At Wollemi, we are now truly in the ‘final sprint’ of the year. Year 10 students have now completed their final exams, and are spending this week in Tuross Head serving the local community. Our new HSC students have started their first round of assessments this week, and Years 7 to 9 are in the middle of their End of Year Examinations. Our Primary students are likewise dotting all the i’s and crossing all the t’s to their year’s work in order to ‘finish strong’.

I am reminded, during this flurry of academic activity, of the expression my predecessor, Mr Aldous, often used: “Academic success is just the cherry on top of the cake”. Our focus might be on study at this time of year, but our overall goal continues to be character development. Effort and hard work translate into good habits, and they in turn become virtues - the building blocks of character. We certainly want results for our students but without shortcuts and last-minute panic. Developing good study habits, learning to manage one’s time, and most importantly, strengthening one’s will through effort and perseverance. Those are the lasting results.

A big thank you to our entire parent, teacher and student community for your feedback through the survey responses to Perspectives: Your School in Focus. With the help of the AIS, we now begin the process of analysing the information you have given us to draw actionable conclusions. I look forward to listening closely to the voices collated through this process and I will share the results when they become available.

A message will be sent home shortly sharing information about Presentation Day. This year we will host two functions at school on Tuesday 10 December. Primary will commence at 11:30 am, and after a break for lunch, Secondary will follow at 1:45 pm and finish before the end of the normal school day. We expect all students to participate, whether they will be receiving an award or supporting their classmates. It is important that we come together one final time to celebrate not only individual achievement but the end of a wonderful 25th Anniversary year. I hope to see many of our parents there.

James Ramos, Headmaster

Exemplary Primary Behaviour

The Wollemi Primary boys have had an extremely busy last few weeks with excursions, school events, gala days and even a visit from the NRL premiership trophy. Throughout these events, the boys’ enthusiasm, fantastic behaviour and virtuous nature have been on full display. At our most recent Friday Afternoon Assembly, I congratulated the boys for their enthusiasm and positive behaviour and shared some of the wonderful feedback we have received - some of this feedback can be found below. 

“The boys’ generosity, hospitality and leadership made the experience truly special for everyone involved.” Visiting teacher from Hartford College - Brotherhood Cup

“Your students’ respectfulness, kindness and welcoming nature made a significant impact on our boys…” Visiting teacher from Hartford College - Brotherhood Cup

“You guys are the most enthusiastic group I have had in years - your answers were excellent” Big Dig Presenter Year 5

“Your guys had some awesome questions - they were so keen to get involved - it makes our job so easy!” Visiting NRL representative. 

These quotes, coupled with positive feedback from the staff at the recent Year 3 Gala Day, WOLCAN performances, Year 5 CARES excursions as well as countless compliments from visiting parents at the recent New Student Orientation showcase what a special place we have here at Wollemi. We are not perfect and occasionally make mistakes; however, it is pleasing to see the overwhelmingly positive feedback!  

I congratulate the boys for their enthusiastic attitude towards new experiences, the sportsmanship and care they show for others and for the way in which they represent our school and families.

A huge thank you to the staff for their effort in planning these many experiences, many of which you will read about in the coming pages. 

Luke Baxter, Head of Primary

We invite parents to attend our final Friday Afternoon Assembly on Friday, 6 December at 2:00 pm. This assembly will acknowledge our Term 4 award winners, present our 2025 Primary Captain and Vice Captain and enjoy a variety of student performances.

Information regarding our End of Year Presentation Day will be sent out this week with information regarding our final school event on Tuesday 10 December. Attendance at the End of Year Presentation Day is mandatory for all Primary students and is a great opportunity for us to come together as a school community to celebrate outstanding student effort and achievement. 

If your son is interested in performing at one of our end-of-year events - End of Term Assembly and/or Presentation Day - please complete the expressions of interest form below to register your son (complete by Friday of Week 7). 

Primary Performances - Expression of Interest. 

We are open to individual and/or group performances involving musical instruments, dance, poetry or other forms of creative pieces. The Primary Leadership team will review all potential performances and students involved will be contacted in the coming weeks. 

I realised that in my first Captains Corner I should've introduced myself. My name is Matthias Soriano. I have been at Wollemi since I was in year 3, have 5 siblings and two cute dogs and love both playing and watching sports. I enjoy playing soccer and basketball. I'm a big NBA fan, my team is the Minnesota Timberwolves. I watch quite a bit of soccer including the Premier League (Liverpool). I also watch NRL, being a fan of the Bulldogs.

