Dean of Students | Mr Damien Fall

Last Friday’s Opening Mass and Senior Induction was a wonderful event; it is a significant day in the College’s calendar and I wanted to make a point of highlighting how well our young men recognised this. It is an enormous undertaking to move the entire College community to UQ, but we feel it is well worth the effort. The way the boys engaged in the day was a reason to be very proud. The day is significant for our Senior students and their parents and we continue to wish them well as they embrace their role as the College’s leaders.

This Friday, we hold our annual Inter-House Swimming Carnival at Centenary Pool. Communication has come home about this event, which has a focus on spirit, participation and enjoyment. We ask that, barring exceptional circumstances, all boys are in attendance and contributing wholeheartedly to the event and their House.

A reminder to Year 8 families about the upcoming evening for Year 8 boys and their father or another significant male mentor. The event will be held in the Campbell Centre from 6.30pm on Wednesday 21 February and we look forward to a strong attendance. Details have been sent home, but please contact Student Services if you have any questions.

In the last year, the College has invested in a parent-specific educational tool known as School TV. This resource provides parents with expert advice about many issues they face as they travel the school journey with their sons. School TV can be accessed through the Notices icon on the College App and I recommend it to all parents. A new topic is added each month and topics are archived for future reference.

A number of year levels have heard me speak about the concept of compliance vs commitment. As boys grow and mature, we encourage them to make decisions for reasons other than ‘so I don’t get in trouble’. The concept of commitment to a Terrace education means that a young man makes a decision because he knows it is the right thing to do for himself and the community. It is said that the measure of a man is what he does when he knows no one is watching and this becomes evident when a student makes the shift from compliance to commitment. The concept of 'The Terrace Gentleman' is something we strive to inculcate in our young men and those who are truly committed to all aspects of a Terrace education show many of the traits we are looking for.