From the Principal

One of the many great joys of life at Pymble is sitting in our beautiful GMCPA watching the performances and productions that showcase our girls’ incredible gifts and talents, both on stage and behind the scenes. Congratulations to our Years 7 to 9 Co-curricular Drama students for a fabulous interpretation of Hating Alison Ashley last Thursday and Saturday, and to our Junior School musicians for Wednesday night’s magnificent Ensemble Concert. Pymble productions never fail to amaze in terms of professionalism and quality. We are blessed to have our very own ‘Broadway’ right here on our doorstep, and staff and students who are so committed to delivering excellence in the Performing Arts.  

It’s a source of great pride – and the result of a great deal of strategic planning – that students at Pymble are afforded every opportunity to find ‘their thing’; the subject, role, sport, activity or group that makes their heart sing and inspires them to be their best self.

In planning for the future, we have considered everything we have achieved in the past three years, our ideas that are still forming, global trends, the strengths of the College, MMG feedback from students and families, and employee engagement feedback. As we come to the close of the first triennium of our Watch Us Change the World strategic direction, the Executive team has concluded several sessions to review outcomes of the four strategic pillars during the last three years and to set overarching goals to bring to the Board for consideration for the next three years ahead. It is our pleasure to share them with you now and to invite your feedback.

Emotional Intelligence

Proud of achieving in 2021-2023: With our Outdoor Education continuum developed and Vision Valley established, all students K-12 now enjoy rich outdoor experiences. The Mind, Body, Spirit framework and curriculum have been developed and embedded, helping our students develop holistically through a sequenced and guided learning program. House has been re-ignited as an important structure, providing students with opportunities to connect vertically with other students while developing an identity around their House tribe. Students are also better supported with rites of passage as they transition through key milestones during their Pymble journey.

For consideration in 2024: The team has identified for 2024-2026 a goal of fostering a healthier community, starting in 2024 with the priority areas of sleep and movement, the two foundational elements that have a profound impact on overall health and our ability to learn. Throughout the school day there will be an array of opportunities for students and staff to invest more time in physical activity. Students and staff will be encouraged to give more attention to tracking their sleep and movement, and working to develop new personalised targets.

Social Intelligence

Proud of achieving in 2021-2023: Culture has become more visible following the introduction of the Intercultural Connections Prefect portfolio and student support team to share diverse and authentic student voice. As a diverse community, we came together in unity to celebrate events such as the Sharing Stories Festival, Lunar New Year and Diwali, as well as International Peace Day and Languages Week.

Cultural fluency has also been enhanced by professional learning around diversity, inclusion and culture; introducing Aboriginal Studies to the curriculum; building our Reconciliation Action Plan; and using recruitment strategies that avoid unconscious bias to bring a more diverse range of teachers into the College.

For consideration in 2024: Our College values represent who we are as a community and we plan to bring these further to life around the campus through embedding our values as lived behaviours across all our key stakeholders. In addition, the creation of a whole-school service-learning framework will provide more opportunities for students and families to expand their perspective and be of service to others.

Digital Intelligence

Proud of achieving in 2021-2023: With more than 600 students now happily ensconced in our Robotics program, we have grown technology-related opportunities for students by establishing Data Science and Digital Technologies as two new Secondary School courses. However, the greatest joy has come in watching our littlest learning pioneers explore and create with technology in new initiatives like the Junior School STEM festival and passport program.

For consideration in 2024: We plan to launch our College Digital Champions initiative to guide us in harnessing AI to enrich student learning. Our aim is to develop an AI learning framework that outlines the essential skills, knowledge, and character needed to empower our students to make a meaningful impact through their use of technology.

Academic Intelligence

Proud of achieving in 2021-2023: The new K-2 English and Mathematics syllabuses have been successfully implemented in the Junior School. Explicit teaching of literacy and daily opportunities to listen to rich literature have developed students’ vocabulary and enjoyment of the English language. In Mathematics the focus has been on reasoning and problem solving.

In the Senior School, our HSC Improvement Initiative was very well received. This includes the development of a continuum which identifies study skills, additional academic mentoring and high levels of participation in HSC study camps and after-hours homework help.

For consideration in 2024: We plan to develop a flexible teaching and learning framework that will clearly identify what makes a Pymble education unique. The framework will also explore ways to provide more timely feedback to parents on student progress.

Equally exciting is our work in sustainability as a College. We will continue to engage consultants to review our efforts in Environmental, Social and Corporate Governance (ESG) and progress towards our Big Hairy Audacious Goal of becoming a Net Zero organisation. Students will have more opportunities built into the curriculum to contribute to this important work, including potentially joining with neighbouring schools to host a climate education summit on campus.

We welcome your feedback

It’s exciting to share with you these top line summaries of ideas for the future. Having already received feedback from our staff on these strategies, we welcome parent and carer feedback via the google form link below.

Your feedback on what you love and what would be even better if is welcome here.

In short, it’s an exciting time to be a Pymble student. Signing off with this heart-warming clip of three of our Year 12 girls – who, after the last exam this week, are all officially Pymble graduates – speaking about how Pymble has changed their lives, and their world, for the better. Truly #Pymble Proud.

From the Junior School

From the Head of Junior School

Thank you to our Junior School Parent Group (JSPG)

As we come towards the end of the year, I want to thank all our parents who have been involved in the many events we have helped over the year. I feel so lucky to have such supportive families in our Junior School community. As some of our JSPG Relationship Leaders move into Middle School with their daughters, I say a special thank you to them for their dedication and passion for our Junior School. I also want to celebrate and express my deep gratitude to the Relationship Leaders and Parent Grade Coordinators who have volunteered to help support our Junior School community in 2024:

Relationship Leaders:  Emma de Bilde, Leah Deutscher, Shweta Deshpande, Hanson Han, Jessica Jingjing, Leisa Whitehead, Percy Yang, Colleen Zhang

Care and Support Leaders:  Mimi Hu and Leyya Li

Finance Coordinator: Aimee Birch

Year 6 Parent Coordinators: Edwina Burns and Maria Guo

Year 5 Parent Coordinators: Katrina Jones and Laura Walsh

Year 4 Parent Coordinators: Fatma Khamesh and Cheryl Wang Shi

Year 3 Parent Coordinators: Cindy Dowling and Krystal Ma

Year 2 Parent Coordinators: Selina Kadeer and Elaine Yu

Year 1 Parent Coordinators: Dee Jolapara and Emma Kerle

Kindergarten Parent Coordinators: TBC

Our new Junior School Office – Hedgehog House

Please enjoy this video which showcases the opening of our new Junior School office, affectionately known as Hedgehog House!

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Kindness and Service

I am endlessly proud of our Junior School girls and their service and kindness mindset. Each week we have girls looking for ways they can genuinely be of service to others. This week, some of our girls volunteered their lunchtime to help the gardeners around the K-2 courtyards on a very hot day.

We also have a group of Year 6 girls who are volunteering their skills and time at Uniting Northaven Care. Thank you to Bebe Brennan, Yenyu Chen, Chloe Deng, Arianna Li, Duola Lin and Charlotte Pang who were the epitome of kindness and Pymble spirit as they connected with the elderly residents, shared their learning with them and made them smile. Special thanks to Mr Jake Turnbull (Mr T) who is leading this service opportunity. Mr T was bursting with pride when he came back and told me how huge an impact our girls had on these community elders in just one visit. One of these visitors was delighted to have a visitor as he has no family or friends available to visit him as they all live in Malaysia or in Foster, so having a visit made his week.  My biggest moment of pride was being told that when one of our girls realised that her partner was deaf, she immediately used her initiative and used her iPad to message the conversation, using large font so her elderly partner could read it easily. This maturity and kindness is what makes our girls so special.

The Magic of Christmas

As Christmas approaches, I wanted to acknowledge how special a time of year this is for many of our Christian families. I am proud of the way we celebrate all cultures in our Junior School and this time of year is important for many of our families who celebrate the joy of the nativity and have many special family traditions to enjoy. I am delighted that this year our Kindergarten girls will share the nativity story as part of their Celebration of Learning and I am looking forward to the small role I get to play in this!

As with many celebrations, there is much joy in the magic of Christmas and great excitement about the arrival of Santa which we work hard to help all our girls enjoy. Please help us keep the joy and magic for all our girls.

Whilst I don’t want to be the Grinch at Christmas, please may I encourage parents not to send in candy canes to school. I have a particular wobble at this time of year as I worry about girls running with candy canes in their mouths, tripping and doing significant damage to themselves in their fall.

A message from Lara Bird, Deputy Head of Junior School Academics

Congratulations to our Junior School girls who participated in the 2023 Pens against Poverty Schools Writing Competition. We are very proud that our Junior School girls collectively were awarded Highly Commended for the quality and standard of all entries submitted. With great excitement we had individual students recognised for their wonderful work.

Chloe Ma – Year 3 – Winner – Year 3 and 4 Poetry

Charlotte Xue – Year 5 – Highly Commended – Year 5 and 6 Story

Chloé Shires – Year 6 – Highly Commended – Year 5 and 6 Poetry

The girls will be honoured at a ceremony at Government House in Canberra later this year. The ceremony will be hosted by His Excellency General the Honourable David Hurley, Governor General of Australia.

