TAS Talks Term 3 Week 10

It has been an incredibly busy but equally rewarding Term 3 for students and staff at TAS. With so much on offer at school, every aspect of a TAS education is important which is why we expect students to engage equally in the classroom, co-curricular and challenge and service. As we farewell our Year 12 students at Valedictory on Friday, they can rest assured that as a cohort they did engage fully with the life of the School. We wish them all the very best of luck in their final exams and for life after graduation as Old Armidalians.

As I wrote a few weeks ago, at the end of this term we farewell Mrs Florence Champion de Crespigny, although we hope to welcome her back from time to time in a casual capacity. Sadly, we also farewell an integral member of our support staff at TAS, Mr Michael Cornford. Mr Cornford, Operations Manager for the Hoskins Centre, has been at TAS for six and a half years. In addition to his high-level technical skills, Mr Cornford has spent considerable time with many of our students from Junior, Middle and Senior Schools, guiding them in the development of their own technical production skills. He will be greatly missed and we wish him the very best in his new role as Cultural Precinct Team Leader with Gunnedah Shire Council.

The next two weeks will allow our students to have a break from routine and, hopefully, to enjoy some family time. I would like to wish all students, staff and members of the TAS community who are taking a break, a restful vacation and I look forward to welcoming students back in two weeks time for an exciting Term 4.

Dr Rachel Horton
Principal

We have made it to the final day of Term 3! As we continue to celebrate our Class of 2022 this week, I would like to extend my sincere thanks on behalf of the student body to our Year 12s for their significant contribution to TAS and the positive legacy they will leave.

I hope all families have a lovely break and our students are able to take the next couple of weeks to re-energise in preparation for the final term of 2022. 

Next term, students will resume wearing the Summer Uniform. It would be appreciated if parents could check to ensure that all items fit, that girls skirts are at knee length and that hats are in good condition:

Summer uniform

Boys are to wear khaki shorts and shirt, khaki socks, polished black shoes, school tie and navy blazer (Years 6-10) or striped senior blazer (Years 11 and 12). A school jumper may be worn with this uniform. 

Girls are to wear school dress, short white socks, polished black shoes and navy blazer (Years 6-10) or striped blazer (Years 11 and 12). The navy girls’ jumper may be worn with this dress depending on the weather. 

Have a great break, I look forward to seeing everyone back on Tuesday 11 October.

Mr Ray Pearson
Deputy Principal

Wishing those families nearing the end of their Year 12 journey all the very best. And happy holidays with family and friends to those returning in Term 4.

Christmas Puddings

Thank you to those who have already pledged a bottle of brandy for the Christmas Puddings. We still need more. If you are planning to donate a bottle, please drop the bottle at the school office.

We have had many pre-orders for Christmas puddings. Glad to see the tradition of buying a TAS P&F Pudding for family and friends are alive.

You can now place orders and pay for your pudding purchase through this link TAS P&F Christmas Pudding

Start of Term 4 Dinner and Drinks

The start of Term 4 dinner and drinks will be hosted by the P&F on Monday 10 October from 5.30 pm at the Railway Hotel.
Hope to see your there as we kick off the last term of 2022.

Contact the P&F Executive

If you have anything you would like to raise with the P&F Executive, please send us an email at [email protected]

Mr Paul Gaddes
P&F President

Following the end of the Trial HSC period and the Year 11 End of Course Examinations, it is important to reflect on what has occurred and what is still ahead of us. For Year 11, what lies ahead is the results of the recent examinations, as well as the very exciting prospect of their Year 12 courses beginning in the coming months. For our Year 12 students, it is the final set of hurdles which stand ready to be overcome: the HSC examinations.

Some lessons will stay with these students their whole lives. For me, I remember the first time I read Teddy Roosevelt’s striking extract “Man in the Arena’ from his 1910 speech ‘Citizenship in a Republic’. My Year 10 English teacher handed it to me as a homework reading task and the words have stayed with me all these years.
Roosevelt said:

It is not the critic who counts; not the man who points out how the strong man stumbles, or where the doer of deeds could have done them better. The credit belongs to the man who is actually in the arena, whose face is marred by dust and sweat and blood; who strives valiantly; who errs, who comes short again and again, because there is no effort without error and shortcoming; but who does actually strive to do the deeds; who knows great enthusiasms, the great devotions; who spends himself in a worthy cause; who at the best knows, in the end, the triumph of high achievement, and who at the worst, if he fails, at least fails while daring greatly, so that his place shall never be with those cold and timid souls who neither know victory nor defeat.

