Friday, 17 November is the final Home Training for our recruits for this year.
It can be difficult as we approach the Christmas holidays to remain focussed on warm Friday afternoons and to treat Cadets and the members of our Cadet Unit with courtesy and respect. Last Friday, I spoke to the recruits about this very topic, following weeks of continual disrespect towards rank and staff.
Friday afternoons are about practising and preparing for the culminating activity of the recruit year, the Annual Field Exercise (AFX). Continual disrespectful behaviour from some of our recruits on Fridays is indicative, then, of the kind of behaviour we predict on AFX. Such behaviour on a military base poses a real safety concern and is not something I will tolerate.
Cadets is a vastly different context to the rest of the school week, and provides an excellent opportunity for growth, for tolerance, and for learning how to conduct oneself in a respectful and professional way. Our core tenets reflect those of the AAC and encourage Service, Courage, Integrity and Excellence, but it is Respect which must underpin everything we do to foster an inclusive, collaborative and positive experience in Cadets. I would encourage all to be mindful of keeping their interactions respectful at all times.
It takes courage for young people to check their behaviour, to think twice before acting and speaking, and it is not something that the instant, modern world facilitates. I ask all cadets to be vigilant with their own conduct, to ensure our platoons and companies are exhibiting behaviour of which we can all be proud.
While the recruits are on their Year 8 Camp, Cadets on Friday, 24 November will be for senior cadets only.
Various activities are planned for the day, including a CPX for Senior Rank, a CPL session and an excursion to the Sydney Indoor Climbing Gym for our Pioneers, Engineers and X Platoons. Please keep an eye on your emails and the Routine Orders for more information.
Are you 17 years of age and older, or turning 17 throughout the summer holidays and like to lifeguard in the Royal National Park in a paid capacity?
The Australian Lifeguard Service is recruiting for paid lifeguard positions in the Royal National Park this coming summer holiday period.
To become a lifeguard, you will need:
* not required for application and can be trained through the ALS.
Fitness testing to become a lifeguard involves an 800m continuous swim in a pool no less than 25m, in 14 minutes or less. A mission which involves minimum 400m swim, 800m run, 400m rescue board paddle and 800m run in the surf in under 25 minutes.
On completion of all the above, you will be awarded your Gold Medallion in Advanced Lifesaving.
Does this sound like you? If so, please click the button below.
Click here to view more information about applying to be a lifeguard
Click here to view the Week 5 Careers Newsletter
Please see me if you require any further assistance or information.
Ms Kath Knowles
Senior Studies & Careers Coordinator
kknowles@waverley.nsw.edu.au
Click here to view the fixtures, training schedules and maps
Despite some weather interruptions last weekend, we had another successful round of fixtures against Knox Grammar and St Aloysius’ College. The 1sts and 2nds Basketball both had impressive wins on Friday night and one of the other highlights was Henry Walker’s outstanding 132no against Knox for the 8As Cricket. Our 1sts Water Polo were desperately unlucky after leading for most of the match to lose on the siren, 9-10.
A big congratulations also to James Finegan and Daryus Sione who played for the Gen Blue U16s Academy against Queensland in the Rugby Australia final on Saturday. These boys were part of the successful winning side and James was also awarded the coach’s award for the representative season. Well done also to Ehren Little who was part of the squad but is currently injured.
Gen Blue U16 Premiers
This Friday evening we are hosting Cranbrook in 1sts and 2nds Basketball. I want to remind any student attending that they have to be in full College Summer uniform and that high standards of behaviour are expected at all times.
From next week, Year 10 are on exams and home study. Year 10, however, are still required to meet their co-curricular requirements.
We have two more full rounds to go, including this weekend, and I know all of our students will finish their 2023 co-curricular activities strongly.
The Waverley College Cricket Supporters’ Club cordially invite you to the annual Parents and Sons match.
All ages, Years 5-12. Kids, come beat the old people!
