TAS Talks Term 2 Week 8

I do hope that everyone was able to enjoy some relaxing family time over the long weekend. Uncharacteristically, even the TAS campus and event calendar was empty, a short breather for staff and students alike before the last two weeks of Semester 1.

In a school where there are so many chances to do or try different things, variety really is the spice of life, but it is important to maintain the constants and traditions that ground us as a community. They provide us with a strong sense of unity and shared purpose. The singing of our school hymn at the start and end of each term, or weekly in Junior School, is a beautiful example of this. It brings us together, instilling a sense of pride and belonging. Each time is a moment where generations of students, past, and present, connect through a shared melody and words, building a deep-rooted sense of identity.

For our Year 12 students, they still have more opportunities to sing the hymn, but they are well on their way through a list of “lasts”, each one representing the last time they will each take part in some of the traditions at TAS; the swimming carnival and the athletics championships for example, and next week, the final of the inter-House debating competition. These events are joyful occasions, also allowing students to reminisce on their experiences in years past, and taking part gives students a chance to intersperse their last year at TAS with memorable and meaningful experiences.

Dr Rachel Horton
Principal

We have seven days remaining in Semester 1. The message I gave all students at yesterday’s assembly was that finishing a school term strongly is of paramount importance as it not only reflects academic achievement but also shapes one’s character. It is during the final stages of a term that students have the opportunity to consolidate their learning, demonstrate their understanding, and exhibit their growth. 

Completing this semester on a high note will instil a sense of accomplishment and boost self-confidence. It shows resilience and determination, proving the words of American educator Benjamin E. Mays, who stated, “The tragedy of life doesn’t lie in not reaching your goal. The tragedy lies in having no goal to reach.” The final stretch of a term offers a chance to set goals, focus efforts, and persevere until the end. Moreover, finishing strongly sets a positive precedent for the next term.

Completing this school term powerfully signifies commitment, discipline, resilience, and the drive to succeed. It leaves a lasting impression, not only on academic records but also on personal growth and development. These are things that make TAS students unique and I am confident all our students can amaze themselves in what they can achieve in the next seven days.

Mr Ray Pearson
Deputy Principal

Start of Term Function

To start Term 3, P&F have organised drinks at the new location of The Welders Dog in Armidale on Monday 17 July from 5.00 pm.

Put the date in your calendar now to check out their new offer.

Next Meeting

Wednesday 2 August is the next meeting of the P&F. Please note the date and keep an eye out for details to attend. A large focus of Term 3 is to decide Funding Request allocations to projects which give back to the school community – hope you can be a part of the discussion.

Contact P&F Executive

If you have anything you would like to raise with the P&F Executive, please send us an email at pandf@as.edu.au

Mr Paul Gaddes
P&F President

With the King’s Coronation earlier in the term, and the King’s birthday long weekend just past, I thought it appropriate to have a ‘Kings and Queens of England’ topic for the rest of our assemblies this term.

The first monarch I am going to ‘pick on’ is King Henry VIII, who lived from 1491 to 1547. Over the years that I have been teaching Christian Development at TAS, some common question from students are about the differences between church denominations, such as the Anglican and Catholic churches. And often my answers provoke more questions. The students who know anything about the history of England know that the church of England (also known as the Anglican church) formally started off under King Henry VIII. And his motivation for starting the Church of England was far from honourable. The idea to break away from the Roman Catholic Church arose out of the marriage problems of King Henry VIII, whom Charles Dickens once described as “a most intolerable ruffian and a blot of blood and grease on the history of England”. While there were other influences that contributed to the break with Rome, it’s hard to deny that the primary reason was King Henry’s desire for a woman who was not his wife, and the desire to have a son with this woman, so that he would have a male heir to succeed him on the throne. And so that he could divorce his wife and marry the ‘other woman’, King Henry VIII broke from the Roman Catholic Church and started off the Church of England.

When a student who knows this story, asks me about how the Anglican church started out, I know they are sometimes asking with a hint of accusation. They are asking with the attitude of ‘how does that work’? ‘Isn’t this a bit of a joke’? How does the Anglican church (and even all the other protestant denominations that have sprung out of it) hold credibility if this is the reason it started off? I understand where they are coming from…. if you ask the question without considering the sovereignty of God.

