Waverley Council’s colourful autumn school holiday program offers something for young people of all ages – from soccer, tennis and basketball at Margaret Whitlam Recreation Centre, to LED workshops, creative writing and glass jar decorating at Waverley Library.
Check out Council’s diverse arts, culture and family programming by clicking the buttons below.
Click here to view school holiday events in Waverley
Click here to view and book school holiday events at Bondi Pavilion
Ms Marie-Anne Maakrun
Assistant Director of Student Formation
mmaakrun@waverley.nsw.edu.au
The Annual Waverley Youth Art Prize is open for entry.
The purpose of the Waverley Youth Art Prize is to encourage creativity in young artists from Sydney’s Eastern Beaches. It is an open prize with all artwork entries hung to allow young people the experience of being an exhibiting artist, and seeing an audience appreciate their creation talents.
The theme for this year is ‘Climate Utopia’ – the theme which asks young artists of Sydney’s Eastern Beaches to create an artwork considering possible climate futures and solutions.
Broad artistic interpretation of this theme is encouraged. Entrants may utilise ideas relating to popular culture, science fiction or something else entirely. All mediums and interpretations are welcome.
The Prize is open to everyone aged between 9-18 living, studying and playing in Sydney’s East. Entries close 25 May. For further information about the prize, please click the button below.
Click here to view more information about the Waverley Youth Art Prize
Winners of the Youth Art Prize will receive a range of art materials to help with future creations, while the winner of the senior section will receive a voucher for a week at the National Art School’s Summer School.
For further information and help, speak to Ms Turnbull in the Senior School or Ms Zivanovic in the Junior School about submission.
Please find below some reminders about upcoming events. For all of Term 1 events, please refer to the College calendar.
Congratulations to Joe Madden who was named Junior School Music Captain for 2023. Joe is a keen member of the Junior School band, sings with Cantores, and is part of the Stomp group. Joe has also featured as a soloist for Waverley College events such as the 2022 Chamber Concert and 2022 Speech Day. Joe will be a fine ambassador for music in the Junior School and will keep the boys informed about musical activities and performances.
The World’s Greatest Shave is the Lacey House charity event. We are very proud of Archie Poynting in 5 Red on raising such a huge amount of money. If you would like to donate, please click the button below. Well done Archie!
Ms Gaby Bransby
Director of the Junior School
gbransby@waverley.nsw.edu.au
It was great to see so many students and staff celebrating our diverse community in the Junior School on Harmony Day on Tuesday, 21 March. The main theme throughout the day was celebrating one another for who they are, and having respect for everyone’s cultures, and celebrating diversity.
The students were buzzing with excitement at the beginning of recess, sharing the variety of foods that everyone brought in. The playground was brought to life by our guest DJ, Alicia, who played music from different cultures all through recess. The students (and teachers) took a while to warm up, but before long, they were up dancing to the beat.
A big congratulations to Rory Palmer (6 Orange), James Ganson (6 Gold) and Harry McKeon (6 Gold) on their initiative to hold a Zooper Dooper sale at the Junior School to raise money for CARITAS during our Lenten Appeal. The boys were instrumental in organising everything, including the purchasing and selling of the ice blocks, raising in excess of $300. Well done to the boys and a special thanks to the boys in the Junior School for their support.
Tuesday 28 March (Week 9) is the second session of our Big Brother/Little Brother program. This session will focus on Rock and Water activities – a program designed to build confidence, self-awareness, resilience and more – all important skills for our students to develop. Students will need to come dressed in their PE uniforms on Tuesday.
Mr Steve Ghattas
Assistant Director of Junior School / Identity & Student Formation
sghattas@waverley.nsw.edu.au
On Thursday, 30 March, the Junior School warmly invites all parents/carers to join us on campus from 8:40am until 9:05am to be guided by your son as we open up our classrooms to you.
Open Classrooms is an opportunity for your son to show and tell you all about what he has been learning this term, and each student has selected three pieces of work that they would love to share with you.
This is also a chance for them to guide you around their classrooms, as well as the other spaces in the school in which their learning takes place, such as our brand new Science Lab!
Through strengthening our partnerships between school and home, we hope to help every student to develop an even greater sense of pride in their learning and academic achievements, classroom and school.
Year 6 Innovation Club has just come to the end of their first exciting STEM challenge for the year. In teams, they had to design a contraption to fly a marble as far as it could go. The parameters of their design were as follows:
It was so impressive to see the boys collaborate, test, make adaptations and refine their designs. Congratulations to the winning team of Owen Posada, Sam Burrows and Finley Norman-Nott, whose marble managed to fly half the length of the basketball court.
I am very much looking forward to seeing Innovation Club tackle their next project next week.
Ms Charlotte Stephens
Assistant Director of Curriculum
cstephens@waverley.nsw.edu.au
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.
*No Home Learning Club on Wednesday 29 March, due to a staff meeting.
Click here to register your son
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/carer signature will be required.
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.
If you require any further information, feel free to email us.
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.
Ms Natasha Zivanovic
Literacy & Innovation Teacher
nzivanovic@waverley.nsw.edu.au
Thank you to all students for their involvement in the beginning term of the Summer Co-Curricular Sport season. It has been a pleasure to watch all students enjoying themselves week after week, with little to no interruptions or cancellations that we experienced at the same time last year.
I’d particularly like to thank all the coaches, which included Junior School staff, Waverley parents and carers, Old Boys and external coaches. Their passion and dedication to making sure their team(s) consistently improve and develop, was inspiring.