Cool prizes!
When: Wednesday, 29 November 2023, Queens Park, from 4:15pm.
Click the button below to register.
Mr Steve O’Donnell
Director of Co-curricular
sodonnell@waverley.nsw.edu.au
Friday, 3 November 2023, the Waverley 1sts played their third CAS fixture against a very tough St Aloysius’ outfit. Starting off the game, Waverley played very well and could not be stopped, gaining a 10-point lead and looking very slick with players like James Dyson Merwe getting a few early scores.
Coming out of the early second quarter, St Aloysius’ went on a run, battling Waverley for dominance in the middle section of the game, however, Waverley was able to fight to a 15-point lead at one point.
Finally, coming into the fourth quarter, St Aloysius’ had a lead of 12 points and Waverley knew they had to come up with some big shots with players like Aren Yaghoubian and Angus Peshos obliging. Waverley started to come back and tied the score 67-67 in the final few minutes, and then hit a clutch three to bring the lead to 70-67.
As St Aloysius’ fought in the remaining minute, they just could not get any scores and Waverley walked away with a win, 71-67. Waverley’s record now improves to one win and two losses, and they hope to improve on that against local rivals Cranbrook in a big Friday night game this week.
The Waverley 2nds had a great game against St Aloysius’ and it was one of the most entertaining games so far this CAS season. The game started with players like Renato Rovacchi getting some early scores, and became a back-and-forth game from there onwards with an intimidating St Aloysius’ crowd giving their boys energy to help them to try and win the game.
In the remaining moments of the game, Waverley was losing, but Jock Edwards hit a big three to cut the lead to two, followed up by a steal, a layup, and sinking the free throw to put them up by one. Waverley went on to win the game in the dying moments. The 2nds record improves to two wins and one loss.
The Waverley 10As played a very good game against St Aloys, playing hard from the first possession and being led by great interior finishing from Francesco Scarpa. The 10As were very able to keep applying the pressure throughout the game from great scoring by Ratu-Gosho Vishanin. Nico Palacio’s lockdown defence was crucial in denying key St Aloysius’ players from scoring throughout the game. Because of a great team effort, Waverley got the win 61-21 and their record improved to 3-0.
The 9As played a great game against St Aloysius’ with the game going back and forth with numerous lead changes and all players playing very well, especially Hayden McAusland. Unfortunately, St Aloysius’ was able to pull away, winning 30-23.
The Waverley 8As played an amazing game against St Aloysius’ as both teams played hard throughout the whole game, with neither team wanting to lose. Unfortunately in the second half, St Aloysius’ was able to pull away, winning 49-36. A great performance by Darcy Kidd and Charlie Gibbins helped them stay in the game and be competitive.
Congratulations to all our teams, with each of them putting all their effort into their games. Good luck to all teams as they head off into the fourth round of the season.
Flynn Busteed (Captain of Basketball)
Sergej Jakovljevic and James Dyson-Merwe (Co-captains of 1st V)
Mr Anthony Gibbs
Convenor of Basketball
agibbs@waverley.nsw.edu.au
Dear Parents, Carers and Students
We are pleased to announce that we are seeking expressions of interest for a proposed New Zealand Cricket tour which will take place at the conclusion of school in Term 4 2024 and will then go into the first week of the December holidays.
Please note the following:
Deposit
The College requires a $1,000 deposit to guarantee your son a spot. This deposit will be followed by three equal instalments. The total amounts of each instalment will be confirmed once a final cost of the tour is determined.
The tour payment schedule will be as follows:
– $1000 deposit by Wednesday, 17 November 2023
– Equal payment by Friday, 15 March 2024
– Equal payment by Friday, 14 June 2024
– Final balancing payment by Friday, 13 September 2024.
Payment of deposit can be made via the following:
Please only use EFT as BPAY will go onto school fees instead and make sure to include your son’s full name in the transfer.
