News &Views. Contents. Issue 4, 9 March Quick Dates. Franciscan value this term: LOVE

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1 Page 1 News &Views Issue 4, 9 March 2018 Contents From the Desk of the Principal Deputy Principal Mission & Community Mission & Community Outreach Opportunities Date Claimers Caritas Ks Walk Assistant Principal Staff Learning Assistant Principal Student Learning Try a Trade Day Read Like a Girl Breakfast Pastoral Parents Careers La Cucina Community Notices p22-23 Tue 13 Mar Wed 14 Mar Thu 15 Mar Quick Dates Year 10 Legal Studies excursion 10.30am Spoleto House church visit 3.20pm Delamore Outreach Franciscan value this term: LOVE Dear Lord, teach me to love and to realise that life is too short for drama and petty things. Give me the grace to come to anger slowly, to laugh heartily, to love truly and to forgive quickly. Amen

2 Page 2 from the desk of Kerrie Tuite, Principal I am an example of what is possible when girls from the very beginning of their lives are loved and nurtured by people around them. I was surrounded by extraordinary women in my life who taught me about quiet strength and dignity. Michelle Obama Dear Parents and Carers, Staff and Students, and Friends of Mount Alvernia College Yesterday was International Women s Day and the College celebrated the important contribution that women make to all areas of human endeavour. The day was a very busy one for me indeed the whole week has been focussed on the achievements of women, with the Queensland Government designating this week as Queensland Women s Week. The festivities began on Sunday with a luncheon hosted by Pine Rivers Zonta Club, where the guest speaker was Jenny Woodward from the ABC Weather. She took us through her working life and told stories of her experiences of working in the media. Her story was a positive one, very refreshing considering some of the stories from women working in this sphere. On Thursday morning, the icentre hosted a literary breakfast with the focus on sporting stories to inspire all girls. We were fortunate to have not one, but two special guests at our breakfast: Taryn Bashford, author of The Harper Effect, and Naomi McCarthy, gold medal winner at the 2000 Olympics for water polo. Everyone enjoyed meeting these amazing women, and I know their stories were inspirational for all our girls and their mothers. Then, as is my practice, I took new staff to the Alliance of Girls Schools International Women s Day Lunch in the city. The guest speaker was Lucy Strickland, from the UNHCR (United Nations High Commission for Refugees), who discussed her experiences with and insight into the vital role that education plays for girls in war-torn countries. I believe that it is important that our teachers and students have access to such speakers, and that they see how important education is for young people in general, and young women in particular. You might remember that, every second year, the College Alumnae publishes a booklet entitled Remarkable Women of Mount Alvernia. So, to end a lovely day, we launched the third edition of the booklet in the icentre. Our emcee for the evening was an alumnus as well as a distinguished teacher of long standing, Amanda Bopf, who did a great job introducing us all to these remarkable women and hearing their stories. On a completely different theme, appraisals are currently underway for those in the College who are in positions of Middle Leader. During the process, Middle Leaders will invite parents to complete a survey. Consultation with parents is key to insuring that the College achieves its goal of Excellence in Girls Education and to afford input into all areas of college life. You might recall that, during my appraisal in 2017, the Parents and Friends Support Network Executive met with a consultant and provided commendations and recommendations for me in my role as College Leader. We are soon into exams and Easter will be upon us. Thank you as always for your support of everything we do at the College. Pax et bonum Kerrie tuitk@mta.qld.edu.au

