Congratulations to Lachlan Miranda (Year 11) who has been accepted into the 2023 NSW Youth Parliament Program as a representative of the electorate of Coogee.
Lachlan undertook a rigorous application process to be accepted into this highly-sought, illustrious program. In Lachlan’s application, he was asked to outline his leadership credentials as well as his leadership passions. He wrote about his aspirations to become a psychologist post-school and his focus on mental health. Lachlan has been assigned to the Mental Health Committee and will meet his committee members on zoom, in a few weeks time.
Lachlan will spend time in the two upcoming holiday breaks attending two camps based in Sydney. Firstly, a Training Camp at Sydney Olympic Park where Lachlan will meet face-to-face with his committee and engage in forums and workshops looking at advocacy, leadership and mental health. This will be followed by a Residential Camp week where he will spend time at Government House and at NSW Parliament House. Here he will debate in front of sitting NSW members of Parliament, engage with community and political leaders, and develop connections with his peers from across the state.
Lachlan Miranda at the inaugural 2022 Civics & Student Citizenship Student Convention, NSW Parliament
This adds to Lachlan’s ever expanding ‘parliamentary portfolio’! Last year he was selected to participate in the inaugural Civics and Citizenship Program at NSW Parliament. Lachlan – one of only 30 students chosen from across NSW – engaged with his peers around Australia, discussing the democratic system of government and the role of citizens in upholding a strong and resilient democracy.
Lachlan is very excited about his latest parliamentary opportunity and looks forward to sharing his experiences and learnings with the College community. We wish him every success in this program and thank Mr Sposari for his ongoing support and guidance of Lachlan.
Waverley has taken a small step towards a more sustainable future, with the installation of two new solar benches for students on the Senior campus. Each of the benches is equipped with solar panels that provide renewable energy for students to use while they study and socialise outdoors.
New solar benches in the Senior School
The units have built-in batteries allowing for the storage of power that can be used for events held at the College in the evening or when there is poor sunlight. A monitoring system allows us to see how much power we are generating, allowing students to visualise the benefits of solar. The benches were supplied by Furnicharge who specialise in these types of Australian-manufactured equipment.
These solar benches represent a part of the College’s sustainability efforts, as it encourages the use of renewable energy and reduces the carbon footprint of the campus. The benches are designed to withstand the elements, ensuring that it will last for many years.
In addition to providing a sustainable energy source, the solar bench is also equipped with USB charging ports, making it easy for students to charge their devices while ‘on the go’, along with four wireless charging points, and ideally located in an area where students gather before boarding buses home.
The benches are designed with comfortable seating and a sleek, modern aesthetic, turning what was a dead area of the campus into a spot for students to gather, and for teachers to use for outdoor learning opportunities.
This initiative is the first step to a wider program of sustainable projects which is being launched in conjunction with the student Ecology Group, and if successful, could see more of these installations across the campuses at the Senior and Junior Schools.
This weekend is the final round of the Senior School 2022-23 summer season. I want say a huge thank you to students, parents, carers, convenors, staff and coaches for all of their efforts over the two terms.
In particular, I want to thank and congratulate the Year 12 students who will be playing their final round this coming weekend. Our 1sts Touch Football team will be playing in the grand final this Saturday at Queens Park after an impressive performance last Saturday, and would love some extra support.
Last Friday, Years 7-12 competed in the 2023 House Swimming Carnival at Des Renford Leisure Centre. There were some impressive times swum, as well as some passionate House relays and chants on the day.
A huge thank you to our heads of House, staff and in particular the Campus Team for all of their hard work in making this day happen.
In a closely contested event, Brennan were eventually crowned the House Swimming Carnival champions for 2023. I hope you enjoy the photos above.
Next week, there will be only training for the Swimming and Diving Squads leading up the CAS Championships on Thursday, 16 March. This event is a compulsory Supporters’ Duty for Years 8, 11 and Prefects.
