On a beautiful and sunny Saturday afternoon, the Waverley swim team headed to North Sydney pool to compete in the Christian Brothers Carnival.
Last year we took home three out of the four shields, so it was exciting to see if we could repeat – or even improve on – this great achievement. Over the evening we saw new team members take to the blocks, with new PBs throughout the evening.
Students who achieved notable PBs included Luke Stewart, Sacha Cohen, James Clarke, Tyler Dale, Lucas Screnci and Ian Vuk. For some, it was their debut swim for the Waverley team, so a huge congratulations to them all.
At each score update we were switching between first and second, so we knew it was close. As always, it came down to the relays. The medley relays were great to watch and we performed extremely well, with the senior medley relay securing the win at the last moment. An outstanding swim by our intermediate boys meant they eased their way into first place.
At the end of the evening, we managed to maintain our overall position, win the competition and take the shield home once again. We also topped the intermediate and senior boys’ competitions. This is a huge success and the boys should be extremely proud of how well they swam – especially our Year 12s as it was their last carnival for the school.
All the boys involved should be congratulated for their outstanding performances. I can’t wait to see what more there is to come at CAS next week.
Waves to win!
The last two weeks have seen some exemplary behaviour from our senior cadets.
Our RHQ team and Company Commanders have led the Unit with maturity and gravitas, setting a fine example for our recruits to follow.
Last week, we were honoured to host the Commander of NSW 2nd Brigade, COL Tara Bucknall. COL Bucknall addressed the Unit and presented rank slides to our newest Corporals from St Catherine’s School. The SUO then escorted COL Bucknall around the various activities for the afternoon.
A Company were completing their Youth Safety training and learning how to march in quick time. B Company are now proficient in understanding the dangers of heat illness and leading the way with their saluting drill. C Company were invited to participate in the school activity, laser tag, and enjoyed an exhilarating afternoon.
The focus of the coming weeks will be the skills required to live in the field on Cadet Camp (AFX).
The early weeks of Term 1 have been a perfect time for our Year 7s to become familiar with the staff and resources of the senior library.
Religious Education classes have been researching the Catholic traditions of the school. They were very lucky to see primary sources from archives introduced by our archivist, Ms Venettia Miller. She talked to the students about images and artefacts, giving them a true feel for the events and people of the past.
Head of Green House, Mr Scott Coleman, asked us to host two lunchtime games sessions to give Year 7 students time to mix and get to know each other. No screens here – just face to face interaction. The sessions were a wonderful mix of discussions, negotiations and explanations. It was no use shushing, but productive noise is always worthwhile!
Many Year 7 wide reading classes came to access the fiction collection. The teacher-librarians – huge readers that they are – suggested titles for boys depending on their interests. We look forward to seeing these students throughout the year.
Last week saw an unprecedented special Ash Wednesday Mass, with the students from St Clare’s College joining the Waverley community for this important celebration.
Mass was celebrated by College Chaplain, Fr Bernie Thomas, to the gathering of over 1,600 – his largest mass to date. The focus of the Mass was not on what we could ‘give up’ for Lent, but rather looking at what small acts of kindness we could do to help others throughout this season. This ties in wonderfully with our College theme for 2020: ‘Small action, big impact’.
Students from both schools played an important role in all areas of the celebration – a special thank you to all those who volunteered as altar servers, readers, singers, musicians, Eucharistic ministers, and those who helped with the ash distribution. The wonderful singing was led by our young men under the leadership of Mrs Anne Fahey and Mr Chris Balkizas. It was a pleasure to have the St Clare’s community join us for such a significant celebration and we look forward to future opportunities to gather together.
It is with great pleasure that I offer Years 11 and 12 this wonderful opportunity to attend our inaugural gathering of the Edmund Rice Waterford Academy.
This is a leadership program that focuses on the character and faith development of students. Each session a guest speaker addresses different topics on Christian leadership, with special emphasis on servant leadership. This will provide students with opportunities to live out their call to be ‘men for others’ through a faith that does justice.
The aim of the program is to develop an understanding of the important principles of Christian leadership, especially those related to one’s own internal values – community building, decision-making and service. It also aims to instil in our graduates the ideals of being young men of faith and integrity, so that their lives will be a reflection of the values espoused by Jesus and Edmund Rice.
