Lacey House Report Term 3
2018 has seen the introduction of the House group as the basis for our Year Nine outdoor education experience. I could not resist the opportunity to get to know our boys more deeply so I joined them on their Somerset camp. Four days of trekking, canoeing, cooking and involvement in the myriad of activities was inspirational and edifying. The Lacey boys were truly a pleasure to observe with their high level of cooperation and willingness to give anything a go being the hallmarks of the camp. I was unable to separate the best cooks on the My Kampsite Rules event so I gave the cooking prize to myself for my effort on Chicken Tikka. All the boys agreed that my dish was the most delicious meal they had ever seen but not tasted.
Year 9 Camp
Will Gibson surfing the rock
The Year Twelve leadership group has been great exemplars of our House Motto as they have worked hard from the beginning to the end, to create an inclusive space that values diversity of talents in Lacey House. Felix Valentine won the House writing competition gaining valuable points for Lacey. The Year 12’s were second to O’Connor House in the Dodgeball competition. Lacey won the Trivia Pursuit competition and Lacey House(Ms Foster’s Mentor Group) even won the Historic photo competition.
Trivial Pursuit winners
The beginning of fourth term is a perfect time for the boys to evaluate where they are now and to set short term goals for the last term of the school year. The question is, where do they start? There are so many options. Set specific goals; good planning and time management; take opportunities in class; ask questions; talk to teachers, parents and class-mates; regular revision; start work early; quality assignment drafts; listen to feedback; a good study space free of (technology) distractions; extra tuition (study groups, homework help, tutoring); and just putting in the time!
I encourage you to have regular conversations with your sons about their academic progress, and to access the boys Haiku pages to check to see what assignments and topics the boys have coming up. The exams will be upon them sooner than they think.
Whilst the College finished a disappointing eighth in the CAS we celebrated the achievements of quite a few Lacey Legends who turned out for the Athletics team. Matt Antulov, Leon Bakis, Lorenzo Di Napoli, Nikhil Dulat, Roy Hampshire, Jack Banjo Studholme, Joshua Grant, Declan Punch, Moyo Adewusi and Massimo Di Napoli all represented the College, or were part of the squad. I encourage our boys to have a go next year and start thinking about how they can train to make the team. Being part of the Athletics Team is a great way to experience the atmosphere of competing in such a great venue and an event with thousands of spectators.
CAS Representatives
During this year Lacey House has supported Mental Health and as such we were heavily involved in helping out for RUOK day. We helped raise over $2,000 on the day. This important College event was coordinated by past and present parents and we look forward to greater involvement and support as this becomes our focus over the following years. The support of our own boys and the establishment of great resilience and positive self-talk has been a major focus in our Mentor groups. The Year Ten program has involved several talks on developing Hope and a Growth Mindset as goals we continue to develop in our Wellbeing program.
I welcome any feedback that you may have around any of the ideas presented and I look forward to another great term where each boy is presented with an opportunity to stretch himself just that little bit more. Blessings to all of you for the holiday break. I hope the boys will return with renewed energy and clear goals. Prior to that date, please organise haircuts, new razors, and (in some cases) shirts that fit and can be tucked in with a belt to help it stay put.
Dear Waverley College students and families,
We as a family continue to be amazed by your generosity and willingness to contribute in such a positive way.
Knowing the busy schedule all you families keep it is especially humbling to know how much effort you put in to make this an important event in the school calendar.
The funds raised are incredible! And the awareness continues to grow and grow with your help.
Thank you all so much from the Larkin family.
Thank you for all for your support of your son during Term 3. It has been a busy and productive term for most boys. We officially farewell our Year 12 students tomorrow at graduation day and wish them all the best for their upcoming HSC examinations. I wish all boys a restful and enjoyable spring break and look forward to seeing them return safely in Term 4 on Tuesday 16 October.
For boys looking for a change of study venue during the holidays, the College Library will be open from 9.00am until 4.00pm each day excluding the public holiday 1 October (Tuesdays 8.00am-4.00pm). Each Year 12 student has been issued with a copy of the NSW Education Standards Authority (NESA) Rules and Regulations instructions. It is your son’s responsibility to comply with these instructions and attend his examinations on the correct date and time. With Mrs Elizabeth Watson on leave from the end of Term 3, Mrs Lynsey Porter will be the Acting Director of Teaching and Learning for the first three weeks of Term 4. Mrs Porter will be in the Centenary Quadrangle for HSC roll marking before each examination. Students should be in attendance at least 30 minutes prior to the scheduled starting time for each exam, in full College uniform. College rules regarding shaving, hair styles/colouring etc., apply throughout the exam period.
The College understands NESA permits students to leave the examination room prior to the scheduled finishing time. It is an expectation of the College that students should use all available time to complete each examination to the best of their ability. Any student leaving an examination prior to the finishing time, must sign out at the Head of College’s office.
Some parents or students might be planning after-parties to celebrate Year 12 Graduation and I wanted to share some advice to help avoid preventable incidents. Completing Year 12 is certainly a big milestone and worthy of celebrating, however graduation day is not the day. The students’ work is not completed until after their last HSC exam. This is the whole purpose of ‘schoolies’ week’; to provide students with an opportunity to finally relax and celebrate prior to the next step in their life’s journey. Waverley College marks graduation with a beautiful Mass at Mary Immaculate with Father Bernie, a special luncheon, the graduation ceremony in the Centenary Quadrangle, and finally the Year 12 Formal. This makes for a very long day that coincides with high emotions, tiredness from the significance of the occasion and also exam stress. Adding yet another celebration to an extraordinarily long day (18 hours) leaves boys vulnerable to peer pressure and poor decision making.
