From the Boarding School
Our Amazing Athletes
Our Boarders were once again very well represented at the Annual Sportswomen’s Awards Night, held last Friday evening. It was wonderful to see so many Boarders and their parents gathered to celebrate a wonderful year of sport. It was also lovely to see Mrs Katie White, former Deputy Director of Boarding, being recognised for her contribution to Pymble sport for more than 20 years. We are delighted to celebrate and congratulate the following Boarders who won awards on the night.
Millie Sutcliffe – 2024 Athlete of the Year, Basketball
Madeleine Gaden – 2024 Athlete of the Year, Equestrian
Bella Croker – 2024 Athlete of the Year, Hockey
Charlotte Craig – 2024 Athlete of the Year, Netball
Grace Townsend – 2024 Athlete of the Year, Touch Football
Lana Pike – 2024 Athlete of the Year, Triathlon
Quinn Parry-Okeden – 2024 All-rounder of the Year
Isabelle Burke – 2024 All-rounder of the Year
Evie Farr – All’ Ultimo Lavoro – Strive for the highest 2024, AFL
Jocelyn Blair – All’ Ultimo Lavoro – Strive for the highest 2024, Athletics
Grace Townsend – All’ Ultimo Lavoro – Strive for the highest 2024, Athletics
Dezi Magann-Jones – All’ Ultimo Lavoro – Strive for the highest 2024, Cricket
Lola Barwick – All’ Ultimo Lavoro – Strive for the highest 2024, Equestrian
Poppy Barwick – All’ Ultimo Lavoro – Strive for the highest 2024, Equestrian
Saskia Fitzgerald – All’ Ultimo Lavoro – Strive for the highest 2024, Equestrian
Sophie Webster – All’ Ultimo Lavoro – Strive for the highest 2024, Hockey
Lily Bartz – All’ Ultimo Lavoro – Strive for the highest 2024, Netball
Sophie Laing – All’ Ultimo Lavoro – Strive for the highest 2024, Netball
Madeleine Gaden – All’ Ultimo Lavoro – Strive for the highest 2024, Rowing
Ellie Pointon – All’ Ultimo Lavoro – Strive for the highest 2024, Rowing
Evie Farr – All’ Ultimo Lavoro – Strive for the highest 2024, Rowing
Daysie Leahy – All’ Ultimo Lavoro – Strive for the highest 2024, Rugby 7’s
Ellie Pointon – All’ Ultimo Lavoro – Strive for the highest 2024, Rugby 7’s
Lana Pike – All’ Ultimo Lavoro – Strive for the highest 2024, Touch Football
Eden Azar – Officiating Award 2024, Touch Football
Alethea Levy – 2024 Team of the Year, Football Senior Firsts
Grace Townsend – 2024 Team of the Year, Football Senior Firsts
Boarders Hit the Town
We were fortunate to have our Year 7 2025 Boarders visit with us again last Friday for a fun day ‘on the town’. Accompanied by our Deputy Director of Boarding, Theresa Mimmo, Head of Avonmoore, Dan Bukovinsky, Head of Year 7, Michael Stern and Boarders Get Baking Convenor, Kathryn Weidemann, along with our Avonmoore Prefect, Alice Beveridge and their new ‘Big Sisters’ it was a wonderful opportunity for our staff to learn more about the girls. Better still, it was another chance for the girls to get to know each other before taking up residence in 2025.
Boarders Get Baking
And, as if they didn’t have enough fun! In a special edition of Boarders Get Baking, the girls cemented their friendship over ‘pink lemonade’ and Valentinos. Thank you to Kathryn Weidemann, who after an exhausting day on the town, pulled out all stops to ensure a delicious end to the week for our new girls.
Our Boarding Family Friends (BFFs)
Boarding Family Friends (BFFs) are families of day students who are keen to support our youngest boarders who join us onsite, usually a long way away from their family. They are invaluable in providing a family home environment where our Boarders can visit and relax. BFFs also assist Boarders with lifts to sport and other activities. It is a lovely reciprocal arrangement and we look forward to welcoming the BFFs to Avonmoore and our Boarders often take their BFFs home for holidays. It is our hope that lifelong friendships will emerge from the BFF program.
