For the first newsletter of Term 3, Mr Leadbetter has produced a video for your enjoyment.

Please view it HERE.

MR CHRIS LEADBETTER

Principal

Year 8 Retreat Day:

On Tuesday our Year 8 students participated in their Matthew 25 Retreat Day. The Retreat is titled Matthew 25 based on the Gospel reading where Jesus says,

'My father has blessed you!
Come and receive the kingdom that was prepared for you
before the world was created.
When I was hungry, you gave me something to eat,
and when I was thirsty, you gave me something to drink.
When I was a stranger, you welcomed me,
and when I was naked, you gave me clothes to wear.
When I was sick, you took care of me,
and when I was in jail, you visited me.'

The day challenges our students to look at those in our society who are excluded or who feel like the prisoner and asks us to reach out and see the dignity or the Face of Jesus present in each person. At the start of the day, we were privileged to hear from Jason Bongers from the Edmund Rice Foundation who spoke to us about the work of Edmund Rice Foundation in places like East Timor and Nairobi. We then heard from Tommy Naywir who runs a charity called Mirrors of Hope, who provides education for the poorest of the poor in the slums of Kibera. The Kibera slum is located in Nairobi and has a population of 1.2 million people living in an area no bigger than 2.25 square kilometres. When Tommy was young, he was lucky to have a foreigner visit the village and provide money to educate him through school. Tommy seeks to do the same by raising funds to provide scholarships for those living in the slum. Their philosophy is to provide and ‘hand up’ rather than a handout and use the power of education to save lives.

In the afternoon, we were treated to a performance by the Absolutely Everybody Choir. Upbeat Arts delivers tailored arts and cultural programs, for artists and educators to work with marginalised communities, promoting social inclusion, positive mental health and overall wellbeing. Everyone has a voice! The arts can be used to enhance self-awareness, self-expression and communication skills as well as improve mood and self-esteem. Their programs, like the choir, offer an opportunity to learn new things and make positive changes in your life, by providing a positive distraction from issues that may be causing anxiety or depression. Aside from the beautiful and uplifting performance they gave, members of the choir shared their stories with us about how the choir has changed their lives, made them feel included and part of a family. We hope our students enjoyed the day and came away with the message that each person is worthy of dignity, each person has their own story to tell and we need to take time to listen.

East Timor Immersion 2024:

Over the coming weeks communication will be sent out to families with students in Years 10-12 for our Solidarity Immersion to East Timor in the June/July holidays 2024. The Immersion is a wonderful opportunity to see the life-giving projects run by organisations such as the Edmund Rice Foundation through their Vanilla Bean Farms. Students will also learn firsthand the story of East Timor, generational effects of the Indonesian occupation and the struggle to rebuild their country. Students will go from the city of Dili to some of the more remote villages, meet wonderful people to walk in solidarity with them and learn their stories. Please keep an eye out for this correspondence if you are interested.

Nurses Wanted for Sony Camp:

From September 16-18 our students will again be taking part in the Sony Camp. The Program provides a much-needed break for parents and carers, while simultaneously giving the children an incredible holiday and the teenage carers an eye-opening experience. Over the course of four days, the student companions will provide 24-hour care to the children. Feeding, bathing, entertaining and tending to their every need. From movie nights to art sessions, zoo visits to sailing, the companions stop at nothing to give each camper the holiday of a lifetime!

We are calling for parents in our community who are nurses, that might be able to support us during the camp. Nurses are a vital part of Sony Camp, and we cannot run without the event them. Nurses are generally required to help with feeding and medical needs for some of our young people who come on camp. Nurses will be needed for a variety of shifts, including split shifts during the evening to be on hand for medical needs should they arise. This is a challenging but rewarding experience. Please email James Mendoza if you would like to help or would like more information. JMendoza@slc.qld.edu.au

College Sacramental Program:

Our College Sacramental Program for students wishing to undertake sacraments of Baptism, Confirmation and First Communion will begin in Week 4. Could I remind all of those parents who signed up to please send baptismal certificates to FIAatLauries FIAatLauries@slc.qld.edu.au.

