Kardinia eNews - Wednesday 02 April 2025

From the Head of Senior School - Kath O'Neill

It has been an action-packed term in the Senior School. I know that we’re all looking forward to a break. I have been so proud of our students as every one of them has stepped into new challenges, be that entering secondary school in Year 7, trying an accelerated program for the first time, starting the VCE or the IB, or considering what life beyond Kardinia International College might look like for our Year 12 students. Outside of the classroom, there have been so many opportunities to participate in groups and activities, including house sports, clubs and committees.

Last Wednesday was our annual World’s Greatest Shave fundraiser for the Leukaemia Foundation. Alongside a casual dress day, saw both students and staff have their heads shaved for charity. While the final amount raised is to be confirmed, it is in excess of $6,000. Congratulations to the organisers, Malia, Liv and Grace for managing such a successful event.

Congratulations also to our 2025 Performing Arts Captain, Millie, for organising and hosting the first of four events raising funds for MMAD (Musicians Making a Difference). Friday evening’s event, a Rock Showcase, was a wonderful success, featuring a large number of students sharing their talents with a very appreciative audience. Keep your eyes out for future events, they are well worth attending.

This week we have seen another group of students, Sara, Vianne and Chloe, hosting the ‘Sweet Treats for Timor’ fundraiser, where they have sold strawberries and marshmallows accompanied by melted chocolate to raise funds for Oratorio Dom Bosco, which is a non-governmental organisation dedicated to taking care of children and youth at risk in the justice system in Timor-Leste.

Thank you to all the staff, parents and carers, and students who have engaged in Parent-Teacher Interviews over the past week. These conversations are a wonderful way to strengthen the school-home connection and support students in their learning.

I hope that all members of our College community have a fabulous break. I look forward to seeing everyone back at school later in April.

Founders' Day Barbeque Fundraiser

On the 27 February, Hamish and I ran a barbecue fundraiser on Founders' Day through the Social Justice Committee. The idea for the fundraiser was first proposed by Mr Harding and other senior staff at one of the committee's weekly meetings earlier this year, and Hamish and I readily volunteered to manage the project.

With the guidance of Ms Woods, Ms Patterson, and some of the senior members of the committee, we proposed to have two charities as the recipients of the funds raised and got them both swiftly approved. The two charities we selected were Gateway Stronger Communities and Jirrahlinga Dingo Conservation and Wildlife Centre. Gateway stronger Communities helps financially challenged people in the Geelong region get access to food, cleaning and hygiene supplies while Jirrahlinga, previously located in the Geelong region, was beloved by Mr Katsumata.

Leading up to the day, we recruited the help of 15 IB students to help us run the barbecue and created a roster with 40-minute time slots and 5 volunteers on at once. When we arrived at adventure park on the day, we met with Ms Woods and Ms Paterson and started setting up the barbecues and putting up posters. At 11:00, we started cooking the sausages and officially opened at 11:30. We had an absolute blast running the barbecue with our friends and in just 45 minutes, we had sold out all 300 sausages! We then spent the next 15 minutes packing up and cleaning the equipment before handing the money over to finance and finishing a very successful project. In the end, we made over $400 in profit and are currently in the process of donating this money to our selected charities. Hamish and I are extremely grateful for the help of Ms Woods, Ms Paterson, other staff, our volunteers, and the committee for facilitating this project. Overall, this fundraiser was very successful. It was a rewarding experience for both of us and allowed us to raise money for two respectable causes who are having a positive impact in our local community.  

Tom C

From the Acting Head of Junior School - Izabella Haby

A message from our FY students:

Some of our younger students shared their understanding of how we can best thrive at school. The inquiry into Who We Are demonstrates deep thinking and a shared understanding of the ways we become resilient, demonstrating and understanding our rights and modeling respectful relationships.

Congratulations Tilly in 6NR

On Wednesday 26 March, Tilly received the prestigious Grey Wolf Award, the highest honour within the Cub Scouts program. The Grey Wolf Award is a significant achievement in Scouting, representing the culmination of years of dedication, hard work, and personal growth. Earning the Peak Award in Scouting is no small feat; it demonstrates exceptional leadership, skill development, and a commitment to community service, all of which are qualities that are celebrated in young leaders.

Congratulations Tilly. We are very proud of your leadership skills and commitment to community service.

As we conclude this term, I would like to thank our students for their dedication and enthusiasm in their learning and extracurricular activities. Thank you to the Junior School staff for their commitment to provide a high-quality teaching and learning environment. To our families, your involvement and encouragement have been instrumental in creating a supportive and collaborative community where we uphold wisdom, respect and friendship.

As shared with families at the start of this year, there will be some changes to roles in Term Two. We welcome Nikki Petyanszki as the Acting Head of Junior School, Ann Miller as the Acting Head of Early Years and Alex Haby as the FYAM Learning Group teacher.

