Editorial

Lucie Dickens, Global Connections Program Director and Alan Clarke, International Student Coordinator

Welcome to the third edition of our international newsletter which we are publishing at the end of a semester spent mostly onsite, with a few interruptions due to the pandemic. 

It is with great pleasure that we also welcomed our new Principal, Mr Rob French, who shares in this issue his view on the importance of global education and the valued partnerships we have maintained with our partner schools. 

Included in this newsletter is also an introduction to our new Japanese Language staff member, Sano Sensei, who has been instrumental in helping a new family from Japan settle into our Kilvington community. 

You will see in this issue that we have included some articles about the value of our Outdoor Education program, our Performing Arts events and our Cultural Days. We also want to share the importance of Digital Technologies at Kilvington. 

If you are reading this issue as a member of our partner school, Todoroki High School in Japan, you will see that our virtual forums continue to take place regularly and that we are maintaining strong links with your community. 

Virtual forums are also taking place with Saint Joseph-La Salle, our partner school in France. These online opportunities are instrumental in keeping students engaged and motivated in their French studies as well as deepening their appreciation and understanding of French culture. 

Our thoughts go out to the students and staff at Shanghai West Yan’an Middle School, who have been studying online since March due to the strict management of the COVID-19 crisis there. Classes are scheduled to recommence in Shanghai in June and we wish all staff and students a safe and happy return to regular classes. 

Finally, as the management of the pandemic here presents some hope for the future with restrictions being progressively lifted, we start planning for the arrival of more international students, with the possibility of offering individual exchanges as of 2023 and study tours from 2024. 

Please contact International Student Coordinator, Alan Clarke, at clarkea@kilvington.vic.edu.au if you are interested in finding out more about this opportunity.