Wearing very thick wetsuits and big smiles, Year 12 Marine Studies students successfully completed their PADI Open Water Diving Certification last Thursday and Friday under the instruction of Abyss Scuba Diving.
Students were required to complete 10 hours of coursework, demonstrate a large number of diving skills in the pool and the ocean, and then complete four open water dives. This required a lot of focus and resilience as COVID-19 has pushed our course back to the colder months!
Practising the confined water skills
During our dives at Camp Cove and around Bare Island, we saw wobbegongs, an angel shark, octopuses, stingrays, a seahorse and a very friendly grouper.
Congratulations to the following students for achieving this award, which has opened up their eyes to a whole new world under the sea!
AJ Preketes, Aodan Byrne, Charlie Elmes, Dylan McCulloch, Gabriel Portolan, Gabriel Woodward, Gus Oliver, Henry Kopsiaftis, James Garrop, Leo Astridge, Owen Punch, Thomas Gillespie, Thomas Kenny and Toby Ryan.
Tom Kenny
Ms Gemma Brown
Head of Science
E: gbrown@waverley.nsw.edu.au
On Wednesday, 4 May, Waverley College’s Students of the World Ecology Group were invited to a Design Thinking Workshop at St Clare’s College, run by Netnada, a company that measures carbon footprinting.
Upon arriving at St Clare’s and after a few flights of stairs (something the Waverley boys are very comfortable with), we entered a room filled with whiteboards. There were two very friendly instructors from Netnada, who would be helping us through this brainstorming process, and 10 St Clare’s students from their Environmental Group.
We were divided into four groups, each with a mix of St Clare’s and Waverley students. After a few thinking exercises and enlightening conversations, it was time to draw and write out our ideas.
The instructors guided us through a step-by-step process of how to create strategies to tackle both College’s waste issues. This involved timed responses, creative construction of who our ‘customers’ are, and how they think, to help us to pinpoint the best way(s) forward. The interesting discovery was the realisation that both boys and girls have more in common when it comes to waste – and what to do with it – than we thought.
It was an amazing experience and some incredible ideas were put on the table – both literally and metaphorically. Thanks to this workshop, both Colleges now have a firm idea about what to do next, in the battle to educate and change the behaviour of students and staff in our own war on waste.
The future is bright for the ecological situation at both St Clare’s and Waverley College. We are so thankful for the experiences we had.
Lachlan Isaac (Year 9) and Ms Rebecca Sutcliffe
Ecology Coordinator
E: rsutcliffe@waverley.nsw.edu.au
A terrific group of Year 11 students ably represented Waverley College at an Interfaith Dialogue gathering on Wednesday, 11 May. They met at the Great Synagogue in the city to join with representatives from other schools including Emanuel School, Moriah College and Stella Maris College, Manly.
There they engaged in dialogue and activities on current issues pertinent to their lives. They demonstrated how Catholics pray, and showed the Waverley College rosary beads and a presentation on the May Procession.
Mr JP Boumelhem and Mr David Edwards accompanied the students, and said that they were excellent ambassadors for Waverley College in terms of uniform, enthusiasm and engagement.
Ms Martina Cooper
Head of Religion
E: mcooper@waverley.nsw.edu.au
On Friday, 13 May, Waverley College participated in the Ethics Olympiad via Zoom. The students who participated, displayed incredible passion and teamwork. An independent adjudicator mentored and assisted the students.
Whilst not winning, the following team members received honourable mentions from the judges. Congratulations to: James Medland, Lachlan Miranda, Deuchar Dezarnaulds, Ewan McDonald and Anton Svensson.
Over five hours, the boys explored and developed philosophical argument skills on the topics below, which were explored together with one other school per case, in a collaborative venture to develop deeper understandings of topics.
The other students from Waverley who participated as a team were: Declan McAuliffe, James Birbas, Oliver Malzard, Campbell Porteus and Charlie Murphy.
The NSW Ethics Olympiad is so valuable, because it brings together students to collaborate from diverse schools across the state. One of the benefits of diversity is that it encourages the search for novel perspectives. Have a look at the range of teams!
Well done boys.
