Dean of Students | Mr Damien Cuddihy

Last Friday, Queensland Reds player Andrew Ready (GT 2010), spoke at the Gorilla Gathering about his time at Terrace. In his Senior year, Andrew played hooker for the 1st XV and was also selected in the Australian Schoolboys team. The comment that caught my attention was his reflection on how he misses how much he enjoyed being around his friends at school. Whilst I know that travelling through high school can certainly have its rough patches, we can sometimes fall into the trap of focusing on what’s wrong with school rather than what’s great about school. When I walk through the yard at lunchtime or in corridors between lessons, I constantly come across group after group of boys who are laughing and really enjoying the pro-social interactions with those around them. The sense of community that Andrew was referring to is still very much alive and well at Terrace today. The QCS tunnel is another example of the genuine enjoyment that the boys get from supporting the seniors on Tuesday and Wednesday this week. Likewise, the next two Saturdays are great opportunities to spend time enjoying some of the best that a school community can offer, either out at Tennyson or in the Campbell Centre supporting the Basketballers. The willingness of the boys to be a part of Terrace, whether it be a QCS tunnel or sitting in the grandstands cheering the 1st XV, is a special aspect of school that can get overlooked on occasion. As the boys often say, ‘get around it’.

Put quite simply, values are those things that are most important to us here at Terrace. I often refer to Terrace as a values-based organisation; a place where our actions are heavily influenced by values such as respect, humility, commitment, honesty and courage. Our founder, Blessed Edmund Rice, championed these values in all he encountered. As part of their formation as Terrace Gentlemen, our students regularly hear messages about the importance of living our values. This year’s College Captain, Ryan Gassman uses #18000strong as catchphrase for the College to reinforce the message that they belong to something bigger than themselves. As we journey through the year with our Seniors the milestones are gradually getting ticked off and certainly, this week has been one of the more significant ones. Well done Seniors.

Exams commence next week and I wish all students the best at this important time. Years 11 and 12 students commence exam block on Wednesday and Years 7 to 9 on Friday. I have spoken with these students about expectations during this time, including the need to meet our usual standards regarding punctuality and personal presentation. This is a busy time and the coming weeks will be critical in determining the outcomes of all students. I trust that all students are working hard to produce their very best.