We had an exciting week in Infants with our Author visit and Science Week. Our students were happily engaged with three wonderful events and learning opportunities, supporting their love and interest for Reading and Science.

Author Visit

Victoria Mackinlay, the acclaimed children’s author, visited Tangara Infants in preparation for our upcoming Book Week. She is a picture book author who is known for her enchanting stories and vibrant characters. Victoria Mackinlay shared her insights into her creative process, and discussed her latest works including, ‘Ribbit Rabbit Robot’, ‘The Bark Book', and ‘The Lion Who Came to Stay’. This event proved to be an inspiring experience for our young readers, as they had a chance to meet the mind behind some of their favourite stories.

Fizzics Education

On Monday students participated in an engaging, hands-on incursion presented by Fizzics Education. The exciting session provided a wonderful experience for students to explore basic scientific concepts in an entertaining and educational way.

‘I really liked when the fire exploded out of the plastic jug and when Phoenix the scientist made these awesome bubbles.’ (Year 1 student)

This term has been packed with excitement and creativity for Kindergarten Navy!

We had a fantastic time celebrating our 100th day of school this term! Students dressed up as "old folks" to mark the occasion and enjoyed a variety of activities centered around the number 100. To top it off, everyone had fun making and eating delicious fairy bread. It was a day full of creativity, learning, and fun!

Our Book Week has been very exciting so far. Monday was a special day with a visit from author Victoria Mackinlay. Our students created beautiful artwork for the library and are eagerly looking forward to dressing up as their favourite book characters next week. We will also have the chance to showcase our learning to our grandparents when they come to visit us at school on Grandparents Day.

Science Week has been another highlight of the term! On Monday, we were amazed by a thrilling Fizzics incursion featuring jaw-dropping science experiments. Friday brought even more fun as we tackled STEM challenges—building bridges with paddlepop sticks and playdough, and crafting vibrant rainbows with dye, water, and paper.

Mathematics Information Evening

We hope you can join us for our K-6 Mathematics Information Evening, Tuesday 27 August at 7pm. Our guest speaker will discuss the new Mathematics Curriculum and how you can assist your children along the way. Please complete the RSVP form on the letter that was shared earlier this week.

AMC

Some of our students entered the Australian Mathematics Competition this week. The AMC is Australia’s longest running, largest and most well-known maths competition. Our students worked their way through various online problems, and all enjoyed their experience.

Wild at Art

Some of our art students entered the Wild at Art Competition this week, under the guidance of Mrs Denahy. We were thrilled by the standard of the entries. Best of luck girls!

Giving Girls

The Virtue we are learning about in the Junior School is Respect.

Definition:

Respect means always acting with deep consideration for others and being thoughtful to the feelings, rights or wishes of someone. It can also mean giving them honour or regard because of their position, abilities or relationship to you.

I am practicing respect when I:

· Treat everyone the way I would like to be treated

· Speak courteously to everyone

· Honour the rules of my family, school and country

· Act with the needs, feeling and rights of others in mind

· Show kindness to others

Where does Respect fit?

Love

·        Forgiveness

·        Compassion

·        Empathy 

·        Charity

·        Respect

·        Friendliness

·        Courtesy

·        Kindness

·        Patience

·        Helpfulness

For older students:

😊If I’m being honest, is my heart/mind always respectful in most areas of my life?

😊Are there any situations where I find it difficult to show respect? How do I handle that?

😊 Are there any incidents of disrespect recently that I need to say sorry for?

Year 5 Rust students have been diving into the fascinating world of science, learning about the different states of matter and conducting hands-on experiments to bring these concepts to life. 

In one of our recent experiments, the students explored chemical reactions by mixing vinegar and bicarb soda. They were thrilled to see the reaction create carbon dioxide gas, which inflated a balloon.

The girls have got their hands messy, following a method to make Oobleck, a fun non-Newtonian substance that behaves like both a solid and a liquid. Through the experiment, the students discovered that some materials contain properties and act like multiple states of matter, rather than just one. 

Throughout these experiments, students practiced writing and following a method, and they learned how to determine and test a hypothesis. These skills are fundamental in scientific inquiry, and it’s been wonderful to see the students apply them with such enthusiasm.

The year 5 scientists are looking forward to more exciting discoveries surrounding the states of matter this term!

This week, the Junior School immersed students in all things science to celebrate National Science Week. We began with a visit from Fizzics Education, where Phoenix presented a range of fascinating scientific experiments. The day was followed by an afternoon of science fun in each classroom.

