As we reflect on a meaningful and encouraging year, each student in Green House should think deeply about how their approach to learning, mentoring and relationships at Waverley have shaped their experiences for the year.
These experiences would vary in levels of interaction, collaboration, and positivity. I would challenge each student to ask themselves deep questions about the lessons they learned in and out of the classroom this year. They should be asking themselves thoughtful questions such as:
Here at Waverley, social learning and emotional intelligence underpin what each student engages in at the start of each day. Building on these with a growth mindset questioning enables students to build resilience, perseverance and a strong aptitude for growth.
We see examples of these opportunities within Green House activities such as the Anti-Domestic Violence walk, the Best Foot Forward campaign, and the Green House gratitude program. When we encourage our students to take part in something bigger than themselves and think beyond their own scope, we are able to open their minds and create that growth experience.
In partnership with parents, we at Waverley are providing an education designed to encourage the growth of our young men who will ‘Fill their minds with those things that are good and that deserve praise: things that are true, noble, right, pure, lovely, and honourable.’ Philippians 4:8. We hope that each student will always continue to grow in spirit and do things that are right and just.
This growth comes down to each boy making choices every day. These choices are influenced by our self-awareness, emotional awareness, and empathy. By underpinning our choices with a growth mindset, we will continue to be leaders of the future world and shape the world in a positive way.
The Junior boys have really immersed themselves into many aspects of the College this year, especially many of the initiatives run by the Green House. Participation in the annual Junior School Walkathon, the Best Foot Forward Campaign, the Walk Against Domestic Violence, has really opened their eyes to the injustices faced by many people in our local and wider communities. Their involvement in the Big Brother Little Brother program over the past two years and the fortnightly House Meetings has helped them to develop a relationship with the Senior School boys and hopefully, this will continue to flourish as they eventually enter into the Senior School years.
Our junior students were lead again by our wonderful Junior School staff. I would like to thank our Junior School staff for 2019 – Stephen Ghattas and Gabrielle Bransby – for all their efforts. They consistently go above and beyond and I am so thankful to have such supportive staff engaged in the wellbeing of their students.
On Thursday 17 October, Green House took part in the Edmund Rice Foundation Best Foot Forward Campaign. The Campaign focused on providing girls with access to education that would otherwise not have that opportunity. There is so much value and power in education. But, sadly girls are still more likely than boys to never set foot in a classroom, despite the tremendous progress made over the past 20 years. Each student in Green House donated $10 and were given pink laces to wear to show their support for this essential cause. As a school, we raised $2,000 for the cause. The Edmund Rice Foundation provided $4 for every dollar donated – so that means our contribution resulted in a $10,000 donation to such an important cause. I would also like to thank Mr Graham Leddie who made a significant personal contribution to the campaign and for allowing Green House to be advocates for such an important cause. The donations eventually reached $270,000 in total, making a total raised over $1,080,000 dollars. A huge initiative to be a part of for all our Green and Waverley boys today.
On Friday 22 November, Green House took part in the “Step Out, Speak Out” Walk Against Domestic Violence (previously Sydney’s White Ribbon Walk) from Randwick to Coogee. It was overwhelming to see the students, parents and staff taking a stand and making their voices heard. Talking to the students in Green House during the walk, they mentioned they felt part of something bigger and that by taking part they were making an impact on social issues in the community. Each student in Green has been able to take part in an important social justice initiative and this will be the focus for Green House for years to come. We also had quite a few parents that came to walk with their sons. Their involvement shows the importance of the students taking a stand on this issue and the support behind us from our parents at Waverley. It was inspiring seeing parents taking part in such a significant event. I would like to thank many staff for their attendance on Friday and for taking part in the event, their involvement allows students to see the importance of these events in the college community. We are lucky to have such motivated staff at Waverley and again, these staff members went above and beyond with their participation on Friday morning.
