We were blessed to have some Very Important Guests visit our Junior School last Friday. If you were walking around the grounds this week, perhaps you were lucky enough to encounter a visual reminder of the special role these VIPs play in the lives of our girls. The words of love from our girls to their grandparents are just beautiful. Thank you to all the grandparents, parents, special family friends and carers who helped make our Grandparents’ Picnic so special for our Junior School family.
At the other end of the spectrum, tomorrow in the Senior School Centre, 37 Year 12 Geography students will undertake the very last HSC exam for the year – woo hoo! Following the final “pens down” at 12.30pm, our Class of 2024 will officially become Pymble Alumni, ready to discover a whole new world of adulting. We are thrilled to send them on their way knowing they possess the knowledge and skills to step confidently onto their next pathway in life, with strong character traits and values to shine a guiding light along the way. We fully expect this impressive cohort to continue to roar way beyond 2024 and look forward to watching on with great pride as they change the world in their own unique way.
Reflecting on how our College values of Care, Courage, Integrity, Respect and Responsibility will continue to play a significant role in the lives of all our students when they eventually leave our care, led me to a wonderful poem by an incredible woman I have long admired. Earlier this week, I shared the poem with our staff as possibly the simplest explanation of why we expect our students, staff and community to live our values every day.
Do it anyway by Mother Teresa reminds us there are many reasons why we should, could or would not do some things in life. Equally, there are many reasons to just do them anyway.
Have a great week ahead, and thanks for all you do for your daughters, our staff and our College…anyway.
Windows into Learning
From passion projects to pen pals on padlets, learning at Pymble engages the girls in memorable and meaningful ways, thanks to the passion and creativity of our wonderful teachers.
Year 3 Passion Projects
Our new Compass initiative, Passion Projects, empowers students to explore their own interests, express creativity, and develop a deeper connection to themselves. Each student selects a topic they are passionate about, which could be anything from culture, sporting activities, environmental advocacy, art, or coding, for instance. By allowing the freedom to pursue a subject of choice, the project encourages students to take pride in their individuality, and to be courageous in exploring ideas that matter to them personally. Throughout the project, students work independently with teacher support, learning valuable skills in research, organisation, and presentation. At the end of the term, they proudly showcase their projects to their peers in a class exhibition, sharing their journey and discoveries. This presentation builds confidence and gives students a sense of accomplishment as they see their hard work come to life.
Passion Projects nurture personal growth and inspire students to understand the joy of learning through self-directed exploration. The initiative highlights our commitment to encouraging each student to be a courageous, thoughtful learner, fully engaged in their learning.
Mrs Tracy Reid Year 3 Co-ordinator
Bonjour from Pymble!
One of the great joys of learning another language is using it in authentic context. Recently, our Year 7 French students enjoyed corresponding with student pen pals at the Ecole-College Saint Dominique in Haute-Loire, France. This was a great opportunity for students at both schools to practise their French and English as they exchanged letters about their family, pets, school and general interests via a padlet.
Mikayla: “I enjoyed learning about my pen pal’s life and getting to know them and French culture. A challenge I faced was the language barrier, but trying to figure out what they were saying was fun.”
Candice: “I enjoyed slowly learning and trying to adapt to reading in French, but sometimes the grammar was a little confusing!”.
Selina:“The pen pal experience was fun because it helped us build a connection between other students. This was very enjoyable because we also got to learn lots more French vocabulary along the way. A few challenges include having to understand phrases because sometimes the dialogue was a bit hard to write as both sides were not fluent in the other language. But overall, this was a memorable experience of making new friends and learning at the same time.”
Mrs Salina Bussien Head of Learning Area – Modern and Classical Languages
Parking at Pymble: Keeping our community safe
Term 4 is a busy and very exciting term at Pymble with many events, performances and concerts on the College calendar.
Recently, increased parent traffic on our campus coupled with limited parking availability, is creating congestion and dangerous driving behaviour, particularly at Centenary Carpark and Flagpole Lawn. To prevent an avoidable tragedy and ensure the safety of our community, Pymble security staff are supervising the drop-off zone and carpark bays at both areas for the remainder of Term 4.
We ask that all drivers follow the directions of our staff and leave the carpark immediately after dropping their child.If you must wait for your daughter, please exit the College grounds and park on the surrounding streets.
Campus Road Rules
The College is protected under the Inclosed Lands Protection Act 1901 (NSW) and may legally refuse entry to any individual/s and/or their vehicle/s at any time.
Drivers must obey College staff directions and road safety signage at all times.
The maximum speed limit on all College roads is 10 km/h.
Do not overtake at speed on College roads.
Do not park on or near pedestrian crossings.
College parking is never to be used as commuter parking.
The College may tow away any vehicle that is parked contrary to these rules.
Drop-Off Zones
Girls may be dropped off in the following zones ONLY:
Junior School (K-2) and After School Care – Lower Road.
Junior School (3-6) and Middle Schools – Main Oval side of Flagpole Lawn.
Upper and Senior Schools – Centenary Car Park.
Pick-Up Zones
Girls may be picked up in the following zones ONLY:
Junior School (K-2) and After School Care – Lower Road.
Junior School (3-4) and Middle Schools – Main Oval side of Flagpole Lawn.
Junior School (5-6), Upper and Senior Schools – Centenary Car Park.
All drivers must abide by the following rules within these zones:
Drivers and adult passengers must remain within their vehicle.
If you must walk your daughter from your car, please park in the surrounding streets and walk into the College.
Students must enter and exit the vehicle on the passenger side (left-hand side) of the vehicle and are not permitted to walk between motor vehicles at any time.
Students must have their bags and belongings with them in the passenger seats and not go to the car boot.
Students are not permitted to be dropped off or picked up in front of Gate 3 or at the staff car park inside Gate 3. Please proceed to the drop-off and pick up zone in Centenary Car Park.
Thank you for your support and co-operation in keeping our children and community safe.
From the Junior School
From the Head of Junior School
It was fabulous to welcome so many of our special elders to our Junior School on Friday to celebrate our grandparents. Having grown up with my maternal grandmother living with us, I know the positive and special impact of growing up with a grandparent in your daily life. As my own daughters have grown up with my beloved mum on the other side of the world, I also know the challenge of being so far away from loved family members so we do our best to support all our girls and create magical moments for them and all our families in any way we can throughout the year. Thank you for supporting all our Junior School events.
Kindness in action
I was very proud to be advised of several moments noticed by members of our College community last week where our Junior School girls shone with kindness and demonstrated how they live our College values in all they say and do.
Kate Johnson, Operations Manager Aquatic Centre, was on pool deck and witnessed four of our girls showing care and compassion towards a swimmer who was swimming 50m for the first time. Anne Lai, Jianing Li, Afra Sarchami and Cara McCarthy all stood along the side of the pool to encourage this nervous swimmer and Jianing shared her experience of when she first swam in the big pool, and how nervous she was which really helped the girl.
Mrs Fiona Crawford, Company Secretary wrote to me this week to advise as follows:
Just wanted to let you know that during last week, I was heading up the stairs from OSHC and slightly caught my foot. One of the young Junior School girls that was passing me with her friends at the time said, ‘Oh…. Are you OK?’ in such a compassionate and caring way.
How lovely she took that moment to check-in with me. I appreciated her kindness and wanted to let you know.
In our busy world, it’s important we pause to notice these little moments and celebrate the power of kindness. Our Junior School girls excel in leading the way and they are determined to change the world through kindness.
A message from Lara Bird – Deputy Head of Junior School – Academics
Congratulations to Kimberly Zhao (Year 4) and Aarthi Rao (Year 4) who have been recognised in The Young Australian Arts and Writer’s Award through the OzKids in Print Competition. Both their entries won an award and the girls, together with their parents will be attending the awards ceremony in Melbourne at the end of November.
We are very Pymble proud of the following students who have been recognised in the Pens against Poverty Competition. The girls will be attending the award ceremony at Government House, Canberra hosted by Her Excellency the Honourable Ms Sam Mostyn AC, Governor General of Australia.
Years 3 and 4 Stories
Winner: Sarah Kitzing for her story The mirror that divided us
Years 3 and 4 Poetry
Winner: Rayna Zhou for her poem A place for everyone
Years 5 and 6 Poetry
Highly Commended: Leia Ripley for her poem Wishing
The Junior School was awarded The John Foulcher Award as part of this year’s Pens against Poverty Competition. This award was conferred for high quality writing reflected across all student entries. Congratulations girls!
We have also received outstanding results in ICAS across Years 3 to 6. This is a voluntary academic assessment with approximately 30 girls in each year participating in assessments in Maths, English, Spelling, Science and Writing. Mrs Christine Kenny, Deputy Principal – Academic (K-12) and Mrs Kate Brown, Head of Junior School presented the girls their certificates. Congratulations to the following students who achieved a Distinction and/or High Distinction and congratulations to all girls who had a go participating in ICAS, we are Pymble proud of you!
