Greetings

Over the past two weeks, we celebrated the culmination of our Year 12 cohort's journey with a series of important events. From the Valedictory dinner to their graduation chapel service, these occasions provided meaningful moments for reflection on their time at Wahroonga and opportunities to offer encouragement for their futures. Our team has worked diligently to ensure the seamless and successful delivery of these events, and I am grateful and proud of their efforts. I would also like to extend my sincere thanks to our Year 12 parents for their ongoing partnership with our school over the years.

Additionally, I wish to acknowledge the P-2 team for organising a wonderful Grandparents Day last week. It was a pleasure to see many grandparents enjoying the sunshine as they watched students perform musical items, visited their grandchildren’s classrooms, and ate lunch with them on the Village Green.

You may have noticed that permanent construction fencing has been installed in preparation for the upcoming residential apartments development. Please be assured that we will collaborate closely with the builder to ensure all noise and dust mitigation measures are strictly followed. The designated entry and exit points for construction vehicles will be located in front of the Fox Valley church, which will ensure the safety of students and staff by preventing vehicles from accessing the school via the internal access road. My goal is to work with our team and the builder to ensure the safety of our school community.

Thank you for your continued support this term. We look forward to welcoming students back for the final term of 2025, beginning on October 14. A reminder to our Year 7-10 parents to attend the parent-teacher interviews scheduled for Monday, 13 October, from 1:30 pm to 7:30 pm.

May God bless you and your child/ren with a safe and enjoyable Spring holiday break.

Craig Young

Principal

Our team of 54 students and staff embarked on an exciting mission trip to Fiji on Wednesday, filled with enthusiasm and anticipation! The journey has been smooth so far, and by the time you read this, we’ll be settling in at Vatuvonu Adventist School, gearing up for a weekend packed with meaningful activities. This marks our third year returning to Vatuvonu, and the team is thrilled to reconnect with the community and continue building strong relationships.
We ask for your prayers as we serve in Fiji until October 3rd. Please pray for God’s protection over our team, for fun and impactful memories for everyone involved, and for deep connections with the Vatuvonu community. Our goal is to share love, support, and faith while creating lasting bonds.
As we serve, we’re reminded of Galatians 5:13: “Serve one another humbly in love.” This verse inspires us to work with humility and joy, reflecting Christ’s love in all we do. Thank you for your support and prayers as we embark on this incredible journey of service and fellowship!
(Photo: Our 54 team members, ready for Fiji!)

On November 7th (Friday, Term 4 Week 4), Wahroonga Adventist School will be hosting our first colour run. We are raising money for our primary students; fundraising initiative for shade sails over our outdoor communal area. If your student wishes to partake, they must have created a profile and begun fundraising for this event. This is open to both Primary and Secondary students, so let's get involved and make it a day to remember.

To sign up is quick and simple. Follow the link or use the QR to find the website. Create a profile for your student, selecting their relevant class and school house. The fundraising push will begin in Week 1 of Term 4. Some teachers may even get 'slimed'!

https://youtu.be/soeoFUA4rtU

What a momentous week it has been for our year 12 graduates! On Monday evening, students, parents, and staff gathered at The Epping Club for the second annual Valedictory Dinner. The evening was filled with outstanding speeches and remarks from a range of students in the class, beautiful musical items, photo memories, and first in subject academic awards. Mrs Julia Heise, our previous Principal, attended the evening and encouraged the students to find joy as they step into life after school.

On Tuesday morning our school came together to officially celebrate the graduation of the class of 2025. Students across the cohort were recognised with awards for their academic achievements and contributions to the school in leadership, spirituality, sport and citizenship. Dignitaries including MP Alister Henskens, Lt Jesse Stanfield (ADF) and Melanie Windus (Avondale University) delivered awards and scholarships, and Wahroonga Church continued their legacy of gifting each graduate with a personalised Bible. Our captains and vice-captains offered their final reflections on their school journey and thanks to their parents, staff and peers. Miss Rhianna Drinkall, who has been a homeroom teacher with the 2025 class from year 7, delivered an excellent graduation address. The graduates of 2025 took their final walk through the school grounds surrounded by the rest of the student body forming a guard of honour – a special tradition that is observed for each graduating class. Congratulations to the graduating class of 2025!

We are busy planning for next year, and new student orientations that occur in Term 4. If you wish to enrol a sibling for 2026, please submit your application ASAP. We would also like to take this opportunity to remind families of our Notice of Withdrawal Policy.

Notice of Withdrawal Policy:
Once a student is enrolled at the school, at least one term’s notice (10 weeks) of withdrawal must be given, in writing, to the Registrar at [email protected] . Failure to do so will incur a charge of one term’s fees. Holiday periods do not constitute adequate notice of withdrawal.

If your circumstances are changing and you wish to withdraw your child from Wahroonga Adventist School, we kindly ask that you notify us in writing as soon as possible, and no later than Friday, 26 September 2025, to avoid incurring any withdrawal fees. Should you have any questions or wish to discuss your child’s enrolment, please contact the enrolments office at [email protected] .

