From the Principal

Dear Parents/Carers. 

As we conclude week 5 of Term 1 there is just so much to celebrate! Our San Damiano Centre was literally bursting at the seams this Wednesday with our annual Captains play off - Mt A V Padua Netball match. Congratulations to Padua College who triumphed on this occasion. Alas, the wolf pack will be back! 

Throughout the week we hosted 2 fully subscribed Principal’s Tours and a La Foresta Garden Tour hosted by our Curator of Gardens David Pratt. While the College Leadership Team, Deans and Heads of House and I continue to interview over 300 applicants for our 2028 Year 7 cohort, one thing remains clear – Mount Alvernia College is attracting very strong interest from many families in our community (and beyond) who are keen to join us.  I sincerely thank all of the staff and students who have been so actively supporting the enrolment process and in welcoming prospective families to our college. Our future looks bright!

This Saturday night we look forward to celebrating a night of glamour and unforgettable memories at Hillstone, St Lucia with our Class of 2025 - we can’t wait to see our Year 12’s with their partners, donning their finest for our senior formal!

On Tuesday this week, we hosted our first Parent Partnership Panel of 2025, with 3 new parent members joining us. At this connection, Ms Lauren Cowburn, Head of Futures, Partnerships and VET spoke to our panel about the opportunities available to our students in work experience, traineeships and the upcoming Careers Immersion. I thank all of our parent partners for their time, insights and input in ensuring that the strategic aims of the College continue to be realised and that our Parent Partnership Levy is utilised in ways that most effectively support our students and College.

Today I am fortunate to be attending the National Education Forum in Canberra. Entitled The Changing Landscape, the forum will include presentations by peak education bodies and politicians. The forum will provide an important insight into school funding, the tertiary landscape and the hot ticket items for education in the lead up to a federal election. 

Despite my demanding role as Principal, I have always held the belief that the best educators, need to be excellent learners. In my commitment to life-long learning, this year I have embarked upon some further study through The London School of Economics and Political Science, the course is entitled “The Ethics of AI” and it is proving to be both fascinating and startling. 

The modules include discussions on whether AI is saving or undermining democracy, algorithmic bias and inequality, global governance and corporate responsibilities and the role that AI plays in the distribution of resources and opportunities both locally and globally. There is certainly much to consider, in an era of accelerated change. As educators, it is important to stay ahead of this curve as much as is humanly possible! Perhaps the greatest learning for me so far, is the ongoing need for schools and parents alike to continue to cultivate critical thinking in our young people. I know that this is something we are committed to at Mount Alvernia College and many of you will be aware that this year we have introduced Critical and Philosophical thinking to our Year 8 elective program.

As we continue our Year of Joy, I was reminded of Archbishop Desmond Tutu’s The Book of Joy, in which he offers this blessing, reminding us of the joy of abiding in God’s love: 

Dear Child of God, you are loved with a love that nothing can shake, a love that loved you long before you were created, a love that will be there long after everything has disappeared. You are precious, with a preciousness that is totally quite immeasurable. And God wants you to be like God. Filled with life and goodness and laughter—and joy. 

God, who is forever pouring out God’s whole being from all eternity, wants you to flourish. God wants you to be filled with joy and excitement and ever longing to be able to find what is so beautiful in God’s creation: the compassion of so many, the caring, the sharing. And God says, Please, my child, help me. Help me to spread love and laughter and joy and compassion. And you know what, my child? As you do this—hey, presto—you discover joy. Joy, which you had not sought, comes as the gift, as almost the reward for this non-self-regarding caring for others.  

We acknowledge the loving service of Pope Francis and the hope and joy that he has inspired. We pray for him in his time of illness and ask that he is granted peace and healing. 

Wishing you a wonderful weekend ahead.

Peace and all good,

Samantha Jensen