From the Principal

Of the many traditions we hold dear at Pymble, Jacaranda Day has an extra special place in our hearts. First held in 1983, the idea stemmed from one of our Science teachers at the time, Mrs Raj Ram, who linked the beauty of the tree in full bloom in spring with the beauty of humanity and selflessness. It was such a gift to gather on Tuesday as a whole school – our first Jacaranda Day service since 2019 and a first-ever for our Year 1 and Year 2 students.

There really is nothing like seeing the sea of hats across Gloucester Lawn and the feeling of joy that comes from reaffirming and celebrating our community’s commitment to being of service to others. Our grateful thanks go to all who donated to our Jacaranda Day food drive for the Rev Bill Crews Foundation (Exodus) and OzHarvest. We have already amassed an impressive stack of non-perishable items for those experiencing homelessness and hardship, and we still have all of November to continue to donate. Thank you to our Junior School students who have ensured children spending Christmas at the Sydney Children’s Hospital will receive a gift wrapped with love.

In addition, we had the huge joy of presenting a giant cheque for the whopping amount of $36,973.60 to the Hornsby Ku-ring-gai Women’s Shelter (HKWS). This represents the sum of funds raised through our Garden Party, Mother’s Day Morning Tea and various student-led initiatives throughout the year. Thank you to all who played a part in achieving this fabulous outcome, which will go towards paying for a case worker to support the women who arrive at the shelter seeking refuge from unsafe homes, according to the Chair of the HKWS Board and Pymble alumna, Mrs Catherine Knox (1977). By supporting HWKS, together we are making a difference to these women at a critical time in their lives.

On that note, a special shout out to the incredible efforts of our 2022 Service Prefect, Maddie Lyster, along with our Community Prefects, Nina Breckenridge and Isabelle Ho and the committee of Year 7-12 service leaders who organised a whole array of events that contributed to this total. We send our best wishes for our Prefects for 2023 and everything they will do in their roles as service leaders at Pymble.

Pymble Gives Back in 2023

Jacaranda Day was the perfect opportunity to flag our College theme for 2023, Pymble Gives Back, which is a name many of you will remember fondly from lockdowns in 2020 and 2021. In 2023, Pymble Gives Back will focus on intentionally and meaningfully using our individual gifts and talents, along with our collective power, to be of service to others.

We are blessed with a ready-made ‘kindness army’ of students, staff and families who I know we can call on to take part in the many ways we are planning to change the world through helping others. In fact, when brainstorming ideas for 2023 with our Uniting Church of Australia (UCA) family, I felt a great sense of pride and joy in knowing that whatever opportunities are presented, so many of us will say ‘Yes, please pick me because I want to be of service to others in our community’.

In the meantime, I have charged each student to think about what their service could look like. Dancers and performers could entertain residents at aged care facilities. Bakers and cooks could collaborate with friends to regularly deliver meals/baked goods to our friends at HKWS. Our keen learners could offer study help to young people who have newly arrived in Australia from non-English speaking countries.

There are so many examples of students (and staff) who quietly go about being of service to others in different ways, from extending a hand of friendship to someone new, lost or lonely, to standing in for another student or colleague who can’t run an event due to an inconveniently timed bout of Covid. Thank you to all our girls who don’t think twice about stepping up when required or responding to current events to make a difference to communities in need. I’m thinking of Lauren Korenblyum (Year 9) who initiated a ‘buy a badge’ fundraiser for Ukrainian refugees and our beautiful Boarders, including Abigail Ballhausen (Year 11) and our Boarding Prefects, who continue to take action to support our regional friends and families doing it so tough after years of drought, bushfires and now the horrendous floods. Thank you to everybody who supported the recent Boarding Bake Sales for flood relief. The worst is not over for our families in the Central West, with the Lachlan River peak looking set to continue through the weekend and threaten more areas nearby. The UCA floods appeal is still open should you wish to contribute to the massive, heartbreaking job of cleaning up and recovery when the water eventually subsides.

This week, my thoughts have also turned to the wonderful service of current and past members of our College Council, now known as the College Board following our recent incorporation. It is a great responsibility to take on these voluntary roles, which have such an impact on the life of the College and our community. Our Board members are unsung heroes, gifting their time and professional expertise behind the scenes to guide and support us in creating the best opportunities and outcomes for your daughters.

Vale David Blackwell

On Monday, we were advised by our former Principal, Mrs Gillian Moore, of the death of our former Council Chairman, Mr David Blackwell, for whom our Music School is named. David served on Council from 1965 to 1992, the last five of which were as Chairman, and he was proud to claim 11 family members as students of the College since 1917. These include his two daughters and his niece, Catherine Knox of HWKS who is mentioned above. Truly, he was a life-long member of our Pymble family.

David’s daughters wanted to let us know that a service of thanksgiving for their father will be held at 4.00pm on Friday 18 November at Killara Uniting Church, 29A Arnold St Killara. Family and friends wishing to pay their respects and celebrate David’s life are all welcome to attend.

It seems fitting to end here on a quote shared by our very special guest speaker at Jacaranda Day, Fiona Walmsley (1996), who inspired us all by sharing her career journey in sustainability and the work being done today for the benefit of Pymble girls tomorrow and in the future.

“Blessed are those who plant trees in whose shade they know they will never sit.”

Dr Kate Hadwen

Principal

From our Chaplains

This coming Sunday is Christ the King Sunday, and whilst in polite company we often think religion and politics don’t mix – Christ the King Sunday is political. It is the Christian tradition attempting to challenge our understanding and relationship with power. The introduction of servant leadership, where power is exercised for the benefit of all, but specifically for those who need it most – those on the fringes, those on the receiving end of prejudice.

It is a privilege to be a part of this school community, where our young people recognise that to be human is to be political. They want to make a contribution to the world we share. And to be a part of the change the world needs. They are idealist and want to challenge us to be more idealistic, as the adults in their lives. Last week in our chapel services, some of the first nations students spoke about the importance of communicating, of listening to each other’s stories and introducing the Talking Circle, which has been created in the back of the College promoting the value of the first nations tradition and what we can learn from them (more to come on this).

