• a comment on the student's Personal and Social Capabilities, which are central to their academic achievement and wellbeing. This semester the Department advises that some teachers will not be providing this comment, as a result of industrial action taken by the Australian Education Union;
• an indicator of student progress on curriculum areas taught this semester, along with with a classification of whether this is at, below or above expected level;
• a summary of the student's attendance, due to the importance of being at school unless unwell.
  

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Hi all,

Hard to believe we’re already well into Term 2 - the weeks seem to be flying by.

The School Council met most recently on 19 May and we wanted to share a few updates from our April and May meetings.

One of the bigger items on our radar is the school’s four-yearly review, which is now in the early stages of being scheduled. This is an important process that helps shape the strategic direction of the school and we’ll keep you updated as it progresses. Alongside this, staff have been undertaking some excellent professional learning focused on Responsive Teaching as part of the school’s Annual Implementation Plan. It’s great to see such a sustained investment in improving teaching practice across the school and the benefit we see through the kids' academic outcomes is clear.

Council approved the Grade 5 camp, running in September. This will be the first school camp experience for our current Grade 5 students, and it’s looking like it will be a fantastic few days for the kids. Our Grade 6 students are also getting excited with their trip to camp very soon. These camps are such an important part of school life and we know the kids will have an amazing time. Our thanks and gratitude go to all staff for the hard work that goes into making these a reality and such a special experience for the kids.

The school recently hosted Susan McLean, who delivered another fantastic cyber safety presentation for students, staff and parents. Keeping our kids safe online is critical and something that requires ongoing attention from all of us - we strongly encourage families to take up opportunities like these whenever they come around. The more we can learn together as a community, the better equipped our kids will be, now and into the future.

On the buildings and grounds front, we have been talking about Priority Projects for 2026 with Parents Group. We also heard about the plaque for our Senior School building nearing completion and that it features a beautiful Aboriginal design that has been carefully developed in consultation with Indigenous representatives. We’re all really looking forward to seeing this final piece installed.

Finally, a big shout-out to our Parents Group, who continue to be as fantastic as ever. The Bunnings BBQ went off without a hitch. Celebrating our Mums with an amazing breakfast was a really lovely community event and the Trivia Night was also a lot of fun. There’s still plenty more planned on the calendar including a Pie Drive coming up in June. If you can get involved in any way (whether volunteering time or simply supporting events when they come around), it genuinely makes a difference.

Thank you as always for your continued support of our school.

Chat soon,

Matt

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Thank you to those who joined us for Education Week last Wednesday, Thursday and Friday. Members of our community were especially excited to see students completing their morning phonics, engaging in challenging Mathematics tasks, participating in specialist classes and diving into their inquiry learning. Thanks also to our amazing teachers and students who opened their classrooms so willingly to showcase our wonderful school!

Our teachers are in the midst of writing Semester 1 student reports. Parents are reminded to check that your Sentral registration is active, as you will need this to access your child’s report at the end of this term.

Susan McLean joined us last Thursday for an immersive day, including student sessions, staff sessions and a well attended parent session. Thank you to those who joined us for this event. Susan is Australia's foremost expert in the area of cyber safety and is a passionate advocate for child safety online.

When speaking to us last Thursday, Susan emphasised that the technical skills of children today are superb. Adults today cannot even aspire to the level of technical knowledge inherent in today’s kids, but we do know that this skill is not matched by their cognitive development. Nothing we do can ‘put an old head on young shoulders’ and the ability to perceive risk, and foresee consequences is limited.

For more information about Susan's presentation, please visit the Cyber Safety Solutions website. 

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Can a tiny mouse really sink a boat? After reading the classic picture book, 'Who Sank the Boat', our Grade 1 Mathematicians began exploring this question while investigating mass.

Students made predictions and ranked the animals from the story from lightest to heaviest. They then became engineers, designing and building their own boats out of different materials. We cannot wait for our upcoming testing day, where we will place different weights into our creations to represent the animals.
 

Students have also been learning about 2-digit numbers by exploring tens and ones using hands-on materials, such as icy pole stick bundles and place value charts. They practised making, reading and writing numbers in digits and words, while learning how teen numbers are read and written differently from other numbers. They also explored less-regular teen numbers such as thirteen and fifteen, as well as irregular teen numbers, including eleven and twelve.
 

In Science, students learnt how objects made from everyday materials can be changed in different ways. They also explored how 'drying out' affects how easily playdough objects can be changed or reshaped. Students applied their understanding of physical changes by manipulating playdough in different ways, including rolling, pinching and stretching, to create their own models.
 

In Reading and Writing, students had the opportunity to look at lots of different non-fiction texts. They explored the layout of different texts and their features. After identifying these, they began the process of planning and drafting their own information reports. Students have been exploring different Australian animals' habitats, diets and appearances. 
                            

Curiosity  •   Respect  •  Integrity  •  Resilience

Respectful Relationships education is an important part of the Victorian Curriculum from Prep to Year 12. It helps build a school community where everyone is treated with respect, kindness and fairness. 

At Laburnum Primary School, Resilience, Rights and Respectful Relationships (RRRR) is incorporated into the curriculum alongside elements of School Wide Positive Behaviour Support (SWPBS). Each week, students take part in a clear and structured wellbeing lesson. These lessons help build social and emotional skills step by step, in a way that supports all learners. RR&RR cover eight topics of Social and Emotional Learning.

