Lion's Roar Newsletter
Term 1 | Issue 3 2025
From the Principal
MRS NICOLA TAYLOR
PRINCIPAL
International Women's Day 2025 – Accelerate Action, Sustain Change
It seems fitting that the Term 1 midway week coincides with the celebration of International Women’s Day (IWD).
It was a delight to accompany a large group of PLC Armidale Prefects, along with four other women in leadership positions at the College to the Annual Quota IWD Breakfast. Opening the event were outstanding performances by the New England Singers, an ensemble directed by PLC Armidale old girl Leanne Roobol and conducted by Arlie Bragg, our 2025 Deputy Head Prefect.
Guest speaker for the event, Dr Mandani Arshi spoke of her upbringing in Iran, the changed treatment of women and girls following the revolution and the ensuing gender divide which characterises much of that country today. Dr Arshi reflecting on the 2025 IWD Theme, Accelerate Action, encouraged those listening to move beyond conversations and take tangible steps toward gender equality. The theme is a rallying cry to fast-track progress, break down barriers, and ensure that opportunity and success are not limited by gender.
At PLC Armidale, we see daily examples of young women who embody this momentum. Whether in the classroom, on the sporting field, in leadership, or in service to others PLC Armidale girls are ready to act, to create, to lead...
... continue reading here
... In the spirit of our 2025 theme—From little things, big things grow—it is also worth considering that not all meaningful change happens at speed. Some of the most enduring achievements come not from immediate action but from patience, persistence, and the ability to tolerate discomfort along the way. Distress tolerance and delayed gratification are skills that strengthen character, allowing young women to press on when things are challenging, when recognition is slow, when results are not immediate and when people are not who you would like them to be.
A study of History reminds us that the pursuit of justice and progress is often a long and arduous journey. The suffragettes fought for decades before women won the right to vote. Pioneering female scientists often spent years on research before their breakthroughs were recognized. The great social movements of our time have all required unwavering commitment, often in the face of setbacks.
As we celebrate International Women’s Day, we embrace Accelerate Action with prudence—knowing when to push forward with urgency and when to trust the process of slow and steady growth. Our girls must be encouraged not only to act but also to persist, to endure challenges, and to hold onto their hopes and goals even when the finish line is far from sight.
Because from little things, big things truly grow.
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.
Congratulations to ....
... everyone who represented the College so well at the Quota Club of Armidale International Women's Day breakfast
... all the recipients of Life Saving Awards at our Week 5 Assembly
... everyone involved in our Guild Gathering
The first of our Whole School Guild gatherings was held on the first Friday of the month. Junior School hosted and sold more than $200 worth of Zooper Doopers to pop in the Student Representative Council fundraising account during a lunchtime filled with friendship and fun across the year groups.
If you couldn't get to the Whole School Parent Information session you can find the presentations on our Parent Portal
Junior School News
Mrs Fiona Wake
Head of Junior School
Congratulations to our 2025 IPHSA Swimming Carnival attendees
On Monday March 3, our IPSHA swimming team set off for Sydney, accompanied by Ms Pracy and Ms Maynard. Departing at 10:30am, we made a stop at Willow Tree for a park play and lunch before continuing our journey. A rainy park play at West Wallsend gave the girls another chance to stretch their legs before we battled traffic and rain to arrive in Sydney on Monday night, tired but excited for the big day ahead.
An early start on Tuesday saw us heading to Sydney Olympic Park, where the girls faced their events with resilience and determination. They pushed through their nerves, gave their best efforts, and showed outstanding sportsmanship by cheering on their teammates.
Although the long drive home after the carnival was tiring, the girls thoroughly enjoyed the experience, particularly the thrill of competing in the iconic Sydney Olympic pool where past Olympians have swum. Some even declared, ‘This is the best IPSHA team ever!’ Spirits remained high, thanks to our carefully curated IPSHA playlist, making the journey home a memorable one.
Kindergarten
Happy Birthday Mrs Vanzella !!
