Running for Premature Babies founder and Waverley mum Sophie Smith is one of five finalists for Westfield Local Heroes. If she wins, a $10,000 donation will be made to Running for Premature Babies. Please consider voting and spreading the word!
You can vote for Sophie at bit.ly/westfieldsophiesmith and click here for more information.
The Parents Association are continuing to support parents and boys through these challenging times. This includes:
For more information on how the Parents Association can support you, please email Mary Ramsay at marykateramsay@gmail.com, or Deb Johnson at debjohnson2@bigpond.com.
Please click here for the latest careers update.
Dear Parents and Carers,
This week, the NSW Government has requested NSW Health and the Chief Health Officer Dr Kerry Chant to review the current advice to schools, with the aim of minimising the risk of COVID-19 transmission in school communities in Term 3. We will share this information with you once it becomes available and notify you of any ramifications for College events.
The NSW Premier Ms Gladys Berejiklian recently stated that NSW was on a “knife’s edge” and “about halfway through a critical period”. The NSW COVID-19 numbers this week are low again, but we need to remain vigilant with our hygiene practices and be careful about our community visits to avoid another lockdown situation.
Year 10 vaccinations are scheduled to take place later this term, on Thursday 17 September. The vaccination for Year 10 students in 2020 is for Meningococcal ACWY. Having lost two students to Meningococcal in the space of six weeks at a previous school, I would strongly encourage you to have your son vaccinated. It’s a disease that can progress rapidly, causing serious disability or death within 24 hours (caused by a bacterial infection of the blood and/or membranes that line the spinal cord and brain).
If you haven’t returned this permission card, you will receive an email from the Health Centre reminding you to send it in or to request a replacement card.
The EREA Child Safeguarding Standards Framework continues to enhance the way that our school creates and maintains a child-safe environment. We have recently updated our Student Code of Conduct in line with the Framework. I encourage you to support your son in adhering to this important document. If students would like further clarification on the contents of the code, they should contact their Head of House in the first instance.
You can access the Student Code of Conduct here. It’s also available on the College website, under ‘Policies’.
I’ve been very impressed with how our Year 12s have carried themselves throughout this very challenging year. They haven’t missed a beat and should be congratulated for all of the extra tutorials and the work they’ve put into their studies. All the very best to the cohort for their upcoming Trial HSC Examinations, which begin next week (Monday 17-Monday 31 August). Good luck also to our HSC plus Vocational students, who are heading out on work experience.
Congratulations to Liam Andrews, Will Baker, Charlie Barber, Jonathan Chen, Mitchell Eyles, Gabriel Kidston, Shawn Mendes, Dylan Purbrick, Samuel Tsaousis and Eliot Vincent Hull. I watched their online recital from Monday this week and was amazed by the talents on display – well done to the boys, who should all be very proud of their efforts.
In addition, well done to our HSC Drama performers. I heard that the performances were also of a high standard, so congratulations to Caspar Cairns, Archie Carr, Matt Douglas, Riley Klotz, Jack Lynch, Reid McNamara, Oscar Rowson, Alfie Sewell, Jake Smith, Will Spittal, Daniel Townsend and Ryan von der Heyden. Finally, congratulations to the students who have already secured early offer university places with ANU, Macquarie and Western universities.
Year 7-10 parent/teacher/student interviews are scheduled for Monday 17 August, from 8:30am-6:30pm via video conferencing. This is obviously a great opportunity to strengthen the partnership between teachers, parents and students – and to gain some accommodations and recommendations that will assist with future areas to target. Year 11 students will be preparing for yearly examinations and will have the option of a study day at home or in the College library.
Every night, more than 116,000 people in Australia experience homelessness. Although the most visible experience of homelessness involves sleeping rough on the streets, this type of homelessness only represents 7% of the homeless population. Thousands of men, women, young people and children forced to ‘couch surf’, seek shelter in a car or rely on temporary accommodation are experiencing different forms of homelessness. Last week our students participated in small group activities to increase their knowledge of, and compassion towards, homelessness. We also had a lunchtime activity where students knitted blankets for the Matthew Talbot Hostel.
To read more about what we are doing on campus for this great initiative please read the Homelessness Awareness Week 2020 article below.
