Things To 

Know

ESTABLISHING OUR SCHOOL BAND/MUSICAL ENSEMBLE 

🎶 Calling All Talented Rippers! 🎶

Mr. Michael Redman is looking for skilled musicians to join the school band or a musical ensemble! If you’ve been playing a musical instrument for three or more years and are confident in your abilities, this is your chance to shine.

Requirements to join:

✅ At least three years of experience playing your instrument

✅ Commitment to weekly rehearsals on Fridays at 8:00 AM

✅ Willingness to perform at assemblies and special events

✅ Dedication to continue for at least one school term

If your child is interested in joining, families can contact Mr. Redman at rednotes@iinet.net.au. We hope to see a fantastic group of Rippers ready to make music together! 

🎵 Stay tuned for more details.

STAYING CONNECTED WITH SEESAW

At Ripponlea Primary School, we use Seesaw as a digital portfolio to showcase student learning and keep families informed about their child's educational journey. This Friday, our teachers will release the first blog of the year, sharing key updates about the start of the school year, important reminders, and what’s coming up for your child’s year level.

Activating Your AccountTo stay connected, we encourage families to activate their Seesaw accounts. If you haven’t done so yet, please contact your child’s teacher for support in setting this up.

Seesaw is a Private and Secure Space

Your child’s Seesaw account is private and password-protected. Students do not see each other’s portfolios or photos, ensuring a safe and personal learning space.

How We Use Seesaw

• Student Learning Portfolios: Teachers and students upload work samples, reflections, and achievements.
• Fortnightly Curriculum Updates: Every two weeks, families will receive updates about classroom learning, helping you stay informed about what’s happening at school.

Important Reminder: Seesaw is not used as a parent communication portal. If you need to contact your child’s teacher, please do so via email.

We look forward to sharing a fantastic year of learning with you through Seesaw!

SCHOOL PHOTO DAY - MONDAY 3 MARCH

A friendly reminder that School Photo Day is coming up on Monday, 3rd March! 📸

The schedule for the day can be viewed on COMPASS—simply scroll over the event to see your child's allocated time. Families wishing to book sibling photos can do so in advance, ensuring a wonderful keepsake for the whole family.

All prints can be purchased through Monarchy Photography, a trusted provider known for capturing high-quality school memories. Their professional approach ensures every student looks their best, creating beautiful mementos perfect for grandparents and gifts.

To help students shine on the day:

✅ Wear the correct school uniform

✅ Tidy up with a touch of hair gel or a neat style

✅ Bring your best smile!

We can’t wait to see our students looking their best for this special day! 🌟

PARENT PAYMENTS AND EXCITING LEARNING OPPORTUNITIES IN 2025

At the end of 2024, we released our 2025 Parent Payments, aligned with the Department of Education's Parent Payments Policy. We extend our heartfelt gratitude to those families who have already made contributions. Your voluntary contributions play a vital role in supporting your child's education, ensuring they have access to the best resources to enhance their learning experience at Ripponlea Primary School.

We have carefully itemised each cost for full transparency, and our School Council members have reviewed and approved the yearly fees. These contributions, made early in the year, allow us to plan effectively and provide enriching opportunities for every student. 

While the standard curriculum remains accessible to all students, we are committed to offering authentic and engaging learning experiences beyond the core program.

Rising costs are always carefully evaluated, and while we strive to keep additional expenses to a minimum, some extras complement our curriculum. This year, we are excited to introduce unique learning opportunities, including:

• Year 5/6 Swimming Program – Students will begin their swimming lessons with an exciting introduction to surfing, both at the start of Term 1 and as part of their camp experience.
• Japanese Program – Our Japanese teacher is eager to enhance student learning by incorporating origami with high-quality speciality materials.
• Performing Arts Expansion – We plan to introduce drum kits, mats and stands to our music program, enriching students' engagement with rhythm and percussion.
• Let's not forget it's a School Production year with preparations starting early!

