Mrs Adele Ramsay - Principal 

As I commence my journey at Tara, I want to express my heartfelt gratitude for the smooth start we have had to the new school year.  A very warm welcome to our Tara girls and their families. Our ELC, Kindergarten, and Year 7 students, along with new additions across various year levels, are settling into the Tara family well. Witnessing their positive transition is a testament to the supportive environment that defines our School community.

Last week, we opened the academic year with a Year 3-12 Chapel in the gymnasium. It served as a beautiful commencement, reminding us that, irrespective of circumstances, God walks with us, calming our storms and guiding us through the journey ahead.

New Tara Staff

In addition to welcoming our students, I am thrilled to introduce the new additions to our Tara staff for 2024. Please join me in extending a warm Tara welcome to:

• Gabriella Abboud - Social Science teacher
• David Berridge – Careers Advisor / History teacher
• Anna Cha – Junior School teacher
• Zenia Chai – Maths teacher
• Natalie Foti – Senior School Psychologist 
• Sophie Goeghegan - Learning Support teacher
• Phoebe Gooley – Science teacher
• Gauri Gupta – Social Science teacher
• Heidi-Anne Harris – Junior School teacher
• Bernadette Hook – Languages teacher 
• Julia Lachet – Languages teacher
• Elizabeth Leschev – Maths teacher
• Jenson Lu – English Teacher
• Sarah Roberts – Junior School teacher 
• Chris Saltos - Social Science teacher
• Stella Shi – History teacher
• Victoria Small – Assistant Head of Boarding
• Jaene Strachan – Senior School Youth Worker
• Heather-Rose Thompson – English and Christian Studies teacher
• Rachel Unice – Assistant Head of Science
• Ellen van Bruinessen – Math teacher
• Catherine Wood - Science teacher
• Nicole Yule – Senior School Head of Library

Each of these professionals brings a wealth of experience and passion to their respective roles, and we are excited about the positive impact they will undoubtedly have on our Tara community.

As we dive into the myriad of opportunities awaiting our Tara girls, our School calendar brims with events designed to enrich their experiences beyond the confines of traditional classrooms. The recent Swimming Carnivals, the start of Saturday Sport, and the Prefects' Service at St Andrew’s Cathedral have set a spirited tone for the exciting year ahead.

In the realm of sporting achievements, our girls recently showcased their prowess at back-to-back Rowing Regattas, a testament to the growing strength of our rowing program. Their dedication and success made us very proud.

Abdallah Memorial Garden and Anniversary

1 February marked the 4th anniversary of the passing of Angelina and Sienna Abdallah and their brother Antony and cousin, Veronique. On Saturday, 3 February, a memorial garden was opened beside the Oatland’s Golf Club, serving as a permanent place of reflection and memory for these four young lives lost. To those who were able to attend the heartfelt memorial service, your presence spoke volumes.

In the face of unimaginable sorrow, Danny and Leila Abdallah stand as pillars of strength, vulnerability, and forgiveness. I thank them for the plaque they have gifted to the School, as a memory of Angelina and Sienna and an acknowledgment of the journey the Abdallahs and Tara have walked together, guided by God’s love, grace, and strength. We also thank and honour them for their Christ-like example of forgiveness and pray for God’s love, peace and mercy to surround them be with them always.  

Activate – A Welcome Back Event

Finally, I extend heartfelt gratitude to all who joined us for 'Activate,' our welcome back evening on Friday night. It was a delightful occasion where parents came together, fostering connections in an informal setting. I thoroughly enjoyed meeting so many of our parents and I feel incredibly blessed by the warm embrace of the Tara community.

As the term unfolds, I eagerly look forward to meeting more parents and families, and building connections that contribute to the vibrant tapestry of our School community. 

God’s richest blessings to you all

To ensure the School has the correct contact information for you and medical details for your daughter, we ask that you log on to Edumate Parent Portal and use the Update Personal Details link to check and update yours and your daughter's information. 

If you have more than one daughter, switch between their profiles to complete. Please ensure you check and update each tab before you click the Submit changes button. If you Submit before you finish, you will not be able to submit any further changes until your previous submission has been processed on our end. 

Medical information is used to ensure the health and safety of your daughter during the day, excursions and Camps etc. 

Note: you can only log on to Edumate and complete this task using a PC. 

To assist you, please click the following link to access 'A Guide to Edumate'

Did you know that you can receive important notifications, view sports information, book events, advise the school of student absences and complete permission notes all via the Tara Parent App?

Downloading the Tara Parent App is easy! Stay connected with all the news and events of Tara.

Download on the App Store here

Download on Google Play here

Term Time Hours:

Monday to Friday
7:30am – 12:00pm
Closed between 12:00pm and 1:00pm
1:00pm – 5:00pm

First Saturday of each month (Term time only) 9:00am - 12:00pm

To order online please login to your My Student Account. All orders are for click and collect.

For more information please call 02 8838 2646

The Tara Second Hand Uniform Shop currently has a lot of good quality winter pinafores and blouses for sale. 

