In a ecstatic display of camaraderie and appreciation, the entire Tara School community came together to celebrate Tara's 126th birthday. The event was marked with a special Birthday Assembly, where students from Early Learning Centre (ELC) to Year 12, along with the dedicated staff, commemorated the extraordinary journey of Tara over the past 126 years.

In the spirit of birthdays and as a symbol of Tara's core values, we exchanged gifts with the Junior and Senior School libraries. 

A highlight of the assembly was the heartfelt tribute paid to the School's dedicated staff members, whose unwavering commitment has shaped countless lives. Teachers and other staff who had dedicated 10, 20, and 30 remarkable years to Tara were applauded for their outstanding contributions to the School's growth and success.

In particular, special gratitude and admiration were directed towards the Tara's beloved Principal, Mrs Middlebrook, whose remarkable 15 years of exceptional service has been a guiding light for Tara.

The birthday festivities were not complete without indulging in some birthday cake! The Junior and Senior School students, along with staff, enjoyed scrumptious cupcakes, adding an extra sprinkle of joy to the already festive atmosphere.

With 126 years of history, Tara stands as a testament to its commitment to education and character development. It has been a cornerstone in shaping the lives of generations of students who have walked through its halls. Over the years, Tara has consistently maintained its reputation for excellence and compassion, becoming an integral part of the community.

Here's to many more joyous milestones for Tara. Happy 126th Birthday Tara! 

James Harrison - Dean of Junior School

In a Tara News article last year, I explored the idea of how much scheduling of activities for children is the right amount, and how the Junior School uses a balanced approach to help us structure the lunchtime activity program. You can read that article by clicking here. The focus of the article asked the reader to consider how a parent’s goals for their children influence the number and type of activities in which they enrol or ‘schedule’ their child. 

With NAPLAN results for Years 3, 5, 7 and 9 released last week, it is timely to explore the definition of success, your priorities as parents and our priorities as educators. 

According to the Oxford Dictionary, success is defined as “the accomplishment of an aim or purpose”. This is a broad definition and one we as educators believe in and promote. The Oxford Dictionary also has a second definition stating success is, “the attainment of fame, wealth, or social status”. The problem with constantly aiming for success lies in this second definition, since some people feel that without the attainment of fame, wealth or social status then any accomplishment is of lesser value.

While Tara’s NAPLAN results are consistently outstanding, and something of which we are immensely proud, they are just one component of a student’s progress. It is worth considering what NAPLAN does not measure, including but not limited to 21 key human traits:

• Creativity
• Critical Thinking
• Resilience
• Motivation
• Persistence
• Curiosity
• Compassion/Kindness
• Humour
• Endurance
• Reliability
• Enthusiasm
• Self Awareness
• Self Discipline
• Leadership
• Courage
• Sense of Beauty
• Sense of Wonder
• Resourcefulness
• Spontaneity
• Humility
• Civic Mindedness

Ms Adams, in her communication to parents about Tara Junior School’s Student Semester Reports, clearly articulates our belief as a school about the purpose of reporting when she says:

There is a growing body of research that cautions against making simplistic or narrow comparisons of children’s achievements with those of others. Children can misinterpret, or place too great an emphasis, on a comparison that in reality is not that useful. Students can become disheartened and reduce the message about their learning to a graph rather than the helpful comments from teachers. As educators, we are preoccupied with progress, and as such we are committed to reporting on it. Our aim is to direct your daughter’s attention away from rankings to focus her attention on her progress. Children may still compare themselves against others (it’s a human trait, after all) but better to get them to measure or rank their progress. So, the focus is not just proving achievement but also improving achievement.

In his book, David and Goliath, Canadian author and social theorist, Malcolm Gladwell explores the idea of being a “big fish in a small pond” in relation to American universities. He posits the idea that attending a smaller university rather than one of the larger ‘Ivy League’ institutions such as Yale, Harvard or Princeton in the United States, means a student can learn and achieve without feeling the weight of inadequacy from being continually compared to other, more highly achieving peers. Gladwell argues that rather than these larger institutions benefitting from healthy competition to motivate its students, the relative lack of competition in the smaller universities means students experience less pressure resulting in a lower drop-out rates and greater reported levels of happiness. While it is a human trait to compare ourselves against others (and derive a sense of satisfaction when we know we are doing better than someone else) the concept of being known, getting a well-rounded balanced education and achieving your personal best cannot be over-estimated. Indeed, education of the whole child – her mind and her character – is the reason our teachers come to work every day and the reason parents send their daughters to Tara.

The Sports Café is open again for Term 3!

In order to make this a success, we are relying solely on parent volunteers to help operate the Café with our newly appointed Sports Café Coordinator and Year 3 mum, Jane Doro. She will provide you with guidance on the day, explain your responsibilities and clarify what is expected of you. Parent volunteers will undertake a variety of tasks for a minimum of 1 hour from managing the BBQ, taking orders, preparing coffee and more.