Congratulations to the following students who have been awarded Distinction or High Distinction in the Australian Mathematics Competition (AMC) across Years 3 to 6. This is also a voluntary academic assessment with approximately 20 girls in each year participating. Mrs Christine Kenny, Deputy Principal – Academic (K-12) and Mrs Kate Brown, Head of Junior School presented the girls their certificates. Congratulations to Amelié Berg (Year 5) who was recognised as Best in School for AMC. Well done and congratulations to all girls who had a go participating in AMC, we are Pymble proud of you!
A message from Mr Robinson – Deputy Head of Junior School – Operations
OSHC Registrations
It is with thanks to parents and carers that we have now surpassed 92 per cent of students (Kindergarten to Year 5) being registered with OSHC. This important step not only provides a backup plan for when pickup may not go as planned but will allow students to be eligible to select co-curricular activities for 2025 (including tennis, co-curricular music and swimming).
Separate instructions will be shared via MyPymble notices that demonstrate where to find your OSHC registration number within Kidsoft, as this number will be a mandatory field when registering for 2025 co-curricular activities on 20 November 2024.
End of Term Afternoon Supervision
A reminder to parents that from Week 5, some co-curricular activities will be finishing prior to the end of term. If this impacts your daughter, please ensure you have arranged alternative supervision.
Parents who have recently registered their children for OSHC but have yet to try this service may be eligible for the complimentary ‘Welcome Afternoon’.
Wellbeing Weekly – A message from Mrs Kate Giles – Head of Wellbeing K-6
As a part of our Compass Program, the girls take part in Unstructured Play sessions. These sessions build the girls’ problem solving, collaboration and creativity skills by allowing them the freedom to explore, create and discover using a variety of materials such as cardboard boxes, ropes, sheets, plastic tubs, tyres and other loose parts.
The Year 3 and 4 girls have asked me to share the following request with you:
Dear Parents
Unstructured Play is our favourite part of Compass as we get to play together outside. We love making things using the different things.
You may see a rope, but we see a swing. What I would really like to see is a zipline or flying fox! – Freya (Year 4)
You may see just things you don’t need any more, but we see opportunities to make things like this sled to help clean the playground. – Emma (Year 4)
We would really like some big tyres, pipes and plastic tubs to make things we can race each other with in the valley. – Harley (Year 3)
We really need your help. We would like some more things to make Unstructured Play even more fun and we want to be kind to the environment so if you have any of these things you do not need anymore, please tell Mrs Giles.
Some things we thought of were:
Tyres
Ropes
Large cardboard boxes (for example boxes that would fit whitegoods such as fridges)
Large plastic tubs/drums
Pipes (plastic, PVC or cardboard)
Hammocks (or sheets that can be used to make hammocks)
Plastic crates
Cones
Barrels
Thank you for your help!
From the Year 3 and 4 Unstructured Play fans- Freya, Caia, Emma, Davina, Kimberly, Victoria, Kaylie, Maisie, Olivia J, Tabitha, Harley, Isabel C, Chloe Y, Anna H and Isla.
Please let me know if you have any of these items that you may be able to provide. Please understand that we may not be able to accept all items due to space.
A message from Mr Kurt Schweinberger – Head of Creative and Performing Arts K-6
Year 3 Big Band Blow
On Wednesday, our Year 3 students attended the Band Blow demonstration morning. Featuring the talents of our Year 4 Training Band, from trombone to percussion, French horn to oboe, our Year 3 students had the opportunity to try out all the instruments that make up the concert band. The excitement was contagious as students explored the sounds and techniques of each instrument, guided by our talented music staff.
Adding to the excitement, the Year 4 Training Band performed a series of special pieces, giving our Year 3 students a glimpse of what they could achieve with practice and dedication.
For those Year 3 students interested in joining the 2025 Year 4 Training Band, please refer to the information on the Parent Portal. For any questions or enquiries, please contact our music department at musicadmin@pymblelc.nsw.edu.au.
Junior School Digital News
From the Junior School Parent Group (JSPG)
Year 6 Parents Cocktail Party
You are warmly invited to attend the Year 6 Parent Cocktail Party on Friday 29 November from 6.30pm to 8.30pm on Marden Lawn. This is a parent-only event (no siblings) held during the Year 6 Silent Disco. While the girls enjoy their final Junior School function, parents will have the opportunity to celebrate their journey through the Junior School and look forward to the new adventures to come in Year 7 in 2025.
The cost of the event is $28.00 per person, which includes beer, Prosecco and Aperol spritz as well as soft drinks and water. Guests are invited to bring a plate to share. If you would like to bring a plate, please sign up here to indicate what you will be bringing.
Please click here to purchase a ticket by Thursday 21 November. We look forward to seeing you there!
Tuesday 12 November – K-12 Jacaranda Day Assembly – all girls in summer uniform please (not PE uniform)
Wednesday 13 November – Dance Showcase 1 (Years 3-6 4.00pm)
Wednesday 13 November – Dance Showcase 2 (Years 3-6 7.00pm)
Friday 15 November – Dance Showcase 5 (Performance Stream 6.30pm)
Saturday 16 November – IPSHA Saturday Sport
Saturday 16 November – Dance Showcase 6 (Kindergarten to Year 2 3.00pm)
Saturday 16 November – Dance Showcase 7 (Performance Stream and awards 6.30pm)
Speech Day and Celebration of Learning Dates
Tuesday 3 December – Years 3-6 Speech Day (9.00am to 11.00am)
Tuesday 3 December – Kindergarten Nativity and Celebration of Learning (11.30am to 1.00pm)
Tuesday 3 December – Years 1 and 2 Celebration of Learning (2.00pm to 3.00pm)
Kate Brown
Head of Junior School
From the Middle School
Week 4 has proven to be a busy week for our Middle School students. On Tuesday, our Year 7 cohort visited Taronga Zoo for their 2024 Science Field Study. By all accounts, students and staff enjoyed the day with our students collecting data to use in class. Thank you to the Pymble Science Faculty for organising a wonderful day out. Below, a number of our Year 7 students have written reflections sharing their experiences with us:
On 5 November, Year 7 had an excursion to Taronga Zoo in Sydney. It was an unforgettable experience, a day filled with knowledge and fun. As we wandered around, it gave us time to appreciate the animals and take a break from our busy school schedules. It was fascinating to learn about the animals, and we even touched some of them in the habitat rooms. My group and I sat down around the time of lunch to see the Bird Show, and it was something that we will never forget. And we even saw a few friends from school, the cockatoos that are known for catastrophe. The trip to Taronga was not only an educational experience but also a memorable adventure. We all left with a smile on our faces, and a new perspective on animals. – Written by Lucy Liu
On Tuesday, we went to the zoo to visit the animals and learn more about how animals survive in the wild. All of us got to go to different habitat rooms, where different animals live and thrive. These rooms were supposed to imitate the animals’ original habitat. These three rooms were split up into different categories, the desert, the rainforest, and the woodland environment.
We were shown different creatures, ranging from mammals to amphibians, a variety of organisms from the same environment. Some of these animals include the bilbies, and the shingleback lizard, which we even got to touch.
We were also able to see some nocturnal animals during our visit. We could go into special enclosures with dimmed lighting, and see these nocturnal animals such as the Spinifex Hopping Mouse and the bats. This experience allowed us to understand and experience the natural world in detail.Overall, this was a very interesting and fun experience for us.
Written by Yenyu Chan
The zoo excursion was a very memorable time for Year 7, getting to see the fantastic view of the city, taking photos of the wild animals and having the best time with my friends! During the habitat room, I learnt a lot about rainforest animals and their unique features to help deal with predators. Despite our excursion getting cancelled in Term 2, this excursion was a great way to end the year.
Written by Summer Zhou
On Tuesday, Year 7 went on an excursion to Sydney’s Taronga Zoo. We had the opportunity to see a variety of animals, such as native Australian animals including kangaroos and koalas. As well as many other well known and loved animals such as the Superb Parrots. One of the highlights of this enriching experience was having the privilege to go to the Woodlands Habitat Room. Through this unique and enlightening experience, my class and I learned about endangered species and the zoo’s conservation efforts, as well as getting up close with the Diamond Snake. As we moved around in small groups, completing out activity booklets as we went, we displayed the five core values of the College. As the day at Taronga Zoo came to an end, Year 7 left with new memories, experiences, and knowledge.
Written by Aliya Singh
Hello, I’m Aaira and I’m in Year 7. This Tuesday, Year 7 got the amazing opportunity to visit Taronga Zoo. The day was packed with things to do! Taronga Zoo gave us all a great chance to learn more about our previous topic, Zoo Life! Each animal had its own story on how they may be endangered or might begin to be endangered as well as ways Taronga is helping them. We also got the interesting experience of going into habitat rooms and touching the unique animals. Overall the day was incredibly fun.
