Waratah Weekly - Term 2, Edition 5 - Friday, 27 May 2022

Message from the Headmaster

As we continue to look to our developing future, it is important that our culture at the College is an essential element of this. Parents, staff and students often reflect on the culture at Wollondilly Anglican College; in particular, how it is different to many other schools. So what is culture? A school's culture has been broadly described by numerous people as the values, practices and beliefs of a group of people. Some also include traditions, rituals and everyday behaviours that are experienced within a school. We are proud of the culture that has been established at Wollondilly; however, it is a culture that must constantly be refined and reinforced. It would be very easy for a school to relax their cultural expectations, or to overlook those behaviours that don't align with the culture that our parents want to see; I have seen this happen and it is very hard for a school to bring back what they once had. In our College, we know that it is important for us to continue to remind students of expectations, to maintain those boundaries of behaviour and values that we expect and to reinforce with students and parents that by choosing not to adhere to these expectations, a student is choosing not to be a part of our College. Our goal is to help every student enjoy coming to school each day, to enjoy learning and growing together in a safe and caring community, and we will work patiently and graciously with students to help them understand what that means for them personally. My assurance to you as parents is that we will maintain this culture, even if that means that some students who choose not to maintain this culture are asked to leave. If you are aware that your child is "pushing the boundaries" then please challenge them on this. We really do want to help every student to rise to our expectations as we feel that this will help them to be successful in their education and equip them for their best future.

Mr Trevor Norman
College Headmaster

Secondary News

Year 11 and Year 12 Half Yearly Reports
Year 11 and Year 12 Half Yearly Reports have now been uploaded into the parent portal and I would encourage parents and students to spend some time together reading and reflecting on what teachers have written, and making personal academic goals around various subjects that are linked to student academic improvement. The reports will be digital, however, if parents would like a printed copy of their child’s report, they can contact the College.

Year 11 and 12 Parent-Teacher Interviews
A reminder that Parent-Teacher Interviews are held next week – Tuesday, 31 May and Thursday, 2 June via Zoom. Parents can book a session and discuss their child’s progress with various teachers. Students are reminded to be wearing their College Winter uniform when attending these interviews.

Year 11 2023
If your child is currently in Year 10 and is considering going into Year 11 in 2023, we will be holding an information seminar for students on Wednesday, 15 June (full-day) and Thursday, 16 June (half-day) during the regular College day. Students will attend various presentations in the Warne Auditorium and will hear about the subjects they can select for Stage 6 as well as other important elements, such as access to career information, managing one’s wellbeing during Stage 6 and maintaining a positive study environment. On Thursday, 16 June at 7.00 pm – parents are invited to attend with their children to hear about some of the more specific information as they enter into Stage 6. 

Mrs Kelly Evans
Director of Teaching & Learning 7-12

Secondary Sports News

MISA Round 4
It was great to get more matches underway in the MISA competition this week. Our Girls' Indoor Cricket team are continuing their fine form with a comprehensive win 64-28. The girls are continuing to improve each week and the results are evidence of this. The Open Boys' Rugby League side has remained undefeated this season with another strong win, this week over Magdalene Catholic College 34-0. Whilst there were numerous tries scored, it was our tight defence that was able to withstand the early pressure from a much bigger Magdalene side. Man of the match this week goes to James Parry. The Senior Girls' Soccer side held on for a 0-0 draw in a rain-interrupted match against Thomas Hassle Anglican College. The Girls' Basketball side had a narrow 4 point loss to St Pat’s this week whilst all other matches had a scheduled bye round. 

WAC Secondary Athletics Carnival
The rain held off and the ovals dried out (somewhat) to enable the running of our Secondary Athletics Carnival last Friday. Due to the weather, a modified format was organised which enabled all students to compete for their House Group across every event. The top 2 students in each age group/event will qualify for the NASSA Athletics Carnival on Thursday, 9 June. Congratulations to everyone who got involved; with specific mention to this year's Age Champions listed below:

AICES Cross Country
Following on from this week’s NASSA Cross Country, the AICES Cross Country Championships will be held next Wednesday, 1 June. Students who have qualified in the top 10 from NASSA should have received an event notification on the College App. Please ensure permission is granted asap and your transport details are mentioned in the notes section if you will not be catching the College bus.

