TAS Talks Term 4 Week 7

With a little over 2 weeks until the end of the school year, thoughts are turning to the break with conversations centering around Christmas plans and holidays. This past year has been a challenging one to navigate, beginning with immense amounts of uncertainty, and finishing at full tilt in a term filled with exams, sport, music, drama and activities. We are certainly finishing in a positive place and have much to celebrate, but students and indeed staff, are justifiably in need of the upcoming break.

As plans are made, it is really important that all of our students are able to take some time to relax, reflect on the year that has passed and refresh for the new year. For some that will mean slowing down and taking it easy, but a change of activity and environment can be equally refreshing. I know many of our students will be helping at home with harvest, and I am sure many will be indulging in passions they find less time for during the school year. It can be challenging, but taking a break from devices, even if only a short one, can also be incredibly beneficial, particularly at a time where there is hopefully an opportunity to spend quality time with family and friends.

The School recently received the last report from the MMG survey that parents, students and staff participated in during Term 3. The information provided is comprehensive, valid (78% parent response rate) and incredibly valuable. There are some wonderful results and of course, areas for improvement. The next opportunity to present this to those who contributed will be at the start of the 2023 school year. A presentation will be made to staff before the start of term and there will be opportunities for parents to attend presentations on the new student orientation/boarders return day. MMG are also preparing a summary of the data to be sent to parents.

Dr Rachel Horton
Principal

“If you don’t challenge yourself, you don’t know yourself.”

This quote is from David Goggins; former Navy SEAL, ultramarathon runner and author of the book ‘Can’t Hurt Me: Master your mind and defy the odds’. Understanding our true capacity is something that quietly or overtly inspires us all. I imagine all of us have spent some time wondering ‘what am I capable of achieving?’. 

Last week and next, our students in the Middle and Senior School have been challenged with our activities program. Our Junior School students have also been challenged through Shrek and will be again with the Bike Safety and Triathlon Day this Friday. 

This will have many placed outside of their comfort zone and not only test them physically but also mentally. Success will not only be measured by those who ‘make it’ but those who have the capacity to be vulnerable and support others. True success will be evident from those who possess and demonstrate the soft skills of asking for help when needed and checking in on those around them to lift their spirits and reassure them that they ‘can do it’. 

As Christopher Robin said, “You’re braver than you believe, stronger than you seem, and smarter than you think.”  

As we ‘wind up’ 2022, I encourage all students to find the time in the coming days to thank the teachers and staff who have supported them throughout the year. I continue to be astounded by the calibre and dedication of the staff at TAS and know how much they appreciate a word of thanks or a written note from students highlighting the support offered and difference they have made. 

Mr Ray Pearson
Deputy Principal

Christmas Puddings

The TAS Christmas Puddings have been cooked and are already being collected. Don’t miss out on your 2022 pudding.   Place orders and pay for your pudding purchase through this link TAS P&F Christmas Pudding.

Once you have ordered, feel free to collect from TAS Reception.

P&F Meeting This Week

P&F will meet Wednesday 23 November at 7.00pm. We will be face to face in Upper Maxwell as well as have a Zoom session running for those wishing to attend remotely.
Zoom details below.  All are welcome.

Join Zoom Meeting
https://as-edu.zoom.us/j/2155172798?pwd=Z1VRMTRrcjZoVStLYlFKOG5CdVovQT09
Meeting ID: 215 517 2798
Password: parents

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

As Year 12 move towards their first formal HSC assessments, it is important to acknowledge the vital balance between their academic program and maintaining wellbeing. These tasks are important; they require our newest seniors to concentrate on key skills, practise the skills they are being assessed on, and dedicating time to consolidate content, and work on practice responses. While it is a publication intended for our current HSC school leavers, the HSC Study Guide (published by the Sydney Morning Herald) is a helpful document containing tips for exams as well as time management and study skills. I urge students and parents to refer to this as a helpful resource for the year ahead.  Find it HERE

This is also a period of time when our Year 6 to 10 students are receiving feedback on their recent examinations and assessments. It is a time of success and can also be a time of reflection and even disappointment for some students. Discussing these tasks, the feedback accompanying them, and having conversations around goal setting for the future is so important to student growth. Advisors, teachers, but most importantly family members can help shape and lead important conversations around academic performance and growth; now is a great time to be discussing these important areas with your young people.

