From the Leadership Team 

Rob French, Principal 

Service leadership

Welcome back to the new term, and I trust that the Easter beak proved to be relaxing and rewarding for you and your families. 

It was great to see our senior students setting off to a range of locations across Victoria a few weeks ago. I trust that they benefited from the experience and have come back re-energised for the term ahead.  We have much to look forward to, with Mama Mia!, winter sport, further rounds of DAV debating and a music concert, just to name a few.

In the last edition of In the Know, I mentioned how important these co-curricular activities are for student wellbeing and for developing important skills, many of which are in demand in the workplace. 

While I was visiting Years 7 and 12 students on their camps last week, I was also reminded how such activities provide our students with important experiences of leadership. 

I arrived at Lorne in time to enjoy a surf with one of the Year 7 groups. I noted that one of our students was a natural leader in this setting and proved to be of great assistance to her peers while many negotiated ocean waves on a board for the first time.  

I also noted that a few hours later, this particular student was content to take a background role when working with a small group to produce a sand sculpture. In this activity, it was another student who became the natural leader in the group.

Similarly at the Year 12 camp, I saw a range of students take on leadership roles within the cohort when organising dinner, working in teams to compete in Mrs Cole’s famous Trivia Night, or even enjoying the organised chaos of some evening singing to classic tunes.

What impressed me was that in all instances, those taking on roles of leadership did it to assist others in their team.  It was selfless and certainly not done to exert power over others. It is this service leadership that will be the preferred style in the workplaces that our students enter, as long gone are the days when leadership was linked to authority, power and even intimidation over others to achieve outcomes.

It is essential that we keep providing students with a range of settings both in and out of the classroom to practise and refine their leadership skills. Future generations will face several major challenges in the years ahead, and it is imperative that we have good leaders ready to take on those challenges and solve the problems that will be encountered in the years ahead. 

Based on what I have observed at Kilvington in a short space of time, I am optimistic about the future, and know that many of our students will become empathetic, caring and resourceful leaders in their chosen fields.

Nutbush performance to celebrate end of Term 1 

To celebrate the end of a terrific Term 1, students and staff from across the School gathered to perform The Nutbush. Enjoy!