From the Acting Principal

Awareness weeks are an important part of school life for many reasons. They provide entry points for students to engage in relatable and relevant content, encourage creativity and a deeper exploration of topics and issues, and promote empathy and respect for diversity and different ways of thinking. Importantly, these events also provide a sense of unity, community and belonging, which contributes to a positive learning environment for all.

It’s been a joy to see so many students (and staff!) engaging in our awareness weeks in Term 3. Last week it was Science, this week is Book Week, and next week our Language Captains are hosting five days of Languages-based fun and games for students at lunchtime. In amongst all the Book Week activities across K-12 this week, our Wellbeing Prefects, Georgia Lyster and Meredith Reynolds in Year 12, hosted an open mic karaoke session on Marden Lawn to encourage connections across the College. Staff in attendance noted the courage of our students, especially our Junior School girls, for having a go, and the obvious respect and care shown by the audience as they supported each performer enthusiastically.

Courage: I am open to new experiences to learn and grow 

The topic of courage and having a go was explored in Combined Assembly this week when we welcomed back our Head Coach – Diving, Mr Kurtis Mathews, who competed at the Paris 2024 Olympics.

Two of our Pymble divers, Angela Xenofontos and Méa Shires in Year 10, did a great job interviewing Kurtis about his journey as an Olympic Springboard Diver. This journey started when he was scouted on a ‘try diving day’ and put into a development squad as a young boy. He then went on to train for 25 hours a week for 15 years and even retired for a period before qualifying for Paris.

When asked what would be his advice to his 15-year-old self, Kurtis replied: “Never give up. A journey to the Olympic games is never straight forward; it’s very difficult, there are so many challenges you have to overcome, and unforeseen circumstances…you just have to keep going, keep moving forwards. Don’t let yourself stop because, if you lose momentum, it’s very hard to push it back up.”

Kurtis finished in 10^th place, which is a great achievement, and we are so proud to have him on Team Pymble. Congratulations, Kurtis!

The Olympics certainly provided a relevant and relatable context to discuss the concept of courage with students this term. However, as we all know, courage looks different for everyone, depending on their own personal journey.

For me, and possibly many others in our community, a great deal of courage is required before we can stand up and speak in front of an assembly of people.

I am a Mathematics teacher who was not born in Australia. From a very young age, I learnt Arabic and French simultaneously at home in Lebanon, and it was an enormous challenge for me to come to school in Australia at 15 years of age without being able to speak a word of English.

I remember sitting on a bench in the playground on my own every single recess and lunchtime for a year and going home each day in tears. My dear Mum would give me a big hug, take me out for a walk, and say to me, “It’s okay, it’s not your day today. Tomorrow will be a better day.” I will never forget that. Those days were tough, but they have helped me arrive at where I am today. Today, I can stand up in front of any number of people and tell my story, in English, the third language that I thought I would never be able to learn. (My fourth language is Mathematics!)

I shared this story with students at assembly, and with you today, to illustrate the College definition of courage as being open to new experiences to learn and grow, even in the face of tough times and seemingly insurmountable challenges.

My Mum’s words helped me find the courage to keep turning up to school and trying my hardest to learn a foreign language, and I hope they might resonate with others, too. They are reflected beautifully in this video of British diver Andrea Spendolini-Sirieix being comforted by her Dad after she narrowly missed out on a podium finish by ranking sixth place in the women’s 10m platform at the Paris Olympics.

As the video shows, courage is accepting that it’s not your day today, but still turning up to try again tomorrow. This is an important lesson for life, especially for our girls.

Windows into Learning

This week’s Windows into Learning continue our theme for Week 5 by highlighting Science Week in the Secondary School and having a go at sport in the Junior School. Enjoy!

Having a go at Saturday Sport

Our Kindergarten to Year 2 students have started their Have a Go @ Saturday Sport program. This term the girls are learning how to play Touch Football, and we have 62 girls enrolled in the program, our largest number yet. Run by our experienced coaches, the session builds Touch Football skills and drills and finishes with a mini game, meaning the girls are game ready in Year 3 when they can play IPSHA Saturday Sport.

Have a Go @ Saturday Sport introduces our youngest students to a new team sport every term. This gives them the opportunity to know what playing Saturday sport for Pymble feels like, and also enhances their physical, mental, and social wellbeing. 

• Physically, team sports promote a healthy active lifestyle, strength, and co-ordination.
• Mentally, participating in team sports fosters discipline, improves focus, and boosts self-esteem as players work towards common goals.
• Socially, these activities enhance communication skills, encourage collaboration, and build lasting friendships.
• Additionally, team sports instil values such as teamwork, leadership, and resilience, which are essential for personal development and success both on and off the field.

It’s been great to see how engaged the girls have been in these sessions and the sense of community they have created.

Mr Matt Tyson
Head of Sport K-6

Science Week in the Secondary School

Science Week was a whirlwind of exciting and educational activities, kicking off with Science Stations on Monday. Giant bubbles delighted everyone, demonstrating the wonders of surface tension. Rocket racing followed, where we competed to see who had the best force to angle ratio, blending fun with principles of aerodynamics. Singing tubes captivated our attention as we explored sound waves and musical tones. Our scientists were rewarded with an electron or nucleus cupcake.

Tuesday’s toad dissection provided a hands-on experience in anatomy and biology of an introduced species that threatens the survival of our native species. On Wednesday, guest speaker Vithyaa Thavapalan shared fascinating insights into crime scene investigation, sparking interest in the field of forensic science. Thursday’s Kahoot Science Trivia Quiz tested our knowledge in a lively, competitive format, and Friday’s Science Fair gave students a chance to present their own, engaging experiments or favourite scientific concepts. It was fantastic to see so many students get involved, have fun and learn new things.

Mrs Kylie Cooley
Head of Learning Area – Science

From the Junior School

From the Head of Junior School

Our school has been full of magic over the last two weeks with our spectacular Year 1 and 2 Showcase performances last Friday and then Book Week. The performances of Porridge were so memorable and a testament to the dedication of our Performing Arts teachers and the Year 1 and 2 teaching teams. I was so proud of all the girls and the way they leant into the courage it takes to stand up on stage and perform, the responsibility our Year 2s showed in learning their character’s lines and the care all girls showed in supporting one another. Thank you to all our parents who helped with costumes, hair and makeup to bring this outstanding performance to life for our girls. Our school is definitely ‘a happy ever after kind of place!’

Reading is Magic! What a wonderful start to the week we had with our spectacular celebration of Book Week. So many fabulous literary characters paraded through our Junior School as we shared our passion for books. These events are so special and it’s always wonderful to see how much creativity the girls (and staff) invest in planning their costumes. Special shout out to the creativity of Emily Pu (Year 5) came dressed as our very magical librarian, Mrs Itzcovitz!

I also want to thank and commend the leadership of our four library leaders for 2024 – Imogen Martin, Charlotte Xue, Emma Campbell and Isabelle Yeh – who led the book week panel and quiz with such energy and confidence.

I am particularly proud to announce that this year we have had our best results in terms of girls (and staff) completing our Pymble reading challenge with every student in Years 3, 4 and 6 completing the challenge and 97 per cent of Year 5 completing it, too. These are phenomenal results! Thank you for supporting your daughter as a reader.

Kindergarten and Year 1 enjoyed a wonderful book tour designed by Mrs Josephine Laretive through Valley Playground. The girls immersed themselves in the picture book One Little Duck which is a twist to the nursery rhyme ‘Five Little Ducks’, as instead, mother duck calls home various farmyard animals ‘over the hills and into the fields where flowers sway’. Mother duck is the epitome of a generous host as she expands her dinner table, inviting others to come join her for dinner each night as the book explores themes of friendship, family, kindness, belonging and adventure.

eSports – We’re headed to the State Championships!

Huge congratulations to Isabelle Yeh (Year 6) who this week won the NSW eSports Fuse Cup this week following a nail biting final against a boy from SCEGGS Redlands! Competing against students from Year 5 to Year 8, Isabelle remained calm and composed and represented our College values in all her heats resulting in her being a very a popular winner of the competition. Isabelle has now qualified for Nationals which are held later this year on the Gold Coast.

Thank you to Mr Turnbull and Mrs Roma who supported the girls during this hotly contested competition. Congratulations to all these girls who represented our Junior School at this competition: Sasha Fairclough, Salma Hassan, Afra Sarchami, Zara Ware, Erin Wei, Isabelle Yeh and Chloe Zhang.

Snowsports – We’re headed to Nationals!

Our Junior School girls have won the primary school Snowsports Championship for the third year running. What a fantastic achievement!

Speech and Drama

Congratulations to all the talented performers who competed in the Ryde Eisteddfod. Thank you to Mrs Victoria Clancy, Speech and Drama Instructor for preparing the girls for the competition. We are Pymble proud of you all!

