A very warm welcome to everyone to the 2025 academic year. It has been wonderful to have the whole school abuzz with activity. Judging by the level of noise at Recess and Lunchtime, it has been a great holiday, and everyone is rested and ready to go.

A Year of Hope

2025 marks the first quarter century of the new millennium, a milestone the Catholic Church celebrates with a Jubilee Year, which Pope Francis has dedicated to the virtue of Hope. This virtue has been the theme of our start to this year and will continue to be throughout. We as a community share the hope that 2025 will be a great year for all our parents, staff and students, full of growth and progress, and also full of service, friendship and joy.  

Welcome

A very warm welcome to our 28 new families and 78 new students, including those coming over from Montgrove to Year 2. We now have around 575 enrolments looked after by 56 staff. A special welcome to our five new teachers: Mr Alimangohan, Mr Attia and Mr Pereira in Primary, and Mr Beshay and Mr Tran in Secondary. This week, we also welcomed our new School counsellor, Mr Timothy Helbano. I am extremely happy with our recruitment success this year. Students already feel the positive effects of these wonderful new teachers. 

A prayer campaign

An early sign of hope for me in this community and the new year has been the incredible response to a call for prayers that we have sent out. A large percentage of our community is firmly enrolled in the ‘Pray for Baby Roberts’ campaign. Mrs Elizabeth Roberts, our primary teacher, and Graham, her husband, are incredibly grateful, but they also ask that we intensify those prayers for the next few weeks until the baby is safely delivered. I have, with 100% confidence, assured them that they can count on all of us.

This week, we have received the final two pieces of the Wollemi Shrine: 4 new wooden benches to complete the set and a custom sandstone base to elevate Our Lady even more, soon to be installed. I encourage all of you to come and ‘test it out’, and specifically ask Our Lady of Wollemi for this special intention.

Goalsetting

With the coming of the new year, it’s a great opportunity to set or reset specific goals. We must encourage our boys to speak with their mentors about making their goals as practical and specific as possible. This will increase the efficacy of forming a new habit and ensure our hopes for the year are not ‘pipe dreams’ but effective resolutions.

The great attendance at our KPF last Thursday shows a great desire among our parents to make a good start. I recommend following that up with an early booking and meeting with your mentor to discuss goals for 2025.

James Ramos, Headmaster

 As always, the first day of the school year was filled with enthusiasm and energy as our young men greeted each other. Yet, in classic Wollemi style, that energy quickly transformed into focus and engagement once they stepped into the classroom.

Walking through the school grounds during class time—whether with prospective Wollemi families or while mentoring a student—one common theme stands out: a sense of calm. Accommodating 575 male students in a school setting might suggest chaos, loud noise, and disorder. But not at Wollemi.

How is this achieved? The answer, in my view, is simple. When parents and the school are aligned and moving in the same direction, students are given the best opportunity to become the best version of themselves. At Wollemi, your son is not just at school—he is in an extension of your home, your family.

As holistic educators, our role is to support his growth, both in character and academic excellence. I look forward to being part of his journey and working with you to help him reach his full potential.

The term ahead is, as always, very busy. Please see and add to your calendar the upcoming key events:

Scott Williamson, Deputy  Headmaster

Welcome to 2025! A huge welcome to our wonderful new Year 2’s and our new families. 

Week 1 has come and gone in a flash, with many teachers and students seeing school holidays as a distant memory. It was wonderful to see so many of you at our recent KPF and I hope you are now well-equipped with lots of information and have a sense of excitement for the year ahead. 

This year, we welcome three new teachers to our strong Primary team. Raphael Alimangohan will be in Year 3G (class teacher), Morris Attia will be in Year 5B (class teacher), and Lawrence Pereira will teach Art, Health and Science across multiple grades. We also welcome Mr Herg Lay who is joining us as part of the Diverse Learning team. All of these staff members have made a strong first impression at Wollemi! 

The graphic below outlines our class teachers for 2025. 

