From the Principal

I’m sure I’m not the only Australian who was surprised by the lack of media coverage about the 30^th anniversary of Mabo Day last Saturday. Mabo Day is recognised nationally on 3 June each year, to commemorate Mer Island man Eddie Koiki Mabo and his successful efforts to overturn the legal fiction of terra nullius or ‘land belonging to no-one’.

We are blessed to have such a beautiful and spacious campus to host special events “in our own backyard”, so to speak, and respectfully acknowledge the traditional custodians of the grounds we know and love as Pymble Ladies’ College. We pay our grateful respects to the Darramuragal people who cared for this land long before we did.

Speaking of special events, congratulations to our littlest athletes who ‘had a go’ at their K-2 Athletics Carnival today on our Main Oval. For our Kindies, this would have been their first time in such a spirited sporting environment, so it’s a pretty big deal, and we are proud of the enthusiasm and determination they showed. Of course, tomorrow it’s the turn of our Junior School girls in Years 3 to 6, and we wish them an equally joyful day of participating in the different heats and activities and celebrating House spirit. Just like today, I will be there, wearing my tutu representing all eight spirit Houses and cheering our young athletes along.  

Thank you to all the staff and Junior School House leaders who make these days so enjoyable for us all, and the many parents who came along to support their daughters – my goodness, the refreshment stall run by our amazing Junior School parents was next level!

Study skills for Secondary students

Having enjoyed their own Secondary School carnival a couple of weeks ago, our Senior School students are currently focussing on a different type of finishing line: trial HSC exams for Year 12 and half yearly exams for Year 11 in Term 3. The girls have been working hard and have lots of additional support in place, including the five-day HSC Winter Study Camp in the first week of the school holidays, which all Year 12 students are invited to attend. This is a great opportunity to make the most of the academic and alumni staff who will be available each day to provide subject-specific help in a supportive environment free from the distractions of home. In addition, students who are working on a major project for Visual Arts, TAS, Drama, Music or Dance will be able to visit their respective classrooms/spaces during this time to work on their projects.

For more details and to register for the HSC Study Camp, please click here.

Another great study resource for all our Secondary students (and their parents) is the Study Skills Handbook, which is a component of our Years 7 to 12 Study Continuum introduced in 2023 under our Academic Intelligence pillar. All students in the Secondary school have one supervised study lesson during their weekly MBS block, one teacher-led lesson about study skills per term, plus global access to the online Study Skills Handbook. This Handbook is a fabulous library of resources to help students improve specific study skills and to provide practical advice for parents and carers who wish to support their children’s study and schoolwork at home.

Each student and parent/carer has access to this resource, which can be found by clicking on the following Study Skills Handbook link and using the login and password pymblelc. I encourage you to have a dig around and see what helpful hints you can find.

As our Seniors approach their examination blocks, our Acting Deputy Principal – Academics, Mrs Natasha Stanfield, shares her best preparation advice for our Year 11 and 12 students:

The Past Paper study method

• do a past paper (or part thereof)
• mark it using the marking guidelines
• record your gaps
• study your gaps using study notes/class resources
• repeat!

According to Mrs Stanfield, there are multiple benefits of this active study method, including:

• you focus on studying your gaps (not re-learning what you already know)
• you become familiar with the wording of exam questions and refining your exam technique, especially if you do the paper under timed conditions
• every time you repeat the cycle, your gaps should be getting less so you can see how much progress you are making. 

Mrs Stanfield will be going over this technique with Year 12 at their assembly on Tuesday of next week, when they will also receive their trial timetable. Our girls in Years 11 and 12 are well prepared for their impending exam blocks so I won’t wish them luck – rather, I will encourage them to have a good night’s sleep beforehand, feel confident in their knowledge and preparation, and maintain a calm presence of mind as they approach each exam.  

Holiday fun for bright young minds

While there is some information on the Study Skills Handbook for Junior School parents (not students) to help them prepare for the transition from Year 6 to Year 7, the abovementioned resource is intended primarily for a Secondary School audience. So, with the impending holidays in mind, I asked our Head of Junior School, Mrs Kate Brown, and our Deputy Head of Junior School – Academic, Mrs Lara Bird, to suggest a few play-based activities that will engage our youngest learners. They have come back with seven fabulous ideas you might like to share with your daughters.

1. Choose some activities from your 100 things to do before you leave Junior School booklet.
2. Design and make a paper automata to showcase ways we can be of service to others in our community. Designs will be displayed at the Junior School’s Let’s Get Creative Festival in Term 4.
3. Research traditional children’s playground games from around the world and create a booklet/series of posters to teach others how to play those games. Bring in your booklet/posters at the start of Term 3. Some of the best ideas will be shared in our assemblies and taught to students. Designs will also be displayed at the Junior School’s Let’s Get Creative Festival in Term 4.
4. Design a piece of equipment that helps you train for sport/music/dance of your choice. Draw and label a diagram of your design to explain how it works and make a prototype. Bring it in to show Mr Tyson, Mr Schweinberger or Mr Brown in Term 3. Designs will be displayed at the Junior School’s Let’s Get Creative Festival in Term 4.
5. Go to Arcade.makecode.org and make your own maze game. Email the link to share your game to kbrown@pymblelc.nsw.edu.au
6. Visit https://vr.vex.com/ (for 8 years +) and explore how to make and code your own virtual robot. 
7. Have a go at our short story competition. Write a short fantasy or adventure story (maximum two pages), which must include these five things:
   • an old school diary 
   • a small silver stone
   • a very long piece of string or rope
   • a beetle or bug of some description that plays an important part in your story 
   • a wise old character.

You can illustrate your story if you like. Entries can be solo entries or a partnership with a friend, and House points and prizes will be awarded to winning entries.

Sounds like lots of fun and we can’t wait to see what our bright young minds in the Junior School come up with during the break!

Your invitation to learn about ArtificiaI Intelligence at Pymble

Finally, a reminder that all parents and carers of Kindergarten to Year 12 students, along with all staff, are invited to attend our online information night about AI next Thursday at 6.00pm. Artificial Intelligence is making big headlines, and we are acutely aware that many parents are wondering how generative AI tools might impact their daughter’s learning outcomes. We are fortunate to have a team of experts who will talk you through the challenges and opportunities, walk you through some of the tools to gain a better understanding of the AI landscape, and share our plan to ensure our community navigates this emerging terrain with wisdom, integrity and care.

Please click on the invitation below to register and, hopefully, we will see you there.

Dr Kate Hadwen, Principal

From the Junior School

From the Head of Junior School

Tech Connect evening – bringing our community together

Last Thursday we launched our Tech Connect series with the chance for our Year 4 dads and daughters to collaborate on creating and coding an inchworm to compete in a highly entertaining and hotly contested Formula 1 inspired race series. Huge thanks to all the dads who came to the event and embraced the fun of the evening with their daughters and with each other.

Next term we are looking to invite Year 3 dads to join their daughter at our second Tech Connect evening which will involve designing and making string puppets and coding them to create music they can dance to.  The event will run on 30 August from 6.00pm to 8.00pm.

Congratulations to our Drama students who performed at the Sydney Eisteddfod last week and were awarded high praise for their passion and teamwork as they showcased their original plays. We’re very proud of them all:

2^nd place (Primary Category)

Title: The Environmentalists

Performers: Bella Xu Year 6, Fiona Wu Y6, Amelia Hardas Y6, Eden Ni Y6, Sueann Deng Y5, Trinity Sun Y5, Olivia Guo Y5, Tanvi Raniga Y5

Highly Commended (Primary Category)

Title: Frozen: A Movie Whirlwind

Performers: Grace Neal Y6, Ellie Lau Y6, Adele Cassidy Y6, Emma Popli Y5, Florence Cheng Y5, Alice Wu Y5, Lilyan Shen Y5

Feedback from Focus Groups

Thank you to all the parents who have been able to come and share their thoughts at the focus groups over the last few weeks. The conversation has been honest, constructive and creative as we look to how we can grow as a community together.  Some interesting takeaways from the focus groups include:

• The Pymble App is working really well, and the information is easily accessible
• You would like smaller social events to enable parents to get to know one another in grade groups – although that comes with complexity for parents who have daughters in multiple grades as it increases the number of social events for already busy parents
• You would like the College to consider what defines our ‘Pymble culture’, touching upon all our cultures and finding a way to bring a collective focus to our Pymble-ness; a shared culture for us all
• You would like us to consider a cultural food celebration. We may look to run a cultural food area as part of our Let’s get Creative Festival in Term 4 on 14 November 2023. Please let Mrs Nerissa Davey know if you would be interested in help with a cultural food festival on: ndavey@pymblelc.nsw.edu.au
• You would like more House spirit for our families as a way of connecting across year groups
• You would like opportunities for parents to come together and collaborate on small group projects. This could be food, sport/health activity, casual coffee time at Archie’s, perhaps even a parent community choir
• You would like more opportunities for Dads to connect with one another
• You would like us to increase opportunities for our incoming Kindergarten families to connect with one another from 2024
• You would like to have a common space where all group chats are uploaded

Blossoming Minds are running Circle of Security Parenting groups in June and August. These workshops aim to help parents of young children understand their child’s emotional needs and regulation, foster self-esteem and strengthen their child’s security.

Safety online

This week our girls have been participating in ySafe workshops learning how to stay safe online. Some of the key take aways for our girls from these sessions include:

• What you post matters – be mindful of the things you post
• We have a visible and an invisible audience when we post online
• Make sure any accounts you have online are private
• We need to make sure we only interact with people online who we have met (and our parents have met) in person

Add on top tips from the sessions

Thank you to all our parents who were able to attend the ySafe parent session on Tuesday evening. Allowing our girls to grow up in their digital world as safe and discerning users of technology is a constant challenge. As a parent, I found it hard to manage wanting to give my daughters’ independence and the capacity to connect with their friends alongside my need to keep them safe and connecting with me as their parent. It’s a constant challenge. Please remember there are age restrictions placed on social media apps to assist parents in ensuring that content viewed by their daughter is age appropriate and they are able to interact with others safely and in age appropriate ways.

ySafe have created an online safety hub for our Junior School. Please click here to access the hub which will provide you will some great information about keeping your family safe online.

