Year 7 Pastoral Guardian

Final term, final weeks of Year 7!  Who can believe that the quiet, shy, excited, and optimistic Year 7s who entered the Mount Alverina grounds on 30 January for their first day of high school are about to celebrate and complete their first year of high school?  So, with the end of year being so close, it is a good time to reflect on the Year 7s of 2019.

A new year, particularly at a new school, is a time of exhilarating transition.  It is a time to let go of the ‘old’ and to embrace the ‘new’.  It is a time to consciously plan for success through new routines, new friendships, and new experiences.  For the Year 7s of 2019, the ‘new’ has afforded each girl an opportunity to strive for excellence and to build character.

According to the Oxford Dictionary, excellence is defined as the “quality of being outstanding or extremely good”.   The word character denotes the “mental and moral qualities distinctive to an individual”.  With these two definitions in mind, how have the Year 7s have been outstanding and distinctive?

Transitioning to high school requires responding and adapting to change.  In our world today, managing change requires expertise to bring about safe and positive outcomes.  For the Year 7s, they have been distinctive by being open-minded about new experiences, taking managed risks, and being prepared to reach out and ask for help.  These qualities have facilitated individual and personal excellence. Furthermore, through unique Year 7 experiences like Big Sister/Little Sister afternoon, Year 7 Camp, and hip hop lessons, students have learnt to: collaborate, communicate, and problem solve together; to face fears of heights, nature, and leaving home for two nights with peers they hardly know; and try new experiences to learn more about themselves, their talents, and areas for future growth.

Through the everyday and special programs of Year 7s, each student has worked to build her own distinctive identity and character.  In Home Rooms, Year 7 students have been applauded for their positivity, willingness to connect with their older peers, and for their lively and respectful spirit that makes them women of action.  The many events and carnivals held throughout the year have allowed the Year 7s to show their pride and spirit in Mt A and sense of connectedness – something that has been outstanding and infectious for this group of young women.  Furthermore, their understanding of the values that underpin our Mount Alvernia community and Home Room system allows them to be authentic shining lights for now and in the future.  For each girl, she has been a significant piece in the jigsaw puzzle of Year 7.  She has brought her own individual strengths and talents to help build a cohort with its very own unique character: one that is dynamic, inclusive and optimistic.

It has been a pleasure to be the Pastoral Guardian for this group of young women, and I look forward to continuing to work with you and your daughter/s as they become leaders of Francis School in 2020.

Best wishes for a very safe, restful and joyous Christmas holidays.

Jeni Barlow