MR PAUL CORFIELD

Dean of Identity and Community

Welcome back to Term 3! I hope students have had a restful break and are ready for an exciting Semester 2. There are a number of upcoming events in the first couple of weeks of Term 3, which will be of interest to parents and students.

Year 9 Subject Information Night – Thursday 20 July

Year 10 2024 (Current Year 9 students/families)

Next Thursday night we welcome Year 9 families to the Subject Information night. Families and students have been sent further information. The Subject Handbook can be found HERE. An outline of the night is below:

• 5.30pm-5.45pm – arrival ERPAC,
• 5.45pm-6.25pm – central presentation in ERPAC,
• 6.30pm-7.45pm – 4 rotations of 15mins detailing subject information.
  • See Faculty room allocations HERE.
  • See Classroom map HERE.

I ask parents to be mindful that subjects should not be chosen purely based upon subject scaling. We know that a student may achieve a higher scaled score (and eventually ATAR), if they are placed in subjects that they enjoy and where a high degree of success is possible. Subject choice should be based on:

• Interest in the subject content,
• Ability to achieve success,
• University pre-requisites.

Once again, subjects should not be chosen purely on the perception of subject scaling. Subject scaling changes every year and can mean different rankings depending on the raw score, as well as student achievement on external examinations.

The timeline for Year 9 subject selection can be found below.

Timeline for Year 9 Subject Selection

Year 7 Virtual Subject Information Night – Monday 7 August

Year 7 families will also have access to the virtual subject information night on the Monday 7 August. This presentation will outline the subject selection process and detail the Lauries philosophy around subjects in the Middle School. Please see below the Year 7 subject selection timeline.

Timeline for Year 7 Subject Selection

Academic Excellence Awards – Wednesday 26 July

We will celebrate our Academic Gold, Growth and Black awards on Wednesday 26 July, during our regularly scheduled assembly time. We will also welcome families of Academic Gold award winners for the Academic afternoon tea later that afternoon. After looking at the preliminary data, it appears that we have seen another outstanding increase in both Gold and Black award winners. We will be releasing the awardees early next week, via noticeboards and House assemblies. I congratulate all students who achieved these awards for their work in Semester 1 this year.

Year 12 Opt-In Confirmation Event

You might recall that I mentioned late last term that a small number of senior subjects (English, English and Literature Extension, Literature, English as an Additional Language, Business, General Maths, Mathematical Methods, Specialist Maths, Philosophy and Reason, Study of Religion and Physical Education) have chosen to participate in the opt-in confirmation event. This enables subject results to be confirmed early, and for students and staff to experience certainty in their results. These results will be released from next Tuesday 18 July. Students can view their confirmed results through their QCAA Learning account.

Use of AI

The Queensland Curriculum and Assessment Authority (QCAA) has released information concerning the growing use of students using Artificial Intelligence (AI) to assist with assessment, and the implications for academic integrity. At the College, we have taken the approach that in some instances, the use of AI can be very useful for student learning.

However, AI can be misused. Our plagiarism software ‘Turn-It-In’ now has an application that can check if a student has used AI to complete their work. This has serious implications for Year 11 and 12 students, as we are only able to assess student work that is verified to be their own. Please see the QCAA website, available HERE, for further information.

Conclusion

I wish all students and families the very best as we start Semester 2. I pray that students are refreshed and ready for an exciting Term 3.

Live Jesus in our hearts…Forever!

Best wishes,

DR LIAM HERBERT

Dean of Teaching and Learning

On Wednesday, I visited Paul Gray’s Year 7 science class, looking at First Nations understanding and use of seasons and constellations. The lesson started with a recap of the previous lesson’s research and content, particularly the different ways indigenous people could use stars and constellations as well as different methods of classifying seasonal changes. After groups were formed, a task was assigned based on the science enquiry model, where the students are provided with questions and some background information, and they work in groups to explore the topic in detail and prepare a presentation for the class in the next lesson.

