Kardinia eNews - Wednesday 19 August 2026

From the Head of Senior School - Kath O'Neill

Looking ahead in the Senior School

• Wednesday 19 August – Trivia for Timor

• Friday 21 August – 2027 Subject Selection for Years 7-9 students

• Monday 24 August – Book Week Dress Up Day

• Wednesday 26 August – Year 11 Formal

• Friday 4 September – Casual Clothes Day (raising funds for Feed Me Geelong)

On Friday, our Year 11 and 12 French students took part in the Berthe Mouchette Speaking Competition, an opportunity to develop their confidence and fluency while engaging with French language and culture beyond the classroom. We congratulate all students who participated and thank their teachers for supporting them in their preparation.

A reminder that the Senior School will celebrate Book Week on Monday 24 August with a dress-up day. This year’s theme is ‘Symphony of Stories’. It also marks the 80th anniversary of the Children’s Book Council of Australia Book of the Year Awards, which continue to recognise Australian authors and illustrators and to bring communities together in celebration of reading.

A group of Year 11 students has been working hard to organise this year’s Year 11 Formal. This is an entirely student-driven and student-run event, with support from supervising staff, and is a strong example of our students’ willingness to work together on projects that build connection, responsibility and belonging within their year level. We look forward to celebrating with them next week.

From the Head of Junior School - Mario Chrisanthou

From a teacher's perspective, camps are not always easy. Staff are away from their own families, on duty around the clock, comforting homesick children late at night, managing early morning wakeups, and supporting students through every challenge and triumph along the way. Yet despite the long days and tired moments, camps remain one of the most rewarding experiences in education. They provide a unique opportunity to witness students grow in ways that simply cannot be replicated in the classroom.

Our Year 4 students recently returned from an outstanding camp experience filled with adventure, challenge, laughter and friendship. Despite the very cold temperature, from the moment they arrived, students embraced every opportunity with enthusiasm and a positive attitude.

Throughout the camp, students participated in a wide range of activities that encouraged them to step outside their comfort zones. Whether tackling new challenges, supporting their peers or demonstrating independence, the students represented our College exceptionally well.

The behaviour, manners and willingness of our students to embrace every experience were regularly commented on by camp staff. We are incredibly proud of the way they conducted themselves and the maturity they demonstrated throughout the week.

A sincere thank you to Miss Bindokas and the Year 4 camp staff for their outstanding organisation and commitment in making the camp such a success. Their enthusiasm ensured that every student had a memorable and rewarding experience.

While students return home with stories, memories and plenty of washing, staff return with something just as valuable. They have seen students show courage when facing fears, resilience when things became challenging, and personal growth in ways that often surprise even the students themselves. It is these moments that make every late night, early morning and hour away from family worthwhile. Seeing children flourish and discover what they are capable of is exactly why we do camps, and we wouldn't have it any other way.

School Production

Speaking of flourishing, one of the absolute highlights of last week was watching our Junior School students take to the stage in the College Production. Over several months, I had the privilege of seeing their growth firsthand, from early rehearsals filled with nervous excitement to polished performances delivered with confidence and pride. The courage it takes to stand in front of an audience, remember lines, sing, dance and perform should never be underestimated, and our students rose to the occasion magnificently. What struck me most was not just the talent on display, but the teamwork shown by every cast and crew member along the way. Watching students who may have started the journey quietly or cautiously perform with such confidence and joy was a powerful reminder of the impact that experiences like these can have on young people. To every student involved, congratulations on an outstanding production. You should be incredibly proud of what you achieved, and I can’t wait for the Junior School Production in 2027.

Year 6 Exhibition Evening

We warmly invite all parents and families to attend the Year 6 Exhibition on Monday 24 August from 6:30pm to 8:00pm. The Exhibition is the culmination of the students’ Primary Years Programme journey and provides an opportunity for our Year 6 learners to showcase their inquiry, research, creativity, and action. Throughout the evening, students will proudly share their projects, learning experiences, and the impact of their work with the wider community. We encourage all parents to visit, engage with the displays, and celebrate this significant milestone while supporting our Year 6 students as they reflect on and share their learning achievements.

Please continue to support the following students -

"Hi, my name is Mikayla W, and for my Year 6 Exhibition project I am exploring the important issue of pet abuse. As part of my action, I will be raising awareness and collecting gold coin donations on Exhibition evening. If you are attending, I would be very grateful for your support. Thank you for helping make a difference for animals in need."

