On Friday, 29 October 2021, Waverley farewelled our Year 12 (2021) cohort with a special Valete blessing for their HSC examinations.
This ceremony signified a formal ‘good luck’ from the whole College to these courageous students, who have navigated Year 12 in what have been two extraordinary senior years.
This memorable blessing, which due to COVID-19 restrictions could only be witnessed by staff and students, is now available for everyone to enjoy.
At the beginning of the term, our four College Captains, House Captain and Prefects were announced for 2022. At Monday’s Year 11 Assembly, we were able to present the leaders with their badges. Once again congratulations to our student leaders.
On Monday, the Year 12s (2022), were involved in a meeting to go through HSC Examinations protocols, and to check their HSC Confirmation of Entries sheet. The aim of this meeting was to ensure they understood all of the behavioural and administrative expectations required of them over the next three terms, with respect to the HSC.
Have you subscribed to the Waverley app? It really is essential, because the College uses the app as its central portal to communicate with parents. Features include: Notices, Nurrunga, Co-Curricular, Parent Lounge, Calendar, Absences, Contacts, Maps and Links.
We send regular updates through the app. If you’ve not subscribed already, the username you need for the app is your family ID, the same one that you use to access the Parent Lounge, where you book Parent/Teacher interviews and obtain school reports.
The app can be downloaded from your app store. Please use the following instructions to download and set up the app:
Should you have any questions, suggestions about the user experience, or are having technical issues, please contact app@waverley.nsw.edu.au
We are excited to launch this dedicated webpage about our proposed vision to convert bushland at the rear of the Junior School Campus, into safe and accessible learning and recreation space. As many would know, this vision has been a long time in the making, and we are looking forward to continuing to develop a proposal, in collaboration with the College and broader communities, that will benefit students, staff, and parents, now and into the future.
I would like to acknowledge the teaching and support staff who have served the College well over a number of years, and who are leaving our community at the end of this year.
Mr John Boyd retires after 26 years of distinguished service in the classroom as a PDHPE teacher, mentor and in our co curricular program across both Cricket and Rugby. John is a gentleman who has touched the lives of many young men, and been a wonderfully supportive colleague; Ms Julie Williams and Ms Sharon Baldock have run our Junior School Tuckshop for 17 and 22 years respectively, where they have served passionately and creatively in looking after the food requirements of the boys; Ms Michaela Dee leaves us after 11 years in our English department and is taking up a teaching role at De La Salle Cronulla; Mr Garth Aird has ably led our TAS Department for 10 years, and has accepted a role with St Paul’s College, Manly as a VET and Careers Pathways Coordinator; Mr Kyte Gawman has been the Assistant Head of Science during his time, and leaves us after 8 years to take up a Science teaching position in Mossman, Queensland; Ms Belle Buchan has taught with us for 8 years as a PDHPE teacher, and will be teaching at Illawarra Grammar school and St Mary’s Star of the Sea Wollongong; Ms Olivia Kite has ably led Quinn House and heads to Kinross Wolaroi School in Orange as Head of Wellbeing; Mr Lachlan Hillman has been the Assistant Head of Mathematics and leaves us after 8 years to take up a teaching position at De La Salle Cronulla; Mr James Horrocks has ably led Brennan House, and leaves us to take up the role of Director of Learning Integration at OLSH; Ms Ashleigh Della Marta is the Assistant Head of Mathematics, and leaves us after 6 years to take up a teaching role at St Catherines School; Ms Davina O’Garry leaves us after 6 years as a TAS teacher, and is returning to Ireland; Mr Angus Brotherton returns to his home town of Orange after 3 years with us, and has accepted a TAS teaching role at Kinross Wolaroi School; Mr Jack Lavorato leaves us after 3 years, to take up a position at Coogee Prep; and Mr Tom Mitton leaves us after 2 years to take up the Coordinator of PDHPE and Sports at SCEGGS.
We have recruited strongly over the past two months, and look forward to welcoming new staff at the start of 2022. The following staff are on leave for 2022: Mr Kyle Newbury (TAS Department), Mr Anthony Gill (Junior School), Mr Kendall Robinson (Junior School), Ms Katia Iturrieta (Junior School) and Ms Nina Strzechowski (Science Tech Assistant).
I would also like to acknowledge the wonderful work completed whilst acting in respective senior positions of Ms Gabby Smith as Acting Deputy Principal – Teaching & Learning (18 months), Ms Gaby Bransby as Acting Director of Junior School (18 months), Mr Stephen Ghattas as Acting Assistant Director of Junior School (12 months), and Mr Tom Mitton as Acting Assistant Director of Curriculum Junior School (12 months). I have appreciated their skills and wisdom, particularly throughout the pandemic, which has required innovative thinking and leadership.
