Dear members of the Terrace Family,

As we approach the end of Week 4, many of the special events that occur at the start of the year have occurred, and we can now focus on the daily grind of school.  It is important that all students have now established their homework and study routines and are regularly working on their assignments.  Weeks 5, 6, 7 and 8 are weeks where hard work will produce dividends at the end of the term.

Last week, at the Years 8 and 9 Information Evening, I announced that the development of 184 St Pauls Terrace (the property purchased by the College in 2020) will incorporate a new Waterford Building.  I also indicated that when this building is operating, estimated at 2023, it will be for Year 9 students rather than the current Waterford model, accommodating our Year 10 students.  The main reason for this decision is that the introduction of ATAR has highlighted the importance of aligning Year 10 more closely to the Senior Schooling program of Years 11 and 12. 

At the Information Night, I also mentioned that we are likely to move Year 10 back to the Main Campus in 2022 (prior to the completion of the new Waterford in 2023), as we are committed to linking Years 10, 11 and 12, from an ATAR perspective, as quickly as possible.  No plan for the transition has been developed at this stage; however, a Waterford Committee will be established to examine the many options and practicalities involved; including staffing, timetabling implications, Immersion options, financial implications and importantly, student needs, so we can establish recommendations for the development.  To be clear, I hope that both Year 9 and Year 10 students will experience Waterford in 2022, to maximise educational and pastoral outcomes for both year levels.  I am confident that we can provide an appropriate solution. As information becomes available over the coming weeks and months, I will continue to provide updates to the Terrace Family.

Finally this week, my thanks for your support regarding the continuing COVID restrictions around sport and cultural events, special assemblies and information evenings.  As in 2020, we will continue to examine ways of ensuring that regular events occur and that staff, students and parents can continue to experience the many engaging opportunities that exist at Terrace.

Have a great week.

God Bless.

Dr Michel Carroll

Last week saw us complete all annual Parent Information Evenings, which were delivered in various formats. Parent/Mentor meetings were held face to face in recognition of the importance of the Pastoral Care Mentor in a Terrace student’s life. On behalf of the College, I thank the huge number of parents/caregivers who attended the evening. It is a big commitment for a 10-minute meeting, but attendance speaks volumes about how highly these meetings are regarded. On the same evening, Year 12 parents and caregivers attended an information session either in person or remotely. For those who missed Mr Mason Hellyer’s ATAR presentation, a recording of his presentation has been made available. 

For parents and caregivers of students in Years 5, 7 and 10, we provided the opportunity to meet with their son’s Class Teacher, House Dean or Pastoral Care Mentor. These signpost years warrant an opportunity to meet with significant adults face to face. All other year levels were delivered remotely, and feedback indicates that parents enjoy this format. PowerPoint presentations from these evenings are available on the College App. Looking ahead, we are investigating whether Parent/Teacher/Student interviews will be best delivered face to face or remotely in 2021. We will communicate about this in due course.

 As part of our ongoing commitment to child safeguarding, the College appoints particular staff as Child Protection contacts; adults to whom any member of our community can report a concern they may have about any student at the College. Any member of the Terrace Family is also most welcome to make contact. If you have any questions or concerns regarding the welfare of a student, our Child Protection contacts are:

• Dr Michael Carroll – College Principal
• Mr Damien Fall – Deputy Principal
• Mr Damien Cuddihy – Dean of Students
• Mr Luke Gribble – Dean of Waterford Place
• Ms Jai-Leigh Beard – Counsellor
• Mr Brian Thompson (Semester 1) – Counsellor
• Mr Paul Antenucci (Semester 2) – Counsellor

These contacts’ photographs and names are displayed on posters around the College so students are aware of who they can speak with about any issues. Our College Counsellors can also be contacted via the counselling request form located under the ‘Parents’ or ‘Students’ tab in the top right-hand corner of the College website. As always, the College’s House Deans are an excellent option as the first point of contact regarding any student matter, even if to ask a question or perhaps debrief about their experience of parenting and how home and school can best work together.

