TAS Talks Term 3 Week 6
01. From the Principal
DR RACHEL HORTON
National Science Week
Last week I came across a quote from the philosopher Plato: I would teach children music, physics, and philosophy; but most importantly music, for the patterns in music and all the arts are the keys to learning. Of course, I might choose physics first, and the reality is that music involves structure, pattern and repetition and is transported via soundwaves; so music and physics are interwoven, but the benefits of music on so many levels cannot be denied.
Among the benefits ascribed to learning music, particularly for children, are a variety of increased cognitive abilities. Listening to music has also been shown to reduce blood pressure and is well known to reduce anxiety. Performing as part of a band or choir helps to develop social skills and encourages creative expression. Perhaps beyond all of these, listening to or creating music is a joyful experience. We rarely ask someone IF they like music, the question posed is usually what type of music do you enjoy?
The enjoyment of music is also the number one marker of success for our music department at TAS who are often told how obvious it is that our students enjoy singing in the choirs. It is also wonderful to see a commitment to and love of music rewarded and while we are not currently able to sing together, some of our TAS singers have still managed to be extremely successful during the lockdown. TAS Singers won the Sydney Eisteddfod Choral Event: Youth Choir for Male Voices Only (19 & Under) with a pre-recorded choral video entry from June. They performed “Thoroughly Modern Men” by Harley Mead and “Joshua Fit the Battle of Jericho” arranged by Kirby Shaw for a video submission to the Sydney Eisteddfod. TAS Singers (with a cameo from one girl) also sang “Thoroughly Modern Men” in the Armidale Eisteddfod earlier this year, giving a truly beautiful performance in a non-competitive category.
One of the absolute joys of being a teacher is when we have the opportunity to see our students after school at whatever stage of their lives they are at. This week I asked three students who graduated from Brighton Grammar School last year to join a Zoom meeting with our Year 12 cohort. They spoke about the challenges of learning and completing assessments online and shared their strategies for staying motivated and connected throughout. I am extremely grateful to Jack, Harrison and Josh for instantly agreeing to give up their time for the meeting and for their frank and open-reflections and advice. I hope that some of this resonated with our Year 12 students and I would like to wish all of them the very best of luck as they embark upon their trial exams this week.
Dr Rachel Horton
Principal
02. From the Chaplain
MR RICHARD NEWTON
03. From the Director of Studies
MR LUKE POLSON
On Monday, three Year 12 students from Brighton Grammar spoke to our Year 12 cohort. These students completed much of their schooling last year online, including the completion of exams and assessments in this format. It was great for our Year 12 students to hear first-hand from students who have been through this before. Our students had opportunities to ask questions and hear strategies for staying motivated and focused during this time. Year 12 students will commence their Trial HSC Exams at home this Thursday and Friday. We wish all of Year 12 well for these assessments and are here to support them during this time. Please find below a copy of the Exam Timetable and Student Expectations Document.
Year 8 into Year 9 Information Evenings
It is not too late to register for the Year 8 into 9 Information Evenings. These are being held tonight and tomorrow night. These sessions are scheduled for:
- Wednesday 25 August – 7:30pm
- Thursday 26 August – 7:30pm
These sessions will be conducted by Zoom and an RSVP for either of these sessions should be sent to dos@as.edu.au
It is anticipated that students and parents will receive subject selection information towards the end of next week (Week 6), with time provided to make initial selections for electives before receiving a final copy of the lines by the end of this term.
Year 11, 2022 Subject Selection
We are currently finalising the lines for Year 11, 2022. It is anticipated that these lines will be available to students and families during Week 6, with final selections due by the beginning of Term 4.
ICAS
A number of students have registered for ICAS assessments that we have not been able to sit due to the online learning period. We have been advised by ICAS that there will be an additional competition window for students to sit papers in October (Term 4). Any students who have already registered for these papers now will be automatically transferred to the next window.
Director of Studies
04. From the P&F
MR PAUL GADDES
TAS Golf Day – Friday 27 August
I trust you all got a chance to be part of National Science Week and explore with the family between Zoom sessions. We saw some great experiments completed – who knew Oobleck was a thing!
TAS Golf Day – Postponed
Unfortunately, Golf Day had to be postponed due to the continuation of the Armidale LGAs lockdown. The intention is to hold the event later this year – stay tuned for details. We will all be out having fun again soon.
