TAS Talks Term 3 Week 8

Creativity and the Arts have been at the forefront recently at TAS with stunning work by our Year 12 students in the art, drama and musical showcases, creativity of thought and presentation on display from Year 5 students in their PYP Exhibitions and of course the wonderful Middle School production of Horrible Histories. The latter was for the most part hilarious, but also included some deeply moving moments. Congratulations to all the students involved on stage, behind the scenes and to the senior students who made up the production, technical and video design teams alongside Mr Wheatley and Mr Cornford.

I am pleased to announce the appointment of Mr Joshua Moloney as Head of PDHPE next year. Josh is returning to TAS as a previous Senior Prefect of the School. He is currently a teacher of PDHPE and Director of the Identified Athlete Program at Calrossy Anglican School. Prior to this Mr Moloney taught PDHPE at Knox Grammar School where he was incredibly highly regarded. He also held a number of acting leadership positions and initiated some key strategic initiatives during his years at Knox. He has a significant background in a range of Sports coaching and as a Strength and Conditioning Coach and is passionate about promoting a healthy and active lifestyle through student learning. We look forward to welcoming Joshua and his fiancée Kate back to Armidale at the end of the year.

While COVID-19 cases across the School have remained low over the past few weeks, please continue to be vigilant for symptoms. In line with recent announcements, the requirement for positive cases to isolate will decrease to five days only from 9 September at the end of this week.

Dr Rachel Horton
Principal

Tomorrow is RUOK? Day. 

As most would be aware, the slogan of RUOK? Day is ‘a conversation that could change a life’. This is undoubtedly true and the power of asking someone if they are ok is both real and important. However, asking the question and getting the true response can be easier said than done. The RUOK? https://www.ruok.org.au/how-to-ask website has some excellent tips on how to approach these conversations and ensure that you are ready, prepared and are doing so at the right moment. 

In my short time at TAS I have witnessed our response following the Northern River Floods, the $12,400 raised for Ovarian Cancer Australia, the work with the local community centre supporting the homeless and the fundraiser for LifeBlood Australia. I have no doubt we are part of a kind and generous community. I also know that if there are members of our community that need to talk and potentially are not ok, we are here for them. Please take the time to check in on those close to you every week if you have concerns and do it this week regardless. If you are not ok, please reach out; you will find support.

Mr Ray Pearson
Deputy Principal

DON'T FORGET TO RSVP

Friday 9 September

P&F Meeting

P&F will meet this Wednesday 7 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. Zoom details are below.

All are welcome with the added bonus of snacks and drinks for those able to attend in person.

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

Christmas Puddings – Brandy Donations Wanted

It’s nearly time again for TAS families to enjoy yummy P&F Christmas Puddings.

Thanks to those who have already pledged a bottle. If you can donate a bottle of brandy, please contact the P&F Exec at [email protected] to make arrangements.

We will again be selling puddings online this year with details to follow. However, if you want to get in first so that you won’t miss out, you can put your name on the waiting list now by sending an email to [email protected]

Liaison Parent Plans for Specific Year Groups during the TAS Parent Weekend

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

PAUSE before you post……

I’m sure you’ve all noticed the speed at which your child’s thumbs can navigate a phone screen, often faster than their brains can keep up. I’m sure that your own typing speed has improved over the years, and there may have been times when you wished you saved that email as a draft overnight or slept on that txt before sending it. Kids are sending snaps, messages and posting content at the speed of light, it’s no wonder that at times they end up in hot water. There are parental guidelines to help support teenagers traverse the pros and cons of social media, but no filter, app or website is capable of doing it all.

As parents, we need to help our kids develop and utilise their own in-built filters. Trying to get teenagers to slow their decision making down, can at times be like trying to hold back the tide. Drilling it into kids that they need to go through a quick checklist before they post, will certainly help them in all facets of life, not just their digital world. This idea is not new. “Is it true?”, “Is it necessary?”, “Is it kind”. Rumi’s age old 3 Gates of Speech are valuable drafting gates for what should and shouldn’t go through to the keeper. It’s important to look at the process when kids get it wrong, by identifying critical points where the drafting gate should have been used. Another key question teenagers should ask themselves before posting is “am I prepared for a barrage of negative responses”. If the answer is no, perhaps holding off or having a conversation in person is the better option.

We know teens are prone to taking risks and there’s an element of risk by stirring the pot with a controversial post. Even within the most ‘private’ platforms, there is always a risk of content leaking to other ‘private’ chats. As parents, we need to be having meaningful conversations with our kids and drilling it into them that once it’s online, it’s there forever.

Let’s PAUSE before we post.

