Boarding News

It was great to welcome back our boarders for the final term of the year. Listening to their stories, it sounded like many were busy helping out their families at home and I have no doubt they are being missed at this point. We have two new boarders who’ve started with us this term. A very warm welcome to Ashton, Elliot and their respective families. I’m always impressed by the way our returning boarders help our newest boys find their feet in boarding and showing our Marist virtue of ‘family spirit’. 

Last Friday morning our boarders proudly continued a long-standing school tradition by providing a guard of honour and war cry send-off for the Marist Track and Field Team as they departed for the AIC Championships. Despite the early start, all of our boarders were up and ready at 6.55am, dressed in their school uniforms and eager to show their support. While most of the school community was still at home, the boarding community was full of energy as the boys lined up to cheer on our competitors as they left for this important event. These traditions play a key role in building school pride and reminding our students that they are part of something bigger than themselves. Thanks to our boarders for their support which helped create a memorable start to a significant day for our student athletes.

The boys had a busy and active first weekend of recreation activities. With no Saturday sport in Term 4, our excellent boarding recreation program takes on even more importance. A highlight of the weekend was the annual ‘Night on the Green’ for Year 11 and 12, where we hosted the Stuartholme girls under the stars on McMahon Oval on Friday night. This event proved to be a great success again with many musical performances and it was a lovely social occasion for boarders of both schools. I am always amazed at the musical talent possessed by boarders from both our schools, and the willingness of so many to get up on stage in front of their peers to perform. It was a great mixture of talented acts and also those performing just for the fun of it. Our boarders were tremendous hosts and ensured that this much appreciated annual event went really well.

We also made good use of the College pool, fitting in three swims over the weekend, plus organised games in the gym, and an outing to do some shopping in the Queen Street Mall on Sunday morning. The weather has been beautiful, so it has been great to get outside doing things to make the weekends more fun.

One of the best ways for boarding parents and guardians to remain informed and involved in the boarding life of the College is to join the online meeting of the Boarder Parent Network (BPN). All boarding parents/guardians are welcome to be part of this support group which provides an opportunity to hear from the Head of College and the Head of Boarding about the latest news and developments at Marist. It also provides a constructive forum to ask questions or provide suggestions which will benefit all boarders at the College. A link is sent out prior to the meeting and I encourage everyone to join.

Term 4 is sure to be a busy one and my hope is that the boarders embrace all the opportunities and challenges ahead. Please make contact if I can be of assistance.

ICPA RRED Day Celebration

During the final weeks of Term 3, our Marist Boarding community proudly came together to celebrate ICPA RRED Day (Regional, Rural and Remote Education Day), recognising the important role of regional, rural and remote families and the strong connections that make our Boarding community so special.

The evening brought together boarders and staff from across the College to share a meal, wear a splash of red and enjoy our final War Cry and Singing practice for the term. It was a wonderful reminder that Boarding is more than a place to live. It is a community built on connection, belonging, shared experiences and support for one another.

For many of our boys, Marist is their home away from home. RRED Day provided an opportunity to celebrate the families and communities they represent, acknowledge the sacrifices made to access education and recognise the important advocacy work of the Isolated Children’s Parents’ Association (ICPA).

A special thank you to Ty Casey for coordinating this meaningful initiative and to the staff from across the College who joined the celebration. Their presence reinforced the strong sense of community and shared commitment to supporting our boarders.

A fitting way to conclude Term 3, celebrating the people, places and connections that make Marist Boarding such a special community.