From the Principal

My goodness, the Tildesley Tennis Tournament this week has been so exciting – with more nervous nail-biting (by me!) predicted for day three. Our team is demonstrating great sportsmanship, spirit and finely-honed skills on the court, despite the heat, and I look forward to watching the finals play out tomorrow. In the meantime, a huge congratulations to our Swimming and Diving teams for their outstanding efforts at the igsa championships held at SOPAC last week, resulting in an overall win for our swimmers and second place for our divers. Such an exciting day and so many PBs! Great job, all!

Today’s newsletter focuses on clarifying the College’s position on artificial intelligence (AI) and how we are employing AI tools for teaching and learning while preserving academic integrity. This is in response to a growing number of conversations with parents who are keen to understand our stance on the role of AI in education given its growing presence in other aspects of our lives.

Pymble pioneers the way

The logical place to begin this overview is our Digital Intelligence pillar, which, as you know, is one of four pillars for teaching and learning outlined in our Watch Us Change the World strategy. This pillar reflects our commitment to upskilling students and staff to use ‘technology for good’, which is the opposite of the fear-based and shut-it-down mentality that often characterises discussions about AI in education. In line with the Australian Framework for Generative AI in Schools, our aim is to guide students and staff to become responsible and ethical users of AI in ways that benefit students, schools and society. Other recent examples of our ‘technology for good’ approach is our Pymble Wise Phone Initiative and the pending launch of our Pymble Drone Academy.

We are incredibly fortunate to be led by pioneers in this space, our Deputy Principal, Mrs Christine Kenny, and our Director of Innovative Learning Technologies, Mr Anthony England, who are ably supported by our Digital Learning Leaders and academic teams across the College. Mr England is an expert in this field, having been invited to submit a report into the use of Generative AI in the Australian Education System, speak on the AI panel at the recent Sydney Morning Herald Schools Summit, and share his learnings on various podcasts, including Cracking the AI Code – One School’s Critical Learnings for Success, which is well worth a listen for those who want to dive deeper into this topic.

The 4S Framework in his report shows how we evaluate the application of AI at Pymble.

• First and foremost, it must be safe, in terms of privacy and data security, and ethically sound.
• It must be seamless and easy to use.
• It must be supportive with a deep understanding of the users’ needs and goals.
• It must be superior, elevating the quality and outcomes of education beyond its traditional limitations.

Meet our bespoke Pymble chatbots

In addition to safety, trustworthiness of AI is a huge issue. For this reason, we believe that building our own suite of AI tools is the best way for Pymble to meet both the guidelines for Generative AI in the Australian Education System and the 4S Framework to support student learning.

Unlike outsourced AI tools from the big tech companies, bespoke Pymble chatbots prioritise students as ‘detectives’ or ‘co-pilots’ over focusing on the output. Each tool functions in a slightly different way but all are prompted by student questions or input, which in turn prompts the user to take the next exploratory step or to consider the topic from a different perspective. This process leaves ‘AI footprints’ for teachers to assess students’ thinking, growth and mastery of the topic they are learning.

Teachers are exploring how students could use a range of Pymble chatbots including:

• Assessment Task Review – to provide feedback on drafts
• Document IT – to turn notes into an organised document
• Tutor McTutorFace – a general purpose tutor
• Debater – to offer counter opinions to help students prepare for their debate
• Values Coach – to overcome a difficult issue, guided by our five College values
• Quiz Master – designed to quiz students and prompt them to review their learnings on a topic

As always, our girls are right there in the arena, having a go, experimenting, learning, giving feedback and co-creating with our staff and their peers. A great example is our upcoming Student AI Symposium on Wednesday 28 May, headed up by our Technologies Prefect, Sophia Chang (Year 12), in collaboration with Mr England, our Digital Learning Leaders in the Hub and the Learning Prefects team. Now in its second year, this event is open to secondary students from schools all over Sydney, offering a platform to share ideas and consider what lies ahead for AI in terms of their education and future careers.  

The organisers are currently looking for a keynote speaker who will inspire our girls and their guests from other schools – if this sounds like you or someone you know, please feel free to email Mr England with a suggestion and a link to their current bio on aengland@pymblelc.nsw.edu.au

Windows into AI in the classroom

One of our strategic intents in 2025 is for every student from Year 5 to Year 12 to experience AI as a learning tool, and our staff are continually coming up with new ways to deliver this important learning experience.

The following examples show some of the many ways AI is being explored in classrooms across the campus.

Junior School

Year 5 students use Mooshie, a chatbot that supports Mars exploration challenges ranging from rover design to sustainability. Mooshie has been particularly effective in helping the girls to rapidly prototype and break down complex concepts.

Year 6 students engage with Maisy Meadow Mouse, a wise farming chatbot that guides reflection on engineering tasks. These chatbots provide references and encourage critical thinking by prompting connections rather than giving direct answers.

Mr Dan Brown
Head of STEM K-6

Secondary School

In PDHPE, we use an AI chatbot to help develop students’ creation of a research question for investigation as part of an assessment in Year 11 Health and Movement Science. Teachers also use AI to create sample responses to questions for students to critique and to create initial marking rubric for tasks. 

Mrs Alison Cruz
Head of PDHPE 

Language teachers use AI to create texts for reading and listening comprehension exercises (which they tweak as needed to ensure they match the students’ learning), for ideas for lesson activities, and for creating pictures as images, which are important in second language learning. 

Mrs Salina Bussien
Head of Modern and Classical Languages

AI is used by Year 12 Visual Arts students to refine critical and historical written responses to essay questions. Students are explicitly instructed on the creation of bespoke prompts to generate feedback on practice essays. These prompts link student responses to NESA standards, HSC marking guidelines, HSC examiners feedback and syllabus documents. Students then refine their essays according to this generalised AI feedback before submitting their work to their teacher to provide more nuanced comments and guidance.

Ms Brigiat Maltese
Head of Visual Arts

Year 10 Textiles students use the Pymble AI Assistant Chatbotas a tool to provide constructive feedback on their work. They then use this feedback to create a final podcast or video presentation, along with a self-evaluation reflecting on their submission and their use of AI in creating it.

Mr Peter Ellis
Head of Technological and Applied Studies (TAS)

Year 9 Commerce students are using AI in their current assessment task to evaluate examples of how AI tools can be used by consumers to seek redress for consumer protection issues. Year 11 Business Studies/Geography students are working with IT to develop a simple chatbot to assist them with suggestions for research topics, and Year 8 Geography students are developing effective prompts to construct images of places with improved liveability.

Ms Debra Owens
Head of Geography, Business and Economics (GBE)

In Mathematics, we use AI to check reports and solutions, and to frame questions.

Mrs Catrina Kerr
Head of Mathematics

In Science, students use AI in an assessment task to compile fact-checked information for the whole topic, and to generate data and graphs that we can use in questions. Teachers also use it to sift through HSC papers and pick out specific topic questions, to generate rubrics (which we then polish, to create the exact framework we need), and as a proofreader for permission notes and emails.

Mrs Kylie Cooley
Head of Science

How fortunate we are to be surrounded by such diversity of thinking, innovation and deeply considered approaches to this new technology. As Mr England says in the Cracking the AI Code podcast linked to earlier, there is no best practise for AI in education right now – we are the experiment, and therefore a great deal of wisdom is required to navigate this journey safely and wisely.

We have copious amounts of wisdom thanks to our brilliant Board, leadership team and academic staff, and our inherent values of care, courage, integrity, respect and responsibility will continue to guide us in the right direction, ethically and morally, as we explore the potential of AI. We also have incredible student learners who are passionate about harnessing the power of technology to activate human potential, enable connections and make the world a better place for all.

This is an exciting time for our students and staff as we pioneer new frontiers in learning, together.

#WatchUsChangeTheWorld.

Gala Ball raffle tickets now on sale!

Purchase your Pymble Foundation Gala Ball raffle tickets now for your chance to win some incredible prizes! 

First prize: 2 x Apple Vision Pro VR glasses 

Second prize: Sub-Zero 46 Bottles Integrated Wine Storage Cabinet 

Third prize: Penfolds Bin 95 Grange Shiraz 2019 (750ml) 

Fourth prize: The Greengate Hotel $200 Voucher 

All proceeds from our raffle support the Pymble Foundation Bursary Program, providing a Pymble education and life-changing opportunities to girls facing adversity.  

To purchase your raffle tickets today, click here.

Anyone can enter the raffle and you do not need to attend the Gala Ball to win.  

Raffle tickets are electronic and distributed automatically by the GalaBid platform. The Pymble Foundation Gala Ball Raffle will be drawn electronically on 5th April 2025 via the GalaBid Platform random number generator. Winners will be notified by the GalaBid Platform. All proceeds will be donated to the Pymble Foundation. Ticket purchaser must be 18 years or older. Full raffle Terms & Conditions are available on request.

You’re invited to the 2025 PPA Trivia Night

Get ready for an unforgettable evening of trivia, prizes, dancing and fun!

