It is hard to believe that this is our last newsletter of the term. The time has just flown. I would like to thank all our students and staff for their efforts in 2022. I look forward to the opportunities that 2023 holds.

A couple of housekeeping items for 2023

Students will begin 2023 in their 2022 classes. We hope that this will just be until our Kindergarten numbers are finalised and all students are accounted for. We will try, as much as possible, to keep students with their 2022 teachers. Please let us know if your child will not be returning in 2023 or will be returning late, so we are not unnecessarily delayed trying to locate your family.

In 2023 we will continue our process of parents dropping students at the gate and leaving. As a school we have found this has enabled students to separate from parents in a more settled way and this has then impacted positively in the classroom. This strategy is working well, and it will continue. Teachers will be at the gate welcoming students however no sanitiser will be provided anymore.

It has been noted several times this year about the complexity of our students and the need to keep the gates locked during the school day. This will continue in 2023 so the pedestrian and back gates will be closed and locked by 9.05am in the morning.

In the afternoon both gates will open at 2.40pm. Parents and carers will then be able to wait outside classrooms for 10 minutes and all students will be dismissed from their classrooms at 2.50pm. K-2 students, unless being picked up by an older sibling or going to YMCA, will wait with their teacher until a parent arrives to the class to get them up at 2.50pm. If a parent has not arrived to pick up at 3pm, students will then be taken to the office for a parent or carer to be contacted.

A note closer to the end of the year will be sent home with some more information about this.

Important dates to know (these are also on the website):

The last day of school 2022 is Friday 16 December

The first day of school 2023 for students in Years 1-6 is Tuesday 31 January

The first day of school 2023 for Kindergarten is Friday 3 February

Council parking rangers on Burrendong Road

Over the past fortnight council parking rangers have been present on Burrendong Road in the afternoon. They have been fining drivers who are not following the designated parking rules. More information about council parking rules and guidelines can be found here.

These rules are in place for the safety of students and the community, and therefore it is important that they are adhered on both Burrendong Road and Parkhill Avenue. The rangers are ensuring that the driving behaviour around our school is safe for all.

Attendance Matters

We want to do all we can to be sure your child achieves their potential and enjoys being in school. One way we can help make this happen is to be sure your child attends school each day unless they are sick, have COVID like symptoms or are absent for a justified reason.

Protecting the wellbeing of our students through the reporting and monitoring of student absences is the responsibility of both parents/carers and schools. Notifying the school either before or on the day that your child is away helps us keep accurate student attendance records to support you and your child.

We know that school is the best place to learn, and regular attendance means students can stay on top of their schoolwork and get the most out of their learning. If you are having trouble getting your child to school every day or on time, please talk to our school staff so we can work together, because every day counts. 

Missing a day here or there may not seem like much, but absences add up and can impact your child’s learning more than you think. When your child misses one day a week over a year, that’s 40 days of school, 8 weeks of lessons and 2.5 years over their school life lost. As your child’s education has already been interrupted through periods of learning from home due to COVID-19 over the last 2 and a half years, now is the time to prioritise face-to-face learning and making the most of every school day.

Our school strives for the expected attendance rate which is above 95% of students at school each day over the year.

Student voice & school vision

Our student voice leadership team held a rock painting session at lunch in Week 9. The session was very popular with many students attending to paint rocks to leave in the community and bring a smile to the face of others.

Our school vision, featured in our school plan, is LPS is a school striving for excellence. Teachers and students are using this language more often to encourage our community to continue doing their best all the time. Your child may begin to use this language at home when they describe the work that they are completing. This is positive, because work that is striving for excellence, is high quality and we want this every day.

Some members of the student voice team used the school vision to inspire others, painting the words striving and excellence on their rock paintings. Here are Kavya and Samantha (5/6G) with their rocks, which they have kindly gifted to me. Well done girls!

Thank you to the student voice leadership team for their initiative to inspire others.

Goodbye and good luck Year 6 families

Our previous principal, Mrs Kerry Wood, set a lovely tradition at the Year 6 farewell in her speech, by naming the families that were leaving LPS. I have continued that tradition, by doing the same in my speech at Year 6 farewell and for the past couple of years, I have published this in the newsletter, as parents have not been able to be present for the principal speech at the farewell. I will continue to publish this goodbye list in the newsletter.

Thank you to the following families for your service to LPS and your time with us. We wish you all the best for your future.

Ahmed, Alim, Almeida Ocares, Aumi, Barnard, Bhuyian, Braim, Duke-Smith, Enoka, Grbavac, Hasnain, Kaur, Kim, Kokkarne, Lu, Mahmud (Arhaan), Mahmud (Zayed), Mamun, Mayamin, Mohite-Mahmud, Naz, Nowland, Perrett, Phan, Phimmavong, Pio Byron, Purwantano, Rahman, Rai, Raura, Rurawhe Rudolph, Shrestha (Dravin), Teodoro, Vidal, Walsh, Welch-Potts, Xu, Yu.

I wish all our families the best for a lovely holiday period with their families. Stay safe and well during this time. I look forward to seeing all our K-5 students return and welcome new families in 2023.

Community Messages

School Holiday Fun on the Harbour

School Holiday Program

Gifted Students Holiday Program

St Patrick's College Open Day