Poetry Performance events

Dakota Gu Year 2                                 1^st Place

Selena Rezaei Year 3                            1^st Place

Anya Jolapara Year 4                            1^st Place

Hailey Zhang Year 4                              2^nd Place

Sarayah Wijesuriya Year3                     2^nd Place

Aarthi Rao Year 4                                  3^rd Place

Viola Li Year 2                                      Highly Commended

Kelly Ni Year 2                                      Highly Commended

Olivia Zheng Year 2                               Highly Commended

Harley Bertrand Year 3                          Highly Commended

Kaymi Madugalle Wijeratne Year 3       Highly Commended

Ariel Wang Year 3                                 Highly Commended

Chloe Zhang Year 4                              Highly Commended

Rachel Zhang Year 4                             Highly Commended

Character monologue in Costume

Sarayah Wijesuriya Year 3         Highly Commended

Talented Performers

Year 2: Isabel Gao, Molly Liu, and Grace Yu

Year 3: Evelyn Chiu, Elaine Fu, Mischa Jadav, Ishita Singh and Melissa Wang

Year 4: Priscilla Fang, Claire Que, Rose Wang and Sophia Wu

Wellbeing Weekly – Kate Giles, Head of Wellbeing K-6 

Thank you to those parents who attended the Parent Wellbeing Series session today. It was a wonderful opportunity to discuss how to support and grow a healthy self-confidence and body image in our girls. For those who were unable to attend this session, some key take aways from the session included:

• Children who grow up feeling confident and accepting themselves and their bodies are more likely to have healthy self-esteem, take care of their physical and mental health and also to participate more in school and hobbies.
• Body dissatisfaction in young people is associated with mental health concerns such as depression and anxiety, as well as risky behaviour.
• How you can help your daughter:
  • Model positive behaviour- avoid negative self-talk about yourself and your body
  • Focus on health and not weight- emphasise the importance of being healthy and strong and encourage activities that promote fitness and enjoyment
  • Help your daughter critically analyse media images and explain that photos and media representations are not always real
  • Celebrate and focus on your daughter’s attributes and efforts, such as kindness, creativity and determination
  • Limit negative influences by monitoring and limiting exposure to social media

If you are interested in learning more, some useful additional resources include:

“Raising girls who like themselves: in a world that tells them they’re flawed” by Kasey Edwards and Dr Christopher Scanlon

“Embrace kids- how you can help your kids to love and celebrate their bodies” by Taryn Brumfitt and Dr Zali Yager

https://www.dove.com/au/dove-self-esteem-project/help-for-parents/confidence-kit-a-tool-to-help-build-positive-body-confidence.html

A message from the Intercultural Committee

The Junior School Intercultural Committee (ICC) is proud to announce our drawing competition for the 2025 Cultural Celebrations Calendar! 

We are looking for entries for the following celebrations – Hannukah, Ramadan, Yoyo Day, Bastille Day, Mother’s Day, Father’s Day, The Day of the Dead, World Indigenous Day, Diwali and Christmas. 

12 winning entries will be chosen to be printed for each month of our Cultural Celebrations 2025 calendar. 

Drawings can be submitted at Hedgehog House and each entry will earn you 10 House points. You can submit as many drawings as you want! The competition closes on Friday, 6 September. 

Junior School Digital News

From the Junior School Parent Group (JSPG)

• Father’s Day Breakfast – Friday 6 September

You are warmly invited to a BBQ breakfast to celebrate Father’s Day on Friday 6 September from 7am – 8.15am at Hedgehog House. This event is open to all Pymble students and their fathers or father figures. 

Please purchase parent and student tickets here if you would like to attend. 

All proceeds will be donated to the Prostate Cancer Foundation of Australia.

• Garden Party – Saturday 21 September

Junior School Poster Competition

With just under one month to go until Pymble’s biggest event of the year, Junior School students are encouraged to enter the Garden Party Poster Competition. 

First prize:  50 house points

Highly commended:  25 house points

All submitted entries will receive 5 house points

Entries are to be submitted to the Junior School Office by Friday 23 August 2024.  All posters entered will be displayed at Garden Party 2024.  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.

Cake Stall

The stall caters to a broad range of customers from those wanting a delicious on-the-go snack to keep up their energy levels, to those looking to take home a cake, tart or pie for a special occasion. All baked goods are welcome!

You can help in two ways by:

• Baking delicious cakes, biscuits, slices and treats for sale.
• Assisting on the stall during the day. 

The cakes and baked goods can be dropped off at the stall in the foyer of the Gillian Moore Centre for Performing Arts (GMCPA) on the day of the Garden Party from 7.30am.

We also need volunteers to work on the stall and sell the delicious treats throughout the day. If you can help at the stall for an hour, please register here.

There are also competitions for cake decorating and cake box decorating, with generous prizes on offer.  More information to come soon.

Thank you, as always, for your support.

4L Playdate – Sunday 25 August

4L Families, let’s have some fun at St Ives Showground Playground from 2.00pm to 4.00pm on Sunday 25 August. 

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

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Term 3 2024 Key Dates – Weeks 5 and 6

Friday 23 August                                               igsa Track and Field Championships

Friday 23 August                                               Year 4 Loom bands with Secondary

Saturday 24 August                                           IPSHA Saturday Sport

Monday 26 August                                            Year 4 OEP Group 1 Webbs Creek

Monday 26 August                                            ICAS Mathematics 6.45am Year 5 classroom

Tuesday 27 August                                           Year 4 OEP Group 1 Webbs Creek

Tuesday 27 August                                           Write a Book in a Day

Tuesday 27 August                                           Year 1 Emmy and Friends

Wednesday 28 August                                      Languages Day

Wednesday 28 August                                      Years 3 to 6 IPSHA Athletics Carnival

Wednesday 28 August                                      Year 6 Author Maryam Master 1.45pm to 2.45pm

Wednesday 28 August                                      Year 4 OEP Group 1 return from Webbs Creek

Wednesday 28 August                                      Year 4 OEP Group 2 Webbs Creek

Thursday 29 August                                          Year 4 OEP Group 2 Webbs Creek

Thursday 29 August                                          Year 5 Spring into Leadership day

Thursday 29 August                                          ICAS Mathematics Catch up Session 6.45am Year 5 classroom

Friday 29 August                                               Year 4 OEP Group 2 return from Webbs Creek

Saturday 30 August                                           IPSHA Saturday Sport

Sunday 1 September                                         Father’s Day

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Kate Brown

Head of Junior School

From the Middle School

Week 5 has been a busy week in Middle School with many of us placed across the country whilst we support the Year 8 National Exchange Program. I am currently in Hobart at St Michael’s Collegiate with Madeleine G, Serina K and Paanya K. The girls have been exceptional ambassadors for Pymble and have enjoyed their time exploring a new environment in the brisk temperatures and clear skies of the south. It is such a wonderful opportunity for all the girls involved to build independence and grow new connections.

This experience also underscores how fortunate we are at Pymble to have so many wonderful opportunities within College life. Some of the schools we are partnering with are smaller, rural, coeducational or similar in demographic. Either way your daughters have stepped up and embraced their circumstances. This is an important Middle School initiative that we will work to grow and extend in future years. Thank you to the parents for their support and willingness to billet our returning exchange sisters.

National Exchange Reflections

“I was lucky enough to have the opportunity to attend Saint Michael’s Collegiate in Hobart. I really loved this experience as I made plenty of new friends and I was able to check out Tasmania! Another thing I really enjoyed was getting the opportunity to see how other boarding houses work.” – Selina (Year 8)

“Tasmania offers an extraordinary experience with its stunning natural beauty; I particularly enjoyed the Nutgrow Beach and the scenic walk along the shore with my exchange buddy. The combination of the breathtaking landscapes and shared moments made for a truly vivid and memorable experience.” – Paanya (Year 8)

“I attended exchange at Saint Michael’s Collegiate in Hobart, while it was a bit colder than Sydney, lots of memories were made with new friends. One of the trip’s highlights was seeing Mount Wellington and the memorable view. I’m truly grateful for this opportunity and would definitely do it again.” – Madeleine (Year 8)

“Being on national exchange in Brisbane has been both challenging and rewarding. Adjusting to a new city and being away from home in Sydney has pushed me out of my comfort zone, but it’s given me the opportunity to experience a different school and make new connections. Living in a boarding school adds another layer of excitement, providing a tight-knit community and a chance to build my independence while being surrounded by peers who quickly became like family.” – Ellie (Year 8)

“My experience at Strathcona was really fun, I got to learn about their school’s history as well as how their school day operated. This exchange has opened up a new perspective for me and has challenged me in ways that I didn’t think would happen. Touring Melbourne was an extremely fun adventure, we went to the Victoria Markets and visited famous places in the city including some street art. This trip was a very interesting and eye opening experience and it was an honour to participate in.” – Jane (Year 8)

