Graham Leddie, Head of College
From the Head of College, Graham Leddie
Congratulations to all of the students who have been recognised with awards at our Presentation Nights this week, keep up the good work. You will find a list of all of our senior school award winners at the end of this article and our Junior School award winners are listed HERE.
While every student cannot receive an award, every student will have achievements of which they should be proud. Every one of us should also be thinking about new goals to achieve next year. As individuals we should each be striving to be better in everything we do; better learners, better carers for others, better friends and better builders of our Waverley College community.
Waverley continually strives to be an excellent school and we are seeking school improvement in the following ways:
- quality learning and teaching
- developing of a culture of high expectations
- development of positive relationships based on Gospel values
- a vertical wellbeing program that supports each individual
- social justice programs that challenge us to make a difference
- a house system that connects us and builds spirit
- a campus that lends itself to best-practice, innovative teaching and learning.
Thank you for your support of the College this year. It has been a great year and we have developed a strong platform from which to build an even stronger Waverley College community.
I wish each one of you a joyous Christmas and a relaxing holiday break and I look forward to working with you in 2018.
The Year in Review
It has been a significant year at the College with some big changes and a range of important initiatives underway. Following are some highlight achievements from 2017 and a few things to for our community to look forward to in 2018:
Learning and Teaching
- Appointment of a new Deputy Head of College, Mr Patrick Brennan
- Appointment of a new Director of Learning and Teaching, Mrs Elizabeth Watson
- A focus on literacy across the curriculum supported by the appointment of a Literacy Coordinator, Ms Cassie Hill and the production of new literacy aids for the classroom
- Introduction of STEM as part of the TAS Faculty
- Some notable student achievements:
- Dylan Quirk’s major artwork chosen for ARTEXPRESS 2018
- Adam Hutchinson nominated for ARTEXPRESS
- John Soden nominated for HSC Design and Technology Shape Award
- OnStage nominations for HSC Drama for Hal Cumpston’s individual performance ‘Shadow Boxing’ and for the group performance of Patrick Cocks, Julian Imvriotis, Will Johnston and Ewan Wall, ‘Reality Check’
- Mark Rynberg of Year 12 was awarded the highly prestigious Australian Defence Force Academy Education Award
- The College hosted the Worldskills Cookery Competition and participated in the Worldskills Construction Competition with both Dominic Augoustis (cooking) and Maximo Coleman (construction) making it to the state level of their respective competitions
- Cameron Walker was selected for the National Youth Science Forum University of Singapore Summer Science Camp
- Lachlan Muir finished in the top 2% of the Australasian Maths Olympiad
- Ryan von der Heyden Premiers Reading Challenge Medallion (Outstanding Achievement for 7 consecutive years)
WorldSkills Cookery Competition, August 2017
Wellbeing
- Introduction of the new House System and appointment of a Director of Student Wellbeing – Mr Matthew Porter – and the appointment of a new team of Heads of House
- Opening of the new Student Wellbeing Centre
- Opening of a new Health Centre and appointment of a college nurse, Ms Adele Cutbush
- Opening up of College reception, Head and Deputy Head offices
- Introduction of a wellbeing focussed Student/Mentor/Parent Night in Term 1
- A strong focus on positive relationships and connection for students via a structured mentor group curriculum and house activities
- A boost to peer leadership and a strengthened student voice through establishing a larger and more active prefect and SRC body
- Support for activism in the community through participation in International Women’s Day, RUOK? Day, Reconciliation Week and White Ribbon Day
Wellbeing Centre
Culture
- The Waterford Concert Band awarded Gold at the NSW School Band Festival
- Remi Defina-Sperando, Flynn Schultz, Damian Lin – all played with the Sydney Youth Orchestra
- Stephen Croft represent CAS in the Lawrence Campbell Oratory Competition
- Angus Mullins CAS Debating representative
- Our 21st year Wakakirri was highly commended by the judges
- Three students awarded in the Woollahra Photography and Film Prize 2017: 1st Place Secondary Category: Dylan Quirk, “Nature’s Embodiment” Photomedia; 1st Place Narrative Category: Bradley Marzol, “The Fading Past” Photomedia; Highly Commended (3rd) James Campbell “The Medicine of Salt” Documentary Film
- Chess has taken off in the library at lunchtimes and we are planning the installation of a giant chess set
Wakakirri 2017
Spirituality / Faith / Social Justice
- Our student leadership team chose ‘Strength through diversity’ as their motto for 2017
- A Social Justice classroom was allocated as an ‘Advocacy Centre’ and new advocacy programs were run for Years 7 and 8 and the Student Representative Council
- Expansion of Immersions to include the Red Earth Immersion to the Northern Territory and Central Australia attended by 44 students – Timor Leste and Wallgatt also continued
- The Archbishop of Sydney Award for Student Excellence 2017 awarded to Angus Mullins in September.
