What's On - 8 March 2023

Mura Gadi - Pathways for Searching

When: 7.00pm, Tuesday 14 March
Where: College Staff Room

‘Earthquakes, climate change and pandemics: What Australians do to help the world’.

An evening with Marc Purcell, CEO Australian Council for International development.

A lack of access to basic education, sanitation, health services, and clean water affects hundreds of millions of people around the world.

Increasing weather-related disasters – long droughts, and cyclones are most harshly affecting the poorest people, who have the least amount of resources to recover.

Come and find out what Australian international development charities do to assist communities in over one hundred developing countries. Learn how they raise our politicians' awareness on what Australia needs to do to tackle the big global challenges.

Find out how they are accountable and how you can support the 130 agencies that belong to the peak body and regulator the Australian Council for International Development, including Australian Marist Solidarity and Caritas Australia.

In the first part of the evening Marc will present on these themes and the second part of the evening will be open to questions from the floor.

Click here to register for this event. Registrations close 10 March. 

Nicholas Lansdown-Weir
Student Faith Formation Coordinator

A reminder that all Year 11 students go on Retreat in Week 8.

Further information will be communicated via email. The House combinations and venues are below:

The Year 7 Mother and Son Evening is a great opportunity for Mums and their boys to connect and grow in the Marist Way. 

Please RSVP here by 10 March or email Peter Hawes for more information.

Tomorrow night, Thursday 4 May, the College will be hosting An Evening of Dialogue - a night of respectful dialogue on what is needed for humanity to flourish. The night will consist of three keynote presentations by Dr Hugh Mackay, Lara Kirk and Michael McGirr, followed by question and answer, concluding with a Marist response to the discussion by Br David Hall. 

For more information or to register, please click here.

This week we celebrate International Women's Day. For our next Australian Cardijn Institute (ACI) webinar on 11 March, we are therefore proud to present Sr Maureen Sullivan, who will share her research on the women auditors who attended and contributed to the Second Vatican Council.

Among those women auditors was Australian, Rosemary Goldie, who later became the under-secretary of the Pontifical Council of the Laity in 1967.

Others included Uruguayan feminist theologian and activist, Gladys Parentelli, who represented the International Catholic Movement for Rural Youth (MIJARC) at the Council, and Marie-Louise Monnet, founder of the International Movement for the Apostolate of Independent Social Milieux (MIAMSI).

Religious sisters who were lay auditors included Sr Mary Luke Tobin, an American Loreto sister, and Mother Suzanne Guillemin, superior general of the Daughters of Charity.

Sr Maureen will speak of their stories of their hopes, struggles and achievements in a don't miss event for all those interested not only in the role of women in the Church and world but also at the Council itself.

Registration details below as well as a donation link in support of Sr Maureen's work.

Webinar Details:

Saturday 11 March 2023, 1pm. Register via Zoom. 

To read more about Sr Maureen Sullivan, please click here and if you would like to support the work of Sr Maureen and her order, the Dominican Sisters of Hope you can donate here. 

Stefan Gigacz
Secretary, Australian Cardijn Institute

Junior School Parent Reminders 

Thank you to parents and staff for their involvement in Parent/Teacher interviews.

We would like to remind parents that NAPLAN commences next week for Years 5, 7 and 9. Please also note the following dates:

Thursday 9 March – Year 6 Junior School & House Captains at GRIP Leadership with Mr McMahon

Friday 10 March – Year 6 Reflection Day

Friday 17 March – Dempsey House Day

Please note that the Book Fair scheduled for this term has been postponed until later in the year. A new date will be published shortly.

Karen Collins
Head of Library and Information Services

Expressions of Interest

In Semester 2, 2023 there will be a Little Brothers Production. We are aiming to perform late Term 3 so we are keen to receive expressions of interest from boys in Years 4 - 8. This way we hope to give out scripts for students to learn lines with the most amount of time possible.

Once we receive your expression of interest, we will narrow down the play choice and let students know the result. We would like to produce a drama and a play that will challenge your acting abilities! 

Please fill out this form to register your interest in the production. 

Jocelyn Roberts
Performing Arts Assistant

College Open Day

The College Open Day will be held on Friday 5 April over two sessions between 4.30pm to 7.00pm. This is a great opportunity for families to meet our teaching staff, speak with our Co-curricular club coordinators, learn about the importance of service within our community, and meet current students to hear about their personal Marist journey. 

As spaces are limited, please encourage any friends or family to register as soon as possible. 

Open Day - Session 1 - 5 April 2024 4.30pm

Open Day - Session 2 - 5 April 2024 5:30pm

We are delighted to announce that the Mothers and Grandmothers Afternoon Tea will be held this year on Wednesday 29 March. 

We are looking forward to welcoming Marist mothers, grandmothers and other important women in our students' lives to this special community event. 

This event has now reached capacity, you can still click here if you would like to register your interest and be added to our waitlist. 

Apply now for the Future of Education Equity Fund for the 2023 school year. Eligible low-income ACT families can receive one-off payments for financial assistance to help cover the costs of their children’s educational expenses such as sport equipment and activities, music lessons, school uniforms and excursions.

