Junior School – Week 2

Read more: Parent Information Night, Elephant Ed ‘Puberty and Embracing Change’ webinar, face masks, Parent Questionnaire, Junior School canteen changes, Visual Arts Club, Chess Club, diary dates, Sports and Swimming Trials, Junior School swimming carnival, Co-Curricular Parent/Carer liaison role – expressions of interest, Home Learning Club procedures.

 

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It is hard to grasp that we are already moving through Term 1 at a rapid pace. It has been lovely being able to visit classrooms since the students returned, and see that they are settling in so well to new environments and routines.

Parent Information Night

Parent Information Night will be held on Monday, 14 February, hosted by your class teacher. Unfortunately, we are unable to have our parents on site for this, so it will be held via zoom. You will receive an email from our IT Department on Friday, 11 February, providing instructions on how to access zoom, and the meeting ID you will need to use for your session.

• Year 5 will be held at 5pm
• Year 6 will be held at 6pm

Elephant Ed

P​​lease see below for an invitation to a webinar presented by Elephant Ed on Puberty & Embracing Change, for our Junior School Students. 

When: 6pm – 7pm on Thursday, 24 February, 2022

Topic: Puberty & Embracing Change

Elephant Ed is a leading sexuality education provider to hundreds of schools around Australia. Elephant Ed’s workshops are evidence-based, age-appropriate and mapped to State and National curriculum guidelines. Elephant Ed is endorsed by the eSafety Commissioner as a Trusted eSafety Provider.

In advance of Elephant Ed’s workshops with the Waverley College Junior School students, this webinar will include discussion around the physical, social and emotional changes associated with puberty, as well as strategies for starting open and effective conversations at home.

You are required to register in advance for this webinar. Please use the link below to register.

>>> Click here to view and complete Elephant Ed registration information.

After registering, you will receive a confirmation email containing information about joining the webinar.

Face Masks

A reminder that students from Year 5 – Year 12 are required to wear masks at school whilst indoors. We have spares at school, however we are very quickly running out. We ask that you pack a few extra masks in a plastic bag and place them in your son’s school bag. 

Parent Questionnaire

You should have received a parent questionnaire via email on Monday, 31 January. Please ensure you fill this out to inform the classroom teacher on how to best support your son this year. If you would like to meet with your class teacher before this time, or feel you need to discuss your son in a face-to-face meeting, please do not hesitate to contact your class teacher. This survey will close on Sunday, 6 February.

Junior School Canteen 

Our new canteen service began on Monday, and seems to be running smoothly. The boys are particularly loving the vending machines.

If you missed this in last week’s Nurrunga, please take the time to learn more on our website about the significant changes to the way breakfast is accessed, and the ordering and payment options for recess, lunch, drinks and healthy snacks. The Junior School canteen link is below.

>>> Click here to view the significant changes to the Junior School canteen.

Visual Arts Club

In 2022, Visual Arts Club will be offered at Waverley as an extracurricular summer activity for students from Years 5–12. Visual Arts Club provides an opportunity for students to build skills in critical and creative thinking.

>>> Click here to register by viewing the article by Ms Natalie Oates, Head of Visual Arts.

Chess Club

In 2022, midday Chess classes will be offered in the Learning Hub for Junior School students on Tuesdays 12:30-1:30pm. These stimulating classes will again be operated by Sydney Academy of Chess and deliver multiple educational benefits. Chess helps to enhance memory, develop problem solving skills, encourage creative thinking and accelerate emotional development.

>>> Click here to view Chess Club enrolment and payment information for Terms 1–4.

Diary Dates

Please find below some reminders about upcoming events. For all of Term 1 events, please refer to the College calendar. 

• Friday, 11 February – Swimming Carnival 
• Monday, 14 February – Years 5 and 6, Parent Information and Welcome Evening
• Wednesday, 9 March – Class/Individual/Summer Sport Photos
• Wednesday, 23 March – Friday, 25 March – Year 5 Camp, Stanwell Tops
• Monday, 28 March – Wednesday, 30 March – Year 6 Camp, The Collaroy Centre

 

Ms Gabrielle Smith

Director of Junior School

E: gsmith@waverley.nsw.edu.au

 

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Sports and Swimming Trials (Overview)

All of our Junior School students enjoyed a jam-packed two days for both the Sports and Swim Trials on Monday, 31 January and Tuesday, 1 February. Both days were warm, but considering the conditions, all students gave it their absolute all in the hope of being selected in a team within their chosen sport preferences.

All students swam their hearts out at the swimming trial to help them be placed in a competitive heat for the Swimming Carnival on Friday, 11 February. It gave them a chance to cool down before moving onto their final sports trial session. Any students who were away for the swim trial will be placed into the absent race, or will have their previous year time used to place them in a swimming heat.

