Kardinia eNews – Wednesday 15 March 2023

Home Kardinia eNews – Wednesday 15 March 2023

From the Principal

Today was a very sad day for many in our College Community as we said a final farewell to Mr Ross Trevaskis, a long-term teacher at Kardinia International College.

Ross started at the College in 1997 and only retired back in 2019. Tragically, he died earlier this month. He was farewelled this afternoon at Kardinia Park with many of his colleagues, past and present, and past students in attendance.

Thinking about Ross’ contribution to education I remembered the poem by Taylor Mali titled What Does a Teacher Make? I share with you just a small, but I think poignant, part of this poem in loving memory of Ross.

“You want to know what I make?

I make kids wonder,

I make them question.

I make them criticize.

I make them apologize and mean it.

I make them write, write, write

and then I make them read.

I make them spell

definitely beautiful, definitely beautiful

definitely beautiful

over and over and over again until they will never misspell

either of those words again.

I make them show all their work in math,

and hide it on their final drafts in English.

I make them understand that if you got this

then you follow this,

and if someone ever tries to judge you

by what you make, you give them this.

Here, let me break it down for you,

so you know what I say is true:

Teachers? Teachers make a difference!

Now what about you?”

Vale our teacher and colleague Ross Trevaskis.

From the Head of Junior School

Parent Volunteer Workshops
Last week several parents attended our two-day Parent Volunteer Workshop. We are excited to be able to invite parents to support us with our programs. Thank you to Nikki Petyanszki, Izabella Haby, Katie Steele and Scott Peel for facilitating the sessions.

Year 2 Parent Visits
This week parents in Year 2 were invited to come and learn about the ‘How We Organise Ourselves’ unit of inquiry that students have been busy inquiring into. The focus is on communities and the systems that help them function and connect. Students have been very busy creating a map and model of a community and were delighted to be able to share and explain their ideas.

Pets on Campus
Recently we have started to see dogs being brought onto campus during drop-off and pick-up times by some families. Please be reminded that pets are not permitted to be brought onto the school grounds. Thank you for your understanding.

Planeteers Bread Tag Collection
The Planeteers Committee are collecting those pesky plastic bread tags again. Why? Because they can be melted down and turned into creative products like bowls and plates. This is much better than tossing them into the bin! We will be collecting bread tags throughout the year. Some of the profits will be going to buy wheelchairs for people in need. Please hand bread tags to the Junior School Office where we have a jar waiting for them. Please note: We take plastic bread tags only and not cardboard tags. You can recycle these at home.

Icy Pole Friday

Parent Teacher Interviews
All K-6 Parent Teacher Interviews will be conducted online on Friday 31 March. Information about how to book times with your child/ren’s teachers will be shared with families soon. Please note that Friday 31 March is a student free day for all K-12 students.

Community Engagement and Foundation News

THE KARDINIANS FOOTY TIPPING COMPETITION- ALUMNI AND STAFF

The season starts this week! Are your footy tips in? It’s not too late to register for the free Kardinians Footy Tipping Competition. *Please note that only registered Kardinians are eligible to enter.

Prize of $1000 for 1st, $750 for 2nd & $500 for 3rd. Top Leader Board $20 prizes awarded for Weeks 5, 10, 15 and 20 with a $50 ‘Tricky Trav’ prize for Week 3. Head to https://kardinians.com/ for further details, the link and the password for this comp. Good luck!

THE KARDINIANS

Kardinians, save the date for your next reunion! Details will be communicated in coming weeks.

Fiona Russell – Community Engagement and Foundation Coordinator

From the Archives

THE BEGINNING OF THE JUNIOR SCHOOL

Kardinia International College’s Junior School opened at the beginning of 1997. Starting with 212 students across 11 classes, the inaugural Primary Staff included:

Donald M Walkley Director of Learning

Glenda Senior Learning Group PS

Renee Van Styn Learning Group PV

Natalie Russell Learning Group 1

Kim Johnson Learning Group P/1

Andrew Needham Learning Group 2

Julie Day Learning Group 3

Izabella Haby Learning Group3/4

Sharon Nicholls Learning Group 4/5

Denise Osborne Learning Group 5

Maree Ryan Learning Group 4/5/6

David MacPherson Learning Group 6

Teola Lolait Art

Mitsuko Kishimoto Japanese

Debbie Howard Music

Jenny Dowie International Studies (E.L.C.)

Donald Walkley International Studies (J.C.)

