Deputy Head of College News

Catholic Education Week

“Put yourself in someone else’s shoes.” I’m confident this phrase is well known amongst all members of our Marist Family. It’s well known, it’s encouraged, it’s practiced, it challenges our worldview, our biases, our values and our behaviours. It also strongly resonates with a Christian perspective. In relation to forms of education, my worldview has been greatly influenced by Catholic education. From primary schooling to secondary schooling, through tertiary education and into my career, I’ve been continuously immersed in Catholic education. For me, Catholic education has been normalised.

I can recall the moment when commencing at a Catholic secondary school as a young person  entering Year 8 when my worldview was challenged – “What do you mean? You guys haven’t all gone to a Catholic primary school. You mean, you don’t know that we do this stuff (liturgies etc)?” Stupid me thought Catholic education was normal.

I’m so thankful for this realisation. I had to put myself in another’s shoes. It taught me two key lessons - always try and see things from another’s perspective and know thyself (what you stand for and what you won’t stand for).

Why do we celebrate Catholic Education Week in Queensland?

Are we that unique that we need a week dedicated to its celebration? 

What do we stand for? What won’t we stand for?

Our greatest strength as a Catholic community is our people. We encourage, we listen, we share, we apologise, we forgive. No one person is above or below these communal attributes. This is our uniqueness. We stand for looking outwardly towards those who are struggling. We won’t stand for turning our backs on others. Although this can become normalised, Catholic Education Week provides us with an opportunity to put ourselves in another’s shoes and reflect on our uniqueness, our strengths and opportunities for growth.

As we join 312 Catholic schools in Queensland with Catholic Education Week, may we continue to be challenged to put ourselves in another’s shoes to reflect on our uniqueness as a Catholic community, what we stand for and what we won’t stand for.

Walkathon

This year’s Walkathon, scheduled for Sunday 11 August, is quickly approaching. The Walkathon is proud long-standing Marist tradition which continues to be our largest Marist Family event of the year.

In keeping with College tradition, the Walkathon is set to raise funds for the Marist College Ashgrove Parents and Friends Association who will use the funds to support the College to enhance facilities and improve the educational journey for all Marist College Ashgrove students now and into the future. Recent projects have included; to upgrades to the Flats fields, fans in the Champagnat Centre, the new College Coffee Van, music studio, upgrades to playground basketball facilities. This year, we are excited to announce that all funds raised from this year’s Walkathon will go towards new student changerooms for the highly used Cameron Oval.

Fundraising will be achieved through community sponsorship of students participation in the Walkathon. Students are encouraged to collect sponsorship to walk on the day through a cashless donation system where parents, family and friends can donate online. All students will have access to donation cards, displaying the donation link and QR code to share with family and friends.

Please encourage your sons to consider how they might help raise money over the coming weeks. You may also choose to email the electronic donation invitation, sent with this letter, to friends and family. Prizes will be awarded for students who raise the following:

• For every $100 raised: Students will receive a sports ball (basketball, football or rugby ball).
• For every $200 raised: Further incentives to be confirmed.
• Pizza Party: For the Pastoral Group and Primary Class that raises the most funds raised.
• Best Dress Fancy Dress: On the day of the Walkathon the best dressed Primary and Secondary student in fancy dress will receive a $50 tuckshop voucher.
• For every $30 raised: Students will receive a Marist College Stress Ball (Primary Students Only).
• For every $50 raised: Students will go into a raffle for lunch with Primary Admin. (Primary Students)

Right to Disconnect Protocols

As part of our commitment to promoting the well-being of our Marist Family, the College is undertaking a review of communication practices for renewal of communication practices which is hoped to be implemented in the coming months.

The College understands the importance of maintaining a healthy balance between work and personal life for all members of our Marist Family, especially in today's digitally connected world. Additionally, new right to disconnect legislation provides an important framework for ensuring that all members of our community can disconnect from work-related communications outside of designated working hours.

A new Communications Policy and Communication Guidelines and Right to Disconnect Protocols are being developed by the College to emphasise the importance of respecting individuals' right to disconnect and encouraging asynchronous communication whenever possible. The College believes that by fostering a culture that respects and supports respectful and productive communication and the right to disconnect, we can create a healthier and more productive community where staff members feel valued, and families feel supported.

The College looks forward to working with all members of our Marist Family on this important undertaking and to sharing more information in the coming months.

AIC Sport Code of Conduct

Fundamental to the AIC, is our belief in inclusion and fellowship and the role we each play in fostering this. As a parent, spectator or official, we need to ensure we are welcoming to all involved and treat them with the greatest levels of respect, protecting the rights, dignity and worth of every person regardless of diversity. The AIC provides a Code of Conduct for parents/guardians, spectators, coaches and officials which can be found here.

The AIC supports all efforts to remove poor behaviour from sporting events. In the event that a parent or spectator feels the need to notify the AIC of inappropriate behaviour, they should firstly notify the venue official/College representative at the venue. Following this, any complaint should be then directed to their son's coach, College Head of Sport or the appropriate member of the College Leadership Team.

Safe Travel and Parking

With the normalisation of student travel home this term and the concentration of sport training occurring before and after school, it's imperative each of us meet our responsibilities with respect to safe driving and car parking. Please ensure you follow all signed parking instructions. By way of example, parking over yellow lines along the Glenlyon Road exit to the College causes much congestion and is unsafe for our students, neighbours and other drivers.

Each afternoon Frasers Road sees a number of buses, cars and student pedestrians from both Marist and surrounding schools. Your support with and driving through this area at this with an extra level of awareness and care will greatly assist in a safe passage home for all.

During Term 4, Crossing Guards will permanently be in place on Frasers Road (in the vicinity of the “Enchanted Forest” entrance) during peak school walk times. This new safety initiative has arisen through the advocacy of our nearby community of Oakleigh State School. We thank the Oakleigh community for their leadership of this important community work.

Tuckshop Volunteers

Many of our parents are keen to help in some way to contribute to the Marist community that we are so well known for. Two ways to do this are through volunteering in the College Tuckshop during the day, or through the Sports Canteens on the weekend.

If you would like to volunteer in the Tuckshop during the day, please click on the relevant link below. Our Tuckshop convenor Josie Loucas will take your details and be only too happy to welcome you into the Tuckshop volunteer family. If you are too nervous to volunteer on your own, there is always the possibility of signing up with a friend. Just let Josie know if you want to be there at the same time as a buddy and I know she will help you out. We have parents who leave at the end of their son’s schooling journey commenting on how much they loved their regular (weekly, fortnightly or even term-by-term) Tuckshop catch-up with friends over the years.

Term 3  https://signup.com/go/vobwCPd

Term 4  https://signup.com/go/MEMAsHC

For Sports Canteen volunteers, please keep an eye out on the App for calls to sign up. Remember – if you feel more comfortable with a friend, please rope them in and take them along. The more the merrier!