Celebrating our Boarders – and Olympic pathways! - 16 May
From the Principal
Happy Boarders’ Week to the 130 students in Years 7 to 12 who call our campus home during term time. This is your time to shine as we celebrate who you are, the place you call home when you are not living on our beautiful campus, and ‘what makes you tick?’, this year’s theme for National Boarding Week. According to the Boarders themselves, playing games at night, sharing dinner or a cup of tea with friends, end of term Chapel Services, Community Weekends, hanging out with other year groups, and spending Prep/Study time together makes them tick. A false fire alarm going off at 2.00am, not so much. Sorry girls, but we take no chances protecting our most precious assets. 💕
The week is also an opportunity to celebrate our incredible Boarding staff, who are top of the list of ‘what makes our Boarders tick?’ given they care so deeply for the girls 24/7. In addition to managing the big issues for our students living in Avonmoore, Marden, Goodlet and Lang House, our dedicated Boarding staff assist with so many little things like washing, changing sheets, pick-ups and drop-offs, cutting up fruit just the way someone likes it, and, in general, being a great listener. A huge thank you also goes to our army of supporters, aka our day girls, day staff, and our wonderful Boarding Family and Friends (BFFs) who provide outings, friendship, lifts, meals, sleepovers, and another home away from home for our Boarders when needed. 💙❤️
We send much love to our Boarding families ‘back home’, knowing they miss their daughters as much as their daughters miss them, especially on days like Mother’s Day last weekend. Boarding families place enormous trust in the College to ensure their children are loved, supported and feel a sense of belonging as they live and learn at Pymble, a responsibility we never take lightly. It was a joy to reconnect with many of our current and future students and families from Dubbo, Narromine, Trangie, Brewarina, Wellington, Mendoora, Collie, Mudgee, Canowindra and Walgett last weekend at a local event attended by several Pymble staff, along with our Chair of the Board, Mr Chris Fydler OAM, and his wife, Rose. Having had four daughters attend the College and form significant friendships with Boarders during their school years, Chris and Rose appreciate the significant contribution our Boarders make to the College and the role our Pymble family plays in supporting each student to thrive. We look forward to many more opportunities to meet and reconnect with Pymble Boarders of the past, present and future.
Pymble is now an Australian Olympic Pathway School
In other exciting news, last Saturday we had the absolute honour of being formally recognised by the Australian Olympic Committee (AOC) as an Australian Olympic Pathway School. It may not surprise you to learn that Pymble is the first independent school in Australia to be given this Olympic designation – although this is certainly not something that just happened overnight!
To be recognised as an Australian Olympic Pathway School, a school must meet strict criteria set by the AOC and have a well-established elite athlete development program that includes Olympic Sports.
Currently, the College offers 20 Olympic Sports in our world-class facilities, supported by world-class coaches and staff. This includes four-time Olympian Lauren Jackson AO who is now heading up our Basketball Academy, and three-time Olympian Melinda Gainsford-Taylor AM who has coached athletics at Pymble for the past eight years, in addition to many other leaders in their fields.
We also have our Pymble Elite Sportswomen’s Program (PESP), which was established in 2007 to cater for the training, competing, wellbeing and academic learning needs of student athletes who compete at an elite level.
We were fortunate to be joined on Saturday by Lauren, Melinda and several of our Olympian alumni, including Chloe Dalton OAM (2011), Dr Mackenzie Little (2014), Brittany O’Brien (2016), and Danielle Scott (2007), who all spoke highly of the decades of hard work by our coaches, staff and athletes to establish Pymble as a school of sporting and academic excellence.
Best of all was seeing the excitement among our girls, many of whom are working hard to follow their dreams of competing in front of a home crowd at Brisbane 2032. As we always say to the girls, “If you can dream it, you can do it, at Pymble.”
A huge shout-out to our Director of Sport, Mr Adam Raw, for managing all the behind-the-scenes work to secure this AOC recognition, our Co-ordinator of PESP, Ms Skye Halliday, who has been running our highly successful elite sportswomen’s program for many years, and all our coaches, managers, teachers and staff who work so hard to deliver excellence in all they do.
Our students are truly blessed to have all the support in the world from our world-class team of champions here at Pymble.
From the Junior School
From the Head of Junior School
Thank you to the 500 mums and grandmas who were able to attend our Mother’s Day last Friday. Despite the cloudy weather, our Junior School spirit shone brightly, and I hope you all had a wonderful time connecting with your daughter and friends. Please enjoy the video we’ve created for our Mother’s Day celebration which shows some of our girls sharing their dreams and their gratitude for their education here at Pymble.
At our Mother’s Day event, we aired videos featuring students from across the Junior School. Our girls expressed why they love Pymble, what they dream of becoming in the future and what they look forward to in our new Grey House Precinct.
As I spoke about on the day, I am grateful for your determination as parents to empower your daughter to dream big dreams and to be courageous and tenacious in the pursuit of those dreams. I am proud of the confidence our girls show as they speak about their passions and dreams.
43% of our girls across K-6 currently dream of a future working in STEM including robotic engineers, astronauts, NASA scientists, gamers and software designers
24% of our girls across K-6 currently dream of a future working in the Arts including many singers, actors, dancers, designers and even a few future mermaids and fairies!
19% of our girls across K-6 currently dream of a future working in the Service industry, with the majority of these girls aspiring to be teachers and quite a few lawyers
14% of our girls across K-6 currently dream of a future in professional sport particularly gymnastics and swimming.
Building our girls’ passion and confidence in STEM begins from Kindergarten and last week the girls were exploring forces in action as they investigated how cars and billycarts move.
Olympic dreams
Last weekend was a once in a lifetime opportunity for some of our girls who were lucky enough to meet and chat with six phenomenal female Olympians at Pymble as part of our official launch as an Olympic Pathways school. The Olympians each spoke about their passion for sport and the way in which sport has opened many opportunities for them beyond the specific sport they have chosen.
Most interesting was the research from Ernst and Young which reveals that 94% of women who end up in Senior Executive roles and as CEOs and CFOs played sport whilst they were at school. I look forward to continuing to cheer our girls on at their Saturday sports as they have fun, stay healthy and build the skills which will equip them for success in their careers.
‘When we look at others, we may see their faces or their clothes..but we are only seeing a tiny piece of who they really are. We often don’t notice the important things, like their capacity for love, what they hope for, what they dream of, or who they can become.’ – Kobi Yamada
Dreams for our world
This term as we continue our focus on the power of ‘noticing’, I have asked the girls in Years 3-6 to reflect on the beauty they notice in our world. In our fast paced, digital world it’s important that we encourage ourselves to slow down long enough to notice the many wonders around us and to appreciate the beauty in nature and in one another.
This is particularly important for our girls in Years 4-6 as they begin to become more interested in the sparkle and lure of MECCA, Sephora and fashion. There is nothing wrong with an interest in beauty products or fashion; it’s just important we empower our girls to balance that fascination with a sense of their own inner beauty and the strength there is in them being themselves and staying grounded in the natural world.
I have been impressed by the thoughtfulness of our girls as they have spent time reflecting on what they notice as beautiful in their world and I would love you to encourage that conversation at home.
Superwomen in STEM
I would love to ascertain how many of our Junior School mums are engaged in STEM focused careers. I know we have many entrepreneurs in our community and many of you work in technology, finance, product design, architecture, software design and engineering. I would love to hear from you all! Please click here if you are happy to help me collate data of how many STEM Superwomen we have within our community.
Service opportunity for Years 4-6 helping vulnerable babies this winter
I am very excited to announce that Pymble is partnering with the Sydney Nappy Collective in a community service initiative. Pymble Junior School will be hosting the Sydney Nappy Sort and Count event for 2024 on Saturday 1 June 2024 from 9.30am to 12.30pm. This is an opportunity for 15 students who are available and willing to help on the day as part of their service commitment for this term. The girls will be involved in sorting, counting and packing new nappies with volunteers from the Nappy Collective and me. The Nappy Collective will provide all sorting essentials (packing boxes, tape, labels, sharpies, hand sanitiser)
Our girls will be supervised by me all the time they are volunteering and I will then walk them back up to Flagpole for collection by their parents at 12.30pm.
Please click here for the Google Form if you would like your daughter to volunteer. There is a strict limit of 15 girls for supervision purposes, so it is first come, first served!
60,520 nappies are needed in Sydney from this campaign to help 2000+ families in the local region over the coming months.
There is also the opportunity for families to donate nappies for this collection. If you are interested in donating, please send nappies into Hedgehog House before Sunday 1 June, 2024. For more information about the Nappy Collective, please click here.
A message from Mr Stephen Robinson – Acting Deputy Head of Junior School – Operations
STEAM Festival – Student Marketplace
Preparations for the STEAM Festival, to be held on the last day of Term 2 are well underway. This week I spoke to students in Years 3-6 and invited them to sign up to hold a STEAM-themed market stall. Stalls can be operated individually, or collaboratively in groups of up to five students. Please register your daughter’s market stall via this link.
STEAM Festival – Resource Collection
We are currently seeking donations of:
Newspapers
Paper towel rolls (not toilet paper rolls)
Please drop donations to the boxes located inside Hedgehog House.
Winter Uniform Matters
Please ensure all girls come to school in the correct (and full) school uniform each day.
Formal winter uniform includes:
Blazer (must be worn to and from school)
Polished black shoes
Correctly fitted neck tie
PE/Sport uniform includes:
Red/white/blue V polo shirt
Tracksuit pants and tracksuit top
Students may also wear a Pymble sports hoodie under their tracksuit top, but this cannot be worn during the school day alone.
Please ensure all items are clearly labelled with name and student class.
Wellbeing Weekly by Mrs Kate Giles – Head of Wellbeing K-6
One of the most common questions parents ask and one of the biggest parenting challenges relates to the management of technology use. Both in my wellbeing role and as a parent, this is something I have been keen to learn more about. There are some experts in this area whose research and wisdom in this area have stood out to me.
Jonathan Haidt is a psychologist who has been researching the impact of technology use, particularly smartphone use, on children’s developing brains. In his new book “The Anxious Generation” he states that the decline of a play-based childhood and the rapid rise in smartphone use have contributed to the increasing mental health concerns in children and adolescents. His research centred around four main concerns:
The smartphone is an ‘experience blocker’, taking up hours in the day that would otherwise be spent playing or having real life connections with other people.
