Principal's Message
In a celebration of wellbeing at the end of Term 3, students have had a fun mufti day, and fundraised to support homeless in Sydney through Mission Australia. One quarter of homeless people are children and young people, and the impact of mental health is significant. Participation by our school community in the Push Up Challenge also supported mental health with over $4,400 being raised due to the initiative of our School Captain Jasper.
It has been a real highlight end to the term with Year 6 leading out in the Primary Week of Worship, Year 10’s attending career events then going on our first interstate StormCo trip to serve a remote community in Tasmania, Primary student showcasing their musical progress under the expert guidance of Mrs Stanwell and four teams playing in basketball finals with three placing first.
Sitting on the benches during the games I saw the passion and determination of our players, not to mention the parents. It is this type of engagement and challenge that supports growth in each child’s life and it was interesting to look at our school through the eyes of our visiting American educators this week as they toured the school and listened to our students in a Q and A. They were so impressed by how articulate our students were and the community feel. Wahroonga is indeed ‘our home’.
God bless.
Mrs Julia Heise - Principal
Chaplain's Message
Hello from the chaplaincy team!
We hope that each of you are enjoying the last week of Term 2 as you prepare for the winter school holidays. We encourage you to seize this opportunity to create meaningful memories with your children and family.
Speaking of memories, last week we had a great time travelling through space in the Primary Week of Worship each day in search for the rebel planet (earth) in search for the kingdom of God. Pr Michael Qiokata shared powerful messages each day about how we can know God and receive his gift of grace and love for us. Pr Michael is the chaplain from Vatuvonu Adventist School in Fiji – the school that we take our year 11 students to in Term 3.
Over the weekend, Harriet in year 10 hosted an awesome fundraiser as her local church to raise funds for the Year 10 STORM Co team who left Sydney domestic airport to travel to Waratah in Tasmania on Wednesday this week. Our team arrived in a small regional town with some 249 community members. We look forward to sharing a bit more about this trip in our first newsletter of next term!
Until then, pray for us as we take our team out over the weekend to connect with the local church and community of Waratah in Tasmania. And may you and your family rest in the love and care of our God over the holidays.
Pr Nick Kross - Head Chaplain
Upcoming 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 2024
Please click on the link below to view the school term dates and public holiday information for 2024.
Whole School News
School Partnership strengthened during Week of Worship
A recent Week of Worship at Wahroonga Adventist School contributed to the spiritual lives of Primary students while strengthening the growing partnership between Wahroonga and Vatuvonu Adventist College, Fiji.
Read more about this special connection in the article link below.
Basketball Team Achievements
Our basketball teams have ended their season with some excellent results as 4 of the teams who play at the Brickpit competing in the finals. The Year 7 Boys team were awarded gold after the opposing team forfeited. The Year 3 Boys team won their game with 11 points to 8. The Year 4/5 Boys team achieved second place for their finals game. The Year 8 Girls team won their final with a close score of 24 points to 21.
A massive congratulations to not only the winning teams but all of the teams that play in the Brickpit competition. Jeremiah is a wonderful coach to all of our school teams and runs an amazing program achieving great results this season.
Winter Woolies Wellness Day
The Winter Woolies day was super fun for all of the Primary and Secondary students. Oodies were everywhere with the students enjoying the mufti day bringing a gold coin donation to raise funds for Mission Australia who help people who experience homelessness. The fundraiser was a great success with $850 raised.
Primary students also enjoyed a Teddy Bear's picnic, organised games at lunchtime and donuts brought to their classroom! The Secondary students had a lunchtime party with our own student band providing entertainment and students enjoying donuts whilst listening.
Staff enjoyed hot drinks, donuts and yummy scrolls in The Wedge, organised by Miss Rogers (Wellness Co-ordinator) as their Wellness Day treat!
Thank you to the SRC, both teachers and students, for organising the event and the student leaders for running activities. A big thank you to the canteen for providing such yummy food for the staff as well as the Year 11 students who made sure everyone had donuts! This was a great way to end Term 2!
American Educators visit our School
Forty three American educators visited our school this week as they undertook a tour focused on how Australian schools structure learning. They were very impressed by the tone of our school and the attitude of students and staff.
Mrs Julia Heise - Principal
Miss Sutton Represents Australia
Earlier this year, Miss Sutton represented NSW in the Flag Football Nationals Tournament held in Brisbane. State teams from QLD, VIC, ACT, SA and WA battled it out over the tournament. NSW placed 2nd, unfortunately losing to QLD in the grand final - but by only 5 points.
The Australian Flag Football squad was selected at this tournament, and Miss Sutton made the 24-player Australian roster. After a training and selection camp at the Australian Institute of Sport in Canberra, Miss Sutton was selected in the final 12 players who will travel to Finland in August to compete in the IFAF World Championship.
Flag Football is an emerging sport in Australia and has recently been announced as an Olympic Sport for Los Angeles 2028. Not sure what Flag Football is? It is the non-contact version of American football/NFL/Gridiron. Much like how Oz Tag/Touch Football is the non-contact version of Rugby League. It's a similar concept, with slightly different rules, and limited contact.
Recently, WAS has introduced Flag Football into the sporting program. Trials for Flag Football have been held this week in the high school so that WAS can select our own Flag Football team to compete in a gala day in Term 3.
Tamika Sutton - PDHPE Head of Department & Secondary School Teacher
Push Up Challenge Success!
The Push Up Challenge is finished. WAS raised $4,411 with 44,590 push ups!! $12m was raised Australia wide to support mental health. Thanks to our School Captain, Jasper, for leading this initiative.