Waverley College supports the following organisations in Sydney:
Waverley Old Boy Quinn Darragh (Class of 1995) and Year 7 parent Luke Stewart are aiming to swim the English Channel next month. They’re aiming to raise $74k for premature babies.
Why $74k, you may ask? Because that is what a neonatal ventilator costs. This money will go to the Royal Hospital for Women and assist in saving the lives of over 600 critically ill babies.
The gents have raised $44k to date and, unfortunately, all of their fundraising events have had to be cancelled due to COVID-19, so any assistance would be appreciated and go to a great cause. Head to www.quinnswim.com or www.lukeswim.com.au for more information about Quinn and Luke’s journey.
Vale Phil O’Sullivan, Class of 1938
The College community is saddened to hear that our oldest-known Old Boy, Phil, passed away on Monday. From the earliest days, Phil’s family have deeply impacted the shaping of Waverley College, notably securing the lease to use Queens Park in the 30s, fixing up the old school buses and serving on the OBU. While Phil left the College some 82 years ago, he never lost his affection for the school and attended many events each year. He was recently quoted as saying “While I can walk or even stagger, I am going to attend Waverley functions”.
A lovely man and loyal Waverlian, Phil ‘Mr Cricket’ O’Sullivan will be greatly missed. Our condolences go to his family and friends.
Recollections by Phil O’Sullivan
During this challenging time, we’re aware that a lot of businesses are suffering. Please use this directory to support valuable family businesses in the Waverley College community.
The directory is free to advertise in and open for all parents and Old Boys. To register your business, please email Robin Ball at rball@waverley.nsw.edu.au.
Congratulations to our Semester 1 Academic Award winners in Years 7-12. Their dedication and persistence has paid off and we congratulate them on their fine achievements. These boys were recognised at our recent online academic assembly.
Please read the Academic Awards article below to view the list of award winners.
In this edition of Nurrunga, I’m proud to share our Teaching & Learning highlights with you. As you’ll see, the campus remains a hive of activity. Our teachers continue to create unique academic experiences for our students – even though we’re unable to participate in the full range of extra-curricular activities at this time.
To me, this snapshot serves as a clear reminder of the benefits of face-to-face instruction. While we’ve been grateful for off-campus learning during COVID-19, we know that being on campus gives our students increased opportunities for academic and social development in a safe and stable environment that empowers them to engage, interact and support each other.
From building model medieval castles and analysing ethics through Batman, to participating in the Blackdog Institute’s Future-Proofing Study and preparing for our Year 12 Music showcase, it’s safe to say that there’s never a dull moment at Waverley. I hope you enjoy reading these updates from our vibrant community as much as I have.
Years 8 and 9 have been participating in the Blackdog Institute’s Future-Proofing Study for 2019-2025. The research started again on Tuesday 4 August, with over 150 of our students completing online surveys about their mental health and wellbeing at school.
The Black Dog Institute is a medical research institute dedicated to improving mental wellbeing across the lifespan. Black Dog’s research has a strong focus on youth and early intervention; 50% of all mental health problems emerge in adolescence, but teenagers are unlikely to get help until these problems impact their attendance, academic result and relationships.
Students in the study will complete two surveys in Year 8 and then one each year until Year 12. They will also use apps to teach them skills for managing their wellbeing and the early signs of changing mental health. Many teens avoid getting help because of cost, stigma and trouble finding the right services. By using app-based healthcare tools, the Black Dog Institute wants to put evidence-based mental health programs into the hands of all young people, whenever they need them and wherever they are.
Thank you to the parents and students who supported this important study about mental health prevention.
Students participating in The Black Dog Institute study
Year 8 History classes have been learning about Medieval Europe. In Term 3, I asked them to build a model castle using resources I provided. As you can see, their efforts were genuinely creative and innovative. Well done, boys!
Year 8 History – Medieval Europe
The Waverley Music department is still very active and productive during this turbulent time. Private lessons are generally back to normal and there has been an increase in the number of students learning an instrument. While our choir rehearsals have unfortunately been cancelled due to COVID-19 restrictions, our bands are rehearsing while socially distancing.