Too many young people are spending time late into the night on their devices when they should be sleeping, leading to chronic sleep deprivation.
The impact on focus and concentration for young people due to the constant alerts and messages from devices continually take young people away from the present moment.
Applications and social media are deliberately designed to be addictive.
These concerns are echoed by Brad Marshall (The Unplugged Psychologist) who spoke with our school community in our Wellbeing Panel event last year and has recently written a useful and practical guide for young people “How to say no to your phone- an empowering guide for young people”. Brad notes that importantly most children and teens cannot manage their own screen use due to their brain development. It is this inability that is then targeted by the tech industry, making It virtually impossible for young people to self-manage their device usage.
Further, the recent ‘Technology on Her Terms’ report by the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation (UNESCO, 2024) found that social media exposure can have particularly detrimental effects on girls’ self-esteem and body image and reinforces gender stereotypes. As a result, this negatively impacts girls’ mental health and wellbeing which are essential for academic success.
The big question from all of this is what can we do as parents and as a school? The good news is there are things that we can do to help our children manage their technology use and balance the reality of living in a digital world. Some tips for managing at home include:
Setting clear boundaries and expectations around screen use, for example only after specific tasks are completed and time limitations.
Limiting social media use. Many applications provide age limits of 13 years old and the experts recommend limiting social media use until 16 years old.
Leading by example- show your daughter healthy habits by limiting your own use.
Encouraging balanced activities, including outdoor play, hobbies and spending time with families and friends.
No phones or devices in the bedroom.
Encouraging open communication where your daughter feels comfortable discussing her experiences and concerns with technology.
In addition to this, some of the tips from the experts for schools which are being utilised in the Junior School include:
Enforcing a phone-free school environment.
Providing opportunities for free play, independence and healthy risk taking such as outdoor education programs and unstructured play.
Providing education to students about the pitfalls of technology use and social media.
If you are keen to learn more about how to help your daughter in this area some useful resources include:
“The Tech Diet for your Child and Teen” by Brad Marshall
“How to say no to your phone – an empowering guide for young people” by Brad Marshall
Running Kilometres for Kindness at the Lindfield Fun Run
The Junior School Kindness Club invites you to run kilometres for Kindness this weekend, Sunday19 May. The event, the Lindfield Fun Run is a Rotary Club community event with proceeds going to local community charities. Participants can walk, jog or run 2km, 5km or 10km while raising money for charity.
To join us, please sign up and select the Junior School team when registering using this link. Mrs Brown, Mrs Giles, Mr Brown and Mr Schweinberger have all already signed up to run with the girls on the day.
Please note that a parent or carer must attend with their daughter at the event.
Junior School Digital News
Term 2 2024 Key Dates
Friday 17 May Years 5 and 6 Drama Eisteddfod Teams 5.30pm to 6.30pm
Friday 17 May Kindy Nature Play Incursion (girls please wear their PE uniform and bring gumboots and raincoats)
Friday 17 May IPSHA Debating
Saturday 18 May IPSHA Saturday Sport
Sunday 19 May Lindfield Fun Run
Wednesday 22 May National Simultaneous Storytime 12.00pm K-3
Wednesday 22 May JSPG Term 2 Meeting 8.15am to 9.15am
Thursday 23 May Year 6 Police Liaison Visit 1.30pm
Friday 24 May Y2 Nature Play (girls to wear PE uniform and bring gumboots and raincoats)
From the Junior School Parent Group (JSPG)
JSPG Term 2 Meeting – Wednesday 22 May
The Term 2 JSPG Meeting will be held next Wednesday 22 May from 8.15am – 9.15am. This meeting will be held in a different format to past meetings and will allow for greater interaction with the Junior School leadership team. All parents and carers are welcome. No RSVP required.
*Final Call* – PPA Year 4 Mother and Daughter Camp – Saturday 1 and Sunday 2 June
Year 4 Mums, don’t miss this exciting opportunity to experience the Vision Valley offering with your daughters!
The Mother and Daughter camp will focus on fun games and activities, storytelling and a chance for each child to be recognised for their special gifts and talents. The aim is for the girls to feel a greater sense of connection to their family.
There’s been a fantastic response in registrations so be quick, as places are limited and may sell out. Please click here to register by Sunday 19 May.
PPA Trivia Night – Saturday 22 June
The PPA warmly invites you to our annual Trivia Night on Saturday 22 June 2024. Create your own table of ten or we’ll seat you with others from your year group to meet new people! Fantastic prizes will be won and auctioned throughout the night and raffle tickets are available for advance purchase. All proceeds will go towards the Teacher and Staff Development Program and the Thank You Lunch on World Teachers’ Day.
Please note this is a parent only event and registration is essential. Tickets are available for purchase here. Please RSVP by Wednesday 12 June.
Other Upcoming Events
Year 4 Mums’ Night – Wednesday 22 May
Year 4 Mums, please join us at Kipling’s Garage Bar in Turramurra for dinner next Wednesday 22 May at 6.30pm. Please register hereby Friday 17 May.
Year 2 Dads’ Night – Friday 24 May
Calling all Year 2 Dads! Please come along to our night out at the Bavarian in Chatswood next Friday 24 May from 6pm. Further details in the flyer.
Year 3 Play Date at the Park – Sunday 9 June
Come along for a fun afternoon at Bicentennial Park, West Pymble. Catch up with some old friends and meet some new ones too! The whole family is welcome to join.
Congratulations to our Year 7 and Year 8 Da Vinci Decathlon Teams who both achieved outstanding results earlier this week at Knox. Year 7 placed 1st in English, Creative Producers, Ideation, and 3rd in Science, coming 3rd overall in the State. Our Year 8 team placed 1st in English, coming 2nd overall in the State. Well done girls!
Year 7: Isabella Dong, Danielle Hu, Adele Jiang, Arden Liceralde, Jing Yuan Liu, Emma Ouyang, Anika Verma, Meii You
Year 8: Celine Cai , Ruby Chu, Harriet Gregory, Yen Huynh, Chloe Shao, Alexa Wu, Katherine Xu, Bella Yang
This week Middle School has gone all out to celebrate our wonderfulBoarders.
Ruby Azar from Spriong Flat, Naria Bron from Taree, Sienna Clark from Scone, Zahra Craig from Breeza, Milly Farr from Walgett, Jade George from Thursday Island, Isabel Gordon from New Guinea, Daysie Leahy from Walgett, Camilla Metcalfe from Young, Skye Mitchell from Cudal, Emmeliene Moore from Burren Junction, Quinn Parry-Okeden from Scone, Olivia Sheldrake from Scone, Sarah Swan-Cole from Mitijulu, Phoebe Toynton from Rocky Glen, Lucy Chapman from Glenthorne, Poppy Fox-Ashwin from Dubbo, Madeleine Gaden from Dunedoo, Alice Gall from Moree, Selina Kerin from Obley, Harriett Lisle from Walcha, Cleo McLaughlin from Bilpin, Gianna Pang from Hong Kong, Sasha Paris from Willoughby, Rose Purcell from Temora and Eleanor Ramsay from Quandialla.
The Middle School space is awash with pink alongside candid photos of our Year 7 and 8 Boarders. We have organised our own Middle School schedule of activities to mark the occasion with appropriately themed events being held during lunch each day this week.
On Wednesday, we welcomed the girls to a very special Middle School Boarders’ Morning Tea held in the courtyard. It was so lovely to catch up with the girls as a group and share their enthusiasm for this important date in our calendar.
Life as a Boarder
Hi, I’m Skye Mitchell, I started boarding at Pymble this year in Year 7. I come from Orange in the Central West Region of New South Wales. It’s been quite a change for me moving to Pymble. I now live in Avonmoore House and I am loving my time here. Pymble has provided me with fantastic opportunities, from co-curricular activities to excellent learning experiences. A typical day for me as a boarder involves waking up, a quick breakfast, preparing for my co-curricular morning activity, getting ready for school and then heading up to the colonnade to meet my friends and head to class by 8.15am.
During recess and lunch, I’ll head over to the Dining Hall to collect something to eat. I’ll catch up with my boarding friends there, and then we go out to day school together. After school I make my way back to Avonmoore house, drop off my school bag and get ready for my afternoon activities. I usually have Swimming, Cattle Team or Hockey throughout the week.
I go to prep from 5.00pm to 7:.5pm which is where I have the time to study, catch up on assessments and prepare for the next day. We have dinner during prep from 6.00pm to 6.30pm which is a nice break from study. At 7.15pm we finish prep and go back to Avonmoore, where I have free time to shower, get ready for bed, relax and chill out with my friends. I hand my tech in at 8.00pm and it’s lights out at 8.30pm.
Every weekend, we have an amazing LOVE IT program. It kicks off on Friday afternoon with Boarders Get Baking which involves lots of chocolate! Saturdays are usually dedicated to sports, but we have the opportunity to continue with the LOVE IT program, where we explore the city and participate in really fun activities. On Sunday mornings we have the time to sleep in and have a late breakfast on the Marden lawn. The LOVE IT program continues which is always a great way to spend our day. We are back in boarding at about 5pm for dinner, our Sunday house meeting and prepare for our week.
On Tuesday during the Year 7 Assembly our new Year 7 Leaders received their badges of responsibility. Below is a photo to mark the occasion.
On Tuesday Year 8 had the pleasure of spending the day at the Australian Museum as part of their History study. Below are student reflections on the experience.
I loved exploring the museum and looking at all the exhibitions. Ramses’ coffin and the mummified cat were amazing. The photos that I took there will help me for my History assignment.
Lucy Chapman
The Ramses exhibition was fun and interesting. The best part of the exhibition was seeing the upper part of a Colossus of Ramses II. I enjoyed spending the day with my friends and seeing all the parts of the museum.
Sasha Paris
Good luck to the Year 7 ISDA team who have made it through to the Octo Finals of the high level ISDA debating competition. The final will be held at Roseville College and the girls will be versing Riverview.
I would like to sincerely thank the following Year 7 students who stepped up to an opportunity as Pymble tour guides for prospective families this week. Year 8 usually take on this role as ambassadors of the college but as they were off campus we invited our Year 7 girls to step up. Parent feedback from the event was absolutely positive with repeated praise for the tour guides for the confidence and knowledge of all things Pymble.
