Year 12 Graduation

On this last week of Term 3, we farewell our Year 12 graduating class of 2023.  Congratulations on completing 13 years of schooling. The Year 12 boys showed their gratitude with deeds with a wonderful Fun Day for our Primary boys on Monday. On Tuesday they will host their Redfield ‘brothers’ for some sport and celebration. After the official ceremonies on Wednesday, the boys will finish the week in Parramatta with some visits with both church and government dignitaries to end a memorable Graduation Week. Many thanks to Mr Wright for putting it all together.  We will continue to support our Year 12 students through the HSC examinations and beyond. All the best for the future.

We also farewell a number of graduating families, some of whom have been with us for many years. The Woolnoughs, for example, end an association that began with their eldest son Joshua, who is now a Pared Victoria teacher, in the early days of Orchard Hills Preparatory School, now close to 25 years ago! Similarly, the Webers celebrate their youngest son’s graduation whilst their eldest son looks on as a member of staff! A special thank you to the Jeromes for their wonderful work as class parents, and also to the other couples who have filled this role over the years. What a wonderful community we have at Wollemi, and what a privilege for me to be able to thank all these graduating families on behalf of all for their trust and support, and for their varied contributions over the years.

Around the grounds

A lot has been happening in this busy end-of-term period. Last week we hosted the first-ever WCWC Rugby Cup (Wollemi College vs. William Clarke). What a wonderful promotional event for the sport of Rugby Union and for the future Wollemi Rugby Club. Many thanks to Mr. Uyeda for his dedication, enthusiasm and tireless work.

Last Thursday we celebrated R U OK Day at Wollemi. The day helped spread awareness about mental health, and also did much in promoting a culture where we both look after each other and also are not afraid to ask for help when ‘we are not ok’. Below you will find an article with a more detailed account of the day. A big thank you to Mr. Vassallo, and our counsellor Mr. Khoury, for their effort on the day.

It’s been a busy time for many dads as well. On Saturday 9 and Sunday 10, we had the Year 6 Father and Son Camp at spectacular Point Wolstoncroft by Lake Macquarie. More information can be found within the pages of this newsletter, but from all accounts, the camp was a resounding success. Last Friday we had another successful Dad’s Night. Mr. Abacum treated our Wollemi and Montgrove dads and staff to a Texas-style BBQ that was absolutely memorable. More than 70 dads wholeheartedly agree with me on that assessment. 

On Saturday morning a few of those dads made up for the excesses of the night before at our second Wollemi Mountain Bike Club ride at Wylde Park in Cecil Hills. Despite the heat,  the younger riders surpassed all expectations with their endurance, and the teens showed amazing restraint and common sense around the more daring obstacles. The dads sat somewhere in between and did what they could. Thank you all for your attendance and support.

On Saturday night our mums had their Mum's Night Out at Montgrove. Rumours about intense competitions over prizes abound. Many thanks to Montgrove for hosting the event, and to all who participated. These are the things that make our schools so special. 

Finally, can we all turn up to support our Wollemi Basketball teams playing in the finals this coming Friday and Saturday? We have a record 7 teams playing for the championship, so let’s all show up for them!

Holidays

With the school holidays almost upon us, I would like to offer these words of advice to all our boys. Use these coming holidays well. Josemaria Escriva would often say:  “To rest is not to do nothing but to change occupation”.

Stay safe, stay busy, and set some time aside to help out: at home, with your friends or out in the community.

Enjoy the break. I look forward to seeing you all for Day 1 of Term 4 on Tuesday 10 October. 

James Ramos, Headmaster

This week is the year 12 Graduation Week. The Graduation Mass, with the students and parents, was always very moving: we gathered to give thanks to God for all these years of learning and growing up, full of joy, friendship and hard work.

We will support them with our prayers during the HSC exams!

I want to share with you how during the Summer holidays we are going to refurbish the new sacristy. You can see in the photos how we had all the sacred vestments, without proper wardrobes and cabinets. We will start 2024 with a beautiful new sacristy!

