From the Principal

It’s hard to believe we are halfway through 2024, but here we are. As we head into the three-week break, which, hopefully, allows for more togetherness and connection among families, I’d like to acknowledge our wonderful Pymble parents and carers for all your support in Term 2 and to thank you for the trust you place in the College’s vision for your daughter’s education.

Thinking about our K-12 Outdoor Education Continuum, it’s fair to say we have worked hard to ensure our vision for this program and the benefits are known and understood by all, especially in relation to our Year 9 Residential Program. I’m thrilled to say this program has continued to go from strength to strength and is now an important rite of passage for our Upper School girls, as evidenced by feedback from the girls themselves and research into the program by the University of Western Sydney. Post-program surveys show an increase in confidence and resilience (100%), self-reliance and independence (97.4%), and the development of respectful relationships (90.4%) among both female and male participants. We are incredibly proud of our girls for embracing this opportunity with a ‘have a go’ attitude that builds each year as they progress through our continuum of progressively more challenging outdoor experiences.

Congratulations to the Year 9 group that has just returned from their Term 2 residential program, and best wishes for the next group of girls who embark on their four-week adventure early in Term 3. Just quietly, following on from meetings with several prestigious boys’ schools in the UK last week, we hope to announce some more exciting partnerships with international boys’ schools who have also expressed an interested in joining our Year 9 program in the not-too-distant future.

The Valley grows more potential for new learning opportunities every day, with landscaping that now reflects the natural environment, and which will ultimately add more flat camping spaces for student and PPA parent and family events. Year 5 and Year 8 dads and daughters, get excited about your weekend campouts coming up in the second part of this year!

This fabulous landscaping is in addition to new facilities planned for the site, including the Kookaburra and Wedgetail Outdoor Learning Classrooms. I love that our current Year 10s collaborated with Bennett Murada Architects when they were on their residential program in 2023 to name and co-design each of these fabulous spaces to reflect a sense of biomimicry. Very cool, girls!

It’s also gratifying to see our families embracing more opportunities to spend quality time at the Valley, through the beautiful coming home ritual at the end of each Year 9 residential program and the annual program of community events run by our fabulous PPA.

Last weekend played host to Year 7 Mothers and Daughters who spent a glorious day connecting and bonding through a series of shared outdoor adventures. I’m told that competition was fiercely friendly among the different teams of mothers and daughters (and at times mothers versus daughters) during the series of challenges, and that there was a great reluctance to leave at the end given how much fun everyone was having.

Earlier this term, our Year 4 Mothers and Daughters enjoyed their own year-group overnight camp at the Valley, again organised by the PPA and facilitated by our incredible Vision Valley staff. Despite some heavy rain, our fearless Year 4 families still chose to participate in all the planned outdoor activities before returning to their cosy lodges for warm showers, hot chocolate and that wonderful feeling that comes from spending time connecting with one another in the great outdoors. This pretty much sums up the value of our Outdoor Education Continuum and programs at Vision Valley. Stepping out of your comfort zone and trying new things, especially in the company of people you love and trust, really does increase your sense of confidence, resilience, and belonging, and helps to build positive relationships with those around you.

The following feedback from one of our Year 4 mums warms my heart.

“I never thought I’d be up for a camping experience but I was very motivated by my daughter’s sense of adventure and her love for Vision Valley. She really encouraged me to take the leap. Despite the wet weather, we were so eager to try every activity on offer, and we also felt very privileged to have been able to use the lodges as opposed to camping in tents in the rain – the show must go on! It was a bonding experience on so many levels; with my daughter, with other moms, and for my daughter with her friends. Most definitely a weekend to remember for us, and I hope I get to experience it again one day!”

Tomorrow we are hosting our first STEAM Festival in the Junior School, which I’m very excited about – it reminds me of the valuable hands-on physics lessons our girls also enjoy at the Valley! Hopefully, I have the opportunity to connect with many of our families at this special end-of-term event.

Speaking of special events, a huge thank you to all the parents who came along to our annual PPA Trivia Night last weekend and of course our wonderful event convenors. We are blessed to have such an inclusive and supportive parent community.

Thank you for a wonderful term. However you have planned to spend the next few weeks, we wish you safe travels or happy home time, hopefully with some time spent with your daughters outdoors. We look forward to seeing all girls back for Term 3 on Tuesday 23 July.

Windows into Learning

As our academic staff head into their well-deserved break, please enjoy their final windows into learning in the Junior and Senior Schools for this term.

Instilling a lifelong passion for Science and Technology

Year 6 Science classes in Term 2 have been focusing on how different forms of technology such as micro:bits, drones and AI assist in sustainable agriculture. The girls have been exploring coding and electronics with micro:bits, designing interactive projects to solve real-world sustainability problems, and fostering their creativity, critical thinking and problem-solving skills. Their enthusiasm and confidence have continued to grow as they collaborate, adapt, and innovate, preparing them for future challenges and instilling a lifelong passion for Science and Technology. Witnessing their enthusiasm, excitement and success is a joy, creating unforgettable shared moments in their learning journey.

Miss Meagan Bartlett
K-6 Junior School teacher

Languages beyond the classroom walls

Year 11 Chinese in Context students recently participated in an immersive experience at Sydney’s Chinatown and the Chinese Garden of Friendship that contributed to deepen their connection to their cultural heritage and their knowledge of the significance of collaborative community efforts that have shaped modern Australian history.

The girls were guided by three notable figures in the Chinese community: The Hon. Henry Tsang, the original architect of these landmarks; King Fong, known as the “King of Chinatown” with 77 years of local experience; and Simon Chan, the President of the Haymarket Chamber of Commerce. They provided rich cultural and historical insights with our students, sharing fascinating stories about Chinatown’s inception, the architectural design of its gates (now heritage listed), the distinctive lion statues, and the time capsule.

Students also learned about the significant contributions from the Chinese communities in Guangzhou (China) and Sydney (Australia) that funded the restoration of the traditional Chinese garden. Funds raised allowed for the construction of the friendship bridge that symbolises the enduring friendship between Australia and China.

Ms Shelley Xie
Modern Languages teacher

From the Junior School

From the Head of Junior School

I wish you all a safe and happy holiday. For those who are travelling, I wish you safe travels. For those who are staying home, I wish you a relaxing break from the routine of a busy school term. I am very excited as we fly over to England on Saturday to catch up with our eldest daughter, Hannah, who is studying over there and to spend precious time with my mother and siblings. I look forward to coming back energised and ready for all that Term 3 will bring.

Tomorrow is our STEAM Festival, and it promises to be a day of excitement and celebration as the girls showcase their learning and their joy of learning. A highlight for me this term has been watching girls of a range of ages work together to plan, create and problem solve and seeing teachers’ excitement as they worked alongside the girls too.

For those of you who can come to the STEAM Festival tomorrow, please prepare to be amazed! It’s important to remember that all you see in the STEAM Festival has been designed and made by the girls and to remember the young age of the girls in our Junior School. The girls have worked collaboratively across House time this term (approximately four hours in total) to design, build and code robots, design and construct marble runs, prepare resources for all the STEM Alley stalls, rehearse their performance for Charlie and the Chocolate Factory and design and code props for the performance. One of these props is Wonka’s great glass elevator and the coding of the LED lights has been led by one of our STEM Captains, Lily Zhang. The coding involves a complex series of coding loops which Lily has mastered with impressive tenacity. Lily has then taught younger girls and together they have coded the lights which give the illusion of movement for the elevator. I am so proud of the girls’ determination to showcase their creativity and STEM mindset with this festival.

A recent report published by the Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) on the PISA 2022 results explains the significance of schools providing opportunities for students to ‘think outside the box in different task contexts.’ The report states that schools whose students score highly in creative thinking also perform highly in mathematics, reading and science. The OECD Director for Education and Skills, Andreas Schleicher, reiterates that ‘teachers can unlock student creativity by encouraging students to explore, generate and reflect upon ideas.’ I am immensely proud of the opportunities we provide our girls to explore and grow their creativity across all subjects and all grades and know the impact this focus is having on all their academic learning.

Reference: OECD (2024), PISA 2022 Results (Volume III): Creative Minds, Creative Schools

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

STEAM Festival and Windows Into Learning

Detailed schedules of the day have been sent to parents via the MyPymble parent portal, which outline the activities that each grade will undertake during the day.

• 8.35am Event commences in the Gymnasium
• 9.45am Hourly rotations in the Junior School commence
  • Charlie and the Chocolate Factory
  • STEAM Alley
  • Marketplace (Years 2 to 6)
  • STEM Craft (Year 1)
  • Build-a-Bear (Kindergarten)
• 12.45pm BYO picnic lunch in the playground, with the ability to pre-order lunch through flexi-schools
• 1.15pm Windows Into Learning commences, with parents invited into learning spaces
• 2.15pm Event concludes. Students may depart with parents if they sign out with Compass Teachers.

