Our impressive Music Department offers Ensembles in a wide variety of music genres and styles, to cater to all music tastes.
The College Rock Band Groups, ranging from the Junior School to Year 10, will perform on Tuesday, 9 August from 4pm to 5pm in the Recital Room of the Performing Arts Centre (PAC).
Parents and friends are very welcome to come along. We look forward to seeing you!
More information will be communicated to you in Term 3.
Ms Keiran Kossenberg
Performing Arts Centre Coordinator
E: kkossenberg@waverley.nsw.edu.au
In Week 8, Chris Kallo, Prefect and a member of the Students of the World Ecology Group spoke at the Years 7-12 student-led assembly. Chris spoke about the importance of World Oceans Day which was celebrated on Wednesday, 8 June. As we are a coastal community, this is of particular relevance.
Here is an excerpt from his persuasive speech:
I think you would all agree that we are very lucky to have the ocean on our doorstep. Now, imagine a world where the ocean is off limits to us, because of our constant pollution. Imagine a world without the diversity of animal life we enjoy today. Well, this world could be our reality if things continue the way they are.
As Waverley is situated at the top of a hill overlooking the coast, any rubbish lying around, especially soft plastics, only has one direction to go, and that is down the hill, giving our rubbish a one-way express ticket to the ocean. Lately, our own school environment has become far too polluted. Too often, I see litter on the floor around the campus, especially around the locker areas.
Our team of cleaners do a wonderful job. However, their job isn’t to pick up our rubbish. It is to keep us safe by cleaning surfaces and emptying the bins. Unfortunately, this extra work is taking their time away from keeping us safe, and keeping our school as pristine as possible. It really shouldn’t be too much to ask to put our rubbish in the bin and in the right bin. Each piece of rubbish put into the right bin is doing its part to save our environment.
The Ecology team along with help of Ms Sutcliffe and Mr Winch, our Head of Maintenance, have organised a trial of organic food waste bins, which will be here by next week, so we will finally have somewhere to recycle our food waste. They will be situated in the TAS department for Hospitality, the Canteen, and the main Staff Room, so that our teachers and support staff can participate too.
However, the main bin we students need to know about, is the one that will be in the Kenny Quad. This is one of the ways our College is trying to reduce our environmental footprint in order to save our environment. If these trials are successful, then expect many more food waste bins to be littered, (no pun intended), around our most common eating areas.
Please be mindful of which bin you are putting your rubbish in. As a reminder to us all:
I challenge you to do the right thing. Our College Prefects will be around our campus encouraging us all to do the right thing, and protect our environment, but particularly our oceans.
As we celebrate World Oceans Day 2022, I leave you with this inspirational video to show you, first hand, what we are capable of as a species.
>>> Click here to view the inspirational video.
Chris Kallo (Year 12)
Member of the Students of the World Ecology Group and Year 12 Prefect
Ms Rebecca Sutcliffe
Ecology Coordinator and Geography Teacher
Email: rsutcliffe@waverley.nsw.edu.au
Need to improve your Resume and CV writing skills? Waverley Library is hosting an event that is sure to get you that next job.
Waverley Library is running the HSC Help: Resume and CV Writing talk and all students are welcome.
When: Wednesday, 13 July, 6:30pm – 7:30pm.
Where: Waverley Library Theatrette, 32-48 Denison Street, Bondi Junction
Who: Mohan Dhall (educator and lecturer) and Denise from Studiosity. For students who already have a resume/CV, Denise will act as a second set of eyes for your cover letter and give professional advice on your CV/resume.
Cost: Free but bookings essential.
>>> Click here to view more information and to book.
Ms Sherri Falkinder
Assistant Librarian
E: sfalkinder@waverley.nsw.edu.au
Please advise your son that our Library has an extensive collection of HSC Resources that are available for loan.
The collection has a wide range of resources in each subject, and the enthusiastic Library Team would warmly welcome student suggestions that can be added to the collection!
Ms Sherri Falkinder
Assistant Librarian
E: sfalkinder@waverley.nsw.edu.au
The Year 12 Studies of Religion cohort engaged in consecutive excursions on Thursday, 16 June and Friday, 17 June, to appreciate and experience the practice of Temple Puja, an aspect of the HSC Buddhism course.
The breakfast stop, at McDonald’s Heathcote, en route, set the tone for a highly interactive day. Temple puja is a set of devotions to the Buddha, the role model of the path to Nirvana and escape from suffering. Students observed Buddhist adherents engaging in puja but also experienced and practised their own development of mindfulness.
They were actively engaged in the main courtyard during the tai chi session. Meditation, with the nuns, was another attempt to be still and cultivate the mind. The removal of shoes, bowing and silence are components of this ancient practice.
