November is the month in which we visit the dead in the cemeteries. And so, it is a moment of reflection on a fact of life that often runs unnoticed because it is not comfortable: death. It is a truth that we catholics, as normal human beings, find confronting. In words of Benedict XVI:

"Yet, we wonder, why do we feel fear before death? Why has humanity, for the most part, never resigned itself to the belief that beyond life there is simply nothing? I would say that there are multiple answers: we are afraid of death because we are afraid of that nothingness, of leaving this world for something we don’t know, something unknown to us. And, then, there is a sense of rejection in us because we cannot accept that all that is beautiful and great, realized during a lifetime, should be suddenly erased, should fall into the abyss of nothingness. Above all, we feel that love calls and asks for eternity and it is impossible to accept that it is destroyed by death in an instant."

It has been an eventful and exciting fortnight in our Infants department! Our Year 1 students had an unforgettable excursion to Sydney Zoo, filled with exploration and discovery. Meanwhile, our Kindergarten and Prep Readiness Days brought plenty of enthusiasm as our youngest learners took their first steps toward school life. Our Year 2 students enjoyed a warm welcome during their Redfield and Tangara orientation, getting a glimpse of what lies ahead in their educational journey. The All Saints’ Day Parade was also a memorable celebration, with everyone coming together to honour the day in true school spirit.

Sydney Zoo

Our Year 1 students experienced the much-anticipated visit to Sydney Zoo! We are incredibly grateful to our wonderful parent volunteers who joined us, helping to guide small groups of children and making the day run smoothly. Highlights of the excursion included the exciting bus ride, encounters with sharks, the curious meerkats, and, of course, the awe-inspiring big cats enclosure. It was a day full of wonder and learning for everyone involved!

Term 4 is known to be one of the busiest but also the most rewarding. Our teachers have the chance to see all the hard work come together as students prepare to move to the next stage of their learning. It’s also a great time to reflect on the fantastic progress students have made throughout the year.

In Mrs. Dineen's absence, we appreciated the support of our Deputy Head, Mrs. Lela Vukovic, in Primary. Both teachers and students look forward to her continued involvement and guidance. We continue to keep Mrs. Dineen in our thoughts and prayers as she rests and recovers comfortably at home.

Last week, I had the pleasure of leading the Friday assembly and presenting Merit Awards to students in recognition of their hard work in class. I was also thrilled to announce an outstanding achievement by our Stage 3 Maths Olympiad Team, who performed in the Top 10% across Australasia.

The team included

• Eleanor Eid
• Desiree Hachem
• Charlotte Wang Park
• Collete Luk
• Elissa Wang
• Gauri Kallimath
• Siya Kapoor
• Olivia Liu
• Caroline George
• Maya O'Neill
• Melody Jiang
• Vivienne Ding
• Sophia Lee
• Amelia-Rose Lin
• Anisha Premshanth
• Sophie Roh
• Mia Maroun
• Jessica Chen
• Demika Buranasin
• Ayanna Kaur
• Myra Kaul
• Audrey Zhang
• Anya Dudson
• Isla Iglesia
• Esther Bou-Samra

It has been an absolute pleasure to get to know the students and staff in Primary. Listening to their lessons, being a part of the daily interactions has given me insight into the wonderful programs that occur and the learning that takes place in all classrooms. The dedicated staff engage the students in various activities designed to deepen their understanding of topics and develop their skills as lifelong learners. We look forward to celebrating their successes and achievement at our much anticipated Presentation Evening and listening to the wonderful performances on the night.

Term 4 is very short and filled with creativity! Our Primary girls have been learning new skills in ceramics, one-point perspective, tonal contrasts and a variety of painting techniques. 

The results speak for themselves!

Well done girls!

Mrs Denahy

Daily reviews, Maths online tasks for weekly homework, diagnostic tests, math problem solving groups across all of Stage 3. Individual whiteboards and a general buzz for learning all things mathematically. The images taken show some of the mathematical weekly learning tasks and what they look like in Year 5.

Year 5 is a transformative year in mathematics, filled with discovery and growth. By fostering a supportive and engaging learning environment, we empower students to build a strong mathematical foundation that will serve them well in their future studies. We have embraced the challenges and celebrated the successes as we are navigating this exciting mathematical journey together in Year 5 Navy. Everyone is engaged in a variety of activities across strands, trying to extend, command and critically analyse how they can make the most of every learning opportunity in our classroom.

