Dean of Primary - 2022 Term 1 Edition #2
Dear Parents and Caregivers,
We are now well into Term 1, hopefully all boys feel settled and on top of the logistical aspects of a new school year. Classrooms are very busy and the boys are producing some outstanding work. The start to the year has been very positive and I encourage all parents to have a conversation with their son about the importance of maintaining that effort into the back end of the term. The next few weeks will require focused learning in readiness for upcoming assessment. A starting point for this might be to focus on the desired “Learning Dispositions” featured on the poster HERE.
Reminder
Could I please draw your attention to some of the main issues that impact the boys across both Year 5 and Year 6, listed in dot points.
Connection:
Developing a strong sense of connection is very important at the start of a new year. These connections are critical for all boys. The connections we strive to build include: Peer connections, class connections, year level connections and connection to the wider the Lauries community.
Consistency:
All classes are unique and operate in a slightly different way, however; consistency of opportunity, programs, pastoral care and lesson structure are key to providing each boy with a quality experience. Please encourage the boys to share their class OneNote with you and discuss the routines and expectations that they should be familiar with now.
Communication:
Lauries provides a lot of information and we use multiple communication platforms. It is vital that parents stay on top of all communication to assist the boys with organisation.
Co-operation:
Boys do best when parents and school work together. I look forward to a strong and productive partnership this year.
Academic Award Celebration
This week, the College held a virtual celebration to acknowledge and congratulate the outstanding academic performance of many boys in Semester 2 last year.
A significant number of our current Year 6 boys were presented with Academic Excellence Awards. Please click on this link HERE to see the full list of recipients. Another large number of awards will be presented at upcoming Year Level gatherings to congratulate boys who received Merit Awards for Semester 2 last year. These boys have displayed exceptional effort and application to their studies. These Merit Awards are attainable for all students as they do not rely on grades, they purely reflect attitude and habits… something all boys should strive to be excellent in.
At the celebration we also presented a very special award. Each year, we nominate boys to enter the ICAS Competition in a number of subjects. The tests for these competitions are very rigorous and difficult. Thousands of students all over Australia sit the exams annually. The student with the highest score in each test is awarded the very prestigious ICAS Medal. I am delighted to congratulate Liam Pipia (6 Black and Gold) on receiving the ICAS Medal for Year 5 Science in 2021 from the thousands of participants. This is a remarkable achievement and we are most proud of Liam. Well done to all award winners.
Year 6 Shirt
The Year 6 Shirt order has now been placed with the manufacturer. It will be processed as soon as possible, but this can take up to eight weeks. We hope to distribute the shirts to the boys that have ordered them by the end of Term 1, if possible. Unfortunately, no late orders can be added at this stage.
Important Notes for Parents
Lost property has already started to build up in the Primary Office. If your son misplaces items, please tell him to check the lost property at the Primary Office door. All items should be labelled to make returning lost property a quicker process.
Visitors Procedures
It is essential for all visitors to report to the office (Main Reception or Primary) during the day. This includes the drop off of laptops, food, phones etc. that have been left at home or if parents are collecting sick boys. No visitors should go directly to classrooms without reporting to the office first. I am sure you can appreciate that we need to be aware of all adults onsite to help keep boys safe. This process also prevents unplanned meetings with staff that might stop them from teaching or preparing for lessons. Parents are welcome to make an appointment to see staff or leave a message for a return call on the phone, but classroom visits without reporting to the office is not fair on staff or the boys.
It is essential to report your son’s absence from school. If he is not attending, please contact the Primary Office on 3010 1142 or primary@slc.qld.edu.au and leave a brief message with your son’s name, class and the reason for his absence.
Lauries Journey Awards
At our Primary Assembly each fortnight, we will celebrate and acknowledge boys who have made an outstanding contribution to our community or in class. These students will be presented with Lauries Journey certificates to formally recognise the great things they have done. The awards celebrate the achievements of boys from all classes and are awarded to those who show strong character and/or the desired “Learning Dispositions”, reflecting the Lauries Journey and helping to strengthen our community. Each fortnight the names will be published in this Newsletter. The certificates for these awards will be passed on to the boys to keep in a safe place.
Learning Support
During the first three weeks, Home Class Teachers and the Learning Support staff have been observing and testing boys to identify students who might benefit from some added support this year. Before the end of term, this formal support will commence, with the start of some interventions across classes. Parents will be contacted by Susan Dean or Basil Ranieri to discuss this support if required.
Year 6 Leadership
Before the end of term, we will celebrate our Year 6 boys in their role of student leaders in Primary this year. The boys have made an excellent start to the year, setting a positive example and supporting the Year 5 boys. Well done boys and keep up the collective effort. A separate letter will be emailed to Year 6 parents next week, with details about a liturgy later in the term.
Sport
AIC sport is in full swing and going well. It is wonderful to see so many boys engaged and participating in the sports program, last weekend over 900 boys across the college participated in AIC sport. It is a fantastic way for the boys to make friends, learn to work in a team and develop discipline. These activities also provide a wonderful opportunity for parents to meet other families and strengthen new friendships. I thank parents and the boys for the commitment to this aspect of school life. Lauries has a very strong reputation in the AIC network for sportsmanship on the field and positive parent support from the sidelines. It is important that we all contribute towards maintaining this reputation. Player and spectator behaviour should be positive at all times this year.
Welcome to House
Last week, many Primary students attended their first “House” meeting with the older boys and staff. New boys were welcomed and presented with a house badge displaying the specific crest. The boys have enjoyed wearing the badges for the past two weeks and are encouraged to show house pride and engage in house initiatives this year.
Year 5 – Welcome to Lauries
The College will be hosting a casual family BBQ and social gathering for new Year 5 and Year 7 families. Invitations with specific details will be sent to Year 5 parents next week. The BBQ will be held on Friday, 11 March at 5:00pm.
Drop off for Students
Please use the designated drop off zone near Savio Oval (outside the Lauries Shop and Canteen) to drop your boys to school each day. The loading zone on the ERPAC driveway is not a drop off area and is heavily congested in the mornings with hospital and St Laurence’s staff.
In this Newsletter you can also read about Primary Studies, Music, Upcoming Events and Lauries Journey winners this week.
REMINDER: We also encourage parents to download the College APP for all up to date information. It is critical to assist the boys with organisaton and to avoid disappointment.
Enjoy the next fortnight
Regards
Cameron Wigan
Dean of Primary
