Meet the Teacher sessions will be held next week, again via Webex. Registration for these meetings closes this Sunday 16 February at 5.00 pm. Meet the Teacher offers an opportunity for parents to share important information with teachers about their child.

In organising any school events such as these, we are required to work within the Victorian Government Schools Agreement (VGSA). Requests for teachers to work outside of their contracted hours of work must be deemed 'essential' for consideration and planned well ahead through our staff Consultative Committee.

This term, our staff have generously agreed to work outside of their usual hours for next week's Meet the Teacher sessions and to supervise at the Year 6 camp. These additional hours must be repaid as 'time in lieu', which is incredibly challenging in primary schools. Inevitably, this results in teachers being released from duties during their usual working day.      

Over decades, the expectation for teachers to work additional hours has increased and the VGSA firmly ends that expectation. Thank you for understanding the necessity for schools to work within the industrial agreement. Although we understand that parents may be working, many of our teachers are also working parents! Importantly, we need to stem the burnout and resignation of our professional workforce, and provide your children with teachers who are calm, rested and energised to teach.

Student-free days can be found on our website under the Our School/ Term Dates and Student Free Days tab, as soon as they are organised and approved by School Council. Our annual Assessment and Reporting Day will be held on Friday 9 May. This student-free day is also a Departmental requirement under the VGSA. 

Finally, an annual Professional Practice day provides teachers with release from their scheduled duties to focus on the improved delivery of high quality teaching and learning. This day is also student-free and is planned for Thursday 8 May 2025.

Families can now plan for this long weekend that includes May 8 and 9. OSHClub will again offer a program if there is sufficient interest.

Kim

Our Vision:    Learn   •   Thrive  •   Contribute 

Our Vision:    Learn   •   Thrive  •   Contribute

• Parking and Road Safety 
  This section provides details about parking and signage around the school that is in place to maximise safety. It includes the following:
  
  Please observe all parking restrictions and obey traffic rules when dropping off and picking up your child. These are in place to maximise safety for everyone, including our students.
  
  Janet St has parking restrictions and areas where cars cannot be left unattended during certain times. Parking on the Janet St bend is illegal and dangerous.
  
  There is a ‘2 minute parking’ zone located off Pakenham St. Please be aware that this area is for drop off or pick up only. Please do not park in the drive through area (there is parking available at the Bowls Club if you need to wait or leave your car).
  
  Please ensure that traffic can keep moving in these areas and teach your child the safest way to enter and exit the car, from the passenger (not driver) side of the vehicle. 
  
  For those walking to and from school, please ensure you use the staffed School Crossing if crossing the road at Pakenham St. Please refrain from crossing the road at or near the Janet St bend as this is extremely dangerous.
  
  Council parking officers regularly patrol the roads surrounding the school and fine offenders. 
  
  ‘No Parking’ Signage 
  If there is a 'No Parking' sign, you can stop for 2 minutes in that area if you are picking up or dropping off passengers or goods and you stay within 3 metres of your vehicle.
  
  ‘No Stopping’ Signage
  If there is a 'No Stopping' sign, you are not allowed to stop or park your car in, or partly in, that area for any reason. Dropping off or picking up passengers or goods in a ‘No Stopping’ area is not permitted and you can be fined.
  
  Parents are reminded that parking on driveways, parking on the nature strip, calling children into cars in traffic and U-turns in front of the school, are illegal.

• Ambulance Cover                                                                           
  It is strongly recommended that families take out Ambulance Cover. If a child requires urgent medical care, an ambulance will be called, irrespective of whether they are insured or not. The Department of Education advises the following: parents/guardians of students, who do not have student accident insurance, are responsible for paying the cost of medical treatment for injured students, including the cost of ambulance attendance/transport and any other transport costs; and parents/guardians can purchase insurance policies from commercial insurers.

• Attendance and Absences
  This section provides information on the school's legal responsibility to promote and check student attendance. It includes the following, which is relevant to families whose children attend regular specialist appointments:
  
  In the event that a child needs to attend regular appointments during school time, parents should email the Principal to seek approval prior to the absences.
  