Hunter Schools Mountain Biking Event
Race entries are now open for the Hunter Schools XCO Championships held from Thursday, 9 June to Sunday, 12 June. More information can be found on the event website below. If you wish to register for the event, please contact Mr Goldsbrough before submitting your registration. https://hunterschoolsmtb.com/glenrock-race-information-overview/  

Volleyball Gala Day:
We have several Volleyball Gala Days coming up in the next few weeks for both boys and girls in Junior and Senior teams. The Senior teams have now been selected and permission can be granted via the College App. The Junior trials were postponed this week. These have now been rescheduled for Monday, 30 May during Lunch on the frontcourts. 

Upcoming Events:
AICES Cross Country - 1 June
Years 10-12 NASSA Volleyball - 3 June
CIS Cross Country - 8 June
NASSA Athletics - 9 June
Years 7-9 NASSA Volleyball - 17 June

Mr Mark Goldsbrough
Secondary Sports Coordinator 7-12

Primary Athletics Carnival

Year 11 and 12 Parent-Teacher Evening

Year 11 and 12 Parent Teacher Evening
All parents with students in Year 11 or Year 12 wishing to participate in parent-teacher interviews should have now booked appointments using the online booking system. If you haven’t made a booking and wish to then you can still go online and make manual bookings for any time slots that are still available. Changes to the bookings can be made up until 8.00 am on Monday, 30 May, and the Zoom links for these meetings will be sent out after this. If you have not received an email or have questions about booking parent-teacher interviews, you can contact me at w.baulch@wac.nsw.edu.au 

Mr Wayne Baulch
Administration Coordinator

Performing Arts News

Group/Ensemble Spotlight 'College Bucketz'
The Primary Bucketz group is made up of Year 5 and Year 6 students that rehearse weekly. During the rehearsals, Mrs Barker teaches the students a variety of musical skills and rhythms through body percussion, musical games, singing and drumming. The students have learnt different techniques including imitation, echo, ostinato, call and response, and improvisation, as well as cues and signals they need to follow when performing in a large group. The students continue to explore the many sounds they can get from a bucket and performed a piece called "The Groove" at the Middle Years Formal Assembly last Term.

College Bucketz rehearses on Tuesday lunchtimes in Elizabeth 5 with Mrs Barker and is open currently to Years 5 and 6 students. If you are interested in joining the College Bucketz group, or another group/ensemble, please inquire with Mr Grant via email (l.grant@wac.nsw.edu.au) or see the Rehearsal Schedules below.

Musical Update - Shrek
A general reminder to the Secondary cast that rehearsals continue on Monday, 16 May. Students should continue to meet staff under the Shoulder To Shoulder Shelter at 2.45 pm for the rehearsal before we move to designated areas.

Mr Grant has also emailed students that showed an interest in being part of the cast early in Term 1, auditioned for a role and have not attended the first couple of rehearsals this Term. If students have not replied to this email, they are encouraged to do so.

Set Design students can continue to meet Mrs Ware in Melba 3 at 2.45 pm. 

Out-of-College Hours Rehearsals
The College provides a number of ensemble/group rehearsals out-of-College hours for students, particularly in the Secondary Years, with the exception of College Cheer (Years 5-8). Our ensemble/group leaders provide outstanding opportunities for our students to grow in their dance, dramatic and musical abilities, as well as the supervision of the students in their care. The ensemble/group leaders are responsible for the students within their ensemble/group for the duration of the rehearsal. Supervision is also provided to the students whilst they wait for their parents or carers to pick them up. We ask that ONLY the students of the ensemble/group are at these rehearsals, to allow the ensemble/group leader to focus entirely on these students. We also ask that your child be picked up promptly at the conclusion of the rehearsal. If you have any further questions regarding Out-of-College Hours, please do not hesitate to contact me via email (l.grant@wac.nsw.edu.au).

