75 years shaping young minds
ALVERNIA PREPARATORY School, nestled in the quiet triangle between Old Hope Road and Tom Redcam Avenue, with entrances at 16 Old Hope Road and Tom Redcam Avenue was started 75 years ago (January 1941) by the Franciscan Sisters of Allegany, New York. They had a vision and brought it to life with 50 students and two teachers on the property that became known as Alvernia, formerly called Morenga Park, later becoming more familiarly known as ‘Nuns Pen’.
The 25-acre property was a donation to the Sisters by Henry D’Aquin, a rich French man. It was originally meant to be the dowry for his two daughters who decided against marriage and instead entered the convent.
The name Alvernia was adopted from Mount La Verna, a mountain in Italy where St Francis of Assisi, our patron saint, as well as the patron saint of the Sisters, who are a vital part of our history, would go to contemplate the beauty of God’s creation and to pray. Prayer remains a vital and integral part of our daily activities.
The Franciscan vision, which was to educate students in all aspects of life, has been kept alive since 1941. The institution has grown from the tworoom board structure to a two-storey concrete structure comprising wellventilated and spacious classrooms.
Guided by the principles, policies and values of our founders – the Franciscan Sisters of Allegany – guidelines from the Archdiocesan Education Board and the Ministry of Education’s policies, a wholistic approach is used in nurturing and enriching the lives of the students entrusted to our care. Here we endeavour to develop rounded individuals with respect for God and all of creation who will become positive nation builders. We seek to build a community guided by Fransciscan values based on the gospel, which fosters and sustains a culture of excellence as a way of life.
Our involvement in various events over the years such as the Jamaica Independent Schools’ Association (JISA) Sports, JCDC Festival Competitions, debate competitions, reading competitions, chess competitions, the Kingston and St Andrew Parish Library Reading Competition (to name a few) has served to broaden and enrich the experiences of our students for the benefit of mankind.
Donations to Father Ho Lung’s (a past student) organisation, MOP brothers, the Bustamante Hospital for Children, Mustard Seed Community, the Jamaica Cancer Society, the Heart Foundation of Jamaica, and others speaks to one of the core values of our mission statement promoted in our school. This value, ‘understanding’, is exemplified in our passion for the young and sick.
Our motto, ‘Our Gifts Are Varied But The Spirit Is The Same’, speaks to the importance of each child being treated as the individual he or she is while being part of a whole-group experience. Through God’s continued guidance and grace, we will continue to heed the words of Arthur Ashe, which state,”From what we get, we can make a living; what we give, however, makes a life.”
Strength and a bright hope for the many tomorrows is envisaged with God as our guide. As the Alvernia flag continues to fly high in the winds of time, we will continue to cultivate and nurture an attitude of excellence for our students, parents, and the broader community, with the Franciscan Sisters by our side.