Director of Junior School, Ms Gabrielle Bransby
I would like to take the opportunity to thank all families for another busy and rewarding term. Some highlights from this term have been the wonderful Year 6 Camp, Father’s Day Mass, City 2 Surf, Athletics Carnival, Book Week and Science Week to name only a few.
A huge thank you to Ms Jade Sparks for organising the Fun Run this week. A big thank you to all students and families for raising over $54,000 for our four special charities, Educating the Future, Edmund Rice Camps, RUOK and The Indigenous Literacy Foundation. This is a true example of Faith in Action and I am so proud of the efforts and the heart that went into raising this type of money for charity.
I hope the break provides much needed rest and family time. I look forward to seeing the students return to school in Term 4 renewed and ready to finish the year off strong.
Lion King Jr Musical
The students have been working hard to pull this production together and we are almost there! We will have two performances of the Lion King Jr in Week 2 of Term 4, both on Wednesday, 23 October. There will be a matinee at 11:30am and an evening show at 7pm. We expect the show itself to run for approximately an hour. Food and drinks will be available for purchase at both shows.
Tickets can be purchased here. As there is limited seating, we have had to restrict the number of tickets to two per show per student. You will have until Wednesday 17th October to purchase your allotted tickets. When purchasing via the link above, you will need to use your son’s username as a password. If you are unsure of your child’s username, please see below…
Child Name : John Smith
Child Email: Jsmit2030@waverley.nsw.edu.au
Child Username : Jsmit2030
[First Initial] [4 Letter of Surname] [Graduating Year]
Lastly, students will need to have their costumes organised by the beginning of Term 4. The boys have been painting masks, shields, etc in class as a part of their costume, but will need to arrange clothing to wear in addition to this. You DO NOT need to spend a lot of money on the costume! In fact, we don’t want people to buy onesies, specially designed costumes, etc. We just need them to wear clothing that matches the animal they are portraying. For example, a child playing a zebra might wear a white shirt with black pants; a child playing a rhino would wear grey clothing. If you can’t find pants that match your animal, black pants are fine. Please avoid clothing with large logos, images, etc and keep it as plain as possible. If you are struggling or are unsure, please don’t hesitate to reach out for clarification.
Activism Day
Last week, we celebrated ‘Activism Day,’ which was a real highlight for all of us. We were lucky enough to have three incredible Indigenous sports stars—Cody Walker, Michael O’Loughlin, and Maurice Longbottom—come in to speak to all of Year 5. The students were captivated as these inspiring figures shared their personal stories and experiences in activism. The boys asked excellent questions, and it was clear they took away valuable lessons on how they, too, can make a difference in their communities.
Barker Mini Showdown Basketball Tournament
The Prep 1st basketball team recently competed in a mini 6-team tournament at Barker College, facing tough competition from the start. In our first two games against Knox and St. Augustine’s, we were outplayed and unfortunately lost both matches. After shaking off the rust from a long winter co-curricular season, the team rallied with a strong performance in our final game against Kings, securing a dominant win. This victory showed the potential and promise of what’s to come as we look ahead to future challenges in Term 4!
FunRun
On Wednesday, the Junior School celebrated their FunRun fundraising efforts in a very colourful, bright, wet and fun Colour Run! We were sprayed by the Fire Department and we are very grateful that they could fit us in amongst their busy schedules being first responders. Once the boys were soaked, they got sprayed with loads of coloured paint powder as they ran laps of the course. We had the best time running, singing, and of course sliming the teachers!
Thank you to our parent helpers on the day and to all parents who have been supporting their son’s fundraising efforts over the past weeks. We have fundraised almost $54,000 for our four special charities, Educating the Future, Edmund Rice Camps, RUOK and The Indigenous Literacy Foundation. This is a testament to the Waverley spirit in our boys, and the compassionate, generous nature of our community.
Chess Club Demonstration
NSW Rugby League
Patrick Spencer (6 Gold) played at Leichhardt Oval in the Under 11 Division 1 Rugby League Grand Final the weekend before last. His team, Paddington colts, were undefeated and won the grand final. Patrick was selected by league officials as man of the match. Well done Patrick!
Home Learning Term 4, Week 1
We offer all students in Year 5 and Year 6 the opportunity to receive free additional support after school for the completion of home learning tasks. The afternoon sessions also provide a quiet, supervised study space for students who want to complete their assigned tasks.
Home Learning Club operates in the Learning Hub from 3:00 pm until 4:00 pm – Mondays, Tuesdays, Wednesdays, and Thursdays – during school term unless there is a scheduled Professional Development meeting and the club will be closed.
Procedures
Register your son via the link https://homelearningclub.youcanbook.me
Only register his name once to allow other students the opportunity to attend. The session is limited to 20 spots. There will be a roll call to ensure attendance.
Students are required to stay for the full session unless there is a message in the student diary requesting early leave, a parent’s signature will be required.
Behaviour
As it is important to respect the rights of others to learn and work, all students are expected to settle to work in the Learning Hub and not cause a disturbance for others.
Teachers
Monday, Tuesday & Wednesday – Mrs Natasha Zivanovic
Thursday – Mr Steve Ghattas
If you require any further information, feel free to contact us.
nzivanovic@waverley.nsw.edu.au
An important note to remember, if afternoon training sessions are cancelled, unfortunately, you cannot send your son to Home Learning as an alternative plan, students are registered for the afternoon sessions in advance and the capacity is always reached.
Avoid messaging your son during this period, unless it is urgent.
IPSHA Speakers Challenge
Congratulations to Toby Pounder (Year 5) and Luke Haddock (Year 6) who were the 2024 Junior School Public Speaking champions. In November, they will be representing Waverley College at the 2024 IPSHA Speakers’ Challenge. We wish them all the best as they prepare for the competition.
Lunchtime Talks
I’m thrilled to announce that in Term 4, we will be continuing our Lunchtime Talks!
This initiative, which began a few years ago, is designed to ignite passion and inspiration in the next generation of learners, leaders, entrepreneurs, athletes, scientists, and professionals across all industries.
Get ready for an incredible lineup of speakers who will share their insights, experiences, and stories that will motivate students to reach new heights. Each talk is an opportunity to engage with thought leaders and visionaries who are shaping the future. I have included Senior Students who are doing incredible work in the community to join this initiative.
5 Gold in action
In 5 Gold it is all about getting into our routines and making sure we’re improving every single day. Whether it’s reading, writing, or just tackling the day’s challenges, the boys know that even getting 1% better each day adds up to something BIG. We love our writing (IDEAWr) and reading (IDEAR) sessions, where we see daily growth, pushing ourselves to reach new goals and build on what we’ve already learned. It’s great to see how committed the boys are to making progress and really owning their learning journey.
Our focus in English this term has been on activism. The boys have been exploring what it means to stand up for causes they believe in and how they can make a positive impact on the world. From environmental concerns to social justice, we’ve had rich discussions and asked thoughtful questions. It’s been amazing to watch them realise the power of their own voices and how they can contribute to meaningful change. One of our favourite quotes we discovered through our studies was ‘You are never too small to make a difference ‘ by Greta Thunberg.