Performing Arts Group/Ensemble Photos
On Thursday, 2 June (next week), some of our Performing Arts groups/ensembles will be having photos on the Front Lawn. It is vital that the students in the following groups are prompt to the Front Lawn in order to not slow the process of the photos down, especially as there are some excursions leaving the College soon after these photos are scheduled to be taken. Please see the below times for the groups:
9.15 am - College Bucketz
9.25 am - Primary Strings and College Strings
9.35 am - Dance Company
9:45 am - College Cheer and College Band
9.55 am - Primary Choir
If your child is in multiple groups, there will be time for these students to move between the photos, so there is no need to be choosing between which group photo to be in.

Mr Lloyd Grant
Performing Arts Coordinator T-12

MyTech

MyTech Battery Issues and Loan Devices
MyTech provides many great learning opportunities for students and continues to help students to further develop a range of skills. To ensure the best learning opportunities for your child, it is vital that all Secondary students bring a suitable device to College every day. If a device is not functioning adequately, then it is important that it is fixed in a timely manner. As many ‘MyTech’ devices could be a couple of years old, it is important to check that the battery life is still lasting an entire day. If not, then the battery may need to be replaced or charged during the day. It is recommended to check the battery health status of devices regularly. Please see the links below for the method for checking the health status of a Windows or Apple device:

Windows: https://www.windowscentral.com/how-check-your-laptops-battery-health-windows-10

Apple: https://www.imore.com/how-check-your-macbooks-battery-health

Due to WHS issues, students cannot charge their devices in classrooms. However, there are charging stations available in Flynn and Johnson that students can use by bringing a charger and placing their device in the lockable compartment during recess or lunchtime. Students should not be accessing this service during class times.

To ensure that students do not miss vital work while their device is being fixed, the College has a number of loan devices that can be borrowed for a short period of time. To take advantage of this service, a student needs to download the Student Loan Device Agreement that is found on the ‘MyTech’ website https://mytech.wac.nsw.edu.au/devices.php and have it signed by a parent. The form then needs to be presented at Student Reception where, if available, a device will be issued. 

To ensure this service is available to all it is vital that all loan devices are returned in a timely manner.

If you have any further questions about ‘MyTech’, please send them to mytech@wac.nsw.edu.au 

Mr Lloyd Grant
Secondary Learning Innovations Coordinator

College Photo Day

The College Photo Day will take place on Thursday, 2 June 2022 for Transition 2 Day - Year 12. Transition 3 Day students will have their photos taken on Wednesday, 1 June 2022.

If you have a child in a Transition 3 Day class and would like to order a photo with their sibling at the College, this can be organised for Wednesday, 1 June between 7.50 am and 8.10 am in the College Cafeteria. Please have your children ready in their full College Winter Uniform at the Cafeteria prior to the photo. Siblings in Years 3-6 will need to change into their College Sports Uniform after the photo has been taken. Please email me at a.hitchins@wac.nsw.edu.au to book in for the photo.

Sibling photos for all other students from Transition 2 Day - Year 12 will take place on Thursday, 2 June during Recess and Lunch in Deakin 2 & 3 (see below). You do not need to email me to book in for this photo.

Please have your older child collect the younger sibling/s and take them to Deakin 2 & 3 for the photo.

Sibling photos on Thursday, 2 June are split into two groups based on the first letter of the oldest sibling’s surname.

Recess – Surname A-L
Lunch – Surname M-Z

Students must bring their completed Sibling Photo Envelopes with them on the day. These can be collected from Student Reception.

The Sibling Photo sessions are strictly for Sibling Photos, not friend groups.

Please read the attached PDF for our College Uniform Expectations for Photo Day.

Mr Alex Hitchins
Development Manager

Creative Arts News

MISA Drama PIP Day
This Term, our Years 10,11 and 12 Drama classes participate in a region-wide workshop and performance opportunity with the renowned performance troupe, Zeale Theatre. This was a great opportunity to engage with the broader Drama community in the region and to hone our play building skills.