P&F Resources
Keep in mind if you are looking for updates on the P&F activity, like meeting minutes or the agenda for the next meeting, you can find these on the resources section of the TAS Parents Portal https://www.as.edu.au/pf/.
Next P&F Meeting
Reserve the date for the next P&F meeting on Wednesday 8 September from 7pm.
Contact the P&F Executive
If you have anything you would like to raise with the P&F Executive, please send us an email on pandf@as.edu.au
Mr Paul Gaddes
P&F President
05. From the Director of Co-curricular
MR HUON BARRETT
Whilst we all might be enjoying a little more time in our slippers and dressing gowns, it has been awesome to see that student success carries on well into lockdown and the co-curricular offerings continue during this time.
Success and Congratulations
The Middle School Debating team of Daniel Emmery, Samuel Krishnan, Jack Coddington and Stella Maroulis won a close debate against Scotch College Melbourne last week. The topic: ’That juries should sentence convicted criminals’ – with TAS being Negative. The team has now won two debates with their last in this Group round, against Carey Baptist School WA, to take place this afternoon. The top two teams from each group then go into the finals. A special mention to Mr Hughes who continue to drive our Public Speaking and Debating to greater heights.
Congratulations to our TAS Singers who have been selected as one of the finalists in the John Lamble Foundation Australasian Championship for Youth Choirs (19 & Under) & Open Primary Choir. The adjudicators for this special event will adjudicate our video submission.
What’s on Offer
‘Co-curricular e-learning’ kicked off this week, there is plenty to choose from. Students and Staff will have the opportunity to be a part of any club and as many as you choose (the idea is engagement, try something new, learn a new skill and more importantly connect with people). No need to sign up just join, the aim is to be involved in at least one club per week or as many as you like.
As you sign in to CANVAS you will see the different Clubs/Sports/Music – these courses are in the beginning stage and the plan is to grow these courses in the coming weeks. Please log onto Canvas, check out the timetable and get involved.
The TAS 20: Mr Pennington is at again. The next challenge (to be included in the Triple Crown) is 20 days of physical activity as prescribed by several students and staff. Dr Horton started us off on Monday with a Mona Fartlek, a training session used by one of Australia’s great long-distance runners Steve Monaghetti.
The importance of physical activity, and getting outside, remains one of our great escapes from, at times, the mundane nature of being homebound. I wish you all a productive week.
Mr Huon Barrett
Director of Co-curricular
06. From the Head of Middle School
MR MARK HARRISON
Middle School Leaders send messages to students
Scarlett Buntine – Head Girl
Hey guys, I hope you guys are coping during this online learning period. It’s definitely hard and I’m sure you guys have mixed feelings about it. I’m loving the time I get to spend with my family but being in the same room as your sibling for a few weeks can do your head in! I am participating in the TAS 20 challenge to make sure I’m keeping fit. We have had a few different Advisors including, bring you pet and dress up days. I hope you guys are having fun during this time but make sure to look after your physical and mental health while you’re at it.
Daniel Emmery – Head Boy
Hello Middle School, a tough start, with everything being so sudden it amazes me how students, parents, and teachers have all managed to come to a solution for these unwanted times. It is always good to think that I can have a sleep-in for an extra couple of minutes but in terms of what I need to get done, there is never a time that I am not busy. Whether it is just with school work, co-curricular debating, and even fitness, there is always still so much to do. When Zoom classes aren’t on, I find it relaxing to go for a break, whether that is a run across our property, helping out with work around the farm, or just chilling with my dog it is always important to find time away from the screen. As these times are tough it is important that we all stay connected, making sure we are calling up on mates and checking in on how things are going.
Angus Swales – Boys Boarding
Hey everyone, I hope you guys are doing ok in lockdown. I’m sure some of you are probably loving being at home, while others may be waiting for the call to come back to school. But nevertheless, we are all in this together. Make sure you are checking up on your friends daily and making sure that everyone is doing alright in these tough times. And also, help your families out whenever you get the chance, because without them, I’m sure this whole lockdown process would be much, much harder for you. And finally, just make sure that you are staying active in these times, and getting away from your laptop as often as possible (just not in the middle of class).
Keep well and look after yourselves.
