Following yesterday’s College assembly, we are delighted to announce the inaugural launch of our Senior Academic Scholarship, a prestigious opportunity for exceptional students entering Year 10 and Year 11, 2024.
The scholarship program is designed to recognise and support the brightest young minds in our community, fostering their academic growth and nurturing their potential. We are excited to embark on this journey with our future scholars, providing them with the resources and guidance they need to excel in their academic pursuits.
For Year 10 and Year 11, 2024
>>> Click here for Year 10 and Year 11 2024
For Year 7 and Year 10, 2025 please apply through our website by clicking the link below
https://waverley.nsw.edu.au/information/scholarships/
In this week’s assembly I shared a wonderful story of one of our 2015 graduates, Adam Hegedus. In 2016 Adam co-founded a not for profit organisation – Educating the Future – with a fellow Waverley College graduate, Alessandro Piovano.
They had a vision to empower members of impoverished communities to achieve an improved quality of life and capacity to achieve their potential. Within a year, they built their first pre-school in Timor-Leste. Now they are in plans for pre-schools 4 and 5, have raised close to half a million dollars, and engaged 200 volunteers who are young leaders in this region.
View the TED presentation below to learn more about Adam’s story.
When Adam conceived of this vision, the feedback he was given from a professional in industry was, “you are too young to create change.” Adam’s response was not to give up but, instead, to demonstrate great resilience and determination to be in a position where he built his first school just six months later.
Adam speaks about how our young people are the biggest under-utilised talent. There are students in our College community who have the potential to make a significant contribution to the world. There are students like Adam who understand this involves not just ambition but the disposition to value learning. They understand that you do not receive an education, a school is not a place where you “get” an education, an education comes from what you choose to do with the knowledge and skills that you encounter on your day-to-day journey towards adulthood.
We are certainly witnessing past and present students using their education to make significant contributions to our world – we want you to know that we see your son, and we want to celebrate his achievements with you.
This is the type of story that inspired our new Senior Academic Scholarships. In this week’s assembly, I challenged our students to reflect on the following questions:
Last week, I had the privilege of meeting with our current student leaders to ensure that they had a voice in our new initiative to launch an academic medal for students who place First in Course and First in Courses. These will be presented at the Presentation Day Ceremonies at the end of this Term.
We have designed these medals in the same rectangular shape as our current Dux of Year and Principal’s Award for Excellence medals, so students can wear them with pride on their blazer.
I also reminded students that we track their academic progress from Semester 1 to Semester 2, and we present the students who have made the most significant learning gains and demonstrated a growth mindset, early next year. These students will receive a Principal’s Award for Academic Effort.
During the assembly on the first day back, Ms Smith challenged students to set smart goals. Perhaps these goals could lead to an effort award or the start of a collection of an impressive set of medals for excelling in a field in which students find joy.
Ms Lynsey Porter
(Acting) Deputy Principal – Teaching & Learning
lporter@waverley.nsw.edu.au
The 2023 HSC Drama class should be proud of their achievements. For their efforts, the class has received four individual nominations for OnStage, the annual showcase of the best HSC Drama performances in the state! To be nominated indicates outstanding achievement in the subject.
Matthew Woods received an OnSTAGE nomination for his moving and compelling portrayal of the central character from The Curious Incident. Christopher, a young autistic boy who has recently lost his mother, sets out to solve the murder of Wellington the Dog, using his maths ability and his fascination with details. He discovers far more than he bargained for. Matthew delivered a detailed and nuanced performance, packing a huge emotional punch.
Bert Cottell brought the character of Eugene Morris Jerome to life, from Neil Simon’s famous semi-autobiographical play, Brighton Beach Memoirs. 14 year-old Eugene is trying make sense of his fracturing family while dealing with the end of puberty and his sudden urgent interest in girls. Bert has created a tremendously charming and touching coming-of-age piece.