Marketplace

Students in Years 2 to Year 6 will be able to visit and make purchases from the STEAM Marketplace on Friday 28 June 2024 during their rotations. All purchases cost no more than $2.00, but students must have pre-purchased tokens.

Afternoon Departure Procedures

It is vitally important that students are well supervised in the afternoon and that the College is aware of student movement, so we can support students and ensure their safety.

• Grey House Walk: Students who exit the campus via Grey House Walk must do so with a parent or carer. If they are meeting the parent on the street, or walking to a nearby house, they must carry an authorised Grey House Pass provided by the Junior School office. Students who do not have a pass, will need to wait with the teacher or at the Junior School office for later collection.
• Collection Via Grandview Street: Students in Years 3 to 6 who wish to be collected from Grandview Street or walk home to a nearby residence will, from Term 3, be required to carry a Grandview Street Pass. This will be shown to the Junior School teacher on duty at the station overpass. Students without a pass will return with the teacher to the Junior School for later collection.

Name badges: All students in the Junior School are expected to wear a name badge as part of their uniform. At the beginning of the year, the College provides all students with two name badges at no cost. In the event that these become damaged or lost, students will be provided with a replacement, with the cost of $10.50 charged to student accounts.

Week 9 Charlie and the Chocolate Factory

Our student performance, Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, will be a highlight of the STEAM Festival for audiences of all ages to enjoy. The performance will run for approximately 45 minutes and will be held in the Junior School John Reid Hall. Below are the performance dates and times. Members of the Pymble community may attend any of the performances listed below. As part of your attendance, audience members are asked to complete the RSVP form:

• Friday 28 June, commencing at 9.45am
• Friday 28 June, commencing at 10.45am
• Friday 28 June, commencing at 11.45am

A message from Tiffany Farlow – Performing Arts Teacher

We are excited to announce a drawing competition for Year 1 and 2 students, based on the musical Porridge! Students are encouraged to create an original piece of artwork at home during the winter holiday break, using any medium and on A4 or A3 sized paper. The artwork must be the student’s own work, completed without any help from parents or siblings. On the back of the artwork, please ensure the student’s full name, age, and class are written.

Additionally, on the back of the artwork in pencil, include a title and a short description explaining how the artwork relates to Porridge. All entries must be submitted to Ms Farlow by Friday 26 July. The top three artworks will receive prizes, and finalists will have their artwork proudly displayed in the Junior School. We can’t wait to see the creative and original pieces our students will produce!

Junior School Digital News

Term 2 2024 Key Dates – Week 8 and 9

Tomorrow                                                        STEAM Festival

Tomorrow                                                        JSPG Build a Bear Kindergarten

Tomorrow                                                        Last day of Term 2

Term 3 2024 Key Dates – Week 1 and 2

Tuesday 23 July                                            First Day of Term 3  

Wednesday 24 July                                        3-6 Athletics Carnival (rescheduled date)

Thursday 25 July                                            K-2 Athletics Carnival (rescheduled date)

Friday 26 July                                                 Catch up photo day

Friday 26 July                                                 IPSHA debating

Saturday 27 July                                            IPSHA Saturday Sport commences for Term 3

From the Junior School Parent Group (JSPG)

Looking ahead – Term 3, Weeks 1 and 2

• Athletics Carnival Refreshment Stalls – Rescheduled Dates

The JSPG are running refreshment stalls at the upcoming Junior School Athletics Carnivals to provide food and drinks for the girls and their families.  We would greatly appreciate your help throughout the day – it’s a great opportunity to connect with other Junior School families. Rosters will be arranged to ensure you don’t miss your daughter’s races and times are flexible.

If your availability to volunteer has changed with the rescheduled dates, could you please update the sign up links below. 

The 3-6 Athletics Carnival will be held on Wednesday 24 July. You can sign up to donate food or volunteer on the stalls here. 

The K-2 Athletics Carnival will be held on Thursday 25 July. You can sign up to donate food or volunteer on the stalls here. 

• Jeans for Genes Day Sausage Sizzle – Friday 2 August

Please save the date for our Jeans for Genes Day fundraiser in Week 2 of next term.  Girls in Years 2 – 6 will be invited to wear jeans and enjoy a sausage sizzle for lunch in Sunshine Square.  Funds raised will be donated to the Children’s Medical Research Institute who research childhood genetic diseases.

An invitation including tickets for lunch and a volunteer sign up will be sent out via MyPymble shortly.

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

Kate Brown

Head of Junior School

From the Middle School

We have made it to the end of the term with many celebrations to mark the achievements of our girls. Yesterday, I had the privilege of attending the Year 7 Assembly where our Da Vinci Decathalon winners shared their insights about their journey. Their pride and enthusiasm was impressive as were their results this year. Congratulations to:

Year 7

Isabella Dong, Danielle Hu, Adele Jiang, Arden Liceralde, Jing Yuan Liu, Emma Ouyang, Anika Verma and Meii You.

Year 8

Celine Cai, Ruby Chu, Harriet Gregory, Yen Huynh, Chloe Shao, Alexa Wu, Katherine Xu and Bella Yang.

We also thanked our Term 2 Compass Captains who have done an outstanding job leading activities and introducing initiatives to grow connections within the group. Year 8 enjoyed some time outside playing inter-house games to mark the end of the term. It’s amazing how much energy these young people have at this end of the term!

Wishing everyone a very safe and relaxing break from school routines. We look forward to welcoming the girls back on campus on Tuesday 23 July.

Term 2 Compass Captains

Congratulations to our Term 2 Compass Captains:

Welcome Sign Update

It has been wonderful to see the girls coming into the office to write “welcome“ in their mother tongue. These templates will be used to laser cut the words for the next part of the process. We look forward to a formal unveiling of the signpost at some point next term.

Student Reflection: Bangarra Dance Theatre Production

Last Wednesday, our Year 7 First Nation’s students Sarah, Narla, Jade and Milly attended the latest Bangarra Dance Theatre production called Horizon at the Sydney Opera House Drama Theatre. They were dazzled by the intertwining of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander and Māori cultures. The performance told beautiful stories using dance, music, songs, costumes and lighting about people and place, both here in Australia and overseas in New Zealand.

For Sarah, it was her first Bangarra Dance Theatre performance and she was in awe of what she had seen; “I loved it all,” she reflected. For Jade it was a time to dream a little; Narla commented on the costuming and Milly thought the choreography was special. If you have a chance to see Horizon we would encourage you to go because the cultural experience is invaluable, as the girls attested.

TASFest Fashion Parade

Year 7 spent some time during Compass lessons parading their TASFest creations:

The Pymble Family Book Club

We are writing to announce a very exciting opportunity for Pymble families with the launch of The Pymble Family Book Club.

With this initiative, we are offering families the chance to read great stories together, share ideas, and attend events to connect with authors and fellow readers. 

The first author we will be showcasing is Maryam Master. Her books Exit Through The Gift Shop and No Words have been celebrated by critics and readers alike. We are very pleased to announce she will be joining us for the first ever Pymble Family Book Club on Wednesday 28 August at 5.00pm.

We invite you to come along to spend time with your family and friends, discuss Maryam Master’s books, led by the author herself, and connect over literature. You can see Maryam talking with Pymble students earlier in the year about her books in this video.

How the Pymble Family Book Club works:

1. Check out Maryam Master’s books and discuss with your carer/student if there is one (or both) you wish to read, and if you’d like to attend the Family Book Club together. You could even get a reading group together. Reach out to other carers and students in the year and organise to make it a social event!
2. RSVP to attend the Family Book Club on Wednesday 28 August. Please RSVP via this form. There is no cost to attend the event.
3. You are welcome to obtain a copy of Maryam’s book/s through a library or borrow from a friend. For those who wish to purchase the books, we have organised an easy way for you to source Maryam’s books through a supplier. Please see the order form attached or click on this link to order one or both of Maryam’s books. These will be available for collection at the College in the last week of Term 2.
4. Both carer and student read the book/s prior to the event on Wednesday 28 August. 
5. Put the event in your calendar and come along on Wednesday 28 August to the Conde Library at the College to have a great time.

If you can’t make the event but still want to read some Maryam Master, you are still welcome to order the books through us and please email us at library@pymblelc.nsw.edu.au for some ideas about what we will discuss on the night.

We look forward to you joining us for this special opportunity to connect over some incredible stories and ideas. If you have any questions, please reach out to library@pymblelc.nsw.edu.au. 

Kind regards and happy reading!

From the Middle School Parent Groups

Year 7 Update

Dear Parent or Carer

We are holding our second Mums’ Dinner and Drinks at The Greengate Hotel on Friday 2 August (shortly after the holidays). We’re looking forward to another fun night out!