There are many issues our young people are concerned about and wanting the adults in their lives, that is us, to be a part of the solution to these many problems. Issues of gender, race, politics, sexuality and more. Understand that justice should be everyone’s concern, and that each one of us should use whichever kind of power we might have (social, economic, political) to contribute to positive change.

My prayer for us as a community, is that we would re-evaluate power as an obligation and duty to others – that the wall which divide may come tumbling down. That we may be reminded of our own idealism of our youth, in wanting to make the world fairer and better for all people and all communities.

Blessings in Christ.

Reverend Lorenzo Rodriguez Torres
College Chaplain

From the Director – Pymble Institute

The Pymble Institute newsletter has been published with updates on a range of activities for Term 4. Click here to visit the Pymble Institute site and read the newsletter in full.

Research with UTS Education and Data Science Institute into AI and online learning tasks

One of the research projects under the Digital Intelligence Strategic Pillar is a collaborative pilot project with teams from the University of Technology Sydney. The project is investigating how we can use Artificial Intelligence technology to better understand what it is like for students working on online tasks. Involving participating students from Year 9 and 10 Data Science classes, the goal of the research is to help teachers design even more effective online tasks in future. This joint project brings together academics from UTS Education and International Studies (Professor Nick Hopwood, Dr Tracey-Ann Palmer, Dr Mun Yee Lai) and UTS Data Science Institute (Dr Kun Yu, Dr Yifei Dong) with Data Science teachers (Cedric Le Bescont, Anthony England, Kim Maksimovic and Dr Glen McCarthy).

Technology developed by Dr Yu, Dr Dong and colleagues from the Data Science Institute can track where students look on the screen, for how long, where they move the cursor, how intensely they focus, and facial expressions including eye and head movement which suggest concentration and distraction. The data collected is not in video nor photo-form, but has been transferred into code. The code helps the researchers understand student engagement – what students pay attention to when they are working on a task, how long they remain focused on the screen, what might be more or less challenging in the task and what happens to eyes and the body in different parts of the task.

A group of helpful and inquisitive students from Data Science classes completed an online task while the software monitored their faces and computer clicks, and they then participated in a focus groups to explore the experience. The researchers are currently aligning both types of data to understand the features of tasks that work most effectively to engage students.

Dr Sarah Loch

Director – Pymble Institute

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

 As we draw closer to the end of the year and time to farewell our Year 6 girls, I find myself reflecting more and more on how far they have each grown this year and over their Junior School journeys. Last week I had the pleasure of listening to some of our Year 6 girls deliver their public speaking speeches. Wow! Our girls are impressive in their passion for things that matter to them, their poise in advocating for change and their courage in having a go. I see them now as young women on the cusp of new adventures next year in Year 7 and know they are ready. Butterflies are inevitable as change can be scary and there will be many sentimental moments in the final few weeks, but the girls are ready for the many varied opportunities that lie ahead.

House Spirit and Kindness

It was wonderful to see and hear the House Spirit on the oval on Friday last week as we celebrated our outstanding Walk for a Kinder World. Whilst we haven’t yet reached the moon, we celebrated how far we have travelled with kindness this year and we will continue on our mission. Each small step we take with kindness is a big step for our world. Each day our girls show how they are growing in kindness and impacting others with their kind hearts.

Our Year 6 House Captains shone as they led House Spirit for the Junior School and empowered the incoming Year 6, 2023 future House Captains to co-lead House Cheers with Kindergarten to Year 2 that afternoon. This was a fabulous example of the strong sisterhood and support within our community as our older girls lent their experience and confidence to set up the future leaders for success.

Small acts of Kindness

I was delighted to ‘meet’ a Kindness Cat created by Faye Li (Year 3) this week and even more delighted to hear Faye’s rationale for designing and making this cat. Faye explained that she was so touched by the kindness shown to her by her family whilst she was unwell that she wanted to do something to show kindness to others. Faye’s Kindness Cat now sits in my office and will help to sprinkle kindness to the many girls who come and chat with me throughout a week. Simple acts of kindness hold great power!

Congratulations!

Well done to our Dance Showcase girls in Kindergarten to Year 6 on their performance last week.  The girls shone on stage with their confidence and joy of dance. I was lucky enough to watch all the showcases and each showcase was exceptional. We are so proud of the girls and their commitment to their sport. Thank you to you all for all your support for the girls with their rehearsals on weekends in the weeks leading up to these showcases.

Congratulations to all our outstanding musicians in Years 3 to 6. It was glorious to hear the myriad of musical performances this week in the Junior School Ensemble concert and to see the Gillian Moore Centre for Performing Arts full again. Thank you to all of you who were able to come and support the girls in their performances. The girls’ talents are seemingly endless, and I know how hard they have worked together to bring these performances to life.

Year 5 Mind Body Spirit Day – Mrs Clair o’Connor – Year 5 Co-ordinator

Our Year 5 girls enjoyed their Mind, Body, Spirit Day last week and explored a range of different and engaging experiences that aimed to provide them time to breathe and just be. These included visiting the farm where students enjoyed holding the chickens and collecting the eggs, creating artworks from natural materials, engaging in mindful science, in particular exploring Oobleck, journaling and mindful colouring. The focus of the day was for students to consider the types of mindfulness and relaxation which best support their learning and to consider building these routines into their lives. It was a wonderful day where students had the chance to sit with friends and enjoy each other’s company and develop strong friendships.

Year 1 Reflection – Mrs Jayne Mercer – Lead Co-ordinator Years 1-3

As we fast approach the end of the year it has been lovely to take the time to look back at 2022 and reflect on how amazing the last year has been for our Year 1 girls.  It’s been a year of growth in so many different areas. The girls have embraced their love of learning and their curiosity is inspiring. When you’re spending time with young children you can’t help but be in awe of how much they want to learn about the world around them. Watching their excitement whilst growing their grassy heads in Science this term reminds us as adults to appreciate the beauty in the little things in life each day.

Handing out kindness awards each week in assembly to girls that have chosen to care for their friends and our school environment is such a pleasure. Some of my favourite things to do with Year 1 have been to spend time sharing picture books during Literacy lessons and listening to their news when they share what they have been up to on the weekend or during the holidays. Year 1 girls at Pymble know how to make the most of what Pymble has to offer and I can’t wait to see them embrace Year 2 in 2023.

