Private Bag 9

LEONGATHA VICTORIA 3953

Ph: (03 5662 2192

St Laurence’s Primary School NEWSLETTER ◊ Number 5 ◊ 6th March , 2019

Open new horizons for spreading joy—Pope Francis

principal@stlleongatha.catholic.edu.au

Dear Parents PARENT TEACHER INTERVIEWS: We will be opening the Parent Access Module (PAM) for our student management system this week. PAM will allow you to book parent teacher interviews, check calendars and see daily messages (about events such as coloured clothes days, sports days etc). Your child will bring home a booklet on how to access PAM and to use it. If you cannot follow these instructions please make a time to come and see Kate Dourley who will walk you through it.

ASSEMBLY - Friday assembly is at 8.55am in

the Big Shed. All parents welcome.

PUBLIC HOLIDAY Monday 11th March

ST LAURENCE’S SCHOOL TEAM REPRESENTATIVES EXPECTATIONS

It is a privilege to be selected to represent the school in any field. This privilege comes with an expectation from ALL team members. This being, that all team members travel to and from events/activities with the team.

It is important that team members offer support to their peers rather that going home after their events are finished.

Parents are always encouraged to come along and support the team and we ask that parents support the school in both of these matters.

PREP ENROLMENTS 2020

SIBLING AND NEW ENROLMENTS ARE NOW OPEN

AND APPLICATONS ARE BEING ACCEPTED.

Please contact the office for an enrolment form. If you know of a new family that is enrolling please ask them to contact the school for

an enrolment package.

School tours are available by request most days of the week during school terms in 2019.

YOU ARE INVITED TO OUR

OPEN MORNING

WEDNESDAY, 3rd APRIL

Tours available between 9:00 and 10:00am .

Please spread the word among family and friends.

Merciful God,

As our loving children,

We are eager to do what is right.

Send your Holy Sprit to live with us

And to fill us with your light.

We ask this through Christ our Lord. Amen.

CONDOLENCES: Our sympathy goes out to Mrs Gatehouse and family on the passing of Margaret's lovely sister Rosey.

Please keep the Gatehouse family in your prayers.

Our sympathy also goes out to Mrs Holian whose mother-in-law passed away recently. Please keep the Holian family in

your prayers.

2019 TERM DATES

Term 1: 30 January (all students) - 5 April

Term 2: 23 April—28 June

Term 3: 15 July—20 September

Term 4: 7 October—20 December

DIARY DATES Please check regularly for date changes.

MARCH Friday, 1st Division Swimming Korumburra. Good luck team. Monday, 4th—Friday, 8th Meals On Wheels Wednesday, 6th Ash Wednesday. Whole School Mass. 11:30am. All welcome. Friday 8th School Photos. STUDENTS TO BE IN FULL SUMMER UNIFORM (not sport uniform. If this is your sports day, pack gear accordingly) Monday, 11th Public Holiday Tuesday, 12th P & T Interviews Wednesday, 13th P & T Interviews Thursday, 21st

House Athletics 3-6 Mary MacKillop College

First Reconciliation Mass. 6:00pm in the church

Friday, 22nd Class Mass 5/6 and Prep classes Friday, 29th Class Mass 1/2 and 3/4 classes Fete 3:30pm onwards APRIL Tuesday, 2nd Confirmation Family Workshop 6pm in 5/6 classrooms. It is an expectation that a family representative be in attendance with your child at this workshop. Friday, 5th End of term 1 Monday, 22nd NO SCHOOL FOR STUDENTS. PUBLIC HOLIDAY Tuesday, 23rd Term 2 commences Thursday, 25th ANZAC DAY—NO SCHOOL FOR STUDENTS MAY Wednesday 1st Grade 6 Activity Day Mary MacKillop College Monday 6th—Wednesday 8th 5/6 Melbourne Camp Monday 13th 3-6 District Sports—Velodrome Wednesday, 22nd Confirmation Retreat 9:00-3:15pm at school Thursday 23rd 3-6 House Cross Country at Mary MacKillop College Saturday, 25th Confirmation Mass 5pm JUNE Thursday 6th Division Cross Country—Stony Creek Tuesday, 25th First Eucharist Family Workshop 6pm in the 3/4 Classrooms. It is an expectation that a family representative be in attendance with your child at this

Thirty four students represented the school at last Friday’s district swimming carnival held at the Korumburra Pool. A good representation of parents saw our swimmers compete and perform well. The team were second in the handicap and third in the aggregate shield out of the eight schools who contested at the event.

