Learning and Teaching News

Year 12 Unit 3 Optimus Awards 

Last week at the college assembly, we celebrated the 2025 Year 12 Unit 3 Optimus award recipients. This year 116 students received a Gold, Silver or Bronze Optimus Award, the second highest number of awards in a single unit ever given out at the college. With almost half the cohort receiving these academic excellence awards, it was a wonderful milestone to celebrate with the whole community. 

Bronze Optimus Awards

Bronze Optimus Awards are presented to students who achieved a minimum of 80% for General subjects and/or an A for Applied subjects across at least 65% of subjects studied (when at least 5 subjects are studied), and nothing lower than 50% (General subjects) or a C (Applied subjects) on the end of unit report. 

Congratulations to the Bronze Award Recipients:

Elliot Aldridge, James Chapman, Edward Clarke, Oliver Condon, Hamish Davidson, Nicholas de Araujo, Hudson Engstrom, Noah Harding, Hunter Harvey, Max Higgins, Joachim Horgan, Daniel Kelly, Eamonn Kneen, Darcy Latimer, Augustus Leadbeater, Harley Lister, Cameron McClure, Cameron McPhee, Henry Meinicke, William Nye, Ryan O'Toole, George Philp, Braidyn Polich, James Post, Ethan Schulz, Bern Sit, William Spencer, Lewis Tunny, Jack Watson.

Silver Optimus Awards

Silver Optimus Awards are presented to students who achieved a minimum of 80% for General subjects and/or an A for Applied subjects across 80% of subjects studied (when at least 5 subjects are studied), and nothing lower than a 65% (General subjects) or a B (Applied subjects) on the end of unit report. 

Congratulations to the Silver Award Recipients:

Cooper Ball, Matthew Christensen, Alexander Cienfuegos, Patrick Cleary, Angus Cope, Lachlan Davidson, Thomas De Luca, Michael Foxon, Riley Gillece, Ambrosio Gonzalez, Lachlan Grant, Breyton Hagarty, Ignatius Hallman, Hugo Hameus, Owen Hair, Josiah Short, Harrison Marshall, Joshua Mason, William McPhee, Killian Menzies, Noah Magoffin, Samuel Millott, Samuel Monk, William Morrison, William Lathwell, Angus Lanagan, Joseph Laner, William Lukin, Clarence Lundberg, Andrew Surtees, Aiden O'Shea, Isaac Ortiz, George Pollard, Tomos Pratt, Luca Ruffini, Kurtis Smith, Andrew Surtees, Benjamin Wex.

Gold Optimus Award

For a Gold Optimus Award, students must achieve a minimum of 80% for each General subjects and/or A for Applied subjects across 100% of subjects (when at least 5 subjects are studied), on the end of unit report. This year, 60 Year 12 students received a Gold Optimus Award, the most Gold Awards presented since the inception of Optimus Awards at the College. 

Congratulations to the Gold Optimus Award Recipients:

Thomas Barron, Jack Boyd, George Collyer, Jacob Cook, Joshua Dale, Hammish Darr, Maximillian Davis, Isaac Deem, Remi de Nino, Kian Dickman, Kian Flynn, Cullen Fitzgerald, Thomas Gahan, Max Gallagher, Sebastian Gardiner, Charlie Garton, Benjamin Hartfiel, Joshua Heinrich, Harry Hogan, Joshua Newman, Max Jones, Maxwell James, Thomas Kerridge, Finlay Keogan, George Kettle, Bailey Lawrence, Kian Malton, Elias Madden, Benjamin Mead, Cooper McGinn, Tom Mellare, Jack Montocchio, Samuel Moloney, Conor Morahan, Hamish Munro, Micah Netzler, Aidan Phillips, Ben Player, Maxwell Reibelt, Matthew Rowston, Elliot Schanzl, Francis Schutt, Van Sanders, Lachlan Harney, Lachlan Vink, Zachariah Watts, Christian Weston-Kelly, Harry Wood, Andrew Woodward, James Woolaston.

Year 7-10 End of Semester Exam Block 

Exam block for Years 7-10 is now in full swing. This was released to parents last week. It is expected that all students will be present during this important assessment period. If you are absent during exam block, a medical certificate is required.  Please note that once you return to school you will be expected to make up this assessment as soon as possible.  

