What a wonderful success our 25th Anniversary Gala Dinner was this past Friday 2 August. A big thank you to the parents and friends of Wollemi (close to 300 people) who attended to celebrate this milestone. As I shared with everyone on the night, the purpose of the Gala was primarily to celebrate who we are as a community, but also to acknowledge those who came before us,  started this adventure, and largely built what we celebrate today. I was really happy to have with us on the night Mr Frank Monagle, the first Headmaster of Wollemi, as well as some of our founding parents such as Joe & Alice Cassar, Rey & Nelly Ramos and Jeff & Anne Bernacer from the original group of families who started the school in 1999. Rey & Nelly and Jeff & Anne are still parents of the school 25 years later, which is remarkable. 

A stand-out among those we acknowledged on the night is the figure of Vince Sammut, who passed away recently. Vince was instrumental in linking Western Sydney with Pared and growing the community that went on to start the schools. Vince used to drive a minibus with children, his as well as his friends, to and from the Hills every day - aside from his busy schedule as a truck driver. His commitment and example to others proved crucial in encouraging those first families to ‘take the leap’ and start Wollemi and Montgrove. Even though his children were too old to attend the Pared West schools, Vince continued to be an outstanding promoter among young local families, and later on a proud grandfather of the school, until his recent passing. 

The other important aspect of the Gala was to reaffirm our commitment, as an educational community, to preserve and build upon the legacy we have received. You will all remember that we were extremely fortunate to host the Prelate of Opus Dei, Fr Fernando Ocariz, at Wollemi last August. When we asked him on that occasion about his vision for Wollemi in years to come, he spoke eloquently of the importance of unity: that we be united - parents, teachers and students; among ourselves, and between the school and the home. That is what he felt would ensure a bright future for Wollemi.

The mission of Wollemi remains the same as it was 25 years ago. It is a shared mission:  all of us,  together. We need the help of every member of this community, parent, teacher and student, to carry it out. During the Gala dinner, I asked all attendees, and I now echo the call to our entire parent community, for help in two very specific ways. 

First in building up the ‘physical’ environment of Wollemi. The government does not provide private schools with any significant funding for capital works, for brick and mortar. It is up to our current parents, through your generous donations to our Development fund, to ensure that we continue growing our facilities. 

Secondly, we count on your help in building up the ‘human environment’ of Wollemi. We are, first and foremost, a community. In this period of intense growth, with so many new families joining our community, it is not just up to the school, but to all, to make sure no one is lost in the crowd. Your involvement and participation in KPFs and all sorts of events gives you a chance to develop friendships with our new parents and share with them our vision of education, and our values. It is with this friendship that we build up our school as much as with bricks and mortar.

On a final note, we congratulate the following families on their recent addition,  Christine and Joseph Chaghouri on the birth of Michael Joseph, brother to Elias in 6B and Dominic in 2G, Elena and Joshua Lanzarini on the birth of Grace, sister to Matthew in 3B and to Bless Aguilar (Admin staff) on becoming a grandmother to her first grandchild, Naomi.

James Ramos, Headmaster

Welcome to the first edition of this term’s Deputy’s Dispatch!

I am pleased to share many positive highlights with you, and it's only the beginning of Week 4. Last week, our school was a hive of activity, with our young Wollemi men participating in numerous exciting events.

Milkshake Magnificence!

Last week, Noah P and Peter W, our dynamic school leaders, made history by hosting Wollemi’s first-ever Milkshake Day fundraiser. The day was a tremendous success, with most of our primary and many secondary shake enthusiasts enjoying delicious, made-from-scratch milkshakes! From 11 am, the mini COLA was buzzing as Year 12 students blended ice cream, a variety of sweet toppings, and milk into pure liquid delight! Despite the long lines, the hundreds of happy customers had no complaints. Throughout the day, I saw many milkshake moustaches and ear-to-ear grins. Our Year 12 students embraced the day with enthusiasm and care, showing warmth and camaraderie toward their younger Wollemi peers. A special thanks to Mrs Devine for her guidance and assistance in the setup, Mrs Johannson for her expertise and calmness during the production line and service, and Mrs Pincevic (and her daughter) for their help with every aspect of the day. Mrs P ensured all order forms, ingredients, and equipment were ready from start to finish! To give you an idea of the scale of the task, here is a list of what was ordered and supplied for the day: 350 paper cups and straws, 35 bottles of dessert toppings, 20 bottles of whipped cream, 4 packs of sprinkles, 225 litres of milk, and 216 litres of ice cream! This was, in classic Wollemi style, a true community effort.

