From the Senior School

From the Head of Senior School

Firstly, I wanted to congratulate Year 11 students and their guests for a lovely night at their Formal a fortnight ago. It was wonderful to see the students enjoying themselves and taking to the dance floor with their guests and teachers. It was truly a special night of celebration and friendship.

Year 12 have begun their Trial HSC examinations with good sense and a calm attitude. Just a reminder that all students are welcome to come to school to study or catch up with their teachers when they do not have an exam. However, we ask that they wear full school uniform and sign in at the office when on campus. Thanks also to Year 11 students for keeping the building quiet and settled while the Year 12s sit their papers.

Balancing future goal setting and being present

If departure is the past and arrival is the future, then the road is the present, and there is nothing more spiritually difficult, or spiritually rewarding, than learning to live significantly in the present. – Leon Wieseltier

The girls in the Senior School, in both years 11 and 12 are in significant moments of transition in their school lives. There is an almost paradoxical need for them to be living in the moment and simultaneously planning for the next stage in their lives. Is it possible to do both at the same time? Living in the moment has its rewards, but so does thinking about the future. Both of these strategies can revitalise us.

In Directions time this week the Year 11s have been thinking about their goals for the future, as have many of the Year 12 students as they move towards the end of term. It is a time for the students to be reviewing their goals, both short and long term. However, it is also important to remember to balance this with developing an appreciation of the present.

As mentioned in last week’s newsletter, I will be absent for a short period of Long Service Leave from 8 August – 2 September. Ms Patricia Gallardo will be Acting Head of Senior School in my absence.

REMINDER TO ALL STUDENTS

Learning for Secondary School students will be face-to-face and on campus from Term 3 as advised via the Parent Portal at the end of Term 2.

Secondary students who test positive to Covid or are not well enough to attend school are to follow the normal procedure by contacting their subject teachers via email and/or referring to Canvas to catch up on missed work.

From the Heads of Year 12

HSC Trial exams are underway and whilst there are some levels of stress there is also relief that they have started. Year 12 are composed and motivated to do their best. From writing quotes of King Richard or Julius Caesar, to vertical exaggeration and solving mathematical equations, this week has proved a busy time for all students.

We hope that students continue their positive study habits and take care of themselves in the second week of Trials.

From the Heads of Year 11

With the excitement of the formal now behind us, Year 11 now shifts their focus to exams and the start of their Year 12 journey.

With this in mind, Directions classes have spent time developing note-taking strategies, creating study plans and understanding the various ways to get the most out of available time. In addition to this, recent lessons have seen a focus on digital safety. In particular, facial recognition technology and the role it plays in our society.

Over the next few weeks, Year 11 will be involved in a lesson from our Futures team which will help students with their transition into planning their post-Pymble life.

As momentum builds toward a very busy and intense exam period, we want to remind students to balance their time with a healthy diet, exercise and downtime. Think about this period as a marathon – it’s not how you start, it’s how you finish!

Homework Help in Term 3

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.

When: Monday, Tuesday and Thursday after school: 3.30pm to 4.30pm

Where: Classroom C3 (Top floor of the Colonnade Building)

Dates: From Monday Week 3 (1 August) to Thursday Week 9 (15 September)

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