Headmaster's Newsletter
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Headmaster Deputy Headmaster Head of Senior School Head of Junior School TOOWOOMBA GRAMMAR SCHOOL Director of Studies Established 1875 Director of Sport and Activities Director of Boarding Headmaster’s Director of Performance Newsletter Library Tuesday, 23 May 2017 Cadets Careers Adviser School Counsellor Boarder Parents’ Support Group School Notices At a Glance... GPS Cross Country Championships - Wednesday, 31 May Examination Block commences - Monday, 5 June School Track & Field Championships - Thursday, 15 June Holidays commence - Thursday, 15 June, 3:30pm Headmaster Deputy Headmaster Head of Senior School Head of Junior School Director of Studies Director of Sport and Activities Director of Boarding Director of Performance Library Cadets McRae Wes Careers Adviser School Counsellor Boarder Parents’ Support Group From the Headmaster School Notices Dear Parents, The School continues its vibrant and hectic schedule of academic and co-curricular activities. This term so far we have commended numerous students on receiving their diligence certificates, either Pro Summa or Pro Diligentia Awards. This is a crucial element in sustaining our academic culture in the On Thursday, 11 May at the Senior School Assembly I informed the School as it demonstrates to the boys that we, as a School, value hard boys that I will be absent for the last 4 ½ weeks of this term and the first work. We regularly stress to the boys that we are proud of them if they week of Term 3. I will be spending this time on sabbatical leave, thus apply themselves diligently as this will be required of them throughout enabling me to undertake some activities that would otherwise not be life. We tell the boys that nothing is achieved without effort; that if they possible. These include my one week’s attendance at Bond University. TOOWOOMBA work harder, then, as a consequence, their academic grades should This relates to my selection as “Principal in Residence” at Bond for this GRAMMAR SCHOOL improve. year. Now in its fourth year of implementation, this scheme involves Established 1875 The term has also allowed us to congratulate our Cadets for their the University selecting one Principal/Head of School nationally to excellent work at the various ANZAC Day Ceremonies both at the spend time meeting with key staff, attending lectures and discussing A GPS School for boys Prep - Year 12 School and in the local community. Our Cadet Unit is the longest programmes. The week schedule at Bond will see me have personal Boarders from Year 5 continuously operating Unit in Queensland, a tradition which is valued meetings with the Vice Chancellor and President, Pro Vice-Chancellor PO Box 2900, Toowoomba QLD 4350 AUSTRALIA 24 Margaret Street, East Toowoomba QLD 4350 AUSTRALIA by the School. Similarly, we have applauded our musicians who have and the Executive Deans of Law, Health Sciences and Medicine, Society Telephone: (07) 4687 2500 Facsimile: (07) 4687 2666 been very busy competing at the Eisteddfod. Furthermore, over ninety and Design, Entrepreneurship and other Faculties. I will also have the Email: [email protected] per cent of our boys are involved in the GPS sporting program during pleasure of meeting with the Executive Directors or General Managers ABN 86 510 299 250 - CRICOS Reg No. 00525D the year with many of them this term enjoying their football, tennis and cross country competitions. Headmaster Deputy Headmaster Head of Senior School Head of Junior School Director of Studies Director of Sport and Activities Director of Boarding Director of Performance Library Cadets Careers Adviser School Counsellor Boarder Parents’ Support Group School Notices of Recruitment, Alumni and Development, Marketing and Community, (iv) Schools for boys teach in ways that boys learn best Career Development and Planning and Strategy. I am most fortunate (v) Schools for boys help boys discover and explore their to be able to spend time with such intelligent and experienced people. full potential Some advantages of my involvement at Bond for boys of Toowoomba (vi) Schools for boys foster brotherhood and lifelong friendships. Grammar School are that I will be more familiar with the opportunities available at the University, the focus of the various faculties and The IBSC conference this year will be held at an all-boys’ school in The term has also allowed scholarships offered. Baltimore, Maryland, USA. The School has quite an interesting name, As part of my sabbatical leave, in addition to the Bond experience, “The Boys’ Latin School of Maryland”, and was founded in 1844. The us to congratulate our I will travel overseas to visit schools and universities and attend a major School has a very low student-teacher ratio of 7-1 with the average size conference. This is the annual conference of an organisation known as class comprising 14 students. Before you get too excited or envious of Cadets for their excellent the International Boys’ Schools’ Coalition (IBSC). This Association was these figures, be mindful of the cost – $37,185 (AUD) p.a. for