As we farewell Term 1, I’d like to acknowledge the busyness of the past 11 weeks and the great work that everyone in our community has done to make our College a terrific place to learn, listen, teach, grow, connect, build friendships, share and communicate. I’ve witnessed people step out of their comfort zones and recognise that they are capable of more than they realise, which is a very positive development.
In the coming April holidays, I encourage students and families to make time in their days to connect with one another, reflect, recharge and have fun! I wish all those travelling a safe and inspiring time away. And to all our winter activities that are playing both locally and travelling to Armidale and Orange, we wish them safe journeys and wonderful competitions.
For Years 11 and 12 students, I draw your attention to the article authored by Ms Lynsey Porter HERE and her crucial advice in the Study Guide and Holiday Planner. Pace yourself with a sensible balance of study and breaks, and remember that routine is essential.
Recent academic and sporting congratulations are in order for two talented Waverley College students.
Last Friday evening I had the honour of attending the UNSW Co-op Scholar Induction Ceremony for Jack Preller. Jack graduated from Waverley College in 2023 achieving second academically while being a House Captain, and a member of the first’s Tennis and Debating teams. He was also engaged with Youth UN, participating in the UN Youth State and National conferences in 2023 and awarded the UNSW Co-op Scholarship to study a Bachelor of Commerce – Marketing.
Jack Preller (UNSW Co-op Scholar) with his family
In 2022 Jack founded Student-Based-Tutoring (SBT) which is a student-led in-person peer mentoring program that has provided over 100 hours of free tutoring to help students achieve their academic goals. Congratulations, Jack!
The UNSW Co-op Scholarship had 827 applications and awarded 58 scholarships for 2024. Some characteristics that scholarship applications winners had were the following:
Jack Preller (UNSW Co-op Scholar) with Principal, Mr Graham Leddie
Jack Preller with three scholarship winners
Our last previous Co-op Scholarship winner was Adam Hegedus (Class of 2015) who is the Managing Director of Educating the Future who seeks to set up and develop primary schools in Timor-Leste and educate the next generation. Adam is currently studying at Oxford University for a Master of Public Policy (Education) and MBA.
This week at the Australian Age Swimming Championships, Ollie Moclair (Year 11) did a PB in the 16 years Boys 100m Freestyle, made the A final, and placed 9th overall. He also placed +9th in the 50m Freestyle. The Olympic trials qualifying time is coming up in June which will be a fantastic experience for him. We’re all gunning for you, Ollie!
In May, a two-hour community workshop for students, parents and staff will be held locally to gather feedback and ideas that will help shape Council’s long-term Bicycle Strategy and Action Plan.
Council is seeking input from diverse ages and backgrounds as well as people who have varying experience and comfort levels with bicycle riding throughout the Waverley Local Government Area. They are even interested to hear from people who have considered bicycle riding for transport or leisure, but are reluctant due to safety concerns.
This is a great opportunity for children and young people to give Council their feedback and brainstorm with other residents. Especially as safe transport options were raised as a priority for local action at the Waverley Youth Summit in 2023.
Date: Thursday, 2 May 2024
Time: 5:30pm – 7:30pm
Venue: Waverley Library Theatrette, Level 2, 32-48 Denison Street, Bondi Junction
Dinner: will be provided.
Places are limited and registrations are essential. Register HERE.
*All ages are welcome, however, children under 18 years of age participating in the workshop must be accompanied by a parent/carer who is also participating.
All schools have been asked to highlight extra surveillance on the light rail during the school holiday period. Please ensure you make responsible and safe choices when travelling on public transport.
The police and light rail employees are reporting that more and more young people are making dangerous decisions such as ‘buffer riding’ on the light rail, especially during the school holidays.
Please know that during these holidays, light rail employees and hired security officers will be monitoring the light rail around the clock. They will work with police to identify any young person who is doing the wrong thing and criminal behaviour will be reported.
Have you heard of REELise? REELise is a registered Australian charity formed to safeguard youth mental health and wellbeing, advance education and advance culture.
Waverley students are invited to participate in the upcoming REELise Film Festival 2024 short film competition. Entry is free! Consider entering, because this is an incredible opportunity to exercise your thought leadership and showcase your creative work to a wide audience. We have had much success in short film productions over the years, so this is an opportunity to inspire others through your creative intelligence and purposeful use of digital media.
Submission deadline: Sunday, 7 July 2024
Competition theme: ‘Choices.’
More information: submission requirements are HERE.
