner was enriched by the comical, uplifting, and entertaining guest speaker, Dr David Smith, former Major in the Australian Army, turned lecturer, instructor and creator of various leadership programs for universities around Australia. Dr Smith gave the cadets a lesson in equity, loyalty, service, and the rhythm of leadership. Cadets were required to follow a repetitive beat, demonstrating their ability to follow a rhythm whilst at the same time learning about how great leaders pull together all their ‘herds of cats’ and use their individual abilities to create rhythm and cohesion. Many thanks to Dr David Smith for your highly entertaining speech.

The dinner was Term 1's culminating activity with the Cadet focus now switching to ANZAC Day in Term 2. During the Easter holidays TGS Army Cadets has six cadets nominated to attend the Senior Leadership and Advance Instructor Course at Kokoda Barracks, Canungra. We wish them all the best for the Course.

In addition, CDTSGT Leo Gordon has expressed interest in attending the National Regimental Sergeant Major (RSM) Drill Competition in Canberra. Leo will be flown to Canberra to participate in a formal Drill competition in front of the Australian RSM on the hallowed grounds of the Royal Military College – Duntroon. Leo will also get the opportunity to visit ADFA and the Australian War Memorial during his trip. Best of luck in the competition, Leo.

TGS Army Cadets is always open to new recruits and if you would like to take up the challenge, please see CAPT(AAC) Michael Trevisani in the Cadet Orderly Room for an application.

LT(AAC) Lauren Trevisani
Executive Officer TGS Army Cadets

GPS Volleyball

We celebrated the end of the 2023 GPS Volleyball season on Saturday evening, with parents, players, coaches and staff coming together for the 2023 Volleyball Presentation Evening. Thank you to our Volleyball Supporters' Group for cooking a delicious BBQ for us all, and to Hussein Yusaf, Ed Rogan, Beau Fowler and Joe Mayers for assisting with announcing and presenting the awards.

Volleyball is first and foremost a team sport, and every player on our TGS teams contributes to the team's success and is a valued member of the team. All team members should be very proud of themselves and the efforts they have put in this term! Well done, boys!

The end of the GPS Volleyball season marks the end of a journey for our Year 12 boys who have now played their last GPS Volleyball game for TGS. We hope that they have enjoyed their volleyball journey here at TGS, and we wish them all the best in their future endeavours.

Finally, a massive congratulations to Mr Auchter, Mr Smith and the 1^st VI team on finishing SECOND in the 2023 GPS Premiership Competition, a fantastic achievement for the team and TGS! The boys had an excellent season, winning five out of seven games, and should be very proud of themselves.

Thank you to everyone involved in the GPS Volleyball Program for your support this term.

Australian Beach Volleyball Schools Cup

This Friday, 11 TGS teams will take to the beach at Coolangatta for the 2023 Australian Beach Volleyball Schools Cup (ABVSC). This year's ABVSC will run from Friday, 31 March to Sunday, 2 April and we wish all our teams the best of luck on the Gold Coast.

Toowoomba Volleyball Association Tuesday Night Competition

The Term 1 Toowoomba Volleyball Assocation (TVA) Finals took place last Tuesday, 21 March and I'm very pleased to advise that all our TGS teams that participated this term came away with a medal on the night! A fantastic outcome, well done boys!

• Gold - TGS 1st VI Team (Championship Competition)
• Gold - TGS Year 11 Team (Senior Competition)
• Gold - TGS Year 10 Team (Intermediate Competition)
• Silver - TGS Year 8 Team (Intermediate Competition)
• Bronze - TGS Year 9 Team (Intermediate Competition)

UniSQ Positive Choice Cup Finals

Friday saw the final round of the UniSQ Positive Choice Cup which essentially crowns the Toowoomba City Basketball Champion Teams and Champion Basketball School for 2023.

We were fortunate enough to have seven teams in the competition throughout the term with four of these teams advancing to the final rounds. Our 7/8 Blue, 7/8 White and 9/10 Blue teams progressed extremely well throughout the pool rounds and showed huge improvement and potential despite not qualifying for finals play. Their progress as individuals and as teams are things to keep eyes on in future.

The TGS Year 7/8 Gold team, despite having a number of players absent due to illness, battled valiantly but were unsuccessful in their title defence coming up short against a talented St. Mary’s team.

