Waratah Weekly - Term 1, Edition 1 - Friday, 2 February 2024

Welcome back to Wollondilly Anglican College

Welcome back to Wollondilly Anglican College for what promises to be another exciting year of learning and personal growth. It has been an absolute pleasure meeting with both new and familiar faces over these first couple of days. As I walk around the campus, I am delighted to see such a settled start, filled with positivity and enthusiasm.

While we strive for a seamless transition into the new academic year, we understand that the first few days – or even the first week – can be a period of adjustment for some of our students. If your child is feeling any stress or unease, please don't hesitate to reach out to us. We are committed to providing the necessary support to ensure that every student feels connected with their peers, engaged during breaks, and embarks on this year with a positive outlook.

Our focus on Learning, Care, and Culture remains this year. As I've emphasised before, our goal is to deliver exceptional learning experiences in every lesson, to ensure that each student feels valued and supported by their peers and teachers, and to uphold the high standards of behaviour, uniform, work ethic, and attitude that you rightly expect from us.

I am genuinely optimistic about the year ahead, and I eagerly anticipate seeing the growth and achievements of our students as we progress through the term.

As a Christian College, we are so thankful that God continues to bless our College, our students, our families and our staff. We know that we can not achieve what we achieve without His guidance over all that we do. May God bless you and your family as we step into 2024 at Wollondilly Anglican College

Mr Trevor Norman
College Headmaster

Welcome from the Deputy Headmaster

Holidays have come and gone and we have welcomed back old and new students and staff to the College. I am looking forward to all that 2024 will bring.

P&F Clothing Pool Thank you
As we commence another year, I would like to acknowledge the work behind the scenes of our P&F-run Clothing Pool. The volunteers for the Clothing Pool open every morning to serve our community, they wash and mend clothing and they offer an amazing service to our families. The sales from the Clothing Pool in 2023 raised approximately $25,894.65 in funds (the highest year so far) which will go back into providing resources for our students. This cannot happen by itself, and I would like to take the time to thank Melissa Whishaw who coordinates the Clothing Pool and the group of volunteers (Renu Tondak, Rochelle Fussell, Janise Hawksworth, Phoebe Glucksman, Kath Whittaker, Sonia Feeney, Kerrie Hollaway, Katie Contre, Deanna Parry, Annette Dalrymple, Cristina Negi, Amanda Coles) who work so hard to keep it going. I would also like to thank all the parents/carers and students who have donated uniforms to this cause and encourage you as we commence another year, to please continue to donate as it makes a huge difference.

Student Supervision Hours at the College
Please do not drop students at the College any earlier than 7.30 am. There is no staff supervision before 7.30 am and we want to ensure all students are kept safe. If your child arrives at the College between 7.30 am and 7.40 am, they must move directly to the Shelter area for supervision. The remainder of the duties don’t commence until 7.40 am. In the afternoons, we have staff on bus duty until 2.50 pm. If you are picking your child up in the afternoon, please ensure that you have collected them before 2.50 pm and that they wait on the Front Lawn area.

Student Drop-off and Pick-up
Please continue to show patience during the busy morning and afternoon periods. A few reminders as we start a new year:

• When crossing from the Warne carpark, please only cross at the pedestrian crossing. With the number of cars and buses, it is very dangerous crossing through the garden or at the exit.
• Please don’t park in the allocated student car spaces in the Bradfield carpark. These have been reserved for our Year 12 students and it makes it difficult if they arrive at the College and a parent has taken their car space.
• Where possible, we encourage students to catch buses to ease the congestion in the car park.

Mr Paul Burns
Deputy Headmaster

Care & Culture Team

Care and Culture
A warm welcome to 2024 from the Care and Culture Team. We are looking forward to supporting, caring for and maintaining high standards among our students. We are keen to partner and work with parents to support your child here at the College.

