TAS Talks Term 3 Week 7

Last week was Book Week 2023 and while celebrations, most events and the truly spectacular parade were based in the Junior School, the theme of Read, Grow, Inspire is relevant to all of us. Reading for children develops vocabulary, writing skills, imagination and critical thinking while research shows that reading has both physical and mental health benefits for all of us.

As adults, we need to set an example for our young people. While I acknowledge that it can be increasingly difficult to find the time to do so, I am really pleased to have rediscovered for myself the joy of reading for pleasure this year. Although I am not finishing books at quite the rate I did when I was younger, reading under the sheets with a torch until all hours!

International Literacy Day is also not far away and for those who are interested, entries are still open for the Inaugural TAS Creative Writing Competition. There are categories for students, staff and parents and I have been reliably informed that some submissions have been received from TAS parents already. If you or your children are interested, entries close on Friday 8 September, and information can be found HERE.

This week we welcome a new member of teaching staff to TAS, Mr James Newman who will be a member of the Technology and Applied Science Department, also teaching some Christian Development. Mr Newman is familiar with the area, having most recently moved from Tamworth. I am sure he and his family will be made to feel very welcome.

Finally, I would like to wish a very happy Father’s Day to all Fathers, Father figures and male role models this weekend.

Dr Rachel Horton
Principal

As we look to ensure the second half of Term 3 is rewarding for all of our students as they put their effort into results, with the view to ensure focus and energy can be placed on achieving success, I have a few important reminders regarding some ‘things which do not require talent’ below:

Chewing Gum

A reminder that chewing gum is not permitted at TAS. On behalf of our housekeeping staff, the costly exercise in removing gum from furniture and walkways is avoidable and we appreciate support with not bringing or consuming gum on campus.

Phones

Phones are not permitted to be used by students during the School day. If contact is needed between students and home during the school day, calls should be made to and from Reception. 

Appearance

Wearing the uniform with pride is both an expectation and a measurable way for students to demonstrate their respect for the School and the opportunities provided to them. This starts with shoes that are in good condition and polished, through to neat haircuts. Additionally, I am asking students to focus on not mixing and matching casual clothes with TAS uniforms before, during or after school. Casual hats, shoes, hoodies and socks are a key focus and we request the students look to get this right. In short, out of school hours and when not at an event, wear it well or wear something else!

Students Signing In and Out

Students arriving late to school must sign in at the Senior/Middle/Junior School receptions as applicable. If students have external appointments during the school day, parents are required to let the School know before we are able to allow them to sign out unless organised by the Medical Centre.

As we continue to set the bar high for standards at TAS, I thank the students and families for your contribution to making TAS the excellent School it is. 

Have a great Father’s Day.

Mr Ray Pearson
Deputy Principal

P&F Meeting Wednesday 6 September

The P&F will meet on Wednesday 6 September at 7.00 pm. We will be face to face in Upper Maxwell as well as have a Zoom session running for those wishing to attend remotely.

The main focus of this meeting will be to review and discuss Funding Requests. We will have short presentations from several of the project applicants so we can understand how the P&F can best give back to the school community.

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

Midway through Term 3 is always a busy time of year in the academic space with Year 12 receiving their Trial HSC papers back and the subsequent cycle of absorbing this feedback and working to strengthen notes and understanding. The Trial HSC was a very successful period where our oldest students experienced authentic conditions and examination tasks to best prepare them for their final HSC exams. While some of the results will be really pleasing, some sections of papers, or whole papers, will inevitably bring disappointment to some. However, this is an opportunity to reflect on what needs to be done to strengthen and improve for the upcoming HSC. The next three weeks of class time are vital for our Year 12s to consolidate, clarify and hone their skills and knowledge and I urge the students to really maximise the value of this final opportunity for face-to-face learning.

In other areas of the school, our Year 5 students are preparing the final elements of their upcoming PYP Exhibition, a culmination of months of research and collaboration with their teacher, Mrs Waters, their peers and their mentors including Mr Arndt who is instrumental in supporting our Year 5 students through this complex and exciting project. The students will be showcasing their work next Wednesday evening in Hoskins from 5.30 pm. It would be great to see you there.

Furthermore, we wish our Year 8 students the very best as they begin their examination period in Week 8. Year 11 are working busily to prepare for the End of Course Examinations the following week (11-15 September). Students are reminded to access the huge array of support they have available through their class teachers, Advisor, Year 11 Coordinator, Mrs McKellar, and Mr Arndt in the Hub.