Library – last day for borrowing

Please note that the final day for borrowing is this Friday 18 November. All books are due back by Friday 25 November. Please contact Mrs Laretive if you have a concern about book loans.

Thank you for your support.

Jacaranda Day – Tuesday 15 November

Thank you to all our families for your wonderful donations supporting the Children’s Hospital and Exodus Foundation. 

Kindergarten to Year 2 may still donate up until end of this term if they would like to with a gift voucher or gift for a child, unwrapped, and placed in a gift bag for the Sydney Children’s Hospital. Please note that gifts should be new items/toys not pre-loved. Thank you to our K-2 families who have donated so far, we have collected $1,820 in vouchers and a lovely selection of gifts to be given to the Children’s Hospital and who will appreciate the kindness of our Junior School community.

Parent Focus Groups: The College’s Early Years School

As the College moves closer to the introduction of an early learning centre for both girls and boys, we welcome thoughts and feedback from our parents. Capturing what is important to our Pymble family creates an opportunity to ensure our directions reflect the requirements of our current and future community.   

We wish to invite parents to join a conversation about the philosophy, structure and opportunities we are planning for the children. If your family has recently had a child in an early learning service or have specific needs for the future,  your feedback and reflections would be greatly welcomed.

Parent focus groups will be held at the following times:

Tuesday 29 November               8:30am to 9:30 am

Wednesday 30 November         2:00pm to 3:00 pm

Please indicate your interest in attending by registering here.

Should you be unable to attend but wish to understand more about the Early Years planning please email Mrs Karen Ahearn, Head of Early Years, at kahearn@pymblelc.nsw.edu.au  who will contact you directly.

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.

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. Kindergarten to Year 2 girls 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.   

Your daughter will need the items found listed under “additional stationery”. If you have these items already, please retain for 2023. If you do not have these items, please purchase them. 

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)

Thank you so much for all your help with our Swimming Carnival today. So many parents and carers helped volunteer at our JSPG stall and donated food which was greatly appreciated. Another fantastic response from our Junior School community. We appreciate all your hard work!

Year 6 Commemorative Jerseys (for Year 5 parents)

Year 5 parents, please order your daughter her jersey for next year by clicking here.

A team of parents has custom-fitted the Year 5 girls with their sizes and they have been recorded in their diaries (details provided via the Year 5 parents WhatsApp group).

Please place your oder by tomorrow, Friday 18 November, to ensure your daughter does not miss out!

Year 6 Parent Cocktail Party

Please order your tickets for the Year 6 Cocktail Party by clicking here.

This will be an amazing cocktail event for parents on the evening of Thursday 24 November on our beautiful Marden Lawn to celebrate the send-off of our girls from the Junior School. This event is being held whilst the girls are at their silent disco. To finalise catering, could you please purchase your tickets by tomorrow Friday 18 November.

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 

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 rehearsals

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

This week we have wholeheartedly embraced the spirit of celebration in Middle School, with our Year 7 Christmas Service on Tuesday – thank you to the many families who joined us for afternoon tea to mark the end of their daughter’s first year of secondary school. Middle School Assembly on Wednesday focused on acknowledging and farewelling our enthusiastic Year 8 cohort. It is hard to believe that Year 8 students will be leaving us for the Upper School very shortly. The girls enjoyed their Year 9 Transition Day last Friday which provided an insight into what lies ahead. On Wednesday of this week each girl from Year 8 received a token of appreciation – a Christmas cupcake – for their contribution to the Middle School community across the last two years. We wish the girls every success as they navigate their futures and thank them for all they have done to build connections and a sense of family here in Middle School.

We are currently interviewing for Year 8 Leadership positions for 2023 and I am delighted to be able to share with you how impressive we have been with the candidates so far. The poise and confidence demonstrated at interview, bodes well for our future Middle School Leadership team. The enthusiastic discussions around initiatives which will consolidate our sense of family are so welcome. Well done to all those students who have put themselves forward.

A big congratulations to Méa Shires (Year 8) who attended the Metropolitan Championships at Sydney Olympic Park last weekend for diving. Over the two-day championship, Méa took home 4 Gold medals across 4 events. She competed in the 14/15 girls on the 1m, 3m and platform (5m & 7.5m). She also competed on the 14 & over in the 3m synchro with her partner Ilaria Crowley. What a fabulous achievement!

Year 7

The past week has been yet another busy one. Last Friday our Year 7 buddies Celine, Eloise, Amelia, Isabelle, Phoebe and Sarah welcomed some of our incoming 2023 Year 8 students Willow, Alessia, Allegra, Tala, Megan and Fatima to our Transition Day where they toured the College, attended some classes and lunched together with Year 7. It was a very successful day.

On Tuesday Year 7 celebrated with a Christmas Chapel Service. Everything about it was wonderful – music, readings, Wombat Divine story and actions. Our Christmas bunting, the making of which was contributed by our Year 7 volunteers, stole the show as it reflected our Australian Christmas theme. Many thanks to the parents who were able to come along and share in the spirit of Christmas, it was wonderful to see so many parents here.

Directions this week will focus on our Five Ways to Wellbeing, notably being active and enjoying time to play together. The fine weather has been a great motivator to get out and be active.

Year 8

It was wonderful to meet some of our incoming Year 9 2023 new students last Friday for our Transition Day. A special shout out to Livia who travelled from the Northern Territory to be with us on the day. We look forward to welcoming these students, and others, properly on Orientation Day next year.

Last Friday, our Year 8 students were treated to a welcome to Upper School afternoon with a barbeque and guest speaker. Our Year 8 Communications Leader, Emily Kim, has kindly provided her insights into the day:

As recess came to an end, we all gathered together at the Jobson Lecture Theatre to start our Upper School Transition Event. Our wonderful guest speaker Dannielle Miller welcomed us all really warmly and brightened up the mood after a sweaty recess with her unique personality and sparkly pink jazz pants. However, she started off her story addressing the story about her burn that she had gotten when she was two years old and had hot oil spilt on her.

