Pymbulletin, Volume 51 2022

Pymbulletin

Educational innovation meets the great outdoors at Vision Valley

At the outset of 2022, the theme "Let's get creative" was announced to staff and students, a message to embrace the year with joy, hope, enthusiasm, courage and creativity. As we look back on the year that was in this issue, 2022 was a truly magical one. Happy reading!

Dream. Think. Make it Happen.

Principal’s message

It’s hard to think of a better word to describe 2022 at Pymble than wonderfulness.

Each day with our beautiful girls felt like a gift. After the disruption of the pandemic in 2020 and 2021, we were grateful to have four terms of face-to-face learning – on our main campus and at Vision Valley –and for the many occasions when we gathered to acknowledge our students’ growth and achievements. It was such a pleasure to welcome parents, supporters and alumni to our annual celebrations and events, and to reconnect as a College community. On each occasion, it was hard not to become emotional when reflecting on how special it was to have a full year of

togetherness and many opportunities to honour our students, past and present, as a united, connected and Pymble proud family.

Our year started with a challenge to get creative. Dream. Think. Make it happen. Thanks to this burst of creativity, our girls hosted and engaged in a Kindness Convention, Have a Go Expo, research and science conferences, cultural and STEM festivals, community sports events and fundraisers, multiple careers events and future-focussed forums for Junior School through to Senior School, new outdoor education experiences for K-12 including our Year 9 Residential Program and ‘The Great Return’, competitions and performances showcasing a diverse

range of talents and abilities, carnivals, service learning activities, cultural experiences and immersions... and the list went on.

Pymble students cooked, baked, performed, sewed, served, created, knitted, pedalled, paddled, entertained, engaged with, cared for and supported people of all ages, genders, cultures and backgrounds. All of this was undertaken with compassion in their hearts and a quiet commitment to making a difference in the lives of others who may not be as privileged as we are.

Aware of our privilege and commitment to College values, our girls stepped up big time to support each other and the wider community

– this is the true wonderfulness of Pymble

Thank you to our teachers and staff for who they are as people, the energy they bring to their work and their passion. It is exciting to be part of the new and creative learning opportunities for our girls, developed by you, our inspiring staff.

Thank you to our College Board for supporting these innovative ideas and ensuring we have the facilities and means to make each learning experience and outcome reflect the excellence for which Pymble is known.

Thank you to our alumni who continue to engage with the College, and with each other, and generously

share their expertise and life experiences with our community.

Thank you to our parents and carers who place their trust in us to guide their daughters’ educational journey and support us as active partners in their learning outcomes.

Most of all, thank you to our wonderful students for their generous hearts, open minds and willingness to always have a go. Wins and awards are lovely and to be celebrated, especially when you work so hard for them. What makes us equally proud are the students who show up each day determined to be their best self, contribute to school spirit and try something new or challenging – even if it takes them out of their comfort

or ‘winning’ zones. We see these students in action every day, and we applaud them for their integrity, courage and persistence. Each student contributes in their own way to make Pymble the phenomenal school it is.

Please enjoy this snapshot of the wonderfulness of our Pymble family in 2022.

Dr Kate Hadwen Principal

"Aware of our privilege and commitment to College values, our girls stepped up big time to support each other and the wider community – this is the true wonderfulness of Pymble."

Pymble Robotics takes on the world

After dominating in qualifying rounds on home soil, Pymble Robotics was one of 600 student-led teams that travelled to Houston, Texas, to compete at the FIRST Robotics Championship.

Teams who qualify for the championships are given six weeks to build and program a robot capable of completing a specific set of tasks. This year’s tasks required robots to be autonomous for the first 15 seconds before the driver takes over and directs the robot around the arena having it scoop up balls, shoot them into goals of different heights, climb a series of parallel bars and then return it to home base.

Pymble’s robotics manager, Dan Brown, said the team’s robot, named Simba, initially struggled to perform, however, it came good when it mattered most and finally began to fulfil its true potential.

“Our robot had some ups and downs during the qualification rounds, never consistently performing to our plans.

“However, in a couple of matches,

when factors aligned and we were in our stride, we were able to topple high-ranking teams, piquing the interest of top teams from around the world despite our middle-of-the-table ranking,” said Brown. It was these victories that caught the attention of one of the world’s best robotics teams, Orbit 1690 from Israel, who ended up choosing the Pymble team as their alliance partner for the division playoffs.

This was an amazing opportunity for our girls to strategise with and learn from a well-established past championship winner and even though our team was eventually eliminated in the finals, they were noticed by top performing teams from around the world who seriously considered choosing Pymble as their ally.

This year was one of setting goals, well and truly hitting them and going beyond what anyone expected. After a difficult 2021, the girls’ goal for 2022 was to make the finals of the Southern Cross Regional robotics competition.

They not only did this, but went on

to win the regional, qualified for the world championships and made a name for themselves as they matched it with the best of the best student robotics teams, earning a silver medal in the process.

Congratulations to the following girls who competed at the FIRST Robotics Championship. You all did Pymble proud:

Ann Kyle - Year 8

Olivia Clifford - Year 10

Emma Eaton - Year 10

Amelie Muir - Year 10

Sabrina Rolinek - Year 10

Sophie Wang - Year 10

Claudia Chan - Year 11

Alyssa Cheong - Year 11

Yingqi (Lina) Lin - Year 11

Manni Lin - Year 11

Nida Mehta - Year 11

Shuyu (Rachel) Rao - Year 11

Melanie Sun - Year 11

Dora Xia - Year 11

Yo Yo (Jessie) Xie - Year 11

Maya Hu - Year 11

Cindy Hu - Year 12

Jenhui Lau - Year 12

Foundation Day

Wednesday 9 February was a significant day for our College as we marked 106 years since we officially welcomed our first students to the campus in 1916. As per tradition, we celebrated our birthday with our annual Foundation Day Service where we reflected on the Pymble journey and our girls, past and present, who are part of our collective story.

For this year’s Foundation Day service, we welcomed back Ms Jacqueline King (2012) as our guest speaker. Jacqueline is a shining example of a Pymble girl who is using her compassion and influence to make a positive contribution to our world through her

work as an Environmental Scientist, Cultural Geographer and Educator at Taronga Zoo Conservation Society.

As part of our Foundation Day service our Head Prefects, Isabel Dean and Chloe Hoang (Year 12) buried a time capsule near the Junior School. Contents of the capsule include a USB of interviews with girls about their experience of living in the COVID-19 pandemic, College artefacts and items each Compass group chose to represent 2021, an extraordinary year in our College’s history.

The capsule is scheduled to see the light of day again in 2028. How exciting

to think ahead to Foundation Day in six years’ time when we are reacquainted with these storytelling items and give pause to reflect on 2021. Our current Kindergarten girls will be in Year 6, and our Year 7 girls will be our school leaders in Year 12. Who knows, maybe one of our current Year 12 students will be our Foundation Day guest speaker, inspiring the next generation of students to use their unique, creative, inquiring minds to be the change they wish to see in the world. Another wonderful chapter in our story to look forward to!

The Unveiling of Archie’s

It was a wet morning at the unveiling of the café, however this was not enough to dampen the spirits of the staff, students and the cafe's namesake Archie in his best Pymble tie, who cut the red ribbon and celebrated with complimentary drinks and snacks.

Featured at the rear of the café is an eye-catching artwork by contemporary Aboriginal artist and proud Yuin woman Rheanna Lotter which represents the College’s five core values of care, courage, respect, responsibility and integrity.

“The U shapes are a representation of people, all different sizes to showcase the diversity of the Pymble family. Our hands are placed in each circle as we create change in our school and the wider community,” said Lotter.

“Using the stars, we navigate our journey to change the world and through the boomerangs we show our resilience and strength.”

We have received lots of positive feedback from families, staff and students who have tried out the café over the last few months and we’re looking forward to continuing to serve delicious food and drinks to our community.

Located opposite Mollie Dive Fields near the Centenary Car Park, Archie’s, Pymble’s newest food outlet, opened in late October 2022.

Pymble’s scientists thrive at [EX]plore Conference

You know those days

when

you get

to

do the parts of your job that spark joy? Well, the Science Extension [EX]plore Conference at Macquarie University was certainly one of those days.

Five of our Year 12 students travelled to Macquarie University to present their HSC Science Extension research in a conference setting, embracing the opportunity to network and meet undergraduate and PhD researchers and tour the labs throughout the Faculty of Science to get a taste for how their research journey could continue at university.

Congratulations to Olivia Harvey, Sophie Coughlan, Lauren Solness, Elisa Yang and Joy Wang on their presentations and to Macquarie University on the fabulous job they did bringing this opportunity to life.

They created an event where school student research was celebrated and students were able to complete their research journey by communicating their findings to their peers. For

young, budding scientists, there is nothing more authentic in science research than that.

The students rose to the challenge and then some with their talks and posters being both informative and entertaining; many a career researcher could enhance their own communication styles by watching these students present.

Joy Wang said she enjoyed seeing the different ways people tackled their projects. “It was interesting to see the different approaches other people took in their Science Extension projects,” she said.

Sophie, on the other hand, particularly enjoyed the tours of the facilities, saying “they inspired me and gave me much more of an insight into what my

journey at university could look like.”

NSW Chief Scientist Professor Hugh Durrant-Whyte did a wonderful job in his keynote speech painting a picture of what a future in science in Australia might look like.

Kerry Sheehan (from NESA) and Professor Sham Nair (from the Department of Education) were like proud dads, watching their Science Extension baby step beyond the school gates and showcase the exceptional worth of this amazing HSC subject.

We look forward to seeing next year’s Year 12 Science Extension students present at the [EX]plore Conference, and hopefully some aspiring Year 10 and 11 students can enjoy this event too.

Arnhem Land

In September 2022, 31 excited students from Years 8 to 11 participated in a cultural immersion trip to NorthEast Arnhem Land with Culture College.

The group stayed at the spectacular Gulkula traditional site and the breathtaking Nyinykay homeland. The trip provided students with opportunities to deepen their knowledge and understanding of Yolŋu culture, including sessions in art, language, bush foods, healing ceremonies, local lore and their kinship systems.

Not only were the students and staff supported in learning about life on this ancient land, but they were also invited to deeply connect with themselves, each other and Country.

In September, I had an amazing opportunity to spend a week, alongside 30 other students, in Arnhem Land which is located at the very top of the Northern Territory. This immersion was very special for me, especially because I am a proud Malynyappa and Kunja woman.

Throughout the entire trip, we were able to learn about and experience the Yolngu Nation’s culture through knowledgeable elders such as Heather. We learnt about kinship, lore, fishing, language, painting, weaving and the beauty of patience in a slow-paced environment. The Yolngu people didn’t use time, instead they used the positioning of the sun in the sky. This shows their deep connection with country as they are not only physically connected to the land, but also spiritually.

The Yolngu people welcomed us with open arms through a ceremonial welcome which included placing ochre on our foreheads and hair. Elder Heather was rich in knowledge,

and I loved learning from her about the Yolngu foundation and kinship. I learnt that everything in the Yolngu world was divided into two moieties: Dhuwa and Yirritja. These two groups existed in balance with each other. She also taught us about how they speak multiple languages, one being sign language. These teachings occurred in an open environment on the beach which was very calming and relaxing.

Our dinners were delicious. My favourite dish was definitely the fresh crab that was caught earlier that day by the men. Two of our First Nations girls were lucky enough to be chosen to watch the crab be prepared and talk to the people from the community about their experiences, which they said was an amazing experience. We would eat our dinners around a bonfire every night whilst learning from Heather about astrology. On our last night we had the privilege to join a ceremony and watch traditional dances whilst performing our own dances and singing to the elders.

Even though we were on Yolngu country, I still felt a huge connection to the people there, especially Heather who was so rich in knowledge and was willing to educate us about country, their beliefs and how their mob lives through kinship and their cultural lores. Speaking to my First Nations sisters who came along on the trip, we were all amazed by how rich in culture and knowledgeable the Yolngu people are, which is amazing but also a little emotional as it made us realise how much we had lost.

However, after that emotional awakening, we all agreed that we felt a fire in our belly to learn and know more about what our own mob have left and try to educate ourselves, our people and the wider community, as that’s the only way we can connect to our identity and keep our culture alive. The whole experience was amazing and a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity that I am so grateful to have had the opportunity to experience.

Here, Aspen Moore shares her experience...

Building student research and staff professional learning

The Pymble Institute (PI) leads the College programs in the areas of research, professional learning and innovation. Now in its second year, the PI has been busily working across the four Strategic Pillars to drive thinking forward and contribute to the College’s vision of educating influential and compassionate women.

This year has seen a focus on the twin goals of student engagement in research and inspiration in staff professional learning. A quarterly newsletter now supplements the other publications, Illuminate: Research and Innovation and Perspective, to keep the College and wider community connected with the work of the PI.

In 2022, we have seen more students connect with the PI. Some highlights include:

• Supporting the Junior School Kindness Convention through research, led by Year 5 students, and the creation of student leadership positions in the Pymble

Ethics Committee, which now has a Chair, Deputy Chair and Applications Manager.

• Facilitating a group of Year 12 students who worked with Professor Fiona White from the University of Sydney to develop, research and evaluate an antiracism and prejudice reduction curriculum involving both peers and Year 12 Compass teachers.

• In collaboration with data scientists and education leaders from UTS, our Data Science students have contributed to research into artificial intelligence software.

• Our Year 9 Outdoor Education and longstay pioneers at Vision Valley have participated in a longitudinal research project to investigate the

outcomes of outdoor education on academics and wellbeing.

• The inaugural Student Research Conference taking place with close to one hundred student delegates from a range of primary and secondary schools joining online and face-to-face to learn about research. The conference was organised and run by students themselves.

• Our student research journal, Perspective, is now in its third edition under the editorial leadership of a team of students from Years 9, 10 and 11.

The Pymble Institute’s focus on providing high quality and thoughtprovoking research and professional

learning opportunities for staff continued with the organisation of the October Staff Professional Learning Day. This important day saw 12 staff prepare and deliver workshops on topics relating to cultural inclusion and diversity. Mathematics teacher, Ms Katie Jackson completed the Global Action Research Collaboration (GARC) Fellowship by presenting her paper at the International Coalition of Girls’ School conference in Boston, USA, and K-6 Year Co-ordinator, Mrs Kate Giles has been selected as a 2023/4 GARC scholar. Three staff completed the Brightfield Global Mentoring program with Head of Junior School, Mrs Kate Brown and Chaplain Punam Bent undertaking research and presenting their work

at the International Girls’ School conference. Pymble Institute Director, Dr Sarah Loch presented to the AISNSW Research conference on ways to embed student voice in research, while Celestino Project Lead and Geography Teacher, Mr Liam Hume and Geography, Business and Economics Teacher, Ms Debra Owens presented to the Australian Geography Teachers Association on transdisciplinary capabilities in Stage 5 Geography. Our Head of Campus - Vision Valley, Mr Stuart Clark also shared early findings from the longitudinal research project into outdoor education at the National Outdoor Education Conference.

Ten College staff presented at

Pymble’s own research conference, with Board member, Dr Kate Highfield as the keynote speaker. The Pymble Institute also supported Head of Learning Area – Science, Dr Kristie Spence with the [EX]plore Science Extension conference held with Macquarie University and celebrated with former staff member, Dr Kathleen French, by launching her book, Shakespeare and Happiness.

Dr Sarah Loch Director

Mrs Victoria Adamovich Research Assistant.

Pymble at your service

Community service and social responsibility are essential components of life at Pymble. In 2022, our community volunteered their time and provided generous donations to many causes from the Hornsby Kuring-gai Women’s Shelter to those affected by the floods.

Sony Camp

This year, Pymble and Shore School co-hosted the tenth annual Sony Foundation Australia Children's Holiday Camp. Sony Camp provides much-needed respite for the parents and siblings of children with disabilities by offering a fourday camp for children with special needs.

Year 11 students from Pymble and Shore volunteer at Sony Camp by supervising and assisting campers and making sure they have a wonderful time!

In the lead up to the event, our Sony Camp team raised money for this important initiative, including hosting a fundraising barbecue for students and staff. Thank you to Harris Farm Markets for supporting this important initiative by donating the food!

Garden Party

Saturday 17 September was a lovely day of sunshine, laughter and fun as we raised funds for the Hornsby Ku-ring-gai Women's Shelter. Thank you to our students, parents, staff and community who volunteered their time and provided many generous donations.

Knit-in

Our Senior School enjoyed a cup of tea and a chat as they knitted for the annual Wrap with Love Knit-in. The event

was the accumulation of hard work as our students, staff and parents knitted and sewed squares to donate to Wrap with Love Inc, a charity that provides more than 30,000 people worldwide with warm blankets each year.

Floods

Earlier this year, the facilities, resources and wider school community of Sathya Sai College near Murwillumbah were greatly affected by the devastating floods.

Spuds for Floods was an initiative which saw our Secondary School students enjoy some warm baked potatoes on a cold winter’s day as they raised much needed funds for the northern NSW school.