The letter that was sent home this week via the Waverley app can also be found by clicking the button below.
Click here to view the CAS Championships Letter
The following weekend, we have a number of Presentation Evenings for Basketball, Cricket, Swimming and Water Polo, however, there are no other sporting activities that weekend.
The following Monday, 20 March is the commencement of our winter season for a number of activities, and we will be sending out the training schedule early next week. Students must ensure they have all of the necessary equipment to commence the winter season, including mouth-guards, boots and shin pads that fit.
Well done to the following students on their recent selections for CAS:
I also want to congratulate Ms Emma Halpin and the Public Speaking Team for hosting 120 speakers last Friday night in the CSDA competition. Special mention to James Peate and Ewan McDonald on advancing to the upcoming finals.
Best wishes to all teams and activities this weekend.
Congratulations to the Year 11 Hospitality students who catered for the recent Swimming Carnival, their first mandatory Service Period as part of their course.
These students demonstrated great teamwork, and safe and hygienic practices whilst developing their food preparation and cooking skills.
Teachers were treated to a homemade protein ball and a choice of a wrap (tandoori cauliflower with raita), sandwich (smoked salmon with a lemon and chive cream cheese), or a roll (Swiss cheese with a homemade coleslaw).
Please find below some reminders about upcoming events. For all of Term 1 events, please refer to the College calendar.
I would like acknowledge and congratulate the following Junior School students who volunteered for the charity ‘Kids Giving Back’ in Term 4 2022, and during the recent December/January school holidays.
They were among 980 young people who assisted in providing over 12,500 hot and cold meals, breakfast boxes, snack packs, care packs, writing empathetic, positive messages to 13 charities around Sydney.
‘Kids Giving Back’ described these students as having demonstrated exceptional leadership qualities, compassion, and a strong sense of civic responsibility. They commented that these students truly embodied the spirit of giving back, and they wanted to extend their heartfelt gratitude for their contributions.
It is fantastic to see so many boys riding their bikes to and from school. Just a reminder, that any student who is riding their bike to and from school must get a permission slip from Ms Sanchez at the office. As per permission slip, students MUST wear their helmets at all times. Safety of our students is our first priority, and any student who does not have a helmet will not be allowed to ride their bike to and from school.
Ms Gaby Bransby
Director of the Junior School
gbransby@waverley.nsw.edu.au
Harmony Week is the celebration that recognises our diversity and brings together Australians from all different backgrounds. It’s about inclusiveness, respect and a sense of belonging for everyone. In line with our Touchstone of Inclusive Community, we will be celebrating Harmony Day on Tuesday, 21 March (Week 8).
Through in-class activities, students will be learning about different cultures. Students will also be diving into deep learning experiences in the Learning Hub using rich literature.
We would also like to celebrate our diversity by asking students to bring in a plate of food from home, that best represents their culture, and that can be shared amongst the class.
To show their support, students are also encouraged to wear a touch of orange as part of their uniform for the day, as well as bring in a gold coin donation to support our CARITAS appeal.
The celebration of mothers, grandmothers and significant others in the lives of our Waverley College Students, will be celebrated on Friday, 12 May at 12pm (Week 3, Term 2). This will be held at Mary Immaculate Church, followed by a light lunch at the Junior School.
>>> Click here to view the invitation and to RSVP.
Part of the celebration will include a slideshow. Please email a photo of your son(s) with their mothers/grandmothers if you would like a photo included in this presentation to liturgy@waverley.nsw.edu.au
On Wednesday, 15 March, both 6 Blue and 6 Indigo will attend Mass at Mary Immaculate Church, beginning at 9:15am. Parents/carers are warmly invited to attend.
Waverley College students who are part of the parish of St Brigid’s in Coogee, please read the information below.
Children in Year 6 and above are welcome to start preparing to receive their Sacrament of Confirmation.
