Dear Families,

And just like that another busy and rewarding term finishes! I want to take a moment to thank you for your ongoing support, partnership, and involvement in our school community.

This term has been filled with wonderful learning experiences, exciting events, and many moments of growth for our students. From classroom achievements to whole-school celebrations, it’s been heartening to see the enthusiasm and effort our students bring to their learning each day.

Today was a big day for Ms Taylor, we said our goodbyes as she leaves us for a while to begin the exciting new chapter in her life as she welcomes her baby into the world. Next term Ms Muscat will be taking up the Deputy Principal role, Ms. Snow will be taking on 3-6 Student Wellbeing leadership position on Thursdays and Mrs. Cuschieri on will be taking on P-2 Student Wellbeing leadership positions on Fridays.

We are very excited to have been able to source a venue for our upcoming performance “Shrek Jnr the Musical”. Due to Quin Auditorium’s closure for safety overhaul, the performances will now take place on Monday 15 September and Tuesday 16 September at Thomas Carr College, Tarneit. A flyer was sent home today on Compass and in hard copy with the children. It is also included in this newsletter.

I would like to extend an invitation to you all to join us on Sunday 10 August for our St Lawrence Pilgrimage to St Patrick’s Cathedral in this Jubilee year. Please see the attached flyer, we would love for you to joing us on this special event.

A special thank you also to our dedicated staff, who have worked tirelessly this term to support student learning and wellbeing, and to all families who have attended school events, supported learning at home, or simply encouraged their child each morning—your contributions make a real difference.

I hope the upcoming break gives your family a chance to rest, recharge, and enjoy some time together. We look forward to welcoming everyone back refreshed and ready for another exciting term ahead.

Wishing you a safe and happy holiday.

God Bless,

Trish Mulhern

Please add the following dates to your family calendar:

July

School holidays Saturday 5th July - Sunday 20th July

Monday 21st July - Learning Conversations 10.30am-7.00pm - NO SCHOOL FOR STUDENTS

Wednesday 23rd July - Grade 6 Excursion - Immigration Museum

Wedensday 23rd July - Grade 4 Cultural Infusion Incursion 9.00-10.00am

Wedensday 23rd July - Grade 5 Camp Community Conversation 2.00pm

Friday 25th July - Grade 1 Drama Toolbox Incursion 9.00am-12.00pm

Tuesday 29th July - School Advisory Council 6.30pm

Wedensday 30th July - Parents in Partnership meeting 2.15pm

August

Friday 1st August - Author visits for Grades 4 - 6

Friday 1st August - 100 days of Prep

Friday 1st August - Grade 3 Maths Competition

Monday 4th - Wednesday 6th August - Grade 5 Camp to Anglesea

Tuesaday 5th August - Prep Excursion - Animal Land Diggers Rest

Friday 8th August - Grade 5 Maths Competition

Sunday 10th August - Feast of St Lawrence Community Pilgrimage 10.45am-1.00pm

Monday 11th August - Whole School Mass - Feast of St Lawrence 9.00-10.00am (families welcome)

Friday 15th August - Whole School Mass - Assumption of Mary 9.00-10.00am (faimilies welcome)

Friday 15th August - Whole School Assembly 2.45pm (families welcome)

Monday 18th August - Friday 22nd August - Book Week

Tuesday 19th August - Grade 6 Formation Day

Friday 22nd August - Grade 4 Maths Games Day

Monday 25th August - KABOOM Sports Day

Friday 29th August - Grade 6 Transition Day (with SPC)

Friday 29th August - School Disco 6.30-8.00pm

September

Friday 5th September - Fathers' Day Breakfast 7.30-8.30am

Friday 5th September - Fathers' Day Mass 9.00-10.00am (families welcome)

Monday 8th September - Marian College Transition Day

Friday 12th September - Whole School Assembly 2.45pm (families welcome)

Monday 15th September - Shrek Jr (Green Cast) performance

Tuesday 16th September - Shrek Jr (Blue Cast) performance

Thursday 18th September - Grade 4 Sleepover

Friday 19th September - Last Day of Term 3 - 1.00pm finish

Saturday 20th September - Sunday 5th October - School holidays

October

Monday 6th October - First Day of Term 4

Saturday 11th October - Grade 6 Confirmation Masses (1.00pm & 3.30pm)

Friday 17th October - Prep - Grade 3 Swimming Program (every Friday)

Friday 31st October - Whole School Assembly 2.45pm (families welcome)

We understand that there may be times when your child needs access to prescription or over-the-counter medication during the school day, whether short-term or ongoing.  The school has processes in place so that we can support families with this request and ensure all reasonable care is taken.  

