Ms Gaby Bransby, Director of the Junior School
Diary Dates
Please find below some reminders about upcoming events. For all of Term 1 events, please refer to the College calendar.
March
- 2 March – Summer Sport – Round 4
- 7 March – Aungier House Mass and Supper, Chapel, 6pm
- 9 March – Summer Sport – Round 5
- 13 March – Winter Sport Trials
- 16 March – Summer Sport – Round 6
- 13 – 25 March – NAPLAN Testing Window – TBC
- 21 March – Winter Sport Trials
- 26 March – Final Winter Sport Trials
- 28 March – Holy Thursday – Pupil-Free Day
- 29 March – Good Friday – Pupil-Free Day
April
- 1 April – Easter Monday – Pupil-Free Day
- 4 April – Lacey House Mass and Supper, Chapel, 6pm
- 5 April – Open Classrooms TBA
- 12 April – Classes Conclude
Kids Giving Back
A huge congratulations to the following students who volunteered their time during the Christmas break to support this wonderful charity.
Ayrton Barrie, Alessio Divic, Benjamin McGrath, Cooper Glenn, Dash Ingram, Flynn Oxborrow, Jack Gibson, Marcello Zanco, Oscar Griffin, Patrick Mahoney, Phoenix Tilly, William Sorrenson, Zachary Hickman.
These students were among 1,200 young people who assisted in providing over 11,500 hot and cold meals, breakfast boxes, snack packs, care packs, writing empathetic, positive messages to 15 charities around Sydney.
Kids Giving Back expressed that these students “demonstrated exceptional leadership qualities, compassion, and a strong sense of civic responsibility. They truly embody the spirit of giving back and we wanted to extend my heartfelt gratitude for their contributions. The commitment to altruism is truly inspiring and a testament to the values that your school instils in them.”
A wonderful representation of Waverley and our values. We are extremely proud of these students.
Reminder – Preparing for NAPLAN
The National Assessment Program – Literacy and Numeracy (NAPLAN) is a point in time assessment of literacy and numeracy skills that are essential for every child to progress through school and life. Students in Years 5, 7 and 9 participate in the annual NAPLAN tests in writing, reading, conventions of language (spelling, grammar and punctuation) and numeracy.
Our school will be participating in NAPLAN Online between 13 and 22 March 2024.
We do not recommend excessive preparation for NAPLAN Online, however, if you are looking for any resources to familiarise your son with the online testing platform, you can view the public demonstration site HERE.
We truly believe that we prepare our Waverley students through the quality teaching and learning experiences they already receive in the classroom. Our Year 5 teachers will be offering opportunities for Year 5 to become familiar with the NAPLAN interface and utilising Education Perfect to set some NAPLAN style practice questions in the lead up. We hope for this to be a stress free and supported experience for all of our students.
Ms Gaby Bransby
Director of the Junior School
gbransby@waverley.nsw.edu.au
Aungier House Mass
The Aungier House Mass is coming up on Thursday, 7 March 2024 (Week 6). Students in Aungier House are expected to attend and parents are warmly invited to attend as well. This will be held in the Senior School Chapel at 6pm and will be followed by a light supper.
Please look out for an email from Mr John McCoy (Aungier Head of House).
Class Captains and Vice-Captains
Congratulations to the following boys in Years 5 and 6 who have been voted in by their peers and teachers as this year’s Class Captains. The Year 6 students will hold this position for the entire year, whilst an opportunity for other Year 5 students will take place at the beginning of Term 3.
I look forward to working with these boys throughout the year. I also wish to acknowledge all the boys who put their hands up and bravely stood in front of their class to deliver their own speeches.
