Deputy Principal

Our ICGS Membership Matters

I’d like to express my sincere gratitude to Mount Alvernia College for investing in our membership of the International Coalition of Girls’ Schools (ICGS), and for supporting three colleagues and me to attend the recent ICGS Symposium in Melbourne. This commitment is more than professional learning. It is a statement about who we are: a community that forms young women with courage, joy, respect and service, and that continually strengthens its practice so our students can flourish.

A key idea throughout the Symposium was that today’s young people are growing up in what researchers often describe as a “VUCA” world: one shaped by volatility, uncertainty, complexity and ambiguity. Neuroscientist Dr Mark Williams spoke compellingly about what that can mean for adolescent minds and bodies, and why schooling must intentionally help students build steadiness, perspective and hope. Families are already navigating this reality at home: fast-moving social media trends, shifting friendship groups, academic pressure, and global events that can feel close, constant and overwhelming. Hearing this named so clearly was validating and it reinforced the importance of our shared partnership between home and school.

Another strong theme was belonging. Girls’ schools across Australia are grappling with a paradox: students are more “connected” digitally than ever, yet many report feeling lonelier than ever. Several schools spoke about students missing the everyday “micro-connections” that build community over time: the quick chat before class, sitting with someone new at lunch, noticing a peer who is having a hard day, or offering a simple, genuine compliment. These moments can look small, but they are powerful. They are often the difference between a student feeling invisible and a student feeling known. In a Franciscan community, this matters deeply because every person’s dignity is at the centre, and our daily choices either strengthen or weaken the sense that “you belong here”.

I also left Melbourne encouraged by the leadership potential in girls and the responsibility we have to shape it well. Across the Symposium, schools shared practical ways to identify students who are ready to lead (including those who may not put themselves forward) and to explicitly teach the skills that make leadership ethical and effective: listening, collaboration, speaking with clarity, responding to feedback, and using influence for the common good. It reminded me that leadership development is not reserved for a small group or a single badge. It is a formation journey we offer many students, in many different ways.

One of the most relatable takeaways for families was the discussion about worry. Many schools reported that students can become “stuck” in cycles of worry. They are replaying scenarios, anticipating the worst, or feeling that worry is in charge of their choices. The language used at the Symposium was memorable: when worry starts “bossing our girls around”, we need to teach them how to “boss it back”. That doesn’t mean pretending problems aren’t real. It means helping students recognise worry patterns, name them, and practise strategies that bring them back to what they can control: their next step, their effort, their support networks, and their values. In other words, worry doesn’t get to be the decision-maker.

What I appreciated most is that this learning was not presented as a quick fix. It was presented as “good work”: the steady, evidence-informed work of improving pedagogy and wellbeing so that students can learn deeply and live well. When one school invests in this knowledge, a whole community benefits. And when girls’ schools from across Australia come together to share what is working and to learn from one another with humility, every girl benefits. That kind of collaboration is hopeful. It strengthens education, it strengthens families, and it contributes to a more compassionate world.

I look forward to translating these insights into our daily practice at Mount Alvernia, as we continue forming spirit-filled students who are resilient, connected, and ready to be agents of change.

Every blessing.

Michelle Licina

Deputy Principal Student Development and Wellbeing