Year 5 & 6 Action Items Archives - Page 7 of 18

Please find below some reminders about upcoming events. For all of Term 3 events, please refer to the College calendar.

Wakakirri “Take 2”

We are very proud to announce that our 2023 Wakakirri item “The Right to Dream” has won a NSW performance award. This means that we progress to the next round (the finals) and get to perform again at NIDA on September 5th alongside other state performance award winning schools. Our September 5th performance will be filmed and considered as a possible national award winner.

Wakakirri Festival Director Adam Loxley said, “The standard of performance and the stories being told by schools this year was exceptional and Waverley College should be very proud of their award.”

Waverley’s story is about dreaming big. Through history, dreamers have had to fight for what they believed in. Those struggles have made the world we have today. Where will our dreamers take us next? Waverley’s performance “The Right to Dream” was described by Wakakirri Ambassador Scott Irwin as, “A compelling, dramatic and energetic performance reminding us to stand up for what is right!”.

A huge thank you to Ms Michelle Rollins for all her hard work, dedication and time to this wonderful performance.

Coding Camp Term 4

Coding Camp has been a success this Term and our students have really enjoyed it. Coding Camp will continue in Term 4.

Father’s Day Mass – Friday, 1 September 2023 – Mary Immaculate Church

The celebration of fathers, grandfathers and significant others in the lives of our Waverley College Students will be celebrated on Friday, 1 September at 12pm (Week 7, Term 3). This will be at Mary Immaculate Church followed by lunch at the Junior School.

Part of the celebration will include a slideshow. Can I please ask that you send through a photo of your son(s) with their fathers/grandfathers if you would like a photo included in this presentation. The last date for submission of photos will be Tuesday, 29 August at 5pm.

Home Learning Week 7

No Home Learning Wednesday 30 August

We offer all students in Year 5 and Year 6 the opportunity to receive free additional support after school to complete home learning tasks. The afternoon sessions also provide a quiet, supervised study space for students who want to complete their assigned tasks.

Home Learning Club operates in the Learning Hub from 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.

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.

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.

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.

Debating

Waverley v St Catherine’s

Last week the debaters had tough competition and a tough topic. Both Waverley teams put forward strong arguments and presented their cases clearly and firmly, rebutting the St Catherine’s team’s cases. The boys did themselves and Waverley very proud. One win and one loss.

Book Week Read, Grow, Inspire

Thank you to all the Junior School students who entered one or both, Book Week competitions.

Writing

Ms Mary Ryan (Literacy Coordinator) had a tough job judging the writing submissions, see the winners below.

Visual Arts

Thank you to Ms Jenna Turnbull, Acting Head of Visual Arts for judging the Visual Arts competition. See the winners below.

The judge said: Harvey’s artwork is open to many interpretations and really looks into the theme of ‘Read, Grow, Inspire’ and what we gain from reading. It shows us that it opens us to different worlds, inspires us to think outside of the box and is aspirational to what future results can happen to an individual that reads.

The judge said: Bertie’s artwork focuses on how reading is the building blocks to knowledge and personal growth. The further we read, we open ourselves to further knowledge. Which eventuates to possibility and inspiration of our future.

The judge said: Thomas’ artwork is a reminder of a key book, Jack and the Beanstalk, which is reflective of the theme of ‘Read, Grow Inspire’, as Jack needed to care for his beans in order to grow, which is relates to how an individual reads a novel, this creates inspirations and helps you to grow.

The judge said: Flynn’s work is joyful, colourful and looks into the perspective of how reading can inspire a person to write their own piece of writing. Writing helps with personal growth and insights into the creative, this artwork encapsulates this.

The judge said: The use of sculpture and variety of materials was truly remarkable and demonstrated critical thinking. This intricate artwork demonstrates how reading leads to inspiration and a pathway to growth.

Writing Workshop

Writing a story continuously is a fun way to work collaboratively, constructively, critically and creatively. The students in Year 5 and Year 6 showed many strong writing skills, especially when working under pressure with time constraints. I’m looking forward to reading the finished stories and sharing them with the boys.

A special thank you to Mr William Roberts who supported the Year 6 Writing Workshop.

Pre-loved, Pop-up Bookshop

A huge thank you to all the families who donated books for the pre-loved, pop-up bookshop. It was a very busy and successful initiative, with many happy customers!

Guest Author: Richard Simpkin

Junior school students enjoyed a highly entertaining and engaging presentation from Richard Simpkin as part of our Book Week celebrations.

Richard is a best-selling author of five books, two of which are about Australian legends who he met, photographed and interviewed. The boys were in awe of the legends he has met.

In 2014 Richard also founded ‘World Letter Writing Day’ and has inspired children and adults all around the world to take a break from social media and write handwritten letters.

His current series of children’s books The Aussie Big Achievers was inspired by his son, Ollie. The Aussie Big Achievers series of books are a fun and educational way for children to learn about some of Australia’s most interesting and inspiring people that have helped shape our nation. Each book encourages children to always believe in themselves and never give up on their dreams.

Thank you for inspiring the boys with your incredible stories, to read more, write and to never give up on their dreams!

News From 5 Red and Mr Horry

In 5 Red, we have gone strength to strength as we continue laying the foundations for a successful schooling experience at Waverley College. We are constantly striving to achieve our full learning potential, whilst building healthy relationships along the way.

Our focus for the Semester has been the regular practise of showing gratitude, focusing on our individual goals, consistency, helping one another along the way and being upstanders.

Below are some snapshots of the many highlights throughout the year, including key events, excursions, learning experiences and friendships.

I am extremely proud of all the boys in 5 Red who have grown in many facets this year. There are so many achievements, accomplishments and key moments which are destined to act as a catalyst for future success.

Diary Dates

Please find below some reminders about upcoming events. For all of Term 3 events, please refer to the College calendar.

120 Year Celebration Feast of the Assumption

The morning began with a step back in time exploring the rich history of Waverley College. Our College Captains, through the theme, ‘It’s Our Time’ combined with our College Touchstones, explored ways in which we can stand up for injustices, ensuring our world could be a better place. A showcase of cultural dancing from our Walawaani students and our Cadet Unit then followed. Fr Bernie then led our celebration of the Feast of the Assumption, a special occasion commemorating Mary being taken up to heaven, both body and soul.

Students were then treated to a very fun afternoon beginning with an enjoyable time on the ninja warrior, hungry hippo and obstacle inflatables, as well as watching many of our teachers hitting the water in the dunk tank. After an inspiring and talent-filled Waverley’s Got Talent, the students left the day with smiles on their faces. What a fantastic way to celebrate 120 years of Waverley College.

Second Step Wellbeing Program

This week we begin the Second Step Wellbeing program in the Junior School. Research has shown that a whole-school, evidence-based approach to Wellbeing will improve the socio-emotional skills of students which will positively affect their spiritual, emotional and academic life at Waverley. The program focuses on skills that will help your son succeed in school and in life. These skills include:

You play a vital role in helping your student develop strong social skills. During these next few weeks, the focus of the lessons will be empathy and communication. Ask questions about the skills your student is learning, such as:

If you have any questions about the curriculum, please do not hesitate to contact Mr Stephen Ghattas or Ms Jade Sparks for more information. Thank you for supporting your son in learning the skills that lead to success in school and in life.

P.S. Make sure to join www.secondstep.org with the activation key SSP6FAMILY12 to watch videos about the Second Step program and get information about what your child is learning.

