Primary School News

Dear Primary Parents

Opportunities for your sons are everywhere here at Marist College.

Last week, our Year 5 boys put their best foot forward and completed their NAPLAN assessments. I was touched by the vision of our Year 6 boys and staff forming a guard of honour for our youngest students to offer their encouragement and support as they undertook these assessments. It wasn’t the usual rowdy, back-slapping, high-fiving tunnel that a rugby team might run through on match day, but rather a collective show of support so the Year 5 boys knew that their ASH Buddies wished them all the best as they started these tests on Wednesday. I would like to thank the Year 6 teachers and students who took this opportunity to support the boys. 

The remainder of the term presents many new opportunities for each boy to put their best foot forward and finish the term off strongly. 

Final assessments are continuing this week and it is hoped that each boy is doing everything he can to prepare well and do his best in these. All Primary students will celebrate Harmony Day on Tuesday and have the chance to take part in an activity that celebrates belonging in our community. Our Primary Swimming Carnival will take place on Friday at the College Pool and again, every boy has the opportunity to get involved in this fun day and do his best for his team. The goals of this carnival are participation, comradery and fun and importantly, it will be the boys’ first chance to come together in their house colour teams to meet new students and learn new war cries!  

Next week is full of excitement as our Year 5 boys head away on camp and our Year 6 boys head off on excursions to Parliament House. We know that all the boys will do a great job of being 100% Marist, 100% of the time while they are away from the College. Hopefully, I can share some images of these two wonderful events next week. 

Finally, there is some exciting news from our Library today (see below) as we embark on our Public Speaking and Debating seasons.  With AFL, cricket and swimming in our rear-view mirror, and the next term of AIC sports being prepared for, it is fantastic that our boys have the opportunity to involve themselves in the Public Speaking and Debating program. If you wish your son to be involved, please encourage him to attend any meetings that may be called this term.

From the Library – Ms Robyn Brown

Round Robin Debating and Public Speaking Opportunities

We have been invited again this year to participate in a Debating and Public Speaking competition at St Laurence’s College to commence in Term 2. We will be competing against St Laurence’s, Padua and ATC.

We are seeking two teams of Year 6 boys to participate in Debating, and ten Year 5 boys for Public Speaking. The boys need to be enthusiastic and committed in order to hone skills in the areas of research, effective communication and organisation. This will involve lunchtime meetings, argument/public speaking preparation at home, and three evening debates or presentations.

The competition rounds will run fortnightly from 6:00pm – 7:00pm on Tuesday 2 May, Tuesday 16 May and Tuesday 30 May. There is an expectation that the boys arrive 15 mins prior to their debate dressed neatly in their school uniform.

More information shall be given to the boys when the teams have been selected. The selection process will involve the boys presenting a short, prepared speech during the lunch break.

Both competitions are a great precursor to the QDU competition in Terms 3 and 4. We will then be seeking a team of Year 5 boys for public speaking and two teams of Year 6 boys to debate. 

The boys shall be given more information regarding the round-robin and audition times at the morning assembly. Mrs Tippens shall be facilitating the public speaking and Mrs Brown the debating.

We look forward to a great season ahead.

Primary Sport - Mr John Lambourne

Achievements

Congratulations to Patrick Hambleton (5R) who has been selected to represent North-West District (10–12 years) Hockey at the Met North Regional trials, to be held 20 April.

Congratulations to Jimmy Corbett (6W) and Nicho Schisas (6R) who have been selected to represent North-West District (11–12 years) Rugby League at the Met North Regional trials, to be held 26-27 April.

Congratulations to Nathan Wright (5R) who has been selected to represent North-West District (10–11 years) Rugby League at the Met North Regional trials, to be held 28-29 April.

Primary Colour Swimming Carnival

Primary Swimming Carnival will take place Friday, 24 March.

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

Parents are welcome to attend.

Each boy is expected to swim 50m freestyle and 50m breaststroke.

The remainder of the day will be made up with participation and novelty-based games.

Boys will compete in the class colours – Blue, Gold, Red, Violet and White.

Boys may wish to change into coloured outfits, which they can do before Pastoral Group, they may also bring mascots and wear zinc in their team colour if they wish.

Hats, sunscreen and water bottles are extremely important on a day like this and boys are expected to take some responsibility to ensure they stay sun safe and hydrated.

Each boy is expected to participate in all the novelty events to the best of their ability.

The College tuckshop will be unavailable for the Primary boys on Friday.

The Mission Department will be running a sausage sizzle in Break 1, $2.00 for a sausage on bread, with all money raised going to MCA Lenten Appeal.

The Primary Swimming Carnival Program will be made available on the College App.

Cross Country Training

Continues Monday – Thursday mornings.

Boys meet at the swimming pool from 6:30am for a 6:45am departure.

It is recommended that students complete two sessions per week. Students should attend one of the following:

• Monday and Wednesday
• Monday and Thursday
• Tuesday and Thursday

This structure allows students to have a rest day between sessions and to complete different types of training.

Rugby and Football

• All matches are played Saturday mornings, training will be one afternoon and one morning session each week.
• Boys require; Jersey, shorts, and socks - available from the College Clothing Shop
  Boys also require; Rugby: Boots and mouthguard and Football: Boots and shin pads.

Rugby Union Trial Information

Football Trial Information

Term 1 AIC Sport

Cricket

AFL

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.

Sports Photographs

We are always on the lookout for photos and action shots to be used for the Blue and 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.

Pick-up Arrangements - “Plan B”

It is important that you are aware of your son’s pick-up procedure if sports training is cancelled or if you are running late. 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. 

Sport training sessions finish normally finish by 4:45pm. We ask that boys are picked up at this time, or soon after. Any boy who is still at their training venue at 5:00pm will be directed to the Boarding Reception area so that he may be collected from there.

In the case of bus arrivals, boys will be sent to Boarding Reception 15 minutes after the arrival time of the bus.