This week I was informed of the tragic passing of a Year 12 student from Marist College Ashgrove.  The student had been involved in a car accident some weeks earlier.  Our prayers go out to the family of the student and to the entire Marist community.  It is in times like this that we are grateful for the respect that we have at Lauries for each of our AIC communities.  May he rest in peace.

During this week we held two significant events to assist with the academic growth of our young people.  On Monday evening we held Parent Teacher interviews for our Senior School students from Years 10 – 12.  For our seniors, this term is crucial for their outcomes at the end of the year.  Through our mentoring processes we endeavour to guide our students through this time.  Our current Year 9 students and their parents were also involved in selecting subjects for Year 10 2024.  At this College we have over 40 different subject options with many pathway opportunities.  To support our students in Year 9, parents will be invited to conference with Senior staff to discuss the best options for their son’s development.

Mr Paul Moscos has also held Career Expos at each break during the week with exhibitors from universities and employers being present for the students to meet.  Mr Moscos also coordinated a scholarship information evening on Wednesday for students interested in Tertiary scholarships.  I thank Mr Moscos and Mrs Bongaarts for their work here.

During the week, students were also involved in presentation on Cyber Safety and Online Safety.  A parent evening was also conducted to support families in this area.  The cyber world is exciting, yet it can be dangerous for our young people.  I thank Ms Bell, Mr Wigan and Mr King for coordinating these presentations.

This week we move into Round 1 of AIC Sport for Term 3.  This will involve matches in Tennis, Basketball and Rugby League.  Our opponents are our good friends from Iona College.  I thank all staff and coaches for their generosity in supporting the boys.  I also wish to formally introduce our new Head of Sport, Mr Patrick Byron.  Mr Eddie Wallace will leave teaching at the end of this year, but will take long service leave from Week 5.  This leave is for the remainder of the year.  Eddie has given his heart and soul to this community for over 16 years.  We will farewell Eddie at a College assembly.  I welcome Patrick who will work closely with Eddie for the first few weeks of term.  I am delighted that Patrick has accepted the position here and I look forward to continuing the success and growth of our sports program.

Two significant events will occur in the coming weeks.  On July 27 from 4pm – 7pm we will conduct our annual Open Day.  This is always a great event, and it allows families to experience life at the College over a short period of time.  As is usual, our staff have worked collaboratively to ensure a sense of welcome on the night.  Should you know of families interested in enrolling their sons at the College I ask that you refer them to our website to register for the event.

On Friday 11 August we will conduct our annual Solidarity Mass and Walkathon.  At the Walkathon, students will walk over 15km to raise funds for St Vincent’s Hospital Foundation and the MND&Me Foundation.  MND&Me is a foundation supporting those who suffer from Motor Neurone disease.  It began with support of classmates of Scott Sullivan.  Scott is a College Hall of Fame recipient who sadly passed away with the disease at the age of 38.  This Foundation does God’s work and we have already pledged $15,000 from fund raised to assist with their great work.  Please support these worthy causes.

Term 3 is a busy and exciting term.  I look forward to some great learning and some excellent community events.

MR CHRIS LEADBETTER

Principal

Edmund Rice – Head to Heart Camp

Next week a number of our Year 10 and 11 students will be joining students from Stuartholme to be part of the Edmund Rice Head to Heart Camp, taking place next Friday and Saturday. The camp is a wonderful opportunity for our students to be able to mentor and buddy young people aged between 7-12 from a variety of different backgrounds. The main aim is for our students to provide the young people with a positive experience and a companion for that weekend to uplift them. We look forward to our students being part of this experience next week.

Friday Mass

It was wonderful to be part of the Waterford House Mass this morning, with a large number of parents and grandparents from the Waterford community joining us. I encourage families to come and be part of Friday Mass when the invite is extended from your sons Head of House. The Masses are a great opportunity to gather as a community. Friday Mass takes place from 7.50-8.30am, with each House hosting masses throughout the year. Next Friday will be Hogan House.