Please note that any celebrations held after the Year 12 Formal are not endorsed or supported by the College and we recommend your son does not attend. Earlier this week a student was punched by a stranger in nearby Bondi Junction after attending an unsanctioned gathering. The student was unconscious for a period of time before being transferred to hospital for medical tests. You can not get any closer to a life or death situation than this. If you would like some advice on how to talk to your teenager about going to parties, here is a helpful article written by Matthew Porter, Waverley College’s Director of Wellbeing: https://www.mamamia.com.au/talking-to-teens-about-parties/
Mr Glenn Fleming has worked at the College for three years in our counselling team and leaves us to take up an appointment with Marist Care close to his home. Glenn has been a great support to students, staff and the College’s Wellbeing program. We wish him all the best with his new role.
Ms Anne Bateman has worked at the College for 12 years in our counselling team and leaves us to take up a appointment at St Augustine’s College. Anne has been the backbone of our counselling team and has assisted many students greatly during her time at the College. We wish her all the best with her new role.
Mr Tony Banboukjian has worked at the College for 28 years and the last 11 years as Director of Waterford. Tony has been a humble, gentle and caring leader who has assisted many boys settle into upper primary and prepared them well for high school. Tony will be missed by many for his great service to the school. We wish Tony all the best as he transitions to a new career path as owner of the Courtyard Cafe in Berrima, Southern Highlands.
Thank you to Ms Anne Fahy who has been the Acting Head of Music for Term 3 and done an excellent job. We have just received news that the following students have been nominated after their HSC performances in Music for inclusion in ENCORE: Congratulations to Morgan Hall and Dominic Augoustis.
Thank you to Ms Linda McGuiggan who has been a stalwart organiser of our graduation lunches for some years now. This will be her last lunch, which she is organising despite her son graduating with the Year 12 cohort tomorrow. Thank you Linda for all your hard work and care for others in our community.
A reminder that the Old Boys’ Union has arranged for sales of a Waverley College branded watch from Bausele with sales closing on 30 September. The watch features the school crest and a number of variations including 1st XI cricket and football, 1stXV rugby and cadets. The crest also features soil from our Queens Park home ground (which I personally collected – see below). Find out more at: www.bausele.com.au/waverley
Digging the soil for the OBU watches
Once again Waverley.TV will be providing a live broadcast of the 2018 Graduation Ceremony live from the Centenary Quad.
We will be on air from 12.35pm.
To access the stream please use the following link, feel free to share this link with family members.
https://iframe.dacast.com/b/
During the week Year Ten were very fortunate to be visited by Paul Stewart from the Jesuit Social Services (JSS) and two Alma nuns Sister Anastasia and Sister Gertrudis who spoke about the work they do in Timor-Leste. Paul Stewart has a long connection with Timor, hence his very visible passion for the work that is done there. Paul’s brother Tony, was one of the five journalists, known as the Balibo five, killed in East Timor in 1978. During his time as the front man for the Painters and Dockers and now currently a member of the Dili All-stars, Paul has continued to work with the people of Timor-Leste raising awareness for the plight of organisations like the Alma nuns who work tirelessly for the disabled poor of Timor-Leste.
Both of the Alma nuns shared their story of what they do on a daily basis. Each morning begins at 4.30 am for prayer. After this and before breakfast they begin washing and feeding the between 35 to 40 young children who are orphans with high needs disabilities. We soon realised that caring for a disabled child in developing countries like Timor-Leste, West Papua and Indonesia, with their lack of basic care programs, specialised equipment and trained health workers, takes dedication and passion like these Alma Nuns possess. They receive no funding from the Timor government and run their program on donations given to them.
We were humbled by what the Alma nuns do with such limited finances but such passion for the service of others. They manage a budget of $50 dollars a day that covers three meals a day and activities like, aiding the visually impaired to live a fuller life through the use of “blind cane” and working to teach sign language to the hearing impaired. They also provide educational activities for those suffering major long term disabilities such as muscular dystrophy, developmental disabilities and many other intellectual disabilities. These activities range from reading to them, painting with them or where possible playing some physical games like football.
This is the first time they have come to Australia in the hope to raise some funds and awareness of what they do. We were so grateful to them and Paul for coming to Waverley College and sharing their stories with us. Next year on the Timor-Leste immersion we hope to visit them and raise a little bit more money for the work they do.
On the 20th and 21st September, six Year 10 boys including myself got the opportunity to attend a Social Justice conference for young people at Christian Brothers’ College Lewisham.
Fifteen schools from all over Australia gathered at the event which was run by the Josephite nuns. We were very privileged to attend the event with Ms. Cullen, who has a firing passion for standing up for those who can’t stand up for themselves.
On arrival, we were greeted by a smoking ceremony ritual performed by the Aboriginal students at Lewisham, who also welcomed us to country with a very moving dance ritual. Throughout the two days, we were challenged by various guest speakers who work in the area of Human Rights, to stand up against injustice. We were warned that this is no easy task – one that often requires us to swim against the tide of popular opinion and strong political forces – but we were urged never to give up.
Throughout the first day, we listened to presenters including – Phil Glendenning, President of the Refugee Council and Director of the Edmund Rice Centre, and journalist and social commentator, Ms Van Badham. We also heard from inspiring young people who are doing their bit to challenge the injustices in this world, one of these students was an Old Boy of Waverley College. We had many opportunities to converse with some of the other students from all across Australia, who all had moving stories and one thing in common: A drive to one day change the world! The first day presented several opportunities to attend workshops on social justice issues affecting our world today including, justice for the earth and the environment, for people seeking asylum, the first nations people and homeless people.
We began the second day of the conference with a presentation by CaSPA (Catholic Schools Performing Arts Sydney) They encouraged us to use our voice for change. We were lucky enough to meet current Greens, Labour and Liberal politicians – Jenny Leong MP, Jihad Dib MP and Jonathan O’Dea MP who shared their thoughts on how government policies affect nationwide social inequity. We also watched a theatre sports performance from the St Aloysius boys, who role-played how to be lobbyists for social change.
