Deputy Head of College News

Here we are. Mid-Term 1. Halfway. Halftime. Still a long way out! Wherever you and your family are on the school-family termly calendar, we can all agree so much has already transpired, particularly for a special group within our Marist Family - those new to our community. Those encountering the flows and rhythms of College life for the first time. The flow and rhythm of our Marist Way.

A highlight for me this year has been stepping into my Year 7 Religious Education class, where a new middle years experience applies to all my students, with some also being new to the College. We've shared all kinds of topics - the French Revolution, symbology, monograms, some Latin and some French, 'Why Ashgrove?'. We've discovered a trail, a path - The Way of Mary.

Second on my highlight reel for the terms so far has been the welcoming of new staff to the College. We've also shared all kinds of topics - the French Revolution, symbology, monograms, some Latin and some French, 'Why Ashgrove?'. We've discovered a trail, a path - The Way of Mary.

A third highlight has been my recent 'Footsteps' experience to the home of our Marist tradition - The Hermitage, Mittagong. At this 4-day formation program, shared with staff from Marist schools across the country, we shared all kinds of topics - and you guessed it! - the French Revolution, symbology, monograms, some Latin and some French, 'Why Marist?'. We've discovered a trail, a path - The Way of Mary. The Way St Marcellin Champagnat has provided our world for over 200 years.

It may be odd that my highlights for the year so far involve the same topics over and over again! Just like watching a good movie over and over again, it's absolutely worth it! Seeing something different each time. Paying attention to an embedded theme or message missed first time around. Noticing the background as much as the foreground. My repeated encounter with the foundational story of St Marcellin and the Marist Brothers has reaffirmed the true gift a Marist education continues to be for students, staff, parents, Old Boys and friends alike.

Forming our staff, students and parents in The Way of Mary and Marcellin is far more than a good movie. It's a great reality to encounter in the ordinary, in the structured time and the unstructured time. Many may not be aware of the significant time and resource our Marist network avails to staff, students and parents of Marist schools to ensure the rich Marist tradition continues in the Way which is true to its origins.

In the coming weeks I look forward to sharing with you our renewed staff development program. This program will be responsive to our staff as early career teachers, new to Marist schools, aspirate leaders and seeking to become mentors. Foundational to this development program will be The Way of Mary and The Way of Marcellin.

Thank you to my Year 7 class, our new staff and to our wider Marist family for providing me with a renewed perspective of the Way of Marists.

P.S. A key Marist reference for further exploring the Marist Way is Water from the Rock - available here. The title reflects the Biblical story a satisfaction for those who search for meaning and purpose.

Student Residential Address and Other Information Collection

The Student Residential Address and Other Information Collection is a Commonwealth Government data collection. The 2025 collection will open on Wednesday 12 February 2025 and will close on the 12 March 2025.

The data collected will be used in conjunction with Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS) data to calculate a non-government school community’s anticipated capacity to contribute to schooling costs, known as the capacity to contribute (CTC) score.”

Further information from the Australian Government’s Department of Education is available please visit the SchoolsHUB address collection help and support page here.

We would ask all parents to review and ensure their College registered address and background data is up to date.

Updates can be made through either the Parent Lounge or Parent Orbit app.

For address updates please click on:

Parent Details> Address Details (Parent Lounge)

Profile>Address Details (Parent Orbit App)

For parent background data update please click on:

Student Details > General Details > MCEECDYA Details    

Parent Orbit App Updates

The College continues to be committed to the full and most effective implementation of our new Parent Orbit App to optimise the sharing of information. The College would like to thank all those who have shared feedback regarding the app -  the 'pluses', the 'minuses' and the 'interesting'.

The College established an Orbit Working Group late last year, with this group reconvening this year on a regular basis. A key priority of this group is availing the communication of co-curricular information. The following refinements have been made in recent weeks:

For parents with students signed up to an activity:

• Fixture details will be shared on Tuesdays via an app notification to parents and a direct email to students
• Team lists will be published on Fridays via an app notification to parents and a direct email to students

For parents interested in fixture information beyond their son's activity:

• All fixture information will be available via Orbit Links_Sport

For staff:

• Fixture details will be shared on the Staff Portal via College Documents

For interested community members:

• Information will be shared via a link made available via College social media platforms

Parent Orbit App - Get Connected

1.Download the App: Download the parent Orbit app via your app store or visit https://parentorbit.page.link/marash. Click on the install button.

After the app is installed select Marist College Ashgrove and enter our school code.

Our School Code is: marash

2. Log In: Use your existing Parent Lounge log in credentials to log in and start using the app.

3. How to use Parent Orbit: How to guide on parent orbit can be viewed via https://youtu.be/1Py1kJUCgs0

Should you require any assistance to access or login to the Parent Orbit app OR Parent Lounge please contact computerservie@marash.qld.edu.au.

Be sure to access this brief video which provides a succinct overview of the Orbit app.