P – is it positive?
A – is it accurate?
U – is it useful?
S – is it supportive?
E – is it ethical?

Useful Links

The Digital Lives of Aussie Teens

Social Media Benefits and Risks

Finishing well

When teaching the subject of English, we are consistently seeking to familiarise our students with the metalanguage of our subject. That is, the language of language, and one of the technical terms we examine in imaginative writing is the adage, sometimes known as a maxim. This is a short, well-known saying which holds a widely held truth.

At this time of year, it is helpful to keep some of these wise sayings in mind as our eldest students move into the final stages of their academic program. For our Year 12s, perhaps it is the idea that Hard work pays off, or the proverbial, Slow and steady wins the race. A favourite of mine is the idea that If it is worth doing, it is worth doing well, and I urge all students to take this approach when they are preparing for the final exams and working through the feedback given to them by their teachers in their recent Trial HSC. In relation to that, I would like to thank the teachers who have spent many, many hours in recent weeks marking these papers and providing valuable feedback to our students which is so necessary for growth and improvement.

This brings me to a central truth that underpins my own approach to life and the way I teach my students: Feedback is the food of champions. All our students – from Year 12 all the way down to our younger students – benefit and grow from the feedback they receive in the classroom, in formal assessments, on the sporting field and in their wider pursuits and interests. To improve what we do, we need to practise; we need to seek feedback from those who have experience in the thing we are seeking to improve upon.

As well as these helpful statements which capture universal truths, there are those which I see as equally unhelpful. One I disregard and see little value in is Practice makes perfect. I don’t personally strive for or believe in perfection – in many ways, it is our imperfection which makes us most interesting, and if we are only seeking perfection, I believe sometimes we miss the point (and the joy) of learning and becoming ‘better’. Rather, I like to invert the notion that Practice makes perfect and instead see value in the idea that Practice makes us feel prepared. I would argue that being prepared is a much greater tool in life that seeking the illusive idea of being perfect.

As such, as some of our students enter the final stages of their respective courses, I encourage them to practise, to take on and seek out feedback, and perhaps most importantly, to remember to thank those who have walked with them on this journey.

A few last reminders:

• Year 11 students need to attend school all day next week; rolls will be marked in every exam and lesson. When students are not in an exam, they are to attend their regular timetabled lessons with their regular teacher for supervised study. This allows them the quiet and structured space required to prepare for their next exam. All Year 11 students have been verbally briefed at their recent Year Level Meeting and emailed on the requirements of their upcoming exam week.
• Any Year 8 or 9 students who have not selected their top twelve Stage 5 electives from the handbook, need to have this done by this coming Friday. This is to be done on Edval and the 2023 offerings will arise out of this first round of student selections.
• This weekend’s Year 12 Sunday Study Session is a three-hour window of Supervised Study occurring in the Hub from 2-5 pm. Dr Horton will be supervising this session; please reply to my email if you are keen to come along.

Mrs Gill Downes
Acting Director of Studies

Congratulations to our Mountain Biking Team and their fearless leader Mrs Jo Benham for their success over the course of the weekend at the Auscycling National All Schools Cycling event at the Gold Coast. In addition to some excellent individual results, the TAS Team were awarded the champion school at the event, a championship that saw 95 schools competing.

It is the business end of the winter sports season and there are TAS students competing this weekend in the finals for netball, football and hockey. I wish them well and congratulate them on their already successful season.

I would also like to extend a huge congratulations to Mr Wheatley and the cast and crew of History’s Worst Decisions. The Middle School Performance which included three shows was a huge success and provided our students with an opportunity to develop and extend their performing skills.

Tennis Camp September holidays, download here for more information.

2023 New Zealand Rugby Development Tour

A wonderful opportunity exists for boys in Year 11 and 12 in April 2023 be part of the New Zealand Rugby Development Tour.  TAS has been taking Development Squads to the South Island of New Zealand since 2005. Tour Activities include jet boating, tours and coaching sessions with Crusaders coaches and players.

The cost for players is approximately $4200. Most meals, transport to Sydney, return flights, travel insurances, travelling and playing kit, along with all the tour activities are included in this approximate cost.

Numbers are limited for this tour and those attending are expected to be part of Opens Rugby teams during their senior years at TAS. If you have any questions, please contact Mr AJ Whalley at [email protected] or Rachael Edmonds at [email protected]

Mr Huon Barrett
Director of Co-curricular

Mountain Biking

The TAS Mountain Bike Team had a very successful weekend at the Auscycling National All Schools Cycling event at the Gold Coast. TAS won the overall champion school (out of ninety-five schools represented!). It was a close final point score, with TAS just placing ahead of Moreton Bay Colleges who have won the event previously. While we had some standout performances, it was a team effort to take out the overall champion school, with every riders’ points contributing to the win. On Friday Toby Inglis, Abbott White and Ted Chick competed in road criterium races, while the whole team of twenty-two students raced in the cross country mountain bike events and hill sprints in incredibly wet conditions on Saturday. On Sunday, the riders enjoyed finer weather and a drier track for the Enduro races.