As our oldest students head once more into the arena, we wish them the best. May they know the true satisfaction of ‘daring greatly’ by sitting each of these examinations with the firm commitment and effort with which we know they are all capable.

There is much to be said for the contentment which comes from laying your head on your pillow at night knowing you gave it your best.

Best wishes to you all – we are here to support you and cheer you home on what has been a long, but hopefully deeply rewarding, stage of your life.

(Don’t forget to thank your supporters – a simple handwritten note of thanks is always appreciated by those who helped you along the way.)

A few last reminders:

•  From Friday morning, the 2023 Year 11 Subject Lines (our current Year 10s) can be accessed via Edval. Selections are to be made by Friday of Week 1 next term (14 October).
• Stage 5 Electives are also ready for Year 8 and 9 students to make their final selections via Edval – selections will be open from Friday morning. Students need to choose THREE electives from EACH line in order of the preference in which they would like to be considered for these courses. These selections need to be made Monday of Week 2 (17 October).

I will send out copies of these 2023 Subject Lines (Year 11 and Stage 5) to parents for ease of access.

Mrs Gill Downes
Acting Director of Studies

Japanese

Japanese Video Matsuri

The Japanese Stage 5 elective class have submitted their entries to the annual Japanese Language Video Matsuri competition. This competition is open to all schools in Australia and New Zealand and is a popular competition for students studying Japanese. This year’s theme was ‘Furoshiki’ which are traditional Japanese wrapping cloths used to wrap items. The video must feature this item in a video and can be a maximum of three minutes.

This year, three videos were submitted and the quality of Japanese language and film making skills are very high and I’m confident we will go well again in this competition. TAS students have been champions twice in the last three years and they are hoping to succeed again. The videos are different in style and story lines so please watch the videos below and don’t worry, there are English subtitles.

Watch Where You Are Going – https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rKUYoh_0Jd0&t=2s

The Life of a Furoshiki – https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rKUYoh_0Jd0&t=2s

Noppera-bo – https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ALKLNNyDVTo

Mr Allan Moore
Languages Coordinator

One of greatest challenges for an individual is public speaking. To stand in front of your peers in a formal setting is daunting to say the least. The Inter-House Public Speaking at TAS is a marvellous showcase of the depth of talent we as a school have in this domain. Representatives from each house in both Middle School and Senior School put their minds to the test and braved the difficult task of speaking on a prescribed topic. Having witnessed the Senior School Competition this week, I admire our students for their courage and skill when crafting an entertaining or thought-provoking commentary. The erupting applause, that followed each speech, indicated a clear appreciation and validation from their peers.

The Middle School Competition was taken out by Tyrrell (Sasha Macarthur-Onslow) and I commend all houses/students for their participation – Abbott (Cybelle Bradford), Broughton (Harriet Coupland), Croft (Will Hall), Green (Peter Thompson) and Ross (Jack Wood).

The Senior School Competition was won by Abbott (Louis Ross) and I congratulate all competitors for their engagement in the competition – Broughton (Hugo Catterall), Croft (Sophia Paris), Green (Isabella Banister), Ross (Toby Inglis), Tyrell (Bridget Burnett).

Congratulation to our teams that competed on the weekend. In Hockey, our 13s team were premiers whilst our 15s White team were runners-up. Our 16s Football team won the Grand Final and were crowned season premiers while our Open team progressed through to the Grand Final this weekend, we wish them well as they take on Souths. The Netball teams performed well in their respective Grand Finals with TAS 2 and TAS 7 victorious and TAS 6 runners-up.

This week our athletes competed at The AAGPS Athletics Championships and CIS Athletics Championships. Both competitions are of a particularly high standard and proved to be an excellent experience for all athletes involved. A special thank you to Mr Pennington the MIC of Athletics for all his organisation and development of the team.

Next term we look forward to Summer Sport, click HERE for the Term 4 Training Schedule.

Mr Huon Barrett
Director of Co-curricular

16s Football Grand Final Win 

On Saturday the TAS U16s took on the Armidale Souths 16’s team for the 16’s Championship.