The time slots for volunteering are below. 

• 7am-8am
• 8am-9am
• 9am-10am
• 10am-11am
• 11am-12pm 

If you are available on a Saturday to assist at the Sports Café, please contact Ashleigh Bamford. abamford@tara.nsw.edu.au

Your support and participation as parent volunteers are essential to the smooth functioning of the Café and we are sincerely grateful for your dedication to our school community. Together, we are hoping to create a vibrant and welcoming environment for both our current Tara families and visitors.

Teni T and Shu R - Year 6

When Deborah Abela came to Tara, we learnt so much about the life of an author and what it’s like. She answered many questions about writing and her books. Deb is the author of the novel, Grimsdon that 6 Isabella’s class character is from. Deb showed us the other books she has written. One of the questions asked was, ‘How did you discover your passion for writing?’ To answer this, Deb said that when she was little, she always asked “I wonder what would happen if…”. Because of this, Deb was a bit of a trouble maker when she was young, finding out what would happen if… . The questions she always asked herself also happened to be perfect story starters!

After Deb talked with Year 5 and Year 6, she came to have lunch with 6 Isabella in our classroom. First, she answered some questions about her book, Grimsdon, like how long it took to make and what her inspired her to write it. Then she answered questions about being an author in general. All of 6 Isabella had so much fun eating lunch with Deb and we were very happy that she could come visit our class. We all learnt so much about what being an author and writing a book is like.

One of the experiences we share with boys from The King’s School each year is participation in the Write a Book in a Day event. In preparation for the event, selected Year 5 girls and their teammates from King’s had a meet and greet session with children’s author Deborah Abela at Tara. 

Maddie R and Sophia L - Year 5:

On a thrilling Wednesday, July 19, our school hosted the exceptional author Deborah Abela, setting the stage for an awesome workshop in preparation for the upcoming Write a Book in a Day event on August 14, where we will team up with boys from The King’s Preparatory School. With boundless enthusiasm, Deborah led us in a game of creativity, using three random words to weave a plot about a mind-reading super villain stealing a magical sword from a high-security bank. As we formed our teams for Write a Book in a Day and collaborated on crafting mesmerising stories, Deborah's invaluable insights taught us to conquer the challenges of time pressure and embrace diverse writing styles. Her signature technique of making trouble for main characters sparked our imaginations, ensuring enthralling tales for our eager readers.

The workshop with Deborah Abela was an unforgettable experience, inspiring creativity, camaraderie, and a passion for storytelling. Armed with newfound skills and motivation, we eagerly await the Write a Book in a Day event at King’s on Monday 14 August, where our imaginations will soar, fuelled by the knowledge and expertise shared by this gifted author.

Congratulations to Sofia H (Year 5) on her recent State Sports Aerobics competition where she placed 4th. Sofia has progressed through to Nationals. Well done Sofia! 

Congratulations to Alicia L (Year 5) on being selected in the CIS Golf team to compete at the NSWPSSA Golf Championships in September. In the holidays Alicia also competed in the Jack Newton State Championship and was Runner-up. Well done Alicia! 

The ELC – Year 2 Athletics and Cross Country Carnival was an exciting way to end Term 2. Being their first carnival of the year, they were nothing short of enthusiastic and ready to give it their best. All girls competed in a range of jumping, throwing and running events, putting into action skills they have been learning in PE lessons. The house spirit was alive as girls were cheered on by spectators and their peers. Special thanks to the Year 6 leaders for their leadership and encouragement, as they lead the girls through the various events. 

The house points for both the ELC-Year 2 and Year 3-6 carnival have been counted and the winning house for 2023 is Waugh! 

Henri - Environmental Prefect

This term the Senior School Environmental Committee has launched Tara’s very first Return and Earn recycling scheme, placing two bins; Ernie and Henri, on the school grounds for girls and staff to recycle their bottles and cans. From this initiative we aim to build Tara's awareness for plastic waste generated which ends up in landfill and promote sustainable habits that girls can implement within the Tara community by recycling single use bottles and cans. Half of the proceeds raised will go to support the work of World Vision.

Imogen - Liaison Prefect

Alongside the Enrolments Team, last term through my role as Liaison Prefect I began connecting to new Tara students prior to their first day. Moving schools is difficult at the start of the year, let alone during the middle of the year so it is important to provide these girls with support and connection to welcome them into the School community. Whilst many new students participate in tours of the School and speak with our enrolments team, our incoming girls may find it more comforting to hear from current students, hence the purpose of this program. As I was able to reach out and connect with the incoming students, I was able to ease them into the Tara community and support them with answering questions that only students can answer, such as what girls actually do during recess and lunch! Whilst this program may not suit every incoming student, it most definitely provides an avenue to foster connections between grades and embrace these girls within the school community. One of the girls who participated seconds this as:

“I’m glad I could ask questions before school, it was super stress-relieving…overall it's been a really smooth transition” – Laura 

I can’t wait to expand this further and welcome all incoming students beyond the traditional buddy system with the advice/connection with a senior student. 

