Parents and Friends Association

Parents and Friends Association2023-04-04T09:45:37+10:00
An essential component of the Marist philosophy and MCA tradition is parental involvement.

By becoming involved you can assist your son’s school by contributing to the P&F’s objectives to;

  • Foster the welfare and progress of the College community and in so doing, seek to create a close and harmonious relationship between all members of our school community
  • Promote Catholic Education and, to that end, to enter public discussion on matters affecting it and to affiliate with any organisation formed to promote it
  • Assist the College staff whenever, wherever and however possible in the interests of the College and its students, and, as a secondary aim, to raise funds and apply them for the purpose of furthering these objectives

The Marist P&F Association is organised into sub-committees, with parents actively involved as convenors and volunteers. Convenors are appointed at the Annual General Meeting each February and activities are confined to term-time. The sub-committees are listed below.

Amity

This group is responsible for coordinating and assisting hospitality and social functions for the College, particularly the Year Dinners for parents. These dinners provide a great opportunity to meet and socialise with other parents in your son’s Year group. The dinners are designed as enjoyable opportunities to socialise with costs kept to a minimum as these are not fundraising ventures. Your ticket includes a welcome drink upon arrival, savouries and a three-course meal with further drinks available at the bar.

The Amity committee also assists with Grandparents Day in November and other College social functions.


Boarder Support

This group assists and supports boarding students and their families in the daily life of the College, easing the concerns of parents who are often far from their sons. Volunteers may be called upon to transport boys to medical or dental appointments, transporting boys to weekend sporting venues, assisting the younger boys in shopping for clothes, sewing on name tags and other day-to-day tasks the boys find difficult to do for themselves, or even helping our Senior boys as they prepare for their Formal. This group also coordinates and runs life skills workshops for Year 9 and Year 11 boys teaching such things as general etiquette, table manners, laundry skills and legal issues surrounding drugs and alcohol and ‘Schoolies’. It aims to facilitate relationships between day and boarding families by holding BBQ’s during football/rugby season, as well as the fortnightly afternoon teas of home-made food provided for boarding students. Boarder Support is able to assist the College in arranging accommodation for boarding families, through a list of day families who have generously offered their homes for this purpose.


Solo Parents Group

This committee has been established to help any Parent at the College bringing up their boys on their own. The group meets on a monthly basis during term at a local venue. The meetings are very relaxed with lots of chat, laughs and sharing. Members support each other with advice from their own experiences during open discussions.


Card Days

Marist Card Days provides a social opportunity for card players in our own and surrounding community and in doing so, provides a modest contribution to P&F fundraising.

Card Days are held once each Term on a Wednesday from 9:30am – 2:00pm in the Brother Cyprian Pavilion. Our guests book tables of 4-6 and enjoy the day playing card games such as bridge, euchre and 500, or board games such as scrabble. Volunteers prepare and serve a home-baked morning tea. At lunchtime a cash bar operates with sandwiches served, and raffle and lucky door prizes drawn.


Sports Canteen

Sports canteens are in operation every Saturday of the AIC competition. A canteen is also open when the College hosts a Swim Meet on a Friday afternoon during Term 1. As well as being a much needed service at these events, the canteens are an important source of revenue for the P&F and an enjoyable way for parents and families to socialise and meet your son’s peers and parents. During the football/rugby season in Term 2 each year level is assigned a home game date and we ask that you volunteer a small amount of your time to serve in the canteens during the season.

We can always use more help during the rugby/football season so we also request parents (2-3 per Year level) to volunteer as Year level coordinators to organise the parent roster and help with the running of the canteen on the day.

If your son is boarding and you are in Brisbane and have some spare time, you are more than welcome to come in and help or just socialise at any of our home game canteens.


Walkathon

The Walkathon committee works to organise, coordinate, prepare and ensure the success of the Walkathon each year in May. The Walkathon is the major fundraising event for the P&F association and is a wonderful opportunity for parents and families to be involved. Held on a Sunday morning the boys, and often other family members, participate in a supervised walk then return to a family barbeque and the annual “Battle of the Bands” which is hotly contested by the boys.


P&F Meetings

P&F meetings are held once a Term in the Brother Cyprian Pavilion. Dates are on the College calendar. Meetings commence promptly at 7:00 pm and conclude by 8.30pm. All members of the College community are welcome and encouraged to attend. At the meetings you will have the opportunity to hear reports from our Head of College. Members of the various sub-committees also present a quick report about their current happenings. The P&F will also discuss any suggestions or issues which have been brought to our attention by the MCA school community.


Fees Raffle

As a fund raising initiative for the College, the P&F run a ‘School Fees Raffle’ in Terms 2 and 3. If you choose to enter this raffle and you’re the lucky winner, your youngest attending son’s one term’s tuition fees will be paid by the P&F.

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