Congratulations to Year 12 for reaching the end of their HSC Trials, and a huge thank you to our wonderful academic staff who are assessing students’ work and giving valuable feedback they can take into their next, and final, HSC examinations.
Research shows that feedback is one of the most powerful influences on learning and achievement when it is constructive, instructive and well timed. And the space between the Trials and final HSC exams is where effective feedback can lead to great gains, according to our Director of Academic Excellence (K-12) and Director of Studies (K-12), Mr Jake Plaskett and Mrs Natasha Stanfield.
“After the Trials, students are encouraged to work together to share resources, and identify their gaps in understanding and exam technique so they can perform at their best as a cohort in the HSC Examinations. Teachers in every subject will be guiding students through a structured reflection process. Our advice at this time is to make sure students are focused on taking onboard their feedback and putting it into action.
“So much progress can be made before the external exams which are worth 50 per cent of the HSC mark in each subject.”
This is an exciting time for our girls as they lean into this advice and focus on their goals.
Speaking of goals, how fabulous are our Matildas? Having entered the FIFA World Cup ranked tenth in the world, they will finish in either third or fourth place. This is remarkable progress, no doubt spurred on by constructive and instructive post-match feedback and analysis, not to mention the enormous outpouring of love, encouragement and belief in their potential from the entire nation. I had the great pleasure of accompanying a group of 40 Pymble staff and students to the Matildas’ earlier game against Denmark. Watching the crowd respond to the Australian team, you could only assume it was having a significant impact on the players. Imagine if this happened at all sporting events for women – indeed, all events for girls and women. Where could this tidal wave of support take our female athletes, performing artists, community workers, innovators, entrepreneurs, and leaders of tomorrow?
Thank you to all those who backed our Matildas-themed mufti day on Wednesday and brought a gold coin donation to support The Female Athlete Project and its nominated charity, Pushing Barriers, which aims to improve the lives of refugee children in SE QLD through participation in sport. TFAP is the fastest growing women’s sports platform in Australia, created by our ex-student, Chloe Dalton OAM (2011). Chloe is a professional Australian rules football, rugby union player and basketballer who has represented Australia in rugby sevens and won a gold medal as a member of Australia’s women’s sevens team at the 2016 Summer Olympics. Fuelled by a study showing that women make up 40 per cent of participants in sport yet receive only 4 per cent of the sports media coverage, TFAP promotes equal coverage and equal pay for women in sport by sharing stories of epic Australian female athletes, like our Matildas!
Equity in sport is an important cause for Pymble, and the Matildas are inspirational role models. As one of the largest girls’ schools in Australia, with a proud history of sporting excellence, Pymble stands out in the independent school sector as the unrivalled leader in girls’ school sports throughout the nation. Our programs are tailored specifically for girls with the long-term aim of inspiring a lifelong love of sport and activity, and we intentionally cater to all ages, abilities and aspirations – whether that’s to represent Australia on a national or world stage or just happily kick a ball around a field with friends.
Since 2000, 89 students have represented Australia in a variety of different sports, including playing for the Matildas. Just quietly, we are also working on Project 32, our ‘green and gold pathway’ for elite athletes, which we look forward to telling you more about later in the year. Pymble’s outstanding Sport program and our exceptional achievements and results, year after year, would not be possible without our fabulous coaches and dedicated sports department; thank you, team Pymble!
We know that the road to success in any field, including sport, starts with participation. We send an equally big thank you to the many families who are invested in taking their daughters to and from training and matches each week and supporting them – and their coaches – from the sidelines on the weekends. If your daughter is not currently participating in sport, and you would like to reconsider her options, please feel free to speak to our sports staff or contact Co-curricular Administration at ccsa@pymblelc.nsw.edu.au or on +61 2 9497 7848.
Say hello to our HOLAs
Continuing our ‘meet our HOLAs’ series, this week it is a pleasure to introduce you to Mrs Mandy Reynolds, Head of Learning Area – English, who leads the delivery ofEnglish (Years 7 to 10); English Standard, English Advanced, and English Extension 1 (Years 11 to 12); and English Extension 2 (Year 12). Mrs Reynolds commenced at Pymble in 2002 and currently teaches Year 12 Advanced and Year 12 Extension 1 students.
Mandy,what was the ‘aha’ moment that led you into teaching?
“I have a love of learning and I believe there is a need for quality education. At the heart of every decision I make is my belief that every person deserves the opportunity to be their best self. Change starts with education, and I continue to believe I can make a difference. I knew that back when I started teaching, and I know that now, and it continues to be the reason I am passionate about what I do.”
What is the most rewarding aspect of the work you do here?
“I am motivated by people and working with the students who continue to push the boundaries of possibility. It’s this constant restlessness, the pursuit for improving things for the better, that inspires me to make my difference.”
What are you most proud of achieving as a Pymble HOLA?
“Some might seemy role as an educator. I see my role at the intersection of what came before and what comes after. And while there are many things I am proud of, there isn’t a single one. Being a Pymble HOLA is about bringing joy to the classroom, making lasting connections with students, giving others a sense of belief in themselves, and letting them see that they too can make a difference.”
Work aside, tell us a fun fact about you…
“I grew up in country NSW; you can take the girl out of the country but not the country out of the girl.”
Finish this sentence: If I could impart one life lesson to our students, it would be…
“Be proud of who you are; challenge yourself to be the best you can be in. The rest will unfold.”
It seems fitting to end on this great clip showing American sports marketer Audrey DeVaughn’s simple but effective way we can all promote women in sport, much like the Matildas have done this week and all throughout the World Cup. Now when someone asks if we’re going to watch the football/cricket/basketball/rugby/swimming, we know exactly what to say!
You’re invited to Garden Party 2023
Make sure you schedule a fun family day out in your calendar this year, by saving the date for Pymble’s Garden Party!
Garden Party will be held on campus on Saturday 16September from 10.00am to 3.00pm.
It is sure to be a fun-filled day with an array of fabulous food, coffee, entertainment, rides, games, produce, arts and crafts, plants, gifts, toys and much more.
As parking will be limited on the day, we recommend families catch the train to Pymble Station from where our campus is only a short five-minute walk away.
We look forward to welcoming students, their families and members of the public for a day full of fun, all while supporting a good cause!
Important Garden Party updates
This year’s Garden Party is promising to be our biggest and best yet. We are looking forward to celebrating with our Pymble and local community on Saturday 16 September.
Cashless
In the interests of security and convenience for our community, this year’s Garden Party will be predominantly cashless with all stalls and entertainment accepting credit and debit cards. Our aim is for Garden Party to be 100 per cent cashless in 2024.
Cash will still be accepted on a few stalls this year and we will have an ATM available at Middle School with a limited amount of cash available on the day.
Canines
Dogs are not permitted at Garden Party so please leave your furry family members at home.
Cars
Every year we welcome between 5,000 to 10,000 visitors to Garden Party. In the interests of safety, the College grounds are closed to cars on the day and parking is very limited on our neighbouring streets. We strongly recommend using public transport to and from Garden Party.
Get your Unlimited Rides Pass!
The Unlimited Rides Pass allows you to go on as many rides as you would like at Garden Party 2023 between 10.00am and 3.00pm. This is great value for money and is sure to keep the young ones entertained over the course of the day.
We are seeking medical professionals or students studying physiotherapy who can spend an hour or so working at the Casualty Clearing Station, one of the most popular stalls at Garden Party, where you will help plaster many an arm, finger and other parts of the body.
If this interests you or you know someone who can help out, please email Kathryn Clark at kathryn@clarkfamily.net.au
Cake + Cake Box Decorating Competition
Cake Box Decorating Competition
Garden Party is nearly here and this year’s theme for the Cake Box Decorating Competition is Under the Sea.
The Cake Box Decorating Competition is open to all students from Kindergarten to Year 12, with cake boxes available from school offices for students and parents to collect.
The judging will take place at Garden Party in the Gillian Moore Centre for Performing Arts (GMCPA) foyer at 11.00am.
Included with the cake box is a cake board and label so you can fill your decorated cake box with home-made cakes or muffins to be sold at the Cake Stall at Garden Party.
Please deliver the finished boxes by Friday 15 September or Saturday 16 September before 10.30am.
Cake Decorating Competition
Like the Cake Box Decorating Competition, the theme for this year’s Cake Decorating Competition is also Under the Sea. Get your beaters out and ready to bake, its time to get creative with cake!
The 2023 Cake Decorating Competition will have three divisions and is open to our whole community:
Division 1 – Open to all students from Kindergarten to Year 12
Division 2 – Open to all adults
Division 3 – Open for Family Collaboration
The judging will take place at the Garden Party in the Gillian Moore Centre for Performing Arts (GMCPA) foyer at 11.00am. Any size, shape and skill level is eligible – we look forward to receiving your creation.
Please deliver the finished cakes by Friday 15 September or Saturday 16 September before 10.30am.
