Lion's Roar Newsletter
Term 1 | Week 1 2024

From the Principal

MRS NICOLA TAYLOR

PRINCIPAL

Welcome to the 2024 academic year, a special welcome to those families joining the PLC Armidale community for the first time.

Thank you to those who braved the rain to join us at the Welcome BBQ on Monday evening. The rain fell heavily the evening of the first Welcome BBQ I attended some ten years ago also. A father present quipped “there’s money in mud” a phrase which I am reminded of each time we have to change plans to accommodate wet weather!

Thank you to those who joined us for the Term One Whole School Commencement Service. A special occasion, commissioning a new year of learning, acknowledging our Year 12 students as well as inducting the Peer Support Leaders and captains of our various co-curricular programs. This year, we inducted the Junior School leadership team into their various roles, their Senior School counterparts helping to pin on the Junior School leadership badges - a symbol of the modelling and mentoring responsibility our older students undertake with younger ones.

As news broke in the press this week of a national teacher shortage, I am thankful that we have begun the year with a full complement of teachers, especially in hard-to-staff subject areas...

... continue reading here

We are still actively recruiting for a replacement French teacher and are thankful to Madame Perez-Garcia who has continued to teach the senior elective classes until a suitable replacement is found.

At the end of last year, Mr Mitchell Clendinning indicated, for personal and professional reasons, a desire to lead a faculty in 2024. Mrs Kate Clynch has stepped very ably into the role as Acting Head of Senior School. Ms Julie Flanagan has been appointed Director of Studies with Mr Clendinning taking up the Head of Humanities position.

Mr Sam and Mrs Amy Jacometti are continuing as Heads of Boarding and have many exciting things planned for the Boarding Community this year. We have opened the Austin Boarding House to accommodate the growth in our Boarder population which is encouraging. Mr Greg Cotterell has been appointed as Sport Coordinator working alongside our Head of Sport Mrs Lucy Donaldson, again to accommodate growth in this important part of the PLC Armidale experience.

Ms Briony Looker will be teaching Agriculture in Stage Five. Briony, together with her husband Tim, will lead our growing Livestock Show program which we are thrilled to announce will include sheep as well as cattle this year.

PLC Armidale has been selected as one of a small number of regional Independent schools to take part in an initiative to retain trainee teachers in the profession by providing the opportunity to work within a school context whilst they are finalising their studies. We welcome PLC Armidale Old Girl, Ms Aisha Kleindienst (Class of 2019) and Ms Brooke Maynard who have been appointed as the 2024 Education Trainees. Congratulations also to Mrs Marilyn Faithfull, Mr Jonathon Shumack and Mrs Jo Wysel who have been appointed as Teacher Mentors to make this a successful program for the education trainees.

Over the break, many families journeyed by plane, train and automobile, perhaps by bike or even on horseback.

Our family, as a very special holiday celebrating three big birthdays and the end of 23 years having children at school, journeyed in a very different way - we sailed on a cruise ship to explore New Zealand. The first afternoon on board, I noticed a familiar face depicted in a large portrait hanging on the wall near Guest Relations.

A nautical tradition since the early 1800’s usually sees a Queen or other female dignitary launch a ship on its maiden voyage breaking a bottle of wine or champagne on the bow as part of the ritual. In 2018, Malala Yousafzai was invited to launch the Celebrity Edge cruise ship, cracking a custom-built bottle of sparkling water in the process. Malala was chosen because her example of relentless persistence and achievement was an inspiration to the ship’s crew, many of whom have worked hard and made real sacrifices to build better lives for themselves and their families.” The water to signify a company commitment to support all people to access a free, fresh water supply.

Malala Yousafzai was born in Pakistan in the late 1980’s. The rise of the Taliban led to restrictions of personal freedom. No longer allowed to watch television, dance, play music or as a girl attend school, Malala found these restrictions unfair and unreasonable.

