Finishing Well

This has been the theme of Term 4, and as we get closer to the end, the focus must intensify. In the academic front, our brand new Year 12s are facing their first assessments of their HSC race; the Year 10s finished their End of Year exams last week and the Years 7s to 9s are preparing for their own Exam Week coming up next week. Academic routines, including in Primary, must not give way to end-of-year fatigue.

After this more intense academic period, we will turn our attention to ‘finishing well’ with a focus on gratitude: to our teachers, mentors, classmates and you, our wonderful parents. Where would each of us be without so many around us supporting us, guiding us and helping us at every step? Gratitude is a virtue often neglected today, and nothing is as unattractive and harmful in the long term as a false sense of entitlement. The strong spiritual theme of Advent with which we prepare for the upcoming Christmas Season should help us ‘finish well’ in this regard too; with gratitude to God first and foremost.  

Showcasing Wollemi

Over the last fortnight, we have had successive functions in which Wollemi has been ‘on display’. First, with a very successful Open Day with more than 100 attendees from around 55 families. It has resulted in 17 applications for new enrolments. As you know, a number of our cohorts now have a waiting list and, since the best way to grow our school is through relatives and friends, I encourage our current families to spread the word now, before we are completely full!

Last Friday we had our Primary Orientation Day. It is always a great pleasure to welcome our new students for next year, and their parents. Our Primary boys did a wonderful job showing the Year 1 boys from Montgrove, as well as all the other new enrolments for 2024, what a wonderful school we have. It was a day full of useful information, bright smiles and many meetings of old and new friends. A special thank you to Mr Baxter who, in the absence of Mr Williamson who was in Canberra with the Year 6 class, ran a very successful day with the masterful assistance of Mrs Yap, our Enrolments Officer. 

Finally, on a far smaller scale, a big thank you to our new School Captain, Peter W, and Vice-captain, Noah P, for representing Wollemi at the Remembrance Day Service at St Mary’s RSL last Saturday morning. We had our own whole-school service on Monday morning, but these two boys sacrificed a good part of their weekend to represent the School in paying tribute to those who fought bravely for the freedom we enjoy today. May we use it wisely. Their effort to ‘show up’, as well as their bearing in full winter uniform, painted a wonderful picture of the Wollemi Man we aim to produce.

Around the Grounds

Last weekend we had our final Father & Son Camp of 2023 with Year 5 at Yarramundi. What a wonderful turnout and what a great group of fathers and sons. I left deeply impressed by the wonderful father-son relationships on display, as well as by the commitment of quite a number of teachers who ‘popped in’ at different times throughout the weekend. A big thank you to our Formation team - Mr Johnson, Mr James and Mrs Reid for their wonderful work throughout the year, as well as to all the Class Parents for their enormous help.

Now there is only one more camp left: the Year 10 Service Project in Moruya, on the South Coast. Our students will spend next week engaging in a number of projects in the service of the local Moruya community, which is one of the very best ways to finish a great year.

This week, we also have a whole-school focus on Community Service with our St Vincent de Paul Homeless Appeal. Our boys are being extremely generous in donating articles that will be used to assist people experiencing disadvantage and hardship. Their generosity is much appreciated.

Finally, we look forward to seeing all of you at our Wollemi Creative Arts Night, or WOLCAN for short, this Friday 17 November. From 3:30 pm to 5:00 pm a great range of food stalls will be available for a wonderful family picnic, thanks to the generosity of our wonderful volunteers. There will be a variety of works on display from various departments within the school, highlighting the spectacular achievements of our students. This will be followed from 5:30 pm to 7:30 pm by an amazing array of performances on the stage from students across all year groups from Years 2 – 12. We hope to see you all there. 

James Ramos, Headmaster

November is the month of the Communion of Saints! When we pray the Creed we say it clearly:”I believe in the Communion of Saints”. It connects us with the whole Church in Heaven, Purgatory and on Earth.

How good is to remember that with any prayer that we offer, especially the Mass, we can help the souls in Purgatory to go to Heaven. And we can send spiritual strength to anyone suffering on Earth! We believe it: perhaps because that Heil Mary that we prayed this morning somebody is going to be saved in a hospital or be rescued or find consolation from any kind of distress. If we pray more the World wil be better!!

And don’t forget to pray for the monthly intention of Pope Francis. On these days he is always asking for prayers for the end of the War in Holy Land.

I write this from home, on the back end of my recovery from Influenza A. The reason behind sharing this trivial piece of information is to share, not the flu virus, but continued awareness around preventative measures to avoid this nasty illness. As stated by NSW Health, ‘Flu is mostly spread by droplets made when people with flu cough or sneeze. It can also be spread by touching a surface or object that virus droplets have landed on from an infected person. People with influenza can spread it to others before they are sick as well as while they are sick.’ If we all are aware and adopt preventive measures, this will help prevent the spread at school and at home. Please see some recommended tips below:

• Practice Good Hand Hygiene:

• Wash your hands frequently with soap and water for at least 20 seconds, especially after coughing or sneezing.