The Pymble Parent Association warmly invites you to our annual Trivia Night on Saturday 31 May. Create your own table of ten or we’ll seat you with others from your year group to meet new people! Fantastic prizes will be won and auctioned throughout the night and raffle tickets are available for advance purchase. This year’s prizes include a designer handbag, a champagne basket and pamper package. 

Time: 6.00pm for a 6.30pm start, concluding at 11.30pm

Venue: Miramare Gardens, entry via 48 Myoora Road, Terrey Hills NSW 2084

Cost: $120 per person/$1,200 for a table of 10

Theme: Hop in your time travel machine and come dressed from any era, past or future, for a chance to win best costume! Don’t worry if costumes aren’t your thing – your presence is what matters most. We encourage dressing up to add to the festive atmosphere, but it’s entirely optional.

Ticket includes a welcome drink, two course meal (entreé and main) followed by a dessert platter and coffee/ tea. Additional drinks can be purchased at the bar.

The Trivia Night is also the PPA’s major fundraising event of the year. To make it a successful evening, we rely on the kind support of our community for donations to the live and silent auctions, and the raffle.

Any monetary donations would also be much appreciated. The organising committee will use this money to purchase items for gift baskets. These gift baskets will be part of the silent auction on the night. Please donate by clicking here.

Register by: Friday 16 May. Registrations are essential. This is a parent-only event.

To purchase tickets, please click here. Please find attached an invitation with full details of the event.

If you have any questions, please contact:

Kai Jones: 0431 725 948 or kai_look@yahoo.com

Kenneth Kok: 0413 361 969 or kenneth@kok.family

Shiva Rich: 0414 322 874 or shivarich@icloud.com

From the Junior School

From the Head of Junior School

Tomorrow, we celebrate Harmony Day with touches of orange ribbons (and full school uniform please). This is an important day for us all as we have such an amazing array of cultures within our Pymble community and it’s wonderful to have the chance to pause and reflect on the richness of diversity this brings to our girls and their learning.

This year’s Australian Harmony Day theme is We all have a role to play and I feel very grateful and proud of our community where we show such respect to one another’s culture, beliefs and traditions and model this respect and understanding to our girls. Through the inclusive culture we are fostering, the girls will grow up with a strong sense of their unique identity and their identity as a global citizen.

As our world faces ongoing turmoil in many countries, it’s critical our girls grow up with the understanding of the power of an open mind, the power of respecting diversity and the power of inclusion. Over the summer, I read the book Respect Trumps Harmony by Rachael Robertson, an author and Antarctic expedition leader who states that ‘diversity is being invited to the party; inclusion is being asked to dance’.

I still remember occasions where I was invited to parties and then felt out of place and uncomfortable as I realised I wasn’t really ‘in’ the key group. We discussed that quote with our Year 6 leaders in their leadership training session earlier this term and the girls shared their thinking and feelings with mature honesty and understood the power in collaborating with people with diversity of perspectives to lead to more innovative ideas and decisions.

Thank you to all our teachers and our librarians who read such an array of texts to our girls to broaden their perspective and understanding of culture. Some of these amazing picture books include:

• All Are Welcome by Alexandra Penfold & Suzanne Kaufman

• Welcome to our World by Moira Butterfield & Harriet Lynas

• Welcome to our table by Laura Mucha & Ed Smith

• My culture and Me by Gregg Dreise

• I am Lupe by Sela Ahosivi-Atiola & Yani Agustina

• The Proudest Blue – A story of Hijab & Family by Hatem Aly & Ibtihaj Muhammad

• I’m Australian Too by Mem Fox

• Whoever you are by Mem Fox

• I am We – A story of Community by Susan Verde & Peter Reynolds

This week we asked some of the girls to share what they are proud of about their culture and here are some of their thoughts:

I am proud to celebrate Diwali because it is colourful, happy and you get to wear special dresses. It represents my culture. – Dinulya (Year 4)

I am proud that in my culture we fast to think about people who are not as fortunate and lucky as we are. – Nadya (Year 5)

I really love celebrating Chinese New Year because it scares away our fears and celebrates who we are. – Connie (Year 4)

I am proud to celebrate Christmas and Easter in my culture and I also love new experiences celebrating other cultures like Chinese New Year. – Olivia (Year 2)

I am really proud of my culture because Chinese people have survived through a lot of things. – Nichola (Year 4)

I am proud of my culture as we celebrate Holi which is a celebration about forgiving which is really special. – Riyana (Year 2)

I am grateful for my culture as an Australian that we can express ourselves and who we are freely. – Davina (Year 5)

I am proud of my Irish culture and particularly Irish dancing which is so beautiful and fun. – Gloria (Year 5)

As many of you already know Heidi the Hedgehog, our Junior School kindness ambassador, represents, amongst other things, my culture. As a hedgehog, she is native to the UK and therefore my ‘little piece of home’. By being a hedgehog, she helps our girls to understand that each of us come to Pymble with our family heritage, traditions and beliefs and then we share those to create the rich tapestry of culture within our school and College.

A message from Mrs Kate Giles – Head of Wellbeing K-6

There is considerable research that emphasises the benefits of explicitly teaching children social and emotional skills to equip them with the ability to manage emotions, build relationships, set goals, and make responsible decisions. (Dix et al,. 2020). This research further indicates that the development of these skills not only enhances academic performance but also impacts long term health and wellbeing (Cipriano et al,. 2023).

As a part of our Compass program in the Junior School, the girls are explicitly taught skills and strategies to support them to manage and regulate their emotions. Earlier this term, a parent session of the Academic and Wellbeing Series was held that was focused on supporting your daughter with her emotions. Some key messages from that session included:

• Everyone feels a variety of emotions on any given day. Some of these are easier to have than others, but all emotions may need to be managed at times
• It is important for children to develop an understanding of how their emotions impact their actions and learn strategies to help themselves manage their emotions
• You can support your daughter with her emotions by:
  • Checking your own emotions and remaining calm
  • Providing time and space for her to safely share her emotions and express how she feels
  • Listening and empathising with her without judgment
  • Empowering her to find solutions and strategies to manage her emotions and the situations that caused them
  • Seeking support from school or other professionals if necessary to assist her with her emotions

As your daughter become tired towards the end of term, she may find it more challenging to manage her emotions. It is important to acknowledge this and to assist her by ensuring she gets adequate sleep and down time so she has the energy to approach any emotional ups and downs.

The next session of the Parent Academic and Wellbeing Series will be held on Thursday 27 March at 8.30am in the Junior School Library. This session will be focused on supporting your daughter with her friendships.

A message from Mrs Victoria Aikman – Kindergarten Coordinator

Kindergarten visit Calmsley Hill City Farm

Our Kindergarten girls had a fantastic time on their first excursion to Calmsley Hill City Farm, where they experienced a unique and interactive farm adventure. The girls had the opportunity to get up close to a variety of native and farmyard animals. They met animals like koalas, kangaroos and wombats, and even participated in activities such as milking cows and whip cracking. It was wonderful to see the girls so engaged, trying new experiences, and fully participating with excitement and joy. The day was filled with laughter, learning and unforgettable experiences. What a fantastic adventure it was!

Quotes from the Kindergarten girls include:

I loved patting the soft rabbit. – Scarlett Liu

I liked seeing the ten little piglets running around. – Larisa Ji

I really enjoyed milking the cow. – Lena Ma

I liked patting Dixie the cow because she was so soft. – Zoe Wang

A message from Mr Stephen Robinson – Deputy Head of Junior School – Operations

Morning Drop-Off

A reminder that students being dropped off at the K-2 carline in the morning should be done so between 7.45am and 8.15am each day. Only students who have a before school activity can arrive before this time.

Harmony Day

The Junior School looks forward to celebrating Harmony Day tomorrow Friday 21 March. On this day we will be selling orange ribbons for students to wear in their hair. Ribbons will be provided for a gold coin donation with money going to charity.

Please note that regular school uniform is to be worn on the day (it is not a mufti day).

Ride Safely to School Day

The Junior School will again participate in Ride Safely to School Day on Friday 28 March 2025. Students can ride their bike or scooter to school from their home to school or they can meet our Junior School teachers at Pymble Station (Grandview Street side) from 7.40am. Mrs Brown and staff will then be riding and walking to the Junior School with staff and students.

To ensure safety:

• All riders must be wearing a well-fitted helmet.
• A College mini-bus will be parked at Grandview Street to transport student bags to school.
• All students must wear a helmet when riding.
• Additional staff will be located along the route.
• A lane of the internal road leading to the K-2 drop-off zone will be closed to facilitate riders entering the Junior School.

Students will also be able to ride their bike or scooter at lunch on Friday 28 March, with the internal road closed to traffic.

If your daughter in planning to ride to school, please register her using this link.

Student ID Cards

This week we will provide student ID Cards to the following students:

• All students in Year 3 and Year 5
• New students in Year 4 and Year 6

These cards can be used for:

• Year 3 and Year 4 to sign in late at Hedgehog House and tapping on/off the Pymble bus.
• Year 5 and Year 6 to sign in late at Hedgehog House, tapping on/off the Pymble bus and make purchases at Archie’s Café. (Money needs to be pre-loaded onto the card, once it is linked to your Flexi-Schools account).