Looking towards 2023, our current Year 10 students will be receiving their subject selections in the coming weeks. I look forward to the inherent excitement that arises from this; it is a wonderful time for our oldest Stage 5 students as they prepare for the final two years of their schooling.

On a final academic note, two really wonderful successes in the recent ICAS Science Assessment need to be acknowledged with Peter Thompson in Year 7 gaining a High Distinction in Science, and Rory Secker in Year 3 being awarded a Distinction. Well done to these particular students who have shown great promise in the area of Science.

Mrs Gill Downes
Director of Teaching and Learning

Japanese Video Matsuri - Winners again

The results for the 2022 Video Matsuri competition have just arrived and one of our film entries has shared First prize in the National competition again. The short film had to include a ‘Furoshiki’, which is a special cloth used for wrapping objects eg, obento and must be in Japanese. This is the third time in the last four years we have won this competition. 

The winning entry title was ‘Watch Where You’re Going? made by Olive Lockett, Holly Dauparas and Bethan Palfreyman. This is the second year in a row these students have won this competition. This is a reflection of their skills in script writing, film making and of course Japanese language skills. Below are the judges’ comments on their winning entry.

Congratulations on this well-deserved win. It was wonderful to see the enthusiasm towards Japanese and the effort that went into creating the entry. This had a well-structured plot and was very entertaining to watch. The dialogue was well rehearsed and delivered effectively through the acting. 

I encourage you to watch this video. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rKUYoh_0Jd0&t=1s

Another of our entries received a ‘special Mention’ award for their film ‘The Life Of A Furoshiki’. Congratulations to Hugo Li, Ty Schalk-O’Brien, Oscar Donoghue, Austin Pease and David Karnaghan. The link to their video is https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7ejX-XkjkTs

Our third entry was unlucky to miss out on an award this year. It is a tribute to Japanese horror movies and Yokai. The link to the video is https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ALKLNNyDVTo&list=PLHnFUxv-TpGhGPA7jyaOlbgA35q51q0Sx&index=71

Mr Allan Moore
Languages Coordinator

A glorious spring morning was the perfect setting for the Boarders Recreation Activity at Dumaresq Dam on Saturday after Bivouac. Nineteen boarders from White and Dangar Houses enjoyed paddling on the water under the guidance of with Mr Doug Fawcett, Mrs Cassandra Hammond and Mr Jamie Brauer and relaxing on the foreshore. While I didn’t venture onto the water myself, I enjoyed seeing how much the boarders enjoyed spending the morning away from the school surrounds from the foreshore. A BBQ lunch at White House followed which capped off a busy three days for the boarders involved.

On Monday evening the Year 8 boy boarders visited their senior boarding houses, enjoying the hospitality of a BBQ dinner and time playing touch footy or cricket with their soon to be fellow senior boarders. Thanks to Mr Ben Cook and Mrs Nanette Spanswick from Abbott House, Mr Doug Fawcett and Mrs Karyn Herbert from Croft House and Mr Tim Williams and Mrs Nele Van Hove from Tyrrell House for all their work behind the scenes to ensure this was an enjoyable and welcoming evening for the Year 8 boy boarders.

David Drain
Director of Boarding

Provision of Rations

TASACU Supply prepackaged Vegetarian, Gluten free/Dairy free Ration packs and individually prepare Nut free ration packs by substituting anything that may contain nuts with items that do not contain any nut products. While we aim to do our best to cater for all cadets, this isn’t always possible.

All special dietary ration packs are individually labelled with the cadet’s name and platoon so there is no confusion as to who the ration pack is to go to.

Each cadet who is anaphylactic is to bring an Epi-pen. This will be checked before departure and the cadet will be unable to participate if they do not have their Epi-pen with them. TAS will supply a backup Epi-pen for each anaphylactic cadet.

