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Kardinia eNews – Wednesday 3 August 2022

Home Kardinia eNews – Wednesday 3 August 2022

From the Principal

Often when we hear about someone being in need, we can sympathise with them, but that is as far as it goes. There is not a lot we can actually do to help them.  

No doubt many of our families will have been very sympathetic to the plight of the students and families of Colmont, formerly Kilmore International School, which will begin closing its’ doors this week. Colmont is an IB school with a large number of students undertaking the IB Diploma Program. There is also a high number of international students who have not only lost their school but their home, as many are currently boarders at the school.  

Some Colmont students and their families have reached out to Kardinia and we are trying very hard to see if we can support them with enrolments based on the subjects we have available.  

Another barrier to being able to help these students is the number of Homestay families we have available. We think we are getting close to the number needed but if you think you could possibly take an international student into your home for the next 18 months, please contact Jenifer Tippet, our Homestay Coordinator at j.tippett@kardinia.vic.edu.au.  

We may also be looking for donated uniforms etc if we can transfer these students to Kardinia and, as a community, making them feel as welcome as possible with this big and unexpected upheaval they are experiencing. 

Starting last week and going right through to October, there are many activities occurring across the College instigated by our Reconciliation Action Plan (RAP) group to develop knowledge and understanding of First Nations people and culture.  

Last week we had a wonderful artist in residence, Norm Stanley, working with our Junior School Art Department. Tomorrow there is a Dance and Didgeridoo activity occurring in the Junior School for our Highview and Foundation Year students, with many more activities planned across the next few months. A special thank you to our Deputy Principal Mr Paul Dowie for organising much of the planning for these events and to all our staff who are involved. It is fantastic to see our students and staff being provided with opportunities to develop a greater appreciation and understanding of Indigenous culture and peoples through these activities. 

Finally, it is wonderful to see that more and more of our students are back experiencing those opportunities beyond the taught curriculum that add to the richness of school life. This week we have a group of Year 9 students experiencing the great outdoors at Wollangarra and also a group of students experiencing the great outdoors in the snow this weekend on the ski trip. I hope they all have a great time with lots of positive stories to share on their return. 

From the Head of Junior School

50 Trees in 50 Minutes
Last Friday the Junior School Planeteers Committee joined forces with the Senior School Earth Core Committee to plant 50 trees in 50 minutes. Well done to all involved.

Year 5 Market Stall
Each Friday our Grove students will be selling various products at a market stall near Highview at the entrance to the Lower Primary building. On sale this week are seedlings. They are super cheap and fun to grow. You can purchase 4 for $3, 8 for $5, or 12 for $7.

Camp Quality
Yesterday Camp Quality performed two puppet shows for our Lower and Upper Primary students. Camp Quality provides age-appropriate cancer education to dispel myths about cancer. To coincide with this, it was also Odd Sock Day. Thank you to everyone who supported this initiative.

Alumni News

CLASS OF 2021- REGISTRATION IS NOW OPEN FOR YOUR 1 YEAR REUNION!

Log onto: https://kardinians.com/ and head to the EVENTS section to RSVP. Please share with your peers so we can track down those who haven’t registered. It’s time to re-connect and celebrate!

Careers News – Free VTAC Webinars

Heading to university, TAFE, or college in 2023 and looking for more information about the application process? Join the VTAC team for one of our live webinars.

Dates:
3 August – 4:00pm – Applying for courses in 2023
4 August – 4:00pm – Understanding special consideration (SEAS) and scholarships
8 August – 5:00pm – Applying for courses in 2023
9 August – 5:00pm – Understanding special consideration (SEAS) and scholarships
10 August – 3:30pm – In conjunction with the CEAV – Guide to applying for tertiary study in Victoria
10 August – 6:00pm – Applying for courses in 2023
11 August – 6:00pm – Understanding special consideration (SEAS) and scholarships

To register to attend one of these webinars, please visit: https://www.vtac.edu.au/events.html?highlight=WyJldmVudHMiLCJldmVudCJd

Co-Curricular News

On Friday 29 July, over 50 students across the Junior and Senior Schools gathered together to plant 50 trees in 50 minutes!  It was a great opportunity for the College to plant endemic species in response to the recent State of the Environment report, which highlighted that the number of introduced species now exceeds our native flora. A similar activity was ran at the Grove with our Year 5 students. Thank you to the students in Earthcore, the Planeteers, Grove students and to anyone else involved in making this happen. Advocacy and agency are such important attributes in regenerating our planet.  Well done!

For more exciting Co-Curricular activities to get involved in this semester, please go to the Co-Curricular page on KICOnline for Senior School, or look to The Junior School Information KICOnline page – Co-Curricular.

Upcoming Documentary

COMING TO THE KIC COMMUNITY THIS TERM!

iNDIEFLIX Shines the Light on Anxiety with this Must-See Documentary:

“ANGST: RAISING AWARENESS AROUND ANXIETY” 

ANGST will be available for the KIC Community to watch from 15 – 21 August, with an online panel session on Wednesday 17 August at 7pm.

What is the difference between “being anxious” and having an anxiety disorder? What can we do about the 634% rise in use of Mental Health America’s online tool for anxiety since the start of Covid-19? Why is there still so much fear and stigma in just talking to others instead of hiding online? What can each of us do to make it better and best engage in a full and happy life?