She told us that she had never really noticed her burn until her first kindergarten crush had broken that. From then on, she always wore long sleeves, even in the hottest of summers to hide her burn scar. Through this story, Dannielle portrayed the significance of resilience and how to ignore small insecurities like those burn marks. From talking about the love of her life she had met while picking up straws at McDonalds to becoming an amazing author of multiple books and even featuring on radio broadcasts, not only did we learn about Dannielle’s eventful life story, we also learnt the importance of gratitude and to never let an individual’s judgement get in the way so that we don’t live to please others but to please ourselves.

After the inspiring talk from Dannielle, we headed out to be met with a delicious waft of grilled sausages which motivated the whole crowd to move faster or even run to be the first to get their hot dogs. To finish the day off, Mr Riley gave us a brief outline about the expectations needed to be met in Upper School and the influence behind ‘practical wisdom’. The Upper School Transition Day was a wonderful event which allowed us all to find a smoother path into Upper School.

From the Middle School Parent Group

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

A surprise for our Vision Valley Pioneers!

Please enjoy the reflection written by Doris Li and Annika Lee:

On 9 November, 18 students from Year 9 travelled to Vision Valley. We were accompanied by Mrs Hunt who drove the bus so we could visit the Term 4 Residential Program pioneers. It was the highlight of our weeks, seeing all our friends again and listening to their stories, whether they were the leeches or something funny someone did during rehearsals for the Pioneers Festival which we had the great privilege of watching. The Festival featured many women-empowering music theatre songs, such as The Ballad of Sara Berry, Someone Gets Hurt, On My Own, and Almost There, to name just a few. It also showcased many art-based talents of the students. They created murals, scrapbooks, food and time capsules, and it was clear that they had put hard work into their projects and were extremely proud of the outcome. At the end of the festival, they performed a rendition of Girl On Fire.

The visit was a very emotional but pleasant surprise for the students at Vision Valley after being unable to keep in touch for 2 weeks. It was a brilliant way to spend a Wednesday afternoon and definitely worth spending time at Vision Valley because of all of the amazing memories we heard about and made.

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

This week in the Upper School was a quiet one. Our Year 9 sisters were split between the Outdoor Education Great return and Year 9 camp. As term ends, we are starting to start transitioning into Senior School.

We are extremely proud of how the students conducted themselves during the Jacaranda Assembly. Thank you for your support in helping your daughters bring in non-perishable food items for the Exodus foundation.

All students received an email from ‘Motivational Maps Youth’ which allows them to complete the Motivational Mapping task. It will take them approximately 15 minutes and will give them a personalised report of their own educational and life motivators. This is something which we will be using throughout next week and the Future You Festival. It will help the students to learn what gives them energy and drains it – all helpful information for our workshops during the festival. Please encourage your daughter to complete this activity this week and have it done by Friday 9am.

The Motivational Map is based on three clusters of motivation: motivation through your relationships, motivation through your own achievements, and motivation through your individual growth.

Within these clusters there are nine individual motivators. Of these, three will typically be stronger, with one as a core motivator. Motivational Maps technology asks some simple, yet pertinent questions that generates a unique, individual map, detailing the contribution of each motivator and how this can affect personal performance. The Motivational Map is presented as an easy-to-read report that accurately describes an individual’s drivers, and practical steps they can take to make use of this self-knowledge.

Throughout the week, students will also need to select two (2) workshops to attend during the Future You Festival.

These workshops will be conducted by external visitors from universities and industry representatives. The workshops’ aim is to give insight into a particular course or field of study in a hands-on experience. All students will need to choose wisely as there are limits on numbers for each workshop. First in, best dress, if you do not select a workshop, you will be automatically allocated one. Sign up for workshops on the Future You Festival site.

Another part of the festival will include all students participating in mock interviews. This will be their chance to try out their interview skills and gain feedback to help you with similar opportunities. All students will need to be dressed appropriately for the interview.

Congratulations!

Congratulations to Alicia Ge (Year 10) who placed equal-second in New South Wales in the O-level Tournament of the Towns. This is an extremely challenging mathematical problem-solving competition which students are invited to participate in. Well done, Alicia!

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 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

This week the Year 12 students have been engaged in service activities and turning their attention to assisting others, both within the Pymble community and beyond. We all enjoyed the delicious hot dogs that were cooked and sold by Year 12s, in support of the Sony Camp. The girls raised $1,800 which goes directly to creating pamper packs for the families involved. Grateful thanks to the very significant donations from the Harris family and the additional assistance from the Markson family. Your generosity and kindness are very much appreciated.

Also this week the College came together to celebrate our annual Jacaranda Day with many students and families donating food for families less fortunate. All donations will be sent directly to Oz Harvest and the Exodus Foundation. There is still time to bring in further donations before these are delivered.

Thank you to all parents who attended our Year 12 Information Night on Wednesday night. It was wonderful to catch up with so many of you and also to have the opportunity to meet some new parents. Following the years of online presentations and disruptions, it is always lovely to have time to reconnect and get to know our Senior School families.

Our Year 12 students are also busily preparing for and sitting their first group of assessment tasks. They are to be complimented on their calm approach. As we all remember, these can be times of added stress, so please be in touch with your daughter’s Compass teacher if you have concerns. As always, good routines of solid sleep, plenty of water (as the weather heats up) and healthy eating patterns are especially important during these times.

From the Heads of Year 12

Year 12 2023 Information Evening

It was wonderful to meet so many parents and carers at the Year 12 2023 information evening held this Wednesday. Thank you taking the time to join us in the JLT in our lovely Kate Mason building. We hope that you had some takeaway learnings from the sessions with Futures, Curriculum and Wellbeing. So many of our conversations with students highlight how Year 12 is a marathon, not a sprint and we hope that you now have more of a sense of the support systems in place at the College. 

Director of Curriculum, Natasha Stanfield, made the point that conversations between young people and their parents and carers can have a positive effect on student outcomes, especially when they come from a strength-based approach. This University of NSW article links to Natasha’s points nicely. It highlights the soft skills Year 12 students can employ to navigate their HSC year better including self-efficacy, looking forward and adaptability. But what stands out most is that “the best predictor of students’ wellbeing [is] parental support”. We love working with your young people and are grateful for the support that they receive from home to do their  best.

