What a great photo of our Preps reading - they have sure made a great start to Term 1!

This week, Year 1 students have undergone the Lions Eye Health screening. Almost 20% of them need further testing. It's so important to discover eye health issues before they progress. The screening team will return soon, so please see more details in this eNews if you'd like your Prep - Grade 2 child screened.

Have you checked your family details on Sentral? If these are incorrect because you have changed address or contact details, please email the school office. The Department's CASES21 data system overrides Sentral each night, so our office staff need to change any family details to retain them in Sentral.

Your correct details are used for many reasons, such as enrolment data for Year 7 secondary school applications.

Parents are probably aware of the upcoming industrial action planned by the Australian Education Union. You might not know that the wages and working conditions for all school staff are determined by a four yearly industrial agreement, the Victorian Government Schools Agreement 2022 (VGSA). The current agreement expired on 31 December 2025. 

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Hi all,

This is our first School Council newsletter update for the year, and Term 1 already feels like it’s moving quickly. It’s been great to see a happy playground and the children settling back into school so smoothly. We extend a warm welcome to any new families who have joined our community.

We recently held our first School Council meeting for the calendar year in early February. As always, our focus was on good governance and ensuring the school is set up to deliver the best outcomes for our kids, while staying on top of the practical things that keep the place running day to day.

Looking ahead, our Annual General Meeting (AGM) will be held on 28 April. Please keep an eye out in eNews for information about the School Council nomination process. I want to strongly encourage any parents and community members who are considering it to put their hand up. School Council is a practical, meaningful way to contribute to the direction of the school. There are no special qualifications required, just a willingness to be involved, ask questions, and support the school community.

I’d also like to extend a heartfelt thank you to all councillors whose terms are coming to an end around this time of year. School Council is a commitment, and the time and energy people give to it makes a real difference.

It was also a pleasure to welcome our new School Captains to the meeting. It’s one of the best parts of every meeting, and we love hearing from our student leaders. We’re looking forward to seeing them grow in their roles and represent the student voice throughout the year.

The school is looking great and, in terms of priority projects, we’ve already started the year with a clear focus on maintaining and improving our school environment. Recently we’ve completed some internal carpeting works, and we’re progressing important building maintenance including sash window replacement and painting. We’d also love to hear your ideas about improving our school, so please get in touch if you have any. These projects don’t always need to be glamorous, but they all matter. They protect the school’s assets, improve safety, and ensure the school continues to be a place our students and staff are proud of.

Finally, a big shout-out to our Parents Group. There is another packed calendar of fundraising events planned for the year. This work is hugely important because it enables the school to deliver projects that otherwise wouldn’t be possible. In recent years, fundraising has supported major improvements like the Junior School Playground upgrade and the Sensory Garden. If you can get involved, whether it’s volunteering time or simply supporting events when you can, it genuinely makes a difference.

We’re looking forward to another positive year ahead, and we appreciate the ongoing support from families across the school.

Chat soon,

Matt

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   Our first Fathering Project event for 2026 is next 

Thursday 12 March 5.00-6.00pm
in the
Staff Community Centre

We welcome back Rodney Eade as our guest speaker to present 
Fathers/Father figures-the importance of the role.

Come along and meet Rodney Eade, former champion AFL player and coach who is actively involved with The Fathering Project. He will speak about the vital role fathers/father figures play in supporting their children.

All dads/carers across the school are welcome to attend.

As this is a dads/carers only event, we will schedule our first event for children soon.



    

It's never too late to join The Fathering Project! If you would like to join, use the QR code below.

                    

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2026 Schedule 4: Notice of Election and Call for Nominations

As all positions have not been filled, there is an extension of time for nominations. Please see new dates below in red.

Our Vision:    Learn   •   Thrive  •   Contribute

At Laburnum Primary School, in addition to our highly targeted and responsive classroom learning experiences, we pride ourselves on offering high-ability students a range of workshops designed to challenge and enrich them.

RISE
The LPS RISE (Recognising Individual Student Excellence) initiative has been an overwhelming success, with workshops across a range of curriculum areas. These opportunities challenge students’ thinking, foster creativity, and encourage a strong love of learning. 

