Primary School News

Dear Primary Parents,

Last week was quite a big week for our Primary boys and families with a lot happening around the college. Our Inaugural Mass and Investiture was a wonderful occasion and a special time for our Year 5 boys as they received their Welcome Badges during the ceremony.  I would like to thank all parents who attended this special occasion and hope that you feel a strong sense of connection with our College community.

Year 5 and 6 Parent Information Evenings

Thank you to everyone who took time out of their busy lives to attend our Year 5 and 6 Information Evenings on Wednesday night. I trust you are now well informed of how your son’s class will operate during the year ahead. I would like to thank our dedicated Primary Staff for all the preparation that went into the evening and wish them every success with their classes in 2024.   

Year 5 Parent Social

It was great to see so many Year 5 parents take the opportunity to socialise with other parents in the Science foyer after the Information session in the classrooms. There was certainly a buzz in the room and much enthusiasm about the start that the boys have made this week. I would encourage all parents to attend the various social events this year as a way of connecting with other parents in the College.

Year 5 Welcome Mass

All Year 5 boys are asked to be at school by 7:50am on Wednesday so that they can attend Mass, starting at 8:00am, with our College Community. If the boys are in the Primary yard by 7:50am, teachers will walk them down to the Chapel for the 8:00am start. Year 5 boys who have sports training have been asked to arrive early if possible so that they can get dressed for the Mass in time.

Lenten Fundraiser - Primary Can Drive

We invite all primary students to bring in a pack of cans for our 2024 Lenten Fundraiser! Cans will be sold throughout the year at various fundraisers with all proceeds going directly to Marist Solidarity. Cans can be brought in to your class teacher between now and next Wednesday 14 February. 

The primary class (in each year group) who has the most cans donated will be thrown a pizza party! We encourage you to get into the spirit of this fundraising initiative and in advance thank you for your support.

Kind Regards, The Mission Team

Shrove Tuesday

This year we will be marking Shrove Tuesday with pancakes in the Primary area. These will be sold on Tuesday 13 February during the first break in the Primary School. Boys will need funds on the monitor account to purchase pancakes on this day.

Date Claimers

Tuesday 6 March                  Year 6 Retreat

Wednesday 7 March            Year 5 Welcome Mass

Wednesday 14 March         Ash Wednesday

Friday 16 March                    Primary Swimming Carnival

Weekdays 8:00am               Morning Study in Primary Library

Mondays 7:15am                 Primary Chess Club in Primary Library

From the Pastoral Leader Anthony Graham

Looking back on our recent Year 5 Belonging Day, the energy and enthusiasm were nothing short of contagious. Witnessing our Year 5 boys dive headfirst into the day's activities centred around the theme of belonging was truly heartwarming. Exploring the rich history of the school together, engaging in various fun-filled activities, and sharing a meal on McMahon Oval created a unique sense of togetherness. It was more than just a day; it was a shared experience that went beyond the classroom, fostering a stronger connection among the boys.

The perfect blend of learning and fun during Belonging Day left a lasting impact on the boys, reinforcing their connection to the College and emphasising the importance of unity within our school community. As we reflect on the success of this special day, it's clear that the seeds of camaraderie and shared identity have been sown, promising continued growth and connection among our Year 5 students.

Today, our Year 6 students embarked on a transformative retreat facilitated by Character Builders. Themed around leadership, resilience, and courage, the retreat, taking place during regular school hours, ensures a valuable exploration of life skills. It was wonderful to see them, as they engaged in this empowering journey towards personal growth and character development.

This week's pastoral focus centres on the power of two-word answers. We encourage our primary boys to respond with concise phrases like "yes, Miss," "no, sir," or greet teachers with a polite "hello, Sir/Miss." By instilling these respectful communication habits, we aim to nurture confident young men who interact respectfully with the staff. You might even notice a positive change at home, with more than just a groan or grunt in the morning!

From the Primary Library

The first couple of weeks in the library have been a joy. 

We have enjoyed watching the boys engage so beautifully with reading their books, playing chess, drawing, and forging new friendships. 

We would like to encourage your boys to have a waterproof or plastic bag in their schoolbag to protect their books from water bottles when transporting their books to and from school.

