TAS Talks Term 4 Week 1
01. From the Head of School
MR ALAN JONES
Welcome back to all students and families, after what I hope, has been a refreshing and enjoyable break. Usually this recent holiday is a busy one for many of our students which is quite often packed with sporting trips, service trips, a Round Square International Conference and sometimes the great challenge of the Kokoda track but unfortunately this year, as with many other events, the ongoing circumstances that impact on us all has meant that none of these opportunities have been available. However, on a very positive note the summer sporting season will begin and I know our students are looking forward to preparation and competition in all of the sports on offer.
2020 Higher School Certificate
As you would be aware the Higher School Certificate is starting one week later than normal. I have been hearing good reports of some diligent work happening amongst our Year 12s and I am sure you will all join me in wishing every one of our students well as they attempt to make the most of their study efforts.
Looking Ahead
This final term of the year is our shortest, but there will a good deal packed into it as Year 11 begin their HSC year, Years 6-10 sit end of year exams, the Activities Program winds up with Bivouac and Activities Week and all take up their Summer sports. At our opening assembly I encouraged students to be active in their planning and goal setting for this short and busy term and I hope that parents will help reinforcing the importance of that.
Alan Jones
02. Calendar of Events
| Term 4 | |
| Tuesday 20 October | HSC Exams ( 20/10 – 11/11/20)
NCIS Tennis (Grafton) |
| Wednesday 21 October | P&F Meeting (7pm) |
| Thursday 22 October | Year 7 Vaccinations |
03. From the Chaplain
MR RICHARD NEWTON
Faith Hope and Love - 1 Corinthians 13
I think it’s a shame that TAS wasn’t co-ed when Madonna went to school. In an interview that she once gave she was remembering the religion of her youth. She lamented that religion as she experienced it, was simply something that you believed, because that is what you do. One goes through all the religious routine because that is what you’ve been taught and that is what you accept.
I couldn’t help noticing the words of the first verse in our school hymn. The idea of faith is dealt with completely differently; it is for this reason that Madonna would have benefited as TAS student.
Verse 1
Sing out in exultation;
faith is our sure foundation,
faith our rock, our refuge,
faith which conquers all.
Shadows which seem to be forming
vanish like mists of the morning,
In the dazzling light of faith in Christ our Lord.
‘Faith’ is central in this verse. What is this faith? Is it a case of switch off your brain, shut your eyes and step out into the unknown abyss, a-la Indiana Jones. Is it as Madonna experienced a submission to the church’s teachings without really understanding them?
The best way forward in defining faith is to state what it is not. It is not a feeling. The level of our faith is not the crucial factor; rather it is where our faith is directed. Faith is not trusting in faith. It is not a case of as long as I have faith that’s all that matters. If my faith is misdirected it does not do me any good. Nor is faith trusting something that there is clearly insufficient grounds to do so. For instance, believing that the Roosters will win the NRL grand final.
As most of you know I am often involved with the abseiling activities on cadets. Imagine for a moment that one student approached the edge of the cliff attached to the proper equipment and rope, most of which can carry a weight of about 2000 kgs, and yet they were terrified, but with much coaxing, profanity (on their part) and encouragement they managed to step over the cliff top. But another student who was confident, arrogant even, strutted up to the edge brushing aside the use of the harness and other equipment, grabbed hold of a piece of string and stridently stepped over the cliff top. Who would complete the abseil safely and who would plummet to an abrupt halt at the bottom? Is it the student with great confidence, the one with great faith in his ability? Or is the one whose faith in the whole exercise seems shaky? It is the one whose faith is well directed, not whose faith is strong, that will survive.
When we hear the word ‘faith’ in the school reading, or when you hear of faith in the Christian context, know this, it speaks not of the size of someone’s faith, but that someone has faith is someone specific, Jesus Christ, the Jesus Christ of history, the Jesus Christ who has fulfilled the promises of God, the Jesus Christ who is trustworthy.
Faith is a sure foundation, not because of our faith, but because of in whom we have placed our faith.