Lastly, thank you to all parents and carers for being there supporting your son weekly, regardless of the weather conditions, and driving all over Sydney to allow your son the joy of being involved in team sport at Waverley College.
Mr Jack Wachtel
Assistant Director of Co-curricular (Years 5-8)
jwachtel@waverley.nsw.edu.au
Debating season is around the corner and once again, I am astounded by the amount of interest and enthusiasm of the boys at the Junior School.
I would like to congratulate Ryan Loughrey, James Draper, Freddie Goldrich, Joe Madden, Sam Peate, Ethan Daemi, Boyd Haslam, Cormac Maher and Franklin Pyke who have been selected to represent the Junior School forming our IPSHA Debating team. I am eager to see what this season has in store for us. All the best for the season.
Lenny and August are our budding artists behind this week’s drawing club inspiration. Create a drawing from a scribble. The drawings speak for themselves. Over the next few sessions, the students will add colour.
Before
After
What a fantastic way to start the year with a new, excited and enthusiastic group of Year 5 and Year 6 students who are ready to learn a variety of Judo skills and techniques. With Judo being a dynamic sport that demands both physical prowess and great mental discipline, these young men have been dedicated to their training each week and are determined to master techniques that require patience, time, effort and energy. I am very proud of their progress so far and I look forward to the year ahead!
Hip Hop Club is off to a great start this year! The boys have been learning new skills and are always keen to master the new moves I give them each Tuesday. They also bring their own ideas like a plank competition or a new song they want to dance to. I love seeing the boys making friendships and building each other up. Come join the fun.
Last Saturday, 18 March, Kai Freeman from 5 Indigo competed in the 2023 Sydney Jiu Jitsu Championships. He was successful in submitting his opponents all within a minute, taking out 1st place in his division! A massive achievement, and the Waverley community congratulate Kai on this significant accomplishment in his division.
Mr Jack Wachtel
Assistant Director of Co-curricular (Years 5-8)
jwachtel@waverley.nsw.edu.au
Dr Christy Norwood gave the Waverley boys a truly inspirational insight into the world of paediatrics.
The life of a doctor is not just restricted to a hospital. Dr Christy supports remote communities by providing ‘Telehealth’ services with children who live in Moree and being on call even when her shift at the hospital is finished.
Thank you for inspiring the next generation of medical students.
Ms Natasha Zivanovic
Literacy & Innovation Teacher
nzivanovic@waverley.nsw.edu.au
Our first Health assessment for Term 1 was based around the safety of students coming to and from school. The boys were tasked with creating a digital brochure for students who walk or ride their bikes to school, and catch public transport to and from school.
In the brochure, they needed to provide five safety support tips for any of the following topics:
Below, are some proud students showing off their finished safety brochures.
Mr Tom Olds
Classroom Teacher 6 Orange
tolds@waverley.nsw.edu.au
Dear Parents and Carers
Please click the button below to view the Uniform Shop Holiday Trading Hours.
Please find below some reminders about upcoming events. For all of Term 1 events, please refer to the College calendar.
A reminder below on how to report your son’s absence. Please do not email the Junior School email or the class teacher. This needs to be logged in the system.
| Area Contact | Enquiry | Steps | Contact Person |
| Absence | Reporting an absence | 1st Contact
2nd Contact |
Waverley College App
Ms Danielle Brown attendance@waverley.nsw.edu.au Absentee line: 02 9369 0632 |
Students are expected to be at school by 8:35am. Late arrivals in Years 5 and 6 need to report to the Junior School Reception where Ms Sanchez will mark their name off.
Parents/carers requesting permission for up to three days of leave or extended holiday periods exceeding three school days, must apply for permission from the Director of the Junior School. Permission needs to be in writing at least two weeks in advance, and is not automatically granted.
There are a lot of parents/carers parking in the church car spaces before and after school. Fr Bernie has asked that I advise all parents/carers to not park in the driveway or in front of the church at any time, unless you are attending Mass or visiting Fr Bernie.
Driveways must be kept clear for emergency vehicles if attending the retired priests on the property.
Thank you for your support with this.
Just a reminder, that students are not allowed to go to the EzyMart at Charing Cross in their uniform before and after school, unless they are with a parent/carer.
Please make sure students are coming to school with healthy drinks and snacks in the morning, as there has been a rise in sugary drinks and snacks.
There have been issues around the drink ‘Prime’ and it has now been banned. Please do not allow students to bring these to school as they will be confiscated.
Thank you.
Ms Gaby Bransby
Director of the Junior School
gbransby@waverley.nsw.edu.au
A reminder that we will be celebrating Harmony Day on Tuesday, 21 March (Week 8). Children are to wear their PE Uniform on the day and to show their support, they are encouraged to wear a touch of orange as part of their uniform for the day. We are also asking students to bring in a gold coin donation to support our CARITAS appeal.
We would also like to celebrate our diversity by asking students to bring in a plate of food from home that best represents their culture, that can be shared amongst the class.
The celebration of mothers, grandmothers and significant others in the lives of our Waverley College Students, will be celebrated on Friday, 12 May at 12pm (Week 3, Term 2). This will be at Mary Immaculate Church followed by a light lunch at the Junior School.
>>> Click here to view the invitation and to RSVP.
Part of the celebration will include a slideshow. Please send through a photo of your son(s) with their mothers/grandmothers if you would like a photo included in this presentation.
Please email photos to liturgy@waverley.nsw.edu.au
Both 6 White and 6 Red will attend Mass at Mary Immaculate Church beginning at 9:15am. Parents/carers are warmly invited to attend.
