Kardinia eNews - Wednesday 7 May 2025

From the Head of Senior School - Kath O'Neill

Last Friday saw our first House Cross Country on school grounds. The house spirit was evident from the moment we started, with house groups dancing, cheering and stretching all adding to the atmosphere. It was wonderful to have the opportunity to have all our students involved in the event, either competitively, for fitness or to enjoy a walk around the school grounds. We particularly enjoyed having Junior School students cheering as the Senior Students ran past. Thank you to Mr Van Wyk and his team for the organisation of the event. Congratulations to everyone who participated and earned points towards the House Cup. Well done to Gotemba who were the won the House Cross Country Cup for 2025.

Today we have Paul Dillon in the College working with our students in Years 10-12. His education work around alcohol and drugs is always a highlight for our students, who appreciate Paul’s informed, entertaining and frank presentations. We’re already looking forward to having him back here in 2026.

From the Acting Head of Junior School - Nikki Petyanszki

Drama Workshops

This week Deakin University student teachers ran drama-based workshops with our Year 2 students. These workshops are connected to the current Unit of Inquiry; How We Express ourselves. A lot of fun was had by all!

Mother’s Day Morning Tea Cancer Council Fundraiser

We hope you can join us for the Mother’s Day morning tea this Friday which has been organised by our fabulous KIC Connect Committee. This morning tea is part of the Biggest Morning Tea movement, which is fundraising for the Cancer Council. Please see more details in the flyer below:

Request for Parent Feedback

Term 1 has been an opportunity to explore and learn about our new learning management system, Schoolbox (known as KICOnline). We are now seeking feedback on the system's functionality and ways we can make it even better for families to use. To help us plan for the next steps, please complete the quick feedback survey at this link.

We would like all responses to be submitted no later than Wednesday 14 May. Once we collate the data, we will be able to make system improvements and offer some parent support sessions.

Access to School grounds

A friendly reminder that families are welcome onsite from 3:15pm onwards each afternoon. We appreciate your support in helping us ensure a smooth and safe end to the school day for all students.

College Board Update

Dear College Community,

We are delighted to announce the very recent appointment of two new members to our College Board, Morgan Smithe (Appointed October 2024) and Paul Robson (Appointed February 2025).

Paul and Morgan add to the breadth of knowledge, experience, and passion for the College and the outstanding educational experience it offers, of our current College Board. We are excited about the wisdom and leadership they bring and look forward to their contributions in guiding Kardinia International College towards an even brighter future. Please join me in welcoming both Morgan and Paul to our College community.

To learn more about our Board Members, including Morgan and Paul, we invite you to visit our college website, where each member has shared a personal biography.

https://www.kardinia.vic.edu.a...

Kind regards,

Andrew Lovick, Director of Business Operations and Company Secretary

Gotemba Nishi High School – Homestay Group is coming to Kardinia!

There will be a homestay group from our sister school, Gotemba Nishi High School coming to Kardinia in August this year.

20 students (Years 10, 11 & 12 boys and girls) and 2 teachers will be visiting Geelong from Tuesday 19 August to Monday 25 August (Week 5, Term 3)

We are looking for volunteer homestay families who are happy to share their Australian life and cultures with a visiting student from Japan. Homestay families are required to provide care, friendship, all meals, and a bedroom or a shared bedroom during the stay.

Any families who are interested in hosting, please e-mail h.suzuki@kardinia.vic.edu.au for further details and requirements e.g. volunteer register and Working with Children Check card.

This is an exchange homestay program, and the College will be sending a group of our students and teachers to Gotemba Nishi High School in October.

Sport News

Upper Primary House Athletics Carnival 2025

Under blue skies and boundless enthusiasm, the Junior School lit up Goldsworthy Reserve Athletics Track on Wednesday, April 30, for the much-anticipated Upper Primary House Athletics Carnival.

From the crack of the starter’s ‘Clappers” to the final baton change in the relays, our athletes gave it their all – sprinting down the straight, leaping into the sandpit, and launching throws with impressive skill and determination. Every student who stepped onto the track or into the field contributed points, pride, and passion for their House. It wasn’t just about winning – it was about showing up, cheering loud, and trying your best.

