Deputy Head of College News

First Week Jitters for Parents as well as Students

Starting a new school year can be hard for students, but we also know it can be just as hard for parents and even teachers as the cartoon below shows:

As we all navigate the new school year, there are a couple of points I would like to clarify to help make things a little easier for our parents and guardians.

School Drop Offs

All our sons want to be dropped to school as close to their lockers as possible.  Unfortunately, as we are on a large campus that is a pedestrian zone during school hours, this is not able to happen.  Fortunately, though, we know that exercise is good for boys and their learning and walking from the bus stop or drop off points has long term positive impacts.

If you drop your son to school and he asks you to drop him at the bus stop, or on the Glenlyon section of the road leading to the Glenlyon Bridge, please remind him that the College has two designated drop-off points and we need to use them in order to keep the rest of the school community safe.

The two spots to drop the boys are either at the round-about accessed from either Moola Road or Frasers Road, or the road alongside the flats (Grevillea Road).

We remind you again that entry over the Glenlyon Bridge is for staff parking and swimmer drop off only. Attempting to use this bridge (and even the small section of road linking Grevillea Road and the Bridge) to get your son closer to school increases the risk of injury to the number of boys using this entrance as pedestrians and bike riders.

How Can I Help or Get Involved?

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.

Just like the nerves our boys feel when starting the year, I know that many of you also feel nervous about stepping behind the counter of our Tuckshop or Canteens.  I can promise you that the nerves do disappear after the first go – and the other parents behind the counter are only too happy to show new parents volunteers the ropes.

If you would like to volunteer in the Tuckshop during the day and you are double vaccinated, please click on the relevant link below. Our Tuckshop convenor Jocelyn Derbyshire 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 Jocelyn 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.

2022 / Term 1: https://signup.com/go/fFqJKBJ

2022 / Term 2: https://signup.com/go/hgaoPAg

2022 / Term 3: https://signup.com/go/SBOBmum

2022 / Term 4: https://signup.com/go/LedOEJB

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!

Uniform

One way boys try to show their individuality is to wear their uniform in a manner that is not consistent with the school rules and standards.

This is one area we as a College rely on you as parents to help us maintain our high standards.

Over the next few weeks, we will be working hard to set the right tone, and would appreciate your support in ensuring your son has socks that are big enough to reach his knees when folded over (for some of you this may mean hiding his socks from Year 5 that he prefers to wear even though he is now in Year 11 and you have bought socks that are his size), that his shirts and shorts fit appropriately (again smaller shirts that don’t stay tucked in can be a source of contention for boys as they go through their day) and that shoes are polished and clean before coming to school.

We are very proud of our College and know that you and your sons are as well. When it comes to adolescent boys; however, we must all work together to make sure that they show their pride through the way they present themselves both when at school and when outside the College.

Parent Lounge Absentees

As a parent at the College who has already needed to let the school know that my son is absent due to illness, I was very happy to be able to record the absence through Parent Lounge rather than via email or phone.

I am hopeful that you too will find this new process far easier to undertake once you have logged into Parent Lounge for the first time.

Please see our Head of Students’ newsletter article for more information about recording absences through Parent Lounge.

Who Do I Talk To?

All staff at MCA have an email address which follows the same format:

surname followed by first initial @marash.qld.edu.au

For example my email is mcpheeb@marash.qld.edu.au

Should you have an issue you would like to address regarding your son’s work in any class, please contact his classroom teacher in the first instance, followed by the Curriculum Leader for the subject area (these staff members can be found on the College website by clicking on College Life and then The Staff).

Should you have an issue that is pastoral in nature, depending on the severity of the issue, you can contact your son’s pastoral group teacher or his Head of House (Years 7-12) or the Primary Pastoral Leader (Years 5-6).

All staff respond to emails within a 48-hour window at the very longest.

If you send an email to the wrong person, please don’t worry – that staff member will know who to pass the information on to.

External Tutoring on College Grounds

If you are interested in arranging for an External Private Tutor (eg an Old Boy) to tutor your son on College Grounds, such as in the Library or within the Boarding precinct, you will need to seek permission from the Head of College, Mr Michael Newman by emailing him the details to marist@marash.qld.edu.au. Please include the name of your son, his homeroom and the name/contact details of the Tutor you are enlisting to tutor your son.

As you may appreciate, we require all persons engaging in private tutoring on campus to hold a Blue Card, have double vaccination, as well as to abide by the College’s Private Tutoring Guidelines. You will then be emailed a form that needs to be signed and returned and the HR department will make contact with the Tutor regarding their Blue Card.

Please note that until the Tutor provides proof of their Blue Card to the College, and is linked to the College, they are unable to tutor on the College grounds. If you have any further enquiries please contact Head of Staff Services, Julie Ward at wardj@marash.qld.edu.au.

Clarification of College Processes or Procedures

Should you require any clarification of College processes or procedures, please don’t hesitate to get in contact. Chances are you won’t be the only one!