Primary School News

A New Chapter in the Primary School

I am delighted to begin serving as the Acting Assistant Head of College – Primary School for the remainder of the year. It is a privilege to step into this role and to work more closely with the wonderful boys, families, and staff who make our Primary community such a vibrant and supportive place.

Many families I already know through my work at the College, but I am very much looking forward to getting to know those of you I have not yet had the chance to meet. Building strong relationships with parents and understanding each boy’s journey is an important part of supporting our students to flourish.

I feel incredibly fortunate to be joining a Primary School that is already such a high-functioning and caring environment. I am excited to work alongside our dedicated staff and partner with you as parents to continue nurturing the growth, wellbeing, and learning of your boys.

I look forward to meeting many of you throughout the term.

Primary Pastoral Leader – Anthony Graham 

It has been wonderful to welcome the boys back for Term 2. A particular highlight has been seeing the pride the boys have taken in their presentation, wearing their ties and blazers so well. Staff spent time during Pastoral Care supporting the boys with tying their ties and ensuring top buttons were done up correctly. 

A small tip for the boys - once your tie is tied, keep it that way! It certainly makes the morning routine that little bit easier. 

Lost Property 

We currently have a significant amount of lost property that has accumulated over the past term. 

Lost property will be placed out each day this week for boys to check. At the end of the week, any items that are unnamed will be donated. 

We strongly encourage all boys to take the time to look through and collect any missing items. 

As we move into the winter sports season, a reminder to name everything - and we do mean everything! This includes uniforms, jackets, shoes, and even socks. For those aiming for a gold star in parenting, sewing or clearly labelling items makes a significant difference in helping us return belongings to their rightful owners. 

Back to Routines 

Returning to school routines after a break can take a little time, and this is completely normal. Establishing consistent sleep patterns, preparing school items the night before, and setting clear expectations for the day ahead can all support a smoother transition back into school life. 

We encourage families to allow a few days for boys to settle back into their routines. If your son is finding this transition challenging beyond the initial period, please don’t hesitate to reach out so we can support both at school and at home. 

We are looking forward to a positive and productive term ahead.   

Primary Learning Leader – Jen Little 

Goal Setting and Study

Welcome to Term 2. I hope everyone has had a chance to unwind and recharge.  

A new term is an opportunity for renewal, allowing us to review our past experiences and make any necessary adjustments for growth and improvement. In the coming weeks, our Years 5 and 6 students will be reflecting on what they have learned last term. They will also be encouraged to think about the learning behaviours they adopted that contributed to their success. Some will be satisfied with their contributions to their own learning, knowing they did everything they could to ‘set their sights on noble goals and not be content with mediocrity.’ Others will realise there is still much to be done in their learning journey. I have often said to students that they should not be the ‘passengers of their learning’ but rather the ‘drivers’ of it.

To this end, students will be encouraged to establish their own learning goals for Term 2. In the words of motivational speaker Brian Tracy, a goal without a plan is only a dream. We encourage boys to adopt goals for their learning that are S.M.A.R.T. 

In essence, a SMART goal is a blueprint that should underpin how students will work and what exactly they are working towards.  Parents are highly encouraged to work in partnership with the boys in the achievement of their goals. Please be aware of the following resources available to your sons that our Primary staff have provided: 

• Morning study – commencing from 7:40am – 8:10am each morning 
• One Note Revision Resources – available in both Years 5 and 6 for every core subject 
• Library Guides for additional reading and revision 
• After school supervision in Senior Library 
• Stile Revisions 
• Maths Online 
• Write that Essay Online Tool (Year 6) 

Our Year 6 students should be well-versed in what is made available to them to maximise their learning potential. For our Year 5 students, it will be a learning curve.  

In addition to individual homework tasks, students are also highly encouraged to commence their own study plan on an individual basis. Please see below some resources to assist with this: 

STUDY TIMETABLE.docx (sharepoint.com) 

10 tips on how to study effectively | Victoria University (vu.edu.au) 

(2) 3 tips on how to study effectively - YouTube 

Parent – Teacher – Student Interviews 

At the time of reading, the first round of face-to-face parent-teacher-student interviews will have occurred. This is an important opportunity for key stakeholders to reflect on the learning throughout Term 1 and determine any critical goals to maximise the learning of students. Notably, students should be looking to develop learning behaviours to set them up for success. A reminder that the second round of these interviews will take place in an online capacity on Wednesday afternoon on the 29th of April. Parents who have scheduled a time for this session should have been emailed a link. To ensure a smooth transition between online interviews, punctuality in these sessions is paramount.  