Mr W Roberts
Ethics Olympiad coach, Head of Library, and Years 9 and 10 Applied Philosophy Teacher
E: wroberts@waverley.nsw.edu.au
As per the College Diary, this is a reminder that the Year 11 Elevate Session – Memory Mnemonics – is held during Period 1 next Wednesday, 25 May, 2022.
This is a compulsory session for HSC plus ATAR Students who will attend the session in their House groups as per the schedule below.
HSC plus Vocational Students are also welcome to attend. Prior to the day, they must inform their Period 1 teacher that they will be attending the session, otherwise they must attend their scheduled Period 1 class.
This session is delivered by a group of recent successful graduates and will cover:
Further details can be found in the link below.
>>> Click here to view more information about Elevate Education senior seminars.
Elevate work with our students in Years 9-11 at key times in the year, and also offer free webinars for parents and carers. The webinars are held fortnightly on Wednesday evenings.
>>> Click here to view registration information for free Elevate webinars.
Ms Lynsey Porter
Director of Curriculum
E: lporter@waverley.nsw.edu.au
Waverley College Festival of Bands 2022 will take place on Thursday, 16 June in the Br RJ Wallace Performing Arts Centre, commencing at 6:30pm.
We welcome Bondi Brass as Special Guests, joining The Waverley College Cliff Goodchild Concert Band, Brass Ensemble, Year 12 Soloists, Jazz Bands A and B, Matthew Coorey Concert Band, and the Waterford Concert Band performing on stage.
Food and beverages will be available for purchase from 5:30pm.
>>> Click here to view the Festival of Bands Flyer.
If so, please email Christina Leonard, President of The Music Supporter’s Group.
E: pac_supportersgroup@waverley.nsw.edu.au
The evening will showcase two 40-minute halves with an intermission. Tickets sell quickly!
There are two ways to book/purchase tickets.
Mrs Keiran Kossenberg
Performing Arts Centre Coordinator
E: kkossenberg@waverley.nsw.edu.au
In support of the Visual Arts curriculum, Year 10 Visual Arts students will be attending two drawing incursion sessions run by Australian artist Tania Mason. Mason is an illustrator who currently works in the local area, and designed community installation The Science of Pine, a private commission for a public walkthrough area in Bondi Junction.
In the two sessions, students will develop skills in fundamental drawing techniques; watercolour, gouache, wax resist, charcoal and graphite drawing. All samples and artworks created in the incursion will be used as student works in the ‘Land Sea Air’ unit for Semester 2, as students document local flora and fauna from the Waverley area to form a visual inventory of our local environment.
The sessions will be held on the College Campus in the Visual Arts rooms, C11.
*All materials will be provided.
Students will have their recess break at the usual time in the College bell times.
Uniform: students are to wear full academic uniform.
Yes. Please complete the permission slip for the two sessions no later than Monday, 30 May 2022.
>>> Click here to view and complete the permission slip.
If you have any questions regarding the incursion, please do not hesitate to contact the Visual Arts Department.
Ms Natalie Oates
Head of Visual Arts
E: noates@waverley.nsw.edu.au
We are so excited to already have 75 people register for our Waverley team in the City2Surf on 14 August, and have already raised over $5,000 for local charity, ‘Running for Premature Babies.’
There’s still time to join and help us reach our goal to raise $10,000. Can you help? You can easily register in the link below.
All fundraisers will receive a free running singlet. We’ll also be providing a training program for those wanting to run the 14km. Walkers are most welcome to join, too!
This will be a wonderful community event, giving premature babies a better chance of survival.
>>> Click here to view more information about Running for Premature Babies.
Please direct any questions to:
>>> Click here to view the weekly Careers newsletter.
Please see me if you require any further assistance or information.
Dates have been released for 2022 Tertiary Open Days for universities in NSW and the ACT.
Open Days are a brilliant opportunity to get the answers to all the questions you have about your future study plans.
>>> Click here to view the dates and locations for 2022 Tertiary Open Days.
