From the Principal
A wonderful tribute by a Tangara Old Girl
It was so moving to read this very beautiful article by Sana Afiouni (Class of 2015). Sana confidently and clearly articulates the role that Tangara and the other Pared schools play in forming each child’s character through the shared values between home and school. I’m sure we will continue to see Sana have a positive influence in the lives of others.
Swimming Carnival
The rain could not hold back the enthusiasm on Tuesday 16 February at Tangara’s annual swimming carnival. Despite experiencing four seasons in one day, our students cheered and participated in true Tangara spirit. It was great to see our girls actively participating and swimming their personal best. Congratulations to each of our House Captains and Vice Captains for motivating the girls and ensuring house spirit didn’t waiver, despite the limitations to cheering due to the COVID-19 restrictions. The range of creative dances, stomping and clapping gestures were inspirational. Well done girls!
Helping students achieve academic excellence
Part of our mission at Tangara is to help every student strive for academic and personal excellence. At Tangara we aim to help every student make the greatest possible progress in their learning every single year. This is achieved by carefully monitoring and tracking student progress and putting in place measures that facilitate each child’s academic development.
In the Junior School this is facilitated by teaching explicit foundational reading, writing, comprehension and computational strategies that students build on each year and apply to their class work, assignments and exams in Years 5 and 6.
One way we achieve this in Secondary is through the Elevate Study Program. Drawing upon over 15 years of research into the habits of the country’s top students, Elevate's high impact seminars and workshops help students improve their study techniques, increase motivation, build confidence, and lift exam performance. Our students from Years 7- 12 have participated in these workshops in the last few weeks. These strategies will be reinforced throughout the year by your daughter’s subject teachers in their programs and teaching and learning strategies, and by your child’s mentor as they incorporate specific goals from these sessions.
Mentor Meetings
We are now into the second half of Term 1. For our Infants students (Prep-Year 2) and Year 7 students, parent teacher evenings in Week 8 will replace your mentor meeting this Term. Specific details will be emailed to you this week. For all other parents, please make sure you have booked a time to meet with your mentor if you haven’t already done so. New families to Tangara are permitted to meet with their mentor on campus after school hours. All other mentor meetings will continue to be conducted via teleconference whilst we continue to adhere to COVID-19 regulations. The mentor meetings are a great opportunity for school and home to be working in partnership on common goals in helping your child’s character and academic development.
KPF
Thank you to the Year 7 and Year 12 parents who joined us on campus for the Term 1 KPF and for all other parents for joining us online. This week recordings of the KPF presentations will be made available via the links shared with you in this Rust & Navy in case you would like to catch up or re-watch any presentation. We hope you found these presentations valuable and informative.
From the Chaplain
This year we had a different way for the rite of imposition of ashes on Ash Wednesday, due to coronavirus restrictions, sprinkling them over the head, instead of touching the forehead. But the meaning was the same: we started Lent, a time of conversion, purification and penance.
In his homily on that day, Pope Francis helps us to do our examination of conscience:
“Return to me, he says, with all your heart. Lent is a journey that involves our whole life, our entire being. It is a time to reconsider the path we are taking, to find the route that leads us home and to rediscover our profound relationship with God, on whom everything depends. Lent is not just about the little sacrifices we make, but about discerning where our hearts are directed. This is the core of Lent: asking where our hearts are directed. Let us ask: Where is my life’s navigation system taking me – towards God or towards myself? Do I live to please the Lord, or to be noticed, praised, put at the head of line…? Do I have a “wobbly” heart, which takes a step forwards and then one backwards? Do I love the Lord a bit and the world a bit, or is my heart steadfast in God? Am I content with my hypocrisies, or do I work to free my heart from the duplicity and falsehood that tie it down?”.
The Spirit of Fasting
I know that in Lent we are supposed to dedicate ourselves to works of prayer, fasting and charity. I can understand prayer and charity, but I am at a loss to understand the idea behind fasting. How is it supposed to help us? Or does it have some meaning I haven’t realised?
From the Infants School
From the Coordinator
The past fortnight has been busy at Infants as everyone settles into school life.
Our students have enjoyed getting to know their teachers and our teachers too have very much enjoyed learning all about the wonderful boys and girls who will be in their care this year.
The children have been learning new routines and making new friends. There is a lot to remember, but all of our boys and girls have risen to the occasion.