Their award winning entries have been published and can found using this link.

Junior Scientia Program for Gifted and Talented Students

The University of New South Wales Education Faculty (GERRIC) have announced the January 2024 student programs for gifted and talented students. The Junior Scientia Programs run from 17-19 January 2024 for students in Years 3-6. The workshops are structured to provide academic rigour and challenge for gifted students and the level of difficulty of the workshops are set two years above the enrolled school level of a child.

For more information, please click here.

A message from Stephen Robinson, Acting Deputy Head of Junior School Operations

Let’s Get Creative Festival – Thursday 16 November 2023

As we shared last week, the Junior School is buzzing with excitement ahead of our Let’s Get Creative Festival occurring Thursday 16 November. Parents and families are most welcome to join us for the celebration, with events taking place between 9.00am and 12.30pm, followed by an optional family picnic lunch.

Should you be unable to attend during the day, we warmly invite you to attend an evening showing of student artworks the evening of Wednesday 15 November between 5.00pm and 6.00pm.

Please register your interest to attend our Let’s Get Creative Festival here.

Pymble Gives Back

Thank you to all our wonderful families who have throughout this year donated clothes and linen as of our Pymble Gives Back initiative. With the end of year fast approaching and as we enter the warmer months, please consider donating any suitable items that are no longer being used. We would love to see the bin once again overflow with donations with the generosity of our Junior School Community.

A message from Kate Giles, Lead Coordinator K-3 and Jayne Mercer, Lead Coordinator 4-6

Parent Friendship workshop- How to support your daughter with her friendships

We are starting a number of parent workshops following the parent wellbeing survey last term. These workshops will provide an opportunity for you to discuss various issues to assist supporting your daughter with her health and wellbeing. The workshops will be small to ensure a relaxed atmosphere and allow for discussions and questions, so will be capped at 20 parents.

The first workshop will be held on Thursday 9 November at 8.30am in the Junior School Library. Should you wish to attend this workshop, please sign up using this link: Parent Friendship Workshop sign up

Should you have any questions, please email us at kgiles@pymblelc.nsw.edu.au or jmercer@pymblelc.nsw.edu.au

HARK Refugee Clinic

In the lead up to Christmas, the HARK Clinic are seeking donations of toys, specifically Barbie dolls, baby dolls, playdough, matchbox cars, soccer balls and Lego. These items can be brought to school by your daughter or dropped at the Junior School office. If you have any questions, please email kgiles@pymblelc.nsw.edu.au. We thank you for helping support the HARK Refugee Clinic at Westmead.

Junior School Panel Event: A focus on student wellbeing for academic success

On Tuesday 14 November the Junior School will host a panel event in the Gillian Moore Centre for Performing Arts (GMCPA) from 6.00pm to 8.00pm. This event is best suited to parents of students in Kindergarten to Year 8. 

The panel will feature experts in fields from child psychology, parenting strategies, child advocacy and digital media. Alumni Zoe Robinson will emcee the evening, centring the discussion on student wellbeing for long term academic success. 

Zoe will be joined on stage by:

•  Brad Marshall, the Unplugged Psychologist 
•  Judith Locke, author of The Bonsai Child and The Bonsai Student 
•  Lisa Maltman, founder of The Sleep Connection 
•  Andrew Scott, Leader of Psychological Services at Pymble

Date: Tuesday 14 November

Time: 6.00pm to 8.00pm

Venue: Gillian Moore Centre for Performing Arts

Registration: This is a FREE event, but registration is essential and tickets are limited. 

To register please click here.

Pymble families are offered an early bird booking before tickets open to the wider community. 

Please note: due to privacy guidelines there will be no recording of this event and no video link available following the panel. 

Around the Grounds

Junior School Ensemble Concert

Wednesday evening, parents, teachers, and fellow students alike were treated to an unforgettable night filled with melodies that range from classical compositions to contemporary tunes. The Junior School Ensemble concert was a wonderful showcase of musical excellence and highlighted the importance of teamwork, discipline, and the joy that comes from creating music together. 

As we celebrate this success, let’s extend our heartfelt congratulations to all the students who participated and to the dedicated conductors who guided them. The Junior School Ensemble Concert was not just a concert; it was a celebration of the power of music to bring people together and inspire a sense of community. 

Thank you to everyone who contributed to making this event a tremendous success. Looking ahead, we look forward to seeing members of the Junior School String in Choir programs enchant us once again at the College Christmas Service on Sunday 3 December, in the College Chapel. 

Messages from Junior School Administration Office 

Birthdays  

There is no expectation that you supply treats for your daughter’s class. We will make every girl feel special on their birthday. But, if you would like to provide treats for the class on your daughter’s birthday, she may come to school with a small cupcake for each student in the class or an ice block if the weather is warm. Please do not bring in gift bags.  

Late Arrivals and Early Departures

When your daughter is late to school could you please assist us by reminding your daughter to sign in at the Junior School Administration Hub (Hedgehog House). When your daughter needs to leave early for an appointment please send an email to juniorschool@pymblelc.nsw.edu.au and sign your daughter out from the Junior School Administration Hub.

For K-2 girls travel arrangements which have changed for Term 3 please email juniorschool@pymblelc.nsw.edu.au 

All absences for must be emailed to juniorschool@pymblelc.nsw.edu.au or preferably submitted through MyPymble. 

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.

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Important Dates for Term 4

Friday 27 October	K-6 Links Day and Kindergarten 2024 Parent Info Evening
Saturday 28 October	Year 6 Allwell Testing for Year 7 2024
Wednesday 1 November	Year 6 Surf Education, Dee Why Beach
Wednesday 1 November	Big Band Blow Year 3, 8.30am to 10.30am
Friday 3 November	Grandparents Day, 12.30pm to 2.00pm
Tuesday 14 November	Jacaranda Day
Tuesday 14 November	Focus on Student Wellbeing for Academic Success – Expert forum for parents K-6
Wednesday 15 November	Years 3 to 6 Swimming Carnival
Thursday 16 November	Let’s Get Creative Festival
Thursday 23 November	Kindergarten to Year 2 Swimming Carnival
Thursday 30 November	Year 6 Silent Disco and Parent Cocktail Party, 6.30pm to 8.30pm
Tuesday 5 December	Kindergarten Celebration of Learning, Year 1 and 2 Celebration of Learning
Wednesday 6 December	Year 3 to 6 Speech Day

Kate Brown

Head of Junior School

From the Middle School

Greetings from Vision Valley where I am placed this week alongside our wonderful Year 7 Ingleholme, Goodlet, Bennett and Hammond girls. We have been blessed with beautiful weather so far, allowing everyone to enjoy the array of outdoor activities to the max.  Whether it’s archery, crate stacking, the Leap of Faith, mountain biking, orienteering, rock climbing, abseiling or free time on the waterslide; your daughters have given it their all. We are so impressed by their “can do attitude” and the genuine sense of fun they bring to each experience. Every night one House group takes a turn at camping down by the Hawkesbury at Crosslands, hiking in and then canoeing out the next day just to add an extra challenge. The girls are really enjoying staying in the lodges with their friends on the other three nights and partaking in the evening games as a cohort. 

Thank you so much to our Compass teachers, Mr Heggie and Mrs Budd for their enthusiasm and willingness to invest so much time and energy to ensure the success of this important Outdoor Education opportunity. 

Gloucester Gatherings

Our Gloucester Gathering Liaisons along with our Middle School Liaisons, have put together a wonderful schedule for Gloucester Gatherings this Term. See below for the exciting activities planned for Middle School. We look forward to sharing many photos throughout the term.

From the Middle School Parent Group Leaders

Middle School Dinner for Parents in Years 7 and 8

As we rapidly approach the end of the school year, the Middle School coordinators warmly invite all parents and carers from Years 7 and 8 to come along to the Middle School Parents’ Dinner. The dinner will be held at Cavallino’s Italian Restaurant in Terry Hills on Saturday 4 November from 6.30pm. Please indicate your intention of attending this event by Friday 27 October 2023.

The cost of this event is $70 per person plus a booking fee.

This is a wonderful opportunity to meet up with parents to celebrate the end of year school year in a relaxed social setting. Please click here to sign up for the dinner.

Year 7 Yum Cha Brunch

May Tai warmly invites all Year 7 parents and carers to join her for a Yum Cha Brunch to be held at Star Capital Seafood Restaurant in Chatswood on Friday 10 November between 11.30am and 1.30pm. 

Please come along and catch up with friends to celebrate the end of the school year.

The cost of this event is $45 per person plus a booking fee.

Please RSVP to this event by Friday 27 October 2023 by clicking here.