3 Page 3 From the College Deputy NAPLAN Online Mount Alvernia College is one of the schools where students in Years 7 and 9 will complete their NAPLAN Test online. In both 2016 and 2017 we have taken part in Readiness Trials and Trial Test to get ready for the online testing. On all of these occasions the tests have run with no major issues. In preparation for the online test in May, there will be a nationwide coordinated practice test at 9.30am on 22 March. This will be run at the same time across Australia to check network capability. It s also an opportunity to fine-tune any technical and logistical needs, as well as familiarise students and teachers with the online testing process. The test is a partial dress rehearsal that will give everyone confidence in the platform and the process, and will take place in the actual platform, so student data will be used. We are planning to run the test with all the Years 7 and Year 9 students unless parents wish to withdraw their children from the practice test. The practice test will be a 45-minute omnibus test (similar to the school readiness testing in 2017) and include reading, conventions of language, and numeracy, but not writing. Parents and caregivers of students in these NAPLAN year levels will need to be aware of important information relating to privacy, which can be found on the NAPLAN Online Queensland website s parent information page ( I have included the statement on Privacy from the ACARA site below. NAPLAN privacy notice Personal information about your child and you (parents/guardians) will be collected for the National Assessment Program Literacy and Numeracy (NAPLAN) tests. The Australian Curriculum, Assessment and Reporting Authority (ACARA) conducts the NAPLAN tests and creates national reports on schooling, including reporting on the My School website. State and territory education authorities are responsible for running NAPLAN tests, including managing student data and reporting results to schools and students. Section 40 of the Australian Curriculum, Assessment and Reporting Authority Act 2008 (Cth) authorises ACARA to collect personal information for purposes including producing national reports and informing education policy. ACARA protects the data it collects in line with the standards in the Privacy Act 1988 (Cth) and only collects data that is anonymised (that is not linked to student names). You can find a summary of data fields that ACARA collects in ACARA s privacy policy at (acara.edu.au/contact-us/privacy). (continued next page)

4 Page 4 From the College Deputy NAPLAN Online (continued from previous page) As mentioned, students in Years 7 and 9 will be undertaking the actual NAPLAN testing online in May this year for the first time. Moving NAPLAN online brings many advantages, including a test design that offers test items tailored to students knowledge and ability. As our college runs a Bring Your Own Device program, we will assist by ensuring the NAPLAN Online locked-down browser is downloaded prior to testing. This will be done prior to 22 March in class time by staff from our IT Section. Information about BYO devices is also available on ACARA's website. We will keep you up-to-date in the lead-up to May but, if there s anything you need in the meantime, please feel free to contact me at the College. Have a great week. Michael McDonald

5 Page 5 From the Deputy Principal: Mission and Community Pope Francis to Youth: Do Not Be Afraid! When addressing young people about the 2019 World Youth Day in Panama, Pope Francis provided some sage advice. ROME - It s time to break free from fear, fake online personas and looking at the world through a digital screen display, Pope Francis told young people. Dear young people, do not allow the spark of youth to be extinguished in the darkness of a closed room in which the only window to the outside world is a computer and smartphone, the Pope told young people in his annual message for local celebrations of World Youth Day. Open wide the doors of your life! May your time and space be filled with meaningful relationships, real people with whom to share your authentic and concrete experiences of daily life, he said in the message, published 22 February at the Vatican. Many young people today are afraid - afraid of never being accepted, of finding a good job, and even of their real selves, the Pope said in his message. No one is exempt from doubt or fear, which can be seen in the Bible in the lives of Mary, Moses, Abraham, the apostles, and many others, he said. In fact, he added, the biggest obstacle to faith in God is often fear, not skepticism. The only way forward is to face one s fears head on, identify them clearly, and come to terms with them, he said, so as not to find yourself wasting time and energy by being gripped by empty and faceless ghosts. Essentially Pope Francis says, Do not be afraid. In the sacred scriptures the expression Do not be afraid is repeated 365 times with different variations, as if to tell us that the Lord wants us to be free from fear every day of the year. The Pope told young people to act, to look for God in prayerful silence and the sacraments so they could draw on the needed courage, wisdom, and grace, and to turn to members of the Church for encouragement and support. Year of Youth Q & A Session Acting and looking for God with other young people is exactly what Odette Jonelynas, 2018 Liturgy Captain, and Year 12 Food, Friends and Faith member Leah Kenny did on Friday 23 February. After our wild and rainy swimming carnival, these two Year 12 Mount Alvernia students travelled to Lourdes Hill (continued next page)