Miller Harwood – Sports Leader
I know online learning is tough, some will find it fun and some will not, but we can get through this together. I hope you are keeping active and fit during this difficult period of time so when you come back to school you are healthy, ready for your TAS sports for when we are all back to normal. During quarantine the things I do to keep myself happy and well I like to talk to friends, exercise and go outside to get away from the screen. If you have any questions or concerns about anything please email me, also if you have any further questions about the new TAS 20 challenge. Stay well!
Jack Coddington – Academic Leader
I hope that everyone has been learning well from home and are keeping up with their school work. I would like to remind you, as an academic leader, that online learning still counts towards your school work and assessments, so you must keep up with all of your classes so that you aren’t behind when we go back to school. This is an important time of the year so I recommend being fully focussed on your school work and keeping distractions out of reach. Hope you are enjoying lockdown so far.
Maddie Simmons – Girls Boarding
Hey everyone, I hope online learning is going well for you. Some things I have enjoyed while online learning are the creative advisors that I have done, like this week my Advisor is dressing up as a book character because it is Book Week. One of the things that I am really happy about is seeing my family and of course seeing all my pets. I know some of you really want to go back to school and others are just wanting to stay home. Dr Horton will make a decision on when it is alright for us to come back, so until then just relax and be patient. If you have any questions just email me and enjoy the rest ok lockdown.
Sam Krishan – Creative Leader
Hi guys, in lockdown I had to come back to my farm in Dorrigo. Some things I’ve really enjoyed about being in lockdown in Dorrigo is being closer to nature and some other things that I love, like animals and pretty much anything with an engine! I’ve also been working on my car a bit and doing exercise in the wide open paddocks. And, like me you guys should make an effort to find some positives of being at home in lockdown. Maybe discover a new hobby or pick up an old one. Make sure to keep everyone active because it’s a big part of your well-being, another thing to think about is keeping in touch with friends. I know that sometimes it can be hard to stay in contact because of laggy screens and horrible wifi, but you should put an effort into trying. Hope you are all having a fun lockdown, and, at any opportunity you get, get away from that laptop!
Now from a creative arts perspective, it’s a lot harder to participate in this area of TAS life from home, but, if you play an instrument and you have one at home, maybe have some fun with it, perform for your family if you like. Get in touch with your music teachers, organize a period where you can Zoom each other and continue your journey to become the best musician you can. If you are bored, get out some paint or a drawing device and become creative with what resources you have. And finally, if you guys are creative, artistic pieces whether it be musical, visual, or theatrical, and are quite proud of it, email it to your corresponding teachers or even to me. It would be great if myself and your teachers could see what you guys are up to.
Tempe Onslow – Service Leader
Online learning has gone for longer than everybody expected, and might be starting to get a bit boring for everyone. However, the TAS staff and teachers have come up with a range of different co-curricular activities for us to participate in, from the difficult ‘TAS 20’, to our PE fitness and recreational activities, to cooking, debating, chess and music. There’s definitely something for everyone and hopefully everyone can get involved. Remember that your Advisors and other TAS staff are always available for help, or a bit of a talk for anyone who needs to reach out.
Harriet Crawford – Girls Boarding
Hey everyone. Hope your internet is holding up. Hopefully, we won’t have to do it for much longer.
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- Year 6, Mrs Brunsdon Advisor Group ‘Pet Day’
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- Year 7 Ms Taber and Mrs Collette’s Advisor Group ‘Weird Hair and Moustaches Day’
07. From the Head of Junior School
MR IAN LLOYD
Learning at Home
The connection between home and school is becoming increasingly important as our remote learning program continues and we encourage all our families to remain in touch with their teachers at school, with each other and for the children to do likewise. Support for our community come in various forms, pleasant unexpectedly and at other times, only because of the hard work to reach out and find it.
I hope you are feeling connected. Each week at school we hear about the successes but also the failures of remote learning. It is tough and from our staff meeting yesterday, the evidence is suggesting that our families are travelling well. Where necessary the program is modified to respond to the feedback we receive; please let us know how you are going.
Weeks at School – Science Week and Book Week
I thank all those staff who were so involved in creating what has been a wonderful distraction for us this week when hosting a myriad of Science Week and Book Week activities. It really was a team effort and I was so pleased that many of our students became involved.