Thank you to Katie Steele for taking on the role as Acting Head of Upper Primary in Term One and to Jenny Quinn for being the Learning Group teacher in 3KS. Ashleigh Elsum and Lizanne Gittins will continue to be the Learning Group teachers in 4JK for Term Two.

Wishing everyone a very safe and enjoyable holiday. We look forward to welcoming you back in Term 2 commencing Wednesday, 23 April.

During Week 10 -

Lost Property:

There are a number of items that need to go to their homes. Please take some time to visit JS Reception to check whether your child has items that may belong to them.

Thursday 3 April:

Year 4 families are invited to visit the learning spaces for an afternoon of sharing How We Express Ourselves, Unit of Inquiry at 3.00-3.20 pm

A message from our Student Action Committee to all our Junior School students and families: Fundraiser for Feed Me Geelong

When: Friday 4 April

Why: To raise money to feed our Geelong community.

What: A gold coin donation.

Dress in the colour of your favourite food.

Feed Me has not only tackled one big world problem but two! Feed Me takes perfectly good food waste and provides meals for people in need whether that’s because of poverty, homelessness or mental health issues. They have quickly expanded from just Geelong to over 3 locations! They have recently been broken into in one of their locations, so we hope to help bring their supplies back up. We hope that our donation will not only help the Feed Me Geelong foundation but also inspire other students at Kardinia to take action and always help others. At Kardinia we learn, and model ‘Wisdom leads to Respect and Friendship’. We chose to support Feed Me because it leads back to our College motto. Wisdom: We have used our good judgement skills to know that we are not just tackling or raising money for one worthy problem but two. Friendship: We hope to make someone happy by donating and we will also be so happy that we know that food is not being wasted but being used to feed others. Respect: We respect what the Feed Me community is working towards, and we would love to help them. Thank you for your support.

Easter Picnic: The Easter Picnic is approaching. Please come and join us on this special afternoon. I would like to thank the KIC Connect group for all their work this term (organising the icy poles) and for organising the Easter Picnic. We appreciate your ongoing effort to foster a strong community spirit within the Junior School. We look forward to future events held this year.

Friday 4 April - Year 3 Families are invited to, How the World Works, Space Museum Afternoon-starting at 2.00 pm-2.20 pm in the Learning Group spaces.

Friday 4 April - Early dismissal:

Please note that the Junior School students (and Highview students) finish Term One at 2.20 pm. Bus travelers, please refer to Dean Hinton’s email (12/3/25) regarding bus travel on this day.

Wishing everyone a very safe holiday and I look forward to working with families in Term Two. Thank you for your ongoing support within the Junior School community.

Enrolment Withdrawal

If you are thinking of withdrawing your child, as per the College's terms and conditions a terms notice is required. Please contact the Marketing and Admissions Department via email: marketing@kardinia.vic.edu.au to lodge the request in writing.

Join us, for the inaugural Kardinia Community Foundation Golf Day!

Come along for a fantastic day out, where you can support deserving students through our Kardinia Community Foundation Scholarship Fund.

Contribute through the donation portal on our website or sign up for a day out on the green to help fund future scholarships and support the promising futures of students who may otherwise be unable to access a Kardinia International College education.

Thursday, 17 April - 13th Beach Golf Links
Tickets: https://lnkd.in/gYa2sA_g
Proudly Sponsored by McHarry's Buslines

Event Highlights:

• 🏌️‍♂️ Ambrose Style Game (Teams of 4)

• 🍽 Clubhouse Lunch

• 🏆 On-Course Competitions

• 🎟 Raffles and Silent Auctions

• 🎉 Activities for Non-Golfers
  
  For further information, please contact the Community Engagement and Foundation Coordinator, Fiona Russell, at foundation@kardinia.vic.edu.au

Music News

Year 12 student Cookie delivered an outstanding performance last week at the Top Class VCE Music concert held at the Recital Centre in Melbourne. This marks her second appearance at this concert; her first was when she was in Year 8 with another Kardinia International College VCE group who was invited to perform.

Cookie was accompanied by Alumni and former Square 1 guitarist, Leo, who is currently studying paramedicine in Ballarat. Leo continues to perform and write music in his spare time.

Sport News

Term 1 is always a busy one with Senior School Sport, and 2025 was no exception. The first event of the year was the GISSA triathlon, with 50 students representing Kardinia at Eastern Beach. Luke P, Eilidh S, Sofia P, and Michael S all medalled in their events. Senior Boys Cricket was played over three rounds, with Kardinia International College taking a win against Christian College. GISSA Tennis was played over two weeks, with our Div 1 and Div 2 teams winning both days. The Div 1 team will go on to play in The Tennis Victoria Schools Championship in Term 2. The KIC Swim Squad took home 4 out of 5 shields at the GISSA Swimming and Diving Championships, including the overall winner. A tremendous effort again by our swimmers and divers.

