From the Boarding School
As the term winds up, our Boarders have been making the most of life on campus. It has been a busy time with various outings and lots of visitors but it is the simple pleasures that seem to bring the most joy. A game of ‘back yard’ cricket, handball and our new favourite, pickle ball, have been keeping our Boarders busy and engaged.
Big Sister training
Our Big Sister program is a wonderful mentoring program lead by our Year 10 Boarders for our new Year 7 Boarders. We have a fabulous team of Big Sisters, currently in Year 9, all set to support our new Boarders in 2026. Given the importance of this role, we provide specialised training to ensure they are well equipped with the necessary skills.
This year, we were thrilled to be joined by Millie Hardie, a registered psychologist, mum of two, and the creator of The Pocket Psychologist, a fast-growing digital platform bringing evidence-based mental health tools to young people, families and rural communities in fun, visual, genuinely relatable ways. Millie appears regularly in mainstream media, including Sunrise, and works across schools, corporate organisations, and rural health settings to teach practical emotional-regulation skills using her signature props and analogies. She is passionate about giving young people the tools she wishes she had at their age - simple, memorable strategies they can use in real life.
As an ex-Boarder, Millie was the perfect person to help equip our leaders with practical skills and self-care tips so they are in top form to support our youngest Boarders in 2026. Our Big Sisters loved the opportunity, listening intently and participating with enthusiasm throughout the one and a half hour session. They all reported that they feel well equipped to help our new Boarders make a smooth transition to Boarding. A special shout out to our Avonmoore Prefect, Summer, for her wonderful note taking and mentorship.
Avonmoore meets Vision Valley
It has become a tradition that on the second last Saturday night of the term, our soon to be Avonmoore graduates head out to Vision Valley for 24 hours of reminiscing, fun and friendship. Year 7 Boarders, Lexie, Maggie and Amelia spill the beans on this special event.
Saturday night was a blast! When we got to the ‘Valley’, we immediately went to the high – rope activities, doing lily pads and the leap of faith. The leap of faith was definitely our favourite! We then went and had a swim in the pool. The weather wasn’t ideal, but the rain made us go WAY faster down the slide, which was definitely a win for everyone! After all of the enjoyment, we all came together and set up our belongings around the bell tent. We had Dan and Casey’s delicious sausages paired with bread, onions, fruit and vegetables. Followed by absolutely FANTASTIC dessert (Golden Gaytimes, Oreo Sandwiches and Mango Weis Bars). We all gathered around in a circle to share our favourite memories throughout Avonmoore, some more cheeky than others!
Overall, this was an unforgettable bonding experience where we recounted all the amazing memories of our first year at Pymble and we are so grateful to have the opportunity to come together and share our experiences. After all this sharing, we unfortunately had to go to bed – I cannot say we actually fell asleep at the time we were sent to bed, I am pretty sure (actually 99% confident) that Casey and Dan didn’t have the greatest sleep that night, and we are definitely guilty… sorry again Dan and Casey!
In the morning we woke up to the DELICIOUS smell of… CHOCOLATE CROSSIANTS, the effort put into breakfast was AMAZING, we had sweet yogurt with strawberries, raspberries, blueberries and granola as well as hot chocolate as a warm beverage. After packing up our gear, we unfortunately had to depart Vision Valley. All sadness was short lived – as soon as the tunes turned on, everyone started singing along. Overall Vision Valley with Avonmoore was an AMAZING experience to bond and have fun all together as a house one last time before we split up next year, and I would definitely do it again if we could!
Love It
After a barbecue dinner on Thursday night, we headed to Hornsby for some Christmas shopping. There was a lot of excitement amongst the group about purchasing gifts for their friends and family. The trip certainly created a buzz and got the girls into the Christmas spirit.
Our Boarders welcomed Knox Boarders to Pymble on Friday night for the annual Christmas Trivia. Our evening started with dinner in the Dining Hall before moving to the KM building ready for our mixed tables to display their knowledge. Everyone thoroughly enjoyed the trivia and spectacular dancing from the Boarders of both schools. Our Community Spirit Prefect, Elke, along with Year 12 students Jaidey, Tilly and Millie, were fantastic in the setup and running of the evening. We look forward to refining our knowledge for the 2026 evening.
It was a quiet weekend in the Houses with sorting of personal items as the year closes, Year 10 packing for camp and some Christmas craft. On Sunday, when the clouds parted and the sun shone through, it was time for a final 2025 Yo Chi trip to Macquarie Centre. As always, the yogurt was delicious and the shopping an added bonus.
