Head of Faculty & Programme Leaders 

Katrin King

Head of Faculty: Mathematics and Numeracy

My name is Katrin King and I am delighted to join the Mount Alvernia community as Head of Faculty – Mathematics and Numeracy. In the past six years I worked at Mt St Michael’s College, Ashgrove, teaching Mathematics and Physics, and held acting positions as Curriculum Leader Mathematics. I have also taught at Everton Park State High School and Southern Cross Catholic College and I was privileged to be part of the Brisbane Catholic Education Nauru Project in 2015 to assist in the education of local, refugee and asylum-seeker children on the island of Nauru.

Using my passion for innovative quality Mathematics education, I aim to enhance the numeracy and overall Mathematics outcomes for all learners at Mount Alvernia College. The Mathematics department’s main goal is to build on past practice and continue to implement effective programs which focus on critical thinking skills and challenge students at the appropriate level facilitating interactive and inquisitive classroom atmospheres. By balancing challenge and support we want to empower our students to excel in their learning. We aim to create confidence in students to become effective learners in Mathematics who have high expectations of themselves and who believe in their ability to succeed and persist when facing challenges. 

My advice to our students is to develop a growth mindset, to truly believe that you are capable of improvement through consistent effort. I wish for you to embrace challenges, to celebrate mistakes as they provide great learning opportunities, and to persevere with greater effort when you face setbacks. Be brave and proactive in asking questions and seeking assistance with your learning from your teachers. I look forward to meeting and getting to know you all soon and I wish you every success for 2023!

Sarah Porchak

Head of Faculty: Languages and Literacy

My name is Sarah Porchak. I have been an educator since 2010, working at various independent Catholic schools around Brisbane and interstate before commencing employment at Mount Alvernia College in late 2018. In my role as Head of Faculty – Languages and Literacy, I aim to implement and oversee rigorous curriculum in both English and Languages classrooms, with a strategic focus on improving students’ literacy outcomes. Specifically, this year an intentional focus to improve students reading comprehension, vocabulary, sentence structure and punctuation will foreground the teaching and learning programs in the Junior school. 

In Senior English, I will oversee the quality assurance processes of Internal Assessment, and support staff in classroom pedagogy to maximise student outcomes.  The best advice I would give to students is seek out teacher feedback! Research shows that receiving and applying feedback has a significant impact on improving student outcomes, so don’t be shy in approaching your teacher to clarify or seek additional feedback; that’s what we’re here for after all. 

Jen Gibbons

Head of Faculty: Health and Sciences

My name is Jen Gibbons. I have over 30 years’ experience in  educating young women in Science, working in Sydney before commencing employment at Mount Alvernia College in 2014. I am motivated to inspire the students of Mount Alvernia College to challenge the status quo in the pursuit of STEM careers. As Head of Faculty of Health and Science I aim to establish and implement measurable practices within these curriculum areas which foster high expectations and develop our graduate dispositions and overall educational wellbeing of the students we teach. 

For 2023, I intend to focus on high impact learning strategies which intentionally target numeracy and the data handling skills of students.  A strategic focus on the analysis and interpretation of primary and secondary data will form an integral part of each Health and Science classroom. While in the senior space, I will oversee the continued use of high impact teaching strategies and rigorous quality assurance practices which maximise student achievement in Internal Assessment pieces. 

For success in the Health and Science curriculum areas I would encourage students to enact the feedback provided by teachers on their course work and employ the use of specific study skills and techniques related to their chosen courses, for example: Cornell note taking, Leitner box study cards, traffic light analysis of progress testing and active recall through learn, present, critique. 

Amanda Bopf

Head of Faculty: Humanities and Commerce

My name is Amanda Bopf and I am the Head of Faculty – Humanities and Commerce. I am a past student and passionate Humanities advocate, who holds a double major in History, a major in Literature and a Masters in Education. My aim for 2023 is to encourage all students to see the value of a ‘humanities education’. I work with a committed teaching team who prioritise both the teaching of Humanities skills and content. My aim for 2023 is to continue to develop classroom pedagogy to ensure strong learning outcomes. My advice to students looking to succeed in Humanities is to preview units and assessment in advance, read widely, and review content and skills regularly. Routine is important. 

Monica Willoughby

Head of Faculty: Arts (Acting) 

My name is Monica Willoughby, I am a Visual Arts and Religious Education educator with close to twenty years teaching experience. I am passionate about the Arts and believe that the creative and performing arts has the ability to challenge how we view the world and generate insightful discussions about the issues that impact the world that we live. I am excited to join the Mount Alvernia community this year and I look forward to working with both staff and students. My advice to students this year is to ensure that they set goals that challenge themselves, both personally and academically. Goal setting is a great way to keep us focused and motivated throughout the school year and to remember that your teachers are here to support you to achieve your best. 

Sophie Harrison

Head of Faculty: Religious Education 

My name is Sophie Harrison and I am the Head of Faculty for Religious Education. I have been a member of the College community since 2020 and hold a Masters of Education, specialising in Educational Wellbeing. For 2023, my aim is to develop coherent and meaningful religious education which inspires students to live out the Franciscan values. By exposing the students to a wide range of experiences relating to social justice, practical prayer, and world religions and spiritualities, the students at the College should feel empowered in their faith journeys. 

My advice for students this year is to develop a dedicated and curious attitude regarding their religious education, using skills from across their subjects to engage meaningfully with their studies to achieve success. 

