Welcome to Term 2! We have ‘hit the ground running’ with our Parent-Teacher meetings on the first day of the term. A big thank you to our dedicated staff for a long and intense first day, and to all the parents who were able to come throughout the day to touch base with their son’s teachers. Personalised Education is one of the hallmarks of the Wollemy system and close communication between parents and school is paramount.

One of the more noticeable changes that this term has brought is the winter uniform. Our students look noticeably smarter with their blazers and ties, and one can see a certain lifting of the general tone of the school. With the end of the process of phasing out the old uniform, which started some years ago, I appreciate some parents are being asked to make a sacrifice. Some old items of uniform that perhaps still have some ‘life’ in them need to be ‘retired’ and money, never abundant, has to be spent on a new item of uniform. I would like to point out two reasons, among many, why this sacrifice is worthwhile. 

The uniform acts as an ‘equaliser’, as everyone wears exactly the same clothes. In Primary school, it helps students to fit in - there are no distinctions based on clothes. In Secondary, as students seek to assert their individuality, we encourage them to base their identity on the content of their character, not on their external appearance or the clothes they wear. Growing up in a large family where money for clothes was not abundant, I am particularly conscious of the benefit of a consistent uniform at school.

At Wollemi, we encourage our students to take pride in their school. The uniform is part of the ‘package’ and how we wear it should be a reflection of that pride. I often speak to boys about how strongly my best friend would react if anyone dirtied his Real Madrid uniform! Likewise, we love our Wollemi community and what it, and the school, stand for. The effort of parents and staff to help students wear the uniform with pride reverberates in the value they will place, now and in the future, on the messages they receive whilst wearing that uniform. We need to help our boys ensure that a certain carelessness in personal appearance, which is somewhat understandable in boys, does not lead them to carelessness in attitude, motivation, and most importantly, behaviour.

Last Wednesday our students had a wonderful reminder about the importance of some of these values during our ANZAC Day Service. Mr Steven Tolsher spoke eloquently of the service rendered by women in ANZAC history and Mr Tony Fryer read a moving excerpt from the diary of a soldier named John Harold Falconer in Gallipoli. A big thank you to St Mary’s RSL for their wonderful work and constant support!

One instance where positive attitudes and motivation were on full display was during our Cross Country last Thursday. Exemplary efforts could be found both at the front of the pack amongst our competitive runners and towards the tail end amongst those pushing themselves beyond what they thought they could do. Good effort everyone, and many thanks to all the attending parents for their support, and to Mr Bayliss, Mr Uyeda and Mr Dominici for their flawless organisation. Good luck to those boys who have qualified to represent Wollemi at the Hills Zone!

Another instance that comes to mind is the number of community service programs starting this term. Some of our Year 10s students will teach Catechism at Ropes Crossing Primary School each week, giving up their Recess in the process. Soon another group of Year 9 students will be helping out at Thorndale Foundation next door, supporting people with a disability. I look forward to sharing with you many wonderful anecdotes of these worthwhile endeavours. 

Please keep in mind for your diaries the upcoming Mother’s Day Stall this Friday and the special Mass and Morning Tea for Mothers next Monday. Also, don’t forget to purchase your tickets for the 25th Anniversary Gala. Finally, for parents in K-4 please consider the Back to Basics course being offered by FEA exclusively for our families. In an increasingly complex educational environment, it is reassuring to be reminded that the basics have not changed, and getting those right will pay dividends in the future!

James Ramos, Headmaster

A warm welcome to Term 2! As always, this term has commenced with energy, enthusiasm, and effort! Last Wednesday, Wollemi students assembled and paid their respects at our ANZAC Day Service. It was no surprise that our students demonstrated solemnity and gratitude during the beautiful service. Representatives from the St. Mary’s RSL Sub Branch, Mr. Tony Fryer, and Mr. Steven Tolsher gave up their valuable time and attended the service as our guests of honour. Mr Tolsher spoke to our staff and students about the significance of the brave women who served and continue to serve in armed conflict. He emphasised the importance of remembering the contributions and sacrifices women made during all wars. After the service, both gentlemen spoke highly of our students' wonderful behaviour during the ceremony. Special thanks to everyone involved in the preparation for the service: Mrs Wiggins for contacting and coordinating our guests of honour, Mr Tolentino for building the flagpole, creating the silhouette of a soldier on stage, and making the ANZAC signage. Thank you to our staff and students involved in the service: Julien Mojica for reading the Ode, Peter Wiggins for emceeing the service, Lucas Tolentino and Joseph McAuley for laying the wreath, Mr. Pacquing and the Yr 5 and 6 Choir for a beautiful rendition of our National Anthem, and Noah Pincevic for raising and lowering the flag. Lastly, I would like to make a special mention of one of our Year 12 students, Ekshvaak Manglik, for his unwavering support and expertise in setting up sound and music not only for the ANZAC Service but also for other events we have had since the departure of Mr Ranftl. His expertise is at an elite level, and Ekshvaak’s time management and efficacy are extraordinary. Thank you, Ekshvaak!