This term, the following topics are being taught in classrooms:

• Prep – Problem Solving and Help Seeking
• Grades 1, 3 and 5 – Positive Coping and Problem Solving
• Grades 2, 4 and 6 – Personal and Cultural Strengths

Have a look at the conversation cards below and consider asking your child these questions over the next few weeks.

               

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Reading

Science
In Science this term, students have been exploring the fascinating world of living things. They have investigated the differences between living things, non-living things, once-living things, and products of living things. To bring their learning to life, students participated in engaging scavenger hunts around the school, identifying examples in their environment. They have also begun researching an animal of their choice, brainstorming thoughtful questions and wonderings. It has been wonderful to see their curiosity and enthusiasm for learning continue to grow!
     

The instructors have been helping each child continue to develop their skills in the water. It has been wonderful to see students demonstrate resilience, confidence and enthusiasm as they have progressed through the program.
 

Curiosity  •   Respect  •  Integrity  •  Resilience

The annual Attitudes to School Survey will be completed by our Grade 4, 5 and 6 students during the period of 4 June to 12 June. A Department of Education parent information and consent letter has been made available on our school website here to enable parents to translate this as required. This letter outlines the survey's contents and administration as well as other important information.

This survey serves as an important piece of data collection to feed forward to our whole school planning and programs. If you do not want your child to participate in this survey, please refer to the DE letter.

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We welcome all fathers/father figures to our Fathering Project event, 'Cards and Chat' next  Friday 5 June at 8.00am. 

For more information see below.



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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Hola Laburnum Primary School Community! My name is Miss Carla Osses, the new Spanish teacher. I am originally from Chile in South America and I look forward to bringing my enthusiasm and wealth of experience to teaching Spanish.

My first weeks at Laburnum have been very positive. The focus has been establishing strong relationships with students and creating a supportive and inclusive learning environment where every student feels encouraged to participate. Spanish classes are carefully planned so that they are highly interactive, with a strong focus on communication. Whether through songs, chants, games, or collaborative activities, each lesson is carefully designed to suit the needs and interests of students. They have responded enthusiastically to learning the Spanish language and I have been enjoying getting to know them.

Our Prep students have been engaging with Spanish through chants, songs and games.

These have supported them with learning how to introduce themselves and also when revising colours and numbers. They have also established a clear classroom routine, giving them a sense of structure and helping them understand what to expect in each lesson.

Students in Grades 1 and 2 have similarly developed their ability to introduce themselves, while reinforcing their knowledge of numbers and exploring basic emotions.

In Grades 3 and 4, students have begun building more complex language structures, including forming questions and answers. This has supported their participation in speaking activities, where they confidently present their learning in front of their peers.

Students in Grades 5 and 6 have been reflecting on their prior knowledge and learning how to incorporate new concepts. They have approached lessons with enthusiasm and a positive attitude demonstrating a growing appreciation for the value of learning a second language.

I am excited about the school year ahead and look forward to growing together as a learning community, embracing the Spanish language and culture.

Here’s to a year full of curiosity, and meaningful learning!

Curiosity  •   Respect  •  Integrity  •  Resilience

This session outlines the program content, language, and teaching strategies used with students, supporting schools and helping adults feel informed and comfortable with the Interrelate approach.

Please register here by Friday 29 May. 

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Tony’s Pies Fundraiser
We have organised with Tony's Pies of Essendon to conduct our fundraising pie drive for 2026.        
Pies will be delivered on Wednesday 10^th June and can be collected from the canteen beside the school hall between 3 and 4pm.
The last day to order is by midnight Sunday 7^th June.
All the products will be freshly baked and will be suitable to go straight into the freezer if you wish.
On the ordering form please ensure you add your child’s class to the details.

If your child/children are at Team Kids on collection day, please use Team Kids as the class code and you can collect from there. Collection at Team Kids is for the Wednesday after school session only.

To start ordering open your smartphone camera and hold it over the QR code till the link pops up.

Or copy and paste the link below into your browser to start ordering on your PC. https://tonyspiedrives.com.au/fundraiser/laburnum-primay-school

LPS Trivia Night - Thank you!

Our Trivia Night last Saturday saw a great turn out, thank you to all that came along. And of course a big thank you to Natalie L & Nadia H for organizing this fun and successful evening that has generated a profit of $1,217! These funds will go towards playground enhancements at Laburnum Primary School.

Get your LPS Umbrellas!
Winter has seemingly arrived early the last few weeks, so now is as good a time as ever to purchase your large, sturdy and long-lasting LPS umbrella. Available for sale at the school office for just $25!

Curiosity  •   Respect  •  Integrity  •  Resilience

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. We’re bursting with excitement to let you know that bookings for our Autumn Holiday Program are now officially OPEN for Laburnum Primary! See what’s happening at our school → https://downloads.teamkids.com.au/laburnum_primary.pdf Please click here for Mandarin flyer.

Please click on the Chess Club image for Term 2 registration.

Digimaker will start in Term 2. Please click on the logo for information.

Please click here for information for the Open Day on Saturday June 20.

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