Greetings

I praise God for a rich and rewarding second term thus far, filled with meaningful moments and enriching opportunities that reflect the holistic educational experience at Wahroonga Adventist School. Many of these highlights are captured here, and I would like to draw attention to a few.

James 1:17 reminds us that “every good and perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father,” and the Psalms encourage us to “give thanks to the Lord, for He is good.” We are truly grateful for the many blessings within our school community.

Our annual Secondary WOW (Week of Worship) was a significant highlight, providing opportunities for our chaplains and student leaders to collaborate in proclaiming the powerful message that “Jesus is King.” It was deeply encouraging to see students and staff actively engaging with the program and responding to the messages shared by our guest speaker from the USA. Experiences such as these reflect our core purpose: To Reveal Jesus.

This term has also provided a wide range of sporting and outdoor opportunities, enabling students to develop teamwork, pursue personal excellence, and enjoy being part of something greater than themselves. Events such as camps, gala days, the Athletics Carnival, and our basketball program contribute to our mission to enable every student to flourish. I commend our staff, particularly in PDHPE and Basketball, for their dedication in delivering these memorable events.

Our academic programs have been further enriched through incursions, excursions, competitions such as Kids’ Lit and the Da Vinci Decathlon, and this week’s Stage 2 learning showcase. I thank our staff and Learning Enrichment team for providing diverse extension opportunities and ongoing support that create pathways for student growth and flourishing.

Thank you for encouraging your child to participate in the many opportunities on offer. Student engagement and enjoyment are vital to the success of these programs, and your partnership is greatly valued.

We also appreciate your continued support in sharing your positive experiences of Wahroonga Adventist School within your networks. On Wednesday, 27 May, we welcomed a record number of prospective families to our school tour, many of whom spoke highly of what they had heard about our school. Our enrolment focus remains on Kindy and Year 7, alongside other year levels, and we encourage you to continue sharing the good news about our school.

Thank you for your ongoing partnership and support.

God bless

Craig Young

PRINCIPAL

"For the Lord your God is God of gods and Lord of lords, the great God, mighty and awesome, who shows no partiality and accepts no bribes." Deuteronomy 10:17

High School Week of Worship is always one of the most significant moments in our school calendar and this year's theme, Jesus is King , reminded us of something both ancient and urgent: we serve a King who is not distant or indifferent, but one who is powerful, purposeful, and deeply personal in His care for each of us.

We were so blessed to have Pastor Amanda join us from the United States. She unpacked what it truly means that Jesus is King. He is not a ruler who demands from a distance, but he is one who stoops down, knows your name and invites you into a life worth giving everything to.

He is a King worth following with our whole lives.

One of the greatest spiritual highlights of the week, however, was watching our own students step up and lead. Harriet LM, our student chaplain, led the week with grace and joyful, steady faith. She wasn’t alone, beside her was an incredible team of student Chapel leaders across the WOW Band (Ally), Pastoral Care (Phoebe & Mabel), AV (Catherine), Next Steps (Abi & Kadienne), Creative (Holly & Zara) and Administration team (Samara).

Watching these young people step into their roles, serve their peers and lead with faith was a profound reminder of what God can do when we say yes for he shows no partiality.

This is at the heart of what chaplaincy is about. We don't just want students to hear about Jesus … we want them to follow Him.

And following Jesus means growing in faith, serving others, speaking with courage and stepping into the fulfilling life he has for you.

Discipleship looks different for every student but it always involves movement: growing deeper with God and outward toward others.

If this week stirred something in you or if God has been moving you in your own season of life, don't ignore that! You can reach out to us chaplains, lean into your faith community, and keep seeking Jesus … the King who is always seeking you.

WAS Chaplaincy – Pr Nick, Pr Renee & Pr Ethan

Our recent Mother’s Day Breakfast was a highly successful and well-attended community event, bringing together mums, grandmothers, and families from both the Primary and Secondary schools in a warm and welcoming atmosphere. It was a joy to see students sharing this special occasion with their loved ones, strengthening connections and creating meaningful memories across our school community.

Student Representative Council (SRC) leaders from both Primary and Secondary played an important role in supporting the event, demonstrating leadership and contributing to the positive and inclusive spirit of the morning.

A heartfelt thank you goes to all the mothers and grandmothers who attended and helped make the day so special. Your presence and support are deeply valued, and it was truly wonderful to celebrate and honour you within our school community.

Last week, our school hosted our annual ‘Big Breakfast’ fundraiser in support of the Cancer Council’s Australia’s Biggest Morning Tea, and it was a fantastic success.

On the day, students and families enjoyed a delicious selection of pancakes, croissants, muffins and hot drinks.

We are incredibly grateful to our school community for their generous support, both through attendance on the morning and through online donations.

Thank you to our dedicated staff who helped cook pancakes, serve food, prepare drinks and ensure everything ran smoothly, as well as our enthusiastic SRC students who assisted throughout the event. Thanks to this collective effort, our school proudly raised over $2,000 to support the vital work of the Cancer Council.

To avoid disappointment, we encourage you to apply now for any siblings intending to enrol for Year 7, 2028 or Kindy, 2027. Click here for the link to our enrolment form Enrol Here and submit your application, places are filling up fast.