Last term, our amazing Wollemi community rallied again to raise much-needed money for Project Compassion! The total for the Lenten period was $3600! There was a small incentive or a carrot to dangle which encouraged our students to donate. This 'carrot' was for the class and admin group that raised the most money to have the great fortune of watching their teacher and house patron partake in a 45-second ice bath! Well done to our brave teachers Mr. Tudehope and Mr. Reyes for taking the plunge into their respective ice baths filled with 6 bags of ice! On a side note, Mr James volunteered to jump into the Arctic Tundra after Mr Reyes for ‘the many health benefits of an ice bath recovery’. With the money raised, Project Compassion has the option to provide:

• 56 families in Malawi a goat!
• Households in need of house repairs and toilet construction in the Philippines
• 105 people in the Philippines with the necessary skills to assist with finding employment
• Samoan households stand-alone water tanks for harvesting systems.

25th Anniversary Whole School Photo

On Tuesday, May 14th, Advance Life Photography will be involved in taking a whole school photo to celebrate our 25th Anniversary. Boys are expected to come to school in their full Winter school uniform. If your son does not have a blazer at the time of the photo, he will be asked to sit out. If you are waiting for a blazer delivery from the uniform shop or have a reason as to why his blazer is unavailable, please email your son’s teacher in primary or me in secondary - scottwilliamson@wollemi.nsw.edu.au.

Chewing Gum

There is a growing number of boys chewing gum at school. Chewing gum is not permitted at school.

Uniform Expectations

With the colder days upon us, boys are beginning to wear warmer clothing to school. With this in mind, please ensure your son:

• Wears his blazer to school
• Wears the school woollen jumper (he is not to wear a hooded jumper to school or his sports jacket outside of his sports day)
• Wears black leather school shoes (leather sneakers are not permitted).
• Year 12 students are to wear their school jerseys at school, not under their blazers when travelling to and from school.

Term 2 is full of big events in the Church and at Wollemi. The month of Our Lady, the end of Easter with Pentecost Solemnity, our first Family Rosary in the Shrine, the Eucharistic Procession, Holy Trinity, Sacred Heart, St Josemaria!!

Let’s take advantage of this special time to grow in Faith, Hope and Charity!

And I think that these words of Pope Francis, addressed to the youth at Venice last weekend, can help all of us:

“The secret to great achievements is perseverance. It is true that at times there is this fragility that pulls you down, but perseverance is what carries you forward, it is the secret. Today we live on quick emotions, momentary sensations, instincts that last for mere moments. Yet we do not advance far this way. Sporting champions, as well as artists and scientists, show that great achievements are not reached in an instant or all at once. If this is true for sports, art, and culture, it is even truer for what matters most in life. What matters most in life? Love, faith. And to grow in faith and in love, we must persevere and keep going forward. Instead, here the risk is to leave everything to improvisation: I pray if I feel like it; I go to Mass when I feel like it; I do good if I feel up to it. This does not yield results: we need to persevere, day after day. We must do it together, because togetherness always helps us go forward. Together: “do-it-yourself” does not work in big things. That’s why I tell you: don’t isolate yourself, but seek others, experience God together, find a group to walk with so you don’t grow tired. You might say, “But around me, everyone is on their own with their cellphone, glued to social media and video games”. Yet, you must fearlessly go against the tide: take life into your hands, get involved; turn off the TV and open the Gospel — is this too much? Put the cellphone down, and meet people! The cellphone is very useful, to communicate, it is useful, but be careful when the cellphone prevents you from meeting people. You can use the cellphone, that’s fine; but meet people. You know what an embrace, a kiss, a handshake is: people. Do not forget this: use the cellphone, but meet people.

Fr Felix

From little things, big things grow.

As we begin Term 2, I thought it important to share the messages which we will reiterate with the boys throughout the term ahead. 

1. Do the little things right, and 

2. Quality and Care in all we do.

These messages will form the basis of achieving our goal of continuous improvement throughout Term 2. 

We, as a Primary staff, will be asking the boys to focus on doing ALL of the little things the right way, even those things we may not place high on our priority list. These little things help us to form positive habits and in due time, can lead to big improvements!   

