TAS Talks Term 4 Week 3

New England Sings last weekend was a spectacular occasion, a celebration of music and creativity from the start with the usual event announcements sung to the crowd, throughout the concert with stunning new compositions, and to the final number, a whole choir and orchestral rendition of The Voice. TAS students and staff were involved in every aspect of the performances and congratulations should go to them all and also to NECOM for organising such an ambitious concert and Armidale Secondary College for hosting the occasion in their new facility.

Singing in schools provides a range of benefits for the students. Research shows that singing in choirs helps to forge social bonds. It can also improve both physical health through improved breathing, posture and muscle tension and mental health through the release of positive neurochemicals, the social connections created and simply the sheer joy of singing. I was once asked at interview how the students at my current school sang, by a (future) colleague who believed that singing in Chapel or Assembly gave a good indication of the culture of a School. It has certainly been a concern of our senior students at TAS that with a lack of singing and war cries throughout COVID, a certain element of school spirit was lost. Thankfully, that time is now behind us, and we are able to gather and sing with passion again.

Finally, while COVID may be on the wane, members of our community are again facing hardship and our thoughts at this time are with everyone impacted by the current flooding. We hope they remain safe and recovery is swift when the flood waters recede.

Dr Rachel Horton
Principal

Term 4, much like the year is quickly progressing and it will not be long before we are celebrating the end of 2022. We have a busy few weeks ahead with Stage 4 and 5 exams taking place in Week 4, final assessment submissions from Week 5 along with our Bivouac and Activities Week and Junior School Production of Shrek. Our Speech Day on Friday 9 December is an important culminating event and opportunity for us to come together and celebrate achievement before students depart for the extended break. I look forward to sharing these many experiences with the students. 

TAS is about Challenge, but this is always conducted in a safe and supportive environment. If students have concerns with any of their upcoming assessments or activities I encourage them to reach out to their Advisors or Pastoral Leaders for support so we can ensure all experiences are rewarding. 

Throughout the year I have emphasised the importance of students being in class and the disruption absenteeism causes on the activities along with the learning and teaching at School. I thank our families in advance for ensuring avoidable leave does not impact on our programs as we finish the year.

Mr Ray Pearson
Deputy Principal

Jerusalem #2 Revelation 21:1-4

Jerusalem, a strange hymn… we’re trying to make sense of it.

Jerusalem stands for, in the wider biblical context, the notion that this present world will be transformed. Ultimately, at the time He has appointed, God promises utter transformation – not annihilation, not an end, but renewal, a new creation.

Jerusalem, historical, geographical Jerusalem, where the temple resided, was the place where heaven and earth came together, not in order to entice the inhabitants of earth away to a distant heaven, so that they are rendered no use on earth, but to offer hope to this present world.

The image of the New Jerusalem, to which the Jerusalem of biblical times stood as a kind of long-range signpost, was all about the creator God fulfilling the promise to this creation, by the work of re-creation. Heaven and earth will merge so that God Himself will dwell with his people.

And where poet William Blake’s questions about Jesus demand the answer ‘no’ (re-read last week’s TAS Talks if you missed that bit), if we listen carefully, we might hear, at a different level, a deeply confronting and comforting ‘yes’. The point about Jesus is not that if he happened to travel to this or that remote island, he might bring it a special blessing. No: the Jesus we find in the New Testament is the Jesus who still speaks the message of hope into our generation, a message that can transform individuals, communities, nations – even schools. The New Jerusalem, the ultimate new creation, remains our hope; it is anticipated in Jesus himself, the one who gave us a glimpse of what it looks like when heaven and earth become one.

The Year 12s are sitting their HSC as we speak. Interestingly, the results they received in their trials are the best indicators as to how they will perform in these final exams. As they look back they will be able to anticipate what will be ahead, as we look back at the person and work of Jesus, we get the best indicator as to what we can expect for the future, The New Jerusalem.