6 Page 6 From the Deputy Principal: Mission and Community (continued from previous page) College with Mrs Farrow and me to attend a Year of Youth 2018 Q&A session How young people can make a difference in the Church and in the world. During the 2016 World Youth Day Vigil, Pope Francis challenged young people to follow in the footsteps of Jesus, the Lord of risk, by being courageous politicians, thinkers, and social activists. The Bishops of Australia declared that they wanted to join with all young people as they took up Pope Francis s challenge. Many Brisbane Catholic Education and other Religious Institute schools from all over South-East Queensland attended the session, where students got to propose a range of questions for a panel to answer. The experienced panel consisted of many religious and community leaders, all of whom voiced their expert opinions on a wide range of religious and social topics. All four questions that Mount Alvernia SOR students submitted prior to the Q&A afternoon were posed to the panel. Returning from the afternoon, Odette and Leah said: We believe we can say, on behalf of ourselves and other students who attended, that this was a significant experience that really challenged us to contemplate what it means to be a person of faith. We loved getting involved in the group reflection conversation following the first half of the afternoon. We gathered to talk about what we heard from the panel and then to discuss as young people how we can ACT to change the world. We hope to be taking the valuable lessons we learned from the Y&A session and try to incorporate it into college life and our everyday lives. Two ways we are hoping to do this is by: Inviting all Years 10, 11, and 12 students to join the Food Friends and Faith Youth Group afternoon sessions that ask BIG questions about life and faith. Our next gathering will be on a Monday afternoon - 23 April, 3:15 4:45pm. Padua students join us for the afternoon session and all Years 10, 11, and 12 students are welcome to gather. There is even pizza to entice everyone! Also, we have energy enough to act and initiate Youth Speaks events we hope to initiate a series of short Break 1 conversations around questions that call us Not to be afraid. Stay tuned to find out more in Term 2. Our young people have much to say about faith and how to action it in their daily lives. During this Lenten journey, let us be confident that young people like Odette and Leah lead the Church towards the light of Easter and the hope that comes from the resurrected Christ. Go well this fortnight. See more at: Alison Stone

7 Mission and Community Page 7 From Brian Moore former State President of Queensland St Vincent de Paul Society. LENT: Let Us Be Positive about Giving Up Let s give up looking for a pat on the back! This Lent let s do at least one thing each day for someone who will never be able to repay us! Let s give up trying to be comfortable all the time! Instead of seeking comfort, let s find something to be enthusiastic about and put God s gifts, our brains, our talents, our resources to work on behalf of the poor, people who are homeless, those who are lonely, and people who are disadvantaged. Let s give up trying to be superior to others! There is a Hindu proverb that goes like this: There is nothing noble in being superior to some other person. True nobility comes from being superior to your previous self. Let s find something we can improve about ourselves. Let s give up taking care of No 1! Instead of thinking about how everything and anything impacts us, let s worry first about how others are going to be affected by our own actions and behaviour. Let s give up being practical! Instead let s be kind. St Mother Teresa once said: Kind words can be short, but their echoes are endless. Let s give up being in a hurry! Let s show patience when waiting in line at La Cucina, in the car on our way to school or work these are perfect opportunities to have a quiet conversation with God. Let s not curse and swear! We can vent in our mind if that will help to get over a bit of anger but keep it internal. My mum used to say: If you can t say something positive and kind, don t say anything at all. Let s not add to the problem! When someone is being taken to task, rather than joining in hitting an easy target, let s think about how we might be help solve the problem we face. Let s not gossip or talk about people with whom we have issues! Instead let s talk with them. It beats stewing and conjuring up questionable reasons for whatever it is that is troubling us. Let s not argue over small things! Let s save our passion and energy for things that really matter. Let s not be bitter! Rather than holding onto hurts, let s decide to have a forgiving spirit. When we are bitter, we only hurt ourselves. Let s not be ill-tempered! Let us be able to remember Lent 2018 as the time when people started noticing what a great, joyful, and pleasant attitude we seem to have every day of our lives.