Key Term Dates

Monday 23 October to Friday 27 October – Year 7 Camp Group 1

Monday 30 October to Friday 3 November – Year 7 Camp Group 2

Friday 3 November – Year 8 into 9 Transition Day

Wednesday 15 November – Year 7 Christmas Service

Friday 17 November – Year 8 Environmental Day

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Jenny O’Donnell

Head of Middle School

From the Upper School

A message from Mr Tom Riley, Head of Upper School

It is eerily quiet in the Upper School this week with Year 9 and 10 having started their examinations on Wednesday. We have extended the opportunity to study away from the College to both year groups and encourage the girls to honour this opportunity for independence by using the time effectively. I thought I should share my five best tips for maximising exam preparation:

• Vary your location – try having a few study spaces around the home, utilise a local library, and try to get some vitamin D.
• Take regular breaks – even elite athletes need rest!
• Plan your journey to the exam – minimise any potential stress by knowing your travel logistics and by leaving ample time for unforeseen events.
• Explain your answers to other people – whilst this might be a touch frustrating for parents and siblings at the dinner table this week, it really helps to offer clarity of thought.
• Snack on brain food – what you eat really impacts your energy levels and focus, so keep away from junk food!

Elsewhere, a huge congratulations to our many Year 9s involved in the Year 7 to 9 Drama Co-curricular play Hating Alison Ashley late last week. I thoroughly enjoyed watching the girls strut their stuff and was reminiscing of the 1990s soundtrack (although I highly doubt they knew many of the songs!)

Congratulations to Zoe Glendenning and Lola Barwick who attended the Inter-Schools Horse Extravaganza (ISHE) in Tamworth. Please enjoy their reflections below:

The event was ISHE in Tamworth. I competed in the one-day event and the 1.10 show jumping. I got overall champion in the showjumping which I was very happy with. It is an inters-chool event so all schools from across NSW go to it. I had a really great time and would definitely go back to compete in it again next year.

Written by Lola Barwick (Year 10)

Last weekend, I went to ISHE in Tamworth to compete in the senior preliminary dressage. I placed first in the Prelim 1.2 and sixth in the Prelim 1.3 with seventh overall. It was a great event and I got to compete alongside other Pymble girls and support them in their events.

Written by Zoe Glendinning (Year 10)

Tanzania 2023

During the September holidays 16 Yearr 11 students experienced an incredible life-changing journey when they visited Arusha, Tanzania. They worked alongside the children at East Meru Community School and the School of St Jude’s where they assisted teachers by providing resources and additional learning support for the children.

Additionally, they learnt a lot about challenges faced by women due to the lack of maternal health care in Africa when they visited Maternity Africa Kivulini hospital. The students would like to share their experiences at an afternoon tea on Monday 6 November. Students who may be interested in applying to attend the Tanzania Service Tour in the future are encouraged to attend.

From the Upper School Parent Group

Volunteers Needed

Could you help your year group by organising social events? Both year groups in Upper School are looking for 2024 SSPG year coordinators (for Years 10 and 11 next year). This can be a solo role, or if preferred you can share with a friend. You would be supported by the experienced volunteers of the Secondary school parent group with lots of guidance available, so new volunteers are most welcome. If you would like to get involved, please contact any of your current year coordinators below prior to 30 October to discuss.

Year 10                Zoe Green                        bzgreen@bigpond.net.au

                             Pamela McPherson         bruceandpam@bigpond.com

Year 9                  Kate Hart                 kate@countyconstruction.com.au

                              Christel Vigne                 vignechristel@gmail.com 

Social media community groups:

PymbleLC Parents Class of 2025 (Facebook for year 10)

PymbleLC Parents Class of 2026 (Facebook for year 9)

PymbleLC USPG 2023 (Facebook for all Upper School parents)

Or please contact us for an invite to a WeChat group or Dads WhatsApp group.

Key Term 4 Dates

Wednesday 25 October to Wednesday 1 November – Year 9 and 10 Examination Week

Thursday 2 November – Year 10 Allwell Testing

Friday 3 November – Year 10 into 11 Transition Afternoon

Friday 3 November – Sportswomen Awards Night at Miramare Gardens

Saturday 11 to Tuesday 21 November – Year 10 Namadji Outdoor Education Program (OEP)

Sunday 12 to Tuesday 21 November – Year 10 Snowy Mountains OEP

Monday 13 to Friday 17 November – Year 10 Blue Mountains and Murramarang OEPs

Wednesday 22 November – Secondary School Ensemble Concert

Monday 27 November to Friday 1 December – Year 10 Future You/Service Week

Wednesday 6 December – Year 7-11 Speech Day in Gym

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Tom Riley

Head of Upper School

From the Senior School

From the Head of Senior School

It was so lovely to see so many of you in person on Tuesday night for the Year 12 Information Night. I do understand that many were also unable to attend and we have made a recording of the presentations which will be available to all parents and carers.

Please do not hesitate to follow up with any of the presenters, should you need further information. If you are not sure to contact, your Head of Year is a great place to start. They will be able to connect you with the right people, related to your concerns.

Schoolies Re-imagined Tour

Mrs Georgie Cain, Trips and Tours Co-ordinator, spoke to the Year 12s at assembly this week about the Schoolies Reimagined Fiji Tour. This is an opportunity for girls to be involved in an alternate celebration of finishing school, visiting Fiji and experiencing a rewarding and adventurous trip; giving back to the community, being immersed in a different culture and having a load of fun with friends.

If your daughter is interested in joining the group of Pymble girls going to Fiji in 2024, please express your interest in the Tour by Monday 30 October.

Once we have expressions of interest in, we will communicate next steps to sign up.

Information regarding this opportunity has been posted on the portal. Should you have further questions, please contact Mrs Cain at travel@pymblelc.nsw.edu.au

Year 11 Outstanding Effort

Congratulations to all Year 12 students who were recognised for their outstanding effort in Year 11. These students received all Consistent Effort across all subjects in their Learning Profiles, in both Semesters 1 and 2. This is a significant achievement, and it was a pleasure to recognise and honour their work ethic in Senior School Assembly this week.

Arnhem Land presentation

I would also like to congratulate and thank three Year 12 students, Paige, Madi and Georgia for their thoughtful presentation following their journey to Arnhem Land over the term break. The girls reflected on their very significant experiences and what they learnt during this trip which gave many in the audience much food for thought. They shared some beautiful photos of the trip and spoke from the heart about their new perspectives.

Term 4 – Key Dates

6 December    Speech Day Year 7 to 11

6 December    Term 4 concludes

Nikki Wyse

Head of Senior School

From the Boarding School

Boarders’ Chapel is a regular special occasion for our Boarding family and our service on Tuesday was extra fabulous. Reverend Karen had organised a special pyjamas and oodies evening and we all enjoyed the opportunity to be in true comfort in our much loved Chapel.

We were lucky to be joined by Pastor Michaela Antill-Cassie who is already famous for her fun ice breakers and has now revealed herself as musician extraordinaire. Of course, our beloved Reverend Punam Bent and Mrs Edwina O’Brien who were there too, joining in the joy with all of us. I am so grateful to these women who take the time to plan not only engaging services but also the opportunity for reflection and peacefulness.

Meet our new Spirit House Captains

On Tuesday night we announced our Spirit House Captains for the 2023-2024 year. While our Day school students have membership to eight ‘Houses’ our Boarders are members of one of four of these Houses, Goodlet, Marden, Hammond and Lang, also known as ‘Spirit Houses’. There are two Spirit House Captains for each Spirit House and these girls are charged with engaging the entire Boarding community in the various events and activities that take place throughout the year in addition to promoting and fostering school spirit and the College values – Care, Courage, Integrity, Respect and Responsibility. I am delighted with our team for the new year and cannot wait to see what these young women will bring to our Boarding family.

Congratulations to the following Spirit House Captains:

Goodlet House: Alice Beveridge and Celeste McDermont

Hammond House: Evie Leahy and Jemma Hodder

Lang House: Sophie Lang and Aleathea Levy

Marden House: Dezi Magaan Jones and Nandika Singh

Love It – Mrs White Deputy Director of Boarding

Last weekend was spectacular in terms of weather and the Boarders made the most of it.  Year 8 enjoyed a picnic at the Balmoral on Friday evening.  The Boarders delighted in the chance to have a twilight swim and enjoy their evening meal together.  On Saturday evening 24 Boarders head to Wahroonga Park for the Twilight Concert.  The Boarders were joined by the boys from Knox and enjoy the tunes under the stars.

This weekend we are welcoming out new Year 7’s for 2024 with an outing to Manly on Friday with some of the newly appointed Big Sisters.  There will be a trip to the Kirribilli Markets on Saturday and our Boarding Brothers from Knox will join us on Sunday afternoon for our annual Halloween Trick for Treat event.

View From My Window

Hi, my name is Jade George. I am 12 years old, and I come from Waibene on Thursday Island which is between Horn Island and Hammond island. Thursday Island is 2,745 km from Sydney and it takes me four hours to get there by plane. In 2021 there were 2,805 people living on the island.

Outside my window, on the horizon I see the beautiful ocean and the huge lush Green Island in the distance. I also see little kids running around the beach, chasing crabs and the lovely chilli plant next to the pink desert flower.

Back at home, there used to be an old industry of pearl divers, which made so much money but stopped because of the lives that were lost to the creatures of the deep. Now at the cemetery at Thursday Island lies a valley of Japanese pearl divers.

