Primary School News

Dear Primary Parents,

Welcome to our final week together for the term. It has certainly been a busy journey for the boys and families as they look forward to a break from the busyness of school over the next two weeks. I attended the Year 5 Parent Social on Friday night and a common theme being discussed was, how much the boys have enjoyed their first term at Marist College, but also, how exhausted many of them are as we begin this final week together. With this in mind, I would like to wish all families a safe, happy and Holy Easter. I hope that you all get an opportunity to stop and spend precious time with loved ones over the course of this special time. I would like to thank all parents for the countless things they have done to help their sons be successful in the Primary School this term. You have all earned a good rest!

What are they watching/playing?

During the upcoming holidays, I hope that all boys spend time reading books, helping around the house and getting outdoors as much as possible. During the break however, there may be boys who spend more time online than when they are at school during the term. It is therefore timely to pose the question to all parents, “Do you know what your son is watching/playing when he is online?

In today’s digital age, video games are a popular pastime for children and young adults alike. While many games can be educational or entertaining, there is a concern about the impact on our younger students of video games rated for older audiences, particularly those rated 17+ (Mature). Here in the Primary School, we believe it’s essential for parents and guardians to be aware of the content their sons are accessing whilst online. The age of our boys mean that they should not be accessing PG, M or R rated apps, games or videos. It would appear that numerous boys are accessing this content whilst at home, and this is concerning. As a community, we must do everything possible to protect our boys from this content and take the necessary steps to ensure that they are accessing age-appropriate content while they are online. It may be an opportune time for parents to speak with their sons about this very important topic?

At Marist College, we believe in nurturing the holistic development of every child, and part of this is ensuring that young boys engage in activities that promote positive growth. While video games can be a fun and engaging pastime, it's important for parents to be mindful of the content their children are exposed to. By setting appropriate boundaries and staying engaged, we can help ensure that our boys have the best chance of having a safe and happy experience when online during the holiday break.

Let’s work together to keep our boys safe, healthy, and well-rounded in this digital world!

Grooming

Term Two will see the boys wearing their Winter uniform to school each day, except Fridays. To assist your son with this change, please work with him to ensure he can tie his tie so that, when he takes it off for practical lessons, he can re-tie it at the conclusion of the lesson. Please note that due to the Parent Teacher Interviews, Primary Cross Country and Lenten Fundraiser Free Dress Day all in Week 1 next term, Monday of Week 2 (April 28th) will be the first opportunity for the Primary boys to wear their Winter uniform.

To assist the return of any lost property next term, please write your son’s name clearly on all items of clothing and equipment that he brings to the college each day. It is a busy term, with a lot of sportswear coming to and from school each day. Labellled items greatly assist the returning of lost property. Also, a reminder that boys are expected to have a haircut when they return that is in keeping with our college regulations.

Cross Country

Please note that the Primary Cross Country Carnival will be held on Wednesday April 23rd on McMahon Oval. All boys are expected to participate, and all boys are to wear their sports uniform to school on this day. Like our recent swimming carnival, this event is all about participation and having fun with your teammates. Please refer to the Primary Sports section of this newsletter for further details.

Lenten Appeal Fundraiser

Our Lenten Appeal Fundraising Day will now be held on Thursday April 24th. The boys are permitted to wear free dress on this day for a $2 donation via their student card. There will be food stalls and games the boys can access to help raise funds for Marist Solidarity.

Lenten Appeal Can Drive

Representatives from our Mission department presented to our boys at our assembly last Thursday morning. Incredibly, this year, our Primary families donated a total of 5744 soft drink cans to be used to raise funds for St. Joseph’s College in the Solomon Islands. This total is approximately 2100 more than last year so a huge thank you to you all for your generosity. Congratulations to the 5 Maroon and 6 Blue classes who brought in the most in their year level. A great effort! We will endeavour to update the boys with some information around the school improvements St. Joseph’s were able to implement due to the boys’ efforts.

Canberra Tour 2026

A reminder that the first payment for the 2026 Canberra tour is payable this week. Communications shared throughout the term have the due date for this first payment falling on Friday April 4th. If you have any queries throughout the week, please contact Primary Reception.

Have a happy Week 10!

Primary Pastoral Leader - Anthony Graham

As we approach the end of a busy and rewarding Term 1, it's a great time to reflect on the many milestones we’ve achieved. A special congratulations to our Year 5 students on completing their first term at Marist College Ashgrove! You have taken on new challenges, embraced new routines, and started forming lifelong friendships. If things haven’t fully clicked into place yet, that’s okay—transitioning to a new school environment takes time. Use the holidays to rest, recharge, and return for Term 2 feeling refreshed and ready to go.

A quick reminder that Term 2 begins in winter uniform, including blazers. Please ensure all uniform items are ready to go before the first day back.

MaristChef 2025 – Calling All Junior Masterchefs!

These holidays, why not put your cooking skills to the test? Whether you're a pancake pro, a BBQ boss, or a dessert designer, MaristChef is your chance to showcase your culinary expertise. Grab an apron, whip up your best dish, and enter for the chance to be crowned our MaristChef champion! To enter, please use the Stile codes below to access your class page and submit your entry. We can’t wait to see what you create!

Wishing all families a safe and enjoyable holiday break. See you in Term 2!

Acting Primary Learning Leader - Catherine Barnett

As the term draws to a close, I want to take a moment to commend our primary boys for their remarkable effort and enthusiasm toward their learning. Over the past ten weeks, it has been wonderful to witness our primary students wholeheartedly engage with new learning opportunities, showing both curiosity and dedication every step of the way. 

