From the Principal

There’s one thing that always accompanies me back from my travels and that is a deep appreciation for home. Home to me, of course, means Pymble. It has been pure joy to reconnect with our Pymble family and our very own “fearless girls” this week having returned from an enriching time away looking at buildings, meeting with partners, exploring program opportunities and engaging in the Oxford Initiative Global Women’s Narratives Project.

During my time away I managed to visit, meet or host the following groups:

USA
University of California, Los Angeles
The Nueva School (Pre-K to Year 12)
Autodesk Technology Centre
Brightworks School (K-12)
St Albans School (Years 4 to 12)
Thomas Jefferson High School for Science and Technology
Avenues The World School (2 to 18 years)
Dwight-Englewood School (Pre-K to Year 12)
The Brearley School (K-12)
Harvard University’s Science and Engineering Complex
Harvard University’s Richard A. and Susan F. Smith Campus Center
Harvard University’s ArtLab
Cambridge Public Library’s STEAM Makerspace, The Hive
Massachusetts Institute of Technology’s NuVu Innovation School
Global Forum on Girls’ Education
International Coalition of Girls’ Schools Board meeting
Pymble Alumni in New York and Los Angeles

England
Oxford Initiative Global Women’s Narratives Project
Headington School (Nursery to Year 12)
Oundle School (11 to 18 years)
Wellington College (13 to 18 years)
London School of Economics and Political Science
Francis Holland School (4 to 18 years)
Dulwich College (2 to 19 years)
Pymble Alumni in London

Greece
The Melissa Network
Solidarity Now
Diavata Refugee Camp

It certainly was an action-packed adventure. Although a few more hours of sleep would help to unpack my learnings in greater detail and order, I thought you might like to hear a few initial thoughts and highlights.

Pymble is a wonderful place to be

There wasn’t one school among those I visited that offered the range of co-curricular activities we have here at the College. These visits also confirmed our facilities are second to none and, even though we are working on upgrading our learning facilities, how well we are placed globally. Meeting some fabulous educators gave me cause to reflect on our outstanding staff at Pymble; how invested they are and how hard they work. While there is no room for complacency, it is reassuring to know the College offers our students a global standard in every aspect of their education.

Internships in America are helpful for students

Historically, and certainly when I went to school, work experience was the way we first engaged with the world of work. In some schools in America, Years 10 and 11 students undertake one or several internships for a period of up to six weeks during their extended break in the middle of the year (this would translate to the Christmas break for us). These internships are often hosted by parents in the workplace. Our Careers and Partnerships team are already developing a similar concept so look out for an invitation to get involved as employers coming your way in the future!

Strengthening partnerships

Our Data Science program is off to a flying start this year and my discussions with UCLA left me feeling confident about the future of the program and its importance. It was amusing to see a robot delivering food around the UCLA campus!

I also reconnected with our newest learning partner, the Massachusetts Institute of Technology’s NuVu Innovation School. Our Co-curricular Robotics Co-ordinator, Mr Dan Brown and I have met previously with their leadership team and Mr Brown has undertaken the NuVu training, so we are equipped and ready to launch this program at Pymble in 2023.

Building designs for the future

Perhaps the most impressive building I had the pleasure of touring was Harvard University’s Science and Engineering Complex. While at a scale that no school could consider, it featured wonderful examples of engaging learning spaces, design spaces, collaborative spaces, a modern library, eating area and so much more. Right down to every detail, they got it so right – even the signage was impressive! Here are a few of my favourite pictures of this amazing learning space for now, and I will also add more information about schools visited and my learnings in future Newsletters.

From the voices of refugees

My course with Oxford took me to Athens and Thessaloniki to work with refugees and to collect the narratives of women who were forced to flee their countries due to political destabilisation. I spoke with women from Afghanistan, Ukraine, Serbia, Africa and other parts of the world. It was humbling and heartbreaking to hear of the immense challenges these women and their families have endured. I met five-year-old children who were born in detention and know no other life.