My family consists of my Dad (Joseph), Mum (Ayesha) and my two sisters and two brothers (Aaliyah, 17),(Chantay, 15), (Jared, 14),(Joseph, 1). My two sisters board at St Margaret’s in Brisbane and my two brothers are schooled at home.

In my spare time I love to swim at the beach, play basketball with my sisters and go fishing – I always catch the biggest fish (parrot fish, snapper and coral trout). I also love to walk to oval with my friends to play footy. On Thursday island, It’s hot all the time and when I moved here to Sydney, I had to buy winter clothes for the first time. The best thing was getting ugg boots.

My favourite food at home is my mum’s chicken curry with yellow rice and for my birthday, and we often cook turtle on the barbecue. The Internet is not great at home so we have if we want to watch TV we have to watch free to air. I have responsibilities at home – looking after my brother who is one. I love to play with him and I am his favourite. I also have to help with cleaning the house before I am allowed to go anywhere.

Coming to Pymble has been a big change for me but I have made many friends and I am excited about what the future holds.

Boarder of the Week

Congratulations to our wonderful Addison (Addi) Seeto who, as our Head of Year 9 Beth Ayling writes, was an easy choice for our Boarder of the Week.

It’s hard to believe that this is the first time Addi has been awarded Boarder of the Week. Addi is our beautiful, happy Year 9 Boarder who hails from Papua New Guinea. Addi and her family are a Pymble institution and it’s easy to see why. Addi is never without a smile on her face. She is friendly, considerate and inclusive of all those around her. Her natural warmth and magnetic personality means others naturally gravitate towards her to enjoy her company. Addi has a busy schedule, however she always takes the time to greet staff and chat to us about our day. Her room is kept beautifully neat and she’s organised and punctual. Addi is always keen to share both her successes and her frustrations with us. She leans on those around her for comfort and, in turn, supports others when they need it. She’s truly a delight to have as part of our Boarding sisterhood. 

Save the Dates

Wednesday 25 October to Wednesday 1 November – Year 9 and 10 Examination Week

Tuesday 28 November – End of Year Chapel Service and Boarding Christmas Party (all Boarders required to be in attendance)

Wednesday 6 December – Year 7 to 10 Speech Day (all Boarders required to be in attendance)

Wednesday 6 December – Boarders’ travel afternoon (following Speech Day)

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Carolyn Burgess

Head of Boarding

From the Chaplains

Have you ever felt tension? Ever felt stressed? – But somehow, you made it through? At the start of Term 4, I had the privilege of sharing God’s word in chapel to the staff, where I asked them these questions. I also asked them to think back on the teaching year so far and to reflect on the times when, perhaps, they had experienced such emotions. For, amongst the joy and privilege of being a teacher and alongside the opportunity and responsibility given to all staff, to equip the students at Pymble, to not just dream but to do – to change the world, sometimes there may have been challenges. And no doubt, the same can be said about all our lives and the different responsibilities we each hold. However, despite this reality, I want to suggest, that no matter what we encounter or face in life, if we build our lives on a strong foundation, we will be equipped to “make it through”.  

In the Old Testament, in the book of Jeremiah, we see the importance of having a strong foundation. In Jeremiah 17:7-8 (NRSVUE) we read: 

⁷Blessed are those who trust in the Lord, 
    whose trust is the Lord. 
⁸They shall be like a tree planted by water, 
    sending out its roots by the stream. 
It shall not fear when heat comes, 
    and its leaves shall stay green; 
in the year of drought it is not anxious, 
    and it does not cease to bear fruit. 

When a tree sends out its roots, it is doing two things. One, it is looking to tap into a source of water, so that it can receive nourishment. And two, it is spreading out and down, building a foundation on which it will withstand the elements that come its way. In the context that Jeremiah, the Priest, and Prophet, was speaking these words, we see him addressing the sins of Judah (which was fundamentally framed as idolatry). Judah had been worshipping other gods and as a result had forgotten the Torah, which had led them into corruption and a failure to act for social justice. Thus, Jeremiah was looking towards the period in 587 BCE when Jerusalem and Judah and the temple would be destroyed by Babylon. And, as a result was calling God’s people to stop putting their trust in human solutions and to put their trust back in the Lord. He was calling them to focus on their foundation. A foundation that Jeremiah exhorts is strongest when built on the trust of the Lord.  

Yet, it can be said that we, like Judah, rarely stop to think about foundations. Take the construction of a building for example, something that we here at Pymble will become very familiar with as our new building projects get underway. During construction, our focus tends to fall on the outside of a building (and the length of time it takes to build), rather than the structure that is holding it up (well that’s where I tend to focus my attention). That is until, the walls of a building start to get cracks, or until a house starts to break down. It’s then, that we shift our focus from the outside, to what is underneath. It is often when we experience heat and drought in our lives, that we stop and ask the question, how good is our foundation? Where is it that we have spread our roots? And what is it that gives us nourishment and sustenance?  

Jeremiah suggests that a life built on God is full of blessing. That during difficult times there is no need to fear or be anxious. He is asserting that if you have planted yourself in God, your leaves will stay green, and you will continue to bear fruit. This has been the testimony of my life, and one that I encourage those who have faith in God, to hold onto and remember. Similarly, for those who don’t hold this view, I encourage you to identify and continue tapping into the sources of nourishment that have helped you withstand the storms of life that have brought you through to where you are today.  

Lastly, as we look at this tree planted with deep roots by the stream, we see that the impact it has is not only towards itself. We see that the tree creates a life-giving ecosystem, one that provides fruit for animals, sustenance for life and builds ecological relationships. The same is also true for us. That in the times when those around us are feeling stressed, or when they feel like they are in over their heads, that we would reach out, drawing from the strength of our individual foundations and be givers to those in our community who are in need. To laugh with each other, to cry with each other, to listen and to support one another, to be fully part of the Pymble family. Because when we do this, when we love one another, the way that we are called and created to love, I believe that’s when we truly will change the world.  

May you all have a blessed term 4. 

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Michaela Antill-Cassie

Assistant Chaplain

From the Community Engagement Team

Thank you to our parent volunteers!

Term 4 sees the end of some key committee terms on the PPA, JSPG & SSPG. On Tuesday 17 October the PPA held their Annual General Meeting culminating the end of a two-year term for several key positions. We would like to thank all outgoing executive members for their unwavering support and hard work, and we warmly welcome new office bearers for 2024.

The JSPG held their Term 4 meeting on Tuesday 24 October in the Junior School Library and parents were given a presentation by Mrs Kate Brown showcasing several exciting developments in the Junior School STEM program, and a summary of new wellbeing initiatives unveiled by Mrs Kate Giles. The latter featured a free upcoming Panel event open to all parents, A Focus on Student Wellbeing for Academic Success, on Tuesday 14 November at 6.00pm. To register, please click here.

On Friday 20 October the PPA hosted the annual Staff Appreciation Day Lunch for World Teacher’s Day. Pymble staff enjoyed a delicious barbecue in the spring sunshine on Marden Lawn. We are grateful for the continued care and support of the PPA and look forward to forging new paths together in 2024.

Grandparents’ Picnic

Grandparents are warmly invited to the Junior School Grandparents’ Picnic on Friday 3 November 2023 from 12.30pm to 2.00pm. Please bring your picnic lunch to enjoy with your granddaughter, and a storybook to share.

Venues:

– Kindergarten to Year 2 students will assemble in the Kindergarten Courtyard

– Year 3 to Year 6 students will assemble behind the Junior School Office

To register, please click here.

If you have more than one granddaughter, please meet them at the youngest child’s area for Lunch together.

We look forward to welcoming you!

Masterplan and Other Moves

On Thursday 12 October the new Junior School Administration Hub, affectionately known as Hedgehog House, was opened as one of the first completed pieces of the College Master Plan. The state-of-the-art space is the new home of Junior School offices. If you would like to explore this space via video, please click here.

As part of the ongoing planning and creation of modern and cutting-edge spaces to supplement the outstanding education Pymble can offer, there will be some movement of offices around the College. To this end the College Shop will close for the year at 12.00pm on Wednesday 6 December.

Kelly Mancey

Director of Community Engagement and Advancement

From the Futures Team

Work Experience Stories – Sydney Opera Huse

In the first week of this term, I had the opportunity to attend the work experience program hosted by the Sydney Opera House. Along with 5 other Year 10 students from all across NSW, we spent five days understanding the behind-the-scenes and inner workings of Australia’s most iconic performing arts venue. We visited every department in the Opera House and talked to incredible people who shared with us the specifications of their jobs. We learnt about everything from how the House programs and manages their productions, earns its place among the most sustainable buildings in the world, adapts to be accessible for all, and much, much more. We also met Benny, who is the resident Opera House seal.

This was an unforgettable experience – I have been inspired by the dedication and passion showcased at the Sydney Opera House (not only just on stage!)and remain immensely grateful to all the organisers, supervisors, and workers for taking time out of their day to talk with us.

Written by Olivia Xu (Year 10)

Call for Parent Volunteers

Year 10 will be participating in a series of events to provide an opportunity to explore Future Careers and pathways beyond Pymble. 