Please contact the Cake Competition Convenor for further information: Kai Jones | kai_look@yahoo.com.com | 0431 725 948
Junior School Garden Party Poster Competition
With just under two months Junior School students are encouraged to enter the Garden Party Poster Competition, with the overall winner receiving an Unlimited Rides Pass!
Entries are to be submitted to the Junior School Office by Tuesday 29 August 2023. All posters entered will be displayed in the Gillian Moore Centre for Performing Arts foyer at Garden Party 2023. Prizes and certificates will be presented at Assembly in the week before Garden Party. Multiple entries are welcome.
Click here to download a copy of the poster which you can print at home. Students/parents can also pick up copies at Junior School Reception.
Good luck!
From the Junior School
From the Head of Junior School
Welcome to Science Week! Our Junior School scientists have been honing their observational skills, firing up their curiosity and pondering over some tricky questions as they immerse themselves in practical experiments across the Junior School. Our girls are fortunate to have teachers who are themselves passionate about Science and who model questioning and exploring possible answers alongside the girls.
A highlight for me this week was being in Year 3 classrooms and listening to Mrs Alice Murphy and Mrs Michele Wilson lead rigorous scientific discussion with the girls about the movement of the Earth and the connection of Earth’s rotations to the seasons. The girls had so many questions and our fabulous teachers didn’t provide the answers but guided the girls to build connections on their prior knowledge and then work together to investigate possible answers.
I am so proud of the way our teachers empower the girls to think independently and challenge and then extend their thinking.
Some of our Science Week experiments led by our Head of STEM, Mr Brown, Digitial Learning Leader, Mr Jake Turnbull and some of our amazing teachers (Mrs Jo Avraam, Ms Tommy Buchner, Ms Sarah McGeoch, Ms Jacqui Ng, Ms Rosie Prince and Mrs Linda Tysoe) include:
Year 1 – Looking at the diffusion of colour through liquid
Year 3 – Discovering the properties of gravity through gravity defying paper clips
Year 4 – Investigating the magic of static electricity
Year 5 – Launching tea bag rockets
Each lunchtime we have led experiments with the girls to further ignite their scientific wondering including creating rainbow jars (to explore the density of different liquids) and learning how to conduct electricity to light a lightbulb through fruit and vegetables.
I want to give a special shout out to our exceptional STEM Captains, Olivia Chan and Sophia Wong who have worked together with Audrey Wyldhill (Year 6) and Mr Brown to plan all the experiments for our Junior School Science week.
Throughout the term we have been encouraging the girls to sit and observe nature around different parts of the College. Here are some of their phenomenal questions:
Why do spiders and ants look similar?
How do spiders spin such strong webs?
Why can’t we feel the Earth moving?
How do birds fly?
Why do some trees have smooth trunks and others are rough?
Are tree roots longer than the height of the tree to help anchor them?
Our amazing Year 1 and 2s reach for the stars!
Thank you to our Year 1 and 2 girls who delighted us all with a journey into space last week. Huge thanks to their teachers and particularly Ms Tiffany Farlow who wrote the script and led this production with support from Mrs Julie Hare and Mr Kurt Schweinberger. Huge thank you to all our parents who gave up their time to help with costumes, hair and makeup.
Our girls dazzled on stage dancing with enthusiasm and huge smiles, and they skipped off the stage with justifiable pride.
Through their space voyage, the girls reminded us that we have to take risks, calm our thoughts when faced with a challenge, keep trying and remember that if we all work together, we can always find a solution. With their determination to look after our home planet, their willingness to explore new friendships and their curiosity for adventure, our Pymble girls are definitely what the world needs!
Next week is Book Week; Read, Grow, Inspire
Please remember that Monday is the launch of our Book Week and the girls can come in their book character costume on Monday. Girls may remain in their costumes all day.
Year 2 Shadow Judging led by Mrs Josephine Laretive, K-2 Teacher Librarian
During Term 2 and 3, Year 2 participated in the Children’s Book Council of Australia (CBCA) Shadow Judging program. During their library lessons each class read and reviewed the six CBCA Early Childhood shortlist picture books. Responses for each book were recorded in a special booklet, scores were tallied, column graphs created and the winning book Lionel and Me by Corinne Fenton was submitted to the Shadow Judging program. The program encourages children to experience and participate in discussing and judging books, the Shadowers’ Choice Awards is announced at the end of Book Week. In addition, each class is also involved in creating dioramas for the six shortlist books.
Huge success in our Pymble Reading Challenge led by Mrs Martha Itzcovitz and Mrs Sarah Colquhoun, Years 3-6 Teacher Librarians
I am excited to announce that 88% of our girls across Years 3 to 6 completed the Pymble Reading Challenge this year. A special shout out to Years 3 and 4 who had 100 per cent completion. This is a phenomenal result and testament to the love of literature our amazing teacher librarians inspire across our Junior School. Thank you, parents, for your support in encouraging your daughter to read daily and from an increasingly wide range of genres.
Academic Excellence – Mrs Lara Bird, Deputy Head of Junior School Academics
Embracing Challenge through Academic Competitions
Speech and Drama
This week we continue to celebrate the fabulous achievement of our Junior School girls who participated in the Ryde Eisteddfod. Thank you to our wonderful Speech and Drama Teachers, Mrs Victoria Clancy and Miss Pip Dracakis for supporting our girls.
Congratulations to the following talented performers who participated in the Eisteddfod: Abby Su (Year 2), Ella Jang (Year 2), Victoria Gao (Year 3), Avril Huang (Year 3), Alex Xiao (Year 3), Lareina Liu (Year 3), Annabel Zhang (Year 3), Aurora Lin (Year 4) and Sophia Wang (Year 4).
Outstanding Solo performances were given in the recent Ryde Eisteddfod by the following students.
Poetry Performance events
Isabel Khattar (Year 4) 1st Place
Emerald Liu (Year 3) 2nd Place
Aimee Qiu (Year 3) 3rd Place
Sarayah Wijesuriya (Year 2) 3rd Place
Candice Li (Year 4) Highly Commended
Isabel Liu (Year 4) Highly Commended
Miranda Liu (Year 3) Highly Commended
Rose Wang (Year 3) Highly Commended
Cecilia Cao (Year 3) Highly Commended
Isabella Chang (Year 2) Highly Commended
Year 1 and Year 2 Windows into Learning – New Date
The date for Windows into Learning for Year 1 and Year 2 has changed. Year 1 Windows into Learning will now be held on Thursday 7 September at 8.30am and Year 2 Windows into Learning will be held on Thursday 7 September at 10.45am. Thank you for your understanding and flexibility. This change is due to the large number of students who are participating in the ballet performance.
Academic Learning Discussions – Monday 18 September
Parents will soon receive a portal notice to book an Academic Learning Discussion via Edval. These discussions will take place online with your daughter’s Compass Teacher.
Please note that all Co-Curricular activities will run as normal on this day.
Cardboard food packaging needed
In the coming weeks, we have several activities that require recycled cardboard. The Junior School is hosting a Northside Gifted and Talented Workshop that requires cardboard food packaging (no egg cartons) as part of a STEM activity. The largest size needed would be equivalent to a cereal box and the smallest equivalent to a box containing tea bags. Cylinders such as kitchen paper towel rolls (no toilet rolls) are also required. If you are able to donate these items, please ask your daughter to drop it to either the K-2 administration office or Years 3-6 administration office. Thank you for your support.
Diversity as a path to unity – Nerissa Davey – Deputy Head of Junior School – Operations
Last week a group of Year 5 students travelled 1600km with Mrs Cindy Anderson and Miss Sarah McGeoch to Dubbo and Goodooga to connect with schools and participate in the Goodooga Indigenous Games. We know they have come back to our Junior School with a richer understanding of our nation’s history and the proud sense of community that is so evident in our rural schools. They have shared their journey with us:
In Week 3, we embarked on an adventure to the Indigenous Games in Goodooga (meaning ‘yam’), a remote town on the border of Queensland with a population of just 200 people. In the heart of this community sits Goodooga Central School, a dynamic, warm, passionate learning hub which students, teachers, and community members all share. To begin our long journey, we explored The Three Sisters in Katoomba, discovered the delights of Mudgee before settling at Dubbo for the evening.
En route to Goodooga, we explored friendly country towns like Gilgandra and Gulargambone and were impressed by the beautiful murals on the buildings and silos. We were also fascinated by the Black Opal town of Lightning Ridge. Our girls were surprised to see a house made entirely from bottles and rocks and a home in the design of a medieval castle complete with thrones outside and stocks. Much to our surprise as we were leaving the friendly country town, a kind resident helped us to try our luck at mining for opals in the ground. Sadly, luck was not on our side but we did find some potch and we were pretty happy with that! Arriving in Goodooga, stepping onto Muruwari and Kamilaroi Country, we were mesmerised by the vastness of the landscape and the warmth of the community who welcomed us in. On our first evening the girls were fascinated by the local bore baths which are natural hot springs at around 42 degrees Celsius. Everyone embraced this spa-like experience, and we were all humbled by the breathtaking sunset and then the clear night sky.
