View the Week 2 Careers Newsletter HERE.
Please see me if you require any further assistance or information.
Ms Kath Knowles
Senior Studies & Careers Coordinator
kknowles@waverley.nsw.edu.au
Click HERE.
Well done to all students, staff, coaches and parents/carers on a strong start to the Term 2 winter co-curricular season. The weather has been disruptive, however, students have demonstrated a good resilience and enthusiasm to want to represent Waverley last weekend. We did have some fixtures washed out including a full round of AFL but also had some strong performances in Debating, Football and Rugby across a number of age groups.
Team selections are still ongoing and we ask that parents/carers and students be patient with the coaches and staff. The weather and parent teacher interviews have meant we are still working to finalise teams.
Last Thursday we recognised our winter co-curricular leaders and 1sts teams. Congratulations to the students HERE.
We also had a number of staff, students and parents/carers sacrifice a lot of time and effort over the recent holidays to ensure Waverley students continue to be able to represent at the highest levels. A snap shot of some of these include:
Hopefully the weather will hold out for this weekend and good luck to all students and teams.
Mr Steve O’Donnell
Director of Co-curricular
sodonnell@waverley.nsw.edu.au
Whilst the majority of our students were enjoying some rest over the first week of holidays, 10 of Waverley’s finest Track and Field athletes travelled to Adelaide for the Australian Championships.
The culmination of a long and arduous season is a true test of every athlete’s mental and physical capacity. Waverley was well represented with 10 athletes spanning from the U13 to U20 age groups. Our boys competed over various disciplines with many resulting in personal bests or their highest placing at a national championship.
Highlights included a historic treble by Evan Rowbotham in winning the U15 800m, 1500m and 3000m events. Vaidas Levi secured a bronze medal in the U15 Javelin and George Lambousis narrowly missed a bronze medal by 0.01s in the U13 100m. Congratulations to all our other boys who represented NSW at the highest level.
Boys U13
100m Prelims (Heat 2 of 2)
100m Final
200m Prelims
200m Final
Boys U15
Javelin Final
Long Jump Final
800m Prelims (Heat 1 of 4)
800m Final
1500m Final
3000m Final
Boys U16
800m Prelims (Heat 3 of 3)
1500m Final
Boys U17
100m Prelims (Heat 3 of 3)
200m Prelims (Heat 2 of 4)
800m Prelims (Heat 3 of 3)
800m Final
Shot Put Final
Boys U18
800m Prelims (Heat 2 of 3)
Boys U20
Long Jump Final
Mr Jeremy Roff
Track & Field Head Coach
jroff@waverley.nsw.edu.au
Waverley College are pleased to announce we will be offering skills sessions for all rugby players. Please see information below for timings and the list of skills that these sessions will target. All players are encouraged to join with no registration required.
Venue: Queens Park
Day/Time: Wednesday 6:45am
Skills targeted:
For any questions, please email ldrewmorris@waverley.nsw.edu.au
Waverley College are pleased to announce that Mr Eddie Paea from The Kicking Academy will deliver kicking skills sessions for all age groups. Players who would benefit from these sessions include any player who wants to improve their in game kicking and goal kicking skills.
Venue: Queens Park
Day/Time: Friday 6:45am
Skills targeted:
For any questions, please email ldrewmorris@waverley.nsw.edu.au
Mr Lachlan Drew-Morris
Director of Coaching – Rugby
ldrewmorris@waverley.nsw.edu.au
The HSC and Careers Expo excursion is on Friday, 31 May 2024 at the Royal Randwick Racecourse.
The HSC and Careers Expo is to allow students to discover and to investigate courses and careers for which they may apply for 2025.
The Expo features over 120 exhibitors, seminars on HSC subjects, tertiary courses, careers and study advice. Students should be encouraged to attend seminars and to collect booklets, brochures and information for courses or jobs in which they are interested and intend pursuing as careers.
