From the Acting Principal
The end of the year is very busy. Year 12 students continue with their exams and lower levels are finalising assessment pieces for their courses.
Our Senior School sustainability team, EarthCore, are planning to conduct an assessment of how well we are doing with our waste stream. The waste audit will be held on Friday 10 November. This audit will assess how well we are doing with using the four-stream bin system implemented this year. Students and staff are asked to place items in the appropriate bins - waste destined for landfill (red bin), paper and cardboard (blue bin), co-mingled recyclables (yellow bin) or organic waste (green bin).
Contamination has been a major concern identified in previous waste audits. When the wrong items are placed in bins the whole bin will be sent to landfill. We have placed large stickers on each bin to help identify what it should be used for. We have also placed all four bins in 30 locations around the College so that people do not need to walk a further distance in order to do the right thing (like place an item in the recycling bin).
The graph below shows the last three waste audits and the amount of contamination placed in the wrong bins. We are hoping the percentage of contamination will continue to decrease.
EarthCore and teachers Chester Conron and Nicole Holton are organising this year’s audit. They will be assisted by students enrolled in 'Sustaining the Planet' and 'How Does Your Garden Grow'. During the day other classes will visit the gym to see the amount of waste we create, find out how well we are doing in choosing the right waste stream and have their awareness raised on this important sustainability issue.
After sorting close to 500 kilograms of waste and recyclables, the 2022 audit identified the need for a co-mingled recyclables stream which has been implemented this year. It will be great to see if this initiative has made a difference in the amount of material going to landfill.
The students and staff of the College are steadily decreasing the amount of material going to landfill. A great debt of thanks must go to all those who are involved in the 2023 Waste Audit because it is through their efforts that we are creating a more sustainable future.
Two Important Reminders:
- A reminder to all families that next week there are two student-free days. Monday 6 and Tuesday 7 November are staff planning days and there will be no school.
- Covid remains a concern in our community. If you have a child who has cold/flu-like symptoms, please test using a RAT. In the next fortnight, we will make available the remaining stocks of RATs to families.
From the Acting Head of Senior School
Monday 6 and Tuesday 7 November are Student-Free Days across the school, with staff involved in Professional Development. While no students are required at school for classes, it is important to note that there are still Year 12 VCE and IB exams running on these days.
As families are planning for 2024 and beyond, it is important to note that students are expected to be at school each day of the school year. At times families may have the opportunity to undertake extended travel or students may have opportunities to engage in alternative programs. Should this be the case, families should contact the student’s Head of House to discuss the proposed absence and then work with the College to develop a plan to support the child’s learning while they are absent. Please note that VCE subjects have strict attendance requirements that must be met in order to gain a satisfactory result for the subject and extended absences can make meeting this requirement impossible.
On Wednesday 22nd November, the Music Department is presenting the 2023 Music Showcase. Commencing at 6:30pm in the Katsumata Centre, there will be performances from Square One, KIC Brass, the Senior String Orchestra, Kardinia Sings and many more. Please come along to support our talented musicians!
From the Head of Junior School
Year 4 Parent Pop In
Last Thursday our Year 4 students hosted a ‘parent pop-in’ in the afternoon. Students shared their learning from their recent 'How We Express Ourselves' unit of inquiry and their current unit of 'How the World Works'. Thank you to the Year 4 teachers for organising this great celebration as well as all the parents who were able to attend.
Student Free Days
Please be reminded that next Monday 6 November and Tuesday 7 November are student-free days. Junior School teachers will be engaging in professional learning over these days. Students will return to school on Wednesday 8 November.
Parent Information Sessions
The following parent information sessions are planned for the coming weeks. Further information will be emailed directly to parents of students soon, but for now, you may like to save the following dates that apply to you.
- Kindergarten Information Session 2024 – Wednesday 15 November
- Year 5 Grove Information Session 2024 – Thursday 16 November
- Foundation Year Information Session 2024 – Thursday 23 November
Junior School Orientation Day
Orientation Day for all 2024 FY-Y6 students will be Wednesday 29 November. On this day students will get to meet their 2024 classmates and teachers. Further information will be shared with families closer to the time.