Mrs Julia Heise - Principal
Financial Assistance Scholarships
Seventh-day Adventist Schools (Greater Sydney) Ltd operates a Deductible Gift Fund for its Scholarship Program. Generous funds are received from Seventh-day Adventist churches, school communities and individuals for the purpose of supporting students in Adventist Schools in Sydney. Scholarships are awarded annually to students who face financial hardship in coming to our schools, by paying their tuition fees. Applications close on 31 August 2024.
For further information please review our scholarships page on the website. Link below.
Primary School News
Wellbeing Day
Prep to Year 2 enjoyed a Teddy Bears Picnic together this morning. We ate our crunch and sip with our school friends and our furry friends and were even treated to some tiny teddies while we shared about our teddy to the class.
The Year 11 students also made some yummy cinnamon donuts for us to enjoy! We had a great afternoon eating these and watching one of our favourite stories, ‘Arnie the Donut!’.
What a great way to spend our last day of school!
Mrs Georgia Ah-You - Year 2 Teacher
Secondary School News
Year 11 and 12 English Advanced - The Tempest and Hag-Seed Symposium Excursion
Senior Advanced English students took part in a symposium at Sydney University’s Seymour Centre on Friday the 7th of June. Hosted by theatre company Sport for Jove, the symposium provided an in-depth exploration of Shakespeare’s The Tempest, including live performances of key scenes from the play.
Miss Rachelle Chapman - Head of English
Year 9 Commerce Excursion
Year 9 Commerce embarked on an adventure in Sydney as tourists and tour guides, starting with an informative scenic walk over the iconic Harbour Bridge. Next, they visited the Sydney Tower Eye, enjoying breathtaking 360-degree views of the city from the observation deck. The journey continued to Sydney Aquarium, where they were immersed in the diverse marine life on show. Walking through underwater tunnels, they encountered a playful rescued dugong "Pig", giant stingrays and prowling sharks. The boat ride through the icy cold penguin colony topped off the day's adventures. Throughout the day, guides shared their knowledge and enthusiasm, making the experience educational and entertaining for everyone involved.
Mrs Nikki McTernan - HSIE Secondary Teacher
Year 10 Commerce Excursion
Year 10 Commerce students embarked on an educational trip to the State Parliament and the Police and Justice Museum. At the State Parliament, they observed the legislative process, gaining insight into how laws are made and the workings of government. Debating a bill in the Legislative Council gave them insights into civic responsibilities and governance. Next, the visit to the Police and Justice Museum offered a historical perspective on law enforcement and justice in Australia. The students explored exhibits on crime, punishment, and notable cases, deepening their understanding of the legal system. The trip was both informative and inspiring, highlighting the importance of law and order in society.
Mrs Nikki McTernan - HSIE Secondary Teacher
Year 12 Business Studies Excursion
Year 12 Business Studies students visited Luna Park to explore real-world marketing concepts. They learned about market segmentation, promotion strategies, and customer engagement. The trip provided practical insights into how Luna Park attracts and retains visitors, reinforcing classroom theories with hands-on examples from a successful amusement park.
Mrs Nikki McTernan - HSIE Secondary Teacher
Secondary Sport
As Term 2 comes to an end, we reflect and celebrate our students' achievements across a variety of sports. The Volleyball Gala Day emphasized teamwork, with our three teams of competing to a high standard. Netball was the focus of another gala day, where another three teams of students practiced passing, shooting, and defending. The State Cross Country event involved long-distance running with some fantastic results for a few of our runners. These activities provided valuable opportunities for physical activity, skill development, and camaraderie. On top of that, we had some elite performances from some of our exceptional athletes in basketball, diving, swimming and pole vaulting. Congratulations again to all our students who represented our school with passion and humility! Looking forward to another successful term of sport.
CSSA North Met Zone Athletics
On Friday 21st June our athletics team, consisting of about 60 students, competed at the CSSA North Met Zone Athletics at Blacktown International Sports Park. Many of our students put forward their best efforts, with some walking away with a top 3 placing to progress to next level. Special mentions must go to Olive G (Year 7), Jude G (Year 12), James T (Year 10) and Nathanael R (Year 11) for accumulating the most points for their age and being awarded age champion! Congratulations to all our athletes!
Mr Ignatius Ah-you - PDHPE Teacher & Secondary Sports Co-ordinator
Library News
Premier's Reading Challenge
Congratulations to the following students for completing the challenge: Isha R (KD), Charlie R (KD), Amrit G (5M) and Gemma S (5M).
Mrs Leonie Savage - Librarian
Uniform Shop
The options for purchasing uniforms for Term 3 are:
Shop Open Hours: Tuesday morning 8.20am – 9.30am and Thursday afternoon 2pm – 3.20pm. First day back for Term 3 is Thursday 25th July.
Online orders via Flexischools: Every Tuesday and Thursday Flexischool orders will be processed and available for collection. All orders close at 8pm the night before. Secondary School orders can be collected from the office. Primary School orders will be delivered to the student's classroom.
If you have any questions, please email uniformshop@wahroonga.adventist.edu.au.
Mrs Kelly Oldfield - Uniform Shop Manager
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
Upcoming Events
Bush Dance
If you haven't put the Bush Dance night in your diary, please make sure you do. It is a fun night out with lots of laughter, great food, bush dancing moves and any money raised will go towards our Year 11's Fiji Service Trip.
Come dressed in the best Cowboy or Cowgirl outfit, show us your best dance moves and you may just get a prize!
Please ensure you book tickets and pre-order your food via the link below. On behalf of the Home and School and Year 11 Students, we hope to see you on Saturday, 10 August for a Bush Dance Festival.
Mrs Michelle Roberts - Home and School President (homeandschool@wahroonga.adventist.edu)