Mrs Sarah Talbot
Creative Arts and Languages Coordinator

Changes To Morning Bus Services

We are pleased to have been able to adjust some bus runs to improve the service for WAC students residing in east Tahmoor and The Acres area. These changes will take effect from Monday, 30 May.

AM18 Butterfly

• Will service River Rd, The Acres Way, Moorland Rd, Tahmoor Rd, Abelia St and Progress instead of travelling along Remembrance Drive from River Rd to Thirlmere Way and then over the railway line to the west Tahmoor area.
• There will be a small number of students on Remembrance Drive between River Rd and Thirlmere Way that will be affected. They will have a choice of catching AM18 Butterfly on its new route through east Tahmoor and The Acres or, alternatively, they can remain on Remembrance Drive and catch the Berrima Buslines Zebra bus.
• Students residing on the west side of the railway line at Tahmoor will now catch the AM14 Elephant bus. This service will be slightly adjusted to cover all previous bus stops.

We will ensure that all students receive a copy of the relevant note this week and we will take special care to ensure that the students on Remembrance Drive clearly understand their options.

We are pleased that we are able to improve the safety and convenience of the WAC students residing in east Tahmoor and The Acres estate.

Please contact us if you require any further information.

Peter Ferris
Managing Director
M: 0407 417 936  P: (02) 4677 1564 
W: www.pictonbuslines.com.au
E: pferris@pictonbuslines.com.au  
A: 18 Wonga Rd Picton NSW 2571 

Family Chapel & Dinner

Family Chapel & Dinner - Thursday, 9 June
Dinner 5.00 pm; Chapel 6.00 pm
Our next Family Chapel is to be held on Thursday, 9 June and will have a Kindergarten to Year 4 focus. We particularly encourage parents/carers and family members of students in Kindergarten to Year 4 to join us in the Warne Auditorium for an exciting evening of fun and fellowship. Our very own Kindergarten to Year 4 students will be performing for us and we will be having some special visitors from Quiz Worx to share stories about Jesus and entertain us. While the focus is on Years K-4, all members of the College Community are welcome to attend the Chapel.

The P&F will be serving dinner before the Chapel with hot dogs and drinks. So we are able to cater for everyone, please go onto the link below in TryBooking and register for your hot dog and drink. Remember to register for each family member who wishes to eat. If you have any problems with your booking, please contact Mrs Hay at the Office.
https://www.trybooking.com/BZMBU

Mrs Carolyn Clark
Family Chapel Coordinator

Food Allergy Week

Food Allergy week in Australia kicks off across Australia on Sunday, 22 May. This week aims to improve community understanding of food allergies and raise awareness through the organisation Allergy and Anaphylaxis Australia. It is important that the wider community is aware of and understands allergies so that they can help those at risk.

We have many students at Wollondilly that have anaphylaxis. You can help support students at risk of Anaphylaxis in the following ways:

• Educate your child about food allergies so they understand why they should only eat their own food and why they should not share their food with other students
• Ensure your child's lunchbox and drink bottle are clearly labelled with your child's name
• Do not bring in food treats as gifts for birthdays or other special celebrations such as Christmas or Easter
• Be allergy aware and avoid packing any recess/lunch items that contain nuts or nut products
• Encouraging your child to wash their hands before and after eating.
• Educate your child about the importance of getting help immediately if their friend with an allergy looks sick

Mrs Sally Lloyd
College Nurse

Library News

National Simultaneous Storytime 2022
Wednesday, 25 May was our first big Library event for the year, National Simultaneous Storytime. This is an annual event of the Australian Library and Information Association, to promote Australian authors, reading and literacy.  More than 1 million children take part in ‘NSS’ across the country, and internationally, each year. In the morning, our Deputy Headmaster, Mr Burns read to Kindergarten, in the Cook Library. After lunch, all of Years T-2 watched a performance by Year 9 Drama of this year’s book ‘Family Tree’ written by Josh Pyke and Illustrated by Ronojoy Ghosh. This is a wonderful tradition we have at the College, as it is Year 9’s first public performance, and the Years T-2 students loved joining in with the fun.

