Parent Corner

Year 7 Pastoral Guardian

Now that your daughter has entered high school, you may be wondering how you as a parent/carer can positively support and become involved in her education.  For many parents, involvement in primary school is eagerly embraced, but tapers once children enter high school for a variety of reasons. However, research shows that positive parent/carer engagement has a significant influence upon student achievement, attendance, and participation in school events, commitment to learning,  self- discipline,  aspirations and motivation,  social skills, behaviour, and attitude.  Being involved is also an excellent way of maintaining and strengthening parent/child bonds, especially at a time when adolescence aspire to greater autonomy and break away from family bonds and rituals.

 

At Mount Alvernia, parent involvement is highly valued and appreciated, for you have many skills worth sharing that enrich our students’ educational experiences.   With your involvement, together we are communicating that educational excellence is important and that we all want the best for our students. So how can you be involved?  Perhaps you would like to consider the following by being a:

  • classroom helper;
  • volunteer helper in the iCentre, La Cucina, SEAC
  • guest speaker to our students about careers, life beyond Moutt Alvernia, life skills that promote success,  independence, and resilience;
  • coach of a sporting team;
  • volunteer with our many Outreach programs;
  • positive advocate for our school in the wider community;  or
  • Pastoral Parent for the Year 7s of 2019.

Another way parents/carers can be involved in your daughter’s education is by actively supporting the College’s mission, curricular, and co-curriculum offerings.  This means ensuring your daughter attends and participates in the events and activities on offer. 

 

As parents/carers, I want to thank you for the active support you gave for your daughter’s attendance at camp.  It was incredibly pleasing that 100% of students attended camp - a special thank you to parents who encouraged daughters who were anxious and concerned about being away from home.  This was a significant step in building resilience and self-confidence.  The girls are to be congratulated for the way they embraced their camp experience.  All students can feel immensely proud for the courage they showed in facing and overcoming obstacles, for positively embracing opportunities to make new friendships and to learn more about themselves, and for their sense of fun and spirit over the three days.  For some students, camp was an opportunity to capture moments of gratefulness - the peace and quiet they felt out in nature away from noise and technology; and a chance to enact sustainable practices for living in our modern world - and, upon returning to home, a greater appreciation for their comfortable bed, more sleep, and longer showers!

Conversation Starters/ Some things to think about:

  • (Parent) In what ways can I make connections with Mount Alvernia and, thereby, show active support for my daughter’s education?
  • (Student) – What was the most enjoyable thing about Year 7 Camp?
  • (Student) – What was the most challenging thing about camp?
  • (Student) What was the most significant thing you learned about yourself through attending camp?

 

Until next time

Jeni Barlow