The 22 students qualified to represent the school and will compete at the division swimming carnival to be held at Korumburra this Friday, 1st March.

The team will be bused to and from Korumburra and it is an expectation that all team members travel to and from the venue on the bus with the team. It is important that team members offer support to their peers rather that going home after their events are finished. Parents are encouraged to come along and support the team and we ask that parents support the school in both of these matters.

1st—3rd placegetters at were:

1st Breaststroke - Ned Sheahan 10b, Archie Gannon 11b 2nd Breaststroke - Matt Meadley 9b, Lydia Giles 12g Butterfly - Kiarnah Kranen 9g Relay - Medley 12g - Lydia Giles, Amy Treacy, Brooklyn Collocott, Audrey McGannon Relay - Freestyle 12g - Lydia Giles, Amy Treacy, Brooklyn Collocott, Audrey McGannon 3rd Butterfly - Hudson Guymer, Gemma Meadley 11g, Audrey McGannon 12g Freestyle - Audrey McGannon 12g, Mitch Croatto 12b Backstroke - Kelsey Landry 9g, Jett Tieman 12b Breaststroke - Kiarnah Kranen 9g, Hudson Guymer 10b Relay - Medley 11b - Archie Gannon, Aidan Tracy, Sam Johnson, Indie Cameron - Medley 12b - Max Sheahan, Lincoln Hamilton, Jett Tieman, Mitch Croatto - Freestyle 12b - Jett Tieman, Reuben Gammon, Max Sheahan, Mitch Croatto - Freestyle 11g - Chiara Marinou, Ana Heneghan, Sophie Granzow, Gemma Meadley Good luck to you all at the division carnival on Friday.

DISTRICT SWIMMING SPORTS

CHOIR PRACTICE for grades 3—6

will be held in the library next

Tuesday at recess time.

If children want to know more please see Mrs

Stephan or parents can contact Melinda on

mstephan@stlleongatha.catholic.edu.au

2nd HAND UNIFORM SHOP

We have a small selection of 2nd hand uniforms for sale at school.

Please call Amanda on 0417 552 034

School Bag $45

School sun Hat $10

Sunglasses $15

Winter hats $5

SWIMMING/LIBRARY BAGS $10

Combos:

SCHOOL BAG & sun HAT $50

School Bag, hat, & sunglasses

$65

HAT & GLASSES $20

Available from the

UNIFORM SHOP

PARENTS AND FRIIENDS NEWS

Any comments or questions or to be added to our

emailing list: email: stlaurencepandf@gmail.com

President: Belinda Isted Vice President: Tona O’Connor

Treasurer: Di Marinou Secretary: Melissa Denbrok

Email: belinda.i.1978@gmail.com

P & F Board Rep: Julia Bowler

Canteen: Deb: 0400 140 449

Second Hand Uniform: Amanda 0417 552 034

Uniform Shop queries to principal@stlleongatha.catholic.edu.au

Meals On Wheels: Ellen 0413 338 275

If you have any suggestions for the P & F we

would love to hear from you. Please email your details to stlaurencepandf@gmail.com

.

P & F

Tuesday

Ice-creams/Slushies

Please note: Due to storm damage to the P & F freezer there

may not be slushies/ice creams for the next few Tuesdays.

SLUSHIES $1

CHOC COATED ICE-CREAMS $1

YOGHURT ICE-CREAMS $1

ZOOPER DOOPERS –50c

ICYPOLES—50c

ICY POLES

FRIDAY LUNCH TIMES TERM 1

50 cents To be sold at the kitchen window

As part of our School Social Justice Mission, grade 6 leaders will

be selling icy poles donated by the staff each Friday in Term 1.

All proceeds will go to CARITAS. Please note:

Friday icypoles days will go ahead as we ustilise a different freezer

SUNHATS

In Term 1, St Laurence’s blue school sunhats are to be

worn. Hats are available from the school office. “No hat,

No play”. Please note that it is not acceptable to have a

frayed hat or have graffiti on hats.

Cricket Style are $10-00 and are available for purchase

from the uniform shop on Fridays 8:30-10:00am.