Students are advised to store cards carefully. Cards are systematically issued in Years 3/5/7/11. Replacement cards within this time frame incur a $15.00 fee. A safe way of storing the card is within a ‘Bag Tag’ that can be detached when visiting Archies. These are available for $6.00 from the Uniform Shop.

Scholastic Book Club

Please ensure your order is placed before next Monday 24 March. Junior School earns ‘Scholastic Dollars’ (reward money) for any orders placed, which means that we can support a school/organisation in need and resources for our own Junior School library.

Junior School Digital News

Term 1 Key Dates (Week 9) 

Friday 21 March – Harmony Day

Tuesday 25 March – Year 3 Author Visit (Period 2)

Tuesday 25 March – Pedal Your Smoothie (Years 3, 4 and 5)

Wednesday 26 March – Pedal Your Smoothie (Years 2 and 6)

Thursday 27 March – Year 5 Author Visit

Thursday 27 March – Wellbeing Series K-6 (8.30am to 9.30am)

Friday 28 March – Ride Safely to School Day    

From the Junior School Parent Group (JSPG)

Year 2 EPIC Playdate!

📅 Date: Sunday 16 March

⏰ Time: 2.30pm to 4.30pm

📍 Location: Wahroonga Park (Coonanbarra Rd, Wahroonga)

All Year 2 families are invited to a fun and casual playdate where kids can play, and parents can connect.

🧺 Bring: A picnic rug and some snacks to share.

A great opportunity to meet and enjoy the afternoon together!

Year 3 Mums’ Night Out!

📅 Date: Friday 21 March

⏰ Time: 6.30pm

📍 Location: Jacaranda Restaurant & Bar, 480 Pacific Hwy, Killara NSW 2071

📢 RSVP via QR code by midday Friday 14 March

Cheers to an amazing group of mums! 🍸

Save the Date: Kindy Easter Egg Hunt

Hop on over for some Easter fun!

📅 Sunday 23 March

📍 Bicentennial Park, West Pymble

Please see the flyer for details and RSVP to your Year Co-ordinators.

Pedal Your Own Smoothie – Day 1

📅 Date: Tuesday 25 March

⏰ Time: 12.30pm to 1.30pm

📍 Location: John Reid Hall

📝 Details:

•          Hosted by the JSPG

•          Years 3 to 5 will participate in making pedal-powered smoothies to promote healthy living and sustainability.

🔗 [Register Here] | [Parent Helper Sign-Up]

Pedal Your Own Smoothie – Day 2

📅 Date: Wednesday, 26 March 2025

⏰ Time: 12:30 PM – 1:30 PM

📍 Location: John Reid Hall

📝 Details:

•          Hosted by the JSPG

•          Years 2 and 6 will participate in making pedal-powered smoothies to promote healthy living and sustainability.

•          💚 Funds raised will support the Formula Goblin racing team in preparation for upcoming competitions.

🔗 [Register Here] | [Parent Helper Sign-Up]

🥤 Smoothie Options:

1.         Dairy-free berry smoothie (apple juice, banana, strawberries, ice)

2.         Banana smoothie (milk, banana, honey, ice)💰 Cost: $8.00

📌 Register by: Sunday 23 March

📩 Contact:

•          Selina Kadeer – selina_kadeer@hotmail.com

•          Archana Singh – archana@eca.edu.au

Year 3 Easter Playdate – Save the Date!

Come join us for a fun Easter playdate!

📅 Date: Sunday, 30 March
⏰ Time: 10:00 AM – 12:00 PM
📍 Location: Bicentennial Park, Prince of Wales Drive, West Pymble

It’ll be a great chance for the Year 3 girls to play, and siblings are more than welcome to join! Feel free to bring your own food and enjoy a relaxed morning together.

Plus, there’s a little Easter surprise for everyone on the day—just keep it a secret from the kids!

Hope to see you there!

Easter Cookie Decorating (Kindergarten to Year 2)

📅 Date: Friday 11 April

📍 Location: In-class activity (Kindy to Year 2)

📝 Details:

• Easter Cookie Decorating activity for students.

• Each student will receive two nut-free cookies with icing, sprinkles, and a small selection of lollies to decorate in class.

• Gluten-free and vegan options available on request.

• If a student cannot participate, they may bring a treat from home.

💰 Cost: $10

📌 RSVP by: Friday, 4 April 2025

📩 Enquiries: Dee Mathur – deeviya.mathur@gmail.com

🔗 [Click Here to Register] | [Parent Helper Signup]

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Easter Cookie Decorating (Year 3 to 6)

📅 Date: Friday, 11 April 2025 (Final day of Term 1)

📍 Collection Location: Hedgehog House

📝 Details:

• A Take-Away Easter Cookie Decorating activity for Years 3 to 6.

• Each student receives two nut-free cookies with icing and sprinkles for decoration at home.

• Gluten-free and vegan options available on request.

💰 Cost: $10

📌 Register by: Thursday, 3 April 2025

📩 Enquiries: Dee Mathur – deeviya.mathur@gmail.com

🔗 [Click Here to Register]   

Year 4 Parents Sip and Supper – Save the Date

📅 Date: Saturday, 17^th May 2025

⏰ Time: 6:00 PM

📍 Location: Greengate Hotel, Cnr Pacific Hwy & Greengate Rd, Killara

Please join us for a relaxed evening to connect and make new friends. Please reach out to your class parents for any questions.

Autumn Family Festival

At this week’s assembly, students were reminded of the opportunity host a market stall at the start of Term 2. This event, which was originally planned for Term 1, will now provide students with more time to prepare.

The stall theme is linked to a world culture that the student identifies with or is interested in. Students can participate individually or in small groups (up to 5).

To participate, students need parent permission, as the cost to produce items will be at their own expense. All proceeds from the sales (items priced at $1 or $2) will be donated to the Junior School charity, The Dish.

If your child is interested, please complete the permission form. Registrations close this Friday.

This is a great opportunity for students to showcase their cultural identity and entrepreneurial skills.

Please contact us with any questions at pymblelcjspg@gmail.com

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Kate Brown

Head of Junior School

From the Middle School

Thank you to all our Middle School parents for your support for ensuring the girls are wearing their uniform with pride. We are working very hard to raise the standards and appreciate us working together to this end. On Monday of this week, Year 7 and 8 were able to meet up at Mind-Body-Spirt time to commence the Middle School Big Sister/Little Sister program. With the support of our Compass teachers, there were lively conversations around common interests and the upcoming Outdoor Education Program; especially with Year 7 heading off to camp this week and next. We look forward to spending more time getting to know our big sisters and little sisters over the year in Middle School.

This week, Year 7 Hammond, Ingleholme, Bennett and Goodlet travelled out to the valley for their four-day Outdoor Education Program. So far, we have been blessed with beautiful weather and the girls are thoroughly enjoying the change to routine and the opportunity to engage in a wide range of physical activities. We are all so impressed with Year 7 and their transition to high school. They certainly deserve time away to build on connections and just have some fun in the outdoors. Thank you to Michael Stern, Head of Year, for his investment in ensuring all runs smoothly. I am also lucky to be spending the week with the girls.

Congratulations to Year 8 who were amazing ambassadors for Pymble last Friday at the igsa Swimming and Diving Carnival. Their Pymble pride shone throughout the day. Congratulations to all those who competed – such impressive results. Below is a student reflection to share:

Last Friday, Year 8 went to Homebush to support our school in the igsa Swimming Championships. We spent the day cheering on our friends for their races, creating a lively, loud and energetic atmosphere. It was extremely exciting to see the Year 8 group come together and show so much support and encouragement for our Pymble team.

We watched several races that were filled with team spirit, and the energy and laughter which lasted all day was contagious. We even joined Abbotsleigh and PLC Sydney in group chants which was super fun. Overall, it was a memorable day that was filled with joy which brought everyone together and showed how strong Pymble’s sportsmanship and community is. Congratulations to all the swimmers!

Written by Jocelyn Chow (Year 8)

Year 8 History Incursion student reflection

Armours, weapons and names. The history incursion was a wonderful experience to learn about our world and how different our lives could have been if we lived back in the ancient world. Ever wondered what ancient Egypt did to your body after your death? They would remove all your organs and wrap you up into a mummy! There were many interactive activities you were able to enjoy from wearing shiny or colourful armour to carrying heavy and sharp weapons.

Some information did sound weird, like putting on your clothing wrong would mean death in ancient Japan. It was amazing to learn all this information even if it was weird and didn’t feel right to think about. The plays they did always included us as if we were the historical person. I have never thought that learning could be so interactive that it reached the point everyone was jumping from their seats. I am very grateful for this chance to learn history from our ancient world, and I believe that the more time goes on, the more history will be there to learn and fascinate yourself.

Written by Chloe Teoh (Year 8)

In the Year 8 assembly this week, Andrew Scott, Pymble’s Lead Clinical Psychologist, introduced the Dr Dan Siegel’s Hand Brain Model, a fun way to understand how our brain handles emotions. Students acted it out – fingers as the thinking brain, thumb as the emotion centre and when emotions take over… flip! – the lid is off!

