Waratah Weekly - Term 2, Edition 3 - Friday, 17 May 2024

Our Commitment as an Anglican College

As an Anglican college, we firmly believe in the truth of God's Word and are dedicated to sharing this message of salvation with our students. Our commitment to upholding Anglican principles is central to our mission, guiding our educational philosophy and community life.

Jesus calls us to “act justly, love mercy, and walk humbly with our God” (Micah 6:8). This divine mandate shapes our interactions, our educational endeavours, and our community outreach, reflecting the core values of our Anglican heritage.

We strive to serve our community through initiatives such as WAC Kids Care, which provides meals for families in need. Additionally, we instil the value of service in our students through programs like our Buddies Program, where older students care for and mentor younger students, and through overseas Service trips to Vietnam to support a small Christian school.

Our staff are also committed to service in the way they care for and seek the best for all of our students. I am thankful for the outstanding work they do in providing a great education while also helping each student experience a positive, engaging, and supportive learning environment.

During our Christian Studies lessons, we aim to help students understand who Jesus is and what He has done for us. While we all attempt to follow His guidelines for living, we know that we will always fall short of the perfection that He modelled for us. Therefore, we are all the more thankful that Jesus made a way for us to be declared perfect before Him by dying on the cross and taking our sins for us.

It is certainly a goal of Anglican education to learn the principles that Jesus taught us and to live a noble and upright life, but more importantly, we want everyone to enter into a personal relationship with Jesus. In doing so, we can know that He has received us into His family now and in eternity. This means that while we live on earth, He cares for us and guides us with wisdom and love. And when we 'retire' from this planet, we will live forever with Him in paradise.

My continual prayer is that each of our students may come to understand the love that Jesus has for them and that they may enter into this wonderful, purposeful life that God has for them.

Mr Trevor Norman
College Headmaster

Singapore Anglican High Visit

We are excited to be hosting students from Singapore Anglican High from 27- 29 May, who will be returning to visit us here at the College.

The students from Singapore Anglican High will attend classes with students in Years 8-10 and will work together on a future-focused project.

The students from Singapore Anglican High will then be taken off-site for a day to visit some of our iconic landscapes and tourist attractions including a visit to Kiama Blowhole and the world-renowned Sea Cliff Bridge. The final evening will involve a formal dinner at the College.

Wollondilly plans to visit Singapore in 2025 - more information to come.

Mrs Kelly Evans
Director of Teaching & Learning 7-12

P&F Outdoor Movie Night - Tonight!

Tonight from 5.00 pm, we'll be hosting another Outdoor Family Movie Night! This Term, we will be showing The Super Mario Bros Movie (PG)!

There will be hotdogs ($5.00), popcorn and cold drinks available (gold coin donation) to purchase on the night. All profits will go to the College P&F Association.

If you would like to attend, please RSVP via the button below. This event is open to WAC families and friends only.

We look forward to seeing you there!

Mr Brandon Cooper
P&F President

Learner Disposition - Resourceful

As we commence Term 2 the College will shift the main focus in relation to our Learner Disposition from Resilient to Resourceful. As previously discussed the College is supporting students to develop these dispositions to support both learning and character development. Below is a summary of the main elements of being resourceful.

Making Links
In our ever-evolving world, the ability to navigate through life's challenges with creativity, adaptability, and resilience is paramount. As educators, it's our mission to equip our students with not only academic knowledge but also the essential life skills necessary for success in the 21st century. One such crucial skill is resourcefulness.

Resourcefulness is more than just problem-solving; it's about making connections, seeing patterns where others may not, and weaving a web of understanding that spans across various disciplines and experiences. The art of fostering resourcefulness in our students, with a particular focus on making links and seeing connections between disparate events and experiences is an important skill for educators and parents to support in our young people.

At its core, resourcefulness thrives on the ability to see connections. Whether it's linking historical events to current affairs, connecting scientific principles to real-world applications, or finding similarities between seemingly unrelated topics, the capacity to perceive these connections is invaluable.

Encouraging students to explore interdisciplinary approaches to learning fosters a holistic understanding of the world around them. By weaving together concepts from different subjects, students not only deepen their comprehension but also cultivate a versatile mindset that transcends traditional boundaries.

Pattern recognition is a fundamental aspect of resourcefulness. When students develop the ability to identify patterns, they gain insight into underlying structures and principles that govern various phenomena. Whether it's recognising recurring motifs in literature, discerning mathematical patterns, or identifying trends in data, pattern recognition enhances critical thinking and problem-solving skills.

Incorporating activities that challenge students to identify and analyze patterns cultivates a cognitive playground where creativity flourishes. From puzzles and riddles to visual patterns and analogies, these activities stimulate curiosity and encourage students to think outside the box.

