Welcome to Term 3

We are thankful for what I hope has been a well-deserved break for all our students and staff. The atmosphere here at school is certainly one of renewed energy and readiness for the semester ahead. It is a well-known fact that in schools, the second half of the year is far shorter than the first. Before we know it we will be celebrating what I hope will be the end of a wonderful year.

Term 3 goals

Given the short nature of Term 3, we are encouraging our students to ‘hit the ground running’.  Continuing with a focus on building a Culture of Excellence, for the first time we have reached out to our student leaders in the SRC (Student Representative Council) to nominate areas we should focus on as a school. Their responses make me proud to be the Headmaster to such thoughtful student leaders.

With their input, we have determined three areas of focus:  Academics, Piety and Friendship. During Weeks 2-5 of the term the School Blitz will turn our students' attention to building a culture of Academic Excellence (see poster below). The focus will be on establishing, or re-establishing, solid academic routines both at home and at school. These should include a detailed timetable, forward planning for the tasks ahead and implementing strategies for dealing with distractions, such as technology. I encourage all our parents to carefully read their son’s Semester 1 Academic Report and to work in partnership with him and his mentor to establish a clear and ambitious set of academic goals moving forward. 

NAPLAN 2023

The School has recently received the individual NAPLAN results for students in Years 3, 5, 7 and 9. These will soon be sent home, as well as digital versions through the parent portal. As you might have read, there have been some changes in the way results are reported. Whilst not entirely different, I do encourage those parents to take their time familiarising themselves with the new proficiency standards. More information is available here.

Comparative data will be available for schools later in the term. I will be reporting in detail once this information becomes available. An initial analysis of results, however,  indicates that our students have, once again, performed really well. In fact, 86% or all results fall in either the Strong or Exceeding (expectations) categories. Results are also very consistent across the different examinations, as well as among the different cohorts. I would make a special mention of Year 7, where 90% of all exam results are in either of the top two bands.

Around the grounds

On Monday we wished safe travels to the World Youth Day group. Led by Mr Johnson and Father Felix, they will join students from Redfield, Wollemi Old Boys and other participants from Melbourne and New Zealand. We pray for a safe journey and great personal and spiritual growth for all of them. As Father Felix is fond of saying “We will all attend virtually” with our prayers and our attention to the Pope’s message. 

On the academic front, it will be a busy term. The Year 12 students are gearing up for their HSC Trials starting in Week 5. Please make a copy of the Year 12 Community Prayer available in the Noticeboard section below and keep these young men in your daily prayers. Primary students will be allocated a Year 12 student (see prayer card sample below) who they can pray for during the course of the upcoming Trials and HSC in October, a wonderful initiative to support our graduating Class of 2023. 

Year 11 students are likewise preparing for their end-of-year exams in Week 7. Finally, the subject selection process for Years 9, 10 and 11 for 2024 is underway. Information regarding the subject selection process has already been shared with parents from these respective year groups. We will have a Year 11 2024 Subject Selection Night on next Tuesday 1 August. I hope there will be a lot of ‘deep and meaningful’ conversations between parents, mentors and Year 9, 10 and Year 11 2024 students in the coming weeks, and that they will lead to thoughtful and ambitious subject choices. 

James Ramos, Headmaster

On Sunday 23 Pope Francis sent us this message in his homily, celebrating the World Day for Grandparents and the Elderly: “Brothers and sisters, let us not forget our grandparents or the elderly, for so often we have been lifted up, gotten back on track, felt loved and been healed within, all by a caress of theirs. They have made sacrifices for us, and we cannot let them drop down the list of our priorities. Let us grow together, let us go forward together. May the Lord bless our journey!”.

And, to get ready for World Youth Day in Lisbon, the Pope has been reminding all the young people to take care of the elderly: "To you, young people, who are preparing to go to Lisbon or who will live World Youth Day in your places of origin, I would like to say: before you are on your way, go find your grandparents, pay a visit to an old man who is alone. Your prayer will protect you and you will carry in your heart the blessing of that meeting. I ask you elders to accompany with prayer the young people who are going to celebrate WYD. These boys are God's response to his requests, the fruit of what they sowed, the sign that God does not abandon his people, but always rejuvenates them with the fantasy of the Holy Spirit".

