Wollaston's Wrap

Secondary School News

Hospitality students host the Primary Parent Coffee Morning

Year 11 2025 Parent Information Evening and Career Expo

The Year 11 2025 Compulsory Parent Information Evening and Career Expo was held on Wednesday 17 July in the BDISC from 6:00 pm and was a great success. This is an important evening for Year 10 students and their parents to obtain specific information regarding course selection, course counselling, and Year 11 2025 pathways. In addition to displays from each of the Secondary Learning Areas, the evening featured the largest number of external providers to be hosted by the School, who offered vital course and counselling information to parents and students to support their decision-making for Year 11 and 12 pathways. Providers included:

  • The University of Western Australia
  • Curtin University
  • Murdoch University
  • The University of Notre Dame Australia
  • Mount Pleasant College
  • Construction Training Fund
  • Health Science Hub
  • Fremantle Education Centre
  • Industry Skills Training
  • IVET Group
  • Apprenticeship Support Australia
  • North Metropolitan TAFE
  • South Metropolitan TAFE
  • Western Australian Police Force
  • Australian Defence Force

Year 10 Course Selection Evening

 

Following the Information Evening, Year 10 students attended the Perth SkillsWest Careers Expo. As Western Australia’s largest Careers & Employment event, students had the opportunity to visit exhibits from over 160 organisers and employers. 

 

The Year 10 cohort have now begun their course counselling sessions. These sessions are designed to provide one-on-one support to our students and are delivered by carefully trained secondary teachers. Students will begin choosing their Year 11 courses at the conclusion of these sessions.

 

Subject selection for 2025 has already begun for our Years 8 and 9 cohorts. With many exciting options available, students are encouraged to explore opportunities that align with their interests and future aspirations, ensuring a well-rounded and engaging educational experience. New subject offerings for 2025 include; Biomedical Science, Cyber Security, Game Design, Robotics and Mathematics Extension.

 

Rebecca Piccolo

Dean of Teaching and Learning

Year 10 Perth Skills West Career and Employment Expo

Year 7 Author Incursion

On Monday this week, historical fiction author Mark Greenwood came to talk to the Year 7s about some of his new History Hunter books, including The Vanishing and The Dragon’s Treasure. The Vanishing is about a pilot who was supposedly abducted by a UFO and The Dragon’s Treasure is about a group of children who found something on a beach north of Perth, that could change the history of Australia as we know it.

 

When speaking about his History Mystery novels, Mark posed a question to us. “What would you do if you found a treasure? Would you keep it or hand it in?” Most of us said we’d keep it. “But what if the police got involved?” We considered these questions as he told us the story of Diamond Jack who found 30 million dollars worth of diamonds and kept them, but died before he could tell anyone where they were!

 

Mark is a Western Australian author, who has some wonderful stories to share, as well as some helpful classroom tips for English and History. The Year 7s and their teachers had a great day listening to him.

 

Samantha Weber

Year 7 Student

Mark Greenwood Author Incursion

Technology Week

This year, our school calendar got a tech-savvy upgrade in Week 2 with the introduction of Technology Week. The Technology Building turned into a gallery to showcase Design and Technology. Some projects on display from Textile classes were pencil cases, created by Year 8 students and tote bags created by Year 9 students. Projects completed in the Materials and Design classes were also on display and included miniature toy airplanes, created by Year 8 students and wooden automata boxes, created by Year 9 students. Students were excited to share their showpieces. 

Student project display

 

Our newest teacher in Technology, Mr McLachlan, added some online brain-teasing quizzes about technology that had students scratching their heads (in a good way.) Year 9-12 students battled it out, flexing their tech-savvy brains to complete these during House Group. We invited Years 8 and 9 parents to witness the tech revolution. They marvelled at student creations and were happy to comment on the Year 8 energy-efficient house inventions and other STEM gadgets. Students participated in several activities during the week.  At lunchtime during the week, our talented crew transformed yarn into squares. These squares will soon snuggle up together to create a cozy blanket which will be donated. 

Knit-a-thon

 

Some of our Secondary School master bakers went head-to-head in a MasterChef-style showdown. Their weapon of choice? Six gorgeously decorated cupcakes. Judges included Mr Crawford (our guru), Ms Fisher (texture enthusiast) and Mrs Atthowe (chief frosting critic). There was also a People's Award. 

 

Technology Week was successful and we are charging our solar powered batteries for next year!

 

Chrisna LeVaillant

Acting Head of Science and Technologies

Baking Competition

Senior Production Cosi

Congratulations to the amazing cast and crew of Cosi, for a thoroughly entertaining weekend.

 

The performance of Cosi is a combination of the hard work by the students and staff alike. I would first like to thank the students for their hard work and dedication to learning their lines, operating the sound and lights, running backstage and attending rehearsals. I would like to offer a massive thank you to Miss Rhiannon Thomas for her brilliant set and costume designs and I have enjoyed directing the students with her greatly. 

