Term 1, Week 8

This week Fr. Will’s homily at College Mass centred on the notion that at some stage in our lives, we all need to care for someone or something.  Fr. Will spoke of how at school we learn to care on a smaller scale, so that in life we are prepared to care for bigger things. He defined care for smaller things in life as 'getting the little things right'. Father Will’s homily caused me to stop and reflect in a Lauries context. The little things at Lauries are wearing your uniform correctly, arriving to class on time, picking up your litter and treating others with courtesy and respect. The little things in life can often be a challenge for some boys, particularly in their adolescent years. However, in agreeing with Fr. Will’s sentiment, the little things are worth caring about, because the care you apply teaches you how to care for bigger things and an ongoing foundation for success. As a parent, it’s important to teach your young man to take care of the little things in his life. 

Annual Old Boys and Community Concert

Students at St Laurence’s College are accustomed to the acknowledgements provided of the great work that occurs inside and outside of the classroom by our young men. An important part of College life at Lauries is recognising the achievements of our community. One area of the College that is never far from the tip of your tongue in this regard is our College Music Department. 

On Monday evening, members of the St Laurence’s College music community gathered at St Ignatius Church Toowong for the annual Old Boys and Community Concert. Featuring a community Choir of teachers, former students, friends and family along with Old Boy bands and an Old Boys' choir, the evening was nothing short of breathtaking and of a standard that many would pay to witness. Yet, while the music was the centrepiece of the evening, the equal success of the occasion was the connection of community across generations and the Lauries Spirit that was alive and well through voice and performance. 

I would like to thank the entire Music and AV departments for their weeks of work and commitment to this event and a special thanks to all members of the community who gave of their time to be involved. 

NAPLAN

Congratulations to all Year 5, 7 and 9 students who this week completed their NAPLAN testing for 2025. Under standardised conditions, our young men conducted themselves exceptionally and should be proud of their commitment to the task. We look forward to seeing their results in the future as a way of assisting their individual, ongoing academic development. 

Yuuingan Yari Launch

On Wednesday evening, the College celebrated the launch of the Yuuingan Yari Young Mens Program. This is bespoke program for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander students at St Laurence's College. The Program aims to assist with the workforce pathways for students, along with supporting their social and emotional wellbeing. The program aims to ensure that Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander students are connected in body, mind, family, community, culture, country and spirit.

As a bespoke program written for the students at St Laurence’s College, with the support of SCIPS (School Community Industry Partnership Service) and CareerTrackers the program is fluid in nature, with the intent of serving the needs of each individual student. You can find out more about the program here.

I must both thank and congratulate Mr Kelsey Doyle and Mr Lachlan Heshusius for their work on this program and we look forward to seeing its ongoing implementation.