Primary School News

Dear Primary Parents,

This week we celebrate Book Week in our Primary School. There will be so many wonderful opportunities offered to the boys this week that will focus on the magical world of books and reading. I really do hope that the boys take these opportunities and enjoy immersing themselves in all that Book Week offers. As parents, I encourage you all to take some time this week to read with your sons and speak with them about the books they are currently reading. I would like to thank our dedicated library staff, Mrs Meaghan Round and Ms Robyn Brown for the hours and hours that they have put in over the last few weeks to make this week a memorable one for our boys and staff.

I would like to take this opportunity to congratulate all boys who participated in AIC sport over the weekend. Our basketballers, tennis players and rugby league teams all commenced their season over the weekend, and I was well pleased with the sportsmanship and commitment on display by the teams I watched on Friday and Saturday. I encourage all boys and spectators to respect the umpire or referee’s decisions and to show good judgment when decisions do not go the way of the MCA team involved. 

Have a great week and thank you, in advance, for preparing your son to do his best each day here in the Primary School.  

Primary Pastoral Leader – Mr Anthony Graham 

Reflections on Under 8s Day at St Joseph's Bardon

Last Friday, our Year 6 boys had the wonderful opportunity to represent our college with great positivity and enthusiasm at the Under 8s Day at St Joseph's Bardon. This event was a valuable learning experience for everyone involved. Our boys not only showcased their leadership skills but also got a taste of what it’s like to be a teacher. It was interesting to see some of the younger students struggling to listen to the boys, highlighting the challenges teachers face every day. This experience undoubtedly provided our Year 6 representatives with new insights and respect for the teaching profession.

Important Reminders

Parent Lounge

We would like to remind all parents and guardians to log any absentee in the Teacher Kiosk. This helps us keep accurate records and ensures the safety of all students.

Signing In and Out

If your son is signing in late or needs to leave early, an adult must sign him out at Primary Reception in the St. Marcellin Centre. Your cooperation in this matter is greatly appreciated.

Lost Property Notice

While we have seen some improvement in the amount of lost property, we are still finding hats, jumpers, and sporting gear without names on them. This makes it difficult to return items to their rightful owners. Please take a moment to check your son’s belongings, including socks, to ensure everything is clearly named. This small step can save a lot of time and hassle for everyone involved.

Marist Primary School Dance: Save the Date!

We are excited to announce the Year 5 and Year 6 Marist Primary School Dance, scheduled for Tuesday 13 August from 5:00pm to 6:45pm. This promises to be a fun evening with students from other local schools joining us. Tickets are $15, which include a drink and a packet of chips. All money raised will go to Marist Solidarity, supporting those in our extended Marist community. More information will be provided soon, but please mark this date in your diaries!

Thank you for your ongoing support and cooperation.

Primary Learning Leader – Ms Jen Little

Artificial Intelligence: Opportunities and Challenges

Artificial Intelligence has rapidly transformed from a futuristic concept into a vital component of modern life. From enhancing daily conveniences to revolutionising industries, AI’s impact is undeniable. However, this powerful technology also presents significant challenges and risks. Understanding both sides is crucial for navigating the AI-driven future. 

Benefits of AI:

1. Enhanced Efficiency and Productivity: AI systems excel at automating routine and repetitive tasks, freeing up human workers to focus on more complex and creative activities. This automation boosts productivity across various sectors, from manufacturing to customer service. 
2. Improved Decision-Making: By analysing vast amounts of data quickly and accurately, AI can provide insights that inform better decision-making. For instance, in healthcare, AI algorithms can assist in diagnosing diseases earlier and more accurately than traditional methods. 
3. Personalisation: AI enhances user experiences by personalising recommendations based on individual preferences and behaviours. This is evident in services like Netflix, Amazon and Spotify which use AI to suggest content tailored to each user’s tastes. 
4. Innovation and New Opportunities: AI-driven innovation by enabling the development of new products and services. Autonomous vehicles, smart home devices, and advanced robotics are just a few examples of AI-powered innovations that promise to reshape daily life and industry.

