From the Upper School
A message from Victoria Harrison, Head of Upper School
Welcome to the new school year. It has been lovely seeing the campus come back to life for Term 1. We are looking forward to a year in which your daughter’s commitment, interest and enthusiasm in school activities will lead to a successful year of learning and provide a strong foundation for her final years of school.
A special welcome to our new students in Year 9: Ella, Tia, Mataya, Joy, Larissa, Olivia, Naomi, Chantelle, Layla, Isabel, Aiko, Amelia, Kaitlyn, Eshaal, Emily, Hai Yee, Annabelle, Annabel, Sarah, Charlotte, Cate, Jemima and Avie.
In Year 10, we would like to welcome Zoe, Caitlyn, Zoe, Selena, Kayla, Ariel, Alicia, Madeline, Aniela, Srishti, Isabel, Lola, Zara, Phoebe, Georgia, Isabel, Chloe, Xielin, Megan, Alice and Saskia.
All Upper School students should be supportive of and set a good example for the younger students. It is expected that the girls maintain high standards of behaviour and uniform both within the College and beyond the gates. As she returns this year, we ask you to review with your daughter the sections in the front of the school diary, particularly those on Behavioural Standards.
Adjusting back to the school routine can be a significant change for both students and their families. As we settle into the new school year, we hope the girls have returned refreshed from their break and have considered their goals for the months ahead. I have been encouraging our students and staff to be kind to themselves and to establish effective and healthy routines that will benefit us all throughout the year.
Routines play a crucial role in the lives of students. According to Reachout.com, a well-structured routine can:
- provide teens with a sense of safety and security, helping them manage stressful events;
- reflect family priorities and what matters most to you;
- help streamline family life;
- teach basic work and time management skills; and
- benefit the entire family by fostering a sense of unity.
At school, we’ll notice the positive effects if your daughter is well-prepared for the day. Here are some organisational tips:
- Print your daughter’s timetable and place it near where she stores her school bag. This serves as a handy reminder to pack items needed for practical lessons like PDHPE, Food Tech, and Visual Arts.
- Encourage her to pack her school bag the night before to prevent last-minute morning rush forgetfulness.
- Remind her to read the weekly update email from her Head of Year, sent every Sunday evening, for events and schedule changes.
- Support her in using her school diary, which includes school maps, bell times and policies, providing space to record daily homework.
- Utilise a weekly or term planner to organise activities and assessment tasks.
If your daughter needs additional assistance with organisation, please reach out to her Compass teacher or Head of Year.
Upper School Parent Information Evening
It will be lovely to see as many parents as possible at the Upper School Information evening on Monday 17 February. This event will commence at 5.30pm on Gloucester Lawn, and then at 6.00pm the two year groups will attend a presentation in the Gillian Moore Centre for Performing Arts (Year 9) or the War Memorial Chapel (Year 10). This is a great opportunity for you to meet your daughter’s Compass teacher, hear from key staff about learning and thriving in Year 9 and 10, and for Year 9 families, a comprehensive overview of the Vision Valley Residential program.
It was a quick turnaround for our Term 1 Year 9 Residential Program adventurers who have been at Vision Valley since last Sunday. The girls have settled in well and are finishing off the week with a Blue Mountain canyoning and abseiling adventure.
Paul Dillon Presentation to Year 10
This Friday, Year 10 students will attend a presentation by Paul Dillon, a renowned expert in drug and alcohol education. With 25 years of experience, Paul has recently worked with DARTA (Drug and Alcohol Research and Training) and has made appearances on popular TV and radio programs such as Sunrise, The Today Show and The Project. His presentation will offer students relevant and current information about drugs, alcohol and young people. We encourage families to engage in discussions with their daughters about strategies to ensure their safety and well-being.
Administration Reminders
We ask all parents to update our contact details especially our Year 9 families now that your daughter has moved to Upper School. The office number is 02 9497 7865 and the email address is upperschool@pymblelc.nsw.edu.au.
If your daughter is going to be late for school or needs to leave early for an appointment, please email the office by 8.15am at the latest.
The portal is to be used for full day absences ONLY or you can email the office.
The updated Parent Handbook will be available on the parent portal. This contains everything that you need to know about the College. If you cannot find the answer, then please feel free to call the Upper School office.
Swimming Carnivals – Wednesday 12 or Thursday 13 February
A portal message was sent out last Friday regarding the Pymble Swimming and Diving Carnivals which will take place next week. Year 9 is on Wednesday 12 February starting at 10.20am, and Year 10 is the following day starting at the same time. All parents are welcome to attend.
This is a compulsory school event and your daughter’s unexplained absence will be recorded. If your daughter is unwell, we require a doctor’s certificate. If your daughter is unable to participate, please send an email to your daughter’s Head of Year or the Upper School Office. It is a great day full of house spirit, and is not one to be missed.
Key Dates – Term 1
Monday 10 February – Pymble Parent Association Meeting
Wednesday 12 February – Year 7 to 9 Swimming Carnival
Thursday 13 February – Year 10 to 12 Swimming Carnival
Monday 17 February – Upper School Parent Information Evening
Friday 21 February – PPA Icebreaker
Thursday 13/Friday 14 March – Year 9 Naplan
Saturday 5 April – Pymble Foundation Gala Ball
Thursday 10/Friday 11 April – Year 8 to 10 Learning Discussions
Friday 11 April – Boarder’s Travel Day
Friday 11 April – Pupil Free Day
Key Dates – Term 2
Monday 28 April – Boarder’s Travel Day
Tuesday 29 April – First Day of Term 2
From the Year 9 Parent Co-ordinators
Parents and Carers of Year 9,
We are Jenny and Ira – your 2025 Year 9 Parent Co-ordinators, and we warmly welcome you. Please feel free to reach out with any questions you may have – we will try our best to answer.
For better communication among parents, we have two Year 9 WhatsApp groups – one is for announcements, and one is for general discussion. A WeChat group is also set up.
A private Facebook page for our year group is also available to view selected posts (PymbleLC Parents Class of 2028). Please contact us via our details below for information on how to join any of these groups.
We are also excited to invite you to our first major school event of the year, Icebreaker, on Friday 21 February. This event is a wonderful opportunity to reconnect with old friends, make new connections and meet key members of the Pymble staff in a relaxed social setting. Tickets can be purchased by clicking here. We look forward to an engaging and successful year together.
Jenny (0422 716 808) and Ira (0415 112 575)
From the Year 10 Parent Co-ordinators
A warm welcome to all Year 10 families! We hope that you had a lovely holiday break.
This year, Joan Finn and Sylphia Wang are continued to be the Year 10 Co-ordinators. Please do not hesitate to reach out if you need any help and support.
Joan Finn at 0412522609 or joaniepoanie@gmail.com
Sylphia Wang at 0468464388 or sylphiams.wang@gmail.com
We would like to mention that we have two social media groups for Year 10 parents to share information and support each other – WhatsApp and WeChat. If you are not in the groups yet and willing to join, please feel free to contact us.
Wishing you all a happy and successful year ahead! Looking forward to meeting you at the upcoming events: Parent Information Evening and Icebreaker!
Victoria Harrison
Head of Upper School