- Ned Wieland taking on the currents of the English channel and raising significant funds for RUOK
- In March, ten Year 10 students attended Monte Sant’ Angelo Mercy College, North Sydney, for the CLRI (NSW) Social Justice Day on Human Trafficking, Child Labour and Fair Trade
- Fundraising included a mufti day for Caritas work in Sudan and Yemen, and a Lenten Appeal for the Ruben school and medical centre in Nairobi, CanTeen and Matthew Talbot Hostel.
- The Waterford campus Walkathon, raising $50,000 for seven charities
- The College has partnered with the John Moriarty Foundation to assist Indigenous students from the remote Northern Territory, near the gulf country, to have access here at Waverley College to wider educational opportunities
Archbishop Anthony Fisher presenting Angus Mullins with his award
Cocurricular and extra-curricular
- Appointment of a new Director of Cocurricular, Mr Stephen O’Donnell
- Appointment of a new Assistant Director of Cocurricular, Ms Stephanie Floyd
- The Duke of Edinburgh program was introduced for Year 9 and 10 students with an overwhelming uptake by students
- Some notable student achievements:
- Ned Weiland confirmed his record as the Youngest Australian Male to swim the English Channel.
- Noah Havard – 3rd in World Championship Ocean Racing
- Jason Sangha – Prime Minister’s Cricket XI – debut first class hundred against England, second youngest behind Sachin Tendulkar
- Daniel Gandy – Gold Australian U19 Team pursuit cycling
- Mac Jenkins captaining Australian U16 Cricket team
- Liam Flanagan 4th in the Australian Bodyboarder Tour
- Reece Cohen – World Supernationals Superkarts
- Premierships in 1sts Football, Water Polo and Rugby
- Rugby Prep 1st, Prep 2nd and Prep 3rd teams complete their seasons undefeated
- Ben Donaldson, Luca Moretti, Marco Bell and Finn Wright selected for the Australian Schoolboys Rugby side
- Ben Donaldson, Luca Moretti, Brooklyn Hardaker, Marco Bell, Liam Cornish, Finn Wright, Will Johnston and Harry Whiteman selected and playing for NSW Rugby
- Joel Ellis and Will McCormick playing for the Combined States Rugby team
- Marco Bell, Liam Cornish, Ben Donaldson, Brooklyn Hardaker and Finn Wright selected for NSW Waratahs Under 20s
- Ben Donaldson selected for Junior Wallabies;
- Lewis Thompson competing for Australian Schools Athletics and winning gold at the Oceania Games in Fiji in the men’s U18 Discus and finishing 7th in U18 Shot Put
- Corey Spiteri winning gold as part of the NSW Team at the Cadets Foils Fencing Championships
- Nick Blakey playing for the Allies AFL team
- Nikita Strbac representing Australia at the World Junior Water Polo titles
- Charles Negus representing Australia at the World Junior Water Polo titles
Ned Wieland addressing assembly, August 2017
Community
- First Blue and Gold Ball in 40 years with close to 700 in attendance. $73,000 was raised on the night and we hope to raise more next year as we launch our new Masterplan mid-year
- Successful merging of Parent & Friends Association and Mother’s Club to form the Waverley College Parent Association
- Introduction of Year Parent Representatives results in a number of opportunities for parents/carers to get to know each other at dinners, coffee, sporting events
- Opportunity for parents to join group contact lists
- Three major parent events including: Introduction to the new Wellbeing Program; Adolescent Psychologist, Andrew Fuller; and a Safe Partying with Sonya Karras
- The staff and students that performed CPR and saved lives this year – Mr Anthony Evans, Mr Ben Medley, Mr Matt Ryan and Year 12 student Daniel Morris
Blue and Gold Ball 2017
New directions for 2018 and beyond
- Appointment of an Academic Enrichment Coordinator (Senior School) to commence in Term 1, 2018 – Ms Stephanie Boyce
- Commencement of research and development for a new Strategic Plan to replace the college’s existing ‘Strategic Plan 2015-2018’
- Development of a new architectural masterplan for the school
- Language department concentrating on Spanish as our language on offer + Chinese (mandarin) offered as a cocurricular program in Year 5,6 & 7
- Introduction of a Coding program for Year 6 students, commencing in Term 2
- Introduction of a STEM Club co-curricular option for Year 7-12 students
- Promethian boards to be removed and replaced with interactive projectors throughout the school; introduction of whiteboard painted walls in some classrooms
- Establishment of a specialised, high tech video editing suite
- Introduction of ‘Family Zone’ internet management tool for parents, as part of the iLearn package
- Capital works projects over the holidays will include; greening of the Centenary Quadrangle, updating of junior school cricket nets, an additional change room for the aquatic centre, new doors on the Junior School language room and installation of Aquafil Pulse drinking water stations around the campus.
