Enews - 11 May 2022

Mother's Day is a great festival of gratitude and affection. It is a time to thank God for our mothers and think of those mothers no longer with us. It is a day to count our blessings and give thanks for their love, care and guidance.  

This beautiful prayer of St Teresa of Ávila embodies the gift that mothers are for their children and grandchildren! Many blessings!

Christ has no body but yours,
No hands, no feet on earth but yours,
Yours are the eyes with which he looks
Compassion on this world,
Yours are the feet with which he walks to do good,
Yours are the hands, with which he blesses all the world.

Yours are the hands, yours are the feet,
Yours are the eyes, you are his body.
Christ has no body now but yours,
No hands, no feet on earth but yours,
Yours are the eyes with which he looks
compassion on this world.
Christ has no body now on earth but yours.

Amen

The challenges involve the development of character. Boys are separated from their normal city comfort and learn to survive in the bush without roofs over their heads, toilets, showers, music, and ready prepared meals. Successful outdoor education programs ensure a reasonable element of personal risk and an exhaustion of personal resources, so the participants learn that survival depends on teamwork and preparation. 

Most of the boys enjoy themselves immensely with many boys finding ways of helping others, and thrive in such an environment. Some boys depart for camp unsure of their ability to cope being away from the comforts of home, unsure of meals prepared by their peers, and anxious about the absence of electronic media. Many return proud to have survived and somewhat surprised that they actually enjoyed themselves! 

It is always a joy to meet boys on their return and witness the sense of satisfaction and mateship as a result of their experience. Often enough, they have been assured by what they have learnt about themselves and about what it means to belong to a community. 

These experiences are part of the compulsory component of our education program and whilst some boys contest their involvement, it is very much our belief that the value of their participation is of great significance.

Good morning to all our Marist Families gathered here today, and especially to all the mothers present.

When preparing for this speech, I knew what message I wanted to convey, but was unsure what the right words would be. This is because when it comes to the love between a mother and son, there are no words that seem to do it justice. It is something that’s difficult to fully express in words.

Sure, you might say ‘love you mum’ when hanging up the phone or being dropped off at school, but those words don’t fully describe the love a child has for their mother, or the love that a mother has for her child.

Through attending a Marist school and studying the teachings of Marcellin Champagnant, we see the importance of a motherly figure, that of Mary and her ability to always be at Jesus’ side. Similar to this, no matter where life takes us, we will always feel the love and support of our mothers, whether they are still with us, or are now watching over us. These Marian qualities are seen throughout our Marist community, demonstrated by the love and care that mothers possess not only for their own children but for others in their company.

I know from personal experience that whenever I’m at a mate's place, without fail, their mother treats me as one of their own. This can be as simple as making an extra lunchbox, or providing a bed for the night. It is these small actions that sometimes go unnoticed, or are taken for granted, that demonstrate the communal love that all mothers share.

It’s fair to say that most of us would not be where we are now, without our mums. They are an always-present figure, often there at the right time to provide guidance and reassurance. All mothers appear to have this psychic ability when it comes to their teenagers, to give us support at times when we didn’t even know we needed it. It is this nurturing and caring approach that shapes us into the people we are today and helps us on our journey to becoming fine young men. 

What is equally important is the way in which we treat our mothers. It is fair to say that we all get caught up in our own world, losing sight of the things that matter most. Regardless of how much work you have to do, or how tired you might be, there’s nothing like coming home to the familiar voice of your mum, asking ‘how was your day?’. Depending on our own day, do we always ask the same question back? The point I make is that mothers put us before themselves, and will literally do anything for their children. The selflessness that they show will never be fully matched or reciprocated.

Personally, I’d be nothing without my mum and it is safe to say that within our family of six, she’s our rock. She’s the definition of selfless and always puts the needs of others before her own. Whenever I’m unsure of something, or just need reassurance and perspective, the first person I go to is her. She’s taught me the importance of simply being a good person and is a perfect example of how to positively impact the people around you. I’ll be forever grateful and appreciative for what she has done for us and the sacrifices she has made.

It’s these sacrifices that all mothers make, so boys, remember to take out the rubbish, remember to empty the dishwasher, but most importantly, remember to tell your mum that you love her.

Love you mum and thank you. 

Hugo Blacker (Year 12)

The Medal is named after one of the earliest Brothers, Br Francois (Gabriel Rivat), who joined the Little Brothers of Mary at the time of St Marcellin and became the first Superior-General of the order. Br Francois was chosen by St Marcellin and his fellow Brothers to lead this new congregation. He was instrumental in developing a Marist Spirituality, one characterised by being Christocentric, affective and mystical. Br Francois was known to be a joyful person who demonstrated his love and care for others, especially through his service to the Brothers and to the sick. 

The person receiving this Medal will be an Old Boy of this College who:

• has been out of school for a minimum of three years and not more than 15 years, and 
• is a person with a demonstrated track record of service to others and has made an exceptional contribution to meeting the needs of the vulnerable. 

