COVID Challenges 2020 was the year of the worldwide COVID-19 pandemic. Weren’t things meant to be back to normal in 2021? After successfully negotiating the COVID-19 challenges of 2020 we could be forgiven for approaching 2021 as if this was all behind us. Quite the contrary, of course, with many continuing and new challenges to respond to in 2021. To fully appreciate the impact of COVID-19 at a school level, I provide this timeline of challenging events or circumstances that have impacted the boys, staff, families and operations at Toowoomba Grammar School.
2021 – January Back to normal?
2021 – Term 1 • Unfortunately, not! • COVID Response Team (CRT) – The School CRT was established to address any COVID matters. • Boys in PNG – borders closed for international arrivals, meaning our boys in PNG faced a year of remote learning.
• Staff meetings and assemblies – still impacted with staff required to socially distance. Streaming of assemblies continues for staff. • Parents were permitted back on campus, as was the case in most schools. • Most school activities are back to normal until Week 10. COVID cases in SEQ lead to lockdowns. Three year groups en route to camp had to turn around and come home. The School remains open until the end of term, but lessons were not viable. With Camps Week cancelled in 2020, we looked for our camps to be rescheduled in 2021. • The Year 2 Camp, on school grounds, was postponed due to COVID restrictions.
2021 – Term 2 • We return to school with mostly normal operations.
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2021 – Term 3 • COVID-19 cases during the winter holidays put QLD on high alert. Mask wearing in SEQ becomes the new normal. • Sport and Activities resume with some spectator restrictions and maskwearing requirements. • Saturday, 31 July, Round 3 v Nudgee College, following a concerning outbreak in Brisbane, GPS Rugby and Basketball fixtures underway on Saturday morning ceased immediately. Over the School’s public address system, all players, parents and staff were asked to go home immediately. TGS teams playing in Brisbane were also recalled home. • Following the announcement by the QLD Government, the GPS Association abandoned Rounds 3 to 6 for the 2021 season. At TGS, we could still train, given we were outside the SEQ LGA. Some internal matches were held at home during the abandoned rounds.
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Mills Oval at sunset, photo by Grant Vickery
TOOWOOMBA GRAMMAR SCHOOL
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