Dangers of AI:

1. Job Displacement: While AI improves efficiency, it also threatens to displace workers in various sectors. Automation of jobs, particularly in manufacturing and service industries, could lead to significant unemployment and require substantial workforce retraining programs. 
2. Bias and Discrimination: AI systems can perpetuate and even exacerbate existing biases if not properly managed. Algorithms trained on biased data can make unfair decisions, affecting hiring practices, law enforcement and loan approvals, among other areas.
3. Privacy Concerns: The extensive data collection required for AI to function effectively raises significant privacy issues. Unauthorised data access and usage can lead to breaches of personal privacy and data security.
4. Security Risks: AI can be used maliciously in cyberattacks, such as automated hacking and the creation of sophisticated phishing schemes. Additionally, the development of autonomous weapons poses a severe threat to global security. 

Balancing the benefits and risks of AI is a complex and continuously evolving task that requires collective agency between policy-makers, technologists and society as a whole. To mitigate the risks, the following is needed:

• Ethical AI Development – developing ethical guidelines and standards for AI is crucial. Ensuring that AI systems are transparent, accountable and fair will help in preventing misuse and unintended consequences.
• Education and Training – Investing in education and workforce training programs can help mitigate job displacement by equipping workers with the skills needed to thrive in an AI-driven economy.
• Robust Privacy Protections: Implementing stringent data privacy regulations and practices can protect individual’s data and build public trust in AI technologies.
• International Cooperation: Global cooperation is essential in addressing the security risks posed by AI, particularly in preventing the development and use of autonomous weapons. 

Micro-Level Considerations: AI in Primary School Assessments

While the above information provides a broad overview of AI’s impact, it is crucial to address the specific decisions needed at the micro-level, particularly in education settings. One key controversial area is when it comes to the authentication of student assessments in schools. As AI tools become more integrated into the classroom, ensuring the integrity of student assessments is paramount. Therefore, it is timely to explicitly remind students and parents of the following rules regarding assessments in Years 5 and 6:

1. All assessment is to be the work of the students. Whilst routine homework tasks allow for parents to assist students on a needs basis, we need to be able to quality assure that an assessment is entirely the work of the student. For this reason and for the purpose of ensuring equity, we ask that parents refrain from altering student work on assessment tasks e.g. assignments. 
2. Students must NOT use artificial intelligence to either enhance or complete their assessments. For clarity on how AI should and shouldn’t be used in assessments, please see the table below:

Use of AI in Assessments:

Further education of parents and students in this space is essential in the future. To this end, the Primary Team are committed to increasing supervision around assessments, educating students about digital literacy and regular updates to parents to enhance engagement in this area. 

Literacy and Numeracy Cup Results - Week 2

Congratulations to the classes below who won last week's Literacy and Numeracy Round of Competition:

Literacy:

5 Blue - 69.7%

6 Violet - 83.7%

Numeracy:

5 Gold - 76.8%

6 Gold - 75.6%

Literacy and Numeracy continue to be a focus for the Primary students this semester.

Primary Sport

Primary SportMr John Lambourne – Head of Sport (Primary)

What’s On This Week

*Please see the College app for further details

Term 3 AIC Sport

Basketball

Rugby League

Track & Field

There are 4 AIC T&F meets scheduled at the end of Term 3.

• Thursday 22 August
• Wednesday 28 August
• Thursday 5 September
• Wednesday 11 September 17

AIC Championships – Thursday 3 and Friday 4 October – QSAC.

Track and Field Training

Sprints and Middle Distance

Monday and Wednesday – McMahon Oval – 3:30pm – 4:45pm

Long Jump and Hurdles

Tuesday – Athletics Precinct – 6:45am – 8:00am

Shot Put

Boys wishing to train for shot put are please asked to see Mr Lambourne

Boys wishing to be considered for AIC selection should also be aware that there will be training and meets conducted over the Term 3 holidays.

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 co-curricular activities should not impact on students’ 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 lookout 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 smartphone. 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 5:00pm 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.