One of the many benefits of a Pymble education is that every student has the opportunity to ‘find their thing’.
I was reminded of the inestimable value of this gift last weekend when my sister, nieces and I had the good fortune to be sitting amongst 80,000+ spectators watching Taylor Swift do her ‘thing’. Seeing the singer/songwriter in her element was almost a greater joy than hearing her music. She knows she is an amazing performer, she works hard to achieve her greatness, and you can tell her life’s work is in absolute sync with who she is as a person. It was beautiful to behold. She reminded me of our Rowers heading out to Head of The River this weekend, our cast and crew preparing for the Addams Family Musical next week, our Tennis players who are about to compete in the prestigious Tildesley Tournament, and all our girls at Pymble who have found their ‘thing’ (or things). They are truly magnificent in full flow.
In assembly this week, I spoke to the students about the importance of finding the vision for their life in order to do their ‘thing’ with authenticity and purpose.
To make this vision come to life, there are three things to know:
Your vision for your life is your own – not your friend’s, not what other people might want from you, but what you want for yourself.
Your vision must be wrapped into something that is beneficial for others; ultimately, it should serve a purpose greater than your gain.
You must be prepared for hard work and sacrifice, because realising a vision for your life takes deep, sustained commitment.
My vision is about elevating girls and women; delivering education and opportunities for our students that set them up for life. At the end of the day, I hope the greatest beneficiaries of my work and vision are our girls.
At Pymble, we are blessed to have an incredible team of staff who are always in full, magnificent flow as they work to support our students’ learning. This week I had the pleasure of asking several staff members from different areas of the College about their vision for their life and how this benefits our girls.
Ms Colby Grace Secondary English Teacher
In addition to teaching English, Ms Grace works with Mrs Debbie Tarrant in our Centre of Excellence to support our High Performing Learners. She is currently completing a Master of Education (Gifted Education) at the University of NSW, where she won the Dean’s Award.
“The vision that prompted me to do my master’s degree was a Year 8 class I had in 2022, who are now of course in Year 10. They inspired me with their thinking and their capacity. Each lesson with that class made me question, ‘What more can I do to build your knowledge, help you learn all that you want to learn, and be the best English student you could possibly be?’. It struck me that perhaps it was my turn to do some more learning, and so I went back to university.
“There is so much thinking that goes into every single activity we do in the classroom, and each activity is designed to help each student learn at their access point. I’m so pleased that I can come into the classroom with even more ideas and then see how those ideas evolve as a result of what the students consequently bring to that lesson.”
Mrs Kate Giles Head of Wellbeing K-6
Mrs Giles has been teaching for 14 years, 12 at Pymble. As for many of our multi-talented staff, teaching is her second career, following several years of working as a solicitor. Kate is also a Research Fellow of the International Coalition of Girls’ Schools Global Action Research Collaboration.
“For me, the impetus to change careers from Law to Education was driven by my purpose in life to make a difference to other people. Making money for large companies was not making the world a better place. My broad vision is two-fold: to role model and teach students how to leave the world in a better state than we found it; and to be a good human. As Head of Wellbeing in the Junior School, I aim to grow an understanding of student wellbeing and the importance of social and emotional skills for success in learning and for a more fulfilled life. I try to reflect each day on the purpose of my work and hope I have made a difference in our students’ lives.”
Mr Karl Schmidt Head of Coaching and Performance
Mr Schmidt works with our Head Coaches to help facilitate and run all the sports programs our girls love. Recently, he took on the additional role of Acting Head Coach – Rowing, to support the Rowing Program, which he used to manage at Pymble several years ago.
“Why step back into the Rowing program in addition to my job? I wanted to see Pymble back on top as IGSA number one. I’m also a big believer in the benefits of Rowing for girls; it’s such an asset for them.”
Mr Lewis Gray Sport Co-ordinator – Rowing
Mr Lewis Gray is the logistics man behind our Rowing program, dedicating countless hours to ensuring everything is in place for our girls to train and compete.
“For me, it’s about enabling what I enjoyed when I was rowing. I like facilitating that; it brings me a lot of joy when I see the girls enjoy what I enjoy and what attracted me to the sport, which is basically having fun with your mates, making a boat go fast.”
We are blessed to have incredibly diverse, experienced and inspiring staff who dedicate their time, gifts and talents to our students; thank you, Team Pymble! I’m signing off this week by encouraging each member of our Pymble family to spend a little time reflecting, even writing some notes, on the vision you have for your life and perhaps thinking about how you allocate the resource of you to achieve this. After all, the only one who knows, holds, and can achieve your vision, is you.
From the Junior School
From the Head of Junior School
‘Tell me and I forget, Teach me and I remember,
Involve me and I learn’ – Benjamin Franklin
Learning through experiences
Last Friday was an exciting day for our Kindergarten girls as they went on their first exploration around the College campus. Their day involved visiting the Chapel where they explored the many aspects of our sacred space…and even had a go at forming their own Band with some enthusiastic drum and piano playing! They spent time with Mr Brown, Head of STEM K-6, as they developed mini towns and learnt how to code Beebots to navigate around their created community. The girls were given basic instructions and encouraged to use their imagination and engineering skills to see what they could create together. It was impressive to see the girls develop a simple transport haulage system using the Beebot to deliver Duplo blocks and designing and building a Duplo train pulled by a Beebot ‘engine’.
Year 3 Scientists
Year 3 have been exploring how to be curious and purposeful Scientists. Given wide parameters, the girls investigated the properties of ice and water through experiments they designed themselves. As an example of their mature investigative mindset, one group pouted water into a bag, cut the tip off and then recorded in slow motion the flow of water drops coming out from the hole. Repeating the experiment a second time, the group reflected on how the flow of water changed and questioned why there was a difference, beginning to develop their understanding of water pressure. A second group tested different fabrics with water and ultimately determined which fabric was waterproof explaining that they could classify it as waterproof because the ‘water fell off the top of the fabric, and didn’t soak in like it did with the other fabrics.’
JSPG Kindergarten Breakfast
A huge thank you to all of you who were able to come to our Kindergarten breakfast on Friday. It was wonderful to see you all and to have a chance to chat to some of you. Particularly special was the buzz as you all chatted with one another. Thank you for modelling the courage it takes to connect with one another to your daughters.
A message from Ashlee Weir – Year 2 Compass Teacher: Year 2 Visits NSW Schoolhouse Museum
In History this term, Year 2 are learning about the Past, Present and Future and have been investigating what school was like in the past. For this we had the wonderful experience of visiting the Old School House Museum in Ryde where the girls were immersed on a journey through the past exploring lots of different activities that children would have done at school in the 1900s. These included writing with ink pens, using slate boards, maypole dancing and exercising with dumbbells in the yard as well as pretending we were teachers and stamping our workbooks with our learning for the day. Here are what some of our girls had to say about their visit.
“It was fun, because we got to use the chalk boards and the ink pens.” – Anna Won
“I enjoyed stamping because I hadn’t done that before. The used to use stamps because they didn’t have printers.” – Irene Qiu
“I really liked using the slate board and the ink pens.” – Joanne Ren
“How on earth did they live like this?” – Kitty-Mae Ruiz del Portal Greene
“Visiting the School House was interesting because we got to use the ink pens and trace letters. We don’t use them now, so it was very exciting.” – Agnes Wu
A message from Josephine Laretive Junior School Librarian – Author Jacqueline Harvey visits Year 1 and Year 2
On Monday, Year 1 and 2 met the author Jacqueline Harvey. Jacqueline shared where she got her inspiration to write her picture books Kevin the Sheep, The Daring Tale Of Gloria The Great, and That Cat. She told the girls about a sheep who was a little different to the others and didn’t always follow the crowd. They learnt about a chicken was trapped under the house and how that event developed into a story about Gloria the Chicken. There were also many stories about Jacqueline’s much loved adopted cat who travelled from Sydney to Queenstown, New Zealand and ended up in her book, That Cat. Jacqueline also writes chapter books including the Willa and Woof, Alice-Miranda, Clemintine Rose, and Kensey and Max series.