  
• Personal Property
  The Department of Education does not hold insurance for personal property brought to schools and has no capacity to pay for any loss or damage to such property. We therefore regret that we are unable to take any responsibility for lost, damaged or missing items, nor follow up such instances.
  
  Please encourage your child to leave valuables or ‘special’ items at home.
  
  
• Playground Supervision
  Supervision of the playground before school begins at 8.45 am and finishes after school at 3.45 pm.
  Students should not arrive at school before 8.45 am and they need to be collected by 3.45 pm, unless attending OSHClub.
  
  If a child arrives at school before 8.45 am or has not been collected by the 3:45 pm bell, they will be brought to the office and then taken to Before/After School Care program. There is a charge for this facility.
  
  At recess and lunchtime there are always teachers in the yard to supervise the students' play. 
  
  
• 8.50 and 9.00 Bells 
  8.50am Students should be in classrooms from 8.50am. This allows for important morning routines to commence, for example:
  
     - unpacking bags
     - handing in notices
     - changing take home books
  
  9.00am Rolls are submitted and students commence learning.
  
  
• Photographs and Videos
  We ask all families and visitors to refrain from taking any photographs of children at school. This is to ensure the privacy and safeguarding of all LPS students is maintained. This also applies to our weekly assemblies, which are device free. 
  

Annual privacy reminder for 2025
Our school collects, uses, discloses and stores student and parent personal information for standard school functions or where permitted by law, as stated in the Schools’ Privacy Policy. Please take time to remind yourself of our school’s privacy collection notice, found on our website Planning and Policies page, or click here.

School Events 
Now that all families have access to Sentral, we are again using this platform for most incursions, excursions and permissions, as long as the timeline allows. Please note that, as previously approved by School Council, payment options for all events close a week before the event occurs, due to the extra steps 'behind the scenes' required to finalise these.

For every excursion, parents need to provide an updated Confidential Medical Information Form. This is attached to every Sentral excursion notification. An updated writable pdf version of this form is available on our Forms page. This allows families to complete and save a 'master copy' which can be adjusted for subsequent excursions as required.

Finally, a reminder to please ensure your child brings a named LPS SunSmart protective hat (broad-rimmed, legionnaire or bucket) to school each day. We have noticed some children wearing alternative hats which do not offer SunSmart protection to the face, neck and ears when outdoors. 
             

Please refer to our SunSmart Policy here for further information.

Our Vision:    Learn   •   Thrive  •   Contribute

What an amazing start our Year Ones have had! Students are already settling into routines, re-learning our Laburnum expectations and, of course, having loads of fun.

Our first writing task was about imagining ourselves transforming into superheroes. We started by drawing a picture of ourselves in our superhero outfits, brainstorming various superpowers, and describing our superhero’s characteristics. After that, we set off to practise being our superhero selves. The students showed off their super speed, strong grip, high jumps, and clever climbing.

The next day, we recounted our adventure through writing. The Year One team were most impressed by the skills demonstrated. What a SUPER group of kids!

Cultivating a Love for Books

This term, our students have once again embarked on their annual reading adventure by selecting books that match their personal interests. As part of this process, we’ve spent time discussing different types of books, favourite genres, and themes, sparking many engaging conversations. Through these discussions, students shared their ideas, asked questions, and learned from one another, making the process of choosing a book more enjoyable and thoughtful.

Selecting a book is a careful process, and our students have been practising this skill by considering book covers, titles, and blurbs before making their choice. They’ve also been flipping through pages to determine if the text is the right fit for them, ensuring they pick books they are excited to read.

Our class libraries are on the way to being set up and organised as well as individual class reading journals with their front-page design proudly pasted in. Book boxes are neatly placed on tables, ready for easy access. It’s wonderful to see how much ownership the students have taken in creating their reading spaces!

Students are already enjoying their reading time, whether it's exploring a new book on their own or participating in teacher read daily stories. We’re excited to watch these libraries grow and continue to inspire our young readers throughout the year.

Curiosity  •   Respect  •  Integrity  •  Resilience

The Fathering Project at LPS provides opportunities for fathers and father figures to come together and engage in various activities with their children at school throughout the year. 

