From the Senior School

From the Head of Senior School

Talking about stress management

I recently read Under Pressure by Dr. Lisa Damour, which explores the experiences of stress and anxiety in girls. It’s crucial to understand Dr. Damour’s distinction between occasional distress and ongoing mental health issues, which require professional support. Feeling intense emotions in response to distressing situations is a normal part of life. These feelings, though uncomfortable, are usually appropriate.

Dr. Damour focuses on promoting healthy ways to help our children learn emotional regulation and expression. Her key suggestions for supporting someone overwhelmed include responding with empathy and understanding, validating their feelings, and asking questions to comprehend their experience before offering sympathy. For instance, saying, “That sounds tough. I’m sorry you’re going through this.” Often, discussing emotions and receiving understanding can help your daughter settle and find ways to manage the situation.

Distraction can also be a useful tool for anxiety regulation. Many girls naturally gravitate towards activities like art, baking, or music to distract themselves. If your daughter struggles to regulate her emotions and it affects her relationships, learning, or daily life, it’s time to seek additional support from professionals like her doctor or school.

Finally, Dr. Damour emphasises the importance of healthy sleep patterns. Getting about 9 hours of sleep per night is advised for teenagers over 14. A good night’s sleep can significantly improve one’s ability to cope with life’s challenges.

For more information and readings, you can visit Dr. Damour’s website at https://drlisadamour.com/.

Pymble – Knox Connections

This week our Year 11 students met up again with their Knox peers for an afternoon of trivia quizzing and dinner. This group aims to develop respectful friendships between the students in the two schools in fun, social situations. This year-long program sees students involved work together on joint initiatives designed to foster positive relationships. The group works collaboratively to plan and lead events, and to communicate the importance of respectful relationships for young people.

Senior School Speed Chat

On Monday this week the senior students had fun in Compass connecting with each other, across year groups. In houses, the girls chatted with each other and passed on advice. It was great to hear the lively chatter and laughs, with many students commenting on how much they enjoyed the session.

Best of PAC

Congratulations to all senior students who entered into the spirit of creativity, fun and performance at this year’s Performing Arts Competition. The following Senior students performed at Tuesday’s assembly in our best of PAC:

· Sarah and Zarina (singing): Flower Duet from Lakmé

· Finley and Murphy (singing): You’re Nothing Without Me

· Elizabeth, Ella, Olivia and Indianna (singing, instrumental and dance): Young and Beautiful

· FiFi (singing): I See Red

Congratulations to Sarah and Zarina, who won the finals with an amazing performance! Sincerest congratulations too to our Performing Arts Prefects, Lily and Grace, who organised and lead this very successful initiative.

MMG Survey

Thanks to parents of Year 12 who have completed their MMG Education surveys to share feedback with the College. If you have not completed your survey please do so by Friday 24 May. We appreciate the time given to share feedback with us, as this helps us make meaningful improvements to our College, ensuring we meet the needs and expectations of our community.

Year 12 Hospitality Excursion

On Wednesday 15 May, thirty Year 12 Hospitality students got the incredible opportunity to visit a hospitality establishment located in the CBD – O Bar and Dining – which is a revolving, family-owned fine dining restaurant that has been catering to diners who seek a high-end dining experience. Upon arrival, we were amazed by the lovely views and layout of the restaurant, and we could only imagine how nice it would be to dine there at nighttime.

We were introduced to the manager, Michael Moore, whose daughter, Eloise, was a Pymble student graduating in 2017. Michael was joined by the head chef and some front of house staff to provide a detailed run-through and role play of a standard dining experience at the restaurant, which involved some girls ordering a very expensive dinner! The hospitality students and I learned about all the tiny details that a hospitality establishment needed to cover to run successfully, such as using technology efficiently, teamwork and organisation, predicting and assessing customers’ needs, preferences and expectations, and keeping to strict time schedules.

As we listened to Michael talk to us about the sequence of service, it reinforced our learning in our theory lessons at school. He emphasised the importance of welcoming and seating guests as it contributes to overall customer satisfaction and a good first impression of the business. Some students did a walking tour around the restaurant- which is situated across level 47 of Australia Square – and saw the incredible organisation and preparation that the restaurant had in its bars and seating areas. After listening to Michael and the staff talk, we had opportunities to ask questions about working in the industry, then we were treated to a delicious lunch while the restaurant revolved showcasing the beautiful Sydney surrounds.

On behalf of the Year 12 Hospitality students, I think we all had a great time and were able to apply our current knowledge and learning to a real-life situation, as well as being exposed to a level of dining that we don’t typically associate with. It was a very worthwhile opportunity and I’d like to thank the teachers, Ms Pracy, Ms Rich and Ms Olsen for making it possible!

Written by Carrie Luo (Year 12)

YSafe Parent Presentation – Digital Safety Webinar

This informative and practical parent education session is designed to address the complexities of parenting in the digital age.

In a world ﬁlled with fear-based approaches to online safety management, YSafe oﬀer a diﬀerent perspective—one that focuses on capacity building and fostering a positive digital environment. YSafe’s goal is to empower parents who may feel disempowered or overwhelmed by the challenges of navigating the online world with their children.

Key Topics Covered:

Youth based behavioural insights on popular social media platforms
Managing cyberbullying & toxic online behaviours and legalities
Screen time recommendations and current research
Practical & realistic steps for setting up a cyber-safe home

This fun session empowers parents to navigate the digital world alongside their children, fostering a safer and more enjoyable online experience for the whole family.

Parents will receive access to the ySafe by Qoria Online Safety Hub for further personalised learning & development.

Click here to access the webinar registration page.

Term 2 Key Dates

29 May – Athletics Carnival

10 June – King’s Birthday Public Holiday

21 June – Senior School Wrap with Love Knit-In

28 June – Term 2 concludes

Nikki Wyse

Head of Senior School