Mr Richard Newton
Chaplain

Golf Day

The P&F will host TAS Golf Day on Friday 4 November. This is a social outing for players of all skill levels at the Armidale Golf Club. Come join us for 9 holes of team play (Ambrose format) followed by lunch. Clubs and Carts can be hired on the day. We have a wet-weather plan – so no excuses.
Tickets can be booked HERE

Christmas Puddings

Requesting volunteers to help bake and wrap Christmas puddings, please. We will need helpers on Saturday 29 October to mix and bake puddings followed by helpers on Sunday 30 October to wrap puddings. Please contact the P&F Executive via email at [email protected]u to offer your support. Place orders and pay for your pudding purchase through this link TAS P&F Christmas Pudding

Golf Day

Reserve Friday 4 November in your calendar for the P&F Golf Day at the Armidale Golf Club.

Come and play a round in the morning followed by lunch, or just join us for lunch. Full details and the booking site will be available soon.

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

With the Higher School Certificate moving into the third week, we have had our first few Year 12 students leaving school for the final time. Congratulations to those who have completed their examinations and reached the end of a very long and rewarding path; what a great achievement. To those still busily studying and preparing, keep focusing on the task at hand, remember to find a balance between study and rest. It has been great to see so many of you at school, working in the Study Centre and Hub.

This week also sees Stage 5 students, Year 9 and 10, moving up a gear as they prepare for their upcoming examinations which commence next week. Year 9 will be completing their exams in upper Cash Block and Year 10 will sit their core examinations in Memorial Hall. I encourage all students to prepare well and to ensure they are balancing their studies with exercise and solid sleep in the lead-up to these examinations.

A timetable for Year 9 and 10 core exams can be found HERE.

Week 5, 6 and 7 will see a whole range of other important class work and assessment occurring in the elective subjects as well as in PDHPE; I wish students the very best as they work on these important tasks and demonstrate their emerging understanding across our rich range of subject areas.

Finally, to our Middle School students, I hope this period of assessment is a positive one for you. We want you to feel comfortable and confident as you begin sitting more structured exams at the end of next week. This is a great opportunity to become more familiar with formal assessments and to gain experience in demonstrating your understanding to your teachers in different settings.

Mrs Gill Downes
Acting Director of Studies

Thinking of Hosting a Party?

Hosting a party can be an incredibly rewarding experience for a parent and their child…… it can also be disastrous. When having a discussion with your child about hosting a party, it is important that parents are aware of their responsibilities during the event and potential liabilities if things go wrong.

Parents are often faced with the dilemma of hosting guests that are both over and under 18, which can create a minefield when alcohol is present, either supplied by the host or brought along by guests. It is important that parents are aware of their legal responsibilities when hosting a party with teenagers.

As parents, you have a legal duty of care to ensure all guests at the party are safe. It is illegal in NSW to provide alcohol to persons under the age of 18 in a private home unless it is supplied by:

• The young person’s parent/guardian
• An adult who has approval from the young person’s parent or guardian

Any supply of alcohol should be consistent with the supervision of a minor. Reasonable supervision is generally determined by:

• Is the adult supplying alcohol intoxicated?
• Is the young person intoxicated?
• The age of the young person.
• The type and amount of alcohol served over what period of time?
• If there is food being served with the alcohol?
• Is the minor’s consumption of alcohol being responsibly supervised by the person supplying the liquor?

Parents are encouraged to conduct thorough planning before hosting a party in an attempt to mitigate risk. The attached document may help parents navigate some of the considerations when planning a party for teenagers.

Safe Party Planner

Mr AJ Whalley
Director of Pastoral Care

Cadet Activities Term 4

Term 4 is traditionally a very busy term at TAS. It is the same for our Cadet program. We are very excited to get back out in the field and engage in our outdoor education program.

The Cadet Activity Day Program for Term 4 is as follows:

A Company

• 1030 – 1115 Friday 11 November, Remembrance Day service conducted on Adamsfield
• 0840 Thursday 17 to 1530 Friday 18 November, BIVOUAC 2 (overnight exercise)
• 1300 Sunday 27 November to 1530 Friday 2 December, Annual Camp (multi-day exercise)

B Company

• 1030 – 1115 Friday 11 November, Remembrance Day service conducted on Adamsfield
• 0840 Thursday 17 to 1530 Friday 18 November, BIVOUAC 2 (overnight exercise)
• 1300 Saturday 26 November to 1530 Friday 2 December, Annual Camp (multi-day exercise)

C Company

• 1030 – 1115 Friday 11 November, Remembrance Day service conducted on Adamsfield
• 0840 Thursday 17 to 1530 Friday 18 November, BIVOUAC 2 (overnight exercise)
• 1300 Sunday 27 November to 1530 Friday 2 December, Annual Camp (multi-day exercise)

HQ/Radio Platoons

• 1030 – 1115 Friday 11 November, Remembrance Day service conducted on Adamsfield
• 0840 Thursday 17 to 1530 Friday 18 November, BIVOUAC 2 (overnight exercise)
• 1530 Friday 26 November to 1530 Friday 2 December, Annual Camp (multi-day exercise)

* Please note departure times for Annual Camp, highlighted in bold above.