Mark Fragias has decided to step down from the College Advisory Council as of the end of 2021. On behalf of the College Community, I thank Mark for his dedicated service to the College over the last 6 years. Mark has brought his business and community acumen and experience to the table, and been heavily involved in the Master Plan development, real estate acquisitions, and uniform renewal process. Mark’s infectious enthusiasm to see the College develop and improve its standing in the community has been highly valued, and we thank Mark for his wisdom, care and service to the College. We wish him all the best in his future endeavours.
The College would like to extend an invitation to our Presentation Day events on Wednesday, 1 December to help us celebrate our successes in 2021 as a College Community.
Due to COVID restrictions, families can watch the event via our Live Stream link.
Parents of award winners are encouraged to watch the event via our Live Stream link, but can attend if they are double vaccinated. Parents of award winners who wish to attend, must also wear a mask, and check in using the QR code upon entry.
Presentation Day is a compulsory event for all students to attend and attendance rolls will be taken.
We look forward to enjoying this significant celebration with you.
Warm regards,
Mr Patrick Brennan
Deputy Principal – Staff & Student Wellbeing
We thought we had seen the last of COVID-19 in 2020, but the arrival of the Delta strain saw the College return to online learning for the entirety of Term 3, followed by a staggered return of students in Term 4. I would like to thank all parents who, under difficult circumstances, provided their sons with a home environment suitable for remote learning.
Evidence-based strategies were put in place to ensure a smooth transition when students returned to campus earlier this Term. There was no doubting the importance of routine and maintaining our high expectations.
The College reinforced uniform (including haircuts), behaviour to and from College, as well as in the classroom and attendance, from the moment students returned to campus. Students responded outstandingly well. Again, I thank all parents who supported the College in terms of these expectations. These are expectations that we all signed up for, that are the same on day one of the year, through until the final day. We do not believe in lowering our standards because there ‘are only a few weeks to go’.
Students can expect the same high expectations when they return to the College in January 2022.
I thank all staff, students and parents, who have worked together through this challenging year. The College cannot stress enough the importance of the partnership between these three groups. This three-way partnership has the largest impact on the wellbeing of each student, and their ability to achieve their full potential at the College.
I thank the parents who took time out from their busy schedules, to attend our parent sessions on building resilience with Greg Mitchell in Term 1, and drug and alcohol use with Paul Dillon in Term 4.
Next year, we will host three parent evenings. The first is a combined event for all secondary schools in the eastern suburbs covering consent. Later in the year, Maree Crabbe will investigate the effects of pornography on young people, and finally, Arne Rubinstein will look at adolescent boys’ rites of passage. It would be wonderful if we could further build on the parent involvement at these events. We will also hold our annual parent/mentor meetings early in Term 1.
It would be a pity to come to the end of this year, that has been so incredible in so many ways, and not take the time to truly reflect. If we hasten too quickly to the end of 2021 to declare it ‘a wrap’, we may lose the opportunity for learning and growth.
Our Wellbeing Framework and Teaching & Learning Framework direct us to inform ourselves by accessing knowledge and experience, to transform through the deep learning of heart and mind, and to become empowered through the deliberate actions to have a growth mindset. It is through such intentional actions that we seek to live and love more fully.
Students have demonstrated so much tenacity this year; there have been moments of discomfort and difficulty, and immense growth in self-awareness and perspective. They have enjoyed opportunities to nurture family and friends, and have discovered much about what matters to them in how they learn.
I conclude by farewelling Head of Brennan House, Mr James Horrocks, and Quinn House, Ms Olivia Kite, and thank them for their work in the Wellbeing team as they depart for other challenges in their careers.
Farewell to Head of Brennan House, Mr James Horrocks
Farewell to Head of Quinn House, Ms Olivia Kite
At the same time, we welcome in 2022, Ms Kaitlyn Downey as Head of Brennan House and Ms Rebecca Gair, Head of Quinn House.
Grace is the greatest gift that humanity was given on that blessed day when our Lord was born.
Merry Christmas to all.
