“Leveraging technology to improve efficiency and boost sustainability is not easy and takes time. A staged approach delivers short-term benefits while we plan and implement long-term strategies to improve the facilities for the boys for years to come.”Mr Bengie Dickeson
The concept of stewardship at a school in its 150th year is not new.
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. Thankfully the damage was not as bad as predicted, some trees have fallen and some buildings need repair but in the main we were lucky. Here we'll introduce you to their larger ethos of each of their vital roles.
Director of Facilities — Mr Bengie Dickeson
It has been almost a year since Mr Dickeson joined the School and he still finds joy in seeing School House bathed in sunlight as he leaves most afternoons. “As I turn around and look at the building lit up, it’s certainly a highlight of my day,” he says.
Originally from Adelaide but long settled in Toowoomba, Mr Dickeson began his career with the Royal Australian Air Force (RAAF), working on FA/18 Hornet fighter jets at RAAF Base Tindal in the Northern Territory. After leaving the RAAF, he continued as a defence contractor, most recently serving as National Facilities Operations Manager with Raytheon Australia.
His role as Director of Facilities at TGS is new and comes with the enormous task of future-proofing the School for another 150 years. Ensuring the facilities are safe, secure and always looking their best is a significant responsibility. Mr Dickeson is introducing modern facility management methodologies, noting, “Technology is advancing and we’re adopting these changes as we move into the future; we’ve got to do things differently.”
Managing over 40 buildings on the 21-hectare campus is akin to running a small town, complete with top-tier sports facilities.
Under the leadership of then CFO Mrs Christina Onley, TGS has already made significant investments in sustainability and reducing operational costs. Mr Dickeson adds, “The School is large, so reducing energy usage is no small task. It’s a significant investment that will save money and enable a more sustainable operation — a good foundation for the next 150 years.”
For Mr Dickeson, facilities that run efficiently and sustainably serve as a model for students to follow in their own lives. “It’s our job to ensure future generations are inspired by our lead-by-example approach in managing the School’s operations.”
His ultimate goal? To leave a lasting legacy of strong systems, processes and policies that will guide the School long after his tenure ends.
Director of Information Technology — Mr Ron Robinson
Mr Ron Robinson likens information technology to the School’s circulatory system, calling it “the arteries, veins and capillaries.” In today’s highly connected world, contemporary education relies on technology and the department’s role is to empower educators and facilitate student learning.
Mr Robinson has accumulated extensive experience from managing IT departments in organisations such as the Wagner Corporation, Queensland Gas Corporation, Queensland Diagnostic Imaging, the National Heavy Vehicle Regulator and, most recently, St Andrew’s Hospital.
Hailing from Far North Queensland, he has lived in Toowoomba for over 30 years. At TGS, he has revamped the IT systems, saying he “took apart the Lego house, rebuilding it from the ground up to ensure a strong and efficient infrastructure to support student learning outcomes.”
Mr Robinson highlights that safety and security hold the utmost importance in an educational context.
“Whenever new technology is introduced, there are inherent risks involved. The challenge lies in mitigating these risks without impeding the learning process.”Mr Ron Robinson
TGS provides students with their laptops, which introduces certain inherent risks. “We have a duty of care and that duty should follow the laptop wherever the student is,” Mr Robinson said. Whether it’s minimising distractions in the classroom or ensuring students are not accessing inappropriate content, the focus is unashamedly on their education and their wellbeing.
The IT Department consistently and proactively reviews age-appropriate restrictions for school-aged children. There are differing opinions about these control measures; while many parents endorse them, some express reservations. Nonetheless, Mr Robinson remarks, “I would much rather maximise the protection of the student.”
The adverse effects of social media, for example, are of significant concern, so the School controls and restricts access to more volatile platforms that may directly or indirectly pose a risk to students. While students use Facebook, like many other platforms, it is restricted during class times, while all student activity is monitored by one of the best pastoral care (wellbeing) platforms available.