The Future Proofing Study, conducted by the Black Dog Institute, is the largest and most comprehensive longitudinal study of adolescent mental health in Australia. It involves thousands of the same group of students completing annual, online surveys about their mental health and wellbeing for six years during their adolescence. This data collection process is due to be completed in 2026.
Please view findings from the Future Proofing Study presented by Dr Lyndsay Brown from the Black Dog Institute at the Child and Adolescent Mental Health Conference (March, 2024) HERE.
Parents are invited to attend a virtual event, “Raising Students to Thrive” facilitated by wellbeing and leadership specialist, Daniel Merzer.
This exclusive session will unveil practical strategies to empower parents to foster resilience, wellbeing, and tenacity in their teenagers, paving the way for a future of success and fulfilment.
Date: Tuesday, 23 April 2024
Time: 7pm – 8:30pm (Australian Eastern Standard Time)
Location: Zoom
Register: HERE.
Please see message below from Transdev John Holland regarding bus services in Term 2.
As Term 1 comes to a close, we would like to thank you for your cooperation. From Monday, 29 April 2024 some Transdev John Holland bus services will be adjusted to improve reliability and capacity on services to meet the needs of our customers.
Some bus services will be adjusted throughout the area to improve reliability and provide additional capacity on busy bus routes. Please note, your school bus service will not change, however we ask caregivers and students to check timetables to ensure their normal route service time has remained the same.
For more detailed information on any changes, please visit transportnsw.info/trip#/trip and you may “refine” your search by adding in “school service”.
We would like to take this opportunity to reinforce the topic of Opal Card Compliance for school students. It is a condition of the Student Code of Conduct when travelling that students must Tap On and Off with their School Opal Card or Child/Youth Opal Card every time when using public transport. This is so that Transport for NSW can understand customer travel patterns and adjust the services provided, if necessary.
If students do not meet these criteria, they will need to carry a Child/Youth Opal card with funds loaded onto it. If a student’s School Opal Card has expired or been damaged, lost or stolen, please visit transportnsw.info/school-travel-apply to reapply.
We will also continue conducting random visits to school bus stops to further support you and reinforce this message to students throughout the year.
Again, we would also like to take this opportunity thank you for your time and patience and look forward to working with you all throughout the year.
Ms Gabby Smith
Deputy Principal – Students
gsmith@waverley.nsw.edu.au
Dear Parents and Carers,
I am thrilled to share with you some news from the Languages Department, and how our students are going in Spanish classes here at Waverley. It has been a Semester filled with enthusiasm, engagement, and outstanding learning from our students.
In Year 8, our students have been setting the foundations in their language journey, focusing on basic conversations and developing their cultural knowledge. A highlight has been their amazing work with their multimedia Footballer Profile Assessment, and their Passport Learning Checkpoint task.
Please take some time to have a look at a few amazing examples from some of our talented students below.
Meanwhile, our Year 10 students have also been putting their creativity to work with their Children’s Book Assessment. During their recent mini food unit, students teamed up with the wonderful Year 10 Food Technology class. It was inspiring to see their teamwork in action to create delicious empanadas.
I must also commend the hard work and dedication displayed by our Seniors studying Stage 6 Spanish. I want to commend their dedication to assessment preparation and attendance of tutorials.
The Languages faculty are planning exciting learning opportunities and excursions for students to engage more actively with the Hispanic world. Thank you for your continued support and encouragement in nurturing our students’ love for languages.
Mr Daniel Best
Head of Languages
dbest@waverley.nsw.edu.au
Two years ago, Waverley College participated in a significant research project affiliated with Deakin University, QUT, and the University of Canberra titled ‘Teen Reading in the Digital Era.’ Research was conducted with secondary students in New South Wales, Victoria, Queensland and Western Australia, giving a broad overview of the reading habits of teenagers across Australia.
The results make for interesting reading in this recent article published in The Conversation (5 April 2024).
Recommended Reading lists have been sent to all parents, carers, and students.
Books can be borrowed from the school library.
Last week, I published a list of writing and poetry competitions happening at the moment.
Below is another wonderful local competition that Randwick City Council is running.
The Lionel Bowen Young Writers’ Award, named in honour of former Mayor of Randwick and former Deputy Prime Minister Lionel Bowen AC, seeks to uncover the writing talents of young people in Randwick City.
This year’s theme is “The Future is Wild”. There’s monetary prizes to win!
Build your story or poem around the theme The Future is Wild. Let your creativity flow in words, your short story or poem can be based on reality or be completely out of this world and imaginary.
Good luck!