Back at the school that evening, we danced ourselves into a frenzy at the high energy disco and then we settled in for the night sleeping together on the classroom floor! Sunrise the next day was glorious and then the Games commenced with a smoking ceremony and a traditional welcome dance by the school children in the school’s cultural garden. Our girls enjoyed meeting new children throughout the Games and they were phenomenal in their openness to embrace each activity and their courage in connecting with others and making friends.
Throughout the day the teams participated in a range of traditional games designed to teach children how to be independent on country, source food through hunting and gathering and connect as a community. We were so honoured to have been invited to join in the games and our teachers were thrilled to each bring home a trophy for showing spirit and encouragement to all participating teams.
The girls have learnt so much from this adventure and have made memories that will last a lifetime. Amongst the many highlights of the trip, the teachers were very proud to witness how our Year 5 girls came together and formed a tight friendship through shared experiences and memories. The girls do not come from the same friendship group yet are going home as close friends. This is the power of sharing stories and sharing experiences.
Student Health & Wellbeing Parent Survey – Kate Giles- Lead Coordinator K-3 and Jayne Mercer- Lead Coordinator 4-6
We are going to be holding ongoing parent sessions next term on a variety of different topics. These small group sessions will be an opportunity for you to hear the current research and evidence around student health and wellbeing and how to best support your daughter. This will also be an opportunity to connect with other parents within our school community.
To best tailor our sessions to be valuable to you, we would love to hear from you about your parenting questions, your concerns or your curiosities about your daughter’s health and wellbeing. Please respond to the survey using this link.
Kindness to our Environment- a note from our Sustainability Captains; Oriana Fenton and Richielynne Xiong
As a part of our focus on kindness to the environment and our determination to reduce, reuse and recycle, we are encouraging all girls from K-6 to create artworks (sculptures, pictures or other artworks) using recycled materials. Please bring artworks into the JS offices by the end of this term.
This week we met with Sally Eriksen, the Sustainability Education Officer from Ku-ring-gai Council. We talked about some new initiatives we could do at school and in our community to make our environment more environmentally friendly and be more sustainable. We are really excited to be sharing these initiatives with you over coming weeks.
Kindness thought for the week – a note from our Kindness Captains; Jessamy Facer and Amna Syed
“Never be so busy as not to think of others.” – Mother Teresa.
Our lives are so busy, yet we hope each of us can take the time to smile and compliment someone this week! The kindness boomerang will work its magic, and the world will be a better place. Imagine the difference we can make…together!
Over the next two weeks, our Term 3 Kindness Captains from Years 1 to 6 are working together to create marine creatures out of recycled materials to raise awareness of the dangers faced by these creatures with our rubbish ending up in their ocean.
A message from Kurt Schweinberger – Deputy Director of Co-curricular Performing Arts (K-6)
Calling all musicians, dancers and entertainers, the Junior School PJ factor is back, and we are looking forward to seeing students in Years 3 to 6 create exciting and entertaining performances that are focused on the theme of being CREATIVE!
“Creativity is defined as the ability to create something new through the use of your imagination, mind and experiences”
As part of the Junior School “Let’s Get Creative Festival” (Thursday 16 November), we will be selecting a group of students from each house to perform at the festival. Reflecting on the above image, we are encouraging students to think outside the box and create a performance that extends their individual talents, to create something new and imaginative.
Students may enter as a soloist or as part of a small group.
Heats will commence Wednesday 11 October (Term 4 Week 1). See below the day for each house.
Heat 1: Wednesday 11 October – Marden
Heat 2: Thursday 12 October – Lang
Heat 3: Friday 13 October – Ingleholme
Heat 4: Monday 16 October – Wylie
Heat 5: Tuesday 17 October – Hammond
Heat 6: Wednesday 18 October – Goodlet
Heat 7: Thursday 19 October – Bennet
Heat 8: Friday 20 October – Thomas
Following the heats, a group of students from each house, who demonstrate creativity and originality in their performance, will be selected to perform at the Let’s Get Creative Festival.
When preparing their performance, students need to consider the following points:
I have taken my talent and created something different and original
My performance does not exceed 2 min
My performance is appropriate for my age (parents need to work with their daughter to create a performance that is indicative of their respective age)
Student sign-up sheets will be communicated in the Week 7 Newsletter.
If you have any questions, please speak with Mr Schweinberger.
From the Junior School Parent Group (JSPG)
The JSPG is looking forward to running its Junior School stalls again for this year’s Garden Party on Saturday 16 September.
To help facilitate these stalls, we are looking for parents in our community to help volunteer on the day. Please come join the fun!
To help with the Farmyard Fun & Kids Corner, please click here.
To help with the Year 6 Lollipop Tree & Mini Golf, please click here.
Important Dates for Term 3
Friday 18 August
IPSHA Debating 1.00pm-2.30pm (home)
Friday 18 August
Year 5 OEP Group 1 return from Webb’s Creek
Friday 18 August
K-2 Play around the world
Friday 18 August
Robotic Vex IQ Year 5-6
Saturday 19 August
Year 3-5 Parent Daughter Disco
Monday 21 August
ICAS Assessment – Science – Year 5 – 7.00am-8.00am location: Year 5 classroom
Monday 21 August
Mothers and Grandmother’s (ex-students) morning tea
Monday 21 August
K-6 Ballet Rehearsal 12.00pm – 3.00pm
Monday 21 August
Book Week Book Character Parade
Tuesday 22 August
ICAS Assessment – Science – Year 3 – 7.00am-8.00am location: Year 5 classrooms
Tuesday 22 August
IPSHA Athletics Carnival
Wednesday 23 August
Year 5 OEP Group 2 Webbs Creek
Wednesday 23 August
ICAS Assessment – Science – Year 4 – 7.00am-8.00am location: Year 5 classrooms
Wednesday 23 August
Emmy and Friends Year 1
Thursday 24 August
Year 5 OEP Group 2 – Web’s Creek
Thursday 24 August
ICAS Assessment – Science – Year 6 7.00am-8.00am location: Year 5 classrooms
Friday 25 August
Year 5 OEP Group 2 – return from Webbs Creek
Friday 25 August
Author Visit K-2 – Zanni Louise
Friday 25 August
K-2 Play Around the World
Monday 28 August
ICAS Assessment – Maths – Year 5 – 7.00am-8.00am location: Year 5 classrooms
Tuesday 29 August
ICAS Assessment – Maths – Year 3 – 7.00am-8.00am location: Year 5 classrooms
Tuesday 29 August
Year 1 OEP Vision Valley
Tuesday 29 August
IPSHA Debating Gala Day (away)
Wednesday 30 August
ICAS Assessment – Maths – Year 4 7.00am-8.00am location: Year 5 classrooms
Wednesday 30 August
CRU FIT at Roseville College 12.15pm-2.30pm
Wednesday 30 August
Year 1 History Incursion
Wednesday 30 August
Year 3 TechConnect (registered attendees) 6.00pm – 8.15pm
Thursday 31 August
ICAS Assessment – Maths – Year 6 – 7.00am-8.00am location: Year 5 classrooms
Thursday 31 August
K-6 Ballet Rehearsal 3.30pm – 4.30pm
Friday 1 September
Father’s Day lunch 12.15pm – 1.15pm
Friday 1 September
K-2 Play around the world
Friday 1 September
Ballet Performance for parents 6.00pm – 7.00pm
Kate Brown
Head of Junior School
From the Middle School
This week we have 25 Year 8 National Exchange Ambassadors representing Middle School at Pymble Ladies’ College across the country. Congratulations to
Varada Vinay, Katherine Boyce, Allegra Taubenschlag, Emily Bartrop, Victoria O’Sullivan, Hayley Browne, Jaya Chand, Sophie Rigg, Zoe Bloom, Olivia Norton, Irisara O’Brien, Catherine Li, Charlotte Henderson, Brielle McDonald, Emily Englund, Phoebe Pockley, Charlotte Thistlewood, Arin Yoon, Emily Chiang, Harriet Murphy, Charlotte Blaiklock, Megan Fulford, Georgina Curtis, Ellie Pointon and Leander Mclaughlin.
I am so proud of the way each of these students has stepped up and demonstrated true Pymble values throughout their time away from home. Their exemplary behaviour and willingness to get the most out of the experience has been acknowledged in Brisbane, Adelaide, Melbourne and Perth. Their warmth and enthusiasm has been most appreciated. It is now our turn to reciprocate the exchange and we look forward to welcoming our visitors onto campus this Thursday. Thank you to the Pymble families and our Boarding House for inviting our Exchange sisters into your homes.
Hopefully nest year we will be able to grow the Middle School Exchange experience and introduce some extra opportunities. I would like to acknowledge the staff who so generously accompanied the girls: Mrs Ventura, Ms Stapp, Ms Attley, Ms Dyet and Ms Gardener.