The Importance of Collaboration

Collaboration plays a vital role in Year 5 mathematics. Group activities encourage students to share ideas and strategies, promoting a deeper understanding of concepts. Working together not only enhances problem-solving skills but also builds confidence and communication abilities.

We have now made it to the halfway mark for Term 4, with many highlights and events coming up in the second half of the term!

Secondary Exams

We wish all of our Year 7-10 students all the best for their upcoming Yearly Examinations. It is important that each girl strives for her personal best during this time.  

Congratulations to Year 12

Congratulations to our Year 12 students who have now completed their HSC Exams! We hope you enjoy your Formal next week and we look forward to celebrating your achievements at Presentation Night at the end of the term.

2025 Debating Trials

On Monday 18 November, Monday 25 November and Tuesday 4 December 2024, we will be holding Debating Trials to select both our Independent Schools Debating Association (ISDA) and Archdale Debating Teams for 2025. Trials will be held onsite at Tangara during the school day and are open to any students currently in Years 4 to 11. Please refer to the note which was sent to parents this week with more details and make sure that you submit the online form so we know you have permission to trial.

Grace Manassa

On the 30th of October Year 9 participated in a follow up seminar about 2D to 3D Friendshiphosted by our wonderful teacher Miss Alvir. This time we explored a deeper understanding of friendship, how to grow a genuine friendship and the misconceptions about friendships. Not all the people in our life are friends, they may be acquaintances, companions or just casual friends. Our companions know our face but our genuine friends know our heart.

In the session before, a guest speaker Natalia Nader from the graduating class of 2021 joined us and spoke to us about her experiences with friendship during school. Coming from someone who was in our exact shoes just a few years ago was so helpful- we all felt understood, comfortable and connected.

In the session with Miss Alvir - a major point that baffled the whole grade was the weak connection we find in social media. We established that one of the main things you need in friendship is communication. If you break down communication, words are 7%, tone of voice 40%and body language 53%.

The Peripatetic Music Soiree was held in McArthur on Sunday 10 November.

Congratulations to all students involved for their wonderful performances.

A special thank you to our wonderful tutors Mrs Akinsanya, Mrs Minasyan, Miss Kelly, Mrs Park, Miss Sendurgut, Miss Biniares, Ms Guiterrez and Mrs Ng.

We are excited to share the performance schedule for the Tangara Twilight Market!

Join us at the stage to enjoy performances from our talented musicians.

A detailed information letter will be sent to parents of performers next week.

We look forward to seeing you there!

Last week, our Year 2 students participated in the Instrument Discovery Program, an initiative designed to introduce them to a wide range of instruments available for tuition in 2025.

Students have the opportunity to choose from the following instruments:

• Alto Saxophone
• Cello
• Clarinet
• Flute
• Trumpet
• Violin

Alternatively, students may opt to join the Choir.

Enrolment information has been shared with all Year 2 families, and we encourage families to submit enrolment preferences before the deadline on Friday, 22 November.

Overdue notices have been emailed to all students and their parents with books outstanding from last term. Printed notices have also been issued to all Primary students. If you have received an email, can you please help your child locate the miisig books and returne them ASAP? Books still outstanding at the end of the term will be assumed lost and charged to your account togtheer with a $5 processing fee.

On Friday the 25th and Saturday the 26th October, a team of our high school students participated in The IGSA Festival of Speech, and we couldn’t be prouder of our talented students who represented us. Our students took the stage at MLC School in Burwood, delivering powerful (and entertaining) speeches and readings that showcased their unique voices and perspectives.

Throughout the event, they competed alongside students from schools across Sydney, demonstrating the dedication and hard work they put into preparing under the guidance of Mrs Pagano, Miss Valdez, Miss Abboud, Miss Elias and Miss Tropea. We were happy to place 4th overall, out of around 30 other prestigious Sydney schools.

Public speaking competitions like this provide indispensable experience for our students, allowing them to develop confidence and the ability to communicate effectively on diverse topics.

A big congratulations goes out to Sophia S (Year 8), who placed 1st in the Junior Readings section, Zara I (Year 8) who placed second in Junior Soapbox, and Liana P (Year 10), who placed second in Senior Soapbox. These are amazing achievements and the girls should be so proud of themselves.