This lesson focused on the ‘Challenge’ domain in the Teaching and Learning Framework. The set up of this activity allowed students to work in groups at their own level, allowing for different amounts of intervention and therefore, greater differentiation. Additionally, it encouraged challenge through questioning, both initially with the starting challenge as well as through further support throughout the lesson. This lesson also had students engaging with the wider community in the ‘Connection’ domain of the framework through their exploration with First Nations histories and cultures.

MR SCOTT WALTER

Head of Faculty - Science

Career Counselling

For any students wanting to discuss career information, post-schooling pathways, job skills etc. please see Mr Moscos in the Careers Office.

Phone: (07) 3010 1158

Email: pmoscos@slc.qld.edu.au

Brisbane Broncos Sport Business Institute

Launched in 2023, an exciting partnership between Brisbane Broncos and TAFE Queensland has seen the launch of the state’s first accredited education pathway that embeds work-integrated learning opportunities across the entire Brisbane Broncos organisation.

The Institute gives your students the chance to start their career in sport by studying at the home of the Brisbane Broncos after they finish high school.

Interested students are encouraged to attend their Open Day on Friday 11 August at the Broncos’ game against the Parramatta Eels, where representatives can answer all their questions.

Interested students can email study@broncos.com.au for further information.

Work Experience

Over the holidays we had over 40 students out completing work experience across various industries, such as retail, engineering, electrical, architecture, town planning, hospitality and animal care, just to name a few. Our students did a fantastic job representing themselves and the College in the best possible way, with a large number of our host employers commenting on the quality of our students and their work ethic. Work experience is such a valuable way to gain skills, build networks and prepare for the world of work. Our next work experience block will be taking place in the September school holidays. For further details, or to register, please click here.

St Laurence’s College Careers Expo

This coming week (Week 2), St Laurence’s College will be holding its annual careers expo. Each morning tea and lunch break, exhibitors from a range of industries will be present to offer insight into career pathways for students. We will have representatives from interstate and local universities, TAFE, Qld Police, Australian Federal Police, Qld Fire and Emergency Services, Real Estate Institute of Qld, MEGT (apprenticeships), SCIPS, Flight Standards Flight School – a list of exhibitors will be advertised each morning in the student notices. All students are encouraged to attend.

Tertiary Studies and Work Skills Expo

This Saturday and Sunday (15 & 16 July), the Qld Tertiary Studies and Work Skills Expo will be held at the Ekka Showgrounds from 10am – 4pm. This is an opportunity to speak with a range of industry professionals from across Qld and Australia.

Tertiary Scholarships Evening

Students considering tertiary study are encouraged to attend the Tertiary Scholarships Evening, which will be held at McElligott Theatre on Wednesday 19 July at 6pm. Students and parents wishing to attend are asked to complete the Tertiary Scholarships Evening Registration Form. During the evening, attendees will hear from representatives from UQ, QUT, Griffith University, University of the Sunshine Coast, ACU and Bond University about their scholarship options, which will conclude with an expo, where attendees can approach any institutions that they may like to gather further information from. Please RSVP by Monday 17 July.

Cyber Security Information Session

SLC students in Grades 9 - 12 have the opportunity to hear from a representative from Emantra, who will speak about opportunities within the IT & Cyber Security field on Tuesday 18 July from 3.15pm – 4.15pm in Rice 1. 

They will also be able to speak to students regarding IT and Cyber Security work experience opportunities. Interested students are encouraged to attend. Please register here to attend this event.

UQ Ramsay Scholarship

Applications are now open for the UQ Ramsay Undergraduate Scholarship. 30 scholarships worth $32,000 per year for up to 5 years are offered to high achieving students who study an extended major in Western Civilisation in 2024.

