Dear members of the Terrace Family,

It is hard to believe that we are at the halfway point of the term.  It has been a busy and full start to the year, but I think it has been a successful start.  It will be important to maintain this positive momentum as we head into the second half of the term.

In recent weeks I have focused on the students’ academic journey and the importance of starting well.  While an essential aspect of the College is its academic program, the co-curricular program is also key to the holistic education offered at Terrace.

Each weekend large numbers of students represent Terrace in a wide range of activities at an equally diverse range of venues.  During Semester 1, Terrace students are involved in Debating, Chess, Swimming, Cross Country, Tennis, Football, Volleyball, Rowing, Cricket, Gymnastics and Music, with at least 1400 students participating in training, rehearsals and competitions each week.  The co-curricular program is an excellent way to engage in another facet of Terrace life. It is also an avenue by which parents can become involved and meet other families.  I will continue to encourage a strong co-curricular participation model at Terrace and emphasise the importance of maintaining a balance between academic and co-curricular activity.

Our co-curricular program is supported by the Sport and Cultural Departments, staff and hundreds of coaches who commit their time to training and competitions each week.  The various activities are also supported by a strong network of College Support Groups.  These Support Groups not only provide an opportunity for parents to be involved in their son’s activities at Terrace; they also offer another layer of support for each activity by supplying resources, coaching and volunteer assistance for game days and performances, helpers for setup/pack down, canteen volunteers, managers and officials.  Like student participation, Terrace promotes a strong parent participation model through engagement with these Support Groups, and I encourage all parents to consider ways to volunteer and assist in the co-curricular program.

While a significant aspect of our co-curricular program will always be competitiveness, how we play the game is far more important than any results.  The highest level of sportsmanship is key to the Terrace competitor.  Winning humbly and graciously losing are hallmarks of a good Terrace competitor, and we all need to reinforce and maintain these high standards consistently.  As I visit the many activities each weekend, I have been impressed with how we play the game.  However, we must maintain our high standards both on the field and on the sidelines.  I look forward to catching up with many of our supporters over the coming weeks.

Over the last couple of weeks, all new parents and many families who began their Terrace journey in 2020 have been invited to a Principal’s Reception.  These events provide a social forum where I can share the Vision and Mission of our College and, importantly, provide further details of plans for Terrace.  The evenings also introduce families to the work of the College Foundation and offer an opportunity for parents to further support the future direction and vision of the College.  To put it simply, if Terrace is to continue to provide a quality Catholic Education in the Edmund Rice Tradition, produce outstanding academic results and provide extensive co-curricular and spiritual opportunities for all students, we need your support.  I ask that parents accept these invitations to the upcoming Principal’s Receptions and consider how you can support our Vision and Answer the Call.

Finally, this week, I ask that you keep in your thoughts and prayers all those within our community who are dealing with loss, illness or life challenges.  Please keep in your thoughts a former Terrace parent, Juliann Miller, who passed away recently.  Juliann had Terrace connections that spanned five generations.  Please also remember in your prayers Christopher Schouten (GT 2001) and Ron Fingleton (GT 1963), who also passed away recently. The Terrace Family supports everyone, particularly in times of crisis and need.

Have a great week.

God Bless.

Focusing on someone other than ourselves

I was fortunate to attend the Year 10 Ash Wednesday liturgy a week ago at Waterford Place. Year 10 teacher Mr Peter Ernst broke open the word for the students. This special and meaningful recount (repeated below) provided students in all stages of their faith journey with honest and practical advice to be the best version of themselves during this Lenten period. I hope you enjoy it and thank you, Peter.

Lent is a season where we find ourselves being invited by God in a profoundly personal way. Jesus invites us through the words, Come back to me, with all of your heart. And to the best of our ability, we respond we will! But sadly, we are human, and we are not quite ready yet; our hearts are not always in it. We avoid Jesus, we make up excuses, and we most often take the easy road. Simply put, we are not ready for God to love us. Today, we hear Matthew’s Gospel reading which challenges us to do three things during Lent as we try our best to respond to this call.