Mr Steve Ghattas
Assistant Director of Junior School / Identity & Student Formation
sghattas@waverley.nsw.edu.au
Well done to Year 5 for completing their NAPLAN Writing assessment this week. We are so proud of their efforts to do their very best. We have three more to go this week, please see the information below.
| Monday, 20
March |
Tuesday, 21
March |
Wednesday, 22
March |
|
| Periods 1 and 2 | Reading (50 mins)
9am – 10am |
Conventions of Language (45 mins)
9am – 10am |
Numeracy (50 mins)
9am – 10am |
Catch up tests will be on Thursday 23 and Friday 24 March.
Students must bring their fully-charged laptops and headphones to school each day for their assessments. All students were given a set of headphones in their stationery pack at the beginning of the year, but some are now lost or broken, so please ensure that your son has working headphones by Monday.
We wish Year 5 all the best in their remaining NAPLAN next week.
Ms Charlotte Stephens
Assistant Director of Curriculum
cstephens@waverley.nsw.edu.au
It is our final round of Summer Co-Curricular Sport for Term 1 tomorrow (Saturday, 18 March). I wish all teams the best of luck and ask them to represent Waverley proudly, as I know they will. It has been a special term of sport for all students, and I hope your sons have enjoyed being involved.
Please ensure you refer to the Waverley College app announcements each week, as I will continue to send out the weekly Sports Fixtures for the Winter Sport Season in Terms 2 and 3. All families can also locate all relevant Junior School Co-Curricular information via the College website by clicking the button below.
Click here to view Fixtures and Venue Maps
Congratulations to the following students who not only tried for the IPSHA Touch Football team, but made it through and will now compete at NSWCIS against the best players in NSW: Talin Opai, Kalan Fisher, Jackson MacAskill, Jacob Coleman, Jordan Strbac, Tio Norman.
It’s a significant achievement and we wish the team the best of luck for the next opportunity to come.
ISPHA Touch Football Trials
Following on from last week’s results, a massive congratulations to the following students who also completed at State Nippers and medalled in their age group:
Patrick Spencer: U10 Gold Medal, Beach Relay (North Bondi); Bart Carmody: U11 Gold Medal Board Race, Gold Cameron Relay, Silver Board Relay, 6th-Ironman (North Bondi); Freddie Goldrich: U11 Silver Medal Board Relay (with Bart); Brynn Spierings: U11 Bronze Board Relay (North Bondi); Jake Coleman: U11 Mixed Beach Relay (Coogee); Jude McDermott: U11 Swim Final (Clovelly).
Waverley Water Polo students competed at the Orange Water Polo Tournament representing UNSW last weekend, finishing 3rd in their pool. What a great achievement by our Junior School students: Joey Di Blasio, Charlie Maynell, Oscar Barrow, Louis Coleman, Rory Palmer, and Hopper Dyke-Miller.
Mr Jack Wachtel
Assistant Director of Co-curricular (Years 5-8)
jwachtel@waverley.nsw.edu.au
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.
Click here to register your son
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/carer signature will be required.
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.
If you require any further information, feel free to email us.
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.
New books in the Learning Hub
This book, Barefoot Kids: Your Epic Money Adventure by Scott Pape (recommended by Ollie Burke Year 6), has been in high demand since numerous copies of it arrived.
After getting their hands on a copy, Edward Crabbe and Jake Mussett informed me that they had learned a great deal about the importance of doing household chores for no pay, how to create their own money buckets, and how to begin planning for the future.
This book holds the secret to raising smart, resilient, kind and hard-working kids who will grow up knowing how to manage their money.
These students are taking charge of their own reading objectives and regularly checking in to see what they should read next for the Waverley Reading Challenge.
Max Pargeter was the source of our drawing inspiration last week. His book, You Can Draw Animals, set the scene for all types of animals to be drawn – real, mythical, hybrid or favourite. It was busy, it was creative, it was fun and highly sociable.
I want to express my gratitude to all the boys in the Drawing Club who attend each session with passion and creativity.
Ms Natasha Zivanovic
Literacy & Innovation Teacher
nzivanovic@waverley.nsw.edu.au
Enjoying a terrific start to their Waverley College journey and making the most of all of the wide ranging learning opportunities available, 5 Red are well on their way towards greatness. The boys continue to grow and embrace the Waverley Core Values each and every day.
Our topic in English this term is ‘New Beginnings’, and the boys are exploring various text types such as interviews, podcasts and autobiographies.
Mr Alon Horry
Classroom Teacher 5 Red
ahorry@waverley.nsw.edu.au
Dear Parents and Carers,
Enrolment applications for Years 5 and 7, 2025 will close in two weeks.
If you have a sibling enrolment you wish to enrol in 2025 and haven’t yet submitted an application, please ensure that you do so by the closing date on Friday, 31 March.
If your son is currently enrolled in the Junior School, you do NOT need to re-enrol for the Senior School.
If you have any questions regarding sibling enrolment please do not hesitate to contact me directly.
Please find below some reminders about upcoming events. For all of Term 1 events, please refer to the College calendar.
I would like acknowledge and congratulate the following Junior School students who volunteered for the charity ‘Kids Giving Back’ in Term 4 2022, and during the recent December/January school holidays.
They were among 980 young people who assisted in providing over 12,500 hot and cold meals, breakfast boxes, snack packs, care packs, writing empathetic, positive messages to 13 charities around Sydney.