We invite all LPS fathers and father figures to join our Dads Group using the QR code below. Members of our portal will also gain access to fathering tips and can choose to receive a Weekly Tips Email and Fathering Channel content.

Our first Fathering Project event for 2025 will be announced in the next eNews. Until then... It's never too late to join The Fathering Project! If you would like to join, use the QR code below.

Our Vision:    Learn   •   Thrive  •   Contribute

Welcome from LPS Parents Group!

Laburnum Parent's Association (Parents Group) warmly welcomes new and continuing families.

2025 is shaping up to be a big, exciting year for Parents Group and the LPS community, as we have many beloved old as well as some new events planned (see below for information on the upcoming trivia night!)

Last year Parents Group fundraised approximately $6000. $1000 of this went towards the year 6 graduation, and the remainder contributed to finishing off the seating and garden edging in the junior school playground (pictured above).

In 2025, we are looking for new members from the LPS school community to help make this year bigger and better!  Parents Group meets once per term, and it’s a nice way to meet fellow LPS parents and get involved in the school community. This year, we have some committee members retiring from positions such as Secretary and Treasurer, so if you think you may be interested in filling one of these positions or would like some information about these roles, please email parentsgroup.lps@gmail.com and/or come along to our first meeting. The work required for these positions would be less than 2 hours per month on average.

Below are the details of the first meeting and the Annual General Meeting (AGM) - ALL WELCOME!

Parents Group First Meeting: Tuesday 25 February 7.30pm to 8.30pm at Forest Hill Chase on Level 3 – meet at the tables out the front of Hoyts Cinemas.

Parents Group 2025 AGM: Tuesday 4 March at 7.30pm online

There will be an online link available for both meetings. If you would like to join either meeting online, please email parentsgroup.lps@gmail.com

Laburnum Primary School Community WhatApp Group

Several times a term, aligning with Parents Group events and fundraisers, Parents Group send out communications to consenting families via the Laburnum Primary School Community WhatsApp Group.

We also have year-level specific WhatsApp groups which are often used as a forum for parents to chat about school events, reminders and organise year level social events.

Should you wish to join the Laburnum Primary School Community WhatsApp Group, please watch out for a flyer being brought home by your child.

You can then opt-in to join the specific year-level WhatsApp group that your child is in.

Please note that joining these WhatsApp groups is entirely optional. LPS Parents Group will provide all relevant information on this Parents Group page in eNews, where families can be kept up to date with events and news.

Trivia Night at LPS – Saturday 29 of March 2025

  QUESTION: What is the longest river in Asia?

Book a babysitter because the 2025 TRIVIA NIGHT is coming! On Saturday March 29 (7pm until ~10pm) the Laburnum Primary gymnasium will host a trivia fundraiser for the school. In addition to a (not-particularly-serious) trivia competition, there will be games, raffles, auctions and some sweets with tea and coffee provided (BYO drinks and food for yourself and/or to share with your table)

We know that returning Laburnum families will be excited about this event and we are putting out a special call-out to new Laburnum parents to come along. We will ensure everyone joins a team, so if you don't yet know other parents, this is the perfect opportunity. 

TICKETS are $25pp ($250 for a table of 10) and must be purchased online prior to the event.  

Book your tickets here: https://www.trybooking.com/CYOUU

Friends of Laburnum (ex-parents, grandparents, Blackburn locals, your friends etc) are very welcome to buy tickets and come along too.

All funds will support upgrades to the school grounds/landscaping.

  ANSWER: The Yangtze river (>6000km!).  

CAN YOU HELP? We are soliciting donations from local businesses for the trivia night auctions. If you (or a friend) may be able to donate NEW goods or services to be auctioned on the night, please contact parentsgroup.lps@gmail.com

Examples include confectionery, tickets to events, hampers, toys, kitchenware, tools, sporting equipment, dog grooming sessions, haircuts etc.