Kindergarten has been filled with excitement as the students settle into their new school routines. It has been wonderful to see the girls adapting so well to being at school five days a week and embracing the transition from Pre-K to ‘BIG school’ with confidence and enthusiasm.
The class has already begun exploring letters, sounds, and sight words. They have been busy developing their writing skills and engaging in reading activities and literacy games. In Mathematics, the girls thoroughly enjoy hands-on experiences and collaborative groupwork activities.
Our Science unit this term, ‘Growing Well,’ has taken learning outdoors. The students have been discovering plants in our gardens and have even planted their own bean seeds in mini seed houses, observing their growth each day with curiosity and excitement.
A highlight of the term so far was our visit to the Life Education Van, where the girls met Healthy Harold and learned about making healthy choices. They explored the importance of eating a variety of colourful foods and staying active.
After just a few weeks, it has been heart-warming to see the girls making new friends, working together cooperatively, and embracing their learning journey with enthusiasm.
Stage 3 Science in Senior School
Our girls in Years 5&6 visited the Senior School Science laboratories recently to make electrical circuits and draw circuit diagrams.
Ad Astra Awards
Each week in our Junior School Chapel Service we award our students for achievement in academic, leadership and service pursuits.
Congratulations girls!
See more photos HERE
Senior School News
Mrs Kate Clynch
Head of Senior School
Congratulations to ...
... our Stage 5 Science and Engineering Challenge team who won a nail-biting Showpiece Bridge Challenge and the Confounding Communications Assignment in the University of Newcastle's 2025 Science and Engineering Challenge competition at UNE this week.
This annual event provides a day of hands-on workshops where students take on experimental challenges and get to see what happens in real university science laboratories with the scientists who are at the forefront of research and education.
Book Club begins
Our lunchtime Book Club ( an initiative of our 2025 Academic Captains) enjoyed their first meeting this week.
University Roadshow
Our Stage 6 girls were able to speak with representatives from Southern Cross University, Charles Sturt University, University of New England and Newcastle University in our Astra Arts Centre last month when the tertiary educators joined together to bring a University Roashow to PLC Armidale.
Duke of Edinburgh Gold Award
Our New Zealand hikers gave a wonderful presentation on their amazing arduous adventures at Senior School Assembly this week, we have shared it below.
In the January holidays, a group of 10 year 12 girls, and Ms Burney and Marty embarked on the journey of a lifetime to New Zealand, in hopes of completing our gold Duke of Ed Qualifying Hike. It was a 10 day trip, 5 of which we were off in Mount Aspiring National Park completing the 88 km Rees-Dart Track. We headed for the airport at 6am, landing in Queenstown after a smooth sailing flight, all of us in awe of the beautiful snow capped mountains we flew through, knowing that in a few short days we would be hiking amongst it.
When in New Zealand, one must enjoy some ‘Fush and Chips’ on the beach…
Continue reading here ...
We went and sat by Lake Wakatipu, Em, very keen to go for a nice cold swim in it the day after the hike.
The following day, after a much needed rest, we headed to the shops, to buy all the food and goods we would need for the hike, a few of us adventuring down the gourmet aisle of Avocado, tomato and of course laughing cow cheese to spice up our hike meals.
On the morning of our hike we woke at 6:00, Ms Burney leading the way to get our last barista made coffee before the big hike. After breakfast our group of intrepid adventurers packed onto the shuttle bus and we took off. It was just our luck when we came to a log on the road, Soph, very keenly jumped out to remove it but our luck ran short when we came across another that could not so easily be moved so we all jumped out and hiked up to the official start. The beginning of the day was hiking on flat-ish ground along a beautiful river until we moved away and the mud became impassable so we bravely marched off track toward the edge of the river, walking through knee deep swamp land. Our boots were sopping, to say the least. After a gourmet lunch, we got off the river and began walking through forest land, feeling revived and living like we were in Lord of the Rings. We made it through the trees, found our first avalanche track and made it to camp after 7 hours of hiking. It was once we reached camp that we were greeted by swarms of Sandflies, starting the blood-drawing battle that continued for the days to follow. We got our beds ready, and all were asleep in good time.