Overall this experience was an eye-opener with all of the boys taking a lot away from the conference. We also had a few laughs along the way with Ms Cullen.
Farewell to Green House class of 2018 – Always have strength in unity.
Dominic Augoustis
Tom Bower
Daniel Brown
Anthony Candi
Allan Cannes
Daniel Chow
Max Coleman
Louie Cosgrove
Lucas Dedes
Johnathan Edwards
Nathan Higgs
Nicholas Kalitsis
Kye LLewellyn
Charles McGrath
Thomas McMah
Baxter Oleksyn
Ben Scarf
Benjamin Stopic
Thomas Wood
Jamie Worthington
Mitchell Zervos
As we farewell our year 12 Green students, I can’t help but look back at the journey they have travelled in their time as Waverley College Students. For some it is a journey that began in 2011 at the junior school, while welcoming many others at the start of year 7 in 2013.
It has been a journey of many triumphs, adversity and success. The men they have become is a testament to the support the students have received from parents, guardians, teachers, friends and multiple other influences in their life. We have been lucky, as a school to be an important part of their story so far, and know they will have success wherever the seek to travel and wish them all the best in their future endeavours.
I must make a special mention to all the Green House Mentors that have supported our year 12 students during their final year. The support the teachers have provided has made the success of each boy possible.
I would also like to mention all the parents for the education you have provided our year 12 boys. By choosing Waverley College, the boys have become learners, social justice advocates, sportsmen, debaters, friends, and transitioned to adulthood.
I want to praise all the efforts that every student has provided to Green House and Waverley College in their time at the school. They have each had a positive impact on the school somewhere in their journey and the school is now a better place for having them come through.
As a house, we wish you all the best with your exams and thank you for your service to Waverley College.
I want to make a special mention to my year 12 leadership team this year. We were lucky to have 6 leaders in Green House this year. They were exceptional in their support of the programs we ran and we were very lucky to be blessed with such capable young men that will no doubt be future leaders in their careers/lives after year 12. Thank you very much gentleman for your incredible work this year.
Allan Cannes
Ben Scarf
Daniel Chow
Daniel Brown
Dominic Augoustis
Nathan Higgs
Congratulations to the following students for winning special awards this term:
Jay Briggs
James Byrd
Brad Wilson
Charlie Worthington
Alexander De Barros
Hugo Defina-Sperando
Louis Liong
Lucas Lim
Heath Jackson
Patrick Smith
Ryan Bayas
Finn Harley Whitney
Lachlan Muir
Isaac Coombes
Jack MacKenzie
William Lane
Will O’Connor
Ben Stirling
Louis Lioing – Credit
Isaac Coombes – Credit
Jack Mackenzie – Participation
Will O’Connor – Overall winner
Aj Preketes
Ethan Williams
Valan Candi
Lucas Giordano
Nathan Higgs
Freddie Le Vay
Noah Matet
Thomas McMah
Will O’Connor
Iam Vuk
Andrew Zurike
Rory Hughes
Finn Harley Whitney
James Stewart
Charlie Worthington
Allan Cannes
Aidan Volpatti
Malachy Brough
Archie Mcinally
Luke Mullens
Brad Wilson
Aidan Pascoe
Patrick Nand
Louis Liong
Charlie Farrington
Khalil Kandakji
Alex De Barros
Hugo Pizzol
Jay Briggs
James Byrd
Brad Wilson
Charlie Worthington
Alexander De Barros
Congratulations to the following students for winning winter sports awards from the winter season:
Ben Scarf
Anthony Candi
Emilio Vinci
Charles McGrath
Jay Briggs
Louis Kitto
Sebastian Rayk
Ian Vuk
Remi Defina-Sperando
Daniel Brown
The following students also won special awards for the athletics season:
Ullhas Dey
Charles McGrath
Luke Marshall
Conor Ryan
Anthony Candi
Our year 10 students engaged in the year 10 dinner dance this term. After a three course meal the boys spent the night dancing with friends and partners. A joyous celebration as they enter into their senior years of schooling.
Congratulations to our year 9 campers from this term. From all reports it was a successful experience for all involved. I would like to thank Matthew Johnstone for his support in taking the group. I also wanted to thank the fathers that came out for the father/son component of the camp.
This term our junior school students engaged in a variety of exciting events. Thanks to all boys for actively taking part in the events listed below. We have a very bright future in Green House with the students coming through from our junior school.
I also want to thank Stephen Ghattas and Gabrielle Bransby for their support in setting up the farewell cards for our year 12 students on our last assembly.
Our points of emphasis this term for our wellbeing time was about making a contribution to the Common good and making a positive difference in the lives of those less fortunate than ourselves.
“Be the best version of me” Helps us to identify and celebrate what is right with us. Throughout this term we challenged all students to reflect upon our most positive attributes; both individually and collectively. Then reflect, when do Waverley boys do their best work and how can we do more of it and more often?
We adopted a strengths based approach as we focus on what is right with us. This will also enable us to see the positive in our relationships with others and indeed the world around us more readily. Identifying and building upon these personal strengths is not to deny the presence of negative emotions or negative experiences but rather see this challenges as an opportunity to develop new skills resources and aspects of our character.
Thanks to all the mentors for running through our wellbeing curriculum this term.
Next term Green House will be taking part in our annual fundraising events as a house for White Ribbon Day. We will be running annual events next term leading into our final big event of the White Ribbon Day walk.
All these events will be compulsory for Green House students next term, I would like to encourage all parents to participate in these events as well.
Have a wonderful and relaxing holiday break.
It was Martin Luther King, Jr who once said, “The ultimate measure of a man is not where he stands in moments of comfort and convenience, but where he stands at times of challenge and controversy”. Throughout Term 3, students in Aungier House faced up to a number of challenges across of range of activities. Students in Aungier were able to show plenty of character and growth, and really stood tall right through to the end.
