Year 9 Study Skills Kick Start Session
From Director of Curriculum, Ms Lynsey Porter
All Year 9 students attended a Study Skills Kick Start Session last Tuesday 17 February with Elevate. The session covered tips on dynamic reading, taking notes, and how to construct mind maps. All students received a Student Activity Pack that summarises the key tips, which they completed during the session.
The Study Skills session was a very valuable exercise where students developed skills to help them organise their study for their senior years of schooling and end-of-year examinations.
The Truth Project Workshops by Year 13
From Senior Studies & Careers Coordinator, Ms Kath Knowles
This week students in Years 10 to 12 participated in The Truth Project workshops delivered by Year13, an organisation, which helps connects young people aged 15-24 to all the options available to them post-school life. The project has also been designed to help young Australians make better decisions when it comes to their future.
Students were shown how to identify transferable skills and find careers that best suit their skills, interests, and personality. The workshops focused on the benefits of discovering purpose and passion when choosing a career and how to select the best options to reach them.
Year 12 Students participating in an activity relating to their skills, interests, and personality.
Year 12 students during a workshop about post-school choices.
Careers Newsletter
Please click here for the latest careers newsletter.
Ash Wednesday
From Director of Identity & Student Formation, Ms Sue Walsh
Yesterday Waverley College Gym was transformed into a sacred space as we celebrated our Ash Wednesday Liturgy, capably led by Ms Suzanne Walsh, Director of Identity and Student Formation. Sadly, Father Bernie could not lead our service due to illness, and we thought of him in our prayers.
Ash Wednesday is one of the most important holy days in the liturgical calendar. It opens Lent, a season of fasting, prayer, quiet inner reflection, repentance and celebration. Ash Wednesday is mainly observed by Catholics, but many other Christians observe it too. In 2021, Ash Wednesday fell on 17 February.
Ms Suzanne Walsh leads the Ash Wednesday Liturgy 2021
What is Ash Wednesday?
What was the focus of the Ash Wednesday Mass at Waverley in 2021?
Ashes symbolise Christ’s death on the cross, and remind us that we belong to God and need renewal. Ms Walsh encouraged Waverley students to think about the type of person they would like to be. She challenged them to do something about it over the next 40 days via deeds and not just words.
Vice Captain Byron Scott asked students to reflect on ‘real gratitude’, challenging them as Australians to reflect on what they were grateful for; suggesting water, education, clothing, shelter, freedom, and safety from conflict and discrimination.
Is an Ash Wednesday celebration different during a pandemic?
Yes. Usually, the priest dips his finger into the ashes and spreads them in a cross pattern on the forehead. This year, because of COVID-19 restrictions, a cross marked in ash was not placed on the foreheads of worshippers, but instead was sprinkled over the crowns of heads with the spoken words: “Repent from sin and be faithful to the Gospel.” This method is also reflective of the ancient tradition of repentance, which was to sprinkle oneself with ashes.
Principal Mr Graham Leddie receiving sprinkled ash
Where does the ash come from?
Ash used during an Ash Wednesday Mass is made from the burned blessed palm leaves used during Palm Sunday of the previous year.
Do Waverley students actively participate in the liturgy?
Yes! As always, Waverley students played a meaningful role in all areas of this significant celebration. We especially thank those who volunteered to be involved in the liturgy as readers, those who brought the gifts forward and all those who assisted with the distribution of the ashes.
Who sang at our liturgy this year?
A special acknowledgement must be given to the graceful singing of our choir that was admirably led by Music Liturgy coordinator Ms Anne Fahy. The liturgy concluded with the beautiful hymn The Lord is my Shepherd.
Visit from General Sir Peter Cosgrove
The Senior Library Staff were pleased to recently meet Waverley College Old Boy General Sir Peter Cosgrove. Not only did we have his two books in our collection, but we could tell him that his latest book You Shouldn’t Have Joined: A memoir (2020) was currently out, being read by a Waverley College student.
James Peate, the young man who borrowed the book, was surprised and honoured to have Sir Peter come to his room, introduce himself personally, and sign the book!
General Sir Peter Cosgrove signing James Peate’s workbook
General Sir Peter Cosgrove visiting Waverley students
James Peate
Cadet Annual Reveille Mess and Cadet Conference
From Commanding Officer – WCCU, MAJ(AAC) Julie-Ann de Kantzow
We hit the ground running when Cadets started back for 2021. AFX (Annual Field Exercise) is just around the corner and this term is an important one to consolidate skills and behavioural expectations for our annual Cadet Camp. Standards have unfortunately slipped over the summer holidays, and we will need to see considerable improvement if we are to enjoy the many exciting opportunities available to us at Majura Military Training Area.
Our senior rank are busy preparing engaging and challenging activities for AFX which is an important element in their leadership training. In planning activities, they are thinking through logistics, ordering stores, analysing risks, solving problems, and developing contingency plans – skills that will stand them in good stead for their futures.
This week, our Senior Cadet Under Officer, CUO Mark Gaponov, the Adjutant, CUO Will Gibson and the Training Officer, CUO Bryn Parry joined with senior cadets from other Cadet Units at the CAS Cadet Conference. Free exchange of ideas and plans reinvigorated our seniors as they discussed ways to address the impact of COVID-19 limitations on all school-based Cadet Units.
Here at Waverley, we are giving our recruits the chance to experience camp by staying in the Unit for an extra term. As a consequence, we have changed the Cadet year so that our Year 8s will start their Cadet journey in Term 3 2021 and go through to the end of Term 2 2022. The change has several benefits, allowing our seniors to finish earlier and concentrate on their HSC, and ensuring AFX is the culmination of the year’s training in fieldcraft, milskills and leadership development.