Waverley College
BSB: 062 124
ACCOUNT: 00903139
All tourists must have a valid passport. The College will share more information on this, once the tour group has been finalised.
Please note that this is a self-funded tour and will not be subsidised by the College.
This tour is a wonderful opportunity for those selected and students are encouraged to potentially seek casual work over the holiday periods to pay for the tour.
Thank you and kind regards,
Mr Sean Picone
A rain-affected weekend saw only a few teams take part in some play.
Our 1st XI are in a decent position at 4/156 after 62 overs at stumps on Day 1. Captain, Hunter Eldridge, demonstrated his maturity with an impressive 63, while Will Livissianis remained unbeaten on 40.
In the 8As, Henry Walker followed up last week’s 83 against Knox to pile on an incredible 138 from only 93 balls. Well done Henry, a first of many Waverley hundreds. We look forward to drier weather for Day 2 this coming Saturday.
In the 10As, Aidan Herlihy took 5 for 28 off 15 balls.
8As
Mr Sean Picone
Convenor of Cricket
spicone@waverley.nsw.edu.au
Year 10 boys are fast approaching their upcoming Service Week that begins on Monday, 20 November through to Friday, 24 November 2023. We have over 200 students who will be representing Waverley College and actively involved in volunteering in their local community.
Students have elected to spend their service helping out in a wide variety of community services and not-for-profit organisations, working alongside the disadvantaged, elderly, disabled, children and family support services.
Just a selection of these services include; Thread Together, Re-love, Matthew Talbot Hostel, Illowra Aged Care, Ronald Coleman Lodge, Our Big Kitchen, the Exodus Foundation, Windgap Foundation, The Salvation Army and St Vincent de Paul charity stores, St Gabriel’s School, Jarjum College and numerous preschools and primary schools in the local area and further afield across Sydney.
Students are expected to wear their school sports uniform unless otherwise stated. All students will be making their own way to their placement and will make their own way home again. Service hours each day will vary depending on each organisation and teachers are allocated to check on students throughout the week.
*If for any reason your son cannot attend, is sick or absent on any day, please inform the College and also contact his organisation that morning.
We look forward to all students enjoying a very memorable Service Week, making a contribution to their community, in addition to their own personal growth and learning.
Ms Marie-Anne Maakrun
Assistant Director of Student Formation
mmaakrun@waverley.nsw.edu.au
With the exams just around the corner, followed by Service Week right after, please note that all issued Year 10 textbooks are to be returned preceding or straight after the exams starting on Monday, 13 November 2023 in Week 6A.
We will place marked crates for book returns:
Book hire will of course be open as well, with the opening hours noted below:
Monday to Friday – 8am-4pm.
All textbooks are due back Friday, 17 November 2023, especially since their classes conclude this week.
My apologies for the tight turnaround, however we want to ensure that the students have access to their textbooks for their exam studies.
Wishing our Year 10 students the best of luck in the exams!
Thank you for all your help :)
Click here to view the fixtures, training schedules and maps
The Waverley College Cricket Supporters’ Club cordially invite you to the annual Parents and Sons match.
All ages, Years 5-12. Kids, come beat the old people!
Cool prizes!
When: Wednesday, 29 November 2023, Queens Park, from 4:15pm.
Mr Steve O’Donnell
Director of Co-curricular
sodonnell@waverley.nsw.edu.au
Matthew Talbot Hostel is a wonderful organisation helping over 35,000 Sydney men each year in providing accommodation, health, counselling and employment assistance. Waverley has had a long history of boys helping in its kiosk in Woolloomooloo, and strongly contributing towards making Christmas easier for those in need.
All boys from all Houses from Years 5-12 are encouraged to bring in toiletry and other items in order to be able to provide essential packs for the homeless and marginalised groups which the Matt Talbot Hostel provides assistance for.
