Term 1, Week 7

Middle School Mentoring

The last two weeks have seen House Mentors completing Mentoring meetings with the Middle School students in their homeroom/admin class.  The meetings focus on discussing the reflections and goals set by each student in their care in the hope of assisting students to stay on track, monitor their well-being and achieve their personal best.  Thank you to our House Mentors for wrapping up the interviews next week and to our Year 12s who have been instrumental in assisting our Year 7 students with the process.  We hope that this process is fruitful for our students and they will see the benefits on their end of semester report card.

Parent Learning Opportunities

I would like to highlight numerous learning opportunities that we are extending to our parents in the weeks and months to come. 

Parent M2L

For our first Parent Meeting to Learn this year we will host Susan McLean of Cyber Safety Solutions to talk about ‘Growing Up Online’.  Susan has a wealth of experience is one of Australia’s preeminent experts in this field. After spending the day delivering safety messages to each year level, she will present to parents that evening. 

Wellio Parent Webinars

Parent Meet Wellio is an Australian educational platform that helps us to deliver engaging, interactive and evidence-based wellbeing lessons in Laurie’s Journey. The platform is currently used with our Year 7 and 8 students in LJ and a suite of lessons has been added to our Year 10 LJ curriculum.  Our Wellio subscription allows us to offer our parents free access to Wellio’s ‘2026 Parent Webinar Series’. They have four planned for the year and feature topics of interest to many parents. Just as our LJ lessons at school develop the skills and toolkits of our young men, Wellio’s series will focus on supporting parents to build their own toolkits. You will simply need to register through Humantix.

• Parenting Through the U16 Social Media Age Restrictions - Tuesday 24 March, 6.30 - 7.30pm - Register Here
• Raising Confident and Resilient Kids - Wednesday 20 May, 6.30 - 7.30pm - Register Here
• Friendship Problems and Social Stress - Thursday 10 September, 6.30 - 7.30pm - Register Here
• Letting Go Without Losing Touch - Thursday 5 November, 6.30 - 7.30pm - Register Here

Year 12 Formal

The Year 12 Formal will soon be upon us and as such their Year Level Assembly on Tuesday focussed on the practical steps that need to be taken as soon as possible, such as lodging their table preferences and paying for tickets. Furthermore, we also explored the etiquette of a formal occasion and how a Laurie’s gentleman will be attentive, thoughtful, respectful and considerate of his partner.  We look forward to this wonderful occasion and milestone. 

NAPLAN

Congratulations to our Year 7 and 9 students who have nearly completed their NAPLAN testing. We were happy with the way students engaged with the testing so far and know that they are relieved to have it completed next week.  For our Year 9 students, it was a good segue into their Term 1 exam procedures, and we hope they keep their focus and academic momentum. 

Neurodiversity Week 

Next week is Neurodiversity Week and our community will be reminded that we value diversity in all its forms and recognise that a wide range of cognitive styles leads to a richer, more dynamic world. By highlighting various well-known individuals who live with autism, ADHD, dyspraxia, dysgraphia, dyscalculia and Tourette’s Syndrome we will emphasise that many people who found school difficult are now very successful. It also illustrates that whilst they may have struggled in some areas, they have vast gifts and talents.

Students will be reminded why it is important to understand that our brains are unique and as such, how each of us view, experience, interact and contribute to our world and community will be different.  A key message will be what we can do to support and encourage neurodiverse students in our classrooms and Lauries community. 

Our hope is that inclusivity, understanding, empathy and support filters through all elements of our Lauries community.

Assessment – Best Wishes

As the Year 11 block exams conclude, we would like to extend our heartfelt best wishes to all other grades as assessment and exams increase. Our hope for the coming few weeks is for our students to manage their time, stress, and overall wellbeing effectively to help cope with the increased demands.

We urge them to remember that maintaining a balance of good sleep, proper nutrition, and managing anxiety are key components to performing at one’s best. It’s essential to avoid overloading on sugary foods, caffeine and last-minute cramming. Preparation is crucial, so students are encouraged to prioritize study and revision.

Time management will be critical during these weeks. We also recommend considering reducing extra shifts at part-time jobs and being mindful of activities that could divert focus.

We are confident in their ability to rise to the occasion, and we wish them all the very best of luck. You’ve got this, gentlemen!

Year 7 Parent & Son Evening

I would sincerely like to thank all of the attendees at last Tuesday night’s Year 7 Parent & Son Evening who enjoyed a meal before rotating through five sessions designed for participants to learn more about Lauries and have fun.  The evening could not run without our generous presenters Michelle Guerrero, Trish Templeton, Anthony Bird, Stacey Tait, Aimee Watt, Anna Ringrose, Jo Lynch, John Larkin, Leisa Priebe and Susan Harris generously devoting their time and expertise.  I received some lovely emails from appreciative parents who noted that the sessions were both informative and fun! 

MS VANESSA BELL 

Dean of Engagement and Wellbeing