Dear Parents and Caregivers,

Welcome to Term 2. I hope the Easter holidays were restful and a happy family time. This term will be very busy, with lots of significant events to celebrate in the next 7 weeks. Already in the first two weeks back, we have resumed Term 2 co-curricular activities, new units of work have commenced, and Parent Teacher Interviews have started. I welcome back all of the primary staff, after a very well- deserved break and thank them in advance for the care and support they will give the boys this term.

Report Cards

I trust that all parents viewed their son’s “Interim Report Card” on Parent Lounge during the holidays. If for some reason you have not viewed his report, please check Parent Lounge as soon as possible. A full “Academic Report Card” will be issued at the end of this term which will include both Academic and Effort /Application grades for all subject areas, including specialist subjects.

Parent -Teacher- Interviews

Parent-Teacher Interviews commenced on Monday, and will continue next Wednesday, 1 May.

Please note, the interviews on Wednesday, 1 May will be conducted after school. The school day will conclude at 2:55pm at the usual finishing time.

AIC Sport: Parent Reminder

Last weekend we had a round of trials against Marist. The official start of fixtures for the Term 2 AIC competition will be this afternoon (chess), and then again for Football and Rugby tomorrow, when we compete against Iona. Lauries have a proud reputation for having very positive and encouraging supporters on the sidelines. I ask all parents to keep this in mind and set a good example for all players, and also lead the way for supporters from other schools. Many of the people refereeing games are volunteers, young and inexperienced. They should be appreciated and respected by all players and supporters, even if they don’t always get every call correct. Parents are asked to ensure boys have the correct equipment, be at the venue on time and if possible, support other teams.

Any photos or short videos taken throughout the season would be greatly appreciated and should be emailed to primary@slc.qld.edu.au so that we can include them in the end of year displays and celebrations.

Music / Chess/Public Speaking /Debating

This term, the Music co-curricular program continues with some fantastic events and concerts coming up. See details in the music section of this Newsletter. We also commence Chess as part of the AIC competition this term. Public Speaking and Debating is also offered for boys, with Round One scheduled for Tuesday, 30 April. We are in a competition with Ambrose Treacy College, Padua, and Marist College Ashgrove for these great Co-curricular activities.

Mother’s Day Celebration

Mothers play a very special role in the lives of all children. We recognise the love that Lauries’ mums give the boys and the huge amount of time they spend supporting their sons. On Thursday morning, 9 May (7:00-8:00am) in ERPAC foyer, we will celebrate Mother’s Day in the Primary School. The event details are included in this Primary Newsletter in “Upcoming Events”. We hope to see many mums and /or any significant female role models here to help us celebrate the day. The morning will be very informal and relaxed, with only a few formalities. We hope you are able to make it. Please feel free to attend for the full hour or part of the time if you have the opportunity.

Please Note: Photos for boys with mum have now closed. The Medica Department have compiled the photo slide show for the morning and no late additions can be included.

Anzac Day

It was fantastic to join with the Senior boys, staff, Old Boys and invited guests at the ANZAC Day service in ERPAC on Wednesday morning. The speech from Captain Michael Lorrigan touched on the key themes of service and purpose, two concepts the boys hear about and engage in on the Lauries Journey. The service was brilliant and the boy’s respect and engagement was first class.

Vote of Thanks

I thank you for getting the boys back to school looking so smart in their winter uniforms and with neat haircuts. They might be small things, but I firmly believe it is the little things that combine to make our school great. Have a terrific term.

In this Edition of the Primary Newsletter, you can also read about Curriculum Updates, Music, Upcoming Events and our Mother’s Day Celebration.

Regards

Cameron Wigan
Dean of Primary

Lauries Primary Curriculum Update-Jon Tracey

Our Parent-Teacher Interviews provide an important opportunity to discuss your son’s learning progress and achievement, to address any concerns you may have in relation to his learning, and to set goals for the future. Teachers and parents working together can have many benefits for the academic development of the child.

Discussion about your son’s learning can help to create a positive and supportive learning environment, both at school and at home. This environment can help to increase the child’s engagement in their learning, which can lead to improved academic outcomes.

Collaboratively setting learning goals with your son and his teacher helps to provide direction and focus for learning efforts. With clear goals in place, the boys can prioritise their time and efforts, making it easier to achieve progress and success. Additionally, setting learning goals with your son and his teacher helps your son to stay focused and committed to his learning, even when faced with challenges or obstacles.

