Deputy Head of College News

To 'Scrooge' or not to 'Scrooge'?

I hadn't expected January to come and go with the resonance of a Christmas Carol still ringing in my head. Not the usual Carol but that novella by Charles Dickens, written almost two centuries ago which contains a truth remains as relevant as ever before. The truth of 'Scrooge'.

Whilst some of us may not have read Dicken's 'A Christmas Carol' (until recently!), we know and understand the label of being a 'Scrooge' - being grumpy, cynical, constrained, restraining, void of joy, void of hope. It's this 'Scrooge' character in 'A Christmas Carol' which Dicken's uses to illustrate the extraordinary impact we can have on others. Additionally, and most significantly, the story and Scrooge character is a metaphor for the possibility of transformation which resides in each of us wherever we are on the Scrooge-scale.

At times our humanity will pull us towards the negative end of the Scrooge- scale. As a teacher, our students are always drawn the other end of the Scrooge-scale - the positive end. The end where joy, hope and encouragement reside. Sometimes we need some help shifting away from the negative and towards the positive end of this Scrooge-scale. Sometimes we need a nudge, sometimes we need a good kick in the pants and sometimes we need the life scared out of us! It's the Ghosts of Christmas which does just this to our grumpy friend Scrooge.

The best moment in the story of Scrooge which remains with me into our second week of the school year is the transformation experienced by Scrooge when the Ghost confronts him with heartwarming scenes from his childhood. Scrooge didn’t reject or deny this confrontation, rather he came to life. This angry, lonely, aging man was transformed. His whole being lifted as he recounted fond childhood memories which the Ghost presented him. The sights, the smells and the feelings of these scenes evoked within him a natural, innocent and contagious joy. What a wonderful lesson in the first chapter of the book. Even our lowest, dullest and hopeless self can be reignited towards joy which can then be shared with others.

As we encounter each other as Marist Family for perhaps the first time, last time or somewhere in between, we have endless opportunities to be a 'Scrooge' for one another. As Dicken's reminds us, the most life-giving 'Scrooge' is the one of hope, love and joy. Wherever we find ourselves with these gifts, they reside within each of us. Ready to be reignited and shared with each other.

Our work and efforts are centred on availing the best possible education for our students, and like any great education, it is inspired by the content of our character not the content of our subject matter. May we be 'Ghosts' to one another, scaring and daring us towards a hope-filling and joy-filling character for each other and our students.

Parent Orbit App

In the second half of 2024 the College launched the new Parent Orbit mobile app. Parent Orbit is designed to keep parents informed and connected with our College community.

As the 2025 school year commences, we ask all parents and caregivers to download the app as to ensure you are provided with update information and the ability to receive notifications and manage school-related tasks.

How to Get Started:

1. Download the App: Download the Parent Orbit app via your app store or visit https://parentorbit.page.link/marash. Click on the install button.

After the app is installed select Marist College Ashgrove and enter our school code.

Our School Code is: marash

2.  Log In: Use your existing Parent Lounge log in credentials to log in and start using the app.

3. How to use Parent Orbit: How to guide on parent orbit can be viewed via https://youtu.be/1Py1kJUCgs0

Should you require any assistance to access or login to the Parent Orbit app OR Parent Lounge please contact computerservie@marash.qld.edu.au.

Be sure to access this brief video which provides a succinct overview of the Orbit app.

Safe Travel and Parking

With the return of student travel to and from school and the concentration of sport training occurring before and after school, it is imperative each of us meet our responsibilities with respect to safe driving and car parking. Please ensure you follow all signed parking instructions. By way of example, parking over yellow lines along the Glenlyon Road exit to the College causes much congestion and is unsafe for our students, neighbours and other drivers. Each afternoon Frasers Road sees a number of buses, cars and student pedestrians from both Marist and surrounding schools. Your support with and driving through this area at this time with an extra level of awareness and care will greatly assist in a safe passage home for all.

In further support of safe and active travel arrangements in our local area the Oakleigh State School community has led the way with advocating for a Frasers Road Supervised Children's Crossing. Their work has paid dividends! The rollout of a supervised children's crossing of Frasers Road begins this coming Tuesday 28 January. It is kindly requested both pedestrians and motorists be aware of the new facility and assist by modelling appropriate behaviour to our children.

Traffic guards will operate the crossing each Qld public school day:

AM Shift 7:50am – 8:50am

PM Shift 3:00pm – 3:30pm

Due to placement of the crossing at the existing traffic refuge, we forecast increased (unsupervised) pedestrian crossings of Mirrabooka Street (at the Frasers Road intersection). Please be mindful of obscured sight lines due to café crowds/seating.

How Can I Help or Get Involved?

Many of our parents are keen to help in some way to contribute to the Marist community that we are so well known for. Two ways to do this are through volunteering in the College Tuckshop during the day, or through the Sports Canteens on the weekend.

If you would like to volunteer in the Tuckshop during the day, please click on the relevant link below. Our Tuckshop convenor Josie Loucas will take your details and be only too happy to welcome you into the Tuckshop volunteer family. If you are too nervous to volunteer on your own, there is always the possibility of signing up with a friend. Just let Josie know if you want to be there at the same time as a buddy and I know she will help you out. We have parents who leave at the end of their son’s schooling journey commenting on how much they loved their regular (weekly, fortnightly or even term-by-term) Tuckshop catch-up with friends over the years.

Term 1: https://signup.com/go/RSCBVBE

Term 2: https://signup.com/go/hizeWrf

Term 3: https://signup.com/go/EXhCjFL

Term 4: https://signup.com/go/thMtWyL

For Sports Canteen volunteers, please keep an eye out on the App for calls to sign up. Remember – if you feel more comfortable with a friend, please rope them in and take them along. The more the merrier!