The University of Sydney
Ms Kath Knowles
Senior Studies and Careers Coordinator
E: kknowles@waverley.nsw.edu.au
Our thoughts and prayers are with the Meyer family at this time. Year 9 father and Old Boy of the College, Mr Peter Meyer, sadly lost his fight with cancer last Friday night. Peter was an amazing father and community member, who fought incredibly bravely. He had a real zest for life and love for his family. I know the Waverley community will support the Meyer family wherever they can. Please keep his wife Di, and children Maddi, Billy and Ashton in your thoughts and prayers at this time.
May Peter Rest in Peace
Congratulations to our Years 5, 7 and 9 students who sat their respective NAPLAN tests this week. Although the weather threw an extra challenge their way to overcome, the boys applied themselves well across their reading, writing, language conventions and numeracy tests.
Our Director of Curriculum, Mrs Lynsey Porter, gave her tips on how to support students preparing for the HSC in this week’s edition of Eastern Suburbs Mums. Please click the link below.
>>> Click here to read Mrs Lynsey Porter’s article ‘How to Help Your Teen Prepare for the HSC.’
I encourage you to read Mr Brennan’s article ‘Lockdown Habits Proving Difficult to Break.’ Dr Michael Carr Gregg, along with some other experts, unpack some valuable parent strategies in this space on our SchoolTV platform.
This week, I attended the virtual Edmund Rice Congress which saw educators from Edmund Rice Schools come together in dialogue from over 20 countries. Throughout the Congress, delegates had the opportunity to engage in experiences and interactions that:
The Congress supported and committed to the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). The SDGs were adopted by all Nations in 2015, and provide a shared blueprint for peace and prosperity for people and the planet, now and into the future. The four Edmund Rice Touchstones embedded across our curriculum, assist our College in embedding these goals and concepts across our programs.
The process for Stage 6 subject selection commences this term.
The significance of appropriate subject selection for study in Stage 6 is of great importance, as it directly leads to the awarding of the Higher School Certificate.
To that end, we aim to provide a clear, thorough and supportive process in the lead up to these selections, so that students may make informed decisions about their courses of study for their senior years. We advise students to select subjects in which there is the greatest aptitude, interest and ability, in order to achieve the best possible result and the most satisfaction.
Information will be delivered via the Wellbeing periods that are scheduled every Wednesday Week A Period 1. This Wednesday, 11 May all Year 10 students completed their Allwell Testing in Periods 1-4. Heads of Department presentations will run in Weeks 4, 6 and 8, to assist students’ decision making.
This term, Year 10 students also complete their Term 2 assessment tasks. This is an important period for feedback. Semester 1 results will be closely reviewed in conjunction with Career Profiling and Allwell testing results. Students’ achievement levels in these will influence which courses they will be eligible to select.
Below are two documents which are also available on the College Website:
>>> Click here to view the Subject Information Booklet Stage 6.
>>> Click here to view the Course Requirements Booklet Stage 6 Year 11 2023.
These booklets should be read in conjunction with all of the opportunities for discussion and advice available to each and every boy. They will also be posted in a secure site with the Head of Department videos, which will be released later this term.
Students will not be asked to submit their initial selections until early Term 3, after the Parent/Teacher Interviews.
The College uses an online system for the students to nominate their subject selections for Stage 6.
Students will receive an email with a link and a password to access the system in mid-June. Students should complete their subject selections online, print the confirmation and submit this in hard copy form, via the box outside Ms Lamonica’s office on Level 1 by Thursday, 28 July.
Mrs Lynsey Porter
Director of Curriculum
E: lporter@waverley.nsw.edu.au
Please find below some reminders about key events you need to be aware of for the Junior School in Term 2. For all of the College events, please refer to the College calendar.
Our CANVAS Learning Management system is now open for all Parents and Carers of Junior School Students.
Excitement is building for our Junior School Edmund Rice Day, to be held on Thursday, 9 June. The day is a wonderful fundraiser with all proceeds going to Edmund Rice Camps Australia, an organisation who provide camps for underprivileged children.
Our Junior School Raffle is always a fun element to the day and we are looking for donations. If you are able to donate a prize for the raffle, we would be incredibly grateful.
We are hoping to have donations in by Friday, 21 May so we can start selling tickets the following week.