We are also placing a large emphasis on improving the quality of all we do from our work to the way we treat each other and our belongings. To achieve this, we need to slow down, be thoughtful and show care for everything we do and every interaction we have.

Winter Uniform Term 2 and 3

It has been pleasing to see the boys return to school this term wearing their full winter uniform with pride. I understand there have been some delays with shirts from suppliers but I do appreciate the efforts made by all families in ensuring their sons are in uniform. As part of our term focus, we are reminding boys of the importance of taking care of their blazers, hanging them carefully on their chairs and only wearing them at the appropriate times.   

Upcoming Events

There are a significant number of events throughout Term 2, including sporting competitions, special celebrations and a range of exciting excursions and camps. Please keep a lookout for messages from the College and as always, we welcome your feedback in regards to any event. Please contact me via email if you have any questions or comments regarding Primary events at Wollemi. 

Finally, a huge Happy Mother’s Day to all of our amazing Wollemi Mums. I hope the boys spoil you on Sunday (and every day)! 

Luke Baxter, Head of Primary   

 I hope that we are returning strong from the short two-week break and are ready to begin yet another term at school. At the beginning of the holidays following my half-yearly examinations I was keen to sit at home, relax, maybe get a bit of study done and essentially recover from a pretty lengthy Term 1. However, this relaxation was denied to me, as I had previously offered to counsel for a three-day year 9 and 10 camp in our nation's capital state to climb the infamous Mount Kosciusko. I will get to know why I am sharing this small anecdote shortly.

After an early morning rise, we came to Mirrabooka for a quick mass before departing on our 5-hour drive to the campsite in Jindabyne. Along the way, our bus tragically broke down almost two hours into our trip. After an hour of tinkering with the car batteries and with the help of some friendly strangers we miraculously got it working and arrived at our destination safe and sound.

On the second day, we began our descent of the mountain. The climb up in the cold and biting winds of the mountains took a fair few hours but was well worth the struggle. What astounded me on this climb was not the serenity, which was indeed beautiful, but rather it was the resilience and determination shown by our small group of Wollemi boys. Rather than slowly traverse across the cold terrain as most other tourists did, they ran it. Rather than whinge and complain about the soreness of their feet and the blistering winds, they laughed and joked among themselves and climbed with a firm resolve that only hardened as the climb continued. It was on this ascent that I realised, this is what it is to be a Wollemi man. To face hardships and trials with a grin on our faces, to bear our crosses silently and not whinge at every small hurdle, to not let our troubles weigh us down or to cast doubt over our abilities. 

Indeed, we see this testament to the character of the boys of our school in all aspects of our lives. The recent Cross Country last Thursday is one such example. It was an event that saw many students both young and old, and even some teachers, push themselves to the limit running on through the stitches, blisters and aches of the body. These are attributes that I wish to both commend and encourage among you boys.

On another note, this coming Sunday is Mother's Day. Let us all take the time this weekend to show our appreciation for both the seen and unseen sacrifices of our mothers who work tirelessly for us and their children. Let us especially take the time to honour the greatest mother that ever lived, our Mother Mary, to whom we pay homage in this month of May.

Peter W., School Captain

Happy reading,

Justin Lockley

Year 2 students visited Longneck Lagoon in Scheyville National Park last term. This outing was a fantastic chance for our young explorers to learn about 'Features of Places' in Geography while enjoying nature.

The day kicked off with nature mapping and bushwalking. Students identified and mapped out lagoon features like waterways, creeks, termite nests, and bushland, observing closely and understanding the environment's unique characteristics. They discovered plant species, spotted different animal habitats, and learned about the park's geological formations. It was a great way for them to appreciate Longneck Lagoon's natural beauty.

A highlight was using microscopes to explore smaller natural features. Students examined leaves, stones, and insects up close, discovering hidden details and sparking curiosity. To end the day, students expressed their observations through art. With pencils and paper, they created drawings capturing the minute details of Longneck Lagoon's smaller natural wonders under the microscope, showcasing creativity and understanding.

The day as a whole was a valuable learning experience, deepening students' appreciation for nature and geographical features. It was a day filled with exploration, discovery, and fun, leaving our young adventurers inspired and eager to learn more when they returned to Wollemi.

Another successful trip to the Western Sydney University (WSU) Engineering department, where Wollemi Year 11 students were exposed to the facilities and technical know-how of the student-run Solar Car Program competing in the World-renowned Solar Car Challenge.

Evidently, the WSU crew, 25 strong has been in the top 10 of the world Universities who compete in the Solar Car Challenge held every 2 years.