Green House would not be the place it is without the support we have from our incredible mentors. Through the development of the Wellbeing Program this year, it has been exciting to see our Green mentors developing and engaging with the wellbeing curriculum. Our students are lucky to be greeted by your smile every morning and I sincerely wanted to thank you all for your work this year. Thank you all: Angus Brotherton, Jannet Markey/Harry Lind, Jon Walker, Gary Kennedy, Kathryn Knowles, Dominic Hearne, Daniel Kroll, Belinda Buchan, Patrick Darvill, Sinead Kenrick, Phoebe Guirguis, Stephen Ghattas and Gabrielle Bransby
I also want to thank every student for embracing our gratitude focus this year. Every day I make it my aim to talk to as many Green students as possible. I enjoy these conversations because the students in Green have welcomed me as their mentor and leader throughout their time at Waverley. Thanks for our daily conversations and discussions about the day ahead, they are one of the highlights of my role as Head of Green House. Finally, I want to thank all the parents of Green students. Your support is consistently overwhelming and we are so lucky to have you as part of the Green family. I wish the best of luck to those parents that are moving on or to a different school and look forward to making memories with parents and students in 2020.
In 2019, the Brennan House Wolf Pack has continued to experience a great deal of success in all facets of College life. To name just a few of these; we have been able to celebrate Will Cooley winning the Australian Youth Sailor of the Year and AISNSW Junior Athlete of the Year Awards, Ryan Abbott gaining selection in the Australian U17 Basketball Team and also taking home the gold medal at the FIBA Oceania Championships in Noumea, Liam Andrews was rewarded for his dedication to the College over the years by being named College Vice Captain for 2020. Congratulations also to the following boys who received awards at the end of year Presentation Day; Anton Svensson, Daniel McSweeny, Alessio Imhoff, Will Cooley, Ryan Abbott, Valentius Wirjana, Ben Walton, Bodhi Reiners, Liam Andrews, Oliver Blackett and Reid McNamara. On top of this, all Brennan House students continued to lead the way in terms of their involvement in the College Music, Drama, Academic and Co-Curricular Programs.
The strong levels of participation enabled a successful year in the various House Carnivals and House Competitions with Brennan winning both the Senior and Junior School Swimming Carnivals and displaying high levels of participation and house spirit all year round. This tremendous involvement in College activities is a testament to the drive and leadership of the 2019 Brennan House Prefect group; Spencer Kapos, Darcy Mullins, Tommy Tyson, Will Davison, Max Curry and Joshua Gleeson, who was also College Vice Captain.
Outside of the classroom students continued to grow and develop through their involvement in the College’s Outdoor Education Program. Year 7 were given the opportunity to take part in year group formation activities as part of the trip to Broken Bay. This is always a great opportunity for Year 7 students to get to know each other, with many students coming from a range of different primary schools. Year 8 had their first experience of Cadet Camp, travelling to Douglas Park with the rest of the Cadet unit. Year 9 experienced their first “outward bound” camp at Somerset, camping and hiking near the Colo River. Year 10 undertook a revised program due to bushfires. As part of this program, they visited RYDA Safe Driving School, took part in the Rock and Water wellbeing program, met with guest speaker Sam Clear, completed the Spit to Manly Coastal Walk and were taken on a cruise around Sydney Harbour. Year 11 undertook their Senior Retreat to Kiah Ridge, where they were able to reflect, plan and set goals for a successful HSC year. These camps allow students to develop important skills in resilience and allow them to engage in practices relating to self-reflection. They are always a highlight of many students entire experience at Waverley College.
The Wild West 2019 Holdsworth Ball
The annual Holdsworth Ball, run in conjunction with the incredible Holdsworth Community, took place in Term 3 this year. From early in Term 3, a group of boys and girls from Waverley College and St Clare’s College met to plan the event. This is a huge undertaking for all involved as students are solely responsible for every aspect of the night; fundraising, entertainment, seating, decorations, and prizes, as well as cooking and serving a full three-course dinner. This year students were also able to secure sponsorship for the event that was able to supply all of the desserts for the night. This event would not be possible without the support of the amazing Brennan House and Waverley College communities. Thank you to the staff who generously gave up their time to help with the preparations and running of the night; Rebecca Gair, Tracie Ryan, Sue Walsh, Richard Bryant, Natalie Oates, and the Art Department, Garth Aird and the TAS Department, Chris Balkizas and the Music Department, Jaimi Walker, Kylie Anderson, and the Marketing Department. Thank you also to Mr Graham Leddie for taking the time to attend and show his support on the night. The Holdsworth Ball is one of the most rewarding activities that students can be involved in at Waverley College. Many parents of clients say that these nights are one of only a handful of opportunities they get to see their children interact in a normal social setting, and is something that means so much to each of them. The difference that students are able to make in such a worthwhile area of our local community is immense. Each year, the students who put their hands up to organise this event do an incredible job. They are a credit to their school, themselves and their families.