Wishing you all a wonderful holiday with lots of reading and writing.
Ms Mary Ryan
Literacy Coordinator/ English Teacher
mryan01@waverley.nsw.edu.au
Last week our Student Leadership group met with 20 other students from a variety of schools for our annual Prefect Afternoon Tea. We were privileged to have Ms Kate Miranda the NSW Director of Red Cross, address the students outlining her leadership journey. Kate stressed the importance of learning throughout the different leadership opportunities you may be presented with and having a passion to make a difference.
Students then shared their leadership initiatives and challenges in groups and enjoyed hearing the experiences and opportunities presented. It was a wonderful opportunity for our students to engage with many different schools and to hear about their leadership journeys.
“Everyone is a leader all the time, whether they know it or not.”
Now that our Year 7 cohort have settled into Waverley, we will be holding our SRC Elections for 2024/25 the second week of Term 2.
Students will be voting in their Wellbeing groups and will be able to elect one student from Years 7, 8, 9 and 10 to represent their cohort, whilst the Year 11 students will be able to elect two students as their representatives.
If elected, students would be required to attend an SRC meeting with the College and House Captains once every two weeks.
SRC initiative: Gaelic Football, 2024 St Patrick’s Day celebrations
This is a wonderful service opportunity for students to engage with the different Year groups and to develop their leadership potential. All students will receive an email today outlining the procedure of applying for these positions:
Servant leadership is at the heart of all we do here at Waverley. I look forward to working with the young men who are willing to put themselves into the service of others.
SRC initiative: Gaelic Football, 2024 St Patrick’s Day celebrations
Ms Sue Walsh
Director of Mission & Identity
swalsh@waverley.nsw.edu.au
Dear Parents, Staff and Students,
For those of you who don’t know, Waverley College’s ‘Worlds Greatest Shave’ Campaign was recently launched at the CAS Swimming Assembly and was given a very warm reception by those who attended, which we are all very grateful for. This cause is held very close to the hearts of the Waverley College community and has been at the forefront of our many Social Justice initiatives for a long time.
The World’s Greatest Shave Foundation is one that I know many in our community cherish and support graciously every year and one that has directly supported some of our past and present families at the College. While our Campaign is led by Lacey House – the Lacey students, families and staff showing unwavering support since its inception at the College – the Lacey Leadership Team would like to thank you for your support. Almost $14,000 has been raised for this charity.
Thank you for your support and if you would still like to make a donation please click HERE.
Jai Brodie – Lacey House Captain
Mr Damien Thompson
Head of Lacey House
dthompson@waverley.nsw.edu.au
The preparation is paying off for our Year 9 Da Vinci Decathlon team who were awarded third place on Wednesday at the Sydney Regionals in the NSW Da Vinci Decathlon.
A team of dedicated scholars who demonstrate their aptitude across a range of disciplines in a series of short, complex challenges. Congratulations are in order for Alexander Avdalis, Carter Hughes, Henry Goodrich, Leo Owen, Hudson Campbell, Finley Cromer, Luke Ibrahim and Evan Service who finished,
Placing them overall in third place at the event!
Well deserved results by a dedicated team of all rounders. Thank you to Ms Laura Bleakley for escorting them and participating in the Decathlon marking process and to Ms Helen Barrie who was instrumental in the success of the team.
It was a pleasure to present at this week’s assembly, the summer co-curricular awards across such a broad array of activities, with many splendid individual and team performances. Congratulations to all award winners. View the article by Mr Steve O’Donnell to see the award winners HERE.
The annual Year 12 Mother and Son Lunch took place on Sunday, 24 March, by the harbour. The event was enriched by inspiring speakers who shared their post-Waverley experiences, emphasising the importance of happiness and working hard, which can manifest in diverse ways.
Thank you very much to the organising committee of Ms Tina Lee, Ms Trudy Devereux, Ms Michelle Dubois and Ms Claire Anstis, and to the MC Mr Murph Renford who did a fabulous job.
With the holidays approaching, here are a number of exciting literary competitions to keep our students interested in writing busy. Please share this information with your sons and encourage them to enter at least one of these contests. More details about requirements and closing dates can be found in Ms Lynsey Porter’s article HERE.
We want to encourage as many staff, students, friends and family as possible to join the team ‘Waverley College For Premmies’, supporting local charity Running for Premature Babies. Fundraising is optional but anyone on the team who raises $300 will be REFUNDED their race registration fee so you can RUN FOR FREE!