My answer is to go to Genesis 50: 15 -21 This passage is at the end of the story of Joseph. Joseph’s story was that his older brothers sold him as a slave into Egypt where for many years he faced suffering and injustice. But God had not forgotten about him and at the end of the story we see that Joseph was the second in charge of all of Egypt. In the passage we hear that Joseph’s older brothers fear that Joseph will now take revenge on them for the evil they did to him years earlier. But Joseph’s reply to them was – “Don’t be afraid. Am I in the place of God? ²⁰ You intended to harm me, but God intended it for good, to accomplish what is now being done, the saving of many lives.”

If we reduce the establishment of the Anglican Church simply to the misdirected desires of a human king, then yes, it can seem like a bit of a joke. But if we trust that God is so much bigger than any human king, and that in his greatness he can and does use the selfish actions of humans to bring about good, then no it’s not a joke – it’s no surprise that God keeps his promise from Romans 8 to “in all things work for the good of those who love him”. Yes, Henry VIII wanted to start the Anglican Church for dishonourable reasons, but God used them for good. It was under King Henry VIII that the Latin translation of the Bible (which only clergy could understand) was replaced by English translations so that everyone could understand it. They could understand the good news of the gospel for themselves and by faith alone in Christ be in a relationship with their God. While there was a long way to go under Henry’s reign, there have been many other great things that have come out of the Church England. These really have been for the good of humanity. You can decide for yourself what you think of King Henry VIII, and you can ask your history teachers if you would like to know more about him. But this story should remind us to not forget the sovereignty of God. Even if we can’t recognise it straight away, He is always at work to bring about good, even amongst the most misdirected of human plans.

Mrs Jo Benham
Assistant Chaplain

As we move into the final weeks of Term 2, the academic program continues to offer rich and engaging opportunities to cement understanding, and for our students to demonstrate learning. Our Year 8s are working towards a formal English essay on their English novel The Giver; our Year 7s are designing and making ‘robobugs’ (an electronics project); and Year 6 have been learning about human rights in HSIE and the impact of Indigenous Australians. We wish them the best for this part of their learning program.

All of Year 9 and 10 have now had the opportunity to submit their Stage 5 Elective choices for Semester 2 and the academic office will be working on finalising class lists and selections in time for the end of the term. In the meantime, Year 9 and 10 students are being assessed on their understanding of their Semester 1 electives and I know there is much work to be done here to finalise practical projects, pull together portfolios of work and demonstrate their understanding in written tests, speaking tasks and final presentations on the last six months of learning.

In a recent email, all Year 10 parents and students were invited to the Year 11 (2024) Subject Selection Information Session; this will run from 4 pm – 5.30 pm on Monday 17 July. This is the day before classes return for Term 3 and align with the return of our boarding students. Please note: Boarding Houses will be open from 1 pm that day for our residential students to return to school. The afternoon will consist of a few short talks in Hoskins Theatre at 4 pm followed by 1.5 hours of time to move around a series of subject booths. This will allow Year 10 families to speak to Heads of Department, classroom teachers and Year 11 and 12 students from each of the subjects we offer here at The Armidale School. Mr Taylor will also be there to speak about Careers and Mr Slade and his team will represent both the Technological and Applied Studies faculty as well as information about our SBAT and TVET program for those students interested in apprenticeships, traineeships or TAFE based study as part of their HSC program. This was a very successful event in 2022. This afternoon information session on 17 July will act as the first formal step for our Year 10 families to engage with staff on their subject choices for 2024.

In Year 11 news, more than half the year have now attended an organisational session with me to look at two online tools available to them – the Student Portal and Google Calendar. This term, I have worked with small groups of students in one of their study periods to help them set up their Google Calendar as an organisational tool for their schedule; to set and mark off ‘to-do lists’ for their study; but also to factor in their co-curricular and personal lives (shifts at work, gym sessions, training, medical appointments). The feedback from these sessions has been largely positive and I will continue with these throughout the year. Other members of staff will also run some sessions later in the year.

Finally, Year 12 continues to be in the thick of various assessments as well as working through the final few units/modules of their HSC programs. A reminder to Year 12 parents that they have access to a series of Elevate Education videos to help them as carers support their child as they navigate Year 12 and move towards the HSC. Please refer to the email sent today for links and information on how to register and access these sessions – they are well worth it.

