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:

• Medical volunteers: please email the Shore Medical Co-ordinator, Ms Meray Wolsely. 
• Volunteering during the camp: includes Tidy Team and Night Settling duties (must be 18+). 
• Pamper pack donations.
• Fundraising. 

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

From our Chaplains

We have already begun our stories of Advent (the beginning of a new liturgical year in the Church calendar) as we enter into Chapel services this week. We usually fast forward the liturgical calendar since school finishes during the season of Advent.

Advent brings with it an expectation of a time of celebration, the coming of God in our midst, and the ushering in of peace and harmony. However, it is also at the end of a year with all that is happening in our world, bringing a sense of heightened awareness and sensitivity to suffering around us like illness, disappointments, stress or even mental health challenges. When we think of South Korea, of our flood-hit areas regionally and many of our boarding families in this situation, the unfairness and injustice around these including the tragic death of Cassius Turvey, cause us to rethink what our take should be at dinnertime conversations surrounding these issues and action that can be life-giving to our communities.  

We always turn to occasions and events that can bring us hope, and Rev Lorenzo and I have been visiting Vision Valley in the last few weeks to bring some hope and joy to our second group of pioneers. We have had some interesting conversations about life and rites of passage, and how the essential moments of these might pass us by if we fail to observe and attend to them in and with a spirit of detail and intention.

Last week in our Junior School Lunchtime group we discussed heroes from the Bible, and last week was Daniel. The girls then proceeded to work on their masks as a craft activity with the help of our wonderful art teacher Mrs Emily Clutterham who helps facilitate this group.  

I’m sharing some photos from Vision Valley and Junior School Ignite to brighten your own hope and joy as we reflect on our intention and purpose.

May God bless our journey together and give us patience and forbearance.

Reverend Punam Bent
College Chaplain

UPDATED: COVID-19 Response Plans and Advice

You may be aware that COVID-19 self-isolation rules in NSW have changed.

From 14 October 2022, anyone who tests positive for COVID does not need to self-isolate for a mandated period of time. However, as a school that cares deeply about the health and wellbeing of our wider community, we ask students, staff and families to continue to follow the recommendations of NSW Health and NSW Department of Education, which include:

• staying at home and taking a COVID test (RAT or PCR) if you have a cough, cold or flu-like symptoms
• waiting until you feel well and symptoms abate before returning to school
• wearing a face mask upon your return to school until you are completely symptom-free.

Year 12 students are reminded to follow the guidelines for COVID during the HSC exam period as outlined by out Director of Student Learning (Years 11-12), Mrs Natasha Stanfield.

There will no longer be a dedicated email address for reporting positive cases.

Please use MyPymble as per normal to advise the College if your daughter will be absent from school for any reason, and if she has tested positive to COVID.

To help protect our community, your daughter’s school office will have a supply of masks and RAT kits which will be available for students and families on request. These will also be available in the Boarding House and at Vision Valley for residents and visitors.

Please remind your daughter to remain vigilant about hygiene as we enter this new phase of living with COVID-19. This includes:

• coughing or sneezing into the crook of your arm
• disposing of used tissues carefully and thoughtfully
• washing/sanitising hands before and after eating, and following sneezing, coughing or blowing your nose.

Changes to reinfection period

NSW Health has revised the COVID-19 reinfection period from 12 weeks to four weeks, effective immediately.

This means a person who has previously had COVID-19 will be required to re-test for COVID-19 from 28 days after their last isolation period ended if they experience symptoms. A positive result is regarded as a new case, which must be reported as such, and the person will need to follow the relevant health advice again.

Hand hygiene

• Sanitiser will continue to be provided at key points around the College.
  
• Unmissable new posters have been placed around campus encouraging frequent handwashing.

 Any further information or advice for Term 4 will continued to be shared by notifications via the MyPymble app.

From the Junior School

From our Head of Junior School

A big thank you to all of you for helping us get so far on our mission to walk kindness to the moon this year. We have managed to walk/run/swim/play our way through 48,662km throughout the past four weeks. This is a magnificent achievement by our community. Whilst we haven’t reached the moon, we have spread kindness a very long way and we will continue the mission next year. It takes a long time of collaboration to launch a mission to the moon and so will keep trying in 2023!  I am so proud of the way in which our girls embraced this mission. Together we really can change the world!

We are celebrating the end of this month of walking with a House Spirit event tomorrow. We are inviting all our girls to come in their House shirts for the day.

Looking ahead to 2023 – Junior School Parent Group

It was wonderful to see so many parents at the Junior School Parent Group (JSPG) Annual General Meeting last week. Thank you for your willingness to get involved and support our community. It was sad to farewell the outgoing JSPG leaders from this year as they have worked so hard to foster a strong sense of community after two years of disruption with COVID.  Thank you, Aimee Birch, Kai Jones, Stephanie Pickford and Elizabeth Toh, for your commitment to the JSPG this year. We are so grateful for your dedication to our community. 

Thank you!

Thank you so much for the amazing donation you have made to our Junior School. We plan to spend this money on STEM resources to continue to enable us to embed STEM in the curriculum for the girls. We will purchase some resources for both indoor and outdoor STEM learning and appropriate for all ages. I am proud to say that with the growing interest in Robotics across our Junior School we will be launching a Year 1 and Year 2 Robotics co-curricular program in 2023 and this donation will help equip that with the latest technology. We will also be purchasing more unstructured play equipment for our girls to explore their curiosity and connection with nature.

Student Voice

I am proud that our girls are using their voices for change and to think about the younger girls in our Junior School. This week we have had girls share their views in the focus groups around uniform led by Ms Lamia Rockwell, Deputy Principal Students. There has also been a group of girls who have worked with our horticulturalists to build awareness of the plight of bees and a group of girls have worked with Mr Jake Turnbull, Digital Learning Leader to design and plan Cybersafety lessons for younger girls. Huge congratulations to all these girls who are using their voices to advocate change in our community. A special shout out to Amber Chen for her poster design to support the message of balance between screen and offscreen time.

Congratulations!

Congratulations to Elyséa Jones (Year 3) and Maria Zhan (Year 2) for being selected to be a volunteer at the NSW Tennis Open at Sydney Olympic Park last week. Maria received Champion at the Lil’ Jo Sydney Regionals, she was invited to join the National tournament during the Australian open at Melbourne.

We would also like to congratulate Adeline Wu, who received Highly Commended in the My Place Competition for her wonderful piece of writing.  What an exceptional accomplishment for two of our girls to be recognised at this national level.

Congratulations to Lakshi Rajeev (Year 4) who was awarded first place in the My Place Competition. This competition asks students to reflect on change and continuity throughout time in their own community. Lakshi submitted this wonderful poem called “Home”.

Home

Ancient souls linger in the dust Swaying like columns in an earthquake.
Familiar.
Spirited.
Vivacious.

The untamed creatures amble
Through intervening roots
Wind, furiously hurling
Spherical, transparent droplets.

Dense, wild roots.
 Reside in the undergrowth.
Gum, eucalyptus, banksia.
It is not ours to take

In a time where we do not belong
Our wildlife.
Our people.
Generations of fallen ancestors roam the barren landscape.

They forage and scavenge.
 Unaware of prying eyes.
The ways of nature, followed through.
In unending chain.

The leaves are crisp and golden.
Satisfaction under my bare feet.
Laughing, dancing.
Singing, storytelling.
Unwritten, the words still linger.

Culture lives on.
Tradition cuts through.
Boomerangs whirl relentlessly
Crisply, slicing matted fur.

