Primary School News
Mr Michael Connolly, Head of Primary School
Dear Primary Parents,
As we prepare to celebrate Mother’s Day, we take this opportunity to reflect on the deep love, strength, and compassion that mothers bring into our lives. At the heart of our Marist identity is Mary, Our Good Mother—whose example continues to guide us in faith, kindness, and humility.
Mary’s life was one of quiet strength and unwavering trust in God. She showed extraordinary courage in the face of uncertainty, gentleness in the midst of challenge, and a nurturing love that embraced all. These are the same qualities we celebrate in the mothers, grandmothers, and carers in our own school community—women who lead with heart, listen with empathy, and love without conditions.
This Mother’s Day, I invite all members of our community to celebrate the women who have shaped our lives—through their sacrifices, their smiles, and their everyday acts of love. This week, the college honours all Mums with our Mother’s Day Breakfasts later in the week and our Mother’s Day Mass on Wednesday night. Wonderful opportunities to celebrate these extraordinary people in our lives.
May this Mother's Day be a time of gratitude and a chance to spoil our mothers for all that they have done for us over the years.
I hope you all have a happy Week 3 here in the Primary School.
Primary Debating and Public Speaking
Congratulations to all boys who attended the first of three Public Speaking and Debating evenings held at St Laurence’s College on Tuesday evening. Thanks to Ms Brown and Mr Prince for all their work in preparing the boys for their speeches and their debates. The next scheduled round of competition is in Week 2.
Year 5 Musical
Our Year 5 boys have been busy rehearsing for their swashbuckling musical production that we will get the chance to see on Thursday evening. We will include a full wrap up of this spectacular in next week’s newsletter.
Primary Learning Leader – Jen Little
Often, I am asked the question, “How can I best support my son in his learning journey?” As parents, I understand it is difficult to navigate when to step in and when to step back. As children mature, developing resilience becomes a necessary attribute for them.
One of the best ways to support your sons is in the language used at home. As parents, you form an important partnership with the staff of the College. Taking a keen interest in what children are learning and discussing this at home cannot be underestimated. To this end, below provides some scope regarding what students are learning in their core classes this term. For more specific detail on the content and skills covered in class, please refer to the Class One Notes that are available to all students. This also includes the term overview for each core subject.
Subject | Year 5 | Year 6 |
English | This term, students will finalise their work on persuasive texts that they commenced in Term 1. Their written/spoken assessment will take place early in the term. Once they have completed this assessment, they will focus on reading in English classes. Specific strategies students will be focusing on are making text connections, inferencing, summarising and questioning. Students will also engage in a novel study, ‘Storm Boy.’ | During Term 2, our Year 6 students will complete a novel study on Boy Overboard. As their assessment, they will complete a book review on the novel. The book review will require them to provide information on the plot, setting, characters and themes of the novel. They will also be expected to communicate author techniques used within the novel. |
Maths | Fractions will remain a major focus of core learning in Term 2. Areas students will concentrate on in particular are comparing and ordering decimal and common fractions, equivalent fractions, finding fractions of a quantity, tenths and hundredths, addition and subtraction of common fractions with like and compatible denominators, linking percentages to decimals. Any discussion on this at home would be of great benefit. Real life applications can occur when grocery shopping, cooking and measuring quantities. Students will be expected to demonstrate understanding, procedural fluency, reasoning and problem solving within these concepts. Students will be assessed in an examination. | This term students will explore the following concepts: multiplying and dividing by 10, 100 and 1000, measuring and converting units of length and capacity, calculation and representation of area, fractions and percentages. Any discussion on this at home would be of great benefit. Real life applications can occur when grocery shopping, cooking and measuring quantities. They will be expected to demonstrate understanding, procedural fluency, reasoning and problem solving within these concepts. Students will be assessed in an examination. |
HASS | Students will learn about the Gold Rush and how it help shape the country as we know it today. They will explore the events leading up to the Eureka Stockade and understand how this event was important because it revealed the first signs of democracy in our country. As their assessment, students will be expected to pose inquiry questions, research and summarise their learning. They will then be given student agency, choosing their own method to demonstrate their learning. This could take the form of a gameboard, Minecraft presentation or PowerPoint Presentation. | Students will explore migration in Australia since Federation and the contribution of migrants to our country. As part of their assessment, they will pose inquiry questions and complete a research project, summarising their notes clearly. They will then use this to create an ‘Australian Story’ documentary communicating why people moved to Australia, their stories and how they impacted Australian society. |
Science | Science will be completed in the first half of the term. Students will learn about erosion, weathering, transportation and deposition. They will be expected to complete a PowerPoint Presentation that demonstrates their knowledge and understanding of the concepts covered. They will also be expected to include a video that models their understanding of one of the concepts covered. Included in their presentation should be information scientific mitigation strategies to minimise erosion. | Students will explore chemistry concepts. They will revise the states of matter and investigate chemical and physical changes. They will conduct a number of experiments both in class and in the Science Labs. For their assessment, students will be expected to complete a Science Lab Practical Investigation. They will also be expected to complete a science report that includes the aim and hypothesis, identification of fair test procedures, collection of data and discussion/ reflection on results. |
Religion | Students will learn about Pentecost and the concept of the Holy Spirit. They will explore images and symbols of the Holy Spirit and examine the gifts and fruits of the Holy Spirit. They will also explore the Sacrament of Confirmation and the symbols used during this rite of passage. Students will complete an examination for their assessment. | During this term, students will explore the way Christians celebrate their faith. To this end, they will examine the corporal and spiritual works of mercy and the Catholic Church’s liturgical calendar. They will learn about ways Jewish believers celebrate their faith and explore Jewish celebrations such as Passover, Yom Kippur and Rosh Hashanah. They will review features of Jewish and Christian prayer practices. Students will work in pairs for their assessment, using their class notes to create a multi-modal presentation that describes how faith is celebrated in Jewish and Catholic traditions. |
Literacy and Numeracy Trophy Winners
Literacy and Numeracy continue to be a focus in the Primary. Congratulations to the following classes for their success last week.
Subject | Year 5 | Year 6 |
Literacy | 5 Maroon – 70.53 % | 6 Violet - 81 % |
Numeracy | N/A – commences this week | 6 White – 80.7 % |
Head of Sport (Primary) - Mr John Lambourne
AIC Sport Draws and Team Selections
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.
Achievements
Congratulations to Anderson Wild (5G) who has been selected in the Brisbane Bandits Academy.
Congratulations to Cooper Brandis (6V), Charlie Davis (5B), Patrick Thirgood (6R) and Thomas Laherty (6M) who represented Marist College at the Met North Regional Hockey trials.
Term 2 AIC Sport
Rugby
Football
Sports Training and Clashes
With a myriad of opportunities on offer for the students, clashes are unavoidable but never a problem if communicated.
Families are reminded that cocurricular activities should not impede on any student’s academic performance.
If sports training clashes with music or morning tutoring it is asked that boys alternate from week to week.
Sports Photographs
We are always on the look-out for photos and action shots to be used for the Blue & 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 smart phone. 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.
