From the Head of Senior School - Kath O'Neill
Thank you so much to all the families who joined us yesterday for our inaugural Brighter Futures Festival. A number of staff have worked very hard on bringing this together for some time, and to see so many families here with their children, learning about everything the College has to offer was amazing. Thank you so much to all of the students who volunteered their time as performers, for presentations, as tour guides, and on stalls as well. We will be seeking feedback from families who attended shortly and hope to make the 2027 Brighter Futures Festival bigger and better.
Congratulations to Addison (Year 11) who last week was presented with the Deakin Young Influence Award. This award recognises excellence and celebrates students who are truly motivated to make a positive difference in the world, now and into the future. Deakin strongly believes in acknowledging outstanding students who embody our values of Community Leadership, Change Advocacy, and Progressive Thinking. The University has rewarded Addison’s efforts and achievements with a $5000 scholarship to support his first year of study at Deakin in 2027.
Over the past several years, Addison has made a meaningful impact within his community through sport, mentoring, and leadership. He has coached and developed referees, led a Duke of Edinburgh Gold Award canoeing expedition, and contributed to initiatives promoting inclusion, teamwork, and respect in community sport. Addison’s leadership extends across Northern Bobcats Basketball Club, YMCA, and Geelong United Basketball, where he mentors young athletes and referees. Recognised for his service with awards such as Junior Referee of the Year and ‘Person of the Year’, Addison demonstrates empathy, consistency, and a commitment to empowering others.
From the Head of Junior School - Mario Chrisanthou
Celebrating Community and Culture at Pako Festa
Last weekend, the streets of Geelong came alive with colour, music, fun and connection as the community gathered for Pako Festa, held along Pakington Street. As this was my first Pako Festa, I was struck by the genuine community spirit that filled the day. For us as a college, this celebration reflects far more than a festival atmosphere, it embodies what it truly means to be an international community.
Kardinia International College is not defined by a name or statement, but by the values we live each day through our actions and openness to others. As our students and families engaged with the rich diversity of cultures and as many of our own families proudly stood on the sidelines cheering on our school, there was a strong sense of connection and belonging. Pako Festa provides an authentic opportunity to experience international-mindedness in action- fostering respect and understanding, while reinforcing that diversity is not just acknowledged but celebrated. It is through moments like these that students actively demonstrate the attributes of the International Baccalaureate Learner Profile, particularly being open-minded, caring, and reflective, as they engage with perspectives beyond their own and develop a deeper appreciation of the world around them.
I would like to personally thank Yuting Zhao, our Overseas Student Coordinator, for her enthusiasm and dedication in supporting our students and helping bring this experience to life. Events such as Pako Festa remind us that inclusion is something we actively create, and that as a college, we must continue to embed these values in all that we do, ensuring that being an international college is not just something we say, but something we genuinely live.
Staffing
We are pleased to welcome several new staff members to the Junior School team. Please join us in extending a warm welcome to the following:
Taylor Fagents joins the Highview team working with the K4KT team on Mondays, Tuesdays, and Wednesdays, and K3 on Thursdays and Fridays as a co-educator.
Frances Stevens will also join Highview as a co-educator on 10 March with the same hours as Taylor.
Marie Czajkowski joins us as our Reception Administration Officer. She will be working daily from 8:00am to 4:00pm.
Tenille Welsh has been with us since the beginning of the year in the Japanese role, replacing Sue Metcalfe. Tenille will continue in this role on Wednesdays and Fridays, teaching Foundation Year, Year 1 and Year 2. Karli Mynott will teach Japanese on Thursdays for Year 3 and Year 4. Thank you to Tenille and Karli for their work in this space. We also wish Sue all the very best and look forward to welcoming her back in Term 3.
Grove Market Pop-Up Stall
On Thursday 5 March the Year 5 staff and students will be holding another pop-up stall out the front of the JS Office area from 8:30 – 8:50am. There will be mixed veggie boxes which could include pumpkin, zucchini, cucumbers, corn for $10 each. A variety of loose veggies, bottles of worm juice and the very delicious Chocolate Zucchini Bread slices for $5 each.
