Dear members of the Terrace Family,

You will not be surprised by the main topic of this week’s article – the recent lockdown has been the main topic of conversation for all of Brisbane. I could not count the number of times I have wished for a crystal ball in the past 18 months. I say this because I get frustrated, not just by the pandemic and its impacts, but because we never quite know what lies ahead, and we are regularly planning for multiple scenarios without knowing what we will face next. When most of us woke two Saturdays ago, I am sure we did not expect to be in lockdown by that evening.

A great deal has happened in less than two weeks since the lockdown was announced. Without the luxury of knowing what might happen next, we need to default to planning in a conservative fashion that prioritises the health and safety of all in the Terrace Family. This has sadly seen us with no choice but to cancel several upcoming College events. We also need to rationalise the investment of time and energy into planning major events that may not be allowed to proceed. Our main focus this week has been to concentrate on teaching and learning with minimal avoidable distraction.

I have been very pleased by our students’ compliance with the directive to wear masks. I understand most people do not enjoy wearing masks, and some actively object to wearing them, but the College has no choice but to enforce their wearing for the following reasons:

• As a school, we are following the relevant health directives, in line with the Public Health Act and the advice and legal directions of the Chief Health Officer and Queensland Government.
• As per Section 362B of the Public Health Act 2005 (Qld):

On 29 January 2020, under the Public Health Act 2005, the Minister for Health and Minister for Ambulance Services made an order declaring a public health emergency in relation to coronavirus disease (COVID-19).

• The public health emergency area specified in the order is for ‘all of Queensland’. Its duration has been extended by regulation to 27 September 2021 and may be further extended.
• During this current public health emergency, the Chief Health Officer has issued Public Health Directions to assist in containing or responding to the spread of COVID-19 within the community that must be adhered to. This includes the Restrictions for Impacted Areas (No. 12) (SEQ eased restrictions Stage 1) Direction and Mandatory Face Mask Direction that we are required to follow. A list of these directions can be reviewed on the Queensland Health website - Chief Health Officer public health directions.

In addition, the information below has been sourced from the Queensland Human Rights Commission concerning mask requirements:

As the pandemic continues, public health directions may mandate the wearing of face masks in particular places or circumstances.

My thanks to our families for the way you have supported us with the mask mandate. I particularly thank parents of our students from Years 5 and 6; while they were not included in the Government directive, we have asked our younger students to wear masks because they mingle with other year levels. This ensures the protection of our students and staff. Several schools similar to our own have adopted the same stance. I do need to point out that students must wear their masks while travelling to and from school. While it is difficult for us to police, members of the public expect that citizens of all ages follow the health directive. Any assistance parents can give by reinforcing this message would be greatly appreciated. No doubt we all look forward to the mask mandate being eased.

It is with great sadness that I report the news of the passing of Mr Steven George (GT 1995), father of William, Year 6. Many in our community will know that Steven suddenly and tragically passed away on the Saturday morning before last. Those who knew Steven speak of him in the highest regard. He had a reputation as a wonderful husband to Jacqueline and father to his four children. He was also well known for his leadership, generosity and outgoing personality. May Steven rest in peace, and may perpetual light shine upon him. I know the Terrace Family has and will continue to rally around the George family at this most difficult time.

I once again pass my sincere thanks to all in our community who have contributed to the past few weeks going as smoothly as possible despite the undesirable circumstances. The people who make up the Terrace Family truly are a blessing, and I am grateful to work with you. Wishing you the very best for a calm, uneventful week ahead.

It was wonderful to welcome most students and staff back to campus on Monday. Despite the masks, it was easy to discern that the vast majority were happy to be back teaching and learning in person.

Our planning equipped staff to move our classes online quickly, but I know that most teachers, regardless of their IT savviness, would prefer to be engaging with students in the physical classroom. Remote teaching is exhausting, and many teaching staff juggled the complexities of their own families who were also working from home or remote learning. I am always proud to be a part of the Terrace Educator community. Still, simple things such as listening to a daily afternoon online debrief with our teaching staff last week were all the evidence I needed of the common purpose our teaching staff have – to ensure the best educational opportunities for the Gentlemen of Terrace, regardless of our situation. I thank our teaching staff, led by Mr Tim Stephens as our E-Learning Coordinator, for their efforts.