Students interested in applying can view the Application Guide or watch the recent information webinar. Applications close: 30 July 2023

MR PAUL MOSCOS

Careers Counsellor

The Pastoral Team would like to welcome students and families back to the College for another busy and exciting term.  Below are the key dates for the term, please note however, that other events (including specific Year level events) which may not be listed will be in upcoming newsletters, via social media, and the College App.

Term 3 Calendar of Events – Key Dates

17 July - Virtual Parent Teacher Interviews Year 10-12
19 July - Parent Cyber Safety Presentation – 6:00-7:30pm
20 July - Year 9 Subject Information Evening – from 5:45pm in ERPAC
26 July - Academic assembly and afternoon tea

3 August - Parent Meeting to Learn – Middle School and Primary parents.
4 August - Year 10 SETP Meetings
7 August - Year 7 Virtual Subject Evening
8 August - School concludes 1:15pm
                Year 7 & 8 MaPS Meetings with House Mentors -1:45-6:30pm
                Year 9 Subject Information Interviews – virtual -1:45-6:30pm
11 August - Solidarity Mass and Walkathon
16 August - SLC Sports Day at Runcorn
17-18 August - College Show Holidays
31 August - Year 8 Father/Son Evening

1 September - Student free day
                      Year 5 and 7 (2024) Orientation Day
15 September - End of Term 3

For students in Year 7 and Year 8, regular parent teacher interviews will be replaced by the Mentor and Student/Parent (MaPS) conferences, which are student-led conferences, facilitated by House Mentors (8 August).

The purpose of the MaPS conferences for Year 7 and Year 8 students are:

• To strengthen relationships between the home and school and invite parents to be partners in their son’s learning journey.
• For a teacher to holistically overview the student’s progress in their Lauries Journey, using TrackOne (data analytics) mentoring and profile sheets.
• Reviewing goals and outlining an action plan for improvement – which will lead to more engaged learners who are motivated in the classroom to achieve specific achievement goals.

From our first MaPS Conferences in 2019 – I would like to share a parent email (names removed) with you in regard to feedback from the Mentor and Parent/Student conferences:

“… I attended my son’s led parent teacher meeting with his mentor yesterday and wanted to say that I am supportive of this new format. It was great to hear about his goals and perception of his progress in his words. My son is quite self-driven and his mentor, in a very insightful and intuitive way, shared his feedback to him about ensuring he keeps a balance socially. I think what I appreciated the most is that it was a more holistic discussion and certainly got a lot more out of having the student in attendance so thought it worth sharing this positive experience with you.”

Year 8 Retreat

Thank you to Mr Paul Corfield and the Faith and Mission Office for their organisation of the Year 8 Retreat Day which occurred on Tuesday this week. The retreat was centred around ‘Why Mission Matters’ with a focus on dignity and respect for all within our community, particularly those who are most vulnerable. Speaking to many boys after the experience, the feedback was overwhelmingly positive.

Term 2 Sport

Congratulations to all Term 2 participants for Chess, Rugby and Football who will be recognised on our sports assembly next Tuesday. The Pastoral Team would particularly like to thank Mr Eddie Wallace (Head of Sport) who will be leaving the College in a few weeks. Eddie’s contribution to the Lauries Community and sporting programs has been exceptional, providing all students an opportunity to be involved with sport, no matter their ability.

The Power of Sleep

Research indicates that 30% of primary school children and 70% of teenagers are sleep deprived. This is having significant consequences on many areas of their lives such as:

• Learning and academic performance: Sleep helps concentration and motivation, along with consolidation of new information and memories.
• Emotional and mental health: Studies show children who are sleep deprived are more likely to suffer from depression and anxiety, negative body image and low self-esteem.
• Behaviour and decision making: Sleep deprivation affects decision making capacity, has a negative effect on behaviour and relationships, and increases risk of accidents.
• Body systems: Sleep deprivation affects children’s physical growth, brain development, immune system and plays a key role in weight gain

Why are students not getting the sleep they need? The top 4 reasons students give for their lack of sleep are:

• Technology FOMO (social media, gaming, Netflix, YouTube).
• Homework/study.
• Busy lifestyle combined with poor time management and procrastination.
• Stress.

