From the Junior School
From the Head of Junior School
As one of our College values, courage is always at the forefront of our minds as we plan learning activities for our girls across Kindergarten to Year 6. This week we are focusing on our Kindness to Others Fact #2 which is ‘I can be inclusive’. Next week’s core value is ‘Courage’ which aligns so well with our focus on inclusivity. It takes courage to make new friendships and to explore new cultures. Over the next couple of weeks as we focus on this Kindness to Others fact, we will be challenging our girls to embrace their courage and take steps towards a friendship from a group outside their existing friendship groups, perhaps to make a friend from a different culture.
For us as adults, perhaps we should ask ourselves, how do we model this courage and inclusivity to our children? Would we join an activity if we didn’t know anyone else there? As a natural introvert, I know I would find this challenging. Yet on the weekend as I supported our girls at Saturday sport, I chatted with one mum and learnt that her daughter challenged herself to join the Hockey team as it’s not a sport traditionally played in China and she was keen to learn a sport unfamiliar to her culture and to try and make friends beyond her current social group. #Pymbleproud!
Would we, as adults and role models to our children, start a conversation with someone we don’t yet know, and in a language that is not our mother language? Do we seek out conversations with people we don’t know? When watching sport on Saturday, do we check that there is no parent standing alone, and if there is, invite them to join our group of friends? I am not sure I am as brave as many of our girls and I am constantly learning from them and being inspired by them.
It’s hugely courageous to invite someone we don’t know to come and sit with us, chat with us, play with us. Yet this is precisely what we ask of our girls at school. As educators we do this because it’s so important that our girls grow up knowing they are global citizens and being comfortable listening to, chatting with and collaborating with anyone, from any demographic. According to the OECD Compass 2030 some of the top skills graduates will need are social/emotional skills of compassion and collaboration.
Over the last week I have been humbled by three stories shared with me by some of the extraordinary women in our community. Their stories are not mine to tell, but I was in awe of the courage they have shown through their personal journeys. Each of these women have faced significant changes in their lives, whether family or cultural changes, and as I listened to them sharing their stories, I felt the power emanating from the courage each of them has shown throughout their adventures so far. Sadly, each of these women have felt judged at some point along their journey and they shared with me the hurt they felt, and which still sits within them many years later. As a global society we have much to learn about including all equally and treating one another with kindness and respect. We must be braver at seeking to understand one another before judging and learning to accept each other for who we are and what we bring.
I know that this focus on strength through diversity and inclusion is something our Pymble girls are leading. Last week a group of courageous Year 6 girls spent a couple of hours at United Bowden Brae Gardens aged care home getting to know some of the elderly residents there, many of whom suffer dementia. Our girls showed courage in introducing themselves to these elderly residents and then shared stories, favourite books, language and even some music, all with patience and respect. Hearing the girls joy at the things they learnt, and seeing their pride in themselves for being part of this social collaboration was inspiring and I look forward to seeing how these new friendships develop over the coming weeks.
This week a group of our Robotics girls from Year 5 attended St Lucy’s School Wahroonga to share their robotics skills with the pupils at that school and again showed courage and respect in their collaboration with the students at St Lucy’s who face many varied learning and physical challenges. I am very proud of these girls.
Good luck to our Primary B debating team who are representing Pymble tomorrow in the quarter finals. This is a significant achievement and the first time one of our Junior School teams has qualified for the quarter finals. A huge thank you to Mrs Martha Itzcovitz and Miss Cordelia Itzcovitz who have mentored the debating teams this year. Our girls will be debating against Roseville College at Monte on Friday, and we wish them lots of luck for this exciting challenge. Whatever happens, we’re immensely proud of them and the courage and commitment they have shown all season.
A huge thank you to all of you who attended our Year 3 and Year 5 Windows into Learning last week and then the Mother’s Day morning tea. A special thank you too for all our Dads who helped set up this event on the morning. None of these College events are possible without a dedicated team of volunteers who work behind the scenes and so I hope you know how much we appreciate your efforts.
A personal challenge and test of my courage: The Sydney Half Marathon
As someone who has lost a parent many decades ago to cancer, and who knows many currently facing, or who have loved ones facing, a battle with cancer, I want to do something to honour their courage. I am therefore challenging myself to run the Sydney Half Marathon in September this year. For those in our community who are natural distance runners or who have lots of time to train this may not seem much of challenge. I can assure you it is! I have limited time to train, and I know I will have moments of self-doubt as I contemplate running 22km (I’ve already had some!). However, as I hear the stories of those in our community who are courageously facing cancer I am determined to succeed.
I will be running wearing a ‘Kilometres of Kindness for cancer research’ t-shirt to continue to raise awareness and conversation around the power of kindness to others and perhaps inspire others to do something in support of cancer research. I am not seeking donations from our community but if any of you would like to join me running, please let me know. Imagine if we could have a small community of kindness runners from Pymble who are all committed to showing support for those in our community who quietly face this disease within their families.
Butterfly Body Bright – Mrs Rachel Kingsell, Head of PDHPE
It’s so important for our young girls to grow up celebrating their bodies and all the amazing things our bodies enable us to do. In 2022, we became a Butterfly Body Bright Junior School, meaning we follow an evidence-based body image program that is strength based and run by the Butterfly Body Bright Foundation.