Almsgiving

The first is called almsgiving. This simply means that in a special way, during Lent, we are called to give all we can to people in need. That can be by helping, by sharing or by giving generously without the thought of receiving anything in return. And in today’s Gospel, Jesus reminds us not to blow our own trumpet about what we give but to do it humbly and quietly doing something without expecting anything in return. This makes volunteering for the Eddie’s Van an obvious choice or maybe organising some fundraising activities through our Lenten Appeal which is launched today. It truly will not be hard to find something we can do! Our Waterford Council may be able to direct our efforts over the next few weeks.

Praying

The second thing we are invited to do during Lent is to pray. Matthew’s Gospel reminds me that prayer is not for show but is a genuine time for reflection, quietness, and connection with self, family, and community. It is time to spend connecting with and understanding our spirituality. We are in prayer right now, and throughout this day, we might think about how we can take the time to privately pray during Lent. This can be in the morning, or maybe before we go to bed, or even taking what we do each afternoon a little more seriously when we pray The College Prayer.

Fasting

The third opportunity to join the Lenten journey is to fast. Fasting means going without and letting go of things that we don’t need in our lives. It means to cleanse and to simplify. The trick is that like Jesus’ time in the desert; we need to feel vulnerable; it has to be a sacrifice that pulls each of us out of our comfort zone. Perhaps we could help the environment by using less electricity. Maybe we could simplify our diets, spend less money, or become more socially conscious about the products that we purchase. Again, it is not difficult!

It doesn’t matter what we choose to do in any of these areas. Our choice will help us re-focus on someone other than ourselves. God is there with us, gently guiding us. In these next six weeks of Lent, we will journey with Jesus. We will be tempted together, pray together, and in doing so, we will touch our most inner thoughts and feelings, and finally, we will share in Jesus’ suffering and death on a cross. We will continue our journey, knowing that in six weeks, we will experience the joy of the resurrection at Easter.

Live Jesus in our Hearts…Forever.

Next Week

Monday: 7 Xavier Camp and Retreat at Maroon (all week)
Tuesday: Buckley House Mass – 7.45am (Chapel of the Holy Family)
Sunday: Kairos 2 at Maroon commences

Over the first four weeks, I have spoken about creating an atmosphere of care in many forums at the College. The Atmosphere of Care framework that we use tries to connect our pastoral framework to the Charter document and our Strategic Plan. 

I am sure many of the Year 5 parents would agree that the Inter-House Futsal competition held at Waterford last Friday was a wonderful display of an Atmosphere of Care. The Year 11 buddies running the event did a fantastic job, and the Year 5s participated with great enthusiasm. Many thanks to Mr Ganley for organising the afternoon and congratulations to Mahoney House Year 5s for remaining undefeated throughout the afternoon.

Last week, we held the Year 8 Father/Mentor/Son evening online. The opportunity to be present and engage in conversations with not only your sons but other boys in Year 8 was an enriching experience for all. Anna Machin, an evolution anthropologist, wrote the following article about fatherhood found here. The article explores the question of why only humans have involved and empathic fathers, compared to our other close relatives. Machin concludes her research stating that a father’s special role in preparing his child to enter the wider world outside the family – shaping emotional and behavioural development, teaching the rules of social behaviour and language, helping to build mental resilience by dealing with risk, confronting challenge and overcoming failure – is arguably more important than ever before, when we are beset by a crisis in adolescent mental health, and live in a world that operates on new social rules, shaped by our digital, online lives.

SchoolTV this month also explores the topic of raising boys. Unsurprisingly, Michael Carr-Gregg highlights research suggesting that a boy’s behaviour is learned by watching their father or other male role models. His physical maturity is at odds with his mental and brain development. Although he may look like a mature young man at 16, he doesn’t yet think like one. We shouldn’t see this as an excuse for why some boys make poor decisions at times but rather as in important reason why we need to continue looking for opportunities for boys to reflect on their actions well into the latter years of their schooling. The link to the raising boy’s article can be found here.

Finally, Week 6 is Hair Week at Terrace. House Deans have been tapping boys on the shoulder who need a haircut this week. We are generally talking about those boys that only had the bare minimum taken off when they returned to school in Week 1, and now five weeks later, the fringe is quite long and well past the eyebrows at the front. I expect all boys to have their hair in an appropriate state by the end of the week. I have advertised this in the daily notices as well. If you think I can assist in this communication, please don’t hesitate to contact me.

