From the Principal

Dear Parents and Carers, 

Well, here we are, we have arrived! It is the end of our 2024 academic year at Mt A and what a year it has been. To all our Year 7 students and families, we hope that it has been a year full of triumphs, opportunities, lasting memories and learnings. Similarly, to all those families and students in other year levels, who have joined us for the first time this year - we hope that you are feeling settled with a strong sense of belonging we hope to realise for every student at Mt A. An infographic of our achievements this year have been literally squeezed into the below – and this is just the tip of the iceberg!

I take this opportunity to thank our parents and carers - the first teachers of our young people, for your support of our College in 2024. Your partnership with us on the journey (at times a roller-coaster!) of adolescence continues to be greatly appreciated by us all. Educating and mentoring your daughter, is truly our greatest privilege and none of us here at Mt A take this for granted. 

To our incoming Year 7 families (2025) we look forward to welcoming you again in the new year and take this opportunity to invite you to express an interest in being part of our Parent Partnership Panel next year. Our PPP currently comprises of 12 parents (across year levels and Houses!) who work with the College Leadership Team in areas of strategic importance for the benefit of our students education and wellbeing. We also work together in hosting various events and speakers throughout the year. We have a lot of fun along the way. If you are interested in being part of this team (we meet once per term) please use the link below. 

In some closing words to our students as they embarked upon their holidays, we reminded them of the need to not only practise gratitude, but to express it. “Feeling gratitude and not expressing it is like wrapping a present and not giving it”. As our Liturgy reminded us, in a world where the consumerism of the Christmas season saturates the true message, it is more important than ever for us to express our love, care and gratitude towards one another.

The holiday season is also a time for rest, replenishment and reflection and we encourage all of our students and families to ‘take care’ of themselves this break in order to optimise what lies ahead in 2025! We invite all of our students, families and staff to take time to digitally DETOX these holidays. To unplug, turn off, read a book, go for a walk, get out in nature, connect with real people in real places. We all need to do this more! I invite you also to please refer to the words outlined by our brilliant College Counsellors in our final newsletter – they offer suggestions for a productive re-set before our new year commences.

We also take this further opportunity to thank and farewell our staff who are retiring in 2024. These are colleagues who have made a significant and enduring impact on the lives of generations of Mt A students over the decades. We acknowledge and thank Annette Butterworth (22 years), Karen Farrow (14 years) and Richard Rodgers (18 years) for their undying service and commitment to our community, and for their contributions to education more broadly.

We also thank and acknowledge the work and contributions of Meg Ryan (Acting Head of Learning Support and Enhancement), Amy Robertson (Science Faculty), Sharon Baker (Science and Health Tech), Samantha Sexton (Mathematics Faculty) and Leona Pearson our Head of Faculty Learning Enhancement and Support who are departing the College this year. We wish them all well in their next chapter. To Kath Little our esteemed Deputy Principal of Teaching and Learning, we once again wish you the very best for your exciting new appointment as Principal of St Patrick’s College, Townsville. Rest assured, your legacy will continue here at Mt A.

We trust that the Franciscan spirit of joy and service will be strong in your households this Holy Season. As we look forward to 2025, our year of JOY, let us carry the lessons of our year of service with us. 

And finally, with acknowledgement and thanks to the beautiful words circulated by our Mercy Partner’s.

As we pray during Advent, let us hold the consolations of God close to the exiled places of our hearts. God offers us light, consolation and comfort for our homelessness. Advent is a time of homecoming, a time of joy and enthusiasm, as we hear again God’s promises to be with us and to resettle us in love. (Rupp, 2007, 189)

God of new beginnings,

As we approach this Advent season,

empower us to journey

with hope, peace, joy, and love

toward the celebration of the birth of Jesus.

May the candles we light

throughout this season

reflect our inner search

for connection and encounter

and our outer call

to be bearers of

your love to our world.

Amen.

I am so proud of the year that our community has shared in. Thank you for the part that you have played in it. Wishing you all a restful and joyous holiday season.

Peace and all good,

Samantha Jensen