Our Year 12s are currently preparing for their trial performances, which will take place in Week 4 and we streamed a showcase on Monday 10 August, prior to the trials. The HSC performances will take place at the end of Term 3. We wish the boys every success for their performance and compositions.
A busy Music department
Last term, Year 9 Applied Philosophy students explored Ethics and Future Problem Solving. Traditionally, this would involve a deep study of Ancient Greek philosophers, looking at ethical constructs and considering their application in relation to the history of philosophy.
But these things don’t fit with today’s world or how our students want to consume ideas and learning concepts. The reality is that they love new technologies, heroes, celebrities, sports and current affairs, so we found more relevant texts that the students wanted to work with in small groups, including Batman! This proved to be very popular and successful. Here’s a glimpse of the activities – and you can see what our students came up with in the image gallery at the top of the article.
Analyse Batman in terms of ethics related to his relationship with the Joker and decide whether he is virtuous or not. Present your evaluation and core ideas to the class.
Analyse Blade Runner in terms of ethics related to the replicants (A.I. beings) and decide whether the utilitarian ideal of terminating/killing them when they no longer fit their design is morally and ethically correct. Present your evaluation and core ideas to the class.
We’ve hit the ground running here in the Junior School. We’ve already had so much excitement this term. Our lunchtime and after school art, hip hop dance and chess classes have begun. The boys have also been involved in two big sporting days: trials and Blitz Day.
Last week, I spoke to the boys about a new initiative in the Junior School. We’re introducing 5 Core Values that will underpin who we are, how we act and what we value. I’ve discussed the meaning and the importance behind the creation of our core values with the boys, and how they will be the principles that guide us to make the right choices on a daily basis.
We introduced our first Core Value this week: ‘RESPECT.’ Last week, Mr Ghattas worked with our SRC members to brainstorm examples of how students can show respect on the playground and in the classroom. The Class Captains presented this to their classes on Tuesday, which generated great discussion points. This has been our wellbeing focus and some great activities have been created. Below are some excellent examples that 5 Blue students Oliver Lorimer and Issac Occhiuto created with Ms Zivanovic.
Oliver’s examples of how students can show respect
Issac’s examples of how students can show respect
Wednesday 8 August is the Feast Day of Mary MacKillop, who we now celebrate as Australia’s first saint (St Mary of the Cross).
Mary MacKillop loved God and always listened to what God was saying to her throughout the events in her life. She always asked God for help for herself, family, friends and the poor. This year is even more special as it marks the 10th anniversary of her canonisation. In class this week, the students will reflect on Mary’s life and how she helped to educate the less fortunate. We strongly encourage the boys to reflect on Mary’s main message:
‘To never see a need, without doing something about it.’
Last Thursday, the annual Blitz Day Carnival was held at Queens Park for our Junior School students. This is a great opportunity for the students to compete and support each other in a House competition consisting of Rugby, Football and AFL. The weather was very kind to us and we enjoyed a beautiful day with great conditions.
Each team played three games throughout the day and there was plenty of tough competition and sportsmanship being shown on the field. Big congratulations to Tevlin and O’Connor Houses, who were crowned Blitz Day champions. The following students were voted best on ground by the referees and teachers.
Year 5 – Ned O’Halloran
Year 6 – Jack Minogue
Year 5 – Jed Jarrett
Year 6 – Liam Lynch
Year 5 – James Tucker
Year 6 – Bailey Gosbell
Finally, a big thank you to all of the staff involved on the day – especially Mr. Coleman and the Year 9 PASS students who helped with refereeing and organising the House teams. It was great to have you involved.
There are so many changes we’ve had to make over the last few months and we’ve missed out on some face-to-face activities. However, thanks to technology, we were able to started the debating season virtually.
The topic for debate was ‘That we should ban having birds as pets.’ Both Waverley teams put forward strong arguments, presenting their cases clearly and firmly rebutting the Kambala team’s cases. The boys did themselves and Waverley very proud, with one win and one loss.
Congratulations on a great start to the season, everybody! This week we debate against Coogee Prep.
Students preparing for Waverley vs Kambala
Waverley vs Kambala
This term the boys are exploring literature by Australian authors and illustrators on the Children’s Book Council of Australia 2020 shortlist. Searching for Cicadas was our focus last week. This stunning picture book engages and informs young readers through its unique melding of fact and storytelling. The boys stepped into the role of an illustrator and appreciated the work that goes into producing illustrations for picture books.
