Waratah Weekly - Term 3, Edition 8 - Friday, 15 September 2023

Message from the Headmaster

Great Learning Through Explicit Instruction
At Wollondilly Anglican College, our commitment to Learning, Care and Culture shapes every aspect of our educational approach. Underpinning our dedication to learning is a shared pedagogical philosophy — Explicit Instruction.

What is Explicit Instruction?
Explicit Instruction is a methodical approach to curriculum delivery that ensures students have a clear roadmap for their learning. It empowers students to not only comprehend what they are learning but also to gauge their own progress. Here's how it works:

• Learning Intentions: Students understand the focus of a lesson or series of lessons through a Learning Intention communicated by the teacher.
• Clear Explanations and Demonstrations: Students receive clear explanations and practical examples of the subject matter.
  
• Structured Practice with Immediate Feedback: After initial instruction, students engage in guided practice, with teachers providing prompt feedback to reinforce understanding.
• Independent Practice and Continued Feedback: Students are given opportunities for independent practice, further fine-tuning their skills with ongoing feedback throughout the lesson.

Engaging Students in Active Learning
Explicit Instruction doesn't stop at clarity; it also encourages active participation. For example, we foster engagement by prompting students to respond to questions without the traditional hand-raising practice. This ensures students are prepared to answer questions at any time. While this might initially appear daunting, our skilled teachers create a nurturing and supportive environment where every response, whether correct or not, becomes a valuable learning opportunity.

Starting Strong and Closing Stronger
Our lesson structure is designed to maximise learning from the beginning of class. Typically, lessons commence with a warm-up or review activity that primes students' thinking and promotes recall. Moreover, lessons conclude with a recap, reinforcing the essential elements covered.

Supporting Learning at Home
As parents, you can further enrich your child's learning by engaging in conversations about their daily lessons. Ask them what they learned and inquire about the "Learning Intention" for one of their lessons. Such discussions contribute to continuous learning, as recalling information reinforces memory retention. Consider dedicating a few moments after school for a quick review with your child to enhance their understanding and long-term retention. It is also important to encourage your child to engage with their homework. Homework is a highly valuable activity to help students reinforce the skills and material they have learned that day. 

Explicit Instruction is our approach to learning, guiding students toward comprehensive understanding and a brighter learning future. It fosters an environment where knowledge is accessible, practice is purposeful, and collaboration is more effective.

Mr Trevor Norman
College Headmaster

From The Deputy

Thank you for your ongoing support in maintaining the high standards of uniform at the College. It is not uncommon for the College to receive compliments from members of the public in regard to the high level of presentation of Wollondilly Students. This reflects positively on the students and the College and speaks to the pride our students show in being part of the Wollondilly community.

We have been closely monitoring the anticipated unseasonal hot weather that has been forecast for next week. With this in mind, we have made the decision to allow students to choose between the winter or summer uniform.

Students need to be wearing one or the other, not a combination of both. Summer uniform guidelines will be followed regarding expectations with sport uniform. 

We are asking that Year 12 students wear their full winter uniform to their Graduation Assembly on Wednesday morning. The temperature will start to have dropped by Wednesday and the mornings continue to be much cooler than the afternoons. 

For those who are attending Formal Assemblies, I look forward to celebrating with you, all that has been achieved in Term 3.

Mr Paul Burns
Deputy Headmaster

ENROLMENT Information

Important Notes Regarding Family Relationship Priority Listing: 
Siblings, children of Alumni and staff will be placed on a Family Relationship Priority List for enrolment.

For Transition (Pre-K) and Year 7 to be placed on this list, applications need to be received by 30 November two years prior to the student’s expected start date. For example, a sibling (Alumni or staff child) applying for priority listing for a 2025 start would need to have their application to the College by 30 November 2023. Any sibling, Alumni child or staff child applications that are received after this date will not be prioritised. 

Wollondilly Anglican College has absolute discretion in determining whether to offer a place for the student. Students placed on the Family Relationship Priority List are not automatically guaranteed a place.

New families to the College will be prioritised based on application date and age (Pre-K).

All applicants will be interviewed prior to an offer of enrolment being made. 

All applications for Transition (Pre-K) and Kindergarten involve a College Day and interview process before an offer of enrolment is made. 