Encouraged by her parents, Malala began a grassroots campaign advocating for girls' education. The Malala Fund was established, dedicated to giving every girl an opportunity to achieve the future she chooses. In recognition of her work, Malala received the Nobel Peace Prize at the age of 17, the youngest-ever Nobel laureate.

Malala’s fund now invests in developing countries to champion for improved education for both girls and boys. Malala's exploration quickly turned into a powerful service. Her activism, speeches, and the work of the Malala Fund demonstrate her commitment to ensuring 12 years of free, safe, and quality education for every child.

Malala serves not just a local cause but a global community through her relentless dedication.

Malala's journey is a testament to her resilience, determination, and unwavering commitment to the cause of education. In summary, Malala's story encapsulates the theme I have chosen for 2024, an encouragement to "Explore, Serve, Journey."

Although the name of our Stage Five bespoke experience launched in 2023, the encouragement to "Explore, Serve, Journey” will be applied across the College. Throughout the year, staff and students alike will be provided opportunity to…

explore - new things and new learning, new friendships, and new activities

serve - through a variety of ways across a range of applications. A focus on helping others, giving, caring, and contributing to make a difference. Service is a key act of leadership

journey - to grow as a person through experience, feedback and setbacks. Working alongside others to achieve a common goal.

Reflecting on Malala’s journey, I encouraged the girls at the start of a new Academic Year to consider their own potential to explore, serve, journey this year.

The privilege of education provides an opportunity to bring about positive change in our own lives as well as the lives of others.

The journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step.

Lao Tzu

Congratulations

Throughout the year, we want to acknowledge and celebrate the various interests and accomplishments of PLC Armidale girls. We will be aware of the experiences girls undertake to represent the College. We may not know about experiences and achievements in areas of interest outside of school. Please let our Communications and Marketing Manager, Mrs Arundale know. Mrs Arundale greatly enjoys telling the story of the quality and achievements of our PLC Armidale girls. Below is the news we know so far from the holidays....

Email us your news: communications@plcarmidale.nsw.edu.au

Congratulations to ....

Our Whole School 2024 Leadership Team

Our Year 7 Peer Support Team who have pledged to support and guide our 2024 Year 7 girls throughout the year ahead.

Lily Meredith 13-15 Girls Age Champion at the recent Equestrian Jamboree in Armidale

Gondwana National Choral School attendees (Edie Clynch, Mem & Tiko Lay, Jiya Aila, Elise Tisserand, Binudi Venuti, Jade Foster, Arlie Bragg, India Smith, Teya Catterall )

Trista Dorrian who placed 3 in U14 singles and won the U14s doubles at the Gold Coast 125 Tennis Tournament

Stephanie Blake competed in the 2023 National All Schools Athletics Championships in WA at the end of 2023, achieving a Personal Best of 1:00:25 in the 400m track race.

Evie Matthews and Isobel Macrae who played in the NSW Waratah Under 14’s Academy Squad during the holidays.

Our girls who attended the National Youth Science Forum (Scarlett Loxley, Huna Mogaddhar, Anviti Sinha, Alannah Williams)

PLC Armidale Livestock Team who have secured a place in the 2024 NSW School Merino Whether Challenge and have also been invited for the thrid year in a row to

Brianna Marshall, Year 7, who was awarded the Young Citizen of the Year Award at the Guyra Australia Day Awards dinner

Our 2024 Welcome Barbecue

The annual Welcome Barbecue is a relaxed highlight to the start of our year. The PLC Armidale community comes together, and there is genuine delight to be seen in everyone as they reconnect after the summer holidays - a spirit that the rain does not dampen - in fact it brings us even closer as we huddle under cover!