We will include details in the WhatsApp group so you can RSVP.

Wishing all our Year 7 families a happy and safe holiday break.

Kind regards

Stephanie, Leigh and Briar

Jenny O’Donnell

Head of Middle School

From the Upper School

A message from Mrs Victoria Harrison, Head of Upper School

The conclusion of Term 2 has been nothing short of action-packed, highlighted by our leaders orchestrating and managing the Upper School Assembly on Tuesday. The event wrapped up on a high note with an engaging and competitive heads and tails game. Special thanks to our dedicated Upper School leaders for their exceptional efforts in planning and leading the assembly.

Additionally, we celebrated the deserving Jacaranda Award recipients for Term 2 and applauded the remarkable achievements of several young women who earned Duke of Edinburgh awards.

Our Jacaranda Award Recipients for Term 2 in Year 9 are:

Our Jacaranda Award Recipients for Term 2 in Year 10 are:

As we transition into the holiday break, we hope that the girls take this opportunity to rest and recharge. We also wish your families a relaxing and enjoyable break after what has been a very productive and busy term.

Looking ahead, we have an array of exciting events and activities planned for both Year 9 and Year 10 in the latter half of the year. We are eager to welcome the girls back, refreshed and ready to tackle the challenges and opportunities that Semester 2 will bring.

Wishing everyone a wonderful holiday and looking forward to seeing you all in the new term.

Our amazing Amber

Amber Li (Year 10) has been selected to represent Australia as part of the International Mathematics Olympiad. The official announcement of the team was made in Canberra on Monday 24 June. The Olympiad is being held in July at the University of Bath in the UK. This is a very big achievement, as Pymble has never had a student selected for this honour; Amber was also asked to make a speech at the ceremony which you can view below.

Thank you to Eloisa Hunt for sharing this reflection of her and Natalie Barclay’s time at St Anne’s School in Natal, South Africa.

South Africa Exchange

Going on exchange to South Africa was an exciting and unique experience. The culture, food and lifestyle were quite different from here and the experience was eye opening. The school I went to was called St Anne’s, which was in a town called Hilton, near the city of Pietermaritzburg. It is a boarding school starting from Year 8, and there are 440 girls.

It was quite a change from home being a day girl to now being a boarder. It was a nice way to meet new people and see how different the culture is. One of the activities I took part in was an after-school program called STEPP. It was a program where you teach English to the local children from underprivileged public schools.

The main language is Zulu, and the children speak it at home and are never taught English, so when they go to school and are expected to learn in English it is quite a challenge. Most of the children know how to speak some English but we were there to teach them proper grammar, sentence structure, vocabulary, vowels and consonants.

The St Anne’s school took us out on trips during the day such as shark diving, the markets of Warwick, ziplining, the Nelson Mandela capture site and a safari. All these trips were educational and interesting experiences that I’m glad I was able to do. Overall, the exchange to South Africa was exciting and worthwhile, and involving myself in the local traditions and daily life made the trip a fun and educational experience.

Important Dates

Term 2

Friday June 28             Boarder’s Travel Day and Last Day of Term 2

Term 3

Monday July 22          Boarder’s Travel Day

Tuesday July 23         Term 2 begins – New students and international exchange students arrive

Sunday July 28           Year 9 Residential Program Group 3 begins at Vision Valley

Tuesday July 30         NAIDOC Week Assembly

Thursday August 1          Year 8 to 11 Textiles on Parade

Monday August 5            Year 10 Agricultural Camp begins (three-day camp)

Tuesday August 6           Pymble host St Edmund’s College Athletics carnival

Thursday August 8          Year 10 Pymble/Knox Social Cup (three Thursday afternoons)

From the Upper School Parent Group

PPA Trivia Night 2024: A Rockin’ Success!

The PPA Trivia Night 2024 was a fantastic evening of fun, laughter, and friendly competition. With more than 250 guests in attendance, it was our biggest since 2018! We’re thrilled to announce that we raised over $12,000 for our school community initiatives.

A heartfelt thank you to all our sponsors and donors who made this night possible. Your generosity is truly appreciated.

Special thanks to Dr. Hadwen and Mrs Brown for their incredible support of our live auction items. A huge thank you to the Pymble Dance department, Mr Harry Randall, MIC of Pymble Rowing and the team from Community Engagement for their generous support of our event

We couldn’t have done it without the enthusiasm and participation of our wonderful Pymble community. Thank you all for making this night one to remember!

For more information and to download photos from the night, please click here.

Victoria Harrison

Head of Upper School

From the Senior School

From Ms Patricia Gallardo, Deputy Head of Senior School

Congratulations to all the Senior School students who have worked hard this term with their assessment program and their co-curricular activities. You have shown an impressive sense of determination and commitment, which has made your teachers very proud. It is now time to take a well-deserved rest, to take this time to relax, pursue hobbies and spend quality moments with family and friends.

We understand that with examinations for both Year 11 and Year 12 students in Term 3, there is a need for the girls to maintain some academic focus, but this should not dominate her time. Planners are always available for the girls to collect from the front office to assist the girls with their time management. 

Best wishes to you all for a safe and restful break. See you next term. 

Key Dates for Term 3 

Tuesday 23 July – Students return to school 

Friday 2 August – Year 12 Study Day 

Monday 5 August – Year 12 Trial HSC examinations begin 

Monday 19 August – Last day of Year 12 Trial HSC examinations 

Monday 2 September – Year 11 Examinations begin 

Friday 13 September – Last day of Year 11 Examinations 

Wednesday 25 September – Year 12 Picnic Day 

Friday 27 September – Year 12 Speech Day, Year 12 Honouring Ceremony 

Friday 27 September – Year 12 Final Chapel Service, Year 12 Valedictory Dinner 

Congratulations to our brave students!

We are thrilled to extend our heartfelt congratulations to a remarkable group of Year 12 students who participated in the World’s Greatest Shave, a courageous and compassionate effort to support the Leukaemia Foundation.

Their decision to shave, cut or colour their hair not only showcased their bravery but also their commitment to making a tangible difference in the lives of those affected by blood cancer. Through your actions, you have raised both awareness and essential funds to support research and provide care for patients and their families.

A huge thank you to Mrs Karen Michie, the organiser of this activity, who helped Year 12 students Arabella Smithyman, Bella Jones and Harriet Maclean bring their idea to fruition.

The students have so far raised $12,000. If you would like to contribute to this amazing cause, please click here to donate towards Pymble’s team.

Annual School Captain’s Dinner hosted by Mr Alastair Henskens SC MP

School captains from various local schools were recently invited to a prestigious dinner hosted by the Member of Parliament (MP) Mr Alastair Henskens at NSW Parliament House. Our 2024 Head Prefects Julie Sheng and Bella Walker attended, representing Pymble proudly.

The event included a tour of NSW Parliament House, followed by dinner in the President’s Dining Room.

The leaders of the respective schools had the unique opportunity to network with influential community figures, exchange ideas, and discuss issues pertinent to their schools and broader society.

Congratulations to our Year 11 students

Congratulations on the fantastic effort of team Pymble at the Sony Camp fundraiser! Despite the rain on Saturday causing the event to be cut short, the dedication and hard work of our Year 11 students paid off. They successfully sold all the baked goods to the school students on Monday, making the fundraiser a great success.

Evatt Competition

Last week, Maya Garg and I competed at the Grand Finals of the Evatt Competition, held at NSW Parliament House. The Evatt Competition is Australia’s most prestigious Model United Nations competition, in which we placed first in the state and qualified for the national finals. Over 500 teams from across NSW participated in the preliminary rounds, from which 30 teams advanced to the semi-finals and 15 teams to the grand finals.

The competition requires us to represent a country through debating issues, negotiating with other delegations, and collaborating in creating solutions to international problems. Representing Guyana, Maya and I prepared extensively with research, writing speeches, and other materials relevant to our country and the selected topics.

The event was both enjoyable and informative, featuring guest speakers and three committee sessions on issues such as the internal armed conflict in Colombia and the establishment of an independent Kurdish state.

All the hard work and hours of preparation definitely paid off – we were delighted to come out of the competition as state champions! We are eagerly looking forward to representing NSW at the National Finals during the upcoming summer holidays.

Written by Catherine Shi (Year 11)

Patricia Gallardo

Deputy Head of Senior School

From the Boarding School

It has been a busy but happy end to the term with a special celebration on Tuesday night. In our Chapel service, I spoke to our Boarders about the rhythm of life in our super-sized family and congratulated them on their resilience and camaraderie. We all reflected on how lucky we are to have each other – our Boarders, our incredible Boarding staff, our dedicated teachers and all the hard-working people that make life at Pymble so special. It was a fitting way to wind up the term.

