Welcome Parents and Carers to Year 10, Clare School – 2021.

It is with much pleasure that in 2021 I continue as your daughter’s Pastoral Guardian. I am looking forward to caring for the pastoral development of your daughter, providing guidance and support for her so that she can reach her full potential this year. Year 10 students have returned more confident and ready to focus on the year ahead.

At the start of this year, we welcomed our new principal to Mount Alvernia College – Ms Samantha Jensen. 2021 is a perfect time for new beginnings – new classes, new friendships, new teachers, new goals, new opportunities, and even new hopes and dreams. By being positive about change or trying something new, your daughter will grow in many different aspects of life - academic, outreach, sporting, arts, community service, and leadership. As it is the start of a new year, I encourage all students to set new goals. This should not only include goals for their academic studies, but should include goals that can be achieved outside the classroom. Girls should begin the year by being open to new opportunities and challenges that allow them to increase their involvement in college life.

To ensure that all students make the most of their day, it is vital for them to find a balance in their lives and focus more particularly on exercise, sleep time, and eating healthy. Dr Dan Siegel is an American doctor, medical researcher, and educator, whose main research has been focused on mental health and how the development of mindset in individuals, families, and communities can be enhanced by examining the interface of human relationships and basic biological processes. His psychotherapy practice includes children, adolescents, adults, couples, and families. Dr Siegel developed the Healthy Mind Platter (see diagram below), which includes seven daily essential mental activities necessary for optimum mental health. These seven daily activities make up the full set of 'mental nutrients' that our brain and relationships need to function, to be functioning at our best. Research conducted by Dr Siegel showed that, by engaging every day in each of these servings, you promote integration in your life and enable your brain to coordinate and balance its activities. These essential mental activities strengthen your brain’s internal connections and your connections with other people and those around you.

Focus Time	When we closely focus on tasks in a goal-oriented way, we take on challenges that make deep connections in the brain.
Play Time	When we allow ourselves to be spontaneous or creative, playfully enjoying novel experiences, we help make new connections in the brain.
Connecting Time	When we connect with other people, ideally in person, and when we take time to appreciate our connection to the natural world around us, we activate and reinforce the brain's relational circuitry.
Physical Time	When we move our bodies, aerobically if medically possible, we strengthen the brain in many ways.
Time In	When we quietly reflect internally, focusing on sensations, images, feelings and thoughts, we help to better integrate the brain.
Down Time	When we are non-focused, without any specific goal, and let our mind wander or simply relax, we help the brain recharge.
Sleep Time	When we give the brain the rest it needs, we consolidate learning and recover from the experiences of the day.

For more information, refer to https://www.drdansiegel.com/resources/healthy_mind_platter/

During the first Home Room session for this year, all students read and signed the College Student Protection Policy and Student Procedures outlined in the Student Planner. Your would also have given you this planner to sign. It is wonderful to see that Year 10 students are embracing this positively and abiding by our college procedures, in turn enhancing our Franciscan community.

As part of my role, I will continue to acknowledge Year 10 students for their personal achievements, both within and outside the College. If your daughter achieves or is acknowledged for any special accomplishments outside of the College, I would love to hear about it.

I would like to warmly welcome new Year 10 students and their families to the Mount Alvernia community – Anya Brown, Kayli Clarke, Shanelle James, Jade McDermid, Rianna Singh, and Taya Walters.

Please contact me at the College on 3357 6000 or via email at chrit@staff.mta.qld.edu.au if you would like to inform me regarding your daughter's achievements, or if you have any questions or concerns during the year.

I look forward to a successful year where students are ‘raising the bar’ – achieving excellence and striving to be the best version of themselves.

Teena Christofis

Sporting and Active Opportunities