Father’s Day Mass – Friday, 1 September 2023 – Mary Immaculate Church

Science Week

This week in the Junior School we have been celebrating Science Week! The theme for the week is ‘Innovation: Powering Future Industries’. To celebrate this important week, the Junior School have been taking part in a number of activities. We had Kaleidoscope Science come to the College to perform ‘The Great Big Science Show’, students took part in science-themed trivia in the Learning Hub and lunchtime experiment demonstrations run by Mr Mancinelli. We certainly have some future innovators and scientists in the Junior School!

Science Week Competition

Students took part in a school-wide competition, where they had to use their knowledge of key science concepts to pitch a proposal for an online game. Submissions were extremely high quality, combining unique and captivating ideas with elaborately designed game art. An overall winner and two runners up from Year 5 and Year 6 will be announced at next week’s assembly after the judging process has concluded. Well done to all who participated!

Science Lab Lessons

As part of our participation in National Science Week, Years 5 and 6 have engaged in a variety of hands-on learning experiences building their knowledge of scientific method and experiments. Throughout the week, both cohorts have explored the exciting process of chemical reactions. Year 5 created ‘Pop Top Rockets’ and tested them on the playground, whilst Year 6 created a special solution called ‘hot ice’ to form crystal towers and observe the ‘urchin effect’. Students have embraced the opportunity to continue to build their skills in the science lab.

Home Learning Club Week 6

Home Learning Club operates in the Learning Hub from 3pm – 4pm – Mondays, Tuesdays, Wednesdays, and Thursdays – during school term unless there is a scheduled Professional Development meeting and the club will be closed.

Procedures

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.

Lunchtime Guest Speaker – Ian Storie

Brilliantly combined veterans, bees, whales, and smarties into one Lunchtime Talk! The father of Ethan in Year 5, Ian Storie, is a Global Consultant Industry Engagement and Collaboration Scientist and Innovator who captivated the boys’ inquisitive minds with the most recent research and problem-solving ideas.

I appreciate you highlighting how Science, Chemistry, Technology, and Teamwork all work together to tackle big challenges.

Book Week

Guest Author for Book Week

We often hear from families, students, teachers and Old Boys that Waverley has a lovely community feel. Hence this year the decision to invite Richard Simpkin, Waverley Old Boy and father of Ollie (Year 5), to open our Book Week celebrations with a presentation on Monday, 21 August. Richard will share motivational stories, writing advice, and the value of reading to the boys.

Richard’s current series The Aussie Big Achievers are a fun and educational way for children to learn about some of Australia’s most interesting and inspiring people who have helped shape our nation. Each book encourages children to always believe in themselves and never give up on their dreams.

If you would like to purchase books for your son or children, click the button below:

Book Week Competitions

Literacy Coordinator Ms Mary Ryan will have a tough job judging the Poetry and Ms Jenna Turnbull (Acting) Head of Visual Arts will also have a tough job judging the creative pieces of art that interpreted the theme ‘Read, Grow, Inspire…’

Winners will be announced on Monday, 21 August. Good luck to all the students who entered.

Writing Workshops

Your son will take part in a fun and engaging writing workshop that will encourage critical and creative thinking, while working collaboratively in a small group to produce part of an imaginative text, which in turn will be part of a book.

The final copy will be printed and placed in the Learning Hub for all to enjoy. I am looking forward to working with Year 5 on Tuesday, 22 August and Year 6 on Thursday, 24 August.

Pre-Loved Pop-up Bookshop – Cash Only Please

During Book Week your son will have the opportunity to visit the pre-loved, pop-up bookshop in the Learning Hub. All books will be $2.00 (cash only).

It is not too late to donate any pre-loved books. You can send them in with your son on Monday.

News from 6 Indigo and Mr Robinson

6 Indigo are busy learning to “Make Themselves Heard” by reading and responding to a wide range of texts dealing with the refugee crisis the world is facing. We have been engaging with the class novel Detention by Tristan Bancks.

The following artworks depict an “escape place”, where students in 6 Indigo go to when they need a break from others, a quiet place with no distractions.

Next up, we will be researching a refugee who has settled in Australia and retelling their story in a graphic novel format. I can’t wait to see what they produce.

Diary Dates

Please find below some reminders about upcoming events. For all of Term 3 events, please refer to the College calendar.

Wakakirri 2023

Having assisted backstage at Wakakirri for many years, Tuesday night was the first time I had the opportunity to watch a live performance from the audience and what an amazing performance it was. Their presence on stage, the way they told their story and their overall manner in which they represented the College was outstanding.

The boys thoroughly enjoyed themselves and received the major award for the night, the ‘Spirit of Wakakirri’ Award, highlighting their positive attitude, fabulous behaviour, teamwork and creative spirit. A special thanks to Mr Tom Olds, Ms Jade Sparks and Ms CJ Tweedie for their assistance on the night.

I would like to congratulate Ms Michelle Rollins on her 25 years of directing and choreographing Wakakirri performances for the Waverley College students. Her passion and dedication to ensuring that the students get to enjoy and participate in Story Dance and Creative Arts is truly inspirational.

Father’s Day Mass – Friday, 1 September 2023 – Mary Immaculate Church

Winter Co-Curricular Season – Thank You

Now the Winter Co-Curricular Season has come to an end, I’d like to say a massive thank you to all coaches, students and parents/carers for their level of commitment and dedication to the season that was. Since I’ve been in the role, it’s the first year that there has been no weather-related interruptions to games and training.

It has been great to see all of our students enjoying every aspect of the season, which had many highs and some lows. We look forward to doing it all again next year, and now we can begin planning for the Term 4 Summer season.

There are three Presentation Nights to celebrate all Waverley College Winter sporting teams, beginning from tonight. Thank you to those who have purchased tickets. Please be reminded of details below:

Armidale Rugby Trials (2024)

As mentioned during the week, Armidale Rugby Tour Trials for 2024 will take place next week.

It is confirmed that the trials will take place on Wednesday, 16 and Thursday, 17 August during Periods 5 and 6.

Mr Olds (Prep 1st Coach) and Mr McKimm (11As Coach) will undertake the trials. Please be informed that students trialling will be dismissed from Waverley Park on both days at 3pm.

The cost of the tour this year was $440 per student to attend. This gives families a rough idea what to expect and to plan ahead if your son is selected in the team.

If you haven’t already done so, please click the button below to complete the Google form if your son is interested in trialling for the upcoming 2024 tour.

Shot Put and Discus Trials

Shot Put and Discus trials for the upcoming IPSHA Athletics Carnival will be undertaken next Thursday, 17 August 7:30am – 8:15am at Queens Park. Once completed, students will be walked to the Junior School to begin the school day. Students trialing can arrive in their PE uniform and remain in it for the day.

Please click the button below to complete the Google form if your son is interested in trialing for Shot Put and Discus, with the opportunity to make the IPSHA team and train with the Senior Track & Field squads.

External Sporting Achievements

Charlie Draper and his Basketball team won the State Cup, a Basketball tournament held on the Central Coast last weekend.

It was an incredible experience! The team has been undefeated throughout the whole representative season and again across the weekend, winning 20 from 20 games!

Home Learning Club

Procedures

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.

Lunchtime Guest Speaker

It was a privilege to have Philip Gartland as our guest speaker on Friday. Philip Gartland, the father of Aidan Gartland (Year 5), is the Director of Stonebridge Property Group, one of Australia’s leading retail, development site and commercial property agency.

He provided the Junior School boys with knowledge about the commercial real estate industry and his position as a business owner. Philip had the boys captivated with his wealth of knowledge about the industry and the figures of some recent retail sales.

