Primary School News

Dear Primary Parents,

Welcome back to our third term together for 2024. I hope the last two weeks have given you a chance to slow down and recharge without the busyness of school. I also hope the boys found time to relax and refresh for Term 3.

At our first assembly for the term this morning, I used a golfing analogy with the boys and explained that, in a golf tournament, the third day is often referred to as Moving Day. This is the day that players see as the day to really push hard to get the best result they can, before teeing it up on the final day which is day four. If a lot of good, hard work is done on moving day, there is less to do on the final day when the trophy is awarded. There are no golfing trophies on offer here of course but, I encouraged them to reflect on Semester One and use this term as their Moving Day term where they do their absolute best to achieve results that they are proud of. 

As we start this new term together, it’s a good point in time to discuss goals for the second half of the year with your son. Reflecting on his achievements in Semester One, there are likely many areas he’s proud of that deserve celebration. There might also be areas for improvement, and setting goals can help target these.

Goal setting provides boys with a clear focus on what they want to achieve. When they have something to aspire to, whether academically, in sports, culturally, or socially, they are more likely to stay motivated and committed. Writing down these goals and making them visible in their workspace can serve as a constant reminder of what they want to achieve.

If you haven't had this discussion with your son yet, this week is the perfect opportunity to do so.

Thanks for everything you do for your sons here at Marist College, Ashgrove.

Primary Pastoral Leader – Anthony Graham 

Welcome back to Term 3! We hope all students had a relaxing and restful break. As we embark on this new term, we remind everyone that boys are expected to wear their winter uniforms. Additionally, please ensure that haircuts adhere to school policy: hair should not fall below the eyes, cover the ears, or touch the collar, and there should be no noticeable changes in length.

Our pastoral focus for this semester aims to recognise and celebrate the steady pillars—those boys who consistently exhibit exemplary behaviour and may not always receive the recognition they deserve. By highlighting these individuals, we hope to inspire all students to strive towards becoming the best versions of themselves. Within our Pastoral Program, Year 5 will concentrate on fostering healthy relationships, teaching students the value of respect, empathy, and effective communication. Meanwhile, Year 6 will delve into the concept of courage, exploring what it means to be courageous in the 21st century. Additionally, both year levels will engage in lessons from the URSTRONG program, which provides practical strategies for building and maintaining positive friendships. This comprehensive approach ensures our students are equipped with the social and emotional skills necessary for their personal growth and development.

We would also like to address the issue of lost property. We have accumulated many lunchboxes, some labelled and some not. Please ensure all lost property is clearly named. Additionally, we have noticed many drawstring HPE bags being brought to school daily. These bags look identical, and few have names on them. It is crucial to label these drawstring bags, as well as any carry bags, which have a white tag for names. Proper labelling helps us return lost items to their rightful owners quickly.

Primary Learning Leader – Ms Jen Little

Welcome back from what I hope has been a restful holiday for all. At the end of last term, I gave an Academic Address to all boys about the need to embrace opportunities in their learning. The holiday period was an opportunity for them to reflect on their efforts throughout Semester One and determine whether their effort fell above or below the bar. By now, you would have all had the opportunity to read your child’s report card. This is a snapshot of how students have performed across every subject undertaken. Hopefully, you will have discussed goals for improvement over this semester. 

Over the course of the next fortnight, I will be going into all classrooms to work with students on formalising these goals for this semester. We will create their own Academic Profiles and calculate their GPA (Grade Point Average). As I often say to students though, ‘a goal without a plan is merely a dream.’ Goals require hard work and vision. They are not something that can be achieved by chance. The illustration of the Iceberg Illusion to the right is a great visual that captures what needs to happen below the surface for a goal to reach reality. Student GPAs are their own personal warning sign about their learning. Whilst this is an excellent message for students, it is not the only message of the Titanic disaster. 