From the Boarding School

From our Head of Boarding

As we enjoy the final weeks of the term here on campus, our thoughts are with our Boarding family, many of whom are feeling the devasting effect of the floods. As always, they are stoic, demonstrating the resilience and fortitude, good humour that characterises this special group of people.

Our wonderful prefects have been leading the charge on fund raising and are hoping to raise more funds with a second hand textbook sale next week. Please encourage your daughters to take advantage of the opportunity to purchase current, well cared for textbooks at a bargain price.

Year 12 2023

As you will have read last week, our Year 12s are happily ensconced in Lang House and embracing life as our eldest boarders. Tuesday night was another special occasion for them as they were presented with their Year 12 Boarding jerseys. We couldn’t be prouder of these young women; they are excellent role models for our Boarding family.

Community Spirit Foundation

Year 10 Boarder, Ella Graham is helping to raise awareness of the Community Spirit Foundation by participating in Stride for Education 2022.

The Foundation supports Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children and their families from four remote communities in Australia to recognise the power of education and achieve their goals. Ella is showing them her support by clocking her kilometres for Stride For Education.

Ella’s goal is to raise $1000 and she would love your support. Please click here to learn how how you can support Ella.

Our Summer Menu

It is strange to think that we are planning our menu for Term 1 2023, but we certainly are! Our Boarders’ Representative Council have a copy of the menu and are in the process of providing feedback. If you would like to contribute your thoughts, please click here to view the draft summer menu and send your feedback through to boarding@pymblelc.nsw.edu.au. Please ensure your feedback is provided by no later than 25 November.

Love It – Mrs Katie White

Love It last week included two social occasions with our girls. The first was a lovely trivia night with the Year 12 Riverview boys that had rave reviews and the second was an afternoon in the Lawson Centre at Knox for our Year 7 and 8 Boarders. It has been so lovely to see the friendships develop with our Boarders and those at Knox and Riverview this year as the Boarders have enjoyed several events that have helped them build relationships.

This weekend, Christmas is coming to Boarding. The Christmas trees will be arriving and the Christmas craft will begin.  Saturday night will be the first of our Christmas movie nights as we count down to the end of term. Other events for the weekend include a social at Abbotsleigh for the Year 9s, a beach picnic at Balmoral for Year 7 and a chance to head to North Sydney Oval for the Women’s Big Bash League on Sunday. 

View From My Window

Hi everybody, my name is Giselle Kawane and I am 16 years old. I am currently in Year 10 and have been at Pymble since the start of 2021. At home I live with my parents Jacinta and Joseph and my two little sisters, Sophia (who hopes to join me at Pymble next year) and the youngest Jolie. I also have three fur babies named Jaxon, Julius and Bagheera.

When I was born, I grew up in the Torres Straits on Thursday Island. My youngest sister and I moved to Cairns when we were one and four years old. Home for me now is in a city in Far North Queensland on the east coast called Cairns.

My favourite view at home would have to be the beach. Cairns has many beaches, but my favourite would have to be on Fitzroy Island. Fitzroy is a 45-minute ferry ride from Cairns but is one of our main tourist attractions for its beautiful view. Out of everything, what I love about being at home is the temperature and tennis. When I started at Pymble, on my first day of school it was pouring down with rain and I’d never felt any colder in my life. The usual temperature in Cairns is around 35 – 40 degrees. So, you can imagine me walking around daily covered in goosebumps from head to toe.

Tennis has been a part of my life since I was seven years old. I live and breathe tennis and I couldn’t imagine my life without it.  Although boarding has its ups and down (just like Sydney weather) I am proud to be a Boarder here at Pymble. 

Boarder of the Week

Year 9 Boarder, Lola Barwick has been a beautiful addition to Marden House. While she only been here for a short time, she settled in quickly and it feels like she has been a part of the Pymble boarding family for years. Lola hails from Gravesend, where she lives with her parents and sisters. She is an avid and successful horse rider and we love hearing all about Lola’s equestrian achievements. She dove headfirst into life at Pymble and embraced every opportunity thrown at her. Lola always gets on with things, is organised and wonderfully humble. She loves nothing more than a cup of tea and a good book in bed at the end of the day. Her kindness and loyalty to friends shines through in all that she does and we adore having her in Boarding. 

Mrs Carolyn Burgess

Director of Boarding

Co-curricular Administration

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.

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

Cricket

On the weekend our Pymble 1 team came up against Lane Cove Under 13s. Phoebe Cooper (Year 9) and Sophie Webster (Year 7) performed exceptionally, Phoebe scored 30 runs and Sophie Webster scored 37 not out. Lauren Carruthers (Year 10), Charlotte Carruthers (Year 8) and Darcey Hawkins (Year 9) also contributed to Pymble’s overall total of 85 runs – our highest score yet! Phoebe and Sophie were in outstanding form, getting a wicket each. Lane Cove were too strong on the day and were able to reach our run score with 8 wickets in hand.

A dramatic improvement from the Pymble 1 team, well done girls!

Our Pymble 2 team competed against Castle Hill Thunder over the weekend. Another high run chase with Pymble cricketers scoring 61 runs. Castle Hill, however, managed to chase down our run score with 8 overs to spare. Special mention goes to Zoe Bloom (Year 7), Amelia Watson (Year 7), Brielle McDonald (Year 7) and Abani Dhaliwal (Year 7) who were electric in the field and managed to score several boundaries!

With two more weeks to go I am excited to see how both our teams finish the season.  

Jack Garrad

Sports Co-ordinator – Cricket

Diving

Pymble Sportswomen’s Dinner

What an honour it was to have Brittany O’Brien, Silver Medallist at the Birmingham Commonwealth Games, Rio Olympian and Pymble alumni as guest speaker at the Pymble Sportswomen’s dinner last week. It was great to hear her story from Pymble Diving to the World Diving stage.

Congratulations to Rylee McKinstry (Year 12) and Captain of Diving 2022 who was awarded Diving Athlete of the Year.

Diving NSW Presentation Awards

Congratulations to Ilaria Crowley (Year 9) who was awarded second place for the NSW 14/15 Age group for her combined results throughout the 2021/2022 NSW Diving season.