Week 10 excursions

This week is another busy week in the curriculum area with our excursions to Parliament House here in Brisbane for the Year 6 boys and the Gold Rush experience for the Year 5’s. These opportunities provide valuable experiences and allow our boys to apply their learning beyond the classroom gaining a deeper appreciation for the subjects they have studied.  

Reminders for the Year 5 excursion

• This Wednesday 2nd April – 5 Maroon, 5 Silver, 5 Violet and 5 White
• This Friday 4th April (last day of Term 1) – 5 Blue, 5 Gold and 5 Red

Meeting at the College bus stop by 7:30am for roll marking. Please DO NOT drop your son at the bus stop, normal drop off locations are recommended so that traffic does not build for the whole of the school community.

Buses will return to school by 3pm and so it is a normal pick up for your son at 3:10pm.

Boys are asked to dress in appropriate costume for life on the goldfields in the 1850s. Some suggestions include baker, constable, sergeant, storekeeper, blacksmith, coach driver, squatter, digger, banker, escaped convict, newspaper editor or government official.

All boys are to bring a 20c coin for an activity at the excursion

Please note that with the rain, it might be muddy and so we recommend wearing an older pair of shoes.

We hope that the boys have a wonderful day at the gold fields!

Term 1 results

Please be reminded to talk to your son about his assessment results and also have a look at the feedback that his teacher has provided. This feedback will help to inform student goals for Term 2 and guide their continued progress. 

Primary Sport - John Lambourne

Marist Primary Colour Cross Country Carnival 

Please be aware that this date has changed. 

All Year 5&6 boys are expected to attend in their College Sports Uniform 

Boys are expected to participate to the best of their ability. 

Parents are welcome to attend. 

If your son will be attending school and is unable to participate due to illness or injury, please notify Primary Reception primaryreception@marash.qld.edu.au. 

All other absences are to be logged on the Parent Portal following normal procedures. 

Hats, sunscreen and water bottles are extremely important, teachers will have sunscreen available for boys to reapply, and the boys are expected to take responsibility to ensure they stay sun safe and hydrated. 

All events will start and finish on McMahon Oval, in front of the John Eales Grandstand. 

Cross Country Age Championship Nomination 

Boys wishing to compete in the Age Championship events will compete in their age division; 10 Years (born 2015), 11 Years (born 2014) and 12 Years (born 2013). 

Age Championship events are used as qualification events for selection to attend North West District Cross Country. 

Cross Country Age Championship Nomination 

Achievements 

Congratulations to Daniel Sadimenko (6R) who has been selected in the Queensland Swimming Team to swim at the Australian School Sport Swimming Championships to be held in Ballarat, Victoria, 25 - 29 October. Daniel has qualified in both the 200m Freestyle and 100m Backstroke after finishing in third place in both events at the recent Queensland School Sport Swimming State Championships. 

Congratulations also to Ross Murie (6M) and Finn Sheehan (5W) who also represented Marist College at the Queensland School Sport Swimming State Championships. 

Congratulations to the following students who have been selected to represent Marist College at the Met North Regional Rugby League Trials; George Thomas (10-11 Years) and Will Carr (6W), Gus Graham (6B), Angus Hutchinson (6M), Mason Loli (6R) Noah Newman (6G) and Will Smith (6S) (11-12 Years). 

Congratulations to the following students who have been selected to represent Marist College at the Met North Regional AFL Trials (10-12 Years),  

Levi Doyle (6S), Alex Dunbar (5M), Will Jackson (6G), Harry Kirkman (6G), Jack Rayner (6B),  

Charlie Taylor (6W) and Jack Wurf (5S). 

The Armidale School Rugby Carnival 

Friday 11 – Sunday 13 April 

The Armidale School Rugby Carnival is the largest junior rugby carnival held in Australia, attracting young rugby enthusiasts and their coaches, along with committed families and supporters from all over the country. 

This is a wonderful opportunity for Marist Rugby players to experience a regional tour playing five competitive games, pooled against teams of matching standards, from across Australia.  

Congratulations to the following boys selected to represent Marist College at TASRC. 

Term 2 AIC Sport 

Rugby 

Marist Primary Rugby Trial Schedule 2025 – Week 10 

Football 

Marist Primary Football Trail Schedule 2025 – Week 10 

Sports Photographs 

We are always on the look-out for photos and action shots to be used for the Blue & Gold, other College publications, season or end-of-year wrap-ups etc. Please follow this link and add your photos.  

Marist College Ashgrove Primary Sports Photos 

College App 

Please ensure that you download the College App to your smart phone. This app will be used weekly to inform you of sporting fixtures, cancellations and bus arrival information. 

Late Pick Up After Sports Training 

“PLAN B” 

It is important that both parent and student are aware of the pick-up procedure if afternoon sports training is cancelled or if parents are running late for pick-up. As soon as a decision is made to cancel a sporting fixture or training, a message is placed on the College app. If training is cancelled, boys can remain in the primary school or walk to an arranged pick-up point when the time arrives. 

Afternoon sports training sessions are scheduled to finish by 4:45pm. We ask that boys are picked up at this time. Any boy who is still at their training venue at 5pm will be directed to the After Hours Boarding Reception area / College Health Centre so that he may be collected from there. After Hours Boarding Reception can be contacted on 07 3858 4619. 

In the case of bus arrivals from external sporting venues, boys will be sent to After Hours Boarding Reception 15 minutes after the bus arrives back at the College. Parents are asked to collect their sons from this location.