Your donations will be a good help to cover the budget. Our Dad’s Dinner last Friday was a good help in our fundraising. But we need a bit more! Thanks for your support!

Wollemi Primary students love nothing more than hanging out with the Year 12 boys and they were lucky to spend quality time with them during Graduation Week. On Tuesday, the Year 2 Picassos drew very lifelike portraits of our soon-to-be graduates, followed by an afternoon of water slides, capture the flag, 4-goal soccer, water balloon fights, bubble soccer, and tug-o-war. However, my highlight was watching our seniors engage with, and truly enjoy, the company of the primary students. The strong sense of community and family is what makes this school such a special place. Steve Jerome, Wollemi’s School Captain, commented on the exceptionally amazing behavior of the primary students. You could hear a pin drop when he outlined the schedule for the day. With our Year 12 boys in mind, please encourage your son(s) to keep praying for them as they embark on their HSC journey next term.

As a parent, the holidays can prove to be an amazing time spent with family or a challenging time when we face the battle of screen time versus active outdoor play. The easy option, and we are all guilty of it, is the digital babysitter. How do we resist the persistent demands for screen time? This is a battle I face every holiday, and while I am by no means the perfect parent, I do have a strategy that tends to succeed. Create a daily schedule for each day of the holidays and include everything from when they wake up to when they go to bed. The secret is to create a realistic schedule, make it visible, and involve your kids in the process—typically, they will be more engaged and will stick to the schedule, when they are a part of the process. Be sure to allocate time for screens in a safe and controlled environment. For more information about esafety, visit https://www.esafety.gov.au/. You'll find an abundance of up-to-date information on screens, safety and age appropriate advice. Outdoor activities can be challenging to think about or plan for, so I have listed activities that can be done as a family, with siblings, or independently. Please see below: 

One week left. Graduation week. 10 years of Wollemi approaching its inevitable end. 10 years of waking up and putting on my uniform. 10 years of recess and lunch. 10 years of six periods a week. Being in this school since Year 3, I have seen nine other classes graduate before me. And over the years I’ve seen several reactions from these graduating students. Smiles. Hugs. Tears. This blend of stirred emotions always got me thinking; how would I react on my graduation day? As I reflect back it’s interesting to see how my perspective changed. As a primary boy, I remember thinking it would be a moment of pure joy; a triumph against the school. But as the years passed, and I approached closer and closer to that day, I realised that was not the case.

Graduation is a bittersweet ending. A paradox of emotions. The reason why I keep seeing these mixed reactions from previous graduation classes is because that is just how graduation is.

A departure for a set of brothers, who together, conquered the stage of life known as school. No matter when you join this school, be it Year 3 or Year 7, Wollemi is not only a place for learning. It is a place for creating memories. Memories with your classmates. Memories with your teachers. The troubles. The triumphs. The chaos. The calmness (rarely). And with so many amazing and priceless memories I have made in Wollemi, It cannot be denied that departing such an integral part of my life does pull on my heartstrings. But it is what it is. In times like these, I turn to a quote by one of my favourite authors, Dr. Seuss, a quote which I frequently return to - “Don’t cry because it’s over; smile because it happened.” Everyone graduates eventually, so when it comes, enjoy it to the fullest, whether it be with tears or smiles.

Graduation comes from the Latin word “gradus” which means step. Graduation: entering a new step or stage of our lives. It’s quite interesting to think I’ve been repeating this routine almost mindlessly for years and years, and finally, I no longer need to. Some people will like this new freedom, but I personally enjoyed the obligation to hang out with friends and do believe I’ll struggle post-graduation, but when that comes, it’ll be another opportunity for me to improvise, adapt and overcome.

