Principal, Mr Graham Leddie
The Conclave of 133 eligible Catholic Church cardinals have identified the next pontiff to replace the late Pope Francis. Cardinal Robert Prevost, 69 years of age, will be the 267th Pope and be known as Pope Leo XIV.
Pope Leo XIV is the first American to fill the role of Pope, although he is considered as much a cardinal from Latin America because of the many years he spent as a missionary in Peru.
Born in Chicago in 1955 to parents of Spanish and Franco-Italian descent, Pope Leo XIV was ordained as a priest in 1982.
He moved to Peru three years later and returned regularly to the US to serve as a pastor. He has Peruvian nationality and is fondly remembered as a figure who worked with marginalised communities and helped build bridges.
Pope Leo XIV will be the first Augustinian Pope. There are two Augustian schools in Australia, Villanova College, Brisbane, and St Augustine’s College, Sydney.
The core values of this order are to ‘live together in harmony, being of one mind and one heart on the way to God’.
Prayer for Pope Leo XIV
Faithful God,
You guide us on the path of life
and your goodness is our constant companion.
Be with our new Shepherd, Pope Leo XIV,
in his service of the Church.
Fill him with the power of your Spirit,
the peace of your presence
and the compassion of Christ.
May he walk with you,
in wisdom and humility,
and lead us, together with all God’s people,
to embody your love for the world.
Amen.
Mother’s Day
Thank you to all Mothers, Stepmothers, Grandmothers and significant female carers who joined us for a Mother’s Day Breakfast in the senior school and a beautiful Junior School Mass at the newly restored Mary Immaculate Church today.
This Sunday, we warmly wish you all a Happy Mother’s Day.
May you feel truly appreciated for the vital role you play in your children’s lives, for your unwavering care and support, the wisdom you impart, and the many skills you so generously share.
We hope our students, especially the boys, take a moment to reflect with gratitude on all that you have done and continue to do for them. Your sacrifices, love, and guidance shape their lives in lasting ways.
The College also extends heartfelt thanks for the invaluable contribution mothers and female carers have made to Waverley over its 122-year history. Your impact on our students, our culture, and our strong sense of community is deeply appreciated.
Wishing you a joyful and well-deserved Mother’s Day.
Prayer for Mothers
We lift up all mothers today and thank them for their guidance and love. We ask you to bless them, with your own special love, today, tomorrow, and always.
Amen.
Wishing all our Mothers, Grandmothers, Aunts and Guardians a very happy Mothers’ Day!
Amen
Mary Immaculate Church – a message from Fr Bernie Thomas
Dear Graham and Waverley College Community,
I would like to thank you and the school community for making us all so welcome for the last few months in the College’s Chapel whilst Mary Immaculate Church has carried out restoration work.
Thank you to the many staff that assisted on the weekends. The church has now reopened and the reaction has been extremely positive. You are all welcome at any time.
Once again, thank you to the Waverley College Community for your support during our restoration.
Blessings and peace
Fr Bernie Thomas
Blessed Edmund Rice Feast Day – 5 May 2025
We wish a blessing upon all that have worked in Christian Brother Schools and Catholic Schools in the Edmund Rice Tradition, for the lasting legacy of schools across Australia and the world, which all began in 1802 with the establishment of the first school in Waterford, Ireland by our Founder Edmund Rice.
Please find an EREA Feast Day message from the Chair of the EREA Council, Dr Michael Slattery HERE
Notable co-curricular performances
Congratulations to James Peate (Y12) who placed second in the prestigious Lawrence Campbell Oratory competition last Friday.
This is the first time in the 90 Year history of the competition that a Waverley student has placed and James’ public speaking performance in a very tough competition was exemplary.
Congratulations to Darcy Dawson (Y10), James Wynyard (Y9) and Finley Mulligan (Y9) who competed this week at the NSWCIS diving competition at Homebush.
Darcy finished second in his division and will now compete at the NSW All Schools competition.
Congratulations to Ollie Moclair (Y12) who backed up his success at the National titles with a win in the NSW CIS.