Lunchtime Clubs - Term 1

This week, we have launched our first round of lunchtime clubs for the Primary boys. If your son is interested in chess, coding or touch football, please encourage him to participate in these wonderful activities. Details below: 

I will continue to echo the importance of communication throughout 2025. Please communicate early and often. If you have questions or concerns, please raise them with your mentor and your son’s class teacher sooner rather than later.

I am also available, so please email me if you need anything throughout the year.

I can be contacted at - lukebaxter@wollemi.nsw.edu.au 

Our Primary Goals for 2025, as well as a number of new initiatives, will be outlined in the coming weeks. I look forward to an exciting year ahead!

Mr Luke Baxter, Head of Primary   

A New Year! A New Term! A New Chance to Start Over. Welcome back to school, everyone. I hope that we are ready to have one of the greatest years ever. This year, I would like to put forward three main goals for everyone at Wollemi to collectively work on.

This year is the perfect time to start something new. We all have something that we want to start. Something we've been telling ourselves to do for many years.

We all have something that we want to do. Something that we've been putting off.

Whether it's starting a business. Starting to exercise. Starting going to the gym. Starting to eat healthy. Starting sleeping on time. Using your phone less. How many times have you heard someone say 'I'll lock in in year 11'. It never happens. Now is the time to lock in. You all know that there is something that you have been telling yourself you have to start. Now is the time.

We should all start now and not wait for later. If not now, then when? Yesterday you said tomorrow. Today is the perfect time to start. To begin. 2025 is the perfect year. The first goal is to Start Now.

My second goal is centred around the most contagious disease. Something that spreads easier than a plague and quicker than a wildfire. Joy. My second goal for this year is for everyone to be joyful. Cheerful.

These holidays, I was in line for a roller coaster, and my sister began singing, Living on a Prayer by Bon Jovi. I joined in, and so did my cousins, and then a random group of fellow Aussies about ten meters away started singing. Everyone was singing and smiling. On the weekend, the year 12 class farewelled John McLoughlin, Mundoora House Captain. Although this could have been a sad occasion, the year 12 class made the most of the evening and enjoyed lots of laughs and smiles. Everyone was cheerful. When someone is joyful, you can't help but be joyful. 2025 is the year of joy. The second goal is to be optimistic and cheerful. With that spirit in mind, I am pleased to announce Adam Llagas as our new Mundoora Captain, stepping in as John's successor.

My last goal might be the most important because all the other goals and almost everything in life depend on this. My third goal for this year is to Live YOUR Life, not the life others want you to live. Don’t Care About What Other People Think. Jordan Peterson says, 'Other people’s opinions are the biggest poison to your happiness'. Other people's opinions and thoughts are chains, shackles, a prison holding people from being themselves. It takes not caring about other people's opinions to write this Captain's Corner. We live in a world where we think we have to live a life other people want from us. We will only truly be happy if we don't care about what others think. No hero, celebrity, or saint would have got anywhere if they thought about what others thought of them. Not caring about others' opinions will give you true freedom and joy.

Start NOW.

Be Cheerful.

Live YOUR Life. 

Matthias S., School Captain

2025 Wollemi Staff Directory 

The College Orchestra is recommencing this year with rehearsals on WEDNESDAY mornings at 7:45 am.

All orchestral instrumentalists (including parents) are very welcome.

If you don't play an orchestral instrument (e.g. guitar)and would like to join, please speak to me, and we will see what we can organise for you to play.

The Vocal Ensemble is also recommencing, and rehearsals will take place on Monday mornings at 7:50 am.  

All are very welcome, even if you don't classify yourself as a singer, it is great for your musicality!

Come along and give it a try.  We are not judgemental!

Additionally, Years 4-8 and Elective Music Classes will be treated to a Double Bass Workshop/Demonstration on Tuesday.  Ms Ann Palumbo (a very active and vibrant muso with loads of experience working with famous artists) will be demonstrating all things double bass.  She will give some  students the opportunity to try this amazing instrument during the event.  If you feel inclined, you can consider hiring an instrument from the school and learning from Ann in the future.

