From the Upper School

A Message from Mr Riley, Head of Upper School

About this time last year, I wrote my newsletter article about a book I was reading at night to my daughter and the same thought came to me on the weekend. As our Year 10s receive their examination feedback, our Year 9s finalise their end of Year assessments, and we begin to award Speech Day Prizes, my mind turned to a great book we have recently discovered titled “All the ways to be smart”.

Often, it can be hard for our girls (and indeed many of us adults) to receive constructive feedback or to miss out on a mark, an award, or an opportunity, especially when they put so much effort into their pursuits. Having worked in several large Independent Schools, I feel I can confidently say that whilst Pymble is proudly non-selective, there is a ‘tide’ towards high performance, with drive and ambition a regular feature of each of our Pymble-proud students when engaged in their chosen endeavours.

This is a great thing and a defining feature of the College, but at times it does lead to some of our students feeling unsuccessful or inferior. As adults, parents and mentors, each with the benefit of enhanced perspective and wisdom through our experiences in life, it is so important for us to reinforce that they are each worthy, seen, heard, known, and most importantly smart.

As this wonderful book ends, “every hour of every day, we’re smart in our own special way. And nobody, will ever do, the very same smart things as you”.

A message from Mrs Hunt, Deputy Head of Upper School

Get excited for our Upper School Disco on Friday from 7.00pm to 9.30pm. Remember you need to register via the Parent Portal. The Upper School Leaders have worked hard to ensure you enjoy this event.

A message from Mr Levin and Mrs Richter, Heads of Year 9

Our Upper School students are very excited about the Upper School Disco, and many have been busy preparing their outfits. What a fabulous way to support the Barbara May Foundation, following our discussion with Dr Andrew Browning.

In Directions this week we have discussed some issues with friendships and rumours. We have prepared to make positive connections during our Outdoor Education adventures and are willing to collaborate with a variety of people. Talking of Outdoor Education, please check the gear list carefully for next week (provided with the permission note and medical form on Parent Portal, and also to students on Year 9 Teams page). Please ensure you have asked friends and neighbours to borrow if you require some items. Our best wishes to all of our Vision Valley Pioneers who will be participating in Service Learning and The Great Return next week, we look forward to hearing about it when we are back!

Mrs Maksimovic and Mrs Olsen spoke with Year 9 last week about overseas opportunities. Below you will find the presentation slides for the Overseas talk from assembly and families can shortly expect to hear further details through the portal.

Click here for the link to the presentation.

We are (as always) keeping a close eye on uniforms. Please ensure this is up to school standards with automatic removal of jewellery and detentions now in place for uniform infringements and walking around with school bags.

Finally, a reminder of the Exodus Christmas drive with Year 9 asked to bring in a range of food items by House for this worthy cause (see list below in the Year 10 section). Please bring donations to the Upper School Office and tick off your name and Compass group.

A message from Ms Beaumont and Mrs Stephanie Attley, Heads of Year 10

This week we have welcomed back Year 10 and the atmosphere in the playground is fantastic. Exams have finished and while we wait for the last few to finish up, we are excited to be thinking forward to the future and end of year celebrations.

This week the students completed the All My Own Work modules in CompassX. HSC: All My Own Work is a program designed to help HSC students follow the principles and practices of good scholarship. This includes understanding, valuing, and using ethical practices when locating and using information as part of their HSC studies. If the students did not complete the modules here at school, they need to ensure that they are completed, and PDFs sent to the curriculum office before Monday 21 November.

On Friday we will be celebrating here at school with the Upper School Disco. The Upper School Leaders have been working extremely hard to plan this event as a farewell to the Year 10 students. Details can be found above. We have a huge week next week with All Well Testing, Jacaranda Day, and the Patricia Burgoyne: Public Speaking Competition on Friday. As we are nearing the end of term please reach out if there is anything that Mrs Attley or I can do to support.

It is that time in the term when we begin looking at how we can help the extended community at Christmas time. This year we have divided the donation up by Houses. Please see the list below as a reminder for what your daughter can bring in to help. All donations are for Exodus House and can be dropped off at the Upper School Office.

Exodus House food lists:

Bennett: Rice/Dry Pasta
Goodlet: Noodles packets/cups
Hammond: Pull ring tinned soup/Powered soup
Ingleholme: Pulled ring tinned fish/meat
Lang: Pull ring tinned baked beans/spaghetti
Marden: muesli bars
Thomas: Long life milk/Tea/coffee/Up and go
Wylie: Cereal

Student Exchange Program 2023

Pymble will be running the Student Exchange Program in 2023. The program is open to all students in Year 10, 2023. Students will have the opportunity to participate in either the Cultural or Language Exchange Programs. The program provides students with the opportunity to live and study abroad to gain newfound cultural and/or language understanding as well as global perspective. The program involves reciprocal hosting whereby participating students and their families host a visiting exchange student and operates for generally 4 to 6 weeks.

To find out more information, click here to view the Student Exchange site.

Important Dates – Language Students (France)

Applications are now open for students wishing to travel to France on exchange in 2023. Click here to view the application. Students are asked to read the site first (with their family) before submitting their application. It is also recommended that students speak to their Language teacher about this opportunity.

Applications close on Wednesday 23 November 2022.

Interviews will occur in Week 8 of Term 4, 2022

Important Dates – Cultural Exchange and Language Exchange (Germany/Japan)

Applications for all other exchanges will open on Wednesday 23 November. Students will receive an email with the details. Please ensure students have read the website before submitting your application.

Interviews will occur in Week 3 of Term 1, 2023

For further information regarding Student Exchange at Pymble, please email studentexchange@pymblelc.nsw.edu.au

Key Dates

Term 4

Friday 11 November Upper School End of Year Celebration Disco

Monday 14 November Year 10 All Well Testing

Monday 14 to Thursday 17 November Year 9 Outdoor Education Program

Tuesday 15 November Jacaranda Day

Friday 18 November The Great Return – Year 9 Residential Program

Monday 21 to Friday 25 November Year 10 Future You Festival

Friday 2 December Speech Day and Final Day of Term 4