Principals Message 

Year of Jubilee

Good afternoon everyone.  

2026 Class Structures:  It is around this time of the year that we start looking at student numbers and class preparation for the next year. With this in mind,  if  your child/ren will not be returning to St Laurence's in 2026, please let Liz or the office know as soon as possible.

Parent Teacher Interviews will be held on Tuesday 12th, Thursday 14th and Thursday 21st of August.  An interview IS NOT REQUIRED if you have termly PSG meetings with your child's teacher.   Interview slots are for 10 minutes only.  If you think you will require longer, please arrange another time with your teacher.

Bookings can be made via PAM.

Tuesday 12th Augustfor all classes except 5/6B.   Interviews will be held in the classrooms.

Please note that 3/4 J will be via phone call only on this day.

Thursday 14th Augustfor all classes except the 3/4's.  Interviews will be held in the classrooms.

Bookings can be made via PAM.

Thursday 21st August will be for 5/6 B with Karen Ginnane and both 3/4 classes.  

All interviews will be held in the 3/4 area on this day if you have chosen a face to face. 

Bookings can be made via PAM.

FOUND:  Last Wednesday, a KidsOClock smart watch was found near the sandpit area after the orientation session.  Please contact the office if you think it belongs to your child.

Safe on Social have released a great article on ChatGPT and the dangers of not knowing the consequences of using this app.  See the eSmart page of this newsletter for a 5 minute informative read.

Today was the  feast day of Saint Mary  MacKillop. This day is celebrated to honor Australia's first saint and her contributions to education, particularly for the underprivileged. It's a significant date for the Catholic Church in Australia, especially within Catholic education.

"Never see a need without doing something about it."

This quote highlights her practical approach to helping others and her belief in taking action to address needs. 

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No buses:  We have recently been notified that there will be no buses operating on Monday 6th October, however,  St Laurence's will be operating as per normal on this day.  Sorry for the inconvenience.  The operating of when buses will run are out of our control.

When your child brings you a school problem:  To intervene or not to intervene?  Parentshop Article 3

By Michael Hawton, Child Psychologist (MAPS) and Parentshop founder.

Every parent knows this scenario: your child comes home upset about aschool problem—being excluded from a group project, receiving an unfairdetention, or friendship troubles. Their distress is genuine, and yourinstinct is to protect and fix things. But should you?

School leaders across Australia report a significant increase in parental interventions over seemingly minor issues. This isn't just helicopter parenting—it reflects our heightened awareness of potential problems and anxiety about our children's wellbeing. However, this vigilance may inadvertently undermine our children's resilience and problem-solving abilities.

Research by Dr. Eli Lebowitz and his colleagues at Yale Child Study Center has shed fascinating light on what happens when parents consistently step in to alleviate their children's distress. This behaviour, known as "accommodation,"; involves changing our own actions to prevent or reduce our child's anxiety or discomfort. 

When parents immediately contact schools about conflicts, request teacher changes, or remove children from uncomfortable situations, we unintentionally communicate: "This situation is too difficult for you to handle." Research shows this can inadvertently maintain and increase childhood anxiety over time.

The challenge is being supportive without accommodating. Instead of saying, "Don't worry, I'll speak to your teacher about that detention," try: "That sounds frustrating. What do you think your options might be?" This acknowledges their distress while empowering them to develop coping strategies.

A 5-step framework for decision-making for parents

1. Assess safety: 

If your child faces physical danger or serious psychological harm (persistent bullying, discrimination), immediate intervention is appropriate.

2. Apply the "what if" test: 

Ask yourself what would happen if you didn't intervene. Often, your child might feel uncomfortable but isn't in genuine danger.

3. Consider the learning opportunity: 

Could this situation help develop important life skills like disappointment management, conflict resolution, or self-advocacy?

4. Check your emotions: 

Approach the situation with "caring detachment"—caring for your child's distress without becoming distressed yourself.

5. Evaluate patterns: 

Is this part of a recurring pattern where you consistently solve problems your child could handle?

When choosing not to intervene directly, you're providing something valuable: the opportunity to develop coping capacity. Here's how to support effectively:

•  Listen without immediately problem-solving: Sometimes children need to be heard more than they need problems fixed.
• Ask curious questions: "What do you think might work?" helps children think broadly about options.
• Acknowledge feelings: "I can see this is bothering you" validates their experience without agreeing intervention is necessary
• Share confidence: "This is tricky, but I believe you can work through it" communicates faith in their capabilities.

Sometimes working with schools is essential. The key is involving your child in the process "I think this warrants a conversation with your teacher. Would you like to speak to them first, or shall we arrange a meeting together?" This maintains your child's agency while providing necessary support.

Parenting isn't about ensuring children never face difficulties—it's about preparing them to navigate challenges with confidence. Every time we resist immediately fixing a problem our child could handle, we make a deposit in their confidence bank.

The most loving thing we can do is believe in our children's capacity to cope, even when they don't yet believe in it themselves. By supporting without accommodating, we help them develop there silience they'll need throughout life.

To learn more about supporting your child's emotional development and building resilience,explore our resources at Parentshop - https://www.parentshop.com.au/for-parents/                                      

Another great article from Michael sharing practical and useful information. Hopefully you will be able to implement some of these suggestions starting today.  There will be another 3 articles in this series from Parentshop to follow.

God of compassion, 

we thank you for the example of 

Mary MacKillop, 

who dedicated her life to serving the 

poor and marginalised. 

As she is honoured in our world, may we continue to learn to share her vision.

Be with us as we strive to follow her and carry out our mission of service and care.

Amen.

See you all on Monday.