The sharing of a vegetarian meal for lunch further enhanced their understanding of this faith tradition. Overall, it was an opportunity to escape from the mundane world to the spiritual one for a few hours, and gain appreciation and understanding along the way.
Ms Martina Cooper
Head of Religion
E: mcooper@waverley.nsw.edu.au
300 guests are attending the Year 12 Formal at Darling Island on Friday evening, to celebrate their final year at the College prior to the commencement of the ‘business end’ of the year, with the commencement of the Higher School Certificate Trial Examinations in Term 3.
Students, their partners and the wellbeing team will enjoy a delicious three-course meal, followed by several hours on the dance floor, brought to life by the Doltone House resident DJ.
The decision to add an additional event to the Year 12 calendar was made by senior students in consultation and collaboration with our Parents’ Association and College Leadership Team.
Year 12 parents now have the opportunity to celebrate their son’s graduation at a Valedictory Dinner in graduation week. We have already found this to be the preferred option for parents who have had multiple sons graduate from our College.
With last year’s WaveFest Film Festival being affected by COVID-19, we know there is a lot of creative energy here at Waverley College, and many budding filmmakers amongst our students. Have you and your son/s heard about REELise?
Our WaveFest students in 2021 at Studio 10 Live Cross with actor, producer and screenwriter Martin Dingle-Wall
REELise is an Australian charity formed to safeguard and support young people. Created as a community response to cyberbullying and the impacts of digital life on youth mental health, their focus is on equipping young people to use their digital tools and platforms creatively and purposefully to inspire respectful, responsible and healthy online behaviours. Their central program is a youth film festival – the REELise Film Festival – targeted at empowering and showcasing the stories of young Australians, aged 10-18 years.
Each year, the REELise Film Festival screens stories by young people about navigating life, in VMAX at Event Cinemas in Sydney, and livestreams that broadcast for a national viewing audience. As well as inspiring digital creativity by students, and developing confidence, teamwork and technical skills, the Festival broadens awareness about issues of bullying, discrimination and digital life management, providing a valuable educational resource to foster tolerance, empathy and good digital citizenship.
Based on mobile device filmmaking (smartphone or tablet), the Festival provides an accessible medium for young storytellers from varied backgrounds around Australia, to share their perspectives and life experiences.
This year with the support of Commonwealth Government funding, REELise is offering free online interactive filmmaking programs for students 10-18 years in the July school holidays, to support filmmaking for social good.
>>> Click here to view more information about the REELise workshops.
Closing Date for Entries: Friday, 5 August
Cost: Program participation (normally $90 for 10-13 years, and $120 for 14-18 years), is free for a limited time to young people around Australia, when using the code CHANGETHEWORLD at checkout
>>> Click here to view more information about the REELise Film Festival.
Mr Patrick Brennan
Deputy Principal – Student & Staff Wellbeing
E: pbrennan@waverley.nsw.edu.au
The following information was provided to students at the Year 12 meeting during Period 1 this morning:
We know that Trial and HSC examinations require candidates to write quickly and legibly. An average student ought to be able to write in the vicinity of 2,500 words in a two-hour examination. It is essential that you build your handwriting capacity and stamina, if you are to produce work under examination conditions that reflects your ability and knowledge.
I recently read an article by a physiotherapist who said that attaching weights or batteries to the end of a pen in the weeks leading up to an examination, is unlikely to be efficacious, but that regularly writing using pen and paper for the next three months is the only way to develop this critical motor skill.
– self care – healthy eating – exercise – recreation – sleep – study
Studying can be a hard slog, sometimes a little tedious or dull. Staying motivated can be as simple as:
Image courtesy: State Library of NSW (Mitchell Reading Room)
Students have been emailed Study Guides and holiday planners today. These are in the links below.
>>> Click here to view Study Guides Year 12 June and July 2022.
>>> Click here to view the Holiday Planner Checklist.
>>> Click here to view the Holiday Study Planner.
Ms Elizabeth Watson
Deputy Principal – Teaching & Learning
E: ewatson@waverley.nsw.edu.au
Uniform will be available for issue to our new recruits on Saturday 16, Sunday 17, Saturday 23 and Sunday 24 July 2022. An appointment schedule will be emailed to all parents for bookings.
The first parade for Year 8 will be Friday, 29 July 2022.
The first camp for Year 8 will be the bivouac from Friday, 26 August – Sunday, 28 August 2022.
MAJ Julie-Ann de Kantzow
Commanding Officer
E: jdekantzow@waverley.nsw.edu.au
A most appreciative audience of parents and friends enjoyed an evening of wonderful music on 16 June at the 2022 Festival of Bands. The students were excited to be performing in a celebration of live music, highlighting our concert bands, brass ensembles, and jazz ensembles. Guy Hammerschmidt and Hugo Pizzol (Year 12), were featured as soloists.
