From the Boarding School
From our Head of Boarding
It is always great to be out on the road to meet our families on their home ‘turf’ and our visit to Scone was an extra special one. It was wonderful to have the Chair of our College Board, Mr James Hunter and our Principal, Dr Hadwen with us as we celebrated all things Boarding with past, present and future families from the Upper Hunter Region. A highlight of the evening was the presentation by Year 8 Boarder, Mia Lorimer, who spoke of her time in boarding. Mia joined us from Alice Springs when she was in Year 7 and it was great to hear of her journey from a home schooled student through to a Pymble Boarder.
As an added bonus we were also able to visit the Hunter Beef Bonanza and see our incredible Cattle Club team in action. There were a few ribbons to be had but the real treat was to see our team confidentially negotiating rain, mud and very large animals all with trademark Pymble resilience and good cheer.
Diwali
On Tuesday night we enjoyed celebrating the Festival of Lights, Diwali with our Boarders. The afternoon started with rangoli and, not deterred by the rain, our Boarders made beautiful patterns on the Marden verandah using coloured rice. This was followed by a spectacular Indian feast culminating in a dessert of delicious gulab jamun, soft delicious berry sized balls which are soaked in rose flavoured sugar syrup. My thanks go to our Boarding House Liaison Officer, Neha Beri and Nandika Singh of Year 9 who brought this wonderful festival to life.
Love It – Mrs White
Friday night was pizza night and the whole of Boarding enjoyed a night in the house sharing pizzas a laugh. The Year 12s celebrated the halfway point of their exams with a ceremonial note burning fire pit and the miserable weather didn’t stop our Year 10s from making the most of their beach picnic on Friday afternoon. The girls headed down to Mona Vale with Kate and Holly and were super excited to pick up their pizzas on the way.
Saturday turned on the weather for the Kirribilli Markets. Our Year 9 Head of Year Boarding, Beth Ayling, was able to take a group from Marden and Goodlet to explore the foreshore markets. he girls even bumped into past staff member Emily Behan and were delighted to catch up with her.
This weekend we will be welcoming our 2023 Year 7s to Marden House for a sleepover on Friday night. Our newly appointed ‘Big Sisters’ are excited to meet their new little sisters and help them settle into Pymble and life in Boarding. The Boarders are planning a great afternoon filled with Boarders Get Baking, a scavenger hunt and a swim in the pool followed by a movie night. Our Year 10 and 11s have been invited to Newington for a Halloween event on Friday with Courtney and Holly. Saturday night will be a great night out at the Sydney Kings Basketball and on Sunday we will be welcoming the Knox boys from Years 7 to 9 for our annual Halloween Trick for Treat event.
View from my Window – Imogen Hawkins
My name is Imogen Hawkins, I am in Year 10 and have boarded at Pymble since Year 8. The Boarding House has been my home away from home for a while, but when not in Goodlet I live on the Sunshine Coast, Queensland. The Sunshine Coast is known for its sandy beaches, clear waters, and lush rainforests. My family is made up of me and my two younger brothers, Marc and Hugo, as well as my parents, Marina & Ashley.
My favourite view would be the beaches back home. The warm sand between your toes, gentle waves and rays of sun. The beach for me has always been my safe place, I enjoy swimming with my friends and family, watching my little brother surf and soaking up the sun when I can. There is simply no better place to let go of any stress or tension than the beach. The perfect days back home are always the ones where you can get ice-cream and fish and chips after a good swim. I love going for walks with my mum, playing sports with my younger brothers (especially soccer), going on drives with my dad and spending time with everyone.
My favourite thing about being back home is the relaxed, slow-paced community, with wide open spaces, it has been different being surrounded by a big city like Sydney and its fast-paced energy. Although I miss my view back home, boarding has given me its own. And being a boarder, our homes, friends, and school is our view of a home away from home.
Boarder of the Week
Ella Graham has been a wonderful addition to our community. Joining us in Year 10 this year from Port Macquarie, it feels as though Ella has been with us forever. Ella takes every opportunity, giving her time without expectation of anything in return and being a beautiful friend to all. Ella is super organised ensuring her room is tidy and she is always ready to help out around the house.
She makes excellent use of our Learn It program seeking to consolidate her learning through accessing the Academic Tutors and working diligently. Ella has just been appointed as one of our Big Sisters and I have no doubt she will make a valuable contribution to this program. We are beyond delighted to have Ella in our Boarding family.
Mrs Carolyn Burgess