Latest Blog
We See You - Mitchell Wilkes
That was the heart-wrenching diagnosis for Year 10 student, Mitchell Wilkes, right on Christmas in 2021. Mitchell’s mum noticed he wasn’t reading properly and had a gut feeling that there was something wrong with his eyesight. A trip to the optometrist revealed a thinning in the retina, and further tests showed that Mitchell had a genetic condition called Stargardt Disease, a juvenile macular degeneration illness that results in slow central vision loss.
Correcting our School's official record commemorating World War I and World War II
On the eve of our 150th year, we're calling on the School's alumni, parents, past parents and greater community to aid us in correcting the record of our involvement in two watershed geopolitical events of the 20th century. For the last four years Toowoomba Grammar School Museum Volunteers, Mrs Ann Hallam and Mrs Sue Palmer, have been updating the School records on Old Boys, staff and Trustees for the World War I and World War II theatres of war. Over the years several staff and volunteers have…
A Pioneering Woman of TGS
My late husband was a teacher, and our four children are all teachers, which we encouraged them to do because it is the best job in the world. It’s hard to believe I’ve been here for 36 years, working under four Headmasters: Mr Bill Dent, Mr Hugh Rose, Mr Peter Hauser and now Dr John Kinniburgh. I still drive into the School each day and smile, looking at the beautiful place it is — magnificent ovals, gracious trees and historically significant buildings. It is difficult to express the…
NZ Rugby Tour success, more than winning matches across the Ditch
The teams were undefeated and it was a trip the players will never forget. This tour was years in the making and heralds a new era of touring and hosting different rugby schools to give our players opportunities for growth as athletes and as people. Head of Sport - Rugby, Mr Lincoln Clapham, explained they selected 46 students to take part in the ten-day tour and began training last year. From Term 1 onwards, the squad trained twice weekly on the oval plus two and sometimes three gym sessions…
Aussie Teen Reading Habits Revealed
I was recently sent an article, summarising some research from Deakin University around the reading habits of teens in 2024. Some of it was, as the title suggests, surprising. Some was not. However, all of it was built around the importance of reading, and supporting our teens to read, which is something that every one of us should do. While we tend to see our teens as digital natives, recent research from Deakin University suggests that the average Aussie teen reader would rather flick through…
Now More Than Ever
The one-of-a-kind Indigenous artwork is emblazoned across the shirts for the First IV Tennis team, jerseys for the First XI Football team and First XV Rugby team and First V Basketball team's singlets. National Reconciliation Week is a significant date on the calendar for all Australians, running from Monday, 27 May to Monday, 3 June. The incorporation of this Indigenous design in our uniforms is a significant milestone for our School, especially for our 47 Aboriginal and Torres Strait…
It's a numbers game, making mathematics mainstream
Term 2 has been a busy one in the Mathematics department; from multiple year levels having extended assessment tasks to competitions run inside and outside the School. Using mathematical equations to recreate artwork The Year 11 Mathematical Methods students got a chance to be very creative with their assessment - using numbers to reproduce artwork. The boys visited the 2024 Grammar Art Show in Term 1 and were given the task to reproduce a chosen work using their knowledge of mathematical…
Bucolic beginnings, boarding and becoming a bowel surgeon
Coming from a cattle property near Injune I was in awe of the School’s ovals with lush, green grass and immaculate facilities. I found being able to throw yourself around and not risk skin cuts and grazes quite novel. Sharing the same field where many Old Boys and past heroes trotted was inspirational. I found the comradery among the boarders my most overwhelming memory. It was like having 60 brothers with similar interests all living under the same roof. There was always someone around to kick…
Our Other Mother
Meet Ms Janelle Fletcher, the House Mum of Corfe, whose journey at TGS began back in 1992 as an instrumental music teacher. Her story is one of deep connections, love for the arts and an unshakeable bond with the students of TGS. From the time that Janelle first stepped onto campus and shared her musical talents with young minds to now creating her own “mum moments” in Corfe — she has nurtured a profound sense of community and established connections that have lasted through generations. Her…
