From the Principal - Catherine Lockhart
What a joyous day we had at Kardinia International College today.
Across the school, K-12 staff and students, alike, embraced Book Week. The costumes were amazing but even better was the fun and respectful way that all our school community joined in on the day and events.
I want to give a big shout out to our Junior School Captains Matilda and Zac and College Captains Edith and Harvey who have been planning this event all year. This is the first time we have had a joint Book Week dress up day and it was such a huge success thanks to the enthusiasm of these school leaders who encouraged their peers to get involved.
This week we also welcomed a group of students and teachers from Gotemba Nishi High School to Kardinia. I had the opportunity to greet the group when they arrived at school yesterday. They were quite amused when they met me again today, this time dressed as Olaf from Frozen (I know Frozen is a movie, but I am sure there are Frozen books out there and it is loosely based on the book the Ice Queen).
I hope that the Gotemba Nishi students have a wonderful time here in Australia and that many of our students get the opportunity to meet and spend time with their Japanese counterparts.
From the Head of Senior School - Kath O'Neill
We have had so much fun in the Senior School today, celebrating Book Week. While Book Week, and especially the dress-up aspect of it, is traditionally something that occurs in Primary Schools, we had a group of enthusiastic students who wanted to bring it to the Senior School this year. Thank you to our College Captains, Edith and Harvey, as well as Grace, Nathan, Sadie, Mitchell, Harper, Joel and Alex for their organisation. A special mention must go to our Junior School Captains, Matilda and Zac, who came over to the Senior School to judge our costume parade.
I’m going to mention Chicago: Teen one last time. I am so immensely proud of every one of the students involved in this year’s Senior School production. The beaming faces, the friendships and the collaboration were absolutely magical.
On Monday night we welcomed our 2026 Year 7 Families to the College and now are getting into the work of planning for Semester One 2026. Our Year 10 students have selected their courses for next year and are about to start their Course Selection Interviews, and it’s time for our Year 7-9 students to be considering their plans for next year as well. I’d suggest that students have a look at the Bridges website and take some time to consider the subjects on offer, so that they’re as prepared as possible for subject selection next Friday.
Finally, I need to again remind families about parking at the College, particularly when dropped off or collecting students. The only place that students should be collected at the end of the day is by the Katsumata Centre. We continue to have families collecting children in the staff carpark and have had some near misses recently with both children and staff being lucky not to have been collected by vehicles. Families should not have any reason to enter the staff carpark and ensuring that students are only collected in the specified areas will help to keep everyone safe.
From the Acting Head of Junior School - Geoff Geddes
Taking action is an essential part of the PYP as it fosters student agency, international mindedness, and the benefits of collaborative work. This week I would like to share some examples of our students taking action.
Book Week Parade
This year’s Book Week theme 'Book an Adventure' came to life this morning at our annual costume parade! Thank you to everyone for their creativity and participation, there were some amazing costumes on show. A big thank you to our Junior School Leaders Matilda and Zac, and the College Captains and senior school prefects for their assistance in judging the costume competitions.
Book Swap
On Friday 29 August in the JS Conference room, we are hosting a book swap! All ages are welcome from FY-Y12. Starting today, there will be boxes to place your books in you would like to exchange, then next Friday you can come to the Conference room at lunch time and collect new books! We hope you will join us on this fun Book Week activity! The boxes will be outside the office (Upper Primary) and outside Head of Lower Primary office (Lower Primary). – From the Student Action Committee.
PYP Exhibition survey - Action required from you please.
The PYP Exhibition is an opportunity for students to inquire into relevant, engaging and significant issues, events, concepts and ideas. As part of this inquiry, students are encouraged to research information from multiple sources to acquire new knowledge relating to their PYP Exhibition focus.
The current Data Unit in Math has led students to design and create surveys in small groups. Students are hoping to gather information from the KIC Community to analyse and inform their inquiry research.
It would be really helpful for us if you could please scroll through these surveys and respond to the ones you feel most connected to or passionate about. Each survey is brief, but the impact you will have by participating is significant. You are welcome to respond to as many as you like. Responding will also give you a valuable insight into the PYP Exhibition and the sorts of inquiries students have engaged in so far.
We kindly ask for surveys to be completed at a convenient time by Friday, 29 August 2025.
Survey link: https://kic.padlet.org/mgoldsworthy2/y6-2025-pyp-exhibition-surveys-eyr5y0bb7p9lnpgd
We really appreciate the support.
Best of luck to our Y5 & Y6 Robocup team
Congratulations again to our Robocup team in the regional competition. Our team absolutely smashed it. On the back of that success, we’re thrilled to share that Kardinia will be representing at the State RoboCup Finals in Melbourne on Saturday, 13 September. Our team will compete with their robot against the best student teams from across Victoria!
