Next term on Wednesday 12 October, all Year 10 students will attend a study skills session by Elevate on Time Management, during the Year 10 Wellbeing and Careers lesson in Period 1. This is a valuable session to support students with their preparation for Term 4 assessment tasks and the transition into Year 11.
The session will guide students on: finding the time to study by building a weekly planner; prioritising work, particularly study notes; building tips on efficiency of work; and how to combat procrastination. All students will receive a booklet of resources to assist them with their learning from the session.
Ms Lynsey Porter
Director of Curriculum
E: lporter@waverley.nsw.edu.au
Waverley College Aquatic Centre Swim Squad Opens Term 4
Stay Healthy HSC Check-In Week runs from Monday 19 September – Friday 23 September.
At this time, we encourage Year 12 students to check in with each other, friends, family and the College community.
NESA has compiled student wellbeing information and resources to ensure Year 12 students feel supported in the lead up to their HSC exams.
>>> Click here to view the Stay Healthy HSC Hub.
>>> Click here to view the HSC Study Guide 2022.
>>> Click here to view the Managing Exam Stress Fact Sheet.
>>> Click here to view the Check-in-Week Wellbeing Checklist.
Ms Elizabeth Watson
Deputy Principal – Teaching & Learning
E: ewatson@waverley.nsw.edu.au
>>> Click here to view the weekly Careers Newsletter.
Please see me if you require any further assistance or information.
Ms Kath Knowles
Senior Studies & Careers Coordinator
E: kknowles@waverley.nsw.edu.au
Please find below key event dates you need to be aware of for the Junior School in Term 3. For all of the College events, please refer to the College calendar.
Did you know that Junior School students can take ‘Swim Squad’ as an extra-curricular activity? Our heated pool on the Senior School campus is 50m (Olympic-sized!), so squad swimmers can gain fitness as well as stroke technique. It’s also friendly and fun.
The Swim School offers three levels of swimming instruction:
*All swimmers must be able to swim unassisted, as there is no in-water coaching.
The Swim School operates throughout the summer months, commencing at the start of Term 4 and concluding at the end of Term 1.
>>> Click here to view detailed information about Swim Squad.
Ms Gabby Smith
Director of the Junior School
E: gsmith@waverley.nsw.edu.au
The Australian Government has an initiative for schools for mobile Dental clinic services, such as NSW Dental Care. NSW Dental Care is offering free dental screenings to students at Waverley College from 24-28 October, 2022.
The dental screening is a free of charge for eligible students aged 2-17 and provides benefits for the child for basic dental services that includes:
This service is provided under the Child Dental Benefits Scheme of the Australian Government. Early detection of decay and other dental disease is vital in preventing bigger, more painful and expensive problems in the future. Left untreated, dental disease is progressive and will result in greater discomfort, and is likely to lead to permanent problems, such as tooth loss or lasting pain.
Please ensure the form is completed by Wednesday, 21 September 2022.
This falls under the Medicare – Child Dental Benefits Scheme. Parents will need to provide their child’s Medicare number on the form. Waverley College encourages our students to benefit from this service.
This service is free for eligible students. Payment of benefits under the Child Dental Benefits Schedule is administered through the Department of Human Services. If your child is eligible, there will be no cost to you and no gap fee.
NSW Dental Care will provide these dental services within Waverley College on both the Junior and Senior School campuses. NSW Dental alongside Waverley College will ensure each student’s safety, comfort, and wellbeing.
NSW Dental Care arrives with fully mobile state-of-the-art equipment, and follows strict COVID-19 safety regulations including the staff being fully vaccinated before visiting the school. Once the check-ups are completed, reports will be mailed to parents regarding the outcome. This enables early diagnosis and preventative treatment.
Should you have any questions, please do not hesitate to email healthcentre@waverley.nsw.edu.au
Ms Adele Cutbush
College Registered Nurse
E: healthcentre@waverley.nsw.edu.au
Summer Art Club Expressions in Clay
Visual Arts Club will be offered at Waverley as a Summer activity for students from Years 5-12. It will commence Term 4, Week 2, 2022.
Visual Arts Club provides an opportunity for students to build skills in critical and creative thinking. This summer, students will be introduced to: Expressions in Clay: Texture Through Sculptural Form.