The activity “Career Insight Speed Dating” will be set up where a small group of students will listen to you share insights into what it looks like to work in your area (7-8 minutes each) and how you got to where you are now. The students will have a chance ask a few questions before you move to another small group. 

There’s no need to prepare a presentation. Sample questions will be provided in advance for volunteers.

If you are able to help, we would love for you to come to share your stories and perspectives of working within  your specific industry.

EVENT DETAILS 

Year 10 Future You Festival

Tuesday 28th November from 8:15 am to 10:20 am

On Campus

We are looking for volunteers for the following industries: 

• Physiotherapy
• Medicine
• Psychology
• Media and Communications 
• Design – interior, Fashion 
• Events management 
• Entrepreneurship 
• Engineering 
• Cyber Security
• Veterinary

If you are interested, please email upperschool@pymblelc.nsw.edu.au with your name and information on the industry you will speak about.

Pymble Gives Back – Bankstown Senior College

Giving back through sharing our skills and resources with those who are in need is important to the Futures Department. Our team are always looking for opportunities to share our skills, strengths and talents is important at all stages of our working lives. Pymble’s focus  on giving back has enabled both of us share our time and expertise with those less fortunate. 

Our Futures Advisors Mrs O’Kelly and Ms D’Souza joined other educators who volunteered their time at Bankstown Senior College on 16th October for a Work Readiness Program. This involved assisting new arrival students to practise their interviewing skills. The students were recent migrant orrefugees from a range of countries including Afghanistan, China, Iran, Syria and Turkey.

Many of the students had little to no previous formal education in their country of origin and spent childhoods in refugee camps. Our staff were struck by the unassuming resilience and humility of the young people they met and their positive attitude towards Australia and the opportunities they found here. They were all eager to make a valuable contribution to Australia in return for granting them asylum.

Through this experience, we are able to increase our awareness of the different needs students have in receiving careers support and guidance, especially through interview practice. We hope will be able to continue our relationship with Bankstown Senior College into the future. 

Work Experience Stories – Defence Force

On 20 September 2023, we (Jacinta Martin and Hannah Ford – Year 12 2024) attended a one-day Defence Work Experience Program (DWEP) hosted by the Royal Australian Air Force (RAAF) at RAAF Base Williamtown. RAAF Base Williamtown is famous for being the home to the F-35 Lightning II, an American fast jet.

This DWEP was an extremely beneficial experience for us, as we are both interested in joining the RAAF after completing school. All the activities we participated in and the facilities we visited only made us more motivated to join the RAAF!

Some activities we did include:

1. INTRO: We were briefed about the different jobs within the RAAF (the ones spoken of were Pilot, ABM, ASO, WSO, ATC, and AMO). It was interesting to hear about the diversity of the available roles, especially since most people know little about pilot and air traffic control (ATC) roles. This briefing allowed us to go into the DWEP with an open mind and become more eager to learn about the various roles offered by the RAAF.

2. PT TRAINING: We completed a Physical Training session, including push-ups, sit-ups, and the shuttle run. The purpose of the PT session was to compare our fitness level to the entry test used to admit officers into the ADF. We pushed each other hard and particularly excelled in the shuttle run and sit-ups.

3. F-35 Lightning II: We learned about the 76 Squadron and their role (they are the first squadron the F-35 pilots join). The F-35 fast jet pilots use this simulator to practice their basic flying skills before flying the real jets. We were both lucky enough to be chosen to try out the F-35 Lightning II simulator. We both found the simulator highly immersive and realistic, with a detailed landscape of Newcastle, weather settings, and a realistic interior of the jet itself. This simulator was a great motivation for us to join the RAAF as pilots.

4. WEDGETAIL: Next, we headed to a hangar with a Boeing 737 AEW&C, commonly called the Wedgetail. We had a tour of the exterior and watched repairs being done. We also had a tour of the interior and enjoyed hearing about the role of the Air Battle Managers (ABMs), who manage battlefield operations while in the air (with the fast jets) by providing intel on enemy movements. Wedgetails do this through radar input – if you search for a picture of a Wedgetail, you will see the huge radar planted on top of the aircraft! Wedgetails have the necessary role of protecting RAAF aircraft and supporting the pilots as they fly at extreme speeds and, therefore, have minimal control of the plane. Additionally, fast jet pilots can experience up to 8 – 9 Gs (8 – 9 times your body weight – imagine trying to lift your head or hands!).

5. ATC: We then had a look inside their new Air Traffic Control tower. We were extremely fortunate to have watched ten F-35s taxi and take off in a row! We were able to listen in on the pilots communicating with the (old) ATC through a walkie-talkie in the room.

Throughout the day, we met many officers working in their specialisations around the RAAF Base and everyone we talked to was passionate about their job, they were all very interesting to learn from. The Defence Work Experience Program at RAAF Base Williamtown revealed to us the immersive and purposeful role of military defence for Australia – which we would love to be part of.

We were prohibited from taking any photos or videos on base, although we reached out to the DWEP staff and they were kind enough to send through (approved) photos taken by the photographer at the RAAF Base.

If you have any questions about how to apply for a Defence Work Experience Program (DWEP) or any further questions about our experience, please feel free to contact either of us:

JaMartin@pymblelc.nsw.edu.au (Jacinta Martin, Year 12 2024)HFord@pymblelc.nsw.edu.au (Hannah Ford, Year 12 2024)

Multiplex Jumpstart – NEXTDC S3 Workshop

Last Wednesday, 23 students from year 9 to 12 visited the NEXTDC S3 Data Centre in Artarmon, for a Jumpstart workshop. The event was hosted by Multiplex, the global construction firm, who are building the project. The Jumpstart program has been designed by Multiplex to encourage young women into the construction industry. The workshop involved learning about the site, touring the ‘racks’ and learning about how data in the ‘cloud’ is stored, and an engineering challenge. There will be plenty of other Jumpstart workshops in 2024, so keep an eye out for future information! Here are some student reflections:

During the Multiplex work experience program I learned a wide range of new things. Some of the most important things I took away from this experience was that in today’s world, more and more women are being given opportunities in construction and engineering. Not only did I learn about what they do at Multiplex, but I saw and experienced the inclusivity of all the people working there. While attending we were given a site tour and given safety gear to wear. After that, we all headed down and got into teams of 5 and built a bridge only using the materials we were given. After the time was up each group was assessed on the aesthetics of the bridge and if it could hold a bottle of water on it without collapsing. My group was one of the few to stay standing by the end. This whole experience was really enjoyable and if any pop up in the future I will be attending. I would recommend attending one of these programs because even if you don’t think construction and engineering is your future, you can still learn and enjoy a lot. (Sofia Altorf, Year 9)

The Multiplex jumpstart program was a very insightful experience, where I learnt and saw many things that intrigued me. When we went into the data centre, I was fascinated by the several rooms of stored data rented out to large companies, something I never even knew that existed. In the site tour, I learnt about just how much energy the data centre consumes, and the construction aspects of the building. In the end we also participated in a very fun bridge building competitions in small teams, with some delicious food while we worked hard. (Talia Luo, Year 10)

I thought that it was a really enriching experience and it really opened my eyes to all the different jobs and elements which fall under the company. It was really valuable talking to industry professionals while we were there and I felt that they really thoroughly answered all of our questions no matter how big or small they were. The whole experience was very engaging and the bridge activity at the end was very fun and challenging!

Written by Natalia Antalfy (Year 12)

From the Co-curricular Sports Team

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Co-curricular Administration

Term 1 2024 Saturday Sport Registrations

The closing date for Term 1 2024 Saturday Sports has been extended to Friday 17 November at 12.00pm. Please access the online registration via the co-curricular pages on MyPymble by clicking here. A parent or carer log in is required to be able to register. If you require any assistance with completing your registration, please contact Co-curricular Administration at ccsa@pymblelc.nsw.edu.au or on +61 2 9497 7848. A reminder that registrations must be completed online and cannot be processed over the phone or via email.

Reminder notices will be posted on the Pymble App in the weeks and days before registrations close.

The Term 1 Saturday Sport options are as follows:

• IGS AFL (Year 7 to 12 – Saturday afternoons)
• igsa Tennis (Year 7 to 12)
• igsa Badminton (Year 7 to 12)
• Pymble Water Polo Competition (Year 7 to 12)
• Pymble Softball (Year 8 to 12)
• Sydney Sixers Cricket (Year 7 to 12 – Saturday afternoons)
• IPSHA Football (Year 3 to 6)
• IPSHA Water Polo/Flippa Ball (Year 3 to 6)

End of Term 4 Registration Period Changes

The End of Term 4 registration period will allow families to make selections for their Term 1, Semester 1, and Yearly 2024 Co-curricular Programs. We are making several significant changes to this registration period as per the below:

• The open date has changed from what was previously advertised. The End of Term 4 registration period will now open at 12.00pm on Wednesday 22 November. This is one week earlier than the registrations would normally open. One of the main reasons for this is to allow more time for families to register before the holidays begin, and so that we can send families a summary of their current confirmed selections prior to school finishing. Changes can still be made to the registrations until the system closes in January, however this will help families better be able to plan for 2024 before the end of 2023. Please note, the original changed date changed clashed with the Junior School Swimming Carnival.
• The closing date will be moved forward one week to 12.00pm on Wednesday 10 January.
• This registration period will no longer include Saturday Sports. Registrations for Saturday Sports will now open on the first Wednesday of each term and close on the third Friday, with registration for the sports being played the following term. As such, Term 2 2024 Saturday Sports will open for registration on Wednesday 31 January and close on Friday 16 February 2024.