While we have secured a Sporting Schools grant to help subsidise the surfing program, some costs will still be passed on to families. However, we are pleased to remind all families that they can use their $400 School Saving Bonus towards these activities, making these enriching experiences more accessible to all students.

We truly appreciate your continued support and commitment to providing the best possible educational opportunities for our students. If you have any questions regarding Parent Payments or how your contributions support student learning, please don’t hesitate to reach out to us.

Exciting Plans for 2025

Looking ahead, we are thrilled to share our plans to further enhance our school:

• Upgrade classroom furniture for Years 3–6.
• Expand sustainability initiatives, including our Indigenous and Italian Gardens, Food Pods, and Nature-Play Junior Playground.
• Introduce a new Language Program (Japanese) and additional cultural experiences.
• Increase support for student learning, including phonics and reading intervention programs such as MiniLit Sage and the Phormes Phonics program.
• Hire new Disability and Inclusion support staff, as well as additional learning support staff for classrooms.
• Beautify the school environment, with student-designed murals, PBS-themed signage, and improved outdoor play equipment.

How to Contribute

All contributions can be made via the QKR app, B-Pay, or alternative arrangements.

For those needing assistance with the QKR app, Perrine and Kate are available to guide families through the process. Additionally, hard copies of all fees based on year levels can be collected from the office.

2025 Voluntary Financial Contributions

To view the fee structures for each year level, please refer to the links below:

• Foundation
• Year 1/2
• Year 3/4
• Year 5/6
• Stationary Orders

Ordering Book Packs for 2025

We encourage families to order their child’s book packs directly from our recommended supplier, Maxim Office Group, if you haven't already. These packs include all necessary stationery and will be delivered directly to the school. Classroom consumables will continue to be purchased in bulk for shared use, ensuring cost efficiency.

IMPORTANT NOTICE: HOUSE TOPS UPDATE

This year, all students will be required to wear the new house tops as shown below. The old house system has been completely phased out, and these are now the only tops permitted under the school uniform policy, as approved by our School Council.

If you require support to purchase the new house tops, please speak with Mrs. Rose. Alternatively, you may use your $400 school savings bonus for this purchase.

Thank you for your understanding and cooperation.

SCHOOL SAVING BONUS INFORMATION

School Saving Bonus – How to Use It

Families can now allocate their School Saving Bonus using the online system. This bonus can be used to help cover the cost of 2025 school expenses, such as:

✅ Camps, excursions, and incursions

✅ Swimming and sports programs

✅ Outdoor education

✅ Graduations

✅ School uniforms and textbooks

How to Use the Bonus

You can choose how to spend your School Saving Bonus through the online system. The bonus can be used at your school's designated textbook or uniform suppliers, either in-store or online, or through State Schools' Relief until 30 June 2025.

If your school does not have a uniform, or if you prefer unbranded school uniform items, you can still use the bonus through State Schools' Relief.

What Happens if You Don’t Spend It?

Any unused funds after 1 July 2025 will automatically become a school activities credit, available for use from August 2025. This credit can go towards school activities like excursions and camps. However, if you need to use the bonus for school activities in July 2025, make sure to allocate it in the online system before 30 June 2025.

Donating Your Bonus

Families who do not wish to use their School Saving Bonus can donate it to the school to support students in need. If you’d like to do this, please contact the school directly.

Let Us Know Your Allocation

To help our administration team, we kindly ask families to email the school at ripponlea.ps@education.vic.gov.au with a copy of their allocation confirmation and details of how they wish to use the bonus.

For any questions, please reach out to the school office.

SCHOOL CROSSING & ROAD SAFETY

As we start a new school year, we thought it might be a good time to remind all parents and students about the parking and school crossings surrounding our busy school. 

Glen Eira Council has created a fabulous two and half minute video that explains parking signs, how the school crossing operates and aims to promote safety surrounding our schools.  It encourages students to walk or ride to school too, even if only from a few blocks away, to help ease traffic congestion, improve healthy activity and to help the environment.

Please watch this video by clicking on this link: https://vimeo.com/795049475/01d1dc8db4 

Thank you!