On Tuesday our Year 8 students heard from Somerset regarding their Outdoor Education Program scheduled for Week 9 of this term. Hopefully the information shared, and questions answered provided clear details about the schedule. Can I please remind Year 8 parents to complete the camp forms which have been shared with you on the Parent Portal. We need to finalise all details asap for this compulsory part of the Year 8 curriculum.
A reminder that we are still receiving donations of sanitary products for our Happy Box initiative and welcome your contributions. We hope to be packing the gifts for delivery over the next two weeks during lunch on Wednesdays and Fridays. All students are welcome to get involved in this worthy Service initiative.
Gloucester Gathering
From the Year 7 and 8 PPA Co-ordinators
Year 7 Parents’ Dinner – Thursday 31 August at 7.00pm
Year 7 parents and carers are warmly invited to a dinner in the restaurant of the Greengate Hotel on Thursday 31 August at 7.00pm. This will be a fabulous opportunity to get together with parents from our Year 7 cohort.
Venue: The Greengate Hotel, Corner of the Pacific Highway and Greengate Road, Killara, 2071 (Enter the car park via the Pacific Highway)
Date: Thursday 31 August 2023
Time: 7.00 pm
Dinner & Drinks: To be ordered and paid for at the dining room bar
RSVP: by Tuesday 29 August (via a “WhatsApp Poll”)
Middle School Sweet Sensations Stall
Years 7 and 8 will be running the ‘Sweet Sensations Stall’ at this year’s Garden Party.
Thank you to all Year 7 and 8 families who have so generously donated funds to the Sweet Sensations Stall. Your support has been phenomenal!
We are still seeking assistance by way of a small donation so we can purchase the lollies and are currently just shy of our target. Contributions are voluntary. If you can support the stall, please click here. We very much appreciate any support you can provide.
A huge thank you to all the parents who have signed up to help at the stall on the day of the Garden Party. The volunteer roster at this early stage is already FULL. This is absolutely unbelievable and on behalf of the stall organisers, thank you for your support.
We look forward to enjoying this wonderful family event.
From Shiva, Carol, Tash, Kai and May
Key Dates in Term 3
Friday 25 August – Year 7 IGSA
Friday 1 September – Fathers Day BBQ
11 to 15 September – Year 8 Outdoor Education
Saturday 16 September – Garden Party
Jenny O’Donnell
Head of Middle School
From the Upper School
A message from Mr. Riley, Head of Upper School
Our Year 9s have been busy this week as part of PymbleGives Back. Beginning the week with a talk from Dignity, the girls learnt about homelessness and what they can do to support families in their times of need. This includes cooking ready prepared meals at home with their families, donating key staples such as healthy cereals (which are in short supply at present), and/or volunteering their time to help package and deliver meals to collection centres. The girls themselves later cooked and packed care packages for Dignity, amongst several other service activities, on Wednesday. Their reflections will form our newsletter item next week.
A third of our Year 9 cohort had their service day on Tuesday, heading out to Vision Valley where they fished for invasive carp in the lake, painted new signage for the site, and help with tree identification. Whilst there these students, who were unable to join the Residential Program, also got to taste some of the amazing activities on the site including the high ropes course!
In Canoe Carp, the girls undertook sustainable fishing practices to remove invasive species from the lake to minimise human impact on nearby creeks and waterways. Students used tinned corn and stealth to lure the fish into nets. The carp quickly caught on to the capture plan and evaded capture, despite some close attempts
During the Service Signs session, the girls designed and created signage for Vision Valley key features and identification cards for plant species found around the site. The signage will be mounted around Vision Valley and maintained by future program students
Elsewhere, our Year 9s and 10s both heard from construction company Multiplex on opportunities to be involved in their ‘Jump Start’ program later this year.
Congratulations to Ann Kyle with her 3rd place at her Ice-Skating competition in Melbourne last week. Also, to Emily Kim who will be attending the prestigious John Locke Institute Global Essay Prize Awards Ceremony at Oxford University in September! We look forward to hearing her write up closer to the time.
And finally, please find below Jaidey Samuelsson’s reflection from her time at the Goodooga Games earlier this term. Jaidey kindly hosted our girls at her Grandma’s house, with their Knox counterparts having to sleep on the floor of the local school instead! Year 9 enjoyed hearing about this at assembly this week:
Travelling to Goodooga with school for the Indigenous Games was an amazing experience. I love Goodooga and the Aboriginal culture that flourished within the community. My dad’s side of the family come from there. I got to see my nan Shelia who works at the school and hosted us Pymble girls in her home.
Lots of my family who live in Lightning Ridge also visited. The Indigenous Games were fun! There were students from 34 different schools both near (relative to rural distances) and far! We had a chance to soak in the bore baths.
It was refreshing to be able to share my culture and my family with Pymble girls and give them an opportunity to engage with my culture on a deeper level giving them a wonderful experience. One to remember!
From the Upper School Parent Group
Heavenly Pancakes Stall – Garden Party 2023
We are putting the call out to parents and carers who would like to assist with the Heavenly Pancakes Stall at Garden Party 2023. Please click here to register to work at the stall on the day (one-hour slots between 9.00am and 4.00pm), or if you are able, please click here to make a donation that will go towards the stall.
Save the Date: Mother and Daughter Day at Vision Valley
PymbleLC Parents Class of 2025 (Facebook for year 10)
PymbleLC Parents Class of 2026 (Facebook for year 9)
PymbleLC USPG 2023 (Facebook for all Upper School parents)
Or please contact us for an invite to a WeChat group or Dads WhatsApp group.
Key Term 3 Dates
Friday 11 August – YSafe talk to Year 10
13 to 19 August – Year 8 National Exchange
Wednesday 16 August – Music Scholars Concert in Chapel
Friday 25 August – Year 7 to 12 igsa Athletics Carnival
Friday 1 September – K-12 Father’s Day Lunch
Wednesday 6 September – Year 9 Subject Selection for 2024
11 to 15 September – Year 8 Outdoor Education
Saturday 16 September – Garden Party
Wednesday 20 September – Year 10 RYDA Excursion
Thursday 21 September – Year 10 Drama Showcase
Friday 22 September – Last day of Term 3
Tom Riley
Head of Upper School
From the Senior School
We have welcomed Year 12 back from their HSC Trial examinations, as they resume their normal schedule of classes. Currently the teachers are busily marking papers and providing useful feedback on areas for improvement. Over the next few weeks the students will be receiving these suggestions and it is vital that the students read this carefully and seek extra clarification of any concepts or skills as required. Keeping these results in perspective can be challenging but is necessary in order to implement strategies for improvement. It can also be valuable for students to reflect on the strategies employed as they prepared for their Trials and make any necessary adjustments to their routines leading into the HSC exams.
Over the next few weeks the girls will be hearing more detailed suggestions from Mrs Stanfield, their Compass teachers and subject teachers. As always, if there are any concerns please don’t hesitate to contact the relevant staff member to discuss.
Over the course of the examinations, the girls were very well supported by members of the Curriculum and Senior School teams. I would especially like to acknowledge the tremendous work of Mrs Anthea Wawryka who led this process and supported the girls throughout.
Congratulations to the Captains of Science and History who have been celebrating their respective disciplines this week with fun and engaging activities to teach others about the joy inherent in each of these subjects.
What fun and excitement on Wednesday this week as we all dressed up in the green and gold to show support for our wonderful Matildas. As I write this, the game has yet to be played, but regardless of the outcome, this mighty team of women has given all of us much to look up to and learn from.
Sharing Stories
This week in Senior School assembly we acknowledged and celebrated our rich and diverse cultural backgrounds by sharing our stories with friends and teachers. There was a wonderful buss of chatter and excitement as the girls told their family stories and listened to others, developing deeper bonds and learning new things about each other. The students also began working on a world map, which charts our connections across the globe. It is truly amazing to see every continent (except Antartica!) represented and linked back to Pymble!
Pymble Model United Nations
Written by Mulan (Year 11)
Recently, Pymble Model United Nations (PMUN) proudly hosted an inter-school MUN conference, bringing 100 high-school students from over 20 schools together for a two-day conference.
Model UN is an educational simulation of the United Nations, involving students stepping into the shoes of a pre-assigned UN member state, and participating as delegates in a UN-committee-style debate about current global issues. It is an exercise in using negotiation and multilateral diplomacy to come to the best possible solution.
“Model UN fosters skills in negotiation and speech, diplomacy and assertion, in a context of domestic and international issues which encourage greater interest in global governance. PMUN provided an opportunity for students to engage in debates regarding international relations and create new connections and friendships. The conference gave a safe environment for students to practice and learn from one another, gaining valuable experience and interest in Model UN.” – Maya Garg, member of the PRC and participant in the conference.
