Welcome to Semester 2. I hope everyone had a wonderful and restful break, and that it was a chance for students and staff alike to recharge and reset. As I shared with our Secondary students at assembly, this is well known as the ‘downhill’ side of the year, meaning it goes by surprisingly quickly.

I also shared with our Secondary boys that for me, the holidays were a chance to reflect on the year so far. Semester 1 saw a number of confronting events in our Pared West communities. Some tested our Faith in Divine Providence and our reliance on prayer. I believe they made both stronger for many of us. 

In this regard, a Wollemi dad shared some wisdom with me after experiencing a rather serious health scare at the start of the holidays. He mentioned that the event had helped him to focus on what is important, his family and the everyday little things we often take for granted, and not focus on the ruined holiday plans that had to be postponed.

My wish for our school for Semester 2 of 2025 is that, after the challenges of Semester 1, we will focus on gratitude for ‘normal’ everyday life; that we learn to appreciate the stability that allows us to focus on doing the little things well: academically, behaviourally, socially and spiritually, both at home and at school.

Please make a note on your calendar of the inaugural The Fathering Project event coming up in Week 3. Any dads interested in joining The Project can contact Bernard James <bernardjames@wollemi.nsw.edu.au>. Also in Week 3, we have the Subject Selection night for Year 10 students and parents.. 

Finally, we’re pleased to welcome Dr Judith Locke to this term’s Key Parent Function. A clinical psychologist and former teacher, Dr Locke is the bestselling author of The Bonsai Child and The Bonsai Student, and specialises in fostering resilience in young people. She will run two tailored sessions: one for Primary parents on Wednesday 27 August, and one for Secondary parents on Thursday 28 August. Please save these dates in your diaries.

James Ramos, Headmaster

Welcome to Term 3

Welcome to Term 3 and the beginning of the second semester. Once again, the calendar is a hive of activity with excursions, Father’s Day Breakfast, Book Week, KPFs, school camps, father-and-son camps, Commerce Market Day, Year 11 exams, trial HSC exams scheduled, and we bid farewell to our amazing Year 12 students in the final week of term. A busy school is a happy school! 

Wollemi Man Award

It is with great delight that I present to you the latest Wollemi Man Award recipient, James G - Year 11. James G. has quietly become one of the most important contributors to the success of school events at Wollemi College. For the past two years, he has served the Wollemi community by coordinating and managing sound equipment for major functions—from assemblies and ceremonies to special occasions, such as the recent Eucharistic Procession.

James has a combination of technical skill, foresight, and calmness under pressure. He plans meticulously, ensures all equipment is prepared and tested, and still manages to stay on top of his academic responsibilities. Most notably, just minutes before the Eucharistic Procession was set to begin, a sudden technical issue arose with the sound system. In what could have derailed the event, James calmly and quickly diagnosed the issue and resolved it—ensuring the procession went ahead smoothly and with sound!

Without James’ consistent involvement and technical expertise, many Wollemi events would not run with the professionalism and clarity we now take for granted. He exemplifies the spirit of service and continues to be an outstanding role model for younger students. 

The Wollemi community thanks you, James!

Scott Wiliamson, Deputy Headmaster

We are in the middle of the year of Hope! And this week, from July 28 to August 3, one million young pilgrims are expected to be in Rome celebrating the Jubilee of Youth.

Wollemi will join that crowd spiritually, very united to Pope Leo. It will be an opportunity to have a true encounter with the living Christ for millions in the World!! It is going to be like a big explosion of Hope, reaching every corner of the Earth.

Yesterday, at the end of the Mass of the Jubilee of the Grandparents and Elderly, Pope Leo prayed the Angelus and, following his appeal for peace in war-torn nations across the world, greeted with "particular affection the young people from various countries who have gathered in Rome for the Jubilee of Youth. I hope that this will be an opportunity for each of you to encounter Christ, and to be strengthened by him in your faith and in your commitment to following Christ with integrity of life".

Father Felix Navarro - College Chaplain

A focus on READING!

Term 3 will see all of Primary focus on the lifelong skill of reading. 

With 2 challenges happening this term (Primary Readathon and Premier's Reading Challenge) we have asked students to prioritise both of these events, with the hope of further developing their habits around daily and nightly reading.

Helpful tips to stay on top of the Readathon and PRC:

Read PRC books as part of your nightly reading - this helps you complete the PRC and adds books/pages to your readathon record.

Record your reading each day rather than at the end of the week - for the duration of the Readathon, students only need to fill out their Readathon Booklet, rather than their reading log in their diary.

Seek guidance and support from your teacher/mentor to choose appropriate books and keep your son motivated! 

Our Readathon will conclude in Week 6 (Thursday 28 August), with prize winners announced at the Book Parade on Friday 29 August. All money raised through the Readathon will be donated to the Australian Dyslexia Foundation - an organisation that aims to “provide direct funding for people who cannot afford to pay for the assistive therapies that they need”. 

We hope these challenges will further extend our boys' love of literature and help all students develop a healthy habit of daily reading!