The next day was 12 km, waking up at a reasonable hour to walk up the valley along the river. It seemed pretty easy and relaxing, but alas we were yet to scramble up a steep saddle before stopping for lunch. The heat was certainly there, getting the better of us; causing us to have a few breaks amidst the oddly very sparkly rocks, before we began the ascent. Most of us spent the climb on our hands and knees, not looking below us as we climbed; but we made it in a beautifully sunny spot for lunch being able to see how far we had come and how far we had to go. The descent seemed exciting, but the further we went the more and more exhausted we got, ready for a much needed break by the lovely river. We made it into camp that afternoon, rushing back down to the river to cool off and wash up a little, and trying to escape into the huts before the second great attack of the sandflies! Trust us when we say the battle was real, and we have scars to prove it.
The third day was the day we had all been waiting for, the side hike to the glacier. We were forewarned about the steep ascent, and although a few were keen to opt out and spend the day at the hut, Ms Burney would not hear of it and our excitement to see the frozen ice proved enough motivation. We headed out, quickly getting through the 8km flat, contouring by the river, trying to beat the heat as much as possible. Then there she was… the climb. At this point we all look at it and see a wall of rock, a never ending path up and constant scrambling. But, having been promised that the glacier is just around the corner we begin the ascent. We get halfway up and we see the edge of the glacier peeking from behind the corner and the same thought passes through everyone's mind: is this going to be worth it? But with our expectations a little sceptical we keep climbing, and scrambling and to our relief the glacier gets bigger and bigger. We had a little pit stop before the final 30 mins of hiking until the saddle that overlooked the glacier. And in the silence we were able to hear the ice cracking and occasionally moving.
We made it to the top for lunch after being run past by some insane crossfit runners. The view overlooking the glacier was beautiful, but the view to the other side was incredible. With a large break for lunch, we took in the peace and serenity, admiring the incredible place we were so lucky to hike in. Marty took some girls to go find snow, and we were able to make a snowman with India's slightly squishy carrot. We did a classic Ms Burney 360 video, and started the trek back down. It was great, the sun off our backs, India singing her way down, and before we knew it we were back at camp. Em and Ms Burney took a nice swim in the FREEZING glacier fed river, before we all had a nice time chatting over dinner.
Here came the rain, and hours of waiting around in the hut until it passed so that the rivers would be low enough for us to cross. Cards, hot chocolate and lunch passed the time, before we packed up and left just after lunch. Starting late we pushed through, hiking and hiking and hiking and hiking. It was a very chill day, the scenery beautiful and pretty flat. Camp came round, and this time we had to share rooms with some other hikers, but we had some great conversations with them; whilst vigorously swatting away the army of sandlifes that had somehow slipped under the crack in the door. It was early to bed as we had to wake up even earlier.
Day 5, sad, sentimental but also super exciting and some of us ready to get it over with. We woke and packed our bags and 9 of the girls left, as one was left lying on the hut floor with Ms Burney and Marty as she waited for her nose to stop bleeding. But by 7:30 everyone was off ready to face the quicksand along the track. The big group reached the quick and, as advised, stuck to the track which meant walking through a river. The other three at the back were slightly more hesitant to get any feet wet so Marty led the way off the path to avoid the river crossing, hoping not to be taken down by the quicksand. But thankfully we’re all still alive. By 10:00 the groups had met again and the big group walked ahead, enthusiastically taking very little breaks as their excitement powered them on. On this day we had a few interesting encounters with people as one of the girls, who was hiking alone in between the two groups, was caught by a group of strangers, talking to herself. The larger group also got a fright as two boys spontaneously popped out of the bushes giving soph Harden a golt of surprise. Finally with an hour to spare we MADE IT TO THE END!!!!! We all immediately removed our boots and sat in the shade before getting on the shuttle and making our way back to Queenstown. Em and Daisy got to go for a swim and the group went to get Fergs Burger for dinner, a meal planned since day 1 after a lot of dreaming about the taste as we walked.