‘Kids Giving Back’ described these students as having demonstrated exceptional leadership qualities, compassion, and a strong sense of civic responsibility. They commented that these students truly embodied the spirit of giving back, and they wanted to extend their heartfelt gratitude for their contributions.
It is fantastic to see so many boys riding their bikes to and from school. Just a reminder, that any student who is riding their bike to and from school must get a permission slip from Ms Sanchez at the office. As per permission slip, students MUST wear their helmets at all times. Safety of our students is our first priority, and any student who does not have a helmet will not be allowed to ride their bike to and from school.
Ms Gaby Bransby
Director of the Junior School
gbransby@waverley.nsw.edu.au
Harmony Week is the celebration that recognises our diversity and brings together Australians from all different backgrounds. It’s about inclusiveness, respect and a sense of belonging for everyone. In line with our Touchstone of Inclusive Community, we will be celebrating Harmony Day on Tuesday, 21 March (Week 8).
Through in-class activities, students will be learning about different cultures. Students will also be diving into deep learning experiences in the Learning Hub using rich literature.
We would also like to celebrate our diversity by asking students to bring in a plate of food from home, that best represents their culture, and that can be shared amongst the class.
To show their support, students are also encouraged to wear a touch of orange as part of their uniform for the day, as well as bring in a gold coin donation to support our CARITAS appeal.
The celebration of mothers, grandmothers and significant others in the lives of our Waverley College Students, will be celebrated on Friday, 12 May at 12pm (Week 3, Term 2). This will be held at Mary Immaculate Church, followed by a light lunch at the Junior School.
>>> Click here to view the invitation and to RSVP.
Part of the celebration will include a slideshow. Please email a photo of your son(s) with their mothers/grandmothers if you would like a photo included in this presentation to liturgy@waverley.nsw.edu.au
On Wednesday, 15 March, both 6 Blue and 6 Indigo will attend Mass at Mary Immaculate Church, beginning at 9:15am. Parents/carers are warmly invited to attend.
Waverley College students who are part of the parish of St Brigid’s in Coogee, please read the information below.
Children in Year 6 and above are welcome to start preparing to receive their Sacrament of Confirmation.
Online Registration: 24 April – 14 May
Information Session: Saturday, 19 May 4pm at Parish Hall, followed by commitment mass
Confirmation Mass: Wednesday, 28 June
Note: Please have baptism, first reconciliation and first communion certificates ready when registering
Mr Steve Ghattas
Assistant Director of Junior School/Identity & Student Formation
sghattas@waverley.nsw.edu.au
As it is Round 5 tomorrow (Saturday, 11 March), I wish all teams the best of luck and ask them to represent Waverley proudly, as I know they will.
Please ensure you refer to the Waverley College app announcements each week, as I will continue to send out the weekly Sports Fixtures for each round. Families can also locate all relevant Junior School Co-Curricular information through the College website.
>>> Click here to view all Junior School Co-Curricular information on the Waverley College website.
As the Term 1 summer season slowly comes to an end, (until Term 4, when it recommences), we’re beginning our Winter Sports Trials for the upcoming season. The Winter Sports Trials will begin next Tuesday, 14 March.
*All students are expected to pack a drink bottle, sunscreen, and anything else personally required.
*All students are expected to attend school in their academic uniform as normal, and get changed into their trial uniform prior to lunchtime.
Junior School staff and supporting coaches will conduct the trial process for the upcoming winter season.
Your son will be informed of his chosen preferences for Winter Sport prior to Tuesday’s trial, as he may have since forgotten.
Unfortunately, I will be avoiding making last-minute changes to preferences, as the amount of teams allocated has been selected based on the original preferences chosen. I will always consider adjustments to preferences, if it is a serious case that needs reviewing.
Last Wednesday, 1 March, Waverley Junior School sent our best four swimmers across each age group to compete at the annual IPSHA Swimming Carnival at Sydney Olympic Aquatic Centre. It is always a fantastic experience for our students, competing against majority of the strongest swimmers in central Sydney.
Congratulations to the following swimmers who attended the carnival:
A further congratulations to the following students who finished in the top four of the first heat, subsequently making it into the IPSHA Swimming Team to compete at NSWCIS against the best swimmers in NSW on Wednesday, 22 March:
Well done to the following students who finished in the top three for their heat in their specific event:
Senior Relay Team
IPSHA Swim Team
Mr Jack Wachtel
Assistant Director of Co-curricular (Years 5-8)
jwachtel@waverley.nsw.edu.au
NAPLAN 2023 dates
| Wednesday, 15 March | Monday, 20
March |
Tuesday, 21
March |
Wednesday, 22
March |
|
| Periods
1 and 2 |
Writing (42 mins)
9am – 10am |
Reading (50 mins)
9am – 10am |
Conventions of Language (45 mins)
9am – 10am |
Numeracy (50 mins)
9am – 10am |
*Catch up tests will be on Thursday, 23 and Friday, 24 March.
Students must bring their fully-charged laptops and headphones to school each day for their assessments.
All students were given a set of headphones in their stationery pack at the beginning of the year, but some are now lost or broken. Please ensure that your son has working headphones by Wednesday.
We wish Year 5 all the best in their NAPLAN over the next two weeks.
This week, both Years 5 and 6 took part in a day of team challenges designed to promote collaboration, problem-solving skills, and develop their leadership skills. Despite the incredible temperatures, everyone had a wonderful time, developed their connections with peers and learnt a lot.
Sam Burrows (6 Gold) has written about his experience of the day below.