Each student will be introduced to a range of ceramic handbuilding techniques such as pinch-pots, slabs and coiling techniques to build the fundamental form for their ceramic sculpture.
Natural and synthetic textures will be used to create impressions in the clay, forming crevices to catch and control glaze. Students will be involved in the firing and glazing process, learning glaze theory to further extend their knowledge on how clay bodies react when heated.
In Visual Arts Club students will:
Cost: $110.00
Materials: all materials will be supplied (all works will be bisque and glaze fired)
Session times: select ONE from the following:
Ms Natalie Oates
Head of Visual Arts – Senior School
E: noates@waverley.nsw.edu.au
Waverley College competed in the International Junior School Ethics Olympiad on Tuesday, 13 September. The Ethics Olympiad provides schools with a unique opportunity to develop skills in critical thinking, collaboration and communication. Students work as a team responding to questions and critiquing their own and others’ arguments, while specialist judges award points on the basis of clear, concise, critical and collaborative thinking.
An Ethics Olympiad differs from a debate in that students are not assigned opposing views; rather, they defend whatever position they believe is right and succeed by showing that they have thought more carefully, deeply, and creatively about the cases in question. The cases covered issues including war, refugees and wanting to fit in.
Year 6 Ethletes
Year 6 was strongly represented by Lachlan Crease, Harry Demetrios, Oscar Nicholson, Jeremy Pounder and Aidan Reay. The judges’ feedback indicated that Year 6 was just beaten for the Bronze Medal – a great result in such a competitive international field.
Year 6 Ethletes
The Year 5 team, represented by Xavier Bautovich, James Draper, Cormac Maher, Sam Peate and Leo Vigil, competed confidently and impressed the judges with some very creative responses, which earned them an Honourable Mention in the final results.
Year 5 Ethletes
Congratulations to both teams and to all students who participated in the Ethics group throughout the term.
Ms Deanne Edwards and Ms Margaret Fitzgerald
Learning Support Teachers
E: dedwards@waverley.nsw.edu.au
E: mfitzgerald@waverley.nsw.edu.au
It has been good having Summer Co-Curricular sport recommence this week. It will continue for Week 10, with all Thursday training cancelled due to the public holiday. Any further adjustments or cancellations will be communicated through the College app.
Please refer to the training schedule for Week 10 below, and further information about Term 4 sport to come before the end of term.
>>> Click here to view the Weeks 9 and 10 Training Schedule.
The Paul Kelly Cup team who won the regional championship back in March, finally competed for the state championship on Monday. This is the major event, where the best AFL schools in NSW/ACT come together, to compete for the infamous Paul Kelly Cup at Giants Stadium. The team were ecstatic to be playing on an AFL ground, and to represent Waverley College at the highest level possible for Junior School AFL in NSW.
Waverley made it all the way to the Semifinals, winning all games in our pool of teams. Knowing it wasn’t going to be easy, our students battled it out all day with nail biting results, to make it to the finals. Coming up against Lindfield East Public School in the Semifinal, it was clear that they had a height advantage. We fought it out to the very end, getting as close as three points behind, in the last few minutes. Unfortunately, time wasn’t on our side, and we couldn’t get in front to win the game.
Waverley College is extremely proud of how the team performed, and for the determination and resilience displayed. The players never gave up at any point of the day. The team finished 3rd overall, and definitely held their heads high for their efforts.
Congratulations to the following Waverley students for their selection to trial for the CIS Cricket team at The King’s School last Monday: Luca Valere, Henry Walker, Sam Ireland and Jack McCallum.
All students trialled exceptionally well, and represented Waverley College with the utmost respect and honour. Over 100 students attended, with a train-on squad of 24 selected to attend a second trial, the following day. A massive congratulations to Henry Walker who made it through the second trial, and has since been announced as a part of the CIS Squad of 24. A huge achievement, and one Waverley College is hugely proud of.
Luca, Henry, Sam and Jack (CIS Cricket trials)
CIS Cricket Squad (Waverley: Henry Walker)
Six Waverley boys represented the Clovelly Eagles at the Canberra 7s Rugby tournament in Canberra last weekend. They were undefeated premiers, winning 7 games from 7 games. Congratulations to these students for their involvement and deserved success.