Each morning our Prep students have been learning to unpack their bags and put their “crunch and sip”, morning tea, lunch and drink bottles in the correct spot. Great job Prep — you are learning so quickly!
KPF
Our Key Parent Function will be live streamed this coming Friday evening, 26 Feburary, starting at 7:30pm. These evenings are important not only for you as parents to get to know the class routines but also to see the environment in which your children will be working this year. Our teachers and staff look forward to getting to know the families of the children they have the honour of educating in 2021.
Lent
Last week our children attended the Infants Ash Wednesday Service to mark the start of Lent. Our students are preparing themselves for Easter and the Resurrection of Christ with their daily Lenten intentions. While some have chosen to give up their favourite treats and pray more, others have opted to be more helpful at home and kind to others. Let's help our boys and girls to act charitably to one another and grow in faith especially throughout this Lenten season.
News From Kindergarten White
It is so lovely to welcome everyone into Kindergarten White for 2021. We are all settling in so beautifully and we are ready to GO!
We have been learning our numbers and making groups of objects using different materials. The children are enjoying learning lots of songs about numbers. Their favourite number song is the “Numbers Rhumba”.
How fun it is learning our sounds! We made “Sailors in a Submarine” after practising writing our “s” phonogram, then had a go snapping our own snakes after listening to Tessa Snaps Snakes, by Alison Lester.
Thank you to all the children who remembered to bring something for news this week. I think we have some future TV presenters in our class!
Please enjoy some photos of our first few days in Kindergarten White.
Important Infants Dates - Term 1
26 February: KPF @ 7:30pm via Microsoft Teams
8 March: 1R assembly
12 March: K-Yr2 Professor Maths Incursion
17 March: Saint Patrick’s Feast Day
19 March: Saint Joseph’s Feast Day: Harmony Day
22 March: 1W assembly
23 March: Parent/teacher interviews P-Yr1
24 March: Parent/teacher interviews P-Yr1
25 March: Parent/teacher interview P-Yr 1
(Note: Parent/teacher interviews replace mentor meeting in T1.)
30 March: Easter Hat Parade PR,PS,PW K, Yr 1
31 March: Last day of Term: PR,PS
1 March: Easter Hat Parade PN
1 March: Final day of term.
(School concludes at the usual time)
From the Junior School
News from Year 2
Year 2 girls have spent the first two weeks in Primary getting to know their new surroundings and teachers. They are well and truly settled in their new environment. Each day the girls have been excited to make and meet new friends, play on the equipment, visit the library and of course the chapel.
We enjoyed outdoor learning during our Science Investigations on living things. We found quite a plethora of living things in our school environment, earthworms, centipedes, birds, butterflies, roses, flowers, plants and trees.
GIVE Grow In Virtue Every day
The Virtue Focus in the Junior School is HELPFULNESS
I am practicing helpfulness when I:
- notice someone needs help
- do a service without being asked
- give people what they need, not always what they want
- listen to someone who needs to talk
- ask for help when I need it
From the Secondary School
Year 12 Physics 2020 Luna Park Excursion
Closing 2020, the Year 12 Physics class went on an excursion to Luna Park to investigate the application of Advanced Mechanic used in the rides. By combining their knowledge from the newly finished Year 11 course, along with applying their Year 12 understanding of circular motion, each student was prescribed two rides to individually investigate. Students were able to collaborate as a class and used different technologies like the Science Journal App to collect data on their phones. They also analysed videos using the Tracker App on their laptops.
Year 12 Physics Class: Stephanie, Bridgette, Orla, Angela
How to Thrive not just Survive the HSC
Last week, Year 12 had the privilege of attending a 1-hour seminar titled How to Thrive not just Survive the HSC given by Miss Alvir. We all listened with open ears to her insightful knowledge on the topics of happiness and wellbeing, psychology, and the habits and characteristics of happy people.
We started out with a reflection of what we believed our deepest desires were and what we believed would bring us the most happiness. Most of us believed that being successful in certains areas of our lives would lead to our happiness. However we soon realised after listening to Psychologist Shawn Achor's Ted Talk, The Happiness Advantage, we had it all mixed up. Shawn talked about how often as humans we believe happiness is achieved through success. But according to psychological studies, the formula is quite the opposite. In order to achieve better overall success, we must first be happy.