The game started off brilliantly with Campbell Draney scoring inside the first four minutes after a perfectly threaded through ball from Sam Hynes. South’s response was aggressive and a goal followed for them at the seven minute mark. More shots on goal followed for the rest of the half, with some brilliant chances being narrowly missed and Ali Newton, playing goal keeper, denying several shots that looked sure to score.

In the second half the game was even more tight, with tensions rising both on and off the field. Sam Hynes scored decisively off the back of a brilliant run at the 60th minute to put TAS 2-1 up. South’s regained their lost confidence and their attack doubled down with TAS’s defence working hard to ensure no goals were conceded. Brilliant determination by Ben Poole and a great double save from Ali Newton further crushed South’s hopes. Then, right before the final whistle Tom Ball is taken out right in front of the goal box to set Sam Hynes up perfectly for a direct free kick. Sam’s placement was perfect and TAS lifted the scoreline to 3-1 right before the final whistle to give the boys the win and the championship.

“All season there were no heroes, everyone played their best and contributed brilliantly, the results of their efforts speak for themselves”- Reverend Newton.

The boys played brilliantly and the tenacious attitude they all shared was felt by the sideline and the crowd of spectators. Special thanks to Reverend Newton (MIC and Coach), Mr Alan Shortt (MIC) and to all the parents for their support and assistance.

To Reverend Newton, from the team; “Thank you for the guidance, coaching and mentorship of this season, thank you for your assistance and leadership, and good luck with all your future endeavours next year”.

Joshua Taylor

This is the big day for students auditioning for Legally Blonde: The Musical, with callbacks taking place this afternoon. We have been blown away by the strength of the auditions and how prepared everyone has been with their singing and acting. We’ve also been rocked by the number of auditionees, with 46 students currently on the cast list! It will be a challenge for our team to finalise the casting but it means we’re going to end up with a cracking cast. My congratulations to all who have auditioned or expressed an interest in the show, it has made us so excited for 2023.

Over the weekend TAS hosted the Armidale Theatresports Championship, with 26 students from TAS, OCC and PLC coming together to learn the craft of improvisation from expert performer Luke Tisher. It was a fantastic two days of fun and the collaboration proved so successful that we mixed up all the students into new teams for Sunday’s competition. The winning team ‘The HC Fan Club’ consisted of Tommy Burnett (10), Sam Krishnan (9), and two girls from PLC – but all performers did a fantastic job and we hope that next year’s competition will be even bigger and better. We acknowledge the generous sponsorship of ADFAS and the Rotary Club of Armidale Central for their 2021 Young Arts Grant that made the weekend possible.

Who would’ve thought that in a year with Rhinoceros I’d say that any other term has been our busiest, but without a doubt Term 3 has proved to be a jam-packed affair for the Creative Arts. The return to normalcy for the HSC CA students has been a real pressure test, but getting back to public showcases has been wonderful. Middle School has had a great range of experiences to sink their teeth into. And we’re already getting started in the work for 2023 with the commencement of Legally Blonde: The Musical. As exhausting as it has been, we’re so lucky to have such a rich and vibrant program once more and we look forward to Term 4 and Junior School’s Shrek: The Musical, the Stage 5 showcases, and the commencement of the 2022/23 HSC courses.

Mr Andrew O’Connell
Head of Creative Arts

I’d like to offer my thanks to all in our community for another successful and rewarding term. The term has certainly finished on a busy note; with many Middle School students playing in various sporting grand finals last weekend and the Middle School Inter House Public Speaking competition being held yesterday. Congratulations to Sasha MacarthurOnslow (Year 7) representing Tyrrell House, who spoke on the topic of ‘Same as it ever was’  for winning the Middle School competition and a huge thank you to everyone who took part. Public speaking is an activity that brings out the nerves in many people and I commend everyone who spoke yesterday.

On Friday, I will be accompanying 24 Year 8 students and five staff to Fiji as they head off on their service trip to St Christopher’s in Fiji. The group have been preparing for the past two terms and will head off bright and early on Friday morning. This trip has had a few years off with COVID and it is wonderful that we are able to provide this important service opportunity and experience again this year. I’d like to thank Mrs Fiona Taber for all of her efforts and time coordinating this year’s trip as well as Mrs Jo and Mr Matt Benham, Miss Emma Channon and Mr Craig Norrie who will also be accompanying our students. We look forward to hearing about the experience on their return and wish the group safe travels.