“For the last couple of days I have been in Melbourne enjoying lots of things such as attending a different school, being part of a different family and looking at the sites of Melbourne. Since I have only been to Melbourne briefly before, it was an amazing opportunity to learn about its culture and the daily life of its citizens. National exchange has been an awesome experience and a highlight from my trip was when we went to the Vic markets and I got matching frog hats with my buddy, Sophie and a couple of other girls.” – Zara (Year 8)

“I found national exchange in Melbourne an exciting and memorable experience. The city is so beautiful and I loved being able to meet new people and form new friendships.” – Savannah (Year 8)

“I made lots new friends both human and animal and I learnt a lot about Melbourne.” – Aimee (Year 8)

“Exchange was an amazing experience. On the first full day we went to school at Glennie’s in Toowoomba and the school was very different to ours as it was much smaller. On the next day we went on an excursion around the city, and we did a bushwalk, went to a soft drink factory and dyed silk scarfs. Overall, it was a fantastic opportunity, and I am very grateful I was able to go.” – Maya (Year 8) 

“The national exchange experience that I’ve been on was very eye opening. It allowed me to experience what living in a more rural town was like, and meet more people from a different state that I’m unfamiliar with. Some examples are that there wasn’t much activities to do, the streets were quieter than in Sydney, the schools were smaller and less populated, and other examples that made Toowoomba different than Sydney.” – Imogen (Year 8)
 
“During exchange, I got the opportunity to experience Toowoomba Queensland. I have enjoyed my time in Toowoomba very much because of the community and culture, such as the locally owned and produced small business and the friendly students at Glennie. ” – Francesca (Year 8)
 
“My exchange at Glennie, Toowoomba was an amazing chance to experience the lives of other students and what they learn at school, for example, we chose our two electives this year in Year 8, while they are choosing their electives in Year 9. Exchanging allowed me to learn about how diverse the world is.” – Charis (Year 8)

A message from our College Psychologists

We would like to raise the importance of having open conversations about wellbeing with your child, as Middle School can be a time when young people start to share their wellbeing or mental health concerns with peers rather than adults. Whilst it’s beneficial for young people to support each other, relying solely on friends can lead to complications. Often, these peers are not equipped to handle issues presented to them, causing stress for both parties.

Many students hesitate to involve adults due to fears of how their parents might react and of being judged. Some students bottle things up due to fear they will disappoint their parents, or their parents will be shocked. To help your child feel confident that they have your support, we encourage you to engage in regular, meaningful conversations about their wellbeing. Make conversations about their feelings and thoughts a normal part of daily life, particularly conversations where you simply just listen and validate. These conversations are important even for young people who seem to be going ok and help strengthen your connection with them. 

It is helpful normalising seeking help from adults. Assure your daughter that it is completely acceptable, and even encouraged, to reach out to trusted adults when they encounter difficulties. Let them know they can talk openly to you and other adult family members about life stressors and their feelings. Let them know you support them reaching out to wellbeing staff at the College, including their Compass teacher and Head of Year. These staff members can provide advice about whether College Psychological Service, which provides more targeted wellbeing support, may be able to assist. They can also provide information about external mental health services that could be useful.

Please do not hesitate to reach out to Psychological Services or your child’s Head of Year if you have any questions.

Ms Stephanie Bennett and Dr Danielle Ellis, College Psychologists

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 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

Middle School Sweet Sensations Stall 2024

The Garden Party, the biggest and most exciting event of the year, is coming up on Saturday 21st September – just a month away! The Years 7 and 8 Sweet Sensations Stall is one of the most popular so we are expecting huge crowds. Please help us out by either volunteering your time or donating money to help us buy lollies. See links below for both options and attached flyer.

To join us on the day, please click here.

To donate money to help buy lollies, please click here.

We thank you in advance for your generous support.

Year 8 Coffee Morning

We look forward to our Term 3 coffee morning! Please come along and join us TOMORROW, Friday 23 August at our favourite local café, Brick Lane Expresso, in West Pymble from 8.30am onwards.

We look forward to seeing you there!

Year 8 Parent Coordinators

Ms Jenny Pang 0422 716 808 and cola0214@hotmail.com

Ms Kai Jones 0431 725 948 and kai_look@yahoo.com

Year 7 Co-ordinators

Stephanie, Leigh and Briar

Year 8 Co-ordinators

Jenny and Ms Kai Jones – 0431 725 948 and kai_look@yahoo.com

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Jenny O’Donnell

Head of Middle School

From the Upper School

A message from Mrs Victoria Harrison, Head of Upper School

Excitement is building in the Upper School as we prepare to move into our new offices and officially open the Upper School common room for students. We are immensely grateful for our beautiful new space and can’t wait to see the girls enjoying their time together.

Next Wednesday, Year 9 and 10 students will have the chance to thank the team responsible for creating these new spaces. They will also participate in a brief induction process focused on respecting the space. All students have a shared responsibility to keep the common room and kitchen clean and tidy, respect the privileges of the common room, and uphold the right of all girls to enjoy this shared environment.

Good luck to all the athletes competing in the igsa Athletics Championships this week and for another busy weekend of co-curricular activities for many of our Upper School students.

This week, we warmly welcomed five French students from Colmar to Pymble, while also bidding farewell to our visiting exchange students from Argentina, New Zealand, and the UK. It has been a pleasure getting to know these girls and witnessing the meaningful connections they have established with their Pymble exchange sisters.

Looking ahead, six Pymble students will depart this weekend for St. Phillips School in Argentina. I will accompany them to help ensure a smooth transition as they settle in next week. Afterward, I will return home with plans for school visits in the USA and Canada to explore additional exchange partnership opportunities. I am optimistic about the potential to expand our exchange program with new schools in 2025.

I-WISH Research Conference

Inspiring Women in Science and Health – My wish for the future is…

The future of women’s leadership and influence in health and science careers is looking bright with a group of Year 10 students representing Pymble at the I-WiSH research conference held at Matthew Flinders Anglican School, Sunshine Coast, Queensland, last week. I-WiSH stands for Inspiring Women in Science and Health and the goal of the event is to allow girls to hear directly from PhD students and academics of their current research. Students from St Catherines (Melbourne) also attended to make this a truly collaborative event. The Pymble Institute is very excited about running our own I-WiSH next year as a way of making research relevant for school students.

The girls learnt about cutting edge research in areas as diverse as dark matter, mapping kelp forests, women’s reproductive health, urban cooling, pharmacy information literacy and the neuroscience of pediatric pain. Students selected a topic to explore more deeply and worked with the researcher to create a change strategy relating to the topic. Congratulations to Tia and Wyntah who were part of the winning team which developed a series of infographics to communicate key conversation starters relating to medicine prescriptions with doctors and patients.

The academics also ‘gifted’ the students with their wishes for their future careers in science and health, including, ‘I wish you can find a space where you can create impact – whatever that space may be’, ‘Don’t stress – there are so many pathways to get to where you want to be,’ and ‘Once you graduate, give yourself a chance to learn and grow. There will always be plenty of time to undertake the research you love and are passionate about.’

Congratulations to the following students for being our pioneer group to experience I-WiSH: Isabella Attard, Tia Brown, Emelia Caulfield. Melody Chen, Adison Hartog-Smith, Lena O’Donnell, Karzan Ong, Wyntah Woodroffe-Mulholland, Lucy Xie and Cindi Yu.

Thank you to the staff who accompanied the group: Dr Bunny, Ms Kitto, Mrs Shaw and Dr Loch.

Student Achievements

Well done to Isla Rose Campbell (Year 9) for her success in several writing competitions. Isla is an exceptionally talented writer who has been successful in being shortlisted for in the The Whitlam Institute. Earlier in the year, Isla was highly commended (2^nd) in the Nan Manefield Prize. Congratulations Isla! We look forward to seeing you continue to develop your writing talents.

Important Dates

Term 3

Thursday 22 August – Year 10 Pymble/Knox Social Cup (3 Thursday afternoons) 

Thursday 22 August – igsa Track and Field Heats 

Friday 23 August – IGSA Track and Field Championships at Homebush 

Friday 23 August – Year 9 Residential Program – End of Program Celebration  

Monday 26 August – Year 10 girls attending St Edmund’s AIM Initiative  

Friday 30 August – Year 9 Subject Selection presentation and Launch of Leadership for 2025 

Friday 30 August – Year 10 Pymble/Shore Focus group meeting 

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Victoria Harrison

Head of Upper School

From the Senior School

As we reach the halfway point of the term, it’s a good time to check in on your daughter’s wellbeing and ensure they are balancing their academic commitments with self-care. Our Senior girls are navigating a particularly intense period in their academic journey. We have welcomed Year 12 back from their HSC Trial examinations, and they are now resuming their normal class schedule. Our dedicated teachers are busily marking papers and providing invaluable feedback on areas for improvement.

Over the next few weeks, students will receive these suggestions, and it is crucial that they carefully review them and seek clarification on any concepts or skills as needed. Keeping these results in perspective can be challenging but is necessary for implementing effective strategies for improvement. Reflecting on the strategies they used to prepare for their Trials and making any necessary adjustments as they head into the HSC exams can be highly beneficial.