Online Registration: 24 April – 14 May
Information Session: Saturday, 19 May 4pm at Parish Hall, followed by commitment mass
Confirmation Mass: Wednesday, 28 June
Note: Please have baptism, first reconciliation and first communion certificates ready when registering
Mr Steve Ghattas
Assistant Director of Junior School/Identity & Student Formation
sghattas@waverley.nsw.edu.au
As it is Round 5 tomorrow (Saturday, 11 March), I wish all teams the best of luck and ask them to represent Waverley proudly, as I know they will.
Please ensure you refer to the Waverley College app announcements each week, as I will continue to send out the weekly Sports Fixtures for each round. Families can also locate all relevant Junior School Co-Curricular information through the College website.
>>> Click here to view all Junior School Co-Curricular information on the Waverley College website.
As the Term 1 summer season slowly comes to an end, (until Term 4, when it recommences), we’re beginning our Winter Sports Trials for the upcoming season. The Winter Sports Trials will begin next Tuesday, 14 March.
*All students are expected to pack a drink bottle, sunscreen, and anything else personally required.
*All students are expected to attend school in their academic uniform as normal, and get changed into their trial uniform prior to lunchtime.
Junior School staff and supporting coaches will conduct the trial process for the upcoming winter season.
Your son will be informed of his chosen preferences for Winter Sport prior to Tuesday’s trial, as he may have since forgotten.
Unfortunately, I will be avoiding making last-minute changes to preferences, as the amount of teams allocated has been selected based on the original preferences chosen. I will always consider adjustments to preferences, if it is a serious case that needs reviewing.
Last Wednesday, 1 March, Waverley Junior School sent our best four swimmers across each age group to compete at the annual IPSHA Swimming Carnival at Sydney Olympic Aquatic Centre. It is always a fantastic experience for our students, competing against majority of the strongest swimmers in central Sydney.
Congratulations to the following swimmers who attended the carnival:
A further congratulations to the following students who finished in the top four of the first heat, subsequently making it into the IPSHA Swimming Team to compete at NSWCIS against the best swimmers in NSW on Wednesday, 22 March:
Well done to the following students who finished in the top three for their heat in their specific event:
Senior Relay Team
IPSHA Swim Team
Mr Jack Wachtel
Assistant Director of Co-curricular (Years 5-8)
jwachtel@waverley.nsw.edu.au
NAPLAN 2023 dates
| Wednesday, 15 March | Monday, 20
March |
Tuesday, 21
March |
Wednesday, 22
March |
|
| Periods
1 and 2 |
Writing (42 mins)
9am – 10am |
Reading (50 mins)
9am – 10am |
Conventions of Language (45 mins)
9am – 10am |
Numeracy (50 mins)
9am – 10am |
*Catch up tests will be on Thursday, 23 and Friday, 24 March.
Students must bring their fully-charged laptops and headphones to school each day for their assessments.
All students were given a set of headphones in their stationery pack at the beginning of the year, but some are now lost or broken. Please ensure that your son has working headphones by Wednesday.
We wish Year 5 all the best in their NAPLAN over the next two weeks.
This week, both Years 5 and 6 took part in a day of team challenges designed to promote collaboration, problem-solving skills, and develop their leadership skills. Despite the incredible temperatures, everyone had a wonderful time, developed their connections with peers and learnt a lot.
Sam Burrows (6 Gold) has written about his experience of the day below.
“At our Year 6 Leadership Day (Tuesday, 7 March), Pinnacle Events, an organisation that knows a lot about leadership, came to teach us about what leadership is. They taught us in the form of activities and mind games. To begin with, my group went to the tennis courts where one of the instructors told us about our first game where we had to rearrange some tiles into correct groups. We then walked over to tennis court number two where we had to make a cube out of wooden blocks. People found this very difficult because there were thousands of outcomes and only one solution, however our team managed to pull through and communicate well to be able to complete the challenge.
