Principal’s Message | Acting Principal, Mr Chris Ryan

I was inspired by Br Barry Buckley’s address to the class of 1967 last Friday night. Fifty-five of these gentlemen were in attendance and you could have heard a pin drop when Br Buckley spoke. Firstly, I was struck by his knowledge of everyone’s names and their story 50 years after they had finished school. Then, I was struck by his humility as he told them how much he had grown as a person because of what they had taught him as boys in the 1960s. Finally, I was struck by his wisdom as he spoke of the goodness he found and finds as Brother, teacher, Principal and Old Boy within the Terrace community and within relationships where he has encountered the face of God in good people at Terrace for over more than half a century. Again, I was impacted similarly on the Saturday night when Br Tony White spoke movingly and honestly to the 85 Old Boys gathered for the 1987 reunion. I wish I could bottle their words and example and the esteem in which they were held at these two events, it said much of the foundations on which we stand today.

As an Edmund Rice Education Australia school we enter a phase of renewal as The Charter for our schools has been relaunched this week. EREA has reaffirmed the four touchstones for our schools; Liberating Education, Gospel Spirituality, Inclusive Community and Justice and Solidarity. We continue to be called and challenged by these touchstones and the renewed Charter document will inspire us to continue working together to create Catholic community in the Ricean tradition here at Terrace.

Report cards will be available at the conclusion of Week 1, Term 4 in Parent Lounge. As always, this is an excellent opportunity to reflect on the term with your son and to identify areas for celebration and improvement. Please use this opportunity to include him in a conversation about his progress and to revisit any strategies developed as a result of Parent/Teacher interviews earlier this term. Thank you for your partnerships with our teaching staff and please feel welcome to make contact with them should the need arise.

Tenders for the Mt Sion building project close on September 22. We predict that the site will be handed over to the builders in mid-October. Information concerning this process will be a focus in the early weeks of Term 4 and the cooperation of students, staff and parents over the 14 month building process will certainly be important. The result, in early 2019, will be a magnificent enhancement for the community.

At the conclusion of this term, teaching staff Mrs Natalie Berndt and Mr Alex Berry conclude their time with us. We thank them for their strong contribution to Terrace and wish them well. At the commencement of next term, Mrs Loren Serafin-Huey returns from leave. I take this opportunity to thank Mr James Turner for his work as Acting Head of Faculty, Business and Technology.

I draw your attention to and welcome you to attend two upcoming community events which have been advertised through our various publications and social media platforms:

  • The Terrace Family Night and Art Show on Friday 6 October, to be held in Treacy Court. This is a great celebration of student art and music with the Director of QAGOMA, Mr Chris Saines, as guest speaker.
  • The Br Barry Buckley Breakfast is to be held on Thursday 12 October at Brisbane City Hall and the guest speaker is Mr Cameron Clyne, the Chairperson of the Australian Rugby Union and former CEO of the National Australia Bank.

As the September break draws near, I take this opportunity to thank and congratulate the community on a busy, diverse and successful term. The four dimensions of students, staff, parents and Old Boys have been engaged in a wide range of activity across the term and our partnerships and collaborations are the fabric of the Terrace Family. I particularly wish to acknowledge everyone involved in all co-curricula activities this term across both Culture and Sport and congratulate everyone on our amazing culture of participation and performance.

I wish the Terrace Family a safe and peaceful September break and we look forward to Term 4.

Mr Chris Ryan


Acting College Principal