The Fund is open to eligible students enrolled in preschools (attached to a school) through to Year 12 in the ACT. Further information and the online application form is available here.

For students who need to purchase a blazer, the Uniform Shop will be conducting 15-minute blazer fitting appointments starting Monday 6 March.

Fittings will take place during regular shop hours:

Monday: 8:00am - 1:30pm
Tuesday and Thursday: 12:30pm – 5:30pm
Saturday 18  March and 1 April: 9:00am – 12:00pm

If you know your size and do not need a fitting, you can purchase your blazer online or in store.

If you need to book your blazer fitting, log on to your online customer account to book your 15-minute blazer fitting or contact the Uniform Shop by email or by phone (0432 707 901) during opening hours.

A reminder that the blazer is a compulsory part of the College's Term 2 uniform requirements.

In the event the pre-ordered blazer needs to be exchanged for an alternate size, uniform shop staff are able to assist with fitting and exchange at the shop.

HOME in Queanbeyan:  a community initiative that provides long-term supported accommodation for 20 men and women with chronic mental illness who cannot live independently and are at risk of homelessness.

HOME’s Movie Night Fundraiser

Please join us for an evening of fundraising for one of Canberra and Queanbeyan's most beloved not-for-profit community organisations, HOME in Queanbeyan. This year’s annual fundraiser includes the screening of a fantastic film, Made in Dagenham, a silent auction, food and drinks.

Venue:  The Q Theatre
When:  6pm Friday 17 March 2023
Price: $80 pp (movie ticket, food and drinks)

Tickets can be purchased here or from The Q.

We will also be holding a silent auction on the night. The items to be auctioned are:

1. A bottle of 1999 Henschke Hill of Grace Shiraz
2. A Michael Bublé corporate package for 4 people

If you are unable to make the movie night but would like to bid in the silent auction, please call or text Franca Jones with your bid on 0412483323.

The 39th annual Inter House Athletics Carnival was held on March 2 at the new location of Lindwall Oval. All students had the opportunity to compete in several events for their House on a fantastic community day filled with colour, camaraderie, and enthusiasm. I want to thank everyone who worked tirelessly to make this day successful, especially our HAPE department, grounds staff, Yr 12 leaders, and teaching staff.

In the Junior Age division, Patrick House narrowly won, Mark coming in second and Haydon coming in third.

The Intermediate category is the combined total of the 14 and 15 year age groups. Conway House finished on top of this age group with a convincing win, followed by Mark in second place and Patrick in third. 

The Senior division crowned Patrick House as senior champions, Haydon in second and McMahon in third.

The Inter-House Athletics overall Champion House for the 2023 was Conway House. This was followed by Patrick House in second position, closely followed by Haydon in third position overall.

Mr Richard Aitchison will contact all students who have qualified for the ASC Championships in the coming days.

Carla Fahey
A/Head of Physical Education

In Week 3, the Senior School Interhouse Swimming Carnival was held over three locations. The Carnival was a chance for students to obtain points towards the College 2023 Champagnat Cup. Particular thanks to all staff and Year 12 students who acted as event officials, ensuring a successful day across each of the carnivals.

The Junior Carnival was held at CISAC Aquatic Centre. Third place went to McMahon, Lavalla placed second and in first place was Crispin House. Jovern Loh from Crispin House was awarded the outstanding swimmer trophy from the Junior Carnival.

Aidan Papas from Conway house was awarded outstanding swimmer for the Intermediate Carnival which was held at Tuggeranong Pool. Third place went to Crispin, Mark placed second and in first place, Conway.

The Senior Carnival was held at Stromlo pool. Third place was awarded to Lavalla, second place McMahon and the winner was Mark House. Outstanding swimmer for the Senior Carnival was Armand Rood from Conway House.

The overall placings are as follows:

The Colts Div 2 Marist Blue team are Premiers, winning their grand final against Canberra Grammar!

Marist teams are contesting eight grand finals this week: the First XI and Stage 2 Saturday Gold (T20) on Wednesday; Stage 1 graded Marist Blue, Stage 2 Saturday Marist Blue and Stage 2 Saturday Gold on Saturday and Stage 2 Sunday Blue Marist Navy, Stage 2 Sunday Gold Marist Royal and Stage 3 Sunday Gold Marist Blue on Sunday.

A remarkable feat last Sunday by Harrison Nave (Stage 2 Sunday Blue Marist Royal) who opened the bowling for his team and took wickets with the first three balls of the match.  A truly extraordinary hat-trick!

The ACT School Sport has changed the process for applying and participating in Sporting Trials.

Anyone interested in trialling for the various regional sports, now need to log onto the ACT Sports Website and register for the sport that your child wishes to trial. It is the responsibility of parents to monitor the website for any upcoming sporting events, if your child is interested in competing in the regional competitions.

Please also note if your child is successful in being selected for an ACT team to participate in a national or regional tournament, a formal written letter is required, addresses to the College Deputy Headmaster or Head of Junior School to seek permission for absence from school during this period. Once the College has received such a request it can then be formally approved for your son’s participation in this activity with ACT Schools Sport. Secondly, we will also be able to acknowledge his achievement in the College Newsletter.

Paul Mead
Head of Sport