Primary School News

Dear Primary Parents,

When I wrote my article last week for this newsletter, I reflected on the valuable lessons that we could all learn from our Matilda’s Football team. These included the need for preparation, grit, determination and resilience when seeking to achieve goals.  I finished last week’s article with the following;

Whatever happens between now and the final on August 20, we can be certain that the Matilda’s will continue to inspire and motivate the millions of proud Australians who have been on this exciting journey over the last few months.

Today as I write this piece, a lot has happened. The tournament is over, our Matilda's came in 4th position, the Spanish team have been crowned champions and already, people are looking forward to the next opportunity to watch their teams go around again in the next World Cup for these players in 2027. Even though the tournament has ended, there are still some valuable lessons that I would like our boys to learn from the Matilda’s effort throughout.

Football is a team sport and the Matildas emphasize the importance of teamwork and unity. They demonstrated how diverse individuals can come together to achieve common goals through collaboration, trust and communication. Our Primary School will only flourish if the individuals in it learn to collaborate, trust and communicate to achieve our goals. Every person has an important role to play in this. The Matildas also set themselves very high standards both on and off the field. The commitment to continuous improvement serves as a reminder that success requires dedication and hard work. This can be linked to our ‘100% Marist, 100% of the time’ message that we give our boys as we encourage them to aim high and not be content with mediocrity. Finally, the Matildas didn’t shy away from losses and the disappointment that comes with these losses. They used these moments as learning opportunities to improve and get better. This willingness to analyse mistakes, make adjustments, and grow from setbacks is a valuable lesson for our boys in all areas of their lives.

I trust that you have a pleasant week and your son continues to do his very best in our Primary School.

Jen Little – Primary Learning Leader

Literacy Cup

Marist College Ashgrove is committed to improving literacy standards across the school. To quality assure consistency across the Primary School with Literacy homework and create a culture of excellence, the Primary team have introduced a new initiative called ‘The Literacy Cup.’ The purpose of this initiative is to incorporate friendly competition and engagement amongst the boys—an important feature of boy’s education. 

Each week, the class with the highest average in Years 5 and 6 will win the trophy and earn the right to keep it in their classroom for the week. At the end of the year, the class with the highest overall average in each year level will win a pizza party. Congratulations are extended to 5 Gold and 6 Gold who won the trophy last week. 

It is our hope that this initiative will continue to foster a positive learning atmosphere, celebrating the progress and achievement of students at Marist. 

Academic Awards

Tomorrow at Assembly, Academic Awards will be presented to our Years 5 and 6 students. 

The criteria for the awards are as follows:

Bronze Criteria: Awarded to students who receive 5 As and nothing lower than a C on their end-of-semester report. 

Silver Criteria: Awarded to students who receive 6 As and nothing lower than a B on their end-of-semester report. 

Gold Criteria: Awarded to students who receive 7 As (or better) and nothing lower than a B on their end-of-semester report.

Congratulations to the following students who will receive their Academic Awards at tomorrow’s assembly:

Year 5:

Year 6:

On top of our Gold, Silver and Bronze Academic Awards, Head of College Awards are given to students who receive all ‘consistent’ As across all of their learning behaviours on their End of Semester Report. Congratulations to our students who will receive Head of College Awards this week. These certificates will be presented in front of each cohort this week. 

Year 5 Debating 

Congratulations to our Year 5 Debaters who competed in their first round of the Queensland Debating Union Competition. The boys argued the negative side of the topic, ‘That Governments Should Pay Children Pocket Money. Team Two won their debate against Ironside State School, whilst our first team were defeated by a narrow margin against Fig Tree Pocket State School. Our competitors were as follows: Ethan Yi, Will Minahan, Sebastian Kaminski, Lincoln Bartlett, Archer Hardiker, Maxwell King, Joe Campion and Ben Mulholland. Special mention must go to Lincoln who performed admirably as third speaker at short notice. At the end of this month, we will argue the affirmative side of the topic, ‘That We Should Develop Railways Rather Than Roads.’ 

Anthony Graham – Pastoral Leader 

This Friday we are celebrating Wear it Purple day which celebrates diversity and inclusion. By wearing purple, we stand in solidary and spread a message of acceptance, love, and understanding. Let’s create a world where everyone feels safe and empowered to be their authentic selves. Boys are encouraged on Thursday to wear purple and make a difference and help build a more inclusive and compassionate community for all! 

Friday we also are celebrating Vinnies Winter Sleepout. Mrs. Wong has spoken at our assemblies to promote the evening. For those boys that have expressed interest, a permission slip will be sent home tomorrow. The sleepout goes from 3:30pm – 7:00pm on Friday afternoon and the students will be given cardboard, some basic food to eat whilst learning about some of the harsh realities faced by those experiencing homelessness. More information will be shared in the permission slip. 

A friendly reminder that if you are planning on taking 3 or more days from school as planned leave, you are required to submit a leave application. The application forms can be found on the Parent Kiosk, emailing your sons teacher, or visiting the Primary Reception for a hardcopy. The reason for these forms is to ensure that your son does not miss out on critical assessment or exams and appropriate adjustments can be made to ensure they are up to date. Many thanks for your cooperation with this. 

At Wednesday’s College assembly, it will focus on National Day Against Bullying which was celebrated nationally last Friday. On this important day, we unite to raise awareness about the harmful impact of bullying and to promote kindness, respect, and empathy. It is important that we work together to create a safe and nutritious environment for everyone, whether at school or online. Marist College Ashgrove has a strict no bullying policy and instead we want to spread positivity and empowering each other to stand up against bullying in all its forms. Say no to bullying, and let compassion prevail!