On the same night, Mrs Chris Lang was named Volunteer of the Year and awarded life membership to Diving NSW.

Metropolitan Championships

On Saturday 11 and Sunday 12 November, the Metropolitan Championships were held at Sydney Olympic Park Aquatic Centre.

A fantastic weekend of diving was had by all with fantastic outcomes no matter what the result.

Congratulations team on another outstanding display of commitment, sportsmanship, and skill.

16/18 Girls

Ilaria Crowley (Year 9): 2nd 3m springboard, 3rd 1m springboard, 1st Platform Qualifying for Nationals on all boards, 1st Synchronised Diving 14/0

Nikola Puhl (Year 12): 6th 3m springboard, 6th 1m springboard Qualifying on both boards, 6th Platform and 2nd Mixed Synchronised Diving 14/0

14/15 Girls

An exceptional weekend of diving with the following outstanding results:

Méa Shires (Year 8): 1st 3m springboard, 1st 1m springboard, 1st Platform Qualifying for Nationals on all boards and 1st Synchronised Diving 14/0.

Abby Smith (Year 8): 3rd Platform Qualifying for Age Nationals and 5th Synchronised Diving 14/0.

Angela Xenofontos (Year 8): 6th 3m springboard, 6th 1m springboard, and 4th Synchronised Diving 14/0.

Leila Rich (Year 7) – Leila had a challenging weekend having to muster a lot of courage after some painful miscalculations in her warmup dives. Well done, Leila.

8th 1m springboard, 7th Synchronised Diving 14/0.

12/13 Girls

Addison Woods (Year 7): 5th 1m springboard, 3rd 1m springboard Qualifying for Nationals on both boards, and 1st Synchronised Diving 13/u.

Anne Liu (Year 6): 10th 1m springboard

11/u Girls

Amélie Rahme (Year 5): 1st 1m springboard, 1st 3m springboard Qualifying for Nationals on both boards.

Pathways Diving

Level 4

Emma Ware (Year 2) 3rd place

Level 5

Emily Long (Year 3) 1st place

Zara Ware (Year 3) 2nd place

Amelie Berg (Year 3) 3rd place

Level 6

Ava Jamieson (Year 5) 1st place

School Sport Australia National Championships Brisbane

The SSA National Diving Championships will be held in Brisbane from Saturday 19 November to Friday 25 November 2022.

We wish great diving, incredible experiences (including Personal Best’s) to all divers and particularly to our Pymble team:

Amelie Rahme (Year 5)

Ilaria Crowley (Year 9)

Nikola Puhl (Year 12)

Mrs Chris Lang

Head of Diving

Fencing

On Sunday 13 November, Sienna Stephens (Year 12) competed in the NSW Junior (Under 20) State Fencing Championship held at Fencing NSW, Alexandria. Former Pymble students Amelie Read and Amelie Yee also competed. Sienna had a fantastic day with close hard- fought bouts, including the final where Sienna was ultimately crowned U20 NSW Champion.

Sienna has now been invited to join the NSW A Team for the 2023 Junior National Championships to be held in Melbourne on Friday 3 to Sunday 5 February 2023.

Congratulations to Sienna on an exceptional Fencing Season!

Ms Megan O’Keeffe

Head of Senior School

Junior School Sports

IPSHA Tennis

This week’s IPSHA Team of the Week goes to IPSHA Basketball Pymble 6. The team had a fantastic game of the weekend, showing off their new and improved skills learnt over the term. Edith Cullinane (Year 5) had some great intercepts throughout the entire game, her quick passing lead to many full court layups from Amber Chen (Year 5) which set the girls up for a great game. Diyana Palihawadana (Year 5) had some excellent rebounds which again led to many layups from all players in Pymble 6.

The team showed true Pymble spirit and sportsmanship and continue to improve throughout the term. Great work team!

Mr Matthew Tyson

Head of Sport – Years 3 to 6

Swimming

Swimming Metro North East (SMNE) LC Summer Championships 2022

I am delighted to report that our 2022 SMNE campaign was a success. We have achieved the highest number of junior competitors ever, the highest percentage of Personal Bests (PB’s) and once again Knox Pymble Swim Club (KPSC) won the overall point score by over 2000 points. This is due to our many medalists and finalists.

A huge shout out to the coaching team who put in a fantastic team effort to have all swimmers enjoying their racing experience and learning so much for the next carnival.

Sara’s Cadets squad were bright and bubbly all day long. Michelle’s Star squad produced a stellar performance with 100% PB’s on Saturday. Raf’s Engine squad had some first time National qualifiers and my Pride squad raced with absolute courage, dominating the relay wins.

Andrea and Steve held the fort at Pymble so we could be at the meet and our swimmers were able to either train or race this weekend.

Thank you to all the amazing parents who supported the event and to the club who helped with duty rosters.

Below is the list of competitors from Pymble Ladies’ College that represented KPSC on the weekend including our top five point scorers;

Top five point scorers

Megan Chia (Year 6) – 197

Jaya Lilienthal (Year 9) – 180

Annabelle (Year 7) Li – 149

Annika Lee (Year 9) – 137

Claudia Fydler (Alumni) – 136

Competitors

Amelia Berg (Year 3), Hannah Carmichael (Year 9), Megan Chia (Year 6), Annalise Chow (Year 8), Grace Connell (Year 10), Jessica Croll (Year 9), Jessica Cullen (Year 9), Emma Deere (Year 3), Anais Drysdale (Year 9), Oriana Fenton (Year 5), Georgia Friedel (Year 5), Adrianna Fydler (Alumni), Claudia Fydler (Alumni), Piper Gregory-Reid (Year 10), Penelope Hargraves (Year 5), Hayley Johnston (Year 11), Imogen Jones (Year 6), Victoria Ko (Year 5), Annika Lee (Year 9), Samantha Lever (Year 12), Annabelle Li (Year 7), Jaya Lilienthal (Year 9), Anne Liu (Year 6), Lily Lockhart (Year 9), Jessica Munk (Year 10), Jessica Needham (Year 12), Emma Ng (Year 6), Ruby Pickthall (Year 8), Charlotte Sadler (Year 5), Zara Sandham (Year 6), Chloe Shires (Year 5), Carlyn Suhendra (Year 10), Jiayi Thong (Year 6), Sarah Tian (Year 9), Isabelle Wang (Year 3), Claudia Wyatt (Year 6), Jisoo Yeou (Year 7), Bella Zhang (Year 11).

