Toowoomba Grammar School is fortunate to have a strong partnership with Microsoft / School Locker. We are a Microsoft Lighthouse School, leading the way in technological advancement and deployment in Australian schools. This recognition would not be possible without two key factors:
- our “whole school” approach to IT, whereby the School supplies every student with the same devices, ensuring equality for all boys from Prep to Year 12.
- our dedicated IT team, who are based on-site to immediately assist with any IT issues our staff and students encounter.
Microsoft is so impressed with Toowoomba Grammar School’s roll out and support program that they invited our AV, Data Assurance and ICT Engineer, Mr Matthew Dalamaras to be a guest speaker at the recent Association of Independent Schools NSW Information and Communication Technology Management and Leadership Conference.
Matthew was asked to present during the workshop “Finding the limits of deployment solutions”. He addressed over 350 IT professionals from independent schools across Australia about “The View from the Other Side”.
Matthew provided an insight into the challenges and successes of the TGS journey into modern device deployment using Microsoft Intune. He described how the School’s device rollout has changed over the years, culminating in our ability to provide services like our “drive-through” laptop collection, and an average of a five-minute turnaround for issues with student devices.
“Over the last 15 years, computer deployment has evolved from what was a copy/paste of a whole computer to devices that now connect to the internet and self-build, based on instructions provided by IT,” Matthew told the conference.
“The amount of time required to write these instructions is dramatically lower than creating the “Gold Image” which you would copy onto every device.”
Matthew said another significant change is the ability for IT departments to manage devices when students and staff are working or learning offsite, due to its connectivity to the internet. This was not possible using older methods.
This is an emerging technology, with massive benefits in resourcing and time recovery. Toowoomba Grammar School is fortunate to have expertise in this field as it ensures that our staff and students will always have up-to-date, secure and reliable devices. TGS is leading the way with IT in education.
“Other schools are at varied levels of implementing this technology and experts in this field are far and few between, especially in education,” said Matthew.
As a result, he was highly sought after for consultation during the conference and Microsoft has engaged Matthew to discuss how we manage devices at TGS and our Surface Program, giving further national recognition to the School’s IT program.
Latest Blog
I Have Returned to Where it Began and I Feel Right at Home
I have returned to where it all began, and I feel right at home. My parents decided when I was very young that I would attend Toowoomba Grammar School as a boarder. Coming from a property surrounded by a small community, my parents believed that sending me to TGS would provide me with many fundamental skills needed for a young man, as well as an education that I could not get in my hometown.. Starting my journey at TGS in Year 8 as a boarder in Mackintosh, adjusting from a small country high…
Tuning in to TGS Old Boy (1995-99) - Stuart St Vincent Welch
Our Old Boys have such diverse career paths; we are so proud of the good young men they become and how they make meaningful contributions to their communities. Stuart St Vincent Welch describes himself as an average student who had no idea what he wanted to do after school. But drawing on the TGS values of hard work, respect and resilience he is now working as a Sound Engineer for Barking Owl in New York City, rubbing shoulders with some of the world’s most renowned musicians and actors. He…
The TGS Show Cattle Team - On the moooove
The TGS Show Cattle Team commenced in Term 1 2021 under the guidance of Mr Jack Murphy and Mrs Julie Brophy. The concept of the team was to give boys a hands-on, extracurricular opportunity in the agricultural industry. The boys have been competing in the Young Judges’ competitions at a range of shows across Queensland. The Young Judges’ competition is based on the goal of expanding the boys' knowledge of the skills that are a foundation of the animal production industry, helping them as…
The Importance of Routines
Routines are an important part of our daily lives, providing structure and stability. This is especially true for children in their formative years, who benefit from having consistent and predictable routines in both their school and home environments. At Toowoomba Grammar School Junior School, we believe that routines are essential for helping students thrive both inside and outside the classroom. One of the key ways in which routines help students is by providing a sense of security and…
Ten Steps Ahead - Jackie Gallagher
As a high school athlete, Jackie Gallagher had the world at her feet. She was in a unique position where she was excellent at any distance from 100m to 800m. She broke Queensland and National records and was regularly selected for State and National teams. Jackie was selected for the Australian Youth team to compete at the World Youth Championships in Canada as an U18 along with the Australian Junior Commonwealth Games and the Youth Olympics, before making the U20 Australian team to compete at…
The Makings of a Premiership
The 2022 1st V Basketball squad will be forever etched in the pages of Toowoomba Grammar School history as the first TGS team to win a GPS Basketball Premiership since the competition commenced in 1984. Head of Basketball, and 1st V Coach, Mr Kabe Cicolini has been instrumental in the growth and success of not just our leading team, but of the TGS Basketball Program as a whole. Kabe has come from a background of playing GPS sport – cricket, rugby and basketball as a student at Ipswich Grammar…
Creating a Learning Environment that Boys Enjoy
Creating an environment for students to access and engage in learning is the educational philosophy of the new Toowoomba Grammar School Head of Junior School, Mr Ken Raven. “This requires a supportive an inclusive learning environment across the school where everyone feels they can make a positive contribution,” Mr Raven stated. “I encourage evidence-informed, explicit teaching of curriculum that sparks curiosity and interest for students to engage and explore.” Parental interaction and…
Introducing our new Deputy Head of Junior School (Teaching and Learning), Mrs Chantelle Bauer
Toowoomba Grammar School is excited to welcome our new Deputy Head of Junior School (Teaching and Learning), Mrs Chantelle Bauer. Mrs Bauer brings a wealth of experience and passion to her new role, having lived and worked in the Darling Downs and Southwest Queensland region her entire life. She was born and bred in St George, attended university in Toowoomba and took her first teaching role in Roma. She has worked in various roles across the region, including Year Level Coordinator, Head of…
You can't know a student without knowing where they come from
Boarding at Toowoomba Grammar School can be described as many things such as evolving identity, growing personally and developing character in your second home, but it is also about growing your family. Head of Boyce House boarding, Mr Michael Hall and his family, certainly enjoyed that opportunity over January. Catching up with a beautiful collection of current families from Boyce House was a privilege and has helped to build the relationships of trust and care that are essential in a…