Pymble goes south

Last weekend Jackie Garment and I journeyed to Wagga Wagga, the largest inland city in New South Wales, for the Boarding School Expo. It was a lovely opportunity to share the benefits of a Pymble education with old friends and new and we look forward to hosting some of these families here onsite in the months to come. We were lucky enough to be joined by Year 10 Boarder, Lana, who was an outstanding representative of our Boarders.

We ended the weekend with a special night in Temora at the home of Jo and Mark Brennan. It was a great opportunity to catch up over a delicious meal and there was plenty of good conversation to be had. My deep thanks go to Jo and Mark for making us and the extended Pymble family feel so welcome.

Next time it is north!

We would love to see you up north when we head to Moree on 25 July and Tamworth from 26 to 27 July for the Boarding School Expo. There will be a special function in Tamworth on Friday 26 July and I hope you can join us to catch up with our Pymble family. Please click the link below to RSVP.

Eat like a Boarder

We would love you to join us for dinner on Monday 22 July at 6.00pm when you return your girls from the term break. This will be a ‘real’ experience where you will be able to enjoy the regular dinner service, just as the girls do each evening. If you would like to join us, please rsvp to boarding@pymblelc.nsw.edu.au by no later than Friday 28 June.

Meet our Pink Ladies

As most of you know, at the end of each term, our Boarders honour a staff member and family within the Day School in recognition of their ongoing kindness and support of our Boarding family. The title bestowed on them is ‘Pink Lady’ and the gift of their time and talents enhances the lives of our Boarders and supports them to maximise their time here at Pymble.

Our wonderful Director of Studies, Mrs Natasha Stanfield, is certainly long overdue for this award. Mrs Stanfield is tireless in her endeavours to support the academic life and she always balances this with deep care for our wellbeing. She is kind and fun but certainly knows her ‘stuff’ and is always on hand for specialised advice on anything from illness and misadventure applications through to estimated ATARs.

Mrs Stanfield is a regular visitor to the Boarding houses, sharing her knowledge of the subject selection process and the various subjects. Somehow, she has the knack of knowing us well enough as individuals to provide wise and appropriate guidance. Mrs Stanfield also works closely with the Boarding staff, providing training and direction about the best way to support our Boarders with the various demands of their academic studies. Other times Mrs Stanfield joins us for dinner or just calls in to say a friendly hello or catch up on the latest Boarding news. Our Boarders and Boarding staff appreciate her incredible expertise, never-ending good will and generosity of spirit.

And of course, it is not just our Pymble staff who make Boarding such a happy place. This term we would like to acknowledge and thank Fran Chan (Year 8). Fran and her family play an invaluable role in supporting our Boarders. From taking Boarders out on weekend leave, to assisting with transport to and from sport, Fran and her family go over and above to make sure the Boarders enjoy their time at the College and get to where they need to be safely.  From AFL, to soccer, to Mollie Dive Hockey and even Club Hockey – the Chan family are always there for us and the Boarders are very grateful for their care and support.

The Brooksie

The Margaret Brooke Award, also known as ‘The Brooksie’, is awarded to a Boarder who exemplifies the spirit of a tenacious, courageous, compassionate and giving woman. It feels as though this award was designed specifically for the fabulous Hannah Weber who, over the last four and half years, has demonstrated all these qualities in spades.

Hannah has brought much joy to our Boarding family across so many years, in so many ways. It is impossible to categorise the extent of her influence as her passions are many and aptitude boundless. She is a beautiful writer and Keeping Up With Hannah has been a treasured section in our seasonal Keeping Up With Our Boarders publication, her writing magically transporting the reader to life on her much loved home of Fairlands, in Walgett.

The backbone of our Boarders’ pantry empire, Hannah is an invaluable member of our Boarders Get Baking team, queen of the piping bag and always there to ensure quality control of every packaged good that makes it over the threshold of the Food Technology room.

Hannah is a talented sportswoman, excelling at rowing and most recently turning her talents to football. As a keen club rugby player and representative at the Rugby State Championships, Hannah even graced the cover of Rugby Action magazine. It is no wonder she was awarded Young Sportswomen of Year for Walgett in the 2024 Australia Day honours.

This year Hannah was named the Hawkesbury Youth Rural Ambassador for 2024. In this role, she represents the Hawkesbury community, rural New South Wales, the Agricultural Show Movement and agricultural industries. No stranger to this world, Hannah has been awarded numerous ribbons and trophies for judging and showing various livestock at multiple agricultural shows. And, it was no surprise when Hannah was named Captain of Cattle Club. Hannah consistently demonstrates gentle but strong leadership in the care of livestock, generously sharing her expertise with patience, kindness and enthusiasm.

The Pymble Cadet program has been a long-held passion, with Hannah leading the leading the Walgett ANZAC Day march year after year. Most recently, Hannah was nominated to participate in the Australian Army Cadets National Adventure Training Award, held in Lake Barrington, Tasmania. In recognition of her efforts in this program, she was presented with the Golden Boomerang and Torch badge, and Certificate, by the Deputy Chief of Army, Major General Chris Smith, DSC, AM, CSC, placing her in the top one per cent of all Australian Army Cadets.

This is merely a snapshot of Hannah’s many achievements; she is certainly a talented young woman. Most importantly, Hannah gives back, without question and without fail. Exceptional is an understatement and we are beyond proud to call her one of ours.

Signing off with every good wish for a happy, safe and relaxing holiday with your beautiful girls.

Save the Date

28 June                       Last day of term and Boarders’ Travel Day

22 July                        Boarders return to Boarding from 2.00pm

22 July                        Eat like a Boarder, 6.00pm

3 August                     Fundraiser for Jack Schofield

4 August Boarder Community Day (all Boarders required to be in attendance)

25 August                   Father, Daughter event

20 September            Boarders and their Families event

21 September            Garden Party

Term 4 TBA Mother-Daughter Lunch

Boarder Parent Group Meetings

20 September – 2.30pm onsite

24 October – 7.00pm Microsoft Teams meeting

Carolyn Burgess

Head of Boarding

From the Chaplains

Faith and the Elephant who untied himself

Hebrews 11:1 – Now faith is confidence in what we hope for and assurance about what we do not see. 

Last week I took my boys to the skate park. My 10-year-old came and asked for my help. He wanted to attempt a move that he has been wanting to do since he was six, but couldn’t. He tried again at seven, but was too scared and again at eight… He called to me saying, “Mumma, can you help give me the courage to try this?”  

It reminded me of a story I heard years ago, about an elephant and a rope. The story goes like this. Baby elephants, it seems, were traditionally trained by tying one of their front legs to a stake in the ground. It goes without saying that capturing and training baby elephants is horrible in and of itself… so hopefully this practice has long gone out of style.

Because the elephants are small, only a thin rope is required. They’ll struggle and pull at first, but eventually they realise that they can’t break the rope and they’ll give up. 

Elephants grow fast, of course. Before long, those cute babies are lumbering giants. But here’s the thing: that same thin rope is all that’s needed to keep them secured. They think the rope can still hold them, so they never try to break free. In that moment a belief set in – he simply could not have faith in himself to be stronger than the cords that bound him. 

In life, all sorts of invisible mental ropes – flimsy and easily broken – may well be holding us back. We reach a conclusion at one time, then forget to revisit our decisions when things change, when we change. It results in missed opportunities and wasted potential. 

This story made me wonder about the ropes that I allow to hold me back, leaving my potential wasted. When have I stopped believing in myself, and is that doubt actually outdated? I notice my ropes when I hear myself saying, “I’m too young for that,” “I’m too scared of that,” “I tried that before but it didn’t work. That’s too hard.”  

I wonder what ropes I have actually outgrown? What are the challenges I need to re-visit? What are the dreams I need to bring into the daytime? What do I need to have faith in myself for? 

So, I reminded my son that he was now ten, he had grown, he knew the moves better, he was more co-ordinated, and if it didn’t work, he could always try again. To believe in himself. He did and he nailed it!  

May each of us learn the ropes that we have grown strong enough to break, that we may each fully expand into who we are. May we have the faith to believe, before we see. 

Cass Blake

College Chaplain

From the Futures Team

ACCIONA Intro to Construction  

A group of students attended the ACCIONA Intro to Industry – Construction day this week to explore the Western Harbour Tunnel project to understand about the various roles involved in planning and delivering a major infrastructure project. 

Data Science connect with SAS Institute 

Students from Year 10 Data Science visited the SAS Institute on Wednesday 26 June to participate in the Girls in STEM Day. They were able to meet and listen to SAS interns working in data science, participate in a hands-on workshop learning about SAS software and understand what opportunities are available to follow a career in data.  