Open dialogue in a parent-teacher interview is essential to ensure that both parties are “on the same page” about the student’s academic progress. Open dialogue between teachers and parents/carers helps to build trust and establish a positive working relationship. This in turn can assist with ensuring that the student’s needs are met and that everyone is working towards the same goals. Teachers and parents can work together to celebrate successes and to develop strategies for improving the student’s academic outcomes.

We trust that the parent-teacher interviews will be a positive and productive process for everyone involved.

Jon Tracey
Head of Teaching and Learning (Primary)

Music- Ross Capern

Music Communications – Laurie’s App

The Music Department now uses the College App as our main point of contact with families.

We have redefined the groups under Music and do ask you take a couple of minutes to update your preferences to ensure you receive the relevant notifications for this ensemble.

Note: You will receive notifications for all ensembles under the categories you subscribe to, however it will be clear which ensembles each notification relates to.

Any events that fall outside the usual ensemble routine may require a parent or guardian consent, and if required, an invitation will be sent via parent lounge.

Year 5 parents, please ensure your subscriptions include the Year 5 Music Excellence Program under ‘Music.’ Any program updates or performance information will be posted here once available.

Junior Ensembles Concert |16 May ERPAC 6:00pm

We are looking forward to seeing our Junior Ensembles performing in the ERPAC auditorium this term. Everyone is welcome to come along and enjoy some great music. Ensembles Performing: Year 5 Concert Band, Year 5 String Orchestra, Year 5 Guitar Ensemble, Year 5 Musicianship, Concert Band 3, Percussion Ensemble 3, Big Band 3, String Orchestra 3, Treblehood

Call for Volunteers – Junior Ensembles Concert

The Music Department and Laurie's Music Support Group (LMSG) are calling for volunteers to assist with Junior Ensembles Concert. If you are available and interested in assisting with the event, please register using the link below.

https://volunteersignup.org/LDH8R

Combined Schools Workshop, St Joseph’s Kangaroo Point | Wednesday 22 May 2pm – 5:30pm

This will be an exciting event for String Orchestra 3 and Treblehood as we combine with St Joseph’s Primary School, Kangaroo Point for an afternoon music workshop and combined concert.

LMSG Meeting | Tuesday 7 May | 6pm

Our next Laurie’s Music Support Group Meeting will be on Tuesday 7 May in room MU1 (Top floor 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).

Term 2 Events

29 April | Guitar Orchestra 2 Workshop | Somerville House 3:30pm

16 May | Junior Ensembles Concert | ERPAC 6:00pm
Ensembles: Year 5 Concert Band, Year 5 String Orchestra, Year 5 Guitar Ensemble, Year 5 Musicianship, Concert Band 3, Percussion Ensemble 3, Big Band 3, String Orchestra 3, Treblehood

21-22 May | Speech & Drama Showcase | McElligott Theatre

22 May | Combined Schools Workshop & Concert | ERPAC 2:00pm - 5:00pm
Ensembles: String Orchestra 3, Treblehood & St Joseph's Kangaroo Point

3 & 5 June | Strings Recital | Chapel

6 June | Piano Recital | Chapel

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

We look forward to sharing with families the many performances by our talented students this Term.

Ross Capern

Head of Instrumental Music

Mini Vinnies-Kate Flanagan

Mini Vinnies – Annual ILF Book Swap

It’s that time of year again, Lauries Community, where the Mini Vinnies boys are chasing any novels or picture books you might have at home that would suit primary aged readers. All books donated will be sold for $1 in Week 8 this term as part of the Primary school’s annual Indigenous Literacy Foundation Book Swap. This is a fantastic initiative that has been happening at SLC for over 10 years!

Students are able to purchase ‘new’ books, you can claim back much needed shelf space in your homes and the ILF receives funds to support their excellent literacy programs all over Australia. For more information about the ILF and their programs, feel free to visit their website: https://www.indigenousliteracyfoundation.org.au/

In the meantime, any donations can be handed to the Primary office or the 6MR classroom. Thank you in advance for your support.

Thank you in advance!

For further information about the ILF, follow the link below:

The Great Book Swap | Indigenous Literacy Foundation

Please enjoy the creativity from our Primary boys' artwork collection from Term 1.

STUDENT LEADERS SPOTLIGHT

This fortnight’s primary spotlight is “Start the Term with Good Habits”. We chose this as our spotlight because we want everyone to pick up where they left off at the end of Term.

Term Two is the busiest of all our terms, so it’s important for all the boys to be organised, to be self-directed and to stay on top of everything. This includes: charging laptops, attending music lessons on time, knowing your sports training schedule and having all the gear you need to make sure you have a successful day.