Dear members of the Terrace Family,

Earlier this week, I sent a letter home detailing changes that will occur to upcoming College events due to the impact of COVID-19 and the subsequent Roadmap to Recovery, as outlined by the Government. It would be fair to say that the changes are extensive and impact our regular Terrace journey. As we progress through the next few months, further specific details regarding affected events and activities will be provided.

Term 2 has been an unusual one, unlike any we have experienced previously. In saying that, it is also important to understand that from an academic perspective, we are back to normal. We are in Week 8 of a now  10 week term. Exams for students in Years 5 to 11 commence next Wednesday and run through to 24 June.  Although the majority of students have been back at school for less than three weeks, the reality of school is upon us. It is important that the students are doing their revision for the upcoming exams. The staff tutoring offered throughout the week is an excellent way for the students to reinforce their studies. For Years 11 and 12 students, there is also Peer Tutoring and Study Hall offered throughout the week.  Despite the interruptions and the discontinuity of this term, the reality for all students is that exams commence next week.

Another significant aspect of College life is the GPS program. As I have reported previously, all Term 2 and Term 3 GPS activities will be conducted during Term 3.  The letter I sent earlier this week provided additional details about the various competitions. However, it will be a season unlike any we have experienced before.  There will be very clear and defined entry protocols, hygiene requirements and importantly, social distancing requirements. The number of spectators will be very limited throughout the day and no canteen facilities will be operating.  To put it simply, the students will arrive, play their game, and then leave. This will be the same for both home and away fixtures. There will be very strict guidelines around ‘mingling’ in carparks, canteen areas etc. and at this stage, the grandstand at Tennyson will not be used. Please note that very similar guidelines will exist for training, particularly regarding pick-up and gathering in the carpark. Parents and caregivers are asked to remain in their cars when waiting for their sons after training. The boys will walk to the carpark and meet you at your car. The College is working very closely with the GPS Association and following the ‘Return to Play’ guidelines as outlined by the Government. There will be more information to follow.

Another important aspect of the College that has not yet recommenced is Eddie’s Van. The daily breakfast program in the local area has been suspended since late Term 1. We are examining ways of safely recommencing Eddie’s Van, but at this point it will remain suspended at least until the end of this term.

Finally this week, I want to refer to the unacceptable social media post from last week that offended and hurt many people, both within and outside the Terrace Community. The College values that have shaped who we are for 145 years are in no way reflected by this post. When Sam Dutton, our College Captain, spoke to the students last week, he called each of us to live our College values through action. It is the responsibility of each one of us to demonstrate, through action, the respect and dignity of the individual, and it is this that must motivate and direct us as we move forward.

Have a great week. 
God Bless.

Dr Michael Carroll
College Principal  

Following our phase of learning from home, it has been helpful to reflect on what we, as a group of teaching staff, can take away from the experience. While this mode of teaching was never anyone’s preference, some definite positives have come from being forced to step out of our pedagogical comfort zone. Teaching staff have been surveyed about their experience and I want to share a few pieces of data gathered. 

The first learning is that the Teams platform was the most popular mode of delivery and interaction with students and other staff. We have intentionally maintained multiple learning platforms, as some suit particular subjects and modes of delivery better than others. Along with Teams, platforms such as Google Classroom, OneNote and Moodle Chat all had a place in online learning. Our forward planning will focus on getting the balance between using multiple platforms, while not confusing students as they move from one subject to the next.

Teachers were asked to rate their ability with teaching online both before and after the period of learning from home. Across only five weeks, the self-rated mark out of 10 went from an average of 5.15 before, rising to 8.24 by the end of the time. This enforced Professional Development amounted to around 12 months of learning for staff in only half a term – certainly a silver lining to a tricky situation. The other pleasing statistic is that almost 60% of teachers indicated that they have learned new skills which they have or will continue to use in their classes in the future. I know I am in this category, and I am grateful for the opportunity for this old dog to learn a few new tricks. The final great takeaway was the support colleagues showed each other during this time, sharing skills and assisting with problem solving.

