Thanks to all those families who assisted their children to participate in our annual Book Week dress-up day. Led by Wendy Keogh and our Library Captains, and supported by our teachers, we celebrated our students' love of reading. As a skill that is essential throughout life, we appreciate everyone's enthusiasm. 

While recently visiting Canada, I was impressed by their "Sun’s Out, Screens Off" public health campaign. It encourages Canadians to disconnect from digital devices (including phones) and spend the warmer months engaged in outdoor reading and offline recreation. What a great initiative, and a slogan we would recommend to families.

This is also a timely reminder to parents that, as per our Sun Protection Policy, it's time to find those hats. With UV index levels now reaching 3 or above (generally mid-August – end of April in Victoria), all students need to wear their SunSmart hat when outside at school. Let's ensure we minimise the risk of health problems from sun exposure, including skin cancer.

We've enjoyed recent opportunities to celebrate dads, as we head towards Father's Day. Our students have been getting ready to spoil their dads by purchasing some treasures from Parents Group's Father's Day Stall, which operated today and again after school tomorrow. Thank you to event organiser, Raylene W and to all those parents who assisted.

Tomorrow, it's time for the next Fathering Project event; Tumbling Towers Fun!

We continue to see dads joining The Fathering Project at LPS. The program quotes research that shows when fathers or father figures participate in school activities, meetings and events, children enjoy school more, are less likely to have behaviour issues and are more likely to participate in extracurricular activities. Children are also more likely to engage in school and perform better academically.  Please see our Fathering Project page in this eNews for the QR code to join this large group of dads.

After these two special events, we wish all LPS dads a very happy Father's Day on Sunday.

Thank you to those people who have completed the 2026 Parent/Caregiver/Guardian Opinion Survey. We have had feedback that this 'new' version takes approx. 8 mins to complete. As we currently have a very low response rate, please consider doing the survey via the link emailed to 'Parent A' in each family. The survey closes on Friday 18 September.

Finally, our warmest wishes go with Anne Di Stefano, who has resigned and headed off on a dream vacation. Thank you Anne for all your care and support of students in your ES (aide) role over the last five years at LPS.

Our Vision:    Learn   •   Thrive  •   Contribute

AFL Footy Colours Day: Thursday 17 September

To celebrate the end of footy season, we are encouraging students and staff to dress in their favourite team colours on the last Thursday of term.

To find out how to order a footy pie lunch on the day please see the Contribute: Parents Group News page in this edition of eNews.

The Lion's Eye Health Program has visited LPS a number of times throughout the year to provide free vision screening to students. A total of 317 students were screened, with 58 students referred for follow up with an optometrist. This high referral rate is indicative of the value of the program, ensuring that these vision issues have not gone undetected. The Lion's Eye team will return in 2027.

Our Vision:    Learn   •   Thrive  •   Contribute

Grade 1

This term in Reading, students have been developing their comprehension skills by exploring engaging texts such as Scarface Claw and Go Go and the Silver Shoes. Students have been learning to use clues from the words and pictures to understand characters, events and vocabulary.

A particular focus has been making inferences about characters by identifying their inside character traits and explaining their thinking using evidence from the text.

Students are using what they learn about characters to enrich their writing, drawing on character traits, actions and descriptive vocabulary to create detailed and engaging character descriptions. They have been practising how to expand simple sentences with conjunctions and descriptive phrases to give the reader a clearer picture of the characters they are writing about.

Scarface Claw has torn ears and fierce yellow eyes. His sharp pointy teeth and round hairy body are as spiky as a cactus. – Asha

Scarface Claw has frightening yellow eyes that stare into your soul. – Elliot

He has a black body that is as big as four armadillos with space to wriggle. - Hugo

He is a brave tom cat and a tough fighter, but when he sees himself in the mirror, he feels petrified! - Sean

During Book Week, we celebrated our love of reading with our buddies. We had lots of fun, including watching Captain Hook narrowly escape a hungry crocodile!

In other learning this term, we have been focusing on Mass and Fractions in Maths. Students explored the different capacity of different objects, while also looking at separating groups of objects into halves, quarters and eighths. In Writing, they have been looking at narratives and how they can innovate stories. Students have been using interesting verbs and adjectives to help describe what is happening in their own creative texts.   

