Specialist News
DISTRICT CROSS COUNTRY
On Monday the 20th of May, all of the students that qualified in the top 8 of the school's House Cross Country went to Dendy Park to participate in the District Cross Country. Unfortunately, none of us got a medal but we all tried our best. The weather was wet, but the sun came out during the presentation.
The distance was challenging for all of us, but we all showed great sportsmanship by cheering each other on. Thank you to all the teachers and parents who came along to cheer everyone on or to help with finishing and starting the races. We finished 8th overall and Elsternwick won because they won lots and lots of medals. None of us got into Divisions, but some of us were super close. It was a great day and we all enjoyed it.
Written By Annabel Quail, Ben Elmer and Anna Ben Khalfallah (Grade 5/6)
Soccer Sports Academy
This week, tied in with our kicking progressions in the junior school and invasion games in the senior school, we were fortunate to have some soccer experts on hand who ran clinics for all our students. Students developed their dribbling and passing skills and played some small sided games. Students who were keen to find out more, have come home with some information (more can be found outside the office). Please return this information to myself or the office as this is to gauge potential further opportunities in our community. Check out www.sportsstaracademy.com.au for more information.
F-2 Swimming Programme
Next week, Monday to Friday, our Foundation and Grade 1/2 students are swimming lesson bound at Starfish Swim School. Parents assisting have been notified via email or in person. Please don’t forget swim goggles are compulsory as are swim caps. If you have ordered and purchased a school swim cap, don’t forget to collect from the office.
From Ms Zoe:
Environmental initiatives
Last Monday I attended a preview of the film ‘2040’ followed by a Q&A with the film maker. The film was incredibly moving and extremely thought provoking. It really made me think about what I do in my home, community and work place. After the film, I reflected on some of my own practices and thought about ways I can be doing more.
At my house in Fitzroy we have been collecting food scraps and compost waste for almost 6 months now. Every Thursday my house mate and I walk our buckets of scraps up to a local community garden where we use the public composting bins. At my house there are 4 people and by separating food scraps and compost we only put our landfill bin out once a fortnight!
Often if we have lots of scraps I bring them here to Ripponlea. Did you know we have a composting bin here at school? I have been monitoring and stirring the compost bin in the productive garden. Just the other day I spotted worms and various other creepy crawlies. Each of our classrooms is now fitted with mini compost bins for students to put their scraps and the lovely Savina K and Anna B-K have made newspaper bin liners to stop the mess and the smell. They have kindly offered to empty these each week.
Since seeing ‘2040’ I have signed Ripponlea up to be part of some really cool environment programs and initiatives and I am now seeking community support. See below as to how your family, neighbours and community can be involved!
1/ Milk bottle top collection
https://growwithjoe.org/target-1000000.html
This organisation uses plastic milk bottle tops to make prosthetic hands, disability aids and STEM equipment. Please save and wash your milk bottle tops and bring them to school. There is a collection box in the office and in the art room!
2/ Colgate collection with Terracycle (Oral care recycling project)
We are now registered with Terracycle’s Colgate Community Garden Challenge. We are collecting tooth brushes, toothpaste tubes, dental floss containers for recycling. The more we collect, the more points we receive. We are in the running to win a recycled community garden set and many cool upcycled products! There is a collection box in the office and the art room too! See the website for further information: https://www.terracycle.com/en-AU/brigades/colgategarden
3/ Nude Food
5/6B are doing a lunch box audit over the next week to monitor how much single use plastic and food wrapping they are consuming at school. This will be an interesting audit and give us a great indication of how much single use plastic and food wrapping we are using without being aware. Thank you 5/6B!
There are some great nude food ideas on the nude food day website: https://www.nudefoodday.com.au/resources/
4/ Soft Plastic
We will attempt to collect the pesky soft plastic from snack shack in the coming weeks, including the icy pole wrappers. Did you know that a company called ‘Replas’ actually uses soft plastic to make furniture? I purchased a fancy new bin for the art room from ‘Eco Bins’ to separate this waste from the regular bin! https://www.replas.com.au
I encourage families, friends, neighbours and the community to get involved in these initiatives and know there are some students in the community who feel as strongly as I do about these issues.
Art Report
Lot’s happening in art at the moment in preparation for the big Ripper Art show in coming weeks!
Foundations are working with collage, learning about shapes and patterns. It’s been sticky and messy for some students. Year 1&2s are busy with their studies of Australian artist John Olsen. They are using his piece ‘Sydney Sun’ as inspiration for a mixed media piece. Year 3&4s have been working with textiles again learning various skills related to weaving. Their woven wall hangings look spectacular. Finally, 5&6s are close to completing their studies on Giacometti. Some have started spray painting their awesome sculptures for the exhibition. Looking forward to seeing the work finished and displayed.
Year 5&6 Visit to NGA
It was so lovely to attend the year 5&6 camp, especially the National Gallery of Australia. After our studies of Yayoi Kusama’s work in 2019, students witnessed art coming to life when they walk straight into Kusama’s ‘Infinity Dot Room.’ It was incredible to see their reaction to the work and very rewarding to hear their responses. The NGA has purchased this piece of work which will now be a permanent piece in the collection. We couldn’t have visited NGA without seeing ‘Blue Poles’ and Andy Warhol’s ‘Elvis’.