This term, Middle School staff have been monitoring the use of the canteen closely; particularly around accessing the Dining Hall for lunch and arriving late back to class with purchases from the canteen. Commencing Term 4, Middle School boarding students will only be able to access the canteen between 1:30pm and 1:50pm and after school (after they have eaten at the Dining Hall) and day students from 1pm – 1:50pm. We will ensure that staff can supervise this time slot and allow students to make their purchases. Restricting canteen use to this time ensures that all students are either eating their packed morning tea at Recess, or eating the school provided morning tea (which is provided to all students; not just boarders). This time will also ensure that students are able to access the Dining Hall for lunch, prior to going to the canteen.

Next term, TAS Middle School will be working with UNE and a higher research candidate, based in the School of Psychology, who will be researching how our youth are feeling about climate change issues. “Understanding the Emotions our young people have about climate change – Research invitation”. Researchers from the University of New England have invited the Year 7 and 8 students at TAS to participate in one of the first mixed-methods studies incorporating participatory research methods and quantitative analysis exploring young people’s emotions and impacts on mental health relating to climate change in rural and regional Australia.  This is an exciting opportunity for our school as we can provide a safe environment for our students to be actively involved in participatory research that is meaningful to them.  Students will be able to articulate their knowledge and understanding of social issues that are important to them through collaborative thinking and photography. Please click this link with all the information and a consent form for your child that you can complete online. Please complete by 7 October.

Lastly, hopefully you have seen the advertising and read in TAS Talks that we are hosting a Middle School Open Day on Saturday 15 October here at TAS from 1 pm – 4 pm. This date has been rescheduled from earlier this term. The Open Day will of course have prospective future TAS families in attendance as well and it would be a great chance for some future connections and friendships to be made. The hope is that students will do as much of all the activities on offer, that they learn some skills and open their eyes to other possibilities.

The outline for the afternoon looks like this:

• 1pm Lunch in the TAS Dining Hall

• 1:30 – 2:00 Activities on rotation such as knots and damper making, graffiti wall, making French crepes

• 2:00 – 2:45 Pool Inflatable

• 2.30 –  Tour of the School

• 2:45 – 3:30 Activities on rotation such as Science, Drama Activities, STEM technology

• 3:30 – Creative Arts performance and concert in Hoskins followed by afternoon tea for parents and their children in the foyer

• 4.30 –  Tour of the School.

If you would like to register for the Open Day, or know of others who may benefit from this, please see the links below.

Middle School Open Day registration for current parents – https://www.as.edu.au/middle-school-open-day-registration/

Middle School Open Day – https://www.as.edu.au/middle-school-open-day/

I hope that everyone has a safe and restful holiday and I look forward to seeing everyone back next term. A reminder that boarding students return on Monday 10 October and classes resume from Tuesday 11 October.

Mr Luke Polson
Head of Middle School

Anya's Wish - '19 for Nineteen' Walk for charity - Sunday 16 October

As you may have heard, the School has been closely associated with a project called ’19 for Nineteen’, a fundraiser focussing on improving the outcomes of children diagnosed with osteosarcoma. Previously, you may recall the walk occurred at TAS and was incredibly well supported by Junior School and we will be participating again this year with details to be found using the following link – https://www.as.edu.au/whats-on-2/triple-crown-19-for-nineteen-challenge/

Mr Ian Lloyd
Head of Junior School

Upcoming Events

Summer Sports Choices – Term 4

 Please find below 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. [email protected]

Our training will commence Week 1, Wednesday for Basketball players and Week 2 for all other sports. Your child’s coach should be in contact with you during Week 1 to inform you of game times or any other important start of season information such as registering your child.

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.

Looking forward to a great summer season.

Swimming – Harwood’s Swim School

[email protected]

No need to register

Ball Skills – Mrs Kirsty Brunsdon

[email protected]

No need to register

Tennis – Mrs Lana Hawksford

[email protected]

No need to register

Gymnastics – Mrs Veronica Waters

[email protected]

Mrs Tania Hardin

[email protected]

No need to register

Indoor Hockey – Miss Lara Nicholls

[email protected]

Registration to be completed before Friday of Week 1.

Information will be sent to Indoor players separately.

Basketball – Mr Ken Secker

[email protected]

Information will be sent to Basketball players separately.

Mrs Christine Wright
JS Sports Coordinator