Happy Easter! This past weekend we have had a chance to pray and reflect on our values of charity, compassion, humility and unity.  I hope this season serves as a reminder of the strength that we find in one another.

In preparation for this season of Easter, we now celebrate, we have seen amazing examples of generosity. I was particularly touched by the many boys who joined in the devotion of the Stations of the Cross during lunch on each Friday of Lent, and I am thankful to our Year 12 leaders for that initiative. On Holy Thursday, instead of Mass we offered students the opportunity to pray the Stations of the Cross. I was much moved to find that we had virtually no more room in the Chapel, given the number of attendees. I am equally hopeful that our students, and families, will remember what it was we were preparing for during Lent, and that this will prompt not just a great finish to this first term but a lasting impact throughout the year.

Last week, we held our Year 12 Dux Assembly where we recognised the top academic performance of the previous year. We were delighted to present this award to Alexander Woolnough. We are grateful for the opportunity to celebrate his academic leadership throughout the years and to congratulate him on his outstanding results in the HSC. We are excited to see where this young man will go. We were equally delighted to present two Application awards to Hayden McLaughlin and Matthew Rubbo, also from the graduating class of 2023. These three young men are great role models for our students and we thank them, and their parents, for joining us for this occasion.

On Friday 22 March we celebrated Harmony Day, a celebration that brings together Australians from all different backgrounds. It was all about inclusiveness, respect, and a sense of belonging for everyone no matter where they are from, which is at the core of our values as a school. It was also about sharing incredible food, which was a definite plus. Many thanks to Mr Quan and all the Primary staff for their effort.

I’m looking forward to catching up with many of our dads at the first Dad’s Night of 2024, which will take place at Wollemi on Friday 5 April from 6 pm. I also encourage you to watch the Basketball Finals this Friday and Saturday to support our Wollemi teams that have made it.  

Lastly, please save the date, our 25th Anniversary Gala Dinner will be on Friday 2 August, more details to come.

James Ramos, Headmaster

Happy Easter! 

Following the Easter Sunday Mass, Pope Francis delivered his Easter message and blessing "To the City and the World", “Urbi et Orbi”, praying especially for the Holy Land, Ukraine, Myanmar, Syria, Lebanon, and Africa, as well as for victims of human trafficking, unborn children, and all experiencing hard times.

Let’s pray for the intentions of the Holy Father: he is reminding us to look up to Jesus and “ask that the power of the Resurrection may roll away the heavy stones that weigh down our souls”.

 Fr Felix, Chaplain

What matters to you?

This is a question we have asked every Wollemi Primary student over the past few weeks. We have asked them to consider what aspects of life they value and what truly matters to them. Their responses have varied from faith, sports, family, multiculturalism and education, painting a strong picture about what Wollemi students value the most. 

This question has also formed the basis of a writing piece that each student will be producing. The best quality pieces of writing (chosen by a panel of primary teachers) will be entered into the ‘What Matters?’ Writing Competition. This competition is run by the Whitlam Institute (Western Sydney University) and is in its 20th year. We look forward to seeing some outstanding pieces of writing. 

Sports Camp 2024

Please keep a look out for Wollemi College sports camp information coming out this week. Mr Berryman and Mr Tu’ipulotu have planned an exciting 3 days for the boys. I encourage you to register your son. It is a great opportunity for students to engage with their peers and participate in a number of fantastic sports activities.

Triathlon 2024

We wish our Wollemi Primary Triathletes (40+ of them) the very best of luck as they compete in the Hills Zone Triathlon Competition on Thursday. It has been amazing to see the huge number of participants interested in this event. A real testament to the “can do” attitude of boys here at Wollemi. 

Parent Teacher Interviews

Parent-teacher interviews will be held on Monday 29 April (Day 1 of Term 2). More information will be sent out regarding the logistics of these sessions in the coming days. In preparation for your meeting with your son's class teacher please consider the following:

• Ask your son what areas in which he has performed well and what areas need improvement.

• Have some goals in mind for your son.

• Come prepared with questions or concerns.

• Ask your son if there is anything you want us to tell your teacher about. 

This will help you come prepared for your session and can provide some valuable insights into your son’s life at Wollemi.

Mr Luke Baxter, Head of Primary

Sometimes we wait for ideal conditions to do the right thing. I’m glad that last Thursday was not one of those moments. Two weeks prior, I was asked to be one of the 12 people who would get their feet washed at the Holy Thursday Mass. I’m not going to lie or at least artfully prevaricate as to my thoughts in the moment. After all, I have just left the confessional and I kinda want my confession to stick for at least a week!