Putting the conference together and ensuring it catered to students of all experience levels was the product of many months of planning, organisation and hard work by the wonderful PRC (PMUN Representative Committee), Mrs Hubbard (our amazing Head of Language Arts), as well as the dazzling example provided by Izzy Cameron (Y12) who brought Pymble’s first inter-school conference into fruition last year. This year, the PRC team achieved a lot, bringing a guest speaker and UN Youth workshop to Pymble – as well as writing all the resolutions for the 3 committees.
The subjects of the resolutions debated at the conference included the Haiti economic crisis, abortion rights, the Mediterranean refugee crisis, space threats and food insecurity, all highly relevant topics in today’s world.
The atmosphere created from the gathering of these passionate, driven and creative students was inspiring and infectious, and I hope that this tradition of Pymble hosting winter MUN conferences will be one that is continued well into the future.
At Pymble, the Model UN club (PMUN) is a unique and rewarding opportunity for students of all year groups who are interested in international relations, politics or global issues to engage in discussion, hone their confidence in public speaking, and challenge their thinking and perspectives on the world. The club meets every Monday lunchtime in DK05-6, and everyone is welcome.
A message from the Year 11 Parent Group Leaders
We are looking forward to our Mothers’ Dinner on Friday September 1 at 7.00pm at the Governors Hotel, 9 Waterloo Road, Macquarie Park.
There will be some sharing plates on arrival and a cash bar for drinks and main meals. To RSVP, please contact me or Susan at:
Hope to see you all and have a great catch up on how we are all going in Year 11!
From Pilar and Susan
Term 3 Key Dates
28 August to 8 September – Year 11 Examinations
Monday 18 September – Year 12 Picnic Day
Wednesday 20 September – Year 12 Honouring Ceremony
Thursday 21 September – Year 12 Speech Day, Year 12 Final Chapel Service and Year 12 Valedictory Dinner
Nikki Wyse
Head of Senior School
From the Boarding School
One of the nicest things about our Pymble family are the relationships that extend beyond the physical confines of our beautiful school. Our relationship with Pymble and Gordon Uniting Church is up there as one of our most treasured. Their regular visits and good wishes are welcome reminders of the ties that come with membership to our extended family of the United Church.
Last Sunday was just one example of this friendship. We enjoyed a beautiful service including thoughtful presentations by our Spirit House Captains, Boa Kim and a beautiful piece on the cello by Year 8 Boarder, Isabelle Burke. This was followed by a delicious brunch where conversation flowed and new connections were formed.
In the months to come, we will endeavour to strengthen our relationship with this special community. Pre covid, it was a requirement for Boarders to attend a service at Pymble Uniting Church once a term. I look forward to working with our Boarders and the wonderful Reverend Karen Mitchell-Lambert to reinstating this fine tradition.
Morning Routines
We continue to work hard with our Boarders to ensure they are presenting as their best selves and ready for a day of learning. As you will know, during the week, Boarders who are not already at sport commitments are first woken at 7.00am with the expectation that they are up and getting ready for the day by 7.15am.
Breakfast is an important way for the girls to begin their day and it is a requirement for all Year 7 to 11 Boarders to attend the Boarders’ Dining Room between 6.30am and 7.50am each weekday. There are breakfast packs are available for Boarders who have training during this time. Once the Boarder has been to breakfast, tidied their room and are ready for their school day, technology is returned before the girls head off to school.
For further information, please access the following link to read the 2023 Boarding Handbook.
Garden Party
Plans are well underway for a bumper Boarders’ stall! We remain keen for donations for our renowned produce stall and it would be great if you could email Garden Party convenor, Kylie Levy, k_levy@bigpond.com and let her know what you would like to contribute. We are also in need of people with a Responsible Service of Alcohol (RSA) qualification to work on the Hillbilly Cider stall. If this is you, Kylie would love to hear from you.
Love It – Mrs Katie White
Last weekend we quite the social one for our Boarders. Saturday night, was all about sport, as the Boarders headed to Allianz Stadium with Beth to watch the Roosters vs Dolphins. It was a great night out and provided an opportunity for the Boarders to utilise the amazing public transport system in Sydney.
On Sunday afternoon, the Year 7and 8s headed to Riverview for an afternoon of games and activities and didn’t want to leave! The girls are looking forward to more events with Riverview in the coming months. Meanwhile, on campus the Year 9, 10 and 11s welcomed the Boarders from St Gregory’s College for an afternoon of basketball, touch footy and trivia. This was once again a delightful afternoon and we look forward to making this an annual event.
This weekend, we have tickets to the AFL on Saturday evening and a trip to the Rocks planned for Sunday. We also know there will be a Matilda’s match at some point over the weekend to celebrate as well!
View From My Window
Hi, my name is Elena, and I’ve been a part of Pymble since 2019, starting Boarding in Year 7. I am originally from Mudgee, which is a four-hour drive northwest of Sydney. Transitioning from a small primary school with a limited number of students to Pymble was a significant change for me, but I settled in smoothly and had a great start. I was born and raised in Mudgee, and it has been my hometown ever since.
Having the opportunity to be a Boarder at Pymble has been truly amazing. With the friendships and connections, Boarding has provided me with countless pathways for personal growth and exploration. Having the Boarding community at Pymble has created a supportive and inclusive environment. The shared experiences, traditions, and laughter have fostered a sense of belonging that has made boarding feel like home away from home.
While I do miss certain aspects of my life in Mudgee, such as my mum’s cooking and my dad’s barbecues, being at Pymble has allowed me to embrace new routines and find joy in the little things. One of the things I particularly enjoy is taking long sunrise walks, appreciating the beauty of nature and the peacefulness of the early mornings.
In summary, Boarding at Pymble has provided me with a wealth of new experiences and pathways for personal growth. It has allowed me to form deep connections, develop valuable skills, and create lasting memories. I am grateful for the opportunities that boarding has presented and look forward to continuing this transformative journey.
Boarder of the Week
Alice Gall joined us from Moree in Term 1 this year. Since her arrival, she has made Boarding at Pymble so much richer just by being her. Like so many Boarders before her, Alice felt the distance between Pymble and home when she first arrived, but she has demonstrated resilience and strength of character every day as she heads out the door.
Alice is a model Boarder, consistently demonstrating a strong sense of integrity and responsibility. She is kind, considerate and goes out of her way to look out for those around her. Her room is always beautifully kept and her uniform is immaculate. She is punctual and uses her study time to her advantage. Alice has stepped up to any challenge presented with determination and a calm and measured attitude.
We can’t wait to see what she does in years to come!
Save the Date
8 September – Pymble in Orange
15 September – Boarder Parent Group meeting and Community Event – all Boarders required to be in attendance
16 September – Garden Party
20 September – Year 12 Boarder and parent celebration
21 September – Year 11 and 12 Speech Day and Valedictory Dinner
Carolyn Burgess
Head of Boarding
From the Chaplains
In the midst of days crammed with making the kids’ school lunches, doing the washing (help! my dryer is broken!), being an unpaid Uber driver and endlessly cleaning up the kitchen, I have been absolutely relishing the blessing it is to stop, pause, pray and breathe in our chapel each week.
What a privilege – to have built-in to my job the almost daily opportunity to be in such a beautiful space, to meditate and reflect on the Word of God and on the rich blessing it is to work with and walk alongside young people.
Last Sunday morning Reverend Bent and myself, Head of Boarding Carolyn Burgess, the Boarders and Boarding staff met together in the chapel for a service with the Pymble-Gordon Uniting Church congregation and Reverend Karen Mitchell-Lambert. Extra-special guests were the family of an ex-student, Victoria Judge, whose baby boy Teddy was baptised.
I thought I would share with you today an excerpt of the prayer of praise and confession from that service. The prayer is a meditation on the beautiful three-light window at the front of the chapel, which was designed by David Saunders and dedicated in 1980 to commemorate Jeanette Buckham’s (former Principal of Pymble) twenty-five years of service to education.
The window is titled ‘The Getting of Wisdom’. I have included some panels from the window here.
Loving God, we humbly come before you in prayer.
We know that while we are imperfect, You are perfect.
We know that while our lives are short, you are eternal, and eternally good.
We praise and thank you that even though you are a holy God,
you are also merciful and kind; slow to anger and quick to love.
Loving God, You carefully knitted us together in our mothers’ wombs.
You know and have counted every hair on our heads.
We thank you that while You did not need us, because You are whole, complete and perfect, You created us out of love, to be in a relationship with You.
But we know that the green serpent of sin separates us from You, and from each other, if we let it.
You never leave us and You hold us close.
We confess that we do not always live in the way that Jesus taught us to.
Help us to hold each other, and You, close.
Loving God, we confess that all too often in many subtle ways we exclude those who aren’t like us, those we aren’t comfortable around we disapprove of,
those we think responsible for their own misfortune we condemn –
those whose sins are different from our own.
Forgive us.
Loving God, give us the wisdom this day and every day to acknowledge that
You are the holy, living God,
who reigns over all the heavens and the earth,
forever and ever,
Amen.