Many thanks to those parents and caregivers who have followed the request not to use staff car parks on any school day for drop-off, pick-up, or to drive through. In the interests of student safety and minimising congestion, I thank non-staff members of the Terrace Family for working with us.

The season of Lent

National Sorry Day

Last Saturday, 13 February, was the Anniversary of the National Apology. It was this day in 2008 when Kevin Rudd made a formal apology to Australia’s Indigenous Peoples acknowledging the stolen generations. It was hoped that this apology would help to close the gap between Indigenous and non-Indigenous Australians. Students in Years 11 and 12 acknowledged this significant day during the week in reflection and prayer.

Old Boys’ Mass

Last Sunday, I was fortunate to attend the Gregory Terrace Old Boys’ Association Annual Mass. Led by Fr Michael Carroll, it proved to be a meaningful and important ritual to open the year for the Old Boys’ Association.

Ash Wednesday

Yesterday, the Terrace family came together in House groups to mark the beginning of the first day of the liturgical season of Lent, the celebration of Ash Wednesday.  Ash Wednesday begins Lent, a season of prayer, almsgiving and fasting. It takes place 46 days before Easter Sunday and comes from the ancient Jewish tradition of penance and fasting.  Students will continually be challenged on how they can practice these during the Lenten season.  Ash Wednesday is a time that reminds us that Jesus was sent by God into the desert to struggle, to be desperate, to be tempted, and to know the depths of sorrow and fear. It is one of the times that helped us know that Jesus was human - like you and me. Jesus experienced all the feelings we might experience if we went through challenges ourselves.

Lenten Prayer

God who sent Jesus into the unknown, you gather us as the Terrace family to listen to your Word. You sent your Son, Jesus, out by himself where he struggled and felt pain. He was tested by evil and chose your path of love and light.
May we, who seek to bring the best of ourselves to the fore, come to the story of wisdom you have provided. But first, may we be prepared to follow in the footsteps of Jesus, to turn away from sin and to be faithful to the Gospel.
We ask that this prayer be heard through Jesus our brother, who walked in the desert so that we could come home to God.

Live Jesus in our Hearts … Forever

Next Week

Monday: 7 Windsor Camp + Retreat at Maroon (all week)
Tuesday: Magee House Mass – 7.45am (Chapel)
Sunday: Kairos 1 at Maroon commences

I always enjoy listening to our Director of Cricket, Mr Blair Copelin, speak about the boys at the Annual Cricket Season Launch. The pinnacle of the evening is the presentation of players who have represented the College in 50 matches and the announcement of the Ron Oxenham Medal recipient. The medal is presented to the boy who best displays the values of the game and the Terrace Cricket program over a long period. This year the award was given to Harry Forster and Ben Good. Both talented cricketers who have trained hard only to fall short of initially making the 1^st XI at the College in their final year. Blair spoke glowingly of the depth of character displayed by both boys and resilience they have shown in the face of adversity this season. This story is replicated numerous times through all of our co-curricular programs. It reminds us that co-curricular activities provide so much more than winning or losing a game. In the face of adversity, it allows students to develop the highly sort after quality of resilience.

In nurturing resilience in our children, we often run the fine line between being loved and hated! A central component of being resilient is developing an understanding that you cannot always have what you want as soon as you want it. It is an important concept to pass on in the age of Snapchat, Netflix and Spotify, which acutely target our vulnerability for instant gratification. Psychology teaches us that people who can accept delayed gratification lead happier, healthier lives. As a community, we need to embrace the wide range of opportunities present throughout the year to develop this important skill for wellbeing.

Congratulations to Barrett House on their victory at last week’s Inter-House Swimming Carnival - three in a row is an impressive record for the Bulls. While it is nice to win, the spirit of participation, House connection and fun is far more important. It is always pleasing to watch our Seniors step up for their first major event, and I want to commend them on the way they led on the day. We challenge all our Seniors to embrace their role as leaders in the College, and I know that House Deans were pleased to observe their leadership in action on Friday.