Jane Martens

Head of Digital Pedagogy and Innovation

My name is Jane Martens. I commenced employment at the College in 2022, teaching Visual and Media Arts, History and Digital Technologies. I am passionate about providing educational experiences that encourage students to broaden their horizons and embrace innovative opportunities. In 2023, Mount Alvernia is welcoming the MyMtA Learning Management System as a means to provide students, parents and carers with clear, visible and easily accessible teaching and learning plans and resources. MyMtA will facilitate the College’s High Impact Learning Strategies, enabling students to preview and review key content, improve A and C standard awareness, clarify task awareness and expectation, and action timely teacher feedback. We encourage our students to embrace and utilise MyMtA as a valuable tool in enabling improved learning outcomes. 

Helen Stower

Head of Library and Digital Services

My name is Helen Stower and I am the Head of Library and Digital Services. My background includes qualifications in Library and Digital Innovation, and I have fifteen years’ experience working in school libraries. This year, I am really looking forward to the immersive events we plan to offer in the iCentre to extend student learning. A simple message I have for students who wish to succeed is to tap into the iCentre expertise in research and referencing for assignment help.

Charmaine Ferguson

Head of Sport

My whole life has been based around sport. Either playing, officiating, or administering it. I have been fortunate to work in State sporting organisations, and the past 16 years in a Head of Sport roles at Lourdes Hill College, and Stuartholme School. 

My passion is to educate adolescent woman to become physically literate, while providing them a diverse range of sporting experiences.  I thrive on the potential to make a difference in the holistic educational experience and to make an impact through sport, in their formative years.  My goal is to create an educational environment which encourages students to become lifelong participants of sport and actively seek a healthy lifestyle for themselves.

This year I am excited about creating positive relationships with our students and parents. I am looking forward to building on the fantastic sport program that Mr White and Ms Caruana, and past sports coordinators have created.

My two tips to manage academic and sporting commitments is to be organised. Make a plan for what you are going to do and when you are going to do it. Try and look ahead. And SLEEP! Don’t underestimate the importance of eight hours of sleep every night. 

“I’ve never scored a goal in my life without getting a pass from someone else” 

Aby Wambach

Claire Hatchman 

Leader of Student Engagement and Activities

Having worked at Mt St Michael’s for three years, I am so excited to continue my journey at an all girls secondary school. The pink highlighters, the buzz around formal, the laughs and hugs in the corridor! In my role as Leader of Student Engagement and Activities, my goal is to encourage students to find co-curricular activities in which they can find both enjoyment and success. This might be finding like-minded people and using their abilities in different ways or achieving at a local, state or national level in areas they are passionate about. I am here to help students at Mount Alvernia flourish in a range of activities from Debating and Model United Nations to E-sports and Robotics.

My mother’s advice to me all through high school was the tried and tested, “You only get out what you put in”. We want to see Mount Alvernia graduates who are filled with courage and curiosity: and what epitomises these values more than giving a new co-curricular activity ‘a go’ in 2023? 

Leona Pearson 

Head of Learning Enhancement and Support

My name is Leona Pearson. Being a student at school was the greatest time of my life.  The friendships I made, involvement in (D grade!) sporting teams, singing (badly) in Musicals, different learning opportunities, influenced the person I am todayI became a teacher because I wanted everyone to share my love of learning.

In my 20 years of teaching, I have come to realisation that not every student feels this same love, and sometimes schools can be a hard place.  My goal is to provide students with the strategies and support to not only survive but thrive at school.  This is my second year at Mount Alvernia, and I feel blessed to have joined a College that knows how to support and challenge students to achieve their best.

My role at the College is Head of Learning Enhancement and Support.  I support students who require additional skills and strategies to help them in the classroom and school environment.  I have a fantastic team of Case Managers and Teacher Aides who ensure this happens in the classroom. I also enhance student learning by providing additional opportunities for those students who are already excelling in the classroom, to help them reach their full potential.  I look forward to working with the Mount A community and sharing my love of learning.

Melissa Loveday

Head of Futures and Partnerships 

My name is Melissa Loveday. In my role as Head of Futures and Partnerships, I am responsible for the provision of informed, accurate and quality post-secondary guidance and planning. My qualifications include a Master of Career Development, and Master of Educational Leadership. As a passionate advocate for careers guidance, I have a purposeful vision of careers education, inclusive of building student preparation and capacity for the workforce. 

With exciting momentum in the Futures space, in 2023 my aim is to promote a confident future for our students through an emphasis on diverse learning options ‘within and beyond’ traditional schooling pathways. In doing so, Mount Alvernia will continue to ensure that post-school opportunities; including requisite complementary skills, capabilities, and credentials are available to all students.My advice to students: In your career you will experience inevitable joys, setbacks, and constant change. Set realistic goals, play to your strengths, and never stop learning. Be ambitious and put the effort in to create the life you want for yourself.

Nicole Anderson

Head of Vocational Education and Training

My name is Nicole Anderson. Before joining Mt Alvernia College in 2023, I have had a diverse career which includes small business management in the hospitality industry, working as a teacher of English as a Second Language overseas and teaching within the Catholic school sector. I have a strong interest in student outcomes, and although I began as an English teacher, quickly found that the best way for me to support post-school success was by working in Vocational Education and Training in schools. 

Bill Fisher

Head of Technology and Systems

"change is the only constant in life." (Heraclitus, a Greek philosopher).

I started working at Mount Alvernia College on January 25th 1990. People sometimes ask me why I have stayed here for so long: my usual reply is “it may be the same place, but every few years I am challenged with a new role and the College is constantly evolving which makes it interesting and the people are nice!” My role is to make sure all the various technological parts of the College systems work together so people can achieve their educational goals. It is certainly a diverse area with many problems; it is fortunate that I like to solve problems.

Technology can be daunting for some, and wherever possible we try to help people become confident and ethical users of the technology that they encounter or will encounter over their lives.