Although graduation is very much about celebrating Year 12's departure and achievements, it is heavily intertwined with a similar-sounding word. Gratitude. The school has never been a solo journey. It is a path we walk alongside our parents, our teachers, our mentors and of course, our classmates. There is an inconceivable amount of sacrifice and effort our parents and teachers have put in to sustain us all the way to our final week of school. Thus, graduation is also about acknowledging and appreciating these sacrifices that have ultimately led us to walk out those gates, through that Guard of Honour, as true Wollemi men.

On top of that, there is a special gratitude we must give to our classmates; and our brothers. For all the laughter and jokes. For all the scuffles and struggles. For all the smart things and not-so-smart things. As we approach HSC, my class has never been more unified, and I’m truly grateful to have gone on this journey with them. Even if after graduation we do not meet each other every day, our brotherhood will hold us together as the former headmaster, Mr. Aldous would say, “A brother held by a brother, is like a walled city.”

Sourav Suresh, Vice Captain

Last weekend the Year 6 Father and Son Camp was held at Point Wolstoncroft, north of the Central Coast near Morisset. 

The facilities were impressive, situated on a peninsula surrounded by the vast blue arc of the idyllic Lake Macquarie. Perfect weather made for an excellent camp. Kayaking on Lake Macquarie on a pristine Saturday morning was one highlight, as was stopping in at the little uninhabited beaches along the way. A vigorous bike ride along the coastal fire trail on Sunday morning made for big appetites and tired legs, but a wonderful atmosphere of relaxation and cohesion amongst the dads and the boys. We prayed the Rosary around the campfire Saturday evening and the dads had a get-together Saturday night- that was not too late, I promise! 

Many thanks to all of the dads and boys for attending what was a wonderful camp, albeit a little further to travel than usual, it was well worth it. Thank you also to Fr Ed Barry who stayed overnight and celebrated the Holy Mass for us on Saturday and Sunday. I think Fr Ed came kayaking, too! Thank you also to Martin Lugod, who helped with the organisation and the logistics over the weekend and for chairing the dad's talk on Saturday evening, which made for an excellent discussion. 

Mark White Year 6 Dad

1st day:

On Sunday, 3 Sept, the Year 9 class went to school. “What were we doing at school on a Sunday” you may ask. Well, we were about to leave for our 3-day ski trip to Thredbo, Snowy Mountains. The day started with a mass at the school with our parents.  We were blessed to have Father Felix come to provide spiritual guidance.  After mass, we started our 7 - 8 hour drive to Jindabyne and it's an understatement to say that we were becoming rowdy and restless nearing the end of the drive. Finally, we arrived at the camp at 6:30pm, fitted our ski/snowboard equipment, had dinner and crashed into our beds.  The first night was filled with a few “incidents” and nobody ended up getting more than 5 hours of sleep.

2nd day:

Wake up on the second day was at 5:45 a.m. which was way too early and almost everybody regretted not sleeping earlier the night before.  We were all groggy and tired and it dawned on us that we had a full 6 hours of skiing ahead of us. We were given a quick briefing and then headed to the ski slopes at Thredbo, a 30-minute drive (which in full ski gear felt way too long), arriving there at 8:30 a.m. We were split into groups based on our level and experience - advanced, intermediate or first-time. 

Year 10 Elective Drama performed their play, "Locked In With Brian" on Monday. The boys performed their dress rehearsal for high school students on Monday afternoon and then they performed for their families on Monday evening. The evening performance was well attended and well received and the actors performed very well.

The play was set in a prison which gave the boys an opportunity to portray a range of emotions throughout their scenes.

I was very proud of the commitment of the boys to the entire production.

Many thanks to Mr Tolentino for constructing an amazing set and to Mr Ranftl and Eshvaak Manglik for lighting and sound design and operation during performances.

Iain Fraser

Calling all artists and creatives! Get ready to unleash your imagination and design a poster that captures the essence of "WOLCAN," a spectacular creative arts evening like no other. On November 17th, our event will transform the ordinary into the extraordinary, blending a fusion of art forms, from music and visual arts to more. Your challenge is to create a poster that embodies the spirit of this unique celebration, where creativity knows no bounds. Showcase your talent, and your artwork could be the face of "WOLCAN." Plus, there's an exciting prize awaiting the winner! Join us in igniting the creative spark on November 17th!

