Deputy Headmaster - Head of Preparatory

MR JEFF SYMMS deputy headmaster - head of preparatory

2018 has come and gone and my reflection is that it was a very successful one for the boys of the Preparatory School. We witnessed so much growth in the boys across all spheres of endeavour – academic, social and emotional development, physical, cultural and spiritual. I sincerely congratulate the boys and teachers for the work they undertook together to ensure that most boys, most of the time, took advantage of the opportunities our school offers.

They say that if you find something you love to do, you will never work a day in your life. I’m not sure about that, as there are certainly days which feel like hard work, but in general, the opportunity to spend each day surrounded by our terrific boys and their dedicated teachers is a real privilege. As the year concluded, I reflected with great pride on the strength of our community and was grateful that I was able to be part of it.

Gratitude had been a key feature of our year’s work with the boys in 2018. We had learnt that gratitude is more than just saying thanks to someone; it is actually not just an ‘action’, but also a positive emotion, which serves an important purpose.

The research tells us that because being truly grateful is a selfless act – we show appreciation to someone or something ‘unconditionally’, it works on our wellbeing because it authentically connects us to other people. It also generates reciprocity, that is, others will be more inclined to demonstrate their gratitude to us in return. In 2018, different programs were implemented across the School to help the boys focus on being grateful. Our chapel services, for example, quite often helped the boys to see what is important in life and provided strategies to help them avoid negative behaviours.

Another example is that the boys in Year 2 kept a ‘Blessings Book’. Within it, they reflected their gratitude, and in so doing helped focus on the positive in their lives and kept perspective around the negative.

One of the key benefits of the Blessings Book is that it helped the boys to build a gratitude habit. Feelings of gratitude can happen spontaneously, but deliberately counting our blessings on a regular basis, paying attention each day to the things we are glad to have in our life, helps us to slow down and take notice.

The boys were being actively taught to build their gratitude habit. And what are they grateful for?

Family, friends, love, grandparents, dad, mum, sisters, brothers, playtime, teachers, trees, God, food and shelter.

The common thread? I could not find one boy who was grateful about having stuff!

There was the occasional mention of a toy or video game or similar. But these were so few and far between that they are not statistically relevant. The things our boys really value, are their relationships with their loved ones. Time spent with parents and family. Good times with mates. Having someone to share with, someone who listens to them, someone who loves them.

None of them mentioned expensive holidays or a big house. Boy after boy after boy recognised what is really important – the relationships they have with those closest to them.

Reading their Blessings Books is something for which I can honestly say, I was very grateful. At the end of a busy year their wisdom helped me reflect on what is really important to me and gave me pause to give gratitude to those I love the most.

My gratitude in 2018 also extended, among many other things, to our Headmaster Mr Wain and the members of our School Council who so readily supported the building of our new school hall. This facility has proven to be everything we expected and has enhanced our programs in many ways. It is a theatre, a classroom, a sports auditorium, rehearsal space and meeting place. We have been able to enhance our basketball and gymnastics programs, add dance and badminton to the co-curricular offerings and permitted further development of a number of our academic and pastoral programs.

At last year’s celebration of achievement, when we were still in anticipation of its completion, I spoke to the Year 5 boys about how they would be the very first to graduate out of the new Prep Hall, and we witnessed them do just that as the departing Year 6 cohort.

It is a facility, that to my knowledge is unparalleled in Australian primary schools and, like the many other fine buildings we have in the School, is the result of the School’s outstanding financial stewardship under our current Headmaster and his School Council.

While there are many highlights that could be covered in a report such as this, space permits only a few. Once again, our NAPLAN results were excellent, with the boys taking their place amongst the highest achievers on the Gold Coast. In mathematics we were the number one ranked primary school, while in spelling we ranked in second place.

Overall, our Year 5 cohort ranked fifth on the Gold Coast and as a nonselective boys’ school, these are results about which we can be exceptionally proud. Results in the international academic competitions in which we entered, yielded high numbers of high distinction and distinction certificates placing some of our students in the very top bands of academic achievement.

In music - our Eisteddfod groups continued the proud tradition of representing our school at an exceptional standard, the community performance of ‘Zadok the Priest’ united boys, staff and parents in the production of an incredible musical evening and our aged care concert was a touching and significant part of our school’s outreach program.

PREPARATORY EXECUTIVE STAFF

LEFT TO RIGHT: MR R. EGAN, MRS K. BARRY, MR J. SYMMS, MR M. WYER, MS T. MATTHIAS In sport, we had record participation with over 500 boys playing across a range of sports throughout the seasons. Our Under 10 rugby boys had the chance of a lifetime when they trained with the Wallabies at Sanctuary Cove, and we like to think that the challenges our boys presented was the difference that helped them score a rare win when they met Argentina just a week or so later. On our sports tour to New Zealand, we recorded our first international rugby win and our 6A basketballers ended the season undefeated and for a second year in a row were named TSS most outstanding team. I could go on.