Please watch this short message HERE from the charity’s founder Sophie Smith, a parent at Waverley, explaining why August 2024 marks a special milestone for her family and for the charity.
Click HERE to register.
When you register, choose to ‘JOIN A TEAM’ and enter the team name ‘Waverley College for Premmies’.
The Uniform shop has informed me that we have plenty of stock in all sizes of the student lightweight rain jacket @ $38. They also have in stock the all weather Japara @ $255 which is a top quality Canadian all weather jacket that the clothing shop sells at cost price. The link to the Uniform Shop is HERE.
The Uniform Shop holiday trading notice is HERE.
TERM 1
Thursday, 30 January 2025 – Classes Resume for Years 5-12
Thursday, 10 April 2025 – Classes Conclude
TERM 2
Monday, 28 April 2025 – Years 7-12 Parent Teacher Student Interviews – student-free day for Senior School
Monday, 28 April 2025 – Staff Professional Learning day for Junior School – student-free day for Junior School
Tuesday, 29 April 2025 – Years 7-12 Parent Teacher Student Interviews – student-free day for Senior School
Tuesday, 29 April 2025 – Staff Professional Learning day for Junior School – student-free day for Junior School
Wednesday, 30 April 2025 – Classes Resume for Years 5-12
Thursday, 26 June 2025 – Classes Conclude
TERM 3
Monday, 21 July 2025 – Years 5-12 Parent Teacher Student Interviews – student-free day
Tuesday, 22 July 2025 – Years 5-12 Parent Teacher Student Interviews – student-free day
Wednesday, 23 July 2025 – Classes Resume for Years 5-12
Thursday, 25 September 2025 – Classes Conclude
TERM 4
Tuesday, 14 October 2025 – Classes Resume
Tuesday, 2 December 2025 – Presentation Day, Classes Conclude
By the end of this Term, most students will have received feedback and results for at least one task in most of their subjects. It is really important that students use this feedback to reflect and consider the focus of their Term 2 2024 Academic SMART goals. Our Parent Teacher Student interviews at the start of Term 2 provide an opportune time for students to share and refine these goals with their teachers and parents/carers.
How students respond to results and feedback is just as important as completing the task itself. Sometimes results meet expectations and sometimes students can experience a situation where they have found aspects of an assessment task challenging. Dr Carol Dweck’s seminal work on the Growth Mindset can really help parents/carers to support their children during these times.
Ms Helen Barrie’s article below outlines some further information on this topic from a professional learning session that she attended last week.
I hear and I forget. I see and I remember. I do and I understand.
The process of drafting written work is a complex endeavour. In the drafting phase of an assessment, students value teacher feedback, in which teachers read drafted work and offer advice on how the student can improve their writing in preparation for formal submission. It is common to define feedback as any actions taken by a teacher or coach to provide individuals with information regarding some aspect of their performance. Yet as the demands of the academic year multiply, teachers and coaches must ask themselves, ‘how do I give feedback successfully so students will use it to improve their performance?’.
Author/consultant James Nottingham, creator of The Learning Pit, argues that to successfully support students to review, apply and adapt meaningful feedback, students must focus on three questions to maximise their learning potential.
This last question is particularly important as it gives the student an opportunity to “look forward” and plan for their next steps to achieve their ultimate goal.
In keeping with our focus at Waverley on unlocking student potential, the Head of Science, Ms Gemma Brown and I recently attended Organisational Psychologist, Professor Adam Grant’s Sydney event, complimenting the release of his book, Hidden Potential, which in its myriad of applications included educators and people responsible for unlocking the potential in students. When discussing optimal feedback to drive growth, he referred to Dr Carol Dweck’s work on adopting a growth mindset, encouraging learners to be aware of our reactive and ego-driven desires for a quick fix which short-circuits true learning,
“Learning is more likely when students are reactive to feedback and growth oriented, and the sweet spot is when students are proactive and growth oriented. They consistently take the initiative to expand themselves and adapt,” he argues in his latest book, Hidden Potential.
Nottingham’s three questions are a great strategy for parents/carers to keep in mind when supporting their children to successfully use feedback to drive their growth. Psychologists suggest that procrastination may be a result of discomfort and anxiety related to a task. Yet, as Grant shows in a plethora of examples in his book, seeking out discomfort by reviewing and applying feedback can be a way to learn faster and more effectively.
Ref: Grant, A. (2023). Hidden Potential: The Science of Achieving Greater Things. London : WH Allen.
The preparation is paying off for our Year 9 Da Vinci Decathlon team who were awarded third place on Wednesday at the Sydney Regionals in the NSW Da Vinci Decathlon.
