From the Upper School
A message from Victoria Harrison, Head of Upper School
Well done to our Year 10 students who completed their final full day of assessments with the completion of the Allwell examinations on Wednesday. We are also very proud of our Year 9 students at Vision Valley who will be back from a five-day expedition tomorrow afternoon. The girls will no doubt be exhausted and will be looking forward to reading the letters and postcards that have been shared with us over the last few days.
Like many parents and educators around the world, I have been reflecting on the valuable messages from Jonathon Haidt in his book The Anxious Generation. It is a great resource for us all as we grapple with managing phone and screen use in adolescents. Haidt’s discussion of the impacts of technology on academic achievement is especially pertinent as our students complete their end of year exams. Haidt’s findings reveal not only that mobile phone use is associated with decreased academic performance, but also that the mere presence of a mobile phone in students’ pockets can damage their ability to think.
It is reassuring to see Haidt highlight the benefits of outdoor residential programs and international exchange experiences as key protective factors for young adolescents. These opportunities, which form a key part of our Upper School offerings, provide students with an opportunity to be immersed in real-world experiences, to ‘master their fears’ and develop their competencies. Haidt writes:
Find a sleepaway camp with no devices and no safetyism. Many summer camps offer children and adolescents the chance to be out in nature and away from their devices and the internet for a month or two. Under those conditions, young people attend fully to each other, forming friendships and engaging in slightly risky and exciting outdoor activities that may bond them together tightly. Avoid camps that are essentially summer school, with academic work and internet access, or camps that do not provide children with any communal responsibilities. Try to find a camp that embraces the values of independence and responsibility… Bonus points for any camp that promises not to post pictures every day on its website. Summer camp is a great opportunity for parents and children to get out of the habit of constant contact and, especially for parents, constant reassurance that their kids are okay.
Upper Hunter Beef Bonanza
Recently, several Year 10 students participated in the Upper Hunter Beef Bonanza. The girls have shared this reflection of their experience. Well done to Annabelle, Livia, Adison, Anais and Eilidh for their involvement in this great co-curricular experience.
As part of the Pymble Cattle Team, we competed at the Upper Hunter Beef Bonanza in Scone. Over four days, we participated in educational programs involving speakers from Nutrien Ag Solutions, JBS Meat Processing and Cattle Australia, along with other agricultural related presentations. Along with learning more about the beef industry, we also had the opportunity to participate in the ICMJ Junior Meat Judging. Students participated in the carcass, retail cut, primal judging and paraders’ classes for both individual and steer classes and the Junior Judging for bulls, heifers and steers. Working as a team, we had an amazing time learning about the agricultural and beef industry and were able to develop our skills and knowledge.
Results
Annabelle Jones – Individual Beef Carcase Judging Champion, Part of Champion Team for Beef Carcase Judging, Overall Individual Meat Judging Champion
Livia Armstrong – 5th in Individual Beef Carcase Judging, Part of Champion Team for Beef Carcase Judging
Adison Hartog-Smith– 1st in Paraders Class with Uber
Anais Vander – 4th in Paraders Class with Uzzi
Eilidh Skelton – 4th in Paraders Class with Ugene
Other Exciting News
In Assembly, four of our Year 10 students were presented with awards from the Australian Science Olympiad. Sophia Zhang was awarded a Distinction and Amber Li, Katherine Pan and Vivian Zhang received a High Distinction.
Special mention went to Vivian who was selected to attend summer camp at the Australian National University, a commendable achievement at the age of 16. We are very proud of you all.
International Exchange Program 2025
Students are invited to apply for the 2025 International Exchange Program. It is open to students in Year 9, 2024 and students studying the language in Year 9/10.
Exchange programs provide a broad educational experience for students and increase international and cultural understanding among young people. The experience will provide opportunities for selected students to travel internationally to live and study abroad, where they gain newfound cultural understanding as well as global perspectives. The program also involves reciprocal hosting whereby participating students, and their families host a visiting exchange student.
For further information on the International Exchange Program in 2025 (Cultural and Language) – click here.
Students wishing to be considered for this program must submit an application by the due dates (written or video).
2025 International Exchange Application Timelines
- Applications open – Term 4, Week 1 – Friday 18 October 2024
- Applications close – Term 4, Week 5 – Monday 11 November 2024
- Interviews – Term 4, Week 6 and 7, 2024 – students will be notified.
- Places advised – Term 4, Week 8 – via email.
Students who are participating in the Term 4 Year 9 Residential program will have until Wednesday 20 November for submission.
To apply for the Cultural Program (Year 10, 2025) – click here.
To apply for the Language Program (Year 10/11, 2025) – click here.
For enquiries, please contact Mrs Olsen – Exchange Co-ordinator studentexchange@pymblelc.nsw.edu.au or +61 9497 7825
Important Dates
Term 4
Thursday 7 November – Year 9 Residential Program Term 4 Parent Evening Workshop
Wednesday 13 – Saturday November – Co-Curricular Dance Showcase
Saturday 16 November – Year 10 Namadji OEP begins at Vision Valley
Sunday 17 November – Year 10 Snowy River OEP leaves from James Kelso Field
Monday 18 November – Year 10 Murramarang Expedition and Blue Mountains Program depart from Pymble campus
Friday 22 November – Year 10 Murramarang Expedition and Blue Mountains Program return to Pymble campus
Monday 25 November – Year 10 Namadji and Snowy River Expeditions return to Pymble campus
Tuesday 26 November – Rest Day for Namadji and Snowy River students
Wednesday 27 to Friday 29 November – Year 10 Future You Festival on Pymble campus
Wednesday 4 December – 2024 Speech Day and Final Day of School Year
Monday 28 October – Year 10 Examination week begins
Victoria Harrison
Head of Upper School