For ongoing administration of medication: If your child requires ongoing medication to be administered at school, you will need to complete a Medical Management Plan and Medication Authority Form in conjunction with an AHPRA medical professional. Please contact the office if your require further information regarding this.

For short-term administration of medication:  If your child requires prescription or over-the-counter medication for 1-2 days, you will need to make this request by completing and signing a Medication Authority Form (see link below).

In all cases, medication must be provided in its original packaging with the original label including the name of the student (for prescription medication), information on the dosage, storage requirements, method and time to be administered.  Families are responsible for providing medication that is within its expiry date and replacing medication that has expired.  Families are also responsible for providing the school with current medical information and updating this as required.

Please note that medications such as paracetamol or neurofen are not able to be stored or administered for first aid purposes as these medications may mask symptoms of serious conditions.  

Unfortunately, children are not able to keep medications in their bags and self-administer.  This requirement is in place to keep all children safe.

For more information please follow the link below to access the school policies.

We also encourage families to inform school if there are any changes to their child's medical conditions so that we can ensure a safe, supportive environment where they can continue to participate.

At St. Lawrence, we are now using the new Victorian Mathematics Curriculum 2.0 for reporting.  The link to the new curriculum is here:

https://victoriancurriculum.vcaa.vic.edu.au/mathematics/mathematics-version-2-0/curriculum/f-10

There are now six strands of Mathematics, instead of three. 

The 6 strands of Maths are now:

• Number
• Algebra
• Measurement
• Space
• Probability and
• Data 

In grades Foundation (Prep) - Grade 2 we teach:

• Number 
• Algebra
• Measurement
• Space 
• Statistics (data)

In grades 3-6 we teach:

• Number 
• Algebra
• Measurement
• Space 
• Statistics 
• Probability

What does this mean for your child?

As part of the updated Victorian Maths Curriculum 2.0, some learning outcomes (called content descriptors) have been moved to different year levels. This means that your child may now be learning certain concepts earlier or later than in the previous curriculum. These changes help ensure a more logical and consistent learning progression.

Some learning outcomes (Indicators) have been completely removed from the Prep-Grade 6 curriculum. The area of Volume is one example of this. Because of the changes in the new Victorian Maths Curriculum 2.0, your child might find learning in some strands easier than in previous years, while other areas—especially in Number—might feel more challenging. This is a normal part of adjusting to the new curriculum, and teachers are supporting all students as they adapt to the updated expectations.

Reporting

In the past families received a progression point (dot) for the three strands in Mathematics – Number & Algebra, Measurement & Geometry and Statistics & Probability. 

In 2025 there is only one progression point for Maths and it will cover all the strands. Your child’s report will look different!

The progression point is an average of all the strands taught for that Semester. 

You will be able to use the table that will be included in reports below the progression point to see where your child sits in regards to the standard in each strand. 

At standard means they are working at the expected level. 

Below standard means they are 12 months below the expected level.

Well below standard means they are working 12+ months below the expected level. 

Above standard means they are working 6-12 months above the expected level.

Well above standard means they are working 12+ months above the expected level. 

Some areas of the Maths curriculum may not be included in the Semester 1 report. This is because those topics haven’t been fully taught or assessed yet. All strands will be reported on in Semester 2.  

If you have any questions regarding this new reporting system or the Victorian Maths Curriculum 2.0 please feel free to contact the Maths Leader, Narelle Italiano, at nitaliano@slwderrimut.catholic.edu

Semester One reports are now availble and can be accessed through the Compass portal.  Please see the video below for a demonstration of how to view your child's report.

The Grade 2s had lots of fun at the zoo exploring what living things need to survive. Our favourite was the butterfly house. We noticed the new waterfall feature that was recently installed to increase humidity making the living space most desirable for the butterflies.

Another highlight was the relay race on our Grade 2 extended day. We had an option of a race with costumes, 3 legged race with a buddy or an egg-and-spoon race. We laughed as we made our way to the finish line multiple times.

This term, our Grade 1 & 2 students have been exploring the topic of living things. As part of this learning, the Moug family shared a very special experience, caring for baby chicks! Over the past couple months, they have been carefully looking after their eggs and observing their growth and development. This was a wonderful opportunity for all students to see the life cycle in action, including how eggs hatch and what is needed to create an environment where living things can thrive.

Congratulations to some dedicated members of our Environment Team who helped collect and pickle olives from our school olive trees. They'll be ready to eat in 3 months! Stay tuned for tastings!!!

It has been a phenomenal term for St Lawrence Primary School on the sporting field, with our students showing incredible teamwork, skill, and resilience across three different sports.