In Makerspace this week we chose a STEM activity for the boys. They created parachutes and delighted in how beautifully they moved through the air.

Our Senior Library is open after school from 3:30pm – 5:00pm Monday to Thursday for the boys to attend. They need to come to the Primary Library when the bell rings and they move over to the Senior Library as a group. If your son needs to stay back on a Friday, they are to wait down at the Health Centre.

Green Thumbs - Break 2

Students in Years 5 and 6 are very welcome to join Green Thumbs if they are interested in gardening and doing something different during their break time. This is held every Break 2.

At the moment, we only have a small garden however this will change when we have access to the space near the new building. To join, boys just will have to come to the garden during break time and names will be noted. It is not compulsory to turn up every day but any interest from new and old members will be more than welcome. 

As well as the Green Thumbs Garden, on Friday 1st of March between 3:15 and 4:15, the Environment Group from the High School, is organising a Cleanup Australia afternoon. There will be more information to come about this in the coming weeks. This event enables students in Years 5 and 6 to join the Secondary students while doing something really worthwhile around the school.

In the meantime, we are looking for new faces around the garden. Everyone is welcome to join and try something new. See you at the Primary Garden soon.

Primary Sport

Mr John Lambourne – Head of Sport (Primary)

Welcome to Marist College Ashgrove Primary Sport 2024. Sport is an important part of life at Marist College, not just for the boys but for families and staff as well. Please use the Primary School Sports Handbook 2024, the College Newsletter and the College APP as the most reliable sources of information and any updates regarding Sport. 

For further information please do not hesitate to contact me;

John Lambourneprimarysports@marash.qld.edu.au

Marist College Sporting Expectations

At Marist we often talk about being 100% Marist 100% of the time. This means that we represent our school with pride, no matter the situation. The boys are constantly reminded of the importance of representing our college with pride on the sporting field. Win, lose or draw they should do it well. In the competitive environment of schoolboy sport this can sometimes be challenging. However, at Marist we are known by the very high standard of which we hold ourselves to. The three violets of humility, simplicity and modesty provide us with a constant reminder of the people we should be. The image below, developed by the AIC schools, also provides a reminder of the expectations for all parents and spectators. 

AIC Sport Draws

Marist College has the largest participation in all AIC schools and has the greatest number of teams in each year level of the AIC competition.

In most instances, each college will nominate A, B and C teams and these teams will play in their graded draws, there may also be occasions when teams match up in a D draw. Colour teams play in a supplementary draw which means that to secure games for as many boys as possible and to ensure some level of fairness in the competition, coaches and coordinators try to balance the colour teams. If a boy moves between colour teams he is not being “dropped” merely coaches are trying to keep the teams in balance.

While I understand that this is quite complicated, and every boy wants to be selected in the best team, coaches and coordinators do all that they can to ensure that all boys get a game and that boys are picked in teams commensurate with their ability.

I appreciate your support in respecting coaches and team selections.

Primary Colour Swimming Carnival

Primary Swimming Carnival will take place on Friday 16 February.

All Year 5 and 6 boys are expected to attend Friday in their College Sports Uniform

Parents are welcome to attend.

Each boy is expected to swim 50m freestyle and 50m breaststroke.

The remainder of the day will be made up of participation and novelty-based games.

Boys will compete in the class colours – Blue, Gold, Red, Violet and White, boys in 5 Maroon and 5 Silver will be placed in other colours for the day.

Boys may wish to change into coloured outfits, which they can do before Pastoral Group, they may also bring mascots and wear zinc in their team colour if they wish.

Hats, sunscreen and water bottles are extremely important on a day like this and boys are expected to take some responsibility to ensure they stay sun safe and hydrated.

Each boy is expected to participate in all the novelty events to the best of their ability.

The College tuckshop will be unavailable for the Primary boys on this day.

The Primary Swimming Carnival coincides with the College Lenten Fundraiser, boys will be given time to attend the market stalls during Break 1.

The Primary Swimming Carnival Program will be made available on the College App.

Achievements

We wish the following boys the best of luck as they represent Marist College at the North West District Swimming Trials this Thursday, 8 February.