A team of dedicated scholars who demonstrate their aptitude across a range of disciplines in a series of short, complex challenges. Congratulations are in order for Alexander Avdalis, Carter Hughes, Henry Goodrich, Leo Owen, Hudson Campbell, Finley Cromer, Luke Ibrahim and Evan Service who finished,
Placing them overall in third place at the event!
Well deserved results by a dedicated team of all rounders and thank you to Ms Bleakley for escorting them and participating in the Decathlon marking process.
Ms Helen Barrie
Head of Academic Enrichment
hbarrie@waverley.nsw.edu.au
With the holidays approaching, here are a number of exciting literary competitions to keep our students interested in writing busy. Please share this information with your sons.
Poetry Competition: “Poem Forest”
The website link is HERE.
Created by Red Room Poetry, in partnership with Wollongong City Council, Poem Forest invites students and teachers to use their words to make positive climate action. For every nature poem received, a tree is planted to help heal habitats and create a Poem Forest for future generations. Since 2021, over 17,100 poem trees have been planted.
All Poem Forest Prize entries are published in our digital library and have the chance to win $5,000 in prizes, including $500 cash for each category, book packs, garden tours, plants, journals and more.
The website link is HERE.
Stories are being judged on two key things:
CRAFT: Is your story well written and descriptive? Have you shown a strong command of language, structure, and vocabulary? Is it clear that you understand what key elements go into making a good story?
IDEA: How original and unique is your idea? Has your story got something interesting to share? Does it affect the reader emotionally? Does your story grab the reader and make them want to read more?
We encourage all students to enter the competition! We are judging based on ideas and passion for storytelling, just as heavily as on technical craft and command of language.
Entries are now open
Entries close Friday, 31 May 2024.
The website link is HERE.
Since 2004, we’ve been asking young people across Australia to raise their voices on the issues that matter most to them.
Inspired by Gough Whitlam’s lifelong commitment to involving young people in shaping Australia’s future, 20 years of this national competition has shown us that young people are deeply committed to making the change they want to see in the world. We believe that your voices are important and need to be heard in the conversations we are having as a society.
In 2024, the competition’s 20th year, we’re asking you to raise your voices louder than ever! Because what matters to young people matters to us all.
Entries are open
Entries close Friday, 17 May 2024.
The website link is HERE.
The Foyle Young Poets of the Year Award 2024 is open! Enter your poems by 31 July 2024 HERE.
The Foyle Young Poets of the Year Award is one of the biggest and most prestigious poetry competitions for 11-17 year olds in the world. Every year, 15 top winners and 85 commended poets are chosen; together, they represent some of the most exciting new voices writing today.
This year’s judges are the fantastic Vanessa Kisuule and Jack Underwood, and they can’t wait to read your poems! If you’re aged 11-17, send in your poems for the chance to be among the 100 winners and kick-start your writing career.
Poems can be on any theme and in any style, but must be no longer than 40 lines. You can submit as many as you like. The Roots Belong to You (and anthologies from many previous years are available HERE).
If you have any queries, or if you would like any information about the competition in an alternative format, please contact us at fyp@poetrysociety.org.uk
Entries are open
Entries close Wednesday, 31 July 2024.
Ms Mary Ryan
Literacy Coordinator and English teacher
mryan01@waverley.nsw.edu.au
Our emotions are physical and mental states that communicate with us a range of information which naturally guides our behaviours and reactions. We all feel a range of different emotions each day and sometimes these emotions are more obvious or heightened than other days. Despite the intensity, our emotions are extremely important for our survival and wellbeing. But what happens when our emotions seem to get the better of us – or our children?
Worry Stacking is a term used by Dr Justin Coulson from Happy Families, a parenting expert from ‘Parental Guidance’. According to Justin, worry stacking happens when a seemingly trivial or small incident results in a huge emotional reaction from our children. In the moment, we may be alarmed and confused by our child’s emotional reaction, but in retrospect, the reaction may not be excessive as once perceived. Namely, our children may have experienced multiple worries that have added up to the crisis point – the straw that broke the camel’s back! “A lost school hat can quite literally feel like life or death”.
Image 1 – reference: Dr Justin Coulson, Worry Stacking, Happy Families
Justin goes onto say that to help our children (and ourselves), we can intervene sooner when the smaller issues arise to avoid this seemingly quick escalation. It may look a little something like this:
Image 2 – reference: Dr Justin Coulson, Worry Stacking, Happy Families
How can we help our children to learn to help themselves? Lots of ways! Arguably, the most important way is spending time building and maintaining a secure connection with your child, which is much easier to action when they are feeling calm and more like their usual self.
