Newsletter 17 - October 26
Principal's Page
Dear Parents and Guardians,
Staffing News
Mrs Maddy Dent has decided to take a year of leave in 2024. We wish her all the best.
We welcome Ms Steffanie Hall to the St Lawrence's community. Steffanie will be moving from Melbourne to Geraldton to commence a teaching position in 2024. I am pleased to announce Miss Rebecca Burro will continue on at St Lawrence's in 2024. Rebecca has been replacing Miss Andrea D'Souza who has been on leave. We also welcome Mrs Emma Smith as a teacher in 2024. Emma has children at St Lawrence's - Alexander in year 4 , Evelyn in year 2 and Nicholas in kindy. Congratulations!
This week we have been interviewing gap year students to work in admin for 2024. We are also currently advertising for EA's and an admin assistant. Please see the school website for more information.
New Students
Welcome to our three new students at St Lawrence's. We hope you make lots of friends and enjoy our school.
1G - Cruz
2G - Jett
4T - Summer
Swimming Lessons
Next week is the last week of swimming lessons. Congratulations to all students from PP-6 who participated over the past 4 weeks. A special congratulations to the many students who moved up a level as well. From all reports, the lessons have run very smoothly. Thank you to both our school staff and the Aquarena staff for their assistance during this time.
2024 Class Splits
During this term teachers will be reviewing class splits for 2024 using their professional knowledge and expertise in meeting the educational needs for all students. Considerations are taken for the academic, social/emotional, behavioural and cultural needs of all students in a year level cohort with the intention of creating well– balanced, vibrant and positive learning environments. Whilst parental issues and concerns are valued, the best judgements of professionals will form the basis of classes for the next educational year.
Socktober
This week St Lawrence's is celebrating Socktober for Catholic Mission Australia, raising funds for programs benefiting children around the world. Each year, we choose a focus country to represent how the funds raised through Socktober will benefit children overseas. In 2023, our focus is Timor-Leste.
Congratulations everyone who took part raising a total of $709.45
Happy Days
David Tunchon
Principal
Religious Education
Fruit of the Spirit Focus: Self- Control: the ability to wait, reflect and then respond.
Term Four School Mass:
Our school Mass for this term will be held in week five- Wednesday Nov 8th, 9:30am.
During this mass we will celebrate the work of Catholic World Missions and their outreach to helping many people in need across the globe.
Year Six Graduation Mass & Ceremony:
Our Year six students will celebrate their Graduation with a Mass and Graduation ceremony on Tuesday Dec 5 at 5:30pm.
Administration News
STLPS Transition
Purpose: Transitions are organised and structured so that ALL students at St Lawrence’s become familiar and comfortable with the new learning environments they will be working in when they return to school after the Christmas holiday break.
Transition Wednesday
For the next few weeks all classes will have a ‘Transition Wednesday’ lunch break, this will involve them eating lunch and playing in their new year group area for 2024.
Teachers will make sure that their students have the opportunity to visit their next year level’s classrooms and areas as much as possible eg Our Junior classes are buddying up for shared reading, taking messages to new parts of the school, touring where their new facilities are— toilet blocks/drink fountains etc.
Class teachers also work with those students who need additional support with change by writing social stories and creating transition movies.
Whole school Transition: Children complete an activity in each of their next year level classrooms with the teacher who is in that room this year.
Transition Dates: K to PP—Wed Nov 22, and P-5 Thurs Nov 23. Y6 – Y7 (Nagle) Fri Nov 3
We are excited to announce that next year we will be supporting local with the ordering of our Booklists! We have made the shift from Campion to Local works, the booklists are available below and will also be sent via SMS to families this afternoon.
French News
P & F News
P&F News
Getting organised for Carols on the Green Thursday 30th November 5pm – 7pm
$5 donation envelopes
By now you should have received home an envelope asking for a $5 donation to assist with purchasing items for the stall listed in the note. If you would like to contribute, please return your envelopes to the Front Office or your Class Teacher’s message tray by Friday 3rd November. We would like to thankyou in advance for your support of this P&F Fundraising event.