Student Formation and the ongoing growth of the Wellbeing Program has continued to be a major focus within Brennan House. In 2019, one of the ways this has taken shape has been through the expansion of the Big Brother Little Brother program, linking Senior and Junior School students together for a range of student formation activities. House Assemblies, BBQs, Daily Wellbeing Groups and guest speakers all provided valuable opportunities to come together as a house and discuss important issues surrounding student wellbeing, as well as reinforce the key values of inclusion, giving back and involvement that are held by Brennan House and Waverley College as a whole.
House Masses underwent significant change during 2019 and have become a key gathering in the Brennan House Calendar. It was wonderful to see so many families attending the mass with their sons and then coming together for supper afterwards. This night gave staff, students and families the opportunity to meet early in the year and build upon the already strong Mentor/Parent/Student relationships. I look forward to seeing this night continue to grow into next year and beyond.
Finally, a special thank you to the amazing Brennan House Mentors. The Wolf Pack is very lucky to have such a dedicated and caring group of mentors who continually go above and beyond for the members of their Wellbeing Groups. It is incredible to see how welcomed and valued the students are made to feel each morning during Wellbeing Time. In sad news, we say goodbye to two such mentors at the end of 2019, Mr Glen Mosna and Ms Suzanne Richards. These mentors have made such a valued contribution to Brennan House over their years of service and they will be sorely missed. We wish them both all the best for the future.
Last chance to act and support Matthew Talbot Christmas Appeal
Matthew Talbot Hostel is a wonderful organisation helping over 35,000 Sydney men each year in providing accommodation, health, counselling and employment assistance. Waverley has had a long history of boys helping in its kiosk in Woolloomooloo, and strongly contributing towards making Christmas easier for those in need.
Please assist your son in bringing in a recycle bag with the following inside before or on Monday 2nd December:
Congratulations to Tevlin House and Head of House Mr John McCullum, for organising our response to this important cause. All donations can be brought into daily Mentor Groups, or to the Wellbeing Centre (Senior School), or Junior School (Front Office).
Thank you in advance for your support of this great appeal.
Step Out, Speak Out – Walk Against Domestic Violence
Congratulations to Green House and Head of House, Mr Scott Coleman who led a large Waverley College contingent of boys, parents and staff in the walk from Randwick to Coogee to help raise awareness of domestic violence in Australia. We thank the NSW Police Eastern Beaches Police Area Command and Randwick City Council for organising the event.
Congratulations to Green House Prefect Patrick Smith who spoke on the College’s behalf. Patrick reiterated the key message of the day, ‘Australia has a problem in terms of the high numbers of people who suffer from domestic and family violence and as men and boys, we need to step out and speak out against this terrible blight on our society’.
Staff Immersion
We wish Ms Cathy O’Sullivan – Head of Conlon House, safe travels whilst she is attending an Edmund Rice Staff Immersion to Kenya and Ireland. In Kenya, Cathy will spend time at the Ruben Centre which is a non-profit, charity organization run by the Christian Brothers African Province. It is one of eight Christian Brother’s project sites across Africa, and offers educational, health and community development programmes to the residents of one of the largest slums in Nairobi (known as both the Ruben Slum as well as Mukuru community).
Parent Association
On behalf of the College, I would like to thank all parents that have been involved in the work carried out by the Parent Association throughout 2019. Particular thanks to the tireless work of the year level representatives, past parents representatives, clothing pool representatives and the executive for all of their organisation, support and efforts in organising events and communicating across our community. Special thanks to the 2019 Executive of; Ms Mary Ramsay (President), Ms Lisa Sullivan-Smith (Vice President), Ms Lamya Sadi (Vice President) Ms Stephanie Van Dam (Secretary) and Ms Deb Johnston (Treasurer).
From the recent AGM, I would like to congratulate the following parents on their elections to the Parent Association Executive for 2020; Ms Mary Ramsay (President), Ms Lisa Sullivan-Smith (Vice President), Ms Stephanie Van Dam (Vice President), Ms Lamya Sadi (Secretary), Ms Deb Johnston (Treasurer).
