Director of Junior School, Ms Gabrielle Bransby
Read more: The Feast of St Mary of the Cross, Indigenous Literacy Day, paralympian interactive webinar, KIDS NEWS short story competition, Father’s Day photos, Harry Laing author presentation, online bookshop, Friday Fun Activity Book Week character costume, Science Week, virtual gallery, ICAS update.
Book Week 2021
Welcome to Week 7! Another very busy week for our students. This week marks Book Week for 2021. Normally this is a fun-filled and exciting week for our students at school. We have done our best to celebrate it online.
Our Fun Friday Activity this week was for our students to dress up and/or film themselves as their chosen characters. The theme this year is Old Worlds, New Worlds, Other Worlds. Our students did an amazing job creating their costumes and we can’t wait to announce the winners next week.
Science Week 2021
Last week, we celebrated Science Week and our Fun Friday Activity was based around this. Our winners created original, fun, and exciting science experiments.
Our winners for Week 6 are:
- 5 Blue — Aiden McNee
- 5 Orange — Jasper Lumsden
- 5 Red — Cooper Hawkins
- 6 Blue — Thomas Maxwell
- 6 Orange — Ethan Khatib
- 6 Red — Alex Janis
- 6 White — Rafael Kupershteyn
Year 5 Religious Education — The Feast of St Mary of the Cross
Last week, Year 5 students celebrated the Feast of Australia’s first saint, St Mary of the Cross (MacKillop — 8 August). During their Online Learning, students investigated the extraordinary life of this compassionate, devout and determined young woman.
In their presentations, they outlined what Mary achieved in her lifetime and why she remains such an inspiration, not only to Australians, but to men and women worldwide. Some of the students included their beautiful artwork to capture the heart and spirit of Mary.
Jayden Newrick (5 Gold)
Charlie Gibbins (5 Gold)
Isaac Tait, Reese Araujo, Flynn Killen, Freddie Leiper (5 Gold)
Ms Gabrielle Bransby
Acting Director of Junior School
E: gbransby@waverley.nsw.edu.au
Virtual Experiences
Providing varied experiences for students in the classroom is a massive priority throughout this lockdown period. I have compiled a list of different virtual lessons/activities/competitions that are (mostly) free to join and encompass a wide range of interests from photography to arts to English. Have a look through the range of activities and get involved today!
What’s on(line)
Aussie Student Inventions that Changed the World Competition
Dates: Now – Entries close 17 September
>>> Click here to view information about the competition.
Australian Photography Awards ($10 entry)
Dates: Now – Entries Close 18 October
>>> Click here to view information about the competition.
Australian Museum Tour
Dates: Ongoing
>>> Click here for information about the virtual tour.
The British Museum Tour
Dates: Ongoing
>>> Click here for information about the virtual tour.
Education Perfect Micro-Poetry Slam
Dates: 30 August – 17 September
>>> Click here for information about the micro-poetry slam.
NASA Space Station (Free App required)
Dates: Ongoing
>>> Click here to view information about the Space Center Houston app.
Seaworld Orlando
Dates: Ongoing
>>> Click here to view information about the Seaworld Orlando virtual tour.
San Diego Zoo
Dates: Live 24-hour cams
>>> Click here to view live cams at the San Diego Zoo.
Wombat Books Illustration Challenge
Dates: Now – Entries Closes 30 November
>>> Click here to view information about the illustration challenge.
If you have any questions about the activities on this list, please feel free to contact me! Additionally, if you know of any other experiences that could be added, please get in touch, and I will add them to the list next week.
Mr Thomas Mitton
Acting Director of Curriculum — Junior School
E: tmitton@waverley.nsw.edu.au
Father’s Day Presentation – Send Your Photos!
As you are probably aware, Father’s Day will be celebrated on Sunday 5 September 2021. Unfortunately, due to current circumstances, we will not be able to celebrate together as a school community, therefore myself and the students at the Junior School will be putting together a virtual Father’s Day presentation to mark this special occasion.
To help facilitate this, could you please send through a photo with your son(s) and their dad(s) and grandad(s), or those who are like fathers to our students, so that they can be used in the presentation. It would be really appreciated if files labelled with your son’s name be sent through as a jpeg file.
Please email all photos to: liturgy@waverley.nsw.edu.au.
*Please note the deadline for these photos is 5pm on Wednesday 1 September.
Mr Stephen Ghattas
Assistant Director of Junior School/Student Formation
E: sghattas@waverley.nsw.edu.au
Indigenous Literacy Day – Celebrating Wednesday 1 September
Indigenous Literacy Day is taking place on Wednesday 1 September. I have registered the College for a special virtual event for Year 5 classes and teachers to watch during the day.