Curiosity  •   Respect  •  Integrity  •  Resilience

See below information about this term's Fathering Project event.



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

Maths

Our Grade 3 students have been diving into the exciting world of capacity and measurement! Using everyday objects such as teaspoons, tablespoons, measuring cups and jugs, students worked collaboratively to estimate and measure the volume and capacity of different objects.

With rice, pasta and water as their measuring materials, students enthusiastically investigated which containers held more, less or the same amount, recording their findings in litres and millilitres. They then extended their learning by estimating and researching everyday objects with capacities of 100 mL, 500 mL, 1 L and 2 L.

It was fantastic to see students applying their mathematical knowledge and taking great responsibility when using our Maths resources - nearly every grain of rice was carefully cleaned up!

Inquiry

This term in Inquiry, our Grade 3 students have been exploring Earth’s natural resources and the importance of sustainability. Students have investigated the world’s water supply and taken part in exciting desalination and water filtration experiments, discovering why clean water is such a precious resource.

Through their hands-on investigations, students are developing a deeper understanding of how we can all make responsible choices to protect and sustain our planet. Next, they will dive into The Water Cycle and proudly share their learning at our Week 9 Inquiry Expo! Students are beginning to collect resources and boxes for their diorama presentations.

Grade 4

In Reading, Grade 4 students have begun exploring the wonderful world of The Tale of Despereaux by Kate DiCamillo. Students have been building their knowledge of the medieval setting and examining how an author reveals a character through their appearance, actions, behaviour and dialogue. As we have followed Despereaux’s adventures, students have been gathering evidence about what makes him unique and considering how his choices and relationships, particularly his developing friendship with Princess Pea, reveal important aspects of his physical characteristics and personality traits. We have also been exploring the rules and expectations of the mouse world. The Grade 4 students have been building their vocabulary and inferring what happens when a character chooses not to conform.

In Science, Grade 4 students have continued their exploration of Earth and space. We have investigated how Earth’s tilt and its movement around the Sun contribute to the seasons, including why the Northern and Southern Hemispheres experience different seasons at the same time. Students have also learnt about tides, exploring the influence of the Moon and considering why understanding high and low tides is important for people such as surfers, fishers and boaters. Along the way, students have considered different ways of observing seasonal change, including the six seasons recognised by the Noongar people. With all of this learning about Earth and space, there is plenty of excitement building for our upcoming excursion to the Melbourne Planetarium at Scienceworks, where students will have the opportunity to extend their learning beyond the classroom!

Curiosity  •   Respect  •  Integrity  •  Resilience

Thursday 10^th September is national R U OK? Day.

Regular, meaningful conversations with the people close to you can help prevent small things from becoming big things. By checking in regularly, you build trust and normalise talking about what’s really going on, so when the people in your world find themselves struggling, they know you’re someone they can talk to.

Follow these four steps to start a conversation and ask someone R U OK? 

Learn more by following this link.

Curiosity  •   Respect  •  Integrity  •  Resilience

This term our Prep, Grade 1, 2 and 3 students began Performing Arts. We first implemented our Ready to Learn program. Then students discussed how our behaviour matrix and school values will be demonstrated during Performing Arts lessons.

Following on from Spain’s FIFA World Cup 2026 win, students explored why and how dance and music are experienced across cultures. They learnt a Spanish celebration dance ‘Manos Arriba’ which means put your hands up in the air!  They learnt the Spanish words for left (Izquierda), right (Derecha) and the sun (El Sol) to reflect a salsa dance step that depicts the sun rising and setting.

Did you know that dancing in Spain happens all year round? When the soccer players arrived back in Spain, people were dancing the Manos Arriba in the streets to celebrate their victory. We laughed, imagining the fans of the winning team at this year’s AFL Grand Final dancing in the streets to celebrate their team’s victory!

As the term has progressed, levels have moved into their own areas of focus.

The Preps have been introduced to the orchestra while exploring The Carnival of the Animals composed by French composer Camille Saint-Saëns in 1894. They learned that music can tell a story and that a composer is someone who writes music just as an author is someone who writes books.