It is imperative that students are organised and well-equipped for the upcoming Cadet Activity Days. Students are instructed to check the quality of their gear well in advance of our overnight exercises. Should there be any equipment that needs replacing students are to email [email protected] in conjunction with their Advisor to organise a time to access Q Store services. Students are to bring in their broken equipment so it can be reconditioned where possible.

Should you have any questions or queries please do not hesitate to contact me at [email protected]

LT (AAC) Johnathon Woodbridge
Officer Commanding, TASACU

On Sunday New England Sings took place at Armidale Secondary College. After three years on hold, it was great to witness the celebration of singing in a real community event. With over 900 students from 36 schools, in a sold-out auditorium, the event celebrated the joy of singing. There was light-hearted humour and a trip into the past, as songs told the story of the famous Bushranger Captain Thunderbolt, and his wife Mary Ann Bugg. Congratulations to our students for their enthusiastic performances and I commend our Music staff – Miss Charlotte Low, Mr Tom Collett, Mr Toby Armstrong, Mr Warwick Dunham and led by Ms Leanne Roobol for their guidance and contribution to orchestrating a well-run and highly entertaining event.

With Week 3 upon us, it is time to start planning for Bivouac and Activities Week, in Weeks 6 and 8 respectively. The Activities Program is a significant part of the TAS Calendar. It is an opportunity for students to engage in the great outdoors, with their peers, in a range of challenging yet incredibly satisfying activities. Activities leaders have started to contact students and parents regarding the format of their programs (Year 6/7 Program, Cadets, Rural Fire Service, Service, and Surf Life Saving), and there will be more information in the coming weeks. It is expected that all students attend Bivouac and Activities Week. The overwhelming feedback from the recent Year 12 survey, was the positive experiences and opportunities for growth that the TAS Activities Program provided during their time at TAS.

After the success of The TAS Equestrian Team at Coona earlier in the year, the team competed last week in Tamworth at the Inter School Horse Extravaganza (ISHE). A full report is below but I want to thank Miss Charlotte Low our MIC of Equestrian, Mrs Miriam Henry for her coaching experience, and Mrs Bernadette Phelps our Camp Mother.

TAS Equestrian ISHE Update

Sixteen TAS riders from Year 11 down to Year 3 participated in multiple disciplines from dressage to campdrafting at the Inter School Horse Extravaganza (ISHE) over four days in Tamworth last weekend. This is the biggest team to represent TAS at this event and one of the largest participating teams overall at ISHE this year. The equestrian team represented TAS competently alongside around 70 other schools from the Snowy Mountains to the NSW/Qld border with a total of 470 riders and 650 horses. Co-Captains, Charlotte Pease and Jono Phelps lead the team with pride and were excellent role models in horsemanship and sportsmanship. Once again, the TAS Equestrian team made a lasting impression on the event with attention to uniform, talented riding, and a cohesive and supportive team spirit.

With so many schools and riders, events were filled with high numbers and were very competitive. There were many highlights and exhibitions of talented horsemanship amongst the TAS team. Amongst many other place ribbons, the highlights include:

• Patrick Burke yr 3: 5th in Working Horse Challenge
• Ellen Adams yr 4:  Reserve Champion Sporting
• Josh Burke yr 5: 3rd in Campdraft
• Ollie Rogers yr 5: 5th in Campdraft
• Halina Saunders yr 7: 4th overall in dressage
• Jess Emmery yr 7: Champion 80cm show jumping
• Arabella Blanchard yr 8 : 1st in pairs
• Robin Henry yr 8: Third overall in 90cm showjumping
• Brooke Tudor yr 8: Champion Galloway
• Charlie Ward yr 8: Reserve Champion in 1m show jumping
• Charlotte Pease yr 11: Third overall in 110cm showjumping
• Jono Phelps yr 11: Fourth in One Day Event

Also exhibiting team spirit, maximum participation, proficient horsemanship and outstanding sportsmanship were Lucy Sedon Year 7, Tilly Rogers yr 8, Issy Coddington yr 8, and Raff Tonkin.

