Dear members of the Terrace Family,

I trust that the shorter week last week provided an opportunity to take a breath as we prepare for the second half of Term 3.

Last week I shared the sad news of the passing of Simon Hatton, GT 2017 brother of Joshua, GT 2015 and Andrew (Year 12). The Terrace Family continues to offer our prayers and support to the Hatton family during these very difficult times.  Simon’s funeral will be held next Thursday 27 August at their family Parish of Our Lady of the Rosary, Kenmore. The number of people able to attend will be limited as a result of COVID-19 restrictions. Terrace staff and students will have a presence at the funeral.  The funeral will be streamed and this link will be provided to the Terrace Family in the coming days. Please keep the Hatton family in your thoughts and prayers.

The students continue to work their way through the "hard yard" weeks of Term 3 in preparation for the submission of assignments and Term 3 exams, which will commence in Week 9 for all year levels, apart from Year 12.

With the introduction of ATAR, the exam program for our Year 12 students is different.  The majority of Year 12 students have now completed all of the internal assessment, which will contribute to their final results.  The actual external exams will commence on Monday 26 October.  In preparation for these external exams, the Year 12 students will undertake a block of mock external exams, starting on Friday 28 August and running through to Friday 11 September.  These mock external exams will form a key aspect of their preparation program.  They will be marked, and feedback will be given to the students.  This targeted feedback will provide insights as to where further revision work should occur for each student.  The College will be hosting holiday workshops during the second week of the September holidays for the Year 12 students.  The ATAR system is new for 2020 and Terrace wants to continue its strong focus on academic excellence and to nurture a strong culture of learning.  This clear and focused revision and external exam preparation is a key focus for the Year 12 students over the coming weeks and months.

In last week’s Terrace News, I detailed the College’s position on COVID-19 tests and family members.  We continue to monitor the situation closely and to seek advice from QCEC and Queensland Health.  The obvious difficulty is that there is no completely right approach. However, we will continue to adopt a conservative approach to this issue in an attempt to maintain face-to-face learning.  The status quo remains in place, i.e. if an immediate family member is waiting for COVID-19 test results, students should remain at home.  We continue to monitor the implications of this position, particularly as they relate to our Year 12 students.

The GPS season continues this weekend with games against Anglican Church Grammar School at Tennyson and away.  I thank parents for following the strict guidelines regarding attendance and remind you that the ‘Arrive – Play - Leave’ philosophy remains in place.  Thank you for your support and good luck to all Terrace players this weekend.

Finally this week, although we will not be celebrating it in the usual way at Tennyson this weekend, our annual Timor Friendship Day was scheduled to occur on Saturday.  Terrace has a long and valued relationship with Timor-Leste, and we continue to work with, and for, our friends in Timor.

Have a great week.

God Bless.

Dr Michael Carroll
College Principal

We have well and truly entered the second half of Term 3, and several significant activities are about to commence, signalling that the term is rapidly disappearing. Our Year 10 students enter exam block next week before their camp program begins, running across the final three weeks of the term. The coronavirus pandemic has forced us to replace the Year 10 Immersion program with a modified Outdoor Education program. While the camp and retreat are unlikely to replace the wonderful experience that is Immersion completely, we look forward to providing our students with a memorable time spent with friends.

At the end of next week, Year 12 students will commence a block of mock external exams, designed to closely replicate the external exam experience that awaits them in October and November. Today, they have been spoken to about what to expect and how they might best prepare. If practice makes perfect, then the next few weeks will be critical for our Seniors as they ready themselves for Queensland’s first external exams under our new QCE system.

From a planning perspective, while it feels like next year is a long way off, the creation of the 2021 calendar and timetable is well underway. With subject selections now completed, we have started building the timetable by looking at the number of classes we will be running and the staffing required to fill our needs. The timetable is an extremely complex beast and requires a significant amount of time and thought to get it to its final version. The College calendar has never experienced as many changes and cancellations as it has in 2020. In planning the 2021 calendar, we will assume that all of our regular activities can proceed. While we are hopeful that we will be able to proceed with the full calendar of events next year, we will proceed with caution and a conservative approach as has been the case up until this point.

