Yesterday, we were delighted to be visited by the Minister for Education, Ben Carroll, and Paul Hamer, M.P. for Box Hill.

Ben and Paul took a tour of the school with three of our school captains, visiting many classrooms from Prep - Year 6. As the visit coincided with our Literacy block, the Minister had an opportunity to view our Reading and Phonics programs. He was impressed by the learning tasks he observed and especially the knowledge of our Prep students!

We also discussed the recent changes to screen time in schools, which is clarified on a separate page in this eNews. Minister Carroll was keen to hear about a recent visit by Victoria Police for our senior school students about online safety. One of our captains eloquently explained to him the importance of staying safe online. This included the reasons why primary school students are not ready to use social media, as we prepare for the December changes that will make many apps and sites deemed suitable only for young people aged over 16.

After observing students who were highly engaged in their learning, Minister Carroll reflected on the evident positive LPS culture, based on our school values, and the calm and focused classrooms in our school.

This was our fourth Ministerial visit in recent times. Minister Merlino visited our Junior School teachers to understand the strength and success of our Reading & Phonics progam, followed by Premiers Dan Andrews and Jacinta Allen. We are always proud to share the learning of our fantastic students and dedication of our teachers.

Congratulations to our School Captains, who once again excelled themselves in representing our school.

The Minister's visit was a timely reminder that, in addition to student safety, onsite and online safety for our school staff and communities is non-negotiable. We support ongoing efforts to address harmful behaviour by adult members of the school community, including online.

The Department of Education is inviting parents and carers to take part in an online survey about harmful adult behaviour.

The survey seeks views on how the department can best protect school communities from harmful behaviour by parents and carers, and other adults:
• on school grounds and other places school activities happen
• online, including via social media.

Harmful behaviours can include abusive, aggressive and disruptive behaviours, including on social media platforms such as Facebook and WhatsApp.

The survey will help the department:
• better understand community attitudes around this issue
• seek input on whether stronger protections are needed for school communities.

The survey closes at 11:59 pm on Monday 10 November 2025.

I encourage you to share your views by taking part in the survey. Our Respect for School Staff policy outlines clear expectations of adult behaviour within the school community that reflect the Department's policy.

To access the Department survey, please click here.

Kim

Our Vision:    Learn   •   Thrive  •   Contribute

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from Kathy and Niyati

Please save these important dates!

We welcome all families to our Term 4 Class Expos. 

• Year 6 – Thursday 20 November from 3.00-3.30pm
  
• Year 2 – Thursday 27 November from 2:45-3:30pm
  
  
• Prep – Wednesday 10 December from 2.45-3.15pm
• Year 5 - Wednesday 10 December from 2:45-3:15pm
• Year 4 – Thursday 11 December from 2.30-3.20pm
  
• Year 1 - Thursday 11 December from 9.00-9.30am
• Year 3 - Friday 12 December from 9.15-9.45am

Please remember to sign in at the office when you arrive. 

Class of 2025
After their official Graduation ceremony, we will be farewelling our Class of 2025 Year 6 students at a special final assembly for the year on Friday 19 December at 9.15 am in the hall.

We invite all Year 6 parents/carers to meet for morning tea in the Staff Community Centre at the conclusion of the assembly. 

Medical forms
In preparation for the new school year, some student medical forms or medical action plans will be sent out next week to be updated. If you receive forms for your child, please return them to the office by Friday 7 November.

If your child has recently been diagnosed with a medical condition that we should know about, please visit our Forms page to complete the writable pdf form, or email our office.

LPS Snack Club
The warmer weather has brought some sunshine and positive eating habits amongst the LPS community. A reminder to please bring a fork or spoon in your bag if you would like a fruit cup or rice bowl.

With Diwali celebrations going on in many of our family's homes, we thought you might enjoy bringing a taste of India to dinner - check out this quick and yummy Spinach Curry, full of healthy vegetables and delicious flavours.



And finally, 

The JSC will be selling Pure Pops in Term 4 every Monday for $2 each. The flavours will be banana mango (gluten free and vegan) and strawberry yoghurt (contains milk). 

Website link for further information: https://purepops.com.au/

Our Vision:    Learn   •   Thrive  •   Contribute

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From 2027, the Victorian Government is introducing changes to the use of digital devices for students from Prep to Grade 6.

