EVERYDAY SCHOOL INFORMATION

PERSONAL DEVICES

REMINDER THAT ALL PERSONAL DEVICES MUST BE HANDED INTO THE OFFICE AT THE BEGINNING OF THE DAY FOR SAFE KEEPING AND COLLECTED AT THE END OF THE DAY.  

THIS INCLUDES SMART WATCHES, IPADS (OR SIMILAR), PHONES ETC.

TERM DATES 2021

Term 2  19 Apr - 25 Jun

Term 3  12 Jul - 17 Sep (Thursday, 16th Sept Last day for students - normal finishing time) 

Term 4   4 Oct - 17 Dec (15th Dec last day for St Laurence's students - normal finishing time)

STUDENT FREE DAYS:

Friday 17th September - RE Curriculum Day

Monday 1st November - Staff Well-being Day

Tuesday 2nd November - Melbourne Cup

BELL TIMES 

Students need to be at school  BEFORE the 8:50 bell

   8:50—10:50 Morning Session 

 11:00—11:30 Recess

 11:30—1:30 Middle Session

   1:40—2:10 Lunch

   2:10—3:10 Afternoon Session

Please be on time when picking your children up from school.

STUDENT ABSENCE

You are legally required to ensure your child attends school every day.  

Please submit student absences on the day of the absence via PAM by 9.30am on the day, to avoid a call or SMS from the office.  If you are leaving a message on the phone, select option 1, give your child's name, grade and the reason for the absence.  If no reason is provided, Parent Choice will be the selected reason for the absence.

If your child has been away for more that 3 consecutive days, a medical certificate is required.

Please avoid planning holidays or making routine medical appointments during school time and where possible, you should inform the school in advance of upcoming absences.

See below for Family Holiday expectations.

SUNHATS TERM 1 & 4  -  “No hat, No play”

In Term 1 & 4, St Laurence’s  blue school sunhats are to be worn.   Children will be asked to play under the verandah or shaded areas.  Please note that it is not acceptable to have a frayed hat or have graffiti on hats. 

MESSAGES FOR STUDENTS

Please email (preferred option) or call with after school arrangement messages for students.  This needs to be done well before 2:30pm.  As you can appreciate the office is very busy leading up the end of the school day. 

BUS PASSES

We are starting to get requests for bus passes. Unless it's a bus that a student normally uses, then passes will not be issued for students to use an alternative bus.  The school bus system exists for students to travel between home and school.  It's not a public transport system to be used for leisure. Hence, it is policy that things like sports training and social events aren't allowed for ad hoc travel.   This is the same policy for all 6 schools in town that use the bus network.  

AFTERNOON BUS ARRANGEMENTS

BUS TRAVELLERS:  All bus travellers are on a checklist which teachers will take out during afternoon bus supervision. If your child is NOT travelling on their bus as usual please make contact with the school prior to 2:30pm to inform us that  there is to be a change to normal after school bus arrangements.   A note will be made on the checklist and a note put on their classroom tray.  This will avoid teachers waiting/looking for children on their bus travel checklists. 

What happens if your child does not know if they are on the bus:  We go by the bus checklist.  If you have not informed us of any changes the child will do whatever they normally do.  A quick email or phone call will alleviate any worry or distress for your child.

TOWN BUS

This service is run by Winterhalter Bus Lines.  For information regarding the town bus and for prices, please call them directly on 0428 551 145.

FAMILY HOLIDAYS

FAMILY HOLIDAYS:  A Holiday Request form  must be completed prior to holidays that are taken during school days.  We do ask that you please make holiday plans during school holiday time.  Forms available from the principal.  Please email Liz O'Loughlin for your request form at principal@stlleongatha.catholic.edu.au

According to the Victorian Government regulations you must request to take holidays during term time.  Please view the link below for for more information. http://www.education.vic.gov.au/school/parents/behaviour/Pages/attendance.aspx 

At St Laurence’s we aim to be supportive and as such have developed a holiday request form.  Once this has been filled in and emailed back to me (Liz O'Loughlin), I will forward you an acceptance response form. This meets our duty of care and legal responsibility. It also leaves a paper trail when the annual attendance audit is conducted.

The acceptance response form will suggest some things that you can do during your holiday time that have an educational outcome - such as reading a map, taking photos and writing a sentence or two about exciting events, collecting and discussing items you have discovered during each day.

YOUR LEGAL RESPONSIBILITIES AND ABSENCES