Having an appreciation for art also helps us to develop an appreciation for each other and how we are all unique in our own ways.
5 Indigo student Thomas George working on his illustration
Year 5 illustrations inspired by Searching for Cicada
Searching for Cicadas, our inspiration
Allowing boys to select their own reading material is an important aspect of encouraging boys to read. Recent research states that giving boys a choice of reading material will promote their love for books. With that in mind, it’s important to expose your sons to different texts and encourage them to choose. Over the last few weeks I’ve been informally researching what the boys’ interests are to curate a diverse selection of books for the boys to read.
Year 5 students with a new read in the Learning Hub
Our Waverley pop-up bookshop will kick off our Book Week celebrations on Monday 24 August from 9am – 12:30pm in the Learning Hub. Students will visit the bookshop with their class on Monday from 9:00 am. Students are welcome to bring cash or their debit card to shop. It’s a great way to encourage your son to read and books will start at $15.
During Book Week, our boys will also have the opportunity to watch a virtual performance, The Greatest Discovery, which combines a love of reading and books with a celebration of diversity and competition. A selection of The CBCA Shortlisted Books of 2020 comes to life in this performance, encouraging the boys to engage with reading in an active and energetic manner while reinforcing the idea of inclusivity and a celebration of endeavour rather than competitive results.
Popular author Tim Harris will be our virtual guest on Tuesday 25 August. Tim is a former primary school teacher and his stories are filled with quirky scenarios, loveable characters and plenty of imagination. The presentation aims to promote reading and creative writing.
If your son is keen to enter one or both of the competitions running for Book Week, he still has time. Submissions are due on Monday 17 August. Winners will be announced on Friday 28 August.
Teachers have long recognised the educational and developmental benefits of digital technologies in the classroom. Like a number of other schools, the extent to which Waverley College integrates computer technology into blended learning programs has been adjusted over the years to suit the needs of our students. We believe in a balanced approach and acknowledge that, while computers are an important and valuable resource in the classroom, they should be one of many tools used by the teacher in the delivery of the curriculum.
The amount of time that students are spending in front of screens has undoubtedly increased over the past decade. Long gone are the days where students would write essays by hand or gather research materials from hardcover books. While personal computers, mobile phones and tablets all have tremendous benefits for students’ learning and social development, they have also presented new challenges. Waverley College values the research, which clearly indicates that boys retain more information by writing over typing. Importantly, most students will also sit a three-hour HSC Exam for each subject that involves writing – not typing – a response. Handwriting is a crucial tool that needs to be developed, practised and improved like any other fine motor skill. Having marked the HSC for many years, it’s important to note that you can’t award marks if you’re unable to understand what’s been written.
At a seminar that I attended last year, it was suggested that there was a significant spike in mental health issues among school-aged kids at the point where over 50% of adolescents owned a mobile phone. Our students can receive a skewed view of reality from the social media posts they’re exposed to – digitally enhanced photos where friends are only having ‘the time of their lives’, not to mention the eternal drive to achieve as many ‘likes’ as possible. Increased interconnectedness in the online world has also meant that schoolyard comments and bullying behaviours no longer stop when the 3:15pm bell rings. Bullying now takes place online, after hours. According to Australia’s eSafety Commissioner, one in five children have experienced some form of cyberbullying (Karp, 2018). Thankfully, our own 2020 student Wellbeing Survey suggests a lower number within our College community.
Cyberbullying, unlike traditional bullying, is said to be far more invasive and complex. It can range from abusive text messages to humiliation, exclusion, imitation and nasty gossip. There’s no doubt that bullying of this nature has an impact on the mental health of young people. Governments have recognised these risks, with some announcing that students will be banned from using their mobile phones during school hours. Waverley College’s phone policy acknowledges that most students act responsibly in this space, so we allow phones to be kept in lockers and accessed only at recess and at lunch in House locker areas. What the Government forgets is that most laptops and iPads can perform the same functions as mobile phones, yet these are permitted into most classrooms.