Please note some assessments will continue past the examination block into the end of the term.

A few things to be aware of... 

• If your son has special provisions, he will be notified by the Academic Equity Team that he will complete his assessment in CLE.  This does not apply to those students who only receive extra time.  They will sit their exam with the main cohort but be provided with this additional time in an ‘Extra Time Room’.  
• Student ID Cards – all boys are required to bring their Student ID card into the exam room.  This is for identification purposes and to streamline our roll marking to ensure these are accurate. 
• - Please make sure your son has all equipment necessary to complete their exams – calculator, ruler, pens, pencils and any other subject-specific requirements
• - If your son is injured and requires a computer or scribe, please inform the Academic Care Team via email (curriculum@marash.qld.edu.au) as soon as possible. 
• - If absent, your son will complete his exam on his return to school.  No exams will be sat prior to exam date. 

Assessment Preparation and Academic Integrity

As we approach a busy assessment period, we remind boys and their families of the importance of preparation and academic integrity in supporting student success.

Over the coming weeks, students will be required to complete and submit various assignments via Student Cafe. These tasks are essential for developing key academic skills and demonstrating learning progress.

Please note the following expectations:

• All assignments must be uploaded to Student Cafe by the due date.
• Failure to submit on time will result in an academic detention.
• In such cases, the most recent draft submitted to the teacher will be marked as the final version.

We encourage all students to plan ahead, manage their time effectively, and take pride in submitting their best work. Your support at home in reinforcing these expectations is greatly appreciated.

If you have any questions, please contact your son’s subject teacher, relevant Curriculum Leader or a member of the Academic Care Team.

Year 10 Subject Selection and SET plans for Year 11, 2026

Parents and students should have now received and completed, via their web-preference link, for their Year 11, 2026 subject selections. 

SET Plan Interviews will take place on Friday 27 June (Term 2) and Monday 14 July (Term 3), (appointments will be available on both days, however, only one interview is permitted per student).These interviews provide an opportunity to discuss students’ future pathways and subject selections for Year 11 and 12. Both students and a parent/carer are required to attend. Parents can select which round of these interviews will suit them best and bookings occur via the Parent/Teacher booking system on the Parent Orbit App.  Information was emailed to parents last week. For Boarding families, face-to-face interviews can be arranged earlier in the week, via Teams or can be booked for Round 2 at the start of Term 3.

Year 9 Subject Selection and Pathway Conversations

9ASH lessons at the end of Term 2 will focus on Year 10 subjects. Year 9 students will look into pathway planning and subject offerings in Year 10. Here are some key dates for our Year 9 students:  

• Term 2: Week 10 – Pathways information pack sent home for family discussions over the holidays 
• Term 3: Week 3 – Wednesday 23rd July: Subject Selection Platform opens  
• Term 3: Week 3-5: Pathway and Performance Interviews (parents welcome) to select subjects for Year 10.  

More information will be provided to students via the Academic Care Team early in Term 3.

Marist Subject Support

There are subject-specific Old Boy and Classroom teachers roving in the Senior Library to help Years 7–12 students with their homework, assignment work and general study. Please see below for the targeted times and subjects. PLEASE NOTE SOME ADJUSTMENTS in WEEK 8, refer to student notices. 

Year 12 Study Session 

Year 12 study will continue this week – Wednesday 5:00pm – 8:00pm, in the library for their own private and collaborative study. This is a privilege for Year 12 students in preparation for their senior assessment and a recommended study habit. In the past, students have used this time to work on their external exam study nights, prepare their drafts, or even create small study groups. Students will need to sign in and out. They can arrive and leave at any time between 5:00pm – 8:00pm; but they are not able to keep coming and leaving during the night.

Old Boys Tutoring List  

Please find here a list of Old Boys who are available to tutor your son outside of school hours.  This list can also be located on the parent portal or via this link.  Please note it is the parent’s responsibility to organise and liaise tutoring times with the Old Boys.   

Study Tip

Learn and Grow Therapies

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CONTENT TO COME

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