Meet the Team

T-12

• Director of Care and Culture T-12 - Mr Liam Toland
• College Educational Psychologist - Mr Mitchell Barnes
• College Chaplain - Mr Matt Roberts

Secondary

• Stage 6 (Years 11-12) Leader of Care and Culture and Careers Advisor - Mr Tim van Netten
• Year 12 Patron - Mr Craig Lobb
• Year 11 Patron - Mrs Erica Bawden
• Stage 5 (Years 9-10) Leader of Care and Culture - Mrs Christine Mozejko
• Year 10 Patron - Mr Tim Clarke
• Year 9 Patron - Mr Josh Stewart
• Stage 4 (Years 7-8)  Leader of Care and Culture - Mr Stuart Houweling
• Year 8 Patron - Mr Chris Law
• Year 7 Patron - Mr Daniel Aquilina
  

Primary

• Leader of Learning, Care and Culture Stage 3 (Years 5-6) - Mrs Lisa Maher
• Leader of Learning, Care and Culture Stage 2 (Years 3-4) - Mrs Melanie Grant
• Leader of Learning, Care and Culture Stage 1 (Years 1-2) - Mrs Kim Reid
• Leader of Learning, Care and Culture Early Stage 1 (Years T-K) - Mrs Tracy Turner
  

Mr Liam Toland
Director of Care & Culture T-12

Welcome to Primary 2024

It's 9.00 am and I'm sitting in my office, having walked around a very calm College with children listening and smiling. Thank you parents for helping us start the year so well. Starting the year back at the College can be exciting or daunting (adults and children included) or a mixture of both. I am so thankful that we have an environment where even those who are feeling anxious about a new start are in and settled so quickly. For our new families, welcome on board. We look forward to meeting K-6 parents on Tuesday evening.

Ms Jacqui Huxtable
Director of Teaching & Learning T-6

Teaching and Learning 7-12

A warm welcome to 2024 and I look forward to another wonderful year of Teaching and Learning here at Wollondilly Anglican College. I trust you all had a restful break and are feeling positive about the year ahead. A particularly warm welcome to our new families who have joined the College in a variety of year groups in the Secondary Years.

A few upcoming dates to note in your diary:

Year 7 2024 Information Evening
This is an opportunity to hear from a wide variety of staff at the college and is suited for ALL of our Year 7 parents even if you have had children in older Year Groups come through the College. Gain a better understanding of aspects of your child’s schooling such as assessment tasks, reporting, processes to follow in regards to curriculum and pastoral care matters, sporting and performance events at the College, and use of the College Diary and daily organisation. Also, meet the Year Patron for this cohort

This will occur face-to-face in the Warne Auditorium starting at 6.00 pm on Wednesday, 7 February. It will also be a great opportunity to meet new parents. Students are to come in their Full Summer College Uniform and are to be seated with their parents.

Assessment Booklet Years 7-11
Over the next few weeks, students in Years 7–11 will receive their Assessment Booklets for this year. This contains all the necessary information they need to know in regards to formal assessment tasks – such as when they are due, the type of task it is and there is an assessment grid for EACH subject that the student studies. I strongly encourage students to write these due dates into their diaries and onto a wall planner so they can plan their time accordingly. Please see the specific subject Head of faculty (Leader of Learning) if you have any enquiries, questions or concerns about these tasks.

Book Packs
All students have been issued with College Book Packs that will be needed for their subjects for the year. One of the College’s previous thematic goals was to build a strong and sustainable student culture and this includes having respect for self, respect for the uniform and being respectful in terms of the College property and equipment. Having students take pride in the way they wear their uniforms, the way they keep their classrooms and in particular the work and learning that they do in each of their subjects is important. 

Students will receive exercise books with the College logo to assist them in the process of ‘Respect for their learning’. We ask that students cover these in clear contact or plastic covers to protect them.

Year 11 2024 - Elevate Session
A external company called Elevate will be at the College on Wednesday,7 February to work through time management and study skills seminars to help them in their setup for Stage 6. This will occur at the College during Periods 1 & 2.

