TAS Talks Term 3 Week 7

125th Birthday Celebration - Saturday 16 November - SAVE THE DATE!

TAS is turning 125 this year and the P&F is looking at celebrating this with a big event in November.  If you would like to help us with the planning please feel free to come along to our weekly meetings.  These will be held each Wednesday evening at 7pm in the Archdall Meeting Room in Big School.  We have one tonight Wednesday 4  September.  Please feel free to join us, all are welcome – food and drink are provided to get the creative juices going.

Brandy wanted for Christmas Puddings

The famous TAS P&F Christmas Pudding bake is coming up and prior to that we need heaps and heaps of brandy to soak the fruit in – this is what gives the puddings that spectacular taste!!  If you can donate a bottle of brandy please either drop it in at Main Reception or contact Pudding Co-ordinator Heather Williams on [email protected]

Pudding baking will be on Saturday 19 and Sunday 20 October (TBC).

Next P&F Meeting

Our next General Meeting is on Wednesday 11 September 7pm.  Everyone is welcome and we would love to see you there.

Mrs Rachael Nicoll
P&F President

Round Square International Conference

The Emerald Heights International School, Indore, India – 2019

The Year 11 delegation of Jack Nivison, Sancia Ridgeway, Bronte Garcia, Ramona Nedianu and Riley Simmons will depart Armidale on Tuesday 24 September to embark on the International Round Square pre-conference tour of the northern area of India (including Mussourie, Rishakesh, Delhi and Taj Mahal) and concluding with the RS International Conference being hosted by The Emerald Heights International School, Indore, India from 3-7 October.  The conference theme is ‘Sarvodaya’ – meaning “the world we wish to see”.  Unlike last year, this conference will include all Round Square member schools and will see well over 1500 students and staff at the host school.

Mr O’Connell and Mrs Barnier will be accompanying the delegation and will be joined by Mr Guest for the conference.

Conferences 2020

9-14 March                 CheongShim International Academy, Korea for 14-15 year olds

23-27 April                  Prem Tinsulanonda Int. School, Thailand for 10-12 year olds

13-18 September       RS International Conference (Year 11 students) hosted by one of three        Australian schools (tbc)

Please note that these conferences will be attended where interest is sufficient.

Exchange

We have had a healthy exchange program running again this year with 10 incoming exchange students and 8 outgoing exchange students from TAS in 2019.  We also have some Year 8 exchanges in the pipeline (usually in pairs for 2-3 weeks) within our Australian and East Asian region.

Outgoing exchange

Earlier this term we farewelled:

• Sam Skipper to Stanford Lake College, South Africa
• Archie McDonald to Colombia

And this week farewell:

• Edward Boydell to Stanstead College in Canade
• Hannah Neilson to Marvelwood School, USA.
• Samantha Price (Year 8) to Bunbury Cathedral Grammar School, Bunbury for 2 weeks.

Next term Keeley O’Connor will exchange to Colegio Anglo Colombiano, Colombia.

Incoming exchange

We farewell Liam Sampson next week who will return to his school, Woodridge College in South Africa.  Liam is the last of three brothers who have all taken their exchange in Croft House over the years.

Next term we welcome three exchange students:

• Warrick Melville from Stanford Lake College, South Africa (Abbott House);
• Ntsako Silinda from Penryn College, South Africa (Croft House)
• Maria-Teresa Calva-Xolalpa from Stanstead College, Canada (Girls Boarding)

Should you have any interest in exchange and conferences you should direct your enquiry to Mrs Barnier or Mr O’Connell.  More information on exchange schools and Round Square service opportunities can be found at www.rs.org

Mrs Anna Barnier
Round Square Representative

Year 8 Parent Teacher Interviews

Year 8 Parent Teacher Interviews will to be held tomorrow – Thursday 5 September (3.30pm – 6pm) and Friday 6 September 2pm – 5.30pm)
Two Parent Presentations will also be held – one on Thursday evening 5 September beginning 6.15pm and a repeat session on Friday 6 September at 11.45am. All Year 8 students will attend the session on Friday.

If you have not received information or your webcode for Year 8 parent teacher interviews please contact Mrs Vickey O’Brien – 6776 5806 or [email protected] who will be able to make late bookings for you.

