Our Cattle Team Champions!

From the Principal

Greetings from my desk at Pymble, where I have just returned from Jerusalem. 

Why was I in Israel? Well, late last year, I was approached by the Board of March of the Living (MOTL) Australia to consider joining two other selected community members (Olympic swimmer Ian Thorpe and award-winning journalist Nick McKenzie) on the MOTL program during the recent school holiday break.

MOTL is a for-purpose, not-for-profit organisation dedicated to remembering the six million Jews who perished in the Holocaust. The program is an inclusive and immersive educational experience of “going where history books can’t”, which includes visiting Auschwitz-Birkenau and speaking with, and learning from, Holocaust survivors. The Board was keen to revive the program, post-COVID, and decided to invite non-Jewish community leaders who they felt could use this experience to promote social justice for future generations. Next year, I hope we can offer MOTL as one of several international service-learning opportunities for our students, along with supporting local schools and community in Tanzania and refugees in Athens and Thessaloniki, Greece. These programs will sit alongside our extensive national and local service programs we are proud to offer at the College.

Being of service to others is a focus of the whole school, embedded into our Watch Us Change the World strategic direction that guides us to build our students’ Social, Emotional, Digital and Academic Intelligences and, ultimately, inspire them to want to make the world a better place. On a local level, we kicked off the year with a College-wide initiative, Pymble Gives Back, to collect much-needed items to support the work of Wayside Chapel, Dignity and Anglicare at Hornsby. We were so proud to see students, families and staff donate bags and bags and bags of clean clothing, new socks and underwear and warm blankets to send on to the charities at the end of Term 1. In Term 2, we will continue to be of service to these organisations and many others.

Should you wish to contribute any of these items to our Term 2 Pymble Gives Back drive, please feel free to email our Community Engagement team via communityengagement@pymblelc.nsw.edu.au or drop off bagged items to our Main Reception. 

Why International Women’s Day matters at Pymble

Each year International Women’s Day (IWD) is marked in our calendar as a day of significance. At an individual and organisational level, supporters are employing increasingly diverse, creative and visible ways to inspire meaningful conversations about inequities for women that still need addressing and, ultimately, action towards gender equity.

 Pymble has engaged in IWD events and initiatives for many years, however, this year we took a few big, bold steps outside our classrooms and campus to encourage change where it will count for our girls in the future. Stepping out of your lane is not always a comfortable experience. We intentionally did so to send a strong message to businesses and organisations that our girls expect an equal playing field, and we do this with the understanding that any feelings of discomfort are a sign that we are learning new things and that tides are turning. For as any changemaker knows, continuing to do the same thing that always makes you feel comfortable is unlikely to have any real impact. That feeling of gentle disruption created by courageous conversations makes me think of the many women, and men, who have championed gender equality in the past. Thank you for your inspiration; our intention is to build on the strong foundation you have laid.

Perhaps you came across some of our 2023 IWD initiatives:

• The magazine we created for the business world, in partnership with The Australian Financial Review, celebrating the unique strengths and skills of incredible female role models, Pymble girls and alumni.

• A campaign called Chairs for Change which we launched with Women on Boards to encourage corporate Australia to remove gender associations from the title of the highest office in business by changing Chairman to Chair. This has since gone global, with companies all over the world signing up.

• Our new Speaking of Change podcast on Apple Podcasts and Spotify featuring the ridiculously inspirational triple athlete and Pymble ex-students Chloe Dalton, who is blazing trails for female athletes.

It was exciting to see our students, past and present, voice their opinions so thoughtfully and respectfully through these channels. They are a credit to our College and our staff, who are passionate about delivering educational excellence and, of equal importance, setting our students up for life beyond Pymble as compassionate and influential women. This always has been, and always will be, our mission.

It’s our time. Watch us change the world.

Dr Kate Hadwen
Principal

Junior School Enrolment Update

With Term 2 underway, we reflect on another engaging term of learning, opportunity and exciting events for our girls, teachers and our parent community. 