Each part of The Carnival of the Animals describes a different animal or group of animals using instruments. For example, when exploring The March of the Lions, students marched royal and brave to the loud piano and string instruments.

Grade 1 and 2 have been exploring why and how dance and music is created and presented by Indigenous People. Students have been exploring authentic Indigenous dance, including Traditional works and works created by the Bangarra Dance theatre, a leading Australian performing arts company made up of professional Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander artists. Students discussed the way that Indigenous Australians show their connection to Mother Earth through dance.

Grade 3 have been learning about the technique of Mime. A famous mime artist, Marcel Marceau once said that a mime makes the invisible, visible. 

The students began by observing how their bodies reacted when they bounced and moved a basketball. The challenge was then to make the basketball visible without it being there. 

Curiosity  •   Respect  •  Integrity  •  Resilience

Laburnum Primary School participated in this years Bullying No Way: National Week of Action.

This year’s theme, Small Acts, Big Impact, encouraged students to consider how small acts of kindness can make a big difference. Students took part in a range of activities focused on kindness, inclusion and creating a positive school environment. All classes participated in ‘Kindness Bingo’, where students were encouraged to complete small acts of kindness and recognise the positive impact these actions can have on others.

Prep - Grade 2 students focused on what kindness looks, feels and sounds like, using questions such as:

What might we see when someone is being kind?

How does it feel when someone is kind to you?

What might kindness sound like?

They shared their ideas and represented them through pictures and words. Students then discussed emotions that kindness can create and reflected on one small act of kindness they could try during the week. Through these discussions, students were reminded that even the smallest acts can help others feel valued, included and cared for.

Grade 3–6 students explored what:

Bullying means to them,

How to recognise it and

What they can do if they see or know it is happening.

They discussed practical ways to speak up, seek help and support others, as well as how we can work together to create a safe, respectful and positive school environment.
Students then explored a range of scenarios to see how one small act of kindness can create a ripple effect, helping to build a stronger sense of inclusion, belonging and wellbeing across our school community.

At the beginning of August 2026, the Australian Government launched the national Let’s Stop Bullying campaign. This aims to raise awareness of bullying and other harmful behaviours, build confidence to take action, and connect young people, families and communities with practical information and support.

The campaign reminds us that bullying can be difficult to recognise and may look different in different situations. It also highlights that we all have a role to play in creating safe, respectful and inclusive environments and taking action when bullying occurs.

Curiosity  •   Respect  •  Integrity  •  Resilience

Father’s Day

Thank you to all the volunteers who helped out today, it was a great success! And a big thank you to Raylene W, who organised everything.

Just a reminder that leftover stock can be purchased on Friday (tomorrow) after school outside the Hall. 

Footy Pie Day 2025 – Thursday 17th September

LPS Parents Group is pleased to offer footy pie lunch at school this year on Thursday 17^th September. A lunch order costs $7 including one hot lunch item and one juice box. To order click on the link below (Orders close Friday 11^th September): https://www.trybooking.com/DPHHW

Volunteers needed for Footy Pie Day:

We are seeking a number of parent volunteers to help us prepare the lunch on Thursday 17^th September. If you’re able to assist for an hour or two, please sign up here: https://signup.com/go/SSQTbAV

Entertainment Subscription - Buy yours today!

Purchase one Entertainment subscription and get one FREE! Plus get a $30 Visa Gift Card for $75 all the while supporting our school!

Access hundreds of discounts and vouchers with your 1 year subscription. More information can be found here: https://www.entertainment.com.au/

Curiosity  •   Respect  •  Integrity  •  Resilience

Our Vision:    Learn   •   Thrive  •   Contribute

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 Spring Holiday Program are now officially OPEN for Laburnum Primary! See what’s happening at our school → Please click here for the Flyer.

Please click on the Chess Club image for Term 4 registration.

Please click on the logo for information for Term 4 classes.

Pleae click on the logo for the Spring holiday program

Please click the image for Term 4 after-school basketball, ages 5-9.

Please click here to view information about Laburnum Cricket Club

Our Vision:    Learn   •   Thrive  •   Contribute