From the Boarding School

Welcome back! It was lovely to see the smiling faces of your beautiful girls as they returned to Boarding in a steady stream on Monday afternoon. I think it’s fair to say they were universally happy to back with their Boarding mates and keen to start a fresh term. There was the added bonus of welcoming eight new Boarders to our Boarding family and it was good to see our returning Boarders opening their arms to our newest recruits.

We are looking forward to another fabulous term and our Love It program continues to be a great source of fun and adventure for our Boarders. Please view below or click here to see what is on offer in Term 3.

ICPA Conference

It has been a busy start to the term and over the last couple of days Katie White and I took it turns of attending the Isolated Children’s and Parents’ Association (ICPA) Federal Conference. This incredible organisation is a voluntary, non-profit, apolitical parent body dedicated to ensuring all geographically isolated children’s educational needs and aspirations are not disadvantaged because of where they live. Clearly, they have an important role in the lives of many of our Boarders and it was informative few days of learning from the various stakeholders.

There was the additional honour (and very proud moment) of having our very own Latiah open the Conference by singing the National Anthem. Please read below the introduction to Latiah’s performance which is an accurate summary of the wonderful young woman she is.

Latiah is a proud Gamilaraay woman, and Year 11 First Nations Scholar and Boarder at Pymble Ladies’ College. Having lived in Dubbo, New South Wales, her entire life, Latiah first joined the Pymble family as a bubbly and bright Year 8 Boarder.

Over the last four years, Latiah has continued to impress with her many talents, can-do attitude and kindness to everyone. She has negotiated the challenges of living away from family, particularly in the time of Covid with dignity and fortitude.

She is a true leader and an outstanding role model for her peers and a reminder to us all of the importance of resilience and empathy. The messages of NAIDOC Week are close to her heart and Latiah hopes to make a meaningful contribution to the process of Reconciliation, there is no doubt she will be a significant voice for her people in the years to come.

In the near future, Latiah looks forward to tertiary study in the area of forensic science. Music is a true passion for Latiah, and she is generous in sharing her incredible musical talents and inspiring in her courage. She is honoured to be performing the National Anthem for you today and grateful for the opportunities provided to rural and remote students through the ICPA.

We will be in Tamworth on Friday night!

Our Pymble team will be at the Tamworth Boarding Expo this Friday and Saturday and celebrating with current, past and prospective families on Friday night. If you are in the area we would love to see you, please just send an email and let us know if you can attend.

Some handy information

Our Handbook for Boarders and their Families is your ‘go-to’ guide for all things Boarding. Please click here to view the Semester 2 edition.

I know you appreciate the importance of a delicious and nutritious menu for our Boarders. Please click here to view the Term 3 menu.

Please note both of these documents are always available in the Boarding section of the College website.

Supporting our wider Boarding family

In previous editions, you would have read about Amy’s efforts to support her young cousin Jack in his battle against neuroblastoma. Please make a note of 3 August when Amy is organising a bumper sausage sizzle to raise funds for this most worthwhile cause.

Keeping Up With Our Boarders

I am delighted to share with you the latest edition of Keeping Up With Our Boarders. I hope you can find a warm and quiet spot to have a leaf through and read about our fabulous Boarding family.

View From My Window

Hi, I’m Rosey from Temora, recently known for producing tough rugby league players, with three in this year’s NSW State of Origin team. Go NSW! When I look out my window, I see hills in the distance and crops in the valley. At this time of year, everything is green, but in springtime the canola will flower, flooding the landscape in patches of bright yellow.

We live on ‘Sunny Slopes’, which is just a hobby farm, but Dad likes to think he’s a farmer. We have cows, sheep, pigs, chooks, a cat called Georgie and a new puppy called Missy. I enjoy walking to the top of the hill and sitting on the big rocks as I watch the sunset. I love cold nights because Dad lights a campfire and we sit around toasting marshmallows and cooking a camp oven for dinner.

During the school holidays, I work at my parents’ floor-covering business to earn my pocket money. It means I get to spend lots of time with Mum while being in town, so I can catch up with my old friends. We always go to Wagga, an hour away from Temora, to attend my old gymnastics club to train with them which is one of my favourite things to do when I’m home.

The best experience these school holidays was being able to have my city family friend visit for three days to celebrate my birthday. She had never been to a farm or a small town before, so it was really fun to show her around and help to keep her from getting bored. We played card games, watched some Netflix, and went on lots of walks even though the weather was lousy.

As the holidays come to an end, I’m sad that I have to pack up my things again and take the long journey back by bus to Pymble, but I’m also excited to see my Boarding and day school friends. It makes you really appreciate the other when it’s gone, and I realise how lucky I am to have the best of both worlds.