Term 1 saw the Junior School welcome over 180 new students with many of these students and their families being new to the college. 

Pymble has many structures in place to support new students and their families. Our Pymble Parent Association (PPA) and our Junior School Parent Group (JSPG) are available from the moment you arrive and regularly schedule events for new families such as the recently held New Parents High Tea. Pymble’s focus on community, inclusivity and wellbeing ensures our newest students and their families settle into the College as seamlessly as possible with a clear sense of belonging.                  

The PPA’s annual Icebreaker parent event held in Week 4 was an opportunity for all parents to enjoy an evening of conversations, connections and canapes. Junior School families have also had the opportunity to enjoy Family play dates, class morning teas, class dinners, Easter egg hunts and the Kindergarten – Year 2 Easter Hat Parade and Windows into Learning events. The upcoming JSPG Family Fun Day and Movie night will be a great opportunity for Junior School families to come together at the end of the second week in Term 2. 

Pymble looks forward to welcoming families who are joining us throughout the year and the coming years. For those families joining in 2024, pre-commencement information and event information will be shared with you in more detail later this year and in the meantime, please save the following dates: 

2024 Kindergarten: Meet the Learning Team – a 30 minute session for new Kindergarten students and their parents – Monday 11 September – Friday 15 September & Monday 18 September – Tuesday 19 September. You will receive a booking link to reserve your meeting on one of these days. 

2024 Kindergarten: 1hour 15 minutes classroom experience (Kindergarten students) and parent session – Wednesday October 11 – Friday October 13. You will receive a booking link to reserve your session on one of these days. 

2024 Kindergarten: 1.5 hours Student & Parents Welcome Morning – Saturday October 14 

2024 Kindergarten: 2 hours Information morning and classroom experience (all Kindergarten students and parents) – Friday October 27  

2024 Year 1 to 6: LINKS Day – New students connect with current students – Friday October 27 

2024 Year 1 to 6: 1.5 hours Student & Parents Welcome Morning – Saturday October 28 

2024 Year 1 to 6: New student orientation – Monday January 29, 2024 (time tbc) 

Please contact Enrolments for any support you may need in the meantime and for College news and updates, please see Pymble’s Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, YouTube and LinkedIn pages. 

Mrs Melinda Clements
Enrolment Manager K-6

Secondary School Enrolment Update

In February we welcomed 120 new Year 7 students to the College. This included 13 new boarders. It is always such a buzz to see them arrive as the girls are so excited with anticipation of a new start.  

Our first two Year 9 groups headed to Vision Valley for their four-week Residential Program in March. Dr Hadwen joined Group 1 onone of their three-day expedition through Bouddi National Park on the Central Coast of NSW and enjoyed spending time with 14 Year 9 Pymble and Riverview students walking from Pretty Beach over to Kilcare and around to Macmasters and Copacabana. Sleeping in a tent by the sea was a special experience for Dr Hadwen, as well as the joy of chatting, singing and preparing dinner with such a dynamic fun group of young people.   

2024 New Students Orientation 

For students confirmed to commence in the Secondary School in 2024, we have the following orientation events scheduled in Term 4 of 2023 to assist with your daughter’s transition.  

Comprehensive information will be shared in July. In the meantime please hold the following dates in your diary:  

• Year 7 + 8 Links Day – Friday 10 November includes current Year 6 and 7 students  
• Year 7 + 8 Boarders sleep-over – Friday 10 November  
• Year 9 to 11 Transition Day – Friday 3 November  
• Year 9 to 11 Boarders sleep-over Friday 3 November  
• Year 7 pre-commencement placements testing – Saturday 28 October (TBC)  

Year 8 to Year 11 2024 Students

Students on the waiting list for a Year 8, 9, 10 or Year 11 2024 place have been contacted and advised if we have a place. For those students, interviews are currently being arranged. Orientation for confirmed students will be held on 3 November. Details will be shared in July.  

2024 and 2025 Scholarships

Pymble offers a limited number of scholarships each year across various areas of the College.  All candidates must sit an examination at the College on Sunday 13 August 2023.  