A reminder about supervision arrangements during Year 11 EOC Exam Week: Students will attend their regular classes as per the usual timetable whenever they are not in exams. No lessons will be taught but rather, silent supervised study will occur in these rooms for each 45-minute lesson.

Please read the email sent last week for finer details.

Mrs Gill Downes
Director of Teaching and Learning

International Literacy Day
( Inaugural TAS Creative Writing Competition)

This year International Literacy Day is on 8 September. Since 1967, UNESCO has annually promoted International Literacy Day celebrations around the world to remind the public of the importance of literacy as a matter of dignity and a human right, and to advance the literacy agenda towards a more literate and sustainable society.

Despite steady progress made across the world, literacy challenges persist with at least 763 million young people and adults lacking basic literacy skills in 2020. The recent COVID-19 crisis and other crises, such as climate change and conflicts, have been exacerbating the challenges. In low and middle-income countries, the share of 10-year-old children who could not read and understand a simple text with comprehension has increased from 57 per cent in 2019 to an estimated 70 per cent in 2022.

As such, this year’s International Literacy Day will be celebrated worldwide under the theme, ‘Promoting literacy for a world in transition: Building the foundation for sustainable and peaceful societies’.

This year at TAS we will be celebrating this day through the Inaugural TAS Creative Writing Competition and we would encourage anyone in our community who is interested to participate. We hope that this will be the beginning of a Creative Writing Competition that continues for many decades to come. The competition will have eight different divisions based around age. Each division will have slightly different rules that must be followed. There will be a winner from each division and then an overall winner. Please see below for the specific details regarding the competition.

Task

Use this image as inspiration to write an original piece of creative writing (Year 1 to Year 12 and Community) or illustrate an original visual story (Pre-K and Kindergarten). Please see below for the various divisions and their specific rules.

Pre-K and Kindergarten: Use the image above as inspiration to illustrate an original sto- ry. You may use one side of an A3 piece of paper. You can have an adult scribe a descrip- tion for your story, but it needs to be your own words.

Stage 1 (Year 1 and 2): Use the above image as inspiration to write an original piece of creative writing. Maximum word count is 200 words.

Stage 2 (Year 3 and 4): Use the above image as inspiration to write an original piece of creative writing. Maximum word count is 350 words.

Stage 3 (Year 5 and 6): Use the above image as inspiration to write an original creative piece of writing. Maximum word count is 500 words.

Stage 4 (Year 7 and 8): Use the above image as inspiration to write an original creative piece of writing. Maximum word count is 650 words.

Stage 5 (Year 9 and 10): Use the above image as inspiration to write an original creative piece of writing. Maximum word count is 800 words.

Stage 6 (Year 11 and 12): Use the above image as inspiration to write an original creative piece of writing. Maximum word count is 1000 words.

Parents/Staff/TAS Community: Use the above image as inspiration to write an original creative piece of writing. Maximum word count is 1000 words.

Due Date

3:30pm, Friday 8 September (Week 8. Term 3).

Submission

Pre-K, K, Yr 1, Yr 2, Yr 3 and Yr 4 are to submit a hard copy of their work to Mrs Lasker by 3:30 pm on the due date. Please include your name and the division that you have entered on the hard copy of your work.

Yr 5, Yr 6, Yr 7, Yr 8, Yr 9, Yr 10, Yr 11, Yr 12, Parents, Staff and Community are to email their piece of creative writing to Mrs Murray at amurray1@as.edu.au by 3:30 pm on the due date. Please include your name and the division that you have entered in the email.

Rules

• The piece of creative work must be original and made for the purposes of this competition.
• Applicants must not plagiarise or use AI in preparing their submission.
• Applicants must not get assistance from tutors, teachers, parents or anyone else – it needs to be their own work.
• Maximum word counts must be adhered to. Note, that there are no minimum word counts.

Prizes

• Each division winner will be awarded a $50 gift voucher to Reader’s Companion in Armidale.
• The overall winner will be awarded a $150 gift voucher to Reader’s Companion in Armidale.
• All winners will be published in TAS Talks.

Mrs Alexandra Murray
Head of English

Dear Parents and Carers

The TAS Cadet Unit will undertake its annual Passing Out Parade, Friday 8 September from 1400 on Adamsfield. All parents and carers are welcome to attend this parade. The purpose of the Parade is to farewell our Year 12 Cadets and celebrate their achievements during their time in the Unit. This year we have LTCOL Craig ‘Dallas’ Delaney, Veterans Employment Program Manager for New South Wales Government, as our guest speaker. LTCOL Delaney is passionate about the Cadet Youth Development Program and its ability to equip students with the leadership, problem solving and organisational skills for success in life.

