Principal Team Update

THE RIPOFFS - PARENTS BATTLE OF THE BANDS SOUTHSIDE 2 WINNERS AGAIN!

They’ve done it again! Last Thursday e

vening, our school community gathered to cheer on our very own parent band, The Ripoffs, as they took to the stage at the Southside Challenge Battle of the Bands.

Performing as the final act of the night, The Ripoffs certainly did not disappoint. From the moment they stepped onto the stage, they brought incredible energy, talent and enthusiasm, captivating the audience and bringing the crowd to its feet. Their performance had the room rocking, with students, families and supporters singing, dancing and cheering throughout their set.

Back-to-back Southside Challenge champions and, just for good measure, winners of the Best Tickets Sold prize from Rock Academy, The Ripoffs once again proved why they are such a crowd favourite. Their set was absolutely nothing short of sensational, blending polished musicianship with a fun-loving stage presence that had everyone engaged from start to finish. Big vocals, tight grooves, huge energy and a solid commitment to having fun made them the standout act of the evening.

In a fantastic achievement, The Ripoffs were once again crowned Southside Challenge Battle of the Bands Champions, successfully defending their title and bringing the trophy back home to Ripponlea Primary School.

What makes this achievement even more special is the wonderful sense of community it represents. Seeing our parents volunteer their time, share their talents and come together in support of our school is something truly unique. Events like these remind us that Ripponlea is much more than a school—it is a connected and vibrant community where families actively contribute to creating memorable experiences for everyone.

A massive congratulations to the band and sincere thanks to everyone who purchased tickets, attended on the night and supported this fantastic fundraising event. The Ripoffs continue to show us what can be achieved when a community comes together with passion, commitment and a willingness to have a great time.

Well done, The Ripoffs—you have once again made the Ripponlea community incredibly proud! 🎸🏆🎶👏

"See you at the final, legends!" may have been the message from the band before the event, and they certainly delivered on that promise. What a performance!

STAFF PROFESSIONAL LEARNING - BILL HANSBERRY 

We hope all families enjoyed the recent long weekend. While students were enjoying a well-earned break, our staff participated in a highly engaging day of professional learning with renowned behaviour management specialist, Bill Hansberry.

Across Victoria and indeed across Australia, schools are reporting increasing levels of student dysregulation, distraction, inattentiveness, and challenging behaviours. There are many factors contributing to this, including the ongoing impacts of technology, social media, anxiety, reduced opportunities for independent play and problem-solving, changing family dynamics, and the increasing complexity of student needs. 

As a staff, it is important that we continue to refine our practice to ensure every child can learn in a safe, calm, and supportive environment.

Some of the key takeaways from Bill's Behaviour Management 101 workshop included:

• Relationships remain at the heart of behaviour management. Students are more likely to engage positively when they feel connected, respected, and known by their teachers.
• Clear expectations matter. Successful classrooms explicitly teach behavioural expectations rather than assuming students already know them.
• Consistency is critical. Students thrive when routines, boundaries, and responses are predictable across classrooms and settings.
• Attention drives behaviour. Children often repeat behaviours that receive attention. Staff were reminded of the importance of intentionally recognising and reinforcing positive behaviours.
• Calm adults create calm classrooms. The emotional regulation of adults significantly influences the regulation of children. Remaining calm and measured during challenging situations helps de-escalate behaviour.
• Behaviour is communication. Challenging behaviour often signals an unmet need, skill deficit, emotional response, or difficulty coping with a situation. Understanding the reason behind a behaviour is often the first step in supporting positive change.
• High expectations and high support go hand in hand. Students benefit when adults maintain firm boundaries while also providing the support needed for success.
• Prevention is more effective than reaction. Well-established routines, engaging lessons, active supervision, and positive relationships significantly reduce the likelihood of behavioural issues occurring.
• Student success builds student confidence. Providing opportunities for students to experience achievement, independence, and belonging contributes positively to engagement and behaviour.

The day reinforced much of the work already underway at Ripponlea Primary School through our Positive Behaviour Support approaches, wellbeing initiatives, structured classroom routines, and our focus on creating safe, inclusive learning environments where every child can thrive.

We thank our staff for their commitment to ongoing professional growth and look forward to continuing to strengthen our practices to support the learning, wellbeing, and success of all students.