After recess, we were all split-off into groups and told to go to different sections of the school. First we went to the tennis courts and played a game of kick tennis. The teams were Green vs Conlon. Conlon managed to win the first game, but Green came back and won the other two. After lunch we went to the basketball courts and made rocket powered cars. Of course they weren’t actual rockets, we had to build them ourselves and they were powered by air pressure.
The main thing that we learnt about the important qualities of a leader is working together as a team and that you should always ask others for help when you need it.”
Ms Charlotte Stephens
Assistant Director of Curriculum
cstephens@waverley.nsw.edu.au
We offer all students in Year 5 and Year 6 the opportunity to receive free additional support after school for the completion of home learning tasks. The afternoon sessions also provide a quiet, supervised study space for students who want to complete their assigned tasks.
Home Learning Club operates in the Learning Hub from 3pm until 4pm – Mondays, Tuesdays, Wednesdays, and Thursdays – during school term unless there is a scheduled Professional Development meeting and the club will be closed.
Click here to register your son
Only register his name once, to allow other students the opportunity to attend. The session is limited to 20 spots. There will be a roll call to ensure attendance.
Students are required to stay for the full session unless there is a message in the student diary requesting early leave, a parent/carer signature will be required.
As it is important to respect the rights of others to learn and work, all students are expected to settle to work in the Learning Hub and not cause a disturbance for others.
If you require any further information, feel free to email us.
If afternoon training sessions are cancelled, unfortunately, you cannot send your son to Home Learning as an alternative plan, students are registered for the afternoon sessions in advance and the capacity is always reached. Try to avoid messaging your son during this period, unless it is urgent.
The Junior School debating tryouts are on Thursday, 16 March (Week 7) in the Learning Hub, Period 1.
If your son would like to try out for the IPSHA team he will need to do the following:
2.
On the day he will rebut the student speaking before him. Then he will continue with his own speech.
Our Junior School students were enthralled by Bryn Tilly, a film critic, festival director and programmer, filmmaker, writer and Phoenix’s father (Year 5).
Bryn’s talk was full of motivational stories, writing advice, and the value of reading.
The idea of having a notebook to jot down and collect ideas for their writing was well-liked by the students.
Our favourite of your inspirational quotations is by Henry Miller, who said, “Writing is its own reward.”
The boys could have listened to you all afternoon, thank you for taking the time to inspire the next generation of writers.
Ms Natasha Zivanovic
Literacy & Innovation Teacher
nzivanovic@waverley.nsw.edu.au
The week’s core value was responsibility.
In Year 6, students are becoming young adults, and learning to be more responsible at home is a great step forward. For home learning this week, students were asked to help with some cleaning.
Lucien
Finley
Jaden
James
Mr Kendall Robinson
Class Teacher, 6 Indigo
krobinson@waverley.nsw.edu.au
Dear Parents and Carers,
We would like to remind you that our CANVAS Learning Management System is open for Years 5 – 12 parents and carers, in lieu of a Term 1 progress report.
This enables parents and carers to be notified when students receive assessment task notifications and results for assessment tasks in real-time, rather than waiting for a static report snapshot.
Further information on the purpose of launching this system, instructions for access, and an outline of what parents and carers can access, can be viewed in the short video below that we released in 2022.
We now have an easier method to sign in for parents/carers via our SSO. Please make sure you save this weblink to your Internet browser for easy access to the login page.
The weblink is: https://waverley.cloudwork.id/
or
Click here to view the login page
If so, please email iAssist outlining the issue, or use the CANVAS Helpdesk, found on the dashboard of your CANVAS page.
Many recruits have yet to collect their second set of DPCU for AFX. They only have until Friday, 24 March to do this. Please be aware that Q Store will be closed from Friday, 24 March. There will be no provision to issue any gear after 24 March. If your son has only one set of uniform when packing for camp, he will have to make it last the week.
I would advise all parents/carers and cadets to pack for camp this weekend, to ensure you have all the gear on the Equipment List before Q Store closes.