Western Sydney Careers Expo 

Year 11 students attended the Western Sydney Careers Expo with Mrs O’Kelly and members of the Community Engagement team to look at how we can improve the Pymble Expo in 2025 and to engage with a wider range of exhibitors that meet the needs and interests of the Pymble community. 

We will have further recounts of these events with student experiences in next term’s newsletter.  

During School Holidays 

New Degree combinations at The University of Sydney 

University and TAFE Open Days 2024 

Attending open days is an important step towards making decisions about your future education and training. Open days allow you to find out about an institution’s courses and programs, explore campus facilities and speak with current students about their experience. 

Prepare for an Open Day: https://myfuture.edu.au/career-articles/details/preparing-for-an-open-day  

Undergraduate course guides 2024

Medicine Pathway 

The following is an advertisement and is not endorsed by Pymble Ladies’ College.  

Intensive UCAT Preparation Workshop 

Live Online Interactive 

23 June 2024      |     13 July 2024  

This workshop aims to assist students who wish to start or continue with their UCAT preparation and readiness. 

Part 1 is a full-day training covering the essential UCAT skills and strategies. 

A full practice test will be mailed to your home address for you to practice, consolidate and extend the exam-taking skills learned during Part 1 of the workshop.  

Part 2 a ‘3-hour Follow-up Session‘ for students and parents will take place on a separate day. During this session, we will discuss UCAT scores, applications to Medical Schools, and Medical Schools Interviews.  

WORKSHOP DETAILS & ENROLMENT 

Medical Interview Workshop  

10 -  11 August 2024 (limited spots left) 

Live Online Interactive  

 Read: Why you should start interview training early 

WORKSHOP DETAILS 

Events Calendar

From the Co-curricular Sports Team

Co-curricular Administration

Registrations are open!

The next round of registrations for Term 3 and Semester 2 programs opened at 12.00pm on Wednesday 12 June. This round of registrations will close at 11.59pm (midnight) on Wednesday 10 July. Please access the online registration via the Co-curricular pages on MyPymble by clicking here. A parent/carer log in is required to be able to register. A reminder that registrations CANNOT be processed via email or phone. Reminder notices will be posted on the MyPymble app prior to registrations closing.

Term 4 Saturday Sports will open for registration on Wednesday 24 July at 12.00pm and close at 12.00pm (midday) on Friday 9 August.

Co-curricular Registration Requests

Registrations for Term 3 Saturday Sports closed on Friday 17 May, with many sports already having completed their trials. If you missed the registration period and would like to request registration into a sport, please click here to complete our registration request form. A reminder that late registrations are NOT guaranteed.

Registrations for Term 2/Winter Semester/intake programs are now closed and the cut-off date for registration requests has now passed as per our conditions of registration. What this means is that any late requests submitted after Monday 13 May will not be approved and any withdrawals after this date will be subject to the charge as indicated in the conditions. Requests submitted prior to the cut-off date are currently being processed and will adhere to the conditions of being submitted prior to the cut-off.

Monique Zahra

Head of Co-curricular Administration

Athletics and Cross Country

On Thursday 6 June, the CIS Cross Country Championships were held at the Sydney International Equestrian Centre. Despite tough conditions and mud, typical of true cross country races, our Pymble athletes raced exceptionally well achieving excellent results.

Gemma Dixon (Year 8)
4th in 13 years

Eliza Lawton (Year 8)
1st in 14 years

Sophia Slater (Year 11)
11th in 17 years

Georgia Phillips (Year 12)
3rd in 18 years

All students above qualified for the NSW All Schools Cross Country Championships which will be held on Wednesday 24 July.

Two teams also collected gold! Congratulations to our 13 years team: Charlie Slater (Year 7), Gemma Dixon (Year 8), Quinn Parry-Okeden (Year 7) and Georgina Lewis (Year 7) and our 17 years team: Stella Robertson (Year 11), Tully Black (Year 11), Lily Jones (Year 11) and Sophia Slater (Year 11).

Athletics and Cross Country Holiday Training

Training for secondary students and selected junior school students will be held on Main Oval from 8.00am to 10.00am on the following holiday weeks:

Week 1 Holidays

Monday 1 July

Wednesday 3 July

Week 2 Holidays

Monday 8 July

Wednesday 10 July

Week 3 Holidays

Monday 15 July

Wednesday 17 July

Monday 22 July (day before school returns for Term 3 2024)

Deb Walsham

Head Coach – Athletics

Basketball

Pymble 1 – Captains Report: Yvette Volk (Year 12)

This weekend saw the end to the igsa Basketball season at Pymble, finishing off with wins across the board! Every team, ranging from social to competitive brought the energy on and off the court. Our own Senior First team had a nailbiting Grand Final game against Kincoppal, managing to secure the win to be crowned IGSA champs! Another special shout out to our Year 7 firsts on winning gold in their Grand Final, followed by an intense Junior First game, coming in second. It was great to see the enthusiasm from all teams not just in their final games, but across the whole season, and can’t wait for another exciting season next year.

Results:

Best and fairest

Each week our basketball coaches and head coach Rachel nominate students who show Pymble pride, sportsmanship, and courage both on and off the court. Congratulations to all students below who have nominated by their coaches this week.

Grand Finals Weekend: Saturday 22June

Congratulations to our Senior Firsts who took out a nail-biting win against Kincoppal Rose Bay. The Senior First team will compete at CIS in the first week of Term 3.

Congratulations to the Junior Firsts who were runners up in the J01 division.

Thank you to all the basketballers, parents and coaches for all your efforts this season. It has been full of fun, energy and improvements! See below the final placings of all the Pymble basketball teams and congratulations to those teams that placed in the top 4 of their division.

Maddi Scott

Co-ordinator – Basketball

Football

igsa Football Round 7

Once again, Mother Nature was not on our side, as all but two of our games were cancelled due to the wet weather. We were fortunate that the Senior First and Junior First Grand-finals were scheduled on synthetic fields.

In the battle for the Division S01 trophy, Pymble 1 faced MLC in the pouring rain. Despite these conditions our players showed tremendous composure in possession. With the game tied at 0 to 0 at half time, our team came out firing. Two long range efforts from Amber Halliday (Year 12) sealed the victory for our Senior Firsts, regaining the trophy they last won in 2022.

In the Junior First Grand-final, Pymble 9 battled against Brigidine College to hold on to the trophy for another year. In a pulsating game, neither team could be split and after extra time it remained 1 to 1, with both Pymble and Brigidine being declared joint premiers.

A huge thank you to all our departing Year 12 students for their commitment and service over the years, they leave a fantastic legacy!

Round 7 Most Valuable Players

Pymble 1 – Amber Halliday (Year 12)

Pymble 9 – Eloise Lawry (Year 7)

CIS Football Cup

On Wednesday 19 June, our CIS Football team faced PLC Sydney in the Semi-final, a repeat of 2023’s Semi-final matchup. This game finished in similar fashion to 2023, a triumphant 7 to 0 win for Pymble. This result puts our CIS team into the Grand Final where they will face William Clarke College. The Grand-final will be held on Wednesday 24 July at Valentine Sports Park for a 4.00pm kick off and we hope you can join us to cheer our amazing Pymble team.

Chris Wood

Co-ordinator – Football

Junior School Sports

Junior School Sport Team of the Week

Congratulations to our Representative Futsal team who competed at the NSW Futsal Regional Titles in Penrith on Friday 14 June. Pymble had a very impressive tournament but were unfortunately beaten in the Final. Due to our Pymble team’s hard work, effort and team spirit, NSW Futsal has given us a potential wildcard place in the upcoming state finals. Well done to all players and fingers crossed we get a call up to compete in the State Finals.

CIS Golf

Congratulations to Sophie Tong (Year 6), Vivian Li (Year 5) and Audrey Quan (Year 6) who competed at CIS Primary Golf Tournament on Monday 17 June at Belmont Golf Course. All three golfers played extremely well and should be proud of their impressive rounds of Golf. Special mention to Sophie and Audrey who were selected in the CIS team to play at the NSWPSSA Tournament later in the year.

Championship High Jump Event

The Championship High Jump event will be the last event of our Athletics Program, held on Friday 26 July (Term 3, Week 1) from 12.45pm on Kelso Oval.

Please click HERE to nominate your daughter. Once this event has been competed, we will publish all Athletics Carnival Results including Age Champions and Winning House, and our IPSHA Athletics Representative Team.

Matt Tyson

Head of Sport – Kindergarten to Year 6

Hockey

On Wednesday 19 June, our Pymble 1 team was fired up ready for redemption against a very strong Abbotsleigh side. Last time these two teams met was in round 2 with a very tight game played and final score a 1 to 1 draw. As our Pymble hockey players arrived for the Division 1 Grand-final, there was a fearless energy with the team looking strong in their warm up and ready and willing to do whatever it takes to take the win.

