From the Head of College

Mr Michael Newman

Educating the Mind, the Heart, and the Hands

On Saturday evening, Marist College Ashgrove hosted the annual Marist Schools Australia Mass, Dinner, and Awards Ceremony. Eighteen Marist schools throughout Queensland and Northern Territory were represented for the occasion. The ceremony formed the mid-way point of a two-day leadership forum for the student leaders, staff and Principals from each of the Marist schools.

At the Awards Ceremony, we recognised wonderful contributors to Marist education, including Dr Kevin Treston (teacher, author, and consultant) and Dr Pam Betts (Executive Director, Brisbane Catholic Education). Specifically, to Marist College Ashgrove, we celebrated and thanked Mr Paul Mitchell for his 48 years of teaching and service to Catholic Education and more specifically, various Marist ministries. Paul has recently retired as the Head of Religious Education at the College. Earlier this year, at the retreat, Paul explained that this would be his final Year 12 retreat, due to his upcoming retirement. Paul has been admirably involved in retreats annually for his whole career, for some 48 years. The boys were impressed and instinctively responded warmly and respectfully with a grateful rousing round of applause.

It was later in conversation that we discussed the significance of this contribution. We both agreed that Year 12 retreats are always so successful. Boys love them! For many boys, the Year 12 retreat is the pinnacle of their schooling. Interestingly, the contents of the retreats are countercultural to the world in which we live – i.e. slowing down, being reflective, praying, reconciling, celebrating liturgy, sharing friendships and sacred stories together, poignantly reflecting on scripture, all with no social media or other distractions.

So why do these retreats work?

On 22 May 2021, Pope Francis met staff and students of Ambrosoli Institute of Codogno, Italy, where he pointed out that schools must interact with the “head, the heart and the hands: a circle that must always be kept open and dynamic.” He pointed out that young people have a strength and desire, which when stimulated and accompanied with wisdom and passion by adults, bears surprising fruits. Year 12 retreats do just that, educate the mind, heart and hands of our young people.

In the latest October edition of the Lavalla magazine, Eamonn Pollard speaks of the need for our schools to enable students the opportunity to develop the spirit of the head, heart and hands. The head being the theological education, the heart being the ability to pray and experience spiritual nourishment and the hands being the practical service element where we become guest to those in need. Eamonn frames this argument in the reality of the ever growing and disturbing rates of anxiety and depression facing young people. He believes that this can only be countered through experiencing meaning in life and a sense of love and relationship.

So what is our learning?

Marist education has facilitated formal Year 12 retreats in schools since the 1970s. These have continued to remain relevant to this day with the same basic format and even specific sessions remaining identical to yesteryear. Yes, they work! As members of the Marist College Family, we too can take a leaf from these time-honoured retreats and be transformed through the education of our minds, our hearts and our hands.

God of the journey, may all members of the Marist College Family find meaning by giving time to our education in theology, prayer and reflection and genuine encounter with the least fortunate. Amen.

I remind all parents and families, of the need to read the College newsletter each week to be fully informed and to enable the best possible outcomes for your son. As stated at the commencement of my time at the College, the best source of information regarding life at the College, is the College newsletter. You will remember from Term 1, due to feedback from parents concerned about communication ineptness and expanse thereof, our response has been to increase the newsletter publications from fortnightly to weekly to enable the best and most up-to-date news on the College, upcoming events and relevant information that each parent requires.

Along with this, the newsletter is now a one-stop-shop for all areas of the College – Head of College, Deputy Head of College, welfare, curriculum, music and visual arts, sport, boarding, primary, spiritual, and other relevant news. All other forms of social media, emails and written publications are communication for occasional news and reminders. May I suggest that in reading the newsletter, if time is of the essence, begin with the Head of College and Deputy Head of College news and then progress to the areas of the newsletter in which your son is directly involved. In reading the newsletter, you will find, as parents, that you will have the information you require. The newsletter will also contain many photos for your enjoyment. In anticipation of our continued positive partnership, thank you.

College Committee Dinner and Speeches

Next Tuesday 9 November, the various College Committee groups will be meeting over a meal to discuss their progress, achievements, and directions for the future. Our major external bodies include the College Advisory Council, College Finance Committee, Champagnat Trust Foundation Board, Marist Schools Australia Regional Council, Parents and Friends Association, Family Collective, Old Boys’ Association, Boarding Parent Network and Champagnat Trust Sport’s Luncheon Committee. I very much appreciate taking advice and working in partnership with these key stakeholder groups as they contribute valuable expertise to the College undertakings. The evening will be chaired by Mr Chris Shay – Chair of the Family Collective Committee. Marist College Ashgrove is very fortunate to have such generous and esteemed contributors. I am certainly proud to work in partnership with them, for the best possible outcomes for the boys, using the College Strategic Plan as our chief endeavour.