Registrations are now open for the following scholarships: 

2024 Entry Scholarships

Performance Scholarship – Sport (Year 7 to 11 2024) 

All-Rounder Scholarship (Year 7 to 11 2024) 

2025 Entry Scholarships

Registrations close from 26 July 2023. Please check specific requirements and close dates for each scholarship below.  

Junior Academic Scholarship (Year 7 2025) 

Rosalie Ramsay Junior Academic Scholarship (internal Pymble candidates only) (Year 7 2025) 

Performance Scholarship – Music (Year 7 2025) closes 26 July 2023

Senior Academic Scholarship (Year 11 2025) 

Ex-Students Union Scholarship (Year 11 2025 for students of Pymble Ex-Students only) 

Boarding Scholarships (Year 7 to 11 2025) 

Alanda Clark, Jane Gay, Prudence Papworth Boarding Scholarship (Year 7 2025) 

2025 Enrolled Students 

We have begun meeting and interviewing students enrolled to commence in Year 7 2025. There is always such a sense of anticipation and excitement as our Year 5 students gather at our Pymble Mornings to meet our Principal and our students. This cohort is currently at capacity and for those on the waitlist, we will be in touch as soon as a place becomes available. 

Dates for your diary

Please hold the dates below in your diary.  Comprehensive information and times on these events will be shared in July. 

• Year 7 Boarders only ‘Hit the Town’ and sleep-over – Friday 27 October
• Year 7 Boarders’ parent information session – Friday 27 October 
• Year 7 Spirit House session and placement testing – Saturday 28 October  (Day and Boarding students)
• Year 7 Links Day – Friday 10 November (Day and Boarding students including current Year 6 students )  
• Year 7 Boarders sleep-over – Friday 10 November  
• Year 8 Links Day – Friday 10 November  (Day and Boarding students)
• Year  8 Boarders sleep-over – Friday 10 November  
• Year 9 to 11 Transition Day – Friday 3 November  (Day and Boarding students)
• Year 9 to 11 Boarders sleep-over Friday 3 November 

Please contact Enrolments for any support you may need in the meantime and for College news and updates, please see Pymble’s Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, YouTube and LinkedIn pages.

Mrs Clair Stock
Enrolments Manager 7-12

Pymble Staff in Profile

Mr Justin Raymond – Deputy Principal Students K-12

Justin is an educator with 25 years’ experience in teaching and leading. He commenced at Pymble in 2011 and is currently the Deputy Principal Students (K-12). For the past seven years he has led academics at Pymble as the Deputy Principal – Academic (K-12). He has a focus on leading high achieving teams with warmth and purpose and this is complemented by a rich background in technology and innovation. 

 Justin’s passion for learning and growth is what drew him to teaching. He gets his energy from the incredible capacity of young people and is fulfilled when leading educators whose passions, skills and talents have a profound impact in shaping the direction of young lives. 

 As Deputy Principal Students (K-12), Justin oversees the wellbeing of the students led by the Heads of School and the Compass team.  He is acutely aware that health provides the platform for academic success. Under his leadership, the wellbeing team work to design the proactive experience necessary to foster good health and the robust support structures that are sometimes needed by students and families during the non-linear journey of adolescents.  

Outside Pymble, Justin is an ultra-distance runner – competing in 100 mile and 200 mile races. He brings this love of the outdoors to advocate and support our Outdoor Education and Vison Valley Residential Programs. He believes in the power of choosing challenge to unlock a rich and fulfilling life. 

Prior to Pymble, Justin worked at Abbotsleigh for 10 years and in Catholic schools. Justin also contributes more broadly as a member of the Janison Schools Strategic Advisory Board. After spending the last 22 years in girls’ schools, Justin is a passionate advocate for single-sex education for girls. Year after year, he witnesses our students thrive in contexts where they are empowered to lead, embrace challenge and be vulnerable. A consistent highlight of his journey is the return of an ex-student with tales of success, confidence and gratitude for the positive impact of a Pymble education and the special teachers who left a lasting imprint. 