During this period, our girls will also receive more detailed guidance from Mrs Stanfield, their Compass teachers and subject teachers. If any concerns arise, please don’t hesitate to reach out to the relevant staff member for support.

Throughout the examinations, our girls were well supported by the Curriculum and Senior School teams. I would especially like to acknowledge the tremendous work of Mrs Stanfield and Mrs Anthea Wawryka, who led this process and provided unwavering support to the girls, as well as your Heads of Year, Mrs Michie and Mr Stern.

Year 12 Spring Study Camp

The Pymble HSC Spring Study Camp is on during the first week of the holiday break to get your child ‘match fit’ for their HSC exams.  

The camp is a five-day (non-residential) program that provides you with a structured study environment free from distractions in the lead up to the HSC Examinations. 

Fabulous features of study camp:  

• Teachers available daily for individual or small group tutoring 

• Dedicated absolute quiet study space 

• Allocated rooms do a practice exam or collaborate in small groups 

• Academic advisors will be available daily for ATAR estimates and study planning assistance 

• The Futures Team will be onsite. Students will be able to book a time with a member of the team. 

• Unlimited tea, coffee and fruit  

Camp Details: Monday 30 September to Friday 4 October 2024 

Time: 8.30am to 4.30pm 

Cost: $345.00 (5 days) – morning tea, lunch and afternoon tea will be provided daily 

Location: KM Building 

Study Camp Website: https://bit.ly/hscspringstudy24  

Registrations close: Friday 20 September 2024

For further questions, please contact: Mrs Jenny Olsen jolsen@pymblelc.nsw.edu.au (Head of Extended Learning). 

Term 3 Key Dates

2 September – 13 September – Year 11 Yearly Examinations

16 September – Year 12 GPs In Schools

16 September – Year 11 and Year 12 Y-Safe presentations

21 September – Garden Party

25 September – Year 12 Picnic Day at Clontarf

26 September – Year 12 Graduation Assembly (students and staff in attendance)

27 September – Year 12 Speech Day

27 September – Year 12 Honouring Ceremony

27 September – Year 12 Chapel Service

27 September – Year 12 Valedictory Dinner

27 September – Term 3 ends

Nikki Wyse

Head of Senior School

From the Boarding School

Reading is magic!

As you will have guessed if you have taken a recent stroll around our Boarding precinct, this week is Book Week with the theme ‘Reading is Magic’. It has been such a thrill for me to see so many of our Boarders grow their love of reading during their time with us at Pymble. I take great delight in wondering through the houses and seeing the piles of books that grow beside some of the beds, each tome a proud reminder of hours well spent.

This year, we have included our Year 7 Boarders in the Pymble Family Book Club, with each of the girls gifted a copy of ‘Exit through the Gift Shop’ to read in preparation for our first book club. Taking place on Wednesday 28 August, we are lucky enough to have the book’s author, Maryam Master, as a special guest for the inaugural meeting.

This wonderful initiative by our Library staff gave me the idea that perhaps a book club for our Boarding families might be another opportunity to bring us together. I will talk more about this at our next Boarding Parent Group meeting on 20 September but if you have any suggestions about how this should look I would love to hear from you.

International Boarding Conference

Earlier in the week, I was lucky enough to attend the Australian Boarding Schools Association, International Boarding Conference in Canberra. There was an interesting line up of presenters all with a focus on ‘burning issues in boarding’. My favourite keynote speaker was Madonna King, an award-winning journalist and author of 13 books, six of these about tweens and teens and their challenges and triumphs.

She spoke about raising the ceiling on potential and the enormous and lasting impact that boarding staff can have on this endeavour. Madonna spoke of the power of positive interactions and how, what we sometimes think of as everyday conversations, can have life changing implications. It reminded me of the many conversations that I overhear around the houses, and I am sure there are many more that I don’t hear, where our Boarding staff are there encouraging your girls to dream big and making it very clear that they not only believe in them but that they are there cheering them along every step of the way.

Another excellent presentation was by Kellie Britnell, from the office of the eSafety Commissioner. Kellie spoke of the importance of prevention, partnership, protection and proactivity in supporting young people to have safer online experiences. There are a range of outstanding resources online which you can access at esafety.gov.au/parents.

Love It – Katie White, Deputy Director of Boarding  

We had an action-packed weekend just gone. The Boarders ventured out to Terrey Hills on Saturday night to try the new golf facility – Swing Factory. With some great shots and also some misses, there were lots of giggles to be had. 

On Sunday, 24 of our Boarders, along with hundreds of Boarders from other Sydney schools, ventured to one of Sydney’s most iconic attractions, Luna Park, for a fun-filled day of rides, activities, show bags and theme park snacks. Despite the drizzle, the girls got their adrenaline fix racing to classics such as The Big Dipper, Dodgem City and The Hair Raiser, as well as enjoying calmer moments visiting Coney Island, riding the Carousel and winning prizes by shooting hoops and popping balloons. We are so proud of how the girls conducted themselves, encouraging one another, making new friends and giving new experiences a go!

This weekend the Boarders will be heading to YoChi for dessert on Saturday evening and we have a great following for the Burgers and Bowls event on Sunday. 

Coming up in a few weeks’ time, we have Sister Act the musical on the plan. We are looking at the matinee performance on Sunday 15 September. Tickets will be $80 each. Please click here and fill in the form if your daughter would like to attend and you are happy for the amount to be charged to your account.

The Press Club

Don’t forget to sign up for our next Boarding Community Event, to be held on 20 September, the eve of the Garden Party. Following the Boarder Parent Group meeting and some last minute Garden Party preparations, join our Boarding parents for a dinner at the Butcher’s Block at Wahroonga before heading to the Warrawee Club for an evening of live music and dancing. All Boarders are required to be in attendance on this night and we hope our families can join in the fun too.

A message about our Garden Party

As you may be aware the Garden Party is the biggest fundraiser of the year for the Boarding community. Last year we raised $17,000 and $20,000 the year before. It is being held on Saturday 21 September and is a fantastic day. We will be running three stalls: the Produce Stall, the Boarders’ Barbecue and the fabulous Hillbilly Cider Shed. We will also be holding a raffle. This is a shout out to get you thinking of what you may be able to donate or contribute to the Produce Stall or the raffle.

Anything produced by Boarding families is welcome. Some examples include baked goods, jams, chutneys, sauces, pickles, fruit, eggs, bunches of herbs, flowers, wheat and cotton. It is a very popular stall and loved by all the city folk. Any donations for raffle prizes would also be greatly appreciated.

On the barbecue this year, we will also be serving bacon and egg rolls with tomato relish between 10.00am and 11.30am, and after that it will be our delicious pork and slaw rolls. Any donation of eggs for this stall would be amazing.

Finally, keep your eye out for the Google form to book a spot on the roster. Any help is appreciated and it really is a great way to catch up with other parents while contributing to the day.

View From My Window

Hi, my name is Gemma and I’m a Year 8 Boarder from Darwin, and started school at Pymble this year. I come from Darwin which is the capital of the Northern Territory and located on the coast. Darwin is famous for its multicultural food, outdoor markets, great sunsets, and warm weather all year round.  I moved from a house into an apartment last year in September with my mum (Tania), dad (Tony) and brother (Anton).  

When I’m at home I love spending time with my family, going to the waterfront with my friends to swim in the wave pool, going out to the markets, and the Darwin show where I watch polocrosse with my nana and cousins and go on rides. During the holidays I also go out to Dundee (which is two hours from Darwin) where I go fishing, crabbing and camping with my family. 

When I look out my window, I see the navy base which was made by the US in the World War after the bombing of Darwin, I see the waterfront where people swim and have dinner together, and the Darwin Harbour, where ships come in and out. 

How I feel when I return to Boarding is nervous and sad about leaving my mum and dad, but excited to revisit my friends in boarding and day school and hearing about how they spent their time in the school holidays. 

Boarder of the Week

Sybella has been an integral member of our Boarding family since joining us in Year 7 from the tiny town of Tambar Springs in the beautiful North West Slopes region of New South Wales.

Now a Year 10 resident of Goodlet House, Sybella is a kind and gentle friend to all. She works hard on her studies and is committed to keeping a tight routine. Sybella keeps an organised room and can be relied on to help out around the house. She is always ready for a chat with a tea in hand or a round of Uno.

More recently, Sybella has been a welcoming buddy for a visiting exchange student. Her smile certainly brightens the day!