SCHOOL COUNCIL UPDATE

Last week, we officially met as the 2026 School Council and welcomed our new members: Amanda Coleiro, Ashley Davies and Sasha Kliger.

Following nominations for office bearer positions, we are pleased to announce that Tarryn Holland will continue in the role of School Council President, supported by Suzete Ribeiro as Vice President. Sasha Kliger has been appointed Treasurer, taking over from Romany Tauber, who will continue to contribute as a valued community co-opted member.

Our School Council subcommittees for 2026 are now in place:

• Facilities and Environment (Sustainability): Colin Smith and Ashley Davies
• Governance and Policy: Kara Merrine, Amanda Coleiro
• Ripper Families: Nikki Mizzi, Skye Holcombe-Henley, Tarryn Holland and Suzete Ribeiro
• Publicity and Marketing: Georgina Gascoigne

During the meeting, School Council approved the 2026 Annual Budget, endorsed a range of upcoming school events and activities, and began discussions regarding the planning of the 2027 Ripper Fete, which is scheduled for March next year.

There is certainly no shortage of excitement ahead. For the remainder of this year, we have a number of fundraising and community events planned, including the upcoming RPS Winter Soirée, a Trivia Night next term, our Election Day BBQ and Cake Stall, and a further family fundraising event later in the year. We also look forward to celebrating our much-loved Special Person's Day in the coming months.

While these events provide wonderful opportunities to connect as a community and raise valuable funds for our students, their success relies heavily on the support of dedicated volunteers and organisers. We encourage families to get involved where they can and help us continue to create the vibrant community spirit that makes Ripponlea Primary School so special.

We thank all School Council members for their commitment and look forward to another productive year of collaboration, community engagement and support for our students.

INSPIRING THE NEXT GENERATION OF EDUCATORS

Some families may have noticed a few extra faces around the school lately and wondered whether Ripponlea Primary School has significantly increased its staffing profile. While we have not taken on additional teaching staff, we are proud to be a school that actively supports the next generation of educators.

Ripponlea Primary School is highly regarded by universities and teacher education providers, who regularly request placements for pre-service teachers undertaking their teaching qualifications. These aspiring educators work alongside our experienced staff, learning the craft of teaching while making valuable contributions to classrooms and school life. Many of our students form wonderful connections with these young teachers and often remember them long after their placements have concluded.

More recently, we have also welcomed several former Ripponlea students back to our school to complete their Year 10 work experience placements through their secondary colleges. There is something incredibly special about seeing past students return to the place where their own learning journey began and explore the possibility of a future career in education.

It is a privilege to play a role in inspiring both future teachers and future leaders. At a time when education and teaching do not always receive favourable media attention, these placements remind us that teaching remains one of the most rewarding and influential professions. We are proud to contribute to the development of passionate young people who may one day choose to make a difference in the lives of children, just as their teachers once did for them.

PARENT-TEACHER CONFERENCES-BOOKING NOW OPEN ON COMPASS

As we approach the end of Semester 1, our Parent-Teacher Conferences provide an important opportunity for families and teachers to come together and discuss each child's learning journey, achievements, growth, and next steps.

At Ripponlea Primary School, we value the strong partnership between home and school. Research consistently shows that when families are actively engaged in their child's education, students experience greater success, confidence, wellbeing, and academic growth. These conferences are an opportunity to celebrate progress, discuss areas for continued development, and ensure we are working together to support every child to thrive.

This semester, conferences will be held during the final week of term:

• Monday 22 June – Foundation
• Tuesday 23 June – Year 1/2
• Wednesday 24 June – Year 3/4
• Thursday 25 June – Year 5/6

Bookings are now available through Compass. Each conference will run for approximately 15 minutes and provide families with an opportunity to discuss their child's Semester 1 Report, learning behaviours, social development, and goals for Semester 2.

Our teachers have spent considerable time assessing student learning, moderating achievement standards, and preparing reports that reflect each child's progress against the Victorian Curriculum. The conferences complement these reports by providing valuable context and allowing for meaningful conversations about how we can best support students moving forward.

We strongly encourage all families to take advantage of this opportunity. Whether your child is flourishing academically, developing new skills, or requiring additional support, these conversations help strengthen the partnership that is so important to their success.