Thanks to the generosity of Andrews Meat Industries who donated mince and In2food Australia who donated spuds, together we raised $1,800 for our friends in Murwillumbah.

Girls and staff across the year groups also came together to work on a quilt for flood affected areas. The group aimed to make four love heart quilts to let recipients know we were thinking of them.

Pymble Arts Competition

Our Pymble Arts Competition, otherwise known as PAC Week, saw students of all ages and abilities entertain their

peers with music, song, dance, poetry, drama, comedy and art. The student-led initiative encourages inclusivity and the crowd offered overwhelming support and appreciation for all artists who braved the stage. The event raises money for charity with the girls donating to watch the performances – the proceeds this year will provide instruments for Sathya Sai College in Lismore, to replace those lost in the floods.

Pymble Gives Back Day

On our annual Pymble Gives Back Day, staff engaged in a variety of service learning activities, including quilting. Our

collaborative quilters were delighted to see the patchwork tops they sewed on the day turned into quilts, which were donated to local hospitals for newborn babies.

Walk-a-thon for Costumes for Cancer

Our girls were the bright spot between the downpours as they donned the colours of the rainbow to raise funds for Costumes for Cancer, a campaign organised by NORTH Foundation which supports hospitals in our local area, including Royal North Shore Hospital, Hornsby Hospital, Ryde Hospital and the Kolling Institute.

Hornsby Ku-ring-gai Women’s Shelter: ‘Pymble girls are inspiring’

On a sunny spring day in September, our community came together for our annual Garden Party, intent on raising much-needed funds for a vital community service: the Hornsby Ku-ring-gai Women’s Shelter. Here, we speak to their CEO Catherine Knox (1977) about what those proceeds (we raised $36,973.60) can do for women in need.

DID YOU ENJOY GARDEN PARTY 2022?

What a fabulous day! As an ex-student, and a mother of a past Pymble girl, I’ve always loved Garden Party. It was such fun to be a part of an event with a real sense of community. Many people came to our stall, asking about the work we do, wondering how they can contribute.

HOW IMPORTANT IS FUNDRAISING TO THE HORNSBY KU-RINGGAI WOMEN’S SHELTER?

The Hornsby Ku-ring-gai Women’s Shelter (HKWS) relies on our generous community. Fundraising, awareness raising and in-kind support are all essential to help us keep our doors open. It’s easy to forget that domestic abuse and homelessness occurs even in this lovely part of Sydney. Without the support of individuals, groups and businesses within our local community, HKWS would not exist and the women and children who seek our care would need to look elsewhere. We operate three services:

• The shelter, which provides short-term crisis

accommodation for women and mothers with young children.

• Accommodation, for women aged 55 or older.

• Outreach services for mothers and their children.

WHAT TYPES OF SERVICES WILL THE FUNDS RAISED GO TOWARDS?

The funds raised by the Pymble community will help to fund a caseworker. Caseworkers are the heart of our shelter. They are the welcoming smile and kind embrace that greet all women who walk through our door.

Women arrive at our shelter feeling afraid, tearful, and often traumatised. They need to be nurtured by caring and compassionate professionals and HKWS caseworkers provide a safe and secure space where women and children can heal, and then walk beside them as they rebuild their lives.

HKWS caseworkers work with each woman at our shelter

to tailor an individual plan for recovery and goals for the future. They empower every woman at our shelter to imagine the future they hope for themselves and their children. Our caseworkers will assist women to access services such as medical, legal, financial counselling and employment. We currently have five caseworkers employed at the shelter.

THE PYMBLE COMMUNITY SHOULD BE PROUD OF THEMSELVES THIS YEAR...

Garden Party raised $36,973.60 and there were also other smaller fundraising events during the year, including the Mother’s Day Morning Tea. Pymble also provided HKWS with graphic design support with the help of Jen Gerrish (Pymble's Graphic Design Manager) who created the beautiful design for our new brochures and new banners. The Pymble community also covered the printing costs.

On that note, I would like to thank two wonderful Pymble champions for HKWS. Mrs Julie Shaw has been an extraordinary champion of HKWS. She created many opportunities for the school community to support the shelter during the year. Mrs Shaw also motivated the student team led by Service Prefect, Madi Lyster (Year 12, 2022). I am so very grateful for the inspiring leadership shown by both Mrs Shaw and Madi.

HOW ESSENTIAL IS A SERVICE LIKE THE HKWS?

It takes around seven attempts for a woman to leave an abusive relationship. It is a hard decision to make and a difficult thing to do. Having access to a shelter helps.

Around one in four women will experience domestic abuse. Domestic abuse is a wicked problem. It is gendered and takes a profound and long-term toll on women’s health and wellbeing, on families and communities and on society as a whole.

Domestic abuse is a human rights issue and is driven by gender inequality, rigid gender stereotypes, condoning violence and men’s control of decision making. It is about power and control, isolating women and intended to create fear. Domestic abuse includes physical, sexual, emotional, psychological, social, cultural, spiritual, financial and technology-facilitated violence or abuse and stalking. It is an ongoing pattern of deliberately coercive and controlling behaviour.

Domestic abuse is not a women’s issue. It is a community issue and requires a whole of society response. If our shelter did not exist more women and their children would be living in their cars, others would be couch surfing, some might even be sleeping in parks. Some women and

children would stay in their home with their abuser as they would have nowhere else to go. And that might be a dangerous situation.

A SOCIETY RESPONSE INCLUDES OUR GIRLS, HOW INSPIRING IS IT TO SEE PYMBLE STUDENTS GIVE BACK AND SEE HOW THE FUNDS HELP OUT SO MANY OTHER WOMEN IN THE COMMUNITY? Young women standing up for what they believe in is inspiring. This is an opportunity for Pymble students to be leaders in raising awareness and driving fundraising in our local community. The girls have a platform and a strong voice and the capacity to raise awareness and funds to support women and children experiencing domestic abuse and homelessness.

Pymble students can ask themselves the question, “What sort of society do I want to live in?” They have the power to change the paradigm. To change their world. To show courage and kindness. And that is exciting. Supporting others also provides many opportunities for us to learn from those around us.

HOW SPECIAL IS THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN THE HKWS AND PYMBLE?

Working with Pymble students, teachers and staff is always a pleasure. Over the years I’ve always found everyone to be so genuinely enthusiastic and people are always willing to go out of their way to help. We are very grateful to everyone in our community.

Together, with your kindness and generosity of spirit, we can inspire hope and bring meaningful change to the lives of women and children escaping domestic abuse and homelessness.

Kindness is our superpower!

Our kindness revolution continued in June as we hosted the inaugural Children’s Kindness Convention. Nineteen schools from across Greater Sydney attended, bringing together 100 Year 5 students to share ideas and think critically and creatively about initiatives they could lead in their school and local communities to promote positive change and kindness.

The Kindness Convention sought to create a movement of kindness – kindness to others, to our environment and to ourselves as individuals – and to inspire our young people to advocate for and lead positive change in our world.

The lead-up to this event was supported by our girls in Year 5 who designed logos for lanyards, showbags and helped research the scenarios presented to the delegates at the convention. The event was planned to serve as a call to action to inspire children to believe in the potential impact of their voice and the power of kindness.

Students participated in workshop sessions to brainstorm, plan and create displays of their kindness initiatives, and heard from two inspiring guest speakers: Jack Berne, Founder of A Fiver for a Farmer and Danny Mayson-Kinder, CEO and co-founder of Flyhighbillie trading as b kinder foundation.

A special thank you to our kind-hearted Head of Junior School, Mrs Kate Brown and all the kind souls in our Junior School for a remarkable day.

CHLOÉ SHIRES (YEAR 5) CLEARLY SEES KINDNESS AS A SUPERPOWER. SHE CREATED THIS POEM AFTER THE KINDNESS CONVENTION:

Kindness is my superpower as you can see Kindness is my superpower I’m kind to all and me Kindness is my superpower I help those in need Kindness is my superpower I help all to plant a kindness seed

Now Kindness is our superpower as you can see Kindness is our superpower and it will always be

Chloé Shires

International Women’s Day

From its earliest days, the College has a strong history of standing for female empowerment and pushing for gender equity, through a range of initiatives to create opportunities not only for Pymble students, but for women in society at large.

“As an Australian all-girls’ school dedicated to empowering female students to change the world, International Women’s Day presents an annual opportunity to join a global movement inspiring people from all walks of life to think creatively about existing societal inequities for women and how we can work together to break them,”

Principal Dr Kate Hadwen said. “When I look at what our girls are doing in the space of breaking bias, creating opportunities for equality and lifting up other girls and women who need support, I see great hope for the future. We are aligned in our desire to reach a point in time where women no longer need to fight for safety, equality or basic human rights.”

This year’s International Women’s Day (IWD) theme was Break the Bias. And in 2022, Pymble continued to demonstrate its belief in women and push to change the broader gender equity narrative. Through our collective power at Pymble, we have the power to Break the Bias. As the largest all-girls’ school in the southern hemisphere, it’s our responsibility to use our size and power for all the right reasons: to change the world in ways that help, not hinder, others.

“We must educate ourselves on what bias is and learn to recognise our own unconscious bias,” said Year 9

"I will #breakthebias by celebrating everyone’s achievements with a gender equal mindset."

BELLA (YEAR 10)

student Grace. “Only then can we help educate others by calling out bias when we see it and work together to #breakthebias.”

SPEAKING OF CHANGE

For International’s Women’s Day on Tuesday March 8, we created the first edition of our very own Speaking of Change podcast, a channel that brings the voices of Pymble women to the forefront; from our Dr Hadwen to well-known alumna, like Melissa Doyle and many more.

The podcast, which will resume recording in February 2023, explores the ways we can help advance gender equality and unleash the power of young women in Australia – and across the globe. In Episode 1, host Melissa Doyle spoke to Dr Hadwen about empowering the women of the future, and the steps we can take today to help break the bias.

“A world that has broken the bias, to me, looks like one where equality is valued and diversity is celebrated,” said Year 12 student Frankie. “I consciously choose to reject the notion that being an assertive woman is being ‘bossy’, and thus, will continue to lead by example, heighten my own awareness and make informed decisions throughout my life that foster values of inclusivity, equality and feminism.”

"Believe in yourself. Be brave."

KAREN (YEAR 7)

"The world will never be perfect, but we can try to make it better so everyone can live in harmony."

JESSICA (YEAR 8)

FEDA ABDO

To celebrate IWD in the Upper School, students attended a presentation by Feda Abdo, the Communications and Community Relations Manager at Muslim Women Australia.

Feda encouraged our girls not to limit themselves for the sake of other people as she shared her experiences as a Muslim woman, facing discrimination and pre-conceptions on a daily basis.

"I am not going to let your judgement of me impact my judgement of me,” said Feda. “I'll be who I am regardless of whatever it is you think.”

WHAT HAPPENS WHEN A WOMAN TAKES POWER

To highlight exactly what the power of many can achieve, we also launched a video of our Pymble Chorale performing What

Happens When a Woman Takes Power

This reimagined rendition of a song that resonates strongly with all at the College aims to change the world through the power of sound.

MIDDLE SCHOOL TURNS PURPLE

In the Middle School, students enjoyed a host of activities. Olympic swimming gold medalist Bronte Campbell joined the Middle School assembly, chatting to the girls about her experiences growing up and how she got to where she is now. “Having successful people around you doesn't make you less," Bronte told our girls, as well as sharing her favourite quote from Rudyard Kipling, “If you can meet with triumph and disaster and treat those two imposters just the same."

Our girls also welcomed a guest panel of nurses to discuss the challenges our female frontline health workers have faced during COVID-19. Lauren Green, our Health Care Centre Manager, Kathleen Chilton (Foster, 2006) and Stephanie Tanna (2013) shared how the pandemic has had a dramatic effect on their lives and nursing careers. Their experiences of working long hours and helping families manage were incredibly inspiring.

And lastly, to promote balance in the Middle School, each girl received an origami butterfly to pin on the Colonnade wall after first writing on the butterfly what she will work on this year to achieve better balance in her life.

EMMA (YEAR 8)

MAIYA (YEAR 10)

"We must educate ourselves on what bias is and learn to recognise our own unconscious biases. Only then can we help educate others by calling out bias when we see it."

BELLA (YEAR 10)

"To #breakthebias, we need to see more female representation in parliament."

"I will challenge gender stereotypes and acknowledge women’s achievements."

Back together again

2022 began tentatively for our Pymble community with pandemic restrictions still in force. Thankfully, this cautious start soon gave way to a return to the Pymble of old as we threw ourselves back into the swing of a new school year and the excitement of a world returning to normal.

It has been a joy to welcome all our Pymble family back to our beautiful grounds, to come together again and celebrate the achievements of our girls, connect with our children’s friends and their families, re-kindle old friendships, welcome new families and just enjoy each other’s company – in person!

Our launch of the Pymble podcast, Speaking of Change, was timed to coincide with International Women’s Day on 8 March. As there were no in-person celebrations this year, a podcast was the perfect way to commemorate this day dedicated to #breakingthebias. Alumna and journalist Melissa Doyle interviewed our principal, Dr Kate Hadwen, on the ways we can help advance gender equality and unleash the power of young women across Australian and the world.

In March we extended a warm Pymble welcome to our

new parents and carers at the our New Parents' High Tea. It was very exciting to be able to meet our new parents in person and introduce them to the wider Pymble family.

Finally, in April we were able to host our first Icebreaker in two years! Despite the delay or perhaps because of it, we were overwhelmed with the response as parents, carers and families gathered again on Gloucester Lawn to reconnect with old friends and to forge new ones. We were entertained by our talented Secondary School Jazz Band and the merriment continued late into the evening.

The sun was shining for our Mother’s Day Morning Tea to celebrate our mums, grandmothers and special people and spoil them with cupcakes and treats. Molly Dive was adorned in purple as far as the eye could see as our community raised money for Pymble’s charity the Hornsby Ku-ring-gai Women’s Shelter.

In conjunction with the PPA, we hosted our second Alumni Networking Event at KPMG in Barangaroo, an evening dedicated to fostering professional networks within our Pymble community to support our alumni and recent Pymble graduates in developing and refining their career goals. Networking is an invaluable career tool and we were delighted to host so many of our Pymble family eager to show their support for our young alumni, offering mentorship and invaluable career advice.

The threat of rain caused a little trepidation but was no match for the exuberance and determination of our girls to celebrate their dads and special people on Father’s Day. The Main Oval was a spectacle of fun and laughter with a special barbecue and games of hotly contested tug-of-war taking place.

And of course, the highlight of the Pymble social calendar is the Garden Party which was back – bigger, shinier and

happier than ever! The College was buzzing as record numbers attended on a glorious sunny day determined to make up for lost fun from lockdown and raise much appreciated funds for the Hornsby Ku-ring-gai Women’s Shelter. Thank you to our students, parents, staff and community who generously volunteered their time and provided generous donations. It truly was the best Garden Party yet!

Pymble takes great pride in our community spirit and the size and diversity of the College community is something we don’t take for granted. Our diversity is our strength and is something we value highly. With this in mind, we are consciously seeking to widen our scope of events to celebrate all cultures that make up our Pymble family. We look forward to celebrating Dragon Boat Festival, Diwali and other cultural occasions in 2023. We also welcome suggestions from our community for additional cultural events that we can host.

Year 9 Residential Program at Vision Valley: The Pioneers

Pymble’s second campus at Arcadia is dedicated to our innovative Outdoor Education programs. Set on 41 hectares of beautiful bushland close to the Hawkesbury River, Vision Valley offers a special, technology-free learning environment that gives our girls time and space to connect to self, others and the environment.

In 2022, our Year 9 Pioneers embarked on Pymble’s first Residential Program where students lived away from home for four weeks with their peers, including a group of Year 9 Riverview students. Learning is different at Vision Valley. Every aspect of the residential experience - from lessons to physical challenges and downtime - builds real-world learning and problem solving into the context of living in the natural environment. Read on to learn more about this innovative program from some of the girls, boys and parents involved ...

LUCY JACKSON

YEAR 9, PYMBLE LADIES' COLLEGE

How did it feel to be part of the Pioneer group?

I felt extremely lucky to be a part of the first ever group to do this. It was amazing knowing that our feedback and ideas would help shape the experience for future groups.

Were you nervous about taking part in the program?

My feelings were mixed at first, but I was keen to challenge myself and was excited once we arrived to settle in.

What did you want to achieve from the program?

Independence from my family, new friendships, motivation, and important skills.

How did you cope being away from family for such a long period of time?

Keeping a diary definitely helped me avoid homesickness. It was useful to be able to write down some of my thoughts and things that I wanted to remember to tell my

family and friends once we returned. I also wrote a lot of letters to people I missed, and it was really nice to receive letters too.

What did you learn about yourself?

I learnt a lot about how to manage my emotions and improved my time management skills. I also learnt a lot about living with other people and how to deal with conflict.

What are your top three highlights from the trip and why?

