Principal 9/8: Term 3 Underway: Here’s What’s Ahead

Term 3 Underway: Here’s What’s Ahead

I would like to welcome everyone back to school, noting we are well underway in a very busy term. Our students have been back for two weeks now and staff returned prior to this to engage in our midyear staff development week. Year 10 students also completed a week of work experience. The feedback we receive from the workplace hosts is always encouraging as our students represent the School well and gain valuable experiences from different workplaces. This further informs their choices for study pathways for their remaining time at school.

Next week our Year 12 students commence their HSC Trial examinations. This is the first time these students will be sitting full-length exams (up to 3 hours long), being tested on the entirety of their HSC courses. This is a particularly challenging time for our senior students, and I ask that you uphold them in prayer – that they may not feel anxious beyond reason, be able to focus on study and demonstrate clearly what they have learned to this point.

Earlier this week I attended the HSC CAPA Showcase evening to view student artwork and be part of the audience for drama and music performances. This was a wonderful first taste of the culmination of our students’ efforts and we wish them all our best over the coming fortnight.

Student Sporting Achievements: 

This week we have also been celebrating the sporting achievements of current and former William Carey students, Jaiden and Meray (pictured below). During the school holiday break, two of our current students excelled in sporting competitions. Jaiden A from Year 7 participated in the NSW All Schools Cross Country event in the last week of the holidays and finished 12th. This is a wonderful achievement as he was competing with students selected from all NSW Schools (Independent, Catholic and Public). Well done Jaiden! Meray Y from Year 8 competed in the Sporting Schools Australia Swimming Championships on the Gold Coast last week and finished 8th in Australia in 50m Breaststroke event. As an act of kindness, she also filled in for South Australia in a relay event and they finished 5th in Australia. This competition is the pinnacle of the pathway for Australian school level swimming.

Well done Jaiden and Meray, we are very proud of you! 

Cheering on WCCS Alumni Jayden Lawrence in His Olympic Journey:

We are thrilled and immensely proud of WCCS alumni Jayden Lawrence (2010), who is currently representing Australia at the Paris Olympics. Jayden, who began wrestling at the age of nine and has competed internationally since he was 11, qualified to compete in the 86kg freestyle wrestling event. His impressive career includes representing Australia at three Commonwealth Games, where he won a bronze medal in the 86kg division at Birmingham in 2022.

Last night, Jayden faced a tough opponent and, despite a valiant effort, did not advance in his initial match. However, his journey is far from over. Tonight, Jayden will be competing in the repechage round—a second-chance bracket that could qualify him for a shot at the bronze medal.

WCCS is incredibly proud of Jayden’s dedication, perseverance, and achievements on the world stage. You can read more about Jayden’s story and achievements at https://www.olympics.com.au/olympians/jayden-lawrence/

Staffing Updates:

I am pleased to inform the School community that we have successfully completed the search for two key leadership positions. Mr Ashley Allard will be taking up the role of Director of Teaching and Learning starting in 2025.  Mr Allard brings experience from similar roles in other independent and Christian schools, and we are confident that his expertise will greatly benefit our academic programs.

Mrs Michelle Larrea will be taking up the leadership of our Prep School as Director of Early Learning. Her passion and creativity for inspiring our youngest learners will mean that the outstanding Prep School program will continue to be a distinctive drawcard for our school families. We extend our heartfelt gratitude to Mrs Anne Belling, who has been instrumental in leading the Prep School since its commencement. As we prepare for this transition, we extend our heartfelt gratitude to Mrs Anne Belling and we wish her all the best as she steps into retirement from this week.  Mrs Larrea will step into her new role this term, ensuring a smooth and seamless transition of leadership.