Written by Aaira Khan
VEX Robotics Middle School State Championships
Robotics is thrilled to announce that five VEX V5 teams and six VEX IQ teams from Pymble will be representing us at State Championships on November 10. Congratulations to the following students in our Year 7 and Year 8 teams.
65100F – Y7
65100S – Y8
65100B – Y8
65100R – Y8
65100N – Y7
Adele Jiang
Cabrini Lee
Nicole Fan
Kathy Wang
Lily Dao
Emma Ouyang
Leahara Wijesuriya
Alexa Wu
Lily Xing
Ellie Lau
Sarah Xia
Malaika Rasheed
Chloe Shao
Joyce Li
Jessica Franklin
Meii You
Allison Wang
Bella Yang
Erica Kwok
Bella Xu
Alexis Lam
Ella Su
Rose Bennett
Congratulations to Faith Hedley (Year 7), who has been cast in the new Disney television series VAMPIRINA playing the role of Britney, on the Disney channel. Disney officially announced the show over the weekend with a press release. Faith auditioned in a worldwide search by Disney and was the only international cast member chosen. Faith will start filming in January 2025.
Gloucester Gatherings
Gloucester Gatherings continue to take place each Tuesday at lunch for our Middle School students. Last week saw the leaders run Halloween Cookie Decorating. With four weeks to go until the end of term, there are a number of festive and fun activities to look forward to.
Jacaranda Day Bill Crews Foundation Charity Drive
With Jacaranda Day approaching, the College has begun collecting items for the Bill Crews Foundation, our annual Christmas Charity Drive. This year, we have asked our students in Houses to bring items, however, any donated item from the list in the flyer will be greatly appreciated. Donations can be dropped to the Middle School Office.
The Middle School Team would like to remind families that if your daughter has any updated medical information, including new diagnosis or medication updates, please contact the Health Care Centre or log on to MyPymble to update information.
Jenny O’Donnell
Head of Middle School
From the Upper School
A message from Victoria Harrison, Head of Upper School
Well done to our Year 10 students who completed their final full day of assessments with the completion of the Allwell examinations on Wednesday. We are also very proud of our Year 9 students at Vision Valley who will be back from a five-day expedition tomorrow afternoon. The girls will no doubt be exhausted and will be looking forward to reading the letters and postcards that have been shared with us over the last few days.
Like many parents and educators around the world, I have been reflecting on the valuable messages from Jonathon Haidt in his book The Anxious Generation. It is a great resource for us all as we grapple with managing phone and screen use in adolescents. Haidt’s discussion of the impacts of technology on academic achievement is especially pertinent as our students complete their end of year exams. Haidt’s findings reveal not only that mobile phone use is associated with decreased academic performance, but also that the mere presence of a mobile phone in students’ pockets can damage their ability to think.
It is reassuring to see Haidt highlight the benefits of outdoor residential programs and international exchange experiences as key protective factors for young adolescents. These opportunities, which form a key part of our Upper School offerings, provide students with an opportunity to be immersed in real-world experiences, to ‘master their fears’ and develop their competencies. Haidt writes:
Find a sleepaway camp with no devices and no safetyism. Many summer camps offer children and adolescents the chance to be out in nature and away from their devices and the internet for a month or two. Under those conditions, young people attend fully to each other, forming friendships and engaging in slightly risky and exciting outdoor activities that may bond them together tightly. Avoid camps that are essentially summer school, with academic work and internet access, or camps that do not provide children with any communal responsibilities. Try to find a camp that embraces the values of independence and responsibility… Bonus points for any camp that promises not to post pictures every day on its website. Summer camp is a great opportunity for parents and children to get out of the habit of constant contact and, especially for parents, constant reassurance that their kids are okay.
Upper Hunter Beef Bonanza
Recently, several Year 10 students participated in the Upper Hunter Beef Bonanza. The girls have shared this reflection of their experience. Well done to Annabelle, Livia, Adison, Anais and Eilidh for their involvement in this great co-curricular experience.
As part of the Pymble Cattle Team, we competed at the Upper Hunter Beef Bonanza in Scone. Over four days, we participated in educational programs involving speakers from Nutrien Ag Solutions, JBS Meat Processing and Cattle Australia, along with other agricultural related presentations. Along with learning more about the beef industry, we also had the opportunity to participate in the ICMJ Junior Meat Judging. Students participated in the carcass, retail cut, primal judging and paraders’ classes for both individual and steer classes and the Junior Judging for bulls, heifers and steers. Working as a team, we had an amazing time learning about the agricultural and beef industry and were able to develop our skills and knowledge.
Results
Annabelle Jones – Individual Beef Carcase Judging Champion, Part of Champion Team for Beef Carcase Judging, Overall Individual Meat Judging Champion
Livia Armstrong – 5th in Individual Beef Carcase Judging, Part of Champion Team for Beef Carcase Judging
Adison Hartog-Smith– 1st in Paraders Class with Uber
Anais Vander – 4th in Paraders Class with Uzzi
Eilidh Skelton – 4th in Paraders Class with Ugene
Other Exciting News
In Assembly, four of our Year 10 students were presented with awards from the Australian Science Olympiad. Sophia Zhang was awarded a Distinction and Amber Li, Katherine Pan and Vivian Zhang received a High Distinction.
Special mention went to Vivian who was selected to attend summer camp at the Australian National University, a commendable achievement at the age of 16. We are very proud of you all.
International Exchange Program 2025
Students are invited to apply for the 2025 International Exchange Program. It is open to students in Year 9, 2024 and students studying the language in Year 9/10.
Exchange programs provide a broad educational experience for students and increase international and cultural understanding among young people. The experience will provide opportunities for selected students to travel internationally to live and study abroad, where they gain newfound cultural understanding as well as global perspectives. The program also involves reciprocal hosting whereby participating students, and their families host a visiting exchange student.
For further information on the International Exchange Program in 2025 (Cultural and Language) – click here.
Students wishing to be considered for this program must submit an application by the due dates (written or video).
2025 International Exchange Application Timelines
Applications open – Term 4, Week 1 – Friday 18 October 2024
Applications close – Term 4, Week 5 – Monday 11 November 2024
Interviews – Term 4, Week 6 and 7, 2024 – students will be notified.
Places advised – Term 4, Week 8 – via email.
Students who are participating in the Term 4 Year 9 Residential program will have until Wednesday 20 November for submission.
To apply for the Cultural Program (Year 10, 2025) – click here.
To apply for the Language Program (Year 10/11, 2025) – click here.
Thursday 7 November – Year 9 Residential Program Term 4 Parent Evening Workshop
Wednesday 13 – Saturday November – Co-Curricular Dance Showcase
Saturday 16 November – Year 10 Namadji OEP begins at Vision Valley
Sunday 17 November – Year 10 Snowy River OEP leaves from James Kelso Field
Monday 18 November – Year 10 Murramarang Expedition and Blue Mountains Program depart from Pymble campus
Friday 22 November – Year 10 Murramarang Expedition and Blue Mountains Program return to Pymble campus
Monday 25 November – Year 10 Namadji and Snowy River Expeditions return to Pymble campus
Tuesday 26 November – Rest Day for Namadji and Snowy River students
Wednesday 27 to Friday 29 November – Year 10 Future You Festival on Pymble campus
Wednesday 4 December – 2024 Speech Day and Final Day of School Year
Monday 28 October – Year 10 Examination week begins
Victoria Harrison
Head of Upper School
From the Senior School
As the Year 12 students wrap up their HSC examinations this week, we celebrate not only their academic achievements but also their remarkable composure and resilience throughout their schooling journey. Their ability to remain focused and positive under pressure is a testament to the strength of character they’ve built over the course of their studies. Finishing strong, they leave behind a legacy of leadership and friendship, having guided the school with determination and grace. We are immensely proud of their efforts and accomplishments, and we look forward to catching up with the girls at their Gradu-bration Event following the release of their final Higher School Certificate results. More details about this event are in the Valete handbook.
Micro Skills – Institute of Applied Technology
This year, the Mind Body Spirit program is excited to introduce a dynamic new addition aimed at upskilling our Year 12 students in the fast-evolving fields of AI, cyber security, and data management. Through a series of free micro skills courses delivered by the Institute of Applied Technology, students will gain valuable knowledge and practical expertise in these crucial areas. Upon completion, they will receive formal acknowledgment, adding a significant boost to their resumes and future prospects. As technology continues to shape the workforce, it’s essential to recognise that the fear of AI and automation replacing jobs is misguided. In reality, those who can effectively use and harness AI and technology will be the ones leading the way in tomorrow’s job market. By equipping our students with these critical skills, we are empowering them to not only adapt to change but to thrive in a digital-first world.