Cadets
After 51 years of distinguished service to the College, Mr Peter Frost will retire. In 2018, Peter retired from the College Executive and his teaching role. At the end of this year, Peter will retire from his Commanding Officer position of the WCCU, a unit that he has served with integrity for over 60 years. He has touched the minds and hearts of 1000s of boys over this time and role modelled the values of the College. Peter is taking up a role at Army Headquarters that will see him assist cadet units across NSW in their leadership and promotional courses. We wish Peter all the very best in his retirement from the College.
With Peter’s retirement, the College has undertaken in consultation with Army Headquarters a recruitment process to appoint a new Commanding Officer and I would like to announce that we have appointed Ms Julie-Ann de Kantzow to this position. Julie-Ann comes to us from Knox Grammar where she is currently the Adjutant HGS Army Cadet Unit. Julie-Ann is also currently completing a Master of Teaching and her undergraduate course is a B.App.Sc (Biomedical Science) with a major in biochemistry with distinction and university medal.
The other major development in our Cadet Unit is that St Catherine’s School has applied to Army Headquarters to join our unit and we are very much looking forward to working with them and developing programs that continue to enhance leadership and provide exciting outdoor student development opportunities.
Staff Farewells
I would like to acknowledge teaching and support staff that have served the College well over a number years and who are leaving our community at the end of this year. We wish them the very best in their respective endeavours.
Mr Bruce Dominish (19 years) Head of Commercial Studies
Ms Alicia Spinks (12.5 years) Finance Team
Ms Vanessa Purnell (11 years) Legal Studies
Mr Glen Mosna (5 years) Mathematics Department
Ms Suzanne Richards (5 years) Head of LOTE
Ms Annie Phillips (1 year) Visual Arts Department
Ms Dearbhla Cooper (3 terms) Religion Department
Ms Sinead Kenrick (1 term) Mathematics Department
Ms Alison Carlile (1 Term) English Department
Ms Paula McNamara (2 terms part-time) Library
It is hard to believe how quickly the year has flown. I have enjoyed seeing the boys flourish as they engage with learning and co-curricular programs here at Waverley. It has been rewarding seeing the many values that have been on display throughout the year – resilience when tackling a particularly tricky problem whether it is in class or a problem between friends; courage in coping with changes; appreciation and happiness for each other and all the opportunities they are given within the school – which all strengthen their character and their ability to make the most of every aspect of school life.
I would like to thank all of you for your support for the school and your contribution to our community. I also acknowledge the hard-working and dedicated Junior School staff supporting your boys to reach their potential. We have a great team here at Waverley.
On behalf of the school, I wish you all a safe and happy holiday.
Congratulations to Sebastian Ari, Kayden Baker, Tom Donaldson, Hugo Fernandez, Jethro Jenson, James Peate, Owen Smith and Harrison Thorpe who competed in the Gateways Challenge Day last week. Over the course of the day the boys had to rotate through a number of Challenge activities. The focus was on teamwork over individual performance. Each child had an opportunity to demonstrate leadership in one of the challenges where a strong emphasis was placed on creativity, lateral thinking and problem-solving skills. The boys did very well and should be extremely proud of themselves.
From Director of Co-Curricular, Matthew Ryan
Alfie Frain who competed in the NSW school golf team
Congratulations to Alfie Frain who competed as part of the NSW school golf team last week. NSW came 2nd in scratch losing to QLD by a shot and 2nd in Nett as well. Alfie has described this as such an amazing experience and something he will never forget. Well done Alfie!
Last week had several students attend the NSWPSSA Athletics Championships at Homebush. Our Junior Relay team finished the competition in 20th place. Felix Kelly was 22nd in the 100m, Jack Johnson was placed 10th overall in the 800m. A special mention needs to go to Julian Minto who finished in 5th place in NSW in the 200m. A fantastic effort. I would like to congratulate all the boys on their performances and representing the school at such a high level.
Waverley was ably represented on Thursday 14 November at the Annual IPSHA Speakers’ Challenge, with Year 6 students Max Sheehy and Archie Godby, doing very well indeed.
The boys were asked to explore the topic of Reimagine. Both boys displayed skills of critical thinking when writing their speech and confidently delivered their speech.
I am extremely proud of the boys and their speeches.
From Literacy and Innovation Coordinator, Natasha Zivanovic
Lunchtime talk with CFOO and Author, Matt Galanos
Over the last two weeks, the Waverley boys have been fortunate to have two guest speakers.