Submit your poster by the end of the school day on 13th October (Friday week 1 of Term 4) via email to Mr Ranftl: markranftl@wollemi.nsw.edu.au

Congratulations to Steve Jerome (Year 12) who was awarded the Bishop of Parramatta Award for Student Excellence. This award is given to a Year 12 student who is a witness to the faith and who has made an outstanding contribution to the school. We thank Steve for his service leadership both in the school and in the local community. Thank you also to Peter Wiggins, who was the citation reader for the award ceremony.

On Tuesday, Wollemi hosted our Year 12 Redfield brothers where they enjoyed a series of matches after morning tea. Special thanks to Mr Spagna who cooked a mean chicken and chorizo Paella for our guests. It was a great day even in the sweltering heat. 

 The School community is invited to pray for our young men as they prepare for their trials in this week and HSC exams later this year. 

A CoA Community HSC Prayermmunity HSC Prayer

A School Community HSC Prayer

Heavenly Father, we bring before you our HSC students. Give them the gifts of wisdom, right judgement, knowledge and courage. 

Bless them with calm hearts and clarity of mind as they sit for their exams. May they be affirmed in their efforts and may they know that you are there with them. 

We pray that they will stay calm under pressure and work to the best of their ability. May they feel your loving presence in their lives, now and always, and may they be strengthened by the prayerful support of us, their school community.

 We ask this in the name of Jesus Christ your Son, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, now and forever. Amen

Graduation Day for the class of 2023 was a wonderful celebration of our last single-stream class, along with their parents and teachers. 

The Mass was celebrated by Fr Felix and was made more solemn by the contribution of the Primary choir. Many parents expressed their appreciation afterwards.

The Graduation and Presentation Assembly was the perfect mix of awards and speeches that marked the serious occasion that it is, while the impressive musical performances by Simon Quinn and Ethan Tolentino, along with the Year 12 farewell video, provided some lighter moments. 

The occasion concluded with the Valete Dinner at Twin Creeks Golf and Country Club. There the Year 12s received their Old Boys’ ties and graduation certificates, a gift from the school, and the masterful portraits composed by Year 2 earlier in the week. Every year it seems there is at least one student who reveals his inability to do up his own tie, and this year did not disappoint.

There were many heartfelt moments throughout the day and evening, which I know the boys will treasure forever. None of it would have been possible without the great team of staff we have here at Wollemi, especially the amazing contribution of Mrs Wiggins and the forward planning of Mr Vassallo, who deserve our sincere thanks.

Brett Wright (Head of Senior School)

On Thursday 14 September, Wollemi hosted our second RUOK Day after the success of the inaugural event last year. With a focus on well-being and mental health, this day encourages our school community to stay connected and check in on each other regularly. 

RUOK 2023 was a great day in which energy and enthusiasm abounded. The school became a sea of black and yellow, as both staff and students dressed in the colours of RUOK to show their support of the day - even dressed in costume! Our mufti day raised over $500 to assist LifeLine a national charity providing Australians with access to 24-hour crisis support and suicide prevention. 

