From the Upper School
A Message from Mr Riley, Head of Upper School
Hello and welcome to Term 3! It is hard to believe we are there already, but what an enjoyable year it has been. We are very excited for the action-packed term ahead and hope that the Compass conversations on Monday were a great way to plan for future opportunities and to discuss your daughter’s journey to date.
As a keen scientist, over the break I was blown away with the first release of images from the James Webb telescope. It was a wonderful reminder of our key Upper School theme of ‘perspective’. Seeing light from 5,500 galaxies that has been captured having travelled for the last 13 billion years helps to both highlight the wonder of life but also reminds us of our infinitesimally small (yet no less valued) position in the context of the universe.
For me, it reminds me to always try (it isn’t always easy) to consider the bigger picture when dealing with what is right in front of your face. As I’ll be saying to the girls early next week, this might be choosing to rise above something when you don’t really want to, keeping deadlines and pressures in perspective when feeling stressed, and taking that moment to be where and with whom you need to be when it feels right.
As I quoted in an earlier edition:
Remember to look up at the stars and not down at your feet. Try to make sense of what you see and wonder about what makes the universe exist. Be curious. And however difficult life may seem, there is always something you can do and succeed at. It matters that you don’t just give up. – Stephen Hawking
I would like to take this opportunity to congratulate the following students who enjoyed some fantastic successes over the break:
- Lucy Middleton for being selected in the State Water Polo team
- Anda Xintong Wang for becoming the 2022 Junior Latin Open Champion in the ADS Night of Stars DanceSport Championship in WA.
Academic reports were circulated this week and we hope you can find the time over the coming days to discuss your daughter’s progress and areas for development. A reminder that these are available on the MyPymble App and can be found on your daughter’s page by clicking on the ‘Academic’ link.
In Week 4 this term, 56 girls from Year 9 will embark on their pioneering Pilot Residential Program at Vision Valley. This program will be staffed with its own pastoral and academic teams and is unlikely to disrupt normal classes for the remainder of the cohort on the main campus. All Year 9 students who are not attending the pilot programs at Vision Valley will enjoy an Outdoor Education experience in Week 6 Term 4. A few places remain for Term 4 should your daughter now be keen to attend!
On Tuesday 26 July, our Year 9 students will have their Mind Body Spirit Day – The Butterfly Effect. Delivered by Danielle Miller’s Enlighten Education, the girls will enjoy three workshops titled; ‘Forever Friends’, ‘Real Girl Power’, and ‘Love the Skin you are in’.
These workshops will collectively explore how to make, keep, and support good friends, what sisterhood means today, and how our girls can evaluate and respond to messages that bombard them in popular media. For more information, please click here. We will have counselling support available on the day, but should you be concerned about your daughter’s attendance, please contact your daughter’s Head of Year.
I hope that your girls feel well rested and took the opportunity to recharge their batteries over the break. We have loved seeing them back smiling this week and look forward to what we can collectively achieve over the term ahead. As always, please do not hesitate to contact members of our team or the Upper School Office, should we be able to further support you and/or your daughter.
REMINDER FOR 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.
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
Volunteers Needed for the Sri Lankan Food Stall at Pymble’s Garden Party
Key Dates
Thursday 21 July – Residential Program Information Night
Tuesday 26 July – Year 9 Mind Body Spirit Day – The Butterfly Effect
Thursday 28 July – Textiles on Parade (Years 8 to 11)
Mr Tom Riley