KINDNESS DAY – Call for help!

On Wednesday 14 June we are celebrating our Kindness Day in Junior School which will centre around service. Each year group will be taking part in an activity that will involve giving back to others.  We would love to invite following members of our community to assist on the day:

Year 4 – We need knitters and anyone who is able to crochet and assist in putting together the squares our Year 4 girls have knitted this year for the charity – Wrap with Love.

Year 6 – We would love to invite any Grand adults to assist with sewing hearts. The girls will be stitching around felt hearts and we would love some assistance with teaching them how to use embroidery thread. This will be in support of 1000 Hearts Charity.

We are very excited to have some Alumni joining us to assist too.  

If you are able to assist please email Alana Hooper ahooper@pymblelc.nsw.edu.au Many thanks!

Year 2’s Adventure to the Wildflower Garden – by Emily Cole, Year 2 Compass Class Teacher

On Wednesday 31 May, Year 2 participated in an Outdoor Education Program at the Wildflower Garden. What an exciting day we had together in nature and in the beautiful sunshine! Each class moved through four different rotations, led by the OEP and Wildflower Garden staff. These rotations included habitat building for Bluey the Blue Tongue lizard, fauna encounters, a bush tucker walk and bug catching! This excursion linked perfectly with our current Inquiry investigations into living things and their habitats along with how climate and weather affects people and places. Enjoy reading some quotes from the students about their favourite part of the day…

Yifei Zheng: “My favourite part of the day was when we went hunting for bush tucker. I made soap out of a plant and water! It was magic!”

Mia Xu: “I loved the hike because I used a stick to help me! It was challenging but I had a lot of fun! I saw lots of beautiful nature.”

Chloe Pan: “I loved bug catching. I liked learning about new bugs. I enjoyed hunting and searching for them.”

Kaymi Madugalle Wijeratne: “My favourite part of the excursion was when we went on a bug hunt because we got to take brushes and I even caught a worm!”

Katherine Gu: “I loved seeing the animals. My favourite animal was the turtle! I also enjoyed seeing the duck.”

Year 6 to Riverview – Solar Buddies, Clair O’Connor – Year 6 Co-ordinator

Last Wednesday 31 May, Year 6 students attended a STEM Day at Riverview Junior School. The purpose of this day was to build Solar Buddy light systems. Solar Buddies are special solar lights which are constructed by students in Australia and sent to less fortunate children around the world, who have limited to no electricity. Students worked collaboratively with the Riverview boys to build these kits successfully. Additionally, to the building of the solar light kits, students thought about the challenges related to energy provisions in poorer villages. Students wrote letters, partnering with children from around the world sharing their experiences. To complete the day, both of the schools engaged in an Amazing Race challenge. Students completed a range of stations to crack the secret code had lots of fun. We are grateful for the partnership we have forged with Riverview and look forward to developing this further in the future.

Performing Arts K-6

You are warmly invited to the 2023 Year 5 Showcase called ‘Archie’s World Music Adventure 2023’. This will be taking place in the GMCPA on Friday 16 June from 1.30pm – 2.30pm. Entry is free, and all are welcome. We look forward to seeing you there!

Vision Valley Winter Holiday Camps – booking close Friday 16 June

Messages from Junior School Administration 

To ensure your daughters are not disrupted during class time, could we please request that all deliveries are dropped to the Junior School Admin offices and we will ensure they are delivered to your daughter.

Absent, Late Arrivals/Early Departures, Vacation

If your daughter is late, please remind her to go to the office to sign in so we know she is here.  Please help your daughter to arrive at school by 8.10am each morning (unless she has an earlier activity) so she has time to settle into the day with her friends and is ready and calm for her learning in Period 1.

If you daughter is absent from school please enter her absence through the MyPymble App or email juniorschool@pymblelc.nsw.edu.au .

If your daughter will be away from school for more than 2 days for family leave or other commitments (e.g sport) please complete the Exemption from Attendance Application form on the Portal.  Where possible please provide two weeks advance notice.

Lost Property – please help!

We are finding an extraordinary amount of lost property each week, much of which is unnamed. We want our girls to be responsible for their things so please ensure your daughter’s full name is clearly labelled on all items of clothing including socks, hats and lunch items so they can be quickly returned to your daughter

Event and Excursion approval

A reminder to parents to please provide permission for your daughter to attend an event or an excursion. Click this link to view how to. If your daughter has approved leave on the day of the event or excursion please mark not approved to attend.

From the Junior School Parent Group (JSPG)

Past Events

• Family Fun Day & Movie Night

Thank you to everyone who attended our Family Fun Day and Movie Night on Saturday 20^th May. We had over 850 people in attendance and it was a wonderful day of fun and entertainment. We hope everyone had a fabulous time.

• Year 6 Parent Daughter Dance

Our Year 6 Dance Committee prepared a sensational night at Killara Golf Club last Saturday night. Thank you to everyone who attended, we had over 250 girls and their families. With the theme “Springtime in Paris”, the evening was beautifully crafted to the finest detail and included an array of French décor, food and entertainment. We hope all our families had a très magnifique time!

Upcoming Events

• Kindergarten to Year 2 Athletics Carnival Stall (Thursday 8 June)

The Junior School K-2 Athletics Carnival is always an exciting day in the school calendar. The JSPG runs a food and drink stall throughout the day for students and spectators to purchase from. We rely on food and drink donations from our wonderful parents as well as a team to serve throughout the day. Thank you in advance for your help!

Please click here to help participate.

• Years 3 to 6 Athletics Carnival Stall (Friday 9 June)

The Junior School Years 3 to 6 Athletics Carnival is always an exciting day in the school calendar. The JSPG runs a food and drink stall throughout the day for students and spectators to purchase from. We rely on food and drink donations from our wonderful parents as well as a team to serve throughout the day. Thank you in advance for your help!

Please click here to help participate.

• Year 3 Mums’ Night Out

Please join us at the Jacaranda Restaurant at Killara Hotel for a Year 3 Mums’ Night out on Wednesday 14^th June from 6:30pm to 9pm. To RSVP, please click here.

Key Dates

Friday 9 June	3-6 Athletics Carnival
Monday 12 June	King’s Birthday Public Holiday – no school today!
Tuesday 13 June	Years 1 and 2 – Concert Voice Recording
Wednesday 14 June	Kindness Convention (GMCPA) and K-6 Kindness Service
Wednesday 14 June	Years 5 + 6 Maths Olympiad
Wednesday 14 June	Years 3 + 4 Maths Explore
Thursday 15 June	Year 5 Performance Dress Rehearsal
Friday 16 June	Year 5 Dress Rehearsal
Friday 16 June	Year 5 Parent Performance – 1.30pm

Kate Brown

Head of Junior School

From the Middle School

This week the team has had the pleasure of interviewing shortlisted students for the Year 8 National Exchange Program, a newly invigorated program featuring partner schools from all states across the country. We will be finalising selections next week for this exciting opportunity and holding an information session for parents, early next term.

Happy Box Project Update

On Tuesday and Thursday lunchtimes each week, Middle School girls have been busily engaged in a variety of crafting activities to add to their Happy Boxes. This service initiative requires the girls to hand make a number of items such as origami cranes, felt hearts, sewing scrunchies and soft animals, macramé pothangers just to name a few. The vibe in C8 is enthusiastic and productive. Please encourage your daughter to get involved not just as a way to clock up some service hours but as a way to also build new connections.

We had an overwhelming response to our Happy Box Bag Design Competition. Well done to the following girls who submitted beautiful designs. Due to the calibre of the submissions all designs will either be used on the bags or printed on cards. Congratulations to:

Syrena Lin, Estelle Lee, Maya Burgess, Sarah Quan, Emma Koorey, Devishi Malla, Kayla Ma, Jasmine Jung, Jenny Ling, Jessica Allman, Madison Landgrebe, Chloe Ayton, Peita Christofis, Cecilia Bryant and Stephanie Du.

Gloucester Gatherings

A reminder that our Gloucester Gatherings are continuing to happen across Tuesdays and Thursdays during lunchtime. Next Wednesday we are hosting an extended lunchtime with hot chocolate for all Middle Schoolers. Alongside this is an opportunity to join in a variety of inter-house games on the oval. This is our Semester 1 Big Sister/ Little Sister event to facilitate relationships between Year 7 and 8. For Thursday’s Gloucester Gathering will be hosting “Dog Heaven” as both Turi and Archie- our college dogs-will be with us. This is chance for a cuddle and a play for all four-legged friend fans.

Year 7 Taronga Zoo

On Tuesday Year 7 went to Taronga Zoo as part of their science assessment.  It was a great opportunity for them to learn outside of the classroom. Here is what they have  to share about the experience:

The zoo was so fun! We got to explore in groups and see our animal of interest and spend time learning outside of the science classroom. – Kayla Ma (Year 7)

On Tuesday we went to Taronga Zoo. This was a wonderful experience full of fun! We learnt so much including about our animal of interest and how amazing the Australian nature and animal is. – Hargun Dhaliwal (Year 7)

I would like to congratulate Karen Kim (Year 8) who performed the National Anthem at Women’s State of Origin with the Australian Girls Choir. What a wonderful achievement.

Last week the All-Schools Swimming and Diving Championships were held. There were some outstanding results for all our Pymble competitors. Congratulations to the following girls from Middle School who competed:

Sasha Dubrovina (Year 7)

Emma Ng (Year 7)

Imogen Jones (Year 7)

Megan Chia (Year 7)

Addison Woods (Year 8)

Annabelle Li (Year 8)

Jisoo Yeou (Year 8)

Thanks to Sophie Heap (Year 7) for sharing some photos from her Gymnastics competition.