Christmas Picnic
The Junior School Christmas Picnic will be held from 5.30-7.30 pm on Thursday 30 November in the Katsumata Centre and will feature local favourites the Mik Maks, and JS student choirs. Parents and students are invited to bring a picnic, spread out with friends, and enjoy the festivities.
College Community Council
A reminder that nominations for the 2023/24 College Community Council are now open. The College Community Council is elected annually, and we would like to encourage members of the College community to join the Council.
Parents wishing to nominate to be part of the College Community Council should email an Expression of Interest to Linda Sydor Petkovic at l.petkovic@kardinia.vic.edu.au by COB Tuesday, 7 November 2023. Elections will be conducted if necessary.
The Council is a team of parents committed to building and strengthening the KIC community and providing closer links between home and school. Serving on the Council provides an amazing opportunity to play a role in bringing staff, parents and friends together socially in support of the College and the College community.
Terms of Reference and Code of Conduct documents are available upon request.
Sport News
World Judo Day Tournament
On Sunday 29 October the Kardinia Judo Club participated in the World Judo Day tournament hosted by Senshi Judo Academy in Thomastown. It was a friendly, relaxed tournament, where our judoka had a chance to get some great experience at the hands of some skilled opponents. The mat at Senshi was a wonderful professional sprung mat that had me drooling with envy. It was perfect for our team and worth the trip for that experience alone.
Addie Cromb, Will Cromb, Aiden Leonard, Quinn O’Neill and Dat Hoang all fought well, some in multiple divisions, and came home with Bronze medals for their efforts. Frankie Jordan fought very well in a quality division to win a Silver medal. Coach Mizuho Sonoda stepped on the mat to give some girls from Warrnambool some extra experience and was rewarded with a medal and a sweater.
It was a great day all up and an important stepping stone in developing our team’s competition skills. Congratulations to all who stepped on the mat for us and I look forward to seeing everyone on the mat in the KIC Cup on Friday 24 November!
Year 6 PYP Actions
Music News
2023 Music Showcase - Save the Date!
Community Engagement and Foundation News
The Reunion!
The Class of 2022 - 1 Year Reunion
The 1 Year Reunion for the Class of 2022 was held last Friday 27 October, on the Deck at Murphys. It was terrific to catch up with our alumni, 12 - months after graduating from Kardinia.
Where Are They Now
Aidan O'Cleirigh - Class of 2018
Alumnus Aidan O'Cleirigh, is currently performing in Elvis: A Musical Revolution at the Athenaeum Theatre, Melbourne. He plays the role of Scotty Moore, one of Elvis' guitarists in the show, and was recently featured in The Geelong Advertiser.
Also an alumnus of Griffith University, "...Aidan’s passion for musicals was kindled in high school when he was cast in principal roles in many productions including 'Beauty and the Beast', 'Fiddler on the Roof' and 'West Side Story'. He set out to become a true triple threat and never looked back. Since moving to Brisbane to study at Queensland Conservatorium Griffith University, Aidan has appeared as J.B. Biggley in 'How to Succeed in Business Without Really Trying', Featured Ensemble in 'The Wedding Singer', Ensemble in 'Grease' and Ensemble/Feuilly Cover in 'Les Misérables'."
The Kardinians congratulate Aidan on his theatrical achievements and wish him every success in the Melbourne season of Elvis!
Credits: Griffith University Alumni, The Geelong Advertiser (26 Sept 2023), Elvis The Musical, Queensland Symphony Orchestra, Stage Whispers, Jim Haigh.
Photo credits: Griffith University Alumni, The Geelong Advertiser & Stage Whispers.
Luke Corbin - Class of 2004
Alumnus Luke Corbin from the Class of 2004 is a researcher, writer, editor and media producer based in Thailand. Currently a Visiting Fellow at the College of Asia & the Pacific, Australian National University, author of the 2022 book Heritage Drinks of Myanmar, Managing Editor-in-Chief of the Independent Journal of Burmese Scholarship, consulting editor for the Chiang Mai University Journal of Social Sciences and Humanities, founder of the Myanmar Musings podcast, webmaster of the Bamazaga website and administrator of annual Burmese language courses since 2017.