Sam Stewart tackled the fast-paced and physically intense play, Shadowboxing, by James Gaddas. Sam created a stunning emotional portrait of a son struggling with the complex memory of his estranged father, through the prism of the brutal world of professional boxing.
Evander Hudson explored the fractured emotional landscape of a soldier’s PTSD and the profound bond between Man and companion animal in, You’re my Horse. A haunted light horseman is driven to show the final mercy to his suffering best friend. Evander’s mature and compelling performance was devastatingly powerful.
Let’s celebrate the talent and hard work of the whole HSC Drama cohort of 2023!
Mr Peter Lamb
Head of Drama
plamb@waverley.nsw.edu.au
We would like to celebrate two groups of outstanding Technology students who have gone above and beyond, and their hard work and innovative thinking have earned them deserved nomination for the SHAPE 2024 showcase.
Kit Armstrong, Ruben Stock, Mitchell Cahill, Tom Gleeson, Max Dimitrijevic, Samuel Fingleton, and Darcy Standfield are among the hardest working students at our school, and they’ve been nominated to be part of SHAPE showcase with their exceptional practical projects. These young men have harnessed their creativity, technical skills, and dedication to create projects that are very professional in their outcome.
Kit Armstrong brings innovation to the forefront with his ‘SES Dual Power Generator.’ His project not only showcases a ‘genuine need’ energy solution but also an acute understanding of the pressing environmental problems faced in Australia.
Ruben Stock has truly thought outside the box with his glueless, screwless, flatpack student desk and storage bag. His design not only speaks to the needs of students for functional yet portable workspaces, but also embodies the principles of minimalism and eco-consciousness.
Mitchell Cahill invites us into the realm of on trend design with his ‘River Entertainment Unit.’ His creation combines functionality and aesthetics, setting a new standard for entertainment units while embracing the natural beauty of river pours.
Tom Gleeson innovated the heart of his home with his ‘Kitchen Island.’ A fusion of form and function, this project redefines the focal point of every household, making it not just a cooking space but a social hub.
Max Dimitrijevic presented one of the most beautiful student desks I have had the pleasure of watching come together. His ‘Parquetry Student Desk’ stands as a testament to the art of precision and the elegance of design. It beautifully blends beauty and function, making it an inspiring workspace for future endeavours.
Samuel Fingleton takes us back in time with his ‘Rocking Chair.’ This piece brings a classic touch to modern living, and Samuel’s work reflects craftsmanship and an appreciation for timeless design.
Darcy Standfield demonstrates his flair for combining elegance and recreation with his ‘Upholstered Poker Table.’ This project was so beautifully crafted it makes professional tables look amateur. Well done Darcy, on adding sophistication to a classic game.
A huge thank you and congratulations to their teachers and mentors, Ms Kim Spicer, Mr Matthew Barr, Mr Stephen Wilmot and Mr Perry Stanbrook. The invaluable time, support, guidance and most of all patience with the boys, have enabled this to be our strongest nomination group in many years.
Mr James Spargo
Head of Technologies
jspargo@waverley.nsw.edu.au
We are fortunate to have Paul Dillon visiting Waverley College on Tuesday, 14 November to speak to our parent community about what parents need to know about teens, parties, alcohol, vapes and risk taking.
Paul Dillon has been working in the area of drug education for almost 30 years. Through his own business, Drug and Alcohol Research and Training Australia (DARTA), he has been contracted by many organisations to provide updates on current drug trends, as well as advice on alcohol and other drug issues. He continues to work with many school communities across the country to ensure they have access to quality information and best practice drug education.
Paul presented to our Years 10 and 11 students this week and talked about alcohol and risk taking, drugs and vapes and looking after your mates.
If you would like to attend the Parent Seminar, please RSVP by completing this google form by Wednesday, 8 November 2023.
Paul Dillon
Please view the newsletter from the NSW Government regarding school travel applications for 2024 here.