Thank you Pymble, for giving back

t has been wonderful to see our students, staff and families engage in Pymble Gives Back throughout Term 1. Our collection bins were full of donations of adult clothing, children’s clothing, manchester, accessories and canned food. Dignity, Wayside Chapel and Anglicare at Hornsby were most appreciative of the items we delivered to support their work in the community.  

Pymble Gives Back in the Junior School 

Great work in Term 1  
Our kind-hearted Junior School students joined students from around the world on an adventure of learning, empathy, kindness and art. Channeling their creativity and House spirit, the girls created welcome postcards that will be sent to young refugees around the world who have been displaced by war and other crises. The Bezos Family Foundation is donating $5.00 to refugee-aid organisations for every postcard created, so our girls will see firsthand the difference they’re making.  

In Term 2, students will work together in Year groups on various service initiatives to celebrate Kindness Day on Wednesday 15 June.  

Kindergarten students will make bird feeders for the school community and a display showing how “We put the KIND in KINDergarten”. Girls will then create hearts with a message conveying how they put kindness in action each day at school.  

Year 1 students will be decorating terracotta pots and planting sunflowers to take to the Aged Care facility Year 6 are visiting. To accompany the sunflower pots, girls will also create paper sunflowers showing how they can “Grow with kindness”. 

Year 2 girls will create artwork and cards to be sold at the Garden Party (with funds raised for The Smith Family) and little hearts and kind notes to place randomly into library books.   

Year 3 will be taking part in the upSchool Project and creating an affirmation jar. Each girl will write a positive message on a paddlepop stick so everyone can start their day by choosing a positive daily mantra. Students can also collaborate to create an overall class mantra if they wish. 

Year 4 will participate in a Knit-a-thon to make blankets for the Wrap with Love charity. Parents, grandparents and family members will be invited to assist with knitting the squares and sewing them together to make blankets, and girls will show their appreciation for this help by baking scones and making rocky road to share with their adult helpers. 

Year 5 will be completing their quilling creations, Artwork for Others, and sending them to local hospitals to create warm, inviting spaces. In addition, they will have opportunities to create affirmation cards to be posted randomly to student lockers in the last week of term.  

Year 6 will be visiting elderly residents once a fortnight at Bowden Brae Uniting Care and creating hearts for the 1000 Hearts foundation to distribute to aged care facilities. In addition, Year 6 will be working on their Feast Program for OzHavest.

Pymble Gives Back in the Secondary School 

Great work in Term 1 
We are proud of our Secondary students and how they have embraced so many ways to give back in Term 1, including:   

• The Smith Family Student2Student reading program  
• Dom’s Place  
• Our Big Kitchen  
• various fun runs and ocean swims (who can forget watching our Boarders on The Today Show participating in the Balmoral Swim!)  
• Middle School donated proceeds of cookie decorating to the Hornsby Ku-ring-gai Women’s Shelter  
• Upper School (Year 9) launched a Big Sister lunch time activity with K-2 students   
• students were involved in monitoring and sorting the Pymble Gives Back donation bins  
• at Vision Valley, Year 9 residential students participated in environmental service activities embedded in the program  
• many students ‘gave back’ to the College through the gift of time at events such as volunteering at our Careers Expo and baking cupcakes for our House Day fundraiser.  

 In Term 2, Middle School students in Years 7 and 8 will participate in Compass Clean Ups, which involves two Compass groups per week dedicating a portion of Monday to cleaning up the College. Students will also create Happy Boxes for First Nations girls in remote communities.  

 Our Upper School students in Year 9 and 10 students will be supporting Days for Girls, undertaking Vision Valley Environmental Service (for students on the Residential Program), and contributing to an Undies Drive for Days for Girls and Wayside Chapel.  