There is a long list of students who want to do work experience with Stonebridge in their later years of study, and we appreciate you taking the time to encourage the Waverley boys to dream big. You made a significant impact on the students.

Guest Author for Book Week

We often hear from families, students, teachers and Old Boys that Waverley has a lovely community feel. Hence the decision this year to invite Richard Simpkin, Waverley Old Boy and father of Ollie (Year 5), to open our Book Week celebrations with a presentation on Monday, 21 August.

Richard will share motivational stories, writing advice, and the value of reading to the boys.

Richard’s current series, The Aussie Big Achievers, are a fun and educational way for children to learn about some of Australia’s most interesting and inspiring people who have helped shape our nation. Each book encourages children to always believe in themselves and never give up on their dreams.

If you would like to purchase books for your son or children, click the button below:

Pop-up Bookshop

An essential aspect of supporting your son with his reading is to allow him to make his own book choices. The Pop-up Bookshop will be running in Term 3 Week 6. This year I would like to introduce a new sustainable and cost-effective Pop-up Bookshop.

If you would like to help with this initiative I would like you to donate pre-loved books that will be sold a very reduced amount. The amount raised will be donated to one of the Edmund Rice foundations.

Debating

Cranbrook v Waverley

Last week the debaters were faced with tough competition and an equally tough topic in their debate against the students from Cranbrook. Both Waverley teams put forward strong arguments and presented their cases clearly, and were firm in their rebuttal of the Cranbrook team’s cases.

The boys did themselves and Waverley College very proud with one win and one loss. A huge thank you to the parents/carers for their continued support in transporting the students to their away debates.

The teams are now preparing with the support of their debating mentors, Nick Zanapalis and Thomas Jackson-Whitlock, for their last debate against St Catherine’s and a Debating Gala Day later in the Term at Mount Sinai College.

News from 5 White and Ms Tweedie

Around the Classroom, by Year 5 White

In our English class this Term, we have been studying one of Lance Balchin’s fiction texts, Mechanica. Set in the year 2203, Mechanica focuses on the extinction of wildlife due to the environment becoming polluted; causing uninhabitable areas around the world. A new style of wildlife to replace the old was designed, engineered and formed called Mechanica.

The 5 White boys have enthusiastically delved into the author’s background and have practiced using a range of comprehension strategies to analyse and annotate each species.

To enhance our understanding of Mechanica, we have partaken in a variety of tasks. One of our favourite activities was our Animal Fact File posters that are now displayed around our classroom. Each of us had the opportunity to choose a real life animal to research and also to design our own Mechanica version of that animal.

Another fun task that we did this week during Visual Arts was a Mechanica self portrait. Our instruction was to look through the text in search of ideas on how to draw our faces with mechanical engineering components. We had fun listening to music and drawing our portraits together!

Diary Dates

Please find below some reminders about upcoming events. For all of Term 3 events, please refer to the College calendar.

August

September

Father’s Day Mass – Friday, 1 September 2023 – Mary Immaculate Church

MindQuest Enrichment Opportunity

MindQuest is offering challenging, fast-paced two-day workshops designed to stimulate and extend your child across a broad range of subject areas. The programs will be held on Saturday, 16 and Sunday, 17 September 2023 at St George Girls’ High School between 9:30am and 3:30pm.

The courses are suited to high potential and/or gifted students, gifted underachievers and students of well above abilities with a special interest. If you feel this would be of interest to you son, please click the button below to register.

Da Vinci Decathlon Success

On Thursday, 27 July, 16 excited students represented Waverley College Junior School at the annual NSW Years 5 and 6 da Vinci Decathlon, held at Knox Grammar School in Wahroonga. It was the first time since 2019 that students competed at the venue rather than being online, which made the day even more special.

What is Da Vinci Decathlon?

The da Vinci Decathlon is an academic competition designed to challenge and stimulate the minds of school students. Students compete in teams of eight across 10 disciplines: Engineering, Mathematics, Code breaking, Art and Poetry, Science, English, Ideation, Creative producers, Cartography and Legacy.

Years 5 and 6 teams competed with incredible team work and tenacity. This was acknowledged in the Awards Ceremony at the end of the day, with Year 5 taking out second place in the Cartography category—an incredible achievement against over 70 schools. Congratulations on an outstanding result and for representing Waverley College so proudly.

25 Years of Wakakirri at Waverley

On Tuesday, 8 August 2023, 100 Junior School boys will take the stage at NIDA for their Wakakirri performance The Right to Dream. Our story explores three of our basic human rights, the right to be free, the right to be heard and the right to be safe. We also highlight that these rights are worth fighting for when challenged. Our final message is that we should always protect our human rights and be excited for what the future brings – dream big.

Wakakirri at Waverley came from very humble beginnings, telling light stories of superheroes, knights, James Bond and even the Blues Brothers. Our casts were quite small in the beginning, with approximately 30 students involved each year.

It didn’t take long for our focus to change and we began performing social justice stories including Bye, Bye Bystander, There’s More Through the Door and Playing Hide and Sneak. As our stories grew in depth, our cast numbers grew until we reached the maximum allowed on stage.

To the thousands of Waverley boys who have been part of Wakakirri: congratulations – your stories have had a positive effect on each other, the College and the audiences who experienced your performances.

Home Learning Term 3 Week 4

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.

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.

Lunchtime Guest Speaker: From the Bedside to the Boardroom

Our first guest speaker for Term 3 was Nicole Draper, the mother of Charles in Year 5 and James in Year 6. From her early nursing days to her current position as the Director of Clinical Documentation Improvement Australia, Nicole gave an enlightening talk about her career.

Nicole has held a variety of positions over the years, including Registered Nurse, Nurse Unit Manager, Manager Length of Stay, Documentation and Revenue Optimisation and Director of Clinical Documentation. Her professional qualifications include a Bachelor of Nursing, Master of Health Administration, Graduate Certificate in Research.

The students hearing that you are always learning and shouldn’t be afraid of trying anything new, was brilliant. Your raw insight into your challenges and achievements captivated the students.

Your messages were strong and your life experiences – particularly your recent travels to the Middle East working with Saudi Arabians – were fascinating.

Book Week

In Week 6 we will be celebrating Book Week at the Junior School. The theme this year is Read, Grow, Inspire…

All students from the Junior campus are encouraged to enter one or both of the competitions running for Book Week.

Pop-up Bookshop

An essential aspect of supporting your son with his reading is to allow him to make his own book choices. The Pop-up Bookshop will be running in Term 3 Week 6.

This year I would like to introduce a new sustainable and cost effective Pop-up Bookshop.

If you would like to help this initiative I would like you to donate pre-loved books that will be sold at a very reduced amount.

Reader of the Week

News from 6 White and Mr Stanton

Science

While being dressed for our recent Men’s Health Day, students completed a Science task on the source of the materials we use in our everyday world. The boys had to come up with answers on a product/object that was used to make their computer bag strap. Some chose the nylon mesh strap or the metal clip or even the silicone mat.

Visual Arts

Students created their own pagodas over two lessons in Visual Arts. This is part of our unit this term studying Asian Art and is also tied to our Geography work. Boys drew a detailed Pagoda first. Then it was cut out and highlighted on its edges. Finally it was stuck on an inked background the students created, by wetting crêpe paper and letting the dye stain the paper.

Winter Co-Curricular Sport – Round 10

We’ve made it to the final round of the Winter Co-Curricular season for 2023. It has been a full winter season uninterrupted due to weather as the previous years have been. I would like to wish all teams the best of luck for their final home and away matches. This weekend is Round 10, on Saturday, 5 August 2023.

