Principal's Message 

As we wrap up an exciting and momentus year at Wee Waa High School, I want to take a moment to reflect on the remarkable milestones we’ve achieved together. Most notably, 2024 saw us move into our impressive new school campus, a state-of-the-art facility designed to serve our students, staff, and community for decades to come. This new campus is more than just a building—it’s a symbol of our school’s growth, innovation, and bright future.

Looking ahead to 2025, we are thrilled to welcome the largest incoming Year 7 cohort in many years, with approximately 40 students set to join us. This is a significant and positive milestone for our school, reflecting the confidence our community places in the quality of education and care provided by our dedicated teachers and support staff.

I want to thank our students, families, and staff for your hard work, resilience, and commitment throughout this year of change and achievement. As we approach the holidays, I wish everyone a safe, restful, and joyful break. I look forward to seeing you all in the new year as we continue to grow and thrive as a school community.

Yours Sincerely

Jacki Neil

Exciting things coming in 2025

Staff have been working on planning for academic, cultural, sporting and wellbeing activities. At Wee Waa High School we want to provide our students with an environment where they can thrive and grow, whilst ensuring that their interests and learning needs and aspirations are met.

Year 7 Buddy Program

Mr Vella is currently providing training to current Year 10 students who will be buddies for our incoming Year 7 group. The students are developing skills in communication, conflict resolution and problem solving. This program will continue throughout 2025.

Head Teacher Teaching and Learning 2025

We have been given permission to have this role to ensure there is a focus on embedding Explicit Teaching and High Potential and Gifted Education across the school to support improvement in student outcomes. Donna McKinstry and Lisa Currey will be sharing this role.

Explicit Teaching Focus – Led by Donna McKinstry

Explicit teaching works because it aligns with how students process, store, and retrieve information. It involves teachers clearly explaining, demonstrating and modelling to students: 

• why they are learning something 

• what their learning goals are 

• how it connects to what they already know 

• what they are expected to do 

• how to do it

• what it looks like when they have succeeded

Students being given opportunities and time to: 

• show their understanding of what has been taught

• ask questions to clarify and build understanding

• practise using skills and knowledge they have learnt

• receive clear, timely, effective feedback.

High Potential and Gifted Education Policy (HPGE) Focus – Led by Lisa Currey

Our HPGE Focus promotes engagement and challenge for every student across intellectual, creative, social-emotional, and physical domains of potential while explicitly identifying and addressing the learning needs of high-potential and gifted students. During Term 1, Lisa will be working with staff, students and families on identifying student strengths and implementing strategies for growth.

Further information for parents can be found here https://education.nsw.gov.au/teaching-and-learning/high-potential-and-gifted-education/supporting-parents-and-carers

Extracurricular Excursions

In line with our Excursion plan, the following year group excursions occur in 2025:

• Year 7 Camp  -  10th to 14th March

• Stage 6 Canberra / Ski Camp  -  17th to 22nd August

Year 9/10 students will be given two opportunities to attend camps in 2025:

• NSW Fire & Rescue Academy in Orchard Hills. Participating in real-life scenarios that are built at the facility for training is amazing including train derailments, fuel station fires, earthquakes, building collapse, car accidents and much more for a weeklong camp.

   

• Wollongong Employment Pathways camp – having the opportunity to engage in a range of industries that students don’t have access to locally, including Blue Scope Steel, University of Wollongong, Try a Job at the TAFE Campus in skill areas not accessible locally.

Getting Ready for 2025

DAY 1 for ALL Students

In a change to previous years, ALL students commence on Thursday 13th February. This will be an important day for Year 7 as they will be working with Mr Vella and Miss Trevaskis on a range of activities to ensure a smooth transition to high school including: Digital literacy, wellbeing activities and the first session with their buddy. 

Uniform

Please ensure your child is in FULL school uniform from Day 1. The office has uniforms in stock ready purchasing.  Students not in FULL school uniform will NOT be permitted to leave the school grounds on sport days.

School Supplies

Please ensure your child comes prepared for learning from day 1. Equipment lists for year groups have been shared and can also be found further on in this newsletter. The school does NOT stock school supplies, apart from scientific calculators.

I would like to take this opportunity to farewell the following staff who are leaving us at the end of the year, I thank them for their commitment, inspiration and dedication to our students during their time at WWHS – Jocellin Jansson, Suzanne McGregor, Lilly Friar and Emily Wilson. 

Students Equipment Lists