From the Upper School

From the Upper School

A message from Victoria Harrison, Head of Upper School

This week marks the final week of our Term 1 program at Vision Valley. We have missed having the students on campus and know their families are eager to welcome them home on Friday afternoon. For parents of our Term 1 adventurers, we are excited for you to be reunited with your emerging young adults at the honouring ceremony tomorrow at Vision Valley.

I am confident that during their time at Vision Valley, the girls have built new friendships, embraced new learning opportunities and deepened their appreciation for Australia’s natural environment.

Sharing stories is an important part of the Vision Valley experience. At Pymble, we’re always exploring new ways to help our students transition back into their school routines, lessons, and friendships. We look forward to each new group of girls sharing their Vision Valley experience with teachers and friends.

For families, your daughter may be full of conversation on the way home, or she may take some time to open up. Here are a few questions you can use to help spark a discussion at home.

  1. What is something new you learned about yourself that surprised you?
  2. Can you share a moment when you felt proud of what you accomplished?
  3. Which activity challenged you the most, and how did you handle that challenge?
  4. Did you develop any new friendships? What made these connections meaningful?
  5. How do you plan to use the skills or lessons you learned back home or at school?
  6. Is there a memory you can’t wait to share with friends or family?

Uniform Reminders

We are so impressed to see that most Year 9 and 10 students are wearing their uniforms with respect and pride. Thank you for working with your daughter to ensure her uniform is worn properly each day. We have been working actively to remind your daughters to ensure that:

• Their hat is worn to and from school every day;

• Their dress length is no more than five centimetres above the knee;

• Only one stud in each earlobe is worn if their ears are pierced, with no other jewellery permitted;

• They are wearing no makeup, false eyelashes or painted nails; and

• Their hair is neatly tied back with a red, white, navy or Blackwatch ribbon.

We appreciate your partnership and support in maintaining our high uniform standards.

International Student Exchange

It was with great excitement that we welcomed our first visiting students from Havergal College, Toronto to Pymble. With a 30-degree change in temperature to adjust to, Elina, Emily, Taylor and Ainsley are settling into life in Sydney. We hope they have a wonderful time experiencing school at Pymble and exploring our wonderful city.

Thank you to the Brown, Gregory-Reid, Lyons and Hawkins families for hosting the girls over the next month. We hope that this is the start of a long partnership between our schools and that the girls forge lifelong connections.

There is lots of work continuing behind the scenes to expand the exchange opportunities for Year 10 students. We hope to be able to confirm more places later in the year.

Cross Country Carnival

A reminder that the Pymble Cross Country Carnival is on Monday 3 March. Students may wear their PE uniform to and from school on the day. It will be great to see Year 9 and 10 getting involved and supporting their house.

Key Dates – Term 1

Monday 3 March – Cross Country Carnival

Thursday 13 and Friday 14 March – Year 9 NAPLAN

Saturday 5 April – Pymble Foundation Gala Ball

Thursday 10 and Friday 11 April – Year 8 to 10 Learning Discussions

Friday 11 April – Boarders’ Travel Day

Friday 11 April – Pupil-Free Day

Key Dates – Term 2

Monday 28 April – Boarders’ Travel Day

Monday 28 April – Year 9 Residential Program Parent Workshop with Dr Rubenstein

Tuesday 29 April – First Day of Term 2

From the Year 9 Parent Co-ordinators

It was great to meet some of the parents at Icebreaker on Friday. Thanks to everyone who made it despite the weather. 

We are also organising an end of term catch-up up for our Year 9 parents – a poll has been published on the parents WhatsApp group – if you are able to make it, we would love to know your preference.

For any help or assistance, please feel free to contact your Year 9 coordinators – Ira (0415 112 575) and Jenny (0422 716 808).

Victoria Harrison

Head of Upper School