The great irony of Titanic was that it was supposed to be the ‘unsinkable’ ship that failed on its maiden voyage. The Ocean Liner is an early example of preoccupation with perfectionism. Indeed, the whole intent of Titanic was to epitomise the most perfect model of a luxury passenger liner that was possible by the standards of 1912. Tragically, the belief in its perfection and invincibility would create a false sense of security which led to its fatal demise. There were two particular individuals who contributed to this significantly. One was the chairman and managing director of the White Star Line, Joseph Bruce Ismay. The other was the ship’s captain and British Naval Officer, Edward Smith.

There were 3 main problems:

1. They prioritised early completion and speed, above doing the job as it needed to be done.
2. They deprioritised important information and failed to react to the feedback received from multiple ships who’d warned of the need for caution.
3. They arrogantly assumed it was perfect and were incapable of admitting vulnerability. This led the ship to be under-prepared, carrying only 20 lifeboats which could only hold a third of the ship’s capacity.

I would like to take this time to remind you of the many additional opportunities and resources that are being made available to the boys at Marist that remain under-utilised at the College:

• Supervised Morning Study – offered each morning to the boys from 8:00am to 8:30am.
• A Multitude of One Note Resources made available to the students by their classroom teachers. These include videos and revision activities.
• Library Guides that offer the students additional reading on each of their core subject areas. 
• After school study and homework in the Senior Library on Mondays to Thursdays.

This term, I would like to challenge the Primary students to listen to their own warning signs and encourage them not to become complacent in their own learning. Feedback from their teachers is vital; what is more vital though, is that they take this feedback on board and use every resource available to maximise their learning. I look forward to working with your sons throughout the term. 

Primary SportMr John Lambourne – Head of Sport (Primary)

What’s On This Week

Wednesday, 10 July

5C / 5D Basketball Trials

Thursday, 11 July

5A / 5B Basketball Trials6C / 6D Basketball Trials

Friday, 12 July

6A / 6B Basketball Trials

Basketball Trials vs. Ambrose Treacy College @ Marist

Tennis Trials vs. Ambrose Treacy College @ Marist

Saturday, 13 July

Year 5 Internal Rugby League TrialsYear 6 Rugby League Trials vs. St Edmunds @ SEC

Tuesday, 16 July

5A / 5B Basketball Training

Year 6 Basketball Training

*Please see the College app for further details

Term 3 AIC Team Sport Selections

As we embark on Term 3, there is much anticipation around AIC team sport selections. With a restriction on the number of teams available in each sport, we face the reality that each sport has a limited number of places available. This invariably means that some boys will miss out on selection in their choice of Term 3 AIC team sport.

It is also crucial for our community to foster a spirit of support and camaraderie. Boys should be encouraged to recognise and celebrate the talents and abilities of their peers, appreciating the unique strengths each individual brings to the table. Marist College is an inclusive environment where differences should be celebrated, and no boy should feel pressured by his peers regarding his chosen sport.

Any boy found to be putting down another boy for their choice of sport or putting a boy down for not being selected in their chosen sport will not participate in Term 3 AIC team sport.This was explained to all boys at this morning’s Primary Assembly.

A reminder that our coaches dedicate considerable effort and expertise to select teams that reflect each boy's abilities. Their goal is to ensure that all players are placed in teams where they can develop and contribute effectively. It can be difficult for parents to accept when their son is not selected for a particular team. However, it is important to acknowledge that this is an inherent part of the selection process.

We ask for your understanding and support as we navigate these decisions. Together, we can create a positive and encouraging atmosphere for all our boys, whether they are on the field, the court, or cheering from the sidelines.

For boys who are unsuccessful in selection in their chosen sport an internal basketball competition will be made available.

Details regarding this competition will made available at a later date.

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. 

Sports Training and Clashes

With the myriad of opportunities on offer for the students’ clashes are unavoidable but never a problem if communicated.

Families are reminded that co-curricular activities should not impact on students’ 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 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.