Ms Gaby Bransby, Director of the Junior School
Diary Dates
Please find below some reminders about upcoming events. For all of Term 4 events, please refer to the College calendar.
- 16 November – Summer Sport – Round 11
- 23 November – Summer Sport – Round 12
- 27 November – Year 6 Graduation Mass
- 28 November – Year 6 Laptop Return
- 29 November – Semester 2 Reports Available
- 29 November – Year 6 Raging Waters
- 2 December – Year 6 Graduation P + C Event
- 3 December – Presentation Day and Classes Conclude
Junior School Music Festival
On Thursday night, we held our annual Junior School Music Festival. I was in complete awe of the talent and skill that was on display.
It is remarkable to see the confidence and ability for their age. We witnessed a wide range of talent from the The Waterford Concert Band to soloist to the Rock Bands and more.
We ended with a wonderful glimpse of a scene from The Lion King Jr. All performances provided a fabulous night of entertainment for the audience as they shared their gifts and passions with us all.
Events like these do not happen without the support of many people. As such, the Junior School would like to thank – all of the boys who spent many hours of rehearsal in preparation for the festival, all of the tutors involved in preparing these items, in particular ensemble directors Dan Williams and Jesse Johnston, the Senior School Music Department and Ms Keiran Kossenberg for their continued support and the Music Supporters Club.
We would also like to thank all of the parents and carers of our performers for their ongoing encouragement.
It was a wonderful night of celebration.
Year 6 Graduation
It is hard to believe that Year 6 Graduation is just around the corner.
On 2 December we will have our Mass at 11am and then we will be heading down to Queen’s Park for lunch and games.
Parents are invited to celebrate with us at Queens Park where where you will be provided with a BBQ lunch. We hope you can make it.
G.A.T.E.WAYS ‘Eureka’ program, Mind Blown
Selected students were invited to participate in the G.A.T.E.WAYS ‘Eureka’ program, Mind Blown. This program allows gifted, talented and high-ability students from surrounding schools to participate in workshops led by specialist educators and hosted at Kincoppal Rose Bay School.
The Greek philosopher Plutarch once said that the mind is not a vessel to be filled, but rather a fire to be kindled. The G.A.T.E.WAYS Mind: Blown! workshops scaffold students through processes of philosophical inquiry, ideation, design, and acquisition of sophisticated critical and creative problem-solving strategies and techniques.
Parent Association Announcement – Group Together Links
Every year the Parents Association organises group together gifts and cards to thank the incredible and dedicated staff at Waverley Junior School. No obligation, but we would love for you to write a thank you note and contribute towards a gift to the teachers who have made an impact on your son’s life this year.
Samara Sanchez has sent an email out with all the links if you would like to contribute. Any issues please contact Samara or the Parents Association.
Ms Gaby Bransby
Director of the Junior School
gbransby@waverley.nsw.edu.au
Year 6 Graduation – Wednesday 27 November 2024
Dear Parents & Carers,
You are all invited to the Year 6 Graduation on Wednesday 27 November to acknowledge the end of your son’s primary school years.
Please see the invitation below.
At the conclusion of the Mass, you are all invited back to Queens Park to join us in a special BBQ lunch. Please note that all parents and family members have been catered for.
Year 6 Graduation – Request for Photos
As part of the Year 6 Graduation, we will be putting together a slideshow presentation. It would be appreciated if you could send through a photo of your son’s Kindergarten photo (or their first day of Kindergarten, or similar), as this will form part of the presentation. (Please just one photo only)
If you could please send a labelled photo through to liturgy@waverley.nsw.edu.au. This has been extended to Monday Week 6. Picture format as a JPEG or PNG file would be preferred. Please do not send through pdf files.
2025 House Captains & Vice-Captains
One of the ways in which the students can show their leadership qualities is to nominate himself for House Captain or Vice-Captain. If they would like this opportunity, they need to let their House Mentors know as soon as possible and begin thinking of ways in which they can best serve the Junior School community.
Students will need to present a speech to their House before voting takes place. They can use the scaffold below to assist in planning.
Prepare a 2 minute speech addressing the following:
- Introduce yourself
- Why you want to be House or Vice Captain
- What you will do as Captain
- How you will show the Junior School Core Values of Respect, Compassion & Resilience
Speeches will take place on Tuesday 26 November during Wellbeing Time.
Night Patrol Donations
The Junior School are supporting the Year 11 Social Justice program, Night Patrol, which supports St Vincent de Paul’s charity to help feed the homeless men, women and children of Sydney. We are asking students in 5 Red, 5 White, 6 Red and 6 White for the following donations for the final Night Patrol on Monday, 25 November.