Students will travel to and from the HSC and Careers Expo by hired buses leaving the College at 8:45am and returning by 11:55 am. The total cost will be $22.00 and will be added to the fees account.
*Entry is also valid for Saturday, 1 June 2024 from 9am-3pm. Students are encouraged to return to the Expo with their parents/carers.
On Wednesday 15 May, Year 10 students will be participating in the Academic Assessment Services (Allwell) Test during Periods 1-4. This is a mandatory test and you may remember that all students sat a similar test in Year 8.
This test forms a key part of Waverley College effectively and consistently measuring the academic growth of all students. When combined with the NAPLAN data, the College will have six years of data measurement to provide feedback to you regarding your son. We also use this data in a variety of ways to improve the delivery of curriculum within the school and to add to the information in Year 10 that we use to support your son with the Subject Selection process.
After the testing day you will be provided with a written report, summarising your son’s results. These results will be returned to the College a few weeks after the testing date.
There is no course material to study prior to the day. It is a measurement, similar to NAPLAN, to give the College a picture of how your son is progressing during Year 10. It is vitally important on the day for your son to try his best, read the instructions carefully and use every minute to maximum effect.
There will be another day allocated to enable students to complete the test if they are away.
Date: Wednesday, 15 May 2024
Time Schedule:
Venue: Lacey Gymnasium
On the Day:
Yours sincerely
Ms Martina Cooper
Director of Curriculum
mcooper@waverley.nsw.edu.au
This Term Elevate Education delivers high-impact workshops to our students that help to develop their study skills, motivation, and exam preparation. Over the Term, you are invited to join their parent webinar series, where you can help support your child at home by reinforcing the skills they are learning at school.
Elevate Education’s free webinars for Term 2 will take place on the following Wednesdays:
Parents learn how to help their child revise effectively, prioritise high-impact work, and build good routines in the run up to exams.
Parents learn how to help their child manage stress and anxiety during exams, and how they can maximise marks in the exam room.
Parents can ask the Elevate study skills experts any burning questions in the run-up to exams. This is a great opportunity to ask any questions you feel have been unanswered by Elevate in their webinars so far, whether that relates to your child’s study space, their motivation levels or the way they study.
Register for the series by clicking HERE.
The National Art School Workshop for Waverley College Year 11 Visual Design class, will include a wheel throwing Ceramics workshop facilitated by experienced National Art School artists.
This Ceramics wheel thrown pottery workshop will experiment with techniques of forming tableware (cups, bowls and plates). Students learn how to throw pots with a strong architectural form to create objects of simplicity and beauty.
Students will be creating two/three pieces of work which can potentially be a part of this assessment submission.
Students are to wear their PE Sports Uniform and bring a towel with them – preferably an old towel.
Permission notes need to be completed by 13 May on the Parent Portal.
Welcome back to term 2 and I hope your sons had a lovely break and are ready for a great term ahead. I acknowledge that many of our Year 12s would have done many hours of study over the break as they continue to prepare for their HSC trials and next steps in their life post school. I wish them the very best on their continued preparations.
I’d like to take this opportunity to welcome some new staff members to the College. We look forward to them sharing their experience, wisdom and perspectives with both colleagues and students.
Ms Bella Davies (English Teacher) holds a Bachelor of Education (Secondary: Humanities and Social Sciences) and Bachelor of Arts at the University of Sydney. Previously, Bella worked as a Senior Coach and Session Leader at HSC CoWorks, and she also facilitated workshops at Elephant Ed, a company focused on sex education and promoting healthy relationships.
Ms Emma Brown (Mathematics Teacher) joins us from The Radclyffe School, Manchester, UK. She holds a Bachelor of Science with first class honours in Mathematics with Psychology.
Ms Madeline Eddy (Learning Support Assistant, Junior School) joins us from Waverley Public School and Forest Lodge Public School. She holds a Bachelor of Teaching (Primary/ Early Childhood).