Throughout the day, students engaged in a range of activities. Our Primary students decorated “R U O K”  signs were hung around the school. Each class also worked together to create some amazing RUOK chalk murals to adorn our carline.  It was so great to see the energy, creativity and cooperation of all our Primary students as they worked together to produce fantastic murals. The Secondary school was also awash with a range of activities. There was a range of activities focussed on mental health and wellbeing. The secondary school day commenced with a talk from our school counsellor - Mr Khoury - on ‘acceptance’ of self and compassion towards others. Throughout the day, each secondary class participated in an age-appropriate RUOK lesson and workshop. These focussed on developing each student’s skills to recognise the signs if someone is struggling and the measures they could implement to help. This included such skills as spotting the signs, how to begin an “R U OK?” conversation, active listening, avenues for help and self-care. Thank you to Mr Khoury and his team of counsellors for their efforts in preparing and delivering these fantastic workshops. Students also took time during the day to reflect. During Admin, all secondary students came together in their houses to decorate the ‘Wollemi Gratitude Wall’ with messages of thanks (on a multitude of coloured post-it notes). These ranged from gratitude for family, friends and mentors who have supported them, to being at Wollemi, for the small things in life to the blessing Our Lord has given them. Mass was focused on the themes of compassion with Father Anthony praying for all who were struggling in our world. During the offertory, our compassion candle was blessed and lit. There was also an opportunity for our students to raise any individual well-being questions they had through our ‘RUOK Helpdesk’ box.   

‘R U OK’ day is celebrated once a year to remind the boys that they are called to be compassionate to one another and to take note of the invisible wounds each person is carrying. In the space of three weeks, students would come to see me for consolation regarding certain wounds they were carrying in their hearts. After each session, boys would pierce a gold pin into a candle that I had reserved for the mass on ‘R U OK’ day. The candle was eventually covered with a considerable number of pins representing the different wounds of our students. As the Year 5s brought the lit candle up towards the altar during the chapel service, the candle's purpose was to remind the boys that they are called to be compassionate to the people around them who are carrying these hidden wounds, that they are called not to keep Church in Church but to bring Church to the playground, into the classroom and into their homes.

‘R U OK’ day this year was themed ‘acceptance’, and to help promote acceptance, we as a school invited four other individuals, including the Montgrove school psychologist. These individuals contributed to helping the students accept their own vulnerability and the wounds that they carry as well as to open their eyes to see the wounds that others around them carry. The students were also opened to understanding the female’s perception of life in particular workshops provided as well as understanding the strangers in their own class through 3-minute paired interviews in other workshops. The day was an enormous success, thanks to the generosity of the staff and outside members who contributed greatly to our school and to the vitality of the students.

The Term 3 Wollemi/ Montgrove Dads' Night held on  Friday 15 September was well attended despite the Basketball Semis being held on the same night. It was an opportunity for dads to catch up and meet new dads while enjoying Texan-style cuisine courtesy of Fabian Abacum.

The Montrgove/ Wollemi Mums'  Night went really well, the mums had great food, did 3 games, sang and danced. It was a jam-packed 2 hours!! A big thank you to the Montgrove Formation Team and Wollemi/Montgrove mums;  Cat Abacum ( Yr 4, Yr 11) and Mel Japon ( Yr5) for organising the night. We look forward to another fun night soon.

Congratulations to the following families on their latest additions: 

• Rozet and Sebastian Roi on the birth of Anthony Pio, brother to Joseph 3G.
• Lauren and Luke Dominici (Secondary Teacher) on the birth of their baby boy, Thomas. 
• Mary and Anthony Powell on the birth of a baby boy, brother to Jacob in 2G.

Please pray for our sick Wollemi family and friends:

Alex Borg, grandfather to Nicholas Cassar (6B).  Joanne Pang, mother to Ian Chia in 4G; Margaret Miles, grandmother to Marissa and Vince Zinghini, great-grandmother to Anthony in 5B; Maria Mendoza, mother to  Noah in 7B; Joseph Valladores, father to Jose in 7B; Fr Andrew Fornal, Parish Priest of St Joseph's Kingswood; Benjie Santiago, father to Aryel (Class of 2020); Emmanuel Hanna, brother to George (6B) Victor Sciberras, father to Marianne and Carmel Spiteri, grandfather to Justin in Year 7B; Louise Varas, mother to Sebastian in 3B;  Mariano Valladores, father to Ela and Will O'Neill,  grandfather to Michael in 9B and John-Paul in 4B;  Amelia Acasio,  grandmother to Peyton (7B) and Angelo (5G);