As part of our ongoing engagement with our parent body, we will be hosting our annual CyberSafety week commencing on 23 October. During this week we will facilitate sessions for students in their Year groups with relevant information regarding current risks and strategies on how to manage them.
In addition we will also be holding an online webinar for both Senior School parents and Junior School parents, these sessions will cover current trends and risks and provide some information on how to tackle these.
Please note the following dates for the sessions, the link for the webinar will be sent out closer to the date.
All these sessions are being facilitated by our CyberSafety partners ySafe who also provide our Parent CyberSafety Portal which can be found here: https://waverley.onlinesafetyhub.com.au/
You can find more information on ySafe at: https://www.ysafe.com.au/
I look forward to welcoming you to the Parent sessions.
Please find below some reminders about upcoming events. For all of Term 4 events, please refer to the College calendar.
Protecting children in their digital worlds is an ever-evolving task for Australian families. Now more than ever parents/carers are looking for guidance in how to manage screen time and navigate the world of games and social media.
We warmly invite our Waverley College Junior School parent community to a crucial and engaging education webinar with ySafe, Australia’s leading provider of online safety education. This practical, strategy-rich session will cover the most important points that all families need to know about online safety, covering key information about social media and gaming, screen time recommendations and step-by-step instructions on how to set up a cyber safe home for children of all ages.
If you’ve ever struggled with getting your children off their games and into bed, worried about the content of the games that they are playing, or felt concerned that your child was spending too much time in the digital world, this workshop is for you!
Click here to view the webinar page
There are still places available for Coding Camp this Term.
Class Type: Coding After-School
Day: Mondays
Dates: Monday, 23 October – Monday, 4 December 2023 (7 sessions)
Times: 3:15pm – 4:30pm
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 the Junior School / Identity & Student Formation
sghattas@waverley.nsw.edu.au
I am pleased to share the Term 4 Curriculum Overviews for Years 5 and 6. These documents are a guide to the learning that your son will be covering in class this Term.
I hope this is a useful document that will help you to support your son and engage him in conversation about his learning experiences at school.
As we move towards our final assessment and reporting period for 2023, this is a crucial Term for achieving our learning goals and finishing the year with a sense of pride and achievement. I wish you all a wonderful Term ahead.
>>> Click here to view the Year 5 Term 4 Curriculum Overview.
>>> Click here to view the Year 6 Term 4 Curriculum Overview.
Ms Charlotte Stephens
Assistant Director of Curriculum
cstephens@waverley.nsw.edu.au
The first round of Summer sport for Term 4 ran smoothly with all teams enjoying being back playing co-curricular sport again after an extended break.
Please click the button below to view the sports fixture for Round 8, Saturday, 21 October. All adjustments to times and venues have been noted in red, please take note carefully.
Click here to view the 21 October Sports Fixture
Best of luck to all teams this weekend.
In preparation for summer and winter co-curricular sport in 2024, I am seeking your son’s sport selection for the summer and winter sports that he will be choosing to trial for at the beginning of 2024 and at the end of Term 1 2024.
This will allow me to nominate the appropriate amount of teams based on how many students nominate for each sport.
Please discuss this with your son and complete the form at the end of this article by Tuesday, 24 October 2023.
Please be aware of the following prior to your son making his selection:
This will be the only opportunity to complete the form, so if any changes need to be made to your son’s selection, please email me at jwachtel@waverley.nsw.edu.au
Click here to view and complete the Form
Form due: Tuesday, 24 October 2023
Mr Jack Wachtel
Assistant Director Co-curricular Years 5-8
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.
Ms Natasha Zivanovic
Literacy & Innovation Teacher
nzivanovic@waverley.nsw.edu.au
In 5 Indigo we have been developing our skills as communicators and composers. Through Term 3 we have been looking at ways in which people communicate their passions and interests with the world. Firstly, by studying the text Mechanica by Lance Balchin and then by investigating the speech writing skills of advocates such as Greta Thunberg.
Below are some examples of our own version of Mechanica, Australianica!