Players: Kalan Fisher, Hugo Cummins, Hunter Leonidis, Henry Callen, Joseph Di Blasio and Charlie Meynell.
Clovelly Eagles 7s Tournament
Mr Jack Wachtel
Assistant Director of Co-curricular (Years 5-8)
E: jwachtel@waverley.nsw.edu.au
>>> Click here to register your son.
Home Learning will operate on Monday 19 September and Tuesday 20 September ONLY in the last week of term.
If your son is unable to attend, please email the College at nzivanovic@waverley.nsw.edu.au or call reception.
Guest Speakers from UNSW, Dr Ben Montet and Dr Kate Jackson, who specialise in astrophysics, discussed all things Space with the Waverley students during our ‘Lunchtime Talk’ on Friday, 9 September.
This presentation was literally out of this world. The Waverley students asked many intelligent questions about black holes, planets, stars, life on other planets and many, many more fascinating questions. I can confidently say that some of our students will be future scientists.
A huge thank you to Dr Montet and Dr Jackson for giving up their time to inspire the next generation of astrophysicists.
If you would like to volunteer to give a presentation, please email me directly at nzivanovic@waverley.nsw.edu.au
L-R: Quinn Brodie, Thomas Stillone, Geoffrey Gibbons, Jack McCallum, Isaac Tait, Beau Matheson-Rayner, Max Wu and Ned Wilson Absent: Ishaan Jeena
It has been a pleasure and privilege working with the Junior School debating team this season. Our last official debates were held on Tuesday, 13 September at the IPSHA Gala Day held at PLC Croydon.
This group of students worked under pressure to debate in four rounds. Their commitment to debating this season has been outstanding.
Next week, the debaters will showcase their skills at a live debate for the Junior School students. The adjudicators will be James Peate and Nicholas Zanapalis.
The aim of this event is to get students inspired to trial for debating in 2023, whether that be in Year 6 or Year 7.
Ms Natasha Zivanovic
Literacy & Innovation Teacher
E: nzivanovic@waverley.nsw.edu.au
In Year 6 this term, students are engaging in a Deep Learning Program connected to Citizenship. The program is built upon the dimension: Genuine Interest in human and environmental sustainability, whereby students incrementally reflect and gauge their movement along the progression.
One of our tasks is to create or re-create a game using old, recyclable, or repurposed materials. Students in 6 Red took the task further, by being mindful of the glues and tapes that they use, to ensure that these are also environmentally-friendly materials.
Students completed a design, which included a list of things they needed to collect to make their game. They then went about collecting those materials and just this week, began to create their games.
In Week 10, we will be playing all students’ games as a class, and providing feedback to them.
Mr Matthew Johnston
Class Teacher 6 Red
E: mjohnston@waverley.nsw.edu.au
Waverley College Aquatic Centre Swim Squad Opens Term 4
Further to my previous communications regarding school fees, the College is unfortunately receiving $27M less funding from the Government (both State and Commonwealth) over the years up until 2029. We therefore do not have a choice but to continue to address this issue.
In previous years, the College has absorbed $1.6M of reduced government funding (2021) and incurred further funding reductions of $2M (2022/2023). Further economic factors such as increases in inflation, wages and interest rates have also impacted the operations of the College, and are likely to continue to do so at least in the short term. The College has attempted to spread the recovery of part of this loss in funding and economic pressures across a number of years to lessen the impact on families. Whilst I appreciate the topic of fee increases is not the best of news, this is not something that has been orchestrated by the College.
Parents responding to the fees survey in 2021 were asked whether they were willing to pay more for the same service they currently receive. Their feedback indicated that they ranked particular attributes more highly than others. Those ranked most important were the quality of education (quality of teaching and learning, and the quality of teachers), as well as value for money. Many of the respondents considered a fee increase reasonable and affordable (still representing good value for money). However, some respondents stated an unwillingness to pay higher fees. A large number of these, and indeed most parents, indicated a deep connection to the College. They indicated that they would be resistant to leaving, but also acknowledged that, in some cases, they would need to absorb the cost themselves, or seek other finance options to pay fees.
