From the Head of College

With Heart

I trust that the first two weeks of Term 2 have started well for all boys at Marist, and I thank our Acting Head of College, Mr Charles Brauer, and Acting Deputy Head of College, Jennifer Smeed, for their leadership in my absence while on Pilgrimage to the Holy Land, Rome, and Champagnat country in Southern France. Term 2 is a very busy one with much important teaching and assessment, winter sports, spiritual and cultural learnings, extra-curricular, and friendships to be enhanced. Best wishes and prayers to all boys and families. 

Whilst away, it was very interesting to learn much more about the founder of the Marists – St Marcellin Champagnat. Br Michael Green fms presented talks and conducted a tour covering the life and times of St Marcellin Champagnat. St Marcellin Champagnat, together with a committed group of priests, sisters, and laypeople, ascended to Fourvière Hill, Lyon, to make a commitment to the work of Mary at the basilica dedicated to Mary, the Mother of God. This committed group believed that their role was to bring the good news of Christ's life to birth as Mary did. Champagnat was very much on about making the Jesus story alive through re-telling and teaching the life of Jesus as explained through the Gospels. 

Interestingly, his time of existence included the French Revolution, where religion went through persecution and opposition, yet Champagnat strongly believed in love as a way of bringing unity and people back to life in the church. His writings were sincere and heartfelt, including the words – "You must love all students and love them equally" and "I can't meet a child without telling them that God loves them." Yet, in his compassion and care, Champagnat was a man of high principles and expectations, dedication, and hard work. As for his undertakings, well, he placed these always in the sacred hearts of Jesus and Mary, believing that if his work was to be successful, then it was God's work that was successful and vice-versa if unsuccessful. 

God of the journey, like Champagnat and in Mary's example, may we bring the Jesus story to life with heart at Marist. Amen.

Careers EXPO

Careers Week will be celebrated at Marist College Ashgrove from Thursday 4 May – Thursday 11 May. During this week, on Tuesday 9 May from 3:30pm, Marist College Ashgrove hosts its annual Careers EXPO outside the Champagnat Centre. This evening will provide students with an opportunity to meet with a variety of industries, vocational providers, tertiary and university institutions, accommodation providers, and plan for various post-school pathways. My thanks are extended to Tara Franklin, Elizabeth Kenny, Enrico Le Mura, Beth Muller, Brendan Jansons, our Services Staff, our Catering Staff, Gary Keown, Robyn Gooley, the Senior Hospitality Students, and the Marist College Ashgrove Old Boys’ Association for organizing and facilitating this event for all boys and students from the local area.

Year 12 Unit 3 Reports

This Friday, 5 May, the Year 12 reports will be released. These reports see the culmination of the Year 12 boys' Unit 3 pieces of summative assessment. The marks that are published on these reports are provisional until officially confirmed by QCAA. I trust that all parents will have lively and in-depth conversations with their son following the issuing of these reports. An email will be sent to parents when these reports are live on the parent portal for viewing. Subsequently, the Year 12 Academic Interviews will be held from Monday 23 May. All parents will be invited to discuss their son's progress thus far and suggested goals and recommendations for improvement moving forward. Details on these interviews will be emailed to parents in the coming weeks. A reminder also that every Wednesday evening, 5:00pm-8:00pm during term time, Year 12 students can collaborate with their peers during night study sessions in the Senior Library at the college.

Improve your Academic Results

All students are invited to a series of academic lectures with the aim of improving their overall results. These will be held in the Senior Library every Tuesday and Thursday morning from 7:45m. I thank our Library staff for organising and facilitating these presentations, namely: Mary Stirling, Lena Crowley and Jo Howe. The program schedule is as follows: Organisation (Week 2), Homework vs Home study (Week 3), Prioritising Your Workload (Week 4), Active vs Passive Study (Week 5), Avoiding Procrastination (Week 6), Using Cornell Notetaking (Week 7) and Preparing for Exams (Week 8). I strongly encourage boys to attend and so be proactive with their skill development for learning.