Please note: people who have been nominated in past years will be considered for the 2022 Medal.

To nominate a person for this Medal, please email Peter Hawes and provide:

• the person’s full name and year of graduation
• a brief statement about the service he has been engaged in. You may like to use the following: type/ nature of service - level of commitment, type of involvement, and duration (ie number of years and frequency).

The College Mission team will review the nominations and make a recommendation to the College Headmaster. It is anticipated that the recipient of the 2022 medal will be presented at the Champagnat Day Mass on Friday 3 June.

Please note: The closing date for nominations has been extended until Wednesday 25 May 2022.

Peter Hawes
Assistant Head of School - Mission and Identity

On Monday, our newest Year 4 Marist boys invited their grandparents into the College. During their visit, the Year 4 boys shared their school work and enjoyed a special morning or afternoon tea with their grandparents. Thank you to Mr McMahon for organising this special event, and to the Year 4 boys for being such wonderful gentleman and hosts.

Last week, we celebrated the Term Two Class Captains and Vice Captains at a special Junior School assembly. It was certainly pleasing that we were able to invite the boys’ parents in once again to be part of this special event. During the assembly, we were also introduced to the cast of the upcoming College play The Crimson Firefly Circus and entertained by the Year 6 band.

Congratulations to our Term Two Class Captains. 

Thank you to all of the parents who have been working with their sons to add finished books to their Chief Minister’s Reading Challenge records. We appreciate your enthusiasm and support.

If you have any questions regarding the Challenge, please contact Monica Simpson.

Congratulations to the following boys who have recently completed their Challenge. What an amazing effort!

Karen Collins
Head of Information and Library Services

Luke Bamford (Year 4)

Max Frizza (Year 4)

Joshua Welathanthirige (Year 5)

Seth Armytage (Year 5)

Will Scholtens (Year 5)

Dashel Spiller (Year 6)

Upcoming Junior School sports events to mark in your calendar:

• Friday 13 May: Years 4-6 - 800m event (postponed from Term One). Boys are to wear PE Uniform with House coloured shirts.
• Friday 20 May: Years 4-6 - 100m, 200m and Cross Country. Boys are to wear PE Uniform with House coloured shirts.
• Brumbies Rugby Clinics: Monday, 9, 16 and 23 May
• Matt Giteau Cup: Thursday 26 May (Week 15) 
• South Weston Cross Country: Wednesday 1 June (Week 16). 

Interested Junior School boys have commenced a lunchtime Touch Competition. A good number of teams will compete over the coming weeks to support and reinforce the Touch Unit all boys participated in last term.

Representative teams - School Sport ACT 

The following School Sport ACT State Teams trials are open for registration via the School Sports ACT website. It is important to register online prior to the first trial (registration closes on the date of the second trial). For many sports, they commence very soon: 

• 12 year and Under Boys Australian Football
• 12 years and Under Rugby League
• 12 year and Under Boys Basketball
• 12 years and Under Boys Touch Football (15 year and Under Boys information to come shortly).

All of the Junior School boys who attended the ACT Swimming Championships last week and qualified for an event, at either the 12 years and Under and the 13 years and over competitions, are also encouraged to register and express their interest in selection for specific events.

I strongly urge parents to bookmark the School Sport ACT webpage and check regularly on updates. With a backlog of sports, they are coming back in a rapid fashion.

Ged Galvin
Junior School PE Teacher

The use of social media and its complexities are issues that are becoming increasingly concerning. Our boys have a lack of understanding of the impact surrounding the permanence of social media and the repercussions. As educators and parents, it is our responsibility to provide the knowledge and tools to cope with and understand the impact of negative social media use and behaviour.

Most teenagers do not have the skills required to self-regulate phone usage. The frequency of notifications from a range of sites are designed to ensure users are constantly checking, updating and scrolling. During a Year 7 information session on cyber safety, I showed the boys how to use settings and switch off notifications. In addition to increasing awareness of notifications, the boys were encouraged to access the settings on their phone and check their screen time. I challenged the boys to set a screen time target to work toward and to be mindful of allocating a specific time to be on their phones.

Each of the following practices are ways that we can work towards teaching boys to practice safe use of social media and to self-regulate their screen use and time:

• Ensure the social networks your son is using are appropriate for their age
• Discuss with your son not only the content he posts and shares, but also the groups that he ‘chats’ with via Messenger and WhatsApp. Use the ‘assembly rule’: ask "would you want a post or comment on a PowerPoint at a Marist assembly?" This is a means of getting the boys to think about the lack of privacy affiliated with anything that is posted or commented on.
• You son may have access to social network sites from multiple devices other than their mobile phone. It is advisable to check your son’s laptop for Messenger and other related sites that are distracting, particularly during a school day.
• Be mindful of who your son connects with – do they know the person offline? It would be worthwhile checking the Apps they use and who follows them on these. 
• Ensure your son is aware of cyberbullying from the perspective of the perpetrator, the victim, and the bystander. Take the time to discuss the parameters surrounding this. For example, if you see bullying behaviour online and ‘like’ it or don’t call it out, you are promoting the actions of the perpetrator.
  