I am on my way to Lisbon with a group of Wollemi students and alumni, after a long pilgrimage through the Shrines of Our Lady and cities linked with the life of St Josemaria and other saints. We will participate in World Youth Day on behalf of all the students and young families of Wollemi!! 

Pray for all the fruits of this big event in the World and in the Church!

I hope you and your family have adjusted well to the beginning of a new semester. With a long break behind us, our Wollemi Primary boys are kicking into gear and have made a terrific start.

This term, we are initiating a Time Out Room during the lunch break. As a school community, we understand that fostering a supportive and disciplined environment is crucial for our students' growth and development. The Time Out Room serves as a proactive approach to help boys understand the consequences of their choices while providing them with an opportunity for self-reflection and personal growth. This space aims to empower our young boys to make positive choices, take responsibility for their actions, and become exemplary school citizens.

I hope everyone had a well-deserved break, and is starting off the new term refreshed and productive. Personally, I’ve always found transitioning into Term 3 quite contradictory. On one hand, it is the inevitable end to a 3-week break. But even then, at the beginning of the second half of the year, along with receiving report cards, you can make quite a motivating start.

As the school gates swing open once more, it’s an opportune moment to reflect on the first semester. Take a moment to revisit the goals you set at the beginning of the year or perhaps re-evaluate them in light of your recent report card. This self-assessment is a chance to recognise your achievements and identify areas where improvements can be made.

If your report grades were not up to the stars you wished to achieve, don’t be disheartened. These first couple of weeks are the perfect time to make the necessary adjustments and set yourself up for success. Consider talking with your mentor about strategies.

One effective way to get back into the swing of things is by creating a timetable study schedule. Organising your time efficiently will not only help you cover all subjects adequately but also provide a sense of structure that can reduce stress and anxiety. Stick to your timetable as much as possible, but remember to be flexible when unexpected challenges arise.

Additionally, don’t hesitate to ask your teachers for help. Teachers are there to support you and are more than willing to clarify concepts and answer questions. Receiving feedback from teachers is an effective way to make sound progress in the right direction

Of course, with the new term, don’t only pursue academics but also other extracurricular activities or hobbies you may have. Make sure to maintain balance, and don’t overwhelm yourself. Remember to create or enjoy your friendships whether it may be studying together or playing sports.

Beginning my final term of high school, it is quite fascinating how quickly time passes. How quickly my 10 year journey in Wollemi is approaching its grand finale.

Don’t waste your time. Enjoy every second of your journey.

Sourav S., Vice Captain

Last term, Year 6 read a book called ‘The Sinking of the Bismarck’. It was about a World War 2 German Battleship called The Bismarck that was 50,000 tonnes heavy, 250m long, and equipped with eight 15-inch guns. It was the biggest ship at that time. We finished the book and Year 6 were then given an assignment where we had to construct, out of recycled materials, a replica of the Bismarck or the British Swordfish plane that sank the German ship.

We were all pumped because some of us saw our older brothers make Bismarcks or Swordfish planes before us and couldn’t wait to do it ourselves. We were allowed to use up to $10 to buy materials that we needed from the shops such as paint, spray paint or glue. However, most of it had to be constructed using repurposed or recycled materials. We could also get help from our parents or siblings. Mr Fraser said that it was a great way to spend quality time with our family while doing an assignment, but he wanted us to do most of the work.

So the weeks passed and the class got right into it, designing the ship or plane that we were going to make and collecting recycled materials that we thought would be useful. Most of the class were worried about other assessments that were due in week six but in the end, we managed to get our replicas done. The Bismarck and Swordfish replicas ended up being really well done. There were some standouts and lots of creative ideas for materials such as can lids, bottle caps, wood and solid sandstone. All in all it was a great effort from all of the class. Great job on the assignment for Year 6!