The Waverley boys warmly welcomed Matt Galanos on Friday 15 November. Matt is the CFOO at the ATC and an author. He dropped in to chat with the boys about creative writing, the process of writing a book and having it published all while he continued his day job!
A huge thank you for taking time out of your busy schedule to inspire young creative minds!
Our last guest speaker for 2019 shared the message of RESILIENCE!
Bouncing back after sorrow and loss is not easy but Sophie Smith founder of Running for Premature Babies did just that. On Friday 22 November Sophie spoke to the boys about challenges, inspiration, adventure, and disappointment.
Thank you from the bottom of our hearts for sharing your personal story at our Lunchtime Talk. Owen (Year 5) is so lucky to have a strong Mum like you.
If you would like to be a guest speaker in 2020, please contact me: nzivanovic@waverley.nsw.edu.au
Major Highlights from the Learning Hub
Today’s world is changing very fast; as is the way students learn. And in the middle of ever-evolving education, the role learning spaces play in our schools is more important than ever.
Learning spaces should spark imaginations; nurture and develop creativity; support a diverse range of learning activities; and above all, support our learners.
The new Learning Hub has done just that. Over the past three terms, I have watched the boys develop lifelong skills of being critical thinkers, collaborators, innovators, public speakers, communicators, and problem solvers.
The refurbishment of the Learning Hub has become a buzzing learning environment. A setting that changes from lesson to lesson and day by day. The new space caters for all our activities from formal lessons, debating, public speaking, lunchtime talks with guest speakers to an informal style of learning, where boys read, play board games, watched duckling hatch or meet up for a chat.
I am looking forward to a productive 2020!
From Assistant Director of Curriculum, Gabrielle Bransby
2019 has been an amazing year for Teaching and Learning at the Junior School. The boys have been part of some incredible learning experiences that we hope are memorable for them for many years to come.
Students in Year 5 were involved in a History Hysteria Showcase in Term 1. Students presented their historical knowledge from their history inquiry unit – The Australian Colonies. This inquiry unit explored the significance of people, groups, places, and events that have led to the development of Australia.
This STEM unit was integrated with a wide range of skills from different subject areas to create a 3D Diorama that lights up. This piece is an illustration of a collaborative story that students have written in English. Students have learnt how to code through Scratch and CS First. The students also integrated a piece of music that accompanied their story. This was created with Mrs. Rollins in their Music Technology class. Many boys have attached this music to their story on Scratch and incorporated the use of Makey Makey’s.
This STEM unit focused on developing areas around Waverley College Junior School that are in need of refurbishment, unused or poorly maintained. The aim of this unit was to give students agency in the development of an area. Within this STEM unit, students investigated the concepts of sustainable design, the characteristics of materials and devised a budget based on their design and materials chosen.
This was an exciting opportunity for an authentic learning experience and a chance for students to see their designs and ideas implemented somewhere in the College. The winning design was Tristan Girardi, Liam McMaster, and Lachlan Rowney.
In Term 3, Year 5 were lucky enough to be visited by Grant and Latoya from Kadoo Tours. Students had the opportunity to learn about astronomy from the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander perspectives as part of their Earth and Space unit in Science. The students listened to Dreamtime stories, learnt about how Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islanders use the sky to navigate and gather food, touched artifacts and ate bush tucker.
This term, Year 6 have been part of an exciting program called Robo Bricks. During each lesson, students employed mechanical engineering skills to build a robot and software engineering skills to code the robot to perform the desired tasks. The boys completed this program as part of their science and Technology Unit – Growing the Future. This program focuses primarily on the Digital Technologies content strand whilst still creating robots that fit in with the Living Things content strand.
What a wonderful and exciting year the boys have had. Next year, I am looking forward to bringing new and exciting learning experiences to the curriculum.
From 5 Red Student, Ari Wernett
On Friday 15th November all of the Year 5 classes were lucky enough to get to go up to the High School to use the Science Labs. We were met by Miss Alborough who taught us all about the water cycle. We conducted an experiment using a glass beaker, a tripod, a wire mesh, a glass lid and a Bunsen burner. Firstly, we went through the safety rules, we all had to wear safety goggles and learn about staying safe lighting a match and working with fire. Secondly, we were put into groups of three, we were given specific jobs that we were going to rotate so we could each get a go using every piece of equipment.