Resourcefulness is not just about individual skills; it's about connecting the dots to form a comprehensive understanding of the world. By weaving together disparate threads of knowledge, students construct a web of understanding that transcends compartmentalised learning.

Encouraging students to draw parallels between their academic studies and real-world experiences fosters a deeper appreciation for the relevance and applicability of their learning. Whether it's relating scientific principles to everyday phenomena or analysing historical events through a contemporary lens, weaving connections bridges the gap between theory and practice.

By cultivating resourcefulness in our students, we empower them to navigate through life's challenges with confidence and creativity.

Mr Liam Toland
Director of Care & Culture T-12

Performing Arts News

Thirlmere Festival of Steam - Sunday, 19 May
Our College Strings, Secondary Cheer, Primary Pom and College Bucketz will be representing the College at the Thirlmere Festival of Steam.

Our College Strings will be performing on the stage and our Cheer, Pom and Bucketz groups will be partaking in the Parade. Communication to parents regarding this event has been sent via the College App. Our Cheer, Pom and Bucketz groups have been rehearsing hard in anticipation of the Parade on Sunday during the week.

Students in the College Strings will meet Mr Grant at the College tent at 9.00 am. Students in Secondary Cheer, Primary Pom and College Bucketz will meet Miss Valente, Mrs Kluit and Mr Hopkins at the College tent at 10.30 am before moving to their Parade meeting point. 

Mr Lloyd Grant
Performing Arts Coordinator T-12/Music Teacher

We're Hiring!

Due to the ongoing growth of the College, we are currently seeking applications for the following roles to commence in 2024:

• HSIE Teacher 7-12
• English Teacher 7-12
• Science Teacher 7-12 (Maternity Leave Position)

For further information on any of the Permanent Positions, please contact Mr Geoff Adams on 02 4684 2577

Understanding Anxiety Support Groups

Anxiety is one of the most common mental health challenges experienced by children and adolescents, with recent ABS data showing that almost a third (31.8%) of people aged 16-24 have an anxiety disorder of some kind. Over the past two weeks, I’ve had the chance to speak to each Year 7 class about understanding anxiety. These in-class presentations are aimed at helping students understand what anxiety is, why we get it and to give them some quick tips on how to manage and cope with anxiety. At the end of the class, students are given the option of nominating themselves to be part of an Understanding Anxiety Support Group.

Understanding Anxiety is an awareness, early intervention, and prevention program designed to help children and teenagers who are struggling with anxiety and anxiety-related issues. It aims to help students gain knowledge and skills which will assist them in recognising and handling anxiety. By increasing their awareness and equipping them with coping strategies, it is hoped that they will be better suited to deal with the many challenges that life presents. Students have had the chance to self-identify that they need support, and some students are also nominated by the Care and Culture team, and by parents.

These groups are normally started in Year 7. New groups are started in Years 8-11 as needed. If you would like more information on these groups, please get in contact with me by either calling the College or by emailing m.barnes@wac.nsw.edu.au.

Mr Mitchell Barnes
Educational Psychologist

Transition Parent-Teacher Interviews

We are looking forward to meeting parents/carers at our Transition Parent-Teacher Interviews to be held face-to-face at White Cottage on:

Koko/Toto: Tuesday, 4 June from 3.00 pm to 6.00 pm

Tembo/Twiga: Wednesday, 5 June from 3.00 pm to 6.00 pm 

Details for how to book these interviews will be emailed to families.

If you have any further questions, please do not hesitate to contact me at t.turner@wac.nsw.edu.au

Mrs Tracy Turner
Leader of Learning Care & Culture - Early Stage 1

Term 2 Family Chapel

Our second Family Chapel of the year will be for Years 7-9 and their families. The evening will begin at 6.00 pm on Thursday, 27 June in the Warne Auditorium. 

Dinner will be available from 5.00 pm, however, these must be pre-ordered through the Trybooking link below.

https://www.trybooking.com/CRTII

We will gather together to hear student stories about the impact the gospel has had on them, along with hearing a gospel focussed message. 

Finally, donations of gold coins or non-perishable food items will be accepted at the rear of the Auditorium. These will be used by the WAC Kids Care team to prepare nourishing meals for those in our community who are struggling with illness or hardship. House Points will also be given which will go towards the House Shield.

Useful items to be donated to WAC Kids Care:

• Tinned Tomatoes
• Dry Pasta
• Dry Lentils
• Rice
• Curry Paste
• Herbs and spices
• Stock - Chicken/Beef
• Tinned Tuna
• Tinned beans (Kidney, Three Bean, Black Beans)

We look forward to seeing you there.