Waverley College continues to have zero tolerance in the cyberbullying space. Students who engage in this behaviour will receive a lengthy suspension or permanent exclusion. It’s important to remind students who are exposed to trolls of the four simple rules:
As bullying is increasingly occurring outside of school hours, the burden to police screen time often falls to parents. However, the College is here to help by implementing automatic curfews for school-issued laptops and tracking internet use on these devices. Any concerning searches are reported to our Heads of House. As educators, we’re in a position to teach our students how to use digital technologies responsibly to support their mental health and wellbeing. We do this at assemblies, in PDHPE, during wellbeing time and at House meetings. Ultimately, technology is an inevitable part of our modern lives. We can’t protect our young people from the pitfalls of technology 24/7, but we can work to improve their mental health inside and outside of the classroom.
The annual Golden Boot competition was a great way to bring our platoons together after 16 weeks of online Cadets. Physical strength, tactical skills, military knowledge and team spirit were all harnessed as platoons vied for points to win the coveted Golden Boot trophy. Our St Catherine’s cadets impressed the Unit with their capacity to hold the plank position for well over five minutes. Speed and agility were tested in the Kidney Cup Obstacle Course, Hutchie Competition and the Methods of Movement Relay, logic and teamwork in the Ratel Decoding Exercise and Rank Recognition Game. With the points from the Company Tug of War and Chants, we congratulate 1 Platoon from A Company, who were victorious on the day. A big thank you to our CUOs for running such an enjoyable afternoon.
On Sunday, WCCU entered a team of five cadets in the inaugural nationwide cyber-security competition, Cyber Taipan. Run in conjunction with the CSIRO, various scenarios were presented to the cadets over the course of the day, testing cyber skills, critical thinking, logic and their ability to work together as a team. The energy was palpable and our team performed brilliantly. The competitive element of real-time scoring added excitement to the room as our cadets tried myriad strategies to gain those all-important points. Both engaging and informative, the team has learnt many skills to apply in round two later this month. We wish them well.
Congratulations to the following boys on their academic achievements across a range of subjects.
| Dean Andrews | First in class Science |
| Montgomery Armstrong | First in class English |
| Kayden Baker | First in class Geography, PDHPE, Religion and Technology
First in Year Religion and Technology |
| Rohan Baker | First in class Music |
| Joshua Barr | First in class Religion |
| Sebastian Barrett | First in class Technology |
| Charles Beckett | First in class Technology |
| Callum Bush-Brady | First in class Geography and PDHPE |
| Fred Carmody | First in class and Year Drama |
| Samuel Caro | First in class Drama, English, Geography, PDHPE, Religion, Science and Technology
First in Year Geography |
| Charles Coughlan | First in class English and Technology
Equal first in Year English |
| Tomas Crosson | Equal third in Year Mathematics |
| Zac Crowe | First in class PDHPE |
| Joseph Dametto | First in class English and Geography |
| Charlie DeCarvalho | First in class Music and Religion |
| Tom Donaldson | First in class Religion |
| James Finegan | First in class Technology |
| Archie Godby | First in class English and PDHPE
Equal first in Year English |
| Huon Groves | First in class English, Geography, Music, Science and Technology
Equal first in Year English Equal second in Mathematics |
| Yianni Hatjinikitas | First in class Drama |
| Nicholas Hjorring | First in class Technology
Equal third in Year Mathematics |
| Alexander Holveck | First in class Drama |
| Yannick Hott | First in class Religion and Science
Equal second in Year 7 Mathematics Equal first in Year Religion |
| Axl Igra | Equal third in Year mathematics |
| Lachlan Isaac | Equal first in Year mathematics |
| Thomas Jackson-Whitlock | First in class Music |
| Jack Johnston | First in class Geography
Equal first in Year Religion |
| Leo Jreige | First in class Geography, Music
Equal first in Year Mathematics First in Year Music |
| Carter Kersten | First in class and Year PDHPE |