This year, the event was an opportunity to introduce the contemporary culinary skills of our new caterers - The Trippas White Group (TWG), who have taken over the catering for both PLC Armidale and PLC Sydney. TWG manage more than 35 restaurants, bars, cafes, and event spaces located in some of Australia's most iconic locations, including the Sydney Opera House, Sydney Tower, Taronga Zoo, Queen Victoria Building, Royal Botanic Garden Sydney, Centennial Parklands and the Australian War Memorial. They also provide on-site catering and management services for corporate businesses, health-care facilities, schools and airline lounges such as ANZ, Telstra, EY, Virgin Lounges , Australian Institute of Sport, The Scot’s College, and Canberra Grammar School.

See all the 2024 Welcome Barbecue photos in our Parent Portal photo gallery HERE

Junior School News

Mrs Fiona Wake

Head of Junior School

2024 Junior School Leadership Team

After an extended break, it was time to return to the classroom and commence another year of learning. The girls in the Junior School have arrived full of excitement, despite a few nerves commonly experienced as a new year begins. It has been truly remarkable observing how settled and engaged students across all grades have been. Classrooms are a hive of activity, goal setting underway and new routines and responsibilities outlined. I do encourage you to interact with your daughter’s student diaries regularly where important information is presented.

At a whole school assembly on Monday, February 29th, the Junior School Leadership Team was inducted along with Guild Team Leaders. The girls proudly agreed to the following pledge of understanding: what you say you are and the leader you claim to be needs to be modelled and honestly reflect your actions.

The girls wholeheartedly agreed to:

support the Christian principles of this school by being fair and kind, showing care for others, forgiving when necessary
do their loyal best, work hard, abide by College rules and represent the College well in the wider community
lead by example, displaying humility, integrity, respect and self-discipline

I am so very proud of the way the girls have positively embraced the process leading up to their induction, as it takes courage to nominate for a leadership position, present a speech to peers and then wait patiently for the outcome of the voting process, accepting their positions with thoughtfulness to those around them. This year, our Leadership team will meet each week to discuss how each in their respective positions can make their leadership visible and genuine.

Kindy

Our Kindergarten students have got off to a flying start. The experience of Pre Kindergarten at PLC means our little girls are already familiar with staff, students, rules and routines. This means learning begins immediately with little time being wasted teaching them these important socialisation skills and logistics to ensure they are supported and safe. They have already begun their beginner number work, learning their letters and sounds and concepts about print. Their room is styled to reflect their theme of Learning Detectives, what inquisitive little detectives they are!

Stage Learning

The students have returned to a refined model of Stage learning & English and Maths specialisation, that is seeing students grouped in a more tailored way to suit their learning needs, styles and interests. Adapting to change can be daunting and exciting and requires forthcoming questions and queries when clarification is required. We welcome your input and encourage you to touch base with your daughter's teacher if you have any questions around your daughter's learning.

School Uniform Reminder

It is important that the girls wear full Summer Uniforms as outlined in the Junior School Handbook which can be found here on the Parent Portal via CONNECT

Girls from K-6 must wear PLC swimmers for swimming lessons and the Junior School swimming carnival, which is on Thursday, February 15.

Life Education

The Life Education NSW Van has made its annual visit to PLC Armidale this week. Life Education offers a broad health program with a particular focus on preventative drug education. It is aimed at students in their formative years, from Pre-Kindergarten to Year 6. Through participation in Life Education, and in conjunction with the school’s PD/Health/PE program, opportunities are provided for children to develop a healthy respect for themselves and their bodies, self-esteem, self-awareness and skills in dealing with influences in society.

Bell Time Reminders

Before School

The morning bell rings at 8.40am and all children assemble in the courtyard before going to class. Children should arrive after 8.30am. Children who arrive earlier will be supervised from 8.15am. Children in the Pre Kinder class must be “signed in” and “signed out” each day. The “sign in” book is held in the Pre-Kinder classroom where the teacher will welcome students from 8.30am.

After School Care

Students are dismissed at 3.30pm and wait at the front of the school building on Crest Road to be collected. A teacher is on duty until 3.45pm. Any child not collected by 3.45pm is taken to “Homework Centre”, phone 0402 474 415. The Homework Centre is operating out of the Junior School Library Monday to Thursday.

