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
A Musical Reflection
As Director of Performing Arts, there is perhaps no bigger undertaking than a School musical. It requires an enormous effort from a huge team of teachers and students, and to get all these moving parts heading in the same direction is certainly no mean feat. The 2023 co-production of Footloose was my first time involved in a Toowoomba Grammar School and Fairholme College musical, and I found it to be a very rewarding, though exhausting, experience. The process began in Term 3, 2022, as my…
TGS Success in GPS Sport
In 2023, Toowoomba Grammar School witnessed a remarkable resurgence in several of our sports programs, marking a year of triumph and growth. Although an elusive GPS premiership did not fall our way, a number of our 1st teams competed to the final whistle in Round 9 of their respective competitions, vying for their premierships. The achievements of our boys on the field and court were nothing short of exceptional, reflecting the commitment, dedication and character development that participation…
An Exceptional Learning Experience
As a member of the Junior School Leadership Team at Toowoomba Grammar School, my role involves ensuring that the Junior School’s Teaching and Learning programs are designed, implemented and managed effectively. This role is grounded in the vision, mission, and values of TGS and is crucial in supporting the Head of Junior School and the Director of Studies in providing an exceptional learning experience for our boys. At TGS Junior School, we prioritise the use of explicit teaching to ensure that…
An Inclusive Education
Toowoomba Grammar School is proud to introduce the newest addition to our education team, Amanda Gibson. Amanda commenced in Term 4, 2023 in the pivotal role of Head of Diverse Learners and will bring new direction and focus to the position in alignment with our commitment to inclusive education, aligning seamlessly with our Strategic Plan 2022-2026 and the Inclusive Education Policy. “I am very excited about developing this role,” said Amanda. “I have a passion for fostering environments where…
Get Involved in Everything
As Senior Prefect at Toowoomba Grammar School, I have had the opportunity to witness the benefits of being an all-rounder firsthand. With the various activities and programs the School offers, the ability to be involved in as many things as possible is not only enjoyable but brings about numerous benefits that extend far beyond the school years. Ranging from sports to drama and debating, participating in anything the School has to offer is an excellent way to make friends and build networks of…
The Importance of Knowledge
For as long as I can remember, I’ve always enjoyed traveling great distances. As a child growing up in rural New South Wales, this was inevitable. The region was speckled with towns, some more vibrant than others, and diverse landscapes where hillside ruins whispered tales of bygone eras. Over time, these landscapes and towns transformed into familiar scenes, with even minor changes in the community and environment growing more noticeable during each visit. Education parallels this journey, as…
Senior TGS Students' Advice for Starting Senior School
Starting at a new school can be a time of mixed feelings – very exciting, but also quite daunting and challenging. Here are some tips from some Year 7 Grammar boys who started Senior School in 2023. Get involved in different sports and activities Toowoomba Grammar School provides many sports and activities that any student can participate in. As a current Year 7 student, I highly recommend trying out as many different sports and activities as you can. Throughout my first year in high school, I…
Transition to Senior School at TGS
Starting at a new school can be a time of mixed feelings – very exciting, but also quite daunting and challenging. Irrespective of whether your son is joining us from the TGS Junior School, or if they are just starting at Toowoomba Grammar School, this is the start of a long and special journey. Your son will have a lot to digest with a new, possibly larger campus to navigate, different teachers and lessons, making new friends, where to go and what to do at morning tea and lunch. There can be a…
The Transition to Year 7 - from a Parent and Staff Member's Perspective
Regardless of your history with the school, you are all equally welcome here and should feel comfortable in knowing that we value every family and their son’s contribution to our School. Toowoomba Grammar School was built by the community, for the community and it is a School that I am immensely proud of. In 2025 we will celebrate our sesquicentenary or Grammar 150 and your sons will play a vital role in those celebrations. Our pedagogy is modelled on explicit instruction which has its roots in…