The commencement of the term saw the return of the students and staff involved in the various Immersions which Waverley College offers students. Aungier students James Waterhouse, Joseph Agius and Charles Jaeger attended the Red Earth Immersion, while Matthew Gallagher and Thomas Jaeger attended the Timor-Leste Immersion. It was fantastic to hear such incredible experiences and lifelong memories which these students were able to share during the Aungier House Assembly.
The academic success stories from Semester One were recognised at the College Academic Assembly. Pleasingly, a number of Aungier students were called to the stage to receive accolades for their commitment to study. This included:
Jules Cibej, James Clarke, Jack Crotty, Jesse Gordon, Luca Holmes, Charlie Smith, Zac Trosti
Leo Astridge, Felix Gardan, Antonio Rodriguez, Zac Wilde, Achilles Zanapalis
Saia Afeaki, Conor Carr
Alexander Gross, Lachlan Miller, Joseph Petroni
Peter Tsoukalas, Luca Winch, Benjamin Rogers, Hugo Ilencik, Cameron Dawson, Dylan Davis
Andre Vumbaca, Isaac Bartholomaeus, Jasper Wilde
Term 3 marked the conclusion of the Winter Sport season. A number of Aungier students were rewarded for effort on the sporting field. Tom McKenna (Year 6) won the award for Best & Fairest in the 11A Rugby team, following a superb season. Peter Stamatelatos (Year 9) received the Best & Fairest award for the 9A Football team. Jesse Douglas and Joseph Petroni both achieved awards for Most Consistent and Most Improved Lawn Bowlers. It is exciting to think that the next Rob Parrella may just come from Aungier House!
The Aungier House representatives at Waterford did Aungier proud at both the Blitz Day and the Walkathon which were both held in Term 3. The Aungier/Lacey team successfully took out Blitz Day with amazing efforts in both Rugby and Football. Special thanks to our Aungier Mentors at Waterford in Mr Anthony Stanton and Mr Mark Claridge who provide strong guidance to our youngest members.
Furthermore, some of the other co-curricular achievements from students in Aungier included: Stephen Davies who was awarded the Most Outstanding Rugby Referee, Jasper Wilde who achieved the award for the Most Outstanding Debater and Guy Hammerschmidt who received the award for the Most Outstanding Musician in the Junior Jazz Band.
The Arts & Design Exhibition held during Week 5 was a wonderful opportunity for Aungier’s own “Picassos” to showcase their artistic work to the school community. Luca Fucci (Year 8), Emile Stephenson (Year 10) and Til Kathriner (Year 11) produced creations which were bold, vibrant and thought provoking. Congratulations to all students involved in this exhibition.
Throughout Term 3, Aungier was involved in several House Competitions which engaged students through lunchtime periods. Competitions included Writing, Public Speaking, 6-a-side Football, Spelling Bees and the very popular Dodgeball competition. Thanks to all those boys in “Red” who gave their all for our House at each of these events.
In Week 7, our Year 9 students set off to camp at the Somerset Outdoor Learning Centre based at the Colo River (North-West Sydney). While this was a challenging activity for many students, it provided a great opportunity for students to step into a different learning space while connecting with staff and peers. This year, students from Aungier House were grouped together to assist in further building a brotherhood.
YEAR 9 AUNGIER STUDENTS SET OFF ONTO THE BUSH AT YEAR 9 CAMP
Week 7 also marked the Year 10 Dinner Dance. This was a chance for students to let their hair down and dine with friends and partners in their first formal dining experience. Despite the heavy rain on the night, students enjoyed themselves as they cruised around Sydney Harbour. Aungier students Matthew Chapman, Ryan von der Heyden and Zac Wotherspoon really did their House proud with some tremendous moves on the dancefloor!
YEAR 10 STUDENTS ENJOYING THE DINNER DANCE
As well as having their first formal dining experience, a group of students in Year 10 enjoyed their first taste of life in the workforce. Students in Year 10 Work Education had the opportunity of taking on work experience for a period of one week. Alex Gross, Aungier student, walked away from this week with a greater understanding of life at work as well as with a new network of potential employers.
YEAR 10 AUNGIER STUDENT, ALEX GROSS, WORKING HARD AT THE INNOVATIVE BUSINESS, “VERSENT”
The Aungier House community gathered in late Term 3 to enjoy our House Breakfast. This was a great opportunity for Parents and Students to come together with Aungier Wellbeing Mentors and enjoy a Bacon and Egg Roll. This also proved to be a chance for the Aungier Community to wish our Year 11 students the best of luck ahead of the Preliminary HSC Examinations and farewell our Year 12 students. Each Year 12 leaver was presented with a small gift and a card from their “little brothers” in Years 5 and 6.
Our Year 11 students completed an important period of assessment at the conclusion of Term 3, as they sat the Preliminary HSC examinations. These exams are crucial as they provide students with an idea of what they should expect moving forward into the HSC courses in Year 12.
The CAS Track & Field Championships were held in Week 9 and, while Waverley College finished at the tail of the field, there were plenty of success stories for the Blue and Gold throughout the night. Aungier’s own Alejandro Zanapalis (Year 8) was crowned as the 13s Age Group Champion Athlete and James Elfes (Year 10) was awarded as the 15s Age Group Runner Up.