8 Page 8 Mission and Community Outreach Opportunities SIGN UP VIA MOODLE Community Date Claimers Prep Reading Mornings for Francis School students: Any Year 7 or Year 8 student is welcome to sign up for this most enjoyable outreach where you get to read to the St Anthony Prep students. The preppies love having the big girls read to them, so we encourage every student to sign up during the year. Prep Reading mornings occur every Tuesday from am. Samaritan Mornings for Clare School students: Any Year 9 or Year 10 student is welcome to sign up for this fabulous outreach where we serve hospitality and warmth to residents who come to the Parish Hall to play bingo and enjoy an outing. Many isolated and elderly residents in the local community love having our girls be present to them at these mornings, so we encourage every student to sign up during the year. Samaritan mornings occur every Tuesday from am. Delamore Outreach every fortnight on a Thursday pm for afternoon tea and conversation. We invite students from any year level to get involved in this wonderful Outreach program where students and teachers join our friends over at Delamore Retirement Community for afternoon tea and hospitality. The Tuesday Crochet Club for those who need a warm gift from us this outreach circle is for ALL students. Any student is welcome to sign up for this new outreach opportunity where ladies from the Cosies Outreach Group teach us to crochet. Together we will crochet scarves and rugs for our friends at Delamore and other organisations whose mission is to support those people isolated, lonely, and disadvantaged. Every Tuesday during Break 1 in C105. Thursday 29 March Easter Liturgy of the Word will be celebrated in the San Damiano Centre from 2.15pm until 3.00pm. We will reflect on the Easter story as we recall the final days of Jesus human life in ways that call us to be more missionary in the world. All community members are welcome to join us on Holy Thursday. St Clare Circle of Friends At our 2017 Clare Feast Day Liturgy we introduced the concept of Making a Space for St Clare. We were asked to always make a space for Saint Clare in our own circle of friends. From that day forward when we sit with our friends, colleagues, and peers at lunch, in meetings, or gatherings, we make a space for Saint Clare. We know that Clare s community of Poor Sisters was always open and ready to welcome new friends. Our open circle of friends is a way of carrying the spirit of St Clare every day. The space in our circles will represent our Clare, but also celebrates friendship and respect. To honour that concept, the College commissioned an artist to make our own circle of friends. We received it last week and want to show it off to everyone in the community! We hope you like it. (continued next page)

9 Page 9 Mission and Community (continued from previous page) "Is anyone among you suffering? pray" (James 5:13) We pray for anyone in our College, friends, and family members who may have entered eternal life over the past fortnight. We pray for members of our College community who are ill at this present moment, and ask for the healing strength of the Father to strengthen all in need, give them rest, and restore them to health. As a community we offer support and prayers to the entire Mount Alvernia College family. BEFORE YOU SHOP FOR CHOCOLATE EGGS are they slavery free? In 2015 Pope Francis said that, every person ought to have the awareness that purchasing is always a moral and not simply an economic act. Join the Easter campaign against child slavery. Australian Catholic Religious Against Trafficking in Humans (ACRATH) is urging people to eat only slavery-free chocolate, especially this Easter. Did you know that much of the chocolate available in Australia is made using cocoa beans picked by children, many of whom have been enslaved, or forced to work in exploitative conditions? The International Labor Rights Forum (ILRF) estimates that there are 1.5 million children working in the cocoa sector in West Africa. To buy slavery-free Easter chocolate look for any of these certification labels on the wrappers: FAIRTRADE, Rainforest Alliance and UTZ. Make a decision to buy only slavery-free chocolate this Easter and discuss your decision with one other person. (continued next page)

10 Page 10 Mission and Community (continued from previous page) Caritas Ks Women s Walk for a JUST FUTURE Friday 16 March 3.30pm 5.00pm A Just Future Starts with Opportunity. For young people in poor countries their dreams of education and lifting themselves out of poverty depend on the opportunities they are given. Education is a key factor. Many children walk up to seven kilometres every day to go to school. We will walk in solidarity with these children by walking seven kilometres from the College, along Kedron Brook and return. Get $15 worth of sponsorship; walk seven kilometres and you ll support a young person to finish their studies. SPONSORSHIP COSTS: $15 for one Mt A person to walk, or to sponsor a walker; $20 for one Mt A and one non-mt A. Students, please go to Moodle to have permission slip completed before making payment. Empower others ask non-mt A friends, parents, ex-students, grandparents, Padua mates, HR teachers even your dog to walk with you!! Then it is only $20 for both of you. Sponsor others if you can t walk, sponsor another. Donate if you can t walk, step up and donate. On-line ticketing and registration is open through our college website = This special Project Compassion event was advertised in the College Planner as 2 March but we have pushed the date out to 16 March. Cash registration opportunities will be Thursday 8 March and Friday 9 March during Break 1. This Photo by Unknown Author is licensed under CC BY-SA This is our ONE big Project Compassion fundraising event during Lent. The expectation is that EVERY PERSON in the College walks or supports another person to walk. This means everyone commits to giving at least $15 to Project Compassion this term.