My top three highlights from the trip were the third night of The Great Return, the bus rides to and from each expedition and playing games at Putty Beach. On the third night of The Great Return my kin group slept in Pindar Cave. This was an amazing experience as we didn’t sleep in our tents and just slept in our sleeping bags under the cave roof. This was so surreal and something we may never get the chance to do again. The bus rides to and from the expeditions were so fun because of either the anticipation or the sense of achievement and everyone

sang their hearts out to the songs on the radio. My third highlight was on the second evening of the Bouddi National Park expedition. Everyone played football or watched the sunset on the beach, and it was so much fun.

Which activities did you enjoy the most and why?

The expeditions were my favorite part of the program, I learnt so much and made so many great memories. I also loved mountain biking and going on the waterslide, and I really enjoyed the festival and being able to see the project each group made.

Did you enjoy the accommodation and the food? What did you like about it?

The accommodation was amazing. I think everyone was blown away by the Stringy Bark Lodge and it was such a beautiful place to stay. The food was also incredible, even on the expeditions it was delicious and there was more than enough!

Did you make new friends on the trip?

Yes, I became closer with a lot of the people in Southern Cross and we shared a lot of crazy experiences. I also made friends with a lot of the Riverview boys, and we have stayed in contact and met up since.

Did the trip inspire you to change any behaviour, ways of doing things or your outlook on life and your future goals?

Since returning, I have definitely been better at setting goals and forming habits. I’ve also been more aware of the

value of mindfulness and being outside, amongst nature. I have also been more productive and efficient with my time and planning.

Did combining schools make the trip even more memorable?

I think that combining schools enhanced the program a lot. Having boys there was important because we were able to do activities surrounding our views on gender and stereotypes which helped us to empathise with each other more. It was also nice making friends with some of them and meeting up since returning.

"On the third night of The Great Return my kin group slept in Pindar Cave. This was an amazing experience as we didn’t sleep in our tents and just slept in our sleeping bags under the cave roof. This was so surreal and something we may never get the chance to do again."

LUCY JACKSON, YEAR 9 STUDENT, PYMBLE LADIES' COLLEGE

How did you feel about the digital detox? Have you used your devices less since returning?

I was actually excited about the digital detox and thought it would be very beneficial, which it was. It was a great relief to not have to worry about my phone at all and I certainly use it a lot less since returning.

What did you find beneficial about the letter-writing activity?

I thought that the letter-writing activity to our parents was great. It helped me to connect with my parents and give them a good idea of how I found each aspect of the program.

Were the staff helpful on the trip? What did you learn from them/anyone in particular?

The staff were incredibly helpful during the trip. They were so considerate and understanding of everyone and managed to stay enthusiastic and energetic throughout the four weeks, even when waking us all up at 10 to six every morning to run the VV3!

Would you consider the trip life changing?

Yes, the trip was life changing. I feel so much more confident in myself and learned so many important life skills. I also feel a lot more motivated to set goals for

myself and to spend more time outdoors.

How did it feel walking into The Great Return celebration?

Entering the school at the end of The Great Return was the best feeling and a moment I will remember forever. There was so much anticipation while walking through the school and I was just so excited to see all my friends and family again. It was lovely seeing everyone run to hug their parents and there was so much to catch up on.

What advice would you give to future students embarking on this trip?

The best advice I could give to future Year 9 students participating in this program is simply to make the most of it. It was very challenging and there were definitely ups and downs but looking back it went so fast and I wish I could do it again. I would also tell them to try to get to know their kin groups and have conversations with people they wouldn’t usually talk to; my kin group got along really well and that made The Great Return so much better. I think that it’s also important to go into the program with the goal of pushing yourself out of your comfort zones. All the best memories I made during the program were when I had been challenged or felt I’d achieved something new or satisfying.

MR STUART CLARK

HEAD OF CAMPUS – VISION VALLEY

MR TOM RILEY

HEAD OF UPPER SCHOOL, PYMBLE LADIES' COLLEGE

How many students and staff attended the program?

MR CLARK: Program 1 was conducted with students from Riverview College. This program ran from early August to early September and had 56 Pymble students and 38 Riverview students. The staff team included members of the academic team from each College, residential staff who supervise students in the evening, overnight and in the early mornings, a team of outdoor educators, cleaning, catering, maintenance and management staff. A program of this size requires over 30 staff. Program 2 was conducted solely for Pymble students. This program ran from mid-October to mid-November and was attended by 28 students. The staff team included members of the academic team, residential staff who supervise students in the evening, overnight and in the early mornings, a team of outdoor educators, cleaning, catering, maintenance and management staff. A program of this size requires over 15 staff to attend.

Why is this program so important for the students and how exciting is it to finally have it in operation?

MR RILEY: It is such an exciting opportunity to be able to offer a genuine, transformative experience to our Year 9 students. We often discuss the importance of experiences in building greater perspective (our main aim for the Upper School) and I see no better opportunity for our girls than the Residential Program to build a broader understanding of self, foster strong connections with their peers and develop their empathy and commitment to the natural world. It is a joy to be part of the pioneering team leading it.

MR CLARK: This, in the words of students and parents of our program Pioneers, is a life-changing program. The impacts can be profound – some of these will be realised immediately and others will surface as life skills and personal character strengths in the years to come.

The Vision Valley campus was purchased to positively change lives and support wellbeing. The Residential Program represents a significant part of the holistic Pymble education and along with the work that the Upper School does on main campus, goes a long way to furnishing students with a strong set of interpersonal skills and behaviours.

It is incredibly exciting to be under way and receive such

positive feedback in our pilot phase. The scale up to delivering this program has been rapid but the program team, the campus and main school support have all fallen into place to create an incredibly conducive environment for success.

How much work has gone into preparing for this Pioneer year?

MR CLARK: An enormous amount of work has been committed to this program across the respective teams at Vision Valley and the main campus. The work commenced in earnest two years ago when the purchase of Vision Valley was confirmed. Along with a great deal of thought, discussion and research into how best to deliver a unique, outcomes-based and successful residential program, the actual physical work in writing programs, rosters, curriculum, policies, procedures, risk assessments and marketing materials, and further in administering the individual programs, facilitating information sessions, conducting student and parent events and developing and building a relationship with Riverview College, has been significant.

MR RILEY: A ridiculous amount. So much has been involved in bringing together a multi-faceted team, on a remote campus, to brainstorm solutions that work for all aspects of a high performing and in many ways, traditional College. Piloting co-education from different Colleges has been an additional challenge, but a rewarding one. Equally, partnering with the parents and helping to build their confidence and understanding, whilst maintaining their trust, has also required a fairly high degree of work.

What did you hope the students would achieve from the program?

MR RILEY: A stronger sense of self, a broader friendship group and a greater amount of confidence both in their abilities and their capacity to meet the challenges of life (and Senior School first).

MR CLARK: Independence, gratitude for their home lives, resilience, self-belief and empathy – a long and important list. Some students will have gained a portion of one of these traits or skills and some have hopefully gained a portion of a number of them.

How did the students cope with being away from family for such a long period of time?

MR RILEY: Much better than expected to be honest! There was certainly a fair amount of homesickness, but the girls really supported each other and were committed to seeing out the program. I think some of the families actually found it the hardest.

MR CLARK: Remarkably well in general. Of course, all students missed home and parts of their normal routine, but the experience on program is so unique and variable that often students didn’t have the opportunity to sink too far into the melancholy of homesickness. In fact, some students who were predicted to struggle with this element of separation actually thrived and showed courage and resilience above expectations.

What changes did you see in the students over the four-week period? And since returning to school?

MR CLARK: On program at Vision Valley we saw the standard “storming-norming-conforming” process of a wellconstructed outdoor experiential learning program. On the ground this looks like students working out social skills, learning ways to cope and support each other, solving problems, taking opportunities for leadership, having difficult conversations, staying grounded in what they believe and seeking help when they need it – all adult skills (and many that adults don’t have the capacity to use). We also saw an increase in physical fitness during the program.

MR CLARK: I think it is a slow burn and that true change will be realised over a longer period. However, I think many now understood that they have a choice about how to interact with their technology, that many are now more confident in their ability to meet challenges and that plenty of new friendships have been discovered. Moreover, I’d like to think they are now also closer to their parents.

Why is four weeks an ideal amount of time to be away from home?

MR CLARK: The original concept for this program was a term-long experience. It was later decided that four weeks was a good pilot length. The majority of graduating students this year have said the program was too short –

that they were just getting into the rhythm. That is certainly the observation of all staff involved and we look forward to extending the format in future years. With that said, the four-week format has been outstanding.

MR RILEY: Right now, I think that is a happy medium for our community. Many of the girls are very busy and involved in numerous pursuits, which makes time away challenging. This volume of time helps them to feel genuinely separated and provides the platform for reflection, without being too disruptive to their lives.

Did you see the students make new friends within peer groups they wouldn’t usually mix with at school?

MR CLARK: Absolutely and they are surprised and very proud of this achievement.

What were some of the biggest challenges the students faced?

MR CLARK: The spectrum of challenge was varied and of course individual. Some students struggled with multiple elements and others just one. Some of the challenges were disconnecting from technology; homesickness; lack of an initial friendship group; being forced to attend the program by their parents; being outdoors; physical exertion of the expeditions; sharing a small space in the lodge.

How beneficial was the digital detox, especially at this stage of their development?

MR CLARK: Incredibly beneficial and something that we cannot take lightly. No one can doubt the risk and challenge of certain elements of technology. Whilst we would like to leverage targeted digital aides for the curriculum program, the ideal environment is low-tech.

And the letter-writing activity?

MR CLARK: Equally beneficial! The joy of receiving letters and the catharsis of sending one were evident. It is fascinating that writing a letter free form and addressing and stamping an envelope is a lost art – not anymore for these students.

MR RILEY: The parents loved seeing a return to olden times and many of the dads, who traditionally are not as well connected with their teenage daughters, enjoyed the opportunity to talk with them more and to share personal stories.

What activities did the students like most and why?

MR CLARK: Chill time probably rates highest, which is a testimony to both the busyness of their lives and the fact that they are teens – not sure what ratio those factors are in, but the opportunity to play cards, read books, make friendship bracelets, chat, sit by a campfire, watch a movie

"The opportunity to play cards, read books, make friendship bracelets, chat, sit by a campfire, watch a movie together or blast down the Vision Valley waterslide is invaluable and reinforces what the average teenager is missing out on."

STUART CLARK, HEAD OF CAMPUS – VISION VALLEY

together or blast down the Vision Valley waterslide is invaluable and reinforces what the average teenager is missing out on.

The students also highly valued the life skills program which involved courses in permaculture, first aid, use of basic power tools and introductory car mechanics. And whilst the tasks of daily duties seemed initially undesirable, students ended up enjoying their time together in small groups performing duties such as catering assistance, lodge cleaning and site maintenance.

The overnight solo was probably one of the hardest but most valuable experiences the students had. Students were briefed on the challenge – to be placed in the bush with basic supplies, equipment, food and water, and remain in that location from lunchtime through to the following morning. Students were guided through this rite

of passage by adventurer and stuntwoman, Ky Furneaux. Students were given a long list of personal reflection exercises and questions and asked to spend time thinking deeply about their lives, their future and themselves.

How did it feel watching the girls walk into The Great Return celebration?

MR CLARK: An amazing relief and affirmation for the work we all put in.

MR RILEY: Exhilarating and quite emotional to see the parents moved so much.

What advice would you give to future Year 9 parents and students embarking on this trip?

MR CLARK: Trust the process…

MR RILEY: The love is in letting them go.

WILL MORAHAN

YEAR 9, RIVERVIEW COLLEGE

What did you want to achieve from the program?

Before I left for this program some things I hoped to take out of it were to meet new people, try things and do things that were outside of my comfort zone. I hoped to expand my friendship group from Riverview as not as many of my close friends were going. I hoped to achieve new life skills like changing a tyre, learning new things on The Great Return and other things around the property.

Were you nervous about the unknown?

During the sign-up process and days prior to this experience I was very nervous but mostly excited. I was nervous about meeting new people and not knowing what I was about to embark on.

How did it feel to be part of the Pioneer group?

Being a part of the Pioneer group at Vision Valley is something that I'll always be grateful for. This experience of mine was definitely something that was once in a lifetime and made me feel so privileged that I got to be a part of it. For a first-time program it was run very well and definitely something that other people should take part in. The Pioneer group is a very special group that I'm very grateful to have been a part of. It was cool being a part of the Pioneer group because we paved the way for this project in the future and it was fun being a part of something that hadn't happened before, so everything was a new experience.

How did you cope being away from family for such a long period of time?

Being away from home was difficult at first but as I got to meet new people and spend more time with my friends, I soon got used to the new lifestyle and became accustomed to not being in touch with my family and it became a lot easier to be away from home.

What did you learn about yourself?

Throughout this experience I learnt that I thrive more in an environment where I am more open to trying new things, not being afraid to put myself outside my comfort zone. I learnt that when I am more relaxed and not having to worry about anything I get a lot more out of different experiences.

What are your top three highlights from the trip and why?

My three highlights from the trip were The Great Return, the expedition and the night at the campfire. I really enjoyed The Great Return because we got to spend so

much time with all the people in our group and really enjoyed the challenge of returning home in a new and adventurous way. I enjoyed the camping lifestyle and how each new day was different, and we had to work together to figure it out. I also really enjoyed the three-day expedition; it was very similar to what we did on The Great Return. We set out on a three-day hike, we got to see so many cool places and spent a lot of time doing fun things when we were there like playing volleyball on the beach chatting together and hiking to a variety of interesting places. Finally, the third thing that I enjoyed the most was one of the nights we had around the campfire. That night was a very simple and easy night - we all got to cook food and some marshmallows. We all sang songs around the campfire, and it was just a really fun night.

Which activities did you enjoy the most and why?

Two activities I enjoyed the most would have to be going on the waterslide and mountain biking. I enjoyed these two activities because prior to my Vision Valley experience I had an interest in mountain biking and it was fun to give that a go at a different place and ride around with everyone else at Vision Valley. Everyone had seen the waterslide on the front cover of the Vision Valley advertisements. The waterslide definitely lived up to the hype. I think everyone had a good time on the waterslide.

Did you enjoy the accommodation and the food? What did you like about it?

I don't really mind about where I stay or how nice any room is so I enjoyed the accommodation we stayed in although it would have been nice to stay in the renovated rooms that the girls did! I really liked the rooms. Having two people in one room was a good idea and I had a good time sharing my room with my roommate and sharing it with all the other people. I really enjoyed the food. Dinner every night was definitely a highlight and there was always plenty to eat, and it tasted very good.

Did you make new friends on the trip?

100 per cent - before Vision Valley I didn't have many female friends but after this experience, I have made so many lifelong friends. All the people on the trip were super friendly and easy to talk to. The people that I met on this trip are what made it so fun and all the new friends I made were a huge benefit of this trip.

Did the trip inspire you to change any behaviour, ways of doing things or your outlook on life and your future goals?

Yes, everything doesn't have to be so stressful, being at home and at school can be a lot sometimes and can become very stressful. Being away at Vision Valley for three

weeks made me realise how good it can be to take a break, go have fun and do things I would not normally do. I learnt to take everything one step at a time and to enjoy the things that I am doing and not worry about things that are out of my reach.

Did combining schools make the trip even more memorable?

Yes, most definitely. Combining this trip with Pymble was so much better than just doing it with Riverview. It is very good that we now have such a great connection with Pymble. Sharing the experience allowed me and others to know what it was like to live and be around other people and allowed us to expand our friendship bubble with so many others and make so many memories with them.

How did you feel about the digital detox? Have you used your devices less since returning?

Me and so many others on the trip agreed that the digital detox made this trip so much better. Because we were always doing something I didn't find the need to have to go on my phone. Because everyone didn't have phones it made everyone talk to each other more, especially during dinner and outside where we had free time. We spent our time talking to each other, playing games and just having fun. The digital detox made this experience so much better because it allowed us to be around each other more and have a break from social media and all the other things we were always looking at back at home.

What did you find beneficial about the letter-writing activity?

The letter-writing activity was very beneficial for me being able to write home and getting the letters from my family whilst at Vision Valley was definitely something that I think everyone enjoyed. Staying updated by my family about what was going on back at home and being able to tell them what we had been up to was something that was very overlooked during the experience. I've still held onto all of the letters that my family gave me while I was at Vision Valley.

Were the staff helpful on the trip? What did you learn from them/anyone in particular?

During our time at VV the staff were very helpful, always friendly, always wanting to help us out, this made the experience so much easier for everyone. The special Vision Valley staff made this trip a lot easier for us during times like the expedition and The Great Return because they were able to help us out with so many things and helped us out whenever we needed it.

Would you consider the trip life changing?

The Vision Valley trip was definitely life changing. I've made

so many memories that will stick with me forever. The people I've met on this trip are people that I will remain friends with for a long time. Many experiences I had are things that you wouldn't normally do at home and things that you don't forget.

How did it feel walking into The Great Return celebration?

After a long week when everyone was tired and wanted to see their families, The Great Return celebration was definitely a very fun surprise. When everyone was cheering for us on the way back through and we all got to see our families after so long it was very rewarding. The celebration was very fitting, and the speeches and meals afterwards were very good for us and our parents, learning about what we got up to and seeing everyone for the last time before we all went home and back to our normal lives.