| Taj Lynn | First in class PDHPE |
| Kai McDermott | First in class Science |
| Xavier Miconi | First in class Technology |
| Nate Palathingal | Equal third in Year Mathematics |
| Harry Papworth | First in class Music and PDHPE |
| James Peate | First in class Drama, Geography and Science
Equal second in Year Mathematics |
| Hugo Perks | First in class Music and Technology |
| Phoenix Schregardus | First in class Science
Equal first in Year Mathematics |
| Max Sheehy | First in class Drama, English, Music, Religion and Technology
Equal third in Year Mathematics |
| Fox Stapleton | First in class Music |
| Lincoln Tanner | First in class English, PDHPE and Religion |
| Harrison Thorpe | First in class Drama, English, Geography, Religion, Science and Technology
Equal first in Year Mathematics First in Year Science |
| Oscar Wilson | First in class Drama |
| Nicholas Zanapalis | First in class Geography and Science |
| Bailey Barker | First in class English, History, PDHPE, Religion, Science, Spanish, Technology and Visual Arts
Equal third in Year Mathematics Equal first in Year History Religion First in Year Spanish |
| Ivor Colquhoun | First in class Visual Arts |
| Samuel Connor | First in class PDHPE |
| Tashi Daod | First in class Spanish |
| Dechar Dezarnaulds | First in class Visual Arts |
| Jamese Dyson Merwe | First in class Technology |
| Hunter Eldridge | First in class English |
| Tex Filipek | Equal second in Year Mathematics |
| Jet Foltman | First in class PDHPE
Equal third in class Mathematics |
| Matthew Frost | First in class History and Technology |
| Cooper Gee | First in class Visual Arts |
| Ethan Ginnane | First in class and Year Religious Education |
| Joel Hammerschmidt | Equal third in Year Mathematics |
| Jordan Hammond | Equal first in Year Mathematics |
| Eamon Henderson | First in class science |
| Marcus Henderson | First in class science |
| Mitchel Ho | First in class English, Religion and Science
Equal first in Year Mathematics |
| William Hodgson | First in class Religion |
| Harry Hookings | First in class Science |
| Otto Hulewicz | First in class English |
| Marcus Kastrissios | First in class History |
| Jack Kearney | Equal first in class and Year PDHPE |
| Jack Kerves | First in class Technology |
| Lachlan Korpar | First in class English, Science and Visual Arts |
| Ben Ledingham | First in class Technology |
| Edward Lyons | First in class PDHPE |
| Oliver Malzard | First in class History and Spanish |
| Jordan McCreery | First in class PDHPE |
| Ewan McDonald | First in class English, History, Religion, Science, Spanish, Technology and Visual Arts
Equal first in Year History First in Year Technology |
| Sean McLaughlin | First in class Technology |
| James Medland | First in class English, History, Religion, Spanish, Visual Arts
Equal third in Year Mathematics |
| Lachlan Miranda | First in class History, PDHPE, Science, Spanish and Visual Arts
First in Year English, Spanish and Visual Arts Equal first in Year History and PDHPE |
| James Nestor | First in class English and Religion |
| Aston Owen | First in class English |
| Joseph Packington | First in class PDHPE |
| Thomas Pilger | First in class Religion |
| Campbell Porteus | Equal third in Year Mathematics |
| Samuel Rossen | First in class religion |
| Asher Thomasyu | First in class English |
| Jack Tindale | First in class Visual Arts |
| William Whitaker | First in class Spanish |
| Henry Whitehouse | First in class Technology |
| Aodhan Williams | First in class Technology
Equal second in Year Mathematics |
| Ricardo Zanapalis | First in class History, PDHPE, Religion, Spanish, Technology and Visual Arts
Equal first in Year History and Religion |
| Connor Andrews | Equal first in PDHPE and first in PASS |
| Marcus Antonio | Equal first in Design and Technology
First in Spanish |
| Finn Backlund | Equal first in Religion |
| Jack Crotty | First in Applied Philosophy
Equal first in English and PDHPE |
| Harvey De Carvalho | First in Information and Software Technology |
| Charles Hely-Hammond | First in Commerce and Geography
Equal first in English and Religion |
| Jame Iatrou | First in Mathematics Level 2 and Photographic and Digital Media |
| Alistair Isaac | Equal first in Design and Technology |
| Kai Jones | First in Industrial Technology – Timber |
| Fynn McAusland | First in Work Education |
| Jett McTavish | Equal first in PDHPE and Religion |