We all want to be heard and listened to, especially when we are having a hard day. However, often when our children are in distress, we want to ‘fix’ the situation for them sooner rather than later – this is a natural response! This approach however devalues the importance of listening actively and validating what is going on in your child’s internal world.
A strong connection requires judgemental-free listening as well as acknowledging your child’s feelings; this shows them that you know what they are upset about and are here to be with them during tricky times.
Practically, this may look like spending time together frequently in a distraction-free setting, saying ‘I love you’ often, creating fun and regular parent-child traditions, and even eating breakfast or dinner together. The more positive time spent together, the more your child will feel safe to share the not-so-fun parts about life and the more fruitful and trusting the relationship becomes.
Dr Justin Coulson recommends further tips on how to push the reset button to help our children. His e-book, Worry Stacking, is available free of charge on the HappyFamilies website for a limited time.
Access the Worry Stacking Resource HERE.
If you think your child may need some extra support in managing their emotions, our Psychology team information is listed below.
Junior School Psychologists:
Senior School Psychologists:
Fees paid before the prompt payment date attract a $25.00 discount.
Any payment received after the due date will attract an administrative fee.
Please see the last page of your account for payment methods and contact details.
If you wish to withdraw your son from Waverley College, you are required to give one full Term’s notice in writing to the Principal that your son’s enrolment will cease.
The last day you can give notice that your son’s enrolment is finishing at the end of a school Term, is the first day of the same Term. If not received by that date, you must pay one Term’s tuition fees.
The relevant dates 2024 are:
Kind regards,
Mr Jonathan Phillips
Director of Business Services
jphillips@waverley.nsw.edu.au
Registrations are open for the 2024 City2Surf and we want to encourage as many staff, students, friends and family as possible to join the team ‘Waverley College For Premmies’, supporting local charity Running for Premature Babies.
Fundraising is optional but anyone on the team who raises $300 will be REFUNDED their race registration fee so you can RUN FOR FREE!
Please watch the short message HERE from the charity’s founder Sophie Smith, a parent at Waverley, explaining why August 2024 marks a special milestone for her family and for the charity.
Click HERE to register.
When you register, choose to ‘JOIN A TEAM’ and enter the team name ‘Waverley College for Premmies’.
NB: There are multiple start waves to choose from in the City2Surf.
Families, friends and staff all welcome on our Waverley College for Premmies team!
Mr Elliott McKimm
Assistant Director of Curriculum (Junior School)
emkimm@waverley.nsw.edu.au
As we approach Easter, a time of renewal and rebirth, let us reflect on the profound message it brings to us all.
There is an unmistakable sense of finality surrounding a grave or tomb. It’s a symbol of endings, of closure, of hopelessness. When the tomb of Jesus was sealed with a big round stone, it must have seemed like a cosmic full-stop. The light had dimmed. The world was left in darkness.
Yet, Easter reminds us that appearances can be deceiving. It speaks to the very heart of our human experience – a narrative of struggle, despair, and ultimately, triumph. For in the Easter story, we find that the stone was rolled away, the grave could not contain the divine light within. It was a moment of transcendent revelation – a declaration that even the darkest of nights must yield to the dawn of hope.
In our lives, we encounter what seem like full-stops – situations that appear utterly hopeless, challenges that overwhelm us, grief that consumes us. Yet, Easter whispers to our souls that there’s no such thing as an ultimately hopeless situation. Every full-stop is, in fact, a comma or perhaps a dash – a pause in the narrative, not the end of the story.
Easter invites us to embrace the truth that even in our darkest moments, there is a glimmer of light, a spark of hope waiting to be ignited. It calls us to remember that just as the tomb could not confine the boundless love of the Divine, so too can no challenge, no adversity, no despair, confine the indomitable spirit within each of us.
So, as we gather with loved ones, as we celebrate this season of new beginnings, let us carry within us the message of Easter – that love conquers all, that hope springs eternal, and that even in the face of the gravest of trials, we are called to rise again.
May this Easter be a reminder that no matter how daunting the journey may seem, the promise of resurrection and renewal is always within reach.
Wishing you all a blessed and joyous Easter.
We would like to thank all our parents, carers, staff and students for the wonderful support they have shown throughout Term 1 with both our fundraising appeals, donations and charity drives.
