From the Desk  of the Principal

Dear Parents and Caregivers

 

I do hope you were able to see our recent College Musical, We will Rock You.  What a truly sensational show it was, with stellar performances from a dynamic ensemble cast supported by our outstanding musicians!  

To each student from Mount Alvernia and Padua Colleges who participated in this production, I extend my congratulations to you all – you simply shone on stage!  The professionalism and high standard of performance was exceptional.  

 

To our Mount Alvernia College staff; Amanda Bopf (Artistic Director and Producer), Amanda Holley (Music Director), Daniella Curcuruto (Assistant to the Director), and Karen Farrow (Stage Manager), I wish to extend a personal acknowledgement and thanks. Without your ongoing supervision, direction, guidance, and support of our students, an opportunity such as this would not be possible for them.  We thank you sincerely for the huge investment of time you each made in facilitating such a wonderful experience for our young creatives.  You all rock!

 

Similarly, I would like to acknowledge the efforts of our Cross Country team, which recorded some fantastic individual results at our recent CaSSSA meet.  In 2021, Mount Alvernia College has seen its best results in fifteen years in both Cross Country and Swimming.  Thank you to Josh White and Shan Caruana for keeping the spirit and enthusiasm alive in our sporting pursuits and, of course, to our  girls.  Congratulations all round. 

 

In the coming months, I am excited to announce that the College will be undertaking a formal process to shape our Strategic Plan for the next five years.  This process will involve engaging a variety of stakeholders in our community, including parents and students, with a view to contributing to this new shared vision for our college.  I look forward to sharing more with you as the process unfolds.  We can be certain that this will be an exciting and important next step in our shared journey.

 

As we approach our examination blocks, we recognise that, for some students, this time of term generates a heightened sense of fear and trepidation.  As parents and educators, we have an important role in helping our young people recognise that tests and examinations are a part of life and, in fact, a degree of stress can be helpful (and is normal) in a performance situation.  Together we can reassure our children that, with coping strategies and organisation in place, examination stress can be managed effectively. Helping our young people in self-regulating their emotions and building their resilience and capacity to cope with life’s challenges is arguably one of the most important ‘subjects’ we can teach them.  Some excellent resources for parents and students are available on the websites below.  Together, we will continue to reiterate to our students that we simply want them to do their best, in whatever form that may take. 

 

Resilience in teenagers: how to build it | Raising Children Network

How To Reduce Stress & Prepare for Exams | headspace

 

As we come to the end of National Reconciliation Week, let us continue to reflect on the role we will each play in collectively rebuilding and shaping the relationships, policies, and communities that value Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples, cultures, histories, and futures.  Let us continue to take the time to educate ourselves and our children of our nation’s past and to stand in alongside our indigenous brothers and sisters in affirming their experiences, and in recognising the invaluable part they play in our country. 

 

“We have been called to heal wounds, to unite what has fallen apart, and to bring home those who have lost their way.” 
St Francis of Assisi

Peace and all good.

 

Samantha Jensen