As Term 3 unfolds, Tara's debating and public speaking stars are shining bright, making significant strides and showcasing exceptional skills. In the Archdale Debating Competition, our Tara teams have put up some outstanding performances, particularly impressive is their streak of wins against Kambala in Round 6. This victorious feat propels us into the finals, and the anticipation is high as we look forward to more victories in the weeks ahead. Stay tuned for updates on how our girls perform in the finals!

Moreover, the air at Tara is buzzing with excitement for the Festival of Speech set to take place in October. The concept of this festival, initiated in the early 1990s by Mr Chris Faisandier, focuses on encouraging students to develop and showcase their skills in public speaking, debating, critical thinking, and rhetoric. The Festival has grown significantly since its inception, with twenty-seven schools now participating. The students have the opportunity to perform in a variety of areas, including drama, debating, poetry, prose readings, current affairs, and religious and ethical questions. Currently, tryouts are underway at Tara, as our girls prepare to participate in this prestigious competition.

Additionally, preparations are also in full swing for the Soroptimist (Latin for ‘the best of women’) Public Speaking competition scheduled for Saturday, 9 September. The competition will feature two sections - Section 1 for students in Years 7, 8, and 9 and Section 2 for students in Year 10, 11, & 12. This competition provides yet another platform for our students to articulate their ideas and perspectives, honing their public speaking skills.

All in all, Term 3 is shaping up to be an exciting and fruitful time for Tara's debating and public speaking enthusiasts. Their dedication, determination, and passion are truly commendable, and we are eagerly awaiting their continued success. Here's to celebrating their achievements and looking forward to the exciting opportunities to come!

Throughout Term 2, students in one of the Year 7 Science classes have been involved with Generation STEM. This is a CSIRO initiative and it involves presenting students with a scenario from which they need to develop a problem to investigate and design a STEM (Science Technology Engineering and Mathematics) based solution. Our students investigated problems relating to water, as this could be easily integrated into the Term 2 Unit of work. Some groups focused on flooding and the development of structures to improve water drainage and reduce the impacts of floods, while other groups were interested in devising ways of collecting and making better use of rain water to address the problem of water shortage. 

The NSW Titration Competition was held on Saturday 17 June. Tara entered three teams of keen Year 12 Chemistry students who travelled to the University of NSW to demonstrate their titration skills. The competition involves determining the concentration of a solution of acetic acid as accurately as possible. The students work in groups of three, with each team member analysing a different solution of acetic acid. While waiting for the results to be announced we had the opportunity to listen to a lecture by Dr Robert Chapman. He introduced students to a number of chemistry breakthroughs linked to medicine, including some the Chemistry involved in designing Rapid Antigen Tests for COVID-19. Congratulations to the team consisting of Alisha, Aarushi and Siya for achieving an accuracy score that earned them a Certificate of Excellence.

On Wednesday 14 June, we were fortunate to have perfect conditions for an evening of Astronomy. Under a clear sky, our Year 8 students rotated through three space themed activities. In the Bowern room, a planetarium had been set up and students took part in a guided tour of the night sky. On the Mouleric Oval, they had the opportunity to use the telescopes to try to locate and focus on particular stars. A third station was set up in the colonnade, where Mrs Atkins was using liquid nitrogen to make ice cream, which was later served to students. This station also included a paper rocket competition, where students used paper and a straw to make a model rocket, then competed to see which rocket could fly furthest. 

Last week, our brilliant teams competed in the Future Problem Solving Qualifying Round! They have been training consistently all year for this event, developing their creative writing and critical thinking skills, to complete a 4000 word document in the 2 hours limit.

This year, they have researched and responded to the topics of E-Waste, Digital Realities and the Robotic Workforce.

Congratulations to these students for their consistent hard work and we hope they qualify for the National Finals in Brisbane later this year!

In May, 147 Tara Science Students from Years 7 to 10 participated in the Big Science Competition run by Australian Science Innovations. This competition is designed to test student’s science knowledge, their critical thinking abilities, and their problem-solving skills. It was exciting to see so many students step up to the challenge of this event. 

Congratulations to all for their efforts with this task. Well done to the students who achieved a High Distinction or a Distinction result. 