Are you Interested in Becoming a Homestay Family?

Kardinia International College provides a very successful overseas student program for students from Years 7-12. Our program is growing, and we are looking for more people interested in becoming Homestay Parents!

Our Homestay families provide a caring and nurturing environment for our overseas students and receive weekly remuneration for undertaking this role.

For more information about Homestay please contact Homestay Coordinator Yuting Zhao at y.zhao@kardinia.vic.edu.au

Arts News

The celebrations for Kardinia's milestone 30 Year Anniversary continue with a very special Art Competition coinciding with the annual senior school Art Show!

Open to students, alumni, past and present staff, artworks can be created in response to the theme, 'Honouring the past, creating bridges to the future.' Plenty of prizes to be won! See Ms D'Alessandro for more details. Thank you to Hannah R (Year 12) for the competition flyer artwork!

Visiting Group - Gotemba Nishi High School, Japan

We would like to extend a warm welcome to students currently visiting from our sister school, Gotemba Nishi High School in Japan.

The group arrived earlier this week and is taking part in a homestay program, providing them with the opportunity to experience Australian school life, attend classes, and immerse themselves in our College community. Throughout their visit, students are also developing their English language skills while building new friendships and cultural connections.

We look forward to sharing this special exchange experience with them over the coming days and hope they enjoy their time with us.

Sport News

Senior School House Netball

A fantastic Senior School Netball Final to wrap up the competition on Friday, with Thomson House defeating Cowie 14-8.

Congratulations to both teams on a hard-fought match, and to all students who participated in netball this term. Your enthusiasm, sportsmanship and House pride made the competition such a success!

GISSA Soccer

Thank you to all the schools, players, staff and officials who helped make the recent GISSA Soccer Tournament such a successful day at Kardinia. We're proud of the way our Senior Boys team competed and represented the College, earning the opportunity to progress to the FFV Premier Schools Football Cup in Melbourne later this term. Best of luck to the team!

Junior and Senior Student Collaboration

Year 10 Media Students Capture Life at The Grove

On Tuesday, Advanced Photography and Design students from the Senior School visited the Grove Campus for a hands-on photography project working with Year 5 students. Acting as professional photographers and creative directors, the Senior students collaborated with their younger clients to plan, capture and edit a series of photographs that reflected each Year 5 student's article on an ecosystem, biome or specific animal.

Throughout the session, the Senior students applied their knowledge of camera techniques, composition and visual storytelling while managing an authentic creative brief. They developed valuable communication and leadership skills as they guided their ‘clients’ through the photographic process, from concept development to image creation.

One of the most rewarding aspects of the project was the collaboration between our Senior and Junior School students. The experience provided an authentic insight into the work of photographers and media professionals, with the Year 5 students acting as clients by creating mood boards that communicated the style and message they wanted their author photographs to convey. The Senior students then used their expertise to bring these ideas to life, creating a genuine client-photographer experience. The project not only resulted in high-quality author photographs but also fostered confidence, creativity and meaningful connections between students across the College. Both Senior and Junior School students and teachers thoroughly enjoyed the experience.

Jade Kemp - Senior School Media Teacher and Rachel Parker - Year 5 Learning Group Teacher and Junior School English Coordinator

"The Year 5’s are writing a feature article about a certain organism, ecosystem or biome. All amazing authors have an author photo, right? So that is why the wonderful Year 10 photography students stepped in to take a photo of us. They also taught us about techniques if we wanted to become future photographers as a hobby or a job. They were kind and understanding if we didn’t comprehend or like our pictures."

By Yashvi and Chahana - Year 5.

Student Achievements

Oscar is Carving Out Success on the Slopes

Year 7 student Oscar is enjoying an outstanding season in competitive freestyle skiing, with years of dedication, training and travel already helping him achieve success both in Australia and overseas.

Oscar first started skiing at the age of four and joined the Mt Hotham Freeski program when he was eight. The elite pathway program works alongside Snow Australia, providing talented young athletes with opportunities to develop their skills across a range of disciplines including Slopestyle, Moguls, Big Air and Freeride.

His commitment to the sport extends well beyond the snow season. Alongside regular on-snow training, Oscar undertakes a rigorous year-round program that includes acrobatics, water ramp training, and strength and conditioning sessions several times each week.

