Merry Christmas!

The Office Family Christmas Tree made an amazing comeback for 2024 and is definitely full of RNPS Family sparkle!

Thank you to everyone who brought in baubles to help decorate - we love it and look forward to bringing out the tree again in 2025!

Our office team would like to wish you all a very Merry Christmas and a restful summer break! Can't wait to see you all in the new year.

End of Year Reminders

Over the summer holidays please ensure that you have updated medical plans for your child prepared by your GP. The colour copy of these plans should be provided to the office at the start of next year. Please also ensure you check the expiry dates on medication before bringing them in. Please note that we are not permitted to administer medication without an Action Plan/Medication Authority Form.
The first day of school next year is Wednesday, January 29th.
2025 Preps will start on Thursday 30th.
Team Kids operate the holiday program throughout the holidays. Please contact them directly for further information.

If you have any further questions, please contact the Office, which will reopen on January 28th.

2025 Parent Voluntary Financial Contributions

Please find attached the 2025 Parent Voluntary Financial Contribution letter to parents. The covering letter from School Council gives a summary of how the Parent Voluntary Financial Contribution gives our students the best support to enhance their education while at Ringwood North Primary School

Our Parent Voluntary Financial Contributions are sent out to all families of students annually at the end of Term 4. We would like to encourage all our families to consider contributing at the start of the year (Term 1).

Payment is made through the Compass Portal and will be open for payments from 20/12/24. Parents can submit payment this way, or there is the option to pay at the office by cash, card or cheque if preferred from Term 1.

School activities, incursions, excursions, and sports that require permission and payment for students are communicated as events through the Compass Portal leading up to the date of the event. Parents will receive communications each time an event is posted.

The Camps Sports and Excursion fund is available to eligible parents to assist with payments of school activities. Please complete an application form and return it to the office with a copy of your Centrelink Card. If you are an existing family new students need to be added to your application. Further information has been included in the newsletter.

Families requiring assistance with payment of activities are encouraged to speak to Ricarda Lillis (Business Manager) as the school can offer families different support options, including with the purchase of uniforms.

School Saving Bonus

The Victorian Government is delivering the School Saving Bonus – a one-off $400 support for government school students from Prep to Year 12 in 2025.

From Tuesday 26 November 2024, you will receive an email from the Department of Education with your unique $400 School Saving Bonus code.

The School Saving Bonus will help families cover the cost of uniforms, textbooks, excursions, activities and more in 2025.

If you have multiple children enrolled in Victorian government schools for 2025, you will receive one School Saving Bonus code email per child. These emails might arrive on different days. Please make sure to check your spam/junk email folder.

Parents and carers can use the School Saving Bonus code in store at school-nominated suppliers. Parents and carers can also choose to access the School Saving Bonus online system, where they can allocate part or all the $400 bonus to use at school nominated-online suppliers or for school activities. 

To learn more about the School Saving Bonus, visit School Saving Bonus | vic.gov.au (www.vic.gov.au). A step-by-step user guide will be available on the webpage on 26 November.  

If you have not received your School Saving Bonus code via email by Friday 29 November, please contact the Department of Education by emailing school.saving.bonus@education.vic.gov.au

CSEF (Camps, Sport & Excursions Fund)

The Camps, Sports and Excursions Fund (CSEF) provides payments for eligible students to attend activities like:

school camps or trips
swimming and school-organised sports programs
outdoor education programs
excursions and incursions.

Please note that if you applied for CSEF for an older sibling last year you do not need to reapply this year.

Eligibility

For concession card holders, CSEF eligibility will be subject to the parent/legal guardian’s concession card being successfully validated with Centrelink on 28 January 2025 and/or 15 April 2025

To be eligible for the fund, a mature minor of sixteen years of age or over, a parent or legal guardian of a student attending a registered Government or non-government Victorian primary or secondary school must:

• on the first day of Term one, or;

• on the first day of Term two.

a) Be an eligible beneficiary within the meaning of the State Concessions Act 2004, that is, be a holder of Veterans Affairs Gold Card or be an eligible Centrelink Health Care Card (HCC) or Pensioner Concession Card (PCC) holder, OR

b) Be a temporary foster parent, and;

c) Submit an application to the school by the due date

be an eligible beneficiary of one of these cards:
Veterans Affairs Gold Card
Centrelink Health Care Card
Pensioner Concession Card
OR they must be a temporary foster parent
OR the student is 16 years or older and holds a valid concession card (such as a Youth Allowance Health Care Card)
AND the parent or legal guardian must submit an application by the due date.

Parents who receive a carer allowance on behalf of a child, or any other benefit or allowance not income tested by Centrelink, are not eligible for the CSEF unless they also comply with the above.

Eligibility will be determined when the parent’s concession card successfully validates with Centrelink on either the first day of term one or term two.

If the eligible card is in the name of the student, the fund is only granted to that student, not their siblings.

State Schools' Relief - Prep 2025 Families

State Schools’ Relief (SSR) is a not-for-profit organisation that works closely with all government schools across Victoria. They provide assistance to families experiencing financial disadvantage with school uniforms, footwear and range of other essential educational items. Please read the information below for more information.

School Uniform

In accordance with the Department of Education and Training guidelines the School Council of Ringwood North Primary School introduced compulsory school uniform. All students of the school will wear the correct uniform at all times.

We have noticed several students wearing non uniform items such as black shorts, sporting jumpers, colourful hats or inappropriate length shorts.

Shoulder length or longer hair (both boys & girls) must be tied back to help restict the spread of lice and for student safety.

Our uniform is unique to our school and helps foster a sense of community and belonging and encourages students to develop pride in their appearance. We ask for parent support in this matter.

Please note there will be no uniform delivery in the last week of Term 4. This is a busy week for both schools and couriers and if the delivery is not made prior to school finishing then there is a risk that orders are lost at the courier depot over the holidays.

Final Uniform Delivery 2024 – Week 10 2024 - 9th - 13th December 2024
First Uniform Delivery 2025 – Week 1 2025 - 28th– 31st January 2025
Orders placed during the break for Delivery to School will be held and sent when school reopens on 28th January.
Orders for delivery to home will continue to be processed and sent via Australia Post. (Except during our Christmas Closure period from 20th December to 6th January)
All stores will close at 5.00 pm on Friday 20th December and reopen at 9.00 am Wednesday 8th January. Please check the website for each store’s hours.
All stores will be open on Australia Day Public Holiday 27th January 2025
For information and assistance please email OnlineOrders@spartass.com.au

Prep Polos

2025 Prep Polos are available to purchase from the school office for $35 each. If you have a new Preppy starting next year, pop in and putchase a polo for them ASAP!

If you are looking for second hand uniforms, we have a few items available at the school office. All items of clothing are $5 a piece. Feel free to come in and peruse!

Second Hand Uniform

Financial Support for Families

Ringwood North Primary School understands that some families may experience financial difficulty and offers a range of support options, including the Camps, Sports and Excursions Fund (CSEF) and alternative payment arrangements. If you have any queries or wish to discuss your circumstances and possible options, please contact the office to make an appointment with the Business Manager or the Principal.

Changing Schools?

If you are relocating to a different school, could you please notify the office as soon as possible so that we can update our records.

School Office Hours & Contact Details

Our school office operates between the hours of 8.30am to 4pm

Ph 9876 3411

ringwood.north.ps@education.vic.gov.au

TeamKids

TeamKids have another action-packed Summer Holiday Program lined up!

Newsletter Week 9 & 10