A message from Shaira Musico – Junior School Service Coordinator
As part of our Junior School focus on service, we will be supporting a number of different initiatives this year. Kindergarten to Year 2 will continue to support the HARK Refugee Clinic at the Children’s Hospital Westmead. We are seeking donations of new stationery items to assist students at school. This could include pencils, pencil cases, pens, textas, glue sticks, scissors and other small stationery items. These items can be brought to school by your daughter or dropped at the Junior School office. We are looking to deliver these items to HARK Refugee Clinic on Monday 25 March.
We thank you so much for your support and look forward to making a difference together.
Cook2Care – A student led-initiative for Year 3 and 4
To support our student led initiative ‘Cook2Care’ inspired by Year 4 student Jasmine Smith, please bring in packaged food to Hedgehog House by Monday 25 March. Hampers will be made up to be donated to local community charities. Shortly, we will also be asking Year 3 and 4 families to please cook and donate meals for charity. Further details will be coming soon.
A message from Mr Stephen Robinson – Acting Deputy Head of Junior School – Operations
Ride Safely to School Day
Friday 22 March is National Ride Safely to School Day. This wonderful initiative is the largest celebration of active travel and one of the best ways to start the school day. We invite students to participate in various ways:
Ride a bike or scooter to school with a parent or family member;
Meet Mrs Brown and other members of the Junior School at Pymble Station at 7.45am to ride (bike or scooter) to school as a group. Please complete this form to register; or
Bring your bike or scooter along to participate in a range of activities at lunchtime.
All students participating in National Ride Safely to School Day must have a properly fitted helmet when riding.
Babysitting during Icebreaker
We are very much looking forward to seeing many of our parents at our College Icebreaker event tomorrow Friday 1 March 2024. To assist families, we are happy to announce we are providing FREE babysitting to current Junior School girls during this event.
Students will be supervised by Junior School staff in the John Reid Hall for a movie night (G Rating), with craft activities also available.
Spots are limited to the first 75 children registered. Please submit another response if you have another daughter in Junior School requiring supervision. ONLY current Junior School students may be registered.
Students may be dropped off from 6.45pm and must be collected by 8.15pm (although the Icebreaker event ends at 9.00pm). Please be aware that there is no food provided. Students must eat dinner before arrival.
International Women’s Day Video Submissions
Thank you to those mothers and grandmothers that have already submitted a video or reserved a time to record a video at school speaking about the impact of Mathematics in your life. These videos are BRILLIANT! Our compilation of testimonials will indeed celebrate Maths and Girl Power this International Women’s Day.
If you are able to assist us with this, please click this link.
JSPG Meeting STEM Presentation
On Wednesday, Mr Dan Brown, Head of STEM K-6 presented at the JSPG Meeting. To assist those who joined us online, please click here to see the slides he presented.
A message from Lara Bird, Deputy Head of Junior School – Academic
Across the year, girls will have opportunities to participate in various academic competitions including da Vinci Decathlon (Years 5 and 6), Write a Book in a Day (Years 5 and 6), Dorothea McKellar Poetry Competition and Pens against Poverty Writing Competition. Announcements for competitions will be made in assembly.
Notices will be placed on the portal for ICAS and Australian Mathematics Competition (AMT) which will take place before school. ICAS will take place in August.
Oz Kids in Print Competition
Calling all budding writers, poets and artists from Kindergarten to Year 6 who would like to enter their work into the Oz Kids in Print Competition, please email lbird@pymblelc.nsw.edu.au and attach the artwork (in jpeg (maximum file 1MB)) or short story/poem (in Microsoft word).
Academic Series for Parents
Our first Academic Series for parents will take place on Tuesday, 26 March (Week 9) 3.30pm to 5.00pm. The focus will be on “Reading with your daughter” (3.30pm to 4.00pm) and “Being a Junior Mathematician”(4.00pm to 5.00pm). These workshops will take place in the Junior School library and John Reid Hall.
A message from Mrs Kate Giles – Head of Wellbeing K-6
Parent Wellbeing Series
This year we will be holding a number of workshops with a focus on wellbeing. The first of these is on Thursday 7 March at 8.30am in the Junior School Library. The session is aimed at parents of students from Kindergarten to Year 3 but all are welcome. Places are limited.
If you would like to attend, please click here to register.
Jumping into Action for Heart Health
This term, Pymble will be participating in Jump Rope for Heart to help our students move more, have fun and raise funds for life saving research and programs. Students will be skipping during lunch breaks and during allocated House time between Weeks 7 and 11. On Friday 12 April, we will hold our Jump Off Day to mark the completion of the program, where students in Years 3-6 will come together to showcase their new skills and participate in a House skipping competition.
This year, Pymble has the goal of raising $15,000 to help fund research to fight heart disease. To register your child, so they can participate in online fundraising, follow the link below. When you register your child online, you’ll get access to additional skipping resources to help your child improve their skipping skills and heart fitness.
Please keep an eye out for the ‘Parent and Guardian Guide’ coming home next week which includes further information on the program.
We are excited to see the students’ enthusiasm and dedication to this wonderful cause and thank you for your support and participation in this important initiative.
Junior School Digital News
A message from the Junior School Administration Office
Lost Property – please help!
Please check that all your daughter’s items are named including socks, hats, lunch boxes and drink bottles. All unnamed items are stored in the K-2 Upper Performing Arts Room and will be disposed of if not claimed.
Late arrivals, early departures from school
To ensure your daughter is marked on the roll correctly, please remind your daughters to come to the Junior School Office to sign in if your daughter is late (before going to their classroom) or sign out from school if you daughter needs to leave early (pre-approved).
Term 1 2024 Key Dates
Friday 1 March Class Photos 8.30am to 1.00pm (girls to wear full summer uniform)
Friday 1 March PPA Icebreaker
Saturday 2 March IPSHA Saturday Sport
Monday 4 March Years 1-12 Cross Country Event
Monday 4 March – Friday 15 March Duckling hatchlings visit Kindergarten
Monday 4 March International Women’s Day Assembly 3-6
Tuesday 5 March IPSHA Swim and Dive Carnival
Friday 8 March International Women’s Day
Friday 8 March House Picnic Lunch
Saturday 9 March IPSHA Saturday Sport
Monday 11 March – Wednesday 13 March Year 6 Outdoor Education Program Group 1
Wednesday 13 March – Friday 15 March Year 6 Outdoor Education Program Group 2
Wednesday 13 March Year 3 and 5 Naplan: Writing –
Thursday 14 March Year 3 and 5 NAPLAN: Reading & Grammar
Thursday 14 March Pi Day
Thursday 14 March Junior School Open Evening
Friday 15 March NAPLAN: Numeracy
From the Junior School Parent Group (JSPG)
JSPG Meeting for Term 1 – Wednesday 28 February
Junior School parents and carers are welcome to join us at the Junior School Parent Group (JSPG) Term 1 Meeting on Wednesday 28 February from 8.15am to 9.15am in the 3-6 Junior School Library.
There will be an update on the College Master Plan, while Kate Brown and Lara Bird will provide an update on Academics. There will be time at the end of the meeting for questions. No registration required. We look forward to seeing you there!
*LAST CALL* Icebreaker – Friday 1 March
Please join us for canapes and drinks at our annual Icebreaker on Friday 1 March from 6.45pm to 9.00pm, held on Gloucester Lawn.
Tickets are $52 per person and include a cocktail style dinner and drinks. This year’s theme is (an optional) touch of florals. Banners will be set up to help group parents by year group.
Please click here to RSVP by Friday 23 February. Please note this is a parent only event and registration is essential.
Do you need child minding?
The Junior School has very generously organised a FREE babysitting service in the John Reid Hall from 6.45pm to 8.15pm (earlier than the Icebreaker finish time of 9.00pm). There will be an optional G-rated movie or craft activities. This is for enrolled Pymble Junior School students only – sorry, no siblings. Spots are limited to the first 75 children registered. Please be aware no food is provided – students are to eat dinner before they arrive.
JSPG Family Movie Night – Saturday 6 April
Please save the date for our JSPG Family Movie Night on Saturday 6 April. We are planning a BBQ dinner, followed by a G rated movie on the Main Oval. This is our only full Junior School family event together – come along and enjoy the beautiful backdrop of the College as the sun sets. We’ve moved the date forward this year while the weather is still warm. More details to come soon.
Upcoming Events
1R Class Play Date at JUMPd – Sunday 10 March
Please see the flyer for details and RSVP to your Class Parents by 23 February.
