13 March 2025
What Happened This Week
WOW! What a night
Thank you to the P&F events team, Hale, Jo and Sam, who all volunteered their time to create another memorable night for the women of Wyvern. 200 people attended the Women of Wyvern (WOW) event which was a huge success. We also thank everyone who very generously donated items that were used for prizes on the night.
The event has gradually become a major fundraising event for the Wyvern P&F. This year the event raised over $11,000 and the P&F are in discussions with the school to coordinate how this can best be used to improve the student experience. As was the case with the COLA, the P&F raise funds for projects that will benefit the students and the Wyvern community. Keep your eye out for an announcement later this term.
Grandparents & Special Friend Morning – Volunteers Required
The Grandparents & Special Friend event is a wonderful morning, but we require a team of volunteers to help us bring it to life. If you are available and would like to help us, please register to volunteer here.
Damaged Property
We have recently noticed an increase in incidents involving damaged instruments. To help maintain these valuable musical tools and support students in their learning, we kindly ask for your assistance in reinforcing proper instrument care.
If your child brings their own instrument to school, we strongly recommend checking whether it is covered under your home insurance policy. The school is unable to cover damages to personal instruments, and having insurance can provide peace of mind in the event of accidental damage.
To prevent accidental damage, students should ensure that their instruments are stored in a safe location, away from walkways and other high-traffic areas. Proper storage not only helps protect the instruments but also maintains a safe learning environment for all students.
By taking these simple precautions, we can work together to ensure that all students continue to have access to well-maintained instruments, supporting their musical progress and enjoyment.
Student Medication
Last week we kindly asked all parents to check and confirm the details we have on file for you and your child. This includes advising us of regular medication your child may be taking at home. Having the correct information is essential for effective communication and the wellbeing of our students, especially if there is a medical emergency while they are at school. Please update your child’s medical details here.
Other than Ventolin, students should not carry any medication in their school bags. Please contact the front office if your child needs to take medication during school hours and they will confirm the process, from your consent to ensuring the medication is stored safely and being taken at the correct times.
Missing Recess and Lunch
Be it a missing lunch order or forgetting to pack a lunch box, please remind your child to come to the front office if they do not have any recess or lunch.
Wyvern staff will work with the canteen to resolve any issues with missing orders or forgotten lunch. If a student does not have recess/lunch provided from home or a canteen order, parents will be contacted for permission to access their My Student Account funds to cover the cost of a sandwich or preferred menu items.
We ask that all students should have a minimum of $15.00 available on their My Student Account to cover the cost of emergency lunch orders as credit is not possible.
Absence or Leave Requests
If students arrive at school after 8.25am they must report to Wyvern Office where they will be ‘signed in’ before they go to their classroom.
If your child is going to be absent from school, please contact the Wyvern Office before 8.30am. Alternatively, use the absentee tile on the Newington app. Please note, if phoning, written notification in the form of a note or email is still required as mandatory documentation.
A medical certificate is required if a student is absent from school for three or more days.
If a student seeks leave for a reason other than illness or one day’s leave to attend a medical appointment, parents or guardians must submit an Extended Term Time Leave Request at least four weeks before the leave starts.
If the reason for extended leave is accepted, class teachers will not set work during the leave.
Further information and the link to apply for extended leave can be found here.
Chapel Thought
Christians all across the world are in the period of Lent, the forty days leading up to Easter. Lent is traditionally a time where people deepen their faith by either giving up something that they enjoy or take up something important.
This year I’m thinking much more about Spiritual Practices, simple things like prayer, reflection or meditation that help us deepen our faith in God. A practice that resonates deeply with me is called The Examen. It comes from St Ignatius and has become part of Jesuit Catholic practices.
The Examen is a simple way of reflecting on the day and becoming aware of God’s presence. It follows these steps and can be completed in a mere minute or two or take longer:
- Become aware of God’s presence, centring yourself through calming mind and body
- Reflect on the parts of the day that filled you with joy
- Reflect on the times when you were challenged or hurt
- Choose one feature from the day to pray for
- Look ahead towards tomorrow
Through this simple reflective Spiritual Practice we can deepen our faith and come closer to God. In the midst of our busy lives, finding a moment, even if it’s a few minutes, to do something like The Examen is such an important practice.
