Deputy Head of College News

It’s interesting how an innocuous task placed amid an array of meetings on a seemingly average day can present light-bulb moments. My visit to two English classes this week proved to be unexpectedly enlightening. What was intended to be a little Q & A on the topic of managing and leading within an organisation turned out to be a key point on to reflect on the climate and culture we consciously and unconsciously create and continue to create as a Marist family.

As I concluded outlining the various schools I’ve worked at and the various roles I’ve fulfilled, I was presented with a series of questions. Keenly, I shared some key traits required with being on a leadership team of a school – interpersonal and communication skills, strategic and on-the-spot decision-making, prioritisation of tasks. The list went on. Then the question became a little trickier.

‘Sir. What is your thought process when you’re making tough decisions involving people?’ As my mind considered the various paths of reply I could take, I landed on the concept of The Common Good. Although some might view this as a bit of a “fence-sitter” response, the boys seemed to engage with the concept as I explained, ‘That which is good for the individual in question. That which is good for the person most impacted. That which is good for our school community.’

A tremendous strength of working, learning and living within a faith-based community is the human-centred principles upon which our practices are firmly grounded. The Common Good is a fundamental Catholic Social Teaching which calls us to consider the enabling, the well-being, rights, and opportunities of individuals within a community, as well as those of the collective community. We see this when we intervene when one of our students makes a poor choice which affects another. We take the time to listen to affected parties. We consider the path to the decision. We consider the impact of the decision. We consider how to best care for those affected. We consider appropriate responses to challenge students, enabling them to learn and grow out of making a poor decision. These practices are all to affirm The Common Good.

As I described the above to the Year level class, I notice a few sideway glances and nods of the head. Clearly they had understood. Clearly, they experienced or witnessed The Common Good in action. It’s this approach to enliven “the good” in our Marist Family which drive me as an educator and leader with a school. Although there are often moments when “the good” can be difficult to see or result in a not-so-good outcome for individuals, it’s a fundamental teaching and practice which ensures we keep our focus, decision-making, strategies and processes on that which is important – a “good” education for our young men.

Thank you to those who have been bearing the torch of “good” within our community over the past week. To our Year 5 parents thank you sharing the goodness of story and laughter at last week’s social function. To the members of our Old Boys and P&F committees, thank you for the good care and dedication with considering a path forward for this year. To our House communities, thank you for enlivening in good spirit of this week’s Inter-House Swimming Carnival. To our Library Staff, thank you for celebrating the goodness of Library Lovers’ Day.

Thank you for the good you bring to your son’s life, your household and to our Marist Family.

Uniform Shop Update

The College and Noone continue to work together to manage the uniform supplier transition efficiently and effectively. As Noone transitions from selling existing stock from the previous supplier, to producing Noone branded uniforms, there will be some disruption to specific uniform lines.  

Currently, the Uniform Shop has sold out of some sizes of cricket shirts (S, M, L) and cricket pants (12C, 14, XS, S). The College understands that this will have an impact on some students who are playing cricket this season. If you are unable to acquire the correct size cricket pants or shirt from the Uniform Shop, your son may play in an outdated Marist shirt and non-Marist white cricket pants. If your son does not have an outdated Marist cricket shirt, he may play in a white non-Marist cricket shirt, or failing this, his HPE House shirt. 

For cricket students attending team photographs this weekend, staff will be on hand to assist students who are wearing different uniform items. 

We thank parents and guardians for their patience and understanding. It is likely that we will experience some stock shortages over the course of the rest of the year as we work with Noone’s production team to ensure our uniforms are consistent in design and high in quality. We will keep parents and guardians updated with the latest uniform information via the College Newsletter and College App. 

App Calendar

A reminder to parents and guardians to please refer to the College App Calendar for the most up to date event information. The App Calendar is updated weekly with any changes or additions as they occur. Access is via the Calendar tile on the College App or via the College website via the following link Calendar - Marist College Ashgrove (marash.qld.edu.au).