Year 2 explored materials and forces through two engaging activities. First, they made slime by mixing different materials and observed how their interactions created a stretchy, sticky substance. This helped them learn about material properties and how they can change when combined.

Next, they built catapults and examined the forces at work. By pulling back the catapult’s arm and releasing it, they saw how stored energy turns into motion, launching objects through the air. This demonstrated potential and kinetic energy and how force affects movement.

Year 3 delved into energy and forces by constructing their own Aerodactyl models. They observed how potential energy is stored and converted into kinetic energy as their models flew, gaining hands-on experience of how these forces interact in real-life scenarios.

As the halfway mark of this term is fast approaching, our Secondary girls have been immersed in a range of learning activities both inside and outside of the classroom. The girls are currently preparing for upcoming assessments and in the sporting arena, the finals seasons are fast approaching for Winter sports competitions.

Athletics Age Champions

On Tuesday the 13th August, Year 7 had a REAL Friendship workshop. The “Owning Up” workshop is all about looking at the different roles girls play in their interactions with each other and encourages girls to be more self-aware. It’s called “Owning Up” because it emphasizes that we can all step up and “own” our behaviour. It helps them realize that the way we treat each other has a big impact on each other's mental and emotional wellbeing. It also reminded them that essentially the only person they have control over is themselves. If they can try to change and improve themselves, being more aware of how they speak to one another and the possible positive or negative body language they convey, then the form as a whole could be more united and genuine friendships could flourish.

I truly believe that in every girl there is a Champion who wants to get out!

What is a Champion?

On Thursday the 1st of August, the year 11 Biology class visited the mangroves at Bobbin Head.

Following a brief introduction to the Ku-ring-gai national park and a discussion about human impacts on the area, we began our fieldwork. This included measuring a variety of environmental factors such as soil pH, soil type, water temperature, salinity and water turbidity.

Then we observed different species of mangroves and noted the adaptations that allowed them to survive in their environment. We made connections between soil salinity and where mangroves can grow.

We studied quadrats along a transect line to determine the abundance and distribution of crabs within the area. In groups, we estimated the number of crabs per quadrat then used this data to calculate the crab population in the area. We finished the day attempting to capture crabs along the muddy riverbank. Although catching a crab proved to be a more difficult task than we originally thought we were still able to collect a specimen and observe their different features which allowed them to survive in this environment.

Students in Years 2-6 are invited to attend weekly Primary Chapel Choir rehearsals.

Please note that rehearsals will now be held on Tuesday mornings at 8:00am in the Primary Music Room.

If you have any questions, please contact Mrs Roh.

I am thrilled to share that a select group of our Year 8 and Year 10 students recently had the extraordinary opportunity to participate in the Senior and Junior Stretch Challenge Conferencehosted by Academy Learning's Thriving Minds initiative. The event, was an incredible success, offering our students an enriching experience that has undoubtedly left a lasting impact.

Highlights from the Conference

The Stretch Challenge Conference was designed to push the intellectual boundaries of ambitious students, and our students rose to the occasion with enthusiasm and dedication. Throughout the day, they engaged in a series of thought-provoking sessions, each aimed at fostering critical thinking, creativity, and collaboration.

Some of the key sessions included:

On Tuesday 30th July our rescheduled Athletics Carnival took place at Greenway Oval. It was cold but the rain held off!

The participation and spirit was high as the students enjoyed track, field and novelty events and cheered for their peers & houses.

Thank you to the Development Committee and parent helpers who organised the canteen and the BBQ on the day, it is greatly appreciated.

Congratulations to our Age Champions:

Primary Age Champions

8 Years

1st - Sophia Matic
2nd - Arya Arisuthan
3rd - Bianca Chen

9 Years

1st - Talitha Gregory
2nd - Ivy Niu
3rd - Tess Kennedy

10 Years

1st - Bridgette Bazouni
2nd - Scarlett Bechara
3rd - Nicole Gao

11 Years

1st - Felicity Barbero
2nd - Isla Iglesia, Vanessa Sarkis & Miriam Youl

12 Years

1st - Ava McAuley
2nd - Marice D Souza
3rd - Sophie Roh

Secondary Age Champions

12 Years

1st - Clara Mulkeen-Suarez
2nd - Sonya Saliba
3rd - Caitlyn Cheah

13 Years

1st - Sohana Singh-Bains
2nd - Elizabeth D'Souza
3rd - Isabella Assaf

14 Years

1st - Yumin Oh
2nd - Sophie Setoh
3rd - Ava De-Fina

15 Years

1st - Jasmine Doueihi
2nd - Anastasia Limbers
3rd - Amelie Assaf

16 Years

On Sunday August 11, four students from Tangara were selected as dance finalists for the Platinum Dance Competition held at The Shore School in North Sydney adjudicated by Kieron Kulik and Matthew Slattery. Congratulations to our passionate dancers: Margot Bou-Samra (8R), Lucille Fahd (5R), Hope Laoulach (5R) and Charlotte Wang Park (5N) for their outstanding performances!