Uniform Shop

The uniform shop in the gym is

OPEN Fridays 8:30—10:00.

Sharron Shea and Melissa Denbrok

Uniform enquiries to:

principal@stlleongatha.catholic.edu.au

School material $10 per metre. Patterns for dress and shorts available to borrow.

The St Vincent de Paul Society Victoria has been operating in Leongatha since 1966. This volunteer-run group assists local people in need. Currently, the Leongatha Conference is looking for new members. If you can spare a couple of hours a week and really want to see positive change in the Leongatha community, please contact Leongatha Conference President Mary Patterson on 5662 5924.

Right: 1st March Principal afternoon tea (L-R) B: Rosie Witteveen, Kahlyn Van Rossen, Gretchen Clarke, Abigail Van Rossen F: Tate Borg, Reaghan Van Dillen, Annabel Gammon, Leo Johnson

Above Left: 1st March Classroom awards (L-R) B: Robert Cowie, Connor O'Loughlin, Gemma Meadley, Charlotte Aeschlimann, Kate Browne M: Lily Treacy, Dylan Seymour, Rachel Denbrok, Ryan Landry, Kohan Walls F: Indie Roberts Above Right: 1st March ABC award Kiarnah Kranen

P & F EASTER RAFFLE

Once again the P & F are running the Easter Raffle. DONATIONS: We ask that each family donate an Easter egg or Easter item if you can. These donations will be used to make up Easter hampers. Easter donations can be brought to the office by Wednesday, 3rd of April. Raffle tickets will go home shortly and can be returned to school sold or unsold by Thursday, 4th April. The raffle will drawn after the Easter Holy week performance. Please note that this is not a fete related raffle. The Parish / School Fete runs their own raffle. We understand that you may feel frustrated with the school asking for more donations. The P & F Easter raffle is one of their major raffles and has always been at this time and has always been wonderfully supported. The fete has been relocated to this time of year 3 years ago and the clash is unfortunate. We do not expect that families contribute or purchase tickets if you cannot do so. Any donations or sale of tickets is very much appreciated. We appreciate your continued support in anyway you can.

FETE NEWS

SPINNING WHEEL ITEMS: The fete is coming up very soon and we are still looking for quality goods for our spinning wheel. If you have a business, home business, an consultant ( example Doterra, Arbonne ) or you are a maker of things or you know someone who is a maker of things, we would truly appreciate some items for the wheel. Donations of quality goods can be dropped off at the office. Thanks so much!

BAKED AND NON-BAKED

GOODS FOR THE FETE—

BAKING NUMBERS

In accordance with health regulations – your

number and a comprehensive list of all ingredients must

be on all your baked and nonbaked goods. Please note

that in addition to the above you must put the date the

goods were baked and if the goods have been frozen. Ie.

Baking Number 201, Ingredients: Flour, sugar, eggs, milk.

Made 23/3/18. Baked items that do not comply with the above

directions CANNOT be sold. No store bought items please.

Baking numbers will be sent home this week. Baked goods

can be left at school the morning of the fete or can be delivered

directly to the cake stall at fete time.

GRADE 5 & 6'S HAUNTED HOUSE ITEMS NEEDED

For parents of grades 5 & 6: The Fete is fast approaching. The Grade 5/6s are very excited to be in charge of the Haunted House again this year. We are asking for the 5/6 parents to please send in some scary supplies for the Haunted House. Things that we will need: Halloween costumes and props for the 5/6s to wear (masks, cloaks, wigs, devil horns, dark clothes, etc.) Face Paint, particularly white, black and red. Black or dark coloured sheets/material. Streamers/wool/feathers. ‘Fluff’ to make cobwebs. Tubs of slime. Please make sure anything you wish to have returned is clearly named so we can return it to you after the fete. Items can be left in the 5/6 classrooms.

DONATIONS OF: Chocolate Blocks are needed chocolate bed. Blocks can be sent into the office and placed in the foyer box marked Chocolate Blocks. This activity creates great fun and is a good fundraiser at the Fete. Please ensure that items

are well inside best before dates.

FRIDAY, 29th MARCH

TIME: 3:30-7:30pm WHERE: SCHOOL GROUNDS

SPINNING WHEEL FOOD & DRINKS

STALLS HAUNTED HOUSE

ANIMAL FARM JUMPING CASTLE

RIDES MYSTERY JARS

LIVE MUSIC DUNK TANK

SPORTING DEMOS CHOCOLATE BED

PHOTO BOOTH AND MUCH, MUCH MORE….