Miss Alvir then ran us through how to put this formula into practice. She talked all about the 9 Habits of happy people and how we can bounce back from hard times or mental lows, especially in the upcoming year. She showed us that our key character strengths are associated with our wellbeing and goal success. This resulted in us feeling compelled and motivated to start living out good habits for study success and happiness.
Towards the end of the seminar Miss Alvir left us with the words of Victor Frankl, “Those who have a ‘why’ to live can bear almost any ‘how’.” It was with these words that she encouraged us to find the meaning behind our studies and the reason why we do it.
Elizabeth F and Isabella C
(School and Vice Captains)
REAL - CLASS COMPACT OF EXCELLENCE 2021
Every class, with the help of their REAL teacher, collaboratively reflects and decides on what aspects of learning, work and behaviour they want to focus on to be the best learners they can be!
7N | To do our best work: | To treat others with respect and care: |
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7R | To do our best work: | To treat others with respect and care: |
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8R | To do our best work: | To treat others with respect and care: |
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8N | To do our best work: | To treat others with respect and care: |
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9N | To do our best work:
| To treat others with respect and care:
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9R | To do our best work:
| To treat others with respect and care
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10-1 - RR | To do our best work: | To treat others with respect and care |
Motto: Hakuna Matata - It means no worries | To help everyone do their best work people should:
Should not:
| To help people feel welcomed, respected, cared about and valued, people should:
To help people feel welcomed, respected, cared about and valued, people should not:
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10-2 | To do our best work: | To treat others with respect and care, we will |
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Creative and Performing Arts
Peripatetic Music Lessons at Tangara
ENROLMENTS FOR PRIVATE MUSIC TUITION
Enrolments are being taken for private music lessons. If you would like your daughter/son to enroll in any of these lessons please fill in this online form: New Enrolment for Private Music Lessons. The form can also be found on the Skoolbag App under ‘Music Forms’
TRUMPET, TROMBONE, EUPHONIUM, TENOR HORN, TUBA Ms Celia Kearin commenced playing trumpet and cornet at the age of 10, where she became the first brass player ever at her junior school. In 1995, Celia graduated from the Sydney Conservatorium of Music with a Bachelor of Music, majoring in trumpet. Over the last 25 years, she has worked at many Sydney schools as both a brass teacher and band conductor. In addition to her work as a music educator, Celia has also pursued a successful career in television production. Celia has played with numerous Sydney ensembles, including orchestras, musical societies and brass/concert bands. She has been a member of the Holroyd Brass Band for nearly 20 years, currently playing in the position of Co-Principal Cornet. Celia teaches all brass instruments, including trumpet, cornet, trombone, euphonium, tenor horn and tuba. She is looking forward to encouraging Tangara girls to venture into the brass world! | |
PIANO TUITION Mrs Anna Szydlowski started her piano education in Poland at the age of five. Her major pianistic influence was her teacher and mentor Professor Mizia, who was a student of Chopin’s competition winner Halina Czerny-Stefanska. In 1992 she received a Master’s Degree in Piano Performance and Pedagogy from the Krakow Academy of Music gaining a Distinction for both her master’s thesis and final piano recital. Anna moved to Australia in 1994 and has since been active as a soloist (piano and harpsichord), teacher, accompanist and chamber musician. Alongside teaching piano at Tangara, Anna currently works as an accompanist for instrumental scholars at St. Joseph’s College, Hunters Hill, and a piano tutor for the Bachelor of Music students at the University of New South Wales. Having in-depth understanding of the principles of piano technique and the overall learning process, Anna has an excellent track record in teaching piano to both primary and high school students including Year 12 HSC Music 1 and Music 2 students. She has had students nominated for Encore and also ranked highest in the state for their musical achievements. Anna’s lessons focus on the comprehensive development of each pupil, not only as a pianist, but as a person, and she encourages her students to strive for excellence in both music and everyday life. | |