Please ensure you refer to the Waverley College app announcements each week, as I will continue to send out the weekly sports fixtures and scores for each round. All families can locate all relevant Junior School Co-Curricular information via the College website.

Post-Winter Co-Curricular Reminder

Students will have a break from sport between Weeks 4 to 10, Term 3. During this period, students who make it through to IPSHA Athletics, who were named ‘age champions’ or performed highly at the school Athletics Carnival, have now been invited to train with the Senior Athletics squads for their respective events. This will allow those students to prepare for both IPSHA and CIS Athletics later in the Term.

Extra Co-Curricular Activities

As a result of this time without sport taking place, there are still opportunities to sign your son up for various Extra Co-Curricular activities for this Term. These include Hip Hop and Judo.

If your son is interested in joining Hip Hop, please click the button below to complete the Google Form.

External Sporting Achievements

James Draper and Cruz Peralta won the Division 1 Waratah Metro Junior League last Sunday at Bankstown, beating Norths 67-56.

Charlie’s Draper’s team won the Division 2 Waratah Metro Junior League beating Norths, also at Bankstown, 59-52.

A massive congratulations to James, Cruz and Charlie for their team’s achievements.

Diary Dates

Please find below some reminders about upcoming events. For all of Term 3 events, please refer to the College calendar.

August

September

Long Service Leave

I will be taking Long Service Leave from Monday, 31 July until Tuesday, 15 August. During this time, Mr Steve Ghattas will be replacing me as Acting Director of Junior School. This is a great opportunity for him and I know he will do a wonderful job.

Father’s Day Mass – Friday, 1 September 2023 – Mary Immaculate Church

Term 3 Curriculum Overviews

I am pleased to share with you the Term 3 Curriculum Overviews for Years 5 and 6. These documents are a guide to the learning that your son will be covering in class this Term.

I hope this is a useful document that will help you to support your son and engage him in conversation about his learning experiences at school.

Term 3 Week 3

NO Home Learning Tuesday, 1 August 2023

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.

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.

ICAS Exams

Debating

Waverley v Moriah

Last week the debaters had tough competition and a tough topic. Both Waverley teams put forward strong arguments and presented their cases clearly and firmly rebutting the Moriah team’s cases. The boys did themselves and Waverley very proud. Both teams winning their debate!

Year 5 Public Speaking Competition

All Year 5 students will be participating in a school-based Public Speaking Competition this term. The competition aims at allowing students to develop their speaking skills. Speaking well in public prepares you for positions of responsibility, visibility and the future. Speak up, speak well, and many opportunities will be open to you.

Book Week

In Week 6 we will be celebrating Book Week at the Junior School. The theme this year is Read, Grow, Inspire…

All students from the Junior campus are encouraged to enter one or both of the competitions running for Book Week.

Pop-up Bookshop

An essential aspect of supporting your son with his reading is to allow him to make his own book choices. The Pop-up Bookshop will be running in Term 3 Week 6.

This year I would like to introduce a new sustainable and cost-effective Pop-up Bookshop.

If you would like to help this initiative, I would like you to donate pre-loved books that will be sold at a very reduced amount.

Winter Co-Curricular Sport – Round 9

It was great to see all teams back in action this past weekend. There are only two rounds left for the Winter Co-Curricular season for 2023. This weekend is Round 9, on Saturday 29 July.

Post-Winter Co-Curricular Reminder

Students will have a break from sport between Weeks 4 to 10, Term 3. During this period, students who make it through to IPSHA Athletics, were named age champions or performed highly at the Athletics Carnival, will be invited to train with the Senior Athletics squads for their respective events. This will allow those students to prepare for both IPSHA and CIS Athletics later in the term. All relevant information will be emailed out to those parents/carers in the coming weeks.

Please ensure you refer to the Waverley College app announcements each week, as I will continue to send out the weekly sports fixtures and scores for each round. All families can also locate all relevant Junior School Co-Curricular information through the College website by clicking the button below.

HipHop Dance Club

During the week, Joel Peisley, our HipHop Dance instructor ran an exhibition to get all students involved in HipHop and to spark interest in students doing HipHop Dance Club for Term 3. It was a fun time for our students and allowed them to enjoy different forms of movement and exercise.

I encourage all parents/carers to ask their son if they enjoyed the session and if they’d be interested in doing HipHop this Term. It will now be undertaken during lunchtime to remove clashes with training, which is yet to be confirmed (likely to be a Wednesday). It won’t begin until Week 5, once Wakakirri rehearsals are finished.

If your son enjoyed himself and is interested in joining, please click the button below to complete the Google Form.

AFL

All players, families and supporters from our AFL community from Years 5-12 are invited to attend the AFL end of season celebration. Families will be informed in advance if their son is receiving an award on the night.

Football

Waverley College Football Awards Night 2023 will be held on Friday, 11 August 2023.

All students are invited to the Football awards night, and families will be informed in advance if their son is receiving an award on the night.

Rugby

The Waverley College Rugby Presentation Night will be held on Friday, 18 August, 2023. The Presentation Night will again be held at Easts Rugby Club, Woollahra.

More information will be sent out to the community soon, including how you can purchase a ticket, but please save the date!

*Due to significant interest in students and families attending the Rugby Presentation Night, only the award winners will be invited to attend. Families will be informed in advance if their son is receiving an award on the night.

External Sporting Achievements

Brynn Spierings competed in the State Championship for Surfing last week and out of 84 kids competing, Brynn came 6th in the state!

This is a significant achievement by Brynn, and Waverley is truly proud of his efforts against the best surfers in NSW.

A big welcome back to all our Waverley College families. I hope the three-week break gave you a chance to slow down and spend quality time with your family. We are back in full swing and excited for the Term ahead.

Just a reminder that all students require blazers in Term 3. I have noticed some haircuts that do not align with the College Haircut policy which can be found on page 25 of the College diary. If your son has been asked to have his hair rectified, please have this done by Monday Week 2.

Diary Dates

Please find below some reminders about upcoming events. For all of Term 3 events, please refer to the College calendar.

July

August

September

Support for Nicholas Reed

As some of you may be aware, there have been some very sad news in our community about the brother of Kosta Reed in Year 5, Nicholas. Seven-year-old Nicholas had a liver transplant at the age of five months and has struggled with his health ever since. Devastatingly, he has just been diagnosed with a rare and very aggressive type of post-transplant cancer.

Our prayers and thoughts go out to his family as they navigate through this heartbreaking journey. A parent in our Waverley Community, Kerren Hosking, has set up a GoFundMe page to help support Elena Reed and their family. If you would like to support this family please click the link below.

Attendance

A reminder to please follow the below process for reporting your son’s absence. Parents/carers requesting permission for three days or more of leave or extended holiday periods exceeding three school days, must apply for permission from myself.

Permission needs to be in writing at least two weeks in advance, and is not automatically granted. Please contact myself for approval by emailing ssanchez@waverley.nsw.edu.au

SMART Goals

At the commencement of each Term, students are encouraged to set SMART goals for their learning with their classroom teachers. Goals that are specific, measurable, achievable, realistic and timed will set our students up for success.

Last term, all students received their Semester 1 Academic report and had a meeting with their teacher to identify areas for development. I encourage you to sit down and discuss the goals that your son has set for his learning so we can all work together to help him achieve it. We know that writing goals down allows students to revisit them throughout the Term, encourages focus, and builds strategies to make sure they achieve their goal/s.