Under the new guidelines, schools:

• must not invite or allow parents or carers to buy or have their children bring their own student digital devices (BYOD) to use at school

• should follow new recommended digital device usage times. The recommendation is minimal use for students in Prep to Grade 2 and a maximum of 90 minutes per day for students in Grade 3 to 6.

These changes are intended to support families by reducing cost-of-living pressures. They will also support students by reducing screen-time which can reduce the risk of eye strain, sedentary behaviour, and reduced peer interaction.

These reforms complement Victoria’s nation-leading mobile phone restrictions, ensuring an integrated approach to addressing digital distraction and the inappropriate use of technology.

What this means for our school

LPS discontinued our BYOD program seven years ago, following parent feedback, and we do not use devices belonging to students. As you know, we already provide school-owned digital devices for student learning, with the support of Parent Payments to allow regular upgrading.

In regard to time on screens, our students currently use devices for:

• learning the Technologies curriculum
• assessments
• when device use adds value to planned learning.

I don't anticipate any concerns about meeting the guidelines.

If you have any queries, please email us through our office.

Kim

Our Vision:    Learn   •   Thrive  •   Contribute

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Year 1
Year 1 students have been working hard learning how to write a narrative. As with all stories, we started at the beginning. For the first week, we read lots of stories and identified the characters, settings, problems, and solutions. Knowing how the experts write narratives is key! Next, we turned our attention to characters. We chose our favourite characters from different texts, like books, TV or movies, and described them using adjectives, verbs, and similes.

Last term, we partitioned numbers into tens and ones. We call this standard partitioning. But this term, we stepped up a level. We have been partitioning numbers in new, and sometimes tricky, ways. We know that 20 and 3 make 23 but so does 10 and 13. And even more tricky than that, we also know that 23 can be partitioned into three parts! For example, 10 and 10 and 3. Wow! Luckily, we have been using our bundling sticks to help us understand this process.

                            

Our latest Science unit had lots of specific vocabulary to unpack, such as experiment, hypothesis, investigate, discover, and force. We discussed these terms as a class, making connections to previous lessons and thought of questions we could ask using our new vocabulary. These were added to our Curiosity Wall, which we will keep track of throughout the unit.

              

Year 2
In Maths we have started off Term 4 by looking at maps! We have focused on directional language and learning a new dance called the ‘Cha Cha Slide’. After that, we ventured out into the playground and listened to instructions from our teacher. We then practised giving each other instructions to get to certain locations around the school. It’s been lots of fun so far!

        

During Reading, we have focused on character traits. To do this we have studied characters from fiction texts we have read each week, beginning with looking at the outside traits, those we can see. We then dug deeper and looked for evidence in the text that told us the type of character they were, for example, whether they were kind, resilient or encouraging. We used words from the text and looked at the pictures to help us. Please come and see some of our work in the Year 2 corridor!

Curiosity  •   Respect  •  Integrity  •  Resilience

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From Ms Julia Kantor

Our concept for this term is Discovery. These inquiry units are heavily intertwined with Science and students will be encouraged to think about the discoveries they are making in other areas of their learning also.  

Prep students will discover the properties and uses of different materials and use words to describe them. They will learn to make and test predictions and compare their results with their predictions. Using the story of the Three Billy Goats, students will work in groups of three throughout the unit to create models of a goat, troll, and bridge using different materials. They will use their models to act out their own version of the story and share their learning in the 'Bridge and Beyond: Showcase'.

Year 1 students will make discoveries as they practise thinking and acting like a scientist. They will learn about the science around them and develop scientific inquiry skills to form hypotheses, make observations, and compare their results to their predictions. Students will learn about push and pull forces, the Solar System and how materials change when manipulated. They will create a science exhibit about one area of their learning to share at the Stimulating Science Show.

Year 2 students will consider sources of light and how to create shadows. They will build instruments and use their bodies and computers as they experiment with making sounds. Students will work towards presenting a production of a story using puppets and sounds.

Year 3 & 4 students will develop skills in thinking and acting like a scientist to make discoveries. They will test predictions in relation to scientific concepts and identify the elements of a fair test. Students will learn about thermal conductivity, changes in states of matter, and different types of forces. They will work collaboratively with others to design a science challenge for the class to participate in at the Science Challenge Show.