Reminders of the opening and closing dates will be sent closer to each time, and a full calendar of registration dates will be provided at the start of 2024.

End of Term 3 Registration Period

Registrations for Term 4 are now closed. Confirmation emails were sent to all families on Wednesday 4 October. If you missed the registration period and need to request a late registration for your daughter, please click here to complete a registration request. Please note that requests may take up to two weeks to process during busy periods and your daughter cannot begin participating until you have received confirmation of acceptance via email.

Monique Zahra

Head of Co-curricular Administration

Artistic Gymnastics

NL1-2 Invitational – All the Way Up Brookvale – Saturday 21 October 2023

Some of our youngest gymnasts from Level 1 and 2 attended a friendly competition at All the Way Up. They all had great fun working through their skills on Vault, Bars, Beam and Floor.  They all came away with a certificate and a trophy.  Well Done to all the girls.

Alison Gestier

Head Coach – Artistic Gymnastics

Athletics

Last Wednesday 18 October, we had four teams compete at the NSW Schools Challenge at Sydney Olympic Park. It was an exciting event where our teams competed across three age divisions. The team spirit was fantastic throughout the competition.

A field of 15 school teams lined up in the junior event. Our Junior A team set the tone from the start, establishing a dominant lead that they held throughout the competition and won by an impressive 28 points. Our Junior B team showed determination and fought hard in every event and finished 11th.

The intermediate category always delivers a tight competition, and this event was no exception. Three teams had an exciting back-and-forth, constantly changing the lead. Our girls hit the lead with two events remaining and displayed great composure to hold on for the win, with only 3.5 points separating first and second.

Our senior girls were up against strong competition. Despite being in the middle of the HSC, our Athletics Captains displayed great leadership and team spirit. Well done Gabriella Taylor (Year 12), Rhedyn Wong (Year 12) and Abigail Ballhausen (Year 12). All the girls were impressive and their persistence throughout their events, which paid off as they worked their way into second.

It was fantastic to come away with two gold and one silver. The three A teams secured automatic selection for National School Teams Challenge to be held in Perth in December.

Congratulations to all girls who competed.

Deb Walsham

Head Coach – Athletics

Cricket

Saturday 21 October marked the commencement of Pymble’s Cricket season. This term we have two teams taking part in the North Shore Junior Cricket Competition.

Pymble 1 took on West Pennant Hills at John Purchase Oval in Cherrybrook.  Our girls set a total of 48 runs. Notable mentions to Dezi Magann – Jones (Year 10), Charlotte Henderson (Year 8), Tia Pillai (Year 7), Sierra Borean (Year 7) and Indigo Meldrum (Year 7) who performed well with that bat. With ball in hand well done to Miesha Gal (Year 7), Indigo Meldrum (Year 7), Charlotte Henderson (Year 8) and Tia Pillai (Year 7) who took wickets for the Pymble team.

Unfortunately, West Pennant Hills were too strong on the day chasing down our total. A great first match however with some very promising signs!

Pymble 2 were at sunny Tunks Park in Cammeray taking on North Sydney U13 Girls. Bethany Carruthers (Year 7), Shereen Jawaad (Year 7), Ashira Fonseka (Year 7) and Devishi Malla (Year 7) who contributed to our total of 70 runs. Olivia Pragassen (Year 7) top scored for the Pymble team with 11 runs! In the bowling attack, well done to Devishi Malla (Year 7) who managed to take a wicket! Shereen Jawaad (Year 7) was also strong with the ball in hand bowling a whopping 6 overs!
North Sydney was too strong on the day chasing down the total and scoring 119 runs. Well done to this team, they were down on numbers and still put in a stella performance!

Jack Garrad

Sports Co-ordinator – Cricket

Rowing

Sydney Girls High Regatta

The Pymble Rowing Team had a fantastic start to the season at the Sydney Girls High Regatta on Saturday 21October, coming away with eight wins, seven second place finishes and four third place finishes across the board, with consistent success across all year groups.

The Senior Squad produced promising results, with the first and second eights coming second in the first and second schoolgirl eight divisions. Isabella Stalley (Year 10) impressively won her single scull division, beating Loreto Normanhurst by 1.86 seconds.

The Intermediate Squad had a very successful day, winning both the Year 10 Eight race by a clear margin and came away with a win and two second place finishes in the Year 10 Quad divisions.

The Junior Squad saw some fantastic results in small boats, with Allegra Taubenschlag (Year 8) and Annie Pennington (Year 8) both winning their single scull divisions with strong finishes. The Junior Quads came away with a win and a second-place finish.

The Learn-to-Row Squad put on a great show, winning both the Year 8 Quad first and second divisions which is so exciting for the future of the team. Full results can be found on the Rowing NSW website.

Lewis Gray

Sports Co-ordinator – Rowing

Tennis

igsa and IPSHA Saturday Sport

Our Pymble Tennis players have had a great start to the season and having a blast in their igsa and IPSHA Saturday morning Tennis competitions. Our Pymble Senior Firsts, Junior Firsts, Year 7 Firsts and IPSHA firsts have won all of their matches in the top divisions! Meanwhile, it has also been great to see so many fresh faces this season, and our first-time players already learning how to score and run their matches independently. All the best for the rest of the season.

igsa Results below:

Team	Opponent	Result	Score
Pymble 1	Kambala 1	Win	5 – 3
Pymble 2	Ascham 2	Loss	1 – 7
Pymble 3	Wenona 3	Loss	3 – 5
Pymble 4	Abbotsleigh 2	Loss	2 – 6
Pymble 5	Ravenswood 4	Win	6 – 2
Pymble 6	Monte 3	Loss	1.5 – 6.5
Pymble 7	Roseville 9	Loss	1.5 – 6.5
Pymble 8	Loreto Kirribilli 13	Loss	0.5 – 7.5
Pymble 9	SCEGGS 5	Win	8 – 0
Pymble 10	MLC 6	Win	5 – 3
Pymble 11	Loreto Normanhurst 11	Loss	2 – 6
Pymble 12	Ravenswood 9	Win	5.5 – 2.5
Pymble 13	Roseville 14	Win	4.5 – 3.5
Pymble 14	Ravenswood 11	Win	6 – 2
Pymble 15	BYE
Pymble 16	Roseville 18	Draw	4 – 4
Pymble 17	Ravenswood 12	Win	4 – 4 (29 – 27)
Pymble 18	PLS 7	Win	5.5 – 2.5
Pymble 19	Kambala 10	Loss	3 – 5
Pymble 20	Danebank 5	Loss	0 – 8
Pymble 21	PLS 8	Loss	0 – 8
Pymble 22	Monte 15	Loss	0.5 – 7.5
Pymble 23	Abbotsleigh 10	Win	5 – 3

Jufri Foss

Sports Co-ordinator – Tennis

Swimming

On Sunday 22 October we had 25 Pymble girls compete at the Warringah Long Course Qualifying meet.

The girls were outstanding in the way they went about their racing. Executing their race plans and improving with the feedback given from the coaches. It was a long day, but the girls raced their hearts out till the end.

The highlight of the meet was the Dash for Cash at the end of the day. There was lots of splash and white water and hard to see who touched the wall first. It was Megan Chia (Year 7) who took out first place, followed by Charlotte Sadler (Year 6) second place and Imogen Jones (Year 7) third place. Well done girl’s a great spectacle to finish off a great day.

Thank you to all the coaches Andrea Raso, Sara Petronzio, Michelle Thomas, and Rafa Rodrigues for their dedication and hard work with the swimmers. It was a fantastic day of racing, and we can’t wait to see our talented swimmers continue to shine in future events. Well done to all.

Well done to all Pymble Girls that competed:

Amelie Berg (Year 4), Hannah Carmichael (Year 10), Geena Cheng (Year7), Megan Chia (Year 7),

Emma Deere (Year 4), Emma Feng (Year 4), Oriana Fenton (Year 6), Georgia Friedel (Year 6),

Penelope Hargraves (Year 6), Imogen Jones (Year 7), Sarah Kranes (Year 6), Crystal Li (Year 3),

Yuxi Lun (Year 3), Gwen Pickthall (Year 7), Ruby Pickthall (Year 9), Charlotte Sadler (Year 6),

Zara Sandham (Year 7), Chloe Shires (Year 6), Sarah Tian (Year 9), Rose Wang (Year 3),

Jiayi Wu (Year 5), Lucy Xie (Year 9), Chloe Xiong (Year 6), Elsa Yu (Year 6), Olivia Yu (Year 3).