Senior Studies Progress

We continue to give our support and prayers to our Year 12 boys who are participating in their external ATAR examinations over the next few weeks. Meanwhile, the Year 11 boys are undertaking their academic interviews with their parents. These interviews are a progress report and provide an estimation of their up to date ATAR tracking as they begin their Year 12 summative assessments. I thank our Head of Senior School Curriculum, Ms Jennifer Smeed, for leading this important process for our Year 11 boys.

Years 5-11 Prize-Giving Night

Congratulations to the students who were recognised for their outstanding achievements and contributions in the areas of academic, culture, sport, boarding, mission and character for 2021. Held last Wednesday in the Champagnat Centre, the evening included a most positive night of deserved recognition, with sprinklings of prayer and reflection, and entertainment in the form of music and drama. I thank the Deputy Head of College, Mr Bruce McPhee and his Personal Assistant, Ms Madeleine Tong, along with many staff contributors for making this evening possible for the boys. All award winners have been listed in the Blue and Gold magazine, set for distribution later this month. Congratulations, gentlemen.

Year 5 Leadership Afternoon

Best wishes to our Year 5 boys who are developing their skills and confidence as they prepare to lead the Primary School in 2022. On Wednesday afternoon last week, I witnessed the boys hard at work with their teachers exploring the theme of leadership and the skills required to lead the Primary School. I wish all boys our best wishes and support for the future. Thank you to their generous teachers who led this leadership forum, namely, Liam Beatty (Head of Primary), Michael Connolly (Pastoral Leader Years 5-6), Mena McLean (Campus Minister), Matthew Jones and Zach Woodward.

Outdoor Education Camp

The Year 10 Certificate II Outdoor Education Camp will be held from Monday 8 November to Friday 12 November. This camp will be based at Habitat Noosa and forms part of the boys’ final assessment for their Certificate II in Outdoor Recreation. The boys participate in mountain biking, surfing, and stand-up paddle boarding, and learn about the safety requirements, maintenance of equipment and the outdoor recreation industry. I thank our generous staff who will be accompanying and leading the boys at this camp: Shane Ward, Ben Maddox, Chris Ash, Brad Winchester, Andrew King, Brendan Kiernan, Tim Sedgwick, Paul Knight, Jamie Morgan, Marcus Schrader and Bryan Rademeyer

2022 Next Step Survey

The Queensland Government will conduct its annual statewide survey of Year 12 graduates again in 2022. The Next Step Survey is a brief, confidential survey that gains a comprehensive picture of the employment, study and life choices made by Queensland school students in the year after they finish Year 12. Between March and June next year, our current Year 12 students will receive a letter from the Minister for Education or an email or phone call from the Queensland Government Statistician’s Office inviting them to complete the survey. To enable the Queensland Government representatives to reach your son, please ensure their contact details are correct in your son’s learning account, by logging into the student portal at https://myqce.qcaa.qld.edu.au/ . Further information on Next Step and results from previous surveys are available online at www.qld.gov.au/nextstep .

Dino's Dream

Dino Lopes is the son of a single Mother from a remote village in East Timor. After graduation, Dino is hoping to complete an Associate Degree in Engineering at TAFE, but does not qualify for HECS as he is not a permanent resident.

As a graduating gift to Dino Lopes, the College, College Old Boys Association, College P&F Association and Foundation Board invite you to contribute to Dino’s Dream via donation into the below bank account. Thank you in advance for your generous support.

Account Name: MCA OBA DINO

Bank: ANZ BANK

BSB: 014-245

Account Number: 430-731-161

Marist Long Lunch

I am excited to announce the Inaugural Marist Long Lunch to be held on Saturday 3 September 2022 on McMahon Oval.

This premier community event hosted by Marist College Ashgrove to support the College Capital Program, will bring together current parents, past students and partnering organisations for an afternoon of spring festivities.

More details to follow, please save the date.

For all event enquiries please contact events@marash.qld.edu.au.

Marist College Ashgrove Sustainability Footprint

I am pleased to inform you all of the wonderful contribution Marist College Ashgrove has made to the sustainability and care of our environment over the past six years. The College has spent the best part of one million dollars over this time on environmental initiatives. This has included: solar panels, LED lighting, waste management, water sustainability, comfort control systems and the management of power through the installation of power factor correction units. I attach the following video which explains the Marist College Ashgrove Sustainability Footprint in detail. Well done Marist!