I have really enjoyed my first few weeks as the school captain of Wollemi. Firstly, my class have been so helpful and supportive. The year 12 class have been running some games for primary at lunchtimes which have been going pretty well. Lots of planning and work these holidays will mean we will be able to run lots of very fun games in the upcoming year.

I have gotten to meet and get to know lots of new people, parents and students. I look forward to getting to know more people over the next year.

The holidays are coming up. Everyone deserves a good, long break after an amazing year of hard work; however, it is important to make good use of this time. It can be so easy to waste the entire break staring at a screen. Studies say that teenagers in first world countries spend an average of 8 hours on their phone each day. That’s 56 hours per week, and 3000 hours per year! The average person is on track to spend over 12 years of their life staring at a screen. There are so many better things a person could do with their time.

On an initially rainswept morning on Saturday 16th November, 2024, Year 4 embarked on their annual Father-Son camp at the scenic Yarramundi Camp.

After the usual greetings and dropping off our items to our cabins, we had Mass in preparation for the day. As the rain crashed down, the father and son duos used the opportunity to show their gratitude to the Lord for time to grow with one another.

The activities were fast and furious, ranging from Alpine Rescue, rock climbing and super competitive games of basketball between the sons and their dads (Rafael S dad got about 60 rebounds - he was dominant!)

With Dad's Talk and Son's talk completed with many laughs and stories, the traditional Rosary by campfire helped close out the night (for the kids anyway).

The sons had a riot playing with their friends instead of sleeping, and the dads cooked up a fantastic BBQ, with the last participants (Andrew Z, Julio A, Patrick D, Pete S and Mr T) going to bed at 3 am.

Many sleepy heads arose for breakfast and Mass, with our beautiful families joining us for a lovely BBQ afterwards. It was a fantastic camp!

Thank you all who attended, another great memory locked away in the books. See you all for the Year 5 Father-Son Camp!

Mr Tui'pulotu

Recently, Year 5 had a wonderful road safety excursion and I'll tell you almost everything we did there. So first we left at around 9:00 am, crossing roads and passing streets which was around 15 - 20 minutes to get to the C.A.R.E.S safety excursion. 

We put our bags and equipment down and our instructor Kiran showed us most of all the basics FIRST when it comes to the road like hand signals, meanings of signs and waiting for the right time when to go.

Right after that we all ate our recess and there were a lot of crows around so one of them stole someone's donuts! We all were very excited to go on the bikes but first we did some practice first like biking around cones and also some games.

We FINALLY went on the bikes and it was surprising that the traffic lights were working and we had demerit points  but if we lost eight we would have to sit out which was kind of annoying because I lost 6 points! 

We each would get called out, house by house to eat lunch when we were on the bikes, then after 20 - 40 minutes on the bike we all were super exhausted and made my gluteus maximus ache for a few days.

`The session was over and packed up our bikes and helmets, walked back and arrived at school at around 3:15.

Year 5 Big Dig History excursion

On our second excursion which was called the Big Dig Site, everyone hopped onto the bus at around 9:00 am with a long drive of 50 minutes and arrived at 10:00 am, but our session was starting at 10:30 am so we stopped and had our recess then kept walking to the Big Dig Site. We arrived after a short walk with an instructor and talked a little about artifacts and got to Dig in the sand each in a group with shovels and artifacts in the bottom of the sand pit but of course it was not the real artifacts.

After having a lot of fun digging we went outside to talk about convicts and other interesting facts about who first came and what happened. Right after that we went all the way to these long and tiring stairs that lead to the famous Sydney Harbour Bridge, we walked across and spotted a few amazing views like the Opera House, the large boats traveling across, and under the bridge and also spotted the famous theme park Luna Park on the way to the end of the bridge.

Before the bus arrived we went under the Harbour bridge where there was a grass area where we could play mini games and have lunch, then after all that, the bus finally arrived and we traveled safely back to school, arriving at 3:15.  

Ram Esteban 5B

As we approach the season of giving, we are once again partnering with St Vincent de Paul to support families in need through our annual Christmas Hamper Appeal. This initiative is a wonderful opportunity for our students and families to come together in the spirit of generosity and care for others.

This year, each year group has been allocated specific items to donate. These donations will be used to create hampers filled with essential and festive items for families doing it tough this Christmas:

• Year 2: Christmas lollies

• Year 3: Toiletry items (toothbrushes, toothpaste, deodorant, soap)

• Year 4: Biscuits/cookies/shortbread

• Year 5: Long-life milk, tea and coffee

• Year 6: Pancake mix

• Year 7: Tinned fruit

• Year 8: Pasta sauce

• Year 9: Long-life juice

• Year 12: Pasta

The collection will run during Week 7, beginning Monday, 25 November. Students can bring their contributions to their class teachers (Primary) and admin teachers (Secondary), and we encourage everyone to dig deep during what continues to be a challenging time for many families.