Our best wishes are with Mrs Janette Lightbody, who teaches English and Humanities. Jan has sustained a nasty knee injury that will keep her away from work for the remainder of the term. The College has developed a plan to cover for Jan’s absence and ensure her students are not disadvantaged. Part of the plan includes using some of the online learning skills mentioned above. We are grateful to a number of our key staff who are lending a hand to ensure student learning continues.

Buckley House Dean, Mr Anthony Baruksopulo and his wife Catherine are ready to welcome their second child soon and we look forward to hearing their news. Anthony will take a period of paternity leave for the remainder of the term, starting this Friday. We wish the Baruksopulo family the very best at this exciting time. In Anthony’s absence, Buckley House matters will be ably looked after by Mr Josh Kersevani and Mr Michael Wooldridge. Should families from Buckley House have any questions or concerns over the next few weeks, please contact either of these two gentlemen. We also welcome back teacher Mr Nic Berry, who will take Anthony’s classes during this time.

Term 2 is rapidly heading toward its conclusion. It has undoubtedly presented a multitude of challenges for our whole community. However, as I mentioned last week, I have been impressed by how Terrace students have dealt with distance learning and the transition back into the classroom. Regardless of academic outcomes this term, all students are learning the skills of adaptability and resilience – skills that are essential for future success.

All students have been issued with copies of the exam schedule. Copies can be obtained from Student Services or downloaded from Moodle or the College App. These timetables are a necessary part of a strategic revision plan. This week and next week’s challenge is to ensure that our boys exhibit perseverance in their preparation and commitment until the completion of their final exam. Our aim is for every student to finish the term knowing that he has given his best, whatever that outcome may be.

Ultimately, the key to good performance is preparation – it is still not too late to be prepared. Therefore, when your son is feeling the pressure of exams, here are some hints that can be shared with him:

• Be prepared. Work backwards from your exam date to plan when you will prepare. Don’t just leave it for the night before.
• Complete all of the revision sheets.
• Use online class platforms and the subject checklist to go back through the content you have covered.
• Test yourself:
  • use flashcards
  • do as many practice questions as possible
  • mind dump – close your notes and recall everything you can in your own words
• Continue to exercise and eat well. Drink plenty of water and stay hydrated.
• Have a good sleep the night before, be well rested.
• Go back over your study notes before the exam. Don’t engage in speculative talk.
• It is okay to be nervous. In fact, it is normal. Your mates may not show it, but they are just as nervous as you. Feeling nerves is your body’s way of getting ready.
• Walk into the exam with confidence – you have done the work, now is the time to show it!

All the best for next week.

The wellbeing of today’s youth has never been more challenging. 

I think most of us would agree with this comment made by one of Australia’s leading child psychologists and family therapists, Michael Carr-Gregg. Life can move at a hectic pace for our sons and often at a speed they struggle to keep up with. As parents and caregivers, we grew up in a time when the normal day was generally segmented into a series of activities with different groups of people who were not really interconnected. Children could dip in and out of experiences from which they were able to absorb appropriate amounts of pressure that was often the catalyst for growth. Finding these experiences for the children of today is a little more problematic, which can contribute to an overwhelming journey through adolescence. Often ill-equipped young people find it difficult to express their emotions. We see it on the football field, the basketball court, handball court and in the classroom. Schools have always existed in this tension between the ideal and real and are continually challenged to adapt and respond to events through meaningful and deliberate actions. 

We have made a series of changes to events in Term 3 to accommodate the COVID-19 restrictions. Unfortunately, we have had to change the camp program dramatically in Terms 3 and 4 as outlined in Dr Carroll’s letter during the week. I am very pleased to say that we have been able to retain all retreat programs for the remainder of the year as day retreats at Tennyson. Further details about camps and retreats will be communicated in a timely fashion as the dates approach. Furthermore, while the original dates for the Semi-Formal and Formal will not be possible to conduct, we do have alternative dates booked at venues for the first and second weeks of Term 4 to accommodate these events. We look forward to celebrating these with the Years 11 and 12 students at that time. 