Luke shares his experiences since Graduating back in 2004, with The Kardinians:
"Going to KIC set me on the path to a career in Asia, there's no question about that. Apart from the intense judo regime (great for discipline and lifestyle balance), the whole ethos of the school and having Japanese friends meant I was eager to learn more about the region independently. I did a life-changing GAP year in Vietnam teaching English and went on to teach in Shanghai, China. Because of all this Asia travel and work experience during my undergraduate degree, I decided to go on and do a combined region-focused master's program at ANU. And the rest is history. (I thought I might be a career teacher one day, but both my dad and my brother are teachers...there's enough in the family already.)"
Congratulations on all you have achieved Luke! What fabulous experiences!
The Kardinians appreciate alumni taking the time to share their post-Graduation journey in a 'Where Are They Now" post.
College Community Council (CCC) - World Teacher’s Day - Friday 27 October
The College Community Council (CCC) hosted World Teacher's Day at CentrePoint. All staff were treated to a hot beverage and a donut as a ‘thank you’ from this parent committee, which was very much appreciated! Committee member Dr Rana Alsalem hosted and handed out donuts, while Catherine Lockhart, Sam Nevin and Fiona Russell were the baristas for the morning.
Community Engagement
Current staff member Darrell Nash reflects on his community involvement in the Chiang Mai Program, alongside colleague Maria Lorente and the Chiang Mai staff:
"As part of the Chiang Mai program, I have the pleasure of completing projects at rural schools in Northern Thailand with each group as part of our community involvement. Over time there have been toilet blocks, classrooms, library, recycling storage, fishponds, paths, drainage, chicken coops, retaining walls, tiered seating, paving, boundary walls, painting play equipment and bollards while also interacting with the students & staff. Add in volunteer days with the local school students, orphanage children and special school visits along with community Fun Runs, and you have a very rewarding experience."
Our staff are valuable role models for our students, demonstrating the numerous 'wins' associated with active participation in community projects. An impressive effort!
Fiona Russell - Community Engagement & Foundation Coordinator
From the Archives
The Bollards
In 2000, artist-in-residence Melinda Flood worked with Kardinia students to create various bollards around the college, including Mr and Mrs Katsumata! While some are ‘resting’ in storage, there are a few still visible around the grounds.
The Evolving Kardinia International College Site
This aerial shot from 2015, highlights the significant building works since the late 1990’s.
Photo Credits: Kardinia Archive Collection.
Fiona Russell - College Archivist
School TV - Safe Partying
Celebrations, partying and socialising are a fundamental rite of passage and one of the most important aspects of a young person’s life. Although the prospect might seem somewhat daunting or even terrifying for parents and caregivers, keeping young people safe can often be a compromise and a challenge.
Your son or daughter may appear to be physically large and mature, but this is not necessarily matched by their emotional maturity and responsibility in behaviour. Most young people try to do the right thing most of the time, but your leadership as a caregiver is crucial. Ensure you are a good role model and discuss your personal views on drug and alcohol use. Your attitude towards addictive substances can have an enormous influence on the way your teenager approaches their own use.
Hosting a celebration at home or at a venue for your teenager can be a fun and memorable event. It all comes down to careful planning. It is important to agree on the ground rules well before your event is announced to ensure there are no misunderstandings later on. As the host you owe your guests a ‘duty-of-care’ and therefore should take all reasonable steps to ensure everyone attending the party is kept safe. Every party has the potential to get out-of-hand, as sometimes it’s hard for young partygoers to make good decisions. Communication and regular discussions are vital, particularly because young people are often faced with peer pressure to do things they prefer not to engage in.
Further information relating to this topic can be accessed by downloading the SchoolTV Special Report Resource below or via the following websites:
Click here to watch this episode: https://kardinia.vic.schooltv.me/wellbeing_news/special-report-guide-safe-partying
Community News