Mr Richard Newton
Chaplain
04. From the P&F
MRS RACHAEL NICOLL
Welcome back to the final term of 2020 and a big hello to our new families that have just joined TAS. I hope that everyone had a lovely break over the school holidays and are ready for the last eight weeks of the school year. With Covid restrictions on going it will be another quiet one for the P&F but there are a few things that are happening. Feel free to contact us on [email protected] if you want to know more.
Christmas Puddings
The famous TAS P&F Christmas Puddings are still going to being made this year and the dates for the pudding bake has been booked. We are only making a limited number of puddings this year so if you wish to get one please order early!! They are already selling fast….
In these Covid times, the P&F are only selling puddings online this year. They are still $25 each and can only be ordered and paid for on TryBooking. https://www.trybooking.com/book/event?eid=655022&
They will also only be available for collection (after ordering) from Reception between Thursday 26 November and Thursday 3 December. Any puddings ordered but not collected or not sold by end of day on Thursday 3December will be donated.
If for some reason you are unable to collect your pudding during the dates given above (especially parents of Year 12 students) please contact the P&F and I’m sure we can sort out a way to get your pudding to you so that you can enjoy it during the Christmas season.
TAS Merchandise at the Uniform Shop
Just a reminder to families that if you’re looking for Christmas presents the Uniform Shop has some lovely TAS merchandise for sale. Items include aprons, playing cards, drink bottles and more. If you would
like to know what’s available, please contact Fiona van de Poel on [email protected] or 02 6776 5900.
P&F Meeting – 21 October 7pm (Zoom)
We have a P&F meeting next Wednesday 21 October and would love for you to come. Normally we would have this in the Lower Maxwell Room but we are hosting a ZOOM ONLY meeting next week instead. The meeting will start at 7 pm and if you would like to Zoom with us please contact us on [email protected] to get the link. Obviously, it’s BYO wine but we would love to chat with you. Hope to digitally see you then!
Mrs Rachael Nicoll
P&F President
05. From the Director of Studies
MR LUKE POLSON
HSC Exams
HSC Exams begin for our Year 12 students on Tuesday 20 October and will continue until Wednesday 11 November. A copy of the full HSC timetable can be found on the NESA website. Teachers are available to assist Year 12 students with those last-minute tips and clarification over the next few weeks. Students should email teachers to arrange a suitable time. We wish all Year 12 students well in their exams.
2021 Year 11 Subject Selection
2021 Year 9 & 10 Subject Choices
Exams for Years 6-10
- Year 6, 7 and 8 exams will be held on Thursday and Friday 5 – 6 November (end of Week 4)
- Year 9 and 10 exams will be held on Monday 9 November – Wednesday 11 November.
Mr Luke Polson
Director of Studies
06. Academic
Running a Business and Marketing
The Running a Business and Marketing class, like many others in the TAS community, was happy to see through their first undisrupted term this year. During Term 3 student groups in the elective subject were tasked with planning, marketing and running a business of their choosing. Business ideas ranged from producing and selling ice-cream, right through to producing fire pits and garden ornaments from scrap metal. Formal business plans were produced by each group to be scrutinised, making sure each business model was of sufficient quality. Some groups decided to take loans out of the HSIE bank, while others financed their operations totally from start to finish. The doors of each business were opened on 4 September and traded through to 23 September. During this time many businesses adapted to the consumer behaviour of the TAS community and were able to improve their operations in order to make their businesses more profitable.
Each year this elective subject donates a proportion of their profits to a sponsor child, Ruksana. The funds raised in this elective over the years have been enough to put Ruksana through school. This year the groups were under pressure to raise twice the amount of money as previous classes, as the first semester’s class were not able to run their businesses due to the COVID-19 school shutdown. Not only did the groups achieve this target, they produced an additional $2 707 in profit. A successful time trading in anyone’s books! Each group were allowed to keep the profits they made once expenses were paid and loans were returned.