Throughout Year 8 we will revisit the model and explore:

🧠 How our brain reacts to situations?

⚡ What triggers our emotions?

🛠️ How to stay in control?

Ask your child to show you the model – and see if they can explain their own “flipped lid” moments!

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Jenny O’Donnell

Head of Middle School

From the Upper School

A message from Victoria Harrison, Head of Upper School

Upper School students enjoyed their first poké bowl lunch event this week, with 105 students choosing a nutritious, healthy meal option. This special lunch is part of our ‘Nourish and Flourish’ strategic intent, recognising that fuelling the body is a key step in supporting our teenage girls to reach their full potential – both inside and outside the classroom. Having a balanced and nutritious lunch is just one aspect of this commitment.

Eating healthy food matters at every age but is especially important for teenagers. As the body continues to grow, it is vital to eat high-quality foods that provide enough energy and nutrients. Just as importantly, we celebrate how food helps keep us connected and nourished as a community.

The Upper School Common Room provides a welcoming space for students to relax during break times. With access to a fridge, microwave, and sandwich presses, they can explore more balanced choices. However, instant noodles have become a popular choice that don’t fully meet their nutritional needs. We encourage students to enjoy instant noodles only occasionally, while focusing on healthier lunch options.

We are excited to have introduced a new initiative to support Year 9 embarking on the Vision Valley Residential Program. Erin Porter, the Outdoor Education Prefect, has been the catalyst for this meaningful opportunity for Year 11 and 12 Vision Valley alumni to step up and mentor Year 9. This peer-to-peer guidance not only fosters a stronger sense of community but also helps younger students feel more confident and prepared for the exciting challenges ahead.

Congratulations to Erin for all efforts in bringing this initiative to life. Erin has provided this overview of our first event last week:

Last Wednesday afternoon, the first Vision Valley mentoring session was held for the Term 2 Vision Valley girls. Year 11 and 12 students who have previously attended the program stepped into the role of mentors, offering guidance, reassurance, and valuable advice to the Year 9s preparing for their own experience next term.

Throughout the afternoon, the girls participated in a range of activities designed to ease nerves and build excitement. Icebreaker games helped them connect with their mentors, followed by group discussions where they shared their concerns and excitement about the program. In their smaller mentor groups, they set goals, asked questions, and gained insight from those who had already been through the experience. To finish off, the girls made bracelets in groups as a fun activity that allowed them to get to know their mentors and the other Year 9 girls attending better.

It was so great to see the Senior School girls forming connections with the Year 9s, helping to ease any worries and build excitement for the program ahead. I hope this session gave the Year 9s a sense of confidence and anticipation for their upcoming time at Vision Valley!

Pennant Hills Park has been hosting the annual Tildesley Tennis tournament this week. Congratulations to Layla, Saja, Emily, Aaliyah, Evelyn, Isabel, Ayeesha, Manulya, Thenulya, Ariel, Jiayi Sophia, Abigail, Isabelle, Mei Yu, Kathy and Emily who have represented the Pymble Upper School this week. We look forward to celebrating their achievements when the tournament concludes on Friday.

Save the date: Vision Valley Residential Program – Parent Workshop with Dr. Arne Rubinstein

Parents of all students attending the Term 2, 3, and 4 Residential Program are invited to an important event on Monday 28 April from 6.00pm to 8.00pm.

During this interactive evening, Dr. Arne Rubinstein will explore how you can best prepare for, embrace, and support your daughter’s experience on the Residential Program. The session will share valuable insights and practical tips on parenting a young adult – rather than a child – and provide useful strategies to guide her through these pivotal years.

We will send out a notice on MyPymble asking you to RSVP.

Key Dates – Term 1

Friday 21 March – Year 10 Minimum Standards Testing (Writing)

Friday 28 March – Year 10 Minimum Standards Testing (Mathematics)

Tuesday 1 April – Year 10 Minimum Standards Testing (Reading)

Foundation Ball – Saturday 5 April 2025 

Careers Expo – Monday 7 April (5.30 -7.30pm) in GYM

Thursday 10 (evening) and Friday 11 (day) April – Year 8-10 Learning Discussions

Friday 11 April – Boarder’s Travel Day

Friday 11 April – Pupil-Free Day

Key Dates – Term 2

Monday 28 April – Boarders’ Travel Day

Tuesday 29 April – First Day of Term 2

From the Year 9 Parent Co-ordinators

Jenny and Ira look forward to welcoming as many parents as possible for our end of term 1 catch up. Please respond to the invite in Year 9 WhatsApp group.

For any enquiries, please feel free to contact us – Ira (0415 112 575) or Jenny 0422716808.

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Victoria Harrison

Head of Upper School

From the Senior School

From the Head of Senior School

The Year 11 Formal was a fantastic evening, and I was incredibly proud of the students and their guests. They conducted themselves with maturity and respect, ensuring everyone could enjoy the occasion. Their behaviour reflected the values of our school, creating a welcoming and positive atmosphere. It was a great night of celebration and a wonderful opportunity to come together as a community, highlighting the strong connections that make our school so special. 

Guest Speaker – Senior School Assembly 

It was a pleasure to hear from Mehhma Malhi (ESU 2016) about her fascinating journey since leaving Pymble. She recently graduated from Columbia University with a Master of Science in Bioethics, where she also served as an associate editor for the Columbia Bioethics Journal.

Before that, she completed a Bachelor of Arts at NYU, majoring in Philosophy with minors in Politics, Bioethics, and Studio Art, graduating with a Founders Day Award as a University Honours Scholar. During her time at NYU, Mehhma was deeply involved in student life, serving as President of her first-year dorm and later as a Resident Assistant.  

Now, she is exploring a new path, studying the art of directing at NIDA. Speaking with warmth and insight, Mehhma reflected on the importance of friendships, the value of hindsight and understanding yourself as a learner – key to making life choices that truly align with who you are. 

Alex Richter Support 

Alex Richter’s presentation to the Year 12 students last week was truly inspiring. He spoke with honesty and optimism about navigating life with purpose following an accident that left him with significant spinal cord damage. His resilience and determination were evident as he shared his journey, encouraging students to approach challenges with confidence and a strong sense of purpose. For those who would like to support Alex, please click here.

Key Dates – Term 1

Thursday 10 April – End of Term 1

Nikki Wyse

Head of Senior School

From the Boarding School

Our Boarders are blessed to have a whole team of wonderful people all dedicated to supporting them to make their time on campus happy and meaningful. Our College Chaplains are key to this endeavour and wonderful people to have in our Boarding family. Every second Tuesday, we come together to celebrate Boarders’ Chapel and these are special times of reflection and togetherness.

We usually celebrate the diversity of our community through our View From My Window program and it was lovely to hear from Lexie this week (albeit on her tippy toes to reach the microphone!). Rev Danielle has also been creating special spaces for thinking and this week the Boarders enjoyed ‘losing themselves’ in a range of activities from jigsaw puzzles to quiet card games and drawing. I have included a few photos as a snapshot of this special time.

End of Term Leave

It’s the wonderful time of term again that we start to remind Boarding families to enter end of term leave. We kindly ask that ‘end of term leave’ passes are entered in Orah by no later than tomorrow, Friday 21 March. If your daughter is catching a train or flying home, please ensure timings and flight numbers are entered into the notes. Please let Boarding staff know if you have any questions.

Eat Like a Boarder

And while you are planning for the return of your girls, you might want to consider joining us for dinner on Monday 28 April at 6.00pm. This will be the ‘real’ experience, with you being able to enjoy the regular dinner service, just as the girls do each evening. All family members are welcome. If you would like to join us please RSVP to boarding@pymblelc.nsw.edu.au by Monday 8 April.

Live It, Love It, Learn It – Ms Theresa Mimmo, Deputy Director of Boarding

On Friday night, our Year 9 Boarders enjoyed a picnic at Balmoral Beach after a warm day. Boarders stayed in on Saturday with an afternoon of tennis on Mollie Dive Field. Many Boarders elected to go to jet boating on Sunday in what was a hot and glorious day in Sydney.  I hope you enjoy the comments from some of our Boarders who participated in the activity.

On Sunday, some of my fellow Boarders and I had a fun trip to the city for jet boating. It was a great experience as the boat sped through the waves with water splashing all around and the sun beating down, leaving everyone laughing. There were cheers from the boat as we were soaked with water and joy! The DJ music was a great addition as we saw the Sydney Opera House, Sydney Harbour Bridge and famous landmarks of Sydney. Of course, an ice cream at the end of all the excitement was the perfect way to end the day!

Written by Alice (Year 9)

Jet boating was such a fun time! Everybody loved the beautiful scenery and the thrill of speeding through the water of Sydney Harbour. It was a big mix of excitement and joy, and I would love to do it again.