Further information for students, parents and teachers can be found at: The Sleep Connection (Lisa Maltman - http://thesleepconnection.com.au).

The Pastoral Team wishes all students the best in the coming weeks, Live Jesus in our hearts… Forever.

MR DAVID KNIGHT

Dean of Pastoral Care (Senior School)

Welcome back to Term 3 and let me introduce myself!

My name is Patrick Byron, and I am very excited to be the new Head of Sport at St Laurence’s College.  After spending time away in Perth and then Japan, I have most recently worked at Brisbane State High School.  During my 10 years at the school, I was heavily involved in a range of sports, most notably Rugby Union where I was the Director and 1^st XV Coach for a long period, and most recently I was the Director of Girls Basketball. 

I am a lover of all sports and am very grateful to have been given the opportunity to work at such an iconic school such as St Laurence’s College.  Over the next 4 weeks I will transition into the role and work closely with Mr Eddie Wallace to ensure that I am up to speed on all that is Lauries Sport. I look forward to building on the great work that Mr Wallace has done for the College over such a long period of time.

Confraternity Rugby League Carnival

Over the holidays, St Laurence’s College hosted the Confraternity Carnival where our team participated strongly, finishing as Runners Up in the Division II Final.  I would like to congratulate all the boys who participated in the event, and all staff who were involved in coaching and preparing the team.  It is always a challenge for our boys to prepare for such an event, with the short turn around coming off the back of the AIC Rugby Union season.  A highlight of the Carnival was our boys beating rivals Villanova College at Suncorp Stadium as they played the curtain raiser to the Broncos – Titans Derby.  It was a great day, and surely a cherished memory that the boys and the coaches will have forever.

Thanks must go to all the staff who worked tirelessly organising and running the carnival. It was a great event to watch and be apart off and the bar has certainly been set high for future schools who are now going to host his carnival.

Holiday Basketball Clinics and Trial Games vs BBC

Thank you to the large number of boys who attended the basketball clinic and trial games against Brisbane Boys College in the holidays. The boys trained very well and the matches against BBC were great preparation for the AIC season ahead.  Thank you to Mr Smith, Mr Holzheimer and all the basketball coaches for facilitating the clinic and these trial games. 

Over the holidays, the College also hosted the Brisbane Bullets Winter Basketball Clinic.  It was a fantastic event with many Lauries students involved. We look forward to their continued support throughout the season.

Holiday Tennis Clinic and Tennis Age Championships

The College Age Championships were held last Sunday at Griffith University with over 80 boys participating. Results have been included below. Thank you to Mr Wallace, Mr Wiltshire, all the College Coaches and Griffith staff for facilitating these events.

Trial Games vs Padua College

Best of luck to all teams this weekend as they compete in their final trial game against Padua College.  All games will be taking place at different venues (Home and Away) across Brisbane.  Please check the College App for full details regarding game schedules and team lists.

MR PATRICK BYRON

Head of Sport

We hope all families enjoyed the holiday break and are ready for one of our busiest Terms for the year.  Term 3 marks the final weeks of the 2023 Music Year.  Rehearsals are well underway to prepare for some exciting performances coming up this Term.

Over the holiday break, choir students, musicians and music staff volunteered to open the Confraternity Rugby League Competition, performing as part of the Opening Mass held in the ERPAC auditorium on Sunday 25 June at 6pm.  

We were assisted by the singers from Marymount College in Burleigh Heads.  Mass was conducted by Archbishop Mark Coleridge, Bishop Ken Howell, Fr. Michael Twigg and Fr. Joe McKay and was attended by 1500 Rugby League players, their coaches and staff who sang and responded to the mass with enthusiasm.  We provided a fitting tribute to this major Queensland event which was founded by the Christian Brothers.

Prior to this performance, our students were fortunate to enjoy a visit from Professor Heather Buchanan, Director of Choral Activities at Montclair State University in New Jersey, who was in town and agreed to come to the last hour of their rehearsal. Professor Buchanan is an experienced choral expert and provided ideas to our students to polish their performances. 