Jesse Jordan

 The School community is invited to pray for our young men as they prepare for their trials in the next few weeks 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

In the last week of Term 2, the Biology boys attended an excursion at the Museum of Human Diseases located at the University of New South Wales. The experience was very informative and helpful in preparing the class for the HSC as we gained both first-hand observations on the diseases we have studied in class and advice on how to approach questions surrounding them. After the museum we had lunch at the campus, giving us insight into the unique lifestyle of the university. We also ventured into some of the empty lecture halls. Unfortunately, we don’t have any photos at the museum due to privacy policies.

Dean W. Year 12

Year 7 Science Honours students compete in the RACI Crystal Growing Competition each year. This year, our students each grew a crystal during Term 2, sacrificing a couple of lunchtimes each week. While we did end up sending some impressive crystals to RACI, we hit many bumps in the road including dissolving ideal crystals and running out of saturated solution (a vital component of the process). We will find out how we went relative to the rest of the country in December.

To conclude their study of mixtures, Year 7 completed one of my favourite experiments, the separation of a mixture of solids. This experiment requires students to separate a mixture of sand, salt, iron filings and corn kernels into individual components using the lab, their choice of equipment and the knowledge they have gained from content covered in our theory lessons. The reason why it is one of my favourite experiments is that this is one of the few practicals where students are not given a procedure to follow, instead, they are required to work in teams to plan and conduct their own method. 

Congratulations to Joseph Gaid (Year 11) who was presented with the Wollemi Man Award at our Secondary Assembly in Week 6 of Term 1.

Joseph was awarded this accolade for the strong academic commitment and compassion to others he has demonstrated. Joseph has commenced his senior academic studies well showing great diligence and engagement in all of his classes. He consistently improves the tone within his classroom by taking a leading role in class discussions and is willing to assist his fellow students whenever they need help. Joseph has also shown great compassion for others beyond the classroom and school setting. He played a key role in our ‘Backpacks for Homelessness’ Appeal at the end of last year - not only helping to organise and run the event at school but being instrumental in reaching out to the wider community for their support and donations. 

Congratulations once again to Joseph. Joseph will receive a Certificate of Recognition,
25 House Points for his House and a $20 gift voucher courtesy of Caddens Woolworths. 

Congratulations once again Joseph.

We are delighted to inform you of the Term 3 Key Parent Function, which is for all Wollemi and Montgrove parents (K-12). The PARED Academy has invited an esteemed international guest speaker to address the parents in our school community, and we warmly invite you to join us for this transformative session taking place on Tuesday 25th July at the Montgrove College COLA (7 pm Registration, for a 7:30 pm start).

Parenting in the 21st century has become an extreme sport and calls for new kinds of agility when it comes to helping your children build the strength of character and confidence in what matters most. It is with great pleasure that we present our speaker, Dr. Karen E. Bohlin, director of the Practical Wisdom Project at the Abigail Adams Institute in Cambridge, and a Research Affiliate at the Human Flourishing Program at Harvard University. An international leader in character education and applied virtue ethics, she draws on three decades of teaching and leadership experience at both the secondary and university level. A highly sought-after speaker and consultant, she has addressed thousands of parents, educators and leaders on what it means to help young people thrive and flourish.

In her presentation ‘Parenting without Losing Your Mind: A compass to navigate with joy and purpose’, Karen will elaborate on the principles, strategies and practical wisdom parents can use to embrace the occasions for growth in the myriad of challenges they navigate each day. We hope that you gain valuable insights through this experience.

To register your interest, kindly complete the form here

Amidst the busy Term 3 calendar, one event stands out like a shining gem - our highly anticipated Book Week celebrations. This year, we have an exciting program of activities occurring in Primary, including author visits, creative projects and guest readers in our Year 2 classrooms. 

The highlight of the event will be our annual Character Costume Parade and Family Picnic. Our Year 2 & 3 students will transform into beloved characters from their favourite books, gracing the stage with their charm and eloquence in brief presentations.

All Year 2 & 3 parents, grandparents and families are invited to join us for the festivities on Friday, 18 August from 11:30am. More details will be communicated in the coming weeks.

During library visits this week, I have encouraged all students to speak to their parents regarding their costumes as soon as possible. 

We hope you can join us.