While the teachers of Terrace may have been the face of remote learning, our non-teaching staff also worked tirelessly last week to ensure a continuity of learning. My particular thanks to our IT Team, led by Mr Shaun Steadman, for their work in supporting our remote learning infrastructure. We are also indebted to Mrs Karen Lalic in Student Services, who worked long hours throughout the weekend to ensure our evolving quarantine lists were as accurate as possible. My thanks also to those staff who have so quickly responded to the need to postpone some of our most significant College events, quickly seeking alternative dates and offering creative revisions.

Some teachers and many boys remain in home quarantine this week. This presented some new challenges as we juggled remote and in-person learning for the first time. My thanks to families for your patience as we develop that system.

As we move forward, we are conscious of ensuring that our staff feel supported by the measures put in place to support their wellbeing. I thank parents for following some of our simple processes, such as avoiding being on campus and encouraging your sons with mask wearing and good hand hygiene.

This week the College farewells a face probably more familiar to our families who have journeyed through Waterford Place, Mrs Maj Rasmussen. We thank Maj for her work in the Exceptional Learners Faculty and wish her all the best as she explores new opportunities. Her caring positivity will be missed.

On Wednesday, the College also welcomed back Mr Damien Cuddihy, Dean of Students, who had a short period of leave. My thanks to Mr Terry Thompson, Dean of Identity, who assumed the responsibilities of supporting students and their families during this period.

Like so many families, I look forward to resuming our events, co-curricular activities and a greater sense of normality. However, I am also grateful for my good health, and I feel buoyed by the patience, good humour and flexibility that the wider Terrace Family has demonstrated during another challenging COVID-phase. Yet again, I am sure we will use the situation to grow and come away with greater knowledge, skills and ideas.

The last few weeks have provided many challenges for our College community and each of us individually. We have had to cancel sporting events, get togethers, and various other planned activities, not to mention adapting to new ways of learning and connecting to keep our community safe and support those who may be struggling during these times.

One program that has been put on hold during this period of lockdown and the following weeks has been that of our Eddie’s Van, which delivers much needed support for some of the more vulnerable people in our community. It allows our community to connect with those who are most disconnected and gain some perspective on the world we live in. During these snap lockdowns, those without a home and who lack the support networks that many of us enjoy often get left to fend for themselves. It is a reminder that we must continue to find new ways to build community with those struggling in our local area and appreciate and focus on those things that we do have during these challenging times.

In Religious Education for Term 3, Year 8 students are currently learning about the mission of Jesus in our world and being challenged to be men of faith and action in our everyday lives. In the words of Mahatma Gandhi: Be the change you wish to see in the world. Students have each chosen an organisation to research and explore how they support those in need in our local community. We learn what it means to be Catholic in the world and that our response to the needs of those less fortunate is based on the principles of Catholic social teaching, in particular the idea of solidarity and the common good.

[Solidarity] is not a feeling of vague compassion or shallow distress at the misfortunes of so many people, both near and far. On the contrary, it is a firm and persevering determination to commit oneself to the common good; that is to say, to the good of all and of each individual, because we are all really responsible for all. —St John Paul II (Sollicitudo Rei Socialis, para. 38)

We pray that we may continue to look out for each other, particularly those less fortunate than ourselves, during these times of uncertainty and that we may practice gratitude in our everyday lives.

May we who are merely inconvenienced remember those whose lives are at stake. May we who have no risk factors remember those most vulnerable. May we who have the luxury of working from home remember those who must choose between preserving their health or making their rent. May we who have the flexibility to care for our children when their schools close, remembering those that have no options. May we who have to cancel our trips remember those who have no safe place to go. May we who are losing our margin money in the tumult of the economic market remember those who have no margin at all. May we who settle in for quarantine at home remember those who have no home. During these uncertain times, let us choose love during this time when we cannot physically wrap our arms around each other; let us yet find ways to be the loving embrace of God to our neighbour. Amen.

Live Jesus in our Hearts… Forever!

