Learning and Teaching News

Year 12 Gold Optimus Breakfast 

This morning our 60 Year 12 Gold Optimus Award recipients and their parents/carers came together for the Annual Optimus Breakfast. This year we were fortunate to welcome Justice Mellifont as our keynote speaker. 

Justice Mellifont is a graduate of the Queensland University of Technology – Bachelor of Laws (Honours) (1994), Master of Laws (1996) and Doctor of Juridical Science (2007). Her Honour was admitted as a barrister of the Supreme Court in 1994. Her Honour was appointed silk in 2010. 

Justice Mellifont was appointed Senior Legal Officer at the Forde Inquiry into Child Abuse (1998-1999), Senior Counsel Assisting Queensland Floods Commission (2011) and Senior Counsel Assisting to the Royal Commission into Violence, Abuse, Neglect and Exploitation of People with Disability (2019-2021). 

Her Honour served as a director of Barristers Chambers Pty Ltd (2005-2021) and a member of the Psychologist’s Board of Queensland (2005-2010). Her Honour was a tutor and lecturer at QUT (1996-2001). Her Honour was on the QUT Law Founders’ Scholarship Committee (2013-2021). 

Justice Mellifont is the author of Fruit of the Poisonous Tree, a study of the law relating to evidence derived from excluding illegally and improperly obtained evidence. She was appointed as a justice of the Supreme Court of Queensland on 4 October 2021 and was appointed President of the Queensland Civil and Administrative Tribunal on 22 November 2021. 

A full write-up of the Optimus Breakfast will be included in the newsletter next week. 

Year 10 and Year 9 Academic Awards 

Congratulations to Year 9 and 10 students who received Academic Achievement Awards for Semester 1, 2024. These awards were presented to students last Wednesday during the College assembly.  

Congratulations to our Year 9 and 10 Semester 1 Academic Award recipients – 

Year 9 Bronze Awards 

Year 9 Silver Awards 

Year 9 Gold Awards 

Year 10 Bronze Awards 

Year 10 Silver Awards 

Year 10 Gold Awards 

Year 11 Optimus and Years 5-8 Academic Achievement Awards will be presented during the Week 4 College assembly on Wednesday 31 July.

Student Monitoring Week – Years 9-12 

This week all students in Years 9-12 will have an opportunity to sit down in Pastoral Group and discuss their goals for Semester 2, 2024.   

It is a great opportunity for you to ask your son about his goals and to also reflect on his learning across Semester 1.   

Parent/Teacher/Student Interviews – Week 6  

We believe that education is a collaborative effort, and we are grateful for the unwavering support of our parents and the wider community. PTS interviews are an important part of your son’s educational journey.  One that allows for a time to reflect on his strengths, but also discuss opportunities for areas of growth and improvement.  To ensure timely feedback and discussion we will be offering PTS online on Monday12 August (Week 6).  Please keep an eye out for when booking times open in the coming weeks.  

2025 Year 11 SET plan interviews 

All SET plan interviews for our current Year 10 students and parents/carers should have now been completed. If this is not the case, please contact curriculum@marash.qld.edu.au to organise a time to complete.

Year 11 – Music Extension and English/Literature Extension 

Any Year 11 student who may be interested in undertaking an Extension subject in either Music or English/Literature in Term 4 (Unit 3 & 4) must attend the information this Thursday in Period 6. Please check the daily notices for location. 

Year 12 Exam Block 

The Year 12 IA3 Exam Block will run across Monday 29 and Tuesday 30 July. The schedule has been emailed to all Year 12 students and parents. Normal classes will resume Wednesday 31 July. 

The list of prescribed equipment for exams can be found here - External assessment equipment list (qcaa.qld.edu.au). 

Please note that students behind in Certificate and Diploma courses will remain at school during the exam block.  

Term 3 Assessment Schedules  

The Term 3 Assessment Schedules for each year level will be released to students later this week. This can be located in Student Café. Your son is encouraged to download this schedule and transfer assessment dates to his College Diary.  

We encourage our boys to best prepare for these assessments by studying each day. The College Diary outlines the minimum expectations for homework, revision, and study across Years 5-12:     

Year 5: 40 minutes inclusive of reading     

Year 6: 40-60 minutes inclusive of reading     

Year 7: 60 – 80 minutes     

Year 8: 60 – 90 minutes     

Year 9: 90 – 120 minutes     

Year 10: 120 – 150 minutes     

Year 11 and 12: 180 – 240 minutes.     

Students are encouraged to create a study and homework schedule each week, so this time is managed effectively. 

Old Boys Tutoring List 

Please find here a list of Old Boys who are available to tutor your son outside of school hours.  This list can also be located on the parent portal or via this link.Please note it is the parent’s responsibility to organise and liaise tutoring times with the Old Boys.    

Year 12 Night Study Sessions    

The Night Study Sessions are weekly study times available to Year 12 students who wish to work in collaboration with their peers for assessment, complete revision, revisit classwork or work on external exam preparation.     

When: Every Wednesday during term time from 5:00pm-8:00pm

Where: Senior Library

Who: 2024 Year 12s only

Requirements:

• Current ID card is to be presented on arrival    
• All students must sign in and out of the library    
• All standard library rules are to be followed (including no eating)    
• Normal student behaviour expectations apply; if these cannot be met, boys will be prohibited from returning to future sessions    
• Students are free to wear full College uniform or plain clothes    
• Students are free to arrive and leave as they see fit. Supervision is only provided in the library between 5:00pm-8:00pm.    

Students are to be in the library only. This is not a time for sport or social gatherings.         

A supervisor will be on duty from 5:00pm-8:00pm to assist if required; however, these are not tutoring sessions.  

Study Tip