Heads of House

Belle Prairie 

Jeni Barlow

My name is Jeni Barlow and I am very excited about my new role as Head of Belle Prairie House, after having been a Pastoral Guardian for the past 17 years at Mount Alvernia College. From a very early age, I always knew I wanted to be a teacher, having been inspired by passionate educators who nurtured the development of my whole self and really encouraged me to dream of possibilities beyond my small country community. Now, as a teacher of young people and in my leadership role as Head of Belle Prairie House, I am driven by the idea that I am an educator of their mind and heart, and can influence how they see and value themselves now and in the future. What a privilege it is, in partnership with parents and carers, to play such a significant part in the formative years of a young person! Throughout 2023, in Belle Prairie House, we will aspire to live by three words: 

• Embrace – a positive attitude regarding our gifts, our individuality and diversity, opportunities, and each other. 
• Endeavour – to use and grow these gifts; topersevere to achieve and go beyond our goals; to be our best selves; to find solutions when obstacles block our way. 
• Celebrate – our individual and collective accomplishments, whether they be big or small; celebrate the joy in being members of Belle Prairie, and the Mt Alvernian community. 

So, let’s Begin the Journey!

Greccio 

Michelle Licina

My name is Michelle Licina and this is my 8th year as an educator and 5th as a Head of House. I teach in the Business, VET and Religion Faculties. My pastoral focus is building positive House culture and connections to encourage working to a common goal and building leadership capacity. 

I love being a pastoral leader.  I am deeply passionate about the welfare of young people ensuring they finish school to the very best of their ability with a range of talents and skills that make them highly employable and relatable to others. Upon graduating, memories of school are positive and long-lasting. It is my hope that students embrace all the opportunities available to them at Mt A – especially the ones that involving serving others.

Rieti 

Courtney Daniec

“Men need to play well to feel like they belong, Women need to feel like they belong to play well” - Brendon Gale Executive director at Richmond AFL. 

Sport has played an integral role in my life, and it has been my experiences in high level sport that have pivoted my attention to Wellbeing. My own experiences have made me understand that for continuous improvement and successful performance to occur there must be a deliberate focus on the whole self. 

My name is Courtney Daniec and I am thrilled to be appointed Head of House for Rieti, as it is here where I can use my experiences as an athlete, blended with my educational studies and fuel my passion of wellbeing to assist our young people in finding a synonymous relationship between belonging and success on their journey. My goal is to build the foundations of a house culture where we challenge each other, learn from each other, and celebrate each other. My advice for 2023 is to be Audacious. I challenge our students to be brave, be bold and be fearless on their pursuit to success. I can’t wait to see the Rise of Rieti! 

Perugia 

Erin Moffat

My name is Erin Moffat. I have always wanted to be involved in education in some way. I love to learn, and schools are a wonderful place to work if you love learning. I learn something every single day! I believe that the underrated ‘gift’ in education is the relational approach of a teacher, one who genuinely cares about the educational wellbeing of every student. This authentic and relational approach doesn’t always mean that they are the funniest or coolest teacher. 

It is the teacher that sees something inside of a student, that sometimes they can’t see themselves. Some of my fondest memories at school were of teachers who invested in me as a ‘whole person’, had the hard conversations and pushed me to be the best version of myself. I am extremely excited to step into this new leadership role as Head of Perugia, and hope that I can offer the same experience to a student, in some small way, each day. My advice to every student for 2023 is to think BIG! You have the capacity to overcome anything. When you believe something can be done, your mind will find the ways to do it. Life has stressors, but the path towards reducing stress and overcoming challenges can be deep within us. Look out for each other, support each other with care and compassion and remember; there are always people willing to help. I feel blessed to be a part of the Mount Alvernia community, the positive energy and passion for education is evident. Bring on 2023!

Spoleto

Chanel Siddall 

My name is Chanel Siddall. In 2023 I am entering my 5th year of teaching and my second year as a pastoral leader. I previously worked at a co-educational independent college and came to Mount Alvernia in Term 4 of last year. Transitioning to Mount A has been such a rewarding experience and I have been overwhelmed by the generosity and genuine kindness of this community. I am thrilled to be taking on the role of Head of Spoleto House in 2023. I have a genuine passion for holistic education, and my goal is to create a supportive, engaging and motivating environment that is responsive to diversity, through fostering authentic and respectful relationships built on a foundation of high expectations. 

Our Spoleto House Captain, Sophia Nielson, has coined the phrase ‘Igniting our Spoleto Spark’ which has inspired my vision for 2023 to reinvigorate the members of Spoleto House. In his journey through the Spoleto Valley, St Francis reignited a deep love for creation and the world around him and in doing so began a journey of service to everyone. We cannot serve others if we have not yet recognised the value of the gifts in front of us. This year, it is my hope that all members of the House ‘fall back in deep love’ with what it means to be integral parts of the Spoleto family. This is bolstered by both the College theme for the year ‘respect’ and Sophia’s Term 1 goal of ‘connections’ as we are reconstructing a multi-faceted respect for what it means to be in Spoleto through growing deeper connections. My advice to every student in 2023 is to embrace change, drive change and grow from change. Whether you try to hide from it, or face it head on, change is inevitable, but what you do with when it presents itself makes all the difference. As a new year begins, you are on the cusp of a wonderous opportunity. 

Villa Spada

Sacha Carney

My name is Sacha Carney. This is my 24th year as an English teacher and an educational leader. I began my teaching career in a co-educational school in England, then taught in an independent boys school, before joining Mount Alvernia College in 2007. Originally, I was the Curriculum Leader for English and Languages. Then in 2016 I became the Teaching and Learning Guardian for Clare School (Years 9 and 10). I am now very excited to step into this new leadership role as Head of Villa Spada House. I am genuinely eager to encourage and assist students to achieve the very best versions of themselves by supporting their educational wellbeing. Importantly, I am really keen to connect with and build authentic relationships with students and their families to ensure everyone feels like they are an integral part of the Villa Spada and wider Mount Alvernia family. My advice to every student for 2023 is to have the courage to be your true self. Give everything your best effort and bounce back if it doesn’t reap the rewards you hoped for the first time. Start everyday afresh with a positive attitude and look to grab opportunities when they come your way.