I want to give you as much advance notice as possible that we are looking at an approximate fee increase of $438 per student for each term for 2023. We have added more options to assist with the payment of school fees including quarterly (four terms), monthly, and fortnightly payment options. For those families that need some additional time for payment, further flexible payment options are available via Edstart. Parents can apply at any time during the year, and Edstart will tailor a plan to meet your needs, based on your remaining school fee balance. Edstart is able to provide flexibility to families where their payments are set at a manageable level over the entire schooling period and beyond. This means that families are able to better manage their budget and are less likely to fall behind on their school fee payments.
>>> Click here to calculate your plan and apply online.
P: 1800 139 445
In terms of where does this fee increase place Waverley compared to other independent schools in Sydney? or for that matter across other Australian capital cities? These fee increases due to our reduction in government funding still leaves Waverley as good value when compared to other independent schools which are considerably higher. Even with fee increases in 2023 and 2024, our pricing will remain significantly lower than comparable independent schools.
The College is committed to providing a holistic education that aims to develop each student’s cognitive, spiritual, social, emotional, cultural and physical dimensions. We offer academic and vocational pathways and a broad co-curricular program across both the visual and performing arts and sports. And, we continue to seek academic improvement for all students, with the appointment of some new positions and new programs; Head of Enrichment, Head of Literacy/Reading, two academic streamed classes in Years 7 and 8, and the implementation of Writers Toolbox across the College, which aims to provide programs to improve writing outcomes.
| Year Group | Tuition Fees |
| Year 5 | $15,250 |
| Year 6 | $16,060 |
| Year 7 | $17,560 |
| Year 8 | $17,560 |
| Year 9 | $17,950 |
| Year 10 | $18,250 |
| Year 11 | $19,150 |
| Year 12 | $19,150 |
I would like to congratulate the following students who had great success in the World Scholar’s Cup for Debating last weekend:
Charlie Murphy, Ewan McDonald, Campbell Porteus, Ricardo Zanapalis, Jock Edwards, Tashi Harrison, James Peate, Thomas Jackson-Whitlock and Nick Zanapalis.
Please refer to Ms Melanie Stephens’ article for more details.
>>> Click here to view the article by Ms Melanie Stephens.
Congratulations to our Track & Field Team who placed 3rd in the 90th CAS Track & Field Championships at Homebush last night. Thank you to the parents, coaches, staff and students who braved the rain to valiantly support our Track & Field Team.
Trinity Grammar School 708
Knox Grammar 633
Waverley College 606
The Cranbrook School 531
St Aloysius College 526
Barker College 499
For R U OK? Day, students came together to create a beautiful, vibrant message to share with the community by recreating the New Radicals song ‘You Get What You Give’, a song about self-belief, optimism, staying true to yourself and going for your dreams – all values that align with the important message of R U OK?
Please click on one of the following link and share with your friends:
YouTube: https://youtu.be/Lwq5O7b8QOA
Instagram Link: https://www.instagram.com/reel/CieyFl0Ajw3/?utm_source=ig_web_copy_link
Facebook Link: https://fb.watch/fykhJ8QN4V/
I would like to congratulate the following students on their wonderful singing and participation:
And, thank you to the staff who assisted with the production: Ms Jaz Dolso, Mr Chris Balkizas, Ms Emma Laurence, Ms Keiran Kossenberg, Ms Cathy O’Sullivan, Mr Jesse Johnston, Mr Angus McPherson and Mr Bishoy Wasef.
The 24 Hour Row is now in its 5th year and was started by Avalon Beach SLSC back in 2017 after the tragic loss of one of their members to suicide, they wanted to make a difference after seeing too many lives lost to suicide. They wanted to promote an event that would let others in their community know that there are people that care, who will listen, and that you are not alone no matter what you are going through.
With 3,139 suicides in 2020 (nine people each day), the cause has touched many people. Each year the event has grown with more clubs taking part every year. Maroubra SLSC joined three years ago, and this year was one of over 50 clubs and gyms around Australia to take up the challenge to keep numerous concept II rowing ergos continuously rowing for 24 hours.
Waverley is proud that three of our students rowed for over an hour to support this cause and their club. Well done to Vin Torsellii, Campbell McCarthy and Finn McCarthy.
I would like to acknowledge Noah Nunn, Harry Neylon, Taj Gadd, Oscar Litchfield, Luca Green, Dylan Zusack, Fonley Cromer and Benjamin Cromer, who recently participated in community programs at the charity, Kids Giving Back. They were among over 500 young people who produced over 13,500 hot meals, soup, salads, fruit kebabs, breakfast boxes, snack packs, care packs and decorated tote bags, with empathetic, positive messages, which were distributed to 13 charities around Sydney.