This process was very enjoyable, for students and teachers alike, with students developing a number of practical skills that can be used in the business world. All groups were engaged in the process and worked hard to achieve their business goals. Each group deserves not only their profit but a huge congratulations for their hard work and dedication throughout this endeavour. They did themselves and the school very proud.
Mr Johnathon Woodbridge
Running a Business and Marketing teacher
Student Leadership
What does leadership look like, what are some of the values leaders wish to reflect, and how do we explain and model that to others? On the first day of term and at the very start of taking on their new roles, our prefects and house captains explored these concepts with Helen Martin and Will Martin of Waterline Leadership. The day-long workshop included exercises in role modelling, team-building and initiative. This will be a year-long project for these students who will continue to work with Mrs Wark on leading the school community.
07. From the Director of Co-curricular
MR WILL CALDWELL
Sports training resumes this week and all students should have met their coach and be aware of the expectations for this term. If you have any questions please contact either the coach, MIC or email [email protected].
COVID protocols remain in place:
- Health: If you feel unwell or are exhibiting COVID symptoms, you should stay at home. Coaches will send unwell students directly to the Medical Centre.
- Hygiene: wash hands/shower before/after training. Cover sneeze/cough, no clearing nasal passages/spitting.
- Water bottle: Bring your own (No sharing!)
- Pick-Up: MS/SS Players should be collected from the Brown Street Gate.
JS Players should be collected from the Chapel Street turning circle. - No spectators on campus: To support our Year 12 students, spectators are not permitted on campus until after the HSC (12 November).
I appreciate your support in ensuring that the games can continue!
Summer Training Schedule T4 2020
Music Lessons
We have new music Peripatetic teachers starting this term and I would encourage students to take advantage of this opportunity. Please see forms attached to register your interest. Any questions contact [email protected]
Instrumental and Vocal Tuition – Terms and Conditions
Instrumental and Vocal Tuition Form
Mr Will Caldwell
Director of Co-curricular
08. From the Creative Arts Coordinator
MR ANDREW O'CONNELL
Term 4 may the be briefest of the terms but that doesn’t mean it’s the quietest – in these brief eight weeks we will be commencing work on Sweeney Todd, shooting the Junior School film Aladdin Jr, seeing some of our Music ensembles and bands returning to action, commencing a new Theatresports team for Middle School, offering Comedy workshops to students in Year 9 – 11, showcasing classwork in Year 6, Stage 5 electives, and the beloved Year 11 Art/Music collaboration ArtSound, running Dance as a full sport and doing some final exam preparation with our HSC students. Phew, we’re going to be busy!
If you are in Years 9 – 11 and would like to be involved in a series of comedy workshops on Monday afternoon from Week 2 – Week 6 please send an email to [email protected]. In Week 3 and 4 we will be Zooming some classes on sketch comedy with Sydney Improv Theatre, and there are a range of other short sessions on joke delivery, stand up comedy, and improvisation. It should be a lot of fun and we invite anyone – seasoned comics, keen Drama students, or those who just enjoy making people laugh – to be involved.
We are hopeful that the COVID-19 restrictions that have impacted our Music program and ensembles and bands will begin to ease up this term. Please look for emails from Ms Roobol and the other Music teachers about any changes and new opportunities as they come available.
And watch the TAS socials for information about all these great activities and more – with some much happening in the classroom and the co-curricular program we’ll be doing our best to share this with the community while they remain distanced from the campus. TAS is truly becoming the masters of the live stream!
Mr Andrew O’Connell
Creative Arts Coordinator
09. From the Head of Middle School
MR MARK HARRISON
Term 4 – okay – the first thing you’ll need to know is that it’s going to be ‘fast and furious’. I mentioned this information in yesterday’s Middle School assembly in the Hoskins Centre. So busy in fact, that we’ve included a brief overview of the term for your contemplation/consideration. At today’s assembly, we also presented some ICAS English Competition Merit Certificates and the recipients of same are those in the photo that accompanies this brief report.
Well, they’re back and we’re grateful for this – here’s hoping that, like last term, we’re all back for the duration. Everyone looks rested, being a good thing because the term will test our resilience, and this is also a good thing for everyone to be busy.
