From the Leadership Team
Getting to know Kilvington
Rob French, Principal
I have thoroughly enjoyed my first two weeks at Kilvington. It has been great to see this wonderful community coming together to launch the 2022 school year.
From commencement assemblies and joining the Preps for a dance-off at the end of their first week, to spending time in the Treehouse with our Year 12 students, I have loved getting to know students across the School.
I have also been impressed by the dedication, professionalism and care shown by all staff, and it is obvious that strong and respectful relationships exist between staff and students.
I feel incredibly fortunate to be joining this vibrant, diverse, caring and innovative community, and I am very much looking forward to the year ahead.
The last two years have highlighted the importance of face-to-face learning and the vital role that schools play in allowing young people to be part of a community. Our students are shaped by their range of experiences at school, including their involvement in co-curricular activities, socialising with their peers and their classroom-based learning.
Much sought-after skills in collaboration, critical thinking, entrepreneurship and problem-solving are also nurtured more effectively in a face-to-face environment, and these skills will help our young people to thrive in the future work environment.
Therefore, it has been pleasing to note the Victorian Government’s determination to enact protocols that allow for schools to remain open and enable such activities as the Year 9 ‘Lift Off Week’ in the CBD.
COMMENCING THE YEAR
It has been a great start to the year despite some of the early challenges that all schools are currently facing. I thank all of our parents, students and staff for helping to keep our community safe by undertaking Rapid Antigen Tests twice per week.
This program of surveillance testing will be in place for at least the first month of the school year, with the Victorian Government set to review the situation in Week 4 of Term 1.
Another important safety measure has been the moving of our Welcome Back and Information Evenings to online formats. I thank parents of ELC, Junior School and Years 7 and 9 students who joined their respective presentations over the past few weeks, and I look forward to meeting parents of Years 8, 10 and 11 students at their online evening event next Tuesday 15 February.
Although we would prefer to deliver these evenings in person, I trust that parents will find them informative and helpful as we commence the new school year.
UPCOMING EVENTS
We are hoping to hold in-person welcome back functions in the coming weeks, pending updated guidelines from the Government.
Please note for your planning that the ELC and Junior School Picnic has been re-scheduled to Friday 4 March. Further, we are introducing a new function for all Senior School parents this year, with Welcome Back Drinks planned for Wednesday 23 March. It would be great to see as many parents as possible at these events.
I look forward to welcoming parents back onsite in the coming weeks. I am optimistic that 2022 will see the return of the full School program and that our students will once again be able to select from a large suite of co-curricular activities.
I am thrilled to be joining the Kilvington community at this exciting time in the School’s history.
Staff news
Mr Andrew Johnson, our Careers Counsellor, is on long service leave this term and Mrs Jacqui Goldenberg will be our Acting Careers Counsellor for Term 1.
Mr Ben Wood, Dean of Wellbeing (Fethers), is also on long service leave this term. Mrs Jacqui Goldenberg will be Acting Dean of Wellbeing for the term and Mrs Denise Seymour will be taking Mr Wood’s Maths classes for Term 1. We wish Andrew and Ben well as they enjoy their time away with their families.
At the end of this term, we farewell Laura Tough who will be leaving us to take on a position at Haileybury. We thank her for her dedication to Kilvington over the last 14 years. Her professionalism, kindness and work ethic have been noted and very much appreciated. We wish her all the best.
CONGRATULATIONS TO ANNA KASAPIS
Congratulations to our Head of Athletics and Cross-Country Coach, Anna Kasapis, who recently won a State Open Title running with Athletics Essendon in the Women’s Open Distance Medley Relay at the Victorian Track Relay Championships held at Lakeside Stadium.
This is a tremendous achievement and we feel very lucky to have an athlete of Anna's calibre as part of the Kilvington Health and Physical Education team.
