Deputy Principal - Students, Ms Gabby Smith
Farewell to Year 12
Saying goodbye to the Class of 2023’s Year 12 students will be our main focus next week as it marks their last week with us. We eagerly anticipate the opportunity to reflect on their journey before they take a well-deserved break, preparing for the HSC or pursuing their future endeavours, particularly for the HSC Vocational students.
Congratulations on reaching the end of Year 12 and your secondary school life. You have come through a unique couple of years, displaying incredible optimism and resilience.
The events for next week;
- Tuesday, 12 September 2023 – Last Day of Classes for Year 12, Periods 1-4
- Waverley Prefects Vs St Clare’s Prefects Netball Game, 1:30pm, Gym
- All Year 12 welcome to attend
- Wednesday, 13 September 2o23 – Sports Uniform
- OBU Breakfast, 8:45am – 9:30am in Braidwood
- Year 12 Reflection Day
- Thursday, 14 September 2023 – Full School Uniform
- Brent Sanders Speaker, Year 12, 8:45am-10:45am, Gym
- BBQ Lunch, Year 12, 11am – 12:30pm – Level 5 Rooftop
- CAS Track & Field Championships Homebush – Supporters’ Duty for Year 12, 1pm – 8pm
- Friday, 15 September 2023 – Assembly, Mass and Graduation – Full School Uniform (including dinner)
- Year 12 Graduation Mass, 10am – 11:15am at Mary Immaculate Church, Waverley
- Brunch, 11:30am – 12:30pm on Birrell Street, Basketball Courts
- Year 12 Graduation Assembly, 12:30pm – 2:30pm in the Centenary Quad. Year 12 dismissed from school after the Graduation Assembly.
- Year 12 Valedictory Dinner, 6pm, ATC Randwick. Pre-dinner drinks from 5pm.
Year 12 Final Exams
As Year 12 students approach their final exams, they grapple with a multitude of stressors, including the pressure to excel, the fear of failure, an overwhelming academic workload, and the uncertainty that looms on the horizon.
In Daniel Merza’s latest article Coping with Exam Stress – A Parent’s Guide, he shares 10 quick tips for parents/carers to help their child manage stress heading into their final exams, avoid distress, and finish Year 12 with tenacity, optimism and empowerment.
Click here to view the 10 tips for parents/carers
Year 12 Important Notice
Year 12 have been reminded that ‘muck up day’ activities are not permitted as they conclude their journey at Waverley College. If students are found to be attending any parks or public spaces, Graduation events will be cancelled for individuals and groups of students.
Students have also been asked to ensure their uniform and appearance is in line with College expectations.
Students need to adhere to the haircut policy in particular, or they will not be called out and recognised at the Graduation Mass or Assembly. I have included our policy below:
◆ Hair should be neatly cut, combed and maintained. Hair should be shorter than the collar.
◆ Long hair or outlandish styles are not acceptable.
◆ Undercut styles, dramatic layering, tracks, mohawks, mullets, overuse of product, tinting, colouring, dreadlocks, strands of hair, buns, braids or lines are not acceptable.
◆ A number 2 cut is the shortest acceptable cut.
Ms Gabby Smith
Deputy Principal – Students
gsmith@waverley.nsw.edu.au
SchoolTV: Special Report – R U OK? Day
Understanding the growing challenges related to mental health among young people is an important consideration. Anxiety, depression and self-harm – are all causes for concern. Factors like academic pressure, social media, family dynamics, and societal expectations, are contributing to these issues. It’s therefore crucial for parents and caregivers to take action early, remove the stigma around discussing mental health, and offer accessible support to address these issues and the wellbeing of their children.
R U OK? contributes to suicide prevention year round by urging people to invest time in personal relationships and empowering informal support networks to identify signs of distress. We urge all families to take part, emphasising the value of genuine human relationships and reminding everyone to ask the important question, “Are you OK?”
Engaging in R U OK?Day activities goes beyond the classroom; it’s a commitment to our students’ overall development. By talking openly about mental health, schools create safe spaces where students feel understood, valued, and supported. As parents and caregivers, you can contribute by fostering open conversations, normalising feelings and breaking down mental health stigmas. Participating in R U OK?Day promotes compassion and shows our dedication to the wellbeing of the entire school community, reaffirming that together, we can truly make a difference.
This Special Report provides guidance on how to talk to your child about mental health and engage in meaningful discussions. We hope you take a moment to reflect on the information offered, and as always, we welcome your feedback. If this raises any concerns for you, a loved one or the wellbeing of your child, please consider seeking medical or professional help.
Click here to view the latest Special Report from SchoolTV
Special Report: courtesy SchoolTV.
Emotions
Everyone experiences low days from time to time. For some of us, it might even feel like we have a dark cloud over our head that never seems to leave. We all differ in how often the low days hang around and how low we feel, but most of us share one thing – we might find it difficult to express what is really going on. We might pretend like everything is fine, dismiss our feelings, or distract ourselves with lots of tasks just to find some sort of relief. Whilst this can be helpful in the short term, emotional masking can lead to exhaustion and a further decline in overall wellbeing. So, what can we do about this if we are feeling this way?
Acknowledge Feelings
Firstly, it is helpful to acknowledge that feeling low is a normal part of life. While it can feel very difficult, uncomfortable emotions are not something that should be avoided. Our emotions come and go, just as the weather does, and can tell us a myriad of information about our inner experience. By saying “I feel sad/upset/worried” we are acknowledging that we may be feeling a little off balance, without trying to pretend that we are okay, or even minimise what we experience. We are simply letting the feeling have space without trying to change it or get rid of it. This is often the first step in learning to tap into our emotional world.
Body Scan
Our emotions are often felt in our bodies, whether that be noticing a tightness in the chest if we are anxious, or a heavy feeling in our stomachs when we feel guilty or sad. The more we bring our awareness to these sensations, we can start to recognise the things in our day that may activate these feelings. Self-awareness is a vital part of developing our emotional intelligence. Mindful meditation apps such as ‘Smiling Mind’ or ‘Insight Timer’ can help us to practice how to notice these feelings in our bodies, without judgement.
Connect with Others
Surrounding yourself with a quality friend or family member can be another helpful step in expressing what might be going on. For some of us, this concept may be very foreign and may even cause more feelings of anxiety or dread – this too is okay. If talking about your feelings with someone seems like a stretch, writing your feelings down or even talking to a pet about how you feel, can be significantly helpful. Expressing what is going on inside, out loud, can often be a relief when we ‘name it to tame it’.
Image reference: he’s-extraordinary.com
Psychology Services at Waverley College
If you feel like you would like to chat to someone about your emotions at school, Psychology services are available for students at Waverley College. Feel free to reach out to the Wellbeing Team or your Head of House for further information.
Psychology Team Contacts
Junior School Psychologists
- Ms Dawn Young (Year 5 students)
dyoung@waverley.nsw.edu.au - Ms Alexsandra McCredie (Year 6 students)
amccredie@waverley.nsw.edu.au
Senior School Psychologists
- Ms Samantha Jessen (Lacey, Quinn, Conlon and Green House students)
sjessen@waverley.nsw.edu.au - Mr Greg Cameron (O’Connor, Brennan and Aungier House students)
gcameron@waverley.nsw.edu.au - Ms Olivia Stelling (Tevlin House students)
ostelling@waverley.nsw.edu.au
Ms Samantha Jessen
Psychologist
sjessen@waverley.nsw.edu.au