Together, we can make a meaningful difference to those in need this Christmas. Thank you for your generosity and support of this important cause.

Scott Williamson, Deputy Headmaster

Presentation Day celebrations will take place on Tuesday, 10 December, the final day of Term 4. The event will be held in the COLA at Wollemi College.

This year, Presentation Day will be divided into two parts, as outlined below:

Attendance is mandatory for all students in Years 2 to 11. It is important that we come together as a school community to celebrate individual achievement and conclude what has been a wonderful 25th Anniversary year. Students must wear the correct summer uniform, ensuring it is clean, well-maintained, and properly fitted. Shoes should also be clean and polished. 

To assist with the logistics for this event, please complete the form by Friday, 29 November, indicating whether you will be attending on Tuesday, 10 December. Please note, due to limited space, this event is for parents only, not siblings or extended family. 

We look forward to acknowledging and celebrating students who have demonstrated academic excellence, consistent effort and spirit of service throughout the year. Presentation Day will also highlight the talents of our students in the Creative and Performing Arts. Families of students receiving an award or performing on the day will be notified closer to the event.  

The academic year will finish for all students at the end of the school day on Tuesday 10 December.

Thank you for your support in making Presentation Day an enjoyable and memorable event. We look forward to seeing you on the day. 

Oh, What a Night by The Four Seasons sums up the evening we had last Friday at WOLCAN, Wollemi College's Creative Arts Night, where the energy and talent on display made for an unforgettable experience.WOLCAN provided an opportunity for our students to showcase their impressive musical talents to the wider school community. The evening featured a variety of performances, including singing, dancing, and bands, showcasing skills across different musical platforms. Students demonstrated exceptional talent, from powerful vocals and instrumental skills to creative choreography and onstage confidence. The atmosphere was lively and supportive, reflecting the dedication and passion of all involved.

A special thanks go to Ms Lamrock and her student crew—James G, Sebastian S, and Achilles M—whose hard work and coordination were essential to the night’s success. While all of the live action was happening on stage, student artwork was on display for all to see and admire. The quality of work across the various pieces of art was phenomenal! We have a very talented group of young artists creating artwork at an incredibly high level of expertise.

Thank you to our dedicated teachers who organised and set up the exhibition - Mike Tolentino, Iain Fraser, Luke Baxter and Jacob Berryman. Attendance and support at events like this exemplify the strong bond and sense of community we share at Wollemi. Once again, congratulations to everyone involved.

_{Photos courtesy of Mr Anton Yap}

 Check out our new  Wollemi merchandise, limited stock so get them before they're gone!

As part of our 25th-anniversary celebrations, we're excited to offer a range of commemorative merchandise, including custom-designed hoodies, beanies, caps, cufflinks, and ties. These items feature unique artwork inspired by Wollemi's motto and vibrant community. By making a purchase, you'll not only be commemorating Wollemi's 25 years of excellence but also supporting the community, as a portion of the proceeds will go towards school initiatives and projects. Visit the front office today to secure your favourite items, as they are in limited supply.

Please pray for our sick Wollemi family and friends:

Joshua Gibbons, 4G, brother to  Joseph ( 2B) and Samuel ( 8G); Matthew Khairy, Year 11;  Sally, Mr Agana's mother-in-law; Easter Nasayao-Montenegro, aunt to Yoav  (9B); Charles Rafanan, father to Kristofer in 4G; 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);  Louise Cotter, Grandmother to Chase Kerin (9B);   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:

Cecilio Acasio, grandfather of Peyton Bernacer 8B and Angelo Bernacer 6B; Teresita Martinez-De Guzman, mother to Ardy and  Mike Seguban,  grandmother to  Mikhail (6G); Ian Rajnoch, grandfather to Xavier (5B); Walter Valenton, uncle to Dominique (5B); Igor Mileusnic; uncle to Hugo Giles (5B); 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.} 

If your son is interested in participating, please register the details using the link attached to the flyer BEFORE 20 Nov 2024.

School Travel Passes

Applications are now open for 2025 School Student Transport Scheme (SSTS) travel. 

Students in the Opal network applying for an Opal card (including a Term Bus Pass) for the first time will receive their School Opal card at their nominated postal address from mid-January 2025.