LABURNUM PRIMARY SCHOOL SECOND-HAND UNIFORM SHOP

Curiosity  •   Respect  •  Integrity  •  Resilience

Year 3 students have had a great start to the year, getting settled into morning routines quickly. They have been getting to know their classmates through a variety of activities, practising the school values of respect, integrity, resilience and curiosity. One team challenge was to build the tallest tower, using only newspaper and masking tape. Another was working out how to unravel a jumbled group of hands without letting go. Students learnt the importance of communication and had lots of fun trying not to fall into a tangled heap!

  

Students have been getting to know themselves as readers by sharing their interests and how they choose books. They have borrowed for their classroom libraries, making sure there is a variety of fiction and non-fiction texts. Take home reading has begun and it has been great to see students demonstrating their knowledge by writing their own comments.

Year 4
The Year 4 students have commenced the first two weeks of school in an engaging manner. They have asked meaningful questions when establishing our curiosity walls to make our learning visible in Inquiry. The students visited the school library and independently selected engaging texts to add to our classroom library, creating a wide selection for all class members to enjoy.

 

Curiosity  •   Respect  •  Integrity  •  Resilience

Welcome to LPS Art Room 2025

To begin this year, Year 6 students will start a painting unit considering how colour, line and texture can enhance movement and harmony in a composition.

Year 5 will explore landscape art, becoming familiar with the Australian Impressionists, Condor, McCubbin, Streeton and Roberts. In addition, they will also examine works by contemporary local artist Santosh Mahale (Advait’s father), who paints a different perspective of our local environment.

Year 4 are being introduced to the works of Aboriginal Artists, Jimmy Pike and Kaylene Whiskey. They will be learning to make colours and paint with both contrasting colours and aboriginal symbols.

Year 3 are looking at the works of James DeRosso and making clay monsters. They are improving on hand building skills and will use new joining and carving techniques.

Year 2 are exploring texture and straight lines with collagraph prints and Year 1 will be learning to make a clay pinch pot.

Preps are familiarising themselves with their art room, setting up and packing away their own painting and drawing materials. To begin, they will be exploring ideas around this Lunar New Year and ways to draw a snake.

                           
                                   Blackburn Victoria, by Santosh Mahale

I’m very pleased to welcome our Art Captains this year, Adam and Laksh. They will be keeping our Art Notice Board up to date with student works, art activities, competitions, awards and exhibition information. The Art Notice Board is on the right as you enter B Block opposite the art room.

As always, we are grateful for donations of clean recycling and non-food related small packaging for sculpture units. We are currently needing cardboard cylinders from cling wrap and aluminium packaging. Science, gardening and home decorating magazines are also appreciated, as well as ribbon for weaving projects.

Thank you to all those parents who have already provided your students with Art Smocks for this year. Please clearly label your child’s smock with their name and class. All students will require a smock for Art lessons.

Keep an eye out for the beautiful textile hangings on display in A Block and in the new building later this term. These are a gift to the school from our wonderful Year 6 classes of 2024.

Curiosity  •   Respect  •  Integrity  •  Resilience

School Sport Victoria (SSV) will once again be offering the opportunity for students with emerging talent from Laburnum Primary School to register to trial for School Sport Victoria’s Team Vic State Teams in 2025. Most registrations are now open and will remain open until their proposed closing date. Click here for Team Vic Sports and Registrations form. 

*PLEASE READ AND CONSIDER FIRST BEFORE NOMINATING:
‘AM I AT THE ‘ELITE STANDARD REQUIRED?’

The Team Vic trials are designed to select elite players to represent Victoria at School Sport Australia Championships. The state selectors are looking for student athletes who are playing at a high, representative level in their chosen sport and have the potential to make a regional or state team.

If you think your child meets this criteria, please read the Principal Endorsement Process Form and the Team Vic Information Sheet on the sport page before registering. The documents contain important information on the SSV Team Vic Program, in relation to eligibility, registration, multiclass, selection, participation costs, and financial assistance.

Curiosity  •   Respect  •  Integrity  •  Resilience   

 Click on these links  below for Community News or information:         

Click on the OSHClub logo to read this week's OSHClub news. OSHClub Registration - please register your child - it's free to register and you'll always have that option for childcare, even in unexpected circumstances.

Please click Chess Club image for registration

Our Vision:    Learn   •   Thrive  •   Contribute