Over the March long weekend, numerous Kardinia International College Students competed in the Victorian Surf Lifesaving State titles in Warnambool with strong performances in and out of the water. The Senior and Intermediate Futsal teams competed in Weeks 8 and 9, with the Senior Boys winning their competition and all other teams putting in strong performances. The final events for Term 1 are GISSA Golf at Lonsdale Links and Surfing at Jan Juc. Overall, 230 students represented the College in interschool sport in Term 1. Well done to all involved.

We also had two major carnivals in Term 1, with the Senior School House Swimming and Athletics taking place. Thomson continued to dominate in the pool, taking out the Senior School House Swimming competition, while Gotemba went back-to-back on the track, winning Senior School House Athletics. It was fabulous to see so many students taking part in all the championship and novelty events on both days, and the house spirit amongst the students was amazing. Well done to our House Captains for being amazing role models at both events and leading the way.

Our Senior School Cross Country is coming up in Week 2 of Term 2, with a new track marked out around the College that is sure to challenge runners of all abilities.

GISSA Basketball

On Thursday March 20 our Senior Girls and Boys teams took to the court for the GISSA Senior Basketball Championships. Our senior boys played with exceptional skill, teamwork, and encouragement for each other throughout the day. Their level of competitiveness and sportsmanship was inspiring to watch. In a closely contested match, the boys lost their semi-final by 1 point to the eventual winners and placed 3rd overall.

Our girls team similarly showed the Kardinia International College spirit on and off the court. The girls' positive attitudes, enjoyment of the game and continuous effort on full display as they battled each game. The girls finishing third overall in their pool.

Boys MVP: Daniel A and Jimmy G

Girls MVP: Gemma M

Congratulations!

Dale Baker, Senior School Visual Communication and Design teacher recently signed a 3-book publishing contract. Look out for some new picture books later in the year!

Kardinia International College Representation at the Australian Rowing Championships (March 24 – 30)

Last week, two of our students represented the College at the Australian Rowing Championships on the stunning Lake Barrington, Tasmania.

In her final school regatta, Year 12 student Eliza J delivered a stellar performance, achieving a personal best. She showcased exceptional skill and determination, advancing to the B Final of the Single Open School Girl Scull, where she secured an impressive 3rd place.  Eliza also competed in the Under-19 Single Scull, demonstrating incredible strength and perseverance in challenging conditions against a highly competitive field.

Meanwhile, Grace H, competing in only her second regatta in the single skull, impressed with her remarkable progress and a new personal best. Facing a tough quarter-final draw against race favourites, she narrowly missed a semi-final spot but posted a time that outpaced many later competitors. She also raced in the Under-23 Double Scull, finishing 6th with her partner—a commendable achievement against significantly older and more experienced rowers.

Rowing is a sport that demands strength, resilience, and strategic skill—all of which Eliza and Grace displayed with distinction. We are incredibly proud of their achievements and look forward to seeing their continued success in the sport.

Outdoor Education and Experiential Learning

Mothers' Day Classic!

Every day in Australia 63 people are diagnosed with breast or ovarian cancer. Every day 12 people die from those two diseases. The Mothers’ Day Classic provides hope that the day will come when no more lives will be taken.

Mother's Day Classic aims for another record breaker to boost women's health and save lives uniting for breast and ovarian cancer research. Our Kardinia International College Community has been actively running, volunteering and supporting the MDC for the last 9 years. It is not a college event but we encourage all our families and friends to be part of it, to volunteer or to run / walk on the day. We encourage all parents to accompany their children this Mother’s Day and join our team and the battle together

The event is held at Eastern Gardens, Oval 3 on Mother's Day: Sunday May 11, 2025

For event details https://www.mothersdayclassic.com.au/event/mothers-day-classic-geelong

Here is the link to join the team: https://www.mothersdayclassic.com.au/join/kardiniainternationalcollege

And here is the link to view our Team’s page: https://www.mothersdayclassic.com.au/fundraisers/kardiniainternationalcollege

Wellbeing Hub News

The Power of Belonging

This week's Happy Families Schools 'Insight' article looks at why feeling connected at school matters more than you think and how we can, as parents, foster a sense of belonging for our children.

Read the Insight article here.

*Make sure you've logged in first with the details below to access the Happy Families resources.

Happy Families School Login:

Password: happykic

We recommend bookmarking this link. You should only need to put the password in once and the site will remember you.

Friendship and Belonging

It is not always easy for children and teenagers to always know how to manage friendships. Learning how to make new friends and keep them involves a number of skills every young person needs to understand and develop. For some these skills will come very naturally, allowing them to easily move between different friendship groups, sharing their experiences and opening up to new people. For others, this can be much harder to navigate. Belonging to a group that is like-minded with similar interests is highly beneficial to a child’s wellbeing. Friendships are full of ups and downs, and it is better for kids to learn how to manage and build their own friendships, even though as an adult carer you may be tempted to interfere.

Click here to watch this episode: https://kardinia.vic.schooltv.me/newsletter/friendship-belonging

Community