Our Learning Prefects recently took a half-day trip to Meadowbank TAFE, where they were presented with some eye-opening and compelling statistics about the rapidly evolving tech landscape. Among the key takeaways were the fact that only 17 per cent of the cybersecurity workforce in Australia is female, and that the country’s digital skills gap is costing $9 million a day.
Furthermore, it was revealed that by 2026, there will be 30,000 new jobs in cybersecurity alone. These insights reinforced the importance of the new micro skills courses being offered as part of our Mind Body Spirit program. By participating in these courses, Pymble girls will not only gain the technical expertise needed to bridge this skills gap, but they will also be able to leverage their unique soft skills – such as communication, problem-solving, and leadership – to enhance their post-school opportunities. With these capabilities, our students will be well-equipped to navigate and succeed in the future digital workforce.
Year 5/11 Friendships
We’re pleased to celebrate the Year 5/11 Connections Program, which pairs Year 5 girls with Senior students as ‘big sisters.’ In the most recent meeting, the Year 5s shared their vision boards, which led to great conversations about hobbies, interests and goals. This program has been a fantastic opportunity for the girls to connect and build friendships with students from different year groups. To mark the end of the year, we’re looking forward to a Christmas party later in the term where the girls can enjoy some festive fun together. It’s been a great experience for everyone involved, and we look forward to seeing these special connections grow in 2025.
House Dance Off!
Earlier this week during Compass time, we held a fantastic House Dance Off, led with great energy and enthusiasm by our Year 12 students. The event was full of fun, with students donning colourful costumes and showing off their House spirit. The energy in the room was contagious, and it was wonderful to see so many smiling faces as everyone got involved and cheered on their teams.
Key Dates
15 October to 8 November – HSC examinations
8 November – Sportswomen’s Awards Dinner
12 November – Jacaranda Day
4 December – Years 7 to 11 (2024) Speech Day
4 December – Last day of Term 4
18 December – HSC 2024 results released
19 December – Gradu-bration! For Year 12 2024 students
Nikki Wyse
Head of Senior School
From the Boarding School
Spirit House Circles are an important part of our Boarding week and provide a fun and functional way to build bonds across the various year groups. While our day school students have membership to eight ‘houses’, our Boarders are members of one of four of these Houses – Goodlet, Marden, Hammond or Lang, also known as ‘Spirit Houses’. Within each Spirit House there are vertical groups that come together throughout the year with the aim of promoting friendship and fun.
Each Spirit House has two Spirit House Captains and they are charged with organising our fortnightly Chapel services and the various activities for each Tuesday night. With the warmer weather, our Spirit House Captains have been organising activities that make the most of our beautiful grounds. This week it was a new one for me, ’44 homes’ and an old fashioned favourite, bull rush. Whatever the activity, it is lovely to see the girls enjoying being together.
2025 here we come – please note our special dates
The new year is approaching at a rapid rate and we are well underway with our planning to make 2025 another bumper year for our Boarding family. There are many events that we would like you to join in and other events that are essential for our Boarders. To assist you with your planning, please click here to view the Important Boarding Dates for 2025.
These are in draft form at this stage but it is unlikely that there will be any changes so please do mark the dates on your calendar.
Please note the dates highlighted in pink. These include Community Days and important safety sessions that all Boarders are required to attend. If you have already have made arrangements for any of these dates, please make it a priority to submit special leave through Orah to request an exemption from attendance. Otherwise, please ensure you keep these days free so your girls can join our Boarding family for these important occasions.
Live It, Love It, Learn It – Ms Theresa Mimmo, Deputy Director of Boarding
The pool has been a big hit with our Boarders over the last couple of weeks, even a couple of our HSC Boarders took a break from study to enjoy. They were lucky enough to be able to jump off the diving platforms under the supervision of the Diving Coach which they loved. Year 7 thoroughly enjoyed their Balmoral Beach picnic on Friday night with their poke bowls and our Senior Boarders headed to Abbotsleigh for a Halloween Social.
This week, our new Year 12 Boarders will enjoy a Balmoral Beach picnic. On Saturday, there is opportunity for Boarders to be taken to South Curl Curl for a walk and swim. Completing our activities this weekend Kirribilli Markets is open on Sunday to wander the stalls and pick up an item or two.
Boarders are encouraged to continue to utilise academic staff during Learn It. As the year winds down they may have less homework but it is always a good time to revisit those concepts that they struggled with throughout the year and seek assistance.
View From My Window
Hey everyone, my name is Grace, and I live in central west Dubbo, or Dubvegas. I live in town with my brother Nick, mum Karen, dad Denzil and dog Sandy.
When I look out my window, I do see my neighbour’s fence, however, I also see the memories my backyard holds including many happy family barbecues, birthdays, fires and playing out the back with the other kids in the street. This is what I truly love seeing when I’m back home.
During COVID my brother and I, along with many of the other kids around our area, would go on bike rides to and from the IGA, around the back of our houses to the empty paddocks making bike jumps, fire pits, and just enjoying being outside. However, now that we are older and there are houses where they once were, we still enjoy seeing each other at Christmas street parties or regular catch ups.
During the summer, me and my friends go down to the river and attempt to catch fish or head out to Burrendong Dam to ski, biscuit and spend time on the water and in the cabins. On New Year’s Eve, the dam is where you will find almost everyone from the town out celebrating.
I love coming back to Boarding after the holidays, to see everyone again. I especially love that it feels like the best of both words in the city and rural, getting to experience the differences and similarities. Boarding has given me amazing opportunities and I am so grateful that I am able to be here.
Boarder of the Week
This week’s Boarder of the Week goes to Year 11 Boarder, Sophie (Soph). Sophie hails from Rylstone in the Mudgee region of NSW and came to Pymble Boarding in Year 7. She has been an integral part of the boarding sisterhood since day one.
Over the past year, Soph has demonstrated a growth and maturity that has been a joy to witness for those who know her best. She has taken Year 11 (now Year 12) in her stride, showing dedication to her studies and showing our younger Boarders that it is never too late to develop solid study habits and routines. Soph is a kind and loyal friend, and she will bend over backwards for those she cares about.
She offers to assist Marden staff around the House and is always willing to have a chat and a laugh. She keeps her room tidy and keeps a solid weekly routine. With support, love and encouragement, Sophie has continued to grow into a delightful young woman of whom we are all so proud.
Important Dates
Friday 15 November – Lang House Housewarming – Year 12 2025 and their families
Tuesday 26 November – Boarders’ Christmas Chapel and Christmas Dinner, 5.00pm (all Boarders required to be in attendance)
Wednesday 4 December – Year 7 to 11 Speech Day, followed by Boarders’ Travel Day
Carolyn Burgess
Head of Boarding
From the Chaplains
Here at Pymble, we do Christmas early.
Because our students’ last day is in early December, we count backwards four weeks from that last week of term so that, in our chapel services, we can lead the students through the Advent Journey.
In the Christian liturgical calendar, Advent is the season of preparation for the coming of the Messiah, the Christ.
In the four weeks leading up to Christmas, it is a time of prayful meditation, thanksgiving and reflection.
Each week for the last three weeks in chapel, we have been lighting an Advent Candle and taking the students on the journey.
The first candle of Advent is for Hope.
The second candle is for Peace.
The third, pink candle is for Joy. In the Catholic tradition, it also reprsents Mary the mother of Jesus.
The fourth candle is for Love.
The final candle, the white one in the centre, is the Christ candle. It is lit on Christmas Day. After that day, that same white candle is lit every Sunday until Good Friday, when it is snuffed out to represent Jesus’ death on the Cross. It stays unlit throughout the Holy weekend of Easter, until Easter Sunday when it is re-lit to represent the Resurrection.
The Advent Candles symbolise our journey towards the birth of Christ. The candles symbolise the Hope, Peace, Joy and Love that Christ brings. The white candle in the centre is the Christ Candle – lit on Christmas Day, for Jesus’ birth, snuffed out on Good Friday, to represent Jesus’ death on the Cross, and relit on Easter Sunday, to represent His resurrection.
This week is Joy. The story for this week is set on a hillside outside of the small town of Bethlehem.
The ancient Hebrew prophet Micah had foretold, 500 years earlier, that the Messiah would be born in Bethlehem (Micah 5:2).
The protagonists of the story are most unlikely – they are shepherds, who were keeping watch over flocks of sheep and goats on the hills outside Bethlehem (the town of David).
These men were the first to hear the momentus news that the Christ had come into the world.
The narrative often spun around these shepherds is that they were humble, ordinary men.
But the shepherds we read about in Luke were actually fulfilling Temple duties, and the only ones who could perform Temple duties were priests. We know they were priests because of the Mishnah.
The Mishnah is a group of documents that recorded oral traditions that governed the Jewish people during the time of the Pharisees. One of its regulations states it “expressly forbids the keeping of flocks throughout the land of Israel except in the wilderness — and the only flocks otherwise kept would be those for the Temple services (Bab K.7:7; 80a).