East Timor Immersion 2024

Over the coming weeks communication will be sent out to families with students in Years 10 -12 in 2024, for our Solidarity Immersion to East Timor in the 2024 June/July holidays. 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, the 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 and meet wonderful people to walk in solidarity with them and learn their stories. Please keep an eye out for this letter 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 cannot run without them. Nurses are generally required to help with feeding and medical needs of some of our young people who come on camp. Nurses will be needed for a variety of shifts including splitting shifts during the evening, to be on hand for medical needs should they arise. This is a challenging but rewarding experience. Please contact James Mendoza via JMendoza@slc.qld.edu.au if you would like to help or would like more information.

College Sacramental Program

Our College Sacramental Program for students wishing to undertake sacraments of Baptism, Confirmation and First Communion will begin in Week 4. A communication was recently sent asking to accept through Parent Portal. Could I please ask you to do this if you have not yet. For all those parents who have signed up, please send baptismal certificates to FIAatLauries@slc.qld.edu.au.

MR PAUL CORFIELD

Dean of Identity and Community

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. All Academic Excellence, Growth and Merit Award winners have been published. I congratulate all students who achieved these awards for their work in Semester 1 this year.

As you can see by the graphs below, over the last three years, there has been an extraordinary 50% increase in Academic Gold Excellence Award Winners, and a 40% increase in Academic Gold Merit Award winners. This is an outstanding achievement and speaks to the improvement in academic culture, stemming from the exceptional work of students and staff. I also thank parents for helping to instil this sense of personal excellence with our students. 

Importantly, if you or your son believes that they should have received an Academic Black (GPA above 70) or Academic Gold Excellence Award (GPA above 80), particularly if they missed assessment due to illness, then please contact the Teaching and Learning Office as soon as possible on teachlearn@slc.qld.edu.au

Upcoming Senior Education Training Plan (SETP) Interviews

Our Year 10 students will have an opportunity to meet with a senior teacher regarding their future subjects/pathways. This is an excellent opportunity to review data, set SMART goals, and refine subjects if needed. These will occur throughout the day, scheduled for Friday 4 August. Students will be asked to excuse themselves from class for the 15min interview, and then travel back to class. Students will also be expected to catch up on missed work.

Some subjects require mandatory changes as they are not offered in Year 11 and Year 12. These include:

• Applied Science
• VTS A
• VTS B
• Business Communication
• Cert II in Sport and Recreation

Potential future pathways can be found in the Senior Subject Handbook.

For further information, please contact Mr Andrew Newcombe via anewcombe@slc.qld.edu.au

NAPLAN – Release of Student Reports

Next Monday, we will be mailing Year 7 and Year 9 NAPLAN reports. A reminder that there is a new criterion. An information sheet has been mailed out with each report.

Year 9 Subject Information Night

We welcomed Year 9 families for the Subject Information night on Thursday this week. It was great to see so many families engage with staff to discern for future pathways. For those families who missed the information, a video link of the filmed presentation will be sent early next week.

A vast amount of information and links can also be found in the Subject Handbook.

Scholarship Evening

I thank Mr Paul Moscos and Ms Lesley Bongaarts for organising and conducting the scholarship evening last Wednesday night. There were strong numbers of students and parents, which was great to see. The audience heard from over five major Universities about the opportunities available for students wishing to apply for scholarships. A great event – well done to all involved!

Conclusion

I wish all students and families the very best, particularly those students selecting or refining future pathways.

Live Jesus in our hearts…Forever!

Best wishes,

DR LIAM HERBERT

Dean of Teaching and Learning

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

ADFA Open Day

On Saturday 19 August, ADFA is hosting their Open Day in Canberra. The Open Day will provide prospective Navy, Army and Air Force candidates and members of the community with information on life and study at ADFA. There will also be an opportunity to view exciting demonstrations and displays.