Book Week Parade
Each class has advertised their Book Week parade and on Friday, there will be chaos and mayhem of all kinds I sure, as our screens become the venue for a “Book Parade”. Your teachers will advise you of more details but the following will help give an outline of the plan. Having met for the morning information session each class will follow a schedule for their parade online…at the following times:
- Transition and Kindergarten – 9.00 am
- Year 1 – 9.30 am
- Year 2 – 10.30 am
- Year 3, 4 & 5 –8.45 am (for their morning session).
Combined groups will also come together at the following times and we will see what we will see..!!!
- Transition to Year 2 – 11.00 until 11.30 am (Link from Mrs O’Connor)
- Year 3 to 5 – 11.30 – 12.00 noon (Link from Mrs Waters )
The TAS 20 Challenge
And finally, Mr Pennington has done it again!? Please look into and become involved in the TAS ’20’, a fantastic initiative organised by Mr Pennington designed to get us all up and going until the end of term. The details are advertised elsewhere but suffice to say, it offers a great incentive to put away the screens and have some physical fun. We have seen how valuable using such ideas become to provide a stimulus to be involved and connect; his backyard Obstacle Course activity provided a great example of this. I am sure the TAS ’20’ will provide equally interesting and exciting opportunities for the whole family heading into the next few weeks. For more information about this event, please contact the school…
Stay well.
School Spirits
Congratulations to the following students that received School Spirit Awards last week:
Daniel Ivannikov, James Gillman, Sansa Ranawake, Anna Trevaskis, Elsie Nexo, Lachlan Chiu, Casey Tighe, Toby Whysall, James Taylor, Emi Fawcett, Humjot Sandhu, Matilda Polson, Janesh Wijewarna, Alexander Dell, Mohammed Alrdadi, Sahib Singh, Bonnie Blanch, William Cooper-Fillios, Oliver Robb, Jack Maitz and Harriet Coupland.
Happy Birthday
Many happy returns to the following Junior School students celebrating a lockdown birthday this week: Ivy Rice, Roman Sue, Sam Trevaskis and Talon Allsop.
Mr Ian Lloyd
Head of Junior School
| Week 6 | |
| Friday 27 August | Virtual Book Parade |
| Week 7 | |
| Wednesday 1 September | Year 3 Assembly – Hoskins Centre 2.45 Year 5 Exhibition – Hoskins Centre (Postponed) |
| Week 8 | |
| Wednesday 8 September | Year 5 Assembly – Hoskins Centre 2.45 |
| Thursday 9 September | Year 3-4 Kayaking and Swim & Survive |
IB Primary Years Programme
PYP Home Learning and Attributes of The Learner Profile
The remote PYP classroom can be viewed as a reflective place, where student success is valued and their issues or problems shared and solved in partnership with family, peers and teachers. Reflection is an important part of the learning process. When we reflect on our experiences, growth is quite often the end result. As part of our PYP offering at TAS Reflection is an integral part of the learning process for both students and teachers.
Each class has been reflecting in different ways as outlined in the table below.
Mrs Veronica Waters
PYP Coordinator
| Kindergarten | Kindergarten’s first task every day is to circle an emoji that reflects how they are feeling. They can add a video or voice recording to let me know why they feel that way. Starting the day by sharing how we are feeling is really special!
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| Year 1 | Year One has been reflecting on a variety of stories during Book Week. They have been listening to, reading and responding through story writing and art during our Home Learning tasks.
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| Year 2 | Year 2 have been working on developing their independence at home. Reading their instructions carefully and uploading their work on their own so Mrs Hardin and Mrs Brown can reflect in their teaching methods when reviewing the uploads. |
| Year 3 | Year 3 have reflected on how much they enjoy connecting and supporting each other on our Zoom sessions each morning. They have demonstrated a growing maturity in the way that they have navigated their online learning platform, asking questions and sharing humour along the way that is highly valued by all.
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| Year 4 | Year 4 have spent time reflecting on the attributes of the learner profile. ‘Bumping up’ their work and taking risks with their learning is the focus for this week. They have been able to select between 1 star, 2 star and 3 star tasks, which has allowed them to demonstrate agency. |
| Year 5 | Year 5’s have reflected on how they can improve their study habits. Some students find that they prefer to complete their work earlier in the day, whilst others prefer to follow the current timetable. They have tried hard to focus on their self-management skills, such as ensuring their materials are ready the night before the task, study areas are tidy and all work has been sent through for feedback or that they have applied the feedback that has been provided. All students acknowledge the importance of routine.
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