These eight student volunteers have helped many vulnerable people, many of whom were affected by this year’s floods. Kids Giving Back deeply appreciate their service to others and the kindness they have shown through their actions.
Year 10 student Hugo Kulcsar is heading up a charity fundraiser for the month of September with the Kids Cancer Project to raise funds for kids cancer research. Hugo has survived his own extreme cancer journey and this year he has raised approximately $8,500 thus far. Tom Burke is also part of the running team raising funds, and the boys are well supported by Declan Minto, Edward Lyons, Tex Filipek, Noah Sullivan, Tom McKenna, King Manu and Hudson Hatchett. The boys will be running from Bondi to Maroubra this Saturday. We wish them all the best.
>>> Click here if you would like to support the boys and a great cause.
The next Parents’ Association meeting and AGM will take place on Tuesday, 1 November 2022, where a number of office bearers for 2023 will be elected.
I’m grateful to Jade Stapleton for her tireless work as President for the past two years. She will be stepping down from this role at the AGM. Thank you also to Treasurer, Deb Johnson and Secretary, Stephanie van Dam, who have made sterling contributions to the Parents’ Association for many years, and will also be retiring from their roles.
Consider getting involved in the Parents’ Association, a vital part of the Waverley College community. With our ‘120 Year’ celebrations happening in 2023, there will be numerous exciting events throughout next year, and your ideas and energy are very welcome.
Please submit expressions of interest for the following positions for 2023 and beyond to Ms Emma Laurence – Marketing & Development Manager elaurence@waverley.nsw.edu.au
This coming Saturday, 17 September we have internal sports trials for Basketball, Cricket, Tennis, Touch Football and Water Polo. The fixtures and Term 4 training schedule are now available via the fixtures link above or on the College website.
All year Groups are labelled by their 2023 cohort (Year 7 are now Year 8, Year 10 are now Opens). All students in these activities are expected to attend these trials unless permission has already been given for leave. Any student who fails to attend will be selected accordingly.
We will celebrate the successes and awards for the CAS Track & Field team next week, but I want to congratulate all of the athletes, staff and coaches who have done a tremendous job. I also want to thank all of the Track & Field squad parents for their wonderful support, this Athletics season.
In the upcoming holidays, the University of Wollongong and Tottenham Hotspur are offering another ‘Elite Development Program.’ The program is open to senior school students in Years 9, 10, 11 and 12, who are looking for an intensive football training program which covers more than just the on-field components of the game. Mr Robert Gold has been working closely with Waverley College this year to establish a strong relationship, and it was great to see Year 10 student James Medland be a part of this program recently.
Mr Robert Gold can also be emailed for further information: robert.gold@tottenhamhotspur.com
Best wishes to all of Year 12 in their final week of school, as well as for their HSC preparations.
Mr Steve O’Donnell
Director of Co-curricular
E: sodonnell@waverley.nsw.edu.au
Last week, the Leaders of Learning and Wellbeing across the 55 EREA Colleges and Flexible Learning Schools came together in Melbourne for the launch of the EREA Learning Statement: Implementing Liberating Practice to Co-create a Better World.
I was joined by Ms Lynsey Porter (Director of Curriculum) and Ms Rebecca Gair (Head of Quinn House) for this special occasion. It was wonderful to collaborate with our colleagues from across the network to workshop the Learning Statement and also learn about pedagogical and wellbeing initiatives underway in our other schools. It was rewarding to see how well the Waverley College Learning Framework aligns to the Learning Statement.
The EREA Learning Statement respects and honours the unique stories and celebrates the diversity of individuals and learning communities within EREA. These learning communities are inclusive of Indigenous, early learning, primary and secondary, boarding, all-boys and co-educational schools; diverse needs and flexible learning schools; inner-city, urban, rural and remote schools.
The statement has been a pivotal strategic action for EREA, giving life and language to our vision for learning. It sources its inspiration and structure from four liberating educators and practitioners: Jesus of Nazareth, Edmund Rice, Paulo Freire and Miriam-Rose Ungunmerr-Baumann.
