St Lawrence Primary School

386 Albert Street, Balcatta 6021

Phone: 08 9344 4944

admin@stlawbal.wa.edu.au

https://www.stlawbal.wa.edu.au/

The vision of St Lawrence Catholic Primary School, Balcatta is to share the message of God’s love and friendship in a community of learners, developing the full potential of each child.

Dear Families,

Welcome back to Term 2!

As we begin the new term, there is a wonderful sense of enthusiasm and energy around the school. Term 2 is always a busy and rewarding time of learning and growth. I know all our incredibly hard-working staff are looking forward to engaging the students in meaningful learning experiences across all areas of the curriculum.

We are excited about the many opportunities this term will bring, from classroom learning and sporting activities to community events and special celebrations. Thank you, as always, for your ongoing support and partnership with the school. We value the strong relationships we share with our families and the important role these play in supporting our students’ learning and wellbeing.

It is wonderful to have Mrs Gloria Edwards back with us following her well‑deserved long service leave. We hope she enjoyed her time away, and we are delighted to see her return to support our Year 2 students once again.

We are also pleased to see the return of Mrs Grace Tolich (née Whitney), who spent last term touring the East Coast with the production The Diary of Anne Frank. It has been fascinating to hear about the experience, including performing on stage twice each day throughout the tour.

We welcome Mrs Karen Bakewell to our St Lawrence community, as she joins our Pre‑Primary team working on Thursdays and Fridays for the remainder of the year. With her wealth of experience, she will be a valuable support to our youngest learners.

We are also pleased to welcome Miss Rachel Ward, who will be working in Year 4 on Tuesdays, Thursdays and Fridays this term. Miss Ward is already settling in well, and we look forward to the positive contribution she will make both in the classroom and within our wider school community.

You may have noticed the new landscaping taking shape at the front of the school. This exciting project is being completed thanks to a successful grant application made last year, through which the school has received $40,000 from the Labor Government.

The new garden is designed to create a welcoming, relaxed area where families can sit, connect and enjoy spending time together, while also providing a warm and inviting entrance to the school. Trees have been planted along the fence lines, and the paving is also nearly completed.

The corner of this space will continue to be known as Carmelo’s Corner. It will be lovingly enhanced as a memorial area; a calm and respectful place to reflect and remember Carmelo, and to honour other members of our community in the future.

Once the project is complete, Hon David Michael will visit the school to officially open the space. We look forward to students and classes enjoying this beautiful garden for activities such as reading, quiet learning moments or simply spending time in a peaceful natural setting.

This is going to be a very busy and long term, so please make sure you have access to our online school calendar to keep updated on all the happenings around the place, including the 5-day / mid-term break for you all around the June long weekend. https://stlawbal.wa.edu.au/parents/calendar/

Thank you for your continued support in our very special school community.

Mrs Sarah Williams

Principal

Please note: All dates and events are subject to change.

Term 2

• Thursday 30 April - Yrs 1 - 3 attending Mass 9am
• Friday 1 May - Assembly 8.45am
• Monday 4 May - Yrs 5 & 6 Talk Money Incursion
• Wednesday 6 May - All Day Mother's Day Stall, 1.40 pm - 2.40pm kindy Mother's Day
• Thursday 7 May - Yrs 4-6 attending Mass 9am, 2pm-3pm Pre Primary Mother's Day, 2pm-3pm P&F Meeting, 6.30pm-7pm Confirmation Parent Meeting
• Friday 8 May - Mother's Day Breakfast 7.30am-9am
• Tuesday 12 May - Yr 6 Confirmation Retreat
• Monday 11 May - Wednesday 13 May - All Day Kindy Parent Interviews
• Thursday 14 May - Ascension - Whole School Mass 9am, 2-2.30pm School Advisory Council Meeting
• Friday 22 May - Assembly 8.45am
• Saturday 23 May - Yr 6 Confirmation Ceremony 4pm
• Wednesday 27 May - Yr 1 National Simultaneous Storytime 9am
• Friday 29 May - All Day Student Free Day

WINTER UNIFORM

A reminder that all Year 1 to Year 6 students are required to wear the full winter uniform during Terms 2 and 3.
Pre‑Primary students will continue to wear their sports uniform with tracksuit pants.
By Week 3, it is expected that all students are in full winter uniform. We appreciate families’ support in helping students meet uniform expectations.

