Newsletter - Friday 9 September 2022

On a less sombre note, it was wonderful to see so many dads enjoy a breakfast and games with their children last Friday. I am very grateful for the leadership of Jeanne Van Warmelo, Michelle Roberts and their Home and School team who organised the event.

Thank you also to the parents who were able to attend the school strategic planning focus groups – your input into the future of our school is valued.

Much has been happening in the school over the last fortnight, as students attended excursions, participated in math and STEM competitions, and played competitive sport. We can be very proud of our students as they represent the school and the dedicated staff who support them.

Finally, we are looking forward to our Wahroonga Adventist School Alumni Homecoming Church Service and lunch on September 17 where the school orchestra will play. You are most welcome, and we ask you to register using this link for catering purposes.

May God bless you and your family.

Mrs Julia Heise - Principal

Chaplains' Message

I was recently reading a book by Drs Edward Hallowell and John Ratey called ADHD 2.0 - an inspired roadmap for living with a distractible brain.

In this book they state that “the most common pathology in our world today is not heart disease or diabetes or even cancer, it is loneliness. Loneliness and weak social connections are associated with reduction in the lifespan similar to that caused by smoking 15 cigarettes a day and even greater than that associated with obesity. Loneliness is also associated with a greater risk of cardiovascular disease, dementia, depression and anxiety. At work loneliness reduces task performance, limits creativity, and impairs other aspects of executive function.”

In today's world our kids can be connected online in chat rooms, gaming, social media and other online forums yet studies have also found that our kids whilst connected electronically are more despondent, anxious and lonely then ever. Recent news stories have also shown the toxic environments that can take hold of our kids if they are left to their own devices. Often in searching for connection our kids can find themselves down a toxic rabbit hole they never wanted to go down and they then often find it even harder to find their way out… all in their quest to find connection and belonging

It is important that we address this epidemic of loneliness with a sense of urgency. Here at Wahroonga Adventist School we want to help our students to enjoy their day disconnected from social media and devices as much as possible and connected to each other in the classroom, playground and other school activities. We want the students to learn what it means to connect in deep and meaningful ways.

Developing deep and meaningful connections is the best way to help our children grow into amazing whole minded human beings. A well rounded curriculum, service projects such as STORMCo, school cafe, gardening club, the creative arts and sports are just some of the ways we help students connect and grow, but we at Wahroonga Adventist School also want to go deeper and address our students whole being by helping them connect to God and in so doing find ultimate connection and contentment with Him.

Jesus says in John 10:10 “I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full.” When we truly find a deeper connection by immersing ourselves in the Lord Jesus Christ. We find a deeper more meaningful joy, connection and belonging along with an ultimate truth that sets us free.

That’s why we as chaplains love what we do here on campus as we connect with your students and staff on on a daily basis and that is a privilege we value greatly.

Have a blessed weekend.

Pr Daron and Pr Andy - School Chaplains

Whole School News

Accounts

Final statements will be emailed to all families prior to the last day of Term 3 and will be payable by 15 October 2022. Please note all fees and incidentals need to be paid by this date.

Parents are required to give at least one term’s notice (10 weeks) in writing of termination of enrolment. Failure to do so will incur a charge of one term’s fees. Holiday periods including the Christmas holidays do not constitute adequate notice for withdrawal.

Wahroonga Reunion and Homecoming Service - 17 September 2022

Please join us for our very first Wahroonga Adventist School Alumni Homecoming Service on Saturday, 17 September, 2022. This will be a special opportunity to reminisce about your time at the school and catch up with others who have been involved in the school over many years.

The service will commence at 11am in Wahroonga Adventist Church, followed by lunch at the school and guided tours. Guest speakers include Mr Greg Hinze and Mrs Michelle Streatfield, former Principals; Dr Andrew Pennington, former student and current parent; and Roseanna Fairfax, former student.

All past and current students, teachers, volunteers and their families are welcome to attend.

If you are a past student, parent, teacher or volunteer of Wahroonga Adventist School click on the link below to register your details for the Wahroonga Adventist School Alumni, and also like/follow the Alumni Facebook Page to keep up to date with school news, projects and events.

Calendar of Upcoming School Events

You can access the list of upcoming School events via the link below. The School Calendar is also available under the Parent Information tab on the School website.

Term Dates for 2022 and 2023

Please click on the link below to view the school term dates and public holiday information for 2022 and 2023.

Uniform Shop

A reminder to check your child's summer uniform. All students will return to school in Term 4 in full Summer Uniform. The Uniform Shop will not be open during the school holidays. Last online orders will close at 1pm on Wednesday 21 September 22. The last shop day for this term is Wednesday 21 September 22 from 8am-10am.

Uniform Shop Opening Times: The shop is open 8am-10am each Thursday during school Terms.

***Please note that in the last week of Term 3 the Uniform Shop will be open Wednesday 21/9/22 8am-10am. The shop will not open on Thursday 22/9/22. Online orders will close at 1pm on Wednesday 21/9/22 and will be delivered to primary classes and ready for collection at the office on Thursday 22/9/22.