We are very excited to announce our coming Book Fair, scheduled for Week 5 from Monday, 19 August and finishing on Grandparents Day, 23 August. All students from Prep to Yr 6 will have an opportunity to visit the Book Fair during the week and complete a Wish List. There are a number of ways to purchase:

• send your child in with cash to purchase during the week
• visit yourself on Grandparents Day, Friday 23 August. Please note there will be a limited range of books available at the Infants Grandparents Day on Thursday, and the main Book Fair will NOT be open to parents on that day.
• follow the link here to purchase online https://tangara-school-for-girls-shop.square.site/

Most books can be ordered if out of stock. 

Please note, you are under no obligation to purchase from your child's Wish List and this is made very clear to them at the time.

We look forward to your support!

Overdue notices have been emailed to all students and their parents with books outstanding from last term. A physical notice has also been issued to primary students. Please help us by assisting your child to locate their Library books and return them as soon as possible. Books still outstanding at the end of term will be assumed lost and charge to your account together with a $5 processing fee. Thank you!

Thank you to the 35 students and their mothers who participated in our Mother Daughter reading event. We have had some lovely feedback and hope it was an enjoyable experience for mums and girls. Please note these books are now due back in the Library, so you assistance in ensuring their return would be much appreciated.

Victoria Mackinlay entertained our Kindergarten, Year 1 and Year 2 students by reading her two newly published books - The Bark Book and The Lion Who Came to Stay. She showed us amazing images of different types of tree bark and had the students guess its name. (Ask your child the colour of the Rainbow Eucalyptus bark!) Victoria let us in on a little secret, that her book, The Lion Who Came to Stay was actually based on her grandfather who was gifted a lion cub by a maharajah in India, where his parents were living. The lion cub and her grandfather travelled by ship to London and when the lion became too big to live in their house was bequeathed to London Zoo. Victoria’s book Ribbit Rabbit Robot is being studied in-depth by the Year 1 students.

Just a reminder that the Premier's Reading Challenge closes on Friday 23rd August.

Please email Mrs Ellis with any queries.

At the end of term 2, we were given the opportunity to attend a leadership conference at the NSW Parliament House where we met with a range of other student leaders and learnt about the parliamentary system. We were fortunate enough to meet several members of parliament and hear about their experiences and advice as the ‘leaders’ of the country. Amongst these, we met Ben Franklin, the President of the Legislative Council, and, during question time, received a viewing of both the Lower and Upper House in action.

We were given the opportunity to develop our knowledge of our government system, parliamentary proceedings, the role of members and the duties that compass being Governor of NSW. It was interesting to see the hustle and bustle of parliament and we spoke to other year 12 leaders about different initiatives and changes that they adopted into their schools and how we were the agents of change in our communities.

Attendance and Punctuality

Punctuality is expected of all students. This involves being present at school in time for the morning assembly at 8.30 am everyday.

In the Primary and Secondary, latecomers are expected to report to the Main Administration Building with their diaries for stamping. In Infants, the students are to go to Infant's office if they are late, before going to the classroom.

A late note should be presented for an appointment (ie. dental, speech therapy) or alternative arrangement on the day. We strongly recommend that wherever possible, appointments be made outside school hours or during non-term time.

Leaving school during school hours

The school must be notified of any appointments that require your child’s early departure. This can be done by sending a note in your child’s diary, followed up via Engage.

Students must be signed out at the front office before leaving. Once again, we strongly encourage appointments to be made outside school hours wherever possible.

No students are able to leave via public transport during the school day if they are leaving school to attend an appointment and/or going home unwell. A parent/guardian must collect their child from the school.

Leaving school during school hours

The school must be notified of any appointments that require your child’s early departure. This can be done by sending a note in your child’s diary, followed up via Engage.

Students must be signed out at the front office before leaving. Once again, we strongly encourage appointments to be made outside school hours wherever possible.

No students are able to leave via public transport during the school day if they are leaving school to attend an appointment and/or going home unwell. A parent/guardian must collect their child from the school.