From the Junior School

A Message from Mrs Kate Brown, Head of Junior School

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Recently I’ve been reading Gavin McCormack’s book Raising Resilient Children and as someone who is partnering with us through the DREAM Diploma, it’s been insightful to read his research and opinions on how we best prepare our children for their future. McCormack talks about five crucial skills children need to develop to lead the most meaningful and purposeful lives: 

• Creativity 

• Determination 

• Compassion 

• Independence 

• Resilience 

As I reflect on the year, I am mindful of the many ways we create opportunities for our Pymble girls to build these skills through their academic learning, their Compass learning, their sport, and co-curricular endeavours throughout the year. 

This week alone we have had: 

• Creativity  – Year 5 engineering and racing billycarts with Riverview, Year 4 designing and making soil erosion prevention systems, Year 2 creating art inspired by Van Gogh and Paul Klee. 

• Determination  – Year 5 leadership applications, Year 6 problem solving as they build and wire systems and collate data to power vehicles using different forms of sustainable energies, Year 2 creating bridges with various materials and testing them for their load-bearing capacity, Kindergarten learning songs and lines in preparation for their Nativity performance. 

• Compassion – Year 4 writing persuasive letters to the Western Australian Government about overfishing and the need for sustainable fishing practices after reading Blue Back by Tim Winton. 

• Independence – Year 6 learning how to read the ocean and look for rips so they can be safe whilst at the beach, Year 4 setting self-care goals including being of help at home, and Year 3 exploring instruments they may want to learn through the Big Band Blow. 

• Resilience – K-6 learning to swim and perfecting their stroke skills in the pool and all our dancers as they practise diligently and in additional rehearsals in readiness for the much loved annual Dance Showcase. 

Year 5 Billycart Grand Prix  

Our Year 5 Pymble girls, together with Year 5 students from St Ignatius Riverview, worked together to engineer billycarts. They carefully considered the materials, components, and design features needed for strength and performance. They collaborated to construct billycarts that were efficient and safe, demonstrating critical thinking, problem solving, and teamwork throughout the process. Working in teams they raced their billycarts across a number of courses, including air resistance avenue, gravity grove, and friction freeway (a relay course). Each race enabled students to build their confidence as drivers, their skills in steering, and provided opportunities to observe push and pull forces in action. 

The Year 6 girls were fortunate to have perfect weather and surf conditions for the Surf Education excursion to Manly Beach on Monday. The excursion complements our Term 4 swimming and water safety program in PDHPE, and provides the girls with valuable experience in the ocean. The girls learnt how to catch waves on a soft board, and how to dive under the waves and navigate swimming at the beach. The waves on Monday gave our students optimal conditions to build their confidence in the ocean and improve their skills. 

During our Year 6 Surf Education trip to Manly, I learnt new skills like dolphin diving, a skill that helps us move through breaking waves, and surfing with a board, which builds our strength and co-ordination on water. I also loved connecting with friends on the sand between activities. We walked to Shelly Beach to practise floating and sculling in calmer waters. Seeing everyone laughing and squealing in the water encouraged me to experience the fun. By the end of the day, I felt proud of trying new things and grateful for the new memories we made together as Year 6. – Anthea Yang 

Surf Education was an amazing experience for Year 6. Our surf coaches were so encouraging as we practised floating and surfing, always motivating us to do our best. One of my favourite activities was floating, it felt refreshing and fun as we learnt to tread water and float on our backs at Shelly Beach. We also practised a technique called the eggbeater, part of active floating, which helps us stay safe and confident in the water. The skills we learnt will definitely help us become responsible beachgoers, and we all left feeling proud and grateful for such a memorable day. – Sooin Lee 

Deputy of Head of Junior School – Operations: Mr Stephen Robinson 

School and Co-curricular Attendance 

A reminder to families that regular full attendance at school is essential for all students. When a child is sick and unable to attend school, they are precluded from attending after school co-curricular activities. Should students have appointments during the school day, please ensure they are at school by 11.45am in order to attend co-curricular activities.  

Junior School Canteen Helpers   

Thank you to the parents who gave up their time to volunteer last term.  Term 4 dates are still available on the google form. Please click link if you can volunteer your time. For the care and safety of your daughters, all volunteers must have a current Working with Children Check Number (WWC). If we do not already have your WWC on file, please email to juniorschool@pymblelc.nsw.edu.au your WWC number and date of birth so your WWC can be verified.   

Message from Junior School Administration Office  

A reminder to email juniorschool@pymblelc.nsw.edu.au when your daughter is late or needs to leave early. Please continue to use the MyPymble application to mark your daughter absent. For any absence of two days or more, please complete the Exemption from Attendance at School form, which you can download from MyPymble, or email through a medical certificate for illness. 

Important Dates for your diary Week 5 

Tuesday 11 November	Jacaranda Day Assembly Years 3-12
Friday 13 November	Dance showcase Years 3-12 6.00pm – 9.00pm
Friday 14 November	Dance showcase Years 3-12 6.00pm – 9.00pm
Saturday 15 November	Dance showcase K-2 11.00am – 12.00pm
Sunday 16 November	Dance showcase 12.00pm – 2.00pm ,4.30pm – 6.30pm

End of Year Junior School Celebration dates 

Thursday 27 November	Year 6 Chapel, Celebration of Learning and Morning Tea
Tuesday 2 December	Years 3-6 Speech Day 9.00am – 11.00am Kindergarten Celebration of Learning and Nativity 11.30am – 1.00pm Years 1 and Year 2 Celebration of Learning 2.00pm – 3.00pm
Wednesday 3 December	Last day of Term 4