“At our Year 6 Leadership Day (Tuesday, 7 March), Pinnacle Events, an organisation that knows a lot about leadership, came to teach us about what leadership is. They taught us in the form of activities and mind games. To begin with, my group went to the tennis courts where one of the instructors told us about our first game where we had to rearrange some tiles into correct groups. We then walked over to tennis court number two where we had to make a cube out of wooden blocks. People found this very difficult because there were thousands of outcomes and only one solution, however our team managed to pull through and communicate well to be able to complete the challenge.
After recess, we were all split-off into groups and told to go to different sections of the school. First we went to the tennis courts and played a game of kick tennis. The teams were Green vs Conlon. Conlon managed to win the first game, but Green came back and won the other two. After lunch we went to the basketball courts and made rocket powered cars. Of course they weren’t actual rockets, we had to build them ourselves and they were powered by air pressure.
The main thing that we learnt about the important qualities of a leader is working together as a team and that you should always ask others for help when you need it.”
Ms Charlotte Stephens
Assistant Director of Curriculum
cstephens@waverley.nsw.edu.au
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.
Click here to register your son
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/carer signature will be required.
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.
If you require any further information, feel free to email us.
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.
The Junior School debating tryouts are on Thursday, 16 March (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:
2.
On the day he will rebut the student speaking before him. Then he will continue with his own speech.
Our Junior School students were enthralled by Bryn Tilly, a film critic, festival director and programmer, filmmaker, writer and Phoenix’s father (Year 5).
Bryn’s talk was full of motivational stories, writing advice, and the value of reading.
The idea of having a notebook to jot down and collect ideas for their writing was well-liked by the students.
Our favourite of your inspirational quotations is by Henry Miller, who said, “Writing is its own reward.”
The boys could have listened to you all afternoon, thank you for taking the time to inspire the next generation of writers.
Ms Natasha Zivanovic
Literacy & Innovation Teacher
nzivanovic@waverley.nsw.edu.au
The week’s core value was responsibility.
In Year 6, students are becoming young adults, and learning to be more responsible at home is a great step forward. For home learning this week, students were asked to help with some cleaning.
Lucien
Finley
Jaden
James
Mr Kendall Robinson
Class Teacher, 6 Indigo
krobinson@waverley.nsw.edu.au
Dear Parents and Carers,
We would like to remind you that our CANVAS Learning Management System is open for Years 5 – 12 parents and carers, in lieu of a Term 1 progress report.
This enables parents and carers to be notified when students receive assessment task notifications and results for assessment tasks in real-time, rather than waiting for a static report snapshot.
Further information on the purpose of launching this system, instructions for access, and an outline of what parents and carers can access, can be viewed in the short video below that we released in 2022.
We now have an easier method to sign in for parents/carers via our SSO. Please make sure you save this weblink to your Internet browser for easy access to the login page.
The weblink is: https://waverley.cloudwork.id/
or
Click here to view the login page
If so, please email iAssist outlining the issue, or use the CANVAS Helpdesk, found on the dashboard of your CANVAS page.
Please find below some reminders about upcoming events. For all of Term 1 events, please refer to the College calendar.
All Junior School announcements via our Waverley App will always have ‘JS:’ at the beginning of the title. All co-curricular announcements sent out from Senior School are not related unless it references JS at the beginning of the titled announcement.
There has been some confusion lately, and we want to make sure this is cleared up for all Junior School families.
Thank you so much to all the parents and carers who attended our webinar on Embracing Change and Puberty. I have attached the Slides from the presentation.
Our students had their first session on Tuesday, and the feedback from the student surveys were excellent. Please have a conversation with you son to discuss the topics and any further questions they may want to discuss with you.
Click here to view the presentation slides
Ms Gaby Bransby
Director of the Junior School
gbransby@waverley.nsw.edu.au
As part of our Lenten Appeal, the students have been asked to make a promise to help support CARITAS. During the 6 Gold Assembly, as well as through in-class activities, students have been looking at the different ways in which CARITAS is helping to support those who are less fortunate than others.
Students have been encouraged to use part of their weekly pocket money or do extra chores around the house, to help to fulfil their pledge. We thank you in advance for your generosity.
With no screening programs available and no means of prevention through lifestyle changes, blood cancer is Australia’s hidden cancer crisis.
Every day, 53 Aussies are diagnosed with blood cancer, and 16 will lose their life.
We can’t delay taking action together.
That’s why, as a College, we have decided to take part in the Leukaemia Foundation’s ‘World’s Greatest Shave.’ We’ll be raising crucial funds that help give those facing blood cancer all the support and information they need, while driving breakthrough research projects discovering better ways to diagnose and treat blood cancer.
You have the power to help us make an extraordinary difference. Big or small, every donation counts. Will you help by sponsoring us?
Our top five Junior School fundraisers will have the opportunity to have their head shaved (optional) in front of the Junior School at lunchtime in Week 7 to celebrate their wonderful efforts in donating to such an important charity.
Alternatively, you can help to support by clicking the button below.
Click here to view the Lacey house World's Greatest Shave donation page
I am pleased to announce the Years 5 and 6 Student Leaders for Semester 1 2023. I look forward to working with them over the next couple of terms, and hope that they can be good role models to the rest of their peers.
| Year 5
Captains |
Year 5
Vice Captains |
Year 6
Captains |
Year 6 Vice Captains | |
| Blue | Thomas Sheehy | Cruz Peralta | Franklin Pyke | Boyd Haslam |
| Gold | Leo Mithen | Toby Armson | Sam Burrows | Leo Vigil |
| Indigo | Fergus Samba Hoare | Tom Johnston | Noah Dalton | Louis Coleman |
| Orange | Hugh Rachel | Hugo Cuschieri | Jack Baker-Sedgman | Marcus-Millard |
| Red | Ruben Lopez Crestani | Harrison Hughes | Andreas Alexandratos | Samuel Powell |
| White | Finn Constable | Alastair Dunn | Vincent Lee | Leo Bowers |
Mr Steve Ghattas
Assistant Director of Junior School/Identity & Student Formation
sghattas@waverley.nsw.edu.au
Next week, we are excited for the Junior School to take part in a day of activities to develop their Leadership and Team Building skills.