Year 2 Mums’ Night – Friday 22 March
Please join us from 6.00pm at 465 The Avenue, Chatswood. Welcome drink and canapes included. Please RSVP by 10 March by clicking here.
Save the Date: Year 1 Easter Egg Hunt – Sunday 24 March
Hop on over for our Year 1 Easter Egg Hunt at Bicentennial Park West Pymble. Please see the flyer for details and RSVP to your Parent Year Coordinators.
This week in Middle School we are seeing the girls continue to settle into routines and step up to the challenges, as they become more organised and class work demands further consolidation. Teachers are reporting that the girls are actively engaged across the curriculum and invested in their learning. This week our Year 8 English students who are currently studying Miyazaki’s film Spirited Away were invited to extend their knowledge of anime by joining a lunchtime screening of Howl’s Moving Castle– another of the Japanese director’s masterpieces. It was great to see so many students in attendance.
Just a note that the Cross Country has been rescheduled to Monday 4 March due to excessive heat on Thursday. All girls will be invited to participate across the morning, starting with roll call on the oval at 8.15am. For this event, students are permitted to wear their sports uniform, with House shirts, to and from school on the day.
Congratulations to our Year 7 students who competed at the 2024 NSW All Schools Triathlon Championships last week.
Dimity Loeve
Year 07
Ruby Azar
Year 07
Quinn Parry-Okeden
Year 07
Ellie Lau
Year 07
Ava Costa
Year 07
Lillie Oldfield
Year 07
Georgia Blue
Year 07
Jade George
Year 07
Dimity (Year 7) has shared a reflection from her experience below:
“This year’s triathlon was a wonderful experience for all of us. Even though we had an early start, getting there at 7.00am, everyone was excited and ready to race. When we arrived, we all got our numbers and wheeled our bikes over to the inspection bay.
The Junior girls started first followed by intermediate then senior. We were all racing in the heat, but everyone did an excellent job at pushing through. The swim was unfortunately cancelled, so the swimmers did a 750m sprint much to their disgust. Overall, it was such an exciting event for all.” – Written by Dimity Loeve (Year 7)
Next week on Tuesday during our special assembly, we will be celebrating International Women’s Day. The theme for this year is Inspiring Inclusion/ Inspiring Creativity. In preparation,we have used some of our Compass time this week to reflect on what inclusion looks like and feels like. Everyone was asked to select a special themed postcard and make a commitment to how they could live the College values and foster inclusivity within their own lives. These pledges will be displayed as reminders of the importance of fostering inclusive behaviour. Across lunchtimes this week, we have also had an enthusiastic and creative group of volunteers painting banners which highlight themes about Inclusivity. These will be hung on the colonnade as visual prompts underscoring our values. A number of our Year 8 Middle School Leaders have been invited as representatives of the college, to attend external International Women’s Day events over the next week. In Week 6’s newsletter I will invite students to share their experiences with you.
Thank you to all of the Year 7 families who have so promptly attended to completing the Outdoor Education Program permission forms. Just a reminder that we would appreciate these being finalised by Friday this week. You can complete it by clicking here. Next week the girls will meet with our Outdoor Education Director who will share details of the adventures that lie ahead in Weeks 8 and 9.
For those that did not have the opportunity to attend the Knowing People, Knowing Pymble event last Tuesday 20 February, you can watch the recordings here: Year 7 Presentation and Year 8 Presentation.
I am looking forward to catching up with Middle School parents at the Icebreaker on Friday evening. This is a wonderful opportunity for you to make connections and help to grow our community.
From the Middle School Parent Groups
Year 7
We are looking forward to seeing you at the Icebreaker tomorrow evening starting at 6.45pm on Gloucester Lawn (near GMCPA).
The weather forecast looks excellent! We have over 110 Year 7 parents registered which is fabulous. It should be a wonderful night.
Kind regards
Stephanie, Leigh and Briar
Year 8
PPA Icebreaker 2024
Thank you for your amazing support! Over 600 tickets have been sold for the PPA Icebreaker and it will be one of the biggest and best events of the school year!
On the night, head to the Year 8 balloon to meet up with the parents in our cohort. It’s a very relaxed night to talk to people, and great if you do not know many people. This year’s theme is “Florals” if you would like to dress in theme (although not essential). It may be easier to add a touch of floral (perhaps a flower, floral accessory etc).
Year 8 Coffee Catch Up
A Year 8 Coffee Catch Up with be held on Friday morning on Friday 8 March at Brick Lane Expresso, a favourite local West Pymble café. A table has been booked from 8.00am in the name of ‘PLC Year 8’. Pop in after ‘drop off’ before you head off for your day. The café is open early for any parent whose daughter may have an earlier start to the day.
A WhatsApp Poll will be set up closer to the date in the Year 8 general chat group to confirm numbers of parents attending.
Dads@PLC All Years
Dads are welcome to join the Pymble Dads’ WhatsApp group. It is a community group for dads from Kindergarten to Year 12. Click here to join the group.
Please do not hesitate to get in touch with either Cindy or myself if you have any questions or need help with anything.
A message from Mrs Victoria Harrison, Acting Head of Upper School
This week marks the final week of our first Residential Program of the year at Vision Valley. We have missed seeing the girls on campus and know that their families are excited about welcoming them home this Friday afternoon. I am confident that during their time at the valley the girls will have forged new friendships, learnt in new ways and have developed a new appreciation of the Australian environment. We look forward to hearing about all their experiences next week.
It is always fabulous to acknowledge the achievements of Pymble students. This week it is great to acknowledge achievements on the sporting field and in Mathematics. We also will be cheering on our Tildesley Tennis team next week and best wishes to all Rowers for this weekend’s Head of the River.
Congratulations to Varada Vinay (Year 9) and Lizzie Yates (Year 10) on their participation in the NSW All Schools Cricket Championships last week. Along with Willa Pearson (Year 8) the girls were valued members of the CIS team who reached the Final only to be defeated by the Combined Catholic Colleges. We are immensely proud of the girl’s accomplishments and looking forward to hearing more about their cricketing journey.
Congratulations also to Jenny He, Sophie Guo, Averie Sun, and Emily Huang on their participation in the 2023 Middle Mathematical Contest in Modeling (MIDMCM) competition. The girls were given an Honourable Mention in this competition which required the team to show creativity and ingenuity in mathematical modelling. To achieve success, the girls had to explain their strategies and problem solving in clear terms. It is lovely to hear of the girl’s enthusiasm and passion for mathematics. We also acknowledge the wonderful support of Mr. Brian Morrison for his support of the girls prior to his recent retirement. Well done to all involved.
This week I am proud to include the work of the Upper School Communication Leaders Alice Mao and Jemma Hung who interviewed a range of Year 9 and 10 students on what Pymble Pulse means to them. It is lovely to hear how the girls are interpreting Pymble Pulse and to hear how they are going to support their peers and school this year.
“Pymble pulse means supporting my friends at events and being together as one community.”
“Pymble Pulse means supporting those around me even if I don’t know them as people and it proves a good opportunity to involve myself in activities I usually wouldn’t care about.”
“Pymble pulse means getting together and connecting with friends by celebrating and cheering for them.”
“Pymble pulse means being enthusiastic and supporting our peers and fellow Pymble students.”
“Pymble Pulse allows people to engage in activities and boost morale, encouragement and excitement. Our support can inspire athletes to do their best and can represent our school by enhancing the mood.”
“Pymble pulse means Pymble has a heart! To me, the heart of Pymble represents the people and how we support and nurture everyone to be the best version of ourselves.”
“I think Pymble Pulse represents the connection I feel every time I make a friend, reach a goal or accomplish something with my team, be it when I’m playing a sport or building a robot or making a speech.”
“To me, Pymble Pulse represents the close bond Pymble girls share with each other and how we always value support and encouragement within our community.”
“For me, Pymble Pulse is probably most relevant to my team sports. It sort of feels like the energy whenever I score a goal, knowing that there’s a whole team that’s right there cheering.”
Our Maths Superstar!
Amber Li (Year 10) has been selected to represent Australia at the European Girls Mathematical Olympiad which is being held in Georgia in April of this year. Amber has competed in a range of competitions and attended several training camps to achieve this prestigious and significant position.
This is the first time that Pymble has had a student selected in this capacity and we are very proud of her amazing ingenuity, focus, tenacity and determination. We wish her every success in the competition and look forward to hearing from her regarding the experience.