A link to the Stage 5 subject Handbook will be sent to parents and students in the next day.

End of Course Year 11 exams

Year 11 exams will be held in Week 9 (16 – 20 September).
Study Tips from A++ students………   https://www.studiosity.com/blog/how-to-study-a-guide-for-hsc-students

1. Establish a routine
2. Create a study environment that fosters productively
3. Set a timetable
4. Study smarter – be prepared, don’t cram
5. Look after yourself – drink plenty of water and eat healthy foods
6. Reward yourself for studying
7. Have variety in your study program
8. Avoid interrupting your concentration
9. Test yourself and test yourself again on what you have studied
10. If you need help just ask!!

Tutoring

Tutoring in English, Maths and Science is available to students in Years 6 – 8 on Monday and Wednesday afternoons in the Library from 4 – 5pm.
Students in Years 9 and 10 have the opportunity for tutoring in Maths and Science on Monday and Tuesday evenings from 7 – 9pm  and English Tutoring on Tuesday and Thursday evenings from 7-9pm.
Specialist Maths tutoring is also available to Year 11 and 12 students on Wednesday and Thursday evenings from 7 – 9pm in the Library.

Mrs Seonia Wark
Director of Studies

Japanese

Master Chef Japan Competition

Last week the Year 9/10 Japanese class organised a Master Chef competition to test their Language and Culinary skills by cooking four different Japanese dishes for Middle School Students during recess. The students cooked Curry Rice, Kastella cake, Dango and Takoyaki with each dish popular with the students. The competition involved making 100 dishes and the Middle School students voting for their favourite dish. It was very close, however, in the end Curry Rice was named the winner with the Kastella cake a close second.

It was a wonderful opportunity for the Middle school students to sample Japanese food and for the Year 9/10 students to make posters, recipes in Japanese and using Japanese to promote their dish to the students.

Mr Allan Moore

University visits to TAS

A number of visits from universities and colleges will be taking place this week. The program is:

Wednesday 1.30 -2.00 Principal, Mr Ross Switzer from Cromwell College University of Queensland will be talking in Upper Maxwell Room. Any student who is considering a residential college north of the border, I would strongly suggest that you attend this talk.

Thursday 1.30-2.00  Kate Krajewski – University of Newcastle – in the Hoskins Theatre. I get numerous inquiries about the University of Newcastle, so I expect a big audience for this one. Please be prompt.

Minami Takahashi from St Andrew’s College, University of Sydney, will be in Armidale to talk to prospective students about enrolment and scholarships. If you have applied for St Andrew’s, then I recommend you make an appointment with me by Friday for a formal application interview. If you would like an informal interview, then I also recommend you make an appointment with me as well. Mini will discuss applications and the college’s very generous scholarship program, most of which they try to direct to regional and rural students. If you have been considering St Andrew’s as a future college, I would encourage you to take this opportunity to hear directly from the colleges.

UAC/SRS Applications 

I am getting a number of inquiries about the UAC and SRS application process. I would encourage students to attempt the forms first and if they run into trouble contact the UAC helpline on (02) 9752 0200. They are very helpful and are far more familiar with the process than I. In most cases they will be able to answer your questions. I am your next port of call if that does not solve your problem.

The applications are reasonably straight-forward and most students should have the process well under way by now. The closing dates are 30 September for UAC and SRS applications. Early Entry applications differ depending on the university. They all have different requirements. I sent out a flyer earlier in the year which explains the conditions for early entry from the universities. Please be aware of the closing dates especially. For more details on the SRS application process please go to the link below.

https://www.uac.edu.au/current-applicants/schools-recommendation-schemes

Careers advice is still available if a student is unsure as to which direction they would like to head. They just need to contact me about making a suitable time for their appointment.

Educational Access Scheme (EAS)

Educational Access Schemes (EAS) aim to help students, whose education has been negatively affected during Year 11 and/or Year 12 (or equivalent), receive an offer to university.

