Principal's Message
Today is one of celebration of women around the world. The 2024 International Women’s Day theme of Invest in women: Accelerate progress speaks into the crucial role that schools have in teaching our communities to value the inclusion of women. The #InspireInclusion challenges us to recognise the unique perspectives and contributions of women and closer to home to empower our daughters to spark positive change in their sphere of influence. Let’s honour the Creator of the world by honouring God’s daughters around the world – they are the ‘corner pillars’ in their communities (Psalms 144:12).
Speaking of celebrations, we have had many over the last fortnight and I am very proud of our students and staff. Our primary school was recognised as one of the top 100 primary schools in Australia. With well over 6,200 primary schools ranking 86th is certainly a testament to the value of explicit teaching, our students and quality staff who care.
In the sporting arena several records were broken in the Secondary Athletics Carnival and our Primary swim team enjoyed their zone swimming carnival. The school basketball teams have started the season well and our Head Basketball Coach is planning on taking three teams to the nationals this year, including girls for the first time.
May I invite you to our Parent Voice forum hosted by the Home and School on Tuesday evening, March 12. It is an opportunity for you to ask questions and contribute ideas to enhance our school community. The Family Fun Day last Sunday was just that fun! Thankyou to our Home and School for their continued investment into building community.
Finally, celebrate the women in your life today on International Women’s Day.
God bless,
Mrs Julia Heise - Principal
Upcoming Events
Harmony Day
Harmony Day, Thursday 21st March, is a day to celebrate Australia’s cultural diversity and a wonderful opportunity to celebrate unity and all things that make our school unique. It is a reminder that although we come from many places around the globe, we are united through this school and the family of God. To celebrate, students are encouraged to wear their cultural dress, costume or the colour orange which represents Harmony.
An International Food Festival will be organised by the Student Representative Council (SRC) so students can also celebrate culture through food, the best way to celebrate! The Primary food stalls will open between 11.10 and 12pm and the Secondary stalls from 12pm til 1pm. A Harmony Day Concert will begin at 12pm in Fox Valley Community Centre for the Primary Students. Parents and carers are welcome to attend the concert and the SRC welcome parent volunteers to support them with the food stalls.
If you would like to donate small bite sized food items from your cultural background for students to purchase during the Food Festival please complete the form via the link below. Please ensure you attach a list of ingredients to your food item on the day. We ask that all food is vegetarian and is free of nuts.
Thank you for getting involved!
Mrs Georgia Ah-You - SRC Coordinator
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 2024
Please click on the link below to view the school term dates and public holiday information for 2024.
Whole School News
Environmental Ambassadors
We are thrilled to introduce our newly appointed Environmental Ambassadors who will lead the charge in championing sustainability and eco-conscious practices within our school community. Congratulations to Fiona T, Isla H, Phoebe P, Riley P, Samuel T, Max L, Sebastian B, Lily A, Lucy M, Elijah W, Christopher D and Ernest C.
Mrs Leisly White - Head of Science
Co-curricular Music
We're excited to announce our new primary co-curricular band. We're looking for students to join us on a musical journey filled with rhythm, melody, and fun. The band would love more students who can play percussion, trumpet, trombone, flute, clarinet, and saxophone. If your child plays in the curricular bands and enjoys it, this is a great ensemble to join. The band rehearses every Tuesday morning at 7:40 am in the Music Lab on Level 4 and we can’t wait to perform for you later in the year. If you're interested, please come along on Tuesday, and see for yourself.
Felicity Stanwell - Primary Music
Farewell Aunty Rachael
Aunty Rachael was a beloved Prep Aunty with us for 3 years. We will miss her dearly and thank her for her wonderful service at Wahroonga Adventist School. We wish her well as she moves on to a new adventure with another bunch of fantastic little students.
Soks - The School Dog
Soks is loving being back at school a couple days each week. She enjoys her pats and belly rubs from all students in the office and her favourite activity this term has been heading to Year 2A for reading groups.
Just a friendly reminder of the 4 steps to care for Soks, which you can find in the photo below. Please ensure all dogs remain outside the school campus when dropping or picking up your students. Soks says thankyou!
Mrs Kelly Oldfield - School Dog Co-ordinator
School Absences
A new system for logging student absences is now live. Should your child be absent for the day, arriving late or leaving early, please log an Absence Notification using the Absences tab in SEQTA Engage as follows:
If late or leaving early, each child needs to log in and out using the Kiosk in the office.
Please note you will no longer receive an email confirmation after submitting absences. Unresolved absences will appear on your SEQTA Engage Dashboard.
Extended Leave
For planned absences greater than 3 days, please complete an Application for Extended Leave form found in the School Documents section of SEQTA Engage and submit it to studentservices@wahroonga.adventist.edu.au for processing.
Mrs Nerolie King - Student Services
Primary School News
Sydney Lunar Festival Art
Imagine being 7 years old and seeing your artwork displayed on a billboard! Elina is so excited that her artwork was one of twenty-two drawings chosen from 710 entries to be showcased in Haymarket during Sydney Lunar Festival 2024 to celebrate the Year of the Dragon. Congratulations for your achievement!
Leap Day Frogs
Year 2A celebrated this years 'Leap Day' by creating leap day frogs! We learnt all about the number 4, practiced skip counting by 4's, calculated how old we will be in 4 years time and when the next leap year will be! We had lots of fun on our extra day of the year!
Sand Self Portrait Sculptures
Year 2A are learning all about self portraits in Art this term. This week we created our very own sand self portrait sculptures. We learnt the importance of carefully sculpting to create the shape of our faces and then used natural materials to add our facial features.
