Congratulations to...

... all our Guild Captains

Who led a wonderful Whole School Guild Gathering in Junior School last week in preparation for our 2026 Guild Drama.

... all the girls who attended the 2026 National Red Poll Youth Camp in Glen Innes at the end of the October school holidays. 

Beth Birnie in Year 5 (Highly Commended - Junior Young Judges) 

Brianna Marshall in Year 9  (2nd Intermediate Young Judges) 

Anna Blake in Year 9 (1st Senior & Overall Grand Champion Young Judge - Earning a ticket to compete at the SA Junior Heifer Expo at Adelaide in July 2027 , Senior Champion Herdsman Winner )

Emma Birnie in Year 9 (3rd Senior Young Judges, Senior - Most Improved Winner )

Imogen Scanlon in year 10 (1st Senior Paraders & Overall Grand Champion Parader, Senior - Encouragement Award Winner)

Rosie Woods in Year 9 (Overall Champion Encouragement)

Nylah Webb in Year 10 (3rd place Senior Paraders competition)

All our students took home a prize or placed, and we are so proud of how the they participated and conducted themselves at the event. Ad Astra ladies! 

 ... Yethumi Horathalge in Year 6,  Ellie Cooper in Year 5,  Zoe Yuan in Year 5,  Shiloni Katta in Year 6, Lydia Yuan in Year 6, Nyka Naveen in Year 7, Annabella Wysel in Year 8, Edith Clynch in Year 9 and Sophia Marchant in Year 10.

... who have all been accepted into the Gondwana Choral Camp at National Choral School where hundreds of young singers from across Australia come together and learn amazing music from around the world with leading music educators and artists. In 2027, it will mark the National Choral School's 30th year, and the camp will be held in Melbourne and Ballarat, Victoria in January.

** Far Out Science UNE - Stage 3 Sophie/Emma pics and Brian Shumack Year 7 pics? **

**GlenBrook Station Ag trip pics - Briony ( and do local media release)

** Ruth Patrick PASS?

milkshake - thailand and purple house central aust  $$ bonvayage to both groups - refer slides you downloaded for pics/itinerary?

ruth patrick strenght pics? or was it someone else - 1 sept ( just pop in Ad Astra)

exercise photos? ( adAstra?)

Resin Pears Resin projects - clocks ( Ad Astra?)

Bio chem challenge report/ biomechanic report- kithmi Jaya etc Term 4 issue

Career talk series - Sybella dad and others,,,mitchell who did we have previously?

Debating year 6 ( Lane Cover West), Year 10 (minamah)- stage 4???? ANVDC knock out phase - do congrats like sport finals last issue

PreK SIP x2 - slides from Michelle your pics ( and recorind for socilas)

also JS open Afternoon stories.

OGU gallery from reunion ( and send pics to Mel), 

Leadership event at TAS - Kate sent pics and TAS posted

Mark your calendars as we have many special end-of year events in Term 4 and you do not want to miss out!

Mrs Kate Clynch

Head of Senior School

Congratulations to ...

... Evie Donaldson in Year 8

who competed for the New England Representative team in Division 1 of the U14s Indoor Hockey State Championships last weekend in Orange where her team brought home the Silver medal!  Evie was also appointed Team Captain, and our Head of Sport, Mrs Lucy Donaldson, was the Team Manager.

2027 Captains 

Nomination forms have been sent out to all Year 9 & 10 students  and are due back by 3.30pm on Friday, 27 November.

These roles provide students with valuable opportunities to serve our school community while developing their leadership capabilities in specific areas of school life.