MUSICIANSHIP, MUSIC THEORY & PIANO TUITION Mrs Anne Johnson is a graduate of the Newcastle Conservatorium of Music where she received her DSCM (Performer and Teacher), Bachelor of Music Education and 7th Grade Musicianship Qualifications. Over the past 25 years Anne has worked as a classroom and private music teacher (piano), preparing students for AMEB piano and musicianship exams. Anne has performed as a piano accompanist for solo and choral performances in eisteddfods, AMEB examinations, concerts, musical societies, HSC examinations and school auditions. Anne currently offers individual piano tuition for students who would like to learn for leisure or complete AMEB examinations. Anne also offers private and small group lessons in Musicianship and Theory of Music at Tangara. These lessons are for students who wish to pass the requirements of the AMEB Musicianship or Theory exams and also for those who would like to strengthen their theory skills but not complete exams. | |
PIANO TUITION Mrs Lucy Roh is a British born pianist and teacher. As a child she studied at Chetham’s School of Music in Manchester under the guidance of renowned pianist Bernard Roberts. Following her time there, she was awarded a performance scholarship from the Royal Academy of Music in London, where she studied with Professor Hamish Milne for four years. She has performed extensively throughout Great Britain while also working on performance projects in both Russia and Germany. She holds a Licentiate of the Royal Academy of Music in piano pedagogy and has over 20 years of teaching experience. She continues to hold a strong affiliation with the Associated Board of the Royal Schools of Music who have been supporting musical studies since 1889. Lucy now lives in Sydney with her husband and children, where she works as a piano teacher and accompanist. | |
VIOLIN TUITION Mrs Catherine Williams began studying the violin at age 6, attending Fishers Ghost Youth Orchestra from ages 10 to 20. In 2002, Catherine won a scholarship to attend the Sydney Conservatorium's Youth Access Program, studying with Nadia Monastrasky. In 2005, Catherine successfully auditioned for Sydney Youth Orchestra, and toured nationally and internationally with them. In 2006, she won the MACPAS String Championship. In 2008, Catherine won the DV & M UK Scholarship and spent two months in London studying with David Takeno. In 2014, Catherine attended the Mozarteum Strings Summer Academy in Salzburg, Austria. Catherine has played with the Australian Youth Orchestra, Willoughby Symphony Orchestra, Tasmanian Symphony Orchestra, Sydney Sinfonia and Sydney Symphony Orchestra. Catherine has been teaching for over ten years and has run string programs at multiple schools including Macarthur Anglican School and Shore School. She's experienced with providing one-on-one tuition for violin and music theory for pupils of all ages. Catherine now resides in Sydney with her family including two beautiful children. | |
CELLO TUITION Ms Karen Cortez is currently completing her Bachelor of Music (Music Education) at the Sydney Conservatorium of Music. She has been a cello tutor for the NSW Arts Unit's Junior State Music Camp, and for the Northern Sydney Youth Orchestra. In 2017, Karen was accepted into the National Orchestra of Samoa Collaborative Learning Project, and travelled to Samoa with Goetz Richter as part of a tutelage team for the National Orchestra. In 2019, she attended the Musicians Without Borders introductory course in the Netherlands, and started 2020 attending the Australian Youth Orchestra’s National Music Camp. Karen is passionate about the importance of ensemble playing in musical development and has a keen interest in exploring natural movement and developing musical independence. This year, Karen was awarded a scholarship to complete the BodyMinded certificate on Alexander Technique principles. She is also part of an educational string quartet, Quart-Ed, that performs regularly in schools. | |
CLARINET & SAXOPHONE TUITION Miss Kirsty Cairney studied Music Performance at the Sydney Conservatorium of Music majoring in Clarinet under Sue Newsome. In 2017, Kirsty studied on an exchange scholarship at the University of Music and Performing Arts Vienna with Johann Hindler (ex Vienna Philharmonic) and Christoph Zimper. She is a passionate teacher and has experience teaching in a variety of schools across Sydney. | |
GUITAR & BASS GUITAR TUITION
Ms Isabel Szanto is a classical and contemporary guitarist and bassist and in her final year of a Bachelor of Music (Music Education) studying under international guitar virtuoso Vladimir Gorbach at the Sydney Conservatorium of Music. Isabel is an accomplished young guitarist having achieved her Associate in Music, Australia (AMusA) diploma in classical guitar performance and the AMEB Contemporary Popular Music Guitar course. Isabel also performs regularly at local festivals as a guitar soloist and was named as a finalist in the 2018 Parravision talent contest. Isabel has worked extensively with HSC music students, mentoring and accompanying students in their HSC exams and is well experienced in teaching music notation and a wide range of styles including pop, rock, blues and classical from beginner to advanced students. Her multifaceted guitar skills translate to her versatile teaching style, encouraging students to learn an array of genres while achieving their personal learning goals. | |