• Use hand sanitizers with at least 60% alcohol if soap and water are not readily available.

• Cover Your Mouth and Nose:

• When coughing or sneezing, use a tissue or the inside of your elbow to cover your mouth and nose.

• Dispose of used tissues in a lined trash can immediately.

• Avoid Close Contact:

• Stay at least 1.5 meters (5 feet) away from individuals who are sick.

• If your son is feeling unwell, try to have him stay home to avoid spreading the virus to others.

On a brighter note, without stealing the limelight from our Year 6 reporters, I would like to applaud our amazing Year 6 students for their exemplary behavior and engagement during last week’s three-day camp to Canberra. Nothing makes this Head of Primary happier than hearing such glowing feedback from the various staff and guides our boys worked with over the very busy three days. After every activity, from the top office at Parliament to the cooking staff at our accommodation, I was met with positive feedback about their manners, enthusiasm, positive participation, listening skills, and more. We pride ourselves, as a College, on representing Wollemi with pride and dignity both inside and outside the school walls, and the Year 6 students went above and beyond this call.

A very big thank you to Iain Fraser and Jay Pacquing for their time and effort throughout the camp and I can say with certainty that they both hold similar sentiments regarding the outstanding behaviour of our boys! Lastly, a special thank you to our Year 6  parents for their ongoing support and for raising such well-mannered young men of character.

Last Friday, Mr Luke Baxter and our dedicated staff welcomed the next batch of young Wollemi Primary men at the New Primary Student Orientation. Mr Baxter informed me that the enthusiastic smiles on the faces of involved all were incredibly infectious! Even Mr Uyeda smiled for a second or two! A huge thank you to the staff involved in making the day very special for both new parents and students and I would like to particularly thank Mr Luke Baxter for his time, effort and professionalism in hosting a very successful event. We look forward to welcoming our newest students permanently in 2024! 

Scott Williamson, Head of Primary

And just like that, we’re in week 6 of Term 4. Year 10 have finished their end-of-year examinations just last week, and are set to depart on their service camp next week.  I remember my own experience at last year's Year 10 Service Camp with great fondness – we spent time with the elderly at nursing homes, did community service, tended to gardens and kitchens, and watched movies together. It was a special time for our class, as it allowed us to bond outside of school and grow closer. I believe this was the moment our class really began to know each other better and form strong connections.

For Years 7-9, the pressure is on, with exams just one week away. I encourage you to keep up the hard work and study that you have done throughout this year, it has all been leading up to this last examination, and as always, our thoughts and prayers are with you. For our cohort, Year 12, we begin our first HSC assessments starting today. Now is the time to knuckle down and put in the man hours so that by the end we are satisfied with the marks we get back. You only get out what you put in.

The Year 12 Class of 2023 has completed their HSC with hopes of having done their best, and are now taking a much-needed break. As they take their first steps towards independence, we can look to them for inspiration and reassurance that our own time in school will eventually come to an end. While the daily pressures of school can be overwhelming, let's cherish the knowledge gained and the friendships formed at Wollemi, as we move forward on our unique journeys.

Our school Blitz over the coming weeks is focused upon finishing well. With only four more weeks of school left this year, let us focus on doing just that as we begin our final prep for these last examinations of this year. 

Peter W., School Captain

On the 8th of November at 7:30 year six left Wollemi College and set off on a three hour drive to go to Canberra. We were so excited and could barely stay still in our seats. Our bus driver's name was Peter which then changed to Pete and later on in the camp changed to Uncle Pete. Year six have been on many excursions in their time and this bus driver we had was by far the best.

About halfway through the journey we stopped at a park to have a run around then we got back into the bus and kept going. At about 10:30 we reached the Royal Australian Mint and had recess, then we went inside to have a tour of The Mint. It was a cool and educational tour, and at the end we could have a look around the gift shop if we wanted to buy anything. While we were walking down the gripped and very safe stairs, the one and only Charlie Buhagier managed to find a way to fall down the stairs and sprain his finger while trying to walk like some kind of cartoon character. The second place we went to was the Australian War Memorial. The next place we went to was the Governor General's house. Afterwards Peter took us to our accommodation. We were assigned our roommates and then had dinner which was amazing. We went to bed at 10:00 after we had prayed the Rosary. 