| Year 6 Captain | Year 6 Vice-Captain | Year 5 Captain | Year 5 Vice-Captain | |
| Blue | Enzo Blackwell | Jordan Strbac | Billy Gibbons | Hayden Greenberg |
| Gold | Thomas Taylor | Reggie Horsley | Rosario Squadritto | Marlon Hair |
| Indigo | Ellis Cario | Tio Norman | Sam Jarrett | Samuel Loughrey |
| Orange | Sebastian Lopez-Heslop | Cruz Peralta | Luka Whalan | Jack Morahan Saliba |
| Red | Fergus Samba Hoare | Ashaan Kalmar | Hugo D’Amours | Valentino Guirreri |
| White | Lucas Marin | Jake Saad | Silas Murphy | Jagger Michael |
Mr Steve Ghattas
Assistant Director of the Junior School / Identity & Student Formation
sghattas@waverley.nsw.edu.au
Indigenous Perspective History Talk
This week, the Year 5 students were honoured to have Waverley parent, Gene Ross, present his knowledge about Indigenous heroes from Australia’s colonial period. He explained the four pillars of Indigenous culture in great depth (Family, Lore, Country and Spirituality). Gene, a proud Gadigal, Bidiagal and Birrabirragal man, connected with the boys sharing about family, background and his connection to Country.
Students and teachers joined in celebrating the lives of the notable First Nations Australians such as Patyegarang, Barangaroo, Bennelong, Bungaree, Pemulwuy, Tarenorerer, Yarri and Jacky Jacky. Gene captivatingly explained the importance of these figures in their historical context and helped the boys in understanding the different perspectives at the time of colonisation.
To the excitement of many, Gene also shared special significant artefacts such as an Aboriginal spear, hunting boomerang and axe. There is a buzz of excitement and curiosity in the air as the boys continue their inquiry in the lead up to the History Showcase in Term 2.
Ms Elise Hunt
Teacher of 5 Blue
ehunt@waverley.nsw.edu.au
Waverley College Cross Country Junior School Race
Dear Parents and Carers,
The Waverley College Junior School holds an internal Cross Country race. This is to aid in the selection of our long distance runners to represent Waverley at a high level.
This invitational race is not a ‘carnival’ and boys should only consider entering if they have aspirations of being selected to race at representative carnivals. This would require students to know they are able to run a competitive time for the set distances.
Athletes will be timed and notified of their selection in our College team in the days following our carnival.
When: Wednesday, 6 March 2024 (Week 6B)
Time: 12:45pm
Dress: Students participating may wear their sports uniform for the entire day.
Like with Run Club, students can eat their lunch upon their return to school.
Parents/carers are more than welcome to attend and support their sons.
Please complete the attached Google form HERE to indicate permission for your son to race in our invitational event.
- Under 10s – 2 laps or 2km
- Under 11s – 3 laps or 3km
- Under 12s – 3 laps or 3km
Mr Elliott McKimm
5 Orange Teacher and Assistant Director of Curriculum
emckimm@waverley.nsw.edu.au
Round 3 – Summer Sport
Cricket
Round 3 of Summer Sport was a success, with impressive results from all teams. Congratulations particularly to our Cricket teams, who all came away from Saturday with wins. Well done!
Year 6 Cricket B
Year 6 Cricket C
Water Polo
Congratulations to our Water Polo Bs who showed resilience after a close game against St Augustine’s, coming back from 5-2 to be equal 5-5 and just losing 6-5 in the last minute.
Husky Triathlon
Well done to Charlie Burrows and his family who competed in the Husky Triathlon last weekend, where they had a great time and all came through with great results. The “Big Husky” Triathlon Festival has grown to become one of Australia’s most loved of the ‘Long Course’ events.
2024 marks 19 years of Shimano Husky excitement! Congratulations to Charlie and his family on their efforts.
Co-curricular Reminders
- All students must change into their correct uniform after morning training, or wear the correct uniform then change into their training gear before afternoon training.
- Remember to keep an eye out for all Years 5 or 6 Waverley App announcements, which all start with the title “JS:” meaning Junior School. Any other announcements relate to the Senior School.
- Saturday exemptions need to be requested via email to me (jsparks@waverley.nsw.edu.au). Students are allowed two exemptions per year. Illness/misadventure needs to be logged through the Parent Lounge with a medical certificate for Saturdays. Weekday training absences need to be logged through the Parent Lounge and a certificate is not required.
- Please find all relevant Junior School Co-Curricular information (fixtures, results, training schedule and draw) through the College website via the links below.