Pastor Richard La’Brooy
Wyvern Sport News
Read the latest news from our sports department here.
New Sport Holiday camps
NewSPORT have the following holiday camps taking place in Week 1 of the April School Holidays.
For a 15% early bird discount for purchases prior to 31/3/25 please use EBIRD15.
Water Polo
Monday April 14 to Wednesday April 16
8:00am- 12:00pm
Click here to register
Futsal
Monday April 14 to Wednesday April 16
9:00am- 1:00pm
Click here to register
Save the Date! Wyvern Easter Toy Drive
Tuesday 24 March – Friday 11 April 2025
Since 2017, Wyvern parents have co-ordinated a Toy Drive for the Sydney Children’s Hospital Play Therapy Department. More details will be provided on New Spaces with specific requests from the hospitals as to the types of toys required.
da Vinci Decathlon Inspired Workshop
On Thursday 6th March, a small group of Year 5 and 6 students from Wyvern and Lindfield, took part in da Vinci Decathlon inspired workshops. The da Vinci Decathlon is an academic competition designed to challenge and stimulate the minds of school students. Participants form teams of eight and compete across ten disciplines: Engineering, Mathematics, Chess, Code-breaking, Art and Poetry, Science, English, Ideation, Creative Producers, Cartography and Legacy.
This year, the selected boys were given the opportunity to participate in a variety of workshops, taught by some of our expert staff. The students demonstrated exceptional teamwork, collaboration and critical thinking skills throughout the day. A huge thank you and well done to all the students who took part in the workshops.
Wyvern and Lindfield will be selecting two teams each to represent the school in the da Vinci Decathlon competition, held at Knox Grammar on Thursday 22nd May, 2025.
Co-ed Scholarships for Year 5 2026 Now Open
Become a part of history with the Pioneer Scholarship, created to celebrate Newington College’s transition to co-education and support girls and boys who are ready to lead, innovate and inspire. This is more than just a scholarship—it is an opportunity for trailblazers who are eager to make a lasting impact.
This scholarship is available to existing and prospective students (both boys and girls) currently in Year 4 (entering Year 5 in 2026). This prestigious opportunity is designed for students with a balanced range of achievements who will benefit from the outstanding opportunities at Newington College while enriching our vibrant school community.
Current and new students can apply here.
Staff Profile
This week we caught up with Shelley Carruthers, part of our team of superstars in the Design and Technology Department at our Senior campus in Stanmore.
Q. Which book, movie, or TV show do you think every student should experience at least once, and why?
A. Excuse me for choosing an animated kids’ movie, but with my young children being the audience at home, this is my current genre. The film is Zootopia from 2016, I appreciate it for its inspirational message about perseverance, learning from mistakes, and personal growth. It highlights the importance of facing challenges with resilience and teaches valuable lessons to both children and adults. These lessons include understanding prejudice, recognising the dangers of stereotyping, and the benefits of connecting across differences to enhance everyone’s experience. It’s a beautiful reminder of the positive impact of embracing diversity and personal development. It’s a very enjoyable experience.
Q. In a world where you could have any superpower for a day, what would it be and how would you use it in your teaching?
A. Without a doubt, teleportation is the most practical superpower. Life often feels overwhelming with the constant rush to work, school, music lessons, sports, and more. Teleportation would not only save us precious time but also allow us to experience more. Imagine teaching a lesson on technological advancements or cultural cuisines and being able to teleport students directly to live examples. They could see, feel, and taste everything firsthand, creating truly authentic and enriching experiences.
Q. If you could have dinner with any historical figure or celebrity, dead or alive, who would it be and what would you talk about?
A. Meeting Sir David Attenborough would be an absolute dream for me. Ever since I first heard his amazing voice in a documentary when I was little, I’ve been hooked on his passion for the natural world. His life’s all about exploring, innovating, and teaching, and that’s had a impact on me and my love of nature. I picture us having a simple meal together, listening to his incredible stories, and feeling like I’m right there with him on those adventures. His way of connecting with people and getting them to love the planet is something special and meeting him would be an unforgettable experience.