Year 9/10 Gold started slowly but clicked into gear on the defensive end in the second term to race away from Centenary Heights State High School.

Our Open Gold and Open Blue teams showed their dominance of the competition, progressing through the pool rounds and semi-finals undefeated to meet in the final. Our Open Blue team threw everything at our Gold team in what was a highly entertaining and high-spirited contest. Our Gold team proved too strong in the end, running away winners.

With four finalists and two champions, the TGS Basketball Program was named 2023 Champion Basketball School of Toowoomba, defending the title we’ve held consistently since 2018.

Congratulations to all boys and coaches involved and we look forward to Club Basketball in Term 2.

Brisbane Bullets Mega Camp and Academy Sessions

The Brisbane Bullets will be at TGS on Wednesday, 12 April for a day of basketball activities, open to boys and girls across all ages, abilities, and schools:

• 9:00am – 11:00am: Big Shots Camp (Beginners and U12 players).
• 11:30am - 12:30pm: U12 Academy Camp (Club and Representative players).
• 12:45pm - 1:45pm: U14 Academy Camp (Club and Representative players).
• 2:00pm – 3:00pm: U16 Academy Camp (Club and Representative players).

Please see the links at the bottom of the flyers below or email community@brisbanebullets.com.au to express interest/register.

It is with great pleasure that I announce that Ms Janelle Fletcher has accepted the position of Corfe House Mother, starting in Term 2. As Janelle joins us, we thank Mrs Ruth Johnston, outgoing Corfe House Mother, for her unwavering support of the boys in Corfe during her tenure.

Janelle has had a long association with TGS and is well known to the boys and parents of TGS having been involved with the School for the last 31 years. Since 1992, Janelle has been working at TGS as a Music Tutor, teaching Brass, Piano and Voice.

Previous experience in GPS schools and a deep love of educating young men are just two of the attributes Janelle will bring to her new role in Corfe House.

Respected in the Toowoomba community, Janelle is heavily involved with the Empire Theatre as the Chairperson of the Empire Theatres Foundation and a Director of the Empire Theatres Board.

Janelle will be a valuable addition to the TGS Boarding community as a whole and we look forward to her continued contribution to the School in this capacity.

Head of Corfe House, Mr Henry White, and I are both looking forward to working with Janelle in this vitally important role of supporting our youngest boarders.

Corfe parents will be able to meet Janelle today as they collect their sons and again on Monday, 17 April when boarders return to School.

I wish all Corfe families a safe and restful holiday break.

Nick Byron
Director of Boarding

Our Old Boy connections are extremely important to the School. Old Boys can provide leadership and be great mentors as a result of their personal experience and love of the School.

We are currently seeking Old Boys to become more involved in our Boarding Program in a range of areas:

- as a tutor or mentor in sports or performing/visual/manual arts or other skills

- assisting as a tutor/mentor in specialist subject areas/academics

- taking shifts and just having a 'presence' in the boarding houses

Our Old Boys are great role models and we would love to take advantage of these good men to help our current students see first-hand the outcomes possible for them as a boarder.

If you know anyone who might be interested, please let them know that we are looking for them! Contact Director of Boarding, Nick Byron to find out more or register your interest: n.byron@twgs.qld.edu.au

Below is a wonderful article from Mac Flegler describing why he wanted to come back to TGS Boarding. We hope this might provide you with some inspiration to rejoin our boarding community too!

I have returned to where it all began, and I feel right at home.

My parents decided when I was very young that I would attend Toowoomba Grammar School as a boarder. Coming from a property surrounded by a small community, my parents believed that sending me to TGS would provide me with many fundamental skills needed for a young man, as well as an education that I could not get in my hometown. Starting my journey at TGS in Year 8 as a boarder in Mackintosh, adjusting from a small country high school to one of the biggest private schools in the country, was frightening but exciting. While at TGS, although education my primary focus, I was involved in many co-curricular activities including cricket, football, rugby and track and field.

I loved my time as a boarder. Living with 56 other people probably doesn’t sound like the most enticing thing to many people; however, when you put that into the perspective of a teenage boy, it’s more like a sleepover with 56 of your mates! Over the five years of my time within Mackintosh, I was able to create many memories and make many friends which will be with me forever. I graduated in 2021 and it didn’t take me long at all to realise that I missed boarding so much that I wanted to come back, this time as a staff member.

