From the Middle School

From the Head of Middle School Jenny O’Donnell

Thank you to our Year 7 students, their Heads of Year and the Compass teachers who attended the 100^th igsa Athletics Championships at Homebush on Friday. Your enthusiastic cheering certainly made a difference and in turn made sure that Pymble had a comprehensive win! Congratulations to all of our Middle School athletes:  

Georgia	Blue	Year 08
Safina	Burgess	Year 07
Florence	Cheng	Year 07
Ava	Costa	Year 08
Isabella	Deane	Year 08
Havana	Gray	Year 07
Ellie	Lau	Year 08
Harper	Lee	Year 07
Sofia	Lopez Fisher	Year 07
Nadia	McMahon	Year 08
Priscilla	Miller	Year 07
Holly	Mitchell	Year 08
Grace	Neal	Year 08
Quinn	Parry-Okeden	Year 08
Grace	Scammell	Year 07
Anna	Smart	Year 07
Sherise	Tam	Year 08
Marley	Titley	Year 08
Moyan	Zhang	Year 07

My first igsa was a blast!

What an incredible day at Sydney Olympic Park! Despite the cold, wet morning that greeted us, my first igsa experience turned out to be absolutely amazing.

I’ll admit, when we arrived at the iconic venue with drizzle falling and a bitter wind cutting through the air, I wondered if the weather would dampen our spirits. The grey Sydney sky continued as I watched other teams warming up on the soggy track. But as the morning progressed, something magical happened – not just with the weather, but with my confidence too.

The moment I heard the crowd chanting my name, everything changed. That burst of excitement washed away every worry I’d had about the cold, wet conditions. Suddenly, I didn’t care about the puddles on the track or the chill in the air – I knew my loved ones were watching and that’s all that mattered.

What started as a dreary, uncomfortable morning gradually transformed into manageable athletics weather. The sun started to break through the clouds, warming Sydney Olympic Park and creating good conditions for competition.

But the real highlight wasn’t the improving weather, it was our team spirit. Everyone fought their absolute best, not for individual glory, but for Pymble. That unity made every cold, wet moment worthwhile.

Thank you to our incredible coaches, Year 7 supporters and competitors.

I can’t wait for next year!

Havana Gray

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Monday MBS – House Time  

House Time this week is all about House Vibes – and the girls will get to chose which activity they would like to attend! Each House is hosting a different activity which will allow the girls to make new connections outside their House group and have fun. 

This week is R U OK? Day and in Middle School we will be focusing on this important message of care. Our school psychologists will be speaking to Year 7 at a special assembly on Wednesday with follow up scenarios for students to unpack during MBS time.  

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Millingimbi School Student Visit

This week we are hosting ten students and two teachers from Millingimbi School in Arhnem Land. The program has been jam packed with activities to showcase Pymble. So many students have been involved in ensuring a big warm Middle School welcome. Below is a fun poem created by our leaders as part of the official welcoming ceremony. We also had the privilege of sharing a performance by the Year 7 and 8 students involved in the Pymble First Nations Dance troupe- they were sensational! 

Welcome poem

Hey there friends, it’s a brand new day, And we’ve got something special to say. From far up north, through lands so free, You’ve come to join us, from Milingimbi! You’ve travelled far, you’ve made the leap, New friends to meet, new dreams to keep. And here at Pymble, loud and clear, We’re so excited you’re finally here! 

You bring your stories, strong and true, Your culture, spirit, all of you. And that’s what makes this place so great, Different voices that celebrate. We’ll learn together, laugh and grow, Try new things and let friendships flow. From the classroom to the sports field too, There’s a space right here made just for you. So bring your dance, your words, your song, You’ve been part of our story all along. This school is better, bold and bright, Because you’re here, and that feels right. So here’s our message, simple and true, 

Welcome to Pymble, happy to have you!  (Athena NG, Sophia Gurjian, Amelia Hamstrum,Thazium Nadoo, Kaylene Chiu) 

We are most grateful to the families who cared for our visitors in their homes throughout their stay. Thank you to the Lewis, Lau, Raniga, Cullinane and Deutscher families and their daughters who were stand out hosts! 

Student reflection on Author visit for Book Week

On Thursday in Period 4, we were lucky enough to have author Amy Doak run a workshop with us. She showed what being a writer is really like and shared plenty of advice about where stories come from, how to describe interesting characters and why the writing process is just as important as the final product. One of the most memorable things she said was that writing doesn’t always come easily to a lot of people, and you have to be patient, and let your ideas develop and some may not work out in the end. She taught us to focus on our strengths in writing. 

Later that day, Amy also spoke to Year 8 during MBS time. She talked about her own journey as an author and the way mystery stories have grown and changed over the years. It was interesting to see how the genre has changed over time. At the end of the presentation, we played a mini murder mystery and tried to find out who was the killer! We had so much fun and were really engaged during the presentation. 

She shared her new book with us and how she got the idea for it along with her creative process and it was overall a very interesting and creative session! 

Olivia Chan 

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Year 7 had a wonderful time at the Chinese Incursion a couple of weeks ago

On Wednesday, all Year 7 students who study Chinese participated in an incursion that included music, culture, and history. We learnt about three traditional Chinese instruments – the Pi Pa, Er Hu and Gu Zheng. These instruments are important in Chinese culture, and it was an amazing opportunity for us to see the instruments being played and have a go at playing them. Most of us took turns playing each instrument and it was exciting to hear the sounds we created. It was such a different experience compared to learning from a textbook. We also made our own pipas. We decorated them with stickers resembling the Chinese culture and used colourful strings to include a slight bit of creativity. This was a fun, hands-on way to connect with the culture and understand how the instrument is created. Some people also dressed up in traditional Chinese clothing called Han Fu. The instructors of the incursion helped to braid their hair with Chinese accessories. This helped the incursion feel more immersive and interesting. We also learnt about the history of China and their emperors. We learnt about different Dynasties like Qin dynasty. This helped us learn about China’s history in a more interesting way. Overall, the incursion was an amazing opportunity that combined music and creativity. It was a chance to learn about the culture we are studying outside of the classroom.

Krystal Gao 

In our Chinese class incursion, we spent two hours learning about traditional Chinese culture, and it was a fun experience. We got to try on traditional Chinese outfits, which were colourful and had beautiful patterns. It was interesting to see what people wore in ancient China. We also had a chance to play traditional Chinese instruments. Some made soft and relaxing sounds, while others were louder and more exciting. We learned the names of the instruments and how they are used in Chinese music. It was a great way to learn more about Chinese culture in a enjoyable fun way! Hannah Hutchinson Y7 

Year 8 Outdoor Education – Monday 15 September to Friday 19 September

Garden Party – Saturday 20 September

Jenny O’Donnell

Head of Middle School