Mr Matthew Roberts
College Chaplain

Education Perfect Language Championships

Auf Deutsch bitte!
Congratulations to all our students who participated in the Education Perfect World Championships. Frau Holmes and I are thrilled with the results as the College placed 1st for GERMAN out of 954 schools around the world! Many of our students earned certificates for their incredible efforts. These certificates will be handed out in the coming weeks. Meanwhile, remember that "Monolingualism is curable! Learn another language!"

Mrs Carolyn Clark
German Teacher

From the College Chaplain

The College Learner Disposition focus for Term 2 is Resourceful. This is a habit that we are working on developing and cultivating in our students. Enduring and persevering with challenges in learning, character and faith all support these areas to grow.

How much is enough?
Ecclesiastes 4:8 says, "There was no end to his toil, yet his eyes were not content with his wealth". The author highlights a man who is externally driven to work endlessly because of an internal drive to accrue more stuff and increase his wealth, yet no matter how much wealth is accrued, it is never enough, it doesn't result in contentment. This person is stuck in a vicious perpetual cycle of striving away at work, in order to attain wealth, yet always wanting more. 

It's quite an apt insight into reality. Western culture is focused on the pursuit of more. Advertising companies make their money by promoting a product which promises to 'change your life'. To enable a quality of living that has never been experienced before in the history of the world, all this at a bargain price. Perhaps you might even buy one and get one free. Our culture encourages us to endlessly pursue these things because of a false promise of lasting contentment. It's easy to get sucked into the rat race of this reality. Western culture encourages high levels of debt in order to experience this type of living and through this, the words of Ecclesiastes ring as true now as they did thousands of years ago - no matter what we get it's never enough. Therefore the question that arises is where can we find true contentment, lasting joy?

The conclusion that the famous author and theologian CS Lewis arrived at was this:

"If we find ourselves with a desire that nothing in this world can satisfy, the most probable explanation is that we were made for another world".

I think Lewis and the author of Ecclesiastes would answer the question of "How much is enough" by saying "nothing in this world, therefore look beyond".

What about you, how do you answer the question, "How much is enough"?

Mr Matthew Roberts
College Chaplain

Book Club Orders Due Sunday, 19 May

The Book Club Issue 3 catalogue is now available. Secondary students should select the class ‘Secondary’ when ordering. Primary, select their usual class (eg: 1H, 3J, 5F, Tembo). All orders are to be made online or through the LOOP App. 

Please note that the Book Club catalogue is set out with suggested age ranges for the books, each page has a different age range, with age 10+ towards the back. The College does not necessarily endorse the books available through the Book Club and parental discretion is advised.

Mrs Justine Colombo
College Librarian

WAC P&F Golf Day - Friday, 1 November

Lowes 20% Off Sale Today

P&F Clothing Pool

The 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 keep the Clothing Pool open.

Donations can be left at the Clothing Pool during opening hours or at Student Reception at other times.

Payment: Card Only (no cash)
Location: White Cottage through the side windows
Monday to Friday 7.45 am to 8.30 am
Phone: (02) 4623 0286
Email: clothingpool@wac.nsw.edu.au

Have you been wanting to help out at the College but don’t have much time to spare?
The Clothing Pool is looking for volunteers! It only takes 45 minutes of your time, one morning a week. Is a great, quick and simple way to really help the WAC community. Training provided (but it’s so easy!) A great way to meet other parents. Volunteers are needed for Monday - Friday mornings between 7.45 am to 8.30 am. If you are able to help at all please get in contact.

Mrs Cristina Negi and Mrs Amanda Coles
P&F Clothing Pool Coordinators

College Sponsors

A big thank you to Kwik Kopy Macarthur for supplying the programs for our College Musical - Sherlock Holmes and the Case of the Missing Crown Jewel!

Community News

Mittagong Junior Disco  

• Date: Saturday, 25 May  
• Times: 4.00 pm to 6.00 pm
• Venue: Mittagong RSL – Bessemer Street, Mittagong
• Cost: $5.00
• Ages: 0-14

Please note: This is a CASH ONLY and Alcohol-free event.

All money raised goes back to the children in the Southern Highlands community.  

We hope to see you there!

Thank you as always for your ongoing support.

Chris and Sandra Roberson - and the amazing committee of the Mittagong Junior Disco.

Careers Information Night

First Nations Dance Workshop

Pink High Tea McGrath Foundation - Sunday, 11 August - 11.00 am

Join us at the Picton Masonic Lodge in memory of local mum Jann D'Aran and all those in our community touched by breast cancer for a pink-themed high tea. All money raised will fund specialist McGrath Breast Care Nurses to ensure no one goes through breast cancer without care. Get together with eight of your friends and try to fill your own table. Wear a touch of pink or go all-out with prizes for best dressed. Bring your change purse for pink merchandise, raffles and silent auctions. Lucky door prizes to be won! Tickets are $40.00 each, please email for payment details; Pictonhightea@hotmail.com

RSVP Today