The other significant planning tool that is underway is the College’s Strategic Plan. Its first draft is almost ready for community consultation. The College Board will this week have the chance to view this first draft and provide feedback before the same opportunity is given to groups of students, staff and parents. The ongoing evolution of this important document is exciting as we look towards the next five year phase of the College’s life.

It has been fantastic for our students to experience a co-curricular program this term. Despite the restrictions in place, we have been delighted with how smoothly things have run. I want to pass on the thanks of the College to all in the Terrace Family for your cooperation and understanding as we have worked to keep high standards of safety and hygiene in place at co-curricular events.

Persistence – to continue in the face of difficulty or adversity

Through the course of a term, I communicate to students through a variety of mediums, events, assemblies and groups regarding academic success. There are several intentional messages that I reinforce:

• Be organised. Use the resources available and plan to use your time effectively.
• Success = consistent effort x time.
• Seek assistance. Use staff tutoring, peer tutoring, study hall, ask a question, speak to a mate.
• Exam techniques. Know the content but also manage the exam.
• Reflect on your performance.

Through the course of 2020, I have grown to recognise another important aspect of success – persistence. Persistence is especially required through the middle of a term when assignment drafts and finals are due, and exams are on the horizon. At this time, it takes persistence to stick to your study plan, to be consistent in your study and revision, or to know when to ask for help. Consequently, the above messages are not effective unless a student is persistent.

As I mentioned to our Year 12 cohort, persistence starts as a mindset and then becomes a habit. To be persistent you need to set a target or goal, know how to work towards it, then take responsibility to move forward. To develop persistence as a habit, start small – set a goal for nightly revision, identify the actual questions or content that you wish to revise, then do it without interruption, disruption or excuse.

Practise persistence every day and it will become a habit. A habit that will enable a student to achieve success.

At College Assembly this week, I took the opportunity to explore one of the Touchstones for a Catholic education in the Edmund Rice tradition - Inclusive Community. That is, a community that is accepting and welcoming, fostering right relationships and committed to the common good. Further to my comments in the newsletter last week on raising cultural awareness, the intentional message on this week’s assembly centred on creating an environment that is free from discrimination based not only on race but gender, sexuality, wealth, physical ability or academic intelligence as well. To be a true 'Gentleman of Terrace' one needs to assist in nurturing an inclusive community where people are free to be the best that they can be.  They need to Be the One who displays a high level of awareness through their actions. Take the opportunity to have a conversation with your sons about how conscious they are about the concept of inclusivity in their everyday conversations and actions. Of particular concern is online conduct. It is the first place where standards seem to rapidly drop.

Recently, I spoke to a group of Year 9 students about their camp experience at our Br Buckley Outdoor Education Centre. The boys’ feedback was positive, with a number wanting to return at some point before they finished Year 12. The Year 9 camp is the last of our compulsory camps in the Outdoor Education program. A three day walk through Mt Barney National Park can be a testing time for many of our students both physically and mentally. As adults, we are acutely aware of the benefits of adversity in our formative years. Its presence is often needed as we grow into mature, capable human beings. The staff at Maroon are conscious of allowing the Year 9s to face and overcome difficulties during the week. Resisting the temptation to pave the road for the boys, but rather prepare them for it, is at the forefront of the Outdoor Education philosophy of our Maroon staff. The boys will get the opportunity to return to Maroon on either a Kairos retreat in Year 12, or as Year 11 camp leaders, or they may even take the challenge of attending the Meraki Immersion in Year 10 to further this crucial personal journey.

The year has been relatively incident free in terms of issues stemming from public transport. However, recently I have received a few concerns about Terrace students not offering their seat to full fare paying adults. If your son catches public transport, a quick reminder to offer his seat to adults would be appreciated.

The Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary

This Saturday 22 August, Terrace celebrates Timor Friendship Day. This day is a reminder of our 15-year connection with Timor-Leste. In particular, on this day we recognise the work of Br Dan Courtney, a founding member of the Christian Brothers Community in Timor-Leste. Br Dan was an Old Boy of Terrace and worked tirelessly to give a voice to and serve those who lived on the margins. Br Dan sadly passed away in 2012, but not before making a real difference to many lives, especially in Timor-Leste.

In acknowledgement of the special relationship between Gregory Terrace and the Timorese people, our 1^st V Basketball and 1^st XV Rugby teams will be wearing a special Timorese jersey this weekend. In addition, a Br Dan Courtney medallion will be awarded to the best and fairest Terrace player in the 10A Basketball and 10A Rugby teams.

Thank you to everyone for your ongoing support for the Terrace Timor Network. Our recent Red and Black Day raised over $1700, which is a significant contribution towards the work being done in Timor-Leste.  If you would like to continue to support our friends in Timor-Leste, remember you can buy an iced coffee at our Kolega café on Friday mornings before school, or alternatively you can buy coffee beans from our online store - https://www.justiceproducts.org/ - with all proceeds going to the Terrace Timor Network.

Unfortunately, our Year 10 Immersion to Timor-Leste couldn’t go ahead this year. In the past,  many students have travelled on this pilgrimage and journeyed to the top of the highest mountain in Timor, the sacred Mount Ramelau, to see the statue of Mary (image below).

Last Saturday the 15 August, the Catholic Church celebrated The Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary. The Assumption signals the end of Mary’s earthly life and marks her return to heaven to be reunited with Jesus. As followers of God, we share in the love and protection that Mary provided for Jesus.

Heavenly Father,
Mary showed us the extent of human love, motherly nurturing and selfless service. 
We pray that all people of the earth learn to embrace one another in love, compassion and service.
Just as our Timorese friends seek wisdom and solace in the example of Mary,
so too are we called to be people guided by her life.
Inspire us by her openness to your love.
Lead us to be people who say yes to You.
May we live in this attitude to bring birth to a new world.
We make this prayer in Jesus’ name... Amen.

Tuesday Morning Mass

Just a reminder that Tuesday morning Mass is on at 7.30am in the Chapel of The Holy Family. The following Houses are leading Mass in the coming weeks:

• Week 7 – Barrett House
• Week 8 – Mahoney House
• Week 9 – Treacy House
• Week 10 – Reidy House

Due to the current COVID-19 restrictions in place, parents/caregivers who attend will need to sign in (via the EVA Check-In app) and follow social distancing requirements. We appreciate your support with this.

Live Jesus in our Hearts…Forever

This week at Waterford, we transition from assignment mode into exam mode. The boys should be hard at work revising in preparation for the week ahead. A timely reminder that if your son does miss an exam due to illness or injury, please be sure to phone or email Waterford Place to let us know that your son will be away on the day. We will arrange for the missed exam to be completed on your son’s return to school.

The last three weeks have seen our Year 10 boys put their sales skills to the test endorsing a very good cause. An enormous thank you to all of our wonderful parents and caregivers that have been baking up a storm in support of Edmund Rice Camps. Edmund Rice Camps is a community based not-for-profit organisation, providing recreational activities for children, youth and families who may not otherwise have the opportunity. I am sure that the boys thoroughly enjoyed sampling all the tasty treats on offer over the last two Thursdays. With your help, our boys have managed to raise over $400 in bake sales for this worthy cause.

Following on from the exam week, I hope the boys are looking forward to the three-day Camp and Retreat Program beginning in Week 8. As previously communicated, our Year 10 students will be heading to Girraween National Park for the Outdoor Education component and then on to our Tennyson facility for the Retreat day. If you haven’t already done so, please go to Tours in the Parent Lounge and ‘Accept’ the Camp/Retreat as well as ensure that your son’s medical details are up to date. 