As I was standing on the sidelines for the 4^ths Rugby game against Brisbane Boys’ College a fortnight ago, I was inundated with numerous text messages and news updates on my phone. It was happening again - another lockdown. As I sit and write this Terrace News article, The Terrace Family has persisted and made it through another challenging time. It wasn’t one person; it was everyone.

Fittingly, during the lockdown, I watched Ash Moloney become Australia’s first ever Olympic medallist (bronze) in one of the most challenging Olympic events - the decathlon. The result was excellent, although this wasn’t the moment that caught my eye. It was fellow Australian teammate and competitor Cedric Dubler who realised he was out of the running but assisted and supported Ash right to the finish line. Ash said it was Cedric who got him the bronze medal. Whether it be a lockdown, an assignment due or a tough sporting fixture, we can’t do it or win it on our own.

Thankfully the Queensland Government has relaxed restrictions, and we are allowed back to school. I must say it is nice to see familiar faces. To those in quarantine, we look forward to seeing you soon. I remind families of a few points:

• Any students who display any symptoms of illness must be kept home from school.
• Masks are mandatory for all staff and students at all times on campus.
• There is hand sanitiser in all classrooms, as well as hand sanitiser stations located around the campus.
• Parents and caregivers are requested not to enter the College campus (including dropping off lunch and/or sports gear!).
• Other visitors to the campus are not permitted unless they are essential for the functioning of the College. External tutors engaged by families are not allowed on campus.

I recently spoke with a great friend of mine and Terrace legend Br Damien Price about our retreat program at Terrace. Our conversation reminded me about an article that he wrote, Five-second moments for parents of teenage boys. If you haven’t read the article before, I strongly recommend it. The article can be found here. In it, Br Price makes several suggestions for five-second moments, but one I want to share with you this week is the concept of “shadow boxing”. It is one that everyone can utilise in a practical way to connect with your teenage sons.

Shadowboxing

There is that beautiful time when a boy is little, and he loves his hugs and high fives. He loves you to hold his hand and runs to you. There will come a time when that boy, like a chameleon, suddenly is too cool for all of that. That is when dad walks along the side of the sports field, approaches his son on the edge of the team talk, and without stopping, ruffles the hair and keeps on going. That five-second choice (and it takes many forms) says to the lad: “I love you! I am proud of you! I am here for you!” And the inner radar of the boy makes a note of this and puts it away for a psychologically rainy day.

What five second moment can you take this week?

The focus for teaching staff this week has been two-fold – to reengage students back into the classroom and to identify where students are with their learning. Consequently, Week 5 has been a reset to ready students for the teaching, learning and assessment program to the end of Term 3.

This week has also seen many students and staff in quarantine due to Queensland Health orders. My thanks to the Terrace teaching staff and our students for their flexibility in adapting their practice to accommodate the teaching and learning program for both face to face and remote students. It is a first to have teachers effectively take their class from home to a room full of students.

Our Year 12 students are currently fully immersed in preparation for their external exams and the transition to life after school. An important aspect of this transition is making decisions about what Tertiary study they engage in. To assist with this decision, the College will be holding a QTAC Information evening online via Teams on Monday 16 August from 6pm. The link to the presentation will be sent to Year 12 parents and caregivers and found on the College App. I encourage all Year 12 students and parents/caregivers to join the presentation from Careers Counsellor Ms Natalie Twine.

Finally, thank you to all parents/caregivers who have worked with the teaching staff during the lockdown period. The Terrace staff appreciate your support, teaching, cajoling, enforcing, rewarding, and supervision of your son. It would not have been an easy task to manage the changes to your home, work, and school lives in such a short period. We also look forward to seeing you back on campus soon.

With the recent Queensland Government imposed lockdown, our teaching and non-teaching staff have worked tirelessly to ensure all classes transitioned to an online teaching format. Some students continue their learning via GT@Home as they undergo quarantine. All Waterford staff are currently based at the College but continue to teach via Teams and face to face. As you can imagine, this has taken a great deal of preparation, with staff working above and beyond their usual hours to ensure students continue to learn with as little disruption to their routines as possible.