What advice would you give to future students embarking on this trip?

Just give it a go. You won't know if you will enjoy the experience if you don't go on it. I know a lot of people will think of a lot of reasons not to go but if you just sign up and give it a try, I'm sure you will see the benefits. If I had the chance to go on this again I certainly would. Some advice I would give to the kids going on this long stay in Term 1 is to embrace the experience to the fullest, don't be shy and don't be afraid to put yourself out of your comfort zone and just give everything a go. All the people at Vision Valley are super friendly and are in the exact same position that you are. Even if all your friends aren't going, or you don't know anyone there, just go and talk to people, make new friends and be open to try new things. Make sure once you leave you don't regret anything that you didn't do and embrace the new style of living without your phones, in cabins and living with different people.

"Being away at Vision Valley for three weeks made me realise how good it can be to take a break, go have fun and do things I would not normally do. I learnt to take everything one step at a time and to enjoy the things that I am doing and not worry about things that are out of my reach."

WILL MORAHAN, YEAR 9 STUDENT, RIVERVIEW COLLEGE

MRS GILLIAN AND MR STRACHAN TAYLOR

PYMBLE PARENTS OF MADELINE TAYLOR, YEAR 9

What did you want Madeline to achieve from the program?

Independence, experience living away from home, self-belief, to succeed at new things and challenges, to interact and form connections with girls who aren’t from her immediate friend group, plus experience working and interacting alongside boys her own age. Maddy went to a co-ed primary school, however, much has changed since then so we saw it as a great opportunity to engage with boys in a learning environment.

Were you nervous about Madeline taking part in the program?

No, we were not nervous. She had certainly never been away from home for this length of time before, but she was keen to go and we saw this as a great opportunity for Maddy to challenge herself.

How did you cope with her being away from family for such a long period of time?

The first week seemed really long, but after that the time flew (I’m sure for her as well). It was certainly quieter at home. We wrote letters to her to share news and to encourage letters back. We also had plenty on the go with our youngest in Year 7 so it was a bit less taxi-ing for extracurricular and Saturday sport.

When your daughter returned, what changes, if any, did you see in her?

She was more considered, was not owned by her tech, was more comfortable to sit back and reflect and less

concerned with being in constant contact with friends. She’s made a strong connection with her ‘kin group’ at Vision Valley and was keen to keep in touch and hang out with them (girls and boys).

Physically she was stronger – 3km runs every morning, broader shoulders from carrying the pack and the constant physical activity. Emotionally – she came back tougher, more resilient and more able to ‘go with the flow’.

Now we are four months on and there are definitely some sustained changes – checking in on each other’s wellbeing, awareness of what’s going on with other family members, keenness to help to reduce stress for herself and those around her, less procrastinating and just getting on with a task. Tech has returned but it’s easier to ‘break away’ from it and she is more willing to give things a go and put herself ‘out there’.

What do you think she learned about herself from the trip?

Maddy learned that she was capable to take on and succeed at new challenges, she has leadership qualities that she would like to develop, next level teamwork, better communication skills. She learnt that it is all right to have a go and not always be successful.

What impressed you about the trip - the activities offered, the accommodation, the site, the food? From what we heard and saw the set up was excellent: great accommodation, great facilities for breakfast, lunch and dinner. The food was great – it possibly helped that they were so active and always really hungry, so the food tasted even better! The activities were challenging and mostly fun. Those where it wasn’t as fun, such as paddling into windy inclement weather, dealing with leeches, made the adventure all the more memorable, especially when you had to get on and deal with it. The girls employed some excellent distraction techniques to get through –there was a lot of singing and dancing going on. Adding the Riverview boys to the mix was an excellent initiative and a huge success. The mix of academic and physical or outdoor challenges and practical learning opportunities was very well received.

Being a seven day a week program with weekly expeditions and fitting in all the academic requirements meant the kids were really busy – less time to think about what or who they were missing.

Did your daughter make new friends on the trip?

Yes, she made connections and formed friendships with girls that she normally wouldn’t hang out with. The

"The letter writing was our favourite bit. Old school communication that prompts you to consider what you want to communicate and how best to do so in words and not abbreviated text and emojis. The final letter writing task just before they came home was really honest and touching."

MRS GILLIAN AND MR STRACHAN TAYLOR

students were put in kin groups of 12 – made up of Pymble girls and boys from Riverview who they went on excursions with and also had to do daily chores with – like cleaning the living areas and bathrooms, setting up and clearing after meals, which helped this process. Having to work alongside each other doing chores, and tough it out with physical challenge meant that they initially had to get along and then became very close – particularly after The Great Return. They have kept in touch as a kin group: attending each other’s fair days, gone ten-pin bowling, touching base over a group chat.

How did you feel about the digital detox? Has Madeline used her devices less since returning?

Very beneficial. Having been at school well before personal computers and mobile phones we never had the distraction. It was great to show the girls and boys that you can survive without being constantly in contact with everyone, you can take control of your environment and turn your attention to other things. I think it also allowed the girls to slow down, look up and see what was around them.

What did you find beneficial about the letter-writing activity?

Our favourite bit. Old school communication that prompts you to consider what you want to communicate and how best to do so in words and not abbreviated text and emojis. The final letter writing task just before they came home was really honest and touching.

How did it feel as a parent to be part of the Pioneer group?

Firstly, we have been so impressed that Dr Hadwen, Paul Hine, both groups of school teachers and Boards were willing to take a risk, challenge and back themselves to offer the program. We felt very lucky that Maddy got to be a part of this and we have witnessed the benefits first hand. It was really special for the group of students who went to know they were the Pioneers! The ‘Parenting Project’ was an excellent opportunity for us as parents to also reflect and look at what we were doing to support our teenagers while we had the space to be objective about it in their absence, as well as things we could be doing to reinforce positive changes when they returned.

Did combining schools make the trip even more memorable?

Absolutely! Year 9 is a big and tricky year for girls, and boys maybe to a lesser extent. It was great that they could come together and work collaboratively on things, see different approaches to challenges, but also see that they could compete with the boys and show them plenty of things, for example, organisation, planning, food prep and

cooking, coping strategies, communications skills. Some funny stories there.

Were the staff helpful on the trip?

Very, the staff from both schools were very much a big factor in the success of the program. Maddy’s walking boots “died” within a few days of her being there, and every effort was made to make sure we got a replacement pair to her – which were unrecognisable by the time they got back! The commitment of the schools to send teaching staff to accommodate all the varied learning needs, as well as staff to support the students for The Great Return was undoubtably a logistical nightmare.

Do you think the trip was life-changing for your daughter?

Yes, there were some immediate small changes, but I think the big benefits will be realised in coming years.

• The self-confidence that such an experience can provide is a very powerful change agent and will open other opportunities in life that may otherwise have been missed.

• Learning to work with different people and those you may not be close to, to achieve common goals is a valuable life skill.

• Learning that challenge is valuable, and can be rewarding.

• And for a Year 9 girl to learn to – Stay Calm and Carry On – is gold.

• The outcome or goal is not aways as important as the process and the incidental learnings that happen along the way.

How did it feel watching Madeline walk into The Great Return celebration?

Proud and emotional. It was great to see them return as an integrated group, albeit a bit smelly. Her Great Return was physically really challenging – long hikes, early mornings, planning and prepping routes and meals, LEECHES! – so the tears flowed with relief, exhaustion, happiness and achievement!

What advice would you give to future Year 9 parents ahead of their daughters embarking on this trip?

I think Guilllaume Apollinaire captures the advice perfectly:

“Come to the edge," he said.

"We can't, we're afraid!" they responded.

"Come to the edge," he said.

"We can't, we will fall!" they responded.

"Come to the edge," he said.

And so they came. And he pushed them. And they flew.”

Let them go and be challenged.

Pymble Cadets turn five!

In July, the Pymble Ladies’ College Cadet Unit (PLCCU) proudly marched onto Mollie Dive Field for a special parade to mark the unit’s fifth birthday and progress since establishing in 2017.

Back then, we were the first all-girls Australian Army Cadet Unit in the Southern Hemisphere, with an inaugural intake of 20 cadets. Today the unit boasts 90 cadets in a range of leadership positions and is run by Mr Bryan Morrison –Pymble Mathematics teacher by day and PLCCU Officer Commanding Lieutenant on Monday afternoons, during training and field exercises and at all other times when the unit is required for duty. This includes College Anzac Day and Remembrance Day services and, as it turned out, Queen Elizabeth II’s Platinum Jubilee parade hosted by the Governor of NSW, Her Excellency, Margaret Beazley, at Government House.

Open to students in Year 8 and above,the PLCCU is a fullyear, ongoing program in which cadets undertake training in a variety of service, leadership, teamwork and outdoor skills with options to promote to a position of rank within the unit. Students learn to be confident, self-sufficient, disciplined and to commit mentally and physically to challenging activities. The cadet program is also a unique opportunity for students to forge new friendships outside of year groups, classes and other sports and activities.

A ROYAL ENGAGEMENT!

The Pymble Ladies’ College Cadet Unit (PLCCU) had the distinct honour of being selected by the Governor to join three divisions formed by the Australian Defence Force Cadets (Army, Air Force and Navy) to march onto the grounds of Sydney’s Government House as the Royal Guard for Her Majesty, Queen Elizabeth II's Platinum Jubilee parade. Hosted by the Governor of NSW, Her Excellency, Margaret Beazley, the regal event took place on 11 June.

Our cadets, ably led by Mr Bryan Morrison, were kitted out in special royal regalia for this unique and oncein-a-lifetime opportunity; a very special day which began at 0500 hours on James Kelso Field!

It was wonderful to see some of our former cadets, now ex-students of Pymble, also return to the College as Designated Adult Helpers (aka DAHs), to support the girls and staff. It’s exciting to think our students’ interest and influence in this area may continue to grow both during and beyond their school years to the point where they may wish to make a positive contribution to gender balance and culture in the Australian Defence Force. Is this a Watch Us Change the World turning point? We will have to wait and see.

Strategic Pillars Update

» Sleep - How satisfied am I with last night’s length and quality of sleep?

» Exercise - Have I found time to intentionally exercise in the past few days?

» Energy - How would I rate my current level of overall energy?

» Stress - How is your current level of stress?

- How satisfied am I with the ways I show appreciation for others?

EMOTIONAL INTELLIGENCE

Mind Body Spirit

• Pymble developed instruments to measure the effectiveness of the K-12 Mind Body Spirit curriculum and the increase of the knowledge and skills of the elements of the program. These measures are linked to the outcomes of our Mind Body Spirit curriculum and will be piloted with Years 7 to 10 in Semester 1, 2023.

• One of our initiatives in 2021 was to pilot a new program called iYarn with some of our Year 10 Compass Groups. iYarn was established to connect people through simple, powerful and flexible check ins. Purposeful check ins encourage expression and provide others with the opportunity to understand. They are a safe space where people can be vulnerable, and their stories can be heard. This pilot continued in 2022 with all our Year 11 students participating in this program. Each student responded weekly to the series of questions listed below and developed by some of our Year 11 students.

» Friends - Do I have good relationships with my friends at the moment?

» Organisation - How organised am I feeling in relation to my schoolwork?

» Schoolwork satisfaction - How satisfied am I with my effort towards schoolwork this week?

» Service to others - How satisfied am I with the ways I support others e.g., my community, family, friends, the environment etc.?

» Appreciation of others/Gratitude

• Individual students scored their responses to the above questions on a sliding scale in relation to how they are feeling. This information was tracked and summarised by their relevant Compass teachers and together with each student, they are able to focus on specific areas to promote each student’s wellbeing.

House

• To continue to develop student connectedness vertically and to build House spirit, House mottos for each of the eight Houses were written by a group of students from each House and the executive staff responsible for the Emotional Intelligence pillar group. These House mottos were presented to the students in each

Oure bold Strategic Direction inspires the future of the College and equips our girls with the knowledge and confidence to thrive in their lives and beyond our gates. Here are the key developments from 2022.

House and the students voted and rated the top three mottos. These were presented to Dr Hadwen, our Principal for final approval. Students were also invited to participate in a design competition for House emblems to reflect the history of each House and the flora around the Pymble grounds. The launch of the House mottos and emblems will take place in a flag ceremony mid Term 1, 2023.

Knowing People, Knowing Pymble

• A review our Kindergarten to Year 12 parent events was conducted this year to ensure optimal engagement and participation in our Pymble family. Several events were hosted this year to give an opportunity for our families to become acquainted with each other and for students to develop further connections with each other. These events include honouring ceremonies for students transitioning from Year 6 to Year 7, Middle School to Upper School and from Upper School to Senior School as part of Transition weeks.

• To acknowledge every Year 12 student as an individual, families were invited to a barbecue lunch prior to the Year 12 Honouring ceremony. Each student was presented with a picture frame with a photo of them in a Pymble activity, a unique and specially chosen

quotation and a Graduation Pymble Camellia pin. Parents were invited and participated in the ceremony.

• Planning is underway for termly Sharing Stories activities between Year 11 and Year 5 students in 2023. These will include Honouring sessions.

• Knowing People, Knowing Pymble events have been embedded in the Year 9 Residential Program with parents from Pymble and Riverview.

Outdoor Education

• The graph above shows the outdoor education opportunities provided for our Pymble students.

• Sunday 7 August marked the opening of the newly refurbished Stringybark Lodge and the commencement of our four-week

Year 9 Residential Program with 56 girls as our Pioneers of this program Forty Riverview boys have joined them on Sunday 14 August. The second group of Pioneers commenced on Sunday 23 October for four weeks. Both programs were highly successful with students reporting that they “would attend the Year 9 Residential Program if it was offered to them again”.

• Both groups of Pioneers were welcomed warmly back on campus at the end of their fourweek program by Upper and Middle School staff, Year 8 students in a guard of honour followed by a Knowing People, Knowing Pymble event where parents, Pioneers and staff participated in a reflective Chapel service. The pioneers shared stories about their time at Vision Valley. They were presented with a special pin by Dr Hadwen to acknowledge their completion of the program. Each student was given a booklet and a special parent handbook that contained information and suggested activities to assist with integration back into everyday life at home and school.

Lamia Rockwell Deputy Principal

Ms

SOCIAL INTELLIGENCE

The Social Intelligence Strategic Pillar has brought a focus on activities and initiatives aiming to expand cultural fluency at the College. These include increasing opportunities for diversity of thought and making space for inclusive mindsets to become more visible across the College. Year 12 students participated in an anti-racism and prejudice reduction curriculum held during Directions lessons. The curriculum was designed by the students themselves under the guidance of Professor Fiona White from the University of Sydney. The October 2022 Staff Development Day utilised the same theme, Diversity with Inclusion, with 12 staff offering workshops on topics relating to language, culture, diversity and inclusion.

In the area of First Nations learning, the Aboriginal Studies course was introduced to Stages 5 and 6 and the Waratah project funding enabled the establishment of a Learning Leader: First Nations Histories and Cultures (Year 7 to 12) position which will commence in 2023. Six staff have now completed Dr Chris Sarra’s Stronger Smarter program and staff also attended truth telling sessions to learn from men who lived in the Kinchela Boys Home. A highlight for three Year 11 First Nations students was attending the GARMA Festival in Arnhem Land, a further 34 students participated in a cultural immersion, also to Arnhem Land, with the First Nations students on both trips funded by a generous donor. An Indigenous

Garden/Yarning Circle was instigated, designed and came through to fruition as a deep learning project by the Stage 5 Aboriginal Studies classes and their committed teachers.

A key feature for 2022 was the re-establishment of local and international tours and exchanges. The Junior School formed a link with DHUB at Dubbo and a group from Year 5 attended the Traditional Indigenous Games in Goodooga, NSW. Goodooga girls then attended the Year 5 Outdoor Education Program at Vision Valley. Four overseas tours took place and a new group of schools now offer international exchange opportunities for Year 10 students. Nine 2022

graduates have accepted Gap positions in the UK for 2023.

2022 saw the first year of the Intercultural student leadership team (Years 7 to 12) with their aim of contributing to a culturally inclusive College community. The student committee ran a student survey, advised Conde library on its resources and literary collection, hosted the Sharing Stories panel for Literary and Cultural Festival, assisted with the Korean, Japanese and Sri Lankan Garden Party food stalls and lead a Diwali celebration for Years 3 to 11 students.

Dr Sarah Loch Director – Pymble Institute

DIGITAL INTELLIGENCE

I arrived at Pymble in 2016 as the Director of Innovative Technologies and was daunted by the ‘innovative’ part of that title. Knowing that trust precedes innovation, I wanted my initial title to be Director of Working Technologies.

Those early years helped me articulate my framework of the role of IT in schools: First ensure people and systems are safe, then make sure technology is frictionless and does not get in their way. Once that is done, IT should be in service of the other’s vision and amplify their impact, and only after that can we collaboratively create innovation.

I will use these four concepts of safe, frictionless, supportive and innovative technology to celebrate the amazing work of the Pymble family in 2022.