We have been through conflict.
Standing as one in a storm.
Delicate as a windswept petal in a hurricane.
Strong as the surface of concrete.

Ochre tans the warm of my skin.
Patterns radiate in blinding beams.
Colourful.
Tranquil.
Cultured.

Historical artefacts blaze proudly in the radiant sun.
Food.
Weapons.
Tools.

Daunting.
Dazzling.
 Blinding my eyes.
 The desire for freedom. Hope for culture.

The unwrinkled bark of ancient gum
 Lush, flourishing leaves.
 It welcomes newcomers to rest in the crook of a branch.
Decade after decade.

It has seen the past.
Heralding the presence of children.
All across the globe.
Bare feet patter.
What is in the past will never be resurrected.
But culture forever lives on.

Clapsticks beat continuously.
Chanting echoes serenely.
A fire in my eyes.
As I imitate the movement of kangaroo.

Quokka.
Platypus.
Wallaby.
Flora and fauna, healing to my soul.

A circular group of clan mates.
Smiles upon their faces.
Terror breaks out unexpectedly.
Story-the life of our culture.

Cautiously, I aim the intricate spear.
Patterned with the stars above.
Stalking the unsuspecting wallaby- Alas!
The hunt is finished.

Farms.
 Orchards
 Rich soil abounds.
 All is left now-
 An endangered community of blue gum-standing strong.
Forever.

Turramurra Big hill
Eastern Road.
Many names drape the close-knit community.

The only traces of our clan
Terramerregal
Engraved kangaroo footprints.
Meandering through rock holes.

We were the first Sri Lankans.
A multi cultured community
Diverse in all its history.
Ever changing.
Always growing.

Inching into the widespread branches
I eye the footprints of children.
Holding the vast secrets of this land
I will always remember that
 I was not the first here.

Jacaranda Day – Tuesday 15 November

All Junior School girls are required to wear their white Pymble summer hat when attending our Jacaranda Day service on Tuesday. As this assembly is held outdoors please ensure your daughter wears sunscreen to school. Thank you to all our families for your wonderful donations supporting the Children’s Hospital and Exodus Foundation.

PE Uniform

As the weather is getting warmer, please make sure when your daughter is wearing her sport uniform that she wears her shorts underneath her tracksuit pants. This will allow her to take off her tracksuit pants if she is feeling hot on these sunny days.

Swimming Carnival – Travel for girls in Kindergarten to Year 4

Our Junior School SRC students have chosen Epilepsy Australia as the charity that funds raised by the JSPG stall will support. As bringing in cash can cause problems for our youngest students we ask you not to send money in with your K-2 daughter. Each of the girls in Kindergarten to Year 2 will be given an ice block at the end of their swimming carnival as a treat and a recognition of their House Spirit and participation.

As per the Portal notice, girls in Kindergarten to Year 4 will be dismissed from Mollie Dive Field.  Please click here to indicate your daughter’s plans for the afternoon.

Celebrations of Learning – Kindergarten to Year 2

Term 4 will end for Kindergarten to Year 2 students after their Celebration of Learning on Thursday 1 December. Girls in Kindergarten to year 2 are not required to attend school on Friday 2 December. Should your daughter in Kindergarten to Year 2 need supervision at school on Friday 2 December, please complete the form by clicking here.   

Booklists 2023 – Kindergarten to Year 6

As per the Portal notice, your daughter’s 2023 booklist is now available to order through Campion. Kindergarten, Year 1 and Year 2 students will have their stationery kits delivered to the College during the holiday period ready for their first day of school. Years 3 to 6 will have their orders delivered to their home. 

To gain direct access to Pymble’s textbook lists click here. You will need to select the booklist for the grade your daughter is in next year (2023) and type in code 2677.   

Please order before Friday 18 November to ensure delivery before Term 1 2023 commences. Please contact Campion on 02 8905 8691 or via email at campionsydney@campion.com.au for any order enquiries.

Junior School Digital News – Term 4 Week 3

Our Week in Learning Photos

From Out of School Hours Care (OSHC)

Bookings are now open for the school holiday programs in December and January. All bookings can be made through KidSoft.

For more information on how to book a place, please click here or contact us via email at oshcadmin@pymblelc.nsw.edu.au

From the Junior School Parent Group (JSPG)

Swimming Carnival

Please join us in participating in our Swimming Carnival Stall on 17^th November by clicking here.

The program of events is:

7.30am to 10.30am           Championship Events

10.45am to 12.45pm         Kindergarten to Year 4 (followed by lunch on Mollie Dive)

11.00am to 11.15am         Diving Showcase

Noon to 12.45pm              Year 5 and Year 6 lunch on Mollie Dive

12.45pm to 2.30pm           Year 5 and Year 6

Please check your daughter’s schedule when you sign up to ensure you can still see her racing.

Year Events

Please see the invitations attached for Kindergarten and Year 4 end of year events. For any queries, please contact us at pymblelcjspg@gmail.com

Elizabeth Toh, Aimee Birch, Stephanie Pickford and Kai Jones

Reminders from the Administration Office

AFTERNOON TRAVEL CHANGES 

Please email juniorschool@pymblelc.nsw.edu.au to advise any changes to afternoon travel arrangements. Late changes should be made prior to 2.00pm to ensure messages are received by staff and students prior to the girls end of formal day routines. 

LOST PROPERTY 

All items of uniform should be named including summer hat, play hat, uniforms, shoes, sneakers, socks, lunch box and drink bottle.  Lost items can be readily returned if it they are labelled. 

Winter should have your daughter’s name written in white pen inside the crown of the hat. If there is a circular label inside the hat, don’t use this as it is inclined to come loose. 

Please be aware that unnamed items will only be held at each Junior School Administration Office for two weeks.  

Dates for your Diary

Term 4 

11 November              Walk for a Kinder World final day and celebration

15 November              Jacaranda Day

17 November              Junior School Swimming Carnival 

22 November              Year 6 final Chapel and celebration of learning 8.45am to 11.00am

24 November              Year 6 Disco

1 December                Kindergarten Celebration of Learning 9.00am, term ends for Kindergarten children

1 December                Years 1 and 2 Celebration of Learning 11.00am, term ends for Year 1 and 2 children

1 December.               Years 4 to 6 Speech Day rehersals

2 December                Years 3 to 6 Speech Day, 1.30pm 

Mrs Kate Brown

Head of Junior School

From the Middle School

From our Head of Middle School

Congratulations to all of our Middle School Sportswomen who were recognised last Friday evening at the Sports Women’s Awards Dinner. There were so many achievements and so many talented Middle Schoolers embracing opportunities across a variety of sporting fields. I am always so impressed with the way in which our Year 7 and 8 students enthusiastically participate in the college’s co-curricular program be that in Sport, Music, Drama or one of the many other choices on offer. Developing skills, working as part of a team and building connections whilst having fun; is an integral part of the Middle School experience. Well done to all who have put their hand up across the year.

This Friday we look forward to welcoming our new Year 8 2023 students to the college. They will spend the day shadowing their buddies to get a feel of what the day is like for a Middle School student.

Year 7

It is exciting to be at the halfway point of Term 4. A team of wonderful girls have been working together to prepare for next week’s Year 7 Christmas Chapel service. The girls have been busy choosing Christmas carols, preparing items and helping to create decorations for the service. We have been impressed with their enthusiasm and the effective way the girls are working on this project. We look forward to showcasing their hard work when Year 7 parents and carers join us next Tuesday 15 November to help celebrate the end of their daughter’s first year of high school. If you would like to attend, please look for the invitation on MyPymble so that you can RSVP.