If you think you may qualify for this scheme please go to the link below for more details

https://www.uac.edu.au/future-applicants/scholarships-and-schemes/educational-access-schemes

Mr Mark Taylor
Careers Advisor

Photo Schedule

Next Friday, 13 September, will be a busy day at TAS. Many students will be juggling Winter Photos with the Deke Sharon workshops. As the photos wind up, all of Middle and Senior School will move onto Adamsfield for the Passing Out Parade. This will be followed by the Cadet Dining-in Night. This juggling is unavoidable at a busy place like TAS and prepares students for the challenges of life beyond school. I urge all students to be aware of their various commitments, organise their time effectively and seek help if it all becomes too hard.

You will notice that the attached photo schedule requires some students to be at school quite early. Whilst I apologise for any inconvenience this causes, the aim has been to avoid interruptions to class time. These photos are an important historical record and we appreciate students making the effort to be present.

Inter House Competition Commences

The Senior School Public Speaking was held today, showcasing the talent across all six houses. The standard of speeches continues to soar as an appreciative audience laughed, contemplated, cheered and applauded each of the speakers. Much of this success is due to the leadership of our Public Speaking Captains, Phebe Hunt and Henry O’Neil along with the guidance and inspiration provided by our Public Speaking Co-ordinators, Mr Hughes and Miss Lo. I join many others in expressing my gratitude and I encourage you to read the full report provided by Mr Hughes below.

The competition continues today with netball. This is the first time that houses have stood alone in such a competition and is a reflection of the growing participation and interest in netball at TAS. It is not uncommon to see the First XV facing off against the First VII on the Middle School courts but today all teams will be mixed. It is sure to be entertaining.

Hopefully this will whet your appetite for the ADNA semi-finals this Saturday at Lynches Road, where four of our five teams will be competing. I encourage as many students as possible to get along to support the girls.

• TAS 1 v VIP Pulse on court A @ 1:20
• TAS 2 v ACSC Pegasus on court B @ 12:00
• TAS 4 v ASC Blaze on court 1 @ 1:20
• TAS 5 v PLC 6 on court 5 @ 2:40

Upcoming Events:

• • Netball, Wednesday 4 September, 3:45 – 5:30pm, Middle School Courts. *
  • Middle School Public Speaking, Thursday 5 September 2:00 – 2:45pm, Hoskins Centre
  • Basketball, Wednesday 11 September, 3:45 – 5:30pm, Belfield Courts. *
  • Touch Football, Wednesday 18 September, 3:45 – 5:30pm, Backfield

* Students who are selected to represent their House will be excused from Passing Out Parade Practice – spectators are not excused.

Finals time

Whilst some teams will progress through to semi-finals and finals, others will finish their season this weekend. Students will naturally want to take a break or move onto the next adventure. However, it is important to check with your coach / MIC of your sport, to confirm when training will cease, as this will vary from sport-to-sport and team-to-team. Summer sport will not commence officially until Term 4. Although, trials will occur for some senior teams this term. Please keep an eye out for further information or contact your MIC.

Mr Will Caldwell
Director of Co-curricular

Winter Photo Schedule

New Zealand Rugby Development Tour 2020

A wonderful opportunity exists for boys in Year 10 and 11 in 2020 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 skiing, jet boating, games against NZ schools, 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 will be limited for this tour and those attending are expected to be part of Opens Rugby teams during their schooling at TAS. If you have any questions, please contact myself at [email protected] or Rachael Edmonds at [email protected]

Click HERE to view DRAFT Itinerary.

Mr AJ Whalley
Director of Rugby

On Monday our Visual Arts students submitted their Bodies of Work, and our Drama students had their performance examinations. For all those students Monday brought a great many months of work to a close and I congratulate all for their hard work, passion and creativity – celebrate what you have accomplished and feel at greater easy with this significant portion of your HSC already complete. Our HSC Music 1, Music 2 and Extension Music students will submit their compositions and then perform in the following two weeks and so we wish them the very best as they near the end of their practical journey. For all those students in Year 11, or those in Year 10 considering 2020 subject choices, I encourage you to speak with these Seniors and hear about their experiences, their joys, and how they would council you to approach your studies with their gift of hindsight.