In 2026, his hard work has translated into a string of impressive results, including, Hotham Junior Moguls Champion, Mt Buller Slopestyle Champion, Mt Buller Big Air Runner-up, Mt Hotham Slopestyle Runner-up, Mt Hotham Rail Jam Runner-up.

Oscar will soon represent Kardinia International College at the 2026 Victorian Interschool Championships in the Slopestyle event before competing in two Junior Freeride World Tour competitions at Mount Hotham and The Remarkables in New Zealand.

Later this year, he will return to Canada for an extended training block, working with world-class coaches as he continues to develop his skills and pursue future opportunities in the sport.

Oscar's long-term aspirations include competing on the Freeride World Tour, the World Cup circuit and at the X Games. We congratulate Oscar on his achievements to date and look forward to following his journey in the years ahead.

English News

Over the last two weeks, Year 8 English students studying Survival have had a unique opportunity to immerse themselves in the setting of their class novel. Students have been studying Peak by Roland Smith, which follows the story of a teenage boy as he attempts to climb Mt Everest.

With the support of the Innovation and Technology Team and the Library Services Team, students have been able to experience the various camps along the Everest climb — and, of course, the incredible views from the summit — through the College's VR headsets.

The sessions have supported students in working towards the ACARA achievement standards related to understanding textual contexts, as well as exploring intertextual references and immersive literary devices. Students will compare the real-world settings they experienced through VR with the way Smith describes them in the novel, considering any differences or discrepancies and what these might reveal about the author's intent.

The sessions have been well received by all who attended and align with the College's foundational cornerstone of 'Technological Advancements and Innovation' within the Holistic Learning Model. The experience showcases how technology can broaden students' perspectives and deepen their understanding as they grow and learn at school.

The English Department extends a huge thank you to Felicity Nagel, Aisha Kristiansen and Adria Juros for their support of this initiative.

International Council News

Bullying No Way Week

Bullying No Way Week at Kardinia International College has been filled with kindness and positive action.

Through the 'Kindness Shout-Out' activity, students recognised others who demonstrated our school values of Wisdom, Respect and Friendship. Students were also encouraged to reflect on small actions they can take to help build a more respectful and inclusive school community.

Purple wristbands and ribbons were collected throughout the week as a symbol of support for Bullying No Way Week.

It has been wonderful to see our students celebrating kindness and living the KIC Way.

Overseas Students - Term 3 Excursion

Our overseas students enjoyed a memorable Term 3 excursion on Sunday, with a wonderful mix of country hospitality, Australian wildlife and shared experiences.

We were very lucky to be invited by Mrs Woods to visit her farm, where students gathered around the campfire to roast marshmallows and enjoyed the special opportunity to cuddle lambs. It was a lovely chance for students to experience farm life, spend time together and create new memories outside the classroom.

The group then continued to Ballarat Wildlife Park, where students were able to meet kangaroos, koalas and many other Australian animals up close.

It was a meaningful and enjoyable day for our overseas students, filled with laughter, connection and new experiences. A big thank you to Mrs Woods, Mrs McKenzie and Ms Zhao for supporting this special experience and helping make the day so memorable for our students.

Future Pathways and Education News

Morrisby Reports

Year 9 students participated in a Morrisby Profiles workshop in periods one and two on Wednesday 19 August. All students will attend a small group interview to discuss and review report findings in week seven and eight.

Alana Kilmartin - Unserious Careers

Recently, our year 10 cohort participated in a workshop featuring guest presenter Alana Kilmartin from Unserious Careers. Please find a reflection resource here, which we encourage you to complete and discuss at home with your families. We hope that this workshop is the start of many great pathway conversations.

Please take the opportunity to provide us with your feedback via the link below about the workshop and also future guest presenters and alumni that you want to hear from! https://kiconline.kardinia.vic.edu.au/news/29915

Work Experience

A reminder if your child is planning on taking up work experience in the September school holidays that your paperwork needs to be completed and submitted to the Future Pathways office by 9am Monday 31 August. Please see KICOnline for more information https://kiconline.kardinia.vic.edu.au/news/29980

Interested in a career in the Maritime Industry?

The Port Authority of Geelong is offering interested students (or those simply curious) an opportunity to explore the many jobs available within this exciting industry.