One glance at my feet and I was in agreement with Peter when he exclaimed to Jesus, “You will never wash my feet”. Granted, Peter was coming from a different perspective, while I was just thinking of my cracked toenails and calluses. Considering our priest could only find four willing participants up until this moment, I knew I was not alone in this sentiment. The situation was far from comfortable. Actually, I felt awkward and dare I say, vulnerable. I would be exposing my calluses and dry skin for all the world to see.

BUT, I said yes! In preparation for the big day, I enlisted the help of my mum who plied me with a variety of remedies, from white vinegar and a pumice stone to hyaluronic acid, salicylic acid and shea butter. It worked...sort of! I think everyone else had the same idea. On the day, everyone’s feet were pre-washed, some even pedicured. How shocking would it be if our feet were as dirty as those of the real apostles, emitting odours of various kinds, the bowl of pristine water blackened by grime.

Yet, here I was coming forward to have my feet washed reluctantly as if it was something to endure rather than be honoured by. As Fr Michael washed my feet, I saw this profoundly counter-cultural, shockingly intimate, utterly awkward act for what it is, a sacramental reminder of the depth of God’s love for this world- a love so extravagant that a King took off his robe, knelt down and washed his friend’s feet.

PS- As a result of the generous contributions towards Project Compassion (especially Araluen), two teachers will soon be getting more than just their feet washed!

 Noah P., Vice Captain

This past 21st of March, all the Year 3 students at Wollemi had a wonderful Pasta Day organised by Mr Spagna, the Year 3 Class Parents and many other Year 3 mums, dads and a grandmother who volunteered to help make pasta and three different pasta sauces. It was a very beautiful and fun day! 

We learnt about safety in the kitchen and many things about the Italian culture, language and food, including:

- Different shapes and sizes of pasta,

- How to make pasta, bolognese sauce, boscaiola sauce,

- Italian geography and main cities.

My favourite part was to drink the delicious homemade lemonade!

A big thank-you to Mr Spagna, our classroom teachers and all the many parents and Tobias'  grandmother who worked very hard to make Pasta Day such a memorable experience for everyone!

Matt Lanzarini, 3B

Happy reading,

Justin Lockley

Next term, we are introducing 'Code Camp', an afternoon activity on school grounds focused on STEAM. Students will have the opportunity to solve problems, create, and code games while learning how to program. 'Code Camp' collaborates with numerous schools across the country and comes highly recommended. For more information and registration, please refer to the attached flyer.

Harmony Week is a celebration that recognises our diversity and brings together Australians from all different backgrounds. It’s about inclusiveness, respect, and a sense of belonging for everyone. Wollemi College Primary celebrated this throughout Week 8, culminating in a Harmony Day class picnic and an afternoon of cultural activities on Friday the 22nd of March.

Throughout the week, students participated in activities that recognised the many different cultural backgrounds that make up our school. Year 5 students worked hand in hand with a buddy in Year 2 to explore a story from the First Australians and created a small nature artwork to go with it. Year 3 came together on Thursday to celebrate an Italian Pasta Day hosted by Mr Spagna and parent volunteers. Other classes worked on identifying and creating flags from the various countries that make up the school. Some classes discovered that our cultural backgrounds comprise over 40 different countries from around the world. 

This culminated in our Harmony Day celebration on Friday where Wollemi Primary shared a class picnic where students got a taste of food and snacks from various countries. We savoured a selection of Pastizz from Malta, Manoosh from Lebanon, Ube cake from the Philippines, Momo from Nepal, Kaju Katli from India, Bofloto from Nigeria, Panikeke from Samoa, Roast Potatoes from Ireland, and many, many more.

After lunch, students participated in a range of cultural art and sports activities in mixed groups. This included a Harmony Day Mosaic art, “Foot Badminton” or Da Cau from Vietnam, Jacks from the United Kingdom, Tinikling from the Philippines, the Bhangra Dance from India and Catch The Dragon’s Tail from China.

Harmony is derived from the Greek harmos and the Latin harmonia: harmos meaning “joint”, harmonia meaning “agreement”. We heard many boys saying “I wish Harmony Day was every day” and this is what we want to achieve at Wollemi - a school that joins together in harmony every day.

Mr Nathan Quan

An invitation to Wollemi and Montgrove Dads.

Wollemi would like to extend an invitation to our Wollemi and Montgrove fathers to join us at a Dad's Night on Friday 5 April at 6 pm here at Wollemi.

This night will be an opportunity for dads to come together and enjoy a meal, beer and one another's company.  

This term,  the Wollemi and Montgrove Dad's Night will be enjoying a Potluck Dinner, feel free to bring a plate to share. 