Staff from ADFA, Defence Force Recruiting and University of New South Wales (UNSW) will be on hand to provide career and course information about the undergraduate degrees on offer and guidance about the application process.

Existing ADFA midshipmen and officer cadets will be available to talk about military training, academic programs and life experiences.

If you can’t make it in person, you can still experience all the action with their virtual Open Day.  The virtual event will showcase key content, including live-streaming activities and question and answer sessions, via a dedicated platform and social media channels. To receive updates on the Virtual Open Day, register via the ADFA register form on the Defence Jobs website.

Liveris Academy Scholarships - UQ

The UQ Liveris Academy Undergraduate Scholarship is available to students considering study at the University of Queensland in areas of Computer Science, IT, Engineering, Science and Mathematics. Valued at up to $10,000 per year, interested students need to apply by providing a cover letter, resume, report cards and creating a short video providing details of how their attributes align with those of the Liveris Academy (around leadership, community service, academic excellence etc.). Applications for this scholarship are due by Sunday 20 August.

Bond University Ideas Camp

Year 10 – 12 students interested in the areas of business and entrepreneurship are invited to attend the Bond University Ideas Camp on Thursday 17 August. The Ideas Camp is a one-day workshop, where they will interact with others interested in the field, hear from speakers in the entrepreneurial space and gather information to help them with their future ideas. 

Queensland Conservatorium Application Support Webinar 

Please join QCA for their upcoming Conservatorium applications webinar and Q&A session on Tuesday 1 August. Whether your students are interested in the Bachelor of Music, Musical Theatre, or Acting, this is yours/their chance to uncover tips and tricks for completing your application. Please click HERE for more information.

START QUT Information Webinar and Applications

QUT are hosting a START QUT Information Webinar on Tuesday 29 August. Register now. Applications for START QUT Summer 2024 (STEM Intensive) and Semester 1 2024 open on Tuesday 1 August and close on Tuesday 31 October 2023. Check eligibility requirements, browse available subjects and apply on the START QUT webpage.  

ATO to recruit biggest intake of recent Year 12 Graduates

The Australian Taxation Office (ATO) is looking for 2022/23 Year 12 graduates ready to kick-start their career, in what is set to be the biggest intake for the ATO School Leaver Program.

Applications for the 12-month career development program open on Wednesday 2 August and close on 30 August 2023.

Did you know there’s more to the ATO than tax and superannuation? They combat crime and fraud, administer programs to support the community and work with cutting edge IT technology to protect the data of millions.

Successful applicants will be placed in a range of full-time entry-level roles including administration, data and analytics, client engagement and information technology.

The ATO School Leaver Program provides:

• a competitive salary
• practical, hands-on work experience
• formal training, including a Certificate III qualification in IT or business
• professional development and networking opportunities
• opportunity for career advancement within the ATO upon successful completion of the program.

Positions are available in ATO offices in Adelaide, Albury, Brisbane, Canberra, Gosford, Geelong, Newcastle, Melbourne, Moonee Ponds, Parramatta, Penrith, Perth, Sydney, Townsville, Traralgon, and Upper Mount Gravatt.

Launch your career in one of the country's largest government organisations and make big things happen! See HERE for more information.

UQ Parent Information Webinar

The UQ Future Students Australia team will be hosting an online webinar for parents and guardians on Monday 31 July from 6pm.

The Parent Information Evening will cover the following information to ensure you and your child are equipped and powered with the knowledge of the higher education sector including:

• Learn about the application process.
• Understand what financial support is available.
• Hear about accommodation options. 
• Discover the wide range of support services.
• Get tips for successfully transitioning to university.

A panel of current UQ students and parents will share their experiences and answer your questions. The information will be valuable to any parent who has a student currently in Years 10 – 12 considering university studies.

Register for this event HERE.