Are you interested in a career within the Maritime Industry at Port Authority of Geelong or within the Maritime Industry across Australia or the World even? (Trades, university qualified employment, tourism and much more?)

The day trip includes a 2 HOUR boat ride aboard the Port Phillip Ferry on Thursday 10 September (9.30 am – 11.30 am) during which we will get ‘up close’ to ships, shipping lanes, docks and all things maritime. Guest speakers will run workshops offering information and will answer questions about the many opportunities available within this HUGE industry.

Please contact Mr Pohlenz for further information about this NO COST excursion exploring the many exciting options available.

Applications are now open! Contact Mr Pohlenz: m.pohlenz@kardinia.vic.edu.au

Wellbeing Hub News

Bullying comes in many forms. It has far-reaching damaging impacts on a child's self-esteem, self-worth, resilience and academic success which can carry right through to their adult life. Bullying is a repeated and targeted behaviour and it also relates to how it makes a young person feel as a result of such behaviour. As parent, it is important to understand what is happening before concluding that it is bullying. Online bullying can have a much greater impact and be far more difficult to deal with. Online bullies can engage in inappropriate behaviours 24/7 and invade a young person's home environment where they should feel safe.

Read More Here

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Community Engagement and Foundation News

Alumni at the 30th Anniversary Production

It was wonderful to welcome alumni back to the College for the 30th Anniversary production, Reach for the Stars. Their presence added a special sense of continuity and celebration as we marked three decades of creativity, community and Kardinia spirit.

Several alumni were captured on camera across the performances, including Dan Goodfellow (1999), Emily Maurer-Shands (1999), Kezia Calvert -nee Holbery-Morgan (2003), Georgia Kelly (2016), Tilly Heinrich (2021), Jake Birley (2022), Anna Birley (2025), and Emily Canepa (2025). We extend our thanks to these alumni, and to all other alumni spotted in the audience, for continuing to stay connected and for sharing in this milestone event.

Bloom and Brunch - A Wildflower Planting Morning at Serendip Park

The much‑loved Bloom and Brunch returns to Serendip Park on Sunday 18 October, offering a relaxed, family‑friendly morning for our K-12 community to come together.

Together, we’ll help enhance the local environment by planting native wildflowers that attract beneficial insects and support biodiversity.

Date: Sunday, 18 October 2026
Time: 10:00 AM – 12:00 Noon
Location: Serendip Park
BBQ Brunch Provided! (Please complete dietary requirements)
Tickets $15 (Family) or $5 (Individual)

https://events.humanitix.com/2026-bloom-and-brunch-a-k-12-community-event

Alumni Reunion - Save the Date!

The 2026 Combined Reunion for the Classes of 2001, 2006, 2011, 2016 and 2021 will be held on Saturday 28 November. Further information will be published in the next Kardinians newsletter

CCC Family Footy Tipping

With all our top 10 leaderboard tippers scoring 9, the leaderboard remains unchanged again this week! The margins will be the critical deciders in the prize pool!

The Leaderboard remains unchanged following Round 23:

1. Mark N
2. Katherine P
3. Holly R
4. Scott S
5. Simon B
6. Tania B
7. Drake Family
8. Meri N
9. Fiona R
10. Isabel W

Fiona Russell - Community Engagement and Foundation Coordinator

From the Archives

School Photos 2015

By 2015, as the College prepared to mark its 20th Anniversary, the scale of our community had changed dramatically. The whole school photo, once achievable through careful coordination, now required a different approach entirely. The number of students and staff had grown well beyond what could be safely positioned on elevated structures, and the logistical challenges of assembling the entire College in one frame had become increasingly complex.

To capture the 2015 Anniversary image, the College turned to emerging digital technology, embracing new methods that allowed us to bring everyone together without compromising safety. The photograph was created through a carefully planned digital composite, enabling staff and students to be photographed in small groups and seamlessly combined into a single, unified image.

The result was a whole‑school photo that reflected not only our growth, but also our willingness to innovate. The 2015 digitally assisted photograph marked a new era; one where technology supported our traditions and helped us continue capturing the story of our community. The completed image was later printed in the College’s 20‑year history book, Celebrating Twenty Years, preserving this milestone for future generations.

Fiona Russell - College Archivist

Community

Deakin Student Study

Post School Employment Support

Community Workshop