Year 10 Dancing

We are pleased to invite the girls from Loreto College, Coorparoo and Mt St Michael’s College, Ashgrove to our Year 10 Traditional Dancing lessons. Tuesday 9 May at 7:30pm in the Champagnat Centre is lesson 2. The Year 10 boys will host the girls for a number of lessons culminating with a final formal dance at the Brisbane Town Hall on Tuesday 23 May. I wish the boys much enjoyment as they welcome and learn these dances with the girls and look forward to our final formal dance together. My thanks are extended to our teacher organisers and supervisors - Anntoinette Restell, Jasmine Wilton, Christine Larsen, Julia Wilken, Mena McLean, Rowan Dekkers, Caroline Smith, Jo Garbellini and Leisa Williams and organisers – Lucy Naughton, Andrew Butt and Dance Buzz, the company providing the lessons. Enjoy gentlemen.

Marist College Ashgrove Bullying Policy

Marist College Ashgrove says no to bullying. 

Bullying can take many forms including: 

• Physical bullying which involves physical actions such as hitting, pushing, obstructing or being used to hurt or intimidate someone. Damaging, stealing or hiding personal belongings is also a form of physical bullying. 
• Psychological bullying is when words or actions are used to cause psychological harm. Examples of psychological bullying include name-calling, teasing or making fun of someone because of their actions, appearance, physical characteristics or cultural background.
• Indirect bullying is when deliberate acts of exclusion or the spreading of untrue stories are used to hurt or intimidate someone. 
• Cyberbullying is the ongoing abuse of power to threaten or harm another person using technology. Cyberbullying can occur in chat rooms, on social networking sites, through emails or on mobile phones. 

The College Bullying Policy clearly states that if a student is being bullied, they need to report the bullying to a teacher or leadership team member. On reporting, the member of staff will then follow a rigorous procedure to ensure that the bullying ceases.  Some students are concerned about reporting bullying due to being called names such as a “snitch”.  The bullying policy clearly states that any student who retaliates against another boy for reporting bullying is acting as a bully and consequences will follow.  In other words, boys are protected once they report bullying. 

Information on Bullying Flyer

For more information on our bullying policy please refer to the General Policy Page on our website. 

House Cross Country Championships

Tomorrow, Wednesday 3 May, Marist will be holding its annual House Cross Country Championships. This is an invitation event within houses. This is a lead-up event towards the AIC Cross Country Championships on Wednesday 31 May. The boys continue their training each morning for this event. I thank our Cross Country Coaches who continue to prepare our boys, namely: Mitch Reid and Shane Ward. Good luck gentlemen. 

May our loving God with Mary our good mother and St Marcellin Champagnat walk with all members of the Marist College Ashgrove Family.

Anzac Day March and Ceremony

Upcoming Events

Tuesday 2 May

• Term 3 Sports Sign Up Opens
• Study Hall – Senior Library
• Senior Library - Academic Lecture
• Reconciliation – Chapel (Fr Alatini Kolofo’ou)
• House Meetings Years 5-12
• Year 9 and 11 Year Level Assemblies
• Year 6 BBQ
• Vinnies Meeting
• Lunchtime Concert – Jazz Day Celebration – Draney Foyer
• College Assembly
• Year 10 Dancing Lesson
• Old Boys’ Association Meeting

Wednesday 3 May

• House Cross Country Championships
• Mass in Chapel – all welcome
• GreenAsh
• Lunchtime Concert – Jazz Day Celebration – Draney Foyer

Thursday 4 May

• Careers Week - starts
• Senior Library - Academic Lecture
• GreenAsh
• SVdP Sausage Sizzle – Main Yard
• Study Hall – Senior Library
• Primary Morning Assembly
• Year 8, 10 and 11 Game Changers Meeting

Friday 5 May

• Co-curricular Photos- Boarding - Gym
• Year 12 Unit 3 Reports Released
• Round 2 Chess v Padua (A)

Saturday 6 May

• Round 2 Football v Padua (A)
• Round 2 Rugby Union v Padua (A)

Sunday 7 May

• Head of College Tour
• Boarders’ Mass (Chapel) - 6:00pm

Monday 8 May

• Pastoral Group/Portrait Photos - Champagnat Centre
• Careers Week - continues
• Humanities and Language Week - starts
• Year 10 Geography Excursion
• Primary Morning Assembly
• Student Leader Forum Meeting
• P&F Meeting

Tuesday 9 May

• Reconciliation – Chapel (Fr Alatini Kolofo’ou)
• Study Hall – Senior Library
• Senior Library - Academic Lecture
• House Meetings Years 5-12
• Theatre Sports Round 1
• Vinnies Meeting
• Careers Expo – Yard and CLE Undercroft
• Year 10 Dancing Lesson – Champagnat Centre