TAS Talks Term 2 Week 8

Eisteddfod Gala Concert

Last Sunday heralded the end of the Eisteddfod season for 2019 and it has been a big eisteddfod year for TAS students and staff alike. Some of the most successful results from that have been listed in previous editions of TAS Talks and I offer congratulations to all those mentioned and indeed all who performed over the last month or so. I also offer thanks and congratulations to our staff whose dedication has made those opportunities available. I know from the many comments I have heard from students, parents and other staff those efforts are noticed, appreciated and admired.

P & F Funding Meeting

The P&F meeting held last Wednesday evening was the funding meeting for 2019 and it was set aside to make decisions on how P&F funds raised over the past year were to be allocated to school projects that will directly enhance the experience of our students. I can only commend our P&F and supporting parents for all their hard work and dedication to the school and for having the best interest of our students at the very forefront of this decision making process.

Reflection Space

Construction has begun on the Reflection Space that was approved by the Board earlier in the year. The essence of the project, located in an area between the Croft Dam weir and the Chapel St car park, is to create a physical statement that recognises past sufferings, reaches out to victims, makes an apology to them and offers a place that attempts to build a new bridge between them and the School.

To be opened by Reunion Weekend, it will be a garden that all will be welcome to use to take time to reflect, especially those who have suffered themselves, and hopefully see a promise of hope as well as an apology for the past. Just as a time capsule planted at the opening of a building marks a point in time and a way of life, this space marks the moment that the School steps aside from its day to day celebration of the good to show that the other side of our history must be remembered too.

Mr Alan Jones
Acting Headmaster

RESULTS OF ANNUAL FUNDING MEETING

We spent our hard earned money at our meeting last week… Around $25,000 was allocated in addition to the $30,000 that we have already donated earlier in the year to helping the Foundation renovate the Dining Room – that’s a lot of cupcakes and sausage sandwiches!!

Thanks to everyone who helped, baked, donated time, effort, prizes or gifts throughout the year.  Without you we wouldn’t be able to fundraise this money and use it for the betterment of TAS and our students. To be able to donate such a substantial sum of money to school reflects the amazing TAS community that we have and we truly appreciate all the help we receive.

Money was allocated to several projects throughout the school:

• New cushions for the Chapel pews
• An elliptical cross trainer for the gym
• An upgrade to the mountain bike trailer
• Some new shotguns for the TAS shooting program
• Junior School Playground upgrade
• Contribution to Year 12 gift of curved bench seats around the Lawrance Quad Memorial

CONTACTING THE P&F

If you want to know what’s going on in the P&F join us on Facebook!  We regularly post updates on what we are doing, what events are coming up and any other useful information that comes to mind.  We have our own Facebook page – use the keywords TAS Parents and Friends and then ‘like’ us.

Don’t forget each year also has their own Year Group Facebook Page… These are closed groups for parents to catch up on what’s happening… Please search for TAS Year 12 and then the year your class will graduate from Year 12. For example, this year’s Year 12 Facebook page is TAS Year 12 2019.

Finally, if you have anything you would like to raise with the P&F please either contact your Year Group Liaison Person or any member of the Executive or send us an email on pandf@as.edu.au

UPCOMING EVENTS

Please mark these dates in your diaries:

• Saturday 27 July – Home Rugby and other sports versus Sydney Boys’ High School
• Wednesday 31 July – P&F meeting
• Saturday 3 August – Reunion Weekend including home rugby games against The Scots College

Mrs Rachael Nicoll
P&F President

Library Extended Day and Academic Support

Mrs Seonia Wark
Director of Studies

St John’s College UQ

Old Armidalian Liam Donaldson (2018) will be back at TAS on Monday 24 June to give students a presentation on residential life at St John’s College, University of Queensland. Liam is very keen to talk to as many students as possible and to convey his message. The meeting will be in Upper Maxwell, at 1.30pm and I encourage any Year 12 or 11 student who has been thinking about studying north of the border to attend to hear what Liam has to say.

Southern Cross University launches its STAR Early Offer program for 2020

Southern Cross University has a proud history of supporting schools from across our regions to transition students with the appropriate academic ability and talent into its range of undergraduate degrees. SCU’s STAR Early Offer program is a partnership with selected schools to match individual students to a course based on their level of academic achievement and likelihood of success.

This year SCU retains the three program levels, providing students with more degree options and to ensure you have a clear framework for recommending students from your school.

STAR Platinum – Students whom qualify at this level have unlimited access to any Southern Cross University degree including; Midwifery, Education, Engineering, and Law.

STAR Entry – Students whom qualify at this level of the program have access to all Southern Cross University degrees, excluding Midwifery, Education, Engineering, and Law.

STAR Pathway – This level of the program provides an access point to students whom for whatever reason may not have gained the academic outcome they had hoped for, but still desire to go to university.  If recommended for Preparing for Success (PSP) or Transition to Uni they will receive a conditional offer for a university degree based on completion of either of these pathway programs.

For further information please go to the link below.

https://www.scu.edu.au/star-early-offer/%20

Macquarie University Leaders and Achievers Early Entry Program

This program recognises students with strong academic results (Year 11) and commitment to extra-curricular activities which demonstrate leadership, community service and personal development.

If eligible, students will receive their offer prior to sitting the HSC. Scholarships will be automatically awarded to the best applications (up to $10,000 per year for up to four years).