An important activity that Year 7 students need to contribute to at this time of year is donating food items for the College to give to the Exodus Foundation. Please check the House allocations below and remind your daughter to bring in their items over the next few weeks. Donations can be left at the Middle School Office.

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

In Directions this week the girls have been participating in activities that support 5 Ways to Wellbeing. The girls love connecting through games and movement activities and make the most of the beautiful spring weather that has finally arrived. Some groups have tried a range of meditation or breathing activities which are helpful tools for the girls to regulate emotions and take the time to be still.

Last Friday evening it was wonderful to see many of our Year 7 girls’ contributions to Sport at Pymble acknowledged at the Sports Women’s Awards dinner. Particular congratulations to Hayley Browne who was awarded Year 7 All Rounder. A great achievement. We look forward to seeing even more girls involved in Co-curricular sport next year.

Dance is an extremely popular co-curricular activity for Year 7. This week our Dancers have been busy rehearsing for and performing in the Pymble Dance Showcase – Stories in the Sand. The skill level and dedication of these girls is impressive and we continue to be amazed at their performances. Congratulations to all girls involved.

Year 8

Special mention and congratulations to Matilda Harrison, who won the Year 8 All Rounder award at the Sports Women’s Award dinner last week. It was gratifying to hear about the contribution and talent of all Year 8s who have achieved sporting accomplishments this year.

We are impressed with the contributions brought in by our Year 8s for the Exodus Foundation to support those in our Sydney community who are experiencing poverty and unemployment. This year we are also supporting the OzHarvest Food Drive. Each Compass group has been assigned a different food group, of non-perishable items, to add to baskets which will be given to people in need at Christmas. The College’s contribution is a long-standing tradition of which everyone is enormously proud. Please see the list above (Year 7 news) of food groups for your daughter’s Compass group. The last day for contribution will be Thursday 1 December at 8.15am. House points are being allocated for contributions and the group with the most points will win a Compass Group Pizza Party!

Friday is Transition Day to acknowledge and prepare for the change from Middle School to Upper School. After recess, the cohort will listen to a guest speaker, at lunch there will be a barbecue and students will hear from key staff in the Upper School. We have some new students who will attend too. We are immensely proud of students who volunteered to be buddies for new students. We could not accept all applicants because there were so many, so we had to take those who applied first. However, there will be more opportunities for buddy positions next year. Congratulations to Helen Huang, Annie Liebmann, Elizabeth Yates, Ann Kyle, Bonnie Xu, Anais MacDonald, Rosa Kim, Joanna Gu, Ella Mitchell, Zarah Hres, Daisy Stoodley-Williamson and Jocelyn Ying. Buddies play a vital role in making new students feel welcome by providing support for the orientation process.

This week in Directions students learnt about their digital footprint, particularly how Google, Instagram and Facebook collect data from users. Students learned how to access the data collected by their applications and Google, so that they could have some understanding of how and why this information is gathered and used. This lesson provided a good reminder for students about lack of privacy on the internet.

From the Middle School Parent Group

As we hurtle towards the end of yet another academic year, we would like to invite you to our final coffee for the year:

Year 7 and 8 Coffee Morning for Parents

Date: Friday 25 November

Time: 8.00am

Location: Bricklane Espresso, Shop/21 Philip Mall, West Pymble

We hope to see many of you there!

Malini (Year 8), Sunny (Year 8), Shiva (Year 7) and Carol (Year 7)

Mrs Jenny O’Donnell

Head of Middle School

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

Mr Tom Riley

Head of Upper School

From the Senior School

From the Head of Senior School

The new Year 12s for 2023 have enjoyed their first week as the only occupants of the Kate Mason Building. After many weeks of working and communicating in hushed tones, they have relished the opportunity to make some noise and move more freely around the place. They are busily preparing for their first round of tasks in assessment week, which will take place next week. There is also building excitement as we begin the important job decorating the building for upcoming Christmas celebrations!

Sportswomen’s Awards Dinner

Congratulations to all the recipients of awards from the Sportswomen’s Awards Dinner last week. I would also like to echo the sentiments of Dr Hadwen and Mrs Shaw, who spoke on the night and paid tribute to all the girls who have competed across the various sports and teams over the year. Without your enthusiasm and passion, there is no competition!

Dance Showcase

As this newsletter goes to print, we are all preparing to be wowed by our amazing dancers at the annual Dance Showcase. Best of luck for some fine performances, that will cap off an extraordinary year in dance!

Year 12 Information Night

A reminder about our Year 12 Information Night next week on Wednesday 16 November. We are very keen to meet as many parents as possible in person after some years of online events, so it would be great to see you on the night. This is a parent only event, with the opportunity to hear from the Head of Deputy Head of Senior School, Heads of Year, the Director of Student Learning 11-12 and the Futures Team. There will also be time to catch up in an informal setting with your daughter’s Compass Teacher.

From the Heads of Year 12 2023

Year 12 continued their Directions program by working with the Wellbeing and Futures teams in completing the Motivational Mapping survey.

Students learned about their intrinsic motivators to assist them in being aware of their primary motivators across a variety of situations.

Rose noted that the survey was “interesting to see how it paralleled what we thought about ourselves before. It was really good to see how we’d use it post school as it helped me determine what path we I should follow. It told me to focus on specific skills, which absolutely suits the career I’m interested in.”

The coming week will see the year group interpret their results and put these skills in a future skills and career plan.

The remainder of the Directions program is designed to help students consider and plan for their futures. This time next year, the year group will be gearing up for post school celebrations. Therefore, understanding how to stay safe during this time is vital. Understanding how to avoid distractions while driving is another critical skill for the year group. As the red P plates on Avon road become more numerous, developing safe driving practices is very important.

With the first Year 12 assessment period fast approaching, we hope the planning and study routines we’ve discussed can be implemented. Thank you for assisting us by encouraging a sense of perspective and balance.

From the Boarding School

From our Head of Boarding

Boarder voice is super important in helping us maintain a happy, healthy home where wellbeing is a priority. There are variety of forums in which our Boarders can provide feedback, most significantly our Boarders’ Representative Council (BRC) is key in providing student voice and enhancing the boarding experience for all.

There are two BRC representatives from each year group and these girls have the responsibility of representing the views of their cohort and feeding back outcomes from matters raised. I am delighted to announce the following BRC members for the 2023 year.

Year 7 – Phoebe Pockley and Sienna Melton

Year 8 – Phoebe Roberts and Rose Kirkby

Year 9 – Alethea Levy and Evie Leahy

Year 10 – Aspen Moore and Hannah Thornton

Thinking of our families who have been impacted by the floods

It has been a very tough time for many of our families who have been impacted by ongoing flooding. Almost all of our Boarders have either been personally affected or have family members or friends who are dealing with the ravages of the too much water. Our thoughts are with those families, and we ask that you let us know if we can assist in any way here at Pymble.

Over the weekend, our wonderful year 12 Boarders put their concern into action and set about raising awareness and funds for victims of flood. With Head Boarder, Abigail Ballhausen, as a driving force our prefect team gave up their Sunday to made delicious cupcakes and on Monday sold these were sold to raise money for the cause. Over $850.00 was raised with all profits being sent to the GIVIT foundation flood appeal.

Amazing Athletes

Congratulations to the following Boarders who swept the field at the Annual Sportswomen’s’ Dinner held last Friday.

