From the Leadership Team
Jon Charlton, Principal
Despite the ongoing lockdown and disruption to school programs, the Kilvington community continues to rally to every challenge. I begin by acknowledging the extraordinary optimism, resilience and work of our students, staff, parents, board members and alumni.
These are incredibly challenging times, which understandably can have an effect on our community’s morale and wellbeing, but overall we are standing strong and firm. Sincere thanks to everyone for your invaluable support and contributions over this time.
National Redress Scheme
In 2018, in response to recommendations by the Royal Commission into Institutional Responses to Child Sexual Abuse, the Australian Government set up the National Redress Scheme.
The scheme is designed to provide redress to people who have experienced institutional child sexual abuse. The offer of redress can include access to counselling, a redress payment and a direct personal response.
Last year, the Kilvington Board decided that the School should join the National Redress Scheme in the event that people in our community may need to access its support. At this point of time, the Board is not aware of any such need. In September of this year, our application to join the scheme was approved.
Organisations who join the scheme are required to provide evidence of their commitment to it through a communications strategy that highlights to key stakeholder groups the opportunity to seek redress. Hence my mention of it in this edition of In the Know. Further communications are to come. I draw your attention to a Kilvington statement about the Redress Scheme that is now posted on the School website. Please find it here.
International Peace Day
This year’s International Peace Day will be observed next Tuesday 21 September. As is our custom, each year Kilvington holds a Peace Assembly for Senior School students in the last week of Term 3.
The focus of this year’s assembly, which was held today, was threefold: peace within, peace with others and peace in the world. Peace Day provides a globally shared date for humankind to commit to peace above and beyond our differences and to contribute to building a culture of peace.
2021/2022 School Leaders
Congratulations to the following students who have been appointed School Leaders for 2021/2022. The School Co-Captains are: David Overton and Shreya Jain, and the School Co-Vice Captains are Charlie Clancy and Sarah Yeo.
Building of STEAM/Library facility
Work will commence shortly on the building of the three-level STEAM/Library facility. Fencing will be erected next week, following which the site will be set up and the current Library demolished.
The first stage of the project is likely to take one year to build. The second stage, which includes the renovation of the M classrooms, will take an additional six months. Information regarding changes to student workspaces and movement around the School will be provided shortly.
Year 12 students
Our Year 12 students will continue to work diligently over the holidays to prepare for their VCE exams. It has indeed been an incredibly challenging couple of years for them, but I couldn’t be more proud of the way that they have carried themselves throughout this time.
Their positivity, adaptability, resilience and acceptance of the situation has been profound. I know you will join me in wishing them all the best over the next couple of months.
Staffing news
At the end of this term, we farewell Japanese teacher Mr Paul de Winter. Paul has tendered his resignation as he has the opportunity to live in Ecuador with his partner for the remainder of this year and next year. Paul has been an invaluable member of the Language Faculty for the past nine years. His warmth and kindness will be missed by staff, students and parents, and we wish him all the best.
Experienced former Shelford Japanese teacher, Mr Phil Hosking, will teach Japanese in Term 4, while much loved Mrs Pat Lehman will return to teach Geography. We look forward to welcoming both Phil and Pat.
Our Chemistry and Physics teacher, Dr Barry Mangham, will leave us at the end of the year as he and his partner have decided to return to the UK to be with family. Barry has been an outstanding teacher for the past five years at Kilvington, and has been instrumental in introducing a number of valued teaching initiatives within the Science faculty. We wish him every success as he returns home.
Next year, we will welcome Mrs Ashleigh Cavalin who will join us as an English Teacher. Ashleigh comes from Balcombe Grammar School where she is the Head of Year 7 and a classroom teacher from Years 7 to 12. She has a Bachelor of Arts and Education from Monash University.
We will also welcome Ms Antonia Ciarletta next year. Antonia will join us from Haileybury College as a Biology/Science Teacher. Antonia completed her Bachelor of Science (Honours – Neuroscience) before then completing her Post Graduate Diploma in Education (Biology and Science) from the University of Strathclyde. Antonia has also worked in the biotechnology industry.
I wish everyone a safe and restful term break, and look forward to welcoming you back to Kilvington in Term 4.