World Environment Day

The foods we eat, the air we breathe, the water we drink and the climate that makes our planet habitable all come from nature. Yet, these are exceptional times in which nature is sending us a message: To care for ourselves we must care for nature. 

www.worldenvironmentday.global

The land that Terrace sits on is Turrbal land. We pay our respects to its traditional owners and to all elders past, present and emerging, and are reminded of their spiritual connection to this place. As custodians of this country – which includes Victoria Park and York’s Hollow, also known as Barrambin – we take pride in the stories that the land holds – a place of gathering, of trade and of sustenance. We give thanks for those who came before us, who took care of this beautiful area, and we strive to continue to care for the environment here as best we can.

Last Friday, 5 June, was World Environment Day. It is a day to think about the actions each of us can take to ensure that the world we live is something we can enjoy well into the future. Here at Terrace, we are called to do all we can to be ecologically sustainable. Pope Francis encourages us to work together in building and caring for our common home. He says that a true ecological approach is also a social approach and that we cannot distinguish the cry of the earth from the cry of the poor. As a school community, each of us is reminded to Be the One to make the change – that each of us has the power to make a difference in protecting the environment in which we live.

Terrace engages with ecological sustainability in a variety of ways. On all four of our sites, the Terrace community have maintained native beehives, composting through our worm farm, recycling programs, as well as vegetable gardens at our Outdoor Education Centre at Maroon Dam. Students have participated in a number of activities, from Clean Up Australia Day to Waste-Free lunches, along with connecting with other schools through ERA for Change and Sustainability Forums. Furthermore, students continue to learn the importance of caring for our environment through the curriculum in classrooms across a variety of subjects.

Next term, we will re-engage in a Containers for Change recycling scheme to further strengthen our commitment to the environment. See below how the Terrace Family are supporting and sustaining the environment around us as individuals, as a school community, and as a global community.

Lord, we care about the beauty of this earth. We treasure the gift of your creation. Give to us the mindfulness to show our gratitude for nature. Let us be more concerned with what we need and less concerned with what we want. Give us the self-discipline not to be wasteful with food, clothing, and all material possessions. Let us be mindful of our waste so that we will find the patience and time to recycle and avoid, in our own small way, polluting this beautiful world you have given us. Amen.

Live Jesus in our hearts…Forever.

Welcome to Week 8. Ensembles have now been enlarged to groups of 20. This will be modified as new directives are received.

Music Hall is underway and being utilised. This runs after school 3.15-5pm every Monday in the Music Centre. I would commend this unique initiative to you all.

Teaching will continue into Week 10 (this was formerly Staff Week).

If you wish to discontinue lessons in Term 3, we need notice to be given two weeks prior to the end of Term 2 which is today (Thursday 11 June).

We are now in the final stages of appointing a new Vocal tutor. Once the appointment has been finalised, I will be in touch with all vocal students and choral ensembles.

Another reminder as to what lessons and rehearsals now look like. The following deals with sanitation in both the teaching studio and in the ensemble rehearsal space. 

•  Paper towel dispensers are now installed in ensemble areas.
• Antiseptic wipes are strategically placed in areas where many students play the same instrument (eg the piano) and in rehearsal spaces. 
• Hand sanitiser gel has been placed in every teaching/rehearsal space. Along with detailed hygiene protocols for staff to follow, hand gel is to be used by students upon entry and when leaving teaching and rehearsal areas. 

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

Term 2 workshops

• Thursday 25 June | Big Band 3 Workshop - 9.15am-12pm, Treacy Chapel
• Thursday 25 June | Big Band 2 Workshop - 12.15-2.30pm, Music Centre room MU2
• Thursday 25 June | Percussion Ensembles 3 Workshop - 9.15am-12pm, rooms 3.20/3.21
• Thursday 25 June | Percussion Ensembles 2 Workshop - 12.15-2.30pm, rooms 3.20/3.21
• Friday 26 June | Terrace Jazz Orchestra Workshop - 9.30am-12pm, Treacy Chapel
• Friday 26 June | Terrace Jazz Combo Workshop - 12.15-12.45pm, Treacy Chapel
• Thursday 9 July | Red Thunder Drumline Workshop - 9am-3pm, rooms 3.20/3.21
• Friday 10 July | First Percussion Ensemble Workshop - 9am-3pm, rooms 3.20/3.21
• Thursday 9 July/Friday 10 July | Two Day Vocal Camp - 8.30am-2.30pm, rooms 3.20/3.21

Waterpolo update

Jack French (Year 9) was selected in the 16 and Under Australian squad ahead of the 2020 FINA World Championships and the 2020 Pan Pacific Youth Water Polo Festival. Unfortunately, due to COVID-19, the tours were cancelled. There is still hope that the squad will be sent to the Australian Institute of Sport for a camp later in the year.