Ms Leanne Chapman (Canteen Assistant) has been working casually with us in the Canteen and has now transitioned to permanent part time. Leanne has a long association with the College across four generations and with the Major General Chapman Award for Cadets in honour of her grandfather.
Welcome back to the following staff:
Congratulations to Ms Cassie Foster who has been appointed as the Acting Head of House – Brennan for Terms 2 and 3 while Ms Kaitlyn Downey is on maternity leave.
As we begin this new Term, I would like to take this opportunity to remind our students of the importance of using feedback from the Parent/Teacher/Student conferences to set academic goals and stay committed to their studies. This is a crucial time of the year, and we must all work together to ensure that our students strive for their best possible education outcomes.
Our thoughts and prayers are still with the families and friends who lost loved ones in the tragic events that happened at Bondi Junction over the holidays. I know that some of you were friends of some of the people who were killed and I also know a few staff, students and parents were in Westfield Shopping Centre that day and witnessed the traumatic events.
Some of you will have seen graphic images online or in the media or have previously spent a lot of time in Westfield and this is all quite upsetting for you still. Or maybe this event has brought up previous trauma that you have experienced. Either way, I would encourage you to talk with your friends, parents, wellbeing mentor about this or see one of our psychologists. No one needs to go through issues alone and we will all experience challenges along life’s journey where we need assistance.
With five of the six victims being female at the Bondi Junction event and 31 women having been murdered in Australia in the first four months of 2024, which is a 28% increase on 2023 figures for the same time period, a national crisis has been declared to address gender-based violence. And, whilst this is tragically the pointy end, there are thousands more women being abused, assaulted, controlled and humiliated in their own homes and across the community by men, and usually by men they trust.
You may have seen in the media one of the many marches across capital cities over the weekend calling for much more to be done to reduce gender violence. But this is not a new crisis in Australia or in fact across the world, as gender-based violence is one of the most widespread human rights abuses. This is a continuous tragedy in motion that needs our ongoing attention.
Gender-based violence is an umbrella term for harmful acts of abuse perpetrated against a person’s will and rooted in a system of unequal power between women and men. The perpetrators of gender-based violence are predominantly men, and the victims are most frequently women.
It’s not acceptable that one in three women in Australia experience physical or sexual violence. It is all of our responsibility to ensure that women and girls, and everyone, everywhere, can live free from violence. Violence of any type is not acceptable against anyone.
Clearly there is a need in Australia and other countries for greater institutional reforms in this space, greater accountability for perpetrators, and easier and quicker access to support for victims. But there is also a need for a deeper cultural change and this is where all of us have a role to play in ending gender violence, particularly males. As a parent, it should be as safe for my daughter as it is for my son to go out at night time and the statistics do not lie, it is not. So what can we do on an individual level and as a school community?
We can continue to challenge harmful norms and call out friends or colleagues when we hear them disrespecting women.
We can ensure we are building respectful relationships with women we interact with and with our local girls’ school communities.
We can ensure that misogynistic comments where hatred of women or a belief that men are better than women are not acceptable anywhere or anytime. For over 2000+ years this has been embedded into our societies and structures, but it is not the equality or improved world we are seeking.
We should recognise that most men are good men, but good men need to step up and play our part in this ongoing crisis that is affecting all women in our country.
We should understand that there are some social commentators out there who try to skew the argument that there are male victims of gender violence too and that is true, there are – but over 90% of gender violence is men being violent with females. This sort of argument is just an attempt to dilute from the national crisis, so don’t fall for that one.
And finally, I think Ms de Kantzow summed it up well in her ANZAC Day address, that all our relationships should be fundamentally based upon care, compassion and respect. Respect is sharing power and valuing difference equally.