Primary School News

Environmental Ambassadors – Primary

I am pleased to announce the Primary students who have been selected as Environmental Ambassadors. It was exciting to see the large number of students wishing to be an ambassador. These students will work with our team of staff, coordinated by Miss Dowe to assist with greening our school, composting and caring for our chickens.

SAVE THE DATE: Kindergarten Orientation Day (2023)

For those students joining us for Kindy 2023, our Kindergarten Orientation Day will be held on Wednesday, 19 October 2022 from 9am to 2.30pm. Further details to follow shortly.

Primary School Sport

Infant Sports Day

We had the most amazing day at the Infant Sports Day on Wednesday 31 August. The sun was shining and there were smiles everywhere. Well done to all the Prep to Year 2 students who displayed their spectacular running, jumping and throwing skills. A big thank you to the Year 10 PASS students who ran the events and were amazing roles models for the younger students. We were delighted that so many families and friends were able to join us to enjoy a morning of fun and fitness. Also a very special thank you to Missy and Grandpa Neil for helping run the store.

Honourable Mention - Nicole D (Year 3) - Gymnastics

Nicole recently attended the Northern Region Level 4 State Trial at Epping YMCA, she placed 1st overall in the session, qualifying her as part of the Northern Region Level 4 team and will compete at the NSW State Championships later in October.

Well done Nicole!!! What an amazing effort!

Upcoming Dates

• CIS Primary Boys Cricket - 12 and 13 September
• CIS Athletics - 20 September

At Wahroonga, we are very proud of our students’ achievements across the sporting fields. So, we encourage you to share any sporting achievements that your child accomplishes with us.

Mrs Chloe Gilbert - Primary Sports Coordinator

Secondary School News

Year 7 Science - Sydney Zoo Excursion

On Wednesday 31 August, Year 7 headed to Sydney Zoo on an excursion for Science. At school they have been learning all about the classification of organisms in our Living World. At the Zoo, they were able to meet some of the animals to further learn how to classify animals and they explored their adaptations for survival in their unique habitats. They saw animals such as meerkats, capybaras, capuchins and elephants, as well as many Australian native animals including the threatened and endangered species the spotted quoll and Murray cod.

Year 9 Biology - Bioblitz Week

This week our Year 9 Science students are participating in the inaugural National Schools Citizen Science BioBlitz!

They are helping to gather data about Australia’s biodiversity and uploading it to iNaturalist which will also feed in to the CSIRO’s Atlas of Living Australia. All this is happening during National Biodiversity Month (September) in the week of September 7th (National Threatened Species Day).

Year 10 - "Rise Up for Unity" Project

This year, five year 10 students were selected to be involved in the 'Rise Up for Unity' project. This project, funded by Multicultural NSW, is a social cohesion project which aims to connect and educate all Secondary schools within the Hornsby Ku-ring-gai Local Government Areas.

Run through the Police Citizens Youth Clubs (PCYC), we attended a total of 5 forums wherein we learned leadership skills, collaborated with students from other schools and discussed strategies with professionals to assist our personal development. Each forum had a particular focus, ranging from cyber safety and radicalisation to positive well-being and mental health. During this time, we were fortunate to have several speakers from Headspace, Speakers Tribe and Twenty10 to engage us in conversation about mental health, inclusivity and diversity.

Mentored by the Police Youth Liaison Officers, students created projects to raise awareness and communicate these messages to our peers.

We thoroughly enjoyed the experience in connecting with students in our local area and have grown through our involvement in the project. We have become more aware of the social issues faced by our peers and are now more equipped to support them.

Year 11 Economics - Canberra Excursion

Year 11 Economics students recently participated in an education tour of the national capital. Students were given the opportunity to participate in a variety of educational programs with a focus on Australia’s legal and democratic heritage. A visit to both Parliament and Old Parliament, the High Court and The Mint highlighted the role of government and democracy. It was particularly interesting to see what government in action would look like. Our French exchange student, Eliot D, was also able to enjoy a visit to our nation’s capital city.

The Australian Government recognises the importance of all young Australians being able to visit the national capital as part of their Civics and Citizenship education. To assist families in meeting the cost of the excursion the Australian Government contributed funding of $30 per student under the Parliament and Civics Education Rebate program towards the overall excursion costs. This rebate is paid directly to the school upon completion of the excursion.

Mrs Nikki McTernan - HSIE Teacher

WAS Mountain Bike Ride

On Sunday 28 August the second WAS mountain bike ride for the term took place at Old Man's Valley in Hornsby. The group completed three full laps of the bike park, all riders demonstrated an excellent level of skill and fitness. It is great to see how far many of the students have come as their riding ability continues to grow. There will be two more mountain bike rides in term four, dates and details to come!