LT (AAC) Johnathon Woodbridge
Officer Commanding, TASACU
[email protected]

On Sunday our U15 Wybird Shield Cricket Team travelled to Lindisfarne Anglican College in Tweed Heads to play in the second round of the competition. The team as a group performed well and all 12 players contributed to the resounding win (TAS 285, in reply Lindisfarne 126). As a School we have high hopes for this team and would like to go deep into the competition, but the development of these boys as individuals and outstanding citizens sits above any result or position in the competition. The two days away was an opportune time to talk about standards and expectations, to look outside of themselves for the betterment of the team and to work hard on the development of their character. These lessons can be taught in a classroom, but when practiced on a tour the students get a real-life experience of why these areas matter and how to apply them. I look forward to witnessing the growth and development of these boys in the weeks and years to come.

With the experience of Bivouac behind us, we look forward to Activities Week. On Tuesday we had our final briefing before next weeks program. I remind students to ensure they carefully consider the equipment they will need for up and coming Activities Week. I wish all students well as they embark on a range of diverse and richly rewarding and, at times, challenging week of activities.

In News outside of TAS Sport, there have been some notable achievements in tennis. William Cooper-Fillios played a great weekend of tennis at the Northwest Championships in Inverell, winning the U10 boys doubles with partner Angus Tighe, and coming runner up in the U10 boys singles.

Mr Huon Barrett
Director of Co-curricular

Guest Speaker – Junior School Speech Day – Sami Bayly

We are very excited to announce that author/illustrator, Sami Bayly will be with us as our special guest for our Junior School  Speech Day. Sami is known to us having had workshops with our senior classes earlier in the year and it is a great pleasure to welcome her back. I know that all our students will be very excited to see her again as they work with her the day before in various sessions through the day and as she joins us for Speech Day. Some of her biography reads….

“Sami is 26 years old and is currently based in Newcastle, NSW. She has released three books in the Illustrated Encyclopaedia series and has just released her fourth book (the first of a new of a new series), called How We Came To Be – Surprising Sea Creatures, published by Lothian – Hachette Australia. 

She loves to try new mediums and techniques, as she never knows what style she might fall in love with next. She loves to illustrate any animal that can be defined as weird, wonderful or even ugly!”

Also, very pleasing to report that William Cooper-Fillios has had success having worked so hard on his tennis. William at the Northwest Championships in Inverell, winning the U10 boys doubles with partner Angus Tighe, and came runner up in the U10 boys’ singles. Great effort William – our congratulations to you.

Twilight Concert performances

It is always a pleasure to see the performances of some of our youngest rising stars at these concerts and last night was no exception. From Riley Sykes in Kindergarten playing beautifully on the piano, to our JS String Trio of William Cooper-Fillios, Tom Loxley and Daniel Mo (who also then went on to the piano even with the wrong sheet music!), it was a fantastic evening. Sophie Banister and Tom Loxley sang their duet beautifully and Emi Fawcett, Raymond Wan and Lachie Chiu all played their violins with feeling and great confidence. It was a great evening and I congratulate them all knowing that their hard work and practice is paying dividends. Seeing other students from Junior School who have now progressed into Middle School and beyond reinforces the wonder of music and the joys of learning it provides.

Bike Day/Triathlon – Friday 25 November

This Friday is our very exciting Bike Safety and Triathlon day and the tension here is palpable. Parents are most welcome to attend and we look forward to your company.

Importantly, the altered arrival and departure procedures have been sent to you all in a separate email yesterday. Please ensure that you read this very carefully as it requires real patience to ensure everyone’s safety.

Arrival from 8.10am – 8.40am

Entry via Gate No 8 (on Barney St) and drive slowly past Abbott and White Boarding houses to the avenue by Dangarfield Oval where you will see class markers advertising the class collection points for bikes. There is room for cars to park along the avenue outside Dangar House from the Memorial hall to the corner outside the Moyes building. Staff will be there to assist you. Please use Gate 9 to exit the school grounds.

Departure will be from 3.20pm – 3.45pm from Dangarfield using the same system entering Gate No 8 and departing through Gate 9. If bikes need to be left at TAS for any reason, please arrange this ahead of time and we will find some storage for them on campus. Staff will be there to assist you. Please use Gate 9 to exit the school grounds.

Please contact the School ahead of time if you have any questions.

Shrek – Arrangements for the season…

With our Shrek Jr performances quickly approaching, we offer the following details for the dress rehearsals, matinee, and evening performances for your information.

Please call us if you have questions about any aspect of the musical or its associated arrangements.

Attendance of students at all performances.

