Boarding News

As this is my last newsletter for the term, I'd like to thank and farewell two staff members who have made significant contributions to the lives of many boarders at Marist College Ashgrove.

Peter McIntosh will be moving on to another opportunity at the end of this term after 17 years at Marist. Peter is currently the Senior Supervisor in Br Terence Residence, and he has also spent many years working in La Valla Residence and Hermitage Residence. His approachability, dedication, and care would be acknowledged by many past and current boarders. Peter has also added a great deal as a teacher of Construction and Engineering, inspiring many Marist boys who were drawn to these practical subjects. Peter is a very experienced rugby coach and has always been willing to help with the provision of co-curricular activities to enhance the experience for the boys. Thanks, Peter, for your many years of service to the boys, and especially the boarders at Marist College Ashgrove.

Sister Liz Dangerfield is retiring this week after giving 17 years of dedicated service as a nurse at Marist College Ashgrove. Sr Liz has cared for our boarders as if they were her own. Her unwavering commitment to the boys and the staff of Marist College Ashgrove will be greatly missed. Sr Liz has coached Marist sporting teams, has been actively involved in the Sony Foundation Children's Holiday Camp, and has also provided first aid at Marist sporting fixtures throughout her time. We will miss her thorough approach and genuine care for the boarders. We wish Sr Liz well and thank her wholeheartedly for the significant contribution she has made over such a long period of time.

A few reminders as we near the end of term: 

• Please make sure that your son's end-of-term departure details have been entered through the REACH system. 
• Please contact Boarding Reception urgently if your son needs assistance with an airport/bus station transfer or if you'd like him to travel on the boarder bus home (which travels to Plainlands, Toowoomba, Dalby, Moonie and Goondiwindi).
• Boarders will be able to stay in one of the Residences if they are participating in the Rugby Camp on Sunday 16 April. Boarders can stay overnight on Saturday 15 and/or Sunday 16 April. The Director of Rugby, Richard Graham, will be providing more information on this.
• All boys are expected to be in winter uniform from Day 1 next term. Please check with the Uniform Shop if your son needs any uniform items. They are open Wednesday and Friday this week (7:30am to 4:00pm).
• There is a very special function for all boarders and families on Saturday 10 June. The inaugural Boarding Family Day was a great success last year (despite the torrential rain), and we look forward to making this even more special in 2023.

I wish all Marist families a wonderful holiday period with your son and all the blessings of Easter.

Sunday Night Mass

Boarding Recreation - Mr Blair Whitlock

The term has certainly flown by, and we kicked off the final weekend of rec with a trip down to Suncorp for the Broncos vs Dolphins match. Our attendance numbers have been brilliant for rec, and we were able to secure seats for 54 boys behind the posts at a packed-out Suncorp. Our group was a fairly even split of Broncos and Dolphins fans, so there was plenty of banter flying around throughout the game. In a rollercoaster match, the Broncos managed to eke out an 18-12 win sealed by a length-of-the-field try from Kotoni Staggs that sent the stadium into raptures. It was a great experience for the boys, seeing the beginning of a new rivalry, and many of the boys have 'bagged' a ticket for the first game in Term 2 against the Rabbitohs!

Saturday saw the start of Term 2 sport, with most boys playing internal football and rugby trials before the 10As and 1st XV took on the Sunshine Coast Grammar union sides. There's a strong boarding representation in the 1st XV side once again, and the boys always enjoy cheering their boarding brothers on from the Hive. On Saturday night, we headed over to Boondall for our traditional end-of-term Ice Skating trip. The boys were sliding all over the shop as apparently, the ice was "slipperier" than usual! It's a great way to round out the term, and the boys enjoyed catching up with some friends from Clayfield, Stuartholme, Somerville and St Margarets.

On Sunday, we loaded up a bus and headed to Mooloolaba. It was a cracking day for a beach trip, and the boys had a great time in the waves. It's always a quiet evening after a beach trip, and there were plenty of boys asleep on the bus ride back to Ashgrove. Another great weekend and term in the books!