For any questions, please email futurestudentsaustralia@uq.edu.au

MR PAUL MOSCOS

Careers Counsellor

Financial Literacy at Lauries 

Students are growing up in a world where they are bombarded by advertisements for easy credit facilities (think Afterpay or payday loans) and where most of their financial transactions are intangible (they rarely handle cash). These contribute to a misunderstanding of the complexities of money management and financial risk taking. To prepare and inform students to make sound financial decisions now and into the future students need dedicated financial education. 

Business Studies students in the Middle School have the benefit of units designed to give them an understanding of some of the financial considerations they will face in life.  This term in Year 9 Business Studies, students are embarking on a personal financial plan. They must decide on an entry level job by searching for job advertisements, calculate the annual income tax payable, take-home fortnightly and annual income, research personal and car loan options for the purchase of a sensible first car and prepare a budget for living and accommodation expenses for a young person living out of home for the first time. In addition, students must decide on a future financial goal (such as purchasing a first property or taking an overseas trip) and determine how their budget will need to be adjusted to achieve the goal and consider the appropriateness of the goal as an investment in their future.  This is an example of the dedicated financial education being provided at Lauries and teachers are looking forward to reading the variety of different financial plans that will be produced by students.

Examples of Student Work from 2022:

MS ALANA BAILEY

Head of Faculty - Business

Conversations about which is busiest term or week are futile, as our College is exceptionally busy every week of every term and this week was no different.  Senior PTIs, Year 9 subject selection and the LIZID Festival were all highlights of the week.

Cyber-Safety Presentations

On Wednesday all year levels attended an informative presentation about cyber-safety and keeping safe in the digital world.  Cyber-safety expert Susan McLean tailored her discussions to suit the age and stage of our students, ensuring that the most pertinent issues were addressed.  Just some of the topics discussed were:

• Protecting your digital reputation by making appropriate on-line choices.
• Cyberbullying.
• ‘Online friends’ must be people you actually know.
• Sexting and sextortion.
• Online grooming.
• Identity theft.
• Online pornography.
• Reporting cyber-bullying and inappropriate content.

I would strongly recommend that you have a conversation with your son about what he learned or felt was thought provoking from the presentation. 

Service Opportunities

With various events about to take place, students have many opportunities to volunteer their time to help serve our College and community.  Please encourage your son to offer his time to one of the numerous events taking place over the next few weeks.  Aside from giving back to the College, service is an enriching experience from which much personal growth occurs.  It is wonderful to see the boys grow in confidence as they lead tours of the College, run activities and be ambassadors for our school.  Students should contact Mr Nathan Burridge to advise what they would like to assist with.  Some of the service opportunities available this term include:

• Open Day – Thursday 27 July
• Principal’s Tours – Wednesday 23 August
• Old Boy Events – Saturday 26 August; Sunday 27 August; Tuesday 29 August
• Year 8 Father & Son Evening – Thursday 31 August

Parent Engagement Opportunities

Susan McLean – Cyber-Safety Presentation

Following presentations during the day to students, Susan presented to our parents for an hour and a half, not only on the topics listed above, but also giving some extremely practical tips.  While some of the tips seem like common-sense, in the busyness of life, we can tend to forget. Just some of Susan’s tips are:

No phones in bedrooms or bathrooms.

• Don’t let your kids set up the parental controls on devices for you.
• Ensure students obey age restrictions, which are 13 years old.
• Ensure security settings on social media are strongest possible.
• Google your children every few months and deal with anything that may be damaging.
• Untag/delete photos or videos that are inappropriate.
• Check what they are ‘liking’ or ‘commenting’ on is appropriate.

Susan's website Keeping Safe in Cyberspace a series of videos - Cyber Safety Solutions  is extremely useful and contains a plethora of information, tips, videos and links to further resources.

Parent Meeting to Learn with Andrew Fuller

Those who attended our March Parent M2L would know that clinical psychologist and leading adolescent therapist, Andrew Fuller, is an exceptionally knowledgeable and engaging speaker.  Whilst in March Andrew spoke about wellbeing and resilience, he is now going to focus on learning with his ‘Biohacking Learning’ presentation.  In this presentation, Andrew will focus on increasing the power of learning in less time and magnifying motivation to achieve better results.  He will give an overview of how children and teenage brains learn and how parents can use this to help their children learn.