After our hike we had a day of rest to rejuvenate and go to the markets, see a bit of Queenstown, clean our hiking gear in hopes of making it back through customs and of course sleep! The following day we went white water rafting down the Kawarau River. Swimming, Cliff Jumps, backflips (some better at it then others), trust falls and of course rapids made it such a fun experience.
Finally our last night came and we all went to ‘Fat badgers’ to have pizza together and create a crazy cool 2025 DoE handshake, reflecting on all our duke of ed hikes from our Bronze Practice to our Gold Qualifying. After a good sleep we were prepared to head home, though possibly not very willingly. To really finish the trip off, Isa and Tiko were very pleased to see one of their favourite podcasters at the airport, grabbing a selfie with him before the flight home.
Overall this was the most incredible and ‘choice’ experience and We really recommend that any girl who gets the chance to do this to Take the opportunity because it was one of the best things that we have all done. Also a massive thank you to Ms Burney and Marty for leading us through these past three years of Duke of Ed, cause as you all know, we could not have done it without them. Here's a quick video to recap the journey.
See the all the presentation photos and video HERE
Next issue we will publish the inaugural Year 11 ESJ presentation
NAPLAN will take place for Year 7 in Week 8
So we can ensure that everyone can participate in the test (online), can you please contact me if your daughter has accessed any NAPLAN adjustments due to disability in the past. Please advise of the nature of the adjustment and the reason for it.
If you wish to exempt your daughter, please be in contact with Julie Flanagan, Director of Studies at jflanagan@plcarmidale.nsw.edu.au
If your daughter will participate in NAPLAN without any provisions, there is no need to do anything.
What Matters? Writing Competition
Inspired by Gough Whitlam's commitment to involving young people in shaping Australia's future, the What Matters? writing competition is currently open to school students in Years 5 to 12 from Australia. Responding to the simple question 'what matters?', entrants are free to express their views on any matter they care about.
Part writing exercise, part civics and citizenship activity, What Matters? is the perfect opportunity to empower students to raise their voices on issues that are important to them and know that their perspectives are valuable, no matter their age, background or viewpoint. Entries can be fiction, non-fiction, poetry or prose of up to 600 words, and submitted online. at https://www.whitlam.org/what-matters
Key Senior School Staff
Head of Senior School - Mrs Kate Clynch
Academic Leadership Team: Director of Studies - Mrs Julie Flanagan; Head of Humanities - Mr Mitchell Clendinning; Head of STEM - Mr Jonathon Shumack ; Head of Creative and Performing Arts - Mrs Joanne Wysel ; Director of Music - Mr Matthew Minter; Director of Sport - Mrs Lucy Donaldson.
Senior School Administration - Mrs Stephanie Fahy
Pastoral Care Staff
The purpose of the Pastoral Care model at PLC Armidale is to ensure that every girl is known and nurtured and that parents have a member of staff they can contact regarding any well-being issues that may arise. Wherever possible, our Year Patrons remain with students on their journey throughout Senior School. In addition, a Year Specialist has been allocated to assist students in each year group. Patrons and Specialists are also ably assisted by their PC team.
Year 7 - Patron: Sophie Westermarck; Specialist: Jennifer Leahy; Team: Aaron Creamer
Year 8 - Patron: Mitchell Clendinning; Specialist: Grace Welch; Team: Marilyn Faithfull
Year 9 - Patron: Emma Schaeffer; Specialist: Amanda Burney; Team: Roxanne Shumack
Year 10 - Patron: Jo Wysel; Specialist: Matthew Minter; Team: Josh Tuohy
Year 11 - Patron: Kate Fittler; Specialist: Jonathon Shumack; Team: Greg Cotterell, Margarita Perez
Year 12 - Patron: Yvette Ballard; Specialist: Julie Flanagan; Team: Ruth Patrick
Pathways - Angela Priebbenow
You can also find more information on the Parent/Carer Intranet via CONNECT HERE
The Senior School Handbook also contains details of requirements for stationery for students, as well as details for uniform, IT requirements and general information about life in the Senior School. You can find the Senior School Handbook on the Parent/Carer Intranet via CONNECT HERE
Boarding News
Sam and Amy Jacometti
Heads of Boarding
It has been a positive start to boarding this year.