These shepherds were in the fields surrounding Bethlehem, not out in the wilderness where the ordinary sheep were kept. So, they must have been priests.
Why would priests perform menial shepherding duties for the Temple? It’s because the sheep were intended to be sacrificed for Passover. It was the priests’ job to make sure the lambs were without blemish and completely unharmed before being sacrificed.
For Christians, this has symbolic signifiance – Jesus is seen to be the spotless sinless sacrificial ‘Lamb’ who is without blemish. His sacrifice on the Cross, for Christians, is a once-for-all gracious gift of freedom, forgiveness and eternal intimacy with God.
The gospel of Luke tells the story of the priest-shepherds like this:
And there were shepherds living out in the fields nearby, keeping watch over their flocks at night. An angel of the Lord appeared to them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were terrified.
But the angel said to them, “Do not be afraid. I bring you good news that will cause great joy for all the people. Today in the town of David a Saviour has been born to you; he is the Messiah, the Lord. This will be a sign to you: You will find a baby wrapped in cloths and lying in a manger.”
Suddenly a great company of the heavenly host appeared with the angel, praising God and saying,
“Glory to God in the highest heaven, and on earth peace to those on whom his favor rests!”
When the angels had left them and gone into heaven, the shepherds said to one another, “Let’s go to Bethlehem and see this thing that has happened, which the Lord has told us about!!!”
So they hurried off and found Mary and Joseph, and the baby, who was lying in the manger. When they had seen him, they spread the word concerning what had been told them about this child, and all who heard it were amazed at what the shepherds said to them.
But Mary treasured up all these things and pondered them in her heart.
The shepherds returned, glorifying and praising God for all the things they had heard and seen, which were just as they had been told.
Luke 2:8-20 (click this link if you would like to read more)
The shepherds’ joy and wonder is clear in the narrative.
After they recover from their terror of being blinded and dazzled by a messenger from God, they “hurry” (aka run as fast as their legs will take them) into Bethlehem to see this for themselves.
As we journey towards Christmas, whatever your faith background, may you find hope, peace and joy in knowing that the God of the Universe has plans for you and your children. And has already given us the greatest gift of all.
I’ll leave you with this Advent poem.
The Joy of Advent by Lynn Dove
Celebrate Advent With the lighting of candles Hearts aglow with Hope
Celebrate Advent Prepare Him room in your heart Wait for His return
Sing “Joy to the World”!
Rejoice with all creation!
Be at peace today!
The God of all Love, He has come to save us all! Hear the angels sing!
Celebrate Advent! The Christ Child is our Saviour! Jesus is our Hope!
Edwina O’Brien
Assistant College Chaplain
Term 4 Events Calendar
From the Futures Team
NIE CAREERS: Medicine, Engineering, Business, Creative Writing, Psychology, Veterinary Studies
A unique opportunity to experience 11 Days of Residential Career Program
On Friday 8 November, the College will honour the achievements of our talented sportswomen in Years 7 to 12 who have achieved great success and demonstrated outstanding commitment to their sports throughout 2024.
On the night, students who participate in competitive sports will be recognised through several awards which include Athlete of the Year, Para Athlete of the Year, All Rounder of the Year, Team of the Year (Saturday Sports), Representative Team of the Year, Strive for the Highest Awards, Sports Officials of the Year, Australian Representatives, and Sportswoman of the Year.
Students and teams are nominated for these awards by the sports co-ordinators and head coaches and are then finalised by a committee. The dinner will celebrate the achievements of our students and teams and give due regard to the College values which these awardees exemplify. Awards are a way to encourage good performance and instil competitive spirit. Sport at Pymble provides a platform for girls to be challenged, to achieve and grow and this awards dinner is designed to recognise those who compete at the highest level in their chosen disciplines.
Also, we acknowledge that not all girls who show excellence and commitment to their sport can be recognised at the awards evening – there are simply too many students who represent the College in sport. For those girls who are not receiving an award at the dinner, we recognise and acknowledge your contribution to Pymble and encourage you to continue to strive for your highest in your chosen sport.
I would also like to extend special thanks to our College Principal, Dr Hadwen, and the College Council for supporting our exceptional Sport program, and to all the parents/carers who support their daughters in their varied sporting pursuits.
Invitations have been sent to the families of award recipients, so please check your emails for the invitation and booking link and ensure you book your tickets before they close on Wednesday 30 October.
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Co-curricular Administration
Term 1 Saturday Sport Registrations are now closed
Term 1, Semester 1, and Yearly 2025 Registrations will open at 12.00pm on Wednesday 20 November.
All registrations, including registration requests are actioned on a first come, first served basis. Please select your sport and/or activity carefully. Program fees will not be adjusted for sessions missed due to student sickness, wet weather or school events, such as camps, as per our terms and conditions.
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
Sally Davidson
Head of Co-curricular Administration
AFL
Congratulations to our Junior AFL Team who competed in the NSW AFL State Cup on Tuesday 29 October in Tuggerah. In this tournament Pymble competed against some of the best AFL teams in New South Wales. It was a great day of competition with team Pymble missing out on a Grand final by only one win. I was particularly proud of how the players competed against such physical opposition, true resilience and determination was on display as our team did not give up despite the score.
The highlight of the day was the team coming from behind and achieving the win against Mater Dei Catholic College – it was a true team effort with our players moving the ball up the field and Quinn Parry-Okeden (Year 7) kicking a goal on the final siren to seal the victory. Well done to all players – we are Pymble proud!
Jack Garrad
Co-ordinator – AFL
Athletics and Cross Country
A fantastic evening of distance running unfolded at the State 3km Championships on Saturday 2 November at E.S. Marks Field. Five students competed across various division races, with Sarah Baker (Year 12) and Eliza Lawton (Year 8) competing in the Open Championships race whilst still junior athletes.
Gemma Dixon (Year 8) and Mia Croker (Year 11) delivered outstanding performances. Both athletes achieved personal bests that also served as national qualifiers in their respective races.
Sarah Baker (Year 12) showed determination and commitment, running a strong race during her HSC exams. Eliza Lawton (Year 8) was a standout, not only setting a personal best but also achieving a time that ranks as the world-leading u16 in 3000m – an extraordinary feat at 14 years of age.
In the supporting events, Charlie Slater (Year 7) ran a strong 800m race, achieving a new personal best.
Meanwhile, on Saturday 2 November at the High Velocity Meet at The Ridge Athletics Track, Illawong, Bella Legge-Hughes (Year 8) and Louise Lovell (Year 11) both competed.
Congratulations to all Pymble athletes for their efforts and achievements.
It’s been wonderful to see more students joining the Monday morning run, embracing a fresh start to the week!! Our route through the local community offers a rewarding mix of challenging uphills and refreshing downhill stretch back to school. It’s the perfect way to start the week, building fitness and camaraderie in a supportive environment.
We meet at 6.45am under cover of GMCPA and all students are welcome to join.
Deb Walsham
Head Coach
Artistic Gymnastics
IPSHA Gymnastics Carnival and igsa Gymnastics Carnival
Our IPSHA and igsa gymnasts had an amazing time at the IPSHA and igsa Gymnastics Carnival on Thursday 31 October and Friday 1 November respectively.
The two days were filled with energy, excitement, and incredible talent as our athletes showcased their skills.
A huge congratulations to each Pymble gymnast for their hard work, dedication, and outstanding performances. Your efforts truly shone, and we could not be prouder of you all!
A special congratulations to our Year 7 to 12 gymnasts on achieving WAG Overall Shield and WAG Division 1 School! This incredible achievement marks the first time since 2016 that our school has claimed these prestigious titles, a remarkable accomplishment.