We had such a lovely morning celebrating Grandparents Day with our P–2 classes. A big thank you to all the grandparents and special guests who joined us. Each class worked hard to prepare and perform a special item for our concert, before heading back to classrooms to proudly showcase their work. Thank you also to our Home and School for providing hot drinks on the morning, and to our student leaders for serving. The morning ended with a relaxed picnic lunch, making it a wonderful day for our school community to share together.

This term in Science, Year 1 and 2 have been learning all about light. We explored how light travels, tested different materials to see which block or reflect light, and discovered what would work best for shade. To finish the unit, students planned, tested, and built sun shelters for a LEGO person using recycled materials. They showed fantastic teamwork and creativity, and their love for hands-on learning really shone through in this investigation!

We are proud to celebrate the achievements of two of our outstanding Year 12 musicians, Kenneth and Matthew, who have both been nominated for Encore — the prestigious annual program presented by the NSW Education Standards Authority (NESA) showcasing exemplary performances and compositions from the HSC Music examinations.

Kenneth, a pianist, and Matthew, a violinist, have each demonstrated exceptional musicianship, perseverance, and dedication throughout their HSC studies. Their nominations recognise not only their technical mastery of their instruments but also their creativity and artistry as performers. They both undertook the music 2 course and extension at school. This was the first time Wahroonga Adventist School has included these courses in the curriculum.

“Being nominated for Encore is an extraordinary achievement,” said Kristina Vuceski head of CAPA and their music teacher. “It represents the very highest level of recognition for HSC musicians across the state. We are immensely proud of Kenneth and Matthew, whose hard work, talent, and passion for music have inspired their peers and enriched the cultural life of our school.”

Beyond their individual success, both students have contributed generously to the wider music program, performing in ensembles, supporting peers, and setting an example of leadership and commitment. Their recognition at a state level is a reflection not only of their own dedication but also of the guidance of their teachers, the encouragement of their families, and the strong culture of music-making in our school community.

We extend our heartfelt congratulations to Kenneth and Matthew on this outstanding accomplishment and look forward to following their continued musical journeys beyond school.

This term in Science, Year 1 and 2 have been learning all about light. We explored how light travels, tested different materials to see which block or reflect light, and discovered what would work best for shade. To finish the unit, students planned, tested, and built sun shelters for a LEGO person using recycled materials. They showed fantastic teamwork and creativity, and their love for hands-on learning really shone through in this investigation!

We’re thrilled to celebrate Harriet’s outstanding achievements in this year’s Ryde and Sydney Eisteddfod singing events. Her dedication, growth, and passion for music have truly made this season unforgettable.

Ryde Eisteddfod Results:

Rising Star Operatic Scholarship Award (16–20 years) – 1st Place

Australian Art Song (17 Years & Under) – 1st Place

Sacred Solo (Open Age) – 3rd Place Adjudicator: Phoebe Humphrey

Sydney Eisteddfod Results:

Music Theatre Song (17 Years) – 3rd Place

Contemporary Song (17 Years) – Highly Commended

Classical Italian Song (16–20 Years) – Highly Commended Adjudicators: Nate Gilkes & Dr. Simon Lobelson

Each event featured approximately 15 talented participants, making Harriet’s accomplishments all the more impressive.

Year 9 recently completed a project to make a hooded jumper in Textiles Technology. They designed their hoodie and their project included an excursion to Spotlight to purchase their choice in materials, and they produced it during classtime. Here’s a few of the finished articles!

For our current unit, students investigated the properties of a range of materials by undertaking fabric testing for absorbency, to inform their choices of fabric for their summer skirt or pair of shorts that they will produce during Term 4. They are using a commercial pattern and personalising it with modifications including changing length and decorations.

For Book Week this year our Year 5 and 6 students have been working with Brenden and Suzanne Lovett to produce ‘Library Bag’ podcasts where the students ask each other the all-important question – ‘So, what are you reading?’ Suzanne has presented workshops to the students covering interviewing skills and how to ask leading questions, and this week the first session of recording started with Brenden. We will look forward to broadcasting these podcasts on our Library WebAPP (bit.ly/waslibrary) early next term, so keep a look out for them!

Congratulations to Cassadee Z (KD), Tyler L (2A), Willow Z (3J), Milana A (3K), Cole A (4W), Lissy G (4W), Osiane D (4W), Samuel B (4W), Michael M (5L), Olivia W (6A), Moksha Y (6A), Siya W (7S), Tate G (7S), and Kyle S (8W) who have now completed the Premier’s Reading Challenge. The Premier’s Reading Challenge has now finished for 2025, congratulations to the 172 students who completed their entries this year. Any books read from now on can be included in next year’s challenge, but as there is no more access to the PRC website until early next year, a written list of books read will need to be kept until then.

In Term 4, borrowing will only be available for the first four weeks to allow time for all books to be returned and accounted for during our annual end of year stock take. Please ensure your children take advantage of borrowing during the first half of the term.

Monday CLOSED

Tuesday CLOSED

Wednesday 8:20 - 9:30 AM

Thursday 2.30 - 3:30 PM

Friday CLOSED

Please order through Flexischools for any orders where you know your sizing and what you may need. Flexischool orders will be collected from the office for High School and dropped to classes for Primary school on Thursdays and Fridays.