The conclusion of Term 3 marks the Graduation Mass and Ceremony for students in Year 12. Aungier House provided a special send off the Year 12 students at an entertaining final House Assembly. Each Year 12 student was able to share memorable moments and pass on words of wisdom to the younger members of Aungier. We wish the following Aungier Graduates the very best of luck in the HSC examinations and beyond:
Domenic Abruzzese, Daniel Allen, Alastair Alston, Isaac Bartholomaeus, Leonardo Bosi, Justin Capra, Matthew Danzey, Jake Davidson, Stephen Davies, Kieran Donohue, Jesse Douglas, Harrison Keir, Jarrod MacAskill, Jasper Marsh-Cashman, Mathew Michell, Axel Montesinos, Otis Pavlovic, Jahvia Peters, Hunter Smith, Farrell Sutanto, Dean Theodorakakis, Andre Vumbaca, Jasper Wilde
A FLASHBACK MOMENT FOR YEAR 12 AUNGIER STUDENT, ALASTAIR ALSTON, IN HIS EARLY WAVERLEY COLLEGE RUGBY CAREER!
It is incredible to think that we are now approaching the home straight for 2018. Term 4 will once again see a range of events for students in Aungier House. Our Year 12 students will face the HSC Examinations. Term 3 will mark the beginning of the Summer Sport season. Students in Years 5-10 will complete their Yearly Examinations. Year 11 will head to their Senior Retreat and Year 10 will travel to Somerset to complete a challenging but very rewarding outdoor learning experience.
I would like to congratulate all students in Aungier for the continued positive efforts in Term 3. I would like to thank the Aungier Wellbeing Mentors for their fine work in supporting our students.
Have a safe and restful break.
As we draw closer to the end of another busy, yet successful Term for O’Connor, there is no doubt that it has been a term of achievements and hard work. The boys have continued to be involved in many activities around the College, and it has been great to see a large number making the most of the opportunities that the College has to offer. As always there has been a big emphasis on study and it has been pleasing to see many boys engaging actively in this area.
Students that had performed well in their Semester One studies and Reports were acknowledged and congratulated throughout Week 1 and 2. Those boys that achieved 1st Prize in their subjects and\or overall were presented at the College’s Academic Assemblies, it is always rewarding to see strong representation from O’Connor amongst the top award winners.
House Assemblies were conducted at the Junior School this term, enabling a great opportunity to build on our connection with our students and through various presentations and activities help develop and reinforce our Wellbeing Term 3 theme of ‘Be the the best version of me’.
The boys built on our 2nd place at the House Athletics Carnival with strong performances in House Competitions this term such as the Spelling Bee, Trivia, Public Speaking, Year 12 Dodgeball and Indoor Soccer. We once again experienced success in all of these Competitions and are currently running 2nd in the overall House Tally.
The Year 10 Dinner Dance was held in Week 6, the boys put on their Sunday best and both them and their partners had a fantastic night. The food, dancing and of course views of the Sydney Harbour all added to the excellent atmosphere and some great memories were no doubt created from the evening.
We also had Year 9 Camp during Week 7 at Somerset. The boys participated in a range of physical activities that challenged them as an individual and as a group. All staff and leaders were very impressed with the boys positive attitudes and commitment throughout the 4 days.
I would finally like to take the opportunity to wish our O’Connor students and all Year 12 students the very best for their HSC examinations and beyond. The future holds many great things and this group of boys have been exceptional role models to the younger students in O’Connor House. I hope they can look back on their time at Waverley with fond memories and friendship bonds that last a lifetime.
A reminder to parents and caregivers to ensure that your son returns with an appropriate haircut. Boys should not have any colouring or ‘tracks’ in their hair. Hair should also not cover the ears, collar or eyebrows.
Term 4 classes resume on Tuesday 16th October.
I hope everyone enjoys their holiday break and returns with renewed energy and clear goals as we enter the home straight for 2018.
Tevlin House has enjoyed a rewarding third term of 2018, with students enthusiastically engaging in a wide variety of House and College events. All Tevlin boys from Years 5-12 and their Wellbeing Mentors can be congratulated with the way in which they have further developed relationships and challenged themselves. The end of the term in particular has seen some wonderful examples of friendship and leadership from within Tevlin House as boys of all ages say goodbye to the Year 12 students upon their Graduation.
Term 3 has seen boys and their Mentors engaging strongly with some thought-provoking discussions and activities on the theme of “The Best Version of Me”. This has included Units on Setting and striving towards various goals, and your personal brand and virtues that you stand for. It has been fantastic to see boys sharing experiences, viewpoints and encouraging inclusivity within these activities. This unit has enabled boys to relate these areas to their academic goals and achievement, as well as other social or personal challenges that emerge.
Tevlin’s Senior School boys spent the last night of Winter at a Sleepout in the school Gym, experiencing and learning of many of the complex issues regarding homelessness. A formerly homeless Rob Holt, now an Educational officer at the Wayside Chapel, visited to run a seminar on what is was really like to be homeless, and reflect on the powerful and life-changing support of the Wayside Chapel in turning his life around. 200 towels and 200 toothbrushes were also donated by Tevlin boys for the wayside Chapel to use in supporting the many men, women and children who use their support services each week.
Boys also got much out of watching and reflecting on a video on teenage homelessness, centred on the OASIS Centre in Surry Hills. Along with the recent SBS series of “Filthy Rich and Homeless”, boys were challenging to better understand the range of factors often involved with becoming and dealing with homelessness. Boys also now better understand the Christian message of care and support for the marginalised and will now be able and willing to take a greater role in social Justice initiatives that Waverley runs, including volunteering at the Matt Talbot Hostel, Street Retreats and advocacy for better homeless support services and affordable housing solutions.
Boys also realised first-hand the impacts physically and emotionally an uncomfortable sleep has on their bodies. Thank you to Social Justice Co-ordinator Ms Cullen, and Tevlin mentor teachers for assisting in the event: Mr Porter, Ms Brown, Ms Ayre and Mr Hillman. Some accounts from boys appear below.