Dates for the Calendar

Digital Device Presentation: 8 February

Life Education Van: 12 and 13 February

Whole School Information Evening: 14 February

Whole School Swimming Carnival 15 February

Easter 29 March to 1 April

Parent Teacher Interviews: 5.& 6 March

Years 3-6 Camp Lake Ainsworth: 8, 9 and 10 April

Last Day Term 1 - 11 April

Senior School News

Mrs Kate Clynch

Head of Senior School

We hope this message finds you well and filled with excitement for the upcoming school year at PLC Armidale.

As we embark on this new academic journey together, we want to extend a warm welcome to both returning families and those joining us for the first time.

I am pleased to be writing to you as the Head of Senior School, and I am eager to work together to make this school year a remarkable journey of growth and learning for your daughter. Our dedicated team of teachers and staff have been diligently preparing to provide a safe, engaging, and enriching environment for all our students.

Here are some important highlights and reminders for the start of the school year:

Communication Channels: Clear communication is essential for a successful school year. Please stay connected with us through official channels, including this Lion’s Roar newsletter, emails, and our PLCA App. If you have any questions or concerns, we encourage you to reach out; your feedback is invaluable.

Resources and Support: PLC Armidale is equipped with various resources and support services to ensure the success of every student. If your child requires additional assistance or if you have specific concerns, our dedicated support team is here to help.

Encouraging Independence: As students transition into the Senior School, we encourage the development of independence and responsibility. This includes fostering effective time management, a positive attitude towards learning, and the ability to take ownership of their academic journey.

We are enthusiastic about the possibilities this school year holds and look forward to collaborating with you to create a positive and enriching educational experience for your child at PLC Armidale. Thank you for entrusting us with the privilege of guiding your child's educational journey. Here's to a fantastic school year as we ‘explore, serve and journey’ together!

Boarding Life

Sam and Amy Jacometti

Head of Boarding

Welcome to Boarding in 2024!

We are so excited to have you all with us, and an especially warm welcome to the new Boarders joining us this year. We look forward to hearing all about the adventures that occurred over the summer break and enjoying starting off this new school year together.

While the start to the new year is a time of excitement and connection for many girls, we acknowledge too that some Boarders might be feeling the separation from their families and some homesickness over these next few weeks. Homesickness is a normal experience for anyone of any age who is geographically away from their loved ones, and we would encourage you and your daughters to remember that this feeling will be short-lived. As your girls connect in with their classes, their friends and their co-curricular activities, they will quickly adjust to the warmth and acceptance of the boarding community. We encourage you to remind your girls of some of the recommended strategies for addressing feelings of homesickness, which include:

Be reminded that this feeling will pass. Focus on the positive aspects of boarding and the privilege of being a PLC Armidale student. For example, does your daughter love sports? Encourage her to focus on her team, the practice, and the game.
Connecting IRL (in real life) rather than social media. Encourage your girls to spend time making a new friend at boarding or connecting with a staff member - we’ve got lots of fun activities to engage the girls with!
Do something familiar and share that experience with others. Cook something that you love and share it with the boarders, or introduce a new friend to the books that you love.

And please always stay in contact with us to let us know if there’s anything we can do to support and care for your daughter.

Finally, there are a number of things to look forward to and prepare for over the next few weeks, including:

Boarders Coff Coast weekend, 9th to 11th of February - this will be an action-packed time for all of our Boarders to gather, connect and build memories to share together forever. Please ensure your daughter’s permission form has been completed for this and reach out if you have any questions.

The whole school swimming carnival is on February 15th. We encourage all of our Boarders to actively participate in the day, be it by swimming or volunteering. It will be a great day of sport and community, but only one Guild can win!

So, welcome to boarding in 2024, and please stay in touch with us.