The Purpose of the College Day and Interview:
We endeavour to provide a disciplined, caring, learning community where students and staff pursue excellence and lives are transformed for Christ’s glory. We are thankful for the culture which has developed and the results our students achieve. We do not seek to be an academically selective College, we are passionate about giving students, with a range of abilities, the best possible education that we can. Offers of enrolment are made on the basis of family and student potential to contribute to and benefit from the life and standards of the College.

Some families may find that the standards we set and the educational approach we take, is not suitable for them or their child. We also recognise that we may not be the best fit for every child. The College Day and/or Interview Process is designed to help the College and families make an informed decision for enrolment.

Further information regarding enrolments can be found in the email sent to all families.

Special Note for Primary Students
Due to increased demand, we will be filling all available places for Year Groups from Transition. For example, Transition 2024 will be filled. No further places will become available as that Year Group moves through Primary, unless students leave the College. Applications for Kindergarten 2025 and so on will be placed on a waitlist for when vacancies occur.

Some Year Groups may have positions available, please contact the Enrolments Team for further information.

If you have any questions or would like to discuss anything regarding the above, please feel free to contact our Enrolments Team on 02 4684 2722 or enrolments@wac.nsw.edu.au.

Ms Jacqui Huxtable
Director of Teaching and Learning T-6

Performing Arts News - WAC Country Fair

A big congratulations to all of the students who performed at the Country Fair last Saturday. There was a huge variety of performances from students in Years 1-12.

Thank you to the Performing Arts teachers who prepared their groups and supported the students on the day.

Thank you to the WAC Crew students who helped with the sound equipment, slides and set up/pack down. 

Mrs Sallyanne Barker
Primary Music Teacher/Acting Performing Arts Coordinator T-12

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Year 7 - Design Your Own Burger

Students in Year 7 cooked up a storm this week as they brought to life the burgers that they had designed this Term.

As part of the task, students researched where each ingredient in their burger was sourced and gained a real life understanding of ‘Paddock to Plate’ as they formed their own beef patties and chicken schnitzels.

The results were apparently delicious!

Miss Emily Bailey
TAS Teacher

Secondary Book Review Competition Winners

To celebrate Book Week, Secondary students were invited to write a Book Review that has been published to the Library catalogue. Congratulations to our winners for 2023:

• Ava Scott (Year 7) for The Grandest Bookshop in the World by Amelia Mellor 
• Evie Maxwell (Year 8) for Only a Monster by Vanessa Len
• Harriette Martin (Year 8) for The Red Pyramid by Rick Riordin
• Gemma Hoare (Year 9) for The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes by Suzanne Collins 
• Amelie Burke (Year 9) for Only a Monster by Vanessa Len

All our Book Week Competition winners will receive Book Prizes. Primary Competition Winners to be announced next week.

Mrs Justine Colombo
College Librarian

German Club - MLTANSW Linguafest Film Competion

Students in German Club have worked hard to create a video for the MLTANSW Linguafest Film Competition. A dedicated team has written the story, learned the script, created props, performed various roles and filmed the scenes.

It’s been an impressive display of teamwork from those involved! The students incorporated the theme of History and the item of a Necklace, in a twist on the real Brothers Grimm: travelling back through time to convince them not only to write their German Dictionary, but to record the Fairy Tales (for which they are in reality famous).

Enjoy the stills from the film below.

The Film will be judged in November alongside entries from schools around the State. We will keep you updated!

Frau Justine Holmes
German Teacher

Primary Music - Year 4 Performances

Primary Music
Students in Year 4 will be performing on their instruments at the Primary Formal Assembly on Tuesday, 19 September at 8.30 am for a 8.40 start.

This is a fantastic opportunity for the students to show what they have learnt on their instruments after completing nearly two years of the Instrumental Music Program.

Parents are invited to the Formal Assembly. 

Mrs Sallyanne Barker
Primary Music Teacher/Acting Performing Arts Coordinator T-12

Primary Sports

College Sport House Games
In recent weeks, Years 3-6 students have been competing in House games during College Sport. A points update is below:

There is still one week to go. The winning House will be issued a prize at the end of Week 9. Students are reminded to wear their House shirts for Sport in Week 9.  