Safety – Multi-Factor Authentication for all staff

Sensitive data is only as safe as the identity of its users. Therefore, in August we rolled out Multi-Factor

Authentication (MFA) for all staff. MFA means that you not only need to know your username and password, but also approve the log in via a second means – in our case, via your phone.

The only problem with this added layer of safety is that it introduces friction for the users. In that regard, I think Pymble staff shone and demonstrated their keen willingness to keep our students' data safe and have rolled with this change without a fuss.

In 2023, we will be exploring how to introduce similar escalated identity safety for our students in a way that is as frictionless as possible.

Frictionless – MyPymble streamlines communication

This year we launched the new version of MyPymble to parents. MyPymble works on both your phone

and via a website and streamlines communication and information for families whilst keeping their daughter at the centre. Based on the constructive feedback from our parent community, we were able to continue to improve the experience and are looking forward to further enhancements in 2023. You can always find up-to-date information and help about MyPymble via the help site here.

Supportive – STEM Festival and the Pymble Passport

15-19 August was Science Week, and there was a variety of STEM activities as part of the Junior School’s STEM Festival. Across the week, girls participated in additional STEM activities including coding and scientific investigations. The girls carried out scientific investigations to bring solutions to current environmental issues and participated in activities around the 2022 National Science Week theme of ‘Glass: More than meets the eye’.

INNOVATIVE

In 2022, the Pymble Passport was also able to support the wellbeing program from Years 5 to 12. Students were able to reflect on their learning experiences beyond the classroom and through the passport, tell stories about how these experiences demonstrated their growth, what

SUPPORTIVE FRICTIONLESS SAFE

motivates them, what character strengths they have and the impact they have made on those around them. The Pymble Passport is student curated and brings to life those deep transformative moments in a student’s journey that are not always captured by a grade, but are deeply significant. The Pymble Passport opens doors to future opportunities for our students both within the school through Leadership applications and also beyond the College into University, scholarship and job applications.

Innovative – New Data Science Course and Robotics

In 2022, Pymble is offering an inaugural Introduction to Data Science (IDS) Curriculum for students to learn to reason with, and think critically about, data in all forms. We are the first school in the Southern Hemisphere to offer this course, which includes:

• The Common Core State Standards (CCSS) for High School Statistics and Probability relevant to data science.

• Data demands of good citizenship in the 21st century.

• Rigorous learning that fuses mathematics with computer science through the use of R/RStudio, an open-source programming language/ environment that has long been the standard for academic statisticians and analysts in industry.

Robotics is emerging in schools and academies all over the world. Pymble is ahead of the curve, leading the way as a school with the largest number of girl participants in our Robotics program. In 2022, over 230 students participated in our Robotics program and we represented Australia in both the VEX and FRC Robotics competitions.

Mr Dan Brown is our maestro of Robotics and sums up the magic that our Robotics program is bringing to our students and demonstrates how the Digital Intelligence Pillar is helping our students flourish in all their pursuits:

“I am so proud of the program, not just our girls but the whole team. So proud. We are fiercely focussed on inspiring our girls, giving them ownership of their learning, letting them find out who they are, and our girls just lap up this opportunity. When I am in the classroom (both Junior and Secondary), it is very obvious who the Robotics girls are. They collaborate better. Their resilience and persistence are higher. They learn faster. They question better. They embrace curiosity. However, I could be biased, but I am now hearing the same from other teachers.”

ACADEMIC INTELLIGENCE

While Pymble students perform exceptionally well in their HSC, as a College we are committed to continual improvement. By focusing our energies on HSC excellence, we continue to afford our students the opportunities they deserve for their future.

Mr

Anthony

England Director – Innovative Learning Technologies

With this lens in mind, a deliberate focus was provided to support our English and Mathematics teachers and students. As the two largest subjects, we were able to positively impact the performance of the most students. Similarly, additional resourcing was provided to our after-hours study and holiday study programs so that more teachers were available for dedicated 1:1 support. More students attended these programs as a result. The refurbishment of the KM Atrium supported this Year 12 cohort in creating a study culture as they had furniture that promoted both independent and collaborative study habits. The students should be congratulated on their dedication, focus and hard work.

The

2022 results

were

exceptional. Our students continued our tradition of academic excellence and improved results across many measures. Some highlights were:

• 20th place on the SMH HSC rankings

• 7 percent of students achieved an ATAR above 99

• 33 per cent of students achieved an ATAR above 95

• 54 per cent of students achieved an ATAR above 90

129 STUDENTS

78 STUDENTS

17 STUDENTS

54% 33% 7%

Vision Valley Residential Program

2022 saw the arrival of our Vision Valley Residential Program Pioneers. Two cohorts of Year 9 students bravely stepped into the exciting reality of a four-week residential program at our Outdoor Education campus – Vision Valley. As an overarching theme, this program is designed to challenge and grow their awareness of self, others and the natural world.

During the first three weeks of the program, students engaged in:

• Academic time for learning and study

• Two three-day expeditions that involved hiking and canoe paddling

• Outdoor Education activities that made the most of the facilities at Vision Valley such as high ropes, abseiling, campfires, cooking and, of course, the pool and slide

In the final week of the program

students completed The Great Return, a five-day trip from Vision Valley back to Pymble on foot. During this time, they apply all the learning and skills from the past three weeks as they carry all their food and equipment to walk, cook and sleep each night in tents.

The first cohort enjoyed a combined program with boys from St Ignatius College Riverview. The second program saw Pymble students thrive

17 STUDENTS WITH ATARS

PYMBLE RANKED

>99.00 20th IN THE SMH TOP 100 SCHOOLS REPORT

in an all-girls environment. 2023 sees a significant increase in the number of students participating as our community appreciates the incredible opportunities and results of the Residential Program.

Metrics of Success

Pymble students have diverse talents and demonstrate their success in multiple ways. This intent provides a process for us to review what and how we celebrate the success of our graduating cohorts. What are the measures in addition to HSC and ATAR performance? Throughout the year, a working party worked closely with the College Board and the 2022 Year 12 cohort to understand a possible suite of measures that could be used. As we head into 2023, this information will be used to grow the data collected to represent additional

metrics of success. A dashboard will be piloted to visualise this data.

Growing Learning Leaders

By improving the capacity of our leaders to lead, we create optimum conditions for our teachers and ultimately improve the learning of our students. 2022 saw the development of a leadership professional learning program that will be implemented in 2023. Data was collected from staff to better understand priority areas and experts have been selected to work with our leaders in 2023. One such expert is Tracey Ezard, who will work with our leaders under the banner of ‘Ferocious warmth – school leaders who inspire and transform’ in 2023.

Justin Raymond Deputy Principal – Students (K-12)

Speaking of Teens: Top Tips

In October, the Pymble community headed to the Gillian Moore Centre for Performing Arts to explore positive and proactive parenting strategies at our ‘Speaking of Teens: Holding on to Love’ parent information evening. The event saw five panelists offer unique ideas that tapped into the love, hope and optimism we share for our girls without being caught up in the drama that can dominate their teenage years.

The panel included:

John Vassiliadis (Host/MC) – emergency medicine specialist at Royal North Shore Hospital; Naval Reserve physician and proud Pymble parent.

Brad Marshall – experienced psychologist specialising in the mental health of children and teenagers; founder of Northshore Kidspace.

Madonna King – published author and award-winning journalist of three decades with a focus on issues confronting teenage girls.

Michele Chevalley Hedge – established nutritionist and health writer; founder of corporate wellbeing program ‘A Healthy View’ and ambassador for Cure Cancer and Heart Research Institute.

Donna Cross – professor at the School of Global and Population Health; founding director of the Child Health Promotion Research Centre.

The experts discussed evidence-based approaches to mental health, digital intelligence and building solid foundations of communication for parents and carers of teenage girls.

Interestingly, two of our experts mentioned the value of thinking and daydreaming time for our young people. Author Madonna King’s comment, “let’s give them time to lie on the trampoline and ruminate,” echoed the notion of using seemingly idle thinking time as a way of finding balance and possibly the first step towards resolving an issue playing on your daughter’s mind.

Brad Marshall similarly reflected: “It’s okay for our kids to be bored; to stare at the wall and watch paint dry sometimes.” This provides space for imagining a scenario that may counter a negative story in their mind, as per the yin and yang daydream theory.

Thank you to the many parents who joined us to have this incredibly important conversation about leading our teenagers through complex issues, in a complex world, with love.

• Showing them you believe them. It is important for them to feel confident in confiding their experiences.

• Sitting or walking shoulder to shoulder.

• Taking their concerns seriously without panicking.

• Listening to them without judgement and showing you understand they are upset by what has happened.

• Reminding them they have the right to feel safe and respected when using digital devices.

• Talking about what actions they have taken and help them to work out a plan of action.

• About 700 out of 1,000 girls whose advice was sought for L-Platers nominated mental health as their biggest challenge, singling out eating disorders, self-harm, crippling anxiety, school refusal and depression.

• The biggest disease spread by social media is that of comparison - never quite meeting that svelte, thin, perfect image on their screen.

• Too many students in Years 10 to 12 are reducing their lives in the pursuit of an ATAR rank which is now a heartbreaker, life-definer and only one of the many pathways into universities. We need to address this as parents and educators.

• The invisible signs of puberty begin around the age of seven, and this is a period when a child looks beyond her parents to see who she wants to emulate. We need to provide them mentors at this time.

• Sleep is sacred. If screens impact a teen’s sleep schedule, things can turn for the worse, so get into the routine of taking steps to limit screen time.

• Don’t overthink 'good' and 'bad' screen time. Just think of all recreational screen time in one bucket.

• Try not to make judgment statements about smartphones, apps or screens in general.

• The use of cyber safety apps to monitor your teen should not replace fostering a strong connection and communicating with them.

• Try not to take their screen use personally. Children and teens are vulnerable to overusing their screens, and parents should be there to help when they break the rules. Getting angry and upset usually doesn’t achieve anything.

• Let’s bring back the love of food. There is too much negative discussion around food and we have forgotten what a joy and bringing together of family and discussion that a simple meal can create. Connection is just as much a part of good health as our nutrients.

• Eat real, whole food.

• Low sugar - not no sugar. When we eat processed foods, consider the added sugar, additives and chemicals and how that affects our skin, moods, brain and self-esteem.

• Connect the food dots. Begin to notice how eating certain foods makes you feel.

• Tired but wired. Sleep is one of the most powerful pillars of wellbeing. In fact, it is the most essential. If you sleep well, you tend to eat well, think well and move well.

Professor Donna Cross

EdD, GradDipHSc, BEd, FAHMS, GAICD

Madonna King

Journalist and Author

Brad Marshall

BA Psych, MHSc.Beh Sci, MRes, PhD Candidate

Michele Chevalley Hedge

Nutritionist

The Festival of Speech returns... in person!

An exciting and much-anticipated highlight of the Language Arts’ year is the annual Festival of Speech, a long-running celebration of Speech and Drama, run by igsa, the Independent Girls’ School Association. This is held in October each year but, for the past two years, the 'Festival', as it is affectionately named has been held online. For the past two years, Pymble has been waiting eagerly for our turn to host this event live. 2022 finally presented that opportunity and we were determined to make it a memorable return! The motto, "Live and Creative," was adopted, posters were planned and excitement mounted as preparations commenced in earnest.

More than 27 girls’ schools were invited to prepare for and participate in a range of Speech and Drama activities on the afternoon and evening of Friday 21 October and on Saturday 22 October. Regular events include Junior and Senior Debating, Junior and Senior Poetry, Junior and Senior Readings, Junior and Senior Public Speaking, Drama, Current Affairs and Religious and Ethical Questions. This year two new events were added, Theatresports and Soapbox, a fun, open-air speaking event. Both events proved popular and will be extended in scope in future years.

After much coordination and behind-the-scenes work from Facilities, Security, Chartwells catering, Mrs Sarah Shields,

Community Engagement, our wonderful graphic artist Ms Amelia Hull, print centre staff, IT and other operational staff, many Language Arts girls and our supportive team of Language Arts parents, the day dawned. The foyer of the Gillian Moore Centre for Performing Arts was transformed into a sea of hot pink and navy for the event and after a plethora of rainy skies, there was even sun to welcome our 1,000 plus guests! The cake boxes towered, the gelato stall welcomed, potted pink petunias bloomed abundantly and many Krispy Kreme donuts were consumed. Competitors waited. All enjoyed our beautiful campus, welcoming girls, fabulous catering and the wonderful festive feel. Even Premier Dominic Perrottet was spotted and attended to watch his daughter’s event! Many new friendships were forged with girls from other igsa schools and some competitors enjoyed their first face-to-face festival.

Thanks to all who made the event a success - from the many staff, the competitors, adjudicators, convenors and supportive parents. Our Festival team were outstanding and as we watched the event unfold, we were all reminded of the importance of providing encouragement, a platform for girls’ voices and providing springboards for success. Long live the Festival, thank you team and job well done! Now we pass the baton to Ravenswood for Festival 2023.

WATCH US MAKE HISTORY

Boarders Week

Over the last few years, Boarders Week has become one of the favourite weeks of the year for our girls. It is an opportunity to showcase Boarding life to the entire school community in all its glory. When the College first opened, one third of our students were Boarders. In 2022, Boarding is still the beating heart of Pymble Ladies’ College and we are proud that close to 120 Boarders call our beautiful grounds their home. While most of our Boarders hail from country New South Wales, we are also home to Boarders from the Northern Territory, Queensland, Vanuatu, UAE, Germany, Korea, Hong Kong and Vietnam.

Whether from near or far, the Boarders

enjoy a wonderful opportunity to live and learn on campus, develop independence and resilience and form lifelong friendships while living together in a diverse and inclusive community. While the girls do sometimes face challenges living away from home, they know that support is always on hand.

Boarders Week sees a fun-filled schedule, the first being the fiercely contested day girls vs Boarders sports competition. They went head to head in water polo, basketball, football and volleyball. The day girls managed to win the water polo and football, but it was the Boarders who shone in the basketball and volleyball, meaning the day girls vs Boarders

Cup would be decided at the Athletics Carnival, with the Boarders dominating in the tug of war. One of the awesome parts of these games is that it is a cross section of girls who get to display their talents with the teams being made up of equal parts of each year group. The other great thing is the crowds that are drawn to each activity.

Boarders Week is also about giving back and saying thanks to those who have helped us along the way. Our Staff Thank You Breakfast is always a favourite. Staff join the Boarders for a barbecue breakfast on Marden Lawn and the Boarders give thanks to those special teachers in their lives. In 2022, we also introduced a charity element

to the week with a lunchtime sausage sizzle, raising money for the Women’s Shelter in Young.

Finally, Boarders Week is about pink! It is our colour, and we are proud to wear it. We invited the offices and staffrooms around the College to decorate for the week with the aim of turning the school pink. This is always a fun competition to judge, and we just love how much effort goes into the event.

Thank you to all the staff and students who make this week possible and to everyone for celebrating the important part that our Boarding community plays in the fabric of the College and wider community.

Pymble’s Masterplan

Pymble is undergoing a staggered transformation through the development of the College Masterplan. Our vision seeks to reinforce Pymble’s position as a leader in girls’ education with world-class facilities designed to help nurture the minds and hearts of Australia’s future female leaders.

This stage of the Masterplan includes the construction of a Junior School Administration Centre, our new landmark development, Grey House Precinct and a new build Senior Innovation Precinct.

The Junior School Administration Centre is currently under construction, Grey House Precinct has been approved by Department of Planning and the Senior Innovation Precinct is currently undergoing space planning in anticipation of design.

THE JUNIOR SCHOOL ADMINISTRATION BUILDING

The Junior School Administration Building offers a distinctive architectural design that embodies and promotes the College values of Care, Courage, Integrity, Responsibility and Respect and incorporates modern design principles that create an attractive and inviting experience and destination for students, staff and the Pymble community. There will be a central office for the Head of Junior School and the OSHC as well as the Deputy Principal, reception and administrative functions in one space. This new central hub will combine as a welcoming reception for existing and enrolling parents while also providing central student services.

The building will deliver a modern administration hub that prioritises student and staff health and wellbeing, respects and enhances the existing built form and natural environment and a public realm that is connected and accessible.

The development will be stitched into the wider campus through convenient and direct connections to the Junior School Years K to 2, Junior School Years 3 to 6 and to the Gillian Moore Centre for Performing Arts (GMCPA). Landscaped areas incorporate natural play areas and will contribute to the life and vibrancy of the Pymble campus.

At the time of publication, work has commenced and is programmed for completion in late 2023.

GREY HOUSE PRECINCT

The Grey House Precinct development will deliver a worldclass educational and co- curricular facility that fosters leading pedagogical practices, prioritises student and staff health and wellbeing, embeds flexibility to accommodate future developments in learning and teaching methods, attains best-practice sustainability while respecting and enhancing the existing built form and natural environment.

