Welcome back to all our families. It has been a pleasure to see the campus buzzing with energy again. We have had a fantastic start over these first two weeks, and as always, there is already a great deal happening across all year groups.

I would like to extend a sincere thank you to the many parents who attended our Key Parent Function last Thursday. Despite the heat, the turnout was excellent. These evenings are vital for fostering the partnership between home and school that defines the Wollemi spirit.

Laptop Rollouts and Digital Stewardship

Our student laptop rollout commenced last week and continues this week. These devices are a significant investment in your son’s education, and we ask for your support in reminding the boys to treat them with the utmost care.

To assist with this, every device has been issued with a carry bag and protective sleeve. Please note the following expectations:

Uniform and Grooming Standards

The boys have returned looking sharp, and I commend the majority of students for wearing their uniform with pride. Most haircuts currently meet the school’s expectations.

As a reminder:

Contacting Your Stage Coordinator

Open communication is key to a successful year. If you have any questions regarding the above or any other matters involving your son, please do not hesitate to reach out to his respective Stage Coordinator:

Thank you for your ongoing support as we dive into a productive Term 1.

Mr Scott Williamson, Deputy Headmaster

Every year, we come back to school the day after the final of the Australian Open! Carlos Alcaraz won it and became the youngest tennis player winning the four Grand Slams. When a journalist asked him for the secret of his success, he answered:

“Believing. Believing. Believing all the time, I always say that you have to believe in yourself, no matter what. No matter what you’re struggling with, or what you’ve been through, no matter anything. You’ve got to believe in yourself.”

But we can believe in ourselves because we are children of God: we know that He is always with us, giving us the grace and the strength to achieve all our goals in 2026!

We will start Lent next week: Ash Wednesday is on 18th February. Prayer, Fasting, Almsgiving are the three pillars of Lent.

Pope Leo is encouraging us to spend time in silence, doing mental prayer every day:

“Time dedicated to prayer, meditation and reflection cannot be lacking in the Christian’s day and week. Only when we speak with God can we also speak about Him”.

Fr Felix Navarro, College Chaplain

Welcome to 2026 - a new year full of promise and excitement here at Wollemi. A year of consolidation where we place a clear and renewed focus on the pillars which make our community so great - character education, pursuing personal and academic excellence and living a life of faith whilst making a positive impact on society. The year is filled with great promise!I welcome all new families to our community and make special mention of our Year 2 boys who have made a smooth transition to life at Wollemi, completing a successful first week. The boys have settled in well and are commended for their positive attitude within the classroom and their outstanding behaviour at our recent whole school assembly.

Growing In Virtue Everyday

This year, Wollemi Primary boys will have a wonderful addition to their weekly homework - a motto booklet aimed at helping the boys grow in human virtues. The GIVE booklet should be used by families to have open discussions with their sons about how they can put each of our weekly goals into action. The boys will discuss each weekly goal at school and are then asked to discuss these goals with you at home, before completing an activity to help consolidate their understanding and develop these important virtues.

Our focus for Term 1 is Responsibility. Our weekly goals are summarised below. Please make this GIVE homework an important part of your son’s weekly homework schedule.

Primary House Captains 2026

It is with great pleasure that I introduce our Primary House Captains for 2026 - these boys were elected by their Year 6 peers last week and take on the responsibility of leading each of their house groups in Primary this year. They will join our Primary Captain, Max H, and Primary Vice Captain, Mineth P, to form our student leadership team for 2026.

Congratulations to the boys above. I know they will lead our house groups with pride and enthusiasm at our upcoming Primary Swimming Carnival this week.

Communication

Thank you to all parents who attended our recent KPF - I hope the class presentations were informative and allowed you to introduce yourself to your son’s class teacher. In order to continue a solid working relationship, 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 - this will allow us to address things quickly and work together to ensure your son achieves his full potential.

I am also available to assist as required, so please send me an email should you need anything throughout the year. I can be contacted at - lukebaxter@wollemi.nsw.edu.au.

Mr Luke Baxter, Head of Primary

The beginning of the school year carries a quiet importance often overlooked. Before any assessments, reports, or results appear, a foundational element is at work behind the scenes, shaping the rest of the term for each student: attitude.

How students begin the year often determines how they live it out and experience it. The effort at the beginning becomes a habit that’s lived with. The standards formed at the beginning naturally carry through for the rest of the term. While much of the year’s work still lies ahead, its direction is set far sooner than many realise.

At Wollemi, the start of the year is an opportunity to start fresh and establish purpose. Effort is not something we can simply switch on when we feel comfortable. It is lived through the small, everyday tasks that shape us into the people we’re destined to be. Over time, the small effort at the beginning of the year compounds, creating a snowball of achievement.

For all students, young and old, this means that we must take pride in small responsibilities. These early behaviours form habits that support learning and growth well beyond any classroom, university or job. When boys learn to make an effort from the start, they begin to realise progress is built through consistency and giving it their best.

School will naturally become more challenging during exam periods; these times require patience and perseverance. Work will become more demanding, and it's in those times that we can rely on the habits formed and the small, consistent goals we've worked towards. It’s very easy not to complain and quit when times are easy, but when times get tougher and busier, then the boys who stay consistent achieve.

Education at a school like Wollemi isn't simply about outcomes; it's about formation. While academic achievement remains important, the deeper aim is to shape men of character who act with integrity, resilience and responsibility when times get tough. These qualities are formed gradually through repeated choices made long before results are visible.

Start well, start with intention, set goals and let this year not reflect a series of marks but character. Take this year as the gift it is to prove to your parents, teachers, and, most importantly, yourselves what you're capable of achieving.

Thomas Gaid, School Captain

Photo 1 (L-R): Thomas G - School Captain; Parsa D - School Vice Captain

Photo 2 (L-R): Maximilian H - Primary Captain; Mineth P - Primary Vice Captain