A message from the Year 9 Parent Co-ordinators
All Year 9 parents and carers are invited to attend the first Year 9 morning tea of the year. Please RSVP by Sunday 10 March.
Topics: Vision Valley and how to navigate around school systems
Date: Friday 15 March
Time: 8.30am
Venue: Brick Lane Espresso, West Pymble Shopping Village
Key Dates
Wednesday 6 March – Year 9 Residential Program Term 2 Parent and Student Information Evening
Tuesday 12 March – Urban Challenge for Year 10
Thursday 11 April – Year 10 Learning Discussions – Evening
Friday 12 April – Year 10 Learning Discussions – All Day (No classes)
Friday 12 April – Last Day of Term (For Year 9)
Victoria Harrison
Acting Head of Upper School
From the Senior School
From the Head of Senior School
Many thanks to all the Year 12 students and parents who took part in the Learning Discussions on Tuesday evening. It is always such a great opportunity to catch up and reflect on the progress which has been made and make further plans for growth.
I also look forward to seeing many of you at Friday night’s Icebreaker. For the Year 12 parents, it is often a bitter-sweet time, as you attend the final Icebreaker of your Pymble years!
Pymble – Knox Connections
The students involved in the Pymble – Knox Connections group had their first meeting this week, introducing themselves to each other and reflecting on what makes a positive relationship. I was very proud to see the way the Pymble students engaged with their new Knox friends and look forward to a really productive year. It is hoped that through this group the students at both schools can expand their friendship networks and gain diverse perspectives.
Year 11 Formal and Year 12 Social
A reminder to parents to purchase tickets for the upcoming social events for the Senior girls. The final date for ticket purchases for Year 12 is today, Thursday 29 February. The Senior School team is looking forward to sharing in these events with the girls.
Term 1 Key Dates
Friday 1 March – Pymble Icebreaker
Friday 15 March – Year 12 Social at Dalton House
Friday 22 March – Year 11 Formal at Le Montage
Tuesday 26 to Thursday 28 March – Year 11 Assessment block
Friday 29 March – Good Friday Public Holiday
Monday 1 April – Easter Monday Public Holiday
Thursday 4 April – Year 11 University Immersion Day
Thursday 4 April – Year 12 Food for Thought
Friday 12 April – Term 1 ends
Friday 3 May – Careers Expo (date changed to Friday 3 May from Monday 8 April)
Nikki Wyse
Head of Senior School
From the Boarding School
While our Boarders live across four separate houses, we really are just one big family. There are many ways in which the girls come together across the year groups to learn from each other, have fun and make beautiful memories.
Our Spirit House Circles are one of the valuable ways in which we form rich connections across the year groups. Each Boarder is allocated a ‘circle’ on commencement at the College and they stay with this group throughout their time at Pymble. On Tuesday nights, they sit together in their ‘circles’, usually preceded by some sort of fun activity.
Our Spirit House Captains take leadership of these activities and this week it was the Handball Championship! It was great to see our most senior Boarders enjoying the fun as much as our youngest Boarders and it is fair to say we have a competitive bunch of girls!
Maggio’s Visit
Last Friday our Boarders Get Baking team had a real treat – a visit to the fabulous Maggio’s Bakery and Pasticceria at Cammeray. This is always a highlight of the Boarders get Baking program and a terrific learning experience for all the girls. Andrew Maggio, the eponymous owner, took us on a behind the scenes tour and explained the process of running a successful business and revealed the secret to a great almond croissant. His message of ‘hard work pays off’ was well received and our Year 12 girls particularly enjoyed the insight into the hospitality industry.
Of course, the girls loved the delicious selection of pastry treats and hot chocolates but the true favourite was making their very own Italian donut complete with Nutella filling.
We are very grateful to Mr Maggio for giving his time and treats so generously and to the wonderful Kathryn Wiedemann for organising yet another fabulous Friday afternoon for us.
New to Pymble and Pymble?
Not sure where the Post Office is? Looking for a great coffee? Not sure where to stay? Look no further – our Welcome to Pymble – A Local Guide is your go to reference for accessing all the practicalities you need in the local area. Please click here to view the guide, or pick up a hard copy in house.
Congratulations Millie!
I am delighted to share that Millie Sutcliffe was awarded the UAA Indigenous Athlete of the Year at the Regional Academies of Sport Awards Night. This prestigious award recognises elite young Indigenous athletes from all academies. Before joining us at Pymble, Millie was training with the Western Region Academy of Sport. Her award recognises her outstanding achievements in basketball.
Loving Love It – Mrs White Deputy Director of Boarding
As we hit the midpoint of term, Love it was in full swing with a trip to the driving range and putt putt golf course at Thornleigh. The Boarders delighted in refining their swings and evening attaining some hole in one success on the putt putt course.
Sunday’s weather was just stunning, and several Boarders enjoyed a trip to the Palm Beach markets with Taryn and Deb. This weekend we are looking forward to our invite a day girls’ event on Friday night while the parents enjoy ice breaker.
Saturday afternoon will be an opportunity to head to the city for a visit to chocolate heaven – Max Brenner. This Sunday, there will be two options: the first is the chance to join the Pymble Pulse at the Head of the River rowing and the second option will be a trip to Wylie’s Baths at Coogee.
View From My Window
Hi, my name is Lily, I am 16 years old, and I was born in Sydney. My first school was Miranda North Public School and when I was in Year 1 my family moved to one of the most beautiful places in Australia – Port Macquarie.
The view from my window is special because I can see right out onto the water. I walk out my back door past our pool and can jump into the canals that are part of the Hastings River, where I play on my kayak, stand-up paddle board, go out on my “tinnie”, our speedboat or sometimes one of our jet skis.
Before coming to the College I went to St Columba Anglican School in Port Macquarie with my brothers, Ben 15 (who is now a boarder at Knox) and Zac 11. I started as a Boarder here at the College in 2023 when I was in Year 10.
I live with my mum (Samantha), dad (Laurence), my two brothers and our gorgeous labradoodle, Poppy. We live in an amazing house with a fabulous waterfront on the canals. I come from a Police Family; my dad retired as an Inspector after 30 years of service and my mum retired after 20 years as a Sergeant.
My mum is an amazing person and my parents wrote a book called Left for Dead which is all about her. Port Macquarie is a lovely place to live, it is a very common tourist destination all year round as there is so much to do, people come for the holidays to visit our amazing beaches, go for camel rides, and visit Billabong Zoo.
Like all country towns, sport is a big part of daily life. I swim competitively at NSW Country, NSW Titles and the Australian Titles for the last 3 years. I also play soccer for Iona Sports Club and patrol as a Life Saver at Port Macquarie Surf Club which is based at Flynns Beach.
When I return to school I love going to Pymble squad training with coach Rafa in the Engine squad. I love being a Boarder at Pymble as I have met so many girls from right around NSW, I love being able to take advantage of the numerous academic opportunities.
Boarder of the Week
Harriett joined us from Walcha in 2023, and has been a wonderful addition to Goodlet House this year. She has a friendly and welcoming presence, ensuring new Boarders feel comfortable and welcomed. Harriett is diligent with her boarding routines, being the first to attend the ‘Learn It’ program and she always keeps her room tidy. She enjoys a chat with staff and her peers and welcomes others to join. Harriett has been a wonderful big sister to our new Year 7 Boarders, visiting Avonmoore in her spare time. Harriett has ensured the girls have a familiar face whilst on the ‘Love it’ program and looks out for the new Boarders on her travels. A well-deserved Boarder of the Week!
Save the Date
1 March PPA Icebreaker followed by ‘posts’ for Boarder parents at the Pymble Pub
28 March Boarders’ Travel Day Easter Long Weekend (Year 7 date to be confirmed)
1 April Boarders’ return from Easter Long Weekend from 5.00pm
9 April End of Term Chapel and Dinner
12 April End of Term Travel Day
29 April Boarders return and Eat Like a Boarder
Extra-special must-save dates!
18 and 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)
Carolyn Burgess
Head of Boarding
From the Chaplains
On Monday night Taylor Swift wrapped up her Australian leg of the Eras tour. Playing to over 600,000 adoring “Swifities,” Taylor’s presence was marked by joy, the swapping of friendship bracelets and spontaneous acts of kindness between strangers. The “Swift effect” also took on the economy, the National Australia Bank confirming a 33 per cent rise in sales over the weekend in Melbourne (that’s $174 million).