Available Leadership Positions for 2027:

• Sports Captains

• Academic Captains

• Creative Arts Captains (specialising in Dance, Drama, Music, or Visual Arts)

• Livestock Team Captains

Essential Requirements:

Students in Year 10, 11 or 12 in 2027

Active participation in the relevant area of leadership

Demonstrated commitment to school values

Strong leadership and interpersonal skills

Excellent time management abilities

Willingness to serve as a role model for other students

Key Responsibilities Include:

Representing PLC Armidale at school and external events

Preparing and delivering assembly presentations

Contributing regular articles to Lion's Roar (minimum once per term)

Assisting staff with program coordination and special events

Mentoring and encouraging younger students

Writing articles for Ad Astra

Application Process:

1. Written Application (maximum two A4 pages, size 12 font) addressing:

Personal statement

Demonstrated commitment to the school

Organisational skills

Public speaking experience

Ability to work with others

Leadership experience

2. Teacher Referrals. Teachers will assess candidates on:

Skills in dealing with people

Public speaking ability

Time management

Active participation

Leadership capabilities

Please note that these are service and mentoring roles. For example:

Sports Captains must actively participate in their sport but are not automatically guaranteed positions in representative teams

Creative Arts Captains must maintain active involvement in their chosen discipline (Dance, Drama, Music, or Visual Arts)

Academic Captains should demonstrate strong involvement in academic programs and activities

Livestock Team Captain must maintain active involvement in the Livestock Team.

Important Dates:

Applications Open: Monday 9 November

Applications Close: Friday 27 November at 3:30pm

Announcements: Commencement Assembly, Term 1 2027

From farm to classroom

Our Stage 4 Technology students explored the science behind food production during a recent excursion to Costa Tomato Farm and Deano’s Smoked Trout Farm.

At Costa, Paul Butterworth guided the class through the Innovation Centre and main farm facilities, providing a firsthand look at the technology and processes behind commercial hydroponics. The visit brought classroom learning to life, showing how plants can be grown without soil on an industrial scale. The operation comprises 40 hectares of glasshouses across two Guyra sites, and our Stage 4 Tech group explored a 5-hectare glasshouse and were the first people, other than staff, ever allowed inside the 2.5-hectare nursery.

At Deano’s, students explored the trout hatchery, learning about the trout lifecycle and how water quality, fish health and growth are managed. They also investigated what makes trout well suited to aquaponic systems.

The girls will now apply their learning as they complete their Semester 2 project by designing and building their own aquaponic systems in class, connecting plant production and fish care through hands-on learning.

Explore Serve Journey (ESJ)

While our sequence of Explore Serve Journey programs spans Kindergarten to Year 12,  peak experiences occur in the middle years of schooling. These are part of our curriculum and included in your tuition fees.

This is a particularly challenging time for girls in terms of dealing with change, developing identity, and navigating social relationships. The following programs assist students in moving through this turbulent stage with courage and character.

More information on each will be sent closer to the time.

ESJ in the Senior School

Year 7  - 4 days in Term 3 Connection and Belonging (3-6 August). See 2025 photos HERE

Year 8  - 5 days in Term 3 - Flourish or Flounder (3-7 August ). See 2025 photos HERE

Year 9 - 28 days in Term 4  – Every girl’s a boarder (25 October to 21 November ). See 2025 photos HERE

Year 10 - 13 Days in Term 1 – A Journey from the highest city to the highest mountain (21 March to 1 April). See 2025 photos HERE

Year 11 -  6 Days in Term 1 Rock and Rope – ‘Hanging Out’ in the Blue Mountains (15-20 February). See 2025 photos HERE

Service Learning Trips

These are optional peak experiences for our girls - costs will be quoted when you are invited to submit an expression of interest.

Years7/8 Central Australia Cultural Immersion Experience 

Years10/11 Thaliand Agape Orphanage 

Wellbeing Wednesday

Each Wednesday, we run a creative wellbeing program for students in years 7-11 in small groups. In addition to the small group sessions, we also set aside time for individual sessions and tailored small groups.

Where possible, we attempt to identify girls we believe would benefit from additional support or creative wellbeing time. In these cases, parents are contacted to receive permission for their daughter to participate. However, we realise there may be many girls who wish to take advantage of this creative wellbeing time, and we would love to provide them with this opportunity. 