Many thanks to the large number of parents who accepted the opportunity to attend this week’s Parent/Mentor Interviews. I trust the brief time together was valuable, and I encourage parents and caregivers to use Pastoral Care Mentors as the first point of contact regarding their sons. This Friday afternoon, we look forward to the Year 5 Inter-House Soccer competition at Waterford Place.

Success is what you make of it

Many quotes attempt to define success. Many refer to the attainment of a physical object; a gold medal, a championship ring, money. Some refer to the attainment of intangibles such as power or influence. These definitions all refer to external rewards as measures of success.

External rewards are very powerful as they provide a focus or an outcome goal to strive toward. Tuesday’s Academic Medal Assembly was a wonderful opportunity to recognise the achievements of our students. The awardees decided to commit to their studies, follow up on their commitment with hard work and have been rewarded with an academic medal.

The Academic Medal is external recognition of success. However, the majority of the boys awarded have been motivated by the internal desire to succeed. I see these award winners as a success. Our Diligence and Improvement Award winners are also a success. Our 2020 median ATAR 91.65 student, who was offered the University course of his choice, is a success.

At Terrace, we intentionally challenge every boy to be a success, or more specifically, to be the best that he can be. While I might aspire to be a medallist in the Surfing at the Tokyo Olympics, I know I may just miss out at present. However, that does not stop me from being the best that I can be.

Remember, as 2018 College Dux Jacob Montaner said at the 2019 Scholars' Assembly 

Motivation leads to hard work, and hard work leads to success.

Our Year 12 students are entering a busy time of the term with their first exam block commencing this week. Now is the time where consistent effort will pay off during this peak in the assessment cycle.

All the best.

Firstly, I would like to extend a big thank you to all of the teachers and parents/caregivers for working together to gather for the one-on-one Pastoral Care Mentor Interviews last week. The opportunity to put a face to a name and meet your son’s new Mentor and share information certainly enhances our ability to maintain an atmosphere of care at Waterford.

I would also like to extend a thank you to Ms Natalie Twine for presenting the Career talks. Ms Twine plays a key role in supporting our students as we start the transition from Waterford to the Senior School. Later in Formation classes, we will start the Senior Education and Training (SET) plan which maps out a plan of action to put our young men on track for senior secondary and post-school education success. If you would like to book an appointment to see Ms Twine for a more in-depth discussion about your son’s future subject and career choices, please utilise the following link to book an appointment time online - Book Here

This week we celebrated our Waterford Place Mass and the Ash Wednesday Liturgy in the Edmund Rice Theatre. The Lenten period, which precedes Easter, provides us with the opportunity for both personal and communal reflection. The symbol of ashes on Ash Wednesday signifies our commitment to being open to renewal. I was very pleased with the way our young men engaged as I challenged them to be outward thinking and mindful of our role to serve and be kind to others.

On Wednesday some of our Physical Education classes were fortunate to listen to guest speaker Harry Wilson (GT 2017 and current Queensland Reds Rugby and Australian Wallaby representative). Harry shared his insight into improving performance, and I was pleased to hear Harry’s response when asked about the importance of sleep and rest to performance. Harry said he doesn’t perform at his best if he doesn’t get 10 hours of sleep. With many of our young men juggling multiple co-curricular pursuits and training commitments, coupled with the distraction and addictive nature of mobile devices, many of our young men need support and guidance to ensure they get adequate sleep.

Today our students will receive their Mathematics mid-term review, which is due next Monday.  The Science task is due next Thursday. This is a great opportunity for you to check on your son’s progress and a reminder to all students that they need to stay organised and on top of any assessment tasks. If your son wants further support or tutorial assistance for any subject, please consult the Year 10 Orientation Booklet (Page 10) for further details. This can be found via the College App under the Notices tab (entitled Information – Waterford Place Orientation Info Booklet). We also have several poster-sized versions of the Tutorial Timetable located on the Ground Floor for students to peruse in their own time.

Debating

With two wins from three rounds, our Senior A GPS team are currently sitting second on the ladder.  Well done to these young men.  Not to be overlooked, the 11.1 team is sitting equal first and the 9.1 team is undefeated. 