Mr Patrick Brennan
Deputy Principal (Staff and Student Wellbeing)
E: pbrennan@waverley.nsw.edu.au
At the beginning of the Term, our four College Captains, House Captain and Prefects were announced for 2022. At Monday’s Year 11 Assembly, we were able to present the leaders with their badges. Once again, congratulations to these students:
Principal, Mr Graham Leddie, addresses the Year 11 Leadership Assembly
House Captain – Alejandro Zanapalis
House Prefect – Leo Astridge
House Prefect – Benjamin Finegan
House Prefect – James Kort
House Prefect – Daniel Di Paola
House Captain – William Dodd
House Prefect – Brandon Reid
House Prefect – Charles Alexander
House Prefect – Xavier Scally
House Captain – Max Barber
House Prefect – Jay Palm
House Prefect – Cuba Kanakis
House Prefect – Thomas Martin
House Prefect – Jared Garwood
House Captain – AJ Preketes
House Prefect – Daniel Smith
House Prefect – Hugo Pizzol
House Prefect – James Byrd
House Prefect – Ian Vuk
House Captain – Michael Richmond
House Prefect – Owen Punch
House Prefect – Jimmy Ashbridge
House Prefect – Conor Cahill
House Captain – Thomas Wilkins
House Prefect – Jonathan Booy
House Prefect – Patrick Healy
House Prefect – Max Leedham
House Prefect – Alex Morris
House Captain – Angus Anthony
House Prefect – Jasper Doyle
House Prefect – Bryn Siltala
House Prefect – Jackson Cunningham
House Captain – Jack Rigg
House Prefect – Sachiel Bass
House Prefect – Daniel Di Francesco
House Prefect – Hugo Roles
House Prefect – Cooper Stynes
Ms Sue Walsh
Director of Identity & Student Formation
E: swalsh@waverley.nsw.edu.au
Just a reminder that all our online resources will be available to students for any of their information/reading needs over the summer holidays.
We wish the year 2022 HSC students well as they continue with their HSC studies over the summer.
Students in all years can come in and loan resources as well, up until Sunday, 12 December, via visiting the Senior Library or visiting Book Hire on campus.
Access to our resources are available via:
OR
OR
Mr Bill Roberts
Head of Library Services
E: wroberts@waverley.nsw.edu.au
A big thank you to all parents who have generously donated their sons’ outgrown uniforms to the Secondhand Clothing Pool. We are slowly rebuilding stock levels, and are so pleased to be able to offer some more items for sale. This will provide someone else with the opportunity to purchase a secondhand uniform well below the new price, whilst at the same time, raising funds for the College through the Parents’ Association.
The Secondhand Clothing Pool will gladly accept the donation of all clean and wearable current uniform items for resale. There is a $30 ‘buy back scheme’ for the donation of Blazers and All Weather Jackets in excellent condition.
Due to current restrictions for parents, we are still working mostly through email contact (clothingpool@waverley.n
In addition, we have for sale:
At the Senior School campus reception in the special BLUE Secondhand Clothing Pool donation box (courtesy of our fabulous Campus Maintenance Team)
For more information or to make an appointment, you can contact the Secondhand Clothing Pool by:
P: (02) 9369 0703 — please leave a voicemail, and one of our volunteers will get back to you
Once parents are permitted back into the Centenary Building, enter via the Senior School campus reception, and take the lift to Level 3 — the Secondhand Clothing Pool is next door to the Uniform Shop
Level 3, Centenary Building, Senior School Campus
131 Birrell Street, Waverley
Donate today!
It has certainly been a challenging year for everyone and with less than two weeks to go, the boys are looking forward to their respective summer holidays. Please encourage your son to enjoy his last days of schooling for 2021 and finish in good spirits. There is value and important lessons learnt in finishing a job well, and hanging in there until the very end.
I am certainly grateful for the way our community has supported each other throughout the year. I am also grateful to frontline workers who have kept our society as safe as possible, and able to operate as best it can during these difficult circumstances, including putting their own health at greater risk. Thank you to all of our police, first responders, health workers, nurses, doctors, and hospital workers.
When you further unpack what roles are important to keep our society operational and safe, you realise that so many industries play an integral part — education, food and agriculture, manufacturing, corrections workers, postal service workers, public transit workers, grocery store workers, transportation and logistics, food service, shelter and housing, finance, information technology and communication, energy, media, legal, engineers, water and wastewater workers etc.
In a large community where social distancing is nigh impossible, a multi-layered approach is our best option in reducing risks, which is why we continue to strongly encourage vaccination, for all staff and students who are eligible, against COVID-19. The staff at Waverley College are all proudly vaccinated. Vaccination is one of the most effective ways in minimising the spread of COVID-19. These vaccines will protect you from getting severely ill if you get COVID-19.
If your son has been vaccinated against COVID-19, could you please send us their COVID-19 Certificate or Immunisation History Statement in the form of a PDF to email address healthcentre@waverley.nsw.edu.au
This will be stored confidentially on your son’s medical records. Thank you to all of those parents, carers and students who have already sent these through to us. It is fantastic to see the continually rising numbers of fully vaccinated students across the College.