Winter Co-Curricular Sport – Round 8

I hope all families had a restful and rejuvenating break, without too many external sporting commitments. The Winter Co-Curricular season is now entering its final three rounds for 2023. This weekend is Round 8, on Saturday, 22 July.

Post-Winter Co-Curricular

Please ensure you refer to the Waverley College app announcements each week, as I will continue to send out the weekly sports fixtures and scores for each round. Families can also locate all relevant Junior School Co-Curricular information on the College website via the link below.

Extra Co-Curricular Activities in Term 3

As mentioned last week, Term 3 Winter Cricket Club will continue Wednesday lunchtimes with Mr McKimm, beginning from Week 2.

At this stage, it’s been decided that Table Tennis will not continue this year, due to concerns regarding lack of involvement and miscommunication with the instructors involved.

*If you wish to withdraw your son from any Extra Co-Curricular activities for Term 3, please email me personally. Students signed up in Term 2 will roll over to Term 3. I will inform families if there is room to add additional students to various activities.

Winter Co-Curricular Awards Nights (Years 5-12)

All players, families and supporters from our AFL community from Years 5-12 are invited to attend the AFL end of season celebration.

More information will be sent out to the community soon, including how you can purchase a ticket. Please save the date!

CIS Rugby League

During the mid-year holidays, Jackson MacAskill, Henry Callen and Kalan Fisher represented CIS at the NSW Rugby League PSSA Champs in Wagga Wagga from 19 – 22 June.

Congratulations to Jackson, Henry and Kalan for representing CIS NSW and Waverley College Junior School.

Sydney Interschool Snowsport Championships

Over the school holidays, eight Waverley College students competed at the Sydney Interschool Snowsport Championships at Thredbo from 10-14 July.

Rory Palmer (Year 6) won silver in the Alpine event (Division 4 for boys in Years 5 and 6) and bronze in the Skier X event (Division 4 for boys in Years 5 and 6).

As a team, Rory Palmer, Archie Francis and Connor Moran placed 5th overall in the Skier X event in Division 4.

Patrick Palmer (Year 8) placed 5th in the Skier X event (Division 3 for boys in Years 7 and 8).

Archie Francis (Year 5) placed 7th in the Snowboard GS, 9th in the Snowboard X and 12th in the Moguls events (Division 4).

Archie Hoiles (Year 7) placed 22nd in the Snowboard X and 24th in the Snowboard GS events (Division 3).

Rory, Patrick and Archie Francis have each qualified for the NSW State Championships in their respective events to be held in Perisher from 21-25 August.

Congratulations also to Connor Moran (Year 5), Oscar Litchfield (Year 6), Jordan Mano (Year 8), Aidan Giusti (Year 8) and Charlie Thompson (Year 12) for their commendable races and first-ever Sydney Interschools events.

Term 3 Week 2

We offer all students in Years 5 and Year 6 the opportunity to receive free additional support after school to complete home learning tasks. The afternoon sessions also provide a quiet, supervised study space for students who want to complete their assigned tasks.

Procedures

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/carer’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

ICAS Exams

Pop-up Bookshop

An essential aspect of supporting your son with his reading is to allow him to make his own book choices. The Pop-up Bookshop will run in Term 3 Week 6.

This year I would like to introduce a new sustainable and cost-effective Pop-up Bookshop.

If you would like to help this initiative I would like you to donate ‘pre-loved’ books that will be sold at a very reduced amount.

City to Surf

Wonderfully, 101 people have signed up to our Waverley team in the City2Surf on 13 August in support of the charity ‘Running for Premature Babies,’ raising funds for a lifesaving humidicrib for The Children’s Hospital at Westmead.

It’s not too late to register. Join the Yellow start wave to run/walk with Lachy from The Wiggles!

Diary Dates

Please find below some reminders about upcoming events. For all of Term 2 events, please refer to the College calendar.

Semester 1 Reports

Semester 1 Reports will be available today at 5pm in the Parent Lounge. Please take the time to go through and read the report with your son. Please have any questions regarding the Semester 1 Report ready to discuss at Parent/Teacher Interviews.

Parent/Teacher/Student Interviews

Parent/Teacher/Student Interviews are scheduled for Monday, 19 June. This will be a hybrid model to accommodate those who would like to come into the school or Zoom in from work or home. Each session will go for 15 minutes. Students are required to attend this session in full academic uniform.

Winter Co-Curricular Sport – Round 7

The Winter Co-Curricular season is now entering its final round for Term 2, with the mid-year break around the corner and the remaining three rounds at the beginning of Term 3.

Just a reminder that there will only be training on Tuesday, 20 and Wednesday, 21 June in Week 9 next week.

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.

All families can also locate all relevant Junior School Co-Curricular information through the College website by clicking the button below:

Home Learning Week 9

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.

Procedures

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

2023 ICAS Competitions | Years 5 and 6 Students

What is ICAS? 

ICAS is an online academic competition designed to assess students’ higher-order thinking and problem-solving skills in English, Mathematics, Science, Writing and Digital Technologies.  Each assessment celebrates students’ accomplishments by providing opportunities for recognition and development. Every student who participates will receive a printed certificate and an online results report. Top performers will be eligible for medals.

If you would like your son to compete in the 2023 ICAS Competitions, you will be asked to nominate which competitions you would like him to be entered in through the Parent Payment System. At the Junior School, the following ICAS competitions are offered: Writing & Digital Technologies, Science & English and Mathematics.

This year all the competitions will be held in August / September, Term 3 and will be completed online in the Learning Hub before school starts. A timetable will be shared closer to the assessment dates.

Click https://shop.icasassessments.com/pages/pps to register your son. Through this system, parents can pay for ICAS directly online while tests will still be held at our school. Please use the school’s access code details to register your child no later than 23 July 2023

Please consider carefully before choosing this enrichment opportunity for your son. It is a rigorous competition with many questions set beyond grade level. Participants are required to demonstrate a deeper, integrated and thorough level of learning. If you are unsure of your son’s suitability, please consult with his teacher. More information about the assessments can be found at ICAS Assessments: Home

If you require additional support registering your son, contact the customer service team. Call Australian Toll-Free Tel 1800 931 775.

Reader of the Week

Creative Arts

Where to start? The Junior School boys have been busy (creatively speaking) in Semester 1. From performing on mallet percussion in music, storytelling in Year 5 drama, through to producing some fabulous digital compositions in Music Tech – we had great fun.

Both Years 5 and 6 have just finished a unit on pitch, where they used our mallet percussion instruments to play a melody part, three accompaniment parts as well as improvising. All of the boys did a great job on this unit. The Year 5 piece (‘Chatter with the Angels’) was a bright, happy song while the Year 6 boys explored ‘Zum Gali’ which (because of its minor key), sounded more serious.

In Drama, Year 5 has been exploring storytelling. We have developed our skills in this area by various activities including recounting, inventing interesting endings and weaving an original story around eight clues left by a detective. The resulting stories have ranged from funny to quite scary, but they have all been entertaining.

Music Technology is always a favourite. Year 6 have been working collaboratively to produce a soundtrack for an animated film clip (‘Mario or Zelda’). They produced original music for this project using BeepBox and GarageBand.

Year 5 have worked through three projects this semester. Each task asked them to import a different type of file into GarageBand and work on composing accompanying music.

If you are interested in hearing these compositions, the boys are starting a digital portfolio on their CANVAS page, where they keep their Music Tech work. Just look for the studio tab on the left hand side of the screen.

Click on the white triangular play button below to listen to one of the outstanding digital compositions produced this Semester.