Drama

At Inner West Eisteddfod, our Year 7 to 8 Drama Skills class all performed for the very first time in front of a large audience and did exceptionally well!

Saisha Golani Y7

 Ella Gungor Y7

Emily Xu Y7

Aarushi Singh Y7

Amara Ahmed Y7

Cyma Shah Y7

Jane Lee Y8

Brielle McDonald Y8

At Sydney Eisteddfod, our Eisteddfod drama performers all showcased their original plays and showcased outstanding skill and commitment to their craft. I’d like to congratulate the following performers for their efforts:

Saisha Golani Y7

Jane Lee Y8

Equestrian

Well done to Clara Mudaliar and Rosie Purcell (Year 7) who competed in their first Equestrian competition in Coonabarabran last weekend. Clara and Rosie will be participated in dressage, show jumping and barrel racing.

Attendance Matters

Education for your child is important and regular attendance at school is essential for your child to achieve their educational best.

The Importance of arriving on time

Arriving at school and class on time:

• Ensures that students do not miss out on important learning activities scheduled early in the day
•  Helps students learn the importance of punctuality and routine
•  Give students time to greet their friends before class ظ
• Reduces classroom disruption

Lateness is recorded as a partial absence and must be explained by parents.

A reminder regarding Leave Applications

Leave is only granted for illness, bereavement, elite sport or work experience. Vacations should be restricted to the prescribed holiday periods. Where possible, leave to attend medical appointments should be minimised. Students are expected to participate in whole-school activities and should avoid making appointments on these occasions.

Applications for special leave should be completed on the ‘Exemption from Attendance’ form found on MyPymble via the College website and signed by a parent or carer. Forms are to be sent to the respective school office as soon as possible or at least fourteen days in advance of the intended period of leave.

From the Year 7 Parent Group Leaders

Year 7 Dinner – Saturday 17 June

All parents and carers are warmly invited to the first Year 7 Dinner for the year. The dinner will be held in the beautiful surrounds of the Rooftop at The Governor Hotel, Macquarie Park. This popular venue is just down the road and will give all Year 7 parents a wonderful opportunity to catch up with friends and meet new people from across our Year 7 community in a relaxed environment.

Venue: The Rooftop at the Governor Hotel, 9 Waterloo Rd, Macquarie Park

Date: Saturday 17 June

Time: From 6.00pm

Dinner & drinks: To be ordered and paid for at the bar

RSVP: By Thursday 15 June (via WhatsApp poll)

Numbers for the event need to be confirmed with the venue by Thursday 15 June. If you are attending the dinner, please complete the “Year 7 Dinner at the Rooftop” poll circulated in the “Year 7 Class of 2028” WhatsApp group. This is an event for parents only.

Please do not hesitate to contact me (Kai) at kai_look@yahoo.com if you have any further queries. A HUGE thank you to Sarah Martin and Sally Soo for getting involved in organising this event.

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Jenny O’Donnell

Head of Middle School

From the Upper School

A message from Mr Riley, Head of Upper School

A massive thank you to our First Nations students and staff for the moving conversations, speeches and presentations we enjoyed last week as part of Reconciliation week. As we look to develop perspective in the Upper School through experience, it was particularly poignant for our students to hear from their peers and teachers about the need to reflect on our past and to provide a voice for the future.

I have a big favour to ask… could every family please buy some undies over the weekend to donate for our support of Days for Girls and Pymble Gives Back? In 2021, the Upper School managed to raise over 1000 pairs of undies which we later packaged and sent as part of menstruation kits. We are keen to continue the legacy of fantastic support for this amazing initiative and know the impact this small donation will have. The winning compass group will receive a ‘digni-tea’ (high tea) in recognition of their fundraising efforts.

This week our Year 10s began their subject selection process. It was wonderful to see and hear the buzz of excitement in the Gillian Moore Centre for Performing Arts on Monday, and to have our subject captains be on hand to answer any burning questions. We look forward to welcoming parents on site next Tuesday 13^th June to hear from our Curriculum Team and encourage students and families to explore the well-resourced subject selection website as they consider their future and subjects choices, due in early Term 3.

Speaking of the future, congratulations to budding film maker Kathie Ong (far right, Year 10) who shares her thrilling news below.

Hi! My name is Kathie Ong, I’m a Year 10 student and aspiring filmmaker. I have been creating films since 2017, and joined Pymble’s Co-Curricular Filmmaking program when it was started in 2018. Two of my films, Sonnet 55 and Pymble Perspectives, have recently received an Official Selection and Honourable Mention respectively in the Student World Impact Film Festival. My films were part of those selected from over 13,000 submissions across 120 countries.

What I love most about filmmaking is being able to tell a story and invoke emotion from my audience. A piece of advice I would give to any fellow film enthusiasts: if you see it, shoot it, you never know where it will take you.

Sadly, we can’t show Kathie’s films until they have aired at the festival, but we look forward to doing so in due course.

Congratulations also to Diana Attinger, who got the amazing opportunity to go to Canberra and take part in a work experience opportunity with Sky News and shares her reflections below.

While on this program for two days, I was able to visit several interesting locations, such as parliament house and at the Sky News studio. I participated in activities ranging from viewing live recordings to practicing my own news reading and reporting with professional technologies and experts in their field.  

During my time at Sky News, I had the opportunity to work closely with experienced journalists and reporters who shared valuable insights and guidance. They taught me about the importance of accuracy, impartiality, and delivering news in a clear and engaging manner. I observed their meticulous research process, fact-checking techniques, and witnessed how they worked under tight deadlines to deliver breaking news. 

I also had the chance to witness the fast-paced and dynamic nature of news reporting. I saw how stories were pitched, developed, and produced, and witnessed the teamwork required to bring a news segment together. It was fascinating to see the collaboration between producers, reporters, camera operators, and editors, as they all worked together to create a cohesive news broadcast. 

Beyond the technical and practical skills, I gained, this work experience also allowed me to develop my confidence and networking abilities. I am so grateful that I got this amazing opportunity that I will never forget.

Finally, I’d like to congratulate our Co-curricular Drama Team including Lizzie Tang and Rachel Zhao for their successes at the recent Sydney Eisteddfod. Their piece, The Second Chance Ship, was one of only 10 plays from 65 entries to be selected to feature at the Riverside Theatre!

Year 10 into 11 2024 Subject Selection Evening

We are looking forward to seeing parents/carers and students at the Year 11 2024 Subject Selection Evening on Tuesday 13 June at 6.45pm. This is such a valuable evening as the students begin the process of making an informed decision about their pattern of study for their HSC.

The evening will include a presentation from myself with the Head of Senior School, Nikki Wyse, the Director of Studies, Natasha Stanfield and the Futures team. The presentation will be followed by the chance to move around with your child to ask questions with the Heads of Learning Area and specific subject teachers.

You may like to view the Subject Selection Website ahead of this evening with your child. It contains the Subject Selection Booklet and videos about each subject, and a link to view the presentation live if you are unable to make it on the night of June 13.

Year 10 Commerce

On Tuesday 30 May and Tuesday 6 June, around 50 Commerce Students enjoyed participating in an event with a guest Economics Lecturer from Macquarie University, Dr Andrea Chareunsy.

The lesson began with a general introduction, followed by engaging in a special economics activity. We were divided into groups of 4-5, and were given two sheets of paper, scissors, and a template with numerous shapes. The rules went as follows: each of the shapes on the template held a different market value, and our task was to use our given resources to cut shapes and sell them to the bank, with a money equivalent of chocolate.

With the chocolate obtained, we could either choose to save it, or spend parts of it on more resources such as extra scissors and paper to enable us to continue growing our shape-supply and monetary profit. The heart shape held the most value, with three hearts being worth one chocolate, so all teams ended up choosing to cut out hearts, and by the time the chocolate supply had been exhausted, every group had a large stash.

The activity contextualised the workings of the economy, and gave us a practical understanding of how market analysts and economists create strategies to gather the greatest profit. Following this, we got to hear about the wider scale of socioeconomics beyond the macro scene, and learnt of how famous economists like Elinor Ostrom and Esther Duflo have engaged with environmental, behavioural, political, and other fields of economics.

Overall, the opportunity was highly beneficial and enticed many students to consider the range of career paths and opportunities surrounding economics, definitely garnering much excitement over choosing GBE subjects for the HSC.

From the Upper School Parent Group

Click here to purchase your tickets for the Year 9 Cocktail Evening on Saturday 17 June.

Year 10                Zoe Green                        bzgreen@bigpond.net.au

                             Pamela McPherson         bruceandpam@bigpond.com

Year 9                  Monika Surana                monsisurana@yahoo.co.in

                              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 Dates

Monday 12 June – King’s Birthday Public Holiday

Tuesday 13 June – Year 10 into 11 Subject Selection Evening (6.45pm to 8.30pm) – To be held in the Gillian Moore Centre for Performing Arts (GMCPA), Main Hall and Colonnade classrooms

Wednesday 21 June – Secondary School Ensemble Concert

Thursday 22 June – Last day of Term 2

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Tom Riley

Head of Upper School

From the Senior School

Support for Earthquake victims

It was remiss of me in last week’s newsletter to not acknowledge our wonderful team of students, parents and staff who manned the barbeques, and craft tables, raising funds to support the earthquake victims of Turkey and Syria. The food provided was delicious, and we also enjoyed some craft activities and a fantastic belly dancer. The team raised over $1500 for this very worthy cause.

Year 5 / Year 11 Connections

For the last term, Year 11 students and their Compass teachers have been sharing stories about growing up, taking on challenges and learning about yourself. The students have also created a personal vision board, which represents aspects of themselves and their interests. This week, the Year 11 students worked with a Year 5 buddy to share their stories with their younger peers – providing fine role models and friendships for each other. As our Year 11s work towards finishing school and our Year 5s work towards completing Junior school we are aiming to develop and deepen the connections between these two groups to act as ‘big sisters’ and ‘younger sisters’ to each other, building connections and community.

