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.
- 23 November – Summer Sport – Round 12 – Final Round
- 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
Kids Giving Back
I would like to congratulate Ryder Darragh for his outstanding contribution to the charity Kids Giving Back last school holidays and for putting his Faith in Action.
He helped make more than 7,500 meals and care packs (including hot meals, salads, fruit kebabs, breakfast boxes, lunch boxes, snack cups, and care packs with empathetic messages) which was distributed to 21 charities around Sydney.
If you are interested in your son participating next holidays please see attached – December 2024/January 2025 School holiday programs | Kids Giving Back Bookings are now open!
HAMPERS OF HOPE – Christmas Charity
We are very proud to be a supporting contributor to HAMPERS OF HOPE 2024. HAMPERS OF HOPE, based in Addison Rd, Marrickville, is a charity program in its fifth consecutive year of providing help to those less fortunate.
We ask if families could please make a difference this Christmas season by donating a block of chocolate (eg 180 g Cadbury’s,
Whittakers, etc) or a box of chocolates (eg Cadbury Rose’s, Lindt, etc) to donate to the
hampers. Canned goods are also appreciated.
The collection of donations will occur from Monday 4 November – Friday 25 November.
Please place your donations in the collection box with the HAMPERS OF HOPE sign, located
in reception.
Approximately 2000 hampers will be filled the week of 9 DECEMBER 2024 (from 8:30am –12noon) at Addison Road, Marrickville and will be distributed to a wide-reaching number of recipients including refugees, orphanages, domestic violence centres and flood/fire victims.
Your individual contribution really makes a difference to those in need and will certainly create a very festive hamper. Thank you for your generous support.
Ms Gaby Bransby
Director of the Junior School
gbransby@waverley.nsw.edu.au
Year 6 Graduation & BBQ
A reminder that the Year 6 Graduation is on Wednesday 27 November, beginning at 11:00am, followed by a BBQ at Queens Park to which everyone is invited.
2025 House Captains & Vice-Captains
A reminder that any Year 5 students who wish to nominate themselves for House Captains need to speak with their House Mentors.
This Monday, 25 November is the last chance they have to nominate as they will be delivering the speeches on Tuesday 26 November during our Wellbeing time.
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
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
CIS Cricket
Congratulations to Hayden Greenberg, Harvey Rumble and Finn Gadd who attended the CIS Cricket trials on Monday.
95 students from all over the state were put through a full day of rigorous trials at The King Schools.
The boys were outstanding in brutally hot weather testing their batting, bowling and fielding skills through nets sessions and centre wicket games.
Our three boys had a fantastic day and did themselves and Waverley College extremely proud. Well done boys!
Around the Grounds
Patrick Spencer (6 Gold) received a Gold medal running for Easts in the state Under 12 boys 4x100m relay on Sunday 9 November.
They set a new state record with 51.23 seconds, breaking the record standing from 2002. Congratulations to Patrick on this incredible achievement!
Ms Jade Sparks
Assistant Director of Co-curricular (Junior School)
jsparks@waverley.nsw.edu.au
LAST WEEK OF HOME LEARNING Monday-Wednesday ONLY
We offer all students in Year 5 and Year 6 the opportunity to receive free additional support after school to complete 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 disturb 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 is that 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.
Learning Hub
As the school year comes to an end, I would like to acknowledge all the students who actively participated in the various activities offered by the Learning Hub.
The Learning Hub is dedicated to inspiring, engaging, and empowering students through critical thinking and creative activities.
It provides a space for students to retreat, explore, and collaborate with peers, whether before school, during Learning Hub sessions, or at lunchtime.
All of these activities and more will be available again in 2025.
Final Lunchtime Talk
Dante Fearn, a Year 10 student, shared his insights from his immersion experience in Timor-Leste, serving as an inspiring conclusion to our Lunchtime Talks for 2024.
His reflections highlighted the invaluable lessons he learned during his time there.
Dante emphasised the privilege of engaging with the Timorese community, where he witnessed resilience and joy despite challenging circumstances. He spoke about the importance of gratitude, recognising how much we often take for granted in our daily lives.
Dante’s raw and honest account resonated deeply, reminding our Junior School boys of the power of connection and understanding across cultures.
His experience demonstrates the impact of Waverley’s immersion programmes, which encourage young minds to embrace empathy, communal spirit, and a larger worldview.
Thank you for sharing your journey and inspiring our students to reflect on their own lives and the world around them.
Ms Natasha Zivanovic
Teacher of Literacy & Innovation
nzivanovic@waverley.nsw.edu.au
