From the Middle School
From the Head of Middle School Jenny O’Donnell
Welcome to week 9, our final week for Semester 1.
I would like to take the opportunity to congratulate the girls for their many achievements across Terms 1 and 2 and acknowledge their willingness to step up to challenges across both academic and cocurricular domains. I have had the pleasure of reading the Middle School Reports, which showcase impressive individual outcomes that speak to determination and a curiosity for learning. The team has noted growing independence across cohorts and an active capacity for the girls to foreground student voices. Year 7 students have done a wonderful job settling into high school and should feel particularly proud of their transition.
Congratulations to the Middle School Age Champions from last Thursday’s Athletics Carnival: 12 Years Safina Burgess (Year 7), 13 Years Nadia McMahon (Year 8), and 14 Years Quinn Parry Okeden (Year 8). Your ongoing commitment to training and perseverance is a credit to you all.
On Tuesday, we held our termly Middle School Assembly, which was organised and run by our fantastic Year 7 and 8 Leaders. The creative presentation they put together celebrated highlights of the last 8 weeks and showcased a number of up-and-coming opportunities: Year 8 Goodooga First Nations Games, Year 7 Speaking in Colour Weaving Workshops to name a few. Please encourage your daughters to put themselves forward to be involved.
International Refugee Week Breakfast
Thank you to the girls who represented Middle School at the International Refugee Week Breakfast last Friday. Despite the chilly morning, it was great to hear from the founder of My Village and inspirational to ponder her message that an individual can most definitely make a difference.
Nourish and Flourish
Thank you to everyone who supported the Nourish and Flourish Pop-up Soup Initiative last Friday. It was a warm welcome at lunchtime.
Congratulations Naomi!
Naomi Chan is to be congratulated on winning the National Drawing Competition launched by Campion Books. Naomi’s magnificent drawing will be featured on the Campion bags for the next 12 months Australia-wide. What an endorsement of her talent!!
CIS Cross Country Championship
Last Thursday, on the day of the Athletics Carnival, we went to the CIS Cross Country Championships in Sydney International Equestrian Centre. It was a wonderful experience to head to this prestigious area, with stunning scenery, even kangaroos, and of course, the horse arenas. The 3K race was mostly around the beautiful scenery, which was inspirational. As a team, we were slightly surprised by the speed everybody started with, but we maintained our pace and overall did really well. The top 4 from Pymble, 12 years, qualified for CIS, and Anna, Havana, and Harper came in top 15, sending them through as well for a second reason. Although Havana qualified, she was unable to make it. Our team placed 1st in IGSA as well as Pymble coming 1st as a school which is why top 4 from Pymble was sent through to CIS. Anna came 10th at CIS, which qualified her for the All Schools NSW Cross Country Championships, and our team placed 3rd overall for the 12-year girls’ category. We all came in top 50 performances on the day, which was incredible. Overall, the day and race was amazing, and we all really enjoyed this experience and opportunity.
Written by Safina Burgess, Chloe Morrison, Anna Smart, Harper Lee (Year 7)
Chinese Language Excursion
On Thursday 19 June, the two Year 8 Chinese classes got the amazing opportunity to go on an excursion to Darling Harbour. While there, we went to the Chinese Gardens of Friendship, which helped me to appreciate the importance of nature, balance, and symbolism in traditional Chinese design. Afterwards, we got to explore Chinatown, gaining insight on how Chinese culture and traditions are preserved here in Australia. Finally, we finished the day with some delicious yum cha, which taught me about the customs of sharing food, the variety of Asian cuisine, and the social aspect of dining. I had an amazing time discovering more about China and its traditions with all my friends.
Written by Grace Jacobs
Pymble Wise Phone research project, led by the Pymble Institute
Your continued input is essential in helping us understand how the Wise Phone initiative is working and how we can continue to support our students. If you did not complete the survey in February, you can still complete it this time. The survey is open to all Year 4 to 8 parents and carers, regardless of the type of phone your daughters have or don’t have. Some important points to note about the survey: The survey will take 5 to 10 minutes. Surveys are completely anonymous; no names or email addresses are collected. If you have more than one daughter in Years 4 to 8, we encourage you to complete a separate survey for each daughter.
The survey can be accessed here: https://pymbleinstitute.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_d7hX0bxYHxVMxCu
Jenny O’Donnell
Head of Middle School