tuition alone. I will share with you some of the conference proceedings at a work at the various formed in Boston in 1995 as a not-for-profit organisation of schools and today involves several hundred all-boys’ schools from over fifteen later date. ANZAC Day Ceremonies countries across five continents. Our School is a member of this I will conclude my study leave after the Term 2 holidays and look Association and we derive great benefit from our membership through forward to being back with the boys at the beginning of Week 2, Term both at the School and in shared resources and discussion about specialising in the education 3. At that stage I will be reviewing the results of the boys’ Semester 1 results. Whilst I am away the School’s Deputy Headmaster, Mr Timothy the local community. and personal development of boys. The IBSC states that: “At the heart of our work together is guiding boys on the journey to manhood Kelly, will be Acting Headmaster and I know the School will be in fine for lives of achievement and fulfilment, compassion and justice, and hands. service and leadership”. The IBSC identifies six ways in which all-boys’ schools can assist With best wishes, boys in their learning and in growing into young men of integrity and empathy. The six reasons are: Yours sincerely, (i) Schools for boys understand and celebrate boys (ii) Schools for boys seek first to build good men Peter B. Hauser (iii) Schools for boys know that boys develop and learn in Headmaster different ways Headmaster Deputy Headmaster Head of Senior School Head of Junior School Director of Studies Director of Sport and Activities Director of Boarding Director of Performance Library Cadets Careers Adviser School Counsellor From the Deputy Headmaster Boarder Parents’ Support Group Ethical Decision Making • What are the relevant facts? There are many times in our lives when we are faced with a dilemma or School Notices • Which of my values makes these facts significant? a confronting situation where we need to ask ourselves: “What should • What assumptions am I making? I do?” There is little doubt that throughout life this question is pretty • What are the weaknesses in my own position? much unavoidable. The manner in which we answer this question is • Would I be happy for my actions to be open to public scrutiny? central to developing our own ethical framework. Unfortunately, when • Would I be happy if my family knew what I had done? dealing with an ethical dilemma the best solution may not present • What will doing this do to my character? itself as clear-cut as the ethical landscape can be seen to be painted in • What would happen if everyone took this course of action? shades of grey rather than black and white. According to the St James • How would I feel if my actions were to impact on my parents, Ethics Centre, there are times when our range of choice is reduced to siblings or friends? selecting an alternative that presents itself as the least bad. At other • Have I really thought about the issues? times the limits of certainty must be accepted and we must work with • Have I considered the possibility that the ends may not justify a well-informed conscience. To demonstrate the complexity of solving the means? ethical dilemmas the St James Ethics Centre outlines the following (St James Ethics Centre) challenge: By answering these questions there is no guarantee that all individuals Most people would agree that people should tell the truth. will generate the same solution. However, by having gone through These same people will hold that one should avoid causing harm. the process of thinking about the issue at hand, at least the reasons for But what happens when to tell the truth will cause another pursuing a course of action can be soundly explained. person harm? TOOWOOMBA As a school community we must provide structure and support for Social networking / Electronic communication GRAMMAR SCHOOL our young men as they encounter their own ethical challenges. We The use of social networking sites has grown exponentially over the Established 1875 can do this by demonstrating positive role modelling, communicating last few years as a medium to communicate with friends. Whilst there in an open and transparent manner, and by the provision of decision- are great benefits to using social networking sites, the misuse of this making frameworks encouraging the boys to work their way through technology is clearly evident, particularly in a school environment. ethical questions. At a recent assembly, I discussed some of the questions listed below providing a starting point for the boys when they are required to think through an ethical issue: Headmaster Deputy Headmaster Head of Senior School Head of Junior School Director of Studies Director of Sport and Activities Director of Boarding Director of Performance Library Cadets Careers Adviser School Counsellor Boarder Parents’ Support Group School Notices As such, it is important that the School sets clear guidelines on how • The use of Electronic Communication or other network means, members of our community use this technology.