Abigail Ballhausen: The Julie Shaw Year 11 Sportswomen of the Year and Cross Country Athlete of the Year

Rylee McKinstry: Diving Athlete of the Year

Chloe Hanlan: Basketball Athlete of the Year

Grace Whyte: Netball Athlete of the Year

Stella Robertson: Artistic Gymnastics Athlete of the Year

All’ Ultimo Lavoro – Strive for the Highest Awards

Grace Peters (Athletics)

Alethea Levy (Football)

Lucy Robertson (Rugby Sevens)

Philippa Austin (Rugby Sevens)

Giselle Kawane (Tennis)

Sophie Laing (Water Polo)

Team of the Year

Netball: Grace Whyte

Representative Team of the Year

Cross Country: Sophie Webster, Phoebe Pockley, Sophie Beveridge, Abigail Ballhausen, Erica Williams, Sarah Thornton

You can read more about these incredible athletes in our Spring edition of Keeping Up With Our Boarders.

Congratulations to our Football Superstar

We are so proud of Year 9 Boarder, Alethea (Lethy) Levy who has been selected to play in the Girls’ Youth team representing the International Football Group Australia at the 2022 Fiji Soccer Cup. Australia is represented with players from NSW, Queensland and South Australia and Lethy is in the mix as a fabulous player. This selection follows on from Lethy’s triumph in the National Youth Championships where she captained the Country New South Wales team leading them to victory .

Lethy will travel to Fiji on Tuesday 29 November and return on Tuesday 6 December. A wonderful opportunity and experience for her to finish off a busy year.

Head on Foundation Portrait Prize

Congratulations to Year 10 Boarder Erica Williams who was a runner up in the Student Awards of the Head On Foundation Portrait Prize. This annual and highly regarded competition attracts entries from around the world and we are all thrilled by Erica’s success. Erica’s fabulous portrait of our resident goat Feta, was selected for its technical expertise and appealing format. Erica is delighted to be receiving a camera valued at $1500.00 so she can pursue her photography dreams.

Lang House Warming

Sunday evening marked a very special occasion for our oldest Boarders as our Year 12 2022/23 cohort made an important rite of passage, graduating to Lang House. The evening was celebrated with a House Warming, inspired by the 1916 event when the very first Pymble girls made the trip across from PLC Croydon.

The girls were delighted with their new rooms and the fabulous celebration meal organised by our Head of Year 12 Boarding, Anne Graham and Senior Boarding Assistant, Roz Martindale.

Love It – Mrs White

We have a busy weekend coming up as we welcome our new Boarders in Years 8 to 11 for 2023. The Year 8s will be heading out for a twilight picnic; the Year 9 and 10 students are heading to the Upper School Disco and Year 12 2023 will be welcoming Riverview for a trivia night. On Saturday the girls will have the option of heading to Manly beach for the day and on Sunday we are super excited to be heading to Cabramatta, the Vietnamese centre of Sydney, for an adventure of the taste buds.

Last weekend the girls enjoyed Glebe markets, Newtown thrifting and some beach excursions in addition to a fun night with the year 9 Riverview Boarders.  A big thank you to our new Spirit House Captains who hosted that evening.

View From My Window

Hello, I am Phoebe Pockley and I am in Year 7. I currently come from Byron Bay on the far north coast of New South Wales but I have grown up on our 5000-acre cattle farm in Cootamundra and recently a 150,000-acre goat farm west of Cobar also became one of our homes. 

Byron is known as a popular tourist destination as well as being famous for its hipster and chill environment. It is also a popular whale watching spot as well as being the most easterly point in Australia. 

I live with my Dad – Jeremy, Mum – Kirsty, sister Skye who is in Year 10, and brothers Sam and Tom. We have a cavoodle Garry, a kelpie Jimmy and a cat Bonnie. 

In Byron we spend a lot of time at the Surf Club where my mum’s side of the family is heavily involved. We might go out snorkelling, surfing, paddle over to the pass, or go down the street for an Acai Bowl. Since we have such a busy family our grandparents often have to help taxi us all around which is great because I love hearing their stories. 

Away from the coast I love to go ride motorbikes, venture through the country, or help with jobs around the farm.

When I look outside my window I see ocean views of Byron, the luscious green hills of Coota or the red dry dirt in Cobar. 

I love coming back to Boarding because I get to be with all my friends and experience all of the opportunities I would not have had back at home. 

Boarder of the Week

Congratulations to Year 10 Boarder Charlotte Leung, our Boarder of the Week. Since joining us at the start of the year, Charlotte has been a happy and engaged presence who demonstrates the Boarder spirit every day. Charlotte is a kind and compassionate housemate and a great listener. She is talented, especially in the realms of music and we are all grateful for her willingness to share skills in playing the piano and harp.  Charlotte is a role model to so many girls both in her year, and for younger Boarders as well. She was recently elected to the position of Spirit House Captain and we are all excited to see shine in this role.

Mrs Carolyn Burgess

Director of Boarding

Co-curricular Administration

Performance Awards

Congratulations to students who have received an upgrade to their Term 3 2022 Performance Awards. Please click here to view the full list of upgraded award winners. 

End of Term 4 Registration Period

The End of Term 4 Registration period will allow families to register their daughters for Term 1 2023 programs. Registrations will open via the online registration system at 12.00pm on Wednesday 30 November. Please access the online registration via the Co-curricular pages on MyPymble by clicking here.

A parent/carer log in is required to be able to register. We recommend families check they can access the system well in advance of the opening date to avoid any technical issues on the day as registrations CANNOT be processed via email or phone.

A notice will be placed onto the MyPymble app prior to registrations opening as a reminder of the opening date and time. All program information will be finalised on the Co-curricular pages of MyPymble by Wednesday 23 November.

2022 Co-curricular Programs

All Co-curricular programs have now begun for Term 4 and confirmations were sent out on Tuesday 4 October. If you have not received confirmation of your daughters’ program or have any questions about your daughter’s registrations, please do not hesitate to contact Co-curricular Administration at ccsa@pymblelc.nsw.edu.au 

If you would like to withdraw your daughter from a program, transfer between programs, or have missed registering her for a program, registration requests can be made by clicking here and completing the Co-curricular Registration Request form.  

The cut-off date for Co-curricular Registration Requests was Monday 8.00am of Week 3, Term 4 (Monday 24 October). As this date has now passed, the following conditions now apply to registration requests received after this date: 

• Late registration requests/transfers will no longer be accepted for most Term 4, Semester 2, and intakes for Yearly programs.  
• Withdrawal requests from termly programs will have the full program fee added to College accounts 
• Withdrawal requests from semester/yearly programs will be charged up to the end of Term 4, except for Dance, where the full year fee remains for all withdrawals.  
• Compulsory/non-refundable fees may be applicable.  

Any registration requests received prior to the cut-off are currently being processed and you should receive an outcome via email by the end of this week. We have received a large volume of emails, calls and registration requests at this time so we appreciate your patience as we get back to you.  

A reminder that our conditions of Co-curricular registration were updated for 2022 and can be found by clicking here.

Term 1 2023 Saturday Sport Registrations

Registrations for Term 1 2023 Saturday Sports closed on Friday 28 October at 12.00pm. To request registration into an available Saturday Sport for Term 1, you will need to complete a registration request by clicking here. Requests will be sent to the Co-ordinator for approval, and you will receive an email of the outcome.