Due to ANZAC Day falling during the school holidays, our College chose to commemorate ANZAC in a Commemoration Service on 1 May, displaying the ongoing successful partnership between Waverley and St Catherine’s cadets. Years 10-12 students, staff, official guests, and our College community assembled in the Gym to mark this national day of remembrance and Years 5-9 watched the service from their classrooms via livestream.
Commanding Officer – WCCU, MAJ(AAC) Julie-Ann de Kantzow delivered a moving speech about the sacrifices of Australian women and men, focusing on the service of women in particular. She drew our attention to those women in the shadow of history – ANZAC women – whose names are not recognised on any cenotaph, and encouraged us all to live by their example.
“Without these women, without their care, compassion and respect for humanity, the mortality rate in Gallipoli would have been so much higher. Without their care, compassion and respect, many soldiers would have died without kindness on their side and connection to home.”
This ceremony was a time for our entire community to reflect and honour the contribution and sacrifice made by so many men and women who have served during battles and conflicts in various theatres of war.
We recognise the service of our cadets in the Catafalque Party, Flag Party, VC Guard, Wreath Layers and Flag Raisers. We also thank the students who spoke so reverently at the dais. Our talented Senior School Brass ensemble performed and Lachlan Issac (Year 11) played ‘The Last Post’ and ‘The Rouse.’
Lest We Forget.
Happy Orthodox Easter to those celebrating this weekend. This vibrant celebration is a time of profound significance for millions around the world, marking the resurrection of Jesus Christ. We hope you have a lovely weekend celebrating with family and friends.
On Wednesday, 8 May our House, sibling and Year 12 cohort photos will be taken in the College Gym. Students must be in full winter uniform including their blazers and ties please.
The next face-to-face meeting will occur on Wednesday, 8 May in The Grange Building Boardroom, 12A Carrington Road Waverley, 5:30pm-7:30pm. We encourage as many parents/carers to attend as possible. Our friendly and welcoming environment makes it easy for parents to meet, socialise and become involved in College life. The agenda for this meeting will include:
The 2025-2027 Strategic Planning process will begin shortly. The College will be seeking feedback from stakeholder groups. The information gathered will assist in furthering the growth and development of our school community. We will use the survey results to help inform and direct future school planning and improvement strategies.
The survey instruments that we are using have been created by the Association of Independent School NSW (AISNSW). These surveys have been specifically designed to assist schools in gaining an understanding of stakeholders’ perceptions of five important areas: School Environment, Teaching and Learning, Student Wellbeing, Leadership and Community. All staff, students, parents/carers, leaders and board members will be invited to participate.
The surveys will be distributed via email to all from ‘evidence@aisnsw.edu.au’ on behalf of the school and will take approximately 10-15 minutes to complete. All information will be anonymous and no data information will be stored past the process.
Your input and contribution are important to the success of our continuous school improvement process as we aspire to improve the learning experience for everyone at our school.
This much anticipated event is fast approaching on Friday, 17 May. Almost 600 seats have been sold with only a handful remaining. Act fast if you would like to secure a seat! Read more in the Parents’ Association section HERE.
Please find below the schedule for the Year 12 Tutorials in Term 2, Week 2. Topics covered during the tutorials include content revision, study skills, exam preparation and practice papers. These tutorials have proven extremely valuable and, while not compulsory, are strongly encouraged.