To ensure Passing Out Parade runs smoothly there will be five afternoon practises. The timings of the practises are as follows:

Week 6

• Monday 21 August – 1545-1700

Week 7

• Tuesday 29 August –  1545-1700
• Wednesday 30 August –  1545-1700

Week 8

• Wednesday 6 September – 1545-1700
• Thursday 7 September – 1545-1700

Attendance at these times is compulsory for all Cadets and takes priority over any other School activities. Rolls will be taken and absences without pre-approval will result in an afternoon detention.

Should a student need to miss a practise due to State representative sport, a doctor’s appointment that cannot be rescheduled, or another matter deemed legitimate, communication must happen well in advance with CAPT (AAC) Woodbridge and the Deputy Principal Mr Ray Pearson.

Should you have any questions regarding the training or Passing Out Parade itself, please do not hesitate to get in contact.

Kind regards

CAPT (AAC) Woodbridge
Officer Commanding TASACU

Sleepout for Homelessness

My most sincere thanks to everyone involved in last Saturday’s Sleepout, the previous Friday’s Mufti Day and the Canned Food Drive. The support from the TAS Community has been epic!!

We have a massive trailer full of food and beanies for the Armidale Neighbourhood Centre, 162 extra meals courtesy of the TAS Masterchefs, Dr Horton, Mr Pearson, Mayor Coupland, Mrs Chick and Mr Currell and their many assistants. There were 108 students who slept out, gaining an understanding of homelessness in the process. We were incredibly fortunate to have Mrs Robbie Passmore and Mrs Jo Crowley speak to our students on Saturday night about homelessness, what causes it, what it looks like, that couch surfing doesn’t mean you have a home, that sleeping in your car doesn’t mean you have a home, what support is available, what is domestic violence and to please, get a little angry at the injustices here. No one ever wants to be homeless, let’s help however we can.

The support of the TAS Staff, the SRC, our Duke of Edinburgh Award Students and the amazing young people who gave up their Saturday night for this most worthy cause, highlights to me what a kind and empathetic community we live in. We should be grateful.

Mr James Pennington
Challenge and Service Coordinator

This week in assembly Dr Horton presented Year 11 and 12 students with their Co-curricular Winter Colours. Colours are awarded to students in recognition of their participation in TAS Co-Curricular activities. To receive a colour students must have performed or competed in an Open or First team for the majority of the season and demonstrated a positive attitude and sportsmanship, as well as exhibiting ability and achievement at a School level or beyond. A full list of students who received colours can be found below.

School photos and the MSP shoot keys have been e-mailed to families whose children have been in a TAS group/team photo. If you have not received this information, and your child was in a group photo earlier in the term, please contact Mrs Rachael Edmonds at redmonds@as.edu.au

Summer Co-curricular choices took place this week. At this stage, students will only be allowed to choose ONE sport. Students who are nominating to be involved in the Musical can choose a sport providing it does not clash with the musical commitments. Students are expected to meet the requirements of that activity for the duration of the term, due to staffing and nominations of teams, there will be no changes to activities at the beginning of next term.

If you are seeking an exemption from Co-curricular, please email hbarrett@as.edu.au

The categories for exemption include Distance from School (living 50+km from TAS), Music at an AMEB Grade level 8 or above, and Representative Sport at a level equivalent to NSW representation.

Please take the opportunity to discuss these options with your child. Co-curricular choices will be confirmed by the end of next week.

CLICK HERE for Summer Co-curricular Choices

Student Illness

Students who are absent from school, with an illness, will not be able to play sports that day (game or training) or in the case of being off school on a Friday that student will not be able to play on the weekend. The emphasis is on getting better and returning to school.

Mr Huon Barrett
Director of Co-curricular

Co-curricular Colours

The HSC Drama and Visual Arts students are breathing a sigh of relief with the Art Body of Works submitted Monday and the Drama students performing their Individual Projects and Group Performance for the NESA markers yesterday. With these components of the course complete they can walk into their written examinations with confidence. It’s now time for the HSC Music 1 and Extension Music students to get ready for project submissions and performances. Make sure you have the HSC Music showcase Final Note locked in your calendar – next Tuesday 6.30 pm in the Hoskins Centre.