Save the Date

25 August – Dads and Daughters event

20 September – Boarders and their Families event (all Boarders required to be in attendance)

21 September – Garden Party

24 September – Boarders’ End of Term Chapel and Farewell to Year 12 Boarders (all Boarders required to be in attendance)

26 September – Year 12 Boarder and Parents’ celebration event (Year 12 Boarders and parents only)

27 September – Year 11 and 12 Speech Day, followed by Boarders’ Travel Day

Term 4

14 October – Boarders return from 2.00pm

18 October – Boarding lockdown and evacuation drill (all Boarders required to be in attendance)

Term 4 TBA – Mother Daughter Lunch

4 December – Year 7 to 10 Speech Day, followed by Boarders’ Travel Day

Boarder Parent Group Meetings

20 September – 2.30pm onsite

24 October – 7.00pm TEAMS meeting

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Carolyn Burgess

Head of Boarding

From the Chaplains

Created, and Creating, in the image of God

This term in chapel, we continue to explore the idea of what it means to be created ‘in the image of God’. It is a phrase and a concept that has intrigued people of faith and theologians for thousands of years.

In chapter 1 of Genesis we are told:

Then God said, “Let us make mankind in our image, in our likeness” …

So God created mankind in his own image,
    in the image of God he created them;
    male and female he created them.

An ‘image’ is a reflection; a likeness.

This is an astonishing concept – that we are made in the likeness of the Creator. The One who has spoken and breathed life into the whole creation.

Who continues to create, to make things new.

We have spoken in chapel about how our scientific understanding of millions of years of evolution and our understanding of a Creator can easily exist side by side. The Genesis narrative, and other creation stories in the Scriptures, teach us again and again that we are purposefully and carefully made. We are not random, or an accident.

Our lives have meaning and a purpose.

And one of the most wonderful things about being made in God’s image is that, just like the Creator, we are creative!  

Even if you don’t think you’re a creative person, you were made in the likeness of the supremely creative God.

Whether you like to bake or create delicious meals, whether you can solve complex equations, or find new ways of using building materials, or imagine new games to play with your children or grandchildren … this is all an expression of our God-given creativity.

Below are some examples of our students’ and others’ beautiful creativity – just a tiny snapshot of all the wonderful things that are created every day here at school.

Let’s celebrate this God-given creativity in ourselves and in each other, and remember that it is a powerful and joyful sign that each one of us is made in God’s image.

Uniting Youth Camp – Time to Shine

Edwina O’Brien

Assistant College Chaplain

From the Futures Team

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

Date	Institution Registration Links
26 August On site	TAFE Ultimo Campus: https://www.tafenswevents.com.au/event/ultimo-campus-open-day
31 August On site	ACU (Australian Catholic University) North Sydney: https://www.acu.edu.au/student-life/experience-uni-before-you-start/open-day#/
31 August On site	University of Notre Dame. Broadway: https://www.notredame.edu.au/events#/
31 August On site	University of Sydney: https://openday.sydney.edu.au/
31 August On site	UTS (University of Technology): https://www.uts.edu.au/study/open-day
31 August Open Day	University of Newcastle: https://www.newcastle.edu.au/
7 September On site	UNSW (University of New South Wales): https://www.unsw.edu.au/openday#/

Spring Camp Years 10 to 12

School of Project Management University of Sydney. This in-person event provides a deep dive into project management, career paths, and degree insights. Hear from industry experts, academics, students and alumni.  

Past programs included tours to Google, Atlassian, and Western Sydney Airport  

Click here to fill out an expression of interest form.

NSW Education Scholarships

Open to Teacher Education programs from K- 12. $7500 per annum. Closing September 13 2024. https://education.nsw.gov.au/teach-nsw/get-paid-to-study/teacher-education-scholarship   

Taronga Zoo Work Experience

Open date: October 15 2024. Closing date: February 28 2025 (only 1 student per school)  

Taronga Zoo Sydney offers school work experience opportunities for students in years 10 to 12 who are interested in pursuing a career in zoo keeping, animal care, tourism or zoo horticulture.  

Work experience undertaken at Taronga Zoo Sydney allows students to:  

• Observe a variety of work being done in the fields of zoo keeping, animal care, zoo horticulture or guest services and education  

• Undertake supervised work appropriate to the student’s skill level  

Find out more: https://taronga.org.au/get-involved/school-work-experience/sydney

Year 12 Transitioning from School to Uni

Date: Wednesday 11 September

Time: 6.00pm to 7.00pm  

Register: https://page.mq.edu.au/year-12-webinar-series-2024.html  

Study Sessions for Year 12

Run by ACU. Register here: https://www.acu.edu.au/study-at-acu/future-student-events/year-12-revision-webinars/nsw   

Undergraduate course guides 2024: https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/1u2Z4Ge_CvceRQ-uVJtgwfTB1kKU5nE5N   

UTS virtual tour: https://tour.uts.edu.au/start  Choose your tour according to the discipline you are interested in.  

Events Calendar

From the Co-curricular Sports Team

The shortcode only works for newsletter articles

Co-curricular Administration

Term 4 Registrations opening soon

Registrations will open for Term 4 programs via the online registration system at 12.00pm on Wednesday 11 September.

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. We recommend families check they can access the system well in advance of the opening date to avoid any technical issues on the day as registrations CANNOT be processed via email or phone.

A notice will be posted on the MyPymble App prior to registrations opening to all families as a reminder of the opening date and time. All program information will be finalised on the Co-curricular pages of MyPymble by Wednesday 30 August.

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.

Sally Davidson

Head of Co-curricular Administration

Artistic Gymnastics

WAG Northern Region Trial 1

Congratulations! I had the wonderful pleasure of watching our amazing Level 3 and 4 Women’s Artistic Gymnasts (WAG) compete at their first Northern Region Trial (1 of 2) on Saturday 17 August and Sunday 18 August at Northern Beaches Gymnastics Academy.

Our gymnasts performed their best and had a wonderful time, with Celine Wang (Year 4) Level 4 and Yifei Zheng (Year 3) Level 3 receiving gold medals, whilst Clarice Chiung (Year 5) Level 4, Monica Li (Year 4) Level 4, and Aaisha Suresh (Year 4) Level 3 all received silver medals!

Congratulations to the following gymnasts who received bronze medals:

Level 4

Scarlett Qiu (Year 5)

Clarice Chung (Year 5)

Aurora Lin (Year 5)

Joslyn Wong (Year 5)

Evelyn Lu (Year 5)

Evelyn Shi (Year 6)

Maggie Li (Year 6)

Elsa Yu (Year 7)

Bethany Tucker (Year 6)

Ellie Rose Ruiz del Portal Greene (Year 4)

Bella Wang (Year 2)

Celine Wang (Year 4)

Sofiyah Khanche (Year 4)

Monica Li (Year 4)

Sophia Thach (Year 2)

Level 3

Charlene Wang (Year 4)

Evelyn Hao (Year 4)

Riya Samy (Year 4)

Norah Liu (Year 4)

Selena Rezaei (Year 3)

Aaisha Suresh (Year 4)

Eldora Xu (Year 2)

Ruby Shi (Year 2)

Celine Shen (Year 2)

Ailisa Yumi Liu (Year 2)

Katherine Wang (Year 2)

Olivia Yang (Year 2)

Eleanor Lim (Year 2)

Yifei Zheng (Year 3)

Claire Lee (Year 3)

Queenie Sun (Year 4)

Li-Ya Koo (Year 3)

Hailey Judd (Year 7)

Moyan Zhang (Year 7)

Grace Wang (Year 4)

The next trial is on Saturday 14 and Sunday 15 September and the best score from these events will be used for qualifying for the NL3-4 State Championships in October.

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Vanessa Clyne

Acting Head Coach – Artistic Gymnastics

Athletics and Cross Country

igsa Athletics

Last Thursday, three Pymble students competed in the 1500m at the final igsa twilight meet. This event was postponed the week before due to lightening, and our girls were excited to start Pymble‘s title defence on the front foot.  

Well done to the below girls who ran an incredible race:

Eliza Lawton (Year 8)

1st             12 to 14 Years

Gemma Dixon (Year 8)

6th             15 to 16 Years (running up an age group, well done Gemma!)

Sarah Baker (Year 12)

2nd                        17 to 18 Years

This Thursday evening, we have 14 girls competing in the hurdles and 800m. We wish these students the best of luck! Many of these girls will then rejoin the remainder of the team back at the Sydney Olympic Park Athletic Centre the next day for the final day of competition.

We are so proud of our Pymble Athletics team, and we look forward to seeing them reap the benefits of all their hard work throughout the year.

Deb Walsham

Head Coach

Diving

School Sport Australia (SSA) Diving Championships, Adelaide – 10 to 17 August

Last week, the SSA Diving Championships were held in Adelaide. Pymble was represented this year by Zara Ware (Year 5) and Amélie Berg (Year 5), and Mrs Chris Lang as manager in charge of the NSW team. SSA is an outstanding opportunity for participants to compete at the highest level, to pursue personal goals in diving, demonstrate good sportsmanship and leadership, and to make and renew friendships both on their team and with their peers from interstate and New Zealand.

The divers competed in a range of exciting events including platform, springboard, synchronised diving, and individual knockout. In addition to diving events, the team were able to participate in an educational experience to the West Beach Mega Adventure Park. For our divers it was an incredible week, and the individual results reflected Zara and Amélie’s commitment to the sport of diving. Leadership and sportsmanship are a huge part of SSA and a particular commendation to Zara who was awarded a SSA Sport and Sportsmanship Award for her conduct throughout the week.

