From the Principal - Catherine Lockhart
Welcome back to Term 3. While the weather is chilly, there have been a lot of warm smiles and welcomes as our community returns for the start of term.
It was lovely to meet with some of our parents at our welcome to term catch up at Centrepoint on Tuesday and to welcome some new parents to the KIC community. Thank you to the College Community Council for organising the event.
I had the privilege of travelling to Canada over the holidays. Travel is something I never take for granted but even more over recent years when world events have impacted the ability to travel. I was not there for the World Cup but did end up watching a lot of games (in the right time zone) and got caught up in World Cup fever at fan zones in Vancouver.
The scenery was amazing, as was the wildlife we came across on our travels but a major highlight for me was speaking with people from all over the world. I spoke to people from Canada, Pakistan, India, France, Iran, the UK, Mexico and saw many other nationalities represented during our travels. These encounters reinforced my belief in how important it is that we provide our students with opportunities to experience and learn about, and from people from diverse cultures and countries. To see that we often have much more in common than we have differences.
Developing international understanding and perspectives is a key competency in today’s world and is foundational to our beliefs and values here at Kardinia International College. It fits with our cornerstone of International Mindedness and our key value of Global Hearts and Local Hands.
Fortunately, we do not have to travel 14 hours to develop international mindedness as there are also many opportunities right in our own local communities, to learn from others from diverse backgrounds and cultures. I hope that many of our students get to experience such opportunities throughout this term and beyond. An easy place to start is by welcoming and getting to know some of our international students who bring a wealth of cultural perspectives to our College.
I hope that we can all make all our new students and families feel a warm welcome as they join the Kardinia International College community.
From the Head of Senior School - Kath O'Neill
The week ahead in the Senior School:
Week 2 - Year 9 Alpine Camp
Week 2 - Year 10 (for Year 11 in 2027) Course Selection Interviews (individual appointments e-mailed to students)
Welcome back to Term Three and Semester Two. It’s been wonderful to see everyone back at school, including Chiang Mai Group 2 students, who returned on the first weekend of the holidays.
We have a number of new students joining us this term, some moving from other schools in Geelong, others moving to Geelong from other places, and some joining us as new overseas students. We welcome all these students to our Kardinia community and look forward to getting to know them. We also welcome several new members of staff this term:
- Emily Bellin (Outdoor Education / Health and PE)
- Michelle Day (Learning Support Officer)
- Caitlyn Farrugia (Learning Support Officer)
- Maddy Holmes (Art)
- Zander Kauffman (Japanese)
- Melissa Nantsou (Technology)
- Elizabeth Packett (English)
- Scott Wallace (Health and PE)
- Joanna Wiltshire (Art)
- Hilary Wimmer (Music)
I’d also like to formally acknowledge Craig Watson, who has been appointed Head of Sport and commenced in this new role this week.
Finally, welcome back Gary Cox, Julia Ekkel, Kara Statham, Cindy Van Dreumel and Richard Walsh from periods of leave.
Over the break I was fortunate to travel to Timor-Leste with a group of Year 11 students, who learned about the history of the country and the fight for independence, and the growth of Timor-Leste as a nation over the past twenty-four years. In Viqueque, where Kardinia has a sister-school connection with Cabira Oan, the students taught English classes, and at the Community Centre, they connected the local children in teaching classes including in English, music, sport, art and chess. While we took many donations over with us, what the Timorese people gave us in terms of their friendship and generosity, far outweighed anything that we gave them. Our students were outstanding ambassadors for the College on this trip, and I was immensely proud of them and their efforts to make a difference, both before and during the trip, and now in a different way having visited Timor-Leste and met the people first-hand.
From the Head of Junior School - Mario Chrisanthou
Term 3 promises to be a particularly exciting and eventful one. Our calendar is already jam-packed with wonderful opportunities for students and families, including the much anticipated 30th Year School Production, Book Week celebrations and the Year 4 Camp.
Please see below the key dates and events for Term 3. We encourage families to note these in their calendars as we look forward to a busy and exciting term ahead.