At the Junior and Senior Campus, Shrove Tuesday marked the beginning of our Lenten Appeal to support Caritas, with students indulging in delicious pancakes. The St Patrick’s Day fundraising efforts resulted in money being raised for our St Vincent de Paul Night Patrol which is a new partnership for us. The Junior School contributed fruit and muesli bars to complement the sandwiches provided for this initiative. Each Night Patrol team consists of 7-15 volunteers, who engage with people from all age groups who are marginalised or experiencing homelessness, providing them with companionship, food and referrals onto other support services.
Our Harmony Day fundraiser was very well supported by the community with students raising money and developing an understanding of the many cultures from around the world. All funds generated were donated to the Edmund Rice Centre for their refugee assistance efforts.
Overall, as a College community, we raised over $6,000 over the Lenten season to support Caritas, St Vincent de Paul and the Edmund Rice Centre. We are so grateful for the support of everyone involved.
Photo: courtesy Walkawhile website, The Catholic Leader
Memory Mountain, Northern Territory, Australia – the Cross on Memory Mountain was officially launched and handed over to the local Indigenous community during the 2023 Indigenous Easter celebrations. Families came from communities near and far to join festivities and see the lights on the Cross turned on Good Friday evening.
The Vatican, St Peter’s Basilica Easter – the Easter Vigil is a highlight of Easter celebrations at the Vatican. Held on Holy Saturday evening, it includes the lighting of the Paschal candle, readings from Scripture, and the celebration of the Eucharist.
Jerusalem – Church of the Holy Sepulchre – this site has been recognised since the 4th century as the place where Jesus died, was buried, and rose from the dead. The Rock of Calvary, where the Crucifixion is believed to have occurred, is encased in glass at the lavish Altar of the Crucifixion and is the most-visited area within the church.
The Hill of Crosses – Lithuania – the hill is today considered as a symbol of suffering, hope and unbroken faith of a nation.
Christ the Redeemer – Brazil’s general symbol of welcome, with arms open wide. One of its original creators called it a “monument to science, art and religion.”
The Celtic Cross – one of the most popular symbols of the Irish Christian faith as well as the Celtic culture and identity. The Celtic Cross is said to be a representation of knowledge, strength and compassion to manage life’s ups and downs.
Christ the Redeemer of the Andes, Chile – Argentina border – the statue Christ the Redeemer of the Andes stands at the summit of La Cumbre pass in the Andes mountains on the border between Argentina and Chile. It was unveiled in 1904 as a symbol of the peaceful settlement of the border dispute.
White Crosses of World War II, Normandy – the long lines of white marble Latin Crosses and Stars of David symbolise the sacrifices that the Allied nations made.
Seven images above: courtesy Creative Commons
Reminder that there is no school on Thursday, 28 March and then we return the following Tuesday, 2 April.
| Holy Thursday | Good Friday | Easter Saturday | Easter Sunday |
| No Morning Mass
7pm: Lord’s Supper Mass |
10am: Stations of the Cross
3pm:Commemoration of the Passion |
No Morning Mass
7pm: Easter Vigil |
9:15am: Mass
No Evening Mass |
Please keep respective students and staff members in your prayers and thoughts this week who have lost mothers and fathers. I know a lot of our community have lost loved ones recently and this is one of the hardest things we have to face as humans, particularly when life is cut short.
I know many of our students, parents/carers and staff are aware of an alleged hit and run in the local area where a 28-year-old man tragically lost his life last week. Please encourage your son to reach out to one of our psychologists, his favourite teacher or mentor or you if he is struggling at this time. And, please encourage him to look after those who have gone through loss of a loved one.
The University of Newcastle operates a nationwide STEM outreach program called the ‘Science and Engineering Challenge’ which gives students the chance to experience how science and engineering can help to solve real-world problems in a fun, competitive setting.
We congratulate the following students who competed in this challenge on Tuesday. Waverley came away with the win! We’re proud to say that we are now in the running to go to the next level once all NSW heats are completed.
Congratulations to Ms Gemma Brown and Ms Emily Pace and the following Year 10 students; Adam Curran, Aidan Carpenter, Alexander Tarasov, Archie Llewellyn, Ben Darcy, Charlie Carter, Christopher Wellington, Connell Corcoran, Ethan Ooi, Guillen Dela Cueva, James Grant, Jenson Mears, Mikayl Keshavarz, Oliver Brasic, Oliver Teh Howell, Owen Smith, Riley Joel, Ryan Murphy, Sam Altree-Williams, Sonny Bowcock, William Jacques, Xavier Kopsiaftis, William Lerche, Max Star.