Rafael Rodrigues

Coach – Swimming

Touch Football

This term, Pymble have 20 teams entered in the igsa Touch Football competition. The Pymble teams have been training hard and progressing in the first two rounds of their matches. Both Pymble 13 and Pymble 19 have shown improvement in their gameplay, and they were able to secure victories in the second round. Pymble 6 has demonstrated their skills, winning their first two matches by over 10 tries. Well done to all the teams for their efforts.

A big thank you to Eden Azar (Year 10) for refereeing both Monday make-up games and Saturday matches.

This upcoming Saturday 28 October, five Pymble teams will travel to Frensham for round 3. Good luck to all teams.

Samantha Dale

Sports Administrator Assistant

Volleyball

Round 2 of the Santa Sabina Invitational Volleyball Competition took place this past Saturday. Our two Senior teams, Pymble 1and Pymble 2, came away with impressive wins to stay undefeated after two games. Pymble 3, 5, 6, and 7, picked up their first wins of the term with some very impressive performances.

Team	Opponent	Result	Score
Pymble 1	Kincoppal-Rose Bay 1	Win	3-0
Pymble 2	Santa Sabina College 3	Win	2-0
Pymble 3	Santa Sabina College 6	Win	2-1
Pymble 4	MLC 4	Loss	0-3
Pymble 5	MLC 5	Win	3-0
Pymble 6	St Vincent’s 3	Win	2-1
Pymble 7	PLC Sydney 11	Win	3-0
Pymble 8	Monte 18	Loss	0-3

Week 2 – Most Valuable Players

Pymble 1 – Caitlin Costello (Year 11)
Pymble 2 – Ray Jones (Year 11)
Pymble 3 – Olivia Ayton (Year 9)
Pymble 4 – Isabella Pak (Year 9)
Pymble 5 – Sophie Zheng (Year 9)
Pymble 6 – Isabella Zhang (Year 8)
Pymble 7 – Haylee Lam (Year 7)
Pymble 8 – Elizabeth Liu (Year 7)

Week 2 – Most Improved Players

Pymble 1 – Ruthia Moore (Year 10)
Pymble 2 – Allison Wang (Year 10)
Pymble 3 – Chloe Lam (Year 8)
Pymble 4 – Elise Lin (Year 9)
Pymble 5 – Katherine Pan (Year 9)
Pymble 6 – Sophia Chen (Year 8)
Pymble 7 – Angela Bai (Year 7)
Pymble 8 – Celine Cai (Year 7)

Senior First Report from our Volleyball Captain, Chloe Teng (Year 11)

This week, the Pymble Firsts team faced off against Kincoppal-Rose Bay School, and they emerged victorious, winning all three sets. Compared to last week, the team appeared more prepared and adapted effectively to the unfamiliar setting. This adjustment resulted in minimal errors during the first set, with only three missed serves. This was only the team’s second game, yet significant improvements were evident since their previous match!

The second and third sets showcased the team’s determination, with a strong emphasis on serving, particularly by Ruthia Moore (Year 10). The team capitalised on the opponent’s wavering confidence, turning it to their advantage. The players then faced a passing slump in a close second set unable to side out to the best of their potential however, this game marks the start of Pymble 1’s victories and may the girls continue the great work next week!

Chris Wood

Sports Co-ordinator – Volleyball

Water Polo

Round 2 of igsa Water Polo on Saturday 21 October saw all our teams play home games which was great for teams to help support each other. Shout out to Phoebe Roberts (Year 9) who stay to support the two teams following her game.

It was great to see our Pymble 1 and Pymble 5 team able to play an attacking game this week, both securing a win. Massive congratulations to Ineke Sunderland (Year 9) who played her first Water Polo game on Saturday playing all four quarters and converting a 5-metre penalty.

Good luck to our Pymble 1 team who are playing double header this weekend, Friday evening and first thing Saturday morning.

Well done to all teams!

Brigette Moore

Head Coach – Water Polo

From the Co-curricular Performing Arts Team

What a pleasure to attend the Festival of Speech last Saturday and to witness some of the wonderful Pymble students’ presentations for this prestigious igsa event. All the students involved as well as Head of Language Arts, Mrs Bronwyn Hubbard, deserve our heartiest congratulations.

It was also a privilege to be present at the Junior School Music Concert on Wednesday night and to see such a high quality of performance work from the enthusiastic students. Sincere congratulations to the Deputy Director of Co-curricular Performing Arts, Mr Kurt Schweinberger and the associated Music staff for their expert and dedicated support of these students.

Many exciting performing arts events to anticipate in the final term of the year!

Please find a QR code to join the Music Support Group WhatsApp group within the Music article. Your involvement in this group would be greatly valued for forthcoming activities in support of Co-curricular Music events in 2024.

Michael Griffiths

Director of Co-curricular Performing Arts

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Language Arts

Festival Of Speech – Pymble Placed Second Overall!

This year’s Festival of Speech was held last Saturday 21 October, at Ravenswood. Pymble came second overall from a field of 28 IGSA schools. Congratulations to our representative team on this fine achievement. The standard was exceptional. Thank you to Mrs Victoria Clancy for training and to parents and staff members for your support.

Our Festival of Speech team for 2023:

Junior Poetry: Imogen Wu – Fifth place

Senior Poetry: Evelyn Zhu – First place

Junior Public Speaking: Jenny Xu – Third Place

Senior Public Speaking: Emily Abadee

Junior Readings: Sophie Guo

Senior Readings: Lydia Heazelwood-Lee

Current Affairs: Maya Garg, Amber Wang, Kiki Chen

Religious and Ethical Questions: Emma Parsons, Mulan Xu, Angelina Lee – Fifth Place

Soapbox Junior: Leahara Wijesuriya, Grace McSweeney

Soapbox Senior: Nikita Serban, Lauren Korenblyum

A celebratory pizza lunch will be held at the conclusion of the Year 9 and 10 examination period.

International Debating Championships (IDC)

We welcomed all IDC debaters last Friday 20 October for the start of the IDC season. Well done all, we are off to a fine start. Tomorrow’s topic is Actor – please look up Actor debates in preparation.

Model United Nations (MUN)

Knox Grammar school has commenced an afterschool MUN program each Thursday from 4.00pm to 5.00pm. Pymble MUN students have been invited. Please email our new MUN Captain Catherine Shi or Mrs Hubbard, if you are interested. Mrs Hubbard or a Language Arts coach, will attend Knox each Thursday for the program. Please note that students are to make their own transport arrangements.

Pymble Model UN runs in DK05 and DK06 every Monday lunch time – All welcome

PMUN Tour

We have had a wonderful response to expressions of interest for the January 2025 Language Arts tour to London, Bruges, Amsterdam and The Hague. We plan to attend THIMUN at The Hague. Details can still be obtained from Travel@Pymblelc.nsw.edu.au

UN Voice of Youth Public Speaking

Pymble hosted a heat last Friday 20 October. Results will be announced following the conclusion of all heats.

Secondary School Debating Auditions

Please contact Amy Zhang, Debating Captain to register for a Debating audition for 2024 ISDA, Archdale, FED and Social teams. Auditions will take place from 3.00pm in the Colonade classrooms.

2023 Year 9 – 2 and 7 November

2023 Year 10 – 8 and 9 November

2023 Year 6 – 10 November (New students only)

2023 Year 11 – 27 October at lunch time in C10

Junior School Debating Auditions

Auditions for 2024 ISDA Debating will be held in Term 4 Week 5 over a series of lunchtimes.

If you would like more information or to sign up for an audition, please see Ms Itzcovitz.

Captains and Prefect

A warm welcome to our incoming Captains and Prefect:

Maya Garg – Mock Law

Amy Zhang – Debating

Catherine Shi – MUN

Evelyn Zhu – Public Speaking

Angelina Lee – Language Arts Prefect

These girls have made an impressive start with their initiatives and enthusiasm.

We wish our outgoing Captains and Prefect all the best as they continue their HSC exams. We hope to see them back as coaches.

Bronwyn Hubbard

Head of Language Arts

Music

Congratulations to the following students in their recent AMEB exams:

Musicianship:

Lily Still (Year 9) Grade 3 Theory – Honours (A)

Oboe and Bassoon:

Kathy Wang (Year 7) Grade 3 Bassoon Video Repertoire Exam – Honours (A)

Charlotte Wu (Year 5) Grade 1 Oboe Video Repertoire Exam – High Distinction (A+)

Angelina Kim (Year 4) Grade 1 Oboe Video Repertoire Exam – High Distinction (A+)

French Horn:

Grace Walmsley (Year 9) Grade 7 – High Distinction (A+)

Music Support Group

The Music support group is a wonderful collection of parents who meet each term to discuss the upcoming events, working out ways to help the music department. One of these is fundraising. If you would like to purchase a tote bag, please reach out to Elizabeth Toh on elizabethtoh@gmail.com.

If you would like to join the Music Support Group, even if just to help from the sidelines, or know what is going on, please scan the QR code below.