11 Page 11 From the Assistant Principal: Staff Learning Twilight Professional Learning for Staff: The New Senior Secondary System This week on Tuesday evening staff embarked on the first Twilight Learning Session for the year with a focus on the new Senior Secondary system. This new system begins with Year 11 students in 2019, and as a college we have made it a priority to ensure all teaching staff are upskilled and prepared to navigate this change. We are fortunate to have returning to our teaching team this year Mrs Amanda Bopf. Amanda has been on secondment with the Queensland Curriculum and Assessment Authority (QCAA) as a Principal Education Officer for the last two years, and has returned to Mount Alvernia as the Learning Area Advisor for Social Science. Capitalising on Amanda s expertise from the QCAA, she was able to lead staff in a session to gain a deeper understanding of the syllabus documents and ways to inform and support best teaching practice. In addition, staff explored the features and opportunities of accreditation through the completion of accreditation modules through the QCAA. Having all staff complete this training ensures Mount Alvernia is well positioned to move forward with the new system, and will set many of our staff up with the opportunity to become writers and markers of external exams and also as assessors. Maximising the expertise of our staff in this area will see Mount Alvernia equipped to begin the new senior system. Welcome to some of our New Teaching Staff in 2018 Last year the College Leadership Team embarked on refining its Recruitment Policy and Processes to ensure we attract, target, and retain the best candidates. As a result, in 2018 we were able to recruit some outstanding staff to join our team. It is my pleasure to introduce to you some of our new teachers, who have been welcome additions to our community. Kylie Collinson began her professional career as a medical researcher, where she conducted research in laboratories in Brisbane and London for ten years. She has spent the past six years teaching Science and Mathematics in a Catholic school in Dalby. Kylie has a passion and commitment to teaching Science that is enriched by her industry experience. She is thrilled to have the opportunity to encourage our young women to explore and succeed in the sciences, and looks forward to sharing in some exciting STEM projects in the future. (continued next page)

12 Page 12 From the Assistant Principal: Staff Learning Welcome to some of our New Teaching Staff in 2018 (continued from previous page) With a love of physical activity and a passion to inspire girls to achieve their dreams, Courtney Daniec studied a Bachelor of Secondary Education at QUT, majoring in Health and Physical Education and Science. Courtney joins us as a graduate teacher; however, the Mount Alvernia community and the Franciscan traditions are not unfamiliar to her as she was previously a student at the College. In addition to her passion for teaching, Courtney is a remarkable sportswoman in her chosen sport of AFL, competing and coaching at state level. Her love for the sport and commitment to sharing this with others also brings her to be our head AFL coach at the College, with the girls competing in CASSA and AFLQ Schools Cup competitions later in the year. As a teacher in this community, Courtney hopes to be a role model for those who are part of her classrooms and teams, and to inspire and motivate all to be their best. Caroline McLean is a teacher of English, Geography and History with 30 years experience. During the last three years, Caroline was the Head of Middle Years English at The Glennie School and, prior to that, spent ten years at Matthew Flinders Anglican College. Earlier in Caroline's career, she was a teacher on Thursday Island as well as several other state high schools across Queensland. Presently Caroline has a passionate interest in the development of literacy skills across all areas of the curriculum. Caroline will also be coaching a volleyball team at Mount Alvernia. Cecilia Rynne has been teaching for many years in Brisbane and abroad in England and Japan, and she has also been practising as a registered nurse. She is grateful for the opportunity to work with the girls at Mt A and, having worked with youth in schools and clinical hospital settings, she would like to encourage girls to live every day with hope and strive to follow their own path wherever it leads. Monica Sargeant has been teaching mostly in the independent sector at co-educational colleges. After graduating from the University of Queensland, she worked for a number of years with Education Queensland in high schools within the Logan district. From there, Monica taught at Citipointe Christian College and Lourdes Hill College. After many years of teaching, she is still passionate about education, and is thoroughly enjoying working with the girls of Mount Alvernia. (continued next page)

