Principals' Page
Welcome back to Term 3.
There’s a lot happening across the school, with rehearsals for our school production Shrek in full swing, swimming lessons later in the term, Hoop Time, Book Week events, and the much-anticipated opening of our new Sensory Garden. The Year 1’s have celebrated 101 Dalmatian days of school, and the Preps will also be celebrating their first 100 days very soon.
Time Flies when you are having fun……
NAIDOC Week at GRPS
This week, we are proud to join schools and communities across Australia in celebrating NAIDOC Week. NAIDOC Week is a time to recognise and honour the history, culture and achievements of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples.
The 2025 NAIDOC theme, “Keep the Fire Burning! Blak, Loud & Proud,” invites us to celebrate the strength, pride and resilience of First Nations communities.
Our students have been engaging in learning that deepens their understanding of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander perspectives. This includes classroom discussions, stories, art and music, as well as exploring the significance of land, language and culture.
Sensory Garden and School Grounds Update
You may have noticed the fences are down and the sensory garden is really starting to take shape. In fact, our new water pump will be pumping more litres in the next few weeks than the average household uses in a whole year!
We are so excited to see this space coming to life and hope the broader community treats it with the same care and respect we will. The plants are going to take time to be established so please take care if you are using the space to “tread with care”.
The Garden was alive with the 5/6 children at lunchtime investigating the spaces, floating twig races down the creek, sitting at the rock tables and exploring the spaces for hide and seek.
For the next week we will have staggered play until the novelty wears off enabling all the classes a play in our special new garden.
NAPLAN Results: A Moment to Celebrate
We’re proud to share that our NAPLAN results are in, and drum roll, they are fantastic!
Our students have achieved excellent outcomes, and the whole school should feel proud.
At Great Ryrie, we are measured against 'like schools', which are schools with similar student and family backgrounds, including levels of education and employment. We’re also compared to other schools in our local network. This year, we’ve done exceptionally well in both comparisons.
This is a true team effort, thank you to all our teachers, ES staff, LEAP team, and support programs for helping our students achieve their best. Our continued focus on student wellbeing is also making a big difference, ensuring children are in the right mindset to learn.
A huge thank you to Jackie for getting all the NAPLAN results printed, sorted and into envelopes. These will go home today to families.
Parent Teacher Interviews
Interviews are taking place over the next few weeks. These meetings are such an important opportunity to share how your child is progressing and to discuss any questions or thoughts you may have.
Book Week is Coming
We will be celebrating Book Week this term on 22nd of August.
The theme for the 2025 Children's Book Week in Australia is "Book an Adventure!"
This theme encourages children to explore new worlds and embark on literary journeys. It’s a wonderful time to celebrate reading, imagination and favourite stories.
Start searching for a costume for the Book Parade or get creative with the Op Shop or making a clever dress-up.
(I was always the Mum that left it until the night before 😊)
Have a lovely weekend with your family and friends,
Karen Rouda Principal & Melissa Roberts Assistant Principal