Creative and Performing Arts (CAPA) News

Mrs Joanne Wysel

Head of Creative and Performing Arts. (CAPA)

Welcome back to PLC and to another wonderful year of Creative and Performing Arts!

We have a fabulous year planned!

We start the year with a flurry of excitement after our record success in Creative and Performing Arts HSC results. Congratulations to ALL HSC Drama students whose Group Performances were nominated for OnSTAGE - exemplary works of 2023 HSC.

Congratulations also to the following students whose individual work was also nominated:

Catie Alcorn - Drama Performance

Gabrielle Cotterell - Drama Performance

Phoebe Imberger - Drama Performance

Nathea Ping Kee - Drama Performance

Harriet Gilpin - Drama Costume Design

In Music we congratulate Gabrielle Cotterell for her nomination in Encore and Phoebe Imberger whose Dance composition was also nominated for Callback.

We are delighted with such outstanding results for our HSC CAPA students, which demonstrate that PLC Armidale is the College of choice for quality Creative and Performing Arts.

2024 promises to be another big year, and our ensembles, clubs and exhibitions start early in the term.

Music ensembles and bands

All start up again in week 2. If you have any questions about how these run or if you would like to try something new, please contact our Director of Music, Matthew Minter.

Dance Ensembles

Junior School and Senior School will begin in Week 2 with Miss Aisha. The Junior School Dance Ensemble will continue to run on Monday afternoons, and you can sign up for your class through the Google form sent out earlier this week.

The Senior School Dance Ensemble will begin in Week 2 on Tuesday lunchtimes, and sign-up for this ensemble will be in Week 2 at Tuesday lunchtime.

To sign up for all CAPA ensembles, please use THIS FORM.

Speech and Drama

I am delighted to introduce Mrs Kylie Alcorn as our new Speech and Drama teacher providing lessons for AMEB Speech and Drama for your daughters.

The AMEB Speech and Drama course for school students focuses on vital life skills. It hones reading aloud, presentation, and interview skills, as well as fostering vocal clarity and confident body language. Through creative dramatics, students step into improvisation scenarios, breaking out of their comfort zones and enjoying collaborative group work. This co-curricular program not only enhances personal development but also serves as a valuable introduction to effective communication, making it a beneficial addition to the school curriculum. There are record numbers of girls at sign-up this week.

And permission forms were sent home with the girls outlining the program and associated costs.

Student Successes

This year we would like to continue to celebrate our wonderful students doing fabulous things in the community and recognising them at assemblies, so please let us know about your involvement and achievements in community events.

I look forward to seeing you at our CAPA events this year. As always, if you have any questions, please don’t hesitate to contact me.

Music News

2024 has a lot to look forward to in Music at PLC Armidale.

Congratulations to Elise Tisserand, Edie Clynch, India Smith, Arlie Bragg, Teya Catterall, Mem Lay, Tiko Lay, Binudi Vithana, Jiya Aila and Jade Foster, for being selected for the Gondwana National Choral School held in January in Sydney. Of the roughly 300 choristers who were selected and attended the two-week event, ten were from PLC Armidale. This is an incredible testament to the extraordinary choral tradition at our College.

I am particularly excited to welcome many new students who are keen and eager to join our many and varied Music programs. There are surely many exciting performances to look forward to.

Year 8 classes will be forming two new jazz bands, Year 7&8 will embark on a combined Stage 4 choral project, Stage 1 will launch into a program of learning string instruments, Year 8 will collaborate with the art class to create multi-modal compositions, Stage 5 Music and Drama are combining for the first term, there is a brand new string ensemble, and the Cello Ensemble, Flute Ensemble, Jazz Band, Senior Strings, Acapella Ensemble, Orchestra, Treble Makers, Silver Strings, Junior Strings, Bel Canto and Senior Choir are all set to continue for another year of musical adventures.

If you would like to be involved in these ensembles keep an eye out for the forms which will be emailed to you next week. For senior choir there is no requirement to sign up, just show up on Monday morning at 7:45am in room 17.