We would like to extend a heartfelt thank you to our Year 10 Terrace Family for your support and understanding throughout this process. As we progress toward Year 10 exams in Week 7, we encourage you to check in with your son to see how he is tracking with his study progress. Any areas of concern can be communicated to his teachers. Please remember that our staff continue to run tutorial sessions throughout the week. The session times are displayed at Waterford on all noticeboards.

Please ensure that if your son is quarantined and will not be logging into classes for the day, that you continue to notify us by sending an email to waterfordplace@terrace.qld.edu.au. Alternatively, you can use the Terrace App to report your son’s daily absence.

If you do need to pick up your son early for an appointment or any other reason, please notify us via 3214 5400 or using the above email address. As per QCEC guidelines, we request that parents or visitors to the College do not enter the campus unless absolutely necessary. For missing lunches, please organise for your son to use the onsite tuckshop for the day. Financial top-ups of your Terrace accounts can be processed via the Terrace App.

We wish to advise that our College Leadership Team is reviewing all Immersion programs due to the current climate. Please be patient as we will relay Immersion information once this review process is complete.

We hope you and your loved ones stay safe!

Online music lessons

Congratulations to our students who have once again shown their ability to adapt quickly to moving to online music lessons. The advantage from a teaching perspective is less tardiness and absenteeism, ensuring both the student and tutor enjoy the entire allocated lesson time.

Terrace Chess – Round 3

Unfortunately, our Premier Board went down to Brisbane Boys’ College last Friday. While the Premier Board points affect the Chess Premiership, we had an overall win with three losses, two draws, and five winning boards.

Well done to the Open B, D, E, and F and Senior boards for their wins.

Unfortunately – with the recent lockdown and restrictions on activities, not enough rounds will be played to enable the Chess Premiership to be contested.

Terrace Chess will continue to practice and look forward to competing in the final rounds.

QDU Debating

Congratulations to the 9.1, 9.3 and 10.1 teams who have progressed to the quarterfinals. Due to their undefeated run in the QDU season, our Senior A team were to begin their QDU finals in the quarterfinal round this week. The 11.1s were also going to compete in the quarterfinals. Our 8.1, 9.2, 10.2 and 11.2 teams have been knocked out of the finals in some closely fought debates. Well done for representing the College and giving your best efforts to the QDU competition this season. Thank you also to the coaches from these teams. QDU is a long season for all involved, and we appreciate your dedication and support.

The QDU executive will be meeting next Tuesday to plan a way forward to potentially complete the Years 5-7 competition and work on ideas and proposals to ensure the Years 8-12s can debate.

We understand how disappointing this is for our Terrace Debating students, coaches and families; however, we ask that you keep checking our Social Media, Terrace App and emails for updated information.

Debating Dinner

The Terrace Debating Dinner will be on Thursday 26 August. Tickets are selling fast for this event. If you would like to attend, please go to the following link: Debating Dinner.

Public Speaking

Congratulations to Liam Cleary and Will Ames (both Year 10), who have progressed to the semi-finals of the Evatt Competition. Evatt Queensland is the state’s round of the Evatt Trophy – Australia’s largest, oldest, and most prestigious debating and diplomacy competition, with over 2000 students competing from every State and Territory

We wish both these young men the very best as they compete in an altered, online competition on 15 August.

The internal College Public Speaking competition will be held on Monday 23 August and Thursday 26 August. Please check your email for information from Ms Clarke.

We would like to thank Ms Clarke for her flexibility with this competition as we all strive to move forward with the current restrictions.

COVID cancellations/postponements

The current lockdown has caused the following cancellations or postponements:

• Chess – Interschool Secondary Chess Tournament, possible postponement – to be confirmed
• Chess – GPS Round 4 and 5 cancelled
• QDU Debating – Finals and Years 5 - 7 programs have been placed on hold for 14 days. Still awaiting information
• Drumline – GPS Round 4 Rugby cancelled
• GPS Junior Music Day of Excellence – cancelled
• Strings Showcase - cancelled

Support Group meetings

Support Group meetings will be held online if necessary. Should you wish to contact the Debating Support Group, please email: DSGChair@terrace.qld.edu.au or the Terrace Performing Arts, please email TPAChair@terrace.qld.edu.au.

