From the Principal
The HUGE weeks keep rolling on and we are now more than a third of the way through the term, believe it or not. In addition to all the exams, showcases, and celebrations of learning and community, we are also busily finalising exciting plans and new adventures for our girls in 2025. This includes initiatives from students who have come to see me or their mentors throughout the year to share their thoughts on a wide range of topics across the College, ranging from co-curricular interests to leadership, service and culture. It feels me with joy to hear our girls speak with such passion, knowledge and conviction about the changes they want to see in their world.
In assembly this week, I shared two messages I would like all our girls to know as they reflect on the year that was and the year ahead.
We truly value you for exactly who you are and what you bring to Pymble. With or without a leadership badge, every student is encouraged to share their own ideas to make our school, our community, our world a better place for all. You can always talk to your Head of School, Ms Rockwell or me about your passion projects and how to make them happen. A case in point is Her Village Festival, which was held here on campus last Sunday. This stemmed from an idea Tahmara Thomas (2022) had in Year 11 to make newly arrived refugees from Afghanistan feel welcome in our community through the international language of football. It was brought to life in her final year of school, thanks to Mr Meagher and a team of external and internal supporters, and is now an important regular event in our local community.
As I mentioned in assembly this week, some of the biggest mistakes in life are made when we automatically think we are right, jump to conclusions, or fail to consider there might be more to the story than we know.
People who have open hearts and minds, like Tahmara, who considered the perspective of refugees in our community, are more likely to consider new scenarios as opportunities to learn and grow, and ultimately help those around them.
So my second message to students is this: Stay curious. Be courageous. Be open.
Make suggestions. Use your voice. And if you don’t understand a leadership decision or direction the College is taking, do what we do best at Pymble, which is to ‘Go Direct with Respect’ and ask questions to learn more. If something is frustrating, confusing or not making sense to you, try responding with, “Help me understand why this is important to you.” This almost always sheds more light on the discussion and leads to a more informed and collaborative outcome for all involved.
It is now my pleasure to handover this column to our new Head Prefects, Ang-Ya Koo and Emily Abadee, who are inviting all students to stay curious and share their ideas for the Prefect theme for 2025.
Over to Emily and Ang-Ya…
“Thank you to Dr Hadwen for giving us this opportunity to introduce ourselves and share our theme for next year: 2025 Come Alive!
“We didn’t accompany our theme reveal in this week’s assembly with a circus, tightrope, or a flash mob to kick things off because our students are the real stars of this show. We want to hear from you all. What do you think 2025 Come Alive means for our Pymble community?
“There are Never Enough chances for your voices to be heard or to share A Million Dreams with us, so now is your chance to Rewrite the Stars and think about what Come Alive really means to you.
“For some, it’s chasing the dreams that get you out of bed in the morning like The Greatest Showman, P.T. Barnum. Perhaps you have a true passion for sport, music, or academics that pushes you forward and motivates you.
“Coming alive could also be about working together and supporting each other like Zac Efron and Zendaya soaring on the trapeze. It could mean cheering each other on at sports games or offering a helping hand to your peers when things get tough.
“Perhaps coming alive means embracing your true self; standing up and having the courage to say This is Me and letting your individuality and spirit shine.
“Our aim is to make this theme all of ours to share.
“So, how can students get involved? In each School Office, you’ll find slips of paper for you to tell us what Come Alive means to you. Your Compass teachers will also give you some time to contribute during the next few weeks. We’ll collect and read every single response and share your ideas with everyone at our next Combined Assembly.
“And, if you see us around, feel free to let us know what you think in person or just send us an email.
“We’re so excited to see your ideas about how 2025 comes alive for you.”
Emily Abadee and Ang-Ya Koo
Head Prefects 2025
Windows into Learning
This week, we take a plunge into the geological process of erosion and the wonderful world of words, thanks to Miss Kennett and Mrs Reynolds.
Science rocks in the Junior School!
This term in Year 4 Science, students have been immersing themselves in the fascinating study of earth’s natural processes and the impact of human activity on our environment. Over the past few weeks, our focus has been on soil erosion, and it all began with a visit to the Senior School Rock Room to explore the three rock types.
Armed with materials like bark, straws, netting, rocks and paddle pop sticks, the girls crafted three unique models to prevent soil erosion. Carefully layering soil in tins and adding chosen materials on top, they poured water in a controlled way, observing how each model influenced water clarity, flow speed, and soil movement. This sparked powerful “aha!” moments, as students enthusiastically shared insights on erosion, connecting it to real life examples and brainstorming strategies for prevention.
Miss Imogen Kennett
Year 4 Co-ordinator and Compass Teacher
“When you read a great book, you don’t escape from life, you plunge deeper into it.”
– Julian Barnes
In a world of change, literature remains a constant – a steadfast source of connection, of inspiration, of challenge. Our incoming cohort of Year 12 English Extension 1 students have begun a new journey this term, with literature by their side as an ever-faithful companion. Already, the classrooms in which we do our thinking are spaces where students feel allied in their love of literature and, correspondingly, well supported to ‘plunge deeper’ into their thinking about texts.
We begin with the course’s common module, Literary Worlds – an investigation into the ways of worldbuilding with the written word. This week, we have been evaluating different frameworks we might use to illuminate the qualities of texts and the ephemeral experience of exploring a world hidden within the ambiguities of language. Our evaluations, debates and discussions about each learner’s preferred way of ‘diving in’ to texts sharpens students’ critical thinking, metacognition, and collaboration skills.
The Year 12 English Extension course is one of rigour, depth and rich complexities that equips students with the skills needed to become self-directed learners and which gives students the opportunity to regularly review and reflect on their thinking and skills, and the products of these. Students plunge more deeply not only into literature and thus into life, but they come to know themselves better as readers, learners and thinkers.
Mrs Mandy Reynolds
Head of Learning Area – English