Sailing Achievement
Congratulations to Louis Davis on his outstanding performance at the Sailing World Championships! Representing Australia in the Czech Republic, Louis placed 3rd in the world — a remarkable accomplishment. Well done, Louis!
International Students Explore University of Melbourne Open Day
On Sunday, the Future Pathways team led a group of overseas students to the University of Melbourne’s Open Day. The excursion provided students with a valuable insight into university life, course options, and potential future study pathways.
Throughout the day, students visited a range of faculties, engaged in conversations with lecturers and current university students, and discovered the diverse academic and extracurricular opportunities available at the University of Melbourne. The experience also allowed students to connect with one another, share their aspirations, and gain inspiration for their future goals.
We sincerely thank the Future Pathways team for organising this enriching opportunity, which has supported our overseas students in exploring their next steps beyond Kardinia International College.
Health and PE News
This week, our Year 11 VCE 'Health and Human Development' students had the chance to visit Highview to complete development observations, complementing their current learning about child development. The senior students enjoyed interacting with the kinder cohort and seeing the learning activities and games that were strategically set up to promote and encourage development and learning.
"On the 18th of August, our Health and Human Development class visited Highview Kindergarten to spend time with the four-year-old kinder group. We spent around half an hour playing and interacting with the children, both inside the classroom and outdoors. Activities included playing on the monkey bars, drawing, and playing with dolls, which gave us the chance to observe different aspects of their physical, intellectual, emotional, and social development which is the current unit of study that we are working on. Throughout the visit, we closely observed how the children played and interacted with one another, providing us with valuable insights into their growth and behaviour. It was an amazing experience that gave us all so many happy memories and a deeper understanding of childhood development in action." - Lily
Earlier this week "we went down to Highview to look at the physical, intellectual, emotional, and social development of the students and to see how they act with each and towards us. I was lucky enough to spend a bunch of time with a couple of the little students. It was such an interesting and enjoyable experience and just to see how much we brightened their day by just being there to play with them or read a book with them. All of us had so much fun spending time with them and we thank the staff at Highview for letting us be able spend some time with such special and amazing children." Eoin
Come Along and Support our Senior Music and Performing Arts Students!
VCE Music Showcase
Join us for an evening of live music as our Unit 4 VCE Music students take the stage at Piano Bar Geelong to present highlights from their final performance exam repertoire.
Expect incredible talent, a vibrant atmosphere, and a chance to support our emerging musicians as they share the work they’ve been preparing for their VCE exams.
Date: Tuesday 2 September
Venue: The Piano Bar – Little Malop Street, Geelong
Time: Show starts at 6:30pm
Please note: This is a family-friendly Kardinia Community event. All ages welcome but under 18s must be accompanied by a parent or guardian.
Limited seating – book your tickets now and support our VCE performers!
Tickets: $15 https://events.humanitix.com/2025-piano-bar Meals, snacks, and drinks available for purchase.
Classical and World Music Concert
Hosted by Performing Arts Captain Millie R, this will be a fabulous night for our classical musicians to perform examination pieces, share their favourite classical music or simply experience the stage.
Date: Monday 8 September
Venue: College Hall
Time: 6:30pm-8:00pm (Doors open at 6pm)
Tickets: https://events.humanitix.com/classical-and-world-music-concert
For more information, please contact roberm@kardinia.vic.edu.au (performing) or f.russell@kardinia.vic.edu.au (tickets and event information).
KIC PIC Presents - This Murder Was Staged
It's opening night of a brand-new mystery play, but just as the killer is about to be revealed, the body of the play's director falls onstage instead. In that moment, the theatre becomes an active crime scene, and everyone from cast to crew to even the audience becomes a suspect. This Murder Was Staged is a fast-paced, backstabbing, backstage comedy for all to enjoy. For questions or more information, please contact Mrs. Kemp j.kemp@kardinia.vic.edu.au.
Friday 5 September 7:30pm
Saturday 6 September 2pm
Saturday 6 September 7:30pm
Venue: College Hall
Tickets: $5 https://events.humanitix.com/the-murder-was-staged
Library Services News - It's Book Week!
Take a look at the Winners from the 'Book of the Year' Awards for 2025!
Student Achievements in the Arts
On Sunday 17 August two Year 7 students Felix S and Jennifer Y performed as finalists in the Musical Society of Geelong Annual Scholarship awards. Both Felix and Jennifer progressed through the auditions to be one of 11 selected for the Finals held at the R.W. Gibson Centre, Christian College Geelong. Felix won the brass section with his exceptional performance on the trumpet. Congratulations to both Felix and Jennifer on your outstanding achievements.