WASP Academy - CRICKET - TERM 4
WASP continues in Term 4! Throughout Term 4, WASP will transition to cricket training and development sessions run by the professional staff from myPEAC. https://www.mypeac.com.au/

All boys and girls from Years 4-8 are welcome to join. There will be eight sessions on Wednesday afternoons throughout Term 4 for a flat rate of $100 for all eight sessions (working out to $12.50 per session)

Please email sport@wac.nsw.edu.au to register your interest. 

College Sports - House Games (Week 8 and Week 9 of Term 3)
All students in Years 3-6 are to wear their House Polo Shirts for Sport on Wednesday. Students will be participating in house games for Week 8 and Week 9 of Term 3.

Primary CIS Athletics Carnival - Tuesday, 19 September at Sydney Olympic Park Athletic Centre.
Please notify Mr Gooden of your child's intended travel arrangements. The College will provide a bus that will depart the College at 6.30 am from the Front Lawn. The bus is expected to return at 3.00 pm, however, parents are welcome to arrange alternate transportation. Competitors will be given a NASSA singlet to wear for their event. Please return this singlet before departing the Carnival.

Stage 3 College Sport Swimming at Wollondilly Leasure Centre - Wednesdays Throughout Term 4
Students in Stage 3 will have the opportunity to participate in swimming at the Wollondilly Leisure Centre for College Sport throughout Term 4. More information to be released in coming weeks.  

Upcoming events:

• CIS Athletics Carnival at Homebush - Tuesday, 19 September
• NASSA Boys' Cricket Gala Day at Woodbine Oval - Thursday, 19 October
• NASSA AFL GALA DAY at Greenway Park West - Tuesday, 24 October

Mr James Gooden
Primary Sports Coordinator

Years T-6 P&F Fundraiser

P&F Fundraiser
At the beginning of the term, Students in Years T–6 designed an artwork for this year’s P&F Fundraiser. These have now been sent away to Crazy Camel and loaded onto our own portal for you to view and order your child’s keepsake. The students have spent a lot of time and effort on their artwork and they are beautiful.

Orders will need to be finalised by Friday, 23 September. All money raised will go towards Wollondilly Anglican College.

Mrs Anita Belusic
Transition Teacher

P&F Golf Day - Save The Date!

P&F Clothing Pool

We have a great selection of used uniforms for all Year Groups from Pre-Kindergarten to Year 12 at very reasonable prices! 

• Shirts and Polos $10
• Sport & Boys' Shorts $10
• Tunics $30
• Blazers $60
• We also have new socks and ties available for purchase.
  

Come and say hello to our friendly volunteers and grab some uniform bargains!

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

Have a great day! 

Mrs Melissa Whishaw
Clothing Pool Coordinator

Church Services

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 to 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.

Name the Feathered Friends Masked Owl Competition

Charity Car Rally
This October, my husband Brandon and I will be participating in the Cancer Council Charity Car Rally for Spring 2023. The Rally will see us driving our Holden Rodeo pictured below (purchased for $800) from PORT DOUGLAS to ADELAIDE through the centre of Australia with 550 other participants.

Last October we raised almost $8,000 and completed over 9,000kms driving to Darwin. A few photos of the trip are attached. 

WE NEED SPONSORHIP!

This year, the Rally aims to raise $2 million for Cancer Council, which is used to fund cancer research projects nationally. Since the Rally launched in 2009, it has raised over $30 million and is the largest private fundraiser for the Cancer Council in Australia.

Would you Like to donate? Please follow the link and Donate Here

Any assistance you could give would be most appreciated and will help our team achieve our goal.

Thank you very much for considering sponsoring us!

Mrs Lisa Cooper

Carers NSW Young Carer Program
Young carers are young people who help look after a family member or friend who lives with a disability, mental illness, medical condition or who is frail. Providing support can be very rewarding for young carers, however at times it can have a big impact on their education and wellbeing.

Our Carers NSW Young Carer Awareness Training is a free, one-hour session aimed at supporting professionals and educators to identify and help young carers.

The session will explore:

• Who young carers are and why identifying young carers is important
• Potential impacts (both positive and negative) of their caring role
• Practical support options available 

Carers NSW can help you to continue to reflect the principles of the NSW Carers Charter in your work to ensure that young carers across NSW are achieving their highest potential.