>> https://waverley.nsw.edu.au/events/senior-and-junior-sport-fixtures/
>> https://waverley.nsw.edu.au/information/junior-school-sport/
We are looking forward to Round 4 sport tomorrow – go Waves!
Ms Jade Sparks
Assistant Director of Co-curricular
jsparks@waverley.nsw.edu.au
Home Learning – 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 3pm 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 HERE.
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 and Wednesday: Mrs Natasha Zivanovic nzivanovic@waverley.nsw.edu.au
- Tuesday and Thursday: Ms Gaby Bransby gbransby@waverley.nsw.edu.au
If you require any further information, feel free to contact us.
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 Tryouts – YEAR 6 ONLY
The Junior School debating tryouts are on Tuesday, 12 March 2024 (Week 7) in the Learning Hub Period 1.
If your son would like to try out for the IPSHA team he will need to do the following:
*Choose one of the below topics:
- That technology is harmful to our friendship
- That typing is better than writing
- That we should stop selling bottled water
*Write a 1-2 minute speech taking the side of the affirmative or negative.
*On the day he will refute the student speaking before him. Then he will continue with his speech.
Drawing Club
The drawing club operates at lunchtime once a week. In the last two weeks, the focus was on planning for the Waverley Youth Art Prize 2024. This year, the competition is asking aspiring artists to respond to the theme Mysteries of the Deep.
I’m extremely proud of the dedication and commitment to drawing these boys show weekly.
LEGO Club
The LEGO Club, a creative and engaging platform for our Junior School enthusiasts, recently explored the theme of ‘Environment.’ Last week’s inspiration sparked a flurry of innovative builds and discussions centred around sustainability, conservation, and eco-friendly practices.
Participants delved into constructing intricate models depicting nature, showcasing the power of imagination. The session not only fostered a sense of community among members but also highlighted the importance of incorporating environmental awareness into the realm of creativity.
What are the students saying about LEGO Club?
Joe Fanning “Love working under pressure and completing weekly challenges.”
Tristan Reay “Lego club is an amazing way to express your imagination when you think in your curious ways.”
Will Duffin “I like that everyone is very creative.”
Kai Taylor “Very fun and very creative!”
Orson Hayes “It’s just fun!”
Hayden Greenberg “Lego club is amazing and lets everyone express what they are thinking about into blocks.”
Dylan King “Very fun.”
Lunchtime Talk
It was an honour to host Dr David Heslop as our inaugural guest speaker for 2024. Dr Heslop, a distinguished professional in Science and Medicine, excels as a medical scientist, medical doctor, army officer, husband, and father to Seb in Year 6. His lunchtime presentation sparked curiosity among the students, particularly through his captivating stories of service as an army officer, showcasing his unwavering dedication to duty and honour.
Dr Heslop shared insightful experiences from working alongside the Special Operations team in Afghanistan, leaving the students in admiration of his stories and profound words of wisdom. His strong message, “take the opportunity when it is present,” resonated deeply with our audience. Thank you Dr David Heslop for generously dedicating the time to inspire the boys in our Junior School.
Ms Natasha Zivanovic
Literacy & Innovation Teacher
nzivanovic@waverley.nsw.edu.au
News from 5 Gold and Mr Burns
I’m absolutely delighted to share the wonderful progress that 5 Gold has made since becoming part of the Waverley College Junior School. The students have smoothly settled into their new academic setting, embracing the spirit of Waverley with genuine enthusiasm and dedication. Witnessing their daily commitment to writing, reading, and engaging with quality literature is truly heartwarming, showcasing a sincere eagerness to immerse themselves in their own individual learning.
I am proud of how the boys have wholeheartedly embraced the philosophy of making 1% improvement every single day. This commitment to incremental progress is evident in the impressive improvements seen in their writing skills. The positive outcomes resulting from their dedication to literary activities are influencing various aspects of their academic journey, highlighting the significant impact of a well-rounded education.
As their teacher, I’m genuinely excited about the ongoing growth and development that the rest of the year holds for them. Given their current progress, I have every confidence that 5 Gold will continue to flourish throughout 2024.
Mr Luke Burns
Teacher of 5 Gold
lburns@waverley.nsw.edu.au