Currently I am studying Psychology at UniSQ in Toowoomba while also committed to playing sport for local clubs. My Psychology studies, along with my experience as a TGS boarder, means that working in the Year 7 boarding house (Corfe House), is a great opportunity to assist many of the young boys in their development into young men by providing advice based on my own experience. As a Boarding Supervisor in Corfe House, my role is to provide a supportive outlet and friendly face to make the boys feel as if they are home. From working with the boys to complete their homework, or playing table tennis with them, providing a role model or someone to point them in the right direction is essential in helping the boys to reach their full potential both academically and as young men of good character. What I enjoy the most though, is being able to create a home away from home for the boys and provide them with rich memories that will stay with them forever - just like mine.

The importance of role models for TGS boarders cannot be understated, and whom better to do this than the TGS Old Boys themselves! Being able to understand the daily routines as well as help the boys with any specific questions, whether that be directions to a classroom or which oval their sports training is being held, this help never goes un-appreciated by the boys. I would encourage any Old Boys to get back involved within the TGS community in any capacity. Our own experiences and knowledge of the School can help produce many more great experiences for countless students as they engage in their transition from young boys into good young men.

Coinciding with this year’s Grammar Downlands Weekend, 18-20 August, the OBA 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 2013, 2003, 1993, 1983, 1973,1963, 1953 and 1943.

We are always on the lookout for coordinators for these year-level groups so if you are interested, please let me know. We are beginning the planning process for this year’s events. If you have ideas on what might work for your cohort, please let me know.

Mark Creedon (1973-77)

TGSOBA President

The Headmaster is very keen to continue his interactions with Old Boys, specifically through regional Old Boys’ events. We have been hosting such events for some time with this year’s calendar already published. We are unable to be everywhere every year but trying to visit as many places as possible.

These events are most successful when we have a local Old Boy or Old Boys who can act as a contact and conduit for sharing information. The TGSOBA and School staff will undertake the administration and communication associated with the event, the local contact providing input such as suitable venue, suitable date, time and the like.

If you would like to see your local area host such an Old Boys’ reunion and would like to be our local contact can you please let Jennifer Bazley or me know. We would love to talk with you about what is possible in your community.

In the meantime, if anyone has any matters they would like to share or discuss please contact me on tgsoldboys@twgs.qld.edu.au I am keen to talk to you about our Association, what we do and how you can become involved.

On behalf of the TGSOBA, I would like to take the opportunity to wish all in the Grammar community the continual best for a most successful year.

We have an exclusive opportunity to experience boarding at TGS.

Please let your friends know about this great event.

Stay in our boarding houses, meet our staff, explore our facilities and learn more about our boarding program.

Phone our Enrolments officer, Kelly Charles to secure your spot 46872517.

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

April 18 - don't miss out!!!

TGS is on Tour again in Term 2 and we're coming to a town near you!

We'd love to catch up with your family, and please invite friends or anyone who may be considering sending their son to TGS, we'd love to meet them too!

If you can make it to any of our coming events, please register here https://bit.ly/3KWDFkU

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.

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.

Please do not park in pick-up zones, across pedestrian crossings or in areas that have been marked to be kept clear e.g., for emergency vehicle access to fire hydrants.

As part of an awareness campaign which commenced on Monday, 6 March we are leaving a small notice (for information purposes only) on any vehicles parked contrary to traffic / road markings. This is to inform the vehicle owner of the reason that particular area is unsafe or unsuitable for parking.

As always – please drive slowly and carefully around our roadways being alert for students and other pedestrians.

We appreciate your continued support to ensure our campus is safe for our staff, students and visitors.

Toowoomba Grammar 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 TGS, we have zero tolerance for child abuse. Our child protection responsibilities are of the utmost importance to 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 handle 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 the School's Child Protection Program.

The Child Protection Contact Officers are:

John Kinniburgh – Headmaster
John Anderson – Deputy Headmaster
Mark Oliphant – Head of Senior School
Ken Raven – Head of Junior School
Nick Byron - Director of Boarding
Lyle Gothmann - School Counsellor

Read more about the School's Child Protection Policy and Child and Risk Management Strategy on the TGS website: Policies & Procedures - Toowoomba Grammar School (twgs.qld.edu.au)