In Senior School, our Year 11 students will be fundraising for the Tanzania Service tour involving 16 students and three staff members undertaking service projects at East Meru Community School, School of St Jude and Maternity Africa (supported by the Barbara May Foundation) in the upcoming September holidays. They will also be volunteering at Sony Camp, peer mentoring and taking part in the Salvos Red Shield Appeal.  

Alumni Inspiration

Bronnie Taylor (Washington, 1986)

NSW Minister for Women, Regional Health and Mental Health
Deputy leader of the NSW Nationals

What was life like when you were a Pymble girl?
Life was great – I was a Boarder so I remember sleeping on the open verandah, the amazing stories, incredible friendships but most of all the belly laughs.

What is a highlight of your time at Pymble?
When I left Pymble I honestly believed I could achieve anything. I have two standout memories: The first isn’t exactly a highlight but I remember being called into the Head Mistress’ office for behaviour that wasn’t exactly befitting of a Pymble girl! I mention this because it taught me so much and really shaped who I am today. You
can come back as long as you learn and you grow from your mistakes. My second memory is my Year 12 Formal – I ended up marrying my date, Dunc, so it was a great night!

Did you always know what you wanted to do?
No! But what lit a fire for me was when alumni Edwina Saunders (1984) spoke to us about her experience as a paediatric oncologist nurse in London. It was at that moment I knew I wanted to enter nursing.

Tell us a little about your journey?
Before entering Parliament, I spent 20 years working in health as a registered nurse, specialising in cancer care and palliative care. I became one of the first McGrath Foundation breast care nurses and then the Director of Cancer Services in the Southern NSW Local Health District. Determined to get better services for patients in
regional NSW, I entered local government serving as the Deputy Mayor of the Cooma-Monaro Shire before being elected to the NSW Legislative Council in 2015.

Who inspires you?
My patients, because of their strength and courage in the face of adversity.

What do you know now that you wish you had discovered earlier?
That leadership comes in all shapes and forms.

Harmony Day – Everyone belongs!

At the end of Term 1 Junior School celebrated Harmony Day which is  an important chance for us to stop and reflect on the amazing diversity we have in our Junior School family. The theme for this year, ‘Everyone Belongs’ is one that aligns so closely with our Junior School focus of cultural kindness. We are proud to share that one of our Year 6 leaders, Charlotte, is leading an initiative inspired by her reading of Sadako and the Thousand Paper Cranes by Eleanor Coerr and encouraging the girls in Years 3 to 6 to work together to create orange coloured paper cranes to represent our collaborative spirit and to celebrate this year’s Harmony theme.

It’s time to make equality a daily habit

The theme for Pymble’s International Women’s Day 2023 campaign was It’s Our Time. 

Now is our time to show the world our girls have the power to flourish as compassionate and influential leaders and change their world for the better.  

Now is our time to advocate proactively and publicly for more women to be included in boardrooms and in government leadership, to be acknowledged in sport and embraced in traditional male-dominated industries to co-create solutions that transform our world for the better. 

Pymble Ladies’ College was proud to partner with the Australian Financial Review (AFR) to create a special International Women’s Day magazine that reflects our joint commitment to building a more diverse, equitable and inclusive future for girls and young women.  

Our goal in partnering with AFR is to help shape a world in which the lessons we teach in schools – lessons about equality and opportunity – ring true for girls when they step out of the classrooms and into the workplace. 

The 16-page magazine features stories about inspiring and innovative women who are forging new paths, tackling the big issues of the day and making significant contributions to business, sport and politics. It also amplifies the voices of past and present students from Pymble who are committed to playing their part in making the world a more equitable place.   

Read more below

Pymble comes to you in 2023

Pymble is currently on tour across the state to visit current, future and past Pymble families in and around the Boarding Expos.

We will be holding events in Young and Moree so please be in touch if you are in those areas and would like to join us. 

Pymbulletin

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

Congratulations to our Class of 2022

This Is Pymble College

We have educated scientists, artists, community leaders, politicians, doctors, lawyers, musicians, athletes, entrepreneurs, Olympians and countless influential and compassionate women. Read about our past, present and future as we celebrate 105 years.