Principal's Report
Welcome
On behalf of the school staff and our students, I wish all the mothers within our school community a wonderful Mothers’ Day for this Sunday. Life these days is a constant whirl of trying to juggle the demands of work, social activities and particularly, raising your children. Congratulations to all mothers for the work that you do each day for your families.
This is reminder that we have a pupil free day on Monday, 21st May. On this day our staff will be involved in professional development activities.
Year 12 Camp
Our Year 12 students went on a very successful camp last week to Sydney from Monday-Thursday. It is the first time that we have had a Sydney camp.
From next year the camp will be held in term 4 so our Year 12 students can look forward to it as a culmination of their schooling. The camp cost $1050 however the school paid $600 of this as our policy is that parents/carers will not pay more than $450 for a camp. The school is happy to pay this money to ensure that our students are provided with a wonderful experience that they will remember for the rest of their lives.
Some of the highlights for the students were visits to the Sydney Observatory, Sydney Tower, Bondi Beach, Opera House, Cockatoo Island, Sydney Aquarium and Toronga Zoo. The students also enjoyed a fantastic experience on Sydney Harbour but many were most excited by an early morning visit to the set of Sunrise in Martin Place. The first photo below shows the view from the top of the student accomodation.
Secondary Uniform: Wearing of the School Jumper
As Term 2 commences there is a chill in the air particularly in the mornings and the students are progressively wearing the winter uniform. The vibrant red in the Secondary jumper is particularly noticeable and parents/carers are reminded once again that the school jumper, and not the spray jacket, must be worn first with the formal uniform. In other words, the spray jacket can only be worn over the top of the school jumper.
Please contact Deb Whiteway in the school office on 94673972 if you require the red (or charcoal for Year 11/12) woollen jumper, spray jacket and/or rugby jumper. Parents/carers whose circumstances may make it difficult to obtain a school uniform are asked to contact Colin Simpson (Assistant Principal) for assistance.
2017 Annual Report to the School Community
The 2017 Annual Report to the School Community was recently endorsed by our School Council. To access a copy of this document please go to our website or click on it below.
School Communication and the use of Compass
It is important that all parents log into Compass so our school can communicate effectively with you. If you have any questions regarding Compass, or are having difficulty in logging-on, then please ring Karen Jordan at our school on 94673972. The Compass log-on can be found at https://concordsch-vic.compass.education or through the ‘Compass Parent Portal’ link on our website.
Calls for Expressions of Interest
Holiday Care Program at Laurimar Primary School
The Laurimar PS Outside School Hours Care (OSHC) service is partnering with Concord School to extend their existing service to better support students with disabilities through a school holiday program. This service will be offered for the holiday at the end of term 3 as well as the December-January holiday at the end of this year.
Laurimar Primary School has been nominated to be part of the Outside School Hours Care (OSHC) Demonstration Pilot Program. OSHC for children with disabilities was raised as an important issue by parents at the Premier’s Roundtables in August 2017. Victorian Parents reported difficulties accessing appropriate OSHC services for their children, with a particular focus on after school care and school holiday programs.
Laurimar PS has an existing OSHC and school holiday program supporting families of Laurimar and neighbouring schools however this new program will provide additional resources and support to ensure the service is more inclusive supporting students with additional needs.
Because it is a pilot program, it will be formally evaluated by an external evaluator and the learnings shared with the Commonwealth Government who are responsible for funding OSHC services. There is no expectation, at this time, the additional resources will extend beyond the pilot into 2019.
To assist with planning for the Term 3 and 4 pilot, the OSHC service requires an expression of interest and indication of need from our community for this extended service. To indicate your interest please contact Deb Whiteway on 94673972 or whiteway.debra.a@edumail.vic.gov.au by this Friday 11th May 2018
Principal's Award
The Principal's Award goes to Michael Tsiompas
Michael is a student who tackles all areas of schooling with enthusiasm and precision. He is undertaking the Foundation VCAL program, studying Certificate II in Kitchen Operations and is preparing for a structured workplace learning placement in Term 3 at Coles. Michael has worked in the school canteen and coffee business, demonstrating various employability skills, including teamwork, communication, problem-solving and organisation.
Michael is always prepared for work, offers encouragement to friends and staff and gives his best to all tasks. He has just returned from the Year 12 Sydney Educational Tour where he demonstrated independence and an adult attitude to all experiences.
Congratulations on consistently doing your best, Michael.
"Students striving to be the best they can be"
Jason Coningsby
Principal