Co-curricular Communications 

To ensure you are receiving the latest updates for your daughters’ Co-curricular programs, it is essential that all families download the Pymble app as all communication regarding changes or cancellations to classes will be sent via the app. Minimal communications about programs will be sent via email. For more information and download instructions, click here. 

Mrs Susan Lindsay

Acting Head of Co-curricular Administration

Sports

Sport Awards Dinner 2022

For the first time since 2019, the Sportswomen’s Awards Night was held on Friday 4 November with 320 students and parents in attendance. The college honoured the achievements of our talented sportswomen in Years 7 to 12 who have achieved great success and demonstrated outstanding commitment to their sports throughout 2022.

Guest speakers included Olympians and Pymble Alumni Mackenzie Little and Brittany O’Brien as well as three-time Olympian, Pymble Head Coach – Sprints and mother to Gabriella Taylor (Year 11), Melinda Gainsford-Taylor. They were all so inspirational and it was an absolute pleasure listening to their journeys and words of wisdom.

On the night, 220 students who participate in competitive sports were recognised through several awards which include Athlete of the Year, The Julie Shaw All Rounder of the Year, igsa Team of the Year, Representative Team of the Year, Strive for the Highest Awards, Sports Officials of the Year, Olympic Changemaker Awards, Australian Representatives and Sportswoman of the Year.

The College also acknowledges that not all girls who show excellence and commitment to their sport can be recognised at the awards evening – there are simply too many students who represent the college in sport. For those girls who were not attending the dinner, we recognise and acknowledge your contribution to Pymble and encourage you to continue to strive for your highest in your chosen sport.

On the night, the outstanding contributions from our Deputy Principal, Julie Shaw and Coaching Development Director, Simon Pennington were recognised. The previous All-Rounder Award was renamed The Julie Shaw All-Rounder Award in recognition of her contribution and influence on sport at Pymble. We thank both Julie and Simon and wish them all the best in their new roles in 2023.

I would also like to extend special thanks to our college Principal, Dr Hadwen, and the College Council for supporting our exceptional sport program, and to all the parents and carers who support their daughters in their varied sporting pursuits.

Mrs Katie Edwards

Head of Sport – Year 7 to 12

Cricket

On Saturday 5 November our Pymble 1 team came up against Abbotsleigh. Both Pymble and Abbotsleigh are the only school teams in the North Sydney Competition, so the team were keen to get a victory against our rivals. With bat in hand, Amber Wang (Year 8) and Lauren Carruthers (Year 10) scored well and set a defendable run total. Defending our score proved easier said than done, the Abbotsleigh batting line-up was destructive and chased down our run total. Our players did their best and made noticeable improvements from their previous match, however, it was not enough and Abbotsleigh took the victory.

Pymble 2 faced an experienced Lindfield team and were looking forward to the opportunity to cause an upset. Sophie Webster (Year 7) scored a whopping 17 runs, closely followed by Abani Dhaliwal (Year 7), Anjali Shah (Year 7), Charlotte Henderson (Year 7) Amelia Watson (Year 7) and Brielle McDonald (Year 7) who all contributed to the run score. Our team were impressive in their bowling attack: wicket takers were Sophie Webster (Year 7), Brielle McDonald (Year 7) who took a fantastic “caught and bowled” wicket, Laranya Nanthakumaran (Year 7), Abani Dhaliwal (Year 7) and Amelia Watson (Year 7). Unfortunately, this was not enough and after a fantastic effort Lindfield chased down our run total and got the victory on the day.

A great effort from all players! You are all improving week after week!

Jack Garrad

Sports Co-ordinator – Cricket

Junior School Sports

IPSHA Tennis

This week’s IPSHA Team of the Week goes to IPSHA Tennis Pymble 4. This was the first term Ellie Lau (Year 5), Ava Jamieson (Year 5), Maddie Aikman (Year 5) and Bella Xu (Year 5) have competed in tennis. They have shown great commitment, even coming down at lunchtime to do extra training sessions as a team. They always play with great sportsmanship, cheering one another on from the sidelines. It has been a pleasure coaching them, seeing their improvements each week and watching them enjoy playing tennis. 

Tyra Calderwood
Head Coach – Tennis

Tennis

Our Pymble igsa and IPSHA Tennis teams have been training hard this season and are continuing to produce some amazing performances. If you enjoyed playing tennis this term and would like to do so again next year but have missed the deadline to sign up for Term 1 Saturday morning Tennis, please email the sports co-ordinator for Tennis at jfoss@pymblelc.nsw.edu.au to request a late registration. There are still plenty of spaces available for current Years 6 to 12 students.

Registrations for our Pymble Tennis Academy Summer Holiday Training Camp are now open! The camp will take place in the first week of the school holidays from Monday 5 December to Friday 9 December from 9.00am to 12.00pm each day. This camp is suitable for all Pymble students from Kindergarten to Year 12 or their school aged siblings. Please click here to access the registration form.

There are also two upcoming Every Point Counts (EPC) Junior Tennis Tournaments that are suitable for our Pymble Junior School Tennis students. One at Queenwood Tennis Centre on Sunday 13 October, and one at Barker College on Sunday 4 December. These events are a great opportunity to get some valuable match play for any red, orange, green or yellow ball students. Please see the attached flyers for more details.

Mr Jufri Foss

Sports Co-ordinator – Tennis

Touch Football

Congratulations to all our Touch Football teams for a fantastic weekend! There were many close games across the board which shows the strength of the igsa competition. This allows our players to refine their skills and stand up against opposing pressure.

Special mention to our Year 7 Second’s team, for many this is their first ever season playing Touch Football. Coach Alistair is impressed with how these players are improving each week and working hard to implement the team game plans out on the field.

Ms Megan O’Keeffe

Sports Co-ordinator – Touch Football

Volleyball

Round four of the Santa Sabina Invitational Volleyball Competition took place on Saturday 5 November with Pymble winning four out of five games played, and two of our teams having a bye. A big shoutout to our Pymble 1, Pymble 2, Pymble 3, and Pymble 5 teams who are still undefeated!

Team of the week 

This week’s Team of the Week goes to Pymble 4! Here’s a match report from their close encounter against Monte Sant’ Angelo (Monte) on Saturday from Captain Ollisha Muthukuda:

Pymble 4 were very excited to play on Saturday. Overall, everyone had such amazing energy and tried their best. We began with our warm-up session which is very important before a game as it helps the team get focused and avoid injury. Since Pymble 4 won the toss, we decided to serve first for a tactical advantage. It was great that everyone was able to serve consistently (throughout the entire game). Nevertheless, we were lucky enough to get the first point of the set. After every point, Pymble would cheer each other on and everyone in the team made sure to encourage each other and maintain a lively spirit. Our hard work paid off for the first set which made everyone extremely happy. 

Going into the second set, Monte (our opposition) stepped up their game. Their serving was very consistent and deep (their balls would often go to the back of the court) which made them harder to receive. Therefore, we had to find ways to adjust to whoever was serving. For example, if someone had very short serves (after serving, the ball would land closer to the net), everyone pushed forward. This helped us adjust to the situation and enabled us to win back points. However, the team still needed some time to become familiar with the serving pattern of Monte which caused a setback in the second set. 