This week is a Bye round for Terrace, giving our students plenty of time to prepare for their away debates against Nudgee.

Terrace will provide a bus for all students to travel together. There will be no return bus, and we ask parents/caregivers to please collect their son from Nudgee College after his debate.

•  Senior A – Win (second on ladder)
• 12.1 – Loss
• 11.1 – Loss (equal first on ladder)
• 11.2 – Win
• 10.1 – Loss
• 10.2 – Loss
• 10.3 – Win
• 9.1 – Win (undefeated)
• 9.2 – Win
• 9.3 – Win
• 8.1 – Win
• 8.2 – Loss
• 8.3 – Loss

The QDU State trials have been held at Terrace over the past two weekends.  Congratulations to six of our young men who have progressed through to the next round: Kieran Mills (Year 10), Oscar Lukin (Year 11), Senior A team members - Thomas Musgrave (Year 11), Thomas Nunn-Rutledge (Year 11), Fergus Farrell (Year 12) and Luke Ames (Year 12). We understand this is the largest number of students from one school at this stage of the trials. Well done!

GPS Music Showcase

A number of our elite musicians spent last Thursday in intensive music workshops, preparing for the 2021 GPS Music Showcase, held this year at the Queensland Conservatorium.  While it is a long and demanding day, we are very proud of our young men and thank our families for their support of this event.

• 2021 GPS Symphony Orchestra Highlights

• 2021 GPS Concert Band Highlights 

• 2021 GPS Choir Highlights 

• 2021 GPS Big Band Highlights

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 
• Terrace Performing Arts, please email: TPAChair@terrace.qld.edu.au 

Staying in touch   

To keep in touch with all things Cultural, we would suggest you download the Terrace App and follow us on Twitter (@GTCulture) and Instagram (terrace_gtculture) to ensure you don’t miss a thing.   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

Congratulations to the Waterford String Quartet ensemble who gave a wonderful performance at assembly on Tuesday.

GPS Showcase

Congratulations to all the boys who were selected to perform last Thursday as part of the GPS Showcase. Terrace boys were represented across the four featured ensembles; Big Band, Concert Band, Symphony Orchestra and the Choir. 

OneNote

Students are accustomed to the Microsoft OneNote application. All students who partake in individual or shared lessons are required to use OneNote with their Music or Speech and Drama teacher. OneNote is where parents/caregivers can review lesson content, monitor attendance and view homework set by their sons’ teacher. Students have received an invitation by their teacher to the relevant OneNote platform, if your son is unsure about this, please contact his teacher.

Years 5 and 6 Norman Clarke Music program (Classroom Music)

Please remind your son that he requires his instrument, relevant instrumental book and device for all lessons on either Monday or Tuesday afternoon. Instruments for the program are to be stored in the Music Centre, not in classrooms.

Music Practice Hall 2021

Music Practice Hall is an excellent opportunity for your son to benefit from assistance as he practices his instrument. Being new to Terrace, I see enormous opportunity for students who participate in this Monday afternoon session. With a range of trained professionals here to assist your son, I urge all parents to support their son’s participation in this initiative each Monday afternoon 3.15 – 5pm.

Instrument Storage

All high school students’ instruments are stored safely and securely. Students are reminded to store their instrument in one of two places, in their locker or MU2 on Level 3. 

Term 1 

• Thursday 4 March - Chamber Music Concert 
• Tuesday 16 March - TPA Meeting 
• Friday 26 March - Terrace Jazz Night 

Volleyball

This week, Terrace Volleyball hit the road for their second away round of their GPS season against Brisbane Boys’ College. BBC’s Volleyball program is one of the best in the GPS, so the boys were excited to take on the challenge. 

Terrace had a great weekend on the courts as our teams demonstrated their ability to perform in high pressure situations and play consistent volleyball across the board. Overall, the program recorded 12 wins and 10 losses, a fantastic improvement on last year’s results. 