Written by Maggie (Year 7)

A View From My Window

Hi, my name is Lexie. I’m 13 years old, and I live on a place called Rawdon Island, which is about 15 minutes west of Port Macquarie. Port Macquarie is a town with a population of around 50,000 people. My house sits on a small rural property of about five acres, right next to the riverbank. I was born in Sydney and moved to Rawdon Island when I was just six months old. Since then, my parents have made our land feel like home. I live with my mum, dad, two brothers and some chickens. Both of my parents are doctors. My dad is a gastroenterologist, and my mum is a GP and cosmetics doctor.

When I look out my window, I can see my neighbour’s house. They have a little granddaughter who always waves to me whenever she visits. I can also see the river, it’s always peaceful and quiet. Sometimes, I’ll catch someone fishing or boating down the river. But my favourite view, by far, is in the winter. My neighbours never even had to call or tell us – whenever we saw a little pile of sticks outside, we would all gather sticks from around the yard and add them to the pile, making sure to save at least eight good ones. We’d buy marshmallows and bring our lawn chairs to have a bonfire when it got dark.

There are a few things I love about being at home. Little things like how my dad would wake me up by planting a kiss on my forehead and whispering so quietly that it was hard to even hear him in the silence. He was always so careful not to wake me, though I’d pretend to still be asleep when I heard him coming down the hallway. He’d whisper something like how he hoped I’d have the best day, and that he wanted to hear all about it when I got home, and that he loved me more than anything.

I also love how my mum cheers for me on every little accomplishment, whether it’s something as simple as a soccer game, or just making sure I always know how proud she is of me. She still writes me letters to remind me of that. I also have a special memory of my mum from when I was little. Whenever I couldn’t sleep, she would sing me Hallelujah by Jeff Buckley. No matter how energetic I was, I would always fall asleep instantly.

In conclusion, I’m so happy to live with such supportive people in such a beautiful place, both at Pymble and Rawdon Island.

Boarder of the Week

Thank you to Anne Graham, our Head of Lang House, who perfectly sums up Year 12 Boarder, the fabulous Evie.

Evie embodies the perfect balance of leadership and kindness – she leads naturally by example. Always willing to lend a hand, she steps up whenever others need help or support and is a great role model to our younger Boarders. She’s also fantastic at organising events and thrives in her role as Community Spirit Prefect.

She can juggle multiple responsibilities, from coordinating Boarding projects to ensuring her Boarding sisters are comfortable and supported. Her natural inclination to care for those around her makes her approachable and dependable, and she never hesitates to step in and take control of situations when she sees it’s needed.

She’s quick to assess situations, organising assistance and offering help if needed. Her quick thinking and calm demeanour are really appreciated and make all difference in stressful moments. She is such a thoughtful leader and ensures that everyone feels included and heard, while her organisational skills keep things running perfectly.

Save the Date

Friday 21 March – Pymble in Scone

Friday 21 and Saturday 22 March – Year 12 Boarder and Day Girl Parents’ regional weekend

Tuesday 1 April – Boarders’ End of Term Chapel Service and Dinner

Thursday 10 April – Face-to-Face Learning Discussions for Boarding Families 

Friday 11 April – Boarders’ Travel Day

Monday 28 April – Boarders return from 2.00pm

Monday 28 April – Eat Like a Boarder 6.00pm

Wednesday 30 April – Learning Discussions for Year 7 

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Carolyn Burgess

Head of Boarding

From the Chaplains

What do we do when someone does not value our understanding of the Sacred?

This week is Harmony Week and we are reminded that living in Australia is a wonderful gift through the theme ‘Everyone Belongs’. Our diversity gives us an extraordinary opportunity to learn and to grow together, as we take the richness from many cultures and experiences and make it our own.

One of the challenges of this diversity, however, is that we show respect in different ways because our different faiths, cultures and traditions place value on different things. What is respectful for one of us, can be disrepectful to someone else.

For people of faith living in a broadly secualar society this can be hard. Our faith is deeply personal. When our particular expression of faith is not valued it hurts. At best we feel sadness. At worst we question our own belief and sense of self.

So what do we do when we feel like something that is sacred to us has been not been valued by someone else as it should be?

The Parable of the fig tree (Luke 13.1-9)  is an example in the scriptures that can help us.

In the Gospel of Luke the parable of the fig tree follows directly after what can only be describes as a horrific act of disrespect to the people of Jesus. It was intentional and cruel, and the disciples are struggling to understand. They are even questioning whether their belief and the traditions associated with it are worth upholding any more.

Jesus uses the image of a dormant fig tree to give them hope. Rather than giving up on their belief and allowing others to cut them down, Jesus encourages the disciples to wait and to use their sadness, the ‘manure’ as Jesus calls it to nurture and feed themselves. In time, Jesus suggests, this waiting and ‘manuring’ will produce fruit on the tree if that is what is meant to be.

I think what Jesus is saying is that when we find ourselves in a situation where we feel disrespected we need to do the same. Firstly to wait before reacting by cutting someone (perhaps the person who disrespected us) or something (our belief) down.

Wait and take time to think through what has happened, and to understand why we are so sad.

And then, when the right time has passed, and we are ready to respond to the situation we shuld use our sadness to nurture the situation in a way that is helpful and gives life. This may be by approaching the person and speaking respectfully with them about why they have hurt you. It may be by offering to educate others in your class about your belief so that they can better understand the gifts of diversity among them. It may even be by re-thinking what is most important in the situation and re-planting your faith in a different way.

For the diciples it meant a range of those things as they continued on the way to Jerusalem.

May your waiting be blessed and nourished as your Lenten journey continues.

Reverend Danielle Hemsworth Smith

College Chaplain

Events Calendar – Term 1 and 2

From the Futures Team

Upper and Senior Schools  

UTS BAcc. Accounting Coop Scholarship 

The UTS Bachelor of Accounting program has the aim of producing potential business leaders of the future via an accounting career. 

The COOP Scholarship a tax-free scholarship valued up to $56,000, a year of full-time work training and great career prospects with the major employers who support the course.  

For further details on the Bachelor of Accounting program, please visit  UTS Bachelor of Accounting  Email enquiries:  carin.alberts@uts.edu.au  

Masterclasses

Friday 21 March	UTS BAcc Coop Scholarship	Claire Spring (ex-student Pymble 2024)	Library Learning Studio	MBS time
Friday 28 March	St Andrew’s Scotland	Ashleigh Fraser	Library Learning Studio	MBS time

Open Day: Sydney Design School

Date: Saturday 6 April

Time: 10.00am to 12.00pm

If you’re considering studying with us, our Open Day is a great way to get to know us better. Explore our studios, browse through our Graduate Exhibition, meet students and Educators, watch a live Info Session and get creative making a mood board or digital model. Information Session & Open Day | Sydney Design School 

Career opportunities in medicine beyond being a doctor

Click here for more information.

Discover the Health Sciences at ACU (North Sydney)

Date: Wednesday 25 April

Time: 9.00am to 1.00pm

Discover what it’s like to study nursing, occupational therapy, physiotherapy or speech pathology at ACU North Sydney. Take part in hands-on workshops where you’ll get a feel for the practical skills you’ll develop as a future healthcare professional. Tour our campus and experience our state-of-the-art, fully functional simulation wards. Register: Discover Health Sciences at ACU North Sydney 

From the Co-curricular Sports Team

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Co-curricular Administration

Term 2 Co-curricular Registrations Opening

The next round of co-curricular registrations for Term 2 will open at 12.00pm on Wednesday 26 March and will close at 11.59pm on Monday 16 April. Program information for this registration period will be available on the portal one week prior to the opening date.

All registrations must be completed online and cannot be processed via phone or email. Reminder notices will be posted on the MyPymble app before the registration deadline.

Additionally, Term 3 Saturday Sports registrations will open at 12.00pm on Wednesday 30 April and will close at 12.00pm on Friday 16 May.

For any further enquiries, please contact the Co-curricular Administration team ccsa@pymblelc.nsw.edu.au

Sally Davidson

Head of Co-curricular Administration

AFL

Round 6

I would like to extend a big thank you to the students in Pymble 6 who, in harsh conditions on Saturday, put their hand up to assist with the Pymble 5 match. In 33-degree heat in a top of the table clash, our Pymble 5 team were stricken with illness and misadventure. Notable mentions to Sarah Lee Swan Cole (Year 8), Grace Scammell (Year 7), Amelia Francis (Year 7), Giselle-Sophia Jones (Year 8), and Amelia Blaiklock (Year 8) who all backed up and played a second game! Thank you girls!

Round 6 Results

Pymble 1 def by Barker 1 (4 to 38)

Pymble 2 def by Barker 1 (11 to 22)

Pymble 3 drew Wenona 3 (8 to 8)

Pymble 4 def by Wenona 4 (9 to 22)

Pymble 5 def by Barker 5 (19 to 44)

Pymble 6 def by Barker 6 (6 to 33)

Jack Garrad

Co-ordinator – AFL

Athletics

State Junior Athletics Championships

Over four days of competition in brutally hot conditions, 16 of our Pymble athletes delivered exceptional performances at the State Junior Athletics Championships held at Sydney Olympic Park. Despite the extreme weather, the girls showed resilience and determination, securing and incredible nine gold, four silver and four bronze medals. Beyond the podium finishes, there was numerous personal bests and several top eight performances, highlighting the depth of talent within the athletics team.

