Primary News

Mr Liam Beatty, Head of Primary School

Dear Primary Families,

Leadership Investiture and Liturgy 

On Thursday last week, we came together for a special liturgy for the investiture of our Year 12 graduating class of 2022. This celebration also included the official presentation of our Primary Student Leaders for 2022 to our College Community. It was very fitting that our Year 6 cohort, the leaders of our Primary School, were able to attend the liturgy. 

Lenten Fun Day

Last Friday our Primary students supported our College Lenten Appeal by offering a donation for free dress and engaging in many activities and food stalls at first break. The boys had a great day and enjoyed the opportunity to mix with our older students who hosted these stalls. 

 

It is our hope that by engaging in these fundraising experiences during this Lenten season, members of our community will also gain an increased awareness of the important initiatives these funds will support through the good work of Australian Marist Solidarity, Caritas and Catholic Mission. 

AIC Swimming

Congratulations to our AIC Swim Team who won the Primary Division of the Associated Independent Colleges (AIC) Championship last week. Many thanks to Mr John Lambourne, Mr Damien Boyce, Mrs Christine Ballie, Mrs Cath Geraghty and all other staff who have supported the boys throughout the season. More details and results can be found in the Head of Sport (Primary) section below. 

Save the Date – Primary Swimming Carnival

Our Primary School Swimming Carnival will take place next Friday 25 March. Please note that on this day the Tuckshop and Pool Canteen will not be available for students to use. 

Year 5 Liturgy 

On Wednesday 23 March we will host our Year 5 Welcome Liturgy in the College Chapel. This important gathering provides us with an opportunity to acknowledge the newest members of our MCA Family, as they come to the end of their first term at the College. Unfortunately, due to the capacity of the College Chapel, only one parent per student is able to attend.

Parent/Teacher/Student Interviews 

As per the College Calendar, Year 5 and 6 Parent/Teacher/Student interviews are occurring at the beginning of Term 2 over two dates, Tuesday 19 April and Wednesday 27 April. This year, the College will again offer both in-person and online interviews over the two Term 2 dates. The interviews on Tuesday 19 April will be held in-person on-site and the interviews on Wednesday 27 April will be held online through Microsoft Teams.

For more information, please see the letter sent last week from Ms Madeleine Tong.

Absentees

Thank you to all families who are continuing to inform us of absentees using the Parent Portal. If you and your family are having to isolate due to COVID-19, could we ask that you please include the day that your son will be returning to school. It is expected that all students and families are following the Queensland Health expectations for isolation for positive cases and close contacts. 

Reminders

If your son is sick or unwell, please keep them home. Any students who are displaying flu-like symptoms at school will be sent to Primary Reception where their parents will be contacted immediately to collect them. These students will be provided with a Rapid Antigen Test. 

From the Pastoral Leader – Mr Michael Connolly

Spending at Tuckshop

It has been a few weeks since the boys received their ID cards and many of them are enjoying using their cards to access the tuckshop food during the school day.

 

I have spoken with the students about the need to make sure their ID card is safe and secure at all times. It is a good idea to keep the card housed in a wallet or something similar so that the card is not simply kept in a shorts pocket during the day. These cards are costly to replace so it is important that the boys are careful with them every day.

 

I would also suggest that parents keep a check on how much their sons are spending each day (or week) and be aware of what items their sons are buying. 

 

This can be done very quickly by accessing the Tuckshop Monitor tile on the portal and clicking on the View Statements button which allows all parents to see what has been purchased and when. 

 

Please have a conversation with your son about your expectations regarding his spending at the tuckshop.

 

Haircuts

After writing a reminder in an earlier newsletter, I am very pleased to report that the vast majority of Primary students are coming to school with haircuts that are in keeping with what is written in our College diary. 

 

I have noticed during the last week though, that there are a number of boys with fringes that hang down over their eyes. I will be asking these boys to get their fringe trimmed as a priority this week. Your assistance in checking your son’s haircut this week is appreciated. 

 

Name labels

Another request to please ensure that everything your son brings with him to school is clearly marked with his name. There has been a number of lunchboxes, food containers, belts and sports uniforms handed in over the last few weeks and finding the rightful owner is very difficult if these items are unnamed.

Primary Sport - Mr John Lambourne

Primary Swimming Carnival

Primary Swimming Carnival will take place Friday 25 March.

 

All Year 5 and6 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/novelty based games. Team meetings will be held Tuesday morning for boys to select team captains. 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, and will be selling Zooper Doopers for $0.50 in Break 2, with all profits raised going to MCA Lenten Appeal.

 

Primary Swimming Carnival 2022 - Program

 

AIC Swimming Championships

Congratulations to all swimmers who were part of the Marist College Ashgrove Swimming Team for the AIC Championships held on Friday. 

Special thanks to all the boys for their hard work, coaches; Damian Bromley and James Boyce, as well as the staff coaches.

 

 

Results

 

Results 

Year 5 
Villanova College215 
St Peter’s Lutheran College192
Marist College Ashgrove165  
Year 6 
Marist College Ashgrove238
Iona College165
Padua College223 
Primary Aggregate 
Marist College Ashgrove

403

Villanova College

347.5

St Peter’s Lutheran College

328

Padua College

302.5

Iona College

282

St Laurence’s College

268

Ambrose Treacy College

210

St Patrick’s College

183

Cricket

 

AFL

 

Rugby and Football

  • Boys are not required to wear College uniform to rugby/football trials; rugby players will require boots and a mouthguard, football players will require boots and shinpads.
  • 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.

Cross Country

Cross Country begins in earnest for the Primary boys now that the AIC Swimming Champs have been completed. Boys are to meet at the McMahon Oval grandstand 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. 

 

Term 1 Swimming

For those boys who are interested the MCA Primary Swim Squad training sessions continue until the end of Term 1. 

 

Boys attending these sessions will need to bring the following equipment.

  • Goggles
  • Kickboard
  • Pull Buoy
  • Short Flippers 
  • Mesh Bag

 

Year 5 and 6 MCA Swim Squad Training Timetable Term 1

Monday

Tuesday

Wednesday

Thursday

3:20pm – 4:30pm

 

3:20pm – 4:30pm

 

Come and Try Hockey

Marist College has strong links with Norths Hockey Club and they have extended an invitation to all Marist boys to come and give hockey a try. Primary boys are the perfect age to start playing and will be made very welcome and become an important part of the club. Training is provided with the opportunity to represent MCA once the boys enter senior school.

 

Games do not begin until the start of Term 2 but training has begun every Thursday night at Dorrington Park at 6:00pm 

 

For further details please contact Russell Thirgood - russell@thirgoodarb.com

Alternatively, turn up to training on a Thursday night to see if you enjoy hockey. It is a great game as many would have seen watching the Kookaburras and Hockeyroos at the Olympics. It would be great to see some Marist / Norths boys playing for the Kookaburras in 2032!

 

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 the pick-up procedures if you are running late. Sport training sessions 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. 

 

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.

 

For further information please do not hesitate to contact me;

John Lambourneprimarysports@marash.qld.edu.au

 

Primary Sport Photos