Music Presentation Assembly

It was my pleasure on Tuesday to present the Year 12 music students and a selection of our Premier Ensembles at our Music Presentation Assembly. Music is a large and complex activity that is made up of six main genres with a myriad of sub-genres, which host Symphony Orchestras to Rock Bands.

This past weekend would have seen 972 boys perform at the 30^th anniversary of the Queensland Catholic Schools and Colleges Music Festival (QCMF), which is the largest of its kind in the southern hemisphere. Some of these boys would have performed for their first time while others for their last. We have celebrated some of our Seniors through vignettes that we have been posting on our Cultural Instagram.

Pep Band halftime feature - Round 6 vs ACGS

Support our Pep Band who have spent time in the studio to support the boys on the field. They have recorded a great cover of ‘Happy’. See the behind the scenes video here and the real video on the live stream at halftime, Facebook and YouTube this Saturday.

Chess vs BSHS

Unfortunately, our Premier Board lost to BSHS. I am happy to report that our Juniors won again and remain in third place on the ladder. As a comparison to our 2019 results, we competed better against BSHS in 2020, which is a testament to our growing skills.

Debating

Last weekend saw the conclusion to the competitive side of Terrace Debating for 2020 with our Year 12 team going down in the quarter final of the QDU mini competition.

We are proud of our 2020 efforts where we placed second in GPS, first aggregate score in GPS and reaching the quarter finals of the QDU mini competition.

We look forward to our upcoming seminars in preparation for the 2021 Debating trials on 17 – 18 and 24 October.

Public Speaking is back

While all public speaking competitions are off, we have started our own internal competition to keep the activity alive in preparation for 2021.

See Mr Cacciola for further details as training and preparation has begun.

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 would suggest you download the Terrace App and follow us on Twitter (@GTCulture) and Instagram (terrace_gtculture) to ensure you don’t miss anything.   If you have any photographs or video that you would like to share, please tag us. 

TWITTER          @GTCulture

INSTAGRAM      terrace_gtculture

YOUTUBE         Terrace Culture YouTube Channel

Welcome to Week 6

This week had a busy start on Monday with co-curricular photos being taken throughout the day. Tuesday marked Music Assembly, featuring the Fanfare Trumpet Team, the Terrace Jazz Orchestra, the Waterford String Orchestra and the Terrace Choir. Congratulations to all our Year 12 boys who received badges on the assembly and thank you for your long commitment to Music at Terrace.

If any students are leaving the program, this needs to be notified by parents two weeks prior to the end of term (Thursday 3 September).

Placement Day

On Friday 4 September we will be holding our Placement Day for all musicians and singers who will be in Years 5 and 7 in 2021. If you are in Year 6 now at Terrace, we do not need to see you. This event provides the Music department the opportunity to meet and hear our newest members before next year and place them in an appropriate ensemble. This is not an audition, but it is a moment to provide certainty for students and families for next year. 

Music Practice Hall

Held on Mondays from 3.15-5pm. A valuable way to use this resource is to work on the aural component of external exams. For AMEB candidates, the material for this can be found in your son’s OneNote Instrumental lessons, under the ‘Content Library’ tab. We encourage you to support this unique opportunity, where your sons can practice and receive guided supervision with tutors from the Queensland Conservatorium of Music and other tertiary institutions.

If you have any queries or concerns, please contact the Music Department  music@terrace.qld.edu.au

Basketball

In Round 5 of GPS Basketball, Terrace played Brisbane State High School (BSHS), an opponent renowned for its talented players, which was an exciting challenge after a strong start to the 2020 season. The majority of the program engaged in supplementary or internal matches, although overnight rain and a midday storm ensured a few of these were unfortunately washed out. Each weekend, the ability to hold a significant amount of supplementary and/or internal games points to the size, strength and depth of talent in the Basketball program this season and a promising sign of things to come in the future.