A reminder to grab your tickets to the A Capella workshops next Friday 13, Saturday 14 and Sunday 15 – there will be no other Music experience like this in Armidale and this chance to work with such an internationally-recognised Hollywood artist is not to be missed.

Finally, as students in both Year 10 and Year 8 start to think about subject choices for Year 11 and Stage 5 I encourage you all to speak with the Creative Arts teachers, as well as the Senior students, to find out what is involved in those areas. There are many courses on offer that attempt to provide an incredibly broad range of experiences, as well as allowing you to explore your interests and passions, and I know that year after year the project-based nature of the Creative Arts in the HSC provides a real academic advantage. So please chat with your class teachers or swing by the Hoskins Centre office if you have questions.

Mr Andrew O’Connell
Creative Arts Coordinator

Deke Sharon at TAS

Deke Sharon is an American singer, arranger, composer, director, producer and teacher of a cappella music and is one of the leaders and promoters of the contemporary a cappella community and a pioneer of the contemporary a cappella style. He has been referred to as “the father of contemporary a cappella” by Entertainment Weekly. Deke is visiting Australia and will take time out from his busy schedule to visit Armidale……. don’t miss this once in a lifetime opportunity for music educators and students to work one on one with this extraordinarily talented musician and teacher.

Deke has his a cappella fingers in many pies, arranging music (Broadway’s In Transit), music directing movies (Pitch Perfect 1, 2 & 3), and producing television’s The Sing Off (US, Holland, China, South Africa), music directing BBC’s Pitch Battle, directing professional groups (Vocalosity), performing (TotalVocal at Carnegie Hall), coaching (Lifetime’s Pitch Slapped) producing albums (Straight No Chaser) and events (Camp A Cappella), publishing arrangements with Hal Leonard, while teaching and promoting a cappella worldwide.

Middle School Middle Years Programme (MYP)

Last week I introduced how the IB Middle Years Programme is being implemented in our Middle School, and it aims to engage students with understanding big ideas, rather than purely memorising facts. A big part of why the Middle Years Programme is so special is the common language that all staff and students engage with.

What is important to understand about the IB MYP, is that it is a flexible framework that accommodates our local NESA curriculum requirements to be met, yet taught in a more engaging way, whilst encouraging students to make connections between their studies and the real world.

The Curriculum

The MYP consists of eight subject groups: language acquisition, language and literature, individuals and societies, sciences, mathematics, arts, physical and health education, and design.
The MYP: a unique approach, relevant for a global society

The MYP aims to help students develop their personal understanding, their emerging sense of self and responsibility in their community.

MYP teachers organise the curriculum with appropriate attention to:

• Teaching and learning in context. Students learn best when their learning experiences have context and are connected to their lives and the world that they have experienced. Using global contexts, MYP students explore human identity, global challenges and what it means to be internationally minded.
• Conceptual understanding. Concepts are big ideas that have relevance within specific disciplines and across subject areas. MYP students use concepts as a vehicle to inquire into issues and ideas of personal, local and global significance and examine knowledge holistically.
• Approaches to learning (ATL). A unifying thread throughout all MYP subject groups, approaches to learning provide the foundation for independent learning and encourage the application of their knowledge and skills in unfamiliar contexts. Developing and applying these skills help students learn how to learn.
• Service as action (community service). Action (learning by doing and experiencing) and service have always been shared values of the IB community. Students take action when they apply what they are learning in the classroom and beyond. IB learners strive to be caring members of the community who demonstrate a commitment to service—making a positive difference to the lives of others and to the environment. Service as action is an integral part of the programme, especially in the MYP community project.
• Language and identity – MYP students are required to learn at least two languages. Learning to communicate in a variety of ways is fundamental to their development of intercultural understanding and crucial to their identity affirmation.

Ms Rachel Piddington
MYP Coordinator

Fantastic Father's Day

What a fantastic turn out for last Friday’s Sausage Sizzle, acknowledging and celebrating the meaningful men in the lives of our students. With the kitchen working overtime to cater, it was fantastic to see the numbers in our playground and of course, competing in the Tug O’ War. Thank you for all your ongoing support.