DATE | SUBJECT | TIME | STAFF | ROOM |
Monday, 6 May 2024 | Studies of Religion II | 3:15pm – 5:15pm | Cooper/ Stewart | W40 |
Visual Arts | 3:15pm – 5pm | Turnbull | C13 | |
Tuesday, 7 May 2024 | Society and Culture | 3:15pm – 4:15pm | Theo | W32 |
Maths Standard 2 | 7:30am – 8.30am | Guirguis | E42 | |
Wednesday, 8 May 2024 | Industrial Tech Multimedia | 7:30am – 8:30am | Gibbs | W32A |
Maths Standard 2 | 7:30am – 8:30am | Cornish | E33 | |
PDHPE | 7:30am – 8:30am | Darvill | GHR | |
Modern History | 3:15pm – 4:15pm | Brophy | K11 | |
Thursday, 9 May 2024 | English Advanced and Standard: Craft of Writing in the HSC | 7.30am – 8.30am | Porter/Barrie | K21 |
Friday, 10 May 2024 | Hospitality | 7am – 8am | B McCarthy | TF1 |
It is important that we know attendance numbers so teachers can prepare accordingly. To that end, the expectation is that students who register for the tutorial, attend. Rolls will be taken to assist us to manage the program. The cut-off time to register for morning tutorials is 3pm the day prior. Ms Brooke Kent has emailed the registration sheet to students to register their attendance at the tutorials.
For parents/carers seeking information regarding the Sacrament of Confirmation, it is important that you contact your local parish to find out the details regarding when the Sacrament will be celebrated, and when the preparation classes will be held.
For students who attend St Charles Borromeo Parish (Mary Immaculate Church) and attend Waverley College, the Sacrament of Confirmation will be celebrated on Sunday, 23 June 2024 at 2pm.
Please be aware that the Sacrament of Confirmation is celebrated each year, therefore only Year 6 students will be enrolled to receive the Sacrament.
View the boundary map HERE to see if you are within the parish boundary.
For further information, important dates and to register your son to receive this Sacrament, click HERE.
The document below will also give you important information regarding the dates of the Preparation program.
View the Sacrament of Confirmation Preparation Note HERE.
The Cardoner Project, a not-for-profit organisation that offers immersion experiences for students post school, will be presenting to all Year 11 students on Tuesday, 28 May 2024 during Period 1 in the PAC. All students are required to attend this presentation please.
Can you volunteer to assist in our canteen in Term 2? We really need you! Lunch is provided for all volunteers. We welcome all members of the Waverley College Community – mothers, fathers, grandparents, aunts, uncles, and carers. If you are interested, please volunteer as soon as you can by clicking HERE.
Have you outgrown your blazer? If so, please consider donating it to the Clothing Pool as soon as you can, so other boys can keep warm this Term! More information is HERE.
The Future Proofing Study, conducted by the Black Dog Institute, is the largest and most comprehensive longitudinal study of adolescent mental health in Australia. It involves thousands of the same group of students completing annual, online surveys about their mental health and wellbeing for six years during their adolescence. This data collection process is due to be completed in 2026.
Please view findings from the Future Proofing Study presented by Dr Lyndsay Brown from the Black Dog Institute at the Child and Adolescent Mental Health Conference (March, 2024) HERE.
Parents are invited to attend a virtual event, “Raising Students to Thrive” facilitated by wellbeing and leadership specialist, Daniel Merzer.
This exclusive session will unveil practical strategies to empower parents to foster resilience, wellbeing, and tenacity in their teenagers, paving the way for a future of success and fulfilment.
Date: Tuesday, 23 April 2024
Time: 7pm – 8:30pm (Australian Eastern Standard Time)
Location: Zoom
Register: HERE.
Please see message below from Transdev John Holland regarding bus services in Term 2.
As Term 1 comes to a close, we would like to thank you for your cooperation. From Monday, 29 April 2024 some Transdev John Holland bus services will be adjusted to improve reliability and capacity on services to meet the needs of our customers.
Some bus services will be adjusted throughout the area to improve reliability and provide additional capacity on busy bus routes. Please note, your school bus service will not change, however we ask caregivers and students to check timetables to ensure their normal route service time has remained the same.
For more detailed information on any changes, please visit transportnsw.info/trip#/trip and you may “refine” your search by adding in “school service”.
We would like to take this opportunity to reinforce the topic of Opal Card Compliance for school students. It is a condition of the Student Code of Conduct when travelling that students must Tap On and Off with their School Opal Card or Child/Youth Opal Card every time when using public transport. This is so that Transport for NSW can understand customer travel patterns and adjust the services provided, if necessary.
