School Highlights
Kilvington Reads - Visit by Guest Authors
This week, Junior School students have been participating in 'Kilvington Reads'. We have been fortunate enough to welcome two writers; Declan Fay and Susannah McFarlane to the School to encourage a love of reading and writing.
Junior School Book Parade
What a beautiful day for our Junior School Book Parade! Both students and staff dressed up as their favourite book character.
We had so many great costumes representing book characters - from Harry Potter to 'Where's Wally'!
Check out our instagram stories (@kilvingtongrammar) for some great videos!
Global Connections: 2019 Language and Study Trip to France: Student Reflections
Hamish Bruce, Year 9
During our time in France, we took part in many incursions as well as spent time with our home-stay families.
In Paris, we spent our first day admiring the artworks present at the Place du Tertre, as well as visiting the Sacré Coeur Basilica in Montmartre, before going out to eat a variety of delicious, classic French food.
The next day we visited many integral Paris attractions; we took a bus tour of the main sights, a tour of the Louvre, and then viewed the sunset from the top of Paris's most iconic site - the Eiffel Tower.
After Paris, we took a long but fast train ride to Toulouse to begin some of the most challenging and enjoyable times we would experience.
During our week at our partner school, Saint Joseph la Salle, we went to class as well as embarked on several excursions.
While at school, it was challenging to be involved in the majority of classes - especially Spanish and Chinese - with the exception of English.
Our first excursion was an afternoon in the city centre of Toulouse. We were all impressed by the fantastic Basilica of Saint Sernin, before our arrival at the Capitole square, where markets can be held.
It was there that we first saw the Town Hall, afterwards entering it to marvel at the paintings which lined each wall and ceiling within the celebrated Salle des Illustres. The visit to Toulouse was a fantastic opportunity to appreciate the 'pink city,' as it is affectionately named by its visitors and inhabitants.
That excursion was followed by an incredible day trip with our home-stay families to Carcassonne - a brilliant historical city not too far from Toulouse. Here we had a fascinating audio tour of the city, uncovering its history and significance in depth, as a precursor to a 'selfie competition' while we explored the city independently.
Our next excursion was to the airbus factory and its museum. We discovered the significance of the Toulouse invention of the airbus, as well as a historical account and explanation of many aspects of aviation history.
Our final excursion was a visit to an authentic French bakery, where we had the chance to make bread and croissants, and spent time eating the delicious bread, desserts, and pastries we had chosen.
After school came to a close, it was holiday-time with our home-stay families. Travel with them included a diverse range of terrific, and at times unusual activities, from visits to the Pyrenees, Nice, or the Gouffre de Padirac, to spending time in Toulouse at the cinema, Cité de l'espace, or Segway tours.
Overall, the quality time spent with our home-stay families, and around Paris and Toulouse on great excursions, successfully strengthened our cultural understanding of France as well as our language skills, and first and foremost, was a fantastically enjoyable experience.
Melissa Deacon, Year 9
The 2019 study trip to France was incredibly beneficial to my learning and interest in the French language and culture. I had been to France before - as a tourist, and I found that on exchange I was able to immerse myself much more, accelerating my learning.
I was able to consolidate my knowledge and gain more confidence every day, adapting and overcoming adversities. That being said, this trip required a high level of commitment in order to get the most out of it. At the beginning it was daunting.
There were points where I couldn’t express what I wanted to say in French, which led to me feeling a little lost. However, I believe this trip and experience motivated me to continue learning at full speed. In short, this trip has managed to change the way I view the French subject now.
I would highly recommend other students my age, and older, go on an exchange trip, as I feel it vastly improves your understanding and your mindset.
Before this trip, I would often think 'French is too hard, there’s so much to learn', but now I am more inclined to think 'there’s so much to learn - on-y va!'.
Year 10 Leaders with Integrity Excursion to Carman’s HQ
On Thursday 9 May, Year 10 students taking part in the elective - Leaders with Integrity, had the thrill of meeting an excellent example of an entrepreneur with integrity - Carolyn Creswell.
Carolyn is the admirable woman behind the brand, Carman’s Muesli. In her late teens, Carolyn
bought the muesli business for $1000 and has scaled and grown the company into a billion-dollar enterprise today.
We enjoyed a tour of the amazing Carman’s HQ and learned how this business is proudly built on strong values that are lived out with integrity in every business interaction.
Most recently, Carman’s has also partnered with a NFP, One Girl - who run a program for girls in Sierra Leone teaching entrepreneurial skills to help them out of the poverty cycle.
Julie Arliss Academy Conference
Recently, a select group of Year 10 students and one Year 9 student went to Camberwell Grammar for the Julie Arliss Academy Conference; a conference for Gifted and Talented students.
It was a wonderful learning opportunity for the students.
Year 12 Theatre Group Excursion
Max Pummeroy, Year 12
A group of Year 12 students recently had the opportunity to attend The Violent Outburst That Drew Me to You at the MTC Lawler Theatre.
The play stars Harry Tseng as Connor, an angry and unpredictable 16-year-old whose parents leave him in the forest for a week in an attempt to cool his temper.
It’s there that he meets Lotte (Izabella Yena) – also 16, also angry, but maybe just the friend that Connor needs. The performance was enjoyed by all and represents the ticking time bomb of adolescence with humour and heart.