Meet our Term 4 Pink Ladies
Every term, our Boarding community has the special privilege of honouring individuals who continually show kindness, generosity, and unwavering support to our Pymble family. These extraordinary people are celebrated as our ‘Pink Ladies’- a title that reflects their dedication and the meaningful contributions they make to enrich the lives of our Boarders. Their time and talents help ensure our Boarders make the very most of their Pymble journey.
We are so fortunate in Boarding to benefit from the exceptional creativity and flair of Mrs Rachel Fairbairn, our College’s Creative Services Manager. Mrs Fairbairn brings our ideas to life with her impeccable taste and signature ‘Boarding pink’ vision across booklets, cards, journals, newsletters, calendars, banners, and of course, our beloved Boarder merchandise. She is endlessly patient, always receptive to new ideas, and incredibly generous with her talent. We are deeply grateful for the care and artistry she pours into presenting Boarding at Pymble so beautifully across so many platforms.
Our second Pink Lady Award this term goes to a dynamic duo: Iman Utteridge and her father, Bernard. Bernard’s involvement in our community is truly exceptional. He has consistently gone above and beyond for our Boarders – whether driving us to AFL, touch, rowing, soccer, or netball games, cheering from the sidelines, giving pre-game pep talks, or offering a supportive chat afterwards. From running flags at AFL matches to keeping score at netball, Bernard’s heartfelt commitment has left a lasting impression, bringing our community even closer together. We extend our heartfelt thanks for everything Bernard has done and celebrate both him and Iman as this term’s Pink Lady Award recipients.
View From My Window
My name is Ruby, and I come from a place very different to Pymble, a 700-acre dairy farm on Oxley Island, about three hours north of Sydney. I live at home with my parents and my three younger siblings: Lochie, Bella, and Hughie.
Our family has lived on this land for six generations. On our farm we have one dog, Raf, five cats, and over 600 cows. Two fun facts about where I live are that the Penrith Panthers once visited our farm, and that Polson’s Road is named after my family, who have lived here for generations.
When I look out my window, I see endless green paddocks stretching into the distance. The dairy is basically part of our backyard, it sits just behind our house and there are always baby calves grazing next to our pool, which we use every day in summer. In the backyard, our jacaranda tree is covered in bright purple flowers, and the river curves gently around our home, giving everything a peaceful and open feeling
What I love most about being at home is swimming in the pool, going to the beach with friends and family, riding motorbikes around the paddocks, and helping Dad milk the cows. Life on the farm is busy but calm at the same time, and there’s always something happening. I love getting the best of both worlds by being able to live just five minutes from the beach while having the farm as my backyard.
Even though leaving home can be hard, returning to Boarding feels like coming back to a second family. I love the routine, the friendships, and the support but I also love knowing that home is waiting for me at the end of term.
Boarder of the Week
Congratulations to fabulous Millie, Lang House resident and Boarder of the Week. As Danielle Pringle, Head of House writes, Millie has been a wonderful asset to our Boarding House since joining us in Year 10 in 2024.
Millie is one of those people who brings light and energy wherever she goes. She’s bright, bubbly, enthusiastic, and always ready to get involved. Most recently, Millie was instrumental in making our Christmas trivia night such a hit.
What makes Millie truly special is the support she shows to everyone around her, staff and students alike, across all year groups. She is caring, considerate, and always willing to lend a helping hand. Millie takes great pride in how she presents herself, and she consistently gives her best to her academic work. Over the past year, it has been such a joy to watch her grow in confidence and maturity, and to see her embrace every part of Boarding life. Congratulations Millie!
Save the Date
1 December – End of Year Chapel Service and Christmas Party*
3 December Year 7-12 Speech Day*, followed by end of term Travel Day.
* No leave during this time
And while you have the diary out… some important dates for 2026
28 January – New Boarders and current Year 12 Boarders arrive from 2.00pm
28 January – New Boarders’ Welcome Dinner
29 January – Current Boarders return from 2.00pm
29 January – Boarder Parent Group (BPG) meeting 3.30pm
29 January – BPG welcome drinks 5.00pm
30 January to 1 February – Boarders’ Community Weekend*
20 February – Boarding Family Friends’ Event
20 February – PPA Icebreaker followed by Boarding Parent “Afters”
7-8 March – Big Sister, Little Sister camp at Vision Valley
15 March – Mother and Daughter Lunch
24 March – Boarders’ End of Term Chapel Service and Dinner*
1 April – Boarders’ Travel Day
2 April – Year 8,9 and 10 learning discussions