Volleystars Dominate the Court
Our St Lawrence Volleystars had an unforgettable season, going undefeated throughout the entire Deer Park District interschool sport round robin. In a display of consistency and determination, they didn’t drop a single set all season. While a logistical issue beyond our control unfortunately kept them from playing in the finals, their dominance and sportsmanship throughout the competition will be long remembered. We’re thrilled that the Volleystars will have the opportunity to showcase their skills again in a special St Lawrence tournament in Term 3.

AFL 9s Team Unstoppable
Likewise, our AFL 9s team was in a league of their own, powering through the season undefeated. Their strong teamwork, lightning-fast ball movement, and relentless pressure meant they never came close to losing a game. All matches were won by significant margins, showcasing just how well this group gelled on the field. Sadly, due to another logistical complication outside of our hands, they too missed out on finals. Fortunately, the team will get another chance to compete later in the year in an upcoming district AFL tournament.

Girls Soccer Team Make History
For the first time in St Lawrence history, our girls soccer team were crowned Deer Park District champions! They stormed through their pool games with emphatic wins. 11-0, 5-0, and 6-0 and held their nerve in the grand final to secure a 2-0 victory. Their success didn’t stop there. At the Keilor Division Championships, the team won their first two games to reach the final, where they faced an incredibly tough opponent and went down 2-0 in a hard-fought match. Their effort, skill, and determination were inspirational and set a new benchmark for girls soccer at our school.

Athletics Day Action
This term also saw our St Lawrence Athletics Day take place, this time under far sunnier skies than last year! Students from all year levels gave their best across a range of events, including 100m, 200m, long jump, high jump, and shot put. It was fantastic to see so much school spirit, encouragement, and effort on display. Following the day, our St Lawrence District Athletics Team has been finalised in preparation for next term’s competition. We can’t wait to see them in action!

A huge congratulations to all the students involved in these events. You represented St Lawrence with pride and passion. We are so proud of your achievements!

Book Fair

Monday 25th August to Friday 29th of August

In week 6 of Term 3 we are very excited that we will have our Annual Book Fair!

Due to the Book Fair, we will not be running Scholastic Book Club in term 3, which means that catalogues will not be given out to students, however Families still wishing to order Book Club in term 3 can do so by ordering online and orders will be delivered to your home. Please note: Scholastic do charge a delivery fee. Further information will be provided once we receive it.

School Advisory Council Meeting 17 June 2025 Report - Chris Dingli
The School Advisory Council group met on Tuesday 17 June 2025 to discuss and provide
guidance on the current needs of the school. During our meeting we reviewed the rolling out of the new Student Dismissal guidelines and how this has aided the teachers, staff and school community by providing learning for the students to remain safe and responsible whilst leaving the school grounds. Parents have been asked to have safety conversations with their children and we will continue to remind families about safe travel through the school newsletters. 
The recent Athletics Carnival which will continue to be held in Term 2 moving forward and Interschool Sports programs were a point of discussion on the success and challenges the school faces around scheduling these important events for the students as the planning of Interschool Sports does tend to sometimes clash with other school programs such as teacher professional development days, camps etc. which makes it challenging to support our students to attend these opportunities to develop their skills. 
Further discussions were had regarding the St Lawrence Community Pilgrimage to St Patrick’s Cathedral on 10 August 2025 where a Google Form will be sent to those families within our school community that are interested to attend for further information and planning of the Pilgrimage.
This year St Lawrence Primary School is due to have their External Review/Audit which occurs every 4 years. The review is a great oppotunity to stop and celebrate what is working well and set future direction. The School Advisory Council started the process of reviewing from a parents point of view on how the School communicates, supports and involves the broader school community. This will continue to be an agenda item that will be revisited in our next School Advisory Council meeting scheduled for 29 July 2025.

 Kicking Off with Heart

 Hellos and Housekeeping

 Curtain Call? Not Yet…

 Principal’s Report: Enrolments, Tours & Toursome News

 On the Way: Pilgrimage and Prayer

 Child Safety Gets an Upgrade

• New Rule: Students who walk home need written permission, not just a verbal OK.
• Those with permission will head off first. The rest will wait in the courtyard with teachers until 3:30pm.
• Refresher safety sessions will be rolled out regularly for students.

 Other News: Buses and Tours

 4C School Bus Update: Warren and Trish met with Caroline Chisholm Catholic College to discuss transport. Discussions are underway to explore expanding routes. Another meeting with 4C’s is on the books.

 Wrapping Up in Prayer

There is still time to enter the Greater Western Water poster competition!  Please click the link below for details.  Entries close 12th September.

National Water Week Poster Competition