To RSVP, kindly complete this form. We hope you can join us and catch up on the night.

This year, we are attempting to keep our mums ‘out of the loop’ for our Mother’s Day Stall. We would like our boys to, if possible, use their own money to buy the gift for their mum, or have other family members ‘chip in’ and buy a gift collectively. If your son does not have any savings, he could complete additional chores around the house to earn money towards buying the gift. 

Please keep in mind that families with multiple children can all contribute to buy one gift. With that said, you are welcome to order more than one. 

Funds raised as a result of this Year 6 initiative will go towards their gift to the College.

To celebrate Mother's Day,  Wollemi Mums are invited to attend a special Mass for Wollemi Mums on Monday  13 May, at 10.30 am and straight after a Mother's Day Morning Tea.

To say "Thanks for all that you do",  Students will be encouraged to bake or make something with their dad on the Mother's Day weekend (May 11/12) to bring in on Monday for the Mother's Morning Tea.

Please remember to sign in at the front office upon arrival. We look forward to seeing you at Wollemi and to rsvp, kindly complete the form below by Thursday 9th May.

Mass for Wollemi Mothers and Morning Tea RSVP form

Congratulations to the following families on their latest addition. 

• Clare and Jeremy McGrath on the birth of their baby girl, Veronica Noelle sister to  Jack in 4G.
• Pia and Jon Barretto on the birth of their baby boy Benjamin Paul, brother to  Jacob in 4B.

Please pray for our sick Wollemi family and friends:

 Charles Rafanan, father to Kristofer in 4G; Amelia Acasio, grandmother to Peyton Bernacer (8B) and Angelo Bernacer (6B); Louise Cotter, Grandmother to Chase Kerin (9B);  Joseph Valladores, father to Jose  (8G); Vince Sammut, grandfather to  Lucas in 10G; Mary Powell, Mother of Jacob (3B); Christopher Bonanno, uncle to Jacob Powell (3B),  Gerard (11B) & Gabriel (9B) Karam, Isaiah (2B) and Michael Roberts (3G); Igor Mileusnic, uncle to Hugo Giles (5B); Alex Borg, grandfather to Nicholas Cassar (6B).  Joanne Pang, mother to Ian Chia in 4G;  Benjie Santiago, father to Aryel (Class of 2020); Emmanuel Hanna, brother to George (7G) Victor Sciberras, father to Marianne and Carmel Spiteri, grandfather to Justin in Year 8B;   Mariano Valladores, father to Ela and Will O'Neill,  grandfather to Michael in 9B and John-Paul in 4B; Nikita D'Souza, Michael Carrington (PARED Maintenance)'s girlfriend.

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

Antonio Singson, father to Ruth and Pierre Fakhry, grandfather to Elias in 10G,  Francis in 5G and Markus in 3B; Peter Ruhl,  father to Eric and Teresa, grandfather to Dominic in 5B and Joseph in 2B; Victor Tuballa, father to Victor and Sarah, grandfather to Alexander in 6B; Pricilla Yabut, grandmother to Achilles in 10B and Alexander in 9G. 

_{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.} 

It has been great to see an increased number of students coming to daily Mass at School, so that our chapel is almost full everyday.  Parents are welcome to attend Mass with their sons, either on the set day in Primary or on any day their Secondary sons choose to attend. Unfortunately, as the space in the chapel is very limited, we are unable to offer daily Mass to parents as a regular alternative to their local parishes. We also ask that any parents attending Holy Mass please sign in at the Front Office.

Start of School Day 

Classes commence at 8:40 am each day. All boys are expected to be at school before this time.

Supervision for students will be provided at the school from 8:15 am each day. Students will not be admitted to the school until this time. 

End of the School Day

The school will conclude for ALL students at 3:25 pm. 

Late to School

If your son is late to school, he is required to sign in at the Front Office BEFORE moving to class. 

Early Leave

If your son needs to leave school early due to an appointment, parents/guardians must notify the College either by submitting an Early Departure Student Daybook in the Parent Portal.  Before leaving campus, your son must report to the Front Office to sign out. If you are collecting your son from the College, he is to be collected from the Front Office and not the classroom or other school areas.

Absence from School 

If your son is absent from school, we ask you to complete the form “Wollemi Absentee Form” from the Parental Portal on Engage PRIOR to the commencement of the school day. 

Morning Drop off and Afternoon Pick up reminders

As we approach the last 3 weeks of term, please be mindful of the carline procedures listed below:

• Morning drop off - Morning supervision before class begins at 8.15 am. Students are not permitted on school grounds before this time, unless accompanied by a parent or guardian.

• Students arriving after 8.40 am are to stop via the front office to have their names marked off the roll.