Thorndale Community Service

I am excited to report on another community service program initiated by the outstanding staff in Wollemi’s Formation Department. Last week, under the guidance of Mr Bernard James, a group of Year 9 volunteers visited the Thorndale Foundation Centre to work and engage with adults with intellectual disabilities. The Thorndale Foundation is dedicated to equipping people with disabilities with essential living, work, and social skills. Our boys spent quality time helping and talking with many amazing adults who regularly participate in the day program. As you can see in the photos, our students and Thorndale’s participants were delighted to spend time together. A huge thank you to Mr Bernard James for initiating this wonderful partnership and to the Thorndale Foundation for welcoming our students with warmth and care. Our volunteer students will visit Thorndale fortnightly to offer service and support, with each visit running from 10:30 am to 12 pm every second Wednesday. For more information, please email bernardjames@wollemi.nsw.edu.au.

Open Day Student Service

Open Day offers many highlights for prospective parents hoping to secure enrolment at Wollemi, including a presentation by our dedicated and passionate Headmaster, Mr James Ramos, and words of wisdom and gratitude from our School Captain, Peter W. Scheduled for each Open Day is a student-led tour of Wollemi. We consistently receive praise for how well our student guides present and facilitate tours. Parents often comment that their guides:

• were engaging and friendly
• converse with warmth and confidence
• spoke about their school with genuine pride
• maintained eye contact and had a firm handshake
• were happy to serve their school

This feedback is a testament to our young men, whose character is shaped primarily by you, their parents, and supported by their school - teachers and mentors alike!

RUOK? Day - Thursday 12 September

Wollemi will once again support the important message of ‘checking in’ with friends, family, and peers through RUOK? Day. The day’s emphasis on support and community cohesiveness aligns with the school’s mission and ethos. The many heartwarming stories I've heard across our community, where families support each other during difficult times, highlight the importance of love, care, and giving. Secondary students will participate in a workshop facilitated by our school counsellor, Mr John Khoury, and all students will contribute to a gratitude wall and share a special treat with their friends. More information will be provided closer to the date.

Scott Williamson, Deputy Headmaster

The Solemnity of the Assumption of Our Lady fills us with great joy!! It moves us to remember the main goal of our lives: to be saints and to go to Heaven. We will be able to achieve this because our Mother is always helping and protecting us.

The beginning of St Josemaria’s homily about the Assumption explains the reason for our joy:

“Mary has been taken up to heaven by God in body and soul, and the angels rejoice." Joy overtakes both angels and men. Why is it that we feel this intimate delight today, with our hearts brimming over and our souls full of peace? Because we are celebrating the glorification of our mother, and it is only natural that we her children rejoice in a special way upon seeing how the most Blessed Trinity honours her”.

Yes, joy overtakes all of us, Wollemi’s parents, teachers and students!

Let's celebrate the Feast of Our Lady's Assumption together with the whole school Mass at 10.15 am, parents are most welcome to attend.

 Fr Felix, Chaplain

Decades of research has shown that when parents engage in their child’s learning, both at home and at school, student achievement and well-being are increased (Hattie, 2023; Kim, 2022; Sengonul, 2022; T. E. Smith et al., 2020)

At a recent conference attended by Mr Ramos, presenters spoke on the topic of “Strengthening parent engagement to improve student outcomes” and outlined the numerous benefits of parents becoming more actively involved in their children’s education. This approach is gathering momentum across a range of educational institutions but at Wollemi, we can proudly say we have been applying this philosophy for 25 years. 

Forming a strong link between school and home is foundational to our success here at Wollemi - both achieving academic success and forming young men of character. As you know, becoming involved in your son’s learning will undoubtedly lead to further academic gains, but can also develop and strengthen your relationship with your child.

Working together toward an identified goal, forming positive memories around learning and spending one-on-one time together are just 3 of the benefits of parents involving themselves in the learning process.

I have a confession. 

These last two weeks have been tough. I (alongside my mate Peter) traversed an unknown territory that for some would seem not a big deal, but for this just turned 18-year-old, it was a mammoth undertaking. But as with all uncharted ventures, it produced a goldmine of profound lessons, and it bared what was really lying beneath my usually calm exterior. 

Enter the Year 12 Mufti “n” Milkshake Day Fundraiser! 

Lesson number one: John Donne was totally on point when he penned the saying, “No man is an island”. My Year 12 cohort is like a bag of licorice allsorts, all with different strengths but each one of my peers’ unique talents proved vital to our success. 