Cash only. Our students would love to serve you!
International Council News
Pako Festa 2026
On Saturday 28 February, Kardinia took part in the Pako Festa parade, walking together down Pakington Street with staff and families. Many of us wore cultural clothing or carried flags and signs that showed the different backgrounds in our school community.
Being part of Pako Festa was a nice way for us to represent Kardinia and share a bit of who we are with the wider Geelong community.
Thank you to everyone who helped organise the group and supported us on the day – Bhrithi K on behalf of the International Council
Social Justice Committee News
"Hello parents and members of the Kardinia International College community,
As part of the College’s Social Justice Committee, we have been hosting a charity auction to raise funds for an important environmental education initiative in Timor-Leste, aimed to fund a permaculture project in Viqueque.
Many students in our group have had the privilege of working alongside this organisation and experiencing first-hand the impact of their work. Through this fundraiser, we hope to give back by supporting the construction of community gardens in remote areas and assisting the delivery of permaculture and environmental training programs across the country.
The auction started on Tuesday 3 March, in conjunction with the Brighter Futures Festival, and will run until 1pm on Saturday. We greatly appreciate your support in helping us make a meaningful contribution. If you would like to bid on any items, you can do so via: https://hadaeksjc.anvil.app/#home "
- Yuma, (Year 11)
Health and Physical Education News
Feed Me Excursion featuring Graham Jefferies, owner and head chef of Samesyn 2.0
Kardinia has a wonderful NEW Level C unit in Health and PE called ‘Health Matters”. This unit explores how Australia’s health has changed over time, dives into nutrition, real-world health issues like gambling and e-cigarettes, and builds skills for VCE Health and Human Development. As part of our Healthy Habits unit, the class had the privilege of visiting Feed me, Torquay. It was such a great experience getting to know what they do for the community and how their business model works. If you don't know much about Feed Me, they’re a local charity and community-run food relief organisation in Torquay that rescues surplus food that would otherwise go to waste and provides fresh, nutritious food and meals to people in need, operated mainly by volunteers with a “no questions, no agenda” approach.
During our visit, we got the opportunity to volunteer and helped unpack crates, sort food and even worked the cash register.
As part of this excursion, we were lucky to meet and spend time with Graham Jefferies, the talented owner and head chef of Samesyn 2.0 in Torquay. Samesyn 2.0 operates as a profit-for-purpose restaurant that minimises waste and supports the local community by using rescued and sustainably sourced ingredients to create its dishes, donating all profits to Feed Me while striving for near-zero waste through creative repurposing of surplus food and sustainable practices in every part of the business. What I found impressive was how they didn't have a single rubbish bin in Samesyn. I truly loved this excursion; our class was beyond lucky to experience going to Feed Me and hearing from Graham and learning about food insecurity. Something I took out of this day was, "take what you need, leave what you can."
By Grace F
Humanities News
An Exclusive ‘Fireside’ Chat with Governor Michele Bullock for our Year 12 Economics and IB Business Management Students
On Wednesday 25 March, a group of our Year 12 Economics and IB Business Management students had the privilege of attending a unique and enriching Reserve Bank of Australia presentation featuring Governor Michele Bullock.
The ‘fireside’ chat with the Governor provided students with a rare opportunity to hear directly about current economic conditions, monetary policy settings and Australia’s broader economic outlook. The partnership between Governor Michele Bullock and Emma Chow ensured the session was dynamic and perfectly pitched, making high level economic concepts both accessible and engaging.
Across the two-hour session, students listened to a carefully structured presentation that strengthened their understanding of key areas of the curriculum they are studying this year, while also gaining valuable insights during an extended question time. In preparation for the event, students developed thoughtful and purposeful questions, allowing them to engage meaningfully with one of Australia’s most influential economic decision makers.
This experience did more than complement the curriculum. The energy in the room was tangible. We encourage each of these privileged young economic thinkers to share their experience with their peers and to impart their wisdom and enthusiasm, inspiring younger students to recognise the importance of equipping themselves with the skills to navigate the economy that surrounds them and to become economically educated.