The Grey House Precinct will provide new classrooms

for Years 5 and 6, the new Pymble Dance Academy, a Health and Wellbeing Centre, out of school hours care (OSHC) and an early learning centre (ELC) for 90 children and 20 staff. The Years 5 and 6 Junior School component will provide high quality general and specialist learning, with science, technology, engineering and mathematics laboratories. The development will achieve a 6-star Green star As-Built certification and provide outdoor learning and play, connected to learning environments. The building will harmoniously sit within the wider campus and offer convenient and direct connections to the Main Hall, Junior School, Centenary Precinct car park and to Grey House Walk.

Approval for the works, under a State Significant Development Approval, has been received and the works will commence in early 2024.

SENIOR INNOVATION PRECINCT

The new Senior Innovation Precinct will provide an outward-facing learning environment that prepares girls in Years 11 and 12 for real-world challenges and ongoing learning. It will include a mix of informal, general, specialist and hyper-specialist learning areas, including a dedicated area for Robotics and Makerspaces.

The new precinct is proposed at the existing Isabel Harrison (IH) building, which currently operates as the College reception and administration. Demolition of IH must be completed to allow for the construction of the new Senior Centre. IH is situated adjacent to the Main Oval and is visible to the front of the school, thus the new Senior Centre will showcase the first impression of the College.

The Senior Innovation Precinct will provide a generous atrium space at the heart of the Senior Centre offering opportunities for informal peer-to-peer learning and collaboration. This may include an opportunity for a new café or dining facility.

Classrooms for general and specialist learning will be provided along the perimeter of the Senior Centre, with views to the surrounding landscape. Corridors, galleries and staircases adjoining the main atrium space will act as social spaces and breakout areas that complement classrooms within the Senior Centre. A rooftop terrace will take advantage of uninterrupted views of the Main Oval towards the Marden Gates and provide opportunities for the hosting of community events

At this stage the educational space planning brief is being finalised and a design competition is targeted for the

A New Journey for the College: Introducing an Early Years Program

The first 2,000 days of a child’s life is a significant period that can create and strengthen possibilities for their future. As a part of the Grey House Precinct, a much anticipated and exciting journey for our College has commenced with plans for an Early Years School for children from three months to five years well underway.

“The College’s commitment to the early years recognises the importance of high quality learning and care in the first 2,000 days of a child’s life and the powerful impact this period can have on their future,” says Head of Early Years, Mrs Karen Ahearn.

ENCOURAGING CHILDREN TO WALK CONFIDENTLY THROUGH LIFE’S ADVENTURES

With a commitment to each individual child, and to provide support to our College staff, Pymble families, and the wider local community, an environment that recognises the value of play and embraces curiosity,

imagination and creativity is being established. We aim to grow in partnership with our families as we care for, learn from and guide the children in their early years of development with intriguing opportunities for investigation and a foundation of quality learning and care.

SHARING JOURNEYS WITH OUR FAMILIES

Pymble Ladies’ College celebrates that children are natural explorers, keen observers who are diverse in their approach to challenges and creative in their solutions. We are intent on capturing the questions, interests and collaborations of our

youngest Pymble learners, developing these into playful and meaningful challenges that generate wonderings, curiosities and investigations.

FOSTERING CURIOSITY AND INVESTIGATION THROUGH PLAY

The environments being created ensure our future children can be architects, mathematicians, analysts, authors, engineers, artists, storytellers and creators as they engage with natural and designed spaces. As children interact in shared spaces and across the six rooms designed to meet children’s developmental stages, the goal is to spark interest in interactions with others and in the world around them.

“Childhood provides a unique period for each child to be their exceptional self; to explore through play and to create through invention,” says Mrs Ahearn. “It is a moment to arouse curiosity and to establish connection with others.”

The College Values provide a vehicle to guide our children into their future, by developing each child’s understanding of these values. Through the lens of our youngest children:

• Care for me means to be nurtured, encouraged and guided in my exploration of the world and interactions with others.

• Courage growing in me helps me to try things that may be new and to understand that feeling a little uncertain at first is ok.

• Integrity shines in me when I use my growing awareness of how to show care and kindness, to make choices in play situations.

• Respect is supporting me to understand that each person is different in lots of ways and to see that we all have different ideas and

interests.

• Responsibility is helping me to understand that being kind to each other and to the plants and animals of the world is important.

CREATING OUR STORIES TOGETHER

This is an exciting time for our College community as we travel together into the early childhood learning and care sector. “Our commitment is to support our College staff and Pymble community as we work in partnership to enhance the experiences of children,” says Mrs Ahearn. •

Horticulture Student Initiatives: A green thumbs up!

Bees were a hot topic this year with groups from Year 5 and Year 9 taking part in our much-loved ‘The Pymble Bee Tour’. Guided by Mr Bringolf, Mr Kinsey and Ms Shields, the students learnt about the many different types of bee populations on campus, as well as how the bees home themselves, how they feed and their importance in the cycle of plant pollination and food production.

Students were interested to learn about the life-cycle of a bee and the role of the queen in the hive. They even got the chance to taste some fresh local honey! The tour ended with the students getting up close to two native stingless beehives to see the action of busy bees hard at work!

The horticultural team worked with Junior School classes from Years 2, 3 and 5 as they studied topics including, ‘How Pymble uses Water Onsite’ and ‘How to Grow Beans’. The girls also learnt about amazing plant adaptations in the species just outside their classrooms. This helped students to better understand the natural environment around them and how plants can learn to survive in the sometimes harsh conditions they are given.

The horticultural team were kept busy with Year 9, keen to learn about decomposition, and the chemical process involved, via a tour around the grounds looking at fungus, rotting fallen branches, moulds and mildews.

Year 1 students enjoyed a ‘Get

Growing Science Incursion’, comprising of an all-day, fun-filled program saw students learn about different leaf shapes, the parts of a plant and what they do, the process of photosynthesis and the importance of plants and trees for human survival. Students got to touch, smell and hunt for many different types of flowers, leaves and other plant species while learning about the relationship of those plants with insects, birds, other mammals and even humans.

Kindergarten joined the green team fun during their Pymble incursion, taking a trip to our Agricultural Plot to plant some seedlings and learn about the different types of power tools, clothing and safety gear the horticultural team use every day on campus. Safety first!

The Pymble horticultural team’s knowledge of all things plants and the environment was in high demand in 2022 as students of all ages took part in lessons, tours and programs across our leafy College grounds, led by our expert horticulturists Mr Alex Bringolf, Mr Travis Kinsey and Ms Sarah Shields.

Teachers in Focus

At Pymble, we inspire the next generation of young women to propel themselves into fulfilling careers and lives. The foundation for this begins in the classroom, via access to a remarkable 70 subjects.

The College understands our girls aren’t a one-size-fits-all cohort and offers an incredibly broad range of subjects, both curricular and co-curricular, for our students to find their niche and thrive. At the heart of this world-class learning environment are our beloved teachers. Passionate and exceptionally talented, Pymble’s teaching staff are always looking for new ways to inspire our girls to unlock their greatest potential. Their love of teaching and dedication to what is not simply ‘a job’ to them is unsurpassed. And so, as we celebrate our education leaders, we ask them where they find their inspiration...

Mrs Kate Brown Head of Junior School

I love teaching because... I work and can learn every day alongside children and adults in a warm and nurturing community with a shared passion for learning and growing. There is a vibrant energy within a school that excites and fills my soul. I love the passion there is for sharing and celebrating knowledge, stories and creativity. I feel honoured to be able to learn from children as they let me see the world through their eyes. As an educator, I also have the privilege of helping children find their voice, passions and sense of self.

I’m inspired by... The girls, because each day they bring energy, positivity and joy to school. They are curious, they question, they wonder and they have a raw and real hunger for learning which ensures no day is ever the same as the one before! The girls are fierce in their determination to spread our Junior School message of kindness as far as they can. I truly believe in the power of kindness; kindness to others, to our environment and to ourselves. I am inspired by the belief that our girls will change the world by being who they are and caring as deeply as they do.

Miss Penelope Blake History Teacher

I love teaching because... It is a career where I am constantly learning and being challenged by new ideas. I find the feeling of consistent growth and opportunity one of the most fulfilling aspects of teaching.

I’m inspired by... The passion and curiosity of my students. Every trip into the classroom is a journey into their imaginative minds, and I find interest in my teaching subjects is renewed each time.

Ms Myvanwy Carr Head of Year 8

I love teaching because... As an English teacher, I can spend time discussing and reading insights from students about remarkable texts. English is about critical thinking and emotive expression, and it maintains wonder in our world. I enjoy being with young people; they never cease to make my day delightful.

I’m inspired by... People like Nick Cave and his writing in the Red Hand Files. I am inspired by the incredible people I work with at the College. I am inspired by nature.

Mr Glen McCarthy Science Teacher

I love teaching because... Students and staff who share things with me. It might be something they read or observed or pulled apart. A new app or a cool video. Or it might be hearing about some struggle they are going through. It reminds me that most of us are floundering through life. But by God's grace, we are floundering together and learning some awesome things along the way.

I’m inspired by... I love the encouraging feedback from students who have found my teaching helpful. Pymble students write some of the most beautiful notes! And often the things they mention were seemingly small things that just resonated and helped them to grow.

Mr

Nick Wilkesmann Head of Outdoor Education

I teach because... I love being able to share my knowledge and experience of the natural world with students, and to help them feel capable and comfortable in the outdoors so they too can experience the outdoors in a meaningful way.

I’m inspired by... Seeing young people step out of their comfort zone and realise their significant capabilities, and by being able to share a message of environmental stewardship in a wholly appropriate setting.

Mr Marcus

Stafford Head of Learning Area - Performing Arts and Head of Bands

I love teaching because... It is very rewarding watching students ‘get it’. Being able to witness students who may have been struggling with a concept, finally understand it and the theory behind it.

I’m inspired by... Watching the students improve, develop and enjoy your subject. It is a fascinating journey taking a student from Year 7 and watching them achieve their potential in Year 12. Very inspirational!

Mrs Brigiat Maltese Head of Learning Area – Visual Arts

I love teaching because... It revolves around building relationships with students and the entire school community. To be given the opportunity to engage young people, encourage their growth and ignite their passion for learning is truly the most fulfilling vocation I can imagine. I am passionate about the knowledge part of teaching, imparting curriculum knowledge about the Visual Arts, but I am equally as passionate about recognising the uniqueness of every student, encouraging their capacity, confidence and critical thinking. These are traits that serve them well as they harness a lifelong love of learning.

I’m inspired by... Excellence all its forms. Students who take on challenges to be the best version of themselves have shown me how learning has the capacity to transform lives. I am also constantly inspired by my students and colleagues. Their care, compassion and creativity bring out the best in me. I take great delight is seeing students and staff achieve goals, creating a positive energy that is infectious and circular. If it sounds like teaching is the most incredibly rewarding profession – it should, because it is.

Mr Peter Ellis Head of Learning Area - Technological and Applied Sciences

I love teaching because... It gives me the opportunity to make a positive impact on young lives every day. Watching our students grow and learn is the most rewarding experience and it motivates me to be the best teacher I can be. It’s not just about imparting knowledge, but also instilling values, building character and shaping the future of our society.

I’m inspired by... The limitless potential of students to dream big, work hard and achieve great things. The courage and determination they display every day is a constant reminder of the power of the human spirit, and it pushes me to constantly strive for excellence in my own life. Whether it’s overcoming obstacles, setting and achieving goals, or making a positive difference in the world, students never cease to amaze and inspire me. And that’s why I’m proud to be a teacher, guiding them on their journey to reach their full potential.

Mrs Katie Edwards Head of Sport 7-12

I love teaching because... Combined with my unrelenting passion for sport, I’m inspired to jump out of bed every day and be thankful for the job I do. I wish to pass onto every student a lifelong love of sport and share the joys of what you can learn from sport. Sport teaches us resilience, leadership, accountability, tenacity, teamwork, respect and patience.

I’m inspired by... The staff and students I work with. Teaching is really rewarding and it’s satisfying to see students progress both academically and non-academically, as well-rounded and beautiful human beings. Our students bring passion and purpose to everything they do, and I am inspired to help them along their journey now and into the future. The staff at Pymble are all so knowledgeable, innovative, supportive, and enthusiastic and this also inspires me every day to do the best job I can for our Pymble community.

Pymble comes to you in 2023

Thursday 20 July 2023

Friday 21 and Saturday 22 July 2023

Friday 5 and Saturday 6 May 2023

Thursday 25 May 2023

Friday 8 September 2023

Thursday 16 February 2023

Friday 17 February 2023

Friday 26 and Saturday 27 May 2023

Saturday 27 May 2023

25 May

Please contact Jackie Garment, Relationship Manager, at jgarment@pymblelc.nsw.edu.au or 9497 7853 for more information or to RSVP.

Accelerated Mathematics Stars

Mrs Catrina Kerr, Head of Learning Area - Mathematics, fondly refers to her accelerated Mathematics student Amber Li (Year 8), as her little velociraptor. “You cannot give Amber enough information, I call her my little velociraptor, because as soon as you say something that she doesn't know, she is in, and she has grabbed whatever it is and run with it... she is phenomenal. She processes information so fast, so comprehensively, with such scope. It is really satisfying to watch.”

It’s been a big year for Amber who, along with Alicia Ge (Year 10), commenced the Year 11 Extension 1 Course and had lessons apart from their cohorts. Now in the Year 12 Extension 2 cohort for 2023, Pymble Mathematics teachers were able to recognise the girls’ potential and organise for them to accelerate. “They are now thriving; they’re stimulated by the older students and their knowledge and as their teacher it is such a joy to watch them go from strength to strength,” says Mrs Kerr.

Amber has long been identified by the Australian Mathematics Trust and her list of achievements for the year include: an invitation to the AMOC Selection School, a bronze certificate in the Australian Mathematics Olympiad, selection for the AMOC Mentor Program, a high distinction in the UNSW Schools' Mathematics

Competition, a bronze certificate in the AMOC Senior Contest, an invitation to the AMOC School of Excellence, an invitation to the A-Level Tournament of the Towns, tawarded the Best in School and the Peter O'Halloran Award for the Australian Mathematics Competition, awarded an A-Prize for the Australian Intermediate Olympiad and equal third in Australia for the Junior A-Level Tournament of the Towns competition.

“I have really enjoyed doing accelerated mathematics at school,” says Amber, who hopes to one day study mathematics at Cambridge University. “It has allowed me to challenge myself and explore interesting topics, and I am very grateful to my teachers and the school for giving me this opportunity. Doing Mathematics

Olympiad competitions has also been rewarding; it is very challenging but has introduced me to many topics that are not covered in school, and there is nothing more satisfying than the experience of finding a solution to a problem that seemed impossible at first!”

Alicia, who received a prize in the Australian Mathematics competition, says the accelerated classes have been a “wonderful opportunity for me to challenge myself”. “The Year 12 class has been very welcoming and has allowed me to communicate and share ideas with others doing the same topic in a more stimulating environment. I find Maths, especially Extension 2 Maths, to be both fun and rewarding. Hopefully (if next year goes well) I can finish Maths by the end of 2023 and then focus on my other subjects in Year 12.”

WATCH US ENGINEER THE FUTURE

Pymble girls go for green and gold!

Representing Australia in sport is one of the highest accolades, and in 2022 six of our students were selected to represent Australia in international competitions across a range of sports. This year, the following girls were honoured with Gold Colours, an Australian Representative Award at the Pymble Sports Dinner in November and induction onto the Australian Representatives honour boards in the PE Centre. Congratulations to:

Sienna Bond (Year 12) – selected in the Oceania Athletics Championships in Mackay held in July of this year.

Olivia Inkster (Year 12) – selected to compete at the World Under 20

Athletics Championships in Cali, Columbia in August of this year.

Gabriella Taylor (Year 11) –selected in the Oceania Athletics Championships in Mackay held in July of this year.

Nea Shingler (Year 12) – selected into the Australian Open and Junior Orienteering team to compete at the World Championships this year.

Rhiannon Castle (Year 11) – selected into the Australian Junior Biathlon team which competed in the Junior World Biathlon Championship held in March of this held in Soldier Hollow in United States of America.

2022 SPORTING HIGHLIGHTS

After two years of COVID-disrupted sports programs, it has been wonderful for our girls to compete in a full sports program this year. Some of the highlights for 2022 included:

Wins in the overall point score trophies for the following igsa carnival sports: Swimming Rowing, Cross Country and Athletics, with second places in Diving and Artistic Gymnastics.

igsa Championship wins in Football (Senior Firsts, Junior Firsts and Year 7 Firsts), Netball (Senior Firsts and Year 7 Firsts) and Hockey (Senior Firsts), with Basketball Senior Firsts finishing in second place.

OTHER HIGHLIGHTS INCLUDE:

• Senior Firsts Football winning the Independent Schools Cup

• Outstanding results at the Australian Track & Field Championships (five gold medals, two silver medals, five bronze medals) and the NSW Track and Field Championships (12 gold medals, 11 silver medals and four bronze medals)

• Rowing winning the overall point score trophy, plus wins in the Year 8 First Quad, Year 9 First Quad, Year 10 First Quad and Second Eight at the NSW Schoolgirls Head of the River, with the First Eight finishing in second place.