The world seems to be taken by Taylor. But was it always like this? On 10 November 2017, Taylor released an album called Reputation. The pop album features songs like ‘Are you ready for it?’ and ‘Look what you made me do’. In an interview with Rolling Stone, Swift described writing Reputation from the perspective of the character she had beenlabelled. She was criticised for going on too many dates, her girl squad was accused of modelling a false idea of feminism whom The Daily Telegraph described as “impossibly beautiful women flaunting impossibly perfect lives.” After waves of online attacks, Taylor announced an extended hiatus; she felt “people might need a break” from her.
In other words, whenever she walked into a room, her reputation proceeded her. Her reputation was made up of gossip, criticism and judgement. She carried these words with her, like a prison, these words entrapped her, following her through her days and nights.
This week I asked our students what words they carry with them.
Maybeits words said about you on social media, maybe in the classroom, maybe on the field – maybe even your marks spoke to you – maybe the way someone treated you or ignored you, and you ended up carrying all these words around with you. Whenever you walk in a room, these words follow you. Words that make you feel vulnerable and insecure. Trapped.
In the Gospel of Luke, Jesus met a woman with words that preceded her. She was also a woman with a reputation. Religious folks gave her many names like ‘sinner’ and ‘unclean’. A woman with a past, imprisoned by these words.
As Jesus watches her weep, her tears and perfume upon his feet, he is moved. He sees her beyond her past, beyond these words. He names her, commends her faith and celebrates her. In doing so, he publicly rips up each name ever said about her and replaces them with new words: seen, heard, understood and celebrated. As she left, she carried these new words with her.
I encouraged the students, saying perhaps this is an opportunity for you, if you want to give something up for Lent. Let go of that voice that makes you feel insignificant, that makes you feel like you are not enough. Whatever your spiritual practice, a good discipline will remind you that you are loved. If there is any bad behaviour or practice you need to work at changing or letting go of, you can practice changing that behaviour, or attitude, without needing to feel small. So rip those imprisoning words up they don’t belong to you, and while you’re at it, rip up all those words spoken about others also.
Cass Blake
College Chaplain
From the Futures Team
Australian Defence Force (ADF) – GAP Year Information Session – Wollongong
Wondering what to do with your time after finishing school? Consider doing a Gap Year with the Australian Defence Force (ADF)!
Spend 12 months with the best of the best as you get paid to experience life in the Navy, Army or Air Force, having unique life experiences and making lifelong friends along the way.
Come along to an upcoming info session where you can speak to military personnel about what an ADF Gap Year has to offer you.
It is highly recommended you book as soon as possible to avoid missing out as places are strictly limited!
My Sci – Monash University (VIC)
MYSci is a three-day science program specifically designed for students who will be in Year 11 and 12 in 2024. The program has been significantly revised from the 2023 event, and so if you attended in 2023, you can also attend in 2024!
This program schedule will include:
Hands-on workshops
Access to our brilliant teaching facilities
Opportunities to meet some of our Research Scientists
EducationUSA Australia would like to help students, parents, guardians, school staff, and anyone who has questions regarding the process of studying at U.S. colleges. You can register for one of these webinars below.
Direct Applications for The Australian National University
Direct applications to ANU open 1st March 2024. Click here to view the timelines.
Cambridge Summer Programs
ADVERTISEMENT: Please note, this activity is not organised or affiliated with Pymble Ladies’ College.
Cambridge Summer Programs 2024 – Places filling up fast!
Find out more:
Brochure: Our summer program brochure is now available to download via our website here: www.reachcambridge.com/program-information-2024. This page also contains links to our video trailer and course video reviews, so that students can learn more about our programs from our alumni. We can also send physical copies of our brochure to your school, on request.
Complimentary Info Session/Callback or Webinar: Please feel free to pass on this link to any families that would like to arrange a meeting with us at a time that suits them. We would also be happy to arrange a live webinar with your school, for any interested students/parents.
Limited-time Discount: We are currently offering a discount of £100 if students apply and pay their deposits by Monday 26th February 2024.
Washington University Summer Programs
ADVERTISEMENT: Please note, this activity is not organised or affiliated with Pymble Ladies’ College.
Our programs offer highly motivated students the chance to explore academics and campus life at WashU. We encourage you to share these programs with your students as they build their college lists and explore academic opportunities beyond high school. Use the links below to learn more about each program, including application guidelines.
Olin Business School Programs
The application deadline for the following programs is March 10, 2024.
Please note: Gateway to Business also includes three virtual sessions (June 13, 20, and 27), followed by the one-week, in-person academic experience on the WashU campus.
Arts & Sciences Programs
The application deadline for the following programs is April 1, 2024.
Upcoming opportunities for students interested in Overseas Pathways
Masterclass: Preparing for Overseas University Applications (Open to Students in Year 9-12)
Date: Friday 8 March at MBS time
Our Futures Department Team will introduce students to the process for applying to UK and US universities.
An email invitation will be sent to students to sign up.
Masterclass: Tips on applying to UK universities
Anyone interested UK university, Jo Turner, UCL Recruitment Manager (UK) from University College London will be visiting the College to share tips for applications during a special Masterclass on Thursday 21 March at lunchtime.
An email invitation will be sent to students to sign up.
Upcoming Events in the Futures Calendar
Year 10 Strengths and Skills Day
All of Year 10 will be participating in an incursion on Thursday 22 March hosted by the Futures Department.
Students will be asked to complete a Clifton Strengths Assessment prior to this date. Consent for the The Futures Levy for each student needs to be provided prior to receipt of their personalised Cliftons Strength code to access the survey.
emPOWER Lunch – Journalism
On Friday 1st March at lunchtime in the Library Learning Studio, our Learning Prefects will be hosting ex student Olivia Kinghorst (Chang, 2011) in our first Empower Lunch for 2024.
What is emPOWER Lunch?
An initiative which started in 2022 and led by the Learning Prefect team, Empower Lunches are open to students in Year 7 to 12 to meet with Alumni, guests and industry experts to learn about them and their career paths.
Our special guest, Olivia is a respected international journalist who has volunteered her time to come meet students to share her insights on working in the field of media and journalism and her career path to date.
Students who are interested need to register their place at the event for catering purposes.
An invitation link will be sent to students via email.
Masterclass
Following the emPOWER Lunch on Friday 1 March, during MBS, Year 11 and 12 students are invited to join Olivia Kinghorst in a masterclass on effective communication based on her experience as a presenter, moderator and journalist.
You can read more about Olivia and her work here. An invitation link will be sent to students via email.
From the Community Engagement Team
Icebreakeris tomorrow night
Tomorrow night is our PPA Icebreaker with over 650 Pymble community members joining us to toast the start of another Pymble year. We look forward to seeing you all on Gloucester Lawn from 6.45pm.
Semester 1 Events
Please see below the complete list of Pymble community events taking place in Semester 1. We look forward to seeing you at as many of these as possible.
Kelly Mancey Director of Community Engagement and Advancement
From the Co-curricular Sports Team
Pymble Cross Country Carnival
Due to the extreme weather forecasted for Thursday 29 February, the Pymble Cross Country Carnival has been rescheduled to next Monday 4 March.
Please see important information below:
Date: Monday 4 March
Timing
7.30am to 8.25am: Competitors warm up and roll call on Main Oval. Secondary School roll call at the house tent. Junior School roll call in compass classes before coming to Main Oval.
8.30am: 4km Competitive Race – 14 to 18 years (Years 8 to 12)
8.50am: 3km Race – 12 to 13 years (Year 7 and the 13 year old’s in Year 8)
9.10am: 3km Race – 11 to 12 years (Years 5 and 6)
9.30am: 2km Race – 8, 9 and 10 year old’s (Years 2 to 4)
9.50am: 3km Non competitive race – 14 to 18 years (Years 8 to 12)
9.50am: Year 1 will walk to Main Oval.
10.20am: One lap race – Year 1 and Year 2 (7 year old’s)
10.30am: Presentation of trophies and conclusion of carnival.
The Cross Country Carnival aims to promote house spirit and participation; therefore, all students are encouraged to compete in the event. It is also a selection for our School Cross Country squad.
