Principal, Mr Graham Leddie
A Fantastic Week 6
We had a productive Week 6 of the term, beginning with a combined Mass with St Vincent’s College and Waverley College students in the College Chapel on Tuesday morning with Father Bernie. It was a pleasure to host St Vincent’s College students in a combined Mass.
Our 2026 enrolment interviews have commenced for Year 7 and will continue over the coming weeks with many Year 5s attending the Senior campus. If there are any sibling enrolments who have forgotten to place an application, please contact our Registrar immediately as all places will be confirmed shortly.
Our combined Cadet Unit with St Catherine’s School participated in the CAS Cadet Drill Competition at Barker College on Wednesday. They participated with great enthusiasm and skill, showcasing their dedication and hard work. They performed admirably and secured 2nd place in the competition. It is our 3rd year in a row coming second and the students and staff should be congratulated on their high performance and consistency. Of course they are eager to break this record soon.
Years 7-10 examinations conclude at the end of the week and teachers are busy accessing and marking the exams. Feedback from assessment forms an integral part of student development and improvement. Understanding clearly, what worked and what needs greater attention provides good insight for students.
Unfortunately, we had to cancel the Athletics Carnival due to the severe weather warnings around Sydney. We will look to try and reschedule it to another day, but this will not be easy due to the busyness of the calendar. Mr Stephen O’Donnell (Director of Co-curricular) will update the community once we have a decision on this.
European Music Tour Concert
I had the great pleasure of attending the European Music Tour Concert last night in the College’s Performing Arts Centre along with parents, carers, staff and friends. The boys ranging from Years 7-12 showcased their wonderful talents that they had been developing over many years, but particularly over the last nine months in preparation for their upcoming tour of Europe. The quality and range of the music performances was outstanding and they are a very impressive group of talented musicians.
Congratulations to everyone involved and special thanks goes to the Waverley College European Tour Staff: Mr Chris Balkizas, Ms Jaz Dolso, Mrs Jazz de Witte, Ms Lynsey Porter, Mr Alexander Lee and Mr Thomas Kennedy. Thank you also to Mr Daniel Williams, Mrs Keiran Kossenberg, Mr Stephen O’Donnell, our peripatetic staff, Music Supporters’ Club, Mr Bishoy Wasef, our Maintenance Department, Ms Catherine Sharp and our very generous sponsors whose donation of raffle prizes made the night so much fun!
World Environment Day – 5 June
World Environment Day is celebrated each year on 5 June and is the United Nations day for encouraging worldwide awareness and action to protect our environment. The theme for 2024 is ‘Our land, Our Future’, focusing on land restoration, desertification and drought resilience. You can learn more about this important initiative here and here.
Waverley Council Reference Group – Open to Students
Driven by recommendations of the 2023 Waverley Youth Summit, Waverley Council is creating a reference group to guide the development of a new project that will promote cultural awareness and inclusion in the Waverley community. The reference group is open to all 14 to 18 year old students that live in the area.
The reference group will engage with a co-design producing activities that support diversity and inclusion, and enable a sense of belonging and inter-connectedness in the community.
Participation on the reference group will provide students with;
- an opportunity to volunteer and learn new skills,
- a platform to have a voice to Council,
- option to use hours involved with the reference group toward their Duke of Edinburgh’s International Award or a relevant training program requiring practical/ volunteer experience for completion, if they wish.
Students are encouraged to apply directly via the application form. Applications are open until Monday, 22 July.
For further information about this initiative please contact Madly Bodin Community Development Officer, Diversity on 9083 8658 or diversity@waverley.nsw.gov.au
‘Kids Giving Back’ – Not For Profit Organisation
We’re really proud of the following students who elected to spend their spare time volunteering during the term and the April school holidays.
Hudson Callum (Year 7), Toby Williams (Year 7), Olivier Giese (Year 7)
These students were part of a crew of 930 young legends who helped provide over 6,500 meals, snack packs, and care packages and wrote heartfelt messages to support 15 charities across Sydney.
One of the key findings from The Growing Up In Australia – The Longitudinal Study of Australian Children is that “if by age 13 a young person was involved in volunteering, the odds of having ‘clinical levels’ of emotional symptoms two years later were reduced by approximately 28%. This underscores the profound impact that volunteering can have on young people’s emotional well-being.
If you would also like your child to experience meaningful opportunities to give back to disadvantaged people in our community, consider the Kids Giving Back July School Holiday Community Programs.