We look forward to meeting with you and celebrating the wonderful growth and achievements of our students throughout the first half of the year.

FIRST AID IN SCHOOLS PROGRAM

On Friday 29th May, students engaged in the First Aid in Schools Program, run by St John’s Ambulance.

This free Program taught students the importance of First Aid and what to do in an event of an emergency. The knowledge and skills gained in our First Aid in Schools Program helped students develop First Aid awareness. This learning was age-appropriate and integrated with the Victoria Curriculum, bringing to life the importance of First Aid and what to do in an emergency, including calling 000 and performing CPR through interactive games, Storytime and Action Plan scenarios.

Foundation Module: Storytime

Through a storybook, students saw how Johnny Bear identified an emergency, put the Danger, Response and Send for help strategy into action and helped call 000 in an informative session. Students learnt the first aid chant that will help them remember what to do in an emergency. This also included a fun quiz on first aid to get students up and involved.

Grade 1/2 Module: Danger, Response, Send

Students learnt how to spot DANGER in an emergency, RESPOND accordingly and SEND for help. They were guided on what number to call and acted out a scenario to get them comfortable calling 000 in real life. Students played a fun and interactive game as teams competed in the first aid quiz. By the end of the program, students left with essential skills and knowledge which they can call upon in an emergency situation.

Grade 3/4 Module:  Airway & Breathing

Following on from the Prep – Grade 2 modules, students revised ‘DRS’ which involves assessing for dangers, obtaining a response and calling Triple Zero. The main focus of this module was demonstrating how to check airway and breathing and how to place a patient into the recovery position. Students then applied the knowledge they learnt through an interactive game based on the DRSAB action plan.

Grade 5/6 Module:  CPR

This learning incorporated a practical CPR component, guiding students through how to perform CPR and when it is required in a First Aid situation. Students also participated in group problem-solving scenarios based on a variety of first aid situations allowing them to apply their knowledge.

A LITTLE BIT OF LUCK GOES A LONG WAY - A WONDERFUL WIN FOR OUR STUDENTS! 

A few months ago, we attended a Principals' Conference. These conferences are incredibly important for our own professional growth and learning, providing opportunities to hear from renowned speakers, educational leaders and researchers from across the globe. They allow us to bring fresh ideas, innovative practices and new thinking back to Ripponlea Primary School.

Of course, events of this size could not happen without the support of sponsors. Throughout the conference, educational organisations showcased their latest programs, resources and services through exhibition booths, and there were also a number of competitions and prize draws for schools to enter.

We are delighted to share that we learned that Ripponlea Primary School was selected as the winner of a very special wellbeing program called 'My Best Self'.

This outstanding program is valued at more than $90 per student, and thanks to this wonderful prize, our Year 3/4 students will participate free of charge. The program will run for five weeks in Term 3 and five weeks in Term 4, culminating in a special community showcase performance at the end of the year.

My Best Self uses the medium of partner dancing to explicitly teach vital social, emotional and life skills. Through a proven and measurable approach, students develop confidence, courage and resilience while strengthening their interpersonal skills, self-awareness and sense of belonging.

The program's mission is to foster the wellbeing of an entire generation of children, helping them grow into confident, respectful and resilient young people.

Students will explore and develop important values including:

• Respect – honouring others' feelings, bodies and ideas
• Kindness – choosing caring actions in every interaction
• Strength – cultivating inner determination
• Resilience – bouncing back from challenges with grit and grace
• Courage – taking healthy risks and speaking their truth
• Spirit – celebrating joy, creativity and community

Throughout the program, students will participate in structured dance tuition, guided wellbeing discussions, explicit teaching of character strengths, and self-reflection activities that help measure growth and wellbeing over time.

As a school, we are continually seeking opportunities to enhance student wellbeing and provide enriching experiences that support the development of the whole child. We are incredibly excited to bring this unique opportunity to our Year 3/4 students and look forward to sharing their journey with our community throughout the year.

Sometimes a little bit of luck goes a long way, and this is certainly one prize that will have a lasting impact on our students.

Until next fortnight!

Natalie Rose             &                        Marta Campbell 

      Principal                                         Assistant Principal