| Hugo Morgan | First in STEM |
| Toby Neilsen | First in Food Technology |
| Liam Russell | First in Music |
| Leo Schmid | Equal first in Mathematics Level 3
First in Science |
| Samuel Stewart | First in Drama |
| Benjamin Stirling | Equal first in Mathematics Level 3 |
| Finn Stranix | Equal first in History elective
First in Visual Arts |
| Theodore Varvaressos | Equal first in History elective |
| Thomas Walker | First in Mathematics Level 1 |
| Jonathan Booy | Equal first in Religion |
| William Coates | First in Work Education |
| Jackson Cunningham | Equal first in Mathematics Level 2 |
| Daniel Di Francesco | First in Mathematics Level 2 and STEM
Equal first in Photographic and Digital Media |
| Harrison Drew | Equal First in History |
| Oliver Elliot | First in Commerce |
| Jared Garwood | Equal first in Applied Philosophy and History
First in English and Science |
| Harrison Gippel | Equal first in Religion |
| Oli Goodrum | Equal first in History |
| Guy Hammerschmidt | First in Music |
| Patrick Healy | Equal first in Applied Philosophy |
| James Jones | First in Mathematics Level 1 |
| Matis Jos-Rolland | First in Accelerated Mathematics |
| Kayton Lee | Equal first in Photographic and Digital Media |
| Daniel McSweeny | First in Drama
Equal first in History |
| Sasha Moustacas | First in Visual Arts |
| Damian Poulos | First in PASS |
| Conor Ryan | Equal first in Mathematics Level 2 |
| Luke Stewart | First in Information and Software Technology |
| Julian Tete | First in Graphics Technology |
| Mack Trustam | First in Design and Technology |
| Carl Waterson | First in Food Technology and PDHPE |
| Thomas Wilkins | First in Industrial Technology – Timber |
| Joseph Agius | Equal first in Modern History |
| Evan Athanassiou | First in Marine Studies |
| Diego Berdaa | First in Spanish Continuers |
| Cameron Biazar | First in English Standard |
| Kian Biazar | Equal first in Visual Arts |
| Conor Boyd-Boland | Equal first in Modern History |
| Kai Bruce-James | First in Catholic Studies |
| Dante Bryan | First in Music 1 |
| Thomas Colman | First in Hospitality |
| Isaac Coombes | First in Mathematics Advanced |
| Giulian D’Ettorre | First in Business Studies and English Extension |
| Alexander Elder | First in Investigating Science |
| Mark Gaponov | First in Mathematics Extension 1 and Phyicis |
| William Gibson | First in Design and Technology |
| Joshua Grant | First in Construction |
| Jackson Green | First in Photography |
| Finn Harley Whitney | First in Engineering Studies |
| Patrick Hoggett | First in Mathematics Standard |
| Samuel Kneebone | First in Food Technology |
| Louis Liong | First in Biology |
| Harjot Mand | First in Economics and Legal Studies |
| Cass Martin-Newbould | First in English Studies |
| Lachlan Muir | First in Accelerated Mathematics and Software Design
Equal first in Ancient History |
| Cooper O’Donnell | Equal first in PDHPE |
| Leon Palacio | First in Spanish Beginners and Studies of Religion 2 |
| Harrison Palmer | First in Music 2 |
| Bryn Parry | First in Industrial Technology |
| Toby Rabinowitz | Equal first in Ancient History
First in Drama and Studies of Religion 1 |
| Ronan Schocher | Equal first in PDHPE |
| Peter Stamatelatos | First in Geography |
| Hugo Stephenson | Equal first in Visual Arts |
| Hayden Wild | First in Geography and English Advanced |
| Liam Andrews | First in Music 1 |
| Oliver Blackett | First in Mathematics Standard 2 |
| Andre Bonanni | First in English Advanced |
| Matthew Brock | First in Economics and Legal Studies |
| Riley-Jay Buenaventura | Equal first in Catholic Studies |
| Luke Cochrane | First in Geography
Equal first in Modern History |
| Joshua Cornelius | Equal first in Ancient History and Engineering Studies
First in Studies of Religion 1 |
| Ky Jeffery | First in Information and Digital Technology |
| Blair Kallis | First in English Studies |
| Gabriel Kidston | First in Mathematics Extension 2 and Music 2 |
| Ethan King | First in Construction |
| Riley Klotz | First in Entertainment |
| Jack Lynch | First in Drama |
| Thomas Lynch | First in Business Studies |
| James McMahon | Equal first in Biology |
| Hugh McSweeny | First in English Extension 1 and equal first in Modern History |
| Lachlan Miller | First in Mathematics Advanced and Physics |
| Kai Moonen-Narita | First in Hospitality |
| Daniel Pomes | Equal first in Biology
First in English Standard |