Throughout each day, students will work in their Houses as teams, to take part in an array of team-building, survivor-style activities. These activities are focused on building stronger connections and friendships through developing communicative, collaborative and problem-solving skills.
Students will need to wear their PE uniform for the day, and are strongly encouraged to wear their House colour shirt if they have one.
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 15 and 24 March 2023.
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, click the button below to view the public demonstration site.
Click here to view the NAPLAN public demonstration site
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 Charlotte Stephens
Director of Curriculum
cstephens@waverley.nsw.edu.au
As it is Round 4 tomorrow (Saturday, 4 March), I wish all teams the best of luck and ask them to represent Waverley proudly, as I know they will.
Please ensure your refer to the Waverley College app announcements each week, as I will continue to send out the weekly Sports Fixtures for each round.
Families can also locate all relevant Junior School co-curricular information through the College website by clicking the button below.
A number of Waverley Junior School students competed in the State SLSC championships over the weekend and the results are fantastic! These are just the final results for the Bronte U11s team:
Roman Szabo also managed to get into five finals in the water, which is an amazing feat as they raced one race after the other, and ended up in a battle of fitness. He achieved the following:
The heats started with around 120-150 kids and got whittled down, which is a massive accomplishment for our students. I would like to congratulate all Waverley students who competed over the weekend.
On the weekend, Louis Coleman, Hugo Cummins, Joey Di Blasio, Jack Sedgman, Talin Opai, Oscar MacDomhnaill, Kalin Fisher and Jackson MacAskill competed at the Junior Oztag State Championships in Coffs Harbour.
The boys played six games over two days, and finished 3rd in their pool, against strong competition. We celebrate these students’ achievements and are proud of their team efforts.
Junior Oztag State Championships
Junior Oztag State Championships
Junior Oztag State Championships
Junior Oztag State Championships
Mr Jack Wachtel
Assistant Director of Co-curricular (Years 5-8)
jwachtel@waverley.nsw.edu.au
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.
Click here to register your son
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/carer signature will be required.
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.
If you require any further information, feel free to email us.
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.
Vincent enjoys reading graphic novels – comics! If your son has never read a graphic novel before, encourage him to do so. It is also on the Waverley Reading Challenge as one of the reading categories.
It was a privilege to have Brad Burke as our very first guest speaker for 2023. Brad, the father of Tom (Year 8) and Ollie (Year 6), is the Director of OrthoSure, an orthopaedic company that provides a range of unique, world-class medical devices to enrich the quality of life for patients.
It was a full house with aspiring students wanting to learn all about the world of bones, surgery and orthopaedic implants.
Thank you for taking the time out to inspire our Junior School boys.
Our Junior School ‘Lunchtime Talks’ always inspire. This week we met Brad Burke, dad of Tom (Year 8) and Ollie (Year 6). It was a full house with aspiring students wanting to learn all about the world of bones, surgery and orthopaedic implants!
The Junior School debating tryouts are on Thursday, 16 March (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:
2. Write a 1-2 minute speech taking the side of the affirmative or negative.
3. On the day he will rebut the student speaking before him. Then he will continue with his own speech.
Ms Natasha Zivanovic
Literacy & Innovation Teacher
nzivanovic@waverley.nsw.edu.au
This week, 5 White engaged in many fun activities that taught us about the history and culture of Australia’s First Nations People.
Our favourite lesson was Aboriginal Art Therapy. We used watercolour paints and pastel crayons to create an art piece that reflected our feelings, thoughts and emotions in the moment.
The joy of listening to music by Indigenous artist Scott Darlow, and moving to it freely, while making marks on the paper, was therapeutic and mesmerising.
We hope you enjoy looking at our beautiful art pieces at the top of this page.
“Everyone in the class enjoyed this activity and made splendid artworks that made the classroom feel warm and vibrant. During the painting experience, we felt relaxed, happy and calm.”
By Joe Roy and Ollie Johnson
Ms Chloe-Jane Tweedie
Classroom Teacher, 5 White
ctweedie@waverley.nsw.edu.au
Visual Arts Club will be offered at Waverley as a Winter Extra-Curricular activity for students from Years 5-12.
It will commence Term 2, Week 2, 2023 and run until Term 3, Week 8.
Visual Arts Club provides an opportunity for students to build skills in critical and creative thinking. This winter, students will be introduced to: Landscapes – Experiments with Watercolour.
Each student will be introduced to a range of drawing and painting techniques, such as perspective drawing and natural landscapes through watercolour paintings. Students will build upon traditional artmaking foundations of drawing and painting, while experimenting and exploring new foundations of contemporary painting styles.
In Visual Arts Club students will:
*(This may also include an external excursion for students!)
Cost: $100.00
Materials: all materials will be supplied
Session times: select ONE from the following:
Please find below some reminders about upcoming events. For all of Term 1 events, please refer to the College calendar.