Mrs Kelly Evans
Director of Teaching & Learning 7-12

K-6 Meet the Teacher and Information Evening

Tuesday, 6 February 6.00 pm under The Shoulder to Shoulder Shelter

Our Years K-6 teachers are very keen to meet with parents, come and join us for an Information Session and an opportunity to meet your child's class teacher. Parental interest and support are essential in the education of children. Our K-6 Parent information evening is an opportunity to meet us and get to know more about what will be happening for your child at Wollondilly this year, this has always been a wonderful way to start the year and is well attended by parents.

We look forward to seeing you there. Students are not required to attend.

Transition parents will have the opportunity to meet their child's teacher in Week 6. Further information about the Transition Meet the Teacher Afternoons will be communicated through the Waratah Weekly in the coming weeks. 

Ms Jacqui Huxtable
Director of Teaching & Learning T-6

K-6 Homework Policy

Homework is used to help students establish patterns of self-disciplined work for later years at the College when they will be required to do assignments and study. It is also an opportunity for work that has been done at the College to be reinforced. Skills such as reading need repetition and practice. Research shows that children who read and listen to stories with a parent on a regular basis are more successful readers than those who do not. Mathematics skills such as basic addition, subtraction, multiplication and division facts also need repetition. 5-10 minutes a day can help cement instant recall of these basic facts. 

The following are the expectations for Years K-6 Homework at WAC. 

• All students are expected to do homework four days per week (Usually Mon-Thurs).
• Incomplete homework may have consequences for students. Usually, this involves attendance at a Lunchtime Homework Club. Notes will be made in the College Diary to alert parents. 
• Teachers understand that at times students may not be able to complete homework. A note in the College Diary is appreciated. 

The estimated time students should be spending per day on homework is:

• Kindergarten: 10 minutes
• Stage 1: 10 minutes
• Stage 2: 15-20 minutes
• Stage 3: 20-30 minutes

Reading time is extra above this.

Stage 2 and 3 students also have musical instruments to practice with. We would ask that parents encourage their children in this.

Homework will vary according to the Year Group, however, in Years 1-6, there will be spelling, maths, and set reading tasks. Students will also be asked to do a Typing Tournament, this will help students to develop efficient typing skills. 

Home Readers are used by Years K-2 and for some children in older years. Years 3-6 will have genre-based reading or set novels.

Some students enjoy homework so much they want more. Optional activities can be done by these students. Please contact the class teacher regarding this.

Parents (or the students in older years) should notify the teacher if they have had difficulties with any of the set homework. This also includes taking significantly longer than the times stated above. Students should not continue to work past the times above unless the parent feels they have been unfocused.

Parents are encouraged to listen to Years K-2 students read. Other homework should generally be managed by the students themselves. Teachers will check the homework. This will generally occur during class time with students marking their own work. (This allows students to know where they have made mistakes). Parents are welcome to check work, although it is not expected. 

Ms Jacqui Huxtable
Director of Teaching and Learning T-6

Reminder To Update Medical Details On Edumate

Parents are reminded to annually update and check their child/ren's medical details on the Parent Portal. This may include medical conditions, allergies, swimming ability, emergency contacts and much more. This can only be done on a desktop (not via your phone on the WAC App) Thank you to those families that have already updated the Portal.  

Parents are reminded to continue to send in any updated Medical or Health Plans to medical@wac.nsw.edu.au

Mrs Sally Lloyd
Senior College Nurse

Term 1 Secondary PE Lessons

Years 7-10 PDHPE students have designated PE (Practical) lessons. These are shown in the timetable below. Students are to wear their College Sports Uniform to the College on these designated days. Students who do an elective course, Physical Activity and Sports Studies (Year 9 and Year 10) or Sports, Lifestyle and Recreation (Year 11) are required to bring their College Sports Uniform to College to get changed. Students have been informed via email, assemblies, Edumate Broadcasts and their classroom teacher. If there are any questions or concerns, please contact the classroom teacher or Mr Hewitt (Leader of Learning PDHPE).

