This week, as our students complete their journey through Year 12, I invite you to pause and contemplate the long road that has brought them here. From the first hesitant steps in Primary school to the confident stride with which they now face the world, there unfolds the great arc of time in which seeds have been sown, tended, and finally brought to harvest.

The image of the sower speaks eloquently to this path. At the beginning, seeds were cast into the soil of childhood—seeds of faith, learning, friendship, and discipline. These did not grow by themselves: they required patient labour, the tilling of the ground, the sheltering hand against storms, the gentle encouragement to rise towards the light. Many of you, as parents, have been those sowers. Your hidden sacrifices, your perseverance in moments of doubt, your courage in times of trial have nourished what now stands before us: young women ready to step forward into life.

As the term comes to an end, we are preparing for a well-earned rest from school. We highly recommend that the children keep up with their reading and writing skills over the break, alongside plenty of family time, play, and rest.

International Dot Day

This term our students celebrated International Dot Day. They began by listening to ‘The Dot’ by Peter H. Reynolds, a story that encourages creativity, confidence, and the importance of taking a risk. Beginning with just a single dot, the children explored where their creativity could take them. They became imaginative risk-takers, turning something simple into something extraordinary through art.

Spring Is Here

With the arrival of spring and its beautiful weather, our Prep students have been enjoying outdoor play and learning. Kindergarten and Year 1 classes have also taken lessons outside, making the most of the fresh air and sunshine. The change of setting has brought renewed energy and engagement to our learning experiences

Teddy Bears’ Picnic

A big congratulations to our students who were invited to the Teddy Bears’ Picnic! Our guests enjoyed special treats with their friends as they celebrated their efforts and positive contributions to school life.

Investigating Movement in Science

Kindergarten Silver have been busy young scientists, exploring how things move in Science. The students have been learning to describe movement using specific verbs and adverbs, helping them build their vocabulary as well as their understanding of the world around them.

Working in groups, they conducted experiments with toy cars to observe how they rolled. Through these investigations, the students were introduced to the concept of a fair test. They worked to ensure that only one thing changed at a time to ensure they achieved an accurate result.

The class particularly enjoyed working together in teams, sharing their ideas and explaining their thinking to one another. It has been wonderful to see their curiosity and cooperation in action as they discovered new ways to talk about how things move.

Principal’s Morning Tea & Teddy Bear’s Picnic

These two events are always a highlight in the Junior School calendar. We love celebrating the hard work and effort of our students. Congratulations to all who attended.

Wacky Olympics

Last week, our Year 12 girls hosted a fantastic Wacky Olympics during lunchtime. The Primary girls had a wonderful time and thoroughly enjoyed every moment. Thank you to Year 12 for bringing such joy to the playground.

Year 12 Farewell

One of Tangara’s cherished traditions is the Year 12 Farewell Concert. The Primary girls have poured their hearts into preparing for this special day and truly relish the celebration that marks the end of their school journey. Each Primary student has been encouraged to pray for our Year 12 girls as they take their next steps.

Excursions

Years 3, 4, and 5 have recently participated in enriching excursions that offered valuable learning experiences beyond the classroom. A huge thank you to all staff involved in planning and accompanying these outings. Be sure to enjoy the photos and article featured in this edition of Rust and Navy.

During the holidays why not practice the Gratitude Challenge from the Big Life Journal!

1. Say please and thank you

Our manners show that we do not believe we are entitled to anything and that in fact, we appreciate whatever comes our way.

2. Help someone less fortunate

This could be your neighbour or family member

3. Volunteer

Help Mum and Dad at home. Volunteer your time!

4. Send out thank you cards

Express your gratitude for those who have added value to your life.

5. Look for awe-inspiring moments in your day

If the sunset is particularly beautiful, comment on it. If the sound of the baby’s laughter warms your heart, notice it. 

6. Share your gratitude at bedtime

Take five minutes at the end of the day to talk about what you are thankful for that day.

7. Share your gratitude at the dinner table

Take a moment at dinner time to share what you are thankful for. 

8. Compliment others

Share the things you appreciate about others.

9. Keep a gratitude journal

By writing, drawing or painting.

10. Write a letter

Write a letter to someone who has touched his life in some way. 

On Monday 15 September Year 3 students enjoyed a wonderful excursion to the iconic Sydney Opera House. The sun was shining brightly, and the beautiful spring weather made the day even more special.

The girls travelled by coach bus - a highlight for many - as they eagerly made their way into the city. Once at the Opera House, the students were split into two groups for different learning experiences.