On Friday 7 and Saturday 8 July, students from Brotherhood Choir took up the opportunity to learn from and perform alongside other talented male choirs from across the country as part of the Pemulwuy National Male Voice Festival. Following on from the two days featuring workshops, performances and rehearsals with renowned conductors and singers, students performed in a concert held in QPAC on Sunday 9 July, showcasing their skills to a large audience in a professional setting and combining for the grand finale of over 400 voices.

Congratulations to the following students who attended the State Honours Ensemble Program (SHEP) during the holiday break from Friday 7 – Sunday 9 July. 

TERM 3 EVENTS:

• Monday 17 – Friday 21 July - LIZID Rock Music Festival

Performances by our Rock Bands throughout the week on campus.

• Monday 17 July - Jazzin’ Up the Mall (Queen Street Mall)

String Orchestras 1 & 2, Concert Bands 1 & 2 and Big Bands 1 & 2

• Wednesday 19 July - Jazzin’ Up the Mall (Queen Street Mall)

String Orchestra 3, Concert Band 3 and Big Band 3

• Saturday 22 & Sunday 23 July - Intermediate Music Camp (ERPAC)

Concert Band 2, String Orchestra 2, Guitar Orchestra 2 and Little Brotherhood

• Wednesday 2 August - Year 5 Music Night (ERPAC)
• Tuesday 29 August - Choral & Guitar Concert @ 6:30pm (Toowong)
• Friday 8 September – Finale Concert 2 @ 5pm (McElligott Theatre)

Year 5 Concert Band, Year 5 Guitar Orchestra, Year 5 String Orchestra and Year 5 Musicianship perform for family and friends.

• Friday 4 August - Music Trivia Night “Out of this World” @ 6:30pm (ERPAC)

Join us for a fun-filled night as the Lauries Music Support Group (LMSG) and Music Department host a Trivia Night with tickets available soon.

• Tuesday 8 August – Lauries Music Support Group (LMSG) Meeting MU1 (VAPA building). 

A great way to support your son at SLC is by joining the parent’s music support group.  Meetings are once a month on the second Tuesday of each month (term time).  

• Monday 14 August – Vocal Recital (Chapel)

Performances by our vocal students in Years 5-12

• Thursday 17 – Sunday 20 August - Queensland Catholic Colleges Music Festival (Villanova College, Coorparoo)

Ensembles performing:  Concert Bands 1, 2 & 3, Big Bands 1, 2 & 3, String Orchestras 1, 2 & 3, Symphony Orchestra, Guitar Orchestras 1 & 2, Treblehood, Cambiata, Little Brotherhood, Brotherhood, Big Brotherhood and Year 5 Musicianship.

• Thursday 24 August - Strictly Strings Concert @ 6pm (ERPAC)

Ensembles performing:  Year 5 String Orchestra, String Orchestras 1, 2 & 3, Symphony Orchestra and Fellowship of the String

• Friday 25 August - Band Blast Concert @ 6pm (ERPAC)

Ensembles performing:  Year 5 Concert Band, Concert Bands 1, 2 & 3 and Percussion Ensembles 1 & 2

• Tuesday 29 August - Choral & Guitar Concert @ 6:30pm (Toowong)

Ensembles performing:  Treblehood, Cambiata, Little Brotherhood, Brotherhood, Big Brotherhood and Guitar Orchestra 1

• Friday 8 September – Finale Concert 2 @ 5pm (McElligott Theatre) 

Ensembles performing:  Guitar Orchestra 2 and Year 5 Guitar Orchestra

If you would like further information regarding any of the above, please contact the music department via music@slc.qld.edu.au or telephone 07 3010 1138.

Strike Up The Band!