Student Lead Reflections – 19 September – 1.15 pm – 3.15 pm

Last year, as part of our commitment to the IB –  Primary Year’s Programme Years 3 and 4 held Student Led Reflections in Term 3. This provided the students an opportunity to prepare for and lead a time of reflection about their progress, any special achievements and the chance to share goals for the end of the year with their parents. This term, all classes from Transition to Year 4 will hold SLR’s in specific locations (tba). This is designed to offer a more concrete and meaningful dimension to the concept of assessment for learning and increased student agency, while providing parents greater insight into students’ work. As a result, this will improve the opportunity to discuss specific aspects of interest in your children’s work. The feedback from last year was very positive including comments along the lines of, “It is really clear to see the energy and dedication of the students; The students have a really clear understanding of the learning that has occurred and they found some great ways to express it; It is exciting to hear the students themselves talking about what they have learned.”

As it is throughout the year, the opportunity remains for parents to contact teachers if there is a particular need to discuss aspects of their children’s progress and development This can be organised as usual through Junior School Reception on 6776 5817. Please note this date so as not to miss this important opportunity on 19 September.

PYP Exhibition

Year 5 have (almost) completed many weeks of work on their PYP Exhibition which will be set up in the Hoskins Centre foyer on Tuesday and Wednesday next week. If you do have time to drop in for a look , I am sure the students (and their mentors and teachers) would appreciate it. The Exhibition is a major component of the PYP and the culmination of many intense weeks of work and we congratulate them all of their efforts and the very polished nature of the presentations.

Prac Student

Welcome to Maddie Eastcott-Layton who is completing her practicum with Year 1 and Mrs Hardin.

Dress ups in Kindergarten

Kindergarten would like to build up its dress up options for imaginative play. If you have any dress ups at home that are no longer being used because they don’t fit or are no longer the flavour of the month, we would love some donations. We are mostly hoping for costumes that connect to our Term 4 unit on fairy tales but are happy to accept any costume that spark the imagination! Please no guns or swords.

Absentee advice

If your child is unwell and can’t come to school, please notify the Junior School via email to [email protected] or phone 6776 5817 before 9.00 am. Any absence for reasons other than medical appointments,  must be accompanied by an Exemption from School form which can be found on the School website link attached:

https://www.as.edu.au/parent-forms/      It is a NESA requirement that we have correct information on students’ whereabouts.

School Spirit Awards

Congratulations to the following students for receiving School Spirit Awards at last week’s assembly:

Ted Draney, Hunter Crane, Lucie Stephen, Dominic Leary, Joshua Bourke, Jacqui DuBois, Chelsea Miller, Lucy Taylor, Jack Maitz, Micael O’dell, Salam Alkhathami, Andrew Alkhouri, Ryne Wilkinson, Saleh Alrdadi, Lachlan Brett, Sam Vrkic, Mila Downes. French awards also went to Levi Watts, Chelsea Miller and Ani Anderson.

Happy Birthday

Happy birthday to the following Junior School children that celebrate their birthdays this week: Aamer Alazizi, Ana de las Heras Saldana, Sinclair Little, Angus Tydd and Ryne Wilkinson.

Mr Ian Lloyd
Head of Junior School 

Scholastic Book Club

Thank you to all parents who have been ordering from the Scholastic brochures. The latest brochure from Scholastic (no. 6) is now available and orders should be placed through the Scholastic LOOP order website by Friday 13 September.

Junior School Upcoming Events

PYP Year 1

Year 1 have almost completed their inquiry focussing on the transdisciplinary theme, ‘How We Organise Ourselves’. Throughout this unit their focus has been on the fact that communities provide services designed to meet people’s needs.

They had a wonderful excursion out and about in the local community last week where Mr Scott was such as risk taker as he drove the bus and arrived at various destinations based on the directions written and communicated by the Year 1 students.

Their assessment was a reflection on the unit where students were given the opportunity to demonstrate their new knowledge and understandings. In the assessments students reflected upon the central idea and the three lines of inquiry:

1. Communities provided services to meet people’s needs
2. Roles and responsibilities of community members (Responsibility)
3. The services that are created to support a community (Function)
4. What communities are and which ones do we belong to? (Connection)
   

Mrs Veronica Waters
PYP Coordinator