Last Saturday was the first of our BFF events and a huge hit! I look forward to seeing the emerging friendships in the years to come.
Leave for Boarders
Social contact with family and friends and outings away from the Boarding House is important for all Boarders. At Pymble we use Orah to manage leave for our Boarders and we have been reviewing the information that is available to Boarders and their parents and families who are hosting our Boarders. It would be wonderful to have feedback from some of our Boarding community and if you are interested in being part of a small focus group, please contact us at boarding@pymblelc.nsw.edu.au.
Live It, Love It, Learn It – Ms Theresa Mimmo, Deputy Director of Boarding
Our Year 12 Boarders enjoyed a Balmoral picnic on Friday night as the Year 7 2025 Boarders had their second sleepover. The pool was a welcome relief for all after a hot day. Our beach education sessions for Year 12 commenced, and a big thank you to Mrs Katie Edwards who is teaching the girls beach safety such as how to spot rips. The Boarders who went to Kirribilli Markets enjoyed wandering through the stalls and seeing what was on offer. This weekend, we have planned the Dance Showcase, Christmas tree picking, a trip to Manly and house movie nights.
Learn It will wrap up for the year at the end of Week 6. All Boarders will be able to complete homework in their respective houses.
View From My Window
Hi, my name is Ruby, and I am a Year 7 student that started boarding at Pymble this year. I am from Mudgee, in the Central West of New South Wales, about three-and-a-half hours away from Pymble. I live on a small farm of 110 acres, five minutes out of town with my brother Cooper, who is 15, my sister Edie, who is 17, and my mum and dad. We have lots of animals, including sheep, cows, chickens, Bruno the alpaca, and a dog called Zoe, who is an Australian Kelpie or, as a lot of people know, a sheepdog.
I have lived in Mudgee since I was four and have loved it ever since. Even though it gets very annoying when dad makes us mark 100 lambs on Christmas Day in 30-degree heat, or when you wake up in the middle of the night to a screaming potty lamb that’s banging on your laundry door, I wouldn’t have it any other way.
When I look out my window, I see wide open spaces and tall green grass, I see my sheep grazing in the paddocks either sleeping or eating, and I see my dog chasing the birds trying to jump up and grab them with her teeth, hoping to catch a snack. When I’m at home, I love riding my motorbike and racing my brother up our driveway, kicking and playing footy with my brother and versing my dad in fence ball (beating him every time), driving up the hill to watch the sunset and going out tubing on the dam with my brother and my friends.
One of my favourite things to do at home is watch the baby lambs during lambing season run around and play tag with each other, and when we get potty lambs, I love watching my dog Zoe mother the lamb and cuddle it like it was her own (so much for Zoe being a working sheep dog!). In conclusion, I love living in Mudgee with my family, but I also love coming back to my home away from home, Pymble. Thank you!
Boarder of the Week
Congratulations to the marvellous Milly who joined us in Boarding in Year 7 from Walgett, about eight hours from Pymble in Northern New South Wales.
Milly is loved for her kindness, sense of independence and calm approach. She is popular amongst her peers and always has a friend by her side. It has been wonderful to see her growth in confidence over the year and to see her embrace many of the opportunities at Pymble including surfing, touch football, both school and club rugby, as well as Culture Club and Dance.
Milly takes pride in her appearance and keeps a very tidy personal space, including her bed which is perfect every morning. We love having you as part of our Boarding family, Milly.
Important Dates
Friday 15 November – Lang House Housewarming – Year 12 2025 and their families
Tuesday 26 November – Boarders’ Christmas Chapel and Christmas Dinner, 5.00pm (all Boarders required to be in attendance)
Wednesday 4 December – Year 7 to 11 Speech Day, followed by Boarders’ Travel Day
Save the Date
Tuesday 26 November from 5.00pm – Boarders’ Christmas Chapel and Christmas Dinner – all Boarders required to be in attendance.
Wednesday 4 December – Speech Day followed by Boarders’ Travel afternoon.
Please also make a special note of our 2025 dates, in particular note the dates highlighted in pink. These include Community Days and important safety sessions that all Boarders are required to attend.
Carolyn Burgess
Head of Boarding