In Visual Art we have been designing, drawing and creating an artwork that displays the effect climate change has on the planet. Our artworks show a comparison between a healthy planet and an unhealthy planet.
The following artworks were created by Riley Jones, Edgar Gibson, Louis Vereker, Fergus Samba-Hoare, Anthony Zanapolis, Joe Fanning and Boyd Green.
Artwork by Anthony Zanapolis
Artwork by Boyd Green
Artwork by Fergus Samba-Hoare
Artwork by Joe Fanning
Artwork by Louis Vereker
Artwork by Riley Jones
Ms Charlotte Stephens
Teacher 5 Indigo
cstephens@waverley.nsw.edu.au
Students who need a new or replacement School Opal card or travel pass for 2024 can apply now.
Click here to view information about 2024 school travel applications
Waverley College students are invited to a free information session to learn more about a Gap Year abroad in 2024 or 2025.
Gap Year Programmes include:
When: Tuesday, 24 October 2023, 6pm-7pm
Where: Cranbrook School, 5 Victoria Road, Bellevue Hill.
Numbers are limited for this evening presentation, so there is an event registration for students to secure a free place.
If students are bringing their parents/carers, please ensure they register for the correct amount of tickets.
Click here to view the Term 4 Week 2 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
This week we celebrated the presentation of the Summer Co-curricular Captains and 1sts Teams. Waverley College has a broad program that enables students to demonstrate their strengths in both cultural and sporting pursuits. All of the College’s activities are highly valued and need to be supported.
Well done to the following students on their selections and appointments:
1st IV Tennis
1st XI Cricket
1st V Basketball
1sts Water Polo
1sts Touch Football
We have our first full round this weekend with a number of teams already also completing their first round last weekend.
Our 1st XI Cricket had a great away win against Barker with Aarush Suni taking 5/25, and our 2nd XI Cricket also securing a famous last ball victory.
Best wishes to all activities this weekend.
Macquarie University and UTS in partnership with InspirationED will present free November Kickstart Seminars.
Highly experienced HSC markers and qualified counsellors will deliver two Sunday sessions:
Register now.
On Saturday, 28 October 2023, 40 lucky cadets are travelling to Holsworthy Army Base for a Live Shoot run by HQ AAC 2nd Brigade. I know all our candidates are really looking forward to this extraordinary opportunity. Earlier in the day, Randwick Barracks are holding an Open Day for the general public from 9am-12pm which would be a great adjunct to the afternoon’s activity. Please see the details below.
Over the course of this Term, all cadets will be swim tested in their DPCU cadet uniform in preparation for AFX. This is a pre-requisite to being able to participate in any water activities on camp. Please keep an eye on the Routine Orders from week to week to see when your son needs to complete this and ensure they come to school with their PE uniform and towel in a plastic bag.
The Duke of Edinburgh’s International Award continues at the College, with many students on track towards completing their Bronze, Silver and Gold Awards respectively.
Compulsory lunchtime meetings are currently being held for all students involved with the Award. Boys in Year 8 are invited to attend these meetings along with any other students who would like to express their interest.
Paramount to the Duke of Edinburgh International Award, is individual ownership and responsibility towards achieving goals in a skill, physical activity and voluntary service. The onus will be on the gentlemen to ensure they are meeting the expectations and demands associated with completing their Award, utilising the many resources available to them through the College.
Please take note of a change of venue for lunchtime meetings, with HSC exams now taking place in the Fitzgerald Room.
Mr Horry ahorry@waverley.nsw.edu.au or Ms McLarnon lmclarnon@waverley.nsw.edu.au
I wish all students a successful and enjoyable Term 4. Term 4 always moves very quickly, please ensure your son hits the ground running, and is well organised for upcoming assessments, and gets into a good study routine early. Finishing the year strongly should be his goal. We offer special prayers and wishes for our Year 12s who started their HSC examinations on Wednesday this week.
