Junior School News
Dear Junior School Families
Under normal circumstances, we would have held our Semester One Awards and Badge Assembly in Week One of Term 3. Instead, this week we celebrate the boys receiving their Class Captains badges and Semester Awards in smaller year group gatherings, without our family members. We look forward to the future when we can welcome parents and family members back to these events once current COVID restrictions are lifted. Photos of the ceremonies will be posted on the boys’ Canvas pages for parents to view.
Traffic reminder
We encourage all of our Junior School families to speak with their sons about keeping safe at drop off and pick up time. We remind the boys at school that if they are being picked up on Marr Street or Biddlecombe Street that they are to walk to the Senior School and use the dedicated road crossings both in the College grounds and also to cross Marr Street.
Whilst this may take a few minutes longer each day to get to their car, this process keeps all of our younger Marist boys safe in the morning and afternoon traffic.
Parents and carers are also reminded that when leaving Gate 3 at the Junior School roundabout, it is a LEFT TURN ONLY during pick up times.
This is for the safety of our students and their families, and to assist in the flow of traffic out of the College in peak times.
Service
Thank you to Miss Williams and the Junior School Mini Vinnies group for coordinating the Winter Clothes Appeal for the Junior School. The donation tub is overflowing and we are very appreciative of the many families who have contributed this year. This is the last week for donations to be dropped off at the College.
Teaching our boys about serving others is an important feature of Faith Formation at the College. In the coming weeks, our Junior School boys will be involved in several initiatives to assist them in developing their service hearts. Our Year 4 boys will be writing to some of our more mature Canberra residents to ensure they are feeling connected during these testing times, whilst our Year 5 and 6 boys will be participating in the Pens against Poverty initiative.
Pens against Poverty is a writing competition that is founded on the belief that young people want to make a difference and have a unique voice. This year, the boys will write in the theme of ‘Lost & Found’ after reflecting on the book The Lost Thing by Shaun Tan. Parents are asked to be involved with their son’s writing tasks in the coming weeks.
These acts of service connect well with the upcoming Feast Day of St Mary MacKillop on Saturday 8 August. As we celebrate ten years since Mary was canonised as Australia’s first saint, we are reminded that Mary was quoted saying "Let us try to keep God with us by charity of thought, word and act”.
May St Mary MacKillop and St Marcellin Champagnat continue to watch over us and hear our prayers.
Kirsty Bell
Head of Junior School - Acting