Thank you to the VCTA team for organising and to The Geelong College for hosting this outstanding event.
Kelly White and Tom Cannavan - Senior School Economics and Business Management teachers.
Mothers' Day Classic
For the past nine years, Kardinia has supported the Mother's Day Classic. An incredible opportunity to support important research for the Ovarian Cancer and National Breast Cancer Research Foundations and the chance for our IB and Duke of Ed students to give back and volunteer their time and skills for a very special community event.
This year, our own Ann-Marie Iversen - Senior School Arts Teacher - is a Community Ambassador, sharing her story and advocating for awareness and conversation around life-changing breast and ovarian cancer research.
In the lead up to Mother's Day, our students are putting together a team and lending a hand in the event organisation. We would love for you to join us, and make this year our biggest year yet - Sunday 10 May, 2026.
To learn more or to register, visit: https://www.mothersdayclassic....
During registration, please remember to join our team: Kardinia International College and contact Rowena Bailey or Ann-Marie Iversen with any questions. Please note this is a community event, not a school event.
Staff and student volunteers are still welcome. Further details and meeting dates will be shared in the Bulletin.
We look forward to seeing you there!
GISSA
GISSA Tennis Championships 2026
This year the GISSA Tennis Championships were held with separate Division 1 teams for boys and girls. A huge congratulations to the following students who proudly represented Kardinia on Friday 20 February at the GISSA Tennis Championships:
Division 1 Boys: Oliver W, Arin J, Joshua S, Xavier W and Jasper M.
Division 1 Girls: Aarya N, Emily C, Aria W, Zoe L and Esther W.
The standard of tennis from both our boys and girls teams was a standout on the day. Living the school motto, the players demonstrated exceptional sportsmanship and respect, which was noted by all in attendance. We were extremely proud to have each of these young stars representing Kardinia International College.
The championship was a round robin format. A set of doubles and singles was played against each of the competing schools - Ioana, St Ignatius and Christian College. Kardinia won each round by a convincing margin, which saw them become the undefeated 2026 GISSA Tennis Champions!
The Championship Players of the Day awarded to Xavier W and Emily C and the Sporstmanship awarded to Oliver W and Aria W.
Kardinia are now eligible to play the Tennis Victoria Schools Championships in May, which is the qualifying event for the Gallipoli Youth Cup, Tennis Australia’s National Schools Championships. Please wish them the best of luck!
Kelly White, Danielle Williamson, Katie Anderson and Kim Byrne.
High-Performance Athlete Program
We are proud to celebrate the outstanding achievements of Grace and Skye, both members of our High-Performance Athlete Program, following their exceptional results at the Victorian State Championships held in Ballarat over the weekend.
Competing against some of the state’s strongest schoolgirl rowers, Grace delivered a dominant performance, claiming Gold in the Under 19 Single Scull and Gold in the Open School Girls Single Scull. To secure two state titles is a remarkable accomplishment and a testament to her strength, composure and competitive drive.
Skye, currently in Year 9, also achieved an outstanding result, earning Gold in the Year 10 double, and Under 17 Single Scull, and Bronze in the Open School Girls Single Scull. Competing in an open division while still in the early years of secondary school highlights both her courage and enormous talent. To stand on the podium at state level against older athletes is an impressive achievement.
These results reflect the dedication, resilience and discipline both students bring to their training and competition. We congratulate Grace and Skye on their exceptional performances and look forward to following their continued success on the water.
Wellbeing Hub News
As children and young people grow, their understanding of relationships, boundaries and respect continues to develop. From early lessons about personal space and permission to more complex conversations during adolescence, learning about consent is a gradual process shaped by everyday experiences, peer interactions and adult guidance. While these topics can feel uncomfortable to discuss, they are an essential part of helping young people form safe, respectful and healthy relationships.
Community Engagement and Foundation News
THIS WEEK - International Women’s Day Breakfast
This FRIDAY is the 2026 International Women’s Day Breakfast, celebrating our 30th Anniversary under the theme “Honouring the Past and Creating Bridges to the Future.”