As we approached the third set, there was a little bit of tension as everyone knew that this set was most likely going to decide the game. Our coach put a heavy emphasis on getting the ball high up and to the middle of the court. This would ensure that everyone in the team had enough time to get to the ball and hopefully eventuate a successful outcome. However, he also made sure that we worked on cheering each other on and keeping the spirit alive. Throughout the set, Monte was close behind, yet, towards the end of the third set, Monte was close to winning. This put a lot of pressure on Pymble 4 as everyone was starting to feel the weight of the game. However, as the service came back to our side, the game started to turn around. Though Pymble were five points behind, we were able to win the game and surpass Monte. This would not have been possible without everyone’s determination, dedication, and our teammate’s brilliant serving. 

At the end of the game, everyone felt thrilled and excited for the next weekend.

Australian Volleyball League – Hobart, Saturday 5 November 2023

A word from Emma Sargeant (Year 11), Volleyball Captain’s State Team:

“t was an amazing experience for me to travel with team NSW Phoenix over the weekend to Hobart to play round 5 of the Australian Volleyball League (AVL) season against the Tasmanian Echidnas. The trip did not start too well as I got to the airport on Saturday at 5.30am only to find out that our flight was cancelled. As a result, the team ended up flying via Melbourne which delayed our arrival. Thankfully, the match was rescheduled to a later time but still, we only got to the venue just in time for the warm-up. The matches were tough, we were often behind the Echidnas, chasing them in many sets. On one occasion, we were seven points behind and turned it around to win the set which was very exciting. By the end of the weekend, we played two matches, and we won both 3 to 0 which places us fourth on the ladder. Our next round will be a challenge for us as we are facing the undefeated team Melbourne Vipers on the Central Coast.

Chris Wood
Sports Co-ordinator – Volleyball 

Water Polo

Week Four of the 2022 igsa Water Polo season saw lots of strong results in the pool. We are over halfway through the season now, keep up the good work! 

Mrs Brigette Moore

Head Coach – Water Polo

Performing Arts

The Dance Showcase Stories in the Sand opened last night in spectacular fashion, featuring enchanting performances by students from Kindergarten to Year 2.

We look forward to four more performances featuring over 500 dancers in a range of styles, interpretations and moods. The showcase is an extraordinary reflection of the prodigious skills of Pymble dancers and the dedication and expertise of their teachers and the theatre staff.

Senior and Junior Ensemble Music concerts will be presented next week and the Drama Showcase the week after – a triumphant celebration of the Performing Arts at Pymble.

Michael Griffiths

Director of Co-Curricular Performing Arts

Robotics

Year 5 and 6 FIRST Lego League – Macquarie Park Regional

Last Saturday, the Year 5 and 6 FIRST LEGO League students were able to go to the first live event since 2019, hosted by Macquarie University. For each team, the day is made up of three matches and a 30 minute interview with judges, covering core values, their innovation project and robot design.

Team Starrie Skiies, Lily Dao (Year 5), Linh Dinh (Year 6) and Vivian Liu (Year 5), came home with the Motivate Award after they impressed the judges with their energetic innovation project.

Team Illusions, Cabrini Lee (Year 6), Allison Wang (Year 6) and Melanie Xu (Year 5) had a top score of 175 point on the day which is an incredible achievement. Team Technobrains, Georgia Friedel (Year 5), Grace Jacobs (Year 5), Dionne Jacobs (Year 5), Shreya Mahendra (Year 6) and Malaika Rasheed (Year 6) showed great persistence when their robot refused to work and froze.

The students had an amazing day and gave it their all. All six teams did their best and had plenty of fun in the process.

Jet Napton

Robotics Coach

Year 7 and 8 VEX V5 – Live Remote Skills Competition

On Wednesday 26 October, three Pymble VRC teams had the opportunity to compete in a remote event against other teams from around Australia in a Live Remote Skills event. This is an online competition in which teams compete in programming and driving matches. Robots are driven and programmed on a field at each team’s location, and teams are given one minute to score as many points on the field as possible through driving and programming.

For this event, we had our Middle School students playing against some high school students from robot academies and other schools. Our teams were nervous but were ready for battle. Team 65100E Berries in Space, Jenny He (Year 7), Celine Liu (Year 7), Olivia Moon (Year 7), Jessica Shi (Year 7) had an amazing programming code that saw their robot shooting and scoring two discs in the high goal, spinning rollers and using a ratchet system to throw a string and score more points. They used the same strategy for driving, and even though they were very nervous they managed to score the second highest score. This put them in second place, qualifying for Nationals in December.

Team 65100H Mia Squared, Mia Chan (Year 7), Ranalee Siriwardana (Year 7), Catherine Zeng (Year 7), Mia Zhang (Year 7), Nicole Jiang (Year 7) used a simple but reliable strategy. They did not score in the high goal, but they managed to score enough points to be in third place, also qualifying for Nationals.

Team 65100J Spanish Luigi, Jessica Zhai (Year 8), Jessica Xu (Year 8), Meimei Jiang (Year 8), Jocelyn Ying (Year 8), Liuyi Cai (Year 8), showed their excellent strategy and driving skills. They placed 4th in the ranking.

Cristhina Boni-Lavraitti

Robotics Coach

Dance

Stories in the Sand – Dance Showcase 2022

Stories in the Sand dance showcase began yesterday with a special show dedicated to our Kindergarten to Year 2 dancers. Don’t forget to purchase your tickets for our remaining shows before they are all sold out. Visit the GMCPA Box Office now!

Ms Katrina Cluff

Head of Dance

Drama

Centrestage – Kindergarten to Year 12 Co-Curricular Drama Showcase

The Costume Information for the Drama Showcases has been posted on the parent portal, please refer to this for hair, make-up and costumes requirements.

In the final weeks leading up to Showcases, all students are reminded of the importance of attending their scheduled Co-curricular Drama classes to rehearse their performances.

Below is an outline of the performances and dress rehearsals:

Friday 18 November, Drama Theatre: Year 3 to 12 Filmmaking, 6.00pm

Rehearsal: 4.45pm (rehearsal only for student doing speeches)

Tickets: Click Here to secure your tickets

Monday 21 November, Drama Theatre: Year 5 to 10 Improvisation and Theatresports, 6.00pm

Rehearsal: 4.45pm for all students

Tickets: Click Here to secure your tickets

Tuesday 22 November, GMCPA: Year 3 to 6 Drama, 6.00pm

Rehearsal: 3.00pm until the performance

Tickets: No bookings/tickets required

Wednesday 23 November, GMCPA: Kindergarten to Year 2 Drama, 4.30pm

Rehearsal: 2.45pm until the performance

Tickets: No bookings/tickets required

Thursday 24 November, GMCPA: Year 7 to 11 Drama Festival Teams, 6.00pm

Rehearsal: 3.30pm until the performance

Tickets: No bookings/tickets required

Ms Tamara Sweetman

Head of Drama

Music

Week 6: Term 4 Senior School and Junior School Ensemble Concert

All members of the Pymble community are warmly invited to attend our end of year Ensemble Concerts for the Junior School and Secondary School.

• The Junior School Ensemble Concert will commence at 6.30pm on Tuesday 15 November in the Gillian Moore Centre for Performing Arts Theatre.
• The Senior School Ensemble Concert will commence at 7.00pm on Thursday 17 November in the Gillian Moore Centre for Performing Arts Theatre.

Both these events are free and non-ticketed.

Information regarding sound checks, holding rooms and arrival times have been communicated through the Parent Portal and via your daughter’s conductor.

I hope you can make it to these very special concerts and join in the musical celebrations. 

College Christmas Service

All members of the Pymble community are warmly invited to attend the College Christmas Service – The Road to Bethlehem on Sunday 27 November.

Please note there has been a change of date from Friday 25 November.