If you have any questions about enrolling a sibling, please contact the Registrar, Sally, on [email protected] .

Our Year 5 and Year 6 teams recently competed in the Da Vinci Decathlon, joining 158 teams from across New South Wales for a challenging and enriching day of academic competition.

The Year 6 team performed exceptionally well, placing 5th in Creative Producers, 8th in Art and Poetry, and 13th in Engineering.

The Year 5 team also achieved an impressive 15th place in Code Breaking.

These outstanding results reflect the students’ dedication, teamwork, creativity and problem-solving skills. We are incredibly proud of their efforts and grateful to Karen Koolik for the time, guidance and encouragement she invested in preparing our students for this rewarding opportunity.

Y8 Camp was an experience like no other. At first, I didn’t even want to go, but then my good friends Daud and Darsh said, “Come on, Mabon! Don’t you want to have fun while making memories that could last a lifetime?”. That one conversation completely changed my mind, and I’m so glad I went.

One of the moments that still makes me laugh was when we were all in our tents at night, getting ready to sleep. Out of nowhere, someone screamed at the top of their lungs. Of course, that set everyone else off, and soon the whole tent area was yelling and laughing. It went on until a teacher came over and told us to stop. Honestly, little moments like that are what make camp unforgettable.

What really stood out was how genuinely kind the camp leaders were. They didn’t just supervise us, but they joined in, checked on everyone, and made sure no one felt left out. Their effort made the whole camp feel welcoming.

Looking back, it wasn’t the activities or the location that made Year 8 Camp special. It was the people. Friends who pushed me to try something new, classmates who turned a quiet night into chaos, and leaders who made us feel supported. All those small moments added up to something unforgettable.

Mabon A (8S)

At our school, we have had many amazing camps, but I think the Year 8 camp topped them all. Everyone had a constant smile on their face, and I don’t think I’ve ever seen our grade so happy. It was an incredible experience for us, Year 8s, to bond in groups, talking to people we hadn’t really talked to before, and learning so much more about each other.

My favourite part of camp was the camping. Although we got wet, we got to engage in campfire games, the roasting of marshmallows, and little conversations in our tents. It was truly unforgettable. I never wanted it to end, and saying goodbye to the beautiful facilities and incredible leaders at Lake Macquarie was hard. We learnt so much, and people grew in their faith, went out of their comfort zones (in activities like raft building and rock climbing), and bonded with each other. Although it’s over, it’s something I know everyone will remember. Well, at least they’ll remember the 4 am scream of “I want a lion” coming from the boys’ end of the campsite.

Eliza C (8A)

Monday morning, May 25 saw four excited students heading to the State Library of NSW to compete in the Australian National Finals of the Kids’ Lit Quiz. After winning the Western Sydney Heat a few weeks before, our Wahroonga Adventist School Team 1, consisting of Year 8 students Zara N, Edward B, Noah D and Mia M became one of 16 teams from all around Australia to battle it out at the National Finals, and what a battle it was. The results were so close by the last round of the competition that every point mattered to the five teams who were leading the tournament. After a well fought battle, Wahroonga Adventist School Team 1 secured third place overall and took home certificates, bronze medals and a book pack for the school library. We are so proud of our students who competed brilliantly as a team, showing amazing composure, resilience and sportsmanship throughout the whole day and maintaining their composure during a nail-biting final round that didn’t quite go their way but still ended with an amazing result. Congratulations, Zara, Mia, Noah, and Edward, we are so proud of you!

For the second year running Nicholas (Yu Yang) Lim (12A) has been chosen to be a Language Ambassador for the NSW School of Languages. Nicholas and his family were invited to attend the Language Ambassadors Presentation Day at the NSW School of Languages on Monday, May 11 to receive his Leadership Badge and receive training for his role as ambassador. This is a significant achievement, and Nicholas’ outstanding application and dedication to his Chinese and Japanese language studies at the NSW School of Languages were instrumental in his selection. We wish Nicholas all the best as he continues his Language Ambassador journey throughout the rest of this year.

Year 8 students recently engaged in an interactive and hands-on science investigation as part of their “Living Things” unit, exploring plant structure through the dissection of flowers. Using lilies and tulips, students were able to carefully examine and compare the key reproductive parts of these plants, including petals, sepals, stamens, and pistils.

Throughout the activity, students developed their observational and analytical skills by identifying similarities and differences between the two species. They learned how each floral structure plays a vital role in the plant’s life cycle, particularly in reproduction and pollination. The choice of lilies and tulips provided a clear visual contrast, allowing students to better understand variations in flower anatomy within similar plant groups.

This practical investigation not only supported students’ understanding of plant biology but also encouraged curiosity, teamwork, and scientific thinking. By recording observations, labelling diagrams, and discussing their findings, students were able to link theory with real-world examples, deepening their appreciation of the diversity and complexity of living systems.

Overall, the dissection activity was an engaging and memorable experience, helping students build foundational knowledge in biology while fostering a sense of inquiry and discovery.

On Tuesday, 26 May, our Year 11 Biology students ventured to Fairlight Beach in Manly for an exciting field trip to support their depth study on ecosystem dynamics.