Congratulations to Zara and Amélie who had great success throughout these championships. The memories formed will remain a highlight for years to come.

Zara Ware (Year 5)

2nd 11 Years Springboard

4th 10 to 12 Years Synchronised

6th 11 Years Knockout

TBC Team Synchronised

SSA Sport and Sportsmanship Award

Amélie Berg (Year 5)

1st 10 Years Knockout

2nd Team Synchronised

3rd 10 to 12 Years Synchronised

3rd 10 Years Springboard

8th 10 to 12 Years Platform

Chris Lang

Head Coach – Diving

Hockey

igsa Hockey Competition – Round 4

As we are approaching halfway through the season, we are incredibly proud of our Hockey team efforts and how they have been going so far. Here is an update on our current standings per division:

Pymble 1 3rd

Pymble 2 7th

Pymble 3 4th

Pymble 4 3rd

Pymble 5 5th

Pymble 6 2nd

Team of the Week

This week in Hockey we would like to give a big shout out to the team of the week being our mighty Year 7s, Pymble 6, for their remarkable achievements and dedication.

Currently sitting second on the ladder in their division, they have shown exceptional commitment and determination. Their ongoing efforts to enhance their skills and knowledge is certainly reflecting in their training and matches. Keep up the impressive work Pymble 6!

See below Round 4 results:

Team	Opponent	Result
Pymble 1	Abbotsleigh 1	0 to 5 Loss
Pymble 2	Loreto Normanhurst 1	0 to 8 Loss
Pymble 3	Loreto Kirribilli 3	0 to 2 Loss
Pymble 4	Loreto Normanhurst 3	1 to 0 Win
Pymble 5	Abbotsleigh 5	1 to 1 Draw
Pymble 6	Abbotsleigh 6	1 to 0 Win

Congratulations to the following students who were awarded best and fairest for their match in Round 3!

Pymble 1 – Isla-Rose Campbell (Year 9)

Pymble 2 – Annabel Charnock (Year 11)

Pymble 3 – Ella O’Dea (Year 11)

Pymble 4 – Skye Mitchell (Year 7)

Pymble 5 – Claudia Sherlock (Year 8)

Pymble 6 – Jade George (Year 7)

Shellie Davis

Co-ordinator – Hockey

Junior School Sports

Junior School Sport Team of the Week

Congratulations to IPSHA Touch Football Pymble 2 (Year 5) for being this week’s Junior School Sport Team of the Week! Your impressive display of Touch Football skills was on show for all on Saturday morning. It was inspiring to see how the team worked together seamlessly, demonstrating not only talent, but also excellent communication and strategy on the field. Each player contributed to the victory, showing determination and sportsmanship throughout the match. Well done girls.

NSWPSSA Netball

Congratulations to Flossie Murphy (Year 6), who represented Pymble, playing for NSWCIS, at the NSWPSSA Netball championships last week. By all reports, Flossie had a fantastic competition, displaying her excellent netball skills throughout the event. In addition to honing her skills on the court, she had the wonderful opportunity to meet some amazing girls and inspiring coaches, forming great friendships. Well done, Flossie.

Matt Tyson

Head of Sport – Kindergarten to Year 6

Netball

All About Your New Head Coach: Megan O’Keeffe

Pymble is thrilled to have Megan O’Keeffe as our new Head Coach of Netball. Megan has been part of Pymble for the past three years, successfully managing various sports programs, and took over the helm of our Netball program in Term 2 this year. She kicked off her leadership with a victory in the Pymble vs Knox game, setting an exciting tone for the season. Megan is enjoying the Term 3 competition and looks forward to what is beyond.

Megan brings extensive Netball expertise from her school days to the National level. In school, she played for the Firsts and was selected for numerous representative teams, including IGSA, NSWCIS, and the NSW Merit team. She is currently a member of the Giants Netball Academy, competing in the Super Netball Reserves competition, and plays for the UTS Sparks Opens team in the NSW Open Premier League competition. Alongside her coaching and playing commitments, Megan is pursuing a Masters in Teaching (PDHPE) at the Australian Catholic University.

Netball runs in Megan’s blood; her mother, Jenny O’Keeffe, is the former assistant coach for the Giants Netball team and our Senior First netball coach. Our coaching staff also includes Charli Fidler, who debuted with Giants Netball this year, and former NSW Swifts player Ashlee Weir, currently a Year 2 teacher at Pymble. Alongside this national league experience, our Netball coaching team features many representative coaches, club coaches, and Premier League netball players.

At Pymble, our netball philosophy centres on providing all students with equal opportunities to enhance their netball skills, build new friendships, and have fun. While premierships are valuable, Megan’s passion and drive focus on developing holistic athletes, encouraging students to thrive on and off the court while embodying Pymble’s values daily.

We wish Megan and our Netball teams a fantastic Term 3 season! Go Pymble!

igsa Netball – Round 4

Pymble Netball had a fantastic weekend, featuring many high-energy matches and a few nail-biting moments. All the girls gave it their all, but special mention to a few huge home game wins from Pymble 3 winning 30 to 16, Pymble 4 winning 25 to 12, and Pymble 13 winning 28 to 13. We also had some fantastic wins from our Pymble teams that played away. Despite the long travel for some of them, all the girls remained enthusiastic with Pymble 21 winning 28 to 13, Pymble 8 winning 26 to 6, and Pymble 11 winning 29 to 16. Keep up your hard work girls, and we can’t wait to see what we can achieve next week!

See below round 4 results:

Team	Opponent	Result
Pymble 1	Mount St Benedict 1	34 to 35
Pymble 2	Brigidine 2	24 to 34
Pymble 3	Wenona 3	30 to 16
Pymble 4	St Vincent’s 4	25 to 12
Pymble 5	Ascham 3	14 to 34
Pymble 6	Tara 2	14 to 24
Pymble 7	Roseville 7	15 to 16
Pymble 8	Queenwood 6	26 to 6
Pymble 9	Brigidine 10	14 to 32
Pymble 10	Ravenswood 7	10 to 30
Pymble 11	Tara 4	29 to 16
Pymble 12	Loreto Normanhurst 14	20 to 12
Pymble 13	Abbotsleigh 16	28 to 13
Pymble 14	Ascham 8	26 to 18
Pymble 15	St Vincent’s 11	14 to 18
Pymble 16	PLC Sydney 13	15 to 13
Pymble 17	Meriden 13	3 to 18
Pymble 18	PLC Sydney 18	6 to 25
Pymble 19	Brigidine 21	19 to 11
Pymble 20	Tara 8	17 to 2
Pymble 21	St Vincent’s 17	28 to 13
Pymble 22	St Catherine’s 4	17 to 19
Pymble 23	Mount St Benedict 4	7 to 15
Pymble 24	Abbotsleigh 33	15 to 4
Pymble 25	Abbotsleigh 34	17 to 3
Pymble 26	Brigidine 27	8 to 12

Karl Schmidt

Head of Coaching and Performance

Orienteering

NSW Schools Orienteering Championship – Saturday 17 and Sunday 18 August

Over the weekend, students from various schools across NSW competed in the NSW Schools Orienteering Championship. Several Pymble students entered in events ranging from the individual sprint races, bush races, and team relays. The events saw students test their endurance and strategic thinking and challenged their map and compass skills through Turramurra and around Macquarie University. All Pymble participants showed incredibly determination and courage to enter and compete in such an event. Congratulations to the following students and their results:

Sophie Chiang (Year 6)

1st Bush race

Anna Smart (Year 6)

5th Bush race

4th Sprint

Kamilla King (Year 6)

Sprint Race

Maddi Scott

Co-ordinator – Orienteering

Pymble Elite Sportswomen’s Program

Friday 23 August will be your last chance to register for the workshop: ‘Female Athlete Health and Understanding Your Menstrual Cycle’, being held on Tuesday 27 August from 3.45pm until 5.00pm in the Kate Mason Lecture Theatre.

Please only RSVP if you intend on attending as the College is being charged based on the numbers attending the workshop. RSVPs are required by Friday 23 August to assist with final numbers. Unfortunately, late RSVPs will not be accepted.

Click here to book your tickets for Female Athlete Health

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. 

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Skye Halliday

Co-ordinator – Pymble Elite Sportswomen’s Program

Rugby Sevens

Team of the Week – Pymble 2 (Division 2)

This week’s team of the week goes to Pymble 2. This team were firing in their first match of the day coming up against a determined Tara team.