I’m reasonably reliably informed that the term will also feature Armidale at its Melbourne Cup-like best in terms of grounds: trees are in leaf; the dogwoods are in flower; all the roses are in bud; TAS resembles a vast, verdant expanse. Finally, we’re beginning a season well – but I also know that it’s ‘harvest term’ imminently and I hope that yours is as good as it can be so that Christmas time is a time when you can recline, be of good cheer and look forward to a promising 2021 – and that’s regardless of where you live.
Term 4 is a formal assessment period and the exam weeks and days for the Middle School are printed here. Students will be receiving very soon information about these exams and I urge you to become as fully involved as you are able to be in the preparation process. From their experience of the mid-year assessments, the Middle School students will be more aware of expectations and, I’m hoping, better able to manage their time leading up to the Examination Week. However, we need to be aware that there were no formal examinations, as such, earlier in the year. I’ll be speaking to our Year 8 cohort about expectations over the next week or so, as well. I know that assistance is provided for Literacy and Numeracy in boarding. I’ll be speaking to staff about the lead-up process this week in my meetings with them and will provide you with more information over the next several weeks.
We’re very fortunate at TAS – this term has welcomed four new students to the Middle School and we’re looking forward to their contributions and to making them feel increasingly comfortable as the weeks pass.
We’re on a uniform blitz: regarding Term 4 khakis, socks in particular need to be ‘up’. The surest way of keeping them up requires garters. Ties and top buttons need to be ‘right’. Girls need to be wearing the correct jewellery and must wear white socks that come up over the ankles. All students need to familiarize themselves with boot polish. Please don’t be insulted by this inclusion – simply, we’ll succeed more certainly if we’re all on the same page.
The term ahead:
Week 1: Welcome Back Assembly
Week 2: HSC starts Tuesday
Week 3: 2021 Middle School Leaders – Voting takes place
Week 4: Years 6 to 8: Exams Thursday/Friday
Week 5 Bivouac
Week 7 Activities Week
Week 8 MS and SS Speech Day
Here’s to a good term,
Mr Mark Harrison
Head of Middle School
Stop Press:
As mentioned in yesterday’s Staff Meeting, chewing gum is a problem in the whole school: action needs to be taken. Here’s the rule: gum chewers will receive a warning on first ‘offence’. Names will be recorded and registered with Home Room Advisors. Second-time offenders will receive a formal after-school detention – parents will be kept informed.
Mr Mark Harrison
Head of Middle School
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- Year 8: Abigail Thompson – Credit Alexandra Nivison – Credit Henry Kirton – Credit Holly Dauparas – High Distinction James Collum – Participation
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- Year 7: Leonardo Wright – Participation Charles Ross – Merit Sophie Rogers – Participation Hugo Li – Distinction Samuel Guppy – Credit Oscar Donoghue – Participation Samuel Coulton – Participation
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- Year 6: Mimosa Wright – Credit Charlie Ward – Participation
10. From the Head of Junior School
MR IAN LLOYD
Welcome back to the final term of the year in the hope that you have all had time to relax, refresh and prepare for this term; it will be busy!
We anticipate that, with the completion of the HSC, some of the restrictions that have been in place will change but until further notice, the day to day operation of the Junior School remains as it was last term. Arrival and departure procedures are the same and, as you will have read in the Head of School’s section, parents are still unable to have access to the School campus without an appointment. We do hope that as the end of the year arrives, we will be able to celebrate the year with our whole community.
IB Commendation
As you would all know, the Junior School International Baccalaureate program was closely evaluated last term and we are in the process of receiving detailed feedback as a result. We were very pleased with the information gained from our exit interview and we look forward to utilising this to inform our plans for the future. Leading this whole process throughout the years was our PYP Coordinator, Mrs Veronica Waters, who herself received a very high (and well-deserved) commendation from the IB Team Leaders. Once again I offer my thanks to Veronica and her team and I know that you would join with me in offering our wholehearted congratulations.
