Recently the 2022 TGS Prefect group spoke at the Headmaster’s Assembly about respecting individuality. But what does this mean? The foundations for a successful relationship with peers, family, co-workers, and others is framed and supported by a two-way street of respect. However, for this two-way street to be functional it is important to know that respect cannot be demanded, it can only be earned.

Toowoomba Grammar School is no different and respect is nurtured in various forms such as in the classroom, sporting realms, cocurricular activities and the boarding houses. TGS prides itself on being a family and community where respect is integral between staff and students, allowing positive relationships to flourish. The School promotes the assistance for staff and students via professional organisations that focus on relationship development such as RUOK, National Humanities Alliance, Lives Lived Well and other groups. These groups focus on the development of respect and relationships and allow the students to utilise their experience to support and promote better pathways for respect to be fostered in our community.

The main message of respect centres around being mindful of what is happening in another person’s life and to consider their needs before our own. Independent School’s Queensland recently released the results of a study into student wellbeing. “A July study into the wellbeing of Australian school students has found that almost a third of students reported that they were not coping well over the first half of the year.” (ISQ News, August 2022). The report suggests that this figure is growing in 2022 and students are becoming increasingly concerned over matters relating to respect, health and acceptance.

National Manager Schools at Headspace Kirsten Douglas has stated “Right now, we need to talk to each other, reconnect and slowdown in order to speed up. There is an inclination to move at great speed; it feels counterintuitive to slow down, stop and communicate, but if we don't do this, we'll spiral out of control.” What this suggests is that in our rush to get back to ‘normal’ we are forgetting the importance of positive and respectful relationships. Students need to feel a connection with their teacher whilst feeling safe and respected. However, the same must demonstrated in return, as suggested earlier – respect is earned, it cannot be demanded or simply expected.

In summary – it is important to know that Toowoomba Grammar School is working hand in hand with leading groups and staff to develop a culture of understanding and the need to respect yourself, respect your family, respect your teachers and respect the work of others that take pride in keeping the school looking the best at all times. The students are encouraged to follow the procedures of pastoral support and meet with mentors, heads of house or heads of department if they feel they are not being respected. The Toowoomba Grammar School belief is that if you are respectful towards others, then you will generate a platform of respect in return for yourself.

Mr Michael Hall
Acting Head of Senior School - Students




Latest Blog

Grammar 150
/
Thursday, 15 May 2025

Women of Grammar Luncheon

A Tribute to the Heart of the School Originally scheduled for International Women's Day but rescheduled (thanks, Cyclone Alfred!) to the eve of Mother's Day, the timing felt serendipitous. It was a day to honour the women—past and present—whose quiet strength, tireless support and enduring love have shaped the School's legacy and the lives of its boys for 150 years. The marquee was beautifully appointed for a day of merriment

Read More
Old Boys
/
Thursday, 08 May 2025

Lachlan Stuart's Marathon Feat

Mr Stuart will return to TGS again for the event held on Wednesday, 28 May to support the Year 12's significant fundraising G150 Gift Run event. The boys are running 1500km in a relay format to honour a 1968 TGS Interact Club fundraising project that will help upgrade the original School gates on Herries Street, along with raising funds for the Nerve Connection Foundation.

Read More
Old Boys
/
Thursday, 01 May 2025

Remembering Private Colin Stirling, a TGS Old Boy (1899-1900)

This was the headline that screamed out on the pages of the Toowoomba Chronicle and Darling Downs General Advertiser on Thursday, 15 August 1901. With ANZAC Day just last Friday, this week we continue to honour many of our Old Boys who gave the ultimate sacrifice including Private Colin Stirling, a TGS Old Boy (1899-1900) and our first former student lost in the Boer War. The story began with: “News was received on Tuesday afternoon that in an engagement at Kopjesfontein, on the 6th instant,…

Read More
Community Engagement
/
Thursday, 24 Apr 2025

Honouring Tradition: Toowoomba Grammar School and ANZAC Day

This year marks 98 years since TGS and the 13 Army Cadet Unit (Toowoomba Collective Unit) first participated in ANZAC Services in Toowoomba. The School's commitment to these services is a testament to its deep-rooted military traditions and the enduring spirit of remembrance. Mounties out the front of School House in 1908. A Legacy of Service Toowoomba Grammar School's military traditions date back to its early days. The School's Cadet Unit, formed in 1892, has been a cornerstone of its…

Read More
Character & Wellbeing
/
Thursday, 03 Apr 2025

Outdoor Pursuits and Activities Week - Developing Good Character Beyond the Classroom

We offer a range of enrichment activities for our boys, but the last week of Term 1 is a very special opportunity for all of our Senior School students. It's Outdoor Pursuits and Activities Week, which provides age-appropriate physical challenges in a safe, well-supervised environment. Activities on the various camps may include ropes courses, rock climbing, bodyboarding, surfing, mountain biking and canoeing. The aim is to foster a love of the outdoors and an appreciation of the environment.…

Read More
People
/
Thursday, 27 Mar 2025

Stories behind key TGS staff helping shape our students

It was my great privilege to join TGS as Head of House - Boyce Boarding in 2024. The opportunity to lead these young men of character on their TGS journey carries great weight but is also enormously exciting. Embarking upon this project alongside my wife Meg as Boyce Boarding House Manager strengthens the team further. I am hopeful that we will demonstrate to the boys how positive relationships can foster a warm and supportive environment. I know that many of our boys are familiar with strong…

Read More
Sports & Activities
/
Thursday, 20 Mar 2025

More Than Just an Education and That Makes All the Difference

Toowoomba Grammar School excels in its extensive co-curricular programs, particularly in performing arts and sports. Our boys learn that success comes from hard work and dedication. This ethos is inspired by quotes like “You don’t have to be great to start, but you have to start to be great,” “The harder I work, the luckier I get” and the words emblazoned on our P.B. Hauser Aquatic Centre wall “Success is the celebration of preparation.” These opportunities allow students to excel in programs…

Read More
Stewardship
/
Thursday, 13 Mar 2025

Stewardship: Leading the Way in Safety, Sustainability and Security

However, the challenges facing the Director of Facilities, Mr Bengie Dickeson and the Director of Information Technology, Mr Ron Robinson certainly are. This month's weather has been nothing if not unpredictable and it's in those conditions that both these men's skills come to the fore. With Tropical Cyclone Alfred and its threat to our School campus and community - Mr Bengie Dickeson and Mr Ron Robinson played integral roles in keeping everyone and everything on our 150-year-old campus safe.…

Read More
Old Boys
/
Thursday, 06 Mar 2025

Pursuing New Horizons in Horticulture

Jake Moon is a sixth-generation primary producer. He is dedicated to agriculture and is currently working at his family’s St George farming enterprise, tackling some of the sector’s biggest challenges. The 28-year-old says his family moved to the St George irrigation precinct in 1978, initially growing rockmelons and watermelons, hence the business name Moonrocks. Seasonal and market changes led them to switch crops frequently, growing grapes, broccoli and even wax flowers over the years.…

Read More