Upon arrival, students were welcomed by two educators from the Coastal Environmental Centre (CEC) in Narrabeen. The day began with an informative briefing on rock platform ecology, along with important safety guidelines. Students then made their way onto the rock platform, where they explored the diverse rock pool habitats and investigated species richness within these environments.

As part of their study, students closely examined two rock pool organisms, identifying key adaptations that enable these species to survive in their often challenging habitat. They also reflected on ways to improve the reliability and validity of their data collection methods, deepening their understanding of scientific inquiry.

After a well-earned lunch break, students returned to the rock platform to conduct further investigations. Using a line transect, they explored how environmental factors such as temperature, depth, and salinity influence the distribution of four selected rock pool species. With access to specialised equipment from the CEC, students were able to develop valuable practical and data-collection skills.

The day concluded with students finalising their data sheets before heading back to school. Despite the rainy conditions, the field trip proved to be a highly valuable and engaging learning experience, giving students a real-world insight into ecological research.

Our annual Athletics Carnival took place at the elite facility of the Warm-Up Arena, Syndey Olympic Park. The day started off a little slippery with the light rain however this did not last long as the sun later came out. Our students represented with their houses with pride and with a special mention to the Robinson house who competed with the most colour throughout the event. More records were set with pleasing individual performances were once again on full display. Congratulations to all students, particularly to the winning house...ROBINSON!

In April, Thomas B travelled to Launceston as part of the NSW State archery team to compete in the Youth National Championships. Despite cold, wet and windy weather Thomas excelled, achieving gold medals in 3 events and a bronze in the 4th. This bronze was particularly hard fought and won as he was shooting against under 16 archers in a round robin style event.

Thomas was the top scorer in his team, leading NSW to an overall victory for the event.

What a fantastic experience. All the competitors showed resilience and grit in trying conditions. Medals were won, team spirit forged and friendships were made.

Congratulations to Thomas - he is now the U14 Youth National Champion.

As swimming season is coming to an end, we had two swimmers qualify and compete at the Combined Independant Schools Swimming Championships. This level of competition is the highest level for all independent schools in NSW – so qualifying and competing at this level is a huge achievement. Congratulations to Salani S & Yijie S!

On Wednesday 20 May, our U15s Girls, U15s Boys and Open Boys soccer teams participated in the CSSA North Met Zone Soccer Gala! Our teams displayed resilience and determination throughout all their games, even when moments were not going their way. Thank you to the coaches who assisted the teams who all enjoyed a lovely day of quality soccer.

Volleyball season has come around with the CSSA State Volleyball Gala Day occuring on the 13-14 May. We sent 4 teams; U15s Mixed, Open Girls, Open Mixed and Open Boys. There were many highlights across all teams that included accurate serves, quality rallies and even some superb spikes. All teams saw victories throughout their pool games with special mention to the U15s Mixed who fell short of the semi-finals by 1 point.

Congratulations to our volleyball and soccer athletes for their efforts and camaraderie displayed.

At 12pm on Wednesday, May 27, Wahroonga Adventist School students from Prep to Year 6, along with more than two million other students from around Australia and New Zealand, tuned in to the National Simultaneous Storytime to celebrate the book ‘Luna Roo: The Kangaroo Baller’ by Adam Jackson and Adrian Lloyd. This book tells the story of Luna Roo, a plucky young kangaroo, leading her side to victory in the Animal World Cup with a dazzling display of courage, determination and stamina. A fitting theme with the FIFA Football World Cup starting next month. The two authors took turns reading the story, followed by Jake Minton, the illustrator of the book, demonstrating how easy it is to use simple shapes to create a drawing of Luna Roo. With craft activities to complete after the viewing and a penalty shoot-out for the Year 3 and 4 classes, the students enjoyed a rich literary experience. Many thanks to the Year 5 and 6 students for spreading across the junior grades to help with the activities.

Congratulations to Zoe D (1BC), Liviyah M (1BC), Kiara S (3K), Maxwell Z (3K), Scarlett A (5L), Zeke B (5L), Samuel B (5L), Jacob C (5L), Molly C (5L), Osiane D (5L), Banjo L (5L), Juliet L (5L), Cruz M (5L), Hudson M (5L), Eric M (5L), Austin P (5L), Emmett R (5L), Cade T (5L), Elina W (5L), and Jake E (7A) who have all completed the Premier’s Reading Challenge.  Keep up the great reading!

The Premier’s Reading Challenge finishes on September 18, so there is still plenty of time to get on board – it’s fun! Please email Mrs Savage at [email protected] if you need your log-in details.

All uniform items must be purchased from the Wahroonga Adventist School Uniform Shop or ordered online through www.flexischools.com.au

Uniform Shop Opening Hours

Monday Afternoons 2:30pm - 3:30pm

Wednesday Mornings 8:30am - 9:30am

Flexischool Orders

Online orders will be available for collection on Wednesday and Thursday of each week. All orders close at 8pm the night before. Secondary students can collect their orders from the office. Primary student’s orders will be delivered to their classroom.

For questions or further information please email [email protected]