Staying in touch

To keep in touch with all things Cultural, we suggest you download the Terrace App and follow us on Twitter and Instagram to ensure you don’t miss anything. If you have any photographs or videos that you would like to share, please tag us.

TWITTER @GTCulture

INSTAGRAM terrace_gtculture

YOUTUBE Terrace Culture YouTube Channel

The power of music on our brain

The American Psychological Association has published an article researching how music may enhance brain development and academic performance and assist us in coping with the stresses of ever-changing landscapes such as COVID.

Music has the power to impact our emotions in many different ways, so how could this really help in stressful situations? The article discusses how the language of music affects our brains and how this, in turn, can facilitate improved wellbeing. In June 2020, the Global Council on Brain Health released a report concluding that music has significant potential to enhance brain health and wellbeing for individuals of different ages and different levels of health. The National Institutes of Health (NIH), in conjunction with Kennedy Centre in the United States, also launched a program titled Sound Health to investigate the effects of music further. Why is music so captivating for us? The more we understand that the more fascinating it’s going to be, and the more we are going to learn about how the brain works in general.

Psychologists and neuroscientists are particularly interested in discovering which neural pathways are affected by music and how music can influence children’s development and state of mind.

Music and remote learning

Last week highlighted how fortunate we are here at Terrace. In an ever-changing pandemic world, our dedicated team of Music staff enabled our program to transition into online music lessons seamlessly. In times such as these, music can provide stability, a sense of normality, and connectedness for our young people.

Term 3

• Saturday 28 August - Sousaphone Army Basketball performance
• Saturday 28 August - Red Thunder Drumline and Terrace Rock Band Rugby performance
• Saturday 11 September- Sousaphone Army Basketball performance
• Saturday 11 September - Red Thunder Drumline Rugby performance
• Tuesday 14 September 5.30pm - TPAmeeting

The TLG would like to extend wishes of good health to our Terrace families. Due to current restrictions, there will be changes to the following:

• TLG August meeting ( Monday, August 16) has been postponed to September. A new date will be advised shortly.
• Past Mother's Mass and Morning Tea that was scheduled for August 15 has been postponed. A new date will be advised when it has been confirmed.

We pray for the families of the following members of the Terrace Family who have gone to their eternal rest.

Mr Steven GEORGE – GT 1988-1995 - Father of William (Year 6)

Mr Joseph Roy KIERNAN – GT 1956 to 1959

2021 St Joseph's College Silent Auction

Details: Bidding closes Friday 13 August | 3.30pm
Cost: Starting prices vary, get your bid in!
For further event information, please contact
2021StJosephscollegerugbylunch@straight2.com

Terrace Debating 2021 Dinner

Details: Thursday 26 August | 6.30 - 10.30pm
Venue: The Marquee, Victoria Park Golf Complex, Herston
Cost: Adults - $65pp (+bf) Students - $45pp (+bf) | Includes two course dinner
RSVP: Please RSVP via the below link by 12 August
For further event information, please contact
Nicole Quinn | DSGChair@Terrace.qld.edu.au

2021 Terrace Basketball Raffle

Details: Saturday 11 September | Entries close at 9am
Venue: Will be drawn outside the Campbell Centre before the 1st V fixture
Cost: $25 per ticket (+bf)
For further event information, please contact
Angela Papacostas | angepapacostas@gmail.com

The Australian Cervical Cancer Foundation (ACCF) understands how much of a financial impact having a family member diagnosed with cervical cancer can have. We are aiming to tackle this issue in a small, but important way with the kind support of Hyundai Help for Kids.

ACCF’s Orange Hearts Program will be providing ten $500 bursaries to children, no older than 18, from families impacted by a diagnosis of cervical cancer. The Orange Hearts Bursaries will provide wonderful opportunities for these children to help ease some of the financial pressure that comes along with supporting a family member battling this terrible disease. Funds will be used to cover the costs of resources such as schoolbooks and stationery, and hobbies such as sports, music lessons, drama classes and other social groups. These activities can give children joy, escape and hope while also a sense of stability and focus during what can be a stressful time.

Applications will open from 1 July and close 8 September and will be assessed by an independent panel of judges. Successful recipients will be announced by 8 October 2021.

Read more here