Pymble Knox Connections

Our Pymble Knox Connections group of Year 11 students met again last night for a movie and board games afternoon. Lots of fun was had by all and it is really wonderful to see new friendships being formed. Many thanks to all involved, including the supervising staff from both schools, who bring a lovely sense of open-mindedness and friendship to our meetings.

Term 2 Key dates

Monday 12 June – King’s Birthday Public Holiday

Tuesday 20 June – Senior School Knit In

Thursday 22 June – Last day of Term 2

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Nikki Wyse

Head of Senior School

From the Boarding School

Jersey Day is one of the most cherished days in our Boarding calendar as we remember our three beautiful Boarding sisters, Alanda Clark, Jane Gay and Prudence Papworth who tragically passed away when their plane crashed as they travelled home for the June long weekend in 1993. This year marks the 30th anniversary of the passing of the girls and our Remembrance service was an extra special one as we were reunited with the families and friends of Jane, Prue and Alanda. It was an opportunity to remind us of the gift of Boarding and it was heart warming to see the relationships that remain so strong amongst our ex-students more than 30 years later.

It was particularly special to me to see the beautiful manner in which our Boarders ‘turned up’. While it was good to see them perfectly attired in their pink and white jerseys, it was even better to hear them reflect on the service and show genuine empathy for the families and friends of the girls and a deep appreciation of the very special ‘club’ of which they are lifetime members.

The service was followed by a tour of the Boarding Houses and as you will see the from the photos there was much joy in reminiscing about times gone by. There was special fun to be had on the staircases at the front of the Houses, used every day by our current Boarders but absolutely out of bounds for our 1993 ex-students!

You can learn more about Jersey Day by watching the video below:

Love It – Mrs White

With winter well and truly here, our Boarders enjoyed their annual trip into the city for Vivid. As the sun set and darkness descended, Sydney’s iconic landmarks were transformed into a stunning canvas of lights and colours. Vivid allowed our Boarders to immerse themselves in a world of creativity and innovation, with breathtaking light installations. 

But that’s not all! For sports enthusiasts, we headed to Homebush on Sunday for the GWS Giants AFL games. It was an opportunity to witness some of the country’s finest athletes battle it out on the field. The AFL games are always a combination of fierce competition, thrilling moments, and the electric atmosphere as passionate fans cheer for their favourite teams.

As we embark on this long weekend, we would like to extend our warmest wishes to all our Boarders, families and Day girls who are heading out to the country for visits. May this break rejuvenate your spirits, provide you with cherished moments of joy, and allow you to spend quality time with loved ones. Take this opportunity to explore new experiences, embrace the beauty of nature, or simply relax and recharge.

View From My Window

Hi, I’m Lauren and I’m currently in Year 11. I started at Pymble when I was in Year 9

I currently live in Doha, Qatar with my parents, (Jo and Andrew) but all my siblings live in Australia. I have an older sister who is at university, two older brothers who are both married, and a new little baby niece.

Doha is about a 15 hour flight from Sydney. During summer there is an average temperature of 42° Celsius, which is very different to Sydney. What I love over there is that you meet people from all around the world. Learning about different cultures and religions. In Doha, most of the expats live in compounds. These are gated communities with tens to hundreds of homes. I always enjoy going into the pool that is full of kids.

From my window I can see a skyscraper of the aspire tower. This tower was built for the Asian games in 2006. During the night it all lights up with a screen across it. I can also see the tennis courts of the compound which reminds me of my window at boarding.

Last time I was home was during the Christmas holidays, which was when the FIFA World Cup was there. My family and I went to many games. It was an amazing experience meeting all these people from around the world. After watching many hours of football, we are all fans now. Last holidays I was lucky enough to go to Germany and spent Christmas with Marie, who was an exchange student at Pymble in 2022.

When I am home we always go to cheesecake factory (they have the best cheesecake ever!) and sometimes go to Laduree which is famous for their macarons, and all the American/European stores that they have there.  We also go to traditional places their like the Souq Waqif or Katara, which has market and traditional food, showing the history of Doha.

Boarding has been a great opportunity for me, getting to meet people from all around Australia and learning about their experiences both becoming a boarder.

Boarder of the Week

Harriett has been an exemplary Boarder since the moment she arrived at Pymble. She bounds out of bed early each morning, perfect uniform, tidy bedroom, ready to tackle the day. She is bright and bubbly and has embraced every opportunity offered to her.

Harriett calls Walcha home, where she loves spending time on the property marking lambs with her Dad, hanging out with the animals and looking after her younger siblings. Harriett’s love of family time has translated into lovely relationships with her Boarding sisters and Boarding staff, whom she loves to come and chat to about the things happening in her life.

Harriett says ‘yes’ to all opportunities presented to her and is always first to get involved in our Love It program, as well as any Boarding adventures that might pop up. We are delighted to have her as part of our Pymble Boarding family.

Save the Date

Friday 9 June – Boarders’ Long Weekend Travel Day

Monday 12 June from 5.00pm – Return to Boarding

Friday 16 June – Boarders’ Parent Group Meeting (online)

Thursday 22 June – Boarders’ End of Term Travel Day

Monday 17 July from 2.00pm – Return to Boarding Start of Term 3

Friday 4 to Sunday 6 August – Boarder Parents Regional Weekend in Mudgee

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Carolyn Burgess

Head of Boarding

From the Chaplains

This week was a sad one as we remembered the three boarders, Alanda (Lans) Clark, Jane Gay and Prudence (Prue) Papworth, who lost their lives tragically in a plane crash in 1993 over the June long weekend. This year marked the 30-year anniversary of their deaths, and so we held a Chapel service on Tuesday evening with Boarders, ex-Boarders, family and friends. It was a beautiful remembrance and made one realise the comforting presence of God amid our troubles and grief.

Today we celebrated World Oceans Day and, besides wearing blue, challenged our staff and students to think carefully about the waters that surround us as an Island nation. Oceans and the depths teeming with life and habitat for so many creatures that often are at the plight of human choices, made in selfishness and with greed.

We spoke about the positive outcomes around nude foods vs plastics, the wider impact on the environment of rubbish in the ocean, the life cycle of whales and other majestic beings threatened and violated in the name of human existence. We reflected on how water is in our blood and gives us breath, and on the Christian sacrament of baptism perhaps likened to other rituals of initiation, performed with water and symbolising dying to our sin and rising again in Christ.

When we consider the handiwork of our Creator God, we wonder and respect, treating carefully and with consideration that which we have been endowed with. We listen to the wisdom of First Nations elders and their care of the water and its nurturing spirit.

Here is the Call to Worship we used in Chapel where we invited the oceans and all its beings to worship with us.  May the blessing of an almost end of term mean rest is to come and family hopefully nurtured, and in all of the complexities of life, may we be generous and giving as our Heavenly Father and Mother is. This call to worship was from a Uniting Church liturgical resource:

The deep sea currents and coral reefs, the mountain peaks on the ocean floor.

All: We call the swirling seas to celebrate with us.

The icebergs that break off from the South Pole, the calm waters that caress the equator.

All: We join all ocean life in songs of praise.

Whales and dolphins dancing on the surface, and choirs of angel fish assembled below.

All: We summon the seashore to magnify the Lord,

The pelican, the stingray, the silver gull,

All: the white caps and waves that splash in praise.

Oceans, seas and watery deeps,

All: Celebrate with all that lives within you,

and roar in praise with us today.

All: Roar, ocean, roar! Roar, roar in praise.

Reverend Punam Bent

College Chaplain

From the Community Engagement Team

Events Calendar

College community events are readily available to all parents via the MyPymble app within the calendar tab. We advocate that parents and carers check this regularly to keep up to date with various opportunities to connect with parents and staff at the College. This week we had the privilege of hosting the Jersey Day Commemorative Chapel service onsite.

Jersey Day Commemoration Service

On Tuesday 6 June the College commemorated the 30^th anniversary of the passing of Pymble students Alanda Clark, Jane Gay and Prudence Papworth. The three Boarders tragically lost their lives in a plane crash while travelling home over the June long weekend to their families in 1993. The College chooses to recognise and sustain the memories of the three valued Pymble Boarding students in a number of ways each year.

In 1993 a scholarship was created by their families, affording many young women the opportunity to be part of the Pymble Boarding family. In support of this fund on Tuesday, all students were offered the opportunity to support our Boarders in remembrance of the three young women that were lost by wearing a jersey to school and donating a gold coin which will be directed to the Boarding scholarship.

On the same day the College hosted the annual Jersey Day Commemoration Chapel Service followed by a Boarding House tour. More than 200 Alumni, students and family attended the event in memory of the girls, whose impact on the College is forever enshrined on our grounds. Their legacy is everlasting, etched into the stain-glassed windows of our Chapel and blooming in the form of three Tallowwood trees planted in their memory near Mollie Dive Field.

PPA Trivia Night

On Saturday 3 June the PPA hosted the annual Trivia Night at Hornsby RSL with more than 200 parents and carers attending the event dressed as movie characters. This year’s event did not disappoint, as guests were committed to the theme with each table in contention for best dressed, ranging from a full complement of Toy Story characters to Dorothy, Toto and the Yellow Brick Road.

As always, we would like to acknowledge the dedication of the PPA convenors that helped with this event, making it run smoothly while raising plenty of funds for PPA initiatives, and ensuring the evening was a night to remember for all that attended.

Supporter Merchandise

Pymble would like to offer our College community a range of supporter merchandise to wear at sporting matches, performances or as casual wear. These Pymble branded items will include jackets, caps, scarves and more.

We are seeking parent feedback on what kinds of items you might like to purchase in support of our girls and the College, what qualities of these items would be important to you or influence a purchase decision and what price you might expect to pay for Pymble supporter gear.

To have your say about this merchandise, please click here and fill in a short Google form. We look forward to hearing from you.