Alan Bilney Teacher Assistant

Lyn Meek Computer Technician

Faye Munro Learning Resource Centre

In its inaugural year, the Primary School was divided into two sections: The ELC, which included First, Second and Third Years and the Junior College which was the traditional grades 3-6. The ELC was housed in the Lower Primary building, formally used by Morongo, while the Junior School classes were situated in the main building around the Senior School quadrangle, as the portable classrooms would not arrive until 1998.

The success of the first year was realised when it was announced that enrolments for 1998 were at capacity. John Goodfellow reflected:

“This inaugural year of the Primary section of our College is truly an historic one. Within this first year, the Primary has grown from zero students to now having the full complement of 336 enrolled students. This in itself is a concrete and undeniable testimony to the talent and dedication of Mr. Walkley and his teaching staff.”

Credits:

Dowie, P. Kardinia International College: The First Ten Years 1996-2005

Kardinia International College publication. Foundations 1997

The next article features A Brief History of the Athletics Carnival

Fiona Russell- Archivist

Kardinia Community Footy Tipping Competition

The CCC have launched a school community 2023 AFL Footy Tipping Competition for Kardinia families.

There is no entry fee for this competition! Each Kardinia family can enter once to be eligible for great prizes with the top 3 family winners receiving: 1st– $500, 2nd– $300 and 3rd – $200.

Please note that students cannot enter this competition independently and only current Kardinia families and staff members are eligible.

The College Community Council

School TV – Wellbeing Barometer

Last year proved to be yet another challenging year. The ongoing impact of the pandemic, the continuing war in Ukraine, humanitarian crises, the rising cost of living, unprecedented flooding and growing social polarisation and the ever-present threat of climate change, has impacted and overwhelmed many families who are trying to recover, rebuild and adjust to a new kind of “normal”.

Throughout such difficult times, it is important for parents and caregivers continue to build relationships, foster connections, enable understanding and break down barriers as they navigate a pathway towards better mental health and wellbeing for young people.

Therefore, to assist your school, we are seeking your participation in a short survey. It is intended to act as a barometer to help gauge the state of student wellbeing within the community. The information gathered will enable your school to focus on some of the key issues and highlight where further assistance may be required. With mental health concerns on the rise, it is evident that many young people may need some extra support and parents and caregivers play a vital role in enabling a child’s ability to thrive.

Click here to watch the episode: https://kardinia.vic.schooltv.me/wellbeing_news/special-report-wellbeing-barometer-2023-au

Library Services News

In the last few weeks I have had a couple of parents ask for some recommendations for purchasing books for their children and as gifts. On these occasions, I was able to send a list of the popular books at our campuses.

I would also recommend Julie Garner and her team at Dymocks Waurn Ponds as another source. Julie has a wealth of knowledge in the Children’s Literature field often presenting to local teacher-librarians in Geelong.

Over the weeks leading up to Book Week in Term 3, I thought I might highlight some of the CBCA’s notable books each week (6 books from each of the categories – then go on to become the shortlist, announced at the end of March.

Older readers (13-18)

A beautifully constructed and engaging work. Ask No Questions charts an emigrant’s journey with great clarity, humour, pathos, and a disarming directness that will connect with readers of all ages, and inspire others to recount their own stories of leaving their homelands to begin life anew on distant shores. – Arnold Zable

Younger Readers (7-12)

A big-hearted story of love and resilience from CBCA award-winning author Shirley Marr, starring sisters and storytellers Peijing and Biju, a lost family finding their way, a Little World made of paper, a Jade Rabbit, and the ever-changing but constant moon.

Picture Books 0-18 Years

Through the smoke, in a tiny battered boat, Koala sets out to rescue the billabong friends. From the multi-award winning author and illustrator who brought you Three, Rainbow Bear and Leaf comes a tale of care, companionship and renewal.

Careers News

The KIC Careers team have been working with many senior school students this term, exploring the topic ‘Understanding the world of work’. This looks different at each of the year levels and is targeted to be age appropriate and time appropriate for the decision making that is occurring for them.

We really want young people to keep an open mind and growth mind set about the pathway that they may take in the future. It’s great to talk with students / children about the next steps that they are thinking about taking. For example, would they like to spend some time in the workforce, move on to further study or take a GAP year after completing year 12. All are excellent options depending on the individual.

Think about how hard it is to answer this question…..and how much pressure it puts on young people….

Re-phrasing the question can be really helpful to get an individual’s personal response without applying unnecessary pressure.