In terms of results, BSHS took honours on the day as Terrace won eight of 18 games against BSHS, a strong showing given the representative talent across the age groups of the opposition. Despite the results, the program is buoyed by the tight margins in the majority of the games and the players must be commended for the way they competed against a strong, physical opponent at an away venue. The majority of teams played the game with the right attitude and fought until the end of the game in the face of some adversity. A special mention goes to the 11Bs, 10Cs and 9As. The most outstanding team performance from the weekend came from the 10Ds who played against the BGS 4^th V and worked cohesively as a team with some excellent ball movement in transition to record a memorable win. 

The 1^st V won a thrilling and gripping fixture, which produced some of the highest quality Basketball seen at an underage level. The skill, speed and execution under pressure from both sides was highly impressive in a game that ebbed and flowed with the lead changing hands a number of times in a dramatic 4^th quarter. Over the past 18 months this team has developed and learned the art of composure under pressure through a number of tight games, and that experience was telling on Saturday as they recovered from a six point deficit with just minutes remaining to lead by three and make a crucial defensive play to deny BSHS a game equalling shot.

This weekend the program takes on the traditionally strong Anglican Church Grammar School in what should be a good challenge for all players, and an exciting game that the coaching staff of all teams have been building towards for a number of weeks now.

Football

On Saturday we hosted Brisbane State High School in the GPS draw and we knew from the start that it would be a tough day for our boys. Despite not winning as many as we would have liked, our Terrace footballers put up a great fight across the board.

We saw great courage and resilience in every match, particularly in the 7As – State High’s team had yet to lose a game and our boys held out impressively before ultimately breaking down as the game wore on. This theme played out in a fair few matches, with a number of our teams struggling to find that clinical edge. 

The attitude on Saturday was outstanding. Our 1^st XI included many members called up from lower age groups to fill in for injuries, and their performance against State High highlighted the real depth we have in our Football program as they dominated a 7-0 victory.

In the supplementary games, we had some great performances and wins. The mighty Year 5s took a double over the BBC As and BC Bs, and our Year 6s played with admirable resilience in two composite teams.

Next weekend we take on Anglican Church Grammar School, last year’s GPS premiers. All our teams will need to give their all to get the win over this dominant footballing school.

Rugby

Last weekend was a test of our playing depth with teams playing far and wide. A special thanks to our age group coordinators Mr Blair Copelin and Mr Brendan McGrath who juggled team lists to ensure we had enough boys to fulfil our commitments to the supplementary draw.

I am mindful that a small number of teams have played our friends from Nudgee three or more times to date. I am confident that we will find other opposition for these teams moving forward.

Round 6 is Terrace Timor Round and we are hosting Anglican Church Grammar School (ACGS). I am pleased to say that all our Terrace Rugby teams will be playing at Tennyson this Saturday.

Canteen helpers

The Rugby program, in conjunction with the Rugby Support Group, has agreed that certain age groups will be asked to provide the resources for at least one home game each year. In some years/rounds we will have bigger crowds, as we will this weekend hosting ACGS, so extra help will be needed. Many of you will have experience in a similar system from junior rugby. Depending on the number of volunteers, we are asking you to provide a minimum of one hour per season as part of your commitment to the Terrace Rugby program.

This weekend we ask that parents and caregivers from the Opens age group assist at Tennyson.

Team of the week

Our team of the week this round is the 3^rd XV, coached by Gary and Wil Munday. The boys recorded a 19-12 win, a reward for their consistent approach to training and playing all season.

Rugby results

Weekend results can be found via the link here. This provides access to results from all schools and age groups. Please note that the 1^st XV is the only grade that plays for a premiership.

Key dates

• 22 August - Round 6 v ACGS (HOME)
• 29 August - Round 7 v BGS (HOME)
• 5 September - Round 8 v TSS (AWAY)
• 12 September - Round 9 v Downlands (small number of non-GPS fixtures)

Tennis

Saturday saw a very competitive day of tennis against BSHS in almost all matches. It was great to see the courts at Griffith University full after such a wet beginning; the weather was against us yet again with overnight rain dampening the morning courts. As is often the case, some areas received more rain than others, and unfortunately TSS were forced to call off our supplementary fixtures at their venue.