• Afternoon pick up - if you arrive early and park in the carline, please do not disembark your car. Your son/s will walk to your car.

• For efficiency and flow of the carline, please remind your son to be ‘on the look out’ for your car. While not compulsory, to assist teachers on carline duty, place your surname printed on an  A4 piece of paper on the passenger side windscreen.

• Please ensure your son is aware of any changes to your afternoon pick up routine.

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.

Information for parents and students

Students who require a School Opal card or travel pass but have not yet applied need to apply or update their details as soon as possible.

In the Opal network, students should travel with a Child/Youth Opal card until they receive their valid School Opal card. If outside Greater Sydney, parents should contact their local bus operator to discuss their travel needs.

New Student Opal cards (including new Term Bus Passes) will be sent to the student’s nominated postal address within two weeks of their application being approved.

Students living in rural and regional areas will receive their travel pass from their nominated transport operator. It may be issued via their school or be sent directly to them at home. Note: some rural and regional operators do not issue travel passes. Students/parents should confirm with their nominated operator if they do not receive a pass.

Terms of Use

Students using School Opal cards must tap on and tap off in line with the Opal terms of use.

This includes travel within the approved times between 6.30am and 7.00pm from Monday to Friday on school days only. Students must use their child/youth Opal for any travel outside these times.

All students are required to comply with the Student code of conduct. The code of conduct aims to ensure the safety and well-being of school children and other passengers. It is important that parents ensure their child is aware of this, as failure to comply with the code of conduct can result in a suspension from travel.

Congratulations to our teams that made it to the finals.   Come and support our teams this Friday and Saturday. Go Wollemi!

 

WollemCollege Uniform Fitting Range will open during the school  holidays for fitting appointments and try-on services only.  

No Sales or orders will be placed on-site.  All orders are to be placed online only. 

Extended Holiday Fitting Appointment Hours 

Wednesday, 24 April 2024 9.00 am to 1.00 pm 

Friday, 26 April 2024 9.00 am to 3.00 pm 

* Please note Terms 2 and 3 require full winter uniform 

The uniform shop will return to normal hours on Friday, 3 May 2024 Fridays 1:00 pm – 4:30 pm 

Online Store 

Enjoy the convenience of online shopping.  Orders will be filled when the store is next open. www.Midford.com.au passphrase: Wollemi1999

Fitting Appointment 

Full uniform fittings are strictly by appointment only. Please use the links to book an appointment https://Midford.as.me/Wollemicollege

Wollemi College Fitting Range on Fridays from 1.30 pm - 4.00 pm Appointments Only 

 All ordering and sales of Wollemi uniforms are online Orders can be collected from the College or delivered to your home address ( free delivery for orders over $50). To place an order online, go to www.Midford.com.au and enter the school passphrase: Wollemi1999 when you log in.

Wollemi Uniform requirements

Children’s Sacraments 2024 

First Communion: Sunday 2nd June (Feast of Corpus Christi) 10 am 

Sessions: 7th April (Registration & 1st Session) 14th, 21st, 28th April; 5th, 12th, 19th,  26th May, (26th being for Rehearsal) 

Reconciliation: TBA 

Confirmation: Sunday 3rd November 10:00am (Or Sunday 10th November) 

Sessions: 21st July (Registration & 1st Session), 28th July; 4th, 11th, 18th, 25th August;  1st, 8th, 15th, 22nd, 29th September; (6th October – mid holidays), 13th, 20th, 27th  October (27th being for Rehearsal) 

Eligibility: 

For the Sacrament of Reconciliation, children should be 8 years old and above and have received the Sacrament of Baptism. 

For the Sacrament of First Holy Communion, children should be 8 years old and above and should have received the Sacrament of Baptism & Reconciliation. 

For Sacrament of Confirmation children should be in Year 6 and above and have received the Sacrament of Baptism, Reconciliation & First Holy Communion. 

Please provide a copy of your relevant certificates at registration or email a copy to the parish. 

Further details will be provided at registration. Registration is after the Sunday 10 am Mass (Around 11:15 am) in the Parish Hall. You can call the Parish office on 4721 4080  or email parish@stjosephskingswood.org for further information. 

Office hours: Tues & Thurs 9am to 2pm & Fri 9am to 1pm.

Join the Zumba dance workout for Mums every Wednesday, 7:30 pm - 8:30 pm at the Multi-Purpose Hall!  

See the flyer or visit https://www.zumba.com/p/Mildred-Yap/2105634 to know more details.

Wollemi College Autumn Sports Camp from Monday 15th to Wednesday 17th April 2024, to register, sign up here.