Pymble Foundation Ball

Earlier in the year we announced the formation of the Pymble Foundation which leads philanthropic engagement across our community. This philanthropy benefits current and future generations of Pymble girls by funding buildings and facilities, scholarships, bursaries and other programs. It also enables the College to remain a world leader in educating girls and young women.

We are now excited to invite you to our Inaugural Pymble Foundation Ball on Saturday 14 October at the Art Gallery of NSW for a night of fun and community. Please mark the date in your diary and we will share further details soon.

Alumni Events

Monday 31 July marks Commemoration Day, celebrating the dedication of the College in 1919. To celebrate we are delighted to invite ex-students and the wider Pymble community to the Commemoration Day Chapel Service on Sunday 30 July in the College chapel. The service will feature the ESU choir and speaker Helen Jarvis (nee Fisher, 1980 and will be followed by a morning tea hosted by the Ex-student union (ESU). To attend please email pymble.exstudents.rsvp@gmail.com.

On Monday 21 August all ex-student mothers or grandmothers who currently have a daughter at the College are warmly invited to attend a morning tea with their daughter(s) and granddaughter(s) in the Boarders’ Dining room from 10.00am. This is a free event, but registration is essential. Tickets can be booked here.

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Kelly Mancey

Director of Community Engagement and Advancement

From the Futures Team

Help with subject selection

The Futures team get great questions from families about subject selection every year.

We thought we would put together some resources that could assist families to support their student in selecting the right subjects that suit their interests, strengths and passions.

We have gathered information and guidance from UAC, a Subject Selection Guide from Study Work Grow (which also contains examples of jobs and salaries) and answers to common questions about pre-requisites for university courses.

We have also worked in collaboration with the Heads of Learning Area to design a series of Subject Pathway Guides to assist families to understand the transferrable skills and further study pathways that link to our subjects on offer.

Visit the Futures@Pymble site to view the Subject Selection page.

Kim Maksimovic

Director of Futures and Partnership (K-12)

From the Co-curricular Sports Team

The shortcode only works for newsletter articles

Opportunity to purchase photos

Co-curricular photos are now available to purchase online from our College photographer, Anthony Khoury Photography. Simply scan the QR code in the attached brochure or see log in details below:

Website: www.akphotos.com.au

Password: kelso

Katie Edwards

Head of Sports – Years 7 to 12

From the Co-curricular Performing Arts Team

As we journey towards the end of the term with the accompanying glory of a long weekend immediately ahead, I warmly invite you to consider the ongoing achievements of Pymble girls in the Performing Arts in the articles below.

The ongoing achievements for Dance and Drama in various eisteddfod competitions and the exciting preparations for the Concerto Competition finals and Secondary School Concert for Music are just some of the highlights of the week. Please read carefully the ongoing and valuable information for Language Arts as well.

One of the privileges of my role is to walk through the Performing Arts areas after school to experience the animated and a scholarly preparation of debaters, to hear the rigorous soundscapes of Drama groups in intense collaboration, to witness the still and committed faces of dancers as they receive feedback and the vitality and exuberance of the Year 4 band and Year 3 string ensembles whose energetic performances raise the roof!

No matter how busy or complex the day, the energy and passion of these students continue to revive and inspire me and indeed all of the teachers and practitioner who work with them. I reiterate my favourite line from Shakespeare; “joy’s soul lies in the doing”.

Michael Griffiths

Director of Co-curricular Performing Arts

The shortcode only works for newsletter articles

Co-curricular Administration

End of Term 2 Registration Period

The End of Term 2 Registration period opened at 12.00pm on Wednesday 7 June. During this period, families will be able to register their daughters for Term 3 and Semester 2 programs, as well as Term 4 2023 Saturday Sports. All program information and access to the online registration system is available on the Co-curricular pages of MyPymble by clicking here. A parent/carer log in is required to be able to register and registrations cannot be processed via email or phone.

The system will close at 11.59pm on Wednesday 5 July for Term 3 and Semester 2 programs, and 12.00pm (midday) on Friday 4 August for Term 4 Saturday Sports.

Reminder notices will be posted on the MyPymble App as the closing dates approach.

Reminder, No Saturday Sport This Weekend

A reminder that due to the King’s Birthday long weekend, there will be no competition Saturday Sport this weekend, Saturday 10 June.

Monique Zahra

Head of Co-curricular Administration

Athletics and Cross Country

Good luck to the following Pymble Athletes that will be competing at the NSWCIS Cross Country Championships which will be held on Thursday 8 June, at the Sydney International Equestrian Centre.

Gemma Dixon (Year 7)

Aleksandra (Sasha) Dubrovina (Year 7)

Madison Gabila (Year 7)

Willow Toll (Year 7)

Eliza Lawton (Year 7)

Claudia Wyatt Year 7

Layla Abdel-Megeed (Year 8)

Chloe Ayton (Year 8)

Hayley Browne (Year 8)

Phoebe Pockley (Year 8)

Grace Beck (Year 9)

Lily Jones (Year 10)

Tessa Newitt (Year 10)

Sophia Slater (Year 10)

Sarah Baker (Year 11)

Ellie Beck (Year 11)

Mia Booth (Year 11)

Georgia Phillips (Year 11)

Abigail Ballhausen (Year 12)

Rhiannon Castle (Year 12)

Lucia O’Dea (Year 12)

Caitlyn Tan (Year 12)

Mckenzie Ward (Year 12)

Yi Ying Lim (Year 12)

A number of our Pymble Athletes competed either individually or in a team at the Athletics NSW State Cross Country relays at Upjohn Park. 

Congratulations to the following students:

U14 4x2km Gold

Claudia Wyatt (Year 7)

U14 4x2km Silver

Gemma Dixon (Year 7)

U18 4x3km Gold

Sarah Baker (Year 11)

Sophia Slater (Year 10)

Abigail Ballhausen (Year 12)

U20 4x3km Bronze

Caitlyn Tan (Year 12)

Lucia O’Dea (Year 12)

Grace Beck (Year 9)

Congratulations to Tessa Newitt (Year 10), Georgia Phillips (Year 11) and Lana Pike (Year 10) who also competed at this event. Congratulations also to Abigail Ballhausen (Year 12) who was the second fastest U18 Athlete of the day.

Laura Verlinden

Sports Co-ordinator – Athletics and Cross Country

Basketball

Pymble 1’s match was against the only other undefeated team, Monte. It was a hard-fought win with Amarley Bron (Year 12) showing leadership in keeping the team calm through the close stretches of the game. Madeleine Coman (Year 12) and Abigail Tyler (Year 12) were dependable as always, consistently keeping us ahead by knocking down shots. The entire team’s defensive effort won the game, but a special shoutout to Ariana Ziolkowski (Year 9) for getting fouled on a three-point attempt – making all three freethrows – and then coming back down the next play to sink a three pointer to win the game!

Charlotte Craig (Year 10) made the most plays in the post for Pymble 2, not only scoring goals but also with defensive rebounds and hustling up and down the court.

Diana Attinger (Year 10) didn’t stop all game for Pymble 3. She had a great work rate and was the top scorer.

Giaan Jackson (Year 11) gave 100% effort on defence for Pymble 4.

Caitlin Pridmore (Year 11) ran circles around everyone driving hard to the rim with some great layouts and always running hard on defence for Pymble 5.

Pymble 6 had another team win shooting and pulling all the stops on defence.

Melanie Tan (Year 10) dominated the court with great assists and runs and stole the ball from the other team multiple times and had a great shooting game for Pymble 7.

Shanya Parti (Year 11) had great defensive pressure and chased jafter all the loose balls for Pymble 8.

Harriet Murphy (Year 8) was proactive in getting steals and pressuring the ball on defence for Pymble 9.

Ruby Watson (Year 8) was aggressive on both offense and defence for Pymble 10.

Lucy Lakeman (Year 8) put a good number of points on the board for Pymble 11. She showed determination and courage even though it was a physical match.

Nazgol Koochakzadeh (Year 8) had amazing dribbling up the court with fast breaks, making quite a few shots for Pymble 12.

Abby Pisani (Year 7) had great offensive spacing and movement with the ball creating many scoring opportunities for Pymble 13.

Stephanie Du (Year 7) was determined throughout the game, diving after loose balls and fighting until the jump ball was called. Her confidence and shooting accuracy has improved and she hit a couple great points for Pymble 14.

Olivia Pragassen (Year 7) scored all points for Pymble 15. Even after rolling her ankle and a short rest on the bench, she eagerly returned to the court and played the hardest.

Katy Jung (Year 7) listened to her coach and stayed in the key to call for the ball and shoot for Pymble 16. It was hard for her team to score but Katy never lost her enthusiasm.

Emma Koorey (Year 7) played a determined game for Pymble 17, attacking on offense and going for steals on defence.

Basketball results this week:

Team	Opponent	Score
Pymble 1	Monte Sant Angelo Mercy College 1	48 to 40
Pymble 2	Kambala 1	54 to 29
Pymble 3	Ascham School 2	18 to 19
Pymble 4	SCEGGS – Darlinghurst 2	29 to 23
Pymble 5	Abbotsleigh 4	22 to 36
Pymble 6	Abbotsleigh 6	33 to 8
Pymble 7	Abbotsleigh 9	34 to 15
Pymble 8	Ravenswood School For Girls 6	11 to 28
Pymble 9	Monte Sant Angelo Mercy College 3	18 to 54
Pymble 10	PLC Sydney 8	24 to 14
Pymble 11	Ascham School 7	20 to 28
Pymble 12	Wenona School 10	32 to 36
Pymble 13	Loreto Normanhurst 28	26 to 19
Pymble 14	Ravenswood School For Girls 15	24 to 14
Pymble 15	Monte Sant Angelo Mercy College 6	6 to 30
Pymble 16	Brigidine College 12	10 to 50
Pymble 17	PLC Sydney 15	6 to 48

Rachel Maenpaa

Head Coach – Basketball

Diving

All Schools Diving 2023

On Thursday 1 and Friday 2 June, the All-Schools Diving Championships and SSA Australia trials were held at Sydney Olympic Park Aquatic Centre. This is the final event in the School Pathways for CIS, CHS and CCC schools and a trial for the NSW School Sport Australia team.