If you would like to organise Young Carer Awareness Training, please email the Carers NSW Young Carer team at yc@carersnsw.org.au or you are welcome to call me on 02 9280 4744. 

Natalie Elliott
Young Carer Project Officer
Carers NSW

Tahmoor U/12 cricket - Players Wanted!
Tahmoor U/12 Cricket Club are in need of a couple more players (boys or girls) in order to be able to enter a team this year. The only requirement is that the player turns 13 after 1 September 2024.

Tahmoor is a great club who made it to the semi-finals last year.

Please email Deb at deb.bunch09@gmail.com to express your interest.

Mittagong Swimming Club - Registrations Are Open!

Community Links Wellbeing (CLW) will be running the following Parenting Education courses commencing 2023:

• Managing Challenging Behaviours Collaboratively- October 18 to December 6  - An eight-part session of 2 hours each week at Tahmoor Community Centre.

A very popular and in high-demand course for parents of children exhibiting challenging Behaviours which can often co-exist with a diagnosis that impacts emotional regulation eg. ASD, ADHD, ODD, intellectual concerns etc. This is the course for parents if other popular parenting courses & strategies have not worked.

• Tuning in to Teens – October 26 to November 30 at Tahmoor Community Centre in partnership with CLW and Health SWSLD- Family Connect and Support: a six-session, evidence-based program for parents/carers who have young people aged 10 to 17 years old. The course teaches skills in emotion coaching and raises awareness of the developmental needs of their young person so parents can better respond to their teens emotions and needs which improves their connection with their teen.

When parents and carers respond to teens’ emotions in ways that validate and accept emotions but still guide them with appropriate behaviour, young people learn important skills in emotional intelligence. Over time young people use these skills in all aspects of their lives. Emotional intelligence helps teen’s to be more resilient so that when they face challenging experiences they can talk about their feelings and work through these experiences.

• 1-2-3 Magic and Emotion Coaching: Coming Term 4, dates to be confirmed. Taking expressions of interest now. A three-session program of 2.5 hours for parents of children aged 2-12 years old with an extra booster session for support ( four sessions in total). The 1-2-3 Magic and Emotion Coaching program aims to help parents and carers manage difficult child behaviour with a focus on strategies and techniques that promote positive behaviour; encouragement in developing the child's ability to manage their emotional reactions; and relationship-building. 

Priority placement is given to parents in the Wollondilly, Wingecarribee and Camden LGA’s. Parents outside these areas may still be able to attend, please contact the email below to discuss further.

HCS Study Camp
Wollondilly Library is supporting local Year 12 students in the lead-up to the HSC in a number of ways. We’d love for you to share this information with your students and staff. Please find a PDF flyer attached for distribution.

Extended Wednesday Hours:
In addition to our regular Thursday evenings (7 pm close), Wollondilly Library will be staying open until 7 pm on Wednesdays in September and October.

Events for HSC Students:
A number of events have been organised to support our Year 12 students while they are studying. Follow the link to our events page for more information and to book.

• 4 October: HSC Pizza Night

HSC Collection:
Physical collection of up-to-date books for HSC students including Excel, Cambridge Checkpoints, ATAR Notes and A+ Study Guides, covering a range of HSC subjects. For use in the library and for borrowing.

View the catalogue here. 

HSC4Me Online Resource:
A free online resource filled with study notes, practice questions and responses and on-demand videos for 11 HSC subjects.

Register now for HSC4Me

Please note: This resource is for library members. Not a member? It’s free and easy to join online. 

Free Photocopying and Printing:
HSC students have access to free printing tickets to print study notes and past papers or photocopy from HSC resources.

Mindful Activities:
A break-out station offering a changing selection of mindful activities will be available upstairs at the Library, with activities including LEGO, jigsaw puzzles, colouring and crafts.

Additional Study Space:
In addition to our newly renovated community lounge and study rooms, extra study space for HSC students will be made available in our events space when it is not in use.

We hope to see your students soon at Wollondilly Library. Please don’t hesitate to contact me with any questions. 

Kind regards,

Emma Kramarzewski
Children & Youth Librarian

Mittagong Junior Disco  

• Date: Saturday, 30 September  
• Times: 4.00 pm - 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

College Sponsors