As I made my way around the sports sessions, the level of enjoyment and excitement from our students was very evident. I would like to acknowledge all Junior School staff and coaches, who brought so much energy and enthusiasm to all of the sport trial sessions. They diligently followed the selection process to ensure all students trialled were placed into a team, in the fairest and most appropriate way. This made both days run seamlessly.

Students have now been placed into their team for the Summer Co-Curricular Season. As mentioned, all coaches followed the Junior Schools Selection Process to ensure students were graded based on skill level and overall character traits. Please refer to the selection process document included in last week’s Nurrunga for further clarification.

Unfortunately, each year we have a select group of students who are disappointed by not making it into their first or second preference. This is a situation that we continue to try to improve each year, to ensure our students are happy with where they have been placed, even if it wasn’t their preferred choice. 

As mentioned in the Waverley College app announcement sent on Thursday, your son has now been given a hard copy of the training schedule, and this has been added on the College website.

>>> Click here to view the training schedule on the Waverley College website.

Please refer to the season draw and address list, which are also included on the College website. Please be advised that because your son has only just found out his sports team, he will not be required to have his sports attire for next week’s training. This will allow all parents to get to the uniform shop in their own time. Please note that your son must have his sports attire for Round 1 (Saturday, 12 February).

Junior School Swimming Carnival

After a successful swim trial this week, we are all set for our Swimming Carnival to be held at the Senior School pool on Friday, 11 February from 9:30am.

For those who would like to attend the Carnival, we are able to accomodate one parent per family. We ask that when arriving as a spectator, you enter through the pool gate on Salisbury Street – this is the street that runs beside the pool. 

You will be asked to QR Code in and your vaccination status will be checked by the staff member on duty. We ask that while you are on site, please socially distance yourself from other members of the community. 

Sun Protection: As previously mentioned, for the trial days, all students are asked to pack sunscreen for the Swimming Carnival. The College provides sunscreen tubs, and staff will continually remind students to re-apply sunscreen on the day. 

Please ensure you place further responsibility on your son to manage his re-applying of sunscreen throughout the day, as the responsibility cannot solely be placed on staff.

Students are strongly encouraged to wear their House colours on the day as support. Alternately, they can also wear their sports uniform. Students can wear their swimmers underneath, or pack swimmers in their swim bag, to get changed at the pool change rooms. 

Please remember sunscreen as mentioned, water, towel, goggles, Waverley sports hat and a Waverley swimming cap. We will lend swimming caps to students who do not have a Waverley cap, as we need these to clearly indicate your son’s House. Please also remember a packed lunch and recess, or you can order lunch via Flexischools, and it will be delivered to the pool.

We look forward to a great day!

Co-Curricular Parent/Carer Liaison Role – Expressions of Interest

If you are a Junior School Parent/Carer, and would like to involve yourself as an assistant to your son’s sporting team, please read further. The role of Co-curricular Parent/Carer Liaison gives a vital link between the College Coach/Teacher, myself and the Parents/Carers and students involved. These people will serve as a point of contact throughout the co-curricular sporting season.

Roles may include supporting the coach with specific duties, such as team organisation (correct uniform/safety gear and extra umpiring responsibilities when umpires need assistance). The role could occasionally require you to fill in as the coach for training, or a game if the team’s coach is late, suddenly unavailable, or needs support at any time. 

Your assistance will provide significant support to the coach throughout the season.

>>> Click here to complete the Junior School Co-Curricular Parent/Carer Liaison Google Form, if you think you could fulfil this role.

Thank you for your consideration, and I look forward to meeting you and getting to know you better throughout 2022.

 

Mr Jack Wachtel

Assistant Director of Co-Curricular (Years 5-8)

E: jwachtel@waverley.nsw.edu.au

 

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Home Learning Club – Week 3

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 3pm until 4pm – Mondays, Tuesdays, Wednesdays, and Thursdays during school term, unless there is a scheduled Professional Development meeting, and then the club will be closed. You will be unable to book at these times.

Procedures

>>> Click here to register your son for Home Learning Club.

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 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 and  Wednesday – Mrs Natasha Zivanovic
• Tuesday and Thursday  – Ms Gaby Bransby 

If you require any further information, feel free to contact us.

E: nzivanovic@waverley.nsw.edu.au

E: gbransby@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.  

Try to avoid messaging your son during this period, unless it is urgent.

 

Mrs Natasha Zivanovic

Literacy and Innovation Teacher

E: nzivanovic@waverley.nsw.edu.au