Congratulations Daniel Sadimenko (5M) for his recent top 10 finishes at a recent BSA Sprints swim meet; 2nd - 10yrs 50m Backstroke, 5th - 10yrs 50m Freestyle and 6th - 10yrs 50m Fly.

Term 1 AIC Sport

Coach contact details will be placed on the College app this week, when contacting your son’s coach please ensure that you include the Head of Sport (Primary) in your communication.

Boys with training conflicts are reminded to communicate with their coaches when they will be absent from training.

Cricket

Primary Cricket Results – Round 1

Primary Cricket Training Schedule 2024

AFL

Primary AFL Results – Round 1

Primary AFL Training Schedule 2024

Swimming

MCA Primary Swim Squad training sessions continue Monday and Wednesday afternoons throughout Term 1, 3:20pm – 4:20pm. These sessions are open to all boys; boys attending for fitness training and boys wishing to qualify for the AIC Swimming Team. There is no obligation to attend AIC meets on Friday evenings.

Boys attending these sessions will need to bring the following equipment.

• Goggles
• Kickboard
• Short Flippers 
• Mesh Bag

Year 5 and 6 MCA Swim Squad Training Timetable Term 1

For further details please contact: swim@marash.qld.edu.au

AIC Swim Meet #2

Friday, 9 February – Marist College

AIC Swim meets are open to all students who wish to qualify for the AIC Swimming Championships, to be held, Week 7. AIC Swim meets are run as time trials / selection meets

*** Times are approximate

AIC Championships, Tuesday 5 March

Term 2 AIC Sport

Marist Rugby Connection | Year 5 

This is an open invitation to ALL Year 5 students.

The Marist Rugby Union program is committed to a strong and genuine connection from the 1st XV down to our newest bumblebees in Year 5. Next Friday, 16 February, the Year 5 students are invited to train with the Open Blue squad. The is a wonderful opportunity to connect the students in a safe and friendly environment, and to align some of our key rugby language and philosophies.

DATE: Friday, 16 February

TIME: 6:45pm-7:45am

WHERE: Hayden Oval

DRESS: Blue Marist training gear and Marist white or blue socks.

More information will follow in the Marist app.

Rugby Ready Program | Year 5-12

Starting in Week 5 (Friday 23 February), Marist College is delivering a 4-week Rugby Ready Program across all age groups leading into the rugby union trials. The Rugby Ready Program involves a host of measures such as physical preparation, skill development, correct and safe techniques preparing the players for contact, enforcement of game laws, and management of safety issues such as the Scrum Passport and the “MAYDAY” call.

NOTE – you are not required to sign on for the Rugby Ready Program. Whilst there are a number of reasons for providing such a program, a key driver is wanting to deliver to all students a safe, challenging and enjoyable rugby union program. In order to develop the Marist College rugby players, we must give them the skills to approach the game with confidence and minimise the chance of injury. Please see the documents on the Marist App for all information including the program content, schedule and dress code. 

NOTE – if you have a commitment to a Term 1 sport, that is your priority.

Sports Photographs

We are always on the lookout for photos and action shots to be used for the Blue and Gold, other College publications, season or end-of-year wrap-ups etc. Please follow this link and add your photos - Marist College Ashgrove Primary Sports Photos.

College App

Please ensure that you download the College App to your smartphone. This app will be used weekly to inform you of sporting fixtures, cancellations and bus arrival information.

Late Pick Up After Sports Training

“PLAN B”

It is important that both parent and student are aware of the pick-up procedure if afternoon sports training is cancelled or if parents are running late for pick-up. As soon as a decision is made to cancel a sporting fixture or training, a message is placed on the College app. If training is cancelled, boys can remain in the primary school or walk to an arranged pick-up point when the time arrives.

Afternoon sports training sessions are scheduled to finish by 4:45pm. We ask that boys are picked up at this time. Any boy who is still at their training venue at 5:00pm will be directed to the After Hours Boarding Reception area / College Health Centre so that he may be collected from there. After Hours Boarding Reception can be contacted on 07 3858 4619.

In the case of bus arrivals from external sporting venues, boys will be sent to After Hours Boarding Reception 15 minutes after the bus arrives back at the College. Parents are asked to collect their sons from this location.