The level of competition across all sectors this year was outstanding, and the event was a spectacular display of competitive diving.

Unfortunately, two of our Pymble team were forced to withdraw from All Schools due to illness.

Congratulations to our divers Angela Xenofontos (Year 9), Méa Shires (Year 9) and Sasha Dubrovina (Year 7) who competed in this event and a particular congratulations to Angela and Sasha who medalled in their individual events.

The results were:

Angela Xenofontos (Year 9) – 2nd 15 Years Girls Springboard and selected in NSW SSA team.

Méa Shires (Year 9) – 4th 14 Years Girls Springboard and 5th 12 to 14 Girls Platform

Sasha Dubrovina (Year 7) – 3rd 12 Years Girls Springboard 

Following the combined point score from all events, CIS were the winning association followed by CCC 2nd and CHS 3rd, which demonstrates the depth of diving in the Independent schools.

Congratulations to our Pymble divers selected in the SSA Team to compete in Sydney in August

Angela Xenofontos (Year 9), Emily Long (Year 4) and Zara Ware (Year 4). This is an outstanding achievement for our Pymble divers and we wish them every success.

DIVER Levels Grading

To conclude the term, we invite all Registered Divers in Little Rippers to Competitive programs to attend the DIVER levels Grading night for Term 2.

Save the date for Tuesday 22nd June commencing with Little Rippers at 3.00pm. Further details will follow in the coming week and preparation for this Grading opportunity will be conducted during regular training sessions.

Chris Lang

Head Coach – Diving

Fencing

Congratulations to Renee Leung (Year 10) and Rianne Leung (Year 7) on their outstanding performance at the NSW State Cadet (U17) Foil Championship! It’s truly remarkable that both siblings made it to the final stage of the competition. The fierce and competitive bout showcased their exceptional skills and determination.

Renee, as the eventual champion, demonstrated her prowess in the sport, while Rianne’s achievement as first runner-up is equally impressive. This moment is made even more special as it marks the first time the sisters have reached the final together. Good luck Renee and Rianne, as you prepare for the national championships next month. Keep up the fantastic work!

Megan O’Keeffe

Sports Co-ordinator – Fencing

Football

Round 6 of igsa Football was held on Saturday 3 June with Pymble coming away with 7 wins and 4 losses. 55 goals were scored over 11 matches, keeping parents entertained on a foggy Saturday morning. Our Junior Firsts and Senior Firsts played in double header games this weekend.  Both teams won their games, which means they are undefeated all term.  Each team will play in their respective grand finals!

Pymble 6 remain the only other undefeated team after Pymble 5 lost their first game of the term, however, with one game to go they still sit top of the table (along with Pymble 6).  A win in their last game could clinch the division.

Pymble 2 have won their fourth game in a row, an impressive effort considering they are playing against other schools’ Senior Firsts every week.

Our teams have the long weekend off to refresh and will play their last matches on Saturday 17 June. Stay tuned for next week’s newsletter for the final schedule.

Team	Opponent	Score
Pymble 01	Abbotsleigh 1	2 to 1
Pymble 01	PLC Sydney 1	5 to 1
Pymble 02	SCEGGS Darlinghurst 1	2 to 1
Pymble 03	St Vincent’s College 2	7 to 2
Pymble 04	Abbotsleigh 5	1 to 4
Pymble 05	Abbotsleigh 6	3 to 7
Pymble 06	Abbotsleigh 7	4 to 1
Pymble 07	MLC 3	4 to 1
Pymble 07	PLC Sydney 5	2 to 1
Pymble 08	Danebank 3	1 to 4
Pymble 09	BYE	BYE
Pymble 10	PLC Sydney 8	0 to 1

Team of the week

This week’s team of the week goes to our Senior Firsts, Pymble 1!

Our Senior Firsts competed in a double header this past Saturday. With a win against Abbotsleigh 1sts and PLC Sydney 1sts, our Pymble footballers have now won all seven of their games, finishing at the top of the table.  Our Senior First have now booked themselves a spot in the grand final against Roseville College on Saturday 17 June.

Please see the match report further down.

Round 1 MVPs

Pymble 1 – Wynter O’Regan (Year 12) and Amber Halliday (Year 11)

Pymble 2 – Victoria Apachou (Year 10)

Pymble 3 – The Whole Team (Years 10 to 12)

Pymble 4 – Erica Williams (Year 11)

Pymble 5 – Gemma Middleton (Year 11)

Pymble 6 – Milla Black (Year 12)

Pymble 7 – Amelia Brandon (Year 9) and Madison Gabila (Year 7)

Pymble 8 – Hannah Willert (Year 9)

Pymble 9 – BYE

Pymble 10 – Sophie Harris (Year 7)

Senior First Match Report by our Football Captain, Kaitlyn Chan (Year 12)

Pymble Senior Firsts played their last games of igsa before the finals in the double header round at Loreto Normanhurst. We all knew it was going to be a tough game against Abbotsleigh. A great effort from the team coming away with a 2 to 1 win, with our goal scorers Emily Visser (Year 10) and Jasmin Robinson (Year 11). 

Our second game saw us play against our upcoming CIS cup opponents PLC Sydney. With many players resting, we were fortunate enough to have some extra players help us out. Thank you to Aimee Ng (Year 12), Madeleine Short (Year 11), Victoria Apachou (Year 10), Amelia Brandon (Year 9), and Izabella Ziolkowski (Year 10) who all played games prior to playing with the Senior Firsts. The team came away with a great 5 to 1 win to close off our igsa season rounds undefeated.

CIS Football Cup

Congratulations to our CIS Football Cup team that competed against PLC Sydney in the semi final on Tuesday evening at Valentine Sports Park, Glenwood. Our Pymble footballers put on a masterclass and beat their opponents 8 to 1!

Pymble started the game strong with some early chances, finally breaking the deadlock in the 19th minute thanks to Madi Gabila (Year 7). PLC Sydney equalised four minutes later thanks to their Junior Matilda. Pymble retook the lead seven minutes later with a goal from Sophie Watson (Year 12) and then a goal from Jasmin Robinson (Year 11) took us into halftime with a 3 to 1 lead. In the second half our players came out firing and completed a dominant performance thanks to goals from Madi Gabila (Year 7), Sophie Watson (Year 12), Sophia Grindlay (Year 11), Amber Halliday (Year 11), and Ariana Ziolkowski (Year 9).

We now progress to the final on Tuesday 13 June, against the winner of Mamre Anglican School vs Central Coast College.

Chris Wood

Sport Co-ordinator – Football

Hockey

Congratulations to both Pymble Mollie Dive Hockey Teams for making it into the Grand Final.

Mollie Dive Team B will play against Monte this week, Tuesday 6 June at 4.00pm on Mollie Dive Field.

Mollie Dive Team A will play against Barker next Wednesday 14 June at 4.00pm on Mollie Dive Field.

With both our Teams remaining undefeated this season, we look forward to some promising results.

We wish our Pymble Hockey players and coaches the very best of luck.

Laura Verlinden

Sports Co-ordinator – Hockey

Swimming

Congratulations to all the incredible swimmers who competed at the NSW All Schools Swimming Championships! Your dedication, passion, and hard work have paid off, and your achievements are truly commendable. Each one of you has shown immense talent and determination in the pool, pushing your limits and representing Pymble with pride. Whether you reached the podium or set personal bests, you have all demonstrated the true spirit of sportsmanship and the pursuit of excellence. Your performances inspire us all and serve as a testament to your commitment to your sport. Keep reaching for the stars!

A special mention to Jaya Lilienthal (Year 10) and Annika Lee (Year 10) who will be continuing along the School’s sports pathway as they have been selected to represent NSW at the Australian All Schools Championships held in Sydney in August. We wish our Pymble swimmers the best of luck during the championships!

NSW All Schools Swimming Results

Lily Barlow (Year 10)

5th 15 to 16 Years 400m Freestyle

Megan Chia (Year 7)

6th 13 Years 50m Butterfly

Bella Cox (Year 11)

7th 16 Years 100m Freestyle

3rd 15 to 16 Years 100m Backstroke

3rd 15 to 16 Years 200m Backstroke

Jessica Cullen (Year 10)

4th 16 Years 50m Backstroke

Annika Lee (Year 10)

2nd 15 Year 50m Backstroke

Annabelle Mingzhen Li (Year 8)

6th 12 to 14 Years 100m Butterfly

Jaya Lilienthal (Year 10)

2nd 16 Years 50m Breaststroke

3rd 15 to 16 Years 200m Individual Medley

Jessica Munk (Year 12)

3rd 18 Years 100m Backstroke

4th 18 Years 200m Backstroke

Emma Ng (Year 7)

1st 12 Years 50m Backstroke

Bella Zhang (Year 12)

3rd 18 Years 200m Breaststroke

6th 18 Years 100m Freestyle

3rd Junior Medley Relay

Jisoo Yeou (Year 8), Imogen Jones (Year 7), Megan Chia (Year 7), Annabelle Li (Year 8)

2nd Intermediate Medley Relay

Jessica Cullen (Year 10), Elizabeth Lockhart (Year 10), Annika Lee (Year 10), Jaya Lilienthal (Year 10)

1st Senior Medley Relay

Jessica Munk (Year 12), Bella Zhang (Year 12), Hayley Johnston (Year 12), Piper Gregory-Reid (Year 11)

2nd Junior Freestyle Relay

Megan Chia (Year 7), Jisoo Yeou (Year 8), Annalise Chow (Year 9), Annabelle Li (Year 8)

3rd Intermediate Freestyle Relay

Bella Cox (Year 11), Annika Lee (Year 10), Jessica Cullen (Year 10), Jaya Lilienthal (Year 10)

1st Senior Freestyle Relay

Jessica Munk (Year 12), Samantha Lever (Year 12), Bella Zhang (Year 12), Piper Gregory-Reid (Year 11)

1st Open 6x50m Freestyle Relay

Emma Ng (Year 7), Megan Chia (Year 7), Annabelle Li (Year 8), Annika Lee (Year 10), Jaya Lilienthal (Year 10), Bella Zhang (Year 12)

Megan O’Keeffe

Sports Co-ordinator – Swimming

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2023 SMNE Winter Championships – Saturday 3 and Sunday 4 June

The 2023 SMNE Winter SC Championships was a very successful weekend in and out of the pool.  This is a special meet where we have everyone from the club: 8 years to opens competing together in the one arena. We ensured we Posca penned up for the occasion with some spirited war paint.