This first gathering will take place on Tuesday, 17 March at 5:30 pm – approx 6:30pm in the College library. Our inaugural guest will be Mr Daniel Street – an outstanding young man who has worked in different countries in a variety of fields, including journalism. He is currently employed by the World Bank.
A light supper will be served beforehand and a Q&A session will be held afterwards for those interested. I look forward to seeing all of our student leaders and those wishing to attend.
As we rapidly come to the end of the 2019/20 summer season, I want to thank all convenors, coaches, staff, parents and students for their great efforts. In particular, I want to thank all of the Year 12 students for their commitment to various activities throughout their time at Waverley. We still have one more round to go – and I am sure that all students will want to finish their summer season off in the best way possible, by representing the College in the highest standards.
Well done to our swim squad on Saturday night at the EREA annual swimming carnival in North Sydney. We took home three of the four shields on offer and were unlucky not to take home the junior shield, as we had many students at the State Nippers Age Championships. Well done also to all of the nippers at the State Championships. Many Waverley boys competed and medalled for their various surf clubs.
A special mention to Campbell Groves, who last week secured an overall 4th (2nd in CIS) at the NSW All Schools Triathlon Individual Event – and who then went on to medal at the Nippers Championships with his surf club. What an amazing effort!
Well done to our two teams who competed in the intermediate triathlon teams race on Thursday. These boys did the college very proud. Will Cooley also represented Australia at the first Sail GP race in Sydney against some of the best sailors in the world, where he secured a third place. I would also like to mention the 1st XI Cricket side and 1sts and 2nds basketball, who achieved resounding victories in the final home games for the season.
The following weekend – 14/15 March – is a sport-free weekend, as we are running our winter staff and coaches induction. For most activities, the winter season will commence on Monday, 16 March.
Next week is CAS Swimming and Diving Championships at Homebush. This is a compulsory event for Years 8 and 11 as well as prefects. More information regarding this will be sent out soon.
Please also be reminded that the cricket and swimming/water polo presentation evenings are being held at the College on Friday, 13 March, with basketball on Saturday, 14 March.
We will be screening a number of students who have requested to go into rugby next week, based on the new safety guidelines for confidence in contact and appropriateness of new students into rugby. The guidelines are based on serious injuries that have occurred in the last couple of years during schoolboy rugby in Australia. We have a vital duty of care to ensure the safety of players. Students who are deemed too inexperienced, or who are unable to meet the physical requirements, will be placed in an alternative activity.
Best wishes to all teams this weekend – and “Go the Waves!”
All is set for an exciting final round for Senior School teams this weekend, with two games remaining this term for our Year 5-6 teams. There have been some absolutely thrilling games in the past fortnight. Many have been decided in the final over of the match!
Batting has seen strong improvement, with teams addressing the need for working in partnership and better calling and running between the wickets. Coaches have reported some absolutely amazing catches around the grounds. A special feat with the ball came from Year 7’s Sam Caro, who took five wickets for just two runs in the 7Bs and was twice on a hat-trick!
Congratulations to:
Both had great wins in the past fortnight – 1sts defeating St Aloysius by 43 runs and 2nds trumping Barker by 84 runs.
This weekend is the final play for our Year 12s, who have been outstanding role models, players and leaders over many seasons. We all wish the following boys a great final hit out: Liam Andrews, Reid McNamara, Luca Paolella, Brock Preston, Oliver Rinder, Leo Shanahan, Alex Robertson, Sam Tsaousis, Ryan Von Der Heyden and Zac Wotherspoon.
Nick Quinn blasted 53 for the 2nds, Sam Connolly 55 in the 2nds, Jett Lenzo a magnificent 55, retired in the 7Bs, and Harry Hulks 45 against Knox. Johnno McDonald in the 7As also punished Knox with 62 runs.
Will Dodd, Daniel McSweeny and Sachiel Bass all took three wickets in matches for the 10As, while Josh Thompson also bagged three wickets against Knox. James Sonego in the 9Bs and Theo Varvaressos both took three wickets v Knox – and two wickets last week.