Notable mentions to Chloe Brogan (Year 12) who was instrumental in guiding the team around the park. Holly Craig (Year 12) was damaging with the ball in hand, making valuable meters and scoring some very entertaining tries. Andie Hodder (Year 12) was strong in the breakdown and showed off her blistering pace out wide. Latiah McMillian (Year 11) and Dezi Magann-Jones (Year 11) dominated the opposition in the scrums. Alice Beveridge (Year 11), Alessandra Braysich (Year 12), Alexandra Hyett (Year 12), Allyana Levy (Year 11), and Isabel Matosantos (Year 12) had great work rate around the park, keeping the ball alive and with some slick ball work to the edges.

The second match of the day for Pymble 2 was a friendly against Ravenswood 1. Unfortunately, we went down in this one against a very tough and athletic team. It was of course not without a fight and our girls should be very proud of their efforts!

Jack Garrad

Co-ordinator – Rugby Sevens

Swimming

2024 Abbotsleigh Development Meet

On Sunday 18 August, a team of 23 Pymble swimmers competed at the Abbotsleigh Development Meet. This is a fun and exciting meet for all swimmers aged 12 years and under, and it also gives the chance to non-club members to experience racing for the first time.

Pymble swimmers won plenty of medals with many personal bests, and a few new state times also achieved. The highlight of the day is always the golden flipper relay where our team managed, with an outstanding swim, to bring the golden flipper trophy back to Pymble for the fourth year in a row. Our 4x50m medley team also won the silver medal in a very exciting race.

It was a lot of fun, cheering, smiles, and learning in preparation for Junior State. Thank you to our coaching team for the support and assisting our Pymble girls during the meet. Well done to the following girls that competed: Emily Dao (Year 3), Amélie Berg (Year 5), Jennifer Cheng (Year 4), Carla Eibach (Year 7), Oriana Fenton (Year 7), Mia Hong (Year 2), Ludovica Iacovelli (Year 7), Leah Ji (Year 2), Sisi Ko (Year 6), Katherine Kong (Year 5), Vera Le (Year 3), Crystal Li (Year 4), Jade Mao (Year 7), Lena Pan (Year 5), Emma Wang (Year 5), Rose Wang (Year 4), Erin Wei (Year 5), Elsa Yu (Year 7), Olivia Yu (Year 4), Victoria Yu (Year 6), Chloe Zhan (Year 6), Hailey Zhang (Year 4), and Yifei Zheng (Year 3).

State Championships this Weekend

Wishing the best of luck to our Pymble swimmers that will be competing this weekend at the Senior State Championship at Sydney Olympic Park.

Lewis Gray

Acting Co-ordinator – Swimming

Water Polo

Northern Suburbs Competition

In a gripping and intense grand final on Monday 19 August, the Pymble intermediate team fell short against Stella Maris. Despite a strong effort throughout the game, we were unable to secure the victory.

While the result was not in our favour, the grand final showcased the dedication, skill, and sportsmanship of our Pymble intermediate team. The team can be proud of their achievements and the growth throughout the season. 

Congratulations girls on bringing home the silver medal. The team consisted of: Sophie Beveridge (Year 9), Georgia Buttling (Year 9), Gemma Dixon (Year 8), Alice Gall (Year 8), Cleo McLaughlin (Year 8), Leander McLaughlin (Year 9), Olivia Norton (Year 9), Phoebe Pockley (Year 9), Kate Rogers (Year 8), Eleanor Rowe (Year 8), Alexandra Warren (Year 9), and Isabella Younger (Year 9).

Brigette Moore

Head Coach – Water Polo

From the Co-curricular Performing Arts Team

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Drama

Spotlight on the Film Class

Guided by the creative expertise of teachers Madi, Tahmara, and Matt, these students are diving deep into the world of filmmaking, blending the art of storytelling with the technical precision of cinema.

Since the beginning of the term, the film classes have been hard at work scripting their original self-devised pieces. This process has allowed them to explore the intricacies of narrative structure, character development, and visual storytelling. Each student has contributed their unique voice to the script, resulting in a collaborative story that reflects their collective creativity and vision. Students have had a hands-on approach using film, sound, and lighting equipment to develop the technical skills needed for filmmaking but also the importance of teamwork, patience, and attention to detail.

The culmination of their hard work will be showcased at Centre Stage Behind the Mask, where their film will be presented to the school community on Monday 25 November in the Drama Theatre. I am incredibly proud of the dedication and passion shown by our film students and their teachers. 

Important Drama Events

31 August – Ryde Eisteddfod at West Ryde Community Centre

25 and 26 October – Festival of Speech Competition

TBC October – Theatresport Primary and Junior Competition

CentreStage Behind the Mask Dates

25 November – Theatresports and Film CentreStage

26 November – Dress rehearsal for Junior show

27 November – CentreStage Junior Show (all Junior Drama students)

28 November – Dress rehearsal for Secondary show

29 November – CentreStage Secondary show (all Secondary Drama students

Rebecca York

Co-curricular Drama Co-ordinator

Language Arts

Debating

Archdale Debating – Shield and Invitational

Thank you to all Archdale Debaters for their dedication this past preliminary season. Some teams will now progress to the quarter finals to be held on Tuesday 27 August. Teams and venues will be announced shortly.

Congratulations to our Invitational Intermediate team who are straight through to the grand final on Tuesday 10 September. Details to be forwarded.

Parents are reminded that travel to and from finals rounds is the responsibility of parents.

Shield Competition Placings

7A                    Placed 4th

8B                    Placed 4th

Juniors            Placed 3rd

Yr 9                 Placed 4th

Seniors            Placed 3rd

Archdale Representative team

Last Sunday, Archdale Representative team trials were held. A team of twelve was selected from fifty Year 10 to 12 invitees from seventeen schools. Congratulations to Kitty He (Year 10), Maya Garg (Year 11), and Amy Zhang (Year 11) who were selected for this prestigious team. Pymble debaters make up one quarter of the team! Enjoy the season girls.

Debating Notes

• Debating Bootcamp – The Language Arts High Level Debating Bootcamp continues this Friday after school. A continued thanks to Maya Garg (Year 11), State Debating representative, and the Language Arts Captains for this initiative. Girls are on a steep learning curve!
• IDC Debating – Term 4 – Teams will be released in the forthcoming weeks. Please ensure all registrations have been completed.
• 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 substitutes can be arranged.
• Staff v Student debate – stay tuned for this forthcoming highlight. The proposed date is Thursday 29 August.

Public Speaking

UN Voice Registrations

Pymble will host a UN Voice of Youth heat on Monday 14 October. In 2022, Jenny Xu (Year 11) was the national winner. Last year, Isis Li (Year 9) was the national runner up. This is a wonderful competition and is open to all.  In the first instance, please email our incoming Public Speaking Captain, Jenny Xu at JIXu@pymblelc.nsw.edu.au to register interest. Please use UN Voice interest as the subject heading. Please copy Mrs Hubbard bhubbard@pymblelc.nsw.edu.au and Co-curricular Administration ccsa@pymblelc.nsw.edu.au into the email. You will then be invited to a workshop run by past winners, and registrations will be completed through Co-curricular Administration.

Junior Secondary School Speaking Award

Congratulations to Leahara Wijesuriya (Year 8) and Estelle Lee (Year 8) who recently competed in the Junior Secondary School Speaking Award (JSSA). Estelle will now progress to the JSSA Regional round to be held at The Arts’ Centre, Lewisham, between Monday 2 and Monday 9 September.

Model United Nations (MUN)

Evatt

Maya Garg (Year 11) and Catherine Shi (Year 11) have progressed to the Evatt National final and will represent NSW at the National finals during the upcoming summer holidays.

UN Negotiations

Well done to our negotiators who competed in the first of their two preliminary rounds last Saturday at Pymble. They are awaiting their second scenario.

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. Sixteen Language Arts students and three teachers will depart Sydney on Friday 17 January and travellers will commence Term 1 2025 on Monday 3 February. We are excited for this wonderful travel experience!

A compulsory MUN training day will be held on Wednesday 28 August from 8.40am to 12.00pm in CL02.

Mock Law

Mediation

The scenario for the next mediation session has arrived and the date of the next mediation round will be announced soon.

Mock Trial

The material for the next mock trial has arrived and Pymble will be hosting Ravenswood. The date will be announced soon. All mock trial scoresheets must be submitted prior to Friday 6 September.

Festival of Speech

The annual Festival of Speech will be held at MLC Burwood this year on Friday 25 and Saturday 26 October. A Pymble representative team will be formed over the coming weeks.

Bronwyn Hubbard

Head of Co-curricular Language Arts

Music

Congratulations

• Lexi Wu (Year 6) – Grade 1 Theory – High Distinction A+ 
• Joy Yin (Year 9) – Sydney Eisteddfod 2024 results:

• 202 Open Piano Award (any age) – 2nd Place
• 204 Piano Polyphony (any age) – 2nd Place 

Scholars’ Concert

Our Scholars performed magnificently to a full house on Wednesday night. I have been talking at length to the girls about humility and being proud of each other as well as themselves. Our world is full of people with enormous egos. The Scholars’ Concert is always a humbling time for staff and students alike.