On Monday night we held our 2024 National Exchange Program Information Evening. Thank you to all the families who attended. On Tuesday you would have received an email regarding next steps. Can I please remind you of the deadlines below:
Acceptance of Placement – Wednesday 15 May
Student and Family Profile – Monday 3 June
Working with Children Check – Monday 3 June
Thanks to our Year 8 parents who have completed their MMG Education surveys to share feedback with the College. If you have not completed your survey please do so by Friday 23 May. We appreciate the time given to share feedback with us.
Reminder that ySafe will be holding a webinar on Cyber Safety for parents. The webinar will be held on Thursday 30 May. The link to the registration can be found here.
Year 7 and Year 8 students will have a separate presentation also held on Thursday 30 May during school hours.
Key Dates
Monday 20 May – Sydney Writers’ Festival (select students)
Wednesday 29 May – Year 7 to 12 Athletics Carnival
Thursday 30 May – ySafe Parent Webinar
Thursday 6 June – Year 7 Zoo Excursion
Friday 28 June – Last day of Term
From the Middle School Parent Groups
Year 7
We are looking forward to a few events coming up this term:
1. Year 7 Ladies’ Dinner and Drinks – Friday 17 May
Thank you to the ladies who have registered for our event, we have a record turnout and very excited to see everyone tomorrow night. It is being held in The Alcove (between the front bar and The Terrace) from 7:30pm at The Greengate Hotel, Killara.
Please note that we are having another drinks and dinner night early Term 2 (Friday 2 August) so there is another chance to catch up for everyone.
2. Vision Valley Mother-Daughter Day – Sunday 16 June
We are planning a day at Vision Valley which will include an action-packed itinerary (including activities such as kayaking and archery) as well as a group luncheon.
We will provide details of this event in our WhatsApp group next week to see who is interested in attending.
3. Trivia Night – Saturday night 22 June
This is an exciting night not to be missed! The Trivia Night is definitely one of best parent events in the school calendar.
This year’s trivia night is being held at function centre “Miramare Gardens” and promises to be a beautiful night of entertainment, food, drinks, dancing and festivity.
The night’s theme is “Pop Rock Stars” and dress up is encouraged but optional.
We are currently creating a few Year 7 tables so please reach out if you would like to join!
Year 7 Contact Details
Year 7 Parent Community – This group is only used to communicate important messages, announcements and reminders. Only the administrators can post messages in this group. The WhatsApp group link is here
Year 7 Pymble 2029 – Questions – This general chat used by parents to ask questions. The WhatsApp group link is here
Our Facebook group is: https://www.facebook.com/groups/pymblelcparentsclassof2029/
Kind regards
Stephanie, Leigh and Briar
Year 8
A very warm welcome to the new families that have joined Pymble this term. We hope that your daughters have settled in well and are enjoying all that Pymble has to offer.
Secondary School Mother’s Day Breakfast
A huge thank you to all the mums, carers and girls that came along to the Mother’s Day Breakfast and for supporting the National Breast Cancer Foundation.
Year 8 Coffee Morning
We look forward to holding the next Year 8 coffee morning on Friday 7 June. Please save the date.
PPA Trivia Night
Don’t miss out on what is one of the most enjoyable parent events in the year! We have over 160 parents already signed up for this event, so it’s going to be an amazing evening!
The Trivia Night is being held at the beautiful Miramare Gardens function centre. The theme for the evening is “Pop & Rock Stars”, so come dressed as your favourite pop or rock icon and join us for an unforgettable evening of trivia, prizes, dancing, and fun! Don’t worry if costumes aren’t your thing – your presence is what matters most. We encourage dressing up to add to the festive atmosphere, but it’s entirely optional.
We are currently organising a few Year 8 tables and would love you to join in the fun. Please get in touch if you would like to come along (kai_look@yahoo.com). Tickets can be purchased using this link.
PPA Trivia Night Donations
The Trivia Night is one of the PPA’s biggest fundraisers of the year, with funds going towards:
1. The Teachers’ Luncheon on World Teachers’ Day to express our appreciation
2. The College’s professional development program for our dedicated educators
3. Equipment at the soon-to-be-established Pymble Wellbeing Space to support our students
To make it a successful evening, we rely on the kind support of our community for donations for the live and silent auctions, year group baskets, and raffles. If you have anything that you would like to donate, please get in touch. We are seeking all kinds of donations such as vouchers for experiences, activities, vouchers / products from local businesses (restaurants, gyms, PTs, food & beverage etc), holiday stays, and bottles of wine/champagne to go towards a “Wine/Champagne Lovers” basket (please contact Kenneth Kok at kenneth@kok.family – alcohol cannot be dropped off at school).
We’re also doing something a little bit different this year and collecting donations for “year group baskets”. Years 7 and 8 are collecting items to fill a luxurious basket “for the Mums”. Examples of items ’for mum’ could be a candle, hand lotion, a voucher for a facial, etc. A basket for the collection items will be placed in the Middle School Office.
Social Media for Year 8 Parents
All parents from year 8 are welcome to join the parent led chat groups. The chat groups are independent of the school and are restricted access groups. Being a member of these groups provides opportunities to ask questions and to connect with other parents. Please note that joining these groups is entirely optional.
WhatsApp
PLC Year 8 Announcements – This group is only used communicate important messages, announcements and reminders. Only the administrators can post messages in this group. The WhatsApp group link is <Insert link for Year 8 Announcements here>.
Yr8 Parents Class of 2028 – This general chat used by parents to ask questions. The WhatsApp group link is <Insert link for Year 8 Announcements here>.
Dads@Pymble- This is a general chat group for the Dads at Pymble. Please contact Kenneth Kok at kenneth@kok.family to add you to this group.
WeChat
There is also a Year 8 WeChat group PLC Year 8 2024. Please contact Cindy so she can add you to the group.to add you to this group.
FaceBook
PymbleLC Parents Class of 2028 is the FB group for our year. Selected messages from WhatsApp will be posted here.
PymbleLC MSPG 2024. Messages about various activities will be posted here.
Parents are also encouraged to join PymbleLC PPA and PymbleLC SSPG Facebook groups.
A message from Mrs Victoria Harrison, Head of Upper School
This week we have enjoyed celebrating the Boarding students in our school community. We are lucky to have 39 Boarders in the Upper School who live in Gravesend, Young, Rouchel Brook, Forbes, Walgett, Hamilton South, Moree, Bilpin, Wee Waa, Wallendbeen, Mount Frome, Narromine, Reids Flat, Moss Vale, Orange, Bohena Creek, Dolphin Point, Whittingham, Walcha, Lighting Ridge, Tambar Springs, Denman, Dubbo, Gunnedah, Byron Bay, Mudgee, Newcastle, Singleton, Scone and Double Bay all in NSW as well as Bentley Park and Cairns in Queensland and Red Hill, ACT. We have Boarders who live further field in Moulden (NT), Middle Point (NT), Hong Kong, Papua New Guinea, China and Japan.
A big thank you to our fantastic TAS assistant, Meredith Myles, for her help in crafting the lovely Boarders Week bunting that we can use year after year. Decorating the Upper School area has been a joy, demonstrating our appreciation for our Boarders. Of course, no Boarders’ display would be perfect without a bale of hay, and this week we were visited by some special guests from the Agricultural Plot. Special thanks to Farmer Dave for allowing Nanny Goat to spend time in the Upper School this week.
Boarders’ Week
We are delighted to share more insights into our Boarders as we celebrate our Boarding community. From Darwin to Hong Kong, and many places in between.
Hello, my name is Wyntah Woodroffe-Mulholland, I’m in Year 10 and I’ve been boarding since Year 9 in 2023. I live in Darwin, which is at the top of the northern territory and about four-ish hours away from Sydney by plane. I’ve lived in Darwin my whole life with my family. In my family there is myself, my older brother Chayseton, two younger sisters Imarni who is at Pymble with me and Celia-Betty who is 9, my younger brothers Patrick who is 7 and Junior who is 2, and of course my parents Enid and Kim.
The view from my window is actually just the road and the front of another person’s house but the time I spend at home are my most cherished memories with my family either having a day out fishing somewhere off the Nightcliff jetty, creek or in the mangroves, Swimming in any water hole nearby, going to the Rugby or AFL stadium and watching my siblings play – even the early 8:00am games and staying all day to watch the 6:30pm games, going to the city to have dinner then finishing off the night with a ride on the ferris wheel, having a barbeque down on the beach with all the family or simply just having a girls’ day with mum at the local shopping centre.
I had never boarded or been such a long way from home since coming here last year, so it was a big adjustment coming here and starting a new school, Although I love it in Sydney and I am very grateful for all the new opportunities that have opened up for me, going home is definitely one of the biggest highlights at the end of every term.
Hi everyone, my name is Katelyn Chan, I am in Year 10 and I have been Boarding since the start of this year. My family includes me, my brother, my mum and dad, my cat Milo, and my parrot lovebird, which we named Lucky as she brings luck, because she flew in our house, a few months after my dog, Boris, passed away. Since she wouldn’t survive in the wild in Hong Kong, we chose to keep her and give her a home. She is now a part of the family and always creates a happy atmosphere with her cheerful chirping.
As I said, I live in Hong Kong, but my dad grew up in Sydney, so Sydney has always been like a second home to me. We would come back every Easter and it was always the trip that I would look forward to every year. As much as I like Sydney, I like Hong Kong too, which is a busy place all the time. The views there are very different, as there are skyscrapers everywhere. I am lucky that as I look out on the balcony, I can see the landscape well, especially during sunset as it’s not blocked by many tall buildings. I love the various cuisines and the efficient transportation, as the railways, which are called MTRs, are the cheapest and quickest transport options since the waiting time for each train is usually just three minutes.
Every weekend on Sunday, my family and I would go to church in the morning, then we would pick up our grandparents and spend the day with them. During lunch we would go to one of the few restaurants that we always go to, and sometimes we would have a picnic by the beach. I would definitely feel like something was missing if I ever went there without my whole family. At night, my dad would always prepare a scrumptious dinner, which I really miss, and it is a good way to end the week and start another. So far, I have not felt homesick from being at boarding, as I really enjoy the experience here, especially since I can sleep in, and the boarding community is very supportive.