For our young Junior School families we encourage you to grab a ticket to HICCUP at the very end of the term. The performance is 10 am Friday 22 September, the first day of the school holidays, which we hope will allow parents to take their young ones and share in the joy of live performance. HICCUP is for students aged 4 to 8 and having seen past productions by Windmill Theatre – arguably of the highest standard of any professional company we’ve had tour to Armidale – it is not to be missed.

Mr Andrew O’Connell
Head of Creative Arts

Over the past few weeks and culminating with the Sleepout on the weekend, our School community has thrown their support behind a number of initiatives. From contributing to the Year 8 Service Trip and St Christopher’s Home in Fiji to collecting food cans, and beanies and cooking meals for homelessness in Armidale; the principle of serving others and engaging in community service is a key element of a TAS education. This fundamental value embodies the selflessness of individuals who prioritise the well-being of their fellow human beings over personal gain.  Through community service, we bridge the gaps that divide us, fostering an environment of mutual understanding, empathy, and support.

I often speak to Middle School students about the ‘ripple effect’, whereby even the smallest of acts can cause a large ripple. Each act of kindness ripples through society, inspiring a chain reaction of positive interactions that lay the foundation for harmonious relationships. By putting others before ourselves, we cultivate a sense of shared responsibility, reminding us that our individual actions hold the power to shape the collective future.

This weekend, TAS is well represented across a broad range of sports as the finals season is underway, and I offer my best wishes to our students and teams competing. Success is not solely measured by victory and a key hallmark of the TAS character is the humility and sportsmanship that we approach all sporting fixtures with. As our teams step out onto the court or field over the next week, you do so knowing that the support of the TAS community is behind you and we wish you well.

Year 8 Exams

Year 8 exams will be held from Tuesday – Friday of Week 8 (next week). Students have a copy of the timetable and are aware of the details. Students are being supported by revision material in class. I encourage all of our students to reach out to their teachers if they need assistance or have questions and wish them well for their exam period.

Year 8 Exam Timetable 
All exams will be completed in Memorial Hall in Week 8 Term 3. Tuesday: Please be assembled outside Memorial Hall after Recess for rolls to be marked and instructions given prior to the start of these exams. Wed-Fri: Please be assembled outside Memorial Hall after advisor time.

One of my favourite quotes suggests “If you want to go quickly, go alone. If you want to go far, go together” (African proverb). This resonates with me, speaking to the importance of community, which is something TAS clearly has in abundance.

Book Week ran throughout last week with a range of engaging activities to participate in. The lunchtime ‘Mystery Readers’, facilitated by Mr Arndt, was a resounding success for young and old alike, while the countless literacy-based competitions were hugely popular. The week culminated in the Junior School Book Week Parade and literacy activities with our Buddy classes, and they certainly did not disappoint! Our thanks to all families for their enthusiastic support of this initiative. We are very aware that the preparation of costumes can be quite stressful, and hope that the wide smiles made this additional work worthwhile.

Two teams of Junior School students from Years 3, 4 and 5 travelled to Tamworth for the regional finals of the Tournament of Minds competition, an international program aimed at developing creative problem-solving skills. The teams elected to solve an Arts-based problem and a STEM (science, technology, engineering and maths) problem respectively and have worked on their solutions over the past four weeks. It was wonderful to see the large number of family members in attendance on the day of the competition, viewing the solutions to the problems posed. We were very proud of the students’ efforts and teamwork in preparation for the finals, and especially pleased to learn that our teams placed First in the STEM discipline and second in the Arts – what wonderful achievements for these cross-age groups.

The TAS Sleepout for the Homeless also took place on Saturday, and it was tremendous to have some of our older Junior School students in attendance overnight. While you will no doubt read more about this experience elsewhere in this edition of TAS Talks, I would like to take this opportunity to thank the Junior School community for their overwhelming support of this initiative in the provision of non-perishable foods and items of clothing. The enormous number of donations gratefully received this year made it a challenge for Mrs Lasker to navigate her office area – exactly the type of problem we wished to have when endeavouring to raise awareness of and support for those less fortunate than ourselves.

Many of our families were back at school again on Sunday to watch the Armidale Junior Rugby Union Gala Day, a large carnival hosted by the local club at TAS with primary-aged students from rugby clubs from around the area participating. While the results of many of the games in which our students were involved may not have been what we were hoping, all left with a sense of achievement and a smile on their faces.

We look forward to hosting our parents and friends this Friday at our second Celebrating Families event of the year. We hope you are able to join us from 2.30 pm to 3.30 pm in Memorial Hall as our families endeavour to earn the most points for their child(ren)’s House group by trying their hand at a range of games and activities. While this event does align with Father’s Day on the calendar, any adult would be most welcome to join the festivities on the day. To assist with planning we would be grateful if you could indicate your anticipated attendance in advance through this online form.

