Tas Talks Weekly Newsletter
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TAS TALKS WEEKLY NEWSLETTER Wednesday 6 February, 2019 Term 1 Week 2 FROM THE HEADMASTER Coast Weekend presented the perfect IN THIS ISSUE opportunity for those new students and From the Headmaster .......................................... 1 those joining a new house to establish Calendar of Events ................................................ 3 the friendships and relationships that Notice Board ................................................................4 are so important in these first weeks of 125 Calendar of Events ...........................................5 school. The perfect beach weather added to the mood of the weekend and it was Community good to see such good atmosphere and P&F .......................................................................... 6 fun being had across the houses. Pastoral Care From the Chaplain ............................................. 8 Holiday Activities From the Director of Pastoral Care ............... 9 Mr Murray Guest Whilst most of us were enjoying the Academic Summer break with family a good From the Director of Studies ......................... 10 Welcome number of our students were involved Careers Advisor .................................................. 12 Welcome to the new school year to in school activities and our staff have Boarding all our returning and new students, enjoyed hearing reports on the success From the Director of Boarding ..................... 13 parents and staff. We begin the year of these at our meetings over the past Coast Weekend .................................................. 14 with 120 new students and the highest fortnight. Those activities included the Round Square ......................................... 15 start-of-year enrolment in the School’s rowing regattas and camps at Grafton history and the growth in numbers and Taree, the cricket festival for our First Development Office that continues is very pleasing to see. XI in Sydney where five TAS players were Connect with Us ................................................ 18 This comes at a time when many in our named in the ‘team of the carnival’, the Co-Curricular Life community continue to be impacted Forensic Science Management Camp Director or Co-curricular ................................. 19 by the drought and the significance of at TAS in preparation for the full camp for Year 8s in the middle of the year, the Co-curricular Reports ....................................... 20 the commitment that this represents is substantial. Junior School exchange to Tezukayama Creative Arts in Japan and most recently the annual Creative Arts Coordinator............................... 23 I made comment at our first assembly production camp for the cast and crew of Music Matters ..................................................... 24 last Tuesday that this is a significant our full school musical for 2019, ‘Oliver!’. Middle School News time for all those who are new here and Students can look forward to hearing Head of Middle School .................................... 26 perhaps particularly those who have reports on these in coming assemblies. There have been individual successes joined us as boarders for the first time. Junior School News and special experiences too, including What we all have in common though, Head of Junior School ..................................... 26 students and staff alike, is that we have Michael Harrell’s week with the Jove Junior School News .......................................... 27 experienced a first day and week at TAS Theatre Company in Sydney following PYP Programme ................................................. 28 and that engenders a natural empathy his success in the Shakespeare Festival Junior School Sports ........................................ 29 for our new students and I am confident last year, the fortnight of intense choral Community News that they will be welcomed in the best training for nine of our best singers Notices .................................................................. 31 traditions of our student body. selected to work with the national www.as.edu.au FROM THE HEADMASTER Gondwana Choirs, Henry O’Neil’s Our 2018 school dux with an ATAR of • Mr Chris Cook (Head of Tyrrell House experience at the National Youth Science 99.65, Sam Jeyakumar, this week returned / PDHPE) – comes to us most recently Forum in Canberra, Reiley Oates’ success to TAS to speak with interested Year 11 from St Phillip’s in Alice Springs where in winning the senior category in the and 12 students and share his advice on he was a head of house and teacher of ‘Young Archies’ portrait competition how to approach the HSC journey and I PDHPE, but also comes with experience exhibited in Tamworth, Cameron Frear thank him for his generosity in doing that. from schools in the Hunter Valley, competed with the NSW U/18 mixed Sam heads to UNSW to study medicine Newcastle and Holland. Chris joins us junior polocrosse team in New Zealand, this year and will join our 2016 dux, with his wife Maartje and their son and