IPSHA results:
Division 1:
Level 1 Team: Phoebe Hildebrand (Year 3), Olivia Zhuang (Year 2) and Fiona Wang (Year 3) – 7th
Level 2 Team: Alice Ye (Year 3), Mia Xu (Year 3), Katherine Gu (Year 3), Audrey Ren (Year 2), Kitty Mae Ruiz del Portal Greene (Year 2), Claire Xu (Year 2) – 2nd
Level 4 Team: Clarice Chung (Year 5), Evelyn Shi (Year 6), Joslyn Wong (Year 5), Celine Wang (Year 4), Evelyn Zhu (Year 3), Bella Wang (Year 2) – 2nd
Level 5/6 teams (All Divisions)
Level 5: Lia Sloane (Year 4), Isabella Niu (Year 6), Ava Azizmohammad (Year 5), Charlotte Elliott (Year 5), Rayna Wang (Year 4) – 3rd
Level 6: Hayley Nguyen (Year 6), Alice Liu (Year 6), Sophie Ahn (Year 6)- 4th
Level 5: Apparatus
Floor – Joint 3rd- Rayna Wang (Year 4)
Level 6 Apparatus
Vault: 3rd – Hayley Nguyen (Year 6)
Beam: 1st – Hayley Nguyen (Year 6)
Level 7 Apparatus
Vault: 4th – Anna Wang (Year 6)
Bars: 2nd – Anna Wang (Year 6)
Beam: 1st – Anna Wang (Year 6)
Floor: 1st – Anna Wang (Year 6)
igsa Results:
Division 1
School
Score
Pymble Ladies’ College
322
PLC Sydney
454
Ravenwood
481
MLC School
488
St Catherine’s School
575
Tara School
667
Level 4
Vault: 22nd – Elsa Yu (Year 7)
Bars: 3rd – Elsa Yu (Year 7)
Beam: 12th – Elsa Yu (Year 7)
Floor: 8th – Elsa Yu (Year 7)
Level 5
Vault:
3rd Summer Zhou (Year 7)
5th Autumn Wang (Year 7)
=9th Miranda Wu (Year 7)
Bars:
3rd Miranda Wu (Year 7)
6th Summer Zhou (Year 7)
7th Autumn Wang (Year 7)
Beam:
1st Jacinta Ngo (Year 8)
4th Michelle Shi (Year 7)
11th Summer Zhou (Year 7)
Floor:
Joint 1st Mia Micallef (Year 8)
3rd Summer Zhou (Year 7)
5th Jacinta Ngo (Year 8)
Level 6
Vault:
1st Sydney Zhou (Year 7)
Joint 2nd Stella Pieterse (Year 7)
Joint 2nd Claire Ni (Year 7)
Bars:
4th Stella Pieterse (Year 7)
5th Sydney Zhou (Year 7)
9th Claire Ni (Year 7)
Beam:
Joint 4th Sydney Zhou (Year 7)
12th Claire Ni (Year 7)
13th Stella Pieterse (Year 7)
Floor:
1st Stella Pieterse (Year 7)
3rd Claire Ni (Year 7)
4th Sydney Zhou (Year 7)
Level 7
Vault:
Joint 2nd Sasha Clark (Year 10)
Joint 4th Vivienne Eaton (Year 10)
Joint 13th Holly Graham (Year 10)
Bars:
10th Sasha Clark (Year 10)
13th Vivienne Eaton (Year 10)
19th Gabriella Sheh (Year 9)
Beam:
5th Vivienne Eaton (Year 10)
Joint 7th Rose Purcell (Year 8)
16th Mahika Swamy (Year 10)
Floor:
Joint 8th Vivienne Eaton (Year 10)
15th Holly Graham Year (10)
17th Emma Baikie Year (10)
Level 8
Vault: 14th Aimee Yap (Year 8)
Bars: 3rd Aimee Yap (Year 8)
Beam: 2nd Aimee Yap (Year 8)
Floor: 1st Aimee Yap (Year 8)
Level 9
Vault: 1st Siobhan Hsu (Year 10)
Bars: 3rd Siobhan Hsu (Year 10)
Beam: 5th Siobhan Hsu (Year 10)
Floor: 2nd Siobhan Hsu (Year 10)
Vanessa Clyne
Acting Head Coach
Basketball
IPSHA Basketball – Round 3 Saturday 2 November
Team of the Week: IPSHA Pymble 6
On Saturday 2 November, Pymble 6 played against Roseville College. Coach Zane was impressed by both Madeline Dreverman (Year 5) and Mia Farthing’s (Year 5) defence, with both players applying a lot of pressure and forcing turn-overs. Tessie Guan (Year 5) wins the award for best triple-threat again! Tessie’s ball protection on offence, her pivoting and ripping of the ball, keeping the defence guessing and finding great passes up and down the court set the stage for success.
Katie Shen (Year 5) had a great game attacking to the basket, she was joined by Aryana Naderi (Year 5) and Madeline Dreverman (Year 5) helping her extend Pymble’s lead. In the third quarter, the highlight of the game came from some high-effort offensive rebounding by Caroline Liu (Year 5), who then found Audrey Chen (Year 5) with a great shot, swishing a deep two-pointer from well outside the key. In summary this was an incredible game with clear continued improvement over the last three weeks really paying off.
Congratulations Pymble 6 on another great weekend of IPSHA basketball.
Maddi Scott
Co-ordinator – Basketball
Cricket
On Friday 1 November, Pymble competed in Round 1 of the Northern Schools Cup against Barker. It was a Grand final rematch from 2023 and our Pymble cricketers were motivated to start our cricket campaign on the front foot.
Pymble won the toss and elected to bat. Notable mentions to Willa Pearson (Year 8), Harriet Gregory (Year 8), Aaleya Bookless (Year 8) and Chloë Lenane (Year 7) who were aggressive in their run scoring leading to a defendable total of 52 runs. Harriet Gregory (Year 8) troubled Barker batters with her spin bowling, resulting in 2 wickets.
Aaleya Bookless (Year 8) was threatening with her fast bowling resulting in a wicket. Evija King (Year 7) opened the bowling and managed to clean bowl the Barker opening batter. Miesha Gal (Year 8) was also dangerous with the ball and limited run scoring opportunities with every over. Willa Pearson (Year 8) was wicket keeper taking two wicked stumpings!
Despite a valiant effort from the Pymble team, Barker managed to complete their run chase with overs to spare.
A great effort from all students and I look forward to our next match against Abbotsleigh.
Any students (day or boarder) in Years 7 to 9 that may be interested in playing in Round 2 of the Cricket Schools Cup against Abbotsleigh on Friday 22 November should contact Mr Garrad, Cricket Co-ordinator, via email: jgarrad@pymblelc.nsw.edu.au. The game will be held from 4.00pm at Primula Oval, 10 Primula St, Lindfield.
Parents/carers should transport their daughters to the game, however, if you do require transport for your daughter, please contact Mr Garrad for assistance.
Jack Garrad
Co-ordinator – Cricket
Pymble Elite Sportswomen’s Program
Are you interested in becoming a future green and gold athlete?
The Australian Sports Commission is running a National Talent Identification Program. They are looking for Australians aged 13+ who are keen to put their sporting skills to the ultimate test.
The Future Green and Gold campaign will be the nation’s greatest ever talent search, with a goal to find hidden sporting talent across the country. From rugby to para canoe there is more than 40 sports ready to welcome a new wave of athletes.
If you haven’t tried sport before, don’t worry – no sporting experience is required to take part. The talent search is designed to help guide you towards a sport you may be best suited to.
The opportunity is also open to current high performance athletes who are looking to transition into a different sport.
Future Green and Gold is a partnership between the Australian Institute of Sport (AIS), the National Institute Network, national sporting organisations and Paralympics Australia. Some states have existing Talent Programs which this campaign will support.
Who is eligible?
People aged 13 to 23 (born from 2001 to 2011 inclusive)
Australian citizens or people who are eligible to become citizens
People with a general level of athletic ability and are interested in participating sports
State or national representatives looking to transfer to a new sport.
On Thursday 31 October, 14 students from Pymble Rhythmic Gymnastics attended the IPSHA Gymnastics Competition at Sydney Gymnastics Aquatic Centre, Rooty Hill. Students showcased their impressive skills and achieved impressive results. All gymnasts had a wonderful day, performing routines they have been practising throughout the year.
I would like to give a special mention to our Level 1 team (Georgia Farthing (Year 3), Elena Lu (Year 2), Alice Zhang (Year 2) and Evelyn Lee (Year 2)). This team placed 1st in their category – what a fantastic achievement!
Additionally, many gymnasts secured 2nd place in their respective levels. The Level 2 team (Lovy Chen (Year 3), Alicia Gong (Year 3), Mia Lyu (Year 2) and Sophie Woo (Year 3)), also took 2nd place. In Level 4, Renee Kong (Year 6) placed 2nd in Ribbon, while Isabelle La (Year 5) placed 2nd in Clubs in Level 5.
Congratulations to all students who competed at the carnival – we are Pymble proud of you! Please see below results from the competition.
Level 1 Team – 1st Georgia Farthing (Year 3), Elena Lu (Year 2), Alice Zhang (Year 2) and Evelyn Lee (Year 2))
Level 2 Team– 2nd Lovy Chen (Year 3), Alicia Gong (Year 3), Mia Lyu (Year 2) and Sophie Woo (Year 3)
Level 5 Isabelle La (Year 5) – 2nd Clubs Audrey Lee (Year 6) – 5th Hoop
Level 6 Katelyn Gu (Year 6) – 3rd Ball and Ribbon
On Friday 1 November, the igsa Rhythmic Gymnastics competition took place, with nine Pymble gymnasts achieving impressive results. All students have committed many hours of training for the carnival and were able to finally showcase their routines, with their teammates cheering and supporting them.
Sasha Dubrovina (Year 8) competed in level 4, placing 2nd in hoop with an outstanding routine. Additionally, Amber Chen (Year 7), placed 1st in hoop and 3rd overall in clubs, showcasing her talent amidst tough competition from other schools.