Please pray for the soul of the recently deceased and the family left behind:

Jun Ravalo; father to Mildred and Anton Yap; grandfather to Andrei in 10 B and Josef in 7G; Alexander Federigan; uncle to Ian Ison (Secondary teacher), great uncle to Lucas Ison 10G; Fr Carl Ashton PP, parish priest of Sacred Heart Mount Druitt, friend and supporter of Wollemi College; Wilson Filamor, father to Joel and Charisse Filamor, grandfather to  Lorenzo 11B; Michel Chaghouri, father to Joseph and Cristina, grandfather to Elias in 5B; Phillip Yassa, uncle to Shukr and Sara, great uncle to Luke in 9G; Antoine  Nohra, father to Alain and  Lisa Nohra, grandfather to Giovany in Year 12 and Mathew in 10G; Josip Blazevic, father to John and Julie Blazevic, (John Paul 2011, Daniel 2017) Viktor and Alison Blazevic (Josip 2013, Raphael 2015, Dominic, 2017 and Gabriel 2020) and Paulina and Renzo Trivarelli (Adrian 2013, Alex 2015, Luke 2017, Marcus 2020 and Michael Leaver 2021); Adele Doko, mother to Herg Christine Lay, grandmother to Jonathan in 4B and Joseph in 2B;  John Russell, grandfather to Emily and Anthony Di Natale, great grandfather to Joseph in 3G; Benilda Castro, grandmother to Jose and Christine Besa, great grandmother to Lucas in 4G; Chun Seng Chia, father to Chin and Jo, grandfather to Ian in 4G.

_{If you would like to add any intentions to the Prayer Board, please send them to newsletter@wollemi.nsw.edu.au.  Kindly notify newsletter@wollemi.nsw.edu.au when your intentions can be removed.} 

The school gates will be opened at 8:15 am and students are not allowed onto the school premises before this time unless there are co-curricular commitments. If you are dropping your child/ren off before 8.15 am, please remind them that they are to stay outside the gates until it is opened. 

A reminder that when collecting your child/ren parents can either:

• Park their car in the outside car park and walk into the school/pedestrian gate to pick up their child
• Use the car line process where your child will come to the car. 

To help with the flow of the carline and traffic in the area we kindly ask that: 

• If you are using the car line, we ask parents to not exit the car.
• Please collect your child/children from 3.25 pm and 3.45 pm when Teacher supervision ends.
•  Reminder parents NOT to park along Gipps Rd in the afternoon as it causes congestion and risks the safety of our students.

ABSENCES

If your child is absent from school an Engage absence form must be completed first thing in the morning. It is a legal requirement to provide an absence note no more than 7 days after the last day of the absence.  Absences will remain as unexplained absences if a note is not received or is received more than 7 days after the last day of the absence.

Instructions on how to complete an absence form can be found below. 

How to Complete an Absence Form on Engage

Please find below some simple instructions on how to complete an absence form. 

• Select the heading Daybook and select "Pupil Daybook"
• Click on "add new entry"
• If your child is COVID positive or a close contact select: "01b Covid POSITIVE or ISOLATION Status" from the drop-down menu
• If your child is absent for any other reason, arriving late or leaving early please select: "01 Absent, Late or Early Departure Note" from the drop-down menu 
• Then click on the "add new entry" button to the right. It will bring up the form for you to complete
• Select which of your children is away in the left column and press the -> arrow button in the middle, so that the selected name goes from the left column to the right. If you select the double arrow it will move all your children's names to the right column if you need to do an absence form for all of them for the same reason. 
• Once you have completed the form make sure that you click "save and close" at the bottom of the page when completed (not "save") 
• You also have the ability to upload a doctor's certificate, if applicable.

Click on the links below to complete the relevant forms in Engage.  You will find these links under Announcements on the top right-hand side of this newsletter. 

● To update your contact details

● Submit an Absentee Form

● Submit an Extended Leave Form(for holidays, weddings, etc.)

