From the Principal

Well, it’s official. Our Class of 2022 is now in that exciting (but also a bit surreal) space where they have finished their HSC exams and are waiting for the next chapter of life to begin. Some will know exactly where they are heading next. Others may still be making plans or waiting to discover which option feels like the right fit for them. My hope is that each graduate feels proud of the work they have put in to reach this milestone, and eager to embrace their next challenge as the courageous, compassionate and influential young people we know them to be. We certainly are proud of our newest Pymble alumni and can’t wait to watch them change the world in their own special way.

As we hurtle ever closer towards Christmas, our thoughts naturally turn to the reason for the season and the joy of using our gifts and talents to be of service to others. While many of us are fortunate to enjoy the love and presence of family and friends at services, celebrations, meals and gatherings, Christmas is a difficult time for some. I’m thinking of people who have lost their homes or – worse still – loved ones, families who are separated by trying circumstances, and those who can’t put food on the table let alone gifts under a tree.

Every. Child. Matters.

It is impossible to ignore the recent media reports about the death of Cassius Turvey, a 15-year-old Noongar schoolboy from Perth, WA. This young man was attacked while walking home from school and died 10 days later as a result. We can’t begin to imagine the terror felt by Cassius and his friends when they were set upon or the pain Cassius’ family is experiencing.

Surely, every child should have the right to walk home from school safely.

The death of a child on their way home from school is something we as a community cannot ignore. This is not a political statement; it’s a statement about human dignity and the rights of our children. In discussing this with our Deputies, First Nations students and Cassius’ mum Mechelle, who has given us her blessing, we came to the decision to quietly offer support to the Turvey family by undertaking a ‘Walk for Kindness’ around the oval (Junior School) and a ‘Walk for Cassius’ to Pymble Park and back (Secondary School). These events will be scheduled during Compass and Mind, Body, Spirit time on a date to be confirmed, and we are also inviting other schools to join us on a walk of their own choosing during the month of November. 

Staff will accompany students on each walk, and teachers will have age-appropriate conversations with the girls to explain why we are showing our support for Cassius and his family in this way.

You are most welcome to share this flyer with other school communities who might like to do similar, and we thank you in advance for supporting this initiative.

Should you wish to contribute to the Turvey family’s gofundme page to support funeral and legal costs, please click here.

As a school of the Uniting Church, we have a strong commitment to being of service to others. We do this in various ways throughout the year, sometimes by using our voices, at other times by actions such as our ‘Walk for Cassius’, and by gifting our time or resources. Our Christmas campaign offers several different ways our community can be of service to other individuals or communities in need during the festive season.

Four ways to be of service this Christmas

1. Help put food on tables

In the lead-up to Jacaranda Day next week and for the month of November, students, staff and families are encouraged to support food drives to help the Reverend Bill Crews Foundation (Exodus) and OzHarvest deliver non-perishable food items and hampers to those experiencing homelessness and hardship. Please refer to the lists below and start collecting in readiness to deliver donations to your daughter’s school office, Hammond House (for Boarding), main reception or the DMC (for staff).

OzHarvest wish list

Bill Crews Foundation wish list

2. Support children with special needs and their families

We’re delighted to be co-hosting our tenth annual Sony Camp with Shore School this year, after a two-year Covid-induced hiatus. Sony Camp provides much-needed respite for the parents and siblings of children with disabilities by offering a four-day camp for children with special needs. This is a unique experience for all involved and will be held at Shore from Sunday 11 December to Wednesday 14 December 2022. The team is seeking the following support from our community:

Today our Sony Camp team held a fundraising barbecue for students and staff on Marden Lawn, one of several events held throughout the year to raise money for this important initiative. A huge thank you to the families who generously donated all the food and materials for our lunch, which was a huge success as you can see by these photos. ❤️ 

3. Help flooded communities recover

There are many communities across Australia who continue to be impacted by flooding, and you can help to support their recovery by donating to the Uniting Church Australia Flood Appeal. It was wonderful to see our Boarding community support this initiative earlier in the week with a cake stand that raised more than $800. Next week’s cake stand is set to be bigger still. Go girls!

4. Give the gift of reading

Moree East Public School has a special place in our hearts, as many of our First Nations scholars from Moree attended this school before coming to Pymble. Several Rotary clubs in NSW have combined forces to support the Books in Homes project to gift each child at Moree East PS a set of new books to start their home libraries.

To contribute to book purchases for this program, please click on the donate button at this link. Remember to specify “Moree East Public School” in the box where you can “leave a message” to ensure your donation goes to our friends.  

There’s a beautiful quote from Ruth Carter Stapleton, a Christian evangelist and the sister of ex-President Jimmy Carter, who said:

“Christmas is most truly Christmas when we celebrate it by giving the light of love to those who need it most.”

Thank you for considering how your family could be of service to those in need of a little extra TLC at this time of year.

Finally, for anyone looking for a uniquely Pymble gift this Christmas, you might like to consider a new opportunity to purchase a plaque in your daughter’s name. The plaque will be displayed on the back of a seat in our new, state-of-the-art Dance Academy being built in the Grey House Precinct, which is scheduled to open in 2024.

Please click here for more details. 

On that note, a huge congratulations to all our dancers performing this week in the Dance Showcase. The Kindergarten to Year 2 event last night was just delightful! I have to admit to feeling a little overwhelmed to see our 2022 Dance Captains, Haley Spring and Delta Zarafetas, on stage last night with our 2023 Dance Captains, Jessica Woo and Amelia Barr. Just quietly, I may have shed a tear of pride. Thank you to our wonderful Head of Dance, Katrina Cluff, and all who have truly been of service, using their gifts and talents to make this such a special time of the year for our dancers. l can’t wait to watch tonight’s, tomorrow’s and Saturday’s performances, too. See you there! 

 

Dr Kate Hadwen
Principal