From the Leadership Team

Lucas Collins, Head of Junior School

Taking a learning risk – a challenging but rewarding process 

This year, I’m learning the saxophone as a member of the Year 5 Band. 

This fabulous initiative is a key feature of our upper primary Performing Arts curriculum. It offers students the chance to learn a woodwind, brass or percussion instrument alongside their peers, under the expert guidance of our Instrumental Music tutors.

Through their involvement in the Year 5 Band, our students are able to build upon the skills that they've developed in our excellent Years 2 and 3 Strings Programs. 

Following their completion of this program, the next progression often leads to ongoing student involvement in one or more of the multitude of bands, ensembles and orchestras that we are so fortunate to have at Kilvington, as they reach our Senior School.

WHY TAKE THE RISK?

So, to address the rather obvious elephant in the room: why would I join the Year 5 Band Program and attempt to learn an instrument I’ve never held before, let alone played?

In truth, my motivations were quite simple. 

On a personal level, I was eager to learn something new, and I’ve always loved a good challenge (which this is certainly proving to be the case so far!). 

I was also eager to experience this new, hard learning alongside our Year 5 cohort (a big shout-out to my supportive Year 5 band buddies, Emma and Tate, as well as our seriously talented and eternally patient tutor, Kristie Thai).

Finally, I was keen to ‘walk a mile in the shoes’ of our students by placing myself in a completely unfamiliar position – one where I’m learning and being encouraged to do something new, just as we expect our learners to do every day.

COLLABORATIVE COMMUNITY OF LEARNERS

At Kilvington, we are incredibly fortunate to have a team of educators who excel at guiding and supporting our students to demonstrate bravery, open-mindedness, curiosity and perseverance as they learn more about themselves and the world around them.

However, their undeniable instructional expertise is just one part of what makes our teachers so remarkable. They’re also passionate and committed learners themselves. I believe it's this shared mindset that makes our school truly special. 

From our incredible ELC staff to our highly-skilled VCE teachers, we are a collaborative community of learners, constantly looking for ‘what’s next’ in terms of developing our skills and knowledge. 

Even our Executive team members—Principal Rob French, Deputy Principal Julia Padgett, Head of Senior School Matt Brinson, and Deputy Head of Junior School Karen Chandler—continue to actively teach in the classroom, proving the value of lifelong learning and teaching. As author and business leader Ken Blanchard states, 'None of us is as smart as all of us.'

We are fortunate to have such a rich a culture of learning at Kilvington, and I am constantly appreciative to spend my days alongside such eager learners—both students and staff—as we continue on our educational journeys together.