Soks loves books too!
Our school dog, Soks, has come to visit Year 2A and listen to us read lots of wonderful books. She loves hearing all of the wonderful things we are reading and she loves all the tummy rubs she gets too!
Mrs Georgia Ah-You - Year 2 Teacher
Primary Sport
CSSA Swimming Carnival
Congratulations to the 24 students that represented Wahroonga Adventist school at our first CSSA swimming event. Everyone gave their best and showed great encouragement on the day. Congratulations to Josh P and Yijie S who have made it to the next round of CSSA state swimming.
Infant Swimming Carnival
K-2 will be having their Infant Swimming Carnival this coming Tuesday (12 March) at the Sydney Adventist Hospital swimming pool from 12:30-2:30. Parents are very welcome to attend this fun event.
Soccer Gala Day Tryouts
Year 3-4 Soccer Gala is coming up on April 4th and try outs will be held next Friday, the 15th March, on the oval at lunch time.
Mr Jack Fulton - Primary Sports Co-ordinator
Secondary School News
Secondary Sports
Athletics Carnival
The Secondary Athletics Carnival was held at the Warm-Up Arena on Monday 4 March. We were blessed with a nice, cool day filled with plenty of events. Many records were broken with our students enjoying a fun and competitive carnival.
Below are the significant achievements from our students.
Upcoming Events
CSSA Zone Swimming Carnival – Wednesday 20th March 2024 at Warringah Aquatic Centre
Mr Ignatius Ah-You - PDHPE Teacher & Secondary Sports Co-ordinator
Library News
Premier's Reading Challenge
The Premier’s Reading Challenge website is now active for the 2024 challenge. On this website you can read about the challenge, check the rules and regulations, view the extensive book lists, read the privacy policy, and access your child’s reading record. Please use the same username and password as last year - if you have forgotten your child’s PRC details email Mrs Savage at library@wahroonga.adventist.edu.au . Please keep a record of these details for future reference as they will be needed each year your child completes the challenge.
Kindy students and those new to our school will now have received their username and password. If your child has completed the challenge elsewhere, please contact me at library@wahroonga.adventist.edu.au so I can arrange for your challenge history to be brought over to our school – please include the name of your child’s previous school.
We have made an amazing start to the Premier’s Reading Challenge this year with 17 students having already finished! Congratulations to the following students who have kept busy reading over the summer holidays: Amelia K (3K), Samuel Z (3/4R),Adit S (4W), Caleb L (5C), Charlie B (6A), Eliza C (6A), Emeline G (6A), Mila J (6A), Jasmine L (6A), Amy P (6A), Aaron Z (6A), Sierra B (4W), Martina C (3/4R), Emma L (4W), Anusha D (5M), Oscar L (5C), Ethan K (2A), Aadi V (5M), and Aleah M (6A). Well done and keep up the reading!
Library WebApp
The Library WebAPP is a great place to keep up with library news, search the catalogue, check your child’s borrowing details, and view their borrowing history. Go to bit.ly/waslibrary (Wahroonga Adventist School (accessit.online)) and follow the instructions on the Guest page to log-in to your child’s library records.
Book Fair Luau: It’s a Reading Celebration!
Get ready for some fun in the Library at our Term 1 Book Fair which is being held during Weeks 8 and 9 of this Term!!!
Book Fair will run from Wednesday, March 20 to Monday, March 25 (8am – 4pm & Thursday until 6pm) in the school library. A giant range of children’s books, novelty items and posters from Scholastic Book Company will be available for purchase. Choose books for your personal use, for gifts, or select books from your child’s class wish list and donate them to their classroom.
Please note the following:
· There will be no book exchange in the Library during the book fair so please keep your books at home and return them the following week. Tuesday classes will be rescheduled so that they can also attend the Book Fair.
· If you are able to volunteer some time to help set up and run our book fair, please contact Mrs Savage at library@wahroonga.adventist.edu.au – set up will be on Tuesday, March 21 and helpers will also be needed during the book fair.
· Our dress up day this year is going to be on August 19 during our Term 3 Book Week celebrations.
Mrs Leonie Savage - Librarian
Uniform Shop
Uniform Shop Hours
The Wahroonga Uniform Shop is open every Friday from 8:30am till 10:00am.
Online ordering is available via Flexischools (www.flexischools.com.au) with orders processed on Tuesday and Friday of each week. Orders completed by 8am Tuesday or 8am Friday will be delivered to your child's classroom (Primary Students), or available for collection in the School Office (Secondary Students). Please note that uniform items can only be purchased from the school uniform shop.
For more information or to arrange a fitting please contact Mrs Kelly Oldfield via email at uniformshop@wahroonga.adventist.edu.au.
Mrs Kelly Oldfield- Uniform Shop Manager
Home and School
Parent Voice Evening
Home and School invite all parents and carers to the first of their 'Parent Voice' evenings. The topic for this meeting is Communication channels and how you can best utilise the methods in which the school communicates with families. There will be a presentation covering this topic along with an opportunity for parents to offer suggestions and feedback about your experience of school communication. In addition there will be updates about future plans for the school.
We would love for you to foin us at 7pm on Tuesday 12 March.
Family Fun BBQ!
Judging from the photos the Family BBQ on Sunday was a great success. The BBQ was yummy, the sun was shining and the kids were active! Thankyou to all of the volunteers who cooked the food and for Motiv8 who kept the kids busy with fun actitivies.
We hope that this was an opportunity for families, parents and carers to create just a little more connection and community together.