Thank you to Mrs Sarah Talbot and the Year 9 Drama students for a truly “growing” experience!
Thank you to Mr Paul Burns for reading to Kindergarten.

Mrs Justine Colombo
College Librarian

We're Hiring!

www.wac.nsw.edu.au/employment

P&F Clothing Pool

With all this wet weather, it is a good idea to have some spare uniform items at home.
Come and say hello and see how we can help you!

Volunteers Needed
Come and join the friendly team at the P&F Clothing Pool! We are currently looking for volunteers to help out on Monday, Tuesday or Wednesday mornings from 7.45 am to 8.30 am. If you are interested, please contact Melissa on 0415 402 013.

Donations
We have greatly appreciated your donations of high quality and clean uniforms. If you would like to make a donation, please leave your items at the Clothing Pool in the mornings or at Student Reception.

EFTPOS Only
The P&F Clothing Pool only accepts card payments. EFTPOS, VISA, Mastercard or use your phone with Apple or Google Pay. Payments can also be accepted over the phone.

Opening Hours 
Monday to Friday 7.45 am to 8.00 am
White Cottage Windows
Direct Phone 
4623 0286
Payment
EFTPOS

Mrs Melissa Whishaw
P&F Clothing Pool Coordinator
0415 402 013

Church Services

Wollondilly Anglican Church
Our church services are all held at St Stephen’s Thirlmere at 9.30 am and 4.30 pm. Both are family services and all ages are welcome. If you are interested in attending a Bible Study, or Youth Group and connecting with the community this way, please visit these links for more information
https://wollondillyanglican.org/grown-ups/  
https://wollondillyanglican.org/youth-ministries/  
We also encourage you to check out their website to stay updated with any new information https://wollondillyanglican.org/
Contact them about any enquiries at
https://wollondillyanglican.org/contact/

C3 Picton and Camden
Live-streaming their services on their YouTube channel:
https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCV-SaFqz0okwO85XQE01CKw.
If you would like to find out more information about C3 connect groups, please visit these links:
https://www.c3picton.church/groups
If you would like to know more information about C3 and keep updated please visit their website:
https://www.c3picton.church/
Facebook page:
https://m.facebook.com/C3Picton/
Contact them at:
https://www.c3picton.church/contact

Campbelltown Christian Community Church (C4) 
Services run on Sundays at 10.00 am. Also currently streaming their services on their YouTube channel:

Wollondilly Presbyterian Church
Sunday Service starts a 9.15 am. 
The Service is also streamed on their YouTube channel: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UClGGkiM_xP5rCdViW3uo6Xw/featured
They are also holding Church Zoom Calls at 9.15 am on Sundays, if you are interested in connecting to the community in this way, please visit their Facebook page for the links as well as updates, information and to contact about any enquiries.
https://www.facebook.com/WollondillyPC/

Tahmoor Baptist Church
Sunday Service starts a 9.50 am. 
Also streamed at https://www.tahmoorbaptistchurch.org/
If you are interested in attending a Bible Study, or Youth Group and connecting with the community this way, please visit this link for more information
https://www.tahmoorbaptistchurch.org/activities.html

Picton and Wilton Anglican Church
Picton - Sundays 9.30 am – 10.50 am all welcome.
Also live-streamed on Youtube: http://youtube.com/PWAChurches/
Wilton - Sundays 5 pm – 6.20 pm all welcome.
Also live-streamed on Youtube: http://youtube.com/PWAChurches/

Most importantly, we encourage all to meet with God directly and personally through daily reading of The Bible and prayer. This is the best way to get to know who God is and further trust in him during this time. If you don’t have a Bible or don't know where to start, we encourage you to download “You Version” on your device, this is a great resource to assist you in your journey and relationship with God.

The Oaks Anglican Church
Sunday at 10.00 am. Services will also be streamed online live: toa.church/livestream/

Douglas Park Evangelical Church
10.00 am Sundays at Douglas Park Community Hall or online via Zoom.
Contact David Luxford on 0404754105 or via Facebook.com/DPEChurch

Wollondilly Uniting Church
110 Thirlmere Way, Tahmoor.
Sunday Service 9.15 am
Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/WollondillyUniting/

Staying connected in the Southern Highlands area.