Justin Lockley, Librarian and Luke Baxter, Deputy of Primary

School photographs are scheduled to be taken by Advancedlife Photography on Wednesday 26 July 2023 (Term 3, Week 2), with Monday 7 August 2023 (Term 3, Week 4) used for a catch-up day. 

Ordering Photos 

Orders for packages and sibling photographs can be placed securely online at www.advancedlife.com.au using our school’s unique 9-digit Advanced order code below: 

 RB3 AKJ 8B2

Portrait and group package orders can be made up to Tuesday 1 August 2023 (one week after the catch-up day). Orders made up after this date will incur a reorder fee due to the additional cost of producing these packages separately. This fee cannot be waived.

Should you wish to purchase a sibling photograph online, please note the orders will close at 11:59 pm on Tuesday 25 July. Sibling photographs will only be taken if an order has been placed.

To reduce administration and potential security issues related to the return of cash and envelopes on photo day we prefer you order online. However, if you are unable to order online, you may collect an ordering envelope from the Front Office to use to purchase your son(s) school photos. 

Please Note:

Online orders - do not require an ordering envelope returned to your school

Full details about how to order your school photos can be found on the attached flyer. 

Should you have any queries concerning school photographs or online ordering, please direct them via email to enquiries@advancedlife.com.au

Uniform on Photo Day

Students on School Photo Day are to wear their full winter uniform. Please ensure the following:

Looking forward to a great photo day

David Vassallo, Deputy Headmaster   

Every year, all schools in Australia participate in the Nationally Consistent Collection of Data on School Students with Disability (NCCD). The NCCD process requires schools to identify information already available in the school about supports provided to students with disability. These relate to legislative requirements under the Disability Discrimination Act 1992 and the Disability Standards for Education 2005, in line with the NCCD guidelines (2019).

Information provided about students to the Australian Government for the NCCD includes:

• year of schooling
• category of disability: physical, cognitive, sensory or social/emotional
• level of adjustment provided: support provided within quality differentiated teaching practice, supplementary, substantial or extensive.

This information assists schools to:

• formally recognise the supports and adjustments provided to students with disability in schools
• consider how they can strengthen the support of students with disability in schools
• develop shared practices so that they can review their learning programs in order to improve educational outcomes for students with disability.

The NCCD provides state and federal governments with the information they need to plan more broadly for the support of students with disability.

The NCCD will have no direct impact on your child and your child will not be involved in any testing process. The school will provide data to the Australian Government in such a way that no individual student will be able to be identified – the privacy and confidentiality of all students is ensured. All information is protected by privacy laws that regulate the collection, storage and disclosure of personal information.

If you have any questions or would like any further information about the 2023 NCCD, please contact Luke Baxter (Diverse Learning Coordinator) lukebaxter@wollemi.nsw.edu.au

 Luke Baxter, Diverse  Learning Coordinator

Please pray for our sick Wollemi family and friends:

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); John Cassar, grandfather to Nicholas Cassar (6B).

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

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

Fitting Service has resumed in Term 3. Normal Trading Hours are Fridays from 1 pm to 4:30 pm

Please Note: This is for Fittings & Try On Service Only. No sales or orders will be placed on-site - 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

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.

Children’s Sacraments 2023

Confirmation: Sunday 12th November 10:00AM

Sessions:     30th July (Registration& 1st Session); 6th, 13th, 20th, 27th August;

3rd, 10th,17th, 24th September; 8th, 15th 22nd, 29th October;

5th November (Rehearsal)

Eligibility:

Children who are in Year 6 and above, received the Sacrament of Baptism, Reconciliation & First Holy Communion are eligible to be enrolled in the Sacrament of Confirmation.

Please bring a copy of your Baptism & First Holy Communion Certificate at registration.

All Sessions are compulsory and are to be attended by the child accompanied by their parent/guardian.

Sessions are held on Sunday after 10:00am Mass (around 11:30am) in the parish hall. If you cannot attend a session; please inform Father and he will schedule a make-up session.

Further information and details will be provided at registration. For any additional information please call the Parish office on 4721 4080 or email parish@stjosephskingswood.org or kingswood@parracatholic.org