The students were guided through the WSU’s Design process from initial concepts, research, and design development, Testing and prototyping and to the final product as a contender to win the World Solar Car Challenge. 

Many questions were asked about the process and students were genuinely surprised about how much hard work the students of WSU had to endure, commit, and invest their own time to pull off something that seemed impossible when they first started.

Thank you to WSU for assisting us with this experience that I know the students will not forget.

With most Design companies’ collaboration is the key to their success, our Design and Technology year 11 students are also doing a collaboration of their own, in trying to create an electric car that can safely hold a person for 100 meters. This project had a lot of technical and engineering challenges which allowed the students to ask questions about issues they were facing in their own project and generate dialogue to try and solve the problem. 

Overall, a well-rounded WSU experience that I hope has allowed the students to see what else is out there beyond the walls of Wollemi College.

Mike Tolentino

Last Friday night saw the return of Wollemi College to the CSDA debating competition. The college has not competed for the past three years, so it was great to see the boys return to the competition. The debaters had very little time to prepare as the draw had only been finalized during the holidays and many of the students were debating for the first time. Mr. Wright held a debating workshop on the Friday before their first debate which helped the students greatly.

We travelled to Nagle College in Blacktown to compete, and it ended up being a successful night for the College. Wollemi competed in five debates and ended up winning four of them, which is a great start to the season.

I would like to thank Mr Wright and Mr Jacobson for volunteering to adjudicate, and Mr Finn for supporting the students before they went into their preparation time and watching the Year 8 team debate. Thank you to Mr. Johnson for allowing the College to borrow his van to transport the students.

The students who debated on Friday are as follows:

Year 7 – Michael Conejar, Charlie Buhagiar, Elijah Baird

Year 8 – Ramon Zamora, Dominic Sheary, Theo Lagman

Year 9 – Alex El-Bayeh, Boris Prokhorov, Jacob Reynolds

Year 10 – Unable to debate.

Year 11 – Dhanvin Menon, Hayden Centeno, Fouad Elias

Year 12 – Benedict Cabrera, Lorenzo Filamor, Gabriel Olegario

Ian Ison, Secondary  Teacher and Mentor

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

As you know, 2024 marks 25 years since the original group of students began their journey at Orchard Hills Preparatory School in 1999. That small group of kindergarten students, with some exceptions, carried on under a different name some years later at Werrington, and eventually became the first graduating class of Wollemi College.

Wollemi has been incredibly fortunate to have the unwavering support of our families who recognise the value of a PARED education and upbringing. Some of the original families are still with us. Others now have grandchildren attending our schools. They have all witnessed the enduring benefits for their children and future generations.

As part of this year’s celebrations of this significant milestone, Wollemi will host a Gala Dinner on Friday, 2 August at Novella on the Park, inviting  Wollemi past and current parents and staff, alumni and friends of Wollemi.

Given the importance of the 25th anniversary, we anticipate that this celebration will draw a large number of people from our school community, past and present. To ensure you do not miss out, secure your spot by booking early using this link.

Please contact  Camille Wiggins (or any one of the committee members; Kristine Zamora, Tamara Zahra, Josephine Khairy, Joseph Chaghouri, Anne Bernacer and Rebecca Aoun) should you require assistance in finding or filling a table.

Wollemi 25th Anniversary Committee

Congratulations to the following families on their latest addition. 

• Andrea and Kevin Tyler on the birth of their baby Elijah, brother to  Xavier in 2G.

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; 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. 

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. 

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

Adjusted Pick-up Times for Primary and Student Collection points.

• New Wollemi Primary finish time will be 3:10 pm
• Primary students with no Secondary brothers will be available at this time to be collected by parents at the regular pick-up zone in front of the administration building.
• Primary parents should have their family name clearly printed on a sign on their dashboard.
• Any Primary Student with Secondary brothers will be supervised away from the pick-up area until 3:25 pm. 
• For safety reasons Primary students who travel by public transport or walk to other pick-up points will be asked to remain at school until 3:25 pm.

Secondary

To ensure car line pick-up continuity, we ask that parents picking up secondary students who arrive before 3.25 pm, please park in the surplus car park before joining the car line. Please do not wait in the 3.10 pm car line in the main car park.

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.

Aloha Wollemi Families,

I hope everyone had a restful break and a great start to the term!  We ended last term on a very positive note. During the Hills Zone triathlon event, our primary boys placed top 3 in all the events we were involved in!  

