Principal’s Message | Dr Michael Carroll

Dear members of the Terrace Family,

Welcome to Term 2. I hope that the Easter break, albeit very wet at times, provided a time of rest and recovery for you and your families.

Although the students were on holidays, over 1000 boys engaged in a range of co-curricular camps, clinics and tours for Sport and Culture during the break. It is an excellent sign of commitment and involvement to see such numbers involved in our co-curricular programs, and I thank the many staff, parents, Old Boys and coaches who were also involved.  Such commitment will provide an excellent platform for our Term 2 activities.

It is my pleasure to announce the Captains of Football and Tennis for 2021 and wish them all the very best as they lead their respective sports this term.

Football
  • Captain – Marcus De Ruos
  • Vice Captain – Rory Scott
Tennis
  • Captain – Dominic Anderson
  • Vice Captain – Yosua Lumbanradja

Term 1 finished unexpectedly and a little prematurely due to the imposed lockdown, which necessitated the suspension of several scheduled exams.  A number of these exams will occur this week, as previously conveyed to you.  Term 1 reports were published, and the first round of Parent/Teacher interviews was conducted on Monday, with the second round of interviews scheduled for next week.  Again, the Teams format was utilised, and we will seek your feedback regarding the platform’s effectiveness following the completion of interviews next week.

This week the College will conduct its Anzac liturgy on Friday, and our Marching Band will participate in the Brisbane Anzac Parade on Sunday.  Anzac Day presents an opportunity for all Australians and New Zealanders to acknowledge the sacrifices made by so many and to reflect on the freedoms we enjoy today because of those sacrifices.  Terrace has been fortunate to be part of a number of Anzac services at Gallipoli which further emphasises the importance of this day for us all.  Lest We Forget.

Earlier this week, I sent a letter to all families regarding the future of our current Waterford model, specifically outlining what 2022 will look like for the Year 9 and Year 10 students.  The planned transition of Year 9 to Waterford and Year 10 to the main campus is an important one. The model proposed for 2022 allows both year levels to experience the unique journey that Waterford provides.  The proposed model will also provide the Year 10 cohort with solid preparation for their Year 11 and 12 academic journeys.  I will continue to provide updates during the year and specifically provide details to our current Year 8 and Year 9 families.

Over the coming weeks, we will experience a series of long weekends, which, while enjoyable, will also place pressure on both students and staff to ensure that teaching and learning continue to progress well.  As we begin a new term, I again emphasise the importance of starting well and developing good academic routines from Week 1.  In a short nine-week term, shortened further in three of those weeks by long weekends and a student free day, a positive and early focus on the academic journey is critical.

Finally this week, as we begin a new term, I again remind people to be safe and courteous at drop-off and pick-up time.  Please be aware of the large volume of student and car traffic, particularly in the afternoon.   Please be mindful of our neighbours and fellow drivers.  I have previously asked that parents do not do U-turns in Rogers Street, and yet, in the last week of Term 1, I witnessed many parents doing just that, with three instances of near-collisions being observed.  I appreciate that there are some delays in travelling along Rogers Street in the afternoon, so your patience is critical.  If you don’t want to wait in the traffic, I suggest you delay your pick-up or find another meeting location further away from the College to collect your son.  I am becoming increasingly concerned that either a student or a parent will be injured due to poor parent driver behaviour.  Please assist with this by being patient and adhering to the simple safety rules outlined previously.  I thank the many people who do support our safety protocols, but the reality is that some parents do not follow the rules, and as a consequence, the lives of students and other parents are put at risk.  Please support these important safety rules.

Have a great week.

God Bless.

Dr Michael Carroll