Principal, Mr Graham Leddie
Welcome back to Term 3! I hope your son/s had an enjoyable break over the winter holidays.
Congratulations to all students and staff who represented the College very well across a wide range of activities and events over the break including; our Immersion experiences in Cambodia, Timor Leste, and Fiji, our European Music tourists, our Walawaani students who led a NAIDOC ceremony for Dorothy Boyt House, our Cadets who attended the promotional course, our Rugby players at the Australian Schoolboy championships and State Cup, National Surfing competition, Sydney Interschool Snowsport Championships, and a water polo training camp in Crete. Please see Mr O’Donnell’s article for more co-curricular details.
Thank you to our Year 12 teachers who conducted HSC tutorials over the break and well done to our Year 12s who turned up in large numbers in preparation for their upcoming trials. We wish them well in their ongoing preparations.
NAIDOC Week
Thank you to Mr Kevin Heath (Aboriginal Liaison Officer) for organising our NAIDOC week assembly and special guest, Mr Fred Leone. Fred is a well-respected community leader whose family come from Garawa and Butchulla tribes. Fred attended St James College, an EREA school in Brisbane. Fred is one of the Butchulla Songmen, a language custodian, a groundbreaking and award winning artist who works across genres and mediums to bring a distinctly original voice to his performances and recordings. Fred has toured both nationally and internationally and is a member of the Indigenous Advisory Group for the National Indigenous Music Awards. Fred performed at assembly and shared his talents, wisdom and culture with our community for which we were all very appreciative and thankful.
Our next two College assemblies will celebrate our Academic Award winners from Semester 1.
National Public Speaking Final
We wish James Peate (Year 11) all the very best as he represents NSW at the National Public Speaking Final being held in Hobart this weekend.
Congratulations on National and State Success
- Fred Carmody (Year 11) who won a national surfing competition over the holidays at Lennox Head with a buzzer beater wave to win it in the final seconds.
- Troy Patea (Year 12) on his selection for Australian schoolboys rugby
- Our three Olympic representatives at the Paris Olympics – Noah Havard 2018 (Kayak), Charlie Negus 2017 (Water Polo), Henry Paterson 2014 (7s Rugby)
- The Maguire family on the NSW State of Origin series win.
Senior School Reminder
There will be a pupil-free day for Senior School students (Year 7-12) on Monday, 29 July due to the Year 7, 8 & 11 Parent Teacher Student Interviews. There will also be no Senior School cocurricular training next Monday.
EREA NSW
On behalf of Mr Sam Hardjono, EREA NSW Board Chair, please click here to read a letter to the school community announcing new Directors and members to the EREA NSW Board and committees.
Staff Update
Ms Gaby Bransby, Director of Junior School will be leaving us at the end of the year to complete her Masters of Educational Neuroscience and pursue an educational business venture. Gaby has worked at the College for 14 years and been a wonderful leader and teacher. We wish her all the very best in her last semester at Waverley. The Director of Junior School position has been advertised as a result and I will update you once the recruitment process has been finalised.
We have also advertised the Deputy Principal – Teaching & Learning position in line with our usual procedures. Ms Lynsey Porter has been acting in this position for 2024.
Mr Stan Lengyel has worked with us for six years in our Finance Team in charge of accounts payable. Stan has been a positive and effective team member and we wish him well in retirement. We welcome to the College, Ms Angela Chu who joined us this week and is a qualified Certified Practising Accountant (CPA).
Cadet Promotions Course
The new Cadet Year commences this term with a Rank Induction Parade for all newly promoted rank on Friday 26 July. All Year 8 Waverley boys, in addition to 29 Year 8 St Catherine’s girls, start their Cadet training at the Commanding Officer’s Parade on Friday 2 August.
Congratulations to Lachlan Isaac (Year 11) who has been appointed SUO (Student Under Officer) for 2024/2025. And congratulations to the rest of the Cadet Leadership positions that have been appointed:
2IC – CUO Amelie Salem
OPSO – CUO Rohan Baker
TRGO – CUO Yannick Hott
ADJT – CUO Taj Lynn
LOGSO – CUO Daniela Comino
RSM – WO1 Renato Rovacchi
A COY COMD – CUO Abigail Salem
B COY COMD – CUO Fox Stapleton
C COY COMD – CUO Natalie Ha
D COY COMD – CUO Cameron Vincent-Hull
E COY COMD – CUO Alexandra Coffey
SPT COY COMD – CUO Harry Ballesty
A COY CSM – WO2 Chiara Marshall
B COY CSM – WO2 Nicholas Scerri
C COY CSM – WO2 Luke Nezval
D COY CSM – WO2 Oliver Bracic
E COY CSM – WO2 Ben Darcy
SPT COY CSM – WO2 Finn McCarthy
St Catherines Principal 2025
Congratulations to Ms Deb Magillwill who has just recently been announced as the New Principal for St Catherine’s School. Ms Deb Magillwill is the current principal at Roseville College and will commence in 2025.