The Pymble program had 43 Pymble students including three Alumni, plus 30 external swimmers representing Knox Pymble Swim Club. All swimmers contributed heavily to the overall points score to take the win by over 3500 points.

The coaches were extremely impressed with the results achieved. Once again, the bar has been raised with the quality of swimming across all our levels, achieving a phenomenal 73% personal best (PB) times. 

Well done to Coach Andrea and Coach Michelle with all Mini and Star swimmers showing great attitude towards their races and enthusiasm on the pool deck.

Big congratulations to Sara’s Cadet squad achieving Metro and State age QT’s in various events. Sara is extremely proud of how you extended yourselves to be better by speaking to and watching the Pride squad swimmers’ race with enthusiasm, care and open mind. Well done for taking the opportunity to learn and bond with your fellow club mates. 

Thank you to our Pride and Engine swimmers for their leadership and role modelling to the younger swimmers. Helping to inspire and show the way forward through our Pymble Swimming competitive pathway.

Good job to Steve and Sport squad swimmers for performing well and deserved PB’s.

This has been an epic start to our winter season. Keep up the training and start to prepare for NSW Metropolitan Championship in the Winter school holidays.

Thank you to the club committee and parents who helped over the weekend. These meets cannot run without you and your continued support and involvement.

Top five Pymble swimmers point scorers

Megan Chia (Year 7): 144 points (Engine squad)

Emma Ng (Year 7): 115 points (Cadet Squad)

Emma Deere (Year 4): 111 points (Star squad)

Penelope Hargraves (Year 6): 84 points (Cadet squad)

Oriana Fenton (Year 6): 81 points (Cadet squad)

Outstanding achievers

Star squad:

Amelie Berg (Year 4)

Bronze: 50m Breaststroke

Emma Deere (Year 4)

Gold: 50m Freestyle, 100m Freestyle and 50m Butterfly

Silver: 100m Breaststroke, 50m Breaststroke and 50m Backstroke

Victoria Ko (Year 5)

Gold: 50m Breaststroke

From Cadet squad:

Oriana Fenton (Year 6)

Bronze Medal: 100m Breaststroke, 100m Freestyle and 100m Butterfly

Penelope Hargraves (Year 6)

Gold: 100m Freestyle, 50m Backstroke and 100m Backstroke

Anne Liu (Year 7)

Gold: 50m Backstroke

Charlotte Sadler (Year 6)

Gold: 50m Freestyle & 100m Breaststroke

Silver: 100m Freestyle

Emma Ng (Year 7)

Silver: 50m Backstroke

Bronze: 100m Butterfly, 100m Backstroke and 200m Individual Medley

From Engine Squad:

Megan Chia (Year 7)

Gold: 50m Freestyle; 50m Butterfly; 100m Butterfly: 100m Backstroke

Silver: 100m Breaststroke, 200m Freestyle

Bronze: 100m Freestyle and 100m Individual Medley

Annabelle Li (Year 8)

Gold: 200m Butterfly

Silver: 200m Backstroke

Lily Lockhart (Year 10)

Silver: 200m Breaststroke

Sarah Tian (Year 9)

Silver: 200m Backstroke

Jisoo Yeou (Year 8)

Silver: 100m Individual Medley and 100m Backstroke

Bronze: 100m Freestyle and 100m Butterfly

Pride Squad:

Arabella Cox (Year 11)

Silver: 50m Backstroke and 100m Backstroke

Piper Gregory–Reid (Year 11)

Silver: 100m Breaststroke

Hayley Johnston (Year 12)

Silver: 50m Butterfly

Jaya Lilienthal (Year 10)

Gold: 100m Breaststroke

Silver: 50m Breaststroke

Bronze: 200m Freestyle

Jessica Munk (Year 12)

Gold: 200m Backstroke

Pymble Alumni:

Claudia Fydler

Silver: 100m Butterfly

Paris Zhang

Gold: 50m Backstroke and 100m Backstroke

Silver: 100m Freestyle

Bronze: 50m Freestyle

Relays results:

Girls 14&O Medley Relay

Gold: A team – Paris Zhang (Alumni); Piper Gregory – Reid (Year 11), Jessica Cullen (Year 11) and Jaya Lilienthal (Year 10)

Bronze: B team – Arabella Cox (Year 11), Lily Lockhart (Year 10), Annika Lee (Year 10) and Jessica Munk (Year 12)

Girls 14&O Freestyle Relay

Gold: A team – Paris Zhang (Alumni); Claudia Fydler (Alumni), Jaya Lilienthal (Year 10), Arabella Cox (Year 11)

Bronze: B team – Annika Lee (Year 10), Keira Smith (Year 10), Sarah Tian (Year 9)

Girls 13&U Freestyle Relay:

Silver: A team – Megan Chia (Year 7), Annalise Chow (Year 8), Jisoo (Year 8)

Congratulations to all our Pymble athletes not listed above who competed:

Mini Squad: Rose Wang (Year 3)

Star Squad: Emma Feng (Year 4), Avika Kapoor (Year 6), Sarah Kranes (Year 6), Isabella Wang (Year 4)

Cadet Squad: Amelia Carlan (Year 8); Carla Mikkeline Eibach (Year 6); Georgia Friedel (Year 6); Imogen Jones (Year 7); Chloé Shires (Year 6); Chenxuan Elsa Yu (Year 6), Gwen Pickthall (Year 7)

Engine Squad: Hannah Carmichael (Year 10), Annalise Chow (Year 8), Jessica Croll (Year 10), Annika Lee (Year 10), Lily Lockhart (Year 10), Ruby Pickthall (Year 9), Keira Smith (Year 10), Lucy Xie (Year 9)

Pride Squad (Alumni): Claudia Fydler, Angelica Tan and Paris Zhang

Sport Squad: Claudia Wyatt (Year 7) and Carlyn Suhendra (Year 11)

Rafael Rodrigues

Coach – Swimming

Water Polo

Pymble Opens water polo team came away with two big wins on Friday 2 June in the Northern Suburbs Competition at Warringah Aquatic Centre playing a double game against Redlands College. Pymble Opens remainders undefeated this season. Go Pymble!

Our Pymble Intermediate teams came away with one strong win and one loss on Monday 5 June.  Pymble Blue won to Stella Maris College – Green, 18 to 1 and Pymble Red went down to Brigidine College – Maroon, 11 to 0. 

Brigette Moore

Head Coach – Water Polo

Dance

Sydney Eisteddfod

On Sunday 4 June, our Pymble Dance Secondary troupes participated in the Sydney Eisteddfod, and it was a success. We are incredibly proud of our Secondary teams for their outstanding performances.

The Sydney Eisteddfod was a delightful gathering where schools from all over Sydney came together to celebrate the art of dance. Witnessing the enthusiasm and passion that emanated from each school was a true joy. The level of talent displayed was awe-inspiring, making the event a true testament to the beauty of dance.

Our Pymble girls showcased exceptional commitment and passion throughout the competition. Their performances exuded grace, precision, and a profound love for dance. We couldn’t have asked for better ambassadors to represent our dance program. The dancers exhibited impeccable teamwork, supporting and encouraging each other throughout the entire competition. The camaraderie among our dancers was palpable, and it warmed our hearts to witness such a strong sense of support within our dance community.

We would like to extend our congratulations to every dancer who participated in the Sydney Eisteddfod. Your hard work, determination, and commitment have paid off, and you should all be immensely proud of your accomplishments. We would also like to express our sincere gratitude to our dedicated teachers.

Looking ahead, we are excited for the upcoming competitions in the season. Our next event, the Extreme Eisteddfod, will take place on Sunday 18 June.

Sydney Eisteddfod Results

Secondary Jazz and Musical Theatre

First – Jazz White  

Highly Commended – Jazz Scarlet  

Highly Commended – Jazz Navy

Katrina Cluff

Head of Dance

Language Arts

Debating 

Congratulations to our Virtual Archdale debaters. After Round 3 Pymble was ranked equal first with Canberra Girls’ Grammar.

Archdale main comp debaters visited PLC Sydney last week and this week we visit Abbotsleigh. Next week Pymble will host Loreto Kirribilli for Round 5.

Sydney University Senior Debating Day

Last Friday a group of Pymble Debaters travelled to Sydney University for three rounds of interschool debating. Adjudication and feedback was offered from Sydney University debaters. It was a challenging and mentally exhausting day as our speakers grappled with wide ranging issues. Well done teams.

Sydney Social Debating 

SSD competition is running each Friday at Pymble from 3.30pm to 6.30pm. Please meet in C10 again this week. We are pleased to offer this developmental level comp to our 7 to 12 girls this term. Thank you to our student coaches and our adjudicators – Becky Huang, Kayleigh Li and Mr Daniel Judd.

Mock Law

Mock Trial Round 3 scenarios have been released. We are prosecution versus Moriah College. This trial will be held on 15 June.

A Mediation round will also be held, at Pymble, prior to the end of this term.

Model United Nations (MUN)

What: NSW UN Youth Day Summit: Crisis Point

When: Saturday 24 June 2023 (10.00am to 3.30pm)

Where: University of Technology

Cost: $30 per student*

Students can register themselves by clicking here. We ask that registered students inform Mrs Hubbard that they will attend.