One group visited the Creativity Learning Centre, where they were guided through a hands-on workshop to create their own sculptures of a pavilion. Using a variety of tactile materials including leaves, bark, wooden corks, cardboard, and flowers, the girls let their imaginations run wild and created some truly unique and thoughtful pieces.

The second group went on an educational tour of the Opera House. They explored the main concert hall and the stunning Glasshouse Pavilion, with breathtaking views of Sydney Harbour and the Harbour Bridge. During the tour, the students also learned about the Opera House’s famous architect, Jørn Utzon, and the incredible design and construction process behind this world-renowned building.

Fantastic, adventurous and animals galore; those are definitely words to describe my excursion! You better buckle up because you’re about to go on an EPIC ride! Four Navy and Rust split into groups first. Four Navy went to explore some birds and animals while Four Rust visited some cool rocks and minerals. Four Navy loved exploring the birds and animals and learning all about them. They were all different shapes, sizes and colours. Some were big, some were small, some were super colourful and some were very cute! Before exploring some cool rocks and minerals, Four Rust learnt about rocks, minerals and how they were made. Later, they did some cool activities like sorting some rocks and minerals into groups. It was really cool! Soon after Four Rust explored the rocks and minerals, Four Navy and Four Rust switched places so everyone got a chance to explore all the parts of the museum. Going to St. Mary’s cathedral made the day even better! Even the bus ride was awesome! Year Four’s excursion was the best and I will never forget it.

By Maria B

Our trip to Bathurst started at 5:30. We arrived at Katoomba for a recess break after a 2 hour long drive from school. After recess we walked not too far to a real life experience of the awe inspiring three sisters, where we learnt the Aboriginal Dream Time Story of the three sisters. Forever carrying that sensational experience, we departed and made our way back onto the bus for another hour until we arrived at Bathurst. When we reached our destination we met our guide Andrew, who toured us through the Goldfields Museum, where we learnt many fascinating facts about the time of the Gold Rush. After the Great Escape of the Shaft Mine Museum we finally breathed some fresh air where our guide led us to a horse powered way of finding gold. We next saw a steam powered engine that moved a mine cart.

- Zahra

This term was an exciting term that everyone enjoyed. From Science Week to Grandparents’ Day, term three was an absolute thriller! During Science Week we completed lots of fun activities. We made oobleck using corn starch and water and with vinegar and bi carb soda we inflated a balloon with carbon dioxide. For Religion we interviewed our parish priest or Tangara’s very own priests: Father Paul Muller and Father John Flader. We asked the priest we were interviewing, different questions about their journey as a priest or about their catholic faith. On Grandparents’ Day everyone was delighted for their relatives to come to our school. We had a book fair that was open for all of book week, as well as a family tree craft, an art exhibition, a photo booth and open classrooms. Overall it was a fun and interesting term that left no one unsatisfied and was filled with many sensational adventures.

- Zahra

Year 5 Paper Planes and Pizza.

Over the past few months our class parent dads have been organising some wonderful father and daughter events as opportunities for dads and their girls to make important and meaningful connections and bonds with each other. By all accounts the dads and their daughters have thoroughly enjoyed this time with each other and with other dads and their daughter’s classmates. A big thank you to all the organizer dads ( and those supportive mums behind the scene!)Your time and energy are greatly appreciated!

The Election Process - by Shalomi Somasundaram

We are excited to announce that two of our Year 12 students have received ENCORE nominations for their HSC Performance programs.

Heidi J was nominated for Voice in the Music 1 course, and Joann M was nominated for Piano in the Music 2 course.

ENCORE recognises some of the best HSC Music performances across the state. Being nominated is a great achievement, and we are very proud of both Heidi and Joann for their hard work and commitment.

We also extend our best wishes to the rest of the cohort as they await their results later this year.

Earlier this week, Year 9 and 10 Music students attended a performance at the Sydney Opera House by the Sydney Symphony Orchestra, celebrating the music of Japanese composer Joe Hisaishi.

The concert was especially significant for Year 9, who had spent Term 1 studying Hisaishi’s works in detail and composing their own pieces inspired by his style for their assessment task. Having analysed his film scores and experimented with similar techniques in class, students were able to hear those same musical ideas performed live by a world-class orchestra in one of the best concert halls in the world.