This service will feature the following ensembles:

• Pymble Chorale
• Senior School Choir
• Symphony Orchestra
• Junior School Choir
• Capella Choir (Junior School Chamber Choir)
• Pizzicatos
• Picoline Choir (Year 1 to 2 Choir)
• Junior School Chamber Strings

Gates will open from 5.00pm, with the Pymble Parent Association offering a barbecue dinner. Families are welcome to bring a picnic. The College Jazz Bands will provide musical entertainment from 5.30pm, and the Christmas Service will commence at 6.30pm.

I hope you can make it to this very special service. 

2022 Secondary School Playing Opportunities

The College is looking to develop its ensemble program through the support of various lesser-known concert band and orchestral instruments. An area that the College would like to further develop is to see more students playing the:

• Bassoon
• Trombone, Euphonium and Tuba
• Double Bass

As part of the program, the College will support payment of tuition and instrumental hire. It is preferable that the student is already learning an instrument, such as piano, so they can make the transition with ease.

If your daughter is interested in this exciting performance opportunity and to join the dynamic music department, please complete an online expression of interest by clicking HERE.

Expressions of interest close Friday 11 November 2022. Following this date, students will be interviewed and will need to perform on their current instrument.

2023 Internal Music Scholarship

Applications for the 2023 Internal Music Scholarships are now open. Each scholarship is open to any pupil in the College from Year 6 to 11 (2022). Current holders of Academic or Music Performance Scholarships covering school fees are not eligible for Music Tuition Scholarships.

A high standard of performance is expected although scholarships on musical instruments other than piano may be awarded on musical potential. The expectation is that Scholarship winners will contribute to the musical life of the College through participation in Co-curricular Performing Ensembles. The categories are:

• Junior Music Tuition Scholarship which includes students in Years 6, 7 and 8 (2022)
• Senior Music Tuition Scholarship which includes students in Years 9, 10 and 11 (2022)
• The Miss Gunn Memorial Scholarship for Piano is only open to girls of the standard of Grade 6 or higher (any age or year)
• Organ Music Tuition Scholarship is open to any girl who already has advanced keyboard skills (Piano Grade 6 and above) to learn to play the Chapel Organ.

For all information, including dates and audition requirements, download the application form by clicking here.

If you have further questions, please contact musicadmin@pymblelc.nsw.edu.au

Mr Kurt Schweinberger

Head of Co-curricular Music

Speech and Drama

The AMEB (Australian Music Examinations Board) Speech and Drama exams have started well. Many students from Year 3 to 12 are involved in performing and presenting their programs to external examiners throughout November. We wish them all the best in the finale of their hard work this year.

Mrs Sarah Meijer and Mrs Victoria Clancy

Speech and Drama Instructors

Get your tickets for our dance showcase Stories in the Sand

Don’t miss our Dance Showcase 2022, Stories in the Sand.

The showcase will feature our talented dancers from Kindergarten to Year 12, as well as our new Pymble Alumni Dance Group, and is definitely a show not to be missed!

Stories in the Sand will also have special guest appearances from two guest artists who have shared their expertise to create meaningful experiences; Miranda Middleton, a successful theatre director, and Rikki Mason, a dancer from Bangarra Dance Theatre. 

Performance Schedule

Friday 11 November, 6.30pm

Saturday 12 November (matinee), 2.00pm

Saturday 12 November (evening), 6.30pm

Click here to book your tickets for what’s going to be a spectacular event. Tickets are also available to the general public. But be quick – tickets are expected to sell out shortly!

Term 4 bus registrations are now open!

Registrations are now open for the Pymble private bus service during Term 4 – all students must be registered and must have a current student ID card to tap on and off each trip.

Buses will be operating from Tuesday 11 October until the end of term, finishing with the scheduled afternoon run on Friday 2 December 2022.

Registration for the Pymble bus service is offered on a term-by-term basis, in two formats:

1. Term registration enables the student to access the bus service every day in the morning and afternoon. The charge is set at $390 per term.
2. Flexible registration enables the student to register for specific day(s) with a choice of morning and/or afternoon runs. The charge is set at $6.50 per trip.

While face masks are no longer mandatory on Pymble buses or all public transport options per the updated COVID-19 rules in NSW, students are encouraged to wear one when travelling on Pymble buses. Existing government guidelines for household contacts/positive cases remain in place.

Please contact College Services via collegeservices@pymblelc.nsw.edu.au if you have any further questions about transport to and from Pymble Ladies’ College.

Thinking of a career change? Think Pymble!

At Pymble, you will be wrapped in a culture of care, community and commitment to educational excellence. You’ll also enjoy all the benefits of a big and beautiful working environment. For more information about working at Pymble, please click here.

Job of the week: Head of Learning Area – Science | Full-time permanent from Term 1, 2023

A passion for Science and all things STEM will set our next Head of Learning Area – Science up for success and bring all the benefits of joining a leading school in girls’ education.

You will join us on a full-time permanent basis from 2023, and step into an established, diverse and dynamic team. With a focus on enriching and improving student learning, you will lead your team in achieving this shared vision in a collaborative and supportive way. You will provide outstanding planning and organisational skills, as well as an exception communication style in your daily work. Flexible and enthusiastic, you will always be ready for a changing landscape and able to embed new evidence-based pedagogy in the classroom.

Science at Pymble is a desirable subject choice in Stage 6, resulting in one of the highest enrolments in any girls’ school in the state. We offer every HSC Science subject available, including Agriculture and innovative courses such as our new Data Science course.

Our students are driven and passionate about the potential of Science to change the world and have demonstrated a strong history of consistent high-level results including numerous state rankings in the HSC. Many participate in Robotics and Coding in our co-curricular programs to enhance their learning.

In joining Pymble, you will be rewarded with a committed focus on wellbeing for both students and staff, as well as a community based on our core values of care, courage, integrity, respect and responsibility.

For more information or to apply, click here.

Save the date: Vision Valley Holiday Camp

Junior School girls and their siblings (male or female) in Year 3 to 6 are invited to attend the Vision Valley Holiday Camp. The first camp will run in the 2023 Easter school holidays from Monday 17 April to Friday 21 April.

The holiday camp will offer overnight and day visit options and will feature a full activity program, including outdoor adventure activities, nature play and recreational games, all supervised by our experienced Vision Valley staff.

Bookings will open Term 1 Week 1 2023 and there will be limited places available. More information about the holiday camp will be published in the coming weeks.

Future holiday camps

• Monday 10 July to Friday 14 July 2023
• Monday 25 September to Friday 29 September 2023
• Monday 11 December to Friday 15 December 2023

Mrs Rebecca Pearce

Operations Manager – Vision Valley

Help us make Sony Camp great!

We’re looking for volunteers to donate their time at Sony Camp 2022 and help deliver a fun-filled experience for children with special needs. For more information about the camp and how to volunteer, please see the poster below.

Futures Team @ Pymble

Careers Insight Evening

Mrs Kim Maksimovic

Director of Future and Partnerships

Pymble Cyber Safety Hub

Your family, your school and cyber safety

Our school recognises that children today are growing up in an increasingly online world and that it’s important that we do more to support and guide them to navigate this digital landscape.

Successfully developing healthy and responsible digital citizens requires a holistic approach, and that’s why our school’s cyber safety ecosystem allows us to work collaboratively with you to support your children’s digital development and provide the advice and support you need.

Click here to access the Pymble Cyber Safety Hub.

