Principal, Mr Graham Leddie
Welcome back
I wish all students a successful and enjoyable Term 4. Term 4 always moves very quickly, please ensure your son hits the ground running, and is well organised for upcoming assessments, and gets into a good study routine early. Finishing the year strongly should be his goal. We offer special prayers and wishes for our Year 12s who started their HSC examinations on Wednesday this week.
Our thoughts and prayers are particularly with the Jewish and Palestinian communities this week, along with those in Ukraine and Afghanistan (earthquake) and the many other countries where the horrors of war are being created. The images of the brutality and murders carried out by Hamas, a recognised terrorist organisation, is beyond understanding. Our community is mourning for all the lives already lost and will continue to pray for those being held in captivity. Please monitor closely your children’s social media use and be aware that they may stumble across incredibly distressing content.
The Indigenous Voice
There are various opinions on the Voice and the referendum, with legal experts, politicians, political parties, Indigenous Australians, Non-Indigenous Australians, and other organisations both in support and opposition. At a recent College Assembly we unpacked the main characteristics of both the ‘Yes’ and ‘No’ campaigns that Australians over the age of 18 are being asked to vote on this Saturday in the 45th Referendum.
It is good to be able to always have an understanding of different and varied perspectives before formulating your own. Being able to respect differences of opinion and perspective is an important part of living in a democracy and an important trait we want our students to be capable of. The ability to find compromise and negotiate one’s position is also an invaluable trait. It is also important to be able to stand up for what you believe in and articulate this respectfully.
As an EREA school in the Edmund Rice tradition the College’s values align with supporting the Yes campaign. EREA endorses the Uluru Statement from the Heart and sees it as an invitation to the Australian people from First Nations Australians to walk together to build a better future. We accept this invitation and urge all across Australia to do so as a critical step towards Reconciliation.
We stand in solidarity, alongside our First Nations peoples, in their calls for a Voice and acknowledgement enshrined in the Australian Constitution. We believe that our future as a nation must be based on justice and liberation and that our First Nations peoples are entitled to the democratic right to have a voice in decisions that affect them. The establishment of a First Nations Voice to Parliament enshrined in the Constitution, and the establishment of a Makarrata Commission for the purpose of truth-telling is at the centre of this justice.
Science & Innovation Centre
We’re thrilled to present to you a virtual tour of the Waverley College Science & Innovation Centre. This innovative facility is a key component of the College’s larger masterplan for site development. The facility will provide the College with 12 state-of-the-art Science laboratories, one specialised Marine Studies lab, one Engineering laboratory, preparation rooms and storage facilities.
In the coming weeks, the Foundation will be reaching out to the Waverley Community, seeking your invaluable support to turn our project into a reality.
Your assistance is crucial to our success, and we encourage you to connect with our Foundation Officer, Mr Billy Nicolas, at bnicolas@waverley.nsw.edu.au for additional information.
2023 Immersions
I would like to thank the Staff and Students who attended the following immersions during the holidays. You can read more about our 2023 Immersion Program in the upcoming edition of Wavelength, our alumni magazine.
EREA Let’s Talk Indigenous Immersion
Staff – Ms Helen Chia, Mr Tom Kennedy, Mr Angus McPherson
Students – Sam Brader, Max McKenzie, Luca Passicot, Oscar Passicot, Marcus Kastrissios, Henry Whitehouse, Finn McCarthy, Campbell Porteus, Dominic Rutter, Mark Rede
Fiji Immersion
Staff – Ms Holly Medcalf, Mr Kyle Newbury, Ms Sue Walsh
Students – Jack Anasson, James Birbas, Eden Byrd, Remy Frampton, Jack Kearney, Henry Kidd, Ben Ledingham, Angus MacDougall, Oliver Malzard, Ewan McDonald, Lachlan Miranda, Joseph Packington, Lucas Ryan, Nathaniel Smith, Charles Thompson-Owens, Joseph Vonwiller, William Whitaker
Manchester City Trophies
Manchester City Football Club’s global ‘Treble Trophy Tour’ made a special visit to Waverley College in Sydney on Wednesday. The historic treble-winning trophy set, comprising the Premier League trophy, FA Cup, and UEFA Champions League trophy, landed at the school’s Birrell St campus and was greeted by enthusiastic students and staff.
Congratulations Cameron Reed, NSW Hockey
Over the holidays Cameron represented NSW in the U13 Boys Hockey National Champs. Cameron played 11 games and scored two goals over a week of competition with his team coming 3rd against some very strong opposition.