Homework 

When starting a new term, it is good to begin positively. With this in mind, I would like to take this opportunity to remind students and parents of our homework expectations. Please note that homework at Marist College Ashgrove is not an option.   

It is the expectation that all students in the Primary complete homework and bring their Student Diary to school each day. Students with a learning need may have their homework adjusted and this will be at the discretion of the classroom teacher. Please note that we understand that can be a struggle for some. If this is the case, please make use of our before school study room that commences each morning at 7:40am until 8:10am. This may be a valuable resource for you, and it is there to support families and students.  

In Primary, the emphasis for homework is on independent learning and management of knowledge. Homework should comprise the following elements, each of which is of equal importance:  

• Weekly Literacy homework in the form of spelling, reading comprehension and language conventions 
• Weekly Mathematics homework 
• Nightly independent reading – 20 minutes 
• Completion of any follow-up work set in a particular class that day 
• Additional revision/ study for upcoming exams across all key learning areas 

Should unforeseen issues arise at home, which prevents students from being able to complete homework tasks, parents are asked to advise classroom teachers by means of a note in the school diary or email. Average time spent on nightly homework in Years 5 and 6 should be between 40 – 60 minutes, inclusive of 20 minutes reading. 

 Consequences in Primary for Incomplete Homework 

There is a ‘3 strike’ policy for homework breaches in Primary. This policy is in operation from the commencement of Year 6 and from Term 2 of Year 5. It is believed that Year 5 students require a little more support in Term 1 as part of their transition to Marist College Ashgrove. 

• First infringement – student is given a ‘strike’ and asked to complete the work at home and submit the next school day. If the work is still incomplete the next day, students complete their work in the Primary Library during break time upon finishing their lunch. 
• Second infringement – student is given a ‘second strike’ and asked to complete the work at home and submit the next school day. If the work is still incomplete the next day, students complete their work in the Primary Library during break time upon finishing their lunch. The ‘second strike’ is communicated (via email) to parents by the classroom teacher with the Primary Learning Leader copied into the email. 

• Third infringement – student is given a ‘third strike’ and asked to complete the work at a formalised detention. This may be during the lunch break or on a Monday afternoon depending on the severity and frequency of the infringement. Classroom teachers will refer the third strike to myself who will email the parents of the child, alerting them to the third strike and providing details about the detention.

   

To be clear, the above information outlines the minimum expectations for homework. Many of our students complete routine homework activities in far less time than the 40-60 minute per school day guidelines. These students are highly encouraged to complete additional independent study using the One Note Resources outlined above. The study timetable provided in this newsletter should assist with their planning for this.  

Morning Study  

Please note an updated time for our supervised Morning Study arrangements. Morning Study will operate in the Primary CLE from 7:40–8:10am, Monday to Friday. This space provides a quiet environment for students to complete homework and/ or study.   

Morning Study is open to all students; however, the level of support offered will vary depending on the number of students attending on any given day. Students who wish to enhance their learning through a regular weekly study routine, particularly by using resources from their OneNote, will find this an ideal venue. 

Primary Sport 

Mr John Lambourne – Head of Sport (Primary) 

Achievements 

Congratulations to Alex Dunbar (6V), Leo Mylne (6W) and Jack Wurf (6M) who have been selected to represent Met North at the Queensland School Sport State AFL Championships (10-12 Years). 

Congratulations to Kai Mackenna (6R) and Anderson Wild(6W) who recently represented Brisbane Metro Little League Majors at the Queensland State Titles. The team went undefeated across all games, ultimately securing the gold medal in a highly competitive tournament. We wish them the very best as they prepare to represent Brisbane Metro at the National Championships.  

Marist Primary Colour Cross Country Carnival 

Friday, 1 May – McMahon Oval 

All Year 5-6 boys are expected to attend in their College Sports Uniform 

Boys are expected to participate to the best of their ability. 

Parents are welcome to attend. 

If your son will be attending school and is unable to participate due to illness or injury, please notify Primary Reception primaryreception@marash.qld.edu.au. 

All other absences are to be logged on the Parent Portal following normal procedures. 

Hats, sunscreen and water bottles are extremely important, teachers will have sunscreen available for boys to reapply, and the boys are expected to take responsibility to ensure they stay sun safe and hydrated.

All events will start and finish on McMahon Oval, in front of the John Eales Grandstand. 

Cross Country Age Championship Nomination 

Boys wishing to compete in the Age Championship events will compete in their age division; 10 Years (born 2016), 11 Years (born 2015) and 12 Years (born 2014). 

Age Championship events are used as qualification events for selection to attend North West District Cross Country. 

Cross Country Age Championship Nomination 

Term 2 AIC Sport 

Rugby 

  Football 

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 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 5pm 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.