2017 Presentation Night Award Winners
Year 7 Academic Awards 2017 |
|
| Subject | Name |
| Head of College Award for Academic Excellence | Maddox Grebert |
| Head of College Award for Academic Excellence | Brandon Reid |
| Drama | Jake Weinstein |
| English | Nathan Barns |
| Geography | Jake Weinstein |
| Mathematics | Sam Hodgson |
| Music | Harrison Gippel |
| PDH&PE | William Dodd |
| Fr Kevin Nolan & Ms Merle Frances Nolan Award for Religion | Sam Hodgson |
| Science | Carl Waterson |
| Technology | Daniel McSweeny |
| Head of College Award for Sport | Dane Towns |
| Steve Frangos Memorial Prize for Musicianship | Harrison Gippel |
| Nicholas Farrow Memorial Prize for the Spirit of Year Seven | Cade Lacey |
| 3rd in Academic Results | Daniel McSweeny |
| 2nd in Academic Results | Carl Waterson |
| Dux of Year 7 | Jake Weinstein |
Year 8 Academic Awards 2017 |
|
| Subject | Name |
| Recognition Award for completing Year 9 Mathematics | William Gibson |
| English | William Gibson |
| French | Hayden Wild |
| History | Giulian D’Ettorre |
| History | William Gibson |
| Mathematics | Hayden Wild |
| Mathematics | Leon Palacio |
| PDH&PE | Giulian D’Ettorre |
| Fr Kevin Nolan & Ms Merle Frances Nolan Award for Religion | Giulian D’Ettorre |
| Science | Hayden Wild |
| Spanish | Alessio Imhoff |
| Technology | Harjot Mand |
| Visual Arts | Max Valentine |
| Head of College Award for Sport | Ronan Schocher |
| Prize for Musicianship | Harrison Palmer |
| Martin Robinson Memorial Award for Service & Integrity | Patrick Hoggett |
| 3rd in Academic Results | Dante Pontes-Cox |
| 2nd in Academic Results | Hayden Wild |
| Dux of Year 8 | Giulian D’Ettorre |
Year 9 Academic Awards 2017 |
|
| Subject | Name |
| Head of College Award for Academic Excellence | Ryuji Moonen-Narita |
| Applied Philosophy | Joshua Cornelius |
| Commerce | Isaiah Powell |
| Design & Technology | Jasper Stern |
| Drama | Reid McNamara |
| English | Ryan Abbott |
| Food Technology | Nicholas Poulos |
| French | Sebastien Richardson |
| Geography | Benjamin Elder |
| Industrial Technology Multimedia | Daniel Pomes |
| Industrial Technology Wood | Jake Torsellini |
| Information Software Technology | Lachlan Foley |
| Stem | Benjamin Elder |
| Mathematics Level 3 | Eliot Vincent Hull |
| Mathematics Level 2 | Finn Filipek |
| Mathematics Level 2 | Gabriel Kidston |
| Mathematics Level 1 | Alexander Gross |
| Music | Eliot Vincent Hull |
| Physical & Sport Studies | Ryan Abbott |
| PDH&PE | Reid McNamara |
| Photography | Jim Waterhouse |
| Fr Kevin Nolan & Ms Merle Frances Nolan Award for Religion | James McMahon |
| Science | Benjamin Elder |
| Spanish | Charles Kent |
| Visual Arts | Alex Talbot |
| Work Education | Massimo Bucci |
| Head of College Award for Sport | Christian Smirnotis |
| Ned Silva Award for Most Improved Effort in Year Nine | Luke Fadel |
| Prize for Musicianship | Samuel Tsaousis |
| 3rd in Academic Results | Reid McNamara |
| 2nd in Academic Results | Ryan Abbott |
| Dux of Year 9 | Benjamin Elder |
Year 10 Academic Awards 2017 |
|
| Subject | Name |
| Applied Philosophy | Eddie Kranz |
| Commerce | Marco Emery |
| Commerce | Rocco Evans |
| Computing Studies | Finn McCloskey |
| Design & Technology | Luke Harris |
| Drama | Ethan Vella |