Guests will enjoy a breakfast smorgasbord and hear from keynote speaker Dr Ashley Nesseler (Nee Kay, Class of 2000) alongside panel members Claire Lawrence (Class of 2000), Alex Campbell (Class of 2004), Olivia Lockhart (Class of 2021), Alice Crane (Class of 2026 College Co Captain), with Nikki Petyanszki (Class of 2001) as MC.
Event details
- Date: Friday 6 March
- Time: 7:00am–8:30am
- Venue: College Hall
- Tickets: Adults $25 | Students $20
A morning to celebrate some of our remarkable alumnae within our community, as we celebrate 30 Years of Kardinia International College. Please join us for a fantastic morning!
NEXT WEEK - Parent Mingle Night – ‘Mingle at Mary’s’
The Parent Mingle Night is coming up NEXT WEEK! Enjoy a social night with other K–12 Kardinia parents to connect and unwind over drinks and nibblies.
Event details
- Date: Thursday 12 March 2026
- Time: 6:30pm–9:30pm
- Venue: Meet Me at Mary’s, 66 Pakington Street, Geelong West
- Tickets: $20 per person (includes entry and nibblies)
This event is hosted by the College Community Council (CCC).
REGISTER BEFORE NEXT THURSDAY - Community AFL Footy Tipping Competition
The 2026 AFL Community Footy Tipping competition is hosted by the CCC. It is open to all K-12 Kardinia families. Entry is $10 per family and the prize money will be a percentage of all entries. The more involved, the bigger the prizes! Click on the link below to be part of the competition!
1st place- 50%, 2nd place- 30%, 3rd place -20%
Register your family and enter your weekly tips together! Register payment at: https://events.humanitix.com/2026-ccc-family-footy-tipping-competition
The URL for the tipping and the competition code, are included on the ticket information.
The competition starts from Round 1 Thursday 12 March. It does not include the Opening Round or the Finals Series. The winners will be declared at the end of Round 24. Good luck!
Prizes will only be awarded to paid members, prior to the commencement of Round 1.
THIS MONTH - Kardinia Community Foundation Golf Day
Our annual Golf Day on Tuesday 31 March is shaping up to be another fantastic community event. Whether you’re a seasoned golfer or simply keen for a fun day out, we’d love to have you join us on the course. Register here: https://events.humanitix.com/2026-community-foundation-golf-day
We’re also inviting contributions from our parent community to support our Wine Raffle and Silent Auction. Donations of wine, vouchers, products, or services all help make the day more exciting—and most importantly, raise funds for Foundation scholarships that directly support our students. Thank you for your generosity and ongoing support: https://forms.office.com/r/PLjhMka5Ev
COMING SOON
Pre-orders for a Limited Edition 30 Year Anniversary picture book ‘Ripples of Kindness: The Gift That Grew’!
Fiona Russell - Community Engagement and Foundation Coordinator
From the Archives
Celebrating 30 Years – The College Song
‘The first anniversary celebration of the opening of the College, our first Founders’ Day, saw the first public performance of the College Song ‘Bridges to the Future’…The Kardinia International College song was composed by inaugural staff member Mrs Debbie Howard.’
Bridges to the Future
Bridges to the future, are what we plan to build,
Reaching for tomorrow, not dwelling on the past.
Hand in hand and side by side we will strive to do our best.
Excellence in all we do, we won’t settle for any less.
Chorus: Wisdom leads to respect
And respect leads to friendship
With the world.
Believing in ourselves and what we can achieve,
Honesty and effort will lead us to succeed.
Studying together we will learn from those who teach,
As faithfully we work towards the fulfillment of our dreams.
Chorus:
Respecting other people and learning of their ways,
Extending hands in friendship across the ocean and the seas.
Caring for each other, regardless of our race,
Building bridges of friendship – that all children may embrace.
Extract from Kardinia International College-The First Ten Years 1996-2005 P. Dowie
Next week: Inaugural College Staff
Fiona Russell - College Archivist
Community
Geelong Youth Choir
Ocean Grove Soccer Club
