From the Upper School

From our Head of Upper School 

It has been so lovely to hear the excitement of the Jacaranda Courtyard and students moving through the Upper School Office over the past week. We have loved seeing our girls welcome new students to the College, pop in for a mask, participate in their swimming carnivals, enjoy face-to-face Chapel, buy chocolate roses for Valentine’s Day, and generally relish reconnecting with each other back on campus.

As you may have noticed we have been encouraging our Upper School girls to be courageous. For me that means having the courage to break old habits and forge new ones. Supposedly it takes 66 days to form a habit (https://jamesclear.com/new-habit), so please encourage your girls to be creative with their ambitions and to stick with it when the going gets tough! We hope that some of the exciting opportunities detailed below offer suitable inspiration for change, challenge and connection, and look forward to sharing news of our collective growth over the coming weeks.

COVID-19: Important update and reminder for families

Please click here for:

• what to do if another member of your household tests positive while you are already in isolation;
• a reminder to inform the school if your daughter has to isolate at home and temporarily switch to learning via Pymble Online; and
• upcoming booster shots for eligible students.

Mr Tom Riley

Head of Upper School

From our Deputy Head of Upper School

We are proud to report that our Upper School students settled into their new routine with impressive maturity. What a fantastic start to Term 1!

There are several exciting events during Weeks 3 and 4 and we encourage the girls to engage in opportunities applicable to them:

Year 9

Burn Bright Spark Program

There are many influences on young women which may make the journey through adolescence tricky and conflicting. Having to navigate peer pressure, body image, media influences, expectations, online and digital spaces and much more can be daunting, and often girls find it difficult to deal with these changes that are occurring. SPARK provides the tools which help young women build confidence, positively express themselves, understand their values, cultivate gratitude and perspective, and build their capacity to be resilient. The program aims to enhance emotional intelligence and empowers students to build positive and healthy relationships with their peers, parents and their community.

Year 10

Peer Support training

Peer support is a unique opportunity for students to contribute to the growth and wellbeing of students younger than them, whilst actively serving the school community. Peer support leaders help new students make the transition into a new school environment. They actively build relationships with younger students and often run structured sessions that help younger students navigate this new environment. This program focuses on servant leadership, how to facilitate effectively, work in a team and care for new students.

Mrs Michelle Hunt

Deputy Head of Upper School

From our Heads of Year 9

What a fabulous start to 2022 with our first full week at school. This week students were privileged to learn about Lunar New Year from two students who performed and spoke about what Chinese New Year means to them.

Congratulations to all those students who have attained leadership positions and best wishes as you carry out your roles with inclusivity and positivity.

Year 9 students have been embracing our theme to challenge yourself to ‘Get out of your COMFORT zone and into your COURAGE zone’. This is as simple as making a new friend, or participating in a race at the swimming carnival, or as courageous as making the first steps toward a new goal. Everyone is encouraged to begin their Duke of Edinburgh Award or to try Cadets this year. For Duke of Edinburgh information, contact Ms Loviero at lioviero@pymblelc.nsw.edu.au.

Year 9 Leadership positions 2022

In Directions this week, students have learned how to cope with uncertainty, with many of us using worrying as a tool to (unsuccessfully) try and predict the future and avoid nasty surprises. Whilst worrying can make it seem like we have some control over uncertain circumstances, this week we are encouraging our students to become more self-aware in maintaining perspective and solving problems as they arise.

Mrs Karina Richter Head of Year 9

Mr Adam Levin Head of Year 9

From our Heads of Year 10

On Thursday Year 10 had the opportunity to hear from renowned Drug and Alcohol Research and Training expert Paul Dillon who provided practical strategies on how to navigate challenging teenage experiences.

Year 10 will also hear from Paul in Year 11 and Year 12, as he adapts his presentation to suit their evolving maturity and experiences. We hope that Paul’s presentation enabled great dinner-time conversations and we welcome feedback from parents and carers.

Thank you to all Year 10 students who participated in or supported their friends at the swimming carnival on Tuesday 8 February. There was a great number of girls competing in races, and it really supported our theme ‘Getting out of your COMFORT zone and into your COURAGE zone’.

We would like to remind families that the Year 10 Camp is coming up in Week 10. The students had two options to choose from:

The Namadji program will take place in the Victorian Alpine National Park where students will be involved in a challenging nine-day hike traversing Australia’s highest peaks and spectacular mountain scenery.

The alternative Murramarang Coastal Expedition will see students go on a coastal journey exploring the cliff lines, headlands, and pristine beaches of the beautiful southern region of Murramarang National Park. The experience also encompasses kayaking through pristine clear water, an interactive Indigenous session in the bush and an opportunity to participate in a surf/yoga session.

Save the Date

We will hold an online information night for parents on 24 February at 6.00pm to hear all about the two camps. The link will be included in the next newsletter.

From the Upper School Office

If you have not received a copy of the 2020 Magazine, please ask your daughter to pop into the office to collect one within the next week.

A reminder that students will be given their supply of Rapid Antigen Tests for Weeks 4 and 5 on Friday 11 February. We do ask that you ensure that your daughter does a RAT test every Monday and Wednesday prior to coming to school.

Could you also give your daughter some additional face masks to have in their locker or school bag as they do need to change them regularly and often break.

We appreciate your support in keeping our College as safe as possible.

From the Head of Learning Support

Homework Help Term 1

Homework Help is an after-school service offered to all Pymble students in the Secondary School to provide assistance and support with everyday homework, assignments and research skills in a friendly, quiet environment. Homework Help is staffed by teachers from the Learning Support Team.

For further enquiries, please contact Mrs Lora Lim at llim@pymblelc.nsw.edu.au.

Mrs Lora Lim

Head of Learning Support

Key Dates