Pymble Prayer Meeting
All Pymble parents and carers are warmly invited to a prayer meeting with the College Chaplains:
International Peace Day – Interfaith Prayer Service at Knox Grammar School
Edwina O’Brien
Assistant Chaplain
From the Community Engagement Team
Upcoming Events
The College community events calendar can be found in the Calendar tab on MyPymble. Parents and carers are encouraged to check the app regularly, as the calendar is the best way to keep up to date on all the scheduled events and opportunities to connect with the College community. Tonight, we are looking forward to welcoming prospective Secondary School families onto campus for the Enrolments Open Evening.
Foundation Ball
We are delighted to invite parents and carers to the inaugural Pymble Foundation Gala Ball at the Art Gallery of NSW. The evening will be an unforgettable night of celebration in support of the Pymble Foundation, featuring fine dining, beautiful wines and exciting raffles and auctions.
The PymbleFoundation will focus on investment in the people, places and programs that will assist our students in their journey to become compassionate and influential young women who have the hearts, minds and skillset to make the world a better place. This includes new facilities and learning spaces on our two campuses, as well as bursaries (means-tested scholarships), which will enable our generous Pymble community to continue to give back to students who deserve, but may not be able to access, a world-class, life-changing education.
Due to the venue size tickets to this event are limited and will sell out quickly. Tickets are available now and can be purchased here.
We look forward to celebrating all things Pymble with you on the night.
Garden Party
On Saturday 16 September Pymble will once again welcome the spring season with our annual Garden Party. Always a favourite on the event schedule each year, Garden Party features an array of activities to captivate kids of all ages, with rides and amusements, market stalls, sideshows, animals, delicious meals and sweet treats, and sports and co-curricular activities. For updates on all things Garden Party be sure to visit our landing page frequently.
One of our most popular stalls each year is the Casualty Clearing stall. To run this stall we require the assistance of medical or physiotherapy students or professionals who can generously offer an hour or so of their time to plaster an arm or finger. If you can assist, please email Kathryn Clark at kathryn@clarkfamily.net.au.
The Unlimited Rides Wristbands are on sale now at an early bird price of $35.00 until Thursday 14 September. The wristband gives children the chance to enjoy exciting new rides as well as old favourites from 10.00am to 3.00pm. To purchase, please click here.
Father’s Day Charity Sausage Sizzle
We are excited to invite all fathers and father figures onto Main Oval on Friday 1 September from 12.15pm to celebrate Father’s Day. It is always a joy to be able to host whole school events and to celebrate the fathers in our College community. All proceeds from the event will be donated to the Prostate Cancer Foundation of Australia.
Date: Friday 1 September
Time: From 12.15pm
Venue: Main Oval
Tickets: please register here by Friday 25 August. (Please note due to catering requirements, no late orders will be processed).
Cost: Adults $10.00, students $5.50 (the student charge will be added to your school account if your daughter is present on the day)
Due to the large number of parents in attendance and pedestrians around Main Oval the College Gates will close at 11.00am. Please consider catching public transport as there will be no parking available on site. Grey House Walk will be open.
Multiplex – a leading global construction company are offering an exciting work experience opportunity called the Jumpstart Program. The program is open to all current Year 9-11 students and will commence with a taster session in October this year, and then commence in 2024, running for 6 months.
The Jumpstart Program is a unique mentoring initiative, which is designed to attract females to the industry. Students will be given a holistic view of the construction industry and the diverse range of career paths it has to offer. Working in construction is not just hard hats and steel toe cap boots. Careers covered will include architecture, project management, procurement and quantity surveying.
The program will include interactive discipline based workshops, panel discussions with industry leaders, site visits and mentoring sessions. The time commitment is 2-3 hours of Workshops and 1-3 hours of panel discussion (out of school hours) in Semester 1 2024.
Students will be given the opportunity to join the Multiplex delivery team on the iconic NEXTDC S3 Data Centre in Artarmon.
Why sign up?
Personal development
Broaden knowledge of the built environment
Network with industry professionals
One-on-one mentoring
Membership of the Jumpstart program alumni
Direct pathway to Multiplex Work Experience Program and Graduate Assessment Centre.
Click here to view/download the permission slip for the Multiplex Jumpstart Program.
All students in Year 9 to 11 will receive an email from Mr Hume with further information and an Expression of Interest Form. Interested applicants are to submit this by Friday 25 August to lhume@pymblelc.nsw.edu.au.
From the Pymble Institute
On the afternoon of Tuesday 22 August, the Pymble Institute is hosting a friendly get together for those interested in educational research. Parents are very welcome to attend. Four Pymble staff will present their research which ranges from action research and Honours studies to Masters and PhD research. The afternoon promises to be inspiring and thought provoking.
The Pymble Institute encourages both students and staff in using and contributing to research. For our educators, we provide opportunities which nurture critical thinking and motivate others to make research part of practice. This enables Pymble staff to bring research, teaching, learning and leading together into everyday practice. Educators are influential and transformational in the lives of their students and the Pymble Institute celebrates their capacity to change the world through their practice.
For more information, contact Dr Sarah Loch, Director of the Pymble Institute at sloch@pymblelc.nsw.edu.au
Dr Sarah Loch
Director – Pymble Institute
From the Co-curricular Sports Team
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From the Co-curricular Performing Arts Team
As we pass the halfway point of the term, I wanted to thank our extraordinary Performing Arts teachers, practitioners and administrators for their ongoing expertise and dedication.
The work of our Performing Arts staff in both cocurricular and curricular contexts consistently extends well beyond the formal school day in early mornings, afternoons and evenings and also on weekends when much of the campus is quiet. It can sometimes be a lonely existence and the midway point in the term can often be the most demanding and challenging time for staff with current preparation and final realisation of performance and competition events still ahead.
I am sure I speak on behalf of Pymble students involved in the Performing Arts in acknowledging the staff for their ongoing dedication. Also, a hat doffed in respect to the staff in the Gillian Moore Centre for Performing Arts who continue to empathetically and expertly support and guide the myriad of Performing Arts events that stretch across Terms 3 and 4 in curricular and co-curricular showcases.
To all staff in the Performing Arts, thank you. You remain the resonantly and resiliently beating cultural heart of Pymble.
Michael Griffiths
Director of Co-curricular Performing Arts
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Co-curricular Administration
Term 4 Saturday Sport Registrations are now closed
Registrations for Term 4 Saturday Sports closed on Friday 4 August at 12.00pm. To request registration into an available Saturday Sport for Term 3, you will need to complete a registration request by clicking here. Requests will be sent to the Co-ordinator for approval, and you will receive an email of the outcome.
Co-curricular Registration Requests
The cut-off date for Co-curricular Registration Requests was Monday 8.00am of Week 3, Term 3 (Monday 31 July). This is a reminder that all registration requests received are subject to the updated 2023 conditions of Co-curricular registration which can be found by clicking here.
Monique Zahra
Head of Co-curricular Administration
Artistic Gymnastics
NL3-4 Regional Qualifier 1 – Manly Warringah Gymnastics Club
Another great weekend of gymnastics for our level 3 and 4 gymnasts. We went to Manly to attend the first of two trials for State Championships. The top 50 gymnasts from the Northern Region will go onto be selected into the Level 3 and 4 State Championships in October. The next trial will take place on Saturday 2 September and Sunday 3 September.
Alison Gestier
Head Coach – Artistic Gymnastics
Athletics
Our Pymble Track and Field Athletes took part in the final igsa Twilight Meet last Friday 11 August at ES Marks with some more outstanding results. Thank you to all the staff and parents/carers who came out to support our athletes. Special mention to Jack Pennington for volunteering his time across multiple Twilight meets to fill staff duties and cheer on our girls.
The Annual igsa Athletics Championships will take place next Thursday 24 August and Friday 25 August at Sydney Olympic Park Athletics centre (SOPAC).
The Pymble Team to compete at this event will be announced this week, followed by a Team lunch at the College next Tuesday 22 August, which will be an opportunity to congratulate our athletes and to wish them the very best of luck.
Thank you to all the girls who have been attending the training sessions consistently each week and the Twilight meets in the lead up to this event.
Laura Verlinden
Sports Co-ordinator – Athletics
Hockey
Our Senior Firsts re-lived the 2022 igsa Hockey Grand Final in Round 4 last week facing PLC Sydney. Congratulations to our girls for coming away with a 2-1 win. This certainly was a positive result heading into round 5 this weekend.
A big thank you to our Junior First Hockey players who were willing to double up last Saturday and play back-to-back games down at Frensham, Phoebe Pockley (Year 8), Abani Dhaliwal (Year 8), Eloise Fisher (Year 8) and Annabelle Nosworthy (Year 8).
This weekend we will see our Senior First play at Home against Abbotsleigh, our Junior First will play Ascham at Pennant Hills Park, and our Year 7 players will go up against Danebank.
All the best to our players and Coaches.