As St Paul states, just as a body has many different parts, each one is vital for the body to function. In this case, Antonio would be the ear, bringing the music to the table and ambience to the atmosphere. The feet would be Damon, Petelo and Peter who did the Woolies run and depleted the entire stock of Bulla Ice cream from the Nepean area. The hands would comprise all the boys behind the blenders, some even doing double duties like William and Adhvay. 

Seb’s hands were perhaps the most used, knee-deep in dishwashing liquid even when everyone else had disappeared to taste the fruits of our labour. 

If there was a right hand it would be Joseph. 

The brain would be Benedict who came up with ingenious streamlining ideas and various cost-cutting methods and worked alongside Daniel flexing their accounting muscles. 

Suffice to say, that God gifts each of us varied passions, talents and personalities, to fulfil distinct roles for the sake of serving one another. When we walk humbly, appreciating our own God-given calling while valuing that of others, the body functions powerfully as one. 

The Fundraiser was a massive success in more ways than one, but honestly, I don’t want to ever hear the word “milkshake” again. 

No man is an island; 

No man stands alone. 

Each man’s joy is a joy to me; 

Each man’s grief is my own. 

We need one another, 

So I will defend 

Each man as my brother; 

Each man as my friend. 

(“No Man Is an Island,” Bryan B. Gardner and Calvin T. Broadhead)

The Milkshake/ Mufti Day raised $1545.30 which will go towards the Year 12 Gift to the School. Thank you for your support.

Noah P., Vice Captain

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

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

Year 8 Paintings done by  Jonah Hazama de Guzman, Benjamin King and Khayl Bernabe 

We are now entering the final fortnight of the Premier's Reading Challenge and I am pleased to report that over 170 Wollemi students have now completed the Challenge! 

Congratulations to the following 27 boys for  recently completing the Challenge: 

Year 2: Kolbe Camilleri, Elijah Farah, Avyaan Hujon & Zayn Mirza

Year 3: Jacob Geagea, Maverick Santiago & Levi Victorino

Year 4: Jack McGrath & Brody Mojica

Year 5: Jacob Abacum, Lucas Besa, Jayson de Villiers, Benedict Doyle, Matthew Elias, Mateo Javier, Niko Lepan, Joshua Mammen, William McFarlane, Oliver Milosev, Matthew Soo, Dominique Valenton & Francis Vu Nguyen

Year 6: Lennox Gregana, Atharv Lakshmikanthan, Zachary Scanlan & Deklan Sultana

Students can log in and enter until Friday 23 August. If anyone has any questions or is having problems logging please do not hesitate to get in touch with me. 

Justin Lockley, Librarian

Math Clinic has again started very strongly this term.

Remember: Math Clinic runs in D01 every Monday and Thursday during lunch.

Term 2 was a busy one with many students attending the week of their assessment tasks, so it was very difficult to answer every question in time! 

I encourage all students to reflect on how they are progressing and begin preparing for assessment tasks weeks prior to the task. This includes bringing your questions to your teacher and to Math Clinic early to avoid the congestion later in the term.

Parents/carers, if you have any questions regarding Math Clinic, feel free to contact me at john.abielias@wollemi.nsw.edu.au.

John Abi-Elias, Head of Mathematics

Wollemi is set to celebrate Father's Day on Friday, August 30 this year. The day will kick off with the Father's Day Breakfast hosted by the Wollemi Football Club from 7:30 am to 9 am.

Later on the same day, the Father’s Day Stall will be managed by Year 6 parents from midday until 3 pm. Proceeds from the stall will contribute to the Year 6 gift for the school. Attached are the flyers for our Fathers’ Day events, and your support is greatly appreciated.

We are excited to announce that we will be holding a Soiree on Thursday 5th September at 6:30 pm.

The College is providing this opportunity for students who learn an acoustic or classical instrument to perform in an intimate and supportive environment whilst gaining invaluable experience along the way.

If your son has learnt an instrument or has engaged in singing lessons for at least a year and he wishes to perform in this event, please complete the Google Form.

If your son has been learning his chosen instrument for less than a year and still wishes to perform, I am happy to discuss this matter with him (and you!).

Please provide a brief biography about your son, including information about his musical path, in particular.  Indicate if your son requires piano accompaniment as this will enhance his performance.

If you have questions, whatsoever, please contact me via email at melissa.lamrock@wollemi.nsw.edu.au       Looking forward to hearing from all our talented students

Ms Melissa Lamrock, Head of Music

Our Annual Book Character Costume Parade & Family Picnic for Years 2 & 3 will be held on Friday 13 September (Week 8). 

More detailed information will be provided to parents in the coming weeks. 