Tuition is available at PLC Armidale for a wide range of instruments, including violin, viola, cello, double bass, oboe, bassoon, flute, organ, harp, clarinet, saxophone, drums, musicianship, voice, guitar, recorder, composition, trumpet, trombone, tuba, piano, French horn.

If you would like to learn an instrument, keep an eye out for the links to the forms which will be emailed and broadcast to you next week or send me an email at mminter@plcarmidale.nsw.edu.au

If you require an instrument, we have a number available for hire through the College. The link to the form for instrument hire will also be sent next week.

Here are the times for the ensembles at PLC Armidale:

Senior Choir: Monday 7:45am

Senior Strings and Intermediate Strings - Tuesday 7:30am

Junior Strings - Tuesday Period 3

Silver Strings - Tuesday Lunchtime

Flute Ensemble - Tuesday lunchtime

Cello Ensemble - Tuesday lunchtime

Bel Canto Vocal Ensemble - Wednesday 8:00am

Advanced Chamber Ensemble - Wednesday lunchtime

Jazz Band - Thursday 8:00am

Acapella - Thursday lunchtime

Treble Makers - Friday 8:00am

Piano Trio - Friday lunchtime

Mr Matthew Minter - Director of Music

SPORT News

Mrs Lucy Donaldson

Head of Sport

Welcome to the 2024 school year. I anticipate it will be yet another, busy, fun and fulfilling year of sport! It was nice to catch up with many of you at the welcome barbecue and I’d like to particularly welcome our new families into the PLC community.

Senior school students have signed up for their sports in pastoral care sessions and Junior School families were shared the google form to make their daughter’s sport selections for Term 1. Sporting contracts will now need to be completed for each sport your daughter/s are doing and information regarding this has been emailed out. The sporting contracts contain information regarding registration, costs, uniform requirements and expectations. Please make sure these are read through thoroughly and completed promptly.

Please, at any stage if you are unsure of anything or need clarification, send me an email ldonaldson@plcarmidale.nsw.edu.au and I will endeavor to get back to you as soon as possible. Alternatively, Mrs Stephanie Fahy at the Senior School Reception will be able to assist as well.

To assist with knowing what’s on when, here is a snapshot of the Junior and Senior School sports for Term 1, 2024.

Coming up in Term 1:

Whole School Swimming Carnival - Thursday 15 February

IPSHA Swimming Carnival, Sydney - Tuesday 5 March (Junior School)

Tildesley Tennis, Sydney - Wednesday 6 March - Friday 8 March

UNE Netball competition begins - Saturday 9 March

PLC Representative team netball trials - Monday 19 March (Senior School)

IGSA Swimming Carnival, Sydney - Friday 22 March (Senior School)

Whole School Cross Country - Wednesday 27 March

School Holiday News Report

Evie Matthews and Isobel Macrae play in the NSW Waratah Under 14’s Academy Squad

The girls trained again on the 17th of December with the squad for their last training run of the year. They were given a fitness program they were expected to complete during the holidays at least 3 times a week.

They then went into camp from 23- 26 December in Bathurst.

The expectations of the girls were very professional and to a high standard. They were expected to wear a dress uniform to and from camp and to the games. They also had to wear representative clothing at all times - not to mention conduct themselves as professional athletes and young women at all times!

The camp had the girls training for three 3 days: aerobic fitness, ball skills, flexibility, recovery and rugby training. They also participated in workshops surrounding nutrition, fitness, mental health, women’s health in sport and contact sport and recovery. As well as learning plays and game strategies.

They were also taught how to recover properly, from ice baths to compression garments and what to eat to recover and they were lucky enough to spend time with the Super W Waratahs Women’s 15’s.

On Friday 26th at 5pm in Dubbo , they played at Apex Oval against Hunter/Central Coast in the searing heat - 45 degrees. They played exceptionally well, especially in the conditions! Saturday saw them hang out with the Super W side again, participating in a Q & A and just general chatting, before completeing their recovery program.

