Language Arts
Welcome back to Term 3
We hope you had a happy and relaxing holiday and are looking forward to many more Language Arts activities in the new term and semester.
Language Arts Dinner
Term 2 ended with a wonderful celebration of Language Arts at our Farewell to Year 12 Dinner. This was a variation from our usual tradition of a Farewell High Tea. Thank you to Catherine Shi (Year 12), our Language Arts Prefect for your vision and planning. Thank you to Co-curricular Administration and to the captains for all their behind-the-scenes work. Thanks also to Amy Hoang, leader of our parent support group and lastly, thank you to our Year 12 stalwarts for all their contributions to Language Arts over many years. We will miss you. You are talented, you have been dedicated, and you have proved excellent mentors and role models. Thank you for your passion for Language Arts. You are leaving it better and stronger.
DEBATING
Archdale – Shield and Invitational
Round 7 Shield and Invitational Archdale Debating was held on Tuesday 29 July. Shield debaters travelled to St Catherine’s Waverley. Students need to be collected following debates and girls are not allowed to travel home on public transport unless an adult accompanies them. Invitational debates were held in IH rooms at Pymble. Round 7 marks the conclusion of the preliminary rounds.
Make ups for both Shield and Invitational competitions will be held on Tuesday 5 August. Year 10 Shield debaters will be required for two debates on this date. Further details regarding Round 7 and make ups will be sent via Co-curricular Administration. Following the conclusion of all debates, teams proceeding to the final rounds will be announced.
More Debating Activities and Opportunities
PLEASE NOTE – This Friday (tomorrow) there will be no Bootcamp or Social Debating.
Social Debating Student coaches – Thank you to those who have volunteered to assist uni coaches with Social Debating coaching and adjudicating. This competition continues this term and the first debates were held on Friday last week in KM. Please contact Mrs Hubbard if you would like to assist.
Friday Social Debaters – We look forward to seeing you after school the Jobson Lecture Theatre, KM building, next Friday 8 August.
High Level Debating Bootcamp – Bootcamp commenced last Friday afternoon in KM10. Thank you to Kitty He (Year 11) and Imogen Kee (Year 10), our Debating Captains, for running this training program and mentoring our keen, younger debaters. Kitty was part of the winning NSW Debating team last term and a grand final winning ISDA team last year. We are thankful that she is making time and is keen to pass on skills acquired at training so we can continue to build a culture of Debating excellence at Pymble.
Social Debating Classes/Dukes opportunity – Classes commenced last Wednesday 23 July. Thank you to the Duke of Edinburgh helpers who will assist coaches. Classes will be held in DK9, DK10 and RV09. If you are a Duke of Edinburgh candidate and have done some Debating, we would love you to assist with Social Debating classes for Years 5 to 10 after school. Please email your availability to Mrs Hubbard ASAP. Thank you to those girls who have already volunteered.
International Debating Championships (IDC)
Thank you to the girls who have registered teams internally for IDC. It is not too late. Girls who registered as individuals, thank you for your patience as we finalise teams for this Term 4, online competition. We will try to accommodate you. We currently have nine teams registered.
Holiday opportunities – Debating Competitions
Our thoughts have been with Maya Garg (Year 12) as she travelled in Mexico and debated in Worlds Debating in Panama in recent weeks. To others who were debating online or overseas through the break, please keep us informed of your events and results. We love to hear about your out of school Language Arts adventure.
PUBLIC SPEAKING
Public Speaking Classes and TEDx
A special shout out to all who attended Wednesday or Thursday classes last term. It was encouraging to watch students gain confidence and present some great speeches.
TEDx
Semester 2 classes commenced last Saturday and will be held at 10.30am to 12.30pm, 1.00pm to 3.00pm, or 3.15pm to 5.15 in DK10 and the atrium area of the KM building.
Thank you to all the girls who participated in the Semester 1 Saturday classes and in the end of semester showcase. The standard was high, and it was wonderful to see your well delivered speeches that had been carefully considered, thoughtfully crafted and edited with care. Your research skills were also evident in the detailed content. Thank you to coach Swetha whose comments revealed knowledge of each girl’s strengths and weaknesses. TEDx classes are her passion project! Well done all. Semester 2 classes will repeat the Semester 1 program. Any who missed presenting at the end of last term, please contact Mrs Hubbard.
JSSA
Congratulations to Leahara Wijesuriya (Year 9) and Estelle Lee (Year 9) who competed in a Junior Secondary Speaking Award heat at Barker last week. Congratulations to Estelle who has progressed to regionals.
MODEL UNITED NATIONS (MUN)
Pymble Model UN Club (PMUN)
PMUN runs each Monday lunch in DK06. Come along and join us this term. Everyone is welcome. Learn how to prepare for a MUN conference. We have also received invitations to MUN conferences to be held at various high schools including Trinity and Knox. Please see our MUN captain, Kiki Chen (Year 11), if interested and email your interest to Mrs Hubbard.
PMUN Winter Conference – Wow!
PMUN Winter Conference was held last Saturday. What a terrific event with close to 30 schools represented.
Kiki Chen (Year 11), our MUN Captain, and her team worked hard to ensure a fun and challenging day. Thank you to Kitty, her organising committee and our Language Arts mothers who assisted for part of the day.
Other MUN Conferences
Trinity and the combined Barker/Knox MUNS are next on the calendar. Please contact Mrs Hubbard if interested. Trinity is also looking for students who can help on the organising committees.
THIMUN 2026 Tour
All who have expressed interest in the THIMUN tour have been contacted by Travel at Pymble. Details will follow shortly.
Best Wishes Imogen – UN Youth National Conference
Imogen Kee (Year 10) has been selected to attend the UN Youth Australian and New Zealand National Model United Nations Conference in Adelaide next week. While this is not a school activity, state and national conferences are promoted and seen as a great opportunity to make like-minded friends and to learn more about speaking, diplomacy and global issues. Congratulations on your selection Imogen.
UN Negotiations
Have you registered for UN Negotiations? Would you like training? Please contact Mrs Hubbard.
MOCK LAW
Visit and Activities
We were fortunate to have Linden Barnes, a Senior Ethics Solicitor and Advisor at The Law Society visit us at the end of Term 2 to introduce aspects of Law and Ethics. We are looking forward to her assistance as we prepare for Antigone on Trial, a Moot involving Mock Law girls, the Classics department and the Centre of Excellence. The trial will be held at lunch on Friday 8 August. Please come and watch in the SLT/Drama theatre.