My name is Annika Maslin, and I am a Year 9 Boarder in Marden House. I come from a small town called Moree which has about 7,000 people in it and is located in North West NSW about an hour or two away from the QLD border. My brother, parents and I live in town with our dog.
Moree is known for its agriculture and being located right on top of the Artesian Basin giving us relaxing artesian hot pools, but the main things I miss are my family and open spaces. I have found coming to Pymble exciting as it is fun to participate in all the amazing opportunities, we are able to access such as playing netball and participating in leadership opportunities giving us the privilege to make a change and for our voices to be heard.
Coming to Boarding has had its challenges but I love having sleepovers every night, playing games with my friends at night and occasionally mucking up with my mates.
School Photographs
If you ordered a school photograph, your daughters will receive an email this week to collect them from the Upper School office. Please remind them to read their emails as we would like them to find their way home.
Service
Thank you to Jessica Allman, Charlotte Blaiklock and Leura Sayers for delivering leaflets for the Lindfield Fun Run last weekend. The girls generously gave their time on a wet weekend to help promote this event and are looking forward to running together on Sunday. This event is open to the community. It would be great to see our upper School girls take the opportunity to be involved. Click here to register.
ySafe Parent Webinar
A reminder that all parents are invited to join online this event on Monday 30 May at 6.30pm to learn how to protect your children in today’s digital world. Please click here to join the webinar.
Key Dates
Friday May 17 igsa Cross Country
Thursday May 23 Year 9 Residential Program Group 2 Parent Workshop
Wednesday May 29 Year 7 to 12 Pymble Athletics Carnival onsite
Thursday May 30 YSafe Talk to Parents at 6.30pm
Saturday June 1 Indigenous Round of Sport
Sunday June 2 Afghan Football Match at Pymble Ladies’ College
Wednesday June 5 Year 9 Residential Program Group 3 Parent/Student Info Night
Friday June 7 Boarders’ Travel Day
Monday June 10 King’s Birthday Public Holiday
Wednesday June 12 Year 10 into Year 11 Subject Selection Event (Parents/Students)
Tuesday June 25 Secondary School Ensemble Concert
Friday June 28 Boarders’ Travel Day & last day of Term 2
From the Upper School Parent Group
Save the Date
The Year 10 Mother/Daughter day at Vision Valley will be held on Sunday 13 October. This event will be a great opportunity for mums to bond with their daughters, as well as other mother-daughter pairs.
More information will be sent out on the MyPymble parent portal in the not too distant future.
Victoria Harrison
Head of Upper School
From the Senior School
From the Head of Senior School
This week the Year 12 students enjoyed all the fun and excitement of our annual Trivia Night. Alongside their teachers, the students dressed up as characters inspired by the movies and television, and battled it out over 10 rounds of trivia. Congratulations to the victorious team and to all students and staff who entered into the spirit of the night. There was such a sense of joyous community and warmth. My sincere thanks to our wonderful Year 11 student volunteers, who acted as scorers and assistants, Mrs Schreuder and Ms Gallardo who organised the event, and our wonderful hosts, Mrs Michie and Mr Stern. Many thanks to our teachers who attended and made it such fun, and our hard working facilities team who set up and packed away for us all.
Year 12 Photographs
Year 12 students also had their year group photographs taken on Monday. Once again, the students were in great form and looking amazing, wearing their uniforms with pride. The girls were also able to don costumes again for a fun photo. These will be available to families for purchase in the coming weeks. Please check the Parent Portal for the appropriate link to order your photographs.
MMG Survey
Thanks to parents of Year 12 who have completed their MMG Education surveys to share feedback with the College. If you have not completed your survey please do so by Friday 23 May. We appreciate the time given to share feedback with us, as this helps us make meaningful improvements to our College, ensuring we meet the needs and expectations of our community.
Year 11 Leadership process
Year 11 students who applied for leadership positions earlier in the term will be advised this week as to whether they have processed through for an interview. Those students involved in interviews are advised to prepare carefully, as these begin on Monday of Week 4. If your child wasn’t selected for a leadership role, we encourage you to discuss seeking feedback and exploring other opportunities within the Senior School. We understand how disappointing this can be. Please help your daughter see this as a chance for growth and resilience in the face of setbacks.
ySafe Parent Presentation – Digital Safety Webinar
This informative and practical parent education session is designed to address the complexities of parenting in the digital age.
In a world filled with fear-based approaches to online safety management, ySafe offer a different perspective—one that focuses on capacity building and fostering a positive digital environment. ySafe’s goal is to empower parents who may feel disempowered or overwhelmed by the challenges of navigating the online world with their children.
Key topics Covered:
Youth-based behavioural insights on popular social media platforms
Managing cyberbullying & toxic online behaviours and legalities
Screen time recommendations and current research
Practical & realistic steps for setting up a cyber-safe home
This fun session empowers parents to navigate the digital world alongside their children, fostering a safer and more enjoyable online experience for the whole family.
Parents will receive access to the ySafe by Qoria Online Safety Hub for further personalised learning & development.
The link to the webinar registration page can be found here.
Year 12 Hunter Valley Geography excursion
On Tuesday 7 May, the Year 12 Geography cohort had their overnight excursion to the Hunter Region. On Tuesday, we travelled to the Kooragang Wetlands on Ash Island, outer Newcastle to explore the wetland ecosystem. With over 40 years of restoration experience, we got to hear from area experts regarding the management and protection of the ecosystem at risk. Students explored the biophysical interactions occurring within the wetlands through developing primary field work methods. From turbidity and water temperature in the hydrosphere, to humidity and wind speed in the atmosphere, the hands-on learning experience provided excellent primary data for the Year 12s HSC assessment, linking to their Ecosystems at Risk case study. Students learnt about the impacts of natural stress and human-induced modifications on the wetlands as well as what is being done to manage this.
On day two of the excursion, we headed to Tamburlaine Organic Winery, a nearby vineyard which we toured as our local case study for the People and Economic Activity unit. The tour included a walk around the vineyard where the Geographers were able to ask about the process of wine making, how the business operated and how the winery maintained their operations during COVID. Through this, we were able to gain detailed information for our next assessment tasks, as well as enjoy the scenery of the vineyard and be inspired by the workings of the wine industry! After two days of packed activities and excitement, we headed home. An informative and fun excursion that will be remembered long after high school!
Written by Isabel Aveling, Natalia Antalfy, Alicia Slobodian and Claudia Offer (Year 12 Geography students)
Term 2 Key Dates
29 May – Athletics Carnival
10 June – King’s Birthday Public Holiday
21 June – Senior School Wrap with Love Knit-In
28 June – Term 2 concludes
From the Secondary School Parent Group
Year 12 Pizza Night
Dear Year 12 Parents and Carers
We hope you had a lovely Easter break. We hope you can join us for our Term 2 Parent/Carer Pizza Night on Friday 17 May at 7.00pm.
Best wishes
Pilar & Susan
Nikki Wyse
Head of Senior School
From the Boarding School
Happy Boarders’ Week!
It was wonderful to arrive at school on Monday to find the Boarding Houses blushing proudly in our signature pink! Each of the Houses had a special theme and our newest home, Avonmoore was especially fun with its ‘little piggies’ theme. And it wasn’t just our Boarding Houses that were dressed for the week, my special thanks goes to our School Offices who also went all out to celebrate our Boarders. We are so grateful for the encouragement and support of these special people, not just in Boarders’ Week but every day!
Throughout the week, there have been a host of activities including various Day Girls verses Boarders sporting competitions, presentations at assemblies and a special thank you breakfast on the Marden Lawn. Our Boarders were certainly the rockstars of the College and enjoyed ‘taking over’ Year assemblies and sharing stories of their life on campus.
While Boarders’ Week is an opportunity to celebrate all things Boarding, it also provides another way in which we can recognise and thank the broader Pymble family who make living at Pymble so special. Our heartfelt thanks goes to our Day School staff, students and families who go out of their way to make living at this beautiful College so special.
Pymble goes to the West!
As a prelude to Boarders’ Week, I was lucky enough to spend time in Dubbo at the Boarding Schools’ Expo. This was an excellent opportunity to meet present, past and prospective families and to share the joys of life at Pymble.
As has become the tradition, we celebrated together at Press in Dubbo and it is always a treat to chat with our future Boarders over a toasted marshmallow, fresh from the firepit. We were extra lucky to have Dr Hadwen, Mr Bell and our Chair of the College Board, Mr Chris Fydler and his wife Rose join in the fun. Both Dr Hadwen and Mr Fydler spoke highly of our Boarding family, each noting the Boarders as the heart of Pymble.
Trivia Night
One of the highlights of the Year 12 calendar is the Trivia Night. Our Year 12 Boarders make the most of the opportunity to dress up for this special event and our Boarding staff enjoy all the fuss and fun that goes into getting ready. As always, photographer extraordinaire Anne Graham, Head of Year 12 Boarding, captured the spirit perfectly.
Love It – Mrs White, Deputy Director of Boarding
Last weekend was a wet one, but we still managed some great ‘Love It’ fun! We started Friday night with a Year 12 Pizza night and then a Big Sister/Little Sister movie and dessert night. On Saturday, many Boarders were involved in the ceremony that launched Pymble Ladies’ College as an Olympic Pathway School. We were so proud of Millie for her involvement in the ceremony. On Saturday night, we headed to Allianz Stadium for the Australian Wallaroos vs Canada match followed by the Waratahs men’s match. On Sunday, while some were lucky enough to celebrate Mother’s Day in person, we headed to the Zoo with Holly to check out the animals. There was also lots of house decorating as we prepared for Boarders’ Week.
This weekend starts tonight as our Year 7 and Year 8 Boarders head out to watch the Year 8 Musical production of Finding Nemo. On Friday, we have tickets for the Boarders to watch the Australian Women’s Stingers team take on China in a Water Polo match here at school. We cannot wait to support the girls as they make their final preparations for the Paris Olympics. The Year 8 girls will also get to share a pizza night in Marden before the event. On Saturday afternoon/evening, the Boarders have the option of inviting a Day Girl into Boarding for the evening, and on Sunday, we are heading to Homebush to watch the Sydney Swifts Netball team play the Giants. We all have our fingers crossed that Grace Whyte gets to play again this weekend after her stunning debut last weekend.
Never a dull moment in Boarding!