Congratulations to the students who entered the Woollahra Photographic and Short Film Prize for 2021. The competition calls all young photographers or film makers to submit work within a range of categories. This year, the competition introduced a new section showcasing ‘inclusivity.’ Special congratulations to Luke White in Year 10, who on Wednesday night, won First Prize in the Mayor’s choice awards for his entry ‘Street Mirror.’
Congratulations to the following Year 9 students who represented the College in the Ethics Olympiad today. They had a variety of tasks and decisions to grapple with, and performed very well — Lachlan Miranda, Campbell Porteus, Declan McAuliffe, James Medland, James Birbas and Oliver Malzard.
Congratulations to Old Boy Ned Wieland (2019), on his remarkable achievement last weekend in breaking the record for most number of laps swum of Bondi Beach. Ned completed 62 laps, some 48km, and was in the water for just under 12 hours. An amazing effort on the back of only seven weeks of training! Ned also raised over $24,000 for charity RU OK? which is close to his heart.
Inspirational Old Boy Ned Wieland (far right)
Old Boy Geordan Bates (2017), is approaching the end of his university studies in media and psychology at UNSW. With two friends from Cranbrook, they had the idea to make a short documentary on the Australian icon, Don Ritchie. Ritchie lived near The Gap at Watsons Bay, and was responsible for saving 160+ people from suicide. He made it his life’s mission to dissuade as many people as possible from suicide, by offering them his calm words and a warm cup of tea in his nearby home.
The documentary concept has received positive feedback on the script from Hugh Jackman and Emile Sherman (Academy-award winning producer), and Hugo Weaving has agreed to come onboard as the voice of Don. The group has partnered with mental health charity, Gotcha 4Life and are seeking to raise $50,000 over the next two months to complete the project. All donations are tax-deductible through the Australian Cultural Fund (ACF) website.
I commend the group as this project has the potential to impact lives far beyond our local community. The expected completion date is in September 2022. You may like to support this cause or know a corporate sponsor that would be interested.
Unfortunately, the rain caused us to postpone our Year 12 (2022 cohort) leadership assembly today, that was going to be live-streamed to parents. It will now be held on Monday, 22 November at 11:50am, and a link will be emailed by Ms Walsh.
The College would like to extend an invitation to our Presentation Day events on Wednesday, 1 December to help us celebrate our successes in 2021 as a College Community.
Presentation Day is a compulsory event for all students to attend and attendance rolls will be taken.
There will be two presentations:
Warm regards,
Mr Patrick Brennan
Deputy Principal – Staff & Student Wellbeing
E: pbrennan@waverley.nsw.edu.au
The Campus Team are currently looking to recruit a summer casual to work with the Team to help manage all aspects of school operations.
Ideally, you would be an Old Boy who knows the layout of the school site, and can commit to an immediate start. You would then remain on staff until the end of February, 2022. Working hours are 7:30am–3:30pm, Monday to Friday.
The types of tasks you would be involved in would be gardening and grounds maintenance, classroom and event setups, furniture moving and general maintenance of both the Senior and Junior Campuses.
You will need a current WWCC number to be eligible to work at the College.
If you are interested, and would like more information, please contact campus@waverley.nsw.edu.au
Mr Simon Potter
Director of ICT, Campus & Innovation
E: spotter@waverley.nsw.edu.au
From Sunday, 5 December 2021, Transport for NSW (TfNSW) will be making changes to the South East bus network. These changes will affect some bus routes that operate into the Inner West, southern and the Lower North Shore areas.
The changes include adjustments to routes 303, 320, 348, 370, 418 and 420, and a number of State Transit’s bus routes operating in the South East.
Additionally, there will be changes to bus stops in the CBD for routes currently operating along Castlereagh and King streets.
The TfNSW Trip Planner will be updated with the new changes by Sunday, 21 November.
We recommend all students plan ahead on Trip Planner before travelling.
To ensure dedicated school services appear as a travel option for students, click ‘refine’ and select the school bus option.
Students are also reminded to tap on and off with their Opal card on all trips.
It is difficult to remember a time when you couldn’t ‘Google’ anything you wanted to know. Students can’t remember a time without it, but in fact there were decades (even centuries), when it didn’t exist.
Below are some possible ‘treasure hunts’ for your sons to undertake over the holidays.
Look into the history of search engines (e.g. Lycos was a search engine that started in 1994 with 54,000 items available!!)
Check out:
Ms Sue Bognar
Teacher Librarian
E: sbognar@waverley.nsw.edu.au
We would like to acknowledge the Gadigal people of the Eora nation who are the traditional Custodians of the land on which Waverley College is located. We pay our respects to Elders past, present and emerging. We are committed to honouring Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples’ unique cultural and spiritual connections to the land, waters, seas and sky and their rich contribution to society.
Watch our video