TAS came fourth in the team of fours which was the final event. We were the only school to have two teams in this event, the only team with primary and secondary students, and the only team with boys! To take a place in this event was a great achievement. Once again, the team greatly benefited from the time and expertise shared by the collective parent group, in particular, Miriam Henry who is an accomplished and invested coach.

(Report compiled by Mrs Bernadette Phelps)

Mr Huon Barrett
Director of Co-curricular

Triple Crown

The final event of the Triple Crown is Walk a Mile in Another Man’s Wheels, in support of former Wallaby and TAS OA (1985) Richard Tombs and the Guns out for Tombsy Foundation.

In teams of 4, you will undertake various loops of the school. Each lap varies between 800-1000m in distance. The Challenge here is that for each hour, 1 member of your group must be in a wheelchair. Furthermore, the chair is to be self-propelled, (ie, you don’t push your teammate). At the end of each rotation (on the 50 minutes) during the 10-minute break, groups then swap over for another member to use the wheelchair. This will allow everyone to experience (just a little), what life is like (in a very small way) for someone in a wheelchair. It’s about ‘Walking a mile in another man’s wheels’. This is the crux of the Challenge.

I have been able to arrange a number of wheelchairs from various sources. There is, however, a limit, so we will have a cut-off.

To find out more and submit your expression of interest visit:  HERE

Mr Jim Pennington

Triathlon

The incessant rain failed to dampen the enthusiasm of the TAS triathletes on Sunday. Rather than cancel the event, a decision was made to hold an Aquathon, removing the ride for obvious safety reasons. For our senior athletes, this meant a 200m swim/1600m run 4 times through, and for the juniors, a 100m swim/800m run, 4-5 times. It was wonderful to see everyone competing on our first weekend, displaying the resolve that one assumes anyone undertaking Triathlon would possess.

Mr Jim Pennington

Over the weekend TAS students and staff played a key role in the gargantuan New England Sings concert, with around 900 people from across the region involved. TAS students had solos, conducted, and accompanied on instruments, while our three fearless Music teachers Ms Roobol, Mr Collett, and Miss Low conducted and sang and performed on top of their duties preparing and wrangling the TAS contingent of well over 100 from Junior, Middle and Senior schools. It has been far too long between New England Sings concerts and such a joy to have singing and performing back in the lives of our students.

Both Shrek The Musical Jr and the 2023 TAS Production Legally Blonde: The Musical are busy with rehearsals most days of the week. The Seniors have plenty of time left before their performances next May but our Junior School cast have barely over a month before the curtain rises. A lot of work will be happening on and off the stage before then and I encourage you to check the Junior School page and emails about how you can contribute to set, props and costumes.

Next week our very own Mr Lane will be taking to the stage in ADMS’ final show of the year, Company. One of Stephen Sondheim’s more experimental musicals, it is a contemporary show that looks at life, relationships, and “being alive”. Featuring some of Armidale’s best voices (and directed by yours truly), it’s a great show for older students and parents and we’re using the newly refurbished Armidale Playhouse to create a unique and intimate musical theatre experience. Performances are 4, 5, 6 and 11, 12, 13 November and tickets can be booked on the ADMS website – https://www.adms.org.au/

Finally, I want to make special mention of Year 11 student (and Legally Blonde Assistant Director) Isabella Banister who has just completed her IMEB Stage A Teaching Diploma – Speech & Drama. Having worked towards this since Year 1, it is an incredible achievement and we are so fortunate to have her helping lead the production.

Yesterday, our Middle School students hosted the Middle and Senior School Assembly. This provides a wonderful forum for our students to speak in front of their peers, perform and showcase recent events that have occurred in our part of the school. Yesterday we presented three visual presentations including the Newling Gardens service initiative, our successful Middle School Open Day and a presentation on the recent Fiji service trip. A link to the visual presentations is below:

Newling Gardens Service Project

Middle School Open Day

Fiji Service Trip

Next week, Thursday and Friday, are Middle School exams. Parents and students have been emailed a copy of the timetable for these and students have been provided with revision. I encourage students to work through the activities set by their teachers and seek support from their teachers when needed. We are all here to help students through this period and see success with these assessments.