The first few weeks have flown by and there is plenty of activity and energy in the house. Poppy McLaren has continued adding value to the boarding community as our Boarders Prefect.
Some of the activity we have seen so far:
Chinese New Year fell on the first day of Term 1 this year and so we marked the occasion with lantern making and some decorations around the house. Maggie, our International Prefect, arranged some dumpling making with our international students which smelled delicious!
Our boarders badges have been received very successfully, and some of them are sporting the new metal wear on their blazers. This was an initiative brought last year from Poppy and through the BRC. A design was laid out and we now have badges that offer another layer of community and connection in the boarding house.
Coffs Coast Camp was a wonderful weekend, as it is each year, bringing the boarding community together and establishing connections that have mostly been on ice over the summer break. We were blessed with amazing weather and enjoyed the beach, pool, ice cream, barbecues and Year 12 games. The Saturday afternoon activities were a mixture of ice skating, paintball, the water park, laser tag and tree tops!
We also marked Valentine’s Day with a small card and bible verse, attached to a large lollipop. Nothing like coming back to the boarding house to a bit of sweetness ❤️
In case you missed it, Poppy has designed a Boarders Calendar. This is a google document that has been shared with staff, boarders and boarders parents. It allows girls to see what activities and events are coming up and it also gives parents and careers some visibility of what is on offer for their daughters as part of living in Boarding. If you have not received the link, please let us know and we can send it through.
Garden Salad
Through the BRC and led by our Boarders prefect, work has begun on designing a Boarders Garden. This will ideally grow into a versatile space with a number of features, but installing some raised garden beds and growing some vegetables is a great place to start. Poppy has sent out a Google form seeking interest from the girls and who might like to be involved. Please mention it to your daughter as many hands make light work!
This weekend is boarders weekend
and we hope all our domestic boarders enjoy some time at home and connection with family. For our international boarders, Maggie, our International prefect, has arranged to have a yummy Hot Pot for dinner over the weekend!
See more Boarding Life photos HERE
Creative and Performing Arts (CAPA) News
Mrs Joanne Wysel
Head of Creative and Performing Arts. (CAPA)
Congratulations to ...
... India Smith A.Mus.A who gave a stunning performance and received a Marian Barford Award Scholarship at the New England Conservatorium of Music (NECOM) last month.
... all our girls who took part in the 2025 Armidale Youth Orchestra Sawtell Music Camp last weekend. More than a third of the orchestra was comprised of students from our College and they appreciated the opportunity to work with the wonderful conductor Willem van der Lis.
InHouse Concert
In Week 9, we will hold the first In House Concert for the year on Wednesday, 26 March. There will be two concerts, one at 5:30pm and the second at 6:45pm.
If you would like to perform in this concert, or would like your daughter to perform, please complete this google form by Friday, 14 March.
PLC Armidale Creative and Performing Arts Polo Shirt
These are available for purchase from Mrs Fahy at Senior School reception at a cost of $35 each, which will be charged to your account. These shirts should be worn when you are representing PLC Armidale in non-costumed Speech and Drama events.
Mary Poppins Intensive & Key Dates
Make sure you check the schedule and lock in key rehearsal dates—it’s full steam ahead!
Below is an overview of the rehearsal process from now until the Mary Poppins Camp on the June Long Weekend. Regular Wednesday afternoon rehearsals for all cast will continue, as well as Thursday afternoons for principals (as scheduled).
We have also sent home a ‘Production Contract’ that all students who are participating in the show need to sign, and have their parent/carer sign as well. Copies can be collected from Ms Fahy at Senior School Reception if required. We request that these are returned this week.