2024 Science and Engineering Competition
Two of our drama students both played senior roles in the Kincoppal Rose Bay (KRB) 2024 School Musical Legally Blonde, which opened last night at NIDA. Congratulations to Mackenzie Singh (Year 12) and Matthew Frost (Year 12) who both produced stellar performances along with their KRB colleagues.
Student Fox Stapleton (Year 11) is in the St Catherine’s musical which opens in early Term 2. And, we have a number of our boys, and girls from Ascham School and St Clare’s College in Week 8 of their rehearsals for our production Tartuffe (The Hypocrite), based in 1980s Sydney. This will be performed in the PAC Theatre at Waverley College from 18-20 June 2024. Details coming soon.
Congratulations to our Year 12 Hospitality students who took over Pinocchio’s Restaurant on Monday evening this week. The boys prepared a variety of dishes from scratch across entrée, main and dessert to a very high standard. Both parents, carers, grandparents and staff were highly impressed with the boys skills across both front and back of house.
Thank you to Ms Beverley McCarthy and Mr Mark Neale for coordinating this experience which provided the boys an opportunity to display best practice in an authentic workplace setting. We would also like to thank and acknowledge the staff at Pinocchios for providing this valuable learning experience for our students.
Read more in Ms Lynsey Porter’s article HERE.
This week we celebrated Harmony Day in the Junior and Senior Schools. When we look at our student enrolment, the school has students born in over 40 different countries with representation across each continent, except Antarctica. This would broaden much further if we included parents’ countries of birth.
We are proud to be a school that reinforces the message each day that ‘everyone belongs’. We see strength in diversity and this is particularly relevant as an Edmund Rice community as one of our Touchstones is ‘Inclusive Community’. In light of that theme, our prayer on international Harmony Day was recited in Spanish and Gaelic, symbolising our cultural diversity and inclusiveness of all.
Pasifika Brothers haka – Senior School
Pasifika Brothers haka – Senior School
Harmony Day celebrations – Junior School
Harmony Day celebrations – Junior School
Last Friday morning, I joined Mayor Paula Masselos along with other Net Zero Alliance members to hear from energy experts and share ideas of helping each other towards achieving NetZero 2035. Twelve new local businesses and community organisations signed the alliance last Friday and are seeking to reduce their greenhouse emissions and reduce waste.
Member for Wentworth Ms Allegra Spender MP and Member for Coogee Ms Majorie O’Neill MP were also in attendance and gave their support to increasing participation and building of partnerships between all levels of government, business and community organisations in working towards NetZero.
(Left to Right): Ms Judith Poole (Headmistress, St Catherine’s School), Mr Joe Kelly (CEO, Sydney Roosters) and Mr Graham Leddie (Principal, Waverley College)
I encourage you and your family to support Earth Hour this Saturday which has grown to become much more than switching your lights off. Millions of participants around the world will switch off their lights at 8:30 pm local time on Saturday, 23 March 2024 to demonstrate support for the environment that is in obvious crisis.
This action is symbolic and is not an action to save power. It is about bringing awareness to the issue and demonstrates your commitment to help protect the planet.
We are thrilled to announce our annual fundraising event, the Blue & Gold Ball, which is set to take place on Saturday, 24 August 2024. This event holds great significance for us, as all proceeds generated will go towards the realisation of our Science & Innovation Centre – a state-of-the-art facility that will empower our students to excel in the fields of STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics).
Please see the video below from Harries, seeking donations and sponsorship from the community.
Another way you can help and make your mark in history and celebrate your connection with Waverley College is by purchasing an engraved paver on the Walk of Waverley. The Walk of Waverley leads into the oldest part of the College Campus ‘Airmount’ from the Carrington Road gates.
We urge you to join us on this far-reaching journey as funds from the sale of each paver will benefit current and future generations of Waverlians by going towards the state-of-the-art Science & Innovation Centre.
Learn more HERE.
The College for a number of years has run a Year 12 Mother/Son Luncheon and this year we are trialling a whole school event, which the Parents’ Association are organising – the Parents’ Association Mother/Carer & Son Dinner. So far over 500 tickets have been sold and limited seats are now available. Act fast if you would like to secure a seat.
This will be held on Friday, 17 May 2024 at Randwick Racecourse, 6:30pm-10:30pm. The special guest speaker is Hugo Toovey, Founder of 25 STAY ALIVE.
For more information and to purchase your tickets please click HERE.
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.
Watch our video