Ollie also anchored the U18 4 x 50m Freestyle relay with Zoltahn Szabo (Y12), Lincoln Tanner (Y12) and Nick Hjorring (Y12) and finished second that also qualified these students for the NSW All schools swimming titles.
Musicals
I had the pleasure of attending St Catherine’s School’s production of The Addams Family last night, and it was a truly fantastic evening filled with outstanding performances.
A special congratulations to Oliver Isaac (Y10), who shone in one of the lead roles and also Luke Ibrahim (Y10) who was part of the chorus.
I am looking forward to watching the Waverley College production of Little Shop of Horrors next week.
There are still a few seats available for Wednesday 14 May and Thursday 15 May.
CLICK HERE TO PURCHASE YOUR TICKETS!
App Reminder
A friendly reminder that the Waverley app is our primary communication channel, so it’s essential to stay connected and informed through it.
To help streamline your experience and avoid unnecessary notifications, please ensure you’re only subscribed to the groups and tags that are relevant to you and your son.
We’re also aware of a bug that is automatically resubscribing some parents to all groups – our team is actively working with developers to resolve this issue as quickly as possible.
In the meantime, you can click the PDF here for a simple step-by-step guide on how to manage your subscriptions. Thank you for your patience and understanding.
Get Ready for Ecology Week!
Next week, Waverley College will be celebrating Ecology Week, a fantastic opportunity for all students and staff to engage in sustainability and social justice.
Organised by the Students of the World Ecology Group (SOTWEG), this year’s Ecology Week promises a range of engaging and informative activities designed to raise awareness and encourage positive environmental action within our College community and beyond.
What can you expect during Ecology Week?
- Special Presentation: Guest speaker and student-led College Assembly on various ecological topics, from biodiversity to climate change.
- Awareness Campaigns: Engaging activities throughout the week to highlight key environmental issues and suggest simple ways to make a difference.
- Hands-on Conference: Immersive day where students will learn from experts about key types of pollution and create potential solutions.
- Competitions and Challenges: Fun and interactive challenges that encourage participation and appreciation of our environment.
Why is Ecology Week important?
Ecology Week serves as a crucial reminder of our responsibility to the planet.
We encourage all members of the Waverley College community to actively participate in the Ecology Week activities. This is a chance to learn, engage, and contribute to a more sustainable Waverley and a healthier planet for all.
Get Involved!
Congratulations to Dr Panos Diamidis
Dr Diamidis will be launching his new book which he has co-authored with Prof. David Treloar called Genocide to Regeneration: the photographs of George Devine Treloar on Monday, 19 May.
The book is a culmination of years of research into the life and work of the League of Nations’ Commissioner for Refugees in northern Greece between 1922 and 1924.
The book launch will be commemorated at the Parliament House of New South Wales, 6 Macquarie Street, Sydney and may be of interest to some of our history students and their parents or carers, particularly in terms of how the book was produced.
To reserve your seat, CLICK HERE
Beanstack Reading Challenge Update: Read a book Inside or Outside
As you are probably aware, the Literacy and Library team launched our first Beanstack Reading challenge just before the holidays (our official launch date was 20 April).
The aim – to continue to build a vibrant reading community at Waverley by reaching a community goal of 100,000 minutes.
Setting a goal like this motivates students to read more for fun, which research shows makes a huge impact on student outcomes.
Students have already reached almost 20,000 words (mid-Week 2) so we are well on our way to smashing this goal.
What is Beanstack?
Beanstack uses proven gamification principles instead of quizzes to motivate students to read more.
Challenges with rewards yield double the participation of challenges without rewards!
Thanks to the Library team and the IT Department for successfully registering all staff and students on the platform.
What is the Reading Challenge?
We have set a school-wide Reading Challenge for Years 7-10 running from April 10 to June 10!
Using the Beanstack platform, students are discovering the wonders of a two-month reading adventure where they log their reading in the hope of winning prizes.
