Kardinia eNews - Wednesday 25 March 2026

From the Head of Senior School - Kath O'Neill

I was fortunate to attend the GISSA Swimming Championships today, where the trophies tell part of the story: Junior Girls Champions, Junior Boys Champions, Senior Girls Champions, and overall Champions but these titles, impressive as they are, don’t quite capture the whole story.

Our swimmers delivered outstanding individual performances across the day, moments of genuine athletic excellence from students who have quietly trained early mornings and long afternoons for exactly these opportunities. They clearly raced well but more than that, they raced together. What set Kardinia apart was not simply the talent in the water, it was senior students supporting juniors swimmers and juniors supporting the seniors in return.

An absolute highlight was having Reuben, one of our Year 7s, step in to swim in the 20-year-old relays with boys much older than him, where he not only competed, but held his own, and was cheered by our entire team as he swam the final leg of the last event of the competition.

Congratulations to every swimmer, every supporter, and all the staff who made this day possible.

From the Head of Junior School - Mario Chrisanthou

KIC Connect and Upcoming Community Events

At Kardinia, our strong sense of community is one of our greatest strengths, and KIC Connect plays an important role in fostering this connection. KIC Connect is a group of dedicated and well-intentioned parents who share a common goal wanting the very best for our children and our school. They have also played a key role in organising and supporting many of the community events and initiatives outlined below.

The group meets approximately once a month, run by Katie Johnson, and provides a welcoming space for parents to come together, share ideas, and discuss all things Kardinia. We warmly encourage more parents to get involved- your voice, ideas, and perspectives are always valued.

Final Icy Pole Day

Please note that this Friday will be the final Icy Pole day for the term.

A sincere thank you to Melinda Stephenson for her support in assisting our Year 6 students with organising and running the Icy Pole sales. This valuable experience is helping prepare them to manage the process independently in Term 4, including stocktaking, handling money and organisation.

Easter Picnic – Wednesday 1 April

We are looking forward to our Easter Picnic next week on Wednesday 1 April from 3:20–5:00pm. This is a wonderful opportunity for families to come together, relax, and enjoy each other’s company. Rumour has it that there may even be a special visit from the Easter Bunny!

International Family Day – Thursday 15 May

We are excited to invite all families to our International Family Day on Thursday 15 May. The morning will begin with a community breakfast, followed by an opportunity for parents to visit classrooms before recess. This is a special chance for students to proudly share their learning, celebrate their culture, and for families to spend quality time with both teachers and children.

Junior School Disco

Save the date! Our Junior School Disco will be held on Friday 7 August. More details to come.

Lost Property Reminder

Our Lost Property is currently overflowing. We ask all families to please check for any missing items from the Lower Primary area and Front Reception. All named items will be returned to students. Any unnamed items will be given away on Friday 27 March morning at 8:30am outside the front office.

Morning Melodies – Monday 9:00am

We warmly invite all parents to join us for our termly Morning Melodies this Monday at 9:00am in the Katsumata Centre. This is a wonderful way to celebrate the end of a fantastic term through music. We will also be making a couple of exciting announcements for Term 2 and recognising our students with special awards. We look forward to seeing many of you at these upcoming events and thank you, as always, for your ongoing support of our school community.

Pop-up Market from the Grove

On Friday 27 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!

Camp Australia Newsletter

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

30 Year Anniversary Gala Dinner

The College's 30 Year Anniversary milestone offers us a moment not only to reflect on how far we have come since those early days in 1996, but also to honour the enduring spirit of Wisdom, Respect and Friendship that continues to guide our community. Inspired by the remarkable legacy of Mr and Mrs Katsumata — whose vision for peace, harmony and international understanding shaped the very foundations of the College — the Gala Dinner will bring our community together in a spirit of gratitude and celebration. We look forward to sharing this special evening with you as we mark the past, embrace the present, and look ahead to the next chapter in the Kardinia story.

Tickets are priced at $135 per person, and include canapes, dinner and dancing!

Tickets are limited, don't miss out! Purchase tickets here: https://events.humanitix.com/k...

Please contact marketing@kardinia.vic.edu.au with any questions.

Student Achievements

CFA Junior Championships

Congratulations to William and Tom W (Year 12) who competed with the Grovedale CFA Juniors Running Team at the CFA VFBV State Fire Fighter Urban Junior Championships 2026, in Stawell over the weekend.
William and Tom were State Champions for the Wet Hose Striking Second Disk Four Competitors, under 17 with the Grovedale U14/U17s team coming third in the overall Junior's Aggregate.
Congratulations to you both!

Novalie and the Good Friday Appeal

Novalie M (Year 7) has been selected to host the Royal Children’s Hospital Good Friday Appeal Kids’ Panel for the fourth year. Keep an eye out for her on Channel 7 after lunchtime on Good Friday.

She was also invited to collaborate with comedians Luke and Sassy Scott on a special fundraising clothing range. Novalie designed a knit jumper featuring therapy dogs, which have played an important role during her hospital stays.

All proceeds from jumper sales go to the Good Friday Appeal, supporting the hospital’s art therapy program.