On Friday August 31st, everyone in Tevlin House slept in the gymnasium for 12 hours. This was to get some sort of idea of how much pain homeless people go through when they are sleeping rough. I really enjoyed when we all listened to guest speaker Rob Holt, who told us his experiences with homelessness and how Wayside Chapel got him back on his feet. When we were sleeping rough on the gymnasium floors, we watched the documentary Filthy Rich and Homeless. Since I was so tired, I fell asleep before it finished but I still got to see the struggles homeless people go through by watching some of the documentary. Overall, it was an experience that a lot of people enjoyed including me, but it showed how devastating homelessness is and how big of an issue it is in our community.
I have learned so much from our sleepout on the homeless issue, and learning the Rob Holt story of his life was of the most interesting talks I have ever witnessed. It made me realise how thankful kids should be growing up in Waverley College, and how we should treat homeless people with dignity. It makes fell really happy to know that organisations like the Wayside Chapel can help save tormented lives and bring people like Rob back to their feet.
A full Tevlin House Mass was a fantastic opportunity to join together in the Eucharist and Prayer as a group. Spirituality Prefect Adam McCabe provided a thoughtful reflection that challenged all Waverley boys to understand and make real the Prefect’s theme of “speak through action”, demonstrating how both Jesus and Edmund Rice provided wonderful examples of ways this is done.
Congratulations to all the Class of 2018 for the way you have set, and then effectively worked towards achieving a variety of goals throughout the year. Tevlin have been blessed with a Senior year group that have genuinely cared and embraced their opportunities to take leadership roles within their mentor groups, and these skills developed will serve these boys well as they take on a variety of apprenticeships, occupations, travel and further study. The boys were farewelled on the Centenary building rooftop beside the Statue of Mary, and again with some dodgeball games the following week. Damian Lin and Patrick Cooper gave fantastic personal accounts of the ways in which they embraced and succeeded in the various challenges Year 12 brought them. Year 5 and 6 boys also gave these seniors farewell cards, which were thoroughly appreciated by the boys. Year 7 and 12 boys also had the opportunity to exchange letters that they wrote on Day 1 of 2018 to each other, and share some of their highlights and future plans now their relationships have grown.
In particular, I’d like to thank the exemplary leadership of the 5 Tevlin House Prefects, as they have displayed innovation and drive in order to help Waverley’s Wellbeing model continue to be successfully implemented throughout the College. Oliver Small, Jacob Tomasiello, Daniel Callaghan, Fred Watkins and Adam McCabe have certainly displayed their own theme of “Speak through action” in their own skills and leadership of Tevlin. Thank you to these boys, and all our Year 12 students for their leadership and best wishes for your future.
Tevlin ended last term as Athletics champions in the very first combined Yr 5-12 Carnival, and this was continued with more great team performances. Tevlin came second in the Junior School Athletics Carnival in a great display as a house. Individual achievements include in the Age Championships:
Tevlin/O’Connor- 2nd in Football
Tevlin/O’Connor- 1st in AFL
Tevlin also came 2nd in the Senior House Football, and Hugh McDonald from Year 7 placed 3rd in the House Public Speaking Competition. Hugh produced a quality account on why Tevlin has the best history of any Waverley House; placing ahead of many year 11 and 12 students! Tevlin also picked up maximum points for placing equal first in the house competition for Photo Re-enactments – all part of History week – well done to the many groups who were innovative in putting together fantastic entries!
Tevlin year 10 boys had a thoroughly enjoyable Formal Dinner cruise, celebrating great times with their mates and partners, and no shortage of moves cut on the Dance floor.
Year 9 boys also took part in an outdoor education camp at Somerset, with the physical challenges presented overcome by team work and perseverance. These valuable experiences serve as great memories and milestones to take on fresh challenges for their future.
A number of boys have made notable contributions and had some excellent achievements including:
I wish all boys and their families a great break and look forward to more rewarding experiences next term.
Term Three can always be an emotional one, as it is the one in which we farewell our current Year 12 cohort. For these students, it is the culmination of a journey that, for many, began 8 years ago when they entered the Waverley College Junior School as Year 5 students. Regardless of the length of their time at the college, each Year 12 student has had a profound impact on their peers whether they realise it or not. They have been the role models for their younger peers and have added to the legacy of Waverley College, laying out a path for future Year 12 students to build upon. I would like to take this opportunity to thank our Year 12 students for their contribution to the college. On behalf of the entire Waverley College community, I would like to wish you all the best in your HSC Examinations and every success in whatever direction your next journey in life takes you.
Our 2018 Brennan House Year 12 students include:
I would also like to personally thank each of our House Prefects for 2018; Coen Finati, Ethan Reid, Luca Zanarini, Daniel Hassan, Oliver Read, Sebastian Rasmussen and our School Vice-Captain Daniel Andrews. These fine, young men have worked relentlessly hard throughout the year and have put in innumerable hours of additional work, beyond the already demanding schedule of a Year 12 student. As a direct result of their efforts, they have ensured that students in Brennan House have been able to take part in and benefit from all aspects of college life. Each of these gentlemen has helped make this year at Waverley a successful one for as many of their peers as possible during their tenure as prefects.
In other year groups, Year 11 finished their end of year examinations and will become our new Year 12 cohort at the commencement of Term 4. I hope that their hard work and study for these exams has paid off for them and they achieve the results that they have been hoping for. A number of our Year 11 students also put their names forward to be selected as House Prefects commencing in Term Four. We had our strongest pool of candidates to date, with 8 very strong students applying for leadership positions in 2019. The process involved in gaining selection as a Prefect or Captain of the college is very rigorous and all of those who interviewed for positions should be proud of how they represented themselves. I wish them all the best in the outcome of this process.