Therefore, we wish to invite parents to please let us know if your daughter, or a suggested small group, would be keen to take advantage of this service. There are no additional costs involved, and students may attend over several weeks, depending on their needs and availability.

The creative wellbeing space is colourful, welcoming and relaxed, providing an environment where students can unwind through painting, drawing and other creative activities while engaging in supportive, confidential conversations. For some students, the sessions provide a chance to relax, connect and recharge. For others, they may offer additional support with concerns such as anxiety, stress, friendships, self-confidence, homesickness (for boarders), or other wellbeing challenges.

The program is facilitated by Paula Jenkins,  a qualified Art Therapist and professional artist, currently completing a Master of Counselling. She brings extensive experience supporting young people through creative wellbeing programs, art therapy and mentoring.

If you would like to discuss whether these sessions may be suitable for your daughter, please feel free to contact her at pjenkins@plcarmidale.nsw.edu.au or you can call her directly on 0439 384 433.

We look forward to continuing to support the wellbeing of our students.

For issue 14 - congrats was in issue 13 - see also slide show chloe hoad emailed you...

Science Week

The Australian Biomechanics Research and Innovation Competition is an opportunity for students to explore how science, technology and engineering can be used to understand and improve human movement. Students investigate a biomechanics problem, such as how we move, perform in sport, prevent injuries or design better equipment, and develop a research-based solution or innovation. It’s a great opportunity to apply classroom science to a real-world problem and develop skills in research, experimentation, problem-solving and innovation. presentation 17/8/26

Person Speech

Jiya Good morning Mrs Taylor, Mrs Clynch, teachers, staff and students,

Today we would like to share our investigation on different footwear while

hiking and the science behind them. During Year 7-10 SIP, Sharni, Chloe,

Anna and myself signed up for the program called Biomechanics Research

Innovation Challenge or BRinC for short.

In our sessions we were mentored by Mrs Fittler and Samantha Brise, who

is a sport scientist at the UNE. In the beginning, we originally started off

with a huge spectrum of ideas ranging from better make-up appliances to

snakes. However, we quickly realised that we needed to scale things down

to a more realistic and manageable experiment. With the Year 9 ESJ and

Duke of Ed in mind, we realised that we could test for blister formation

during hikes which is common in many individuals and what shoes would

best prevent these from occurring.

Chloe To conduct our research, we headed down to the lab at UNE, and we did

three different tests on two types of shoes, hiking boots and joggers, while

going on a mini hike. The first test was quite simple: we got some tape,

drew a grid on it, stuck it to the heels and balls of our feet, and recorded the

amount of smear on the tape after the hike. Our second test was also quite

simple: we asked each person to rate the comfort of each shoe. For our last

test, we placed an accelerometer on each person’s ankle to measure the

forces applied to our feet while walking.

Anna We found out that hiking boots reduced the smear on our tape grids—the

boots left almost no marks, while the joggers smudged heavily, showing

how much our feet were sliding around inside. The accelerometer data also

showed lower impact forces with the boots, which means that each step

was better cushioned and our joints took less strain. In addition, every

participant rated the boots as more comfortable, thanks to better ankle

support and stability. So combining less friction, less shock, and more

comfort, it's obvious that hiking boots are the smarter choice for long hikes,

especially if you're easy to get blisters. For those planning ESJ or Duke of

Ed, we strongly recommend investing in proper hiking boots rather than

regular runners.

Sharni From this project we have learnt that hiking boots are more beneficial when

you are hiking especially if you get blisters while on ESJ or Duke of ed. This

project is very fun and absolutely worth giving it a go. If this project runs

again next year or anytime in the future I would 100% recommend taking

part and giving it a go, even if you don't feel passionate about science.

Sharni We would just like to say a huge thank you to Mrs Fittler for organising our

sessions and to Samantha Brise, our mentor through this whole project,

helping us decide on our final project and creating the experiment for our

project. Here is a little video from our program.