I am proud that our focus on the holistic nature of learning - the Prep Triangle of Interdependence - Academics, Culture and Sport - is able to produce results such as this whilst developing well-rounded, young men.

Over the summer school holidays, the campus continued to be enhanced with major capital works occurring. The undercover sport area at the rear of the Jordan Quadrangle had major works undertaken on the drainage to prevent water entering the courts during heavy rain, and also had the courts resurfaced to make them more usable than before and with two different surfaces.

The Preschool playground underwent a major redevelopment and now boasts an outstanding play area outside to complement the first class interior of the building. With this new play space complementing the exciting ‘Bush Preschool’ natural play area, our boys have the best of both worlds.

The School looked magnificent for the opening of the 2019 school year and the physical facilities present an engaging learning environment in which the boys can learn and grow. We said farewell to some very special educators at the end of 2018.

Mrs Wendy Rix and Mrs Shelagh Rogers, both from our exceptional visual arts department, have decided to hang up their paint brushes this year. Mrs Rix, as either

an educator or as a parent, has had a long and successful association with the School, during which time she inspired many boys and helped them discover talents they didn’t realise they had, and her work while a member of the department has in no small way contributed to its success.

Mrs Rogers came to us in 2014 to cover for Mrs Wilson’s leave and quickly established herself as an outstanding educator. She is creative and giving. Her special chair creations in the library simply delight the boys and encourage them to love books and this alone is a special gift to our school.

Mrs Kathryn Barry, who for the past eight years has been the Preparatory School’s Deputy Head - Curriculum was offered earlier this year an opportunity to work with the Queensland Educational Leadership Institute in delivering programs on school leadership to schools and systems across the state and around the country. Such was the success of her work with QELi that they have convinced her to stay on and so she has, with heavy heart, resigned her position at TSS. Mrs Barry has been instrumental in developing our strong academic program at TSS Prep and will always be remembered for her time here as a passionate educator who worked tirelessly for the benefit of the boys and staff. We wish her well in this new and exciting role and feel grateful for the time she spent with us, and the leadership she provided.

Ms Alison Bryant who has worked in our support department leaves to pursue full time teaching opportunities and, as an excellent young teacher, she is assured of a very successful career. Mrs Lyn Morris, who has been a part of our Gifted and Talented department for many years has decided that it is time to retire and spend more time with family. She has offered excellent support to Mrs Poeszus in recent years and will be missed.

Mrs Amanda Mutch has worked in our Art department filling the vacancy left by Mrs Rix. Known to us already as one of our great mums, Mrs Mutch has impressed all with the ability she has shown to seamlessly join the department and her hard work and can do attitude have made her a welcome addition.

Mrs Julia Stansbie stepped in so successfully to teach Preschool S after Mrs Super injured her foot and then later was diagnosed with bowel cancer - a fact she wants shared with the community to encourage testing. While Mrs Super is now all clear and returning to work next year, I can’t thank Mrs Stansbie enough for the outstanding work she did with our littlest students and the wonderful year she provided for them.

Mr Brian Rowe has also decided that the time is right to take some wellearned rest and relaxation. He will chill out, travel a bit, maybe if we are lucky do a little bit of relief teaching, but generally put his feet up after a distinguished career during which time he has given a great deal to the educational community. Mr Rowe has been an outstanding teacher, inspiring school leader, and at Prep a much loved Housemaster. The boys simply love him for his honest, yet caring approach. They respond to his high expectations and his genuine interest in them. He has provided wise counsel to boys, parents and staff over many years and we all here at TSS Prep feel very blessed that he chose to see out his career with us.

I know that the entire TSS Prep School community joins with me in wishing these teachers all the best for their new roles.

To all TSS Preparatory School families, I hope that the 2018/19 Christmas New Year period went well and that 2019 is shaping up to be an outstanding year for all.

RECEPTION TO YEAR 6 STUDENTS

SEATED ROW: L. REINHOLD, M. FLETCHER, J. AMOS, H. ILLES, C. FERRIS-NATHAN, J. PATERSON, J. DUNNE, R. ACKROYD, R. CLINTON, A. AL-JUMAILY, A. BELLCHAMBERS, N. HAYES, X. GANE SECOND ROW: G. POOLE, J. MCPHEE, J. ELL, C. BOS, J. RAY, A. TRAN, W. BAWDEN, C. BROWN, C. O’CONNOR, A. NICKALLS, F. REICHMAN, J. GENNARI THIRD ROW: J. PELS, W. SPEERING, T. STUCKEY, D. MATHESON, J. ROBINSON, J. GALLIE, T. FARAGALLAH, T. BROWN, C. STONE, M. THILWIND, P. MCNAB