The composition is called ‘Welcome to the Future’ and was composed by Xavier Condon in 5 Red – enjoy!

This year, the daVinci Decathlon makes its return as an in-person event after the last few years of being held via Zoom. The essence of the daVinci Decathlon lies in its ability to provide an immersive experience, and this is amplified when participants, up to 600 students, come together to compete under one roof.

The excitement of exploring diverse subjects, solving complex problems, and engaging in hands-on challenges becomes even more palpable when shared in real-time. For a lot of our students, this will be their first in person daVinci experience.

This all-day event will be taking place at Knox Grammar School, Wahroonga, on the following dates:

We wish our students all the best for their preparation for this extraordinary event!

Diary Dates

Please find below some reminders about upcoming events. For all of Term 2 events, please refer to the College calendar.

Parent/Teacher/Student Interviews

Please select a time with your son’s teacher by logging into the Parent Lounge.

Year 6 History Showcase

Year 6 will be holding their annual History Showcase on Wednesday, 14 June. All parents and carers are welcome to attend to celebrate and acknowledge the amazing work our Year 6 students have put into their History project. We hope to see you there.

Home Learning Club

*NO HOME LEARNING Monday, 12 June and Thursday, 15 June 2023

Procedures

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.

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

Important

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.

2023 ICAS Competitions – Years 5 and 6 Students

What is ICAS? 

ICAS is an online academic competition designed to assess students’ higher-order thinking and problem-solving skills in English, Mathematics, Science, Writing and Digital Technologies.  Each assessment celebrates students’ accomplishments by providing opportunities for recognition and development. Every student who participates will receive a printed certificate and an online results report. Top performers will be eligible for medals.

If you would like your son to compete in the 2023 ICAS Competitions, you will be asked to nominate which competitions you would like him to be entered in through the Parent Payment System.

At the Junior School, the following ICAS competitions are offered: Writing & Digital Technologies, Science & English and Mathematics. This year all the competitions will be held in August / September, Term 3 and will be completed online in the Learning Hub before school starts. A timetable will be shared closer to the assessment dates.

Through this system, parents/carers can pay for ICAS directly online, while tests will still be held at our school.

*Please use the school’s access code details to register your child no later than 23 July 2023.

If you are unsure of your son’s suitability, please consult with his teacher. More information about the assessments can be found at ICAS Assessments: Home

If you require additional support registering your son, contact the customer service team, Australian Toll-Free, 1800 931 775.

Debating Round 3

Waverley v Kambala

Last week the debaters had tough competition and a tough topic. Both Waverley teams put forward strong arguments and presented their cases clearly and firmly rebutting the Kambala team’s cases. The boys did themselves and Waverley very proud. One win and one loss.

I would like to thank our Year 10 mentors Nick Zanapalis and Thomas Jackson-Whitlock for their continued support at home debates and training sessions.

Every training session is packed with tips and activities to help the junior team develop their debating skills.

Public Speaking 2023

This week, we presented the Year 6 Public Speaking Competition. All boys put in an incredible amount of effort, with one stand-out student who took home the trophy! Well done to all the finalists and thank you Ms Emma Halpin and Harrison Rimell for adjudicating the finals.

Congratulations to our finalists and our Public Speaking Champion 2023, Ceilim O’Kelly.

Reader of the Week

English and Reconciliation Week in 6 Red by Olly

In our English class this Term, we have been studying Bruce Pascoe’s non-fiction book Young Dark Emu, which presents a more accurate portrayal of pre-colonised Australia’s history. The 6 Red boys have delved into the author’s background, analysed each chapter, and written reflective journal entries about their discoveries and questions.

During Reconciliation Week last week, the boys explored the significance of reconciliation and delved into their community connections with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples. The boys learnt that it is a dedicated time for fostering understanding, respect, and dialogue between Indigenous and non-Indigenous Australians, aiming to build a more inclusive and harmonious society.

As a culmination of their learning, the students wrote persuasive letters to the Australian Government advocating for the inclusion of an Aboriginal voice in the Australian Parliament for the Referendum, later this year. This activity demonstrated their understanding of the importance of representation and the need for Indigenous voices to be heard in shaping the nation’s policies and decisions.

Diary Dates

Please find below some reminders about upcoming events. For all of Term 2 events, please refer to the College calendar.

After School Code Camp

Waverley College Junior School is looking to partner with Code Camp to offer a weekly coding After-School program, starting in Term 3. This is open to all students in Years 5 and 6.

Code Camp After-School allows students to hone their creative skills and keep practicing through weekly sessions over the Term! Their fun and engaging content ensures students learn new creative skills in a safe, educational environment.

At this stage, Code Camp is wanting to gauge an idea of families who would be interested in their child/children participating. If you are interested in your child/children participating in Code Camp in Term 3, please click here to learn more about the programs being offered and to complete the Expression of Interest form.

Nurrunga Newsletter and Social Media Pages

Just a reminder that it is important to check articles in the ‘Principal and Leadership’ section of Nurrunga, after you’ve read the articles in the Junior School section. Information relevant to Junior School students is often contained in this section, and we strongly encourage you to read it.

We’d be delighted if you could also follow Waverley College Social Media pages to support our student, staff and community successes. Please follow @waverleycollege on Instagram and Facebook

Year 5 History Showcase

We would like to invite all parents/carers to attend Year 5’s History Showcase next week on Thursday, 8 June at 2pm.

The students in Year 5 will be presenting their historical knowledge from their history unit learnt this semester. They have been involved in a history inquiry unit that explores the significance of people, groups, places and events that have led to the development of Australia.

We are looking forward to seeing you there and celebrating the hard work and creativity from our Year 5 historians.

Year 6 History Showcase

We would like to invite all parents/carers to attend Year 6’s History Showcase on Wednesday, 14 June at 1:30pm.

Year 6 has been learning about the many reasons why people have migrated to Australia over time. They have interviewed somebody they know, who has migrated to Australia. At the showcase, students will:

We are very excited to learn all about the diverse stories of migration to Australia that Year 6 has collected.

Winter Co-Curricular Sport – Round 6

The Winter Co-Curricular season is now over the halfway point, with two more rounds before the mid-year break and the remaining three rounds at the beginning of Term 3. This weekend is Round 6, on Saturday, 3 June. Just a reminder that there will be no Saturday sport next weekend due to the King’s Birthday Public Holiday.

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. All families can also locate all relevant Junior School Co-Curricular information through the College website via the link below.

Home Learning Club Week 5

Procedures

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.

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

Important

2023 ICAS Competitions – Years 5 and 6 Students

What is ICAS? 

ICAS is an online academic competition designed to assess students’ higher-order thinking and problem-solving skills in English, Mathematics, Science, Writing and Digital Technologies.  Each assessment celebrates students’ accomplishments by providing opportunities for recognition and development. Every student who participates will receive a printed certificate and an online results report. Top performers will be eligible for medals.

If you would like your son to compete in the 2023 ICAS Competitions, you will be asked to nominate which competitions you would like him to be entered in through the Parent Payment System.

Through this system, parents/carers can pay for ICAS directly online, while tests will still be held at our school.

*Please use the school’s access code details to register your child no later than 23 July 2023.

If you are unsure of your son’s suitability, please consult with his teacher. More information about the assessments can be found at ICAS Assessments: Home

If you require additional support registering your son, contact the customer service team, Australian Toll-Free, 1800 931 775.

Reader of the Week

News From 5 Blue

Science

This Term, the boys have begun to learn all about energy and energy transformations. They have been looking at the Deep Learning Competency of working interdependently as a team, and participated in an exploratory learning task to create circuits.