Ms Lamrock, Head of Music

What a fantastic start to the year! Year 2 students have enthusiastically embraced their new timetable, meeting many new specialist teachers and settling into their routines.

A highlight was participating in whole school and primary assemblies, where our students showed respect and maturity. Several students earned their first Primary Merit awards for displaying virtues like Order and Integrity—well done!

Despite a busy learning schedule, the students enjoyed brain breaks and mini-sport activities to stay energised and focused throughout the day.

In English, Year 2 started by studying I’m Australian Too by Mem Fox, sparking discussions about diversity and inclusion, and helping students connect with their Australian identity.

In Maths, students learned to count more efficiently by making collections of 10, strengthening their numeracy skills.

We’re excited for more learning and growth in Year 2 this year and we hope your boys are too!

Mr. Nathan Quan and Mr. Cameron Wright, Year 2 Teachers

An invitation to Wollemi and Montgrove Dads.

James Ramos would like to extend an invitation to our Wollemi and Montgrove fathers to join us at a Dad's Night on Friday, 28 Feb, at 6 pm here at Wollemi.

This night is an opportunity for dads to come together and enjoy a meal, beer, and each other's company.  

Feel free to bring a plate to share. 

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

 Contact Person: Andrew Zahra 0484 545 937

Please pray for our sick Wollemi family and friends:

Baby Roberts of Elizabeth and Graham, unborn sibling to Michael 4B; 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;   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:

Tiano Mariano, father to Raquel and Edge Pinaroc,grandfather to Lucas in 6G and Paolo in10G; Mario Cauchi, mother to  Annabelle and  Placidus Bhandoo, grandfather to Elijah 4G and John-Paul 6G;  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.} 

Congratulations to the following families on their latest additions:

• to Kristel and David Ramos on the birth of baby Aria Maya, sister to  Jerome in 6G.
• to Cate and Molnar on the birth of baby Jude,  brother to Luka 4G and Nathaniel in 3B
• to  Lydia and Tony Elias on the birth of  Baby Celine, sister  Fouad in 12B and Emmanuel in 5G.

To finally mark Wollemi College's 25th Anniversary in 2024, we are thrilled to present a commemorative book honouring our rich history and the remarkable contributions of those who have paved the way for our success. 

Wollemi College has grown into a thriving two-stream school, now home to over 500 students. We take pride in our commitment to academic excellence and our distinctive approach to personalised education. This book is not merely a reflection of our past; it embodies our dedication to our values and mission, serving as a source of inspiration for both current and future generations.

 We believe this book is a meaningful way to honour and celebrate our school's legacy for years to come. Additional copies are available for purchase at the Front Office, enabling you to share this cherished keepsake with extended family and friends. We deeply appreciate your continued support and hope this special book inspires you.

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.

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

The school gates will open at 8:15 a.m., and students are not allowed onto the school premises before this time unless they have co-curricular commitments. If you are dropping your child/children off before 8:15 a.m., please remind them that they are to stay outside the gates until they are 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 not to exit the car.

Please collect your child/children between 3.25 pm and 3.45 pm when Teacher supervision ends.

 This is a reminder to parents NOT to park along Gipps Rd in the afternoon, as it causes congestion and risks the safety of our students.

The safety and well-being of our students are of paramount importance at Wollemi.  As you would appreciate, with the commencement of a new school term, and the continued growth of the school population, the volume of traffic in and around the College has increased during afternoon pick-up. As a result of this, we have taken some measures to improve the parking at the College with the expansion of the overflow car park. To help ensure the effective traffic flow and our Wollemi community's safety, I take this opportunity to remind you of the College’s pick-up procedures. 

Main Carpark (inside the College)

1.     Entry into the school is via the second gate only.

2.    Students are only to be collected in the green pick-up area (see diagram above) 

3.    The curb by the buildings is set down and pick up only (noted in green) – no parking.  Do not alight from the right-hand side of cars in the set-down lane.  Please be especially vigilant that children ONLY alight on the left.