Grazing Boxes from Let’s Get Grazey
Local business Let’s Get Grazey will be catering for Carols on the Green 2023. You can pre-order your Grazing Box now. Orders will close by 24th November or when orders have reached capacity. You can place your orders by scanning the QR Code from the flyer or go online to the link below.
https://getgrazeywa.com.au/products/saint-lawrences-carols-on-the-green-30-11-2023-g2-grazing-box
Please see the flyer included for details of the Gourmet Grazing Boxes. Leisa is supporting our fundraiser with a donation back to the P&F of $2 from each grazing box ordered.
Leisa and her team will be serving coffee and tea with plates of Christmas treats during the event. There will be a menu published of what is available to purchase on the night as the event draws closer.
Grazing box orders can picked up from the Get Grazey van from 4.30pm at the Carols on the Green.
Raffle Tickets
The Raffles Subcommittee have been working hard to source donations of fantastic raffle prizes. There will be over 50 raffle prizes to win at the Carols on the Green. The timeline for Raffle Ticket purchases is tight with an 8 day turn around. Please keep these dates handy to ensure you have returned your tickets in time.
There will be one book of tickets per family.
Raffle Books for Pre Primary through to Year 6 students will be in the eldest child’s bag by Monday 20th November.
Kindy- 3 & 4 year olds, raffle books will be with your class teacher on the 16th & 17th November depending on your last Kindy day for the week.
Instructions will be attached to a return envelope detailing what information needs to be included on each ticket butt. Tickets will be $2 each or $20 per book.
All Raffle Tickets and monies must be returned by Tuesday 28th November
Cash and Carry Books
There will be a limited number of books available from the Front Office as Cash and Carry only. You can purchase as many of these as you like.
Raffle Ticket Purchases on the night
There will be a limited number of tickets for purchase on the night for half an hour at the Raffles Stall. Sales will close at 5pm.
Unwanted books
If you do not want your Raffle Book, please do not throw it away. Return it as quickly as possible to the Front Office. We can then make it available for another family to purchase. Please return it in the envelope provided as we are tracking the ticket numbers.
Choc Luck Stall
Start saving your $1 coins to have a go at the popular Choc Luck Stall. Throw your $1 and whichever chocolate it lands on, it’s yours! And it is not as easy as it looks!
Lucky Dip Stall
Mirika and Livinia Hall are coordinating this stall this year. We have asked for some donations of new or unused party favours or anything ‘small’ that would suit a lucky dip. Mirika is catering for all ages with bags suitable for boys, girls and unisex. If you have something you would like to donate pop it into the crate in the Front Office by the end of Week 4 (Friday 3rd November). We will advise of prices for bags as we are closer to the event.
Sausage Sizzle and Drinks
The Sausage Sizzle will be available all evening until sold out. Drinks also available until sold out.
Lolly Stall
Bring along your coins to grab your lolly stash. This stall is available all night or until sold out.
Entertainment
This year we have some wonderful entertainment. Leigh Jones is our MC with his Christmas Disco playlist; Johnny will be singing some Christmas flavoured tunes and the St Lawrence’s Parish Youth Choir will be singing and playing for us also. Later in the evening there will be a special performance from two of our favourite St Lawrence’s teachers, stay tuned for more on this. And everyone is to keep a lookout for an extra special guest again. Wonder how he will arrive this year?
We are really looking forward to our last fundraiser for the 2023 P&F. We can’t wait to see you all there on Thursday 30th November from 4.30pm to enjoy what we hope will be a fabulous end of year get together for our school community as we welcome the festive season.
A final reminder of our fundraising goal - all funds raised from the Carols on the Green will go towards a Shade Structure for the terraced area at the basketball court.
Next Meeting – Monday 13th November
See you in the Staffroom at 4.30pm
Kind regards,
Julie O’Malley
P&F Chairperson
Community Notices