Lunchtime Clubs Term 3

This term, we continue the popular Chess Club (Monday and Friday) and launch the LEGO Club.

LEGO Club will run 2 days per week - Tuesday for Years 5-6 and Thursday for Years 2-4.

The LEGO Club will focus on creativity and the development of fine motor skills, with students given the freedom to create their designs using a large variety of blocks. Due to a lack of storage space, all designs will need to be broken down after each session. 

Lunchtime Sports

Mr Uyeda will continue his sports sessions each Tuesday and Thursday. 

Tuesday - Year 3-4 - Oztag and Touch Football

Thursday - Year 5-6 - Flag Football (American Football)

Fly The Plane

Wollemi Fly The Plane Stem Challenge ‘landed’ (pun intended) on the final day of Term 2.  

The boys made some creative designs and showed great support for their peers, cheering on one another regardless of the distance each plane travelled.   

Samuel A was the winner of the Year 2 division with a throw of 14.40m.

Kavir B won the Year 3-4 division, throwing his plane 15.30m. 

Our Year 5-6 division winner, Mineth P, threw his plane a massive 23.80m - the longest throw for the day!

Well done to all participants and a big thank you to the many Year 6 helpers who helped organise the boys, measure throws and record results. 

We will see if any student can beat Mineth’s 23.80m in the years to come!  

Luke Baxter, Head of Primary

Writing this Captain's Corner, I realised that this might be one of my last articles. So, here are two quick things that I think I've learnt over the past few years.

In a speech that I gave earlier this week, I said that you are the combination of the 5 people that you spend the most time with. This is more true than we realise. I gave many statistics about how the people around you affect who you are. I've found that we should think carefully about who we spend time with, how they affect us, and how we affect them. What person are we becoming because of our friends, and what person are our friends becoming because of us? It's so important to look out for our mates.

Secondly, one very important lesson is to take care of our sleep. Being a student myself, I know that most of you are probably suffering from a very common condition: Sleep Deprivation.

Most of us maximise how much energy we get from sleep at around 8 hours. Problems with sleep can turn into a vicious cycle. Lack of sleep leads to tiredness, which can lead to reduced performance, which can lead to longer hours at work, and then even fewer hours for sleep. Do a test, get 8 hours of sleep for a couple of days, and see how your life changes. It feels good.

Staring at your phone late at night is tempting, but really, it won't make you happy. Put "Screen Time" on your phone, leave your phone in the kitchen, turn it off, and go to sleep!

Matthias S., School Captain

The Readathon will run from Week 1 to Week 6 of Term 3 (21st July—29th August), and we invite all students to participate by recording the number of pages they read and seeking fundraising pledges to support a great cause. All proceeds raised will go directly to The Australian Dyslexia Foundation, supporting our country’s largest learning-related disability.

Key Dates

●        Parent Information and Fundraising Begins: Week 9, Term 2

●        Readathon Begins: Monday 21st July, Week 1, Term 3

●        Readathon Ends: Friday 29th August, Week 6, Term 3

●        Major Prize Draw and Book Parade: Week 6-7, Term 3 (Exact Date TBC)

In their final Chemistry module, students are required to analyse spectral data from a variety of chemical analysis instruments. During the excursion, our Chemistry students gained firsthand experience with carbon-13 nuclear magnetic resonance, infrared spectroscopy, and UV and visible light spectroscopy.

Gerard Weber, Stage 6 Coordinator and Head of Science

At the end of last term, we had our Annual Eucharistic Procession here at Wollemi. It was a wonderful occasion to teach our students devotion to the Blessed Sacrament. I would like to say a big thank you to all the parents and students involved. I was very moved seeing how everything came together so nicely, without lacking challenges and setbacks, but with the perseverance of many people. From the parents working on the altars from the first hour in the morning, to the boys working on the flower carpets: everyone contributed in their own way to make this day so special! 

What an awesome example of Magnanimity we have given to the boys! It's okay to sacrifice oneself, even though it is costly, if it is for Our Lord and for others. Whether it is with the flowers, or with the music, all our efforts spoke very loudly of our Love for our Lord in the Blessed Sacrament. And I'm really grateful for that... It is on days like these that I'm very proud of being part of the Wollemi Community.

Jack Johnson, Director of Personalised Education

Last term's Athletics Carnival was a fantastic display of school spirit, sportsmanship, and athletic talent. Held at the newly upgraded Harold Corr Oval, students from across all year levels gave their best efforts across track and field events, cheering each other on and contributing to an exciting and energetic day.

A sincere thank you to our dedicated staff whose organisation and supervision made the day run smoothly, and to the many parents who came along to support the students—we truly appreciate your ongoing encouragement.

Congratulations to all students for their enthusiastic participation and for embracing the carnival with such positivity. Whether competing or cheering from the sidelines, your efforts made the day a great success!

A special thank you to Lucas Ison for putting together an amazing video about the day.

Click the image below:

Adam Bayliss, Sportsmaster

Congratulations to the following boys on achieving Age Champions for Swimming, Cross Country and Athletics.