For Years 7 to12 students, there is a trophy to be won for the winning house and also a trophy for the sport with the best athletes. In 2023, Bennett won the House cup and AFL won the Sport Cup. Triathlon won the Handicap Sport trophy.
What to wear
Students should wear their house shirt and PE shorts and/or Saturday sport shirt and PE shorts and/or athletics uniform. Students should also bring a snack for recess, a water bottle, hat and sunscreen. Students have permission to wear their sports uniform for the day. All secondary school students will be expected on Main Oval for roll call at 8.15am. When arriving at school, students should put their bags in their lockers and head straight to Main Oval. Junior School students will go to roll call as per normal and will be walked up to Main Oval with their compass teacher. The carnival will finish at the end of recess. There will be no access to the school cafés at recess. Students are expected back in class in Period 3.
For any questions regarding the Secondary School Cross Country carnival, please contact Mrs Edwards (Head of Sport Years 7 to 12) kaedwards@pymblelc.nsw.edu.au
For any questions regarding the Junior School Cross Country, please contact Mr Tyson (Head of Sport Kindergarten to Year 6) mtyson@pymblelc.nsw.edu.au
Pymble was represented by four athletes on the night. A huge congratulations to the following students:
Eloise Lawry (Year 7) – Cricket Blue and AFL Red
Sophie Tong (Year 6) – Golf Blue
Yi Ying Lim (Year 12) – Athletics Blue with Honours
Ashlee Narker (Class of 2023) – Tennis Blue with Honours
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Co-curricular Administration
Term 2 2024 Saturday Sport Registrations
Registrations closed at 12.00pm on Friday 16 February for Term 2 Saturday Sports. If you missed the registration period and would like to request registration into a Sport, please click here to complete our registration request form. A reminder that late registrations are NOT guaranteed.
The Term 2 Saturday Sport options were as follows:
igsa Basketball (Years 7 to 12 – Saturday mornings)
igsa Football (Years 7 to 12 – Saturday mornings)
Rugby Sevens (Years 7 to 12 – Training in Term 2 and Competition in Term 3 on Saturday afternoons)
IPSHA Hockey/Minkey (Years 3 to 6 – Saturday mornings)
IPSHA Netball (Years 3 to 6 – Saturday mornings)
Futsal (Years 3 to 12 – five week training program followed by a competition for selected students)
Co-curricular Registration Requests
Registrations for Term 1/Semester 1/Yearly programs are now closed and the cut-off date for registration requests has now passed as per our conditions of registration. What this means is that any late requests submitted after Monday 19 February will not be approved and any withdrawals after this date will be subject to the charge as indicated in the conditions. Requests submitted prior to the cut-off date are currently being processed and will adhere to the conditions of being submitted prior to the cut-off.
Monique Zahra
Head of Co-curricular Administration
AFL
On Saturday 24 February, an amazing weekend of results were achieved by our Pymble AFL teams: five wins from five matches. Our Pymble players are truly hitting their strides!
Notable mentions to our Junior Division 2 Pymble 6 team securing a dominant victory against Loreto Normanhurst. This team have been going from strength to strength with every match. Our Division 2 Pymble 4 team also recorded a strong win against MLC School 3.
It was a top of the table undefeated clash against St Catherine’s in the Senior Firsts – an edge of your seat, nerve-racking encounter saw our Pymble players narrowly defeat the opposition by a mere three points! Pymble 3 were very physical in their encounter against St Catherine’s 3, taking the match 76 to 0!
Round 3 Results
Pymble 1 def St Catherines 1 (37 – 34)
Pymble 2 BYE
Pymble 3 def St Catherines 3 (76 – 0)
Pymble 4 def MLC School 3 (31 – 8)
Pymble 5 def Loreto Normanhurst 6 (36 – 10)
Pymble 6 def Loreto Normanhurst 7 (49 – 14)
Jack Garrad
Sports Co-ordinator – AFL
Artistic Gymnastics
NL8-10 State Trial #1– Sydney Gymnastics Centre, Saturday 24 and Sunday 25 February
Congratulations to the following girls who participated in the NL8-10 Trial 1 over the weekend:
On Saturday 24 February, a total of 21 wins and 14 losses were achieved for our Pymble badminton teams.
Angelina Lee (Year 12), Captain of Badminton, gives us an insight on what it was like for Pymble 2 on the weekend versing Loreto Normanhurst:
“Pymble 2 had a very exciting Round 3 held at Loreto Normanhurst. As a team we always look forward to our Saturday matches because it gives us the opportunity to practice the skills taught by our coaches during training sessions. Saturday games always lay out a friendly atmosphere for badminton players to catch up with each other and make new friends as we all share a common interest that is badminton. As for our game, we were very excited to get a clean sweep winning 5 to 0 against Loreto Normanhurst.
Today’s game was incredibly thrilling as our second doubles was a very close game – Pymble securing the win by a close 22 to 20. The match also brought out Pymble perseverance and tenacity, with our final singles player made an amazing comeback, taking the lead halfway through the match and ultimately winning their game.
A special thanks to Jess who was our supervising coach at Loreto Normanhurst providing us with strategy tips and reassurance throughout the game.”
Some student reflections from the day:
“We were relieved that the combined efforts of the team and the coaches paid off during our training sessions.” – Jasmine Li (Year 12)
“As a Year 12, badminton helps me find a balance between schoolwork and Co-curricular activities.” – Christy Ju (Year 12)
Results
Home Team
Away Team
Result
Pymble 1
MLC School 1
Won 4 to 1
Pymble 2
Loreto Normanhurst 1
Won 5 to 0
Pymble 3
PLC Sydney 3
Lost 2 to 3
Pymble 4
Ravenswood 2
Won 3 to 2
Pymble 5
Loreto Normanhurst 4
Won 5 to 0
Pymble 6
Monte Sant’ Angelo 3
Won 5 to 0
Pymble 7
Abbotsleigh 20
Won 5 to 0
Pymble 8
Abbotsleigh 22
Lost 1 to 4
Pymble 9
Loreto Normanhurst 9
Won 3 to 2
Pymble 10
Loreto Normanhurst 11
Lost 1 to 4
Pymble 11
Loreto Normanhurst 10
Won 3 to 2
Pymble 12
Loreto Normanhurst 12
Lost 2 to 3
Pymble 13
Ravenswood 12
Won 3 to 2
Pymble 14
Ravenswood 13
Lost 1 to 3
Pymble 15
PLC Sydney 17
Lost 1 to 4
Pymble 16
Meriden 22
Lost 2 to 3
Pymble 17
Meriden 23
Won 3 to 2
Pymble 18
Danebank 11
Lost 1 to 4
Pymble 19
Abbotsleigh 43
Won 3 to 2
Pymble 20
Abbotsleigh 45
Won 3 to 2
Pymble 21
Mount St Benedict 2
Won 5 to 0
Pymble 22
Abbotsleigh 50
Won 3 to 2
Pymble 23
Ravenswood 17
Won 4 to 1
Pymble 24
Abbotsleigh 53
Lost 2 to 3
Pymble 25
Loreto Normanhurst 18
Won 4 to 0
Pymble 26
Pymble 27
Won 4 to 1
Pymble 27
Pymble 26
Lost 1 to 4
Pymble 28
Pymble 29
Won 5 to 0
Pymble 29
Pymble 28
Lost 0 to 5
Pymble 30
Meriden 35
Lost 2 to 3
Pymble 31
Abbotsleigh 63
Won 3 to 2
Pymble 32
Loreto Normanhurst 23
Won 5 to 0
Pymble 33
Ravenswood 22
Lost 1 to 4
Pymble 34
Abbotsleigh 67
Won 5 to 0
Pymble 35
Loreto Normanhurst 25
Lost 2 to 3
Rachelle Davis
Sports Co-ordinator – Badminton
Cricket
NSW All Schools U19 Cricket Championships
Last week, Elizabeth Yates (Year 10), Varada Vinay (Year 9) and Willa Pearson (Year 8) represented CIS at the NSW All Schools U19 Cricket Championships in Maitland. Throughout the campaign CIS defeated CHS 1 by 10 wickets, CHS by 16 runs, lost to CCC by 18 runs. These results progressed them to the final where they took on CCC again, and unfortunately CIS went down by 5 wickets. An outstanding performance from our Pymble cricketers making the final! We are Pymble proud.