Three pieces of ice were placed in the beaker, we struck a match, lit the Bunsen burner and made observations about what we saw. As the flame heated the bottom of the beaker the ice began to melt, we could see the water begin to boil and evaporate. We could see the steam rising and then little water droplets condensing on the glass lid. It was really cool to get to use proper scientific equipment and see what a Science Lab looks like, for most of us it was our first time in a lab. Overall it was a really fun afternoon and a great experience for all of us. Thank you to Miss Alborough for spending the whole day teaching Year 5.
From Innovation Coordinator, Charlotte Stephens
Across both campuses, teachers are experimenting with brand new flexible furniture in their classrooms. Teams have worked together with designers to select pieces that will meet the diverse needs of our 21st-century learners. Where once we wanted our learners to face the board and copy down information imparted from a teacher, we now want to create learning communities of researchers, collaborators, communicators, and critical thinkers. These new classroom designs and furniture aim to facilitate this kind of pedagogy.
In the Junior School, 5 Red have been testing out this new furniture. The students have approached it with overwhelming enthusiasm. We have found that it has really opened up the space, making it a bright and welcoming environment. In practice, the furniture far more easily supports all types of learning than what we had previously as it is able to be moved into different configurations based on need. There are a variety of desk heights, shapes and an array of seating options.
One of the features that the students have been enjoying the most is the ability to write their ideas and workings out all over the desks. The writeable desks are really promoting visible thinking and helping provide opportunities for formative assessment.
The students are also enjoying the ability to move the seating around. Some have pondered whether they would prefer to have a back on their chair however, in class, they still have access to a traditional chair and no one has yet chosen to take that option. The majority are finding the ability to rock and wriggle is helping their concentration on tasks.
We will trial more classes with this furniture in 2020.
2019 Summer Holiday Camps Options:
Camp 1 | Monday 9 Dec to Friday, 13 Dec 2019 (8:00 am to 3:30 pm)
Camp 2 | Monday 16 Dec to Friday, 20 Dec 2019 (8:00 am to 3:30 pm)
Boys and Girls aged 10-13 can book for fun and fitness at our Winter Holiday Camp
Fees
$275 per individual participant per week for 8.00am to 3.30pm Monday to Friday. Additional $50 per week ($10 per day) for the late pick-up option to 4.30pm. The casual rate at $85 per day subject to availability (including late pick-up option).
Booking and payment to be made via trybooking: https://www.trybooking.com/BGXWZ **Bookings close Wednesday, 4 December 2019,**
What to bring and Where to go
Daily drop off and pick up at: Br R J Wallace Performing Arts Centre, Waverley College, 131 Birrell Street, Waverley
Wet Weather
Indoor activities will replace outdoor activities.
Staffing
Only accredited staff with child-minding clearances will supervise the camps.
A typical day:
8.00 am – 8.30 am |Drop off/sign in
8.30 am – 9.30 am | Cricket skills & games
9.30 am – 10.30 am | Basketball & dodge ball
10.30 am – 10.45 am | Morning Tea
10.45 am – 12.00 pm | Soccer
12.00 am – 2.30 pm | Lunch
12.30 pm – 2.00 pm | Movie
2.00 pm – 3.15 pm | Indoor/Outdoor games
3.15 pm – 3.30 pm | Pick up and sign out
3.30 pm – 4.30 pm | Further Activities Late pick up
Please click here for the 2019 Summer Holiday Camp flyer
There will be a Christmas present drop-off and wrapping station for sick children on Sunday, 15 December from 1.30 pm to 4.00 pm at Coogee Bay Hotel.
The present will be gifted to sick children and their siblings at Sydney Children’s Hospital in Randwick and Westmead.
For more information, you can download the event flyer here.
According to a report conducted by Scholastic for YouGov, 75 percent of parents with kids aged 6-17 wish their child would do more things that did not involve screen time. Fortunately, the humble book is making a comeback.
Reading increases vocabulary, fluency and creativity by modelling correct sentence structure, punctuation and grammar. This translates into an increase in students‚ inferential comprehension, writing and reading confidence. The best part is that it can do so by stealth with books that children find fun to read. Nearly three-quarters of kids aged 6-17 (74%) responded to the Scholastic study that they would read more if they could find more books that they like.