A massive round of applause goes to all our competitors for their commitment, courage, and sportsmanship. Whether achieving a PB or giving a teammate a boost with a high five, your efforts made the day one to remember.

Behind the scenes, a huge thank you must go to our dedicated teachers and the incredible Senior School Student Officials, whose leadership and encouragement ensured a smooth and supportive event. Special recognition to our Track Team, who led the charge into the future by using iPads and the Sprint Timer app for electronic timing – a first for our carnival!

As the final relays began, the atmosphere was electric. With just under four points separating all four Houses, every baton exchange and sprint finish counted. The lead shifted multiple times in a nail-biting conclusion to the day. When the dust settled, it was Morongo who surged ahead to claim the 2025 Upper Primary House Athletics Trophy!

🏆 Final Standings:

1st – Morongo: 136.36 points
2nd – Cowie: 134.57 points
3rd – Thomson: 134.10 points
4th – Gotemba: 132.39 points

Congratulations to Morongo, and to every student who ran, jumped, threw, and cheered with pride. You made this carnival a true celebration of school spirit and athletic excellence.

Senior School House Cross Country

Last Friday, May 2, Senior School held their House Cross Country at the College.

Students ran, jogged and walked a track around the grounds of the College, taking in the sights as they went. It was a great opportunity, particularly for our senior students, to see some of the changes that have occurred in the Junior School since their time there. The weather could not have been better. The House spirit and atmosphere on the track and at the finish line was electric. Thank you to the parents who came and cheered on the students at the finish line.

Well done to Gotemba for taking out their second major trophy of the year, adding it to their win at the Athletics Carnival. A big thank you to Tomato Timing and Barwon Water for their assistance with the event.

Age group champions will be awarded a trophy at the end of term assembly.

Centrepoint Café – Casual Vacancy

Our Centrepoint Café is looking for casual relief staff to be available to work during the hours of 9.00am to 2.00pm Monday to Friday. Being available at short notice is helpful to cover staff leave.

Main duties are:

• Assisting with food preparation
• Serving staff and students during recess and lunch

Having previous café, canteen or food preparation experience is preferred, but not essential. You will need to provide a Food Handlers certificate (free training from https://dofoodsafely.health.vic.gov.au/index.php/en/) and a valid Working with Children Check (Employee) prior to commencement.

Please send your resume and a cover letter detailing your availability to employment@kardinia.vic.edu.au

Bridges Scholarship

Applications for the Year 10 Bridges Scholarship for 2026 are now open!

Bridges Scholarships are offered to new students entering Year 10 in the following year who could not otherwise attend the College for financial reasons. The Scholarships are awarded for general excellence with an emphasis on academic achievement combined with high achievement in at least one of the following: the arts, sport, leadership, science and technology, community service or social justice.

Applications for the 2026 Bridges Scholarships will close on Friday 25 July 2025. To view the requirements and lodge an application, head to our website: Scholarships - Kardinia International College

Student Achievement

Olivia S (Year 9) has recently achieved the Australian Scout Award. The award involves personal development, outdoor adventure skills, and an Adventurous Journey, as well as community involvement and leadership skills. While working towards this award over the last three years, Olivia has hiked over 200km, kayaked on the Rideau Lakes in Canada, completed a first aid course, and done volunteer work. Olivia has found participating in Scouts to be great for making new friends, gaining confidence in leadership and public speaking, and learning new skills. Ms Lockhart attended the award ceremony where she was invested as an honorary member of the Norlane West Scout Group.

Future Pathways and Education - Careers Podcast!

The next episode has landed! 'The one about the Zookeeper'!

The Careers Podcast is an exciting student led initiative of the Future Pathways and Education team at Kardinia International College, which aims to give students an opportunity to listen to representatives from many careers and jobs discussing the details of how they got to their current position in life. It will give our students a fun means to hear from and learn about many different jobs and how to get them.

In addition to the details of study pathways, how effective they were as students and other important milestones and influences, the subjects will bring into the conversations their musical experiences, their favourite styles of music and how these may have impacted them and their lives at significant junctions.

