From the Head of College

November has a way of sharpening our perspective. As we mark All Saints and All Souls, we are reminded of the people who have shaped our lives and the values that continue to guide us. It is a time for gratitude, remembrance and reflection.

It is also the month when the school year seems to accelerate towards the finish line. Across the College, our Year 12 boys are nearing the end of their external examinations, students are completing final assessments and preparations are underway for the celebrations and milestones that accompany the closing weeks of the year.

As always, this newsletter captures something of the life of the College. The stories that follow are a reminder of the opportunities our boys have embraced, the successes they have achieved and the many people who support them along the way. 

Year 12 External Exams | 26 October – 18 November

With the first week of External Exams now behind them, I want to congratulate our Year 12 boys on reaching this point and encourage them to keep going. There is still some work ahead. Stay focused, trust your preparation and take each exam as it comes. 

Just as importantly, look after yourselves. Work hard, but make time to sleep well, eat properly, get outside, exercise and take a break when you need one. Looking after your wellbeing and maintaining perspective matter every bit as the hours spent studying. 

I have great faith in our young men. Give each exam your best effort and then let it go and move on to the next. What will be will be. Your final results will never define the young men you are or diminish all you have achieved during your time at Ashgrove.

Keep going, boys. We are incredibly proud of you, and your College community is right behind you.

Thank you again to Sharon Vassallo, Vanessa Jackson, Melissa Deacon, Adrian Brown, Sarah Noonan, our supervising teachers and the entire Year 12 teaching team for everything they are doing to support the boys through these final weeks.

Year 11 Academic Interviews

This week, our Year 11 students have commenced their Academic Interviews, marking an important opportunity to pause, reflect on their progress and look ahead to their final year at the College.

These conversations are about more than academic results. They give our boys the opportunity to recognise their strengths, identify areas for improvement and set meaningful goals for Year 12. I encourage each student to approach his interview with honesty and an open mind, listening carefully to the feedback, guidance and encouragement offered.

As our Year 11 boys prepare to become the senior students of the College, this is an important time to take greater ownership of their learning, develop strong study habits and make the most of every opportunity.

Year 12 will bring challenges, but also many wonderful opportunities. Work hard, ask for help when you need it and remember that your teachers are there to support and encourage you every step of the way.

CBSQ Sophomore Boys

With just six days’ notice to prepare, our Year 7 and 8 Basketball team embraced the opportunity to represent Marist at the CBSQ Sophomore Boys Tournament with great enthusiasm.

Across four days of competition, the boys showed determination, teamwork and plenty of Marist spirit, finishing 12th out of 16 teams in their division. Pleasingly, their efforts have also secured our place in the Major Division for the 2027 tournament, meaning the College will not need to qualify through the CBSQ Shield tournament next year.

I would particularly like to thank our boys and their families for the way they responded at such short notice. Their flexibility, commitment and willingness to make it work allowed the team to take advantage of a valuable opportunity to compete against quality opposition, further develop their skills and strengthen their connections as a group.

Congratulations to the boys, coaches and everyone involved. You represented the Blue and Gold with great pride, and I look forward to seeing this group continue to develop.

Congratulations Loghan!

A huge congratulations to Loghan Zhang on being selected as a winner of the 2026 Premier’s Coding Challenge. Loghan’s success recognises the creativity, skill and innovation he demonstrated in creating a digital solution focused on helping Queenslanders stay safe online. 

This is a terrific achievement and a wonderful reflection of Loghan’s hard work and talent. Well done, Loghan. We are incredibly proud of you and look forward to celebrating this outstanding achievement with you.

Studio Concerts Semester 2

On Tuesday afternoon, 10 November, our students will take to the stage for the Semester 2 Studio Concerts. It is always wonderful to see our musicians perform in a solo or small group capacity and share the talents they have developed in their instrumental music lessons throughout the year. 