North Shore Junior Cricket Association (NSJCA)
Unfortunately, our Pymble 1 match against Mosman was cancelled over the weekend due to the wet weather.
Pymble 2 competed against West Pennant Hills and although not able to secure the win were still lucky to get the match in with the surrounding rains causing havoc around Sydney. Pymble 2 have been improving each week playing opposition over the term that have been filled with club and representative players who have been playing together as a team for some time now. Despite the quality opposition, our Pymble cricketers are turning up each week and giving it their all! Well done to all players!
Jack Garrad
Sports Co-ordinator – Cricket
Junior School Sport
On Friday 23 February 2024, the Annual prestigious NSWCIS Sports Awards dinner was held to recognise outstanding sporting achievements in 2023.
Pymble was represented by four athletes on the night. A huge congratulations to the following students:
Eloise Lawry (Year 7) – Cricket Blue and AFL Red
Sophie Tong (Year 6) – Golf Blue
Yi Ying Lim (Year 12) – Athletics Blue with Honours
Ashlee Narker (Class of 2023) – Tennis Blue with Honours
NSWPSSA Primary Tennis Championships
Congratulations to Zoe Liang (Year 6) who has been selected to represent CIS at the NSWPSSA Primary Tennis Championships which will be held in Newcastle from the Tuesday 14 May to Friday 17 May 2024. Well done Zoe on this amazing achievement!
Matt Tyson
Head of Sports – Kindergarten to Year 6
Netball
Nominations are now open for Year 7 students to trial for the Pymble Netball Targeted Athlete Program (PNTAP).
PNTAP is a targeted, by selection, program towards the top and emerging players in the Pymble Netball program. The aim of the program is to provide students with the opportunity to develop their Netball ability to the highest level to realise their Netball potential.
Please read the selection criteria carefully.
Parents may nominate their daughters to trial for this program by clicking here. Please note that this form will close on Tuesday 5 March.
Gin Welsh
Head Coach – Netball
Rowing
Schoolgirl Head of the River
This Sunday 3 March 2024 marks an important day for our Pymble rowers – the NSW Schoolgirl Head of the River. This competition is held at the Sydney International Regatta Centre – the venue where the 2000 Olympic rowing games were held. Pymble rowers have been working hard throughout Term 4, January camps and Term 1 to make their boats as fast as possible ahead of this final race of the season.
This week, the team will be getting ready by applying those finishing touches in their final training sessions of the season, including making supporters signs together on Wednesday lunchtime!
The atmosphere on Head of the River Day is one of excitement and ultimate team support. We can’t wait to see our supporters coming out on the Pymble Pulse supporter bus there to cheer on our girls as they fly down the course for the Navy, Scarlet and White!
Karl Schmidt
Head of Coaching and Performance (Kindergarten to Year 12)
Snowsports
Arabella Wheatley (Year 10) was selected and competed for the Australian U16 national team for the annual Alpe Cimbra Cup competition in Folgaria Italy. This competition is the highest level global U16 ski competition in the world and the first time Arabella has skied internationally for Australia.
400 competitors representing 41 countries compete in the Alpe Cimbra Cup.
The skiing was incredibly competitive with high energy and it was amazing to see Arabella skiing amongst such high calibre racers. Many winners of this competition often progress to race in the World Cup and Winter Olympics.
Congratulations Arabella – we are very proud of you.
Megan O’Keeffee
Sports Co-ordinator – Snowsports
Softball
Our four Pymble Softball teams were back to battling the wet weather on Saturday 24 February. Pymble Senior Firsts competed against the current front runners, Barker College. Despite the tricky conditions, the team put up a great fight against a formidable team. Our Senior Seconds faced Abbotsleigh’s Senior Firsts, and although our players hit six runs in our last innings, the score had to revert to the bottom of the previous innings.
Round 4 of competition on Saturday 2 March, our Senior Firsts will face Brigidine again, with a chance to overturn the score from the previous game. Our Senior Seconds play against our own Senior Thirds in a battle of Pymble vs Pymble, whilst our Junior Firsts will compete against Brigidine’s Junior Firsts.
On Saturday 24 February, the Pymble Senior Firsts softball team played against the Barker Firsts softball team. The rainy conditions created a challenge for Pymble, and whilst losing 11 to 2, the enthusiasm and effort on the field was exceptional. Well done to Gabriella Nutman (Year 9), for contributing to the score and successfully defending the 2nd base. Shoutout to Verity Haslam (Year 10) for her amazing catching skills and batting display. Congratulations on a great team effort!
Chris Wood
Sports Co-ordinator – Softball
Swimming
2024 NSW Senior Metropolitan Championships
Over the weekend 20 Pymble swimmers, including three Alumni, competed at the 2024 NSW Senior Metropolitan Championships at Sydney Olympic Park Aquatic Centre (SOPAC).
After two days of racing, our Pymble swimmers achieved personal best times, medals and even secured National times. A remarkable effort by the team!
Let’s keep the momentum going for upcoming meets, including Open State and Nationals!
On Wednesday 28 February and Thursday 29 February, our Pymble triathletes competed in the NSW All Schools Triathlon Championships at Sydney International Regatta Centre. Due to the poor water quality this year, triathlon was held as a duathlon. Our Pymble triathletes took part in two run legs and unfortunately did not swim on either of the days. On Wednesday, four of our individual athletes competed in some very competitive races. All four triathletes gave their absolute all and we were pleased to see some fantastic results on the day:
Individual Event Placings
Athlete
Division
Placing
Lana Pike (Year 11)
Senior
16th
Tully Black (Year 11)
Senior
19th
Lily Jones (Year 11)
Senior
24th
Grace Beck (Year 10)
Intermediate
16th
On Thursday, Pymble triathlon teams competed, including some of our individual triathletes backing up to compete over both days. Pymble entered a total of ten teams and their efforts were phenomenal.
Team Event Placings
Team
Division
Placing
Lana Pike (Year 11) Georgia Phillips (Year 12) Sarah Baker (Year 12)
Congratulations to all students involved in the NSW All Schools Championships. A special thank you goes to Tully Black (Year 11), Triathlon Captain, for her leadership and enthusiasm for, not only the sport, but her peers competing on the day. Thank you for being a wonderful role model to all of our triathletes.
Shellie Davis
Sports Co-ordinator – Triathlon
Water Polo
The Pymble Water Polo competition is in full swing with the teams finishing off Round 3 on Saturday 24 February.
Date
Team
Opponent
Score
Result
Round 3
Pymble 1
Abbotsleigh 1
12 to 2
Win
Round 3
Pymble 2
Ravenswood 3
7 to 3
Win
Round 3
Pymble 3
Ravenswood 2
6 to 10
Loss
Round 3
Pymble 4
Brigidine College 4
7 to 6
Win
Round 3
Pymble 5
Brigidine College 6
6 to 9
Loss
Round 3
Pymble 6
Barker College 3
9 to 3
Win
Round 3
Pymble 7
Ravenswood 7
1 to 6
Loss
Congratulations to Kiera Mironova (Year 11) and Zara Cooke (Year 10) on their selection to the igsa Sport Water Polo 17&U Representative team for 2024! Best of luck to both students at the upcoming NSWCIS trials.
Brigette Moore
Head Coach – Water Polo
From the Co-curricular Performing Arts Team
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Language Arts
Debating
ISDA Round 2 was held at Pymble in the KM building last Friday. As we hosted, we were affirmative. Well done to all teams who debated Knox. Year 7 will have a make up round.
Pymble ISDA will be at Trinity for Round 3 tomorrow, on Friday 1 March. Please ensure all bus tickets have been purchased. CCSA will send venue and parking details.
Pymble FED travelled to MLC for Round 1 last Friday. Thank you all for your patience as we battled bus issues, traffic and heat. This Friday FED will be at Pymble in the KM building/ Senior School centre.
Archdale and Social debating start later in the year.
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. Co-curricular Administration will send further details.
Year 11 and 12 FED and ISDA Debaters. Please note that you will have make up rounds due to Formals through the debating season.
NB Debaters must inform Mrs Hubbard, their coach and team of a known absence, in advance of Debate/s missed. We do not forfeit, and subs can be arranged.
International Debating Championships
This runs in Term 4 and is open to ISDA and Archdale debaters and FED finalists. Further details will be available in Term 3.