Once again, thank you all for your support of our production of Mary Poppins - it is going to be an amazing show, and we can't wait to share it with you all in June at the Armidale Town Hall.
Shakespeare Carnival – Get Involved!
Sign-ups for the Shakespeare Carnival have begun, and we’re excited to see so much interest in this creative competition. Students can compete in seven different categories:
Ensemble Scene – Work together to create a compelling group performance.
Duologue – Bring Shakespeare’s words to life with a partner.
Music Composition – Create original pieces inspired by Shakespeare.
Physical Theatre – Use movement and expression to tell a story.
Group Devised – Collaborate on an original performance inspired by Shakespeare.
Dance – Choreograph and perform a dance based on Shakespearean themes.
Smart Film – Craft a short film with a Shakespearean influence.
If you haven’t signed up yet but would like to be involved, it’s not too late! Come and see Mrs Wysel with your group or partner.
The School's Shakespeare Carnival is set for 27 March, so mark your calendars—it’s going to be a fantastic showcase of talent!
Art in the Afternoon – Starting Soon!
We are excited to announce that Art in the Afternoon will be starting soon during lunchtimes with Mrs Schaeffer and our Visual Arts Captains, Daisy Donaldson and Sophie Hardin. Keep an eye out for more details and come along to get creative!
Celebrating Our Student Successes
We love celebrating our students' achievements! Whether you are excelling in Drama, Dance, Music, or Visual Arts, we want to acknowledge your incredible efforts and share them with the wider school community. Please let us know about your successes so we can recognise them at assemblies and in our newsletters. 2025 is already shaping up to be an outstanding year in Creative and Performing Arts, and we can’t wait to see what our talented students achieve. I
We love seeing students embrace their creativity, challenge themselves, and support each other.
If you have any questions or want to get involved, don’t hesitate to reach out. Let’s make this a year to remember!
Anything Can Happen If You Let It! (Mary Poppins)
SPORT News
Mrs Lucy Donaldson
Head of Sport
Congratulations to ...
Isabelle Scanlon
... who has been selected for the IPSHA Touch Football Squad. - Last Thursday was the first time IPSHA has held a touch football trial for girls and more than 40 girls attended the selection trials in Sydney. The standard of play was very strong. and only 18 girls were selected, with Isabelle making the top 10 and selected to compete at the CIS trials later this term. Ad Astra Isabelle !!
... our girls selected for the Hockey New England Representative Teams
Well done to Ava Notley, Lily Donaldson (U16s Blues) and Evie Mathews, Evie Donaldson and Mary Notley (U16s Pink) - who will play in the State Championships in Illawarra in June.
Well done to Evie Donaldson, Lucie Stephen (U14s Blues) and Pippi Notley, Mary Notley (U4s Pink) - who will play in the State Championships in Grafton in May.
Term 1 is well underway with the various summer sports that are on offer.
Each week is very busy with girls scurrying off to swimming, strength and conditioning, run club, tennis, basketball, touch footy, indoor hockey or futsal! It is great to see how active our students are here at PLC Armidale and the enjoyment they show in their physical activity.
PLC Representative Netball and Hockey Trials
The trials for the PLC Armidale representative teams were held on Monday (netball) and Thursday (hockey) this week. It was so exciting to see the amount of girls trying out for these teams. We look forward to publishing these selected teams in next edition of the Lions’ Roar. Congratulations to all girls who trialled and a big thank you to our external selectors; Chelsea Schaefer, Taylor Fuller, Julie Fuller, Georgia Hutton and Matt Jackson. - it was not an easy job!
About the Equestrian Team at PLC
The equestrian team is made up of two main events throughout the year, the Northwest Equestrian Expo and the Interschools Horse Extravanza (ISHE).
The Expo is located in Coonabarabran and starts on 30 May and ends on 3 June. Entries are open from 5 March and on 11 April.