High Distinction Certificates:

• Jian J – Year 7
• Alice S – Year 7
• Isabella W – Year 7
• Livia Z – Year 7
• Fiona H – Year 8
• Nicole W – Year 8
• Iris J – Year 9

Distinction Certificates:

• Adrina M – Year 7
• Emmeline T – Year 7
• Shievon T– Year 7
• Amber W – Year 7
• Melody Y– Year 7
• Olivia Y – Year 7
• Charlotte G – Year 8
• Weila W – Year 8
• Diba D – Year 9
• Vicky Y – Year 9
• Orchid Y – Year 10

It was also very exciting that Claire K in Year 9 was lucky enough to win a pair of UBL Bluetooth headphones to enjoy! It shows that having a go and embracing opportunities in learning has excellent rewards.

Over the holidays we had girls competing at both National and International events:

Ruby D competed in Nationals Diving in Adelaide where she won Gold in both Individual and Platform Synchro. 

Ally Z competed in Table Tennis at the National level and she won a Silver in the Under 17 Girls Competition. 

Chelsea C played in the Australian Junior Volleyball Championships where she was part of the NSW Under 19 Phoenix team who came away with a Gold medal.

Abbey V was selected as part of a U/18's Australian basketball academy team with athletes from across Australia and New Zealand, to play in Chicago USA. The team were successful in taking out the Conference Championship, with big wins against some very tough American teams.

Mary D won Gold at the National Badminton Competition in Adelaide over the holidays.

On Sunday 23 July, Amelie P competed in the National Senior School Championships in fencing. She podiumed with a silver. An amazing result at a National level!

Anika P - Hockey Captain

Round 1
S05 Tara 1 vs Roseville 2, Win, 1-0
J03 Tara 2 vs Wenona 4, Loss, 0-9

Round 2
S05 Tara 1 vs Loreto Kirribilli 2
J03 Tara 2 vs SCEGGS 4

Round 1
S01 Tara 1 vs St Vincent’s 1, Loss, 15-33
S04 Tara 2 vs Ascham 3, Loss, 19-38
J01 Tara 3 vs Ascham 5, Loss, 13-50
J04 Tara 4 vs Kincoppal Rose Bay 10. Win, 11-6
J05 Tara 5 vs Ascham 8, Win, 21-15
Y702 Tara 6 vs SCEGGS 10, Win, 30-11
Y703 Tara 7 vs Kambala 8, Loss, 4-29
Y703 Tara 8 vs SCEGGS 11, Win, 14-12

Round 2
S01 Tara 1 vs St Catherine’s 1
S04 Tara 2 vs Kincoppal Rose Bay 5
J01 Tara 3 vs Monte 3
J04 Tara 4 vs St Scholastica’s 2
J05 Tara 5 vs Kincoppal Rose Bay 11
Y702 Tara 6 vs Kincoppal Rose Bay 12
Y703 Tara 7 vs Kincoppal Rose Bay 13
Y703 Tara 8 vs Kambala 8

Round 1
S03 Tara 1 vs Loreto Kirribilli 2, Loss, 1-3
J03 Tara 2 vs Kincoppal Rose Bay 4, Win, 3-0 

Round 2
S03 Tara 1 vs SCEGGS 2, 
J03 Tara 2 vs SCEGGS 5, 

Skye A - Netball Captain

Round 1
S05 Tara 1 vs Pymble 4, Loss, 10-20
S09 Tara 2 vs Pymble 7, Win, 16-13
S14 Tara 3 vs St Vincent’s 6, Loss, 8-34
S17 Tara 4 vs PLC Sydney 11, Loss, 9-28
J03 Tara 5 vs Queenwood 11, Loss, 13-25
J12 Tara 6 vs PLC Sydney 19, Win, 29-9
J14 Tara 7 vs Abbotsleigh 29, Loss, 8-34
Y705 Tara 8 vs Pymble 26, Loss, 4-7
Y709 Tara 9 vs St Vincent’s 19, Loss, 12-21

Round 2
S05 Tara 1 vs Meriden 2, 
S09 Tara 2 vs Meriden 3, 
S14 Tara 3 vs PLC Sydney 8, 
S17 Tara 4 vs SCEGGS 4, 
J03 Tara 5 vs Ascham 6, 
J12 Tara 6 vs PLC Sydney 18, 
J14 Tara 7 vs Ravenswood 17, 
Y705 Tara 8 vs Brigidine 25, 
Y709 Tara 9 vs Meriden 23. 

All girls in Years 7-12 are encouraged to read this newsletter every week on the Canvas Careers page.

Careers Newsletter -  22 June 2023

Careers Newsletter -  29 June 2023

For more information please contact Mr David Berridge via email - dberridge@tara.nsw.edu.au

All girls in Years 7-12 are encouraged to read this newsletter every week on the Canvas Careers page.

Careers Newsletter -  20 July 2023

Careers Newsletter -  27 July 2023

For more information please contact Mr David Berridge via email - dberridge@tara.nsw.edu.au