Kyabram P-12 College’s commitment to community has been a driving force in the school’s success.
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To chat about the year that’s been, journalist Jemma Jones sat down with the college leadership team, including principal Marina Walsh and assistant principals Mitchell Coombs and Doreen Smider.
Kyabram P-12 College is one of two schools in Kyabram, with over 890 students enrolled in 2025, and the past 12 months have seen the school plastered across the pages of the Free Press.
From community events and new infrastructure to parliamentary appearances shining a spotlight on regional issues — it was a big year for the Fischer St school.
The leadership team identified community events at Kyabram P-12 College as the year's key highlights.
Much of this success stems from newly appointed community connections co-ordinator, Janine Kreymborg, who delivered exceptional results through multiple community projects this year.
“We’re doubling her time next year,” Ms Walsh said.
“She’s so busy with it, and it’s all her — I mean, people give her ideas, but she’s very creative, and she thinks up all these things that she can do with students that bring the Kyabram community closer to the school.”
Other highlights for the school included: hiring five new teachers, who each have international backgrounds; the youth parliament program, where students were able to pass a bill about public transport in rural Victoria; and the leadership camps held throughout the year.
Ms Smider said Kyabram P-12 College was changing this year in line with a new statewide teaching and learning model.
“Over the next couple of years, there’s going to be some major changes and overhauls making sure that what we’re doing in the classrooms is backed by research,” she said.
The lower school has already started that implementation process with a program called Little Learners Love Literacy.
“It’s just revolutionised the way we teach English in the Prep to Year 2 space,” Ms Smider said.
“(The program) is not about just celebrating that we love reading, it’s that we need to have all the founding work in place before we can actually learn to read.”
As for the senior school, one of those changes to teaching and learning is the introduction of a vertical curriculum system.
Ms Walsh said the new curriculum gave students the chance to choose subjects based on interests and abilities, regardless of year level.
The overall aim is improving engagement among students, Mr Coombs explained.
“It really allows us to differentiate to the students’ interests and their needs … but also improve the students’ outcomes as well,” he said.
Overall, however, the college is looking to improve the student voice and connectedness, with Ms Walsh hoping these new programs improve that.
“(I’m looking forward) to happy students in like all areas of the school and engaging in extracurricular activities,” she said.
“I’m looking forward to seeing how the vertical curriculum goes, and I’m looking forward to starting the year with a full staff, that will be nice.”
Top Free Press headlines for Kyabram P-12 College
Kyabram teens take on parliament
An inspiring team from Kyabram put a focus on regional public transport at this year’s Victorian Youth Parliament with the Increased Regularity and Accessibility to Rural Public Transport Bill.
The Kyabram P-12 College team of Killara Heywood, Xander Griffiths, Lachie Rodriquez, Patrick Henderson and Matilda Sowter represented the region.
With more than 1.5 million Victorians living in rural areas, it is clear that more needs to be done to support the accessibility of travel between major cities and regional towns.
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Students clean gravestones ahead of Anzac Day
College community connections co-ordinator Janine Kreymborg is leading a team of Vocational Major and Year 10 metalwork students who will clean more than 250 gravestones and place flags beside each veteran’s gravestone.
Mrs Kreymborg said the initiative aimed to foster greater student engagement within the community, while educating them about the brave locals who risked their lives for our nation.
Cleaning the gravestones was just stage one of three, with another team creating flag stands, and another team whose members will place flags beside each gravestone before Anzac Day.
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Students save Olympic swimming pool amount of water
About 3.2 million litres of water — equivalent to about one Olympic-sized swimming pool, 21,300 full bathtubs, 356,000 showers or 6.4 million bottles — that’s the amount Kyabram P-12 College saved in 2024.
In fact, the college placed in the top 10 water savers of all schools across Victoria that use the Schools Water Efficiency Program.
Kyabram P-12 College, which has participated in the program for years, implemented a three-pronged water conservation strategy: promoting reusable water bottles, optimising sprinkler systems and tracking water consumption.
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Ky P-12 bridges generations through reading initiative
Students from Years 3 and 4 from Kyabram P-12 College took their favourite books to Warramunda Village for R U OK? Day to share special stories with the residents.
The initiative was a boon to students and residents alike, with all embracing the opportunity to connect with one another.
Not only did the event help to bridge generational gaps, but it was also in line with educational outcomes, including literacy development.
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Diversity under a spotlight at Kyabram P-12
Hundreds of students gathered on the senior oval at Kyabram P-12 College for their annual Diversity and Inclusion Day on Wednesday, May 14.
Staff member Hilary Grigg described the day as a celebration of our community, embracing our differences and finding common ground.
“We just want to celebrate the importance of inclusiveness and the importance of celebrating how we are all really different, but also have so much in common with each other,” Ms Grigg said.