Photo above: The 2025 Kennedy Interschool Athletics team after winning the carnival!

Message from the Principal

Dear Parents/Guardians and Families, 

As we conclude Term 3, I would like to take this opportunity to reflect on the highlights of what has been a very busy and rewarding term for our College community. 

Whilst Kennedy has provided numerous opportunities for all students throughout the term, one of the standout achievements was our success at the ACC Interschool Athletics Carnival. Our students competed with determination, skill, and team spirit, ultimately concluding as the Overall Champions of the Carnival. This victory reflects not only the talent of our athletes but also the dedication of our staff coaches and the encouragement of the broader school community. 

Another highlight of the term was our annual Community Open Day, with hundreds of visitors welcomed onto our campus. It was a joy to showcase our facilities, programs, and the warm culture of our College. We continued the term with hosting our annual Father’s Day breakfast, providing a meaningful opportunity to acknowledge the vital role fathers and father figures play in the lives of our students. 

For our Year 12 students, attention now turns to the upcoming examinations and completion of final assessments. This period is both challenging and rewarding, requiring commitment, discipline, and resilience. I encourage our students to focus on the work needed to achieve academic excellence, knowing that their efforts now will shape their future opportunities. 

As we head into the holiday break, I encourage all families to take time for rest and renewal. Thank you for your continued support throughout this term, and I look forward to welcoming everyone back refreshed and ready for the opportunities of Term 4. 

Mr Mark Ashby
Principal

Chaplain Chats

I have just started exploring the Global Flourishing Study, led by Tyler J. VanderWeele,  preliminary results were published in April of this year. The Global Flourishing Study is a five-year annual survey of over 200,000 participants from 22 countries. Looking at six different areas of life that contribute to a multidimensional state of wellbeing: happiness, physical/mental health, meaning/purpose, character/virtue, close social relationships and financial/material stability. 

The question of the study is simple, “What makes a person of any culture feel that their life is resonating as they know it should?” Put simply, what helps make life feel good? 

Across the 22 countries studied, results imply that younger adults today face growing mental health challenges, financial insecurity and a loss of meaning. Something we all know, but this study confirms that the world our youth are growing into is daunting and steals some of the joy from our children. The study showed that a person’s early years shape their later life. However, it also demonstrated that despite life starting with significant challenges and hardships, some people still found meaning and purpose later in life as adults. The countries that scored highest in flourishing in the study were Indonesia first, Mexico second and the Philippines third. (The USA was 15th and Australia was 19th!) 

Being married was a strong feature in linking support and meaning in life. Interestingly, being widowed scored higher than being single and separated. Another strong, flourishing feature was observed in individuals who attend religious services at least once a week. They reported higher scores in all areas of flourishing, happiness, meaning and relationships. This finding was true in almost every country because connecting to a faith community linked challenged youth and adults to community and a sense of meaning.  

Studies like this help focus Kennedy Baptist College as a community that positively contributes to the flourishing of our young people and all College members. In 2024, Kennedy students participated in a landmark study on student flourishing, conducted by Christian Schools Australia in collaboration with researchers from Harvard. Over 22,000 students from Christian schools across Australia took part, making this one of the most extensive studies of its kind. The insights from this research will help us better understand how schools can support students to thrive, and we look forward to sharing the findings with you soon.  

You can read more about the Global Flourishing Study here. 

Kennedy News

2025 ACC Interschool Athletics Carnival

On Friday 19 September Kennedy students competed at the ACC 'D' Division Athletics Carnival and came home victorious! Winning the Overall Champion, the College also won Junior Boys Champion, and Overall Male Champion titles, which is an incredible achievement! Our girls’ teams also finished 4th overall in the female division, which led to our promotion to the 'C' division for 2026.  

The day was filled with personal bests, team spirit, and versatility, with special shoutouts to Issy Gerhard, crowned Age Champion, and Jessica Ryan, the runner-up. 

A big thank you goes out to all the coaches, parents, and supporters for their encouragement, and to the students who made our College proud with their hard work and sportsmanship! 

Pedal Prix Interstate Event

Kennedy Baptist College's Pedal Prix team had a landmark year, culminating in an invitation to the 24-hour Australian International Pedal Prix at Murray Bridge. Four students, Alex Moore, Arya Harish, Brent Layman and Joshua Plummer, competed tirelessly for 24 hours alongside professional athletes and other schools, showcasing teamwork and dedication. We look forward to supporting our team’s future adventures.

Mr Bradley Gunter
Pedal Prix Coordinator

Poetry in Action

Poetry In Action came to our school and performed a live show that made poetry feel exciting, fun and powerful. The energetic actors used movement, voice, and emotion to bring poems to life in a way we had never experienced before.

The performance was fast-paced and full of energy. Some parts were serious, which made me think about everyday issues and the world and I also enjoyed the parts that were funny. The performance taught us that poetry isn’t just something you study in class. It's something you can feel, see, explore and connect with.

I learnt that poetry can be about real life and emotions, about the past and the present and about individuals and society. Poetry In Action made us see poetry in a whole new way, they took us on a journey to another world, and we will definitely cherish their visit. I loved the show and I hope they come back again.

Sophia Di Perna
Year 7 Student

Celebrating Reading at Kennedy

At Kennedy we value reading as an essential part of both academic success and personal wellbeing. The Research and Study Centre (RASC) works closely with our students and English teachers to promote reading for pleasure, particularly through our Super Sevens and Epic Eights reading challenges.

Two years ago, Kennedy introduced Renaissance’s Accelerated Reader (AR) and STAR Testing, which have since become embedded into our challenges and literacy lessons. After completing a reading comprehension test, students are set personalised term goals. They then complete book quizzes to demonstrate their reading comprehension and received recognition along the way.

To encourage participation, students were rewarded with small prizes after their first successful quiz each term and those who achieved three term goals were invited to special celebrations: a pizza lunch for Year 7s and a donut recess for Year 8s.

This year 123 Year 7s and 57 Year 8s achieved their reading goals – a significant increase from previous years. The goals reached this term shows that reading continues to be something worth celebrating at Kennedy.

Ms Natasha Georgiou
Head of Research and Study

YOH Fest Grand Finalists

College Notices

Student Withdrawals or not returning in 2026

If your child will not be returning to Kennedy Baptist College in 2026, please note that the College requires 10 weeks' written notice. Notices can be sent to our Registrar. We appreciate your partnership and support. 

September / October School Holidays:

• Tuesday 7 October
  Open to all families, 8:00 am - 3:45 pm (closed 12:30-1:00 pm).
• Wednesday 8 - Friday 10 October
  Open for incoming Year 7 fitting appointments and QuickCliq order collections, 8:00 am - 3:45 pm (closed 12:30-1:00 pm).
• Monday 13 October
  Fully Reopen for Term 4.

Upcoming Events

Instrumental Music Recitals

We warmly invite you to join us for three evenings of music as our talented students share their learning and progress in their Instrumental Music Recitals. Happening from Monday 27 October to Wednesday 29 October at the Kennedy Auditorium and Music Rooms. See more information below.

The next newsletter will be published on:
Thursday 16 October 2025.