Bonjour à tous.

What a perfect day to have our 3-6 Swimming Carnival. All students competed to the best of their ability and at the end of the day, Coyne (Blue) earned the most points. Students who qualified will move through to the District Swimming being held on Friday 20th February. Congratulations to you all and thank you to Hayley for all your hard work behind the scenes and to all our parent helpers who assisted on the day. Without your help events like this would be very hard to run.

Next week our assembly will be on Thursday instead of the normal Friday assembly. Everyone is most welcome to attend weekly assemblies. You can enter the gym via the office.

Each week our wellbeing coordinator Eliza Hughes writes about student wellbeing called Hearts & Minds at St Laurie's. I encourage you to read this each week. You will find it on the 'Around the School' page in each newsletter. This week Eliza provides practical information about managing morning separation and also informative information leading up to Safer Internet Day 2026 which is on Tuesday 10th Feb. Both articles are well worth the 5 minute read.

Our Foundation students had their first rest day this week. Well earned too. It is a long day for the smallest of our students. Foundation class will have Wednesday rest days over the February month while they adjust to school life.

Our 2026 Sacramental Program will commence for students who will be making the Sacrament of first Reconciliation. A Parent and Child Workshop for children who are baptised and generally in grade 3, will be held on Wednesday, February 18 at 5:30 pm at School in Room C (the grade 5/6 classroom on the far left of the verandah). Please enter via the Brumbley Street gate. Please email office@stlleongatha.catholic.edu.au if you are wanting your child to make the Sacrament of Reconciliation.

Children who have taken part in the preparations will receive the Sacrament of Reconciliation for the first time in St Laurence's Church on Thursday, March 19 at 5 pm.

For more information regarding the Sacramental Program for this year, please consult the 'Sacramental Program' page of this newsletter.

Buses: The LSC has informed us that the LSC has been classed as a Category 4 for risk of bushfire or grassfire. As such, they will be required to close their school on days the Bureau of Meteorology (BoM) has a forecasted catastrophic fire danger rating in South Gippsland). This means that in addition to LSC not operating, ALL bus routes that travel through the Catastrophic area will also be cancelled. That will be most if not all of our buses except the town bus service. St Laurence's will inform families as soon as we know in the event that this should happen.

SIMON EVERYWHERE: Simon Everywhere still remains OFFLINE. PLEASE DELETE THIS APP UNTIL FURTHER NOTICE.

P & F Meeting: Our P & F are holding their first meeting of the year on Monday 9th February at the RSL in Leongatha, 6-8pm. Everyone is most welcome to join us. This is a great opportunity to meet other parents and share your ideas. Please let the school know if you will be attending (for numbers).

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DIARY DATES 2026

Date	Event
TERM 1
FEBRUARY
Mon 9	3-6 Swimming Program Commences P & F Meeting - All welcome. RSL Leongatha 6-8pm
Tues 10	3-6 Swimming
Wed 11	Foundation Rest Day
Thurs 12	3-6 Swimming

Fri 13	3-6 Swimming
Mon 16	3-6 Swimming
Tues 17	3-6 Swimming
Wed 18	Ash Wednesday Mass
	Foundation Rest Day
	Sacrament of Reconciliation Parent and Child Workshop 5.30 in Rm C
Thurs 19	3-6 Swimming
Fri 20	District Swimming
Mon 23	3-6 Swimming - Last lesson
Wed 25	Foundation Rest Day
Fri 27	Division Swimming
MARCH
Mon 9	Public Holiday
Tues 10	SCHOOL CLOSURE
Wed 11-13	5/6 Licola Camp
Mon 16	5/6 Staff and Student rest day
Thurs 19	Sacrament of First Reconciliation 5pm at the church
Fri 20	3-6 House Athletics
APRIL
Thurs 2	End of Term 2.30 finish
Fri 3	Good Friday Public Holiday
Mon 20	Term 2 Commences

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Merci,

Have a lovely weekend.

Liz

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AROUND THE SCHOOL