Prior to coaching our 1st XI for 23 years, Mr Boyd had an outstanding playing career with Grade Club Easts (formerly Waverley). As part of the club’s 125th year anniversary celebrations, he has been recognised as one of the club’s 50 best players in their 125-year history. This is a fantastic achievement – to be alongside many NSW players and Australian and English test Cricketers. It’s a testament to his standing as a life member of the club and over 20 years of outstanding play for the Dolphins. The final 12 will be announced at the anniversary luncheon next Thursday, 12th March. Best of luck, John – and congratulations!
There are three fantastic upcoming social events and celebrations for the Waverley Cricket community. All are warmly invited to enjoy these experiences. Full details are on the Waverley College Cricket app on TeamApp, and include:
This event is being held at the SCG, with some tickets still available. Waverley has its own special Bay area, BAY 9. This will be the biggest NSW crowd for a women’s sporting event and occurs just before International Women’s Day. It’s our chance to show support for our champion female cricketers and the 2020 theme of Each for Equal.
Student tickets are just $5 and available at www.ticketek.com.au.
This will be a great evening, with BBQ dinner, drinks, cricket awards, trivia, special cricket guests and a HUGE raffle!
Tickets are $10 per person and available at www.trybooking.com/BINQI.
This event is being held at the Estée Lauder corporate store, 165A Mitchell Road, Erskineville. There is a minimum of 50-60% off retail prices for makeup, skincare and fragrances. Brands include Estée Lauder, Bobbi Brown, MAC, Clinique, Aveda, Jo Malone, Tom Ford and many more. With Mother’s Day just a few days after the event, it’s a fantastic opportunity to purchase amazing gifts and treat yourself and family members! This event is hosted by the Cricket Supporter’s Group, and all Waverley College families and friends are warmly invited to enjoy this experience.
Tickets are $10 per person and available at www.trybooking.com/BIOOK.
Please find below some reminders about upcoming events. For all of Term 1 events please refer to the College Calendar.
Please note: the Year 6 Canberra excursion is from Tuesday 19 May to Thursday 21 May.
There have been increased concerns with traffic and parking on Henrietta Street in the morning and afternoon. This includes people parking in the “no stopping” zone at the front of the Junior School. Please ensure that traffic and parking regulations are followed at all times, in both Henrietta Street and Victoria Street – especially during the busy drop-off and pick-up times. This is to ensure not only our students’ safety, but also the safety and needs of our local community.
This Friday, 6 March we warmly welcome our second lunchtime talk guest speaker, Rebecca Mikula-Wright, mum of Oscar in Year 6.
Rebecca will discuss her voluntary role on the board of The Orangutan Project. This project works on direct orangutan and habitat conservation in Indonesia. She will also touch on her role as a consultant with the Investor Group on climate change.
We offer all students in Year 5 and Year 6 the opportunity to receive free additional support after school for the completion of home learning tasks. The afternoon sessions also provide a quiet, supervised study space for students who want to complete their assigned tasks.
Home Learning Club operates in the Learning Hub from 3pm – 4pm on Mondays, Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Thursdays during school term.
Procedures
Register your son via the Skoolbag app and follow this link: https://homelearningclub.youcanbook.me
Only register his name once to allow other students the opportunity to attend. The session is limited to 20 spots.
There will be a roll call to ensure attendance. Students are required to stay for the full session unless there is a message in the student diary requesting early leave. A parent signature will be required.
Try to avoid messaging your son during this period unless it is urgent.
Behaviour
As it is important to respect the rights of others to learn and work, all students are expected to settle down to work in the Learning Hub and not disturb others.
Teachers
If you require any further information, feel free to contact us:
nzivanovic@waverley.nsw.edu.au
On Thursday, 12 March, the College will participate in the World’s Greatest Shave for the Leukaemia Foundation. The shave aims to raise money for treatment and support for people with Leukaemia and their families, as well as medical research to help find a cure.
The Junior School has supported this cause numerous times over the years, but in recent years we have had students of the school or their siblings diagnosed with Leukaemia, so participation in this important fundraiser is a symbol of our support.