Registrations for AFX were due on Wednesday, 1 March. If you have not already done so, please attend to this as a matter of urgency. Please read the AFX Joining Instructions for further information.
3 weeks to go!
MAJ(AAC) Julie-Ann de Kantzow
Commanding Officer – Waverley College Cadet Unit
jdekantzow@waverley.nsw.edu.au
Please see me if you require any further assistance or information.
Click here to view the Week 6 Careers Newsletter
Ms Kath Knowles
Senior Studies & Careers Coordinator
kknowles@waverley.nsw.edu.au
On Friday night, the 1st V faced off against Trinity Grammar in their last home game for the season. With the crowd behind Waverley, they were able to pull away within the final minute with a 4-point victory, the final score 93-89. Heading into the game, it was the Year 12’s final home game, knowing that they had to put in all their effort when they stepped onto the court.
Throughout the first half, Trinity’s rebounding could not be stopped, allowing them to keep the small lead. After half time, Waverley was able to fix this coming out, and creating a 12-point lead, led behind Sergej Jakovljevic’s inside finishing. By the end of the third quarter, Trinity was able to close the gap, leaving Waverley’s lead to just 1 point.
The fourth quarter was extremely close, as usual, with Trinity once again holding the lead. It wasn’t until the last three minutes of the game, that Waverley made their final run lead behind Oscar Walters-Green’s defence, and Marko Rangan’s scoring ability. The game was capped off with a rendition of ‘Carrington Road’ to seal the win at the final home game of the season.
The 2nd V tipped off the night, in the championship game against Trinity. After a tough loss against Cranbrook, the 2nd V were tied with Trinity at the top of the leader board, knowing that they had to beat them to secure the CAS Championship. The game was close right to the end, with the end score 45-47. As the jump ball was thrown up into the air, the crowd was roaring in support of the 2nd V.
During the first half, Trinity had a lead of 5 which Waverley continued to chase down, but were getting outrebounded. During half time, a fired-up coach Joff Garvey was able to bring out the spirit in the team to start the third quarter firing, led by Eden Byrd’s ability to shoot the ball.
By the start of the fourth quarter, the 2nd V had brought Trinity’s lead to just 1 point. During the fourth quarter, the lead went back and forth between the two teams. Jack Anasson’s finishing ability and Dom Smith’s defence were unstoppable, as they were able to steal the lead in the final minutes. Unfortunately, the 2nd V was not able to close out the game, losing it by 2 points, after a well-fought game.
For the 10As, Trinity was going to be a hard matchup, as it was an away fixture with Trinity hungry for the win, after losing to Waverley by 13 last year. The game for the 10As was another close one, with the final score 39-40 to Trinity. Waverley was led by Ben Pignatelli’s leadership, Giles Strachan’s shooting and Renato Rovacchi’s height inside the key on defence.
The top of the leaderboard 9As had a tough matchup against Trinity, in which they previously beat them by 8 points. The game against Trinity went down to the final shot, with the end score 37-35, allowing Waverley to stay on top of the leaderboard, with their 8 wins and 1 loss record. The star players for the game were Petros Kalpouzanis with his shooting, Angus Peshos and his playmaking ability, and finally, Nico Palacio’s full-court defence.
The 8As were coming off of a draw against Trinity last year, and were hungry for the win. Playing at Waverley, the 8As fought to the last minute, but unfortunately could not secure the lead, with the end score 38-38. They were led behind Dominic Dametto’s speed and Philip Falaniko’s strength to drive to the ring.
The 7As were facing off against Trinity for the first time at Waverley, and were determined to get the win. Waverley did not get the results that they had hoped, with the final score 33-56.
Good luck to all teams as they face off against Barker in the last game of the season. Congratulations and special good luck to all Year 12s playing their last game of Basketball for Waverley College.
A special thanks go to the parents/carers of the 1st V and 2nd V, for helping and organising the after-match functions for the home games. You could not have done a better job.