This will run from Week 4 for the whole month of November. Tevlin House students have their Social Justice focus area in homelessness, and will be actively promoting the request to contribute items, and reflect the new Waverley theme of “stronger together, united as one.”
All donations can be brought into daily Mentor Groups, or to the Wellbeing Centre (Senior School), or Junior School Office.
Item list for Waverley Students to Bring in (please note these items must be new):
Toiletry Pack Items – small traveller size ideal (150 toiletry packs are distributed each fortnight to the men accessing services at MTH)
Many thanks for your support of this great appeal.
Mr John McCallum
Head of Tevlin House
jmccallum@waverley.nsw.edu.au
Please find below some reminders about upcoming events. For all of Term 4 events, please refer to the College calendar.
I wanted to share the incredible trip that our 6 Blue teacher Ms Sparks journeyed on over the last month. Ms Sparks completed the Everest Three-Passes trek in Nepal. This was no small feat and I thought her story below was worth celebrating.
Next week, I will share Charlie Barrett’s adventure (6 Gold) who also went to Nepal and completed the trek to base camp.
Namaste! On the 30th September this year, I boarded an eight-hour flight to Singapore and then a five-hour flight to Kathmandu, landing in the early hours of the morning. I was greeted with a smack of heat and a buzz of human and car traffic, despite the time. In Kathmandu the next day, I met my World Expeditions leader and my fellow trek-mates, then we got on a bus to Ramechhap. After a breakdown and a swap of buses, we arrived safely at Ramechhap after six hours. Our first night at camp ended in the early hours of the following morning, when we woke in the dark to get to the airport for our final flight (18 minutes on something not much larger than a remote-controlled plane) to Lukla.
Once in Lukla we finally started walking. And for 18 days we walked, up to eight hours every day. Each day, walking was different, but never flat. “Nepali flat” means “a little bit up, a little bit down.” The first of our three high passes was Kongma-La (elevation 5,550m) where we battled altitude and many steep climbs to get to the top. The way down was always a relief, but mostly a sense of accomplishment. The second of our high passes was the Cho-La (elevation 5,420m) which involved wearing ice cleats over our boots to trek up the glacier (imagine walking on a snow cone). Finally, the third high pass was the Renjo La (5,360m) which we conquered after staying at the beautiful Gokyo lakes.
Gokyo Lakes
Amidst the three passes, we climbed Kalla Pattar, went to Everest Base Camp, stayed in Wilderness Camps, visited the Sir Edmund Hillary School, stayed in the tiered village of Namche Bazaar, and saw incredible views of Sagamartha (Everest), Ama Dablam and so many more of the highest peaks in the world. In total we walked 170km and climbed a total elevation o 8,500m. I am so grateful I had this experience which was made possible by our World Expeditions leader, Sherpa guides, porters and cooks.
Thank you to the support of the College and community whilst I was on leave in Nepal. I have returned more aware, grateful and fulfilled and I recommend traveling to Nepal to anyone who wishes to experience the stillness and serenity of the highest points on Earth, while being surrounded by some of the happiest people in the world. – Ms Jade Sparks
Ms Gaby Bransby
Director of the Junior School
gbransby@waverley.nsw.edu.au
Dear Parents and Carers,
You are all invited to the Year 6 Graduation on Monday, 4 December to acknowledge the end of your son’s primary school years. Please see the invitation below.
As part of the Year 6 Graduation, I will be putting together a slideshow presentation. I would be very appreciative if you could send through a photo of your son’s Kindergarten photo (or their first day of Kindergarten, or similar), as this will form part of the presentation.
If you could please send a labelled photo through to liturgy@waverley.nsw.edu.au by no later than Friday Week 5. Picture format as a jpeg or png file would be preferred. Please do not send through pdf files.
Mr Steve Ghattas
Assistant Director of Junior School/Identity & Student Formation
sghattas@waverley.nsw.edu.au
Round 10 Sport (Saturday, 4 November 2023)
Please refer to the link below to access the sports fixture for Round 10 this Saturday, 4 November. All adjustments to times and venues have been noted in red, please take note carefully.
