Free Parent & Carer Autism Workshop – Positive Partnerships

Families are invited to attend a FREE government-funded workshop presented by Positive Partnerships, designed to support parents, carers, grandparents and kinship carers of children with autism or children who may be on the autism pathway. A formal diagnosis is not required to attend.

This practical and informative workshop will explore:

Understanding the diversity of autism
Supporting sensory processing needs
Strengthening partnerships between home and school to help children thrive.

Workshop Details

Date: Thursday 3 September 2026
Time: 9:15 am – 3:00 pm
Venue: Caulfield Park Pavilion, 280 Balaclava Road, Caulfield North
Cost: Free (morning tea and lunch provided)

This is a wonderful opportunity to connect with other families, gain practical strategies and hear evidence-informed information from experienced facilitators in a welcoming and supportive environment.

To register or find out more, visit:

Positive Partnerships Workshop Registration

PARENT INFORMATION SESSION - BIG THE RETURN OF THE RPS CAKE RAFFLE!

Rippers, we would love to bring back a wonderful old RPS tradition, the Friday Cake Raffle!

Many of our long-term families may remember the days when our generous parent bakers would donate a delicious homemade cake, slice or sweet treat to be raffled off at assembly. It was always a highlight of the week, and the lucky winner took home something truly scrumptious to enjoy with their family.

What many people may not realise is that every dollar raised through the cake raffle went directly towards student leadership projects. In fact, the buddy benches located outside OSHC and the Japanese Room were funded entirely through proceeds from previous cake raffles.

We would love to see this tradition return. It doesn't need to happen every week even a fortnightly raffle would make a wonderful contribution to our school community. To make it work, we only need around five volunteer bakers per term who are willing to donate a baked item when rostered.

Whether it's a family favourite slice, cupcakes, muffins, biscuits or a classic cake, every contribution helps our students make a difference around the school.

If you would be willing to join our Cake Raffle Bakers Team, please contact Lee at the office. We'd love to hear from you.

Together, let's bring back a much-loved RPS tradition and continue supporting student-led projects across our school.

"Who knows what our student leaders might create next with the funds raised?"

LEARNING MATTERS: WHY REDUCING DISTRACTIONS HELP EVERY RIPPER TO LEARN

At Ripponlea Primary School, one of our ongoing priorities is ensuring that every student has the opportunity to learn, retain knowledge and experience success in the classroom. This week, we have been exploring this idea with students from Foundation to Year 4, with Year 5/6 discussions taking place tomorrow.

A key concept underpinning our work is Cognitive Load Theory, which simply means that our brains can only process a limited amount of new information at one time. When students are learning something new, they need to focus their attention on the lesson, the task and the thinking required. Every distraction competes for that attention and reduces the brain's capacity to learn.

Research tells us that learning occurs when information moves from our working memory into our long-term memory. This process requires concentration, repetition, practice and attention. When students are distracted, they often miss critical pieces of information, making it more difficult to understand, remember and apply their learning.

This week, we asked students a simple question:

"What behaviours distract your learning?"

Importantly, we did not ask students to name individuals. Instead, we focused on the actions and behaviours that interrupt learning.

Across year levels, students consistently identified:

Talking during learning time
Calling out and making loud noises
Students wandering around the classroom
Touching, pushing or interfering with others
Playing with objects and equipment
Silly or attention-seeking behaviours
Interrupting transitions between learning activities

What was particularly encouraging was that students were also able to identify their own role in creating a positive learning environment. Many suggested strategies such as:

Moving away from distractions
Politely speaking up when learning is being interrupted
Encouraging peers to make positive choices
Not reinforcing inappropriate behaviour by laughing, joining in or giving attention to it

One phrase that emerged from our discussions was:

"Hey, that's not okay."

Students recognised that respectful peer feedback can help maintain a positive learning environment for everyone.