| Noah Ratcliff | Equal first in Engineering Studies |
| Finn Robilliard | First in English Extension 2, Industrial technology and Studies of Religion 2 |
| Cooper Sergis | Equal first in Catholic Studies |
| Leo Shanahan | Equal first in Ancient History and Modern History |
| Jacob Smith | First in Photography and Sport, Lifestyle and Recreation Studies |
| Jasper Stern | First in Design and Technology |
| Alex Talbot | First in PDHPE and Visual Arts |
| Jake Torsellini | First in Mathematics Extension 1 |
| Jacob Valenti | First in Mathematics Standard 1 |
| Eliot Vincent-Hull | Equal first in Catholic Studies |
| Ben Walton | First in Marine Studies |
| James Waterhouse | First in Investigating Science |
| Valentius Wirjana | First in Chemistry |
Last week, our SRC and Conlon and Lacey House Captains organised a wonderful Touch Football competition for all Houses. Students from Years 7-12 represented their Houses throughout the lunchtime knockout competition. Great sportsmanship was exhibited both on and off the field, and it was great to see the younger students playing alongside our seniors.
It was a hard-fought competition with many games going into extra time, but the results are in. The final was a close game between O’Connor and Conlon, with Conlon eventually being crowned the winners. The final score was only 3-2, a testament to the determination and commitment that our students showed in every game.
Congratulations to all of our Houses and supporters. It was great to finally be able to provide some student-led activities for everyone to participate in. Next week sees the start of our senior Dodgeball competition, with teams from Years 10, 11 and 12. We look forward to seeing some friendly rivalry continue and, remember, dodge, duck, dip, dive and dodge!
RUOK? is a national charity on a mission to inspire and empower everyone to meaningfully connect with people around them and support anyone who is struggling. 2020 has been a challenging year where circumstances have made it even more important for us to stay connected, to listen and to offer support to those around us.
The national day of action for RUOK? is on Thursday 10 September and this year’s theme is ‘There’s more to say after RUOK?’ Conlon House will be raising awareness over the coming weeks about how to reach out and start a conversation that could change a life.
Head of Conlon House, Cath O’Sullivan, is passionate about nurturing a culture where students feel comfortable expressing their feelings and have the tools to help someone in need. We’ll be sharing stories from Conlon House activities in the lead-up to the 10 September. In the meantime, you can explore more about RUOK? on the official website: https://www.ruok.org.au/.
We need to improve our understanding of homelessness and take collective action for the figures to be reduced. Last week, during National Homelessness Week, our students were challenged to increase their awareness of some of the specific types, causes and impacts of the issue within our community.
Boys engaged with interactive videos from SBS series Filthy Rich and Homeless in wellbeing and class groups. Groups also discussed a series of myths vs facts and joined in on a Kahoot quiz on homelessness in Australia. These aimed to increase awareness in students to realise the types and causes of homelessness – breaking down myths and opening up compassion around the causes and difficult experiences. Congratulations to the top 3 groups in the quiz: Conlon (1st), Tevlin (2nd) and Class 6 Gold (3rd).
As you know, over 20 boys from the Duke of Edinburgh Group and Tevlin House are creating a large blanket for the Matthew Hostel. Students are knitting the blanket during lunchtimes in the library. They have been enthusiastic about learning the skills required and thankful for the organisation and tuition from Ms Brown, Ms Ayre and Ms Oates. It will be a truly satisfying result on completion.
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We would like to acknowledge the Gadigal people of the Eora nation who are the traditional Custodians of the land on which Waverley College is located. We pay our respects to Elders past, present and emerging. We are committed to honouring Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples’ unique cultural and spiritual connections to the land, waters, seas and sky and their rich contribution to society.
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