Pymble absolutely dominated the entire game whether attacking or defending making it difficult for Abbotlseigh to come back in the game. The final score, and a well earnt result for Pymble, was a win – 5 to 0!

Pymble 1 have worked very hard this season continuing to build and grow their Hockey skills at training and when they have taken the field. This clearly showed in the Grand-final game as they were unstoppable and executed everything that was asked of them.

Congratulations to our Hockey Captain, Isabelle Johnston (Year 11), for receiving best and fairest in the Grand Final match last week!

A big shout out to parents, carers and supporters showing up every week for our Mollie Dive Games and making sure all players were on time for their warmup and game. We truly couldn’t have done it without you!

To our Coaching team – thank you for your efforts in continuing to develop our players and make them the best they can be.

Last, but certainly not least, thank you to all students who participated in Mollie Dive this term. Your efforts throughout trainings, games and the way you have represented Pymble has been fantastic. We can’t wait to see you in Term 3 for igsa Hockey!

See below Pymble 1 results from the Division 1 Grand Final and all final placings for the Mollie Dive season:

Final Score: Pymble 1 defeated Abbotsleigh 5 to 0

Best and Fairest: Pymble 1 – Arabella Smithyman

Shellie Davis

Co-ordinator – Hockey

Pymble Elite Sportswomen’s Program

I am delighted to offer the following workshop: ‘Female Athlete Health and Understanding Your Menstrual Cycle’ on Tuesday 27 August from 3.45pm until 5.00pm in the Kate Mason Lecture Theatre.

The workshop will be facilitated by Lizzie Welborn, one of the youngest competitors to qualify for the professional Ironwoman series at the age of 16. She has been competing professionally for 9 years. Lizzie has placed in the top 3 of the Nutri-Grain Ironwoman Series and Summer of Surf series on multiple occasions and is known as one of the best board paddlers in the country. She holds a Bachelor of Science degree and is the co-founder of KaMana. KaMana is a program designed to educate and empower female athletes to build confidence so they can reach their potential in sport and life. For more information, visit https://www.kamanacommunity.com.

The workshop will explore:

• Understanding female physiology (we are different to men)
• What it means to be a healthy athlete
• Understanding your menstrual cycle
• Tracking your cycle and using this to support training, performance, and recovery
• Tips for training in different phases of your cycle

This valuable presentation and workshop is open to any student-athlete who represents Pymble in a sporting team in Years 7 to 12 and their parent/carer. Staff are also strongly encouraged to attend.

Students, staff and parents are also encouraged to complete the following AIS education modules from the Female Performance and Health Initiative prior to the workshop presentation:

1. Female Performance & Health Initiative: The Normal Menstrual Cycle https://static.ausport.gov.au/fphi/module-2/#/
2. Female Performance & Health Initiative: Menstrual Cycle Abnormalities 1 https://static.ausport.gov.au/fphi/module-3/#/
3. Female Performance & Health Initiative: Menstrual Cycle Abnormalities 2 https://static.ausport.gov.au/fphi/module-4/#/

We look forward to seeing staff, students, and parents/carers in attendance for this valuable and informative workshop. 

Please only RSVP if you intend on attending as the College is being charged based on the numbers attending the workshop. RSVP’s are required by Friday 16 August to assist with final numbers. Unfortunately, late RSVP’s will not be accepted.

Click here to book your tickets for Female Athlete Health

Skye Halliday

Co-ordinator – Pymble Elite Sportswomen’s Program

Rugby Sevens

Please see below holiday training schedule for those students who can attend, please note these sessions are not compulsory. A strength session will be held from 8.00am to 9.00am in the Health and Fitness Centre and a field session from 9.00am to 10.00am on Main Oval.

Week 2 

Tuesday 9 July

Thursday 11 July

Week 3

Tuesday 16 July

Thursday 18 July 

Jack Garrad

Co-ordinator – Rugby Sevens

Swimming

SMNE Distance Meet – Sunday 23 June 2024 

On Sunday 23 June, the SMNE Distance Meet was held at Pymble Ladies’ College. Twenty-three Pymble swimmers represented Knox Pymble Swimming Club.  

The distance meet comprises all Freestyle and Individual medley distance events from 200 metres to 1500 metres. There were plenty of Personal Best’s (PBs) achieved and valuable take aways to work on for the winter season. Well done to all Pymble swimmers for turning up with smiles, positive attitudes and having a go! 

Congratulations to the following students that competed on the weekend: 

Lily Barlow (Year 11), Megan Chia (Year 8), Annalise Chow (Year 10), Jessica Croll (Year 11),

Carla Mikkeline Eibach (Year 7), Oriana Fenton (Year 7), Georgia Friedel (Year 7),

Penelope Hargraves (Year 7), Ludovica Iacovelli (Year 7), Avika Kapoor (Year 7),

Jaya Lilienthall (Year 11), Anne Liu (Year 8), Lily Lockhart (Year 11), Yuxi Lun (Year 5),

Jade Mao (Year 7), Quinn Parry-Okeden (Year 7), Gwen Pickthall (Year 7), Ruby Pickthall (Year 10),

Zara Sandham (Year 8), Keira Smith (Year 11), Sarah Tian (Year 10), Isabella Wang (Year 5) and

Anabelle Watts (Year 7)

Michelle Thomas

Swimming Coach

From the Co-curricular Performing Arts Team

Dance

Sydney Eisteddfod

Last weekend, our Secondary Eisteddfod groups and troupes took part in the Sydney Eisteddfod. It was the first time for our Jazz and Contemporary troupes to perform and compete, and they did exceptionally well, showing great dedication and preparation.

It was wonderful to see all our teams out there, supporting and cheering for each other. With so many talented schools and large sections, the atmosphere was truly exciting.

Results:

High School Jazz:

Highly Commended – Jazz White

High School Contemporary and Classical:

Highly Commended – Contemporary Scarlet

High School Hip Hop

First – Hip Hop Crew

Congratulations to all our performers!

Certificate in Dance

Congratulations to the 2023 cohorts for completing their Certificate in Dance and receiving their nationally recognised certificates.

Our 2023 Graduates are:

Certificate II in Dance CUA20120

Jessica Bunce (Year 11), Evie Gibson (Year 11), Emily Rothery (Year 11), Alexandra Stansall (Year 11), Ilaria Bicego (Year 11), Sofia Adamovich (Year 11), Keira Duncan (Year 11)

Some students have continued to study for their Certificate III in Assistant Dance Teaching this year.

Certificate III in Assistant Dance CUA30320

Stephanie So (Year 12), Grace Perrignon (Year 12), Claire Spring (Year 12), Ashleigh Henderson (Year 12), Gigi Spiller (Year 12), Georgia Shaw (Year 12)

Some students are working as qualified Assistant Dance Teachers in the Dance Program this year.

This marks our fourth year in partnership with EmpowerDance to offer the Certificate in Dance Courses. Students are acquiring new dance skills through our courses and gaining exposure to additional industry opportunities thanks to the comprehensive knowledge imparted.

Katrina Cluff

Head of Dance

Drama

Drama Eisteddfod Success

I am delighted to share the fantastic achievements of our drama students at the recent Northern Beaches and Parramatta Eisteddfods!

Northern Beaches Eisteddfod

Duologue Performances:

Olivia Guo (Year 6) and Trinity Sun (Year 6) delivered a remarkable performance of “Biz and Boz,” earning them a well-deserved first place. Their vibrant costumes and excellent characterisation brought their characters to life, taking the audience on a captivating journey. Congratulations on your fantastic win!

Annabel Zhao (Year 7) and Neve Anderson (Year 7) also shone brightly with their performance of “Two Weeks with the Queen,” securing a second-place finish. Their engaging and heartfelt rendition impressed everyone and showcased their impressive talent and dedication.

Indianna Joyce (Year 11) and Elizabeth Tang (Year 11) delivered a stellar performance of “Top Girls,” earning them a well-deserved 1st place. Their strong characterisation and compelling stage presence captivated the audience and judges alike. They exhibited well-projected vocals, energy, and emotion.

Claire McPherson (Year 11) and Candace Xi (Year 11) impressed with their rendition of “Almost, Maine: The Ring,” securing 2nd place. This pair worked beautifully with their props and showcased an absurdity and clever interpretation of the script. Their understanding and control of rhythms were outstanding.

Lara Waterhouse (Year 9) and Sophie Ngai (Year 9) were highly commended for their engaging performance of “Anne Boleyn.” Their portrayal was both powerful and nuanced, with clear articulation and projection. The beautiful costumes reflected the time period and era perfectly.

Chloe Wang (Year 9) and Emily Chiang (Year 9) took 1st place with their delightful performance of “The Importance of Being Earnest.” Their vibrant characterisation, energy, and stage presence stood out, complemented by fabulous costumes that showcased the time period well.