Secondary School Sport

CSSA State Oztag

On Wednesday and Thursday last week, our Junior boys’, Junior girls’ and Senior boys’ Oztag teams participated at the CSSA State Oztag Gala Days at St Marys. Students competed in 4 competitive games against a variety of schools in our sporting association. There were many victories with our teams just missing out on the finals, our Junior boys’ team placed 5th out of 12 schools.

CSSA Zone Basketball

On Friday 1 September, our Junior boys’, Junior girls’ and Senior boys’ and Senior girls’ basketball teams participated at the CSSA Zone Basketball Gala Day at Hills Sport Stadium. Our teams saw plenty of success, with both our Open boys’ team getting wins against Covenant CS and Northern Beachs CS. Special mentions go to both our girls team for making it to the Grand Final, with the Open Girls winning and qualifying for the CSSA State Basketball Gala Day! Congratulations to our basketball athletes!

Honourable Mention - William M (Year 12) - National All Schools Golf Championship

William M competed represented NSW and competed at the National All Schools Golf Championship over 4 days at the Lonsdale links Golf course, The Sands Golf Club and Curlewis Golf Club in Victoria.

The competition consisted of 1 day (2 rounds) of stroke play and 3 days of match play.

The NSW boys won the Dean Shakes Shield (best team aggregate for the 2 rounds of stroke) and got silver in the team match play event.

Individually William came T13th in the stroke and won 4 of his 5 match play games, as a result made it into the SSA All Australian Golf team which is an astonishing achievement! Congratulations William!!

Honourable Mentions - Jimmy T & Nathanael R - CSSA Zone Athletics Age Champions

As the athletic season is well on its way, two students from our school were recently awarded CSSA Zone Age Champions – Jimmy T (13 Years Boy Age Champion) and Nathanael R (15 Years Boy Age Champion) which is fantastic!

A week after the CSSA Zone Athletics, Nathanael R continued to demonstrate superb skills in the athletic field at the CSSA State Athletics and was once again awarded 14 Years Boy Age Champion, which is a remarkable achievement! Congratulations boys!

Upcoming Events

• CSSA State Futsal 15&U - Thursday 15 September (Hawkesbury Indoor Stadium, South Windsor)
• CIS Athletics Championships - Tuesday 20 September (Warm-up track, Sydney Olympic Park Athletic Centre)

Mr Ignatius Ah-You - Secondary Sports Coordinator

Library News

Premier’s Reading Challenge

Congratulations to Leon O (2R), Aimee D (3L), Roary O (5M), Joel R (5M), Bobby Z (5M), Lily A (6J) and Ella M (7S) who have all finished the Premier’s Reading Challenge. Well done!

Congratulations to the 160 students who completed the 2022 Premier’s Reading Challenge with special mention to 5M who took out the class participation prize. Certificates will be handed out at the end of the school year.

• The Premier’s Reading Challenge is now finished for 2022. Any books read from now on can be listed on your 2023 challenge list, so please keep a written record of the books you’ve read so you can add them when the website becomes active again early next year.

Last Week of Borrowing (Prep)

This week is the last week of borrowing for Term 3 for our Prep students – please ensure all your books are returned to the library before the end of term. For all other classes, borrowing continues up to and over the school holidays. If you are wanting extra books for holiday reading, please email your request to Mrs Savage (library@wahroonga.adventist.edu.au).

Year 11

Textbook Return - Year 11 textbook return will be on Wednesday, September 21. Please ensure all textbooks are located and cleaned in preparation for this date.

2023 Year 12 Book Lists - All Year 11 students need to consult the 2023 book lists (Click here) for your textbook requirements for HSC.

Campion orders need to be placed by Monday, September 12 to guarantee delivery before Term 4. Click here to order through Campion. The school code is: 7M8R

Limited second-hand textbooks are available from the library. Click here for a list with prices and availability as of 8/9/2022. Email Mrs Savage at library@wahroonga.adventist.edu.au for a quote.

Mrs Leonie Savage - Librarian

Co-curricular Program

School Holiday Fun!

Co-curricular - Term 4

Canteen

The Canteen currently offers a full menu every day of the week, please see attached menu. For more information or to order please log into www.flexischools.com.au.

We are looking for Canteen Volunteers. Mums, Dads and Grandparents are all welcome. Anything from 30 minutes to a couple of hours any morning of the week, we would love to see you. No experience is needed, just the willingness to help, chop, pack bags and serve our lovely students. If you are interested or have any spare time please click here and complete the form.

Home and School

Thank you to all our father's and significant male figures for attending the Father's Day Big Breakfast last week. It was wonderful to see dad's and children interacting, one could hear the laughter across the school yard and there was a sense of energy in the air.

To our Prefects, SRC and House Captains thank you for your support of the event. Parents you should be proud of these amazing young adults who conducted themselves with maturity, grace and willingness to help.

I would also like to thank the members of the Home and School. These events take time, planning and considerable effort to organise and without these volunteers we could not create such memorable events.