From the Principal

Dear Parents and Carers,

I trust that the previous fortnight has brought you a ‘spring in your step’ as we approach the warmer weather and longer days ahead. For all of us here at Mt A, we have had a very busy and productive time, engaging in our learning, preparing for our assessments, celebrating National Science Week, cheering our peers on in their Cultural Festival performance heats, engaging in our ever growing range of co-curricular programs, and celebrating the announcement of our student leaders for 2025! For 12 of our students, it has also included preparing for service in our World Challenge Borneo Trip and for others it has been training for companionship roles at the upcoming Sony Camp. I would like to extend my gratitude to the staff who are involved in these significant experiences, both to be held in the September holidays. I am confident that they will be life changing experiences for our students and for the local and global communities that they will encounter – the excitement and anticipation is building! We acknowledge the commitment and courage of the students involved and the service of our staff members; Tamara Richardson, Shelley Turner and Richard Rogusz and Annette Butterworth who are all facilitating these opportunities for the students during the term break.

We congratulate all of our students this week who received academic improvement awards, NAPLAN achievement awards and significantly, those 50 senior students who have qualified as graduates of the Diploma of Business. As many of you will know, the Diploma of Business is a post-school qualification - so to achieve this whilst still engaged in full time study at school, is an incredible achievement. Well done to all of our graduating Diploma of Business students in 2024! And a further congratulations to all of our students who continue to show up and do their very best – you are an inspiration to us all.

In this edition of our newsletter, I draw your attention to the contributions of our Deputy Principal of Student Development and Wellbeing and to our Head of Greccio House, who have both written articles in relation to the use of social media and student wellbeing in the digital age. I would encourage parents to join us in continuing to engage in this important public dialogue, possibly one of the most important conversations of our generation as it relates to the health and wellbeing of our young people. Together, we can all make a significant difference in the lives our next generation.

This week, over 30 Franciscan schools across Australia have come together at our Franciscan Schools Conference held here in Brisbane. Delegates have been treated to the theological rigour of scholar Fr Paul Rohr OFM, to the Indigenous spirituality and interfaith dialogue of Brooke Prentis and the wise and hope filled words of author and social psychologist Hugh Mackay who encourages us to reconnect with our inherent humanity in leaning into connection, communication and collaboration with one another and to re-engage with the lost art of listening to each other.

I look forward to sharing more learnings from this formative experience in coming newsletters. Suffice to say, it has certainly been wonderful to connect with so many Franciscan friends and colleges this week.

Until then, peace be with you all.

Samantha JensenPrincipal