View From My Window
Hi, my name is Amy and I’m a Year 11 Boarder here at Pymble. I started boarding in Year 9 and come from a small town, about a three and a half hour drive from Sydney, in the Central West of New South Wales called Mudgee. Famous for its award-winning food and wine and beautiful scenery, Mudgee is a beautiful place to live. I’m lucky enough to live in town with my mum and my cat Misty. Out of my window, I can see the mountains that enclose Mudgee.
The thing I love most about being home is spending time with my friends, riding my motorbike and watching the many beautiful sunsets that cover the hills.
Since starting at Pymble in Year 9, I have formed friendships that I will cherish forever, and I am truly grateful for all the opportunities Pymble has to offer.
Boarder of the Week
Emma is a delight to have as a member of Marden House. She has been an exemplary Boarder since Day 1, and is a beautifully calming presence for those around her. She is kind, considerate and demonstrates care and empathy. She is polite and mature in her interactions with staff, as well as her peers. Nothing is ever a bother for Emma – she is always willing to go the extra step to help those around her or assist in any way she can. This was very evident in Emma’s interactions over the weekend when she represented Pymble at the Dubbo Boarding Expo. Emma was a welcoming presence and an outstanding representative of our Boarding family. We feel so lucky to call her one of our Boarders.
Save the Date
18 -19 May Regional Weekend on the Hawkesbury for Boarder parents only
25 August Father, Daughter event
20 September Boarders and their Families event
21 September Garden Party
3 November Mother, Daughter Lunch (please note revised date)
Boarder Parent Group Meetings
20 September – 2.30pm onsite
24 October – 7.00pm Microsoft Teams meeting
Carolyn Burgess
Head of Boarding
From the Chaplains
When Esther finds her ‘why’
Each year, the Uniting Church Synod hosts a leadership workshop morning for Uniting Church school leaders. This is an opportunity for these students to meet the Moderator of the Uniting Church, to meet student leaders from other Uniting Church schools and to learn about leadership and social justice from a Uniting Church point of view.
This year a group of Year 10, 11 and 12 students gathered with other school leaders to workshop ways in which their schools might better understand the needs of their school community, articulate their understanding of purpose and find practical expressions of serving their community and environment. In short, they came to discuss their ‘why’.
It has been said, “He who has a why can endure any how.”
Recently I came across a tweet from Forbes Magazine:
“A clear sense of purpose enables you to focus your efforts on what matters most, compelling you to take risks and push forward regardless of the odds or obstacles.”
It reminded me of the story of Esther in the Scriptures. Esther was an orphan girl living in Ancient Persia around 483 BCE. King Xerxes ruled Persia and extended his kingdom from India to Ethiopia. Though she was not Persian born, Esther was chosen for her beauty to be Xerxes queen. Each day, her uncle Mordecai watched over her by the palace gates. Keeping her ethnicity hidden, she became the wealthiest woman in the land, and enjoyed every privilege of her royal status.
But wealth wasn’t enough. She needed to find her why.
A few years into her reign, the Prime Minister, Haman, hatched a plot to kill every woman, man and child amongst her people. Unaware of her true identity, the King agreed to Haman’s request. At this her uncle, Mordecai, warns her of this plot and makes clear her choice: to stay silent and protect her privilege. Or speak up.
Esther 4:14
For if you remain silent at this time, relief and deliverance for the Jews will arise from another place, but you and your father’s family will perish. And who knows but that you have come to your royal position for such a time as this?”
She found her ‘why’.
She stood up, sent word for her people to pray while she speaks to the King. Risking her life, she uncovers her true ethnicity and calls upon the King to save her people.
Her words did what no other in the land could do- restored justice in the land.
So this week I am asking our girls: have you found your why?
Why you are in this land, amongst this people, with this family, with this education, this school?
What is your “for such a time as this’?
In groups we will explore the answer to this question by asking some further questions:
Have you found your why?
What makes you come alive?
What are your innate strengths?
Where do you add the greatest value?
How will you measure your life?
My prayer is that each of our students will grow in understanding their “why”…and that our world will be forever changed because of it.
The answers to the following questions are designed to help you focus on your interests and on what motivates you.
Directions.
Answer each of the questions honestly.
Write down what you want to do, not what you think you should do, or what someone else wants for you.
If you had the time and money to study or learn anything at all, what would it be?
If you could have any job and be qualified to do it, what would it be?
When you were little, what did you dream about doing? What seemed appealing about that job?
What are your favourite subjects? Why?
What are you good at?
How would other people describe your strengths, likes, and dislikes?
What gives you feelings of satisfaction or pride?
What issues do you feel strongly about?
Describe three things you’ve done that you remember enjoying the most. What, specifically, did you enjoy about them?
Finish this sentence: “I won’t feel I’ve really accomplished what I wanted to, until I…”
Close your eyes and imagine a typical day at your “dream job”.
Write down as many details as possible: What exactly are you doing? What skills are you using? What does your work environment look like? Are you working alone or with other people? Do you use tools?
Do you wear a uniform? What do you like about this job?
Now review your answers and look for patterns. Use these answers to research jobs using Job Outlook – www.joboutlook.gov.au
Futures Student Leaders Report
This week, from Monday 13 to Sunday 19 May, was National Careers Week, a week to explore the many pathways and career options available for the future. At Pymble, our theme for the week is ‘Oh, the places you’ll go!’, focusing on the endless possibilities available to Pymble students.
The National Careers Week display in the library showcases students’ ambitions and dreams for the future, from their dream degree at university to where they see themselves in ten years.
The purpose of this week is to provide education and guidance for career development, whether that looks like developing a variety of relevant skills or researching pathways to your dream job. At Pymble, we aim to highlight the broad range of career opportunities and allow students to make informed decisions regarding their futures.
Multiplex Uni and Careers Day
Last week, a group of students from Year 10 to 12 attended the MULTIPLEX University and Careers day at the Multiplex Head Office in Sydney.
Here is what Talia Luo thought of the experience:
Overall, I had a very enjoyable time at this event organised by Multiplex. This is the second event I have participated in from Multiplex, and they never fail to feed us well. Apart from the food, the activities were all quite thoroughly planned, and there was a lot to do in the three hours.
In this event, I learnt about the opportunities and career pathways that can be explored in the construction and management industry. Another takeaway was what the representation looks like for females in the industry, and what kind of support they need to encourage more females to join this industry.
Week 3 Notices
NEW Work Experience opportunity with Women in ICT (WIC)
Please note experiences are based in Canberra, ACT and students will be responsible for organising accomodation.
Expressions of Interest close on 1 June 2024. You will be required to submit a resume and cover letter, click here to submit
If you are unsure about organising work experience and are not really sure what you are
interested in, this program is for you. Volunteers from the WIC Work Experience
Connection Program will spend time with you to match you to workplaces based on your interests and the kind of career you might want to know more about. We will help you
work out what you might be interested in.
The program is designed to work with your school-based work experience program but with support from WIC volunteers and industry professionals. You will learn how to get ready for work and build the confidence to pursue a career in ICT if you choose to. You will be introduced to a fun community of women working in tech (WIC) and have an opportunity to think about what life after school may look like.
WIC volunteers all have Working with Vulnerable People registrations.
Support is either online and/or in-person.
The program involves a total of five-days’ work experience at a leading organisation, at the end of each semester.
Week 3 Work Experience Stories
My week at AIE (Academy of Interactive Entertainment) was an immersive and enlightening experience into the world of 3D modeling, animation, and game design. From day one, I was introduced to a vibrant community of artists and developers who shared a passion for creativity and technology. The hands-on approach to learning was exceptional; I had the opportunity to dive into industry-standard software and tools such as Unreal and Maya, gaining practical skills that are directly applicable to the field. Whether it was learning about character rigging in Maya or experimenting with level design concepts, every moment was engaging and educational.
Moreover, the instructors and industry professionals at AIE were incredibly supportive and knowledgeable. Their guidance and feedback helped me refine my techniques and understand the intricacies of creating compelling visuals and interactive experiences. Beyond technical skills, I also learned about the collaborative nature of game development and the importance of effective communication within a team. This experience has strengthened my passion for the dynamic and evolving field of 3D modeling, animation, and game design. I am excited to continue developing my skills and exploring new opportunities within this industry.
Written by Alice Yan (Year 10)
AIE stands for Academy of Interactive Entertainment and they focus on things such as animation, film and programming. The work experience lasted for 5 days and each day of the week was focused on learning a new skill. Throughout the week I was taught, although not incredibly advanced, how to use game engines, how to build a game with interactive elements, how to model a character, how to animate the character and also how to program different commands to be used throughout your game. Considering I had never done animation or film before this was very easy to understand and also very helpful.
This work experience was very valuable for me as I was able to try out and learn different skills outside of the school curriculum. It was a very nice work environment that requires most of your time to be spent in front of a computer screen. This was great and I am very glad Pymble was able to offer this opportunity.
Written by Sherry Yang (Year 10)
Events Calendar
From the Co-curricular Sports Team
First Nations Round of Sport – Save the date!
The First Nations Round of Sport will be held on Saturday 1 June. Please click here for information regarding timing. Further information will be provided closer to the date.
The shortcode only works for newsletter articles
Co-curricular Administration
Term 3 Saturday Sport Registrations
Registrations CLOSE at 12.00pm on Friday 17 May for Term 3 Saturday Sports.
Please access the online registration via the co-curricular pages on MyPymble by clicking here. A parent or carer log in is required to be able to register. If you require any assistance with completing your registration, please contact Co-curricular Administration at ccsa@pymblelc.nsw.edu.au or on +61 2 9497 7848. A reminder that registrations must be completed online and cannot be processed over the phone or via email.
Late registrations are NOT guaranteed, so we highly recommend completing the registration online.
The Term 3 Saturday Sport options are as follows:
Year 7 to Year 12:
IGSA Hockey (Saturday mornings)
IGSA Netball (Saturday mornings)
Rugby Sevens (Saturday afternoons)
Water Polo MLC Competition (Years 8 to 12 – Friday evenings)
Water Polo Northern Suburbs Competition (Year 7 – Friday evenings)
Year 3 to Year 6:
IPSHA AFL, (Saturday mornings)
IPSHA Touch Football, (Saturday mornings)
Monique Zahra
Head of Co-curricular Administration
Secondary School Athletics Carnival
The Secondary School Athletics Carnival will be held on Wednesday 29 May on Main Oval at Pymble Ladies’ College. The carnival will involve all students from Years 7 to 12. The carnival will begin at 8.00am for an 8.30am start; please see the attached program for your reference.