Year 5 & 6 students will further develop their science inquiry skills and ability to make discoveries by investigating the answers to scientific questions. They will learn about electrical circuits, light pollution and refraction, the seasons, and states of matter.  Students will conduct experiments by taking fair testing and safety into consideration. They will work collaboratively with others to plan and conduct a scientific investigation that answers a question of their choosing and includes a fair test.

We look forward to seeing you at our final class Expos towards the end of term.  Our students love showcasing their learning and discoveries with you!

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Year 3
In Year 3 students have been revising their time-telling skills and challenging themselves to read time to the nearest minute. They have explored time duration and used their estimation skills to predict when activities or tasks might finish. Students were excited to put their learning into practice by planning their own events, from birthday parties to sports days and music performances. As the end of the year approaches, why not encourage your child to plan a special family celebration and put their time-telling skills to use!

                              
Students have also been exploring exciting Science topics such as magnetism, forces (push and pull), heat conductivity, gravity, and matter. They have been researching their chosen topic using a variety of texts, including digital resources. Along the way, students have learned how to read for key information, put ideas into their own words, and interpret images, diagrams, and charts. They’re now using what they’ve discovered to create their own engaging and informative texts to share their learning.

                              

Year 4
Thank you to the many parents/carers who attended last term's Inquiry and Science Expo. The students worked hard over several weeks to create the island homes and arcade games that were proudly displayed. It was wonderful to see everyone in attendance; looking at the displays, playing games and winning prizes as well! Some prizes included homemade stickers, bookmarks and love heart origami. The students tested each other’s games and explored the island homes, asking questions about their construction.
                        
Footy Pie Day saw many students dressed up in sporting gear including AFL, Netball and even Taekwondo. The students had a blast asking each other questions about the various sports. A great way to finish off Term 3!

Our Term 4 Inquiry topic is ‘Science Challenge Show’. We have already started conducting Science experiments; recording expectations, theories and results. Our first experiment involved changing cream to butter with only a jar. We even made our own butter and recorded the process.

                     
 

Curiosity  •   Respect  •  Integrity  •  Resilience

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From the 17th of November LPS will host the Smile Squad team from healthAbility. Smile Squad is the Victorian Government's free school dental program.

This means ALL students can get a free dental check-up, preventive services, and treatment at school. This term the program is for Year 6 students.

How to access free dental care

We need your consent before we can provide services. Consent is usually provided by a parent or guardian.

Sign up to Smile Squad at: https://bit.ly/smilesquadvic

OR use the below QR code:

Paper copies of the consent form are available. Please contact the school office if you would like to request one.

Smile Squad oral health packs

All children deserve a healthy smile, and the Smile Squad free school dental program is working hard to help make sure this happens.

Your child(ren) will soon receive a free oral health pack to bring home. The pack contains a toothbrush, full sized toothpaste, and an oral health brochure. Please take the time to read the brochure. It’s full of helpful hints and tips to help your whole family eat well, drink well and clean well – for life.

Standard strength toothpaste

Smile Squad provides standard strength fluoride toothpaste that is generally used by ages six and over, unless recommended by a dental or trained health professional.

If your child is under six, please talk to a dental or trained health professional to find out if your child might benefit from using this toothpaste. You can also choose to put the toothpaste away until they turn six or give it to someone else in your family to use.

Do I need to attend my child’s appointment?

No, you do not need to attend your child’s appointment. You can attend if you would like to, and you can take your child to the community dental clinic if you prefer.

The healthAbility Smile Squad look forward to seeing you soon.

Please note:
The Smile Squad program will run for the Year 6 students in Term 4, 2025. Information for all students currently in Prep to Year 5 will be available in Term 1.

Our Vision:    Learn   •   Thrive  •   Contribute

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Is your Family Statement in credit?
Parents/carers have recently been emailed their current Family Statements. These include the Department's reallocation of any remaining School Saving Bonus funds to 'activities'.

There are many families that have credit available on their family accounts. This means that you can ask for that amount to put towards any excursion or event, simply by emailing the office. 

Do you have a credit in your Family Account that you could be using for school invoices? Just check the statement you receive for any credits. 

Using the Department's finance system, family statements with a (-) minus in front of the amount, are a CREDIT. 

Examples of credits on Statements:

Unallocated Receipts      -$3.60 (this family could direct $3.60 to a school payment)

Unallocated Credit          -$210.00 (this family could direct $210 to school payments)

A new update on School Savings Bonus (SSB) monies is on our website here.