By archiving each episode, it will give students and parents the opportunity to revisit each episode to gain valuable insights and to foster discussion into the future.

Find the episode here: https://www.kardinia.vic.edu.au/contact/careers-podcast

Overseas Students Future Pathways and Education Excursion

Last Wednesday, the Future Pathways and Education team took a group of overseas students to Melbourne to attend the International Student University Open Day. This valuable event offered students the opportunity to explore future study options in Australia. They participated in one-on-one consultations with university representatives, receiving personalised advice about courses, admissions, and career pathways.

Here’s what some of the students had to say about the experience:

"It was a valuable experience for my future education pathway. I had the opportunity to speak directly with representatives from the university I hope to attend. Overall, it was enjoyable and well-organised." – Jenny L

"This excursion was extremely helpful for international students who are considering continuing their academic journey in Australia after secondary school. I was able to explore a variety of Australian universities and get my important questions answered directly by university staff." – Pong K

"I have received a lot of information such as an Atar score, school fees, etc that has been stuck in my mind for a long time. The trip was so fun and knowledgeable. The information that I gain helped me set everything so clear especially my study task. It’s boost me in every subject to get highest score in Atar." - Davy H

The day proved to be both informative and inspiring, empowering our overseas students to make more informed decisions about their tertiary pathways.

Child Safe Standards

Over the past two weeks, we have been exploring the Child Safe Standards as part of our commitment to keeping our College community informed and engaged with the legal and ethical responsibilities that underpin child safety in schools.

These Standards, outlined in Ministerial Order No. 1359, are designed to ensure the safety and wellbeing of all children and young people. This week, we continue our focus by looking at Child Safe Standard 3 – Empowering Children and Young People.

Children and young people are empowered about their rights, are included in decisions that affect them, and are taken seriously.

At Kardinia, we believe children thrive in environments where they are heard, respected, and encouraged to participate. We are committed to ensuring that all students understand their rights, feel safe to speak up, and are confident their voices will be listened to.

Child Safe Standard 3 focuses on giving children meaningful opportunities to be involved in decisions that impact them. When students are empowered in this way, they are more likely to express concerns and feel supported by the adults around them.

To meet this standard, the College is committed to:

1. Educating students about their rights – including their right to be safe, informed, and involved
2. Encouraging strong friendships and peer support to help students feel connected and supported
3. Offering access to age-appropriate programs that teach students how to recognise unsafe situations and how to seek help
4. Ensuring staff are trained to identify signs of harm and actively create space for students to share their thoughts and concerns
5. Promoting a school culture that values student voice and responds to their input
6. Providing regular opportunities for students to participate in decision-making via our various student bodies

As parents and carers, you play a vital role in supporting your child’s confidence to speak up and engage in decisions. We encourage you to talk with your child about their rights, how they can raise concerns, and who they can turn to if they feel unsafe.

If you’d like to learn more about how the College supports student voice and empowerment, or if you have feedback or questions, please reach out to one of our Child Safety Protection Officers – the Acting Head of Junior School or Head of Senior School.

Together, we can continue to build a community where every child feels safe, respected, and heard.

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

Save the date for our next Happy Families webinar:

Rewards are Just Punishments in Reverse!

Using rewards and punishments as a form of discipline was popularised throughout the 1970s as parenting programs began to be developed. And the approach is still popular today, for a couple of reasons. Join Dr Justin Coulson for Carrots & Sticks: Better Ways to Build Boundaries with Your Kids (and Students!) on Wednesday 18 June at 7pm AEST. Together you'll explore science-backed alternatives and move beyond outdated discipline methods.

Read more here

To access the Webinar: https://schools.happyfamilies.com.au/login/kic Password: happykic

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

Why Feeling Connected at School Matters More Than You Think

We all want our children to be happy and successful at school. We focus on their grades, their friendships, and their extracurricular activities. But what if I told you that one of the most important factors for their well-being, both now and in the future, is their sense of belonging?

Read more here

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

Football Star Academy

Community Art Workshops