If students do not meet these criteria, they will need to carry a Child/Youth Opal card with funds loaded onto it. If a student’s School Opal Card has expired or been damaged, lost or stolen, please visit transportnsw.info/school-travel-apply to reapply.
We will also continue conducting random visits to school bus stops to further support you and reinforce this message to students throughout the year.
Again, we would also like to take this opportunity thank you for your time and patience and look forward to working with you all throughout the year.
Ms Gabby Smith
Deputy Principal – Students
gsmith@waverley.nsw.edu.au
As we farewell Term 1, I’d like to acknowledge the busyness of the past 11 weeks and the great work that everyone in our community has done to make our College a terrific place to learn, listen, teach, grow, connect, build friendships, share and communicate. I’ve witnessed people step out of their comfort zones and recognise that they are capable of more than they realise, which is a very positive development.
In the coming April holidays, I encourage students and families to make time in their days to connect with one another, reflect, recharge and have fun! I wish all those travelling a safe and inspiring time away. And to all our winter activities that are playing both locally and travelling to Armidale and Orange, we wish them safe journeys and wonderful competitions.
For Years 11 and 12 students, I draw your attention to the article authored by Ms Lynsey Porter HERE and her crucial advice in the Study Guide and Holiday Planner. Pace yourself with a sensible balance of study and breaks, and remember that routine is essential.
Recent academic and sporting congratulations are in order for two talented Waverley College students.
Last Friday evening I had the honour of attending the UNSW Co-op Scholar Induction Ceremony for Jack Preller. Jack graduated from Waverley College in 2023 achieving second academically while being a House Captain, and a member of the first’s Tennis and Debating teams. He was also engaged with Youth UN, participating in the UN Youth State and National conferences in 2023 and awarded the UNSW Co-op Scholarship to study a Bachelor of Commerce – Marketing.
Jack Preller (UNSW Co-op Scholar) with his family
In 2022 Jack founded Student-Based-Tutoring (SBT) which is a student-led in-person peer mentoring program that has provided over 100 hours of free tutoring to help students achieve their academic goals. Congratulations, Jack!
The UNSW Co-op Scholarship had 827 applications and awarded 58 scholarships for 2024. Some characteristics that scholarship applications winners had were the following:
Jack Preller (UNSW Co-op Scholar) with Principal, Mr Graham Leddie
Jack Preller with three scholarship winners
Our last previous Co-op Scholarship winner was Adam Hegedus (Class of 2015) who is the Managing Director of Educating the Future who seeks to set up and develop primary schools in Timor-Leste and educate the next generation. Adam is currently studying at Oxford University for a Master of Public Policy (Education) and MBA.
This week at the Australian Age Swimming Championships, Ollie Moclair (Year 11) did a PB in the 16 years Boys 100m Freestyle, made the A final, and placed 9th overall. He also placed +9th in the 50m Freestyle. The Olympic trials qualifying time is coming up in June which will be a fantastic experience for him. We’re all gunning for you, Ollie!
In May, a two-hour community workshop for students, parents and staff will be held locally to gather feedback and ideas that will help shape Council’s long-term Bicycle Strategy and Action Plan.
Council is seeking input from diverse ages and backgrounds as well as people who have varying experience and comfort levels with bicycle riding throughout the Waverley Local Government Area. They are even interested to hear from people who have considered bicycle riding for transport or leisure, but are reluctant due to safety concerns.
This is a great opportunity for children and young people to give Council their feedback and brainstorm with other residents. Especially as safe transport options were raised as a priority for local action at the Waverley Youth Summit in 2023.
Date: Thursday, 2 May 2024
Time: 5:30pm – 7:30pm
Venue: Waverley Library Theatrette, Level 2, 32-48 Denison Street, Bondi Junction
Dinner: will be provided.
Places are limited and registrations are essential. Register HERE.