Thank you so much to all the parents and carers who attended the webinar on Tuesday night. Our presenters were amazing and I hope all the information was helpful and useful. Our hope is that you feel comfortable having difficult conversations with your sons and open up the line of communication. When we receive the Slides, I will pass them on.
We have a lot of lost property at the front reception. If your son is missing any hats, clothing or lunch boxes, can they please be sent to reception for collection. This is also a reminder to please put names on all items so they can be returned.
Waverley College is participating in a research project titled ‘Early Intervention for Child Problematic Screen Use’ facilitated by Macquarie University, regarding screen use and gaming by students in Years 5-8.
The findings from this project will provide valuable insights into screens and gaming for our student population, and will contribute to the research in Australia around how to prevent and treat those children and families suffering from Gaming Disorder and related problematic screen use.
Would you like your child to take part?
>>> Click here to read more information about this survey in the article by Ms Gabby Smith.
Ms Gaby Bransby
Director of the Junior School
gbransby@waverley.nsw.edu.au
This week, we gathered together in a special Ash Wednesday liturgy, which marked the beginning of the Church’s season of Lent. The marking of the ashes on this day is a public expression of our faith and repentance.
During Lent, we focus on three pillars: prayer, fasting and almsgiving, which help us in this journey to reach a closeness to God and deeper understanding and relationship with God.
Prayer is a conscious relationship with God. Just as we spend time with friends because we love them, we spend time in prayer because we love God and we know that God loves us. When we are in tune with God, we cannot help but experience deep wellbeing.
Ash Wednesday Liturgy – College Captain, Lachlan Grant at the lectern
Fasting can be a time to eat less and give up some nice treats, however, could it also be a time for us to be more mindful of our purchases – can we make ethical choices in what we buy, or even not buy at all?
The third pillar, almsgiving, is donating money or goods to the poor and less fortunate and performing acts of charity. Caritas launch Project Compassion every year during Lent. Through Project Compassion, Caritas partners with people in the Asia-Pacific to develop their independence and support the human dignity of every person. Our donation to Project Compassion is an encounter with God through the face of the poor.
On Tuesday, with the sale of pancakes for Shrove Tuesday, the Junior School managed to raise approximately $800, a great way to begin our fundraising initiatives this year. Special thanks to Ms Bransby, Ms Sanchez, Ms McCredie, Mr Wachtel and Mr Olds for assisting in the organisation and distribution of the pancakes. The boys thoroughly enjoyed indulging in these delicious treats.
On Wednesday, 1 March, both 5 Blue and 5 Indigo will attend Mass at Mary Immaculate Church beginning at 9:15am. Parents/carers are warmly invited to attend.
Friday, 3 March saw the first of the Big Brother Little Brother sessions for our Year 5 and Year 10 students. The Big Brother Little Brother program aims to foster relationships and enabe Junior School students to feel safe and comfortable in the Senior School environment and during House activities.
The boys were eager to meet their Year 10 peers. They were engaged in exciting conversations that will hopefully build relationships that will flourish over the course of the year and develop into lifelong friendships.
Mr Steve Ghattas
Assistant Director of Junior School/Identity & Student Formation
sghattas@waverley.nsw.edu.au
As it is Round 3 tomorrow (Saturday, 25 February), I wish all teams the best of luck and ask them to represent Waverley proudly, as I know they will.
Please ensure your refer to the Waverley College app announcements each week, as I will continue to send out the weekly Sports Fixtures for each round.
Families can also locate all relevant Junior School Co-Curricular information through the College website by clicking the button below.
With the disappointment of having to postpone the carnival on two occasions, we were pleased to lock in Friday, 17 February for the House Swimming Carnival.
It was worth the wait, as the weather saw nothing but blue skies and warm conditions all day.
The House spirit was undeniable and our students were itching to hit the water and compete at an extremely high level in all events.
It wasn’t just the competitive main swimming events that created the most excitement and energy, but the novelty events that involved all eight House groups. These included Tug of War, Tunnel Relays and the crowd favourite, the Surfie Relay.
Our College thanks the parents/carers who attended the day, and staff who undertook all the day’s important events and tasks.
It is exciting to announce the Age Champions for 2023. Congratulations tovthe following students who are deserving winners in their respective age groups.
Under 10 |
|||||
| Waverley College 2022 Swimming Champion Under 10 | Patrick | Spencer | |||
| Waverley College 2022 Under 10 Championship 2nd Place | Hugo | Cuschieri | |||
| Waverley College 2022 Under 10 Championship 3rd Place | Leo | Mithen | |||
| Waverley College 2022 Under 10 Championship 4th Place | Aidan | Gartland | |||
Under 11 (Year 5) |
|||||
| Waverley College 2022 Swimming Champion Under 11 | Fergus | Samba Hoare | |||
| Waverley College 2022 Under 11 Championship 2nd Place | Luke | Haddock | |||
| Waverley College 2022 Under 11 Championship 3rd Place | Jude | McDermott | |||
| Waverley College 2022 Under 11 Championship 4th Place | Louie | Cummins | |||
Under 11 (Year 6) |
|||||
| Waverley College 2022 Swimming Champion Under 11 | Hugo | Bindner | |||
| Waverley College 2022 Under 11 Championship 2nd Place | Frederick | Goldrich | |||
| Waverley College 2022 Under 11 Championship 3rd Place | Jaden | Truscott | |||
| Waverley College 2022 Under 11 Championship 4th Place | Ollie | Burke | |||
Under 12 |
|||||
| Waverley College 2022 Swimming Champion Under 12 | Roman | Szabo | |||
| Waverley College 2022 Under 12 Championship 2nd Place | Jacob | Roorda | |||
| Waverley College 2022 Under 12 Championship 3rd Place | Louis | Coleman | |||
| Waverley College 2022 Under 12 Championship 4th Place | Tobias | Panlilio | |||
The IPSHA Swimming Team has now been formulated. As each school is only able to select four swimmers from each age group (U10, U11, U12), some U11 age champions didn’t make it into the IPSHA team.
