On Sunday we will celebrate the last feast of the liturgical year: Jesus Christ, King of the universe. It brings to us the reality that Jesus Christ, that baby who is going to be born on Christmas and seems hopeless, will become our loving Judge. In the words of Benedict XVI:

It’s hard to believe we are nearing the end of Term 4.

Our Prep, Kindergarten, and Year 1 children are deeply engaged in their learning while eagerly anticipating the festive season. The excitement is building as we rehearse for our Infants Christmas Concert, which we can’t wait to share with our families.

In the spirit of Christmas, Baby Jesus has been receiving heartfelt letters from our Kindergarten and Year 1 children. Each child has written a prayer for someone in need or a special intention for the world. These prayers are being placed in our manger letterbox, which will be moved to the chapel on Monday. There, they will be offered up during daily Mass, spreading hope and love this Christmas season.

All Kindergarten, Year 1 and Year 2 students are required to wear a plain white short sleeved T-shirt for our annual Christmas Concert.

This week and next we’re heading toward the final stretch of the term - and the year! Last Wednesday, the Junior School Campus was buzzing with excitement as we welcomed new faces for the day. At the same time, our Year 6 students participated in their Year 7 Orientation, which included the special moment of meeting their buddies for 2025.

It was a very productive week for our Stage 3 students. On Friday, they attended a session presented by Meg McClintock, focusing on fostering a positive body image and celebrating the diversity of body shapes and sizes. This session will be especially impactful for our Year 6 students, who ended the week with their Graduation Mass and dinner - an important milestone for these girls as they prepare to transition to high school. It was a meaningful and celebratory occasion, marking both their achievements and the start of an exciting new chapter in their lives.

Excursions

This term in 5 Rust, we have seen the wonderful connection between English and Science as the girls have been engaged in writing and following procedures. The girls have been honing their writing skills by creating detailed procedural texts that guide their classmates through various exciting experiments.

One of the highlights was the delightful activity of making fairy bread, where students not only wrote the steps but also followed their own instructions to create this fun and tasty treat! This hands-on experience reinforced the importance of clear writing and the need for precise steps in a procedure.

In addition to culinary creativity, we explored the fascinating world of science with surface tension experiments. The girls conducted an engaging activity involving pepper and dish soap, observing the effects of surface tension in action. They documented their findings, which enhanced their understanding of scientific inquiry and report writing. 

Through these activities, the girls have not only developed their procedural writing skills but also deepened their understanding of scientific concepts.

Miss Jessica Cauchi
5R Teacher

Our Technology department plays a key role in equipping students with the skills and confidence they need for future success. Through Design Thinking, students are encouraged to stretch their imaginations, approach challenges with a problem-solving mindset, and collaborate in teams. This hands-on learning not only builds technical skills but also strengthens communication, teamwork, and project management - skills essential for future studies, careers, and lifelong learning.

On 18 November, our Year 10 students took part in the invaluable RYDA road safety program. This initiative equips young people with the knowledge, tools, and motivation to become responsible and proactive road users. I deeply value the RYDA program for its role in fostering habits and mindsets that empower students to make safe choices as both drivers and passengers throughout their lives.

Throughout the day, students participated in six impactful workshops. One standout session, "Speed and Stopping," demonstrated the vital link between speed, reaction time, and stopping distance, using practical activities to highlight the real-world consequences of driving decisions.

Other workshops included "Road Choices," which explored the significance of responsible decision-making, and "Mind Matters," focusing on how factors like emotions, stress, and fatigue can affect driving behaviour. In "Crash Investigators," students analysed the causes and effects of traffic incidents, reinforcing the need for accountability on the road.

The "Drive SOS" session provided strategies to minimise distractions and stay attentive while driving, and "The 'I' in Drive" emphasised the importance of personal responsibility and positive peer influence in promoting road safety.

A special thank you to our student performers, whose energy, enthusiasm, and talent made the music performances at this year’s Twilight Markets so memorable.

I also extend my thanks to our talented Music teachers, tutors, and supportive parents for their invaluable contributions to this event.

Despite the challenging heat, our students delivered wonderful performances that delighted everyone in attendance.

Thank you once again to all who joined us and contributed to the success of this special event!

Join us as the Tangara Chapel Choirs bring the festive spirit to McArthur with a beautiful selection of Christmas carols!

When: Tuesday 3rd December
Time: 8:00AM
Where: McArthur, Tangara School

Everyone is warmly invited to come along, enjoy the performance, and sing your favourite carols with us.

Let’s celebrate the season together! 

On the 6th-8th September, Desiree Hachem (Year 6) competed in the NSW State Club Gymnastics Championship. Desiree came first on all apparatus - bars, beam, floor and vault. She was competing in the future international level.

Congratulations on this fantastic achievement! 

This weekend, Desiree is competing in an event called Building for Tomorrow Gymsport Clinic, which allows her to be coached and mentored by international and high level coaches and gymnasts. This event is only for selected gymnasts and she was one of the few athletes selected for it.

On Friday November 8, Sairah Arora and Lucia Fernandez (Year 8), participated in the AICES 15's Tennis competition at Stanhope Leisure Centre.

It was hot and the competition was fierce. Sairah finished 2nd in her pool and made the Quarter Finals in the Championship division. Lucia finished 4th in her pool and made the Quarter Finals in the Consolation division.

Well done ladies on another successful day on the court! We look forward to seeing what you can achieve in 2025.

On the weekend of 9-10th November, Heleni Moa (Year 7) competed at the Australian Taekwondo National Championships 2024 in Queensland.

Heleni competed in the Kyorugi Ages 12-14 (Cadets) / Female / Red Belt / 41-44KG division. She earned herself a Gold Medal.

Congratulations Heleni, another fantastic achievement!

Tangara will be holding the school Swimming Carnival on Tuesday, 11 February 2025 at Hornsby Aquatic & Leisure Centre.

The school holidays is the perfect time to dust off those dress ups and head to the pool for some practice!

We look forward to seeing all our swimmers from Years 3-12 in action.

Second overdue notices have been emailed to all students and their parents with books still outstanding from last term. Please ensure books are returned ASAP, as books not returned by the end of term will be assumed lost and charged to your account together with a $5 processing fee.

Your assistance in recovering wandering items is much appreciated.

The numbers are in! We have our star borrowers for 2024. Click here to check out the winners.

Primary Library Superstars 2024

Click on the image below to access the registration form for the 2024 Summer Holiday Sports Camp.