Semester 2 SIP Projects 

Our Special Interest Projects (SIP) will continue in Term 4 for students in Years 7-10. 

SIP is designed to broaden learning experiences, developing students' interests and talents across diverse areas. The program structure involves four semester-long projects over a two-year period built around the four pillars of student experience at PLC Armidale:

• Academic Endeavour

• Creative and Performing Arts

• Leadership and Service

• Sport and Outdoor Education

In Semester Two 2026, students  have the opportunity to participate in one of these five distinct project streams:

1. Sport and Outdoor Education - Conditioning and Strength for Injury Prevention 

2. Creative and Performing Arts - Acapella Singing/Contemporary Vocal Ensemble

3. Academic Endeavour - Tournament of the Minds - developing diverse skills, enterprise, time management, and the discipline of collaboration within a challenging and competitive environment.

4. Academic Endeavour  - Beyond the Kaleidoscope - involvement in the production of 'The Scope', PLC Armidale’s student magazine

5. Creative Arts/Academic Endeavour - Textile Project ‘Make your own PJs

2026 in the Senior School

Key Senior School Staff 

Principal - Mrs Nicola Taylor

Head of Senior School - Mrs Kate Clynch

Academic Leadership Team

• Director of Studies - Ms Julie Flanagan 

• Head of Humanities - Mr Mitchell Clendinning

• Head of STEM - Mrs Kate Fittler

• Head of Creative and Performing Arts - Mrs Joanne Wysel 

• Director of Music - Mr Matthew Minter

• Director of Sport - Mrs Lucy Donaldson

Co-Heads of Boarding - Mr Sam Jacometti and Ms Margaret Latham

College Chaplain - Ms Jennifer Leahy

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.

Where possible, our Year Mentors remain with students on their journey throughout from Year 7 through to  Year 9, and then with a new Mentor and Pastoral Care team from Year 10 to Year 12.

In addition, a Year Specialist has been allocated to assist students in each year group, and this person generally stays on this same year group for a number of rotations. Mentors and Specialists are also ably assisted by their Pastoral Care team members, under the oversight of the Head of Senior School, the College Chaplain, and our School Psychologist. 

Year 7 - MENTOR: Yvette Ballard
Year 7 - Specialist: James Haggerty (Compass Program)
Year 7 Pastoral Care Team: Ruth Patrick

Year 8 - MENTOR: Grace Baker
Year 8 - Specialist: Jennifer Leahy
Year 8 Pastoral Care Team: Brian Shumack

Year 9 - MENTOR: Margarita Perez
Year 9 - Specialist: Amanda Burney
Year 9 Pastoral Care Team: Alasdair Hey

Year 10 - MENTOR: Emma Schaeffer
Year 10 - Specialist: Mitchell Clendinning
Year 10 Pastoral Care Team: Roxanne Shumack

Year 11 - MENTOR:  Matthew Minter
Year 11 - Specialist: Jo Wysel
Year 11 Pastoral Care Team: Mr Tim Pears

Year 12 - MENTOR: Kate Fittler
Year 12 - Specialist: Julie Flanagan
Year 12 Pastoral Care Team: Greg Cotterell

Pathways Pastoral Care - Kirsten Hey, Angela Priebbenow

Mobile Phones

Students are not required to have a mobile phone at school. If one is brought, it must be switched off and not accessed during the school day.

Limited-function phones, or phones with low/no data for students in Stages 4 and 5 (Years 7 - 10) are preferred. If a mobile phone is brought to school, it is to be stored in the student’s locker, not pocket or bag. Students are required to secure their lockers with their own padlock.

Progressive Reporting in 2026 (Edumate and Reports)

Ongoing feedback and student reflection on learning are essential to measure understanding, strengths and areas for growth.

The engagement of parents in this process is a way to enhance communication between the College and home, providing an opportunity for parents to follow up with teachers regarding their child’s progress.

By logging regularly into Edumate, you will be able to see your daughter's assessment test results, teacher feedback on the task and upcoming tasks to put on the family calendar.