Just Do It!

When you first see or hear these three words, you instantly think of Nike, the sportswear company. This slogan has become synonymous as the tagline for a range of products and athletes. However, these three words are not just a slogan. I feel they can be a powerful message.

For example, the alarm went off at 5am this morning (a sleep in for the rowers) and I contemplated getting up and facing my training session. I would have rather slept in. We all often have that feeling where we would rather take the easy option. It is useful when these feelings occur to disregard your thoughts and just go. If I get started on a task, in this case, just get up, I can then focus on what I am doing. What felt like a drag before I got started turns into positive feelings about what I am about to do.

It is Week 5 of the ten-week term, and assignments are upon us and exams are just four weeks away. We have spent the first part of the term getting to know new teachers and classmates, identifying new ways of working, getting organised, celebrating our academic achievements and talking about how we want to improve. However, the time for talk is over. Just Do It!

How? Take a small step first. Complete all your homework; start your revision now by doing some questions from last week’s work, read back over the notes you took two weeks ago, attend the staff tutoring sessions (timetable on the College App), log your study hours in your diary and ask your teacher for assistance.

Our Year 12 students have completed their first exam block. This new timing of the exam block reflects the assessment timings required for the new QCE system. Year 12 students started work for this exam block in Term 4 Year 11, when they commenced Unit 3. While this exam block has now finished, the cohort has several assignments/projects/Maths IA2 exams due through the remainder of the term.

With a busy assessment period looming for all students, whatever you choose to do…. Just Do It!

Middle School Musical

We held a workshop over the weekend for Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat for our younger students. There is some excellent talent amongst these students, and the first time we have had Year 5 students as leads.

We will soon be calling for parent/caregivers helpers to assist with costuming.  Any skill level is welcomed!

Debating

Terrace Debating had a Bye last round, which means our Senior A team are still in second place.

QDU State trials continue with a wonderful and highly competitive weekend. Tom Nunn-Rutledge (Year 11), Tom Musgrave (Year 11) and Fergus Farrell (Year 12) will progress through to the next round of trials, placed in the top 24.

Chess

Our top-rated Chess players will compete in the first Interschool competition next Friday at Nudgee.  We look forward to reporting their results to the community.

Music

Next Thursday gives our Music students the opportunity to perform in front of a live audience with the first Chamber Music Concert of 2021.  Please see Mr Rose’s article for more information.

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 Fanfare Team, who gave a wonderful performance at assembly on Tuesday under the direction of Mr Esbensen.

Chamber Music Concert

Next Thursday, a number of ensembles and soloists will perform as part of the first Chamber Music Concert for 2021. The Concert will be held in the Edmund Rice Theatre commencing at 6pm.

An Interview with Kalen Mills

Kalen Mills (Year 10) took the opportunity to participate in Music Practice Hall, which operates every Monday afternoon. The program aims to provide an opportunity for your son to benefit from assistance as he practices his instrument.

Kalen is a percussionist and highlighted the value of having access to the various percussion instruments and how invaluable this has been for him as a musician, especially given he does not have access to these instruments at home.

The dedication of two solid hours of practice helps me schedule practice within such a busy timetable. Having a professional mentor to assist and provide guidance is invaluable, giving me motivation, focus and direction.

I invite all parents/caregivers to encourage their sons to take part in this unique opportunity on Monday afternoons.

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.

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 hosted their second home round of their GPS season. After a number of hard fought battles away last weekend, the boys were excited for the challenge of once again defending the Terradome against a reputable Toowoomba Grammar program.

TGS presented strong teams with many good athletes scattered throughout. They demonstrated their dominance in the Year 11 age group with their great fundamentals and advanced athletic ability; however, on the whole, the Terrace program prevailed with 16 wins and 8 losses. 

There were a number of close matches and success stories, including the 10Bs, who once again came out with a desire to win at all costs. They knuckled down from a ten point, 24-14 deficit in the second set to claim a miraculous 27-25 win. 

The 1^st VI trained hard all week and their dedication paid off against a previously undefeated and much taller TGS outfit. Players like Nic Lawrence and Joa McMahon demonstrated their technical and athletic ability on the way to a well-deserved 3-1 victory. 