Leanne Speechley

Head Coach – Swimming

Touch Football

A superb weekend of Touch Football was played at Pymble on Saturday 12 November. Main Oval produced some massive wins to Pymble 4 and Pymble 8, who won their games 11 to 0! Both teams are heading into the last two weeks of competition undefeated – a massive achievement! Special mention to our Junior Firsts team who secured their first win for the season. Considering our Junior Firsts team were down in numbers due to injury and illness, our players rose to the challenge with a strong 5 to 1 win against Roseville.

Ms Megan O’Keeffe

Sports Co-ordinator – Touch Football

Volleyball

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

Teams of the Week

This week’s “Teams of the Week” (that’s right, two teams of the week) goes to Pymble 2 and Pymble 6! Please see below match report from Pymble 2’s captain, Caitlin Costello:

“We played a total of three sets, winning the first two and losing the third. The first set’s win heavily relied on serving (particularly Eva Liu’s (Year 10)) and using the opponents’ lack of confidence to our advantage. Everyone’s passing went reasonably well, with only a few shanks and zero aces from the other team. The team was talking and cheering, which kept everyone focused on each point. Coach Brian commented on how well we played that set. We connected the ball well between each other. Even though the second and third sets were more challenging due to the elements and our serving letting us down, our team won.  We will use our training this week to work on our team communication and strategies to improve our game this weekend.”

Our next match report is from Pymble 6’s captain, Chloe Lam, who reflects on her team’s 2 to 1 win against the undefeated PLC Sydney Year 7 Firsts:

“Pymble 6 is always up for a challenge when it comes to doing something we like. We are very excited and enthusiastic about our game every week, but this past weekend’s game decided our final standing for the crossover finals, and we were all very nervous. We always start our warmup sessions as soon as we arrive to prevent ourselves from getting injured and to get ourselves pumped up as much as possible for our game. We won the toss and decided to serve first. Although most of our serves were good, our team wasn’t connecting very well and that caused us to have a lot of slip-ups and mistakes happening. Due to our lack of movement, we lost the first set. 

As a team, we knew what we had been doing wrong during our first set and finding solutions to make us play better. We decided to change our strategy and move closer to the net, strengthening our defence.  While most of the teams we’ve played against did not focus much on attacking and blocking, this opposing team did.  It took our team a while to get used to the opposition’s playing technique. In the end, we managed to win the next set by thinking strategically about where each team player needed to be on the court to get maximum results. 

In the third and final set, we felt more prepared and determined to win this match. Our momentum of serving increased, scoring many points. We took control of the ball as much as possible to think about the next play. Our teamwork was effective, running for errant balls and making sure our connections were made without hesitation.  We were all too focused and determined to feel nervous, and we knew this game would decide our standing for finals. We won the final set, which led us to a 2 to 1 sets win.

My team and I were all very happy about winning the game while recognising what needed improving to become even better for next week’s match. Overall, we had fun playing volleyball together.”

Update from our Volleyball Captain’s State Team – Emma Sargeant

Last weekend my team, the NSW Phoenix Women’s Volleyball team, played the Melbourne Vipers in the Australian Volleyball League (AVL). Prior to this weekend, the Vipers had been undefeated in the competition. On Saturday the team, unfortunately, lost 3 to 1, but we managed to take a set from the Vipers. Although we lost, it was an important match for us to understand how they play. On Sunday the team and I were more than prepared to win against Melbourne Vipers. In a long 4 sets, NSW Phoenix won 3 to 1, which was an important win for my team heading into the finals. Next weekend we play Canberra Heat in ACT, this match will decide our placings before the finals in Gold Coast.

Chris Wood
Sports Co-ordinator – Volleyball 

Water Polo

Week 5 of the 2022 IGSA Water Polo season saw strong results in the pool. Great work Pymble!

Mrs Brigette Moore

Head Coach – Water Polo

Performing Arts

The five performances of the 2022 Dance Showcase Stories in the Sand were, quite simply, exemplary. I was privileged to attend all performances and to witness the epic scope and glory of the Pymble dancers’ achievements.

The inclusive presence of 500 Kindergarten to Year 12 student dancers, the integrity of the artistic vision and fluent narrative journey across the five performances, the polished and tautly executed technical and production support, the rich tapestry of choreographic interpretations, dance forms and techniques combined to create a profoundly holistic statement about the power of dance as a universal art form.

Above all; the students! From the lyrically-pure movements of the Year 3 to 6 dancers in The Wildflowers item to the fiercely compelling focus and expertise of the 2022 Dance captains, the Pymble dancers were committed, unified in purpose and vibrantly expressive.

A standing ovation to the Pymble dancers, teachers, production team and leadership team.

I would like to acknowledge the Head of Dance, Katrina Cluff as the essential fulcrum and indeed powerful and passionate heart of all things dance at Pymble.

This week also brought the Junior and Senior Music Ensemble concerts. The Junior Ensemble Music concert was a joyous celebration of a range of musicians across instrumental and choral ensembles. The parents and families who filled the theatre’s audiences were highly appreciative of the achievements of these young musicians who astounded all with the maturity and expertise of their performances and impressed us with the dignity and pride of their bearing on the Gillian Moore Centre for Performing Arts stage.

The quality of each Junior School performance was also a testament to the extraordinary commitment and care of the practitioners who conducted and prepared each ensemble.

It is with sadness that we farewell Jill King after her many distinguished years of service to Pymble Performing Arts. The scholarship and artistry of her teaching will resonate with the students under her care in profoundly life long avenues of learning.

The Senior School Ensemble Concert was on today and was absolutely fantastic. I will provide a greater recount in next week’s newsletter. I also look forward with eager anticipation to the Drama Showcases which begin tomorrow and continue into next week.