• Discuss with your son the content they are putting online and the digital footprint they are creating. Are they aware that everything is permanent? This includes in the Messenger chat groups or Snapchat that can be screenshot and forwarded on.
• Avoid doomscrolling - doomscrolling or doomsurfing, is a term referring to the practice of an excessive amount of screen time devoted to absorbing negative news. Social media has the capacity to bombard us with news updates in a 24/7 cycle that leads to a turbulence of emotional upheaval. Doomscrolling is becoming more prevalent with teenagers when using phones as media outlets thrive on what is termed as clickbait, a means of obtaining more clicks. Doomscrolling has the potential to lead to anxiety as users become overwhelmed with the vast quantities of negative news they are consuming.
• During periods of lockdown, we all came to rely on digital platforms as a means of communication, to complete work and a range of tasks. We need to guide our boys in getting back into society and encourage them to self-regulate their phone usage. Shorter intervals are advisable, with allocated time slots for the use of phones, and also the physical process of putting them away so they do not cause distractions.

The College will be running information sessions for each year group on being a ‘Healthy and respectful Digital Citizen’. For further information around the content of these sessions, the eSafety website provides a range of support materials, information about community education, and a reporting portal.

As parents and educators, we are challenged in today’s society to navigate the realm of social media. It is therefore imperative that we are informed and have both knowledge and an understanding to support our boys in maintaining a healthy and respectful digital presence.

At Marist, we have strict guidelines in place regarding the use of social media, not just at school but also activity at home that impacts the school environment. If boys engage in disrespectful behaviour online that brings the College or another student into disrepute, there will be consequences that reflect the seriousness of the actions. Consequences for misuse of social media at Marist range from in-school suspension, out-of-school suspension, and depending on the severity of the issue, enrolment withdrawal.

At Marist, as educators and parents, it is important we promote proactive use of social media to ensure our boys are equipped to use their devices in an informed and considered manner.

Sarah Mahar
Head of Student Wellbeing – Senior School (Acting)

The College’s Careers Information Night will be taking place on the night of Monday 23 May from 6.00pm for students in Years 10-12 and their parents, in the Senior Hall.

The night will involve over 75 stallholders from universities, Defence, CIT, Old Boys, local businesses, apprenticeship bodies, and the MBA.

Students are encouraged to attend and speak to these providers to find out information about courses, future employment pathways and work experience opportunities. Information presentations from organisations will also take place from 6.00pm - 7.00pm. 

An attendance registration link will be available soon and will be circulated via email to students and parents next week. Students will also be provided with a list of attendees so they can plan who they would like to speak to on the night.

I look forward to seeing you there.

Leigh Southwell
Careers Adviser
 

Past and present members of the Marist community are invited to join us as we head west, way out west… to the ‘Wild West’ for this year’s Blue and Blue Dinner.

Our goal for this event, to be held on Friday 20 May, 6.30pm – 11.30pm at the National Arboretum, is to bring together friends of Marist to dress up, socialise, dine, dance, and connect as a community.

Be quick to book your table of ten or individual ticket as numbers are limited. This is a night you do not want to miss.

Cost (online bookings only):

• $1,600 for a table of 10 guests or $165 for an individual ticket
• Ticket price includes: welcome drinks, three course alternate serve gourmet meal, four-hour drinks package, and live entertainment
• Bookings close this Friday, 13 May 2022, unless sold out earlier
• Please note: All guests must be over 18 years.

We hope to see you there!

Applications are being accepted from current families who may be considering enrolling any sons not already at the College into Years 4 – 12.

A reminder that applications for Years 4, 5, 6 and 7 need to be received no later than this Friday, 27 May 2022 to be considered for enrolment starting in 2023.

Please note: the College will be contacting families in Term Two if a family interview is requested by the Headmaster. 

We encourage current families to let any friends who may be interested in enrolment know that they can apply online.

Important reminder for Year 6 and Year 10 families

A reminder that families with sons currently in Years 6 and 10 at the College do not need to re-enrol their son into Year 7 or Year 11.

Our expectation is that once a student is enrolled at the College, their enrolment will continue until the completion of their studies in Year 12.

Joey Mason (Year 4) who recently competed at the Australasian Scooter Championship and finished in first place in the Under 10s.

Ben Mason (Year 8) who finished in seventh place in the Under 14s age group at the Australasian Scooter Championships.

Owen Nihill (Year 10) who was selected for the ACT Basketball Represent Under 18s team that competed in the Australian Junior Championships in Ballarat in April 2022.

Giovanni Tiyce (Year 7) who was selected to participate in the Australian Powerchair Football Association National Championships in Sydney in April-May. The achievement was significant as it was the first time ACT had a team to represent in the Championships. The team is to be commended for their improvement and representation at the elite level.