Students in Years 4 and 5 who have a more significant role in the upcoming Junior School production of Finding Nemo have begun their rehearsals in earnest. All students from pre-K to Year 5 will this year be involved in the production and we hope to have most costumes finalised well in advance. To this end, we warmly invite all in the community to assist at the scheduled costume working bee on Sunday 10 September between 9 am and 12 pm. You need not be handy with a sewing machine to assist, with a wide range of tasks already planned for completion on this day. Please email your class teacher or Mr Norrie (Producer of Finding Nemo) at cnorrie@as.edu.au if you are able to assist.

As we approach the end of the winter sports season we ask for your assistance in selecting one sport for your Junior School child(ren) to participate in over the summer season through this online form. Students currently in Year 2 and above are expected to participate in an extra-curricular event throughout the year. Students currently in Kindergarten and Year 1 are encouraged to do so, while those moving into Kindergarten in 2024 will be invited to nominate an extra-curricular activity at the start of next year. Please note this season runs in Term 4, 2023 and Term 1, 2024. Students will participate in their nominated sport during both terms. Please contact Mrs Christine Wright, Junior School Sports Coordinator, via cwright@as.edu.au  should you be willing and able to assist in coaching any of the sports.

Happy Birthday

 Happy birthday to Sam Trevaskis, Felix Boyce, Nancy Ma and Macie Pearson.

Mr Scott Chittenden
Head of Junior School

Year 4 Excursion

On Monday morning Year 4 set off on an adventure to the UNE Natural History Museum. This trip was not only an engaging experience but also marked the beginning of our new Unit of Inquiry. Our focus? Changes to the Earth’s surface and how they’ve influenced living things.

Dr Wacker expertly guided us through the museum’s exhibits and fossils, offering a glimpse into the adaptations that have taken place over time. We marvelled at the stories behind amphibians, reptiles, and mammals as they evolved to survive in our ever-changing world.

The excursion served as a perfect introduction to our Unit of Inquiry, reminding us that the Earth’s transformations continue to shape life today. Dr Wacker’s insights made the experience both educational and enjoyable, setting the stage for our exploration of the Earth’s dynamic past and present.
Excursion Photos

Mrs Susan Polson
Year 4 Teacher

Upcoming Events

Football

The TAS Terriers had a fantastic time on Saturday morning with the return of super coach turned star player Sonny Salvador giving a much-needed enthusiasm boost.

A huge improvement from the whole team with control of the ball at their feet and chasing the ball forward after huge clearing kicks. Odin, Jayden and Olivia showed great promise when changing for the ball and moving into attacking positions. The team wouldn’t be as excited without the encouragement from fan favourite Charlie and Arya. With three games to go the Terriers are in the box seat to show the Titans how it’s done in the weeks.

Mr Craig Norrie

Gymnastics

It is hard to believe that next week will be our final session for the term!
This week the students all had a wonderful time and rotated through the following three stations:
1. Spring and land on the trampoline
2. Rotation and backward rolls
3. Swing and glide on parallel bars

It is exciting to see how much the student’s skill set and confidence has developed. The support the students have for each other, always offering words of encouragement, is also tremendous.

Mrs Veronica Waters and Mrs Tania Hardin

Netball

TAS Primary secured yet another victory against ACSC Vixens on the weekend in what was our last-round match before the finals. The girls played with confidence, demonstrating spectacular teamwork and skill. We were down a few players which meant that there were no subs, making the last two quarters a test of the TAS girls’ stamina and fitness. Their hard work paid off as they were able to win the match 29-3. The girls should be particularly proud of the way they were able to move around and in front of their quick defenders to ensure the ball stayed in our hands. TAS Primary is excited to tackle the finals this weekend in what is sure to be a competitive and challenging match.

Mrs Kate Moloney

The weather really turned it on for the TAS Set Team in their Mini Gala Day on Saturday to end the season. The sun seemed to turn everyone’s game up a notch, with special mention going to Sophie Colyvas and Anna Trevaskis for their shooting, Sansa Ranawake and Chloe Chen at the other end of the court, as well as Georgie Reynell’s quick hands, making it very difficult for the opposition to score.
The girls have ALL improved immensely over the season and should feel proud to hang up their bibs for the year…we already can’t wait for 2024!

Mrs Heidi Trevaskis