 

To Elsofie Dowd, a big thank you goes out for all the work that you have done behind the scenes to make sure that the production can run smoothly. Thank you to Mr Rory Marchant, Mr Luke Morgan and Ms Amanda Lin for your supervision and support of the Drama team as we put this show together. Finally, thank you to each and every one of you for coming to support the students on stage over the weekend. Without you performances like this couldn’t go ahead. 

 

Christian Devellerez

Head of the Arts / Co-Director

Opening Night of Senior Production Cosi

ASC Samoa Service-Learning Immersion

During the last school holiday break, Lexi Atkins, Eva Anning and Aurora Ladbrook-Stagg attended the Student Immersion to Samoa. The Anglican Schools Commission offer students the opportunity to serve the All Saints Anglican School community multiple times each year. This opportunity is available to students in Year 10 from ASC Schools. John Wollaston students continue to support this extremely rewarding experience. Several students will be attending the next immersion in the upcoming holiday break.

 

Samoa was a once in a lifetime opportunity and I am so grateful I got to go. I was so nervous waiting in the airport with my family, starting to regret my decision, but then I hopped onto the plane and started talking to the other students on this trip and my nerves eased. Landing in Samoa was so exciting! I finally got to see what Samoa was truly like, not just the images on Google, and it was amazing. The first week in Samoa was our tourist experience, we went to To Sua Ocean Trench, swam in waterfalls, visited the cultural village, ate traditional Samoan food, went to the markets, went snorkelling (I saw a turtle) and stayed a couple nights at Lalomanu. Then the second week we stayed at the church hall and helped out at All Saints School. I was in the Year 4 class and loved it. The kids were so happy and so loving. I received lots of hugs every day and had many kids fighting over who would hold my hand. I taught them how to make bracelets which was a huge hit and taught Years 5, 6, 7 and 8s how to swim which felt very rewarding. I made some great friends which I probably would have never met if it wasn't for this Immersion. I made so many memories and learnt so much. I overcame fears and grew a lot as a person. I will never forget this experience and I highly recommend this experience for everyone.

Lexi, Year 10

 

I really enjoyed my time in Samoa during the ASC Samoa Service-Learning Immersion. I have learnt so many things from the experience and I have met so many people and made friendships that will last a lifetime. Spending time at All Saints School Samoa and meeting the kids was very special and they inspired me to really be grateful for everything I have. 

Aurora, Year 10

 

Samoa was such an incredibly amazing experiennce where you we got to swim, snorkel, sight-see, learn about Samoa’s history, shop at markets, sleep on the beach, help out at a school, meet amazing people, experience their culture firsthand and explore the beautiful island of Apia. The sights in Samoa are so beautiful and the community there is so warm and welcoming, always waving or smiling at you. I personally went to Samoa to broaden my world view and to do my part in a small community as well as experiencing their culture which I got to do whilst I was there. My favourite bit was, 100%, being with the kids in the school because they are so welcoming and happy to see you every single day. Everyone bonded super quickly and you become like one big family for two weeks. Not having my phone was definitely a concern but everyone was so nice, it didn’t even cross my mind.  Samoa is a once in a lifetime experience and would recommend it to anyone willing to experience something new.

Eva, Year 10

Samoa trip

Brain Bee Challenge

On Friday 19 July, four of our Year 10 students travelled to the University of Western Australia to represent John Wollaston in Round 2 of the Australia and New Zealand Brain Bee Challenge 2024:

  • Saskia Sullivan
  • Beth Fawcett
  • Jessica Hamerton
  • Maddie McLeod

Upon arrival, they were welcomed by Associate Professor Jennifer Rodger. She shared some information about the research being conducted in the Neuroscience labs at UWA and in association with the Perron Institute for Neurological and Translational Science. Our students also heard presentations from current PhD students about their ongoing neuroscience research projects. They learned about pathways into University to study science and career opportunities in neuroscience. 

 

Following the presentations, the competition began. While we did not earn a place in Round 2 of the competition, our students did place third in the team quiz challenge. We heard from the PhD students that this is an extremely challenging competition as it assesses university-level content, so our students should be commended for their efforts!

After lunch, the students were engaged in various activities in the neuroscience labs, such as:

  • Investigating magnetic stimulation of the brain using transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS)
  • Exploring comparative anatomy by examining brain specimens from different animals
  • Experimenting with neuron impulses by stimulating an action potential in a cricket leg
  • Visiting UWA's anatomy museum to see real human brain and tissue specimens

Our students thoroughly enjoyed this opportunity, and we encourage Year 9 students to consider registering to compete next year!

 

Michael Leaning

Assistant to the Dean of Teaching and Learning/ Secondary Science Teacher

 

Brain Bee Challenge