● Submit an Exemption From School Form (for external activities, medical appointments, funerals etc.)

For more information on using the Engage Parent Portal please go to our Parent Portal Resource Site

Wollemi College competed in the Year 5/6 Hills Zone Basketball Gala Day last Thursday. 

Wollemi went through the day undefeated, winning all 6 of our games, including a close contest against our Redfield brothers! 

Wollemi defeated Hills Grammar in the final 34-12 to cap off a fantastic day for our boys! Well done gentlemen!

A special thanks to Super Coach, Mr Berryman for organising and coaching the side and to Conor Warda and Ian Catenza (Year 10) for assisting with refereeing and scoring. 

 Adam Bayliss, Sportsmaster

--------------------------

On Thursday 14th of September ten boys from Years 5 and 6 with Mr. Berryman, our coach, Left at 7:30 on a bus to go to Castle Hill Basketball Center to represent Wollemi at a Gala day. We were all very excited and couldn’t wait till our first game. But it came a lot later than we expected since we had a bye first up. We sat on the sideline and watched some of the other teams play. When the game finished we were on. We were playing Rouse Hill first. We all played hard and came out with a win.

Our next game was in fifteen minutes against our biggest rivals. Redfield. Redfield had won their first game 63-8, an absolute blowout, but we were ready. Both teams played hard in the first half, and at halftime, it was 18-16 our way. The volunteer Redfield ref wasn’t helping us at all since his calls were completely biased, unfair and just wrong in every way. We were frustrated and it showed. Wollemi was going hard till the end and without Aj Orlandres’ amazing shooting we would have lost but we came out with another win 31-27. We were pumped that we got our revenge for losing against them in the Pared Cup. We now thought that we had a pretty good shot at the finals since Redfield was one of the best teams.

Our third game was against Norwest Christian College. Again we played hard and again we won 56-18. Most of us were getting tied since there were 30-minute games with only an eight-minute break between each game. Our fourth game was against Arden which we won. We were undefeated and had made it to the semi-finals! Our first semi-final game was against Northholm Grammar. When we were resting and getting ready for the game their coach came over and said that their best player had been concussed and was going to the hospital so go easy on us and don’t make it too big a win. We then knew we were going into the grand final.

We beat the other team by about twenty points and made it to the grand final. Meanwhile, Redfield(the other semi-finalists) was playing Hills Grammar and lost. The grand final was Wollemi vs. Hills Grammar. I would have liked to type out a dramatic ending but we comfortably won the grand final 34-12! After going through the handshake line we were awarded our medals. It was an amazing feeling and everyone had a great time playing basketball. After the game we still had about an hour till the bus came so we had some food and then played 3v3s. The bus then came and took us back to Wollemi at four o’clock. We were all tired after the long day and were ready to get back home and tell our family about our day. 

Jesse Jordan, Year 6

Congratulations to the Wollemi basketball community for another awesome season. We have a lot of first-time events that happened this season; 23 Wollemi teams in total this season 12 Wollemi teams made it to the Semifinal round; 7 teams that made it to the Finals; first time for Wollemi to have 3 Division 1 teams (U10, U12 & U14); first time for the Wollemi team that made it to the Division 1 semifinals (U14 Warriors); and first time to take home the prestigious Hillzone Sports Association Basketball Championship (composed of Year 6 and Year 5 players). It was indeed a big achievement for the Wollemi Basketball community, making so much noise and positive attention in the Penrith Basketball community.

We have two matches where both Wollemi teams will compete for the championship, that means the Wollemi community will be rocking the stadium once again.