How It Works:
- Challenge began on Thursday, 10 April and ends 10 June
- All students log Term 1 holiday reading
- Read and log a minimum of 15 minutes daily
- English teachers monitor logging
- Parents are encouraged to engage with student logging on Beanstack
This challenge is the perfect opportunity to discover new worlds through books while building valuable reading habits. Remember, just 15 minutes of daily reading can significantly improve vocabulary, comprehension, and academic performance across all subjects!
Stay tuned for more details about prizes and special recognition for our most dedicated classes and individual readers. Get ready to turn those pages and let your imagination soar!
Opal Cards
Students who require a School Opal card or travel pass but have not yet applied need to apply or update their details as soon as possible.
Please note, students over 16 need to apply for a Transport Concession Entitlement Card to prove they are still in full time education. Please CLICK HERE to learn more.
Students using School Opal cards must tap on and tap off in line with the Opal terms of use .
This includes travel within the approved times between 6.30am and 7pm from Monday to Friday on school days only. Students must use their Child/Youth Opal card for any travel outside these times.
Building Stronger Family Bonds: The 7 Habits (including practical strategies) of Happy Families Insights from Dr. Justin Coulson
We all want our families to be happy. But with the demands of everyday life – juggling work, school, sport, activities, screens, and more – staying connected as a family isn’t always easy.
In his recent article, Dr Justin Coulson, leading Australian expert on parenting, shares valuable insights into fostering happiness and connection within the family unit.
Drawing from his extensive experience working with thousands of families, Dr. Coulson identifies seven powerful habits that contribute to happier and more resilient families.
These habits focus on enhancing communication, empathy, and emotional well-being, providing practical strategies for families to implement in their daily lives.
To find out more about the seven habits and how you may practically apply them with your own loved ones, you can access the article HERE.
Dr Justin Coulson holds a PhD in Psychology from the University of Wollongong, and is a leading Australian expert on parenting; sharing his insights and research as founder of Happy Families, co-host on Channel Nine’s Parental Guidance, and host of Australia’s leading parenting podcast, The Happy Families Podcast.
If you are interested in learning more, you may access a range of free resources via Dr Coulson’s website: https://happyfamilies.com.au/
Or watch his series on parenting styles and strategies on 9Now: https://www.9now.com.au/parental-guidance/season-1
If you have any concerns about your child’s mental health or wellbeing, you are welcome to contact our psychology team:
Junior School Psychologists
- Ms Dawn Young (Year 5 students) – dyoung@waverley.nsw.edu.au
- Ms Jacinta Lynch (Year 6 students) – jlynch@waverley.nsw.edu.au
Senior School Psychologists
- Ms Samantha Jessen (Lacey, Quinn, Conlon and Green House) – sjessen@waverley.nsw.edu.au
- Mr Greg Cameron (O’Connor, Brennan and Aungier House) – gcameron@waverley.nsw.edu.au
- Ms Olivia Stelling (Tevlin House) – ostelling@waverley.nsw.edu.au
Rugby
We’re excited to welcome E-LAB on board as the official sponsor of Waverley College Rugby.
Known for their tailored approach to strength and conditioning, E-LAB’s team of expert trainers is already working closely with both students and staff, offering support both on and off the field.
As part of their commitment to the College community, they’re extending exclusive rates on small group training—making personally programmed sessions more accessible than ever.
Students and staff of Waverley College are eligible for a 20% discount on fees for any group training between 2-4 people.
Robotics Fun with UNSW EMU Robotics
Are you interested in STEM and robotics? UNSW EMU Robotics, a student-led team participating in the First Lego League/First Robotics competitions, is excited to invite you to their Open Nights.
When and Where?
First Lego League Team Open Night: Monday, 19 May
First Robotics Competition Team Open Night: Wednesday, 21 May
Both events will be held at the UNSW Electrical Engineering building
What to Expect?
The UNSW team offers hands-on experience with robotics, catering to two age groups:
Junior team: Learn robotics with LEGO EV3 and SPIKE robots
Senior team: Design, build, and code a robot from scratch using materials like aluminium and timber