Jack and Noah Clifford (Year 9) were selected in the Under 16 Queensland squad and Connor Clifford (Year 7) was selected for the Under 14 Queensland squad.

Congratulations to these boys on their excellent achievements and we hope that they can continue their journey later in the year.

Football wrap

Key dates for Term 3

Rugby wrap

Whole School Rugby Sign On 

Please note that the Term 3 Rugby Sign On is now closed. If you would like to play but missed the sign on, please contact Mr Mandrusiak in the Sports Office.

Refereeing Kids Rugby course 

Last Friday, our referee coordinator Charlie Marshall delivered the Rugby Australia “Refereeing Kids Rugby” course to our up-and-coming schoolboy referees. We were pleased to see so many boys in attendance. Many of the boys will commence their refereeing at the Under 11/Under 12 level and will progress to higher age groups once they have gained valuable experience. Good luck to all boys refereeing this season. 

Coaching at Terrace

The Rugby program is keen to hear from any parents interested in coaching at Terrace. Currently we are short of coaches in our Under 11 age group. Please email tyronmandrusiak@terrace.qld.edu.au if you are interested in becoming a coach.

Covid-19 Stage 2 | Return to Training | Hygiene Non-Negotiables

• Water bottles must be labelled and not shared. 
• Hand sanitiser will be provided.
• Training equipment will be cleaned before and after use.
• Players must wash hands with sanitiser immediately before and after training and during breaks.

Keep up to date with all news and information relating to Terrace Rugby via the College App.

This year is a year of sacrifices. We have all given up a lot to abide by social distancing rules and stay safe. However, as restrictions ease, some of the things we sacrificed are coming back into our lives. Term 3 sports being one of these. This week, Cross Country training began again. Or at least, it officially started again. Due to social distancing rules, team sports had to be abandoned during quarantine. However, Cross Country never stopped. The program managed to continue over the two-month break from coaching. During the period of online learning, every fortnight the coaches would send out a two week training schedule for runners and tracked their activities through Strava, an interactive running app. Once school came back, programs were still sent out, but now boys could run together, just without the presence of coaches (always abiding by social distancing rules!). 

Cross Country is one of Terrace’s smaller sports programs, and the last few years have not seen a great deal of success. However, not too long ago, Terrace boasted one of the most formidable GPS programs of all time. Under Mr Coman’s coaching, Terrace won nine out of 15 GPS titles. During this period, the phrase “the long red line” was coined, referring to the prevalence of the Terrace Cross Country program. Unfortunately, over the last few years, we have not seen so much success, and particularly in older year levels, the motivation for joining Cross Country has changed. The desire to work hard and to continue the legacy of the long red line continued to fade year by year. 

However, while 2020 has been a period of change and adaptation, for Cross Country, it has presented an opportunity. Without the presence of coaches over the last few weeks, the Opens team were called to take the lead. Dozens of boys of all ages would show up each morning for training, and the Opens team would coordinate sessions, splitting into groups that fit within social distancing restrictions. We didn’t have coaches, instead, we had leaders. The leaders took the opportunity and truly stepped up. My fellow Senior and running fanatic, Callum Walsh was one of those boys. He took roles every morning, contacted boys every night encouraging them to come to training. Not only did he lead the sessions, but he led the program. Callum one was of many boys in the program who stepped up, and with the determination and leadership of the whole team, Cross Country began to attract more members. These members weren’t interested in the kit, or the honour pocket, they joined because they wanted to run. So, while we still have a long way to go, 2020 has certainly been the year where the long red line has returned, brighter than ever. 

I believe that the program serves as a great example of what 2020 could be. While restrictions are unprecedented, and life is unpredictable, we all have the opportunity to adapt, as a team or individually, and continue the long red line in all aspects of our lives. 

We pray for those who are in need in our Community, particularly those who are sick. May they continue to feel your healing hand upon them.

Lina and Stephen DADDOW - GT 1992