On Monday 13 November, the College community came together to remember the men and women who died in World War I and subsequent armed conflicts. It was a sombre and moving service that began with our School Captain - Peter Wiggins - explaining the meaning of Remembrance Day after which the Australian Flag was lowered to half-mast by our flagbearer Ryan Stead. Noah Pincevic - our School Vice Captain - then recited the poem On Flanders Field by John McCrae (WWI soldier). This was followed by a heartfelt Prayer of Remembrance for the fallen by Father Felix. Elijah Baird (Primary Captain) then explained the origins and meaning of the Ode of Remembrance which was then recited eloquently by Charlie Buhagiar  (Year 6). 

The COLA then echoed with a stirring rendition of The Last Post and then fell into absolute silence at 11 am for one minute in recognition of the exact time of the armistice of World War I. At this time, the teachers and students gave thanks to all of the men and women who have made the ultimate sacrifice in defence of our nation. The silence was broken by The Rouse - which is a short bugle call that was used to call soldiers to their duties - and the raising of the flag back to full mast. The service concluded with the whole school singing, with great vigour and pride, the Australian National Anthem. 

A big thank you to all of our presenters and to Mr Mark Ranftl for his assistance in organising the audio-visual requirements for this service. I commend each Wollemi man for the respect and solemnity they displayed at this service. It was truly splendid to behold.

Lest We Forget. 

Finally up to our Physics topics for the year, the Year 7s have been enjoying their studies of forces. Pictured are some of the experiments they have conducted including investigations into the factors affecting friction, forces involved in collisions, static electricity and making use of the Van der Graaf generator.

As part of Stage 5 Commerce students had the opportunity to test their investment skills through the ASX Schools Sharemarket game. The game provided students with an opportunity to learn about the share market and how it works. Students used $50,000 in virtual cash to buy and sell shares in 300+ companies listed on ASX using live prices in simulating real share market conditions.

Congratulations to the winners for this year: Jass C. (Semester 1) and Anay P. (Semester 2).

Mr Dominici and Mr Garzaniti

What an incredible weekend! This last weekend the Year 5 boys and their Dad’s attended the final father and son camp for the year. Right in our own backyard, Yarramundi hosted us for a weekend full of “funtivities”. Walls were rockclimbed, barrels were pushed, and hoops were sunk.

It was great to see particularly the effort and teamwork involved during the “Alpine Rescue” activity.

A huge thank you to everyone involved, particularly Mr Tuballa and Mr Mojica who helped rally the dads for a great barbecue on Saturday evening.

Also particular thanks to Mr. Will O’Neil, who gave a fantastic presentation to the Dads.

‘Care, Coin and Can’ Wednesday 15 November (Week 6)

With Christmas fast approaching, there will be many in our community who are facing the prospect of a bleak Christmas; especially our homeless. Pope Francis wrote:

“Before pouring out His love for us on the cross, Jesus shares His final wishes. He tells us that the good we do to one of our least brothers and sisters – hungry, thirsty, strangers, in need, sick, imprisoned – we do to Him (Mt 25:37-40)”

With this in mind, our Wollemi SRC has decided to work with the St Vincent de Paul Society to put together ‘snack packs’ to help the homeless or those struggling in our community this Christmas. 

Our SRC needs the help of our Wollemi families with this endeavour, as such they have arranged a number of activities this term to assist in assembling as many snack packs as possible. 

Donation of items: Each class/year group has been allocated a specific item/s to bring into school to contribute to the snack packs. These are listed below:

Primary students are to bring in their donated items to school during Weeks 3 to Week 5 and place them in the boxes in their classrooms. Secondary students are to bring in their items to school on Wednesday 15 November (Week 6). These will be collected on their entry to school by our SRC Representatives. It would be appropriate that older children contribute in some way to the cost of this item so that they may experience the important spirit of giving. The last day for donations of items is Friday 24 November (Week 7). 

It would be very much appreciated if all items donated are of a quality brand name. Due to health regulations, no peanut-based items are permitted and please check the expiry date of the items donated.

Mufti Day and Sale of Cans of Drinks and Zoopa Doopas for Years 2-11 - Wednesday 15 November (Week 6) - On this day, boys are to come to school in casual clothes and are to bring a gold coin donation. Money will be collected as students enter the school gates in the morning.  

SRC will also be selling cans of drink and Zoopa Doopas at lunchtime in the COLA area.  

Can of drinks may be purchased for $2 

Zoopa Doopas for $1

Students wishing to purchase these items are to bring money on the day. There will be no pre-orders available.

Thank you in advance for your generosity and support. Wollemi has a strong tradition of generosity. Last year, we made over 500 care packs for the homeless and raised over $250 towards St Vincent De Paul. I am sure this year will be equally as successful, if not better!

David Vassallo, Deputy Headmaster 

The 2023  WOLCAN Wollemi Creative Arts Night is on this Friday 17 November 2023 (Week 6) under the COLA at Wollemi College, starting at 5.30 pm and running to 7.30 pm.