To access your daughter’s results, once into Edumate, you will see a tab titled ‘Progress’. From there, click on Past Tasks. You will also be able to see Upcoming Tasks and previous Academic Reports.  

You can also access information on our school app ‘Carer Orbit’ here: Using the Carer Orbit APP

If you have forgotten or misplaced your login details for Edumate, please contact helpdesk@plcarmidale.nsw.edu.au 

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 Life

Margaret Latham and Sam Azon-Jacometti 

Heads of Boarding

Boarders are back in the swing of things with new patterns of summer sports and afternoon activities settling in as we finish Week 4. 

A gentle reminder to boarders to give staff plenty of notice about upcoming activities and changes of plans as there is increased demand on College vehicles at the moment.

The absence of Year 9 boarders has been evident in the boarding house, with a noticeably smaller Dining Hall and less bustle around the house. We're sure they are having a great time at ESJ.

This is more pronounced now that all the graduating Year 12 boarders have moved out and finished exams, with most of the girls finishing their HSC by week 3. This was a huge effort on their behalf, and while they are now no doubt enjoying lovely breaks at home or abroad, their presence is certainly missed in the Boarding House.

If you spot Ms Latham out and about, don't forget to wish her a very happy birthday, which we celebrated with her on the 6th. 

Secret Santa will be drawn out of the hat in the upcoming weeks so boarders can purchase their gifts, ready to be exchanged at the Boarders Christmas Dinner.

We have some key dates coming up for boarders to be aware of:

• The Boarders Barbecue is making a comeback as summer approaches, with a sausage sizzle and firepit coming up on 16 November (Monday, Week 6)

• Christmas Dress-up Dinner: we have a themed dinner paired with the dorm door decorating competition, which will be judged on this night, the 30 November (Monday, Week 8). This may be accompanied by a night of Christmas Light spotting around Armidale

• Annual Boarders Christmas Dinner on Thursday 3 December, where parents, boarders and boarding staff get to come together and celebrate another successful year in the boarding house. 

Stephanie Blake - 2027 Boarding Prefect

Junior School News

Mrs Fiona Wake

Head of Junior School

Congratulations to ...

Junior School Handbook

Please take the time to thoroughly read the Junior School Handbook, which contains essential information regarding the daily operations of the Junior School. This resource will assist in ensuring a smooth and informed start to the year.

Uniform Standards and Digital Technology Expectations

Uniform slips will be placed in student diaries as gentle reminders about maintaining our uniform standards. Additionally, digital technology protocols and expectations should be reviewed with your daughter. A signature panel is provided in her student diary, and we ask that it be signed to indicate that these guidelines have been read and understood, ensuring a shared commitment to safe and responsible technology use.

Homework Expectations

Homework for all students will be distributed every Monday and should be submitted each Friday. Repetition and mastery play a vital role in deep learning, and at our school, we strongly encourage students to embrace these practices.

Key Dates and Upcoming Events

Please refer to the School Calendar and your daughter's Diary on the  PLC Armidale Orbit App and Lion's Roar for upcoming events. Additionally, schedules will be attached to the weekly homework sheets to assist families in staying organised, followed by a message through the PLC Armidale App with urgent or reminder messages via SMS. We are trying to reduce the amount of emails appearing in your inbox, so using these alternative platforms is our approach.

Celebrating Learning - Class Features!

Each edition of our Lions Roar newsletter will showcase a different class on rotation, providing a wonderful opportunity to celebrate student learning and achievements. This newsletter also serves as a platform to highlight our students' activities outside of school, fostering a strong sense of community.

After-School Collection and Safety Protocols

For safety reasons, after-school collection at 3:45 pm will be from the front gate only. The side reception area is designated for bus boarding, so keeping it clear is appreciated. This also applies to morning drop-off. The front curb is a designated drop-off point. If you need to speak with staff, please use the parking areas to avoid disrupting traffic flow. Students attending Homework Centre should be collected from the side gate if the front reception is locked.