MONTH OF MAY

During the month of May, we dedicate our prayers to Mary, our Spiritual Mother.
To honour Mary, each Friday in May at afternoon line‑up, students will lead the school community in praying a decade of the Rosary. Families are encouraged to share in prayer with us during this special month.

MOTHER’S DAY STALL

The P&F Mother’s Day Stall will be held on Wednesday 6th May.

This year, the Mother’s Day Stall will operate as a physical shop, allowing children to browse and select items in person.

• Gift prices range from $2 to $6
• Students may purchase a maximum of three items
• Gifts may be chosen for mothers and grandmothers

Thank you to the P&F for organising this special initiative.

MOTHER’S DAY BREAKFAST

On Friday 8th May, our school community will come together to celebrate Mother’s Day.

The P&F, in collaboration with The Fathering Project, will host a Mother’s Day Breakfast for our much‑loved mothers and grandmothers. All mothers and grandmothers are welcome to attend.

CONFIRMATION

Confirmation is one of the initiation Sacraments of the Catholic Church, strengthening candidates in their faith and uniting them more fully with Christ.

• A Parent Information Meeting will be held on Thursday 7th May at 6.30pm in the Church.
  At least one parent/guardian of Year 6 students receiving the Sacrament is expected to attend.
• Year 6 students will participate in a Confirmation Retreat Day on Tuesday 12th May.
• The Sacrament of Confirmation will be celebrated on Saturday 23rd May at 4.00pm.

Please keep our candidates and their families in your prayers during this important time of faith formation.

ASSEMBLY

A school Assembly will be held on Friday 1st May, where we will introduce our core value for

Term 2. Merit Certificates will also be presented. All parents and carers are very welcome to attend.

SCHOOL PHOTOS - CHANGE OF DATES

School photos will now take place Wednesday 3rd June for Kindy - Yr 6 and Thursday 4th June for Pre Kindy.

LOST PROPERTY

Our Lost Property currently contains a large number of items, many of which are not named and cannot be returned to students. Please ensure all clothing and personal belongings are clearly labelled. If your child has accidentally taken home an item that does not belong to them (such as a hat), we ask that it be returned to school as soon as possible.

Thank you for your support and cooperation.

Ms Kathleen Tranquille & Mrs Gabrielle Brennan

Assistant Principals

On Tuesday morning, our Year Two students proudly led the school in a meaningful Anzac Day assembly. The children demonstrated great respect and confidence as they shared readings and reflections to honour the courage and sacrifice of those who have served our country. It was a special and memorable occasion for all in attendance.

Some of our Year Six leaders also took part in the assembly, supporting the Year Twos and contributing to the service. Their leadership and example were greatly appreciated.

We were also very fortunate to have Mrs Anita Buchanan join us for the service. She played the Last Post and Reveille beautifully, adding a very special and meaningful touch to our assembly.

Mrs Gloria Edwards & Mrs Kaylene Bozich

Year Two Teachers

The Catholic Performing Arts Festival is coming up in Term 3 and will run from the 24th of July to the 4th of September. Here is a link with more information: https://www.spiritofthearts.com.au/performing-arts-festival/

The choir (Years 4-6) will be entering again this year and we would like to offer the opportunity for any solo performers to enter (vocals/a variety of instruments etc).

If your child learns a musical instrument and you would like your child to participate or if you have any questions, please email grace.tolich@cewa.edu.au as I will need to do the submission. For the submission, I will need the name of the song, the composer, the duration of the performance and the sheet music. Entries close 10th of May.

Mrs Grace Tolich

Music Teacher

Play Group has recommenced for term 2 so if you're looking for a fun way to start your Friday morning join us in the kindy classroom. A reminder that all members of the community are welcome at St Lawrence Play Group so feel free to spread the word.

Mrs Gillian Austin

Play Group Facilitator

We have an external provider to deliver a lunch service for Thursday & Friday each week.