The program can take many positives away from this round, including several key wins. In particular, the 9Ds played some fantastic volleyball to clinch a third set 15-13 victory. Our teams have demonstrated their development and highlighted some areas that can be improved in training this week. We are very excited that so many teams came away with victories on Saturday against such strong BBC outfits, and look forward to continuing this momentum through the season.

This Saturday, Terrace will host Toowoomba Grammar School in the Terradome. We appreciate the ongoing support from students, families and staff.

Pictured below:  The 7As

Congratulations

We have had two boys selected in the Under 15 Queensland Beach Volleyball Team to compete in the 2021 National Youth Beach Championships. 

• Jack Weeden (Year 8) 
• Caden Rieger (Year 9)

 The national competition is in the last week in April - we wish the boys the best of luck.

I love reading. Memoirs, bush poems, science fiction – I love it all. Luckily for you, this is not a book review or literary op-ed, but rather, a reflection on a lesson I have come to learn over my many reading adventures (fasten your seatbelts!).

About halfway through Year 9, I was given a book from my dear Gran – Over the Top with Jim by Hugh Lunn. With its bright yellow cover, it is quite hard to miss on the bookshelf. For those who haven’t read this great memoir, Over the Top with Jim retells the life of a modest Catholic family living in Annerley Junction in the 1950s. Assisted by Lunn’s easy-going, relaxed writing style, I breezed through the first few pages, picking up many interesting (and occasionally eye-opening) facts about Australian life in the 50s. About an hour or two into reading the book, I was shocked to discover that Hugh Lunn was a Terracian himself. Although it is by no means the book’s central tale, I was intrigued by his retelling of  Terrace during the 1950s, and perhaps even more so, thankful that the cane is no longer inflicted as punishment. Christian Brother teachers, the State Scholarship Examination, and ‘nulla nullas’ were all completely alien concepts to me, and yet, strangely familiar.

Frankly, at this point in my life, I had lost track of who I was as a Terracian. Gone were the days of marvelling at the many historic buildings of the College and gone were the days of that endless enthusiasm we all seem to find on our first day at the College. And yes, I admit this might have just been part of life as a freshly anointed teenager, but, regardless, as a 15-year-old boy reading such a historical account of Terrace, I was in awe. From this point on, Terrace wasn't just a school to me – it was a place of vast history. For the next few weeks, I was astonished by just how far back this great College really does go. But even with a history spanning 146 years, I couldn’t escape that odd feeling of familiarity with it all. 

And then, in Mr Whitehouse’s Digitech class of all places, it hit me: The Terrace story is not some compartmentalised, segmented history - it is a continuous collection of stories and experiences. This is why I think Hugh Lunn’s stories resonated so much with me. Because, despite changing times, many of his experiences are to be found in everyday life at the College. We have all experienced that rotten feeling of forgetting homework, and - though hopefully not often - we have all annoyed our teachers at some point. Some things never do change. 

Oddly enough, it was this realisation that changed my perspective on Terrace. I wasn’t just another student; I was part of the Terrace story - the very history of our College. No longer was Terrace just a school, but a place to leave my mark. A chance to write history, if you will.

To my fellow Terracians, I tell you this with confidence: you are not just a student, you are an author of the incredible thing that is the Terrace story. I implore all of you to make your mark, to leave your legacy, to Answer the Call. However, you put it, you only have one chance. 

Make it count. 

Care and Concern

The TLG has several different support avenues in our Terrace community. This week I would like to highlight Care and Concern. The Care and Concern role is fundamental to the TLG’s philosophy of building a strong community and providing support to those who need help in happy, busy times and also in times of crisis.  From logistics to cooking, volunteers for the Terrace Family Care and Concern are always welcome.  Please contact the group via the email below. 

If you are aware of a family who may need Care and Concern support, please reach out to our Care and Concern Coordinators via this anonymous referral link or email careandconcern@terrace.qld.edu.au All requests for assistance are treated confidentially and assistance provided only with consent from the receiving family. 

