Ms Gaby Bransby, Director of the Junior School
Diary Dates
Please find below some reminders about upcoming events. For all of Term 3 events, please refer to the College calendar.
- 2 September – Year 5 Public Speaking Finals
- 6 September – Year 6 Reflection Day
- 10 September – The Great Big Science Show Incursion – PAC
- 12 September – RUOK? Day
- 16 September – Allwell Testing Year 6
- 17 September – Year 6 Kinder World Experience (3 classes)
- 18 September – Year 6 Kinder World Experience (3 classes)
- 25 September – Junior School Fun Run
- 26 September – Classes conclude
Father’s Day Mass
Thank you to the fathers, grandfathers and anyone who is like a father for attending our special Mass today. We were blessed with a warm day as we start our transition towards Spring. These events are so important to our students as they get a chance to spend quality time with their loved ones.
Thank you to Mr Ghattas for organising our special day and to Gene Ross for speaking about his experience of being a dad.
I wish every father or male figure a very special Father’s Day this Sunday.
Father’s Day Stall
A huge thank you to the Parents’ Association for organising the opportunity for our students to buy gifts for Father’s Day this year on campus. There was so much joy in the room as students were able to select a special gift for their dads or male figures in their lives.
Lion King Musical – 23 October
We are excited to announce the date for our Lion King Musical which will be on 23 October. The musical itself will be performed twice on October 23, with a matinee and evening performance confirmed. Rehearsals for our production of the Lion King Jr are well underway, with the girls from St Catherine’s joining us regularly on Fridays. There will be more information on tickets available soon.
ICAS Assessments 2024
Congratulations to all the students who participated in the 2024 ICAS Assessments.
A special congratulations to the following students who received a credit or above in Digital Technologies and English.
Digital Technologies Year 5
Distinction
Nixon Oakes
Credit
Cooper Green
Jensen Honey
English Year 5
Credit
Spencer Murphy
Eric Rakoczy
Digital Technologies Year 6
Credit
Liam Hagley
Liam Jackson
Rufus Nicholson
Cillian Stankard
English Year 6
Distinction
Cillian Stankard
Credit
Charles Draper
Marcus Rakoczy
Thomas Taylor
My Gaby Bransby
Director of the Junior School
gbransby@waverley.nsw.edu.au
Night Patrol Donations
Once a month, as part of the Social Justice program, our Year 11 students will hit the streets to feed the homeless men and women of Sydney. This initiative is run by the St Vincent de Paul Society and gives the students an insight into the vast array of people (children, teens & adults from varying backgrounds) who are homeless and the journey that each of them are on. As this face to face experience is not suitable for our Junior School students, we are asking assistance in the form of donations We are asking 5 Orange & 6 Orange students for the following donations for the next Night Patrol on Monday 2nd September:
Fresh Fruit – Banana, Apples, Oranges (to be brought in on Monday, 2 September)
Packet noodles, Packets of chips, Poppers (to be brought in on or before Monday, 2 September)
Mr Steve Ghattas
Assistant Director of Junior School / Identity & Student Formation
sghattas@waverley.nsw.edu.au
Athletics Invitationals and IPSHA Carnival
Congratulations to our Athletics Squad who have attended a number of Athletics events over the past week. Last Friday, boys attended Riverview to compete in the BPSSA Athletics Invitational, winning Waverley 2nd place at shot put and taking home many other impressive results!
Tom Pendleton at BPSSA Athletics Invitational – 2nd place in Shot Put
The squad then attended Sydney Olympic Park Athletics Centre on Saturday, the following day, and won 2nd place in the Junior Relay and 3rd place in the Senior relay. Congratulations to the entire squad who did really well on the day.
The IPSHA Athletics Carnival took place this Wednesday, with our boys representing Waverley extremely well, unphased by the heat. We competed against 56 schools at the carnival. There were a total of 1589 individual competitors in a total of 2768 starts. Our Waverley boys should be very proud of themselves. A special congratulations to the boys who have been selected to represent IPSHA at CIS Athletics, and we wish them all the best.
Billy Kehoe 3rd in High Jump
CIS Rugby
Congratulations to our Year 6 Waverley boys who competed in the CIS team at the NSWPSSA Championship for Rugby Union. Taj Cooke, Harry Minards and Fergus Samba Hoare represented the College with pride at Wagga Wagga last week. They won 3 out of 3 games on the first day, made it to the semi finals on the second day, and finished the tour by winning Bronze. Amazing work – go Waves!
CIS Rugby Union – Harry Minards, Taj Cooke, Fergus Samba Hoare
Clubs
We have launched our OzTag Competition this week, with a round robin of over 100 boys teamed up to play in a friendly competition during lunch times until the end of term.
