Principal Team Update

OUR YEAR 5/6 STUDENTS ARE BACK!

Well, school certainly wasn’t the same without them!

Our Year 5/6 students have returned from Canberra and are still recovering from what was truly an amazing study tour. We have received phenomenal feedback from the tour operator, hotel staff and several venues, but most importantly, our own staff could not speak highly enough of the students.

They engaged beautifully in every learning opportunity and experience, showing respect to members of the public, bus drivers, tour guides, venue staff and, of course, to each other.

There was barely a moment to rest! Even the evenings were jam-packed, from swimming at the AIS to visiting the Mount Stromlo Observatory. When students did have a break, it was a very welcome relief for tired feet after venturing far and wide across Canberra.

Students accessed places and learning experiences not always open to the general public. From mock trials at the High Court, to visits to Parliament House, Old Parliament House, the Australian Electoral Commission, Embassy Drive, museums, the Australian War Memorial, the Royal Australian Mint, the National Arboretum and the National Capital Exhibition, every day was filled with rich learning and excitement. Questacon was, of course, a major highlight, along with Sports X at the AIS with its virtual sports experiences.

This experience was the perfect prelude to upcoming Inquiry learning focused on democracy, citizenship and Australian history. Students did not simply read about these important concepts they experienced them firsthand by being in Canberra, where so much of Australia’s story and system of government began.

Even the journey itself became part of the learning and adventure, with students stopping at the iconic Dog on the Tuckerbox near Gundagai, a famous piece of Australian folklore and history, before exploring the remarkable HMAS Otway submarine in Holbrook. For many students, stepping inside and learning about life aboard a submarine was an unforgettable highlight of the trip.

This is truly a camp like no other. Beyond the incredible educational experiences, students developed important life skills becoming more independent, learning to self-manage, organise themselves, support one another and spend extended time away from their families. These experiences help build resilience, confidence, responsibility and lasting memories that will stay with them long after Year 5/6.

We are certain students will have many stories and experiences to share with us over the coming weeks.

A huge thank you must go to our incredible staff who gave so much of their time, energy and care to make this experience possible for our students,  Mrs Hoewel, Dave, Corey, Ms Shaw, Mr Rambaran, Mrs Campbell, Mark, Issy and Perrine. This is certainly not an easy camp to attend, with long days, little rest and enormous responsibility, and we sincerely thank them for creating such a memorable and enriching experience for our students.

PACER REBATE

The Australian Government recognises the importance of all young Australians being able to visit the national capital as part of their Civics and Citizenship education. To assist families in meeting the cost of the excursion the Australian Government is contributing funding to our school in the amount of $45.00 per student under the Parliament and Civics Education Rebate program towards those costs. The rebate is paid directly to the school upon completion of the excursion.

OPEN CLASSROOMS MORNING: A SNEAK PEEK INTO LEARNING 

Have you ever wondered what your child experiences in the classroom each day, and how you can feel more connected to their learning?

While we would never expect families to replicate the classroom learning environment at home, we are excited to offer you a special opportunity to have a sneak peek into learning at Ripponlea Primary School.

Next week, families are invited to join an explicit phonics lesson, followed by other literacy practices. While learning will look slightly different across each year level, you will see how our teachers use the school’s instructional model: I Do, We Do, You Do, alongside our engagement norms, classroom routines and learning structures.

This is a wonderful chance to appreciate just how much focus, effort and persistence our students bring to their learning each day.

Families are welcome to be a “fly on the wall” or even join in alongside their child from 9:00am to 10:00am on the following days:

Monday: Foundation Open Classrooms

Tuesday: Year 1/2 Open Classrooms

Wednesday: Year 5/6 Open Classrooms

Thursday: Year 3/4 Open Classrooms

We look forward to welcoming you into our classrooms.

2026 HOUSE CROSS COUNTRY 

A few weeks ago, we celebrated the 2026 House Cross Country event and what an incredible day it was for our Rippers! There were so many highlights, achievements and moments of perseverance on display across every year level.

With our recent assemblies jam-packed with acknowledgements and celebrations, we thought it was important to once again recognise the outstanding efforts of our students. Susie and Mr Rambaran were extremely proud of every age group and year level for the determination, resilience and sportsmanship shown throughout the event.

Congratulations again to all of our place-getters for 2026. Below is a recap of our winners across each age group.

We also congratulate all students who participated on the day. Cross Country is not just about winning a race it is about persistence, encouraging others, challenging yourself and representing your House with pride. The atmosphere across the event was outstanding, and our students should be incredibly proud of themselves.

A huge congratulations also goes to Bemin House, who were crowned the overall winners of the 2026 House Cross Country Carnival!

Overall House Results

🥇 1st Place – Bemin

🥈 2nd Place – Tunparrim

🥉 3rd Place – Boorring

🏅 4th Place – Warren

Congratulations to all Houses for the incredible spirit, encouragement and participation shown throughout the event.

ACTIVE PATHS LAUNCH AT RIPPONLEA PRIMARY SCHOOL 

Over the past term, our House Captains have been proudly working with Glen Eira City Council and Bicycle Network on an exciting community initiative called Active Paths.

Active Paths are specially planned walking and riding routes designed to help students travel safely, actively and confidently to school. The project encourages healthy habits, independence, road safety awareness and a more connected community, while also helping reduce traffic congestion around the school.

As part of this project, our student leaders worked alongside council representatives, teachers and Bicycle Network to identify the safest and most practical routes families can use on their daily journey to school. Along the way, you may have already noticed some of the new Active Paths markings outside the Foundation gates and near the basketball gates.

We are so excited to officially launch Active Paths on Friday 15th May!