Cadets 2021
Cadets 2021
On Friday night, we celebrated the wonderful history of the Cadet Unit at the annual Reveille Mess. Cadet Old Boys and, for the first time, Cadet Old Girls came together to reminisce and to reignite friendships, bonding over their shared experiences during their time at Cadets. We are grateful to our seniors who all played a part in proceedings and to our Dining Stewards who were exemplary in their service throughout the evening.
Annual Reveille Mess 2021
Annual Reveille Mess 2021
Annual Reveille Mess 2021
Shrove Tuesday – Pancake Day
From Director of Identity & Student Formation, Ms Sue Walsh
Our first SRC event for 2021 was held this week and consisted of the celebration of Shrove Tuesday – Pancake Day! Over 500 Pancakes, 20 litres of ice cream and syrup were enjoyed on the day.
Thank you to all those students who supported this most worthy cause that helped kickstart our Project Compassion appeal for Lent. Thank you also to all the SRC students who brought in the pancakes and helped serve on the day.
Shrove Tuesday 2021
Our next big SRC event will be St Patrick’s day March 17th. This will involve everything from green jelly and lollies to Gaelic football. Come along and support these wonderful initiatives of your SRC.
Congratulations guys on making such a great start to our fundraising.
Year 12 Marine Studies Boat Licensing Trip
From Mr Keith Gawman, Science Teacher
On Friday 12 February 2021, students from the Year 12 Marine Studies course travelled to the Royal Motor Yacht Club in Port Hacking to participate in the Boat Smart Program with Tim Grant, the Boating Hub Coordinator for the Sydney Metropolitan area. In association with the Marine Teachers Association of NSW, the Boat Smart Program aims to provide a Safe Boating Course that can lead to students obtaining a General Boat Licence. The course consists of a Practical Safe Boating training day and completion of the written Boating Licence examination.
Year 12 Marine Studies students
During the one-day program, the students were required to safely launch a vessel from a trailer; row a tender; conduct a dinghy capsize and rescue exercise; drive a boat and return a boat to its trailer. Students also discussed maritime employment and boating regulations with a local Maritime Boating Officer, and ran through some basic small outboard operations, including the servicing of their own life jackets.
Year 12 Marine Studies students
It was an amazing experience and the students had a great time. These students should be congratulated, not only for passing their course, but also on how they conducted themselves on the day: Evan Athanassiou, Fergus Braha
Year 11 Marine Studies First Aid and CPR Course with Surf Life Saving
On Friday 19 February 2021, Year 11 Marine Studies, SLR and Entertainment students will be taking part in their First Aid and CPR training with the trainers and examiners from Surf Life Saving. This course will provide participants with the skills and knowledge to manage emergency first aid situations until professional medical support is available.
Year 12 Geography Field Trip
From Head of HSIE, Mr Adam Wallington
On Monday 1 February students from the Year 12 Geography class, along with their teachers Mr Wallington (Head of HSIE) and Ms Sutcliffe (Geography teacher), ventured out of the Eastern Suburbs to North Narrabeen. The aim of the day was to investigate coastal sand dunes as an ecosystem at risk. The cohort attended the Narrabeen Coastal Environment Centre (CEC). The qualified educators at the CEC provided Waverley students with an innovative, relevant and enjoyable field trip, engaging them in active field work.
Year 12 Geography students completing a field sketch
Narrabeen’s geographical structure makes it significantly susceptible to coastal erosion. The most vulnerable Australian coastlines are those that are made up of unconsolidated sediments, such as beaches, dunes and sand cliffs; areas that experience erosion and longshore drift. Narrabeen on the Northern Beaches has seen its fair share of storms, also known to geographers as East Coast Lows. In 2016 and again in 2020, the beach profile was extremely impacted with approximately 25 metres of beach being swept away due to storms, abnormal high tides and strong winds.
Students embarked on a bushwalk to Narrabeen Headland, a high vantage lookout area to visualise Narrabeen’s topography and to utilise their field sketching skills. A walk along the beach followed where each student used instruments to obtain primary data at regular intervals across the dune transect.
The day finished with students enjoying a stand-up paddle-board on Narrabeen lagoon, a definite highlight of the day.
Year 12 geography students at Narrabeen Headland
Co-Curricular Opportunity: Tournament of Minds
From Academic Enrichment Coordinator, Ms Stephanie Boyce
Tournament of Minds (TOM) offers teams of students the opportunity to solve authentic, open-ended challenges that foster creative, divergent thinking whilst developing collaborative enterprise, excellence and teamwork.
Challenges are set in the following disciplines: The Arts, Language Literature, Social Sciences and STEM.
TOM is entering its third year at Waverley College, and there are spaces available on teams. TOM forms part of the Academic Enrichment program at Waverley College, providing challenges for students across a range of domains.
Students can choose to do TOM as their only Winter Co-Curricular, or in addition to their current Winter Co-Curricular. Teams comprise students in Years 7-10.
If your son is interested in participating, please contact Academic Enrichment Coordinator Ms Boyce.
Book Art Display
From Senior School Librarian, Ms Sue Bognar
Do you have any book art you would like to display? Please bring it into the library and we can showcase!
Here is an amazing creation by our Library Staff and Book Hire Manager, Ms Pearce.
An amazing artistic book creation by our Library Staff and Book Hire Manager Ms Pearce