We have also begun our Fitness Club after school on Tuesdays and Thursdays, keeping our staff and students busy and active!
Thank you to all the staff supporting these extra-curricular experiences for the boys.
Ms Jade Sparks
Assistant Director of Co-curricular (Junior School)
jsparks@waverley.nsw.edu.au
Home Learning
No Home Learning on Wednesday, 4 September
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.
Debating
Waverley v St Catherine’s
Topic: ‘All schools should be co-educational’
Last week the debaters had tough competition and a tough topic. Both Waverley teams put forward strong arguments and presented their cases clearly and firmly rebutting the St Catherine’s team’s cases. The boys did themselves and Waverley very proud. Both teams won their debate!
I would like to thank our Year 10 mentor Dante Fearn for his continued support at home debates and training sessions.
Every training session was packed with tips and activities to help the junior team develop their debating skills.
Book Week Guest Author REECE CARTER
Screenshot
As part of our Book Week celebrations, we welcomed author Reece Carter. An emerging talent in children’s literature, Reece inspired students with his passion for storytelling and creativity.
Reece shared his journey as a writer, highlighting the importance of imagination in crafting unique characters and stories. His presentation encouraged the boys to explore their creativity and consider writing as a means of expression and never to give up.
Reece’s visit was a wonderful reminder of the magic of reading and the power of storytelling in shaping young minds.
Book Week Competition Winners – Reading is Magic
Thank you to all the Junior School students who entered one or both, Book Week competitions.
This year, I received an impressive array of over 60 entries, showcasing the writing styles of Year 5 & 6 students. Mr William Roberts Head of Library Services & Applied Philosophy had a tough job judging the writing submissions, see the winners below.
Congratulations to the following students who were awarded Outstanding Achievement in Poetry Writing.
Reading is Magic
Jack Mann
In pages of stories, I find my escape,
To a world full of wonders my dreams take shape.
With every new chapter, my heart takes flight.
Exploring new realms in the middle of the night.
Books are my portal, my key to delight.
They change dark days and make worries take flight.
So here’s to the magic that reading can bring,
A treasure of stories where my spirit can sing.
As we close the book and turn the last page,
We’ve danced through the rhythms of each crafted stage.
Turning each page like a magical cage,
Where dragons and heroes on adventures engage,
In the land of books, where dreams come alive,
Every chapter we read makes our spirit thrive.
With every new tale, our imaginations dive,
In the magic of books, we forever survive.
A Thousand Worlds
Thomas Taylor
I open the book
Turn to a new page
In truth, to let go of this world
Is not that hard
For in front of me now
Is the wizard
A tingling sensation
Fills my veins
As I assume the young apprentice’s role
All his thoughts, and all his pains
But in the end, it comes to a close
The wizard’s magic it was a hoax
Sitting in awe
For a moment I ponder
Before I scramble off
Eager to be filled with wonder
Now I head off toward the town
Excited for my cap to become a sombrero
Or maybe a crown
Now I see the library
A sanctuary
A haven
A place of wonder
But most of all it’s a magical portal
To a thousand worlds
A Magical Place
Samuel Loughrey
What could you not love about books,
They’re always such exciting hooks,
Reading late at night,
Hiding with a light,
The wonders and magic inside,
You never know which book to decide,
The amazing places you can discover,
Just on the books cover,
A story about a bear,
That becomes friends with a hare,
Or a book about wizards,
Who befriend slimy lizards,
No matter what you pick,
You will read it just as quick,
But when you go to sleep,
You’re begging yourself for another peep,
And when you fall asleep with a book on your head,
It prepares you for the magic journeys ahead.
Woken up by an upcoming train horn,
Thinking where am I on this lush green lawn,
Starting to feel alone,
I really wanted to go home,
Looking into the distance ahead,
Made me feel like I was half dead,
Just as it started to rain,
I questioned my throbbing brain,
A big red sign read HOGWART EXPRESS!!,
My body was now covered in distress,
How did I get here,
Standing in the path of the train is now my biggest fear,
Struggling to stand up on the ground,
I heard my heart pound,
Just as the train was about to go over me,
I felt the sudden sensation of being free,
I screamed in success,
But then my body started to compress.
Surrounded by weeping souls,
I saw various torture device poles,
I was in the Underworld,
This place was clearly not a wonderworld,
With a palace coloured in bronze and black,
Reaching into my brand-new pack,
I felt a tiny sphere,
But this sphere wasn’t anywhere near what it might appear,
PERCY boomed a familiar voice,
My body froze having no choice,
I turned to look at the one and only Hades
Who reminded me of the meanest bullies,
Demanding that I give the thunderbolt back,
I stood still not knowing how to attack,
Without realising Cerberus the three-headed dog was charging straight at me,
I knew I couldn’t flee,
Smashing the pearl at my feet,
I could feel a sudden warm and nice heat,
Enclosed in a white pearl,
I ascended from the building about to hurl.