The Athletics Carnival aims to promote House spirit and participation. All the girls are expected to compete in the 100m sprint, shot-put and House relay events. The 200m, 400m, and 800m events are optional, with hurdles and high jump being championship only events. From the Athletics Carnival and the nominations form, a small number of students will be selected to compete at the Championship Carnival on Tuesday 11 June at Sydney Olympic Park Athletic Centre where all other championship events will be held. To register for the Championship events please click here.
Students who are unable to participate should provide a note to their respective Head of School by Friday 24 May. In the event your daughter is unable to participate due to injury, her attendance at the Carnival is still expected. A letter explaining your daughter’s unexpected absence on the day should be forwarded to the Head of School upon her return. It should be noted that the College maintains a record of student attendance for these important days in the calendar.
Students are required to wear their school tracksuit and House sports uniform and are permitted to wear this to and from the College. Students may only apply face and body markings, as well as House decorations, once they are at school and will be required to clean off any markings before they leave in the afternoon. Students are required to wear a Pymble sports hat and sunscreen and have a water bottle for use throughout the day. Students are also encouraged to bring a towel or rug to sit on throughout the day.
We ask that the students bring their own healthy lunch and refreshments. Boarders and day students who order lunches from the College should collect their lunches from the food truck at lunchtime, this will be situated near flagpole. A small selection of food and drinks will also be for purchase for all students on the day. Both Jacaranda and Archie’s cafe will be closed throughout the day.
Medical
Students who require asthma medication, EpiPen’s or other medications are expected to bring them to the Carnival. One of the College nurses will be present at the Carnival to assist with any injuries and illness.
See Athletics Program below:
Katie Edwards
Head of Sport – Years 7 to 12
Basketball
On Saturday 11 May, team Pymble 5 took on Kincoppal Rose Bay proving to be an extremely close game. Pymble dominated in the first half, with amazing shooting by Diana Attinger (Year 11), Alice Beveridge (Year 11) and Alice Anand (Year 11) providing a healthy lead into the second half. Although players started to tire in the second half allowing Kincoppal some opportunities to win back some goals, great defending by the entire team secured their second win out of two games 30 to 29. Well done to all Pymble 5 players for their impressive teamwork, Pymble grit and determination to take the win!
Results:
Team
Opponent
Result
Pymble 1
Kincoppal Rose Bay 01
27 to 40 Loss
Pymble 2
Abbotsleigh 01
22to 24 Loss
Pymble 3
St Catherine’s 02
33to31 Win
Pymble 4
Brigidine 03
14to 43 Loss
Pymble 5
Kincoppal Rose Bay 04
30 to29 Win
Pymble 6
Roseville 07
36 to18 Win
Pymble 7
Ravenswood O08
15 to14 Win
Pymble 8
Ascham 05
26 to15 Win
Pymble 9
PLC Sydney 08
31 to4 Win
Pymble 10
Frensham 08
58 t24 Win
Pymble 11
Pymble 12
20 to0 Win
Pymble 12
Pymble 11
0 to 20 Loss
Pymble13
Roseville 16
22to 18 Win
Pymble 14
Frensham 10
41 to 26 Win
Pymble 15
Roseville 18
4to 29 Loss
Pymble 16
Kincoppal Rose Bay 13
14 to 10 Win
Pymble 17
Kincoppal Rose Bay 14
9 to 20 Loss
Pymble 18
Frensham 12
12 to 42 Loss
Maddi Scott
Sports Co-ordinator – Basketball
Diving
Olympic Pathway Launch
It was a wonderful opportunity at the Olympic Pathways launch on Saturday, for students to share time with Olympians and Pymble alumni, Brittany O’Brien (Rio 2016- Diving) and Danielle Scott (Sochi 2014 – Freestyle Skiing), who both started diving at Pymble in Year 4. Such an inspiration that these former students have continued their journey after leaving Pymble and inspire and motivate younger generations to achieve their dreams.
CIS Secondary Diving Championships
CIS Diving Championships were held at Sydney Olympic Park on Tuesday 7 May.
Congratulations to our team of Pymble divers. The CIS Diving Championships is a very competitive event with a high standard of diving. Diving competitions are very challenging as it only takes a small mishap to significantly change the results on a day to day, event to event basis. This is the exciting challenge of competitive sport and keeps the motivation for our students to strive for their individual best.
Congratulations to all divers for their continued motivation to strive for the highest and their outstanding commitment in this high level of competition.
Well done to students on the following excellent results:
Mèa Shires (Year 10) 1st 15 Years Springboard and Qualified for All Schools.
Leila Rich (Year 9) 4th 15 years Springboard
Sasha Dubrovina (Year 8) 4th 12 years Springboard (missing qualification by 0.7)
Lilian Ahlenstiel (Year 7) 4th 12 years Springboard
Congratulations to our external Diving Connection divers who also competed and qualified for All Schools.
Level 2 Coaching Course
On Saturday 4 May and Sunday 5 May, Pymble Ladies’ College hosted a Level 2 Coaching course organised by Diving NSW and led by the National Coaching Director, Mike Martins. The course provided coaches with the opportunity to refine their craft and divers the expertise of Level 2 coaches for a weekend of extra special coaching.
It was a wonderful opportunity for divers from NSW to make use of the spectacular facilities that Pymble provides in both the pool and dryland.
Thank you to all those divers who volunteered to participate in this quality program.
PSSA Championships and SSA trials
The PSSA Championships will be held on Wednesday 15 May. Results from this event will be published next week. We wish all Pymble divers competing the very best in diving for this competition.
Chris Lang
Head of Diving
Fencing
Over the last two weekends, 13 Pymble students competed at AJ Rae & Ra White Schools Teams fencing event and the Roberta Nutt Under 14s and Under 16s competition.
At the Schools Team fencing in the Epee team event, both Pymble teams competed well. Pymble A (Alexandra Hargraves (Year 9), Penelope Hargraves (Year 7), Sophie Ngai (Year 9), and Elysia Sun (Year 10) secured the second position, however, lost narrowly to MLC with a score of 43 to 45 in the final. Pymble B (Selina Huang (Year 10), Rosa Kim (Year 10), and Anita Kang (Year 7), achieved third place, displaying great skill during the competition which they have been working on in training.
In the Foil teams event, Pymble were represented by Renee Leung (Year 11), Sophie Ngai (Year 9), and Candice Zhou (Year 7) and were undefeated, securing first place. Their outstanding performance in the match against MLC B was particularly impressive as Renee scored 11 hits in the final two minutes to lead Pymble to victory after a six-point deficit.
Well done to Sophie Ngai (Year 9) for her efforts in competing in both the epee and foil events.
In the Epee Under 16s category, Alexandra Hargraves (Year 9) and Penelope Hargraves (Year 7) secured third position. Tala Gubara (Year 9) achieved sixth position after some hard fought bouts, Anita Kang (Year 7) finished seventh, and Ariana Azizmohammad (Year 8) finished tenth. It was the first time Tala and Ariana have competed, and their commitment and enthusiasm for the sport was unwavering.
In the Epee Under 14s category, our Pymble fencers displayed remarkable skills, supporting each other during their bouts. Ariana Azizmohammad (Year 8) and Penelope Hargraves (Year 7) performed exceptionally well, securing victories in their respective poules, finishing at 5th and 6th positions respectively. Despite a last minute tie, Anita Kang (Year 7) unfortunately lost in the priority minute, finishing 8th place overall. The team exhibited significant growth from morning to afternoon, which is truly commendable.
A shout out to Alexandra Hargraves (Year 9) for volunteering as a referee for the Under 14s competition.
Sophie Ngai (Year 9) and Candice Zhou (Year 7) performed exceptionally well in the Foil event, winning two of their poule bouts, however, their first direct elimination round pitted them against each other. After showing great sportsmanship in their bout, Candice finished in 8th place, while Sophie finished in 9th place overall.
Picture 3: Epee Teams – Second Place – Alexandra Hargraves (Year 9), Penelope Hargraves (Year 7), Sophie Ngai (Year 9), Elysia Sun (Year 10); Third Place to Selina Huang (Year 10) Rosa Kim (Year 10) Anita Kang (Year 7)
Picture 4: Alexandra Hargreaves (Year 9), Penelope Hargreaves (Year 7)
Samantha Dale
Sports Co-ordinator – Fencing
Football
Unfortunately, due to the huge amounts of rainfall we had last week, all igsa football matches on Saturday 11 May were washed out. We are looking forward to brighter skies this week and are hopeful that no venues will close.
CIS Football Cup Update
Our CIS Football Cup team will compete in their quarter final match on Thursday 23 May. The team will face GOAL College at 1.00pm on Pymble’s Main Oval. Having scored 21 goals and conceding 0 in our first two matches, the team are hoping to gain a spot in the semi-final. The winner of our quarter final matchup will face PLC Sydney.
Chris Wood
Sports Co-ordinator – Football
Hockey
Mollie Dive Hockey Term 2 has kicked off with some incredible matches last Tuesday and Wednesday night. All three Pymble matches were super exciting with Pymble performing all over the hockey turf. A special mention to Pymble 1 for their dominant performance. Their teamwork, passion and skills shown on Tuesday night is a credit to all their hard work and effort over the last couple of years.
See below Round 1 results:
Date
Team A
Team B
Result
Tuesday 7 May
Pymble 1
Roseville College A
6 to 0 Win
Tuesday 7 May
Pymble 2
Barker College A
0 to 3 Loss
Tuesday 7 May
Pymble 3
Barker College B
1 to 0 Win
Congratulations to the following students who received best and fairest for their match last week!
Pymble 1 – Bella Croker (Year 11)
Pymble 2 – Mary Cottrell (Year 11)
Pymble 3 – Phoebe Pockley (Year 9)
We wish our Pymble teams all the best for this week’s matches.
Shellie Davis
Sports Co-ordinator – Hockey
Junior School Sport
It was amazing to see how many Year 6 students attended the official launch of our partnership with the Australian Olympic Committee as an Olympic Pathway school last Saturday 11 May. In true Junior School spirit, these students didn’t hold back from asking many questions while having photos taken with the Olympians present on the day. It was an inspiring and amazing experience for all students who attended.