Congratulations to all students who competed at the carnival – we are Pymble proud of you! Please see below results from the competition.
Sophia Chang (Year 11, 2025 Year 12), Amber Zhou (Year 7) and Amber Chen (Year 7)
Touch Football
igsa Touch Football – Round 3 Results
Unfortunately, many teams were short for Round 3 on Saturday 2 November due to injuries and illness. Congratulations to all teams who played with a lot of heart on the weekend. A big shout out to Lucy Chapman (Year 8), Lily Bartz (Year 8) and Japmehar Bhatia (Year 8) who went above and beyond on the weekend by playing in their own team for the first half of the match at Pymble and then travelling to the east to fill in for another junior Pymble team who were left short of players. Thank you for your contribution to the Pymble program and incredible commitment on the weekend.
Team of the Week
Congratulations to Pymble 12 who are our team of the week! This team has shown incredible commitment and willingness to learn.
Team
Opponent
Result
Current Standing
Pymble 1
Abbotsleigh
3 to 2 Win
3rd
Pymble 2
Ascham
3 to 1 Win
1st
Pymble 3
Mount St Benedicts
4 to 2 Loss
5th
Pymble 4
Abbotsleigh
7 to 0 Win
2nd
Pymble 5
Loreto Normanhurst
9 to 0 Loss
6th
Pymble 6
Ascham
5 to 2 Win
2nd
Pymble 7
Ascham
4 to 2 Win
5th
Pymble 8
Ravenswood
3 to 1 Win
3rd
Pymble 9
Abbotsleigh
4 to 0 Loss
7th
Pymble 10
Roseville
4 to 1 Win
2nd
Pymble 11
Loreto Normanhurst
6 to 1 Win
2nd
Pymble 12
Wenona
8 to 2 Win
6th
Congratulations to the following students who received best and fairest from Week 3:
Pymble 1 – Isabelle Johnston (Year 11)
Pymble 2 – Mary Cottrell (Year 11)
Pymble 3 – Diana Attinger (Year 11)
Pymble 4 – Olianna Tighe (Year 10)
Pymble 5 – Arabella Wheatley (Year 10)
Pymble 6 – Sophie Rigg (Year 9)
Pymble 7 – Helena Fitzsimmons (Year 8)
Pymble 8 – Annabelle Johnston (Year 9)
Pymble 9 – Stella Sharp (Year 9)
Pymble 10 – Zahra Hindmarsh (Year 7)
Pymble 11 – Charlie Slater (Year 7)
Pymble 12 – Orla Cottrell (Year 7)
Shellie Davis
Co-ordinator – Touch Football
Volleyball
Volleyball Week 3
On Saturday 2 November, Round 3 of the 2024 Santa Sabina Invitational Volleyball Competition was held. The weather wasn’t favourable but our teams achieved some great wins. Our Year 7 team got their first win of the season with a brave performance. The first two sets were decided by a couple of points, but our team held their nerve with amazing serving. Pymble 1 only gave up eight points across all three sets against Barker, which showed their focused mentality throughout the whole game. Pymble 3, Pymble 5, and Pymble 6 have continued their strong start to the season and remain undefeated.
This week Pymble 1 had a successful victory against Barker College, taking the game 3 to 0, with outstanding set scores: 25 to 1, 25 to 2, and 25 to 5. Shout out to Isabella Chen (Year 11) for her consistent serves which were a crucial part of our victory.
We encountered a cloudy day with a few sprinkles of rain, but we adjusted well to the situation. There are a few aspects that we will need to work on and improve as we prepare for the upcoming Nationals. Taking ownership of the ball, minimising hesitation, and being consistent are crucial for developing our skills and winning the game.
Despite having the pressure to play at our best, Pymble 1 understand that playing Volleyball means having fun, and everyone cheered on the sidelines for our teammates playing on court, showing the true Pymble spirit.
Chris Wood
Co-ordinator – Volleyball
Water Polo
As the season progresses, we would like to acknowledge and recognise all of the hard work, dedication, and perseverance that each player and team have achieved. Keep pushing team and let’s finish this season strong!
Round
Team A
Team B
Score
Result
Round 1
Pymble 1
Meriden 1
3 to 15
Loss
Round 1
Pymble 2
Meriden 4
10 to 2
Win
Round 1
Pymble 3
Kambala 2
12 to 5
Win
Round 1
Pymble 4
Kambala 3
16 to 3
Win
Round 2
Pymble 1
Loreto Kirribilli 1
9 to 5
Win
Round 2
Pymble 2
Monte Sant Angelo Mercy College 4
16 to 8
Win
Round 2
Pymble 3
St Vincent’s College 5
21 to 0
Win
Round 2
Pymble 4
Wenona 8
5 to 11
Loss
Round 3
Pymble 1
St. Catherine’s School 1
18 to 3
Loss
Round 3
Pymble 2
SCEGGS 2
8 to 10
Loss
Round 3
Pymble 3
Ascham School 7
17 to 3
Win
Round 3
Pymble 4
St Vincent’s College 6
12 to 9
Win
Round 4
Pymble 1
Monte Sant Angelo Mercy College 1
10 to 5
Loss
Brigette Moore
Head Coach
From the Co-curricular Performing Arts Team
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Dance
Dance Showcase 2024
Don’t miss the enthralling 2024 Dance Showcase, “A Date to Remember – A Journey Through Milestones, Moments, and Memories“! These captivating shows promise to take you on an unforgettable journey, celebrating the beauty of dance through life’s significant moments. Each performance is a vibrant testament to creativity and emotion, sure to leave you inspired and moved.
Click here to secure your tickets today and be part of this magical experience that honours the art of storytelling through movement – it’s an event you won’t want to forget!
Katrina Cluff
Head of Dance
Drama
Important Drama Events
CentreStage Behind the Mask dates
25 November – Theatresports and Film CentreStage
26 November – Dress rehearsal for Junior show
27 November – CentreStage Junior Show (all Junior Drama students)
28 November – Dress rehearsal for Secondary show
29 November – CentreStage Secondary show (all Secondary Drama students)
Rebecca York
Co-curricular Drama Co-ordinator
Language Arts
Festival of SPeech
Congratulations again to our Festival of Speech teams:
1st overall in Junior Division
3rd overall in Senior Division
2nd Overall
Debating
IDC Debating
IDC Debates continue this Friday 8 November. Thanks to all teams and coaches for their commitment and hard work.
See schedule of debating times and locations:
Primary teams debate will commence at 6.00pm in DK9 and DK10
Year 7 teams debate will commence at 7.00pm in Lower RV
Year 8 teams debate will commence at 7.00pm in Upper RV
Year 9 teams debate will commence at 8.00pm in the IH classrooms (administration building).
Pick up for all students will be around flagpole area (enter via Gate 1).
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.
2025 Junior School ISDA Auditions
Junior School ISDA Auditions for 2025 ISDA Debating will be held in Week 6 during lunch times. Interested students are asked to see Ms Itzcovitz in the Years 3 to 6 Library for an information sheet and to sign up for an audition.
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.
Debating Auditions
The debating audition schedule is as below. Students should complete the expression of interest form by clicking here to indicate they would like to audition for a debating team, as well providing their interest for public speaking, mock law, and Model United Nations programs. Parents are required to provide permission for students to attend the audition via the Pymble app following their daughter completing the form. Please contact Co-curricular administration if you have any questions, or if you have missed your audition date and still wish to audition. All auditions run after school until approximately 5.30pm. Students should meet in IH3, except for Year 6 students, who will be collected from the Junior School library.
Tuesday 12 November – Current Years 10 and 11 students
Tuesday 19 November – Current Year 8 students
Monday 25 November – Catch ups and call backs
Tuesday 26 November – Catch ups and call backs
Public Speaking
Public Speaking auditions will be held in Term 1 on three consecutive Wednesday’s beginning on 19 February. Students only need to attend one audition date. Students should click here to express their interest in auditioning, with parents required to provide permission via MyPymble around the start of Term 1.
UN Voice of Youth
Congratulations to:
Hakone Liceralde (Year 9)
Arabella Hoang (Year 7)
Helena Tang (Year 9)
Katherine Pan (Year 10)
The above students have been selected to progress to the Voice of Youth State Semi Final, held Friday 8 November at UTS. Well done! Thank you to all who entered this interesting competition, where students select a global issue and pitch a solution.
Model United Nations (MUN)
Evatt
Maya Garg (Year 11) and Catherine Shi (Year 11) have now progressed to the Evatt National final, to be held at the end of November. Congratulations to both students.
Catherine stated, “All the hard work and hours of preparation definitely paid off – we were delighted to come out of the competition as state champions! We are eagerly looking forward to representing NSW at the National Finals.”
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. The 16 Language Arts students and three teachers will depart Sydney on Friday 17 January and travellers will commence Term 1 2025 on Monday 3 February. We are excited for this wonderful travel experience! We have heard we have been allocated Ecosoc and our country delegation will be Germany.