Finally, yesterday Mr Pennington announced the third event for this year’s Triple Crown. The final event is ‘Walk a Mile in Another Man’s Wheels’ in support of former Wallaby and Old Armidalian Richard Tombs and the Guns out for Tombsy Foundation. I encourage as many of our students as possible to get behind this wonderful initiative and further information and an expression of interest form can be found here: https://www.as.edu.au/whats-on-2/walk-a-mile-in-another-mans-wheels/

Mr Luke Polson
Head of Middle School

New England Sings

It was wonderful to see so many of our 3-5 Junior School students attend the final rehearsal and the New England Sings concert over the weekend. Whilst the commitment involved has been lengthy it was certainly a rewarding experience for all students involved. To be part of a massed choir with over 800 voices is an incredible experience. Special mention needs to go to Kaitlyn Baker who performed a solo in one of the items, which was such an honour for one of our Junior School students.

Shrek Jnr Working Bee

Our second working bee for the Shrek Jnr will be held on Saturday 12 November 9.30 am – 12.30 pm. This working bee will focus on the set construction and painting. Please ensure you complete the Google forms shared with you so we are well prepared and time is spent productively.

School Spirits

Congratulations to the following students that received School Spirit Awards last week:
Fletcher Wright, Henry Post, Alex Feng, Elija Ng, Spencer Stone, Maggie Wood, Reuben Green, Maddie Pearson, Elsie Nexo, Kieran Ahern, Poppy O’Brien, Eli Williams, Georgia Flynn, Emi Fawcett, Ruby Rice, Liam Hoad, Baxter Carruthers, Maya Slade, Cameron Rodgers, Leo Thavapalasundaram and Lewis Percy.

Happy Birthday

Happy birthday to George Drain, Rupert Newton, Rayyan Shahid, Bella Widders-Major and Chloe Chen for their special days this week.

Mr Ian Lloyd
Head of Junior School

Upcoming Events

Junior School Teachers- Lifelong Learners

Junior School Staff have been preparing for the implementation of the new K-2 Mathematics syllabus over recent months and have spent considerable time unpacking the new syllabus. The new syllabus has an increased focus on problem solving and critical thinking skills. We were very fortunate to have a senior maths teacher (and MYP co-ordinator) Mrs Rachel Piddington, who attended the Mathematical Association of NSW (MANSW) maths conference, inservice and upskill staff this week. We explored some new hands-on ways to teach problem-solving skills to our Junior School students. All the games introduced to staff allow for support and enrichment to be provided as required. We are planning to have a Parent Night early in 2023 to cover elements of the new syllabus.

Mrs Veronica Waters

Summer Sports

Please ensure you email your child’s coach if they are going to be absent for either training or games. If you have any concerns or questions this term, please email Mrs Sandra Lasker at [email protected] as Mrs Wright will be on leave from Thursday, 20 October.

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 Tania Hardin
[email protected]
No need to register

Indoor Hockey – Miss Lara Nicholls
[email protected]

Basketball – Mr Ken Secker
[email protected]

Mrs Christine Wright
JS Sports Coordinator

Basketball

The squeak squeak and screaming sounds in Armidale this past fortnight is not the return of the dreaded mouse plague, but the sound of rubber sneakers at The Den, in the return of Junior School basketball.

It is great to see a mix of new and returning players for the 22/23 summer season.

A majority of the players are keen to show off their skills from the basketball camp.

This week the standout players were:
Ed Gillman, who played his best game last night, dominating not only on the scoresheet but also making his presence with rebounds.

Mason Grace-Booth making himself known to the big kids in only his second outing – great effort.

Registration info has been sent out. Please register ASAP.

See you at training on Wednesday.

Mr Ken Secker

Tennis

Tennis began with a monster thunderstorm during training last week. This week, we managed a 25-minute session before mother nature unleashed rain on us again. The children were all keen and enjoying their skills training. The rain couldn’t deter the smiling faces and enthusiasm to hit the ball and have your teammate catch it to improve skills. I know that we are all looking forward to a drier Monday next week to have a full training session.

Thank you to parents for organising tennis racquets and responding to changes in routine. Fingers crossed for Week 4.

Mrs Lorna Ahern