Each group was provided with equipment and were instructed to construct a complete circuit. They needed to make the bulb light up using wires, a battery, a bulb and crocodile clips, and were then asked to share how they designed their circuits.

During the experiment, the students recorded the process in their classwork books, explaining their circuits through a labelled diagram. Some of the students challenged themselves by adding more electrical components into their circuit.

Alexander: “What I learnt about circuits was that you could put the wires into the power circuit then the light bulb platform and then put the crocodile clips around the circuit hole and it will make the light bulb light up. When I did my experiment, my team and I figured out how to turn it on and off by moving a little lever on the circuit board. We had a few goes but then we solved it and it turned out better than I ever imagined!”

Rufus: “What I learnt about circuits is that you can sometimes mess around with the wires and it will still work but if you put time and effort into it then it will work just as you want it to, maybe even better. When I tried to make the lightbulb light up I started off by placing the wires in different positions but then I improved to make it much more successful.”

English

In English, the boys have been studying the picture story book Voices in the Park by award-winning children’s author, Anthony Browne. They have been working extremely hard to plan and compose a story from the fifth voice perspective. When drawing their illustrations to match their text, the boys have been focusing on visual and language choices to convey mood, meaning, and character traits for their reader audience.

At the completion of their books, for their Term 2 English summative assessment, the boys will provide an explanation of their illustrations and explain the intended effect that the choices in technique should have on their audience.

Thomas: “I have learnt that visual literacy is so important in drawings and photos. It can show and highlight certain things or emotions, through colouring, body language, salience, lining and positioning. It is also useful if you want to exaggerate or emphasise certain aspects in your drawing. In his books, Anthony Browne uses lots of visual literacy to link the text to the drawing. I showed this in my book by trying hard to change the weather depending on the emotion, using body positioning to show the characters movement or action, resize certain objects to emphasise the feelings of the characters and change each person’s facial expressions to show how they are feeling.”

Blake: “Visual literacy can be background images that give you clues of what the picture is trying to tell us. It is very important to use it in pictures because it can really give a clue to what the author is trying to say. It can be useful in different ways e.g. over exaggerating, salience, body language and much more. I showed visual literacy by adding extra pictures in the background e.g. weather (depending on the emotions of the characters), faces, using certain objects to represent lifestyle and wealth and changing facial expressions. Lastly, I used lines in my pathway by the use of trees and so on.”

Diary Dates

Please find below some reminders about upcoming events. For all of Term 2 events, please refer to the College calendar.

It was wonderful to start the week off with a wonderful class assembly led by Mr McKimm and 5 Orange. They showcased all the amazing work they have done so far this Term and presented so well. Thank you 5 Orange for starting the week off with a bang!

Parent/Teacher/Student Interviews

Parent/Teacher/Student Interviews will be held on Monday, 19 June. This is a pupil-free day for students however, they need to attend the interview. They need to be in their full academic uniform. This will be a hybrid session that will be split into two. The morning session will be face-to-face and the afternoon session will be Zoom. More information will be coming out over the next couple of weeks.

Free the Funk

On Tuesday, 30 May, we are asking students to come to school in fluro mufti to raise awareness of mental health. ‘One Wave’ is an organisation that runs a program called ‘Free the Funk’ which visits schools to start conversations, learn tips and tools for taking care of your mental health, and discuss how to support friends and family members.

One Wave will be holding a 30-minute session with Year 5 and Year 6 separately on Tuesday. We ask that students bring in a donation of $2 so we can support this wonderful organisation that visits schools for free, to start early prevention, which is critical for our students.

WriteOn Competition 2023

This is a reminder about the WriteOn Competition. If your son is looking for some extra inspiration over the next few weeks please direct him to this competition.

WriteOn is an annual writing competition open to all NSW primary students in Years 1 to 6. Students compose an imaginative text of up to 500 words, using the below image as the stimulus.

This competition provides students with the opportunity to become published authors and showcase their creativity.

Year 5 History Showcase

We would like to invite all parents/carers to attend Year 5’s History Showcase on Thursday, 8 June at 2pm.

Below are some amazing examples from last year to get you inspired, we can’t wait to see what this year’s Year 5 has in store for us!

Year 6 History Showcase

We would like to invite all parents/carers to attend Year 6’s History Showcase on Wednesday, 14 June at 1:30pm.

Examples from last year are below. We are so looking forward to learning about and celebrating the diverse stories of migration to Australia that Year 6 will be sharing with us.

Winter Co-Curricular Sport – Round 5

I wish all teams the best of luck this weekend, and hope for friendly competition and respect for our opposition teams. For the last several rounds I have been really impressed with how our teams have been performing, and I know it won’t be any different this weekend.

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 via the link below.

House Athletics Carnival (Years 5-12 Whole School Event)

Last Friday, 19 May Waverley College held its annual House Athletics Carnival at ES Marks Athletics Field. It was a glorious sun-shining day and the electricity was high, having both Junior and Senior students and staff together for a day of friendly House competition. It had been two years since having a whole school Athletics Carnival due to the redevelopment of ES Marks.

All Junior School students demonstrated true House spirit, along with a fire to compete in as many events as they could, throughout the day. Track and Field events included: 100m, 200m, 800m, 1,500m, Championship Race, Long Jump, High Jump, Shot Put.

It wouldn’t have been a House Athletics Carnival for the Junior School without the Novelty events that our students love participating in. This year they included: Three-Legged Race and the Wheelbarrow Race. All staff and Junior students got involved, including some Senior House Prefects, and it no doubt was the highlight for many students.

Students gave their all in each event they were involved in, and as a result, we can announce the following students who are the Junior School Age Champions for 2023 based on the final results and placings.

The IPSHA Athletics Team will not yet be announced until Term 3, as we still need to undertake Discus, and redo Shot Put due to Senior Staff not recording the distances. Once announced, those students will be invited to begin training as part of the Senior School Athletics Program.

CIS AFL

Freddie Fearon represented Waverley College at the AFL CIS trials and was deservingly selected in the NSW CIS team and participated in the annual tournament last week.

The team came away with a silver medal, doing a great job throughout the tournament – working hard and playing with spirit, grit and determination. Unfortunately they were beaten in the Grand Final but it was a great game.

A massive congratulations to Freddie for his involvement. Waverley is proud of you.

IPSHA Rugby Union Trials

Last Thursday, seven Junior School students were invited to be involved in the 2023 IPSHA Rugby Union Trial, in the hope of making it through to the NSW CIS Rugby Union Trials. Mr Olds was there as a coach and selector, which I’m sure gave all the students comfort, knowing a familiar coaching face and energy.

At the conclusion of the trial, we successfully had all seven students selected to be a part of the IPSHA squad to progress to the NSW CIS Trials coming up in June.

Congratulations to the following students: Kalan Fisher, Hugo Cummins, Jacob Roorda, William Carr, Henry Callen and Talin Opai.

6 Blue English Podcasts

Our focus text this Term in English has been Bruce Pascoe’s Young Dark Emu, a non-fiction text telling a ‘truer history’ of pre-colonised Australia. The 6 Blue students have studied the background of author Bruce Pascoe, analysed each chapter, and written thoughtful journal entries about their learnings and wonderings. Each student has been surprised, shocked and in awe of the knowledge shared in this book, adding more detail and a wider perspective to their view of history.

As the summative assessment at the conclusion of this deep-dive, students are required to script and record a podcast sharing their thoughts and findings about the text. Here are some of the students’ lines in their podcasts:

“Leo: So, Jethro I have one last question for you: What was terra nullius and how was it justified by claiming that Indigenous Australians were primitive?