As part of these discussions, we also explored the power of non-verbal prompts. Students learned that not every interruption requires a verbal response from a teacher or peer. Simple strategies such as eye contact, a gesture, pointing to expectations, moving closer to a student, or redirecting attention back to the task can often help students self-correct without interrupting the learning of others.

Drawing on the work of Bill Hansberry, we know that the least intrusive intervention is often the most effective. These subtle prompts maintain student dignity, reduce unnecessary attention on inappropriate behaviour and help keep the entire class focused on learning.

This work aligns closely with the thinking of education consultant Bill Hansberry, who reminds us that behaviour is communication and that every behaviour serves a function. Often, students engage in certain behaviours because they are seeking something—attention, connection, avoidance, sensory stimulation or a sense of control.

One of the most common functions of disruptive behaviour is attention-seeking. While attention is a normal human need, students sometimes learn that calling out, being silly or disrupting others is an effective way to gain social recognition from peers. When classmates laugh, react or engage, the behaviour is reinforced and becomes more likely to occur again.

This is why we are helping students understand that distractions are often a choice. While all children make mistakes and occasionally lose focus, students can learn strategies to regulate their behaviour, make positive choices and contribute to a productive learning environment. Equally important is helping students understand that they do not need to reward distracting behaviours with attention. By staying focused on their learning and encouraging peers respectfully, students can help create classrooms where everyone can succeed.

At Ripponlea, we want every classroom to be a place where students feel safe, respected and ready to learn. By reducing distractions and increasing engagement, we maximise every child's opportunity to build knowledge, develop confidence and achieve success. Every minute spent learning matters, and every student deserves the opportunity to learn without unnecessary interruptions.

Looking ahead to Term 3, we will continue this work by exploring the concept of consequential learning and helping students understand the relationship between the choices they make and the outcomes they experience. Students will be encouraged to reflect on how their decisions impact not only their own learning, wellbeing and relationships, but also the learning opportunities of others.

Through classroom discussions, refelective practices and explicit teaching, we will support students to recognise that every choice has a consequence—some positive, some less desirable—and that taking responsibility for our actions is an important part of becoming a successful learner and community member.

Our goal is not simply to reduce inappropriate behaviour; it is to help students develop the self-awareness, self-regulation and decision-making skills that will serve them throughout their lives. By understanding how choices influence outcomes, students become empowered to make decisions that support their own success, contribute positively to their classroom community and uphold our shared commitment to learning.

Learning is a team effort between students, staff and families. Thank you for your ongoing support as we continue to strengthen the learning culture across our school and uphold our commitment to helping every student thrive.

Supporting Our School Community – Pay-It-Forward Fund

At Ripponlea Primary School, we know that every family’s circumstances are different, and that the rising cost of living continues to place pressure on many households.

Earlier this year, we introduced the Ripponlea Primary School Pay-It-Forward Fund as part of our Parent Payments and Contributions model. This voluntary fund allows families who can do so to contribute towards supporting other students within our school community.

We would also like families to know that this support is available to access.

The Pay-It-Forward Fund can assist with costs related to:

camps and excursions
incursions and special activities
school events
curriculum-related experiences and opportunities

Our goal is simple: we want all students to be able to participate in and enjoy the opportunities offered at school, regardless of temporary financial challenges.

Support is provided confidentially and respectfully through the school. If your family is experiencing financial hardship and would benefit from assistance, please contact the office or speak with Natalie confidentially.

Sometimes families can give support, and sometimes families need support, both are a normal part of being a caring community.

We are incredibly grateful for the kindness and generosity shown by our Ripponlea families.

📚Premier's Reading Challenge📚

The Premiers' Reading challenge is back for 2026! This year’s theme is ‘Stories to discover. Stories to tell’.

The challenge runs until 4th September 2026. It’s all about discovering new books, and a love of reading. The Challenge isn’t a competition. Everyone is on their own reading adventure. Students who complete their reading goal will get a certificate signed by Jacinta Allan and past Premiers of our state.