In 2015, Patrick (Year 7) and Thomas (Year 12 – 2019) lost their sister Elisabeth to this disease. They have both spearheaded our participation in this event. Patrick Carey would like to see that this initiative is continued so that a cure can be found and others don’t have to suffer the pain his family has suffered. Over 50 boys from the Junior School participated in the shave last year, which was an amazing effort. Even Mr Gill, Mr Meadley and Mr Lavorato were brave enough to do the shave. We would encourage the boys to get behind this again this year. Last year the Junior School donated just under $7,900,00.
If you would like to sponsor the Waverley College Team, please follow this link: https://secure.leukaemiafoundation.org.au
Boys, if you would like to participate in the World’s Greatest Shave, you need to do the following:
Parents, if you have a pair of clippers and are available to help on Thursday 12th March at 1pm, we would really appreciate your support. Please place your name on the following Google form: https://forms.gle/r19rsTENRnBZnYbw8
Hip hop lessons have started in the Junior School at lunchtime on Wednesdays. A very enthusiastic group of over 20 boys are learning the moves and tricks that give form to this style of dance. We are very fortunate to have Amber from Dance Chora teaching the class. She is building some great routines with the boys. The boys are working on group choreography as well as being encouraged to try some improvised solos. We look forward to seeing the boys perform soon.
On Friday, 28 February, Year 5 went to The Innovation Campus of Wollongong University to focus on Science, including space. We took the bus early because it took an hour and a half to get there! Our first activity was the planetarium, where we watched an incredible 3D space show. We were able to explore planets such as Mars, Saturn and Pluto. We also examined star constellations such as Southern Cross, Scorpius and Pegasus. It felt like we were actually in space, it was a really amazing experience.
Next, we independently participated in a range of scientific experiments such as testing how fast we could throw a ball and how much energy we could produce while pedalling a bike. There were some exciting experiments like shooting a parachute out of an air tube and keeping a beach ball in the air using only air resistance. Each experiment taught us or demonstrated a scientific principle.
Finally we took part in a Liquid Nitrogen show, where we were shown how Liquid Nitrogen can change the properties of different objects. Did you know that Liquid Nitrogen is -196°C! We watched as Molly, our scientist, put two rubber bouncy balls into a cup of Liquid Nitrogen. We could see that after being in the Liquid Nitrogen, they hardly bounced. Then we looked at the effect of Liquid Nitrogen on plant cells. Phoenix in 5 Blue tried to karate chop a plant leaf before we put it into a bottle of Liquid Nitrogen and after we put the plant into the bottle and he chopped in half and the plant shattered. Lastly, Molly poured Liquid Nitrogen into boiling water and it exploded into gas!
It was the best excursion EVER!
Congratulations to all the boys who recently represented Waverley at State Touch, Oztag and Nippers. A special congratulations to the seven Waverley players from the Easts team who won the NSW State Oztag Championship – also to the boys who won medals at State Nippers. Julian Minto won gold in the All Age Beach Relay, Noah Bowler won gold in the under-10s Nippers board race and Ashton Briffa won gold in the mixed relay, silver in the boys’ beach sprint relay, bronze in the individual boys’ beach sprint and bronze in the all-age relay under 10s.
Congratulations also to Raff Toohey, who gained selection into the IPSHA swim team for the 100m freestyle and the 50m butterfly.
On Monday, 16 March, the Year 5 boys will depart for their annual camp to Vision Valley – an outdoor recreation camp that will challenge the boys to step outside of their comfort zone in many different ways. With the theme of the camp being ‘Let’s Get Together’, they will be encouraged to make new friends with the boys in their lodge groups as well as their activity groups.
The camp is a fun and exciting time for all. They will undertake activities such as rock climbing, mountain bike riding, archery and canoeing – all activities requiring the use of communication, teamwork, encouragement and support. At night time, the boys will get to watch a ‘Movie Under the Stars’ and showcase their talents in ‘W Factor’.
During our final day at camp, Rural Fire Service volunteers will visit the boys to talk to them about what they do to support the local communities to reduce the risk of bushfires. This educational talk links in with our Science unit for Term 1.
I know that the boys will have a fantastic time away. A few important reminders:
On Wednesday, 26 February, as the birds began to chirp and the sun began to rise, the young Year 7 boys of Waverley College were ready and eager to embark on an adventurous, exciting and somewhat daunting experience – our three day Year 7 Camp.
