From the Principal

Once again, I write my newsletter this week reflecting on the incredible achievements of our talented students. Their hard work, commitment, and passion for learning have truly shone through, making this term one of our most successful yet. Our Year 12’s have now completed their mock examinations and will soon receive important feedback in preparation for their final assessments and External Examinations – we wish them all the best as they work towards their personal goals and post-school aspirations. Similarly, our students in other year levels have approached their examinations with both engagement and rigour and we are really proud of the rich learning culture that our students have cultivated together led by their exceptional teachers. 

Walking through La Foresta this week with our Architects, it was truly inspiring to witness Ms Hartwig’s Year 7 English class working on “Nature Poetry” and Mrs Hooper’s Year 12 Hospitality class serving a delicious high tea to our friends from Delamore. 

This was just another regular day at MtA!  -  connecting with each other in our beautiful spaces and engaging in our natural environment with wonder and awe to inspire our learning and creativity. Suffice to say, our architects and the visitors accompanying them were genuinely enamoured by what they saw – I promise, we did not set this up! It is truly a joy and a blessing to be teaching and learning in our College, a privilege that no one who works or studies at Mount Alvernia College should ever take for granted. 

Our largest multipurpose classroom – La Foresta, is looking particularly glorious right now.

This week we congratulate our Tournament of Minds teams for their incredible efforts and participation over these past 7 weeks. Two of our teams are off to the State Competition this weekend and one of our teams received an Honours commendation last week at St Laurence’s College. We also congratulate our Under 15 Touch Team who played in the All Hallows’ Schools Touch Tournament placing 3rd overall! Our All-Schools Touch Football Team also had the incredible experience and privilege of touring the Broncos training facility led by Michael Hancock. Our thanks to go to the Parle family for facilitating this awesome experience for our students. 

It was also a great thrill and delight last Friday to meet our Class of 2030! Our Year 7 students joining our community in 2025 were welcomed with Treasure Hunts, Getting to Know you activities, Trivia Quizzes and even learned the College War Cry! With special appearances by Gubbio our College mascot and our absolutely fabulous Year 11 students who are incoming Captains for 2025, it was truly a day to remember. I thank all of the staff and student who were involved in making this day what it was and in particular, we extend our gratitude to Simone Roche (Dean of Middle Years and Transition) for coordinating the day.

This week marked the beginning of the Season of Creation celebrated annually from 1 September until 4 October which marks the Feast of one of our Patron Saints - St Francis of Assisi (the patron saint of Ecology). As we move into the finale of the term, Spirit Week culminating in our Feast Day Mass and Cultural Festival, I commend the work of Mrs Feltrin, Mrs Sims, incoming Captain of Environments Joanna Clur and all of our Sprout Squad students for their work in our upcoming Uniform Recycling Drive in partnership with Block Texx . This is such a wonderful initiative, and we are so proud and thankful of this important work that you are doing to reduce our waste and impact on our common home. 

In celebrating this very special time in the life of our Franciscan calendar, I conclude with some beautiful words shared by our Mercy Partners in their most recent Mercy Moment, words which truly honour this important season for us.

“Throughout Laudato Si (2015) Pope Francis reiterates the community of creation as each creature possesses its own particular goodness and perfection. (#69). This contemplation of creation allows us to discover in each creature a teaching which God wishes to hand on to us, that we are all connected, and we need to be in creation to hear the message….

Community plays a vital role in transitioning from individualism to solidarity and from isolation to togetherness”

May we continue to walk together, connected in relationship with each other, with a commitment to inclusion, love and acceptance for all, and with a care for our common home. 

I look forward to celebrating with students and staff the joys of being part of our Mt A community, next week in Spirit Week.

Peace and all good,

Samantha Jensen

Principal