The Terrace Volleyball community would like to thank the players, families, coaches and staff for their continued support into what is shaping into a successful 2021 season for GT Volleyball.

One of my favourite aspects of the culture at Terrace is the support the community generates around sporting and cultural events. Some of my greatest memories have been in the stands performing war cries or, in more recent times, hearing the war cries screamed down on a team I am playing in.

While COVID has had an adverse impact on the entire world, the most significant difference that I have experienced has been the depleted number of supporters at sporting and cultural events. While this loss is not nearly as catastrophic as the other affects the virus has had, I have witnessed the stark comparison between hundreds of supporters to none.

I have been lucky enough to play for the 1^st Volleyball team this year and last year (although most of my career has been warming the bench), and this is where I have seen the largest difference due to COVID. The sea of red and black played a huge part in how the players performed; they cheered our highs and gave us the support to get us through our lows. This was demonstrated in the Terrace vs Churchie game last year, where we bounced back from 0-2 to 3-2, mainly due to the unwavering and enthusiastic support we received throughout the game. There is no better feeling than having your mates cheer you on.

In comparison, this year, we have had no supporters except for the two parents/caregivers allowed per player. While some support is better than none, nothing beats hearing passionate cheering during your game. While the decreased numbers of supporters are detrimental to the atmosphere, the bench has stepped up their efforts to motivate the team as they are now the only cheer squad the players get.

You may be reading this thinking, “Ben, this is cool and all, but why are you telling me this?” And the reason is to demonstrate that while supporters still cannot attend games or cultural events, there are still several ways to support your mates and the College. Something that I have appreciated recently is my friends watching the live streams of the games and having a chat about it afterwards, no matter how small the conversation may be. For the younger boys who may not have friends or a buddy in a firsts squad, they can show their support by performing well in their own games, as a win at the start of the day in the 7Cs sets the benchmark for the day and keeps the momentum for the rest of the program. On top of this, all boys can make an effort to attend the Gorilla Gatherings as this term it is their only chance to cheer their mates on. This year, with limited supporters allowed at most events, the Terrace community must Answer the Call by showing support in whatever way they can.

Answering the Call and volunteering helps create a feeling of community and offers an opportunity for parents/caregivers to connect. There are a range of occasions when we call on volunteers, and we love to see new faces. Please try the volunteer experience, and you might find yourself surprised at just how much you can gain from taking the plunge. 

Terralicious - Terrace Fashion Parade

The TLG Committee is very grateful for the incredible response we have had from the Terrace community thus far. We have formed a committee, and planning is underway.  If you would still like to contribute, we will also be looking for bright ideas to make the day a success in the coming weeks. There are plenty of opportunities to get involved. We are looking for sponsors, prizes, models, stylists (hair and makeup), back of house team members for the day to dress/direct our models, front of house greeters, raffle ticket sellers and more!  To flag your interest, please contact us at TLG@terrace.qld.edu.au  

March TLG meeting

Our next meeting is on Monday 1 March in the Founders' Room at 7.30am. Our guest speaker will be Ms Ralda Deoki, Dean of Pedagogy and Learning Innovation.  All parents and caregivers are warmly invited to attend.   Check the Terrace App notices area for more details, and for Covid purposes, RSVP at TLG@terrace.qld.edu.au

Please also remember if you have an item you would like to discuss at the meeting or a guest speaker you would like to hear from, send an email toTLG@Terrace.qld.edu.au

Upcoming events 

• 30 April - TLG Years 5 to 9 Mothers' Morning Tea, Victoria Park Golf Course.
• 10 May  – Open Day.
• 11 June - Terralicious Fashion Parade.

Please note that the Past Mother’s Mass and Morning Tea - previously scheduled for 27 April at 7.30am has been moved to Sunday 15 August at 9am.

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

Mr Ronald FINGLETON – GT 1954-63

Mrs Juliann MILLER - Daughter to Frank Palmer (GT 1945), wife to Kevin Miller (GT 1970), mother to Hylton Miller (GT 2001).

Mr Chris SCHOUTEN - GT 2001

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 5 March
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