Without question, every boy was gifted with an incredible experience. At times we were pushed to our limits and often surprised ourselves by what we could achieve. We participated in activities which included: team-building exercises, abseiling down a 25-metre cliff face, a giant swing that swung over the river and tree tops, high ropes, climbing to the top of a mountain for a panoramic view of Sydney, swimming, archery, ga ga ball and also sleeping in tents one night. We also celebrated Ash Wednesday whilst at camp. The food was also pretty good.
These splendid activities stimulated team work, cooperation, optimism and encouragement. New friendships sprouted and some flourished. Support amongst all student groups was noticeable, with many boys conquering their fears and giving everything a go. Through all of these experiences, encouragement and support was given. A sense of responsibility was gained at Diemba Campsite as boys cooked and washed their own dishes, and coped with the abundant flies, mosquitos and other small wildlife. We won’t mention the composting toilets… Some were thrilled and some not so thrilled by our night spent in the great outdoors.
We would like to thank all of the teachers who came on this journey with us. This camp was a great learning experience – fun, interesting, sometimes tough, but overall a great and memorable time for each of us.
Dear Parents and Teachers,
Term 1
We are certainly in full swing in Term 1 and I hope your son is travelling well. Please check with your son, if you have not already, his SMART Goals that he has written into his school diary. I am hoping that he has had a conversation with you and his Wellbeing Mentor regarding these. Writing down and sharing your goals with others increases the chances of achieving these goals dramatically and assists with self-accountability. There should be some academic goals alongside some wellbeing goals that aim to improve his overall health and resilience.
Alex Noble
St Ignatius Riverview student Alex Noble suffered a freak accident at rugby training at 16 years of age and is now a quadriplegic. Alex is now in Year 12 and fellow parents are trying to support his future through a major fundraiser. Please support Alex by purchasing a raffle ticket via www.anoblegala.com
The raffle will be drawn at 10:30pm on Saturday 22 February 2020.
The major prize is 2 tickets to a Major Australian sports event every month for 12 months with flights and accommodation included for events outside Sydney.
AFL grand final, Formula 1 Grand Prix, Australian Open Tennis, Bledisloe Cup, Rugby Test vs IRE, VRC Oaks Day, NRL Grand Final, The Everest, State of Origin, Polo International, A-League Grand Final and Sydney to Hobart.
Other ways you can help support Alex – You can also bid on a spectacular line-up of more than 180 Silent Auction items all generously donated including sporting experiences, dining, holidays, fashion, electronics, jewellery, artwork and homewares, or make a pledge to Alex’s Wish List. You can also share this link www.anoblegala.com via email and social media with your friends and colleagues to encourage others to support this young man.
Virtus Sola Nobilitat
At last week’s High Achievers Assembly we welcomed back many of our top-performing students from our class of 2019.
This is part of the speech that I delivered at this assembly:
Virtus Sola Nobilitat
These Latin words have been on the College crest for 117 years and translate to; virtue is its own reward.
A virtue is a behaviour showing high moral standards and moral standards deal with matters which can either seriously harm or seriously benefit communities and human beings. The young gentlemen displayed many virtues during their time with us and these virtues assisted them in reaching the lofty heights that we celebrate today.
They have been truthful in their pursuit of opportunities that they have been kindly provided by their parents and teachers. When the tough questions are asked in life, honesty counts and helps build resilience.
They have kept promises – they have all set goals to reach such lofty heights. When the road was winding and steep, they stuck to what they had promised themselves, they revised their work when they did not feel like it and they asked questions when it was easier to stay quiet.
They have been courageous – At the recent Year 11 ‘How to Study evening’ conducted by Dr Pru Salter – the same evening that these ‘high achievers’ attended two years ago, I thought about the need to be courageous. The final part of the formal educational journey is two years long, sacrifices need to be made and there are many challenges along the way. But with some courage, you can make it and these boys have not only made it, they have excelled.