Group Performances:

Year 9 Group was highly commended for their creative and energetic performance entitled “Charlie’s First Day.” The piece beautifully portrayed relationships with a relevant and current theme, clever ensemble work, and an interesting overall message that subverted stereotypes. Congratulations to the following Year 9 students:

• Zoe Bloom
• Yvette Moodie
• Laranya Nanthakumaran
• Isabelle Port
• Katerina Economou
• Mia Chan
• Grace McSweeney

Years 7 and 8 Group had an amazing first eisteddfod experience. Although they did not place, their dedication and enthusiasm were evident. Their piece, “Sunnyside Retirement,” showcased great characterisation and a wide variety of characters as they attempted to solve a murder mystery. Congratulations to the following Year 7 and 8 students:

• Grace Jacobs (Year 7)
• Grace Neal (Year 7)
• Rebecca Zhou (Year 7)
• Mia Zhu (Year 7)
• Matilda Bentley (Year 8)
• Melanie Ma (Year 8)
• Fiona Wu (Year 7)

Parramatta Eisteddfod

Duologue Performances:

Nina Uehara (Year 10) and Jane Lee (Year 9) performed “Warrior” and achieved 1st place. Their dynamic performance showcased beautiful and consistent character relationships, with meaningful and nuanced dialogue delivery.

Darcey Hawkins (Year 11) and Madeleine Watson (Year 11) secured 2nd place with their performance of “Travesties.” Their strong stage presence, impressive character work, facial expressions, and vocal dynamics were highly praised.

I am incredibly proud of all our students for their hard work and dedication. Your talent and passion for drama continue to shine, and I look forward to seeing more outstanding performances in the future. Congratulations to all on your remarkable achievements!

IMPORTANT DRAMA EVENTS 

JULY

Tuesday 9 July Drama Holiday Incursion – Day 1

Wednesday 10 July Drama Holiday Incursion- Day 2

Saturday 27 July Ryde Eisteddfod: West Ryde Community Centre

AUGUST

Saturday 10 August Ryde Eisteddfod: West Ryde Community Centre

Saturday 10 August Sydney Eisteddfod: Darlinghurst Theatre

Wednesday 14 August Ryde Eisteddfod: West Ryde Community Centre

Saturday 31 August Ryde Eisteddfod: West Ryde Community Centre

Please note that some Eisteddfods have yet to be confirmed. More information will be sent to all students involved.

Rebecca York

Co-curricular Drama Co-ordinator

Language Arts

Debating

Archdale – Shield and Invitational

Archdale Shield Round 4 makeup, will now be held on the FIRST day of Term 3, Tuesday 23 July. All debates against Meriden will be held online from Pymble. Venues to be sent to coaches who will communicate with their teams.

There will be no Archdale Invitational debates on Tuesday 23 July.

Social Debating SSD – Sydney Social Debating

Bravo to our six teams of SSD debaters who debated online in the SSD competition last Friday 21 June.

This Friday 28 June, there will again be Training, Preparation and Online Debates from 3.30pm to 6.30pm.

All debates will be held in the Kate Mason (KM) building at Pymble.

We are pleased these new debaters are honing their critical thinking, communication and teamwork skills as well as developing Public Speaking skills and keeping up to date with current affairs issues. Thanks to all debaters and coaches.

Absences

Debaters must inform Mrs Hubbard, their coach and team, in advance, if they will be absent for a Debating round. We do not forfeit, and subs can be arranged.

Public Speaking 

PESA – Congratulations!  State Finals!

Jenny Xu (Year 10) has progressed to the State Finals of the Plain English Speaking Awards. Congratulations Jenny! The state final will be held this Friday 28 June. Best wishes Jenny!

MUN – Model United Nations 

Evatt

Maya Garg (Year 11) and Catherine Shi (Year 11) have now progressed to the Evatt  National final. Congratulations. Please see Catherine’s full report in the Senior School section of this newsletter. She concluded, “All the hard work and hours of preparation definitely paid off – we were delighted to come out of the competition as state champions! We are eagerly looking forward to representing NSW at the National Finals during the upcoming summer holidays.”.

57th Session of THIMUN – The Hague, January 2025 

The Pymble Language Arts International Tour group have been accepted as the first Australian school to attend THIMUN at The Hague. Three teachers and 16 Pymble students will depart Sydney on Friday 17 January 2025 and travellers will commence Term 1 2025 on Monday 3 February 2025. We are excited for this wonderful travel experience!  

Mock Law 

Mediation

Mediation Round Three was held on Friday 21 June. Our score was 88/100. Bravo team and coaches.

Mock Trial

Mock Trial Round Three was held at Pacific Hills School, Dural, on Monday 24 June.  Pymble won the trial. Well done to our team.

 Upcoming Programs and Events 

• Farewell to Year 12 High Tea

A farewell to Year 12 High Tea was held today, Thursday 27 June, in the Gillian Moore Centre for Performing Arts. It was lovely to honour every student debater in Year 12 this year! Parents worked hard to make this a lovely event. Thank you to all.

• IDC Debating Term 4. Expressions of interest have been sent for the IDC season. Dates have been released and students in ISDA, Archdale or FED (finalists only) can participate and make their own team of four.

• Staff v Student debate – stay tuned for this forthcoming highlight. The date will now be at the start of Term 3.

• PMUN Winter Conference – Saturday 27 July. This is the first Saturday of Term 3. Please complete your expression of interest by clicking here.

New programs for Term 3!

Language Arts is pleased to offer two new Co-curricular programs.  Please click on the links below for more information:

• High Level Bootcamp; and
• TEDx.

Registrations for Term 3/Semester 2 programs are now open – please register your daughter through the registration portal (parent log-in required).

Bronwyn Hubbard

Head of Language Arts

Music

Secondary School Ensemble Concert

What a wonderful night of celebrations at the Secondary School Ensemble Concert on Tuesday 25 June. We bid our Year 12 farewell and thanked them for their service to Music, as well as listened to some brilliant performances from all of our ensembles. The theme was “A Night at the Oscars” and each group played music from the movies.

On Thursday 27 June our Music Support Group provided lunch for the outgoing Year 12 students, where they passed the baton to our incoming prefects and captains: Performing Arts Captains – Elizabeth Tang (Year 11) and Madeline Taylor (Year 11); Music Prefect – Phoebe Cooper (Year 11); Orchestra Captain – Dasha Stuzenko (Year 10); Band Captain – Angela Zhang (Year 10); Choir Captain – Joanna Au (Year 10).

Congratulations to Isabel Fan (Year 7) – A.Mus on piano

A communication was sent out through the portal recently about the changes to rehearsals for Terms 3 and 4 to accommodate the tour group. Please go through this carefully so as not to sign up for any clashing events. This will hopefully allow families to have weekends together.

TOUR SINGERS – Monday evening 6.00pm to 7.00pm

TOUR STRING PLAYERS – Thursday morning 6.50am to 8.00am

TOUR BAND PLAYERS – Wednesday morning 6.50am to 8.00am,

STAGE BAND – Thursday 3.30pm to 5.00pm

COMBINED REHEARSALS – Friday afternoon 3.30pm to 5.30pm

All non-tour members will attend their respective large ensemble rehearsals:

STRING and BAND players – Monday String Orchestra, Monday Concert Band

JAZZ musicians – will go to Tuesday Jazz Band

SINGERS will attend choir or chorale

FRIDAY MORNING ORCHESTRA is still on at the same time for the same people.

Have a wonderful holiday and please remember to practise.

ALL REHEARSALS WILL COMMENCE IN TERM 3, WEEK 1!

Sarah Turner

Head of Music

Duke of Edinburgh

As we come to the end of another successful term, we are delighted to share the incredible achievements of our students participating in The Duke of Edinburgh’s International Award. It has been a term filled with adventure, personal growth, and unforgettable experiences. We congratulate all our participants for their dedication and hard work.

We are proud to announce the students who have achieved their Bronze, Silver, and Gold Awards this term. Their commitment to the rigorous challenges of the Award is truly commendable.

Bronze Award Recipients:

• Elysia Sun (Year 10)
• Emelia Caulfield (Year 10)

Silver Award Recipients:

• Erin Porter (Year 11)
• Eleni Vassiliadis (Year 12)
• Sophie Toma (Year 12)
• Zoe Lupton (Year 11)
• Chanette Hu (Year 11)
• Anais Rodwell – Burnicle (Year 11)
• Sabrina Cooke (Year 11)
• Madeline Arrage (Year 11)
• Claudia Offer (Year 12)

As we look forward to the next term, we encourage all participants to continue their journey with the same enthusiasm and determination. For those aspiring to achieve their next level, remember that every challenge you overcome brings you one step closer to your goals.