The forty Year 12s who have signed up for Winter Break Study Camp (12 – 14 July) will also receive an email tomorrow confirming costs and finalising the program for the camp. I am just waiting to hear back from a few students about their preferences in terms of sessions that will run before the program is completely finalised. However, at this point, I can confirm that Wednesday (12/7) and Thursday (13/7) will have morning sessions run by external Sydney-based company Elevate Education as well as HSC Common Module workshops for all levels of English. In addition to this, student-led study time for one block of time each day will be scheduled plus a variety of Maths, PDHPE, science and humanities subjects. All food will be provided (morning tea, lunch and afternoon tea) and the days will run from 9 am – 3.30 pm. Friday is still being firmed up but there will be one organisational workshop to consolidate the skills learned on Wednesday and Thursday; this will be run by a wonderful local tutor who specialises in study and organisational skills. Additionally, there will be both blocks of student-led study and tutors/teachers running workshops on specific subjects. A copy of this email will be sent to families as well, so they are across the plans for this exciting opportunity.

Mrs Gill Downes
Director of  Teaching and Learning

Last Thursday we had our annual fixtures verse Farrer (Dick Hodgson Shield) in basketball, chess, debating, football, hockey, rugby and shooting. In addition, we had games against NEGS and Calrossy. Whilst the weather turned foul in the afternoon the level of engagement and school spirit displayed from our students was outstanding. Farrer took the Shield this year, with convincing wins in rugby, junior football and boys hockey, while TAS had wins in open football, debating and chess. The girls proved to be too strong for NEGS in netball and drew in both the First and 15s hockey. The girls also showed their dominance on the rugby field with wins against Calrossy in the 14s and 16s.

The Armidale Eisteddfod continued last week and TAS has been well represented across a wide range individual performances and ensembles, winning a whole host of awards. I attended Band Night last week, where I witnessed our Senior Concert Band and Senior Jazz Combo delight the adjudicator with their upbeat and entertaining music selection. Congratulations to our music department and students who represented TAS with distinction.

The Coonabarabran North West Equestrian Expo took place last week. TAS took a team of over 20 riders and were the fourth largest school represented at the event. Our riders performed exceptionally, with several noteworthy results (listed below). Congratulations to our Captains Charlotte Pease and Jonathan Phelps for their leadership and encouragement of the younger TAS riders. A special mention to Miss Charlotte Low our MIC of Equestrian, Mrs Miriam Henry our Head Coach and Mrs Bernadette Phelps our Camp Mother for her organisation and feeding the masses.

• 1st Team Six Bar (Charlotte Pease, Jess Emmery, Charlie Ward, Robin Henry)
• 1st Div 1 C Grade Polocrosse (Jonathan Phelps, James Pearce, Clem McKemey)
• 1st Team Hunt (Clem McKemey, Jess Emmery, Ethan Wooldridge, Sam Kelly)
• Jess Emmery – Reserve Champion Girl (13 years) and Champion 80cm Showjumper
• Sam Kelly – Reserve Champion Boy (14 years)
• Charlotte Pease – Astro Showjumping Champion
• Brooke Tudor – Champion Galloway

This week in Assembly we recognised our Athletics age champions and runners-up, in addition to awarding the champion house. I commend all students for their participation and involvement on the day and make special mention of the students who were recognised at the Assembly.

House Trophy for “Points Per House Member”

House Championship Trophy: Archdall Cup for House Athletics

Following on from our successful NCIS Swimming performances last term, several of our students were awarded age champions and received their medallions in Assembly this week. Congratulations to our award winners.

• 14 Boys 2^nd Age Champion Archie Quinn
• 15 Boys 2^nd Age Champion Alexander Scanlon-Dawson
• 17 Girls 1^st Age Champion Prudence Black
• 17 Boys 2^nd Age Champion James Collum
• 18 Girls 2^nd Age Champion Isabella Banister, 3^rd Age Champion Olivia Cannington
• 18 Boys 2^nd Age Champion Peter Evans, 3^rd Age Champion Tom Sheedy

Mr Huon Barrett
Director of Co-curricular

Fight With All Your Might the Zombies of Tonight

TAS Middle School’s take on Matthew Whittet’s wacky horror comedy. Alex is a twelve-year-old with a keen eye and a wit to match. She’s been watching everyone at school for the last few days, and something’s not right. Everyone is acting weird. They’re all starting to say the same things, wear the same clothes, do bad dance routines in the corridors for no reason at all and meet up after school to drink decaf-mocha-latte-soy-frappuccinos. The writing’s on the wall. She knows what’s happening. They’re all turning into zombies!