A study conducted in the UK for the Institute of Education by Dr Alice Sullivan and Matt Brown found that a child’s cognitive development between 10-16 years of age was positively influenced by reading for pleasure more so than their parents‚ level of education. This was quantified as a 14.4% advantage in vocabulary, a 9.9% advantage in maths and an 8.6% advantage in spelling.
“It may seem surprising that reading for pleasure would help to improve children’s maths scores,” said Dr Sullivan in an interview with the BBC. “But it is likely that strong reading ability will enable children to absorb and understand new information and affect their attainment in all subjects.”
Pleasure reading is self-prescribed, therefore it is vital children are able to access books of interest to encourage consistent reading behaviour. Parents, teachers, and librarians need to support students to assist them in finding styles that suit the individual child until they have developed the passion and self-motivation to read regularly.
In addition to having an interesting book on hand, it’s important to make time for reading. The DEAR (Drop Everything and Read) time strategy is a solution parents and schools can adopt to help children take some time out of the chaotic technology-driven day to relax and read. In this period, students can control the time and the text they are reading, which encourages them to develop a consistent reading habit. Even better if they see you reading at the same time!
Holiday time is a fantastic time to pick up a book. Some public libraries run Summer Reading Challenges and our wonderful Waverley College Library has a wide range of e-Books and audiobooks for students to access over the summer holidays.
These school holidays start an adventure with your kids by taking them to a library or bookstore, there is a book for every age and every interest, even you.
School Fees for the 2020 school year are due on the following dates:
1st Payment 2020
Prompt payment date 19/1/2020; due date 31/1/2020
2nd Payment
Prompt payment date 24/4/2020; due date 8/5/2020
3rd Payment
Prompt payment date 17/7/2020; due date 31/7/2020
Fees paid before 4pm on the prompt payment date attract a $25 discount.
Any payment received after due date will attract an administrative fee of $110.
Please be advised that some financial institutions need more than 48 hours to process their payments (e.g. internet/BPay).
Please see the last page of your account for payment method and contact details.
You are reminded that if you wish to withdraw your son from enrolment at Waverley College, you are required to give one term’s notice in writing to the Head of College that your son’s enrolment will cease.
The last day you can give notice that your son’s enrolment is finishing at the end of a school term, is the first day of the same term. If not received by that date, a penalty equivalent to one term’s tuition fees will be payable.
The relevant dates for 2019 and 2020 are below:
| Finishing at end of | Notice by |
| Term 1, 2020 | Wed 29 Jan 2020 |
| Term 2, 2020 | Tue 28 April 2020 |
| Term 3, 2020 Term 4, 2020 |
Tue 22 July 2020 Tue 12 October 2020 |
Click here for the latest careers update.
An exciting opportunity has come up for senior school students who may be currently looking or thinking about casual and part-time work over the Christmas period and into the New Year.
Coles in Edgecliff is currently recruiting for 10 individuals to learn and work across the store in departments like Fresh Produce, Bakery, Dairy and Grocery. They are looking for individuals who are motivated, interested in learning new skills and developing their experiences in the community.
Interviews are available on:
I understand that this is a busy time of year for students and Coles are aware that students may not be available to start working until the exam periods are over, however, once interviews and their first on boarding shift is completed they are happy to accommodate this.
If you are interested, please could you complete a profile on the link below and then drop off a resume with your application number to the Coles Edgecliff store store to Store Manager, Tessa who will be able to schedule in an interview time.
Tessa will also be at the store over this coming weekend and happy to answer questions.
On Saturday, 19 October, 24 personnel from the Waverley College Cadet Unit participated in the Annual CAS Cadet Units Military Skills competition. The competition consisted of teams from all CAS Cadet Units, with a range of activities that engaged and tested them in several fields in the bush location at Holsworthy Army range. Activities included: navigation, medics/ first aid, contact in the field and sending radio messages. There was also a quick decision exercise to test the team’s initiative. Each activity was conducted by a different school/unit and provided an enriching and comprehensive lesson for many of the younger cadets. The teams then gathered for a BBQ lunch to celebrate the event, and many Waverley cadets took this opportunity to engage with members of other units, discussing their experiences during their time in cadets. The competition was won by the team from the Trinity Grammar School Cadet Unit who were suitably congratulated by all of the other teams. The trophy, previously held by Waverley, was formally presented by the Commander of the NSW 2nd AAC Brigade, Colonel Michael Miller. Although Waverley were not victors, our men gathered to sing ‘Men of Waverley’ for our Commanding Officer, Lieutenant Colonel (AAC) Frost acknowledging his last CAS Military Skills Competition as the CO of Waverley College Cadet Unit.
