Principal's Message | Dr Michael Carroll

Dear members of the Terrace Family,

Week 3 has been a full week with several significant events occurring. Earlier this week, the College celebrated Blessed Edmund Rice Feast Day with a whole school liturgy.  For nearly 150 years, Terrace, as a Catholic school in the Edmund Rice tradition, has shared in the Edmund Rice story and provided a holistic educational journey for over 18 000 young men.  While the academic journey is an important aspect of Terrace, so is the journey for justice and the call to support those on the margins of our society.  Edmund Rice formed the Christian Brothers to help educate and support the young people at the margins in Waterford.  In 2021, as the Terrace Family, we still have a responsibility to support those at the margins – both within our own community and beyond.  At next week's Campus Ministry Presentation Assembly we look forward to officially launching the new Eddie's Van, an important tool in our work with those on the margins.

Another event of great significance is the celebration of Mother’s Day this Sunday.  The mothers within our Terrace Family form the cornerstones of who we are and how we can continue to be a Catholic School in the Edmund Rice tradition.  Each of us owes much to our mothers.  Personally, my mother has been a pillar of strength for myself and my family.  As a family of six children, my mother was the glue that kept us together and, importantly, supported each of us through our life journeys.  I have no doubt that without the love, support and passion demonstrated by my mother, I would not be the person I am today, and I am so incredibly grateful for her unconditional love.  I know we all have similar stories to share about our mothers, and this Sunday provides the opportunity for us to say thank you for all they do for us and for the love and support they share with us each day.  Thank you to my mother and to all mothers and mother figures who form our Terrace Family.

This week will see the premiere of the Middle School Musical, Joseph and the Amazing Technicolour Dreamcoat.  It is an extraordinary musical, and the talent of our middle school students is equally remarkable.  Staff, parents/caregivers and students, have worked very hard for many months, and the quality of the show reflects this hard work.  Well done to all involved.

My thanks to the GTOBA, Mrs Natalie Twine, Mr Mason Hellyer and the many Old Boy presenters involved in the Career Expo at the College on Tuesday 4 May.  It was an excellent afternoon and provided an opportunity for students of all year levels to learn more about a range of career opportunities.  My thanks to all involved.

Next Monday, 10 May, the College will host its 2021 Open Day.  This event is an excellent way to showcase the magnificent and diverse range of opportunities available at Terrace.  Visitors to the College are asked to register attendance online and scan in using the new Queensland Government Check-In App.  It promises to be a great afternoon, and in advance, I would like to thank the staff, students, parents and caregivers who will contribute to the success of the event.  Open Day activities will operate between 3.30pm – 6.30pm. I look forward to seeing you there.

Thank you to the many parents and caregivers who continue to exercise care and caution when driving around the streets near Terrace.  Unfortunately, there are still some drivers who fail to demonstrate the care needed.  Please, do not stop in the middle of the street to pick up your son and do not perform U-turns on Rogers Street or the surrounding narrow streets – including Union Street and Hipwood Street.  I cannot stress enough that student safety is at risk.  It is fair to say that there is significant unrest amongst several of our neighbours due to the unacceptable behaviour of a small number of our parent drivers. This, in turn, reflects very poorly on the College.  I remind all drivers again, please do not park across driveways or on yellow lines, do not stop in the middle of the street to collect your son, and avoid U-turns, particularly in Rogers Street.  I strongly urge you to support and adhere to these simple road safety rules.

Finally, this week, it is with great pleasure that I announce, in conjunction with the Terrace Timor Network, the launch of the new Merlo Kolega Timor coffee.  For many years now, Terrace has had a strong relationship with Timor-Leste and its people.  One aspect of this relationship has been the production of Kolega Coffee from Timor coffee beans.  More recently, Terrace and TTN have forged a relationship with Merlo Coffee to develop a new blend of Kolega Coffee, with profits from coffee sales being distributed to Timor-Leste.  Visitors to Tennyson on a Saturday will also notice that our new Kolega Cafe serves the Merlo Kolega Timor coffee.  This new coffee is made from 100% Timor peaberry beans, sourced, roasted and prepared by Merlo Coffee.  On behalf of all within the Terrace Family, I would like to thank Merlo Coffee, particularly Dean Merlo and his team, for the extraordinarily generous work they have done to facilitate the production of this new Kolega coffee.  My thanks also to the TTN team for the significant amount of work done over many years to get to this point.  I encourage you to come and enjoy a great coffee at the Kolega Café (beside the canteen area) when you are next at Tennyson.  The profit from bean sales directed back to Timor-Leste from these coffee sales will be directed back to Timor via the TTN and will be particularly welcomed as the country deals with natural disasters and the global pandemic.  Thank you again to the Merlo Group and TTN for this outstanding initiative.

Have a great week.

God Bless.