13 Page 13 From the Assistant Principal: Staff Learning Welcome to some of our New Teaching Staff in 2018 (continued from previous page) Michelle Taylor-Harvey has taught in Townsville for the better part of fifteen years. With seven years experience as Head of Department - English across Pimlico State High School and St Patrick's College, she has developed a keen interest in educational leadership, girls' education, and literature studies. Michelle has recently expanded her teaching repertoire to include English Extension, and looks forward to offering this course of study in She is excited to be co-facilitating the #writelikeagirl program with Mt A's Helen Stower this semester. As part of their transition into Mount Alvernia College, our new staff have been supported through on-boarding processes, including a buddy system and workshop series. This workshop series has focused on the following key areas within the school: Learning and Teaching Framework at Mount Alvernia Understanding School Procedures Enhancing Teacher Practice a professional learning strength development program for teachers Restorative Practices The Hidden Curriculum shining a light on the total development of students in a Catholic context Differentiation engaging all learners Navigating and maximising the potential of Moodle The Common Practices of Mount Alvernia College Through these workshops, our new staff members have been assisted in effectively transitioning as new members of our community. I am sure you will join me in welcoming these new teaching staff members to the team. Daniel Crump

14 Page 14 From the Assistant Principal: Student Learning Empowering Our Young Women In this week where we celebrate International Women s Day, I would like to share with you some insights around helping our young women to be more confident and brave in their pursuits. At Mt A, we focus on empowering our girls; providing them platforms for coming together and encouraging each other to celebrate their strengths and support each other through their weaknesses. We encourage them to speak out, to ask questions when needed, and to stand tall. I have talked about this before, but it is something that we need to continue to reinforce on a daily basis. There is much research out there about the low percentages of women in high ranking positions, and so on. A very interesting statistic relating to women and men and their level of belief each gender has in themselves states, Women often wait to apply for a job until they meet 100% of the hiring criteria, while men apply when they meet just 60% (Desvaux, et al 2008). We witness this in the classroom, where our students are unwilling to raise their hand for fear of not answering perfectly. We know, however, that this is a mindset, and one that we are working to change. The notion that we need to inspire our girls to go for it and for us to remind and model for them that it is fine to own their own success is so critical. These are just two areas that we can reinforce together to build the confidence in our girls, and to help break that mindset that many have about what they can and can t achieve, and that fear of not being quite right. I include here some points taken from the Lean In organisation, which provides many resources and ideas for working with young women. They discuss five tips for helping our girls to grow and ways we can be role models for them: 1. Coach girls to speak confidently Girls can undermine themselves when they speak. Many girls use phrases like, kind of, and, sort of, to weaken their statements. Some introduce opinions with disclaimers ( I m not sure if this is right, but... ), or use upspeak so their statements sound like questions ( Martin Luther King Jr, was a civil rights leader? ). These verbal crutches hinder a girl s ability to share her ideas clearly and confidently a habit that often carries over into adulthood. This undermines the point they are trying to make, and so we must continue to inspire and encourage girls to bravely put their point of view across. 2. Teach girls to navigate conflict Girls often avoid giving each other honest input to avoid being seen as unkind. We need to encourage girls to speak their mind and avoid social shortcuts like texting and social media. 3. Encourage girls to own their success This is something that we continue to work on and we need to model that process. Did you know? The confidence gap starts young: between primary school and high school, girls self-esteem drops 3.5 times more than boys. 4. Inspire girls to go for it Because girls often struggle with confidence and fear of making mistakes, they are less likely to take risks. Some girls don t speak up in class unless they re 100 percent sure they have the right answer, while others shy away from trying new subjects or activities. 5. Celebrate and acknowledge female leadership Did you know that, More than 80 percent of female executives played sports growing up. When girls participate in extracurricular activities, they gain leadership skills that stay with them for life. Lean in, (2018). How to be a role model for girls., Retrieved from (continued next page)