| English | Luke Harris |
| Food Technology | Flynn Gordon |
| French | Luke Harris |
| History | Rocco Evans |
| History | Brad Marzol |
| Industrial Technology Wood | Cameron Dawson |
| Mathematics Accelerated | Luke Harris |
| Mathematics Level 3 | Remi Defina-Sperando |
| Mathematics Level 2 | Connor Phibbs |
| Mathematics Level 1 | Max Markert |
| Music | Remi Defina-Sperando |
| PDH&PE | Lachlan Manastirovski |
| Photography | Brad Marzol |
| Physical & Sport Studies | Harry Whitaker |
| Fr Kevin Nolan & Ms Merle Frances Nolan Award for Religion | Marco Emery |
| Fr Kevin Nolan & Ms Merle Frances Nolan Award for Religion | Nat Yarrow |
| Spanish | Billy De Luca |
| Science | Luke Harris |
| Stem | Rocco Evans |
| Visual Arts | Flynn Gordon |
| Work Education | Ryan Smith |
| Prize for Musicianship | Remi Defina-Sperando |
| Head of College Award for Sport | Mac Jenkins |
| Sydney University Year 10 Academic Excellence Award | Luke Harris |
| Anthony Tarlinton Memorial Award for Outstanding Achievements in Study & College Activities | William Davison |
| 3rd in Academic Results | Lachlan Manastirovski |
| 2nd in Academic Results | Rocco Evans |
| Dux of Year 10 | Luke Harris |
Year 11 Major Prizes 2017 |
|
| Subject | Name |
| Ancient History | Allan Cannes |
| Biology | Oliver Read |
| Business Studies | Louis Cosgrove |
| Catholic Studies | Riley Singles-Fotopoulos |
| Chemistry | Oliver Small |
| Construction | Tadgh Murphy |
| Design & Technology | Benjamin Heal |
| Drama | Leonardo Bosi |
| UNSW Australia Prize for Economics | Patrick Kossenberg |
| English Studies | Tadgh Murphy |
| Arthur & Mollie Burke Memorial Prize for English Advanced | Allan Cannes |
| English Standard | Benjamin Heal |
| Extension English | Allan Cannes |
| Entertainment | Ryan Bakels |
| Entertainment | Luca Galeazzi |
| Food Technology | Luca Galeazzi |
| Geography | Oliver Read |
| Hospitality | Dominic Augoustis |
| Industrial Technology | Anthony Pomes |
| Information Processes & Technology | Damian Lin |
| Legal Studies | Allan Cannes |
| Marine Studies | Baxby Ward-Gyton |
| Mathematics General Equal First | Jake Davidson |
| Mathematics General Equal First | Nicholas Kalitsis |
| Mathematics General Equal First | Jasper Wilde |
| Mathematics | Roby Guo |
| Mathematics Accelerated | Oliver Read |
| Mathematics Extension | Roby Guo |
| Modern History | Allan Cannes |
| Music Course I | Dominic Augoustis |
| Music Course II | Damian Lin |
| PDH&PE | Lewis Thompson |
| Photography | Hunter Smith |
| Physics | Oliver Small |
| Senior Science | Noah Havard |
| Spanish Beginners | Daniel Brown |
| Spanish Continuers | Axel Montesinos |
| Sport Life & Recreation | Tadgh Murphy |
| Fr Kevin Nolan & Ms Merle Frances Nolan Award for Studies of Religion I | Oliver Read |
| Fr Kevin Nolan & Ms Merle Frances Nolan Award for Studies of Religion II | Allan Cannes |
| Fr Kevin Nolan & Ms Merle Frances Nolan Award for Studies of Religion II | Lewis Thompson |
| Visual Arts | Mark Goncalves |
| Ryan Shiels Memorial Prize for Musicianship | Simon Finnegan |
| Greg Carmody Memorial Prize for Best All Round Sportsman | Jack Hardwicke-Owen |
| 3rd in Academic Results | Andre Vumbaca |
| 2nd in Academic Results | Oliver Read |
| Dux of Year 11 | Allan Cannes |