Junior School Sport Team of the Week
Congratulations to IPSHA Hockey Pymble 3 (Year 5), this week’s Junior School Sport Team of the Week. Anyone at the game witnessed one of the best comebacks of all time by Pymble 3! The players were down 4 to 0 very early against Ascham, however, they completely flipped a switch at halftime, bringing amazing defence and dominance into the game, seeing the team claw their way back and draw the game 5 to 5! Well done team-such an exciting game to watch showing true Pymble grit, courage and determination!
CIS Sport Representative Hockey Trials
Congratulations to Madison Burns (Year 6), Bethany Tucker (Year 6) and Sophie Ahn (Year 6), who were selected to trial for the CIS Hockey Representative team last Monday 13 May. Although Madison, Bethany and Sophie did not make the CIS team, they showed great determination and spirit and should be very proud of their efforts.
Matt Tyson
Head of Sport (K-6)
Pymble Elite Sportswomen’s Program
We are delighted to extend an invitation to Pymble student-athletes for a keynote on Performance Nutrition and Positive Body Image for Female Athletes, presented by Melissa Juergens.
This keynote session is scheduled for Tuesday 21 May from 3.45pm to 5.15pm held in the Jobson Lecture Theatre in the Kate Mason Building.
Melissa Juergens, an accredited and practicing dietitian, as well as an accredited sports dietitian, will cover several pivotal topics, including:
Fuelling for Performance: Emphasising the importance of a balanced and adequate nutritional approach to meet the demands of performance.
Debunking Myths: Addressing common misconceptions surrounding the “ideal” female athlete body and the risks associated with under-fuelling.
Practical Nutrition Guidance: Offering practical advice on nutrition before and after training/competitions to support heavy training loads and optimal recovery.
Uniqueness of Nutritional Needs: Reiterating the crucial understanding that athletes should not compare their diets to their peers, as their nutritional requirements are distinct and specifically tailored to their individual sporting needs.
Our goal for this session is to nurture an informative space where both student-athletes and their parents can acquire a deeper comprehension of these subjects, fostering healthy habits and a positive body image among our Pymble athletes. At the conclusion of the presentation, there will be an opportunity for attendees to engage in a Q&A segment.
Melissa Juergens has a commendable background, contributing her expertise as the Head Sports Dietitian for the GWS Giants AFL, Giants Netball, Waratahs Men and Waratahs Women team. With a mission to demystify diet and nutrition, Melissa is dedicated to helping individuals view food beyond mere calories. Her approach encourages a balanced diet that doesn’t impose unnecessary restrictions but instead supports individuals in becoming the healthiest, happiest versions of themselves, enabling them to thrive in our dynamic world.
We encourage all Pymble student-athletes and their parents to attend this invaluable presentation. The keynote is open to any student-athlete in Years 7 to 12 and their parent/carer who represent Pymble in a sporting team.
If you would like to attend the keynote, please complete the RSVP below. Students and parents are also encouraged to complete the following AIS education modules from the Female Performance and Health Initiative prior to the keynote presentation.
Due to limited numbers, parents/carers and students are requested to RSVP if they are wishing to attend the presentation.
Please RSVP by clicking here no later than 3.00pm on Friday 17 May.
Skye Halliday
Co-ordinator – Pymble Elite Sportswomen’s Program
Swimming
Our Pymble swimmers returned to the pool on Monday 6 May 6 and Tuesday 7 May, representing Pymble Ladies’ College at CIS.
We were immensely proud of the team’s performance, especially after a remarkable season at Nationals and IGSA. Those who secured a place in the top three will advance to All Schools, presenting an opportunity to compete at School Nationals held on the Gold Coast later in July. A big thank you to all staff members who contributed to this success, including coaches Rafael Rodrigues, Michelle Thomas, Sara Petronzio, Steven Qu and Miss Samantha Dale (Co-ordinator).
Among the highlights was Megan Chia’s (Year 8) exceptional performance, advancing in five out of six contested events and the successful progression of all five relay races.
Outstanding results by our Pymble swimmers are listed below:
Megan Chia (Year 8)
2nd 14 Years 50m Freestyle
3rd 14 Years 50m Butterfly
3rd 12-14 Years 200m Freestyle
2nd 14 Years 100 Freestyle
6th 14 Years 50 Backstroke
1st 12-14 Years Butterfly
Arabella Cox (Year 12)
2nd 17&O Years 100m Backstroke
3rd 17&O Years 50m Backstroke
Jessica Croll (Year 11)
6th 17&O Years 100m Backstroke
Jessica Cullen (Year 11)
11th 17&O Years 50 Butterfly
1st 17 Years 100m Backstroke
Oriana Fenton (Year 7)
6th 12 Years 50m Breaststroke
5th 12 Years 100 Freestyle
Piper Gregory-Reid (Year 12)
4th 17&O 200m Individual Medley
7th 17&O 100m Backstroke
7th 17-19 Years 50m Breaststroke
6th 17&O 100m Breaststroke
Imogen Jones (Year 8)
9th 14 Years 50 Backstroke
Lily Lockhart (Year 11)
6th 17&O Years 200m Breaststroke
5th 17&O Years 50m Breaststroke
6th 17&O Years 100m Breaststroke
Emma Ng (Year 8)
5th 13 Years 50m Butterfly
5th 13 Years 50m Breaststroke
3rd 13 Years 50m Backstroke
Jessica Persson (Year 8)
4th 12-14 200m Butterfly
Keira Smith (Year 11)
3rd 17 Years 50m Freestyle
5th 17&O Years 100 Butterfly
Sarah Tian (Year 10)
3rd 15-16 Years 200m Individual Medley
2nd 15-16 Years 100m Backstroke
1st 15-16 Years 50m Backstroke
2nd 15-16 Years 200m Backstroke
Indianna Vale (Year 9)
2nd 15 Years 100m Freestyle
Relays
2nd Junior 4x50m Medley Relay
Imogen Jones (Year 8), Emma Ng (Year 8), Megan Chia (Year 8) and Charlotte Sadler (Year 7)
2nd Intermediate 4x50m Medley Relay
Sarah Tian (Year 10), Ruby Pickthall (Year 10), Annika Lee (Year 11) and Jennifer Chong (Year 11)
2nd Senior 4x50m Medley Relay
Jessica Cullen (Year 11), Lily Lockhart (Year 11), Keira Smith (Year 11) and Piper Gregory-Reid (Year 12)
2nd Senior 4×50 Freestyle Relay
Arabella Cox (Year 12), Jessica Cullen (Year 11), Keira Smith (Year 11) and Jaya Lilienthal (Year 11)
Last Wednesday 8 May, Year 10 and 11 Drama students visited the Opera House to see Sydney Theatre company’s production of No Pay, No Way – a contemporary revival of the Dario Fo classic.
Winner of the 1977 Nobel Prize in Literature, Dario Fo wrote more than 80 plays in his lifetime and is remembered as a master of political satire, using comedy and farce to advance social justice. Fifty years after the original production in Italy, this play has lost none of its relevance and as Year 10 embark on their Political Theatre unit next term they come equipped with a stronger appreciation of social parody, physical comedy, and irony.
It was wonderful to witness our Drama students enjoying live theatre at one of Sydney’s most iconic art venues.
Melinda Pedavoli
Head of Drama and Theatre Production
Congratulations to our Intermediate and Senior Theatresports teams on their outstanding performance in the first round of the NSW Theatresports Competition. Despite fierce competition, both teams have secured spots in the Semi-finals! The Intermediate team will compete at Tara on Thursday 16 May and the Senior team will compete at Lindfield Learning Village on Monday 20 May.
The Intermediate team, Grace McSweeney (Year 9), Jessica Allman (Year 9), Catherine Zeng (Year 9) and Sitian Chen (Year 9), started off steadily, soaring to third place by the end of the night. Their heartfelt journey through memory lane earned them the highest score of the evening, solidifying their spot in the competition.
Consistency was key for the Senior team. Murphy Scott (Year 12), Finley Saghaie (Year 12) and Chloe Brown (Year 10) showcased remarkable improvisation skills in every scene. Their exceptional performance in round 4 earned them a perfect score.
As we celebrate this remarkable achievement, we also send our best wishes to both teams as they gear up for the next round of competitions. Congratulations once again on this fantastic result, and we wish you all the best for the Semi-finals!
Upcoming Events for Co-curricular Drama in May
Friday 17 May and Saturday 18 May: Sydney Eisteddfod (Duos) – Zenith Theatre
Saturday 25 May and Sunday 26 May: Inner West Eisteddfod – Fitzroy Centre
Rebecca York
Co-curricular Drama Co-ordinator
Language Arts
ISDA Debating
Congratulations to ISDA Primary B (at PLC Sydney), Year 7 (at Roseville) and Senior A (at Roseville) who are through to Octo final 2 this Friday 17 May. All details and venues have been posted on MyPymble. It is wonderful to see half of our teams through to finals – good luck!
Congratulations to Year 10 ISDA who won their Octo final 1 last Friday 10 May.
To all other ISDA teams – this now marks the end of your ISDA 2024 journey. Thanks for the memories! We hope you enjoyed the season.
FED Debating
Teams through to FED Finals are –
7A, 7B, 8B and Year 12 – Senior A. Pymble will host the FED quarter final round this Friday 17 May. Further information has been published on MyPymble. Coaches will contact students regarding training.
Congratulations to 7A, 7B, 8B and Year 12 – Senior A on reaching the quarter finals.
To all other FED teams that have not been listed, this now marks the end of your 2024 FED season. Thank you for your contributions and we hope you enjoyed the season.
Archdale – Shield and Invitational
The Archdale debating competition will have two separate competitions this year: Archdale Shield and Archdale Invitational.
Archdale Shield is the face to face comp with eight teams. Archdale Shield will commence on Tuesday 21 May with Round 1 being hosted by Mount St Benedict’s.
Archdale Invitational is held online and will be run from Pymble each week. Online debates will be held in the three new Pymble IH classrooms. There will be three invitational teams – Archdale Junior, Intermediate and Senior. Archdale Invitational will also commence on Tuesday 21 May. Please ensure all registrations have been completed and bus tickets have been purchased for Round 1 of the Shield Competition. Students will travel by College bus to the event, however, parents must arrange to collect their daughters at the conclusion of the event.