I would like to further congratulate the following swimmers who made the IPSHA Swim Team and will compete at Sydney Olympic Aquatic Centre next Wednesday, 1 March.
2023 Junior School Swimming Carnival at the College pool
Cross Country Trials for the upcoming IPSHA Cross Country event on Saturday, 1 April will be undertaken next Tuesday, 28 February during Periods 1 and 2.
Waverley College and all competing schools are only allocated five spots per age group, and this is for the following distances:
U10 – 2km / U11 – 3km / U12 – 3km
The trial will be undertaken around a 1km track set up at Waverley Park. If your son is a strong distance runner and is interested in doing the trial, please complete the Google form by clicking the button below.
IPSHA Cross Country Trials Google form
Last Friday, 17 and Monday, 20 February, Waverley College Junior School chose two students to compete at both the IPSHA Tennis and Basketball trials:
These students gave it their absolute all to impress selectors, and demonstrate their level of talent and experience in Cricket. Each student just missed out on making it through, but we’re truly proud of the efforts of all four, who represented the College so highly.
Hunter Bligh made it through as a development player for the IPSHA Basketball team, with the hope that he may get an opportunity to play in the squad. Congratulations to you Hunter, and so well deserved.
Congratulations, Hunter Bligh and Cruz Peralta
Congratulations, Noah Dalton and Ben Kostic
Waverley was honoured to be invited to Cranbrook School’s inaugural Swimming Invitational Meet at the new Murray Rose Aquatic Centre, on Thursday, 16 February. Due to the Swimming Carnival being postponed twice, we brought our best swimmers from the swimming trial.
It was a exciting afternoon event, with Waverley coming away with:
Students involved truly enjoyed themselves and were able to prepare themselves for the House Swimming Carnival that took place the next day.
Waverley Swim Team at Cranbrook
Thank you to Franklin Pyke’s father, Ben Pyke, for his amazing photography skills on a weekly basis. We hope you enjoy viewing below some of his skills in action at last weekend’s Basketball games at Oxford Falls.
Jack Watchel
Assistant Director of Co-curricular (Years 5-8)
jwachtel@waverley.nsw.edu.au
Image: courtesy Ben Pyke
Image: courtesy Ben Pyke
Image: courtesy Ben Pyke
Image: courtesy Ben Pyke
Image: courtesy Ben Pyke
Image: courtesy Ben Pyke
Image: courtesy Ben Pyke
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.
*No Home Learning on Tuesday, 28 February due to a staff meeting.
Click here to register your son
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/carer signature will be required.
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.
If you require any further information, feel free to email us.
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.
Drawing Club has begun! Our avid artists will get together weekly to discuss all things art. Our first session was on Thursday, 16 February and our theme for the session was getting to know what each student enjoys drawing. The atmosphere in the space was stimulating and I could see new friendships in the making.
This week I reflected on the importance of catering for our different learning styles. Reading, however, does not necessarily have to mean opening up a book. For the auditory learners among us, the option of audiobooks is one our society is increasingly turning to, and for good reason.
There are many options out there, and I guess the most important aspect is that your son is reading or listening to audiobooks, if that is his preferred choice.
Your son has access to audiobooks and eBooks on the Learning Hub CANVAS page.
Ms Natasha Zivanovic
Literacy & Innovation Teacher
nzivanovic@waverley.nsw.edu.au
Year 6 White has settled splendidly into 2023. They are a fine group of young men. The accompanying photos show the class hard at work in sharing ideas, preparing for Lent 2023, displaying a picture, autobiography of themselves and of course smiling for a group snap. This year has been an exciting and happy year for their teacher!
Mr Henry Stanton
Classroom Teacher 6 White
astanton@waverley.nsw.edu.au
Dear Parents and Carers
Waverley College is participating in a research project titled ‘Early Intervention for Child Problematic Screen Use’ facilitated by Macquarie University, regarding screen use and gaming by students in Years 5-8.
The findings from this project will provide valuable insights into screens and gaming for our student population, and will contribute to the research in Australia around how to prevent and treat those children and families suffering from Gaming Disorder and related problematic screen use.
Students in Years 5-8 will complete an online survey which will include questions about their screen use patterns, relationships, thoughts and feelings. The survey will typically take no longer than 40 minutes and will be completed in class on the dates below:
If you agree for your child to take part in the project, you are not required to do anything else.
At school, your child will also be given an information sheet about the research project and will be able to participate or decline participation, as they wish.
If you do not want your child to participate in the study, please click the button below to fill in your details on page 2 of the ‘Parent Participants Information and Consent Form’ and email it to bradley.marshall@hdr.mq.
Click here to view the Parent Participants Information and Consent Form
If you have any questions or concerns regarding the above, please do not hesitate to contact me.
Ms Gabby Smith
Deputy Principal – Students
gsmith@waverley.nsw.edu.au
We would like to acknowledge the Gadigal people of the Eora nation who are the traditional Custodians of the land on which Waverley College is located. We pay our respects to Elders past, present and emerging. We are committed to honouring Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples’ unique cultural and spiritual connections to the land, waters, seas and sky and their rich contribution to society.
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