Highlands Christian Church: 
Sundays at 10.00 am
Online Service:
https://www.facebook.com/highlands.au/videos/highlands-church-online-experience/930979114318498/
Website:
https://www.highlandschristianchurch.org.au/

Highlands Baptist Church
Sundays at 10.30 am
Website:
http://www.highlandsbaptistchurch.org.au/

St Judes (Bowral Anglican)
Traditional Church Building - 8.00 am, 9.30 am & 4.00 pm
Church Auditorium - 9.30 am & 5.30 pm
Website:
https://bowralanglican.org.au/
Online Service:
https://bowralanglican.org.au/online/

Mittagong Anglican
Sundays at 9.30 am & 11.30 am
Website:
https://www.mittang.com.au/
Sermon Archive:
https://www.mittang.com.au/sermons/

C3 
Sundays at 10.30 am
Website:
https://c3destinychurch.com/
Livestream/Video Archive:
https://c3destinychurch.com/sunday-live-stream/

Bowral Baptist
Sundays at 10.00 am
Website:
https://bowralbaptistchurch.net/wordpress/
Video Archive:
https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCED4wlEz42j6thR9-OsVn4A

Community News

WAC Kids Care
From time to time, families undergo trauma such as severe or terminal illness. There are short term support structures in place at the College to assist families during these times.

We have a collection of beautifully prepared meals that are ready for distribution for any families in need.

The WAC Kids Care Program offers support to families in the way of meals. Please contact Mrs Hay or Mrs Evans at the College. Confidentiality will be respected. If you know of anyone who may need meals at this time, please contact the College office.

Wollondilly Council Calling for Expressions of Interest

Are you passionate about your community? Do you love working with people? Do you have skills and knowledge to share?

Consider joining one of Wollondilly Council’s Strategic Reference Groups or an Advisory Group!

These groups provide community members with meaningful opportunities to engage with Council – whether you’re a high-level strategic thinker, or would like to work with Council more at a grass-roots level. 

Head to Council’s website to find out more about the groups available, and complete a short Expression of Interest explaining more about yourself and why you’d like to be a member.

Alternatively, you can call Council on 4677 1100.

Wollondilly Community Relief Program - Local Community Ventures
Criteria - Must be a resident of the Wollondilly LGA and have been financially impacted by COVID-19
Apply at lcventures.org.au/wollondilly-community-relief
Interpreter services available

Youth Week Skate Lessons
Join us at Tahmoor Skate Park to celebrate Youth Week 2022. Skate Now will be showing all the tricks and tips to mastering skateboarding. Come down to Tahmoor Skate Park to pick up some new skills and have fun!!

When: Saturday, 28 May
Where: Tahmoor Skate Park
Time: 10.00 am - 1.00 pm

Women’s FREE Aviation Job Skills Workshop,
Join us while we share Airport & Aviation career pathways, training options and skill requirements. The workshop includes interview skills coaching- including CV and application writing with aviation terminology and tips on how to apply for airport & aviation jobs. Only 50 places, so reserve your spot now.
Morning tea will be provided.

When: Thursday, 9 June 2022
Where: Wollondilly Shire Hall, 60 Menangle Street, Picton  NSW 2571
Time: 10.00 am - 1.00 pm

For more info and to book- www.empoweringwsw.com.au/events

Interview with Confidence
This free interview workshop is for young people aged 14-24 years old as part of the Youth Upskill project. Interview with Confidence will cover-

• Interview preparation
• Common questions and best answers
• STAR method to structure answers
• Strengths and areas of development
• Tricks when you don't know the answer
• Do's and Dont's
• Mock Interview

When: Wednesday, 15 June
Where: Wollondilly Library, 44 Menangle Street, Picton
Time- 4.30 pm- 6.00 pm

Mittagong Junior Disco  

Venue: Mittagong RSL – Bessemer Street
Date: Saturday, 28 May     
Times: 4.00 pm-6.00 pm
Cost: $5.00

Please note that 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.
Phone - 0412 321 555.