We hope that many of our Year 2 & 3 parents and grandparents will be able to join us for this event. 

We would like to extend my heartfelt thanks to all the families and friends who joined us in celebrating our 25th Anniversary. Your support, whether through attending the evening, purchasing raffle tickets or pledging donations leading up to our special evening on 2 August 2024, has been invaluable.

Although the evening was not about fundraising, we are thrilled to share that we still raised over $15,000, which will be directed toward the purchase of robotics and 3D printing equipment for our Futures STEAM Pioneering Lab. This initiative will greatly enhance our students' learning experience.

Please find the raffle winners listed below for your reference.

Once again, thank you for your continued support in helping make Wollemi College the best it can be for your sons.

1st PRIZE: Raquel Pinaroc

Ticket Number: #42

2nd PRIZE: Karim Khalifa

Ticket Number: #166

3rd PRIZE: Perla Cuanan 

Ticket Number: #6

To mark this significant occasion, Wollemi recently held a Gala Dinner on Friday, 2 August at Novella on the Park. The event welcomed past and present parents, staff, alumni, and friends of Wollemi.

The evening was filled with excitement and buzz as current and former parents, alumni, and friends of the College came together to reminisce and celebrate Wollemi turning 25!

Special thanks were extended to our distinguished guests: Mr Frank Monagle, Mr and Mrs Choi, Mr and Mrs Doherty, Tony Montgomery, the founding families, Mr and Mrs Cassar, Mr and Mrs Jocson, and Ms Lourdes Mejia (from Montgrove College). Acknowledgement of thanks to  Michael Khairy, our emcee and Modulation Band ( Wollemi Alumni band)  who provided the music of the evening, Lucas Ison who captured the essence of the event, and our generous sponsors who contributed prizes that were won during the night!

Wollemi 25th Anniversary Committee

Tamara Zahra, Josephine Khairy, Joseph Chaghouri, Anne Bernacer, Kristine Zamora, Rebecca Aoun and Camille Wiggins

Photos courtesy of Lucas Ison (Year 11 student) 

The 25th Anniversary celebrations continue, please save the Date, Wollemi will be hosting a Spring Fair on 20 October 2024 to mark its 25th Anniversary.

The Wollemi 25th Anniversary Committee are seeking expressions of interest for the Spring Fair involvement in coordinating different Stalls ( Food, craft, hobby or business). To be a part of the celebrations, contact Tamara Zahra at 0439 616 942 or Camille Wiggins at 0408 618 245.

We have begun....

The Orchestra started last Thursday morning at 7:45 on the COLA stage.

We had a wonderful group of 8 pioneer musicians who combined to form our fledgling ensemble and are learning  an exciting piece called "Storm" that sounds similar to "Pirates of the Caribbean".

We would love you to join us and swell the parts.

Looking forward to all the experiences only being in an orchestra can provide.

Please just bring your instrument next week and we will accommodate you.

Ms Lamrock, Head of Music

Congratulations to the  following families on their latest addition:

•  Christine and Joseph Chaghouri on the birth of Michael Joseph, brother to Elias in 6B and  Dominic in 2G
• Elena and Josh Lanzarini on the birth of their baby girl, Grace, sister to Matthew in 3B
• Bless Aguilar (Admin staff)  on the birth of her first grandchild, Naomi.

Please pray for our sick Wollemi family and friends:

Joseph Valladores, father to Jose in 8G; Carol Alvarez, grandmother to  Ramon (8B) and  Vincenzo Zamora (4B); Vengie Panglinan, mother of Sam (Class of 2018) and Josh (Class of 2020); Alice Cassar; grandmother to Xavier Paris 5B;  Gemma Doyle; sister to Finn (4G),  Noah (Year 11B) and Jack (class of 2022); Luke White (Yr 11G) brother to Daniel (7G) & Matthew (4B);  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);  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:

Vince Sammut, grandfather to  Lucas in 10G; Dorothy James, grandmother to Harry in 4G; 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.

Please find below links to all the latest events in the world of careers, TAFE, and university:

Master: https://bulletins.jobjump.com.au/b0380fbc-9d8c-4c82-9e4b-40ff4235fc46/master

Subject Careers News: https://bulletins.jobjump.com.au/b0380fbc-9d8c-4c82-9e4b-40ff4235fc46/kla

Work Experience

• Please continue to approach potential employers and get the required forms filled out.

Senior School Canvas Course

• Please see your son’s Senior School Canvas Course for copious amounts of information and assistance regarding his future career path.

Brett Wright 

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.

Midford Uniform Order form

Wollemi Uniform requirements  

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.