For more details go to the link below.

https://www.mq.edu.au/study/admissions/entry-requirements/domestic/macquarie-entry/macquarie-leaders-and-achievers

Mr Mark Taylor
Careers Advisor

The Explorer Cadetship

From Thoroughbred Industry Careers:

“The Explorer Cadetship is the perfect Gap Year opportunity for those who love horses. In 2020 the first intake will commence in February and the program kicks off with a 12-week residential learning component of practical and theoretical training, followed by two paid work-experience placements; firstly at a leading racing stable and secondly at a leading stud farm (accommodation is arranged over the 12-months). For nine of the 12 months, cadets earn an income and Thoroughbred Industry Careers covers the tuition costs making the program very affordable. Whilst on work-placement, cadets are only placed with the best of the best in our industry!

Please see thoughts from one of our current Cadets, Katie Sharp on the program:

“Applying for The Explorer Cadetship program has been one of the best decisions I’ve ever made. I’ve gained a wealth of knowledge and have been given the best building blocks to build a career in an industry I love. I am beyond grateful to Thoroughbred Industry Careers for creating this program, where I have made life long friends and gained knowledge that I will take with me throughout my whole life and career.”

Applications are limited to 30 students per intake and applications will open in late October for the February commencement. Below is a flyer and a brochure and the website tbindustrycarrers.com.au has more details about the industry and the program. And just so you know we are guaranteeing four places to riders from Coona!”

If this program is of interest to you please contact Mrs Genevieve Chick on gchick@as.edu.au.

TAS Blue

Mr Will Caldwell
Director of Co-curricular

TAS City2Surf 2019

TAS City2Surf 2019, get your GUNSOUTFORTOMBSY

Parents, OAs, friends  – please come and run with Team TAS in 2019 to support Old Armidalian Richard Tombs. We are aiming to have our largest team yet, as we raise funds to help Tombsy and his family. Richard has been a sensational supporter of TAS for many years and now it’s our turn to step forward. With terrific support from our student body, we want to invite the entire TAS community to join us. Remind yourself that the body is still majestic and cannot be stopped. Run like Deek or enjoy a lovely Sunday morning walk, either way it’s for a great cause! A TAS GUNSOUTFORTOMBSY shirt is part of the entry as we show off our support. Please contact Jim Pennington (jpenning@as.edu.au) to sign up and join TEAM TAS.

Birthdays

Next year the Middle School will be 20. This age makes us one of the oldest Middle Schools in Australia. As a result of discussion at Middle School planning meetings over the last two weeks, you should know that we, as Middle School Homeroom teachers are preparing for the next stage of our development. As a logical step in any planning process, it’s important that key players in middle schooling, our current students, have a say in “what’s good, what’s important, what’s not, and, importantly, what could be so much better” in the planning process for future development.

These people are still young enough to be fiercely idealistic and have quick burning passions and I seriously believe that that we can learn from them. We want your children to begin to ‘take the initiative’ in terms of communication in a more active way during their time in our part of the school. As well, so many of these people are unflaggingly creative and inquisitive, confident but not arrogant. As indicated to the staff at these meetings, I’m happy about the prospect of working more closely with all people for whom I’m directly responsible. Something that should make our time together universally worthwhile is a workplace that encourages the collaborative efforts of boys, girls and staff. The only realistic and sensible way to ensure such an atmosphere is to invite their comments in a place that encourages the level of confidence necessary for each student to be resourceful and to have a ‘voice’. It’s your job to encourage your child to ‘speak up’ in a respectful manner; ours is to ensure that the level of respect is ‘followed through’ and reciprocated. Yes, I know that this style of the environment is the ideal and am aware that we’re dealing with young adolescents for whom school life, in particular, can be characteristically challenging, indeed, daunting. I also know that if we don’t continue to try to effect such an environment here in Middle School, then we’re not doing the right thing by these young people as it’s our collective brief, as teachers and families, to ensure that they’re happy and, as such, resilient enough to meet the greater challenges, independence and responsibilities of their future in the Senior School.

Yes, it’s brief this week.

Mr Mark Harrison
Head of Middle School

Adventure Playground

I have written the following letter to the many students in Junior School, but particularly to those in Mrs Hawksford’s Year 3 class, who recently bombarded me with their Persuasive Writing pieces….

Dear Students of Year 3,

Thank you for the wonderful letters that you wrote to me recently, requesting that Junior School consider your persuasive arguments for an Adventure Playground. I applaud the ideas and perspectives that you skilfully wove into your thinking. In fact, I was so impressed, I have copied Chelsea’s letter here for everyone to see. I also sent some letters to our Parents & Friends for them to consider. They loved them and as a result, they have generously decided to allocate us some money to make a start as soon as possible…so make a start WE WILL!

I will bring these ideas to our SRC meeting this Thursday and you are all welcome to come along and speak about your ideas. I am looking forward to seeing you there and making a start on a playground that we can all enjoy for many years to come.

Congratulations and well done,

Letter by Chelsea Miller

Holiday borrowing from the library

The coming holidays are the ideal time for children to catch up on reading.

Please note that children are able to borrow their usual two (2) books from the library for the holidays without a permission note but if they would like to borrow three to six books parents need to sign the permission note that is attached to this newsletter and hand it in to the library or email the library at library@as.edu.au

­­————————-Please return signed note to Library ————————–

Mrs Lou-Anne Allen
Librarian

Netball

The TAS Go netball girls were a united team unit on Saturday! They were calling out encouragement for each other, using secret plays to trick their opponents and getting the ball to their end in no time. If it were a game of two quarters, we would have smoked them but unfortunately PLC saved their best shooters for the end! We spent this week practising defending the goal so we are ready for our comeback this weekend! Special mention must go to Chelsea and Sophia- the dynamite duo on the shooting circle!

TAS U10s

TAS played a very competitive and high scoring game on Dangarfield last Saturday against the East Spiders. Despite losing the game by only two goals, our team put on a good struggle and managed to score four goals of their own. I would like to commend the very special performances by Hugo Brown and Harry Brownlie who were outstanding throughout the match in both attack and defence.

Kelvin Kamau