Guided by Art of the Score podcasters Dan Golding, Andrew Pogson, conductor Nicholas Buc, and featuring pianist Aura Go, students were introduced to the background and influences behind Hisaishi’s music, with the Orchestra bringing to life highlights from Spirited Away, Kiki’s Delivery Service, and Howl’s Moving Castle.

For Year 9, the excursion was a culmination of their Term 1 studies, while for Year 10 it provided valuable insight into the craft of film music and orchestral performance. It was an inspiring experience for all, combining classroom learning with the thrill of live music at the Sydney Opera House.

Please save-the-date for the Peripatetic Music Soiree, Sunday 4 November, from 12pm.

Congratulations to our Grand Final teams!

On Saturday, 13th September, two of our teams gave it their all in the Grand Final. What a weekend of incredible effort and sportsmanship!

U10 Div 2 Team
Our U10 Div 2 team fought bravely against Thornleigh in a nail biting match that went down to the wire. Though they narrowly missed out by just 1 goal (10-9), their hard work and determination throughout the season have been outstanding. A huge well done to all players and coaches for a fantastic season!

U12 Div 3 Team
What a thrilling finish for our U12 Div 3 team, who secured a tight 25-21 victory against HLNC! Their amazing shooting accuracy and solid defensive efforts kept them in front right until the final whistle. Congratulations on a well deserved win and an excellent season!

Both teams were coached by old girls Sophie De-Fina and Lea Kang.

Thank you to all players, coaches, and supporters for your passion and dedication. We’re proud of our teams and can’t wait to see what next season holds!

Congratulations to our U14 Cavaliers who played in the Grand Final on Tuesday 23rd September and represented our club with pride! Sadly, they went down 33-13 but should be commended for a fantastic season.

Congratulations also to the following teams who will play in the Grand Finals this weekend at Hills Hornets Basketball Stadium:

U18 Tangara Ravens | 26th Sept, 6.45pm - Court 2
U11 Tangara Select | 27th Sept, 1.30pm - Court 1
U11 Tangara Swans | 27th Sept, 1.30pm - Court 3
U12 Tangara Select | 27th Sept, 2.45pm - Court 2
U12 Tangara Stars | 27th Sept, 2.45pm - Court 3

Please come and support these teams as they play for the Premiership!

Congratulations to the following students who competed at CIS Secondary Athletics on Tuesday 23rd September:

Taylor Jane Haifa (16 Girls 1500m)
Olivia Siau (17 Girls 800m)
Erene D Souza (18+ Girls 1500m)

We are pleased to inform you that Tangara has secured a new location for our upcoming 2026 School Swimming Carnival – Waves Fitness & Aquatic Centre in Baulkham Hills.

This modern, purpose-built facility offers excellent aquatic amenities and improved spectator spaces. Importantly, it is also more centrally located and accessible for the majority of our school community, making it easier for families to attend or arrange transport.

As part of this transition, the 2026 Tangara Swimming Carnival will take place on Tuesday 2nd December, 2025 for students in Years 2–11. This means that students will participate in two swimming carnivals in the 2025 calendar year - one held earlier this year, and the second in December. From 2026 onwards, the Swimming Carnival will return to being an annual event scheduled at the end of the school year.

Although this event will take place in December 2025, it serves as the qualifying carnival for the 2026 HZSA Swimming Carnival. Students’ performances at this carnival will determine eligibility for selection into the 2026 Tangara Hills Zone team.

On Monday, the 8th of September, the year 9 Commerce class  proudly hosted Market Day 2025. After weeks of extensive planning and focused preparation, the event came to life with an exciting range of stalls serving all kinds of delicious food. The day was filled with energy and enthusiasm as we put our entrepreneurial skills into practice, showcasing  teamwork, leadership and financial ability.

Thanks to the tremendous support of the Tangara community, we are delighted to share that Market Day raised an outstanding $2769! All proceeds will be donated to Mary’s Meals, a global organisation dedicated to tackling world hunger by providing daily meals in schools within some of the world’s poorest communities. By doing so, Mary’s Meals not only nourishes children but also encourages school attendance, giving them the chance to learn and work towards a brighter future.

We extend our heartfelt thanks to Mrs Milicevic for her guidance and organisation of this initiative, and to the entire Tangara community for your generosity and enthusiasm. Your support has made a real difference – helping families around the world to feed and educate their children.

-Year 9 Commerce Class

Final notices have been emailed to all students and their parents with books still outstanding from last term. Books not returned by the end of Term 3 will be assumed lost and charged to your account together with a $5 processing fee. Please assist your child in locating and returning their books as soon as possible. Thank you!