CREDIT: Lucy Sattler, Study Work Grow. Ponder

Conversation starters for future pathway and career conversations for parents and young people:

Which is your favourite subject and why?
What do you see yourself doing in the future?
What are some jobs that interest you? Why do they interest you?
What are your favourite subjects in school? What skills do you use in these subjects?
Have you taken any career assessments (Morrisby is completed in year 9) or talked to a career practitioner at school?
Have you thought about completing work experience, job shadowing or internships to explore different types of careers?
Are there any particular industries or fields that fascinate you?
Do you have any role models or family members who work in a field that interests you?
What are some of your strengths and skills that you want to use in your career?
Have you considered attending a vocational or technical school, or pursuing an apprenticeship program?
How important is it for you to find a career that aligns with your passions and interests?
How would you describe yourself in 3 to 5 words?

Year 12 Careers Personal Development Workshop held on March 9

Students were greeted with a study pack full of essential study materials, inspirational quotes, a careers book mark, wellbeing information and workshop materials to assist them in decision making, goal planning and researching future pathway options.

Our key note speaker for the afternoon workshop was Dr Brenda Holt who is the current Deputy Chief Executive Officer at State Schools’ Relief, making a difference in the lives of Victorian students. Prior to this role, Dr Holt was the Principal at St Hilda’s Residential College within The Melbourne University. She spoke about her own educational and life journey as well as encouraging students to take opportunities, reflect and research next steps and know who their supporters are. Her key note address was highly appropriate for our year 12 cohort who are currently researching post school options.

As always, students are able to book a meeting time during study periods or lunchtimes with one of the College Career Practitioners. We have a diverse team of 4 Career Practitioners who can offer support to KIC students. Bookings can be made by students through the KIConline Careers Page booking link. https://kiconline.kardinia.vic.edu.au/d2l/home/8669

The Careers KIConline page is also where we regularly post about opportunities, open days, future study options, employment and work experience. It is worth ensuring that your child is checking this information regularly. Email contact: careers@kardinia.vic.edu.au

Co-Curricular News

Melbourne International Open

On March 11 and 12, the Kardinia Judo Club had three people competing in the Melbourne International Open judo tournament. This tournament is part of the Judo Australia Series, where senior judoka compete for National Ranking Points and is a prerequisite for Victorians wishing to compete in the Australian Judo Championships. All three of our judoka were competing for experience. Dylan Keirl made his MIO debut in the Junior Boys 42kg division, while Marlee Keirl made her debut in in the Cadet Women 57kg division. Both fought without success but gained a lot through the experience. Jimmy Gibbs made his debut in the Cadet Men 73kg division and fought very well, making it through to the Bronze Medal final, ultimately finishing fifth on the day.

The club is growing on a weekly basis and is very busy at the moment. In the next two weeks the club will have its Term One Belt Grading, an inter-club tournament in Gippsland and a Judo Victoria tournament on April 2. I look forward to announcing the results of those events in the next edition of eNews!

GISSA Tennis Tournament

A huge congratulations to the following students who represented KIC on Friday 3 March at the GISSA Tennis Championships:

Division 1: Sibi Jothikumar, Louie Dodds, Samuel Carr, Oliver White, Dex Taylor, Alric Wong, Jack Treacy, Charlie Meadows.
Division 2: Wes Moore, Jorge Yacoub, Denzil Ludowyk, Cooper Hill, Nicholas Watson, Nathan Lai, Siena Gill, Amelia Vesty.

The level of tennis played was inspiring, while the sportsmanship and respectfulness displayed by all members of the team was truly exceptional. We were extremely proud to have each of these young stars representing Kardinia International College on the day.

The championships were a round robin format where the Division 1 team played singles and the Division 2 team played doubles. Division 1 finished in second place. Christian College were fierce competitors with a much older and experienced team. Our comparatively younger talent will undoubtedly see us become championship favourites in the near future.

Division 2 were the stars of the day and took championship glory with first place. They fought tirelessly throughout the rounds and finished the day winning the finals playoff. Their effort, teamwork and outstanding skill allowed them to bring home the Division 2 trophy in reward.

The Most Valued Player (MVP) could have easily been awarded to every player, but unfortunately this is not possible. The decision was made to award MVP Division 1 to Louie Dodds and MPV Division to 2 to Wes Moore. Both of these players displayed amazing skill and sheer determination on court, while off court they were a constant source of wisdom and encouragement.

Looking forward to GISSA Tennis in 2024!