In the overall individual point scores, Zachary Macfarlane was first in the Year 7-8 boys Category 1 division (novice riders) ahead of teammates Lachlan Hunter (8th) and Sonny Blanch (9th), while in Category 2 (experienced riders) Ted Chick placed 4th, with James Palfreyman, Baxter Williams and Angus Benham, rounding out the top ten. Oscar Macfarlane was fourth in the Years 9-10 boys Category 1 and Abbott White 8^th in Category 2, while in the Year 9-10 girls, Emily Benham finished first overall in Category 1 and Bethan Palfreyman third in Category 2. Emily and Bethan were also a part of the TAS  relay team, along with Ted Chick and year 11 student Toby Inglis, with the team placing third after two mechanical issues.

Three TAS competitors finished in the top 10 of the Year 11-12 boys Category 2 division, with Toby Inglis in third, Sam Boyd in seventh place and Will Swain taking 10^th position.

More detailed individual, relay and overall school results can be found here https://results.auscycling.org.au/

The Mountain Bikers should be very proud of themselves, they all rode exceptionally well and their behaviour on and off the track was outstanding the whole weekend.

A huge thank you must go to TAS parents Tom and Jane Palfreyman for their amazing catering and support the whole weekend, and Mr Matthew Benham and Mr Curtis Coulson for their coaching and bike mechanic support.

Mrs Jo Benham
MIC Mountain Biking

Last night we had the incredible showcase of HSC Music 1, Music 2 and Extension Music pieces at Final Note. It was the first proper HSC concert in a number of years and they absolutely made up for lost time. The range of pieces and styles and instruments was amazing and you could see the joy all students felt to finally be able to share their hard work and passion with an enthusiastic audience. Congratulations to all students involved last night, as well as their many many accompanists, which includes the fabulous teachers Ms Leanne Roobol and Mr Thomas Collett. Next week those students will deliver their full programs to the HSC markers and we wish them all the best.

Mr Andrew O’Connell
Head of Creative Arts

Congratulations to the cast and crew of History’s Worst Decisions, under the direction of Mr Wheatley. The three performances last week were outstanding and a testament to the work and efforts that have been invested by a large group of people over the past term. Our Creative Arts program is strong at TAS and it is wonderful that our students are able to share in a wide variety of experiences. Today, our Year 8 students began their two days of creative arts workshops encompassing music, drama, visual arts and slam poetry. I attended some of these sessions this morning and it was excellent to see our students coming out of their comfort zone and trying something new. I spent some time with the music group who were rehearsing some popular music and it was pleasing to see many of these students playing instruments for the first time.

Mr Luke Polson
Head of Middle School

NAPLAN results are with our Yr 3 & 5 families…and it is timely to discuss the role of these assessments

Since NAPLAN’s inception in 2008, TAS has been supportive of a national tool which can help us better tailor the way we teach our children through testing their abilities in reading, writing, spelling, grammar, punctuation and numeracy in Years 3, 5, 7 and 9. For our teachers, the results are one of the many tools used to inform the way they can best plan for and engage their students in the learning process across all subject areas. Others include pre and post testing, routine class assignments, and of course general classroom interaction. We do not teach to the NAPLAN test in order to achieve the best results. Rather, we believe that a happily engaged student learns at an optimal level and this in itself, is the best possible preparation for ongoing learning for life, not just NAPLAN. Our students in Years 3 and 5 are familiarised with tests in each domain, to support and prepare them in terms of test strategy, timing and management.

NAPLAN testing is a welcome tool that assists teachers develop appropriate classroom programs, and it reassures parents that literacy and numeracy remain at the core of our curriculum.

However, it is important to note that NAPLAN can never measure how a school encourages students to explore and inquire, it cannot put a figure on how happy a child is at school, nor can it evaluate the engagement of a boy or girl in a range of activities that develop them socially, emotionally, physically and spiritually. If you have any questions relating to NAPLAN and/or your child’s results, please contact us at school.

SHREK – Working Bee Postponed

Due to circumstances beyond our control, we have decided to postpone this Sunday’s working bee, due to a lack of time and available resources. We apologise for the inconvenience and thank all those who have offered their assistance. We will be advertising a new date for very early next term in time to complete the costumes and props and for us to get together again in Week 5 to complete the set construction. Thank you for your understanding.