Laura Verlinden
Sports Co-ordinator – Hockey
Junior School Sport
IPSHA Team of the Week
Congratulations to the IPSHA AFL Pymble 2 (Year 5), this week’s IPSHA Team of the Week. Brimming with enthusiasm, the Pymble girls took to the field, led by Jasleen Sidhu’s (Year 5) dominant ruck performance and Amelie Rahme’s (Year 5) inaugural season goal. Marla Kazaglis’s (Year 5) and Sofia Novak’s (Year 5) robust tackles proved pivotal defensively, while the team’s collective effort and sportsmanship shone brightly throughout the match. Although the girls went down by a narrow margin, they should be extremely proud of their efforts. Best game yet, girls, Well done!
AFL School Sports Australia Championships
A big congratulations goes out to Eloise Lawry (Year 6) for her outstanding representation of NSWPSSA AFL team at the School Sports Australia Championships held last week in Albury. The team’s impressive gold medal victory is a testament to her amazing effort and contribution. Well done!
Matt Tyson
Head of Sport – Kindergarten to Year 6
Netball
We kicked off round 4 of IGSA Netball this Saturday 12 August, with lots of great Netball on display. Congratulations to Team of the Week Pymble 11. I had the pleasure of umpiring this team on the weekend. All players showed enthusiasm, sportsmanship, and a have a go attitude. It was fantastic to see a team have so much fun playing sport together.
This team has been awarded the Brave Team award for the week!
Hannah Ord (Year 11), India Tighe (Year 11), Lucinda Woodfield (Year 11), Mila Seidler (Year 11), Lydia Heazlewood-Lee (Year 11), Sofia Laftsidis (Year 11), Sameera Dutta (Year 11), Tess Standfield (Year 11), Charlotte Wykes (Year 11),
As we head into Round 5 of Netball, I would like to remind all students to turn up to both training sessions and games on time please. Especially if your games are offsite at another venue, make sure you allow time for traffic and parking. This will ensure that all players have a proper warmup, and the coaches can have their teams ready to go for the start of the game.
Kate Irvine
Sports Co-ordinator – Netball
Rowing
Winter Rowing Update
The Pymble Winter Rowers are working hard and enjoying rowing different boat classes to develop their skills ahead of the Summer Rowing season. With two full weeks left of Winter Rowing we are looking forward to an awesome Summer Rowing season ahead.
This coming Sunday 20 August, 20 is ‘Bring a friend to Rowing’ day. This is a great opportunity for girls who don’t know much about rowing to come and have a try in a fun session with their friends and see if it is a sport they might like to try. The girls will go out in boats with their Rowing friend and learn basic skills in moving a boat.
If you think you might like to come and try rowing, please get in touch with Ali Williams at aliwilliams@pymblelc.nsw.edu.au. We would love to welcome you down to have a go.
Summer Rowing
If you are interested in joining the team for the upcoming Summer Season, please email Mr Lewis Gray at lewis.gray@pymblelc.nsw.edu.au.
Lewis Gray
Sports Co-ordinator – Rowing
Rugby Sevens
The weekend marked the halfway point of the season. Some very positive results, a notable mention to Pymble 5 who due to injury were down on troops and managed to not only with both matches but keep the opposition scoreless. Well done to Tully Black (Year 10), Tully O’Regan (Year 10), Wyntah Woodroffe-Mulholland (Year 9), Lola Barwick (Year 10), Jemma Hodder (Year 10), Mia Lorimer (Year 9), Scarlett Marles (Year 10). Pymble 5 were not the only team who had to play more minutes with some teammates being away, I congratulate all these girls on their performances, and we know it is tough out there, your resilience and willingness to work hard under fatigue has not gone unnoticed!
Team
Opponent
Score
Pymble 1
Pymble Ladies’ College Pymble 2
35 – 7
Pymble 1
Loreto Normanhurst LON01
7 – 0
Pymble 2
Pymble Ladies’ College Pymble 1
7 – 35
Pymble 2
Brigidine College BRI01 Rugby 7s
12 – 25
Pymble 3
Ravenswood School For Girls Ravenswood 2
55 – 0
Pymble 3
Loreto Normanhurst LON02
35 – 10
Pymble 4
Brigidine College BRI03 Rugby 7s
20 – 10
Pymble 4
Pymble Ladies’ College Pymble 6
36 – 0
Pymble 5
Ravenswood School For Girls Ravenswood 3
19 – 0
Pymble 5
Loreto Normanhurst LON03
35 – 0
Pymble 6
Loreto Normanhurst LON03
21 – 35
Pymble 6
Pymble Ladies’ College Pymble 4
0 – 42
Pymble 7
Loreto Normanhurst LON04
28 – 5
Pymble 7
Brigidine College BRI04 Rugby 7s
21 – 14
Pymble 8
Ravenswood School For Girls Ravenswood 4
39 – 25
Pymble 8
Loreto Normanhurst LON05
19 – 15
Just a reminder that there will be no matches this weekend due to our BYE ROUND. This is very timely, and I look forward to seeing everyone back fresh and ready to go next Saturday!
Jack Garrad
Sports Co-ordinator – Rugby Sevens
Swimming
KPSC Invitational Sunday 13 August
The KPSC Invitational meet was held at Pymble Ladies’ College on Sunday 13 August. Over 300 swimmers attended from our local swimming areas, with KPSC swimmers making up a third of the entries. Pymble had 28 girls compete including two Alumni.
This was the last chance swim meet to qualify for State Championships and Open Nationals coming up in September. Plenty of personal bests and state times were achieved. The swimmers gave their best, continued to learn from their race experiences and plenty of fun was had by all.
A big shout out to all the parents/carers for all their hard work on making it a successful meet and to Duccio and his team for setting up and making the meet run smoothly. We are so fortunate to have such a great support team to run our meets and an amazing facility for our swim meets to be held in.
Well done to all Coaches, Leanne Speechley, Rafael Rodrigues, Sara Petronzio, Michelle Thomas for all your hard work, dedication, and motivation in preparing the swimmers to achieve their goals.
State Age and National Open Results:
Congratulations to all Pymble Ladies that qualified for State Age and National Open from the weekend results.
State Age Qualifiers:
Lily Barlow (Year 10) 100m Freestyle and 200m Individual Medley, Megan Chia (Year 7) 200m Butterfly, Annalise Chow (Year 9) 50m Freestyle, Jessica Cullen (Year 11) 100m Butterfly, Oriana Fenton (Year 6) 200m Freestyle, Georgia Friedel (Year 6) 100m Freestyle and 100m Backstroke, Imogen Jones (Year 7) 100m Freestyle and 200m Individual Medley, Ruby Pickthall (Year 9) 200m Freestyle and Sarah Tian (Year 9) 100m Breast
National Open Qualifiers:
Claudia Fydler (Alumni) 100m Backstroke, Jessica Munk (Year 12) 50m Backstroke and 200m Backstroke, Sarah Tian (Year 9) 200m Backstroke and Paris Zhang (Alumni) 200m Backstroke.
Congratulations to the following girls who competed on the weekend:
Lily Barlow (Year 10), Amelie Berg (Year 4), Megan Chia (Year 7), Annalise Chow (Year 9), Jessica Cullen (Year 10), Khanh Linh Dao (Year 6), Emma Deere (Year 4), Oriana Fenton (Year 6), Georgia Friedel (Year 6), Claudia Fydler (Alumni), Piper Gregory-Reid (Year 11), Polly Hargraves (Year 6), Imogen Jones (Year 7), Avika Kapoor (Year 6), Puisai Victoria Ko (Year 5), Jaya Lilienthal (Year 10), Anne Liu (Year 7), Lily Lockhart (Year 10), Yuxi Lun (Year 3), Jessica Munk (Year 12), Gwen Pickthall (Year 7), Ruby Pickthall (Year 9), Chloe Shires (Year 6), Kiera Smith (Year 9), Sarah Tian (Year 9), Rose Wang (Year 3), Jiayi Wu (Year 5), Paris Zhang (Alumni).
Michelle Thomas
Coach – Swimming
Water Polo
Pymble Opens team came away with a strong win on Friday 11 August in the MLC invitational Competition, winning to St Scholastica’s 12 to 2, Great work girls.
Pymble Year 7 had a tough game on Friday 11 August. Going down to Brigidine College – Maroon 11 to 5. The girls worked well as a team and came together with some great executions on goals.
Pymble Intermediate teams finished off their last round game of the season. Both teams will play off in the finals next Monday 21 August at Warringah Aquatic Centre. Good luck girls!
Brigette Moore
Head Coach – Water Polo
Language Arts
Archdale Debating
Archdale Virtual competition – The Junior team competed in a tiebreaker this week. Results will be released soon. The Intermediate team are through to the finals to be held at MLC on 5 September.
Archdale 7B and Year 9 are through to the Quarter finals next week. Venue/s will be confirmed as soon as these details are confirmed. Parents, please note that transport to finals is not provided.
Congratulations finalists! To our other Archdale teams, thanks for the season. We hope you enjoyed your debates, and we look forward to seeing you again at auditions in Term 4.