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LPS Colour Fun Run - Monday 1^st December
                                  
Get ready to put on your running shoes and join us for an exhilarating event that promises fun, fitness and community – the School Fun Run!

Mark your calendars because on Monday 1^st December our school grounds will be transformed into a mini marathon. The event aims to promote health, wellness and community spirit while having an absolute blast and raising money for the gorgeous new Sensory Garden at Laburnum Primary School!
Your child will bring home information in the coming days – please keep an eye out for this! However, you can sign up at: www.funrun.com.au
                              
Every child who creates a profile this week (by 31^st of October) will earn 10 house points!

So get ready to make memories with your kids while they run, laugh and enjoy the day with their classmates!

Further information regarding details of the day and sign-up information for parent volunteers (we will need lots of you to help!) to come soon.  If you have any questions about the colour fun run, please email parentsgroup.lps@gmail.com

LPS Mango Fundraiser – Orders Close 27^th October!
Get your orders in for a tray of delicious, sweet and juicy mangoes fresh from the farm – all while helping raise funds for the new Sensory Garden at LPS! Ask family and friends if they would like to order a tray as well!

Mangoes will be delivered in early to mid December and orders close Monday 27^th October.

Please order here: www.trybooking.com/DFEUE
   



LABURNUM PRIMARY SCHOOL 
SECOND-HAND UNIFORM SHOP

OPEN First Friday of the Month: next opening Friday 7 November 2025 Term Time Only: 3.00 pm - 4.00 pm You will find the Uniform Shop at the Canteen next to the school hall. Thank you Clarissa, Kate, Connie and Shusan

All items are $5 (including jackets and jumpers).  All monies go to the school to support our students. ALL DONATIONS VERY WELCOME We accept donations of pre-loved uniforms. Please continue to phone the school and speak with one of the office staff if you have uniforms to donate. Please ensure donations are washed, clean and in good condition. Only school branded clothing (i.e. no Target, Kmart, Big W, etc. brands). nds).

 

 

Curiosity  •   Respect  •  Integrity  •  Resilience

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From Ms Farlow 

Welcome to Term 4 in the Art Room

Year 6
The 2025 Graduation project is coming along as students take turns working in groups. They are working closely with Santosh and referencing photographs for detail. The bricks are thoroughly covered now, with bright colours and striking images of familiar flora and fauna. Stay tuned for the finished work coming soon.



Students have also been investigating details in Santosh’s works and using specific vocabulary to write a short piece about his art. They have this week started another series of activities in their books, revisiting their art learning in primary school and recognising the elements of design as a focus (line, tone, texture, composition and colour).

Year 5 are repurposing packaging, card and plastic, in a construction unit. They are looking at the works of Shaun Tan to inspire making other worldly creatures. We are looking for cardboard cylinders from empty glad wrap, wax paper and foil if you have them at home.

Year 4 are investigating Pop Art, specifically how food became a fun theme in art in the ‘60s. They will begin making clay cupcakes and donuts this week using pinch pot, coil and joining skills.

Year 3 are mask making and have explored decorative qualities of Mexican folk art around Dia De Los Muertos (Day of the Dead) Celebrations. They will be using cardboard construction and collage to make their designs.

Year 2 have begun a design unit creating paper and card mechanisms for simple toys. They will focus on movement and have already made a jumping origami frog. Catapulted rockets, paper planes and spinning tops are a little of what will follow.

Year 1 are practising a variety of mono-printing techniques this term with a focus on Paul Klee and the quality of thick and thin lines. They are learning about “abstract” art, Mr Squiggle and how we can sometimes find a hidden image of something.

Preps are looking at how things overlap in pictures. We will be drawing overlapping shapes and patterns, cutting, tracing and gluing. 

                               
                               Year 3 Willow Pattern inspired ink pots, Term 3

Curiosity  •   Respect  •  Integrity  •  Resilience

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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

 

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Click on these links  below for Community News or information:         

TeamKids Out of School Hours Care  Please register your child here - it's free to register and you'll always have that option for childcare, even in unexpected circumstances.  More information is on our website here. TeamKids - Halloween Celebrations!

Please click Chess Club image for T4 registration

     
                                                

Our Vision:    Learn   •   Thrive  •   Contribute

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