If you are able to donate a prize, please send it to Mrs Coupe at the front office.
If you have any questions in regards to prizes, please email Mr Stephen Ghattas sghattas@waverley.nsw.edu.au
Thank you for your support!
Mrs Gabby Smith
Director of Junior School
E: gsmith@waverley.nsw.edu.au
We would like to invite all parents/carers to attend Year 5’s History Showcase on Tuesday, 21 June at 2pm.
The students in Year 5 will be presenting their historical knowledge from their history unit learnt this semester. They have been involved in a history inquiry unit that explores the significance of people, groups, places and events that have led to the development of Australia.
Each student will have a booth at the showcase on which they will:
We would like to invite all parents/carers to attend Year 6’s History/Science Showcase on Wednesday, 22 June at 2pm.
Science – Year 6 will be showcasing their culinary talents by making a lunchbox-friendly meal. Students are currently investigating why it is important for food and/or fibre to be produced sustainably. They will research a key ingredient and their task will be to make a meal using this ingredient. Students will create an informative text in the form of a poster/brochure/infographic on their selected food, which they will be able to present on the day.
History – Year 6 is learning about the reasons why people have migrated to Australia over time. They are set with the task of interviewing somebody they know, who has migrated to Australia. They will dress up as this person and present information through a variety of sources, such as a documentary they have created during class.
Ms Gaby Bransby
Assistant Director of Junior School/Curriculum
E: gbransby@waverley.nsw.edu.au
>>> Click here to register your son.
If your son is unable to attend, please email the College at nzivanovic@waverley.nsw.edu.au or call reception.
If you would like your son to compete in the 2021 ICAS Competitions, you will be asked to nominate the competitions in which you would like him to be entered, via the Parent Payment System. At the Junior School, the following ICAS competitions are offered: Writing & Digital Technologies, Science & Spelling Bee, English and Mathematics. This year all the competitions will be held in August / September, Term 3 and will be completed before school in the Learning Hub. Dates and times will be confirmed in Term 3.
>>> Click here to register your son.
Through this system, parents can pay for ICAS directly online, while tests will still be held at our school. Please use the school’s access code details to register your child.
Waverley’s School Access Code UUD072
Please consider carefully before choosing this enrichment opportunity for your son. It is a rigorous competition with many questions set beyond grade level. Participants are required to demonstrate a deeper, integrated and thorough level of learning. If you are unsure of your son’s suitability, please consult with his teacher.
>>> Click here for more information about the assessments.
If you require additional support registering your son, phone the customer service team on 1800 931 775 (Australian Toll-Free).
Ms Natasha Zivanovic
Literacy & Innovation Teacher
E: nzivanovic@waverley.nsw.edu.au
6 Gold has had such an incredible start this term. They have come back ready to learn and are displaying such a positive attitude. They worked incredibly hard last term and created amazing pieces of work in all subjects, but particularly in English, History and Science.
Throughout Term 1, students were involved in many rich learning tasks. One of their favourite tasks was creating a comic strip based on a superhero they designed themselves. Their comic strip included their very own superhero, a setting, a nemesis, problem and resolution.
6 Gold students were taught visual metalanguage which needed to be incorporated into their design, such as symbols, lines, vectors, size and colour.
By Samuel Ireland
By Will Frinsdorf
In history, students investigated the status, rights and freedoms of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples in Australia in the 1900s. We delved deep into Kevin Rudd’s 2008 Apology to the Stolen Generations, and many other significant events of this time.
One historical event we looked at closely, was the Freedom Ride of 1965, led by Charles Perkins. Students learnt the significant impact this journey had for the rights of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people at the time and events that followed. Students were tasked with creating a front page newspaper article about the Freedom Rides. They did an amazing job!
By Will Frinsdorf
Ms Gaby Bransby
Assistant Director of Junior School/Curriculum
6 Gold Teacher
E: gbransby@waverley.nsw.edu.au
Please follow the link below, to ensure you are up-to-date with any changes to fixtures for this weekend. Keep a close eye on the Waverley College app for any adjustments due to weather conditions and field closures.