Faithful to his tradition, Jesus of Nazareth interacted with a range of diverse learners in a variety of contexts. He challenged structures in the way in which he created learning opportunities which recognised the dignity of each person and connected with the lived experiences of each one.
Edmund Rice challenged political and social structures by providing an education which recognised the dignity, potential and wellbeing of the individual, empowering each learner to participate more fully in society.
In articulating a Pedagogy of the Oppressed, Paulo Freire proposed that dialogue, partnership and engagement, within the learning context, created an atmosphere of hope, love, humility and trust. This approach is key to individual learners being equipped to critique their own lives and, in collaboration with others, to experience mutual liberation.
Miriam-Rose Ungunmerr-Baumann addresses the importance of cultural awareness and sensitivity to ensure that Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Peoples have a voice in the sharing of knowledge. Her concept of Dadirri, a way of life emphasising deep listening, provides an ancient insight into contemporary, transformative educational practice.
EREA commits to implementing liberating practices to build a better world by ‘explicitly co-creating the learning conditions, dispositions and relationships to enable deep listening, confidence, agency and freedom.’
This dynamic intent and these actions are articulated through six practices which in themselves require our ongoing engagement, but also inform and have an impact on the other within a learning community.
Liberating Pedagogies
Within safe and flexible learning places, supported by positive relationships, the learner is free to participate in and lead experiences grounded in collaborative processes, critical thinking and creative problem solving.
Liberating Achievement
When excellence and improvement are viewed in a variety of ways and evidence of success is gathered, interpreted, and celebrated holistically, the learner is free to pursue a strengths-based learning pathway informed by high expectations and personal ambitions.
Liberating Voice and Agency
When individual voice is deeply listened to, respected, and included in decision-making processes, the learner is free to develop the confidence, resilience, optimism and agency to fully determine their learning aspirations.
Liberating Potential
When learning experiences are informed by each person’s story, strengths and passions, the learner is free to contribute to and participate in challenging, individualised learning plans that orient their goals towards personal growth.
Liberating Learning Design
Where schools design and develop innovative learning environments, whether physical and/or virtual, the learner is free to access and engage in multiple pathways and contribute to a dynamic, connected educational community.
Liberating Spiritualities
In exploring meaning and purpose in life, the learner is free to grow in their understanding of themselves, and their relatedness with God, others, Earth and creation, through experiences grounded in wonder, awe, contemplation, and action for justice and the common good.
>>> Click here to view the full document.
Ms Elizabeth Watson
Deputy Principal – Teaching and Learning
E: ewatson@waverley.nsw.edu.au
4th Payment – Only applies to current Year 6* students continuing into Year 7 in 2023; due date 14/10/2022
*As per the updated conditions of enrolment and as indicated on the College website from 2023, for all Years 5 and 7 enrolments, Term 1 tuition fees are charged in Term 4, in the year prior. This includes continuing Year 6 (2022) students into Year 7 (2023). This replaces the “continuing confirmation deposit” charged in the 3rd Payment to Year 6. Year 5 and 7 will still receive an invoice in Term 1, 2023 for any applicable sundries, excursion fees and camps. Please be advised that if this payment is not made by the due date, your son’s enrolment will be forfeited, and his place will be offered to a waitlisted candidate.
Fees paid before 4pm on the prompt payment date attract a $25.00 discount.
Any payment received after the due date will attract an administrative fee of $110.00.
Please be advised that some financial institutions need more than 48 hours to process their payments (e.g. Internet/BPay/BPoint).
Please see the last page of your account for payment method and contact details.
You are reminded that if you wish to withdraw your son from enrolment at Waverley College, you are required to give one term’s notice in writing to the Principal that your son’s enrolment will cease.
The last day you can give notice that your son’s enrolment is finishing at the end of a school term, is the first day of the same term. If not received by that date, a penalty equivalent to one term’s tuition fees will be payable. The relevant dates for 2022 are below:
Mr Bryn Gregerson
Director of Business Services
E: bgregerson@waverley.nsw.edu.au
Last week, thirteen Year 11 and Year 12 students identifying as LGBTQIA+ and allies heard from a panel of NAB employees from the NAB Pride group. All members of the panel identify as part of the LGBTQIA+ community, and had invaluable advice for our students as a result of their lived experiences. The panel answered questions on a range of topics and actively engaged in a Question and Answer session.
| How NAB earned their gold employer diversity status.
