Principal Team Message
Term 1 - Edition no:1, 2025
WELCOME TO THE 2025 SCHOOL YEAR!
We extend a warm welcome to everyone returning to Ripponlea Primary School for the start of the 2025 school year! We hope you all had a relaxing holiday break filled with quality time and memorable moments with loved ones. This summer, we were fortunate to enjoy beautiful days of sunshine, and we now return to a week of soaring temperatures across Victoria.
A special welcome to our new families and students joining us this year! We hope you have a fantastic start and quickly feel part of our wonderful community. There are many friendly faces here to support you, so please don’t hesitate to reach out.
To our returning and new staff, we extend our gratitude for all their hard work in preparing the school for the return of our Rippers. Their efforts in helping students reconnect with their peers and establish their learning communities have ensured a smooth and welcoming start.
Our Rippers are remarkable young individuals, and many have made significant transitions this year—whether moving from Foundation to Year 1, Year 2 to Year 3, or Year 4 to Year 5. For some, this means new classrooms, navigating stairwells, different teachers, new expectations and new friendships to forge. Even on the first day, we saw their positivity shine through, despite the challenge of saying goodbye to loved ones and readjusting to school routines after more than five weeks away.
The most heartwarming transition was the beginning of the journey for our newest Rippers, the 2025 Foundation students. With their families by their side, they took their first steps into school life, marking an endearing milestone. It was wonderful to witness their excitement and bravery as they embarked on this new adventure. Thank you to our families for ensuring such a positive start to school!
It was also lovely to see our Year 6 students proudly wearing their special uniform items, marking their leadership role within the school. Although it was a short three-day week, by Friday, we were all exhausted and ready for a well-earned weekend!
A FRESH START: SETTING UP FOR A YEAR OF LEARNING AND SUCCESS
As the new school year begins, there is a wonderful buzz of excitement in the air. Teachers are busily preparing their classrooms, transforming empty spaces into warm, engaging learning environments. Every display, bookshelf, and desk arrangement is carefully considered to create an atmosphere where students feel safe, inspired, and ready to learn.
Setting up a classroom is more than just organising supplies; it's about creating a space where students feel a sense of belonging. Our teachers thoughtfully plan for a mix of collaborative and independent learning areas, ensuring every child has a place where they feel comfortable and confident. It’s a time filled with anticipation as educators reflect on how to foster curiosity, connection, and a love of learning from the very first day.
For students, the beginning of the school year brings a mix of emotions—excitement to see friends, curiosity about their new teachers, and sometimes a few nerves about what’s ahead. That’s why, from day one, we focus on setting up clear expectations to create a supportive and structured learning environment for all.
Our approach to School-Wide Positive Behaviour Support (SWPBS) helps guide students to understand what it means to be respectful, show pride, and be safe in all areas of the school.
Throughout the first few weeks, teachers introduce and reinforce our school-wide expectations, ensuring every student knows what positive behaviour looks like in the classroom, playground, and beyond. These expectations are not just rules but values that help shape a positive and inclusive school culture.
To support these conversations at home, we have put together an RPS PBS Student and Parent-Carer Handbook. This is a great resource to explore with your child, reinforcing the key messages we embed daily at school. Together, we can ensure a smooth and successful start to the year.
We are looking forward to a fantastic year ahead, filled with growth, discovery, and shared achievements. Thank you for being part of our wonderful school community—here’s to another year of learning and thriving together!
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. To those families who have already made contributions, we extend our heartfelt gratitude. 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 its 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:
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.
'YOU TELL US' MEETINGS - COMMENCING WEEK 3
Starting in Week 3, all families with children in Years 1-6 will have the opportunity to meet with their child’s classroom teacher for a ‘You Tell Us’ meeting. These meetings provide parents and carers with a chance to share valuable insights about their children, including their wellbeing, academic needs, social-emotional development, aspirations, and family connections.
Building a strong home-school partnership is essential in supporting student success. These interviews help establish trusting relationships and foster open communication, ensuring that teachers gain a deeper understanding of each child’s strengths and needs from the very beginning of the year.
The School Interviews portal will open shortly for bookings. Mrs Campbell will share further details via COMPASS.
Interview Details
- Duration: 10 minutes per interview
- Session Times:
- One session: 2:30 – 6:00 pm
- Another session: 3:45 – 4:45 pm
Schedule
- Tuesday: Year 5/6
- Wednesday: Year 1/2
- Thursday: Year 3/4
We strongly encourage all families to participate in this important opportunity to support their child’s learning and development.
EXCITING BABY NEWS FOR THE RIPPER COMMUNITY!
There must be something in the water at Ripponlea because 2025 is shaping up to be a very special year! We are absolutely thrilled to share not one, but two wonderful pieces of news with our community.
A huge congratulations to Dave and his wife, Emily, who are eagerly awaiting the arrival of their little bundle of joy in June. Both are over the moon, and we know this will be an incredibly exciting new chapter for their family.
Adding to the baby boom, Ms Jane DeLorenzo, who remains a cherished member of our staff despite stepping away this year to be closer to home, is also preparing for a beautiful new arrival! She and her partner, Corey, are expecting their precious baby in July.
We couldn’t be happier for both families and look forward to welcoming more Ripper babies into our extended school family.
Congratulations, Dave, Emily, Jane, and Corey—we can’t wait to meet your little ones!
EXCITING UPGRADES TRANSFORM OUR SCHOOL
After months of dedicated construction work, we are thrilled to unveil our incredible new inclusive learning deck, updated classrooms, and a range of important accessibility upgrades! These enhancements have truly transformed our school environment, ensuring that all students have access to engaging, functional, and inclusive learning spaces.
While the process involved some patience—especially with students giving up the bike shed and junior playground for several months—even they agree that the wait has been well worth it! The transformation is simply remarkable, and the pictures speak volumes about the extent of these upgrades. The new spaces have already begun fostering greater collaboration, creativity, and accessibility for all learners.
This achievement is a testament to the hard work and perseverance of our School Council, whose vision has finally come to life after years of planning and advocacy. Their tireless efforts, alongside strong community support and ongoing government engagement, have made these improvements possible.
However, our journey doesn’t stop here! As we look at the junior playground and the surrounding areas of our productive garden, we recognise there is still more to accomplish. With continued commitment, collaboration, and support from our community, we can ensure that every corner of Ripponlea Primary School reflects the high standards of learning and play that our students deserve.
Stay tuned for more updates, and thank you for being part of this exciting journey!
Until next fortnight!
Natalie Rose & Marta Campbell
Principal Assistant Principal