Key Dates for Term 3 (Please note some events may be subject to change)
20 July- Junior School Assembly – Year 1
21 July- 2:30pm- Meeting KIC Connect
27- 31 July- Kindergarten Photos
30 July- 4 August- JS Photos
3 August- JS Assembly- Year levels
7 August- Incursion: Tree planting day at the Grove
10-12 August- Year 4 Camp
11 August- 2:30pm- KIC Connect
12-14 August- 30th Anniversary College Production
17 August- JS Assembly- Year 3
17 August- Bullying No Way Day
20 August- District Athletics Day (selected students)
21 August- Year 3 Wool Museum
24-28 August- JS Book Week
24-28 August- PYP Exhibition Week
24 August- JS Book Week Dress Up Day and Parade
27 August- Incursion: Chris Collin Funky Author Visit (FY-Y6)
31 August- JS Assembly- Year 2 Assembly
1 September- JS Leaders Luncheon
1 September- 2:30pm- KIC Connect
7 September- JS Morning Melodies
10 and 17 September- Incursion: Year 5 Canoe Capsize Session1 (selected students)
10 September- 3:30pm- K3 Student Led Conferences
15 September- JS Early Dismissal 12:50pm
15 September- K4-Y6 Student Lead Conferences
17 September- Team Colours Casual Dress Day (gold coin donation)
17 September- Last Day Term 3 for students, 3:20pm finish
18 September- Student free day
Enrolment Withdrawal
If you are thinking of withdrawing your child, please be aware that the College requires a Term's notice, in writing. This is outlined in our terms and conditions.
Please contact the Marketing and Admissions Department via email: marketing@kardinia.vic.edu.au
Privacy Reminder
Kardinia International College collects, uses, discloses and stores student and parent/carer personal information for standard school functions or where permitted by law, as stated in the College’s Privacy Policy.
Please take a moment to review the College’s Standard Collection Notice, available on our website https://www.kardinia.vic.edu.au/
For further information about how the College manages personal information, please refer to the College’s Privacy Policy.
College Production News
Dear Students and Families,
Tickets can now be purchased for our 2026 College Production Reach for the Stars! Performing for three shows on the Katsumata Stage, Junior and Senior school students are ready to showcase their talents as we celebrate 30 years of Kardinia. Featuring a variety of live musicians, dancers, solo performers and entertaining sketches, this revue performance will revisit past Kardinia musicals, embrace moments of nostalgia and celebrate all that it means to be part of the Kardinia community.
Tickets are $25 each, we have a group booking discount of 5 tickets for the price of 4. So, gather your friends and family, and join us as we celebrate 30 wonderful years!
To purchase tickets, click on the following link: College Production Tickets
If you have any questions, please email Ms Birley (k.birley@kardinia.vic.edu.au)
Homestay Families Wanted - Japanese Homestay Exchange Program, August 2026
Kardinia International College is pleased to welcome a group from our sister school, Gotemba Nishi High School (Japan), this August. A group of 13 students (years 10–12, boys and girls) and two teachers will be visiting Geelong from Tuesday 18 August to Monday 24 August (Week 6, Term 3). This exchange is reciprocal, with Kardinia planning to send a group of students and teachers to Gotemba Nishi High School in 2027.
We are currently seeking volunteer homestay families who are willing to share their Australian lifestyle and culture with a visiting student. Homestay families are asked to provide:
- A caring and welcoming environment
- All meals during the stay
- A bedroom (or shared bedroom)
This is a wonderful opportunity to build meaningful cultural connections and support our international partnership. If your family is interested in hosting, please email h.suzuki@kardinia.vic.edu.au for further information, including requirements such as completing the volunteer register and holding a valid Working with Children Check.
Homestay families will be supported by the Senior School Exchange Program Team. An online host family orientation session will be held prior to the visit to outline the program, share the itinerary, and provide an opportunity for questions.
Student Achievement
Congratulations to Year 8 student Trudy G, who represented Victoria in the U14 State Team at the RLSSA Australian Pool Lifesaving Championships in Perth during the school holidays. Trudy delivered an outstanding performance, claiming silver in the 50m Manikin Tow and gold in the 10m Line Throw, where she broke the previous Australian record by almost two seconds with a remarkable time of 11.71 seconds. Her success follows another gold medal in the Line Throw at the Victorian State Championships the previous week, where she also set a new state record.
Some incredible achievements, congratulations Trudy!
Future Pathways and Education News
CitiPower Visit
Do you have electricity at your house?
Have you ever experienced a power blackout?
Are you into solar power and sustainability?
Are you interested in a career as an electrician? An electrical engineer perhaps. What about Marketing? Accounting even?
What does a linesman do and how much they earn? What qualifications do I need to become a Wind Turbine Technician and do I need to be tall to become one?
If you answered YES to any of these questions, this might just be for you…...
Representatives from CitiPower, one of our larger power supply companies, will be visiting Kardinia International College on Thursday July 16 at lunch time to discuss all things related to careers within the Power Industry including apprenticeships, jobs requiring university qualifications, scholarships, traineeships and so much more.