MR ROSS CAPERN

Head of Instrumental Music

The Confraternity Rugby League Carnival is arguably the biggest event the College has hosted in its 108-year history. The success of the carnival was due to the wonderful community that exists at St Laurence’s College and the six days of activities showcased what can be achieved when we all work together. There are not too many events that can showcase the College’s expertise in liturgy, music, service, media, events and of course sport – Confraternity 2023 allowed the College to do this.

To give an indication of size of the carnival, each day it was estimated 5000-7000 people through the gates of Runcorn, almost 200 games played comprised of 64 teams with over 1500 players and coaching/managerial staff, 45 referees and over 250 volunteers. With the accommodation, bus hire, catering, laundry, merchandising, and activities related to the teams and spectators to the carnival, the benefit to the South East Queensland economy was in the millions of dollars. All of this was created by a wonderful Catholic community, located on a hill in South Brisbane – St Laurence’s College.

I would like to start my thank-you’s with a special congratulations to our own Confraternity Rugby League team who competed in the carnival. The team finished runners up in Division II, losing a very close final to Columba Catholic College. This is our best result in the carnival – we have never made the Division II Final before this year. We won more games than any previous carnival, scored more tries and points and the team has now earned promotion to Division 1 for next years carnival – the level I think St Laurence’s College should be competing at every year. Thank you to the team members and coaches Mr Paul Boase, Mr Ryley Jacks and managers Mr Butterworth, Mr Dickman and Mr Ben Marriott as well as everyone associated with the team including all parents and supporters.

Over 250 volunteers allowed St Laurence’s College to conduct this wonderful carnival – from ball boys, to field marshals, to canteen assistance and laundry – our incredible community came together to welcome so many people to both our Campus and Runcorn Sporting Fields.

I would like to acknowledge our incredible music department and Mr Paul Corfield for the Opening Mass. The Mass was an ‘authentic’ representation of the spiritual heart of our College. It was wonderful that the Archbishop and Bishop were able to celebrate this with the community. The Mass was that good, that the template for the Mass we conducted will now be used by all future carnivals as an exemplar of how this important event should be conducted. Thank you to Dr Young for his enthusiasm and expertise in coordinating the singing component of the mass.

Thank you to the over 120 students who volunteered to assist with ushering at the opening ceremony, our musicians and choir students who delivered such incredible performances at the Mass, our Alter Servers, all of our Ball boys at Runcorn who ensured games went so smoothly and to the Nagle house students who collected cans and sold raffle tickets for MND and Me. The incredible feedback we have received about our students in these various roles has been overwhelming.

I would also like to acknowledge Year 10 students, Stirling and Maxwell Toth. These boys could be found in the canteen at Runcorn each day, basically all day. They were behind the scenes moving stock, stocking fridges, cleaning floors and taking out rubbish. They spent conservatively over 40 hours at Runcorn during the carnival. I would like to recognise Connor van Gool, who volunteered for the week to be the linesman for a visiting school from Townsville. Thank you to every student who assisted in any capacity with the carnival.  

There was a huge staff involvement for the carnival, with a large number of teaching staff giving up their holidays to assist with a variety of roles. From Ms Wilson, who was the field marshal on Field 1 for every day of the carnival, to Mr O’Toole who was our on field ball boy coordinator for the week. Every teaching staff member who assisted – this assistance was remarkable and invaluable.

Our parents and community members made up an important part of our volunteers. Close to 30 non-staff members volunteered their time throughout the week. Every contribution was significant, ensuring the ‘Spirit of Welcome’ was achieved. I would like to highlight three. Mr Ross Trenow – a parent of the College, who volunteered every day at the carnival along with Ms Anne Chase – who is a former parent of the College and Miss Alycia Armitage. Both Ross and Anne took leave from their normal work for the whole week, so they were able to assist – neither of them had sons involved in the Carnival! Alycia gave up a week of her university holidays to help coordinate the medical centre. This is incredible community spirit! Thank you to all parents and community members for assisting in making this carnival so special.