LunchboxHub will be supplying a variety of healthy lunch options which parents can now access to order school lunches.

Lunch orders need to be placed by 8:30am on Thursday and 7:30am on Friday.

To Order Lunches:

Please visit the following link that will provide you with all the information and an ordering guide:

All you need to know about ordering from Lunchbox Hub and visit: https://school-lunch.lunchboxhub.com.au/ to create your new account.

For further information about our new canteen service please click here: https://stlawbal.wa.edu.au/parents/school-canteen/

CADBURY EASTER FUNDRAISER

A gentle reminder that all funds are now due back for the Cadbury Easter Fundraiser. Thank you for your support.

MOTHER'S DAY STALL

This year’s Mother’s Day stall will run for children in Kindy to Year 6. The stall will be held on Wednesday the 6th May.

This year we are running a physical shop that the children can come and make their own selections and purchase “in store”.

We have items ranging from $2 to $6 and children are able to purchase a maximum of three items each.

We would like to thank the year one class parents for their support in running the stall.

*Please note, besides the year one helpers, this is a child only event.

MOTHER'S DAY BREAKFAST

This year’s Mother’s Day Breakfast has been proudly funded by the P&F - but with an fantastic twist!

The Fathering Group has stepped in to take the reins and cook Bacon & Egg Sliders.

We’d like to say a very big thank you to all the dads involved for taking the pressure off the mums in the P&F and for putting in the time and effort to make this event so special.

Please be sure to bring some change as the P&F will be running a raffle on the day, $5 per ticket or 3 for $10. The prize includes, a hair voucher, beauty voucher & delicious Gluten Free treats kindly donated by Charlotte Princi – @Simply_Charlottes on Instagram among other items.

We look forward to enjoying a beautiful morning celebrating all the amazing mums in our community.

Please RSVP via the link below: link closes 3rd May 2026

https://forms.gle/eL25N4hkHWwVQs6H6

QUIZ NIGHT – FRIDAY 31st JULY 2026

Please note the P&F are organising a major community event – this is an adults only event.

Please keep the 31st July 2026 free and get your friends together. We hope to have at least one table of 10 to represent each year group - one class group will go home with bragging rights!

Tickets will be $20 each or you can purchase a table of 10 for $175 – more information on the event & how to purchase tickets will be released shortly. Tickets include, entertainment, light refreshments and lots of fun!

CANTEEN VOLUNTEERS

We would like to extend a huge thank you to all those who have volunteered to help with our canteen lunches. We almost have a full roster. If you would like to help – please let your class rep know and we will add you to the list!

Please note, for supervision and safety reasons, children are not permitted in the canteen while school lunches are being distributed. Thank you for your support which directly benefits the children.

VOLUNTEER LINK

To Volunteer at our school please complete the link below. Parents, Guardians & Grandparents are all welcome to register!

https://stlawbal.wa.edu.au/our-school/pf/

P&F TEAM

Welcome to Term 2 Dads.

We have finalised Fathering camp next year at Guilderton with 44 families set to attend the weekend of 12th-14th of March 2027. Last fathering camp was a great weekend with lots of activities including fishing, swimming, movie night and a Dads and kids footy match. Also a thanks to the Dads who came up for the Day on the Saturday and joined us for the sausage sizzle.

Mother’s Day breakfast is next Friday 8th of May. Looking for a couple of Dads to help with cooking and help run the raffle. If available to help in any capacity please give me a text on 0413235448.

And for those who haven’t joined the Whatsapp group please use the QR code to join to keep up to date with anything fathering group related.

Will Stevens

Fathering Project Co-Ordinator

CHILDREN'S LITURGY

The Children’s Liturgy is offered at the 5pm Mass on the 2nd and 3rd Sundays of the month, during school term.

At the beginning of Mass, all primary school children are invited to join our Children’s Liturgy team, in the Parish hall, for activities tailored to help them better understand ‘The Liturgy of the Word’. The children return to church when the offertory gifts are taken up. Please encourage your kids to join in.

Visit balcatta.perthcatholic.org.au to read our bulletins and find out more

information about happenings in our parish.