If you are interested in learning about jobs within this HUGE industry, come along to an information session on:
Thursday 16 July, Auditorium, 12:50 pm - Bring a friend…!
Study and Play USA visit
Tuesday 21 July in the Study Room, 1pm-1.30pm
Register here: Kardinia International College | Study & Play USA Sports Information Session
Co-Curricular News
Chess Club - Junior School
Register for Term 3 now! Held on Thursday lunchtimes, in the JS Conference Room 23 July - 10 September. Click on the image below to sign up or visit chessforschools.com.au
Wellbeing Hub News
Setting a schedule is vitally important. Students need to schedule everything from sleeping and eating, to studying and exercising. It is one of the best ways to manage inevitable exam stress. Students need to look after themselves when they have big demands in their life.
When it comes to productive study, sometimes less is often more. It is recommended that students hit the books in 50-minute stints, broken up by 15-minute breaks. This gives the brain, and body, a rest. Adolescents will often underestimate the amount of sleep they need. Getting enough sleep is key to successful study practices.
Research shows that physical activity also has a very positive impact on mental wellbeing. Eating well is another crucial factor to maintaining concentration and staying focussed on the task ahead.
Community Engagement and Foundation News
K-12 Term 3 Coffee Morning
After the three‑week holiday break, it was wonderful to gather again, enjoy a warm beverage, reconnect with familiar faces, and warmly welcome the new parents joining our community for Semester 2. These mornings continue to be a relaxed and friendly way for families to meet, share stories, and strengthen connections across the K–12 community.
The next Parent Coffee Morning will be held on Monday 5 October. We look forward to seeing you there.
Only a few tickets left for the Parent Trivia Night!
Our annual Parent Trivia Night is coming up on Thursday 30 July at Murphys Geelong (Upstairs) from 6:30pm–9:30pm, with the trivia questions kicking off promptly at 7pm.
It’s always a fantastic evening of fun, laughter, and friendly competition - be sure to secure your spot as the event is nearly at capacity.
Tickets: $25 per person (Food and drinks available at bar prices)
https://events.humanitix.com/2026-ccc-trivia-night
Teams: 6–8 people Form a team ahead of time or simply join one on the night. It’s a fantastic chance to connect with other parents, catch up with friends, and welcome new members of our community.
Hosted by the College Community Council (CCC), this event is all about fun and building community spirit! Don’t let all that trivia you know, go to waste!
Book Collections
There are still some a small number of picture books awaiting collection. Please refer to your email for confirmation of your designated collection venue. All ordered books are now available for pickup at both the Junior School and Senior School receptions.
Thank you for choosing to own a copy of our story — we’re delighted to share it with you.
Year 12 Mid-Year Dinner
The Class of 2026 enjoyed their Mid‑Year Dinner at Bell Park Sports Club at the end of Semester 1. In keeping with tradition, students embraced the glamour of the ‘Red‑Carpet Premier’ theme, arriving in style and making the night feel truly special.
Congratulations to College Captains Alice and Alex for their outstanding planning and organisation, which helped create a memorable evening for the entire cohort.
Scroll down to From the Archives to see a flash-back to the 2006 Mid-Year Dinner!
CCC Family Footy Tipping
There were some solid 9’s in Round 18 with Mark N, Joanna S, Katherine P, Adam B, Chris W, Fiona R and the Drake Family with top scores. This shuffles the leaderboard slightly, with some ‘newbies’ in the Top 10 after Round 18:
- Mark N
- Katherine P
- Holly R
- Scott S
- Isabel W
- Tania B
- Meri N
- Drake F
- Scott E
- Fiona R
Fiona Russell - Community Engagement and Foundation Coordinator
From the Archives
Memories of Year 12 Mid-Year Dinners
The Year 12 Mid‑Year Dinner has long been one of the most anticipated traditions for students in their final year. The very first celebration took place in 1999 at Truffleduck, marking the beginning of an event that quickly became a milestone in the senior experience. Over the next few years, the dinner found new homes at The Beach House, Savvas Restaurant, and Berkley Lodge, before settling at Capri Receptions in 2004 — where it remained for more than a decade.
Twenty years ago, the Class of 2006 arrived at Capri dressed in elegant suits and gowns, ready for a night of celebration. They danced, laughed, and created memories that have lasted well beyond their school days. Even Mr Woolard joined in, showing off some impressive moves on the dance floor.
In more recent years, the Mid‑Year Dinner has continued to evolve, with celebrations held at The Pier and Bell Park Sports Club, offering new backdrops for students to come together and mark this special moment in their final year.
Fiona Russell - College Archivist