Congratulations to Lucy (Year 8) who participated at the recent Royal South Street Society Pianoforte competition, in Ballarat.
Lucy received second place in the Australian Composer Piano Solo category, with a modern, self-composed piece. She also placed third, in the Popular Piano Solo category and played a Chopin Etude in the Junior Chopin competition.
"Music has always been in my life from when I was very young. It is both entertaining and joyous. When I play music, everything is either clear as day, or confusing and muddled. No matter what it is, nothing is ever the same, except for the beauty. When I play music, everything is beautiful. But the beauty is not quantifiable, which is what makes writing this so challenging. It is not seen, heard, thought... it just is. All of this meant that I was very excited when the opportunity to participate in the Royal South Street Society Pianoforte Competition, was presented to me. I was even more excited when I was told I would be able to compose a piece for the Australian Composer section, because I have always found the piano to be the most truthful form of emotional release and storytelling. I played Heller, Hamlisch, Bergman and Bergman and Chopin Etude opus 10 number 9 and my own composition, Emerging. I was most at home playing Emerging as I truly felt I was telling a story through this piece and hope the audience felt the same."
Lucy K - Year 8
A huge congratulations to Year 8 Daniel who will take to the stage as 'Young Tarzan' in Tarzan the Stage Musical! The show premieres at the National Theatre later this month. We're excited to see how the adventure unfolds Daniel!
Wellbeing Hub News
TONIGHT AT 7PM! - Helping Your Child Navigate a World of Worry
It’s heartbreaking to see our kids struggling with anxiety. The statistics paint a stark picture: anxiety disorders are on the rise, affecting approximately one in seven primary school children and one in four adolescents. We see our kids burdened by fears and worries, their confidence fading, and sometimes even experiencing panic attacks. As parents, we desperately want to help but often feel lost or unsure of what to do.
Anxious: Helping Your Child Navigate a World of Worry offers a lifeline. In this presentation, Dr Justin Coulson will unpack what anxiety looks like in children and provide you with simple, practical strategies that are both clinically proven and easy to implement at home.
Empower yourself with the knowledge and tools to support your child’s emotional wellbeing and help them build resilience in the face of anxiety.
School TV - Confidence and Motivation
Building confidence and motivation in young people is essential for their development and overall wellbeing. Supporting these traits means encouraging your child to set realistic goals, celebrate their achievements, and learn from setbacks. Confidence allows young people to believe in their abilities, face challenges with resilience, and feel empowered in their decisions. Meanwhile, motivation drives them to pursue interests, strive for personal growth, and stay engaged in school and other activities. By fostering a supportive environment at home, parents can help nurture these qualities, providing their children with the tools they need to navigate life's ups and downs and maintain a positive, proactive mindset.
Click here for more: https://kardinia.vic.schooltv.me/newsletter/confidence-motivation-au
Community Engagement and Foundation News
Celebrating Community as We Approach 30 Years!
There’s a vibrant lineup of events ahead for everyone to enjoy. We warmly invite you to join us—whether at one or many of these gatherings—as we come together to celebrate, connect, and strengthen our community in the lead-up to our 30th anniversary in 2026.
College Community Council - MSO 2026 Geelong Series Subscription
The CCC invite members of our Kardinia International College community to avail of the Melbourne Symphony Orchestra 2026 Geelong Series, at a significantly discounted rate. These tickets apply to parents bringing their children, to experience the live performances of the MSO. All ticket subscribers must be listed.
A “subscription” is for one seat which is allocated for all 5 MSO performances at Costa Hall and adult and student tickets are the same discounted price.
Find more information including dates, pricing and ticket information, please click here: https://events.humanitix.com/ccc-mso-subscription
This event offers students a chance to experience live music with the MSO and provides opportunities for community members to connect before, during, or after the performance. We hope you will join us!
Fiona Russell - Community Engagement and Foundation Coordinator
From the Archives
Book Week Memories
One of the most cherished traditions of Book Week has always been dressing up as a favourite book character. From whimsical wizards to adventurous animals, the creativity and joy on display make it a highlight of the school year.
This year, we're excited to announce that our Senior School students and staff will be joining the Junior School in the festivities—perhaps even revisiting some of their beloved characters from years gone by!
To celebrate, we've curated a delightful collection of archival snapshots capturing the magic of Book Week through the years. These treasured moments remind us of the stories that shaped our imaginations and the joy of bringing them to life.
Stay tuned for more Book Week fun, and don’t forget to dust off your costume box—your next literary adventure awaits!
Fiona Russell - College Archivist
Community
River's Gift Gala 2025 - Click on image below for tickets!
Sharks Basketball Geelong