A few highlights from RISE 2025 were:

• BioEyes Science Incursion
• Victorian Students Parliamentary Convention exploring the topic: Should public transport be free in Victoria?
• Nova Weetman Writing Workshop
• Mathematics and Science workshops 
• Next Stage Drama

By recognising and celebrating individual student excellence alongside academic growth, we aim to empower students to take risks in their learning, build confidence, and develop the skills needed to become capable, curious, and reflective learners.

RISE continues again in 2026, where eligible students will be invited to participate in suitable opportunities which match their learning needs. As usual, the program has started the year with groups of students attending John Monash Science School for Mini Mathematicians, Mini Scientists and Spike Prime-ARY Robotics. The photos above and below show some of these sessions.

                             

Students are selected for workshops on a basis of their academic performance, classroom teacher observations and the suitability of the workshop to the individual. Parents will be notified in advance of RISE workshops, which are mainly targeted at Grades 3 - 6 students.

VHAP
The Victorian High-Ability Program (VHAP) is an enrichment program that addresses the needs of high-ability students to engage with challenging material in either English or Mathematics, and also to meet and exchange ideas with other students like themselves. This program is facilitated by the Student Excellence Program in the Department of Education and is delivered by Virtual Schools Victoria.

Students in Grades 5-8 are selected on the basis of their academic performance and teacher observations to participate in an online virtual program run over the course of a school term.

A number of students have been selected to participate in VHAP this term, and we anticipate more being nominated later in the year. Parents will be notified in advance should their child be invited to take part in VHAP.

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Preps are off to a flying start to 2026 and their school days! They have been learning daily routines, such as what to do when they come into the classroom each morning, how to change take home books, listen to the teachers and each other, and how to take turns outside in the playground.  It is wonderful to see how quickly they have settled in. Many  people around the school have commented on how focussed they are!

The children have also been learning about letters and sounds. They have been learning a few letters each week; saying their name, the sounds they make, and how to read and write them correctly.  They have also been blending the sounds they have learnt to then read words in books and also write words.

                                             
One day, Preps went on a search around the school to find the ‘Green Sheep’.  They had to follow clues that would help lead them to where the Green Sheep was. They finally found the Green Sheep hiding in the classroom! 

The children have really enjoyed having the playground to themselves for the first few weeks of school and are now happily sharing the playground with the other grade levels. Our Preps are so excited about being at ‘Big’ school, and are learning so much!

Curiosity  •   Respect  •  Integrity  •  Resilience

During Week beginning 16 March, our school community will be celebrating Harmony Week 2026. Harmony Week is a time to recognise and celebrate Australia’s rich cultural diversity and to reflect on the important message that everyone belongs.

Throughout the week, students from Prep to Grade 6 will be participating in engaging classroom activities designed to promote inclusion, respect and understanding. Classes will explore different countries and cultures from around the world, learning traditional greetings, games and songs. Students will also take part in discussions and learning experiences that highlight kindness, empathy and the positive contributions people from all backgrounds make to our community.

On Harmony Day Friday 20 March, students are invited to wear a touch of orange to school to show their support. Orange is the official colour of Harmony Week and represents social communication and meaningful conversations.

Harmony Week provides a wonderful opportunity for our students to develop a deeper appreciation of diversity and to strengthen our shared commitment to creating a safe, inclusive and welcoming school environment.

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• Visual Acuity - using a Lea 3m -15 line Symbol Chart
• Colour Vision - using a Quick 6 - Basic Colour Screening Book
• Depth Perception - using a Stereo Fly Screening Tool
• Spot Vision Screener – A state of the art portable machine designed to screen for Myopia (near sightedness),Hyperopia (far sightedness), Astigmatism (blurred vision), Anisometropia (unequal refractive power), Strabismus(eye misalignment) and Anisocoria (unequal pupil size).

Curiosity  •   Respect  •  Integrity  •  Resilience

Grade 5
Our Grade 5 students have had a fantastic start to the year and have settled in really well. Over the first few weeks, they’ve jumped into our Ready to Learn program with enthusiasm, building positive learning habits and confidence in their new classrooms.

Students have enjoyed using the vertical whiteboards to solve problems as a team and respond to open ended questions.

This term, our inquiry focus is Democracy. Students have been exploring how the electoral process works, the roles of the three levels of government in Australia, and the values that support our democratic system. They’ve particularly enjoyed learning how laws are made and discovering important milestones in Australia’s democratic history. Here are some curious questions we hope to answer by the end of the unit.

