WELCOME

FROM THE PRINCIPAL

Welcome to another edition of Waverley Connect!

I thought you might be interested in how the Waverley Connect ‘community’ has been progressing since its launch earlier this year.

• We’ve had 155 members join in the last few months since launch, including past students, past staff and current staff.
• We have over 70 members offering help for mentoring, career advice, offering introduction to connections, internships, resume reviews, etc.
• Our network has now grown internationally.
• We have members who work and study in a wide range of industries, including education, healthcare, consulting, media & communications, and operations, etc.
• There is also opportunity to promote businesses, search and apply for jobs
• We also have private groups for each year level, which some alumni have already been able to use to reconnect with each other.

To help  the Waverley Connect platform achieve its potential, please encourage any past students that are part of your network to join. We are off to an encouraging start, but there is plenty of room for more growth.

Wherever you are and whatever you are doing, remember that God loves you and wants to be close to you, especially in the isolation that we are currently experiencing.

Every blessing,

Mr Peter Sheahan (Principal)

FROM THE HEADS OF CAMPUS

WANTIRNA SOUTH

2020 has certainly presented its fair share of complexities, most notably due to the operational adjustments that have had to be made as a result of the Coronavirus pandemic. Our two new leaders in the Primary School, Alison Graeve – Head of Primary (commenced at the start of 2020) and Stellina Sim – Head of Teaching and Learning (commenced at the start of Term 3) have done an outstanding job in both getting to know our school community and then working exceptionally well with staff, students and parents to enable teaching and learning to continue both offsite and on-campus at various stages throughout the year. Their beginning could most aptly be described as one that has involved a baptism of fire but we are very thankful for their leadership, alongside others in the Primary School during this time.. 

It has also been an equally difficult year for our senior students, particularly our Year 12s. Sadly, many of the Year 12 celebratory events that we have come to look forward to as a traditional part of the final year of school have had to be cancelled or modified and they will certainly have a very different end to their year than that of a normal year. Please have them in your thoughts and prayers as they navigate their last school days and move into preparation for exams. 

The challenge of providing other major events has and will continue to be difficult. Some have had to go, such as annual camps and the various excursions, co-curricular activities and House events, but creativity and flexibility has allowed us to provide ongoing chapel services, public speaking, cross country, fundraising, lots of other online events and most excitedly, still at this stage, a form of the Primary School Musical. What it ultimately looks like will be of interest to all, but we are certainly aiming to make memorable experiences, particularly for our Year 6 students.

There have been so many staff members across our campus that have risen to the challenges of Remote Learning during the Coronavirus pandemic and whilst we will not want it to continue much longer, there have been a number of initiatives that are likely to stay as a result of the need for flexibility and change during this time. 

In spite of the Coronavirus pandemic, the College has continued, as planned, to undertake a review of the Master Plan for the Wantirna South Campus. This has involved many meetings with various groups and research with external bodies to provide input to the review. What has been established is that we are definitely not in a position to increase our student numbers beyond the current year level offerings for the foreseeable future. With this determination, the focus has been on providing a staged upgrade to some of our facilities in order to improve our community focus, classroom options, staffing services and senior studies support. 

Our first stage of this focused review has resulted in the development of a proposed new three storey facility that incorporates, at ground level, a new Reception and Admissions area and a new Food Studies/Café precinct, a second level containing 8 new Primary Classrooms and associated breakout spaces and a third level consisting of an Administration and Staff Services. Whilst there is still a path to be travelled prior to committing to the development, the College remains hopeful that it can be achieved in the not too distant future. Please pray for wisdom as we consider our commitment to this exciting and important development. We will definitely keep you updated on its progress should we start! 

Mr Rod Ramsay (Head of Campus, WS)

NARRE WARREN SOUTH

We are nearly at the end of Term 3 for 2020 and it continues to be our most unusual year yet! Our Prep – Year 9 students have been in continual offsite remote learning since the beginning of Term 2 (with a 2 week exception); while our Year 10-12 students have alternated between learning from home and learning on campus.

Both our staff and students have been incredibly adaptable, rapidly picking up the skills required to participate in their lessons via Zoom or Teams and submitting their work (including tests) via SEQTA or email.  The many changes to normal learning throughout the year meant that students had no mid-year exams (which they were very happy about!) and no NAPLAN tests, while end of year exams have been pushed back by two weeks.  Fortunately for students, the Victorian Curriculum Assessment Authority has committed to releasing VCE results on the same date as always.

Many students missed out on several offsite events during the year due to the pandemic – such as year level camps, sporting events and excursions.  We are still praying that a number of annual events can go ahead during Term 4, depending on the restrictions, although it seems unlikely, at this stage, that events such as the Year 12 Valedictory Dinner, Senior Social nights and graduation ceremonies will proceed in the usual manner.

Despite this year’s circumstances, many facets of College life continue to move forward. If you happen to drive past the campus, you will notice the wetlands development progressing with a newly constructed pontoon launched mid August.  You can’t avoid seeing our new Maintenance facility, right on the corner of College Drive, that is nearing completion. In addition, if you were to view our site from the air you would notice a big, beautiful rectangular patch of blue - our newly resurfaced outdoor basketball courts.

On a more personal note, we were pleased to hear both Mrs Popplestone, Mrs Lynn de Kretser and Mrs Visser announce the arrival of baby boys this year. We congratulate Miss Sarah Harrison, our Primary Art & Drama teacher, who was married at the beginning of August. We are also very excited that Mr Munyard and Ms Darvell plan to be married as soon as restrictions ease.

I pray that God is guiding and protecting each of you in this ever-changing environment, and that you are conscious of His hand of protection and blessing as you explore all that God has for you today, tomorrow, and for the future. 

I ask that you pray for us, as we pray for you, as we “dwell in the shelter of the Most High, (and) rest in the shadow of the Almighty” (Psalm 91:1)

Mr Mark Crnkovic (Head of Campus)