Coona is a very good experience and I highly recommend it to anyone interested, it’s very fun and is a highlight of my year. The Expo has many events to participate in such as ODE (One day event/ Dressage, Show Jumping and Cross Country), CT (Combined Training/ Dressage and Show Jumping), Polocrosse, Working Horse Challenge, Expo Pentathlon, Freestyle Dressage, Six Bar Show Jumping, Sporting, Warrenbungle Way (is a fun challenge to complete with a range of activities), school team barrel race, ring events, team penning, Expo gymkhana and team hunt.
This may look like a lot of activities, but you don’t compete in every event. However, I recommend that you compete in as many as you can to make the most of your time there. I hope to see some girls there, and it will be lots of fun, and if you want more information go to their website - https://www.nwequestrianexpo.com.au/#
Later in the year will be ISHE (Inter-Schools Horse Extravaganza) from the 16th to the 25th of October located at Tamworth in the Aelec. More information about ISHE entries will come out later in the year. ISHE is slightly different to the Coona Expo because people go for their event and then leave once they are done (not stay the whole time). The events you can participate in are the ODE (One Day Event), CT (Combined Training), dressage, show jumping, show riding, working horse challenge, camp draft and sporting events.
If you would like to know more or want to join the Equestrian team then send me an email...chloey@student.plcarmidale.nsw.edu.au
Upcoming Events:
IGSA Swimming - Friday 14 March (Week 7)
Tildesley Tennis - Wednesday 19th- Thursday 20th March (Week 8)
Whole School Cross Country Carnival - Thursday 27th March (Week 9)
Coaches wanted
Sport is not compulsory at our College, but our participation rate is at an all-time high, and we need to increase our coaching team. If you (or someone you know) have a passion for and experience with Hockey, Netball or Soccer, then let our Head of Sport, Mrs Lucy Donaldson, know.
As well as training a team of enthusiastic and talented girls, you will be working alongside Oskar Staniucha, a dedicated strength and conditioning coach, who is conducting a three-year PHD research project exclusively with PLC Armidale examining how training load impacts ACL health in young female athletes.
Hockey New England looking for umpires
Whether you're a seasoned umpire or brand new with the willingness to learn, they would love to hear from you.
Hockey New England are looking for Senior and Junior umpires to help officiate games at all levels. If you love the game and want to be involved in a new way, this is a great opportunity to:
✅ Gain valuable experience. ✅ Develop your confidence and skills. ✅ Earn while staying active in the sport
No prior experience? No problem! They will offer support and resources to help you get started.
If you’re interested, simply contact them at umpires@hockeynewengland.org.au to express your interest.
As always, if at any stage you are unsure of anything or need clarification, send me an email at 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.
Health News
Immunisation Statements
Just a friendly reminder to all parents: if you haven’t already, please remember to send through your child’s most recent immunisation statement as soon as possible. This is important for ensuring their school records are up to date. Thank you for your cooperation.
Thank you for your prompt response in completing the consent forms for our school-based vaccination program, which was held on February 20 for Year 7 and 10 students. Your timely cooperation helped ensure the process ran smoothly. If your daughter did not receive the vaccine and you would like her to, please contact the health centre for more information and assistance.
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.
The Parent Portal can be access through the CONNECT page at 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
The 2025 Signature Event is proposed to be a whole school Fete /Market Day to be held on campus in Term 4
A steering committee is being formed to be part of the planning and preparation in the lead up to the event. Please let me know if you would like to be part of this group.
Thank you for your ongoing support of our P&F.
PLCA Uniform Shop
Opening hours
Tuesday 8:30am to 11:30am
Thursday 1:00pm to 4:30pm
Phone: 02 6770 1703
GREEN TARTAN
ALUMNAE NEWS
You can find the Spring/Summer edition of the Green Tartan HERE
Congratulations to ...
... Mia Montgomery -Class of '24 who was selected to play Rugby League in the Manly Warringah Sea Eagles team in the Tarsha Gale Cup. Unfortunately, she did some ligament damage in Round 4 against the Panthers last month, but is recovering and should be back on the field in two weeks. Ad Astra Mia!!
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 2025, 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?
Donations will provide scholarships for the 2026 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.
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