They have treated others well, the way that they have wanted to be treated. Some call it bringing your own luck to a situation, some call it Karma. Those that endeavour to live by a code of moral standards and help others in the community, find inner happiness. Those that don’t can end up on the wrong path that can take a lifetime to unwind. Do not judge others, be tolerant of difference and try and assist the quirky, the odd, the different, the lonely, the isolated and you will find peace yourself.
And, they have been patient – As Ms Watson said in her address, these accolades that they receive today from us, did not happen overnight. These boys were patient, they worked hard, they learnt from their mistakes and they took responsibility for their actions.
Other moral standards that come to mind – be dependable, be forgiving, have integrity, be loyal, seek justice, have humility and be generous – I can see all these moral standards in these young men. They found time to attend immersions, to assist in social justice activities, to attain Gold in the Duke of Edinburgh, to win the Archbishops Award for service and represent the College at the Australian Junior Parliament – it is not a coincidence that they are here today.
Virtus Sola Nobilitat -simply stated, the rewards in life are doing the right thing by others, for the benefit of the broader community, and you will be rewarded with peace and happiness. You only have to look as far as the crest on your shirt to be reminded of the right way, the Waverley way.
Congratulations gentlemen and thank you for showing us the meaning of, Virtus Sola Nobilitat
Safety and Standards
The above virtues are what we expect of our students and staff, and our Wellbeing Program supports the development of these. Each boy has his own strengths and areas of development and we aim to challenge and support each boy’s holistic development.
There are of course some non-negotiables at schools and these concern child safety and standards. Many of you would have seen the news story involving St Kevin’s College in Melbourne.
Schools need to be held to a high standard. Waverley College abhors abuse of any kind. Every child has the right to feel safe and should be able to trust those who are in positions of care and leadership around them.
Waverley College has zero-tolerance for any wrong treatment of children, and as such the College’s safeguards go well beyond what is legally required and exceed what is considered best practice. The policies, procedures and practices that are in place to protect children are continually open to scrutiny.
One of the most important criteria for trust is transparency and openness: from the way we proactively communicate with parents, our mandatory reporting, the ability for any parent to see inside rooms, and confidentiality protections for our school psychologists and the students who see them, through to open-door policies for students to speak freely with staff.
We are all responsible as individuals to always create safe environments for others. And that includes speaking up for what is right, even if it is unpopular or uncomfortable to do so.
We have very clear expectations of all staff in relation to the paramount importance of child safety. To learn more about our policies, please click here.
Click here for the latest careers update.
On Friday 7 February, the heavens opened as we welcomed in the new Cadet Year for 2020.
This momentous occasion was not only the day we welcomed our 200 new recruits from Year 8, but also the official commencement of our partnership with St Catherine’s School. Our boys showed exemplary behaviour as they waited patiently for the girls, who were stuck in the gridlock traffic resulting from the deluge. Many thanks to the basketball students and staff who kindly delayed their training so we could hold our first parade in the gym.
The Cadet partnership with St Catherine’s is an exciting opportunity for students of both schools to develop healthy working relationships while benefitting from the merits of single-sex education. As an inclusive co-curricular activity, the program aims to develop resilience, initiative and pride, and to foster skills in leadership, collaboration and team work. In Cadets, we recognise that leadership comes in many forms – and that each and every cadet has the chance to shine, to lead by example, and to serve with integrity.
An exciting program is planned in the lead up to Annual Field Exercise (AFX), to equip our cadets with the skills they need to camp for a week at Douglas Park. Stay tuned for further updates on our Friday afternoons as the term goes on.
Last week, Dr Prue Salter from Enhanced Learning Educational Services (www.enhanced-learning.net) ran a study skills evening with Year 11 parents and students.
The session focused on helping students identify changes and improvements they could make to their approach to their studies, in order to maximise their results in their final years of school. The main areas covered with Year 11 were:
Parents are encouraged to review the handout from the session with students, and to discuss the main areas identified where changes need to be made. Parents can also find extra study skills tips on the following website: www.studyskillstoptipsparents.com.
All secondary students and parents at our school also have access to www.studyskillshandbook.com, a great study skills website to help students develop their skills. There are lots of useful handouts on the ‘THINGS TO PRINT’ page on this site and students can work through the units where they need additional help.
Username: forwaverleycollegeonly
Password: 94results
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.
Watch our video