A special congratulations to Amalia Bond (Year 9) who dominated the horizontal jumps, taking home gold in both the triple jump and long jump, and to Eliza Lawton (Year 9) who put on a record breaking display in the distance events. Eliza also took home two gold medals in the 1500m and 3000m, setting new State Little Athletics records in both races – an incredible achievement. The support and camaraderie among the girls were outstanding.

Congratulations to Samara Bond (Year 12) and Matilda Harrison (Year 11) who also both secured two medals in their events.

Gold

Grace Townsend (Year 12)

400m Hurdles

Amalia Bond (Year 9)

Long Jump

Triple Jump

Eliza Lawton (Year 9)

1500m

3000m

Naomi Krajancic (Year 9)

400m

Grace Beck (Year 11)

5000m Walk

Gemma Dixon (Year 9)

2000m Steeplechase

Sybella Warton (Year 12)

100m Para

Silver

Samara Bond (Year 12)

400m

Matilda Harrison (Year 11)

100m

200m

Jocelyn Blair (Year 11)

100m Hurdles

Bronze

Sybella Warton (Year 12)

200m Para

Samara Bond (Year 12)

200m

Anelia Knight (Year 10)

800m

Rachel Schwulst (Year 11)

800m

Sydney Track Classic

The Sydney Track Classic is one of the most prestigious events on the Australian athletics calendar, featuring Olympians, international athletes, and Australia’s best athletes chasing world championship qualifiers and personal bests. It was an exciting night for Pymble, with two current students and five alumni competing on the big stage.

Sybella Warton (Year 12) had a fantastic experience competing in the para 100m, facing off against Paralympic-level competition and performed exceptionally well. Rachel Schwulst (Year 11) took on the crucial role at short notice of pacemaker for Olympic semi-finalist Claudia Hollingsworth in the 800m. Rachel did an exceptional job and took Claudia around in the time requested. Her performance was also noted in the commentary by legendary caller, Bruce McAvaney, who praised her for setting up the pace exactly as wanted.

Among the alumni, all five athletes were excellent, but two of our K to Year 6 coaches were particularly outstanding. Olympian Kristie Edwards stormed to victory in the blue ribbon 100m event, while Olivia Inkster, a two times World Junior representative placed seventh in the same race setting a new personal best. Their performances serve as an inspiration to our younger athletes, who are lucky to have such high calibre role models leading their training sessions. Mackenzie Little also made a strong return to competition, winning the javelin. Alice Dixon competed for NSW in the 4x100m relay and Gabriella Taylor competed in the B 100m race.

Deb Walsham

Head Coach of Athletics

Cross Country

igsa Cross Country

Building towards igsa Cross Country, it’s fantastic to see more girls building their fitness. The hard work and dedication being put in now will set the foundation for a strong igsa competition. Next week marks our first time trial and I encourage all the girls to keep the momentum going. These time trials are a great opportunity to test fitness levels, build endurance, and prepare for competition.

Deb Walsham

Head Coach – Cross Country

Diving

igsa Diving

Last Friday, the igsa Diving Championships took place at Sydney Olympic Park. It was a great day, as numerous students showcasing their diving skills across all events. A big congratulations to all the girls who competed as their dedication and sportsmanship were commendable. We are proud to announce that Pymble achieved an impressive second place overall in the competition, a testament to the hard work and commitment of our divers.

Special congratulations to Kayla Davies, who won both the 16 Years Springboard and Open Platform, and Lara Manuel who won the 15 Years Springboard as well as overall Intermediate Champion. Congratulations also to Amélie Rahme, Eleanor Mason-Jones, and the Team Event divers of Rose Purcell, Scarlett Martel and Emily Croker for achieving podium finishes in their events.

Full Results

• 12 Years Springboard – Keddy Chen – 5th
• 13 Years Springboard – Amélie Rahme – 2nd, Qualified 3rd for CIS
• 14 Years Springboard – Eleanor Mason-Jones – 3rd, Qualified 3rd for CIS
• 14 Years Springboard – Lara Manuel – Qualified 1st for CIS
• 14 Years Springboard – Isabella Benjamin – Qualified 5th for CIS
• 15 Years Springboard – Lara Manuel – 1st
• 15 Years Springboard – Kayla Davies – Qualified 1st for CIS
• 16 Years Springboard – Kayla Davies – 1st
• 16 Years Springboard – Leila Rich – Qualified 3rd for CIS
• 17 Years Springboard – Leila Rich – 5th
• Open Platform – Kayla Davies – 1st, Qualified 1st for 15 to 16 Years CIS
• Team Event – Emily Croker, Scarlett Martel, Rose Purcell – 3rd

Samantha Dale

Co-ordinator – Diving

Rugby Sevens

Rugby 7s igsa Trials

This year, igsa are running U18 and U16 trials to choose a team to partake in the NSWCIS Rugby selection trials. These nominations are due on Monday 24 March. 

If you wish to be nominated, please review the below information:

You must be available to attend the below events to be considered for selection:

• igsa trials (both ages): Thursday 1 May 9.30am to 3.00pm at Pymble Ladies’ College
• NSWCIS trials/championships: Wednesday 21 May at The Kings School
• NSW All Schools: Wednesday 25 June with location TBC

Please also note the igsa representative policy:

“2.5. Schools may choose how many girls they nominate to trial. However, IGSA Sport will determine how many players from each school will be allowed to attend trials, taking into consideration the number of teams being selected, the total number of nominations, the experience of the players nominated and any other relevant criteria. Players without playing and representative history completed on the correct form will not be considered.”

If you would like to be nominated, please email jgarrad@pymblelc.nsw.edu.au with a brief description of your representative/club playing history. Please be aware that this representative pathway is extremely competitive and demands a substantial playing history.

Jack Garrad

Co-ordinator – Rugby Sevens

Softball

Week 6

Round 6 of the Invitation Independent Schools Softball competition took place this past Saturday with Pymble having three of our four teams competing. 

We started early Saturday morning with our Pymble 4 team playing against Tara 2. Even though our girls lost the game 14 to 5, there were many standout moments that made this game exciting to watch. Samadhi Wanniarachchi (Year 7) did a great job on the mound and was involved in a great double play along with Jane Watson (Year 7), and Baheshta Rahmoni (Year 8) showed great baserunning that helped secure the girls’ runs. Overall, the girls had a great game with loads of catches and lots of enthusiasm. 

Next, we had our Pymble 3 team play against Loreto Normanhurst 2 here at Pymble. This was an exciting game to watch as our girls beat Loreto 14 to 7, with many of the girls having some highlight moments. Ariana Ziolkowski (Year 11) had a great game behind the plate, while both Anabelle Taylor (Year 10) and Lana Toa (Year 8) doing an amazing job pitching this week. We also had Anabelle hit a home run in the beginning of the second inning, lighting a spark for both Isabel Donald (Year 11) and Ariana who hit doubles that same inning. The team really showed up to play this weekend. 

Finally, we had our Pymble 2 team travel to play Danebank, where they won their game 14 to 10. The girls showed a great amount of energy and game awareness as they managed to get three outs in every inning that they played while also displaying a great amount of team hitting. We also had Sophia Wu (Year 11) who had a great game on the mound, throwing lots of strikes which allowed her team to get outs behind her. Overall, they showed great teamwork and determination, gaining a very exciting win. 

Team of the Week

Pymble 3 is our team of the week after their dominant win over Loreto Normanhurst 2 in which they showed a great display of both offensive and defensive power. 

Week 7 sees all our teams playing their last round games before finals. Pymble 1 has a midweek game, and then we will see all our Pymble teams play on Saturday. Pymble 1, Pymble 2 and Pymble 3 will play at home while our Pymble 4 team is on the road. 

Good luck to everyone!

Results 

Team	Opponent	Result	Score
Pymble 2	Danebank 1	Win	14 to 10
Pymble 3	Loreto Normanhurst 2	Win	14 to 7
Pymble 4	Tara 2	Loss	5 to 14

Chris Wood

Co-ordinator – Softball

Swimming

Pymble become igsa Swimming Champion School

The Pymble Swimming team put on a blockbuster show at the Sydney Olympic Park Aquatic Centre on Friday 14 March at the 100th igsa Swimming and Diving Carnival. Pymble won an incredible 11 trophies and the overall point score with an astounding 447 points, with PLC Sydney closest with 382 points. This included all three major trophies to become the outright champions in what was a magnificent display of teamwork, talent, and persistence from the girls.