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.

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 card 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.

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.

I hope everyone is having a fantastic Term 4! It has been an extremely busy and exciting time in the world of primary sports! Our students have had many opportunities to demonstrate their athletic abilities. 

Year 3 Gala Day

Our Year 3’s had the opportunity to travel to The Hills Grammar School to participate in a Gala Day organised by Hills Zone. The boys got to participate in a variety of activities. Including soccer, touch football, frisbee, basketball, netball, parachute and relays. It was not a competitive day, but a day designed to allow them to experience different sports. Maybe even helping them discover a sport that they would like to pursue in the future. Our students had a great time and from what I can see, the future of Wollemi College athletics is very bright.

Oztag Gala Day

Wollemi College recently entered one Year 3/4 team and one Year 5/6 team into the Western Sydney Oztag Gala Day. We did not get the results we were hoping for, but the boys played hard and had opportunities to win every game. Both teams narrowly missed making the finals, but we clearly showed that we can compete with some of the top schools here in Western Sydney. We will be back next year!  

Pacific Cup Championships - Primary School Gala Day

We had the opportunity to attend a Gala Day organised by the NRL. Our students got to meet mens and womens rugby league players representing Tonga, Australia, New Zealand, Papua New Guinea, and Samoa. The boys got to participate in games, cultural workshops and demonstrations. Their favourite part was clearly getting to meet the different players and they got more than a few signatures! 

Brotherhood Cup

Recently, we were visited by students from Hartford College and their headmaster/former Wollemi College teacher Mr Ian Mejia, to compete in debating, chess and soccer. We emphasized the importance of sportsmanship, friendship and brotherhood. We selected students who truly demonstrate what it means to be a Wollemi Man. Hartford narrowly came away with the cup, but their staff were extremely impressed with the behaviour of our students. They appreciated the welcoming atmosphere and warmth that we showed. We hope to make this an annual event and we hope to grow the relationship between our schools. 

Proven-Summons Trophy Visit

On the same day as the Brotherhood Cup, we were visited by two NRL representatives. They brought the Proven Summons trophy with them and the classes got the opportunity to take photos. The boys were surprised and excited to say the least! 

HSC Q&A session for parents of Class of 2025, Monday 11 November. 

Special thanks to Brett Wright for spending the time imparting your knowledge and wisdom to help us make the HSC year a success. 

 The Wollemi College Fitting Range's last trading day in December will be Friday 6th December.  Extended Trading Days and hours are below. 

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 

Friday, 17th January 2025 9.00 am to 3.00 pm 

Friday, 24th January 2025 9.00 am to 3.00 pm 

Friday, 31st January 2025 9.00 am to 3.00 pm 

* Please note Terms 1 and 4 require full summer uniform 

The fitting range will resume normal hours on Friday 7th February 2025 Friday 1.00 pm – to 4:30pm 

Online Store 

Enjoy the convenience of online shopping. Orders will be filled when the store is next open. 

Fitting Appointment 

Full uniform fittings are strictly by appointment only. Please use the QR code to book an appointment.

 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  

About this event

It is our mission to walk with couples as they navigate the early years of marriage - in all its joys and challenges. To support and encourage them by arming them with practical strategies and authentic insights, building friendships along the way.

At a CANA Marriage event, you will delve into the Christian call of marriage and learn about how you can live this vocation with true joy and find real fulfilment. You will hear from guest speakers and then have time for guided discussion between you and your spouse.

Our launch on Saturday the 23rd will include guest speakers, Byron & Francine Pirola, cofounders of SmartLoving, who have over three decades of experience in marriage and family ministry.

Don't miss this event! We are so looking forward to meeting you.

PS - Free child-minding is available! 

Join us for a day of family fun at the Mirrabooka Study Centre Family Picnic! 

 Sunday, November 24, 2024
 Info session at 11:45 AM
 Picnic kicks off at 12:30 PM
 BYO food and picnic essentials

Enjoy games, activities, and a great opportunity to connect with others in the community! Bring your family, your friends, and your picnic spirit. Don’t miss out—RSVP now!

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.

Do you live in Glenwood, Baulkham Hills, Bella Vista, Quakers Hill and surrounding areas or on route to Montgrove and Wollemi Colleges. We are also able to do transfers between Montgrove and Wollemi.

Our driver has his RMS Driver Authority and completed his Working with Children checks.

Reliable Service at competitive prices.  There are currently spots available so call now and register your children.

Shokr Yassa 0411 575 782