Andrew will focus on:

• Increasing motivation and concentration.
• Neurochemistry and the impact on learning and motivation.
• How goals are good, but systems are better.
• How parents can build upon learning strengths.

In preparation for the evening, we would encourage parents to complete an analysis of their own learning by going to www.mylearningstrengths.com.

Please click HERE to view the invitation.  I look forward to seeing as many of you as possible.

Best wishes for the week ahead.

MS VANESSA BELL

Dean of Middle School (Pastoral Care)

Week 2 has been a very busy week of performances by many of our ensembles both on campus and in the wider community. 

Throughout this week, during morning tea and lunchtimes our students and staff were entertained by our Rock Bands and performers as part of our LIZID Rock Music Festival.  Congratulations to these students on their performances and a special thank you to Ms Angelina Ellis and Year 12 student, Kieran van Acker on their organisation of this event.

We congratulate our String Orchestras 1,2 & 3, Concert Bands 1,2 & 3 and Big Bands 1,2 & 3 who performed for an appreciative audience in the Queen Street Mall as part of Vivace Music’s Jazzin’ Up the Mall, an annual music festival for schools providing a wonderful performance experience for our students.

This weekend our Intermediate Ensembles Music Camp will take place on campus. Students will take part in a series of rehearsals which will culminate in a concert for family and friends on Sunday. This camp will be excellent preparation for the upcoming Queensland Catholic Schools and Colleges Music Festival being held 17-20 August.

TERM 3 EVENTS:

• 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 HERE

• 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

AIC Trimester 2 Sports Assembly

On Tuesday, The College held our Trimester 2 Sports Assembly. This was a very special morning with over 200 boys being recognised for their achievements in Chess, Cross Country, Football and Rugby Union. Teams that achieved premierships or “undefeated” seasons were acknowledged alongside with our 4 “First” teams in each sport. A highlight of the morning was the presentation of the 1st XV Rugby Premiership, 1st IV Chess and aggregate Football Shields. 

A huge thank you again to all staff, Old Boys and parents who made Trimester 2 sport possible.  

Winter Uniform at Sport

A reminder to all families that students should be attending their games on a Saturday in correct sports uniform for that sport. A significant issue occurs during winter with boys tending to arrive in incorrect jumpers due to the cold weather. It is an expectation that students were College jumpers or tracksuits to fixtures on a Saturday.

AIC Round 1

This weekend we are playing Iona in Round 1 of the AIC Competition.  

For Rugby League we are hosting all AIC Schools at Runcorn, in a Gala Day style event. This is sure to be a big occasion, and all Lauries teams come into the games feeling confident after trialling well against Padua College and Villanova last weekend.

Our Basketball and Tennis teams also trialled very well last weekend against Padua, and all the boys are ready for what is sure to be a big Round 1. Our Basketball and Tennis teams are split between School and Iona, with our 1st V and 1st IV teams playing host to Iona on Campus and Griffith University.

Good luck to all teams for the commencement of AIC Trimester 3 Sport this weekend.

MR PATRICK BYRON

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.

Enrol into our Speech and Drama Program for Term 3.

Does your son love Theatre Sports? Drama games? Acting and public performance?

More importantly do you want your son to improve his presenting skills in all their classes? Expand their debating skills?

Would you like your son to learn how to breathe properly to reduce stress, anxiety, and speak with confidence.

We also offer Trinity Guildhall and AMEB exam which improve ATAR scores, recognised practical exams that add to your university application?

If you answered ‘yes’ to any of these questions, Speech and Drama is for your son! Contact the Music Department for enrolment information and forms – music@slc.qld.edu.au

Email lduggan@slc.qld.edu.au for more information.