They played again Sunday at 9 a.m. - conditions were much better, and the girls again had a cracker of a game.

Both games they narrowly lost - not without controversy in the first one☺️.

The program was very professional and of a high standard. The expectations were very high, and our girls rose to the challenge. They learnt a lot, played well, and had fun. It has definitely made them love the game, and the taste of professional sport has definitely made them more determined.

They have been invited to trial with Central West to play in the championships, which could lead to country selection.

Health News

Miss Amy Chiu

School Nurse

Year 7 and Year 10 students are scheduled to have their school vaccination on Thursday 30th May 2024. More information will be provided to respective parents closer to the date.

EDUMATE MEDICAL DETAILS

If your daughter has an updated treatment plan, new diagnosis or medical needs, it is important that parents update the Edumate Health Conditions of your daughter to ensure that the school is providing the best care.

Edumate Parent Portal can be access through the CONNECT page connect.plcarmidale.nsw.edu.au

The Health Centre is contactable via

Email: health@plcarmidale.nsw.edu.au

Phone: 02 6770 1741

P&F News

Sarah Yassine

P&F President

Hello!

In my quest to practise saying ‘no’, I have instead said ‘yes’ and taken on the role of P&F president in 2024.

Despite a few episodes of middle-of-the-night panic and critical self-talk, I feel ready to take on this new challenge and I am looking forward to supporting the wonderful P&F team.

For those that I haven’t met, my name is Sarah Yassine. I have two daughters at PLC- Lola Ferguson, who just started year 7, and April Ferguson, who is in year 4. I’ll be taking over from Judi Sheedy. I’d like to thank Judi for her support so far and her commitment to continuing as Past President for the P & F this year. It was Judi’s delightful twin daughters who, at the welcome BBQ, looked me in the eye and said ‘You’ve got this!’. I will be working alongside the very capable Rowena Macrae (Secretary) and Treasurer (Sam Notley) as well as team of hardworking and committed parents.

As always, it was a pleasure to reconnect with existing families at the welcome BBQ and to meet some of our new families. Our P&F has a team of ‘Liaison Parents’ (or ‘LPs’, for those in the know) who are each assigned a year group.

Your LP will contact you from time to time (usually by email or social media chat.) to ask for volunteers for P&F events, to invite you to year group social gatherings and to communicate about other school events. To help facilitate this please contact your LP to share your best contact details - see the list below. You will also see that we still need a kindergarten LP - please let me know if you are willing and able.

Your LP is a great person to contact if you are feeling lost, overwhelmed or can’t remember if it’s sports uniform, guild uniform or normal uniform!

The P&F hold a meeting each term (usually on Tuesday in week 3). Our first meeting will take place in week 2 - this coming Tuesday. Anyone is welcome to join in person or via zoom. You can also ask your LP to raise any concerns or ideas that you would like add to the meeting agenda.

Our first P&F highlight for the year will be our Whole School Swimming Carnival. The P&F cake stall and BBQ is VERY popular and we welcome baked goods and healthy (insert Lola and April’s eye roll here) snacks for the girls and parents to purchase throughout the day.

LPs for years 5, 6 and 10 will take the lead in rallying support and volunteers, but anyone who would like to contribute and/or volunteer is most welcome.

Please feel free to contact me with any questions about the P&F via pandf@plcarmidale.nsw.edu.au. I’ve really enjoyed helping out with the P&F in the past, and I encourage you to DIVE in and help out in whatever way you can- every contribution is significant.

Next Meeting:

Tuesday 6 th Feb, 5.30-7.00pm

PLC Boardroom

For those unable to join in person, please join us via zoom

https://plcarmidale.zoom.us/j/82575310137?pwd=NTNic0prbHJCcVBDaVU4OHhqQkJtdz09

Passcode: 193083

GREEN TARTAN

ALUMNAE NEWS

Afternoon Tea

The PLC Armidale OGU finished 2023 with a lovely gathering at the Armidale home of Honorary Treasurer, Chelsea Jeffery.