Fresh Fruit – Bananas & Oranges (to be brought in on Monday, 25 November)
Packets of Chips, Instant Boodles, Cans of Tuna, Muesli bars – Chewy & Nut Free (any time before Monday, 25 November)
Your kindness and generosity is greatly appreciated.
Mr Steve Ghattas
Assistant Director of Junior School / Identity & Student Formation
sghattas@waverley.nsw.edu.au
Sport
Attention current Year 5 parents:
Please fill out your son’s Junior School sport preferences for 2025 using this link. Read carefully all the information on the form before submitting.
This process will close on Friday, 22 November 2024.
Around the Grounds
Congratulations to the 6As Cricket who had a very close win over Shore last Saturday, getting ahead by 1 run 74/4 – 73/9.
Parker Recio (5 Red) competed at the Bronte Club Championships last weekend. Parker showed resilience and won the board race in a very competitive pack only 10 days after an injury. The below photo shows the top four after the board race. Ryder Darragh, another Waverley boy in year 5 came 3rd. Parker also achieved 5th in the ocean swim race. Go Waves!
Ms Jade Sparks
Assistant Director of Co-curricular (Junior School)
jsparks@waverley.nsw.edu.au
Home Learning Term 4, Week 6
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 4pm – 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 2024
Toby, Spencer, and Luke did Waverley proud on Friday, November 8. These three boys represented Waverley at the IPSHA Speakers’ Challenge, competing against 90 students from a variety of schools in NSW.
The boys showed strong speaking skills, and their manner and method were exceptional. I’m extremely proud of the growth the boys have made since Round 1, the JS finals, and now the challenge.
Lunchtime Talk Ms Stephanie Falk
Our Junior School students had an insightful Lunchtime Talk with guest speaker Ms Stephanie Falk who is a teacher in our Senior School Art Department.
It was a full house with aspiring artists wanting to learn all about the world of digital art. Thank you for taking the time to inspire our creative Junior School students.
Drawing Club
As we come to the end of a productive year of drawing club, the students worked on their Coogee Christmas card competition submissions.
A highlight for me this year has been witnessing the students engage critically with their artwork and expressing their creativity.
I’ve seen the boys make new friendships, share insights, and appreciate each other’s artistic efforts. With only two sessions remaining in 2024, I eagerly anticipate the return of the drawing club in 2025, where we will also introduce digital art into our program.
Ms Natasha Zivanovic
Teacher of Literacy & Innovation
nzivanovic@waverley.nsw.edu.au
Letter from the Prime Minister
Last term, as part of the very important and influential Activism Day, 5 Gold wrote physical letters addressed to people of high influence, asking them to take action on issues they felt passionate about. Recently, we made a team trip up to the Charing Cross Post Office and posted our letters the old-fashioned way. Although we didn’t necessarily expect any replies, we were hopeful. This week, we received something truly exciting from a very important figure in Australia.
Leven Kalmar’s letter, which advocated for action on climate change and specifically plastic pollution, included powerful statements like, “It’s not just our environment we’re affecting; we’re also affecting our marine animals,” and, “As a kid, I can’t name one thing these creatures have done to harm our environment; we can’t be killing them.” Our class was ecstatic to receive a response from the office of the Prime Minister of Australia, in a very fancy envelope, written on some very fancy paper.
In his reply, Prime Minister Albanese stated, “Protecting nature is a task for all of us; and it’s the responsibility of all adults, especially those in senior positions like myself, to ensure we pass on a safe and healthy environment to future generations.” The Prime Minister went on to commend Leven’s commitment and passion personally, underscoring the role young Australians play in shaping a better future. He finished his letter by saying, “We need young people like you… You are the thinkers and innovators of the future.”
This was a deeply moving and exciting moment for us all in the Junior School, highlighting the power of activism and the importance of each person’s voice, no matter how young.
Mr Luke Burns
5 Gold Teacher
lburns@waverley.nsw.edu.au
6 Red – Class Item
6 Red has been engaged in several summative assessments to wrap up the year. Students planned, illustrated, and wrote a graphic novel from the perspective of a refugee. This semester, they explored migration and refugee experiences in both History and English. It was fantastic to see their creativity shine, allowing them to showcase their artistic abilities and skill in figurative writing. Students annotated their own books upon completion, identifying the visual elements and purpose of their writing.
6 Red has also been immersed in our country studies unit. Comparing Australia and a neighbouring country through the key question. How do places, people and cultures differ between Australia and your chosen Asian country? The final results were incredible, bringing to an end our studies of Geography this year.
Musica Viva Visit
On Wednesday, Year 6 had the pleasure of a live performance concert by the wonderful Musica Viva Australia.
The interactive showcase was a brilliant opportunity for boys to learn about unique musical instruments and engage in numerous musical numbers.
Mr Oliver Knight
6 Red teacher
oknight@waverley.nsw.edu.au