*All ages are welcome, however, children under 18 years of age participating in the workshop must be accompanied by a parent/carer who is also participating.
All schools have been asked to highlight extra surveillance on the light rail during the school holiday period. Please ensure you make responsible and safe choices when travelling on public transport.
The police and light rail employees are reporting that more and more young people are making dangerous decisions such as ‘buffer riding’ on the light rail, especially during the school holidays.
Please know that during these holidays, light rail employees and hired security officers will be monitoring the light rail around the clock. They will work with police to identify any young person who is doing the wrong thing and criminal behaviour will be reported.
Have you heard of REELise? REELise is a registered Australian charity formed to safeguard youth mental health and wellbeing, advance education and advance culture.
Waverley students are invited to participate in the upcoming REELise Film Festival 2024 short film competition. Entry is free! Consider entering, because this is an incredible opportunity to exercise your thought leadership and showcase your creative work to a wide audience. We have had much success in short film productions over the years, so this is an opportunity to inspire others through your creative intelligence and purposeful use of digital media.
Submission deadline: Sunday, 7 July 2024
Competition theme: ‘Choices.’
More information: submission requirements are HERE.
In Term 2 2024, Year 12 Student leaders and House Captains will attend a workshop on Consent for NSW Law Week.
NSW Law Week is an annual festival that is all about creating greater access to justice for Australians.
When: Wednesday, 8 May 2024, 2:35pm to 3:30pm
Where: Waverley Library
Further details will be available via the Parent Portal / Parent Lounge.
Dear Parents and Carers,
I am thrilled to share with you some news from the Languages Department, and how our students are going in Spanish classes here at Waverley. It has been a Semester filled with enthusiasm, engagement, and outstanding learning from our students.
In Year 8, our students have been setting the foundations in their language journey, focusing on basic conversations and developing their cultural knowledge. A highlight has been their amazing work with their multimedia Footballer Profile Assessment, and their Passport Learning Checkpoint task.
Please take some time to have a look at a few amazing examples from some of our talented students below.
Meanwhile, our Year 10 students have also been putting their creativity to work with their Children’s Book Assessment. During their recent mini food unit, students teamed up with the wonderful Year 10 Food Technology class. It was inspiring to see their teamwork in action to create delicious empanadas.
I must also commend the hard work and dedication displayed by our Seniors studying Stage 6 Spanish. I want to commend their dedication to assessment preparation and attendance of tutorials.
The Languages faculty are planning exciting learning opportunities and excursions for students to engage more actively with the Hispanic world. Thank you for your continued support and encouragement in nurturing our students’ love for languages.
Mr Daniel Best
Head of Languages
dbest@waverley.nsw.edu.au
Two years ago, Waverley College participated in a significant research project affiliated with Deakin University, QUT, and the University of Canberra titled ‘Teen Reading in the Digital Era.’ Research was conducted with secondary students in New South Wales, Victoria, Queensland and Western Australia, giving a broad overview of the reading habits of teenagers across Australia.
The results make for interesting reading in this recent article published in The Conversation (5 April 2024).
Recommended Reading lists have been sent to all parents, carers, and students.
Books can be borrowed from the school library.
Last week, I published a list of writing and poetry competitions happening at the moment.
Below is another wonderful local competition that Randwick City Council is running.
The Lionel Bowen Young Writers’ Award, named in honour of former Mayor of Randwick and former Deputy Prime Minister Lionel Bowen AC, seeks to uncover the writing talents of young people in Randwick City.
This year’s theme is “The Future is Wild”. There’s monetary prizes to win!
Build your story or poem around the theme The Future is Wild. Let your creativity flow in words, your short story or poem can be based on reality or be completely out of this world and imaginary.
Good luck!
Wishing you all a wonderful holiday with lots of reading and writing.
Ms Mary Ryan
Literacy Coordinator/ English Teacher
mryan01@waverley.nsw.edu.au