Mock Law
Mediation
Congratulations to our Mock Mediators and our coaches! The team was awarded 94/100 in their last mediation, the semi final. Congratulations on your progression to the Grand Final on 26 November. The event will be held at The Law Society premises. Times are yet to be confirmed.
Parents and friends who wish to attend. Please complete your registration to attend by clicking here: 2024 Mock Mediation – Grand Final Registration. Please note all attendees must be registered prior to the day of competition. Only people who have completed their registration will be allowed to enter.
Mock Law Auditions
Mediation will be open to Years 9 and 10 in 2025. Mediation trials have been held. Catch up Mediation trials will run after school on Thursday 21 November in classroom IH3.
Mock Trial is open to students in Years 10 and 11 and Mooting is available to students in Years 11 or 12. Places are limited as we only have one Mediation team, one Mock Trial team and one Mooting team. Please email Amber Wang, Captain of Debating, awang2026@pymblelc.nsw.edu.au or Mrs Hubbard BHubbard@pymblelc.nsw.edu.au with any questions.
Upcoming Programs and Events
Language Arts Parent Support Group for 2025
A meeting is planned for 7.30pm tonight (Thursday 7 November). Please attend if you are interested in joining. If you are not free this evening, and would like to assist, please email Mrs Hubbard BHubbard@pymblelc.nsw.edu.au .
The venue for tonight’s meeting is at the Conde library studio. We will also be farewelling Mrs Sophia Fang, who has been our lead Language Arts Support parent for several years.
Mini Language Arts Showcase
Save the date! A mini Language Arts Showcase and Christmas supper is proposed for Thursday 28 November in the Science Lecture Theatre/Drama Theatre.
UN Youth State Conference 2025.
Save the date for the UN Youth State Conference! This will be held from Friday 14 March to Sunday 16 March 2025. Please note if you are involved in a Debating team held on Fridays (FED or ISDA), you will still need to attend Debating on the Friday evening.
You are warmly invited to the Music Tour Farewell concert, which will be held from 4.30pm in the College Chapel. Following the concert will be an information session from 6.00pm held in the Jobson Lecture Theatre (Kate Mason Building). Please note this is the same date as the Dance Showcase and we are aware that some students will be involved in both dance and music.
Carols – Sunday 1 December from 5.00pm
Please save the date for this wonderful event, marking the end of an incredibly busy year. BYO picnic and sit on Gloucester Lawn whilst being serenaded by our wonderful Jazz musicians from the Junior and Secondary Schools. There may even be a visit from Santa Claus…
At 6.30pm, please join us for a Chapel Service with a musical feast of carols and lessons. Community Carols are made successful with the inclusion of our fabulous community. So, bring your picnics, your voices, and your Christmas Cheer!
Sarah Turner
Head of Music
Cattle Team
Upper Hunter Beef Bonanza – Thursday 24 October to Sunday 27 October
The Upper Hunter Beef Bonanza 2024 marks a remarkable event in the Southern Hemisphere, renowned as the largest steer show with the participation of 450 steers and engaging 820 students. This esteemed event is celebrated for showcasing both student talent and animal quality, fostering a deep connection with the red meat industry and agriculture.
Students had the opportunity to participate in a diverse range of activities designed to enhance their understanding and skills in the agricultural sector. These activities included:
Career Seminars offering insights into agricultural professions.
Ergonomic Exoskeleton trials to explore innovative agricultural technology.
Red Meat Judging Competitions challenging students’ ability to assess meat quality.
Cattle Judging and Parading, further enriching their practical skills.
Presenting Steers for judging, a test of both livestock preparation and presentation skills.
These exhaustive programs were integral in broadening students’ agricultural knowledge and skills. The exemplary behavior and positive attitude exhibited by our students across the four-day event garnered numerous compliments regarding their professionalism and manners. Special thanks are extended to Ms. Jill Burgess and Oli Bucknell for their invaluable support, contributing significantly to the event’s success.
Students in the Pymble Cattle Team exhibited four steers in this year’s show, 2 x Angus and 2 x Angus/Simmental steers, purchased from the Laurie and Fitzgerald families.
Congratulations to all students on the following results:
Intercollegiate Meat Judging Competition (ICMJ):
3rd Place Team Event
Overall Individual Champion: Annabelle Jones (Year 10)
Beef Competitions:
Champion Beef Team: Annabelle Jones (Year 10), Hannah Weber (Year 11, 2025 Year 12), Livia Armstrong (Year 10)
Individual Champion Beef: Annabelle Jones (Year 10)
Hannah Weber (Year 11, 2025 Year 12) – 5th in Heat
Hannah Weber (Year 11, 2025 Year 12) – Selected for the Waverly Scholarship x applicants, placed in top seven.
Carcass Competition (Meat)
Uzzie
1st place in his Middle Weight Class – 88.59 points.
Breeder – Ted and Alison Laurie “KNOWLA” Livestock, Gloucester.
Umberto
3rd place in his Middle Weight Class.- 83.19 points
Breeder – Richard Fitzgerald “Alkoomie”, Nundle.
The Upper Hunter Beef Bonanza 2024 was an enriching and successful event, providing students not only with competitive opportunities but also with valuable exposure to the agricultural industry. The dedication and hard work of the students, alongside the support from faculty, continue to enhance the prestige of this exceptional event. Congratulations to all participants and winners for their outstanding achievements and contributions!
Peter Wearne
Co-ordinator – Cattle Team
Robotics
VEX V5 NSW Middle School State Championships – Sunday 10 November 2024
Pymble Robotics are thrilled to announce that five VEX V5 teams and six VEX IQ teams will be representing us at States Championships on Sunday 10 November!
VEX V5 teams are listed below:
65100F: Adele Jiang (Year 7), Emma Ouyang (Year 7), Sarah Xia (Year 7), Meii You (Year 7)
6510V: Lydia Chen (Year 6), Emma Fu (Year 6), Charlotte Wu (Year 6), Emma Popli (Year 6)
We’re incredibly proud of all Pymble teams competing this season. Each team showcased Pymble values, displaying dedication, teamwork, and resilience at every competition. Congratulations to all teams qualifying for States—we look forward to seeing their passion and hard work shine on the big stage!
Cristhina Boni Lavratti
Robotics Manager
Join us for the College Christmas Celebration!
Updated Flexischools ordering process
We are writing to advise that there have been changes to the Flexischools recess and lunch ordering system, specifically for those girls who have allergies and/or dietary requirements, to ensure food safety across the College.
Please see the screenshot below the dot points for what to look for when ordering. The changes are as follows:
For students with an allergy, you MUST select the AllergyJunior/Senior Recess/Lunch option.
For students with dietary requirements, such as vegetarian or vegan, please also select the Allergy option.
For students with no allergies or dietary requirements, please continue to order through the regular options.
Please note that whilst steps will be taken to minimise risk and safely handle foods that contain potential allergens, cross contamination may occur by factors beyond our control.
Get your tickets to the 2024 Dance Showcase!
Don’t miss the enthralling 2024 Dance Showcase, A Date to Remember – A Journey Through Milestones, Moments, and Memories! These captivating shows promise to take you on an unforgettable journey, celebrating the beauty of dance through life’s significant moments. Each performance is a vibrant testament to creativity and emotion, sure to leave you inspired and moved.
Click here to secure your tickets today and be part of this magical experience that honours the art of storytelling through movement – it’s an event you won’t want to forget!
Dates: Wednesday 13 November to Saturday 16 November
Location: Gillian Moore Centre for Performing Arts
Garden Party 2024 Survey
Thank you very much for your generous support of Garden Party 2024.
It was a beautiful day and like the sun, our Pymble spirit was out in full force! Special and heartfelt thanks go to our incredible parent and staff volunteers. Your hard work and commitment made this year’s event an incredible success. We know that we’ve beaten the amount that we raised for our charities last year and are looking forward to updating you on the total amount raised for the Barbara May Foundation and Sony Camp, once all the final figures are in.
Planning is already underway for Garden Party 2025, and we need your input!
To go in the draw to win one of four Gold Class movie vouchers for two people at Event Cinemas, we invite you to complete our Garden Party planning survey to help us create a bigger and better event in 2025. Please tell us what you liked, what you didn’t and how we can do things better. You can complete the survey by clicking here.
Please note that the survey will close on 28/11/2024. Winners of the movie vouchers will be drawn in the last week of Term 4 and will be notified by Community Engagement.
Thank you!
Register for free mental health webinars
To help promote mental health month this October, KYDS Youth Counselling are covering different topics on youth mental health & wellbeing across eight free webinars, and we’d love you to join us!
These are open to parents, carers, school staff and young people.
Event Details
Topic: Transition to high school
Date & time: Tuesday 12 November (1.00pm) and Wednesday 13 November (6.30pm – repeated)