• Five divers and 18 swimmers competing for Pymble at the NSW All Schools Swimming and Diving Championships

• Surfing winning the Lifeline High School Surf Challenge for the first time.

• Pymble winning the Fencing NSW Roberta Nutt Shield for overall champion school, achieving the highest point score across all disciplines.

• Our combined Year 5 and 6 Pymble Netball team won the NSW Netball Schools Cup.

• In Tennis, Pymble qualified for National All Schools for the first time in four years.

• IPSHA Year 6 Firsts Tennis team were undefeated in Term 4, 2022 competition.

• In Volleyball, Pymble won the long-standing Santa Sabina Invitational Volleyball Competition Open's Division 1 grade for the first time ever.

PYMBLE TENNIS ACADEMY LAUNCHES

To launch the new Pymble Tennis Academy, a Pro-Am tournament was held at the College, including current and former professional players. The weather wasn’t kind on the day, so the event was held indoors. The Pymble Tennis Academy heralds strategic improvements to enhance our existing programs and to offer broader reach to parents, siblings and the wider community. To learn more, please visit our new micro-site: www.pymbletennis.com.au.

THE VILLAGE CHAMPIONSHIP – AFGHAN CULTURAL FESTIVAL AND FOOTBALL MATCH

Held in March at Pymble, this initiative was an excellent example of how we support others in need through sport, aligning with the College’s Social Intelligence Strategic Pillar. Several hundred Pymble and Afghan refugee community members gathered on Main Oval to raise awareness of people’s experiences in Afghan communities locally and overseas. Attendees watched a football match held between Pymble and the Afghan team, whilst being treated to an array of cultural food. The initiative raised approximately $40,000 in support of several Afghan charities, including the Her Village Foundation.

INDIGENOUS ROUND OF SPORT

To acknowledge Reconciliation Week, we held an Indigenous Round of Sport where we celebrated our Indigenous culture, and the role sport plays in bringing us together as a nation. Joined by Loreto Normanhurst, Abbotsleigh, Meriden School and students from St Ives Rugby Club, Lindfield Rugby Club and Gordon Rugby - The Highlanders Club, the event commenced with a welcome ceremony that was followed by several sporting fixtures in Tennis, Basketball, Football and Rugby Sevens.

FIVE THINGS YOU DIDN’T KNOW ABOUT PYMBLE SWIMMING

1. Pymble Swimming takes children from six months of age, all the way through to our competitive Squad Swimming program. Babies to Olympians is the plan.

2. We focus on technique over distance – swim technically well first then the distance and endurance will follow. You can't do the reverse.

3. We are a community-focused swimming school, meaning we also provide swimming lessons and squad swimming opportunities to non-Pymble students.

4. Our Pymble igsa Swimming team has won the last five igsa Swimming Championships under the guidance of our Head Coach, Miss Leanne Speechley.

5. We have recently introduced a 6.00pm Learn to Swim timeslot for those who wish to swim later, and we will be introducing Learn to Swim classes on Saturday afternoons in Term 1, 2023.

A phenomenal year for Performing Arts

As the new Director of Co-curricular Performing Arts from August of this year, I am proud to lead the thriving and dynamic programs of Pymble’s Performing Arts in collegiality with Miss Katrina Cluff, Head of Dance, Ms Jo Martin, Head of Drama, Mrs Bronwyn Hubbard, Head of Language Arts and Mrs Sarah Turner, Head of Co-curricular Music.

Pymble has a rich heritage of achievement in all areas of the Performing Arts. In this regard, I wish to acknowledge the distinguished achievements of Mrs Sabina Turner who has proudly served the College in the Performing Arts and especially Music for 37 years.

As we celebrate students’ achievements in the many Performing Arts events across 2022 in this section, we are also looking forward to exploring Performing Art projects in 2023 that profoundly unite the areas of Music, Language Arts, Drama and Dance.

These projects will be driven by the overall vision of heritage embraced by innovation and will explore the exciting potential of digitally enhanced, spatially liberated spaces where Pymble can share and collaborate in performance events with other students from other schools locally, nationally and internationally.

DRAMA

Co-curricular Drama numbers have risen significantly with more than 500 students taking classes in Eisteddfod teams, Theatre Sports, Drama Skills and Filmmaking, culminating in some highly successful results in Theatre Sports Competitions and also in the Sydney and Ryde Eisteddfods.

Co-curricular Drama students graced the stage in two outstanding productions in 2023. Pride and Prejudice was an innovative and stylishly exuberant interpretation of Jane Austen’s classic, while Peter Pan offered more than 40 Year 7 to 9 students the opportunity to explore a magical yet complex world where their skills in stage craft and characterisation were developed in a joyously energetic production.

In the June/July holidays, 30 students from Pymble explored the glorious theatrical landscapes of England and France and witnessed iconic productions such as The Crucible and Grease. The students also experienced a number of workshops that richly enhanced their knowledge a range of dramatic forms.

The 2023 Drama Showcase, held over five nights in November, offered students the opportunity to perform in the beautiful Gillian Moore Centre for Performing Arts and all students from Kindergarten to Year 12 were able to celebrate their achievements of the year under lights and in costume before highly appreciative audiences.

DANCE Stories in the Sand

The Dance year concluded with a sensational Dance Showcase Stories in the Sand. The showcase was a compilation of thematic routines that took our audience on a journey of our diverse and rich Australian history, experiences, culture and perspectives. Our Eisteddfod group worked hard in consultation with Rikki Mason, a First Nations senior artist from the Bangarra Dance Theatre, to create a stunning opening routine with the overarching theme of coming together. With five performances and more than 500 students involved, the students provided thought-provoking, entertaining and sentimental routines which our 2,000 audience members embraced. We were also 'wowed' by our newly formed Pymble Alumni Dance Group that performed for the first time!

DanceLife Unite Nationals

Pymble’s dancers also wowed audiences as they took to the stage at Big Top Luna Park for the Dancelife Unite Australia Nationals.

Our Contemporary White team came away with second place, while our Jazz White team was awarded first place in the High School Jazz section and also crowned the overall national champions. The Jazz White team was then invited to perform at the showcase Grand Final.

Our Pymble Dance program offers an Eisteddfod stream for talented dancers who wish to excel, be challenged and be part of a dedicated team.

Higher School Certificate

We are so Pymble proud of our three 2022 Year 12 HSC Dance students who received multiple Dance CALLBACK Nominations for their HSC performances. Congratulations girls!

• Fiona Fu - Core Performance and Major Study Performance

• Delta Zarafetas - Core Performance, Core Composition and Major Study Performance

• Jessica Tse - Core Performance, Core Composition and Major Study Performance

Ballet Examinations

At the end of November, 90 students from Kindergarten to Year 10 participated in a Royal Academy of Dance Class Award or Examination across three days. All the students enjoyed the experience of presenting their syllabus work to an examiner and all did a wonderful job.

MUSIC

After two years of COVID restrictions the Music Department was excited for all music ensembles to return to the rehearsal room. Concerts were back in full swing, and it was exciting for students across Kindergarten to Year 12 to have a busy calendar of performances with many musical highlights.

After eight weeks of rehearsals and four amazing performances, Mamma Mia - The Musical lit up the stage of the Gillian Moore Centre for Performing Arts. Seen by over 2,000 people, the cast, crew and orchestra delivered an outstanding performance that was enjoyed by all.

For the third consecutive year, the Senior School Chamber Strings took out the coveted prize at the City of Sydney Eisteddfod. Under the direction of Mrs Narelle Colbey, the students dazzled the adjudicator with their musicality.

The Term 2 Ensemble Concert Auf Wiedersehen, saw the farewell to the College’s beloved Director of Cocurricular Performing Arts, Mrs Sabina Turner. After 37 years of dedicated service, current students and over 50 exstudents from across all areas of Performing Arts honoured her commitment to the College.

The College Piano Trio, consisting of Gabby Zhong (Year 11), Ella Liu (Year 9) and Aine Oo (Year 9) performed at the finals of the Musica Viva Strike a Chord competition. The girls travelled to Melbourne to compete at the Melbourne Concert Hall. From over 120 applications, 12 ensembles were selected as finalists. In addition, the Piano Trio were the only school ensemble selected from New South Wales to compete. While the trio did not place, this was a wonderful achievement for the students to perform along some very talented musicians and play in one of Australia’s best concert halls.

For the first time in three years, students from the Junior School embraced the easing of COVID restrictions and were able to perform at their annual Ensemble Concert. With over 300 students from bands, choirs and orchestras in full swing, it was a night of great fun, fine music and musical excellence.

The Music year ended in the College Chapel with students from Kindergarten to Year 12 celebrating the Christmas season. Through music and song, the College choirs, string ensembles and Symphony Orchestra once again showcase their musical skill through a concert that celebrated musical diversity. Through a wide variety of genres and styles it was an uplifting and wonderful occasion to end the year and share in the birth of Jesus Christ.

LANGUAGE ARTS

2022 was a year of growth and success in each of the four exciting areas of Language Arts: Debating, Public Speaking, Mock Law and Model United Nations. For the first time we had a Language Arts’ prefect Meera Barani and captains for each area. Alyssa Yee, Captain of Debating; Angie Wang, Captain of Public Speaking; Christine Hur, Captain of Mock Law and Isabella Cameron, Captain of Model United Nations all proved excellent mentors, advocates and ambassadors. They promoted new initiatives and their enthusiastic and capable leadership added vibrancy to all our offerings. Pleasingly, there is an ever-growing interest in Language Arts.

This year we launched a Social Debating competition which proved popular amongst our students. This offered beginner debaters a platform and over ten teams were entered. We also offered the usual competition Debating through ISDA, FED, Archdale and IDC, International Debating Championships. Again, we progressed to finals in all competitions. Our Year 8 debaters did exceptionally well.

A highlight of the Language Arts year was hosting the Festival of Speech. This is an annual igsa event and we were pleased to present a fantastic, live and creative event after two years of online festivals. A separate report is found in this publication.

A number of students have progressed to state and national levels, both in Public Speaking and Model United Nations competitions, while our Mock Law Mediators made it through to the grand final for the second year. Our dedicated coaches, committed girls and supportive parents have worked together to make 2022 the biggest and best year of Language Arts.

Black Watch Ties

FROM THE ESU PRESIDENT

I am delighted to report that our first ‘Passion Project’ grant has supported the creation of an Alumni Dance Group. The group is offering open classes with guest teachers and will potentially enter a group into Open Age Eisteddfods in 2023. The group performed at Pymble’s end-of-year Dance Showcase in November. Congratulations to Phoebe Walker (2018) for getting this group up and running. I am looking forward to seeing Pymble girls continue their love of dance after they leave school in the years to come. If you are interested in getting involved or have a ‘Passion Project’ idea of your own, please get in touch via the Exstudents' Union (ESU) or the Alumni Office. I am looking forward to seeing this, and other ESU projects continue to grow throughout 2023 and beyond.

My tenure as ESU President has come to an end as of November 2022 after a very challenging three years. I am so grateful to the many wonderful Committee Members who have made the role of President so enjoyable over the past three years. All that the ESU is able to achieve is truly a group effort. I am looking forward to continuing my involvement in the ESU Committee as a Committee Member next year and handing over the reins to our new President, Fiona Walmsley (McGeachie, 1996). Fiona is a mum of two, Grace (Year 9, Pymble 2023), and Ben (Year 5, Knox 2023). She works in sustainability, currently as the General Manager of Climate & Environment for Woolworths Group. She is passionate about fostering the links in our ‘unending chain’ of Pymble students and keeping our incredible Pymble alumni connected with

the College and with each other. When I asked what she is looking forward to, Fiona said, “I am looking forward to working with the ESU committee and the College to build upon the wonderful work that has been done over the past few years, even with the significant challenges presented by the pandemic.”

There are many wonderful women who have dedicated their time and commitment to the ESU. Thank you to Kate Soonius (2018), our Treasurer, who is also stepping down this year. Kate has been extremely diligent in this role and has ensured that the ESU’s funds are managed with prudence and good governance. I also wish to particularly thank Susan Kench (1987), who has been an outstanding Secretary for the last two years. Victoria Muller (Murray, 1992) has also stepped up this year as Vice President and has been an amazing support. All these ladies have gone above and beyond in so many ways and I truly don’t know what I would have done without them.

Thank you also to Katrina Corcoran, our wonderful Alumni Relations Manager and Kelly Mancey, Director –Community Engagement & Advancement. Both these ladies, along with our Principal, Dr Kate Hadwen, have provided ongoing support of the ESU. We truly value the close and collaborative relationship that we continue to have with the College.

Zoë Wang

(Moore,

1994) President, Ex-students' Union

FROM THE ALUMNI RELATIONS MANAGER

It is wonderful to look back on a full year at Pymble that has not been interrupted by the talk of COVID or the threat of yet another lockdown. The College campus has been alive with the celebrations of our Alumni reconnecting in person once again – many of us with an extra two years of news to catch up on.

We celebrated with our incredible Pymble Commonwealth Medallists in Birmingham. Mackenzie Little (2014) won silver for Australia and surpassed her own personal best distance in the women’s javelin at the same time. Brittany O’Brien (2016) also won silver in the women’s onemetre springboard displaying grace, courage and true Pymble spirit as she fought back from near retirement. And Ellyse Perry (2008) made us Pymble proud along with the Australian women’s cricket team as they won Commonwealth gold.

Closer to home, we were thrilled to learn of Dr Michelle Mulligan’s OAM (1982) inclusion in the Queen’s Birthday Honours List. Michelle received an Order of Australia medal for her service to medicine, particularly anaesthesia. Amanda Farrar PSM (1986) was also honoured with a Public Service Medal for outstanding public service to arts and culture in New South Wales. Huge honours, both highly deserved.

Our principal Dr Kate Hadwen was delighted to connect with our ex-patriot alumni in London and New York when away for her academic sabbatical. There was lots of

wonderful conversation and reminiscing of past Pymble days. Closer to home the ESU hosted our Alumni Networking Event at KPMG at Barrangaroo and back at Pymble we hosted our annual ex-student mother’s and grandmother’s morning tea, attended Commemoration Day Chapel Service with our wonderful ESU choir and sadly farewelled Mrs Sabina Turner (1975) after an incredible 37 years of service to the College. We rounded the year off with the famous Garden Party where the ESU champagne stall was the busiest of all.

As we enter 2023 we look forward to another wonderful year of reuniting and reconnecting.

Katrina Corcoran Alumni Relations Manager

REFLECTIONS OF A RETIREE

Over my 37 years of teaching at Pymble Ladies’ College, I have worked for four principals; Miss Jeanette Buckham, Mrs Gillian Moore, Mrs Vicki Waters and Dr Kate Hadwen. What an incredible journey that has been and I am blessed to have been given so many amazing opportunities and experiences, both professional and personal, by these significant women.

I have led 14 overseas Music Performance Tours to Europe, Scandinavia, the UK, USA, Japan and China, performing with the girls in significant venues around the world, worked with world-acclaimed musicians, artists and performers, directed and produced countless musical productions, shows and concerts but most importantly facilitated hundreds of students to explore, experience and develop their own musical journey.

I started as a Kindergarten to Year 11 classroom Music teacher in 1990, then shifted focus to the Junior School for a while until Miss Buckham finally agreed to introduce music as an elective subject into Year 9, inviting me back to the College to teach it. I returned again in 1973 at Rosalie Ramsay’s request to bring singing to life in the Junior School, accepted the position of Director of Music K-12 offered to me by Gillian Moore in 1999, and last but not least created the role of Director of Co-curricular Performing Arts. Over all these years, I have witnessed extraordinary growth and development, progressive and adventurous change and had the rewarding pleasure of teaching hundreds of girls over several generations.

The privilege and responsibility of having such an influence and impact on the lives of so many, introducing them to music and its boundless pleasures, or witnessing a young student find her singing voice for the first time, eyes wide with wonder as she experiences that joy of lifting her voice either solo or joined with many others in a choir is truly humbling and very rewarding. Music particularly, but all the arts have been guiding passion and it is this that I have always tried to transfer to the girls.

So what has kept me at Pymble?

The physical beauty of our campus, the beautiful gardens and grounds and the stature of the architecture have been my “haven in the trees” (Luke Byrne Aurora 2016) for so many years, and the history, foundations and spirit of the College have sustained me.

But a haven needs people and they are the lifeblood of

such a place. The staff, so professional, collegial but also many over the years who have become true and steadfast friends, the students, the parents and the whole Pymble community are what truly makes Pymble such a special place and one in which I have thrived.

The culture, the pursuit of doing your best, knowing that in the end you have given it your very best shot – even if you haven’t ‘won’ – that you can learn from your mistakes, re-evaluate, take on feedback and have another go, and the defining core values that underpin all that we do, allow the freedom and courage to dream big, act big and achieve big.

This past month or so has been so re-affirming but also very humbling from the mountains of emails, cards and good wishes I have received from current and past students and parents. For those who have done so, my heartfelt thanks for your good wishes and kind and generous words. I am truly grateful. Maybe I have made a difference and left a legacy that has served the girls and the College well. I hope so. In the words of Pericles, “What you leave behind is not what is engraved on stone monuments, but what is woven into the lives of others”.