Donations for cooking supplies are always welcome careandconcern@terrace.qld.edu.au

Terralicious

The Gregory Terrace Fashion Parade is back in 2021.  Friendship, fun, food and fashion ensure a fabulous day out for the parents/caregivers of the Terrace Family. The TLG is currently finalising the committee to organise this event. We would love to hear from anyone keen to join the committee. However, we are looking for a member of the community who would like to co-chair the event focusing on the logistical arrangements in particular.

Events 

• 1 March - TLG Meeting, Founders' Room 7.30am. Our guest speaker will be Ms Ralda Deoki, Dean of Pedagogy and Learning Innovation.
• 30 April - TLG Years 5 to 9 Mothers' Morning Tea, Victoria Park Golf Course.
• 11 June - Terralicious Fashion Parade.

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

Mr Barry Norman IRELAND - GT 1957-61
Mr Chris SCHOUTEN - GT 2001

RSVP closes tomorrow - last chance for tickets to this fantastic Red & Black event!

Details: Friday 26 February | 12.30pm
Venue: Queensland Cricketers' Club, Gabba Towers, Vulture St Wooloongabba
Cost: $150pp (+BF) or $1500 for a table of 10. Includes 2 course lunch and premium drink package for 4 hours
RSVP: Please RSVP via the below link by Friday 19 February
For further information or event enquiries, please contact
Matthew Jackson | Matthew.Jackson@astutefinancial.com.au

Details: Sunday 14 March | 11am - 4pm
Venue: Victoria Park Golf Complex, Herston
Cost: Adults - $70pp (+bf) Students - $20pp (+bf) | Includes 2 course lunch.
RSVP: Please RSVP via the below link by Friday 26 February
For further information, please contact
Brendan McGrath | BrendanMcGrath@Terrace.qld.edu.au

Details: Saturday 20 March | 6 - 10pm 
Venue: Figs on Sylvan, Sylvan Rd Toowong
Cost: Adults & Students - $60pp (+bf) | Includes canapes, 2 course dinner, adults welcome drink and soft drink for students. 
RSVP: Please RSVP via the below link by 5 March
For further information, please contact
Toni Williamson | bwilliamson1@optusnet.com.au

Details: Thursday 25 March | 6 - 8pm
Venue: Newstead Brewery Co, Castlemaine St Milton
Cost: $30pp (+ bf) | Includes drinks on arrival & finger food
RSVP: Please RSVP via the below link by 22 March
For further information, please contact
Chris Shaw | Chris.67.shaw@gmail.com

Year 8 Parent/Caregiver Coffee Morning

Details: Friday 5 March | 7.30 - 10am
Venue: Victoria Park Golf Complex, Herston
RSVP: No RSVP required. Please feel welcome to drop in for a coffee.
For any queries, please contact
Michele Blanshard | mblanshard@roseandlily.com.au

Year 10 Parent/Caregiver Function

Details: Saturday 6 March | 7 - 10pm
Venue: Southbeach Social, 30aa Stanley St South Brisbane
RSVP: Please RSVP via the below link by 4 March
For further information, please contact
Nicole Hoffmann | nhof8777@bigpond.net.au

Year 12 Parent/Caregiver Function

Details: Sunday 7 March | 4 - 8pm
Venue: Felons Brewery Co, Howard Smith Wharves, Boundary St Brisbane
Cost: $35pp (+bf) | Includes substantial canapes
RSVP: Please RSVP via the below link by 3 March
For further information, please contact
Julia Joseph | jjoseph@alfredechave.com.au

Year 8 Parent/Caregiver Function

Details: Saturday 27 March | From 6pm
Venue: Port Office Hotel, Edward St Brisbane
Cost: $40pp (+bf) | Includes drink on arrival & canapes
RSVP: Please RSVP via the below link by 17 March
For further information, please contact
Chanelle Simpson | chanellesimpson@optusnet.com.au

Year 12 Mother/Caregiver & Son Breakfast

Details: Friday 14 May | 6.30 - 9.00am
Venue: Victoria Park Marquee, Herston Rd, Herston
Cost: $29pp (+bf) | Includes continental breakfast and drinks
RSVP: Please RSVP via the below link by 31 March
For further information, please contact
Julia Joseph | jjoseph@alfredechave.com.au