U18 Div 3 - Wollemi Wildcats (No.1) vs Wollemi Warlocks (No. 2)

Game Time: FRI 22/9 8:00 PM - Court 2 - Penrith Stadium

U10 Div 2 - Wollemi Wanderers (No. 1) vs Wollemi Warlocks (No. 2)

Game Time: SAT 23 /9 11:45 AM - Court 3 - Penrith Stadium

Also, other exciting games for Wollemi teams that will compete in the Finals:

U12 Div 2 - Wollemi Wildcats vs Glenmore Park Purple Thunder

Game Time: SAT 23/9 12:45 PM - Court 2 - Penrith Stadium

U14 Div 4 - Wollemi Wildcats vs Glenmore Park Purple Mavericks

Game Time: SAT 23/9 3:00 PM - Court 2 - Penrith Stadium

To the Wollemi College Community,

As a result of a recent review, some minor adjustments are required to the retail prices of the Wollemi College uniforms and accessories range. This is the first review of retail price that Midford has made in the last 2 years.

Over the last 2 years, Midford has mostly sheltered our retail partners and customers from price increases by absorbing fluctuating exchange rate costs.

Unfortunately, over the past year, our supply chain has been affected dramatically by COVID and currency fluctuations. The costs have increased so sharply now that we are forced to raise our prices, the whole supply chain is affected by the cost of materials, manufacturing, labour as well as transportation. Therefore, we are left with no option but to pass on some of the increases to our partners and customers. This is a decision that was not made lightly and is necessary for Midford to remain competitive and at the forefront of school wear innovation and supply.

A total of 16 items require a price increase, based on the manufacturing costs. On many items, there is no change in price. These price increases will take effect from the 1st of September 2023.

It is Midford’s commitment to continue to plan our business in a way that provides high-quality clothing at a price that offers great value for money to our customers. We will continually monitor our supply chain for future benefits in terms of cost to our customers. I would like to take this opportunity to thank Wollemi College for your continued support of Midford and we look forward to providing quality schoolwear and service to the school community in the future.

Olivia Bloxham, Retail Operations Manager

Wollemi College Fitting Range will open in September for Appointments Only.

Please Note: This is for Fittings & Try On Service Only. No sales or orders will be placed onsite - all orders will be placed online only.

All families are able to make their own uniform fitting appointments through our online appointment system by using the below link.

https://midford.as.me/WollemiCollege

Opening Hours by Appointment Only:

Tuesday 26th September 9:00 am – 3:00 pm

Email: wollemi@midford.com.au Website: https://www.midford.com.au/school-shops-online     school passphrase: Wollemi1999

P: 02 8857 4959   E: wollemi@midford.com.au

Ordering online couldn’t be simpler.

1. Go to https://www.midford.com.au/school-shops-online  

2. Select Wollemi College from the online School Shops tab.

3. New users to click the ‘Register New Account’ button.

4. Start the registration process by selecting Wollemi College from the drop-down menu and add the

unique school pass phrase - Wollemi unique passphrase: Wollemi1999

5. Add your personal information, and create a username and password.

6. Order the items you need, select pick up from the school, or option of home delivery.

As we near the end of term 3, Mr. Berryman and I (Mr. Uyeda) are excited to announce our term 3 Wollemi Primary Sports Camp.  

When: Monday 25th - Wednesday, 27th September

Start Time: 9:00 am

Pickup Time: 3:00 pm

Cost: $100 for all 3 days or $40 per day

If you or anybody you know are interested in signing up, please click the link below:

Sign Up Here

We are still in the process of finalizing the schedule, and it will be very soon. If you have any questions regarding the sports camp, please feel free to contact Mr. Uyeda or Mr. Berryman @ dustin.uyeda@wollemi.nsw.edu.au   or jacob.berryman@wollemi.nsw.edu.au

We are seeking an experienced Enrolments Administrator to commence in a full-time permanent role, primarily based at our head office in Dural. This role is full-time (calendar year) and will be focused on enrolments for Redfield and Tangara.

If you are interested or know anyone suitable for this role, please ask them to apply via SEEK using this link - Enrolments Administrator 

Click on the image below to view details about the Holy Land Pilgrimage in May, 2024.

RSVP to: parentformationteam@montgrove.nsw.edu.au