PYP Exhibition

For those able to attend, last week’s PYP exhibition was simply an outstanding success. The most impressive aspect of the exhibition in my opinion, was the breadth of knowledge demonstrated by the students, reflecting the massive amount of time, effort and research completed to enable such understanding. They were able to speak, at length with clarity and confidence, a sure sign that they knew their stuff. I have included a couple of photos for you, but to understand the scope of the undertaking, please visit the (Official) TAS Junior School googlephotos website site:  https://photos.app.goo.gl/3i6wKGTKrYRUHEgF8

To get a better picture of its success.

Fathers Day

 Thank you one and all…..

There was a real buzz of both excitement and exhilaration from our students who, because of the inclement weather, were able to invite the marvellous males in their life into their classrooms to share some fantastic activities to celebrate Fathers’ Day. What a privilege for our kids and what a fantastic way to come together at school to share a little of the TAS experience with our community.

Year 3-5 Choirs – New England Sings – October 22 & 23

Year 3 to 5 families will have received a letter outlining changes to the NE Sings program announced recently. With the completion of the Performance Theatre at Armidale Secondary College, NECOM has announced that there will now be only one combined concert for all choirs – to be held on Sunday October 23,  from 2.30 – 4.00 pm.

As a result, there have been some changes to the schedule and it is important that you note these now. Transport will be organised for students who require assistance to attend.

FINAL REHEARSAL (all schools, including outreach schools to attend):

• Date: Saturday 22 October (directed by Paul Jarman)
• Time: 9:30 am – 12:00 pm (arrive by 8:45 am)
• Morning Tea break @ 10:30am
• Venue: Armidale Secondary College

CONCERT:

• Date: Sunday 23 October (directed by Paul Jarman)
• Time: Arrive @ 12:30pm
• Dress rehearsal at 1:00pm
• Concert from 2:30 – 4:00pm
• Venue: Armidale Secondary College

School Spirits

Congratulations to the following students that received School Spirit Awards last week:
Ayaan Bin Mahadi, Sienna Rice, Spencer Green, Bradley Byrnes, Ruby Archer, George Quast, Lachlan McDowell, Xavier Nozad Kahriz, Lachie Chiu, Chloe Chen, Freddie Post, Ted Draney, Duncan Klabe, James Taylor, Ellen Adams, Xander Dell, Katie Flynn, Leo Thavapalasundaram and Flynn Ritchie.

Happy Birthday

Happy birthday to Hassan Almokhtar, Charlie Crowley, Luke Varvari and Toby Whysall who all celebrate their special days this week.

Mr Ian Lloyd
Head of Junior School

Upcoming Events

Year 1 -  Sharing The Planet

This week Year 1 completed our Communities Around the World Investigations.

They then used the change of season to springboard into their new unit ‘Sharing the Planet’. 

Provocation: Father’s Day was a great excuse to do some planting. The class really enjoyed planting their Geraniums as gifts for our dads!

Mrs Veronica Waters
PYP Coordinator

TAS Terriers

Week 6 Term 3

Another glorious Armidale morning was the setting for the TAS Terriers crucial fixture against Armidale City Westside FC. The Terriers entered this fixture as slight favourites after their tough hit out, after their mid-season mini break, against the Walcha Giants last weekend. The pre-game talk focused on a quick start and playing with width to break down the robust City defence. All TAS players enjoyed another active warm up and once their TAS jackets were removed close to kick off and their game faces were on I could sense we were in for a strong performance.

After a quick discussion with the City coach to find a solution to their lack of numbers, Lachie kindly offered to play for their team for the first half to ensure an even contest of four v four. The Terriers took time finding their rhythm but at the ten-minute mark, after some astute substitutions, they began stretching the City’s defence allowing shots at goal. The City players were not to be overwhelmed by the Terriers rhythm and intensity with both teams hitting the half time break playing at a frantic speed with the scores locked. The lolly snakes at halftime were a masterstroke with the Terriers second half as clinical a performance they have played all season. The Terriers constantly looked for space and took shots at goal at any opportunity. The tight win and style of play gives the Terriers much confidence leading into next weekend’s final fixture of the season against the unpredictable Demon Knights.

Special mention to Uday for his fist half goal, Wilbur for his ball control and accurate shots at goal in the second half, James and Spencer for selflessly playing for City during the second half, Lachie for his support play on the edges, Harvey for always looking for space with his accurate passing and Rory for his accurate passing at re-starts.

Mr David Drain
(Co-coach)