Thank you to the Terrace Tennis families who helped in making the courts playable again between scattered showers. Days in these conditions are always hard to judge in terms of weather, but as a program we always seek to push through and play wherever possible, regardless of whether we believe the result will go our way. Thank you to all families for their patience and support on wet days; let’s hope for some sunshine this weekend against Churchie.

Year 12 is a year of finals. Final Debating season, final Rugby game, grand finals, formal, final days and now our final exams. It is a time where everything comes into perspective, a time to reflect on where you have come from and who has been with you on the journey to prepare for your final moments.  

One of the pinnacles of this reflective experience is the Terrace v Nudgee Rugby, which happened only two weeks ago. On what would be the biggest day for Terrace spirit and support, Tennyson fell relatively silent compared to the thousands expected there. But one message reached the 1^st XV, a message from Senior Mac Millar, a 1^st XI player and leader of spirit. This show of support makes a difference in these grand final moments. Just like the tunnel before QCS that has gone in previous years, the rituals and kind words of our community help us greatly.

Getting to enjoy those moments while we have them is critical, I know my Mum has been looking forward to the formal this year in whatever form that takes (thanks to the hard work of the school, especially Mrs Tarlington) it is important that we take advantage of the opportunities and enjoy them. 

Whether it is a lucky dinner the night before, a prayer, a lucky pen or even touching the top of the door before you enter an exam room, the little things to denote a performance mindset and prepare yourself for a grand final moment make all the difference in performing under pressure.  

Finally, I just wanted to note how through everything this year we have come away extremely well in all aspects, with two premierships in Volleyball and Cricket in Term 1, and placing performances in both Rowing and Debating and a great effort in the Swimming. Some excellent performances in Music and Culture using online mediums to showcase talents (with amazing performances on this Tuesday’s assembly included). Now this term we are currently undefeated in Basketball and Football, and have great efforts from Chess and heartfelt losses by the 1^st XV, we as a year have put in our all and each member has had a chance to Be the One so far. It is important we keep fighting to the final moments. 

I hope everyone can Be the One in the coming final weeks. 

#BT1 

Terrace Performing Arts is raising money with Entertainment  

Help a great cause, support local community and save on a 12 or 24 month membership.

Go to the link here for more information.

Support Red and Black Basketball and be in with a shot of winning some incredible prizes! What's not to love?

1st prize - LG LED TV valued at $1195
2nd prize - Nespresso machine valued at $399
3rd prize - Bunnings wheelbarrow with goodies

Tickets $25 each or 5 for $100 (+ booking fees)
Please click the link below to purchase. 

Details: Friday 9 October - Saturday 10 October
Venue: Br Buckley Outdoor Education Centre
Cost: Free
RSVP: via the below link by Tuesday 6 October
For further information or camp enquiries, please contact
Brendan McGrath | BrendanMcGrath@Terrace.qld.edu.au 

The College looks forward to celebrating this very special occasion with all the Terrace Family in 2021.

Date: Saturday 6 March 2021
Venue: Brisbane Convention & Exhibition Centre
RSVP: Tickets on sale early 2021. All tickets currently not refunded will automatically transfer to this new event. 
For further Ball enquiries or refunds on current tickets, please email
Terrace Communications | office@terrace.qld.edu.au 

Year 6 End of Year Break Up/Graduation Shorts

Details: Friday 27 November | 12 - 3pm
Venue: Centenary Pool, Gregory Terrace Spring Hill
Cost: Admission - $15 (+bf) | Includes admission, sausage sizzle & cake
Canterbury commemorative shorts - $30 (+bf) | Please view sizing chart linked below
RSVP: Please RSVP via the below link
For further information or enquiries, please contact
Catherine Hennessy | terraceclass2026@gmail.com