4. Please do not double park in the set-down lane; instead, wait for space to become available on the curb.

5.    Please remain in your vehicle until your son arrives. 

6. When waiting in the carline to collect your son/son, please move to the front of the line or fill any empty space available along the pickup area to ensure traffic flow and maximise space. 

Please watch for young students crossing on the pedestrian crossing from the school veranda entrance to the carpark.

Overflow car park (outside the school)

7. Students are only to be collected in the green pickup area (see diagram above) 

8. Please Park only in the designated parking bays - as noted in yellow on the diagram  

IMPORTANT NOTES

Please ensure your son knows which carpark he will be picked up from in the afternoon. 

To further assist with traffic flow and reduce parent wait time in the car line, please remind your sons that they must be watchful for the approach of your vehicle on Gipps Rd so that they can be ready for collection.

We hope these measures will help improve traffic flow within the College, reduce congestion, and ensure student safety. We appreciate that the afternoon pickup period can be busy, and we ask that we continue to be patient and courteous to each other. 

Thank you in advance for your cooperation.

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.

Each year NSW Health works with schools to offer the vaccines recommended for adolescents by the  National Health and Medical Research Council (NHMRC).  

In 2025, the following vaccines will be offered: 

Year 7 students: 

• Human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccine as a single dose. 

• Diphtheria, Tetanus & Pertussis (whooping cough) vaccine (dTpa) as a single dose. 

Year 10 students: 

• Meningococcal ACWY vaccine as a single dose. 

Catch-up vaccinations will be offered to any students in Years 8, 9, 11 and 12 who provided consent in  2023 or 2024 and missed vaccination in previous years.  

Confirmation of vaccination clinic details is as follows: 

Clinic Dates: 

Visit 1: Monday 17 February 2025

Yr7, dTpa and HPV - all students 

Yr8 and 9, dTpa and HPV - catch up of students who returned their consents in 2022 or 2023 Yr11 and 12, Meningococcal ACWY- catch up of students who returned their consents in 2023 or 2024

Visit 2:  Friday 25 July 2025

Yr 10, Meningococcal ACWY 

Yr 7, dTpa and HPV - catch up 

Yr8 and 9, dTpa and HPV - catch up of students who returned their consents in 2022 or 2023 Yr11 and 12, Meningococcal ACWY- catch up of students who returned their consents in 2023 or 2024

Visit 3: Friday 17 October 2025

Yr 7, dTpa and HPV - catch up 

Yr 10, Meningococcal ACWY- catch up 

Yr8 and 9, dTpa and HPV- catch up of students who returned their consents in 2023 or 2024 Yr11 and 12, Meningococcal ACWY- catch up of students who returned their consents in 2023 or 2024 

Please note that students cannot be vaccinated without online or paper-based consent.

A massive shoutout to all the WBC players who have been selected to represent Penrith and Blacktown! 🏆👏 

Your hard work, dedication, and passion for the game have paid off, and we couldn't be prouder!  

PJ Balmeo - U12 Penrith Representative

Levi Victorino - U12 Penrith Representative

Daven Jambalos - U12 Blacktown Representative

Dominique Valenton - U14 Blacktown Representative

Andrei Kabiling - U14 Blacktown Representative

Joshua Mangaser - U14 Blacktown Representative

Christian Mariano -  U16 Penrith Representative

Wishing all our talented players the best of luck as they try out for Hill Zone on Feb 12! 💪👏 Go out there, give it your all, and show them what you're made of!

You've put in the work—now it's time to shine! ✨🏆 Let's go! 🚀

16's

Josh Esteban

Shreyyas Akkati

Gerard Simeon

Paolo Pinaroc

Alex Magat

Achilles Magat

Jeremy Song

18's

Isaac Mackenzie-Baron

Aisnley Mercado

Elias Fakhry

All orders are to be placed online only. 

* Please note Terms 1 and 4 require full summer uniform 

The fitting range normal hours on  Friday 1.00 pm – to 4:30 pm 

Online Store 

Enjoy the convenience of online shopping. Orders will be filled out when the store opens next. 

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