There will be a variety of works on display from various departments within the school, highlighting the spectacular achievements of our students, as well as several performances on the stage from students across all year groups from Years 2 – 12.

The Music Department would also appreciate letting us know if you intend to attend on the night by completing the form below so appropriate logistics and seating arrangements may be put in place. RSVP Here!

We have organised different Food stalls from 3.30 pm till 5 pm so there will be a selection of dinner options to enjoy before the show!  Cash and or EFTPOS payments are accepted, kindly register your interest on this form for catering purposes.

 I look forward to seeing you there and enjoying the creative talents of our Wollemi students together.

Mark Ranftl, Head of Music

Presentation Night 2023 Tuesday 12 December RSVP latest midday Friday 24 November

Our Annual Presentation Night will be held at Evan Theatre, Penrith Panthers, 123 Mulgoa Road, Penrith on the evening of Tuesday 12 December at 7.30 pm. This is the school's formal conclusion to the academic year and all boys are expected to attend. Whether or not your son will be on the podium, let us foster in him the gracious virtue of applauding the achievements of others.

Please see below, the full details for your son in the lead-up to, and on Presentation Night itself:

1. All students finish school on Tuesday at the normal time of 3.25 pm.

2. All students may wear their sports uniform ( during the day on Tuesday) to allow time to preserve or launder the school uniform for the evening.

3. All students are to wear their full winter uniform as they are on public show and the venue is air-conditioned. Students are expected to be neatly presented and groomed. Senior students should be clean-shaven. We thank you for the efforts you will make to ensure that your sons are impeccably presented on the evening. Our students must all know how to present themselves properly for a formal occasion, a mark of respect and a skill which the boys will often need in future years.

4. Students receiving an award or performing are asked to present themselves to the teacher supervising awards at 6:30 pm to have their names marked off.  

Please pray for our sick Wollemi family and friends:

Mary Powell, Mother of Jacob (2), auntie to Gerard & Gabriel Karam and Michael Roberts (2); Christopher Bonanno, uncle to Jacob Powell (2),  Gerard (10) & Gabriel (8) Karam and Michael Roberts; Jason Japon, father to Zachary (6B),  Luke Japon (3G Teacher); Igor Mileusnic, uncle to Hugo Giles; 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:

Aurea Ingco,  Great Grandmother to Romeo Kottatis 8B, Austin Kottatis 5B; Mariamma Thomas, grandmother to Roshan in 11B and Rahul, (Class of 2023); Wilma Wright, mother to Brett and Alyson Wright (Head of Senior School); Joan Mary Milosev, grandmother to Daniel and Pam Milosev, great-grandmother to Zack in 11G, Max in 9B and Oliver in 4B; Godofredo Verceles,  father to Janet and Rey Esteban, grandfather to Reuven in 8B and Ram in 4B;  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

The Pared Academy is pleased to invite you to 'Pay Cheque with a Purpose', a one-night event with renowned speaker Alexandre Havard at The Concourse, Chatswood on Wednesday, 28 February 2024! He spoke at the 2021 Term 2 KPF, and the feedback was so positive, we're bringing him back!

Click here to book your tickets now!

Alex wants to help you:

• Discover how to break free from the mindset that is dominated by the vision of unfulfilling work
• Learn how to attain a new vision of life and of self, and gain a better understanding of your unique talents
• Build stronger relationships, attain confidence to lead others, and find a greater focus on your purpose and mission

This event is open to the general public but, and seats are already going fast.

Don't miss out - BOOK NOW

Congratulations to Jonathan Joseph and Nicholas Joseph for placing Second in their respective divisions for Australia at the ISKA Martial Arts World Cup.

Both of these gentlemen have represented Australia, their family, their school and themselves exceptionally well. A fantastic achievement! Congratulations!

Wollemi College Fitting Range will open in the January holidays for Appointments Only 

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

Opening Hours by Appointment Only:

Friday 19th January 9:00am – 3:00pm

Wednesday 24th January 9:00am – 3:00pm

Monday 29th January    1:00pm – 4:00pm

Normal Trading Hours resume on Friday 2nd February.

Normal Trading Hours are Friday’s 1pm – 4:30pm Email: wollemi@midford.com.au

Wollemi Holiday Surf Camp for 2023 during the summer holidays will be running on 14 and 15 December.

There is a fee of $150 for 6 Hours of Surf Lessons, BBQ Lunch and Transport. All equipment provided 

As we near the end of term 4, Mr Tu'ipulotu and I (Mr Uyeda) are excited to announce our  Wollemi Primary Summer Sports Camp.  

When: Monday 18th - Wednesday, 20th December

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 Tu'ipulotu.   dustin.uyeda@wollemi.nsw.edu.au or samuel.tuipulotu@wollemi.nsw.edu.au 

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