RAFFLE TICKETS: Great prizes to be won. $1 PER TICKET

1st Prize - $500 Evan Petroleum Fuel Voucher

2nd Prize - 2 Nights Accommodation at

Sandymount, Inverloch (Value $450)

3rd Prize - $200 Henrietta’s Voucher

4th Prize - 2 X 3month Voyage Gym Membership

5th Prize - Estee Lauder Pack (Value $130)

Could raffle tickets be returned sold or unsold not later

than Thursday, 28th March please.

STUDENT ABSENCES : It is a legal requirement that parents/guardians must inform the school before 9:30am

ON THE MORNING of student absence. Select option 1 and leave an absence message. Flexibuzz or email.

This is a directive from the Department of Education and Training that there are to be NO unexplained

absences.

Please send in a Fexibuzz or email to office@stlleongatha.catholic.edu.au before 9:30am on the day of

absence, as our system sends out an alert of any unexplained absences, which we then need to follow up.

Your assistance in this would be very much appreciated.

REMINDER REGARDING BUS PASSES

The bus network is for students to get in to and home from school from outlying areas. It is not a public bus service. We have

direction from the bus co-ordinator that passes ARE NOT to be issued for such things as sporting activities, music lessons, parties,

sleepovers.

It is a requirement that passes only be issued in an emergency ONLY. Ideally 24hrs is required. Asking for

passes outside of this criteria puts pressure on the office staff when requests are rejected.

This direction comes from the bus network coordinator.

SCHOOL FEE ACCOUNTS

Accounts need to be paid by the end of term 1 if not on a payment plan or if you have not notified the school of your intentions for full payment. School fees should never cause financial distress to our families. We ask that you please make an appointment to see Kate Dourley as soon as possible to see how we can best support your family in 2019 if you are experiencing difficulties in making your school fee commitments. Please email Kate Dourley on kdourley@stlleongatha.catholic.edu.au

SCHOOL PHOTOS

This Friday, 8th March. If you have queries regarding the photos please call Advance Photos on 03 9852 1133. Please do not call the school office.

STUDENTS TO BE IN FULL SUMMER UNIFORM (not spor t uniform. If this is your sports day, pack gear accordingly).

All school photo information can be found in the 3 previous newsletters.

Parents need to provide the school with an updated Asthma Management Plan each year. Please have the

new plan uploaded to CareMonkey and provide the school with the new copy by the end of February. If you are

having trouble uploading the plan, bring it to the office and we will PDF it for you and that will make it easier to

upload.

ASTHMA MANAGEMENT PLAN

SUPPORTING OUR SCHOOL COMMUNITY

BAKERS DELIGHT SCHOOL REWARDS: EASY FUNDRAISING. When you buy your bread and baked goods at Bakers

Delight mention that you would like your points to go to St Laurence’s Primary School. A portion of your purchase goes to

the school. At the end of the year we receive a cheque that goes to the P & F to buy resources for our school.

Michaels IGA

Rewards Program If you don’t have your

points going directly to

us, you can choose to

donate your points, it is easy. Just fill in a Points Donation Form, available in

store or from school or you can log onto michaelsiga.smartrewards.com.au and

change your points allocation yourself. (Having trouble remembering your

username or password? Email tl@michaelsiga.com.au and they are happy to help

you.

Handy Hint: Don’t like carrying the rewards tag around? Take a picture of the

barcode on your phone and use that at the register.

What a way to support local! Join the rewards program for free at IGA. Allocate some of your shopping points to St Laurence's and either redeem vouchers locally or chose a gift from the rewards cabinet in store! If anyone needs help, go see the lovely workers at customer service and they will set you up. Our school received a very healthy cheque last year and it was all thanks to those who allocated a portion of their reward points to our school, its that easy! Contact Tanya Privitera - 0408 649 259 if you need any extra help. News Flash: Our next Community Benefits Market Day will be in May this year.