So now that I have turned the page and am about to embark on a new chapter in my life – one which contains more time with my family and grandchildren, expanding my marriage celebrancy work, more time for concert and theatre going, golf, gardening, travelling and doing all those things I’ve never had time for – I look to the future with excitement and anticipation of what lies ahead, but also look back with gratitude and humble thanks for all Pymble has given me in my life.

Mrs Sabina Turner (Scales, 1975)

Notices

ENGAGEMENTS

Jordan Dale (2014) is thrilled to announce her engagement to Benjamin Moss (Knox Grammar School, 2014). The couple were engaged on 17 December 2021.

WEDDINGS

Anna Dobrijevic (2011) married Jake Baker in the College Chapel on 29 January 2022, followed by a reception at Avondale Golf Club. Anna’s Maid of Honour was Ellen Dobrijevic (2012).

Sophia Mitchell (2019) married Nathan Read in Hobart on 2 February 2022. Her 2019 classmates Grace Jarvis, Sophie Papadimitriou, Kimberley Laidlaw and Cate Jones (Maid of Honour) were in attendance, as well as Sophia’s sisters Natasha, Elise, Amelia, Katrina and Kiri – all Pymble girls.

Evie Murdoch (2012) married Jacob Hacker (Kings, 2011) at the beautiful country farm ‘Waldara’ in Oberon, NSW in early April 2022. Still pursuing

her love of agriculture after leaving Pymble, Evie had her heart set on being married in a regional location surrounded by family and friends. She was supported by four bridesmaids, including Maid of Honour Natasha Bridges (2012) and Jacob and Evie’s beautiful border collie Dougal.

Olivia Black (2009) married Nathan Aberle (Brighton Grammar, 2008) on 25 February at Port Phillip Estate in Red Hill, Victoria. Ex-students in attendance were Gabrielle Wharton, Bridesmaid (Landford, 2009), Ruhi McIntyre (Malhotra, 2009), Stephanie George (Cook, 2009), Melissa Cripps (2009).

BIRTHS

Amy Macey (Rhynehart, 2003) and husband Eugene welcomed a daughter, Georgia Ashlyn Macey born on 27 September 2021 in Singapore.

Laura Rowe (Glase, 2017) and husband Philip welcomed a beautiful

baby boy named Elijah on 27 January 2022. He is the first child for Laura and Philip.

Claudia Davis (Chapple, 2008) and husband Brendan are proud to announce the safe arrival of their baby girl – Adelaide Sophia Davis on January 26 2022.

Georgia Luk (nee Sunito, 2010) and husband Edward Luk welcomed their first child, Joshua Patrick Wang Yau Luk, into the world on 15 January 2022.

Laura McNamara (Matich, 2007) and husband Max welcomed their first child, son Flynn James McNamara on 24 August 2021.

Jessica Cale (2007) and her husband, Joel Titmarsh, are thrilled to announce the birth of their son, Beau David Titmarsh, born on 13 December 2021. Beau is the nephew of Emily Cale (2005) and Alicia (2010).

VALE

Lady Averil Spender (McLeod, 1947) passed peacefully on 11 February 2022, following a stroke at the age of 92. Averil’s son Philip proudly informed the College that Averil “very much enjoyed her years at the school, and spoke of them fondly”. Philip also stated, “My mother was also very proud and delighted regarding the article that appeared in the Pymbulletin December 2012 ‘Friendships forever’ following her 65th Year Reunion.”

Laura Neal (Brown, 1944) passed away with family by her side on 29 January aged 95 after a short illness.

Born in 1928, Laura had an unparalleled zest for life. She loved school and relished the ferry trips in the 1940s to Fort St. High School for Girls, Pymble Ladies’ College, and eventually Sydney University. In 1951, Laura backpacked alone through South Arica and up through Egypt to India.

Shortly after returning to Australia, Laura was invited by Sir William Hudson to join the public relations department of the newly-formed Snowy Mountains Hydroelectric Authority - the first female to join the team. Fighting old superstitions that it was bad luck to allow women into the tunnels, Laura visited the sites of future dams and tunnels to interview and photograph the workers. She also provided radio dispatches for the ABC.

Laura was based in the Cooma area for almost 40 years, during which time she married a young engineer, Rod Neal, and had five children. She taught English at the local TAFE, worked with the Cooma Community Contact Group recording oral histories, and authored numerous publications, including Cooma

Country. Laura traveled with friends to Berlin to attend Oberammagau at the same time as the unfolding events around the fall of the Berlin Wall. Later she traveled with friends to Nepal where she trekked through the Himalayas.

In the early 1990s, Laura returned to the Manly area where she remained for the next 30 years, continuing to teach English as a Second Language at local TAFEs along the Northern Beaches.

The memories of her optimistic outlook and zest for adventure, along with her love for Manly, will live forever in the hearts of those who knew her.

Fae Alison Bown (Emmett, 1960), born 4 July 1943, passed away peacefully in Hobart with husband Robert Bown at her side on 23 January 2022. She was 78.

Fae grew up in Wagga Wagga, New South Wales and attended Pymble Ladies' College for her secondary education, boarding in Goodlet House. She had a beautiful singing voice, and I’m afraid we embarrassed her at times with requests for a performance. She was a Prefect in her final school year. After leaving Pymble, she studied Pharmacy at the University of Sydney and during this period she met her future husband, marrying him in 1966 in the Pymble Chapel. They moved to Hobart where they started their family of two girls and three boys and where Robert practiced medicine as an anaesthetist during the next part of their lives together.

It was a very happy marriage. Family life was a priority. As the family grew, Fae’s outside commitments became many and varied. After achieving an

M.Sc. in Pharmacology, she became Chair of the Board of Mary Ogilvy Home, where the Bown Wing was named in her honour. She was also President of the Queen Mary Club, a local ladies club.

Fae’s mother and mine were first cousins. We met for the first time in the same class of the same year at Pymble in 1956. Vale Fae. May she rest in peace.

Diana Rose (Ferguson 1963) passed away suddenly in Taree in June 2022, aged 75 years.

Diana started at Pymble Ladies' College during 1955 in Year 3. She enjoyed her time at Pymble, finishing in 1963 as a Prefect and Head of Lang House. Di used to tell great stories about her Pymble days, her teachers, and friends, many of whom she kept in contact with her whole life. Di graduated from Pymble and attended Sydney University achieving a B.A and started working with a mineral and exporting company in North Sydney.

In 1972, she married Dr Colin Rose and they made a life together in Taree. Colin and Di had three children, Andrew, Alex and Tim. Di became heavily involved in the Taree community as a doctor’s wife and through many organisations such as

Diana Rose (nee Ferguson, 1963)

Meals on Wheels, Family Daycare and in the children’s school. Diana was awarded an Order of Australia (OAM) in 2015 for her service to the Taree community.

As her children grew older and became Boarders at the Scots College and Pymble, she enjoyed involving herself in the Boarders’ Parents Associations, attending lots of sporting games and garden parties. Di loved her garden, travelling and above all her five grandchildren.

Diana was a true Pymble lady, continuing a long family history with the college and its beginnings. The Reverend John Ferguson was the founding Chairman of the College from 1913 to 1923 and George Ferguson, his grandson was Chairman of the College whilst Diana was a student. It gave Diana great pleasure when her daughter Alex Walker (Rose 1995) attended the college as a Boarder in Marden House and to see two of her granddaughters Catherine Walker (Year 10) and Emily Walker (Year 8) currently attend the College.

Di will be dearly missed by her family and many friends.

Written by friend Edwina Maher (Dight 1963) and daughter Alex Walker (Rose 1995).

Jean Heather Baalman (Frater, 1951)

26 December 1934 – 9 August 2022, aged 87 years. Late of Narraburra.

Jean Heather Baalman – daughter of Andrew Keith Frater and Elsie Elizabeth Mary Schleibs, and mother of David, Malcolm, Elspeth and Penny – passed away on Tuesday 9 August 2022 at the West Wyalong Waratah Retirement Village.

REUNIONS

After two years of not being able to host reunions due to Covid lockdowns, we were thrilled to invite the ladies back to the College, or offsite, for their reunion. This year alone, we had three international reunions, three interstate reunions and twenty-five year group reunions.

1954 – 68 Year Reunion

A luncheon was held on Sunday 30 July after the annual Commemoration Day Service in the College Chapel. The ladies gathered in a Colonnade Classroom, rejoicing in the longevity of their relationships and memories of their school days.

1997 – 25 Year Reunion

On Saturday 17 September, the Class of ’97 celebrated twenty five years. We were so excited to have 80 girls join in the celebrations at Cabana Bar in Sydney for a night of beautiful canapés and drinks. We were very lucky to enjoy a gorgeous Sydney spring evening with lots to share and catch up on since our last reunion five years ago. Girls travelled from far and wide with many having moved to regional and country areas in the last few years. We had girls travelling from all over NSW, flying in from around Australia and an even a special trip from Singapore just for the night was made. While many of us still remain in close contact and see each other regularly it was a truly special night to see so many of us from school together again with lifelong friendships proving to be as strong as ever.

Happy 75th Birthday to our majestic Jacaranda Tree

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.

A lot 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 22 November 1946, Princess Alice, Duchess of Gloucester, made her first visit to Pymble Ladies’ College. She arrived at 12.30pm so subtly many students continued chatting, not realising her presence. Together with Mr Vicars (Chairman), Mr McIlrath (Ex-Chairman) and Miss Knox (Principal), the Duchess of Gloucester enjoyed a lunch, waited on by Ruth Gray (Head Prefect) and Wendy Corner (Senior House Prefect).

At 1.15pm, she visited the Preparatory School where she entered the assembly hall and was given a polite but elated welcome by the students. She was presented with a posy, and it was then that Miss Knox announced that a Jacaranda was to be planted in memory of her visit in replacement of an Acacia tree that had sat there previously. Three delighted cheers later, the Duchess of Gloucester left.

In the year 1947 on 25 February after assembly, the visit was commemorated by Miss Knox, staff, prefects and class captains who took part in a ceremony planting a Jacaranda Tree in Gloucester Lawn. Miss Knox spoke of the honour conferred on the College by the visit of Her Royal Highness, and explained she was not able to plant it on the occasion of her visit the previous year due to time constraints.

In 1983, Mrs Raj Ram, a long-serving Science teacher at the College suggested the commencement of a Jacaranda Day Service.

During this service, the College gathers in spring when the tree is in full bloom to distribute gifts and money to various charities.“Every year, this majestic Jacaranda flowers at this time of great rush and stress, as though to convey to us, through its serene and tranquil beauty, a message of peace, harmony and hope for mankind. We should, indeed, be grateful for its message of selflessness and trust in humanity.” – Mrs Raj Ram, Science Teacher (1984)

This was only the beginning of the College’s celebration of the Jacaranda Tree. On 28 July 1996, a group of exstudents gifted the Chapel one of its windows, marking the 80th anniversary of the College. To this day, the window sends streams of purple into services.

In 2016, Pymble Ladies’ College’s Year 2 students dedicated a charming story to the Duchess of Gloucester and her visit in 1946. With the help of Mrs Jacqueline Harvey, class 2E created a colourful and detailed book that allowed them to better understand the long history of the College.

Written and researched by Heritage Archive volunteer Rachel (Year 10). Rachel and Angelina (Year 10) are curating a creative display around the Jacaranda Tree.

Where are they now?

ANNEKA DEATON (1995)

Throughout my time at Pymble, I thrived competing in any sports and looked forward to all outdoor activities and camps. I had no idea what I wanted to do with my career, but I knew I wanted to avoid a desk job and was keen to figure out how to combine travel and adventure with employment.

In Year 11, there were lots of ads on TV about joining the Air Force, and a visit to Defence Recruiting piqued my interest. I decided to join the Air Force, moving to the Australian Defence Force Academy (ADFA) in Canberra in 1996, with a plan to become a Logistics Supply officer. ADFA provided subsidised accommodation and meals, a free degree, and paid us a wage – it sounded like a good deal to me!

Even upon my arrival at ADFA, I still viewed being there as ‘Plan B’ whilst I figured out my other options. I had to make a decision by the end of my second year about remaining at ADFA and in the Air Force, as my Return of Service Obligation (ROSO) would commence in my third year,

and I would be committed to seven years of service. This seemed like forever at the time, however by my second year I was having a great time, had still not figured out a ‘Plan A’, so decided to stay.

I figured if I was going to stay in the Air Force, I should probably have a go at being a pilot.

I never grew up gazing at the sky or thinking that being a pilot was anything amazing, at the time I just thought it seemed to be the pinnacle of options, so why not have a go!

This turned out to be easier said than done. In the end, I had to complete a year of Mechanics of Flight as part of my degree and apply for an education waiver due to not doing Physics or Chemistry in Year 11 and 12. I also needed a medical waiver, due to a prior shoulder reconstruction leaving metal screws and rods in my shoulder. I eventually got both waivers, and fast forward two more years, with a bunch of persistence throughout the recruiting process to get there, I began pilot training in Tamworth in

January 2000.

The pilot course was long and arduous and extremely challenging, and whilst the flying was amazing, being the only female on a course of 35 competitive men was a steep learning curve, one that I was probably not well enough prepared for.

After completing the first six months of basic training, I moved to Perth to fly the PC-9 (Roulette aircraft) at RAAF Pearce for advanced training. The pilot course has roughly a 50 per cent failure rate, and somehow, I survived the rollercoaster and graduated with my wings in 2001. I was the 12th female to receive my wings in the Air Force.

My graduation from pilot course fell on 14 September 2001, three days after ‘September 11’. This event obviously changed the world, and it definitely changed the trajectory of my career in the military. Whilst it is weird to reflect upon it, when I joined the military three weeks after my 18th birthday, no one had sat me down and really made me think about the fact that it is a war machine

and there was a chance I could go to war. Australia hadn’t seen conflict since the end of the Vietnam War in 1973 – before I was born. I didn’t really consider the ethics of war, nor the politics of the decision making behind the war machine. I was just young and seeking adventure. As we sat in Perth with my family who had just arrived from Sydney for my pilot course graduation, watching the events of September 11 unfold, I knew that Australia would follow the USA's response to the attacks, and that it was now very likely that I could be going to war.

With my wings achieved, I could finally take a little breath, recover and try and enjoy myself. There were still challenges ahead, though in a much more supportive environment, and I now had to learn to fly a new aircraft, with four huge turboprop engines and a crew of up to 20.

I was posted to RAAF Base Edinburgh in Adelaide and began my conversion onto the P-3C Orion Aircraft. The P3 is traditionally a maritime patrol aircraft, however throughout my eight years flying this morphed into overland Intelligence Surveillance and Reconnaissance (ISR) as well. We were known as the ‘quiet achievers’ as most of the operations we complete don’t make the news, but the search for Tony Bullimore in

1997 and the remains of MH370 in 2015 are examples of our traditional maritime roles. Our ISR roles are less well known and evolved into directly supporting troops on the ground in Iraq and Afghanistan.

My tour on the P3 saw me progress to become a Captain, the second of only three females to achieve their captaincy in Australia on the P3 throughout its more than 50 years of service.

I completed three tours of Iraq, my final as Captain, in charge of 13 men on my crew. I enjoyed the challenge and the multi-faceted roles of leadership, achieving mission objectives, teamwork and flying a military aircraft in real world operations. I conducted operations and exercises throughout the world, as far north as Canada, east to the USA, west to Iraq, throughout South East Asia and culminating as far south as landing on an ice runway in Antarctica aboard a New Zealand P3. I worked with many other nations and forged long-lasting friendships both in Australia and abroad. It turned out that joining the Air Force, and especially in becoming a pilot within the Air Force, ticked all my boxes of providing me with a challenge, travel, adventure and – avoiding a desk!

These days things are much slower paced.

I still work at RAAF Edinburgh, supporting many of the guys and girls I used to fly with, as a mission planning specialist, which basically means I work with digital maps. I enjoy not travelling as much and being home and hanging out with my family – partner Aren, and our kids Avalon, eight, and Eddie, nearly five. Raising kids seems to provide enough of a challenge, and I enjoy going on

adventures with them and seeing the world through their eyes. Whilst life has moved on, I think I’m still ticking the boxes that were once my high priority, only in a different way.

I still work for the Air Force as a reservist, largely in the gender space – I run a group called Women’s Integrated Networking Group (WINGs) which is aimed at providing both professional development and networking to Air Force women who may be working in non-traditional roles and isolated from other women in their working environment. I am also a qualified high performance coach and provide both training and one-on-one coaching to Air Force men and women.

I’m excited to see the progress that the military is making in supporting women in their careers by providing coaching and mentoring from an early stage and employing recruitment and retention strategies to support women throughout all phases of their career.

There are more women moving up the ranks, many more pilots and aircrew than there has ever been and more role models for young women to emulate. I’m hoping a friend of mine will be Chief of the Air Force within the next decade or so and smash a lot of barriers for future generations along the way!

WATCH US BREAK THE CEILING