Major Trophy Wins

• Mary Webster Cup – Overall Pointscore
• Lorraine Crapp Shield – Overall Pointscore (excluding multi-class points)
• Annabelle Williams Shield – Multi-Class Pointscore
• Congratulations to Junior Individual Champion Priscilla Miller (Year 7) (shared with Kincoppal Rose Bay)
• Congratulations to all our Junior Swimmers for winning the Junior Point Score Trophy
• Congratulations to all our Division 1 Heat Swimmers for winning the Division 1 Point Score

Relay Trophies

• Congratulations to Junior Medley Relay winners Charlotte Sadler (Year 8), Sissi Ko (Year 7), Penelope Hargraves (Year 8), and Alexis Whitton (Year 8), including reserves Anne Liu (Year 9) and Quinn Parry-Okeden (Year 8)
• Congratulations to Junior Freestyle Relay winners Alexis Whitton (Year 8), Quinn Parry-Okeden (Year 8), Carla Eibach (Year 8), and Charlotte Sadler (Year 8), including reserves Elsa Yu (Year 8) and Ludovica Iacovelli (Year 8)
• Congratulations to Intermediate Freestyle Relay winners Megan Chia (Year 9), Indianna Vale (Year 10), Georgia Friedel (Year 8), and Annalise Chow (Year 11), including reserves Gwen Pickthall (Year 9) and Caitlyn Keating (Year 10)
• Congratulations to Senior Freestyle Relay winners Sarah Tian (Year 11), Jennifer Chong (Year 12), Jaya Lilienthal (Year 12), and Keira Smith (Year 12), including reserves Jessica Cullen (Year 12) and Ruby Pickthall (Year 11)
• Congratulations to All Age Freestyle Relay winners Priscilla Miller (Year 7), Lilly Andrews (Year 8), Quinn Parry-Okeden (Year 8), Megan Chia (Year 9), Annalise Chow (Year 11), and Jaya Lilienthal (Year 12), including reserves Keira Donovan (Year 8) and Zara Sandham (Year 9)

Individual Gold Medals

• Alyssa Gillespie (Year 11) – Open 50m Freestyle Multi-Class
• Alyssa Gillespie (Year 11) – Open 50m Backstroke Multi-Class
• Alyssa Gillespie (Year 11) – Open 50m Breaststroke Multi-Class (Record)
• Priscilla Miller (Year 7) – 12 Years and Under 50m Freestyle
• Priscilla Miller (Year 7) – 12 Years and Under 50m Backstroke (Record)
• Lilly Andrews (Year 8) – 13 Years 50m Freestyle
• Lilly Andrews (Year 8) – 13 Years 50m Butterfly
• Alexis Whitton (Year 8) – 14 Years 50m Freestyle
• Alexis Whitton (Year 8) – 11 to 14 Years 100m Freestyle
• Sarah Tian (Year 11) – 17 Years 50m Backstroke
• Megan Chia (Year 9) – 15 Years 50m Butterfly
• Caitlyn Keating (Year 10) – 16 Years 50m Butterfly

Congratulations to all girls on the 2025 Pymble Swimming team:

Lilly Andrews (Year 8), Lily Barlow (Year 12), Hannah Carmichael (Year 12), Megan Chia (Year 9), Jennifer Chong (Year 12), Annalise Chow (Year 11), Isabella Croll (Year 7), Jessica Croll (Year 12), Jessica Cullen (Year 12), Keira Donovan (Year 8), Carla Eibach (Year 8), Oriana Fenton (Year 8), Georgia Friedel (Year 8), Aj Gillespie (Year 11), Penelope Hargraves (Year 8), Rose Harrington (Year 7), Ludovica Iacovelli (Year 8), Caitlyn Keating (Year 10), Sissi Ko (Year 7), Jaya Lilienthal (Year 12), Anne Liu (Year 9), Elizabeth Lockhart (Year 12), Jade Mao (Year 8), Priscilla Miller (Year 7), Emma Ng (Year 9), Quinn Parry-Okeden (Year 8), Gwen Pickthall (Year 9), Ruby Pickthall (Year 11), Charlotte Sadler (Year 8), Zara Sandham (Year 9), Keira Smith (Year 12), Sarah Tian (Year 11), Indianna Vale (Year 10), Ava Wang (Year 7), Lexi Whitton (Year 8), Elsa Yu (Year 8)

Lewis Gray

Co-ordinator – Swimming

From the Co-curricular Performing Arts Team

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Dance

Jazz White Dance Intensive Success

On Saturday 8 March, our Jazz White students participated in an eight-hour dance intensive where they learned their eisteddfod routine from nationally recognised choreographer Lauren Elton.

This was an incredible learning experience, challenging the students to learn an entire routine in just one day. We are so proud of their professionalism, dedication, and courage.

I am extremely proud of how you performed, worked, and presented yourselves throughout the day. We can’t wait to see this routine come to life on stage!

Keya Pettigrew

Dance Co-ordinator – Performance Stream Development

Drama

You’re Just Too Good to be Shrew Production

Friday 4 April: 5.30pm

Saturday 5 April: 1.30pm

You’re Just Too Good to Be Shrew will be lighting up the GMCPA stage and featuring some of our fabulous co-curricular Drama students. You want to hear a little more about why you should come? Meet the co-ordinator of Co-curricular Drama and director/writer of this incredible production, Rebecca York.

Tell us about You’re Just Too Good to Be Shrew.

You’re Just Too Good to Be Shrew is a hilarious and heartfelt parody that fuses Shakespeare’s Taming of the Shrew with the cult classic 10 Things I Hate About You. It takes the best elements of both – the razor-sharp Shakespearean banter, high school drama, and over-the-top romantic tropes – and dials them up to eleven.

This production leans into parody, using humour and exaggerated characters to critique outdated gender roles while embracing the rebellious, unapologetic spirit of the 90s. Expect love triangles, chaotic mischief and plenty of flannel shirts, all wrapped in a nostalgic throwback to one of the most beloved teen films of all time.

What inspired you to create a parody of these two iconic stories?

Both Taming of the Shrew and 10 Things I Hate About You balance romance and rebellion, making them the perfect foundation for satirical retelling. I wanted to challenge the unrealistic stereotypes of romantic comedies while still embracing the fun of their exaggerated characters and stylistic conventions.

In a way, it’s a parody of itself – using Shakespeare’s wit to deconstruct the outdated idea of “taming” women, while poking fun at the rom-com genre and pushing what it means to be ‘love obsessed.’

These concepts resonated deeply with me, and I loved the idea of exploring it with a full female cast. The extreme romantic gestures in teen films – sometimes bordering on obsession – also intrigued me. I wanted to explore this idea of the “teen love bubble,” where heightened emotions blind characters to the complexities of relationships and identity.

More importantly, I wanted to give female characters agency – to let them speak their minds, challenge social pressures and reclaim their voices. This concept felt especially relevant to the Pymble community and inspiring the leaders of tomorrow, making it all the more exciting to bring to life. And, of course, mixing Shakespearean dialogue with 90s grunge culture was just too fun to resist!

What do you love most about working on this production?

The best part is the creative freedom – taking familiar moments and twisting them in unexpected ways. I was able to expand the cast to fit the needs of a large ensemble while ensuring every performer had a meaningful contribution. Many of the best comedic moments emerged organically from rehearsals, inspired by the cast’s energy and ideas.

Because it’s a parody, we get to heighten the humour, exaggerate characters and play with iconic tropes – all while offering a fresh feminist lens. The fusion of Shakespearean language with 90s slang creates such a unique dynamic, and it’s been incredible watching the cast embrace the absurdity while still finding the heart of the story. And, let’s be honest – who doesn’t love a good 90s throwback?

What will audiences enjoy the most?

Audiences will love the humour, the bold characters, and the way this show flips classic romantic tropes on their head. Whether you’re a Shakespeare enthusiast, a 90s rom-com fan or just someone who enjoys a fast-paced, clever comedy, there’s something for everyone.

The blend of Shakespearean wit with teen movie drama is both ridiculous and brilliant. Plus, the soundtrack, the iconic 90s aesthetic, and the sheer energy of the show will transport you straight back to the days of mixtapes, flannel shirts and angsty love confessions. It’s a nostalgic rollercoaster packed with humour, heart, and just the right amount of chaos.

To book your tickets CLICK HERE, and don’t miss out on the show of a lifetime featuring these talented drama students!

Rebecca York

Co-curricular Drama Co-ordinator

Language Arts

Debating

ISDA and FED

Round 5 Week 7 Last Friday 14 March

Our FED teams attended Round 5 at Sydney Boys High School last Friday. Our ISDA debaters had home debates last Friday, with Roseville visiting. Our teams won seven out of seven debates. Well done coaches and students. Thank you to Mrs Ning Cao, Mr Kurt Schweinberger, coaches, parents, and girls for running ISDA so smoothly in my absence.

Round 6 Week 8 This Friday 21 March

Tomorrow, our FED teams will host MLC in the Upper School Common Room and surrounding rooms.

Mrs Ning Cao oversees FED on Friday evenings. Ning is a past Language Arts parent and Pymble staff member.

Our ISDA teams will travel to Shore. Parents are welcome to attend. Girls heading to Shore are to meet at Flagpole Lawn by 3.30pm. A bus will be available for ISDA girls, however tickets must have been purchased through Co-curricular Administration. Return buses will NOT be on offer and parents are required to arrange collection for their daughter(s). Girls will NOT be permitted to take public transport home, unless accompanied by an adult. Shore’s venue information and parking details have been sent out through Co-curricular Administration.

Year 7 currently on camp are still expected to attend Debating, and buses should be back in time for the bus to Shore.