Michael Griffiths

Director of Co-Curricular Performing Arts

Dance

Stories in the Sand – Dance Showcase 2022

Congratulations to all involved in Dance Showcase 2022 ‘Stories in the Sand’. The show included five showcases involving over 500 students exploring Australian concepts and themes. A big thank you to our key production staff and dance teachers who made this event possible for our amazing dancers.

Next week’s newsletter will contain more photos and award recipient lists. Watch this space!

Dance Showcase photos

To purchase Dance Showcase photos please visit www.lightboxphotography.com.au. The photo code is stories22.

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

Language Arts

Welcome, we are back to another busy week in Language Arts!

Mock Mediation Grand Finalists!

This week our Mock Mediators attended the 2022 Mock Mediation Grand Final held in the city. Thank you to Mrs Jarvis for stepping in to coach, as our regular coach took up an exchange opportunity in Florida, USA. We were announced runners up with a two mark margin. The girls received pins and a trophy.

Festival of Speech

This week we had our final Festival of Speech evaluation meeting. Schools were most complimentary on our girls’ friendliness and helpfulness in escorting visitors around the campus. Many commented on our lovely grounds. Next year’s festival will be hosted by Ravenswood.

A final thank you to all who made the Festival a success. There are still some lolly bags in my office. I will be there most lunch times, so please drop in to claim yours if you assisted!

International Debating

All preliminary IDC rounds have now been completed and we are awaiting news of teams who have progressed to finals rounds.

The first of the finals rounds will be held tomorrow from Pymble, and all students involved will have been emailed.

UN Voice of Youth Public Speaking

Congratulations to all girls who entered the UN Voice competition and competed in heats. Four Pymble girls have been selected for the State Semi Final to be held at UTS this Friday. Best wishes to:

• Alice Mao
• Jenny Xu
• Amy Zhang
• Julie Sheng

CCSA will be in touch with parents regarding travel arrangements.

Junior Social Debating Class

This week our Junior debaters had online debates with Loreto Normanhurst. We farewell our coach, Sophie Lee who has taken up an internship as part of her Law studies. Thank you Sophie for your wonderful teaching and mentoring.

Debating Auditions

Our Debating Auditions commenced on October 28 with auditions for new Year 7 girls entering Pymble in 2023. Dates for additional auditions will be announced soon.

Dates to follow.

Mrs Bronwyn Hubbard

Head of Co-curricular Language Arts

Music

College Christmas Celebration

All members of the Pymble community are warmly invited to attend the College Christmas Celebration 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

Please note, student rehearsals and sound checks for this event will commence at 3.00pm. Further details will be communicated via the Parent Portal and via your daughter’s conductor.

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.

The Pymble Parent Association is kindly putting on a barbecue for on the evening. For catering purposes, please click here to order your sausage sizzle prior to the event.

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

Mr Kurt Schweinberger

Head of Co-curricular Music

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: Junior School Performing Arts Teacher – Full-time, permanent from 2023

We have the rare opportunity for a passionate and experienced Performing Arts Teacher to join our creative and innovative Junior School on a permanent basis from Term 1, 2023.

You will be an established and vibrant teacher, confident in following curriculum, scoping sequence and programming creative and innovative lessons. This role is highly collaborative, working with members of Performing Arts both in curricular and co-curricular, across the entire College base. You will be given autonomy to create your own lesson plans that integrate with other key learning areas, ensuring engagement and enjoyment for all students, no matter what their level.

With your skills and grounding in the Performing Arts space, you will also have the opportunity to branch out of the classroom and produce, manage and direct full-scale productions, including our highly anticipated yearly Year 6 Musical and Year 5 Showcase. The productions involve organisation of props, sets, costuming, volunteer management and of course ensuring each student has the opportunity to shine.

In return, you will join a supportive, fun, caring and valued community that is built on kindness to themselves and to others, with a focus on wellbeing for students and staff alike.

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.

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

Jacaranda Day

The Jacaranda Tree on Gloucester Lawn is one of the most memorable and recognisable elements of Pymble Ladies’ College. For as long as 75 years, generations of girls have been eating their lunches under the watchful gaze of our tree.

Lots has been done in order to commemorate the beauty of our Jacaranda tree including our gorgeous Jacaranda window in the Chapel and our yearly Jacaranda Day Services when the flowers are in full bloom, but among the girls, little is known about its origin. On Tuesday we celebrated the heritage of the College and the importance of giving. To mark the occasion, our students donated non-perishable food items to the Bill Crews Foundation (Exodus).

It was also wonderful to welcome Hornsby Ku-ring-gai Women’s Shelter CEO and ex-Pymble girl Catherine Knox (1977) to the College to accept a donation of $36,973.60 which was raised at this year’s Garden Party. The money raised will help fund a caseworker for the shelter who will provide much-needed support to women and children. A big thank you to all who donated!

Upcoming Events – End of Year Festivities

We are looking forward to seeing many of you this Friday evening at our Parent Volunteer Thank You Evening, hosted by our Board Chair, Mr James Hunter. We look forward to thanking parents and carers who have assisted this past year with their time to support events and engagement of our Pymble community.

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 on Sunday 27 November. Please find more information on this event below, and to see our full calendar of events, please click here.

Year 6 Parent Cocktail Party

You only finish Junior School once, and while it’s an amazing achievement for your daughter, it’s also a momentous occasion for you for all the support you have given her over the years. To celebrate, we are hosting a Year 6 Parents Cocktail Party on the evening of Thursday 24 November on Marden Lawn while the girls are their silent disco. For catering purposes, parents are required to purchase their tickets by tomorrow Friday 18 November, so get in quick!

Click here to get your tickets. 

Secure your daughter’s Year 6 2023 Commemorative Jersey

Just as we are farewelling the 2022 cohort of Year 6 girls, we are preparing to welcome Year 6 2023 to their final year of Junior School. Each year, the Junior School Parent Group organises a special leaving jersey for the girls. A reminder that jersey orders must be made by this Sunday 20 November. To order your daughter’s jersey, please click 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. 

The Pymble Parent Association is also kindly putting on a barbecue for this event. For catering purposes, if you would like to have a sausage sizzle on the night, please order it prior to the event by clicking here. If you do not wish to order food from the barbecue, you are more than welcome to bring your own picnic dinner to enjoy during the evening.

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.