Our work was with The Melissa Network and Solidarity Now and we also spent time in the Diavata Refugee Camp. These NGOs are keen to partner with us to provide an annual experience for students and I am working with my connections to frame what this would look like. More information on this will follow as the concept evolves.

Climate change

My final thought to share today is one of surprise. I didn’t expect locals at every destination would tell stories of how their climate has changed in recent times. Moving from place to place and hearing the same concerns voiced time and again, it was hard not to begin my trip home with a deep sense of concern for our world. The final comments from the NGOs we worked with in Greece drove home the urgency around redress actions needed. These organisations are preparing for the next wave of refugees, which they have termed “Climate Refugees”.

I’m pleased Pymble has begun the journey to become Net Zero; however, in other parts of the world pressure is mounting on organisations to go one step further and be Net Positive, a goal worthy of further consideration, I’d say.

During the Oxford course I had the pleasure of listening to the outstanding Professor Andrew Golser, researcher of ethno-ornithology, which is the study of birds and the study of human engagement with birds within the broad context of nature conservation. Prof Golser outlined the challenges ahead of us regarding climate. Yesterday in assembly, I showed our student this fabulous clip showing the impact of change – definitely worth watching if you have five minutes to spare.

Of course, back at Pymble, life goes on and this week has been another busy week of activities.

From the Junior School, five of our Year 5 girls are currently in Dubbo and Goodooga with our Head and Deputy Head of Junior School, Mrs Kate Brown and Mrs Nerissa Davey, to take part in the Indigenous Games at Goodooga Public School. This is part of their ongoing work with the Dubbo Opportunity Hub, an Indigenous-owned support service our Year 5 students initially connected with to learn about the importance of Reconciliation Week. The trip to Dubbo aims to continue to build connections with our First Nations communities and to learn about country and culture, learnings which will be shared in the Junior School in the coming weeks.

This week we also welcomed home three of our First Nations students along with our Senior Deputy Principal, Mrs Julie Shaw, and Indigenous Education Leader, Ms Kate Howie, who attended the Garma Youth Festival in East Arnhem Land last weekend. You can read more details about this important meeting of hearts and minds in Mrs Shaw’s column.

HSC Trials also began on Monday and I am reliably informed by our Deputy Principal of Academics, Mr Justin Raymond, that the cohort is taking each paper in their stride, just as we expected. Great job, girls, and a huge thank you to the teachers who have prepared their students so thoroughly for these exams.

The big buzz, however, is around our 56 Year 9 pioneers who will commence Pymble’s inaugural Residential Program at Vision Valley on Sunday. The four-week program is in collaboration with 39 boys and staff from St Ignatius College, Riverview, who will join our students for three of the four weeks to live and learn in the natural environment of our outdoor campus, embrace the challenge of three outdoor expeditions and discover the joys of a digital detox for the duration of their stay.

We honoured our pioneers in Combined Assembly this week and gifted the girls with their outdoor gear, which they are free to wear as a badge of honour for the rest of the week. Next week, I will share more details of this once-in-a-school-lifetime experience, including the big reveal of the newly renovated Stringybark Lodge that this cohort and many subsequent year groups will have the pleasure of enjoying in Year 9 at Pymble.

Thank you!

In wrapping up my first week back on campus, some very special thanks are due to some very special people. Firstly, thank you to our College Board for this wonderfully enriching opportunity of sabbatical leave, for which I am very grateful. Thank you also to our families who pay the fees that provide the capacity for me to undertake experiences that lead to the further development of our fabulous school.

Last but by no means least, sincere thanks to our outstanding Acting Principal, Mrs Julie Shaw, and our fabulous Deputy Principals, Mr Justin Raymond and Ms Lamia Rockwell, for their leadership of all things Pymble during my absence. Their ongoing support is invaluable and was especially so in the last few weeks as it allowed me to focus on an incredible professional learning experience safe in the knowledge that the College was in the very best of hands.