Thank you to the College Leadership team for all their support both in the lead up and throughout the week. Each member of the CLT had specific leadership roles for the week. Without their dedication and support the carnival would not have been able to be so successful. St Laurence’s College is incredibly lucky to have this amazing leadership team. Special thanks to Mr Leadbetter for all his support and his faith in our community, that we would be able to deliver such an amazing carnival.

I would like to finish my thank-you’s by acknowledging and thanking a large number of staff members who assisted at the carnival, that for many in our community may have never heard of. These are the non-teaching staff who work tirelessly to ensure that the College runs efficiently, that teachers in classrooms are supported, the bills are paid, the orders arrive, the grounds are clean and so much more. For the carnival week, the majority of these staff assisted at Runcorn with a few remaining behind at school to ensure the College could still operate

Names like Mr Eden, Ms Carnwell, Mr Doyle, Ms Longley to just name a few, have an incredible impact not only on the day to day experiences of the students, but also made significant contributions to the operations of the carnival. It is important we all understand that St Laurence’s College is a huge community. When we all play our part and contribute, we can achieve some very special things. Our students’ Lauries journey is impacted and influenced by so many people behind the scenes. I will highlight in particular a few of our non-teaching staff you may not be familiar with, who played integral parts in the carnival.

Ms Lucy Byron is the College Risk and Compliance Officer. Throughout the week, Ms Byron acted as the QISSRL Assistant on behalf of the College. She was the link between the College and the carnival organisers when things didn’t go to plan. Ms Byron’s role was critical to the success of the carnival.

Mr Stewart Williams and Mr John McGechin – their IT and audio visual work for the different ceremonies was first class. They do this every day for College assemblies and events.

Ms Helen Turner and Mr Will Pike and the Events and Communications team. The countless hours put in by Ms Turner and her team to gain sponsorship, organise the Suncorp game, conduct every event of the carnival outside of the ‘games’, including the QISSRL dinner and then get the messaging out far and wide through media and social media was phenomenal.

And finally, my personal biggest thank you to Ms Desley Armitage. Ms Armitage is not only an amazing international student coordinator, but is also an incredible sports administrator. No one person has put in more hours over the last 18 months in preparing, delivering and now concluding the carnival than Ms Armitage. Her attention to detail, impeccable organisation and I would say superhuman energy levels was a major driver of the success of this carnival.

Thank you to everyone involved, every community member who contributed and played their part in creating the Spirit of Welcome we were aiming to create.

The 2023 Confraternity Carnival was an amazing opportunity for our community to come together and show to the Queensland Independent School Rugby League community how unique and special St Laurence’s College is. I know that there are people all over the state now who wish they were a part of our community – the best school community in Queensland. 

MR EDDIE WALLACE 

Head of Sport

The Royal International Convention Centre will play host to the Lauries Gala Dinner in 2023 on Saturday 2 September.

St Laurence’s College’s premium night out for our community members is a great chance to share a meal and conversation with new and old friends while raising money for the St Laurence’s Old Boys Foundation and St Laurence’s College Building Fund.

Planning for Sony Camp 2023 has commenced, and we are looking for any parents with qualifications as a nurse, doctor or paramedic who would be willing to volunteer their time and assist us on this camp. The camp is an overnight camp and takes place on 16 - 18 September and will be held here on sight at the College.

If you have any questions or would like to seek further information can you please email James Mendoza (Head of Service Learning) at sonycampapplications@slc.qld.edu.au

The students that are going on the Vietnam Immersion Tour – Building across Borders would like to thank the community for their support at Back to Runcorn last weekend. The boys ended up raising enough money to cover the building costs of one of the houses to be built in the September holidays.

Winners:

• 1st Prize was won by Mr Matt Laughton – Ashgrove 
• 2nd Prize – Mrs Pink – Ashgrove
• 3rd & 4th Prizes – Hansell and Barker families – SLC 

Calling all boys from grade 5 – 12 !

Love swimming but want a new challenge ?

Do you want to train and learn from Olympians, National water polo players ?

Give Water Polo a try in a fun & friendly club environment!

Register using the QR code below or visit HERE.