Archdale Representative Debating Team
We are pleased to announce Maya Garg (Year 10) has been selected for the Archdale Representative Debating team. From the 38 students who tried out last Sunday, a team of 12 has been selected from nine IGSA schools. Congratulations Maya and all the best for the season.
Sydney Social Debating (SSD)
SSD competition resumed last Friday at Pymble. It will run each week from 3.30pm to 6.30pm. Please meet in C10 again. We are pleased to offer this developmental level competition to our Year 7 to 12 students again this term. Thank you to our student coaches and adjudicators.
We are pleased to announce that we won two out of four debates last week.
Junior School Social Debating Competition
Please email Mrs Hubbard if your daughter is interested in Year 6 Social Debating Competition on a Friday from 3.30pm to 6.30pm. This competition is designed for beginner debaters. If enough interest is received, we will send registration information to parents and commence a four-week season on Friday 25 August.
International Debating Championship
Registrations will be sent to all who registered interest in IDC in the coming weeks. This competition commences in Term 4. There is still room for a few more Year 8 and 9 students. Please email Mrs Hubbard as soon as possible if you are interest in participating.
Legacy Public Speaking
Best wishes to Jenny Xu and Leahara Wijesuriya who will speak at the Legacy Regional final, The Arts’ Unit, Lewisham, from 9.30am on Tuesday 22 August.
Bronwyn Hubbard
Head of Language Arts
Speech and Drama
Ryde Eisteddfod Results
Character Solo Drama
India Wells Lister (Year 9) First Place
Grace McSweeney (Year 8) Second Place
Imogen Wu (Year 9) Highly Commended
Poetry Performance Events
Evelyn Zhu (Year 10) First Place
Imogen Wu (Year 9) First Place
Grace McSweeney (Year 8) First Place
Isabel Khattar (Year 4) First Place
India Wells Lister (Year 9) Second Place
Emerald Liu (Year 3) Second Place
Lydia Heazlewood-Lee (Year 11) Third Place
Aimee Qiu (Year 3) Third Place
Sarayah Wijesuriya (Year 2) Third Place
Isabel Aveling (Year 11) Highly Commended
Candice Li (Year 4) Highly Commended
Isabel Liu (Year 4) Highly Commended
Miranda Liu (Year 3) Highly Commended
Rose Wang (Year 3) Highly Commended
Cecilia Cao (Year 3) Highly Commended
Isabella Chang (Year 2) Highly Commended
Victoria Clancy
Speech and Drama Instructor
Pymble Foundation Gala Ball
We are delighted to invite parents and carers to the inaugural Pymble Foundation Gala Ball at the Art Gallery of NSW. The evening will be an unforgettable night of celebration in support of the Pymble Foundation, featuring fine dining, beautiful wines and exciting raffles and auctions.
The PymbleFoundation will focus on investment in the people, places and programs that will assist our students in their journey to become compassionate and influential young women who have the hearts, minds and skillset to make the world a better place. This includes new facilities and learning spaces on our two campuses, as well as bursaries (means-tested scholarships), which will enable our generous Pymble community to continue to give back to students who deserve, but may not be able to access, a world-class, life-changing education.
Please see invitation below or click here to purchase tickets.
Year 5 Dads and Daughters Camp at Vision Valley
Year 5 Dads and their daughters are invited to attend the PPA Camp at Vision Valley on Saturday 14 to Sunday 15 October 2023.
The camp promises to be a fun weekend of adventure activities, toasting damper over the campfire, meeting other dads and spending quality time with your daughter while you camp under the stars at the beautiful Vision Valley campus in Arcadia.
Places are limited to 60 Dad and Daughter pairs. All dads must provide a valid WWCC to Vision Valley prior to attending. Click here to book your spot!
HSC Visual Arts Showcase
Local community representative nomination for Pymble Ladies’ College Community Consultative Committee
Do you want to contribute to your community?
Community Consultative Committees work to improve engagement on State Significant Development.
Pymble Ladies’ College Grey House Precinct is a State Significant Development (SSD-17424905) and as a condition of consent, a Community Consultative Committee (CCC) is to be established before the commencement of construction. The CCC will continue throughout construction and operation of the proposed development or other timeframe agreed by the Planning Secretary. Further details of the project can be found on the Department of Planning and Environment’s (DPE) major projects website: www.planningportal.nsw.gov.au/major-projects/projects/pymble-ladies-college-grey-house-precinct
A Community Consultative Committee (CCC) is now to be established for Pymble Ladies’ College Grey House Precinct to provide a forum for open dialogue between Pymble Ladies’ College and representatives of the local community, stakeholder groups and local council on issues directly relating to the development of the Grey House Precinct. It is anticipated that the CCC will be convened from September 2023.
We are looking for a mix of volunteers who live or work locally, may be impacted by the project or are members of a local community or stakeholder group (for social or neighbourhood groups) to join Pymble Ladies’ College Community Consultative Committee*.
As a volunteer committee member, you will be expected to contribute constructively to committee discussions, attend an estimated four meetings a year, and communicate information about the project to the committee and the broader community.
If you would like to apply, please click here to view and complete the nomination form.
Completed nomination forms and a supporting letter addressing the criteria are to be sent to Professor Helen Lochhead, Independent Chairperson of the Community Consultative Committee at PLCccc2023@gmail.com
Applications close: 30 August 2023
Bookings now open for Vision Valley’s Spring Holiday Camp
The Vision Valley Spring Holiday Camp is open to Pymble students, their siblings and friends (boys and girls from other schools) who are in Years 3 to 6.
The camp offers full and partial residential programs only (no day camp options). Places are limited and will be allocated on receipt of payment.
Click here to book now and avoid disappointment – places will fill up quick!
King of the Polar Bears ballet production
Tickets for King Of The Polar Bears now on sale
Tickets are now on sale for the beautifully narrated ballet presented by Pymble Dance’s RAD Ballet Stream. Suitable for all ages.
The wise and mighty King of the Polar Bears loses his beautiful coat to human hunters of the artic. He is saved by the gulls who shower him with feathers from which he grows a new and magnificent plumed coat. But now because he is neither bird nor bear, his sovereignty is in danger because he looks different from his fellow bears. The King must overcome doubt and savage challenges to prove his worth and to show that after all, what really matters is what’s on the inside.
Performances: Friday 1 September at 6.00pm and Saturday 2 September at 11.00am.
Click Here to book your tickets. Book early to ensure you do not miss this premiere performance!
Seeking donations for Sony Camp
Sony Camp provides much-needed respite for the parents and siblings of children with disabilities. When they arrive to drop of their child, the parents of our campers are gifted with a pamper pack to allow them to enjoy a week of rest and relaxation. This includes generous donations from our community such as wine, movie vouchers, gourmet food, passes to amusement parks, chocolates and spa or dinner vouchers.
The support of our community in providing these gifts is invaluable. Donations to assist the running of the camp are also greatly appreciated. This includes donations from groceries (biscuits, snacks, water bottles and fruit) and arts and craft (scrapbooking albums and photo paper) to toys/children’s books and miscellaneous materials (in particular, mattress protectors).
If you would like to donate, please drop off all items to the Upper School Office or contact mlombard@pymblelc.nsw.edu.au.
Reminder – Term 3 Pymble Bus Service – Register now!
A reminder to parents to register your daughter for the Pymble private bus service for travel during Term 3 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 3, the bus service will operate from Tuesday 18 July to Friday 22 September 2023.
Please note changes have been made to Lower Northern Beaches (bus route 5). Check thebus stops and timesfor 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:
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.
A reminder for parents and students:
Student ID cards must be used to tap on and tap off each trip. If your daughter has lost her card, please contact College Services for a replacement form. The cost for a replacement card is $15, charged to your College account.
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.
Pymble buses can be tracked through the TransportMe Passenger app in real time using the free app, available on Android and Apple devices.
Please contact College Services via collegeservices@pymblelc.nsw.edu.au if you have any further questions about transport to and from Pymble Ladies’ College.
2023 HSC Dance Showcase
The annual HSC and Elective Dance Showcase is an exciting event where our elective dancers can share their classwork with family and friends.
This year we have record numbers of elective dancers with a total of 41 Elective Dancers and 10 Core Composition Performers who have all produced outstanding performances and choreographic works that we are excited to share with the College community.
Please join us on Saturday August 19 from 2.00pm to 4.00pm in the Gillian Moore Centre for Performing Arts (GMCPA) for an exciting afternoon of Dance. Admission is free!
Pymble in Orange
Pymble Sport’s now on Instagram!
Delve into sport at Pymble – Follow us on Instagram
If you would like to keep up to date with your teammates or daughters in the gym, on the field, in/on the water; follow pymblelcsport on Instagram.
Mothers and Grandmothers Morning Tea
If you are an ex-student of the College, you are invited to attend Morning Tea with your daughter(s) or granddaughter(s) on Monday 21 August, 2023.