      
The students are excited to share their knowledge with you at our Inquiry Expo on the 10th March, starting at 2:45pm.

Here’s to a wonderful year ahead!

Last week, the Grade 6 students participated in an incursion with Evolve CyberSafety. This session provided valuable, practical strategies to help us navigate the online world safely, respectfully and responsibly.

Staying Safe Online

We were reminded of the importance of protecting our personal information. We discussed why details such as full names, addresses, phone numbers and passwords should always remain private. We discussed why we need to think carefully before clicking on links or downloading files, and to seek help from a trusted adult if something online feels unsafe.

Being Respectful Digital Citizens

A key message from the incursion was that real people are behind every screen. Our students explored how to communicate kindly, avoid hurtful comments and demonstrate empathy in online environments.

Speaking Up

Another important takeaway was understanding when and how to seek help. If we encounter online bullying, inappropriate content or behaviour that feels wrong, we know the importance of speaking to a trusted adult and reporting concerns helps keep everyone safe.

Showing Integrity and Honesty

We also reflected on the importance of integrity in a digital space. We identified that it includes creating original work, giving credit when using someone else’s ideas or images and being truthful about who we are online.

We’re excited to apply what we have learnt to help make the internet a safer place for everyone!

Curiosity  •   Respect  •  Integrity  •  Resilience

• Arabic (DOCX)
• Arabic (PDF)
• Burmese (DOCX)
• Burmese (PDF)
• Dari (DOCX)
• Dari (PDF)
• Dinka (DOCX)
• Dinka (PDF)
• Farsi (DOCX)
• Farsi (PDF)
• General Tamil (DOCX)
• General Tamil (PDF)
• Hakha Chin (DOCX)
• Hakha Chin (PDF)
• Hindi (DOCX)
• Hindi (PDF)
• Karen (DOCX)
• Karen (PDF)
• Khmer (DOCX)
• Khmer (PDF)
• Simplified Chinese (DOCX)
• Simplified Chinese (PDF)
• Somali (DOCX)
• Somali (PDF)
• Traditional Chinese (DOCX)
• Traditional Chinese (PDF)
• Turkish (DOCX)
• Turkish (PDF)
• Vietnamese (DOCX)
• Vietnamese (PDF)
• Zomi Chin (DOCX)
• Zomi Chin (PDF)

Our Vision:    Learn   •   Thrive  •   Contribute

BDPSSA District Swimming Carnival
On Monday 9 February many talented students from Laburnum Primary School participated in the BDPSSA (Blackburn District Primary Schools Sports Association) District Swimming Carnival at the Nunawading Aquatic Centre. Our swimmers did exceptionally well, with more than half of the team progressing to the next level of competition. A special highlight this year was the participation of many Grade 3 students competing for the first time at such a large event. Their resilience and determination was truly inspiring! 

The positive attitude and sportsmanship demonstrated by all students, made it a memorable day for all involved. A big thank you to all the parents who volunteered and assisted in various roles throughout the day. Your support helped make the event run smoothly and successfully!

We also want to congratulate the 17 students who finished in the top 2 of their events, earning spots to compete at the Whitehorse Division Swimming Carnival which was held earlier this week. We are delighted that some of those students will now progress to the Regional competition.

LPS House Cross Country Carnival
Laburnum Primary School will hold its annual House Cross Country Carnival on Tuesday 24 March and it promises to be a fantastic event. Our Grade 3 students, many of whom will be competing in their first House Cross Country, along with students from Grades 4-6 are preparing for the day with enthusiasm and determination.

Grade 6 Update
The Grade 6 Winter Sports Round Robin Tournament will be held in Term 2 on Friday 15 May. Our teams will be competing in T-ball, Soccer, Netball, and AFL against St Thomas, Roberts McCubbin and Surrey Hills at various locations throughout the day.

What's Happening in PE classes?

Prep – Grade 6: 
This term, our Prep–Grade 6 students have been developing their skills in Net and Wall Games as part of our Game Sense unit, with a strong focus on tennis and racquet skills. Throughout the program, students have been building their understanding of game strategy, movement, positioning and teamwork, while refining their fundamental striking and rallying techniques.

To further enrich their learning, we have welcomed external coaches from local sporting clubs to deliver specialised sessions, supporting students to develop correct technique and a deeper understanding of the fundamentals in an engaging and supportive environment.

