Ms Lynsey Porter, Deputy Principal - Teaching & Learning
Ecology Symposium
Yesterday, we held our inaugural Ecology Symposium where we embarked on a collective journey of knowledge, understanding, and empowerment, guided by the wisdom of Traditional Custodians, the insights of experts, and the unwavering passion of our youth.
This gathering brought together 12 schools, 106 students, 18 educators, and 6 esteemed members of our local and national community to share a genuine interest in human and environmental sustainability.
NESA’s curriculum reform challenges our schools to, “ensure every student leaves school well-prepared for a lifetime of ongoing learning and informed and active citizenship and with knowledge, skills and attributes that will help equip them for meaningful work and satisfying careers.”
Focusing on this call of, ‘active citizenship,’ we were able to unpack what it means to have a genuine interest in human and environmental sustainability. Dr Michael Fullen’s work on the 6 global competencies defines this aspect of citizenship as having a strong understanding of environmental issues and their importance and being motivated to act in ways that create positive, lasting change.
The commitment that we witnessed from the young people yesterday certainly embodies this. Their commitment to human equity through empathy and compassion has seen them building a strong understanding of the global issue of climate change from different points of view.
They demonstrated this in the ways they listened, shared and contributed to actions to improve the human condition in small and big ways.
The symposium featured a variety of speakers and presenters, including Uncle Dean Kelly, a respected Aboriginal Elder who has a strong connection to Waverley College, Mr Geoff Lui, Senior Project Officer – Indigenous Research at James Cook University, Ms Allegra Spender, Member of Parliament for Wentworth, Mr Costa Georgiadis, Australian author, landscape architect, environmental educator and television presenter, Dr Marjorie O’Neill, NSW Parliament Member for Coogee and Mr Sam McGuinness, Executive Manager, Sustainability, Waverley Council.
We were also grateful for the Literacy Workshop delivered by our Literacy Coordinator, Ms Mary Ryan on planning and writing an advocacy email to assist the attending students to advocate for systematic change in writing an email to Corporates and Governments to do more to remove single use plastics.
Also, Ms Jenna Turnbull on her work with our Walawaani students on the Symposium flyer and the decorated plant pots containing Eastern Suburbs endangered plant species that we gifted to our visiting schools.
The most powerful voices were from the young people on the day. Particularly the students from St Patrick’s College Strathfield who presented on their learnings from their recent immersion to Fiji and the students across all the schools who read their advocacy emails to government representatives.
We also acknowledge the tremendous work of Ms Silvia Baylie and the Waverley College Students of the World Ecology (SOTWEG) group who tirelessly greeted guests, were MCs, were involved in organisation and set up and participated fully in the activities.
We left the students with the final message that, ‘you are the future of our planet. Continue to learn, to question, and to advocate for a world where human and environmental sustainability is a priority. Your passion and dedication give us hope for a brighter tomorrow.’
Ms Lynsey Porter
Deputy Principal – Teaching and Learning
lporter@waverley.nsw.edu.au
Elevate Study Skills sessions (Year 10)
All Year 10 students attended a study skills session by Elevate on Time Management, during the Year 10 Wellbeing and Careers lesson in Period 1 on Wednesday. This was a valuable session to support students with their preparation for Term 4 assessment tasks and the transition into Year 11.
The session guided 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.
A great quote from Dr Prue Salter who designs the Elevate study skills program is:
‘Part of becoming a secondary student is taking responsibility for your own learning and looking for extra things that you can do to improve your understanding of a subject.’
HSC (2025) subject tutorials
Subject specific tutorials will commence in week 4 of this term for the HSC 2025 cohort. Students are asked to register for a tutorial which can be found in the email sent by Mrs Pannia or can be found in Nurrunga.
The tutorials are a great way to connect with teachers. Topics covered during the tutorials include content revision, study skills, exam preparation and practice papers. These tutorials have proven extremely valuable and, while not compulsory, are strongly encouraged.
Year 7-10 Exams
All students and parents have been emailed a copy of the Year 7-10 Exam Schedule to be held during weeks 5 and 6. Students are encouraged to review the exam overviews and prepare for the exams by going over content as outlined by classroom teachers.
Good luck to all students.
Mr Patrick Darvill
Acting Director of Curriculum
pdarvill@waverley.nsw.edu.au
RSVP to our Book Club
Only three weeks to go to the inaugural Waverley College Book Club at Waverley College Library, open to students, parents, carers, and staff alike! In fact, all family members are welcome.
We will also be joined by guest speaker, Paul MacDonald. Owner of the award-winning ‘The Children’s Bookshop’ and winner of numerous awards such as a Quality Teacher Award, The Premier’s English Scholarship, the inaugural Maurice Saxby Award and the 2016 Lady Cutler award for services to children’s literature and literacy in Australia, Paul is a passionate proponent of the value of quality Australian books. Paul is the current CBCA president.
Please RSVP HERE to our Inaugural Book Club for parents/ carers, students and staff.
Our first novel is the captivating Before the Coffee Gets Cold by Toshikazu Kawaguchi. This heartwarming story, set in a small Tokyo café, explores themes of time travel, love, and second chances. It’s the perfect conversation starter for our first gathering!
Our Book Club is not just about reading—it’s about building community through great stories, delicious food, and meaningful conversation.
Reading together helps strengthen our critical thinking, encourages empathy, and offers a wonderful escape from the everyday hustle. According to the International Boys’ School Coalition (IBSC), family time reading at home can encourage boys to develop as readers and develop a love for books.
There is no better way to celebrate this shared reading experience than to discuss the book together with other families and friends in a beautiful literary space at the College. Whether you’re an avid reader or just looking to try something new, we welcome you to join us for this enriching experience.
Food will be provided!
Date: 20 November
Time: 6pm
Venue: Waverley College Library
Mary Ryan
Literacy Coordinator and English teacher
mryan01@waverley.nsw.edu.au
