From the Boarding School
It has been a great term and my thanks go to everyone in our supersized family who has made it such a special one. I am so proud of our Boarders who look out for each other, embrace opportunities and are all round fabulous Pymble girls.
None of this would happen without our amazing Boarding team and I thank them for the energy, commitment and care they give so generously. I would also like to acknowledge all our other Pymble staff, including our day school staff, the Facilities team and our catering crew who work tirelessly to make Pymble such a wonderful place to live.
Most importantly, I thank you, our Pymble families, who demonstrate deep trust in allowing your beautiful girls to stay with us during term time. I hope the next two weeks are a time to refresh and renew.
Easter Egg Hunt
There was no way our Boarders were going to miss out on our annual Easter egg hunt. The top level of the Kate Mason Building provided a fitting level of challenge with good scope for our ‘Easter bunnies’ to craftily hide their eggs. I am looking forward to the girls uncovering a few very well hidden eggs in the months to come!
Meet our Pink Ladies
As most of you know, at the end of each term our Boarders honour special people in recognition of their ongoing kindness and support of our Boarding family. The title bestowed on them is ‘Pink Lady’. The gift of their time and talents enhances the lives of our Boarders and supports them to maximise their time here at Pymble.
This term we have kept our recipients ‘in-house’ as we celebrate the final week at the College for Beth Ayling, Head of Marden House and Mardi Cusack, Deputy Head of Marden House. They have been pivotal members in the Boarding community – their care, kindness, and warmth radiating through Marden house.
Mardi’s humble, no-fuss attitude and quiet confidence means she is highly respected by each and every Boarder. We admire the way she carries herself, the way she leads, and the way she makes Marden House feel like home. Mardi sets a standard for what it means to be a true role model, and her legacy will remain long after she leaves.
Beth has a great sense of humour and is honest and wise. She has made such a difference in our time at Pymble. Beth successfully balances kindness and authority and has earned the respect of everyone. Beth been a guiding presence in the Boarding house, and we’ll miss not only her but also her lovely family.
We are sad to see these special women leave but know they will always be a part of the Boarding family. Congratulations on your very well deserved Pink Lady Awards.
Written by Sophie Laing and Celeste McDermott, Head Boarding Prefects
Community Days – Please note these special dates
Community Days are special times in our Boarding calendar where all Boarders are required to be in attendance. They are specially designed to promote a sense of community and to provide Boarders with skills that are important to their time in Boarding. Our next Community Days are scheduled for 3 and 4 May. Boarders are required to be in attendance from 5.00pm on Saturday 3 May until 11.30am on Sunday 4 May. During this time there will be a whole-of-Boarding dinner, Boarder favourite Just Dance party and on the Sunday morning, Chapel and Brunch with the Congregation from Pymble and Gordon Uniting Church.
We ask that you add Sunday 1 June to your calendar as we are planning a special event that forms part of our Community Day schedule; we will confirm details early next term. There will be no leave permitted during this time. If you already have an engagement in place, I ask that you please submit special leave before the end of term so we can make appropriate arrangements.
See you in Dubbo?
Pymble will be at the Dubbo Boarding Expo on 16 and 17 May and if you are in the area we would love you to call in and say hello. We will also be celebrating with families and old and new friends on 16 May at Press in Dubbo. We would love you to join us.
Eat Like a Boarder
It’s not too late to sign up for our Eat Like a Boarder experience! We would love you to join us for dinner on Monday 28 April at 6.00pm. This will be the ‘real’ experience, with you being able to enjoy the regular dinner service, just as the girls do each evening. All family members are welcome. If you would like to join us please RSVP to boarding@pymblelc.nsw.edu.au by 10 April.
Live It, Love It, Learn It – Ms Theresa Mimmo, Deputy Director of Boarding
Friday was a very busy afternoon in Boarding. We had a visit from Paul and his apprentice from Du Plessy Pralin & Otello Chocolates Patisserie to learn the art of chocolate. Paul supplied the chocolate which he tempered onto one of the benches as the girls watched on in anticipation. They were able to try different types of chocolate through eating chocolate bits or dipping fingers into melted chocolate. Lots of Easter treats were created through moulds, packaged up nicely and distributed. A big thank you to Mrs Wiederman and Paul for providing a fun and delicious experience.
In a different part of the College, our Boarding Prefects welcomed their counterparts from various schools for a lovely afternoon tea, games and of course a group photo. Later in the evening, Beth and our Year 11 Boarders enjoyed their Balmoral Beach picnic with some well-deserved downtime after a busy assessment period.
On Saturday, there was opportunity for Boarders to attend the College production of You’re Just Too Good to Be Shrew. They thoroughly enjoyed the performance. The fine weather continued on Sunday for our swimmers who participated in the Balmoral Swim. They should be so proud of their efforts in raising $550 for the Children’s Cancer Institute. The girls are appreciative of all financial contributions made to support them.
We look forward to continuing the fun of the Love It program in Term 2.
Boarder of the Week
Ally Warren is a beautiful Year 10 Boarder from Narromine, who joined Pymble in Year 7. Since then, she has been an integral part of our Marden family and I am thrilled to be writing about her for Boarder of the Week.
Ally has a poise and calm about her that makes her a delight to be around. She is polite, well-mannered, thoughtful and generous with her time. Most recently, Ally has taken her role as a Big Sister very seriously, and she has made it her priority to connect with our younger Boarders and take them out.
This not only helps them get familiar with their new surrounds, but gives them an opportunity to develop responsibility and independence. Ally is consistent with her beautiful uniform and lovely living space. She continuously strives to better herself and contribute her timeto her those around her.
She cares deeply for others and we have been grateful to have her in Marden House. We are so proud of the woman she has become.
Save the Date
Thursday 10 April – Face to Face Learning Discussions for Boarding Families (Years 8 to 10)
Friday 11 April – Boarders’ Travel Day
Monday 28 April – Boarders return from 2.00pm
Monday 28 April – Eat Like a Boarder (6.00pm)
Wednesday 30 April – Learning Discussions for Year 7
Friday 2 May – Boarders’ Lockdown and Evacuation Drill*
Friday 2 May – Years 7, 8 and 9 Boarders’ Social
Saturday 3 May – Boarders’ Community Evening (5.00pm*)
Thursday 8 May – Learning Discussions for Year 11
Sunday 4 May – Pymble and Gordon Uniting Church and Boarders’ Combined Chapel Service (9.00am to 11.30am*)
Sunday 1 June – Event to be confirmed (10.00am and 3.00pm*)
* All Boarders required to be in attendance, no leave during this time.
Carolyn Burgess
Head of Boarding