Things To 

Know

FOOTY FEVER HITS RIPPONLEA

As the AFL Grand Final approaches, Victoria’s footy fans will be glued to their television screens or heading to the MCG to cheer on their teams. In the spirit of this exciting event, we’re bringing some of that sporting buzz to Ripponlea Primary School!

Tomorrow, we invite all our Rippers to come dressed in the colours of their favourite footy teams or any other sporting teams they support. Whether it's AFL, soccer, basketball, or another sport, we encourage everyone to show their team pride!

To kick off the fun, Mr McGannon and Mr Leech are thrilled to host a Footy Colours Parade first thing in the morning. Families are welcome to join us and see the vibrant display of team spirit in action!

Don't miss out on this fantastic celebration as we embrace the excitement of footy season right here at Ripponlea!

BIKE SHED UPDATE

As you may be aware from our newsletter, our building works will impact the use of the bike shed for storing students' bikes and scooters. Unfortunately, we are unable to determine the exact duration of this project at this stage. 

The fences will be erected this Friday, so we kindly advise that students do not bring their bikes or scooters to school from that day onward.

Currently, we do not have a secure alternative location on school grounds for bike and scooter storage. However, we have identified some possible options:

• Students can use the bike racks at the front of the school.
• Bikes can be chained along the fence line near the crossing.
• Alternatively, bikes can be locked at one of the trees/signposts on Carrington Grove 

We encourage families, especially those coming from a longer distance, to bring a bike lock and use these available options to secure their bikes. We also kindly request families to consider organizing walking groups or using school buses as alternatives during this period.

We are also exploring the possibility of utilising space at the back of the Barrbunin. However, we have concerns about security in that area due to the alleyway and the potential for theft.

We understand this situation may be inconvenient and appreciate your patience as we work through these changes. We aim to encourage physical exercise and sustainable transport as much as possible.

Please ensure that, if biking to school is the only option for your child, they use a sturdy bike chain for added security. Also, note that bikes and scooters left in the yard or classrooms are considered a safety hazard, as all paths need to remain clear for health and safety reasons.

Thank you for being so understanding.

SCHOOL SAVING BONUS

 In Term 4, 2024, families with a child enrolled in a government school from Prep to Year 12 in 2025 will receive the one-off $400 School Saving Bonus.

The $400 School Saving Bonus provides families with support for education-related costs, such as school activities and/or school uniforms and textbooks.

The School Saving Bonus is not available for full-fee international students, home-schooled students, TAFE students and students attending kindergarten in 2025.   

Actions for parents and carers

Before 18 October 2024, the Department of Education is asking parents and carers to:

• Complete enrolment: If your child, or children are changing government school for Term 1 2025, or starting Prep or Year 7 in 2025. For more information, read about Enrolling in School. 
• Check your contact information: Ensure your email address and phone number is up to date with us. You can check this information by contacting us directly.

We need to ensure your contact information is up to date as the Department of Education will email you twice:

• in October, to verify your email address
• in November, with your $400 School Saving Bonus and access to an online system.

Please check your junk mail regularly to make sure you do not miss an important email.

To learn more about the School Saving Bonus, download the School Saving Bonus Information sheet for government school parents and carers or visit vic.gov.au/school-saving-bonus

CUPCAKES RAFFLE

To celebrate the end of Term 3 we are hosting a Cup Cake raffle to be drawn on Friday the 20th of September (tomorrow). 

Tickets are $0.50 cents each and can be purchased through the QKR! app under the 'Ripper Families events' menu heading. 

All funds will be going towards our amazing Year 5/6 Legacy Project.

If you have any questions, please contact the office.