From the Senior Years
Welcome to the academic year of 2025 to all Senior students, parents, carers and families. This year’s College theme from Sister of Mercy Catherine McAuley – “Never be afraid of the unknown” – reminds students that each fresh start is an opportunity to embrace grow, explore new possibilities and to shape their future with courage and daring. New beginnings is not simply starting over; it draws on students’ sense of hope, their curiosity and their desire for how they would like to shape their future. Senior years are a time to dream and to dare. To evolve, to refine and to focus on future pathways and transitions – be that from Year 10 into VCE or in Year 12 and the transition to future study, training or career pathways.
In returning, College Co-captains Olivia Mosticone and Sedora Tadele addressed their peers and spoke to their hopes and optimism for the coming year.
Throughout the year, we hope that the cohort as a collective will continue to strive within their academic endeavours. We should all focus on building a positive mindset surrounding our VCE studies as the workload demand increases, not just looking at the final result. We must also hope to retain our friendships and co-curricular activities to provide us with stability and enthusiasm during this “unknown” adventure of year 12.
We must also not forget the exciting events that we have all been looking forward to, such as our formal, retreat, athletics day and St Aloysius day. These are the bittersweet moments where we come together to celebrate our achievements and establish long lasting memories. We will also face adverse challenges, but it is those moments that we can grow the most-individually and as a year level.
Additionally, we want to create memories that will last long after we leave school, whether it's through exciting events, personal milestones and friendships.
This year brings a range of new initiatives, programs and research-informed strategies in the classroom. In 2025, the new Wellbeing initiative of the College centres on the idea of ‘visible wellbeing’ and the research of Dr Lisa Waters OAM that will be implemented in collaboration with Dr Waters’ research to review, refine, innovate and invest in student wellbeing over a period of 18 months.
As part of this process, the Senior wellbeing program centres on a key wellbeing synonym: THRIVE. The THRIVE program is underpinned by the Mercy values, identity and community, and focuses on preparing Senior years students for the key Transition to young adulthood that occurs in the Senior years. Students are supported to develop their capacity to Handle stress and challenge, Reflect on their learning and wellbeing, support and facilitate their Independence as learners and Empower students to create their vision for the future in their Senior years.
As part of supporting students to dare and embrace challenge, the STRIVE program – a new initiative in 2024 – has been developed and offers a ‘challenge by choice’ approach for students across a diverse range of interest areas, physical and mental challenges including rock climbing, critical thinking through the State Library of Victoria and the National Gallery of Victoria and through collaborative problem solving in the highly popular and fun escape rooms. These experiences bring joy, excitement, challenge and team work as well as informal settings for students to form bonds with their pastoral class and their Pastoral leaders.
With hope as the guiding light that helps us navigate through uncertainty, I know that all in our community will meet the year ahead with the belief that good things lie ahead, and will open themselves to new experiences and allow ourselves to grow.
Ad Altiora
Tom Crowle
Senior Years Leader