Week 9 Round 7 FED and ISDA Venues for Friday 28 March

FED will travel to Sydney Girls High School next Friday. For ISDA Round 7, Pymble will visit Wenona. Please book bus tickets in advance through Co-curricular Administration and note that parents must arrange transport home following their daughter’s debate.

Round 7 is the last of the preliminary rounds. Details of final rounds will follow.

Make-Up Rounds

Friday 4 April

• Senior A, Barker v Pymble. ISDA Round 3 makeup
• Senior A and Senior B, SBHS v Pymble. FED Round 5 makeup

Friday 2 May

• Primary A and B, Barker v Pymble ISDA Round 3 makeup
• Senior B, Pymble V Roseville ISDA Round 5 online. We are affirmative.

Chinese Debating

More details have arrived and at this stage, we can only enrol Secondary students. We are looking for one team. Please email Mrs Hubbard, bhubbard@pymblelc.nsw.edu.au, ASAP if you interested.

Organisation: NSW Chinese Debating Association

Dates: Formal opening – Saturday 22 March. Competition starts – Saturday 12 April.

Form of debate: Prepared debate. One match per week – three rounds (Weeks 1 to 3) – half (Week 4) – final (Week 5)

NSDC

NSDC is Australia’s premier school debating competition and brings together the most talented young debaters from across the country, fostering excellence in critical thinking, persuasive communication and civic engagement. This year NSDC is coming to Sydney for a week in mid-May. Details and opportunities can be found on the NSDC events page.

Further Debating opportunities

• An externally run Debating camp is being offered in the April holidays. Please click here for more information and the form to enrol.
• Harvard School Australia New Zealand Debating Championship is once more open for registrations. Click here to register. Please direct any questions to competitions@speakerscornerau.com or phone on 02 8091 7946.

Public Speaking

Rostrum

Pymble hosted a Rostrum Public Speaking heat after school in the lower Kate Mason Building and the library classrooms on Wednesday 19 March. Congratulations to our Pymble Junior speakers – Sahana Shasidharan (Year 7), Lexie Wang (Year 7), and Chelsea Wang (Year 7), and our Senior speakers – Katherine Pan (Year 11), Angela Tao (Year 10), and Grace McSweeney (Year 10).

Another speaking opportunity – Soapbox

Pymble’s very own Autumn Festival will be held on Thursday 1 May from 4.30pm to 8.30pm. Language Arts will run a fun Soapbox event. Soapbox is where students get to present a three-to-four-minute, fun speech about a pet peeve. What bugs you? Here is your opportunity to present it in a funny way. Auditions will be run at lunch and after school on Tuesday 8 April. Please email Jenny Xu, Captain of Public Speaking, Jixu@pymblelc.nsw.edu.au or Mrs Hubbard to register your interest Bhubbard@pymblelc.nsw.edu.au

DELO launch

Pymble is pleased to have been involved in the planning and March 2025 launch of DELO – The Dame Enid Lyons Oratory award.

Sonia Berry, IGSA’s Executive Officer, wrote,

“I just wanted to thank you all for supporting this, our first Oratory Competition. It has taken many years of planning, and we are delighted that finally, there is a competition to rival the Lawrence Campbell Competition.”

Lawrence Campbell is the 90-year-old oratory competition run for boys attending independent boys’ school and it has been noted,

 “The Lawrence Campbell Oratory is widely regarded as the most prestigious, and difficult of the New South Wales Public Speaking Competitions.

Not anymore! DELO is for the girls!

Ms Berry thanked the committee which is made up of two representatives from the NSW Department of Education, two external speaking coaches, three school speaking coaches, and herself.

The DELO final will be held in the Sydney Opera House on Wednesday 21 May.

Model United Nations (MUN)

Harvard MUN

Harvard MUN in Australia – Pymble is sending a delegation. Thank you to those girls and parents who registered interest. Registrations were completed on Friday 7 March. We look forward to receiving news about our allocated delegation. Late registrations are open if anyone would still like individual entry. Please let Mrs Hubbard know if you are attending. Click here for information.

NSW UN Youth State Conference

Those attending had a wonderful time on Friday 14 to Sunday 16 March. This is often a MUN calendar highlight.

Pymble Model UN Club (PMUN)

PMUN runs each Monday lunch in DK06. Come along. Everyone is welcome!  Learn how to prepare for a MUN conference. We will hold our own Winter conference later in the year.

Mock Law

Bond Mooting – Training will commence soon.

Young Lawyers’ Justice Day at Wollongong University

Please email Amber Wang and Mrs Hubbard if interested in this opportunity. This event will be held at Wollongong University on Friday 2 May

Bronwyn Hubbard

Head of Language Arts

Music

Congratulations!

• Hayley Lam (Year 9) for receiving her A.Mus on flute.

• Isabel Fan (Year 8) for receiving her A.Mus on piano

• Nicole Jiang (Year 10) – Grade 2 Theory – A+

• Danielle Hu (Year 8), Alessandra Liew (Year 9), Ivy Yan (Year 7) and Joy Yin (Year 10), whose video has been accepted into the Musica Viva Strike a Chord workshop session at Monash University (Melbourne). The girls will be exposed to musicians from around the country and workshop chamber music with like-minded peers.

Ensembles

Please note that students who know they are going to be absent for a rehearsal must show common courtesy and respect by emailing the conductor to ask for permission to be excused. Please do not organise appointments during rehearsal time and if you miss a rehearsal due to the alarm not going off (yes, it’s a regular occurrence), please do have the courtesy to inform your conductor that you are safe and well.

Performance Uniform

Please ensure your daughter has the correct performance uniform for the Term 1 Secondary Ensemble Concert. In keeping with the College’s uniform policy, any student not wearing the correct performance uniform will be issued with a detention. This will take place the following day at lunch time in the Music Department.

The uniform can be purchased at the College Uniform shop (please try the pants on as there are 2 shapes), and consists of:

• a red ribbon (can be purchased from the Music Office);

• music t-shirt;

• black pants;

• black performance jacket; and

• black court shoes (school shoes are acceptable, providing they are polished and laces are done up).

Sarah Turner

Head of Music

Homework Help

Year 12 Study Camps

Click the poster below to register.

After-Hours Study

How to Stay Organised in Year 7

This week’s edition of Clued In was created by Charlotte Pang from your Student Communications Leadership team:

Maya Garg (Year 12): Student Communications Prefect 2025

Abby Christopher: Year 12 Leader

Kitty He: Year 11 Leader

Catherine Li: Year 10 Leader

Nicole Fan: Year 9 Leader

Charlotte Pang: Year 8 Leader

Important information about the winter uniform in Term 2

With the end of Term 1 approaching, parents are reminded that when the girls return to school for Term 2 on Tuesday 29 April, they need to be wearing the winter uniform. This includes the navy blazer which is a compulsory garment to be worn to and from school in Terms 2 and 3.

Please do not leave your uniform shop purchases until the last week of term. You do NOT need an appointment for the winter uniform. The uniform shop is not open during the school holidays; however, we will be open on Monday 28 April from 9.00am to 4.30pm for any last-minute purchases.

Important uniform notes

• Girls in Kindergarten to Year 8 wear the winter tunic with a plain white-pointed collar blouse and tie.

• Girls in Kindergarten to Year 6 have the choice of knee-high black socks or 70 denier black opaque tights.

• All Secondary School girls wear 70 denier black opaque tights.

• Girls in Years 9 and 10 wear the winter skirt with a plain white pointed collar blouse and tie.

• Girls in Years 11 and 12 wear the skirt with the long sleeve tartan trim long sleeve blouse and tie.

Please note, that a hat is not required to be worn with the winter uniform in Term 2 and Term 3.

Order your school photos!

Junior School individual and class photos and Secondary School individual photos are now available to order through Melba Studios by clicking here.

How to order

1. Click on the Schools button on the Melba Studios homepage and enter the password “PLC“.

2. Enter your daughter’s Student ID number (emailed to you on Thursday 6 March) and year group.

Important information

– Please check there are no spaces at the start or end of your daughter’s Student ID number when you are entering it as this can cause issues with logging in.

– As previously noted, please refer to the email sent to you on Thursday 6 March for your daughter’s Student ID number. This is different to your Carer ID number that you use to log in to MyPymble. Your daughter’s Student ID number can also be found on her Student ID card.

Collection/postage information

If you would like your order sent to Pymble Ladies’ College for collection, please ensure your order is in by the last day of Term 1 (Friday 11 April) and select “Deliver to School” and no postage will be charged. Photos will be distributed at the College in Term 2. Alternatively, you can have the photos shipped to your home address for a small charge. Please complete one order per student.

If you have any issues with ordering, please contact Melba Studios directly on +61 2 9438 4566.

Invitation: Careers Expo 2025

Research Conversations with Dr Bosco Rowland

The silent auction is now live!

Our exciting silent auction this year has something to tempt everyone. All funds raised support our Pymble Foundation Bursary Program so bid now to secure something special whilst supporting a wonderful cause.

We’ve showcased a small selection of the exciting items available for bidding now: