Heads of House
The excitement of beginning the final Term of 2024 has certainly been felt in our Mount Alvernia community with the students embracing the events that begin to pave the way for the journey they will embark on in 2025. Can you believe we are talking about next year already! In the last two weeks our college has had the pleasure of both welcoming our incoming Year 7 students and farewelling our Year 12 seniors. These rites of passage have begun to plant the seeds of our 2025 College value of joy as students relish in the celebrations of things past and those to come.
Year 7 Transition Twilight
On Friday night we were joined by a cohort of eager Year 6 students who were given the opportunity to experience our Mount A spirit. Accompanied by their Year 10 Ambassadors, Year 7 Student Representative Council and the 2025 College Captains, our seniors of 2028 were welcomed warmly into the wolfpack. The Year 6 students learned about the College, our values and what our students love most about being part of Mount Alvernia. They were regaled with tips from our 2024 Year 7 students about transitioning to high school and found out their House, Homeroom and who their ambassador is in 2025. The House spirit was high with the Captains and Year 10 students leading each House in cheers and all students participating in a newspaper fashion show. This transition event not only showcased the leadership of our exceptional senior students but provided the Year 7 cohort of 2025 with the chance to form lasting relationships with each other and their ‘big sisters’ who will support them through their high school journey. This event was the culmination of several other transition opportunities and saw students finding their place in our school in the family of their new House. We thank Simone Roche, Dean of Middle Years, for her organisation and oversight of this event.
Year 12 House and Homeroom Farewells
In contrast, House farewells also took place this week as we collectively farewelled our Year 12 class of 2024. These events provided us with the opportunity to call each student by name and recognise their invaluable contribution to House leadership and College culture. Houses gifted their seniors with a Tau cross in their House colours to serve as a reminder of the Franciscan community of which they are a part and of the House to which they will always belong. Homeroom Mentor Teachers reminisced on the impact of their outgoing Year 12 students and hosted a Homeroom lunch in celebration of the milestone our seniors have reached. The relationships that these seniors have forged in their 6 years at the College will leave a lasting impression on our younger students and in turn, Mount A has been imprinted on them.
This was especially evident as they proudly sung the College song at the conclusion of the Year 12 Farewell Assembly and through College Captains, Kate O’Driscoll and Niamh Hooper’s, reflection on growth, kindness and the fact that each member of our community was ‘loved’. We wish our seniors the best of luck for their upcoming external exams and look forward to their final farewell at the Year 12 Graduation Dinner. This time of year, is always bitter sweet but is ultimately a reminder of the fact that at Mount Alvernia, we are more than just a school; we are a family. Our commitment to nurturing a supportive environment means that each student is called by name, recognised for their individuality, and cherished as part of our community. Whether they are just beginning their journey or preparing to embark on new adventures beyond the gates, they are reminded that they are never alone because their community walks alongside them.