Once you have signed up, you will be able to access the challenge book list. Most of the books that students read during the Challenge should be taken from the list. It is important that students read books appropriate for their year or reading level. During the Challenge, a student will read a certain number of books that are suitable for them. While the number of books can be varied for a student, the general guidance is:

Prep to Year 2: Read a total of 15 books, with 10 or more of those books from the Challenge book list
Year 3 to Year 6: Read a total of 30 books, with 20 or more of those books from the Challenge book list

If you would like to register to take part in the challenge, please email Izzy (isabelle.garcia@education.vic.gov.au) to request your username and password.

More information can be found here.

Supporting Learning Through Curriculum Contributions

At Ripponlea Primary School, we are incredibly proud of the rich, engaging and high-quality learning experiences we provide for every student, every day. A key part of making this possible is the voluntary Curriculum Contributions made by our families.

Curriculum Contributions go directly towards classroom budgets, empowering our teachers to purchase high-quality, purposeful materials that support daily teaching and learning. These are the resources that bring lessons to life supporting hands-on exploration, creativity, collaboration and deep thinking across all areas of the curriculum.

In classrooms, these contributions help fund:

Literacy resources such as mentor texts, class novels and guided reading materials
Mathematics equipment including hands-on manipulatives, games and problem-solving tools
Inquiry learning resources that support investigations, experiments and project-based learning
Printing, consumables and classroom organisation materials that ensure smooth daily operations

Our specialist programs particularly benefit from these contributions. They enable us to provide:

Visual Arts: a wide range of quality art materials including paints, canvases, clay, textiles and craft supplies
Physical Education: updated and diverse sports equipment to support skill development and active participation
Performing Arts: props, instruments and resources that allow students to express themselves creatively
Japanese: cultural materials and engaging resources that deepen language learning and intercultural understanding

Curriculum Contributions also support:

Digital learning tools and classroom technology
Science and STEM materials for experimentation and design
Replacement and replenishment of shared resources across the school
Additional classroom texts and resources that align with our whole-school instructional approach

While many families will be familiar with the individual book packs from Maxim, it is important to understand that Curriculum Contributions go well beyond these items. They fund the shared resources that all students access daily the materials that often sit behind the scenes but are essential to delivering a high-quality education.

At times, these contributions may not always be immediately visible, but their impact is felt in every classroom, every lesson and every learning experience.

We are deeply grateful to all families who have made voluntary contributions. Your support makes a tangible difference to the opportunities we can provide and ensures our teachers are well-equipped to deliver engaging, inclusive and high-quality learning programs.

Thank you for partnering with us to support your child’s learning.

BOOK FAIR 2026

Our annual Book Fair is almost here! This year's fair will run from Monday 17 August to Friday 21 August in the school library.

We are excited to be partnering with Avenue Bookstore this year. Every purchase made at the Book Fair helps support our library, with 20% of all sales returned to the school as credit to purchase new books for our collection.

Students will have the opportunity to browse the Book Fair with their class on Monday and Tuesday. Families are warmly invited to visit and purchase books during the following opening times:

Wednesday 19 August• 3:30 pm – 4:30 pm

Thursday 20 August• 8:30 am – 9:00 am• 3:30 pm – 4:30 pm

Friday 21 August• 8:30 am – 9:00 am

With a wide range of books available at various price points, there's sure to be something for every reader. We look forward to seeing you at the Book Fair!

BOOK WEEK PARADE

The Book Week Parade will be held on Monday 24 August at 9:00 am and families are welcome to join us and watch the parade.

We can't wait to see all of the costumes inspired by your favourite books and characters!

Prizes will be awarded for the best costume in each year-level category:

Kindergarten
Foundation
Years 1/2
Years 3/4
Years 5/6

There will also be a special prize for the Most Inventive and Original Costume. We're looking for creative designs that are unique and make clever use of materials.

We look forward to celebrating the joy of reading with our whole school community!

Here are some pictures from last year for inspiration:

TheirCare Updates