Year 12 Soloist Guy Hammerschmidt
Year 12 Soloist Hugo Pizzol with the Cliff Goodchild Concert Band
This may have been the last opportunity for our Year 12 cohort to play in the College bands. The Music Department wishes them good luck in their upcoming examinations and expresses our thanks to Luke Stewart, Evan Hodges, our MCs on the night, Harrison Gippel, Solomon Tuqiri, Mack Trustrum, Hugo Pizzol and Guy Hammerschmidt. A welcoming speech was made by the College Captain, Daniel McSweeny, who incidentally, has been a member of the bands up until this year.
Our guest ensemble was Bondi Brass. Bondi Brass was founded by Cliff Goodchild and initially included students who played in his three school bands: namely, Waverley College, Marcellin College and Sydney Boys High. Cliff’s son, Paul Goodchild, was an Old Boy of the College, and famed trumpeter, who sadly passed away in March, this year.
Special Guests Bondi Brass
Repertoire performed by Bondi Brass included: Flourish by Ralph Vaughan Williams, Carnival of the Animals by Camille Saint-Saëns, Bugler’s Holiday by Leroy Anderson and Waltzing Matilda arr Gordon Langford.
Jazz Band B with Fox Stapleton as Soloist
Matthew Coorey Concert Band
This event would not have been such a success, without the generous support and work from the following members of the Music Department:
Waterford Concert Band
Mr Dan Williams
Head of Bands
E: dwilliams@waverley.nsw.edu.au
Mr Chris Balkizas
Head of Music
E: cbalkizas@waverley.nsw.edu.au
On Monday, 20 June, students from the Year 10 Spanish elective class and Year 11 Spanish Beginners/Continuers courses participated in a cooking class delivered by their teacher, Ms Quintana, in Spanish.
Making empanadas
Their task was to make the popular meat pasties known as empanadas, a few side salads and a dessert pastel de manzana. They also sampled a beverage which originated in the Andean region of Peru called chicha morada made from purple corn.
Empanadas
Making Pastel de Manzana
Pastel de Manzana
Chicha morada
Eating is one of the most significant social rituals in Hispanic culture: not only is food shared, but life is also shared with family and friends. It’s not uncommon to see a crowded table at a family celebration, hear the hearty laughter and exchange of many stories, and the acknowledgement that food always tastes better when shared in good company. This was exactly what took place amongst the students in this cooking class.
Students had the opportunity to learn about food weights and measurements, follow a recipe, and implement safe practices in the kitchen when using the various utensils and cooking equipment, not to mention building their language skills and culinary expertise. The students demonstrated outstanding team work and were very focused on ensuring they completed all tasks before the bell rang, so that they could sample the fruits of their labour.
Due to time limitations, we could not experience the Spanish custom of Sobremesa, whereby after clearing the table, everyone engages in long conversations on topics of interest. Nevertheless, the students thoroughly enjoyed the practical experience in company of their peers, and might even surprise their parents by offering to prepare a meal (in the not-too-distant future) for the family, and even clearing up at the end!
Ms Priscilla Quintana
Head of Languages Department
E: pquintana@waverley.nsw.edu.au
Students wishing to obtain their General Boat Licence will complete the practical component of the course on Thursday, 21 July.
The course will run in Sydney Harbour from Watsons Bay Pilot Station. Students are to meet at the Pilot Station at 8:30am and will return to school at lunchtime, to attend Periods 5 and 6.
Students must wear full winter PE uniform please.
The cost of this course is $200 and will be charged to the student’s account.
Ms Gemma Brown
Head of Science
E: gbrown@waverley.nsw.edu.au
As part of Walawaani in Term 3 and Term 4, First Nation students will be taking part in an Indigenous cultural program run by the team at Deadly Ed.
The program will run on Tuesday afternoons. All workshops will be 1.5 hours in length.
Walawaani families are asked to please complete the permission note below before Friday, 22 July 2022.
>>> Click here to view and complete the permission slip.
For activity weeks at Centennial Park, both Junior and Senior school students will be walking to Centennial Park with Kevin Heath and Ms Maakrun at lunchtime.
If you wish for your son to be dismissed from Centennial Park at 3:15pm, please indicate this on the permission note. Staff will be walking back to school with any students who need to return to school.
We hope all boys will gain a great deal of value and personal knowledge through their participation.
Kevin Heath
Ms Marie-Anne Maakrun
Assistant Director of Identity & Student Formation
E: mmaakrun@waverley.nsw.edu.au