Language Arts
Welcome, we are back to another year of flying high in Language Arts (LA)! We are pleased to have you onboard.
Debating
The standard of Debating auditions has been extremely high this year and the number of girls who auditioned is unprecedented. Over forty teams have already been formed.
An information session will be held for ISDA and FED debaters on Tuesday 13 February after school. Further details will be published on the Portal.
The ISDA season commences on 16 February and FED commences on Friday 23 February. CCSA will be releasing teams and draws. Please get registrations in promptly.
Pymble ISDA will travel to St Aloysius for Round 1 on Friday 16 February. Pymble will take the negative.
Pymble ISDA will be at Pymble for Round 2 on Friday 23 February. We will host Knox. NB Yearr 7 will NOT debate on this date and will have a make up round on May 3.
Pymble FED will travel to MLC for Round 1 on Friday 23 February.
Buses will be arranged to most away venues and parents are asked to arrange collection of girls following debates. Girls are not permitted to travel home of public transport without adult supervision. Parents are welcome to watch their daughter’s/ daughters’ debate(s). CCSA will send further details.
Archdale and SSD
Archdale debating commences in May.
Sydney Social Debating (SSD) will also commence later in the year.
IDC Debating
This runs in Term 4 and is open to ISDA and Archdale debaters and FED finalists.
Congratulations, a debating trifecta!
Congratulations to Jingyuan Liu, Athena Wu and Selina Jiang who recently competed in the Asian Junior Championships Winter Debates. 193 students from China, South Korea, India, Singapore and Australia, attended this event. Jing was awarded best speaker for Australia and Oceania, Athena was awarded second best speaker and Selina was awarded third best speaker. We are proud of these girls! What a start to the LA year!
Cambridge Schools’ Debating Competition
Congratulations to this formidable British Parliamentary Debating team! On the 27 and 28 January, two Pymble students, Alice Mao (Year 10) and Amy Zhang (Year 11), participated in the above competition and reached the finals, to be held at Cambridge University. Congratulations!
Public Speaking
Auditions – Junior and Senior 7-12
Rostrum, The Junior and PESA (Senior) Speaking Competition auditions will run after school Wednesday 21 February. Girls must register interest by emailing Mrs Hubbard and Evelyn Zhu, our Captain of Public Speaking. BHubbard@pymblelc.nsw.edu.au; Evelyn Zhu (Year 11) ezhu2025@pymblelc.nsw.edu.au
Topics can be found on the Portal or on the Rostrum NSW website. https://www.rostrum.com.au/voy/information-for-all-students/
The Portal will also provide further information and Mrs Hubbard or Evelyn, our Public Speaking captain can outline the procedure.
UN Voice of Youth Public Speaking
Congratulations to Nikita Serban, Isis Li, Catherine Shi and Katherine Pan who attended the Un Voice State Finals at the end of last year. Catherine Shi will now compete in the Nationals in April. Congratulations and best wishes.
MUN – Model United Nations
Congratulations Jenny
Congratulations to Jenny Xu who competed at Yale and Harvard MUN sessions in the vacation. Jenny was awarded a coveted outstanding delegate award. The keynote address was given by Ban Ki-Moon, 8th General Secretary of the United Nations.
THIMIUN – The Hague
Mrs Hubbard travelled to The Hague in the recent vacation where she met with board members and the head of THIMUN. We are awaiting an offer to attend the 57th session of THIMUN in January 25. If successful, Pymble will be the first Australian school to attend.
State Conference
Pymble hosts the first NSW MUN conference! On Friday 9 and Saturday 10 February, Pymble will host the first NSW MUN conference. This follows from our successful PMUN Winter conferences in 2022 and 2023. Congratulations to our MUN captain Catherine Shi and the team who are working so hard to ensure all is in place for a successful conference.
Parents, please let me know if you can assist for part of this time. We would love to have you on board. Please email BHubbard@Pymblelc.nsw.edu.au.
Bronwyn Hubbard
Head of Language Arts