From the Junior School

From the Junior School

From the Head of Junior School

At this time of year, we enjoy celebrating the girls’ passions and achievements. This week it’s been a joy to watch our 2023 Rhythmic Gymnastics, Artistic Gymnastics and Drama showcases. Congratulations to all the girls who have performed in these showcases; your skills and dedication are impressive.  Most of all I love to see how proud you are of the skills you have learnt this year.

Congratulations to Jade George (Year 6) who won our ‘design a new letterbox for our Junior School’ competition. Jade’s winning design has been made for our Junior School by our phenomenal Head of TAS, Mr Peter Ellis who embodies kindness and creativity in the way he helps bring our creative concepts to life.

Congratulations to our FLL girls who rose to an innovation challenge posed and designed and coded a prototype which is controlled solely by head movements. This robot was designed by our Year 5 and 6 girls as they thought about how robots could help people with limited limb mobility. Watch the video below!

Good luck to our FLL Robotics girls who head to Nationals at Macquarie University this weekend and to our VEX IQ girls who head to Nationals in Adelaide this weekend. We will be cheering you all on and are #Pymbleproud.

As we come towards the end of the year, I am handing over this week’s newsletter to our Junior School Deputies, Mrs Lara Bird and Mr Stephen Robinson and our Lead Coordinator K-3, Mrs Kate Giles as they share their reflections from their portfolio areas.

I look forward to catching up with as many of you as possible at our Celebrations of Learning and our Junior School Speech Day next week.

A message from Lara Bird – Deputy Head of Junior School – Academics

K-2 Celebration of Learning and 3-6 Speech Day will take place in Week 9.  As our school year ends, it is important for our girls to reflect on their own unique academic journey and celebrate their personal growth across the year. A learner’s journey does not end because the school year comes to a close, but rather that journey continues for life. Whilst it is important for the College to acknowledge academic achievement for our highest achieving students in our end of year formal events, we must also remember as a school community to celebrate the process of learning and the progress made by each student who may or may not be a recipient of a prize or an award.

We are very proud of every student in the Junior School, and it is important to remember as parents to not compare your daughter’s learning, skills, strengths and areas of growth with other students as the girls are unique and diverse in their learning styles, passions and interests, and no journey is the same. Thank you to the girls for having a go, embracing challenge and for no longer being afraid of making mistakes, these dispositions will take you far in your journey as a lifelong learner.

Semester 2 Academic Reports will be uploaded to the portal in Week 9.

Wild with Words Poetry Competition

Congratulations to the following student award recipients in the Wild With Words Poetry Competition

Year 3

Highly Commended: Irene Du for ‘Rainforest’ 

Year 4

Highly Commended: Loriah Zhang for ‘The Ocean’

Highly Commended: Ellie Zhang for ‘The Slitherier Awakes’

Year 5

First place: Alison Kok for ‘Dancing In Our Hearts Forever’ in the Most Effective Use Of Poetic Techniques category

First place: Lily Zhang for ‘Magpie’ in the Most Descriptive Use Of Words category.

Highly Commended: Diya Dhanpal for ‘An Unbreakable Bond’

Year 6

First place: Gabrielle Guo for ‘The Numbats’ in the Most Awareness For Caring For Country category

Year 6 Maths Olympiad – Joanne Meacock, Year 6 Compass Teacher

In Term 2 and 3, the 6M and 6P Maths classes completed the APSMO Maths Olympiad. This is a competition where students complete a set of five questions in 30 minutes. This year there were four test papers. The questions were designed to extend our thinking and we had to use different components in Mathematics to solve the questions. It was challenging to finish, and the questions escalated really quickly, but it was an excellent learning opportunity for all of us. We learnt many new problem solving skills and how to think critically, outside the box, during this process. – Written by Isabella Dong (Year 6)

A message from Stephen Robinson – Acting Deputy Head of Junior School – Operations

As the academic year draws to an end, Hub technicians will be working with Compass Teachers to collect back the IT assets of all students for inventory, servicing and updates. Should your daughter have any items at home, please ensure they are brought to school for return.