Last Wednesday, 4 May, Waverley Junior School had fifteen students selected to represent the College at the IPSHA Cross Country carnival. This event was meant to be going ahead last term, but due to the impact of the weather, it was postponed. Our students had been training really hard, preparing with the Senior School distance athletics squad each week. This definitely gave our runners a great chance to improve their times, as well as their overall stamina and aerobic fitness.
All of our competitors gave it their absolute all, in extremely tough competition. Congratulations to the following students for participating, and to the students who made it through to the CIS Cross Country carnival as part of the IPSHA Squad:
| Distance | Placing | Time | First Name | Last Name | Age |
| 2km | 12 | 06:57.8 | Joseph | Madden | 10 Years |
| 2km | 18 | 07:07.0 | Jaden | Truscott | 10 Years |
| 2km | 29 | 07:16.3 | Alfred | Griffin | 10 Years |
| 2km | 33 | 07:18.8 | Freddie | Goldrich | 10 Years |
| 2km | 57 | 07:46.1 | Sam | Rogers | 10 Years |
| 3km | 5 | 11:04.3 | Liam | Madden | 11 Years |
| 3km | 31 | 11:55.9 | Samuel | Powell | 11 Years |
| 3km | 34 | 11:59.1 | Roman | Szabo | 11 Years |
| 3km | 36 | 12:04.4 | Louis | Coleman | 11 Years |
| 3km | 61 | 12:33.1 | Joseph | O’Reilly | 11 Years |
| 3km | 25 | 11:39.1 | Jake | Tobin | 12 Years |
| 3km | 30 | 11:48.9 | Joshua | Raymond | 12 Years |
| 3km | 49 | 12:07.6 | Maximilian | Wu | 12 Years |
| 3km | 50 | 12:07.9 | Sebastian | Farrell | 12 Years |
| 3km | 73 | 12:37.1 | Reece | Araujo | 12 Years |
Congratulations to Joseph Madden and Liam Madden for finishing inside the top fifteen runners for their age group, and to Jaden Truscott, Alfred Griffin and Freddie Goldrich for also making the IPSHA Cross Country squad.
Our talented IPSHA Cross Country Squad
Congratulations to Jaden Truscott
IPSHA Cross Country U10 Runners: Jaden, Alfred, Freddie, Joseph and Sam
It has been a great start to the term for all of our Extra Co-Curricular Activities for Term 2. It has been thoroughly enjoyable to see the passion from the students in Judo, HipHop, Innovation Club, Debating Club, Chess Club, Band and other ensembles.
I would like to extend gratitude to all the teachers, coaches and staff who are involved in getting the activities up and running to ensure our students learn new and exciting skills, that will benefit them in the future.
Information regarding the opportunity to sign up for Term 3 activities will be released towards the end of the term.
Do you currently have a son involved in one of the Extra Co-Curricular Activities?
>>> Click here to view the Extra Co-Curricular Activities Term 2 sessions schedule.
Waverley Junior School nominated six Year 6 students to represent the College at the annual IPSHA Rugby Trials at Shore School in Northbridge. The six students selected for the trial included: Lukas Pendleton, Cooper Misson, Riley Carr, Cash Parry, Daniel McCall and Beau Matheson-Rayner.
The boys all felt very comfortable being at this trial, knowing Mr Olds was there supporting them, and also being a selection official for IPSHA. Our College is very proud of all of these students for their involvement, but we’d like to congratulate them, particularly as they were all selected to go to the CIS Trials, to hopefully make it into the NSWCIS Representative Squad.
Daniel, Lukas, Riley, Mr Olds, Cash, Cooper and Beau at IPSHA Rugby Trials at Shore in Northbridge
Mr Jack Wachtel
Assistant Director of Co-curricular (Years 5-8)
E: jwachtel@waverley.nsw.edu.au
We would like to acknowledge the Gadigal people of the Eora nation who are the traditional Custodians of the land on which Waverley College is located. We pay our respects to Elders past, present and emerging. We are committed to honouring Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples’ unique cultural and spiritual connections to the land, waters, seas and sky and their rich contribution to society.
Watch our video