Visit us at the Tara Uniform Shop

The Tara Hub serves as the central community body for Tara, with every parent of a current Tara student being a member. Primarily, the Tara Hub focuses on fostering social connections by organising gatherings and events within the Tara community. They actively welcome new families to Tara and engage in fundraising efforts for the School.

Each term, the Tara Hub convenes with the community, providing parents with an opportunity to discuss operational aspects of Tara and address any relevant inquiries. Mrs Adele Ramsay, the Principal, regularly attends these meetings.

The next meeting is set for Tuesday, 5 March at 7pm, and all members of the community are encouraged to attend. Mr Scott Baker, Deputy Principal and Head of Senior School, will also be present to share updates on the remarkable HSC results achieved by the Class of 2023.

The parent function, Activate, took place last Friday night at The Colonnade in Senior School. It proved to be a delightful event, providing parents with an excellent opportunity to reconnect with one another and extend a warm welcome to the new families joining our School community. Additionally, we had the pleasure of welcoming our new Principal, Mrs Adele Ramsay.

The Tara Dads Club enriches the Tara experience for every Tara girl by fostering the bond between fathers and daughters, providing opportunities for dads to embody Tara School Values, and cultivating a sense of community.

The Club:

• Organises activities designed for dads and daughters to enjoy together
• Raises funds that are then donated to Tara for the benefit of Tara girls
• Facilitates various forums where Tara dads can connect with one another, enabling them to actively engage in the Tara community and support network

To join the Tara Dad's Club, please click on the following link: 

Register to join the Tara Dad's Club 

The next Tara Dad's Club meeting is scheduled for Wednesday, 28 February at 6pm in the Glass room below the Chapel. We extend an invitation to all interested dads to attend.

Breakfast with the Principal 
Come meet our new Principal and connect with fellow parents in your grade! 

• Thursday 29 February: Year 6 Parents
• Friday 1 March: Year 5 Parents 
• Wednesday 6 March: ELC and Kindergarten Parents
• Friday 8 March: Year 3 and Year 4 Parents 
• Wednesday 13 March: Year 1 and Year 2 Parents 
• Friday 15 March: Senior School Parents 

Mother’s Day 

• Sunday 12 May: Mother’s Day Classic, Parramatta Park
• Saturday 18 May: Mother’s Day celebrations – further details to come 

Gala Ball 

• Saturday 24 August, The Fullerton, Sydney 

Carols in the Colonnade 

• Saturday 23 November 

Click the image below to see the Tara's Twilight Save the Date!

Each class in Junior School is named after a book character who displays the attributes of the IB Learner Profile. We hope you enjoy getting to know our Class Characters. 

Miss Julyann Dos Santos, Miss Nicky MacAskill and Mrs Meriel Snelson - Year 6 teachers

Year 6 delved into the captivating world of forces recently. In a whirlwind of magnetic marvels, gravitational pulls, and buoyant surprises, we engaged in hands-on explorations that ignited our curiosity and deepened our understanding of the fundamental principles of physics.

Our classrooms buzzed with excitement as we eagerly gathered around various stations, each offering a unique opportunity to unravel the mysteries of forces. Armed with a variety of tools and a thirst for knowledge, we took on activities that showcased the wonders of magnetism, gravity, air resistance, friction, buoyancy, tension, and elastic force.

Some of our favourite inquiry stations included the magnetism station which looked at how invisible forces pulled and pushed magnets on toy cars. Sophia L suggested, “figuring out how magnets move the car is like cracking a code. Did you know North and North ends of a magnet push a car away?” We threw and spun objects at various speeds to explore the concepts of gravity and orbiting. Linlin described the experience, saying, “Riyanna is the sun and we’re the tennis ball rotating around her!” Additionally, we realised how important air resistance was as we tested how different surface sizes of parachutes affected their landing. Chloe C added, “I’d choose the smaller parachute because it would be more like a Luna Park ride rather than a relaxing float through the air.” 

We are reminded that even seemingly small forces can have a big impact in everyday life. But beyond the scientific discoveries, our exploration of forces also fostered critical thinking, collaboration, and creativity.

We hope you all had a wonderful Christmas and a relaxing break.  

We have continued our swimming lessons over the school holidays, along with 2 weeks of intensives lessons. The intensives lessons were a tremendous success with most students moving to the next level.

If you have been away and would like to re-enrol it is now the perfect time to do so or if you would like to join our program. Please contact our reception on 8838 2699 or email: swimming@tara.nsw.edu.au 

Our Learn to Swim program runs: 
Monday – Friday: 3.15pm – 6.45pm

We will be offering a Baby Program on one morning during the week. Stay tuned for more information in the next newsletter! 

Congratulations to Valencia M from our Pre-School Program for always trying her best in class! 

We are excited to announce that we will be opening Squads for one afternoon during the week starting on Tuesday 20 February 2024.

If you have a child or know someone who is at Squad level and are wanting to join Swimming@Tara Squads, please email swimming@tara.nsw.edu.au so we can get them in for an assessment!     

