From the Leadership Team
Rob French, Principal
A future of hope and optimism
Turn on the evening news, even for a few minutes, and it is easy to feel a sense of helplessness and despair about the state of the world. Too often our news is dominated by stories of tragic accidents, untold violence and heartbreak. On top of this depressing daily news, we are also very much aware of global poverty and the erosion of our environment.
When you consider that the world is still in the early stages of recovery from a major pandemic, there certainly does not appear to be a lot to celebrate, and it is any wonder that young people often feel pessimistic about the world they are living in and the future they face.
However, it is important to remember that news reports are often the ‘thin edge of the wedge’. That is, the focus is on the dire when the vast majority of what is going on around us is neutral at worst and inspiring at best.
I only have to interact with our students at Kilvington for a short period of time to be filled with a sense of hope and optimism. These wonderful young people are thoughtful, intelligent, entrepreneurial and caring, and I have no doubt that they will head into the world that awaits them beyond the school gates with a sense of purpose and determination to make the world a better place.
VISITING YEARS 7 AND 12 CAMPS
After spending an invigorating few days visiting our Years 7 and 12 students at Camp last week, I drove home feeling incredibly positive about our young people and leaders of the future and the impact they will have.
One memory that will stay with me is walking with a group of Year 7 students and one of our former school leaders, who was assisting, to a beautiful lookout spot above Lorne. After negotiating some challenging steep hills, the group stopped and marvelled at the beauty of the sun setting over the ocean before starting the walk back downhill.
On that return walk, I overheard some of the Year 7s speaking about their future ambitions, with law, medicine, science, archaeology, firefighting and running a start-up all coming up as future pathways. I loved listening to their energised and positive discussion and their optimistic view of their own futures.
It is incredibly reassuring to hear young people speaking so optimistically about the future and their place in it. While there will be significant challenges for people and the planet in the years ahead, one only has to spend time with students such as ours at Kilvington to feel a sense of reassurance and hope.
While on Camp, I saw our students attempt activities that were new and out of their comfort zones; work in teams to solve problems; and help with important jobs around camp sites and cabins. Such experiences help our students grow and develop as people as well as broaden their experience base.
BUILDING CHARACTER
It is imperative that schools teach essential skills to ensure that students are equipped to succeed in future study and work.
Furthermore, through our Character Initiative and community service programs, we wish to instill in our students a desire to make a difference and a determination to right injustice when they see it. I am confident that Kilvington students will leave school ready and able to have a positive impact wherever they go and that they will play a key part in solving the challenges that face future generations.
There is a great deal to be optimistic about when thinking about the future, and it presents in the form of blue, gold and magenta. It is a privilege to work with our Kilvington students every day as they go about their schooling clearly displaying our core values of Respect, Compassion, Perseverance and Curiosity. They will indeed make a difference.
Staffing news
Congratulations to Year 3 teacher Shauna Kavanagh and partner Michael who welcomed baby Harper into the world at the end of last term. Shauna has commenced parental leave and we wish her and Michael all the best at this special time.
Junior School teachers Sarah Freeman and Georgina Cain also commenced their parental leave last week and we look forward to more exciting news from them in the coming days.
We welcome Luke Bahramis as our new Head of Sport. Luke has been Director of Sport at Brighton Secondary College for a number of years and has a Bachelor of Applied Science in Human Movement from Deakin University and a Graduate Diploma in Secondary Education from the University of Melbourne.
We also welcome Sharon Davies who will be replacing Shauna Kavanagh and teaching Year 3 on Wednesdays. Sharon has worked at a number of schools including Yavneh College and most recently, Yeshivah College. She has a Bachelor of Education from the University of South Australia and a Masters of Learning Intervention from the University of Melbourne.
Vivian Kong will join us in the Early Learning Centre as our lunchtime Early Childhood Assistant. She has a Diploma of Children's Services.
Ann Shandley is joining us for Term 2 as a Food Technology Assistant in the Food Technology department while Linda Farragher takes the term off for Long Service Leave. Ann has worked in a variety of administration support roles in local schools and also has experience in hospitality. She has a Bachelor of Health Science from the Australian College of Natural Medicine.
We welcome back Celestine Yeung from parental leave. Celestine will be back in the Junior School classrooms teaching Digital Technology and Science.
In Term 3 will we welcome Paul Jenkins who has been appointed in the newly created role, Head of Instrumental Music. Paul is currently the Director of Music at Padua College in Mornington and is also a professional musician, recently performing in the orchestra for Opera Australia's production of Phantom of the Opera at the Arts Centre. Paul has a Masters of Music from Monash University, a Bachelor of Music Performance from the Victorian College of the Arts and a Graduate Diploma of Education from Monash University. We look forward to Paul joining our Performing Arts department.
Please make our new staff members feel welcome when you see them.