With the 1st V’s fourth win of the season against Trinity, they remain in 4th place, and now turn their attention to 3rd place Barker this weekend. A win against Barker will see them move to equal 3rd with Barker for the season.
The 2nd V’s heartbreaking loss means they slip to second place behind Trinity, and must now defeat Barker this weekend, while hoping that Trinity loses their fixture against Knox to share a premiership with Trinity.
The 10As sit 5th, and should feel confident in matching up with cellar-dwellers Barker, this weekend.
With three wins clear of second place Trinity and a very healthy points differential, the 9As have secured the premiership for their division. This is a fantastic achievement for the players and their coach Mr Kennedy, and to have done it in such emphatic fashion, has been very impressive.
The 8As second draw of the season sees them sit in third place, while the 7As are still searching for their first win of the season.
Other teams to notch wins against Trinity included: the 7th V (46-36), 10F (44-38), 10G (34-21), 9A (37-35), 9B (55-22), 9C (38-34), 9G (34-21), 8C (59-43), 8D (48-34), 8E (18-17), 8F (27-19), 8G (24-22), 7B (33-18), 7E (35-26), 7F (49-15), 7G (27-25), and 7H (17-14), while the 10Es (37-all), 8As (38-all) and 8Bs (32-all) drew. A further 9 teams lost their games by 6 points or fewer.
Once again, many thanks to Rachael Smith and Glenn Smith of our Basketball Supporters’ Club, who have tirelessly staffed the Saturday BBQ all season, to raise money to support the program. If you can help for one hour this weekend, please contact Rachael at rachael_gray@hotmail.com or 0412 693 243. It would be greatly appreciated.
A huge thank you to Anne Gleeson for her wonderful work in organising the 1sts and 2nds post-game luncheons and dinners this season. As always, this season Waverley has continued to host the best after-functions in the CAS.
Book tickets now for our annual Basketball Presentation Night.
Click here to view more information and to book tickets
The final round against Barker is all that remains of what has so far been a very successful 2022/23 Basketball season. Good luck to all teams this weekend.
The Waverley College AFL Supporters’ Group will hold its Annual General Meeting on Monday, 20 March, 6:30pm, online via zoom.
Any parents/carers and friends interested in getting behind the Waverley College AFL program in 2023 are welcome to attend, as we discuss the AFL program moving forward and the formation of the Supporters’ Group.
Please click the button below to enter the zoom meeting.
Click here to enter the zoom meeting
Parents/carers unable to attend this particular meeting, but who are interested in assisting with Waverley College AFL, are welcome to register their interests with the Convenor of AFL, Mr Ben Shorthouse bshorthouse@waverley.nsw.edu.au
You are invited to a ‘Study in the US’ live, virtual information session. The session will cover the application process as well as the higher education system in the United States.
A brief Q&A session will follow the presentation.
Where: Online
When: Tuesday, 21 March, 6pm AEDT
If you’re interested in learning more about a US university pathway, please click the button below to register.
Ms Kath Knowles
Senior Studies & Careers Coordinator
kknowles@waverley.nsw.edu.au
The Year 12 Parent/Teacher/Student Interviews will be held on Tuesday, 21 March.
Appointment bookings are made through the Parent Lounge in TASS.
*Appointments may be made online from 9am on Saturday, 11 March and will close at noon on Monday, 20 March.
Meetings will be held via Zoom. The instructional video below will assist you to access the Zoom platform.
Click here to view the instructional video
A list of Zoom account numbers will be sent to parents/carers by our IT Department prior to the meeting date. You do not need the zoom code to make your bookings.
OR
depending on the individual teacher. Please do not try to connect with teachers until your appointment time.
Click here to access the Parent Lounge
user id = email address
password = if you cannot remember your password you can reset by selecting ‘forgot password’
If you have any technical issues with using the system, please contact the IT Department on 9369 0784 or email iAssist@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