Both Shield and Invitational teams will attend the Grand final in person.
Thank you to Amy Zhang (Year 11), our Debating Captain, for running the pre-season meeting on Tuesday 14 May.
Year 9 Archdale debaters who are at Vision Valley will miss round one and will have subs.
Coaches will be in contact with teams.
There will be NO Archdale Shield debates on Tuesday 28 May. These debates will be held on the make up round on Tuesday 13 August. Invitational debates will still be held on this date.
The Archdale draw and timings have been sent to all who have registered.
Social Debating SSD – Sydney Social Debating
Apologies for any confusion regarding the commencement of Social Debating. All students participating in this program should have registered prior to the upcoming competition. All Social Debates will be held at Pymble and venues are to be confirmed.
Commencement dates for Sydney Social Debating are as follows:
Friday 17 May from 4.30pm to 6.30pm – Training workshop for coaches ONLY (Jobson Theatre). Students are not required at this session.
Friday 24 Mayfrom 3.30pm to 6.30pm – Training Workshop and Introduction to Debating for coaches andall Social Debaters. Students will meet their coach at this session.
Friday 31 May from 3.30pm to 6.30pm – Training, Prep and Online Debates commence.
Transport
Buses will be arranged to most away venues and parents are asked to arrange collection of girls following debates. Students are not permitted to travel home of public transport without adult supervision. Parents are welcome to watch their daughter’s/ daughters’ debate/s.
Absences
Debaters must inform Mrs Hubbard, their coach and team, in advance, if they will be absent for a Debating round. We do not forfeit, and subs can be arranged.
Representative Achievements
Well done to Maya Garg, (Year 11) who represented NSW at the National Schools Debating in Adelaide this month.
NSW was the most successful team and won all their “in-rounds.” Maya was the only Year 11 student selected for this team. Go Maya! Your selection and performance have been most commendable.
Public Speaking
Best wishes go to Estelle Lee (Year 8), as she competes in the Rostrum Regionals for Public Speaking next week, at Ravenswood, from 4.30pm.
PESA
Pymble hosted a Plain English Speaking Award heat on Monday 13 May. Congratulations to Madeline Watson (Year 11) and Jenny Xu (Year 10) who competed. Jenny will progress to the next round. Thank you to all students who assisted with hosting.
MUN – Model United Nations
Congratulations to Jenny Xu (Year 10) who has been selected to attend the UN Youth National conference to be held in Brisbane in July.
Evatt
Congratulations to those who entered Evatt and performed so well. Results to follow.
Discover MUN
A MUN training day will be held at UNSW on Monday 20 May.
Harvard Model United Nations
This year Harvard MUN (HMUN) will be held face to face at UTS, Sydney! Please inform Mrs Hubbard if you have enrolled. CCSA will be in contact regarding details. The event will be held on Thursday 6 June to Sunday 9 June. https://www.hmunaustralia.org/
57th Session of THIMUN – The Hague, January 2025
The Pymble Language Arts International Tour group have been accepted as the first Australian school to attend THIMUN at The Hague. Tour details will follow through Travel@Pymble. The tour will depart Sydney on 17 January 2025 and travellers will commence Term 1 on 3 February 2025.
Mock Law
This term’s Mock Law competitions are underway!
Mediation Round Two will be held on Wednesday 22 May from 10.30am, online in C07.
Mock Trial Round Two will be against Barker on Monday 20 May.
Upcoming Programs and Events
IDC Debating Term 4
Language Arts Farewell to Year 12 High Tea held from 4.30pm to 6.30pm on Thursday 27 June in the GMCPA for Language Arts students in Years 10 to 12. Tickets will be on sale soon.
Staff v Student debate
PMUN Winter Conference – Saturday 27 July
Music
On Saturday 11 May, members of the Symphonic Wind Ensemble and some members of the school choir performed as part of the Olympic Pathway School event. Our students had two rehearsals to prepare a processional, recessional plus the national anthem and school song. The “Pymble girl attitude” never ceases to amaze me – they always rise to the occasion. Under the direction of our Head of Bands, Mr Stafford, our Pymble musicians dazzled us with their brilliance, showing a level of camaraderie with our brilliant sportswomen. In any school, some of the busiest areas are Sport and the Performing Arts. Students are up early to train and rehearse, give up weekends to perform and compete, and no sooner have they finished one thing, they are on to the next. Thank you to our Pymble musicians and Mr Stafford!
Congratulations to all students participating in PAC. This week our Pymble Art students have had their works showcased in the Chapel and we will be deciding who will proceed to “Best of PAC”. This event will be held in week 5 during MBS time.
Year 8 Elective Music have been working tirelessly to prepare for their production of Finding Nemo Jnr. Working with these students is always a highlight for teachers. Sometimes the shyest student decides to “own the stage”, finding their special place in their world. I was reminiscing with a current Year 11 student about this and she revealed playing a role in Moana was what helped her continue to pursue her passion for the Performing Arts. I agree it’s not for everyone, but even those students who have not considered Performing Arts have found a place, made friends and enjoyed being part of a successful show. Well done to Ms Ashton and Mr Rossman in their preparation of the classes, and to our theatre staff for making the stage come alive under the sea.
In Week 2, our two chamber groups, Aurora and Andarta trios were invited to perform for, and be coached by, members of the Musica Viva Strike a Chord Competition. These students receive lots of feedback from professional musicians at Pymble and it’s always wonderful to have even more feedback from people who do not know the background stories. Being part of a small chamber group is harder than being a soloist, and harder than being in a large orchestra, band or choir. There is a balance of working together to learn each other’s nuances, being musical, but to also allow the music to speak for itself. Each student is an equal within the group, and not a soloist. We will be recording the students and submitting their entries to be judged externally and to participate in a competition open to all of Australia.
Performance Uniforms
After spending most of last year organising the lovely new uniforms for our students, it is so wonderful to see them on stage looking so elegant. Until…you look down at their shoes. I would like to see students wearing some elegant black shoes to go with their uniforms, rather than their school shoes.
Dates for your diary
Ensemble Photos
All ensembles in the Senior School
Monday 3 June 2024
Ensemble Photos
All ensembles in the Senior School
Tuesday 4 June 2024
Ensemble Photos
All ensembles in the Senior School
Wednesday 5 June 2024
Eisteddfod Week
Senior Music Ensembles to compete in the City of Sydney Eisteddfod
Monday 17 June to Friday 28 June 2024
Secondary Schools Ensemble Concert
Senior School Ensembles perform
Tuesday 25 June 2024
Year 12 Farewell Lunch
Music Support group provide lunch for Year 12 ensemble members
Thursday 27 June 2024
For singers
The Conservatorium of Music hosts an “Opera and Musical Theatre Lab” and it is open to all interested students. Pymble students perform as part of either an opera or a musical, after spending time with renowned singers and actors. Please go to the open academy to find out more.
Sarah Turner
Head of Co-curricular Music
Year 12 HSC Winter Study Camp
The Pymble HSC Winter Study Camp is on during the first week of the holiday break!
The camp is a five-day (non-residential) program that provides you with a structured study environment free from distractions in the lead up to the Trial Examinations.
Fabulous features of study camp:
Teachers available daily for individual or small group tutoring
Dedicated absolute quiet study space
Allocated rooms do a practice exam or collaborate in small groups
Academic advisors will be available daily for ATAR estimates and study planning assistance
The Futures Team will be onsite. Students will be able to book a time with a member of the team.
Unlimited tea, coffee and fruit
Students who are working on a major project will be able to visit their respective classrooms/spaces during this time to work on their projects if staff are available.
Camp Details: Monday 1 July to Friday 5 July 2024
Time: 8.30am to 4.30pm
Cost: $345.00 (5 days) – morning tea, lunch and afternoon tea will be provided daily
It is recommended to register ASAP as the number of teachers for tutoring is matched to the number of students attending. Last year over 70% of the Year 12 cohort participated.
For further questions, please contact: Mrs Jenny Olsen jolsen@pymblelc.nsw.edu.au (Head of Extended Learning).
Pymble in Temora
You’re invited: ySafe Parent Webinar
Parents and carers of daughters in Years 7 to 12 are invited to attend the ySafe Parent Webinar on Thursday 30 May at 6.30pm.
Protecting children in their digital worlds is an ever-evolving task for Australian families. Now more than ever parents are looking for guidance in how to manage screen time and navigate the world of games and social media.
We are therefore pleased to help our parent community by offering a crucial and engaging education session with ySafe, Australia’s leading provider of online safety education. This practical, strategy-rich session will cover the most important points that all families need to know about online safety, covering key information about social media and gaming, screen time recommendations and step-by-step instructions on how to set up a cyber safe home for children of all ages.
If you’ve ever struggled with getting your children off their games and into bed, worried about the content of the games that they are playing or felt concerned that your child was spending too much time in the digital world, this workshop is for you!
Click here to access the online webinar on Thursday 30 May.
Master Plan Update – May 2024
Welcome to the May update for Pymble’s Master Plan. We are pleased to share our progress with you below.
The safety of our students, staff and community is always our priority. Every phase of construction has been meticulously planned to minimise disruption to our girls’ daily school experience and ensure their safety and wellbeing. Students, staff and parents are reminded to report any safety issue or query using our safety reporting website.
There has been major progress made at Vision Valley over the holidays in readiness for our latest group of Year 9 Pymble adventurers and our first group of 48 boys from Churchie in Brisbane, to begin the four-week Residential Program.
We are grateful for your support and look forward to sharing more with you as the Master Plan journey progresses.
Sign up to the Lindfield Fun Run
Run, jog, walk, dawdle, push a stroller or volunteer and join us at the Lindfield Fun Run on Sunday 19 May – this fantastic community fun run has something for everyone. For the serious runners, the 10km run is sure to challenge, while both the 2km and 5km routes will give you a real sense of accomplishment. Best of all, join in for a good cause.
All proceeds raised will be donated to charity – to KYDS Youth Development Service and Hornsby Ku-ring-gai Women’s Shelter, and the balance to Rotary’s other local charities. Register to run/walk via QR Code on the flyer or click here.
In addition, to running/walking Pymble is keen to provide support with parents and student volunteers to help the morning go smoothy, please consider volunteering with your family. You can register as a volunteer by clicking here.