Jethro: Well Leo, actually it was not justified to call it terra nullius because that actually means “land belonging to no one”, but the Indigenous people of Australia had been there for over 60,000 years and had many different ways of agriculture and aquaculture, as well as food storing and house building.”

“Jacob: The book says that the Aboriginal women were the first to make bread. They would do this by grinding up seeds and then mixing them with some water until it was a thick dough. After the dough had rested for a day they would place it over a fire to bake and voila, BREAD!

We are looking forward to completing our podcast recordings and listening to them as a class.

Running Club

Every Monday at lunchtime, a number of students and staff in the Junior School head to Waverley Park for Running Club. In its second year at the College, this initiative aims to support the mental health and fitness goals of its participants.

The reasons that runners and walkers have for attending is varied, however, all are welcome no matter your pace. Many of us are training for the City2Surf and are excited to support Running for Premature Babies once more.

If you have any questions about Running Club or the City2Surf, please do not hesitate to contact me.

Winter Cricket Training

While the winter sport season is in full swing at Waverley College, a group of very keen cricketers have been meeting every Wednesday at the Junior School nets. These boys have been batting and bowling with the purpose of keeping their skills active throughout the winter, so that they are ready to go when summer rolls around once more.

Home Learning Club Week 6

Procedures

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.

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

Important

2023 ICAS Competitions – Years 5 and 6 Students

What is ICAS? 

ICAS is an online academic competition designed to assess students’ higher-order thinking and problem-solving skills in English, Mathematics, Science, Writing and Digital Technologies.  Each assessment celebrates students’ accomplishments by providing opportunities for recognition and development. Every student who participates will receive a printed certificate and an online results report. Top performers will be eligible for medals.

If you would like your son to compete in the 2023 ICAS Competitions, you will be asked to nominate which competitions you would like him to be entered in through the Parent Payment System.

Through this system, parents/carers can pay for ICAS directly online, while tests will still be held at our school.

*Please use the school’s access code details to register your child no later than 23 July 2023.

If you are unsure of your son’s suitability, please consult with his teacher. More information about the assessments can be found at ICAS Assessments: Home

If you require additional support registering your son, contact the customer service team, Australian Toll-Free, 1800 931 775.

Lunchtime Guest Speaker – Richard Simpkin

Richard Simpkin, Waverley Old Boy, proud Tevlin member and Dad of Ollie (Year 5), had the Waverley Junior School students buzzing with excitement during his presentation.

Richard, who is a photographer and writer, took the boys on a celebrity journey and shared the strong message of perseverance and believing in yourself.

You had the students captivated from start to finish. You are a natural-born storyteller. I look forward to reading more of your books. Thank you for taking the time to inspire the students to ‘dream big’ and follow their dreams.

Sorry Day 26 May and Reconciliation Week 27 May – 3 June

This week, the boys explored the very important theme of National Sorry Day and next week will focus on Reconciliation.

Rich literature was used to encourage valuable discussion on the cultural heritage of the First Nations Peoples.

The boys highlighted many important facts and we were involved in activities that promote creative and critical thinking.

Drawing Club

Good luck to the Drawing Club students who entered the Waverley Youth Art Prize 2023 competition run by Waverley Council. Your interpretation of this year’s theme, Climate Utopia, was creative and original.

Reader of the Week

Have you heard of the REELise Film Festival? It gives students the chance to see their work on the big screen.

The 2023 REELise Film Festival will screen in Cinema 1 at Randwick Ritz and be live-streamed for an Australian audience on 12 August 2023.

There are three age divisions: Junior (10-12 years), Intermediate (13-15 years), and Senior (16-18 years).

This year’s competition theme is ‘Footprint’ designed to elicit storytelling about how our actions or inactions imprint on our lives and the lives of others.

WEEK	START TIME	DATE	ICAS EXAM
4	7:30am	Wednesday, 9 August	Writing
4	8am	Thursday, 10 August	Digital Technologies

5	8am	Wednesday, 16 August	English

6	7:45am	Wednesday, 23 August	Science

7	8am	Wednesday, 30 August	Mathematics

WEEK	START TIME	DATE	ICAS EXAM
4	7:30am	Wednesday, 9 August	Writing
4	8am	Thursday, 10 August	Digital Technologies

5	8am	Wednesday, 16 August	English

6	7:45am	Wednesday, 23 August	Science

7	8am	Wednesday, 30 August	Mathematics

Under 10s
1st	Patrick Spencer
2nd	Kai Lopez
3rd	Leo Mithen
3rd	Hugo Cuschieri
4th	Reis McEvoy

Under 11s
1st	Charlie Carrano
2nd	Tio Norman
3rd	Oliver Burke
4th	Phillip Rizzo
4th	Louis Vereker

Under 12s
1st	Leonardo Rodella
2nd	Talin Opai
2nd	Sam Powell
3rd	Louis Coleman
4th	Noah Borlotti

Diary Dates

Wakakirri “Take 2”

Coding Camp Term 4

Father’s Day Mass – Friday, 1 September 2023 – Mary Immaculate Church

Home Learning Week 7

No Home Learning Wednesday 30 August

Debating

Waverley v St Catherine’s

Book Week Read, Grow, Inspire

Writing

Visual Arts

Writing Workshop

Pre-loved, Pop-up Bookshop

Guest Author: Richard Simpkin

News From 5 Red and Mr Horry

Diary Dates

120 Year Celebration Feast of the Assumption

Second Step Wellbeing Program

Father’s Day Mass – Friday, 1 September 2023 – Mary Immaculate Church

Science Week

Science Week Competition

Science Lab Lessons

Home Learning Club Week 6

Procedures

Behaviour

Lunchtime Guest Speaker – Ian Storie

Book Week

Guest Author for Book Week

Book Week Competitions

Writing Workshops

Pre-Loved Pop-up Bookshop – Cash Only Please

News from 6 Indigo and Mr Robinson

Diary Dates

Wakakirri 2023

Father’s Day Mass – Friday, 1 September 2023 – Mary Immaculate Church

Winter Co-Curricular Season – Thank You

Armidale Rugby Trials (2024)

Shot Put and Discus Trials

External Sporting Achievements

Home Learning Club

Procedures

Behaviour

Lunchtime Guest Speaker

Guest Author for Book Week

Pop-up Bookshop

Debating

Cranbrook v Waverley

News from 5 White and Ms Tweedie

Around the Classroom, by Year 5 White

Diary Dates

August

September

Father’s Day Mass – Friday, 1 September 2023 – Mary Immaculate Church

MindQuest Enrichment Opportunity

Da Vinci Decathlon Success

What is Da Vinci Decathlon?

25 Years of Wakakirri at Waverley

Home Learning Term 3 Week 4

Lunchtime Guest Speaker: From the Bedside to the Boardroom

Book Week

Pop-up Bookshop

Reader of the Week

News from 6 White and Mr Stanton

Science

Visual Arts

Winter Co-Curricular Sport – Round 10

Post-Winter Co-Curricular Reminder

Extra Co-Curricular Activities

External Sporting Achievements

Diary Dates

August

September

Long Service Leave

Father’s Day Mass – Friday, 1 September 2023 – Mary Immaculate Church

Term 3 Curriculum Overviews

Term 3 Week 3

NO Home Learning Tuesday, 1 August 2023

ICAS Exams

Debating

Waverley v Moriah

What is ICAS? 

What is ICAS? 