From the Head of Wellbeing – Junior School

Harmony Day, on 21 March, celebrates Australia’s cultural diversity. It falls on the United Nations International Day for the Elimination of Racial Discrimination. It is about inclusiveness, respect and a sense of belonging for everyone. Harmony Day is a time for all Australians to remember and respect our diverse cultural backgrounds and to share what we have in common.

The central message of Harmony Day is that ‘everyone belongs’, and Harmony day helps to remind us of this.

Positive Priming

Over the last few weeks, I have mentioned the Junior school has been developing a positive approach to reinforcing and recognising all students and their diverse learning attributes. This allows us to celebrate diversity in students and their individual learning journeys. As part of developing this approach research into best practices has been considered, including trauma-informed practices, positive education and the science of wellbeing have been considered.

I shared the below information regarding positive priming and its importance.

Research tells us:

When students (or anyone) feel positive emotions, the brain releases oxytocin, dopamine, serotonin, and endorphins. Positivity and gratitude both build stronger FEEL GOOD pathways in the brain. Evidence tells us that there is a group effect- a contagious effect. Therefore, the more positive we are as a collective the more positive we are as a community. This is also linked to mirroring; mirroring is the notion that behaviour in one individual can often affect other individuals. Therefore, an individual flourishing and being celebrated can affect other individuals positively. You may liken it to when you see someone laughing a big belly laugh, you can’t help but smile or laugh along.

Gotcha’s

Our Gotcha’s are now in full swing and it has been wonderful to see the positivity spreading through students who are celebrating others’ achievements as well as their own.

Just a reminder for those of you who missed my last newsletter post-

A gotcha is given by any KIC staff member and is positive recognition for displaying behaviours that align with our school motto. The hope is that this will help to positively prime students, strengthening the feel-good pathway and positively reinforce the expectations and values of KIC. The KIC values are not aligned with academic success and celebrate all student’s diverse needs.

By students taking these home we are hoping to create a positive space and partnership between home and school that celebrates students’ achievements, builds a shared language, and creates positive communication. Most children will be eager to share with pride their gotcha, however, what do you do if your child/children can’t remember what they got their gotcha for? You might ask them if they were in a specific class (ie music class, PE) when they received it.

You might ask them where they were when they got it (location). Were they in the playground?

The hope is to develop students’ ability to share these positive experiences with you. We ask that you are mindful of this and do not email the learning group teacher if your child doesn’t remember. As you can imagine, this would take precious teaching and planning time from our wonderful teachers.

BEWARE: Please note that this is not intended to be used in a manner by which students are working only to get a gotcha, or parents are expecting students to work hard to come home with a gotcha. The intent is not for this to be tokenistic but to develop an authentic school climate that positively celebrates all and helps students to also notice and celebrate others’ unique abilities.

Please be aware that this approach is in its beginnings and will evolve, refine and develop with new research, parent feedback, teacher feedback and student feedback. We may not have all the answers yet but we are working towards it.

Parent Wellbeing Information Session – Term 1, Week 9, Thursday 30 March 6.30 – 8.00pm

THIS IS APPROACHING FAST!

The purpose of the parent wellbeing session is to develop parent knowledge and understanding of their child/children but also have an understanding of the diverse needs of all children. The first session will be run like a book club. I ask parents interested in coming along to read one of my favourite parenting books: Dr. Daniel Siegel- The whole-brain child.

You can hire it from the Geelong Library, listen to it as an audiobook, or grab a copy if you are like me and love building your personal library.

Come to the session with your questions and new understandings or further information to share. This will open the floor to developing our knowledge of the whole child and the brain. Tea, coffee and nibbles will be provided. It is hoping that this will be an open forum allowing for parents in the community to develop relationships, share knowledge and learn from each other.

Could I ask that you please put your name on the below form if you are planning on attending:

https://forms.office.com/Pages/ResponsePage.aspx?id=D6srYXEJ1EyCprsDKg94r5Nfbi8tR_ZMgF6RWOLaJE5UNUZFREpVVEZNTzBQQk9KVzJNUjkyOFVSSS4u

Kardinia eNews – Wednesday 15 March 2023

From the Principal

From the Head of Junior School

Community Engagement and Foundation News

From the Archives

Kardinia Community Footy Tipping Competition

School TV – Wellbeing Barometer

Library Services News

Careers News

Co-Curricular News

GISSA Tennis Tournament

From the Head of Wellbeing – Junior School

Kardinia International College

College Information

College Community

IB World School

Website Design and Development

Graphic Design Resource