TAS Talks Term 4 Week 1

Welcome back to all students and families after what I hope has been a refreshing and enjoyable break. As is usually the case, this school holiday was a busy one for many of our students with representative sport for a number and four school trips running simultaneously. At yesterday’s Middle and Senior School assembly we were presented with visual reports from the Fiji and Thailand Christian service trips, the great challenge of the Kokoda Track and the Round Square International Conference in India. What was clear from those presentations was that each one of these very different adventures had a profound impact on those fortunate enough to join them. Whether the appeal was in the satisfaction of making a difference by serving others, testing physical and mental limits or opening the mind by mixing with diverse people from all around the world, it is clear that these experiences made what I confident will be a lasting difference for all those who were involved.

Back at home the summer sporting season began for some and I offer congratulations to those selected in representative cricket teams over the holiday break, including outgoing Senior Prefect Dahlia Glennie who was chosen as captain of her Central North team, and I wish all well for both the TAS and representative seasons ahead.

2019 Higher School Certificate

For Year 12 the break was less adventurous and hopefully less restful. I have been hearing good reports of some diligent work happening and that is pleasing. Their HSC exams begin tomorrow with the first of the English papers and I am sure all will join me in wishing every one of our students well as they attempt to make the most of their study efforts.

Looking Ahead

This final term for the year is our shortest, but there will be a good deal packed into it as Year 11 begin their HSC year, Years 6 to 10 sit end of year exams, the Activities Program winds up with Bivouac and Activities Week and all take up their Summer sports. At our opening assembly I encouraged students to be active in their planning and goal setting for this short and busy term and I hope that parents will help by reinforcing the importance of that.

Murray Guest

1 Corinthians 13

When I started high school we were all given a blue conduct card. This card was to be carried everywhere with us. The card was signed if you did something that perhaps contravened school rules. Then at the end of two weeks the card would be handed in and you would receive a fresh one. It seemed like a good system, by the end of the first week I was on track to meet my quota and I had filled the first side. I thought, “this is fine, I have a whole new side to get through the second week…” little did I know that three signatures on the card equated to an afternoon detention, that two afternoon detentions would result in a Saturday appointment, etc, etc.

After the first fortnight I almost got the hang of it. It would have been great to know how the system worked, it would have been far better to have been informed before things had unravelled.

We have systems in place here at TAS to look after our community, but the best thing is the advice we receive from the School Lesson, 1 Corinthians 13. If you’re new to the school or if you just haven’t noticed, we read this lesson at least twice a term.

This reading is all about love; the sort of love that places other’s ahead of ourselves, sacrificial love that doesn’t count the cost. It’s love in action. In the context of the passage it’s the sort of love that is needed to conform people who are perhaps different in nearly every conceivable way to become God’s united church family, a principle that most certainly applies to our school situation. God doesn’t expect us to do something that he hasn’t done first. This type of love has been perfectly demonstrated to us when God wanted to unite us with himself, even though we are so vastly different to God. He sent His Son to die on our behalf even though we had our backs turned to Him, ignoring Him, even despising Him, he acted in love.

As a school community we need this sort of sacrificial, putting the interests of others ahead of ourselves type of love, because, in case you haven’t noticed, we are not all the same. We have different interests, gifts, abilities and different agendas, but we all function as a whole. We need to think of each other first if we are to build one another up.

We are human, we do not do this well, and we need this reminder regularly, to imitate Christ and His love for us.

Mr Richard Newton

Mr Andrew O’Connell
Creative Arts Coordinator

Welcome to Term 4

Welcome back to TAS for the final term of 2019. I am so pleased to be Acting Head of Middle School for Term 4 while Mr Mark Harrison is on well-deserved Long Service Leave. I hope your family enjoyed the break from school and you were able to spend some quality time together.

As we have returned to warm weather it is lovely to see the students looking smart in their summer uniforms. Can you please encourage your child to be wearing a hat each day? Our staff here in Middle School continually encourage and remind the students to protect their skin from the harshness of the Armidale sun; we appreciate your support on this important matter.

Holiday Service Trip to Fiji

Yesterday in Assembly we enjoyed hearing a report from Toby Inglis on behalf of the Middle School students who travelled to Fiji for their Service Trip to St Christopher’s Home for Children. It sounds as if it was a deeply moving experience for all involved. Thank you to the students and staff who took part in the planning and the actual trip itself; I am so happy to hear it was so beneficial and successful.

Preparation for Examinations

Year 6, 7 and 8 students will be sitting End of Course Examinations in Week 3 and in preparation for this, Revision Booklets and Exam Notifications have begun to be issued and will be electronically stored on each classes’ CANVAS page. Students need to have these resources with them each lesson so they can be actively engaging with the revision process.