Rising above the ground I started to see an old town,
My face was now turning into a frown,
Looking around I saw circuses and magician shows going on,
Until one place stood out in the light of dawn,
VERNONS MAGIC SHOP,
This name made my thoughts stop,
Inside I picked up eight small boxes,
Each covered in several white foxes,
I tried to figure out what I was in for,
My mouth dropped all the way down to the floor,
I was in the Magic Misfits,
It’s a place not many people dare to visit,
Stepping back out of the shop,
My brain was about to pop,
Dreamily watching the Magic Misfits perform
One pulling out of his mouth a rabbit on a platform,
At that moment the Magic Misfits pointed at me,
And my body started to fill with glee,
They put me into a comfy-looking bed,
Drifting away they covered up my head.
Wondering what their trick was,
I started to hear a small little buzz,
Looking around I saw my phone,
Realising it was my own,
Nothing here was exciting magic,
Nor something overdramatic,
Instead, I was rugged up in my sheets,
Not out in the Magic Misfit streets,
Then I heard scratching on my door,
Weakly standing up on the floor,
It was my dog checking up on me,
As it was already nine O’three,
Getting out the door,
I said to myself “Magic – I wish there was some more”
Once You Know It’s Magic, It Will Always Be Magic
Rufus Nicholson
Reading
Giving knowledge
So many unread words
Diving into another world
Magic
Highly Commended
READING IS MAGIC
Atticus Boyle
Most of the world’s knowledge has been captured in text for future generations to unlock through reading
All ages have the ability to engage with the writer through text and experience the magic of their world
Giants, dragons and even the occasional wizard can take the reader to places without limits and let all of our senses run wild
I read, I dream and I can escape to other worlds through the magical stories
Can you imagine how peaceful and great the world could be if everyone had the chance to read and dream.
Reading Is For Everyone
Jack Morahan Saliba
Reading is magic, reading is fun, reading is loved by everyone.
Flip the page here, flip the page there, you’ll find this magic is everywhere.
I picked up a book and perched on a chair and felt the magic in the air.
Action, adventure, fantasy or fact I could rest here all day and read books to back.
Murder or mystery, thrillers or history, I could sit in a nook devouring a book.
Chapter books or picture books, comics galore you can always read a book whether rich or poor.
You can escape in a book where rather you would be the magic in books is for you and me.
Reading is magic reading is fun reading is loved by everyone.
Visual Arts Winners
Thank you to Mrs Jenna Turnbull Innovation Coordinator & Visual Arts Teacher & Mrs Natalie Oates Head of Visual Arts for judging the Visual Arts competition.
See the winners below.
Outstanding Creative Achievement
Henry Avenell
The judges said:
Outstanding use of pencil. The colour layering and tonal control in the portrait is sophisticated. Being able to capture the emotion and engagement in the facial expression that books bring us all is wonderful. A very well-planned and executed work.
Blake Collins
The judges said:
A Surreal composition with all elements of the drawing so well planned and considered. Outstanding use of colour and detail throughout the work.
Leo Sager
The judges said:
Great use of colour and blending in the background of the work. Creative use of the book in the foreground and all the imaginative creatures coming from literature.
Samuel Loughrey
The judges said:
Unique response to the ‘Reading is Magic’ theme. An incredible amount of skill and precision in the embossed text and pattern making. A very special book mark for any lover of reading.
Highly Commended
Cameron Rafferty
The judges said:
Clever response to the theme of ‘Reading is Magic’ and this work does have a little bit of Magic embedded.
Dexter Billington
The judges said:
Well-balanced composition of colour and imagery throughout. Dexter has considered and drawn each object well with a clear link to the theme.
Alon – 5 Red Class Item
This Term in 5 Red there has been an immense presence of strength and commitment on multiple fronts. The boys have all been toiling hard, putting their best foot forward and reaping the benefits of the strong foundations laid out from the early stages of the year.
Each learner has shown tremendous accountability towards achieving goals and entering the classroom with purpose. The boys are thriving and flourishing inside and outside of the classroom with a whole heap of positive contributions being made to our immediate and broader communities.
Continually building relationships, the start of lifelong friendships, we are very proud of all that we have accomplished so far. Join us by viewing a small snapshot of what we have been up to this Term. A video presentation put together by 5 Red’s very own Ollie Forde.
Ms Natasha Zivanovic
Teacher of Literacy & Innovation
nzivanovic@waverley.nsw.edu.au