  • Tomorrow Friday 1 December 2023 (Kindergarten to Year 2)
    • iPad
    • Logitech crayon
  • Monday 4 December 2023 (Year 3)
    • iPad and case
    • Logitech crayon
  • Monday 4 December 2023 (Year 5)
    • iPad
    • Keyboard case
    • Logitech crayon
    • iPad carry sleeve
  • Tuesday 5 December 2023 (Year 4)
    • iPad and case
    • Logitech crayon

Note: Students do not return their headphones. These will be taken home at the end of year as a spare pair for 2024. 

Pymble Gives Back – Final donations welcomed!

As the academic year draws to a close, our final three initiatives for the year of Pymble Gives Back, will soon end. If you are able to contribute to one or more of these fantastic opportunities, please do so by Tuesday afternoon.

  • Recycled clothing and linen drive: Whether it be last season’s fashions, or something that has been outgrown, drop off unwanted clothing and linen to the large bin outside Hedgehog House.
  • The Bill Crew’s Foundation Food Drive: Do you have something in your pantry that could benefit those less fortunate? Drop off any long-life items to the crates located inside Hedgehog House.
  • HARK Refugee Toy Drive: In support of the many families with children that are still adjusting to life in Australia, toys and activities for young and middle age children are welcomed. Please drop to Junior School reception.

We are also incredibly thankful to the donations made throughout the year to our many service and charitable endeavours. Seen below are some of our Year 5 and Year 6 students presenting cheques to two of our College charities for 2023, The Smith Family and Dignity.

Sprouting Joy: SRC’s Heart-warming Christmas Mission – Penny Charalambous, SRC Co-leader

Christmas is a time for joy, love and coming together, and one meaningful way to show gratitude for others is by crafting handmade gifts. 

Thank you to Dionne Jacobs and Amelia Blaiklock who enthusiastically led the final SRC initiative for this semester, thoughtfully combining suggestions from their peers to show kindness to the environment and support the 2023 initiative, Pymble Gives Back at the same time!

Over the past few weeks, the SRC has been busy decorating pots, planting succulents and writing Christmas cards for Year 6 students to take with them as part of their fortnightly visit to Bowden Brae Gardens aged care facility. Through the act of decorating, planting and writing, students have been able to show their appreciation for the wisdom, guidance and friendship provided by those at Bowden Brae this year while connecting with their environment.

  • ‘Leading SRC was a really fun experience because it taught me leadership skills but also allowed me to help residents in Bowden Brae and give them a gift for Christmas’ Dionne Jacobs 
  • ‘I loved being able to see the SRC representatives contribute their ideas each week and watch their ideas turn into a reality’ – Amelia Blaiklock

A message from Kate Giles – Lead Coordinator K-3 & Jayne Mercer- Lead Coordinator Years 4-6.

Over the year, the girls have engaged in Compass Directions lessons to build connections with their teachers and each other, as well as grow and develop their social and emotional skills. Highlights over the year have included the Year 9 Big Sister program, Unstructured Play sessions and House Spirit events such as the House Robotics Competition.

We have continued our focus on developing the girls’ understanding of friendships and how to manage them through the URSTRONG program. It has been wonderful to see how the language of friendship has become embedded in the Junior School, with the girls empowered to manage their friendships using the skills learned.

“I found the URSTRONG lessons really useful and in the playground I have used these with my friends. It helped me understand friendship fires and to understand the friend-o-meter and whether our friendships are healthy or not”- Arin Sadananda Year 3

A highlight of Compass Directions this year have been the Mind Body Spirit Days. Years 2-6 have enjoyed a special day this year where they focused on their wellbeing, building their social and emotional skills and connecting with their classmates and teacher. The activities across each year group included a range of different things from mindful watercolour painting sitting under the jacaranda tree, the creation of mandalas using items found in nature and playing with the big balls on the main oval.