Level Sport:
All students from Prep – Grade 6 have been participating in weekly Level Sport sessions with our specialist teachers this year.

They have also been taking part in the Perceptual Motor Program (PMP). PMP is a movement-based program designed to enhance younger students' eye-hand and eye-foot coordination, fitness, balance, locomotion and eye-tracking skills.

During PMP lessons, students engage in a variety of activities using equipment, such as balls, bats, balance beams, gymnastic mats, all set up in an obstacle course style. These activities are aimed at developing fundamental motor skills and helping students build a better understanding of their bodies and their environment.

Our Grade 6 students will soon begin practising skills for Netball, T-ball, Soccer, and AFL in preparation for the Winter Sports Round Robin. In addition, Grade 4 and Grade 5 students will be learning the skills for these sports as part of a pathway to help prepare them for next year’s Level Sport curriculum.

Curiosity  •   Respect  •  Integrity  •  Resilience

• President: Leo W
• Vice President: Dave C
• Secretary: Jennie S
• Treasurer: Paul V

Help Us Create Magic at Laburnum Primary School
Ever wonder who organises the Colour Fun Run, Mother’s Day breakfast, the Trivia Night or Footy Pie Day? That's us, the Laburnum Parents Group, and we would love for you to be part of the magic.

Our goal is simple: we want to make primary school unforgettable for our kids while having a great time ourselves. We are a group of parents who love seeing our community thrive through social events and creative fundraisers. Whether it is planning a major event or just helping out for an hour occasionally, your involvement helps fund the "extras" that makes our Laburnum Primary special.

Come along to our next catch up to meet some new faces and share your ideas. It is all about fun, friendship and making school life even better for our little ones.

The next catch up will be on Tuesday 17th March at 7pm at school. Snacks and hot beverages will be provided.

Bunnings BBQ Fundraiser 7th March – Calling for Volunteers!

LPS Parents Group will be raising money for the school with a Sausage Sizzle at Bunnings Box Hill South, on Saturday 7th March (the long weekend).

We have numerous 2-hour shifts to fill, so if you have a couple of hours free and would like to help out, please sign up at https://signup.com/go/FRCHsYP

 URGENT - Lunch Order Coordinator Needed 
We urgently need a volunteer to coordinate our school lunch orders so this service can continue for our students. This role can be done from home and involves:

• Making sure volunteers are in place each lunch order day (through Signup)
• Posting in the school WhatsApp group if extra help is needed
• Keeping the process running smoothly behind the scenes
• Handling last-minute volunteer cancellations or changes

You don’t need to be at the school at all - just someone organised who can keep things on track.

If you can help, please contact parentsgroup.lps@gmail.com as soon as possible.

Thank you for supporting this important service for our school community.

  LABURNUM PRIMARY SCHOOL 
 SECOND-HAND UNIFORM SHOP

Curiosity  •   Respect  •  Integrity  •  Resilience

Free resources for families of adolescents aged 10 to 14 years

The Department of Education has launched an Easing into adolescence webpage for families of students aged 10 to 14 (Grade 5 to Year 8).

The webpage has information and strategies you can use to help ease your child into adolescence and secondary school. These include:

• a guide to emotion coaching. Staff from The University of Melbourne’s Tuning in to Teens Kids program developed the guidance.
• how to support your adolescent with their studies and more generally. Parenting expert and clinical psychologist Andrew Fuller helped develop this resource.

Subtitles for videos by The University of Melbourne on the webpage are available in 10 languages. You can select your preferred language on the translations page.

School tours are a wonderful way to see Box Hill High School in action, and bookings are now open for a tour of the school for prospective parents/carers and students.

Not only will visitors see classes in operation, but there will also be opportunities to ask questions, meet BHHS staff and students and hear from a member of the Principal Class Team. Explore the school on a tour and find out more 

about how BHHS provides the perfect balance between academic, social, and emotional growth and development in its students.

School tours at BHHS will run from 10 February – 7 May. Bookings are now open at Trybooking.

As there will be no Open Afternoon during 2026, we encourage you to book your place on a School Tour if you are considering Box Hill High School for your student’s needs in 2027 and beyond.

Our Vision:    Learn   •   Thrive  •   Contribute 

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.

Digimaker will start in Term 2.

Please click on this Chess Club image for Term 1 registration.

For information on joining the Girl Guides please click on the image.

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