Save the Dates for these fabulous Junior School Term 4 events - more details to come soon......

PreK Nativity Play 9am on Thursday, 19 November

Time to Shine Presentation Evening 5pm Friday, 20 November

Year 6 Dinner Celebration 6pm on Thursday, 26 November

SPORT News

Mrs Lucy Donaldson

Head of Sport

Badminton is back!

We’re excited to announce that badminton is back in the gym throughout Term 4!

Come along to serve, rally, smash and have some fun on Wednesday lunchtimes.

When?

Every Wednesday lunchtime

1.20-1.40pm

School Gym - DKC

Whether you’re an experienced badminton player or have never picked up a racquet before, everyone is welcome! The sessions are a great opportunity to improve your skills, learn some new techniques, get active and enjoy some friendly competition with friends.

Students can come along, have a hit and develop their confidence on the court in a relaxed and supportive environment. You don’t need to be an expert, just bring your enthusiasm and be ready to play!

So, grab a racquet, bring a friend and get ready to get back on court!

SportUNE Junior Twilight Soccer

When: Tuesdays from 4:00 PM to 6:00 PM (Season starts October 20th)

Where: SportUNE

Cost: $65 per player

Registrations Close: Sunday, 18 October 

Looking for a team? UNE are hosting a Come & Try Session on Thursday, October 15th from 4:30 PM to 5:30 PM! It's a great opportunity for any junior players who want to join the competition to come down, have a kick, and get placed into a team.

How to register: Team registration is completely free for parents or coaches to set up. Once your team is registered, you can share a link with the players to register themselves individually.

Use this link https://www.playhq.com/football-au/register/45dd09 

or head to SportUNE's website to register your team 

Creative and Performing Arts (CAPA) News

Mrs Joanne Wysel

Head of Creative and Performing Arts. (CAPA)

Private Music Tuition

The PLC Armidale Private Tuition program allows girls to take part in instrumental and vocal lessons at the College. Lessons are offered on an individual and rotational basis by highly qualified teachers who are experts in their field. Most students have a 30-minute lesson; however, advanced students may negotiate a longer lesson time. Instruments on offer include violin, viola, cello, double bass, trumpet, trombone, French horn, tuba, euphonium, bassoon, flute, clarinet, saxophone, oboe, piano, voice, guitar, recorder or drums. 

If you are interested in these lessons for your daughter, please email the Director of Music at mminter@plcarimidale.nsw.edu.au or complete the Google form sent to girls and families. 

If you have any questions about Music at PLC Armidale please do not hesitate to contact the Director of Music at mminter@plcarmidale.nsw.edu.au

Pathways International Students

Kirsten Hey

Director

Poddy Lamb Classroom Visit

Our classroom was filled with joy and plenty of “awws” when Kim Blake brought in a very special visitor, a tiny orphaned lamb who was just four days old.

The students were absolutely delighted to meet the adorable little lamb, and seeing it dressed in its very own nappy made the experience even more special. It was a wonderful opportunity for the students to get up close to such a young animal and learn a little about the care and attention it needs.

Kim shared that the lamb’s mother had become unwell and was unable to feed it, so she has lovingly stepped in to care for it. This is no small task, with Kim feeding the little lamb up to eight times a day! It is clear that the lamb is in very caring hands.

A huge thank you to Kim for sharing this precious little visitor with us and giving our students such a heartwarming experience. It was a lovely reminder of the kindness, patience and dedication involved in caring for animals, and a visit that certainly brought plenty of smiles to our classroom!

Contact us at pandf@plcarmidale.nsw.edu.au

Thank you for your continued support of the P&F.

For appointments: https://www.noone.com.au/school/plc-armidale/stores (it's the same as the website to buy online). 

Pre-K School Uniform

Junior School Uniform

Senior School Uniform

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 August, please get in touch with us at enquiries@plcarmidale.nsw.edu.au

General News