VOICE TUITION Mrs Virginia Harrison has been teaching Singing, Theory and Musicianship, and directing choirs at many schools for the past 40 years. Virginia studied classical voice, opera and musical theatre firstly with her mother, who was a Lead Principal for the New Zealand Opera Company and a renowned Voice Teacher. Virginia furthered her classical studies with the late Elizabeth Todd, with whom she completed her AMEB singing exams. During this time Virginia attended and performed many vocal masterclasses and workshops, taking particular interest in ‘The Care and Nurturing of the Young Voice’. Virginia also studied jazz and contemporary singing with Neil Williams (OAM), which led to a professional career of 15 years with her husband, performing with their band in major Sydney and interstate venues. Virginia specialises in unforced, sound, vocal technique, introducing her students to all genres of music. She encourages strong performance skills which are nurtured in a fun and exciting way incorporating acting and movement. Virginia has prepared many students for their AMEB and HSC performance examinations and has had some of the youngest students in Australia successfully pass their AMus Diploma examinations. | |
VOICE, PIANO & FLUTE TUITION Miss Jessica Kelly has been teaching voice, piano and flute for over 25 years. She holds a Bachelor of Music degree in Classical Voice (ANU), training with renowned singing teacher, Anthea Moller and a Bachelor of Creative Arts in Drama (Wesley Institute). She passed her 8th Grade AMEB Flute exam with Distinction, as well as placing in various Eisteddfods. Jessica achieved Honours in her 8th grade AMEB piano exam and has taught piano privately, in various schools and studios. Jessica has accompanied students in concerts, AMEB exams and for the HSC. In Singing, Jessica has appeared in numerous musicals in Canberra, Perth and Sydney, as well as giving solo singing recitals and performing self-devised works. She is a regular cantor at St Patrick’s Cathedral, Parramatta. Jessica’s students have gained roles in musicals, entry into the Jazz course (ANU) and she has successfully prepared students for AMEB and Trinity exams, Eisteddfods and the HSC performance exams. Jessica works with singers to help them develop a secure and healthy vocal technique, as well as addressing the importance of communicating text clearly and portraying a character (where relevant), while exploring a range of genres. She loves to encourage students to go beyond what they think they are capable of and to reach their full potential in all areas. |
Sports
HZSA Representative Basketball
Tangara Swimming Carnival
AICES Basketball Cup
HZSA Primary Girls Basketball Trial
From the Library
Library Happenings
Things are in full swing in the Library for Term 1. We have started our display program for the year, based around the 2021 Book Week theme, Old Worlds, New Worlds, Other Worlds. In both the Primary and Secondary Libraries, we are focusing on “Old Worlds” this term, emphasizing history and historical fiction.
On February 10, Tangara celebrated it’s 39th birthday. In the Library, we were able to display a good deal of Tangara memorabilia from years gone by, and Mrs Ellis commemorated the day by dressing up in an old Tangara uniform.
Every term, in conjunction with the English Faculty, the Library runs a wide reading activity for Years 7-10 to encourage the girls to broaden their reading habits. This term’s activity, #BOOKS, was held in Week 4. The girls had to work in teams to match hashtags to the appropriate book. It was a lot of fun, and we look forward to more activities throughout the year to help the girls discover the joy of books and reading.
OVERDUES: Overdue notices have been emailed to all students and parents with books outstanding from last Term.
If you have received an email, could you please assist your child in locating the item/s and returning them as soon as possible?
The cost of any items not returned by Friday, 26 March, will be added to school fees for next year, together with a $5 processing fee per item.
Your assistance in returning wandering items would be greatly appreciated!
General Notices
Congratulations!
Congratulations to Elizabeth and Michael R who gave birth to a baby boy earlier this month. He is sister to Aaliyah in PN
Other
From the PDHPE department
This year, we welcome Mrs Mirjana Milicevic to the PDHPE team, which also consists of Miss Tropea, Miss Miljak, Mrs Troup and myself. Mrs Milicevic will be teaching health to Year 8. Our staff aim to develop the knowledge, understanding, skills and attitudes important for students to take positive action to protect and enhance their own and others’ health, safety and wellbeing in varied and changing contexts. It is great to see interest in our subject growing. In addition to offering Years 9 and 10 PASS, we offer Community and Family Studies as a HSC subject.