Jumper orders close on Good Friday https://drippa.app/explore/01KM2SWBS68FGXGCSZMJYMKWS8?id=01KM2SWBS68FGXGCSZMJYMKWS8&

Health and PE News

Yesterday, over 60 Year 9 students took part in the 'Huff and Puff' Triathlon on the senior school ovals! Amazing effort from the winners but outstanding resilience for all who kept on going and completed the race.

Girls results: 1st - Bianca C, 2nd - Molly C, 3rd - Maddie T and Sayuni D
Boys results: 1st Sebastian C, 2nd - Terrence C, 3rd - Ollie M

Wellbeing Hub News

In our globally connected world, children can often encounter distressing images and stories of war and conflict through the 24-hour news cycle and social media. These experiences can provoke anxiety and fear in young minds whose worldviews are still forming. Traumatic events imprint strong emotional memories that can influence a child's behaviour and perception of danger.

Overexposure to such distressing content can lead to symptoms similar to post-traumatic stress disorder. Parents and caregivers need to be mindful not to overexpose their children to these events as responses to such trauma can vary among children. S

Click here to read more

Community Engagement and Foundation News

REMINDER - Golf Day – Lunch Tickets Still Available!

While our golf spots have officially sold out, there’s still time to join us for a fantastic afternoon at the Kardinia Community Foundation Golf Day lunch and presentations.

We’re delighted to welcome Kardinia parent and renowned sports media and former AFL player, Cameron Ling, as our guest speaker. Guests will also enjoy the presentation of awards and have the chance to take part in a range of exciting fundraising activities, including:

• A raffle featuring a bottle of Penfolds Grange. All ticket holders select a bagged bottle of wine from the wine rack. The Grange is hidden in the rack!

• A curated selection of silent auction items

It’s a wonderful opportunity for families from across the College to come together in the spirit of connection, community, and celebration.

This event is proudly sponsored by McHarry’s Buslines.

Secure your lunch tickets here: https://events.humanitix.com/2026-community-foundation-golf-day

PRE-ORDERS REMINDER – Ripples of Kindness: The Gift That Grew

A quick reminder that preorders are still open for our limited edition 30 Years Anniversary picture book, Ripples of Kindness: The Gift That Grew — and they’ve been selling quickly.

This beautifully crafted publication celebrates the extraordinary story of our Founders, Mr and Mrs Katsumata, and the lasting legacy their generosity has created for Kardinia International College.

Written by Paul and Jenny Dowie, the book features charming illustrations by our Junior School students and thoughtful design by Nick Kerber. The back cover showcases a striking drone photograph taken on the first day of school in 2026, capturing every student and staff member on campus.

This commemorative keepsake is one that current families and Alumni alike will treasure for years to come. Preordered copies will be ready for collection at the beginning of Term 2, with distribution details to follow.

Secure your limited edition copy before they’re gone: https://events.humanitix.com/2026-ripples-of-kindness-the-gift-that-grew

Community AFL Footy Tipping Competition Leaderboard

Following the completion of Round 2 in the Community AFL Footy Tipping Competition, the current top three overall leaders are still:

1. Peter P

1. Lachlan S

1. Holly R

However, there was impressive tipping by Mark N and the Drake Family, moving them up the board behind Chris W in 4th place.

Watch out for the Leaderboard at the end of Round 3!

ORDERS OPEN SOON - Preserve your family in Kardinia’s History

Orders for the 30th Anniversary Bricks will be open soon. Just like the bricks laid back in the first decade of the College, families will have the opportunity to be part of the tradition and legacy of the site, with their name or a hand-drawn image permanently etched in a paving brick.

Fiona Russell - Community Engagement and Foundation Coordinator

From the Archives

Celebrating 30 Years – The Bridge Ceremony

‘On Wednesday 14th of February 1996, Kardinia International College held its first formal welcome ceremony. All kindergarten and secondary students and staff were officially welcomed on the bridge by Mr Katsumata, the founder of the College, and by Mr Goodfellow, the inaugural Principal. Each new community member received a scroll bearing the College motto of, “Wisdom leads to Respect and Friendship”, for being one of the inaugural members of the Kardinia International College Community.

The ceremony took place on the ‘Bridge of Friendship’. The symbolic bridge in the College grounds was used as a platform to welcome all the new members of the College community. The ‘bridge’ is a central symbol of the College as it aims to reach out to peoples of the world.

During the ceremony, Mr Katsumata planted a cherry blossom tree to represent the links with Asia and the world.’

Extract from Kardinia International College-The First Ten Years 1996-2005   P. Dowie  

Next week: The Official Opening

Fiona Russell - College Archivist

Community

Geelong Japanese Festival 2026

Community Health Notice

To support families ahead of the winter season, Geelong Mobile Vaccination Services are holding some community flu vaccination clinics. In 2026, children and teens aged 2–17 will have access to a new needle‑free intranasal spray flu vaccine — the first time this option has been offered in Victoria. The flyer below includes details about clinic locations and availability for those who may be interested.

Community Workshops

City of Greater Geelong Regional Parenting Program - click the graphic below for more information