Our thoughts and prayers are particularly with the Jewish and Palestinian communities this week, along with those in Ukraine and Afghanistan (earthquake) and the many other countries where the horrors of war are being created. The images of the brutality and murders carried out by Hamas, a recognised terrorist organisation, is beyond understanding. Our community is mourning for all the lives already lost and will continue to pray for those being held in captivity. Please monitor closely your children’s social media use and be aware that they may stumble across incredibly distressing content.
There are various opinions on the Voice and the referendum, with legal experts, politicians, political parties, Indigenous Australians, Non-Indigenous Australians, and other organisations both in support and opposition. At a recent College Assembly we unpacked the main characteristics of both the ‘Yes’ and ‘No’ campaigns that Australians over the age of 18 are being asked to vote on this Saturday in the 45th Referendum.
It is good to be able to always have an understanding of different and varied perspectives before formulating your own. Being able to respect differences of opinion and perspective is an important part of living in a democracy and an important trait we want our students to be capable of. The ability to find compromise and negotiate one’s position is also an invaluable trait. It is also important to be able to stand up for what you believe in and articulate this respectfully.
As an EREA school in the Edmund Rice tradition the College’s values align with supporting the Yes campaign. EREA endorses the Uluru Statement from the Heart and sees it as an invitation to the Australian people from First Nations Australians to walk together to build a better future. We accept this invitation and urge all across Australia to do so as a critical step towards Reconciliation.
We stand in solidarity, alongside our First Nations peoples, in their calls for a Voice and acknowledgement enshrined in the Australian Constitution. We believe that our future as a nation must be based on justice and liberation and that our First Nations peoples are entitled to the democratic right to have a voice in decisions that affect them. The establishment of a First Nations Voice to Parliament enshrined in the Constitution, and the establishment of a Makarrata Commission for the purpose of truth-telling is at the centre of this justice.
We’re thrilled to present to you a virtual tour of the Waverley College Science & Innovation Centre. This innovative facility is a key component of the College’s larger masterplan for site development. The facility will provide the College with 12 state-of-the-art Science laboratories, one specialised Marine Studies lab, one Engineering laboratory, preparation rooms and storage facilities.
In the coming weeks, the Foundation will be reaching out to the Waverley Community, seeking your invaluable support to turn our project into a reality.
Your assistance is crucial to our success, and we encourage you to connect with our Foundation Officer, Mr Billy Nicolas, at bnicolas@waverley.nsw.edu.au for additional information.
I would like to thank the Staff and Students who attended the following immersions during the holidays. You can read more about our 2023 Immersion Program in the upcoming edition of Wavelength, our alumni magazine.
Staff – Ms Helen Chia, Mr Tom Kennedy, Mr Angus McPherson
Students – Sam Brader, Max McKenzie, Luca Passicot, Oscar Passicot, Marcus Kastrissios, Henry Whitehouse, Finn McCarthy, Campbell Porteus, Dominic Rutter, Mark Rede
Staff – Ms Holly Medcalf, Mr Kyle Newbury, Ms Sue Walsh
Students – Jack Anasson, James Birbas, Eden Byrd, Remy Frampton, Jack Kearney, Henry Kidd, Ben Ledingham, Angus MacDougall, Oliver Malzard, Ewan McDonald, Lachlan Miranda, Joseph Packington, Lucas Ryan, Nathaniel Smith, Charles Thompson-Owens, Joseph Vonwiller, William Whitaker
Manchester City Football Club’s global ‘Treble Trophy Tour’ made a special visit to Waverley College in Sydney on Wednesday. The historic treble-winning trophy set, comprising the Premier League trophy, FA Cup, and UEFA Champions League trophy, landed at the school’s Birrell St campus and was greeted by enthusiastic students and staff.
Over the holidays Cameron represented NSW in the U13 Boys Hockey National Champs. Cameron played 11 games and scored two goals over a week of competition with his team coming 3rd against some very strong opposition.
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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