Learning and Teaching News
Mr Adam Knight and Mrs Leigh Jackson
Preparation for Academic Success
At Marist College, Ashgrove, we believe that being prepared is key to academic success. It is important for students to arrive in class ready to engage, with all the necessary materials for each lesson. We encourage parents to help their children develop good habits by ensuring they charge their laptops, use their college diaries, and organise their work with the prescribed coloured folders. These simple steps can make a significant difference in supporting students' learning and helping them stay organised.
In addition to completing homework assignments, we recommend that students review their classwork each night. This extra step can reinforce their learning, boost retention, and help them stay on track with their academic goals.
Your continued support in fostering these habits will contribute to your child's success in the classroom!
NAPLAN – Years 7 and 9
The National Assessment Program – Literacy and Numeracy (NAPLAN) tests for Years 7 and 9 will take place in Weeks 7 and 8 of this term. These assessments are an important way of tracking your child's academic progress and identifying areas for improvement. To help ensure your child feels confident and well-prepared, we encourage them to take part in practice sessions. The public demonstration site (https://www.nap.edu.au/naplan/public-demonstration-site) offers valuable resources where students can access practice questions and familiarise themselves with the test format. Our students will also continue engaging in literacy and numeracy initiatives during their classes to support their preparation for the upcoming tests.
In Week 2, students in Years 7 and 9 participated in NAPLAN readiness testing. If your son was absent, please note that this event was primarily for system testing and for students to become familiar with the platform. He can still log on to the public demonstration site (link above) to practise and get familiar with the format.
Our Year 9 students have also received feedback on their NAPLAN Practice Writing Task, completed during Exam Block last Term 4. All students will have the chance to review their results in English lessons and identify areas for improvement.
The specific testing schedule for NAPLAN will be sent to parents of Years 7 and 9 students via email next week.
If you have any questions about NAPLAN, please contact Mrs Leigh Jackson, Assistant Head of College – Learning and Teaching – Middle Years, at jacksonl@marash.qld.edu.au.
Scholars Assembly
Assembly on Wednesday of last week saw our annual Scholars Assembly where we recognised our Year 11 Optimus Award winners and welcomed back our high ATAR-achieving Old Boys from 2024.
Year 11 Optimus Awards
As part of the Scholars assembly, we congratulate the following recipients of Optimus Awards for their results in Year 11 Unit 2 of 2024:
Year 11 Unit 2, 2024 Bronze Optimus
Zachary Barnett, Thomas Burger, Patrick Cleary, George Collyer, Jacob Cook, Angus Cope, Joshua Dale, Hammish Darr, Maximillian Davis, Michael Foxon, Sebastian Gardiner, Charlie Garton, Lachlan Grant, Owen Hair, Lachlan Harney, Max Higgins, Max Jones, Daniel Kelly, Finlay Keogan, Eamonn Kneen, Thomas Kerridge, Angus Lanagan, Joseph Laner, Bailey Lawrence, Augustus Leadbeater, William McPhee, Tom Mellare, Henry Meinicke, Killian Menzies, William Morrison, William Nye, Aiden O'Shea, James Post, Jordan Pratt, Tomos Pratt, Oliver Reeves, Maxwell Reibelt, Van Sanders, Andrew Surtees, Zachariah Watts and Harry Wood.
Year 11 Unit 2, 2024 Silver Optimus
Lachlan Davidson, Owen Dodwell, Kian Dickman, Kian Flynn, Max Gallagher, Elias Madden, Kian Malton, Benjamin Mead and Benjamin Wex.
Year 11 Unit 2, 2024 Gold Optimus
Jack Boyd, Matthew Christensen, Isaac Deem, Cullen Fitzgerald, Thomas Gahan, Benjamin Hartfiel, Harry Hogan, William Lukin, Cooper McGinn, Jack Montocchio, Micah Netzler, Joshua Newman, Aidan Phillips, Matthew Rowston, Elliot Schanzl, Francis Schutt, Samuel Millott, Lachlan Vink and Andrew Woodward.
Assessment Schedules
Assessment schedules were released on Friday of last week. This document outlines the dates of all summative assessments your sons will have throughout the term. Parents and students are encouraged to review these documents so our boys can manage their time effectively, plan their study routines, and approach assessments with confidence.
Please note that assessment due in ‘Exam Block’ can take place any day during the exam block week. Boys are to be ready for their exam from the start of exam block. A specific exam block schedule will be released in Week 5.
All students from Years 7-11 are expected to be present at school during the Term 1 exam block. Year 12s will not be required to be at school when they do not have an exam rostered but must be available during the entire exam block. For any student from Years 7-12, please do not arrange holidays during this time. If your son is unwell, he will need to obtain a medical certificate.
Boys will be able to locate the schedule in the Orbit app and Student Café 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 and any home planners. Please note that the Parent Orbit app will eventually become the primary source of this information, as the College will be moving to this platform in future terms.
Student Monitoring Week
James Clear, author of Atomic Habits, encourages a rethinking of goal setting to maximise change. Focus on the process and habits that lead to a goal being achieved rather than the end product. It is the incremental and sustained shifts in behaviour that make goals achievable.
2025 is a new year, providing an opportunity to pause, reflect and assess whether we achieved our goals in 2024. Perhaps we fell short, and now is the time to consider how we can adjust our habits to achieve them in 2025.
Teachers have been reviewing their systems in the lead-up to the term, and as a school, we will continue this process under the leadership of pastoral group teachers. Pastoral teachers will review targets and processes with boys in the coming weeks. A key focus of these discussions will be on boys changing their own systems and processes to make goals achievable.
Mentoring weeks continue in pastoral care lessons this week for Years 11 and 12.
These weeks provide an opportunity for conversations between students and teachers, and it is important for boys to identify their goals, the processes that need to be changed and a timeline of implementation. Some key guiding questions will be:
- What is my goal?
- What is my current habit that may limit me from reaching this goal?
- What habits need to change for me to achieve this goal?
- What is my timeline for achievement?
Year 12 Study Session
On Wednesdays 5:00pm – 8:00pm, Year 12 students are able to access the Library for their own private 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 5:00 pm – 8:00pm; but they are not able to keep coming and leaving during the night.
Study Tip
Free Parent Webinar
Helping Your Child Manage Their Time
Elevate Education will be hosting its next parent webinar on February 26.
Elevate works with our students, delivering high-impact workshops on study skills, motivation, well-being and exam preparation. By tuning into their webinar series, you’ll learn how you can help support your child at home by reinforcing the skills they’re learning at school.
Sign up for the session below to learn how you can help your child to balance their priorities and stay on top of their workload.
Live Parent Webinar: How You Can Help Your Child Manage Their Time
Wednesday 26 February 6:30pm-7:30pm (AEDT)
Click here to register for free
Here’s what Elevate will be covering on the night:
✅ Align expectations on homework with your child
✅ Help your child balance their schoolwork and social life
✅ Set up a weekly planner tool with your child
We hope to see you there!