A reminder that students require their Sports hat for each PE/practical lesson and must have sports shoes, not flat-soled casual shoes (e.g. Nike Airforce). 

If there is a reason why students cannot participate in PE/practical lessons, a note is to be written in the College Diary.

Mr Joshua Hewitt
PDHPE Coordinator

Collection Notice for Parents/Guardians 2024 Student Residential Address and Other Information

MyTech

Students returning to the College would be familiar with the expectation that a functional and charged laptop is a requirement of every College day. It would be timely for parents and students to check the functionality of any current device. If it is found that the battery life is starting to diminish, students will need to bring their charging cables to the College and connect to a charging station during recess or lunch. These lockable charging stations are found in the Johnson and Flynn buildings. Due to WHS issues, students cannot charge their devices in classrooms.

Students are also reminded that there may be software available for them to download for specific subjects from the MyTech website https://mytech.wac.nsw.edu.au/software.php

There are also new online guides for students who have issues with connecting to the Wifi or downloading the SSL certificate. These and other helpful guides are found here https://mytech.wac.nsw.edu.au/guides.php 

If you have any questions about the MyTech program in the College please email mytech@wac.nsw.edu.au

Mr Craig Russell
Secondary Learning Innovations Coordinator

Scholarships Closed

The Scholarship application period for 2025 & 2026 closes today, Friday, 2 February 2024. Applications after today will not be accepted.

Please make sure you've provided all documentation required.

Further communication will be released soon regarding the next steps for those who have applied.

Kind regards,

Mrs Madilyn Shelley
Enrolments Officer

P&F Meet & Greet Evening

All parents and friends of the College are warmly invited to attend the P&F Meet and Greet evening on Wednesday, 7 February at 7.00 pm. If you are curious about the P&F and interested in making some new friends, come along and meet with our P&F Committee Members to see what we do and how you can be involved. No commitment is required. Light refreshments will be provided.

Mr Brandon Cooper
P&F President

P&F Clothing Pool

Welcome to 2024! Our Clothing Pool offers a selection of pre-loved uniform items from Transition to Year 12 at very reasonable prices. We also stock new ties and socks for purchase. The Clothing Pool relies on donations of uniforms and needs volunteers to stay open. Donations can be left at the Clothing Pool during opening hours or at Student Reception at other times.

A big thank you to all those who volunteered in 2023 :
Renu Tondak, Rochelle Fussell, Phoebe Glucksman, Janise Hawksworth, Kath Whittaker, Sonia Feeney, Kerrie Holloway, Katie Contre, Deanna Parry, Annette Dalrymple, Cristina Negi, Amanda Coles and Melissa Whishaw.

It is great that most of our volunteers will be returning for 2024. If you would like to join our happy volunteers, please contact the Clothing Pool via the email below or pop into the Clothing Pool for a chat while we are open. We are currently seeking another volunteer for Thursday mornings, so if you can spare an hour in the morning, please make contact. It is an easy way to help out and to be a valuable part of the College community!

I hope everyone has a great start to the 2024 College year and look forward to seeing you during the term!

Payment: Card Only (no cash)
Location: White Cottage through the side windows
Monday to Friday 7.45 am to 8.30 am
Phone: 4623 0286
Email: clothingpool@wac.nsw.edu.au

Mrs Melissa Whishaw
P&F Clothing Pool Coordinator

College Sponsors

Community News

Yerrinbool-Bargo Soccer Club

Yerrinbool-Bargo Soccer Club is now accepting registrations for the 2024 season. Register online to secure your spot now! For more information, visit https://www.facebook.com/yerrinboolbargosoccerclub/

Saints Anthony's Netball Club