Year 9 embarked on their annual camp during this term as well. For many students, this is the first time they have undertaken an outdoor education camp program and it can push students well outside their comfort zones, helping them realise what they are capable of. These students all embraced the challenge of the camp and conquered each of the challenges they were faced with over the course of the week. The lessons learned here are often just as important as those learnt in the classroom and help our Year 9 students continue to develop into true lifelong learners. It was also the first time that this camp has been conducted in house groups and the first time that the boys were able to invite their fathers/male role models to join them on the last night of camp, something which all those involved enjoyed immensely. We look forward to continuing both of these initiatives in the years to come.
Year 10 had the opportunity to enjoy their first school formal when they attended their Harbour Cruise and Dinner Dance. All of the boys were very gracious hosts to their dates and were able to show off their dance moves throughout the night. This was all accompanied by a three course dinner and five hour cruise around Sydney Harbour. The students proved a credit to themselves and the school in the respectful way they enjoyed themselves on the night, there was clearly a lot of fun had by all.
Term Three has also seen the culmination of the Winter Sport season. Win, lose or draw, all involved should be proud of the effort they put into their training and matches throughout the season. If you came out of the season having learnt something new, or having improved your overall fitness levels, then it can be counted as a success. All players and coaches deserve congratulations on their exceptional efforts and commitment this season, as do the parents and guardians who spend countless hours getting players to and from venues and supporting all Waverley teams so passionately from the sidelines each week. The sportsmanship and enjoyment that was on display throughout the season was a pleasure to witness and, at the end of the day, this is what sport is all about.
Week Nine saw the running of the 89th Annual CAS Athletics Carnival at Sydney Olympic Park. All of the boys involved in this year’s Athletics program represented the college with pride on the night and it was so good to see so many personal bests beaten on the night. Well done in particular to Daniel Andrews, Conor Andrews, Nick Corias, Will Davison, Charley Howell, Spencer Kapos, Sean Kearns, Nick Quinn, Spencer Dawkins, Ben Zlattner, Jett Wanda, Jacob Hassan, Jonas Dowling, Will Paterson, Luke Paterson, Valentius Wirjana and Ryan Foley who competed on the night. Seeing the numbers of Brennan students in the team continue to grow is very encouraging. This group of boys should also be commended for the fantastic school spirit shown by committing to an extra five weeks of school sport. They have put themselves through up to four intense training sessions weekly, on top of getting up early on Saturdays while others are sleeping in and enjoying time off sport. Special recognition goes to Daniel Andrews who was awarded the Gary Judd Cup for Best Team Man and Charley Howell who was named the 17 Years College Champion, well done and congratulations to both of these students.
The Holdsworth Ball took place on the 1st of September and is the flagship charity event in the Brennan House calendar. Waverley has a strong tradition of working with the Holdsworth Community, a local organisation that supports children and adults living with intellectual disabilities, their families and caregivers throughout Sydney and the Eastern Suburbs. Since the beginning of Term Two, a group of Year 11 students from Waverley and St Clare’s have been meeting to plan the annual ball. This is a significant undertaking for those involved, who are responsible for every aspect of the night; planning the entertainment, seating, decorations and prizes, as well as cooking and serving a full three-course dinner. In addition to all of this, they are also responsible for raising all of the funds to pay for the night. I would like to thank and congratulate the following students for their hard work in creating such a successful and memorable night for all involved:
The whole event would not be able to happen without the support of the Waverley College community. As with many prior years, a number of staff and departments also helped make the night run so smoothly:
Thank you also to Mr Graham Leddie, Mr Matthew Porter and Father Bernie, for taking the time to attend and show their support on the night.
In addition, I would like to thank the members of the Waverley College Jazz Band for their exceptional musical entertainment on the night, as well as all of the students and Old Boys who volunteered their time to help out on the day. These included; Oliver Ruse, Angus McPherson, Andrew Tinellis, Flynn Schulz, Dominic Augoustis, Ryan Bakels, Luca Galeazzi, Simon Finnegan, Eric Cordato, Riley Addison, Leo Bosi, Lachlan Gray, Fynn Cviker, Harry Heinemann, Jack Zanin and Harry Joll.
Every single one of these students was exceptional and a credit to themselves, their families and the college. The feedback this year from Holdsworth, the clients who attended and their families has been fantastic. It is the key event in the Holdsworth social calendar each year. All who attended commented on the excellent work done by the students and the way in which they conducted themselves. Many parents of clients say that these nights are one of only a handful of opportunities they get to see their children interact with their friends and others in what is considered a “normal” social setting, and it is something that means so much to each of them.
Once again, I would like to sincerely thank all of the exceptional Brennan House Wellbeing Mentors for their continued support and work with their Mentor Groups. They are the first face that most students see each day and the caring environment that greets them every morning ensures that they can start each day with a smile and feel welcomed here at Waverley.
As a final word to Year 12, your High School career is coming to a close and you should be proud of all that you have achieved during your time here at Waverley. Your final exams are in sight and it is important that you finish strong and stay focused on your goals. Make sure you keep your study habits going throughout the holidays and stay in contact with your teachers to get as much help and guidance as you can in the lead up to the HSC exam period. Lastly, good luck in your examinations, you have done the hard work and it is almost time to reap the rewards!
Lastly, as always, I would like to wish everyone a happy and restorative holiday break and I look forward to seeing you all in Term Four for a great finish to the year.
Term 3 sees the end of an extraordinary journey for Year 12 Quinn students. Each journey has been shaped differently by challenges, resilience, success, friendship, maturity and leadership. However, despite the different journey each student took to get to graduation, their contributions to the College and to Quinn House have been outstanding.
Thank you to Quinn House mentors for all their support of our Year 12 students throughout their final year at the College. Your support, guidance and encouragement has not gone unnoticed and is invaluable to each boy’s success.
Quinn House would like to wish all of our Year 12 students every success in their HSC Examinations and the best of luck in all their future endeavours.