Our team then headed to the Holsworthy Base rifle rang range for a ‘live fire’ activity. We were met by the RSM of the 4/3 Battalion, Royal NSW Regiment, and were introduced to the new standard issue rifle for the Australian Military; the EF 88 Austeyr. Each member of the team was instructed and practiced with the safe handling procedures for the weapon before being given the opportunity to shoot the rifle on the range. This event also sparked another competition of ‘best shot’ among the group to see who had the most accurate shot on the target.
Following the shoot: the team was then shown and were able to handle three different types of weapons used by the Australian Military; these included: the MAG 58 Light Machine Gun, the 84mm Recoilless Rifle and the 66mm M72 LAW portable ‘rocket launcher’. The cadets also got to try on some of the body armour and helmets as well as equipment worn by the Australian Army.
Overall, the experience was a highlight for many cadets and provided them with an insight into the practical side of the Army and the process and skills required to become a member of the Australian Army, as well as an opportunity to test and compare themselves among the other CAS units maintaining a friendly rivalry and basis for competition.
On Monday, 11 November the College held a Remembrance Day ceremony to commemorate the members of armed forces lost in the line of duty.
Over the last two weeks, I have been signing exit cards for our Year 12s who have been completing their final HSC examinations. Each of them had an air of excitement around themselves and about the possibilities of their future. All were appreciative of the opportunities they had at Waverley and wished the College well. I congratulated each of them on achieving this significant milestone in their lives and I hope you will join me in praying for them as they take their next step in their life’s journey. We are grateful to our 2019 student body who led by setting a good example.
The children of Wee Care Kindergarten in St Mary’s Avenue, right across the road from the College are putting on a bake stall at recess time tomorrow (Friday) for the bush-fire victims. The devastation of the bush fires in NSW has grabbed the attention of many students and all money will go to this worthy cause. Please encourage your son to support this initiative being organised by some of our compassionate neighbours.
This week I attended a Catholic Schools NSW response to the NSW Curriculum Review Interim Report and heard from its author, Professor Geoff Masters. If you are interested in reading more about this review which is looking at making significant changes to the NSW curriculum over the next two decades, please visit the following site www.nswcurriculumreview.nesa.nsw.edu.au
In short, the review is looking at:
The long term vision is for a future school curriculum that supports teachers to nurture wonder, ignite passion and provide every young person with knowledge, skills and attributes that will help prepare them for a lifetime of learning, meaningful adult employment and effective future citizenship.
In line with the changes in curriculum, the government is also focussing upon pathway choices. I congratulate Old Boy Scott Cam (WCOB 1980) who has been appointed as Australia’s first National Careers Ambassador. Scott is a qualified carpenter who ran his own business before shooting to fame on TV. Part of this new role is to highlight how practical and technical training can lead to high-paying and fulfilling jobs. At the announcement, Prime Minister Scott Morrison said university, which had become the default expectation for young people, wasn’t the only path to success. Mr Morrison is hopeful the appointment will encourage more people to get technical, trade and practical skills.
The Foundation for Young Australians recently issued a report outlining three startling predictions for 2030. These forecasts are:
Similarly, The Future of Jobs report predicts that five million jobs will disappear because of automation (World Economic Forum, 2016). Further, the authors assert this will affect factory jobs, office workers, legal professionals, and accounting positions. McKinsey and Co believe that 45% of “today’s workplace activities could be done by robots”. Here in Australia, The Committee for Economic Development in Australia contend that 60% of all jobs in rural and regional Australia are at risk by 2030.
In preparing our boys for the future, it is so important that we consider the types of jobs that are at the least risk of being replaced by automation. The jobs will involve problem-solving, collaboration, critical thinking, communication, and creativity. There are many aspects of the holistic education on offer at Waverley that contribute to developing these important skills leading to independent thinking and will serve students well, no matter what careers they pursue throughout their lives.
Congratulations to the following boys who have auditioned and been successful in gaining a place in the cast of sixty at KRB’s musical Matilda which is being staged at NIDA in 2020.
Click here to read the latest edition of Wavelength magazine
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
