From the Boarding School
Catching up with our Boarding families on their home turf is always a treat, and last week I was lucky enough to spend time with some of our families who live in the Tamworth region. Members of our Enrolments team and our Deputy Principal were my companions, also enjoying the opportunity to meet present, past and prospective families.
Our Boarding Parent Group
As a Boarding parent, you are automatically a member of the Boarding Parent Group (BPG), which provides valuable support and information to the Boarding community. The BPG committee meets with the Principal, Deputy Principal, Director of Boarding, Heads of House and key staff to discuss matters affecting our Boarding family.
Everyone is welcome to attend meetings with our next meeting taking place, here at Pymble, on the eve of Garden Party. If you are unable to attend any meeting, the minutes are available online. You can read the minutes from our last meeting by clicking here.
Throughout the year, the BPG together with the College, also organises functions for Boarding parents to gather together in relaxed and friendly social settings to meet other parents and Boarding staff. Term 3 is a busy time for celebration! Please see below invitations to a couple of upcoming events. We would love to see you there!
Boom gate opening times
Keeping our Boarders safe is always our highest priority and minimising traffic on campus is key to this. For this reason, the boom gates inside Gate 3 are usually closed. At the start and end of each term we arrange for them to be opened so you can easily offload your daughter’s luggage. We ask that during this time you drive with great care and move to Conde Car Park once you have unloaded/packed up the luggage.
During term time, including weekends, the boom gates are closed so the Boarders can enjoy a more relaxed time around the houses. Should you need special access to offload heavy items, we ask that you ring through to your daughter’s house and ask them to contact Security to open the gates. A copy of the Boarding contact list with all relevant numbers can be found by clicking here.
Supporting our wider Boarding family
In previous editions, you would have read about Amy’s efforts to support her young cousin Jack in his battle against neuroblastoma. Please join us this Saturday for a bumper sausage sizzle to raise funds for this most worthwhile cause.
Love It – Mrs Katie White, Deputy Director of Boarding
Love It kicked off with a bang last week with a very popular trip to the NRL. The Boarders rugged up with their warmest jackets and ventured off to Allianz Stadium. It was a great game of football with the Sydney Roosters taking on the Manly Sea Eagles. On Sunday, the Boarders headed off to Manly to check out the markets.
This weekend we will be welcoming the Year 7 and 8 Knox boarders on Saturday evening for a pizza and trivia night, with the Years 9 to 12 Boarders heading to the cinema to check out the remake of Twisters or Inside Out 2. On Sunday, we will be welcoming the parishioners of Pymble Gordon Uniting Church for our Community Service. This is always followed by a delicious brunch in the dining room.
View From My Window
Hi, my name is Zahra and I am in Year 7 and started here at Pymble this year. I live on a farm with my mum and dad – Nat and Sam, my two cats and kelpie. I have two older brothers. Toby is 23 and lives a couple of seconds down the road here on our farm. Jack is 21 and lives in Sydney and is doing a commerce degree.
My farm is located in Breeza in North West New South Wales, between Gunnedah and Quirindi. It’s around four hours to drive to Sydney. On our farm we grow wheat, sorghum, chickpeas, canola and cotton. We also have cattle and sheep which we use commercially and to feed family and workers. We have irrigation on our property which we usually use for the cotton. I am proud to be a fifth-generation farmer!
When I look out my window I can see Dad working hard on the farm and Mum either helping Dad or doing jobs around the house. There is always plenty of activity with tractors, spray rigs or harvesters going past or someone driving around in a ute or on motor bikes. I love to look out and see Mini, our Kelpie, trying to play with cats but all the cats want to do is hunt mice.
But the best view is the sunsets from my window and, in my opinion, I think they’re the prettiest sunsets ever. We love to drive up to our hill where we have a barn which was built for a Superman movie in 2004. Up there is the perfect place to watch the spectacular sunsets.
The things I love about home is how I’m so close to family. Two of my cousins live very close by and the rest of my cousins are not more than a hour away. I love catching up with them all the time and doing fun stuff with them. I also love how peaceful it is without all the busy roads and planes soaring through the sky and at night you can see the stars shine so bright.
When I come back to Boarding (even though it’s only been two terms!) I feel happy to return to my home away from home and be around my Boarding sisters. I can’t wait to continue my journey at Pymble Ladies’ College.
Boarder of the Week
Year 12 Boarder Ella exemplifies care and integrity. Her genuine concern for others is evident in everything she does, and she consistently supports and uplifts her friends and others around her with her kindness and sense of fun. Ella is also very respectful of staff, and always polite and thoughtful which contributes to a positive environment within Lang House.
One of Ella’s loveable qualities is her sense of humour. She has a great ability to bring lightness and joy to any situation, keeping the Lang environment upbeat and cheerful. Her laughter and witty comments often provide a much-needed boost to everyone around her, especially this term when the Year 12s have so much going on.
Ella’s honesty is commendable, and she always takes responsibility, owning up to her actions with maturity. This self-awareness and integrity earn her respect from her peers, Boarding staff and teachers. Ella’s combination of empathy, respect, humour, and honesty makes her an exceptional and much-loved member of our Boarding family.
Save the Date
3 August – Fundraiser for Jack Schofield
4 August – Boarder Community Day (all Boarders required to be in attendance between 8.30am and 12.00pm)
25 August – Dads and Daughters event
20 September – Boarders and their Families event (all Boarders required to be in attendance)
21 September – Garden Party
Term 4 TBA – Mother Daughter Lunch
Boarder Parent Group Meetings
20 September – 2.30pm onsite
24 October – 7.00pm TEAMS meeting
Carolyn Burgess
Head of Boarding