UN Youth NSW provides students a unique chance to develop as individuals and refine their knowledge of world issues. They provide supervised events and have a trained welfare offer on site. Transport to and from this Saturday event is the responsibility of parents.

Farewell to Year 12 Language Arts High Tea

This has become an annual event at Avondale, for Language Arts girls in Years 10, 11 and 12 and Year 12 parents. This year it will be held on Wednesday 21 June from 4.30pm to 6.30pm.

Please Click Here to purchase your tickets. 

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Bronwyn Hubbard

Head of Co-curricular Language Arts

Music

Congratulations

Amelie Matthews in Year 11 WON the Open Championship vocal section of the Northern Beaches Eisteddfod.

AMEB Exams

On Friday 2 June the Music Building was abuzz with AMEB exams from woodwind, piano, voice and strings. I was thrilled to speak to the girls either before they entered, or after they had completed their exams and thankfully, not one tear was shed. The girls were well prepared and, no matter the result, they all gave it their best shot.

Exams are an experience to learn and they should never be something to define a child’s ability. It is a small moment in time, and the students should be applauded for their preparation, as well as their commitment to their instrument. Congratulations to them all.

Ensemble Photos for Purchase

Website: http://www.grantleslie.com.au/store

Click – PLC Chapel Image

‘Pymble Ladies College – Music Groups – May 2023’

Collection Password: hEhWPT7d8R

Concerto Competition finals and Secondary School Ensemble Concert – Wednesday 21 June

This is a compulsory event for girls involved in String Orchestra, School Concert Band, School Choir, Symphony Orchestra, Symphonic Wind Ensemble, Stage and Jazz bands, and Chorale are performing. The concert will commence at 6.30pm and there will be a short interval. Tickets must be booked, but there is no fee. Please go to: https://pymblelc.sales.ticketsearch.com/sales/sales

All girls are to wear BLACK pants, their black music shirts AND their performance jackets. If you are new to an ensemble, please email Gladys on musicadmin@pymblelc.nsw.edu.au to secure your uniform.

Performance Uniforms

We are in the process of updating the current red music performance jacket. I will be sending out a google form soon so that you and your daughters can make the selection. Basically, the jackets will be a choice of black with red piping OR red with black piping. The reason for the change is based around style and allowing the girls some choice in what they wear. There will also be black pants as part of the uniform, which all girls must wear. This will all be available from 2024.

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Sarah Turner

Head of Co-curricular Music

Annual Appeal 2023

The support Pymble families offer not only their daughter/s but also the College is second to none, and we are truly grateful to have such a kind, caring and compassionate community.

As per our email last week, we are inviting you to join others in making a difference to the lives of our current and future students by giving a tax-deductible donation to Pymble Ladies’ College by 30 June for our 2023 Annual Appeal.

Your gift will support students through our Pymble Foundation Bursary Program (means-tested scholarships) or our Building Fund to help us bring our vision for the future of our learning environments to life.

Please click here to make a donation, and thank you for considering a gift to our Annual Appeal to help change the world, together. 

Vision Valley Winter Holiday Camps (Years 3 to 8) – Registrations close next week!

Pymble girls, their friends and siblings (girls only) in Year 3 to 8 are invited to attend the Vision Valley Winter Holiday Camps. There are two camps in the holiday break: the first camp from Monday 26 to Friday 30 June, and the second camp from Monday 10 to Friday 15 July.

The holiday camps will offer both two nights/three day ($385) and four nights/five day ($710) options and will feature a full activity program, including outdoor adventure activities, campfire cooking, star gazing and recreational games, all supervised by our experienced Vision Valley staff.

Please click here to register. Please note places are limited and will be allocated in order of receipt of payment. Registrations will close Friday 16 June.

Rebecca Pearce

Operations Manager – Vision Valley

Pymble Supporter Merchandise

Pymble would like to offer our College parent/carer community a line of supporter merchandise to wear at matches, performances or as casual wear. These Pymble-branded items could include jackets, caps/hats, scarves and t-shirt/polos and more.

We are seeking parent feedback on what kinds of items you might like to purchase in support of our girls, what qualities of these items would be important to you or influence a purchase decision and what price you might expect to pay for Pymble supporter gear.

To have your say about this exciting new line of gear, please click here and fill in a short Google form. We look forward to hearing from you.

From the PPA

Fabulous Night of Trivia 

The PPA Trivia Night was such a fabulous night of incredible costumes, laughter and tricky questions. Thank you to everyone who attended and for going above and beyond to make this night memorable. We look forward to seeing you and your friends again next year! 

For anyone interested in joining in the fun but are not sure about dressing up, please know there are a few tips and costumes that you may wish to borrow and I promise you it won’t break your budget! 

You may know there were strong trivia contestants who attended the night, however in the spirit of having fun, after a few drinks, a great meal and laughter it’s all about the wider focus of building wonderful friendships, centred around being thankful for our school and extended community. 😊

A huge thank you to all our Pymble families, friends and local businesses who donated raffle and silent auction items to raise funds for the Vicki Waters Prize which funds further professional development of two teachers/staff and the International Teachers Day Staff and teachers thank you lunch in October.

Thank you Dr Hadwen and Mrs Brown for donating the special luncheons, and to all the families and businesses listed below – we couldn’t have raised these funds without you!

Bai Family 

Burns Family

Hres Family 

Lao Family

Rich Family

Robson Family  

Srivastava Family 

Wang Family

Ware Family

Wong Family 

Brick Lane Espresso – www.bricklaneespresso.com

Campbells Butchery 

Clare Holland Interior Designers – www.clarehollandinteriors.com.au

KX Pilates 

Prana Chai – www.pranachai.com

Three Beans St Ives – www.threebeans.com.au

Vaughan Architects – www.vaughanarchitects.com.au

Vittoria Coffee – www.vittoriacoffee.com

A special note of thanks to Matt Ware and Malini Srivastava for giving your time to organise this much-loved PPA event. 

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Sunny Hres

President of the PPA

Thinking of a career change? Think Pymble!

At Pymble, you will be wrapped in a culture of care, community and commitment to educational excellence. You’ll also enjoy all the benefits of a big and beautiful working environment. For more information about working at Pymble, click here. 

Job of the week: Clinical Psychologists | part-time – 2 x roles available

With our Pymble family growing in more and more ways, we have two part-time, temporary positions in our supportive Psychological Services team, covering upcoming parental leave periods.

• 0.60 FTE commencing in August.
• 0.80 FTE commencing in November.

Both roles will be for a period of up to 12 months, with flexibility on the days and hours worked.

Our passionate Psychologists provide guidance, leadership, and care to our students from Kindergarten to Year 12. The roles work alongside College staff, including teachers, pastoral care and the wellbeing team, to enhance student welfare and ensure our learning environment continues to be supportive and safe. Varied and interesting clinical work, you will be responsible for one-on-one sessions with students, liaising with parents or external agencies and conducting psychological intervention within the therapeutic paradigm. You will have the opportunity to participate in ongoing service improvement projects and professional development throughout your time at the College and provide an essential service to all members of our team.

These roles will primarily work during school term time, however, when necessary, may require working outside normal hours in non-term time in response to student, staff and wellbeing needs.

Our kind of team member

You will display the following skills and attributes:

• The ability to provide support and guidance around child/adolescent wellbeing.
• Current AHPRA registration with qualifications in Clinical Psychology or Psychology.
• Membership with professional bodies such as the Australian Psychological Society or other bodies is desirable.
• A sound understanding of Child Protection legislation and practice.
• Previous experience working in a school or educational setting would be highly regarded.
• Commitment to the provision of a high standard of professional care.
• Excellent communication and interpersonal skills.
• Ability to always demonstrate professional conduct and discretion.

For more information or to apply, click here to head to our dedicated Careers website.

Contribute a recipe for the Pymble Cookbook

As part of the College’s Pymble Gives Back initiative, the 2023 Food Technology captains are creating a cookbook from the recipes of the Pymble community, with all proceeds donated to Dignity.

Dignity is one of the three chosen Pymble Gives Back not-for-profit charities for 2023. The organisation empowers Australians experiencing homelessness or at risk of experiencing homelessness by providing a range of innovative services. These include providing emergency guest home accomodation, home cooked meals, new clothing and support workers. Dignity’s aim is to end homelessness through prevention and changing attitudes within society about those experiencing, or at risk of, homelessness. 

To support this chosen charity we are asking students from Kindergarten to Year 12, parents and staff to contribute a recipe that has meaning to their family. In submitting the recipe, please provide a short explanation about what makes it so special. Feel free to also upload a photo of the recipe you wish to submit.

Details about purchasing the cookbook will be released once it is complete. If you would like to contribute to this initiative, please complete this short survey and upload your treasured family recipe here.

Reminder: Term 2 Pymble bus service – register now!

A reminder to parents to register your daughter for the Pymble private bus service for travel during Term 2 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 2, the bus service will operate from Wednesday 26 April to Thursday 22 June 2023. 

Please note the addition of a new stop at Mosman (bus route 2) and new location for Stop 1 at Avalon (bus route 4). 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.

• 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.

While face masks are no longer mandatory on Pymble buses or all public transport options as per the updated COVID-19 rules in NSW, students are encouraged to wear one when travelling on Pymble buses. Existing government guidelines for household contacts/positive cases remain in place.

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

Scholarship registrations open to current Year 6, 7, 8, 9 and 10 students

Pymble offers a number of scholarships each year to girls seeking a Performance Scholarship – Sport or All-Rounder Scholarship starting in 2024. These scholarships are open to all students who are currently in Year 6, 7, 8, 9 or Year 10.

Registrations close on 4 August 2023. The examination will be held at the College on Sunday 13 August 2023.

Information about portfolio requirements and how to apply can be found online through the Scholarship webpage.

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Clair Stock

Enrolments Manager