Dates for your diaries

31 October: String Quartet performance for the opening of Barrenjoey House. Details have been sent to the students.

1 November: BIG BAND BLOW for Year 3 students. More details will be sent home for this very fun morning.

3 November: Senior Jazz Ensemble and Stage Band performance at Miramare Gardens 5.15pm for 5.30pm to 6.15 performance

9 November: Open Evening – Middle School trio to play from 4.30pm to 5.00pm

13 November: EOI for the Concerto Competition Close

22 November: Secondary School Ensemble Concert: 6.30pm in the GMCPA (this is a compulsory event for all Secondary School ensemble members)

2 December: Choral Climate Festival – All students in the School Choir (notes have been sent through the portal)

3 December: Community Christmas Carols Service – from 5.00pm on Gloucester Lawn then the Chapel. Bring a picnic, your voices, and your joy of Christmas.

6 December: Speech Day Celebrations for Junior and Senior Schools.

Sarah Turner

Head of Music

Robotics

VEX Robotics Competition

In a display of ingenuity and teamwork, Pymble’s all-girl Robotics teams have performed admirably across four events in the VEX Robotics Competition Over Under held at Barker College, James Ruse Agricultural High School, Parramatta Public School, and Knox Grammar School.

Ten of ours teams showcased a strong start to the season, with team 65100R, Kathy Wang (Year 7), Yucheng Xu (Year 7), Lily Xing (Year 7) clinching the Excellence award, securing a spot at the NSW State Championships.

The momentum continued at James Ruse’s competition, where team 65100A Amelia Carlan (Year 8), Nicole Zhang (Year 8), Charlotte Henderson (Year 8), Jemma Hung (Year 8), Emily Huang (Year 8) secured the Design award, advancing to the NSW States Championship. Team 65100E Soumya Shah (Year 8), Dia Verma (Year 8), and Kyraa Vig (Year 8) was honoured with the Judges Award, showcasing an inspirational and positive approach to the competition.

Lastly, at Knox, our high school teams demonstrated remarkable performance, inspiring our middle school participants with their expertise and dedication. Two teams 65100K Jenny He (Year 8), Olivia Moon (Year 8), Isabella Zhang (Year 8), Averie Sun (Year 8), Audrey Lin (Year 8) and 65100J Maya Clements (Year 8), Abani Dhaliwal (Year 8), Amrita Marwah (Year 8), Jackie Zhu (Year 8), Hargun Dhaliwal (Year 8), Grace Park (Year 8) made it to the final’s rounds, both performing with a valiant effort. Unfortunately, no teams received any accolades despite an amazing performance.

The journey doesn’t end here, as our teams also competed valiantly at Parramatta at a tournament hosted by Creator Academy, with team 65100R winning the prestigious Design Award.

As we reflect on these accomplishments, we celebrate the hard work, camaraderie, and the boundless potential of our young female roboticists.

With every competition, our girls not only learn and grow but also represent a promising future in STEM, embodying the values of collaboration, innovation, and excellence that we strive for.

Dan Brown

Co-ordinator – Robotics

Reminder – Term 4 Pymble bus service – register now

A reminder to parents to register your daughter for the Pymble private bus service for travel during Term 4 if you have not already done so and check that your daughter has her current student ID card to tap on and off each trip.

In Term 4, the bus service will operate from Tuesday 10 October to Wednesday 6 December 2023. 

Please check the bus stops and times for your preferred bus route. 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 enables the student to access the bus service every day in the morning and afternoon. The charge is currently set at $430.00 per term.

2. Flexible registration enables the student to register for specific day(s) with a choice of morning and/or afternoon runs. The charge is currently set at $7.50 per trip.

A reminder for parents and students:      

• Student ID cards must be used to tap on and tap off each trip. If your daughter has lost her card, please contact College Services for a replacement form. 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 using the free app, available on Android and Apple devices.    

Please contact College Services via collegeservices@pymblelc.nsw.edu.au if you have any further questions about transport to and from Pymble Ladies’ College.

Vision Valley Summer Holiday Camps – Bookings now open!

There are two holiday camps at Vision Valley over the summer break – keep the kids busy at Camp 1 and give yourself some time to get ready for Christmas, and then let them make the most of the last of their summer break at Camp 2.

The camps are open to Pymble students, their friends, and siblings (girls and boys) who are in Years 3 to 6 in 2023 and 2024.

Camp 1 – Monday 11 to Wednesday 13 December

Camp 2 – Monday 15 to Friday 19 January

December is the last opportunity for the current Year 6 students to spend time with their friends at our popular holiday camps!

We have lots of great activities planned including our new archery tag, and outdoor cinema, our nocturnal nature walks and myo pizza in our new pizza oven.

Bookings are strictly limited and allocated on receipt of payment.

Click here to book – don’t miss out!

Junior School Grandparents’ Picnic

Grandparents are warmly invited to the Junior School Grandparents’ Picnic on Friday 3 November 2023 from 12.30pm to 2.00pm. Please bring your picnic lunch to enjoy with your granddaughter, and a storybook to share. 

Venues

– Kindergarten to Year 2 students will assemble in the Kindergarten courtyard 

– Students in Year 3 to 6 will assemble behind the Junior School Office

To register, please click here.

If you have more than one granddaughter, please meet them at the youngest child’s area for lunch together. 

Year 8 Dads and Daughters Camp at Vision Valley – Don’t miss out!

The PPA Camps at Vision Valley provide the perfect opportunity for Dads and their daughters to spend quality time together in the great outdoors at our beautiful bushland campus.

The Year 8 Dads and Daughter camp is on Saturday 18 to Sunday 19 November 2023 and places are filling quickly.

It’s a great weekend of adventure activities, toasting damper around the campfire and camping under the stars.

Places are limited to 60 Dad and Daughter pairs. All dads must provide a valid WWCC to Vision Valley prior to attending. See the flier for more information.

Click here to book!

Rebecca Pearce

Operations Manager – Vision Valley Campus

Invitation for parents to Education Journal Club event

The Pymble Institute is honoured to welcome the College’s inaugural Research Fellow, Dr Debra Dank, to our community next week. The purpose of a Research Fellow is to bring expertise from fields beyond the school gates to students and staff, and to aid in building connections with the world of academia. When Dr Hadwen and Dr Loch began working on the idea of a Research Fellow last year, a commitment was made to appoint a First Nations woman as the inaugural Fellow. This is in recognition of the importance of expanding our skills in research to include researching with First Nations people and understanding how to do this respectfully and inclusively. 

In connecting with Dr Dank, a Gudanji/Wakaja woman whose country is in the Gulf of Carpentaria area in the Northern Territory, the College is gaining much more than expertise in Dr Dank’s specialities of semiotics, language and narrative at the tertiary level. As a primary and secondary teacher, and one of the founders of the Indigenous Literacy Foundation, Dr Dank also brings rich experiences in teaching literacy and making reading an integral part of children’s lives. Dr Dank is the acclaimed author of We Come With This Place, which has won four prizes in the NSW Premier’s Literary Awards. These are the Douglas Stewart Prize for Non-Fiction, UTS Glenda Adams Award for New Writing, the Indigenous Writers’ prize and the overall Book of the Year 2023. We Come With This Place was also shortlisted for the Stella Prize and an excerpt from it was just included in the 2023 NSW Higher School Certificate English examination. 

Parents are invited to an evening with Dr Dank on Tuesday 31 October as part of the journal club hosted by Dr Loch.

Students and staff will also be involved in workshops with Dr Dank in the areas of research ethics, creative non-fiction writing and literacy research, and we look forward to exploring a research project with First Nations Ex-Students of the College.

Get your copy of The Pymble Pantry!

A few months ago, Community Engagement put the call out to the Pymble community to submit your favourite recipes to feature within a College cookbook, and after an enthusiastic response and outpouring of contributions, we’re thrilled to announce The Pymble Pantry is now available to download for just $9.95!

Inspired by Lucinda Woodfield (Year 11), the 2023 Food Technology Captain, The Pymble Pantry is a crème de la crème, digital collection of over 100 recipes, crafted with passion and brought to you by the talented students, staff and parents of Pymble Ladies’ College.

Within these deliciously curated chapters, you’ll embark on a journey through the kitchen of our talented, cooking-savvy contributors, with each recipe a testament to the rich tapestry of flavours, techniques and cultural influences that shape our vibrant community. From classic comfort foods to exotic masterpieces, you are sure to find something to make your taste buds tango.

But this cookbook is about more than just good food – it’s about making a difference in the lives of those less fortunate. As a part of the College’s 2023 Pymble Gives Back initiative, every cent generated from the sale of The Pymble Pantry will be divided evenly and donated to two amazing charities: Dignity and The Smith Family.

So, whether you’re a seasoned chef, an aspiring home cook or simply someone who loves enjoying a good meal, through The Pymble Pantry, we invite you to open your own pantry and experience the tastes of Pymble for yourself – all while contributing to the betterment of the lives of those doing it tough.

Click here to purchase your copy of The Pymble Pantry today!

Sportswomen’s Awards Night

At the Sportswomen’s Awards Night to be held on Friday 3 November, the College honours our talented sportswomen in Years 7 to 12 who have achieved great success and demonstrated outstanding commitment to their sports throughout the year.

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, 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 students 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 students 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 students 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 Kate 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.

For more information and to purchase tickets to the event, please click here.

Katie Edwards

Head of Sports – Years 7 to 12