For students who have not yet begun their journey, we invite you to join this transformative program. It is an excellent opportunity to develop valuable life skills, make lasting friendships, and create memorable experiences. For more information, please contact Mrs Chris Boland, dukes@pymblelc.nsw.edu.au.

Thank you to all the students, parents, and staff who have supported our participants throughout this term. Your encouragement and assistance have been invaluable.

Congratulations once again to our award recipients. We are incredibly proud of you!

Christine Boland

Co-ordinator – Duke of Edinburgh

You’re invited: Think Pymble 2024

Please join us at Think Pymble, an employment opportunities evening 

Pymble Ladies College is a global leader in girls’ education and an exceptional place to grow your career. Our wonderful staff are the heart of our College and provide outstanding educational opportunities for our students from Kindergarten to Year 12. 

At Pymble, you will be welcomed into a culture of care, inclusion and commitment to educational excellence. We provide a collaborative and innovative working environment where each person is valued for who they are and their unique contribution to their work.

And, as we look to the future, there are even more reasons for you to Think Pymble. 

Pymble is the first independent Australian Olympic Pathway School 

We are proud of this endorsement by the Australian Olympic Committee of our world-class coaching programs, facilities and holistic support of our student athletes. Pymble offers this unique pathway for our students and staff to achieve success on a global stage. 

Our beautiful outdoor education campus at Vision Valley

Pymble’s second campus located in the bush at Vision Valley allows us to provide our girls with life-changing experiences that embrace social and emotional intelligence, promote peer connections, support rites of passage and environmental stewardship.

Our exciting Master Plan

Pymble’s five year Masterplan is well underway to deliver world-class educational and co-curricular learning spaces that prioritise student and staff wellbeing, with leading pedagogical practices and flexibility to accommodate developments in learning and teaching methods.

Keen to learn more? 

Join us at a special career information evening on Wednesday 31 July from 5.30pm to 7.45pm in the Kate Mason Building at Pymble Ladies’ College. You will hear from our Principal, Dr Kate Hadwen, our wonderful executive team and teachers about what makes Pymble a leading employer.

Take the opportunity to step inside and learn more about what your next career move could be at Pymble. We welcome a diversity of teachers from all parts of the education sector.

Refreshments and canapes will be available while you network with our staff and visit the exhibits featuring some of the exciting things happening at Pymble.  

Click here to register your attendance on the evening. We look forward to meeting you then.

Support our Annual Appeal

Many deserving young women cannot access the life-changing opportunities that Pymble offers. Our needs-based scholarship program opens our doors to girls from all backgrounds who will enrich the Pymble community.

A contribution to the Pymble Foundation Building Fund allows the College to ensure our learning environment meets the ever-changing educational landscape.

If you are yet to make a donation, it is not too late. Join us in making a difference. Your gift today will not only transform the lives of individual students but will also strengthen our entire community.

Click here to donate to our Annual Appeal.

PPA Trivia Night

PPA Trivia Night 2024: A Rockin’ Success!

The PPA Trivia Night 2024 was a fantastic evening of fun, laughter, and friendly competition. With more than 250 guests in attendance, it was our biggest since 2018! We’re thrilled to announce that we raised over $12,000 for our school community initiatives.

Congratulations to our winners:

– Best Individual Costume: Cher – Briar Taylor

– Best Group Costume: SPAM – Year 7 

– Best Table Display: The High Hats – Year 11 

– Trivia Champions: The Dragons – Year 6

A heartfelt thank you to all our sponsors and donors who made this night possible. Your generosity is truly appreciated.

Special thanks to Dr. Hadwen and Mrs Brown for their incredible support of our live auction items.

To all our year group coordinators, thank you for gathering the parents and carers of the Pymble community. We couldn’t have successfully organised this event without your enthusiasm and support. 

And for all who attended the evening, THANK YOU and THANK YOU for making this night one to remember!

For memory keepsake, please click here to view all the photos taken on the night by Naomi Reiter Photography.

The entire collection can be downloaded from the menu options at the top of the gallery page as a single zipped file and individual photos can be downloaded by selecting the download icon that appears over of each photo as you hover over them. 

Download links are emailed immediately on completing checkout and expire after seven days. Please check your spam folder for the email and make sure files are downloaded and backed up before the download links expire.

Digital downloads are included in your package, however there is an option to order professional printing. Prints start at $20 each and can be ordered in a range of sizes from 6×4″ to 8×12″.

To access the gallery, use the following case-sensitive password: gYHsmQYB

Use the following four-digit PIN to download photos: 2916

This collection will be online until Wednesday 31 July 2024.

Please note that once the gallery expires it can no longer be accessed, and a fee of $100 will apply to have them re-uploaded.

Have a wonderful winter school holidays and we look forward to seeing you all again at Garden Party in September!

Kind regards

Pymble Parent Association

Master Plan Update – June

Join the Pymble Family Book Club

We are writing to announce a very exciting opportunity for Pymble families with the launch of The Pymble Family Book Club.

With this initiative, we are offering families the chance to read great stories together, share ideas, and attend events to connect with authors and fellow readers. 

The first author we will be showcasing is Maryam Master. Her books Exit Through The Gift Shop and No Words have been celebrated by critics and readers alike. We are very pleased to announce she will be joining us for the first ever Pymble Family Book Club on Wednesday 28 August at 5.00pm.

We invite you to come along to spend time with your family and friends, discuss Maryam Master’s books, led by the author herself, and connect over literature. You can see Maryam talking with Pymble students earlier in the year about her books in this video.

How the Pymble Family Book Club works:

1. Check out Maryam Master’s books and discuss with your carer/student if there is one (or both) you wish to read, and if you’d like to attend the Family Book Club together. You could even get a reading group together. Reach out to other carers and students in the year and organise to make it a social event!
2. RSVP to attend the Family Book Club on Wednesday 28 August. Please RSVP via this form. There is no cost to attend the event.
3. You are welcome to obtain a copy of Maryam’s book/s through a library or borrow from a friend. For those who wish to purchase the books, we have organised an easy way for you to source Maryam’s books through a supplier. Please see the order form attached or click on this link to order one or both of Maryam’s books. These will be available for collection at the College in the last week of Term 2.
4. Both carer and student read the book/s prior to the event on Wednesday 28 August. 
5. Put the event in your calendar and come along on Wednesday 28 August to the Conde Library at the College to have a great time.

If you can’t make the event but still want to read some Maryam Master, you are still welcome to order the books through us and please email us at library@pymblelc.nsw.edu.au for some ideas about what we will discuss on the night.

We look forward to you joining us for this special opportunity to connect over some incredible stories and ideas. If you have any questions, please reach out to library@pymblelc.nsw.edu.au. 

Kind regards and happy reading!

Term 3 Bus Registrations

The Pymble private bus service registrations will open on Tuesday 9 July 2024. Please keep an eye out for the MyPymble notice on this date as it will have further instructions on how to register for Term 3. 

Please remind your daughter to use her student ID card to tap on and tap off each trip. If your daughter has lost her card, please contact College Services for a replacement form.

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

Early Morning/Late Evening Bus Services

We are pleased to announce that the trial of the two additional Northern Beaches bus services in the early morning and late evening will continue in Term 3.

This is a shared and co-branded bus service between Pymble, Barker College and Abbotsleigh.

The continuation of these bus services is dependent on continuing demand throughout the year so please register your family’s interest in this service for Term 3 at collegeservices@pymblelc.nsw.edu.au.

Times

The early AM bus departs Avalon at 5.50am and arrives at Pymble at 6.41am

The evening service departs Pymble at 5.00pm (departure from Pymble at 5.10pm on Monday evenings) before making its way to Avalon via Abbotsleigh and Barker College. It is scheduled to arrive at the last stop at 6.30pm (or 6.45pm on Monday evenings). This is also a co-branded bus.

Please refer to our website for more information.

Join us for TASFest 2024!

Join us for TASFest, our annual festival dedicated to celebrating the incredible talents of our TAS students. Experience the brilliance of our Design and Technology students’ creations, be captivated by our remarkable HSC Major Works, indulge in delicious snacks crafted by our Food Technology students, savour hot and cold beverages prepared by our Hospitality students, and conclude the evening in grand fashion with our captivating Textiles on Parade. We’re showcasing TAS and you won’t want to miss it!

Click here to purchase your tickets!

Pymble in Tamworth

Scholarship opportunities for Year 5 students

The College offers a number of scholarships each year to girls starting in Year 7 including current Pymble students moving into Year 7. Registrations for Year 7 2026 Rosalie Ramsay Academic Scholarship and Year 7 2026 Performance Scholarship – Music are currently open to our Year 5 students.

Registrations close from 24 July 2024 depending on the scholarship. The examination will be held at the College on Sunday 11 August 2024.

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