Head of Students News

Opportunity for Community-Minded Students | 2026 Youth Advisory Group

Applications are now open for the 2026 Cooper Youth Advisory Group. Jonty Bush, Member for Cooper welcomes students to consider sharing in this opportunity.  Applications close on the 14th of June. 

The non-partisan Youth Advisory Group brings together young people from across the electorate to share their perspectives, discuss issues affecting local youth, and contribute ideas that help shape our community. It is a wonderful opportunity for students to build leadership skills, connect with others, and have their voices heard on matters important to them. Students 14 years and over are welcome to apply.

Further information is attached and the application details can be found here.

Free Live Event for Parents: Raising Boys with Dr Justin Coulson

Body: Raising boys today feels more complicated than ever. Between the daily battles over screen time, sudden drops in school motivation, and explosive emotional outbursts, it is easy to feel overwhelmed.

To help our families navigate these challenges, Marist College has secured free access to a live "Ask Me Anything" online session with Dr Justin Coulson on June 16.

Celebrating the launch of his highly anticipated new book, BOYS, Dr Coulson will be answering your most pressing questions about how to deeply connect with your son, manage the ongoing tension around screens, and guide him toward becoming a good, resilient man.

When: Tuesday 16 June 2026 | 7:30 PM - 8:30 PM AEST

Where: Online (Join from the comfort of your living room)

Cost: FREE for Marist families

Click here to register and receive your private event link:

happyfamilies.com.au/schools-ask-me-anything-for-parents

Importance of students taking responsibility and meeting obligations!

Being 100% Marist includes taking responsibility and meeting one’s obligations. This means accepting accountability for behaviour when mistakes are made and completing any sanctions issued when actions fall short of the student code of conduct.

It is disappointing that a number of students are not meeting these expectations and appear to be forgetting that attending Marist College is a privilege, not a right. Basic expectations and responsibilities apply to all students and must be upheld.

As a result, students who fail to attend and complete assigned lunchtime or afternoon detentions will not be permitted to represent Marist College in weekend representative sport and activities. In the rare circumstance where a student is unable to attend, a letter from home must be provided in advance.

Furthermore, students who demonstrate repeated noncompliance in meeting their obligations may be required to remain at home for a period of time. A parent and student re-entry meeting will be required prior to returning to the College.

We thank parents for their continued support in this matter. As a College, we recognise that students will make mistakes. Our priority is to ensure that they learn from these experiences and grow as individuals. Meeting obligations is a key part of this process; failure to do so indicates that this learning is not taking place.

Year 12 Families - An Opportunity to Give the Gift of Life

Dear Parents and Guardians,

At Marist College Ashgrove, we are committed to forming young men who lead with compassion, service, courage, and a deep sense of responsibility to others. As part of this mission, we are offering our Year 12 students the opportunity to learn about stem cell donation and, should they wish, register as potential stem cell donors.

For many individuals living with leukaemia, lymphoma, and other serious blood disorders, a stem cell transplant can be their only chance at life. Yet in Australia, only around 1 per cent of eligible young people aged 17 to 35 are registered as stem cell donors, leaving many families reliant on overseas matches.

This initiative reflects the very values we seek to instil in our students. Service to others can take many forms, and even a small act of generosity has the potential to profoundly change, or even save, a life.

Before any student is invited to register, they will receive clear information about what stem cell donation involves, the registration process, what may occur if they are ever identified as a match, and their right to withdraw at any stage. Participation is entirely voluntary.

Registration itself is simple and involves a short online questionnaire and a painless cheek swab. The likelihood of being identified as a match is approximately 1 in 1,500.

Should a donor ever be identified as a match, in more than 90 per cent of cases, stem cell donation is undertaken through a process like an extended blood donation, where stem cells are collected from the bloodstream over several hours. In fewer than 10 per cent of cases, typically where the recipient is a neonate or young child, a bone marrow collection may be required under anaesthetic.

Importantly, while 17 year olds are eligible to join the donor registry, no donation can take place until they turn 18 years of age. If a student is ever identified as a potential match, they would be approached again as an adult and asked to provide their own informed consent before any next steps are taken.

While parental consent is not required by Stem Cell Donors Australia, we believe it is important that families are fully informed. If you do not wish for your son to participate in this opportunity, please notify the College by Monday 22 June 2026.

Should you have any questions, please visit the Stem Cell Donors Australia website for further information.

As a Marist community, we are proud to encourage opportunities that reflect faith in action, compassion for others, and the courage to make a difference.

Warm regards,Phill HoldingHead of StudentsMarist College Ashgrove