15 Page 15 From the Assistant Principal: Student Learning Empowering Our Young Women (continued from previous page) The messages here are pertinent so, as this year progresses, we can continue to enhance the learning for our young women, enabling them to reach their own potential. They need to be bold and brave as they continue their journey, and to step up when the opportunity arises. Organisation and Time Management As we now come towards the end of Term 1, all of our students are facing assessment requirements, and some may be finding the need to be more effective in their study and organisation. This is a common issue for girls from Year 7 to 12, and it is important that we continue to provide the girls with strategies and resources that enable them to become more organised, and thus better able to manage their time. Prioritising is a significant element within this problem. I encourage you as parents to assist your daughters to make wise choices around priorities. For our seniors in particular, but for all students, a priority must be to maximise their opportunity for success academically. Therefore, some questions that can be asked are: what do the girls need to stop doing, or cut back on, to ensure that they are able to maintain their efforts to achieve to their full potential? How are they enabling their own excellence in this sense? Is it time to reassess the goals set at the beginning of the term, and refine them in order to get to the end of Term 1 being able to tick these off? With respect to organisation and time management, I remind you that the Teaching and Learning Guardians have designed and made available for sale a Mount Alvernia College Student Organiser you will see a short video on the presentation that highlights how it is used. This is an excellent resource and way for our girls to manage their time and make it very visible. It is available for purchase from the Uniform Shop. Parent and Student Information Nights Tuesday night s Clare School Parent meeting means that we have now come to the end of the information nights for parents and students for Term 1 of I would like to thank all who did attend, and trust that we were able to provide some valuable information to enable excellence for your daughters and for you with respect to avenues of communication. I trust, also, that we have responded to your questions and queries well. A copy of the Clare School Presentation is available here. Please do feel free to contact us as you need.

16 Page 16 From the Assistant Principal: Student Learning (continued from previous page) Abby Thomas is our 2018 Curriculum Captain, and yesterday she ran (and presented) the First Academic Assembly for the year. She coordinated the assembly brilliantly, and we saw a wide range of the academic opportunities we have on offer here at Mount Alvernia College. It was a great example of excellence at Mt A. The following was Abby s opening comments to the assembly: Students, teachers, and staff, welcome to This year, I have the absolute privilege of being your curriculum captain. And, to begin the academic year, I would like to share my vision with you. This year is my last year at Mt A, and it is my hope that, once I exit the gates for the last time, the place and people that I have called home for the past five years will continue to truly value one thing Education. Education, in its essence, is about our want to be better people, and to create better futures. It is a facet of our lives that has the potential to empower us. And for me and for you there will be no end to this education. In each stage of our lives we will continue to grow and learn. So my vision this year is to promote the want to learn. To promote curiosity and the desire to understand. I believe that if we all try to engage with the world outside ourselves the education we receive here at Mt A will only benefit. I ask you, this year, to find or to embrace that curiosity that is inside of you. And, however you choose to do this whether it be by reading more of the news, taking up a new hobby, or talking to new people remember never to let go of it. Your curiosity will help you grow in more ways than you can imagine. This year, to even further foster the value for education in the College, Mrs Evans and I are once again starting up the Curriculum Committee. However, this year we are doing things a bit differently. Each individual year level will have two curriculum representatives. They will essentially act as voices for each year level on the Curriculum Committee. The representatives will work together to establish new ideas, look after and promote the many academic extra-curricular groups we have on offer, raise any concerns, and communicate with each year level. This has been advertised in the notices, and the application period ended as of Monday. So, soon, the Curriculum Committee will be up and running with our successful candidates. Mrs Evans and I are really looking forward to working with this group of girls, and we are excited to see the many great things that will come from the committee. Abby Thomas Curriculum Captain

17 Page 17 Try A Trade Day On International Women s Day, four of our Year 10s attended the Try A Trade Day at Bracken Ridge TAFE. Here they had the opportunity to get hands-on experience in a variety of trades and work with other young women from north Brisbane who share their curiosity about vocational pathways. Trades we tried: Electrical Working on a mock site, students installed GPOs and wired up two-way light fittings. Seeing the lights flicker into life when connected to the low-voltage batteries and switched on was most satisfying. Plumbing This trade has become more accessible to women, thanks to technological improvements such as the use of lighter weight plastic pipes and a crimping tool for fitting copper pipe. Using the metal lathe to deburr and thread the pipe was messy but fun. Carpentry Throughout the day, groups worked together to build a small house frame complete with a hip roof. Using the nail gun was a highlight as it was both exciting and challenging. Painting & Decorating Despite appearing to be easy, this trade requires the mastery of correct technique to ensure a quality finish as well as to avoid tired arms and blistered hands. Overall, our students had a great day getting involved in all the activities on offer and figuring out which trades they do and don t enjoy. Hopefully, there will be another opportunity for a second group to attend later in the year. Emma Maya Design Technology Teacher It was fun! We d recommend it to anyone who enjoys practical subjects. Ella Blazak, Keali Nicholson, Grace O Donnell, and Sophie Wright