STUDENTS ARE NOT BE AT SCHOOL

PRIOR TO 8:25am

Students are required to be at school BEFORE

the 8:50 bell

BELL TIMES 8:50—10:50 Morning Session – Be on time

10:50—11:30 Recess (inc. 10mins supervised eating)

11:30—1:30 Middle Session

1:30—2:10 Lunch (inc. 10 mins supervised eating)

2:10—3:15 Afternoon Session

PHONES, TABLETS, IPADS

If your child needs to bring a phone or tab-

let/iPad to school, it must be handed in at the

beginning of the day and collected at the end

of the day.

It is not acceptable to have these items in

school bags or in class.

Project compassion boxes were handed out last week in readiness for the Lenten season. Lent begins on Ash

Wednesday and finishes on Easter Sunday. We ask that boxes be returned to the parish, church (during

offertory) or to school by the end of the term please.

PROJECT COMPASSION BOXES

DIVISION SWIMMING

GIRLS TEAM BUILDING PROGRAM WITH RHIANNON

Our in-school counsellor Rhiannon will be holding a 2 week team building program. This is for girls

aged 11 and 12. The program will give the girls a chance to build on their social skills, and feel more

confident when working in a group. Sessions will be held on a Saturday, 11:00am-2:00pm. Dates are

yet to be confirmed. Only 10 places available. Please contact Rhiannon at

talkcounselling@gmail.com or 0422 273 429 for more information or to register your interest.

AN EXTRACT FROM ALONG THE TRACK WRITTEN BY JIM QUILLINAN

Autumn is a time for letting go, accepting that all things do not last forever. Life has its moments of surrender, its moments of waiting in

hope, its moments of accepting the new with courage and faith in a loving God.

There is

a time to search and a time to give up,

a time to keep and a time to throw away,

a time to tear and a time to mend, Eccles 3

Autumn is the season that encourages us to discover what needs to be left behind and what needs to be carried into the future, holding

on to the things that have given me life and releasing things that have been a burden, that which may be holding me back, the things

that have outlived their purpose. Sometimes we can resist changes: we want to keep things as they are. Autumn reminds us that

change is an essential part of nature. It is always with us. We can be afraid of the unknown, afraid of the new adventures that God has

in store for us. Autumn encourages us to enter the stillness, to wait patiently and not to struggle to control but rather to wait patiently for

clarity and wisdom.

Autumn is a time of endings, perhaps a time tingled with melancholy as we look to what is ending in nature and remind ourselves that

our time is limited. It a time designed to help us to tell our own story; to rejoice in the time we have been given, to look again at the col-

ours of our own stories and adventures and to wonder at their meaning and purpose. As we look at the lesson of Creation, we come to

realise that death leads to rebirth, to new beginnings, that with death life is changed, not ended. Autumn is a time of hope. The birds will

return and the leaves will emerge again and come to life in the spring.

Above all, perhaps, Autumn is the time to answer the call

Be still and know that I am God Ps 46:10

As autumn nears its end and winter approaches, there is a stillness in the air and, if we take note of it, we are invited to stop, to listen

and be still. Be still really means ‘chill out’. Take some time to reflect on the blessings received, to look at what is right with your life, with

your world. Sometimes we may feel as if our world is crumbling around us, we can even be fearful and anxious, we can feel that we are

‘losing it’. It is during these times that we can come to know the message of autumn, that although things appear to be bleak and life-

less, the grace of God is at work, bringing all things to life once more.

Last Friday 1st March, St Laurence's had 15 students competing in the division swimming carnival held at the Korumburra Pool. The

weather was perfect or swimming and we had strong parent representation at the event.

Our team performed will with 7 swimmers qualifying for regionals to be held at Sale on 14th March. Their behaviour and support for

each other was most pleasing. Students who placed in individual events and relay teams who finished first and second were eligible for

region.

Results from division swimming:

Second placings:

11b Backstroke—Arhchie Gannon

12g Freestyle Relay—Lydia Giles, Amy Treacy, Brooklyn Collocott, Audrey McGannon

Third placings:

12g Freestyle—Audrey McGannon

10b Backstroke—Ned Sheahan

12g Breaststroke—Lydia Giles

12g Medley Relay—Lydia Giles, Amy Treacy, Brooklyn Collocott, Audrey McGannon

Well done to our team.

Good luck and congratulations to Arhchie Gannon, Lydia Giles, Amy Treacy, Brooklyn Collocott, Audrey McGannon, Audrey McGannon

and Ned Sheahan who will compete at regionals in Sale on 14th March. Many thanks to all parents for their support.