This event is for children aged 4-11 years and will be hosted by Indigenous Literacy Foundation ambassador, Gregg Dreise, a proud descendant from the Goomeri and Yuwalayaay people in south western Queensland and north west of New South Wales. Gregg is a performer, author, musician and artist.
There will also be a special guest appearance by Indigenous Literacy Foundation ambassador and singer, Jessica Mauboy.
The 25-minute event includes two delightful animations illustrating Kriol language. It is proudly presented by the Indigenous Literacy Foundation in collaboration with the Sydney Opera House.
Happy Indigenous Literacy Day!
>>> Click here to read more about Indigenous Literacy Day in the extended Nurrunga article by Mr Bill Roberts.
Mr Bill Roberts
Head of Library Services
wroberts@waverley.nsw.edu.au
Celebrate Indigenous Literacy Day this September!
Harry Laing Virtual Author Presentation
Junior school students enjoyed a highly entertaining and engaging presentation from Harry Laing this morning as part of our Book Week celebrations.
Harry is a poet, children’s author, creative writing teacher and comic performer.
We were privileged to have Harry Laing share numerous writing tips with students
Harry shared many writing tips with the students and they also participated in writing their own poems. His newest poetry book is RapperBee coming out in October. Students were lucky to hear Harry recite these poems in such a humorous manner!
Harry Laing recited humorous poems from his forthcoming poetry book ‘RapperBee’
Online Bookshop
Our pop-up book shop which is proudly supported by ‘The Children’s Bookshop & Speakers’ Agency’ has gone online. Allowing your son to make his own reading choices is an important part of encouraging reading.
>>> Click here to purchase books.
*Books you purchase will be delivered to your door free of charge.
The Pop Up Bookshop is Now Online
Waverley Students Making Their Own Book Choices
Friday Fun Activity Book Week Character Costume
Book Week costumes
Book Week costumes
Students will have the opportunity to design and create their own Book Week costume! They will need to take a photo or video of themselves in character.
Students need to upload this to their ‘Friday Fun Day’ activity folder. Students will receive more details in their Week 7 Google Meets.
The ‘most creative and original costume’ judges will be Ms Rollins, Mr Watchel, and Ms Bransby.
*All prize winners will be announced in Week 8!
Virtual Gallery
The theme this year is Old Worlds, New Worlds, Other Worlds leaving it open to interpretation. Students created a piece of artwork using any medium of their choice.
*Prize winners will be announced in Week 8!
>>> Click here to view the art entries in our virtual gallery.
Enter the 2021 KIDS NEWS Short Story Competition
The KIDS NEWS Short Story Competition is back for 2021.
The competition has four age groups: Kindergarten to Year 2; Years 3-4; Years 5-6 and Years 7-9.
A panel of judges, led by award-winning author Jackie French, will choose the winning entries, with the first prize in each age category winning 10 copies of their short story published into a printed book with a personally designed cover, plus an iPad and a HarperCollins book pack.
There are also prizes for one runner-up and three highly commended entries in each age group.
Teachers can submit their students’ entries using the online entry form below. A consent form, signed by the student’s parent or guardian, must be attached to the entry form. Please click on the links below for further information about entry and parent consent.
>>> Click here to read more about the KIDS NEWS Short Story Competition.
>>> Click here to enter and sign the parent consent form.
*Entries are open from 9am (AEST) Monday 16 August until 5pm (AEST) Friday 17 September 2021.
ICAS UPDATE
In response to the daily COVID-19 developments, ICAS has an additional four-week sitting window in Term 4 from 5 October – 29 October 2021 to give schools and families peace of mind during these uncertain times.
However, there have been no further updates if schools don’t resume face-to-face during the new sitting window. I am constantly in contact with Julla Timan, our Assessment Consultant, and will keep you updated.
Ms Natasha Zivanovic
Primary Literacy and Innovation Teacher
E: nzivanovic@waverley.nsw.edu.au
Paralympian Interactive Webinar
Waverley College Junior School have registered in the ‘Be Your Greatest Webinars’ which allow students to virtually meet members of our Australia Paralympic Team during the Games and while the athletes are quarantining.
During a live, interactive session with Australian Paralympic athletes, students will be able to learn about the Paralympic Games and engage in a question and answer session with the athletes about their sporting careers, training and challenges living with a disability.
This webinar is free, and there are only 30 spots available to students from the Junior School. Two students from each class will be eligible to nominate themselves for a spot.
*To secure a spot, students must inform their class teacher of their interest, and the first two students from each class will be selected to be involved.
- The session time will be held in Week 10 on Monday 13 September (1:30pm-2:30pm AEST).
- The webinar link will be send to the selected students closer to the session date.
Mr Jack Wachtel
Assistant Director of Co-Curricular (Years 5-8)
E: jwachtel@waverley.nsw.edu.au
