Learning and Teaching News

Year 10 Subject Changes 

Over the break, students in Year 10 may have decided to change elective subjects. If your son would like to change his subjects, please encourage him to visit the Academic Care Office (located under the Senior Library).

All subject changes need to be completed and submitted by Friday 26 April (Week 2). Any changes after this date will be considered in Term 3. Please also note that Construction Gateways and Engineering Gateways can only be changed into at the start of Term 3.

Parent/Teacher/Student Interviews

We believe that education is a collaborative effort, and we are grateful for the unwavering support of our parents and the wider community. Last we saw our face-to-face interviews and it was wonderful to see so many of our families collaborate with teachers on your son’s success and limitations across Term 1. 

This week we have more PTS interviews online. Please ensure you know what time you are scheduled for your interviews and follow the steps here.

Access to the Parent/Teacher/Student Interview schedule is via the Parent Portal on the College Website (www.marash.qld.edu.au).

• Select the Parents [MyMarash] in the ‘PORTALS’ drop-down menu located in the top bar on the College website.
• Select ‘Click here to Access Parent Portal.

•  Enter your username and password (username is your parent code and then @marash.qld.edu.au eg. 111111@marash.qld.edu.au). 
• select the Book a Parent or SET plan Interview tile. 
• Select Parent Teacher Interviews from the menu on the left of the screen.

Confirmation of the interview schedules and the Teams links for each interview was emailed to all Parents and Carers on Monday (22.04.2024). If you have booked online interviews and have not received this email, please check your junk and spam folders. If you have any questions or concerns, please contact Alicia Lee via email (leea@marash.qld.edu.au).

Year 11 Exam Block

The Year 11 Exam block schedule will be released this week. 

Year 11 students will be granted study leave (to study at home and only come to campus for scheduled assessments). Any Year 11 student not up to date with all required assessment items will not be granted study leave and must remain at school. This includes meeting checkpoints for modules in Certificate and Diploma courses.  

Term 2 Assessment Schedules

Assessment Schedules 

Assessment Schedules have been released to students and parents/carers. Boys will be able to locate the schedule in Student Café and on the portal under “Exam and Assessment Schedule Information.” Your son is encouraged to download this schedule and transfer assessment dates to his College Diary Term Planner (pages 68-71) and any home planners, to ensure he is managing his time effectively. 

For students in Years 7-10, please remember that assessments during Exam Block, will be scheduled at some point across that week.  The exact timing of these exams will be released in the Exam Block Schedule (approx. Week 6), however, please know that it will fall between Friday 7 June and Thursday 13 June. If boys are absent during the Exam Block and consequently miss an examination, they will be required to submit a medical certificate in alignment with our College Assessment Policy. They will complete the assessment once they return to the College.

Year 7 Tutoring

Just a reminder that our Year 12 Academic Captains are running tutoring for the Year 7 boys on Wednesday afternoons (3:15pm-4:15pm) in Room 105. We encourage students to take advantage of this wonderful opportunity, as our Year 12 leaders share their wisdom and support for our Year 7 students. 

Old Boys Maths Tutoring 

It is wonderful that we are able to continue to offer Maths tutoring every morning in Room 402 from 7:40am-8:30am.  We have a wonderful group of Old Boys who return each morning to support our boys with their Maths. Any boy from Years 7-12 is welcome to attend.

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.   

Marist Reading Night

In 2023 we held our first Father/Son Reading Night. It was a brilliant initiative that saw over 200 fathers and sons across Years 7 and 8 gather to listen to an author and read alongside each other. The evening finished with shared pizza and drinks.

We are holding this event again on Tuesday 14 May at 6:00pm in the Champagnat Centre. Tickets and further information will be released to students in Years 7 and 8 shortly. This year, we are also raising funds for ‘Books for PNG Kids’.  This organization helps communities in PNG by aiming to boost literacy for all children through the equitable distribution of books and resources throughout PNG.  Last year we received hundreds of donated books from our wonderful parents and community. On the night, these books will be sold, with money raised being presented to this organization, along with any leftover books from the night.

If you would like to donate any books, please bring these down to the studies office between 16th-26th April.

New Caledonia Wrap Up 2024

Seizing each and every linguistic, cultural and personal development opportunity presented can seem a tall order, but during the Easter Break, 23 boys from Years 8 and 9 French classes did just that in our first overseas event post-Covid.

After almost a year of planning, the boys embarked on a one-week immersion to New Caledonia, our closest French-speaking opportunity in the Pacific, just 2 and a half hours away from Brisbane. Nouméa, the capital, a regular 24-hour stop off for cruisers to the Polynesian Islands proved to be so much more for our boys than just a lesson in French.

While the boys completed a tailor-made French language course at our partner school for 2 of the 7 days, what they were able to learn outside of the classroom was so much more. Armed with a “bonjour” and a “merci” the boys were encouraged at every opportunity to push themselves out of their, sometimes awkward, teenage comfort zones. From greeting hotel staff and other guests, to playing with local children on the beaches of Ile aux Canard and Baie des Citrons, the confidence the boys developed in their time in Nouméa was truly inspiring to see.

Learning a different language is no mean feat, as any French student at MCA will attest! The vocab lists, grammar rules, and the French number system, insane! Putting all of that learning into context when faced with non-English-speaking members of the host community made it all worthwhile and relevant to the boys. Experiencing the awakening of how important communication is outside of our familiar English context was really sobering as we listened to the chatter in the hotel lobby.

For us, the staff of three, Mr Scott Minogue (Head of Rush House), Mrs Julie Ward (Director of HR, CLT) and me, Lucia Del Vecchio (French Teacher) it was so much more than a language experience. It was watching the boys grow in confidence, forming of new friendships, steps towards independence away from family, problem-solving, and developing a curiosity for culture and language outside of their norm.

All in all, this wasn’t just a linguistic and cultural immersion, it was a week-long lesson in global citizenship and one which will stay with us for years to come.

Thanks to the support of the Leadership team, accompanying staff and GET travel.

This opportunity will again be available to students of French in Years 8 and 9 2026. 

Japanese

The Japanese Department has been fortunate to receive a very generous donation of an authentic silk kimono from a parent of the College, Mrs Andrea Kahler. The College has had the kimono framed and hung in the Japanese Room (RM502) for the benefit and enjoyment of the Japanese students. I’d like to thank Andrea for her generous gift and for coming to the College to see the finished product. Below Hannah Neilson, Andrea Kahler, Sohee Chu and Kylie Bowman are photographed with the kimono.

School Tutoring Opportunities 

Tutoring is available for all students, and outlined below are faculties where you can receive assistance:

*Other faculties by appointment with the classroom teacher. 

Meet our Academic Captains

Name: Zane Cooper

House: Rush

What do you want to do when you leave school?

Not 100% sure yet, but hopefully something to do with science.

Best study tip you use?

Don’t leave it until the last minute, and have a schedule of when all your exams are.

When do you most like to study? Why? 

At night when I’m most productive.

What are you most looking forward to this year?

Enjoying my last year of school.