Other ways that we have fostered connection across the Junior School have been through the Kindergarten and Year 2 buddy program. The girls have enjoyed catching up with their buddies across the year, playing, creating and building things together as well as learning from each other and growing connections between the girls.

“My favourite thing in Compass directions lessons has been our Buddy time. It is so much fun getting to know our Kindy buddies and teaching them how to do different things and playing with them.” -Audrey Conn Year 2

We encourage you to talk and reflect with your daughter about her learning during Compass Directions lesson this year. As we approach the end of the year, it can sometimes be an unsettling time for our girls as they realise they are approaching a time of change with the move to a new class. We encourage you to talk with your daughter about this change and let her share her feelings. Some practical ways to do this might be:

  • Discuss with your daughter how she is feeling and how she wants to feel about next year. For example ‘I am feeling worried but I want to feel more excited’ and discuss how to work towards feeling that way.
  • Reflect on all her achievements and growth this year and how proud you are of her.
  • Remind her how she felt at the beginning of this year and how much she has grown since then.
  • Check in regularly with your daughter to help her name and share any emotions, reminding her that all feelings are ok.

Around the Grounds

A message from Mrs Josephine Laretive, K-2 Teacher Librarian and Mrs Martha Itzcovitz, 3-6 Teacher Librarian 

Last date for borrowing and date need to be returned

Please note that all library books are due back by Friday 1 December.  

  • Final day for Years 3-6 borrowing is Friday 17 November
  • Final day for K-2 borrowing is Friday 24 November
  • All books due back by Friday 1 December

 If you have any concerns regarding book loans, please contact: 

 Thank you for your support!

Reminder for your daughter’s end of year Celebration of Learning/Speech Day events

Kindergarten Celebration of Learning and nativity – Tuesday 5 December

Please refer to notice here.

Year 1 and Year 2 Celebration of Learning – Tuesday 5 December

Please refer to notice here.

Years 3 – 6 Speech Day – Wednesday 6 December

Please refer to notice here.

Messages from Junior School Administration Office 

Late Arrivals and Early Departures

When your daughter is late to school could you please assist us by remining your daughter to sign in at the Junior School Administration Hub (Hedgehog House). When your daughter needs to leave early for an appointment please send an email to juniorschool@pymblelc.nsw.edu.au and sign your daughter out from the Junior School Administration Hub.

All absences for must be emailed to juniorschool@pymblelc.nsw.edu.au or preferably submitted through MyPymble. 

Name Badges

Could we kindly ask if your daughter has her school name badge at home if she can return it to the Junior School office.

Lost property

A reminder all unnamed items are stored in the K-2 Upper Performing Arts Room. Any unnamed items will be disposed of at the end of term.

Medications

We are returning medications belonging to your daughter which have been stored in the Junior School Office for use over the summer period.  Please check these items before use as some may have short expiry dates.

On the first day of term one next year, we would ask you to once again provide a supply of any medications your daughter may require.  Where possible, please provide items with a long expiry date.  Items should be dropped to the Junior School Office.

Thank you and Seasons Greetings

The Administration Office team would like to thank you for communicating with the office when your daughter’s normal school day changes.

We wish you and your families a safe holiday season break and looking forward to seeing your daughters return to Junior School in 2024. For those girls currently in Year 6, all the best for their first year in Secondary School, we hope you come and visit us in Hedgehog House!

Important Dates for Term 4

Tuesday 5 DecemberKindergarten Celebration of Learning 9.00am-10.30am Year 1 and Year 2 Celebration of Learning 11.30am-12.30pm Students in Kindergarten, Year 1 and 2 will be able to go home with parents at the end of the events, or they can remain at school until the end of the day. A form to advise of family preference will be sent to families.
Wednesday 6 DecemberYears 3-6 Speech Day Supervision for students in K-2 is available. Last Day of Term 4 2023 – Happy holidays!

Kate Brown

Head of Junior School