For many Year 9 and Year 10 students, the first week of Term 3 was spent exploring, discovering and appreciating Aboriginal culture. 19 students travelled to Far North Queensland and 20 students travelled Northern Territory to immerse themselves in remote Aboriginal communities. Students took the opportunity to sit down with community Elders to hear their stories, learn about their history and hopes for the future, and the challenges associated with ensuring their culture and way of life is passed down to the next generation in an ever evolving and modern world.
Thank you to Richard Bryant, Gemma Brown and Mr Leddie who lead groups to these remote communities and contributed to such an enjoyable and rewarding experience for our students.
In Week 7 of the term, Year 9 travelled to Camp Somerset to immerse themselves in an outdoor learning experience. This year, Waverley aligned the outdoor program with each House group. Students carried House flags and wore bandanas to represent their House spirit and pride. The camp was both physically and mentally challenging and required the boys to work together as a team. Thank you to all the teachers who volunteered their time away from their families to attend the camp and help make it such a great success.
On the back of Year 9 Camp, Waverley College hosted their first Father-Son Camp at Somerset. This was a wonderful opportunity for fathers and son’s to spend quality time together bonding over physical activities, around campfires and shared meals cooked by the boys.
Friday 31st of August, saw Year 10 students put on their best suits and dust off their dancing shoes for the Year 10 Dinner Dance. The night was a wonderful success with both students and their partners dancing the night away while cruising around Sydney Harbour.
2018 was the year of the 89th Annual CAS Athletics Competition. Students from all year groups threw, ran and jumped their way onto the CAS team who competed at the Sydney Olympic Athletics Centre last Thursday night. Congratulations to every boy who competed on the night and a special mention to the following Quinn House students who placed in their events:
Xavier Schofield: U13’s Hurdles
Riley Vidulich: 1st 14’s High Jump (team result with Dane Towns)
Aaron Dimovitch: 3rd 15’s 100m Championship
Kurt Kress: 3rd 14’s 800m Championship, 3rd, 1500m Championship
Finn McLean: 3rd 16’s 800m Championship
Jack Hardwick-Owen: 1st Open’s Long Jump, 1st Opens 100m, 1st Opens 200m, 3rd Open’s High Jump (team result)
Well done to the following Quinn students who were also a part of the CAS Team:
Kiva Gwynne, Michael Browning, Tom Clothier, Hugh Clothier, Ryan Harper, Jackson Cunningham and William Baker.
Waverley’s annual Walgett Immersion will take place in Week 3 with Year 10 Quinn students travelling to Walgett in North Western NSW to take part in a cultural immersion experience. The main purpose of the trip is to visit and assist students at St Joseph’s Catholic Primary School whilst also exploring the culture and history of the surrounding area of Lightning Ridge.
Quinn House hosted Grant Graze from Kearsney College, South Africa. Below is Grant’s speech detailing his time in Australia and at the College.
“I arrived in Australia unsure of what my time here would be like, as a 16 year-old boy traveling to a foreign country alone, It seemed very daunting. After a 11- hour flight to Perth, I was then told my plane to Sydney would be delayed for 14 hours. The time I had at Perth gave me time to prepare myself for the Journey I had here. After a tough first week due to various reasons, like the Jetlag and just trying to get used to the School’s routine, I soon settled in to the life of a Waverley College boy.
Making mates and trying to get involved in every aspect the school offered was a highlight of my time here. Playing a few rugby games with the boys was particularly enjoyable. Staying at a host family at first was a bit unfamiliar to me. After being a boarder all my years at High school being a day boy was a bit weird to me and took some time to get used to. Not waking up at school and heading straight to the showers at 6 am in the morning felt a bit different, although waking up at 7:30 isn’t too bad.
I soon realised the schooling in Australia is a little different to ours back home. Over here the schools rely on technology whereas back home we do everything in books and don’t even have Laptops. I came here thinking I was quite good with technology, this proved to be false when I saw what some boys were doing with their computers.
The subjects Waverley offers are also a bit different to the ones my school offers. For example we do not have PE as a subject nor Food tech or Wood Tech as they are seen as unacademic subjects back home. I decided to explore a bit and take subjects I wouldn’t have the opportunity to take back home. I decided on Food Tech and Wood tech, and it’s safe to say I’m the worst cook Waverley has ever seen.
Being able to explore Sydney on the weekends was a favourite of mine. Seeing such iconic things like the Opera house, Harbour Bridge, Bondi beach and others. Another enjoyable moment was doing the Sydney bridge Climb, seeing the city from up there was unreal. I also had the privilege of visiting the SCG, although I was a bit surprised not to see any sandpaper in them. Experiencing a different culture and getting to know the life of an Australian was unreal, you guys are definitely lucky to live in such a beautiful place.
After a term here at Waverley college I’ve had the opportunity to see what the life of an Australian is like. To experience a unique way of life that is second to none. To experience such a diverse and unique culture that really made me realise how special this place is. It’s given me the opportunity to see what life away from home can be like and how different each part of the world is. I’ve made some life-long mates while I’ve been here and I look forward to coming back here one day.
My time here in the place you call home has been amazing, experiencing a new environment and seeing how differently you guys live here has been eye-opening experience. I’ve been able to grow as a person and it’s made me realise how unique this experience is. Being able to walk everywhere knowing you’re safe and not worrying about anything has been quite different to me. Being able to take public transport like buses and trains was a new experience for me and I’ve cherished every moment I’ve had here. Its been the best experience of my life.
I would like to thank all the teachers like Mr Kennedy who helped me with my Science and Ms Dee with my English. Also a big thanks to Waverley for giving me this experience, I look forward to seeing the boy who comes to Kearsney next year, and lastly thank you to all the year 10 boys who made me feel welcomed and accepted.”
If you or your son is interested in the Exchange Program to South Africa, please contact Mr. Steve O’Donnell.
Finally, good luck to all of Year 12 in their upcoming HSC and wishing you and your loved ones an enjoyable and restful break.
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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