Book Week – October 17 – 23, 2020
You may have heard from your classroom teachers that next week, Junior School will celebrate Book Week. Each class will be participating in a number of activities and your teachers perhaps, have already informed you of these. We will be having a Book Week Parade on Friday 23 October with the theme: Curious Creatures, Wild Minds. We will be encouraging everyone to come to school dressed as their favourite character from a book they have recently read. More to come.
Staffing
We are very fortunate (and pleased to have ongoing assistance from the following gappies again this term: Ms Maca Perez, Lizzie Richards, Lucy Triantifilis and Jessie Kininmonth.
Uniform and Hair
School uniform is flexible for the first two weeks of Term 4 in Junior School. Families can choose whether their child comes to school in either their Winter or Summer uniform depending on the weather. From Week 3 though, all children are expected to wear summer uniform. Additionally, sports uniform is only to be worn on the day’s students have a TAS sport (not those days when they have PE, Martial Arts or Dance). Travel to and from School in PE gear is also not permissible. This term, we are ensuring that all students wear the correct uniform, in a tidy and presentable manner. All hair should be tidy and well kept, and cut in a conservative manner. For girls, if the hair is longer than shoulder length, it should be tied with navy blue ribbon available at the TAS Clothing Shop. Hair should always be of natural colour. Earrings should only be a small plain stud or sleeper. Please support the School if your child has been spoken to about their appearance and/or presentation and contact me should this become a problem.
Junior School Upcoming Events
| Week 1 | |
| Wednesday 14 October | Welcome Assembly – Hoskins Centre 2.45 (staff & students only) |
| Friday 16 October | Introduction to Book Week – Ursula Dubosarsky 2.15 – 3.15 |
| Week 2 | |
| Monday 19 October | Book Week begins |
| Wednesday 21 October | Year 2 & 3 Assembly – Hoskins Centre 2.45 (staff & students only) |
| Friday 23 October | Book Week Parade (staff and students only) |
| Week 3 | |
| Wednesday 28 October | Year 1 & 4 Assembly – Hoskins Centre 2.45 (staff & students only) |
| Week 4 | |
| Wednesday 4 November | Year 5 & K Assembly – Hoskins Centre 2.45 (staff & students only) |
Happy Birthday
Many happy returns to Cade Rogers for his special day this coming week.
Mr Ian Lloyd
Head of Junior School
Junior School Sport
Summer Sports Choices – Term 4
Please find attached our Summer Sports choices with team lists, training and game days along with coaches for each group. Please check that your child is in the correct sport and inform Mrs Christine Wright if there are any questions or concerns.
TAS Talks Summer sports choices
Our training will commence this Wednesday for Basketball players and the Dance Group and next week for all other sports. Your child’s coach should be in contact with you this week to inform you of game times or any other important start of season information such as registering your child. Cricket games do not start until Saturday 24 October.
If you are in the Dance group, please ensure you do not order a lunch order on Wednesdays, only packed lunches please.
I have included your coaches email address for your convenience. If your child is unable to attend a training session or game, please inform your child’s coach as a matter of courtesy.
Many thanks
Looking forward to a great summer season.
Mrs Christine Wright
JS Sport Coordinator
- Swimming – Harwood’s Swim School
[email protected]
No need to register - Ball Skills – Mrs Tania Hardin
[email protected]
No need to register - Tennis – Mrs Kirsty Brunsdon
[email protected]
No need to register - Gymnastics – Mrs Veronica Waters and Mrs Grania Fawcett
[email protected]
[email protected]
No need to register - Indoor Hockey – Mrs Anna O’Connor and Mr Gordon Arndt
[email protected]
[email protected]
Registration as per Mrs O’Connor’s email - Dance Group – Mrs Christine Wright (contact for Ms Collette Brazier)
[email protected]
No need to register - Cricket – Ms Emily McDonough
[email protected]
MIC Cricket – Mr Will Waterson
[email protected]
Please register your child through the following link: www.playcricket.com.au - Basketball – Mrs Lana Hawksford
[email protected]
Please register your child through the following link: armidale.basketball.net.au
