Deputy Principal

Leadership – On Show & In Emergence

It is the final week of term. As a student, I loved these weeks. Assessment complete. The foot comes off the academic accelerator for a bit and teachers have a moment to converse with students and build connection without the rush of teaching and learning content. I am grateful to the families who ensure their child is present every day for this week – it is filled with activities that create memories that stick.  Mount A are purposeful in what we do every week.

I observed three outstanding moments of leadership this week that, as the Deputy Principal for Students, tells me we are doing good work in our corner of Kedron. Let me explain:

Leadership on Photo Day

Monday saw the first round of photos for the year – House, Homeroom and Senior cohort. It was so pleasing to see the vast majority of our students showing up for photos wearing their uniform with pride from head to toe. House and College badge placed. Hair tied back neatly. Jewellery in check. At Mt A, we care about the 1%...the little things that show others that you turn up and show up. You respect the values of the organisation of which you are a member. A sense of discipline to choose what is right. I thank our Heads of House – Ms Barlow, Ms Richardson, Ms Moffat, Ms Daniec, Ms Conway and Ms Carney – for their leadership and unwavering commitment to ensuring the ‘1%’ are taken care of with our students. Their leadership has also contributed to the pride and privilege to wear a Mt A uniform with the positive culture they are creating since the inception of the vertical House system in 2023. 

Leadership at Interhouse Athletics Carnival

On Tuesday, the much-anticipated Interhouse Athletics Carnival was executed with precision thanks to the expertise of our Sports Department.  Fondly called ‘Wolf Mothers’, Ms Ferguson, Ms McCain and Ms Boswood led an outstanding campaign across an afternoon on the 10th June and the efforts of Tuesday. Mt A records – some over 35 years old – tumbled. A finish line with time and photo finish capacity shows the commitment this department has to ensure our students receive the very best of opportunities with their sport endeavours. Like our Heads of House, the Sports Department have been a united team since 2023 and their leadership and commitment to the sports program has ensured that, in 2025, this investment in time, energy and skills is producing seriously good results for our students and the College. 

The Sports Department is not the only group leading Athletics Carnival. Our 2025 Captains truly excelled today. I particularly thank our House Captains – Gabby Mellor, Abbie Holding, Mia Biddle, Martina Vitale, Maeve Riley and Jade Janas – who pressured our Heads of House for mascots that were unveiled at this carnival. They worked with their fellow Consiglio members to build spirit. Attendance was excellent. Participation was the highest it has ever been.  We ran over time thanks to the number of students wanting to offer a point to their House through participation. It really is a team effort, and I thank the entire 2025 Captain collective for supporting each other through the pinch points. That is good leadership. 

Leadership Emerging – Year 11 Leadership Reflection Days

The leaders of 2026 – our platinum jubilee year – are emerging.  This week, the intensive leadership development process commenced with the longstanding, annual tradition of the Year 11 Reflection Days. These days are designed to prepare our girls for their senior year. First priority: ensure a united cohort. We work with Character Builders to offer a range of activities that stretch the group to step outside their comfort zone; connect with members with whom they don’t know well (yet!); and ‘strength spot’ each other along the way. These days were preceded in Term 2 Personal Best lessons about the attributes of ethical and servant leadership. 

I thank Ms Carney, Head of Villa Spada House, for her leadership of this Year 11 cohort and their Personal Best program. Mr Rogusz, Deputy Principal of Catholic Identity and Religious Life of the College, and I challenged the cohort in the creation of their legacy:

1. Tradition: What are the traditions of the College that we value and must continue and what new tradition might make our College a better place?
2. Privilege: Leadership is a privilege and not a right. What reminders do we need to always ensure our leadership comes from the privilege of the position?
3. Entitlement: Are there elements of the senior tradition that have emerged from a sense of entitlement?  Should we, and how do we, let these go?

This is a special group, and we cannot wait to watch them rise. They have been offered an outstanding 2025 captaincy to observe, and the College Leadership Team look forward to sifting through the plethora of applications for 2026 leadership that have been submitted this week.

Good leadership is everywhere at Mt A. It’s in our staff and students. Aspiration is a learner attribute we nurture in the classroom and outside it. We hope your daughter is observing the good leadership that is all around her.

Every blessing, 

Michelle Licina

Deputy Principal Student Development and Wellbeing (Acting)