>>> Click here to view the College Website: Junior School Sports Fixtures and Season Draw.
Mr Jack Wachtel
Assistant Director of Co-curricular
jwachtel@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 – 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’s 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 contact us.
An important note to remember, 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.
A shout out to Hugh Rachel (Year 5) for going above and beyond to get the latest Learning Hub books signed by the incredible author Suzanne Leal! And let me tell you, the new release, Running With Ivan, is an absolute page-turner! It’s a thrilling read that will have you on the edge of your seat from start to finish. Don’t miss out on this fantastic book.
Monique Kalmar, actress and mum of Ashaan (Year 5), took us on a journey on why she became an actress. Monique’s insights and experiences were truly inspiring, and we are grateful for the opportunity to have learned from her.
Monique’s passion for acting and her dedication to her craft were evident in her life experiences, and the Junior School students were all captivated by the stories of her time in remote villages in developing countries.
Monique’s willingness to share her journey with us has left a lasting impression on our students, and I am confident that they have taken away valuable lessons from her talk.
Thank you for taking the time and for sharing your expertise with us.
Ms Natasha Zivanovic
Literacy & Innovation Teacher
nzivanovic@waverley.nsw.edu.au
This Term in English, our theme is “Life Is An Adventure,” a fitting topic for our last Term of Year 6 where change and adventure awaits our Year 6 students next year. We are immersing ourselves in a wide range of quality imaginative texts, through our own reading and being read to. We are exploring short stories (humorous and adventurous), particularly those of Australian authors, for example Paul Jennings and Oliver Phommavanh.
One way of presenting short stories is through stop-motion films. We have viewed some examples of stop-motion films through Literacy Shed and examined the themes, imagery, emotion and effectiveness of each short story. This Term we will create several short film projects individually and in groups. Our focus is using creative visual literacy skills to develop stop-motion films that use characters and stories to engage audiences.
See the images below of our creators at work, using their bodies to make a stop-motion film. We had to pay great attention to the shots and angles we used in order to create the illusion effect that is possible with stop-motion. For example, we could make our characters fly and flip in the air through a sequence of high-angle shots of someone lying on the ground.
6 Blue embraced the challenge and have now produced two high quality stop-motion films, with more to come.
Ms Jade Sparks
Teacher 6 Blue
jsparks@waverley.nsw.edu.au
The Orientation Day for students in Year 7, 2024 will be held on Tuesday, 7 November, 2023.
Please drop your son to the Birrell Street Basketball Courts at 8:30am. The boys will participate in a number of activities including:
Students are required to wear their PE Uniform on the day and bring the following:
The day will conclude at 2:50pm. Students will be dismissed from the Birrell Street Basketball Courts and collected by parents or carers or they can make their own way home if permission is granted.
Ms Gabby Smith
Deputy Principal – Students
gsmith@waverley.nsw.edu.au
The month of November is traditionally a time in which the Catholic community remembers those who have died. It is related to the fact that the end of November is the end of the Liturgical Year, with a new year starting the First Sunday of Advent – the four-week period of preparation before Christmas.
The Church identifies November as a time to think of the end of life, and the great hope that our earthly end is a transition into a new life in God’s heaven. This month, we remember those who have gone before us, and we look with prayer and hope to their new life in heaven.
Today is the last day of HSC ATAR exams for our Year 12s. Each day for the past four weeks, they have attended both morning and afternoon examinations for their respective subjects. We wish them all the very best as they now wait for their results and take the opportunity for a well-earned break, and perhaps a Christmas holiday job before starting their courses next year. We also wish those who have started apprenticeships all the best as they learn new practical and business skills in their respective fields.