How LGBTQIA+ employees are supported in the NAB Workplace. What support networks are available to LGBTQIA+ through their journey from school to university and employment. |
Panel: Kim Lee, Max Filshie, Scott Bradford, Tegan Acton
Hosted by Anthony Lo
Experiences of improved success and confidence in the workplace, as a result of being confident to bring your whole self to work. Feeling comfortable with who you are, so you are able to enjoy strong and respectful relationships with colleagues. In the face of challenges, focusing on your own journey.
Educating our young people to know that at times, challenges in a workplace may arise, such as incorrect assumptions about the gender of your partner or spouse. Empowering the students to understand that making time for conversations, and feeling confident in addressing these issues, can result in better long-term outcomes.
Diversity in the workplace makes companies successful. Workplaces, like NAB, where employees feel comfortable to bring their whole selves to work, offer clients better service. Employees from the LGBTQIA+ community are valued employees; our community has a particular understanding of the diverse backgrounds of clients and the challenging life experiences they may face.
Our student group was inspired by each of the members of the panel for their articulate presentations, good humour and compassion. The panel—great role models for our students—shared the message, that it is the uniqueness of each individual that is their strength.
We are grateful to the members of NAB Pride for sharing their personal experiences and messages of support for our students, who will soon be starting their own journeys entering the workforce and, we too, aspire to the same goal – “Celebrate all people for who they are.”
“It was amazing to see the perspective of those workers who spoke to us from NAB. It is comforting knowing that people from all places and walks of life are able to find community and be safe within their workplaces. As a student soon to be graduating and moving into university, then the workforce, it meant a lot to have this conversation and interaction to truly feel comfortable with my journey going forward.”
Achilles Zanapalis (Year 12)
“It is so wonderful to hear such a courageous journey from a transgender man working for such a supportive company like NAB. I would just like to say a huge thanks to everyone who spoke at the event and a special thanks to Kim for his incredible story.”
Michael Richmond (Year 12)
Mr David Parnell
Head of Learning Support
E: dparnell@waverley.nsw.edu.au
Ms Tessa Prior
College Psychologist
E: tprior@waverley.nsw.edu.au
As the Commanding Officer, I base my Commander’s Intent on the aims and values of the Australian Army Cadets and the priorities of both schools. While our core values reflect those of all Australian Services, namely Service, Courage, Respect, Integrity and Excellence; it is Respect that is very dear to my heart, and indeed informs the basis of all we do in Cadets.
Over the past few weeks, all recruits have been presented with the Defence Youth Safety package and the Code of Conduct discussion, which reminds our students that respectful relationships ensure all members feel safe and accepted in this inclusive co-curricular activity.
From time to time, though, our young people need a little reminder, and so I would encourage all members of our community to read the Commander’s Intent below, and to be courageous in supporting their fellow cadets when they see or hear inappropriate behaviours. We are a diverse community, spanning year groups, cultures, genders, interests and rank appointments, and this context allows us to practise and develop the skills and character traits required of professional working relationships; skills that our cadets will take with them into their adult lives beyond Waverley College and St Catherine’s School.
Friday, 16 September is the last Cadets of the term, and I congratulate our newest recruits on their engagement with the program, and their positive response to their rank, as they take command of their sections, platoons and companies from week to week.
Cadets returns on Friday, 14 October in Term 4. The Routine Orders will continue to be distributed from week to week by our rank, informing cadets of the dress, equipment and locations of the various Company activities. Next term, we have some exciting external providers, both in house and at local venues, providing an engaging context in which to learn Cadet skills.
A reminder to parents that Cadets is a required co-curricular activity of all Year 8 Waverley boys from Term 3 until the end of AFX (Cadet Camp) in Term 1. Please schedule medical and dental appointments on alternative days. We have a duty of care for our cadets until 5:30pm each Friday. Should your son be unwell, please apply for leave through cadets@waverley.nsw.edu.au. If your son needs to be collected early from training, please apply for an Early March Out through the same email.
I wish everyone a safe and restorative school holiday break.
MAJ(AAC) Julie-Ann de Kantzow
Commanding Officer – WCCU
E: jdekantzow@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