Shining the spotlight on rural mental health through film

Our 2006 alumna Maxine Green (nee Rose) is the Executive Producer of a movie written and produced by her old school friend Leila McDougall. Called 'Just A Farmer', the film will hit the cinemas on February 21. Keep an eye out!

"Unlike most films, 'Just a Farmer' is a cinematic masterpiece crafted by grassroots people – farmers who understand the pulse of our regional communities," Maxine said.

"We celebrate the invaluable contributions of-small businesses in our midst and recognise their role in shaping our local identities. Join us in this extraordinary journey to the heart of rural life, as we showcase the resilience, grit, and beauty of our farming communities.

"Our mission is that no farmer faces their darkest days alone! We know many PLC families are families of the land and we hope they have the opportunity to know of the film and the wonderful messages and mission behind it. "

You can find a trailer of the movie here

https://youtu.be/zQ43ZmCghiI?list=TLPQMDMwMjIwMjTy89Z0yO1a1Q

Join the class of '83 in Mudgee

The Class of 1983 will on its 41st reunion since leaving PLC Armidale.

We are getting together on Saturday 9th March at the Oriental Hotel, 6 Lewis St, Mudgee from 6pm onwards. It would be lovely to see some familiar and some not so familiar faces. We hope to see you there.

Contact Anne Hackworthy at a.hackworthy@mail.com if you can make it.

Send us your news!

We love to hear about what our alumnae have been doing - so please let us know what has been happening in your life.

Births, deaths, marriages, milestone celebrations - whatever you feel like sharing with the other Old Girls, please tell us so we can include it in this section of the Lion's Roar each fortnight.

Our PLC Armidale alumnae are a stellar group of women who excel in a diverse range of areas, leading lives of significance.

Success looks different for everyone, and we like to celebrate it all - not just that which is in the public eye.

Email your news to: communications@plcarmidale.nsw.edu.au

Want to get together with your class?

If you are interested in joining or organising a milestone reunion group during the Reunion Weekend in October 2024, please get in touch with us at enquiries@plcarmidale.nsw.edu.au

PLC Armidale Foundation

Can you make a regular financial contribution to the PLC Armidale Scholarship Fund?

In 2022, the College made a considered decision to restructure fees for students in Kindergarten to Stage 4 to expand accessibility to a PLC Armidale education.

The provision of scholarships on merit will extend the opportunity for even more young women of character and purpose to receive an outstanding education at PLC Armidale, the region’s pre-eminent school for young women.

The PLCA Foundation Committee is focusing its efforts on raising funds for scholarships, with the intent of raising $130,000 for the school to allocate immediately in the next round of scholarship assessment.

As many families within our community have directly benefited from the recent fee restructure, we ask that you consider making a contribution to support the PLC Armidale Scholarship Fund.

Your gift will help the PLC Foundation Committee to offer these scholarships. We require significant and ongoing funding to ensure there is a continual capital base to support the program.

Donations will provide scholarships for the 2025 school year. In addition, gifts over $2 are tax deductible. You can also subscribe to make a small regular automatic donation which will quickly add up over the years.

The generosity of the PLC Armidale community has enabled us to maintain and provide an excellent learning environment for generations of young women.

Giving makes a real difference to every student who attends PLC Armidale now and into the future. We thank you for your continued support as we foster and build a community that stands together.

If you would like further information about the PLC Armidale Scholarship Fund or know of a young girl who you believe would benefit from this opportunity, don't hesitate to call us on (02) 6770 1700 or email us at enquiries@plcarmidale.nsw.edu.au

A gift to the PLC Armidale Scholarship Fund will open the door for many more exceptional young women to attend PLC Armidale and be equipped to lead a life of significance.

You can make a difference by donating today.

Donations can be made by clicking here.