Angst is on a mission: to start a global conversation and raise awareness around anxiety. The documentary delves into all aspects of our society’s most common mental health challenge with:

  • Candid interviews with kids and teens, who discuss their anxiety, its impacts on their lives and relationships, as well as how they’ve found solutions and hope
  • Expert perspectives, (from institutions such as Stanford University, Child Mind Institute), who talk about the causes of anxiety and its sociological effects and resources to help
  • Tips, tricks and strategies to help reset thinking patterns, push back against anxiety and support others
  • Awareness that anyone can be touched by – and overcome – anxiety, via a unique and revealing interview with mental health advocate Michael Phelps, the most decorated athlete in Olympic history.

“I think this is the single most important mental health film I have seen in my lifetime. I think that every single school in Australia should have this as a mandatory viewing.”
Michael Carr-Gregg (Adolescent Psychologist and leading authority on teenage behaviour).

Appropriate for viewers from 10+

Panel Facilitator
Ally Matheson

Ally is an experienced psychologist with a Masters of Educational and Developmental Psychology from Monash University. She has been working at Kardinia International College since 2020. She and has a passion for promoting mental health awareness and has experience in both private practice and school settings.

Our Panel Experts

Jesse Diggins

Jesse is the Director of Strength Psychology.
He is an Educational and Developmental psychologist who has a wealth of experience working with young people, their families and schools.

His passion is to empower others and allow them to flourish and believes that parents/carers and teachers are truly the biggest influencers of young people. He is also a member of the Australian Psychological Society, a clinical supervisor and has been recognised for his work at both local and state levels.

Jessica Novak

Jessica is a family therapist with a degree in Social Science (psychology) and is currently completing her Masters in Family Therapy. She has been supporting young people and their families in Geelong for over 15 years in schools and through other community organisations.

She is the founder of Connect and Grow, where she is passionate about meeting individuals at the point they are currently at and assisting them to achieve their goals.

 

LINKS:

To watch Angst (available from 15-21 August)
We encourage you to watch the film using the link below prior to the panel discussion.
https://watch.eventive.org/indieflix/play/62ab4899e8fab6009113a133

To attend the Panel Session
(Wednesday 17 August 7pm)
https://kardinia.zoom.us/meeting/register/tZYudO6rpzspG923SM_mBCivTaEyMwK1jQAE

Volunteer Support

Prior to COVID, our College was well supported by a network of very generous volunteers and parent helpers from within our College community (parents, guardians, grandparents, and others). We are again looking to re-establish this network to provide opportunities to build connection, community engagement and participation at the College.

Two areas we are looking for volunteers to support our existing staff are our Centrepoint Canteen and Crossing Supervisor. A brief overview and contact details for each are provided below.

All volunteers require a current ‘volunteer working with children check’. In line with the Occupational Health and Safety Amendment (COVID-19 Vaccination Information) Regulations 2022, the College has made the decision to temporarily uphold the previous conditions associated with the Victorian Government’s vaccination mandate. Therefore, all Kardinia employees, volunteers and contractors are expected to be fully vaccinated (including 3rd dose booster for 18yo and over) with an approved Covid-19 vaccine, unless a valid medical exemption applies.

 

Centrepoint Canteen

If you can spare any time to join our network and help prepare and serve food at our canteen, we would very much appreciate it. The work is easy and fun and includes a brief induction and on-the-job training.

You can dedicate as much or as little time as you like. We have short shifts of two hours (12:00pm to 2:00pm) and long shifts of four hours (10:00am to 2:00pm) available.

All volunteers’ efforts are rewarded with a healthy lunch and plenty of tea or coffee.

If you have any queries please feel free to contact me via phone, email, or drop into the canteen for a chat!

Many thanks,
Sam Nevin, Canteen Manager

Crossing Supervisor

The College Crossing Supervisor provides traffic management to ensure the safety of students and other pedestrians at the Ballarat Road crossing within our College grounds. The crossing is supervised from 8.30am – 9am and 3.15pm to 3.45pm each school day and can be supported by any number of generous volunteers.

If you have any queries please feel free to contact me via phone or email.

All volunteers are rewarded with a cup of tea, coffee, or muffin.

Many thanks,
Nicole Trotter, College Reception and Bus Coordinator

School TV – Sextortion

‘Sextortion’ has been an issue for over a decade, with many adults falling victim to this type of online crime. It is a form of blackmail where someone threatens to share intimate images of you unless you give in to their demands. Organised criminal gangs across Eastern Europe, Russia, and Africa connect to their victims via social media, chat apps, instant messaging platforms and online games. More recently though there has been a higher rate of adolescent males falling victim, that is not to say that young females are not also targeted. 

Since the beginning of 2022, there has been a 400% increase in this type of crime being reported to police in Australia alone. However, these figures are being replicated in most western countries. Having an understanding of how your young person can fall victim to such an offender may help to protect them from engaging or conceding to their demands. It is vitally important for parents and carers to be aware of this serious issue and to start having an age-appropriate conversation as early as possible. Be aware that even with an online account set to private, random people can still message your child. Emphasise to your young person the importance of only engaging online with people they actually know, not someone they think they might know. 

Most importantly, keep the lines of communication open between you and your child. Young people who fall victim to these offenders will feel distressed and blame themselves. Let them know that no matter what, they can come to you and ask for help, and that there is nothing so bad that they cannot come to you. Managing devices can be difficult especially with older teens, but it is important to weigh up the risks and the dangers. Sadly, even good kids who never make a poor decision elsewhere in their life, can and do make poor choices online. The information presented in this report is intended to alert and not alarm parents and caregivers of this potential issue. 

Further information and resources relating to this topic can be accessed via the following websites: 

Click here to watch this episode:

https://kardinia.vic.schooltv.me/wellbeing_news/special-report-sextortion

 

 

Kardinia International College

PO Box 17
Geelong, Victoria 3220

+61 3 5278 9999
kardinia@kardinia.vic.edu.au

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