Shows: 6pm Friday 11 & 6pm Saturday 12 August 2023
Price: $10 Adults, $5 Kids
Zone: Main theatre body only

Mr Andrew O’Connell
Head of Creative Arts

MUSIC MATTERS

Armidale Eisteddfod 2023

The Armidale Eisteddfod concludes on Sunday 18 June at 2:00pm in the Armidale Teachers College Auditorium. Thank you to the families, friends and staff who supported our ensembles at the Armidale Eisteddfod. We appreciate the wonderful support our students have received at this years Eisteddfod.

The Armidale Eisteddfod Class Bands and Ensembles sections were held last Tuesday, beginning with the class ensembles with our Year 9/10 and Year 11 Music classes entertaining the audience, placing 2nd and 3rd in their sections. Our TAS Contemporary bands performed on Tuesday afternoon with great energy and strong ensemble skills. The Folk or Popular Ensemble Years 8 and under event was won by our Middle School Contemporary Band – Elsie Caulfield and Madeline Meyer (Vocals), Xavier Stephen (Electric Guitar), Josh Bourke (Bass Guitar) and Toby White (Drum-kit). The Folk or Popular Ensemble Open event featured two of our Contemporary Bands who were both praised by the adjudicator for their performances placing 2nd and 3rd. The TAS Contemporary Band featuring Jack Uerbergang (Electric Guitar and Vocals), Scarlett Buntine (Guitar), Olive Lockett (Bass Guitar) and Angus Benham (Drum-kit) were praised for Jack’s outstanding Guitar solo with excellent ensemble skills from the band. TAS Contemporary Band ‘Ataque de Sapo’ – Bella Lucas (Vocals), Ellie Miller (Electric Guitar), Jack Uebergang (Bass Guitar), Nina Deshon (Trumpet) Andrew Brennan (Saxophone) and Sam Krishnan (Drum-kit) were praised for Bella’s outstanding vocals in a well blended performance from the band. The winning ensemble in the Open section was “Strung” which featured TAS Music Captain Essie Lindeman (Vocals and Mandolin) with two of her close friend from Armidale Secondary College, Josie and Elsie.

The Armidale Eisteddfod Band Night is one of the highlights of the Eisteddfod calendar and the performances were once again outstanding. The TAS Middle School Band performed in the Any Instrumental Group Non-Competitive section and were commended by the adjudicator, Matthew Kneale, for their excellent swing feel and balance. Congratulations to the TAS Senior Concert Band who placed 1st (The JoAnn and Bill Griffiths Perpetual Shield) in the Large Instrumental Group with Contrasting Instrumental Families Open. They were very tight, playing with blend and rhythmic energy, showcasing their technical and stylistic understanding. The TAS Senior Concert Band also performed in the Concert, Stage or Brass Open event placing second for their energetic and entertaining performances. The TAS Senior Jazz Combo were the last performers of the evening and the only competitors in the Jazz ensemble Open event, placing first (Armidale Jazz Club Perpetual Shield) with the highest point score of the evening and being selected for the Eisteddfod Gala performance for their outstanding performance.

TAS Twilight Concerts Term 3 – 5:30pm and 6:30pm, Thursday 27 July (Hoskins Centre Theatre)

TAS will be hosting two Twilight Concerts in Term 3 on Thursday 27 July. The concerts will be held in the Hoskins Centre Theatre with 2 sessions, which have been scheduled at 5:30 pm and 6:30 pm. There is a maximum of 16 performances in each session. These Twilight Concerts will provide the perfect opportunity for students to perform for an audience before the AMEB exams and for those students wanting to gain performance experience. Please follow the link and complete the Entry Form by Friday 21 July if you would like to perform at either of these concerts:  https://forms.gle/y3w7haEygsNU1ase6

Solo Performers at the Eisteddfod

Thank you again to the families that have sent through photos and information on the achievements of students at the Armidale Eisteddfod. We will showcase these in next weeks TAS Talks, after the Gala Concert. If you would like your child’s success to be put in the TAS Talks newsletter, please send an email to Mrs Veronica Lucas – music@as.edu.au

Ms Leanne Roobol
Director of Music

I hope that the recent long weekend was a refreshing and enjoyable one for all. The final two weeks of the semester will be busy ones. Our students are working hard and striving to finish the term well. We know that this is a busy period of assessments, projects, homework and completing units of study in class. If there is anything further we can do to support your child, please reach out to us.

It has been wonderful to see so many of our students participating and enjoying the various sporting fixtures that have been held recently. We certainly have a number of skilled sportsmen and women within our Middle School and equally as important is the level of sportsmanship shown at every fixture we are involved in. Sport and physical activity are important parts of a well-rounded education and I have been delighted to see our students passionately participating in the opportunities presented to them.

