From the Principal

Hopefully you have been enjoying the Olympic coverage as much as I have. Last night, I was very excited to watch our Head Coach – Diving, Mr Kurtis Mathews, and ex-student Dr Mackenzie Little (2014) compete in the 3m Springboard and Javelin respectively. Tonight, I’m looking forward to cheering on another ex-student (and the daughter of our Head of Sport 7-12, Mrs Katie Edwards), Kristie Edwards (2017), who is running in the 4x100m relay heats. Go, Team Pymble!

Thinking of the intense scrutiny our Olympians are under, and with our Year 12 students commencing their Trial HSC exams this week, the American gymnast Simone Biles springs to mind. Biles’ Olympic journey is a reminder that we all have the power to choose whether we respond to life’s challenges with an open mind or a closed one.

In this week’s assembly, I spoke with the girls about Biles’ decision to walk out of the Japan Olympics in 2020, despite the expectations of the world riding on her shoulders and a great deal of criticism. This conversation was in the context of remaining open to possibilities, pushing back on judgment, and helping others to do the same. Often, the easier decision to make (like continuing to compete when you know you are not up to it) is not the right one. Biles made the call to invest in her health, went on to qualify for Paris 2024, and, even though she was beaten in a floor final for the first time in her career, walked away as the most decorated gymnast of all time. She also earned the respect of the world for her humility and grace in celebrating the achievements of the gymnast who ultimately defeated her.

It’s clear where Biles sits in terms of her mindset.

Above the line – you are curious, open, in learning mode, asking ‘how can I grow from this?’.

Below the line – you are defensive, reactive, looking for validation, wanting to prove yourself right, resisting.

So, how do we move from a closed to an open mindset? In her article on The Core Questin, Mandira Kala provides a series of 15 key questions to ask yourself when making the shift from below the line to above the line thinking. My favourite question from this article is:

Are you willing to see that the opposite of your story is as true, or truer, than your story?

It’s possible I’m thinking about this now as it certainly feels like the harder decision to begin my sabbatical leave next week when many people in our community are grieving the loss of a very dear recent graduate, Helen Nguyen (Class of 2023), to illness. Most principals take a term of leave every five years; my contract, at my request, provides a month of leave every 2.5 years to allow for a more continuous renewal process. During my last period of leave, I completed a highly scheduled world tour of facilities ahead of our master plan, which has proved very helpful as we have moved into framing up our building program for the future of the College. This time, I’m in need of a rest. The Board has agreed to me taking the next four weeks to spend time in Ballina with my wonderful husband, Matt, as we work to renovate our family home. While I’m away, Ms Lamia Rockwell will be Acting Principal. Ms Rockwell is a very experienced, consummate professional who often assumes the acting head role when I am off site, and I know she will again rise to the challenge beautifully.

While the context is different, I’m sure Biles struggled with the decision to leave the competition in Tokyo. Certainly, I am struggling to leave our beautiful campus, inspirational students and passionate staff for a month; however, I take comfort knowing that we have a remarkable team and the best thing I can do for Pymble is to ensure I take this time to rest and return energised and excited for the next five years.

Finally, thank you for your messages of love and support over the past week as we have come together as a community to honour the life of Helen, whose beautiful smile, infectious energy and impressive intellect are a great loss to the world.

Windows into Learning

This week’s snapshots of teaching and learning at Pymble turn our attention to Visual Arts in the Junior School and Commerce in the Secondary School, thanks to Mrs Clutterham and Mr Lucas.

Growing art appreciation and technique

Year 6 Visual Arts students have been analysing the abstract, botanical paintings by artist Georgia O’Keefe, selecting and cropping tonal images of flowers and leaves to use as reference for their own acrylic paintings.

During our last lesson, the girls were challenged to identify three areas to help bring their work to a higher level of resolution. They collectively decided they could add finer detail (such as leaf veins), as well as lighter highlights and deeper shadows.

Students placed their work at a distance, comparing it to their photograph and pinpointing specific elements to develop, such as the “darker tones between the petals” on one student’s waratah painting. They also explained methods such as “dabbing (paint) to form semi circles for the seeds, using yellow, orange and light brown” to realise another student’s banksia form. It’s wonderful to see their patience and focus take their work to another level.

Mrs Emily Clutterham
Junior School Visual Arts Teacher

Hands-on commercial experience

Market Day is an annual opportunity for our Year 10 Commerce students to actively engage in entrepreneurial activities by selling various products to raise funds for communities in need. Students brainstormed creative ideas, crafted business plans, and executed marketing strategies to attract customers to their vibrant stalls offering handmade crafts, baked goods, and unique merchandise. Each group demonstrated teamwork and business acumen to manage their finances, track sales, and analyse their performance. This enriching educational event provided students with hands-on experience in commerce, allowed them to apply classroom knowledge to real-world scenarios, and also instilled a sense of social responsibility, as all proceeds were donated to local charities.

Mr Trevor Lucas
Head of Learning Area – Geography, Business Studies and Economics