Term 3, Week 6

Since the last College newsletter, we have had the privilege of appointing our School Captains and Vice Captains for the 2026 school year. It gives me great pleasure to announce Archie Simmons as the 2026 College Captain, with Declan Hansel and Matiyas Al-Patti as Vice Captains. I commend the entire 2026 senior cohort for their active involvement and mature participation in the nomination process for these roles. I would also like to thank Mr David Knight and the Pastoral Team for coordinating this process. I have no doubt that Archie, Declan, and Matiyas will do a fantastic job as leaders of our College. I also wish the remaining leadership candidates well as the leadership process continues with the selection of House Captains and College prefects.

During the same period, the College has also hosted several large-scale community events, beginning with our Solidarity Mass and Walkathon on Friday, 8 August. We were honoured to welcome guests from our 10 house charities, as well as representatives from the St Vincent’s Hospital Foundation, Ronald McDonald House and other Faith in Action charities to the Solidarity Mass. I thank Fr Will for celebrating the Mass with us and providing a great precursor to the afternoon’s Walkathon. 

There was an air of excitement in the quad as the students prepared to hit the footpaths around South Brisbane and the city for this year's Walkathon. Leaving the College, the sea of black and gold, all walking for charity, was a sight to behold and a feat that all families should be proud of. Each year, this event becomes more sustainable through initiatives like the marathon race tracking bibs that all students wear while on the course, and the increased police presence specifically designated to assist with the safety of our students. I must specifically thank Dr Liam Herbert for his coordination of this year’s event and the entire staff for their joy-filled supervision and involvement on the day. A special thanks to all those families who volunteered to be on course, offering water, support, and musical entertainment throughout the day.

At this point, the College is on track to raise close to $100,000 as a result of the Walkathon, and we look forward to sharing that with our partner charities in the future.

On Exhibition Wednesday, the College also hosted its annual Sports Day at the Runcorn playing facilities. Following the cancellation of the event last year due to weather, there was much anticipation surrounding this year's programme. Additionally, with the refurbishment of Fields 1, 2 and 3 already underway, the likelihood of the Sports Day being successfully held on Field 7 was relatively unknown.

I am pleased to confirm that, with thousands of people in attendance, the day was a huge success and a testament to the community of St Laurence’s College. It was great to see so many families at Runcorn, enjoying the Sports Day and socialising with old and new friends. Congratulations must go to Hogan House, who were crowned winning House on the day. I would also like to thank the Sports Department, the teaching staff, and all the families who were present for making this a fantastic community event.

The same talent was on show this week during the Strictly Strings and Band Blast concerts at the College. I congratulate all musicians on their performances over the last few weeks and sincerely thank our Year 12 students for their contribution to the music program, as they are in the midst of their final performances for the College. 

Parent Satisfaction Survey

Next Tuesday, all parents will be sent a school satisfaction survey from an external consultant, Mr Michael Elphick. Feedback received through this survey will assist the College with our future planning and will guide key decisions regarding our school.

I encourage all parents and caregivers to take a moment to provide their insights in the future of our great school.

Child Safety

St Laurence’s College affirms its unwavering commitment to the safety and wellbeing of all students and children.

This commitment is upheld through a shared understanding among all members of the College community of their individual and collective responsibilities in fostering and sustaining a child-safe culture. The provision of a secure, supportive and nurturing educational environment is fundamental to the College’s mission and forms the cornerstone of its dedication to child protection.

Further information regarding our child safety policies and practices is available here.

AIC Sport

AIC Sport is an important part of our College culture. As members of the Leadership Team and staff, we dedicate significant time to educating our students about respectful behaviour and sportsmanship. As adults, it is our responsibility to model this behaviour and hold ourselves to the same standards we expect from our young men.

With three rounds of AIC Sport remaining, I would like to remind all of our families of the AIC Code of Conduct for spectators and our need to be good role models for our individuals and teams. A copy of the AIC Code of Conduct can be found here.

Best wishes to all those competing for the College against Marist Ashgrove this weekend. 

With only 20 school days remaining in Term 3, the time is right to sit with your young man and interrogate his routine and study habits. As a checkpoint, this week allows an opportunity to refocus personal goals, revisit study timetables and ensure the forthcoming holidays bring a sense of reward and pride for the efforts of Term 3.