From the Principal
Term 3 has ended on a high note – and, for some of us, there is still the Year 12 Valedictory Dinner to look forward to tonight. Cue those dancing shoes!
The week was full of celebrations and special end-of-term activities across Kindergarten to Year 12, the latter of which spent their last official day on campus today before they commence HSC exams next term. It has been such a joy to spend time acknowledging our Class of 2022 in their Honouring Ceremony, Gratitude Assembly, Boarders Farewell and today’s Year 11 and 12 Speech Day. An even bigger joy is seeing parents and carers at many of these events. If COVID-19 has taught us one lesson, it is to treasure opportunities for connection, especially with those who mean the world to us.
Which brings me to Garden Party. Wow. Just wow. The campus was buzzing with positive energy and a palpable sense of appreciation for the gift of being together at this much-loved day.
While we are still crunching the numbers to determine the amount of money raised for our three beneficiaries (The Hornsby Ku-ring-gai Women’s Shelter, Pymble Parent Association and Boarding Scholarship), we send our heartfelt thanks to all who gave their time and effort to support our Garden Party in one way or another, including the 360 parents, students and staff who worked as volunteers on the day. We had between 6,000 and 10,000 people through our gates, which is a phenomenal tally at either end of the scale. A common refrain was how special it was to share this day with family and friends again after a two-year COVID-induced hiatus. Garden Party is a wonderful showcase of the strength of our community, and it lifted my heart to witness the outpouring of care and gratitude for each other on Saturday. Thank you for a memorable day.
With the College calendar back in full swing this term, our thoughts have turned to life at Pymble before COVID. As you will be aware, the past few years have seen some evolution in terms of the way we operate, including an increased use of technology in learning and to facilitate parent/carer information sessions and meetings. Many of these changes have occurred out of necessity as we learned to live with COVID, however now it is time to assess which ones to keep and which ones to discard or revert to our pre-COVID mode. We are a different version of the College today compared to last year, 2020 and even 2019 when I first arrived as Principal. My focus is to continue to be intentional about changes to the College in the post-pandemic environment. We are intent on only keeping evolutions that are worth keeping, and will continue to uphold traditions and practices of our pre-COVID life.
Insights from our 2023 Prefect team
It was interesting to hear a similar theme emerge from our incoming Prefects during their leadership retreat at Vision Valley. The girls had full use of our newly renovated Stringybark Lodge for two days, which they spent in leadership training, meeting with staff mentors, hearing from past years’ Prefects and planning their goals and initiatives for 2023. Before I hand over to our new Head Prefects, Freya Carmody and Alyssa Yee, to report on their plans to date, allow me to give a special vote of thanks. Each time I visit Stringybark, I am reminded of the generous donors in our community who have gifted our girls with this beautiful, functional and versatile space. Thank you again, you know who you are. ❤️
Over to Alyssa and Freya now for a hint of things to come in 2023.
“The COVID years have influenced how we are shaping our main goals for 2023 – we hope to rebuild and redefine the things we love about Pymble life that have been missing during COVID. We recognise that the Class of 2023 will be the first year where restrictions from the pandemic are less limiting, and we want to make the most of this to foster a positive and engaging environment throughout the College. Being able to come back together as a school is something really special and we can’t wait to share and grow with everyone.
“Our overarching vision for 2023 focuses on fostering a strong sense of school spirit and community through unifying and supporting our Pymble family. It’s really important for us to look beyond our immediate circles to listen to the voices of students in the Junior, Middle, Upper and Senior Schools.
“We hope to implement a culture of support and positivity into all aspects of life at Pymble, from Kindergarten to Year 12. One of the most powerful parts of being at a school like Pymble is the potential to lift others up and strengthen connections, as there are so many opportunities to get involved. We truly believe that through leading with enthusiasm and exercising the power of positivity we can help students of all ages feel connected and supported.
“Above all, we want every student to remember 2023 as a time where they made the most of school life – sharing laughter with friends, making the most of learning and co-curricular opportunities, taking on new challenges, and overall feeling seen and heard. We want students to echo support through each other as a part of the wider Pymble community and embrace what makes them unique.”
Great job, girls. We look forward to supporting our 2023 Prefects as they weave their magic across the College and create a host of joyful opportunities to enhance your daughters’ sense of school spirit, connection and belonging.
Opportunities for parents as leaders
Speaking of new leaders, this is the time of year when we begin seeking expressions of interest to fill the various roles within our wonderful Pymble Parent Association (PPA). There are several positions across the breadth of the PPA as well as sub-school-specific roles and positions dedicated to Boarding, Rowing and Performing Arts. Our PPA and parent volunteers are integral to so many experiences for students and their families and we warmly encourage all parents and carers to become involved in the life of the College in any way they can. A huge thank you to our current leaders, who we will formally thank and farewell at the upcoming Annual General Meeting where we will also induct our incoming 2023 team.
Click here to learn more about PPA leadership roles for 2023
It’s almost time to put on my dancing shoes and join Year 12 students and families for their final hurrah before we enjoy the end-of-term break. For those who are travelling in the holidays, hopefully you enjoy the opportunity to discover new places or reconnect with family and friends. For those who are working through, may the change of pace and routine be a welcome respite from term time. To all our Pymble family, thank you for a wonderful term of care, connection and supporting our girls and each other. My wish is that you head into this break, like me, feeling truly blessed to be part of our very special community.
Dr Kate Hadwen