Also key to a well-rounded education is the Creative Arts and I am excited with the progress being made with this year’s Middle School play. Tickets are now on sale for Fight with All Your Might The Zombies of Tonight and I encourage our families to purchase tickets and support this fabulous production. For tickets please go to: https://events.humanitix.com/fymzt

Key dates and reminders:

• Thursday 22 June – Classes conclude for Term 2.

• Tuesday 18 July – Classes commence for Term 3 (Boarders return Monday afternoon 17 July).

Mr Luke Polson
Head of Middle School

We trust that all members of the Junior School community enjoyed some downtime over the recent King’s Birthday long weekend. For some, this time was well-spent recovering from illness, while others were fortunate to spend some time away. Regardless of how you used this time we are grateful to have most of our Junior School students back over recent days and are eager to make the most of the final few weeks of term. We do ask that any child who appears unwell at the start of the day not attend school. While we are understanding of the impact that this has on our Junior School families this has proven to be the most effective measure to reduce the rates of transmissible illness.

Preparations are well underway for the 2024 academic year. One of the many privileges of my role is the opportunity to meet with prospective families who are considering our school for their child when a place is available. It has been wonderful to learn more about those students seeking to join us from Kindergarten to Year 5 in both the short and medium term in recent weeks, and Mrs Ball (Pre-Kindergarten teacher) and I are looking forward to the first set of Pre-K 2024 meetings scheduled for tomorrow. Several of our year levels are now either full or approaching capacity. We encourage all families who wish to enrol their child(ren) at TAS to contact our enrolments team at 6776 5823, by email at enrol@as.edu.au or by submitting an enquiry though https://enrol.as.edu.au/enquiry-form as soon as possible to minimise the risk of disappointment later in the year.

The Junior School Open Morning, taking place this Friday from 9.30 am is intended to provide both current and prospective families with a taste of what a TAS education offers. The open morning will commence at 9.30 am with a short welcome before attendees move through the Junior School in small groups led by staff members and student leaders. To make the most of this opportunity we strongly suggest arriving at the Junior School undercover area just prior to the scheduled 9.30 am start. While those arriving later in the morning will certainly be invited to join tour groups, they miss elements of the tour. The open morning concludes with morning tea. We will be grateful for your RSVP for both catering and logistical purposes.

Sports fixtures for soccer and netball continue next week with a variety of games scheduled on Saturday 24 June. As such, training for these sports will continue in our last week of Term 2 for these sports as normal. There will be no training sessions for hockey and golf next week.

We are pleased to offer a range of activities in the upcoming school holiday period for those interested in utilising the Out of School Hours Care service. Please find an overview of this program listed below. All families are asked to enrol through child(ren) in this Vacation Care service through the Schools OSHC portal at home.myxplor.com.  Those wishing to use this service are asked to complete the registration process, if not already completed for to book children into the After School Care (ASC) service, by clicking on the following link: https://prodadmin.myxplor.com/enrollment_v2/centre/FJJrxTAXRnnWSl8PZWFz3w. Should you have any difficulties in registering or creating a vacation care booking please do not hesitate to contact us at  oshc@as.edu.au.

Holiday Program

Mr Scott Chittenden
Head of Junior School

Happy Birthday

Happy birthday to Hudson Archer and Henry Post who both celebrate this week.

Upcoming Events

Pre-K and Year 5 Collaborative Inquiry

This term our Pre-K class has been inquiring into the Central Idea: We learn about the world by observing and investigating.

As part of the inquiry, they have been learning about animals and their adaptations. This learning experience provided an authentic opportunity to collaborate with a Year 5 buddy, who acted as a mentor throughout the inquiry and took the students through the inquiry cycle. 

The Year 5 students completed some “lesson preparation” and found suitable books, websites and videos, which they shared with their Pre-K buddy. Pre-K students then had to use their communications skills and share their newly acquired knowledge about the appearance, diet, habitat, special features and any other interesting facts they had learnt about their chosen animal.

The Year 5 students then introduced Pre-K to “Canva”, an online resource that enables you to design infographics, along with a multitude of other designs. The Pre-K students were then able to present all their facts on a creative poster, which they could share with their friends and family.

It was wonderful to observe how stimulated and engaged all learners were and to witness some deep listening and shared investigations occurring. This collaborative experience also connected to the students emotional well-being and their ability to adapt in new learning environments and to form successful relationships with their Year 5 buddy.

Mrs Veronica Waters
PYP Coordinator