All students will be in each of the performances, either as part of the chorus or alternatively as leads as advertised. Please note that the arrival and departure routines for your child will vary depending on the performance. If you have any questions, please contact us for clarification.

Dress Rehearsals Tuesday (Cast 1) and Wednesday (Cast 2) 29 & 30 November

On Tuesday and Wednesday next week, students should come to school as normal in school uniform. Staff at school will organise and supervise changing into costume in class. Makeup for these performances will be completed at school by staff, senior students and parents who can assist where required. They will move to the Hoskins Centre at 10:15 am for the dress rehearsal.  All students will return to class afterwards and all costumes will remain in the classrooms. Students will go to lunch at 1.00pm.

Matinee Performances Thursday (Cast 1) and Friday (Cast 2)

On Thursday and Friday, students should come to school as normal in school uniform. Staff at school will organise and supervise changing into costume in class. Makeup for these performances will be completed at school by staff, senior students and parents who can assist where required. They will move to the Hoskins Centre at 1.00pm and the performance will begin at 1.30 pm. All students will return to class afterwards and all costumes will remain in the classrooms. Departure time and routines will be as usual for all students.

Friday Evening Performance (Cast 1)

Lead roles will stay at school from 3.30pm on Friday. Afternoon tea will be provided for them.

All other Students are asked to leave their make up on from the Friday Matinee and return to their classrooms at 5.00 pm to get into their costumes and touch up their makeup if needed. Students will be available for collection from the Undercover area in Junior School.

Please not that any students staying at school in our OHSC service, they should bring some simple and easy to eat food to see them through the night.

Saturday Evening Performance (Cast 2)

On Saturday, all leads are to arrive at 4.00pm.  All other Students are asked to return to their classrooms at 4.30pm on Saturday, prior to the evening performances on Friday and Saturday night. Students will get changed into costumes in their rooms and will have make up completed by staff and parents who can assist where required. After each performance, all costumes must be returned to the classrooms.

Following the final performance of Shrek Jr, refreshments will be provided in the TAS Hoskins Centre foyer. This will run immediately after the final performance and will conclude by 8:30pm. For catering purposes, you please advise your class teacher the number of adults that will be attending.

School Spirits

Congratulations to the following students that received School Spirit Awards last week:
Revant Das, Bobby Saxby, Alanoud Alrdadi, Olivia Whysall, Wilbur Drain, Ari Ah-See, Rayyan Shahid, Tobias Holland, Patrick Kim, Xavier Nozad-Kahriz, Hugh Blackwell, Grace Crowley, Daniel Bayne, Nancy Ma, Myles Wright, Harry Kauffmann, Harry Fawcett, Nate Blair-Pevitt and William Cooper-Fillios.

Happy Birthday

Many happy returns to Nate Blair-Pevitt, Revant Das, Reuben Green and Harvey O’Brien who all celebrate their birthdays this week.

Mr Ian Lloyd
Head of Junior School

Upcoming Events

Completion of Summer Sports for 2022

This week was the last week of summer sports for our Junior School children (except Basketball). Children will continue in the same sport in Term 1, 2023. Sport will recommence in Week 2 next year.

The town Basketball competition will continue, and we want to support this by playing right through to the end of term. Mr Secker has shared all the details with the basketballers so please be prepared, the hoops at the Den will be ready and waiting for you right through until the end of term.

TAS Junior School Triathlon – Friday 25 November

Our annual Junior School Bike Day and Triathlon will be held in our beautiful grounds on Friday, 25 November. Bike Day will commence at 9.00am with activities involving obstacle courses, long distance rides and bike safety sessions

Our Triathlon will commence at 2.00pm after walking the course at 1:30pm. Lunch will be as normal on the day.

Kindergarten and Year 1 children will all be involved in a team event, whilst students in Years 2 and above will have a choice of either entering as an individual or as part of a team.

Following are the distances each year group will have to complete as part of the Triathlon.

Please ensure your child has their bike in good working order ready for the day, along with their bike helmet, drink bottle and hat. Children will wear sports uniform for the day.

Presentations will be held from 3.00pm on Wakefield Oval.

If you would like to assist with the Triathlon and are available to help direct competitors, please contact Mrs Christine Wright [email protected] or Mrs Sandra Lasker in reception.