State Debater!
Maya Garg, our Mock Law Captain has a callback audition for the NSW Debating Union’s State Team. She is among the top 24 debaters selected. Stay tuned! Well done Maya on this significant achievement.
Congratulations to Lauren Korenblyum (Year 11)
Congratulations to Lauren Korenblyum who competed in a Lions Youth of the Year heat last Sunday. Lauren has progressed to the next round, to be held on 24 March. All the best.
Cambridge Schools’ Debating Competition
Congratulations to this formidable British Parliamentary Debating team! On the 27 and 28 January, two Pymble students, Amy Zhang (Year 11) and Alice Mao (Year 10) participated in the above competition and reached the finals, to be held at Cambridge University. Congratulations!
We hear that some will be competing in the forthcoming Junior BP competition.
Public Speaking Auditions – Year 7 to 12
Thanks to all who auditioned for Public Speaking last week and this. The interest and the standard were high. Evelyn Zhu, our Public Speaking captain will announce feedback times where girls can receive judge’s comments on their performances. BHubbard@pymblelc.nsw.edu.au; Evelyn Zhu (Year 11) ezhu2025@pymblelc.nsw.edu.au
Two students to UNUN Voice of Youth Public SpeakingNational Finals
Congratulations to Nikita Serban, Isis Li, Catherine Shi and Katherine Pan who attended the UN Voice State Finals at the end of last year. Catherine Shi will now compete in the Nationals in April. We have also recently been notified that Isis Li is also through to the Nationals! Congratulations and best wishes.
MUN – Model United Nations
NSW State MUN Conference, at Pymble – We did it. We launched NSW Student MUN. Have you seen the video?
Congratulations Jenny
Congratulations to Jenny Xu who competed at Yale and Harvard MUN sessions in the vacation. Jenny was awarded a coveted Yale outstanding delegate award. The keynote address was given by Ban Ki- Moon, 8th General Secretary of the United Nations.
THIMIUN – The Hague
Mrs Hubbard travelled to The Hague in the recent vacation where she met with board members and the head of THIMUN. We are awaiting an offer to attend the 57th session of THIMUN in January 25. If successful, Pymble will be the first Australian school to attend. Watch this space!
UN Youth State Conference
This is a flagship residential event that unites exceptional high school students in Year 9 to 12 from across the globe, providing them with a unique platform to learn about leadership, diplomacy, and advocacy. Their goal is to empower young minds, foster understanding of global issues and inspire students to become active contributors to shaping our collective future. Pymble students who have attended in past years have enjoyed the experience!
Key details
Date: 8 to 10 March
Location: The Collaroy Centre and UTS
Topic: The Future of Democracy in the 21st Century
Cost: $270
The conference promises an enriching experience with:
Interactive Workshops: Engaging sessions on critical global topics.
Expert Speaker Panels: Insights from prominent individuals in various fields.
Simulated Crisis Activity: A hands-on experience in crisis management.
Model UN Debates: A platform for students to discuss and propose solutions to international issues.
Registrations are now closed. If you have any questions or need further information, please do not hesitate to contact the organisers directly at nswstateconferenceoc@unyouth.org.au. They are more than happy to assist you with any enquiries.
Mock Law
Mooting has commenced. Mediation auditions were held yesterday. Mock Trial Material for Round One will be released on Monday 4 March.
Bronwyn Hubbard
Head of Language Arts
Music
The Addams Family
Get your tickets to see the “Kooky” family come to life. 7, 8 and 9 March at 7.00pm. There is also a matinee on 9 March at 2.00pm. This musical is suitable for most ages, but please know that there are some jokes targeted towards an adult audience.
Congratulations to the cast and musicians of The Addams Family. We have only had 6 weeks to get this show up and running and it is always such a privilege to work with students who want to perform and do their best.
Performance Uniforms
ALL students in Year 7 to 11 who are in an ensemble MUST buy the WHOLE uniform which includes pants, T-Shirt and jacket. This is done through the Uniform shop and the students must physically go into the shop to order and try it on. Year 12 may also purchase it, but I have allowed them some dispensation to borrow from others (must be organised by the student) in different ensembles. That being said, if a Year 12 student wishes to purchase, they are welcome to do so and sell it as new when they leave.
Sarah Turner
Head of Music
Get your tickets to The Addams Family!
It’s time to pay a call on The Addams Family!
Pymble is proud to present the mysterious and spooky new musical comedy, which is bound to keep you captivated from start to finish!
Showtime Schedule
Thursday 7 March at 7.00pm
Friday 8 March at 7.00pm
Saturday 9 March at 2.00pm and 7.00pm
This family really is a scream; make sure you come and see ’em at the Gillian Moore Centre for the Performing Arts, Pymble Ladies’ College.
Tickets on sale now! Click here to secure your tickets today.
Student Instagram account launch
In Week 5, our Student Communications Prefect and SRC Prefects will be launching a private Instagram account set up solely for the purpose of showcasing and celebrating student events and achievements at Pymble.
All current Pymble students aged 13 and older are welcome to follow the account if they would like to. Please note there is no implied pressure for your daughter to follow the account. The existing channels of communication remain in place to ensure all students have access to key College information.
Only designated Prefects will have the ability to post content, which will fall under one of three categories:
promoting/supporting upcoming student-led events
call-outs for volunteers or spectators at these events, or
post-event celebration and acknowledgement of students involved.
All posts and comments will be monitored by staff members who have volunteered to support the Instagram team and monitor conduct from Pymble followers.
The account we are creating will be private and unshareable, and it will reflect the Prefect theme for this year: Hear us Roar – 2024.
The only permissible functions are posts from the Prefects and comments/reactions from followers.
Before being accepted as a follower, each student will be verified as currently enrolled at Pymble and asked to read and acknowledge the strict terms and conditions of engagement which align with our College values and Student Technology Code.
Any inappropriate use or breaches of these terms and conditions, College values and Technology Code will be followed up with the appropriate Head of Year.
This launch is exciting for many of our students who have been campaigning to use Instagram as a communications tool among the student body for some time now.
Please be assured our staff have worked closely with students to put rigorous measures, checks and guidelines in place and will remain actively involved in monitoring the account to ensure it does what it is intended to do: provide a safe, inclusive and positive channel to help build engagement, pride and school spirit.
EOI: Portobello Road Markets Stallholders
We are delighted to invite our College community to express your interest in holding a stall in Portobello Road Markets at this year’s Garden Party. You can help make this the best Garden Party yet!
Please note that Portobello Market allocations are limited and as such registering your interest today does not confirm a position. Once a Convenor of Portobello Markets has been appointed, they will be in touch in mid-July with further instructions.
To send an expression of interest, please click here.
We look forward to seeing you at Garden Party 2024!
Term 1 bus registrations are now open!
Term 1 registrations for the Pymble private bus service to and from Pymble Ladies’ College are now open.
The bus service will commence from the first day of term, Tuesday 30 January and conclude on the last day of term, Friday 12 April 2024. Please check thebus stops and timesfor your preferred bus route prior to Term 1 commencing. This will also be attached to your registration confirmation email as per normal.
Registration for the Pymble bus service is offered on a term-by-term basis in two formats:
1. Term registration – $430.00 per term
Valid for the whole term. Cancellations of Term registrations must be made in writing within seven days of the start of term.
2. Flexible registration – $7.50 per trip
Enables the student to register for specific day(s) with a choice of morning and/or afternoon runs.
Please read and discuss the attached Terms and Conditions of Travel with your daughter and ensure that she has her student ID card ready to tap on and off the bus service.
A reminder for parents and students that:
Student ID cards must be used to tap on and tap off each trip. If your daughter has lost her card, please complete the attached form and return it to the IT Hub. The cost for a replacement card is $15, charged to your College account.
Pymble buses can be tracked through the TransportMe Passenger app in real time. Please find attached instructions on how to download and use the free app, available on Android and Apple devices.
Please do not hesitate to contact College Services if you have any further questions about transport to and from Pymble Ladies’ College.
Rugby Sevens Tour to Darwin
I am excited to announce that we will be travelling to Darwin for a Rugby 7s Tour this year!
This tour is only available to Juniors (Year 7 and 8) and Intermediates (Year 9 and 10). If this is something that you are interested in, please can you email jgarrad@pymblelc.nsw.edu.au