From the Director of Community Engagement and Advancement

Upcoming Events – End of Year Festivities

It’s hard to believe there are just over six weeks until Christmas! I’m sure I’m not the only one who feels this year has absolutely flown by. To finish off the year in style and bring in the festive season, we are holding a College Christmas Celebration for members of the Pymble community. Please find more information on this event below, and to see our full calendar of events, please click here.

Sportswomen’s Awards Night

The Sportswomen’s Awards Night took place in the Gymnasium last Friday 4 November, and I’m so pleased that over 320 students and parents could be in attendance to honour the achievements of our talented athletes in Years 7 to 12. Also, a big thank you to our guest speakers – Olympians and Pymble alumni Mackenzie Little and Brittany O’Brien, as well as three-time Olympian and Pymble‘s head coach of sprinting Melinda Gainsford-Taylor – for sharing their words of wisdom with our girls.

Thank you to our volunteers – Parent cocktail party

A reminder that our Pymble Parent Volunteers Thank You Evening is taking place next Friday 18 November. Our volunteers and members of the Pymble Parent Association (PPA) are the lifeblood of our community, and to recognise the contributions of our volunteers from not just the PPA but the entire Pymble community, we warmly invite any parent or carer who has contributed their time and effort in 2022 to attend. You can book your ticket by clicking here.

College Christmas Celebration

We warmly invite you to join the Pymble community for our annual Christmas celebration on Sunday 27 November from 5.00pm to 7.30pm. Through words, music and song, students from the Junior and Secondary Schools will help bring in the festive season – plus there will be a surprise visit from a jolly special guest! This is always a great event and will be a fun way to farewell 2022. Please click here to view the full invitation. 

Feedback – Focus groups investigating the technological assets used at Pymble

Feedback from parents and carers is one of our most important tools to ensure our communication processes are continually improving and meeting the needs and expectations of the Pymble community. This term, we are focused on the technological pathways we use to distribute information in terms of the end user experience, and we want to hear your opinion.

We have learned so much from our previous surveys and focus groups; your feedback has been invaluable. We are therefore looking for another group of members from the Pymble community to attend a series of focus groups and let us know any issues you have with the MyPymble app and our notification processes, as well as any suggestions you may have to improve them.

If you would like to participate in these focus groups later this term, please contact communityengagement@pymblelc.nsw.edu.au

Mrs Kelly Mancey

Director – Community Engagement & Advancement

Semester 2 Community Events Calendar

Parent Contact Directory

We are excited to launch the new user-friendly Parent Contact Directory which you can access via MyPymble or the MyPymble app. The Parent Contact Directory has been developed for parents and carers to opt-in to sharing their contact details with other parents and carers in their daughters/s year group to help build community connections. Please note if you give permission for your details to be added to the directory this will enable all parents across your daughter’s year group to also view your details.

As per our Privacy Policy (which can be viewed on our website), these contact details are for personal use only and not to be shared with other parties. They should only be used to make appropriate, school-related contact between parents and carers and they must not be used for any other purpose.

If any details are not listed on the MyPymble Parent Contact Directory this is likely because a parent or carer has not opted in to having their information shown. Please note contact lists constantly change as parents and carers update or add their details and you should refer to the list available on MyPymble for the latest correct details. You can also change your sharing preferences via MyPymble.

To log in you will need to use your unique carer number and password. Please refer to the email you will have received with your carer number to log in. If you are unable to log in, we would request that you reset your password using this link, or alternatively, contact the IT Helpdesk on +61 2 9855 7771 for assistance.

PymConnect

PymConnect is our online mentoring platform, designed to link our Pymble alumni, parents and carers to facilitate mentoring opportunities that help create a culture of shared learning, and enhance personal and professional growth.  

Since the launch of PymConnect last year we have received an enthusiastic response from our community. We currently have 177 mentors and 159 mentees making connections and building a sense of belonging.

The past 18 months have been extraordinary with lockdowns and restrictions impacting the lives of everyone – including our current Year 12 students. As they prepare to complete their HSC studies and embark on their next life journey, this is a time where connections and support are important. In preparation for our newest graduates joining PymConnect, we would like to invite you to participate in this program as a mentor.  

A special thanks to those of you who have signed up to join the program following our last invitation. 

To express your interest or to ask us a question, please feel free to reach out to us at pymconnect@pymblelc.nsw.edu.au or phone +61 2 9855 7799.

Pymble Business Directory

Pymble Business Directory – Now Live

The College is pleased to announce the Pymble Business Directory to current families. The Pymble Business Directory will allow Pymble families to advertise your business or service to our Pymble family. 

Businesses who have registered can now be found on the Pymble website here. 

To list your business, please complete the attached form.

With your support, we hope the Pymble Business Directory will grow to become a valuable resource to our Pymble families. 

Parent Handbook 2022

Our Parent Handbook provides a quick and easy reference for families on all things Pymble. We encourage all our families to familiarise themselves with the handbook.

Should you have any questions or require further clarification on any of the information contained in the handbook, please contact communityengagement@pymblelc.nsw.edu.au.

Pymbulletin

The Ex-Students’ section of Pymbulletin reports on the achievements of Pymble alumni, news items and engagements, weddings, births and vale notices.

The Magazine

We are excited to share a digital copy of The Magazine 2021 with you. This is our yearly school magazine, compiled with the help of our students, providing an overview of the events, activities and achievements of our girls from Kindergarten to Year 12. 

Look out over in the coming weeks for the opportunity to order a hard copy version. Happy reading!

Communications at Pymble

Important: MyPymble app updated   

We hope you have been enjoying the benefits of our MyPymble parent portal – the one-stop shop for parents and carers to receive and store College communications. Going forward only minimal communications will be sent via email, with our ultimate goal being 100 per cent of communication to be viewed via MyPymble.

The College greatly encourages all parents and carers to please update the app via the app store as we have updated the software with some new features and technical enhancements to further improve the user experience.  

Communications posted on MyPymble include academic, community, events, sport and co-curricular information, as well as important messages from Dr Hadwen. All communications sent to a year group, sub-school or the entire school will be posted on MyPymble and will not be emailed.  

Please check your family is set up for success this term by ensuring you download the MyPymble app and have access to all the information relevant to your daughter’s learning. 

To log in you will need to use your unique carer number and password, which you should have all received via email. If you are unable to log in, please reset your password using this link, or alternatively, contact the IT Helpdesk on +61 2 9855 7771 for assistance.  

For further information on these tools please click here to view the MyPymble User Guide.  

Illuminate

Pymble Ladies’ College publishes its research and innovation journal twice a year that features a diverse range of articles written by staff members and guest writers. You can read the latest edition of the College’s research publication, Illuminate: Research and Innovation, below or by clicking here.

Edition 7 includes many insightful pieces spanning across a wide range of topics, providing insight into current issues in Pymble’s classrooms and staff rooms.

Highlights from this edition include:

• Journeys of curriculum innovation in Geography education with articles from Ray Howells (focus on agriculture) and Liam Hume and Deb Owens (focus on interdisciplinary learning); all of whom are members of our Geography, Business and Economics team;
• Mapping a college-wide approach to internal teacher accreditation and reward by Kerryl Howarth, Director of Professional Learning;
• Starting a kindness revolution through research and student leadership by Kate Brown, Head of Junior School;
• Looking at local history through a First Nations perspective by Ryan Stewart, History and Aboriginal Studies teacher and PhD candidate;
• Other articles including research into HSC teaching strategies, research cultures in schools and teachers’ experience in global mentoring programs.