This program promotes positive attitudes and behaviours towards the body, eating and physical activity. Early research into the program has shown positive improvements in children’s body image. We are excited to have registered for Butterfly Body Bright again this year and look forward to working towards being more Body Bright as a school community so that together we can support our girls to feel confident and bright in their bodies.
This program is primarily led by our PDHPE team in the girls’ Years 3 to 6 Health lessons, but all our staff support the aim of the foundation which is to empower our girls to celebrate who they are. The idea is that there is a new focus each week from the Body Bright areas: Brave, Resilient, Inclusive, Grateful, Happy and Thoughtful. Year 3 and 4 have begun the Body Bright program in PDHPE lessons this term. Year 5 will begin during their Health lessons from Week 5 and Year 6 will be re-introduced to the program in Term 3 prior to their Health unit on Puberty.
MMG Survey Reminder
A friendly reminder to all Year 3 and Year 5 families to complete the MMG Survey before Tuesday 23 May. Thank you to those that have participated, we appreciate your feedback.
National Simultaneous Storytime 2023 – Josephine Laretive , Teacher Librarian K-2
On Wednesday 24 May, Kindergarten to Year 3 will participate in National Simultaneous Storytime, an annual event run by the Australian Library and Information Association. This special event promotes the value of reading and literacy, the enjoyment of books, and picture books written and illustrated by Australian authors and illustrators.
Look out for photos of the staff getting very involved in the book we will all enjoy reading! This year, the book The Speedy Sloth by Rebecca Young and illustrated by Heath McKenzie will be read simultaneously across Australia and beyond. To celebrate this event the Library is running a colouring-in competition and each class in Kindergarten to Year 3 will be involved in art and craft activities linked to the story.
Click here for more information.
Junior School Parent Group (JSPG) Term 2 Meeting
We invite you to attend the JSPG Term 2 Meeting on Wednesday 24 May from 7.45am to 8.45am where you will hear from committee members, Sunny Hres – Head of Pymble Parent Association (PPA), Kate Brown – Head of Junior School, Lara Bird – Deputy Head of Junior School Academic and Nerissa Davey – Deputy Head of Junior School Students.
The event will be held in the Junior School Library and you are welcome to attend either in person or via Microsoft Teams by clicking here.
Please click here to view the agenda.
K-2 Travel Term 2
Please email juniorschool@pymblelc.nsw.edu.au with your daughter’s full name and class if you have any travel changes for Term 2 before 2.00pm.
Uniform and Appearance
All students are expected to wear their uniform correctly and with pride. Uniforms cannot be mixed with each season (please refer to page 33 of your daughter’s school diary correct uniform appearance details). Junior School has a strict ‘no hat no play policy’, please ensure your daughter has her bucket play hat at school every day. During the cooler months please ensure that your daughter is wearing the correct uniform.
As the weather becomes cooler, I know many parents worry about keeping their daugther warm during the day, particularly in her PE tracksuit. Sports hoodies are not allowed to be worn to and from school or with winter uniform. IF your daughter has PE and is in her full PE uniform she may wear a Pymble sports hoodie whilst she is at school. Please make sure that your daughter’s uniform is named.
Absent, Late Arrivals/Early Departures, Vacation
A reminder if you daughter is absent from school please enter your daughter’s absence through the MyPymble App or email Junior School Administration Office juniorschool@pymblelc.nsw.edu.au . For any changes to your daughter’s travel, late/early arrivals please email the Administration Office.
Exemption from Attendance Application form can be found on the Portal, please ensure if your daughters is away for two days or more to complete the application form two weeks in advance from the start of your daughter’s absence.
Lost Property
Please ensure your daughters full name is clearly labelled on all items of clothing including socks, hats and lunch items so it can be quickly returned to your daughter if it is found.
From the Junior School Parent Group (JSPG)
- Family Fun Day & Movie Night – Saturday 20 May
We are very excited to see everyone this Saturday from 3.00pm to 7.00pm for our JSPG Family Fun Day & Movie Night. We have over 800 families from our Junior School attending and we cannot wait to celebrate this special day with everyone and enjoy catching up with our existing families and meeting our new families. We are fortunate that the weather is looking very sunny with a top of 19 degrees.
Just some housekeeping information:
Please bring your own seating for the movie (including any rugs, cushions, bean bags, low chairs etc). For small children (three and under), please pack a small meal or otherwise there are food items to purchase at the crepes truck.
- Year 6 Parent Daughter Dance – Saturday 27 May
Our Year 6 Dance Committee has prepared an absolutely sensational night at Killara Golf Club for our girls, an event not to be missed! The theme is “Springtime in Paris” and the last opportunity for our girls to celebrate their very last event together in the Junior School. Please ensure that you buy your tickets by tomorrow as the event will shortly closed, please do not miss out!
Please click here to purchase tickets.
Key Dates
| Saturday 20 May | JSPG Family Fun Day & Movie Night |
| Monday 22 May | Year 4 Fizzics Incursion |
| Wednesday 24 May | JSPG Term 2 Meeting – all welcome |
| Wednesday 24 May | K-3 National Simultaneous Story Time |
| Thursday 25 May | Ranger Jamie Incursion |
| Friday 26 May | Year 6 Windows into Learning |
| Saturday 27 May | JSPG Year 6 Parent Daughter Dance |
| Monday 29 May – Friday 2 June | Reconciliation Week |
| Wednesday 31 May | Year 2 Outdoor Education day |
| Friday 2 June | Mothers and Grandmothers (Ex students) Morning Tea |
Kate Brown
Head of Junior School