Swimming

8s – Jaxon Leggatt

9s – Leonardo De Souza

10s – Elijah Leggatt

11s – William Casserly

12s (Pri) – Joel Leggatt

12s (Sec) – Timofey Sakalouski

13s - Artold Cabillan

14s – Klim Drozd

15s – Dominic Sheary

16s – Achilles Magat

17s – Elias Fakhry

18s – Pedrito Gatbonton

8s – Jaxon Leggatt

Cross Country

8s – Matthew Locke

9s – Xavier Sultana

10s – Jorge Frech

11s – Dominic Sultana

12s (Pri) – Dominic Noone

12s (Sec) – Timofey Sakalouski

13s – Julien Mojica

14s – Klim Drozd

15s – Royal Rinto

16s – Augustine Phua

17s – Micah Armour

18s – Koshin Kandregula

Athletics

8s – Matthew Locke

9s – Levi Victorino

10s – Jorge Frech

11s – Jeril Linoy

12s (Pri) – Jayson De Villiers

12s (Sec) – Timofey Sakalouski

13s – Artold Cabillan

14s – Matthew Christie

15s – Royal Rinto

16s – Lucas Lombardo

17s – Micah Armour

18s – Gabriel Vulcik

And congratulations to our Carnival House Champions for 2025. 

Swimming - Wyuna

Cross Country - Wyuna

Athletics - Araluen

Adam Bayliss - Sportsmaster/Secondary PDHPE Teacher

Please pray for our sick Wollemi family and friends:

Carol Gonzales, mother to Gena and Alan Soriano, grandmother to Matthias (12G), Ignatius (8B) and Lorenzo (7B);   Simon Elbayeh, father to Alexander (10B); Raphaella, newborn baby to  Elizabeth and Graham, sister to Michael (4B);  Matthew Khairy 12B; Joseph Valladores, father to Jose (9G); Carol Alvarez, grandmother to  Ramon (9B) and  Vincenzo Zamora (5B); Emmanuel Hanna, brother to George (8G); Victor Sciberras, father to Marianne and Carmel Spiteri, grandfather to Justin (9B); Mariano Valladores, father to Ela and Will O'Neill,  grandfather to Michael (11B) and John-Paul (7B).

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

 Emelita Humarang, grandmother to Harry Tamunday in Yr 4; Jamie Dowsett, father of Max 4B and Noah 6B; Rita Farrugia, grandmother to John Paul 6G and Elijah 4G; Remedios  & Mariano Tiano,  mother and father  to Raquel and Edge Pinaroc, grandmother and grandfather to Lucas (6G) and Paolo (10G); Argyna Santiago, Year 12 Montgrove student, sister of Aryel (Class of 2020 graduate) and Argel (Class of 2015 graduate), first cousin to Seb Santiago 11B and Pocholo Javier (Dad of Mateo 6B, Lucas 5B and Enzo 2B); Bridget Collits, auntie to Luke Collits 4B; Erlinda Kabiling; grandmother to Andrei Kabiling (7B); Cirilo Kabiling; grandfather to Andrei Kabiling (7B); Chris Clements, son-in-law to Mr Gerard Kenny (Wollemi Teacher);   Mario Cauchi, mother to  Annabelle and  Placidus Bhandoo, grandfather to Elijah (4G) and John-Paul (6G); Bruce Kilpatrick, father to Julie Blazevic (Montgrove school secretary), grandfather to Daniel (Class of 2017) and  John-Paul(Class of 2011); Benjie Santiago; father to Argel ( class of 2015) and Aryel (Class of 2020), brother to Lydia and Danny Jocson; Cecilio Acasio, grandfather of Peyton Bernacer 9B and Angelo Bernacer 7B; Teresita Martinez-De Guzman, mother to Ardy and  Mike Seguban,  grandmother to  Mikhail (7G).

Congratulations to:

Rebecca and John Locke on the birth of Zoe Charlotte and Isaac Jordan, sister and brother to Matthew (2G).

_{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.} 

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. 

 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.

To order your copy today, click here.

Wollemi is 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.

Visit the front office today to secure your favourite items, as they are in limited supply.

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 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.

Wollemi College is delighted to announce that Dion Palumbo will be teaching the guitar on Wednesdays in the Music Centre.

He has vast experience performing and teaching, including in London.

A career highlight was performing at the 2012 London Paralympic Games. He has conducted and arranged music for the British National Youth Jazz Orchestra and won best EP in the Jazz/Funk/Fusion section of the 2014 Independent Music Awards.

Dion is also a highly qualified Music Therapist and the College is in discussions with him to obtain his services in this area. Watch this space!

 If you wish to start lessons with Mr Dion Palumbo, please contact Ms Melissa Lamrock, Head of Music – melissa.lamrock@wollemi.nsw.edu.au  

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.

The uniform shop will return to normal hours on Fridays.  Throughout the school term our opening hours are 1:00pm – 4:30 pm on Fridays.

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