If you have any concerns, please be sure to contact me through Mrs Robyn Frost on 6776 5819 or via email at middle@as.edu.au.

Mrs Gill Downes
Acting Head of Middle School

Welcome Back

I would like to welcome all of our families back to TAS for the busy and exciting Term 4. I encourage everyone to read TAS Talks each week and contact the School with any questions that may arise. Major events to look out for this term include: Year 5 Frog Dreaming Excursion, JS Bike Safety and Triathlon Day, the JS Musical Madagascar Jr (and associated working bees), TAS 125 Celebrations, Year 5 Dinner, JS Final Assembly, JS Christmas Service and our end of year Junior School Speech Day with Special Guest Tanya Ha. I trust everyone is looking forward to a busy, but exciting term.

Staffing

Whilst no stranger to TAS or the Junior School, we welcome Mrs Gaye Piper back to the Junior School teaching team. For the duration of Term 4, Mrs Piper will be teaching in the Junior School covering some of the Year 5 teaching load and support periods in a variety of classes.

The Fathering Project

TAS Junior School is in the early stages of developing a relationship with the Fathering Project. The Fathering Project is a research/evidence based, not-for-profit organisation, which simply wants to help dads and father-figures spend some quality time together with their children.

As fathers and father-figures, it’s easy to get lost in our other roles and forget what our first job is. Yet, it’s the most important job we’ll ever have, because what we do, or don’t do as dads, has an enormous impact on the happiness and health of the kids we love.

Together, we can help build resilience, self-respect and emotional intelligence in our kids. In addition, we can give our kids a great deal of self-worth, just by showing up and being there.

The Fathering Project aims to positively promote the important role of fathers and father-figures, through a handful of small events normally within the school – two of those being simple ‘Dad and Kids’ events like Paper Planes and Pizza nights, and two being ‘Dads Only’ nights. The Dads Only nights are also designed to be fun, informal but informative. We simply talk about what fathering is about and encourage each other along the way. What we will use is information which has come from reputable research, to help guide us in our journey as an effective Father or Father figure.

Everyone benefits when there is an engaged and effective father or father-figure in a child’s life. We know that an effective father or father-figure has an enormous impact on the happiness and health of the kids they love.

TAS is pleased to be hosting a Pizza and Paper planes evening on Thursday 24 October. Please RSVP to: junior@as.edu.au

Further details on the work of the Fathering Project, see thefatheringproject.org

Working Bees - Madagascar

Again, I would like to draw your attention to the two working bees that we will be holding in Term 4 to prepare for our musical production, Madagascar Jr. Mrs Leasa Cleaver and her production team has organised 27 October and 10 November 10 to complete the costumes and props required for our performances. Again this year, we will provide a BBQ for those that can attend from 12.00pm and conclude at 2.00pm. Please put these dates in your diaries and keep your eye out for a separate note regarding these activities.

Uniform and Hair

School uniform is flexible for the first two weeks of Term 4 in Junior School as the weather can be so variable. Families can choose whether their child comes to School in either their Winter or Summer uniform depending on the weather. From Week 3 though, all children are expected to wear Summer uniform. Additionally, sports uniform is only to be worn on the days students have a TAS sport (not those days when they have PE or Martial Arts). Travel to and from School in PE gear is also not permissible. Please ensure all students wear the correct uniform, in a tidy and presentable manner. All hair should be tidy and well kept, not cut to make a statement or become extravagant. For boys, it should be off the collar and ears and for girls, if longer than shoulder length, tied with blue ribbon.  Hair should always be of natural colour. Earrings should only be a small plain stud or sleeper. Please support the School if your child has been asked to tidy up their hair and contact me should this become a problem.

Junior School Speech Day 2019 – Wednesday 4 December 2019 at 9.00 am

Please make a note of the new time for our Junior School Speech Day next term. Last term Mr Lloyd introduced our Guest Speaker and presenter Tanya Ha, an award-winning environmental campaigner, television presenter, author, science journalist, speaker and sustainable living advocate.  There is plenty more information at <https://tanyaha.com/home/about/> and I am sure the occasion will be enjoyable for all. Please look out for a separate invitation to this event in the coming weeks.

Assemblies this Term

This term will see a slightly different format for assemblies, due to the smaller number of weeks that we have available for assemblies. Year 5 students will ‘host’ the assemblies and each class from T-4 will take it in turns to present an item. Please see below the schedule for which classes will be presenting an item. All assemblies are held in the Hoskins Centre from 2:45 and all are welcome.

• Week 1: No assembly
• Week 2: Year 4 & Kindergarten
• Week 3: Year 3 & Transition
• Week 4: Year 1 & Year 2
• Week 5: No assembly
• Week 6: Junior School Final Assembly

Mr Luke Polson
Acting Head of Middle School