Ripponlea Primary School now has four official safe and fun routes that students and families can walk or ride along to get to school. These routes were developed with valuable input from our students, teachers and local council partners to promote active travel and encourage students to enjoy the many benefits of walking and riding to school.

On the morning of the launch, school staff and a member of the Bicycle Network team will lead groups of students and families along each route to school.

Families are invited to meet at the starting point of their chosen Active Path route at 8:10am, with groups departing promptly at 8:15am.

We are also seeking a small number of parent volunteers to assist along the routes to help guide students and families safely on the morning. Volunteers may assist at crossings, help direct families at key points along the paths and support students as they travel together. If you are available to assist, please contact the school office or Mr Rambaran.

We look forward to seeing many of our Rippers joining in for this exciting community event and celebrating a healthier, safer and more active way to travel to school.

For more information and to view the four routes, please see the attached map.

CELEBRATING THOSE WHO CARE, SUPPORT & NURTURE

As Mother’s Day passed over the weekend, we hope all the special mums, grandmothers, aunts, cousins, family friends and carers who play such an important role in the lives of our students enjoyed a small gathering, special moment or token of appreciation from our Rippers.

At Ripponlea Primary School, we recognise that every family is unique and that many different people contribute significantly to supporting, nurturing and caring for our children. A number of years ago, our School Council made the thoughtful decision not to focus heavily on the commercial side or hype often associated with Mother’s Day and Father’s Day celebrations.

Instead, later in the year we proudly celebrate a Special Person’s Day, an opportunity for students to acknowledge and celebrate all the important people in their lives, regardless of title or relationship. It is always a wonderful occasion that reflects the inclusive, caring and connected community we value so deeply at Ripponlea.

To all those special people in our students’ lives thank you for the care, encouragement and love you provide each and every day.

MEET OUR NEW STAFF

Hello Ripponlea Community,

My name is Annie Shaw, and I am delighted to be joining the school community. I have had the pleasure of taking over Miss I’s class while she is on maternity leave.

I recently returned to Australia after spending the past three years teaching and living in London. Originally, I am from Muswellbrook in NSW and later moved to Newcastle to complete my teaching degree at university. This is my sixth year of teaching, and I feel very fortunate to have gained experience across London, New South Wales, and now Victoria.

I am a passionate educator and have thoroughly enjoyed getting to know the students and staff at Ripponlea over the past three weeks. In my spare time, I enjoy exploring new coffee shops and restaurants, running around Albert Park Lake, attending fitness classes, and going to the cinema.

I am very much looking forward to becoming part of the Ripponlea community and being the 5/6D classroom teacher for the remainder of the year.

Looking forward to a great year ahead,

NOURISHING HEALTHY RELATIONSHIPS WITH FOOD 

At Ripponlea Primary School we know that eating at school is about far more than simply having lunch. Eating times are opportunities for students to connect with others, develop lifelong healthy habits, and feel safe, respected and included within our school community.

Over recent months, we have been working closely with Better Health Network, alongside Amie Bast and Kayla Di Maio, to reflect on how we can continue to strengthen positive food culture and wellbeing practices across the school. Through this collaboration, staff engaged in reflective practice sessions, online surveys and co-design processes to explore how our school environment can positively support student wellbeing, lunchtime experiences and body image.

Research highlights that school settings play a critical role in shaping how children perceive and speak about their bodies. Through lunchtime rituals, classroom learning, peer interactions and even adult conversations, schools can either reinforce appearance-based norms or become powerful protective environments that foster confidence, belonging and respect. Teacher language, curriculum content, peer relationships and overall school culture all contribute significantly to how children develop their sense of self and wellbeing (Tylka & Piran, 2019).

These learnings led to the co-design of our RPS Food Environment Value Statements, which will guide and strengthen lunchtime practices and positive body image approaches across the school community. 

Through this work, three key values were identified:

1. Respectful Lunchtime Routine

Our school is committed to creating calm and predictable eating breaks that promote connection, inclusion and mutual respect. We recognise that every family and culture has different food traditions, preferences and routines, and we aim to ensure all students feel safe and accepted when eating at school.

This means we actively promote inclusive attitudes toward all foods and bodies, while encouraging respectful language and behaviours that reflect the diversity of our community.

2. Timing and Structure

We understand the importance of students having enough time to eat and regulate during the school day. As part of this commitment, we continue to strengthen a consistent whole-school structure that provides students with protected and predictable eating times.

Importantly, we recognise that students eat at different paces and have different needs. Flexible opportunities to finish food when needed will continue to be supported so students can focus on nourishment without unnecessary pressure or stress.

3. Food Learning and Diversity

Ripponlea Primary School is committed to fostering a learning environment where conversations about food, health and bodies are safe, respectful and inclusive.

Our staff will continue to engage in professional learning that builds confidence and understanding in these areas, ensuring students receive evidence-informed and age-appropriate learning experiences. Through this work, we aim to broaden students’ understanding of health, celebrate diversity, and support the development of positive body image and wellbeing for all children.

As a school community, we are proud to continue building a culture where every child feels respected, supported and confident in who they are.

Families are encouraged to take the time to read through the full RPS Food Environment Value Statements, which outline our shared commitments and the guiding principles that will support this work across the school community.

Save the Date

Families are invited to join Amie Bast and Kayla Di Maio from Better Health Network for an online parent workshop focused on positive food environments, body image and supporting healthy conversations at home.

Thursday 11th June🕢 7:30pm via Zoom

Further information and the Zoom link will be shared with families closer to the date.

Until next fortnight!

Natalie Rose             &                        Marta Campbell 

      Principal                                         Assistant Principal