We are accepting Active Kids and First Lap vouchers.

To use them in our program, please forward the details to swimming@tara.nsw.edu.au with your child’s details

Annabelle D - Performing Arts Prefect 

The King’s and Tara Musical, Jersey Boys, is in its final stage of production and we are all so excited to see the amazing work of the cast! The songs and choreography have been put together to create an entertaining and incredible performance!

A highlight that cast members have had from this production so far, is being able to see their costumes for the show and creating lasting friendships and memories! They are so excited to show their hard work and passion for Jersey Boys to the community, and we would love your support for the cast and all crew/staff involved!!

Tickets are on sale now through The King’s School Website. Tickets will be gone very quickly, so if you would like to come and see the show, please get them as soon as possible! Click the link below to purchase your tickets! 

www.kings.edu.au/tickets 

Congratulations to Kha-thi (Year 9) who has been offered a scholarship as a Premier Artist for the Rising Stars program, supported by the Sydney Conservatorium of Music.

The Rising Stars program is a music program for the most gifted and talented musicians in Sydney. There are three tiers with Premier Artist being the highest level. Through this program, Kha-thi will enjoy instrumental classes, performance coaching and music theory tuition as well as having the opportunity to perform at many performances throughout the year.

We are immensely proud of Kha-thi.

Skye A - Sport Prefect 

The Tara Club Expo is an annual tradition taking place this week on Thursday 15 February at lunch time. The Leadership team uses this event to showcase the range of incredible activities Tara girls have to choose from.

This is an excellent chance for girls to join clubs and build a sense of sisterhood across the different grades. There are a variety of clubs available for Tara girls, including Drone Club, Book Club, Environmental Club and many more to assist Tara girls in reaching their full potential and enjoyment at School. 

We look forward to bringing the School together to showcase all Tara has to offer!

Ms Angelique Ockert - Debating Coordinator 

As the 2024 Debating and Public Speaking season unfolds at Tara, excitement and anticipation fill the air. This year promises to be an exceptional one, with a diverse array of competitions and opportunities for students to hone their speaking skills and engage in spirited debates.

This year, I (Ms Ockert) will continue as Debating Coordinator, but will be joined by the fabulous and enthusiastic Mr Jensen as co-coordinator. Together, we aim to elevate standards and expand the horizons of Tara's debating and public speaking initiatives.

The season kicks off with the much-anticipated FED (Friday Evening Debates) and Rostrum competitions, providing students with early opportunities to showcase their oratory skills and engage in lively exchanges of ideas. March brings a new highlight as Tara reintroduces Chinese Debating after several years, offering a thrilling prospect for native Mandarin and Cantonese speakers to demonstrate their linguistic and argumentative prowess.

Tara students can look forward to participating in the prestigious Archdale Debates, running from May through September, where they will navigate complex topics and compete against fellow private girl schools from across Sydney (and Canberra). Additionally, the Lions of Youth, Festival of Speech, and Soroptimist Public Speaking Competition provide platforms for students to express themselves creatively and persuasively, further enhancing their communication abilities. 

This year Tara will host friendly debates with The King's School, fostering relationships and mutual respect among students while sharpening their debating skills. These inter-school exchanges not only promote healthy competition but also encourage teamwork and intellectual engagement.

Tara encourages all its students to seize the opportunity to participate in public speaking and debating activities. Regardless of prior experience or perceived skill level, the emphasis is on personal growth, learning, and self-expression.

The 2024 Debating and Public Speaking season at Tara promises to be a journey of discovery, growth, and friendship. With dedicated leadership, a diverse range of competitions, and a culture of inclusivity, Tara continues to nurture the next generation of confident, articulate, and engaged young speakers.

Maleeha B and Hruthika D – Events captains 

The spirit of Christmas truly came alive at Tara as the annual Christmas Markets transformed the Colonnade into a place of busy festivities. With over 45 stalls, organised by students from Years 7-12 and teachers, the girls were able to enjoy a delightful mix of food, activities, drink and gift items. Through this spectacular event, the Tara community were able to enthusiastically raise $8,294 for World Vision Australia, contributing to initiatives that make a positive impact on the lives of those in need! 

This amazing contribution could not have happened without our incredible stallholders, who planned, organised and ran the stalls to make it the highlight it turned out to be. The girls attended multiple meetings, and organised stalls which differed greatly, from Chocolate-coated marshmallow reindeers, Pin the Tail on the Reindeer, Henna designs and more, to truly provide the variety that all girls would enjoy. It was solely due to these girls, and Mrs Losco for supporting them to create this day to be more than just a fundraising initiative and turn it into a day filled with community spirit, festive cheer and the true essence of giving. These girls have showed remarkable qualities of service and leadership, two key aspects that Tara instils in every girl and provided the School with a core memory. An additional thank you to the Tara Community for supporting the markets and raising $8000.  

The Tara Community eagerly looks forward to carrying this spirit into future events, building on the success of the 2023 Christmas Markets and continuing to make a positive impact on both the School and broader community.