Michael Paull also enjoyed equestrian Charlie Wyatt, at Baxter College where daughter. success in NSW carnivals and Lily Charlie is the Senior Student this year. • Miss Samantha Clayton (HSIE) – joins Neilson’s selection in the NSW U/18 the HSIE Department. Originally from Women’s Hockey team. What all the Welcome to New Staff Guyra and an O’Connor and UNE student, achievements in this eclectic collection As we begin the new year we welcome she is returning to the New England from have in common is that they are the back several staff who were on leave Cooktown State School in FNQ with her rewards for genuine dedication and the at the end of last year. Alan Jones and fiancée Jarrod. willingness to pursue individual passions Seonia Wark return from long service • Miss Rachel Holford (English) – joins the to the next level and they deserve our leave in Term 4 last year and I offer English Department as a new teacher, recognition. thanks again to Will Caldwell and Luke having completed her Bachelor of Arts Polson who took on their roles and and Teaching last year, specialising in Special congratulations are also due to Xavier McKenzie returns from maternity English and History. our Director of Music Leanne Roobol leave and the birth of her son Felix. • Miss Belinda Macri (HSIE / English) – has who was named as Armidale’s Citizen of Congratulations to Rachael Piddington been at TAS in Middle School boarding the Year in recognition of her extensive (formerly Harrison) on her marriage over for the past two years and joins the HSIE work and leadership in music in our the holidays. and English Departments full-time. community. Some will remember past • Dr Inga Brasche (Music 0.8) – comes staff member Max Tavener who was also As our student population increases, so to us from Armidale High and UNE recognised in Australia Day Honours with too does the size of our academic staff most recently, but with diverse other an OAM for his work with veterans in our and we welcome a good number of new experience in both music teaching and region and I offer him congratulations staff as the new year begins, including research – from Namibia to the University too. eight new teachers: of Technology in Sydney to East Arnhem Land and Lord Howe Island. 2018 HSC and the Academic • Dr Charlotte Mack (Science) – has • Miss Arlene Fletcher – will be known to Year Ahead travelled across the country from Western many of you and she also joins or music department. As most parents will now be aware, our Australia to join our Science department. 2018 HSC cohort set the bar high and Charlotte is a new graduate from Curtin presented a strong role model for our University. New Support Staff HSC students this year. The performance • Mr Ben Cook (Head of Abbott House In addition to our new teachers, was quite probably the strongest ever for / PDHPE / CD) – joins us from Trinity Mrs Emily Griffiths has joined the TAS and I offer them and their teachers Grammar where he has been teaching Development Office team and I welcome collective congratulations on the results PDHPE and CD and in charge of the her to TAS. that reflect the purposeful way they boarding house. Ben joins us with his wife approached their senior studies. Mia and their two daughters. TAS TALKS 2 GAP Students 125 Years for TAS However, this 125th anniversary is also We have six new GAP staff joining us As 2019 begins, TAS celebrates 125 years the right time to reflect on our history at the start of term, with some good as a school and this is an opportunity and acknowledge that TAS was not a diversity amongst them: to celebrate all that TAS has been able happy place for some past students and • Melissa Planis from Markham College, to achieve thus far and to reflect on that injustice and abuse occurred. A great Lima, Peru how we can continue providing our deal has changed over recent decades • Immy Syrett from the UK students with the kind of education and of course, both at TAS and in Australian • Elle Eglington from the UK experiences that will help set them up society, but that doesn’t change the fact • Kelvin Kamau from Starehe Boys for a successful and fulfilling adult life. that it has never been acceptable for any Centre, Kenya There are aspects of TAS’ culture that have child to experience ill-treatment or abuse. • Mitchell Evans from Canberra (Chapel been positive and enduring and that Our recognition of how deeply sorry Gappie) we believe are important to maintain, we are for this will be represented in a • Miles Hollingworth from Zimbabwe (yet including our belief in being an outward- memorial on the school grounds this year to arrive). looking school, instilling a keen sense as a place of reflection that I hope will They will join Pip Malone and Daniel of adventure and helping our students help with healing. Bailey who have been with us for a build personal resilience and lasting semester. friendships. Murray Guest • Elisabeth Nau will also join the Junior School as a French Language Assistant for the year. CALENDAR OF I hope that you will introduce yourself to them and welcome them as you see EVENTS TERM 1 them around the School.