On Tuesday night, I attended the Choral and Chamber Music Concert in the War Memorial Chapel, featuring the College Choir, Chamber Choir, Clarinet Ensemble, Brass Ensemble, Year 9 Rock Band, Chamber Music Ensemble, Guitar Ensemble, 2024 Music European Music Tour Choir and vocal and instrumental soloists.
The evening was a great success showcasing the amazing musical talent of our students to their parents, carers, staff and friends. Congratulations to everyone involved, the quality of music was very impressive.
Special thanks goes to Mr Chris Balkizas, Ms Jaz Dolso, Mrs Jazz De Witte, Mr Daniel Williams, Ms Keiran Kossenberg and our peripatetic staff.
Yesterday we celebrated ‘Back to Waverley Day,’ and welcomed our alumni who graduated 50 years or more ago. It was nice to honour our graduates from the year 1973.
We always look forward to welcoming Old Boys back to our growing campus, and this year we had 200 Old Boys from the years 1950-1973 in attendance.
Memories were shared and the gentlemen shared mass, morning tea, assembly and lunch together. We especially thank Dr Michael Hession, (Class of 1973) College Captain, for his moving address to the College during Assembly.
We also had the pleasure of seeing our Pasifika Group perform the Sasa (Samoa) and Haka (New Zealand) on stage. The performance was enjoyed by past and present students, as well as our invited Pasifika families and extended families.
The 2024 Tour Jazz Ensemble delivered their delightful debut performance as a group, featuring the musical piece ‘Stolen Moments,’ originally composed by Oliver Nelson, arranged by Mike Kamuf, and conducted by Ms Jazz de Witte.
Ken Brown (Class of 1950) showing his photo taken when he won the NSW Allschools Competition 880 yards. Students were cheering and giving him hi5 as he walked out of the Assembly.
Friday, 10 November 2023 will be the last day of class for Year 10 students.
On behalf of the College, I would like to thank all parents/carers who have been involved in the work carried out by the Parents’ Association throughout 2023. Particular thanks to the tireless work of the Year level representatives, past parents representatives, clothing pool representatives, tuckshop volunteers, sport group committees and the executive, for all of their organisation, support and efforts in organising events and communicating across our community.
Thank you to the 2023 Executive:
Acting President – Jade Stapleton/Louise Lakomy
Vice President – Lamya Sadi
Vice President – Daniella Strba
Secretary – Carl Lee
Treasurer – Peter Sertori.
Special thanks to Jade, Daniella and Lamya who are all stepping down from the executive after significant stints in their respective roles. We appreciate their service and dedication to assisting the Waverley College Community.
Jade Stapleton – Acting President
Daniella Strbac – Vice President
Lamya Sadi – Vice President.
From the recent November AGM, I would like to congratulate the following parents/carers on their elections to the Parents’ Association Executive for 2023-24, and I look forward to working with them in the new year.
President – Louise Lakomy
Vice President – Rozy Dorizas
Vice President – Mande Illec
Secretary – Carl Lee
Treasurer – Peter Sertori.
Year 5 – to be determined
Year 6 – Daniella Strbac, Nicole Perrin Draper
Year 7 – Kim Gould
Year 8 – Daniella Strbac, Anne Clerc-Johnson
Year 9 – Claire McGaffney, Eileen Trinca
Year 10 – Camille Owen, Teresa Fearn
Year 11 – Jade Stapleton
Year 12 – Tina Lee, Carl Lee
Clothing Pool – Kirsten Hott, Camille Owen.
>>> Click here to view the Parents’ Association page.
We have arranged a pre-camp zoom meeting next Monday, 6 November at 6:30pm for parents/carers and students where all necessary information and requirements leading up to the camp will be discussed.
Somerset staff will lead the meeting that will hopefully answer all queries and questions.
We will also be recording the meeting to send afterwards.
The zoom link for the meeting is:
https://us02web.zoom.us/j/
Meeting ID: 610 919 3815
Passcode: wav321
Mr Steve O’Donnell
Director of Co-curricular
sodonnell@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.
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