We encourage our College community to come along and support the students performing. Music will be happening across multiple venues in the Music Centre and Draney Theatre Complex from 3:30pm. Thank you also to our Music teachers who have been preparing the students for this performance. A special thank you must go to Mrs Catherine Wasserman for her organisation of this event.

Work & Welcome Program

It is a privilege to once again support the Work & Welcome program and to welcome Rawan and Fatema to Marist College Ashgrove for Term 4.

At its heart, Work & Welcome is about much more than employment. It is about connection, belonging and providing people who have arrived in Australia on humanitarian visas with an opportunity to gain valuable workplace experience, share their culture and build confidence as they take the next steps in their employment journey.

I am especially proud that this program is made possible through the generosity of our Marist staff. Thank you to everyone who has contributed and helped us extend such a warm Marist welcome to Rawan and Fatema.

We were also delighted to welcome Mark Taylor, founder of Work & Welcome, pictured with Rawan and Fatema, and acknowledge his vision and commitment to this wonderful program.

We look forward to sharing more about Rawan and Fatema’s experiences with us over the coming weeks.

There is still much to do and much to celebrate. Let's continue to finish the year strongly. 

Take care, Paul    

May our loving God with Mary our good mother and St Marcellin Champagnat walk with all members of the Marist College Ashgrove family.

Upcoming Events

Tuesday 3 November

• Marist Christmas Appeal - continues
• Year 12 External Exams - continue
• Year 11 Academic Interviews - continue
• Tutoring - Specialist Maths, Maths Methods, Chemistry, Physics Middle Years Maths/Science
• Study Hall – Senior Library
• Primary Morning Study
• House Meetings

Wednesday 4 November

• Tutoring - English/Literature Extension Economics French Chemistry Study of Religion
• Community Mass - College Chapel (all welcome)
• Primary Morning Study
• Big Band 2 & 3 Guest Performance - Regis, The Gap
• College Assembly - cancelled (Extended Pastoral Group)
• Mission Captains Meeting (Mission Office)
• Tutoring - Specialist Maths, Math Methods, Physics, Middle Years Maths
• Extension Maths Excursion - Brisbane Bullets - 4:45pm – 9:00pm
• Year 6 End of Year Drama Concert - 6:00pm

Thursday 5 November

• Study Hall – Senior Library
• Primary Morning Study
• Primary Morning Assembly
• Tutoring - English, Economics, Chemistry, Study of Religion, Middle Years Maths/ Science/English
• Summer Concert - 6:30pm

Friday 6 November

• Hospitality Barista Course - Southbank TAFE
• Primary Morning Study

Monday 9 November

• Marist Christmas Appeal - continues
• Year 12 External Exams - continue
• Primary Morning Study
• Primary Morning Assembly
• Student Leader Portfolio Meetings
• Environment Group Meeting
• Paddington Community Centre Visit

Tuesday 10 November

• Year 11 Biology Field Excursion - Bunyaville Conservation Park
• Tutoring - Specialist Maths, Maths Methods, Chemistry, Physics Middle Years Maths/Science
• Study Hall – Senior Library
• Primary Morning Study
• House Meetings
• Studio Concerts Semester 2 - 3:30pm – 5:00pm

Wednesday 11 November

• Remembrance Day
• Tutoring - English/Literature Extension Economics French Chemistry Study of Religion
• Community Mass - College Chapel (all welcome)
• Primary Morning Study
• College Assembly - final for Term 4
• Mission Captains Meeting (Mission Office)
• Tutoring - Specialist Maths, Math Methods, Physics, Middle Years Maths
• Theatre Ash Performance - 6:00pm

Thursday 12 November

• Year 10 QUT Design Excursion
• Study Hall – Senior Library
• Primary Morning Study
• Primary Morning Assembly
• Tutoring - English, Economics, Chemistry, Study of Religion, Middle Years Maths/ Science/English
• Year 5 Band and Strings Concert - 5:45pm – 7:10pm

Friday 13 November

• Primary Morning Study

Saturday 14 November

• Volleyball Trial Round v St Patrick’s College

Sunday 15 November

• Boarders’ Mass