Our girls display such an enormous level of talent, and it brings me such joy when they are in awe of each other. When a student performs and does their best, they are always aware that someone is going to sound better than them. Our girls acknowledge this and use it to help them to continue to grow as musicians. They are young women embarking on a journey that may or may not take them into a life of Music. All that is needed is to know that they have touched our souls by presenting a work of art that happens to be the sublime nature of music.

Save the Date – Garden Party, Saturday 21 September

Members of the following groups will be performing on the day at various locations around the College. Students are to ensure they are wearing comfortable clothing, not school uniform (hats are recommended as it is often hot), and to bring their music and instruments.

Ensemble	Venue	Approximate Times (TBC)
Clarinet Ensemble	GMCPA Foyer	11.00am to 11.15am
Flute Ensemble	GMCPA Foyer	11.20am to 11.35am
Piccoline Choir	Music Gallery	11.30am to 12.00pm
Pizzicato Strings	Music Gallery	11.30am to 12.00pm
Junior Jazz Band	Music Colonnade	12.45pm to 1.05pm
Secondary Jazz Band	Music Colonnade	1.10pm to 1.30pm
Grainger Band	Chapel Court	2.05pm to 2.25pm
Stanhope Band	Chapel Court	2.30pm to 2.45pm
Year 4 Band	Chapel Court	2.50pm to 3.00pm

Music Tour 2024 – Violinists/Violas

Please be advised that Emirates have informed Hayes Travel Enterprises that all violins and violas must be in shaped cases, not the rectangular ones. If you are struggling to find an option, please see Mrs Turner.

Sarah Turner

Head of Music

Speech and Drama

Ryde Eisteddfod

Congratulations to all the talented solo performers in the Ryde Eisteddfod. There are more results to come as the Eisteddfod continues.

Poetry Performance events

Dakota Gu (Year 2)                            1st

Selena Rezaei (Year 3)                      1st

Anya Jolapara (Year 4)                      1st

Hailey Zhang (Year 4)                        2nd

Sarayah Wijesuriya (Year 3)              2nd

Aarthi Rao (Year 4)                            3rd

Viola Li (Year 2)                                  Highly Commended

Kelly Ni (Year 2)                                 Highly Commended

Olivia Zheng (Year 2)                         Highly Commended

Harley Betrand (Year 3)                     Highly Commended

Kaymi Madugalle Wijeratne (Year 3) Highly Commended

Ariel Wang (Year 3)                            Highly Commended

Chloe Zhang (Year 4)                         Highly Commended

Rachel Zhang (Year 4 )                       Highly Commended

Character Monologue in Costume

Sarayah Wijesuriya (Year 3)              Highly Commended

Talented Performers

Isabel Gao (Year 2)

Molly Liu (Year 2)

Grace Yu (Year 2)

Evelyn Chiu (Year 3)

Elaine Fu (Year 3)

Mischa Jardav (Year 3)

Ishita Singh (Year 3)

Melissa Wang (Year 3)

Priscilla Fang (Year 4)

Claire Que (Year 4)

Rose Wang (Year 4)

Sophia Wu (Year 4)

Victoria Clancy

Speech and Drama Instructor

Garden Party – Map and Entertainment Schedule

We can’t wait to welcome you to our Pymble campus on Saturday 21 September from 10.00am to 3.00pm for our biggest event of the year.

Open to the whole community, our fete will have rides, food and market stalls, demonstrations, live music, competitions and more!

Funds raised at this year’s Garden Party will go to the Barbara May Foundation and Sony Foundation.

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!

Can you help out at Garden Party?

Toy Stall

We are accepting expressions of interest from parents who are interested in running the Toy Stall at this year’s Garden Party. We are seeking one or more parent(s) who can take on this role; you will also receive guidance and valuable insights from someone who has previously managed the Toy Stall.

Please email events@pymblelc.nsw.edu.au if you are interested.

Japanese Food Stall

We are looking for volunteers to assist with the Japanese Food Stall at Garden Party. If you have a passion for Japanese cuisine or simply want to lend a hand, your help would be greatly appreciated, even if you can only spare an hour or two on the day.

Please contact takako.davison@gmail.com or events@pymblelc.nsw.edu.au if you are able to assist.

Pymble Parent Association (PPA) Barbecue

We are looking for parents or staff members who are willing to help out for an hour at the PPA Barbecue either cooking the sausages, serving the sausages or handling payments.

If you can lend a hand, please click here to sign up.

Second-Hand Uniform Stall

The Pymble Parents’ Association (PPA) Second-Hand Uniform Stall is returning to Garden Party in 2024!

This stall is one of the busiest at Garden Party and provides a valuable service to our community.

 We need your help to make this stall a success!  Please consider donating any pre-loved Pymble uniforms in undamaged and clean condition to be sold on the day. We will accept any items of uniform except socks and tights, and really appreciate any spare hangers too.

Uniform Donations Details

Dates              Monday 2 September to Wednesday 18 September 2024

Where             Drop-Off Zone in the Centenary Car Park (entry via Gate 3)

Time               7.30am to 8.30am and 2.30pm to 3.30pm

Thank you in advance for your help in making this year’s stall the best yet!

Pre-order your Unlimited Rides Pass!

We are delighted to invite the College community to celebrate all things Pymble at our annual Garden Party on Saturday 21 September. 

The Unlimited Rides Pass allows you to go on as many rides as you would like at Garden Party 2024 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.

This year there are two options based on a child’s height:

1. Unlimited Rides Pass for children 130cm and over – Cost: $45
2. Unlimited Rides Pass for children under 130cm – Cost: $35

Each pass provides unlimited access on any ride or activity where the minimum height/age requirement is met:

• The Superhero Ride (130cm and over)
• The Round Up (120cm and over)
• The Whirlwind (110cm and over)
• Storm Ride (110cm and over)
• Cup & Saucer (Two years and over)
• Swinging Pirate Ship
• Turbo Flyers
• Giant Slide
• Inflatables 

Order now: Click here to pre-order your Unlimited Rides Pass.

Registrations close: Thursday 19 September 2024

Enquiries: Please contact the Rides Convenor, Sangeeta Venkatesan at sangeeta.venkatesan@gmail.com

Click here for more details on Pymble Ladies’ College Garden Party 2024. We look forward to seeing you there!

Give FunDive a Try!

Ever wondered what it takes to be a diver? Curious about how it feels to springboard from a height into a pool of water beneath you?

If you’re looking for a thrill at Garden Party or just want to try your hand at learning a new skill, you don’t want to miss Pymble’s FunDive event taking place in the afternoon in the Braith Williams Aquatic and Fitness Centre.

Led by Olympian Kurtis Mathews, Pymble’s Head Coach of Diving, FunDive will give you the rare opportunity to learn the principles of diving, participate in a session guided by an expert coach and truly understand the courage involved in this fantastic sport.

There are only a limited number of tickets being sold for this event, so you’ll need to be quick to secure your spot. Please note: Students must be able to swim 15 metres unassisted in the deep end of the 50 metre pool to participate.

Session Times

Children (5 to 16 years): 12.30pm to 1.15pm

Adults (17+): 1.15pm to 2.00pm

Cost: $10

Tickets: Please click here to secure your spot.

Registrations close: Thursday 19 September

For further information please contact Kurtis Mathews at kmathews@pymblelc.nsw.edu.au or events@pymblelc.nsw.edu.au.

Junior School Garden Party Poster Competition

With just under one month to go until Pymble’s biggest event of the year, Junior School students are encouraged to enter the Garden Party Poster Competition, with winners receiving house points.

Entries are to be submitted to the Junior School Office by Friday 23 August 2024. All posters entered will be displayed at Garden Party 2024. 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!

Cake Stall

Pymble is hosting its annual Garden Party on Saturday 21 September and the Cake Stall is always a highlight of the day. All funds raised are donated to the Garden Party charities – the Barbara May Foundation and Sony Camp Australia.

You can help in two ways by:

• Baking delicious cakes, biscuits, slices and treats for sale.
• Assisting on the stall during the day. 

The stall caters to a broad range of customers from those wanting a delicious on-the-go snack to keep up their energy levels, to those looking to take home a cake, tart or pie for a special occasion. All baked goods are welcome!

The cakes and baked goods can be dropped off at the stall in the foyer of the Gillian Moore Centre for Performing Arts (GMCPA) on the day of the Garden Party from 7.30am.

We also need volunteers to man the stall and sell the delicious treats throughout the day. If you can help at the stall for an hour, please register here.

Thank you, as always, for your support.

Cake and Cake Box Decorating

With the theme of Enchanted Garden, students from Kindergarten to Year 12, parents and families are invited to bake and/or create their most creative cake and/or cake box! Any size, shape and skill level is welcome to enter, and you can submit multiple entries should you wish. 

Cake Decorating Competition

Cake Box Decorating Competition

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.

Students must use their 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. 

E: collegeservices@pymblelc.nsw.edu.au

T: +61 2 9855 7447

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 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!