1st place individual triathlon: Francis Fakhry (Year 5)

2nd place team duathlon: Elijah Leggatt / Joseph Sheary (Year 3)

3rd place team triathlon: Michael Tu’ipulotu / Jacob Abacum / Oscar Baird (Year 5)

This just goes to show the amazing athletes we have here at Wollemi! 

2024 CROSS COUNTRY

Last week we completed our cross country event!  3 of our winners set new school records for their times! Please see below for the top finishers in each age group:

7s (No Hills Zone due to Age)

Xavier Tyler (Age Champion)

Joseph Ruhl

Avyaan Hunjon

8/9s

Elijah Leggatt (8s Age Champion) New

record of 8.10mins

Rishab Jhala

Jorge Frech (9s Age Champion)

10s

Kirbie Amituanai (Age Champion) New

Record of 8.10mins

Dominic Sultana

Brody Mojica

Winston Bawden

Pero Lalic

Jeril Linoy

11s

Dominic Noone (Age Champion)

Joel Leggatt

Oscar Baird

Ethan Lemoncito

Timofey Sakalouski

Wesley Bawden

12+

Deklan Sultana (Age Champion) New

Record of 13.23mins

Julien Mojica

Elias Chaghouri

Sime Simat

Victor Estilo

Josef Mangaser

Congratulations to all boys who competed!

We now look forward to our athletics carnival in Week 6.  There will be several other events happening in Term 2, which I will provide updates for in the next newsletter.  

Dustin Uyeda  Head of PDHPE (Primary)

Amazing photos credit to  Lucas Ison Year 11

Congratulations to all participants who did their best in the school cross country last week. There were some outstanding performances across the day. 

Thank you to the staff and students who assisted on the day. 

It was great to see so many parents there to cheer their sons on for their race. It is much appreciated by the boys and our school to have you there. 

Age and House Champions will be announced at the next assembly. 

Amazing photos credit to  Lucas Ison Year 11

On Wednesday, the 27th of March, a team of Year 6 students participated in an AFL Gala Day at Jamison Park. The conditions on the day were perfect and the boys wore their brand-new jerseys with pride. The team worked well together and there were touches of class throughout the day.

Unfortunately, we did not make the finals this year, but I was proud of the way the boys played on the day.

We versed several schools in the area.

The results were:-

Ellison Public School vs Wollemi College: Win to Wollemi

Wollemi College vs Penrith Anglican School: Win to PAC

Wollemi College vs Blaxland East Public School: Win to Blaxland.

Wollemi College vs Nangamay Paublic School : Draw

Thank you to all the boys for their commitment to the team, and also to the parents who came to support their sons.

Iain Fraser

In a thrilling encounter on Monday 8th April, our U15s soccer team (Jacob Jordan, Raffaele Corvetti, Vraj Bhatia, Ram Hariprasaad, Moses Justin, Roman Gil, Kristof Trinajstic, Mateo Devine, Brett Sequeira, Davor Lalic, Tanaka Nyasha, Michael Gaid, Augustine Phua, John-Paul Blazic) clashed with Glenmore Park High School in the prestigious Bill Turner Cup. The match kicked off with intense action as both sides showcased their skills and determination.

Glenmore Park High School managed to take an early lead, leaving the scoreline at 2-1 against the boys. The boys did not succumb to the pressure and mounted a remarkable comeback, leveling the score at 2-2.

As the game entered extra time, tension mounted on the field. It was then that Davor, displaying exceptional skill and determination, rose to the occasion, netting a sensational hat-trick and securing the winning goal.

Davor's outstanding performance earned him the title of Man of the Match, rightfully deserved for his match-winning contributions. Additionally, Ram's unwavering commitment and resilience in defence did not go unnoticed, as he tirelessly withstood pressure from the opposition, ensuring the team's strength at the back.

The boys progress to Round 2 of the competition, where they will play St Clair or Kingswood early in Term 2. 

Luke Dominici

Please support our U16 teams (Division 1, 2 & 3) that have been selected to represent the school at the Basketball NSW Schools Tournament on Thursday 9 9th May at Penrith Valley Regional Sports Centre, Cambridge Park. All the best boys!

Congratulations to the following teams who won the  (SUMMER 2023-2024) Season Finals! Great team effort and dedication to those involved. It was so wonderful to see the Wollemi community support during the games.

WOLLEMI WANDERERS U12-DIV 3

We had a great night out with some of Year 8 mums!

It was great to mingle with some new mums as well. We are looking forward to getting to know them more at future events too. More fun events are planned for our year group. Watch this space!

Shoko Hazama and Kerri-Anne Sheary Year 8 Classparents

The uniform shop is open on 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.