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19 Page 19 Pastoral Care Parents Earlier this year I invited parents to take on the role of Pastoral Care Parents for a year level. Many of you would be familiar with this undertaking in primary schools, and it is on this basis that we established our own in The role of Pastoral Care Parents is primarily to: Promote and organise annually off-school social events for the parents of a year level; Acknowledge special moments for families in the year level, such as the birth of a new baby; Coordinate meals or assistance for a family due to illness or other difficult circumstances; Develop a network of parents who can work together to positively support their daughters journey through secondary school. The following parents have generously offered their support and leadership in providing this service to the community. Further information will be available about events and support required through the relevant Facebook pages for each year level. The Facebook page will be listed by year the class is graduating, eg 2021MountAlvernia Graduating Class would signify the current Year 9 cohort. The parents for each year level are as follows: Year 7 Renay Green Emma R8 Year 8 Anita Lamb-Nicholls Rosie G6; Lidia Ranalli Eliana P9 Year 9 Sharon Nicolia Rosie P2; Helena Hardy Lucy G7; Sara Davidson Chloe S1; Caterina Gugliucciello Venezia S9 Year 10 Jo Galvin Sarah P7; Sharyn McManus Olivia B9 Year 11 Jo Galvin Carla P1 Year 12 Jayne Bancroft Olivia BP 6; Ann Guiver Amy R1 We look forward to the opportunities this program has for positive networking and communications for our parents and community. Annette Butterworth Deputy Principal Staff and Students

20 Page 20 From the Careers Program Leader Another fortnight, another Careers update! Melissa Loveday See Careers News for information on the following: Certificates, Diplomas, and Bachelor Degrees How are They Different? Years 11 and 12 Students Wanting to Apply to the Australian Defence Force Academy (ADFA) Join the Australian Air Force Cadets (AAFC) Careers with STEM Tips to Help You Build a Successful Creative Career Twelve Industries to Watch for Future Jobs Work Experience with CSIRO Scientists A Career Path You May Not Know About What is Surveying? Holiday Courses at the Australian Institute of Creative Design (AICD) Massage Courses at Evolve College Opportunities to Learn about Australian Catholic University (ACU) and its Courses Queensland University of Technology (QUT) Notes Updates from the University of Queensland (UQ)

21 Page 21 Parking around the College A reminder to please respect our neighbours when using street parking. There has been a number of instances on bin days (Thursday) when vehicles have been parked in front of residents bins, leading to inconvenience and distress. Thanks for your consideration in this matter. Open from am &10.30am- 3.00pm (3.15pm Wednesday). Staff, parents and friends are very welcome to drop in for coffee $3.50; $3 in own cup. Friday 9 March La Cucina Roster Term 1 Monday 12 March Tuesday 13 March Davina Tudor Wednesday 14 March Renay Green, Julie Wilson Thursday 15 March Leanne Carey, Michelle Sweby Any enquiries: please call Jane or Jo in the College Office

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23 Page March: A Meal for Mongolia We are holding a fund-raising dinner to raise funds to pay for some catering equipment that has been donated to be freighted to the Lotus Children s Centre in Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia. The orphanage houses up to 90 abused and neglected or simply unwanted children in a warm family environment, and as part of the infrastructure is a commercial bakery and kitchen to feed all the children and staff who live there. This catering equipment has been kindly donated by Mrs Margaret Stewart, a well-respected (now retired) caterer in Brisbane, and will assist the Centre with their cooking and baking. You can dine on four courses carefully matched with wine with each course, for $70 per person. Paul Wilderbeek (father of Emily in Year 10), a chef with over 38 years experience in fine dining restaurants, hotels and resorts will be preparing some beautiful cuisine. Space is strictly limited so please book now.