Principal Team Update

REMEMBERANCE DAY

Today, Tuesday 11 November, our Ripponlea Primary School community paused to acknowledge Remembrance Day, a time to reflect on the courage, sacrifice and service of those who have served our country during times of war and conflict.

At 12:30 am, we marked this significant occasion by playing The Last Post and observing a one-minute silence, providing an opportunity for students and staff to reflect and pay their respects.

Remembrance Day commemorates the end of fighting in the First World War, when the guns fell silent on the Western Front at 11:00 am on 11 November 1918. Originally known as Armistice Day, it has since become a day to honour all Australians who have served and died in wars, conflicts and peacekeeping operations.

Throughout the day, our teachers acknowledged this important occasion in their classrooms, helping students understand the historical significance of Remembrance Day, the sacrifices made by fallen soldiers and the importance of remembering those who never returned home.

The red poppy has become a powerful symbol of remembrance, inspired by the flowers that grew across the battlefields of Europe following the First World War.

At Ripponlea, occasions such as Remembrance Day provide meaningful opportunities to teach our students about respect, gratitude, compassion and the importance of peace. We encourage our students to reflect on the freedoms we enjoy today and the sacrifices made by generations before us.

Lest We Forget. 🌺

A HUGE THANK YOU TO OUR VOLUNTEERS

A heartfelt thank you to all the wonderful families and volunteers who generously gave up part of their long weekend to join us for Sunday's Working Bee!

What a difference a few hours and many willing hands can make! So much was achieved, and our school grounds are looking all the better for it. In particular, grinding down 4x tree stumps to make space for new garden beds, the cubby, Koor garden and Japanese gardens were painstakingly weeded, our nature strips received some much-needed attention, with mowing, edging and general maintenance making a noticeable difference to the presentation of our school.

We are incredibly grateful to everyone who rolled up their sleeves, brought along equipment, and contributed their time and energy to making Ripponlea Primary School a cleaner, tidier, and more welcoming environment for our students, families, and wider community.

A Special Thank You to Colin Smith

This Working Bee was particularly significant as it marked Colin Smith's final Working Bee at Ripponlea Primary School, following many years of extraordinary service and dedication to our school community.

Colin has been a longstanding and valued member of our School Council and has played an instrumental role in our Facilities and Environment Committee. Over the years, his commitment, practical knowledge, determination, and willingness to get things done have driven many important improvements to our school grounds and facilities.

Much of what we enjoy across our school environment today has been made possible through Colin's tireless efforts, advocacy and dedication to making Ripponlea a better place for our students.

Colin has never been someone to simply talk about what needs to be done. He has been someone who turns up, rolls up his sleeves and makes things happen. His contribution extends well beyond any single Working Bee, and the impact of his many years of service will continue to be felt and appreciated for years to come.

Colin, on behalf of the entire Ripponlea Primary School community, thank you for your remarkable generosity, commitment and service. You have made an enormous difference to our school, and we are incredibly grateful for everything you have contributed.

To all our volunteers, thank you once again. Working Bees are such a wonderful reminder of what makes our little school community so special. It is the generosity, care and willingness of people to give their time that help make Ripponlea the wonderful place it is.

WORLD TEACHERS' DAY - FEELING THE LOVE AND APPRECIATION 

What an incredible way to celebrate World Teachers’ Day!

On behalf of all our staff, we would like to extend our most heartfelt thanks to our wonderful families for the extraordinary luncheon you organised to celebrate and acknowledge our teachers and staff.

We were absolutely overwhelmed by the generosity, thoughtfulness and love that went into preparing such a delicious feast! The incredible spread of homemade dishes, sweet treats and delicious food was simply amazing. In fact, there was so much food that we were still enjoying the celebrations and delicious leftovers the following day!

More importantly, it was the genuine sense of love, gratitude and appreciation that made this occasion so special. Teaching is an incredibly rewarding profession, but it also comes with its challenges, and to have our community recognise the dedication, care and hard work of our staff in such a generous and thoughtful way means more than words can express.

Our staff certainly felt celebrated, valued and very loved. There were plenty of smiles, full bellies and heartfelt conversations in the staffroom, and it was a beautiful reminder of the special connection we share with our families.

To every parent and carer who cooked, baked, purchased food, helped organise, set up or contributed in any way, THANK YOU! Your kindness and generosity did not go unnoticed.

Ripponlea, we often talk about the importance of community, connection and care. This was such a wonderful example of those values in action.

YEAR 1/2 BIG NIGHT IN AND SLEEPOVER - A NIGHT TO REMEMBER! 

What an exciting evening it was for our Year 1 and 2 students as they took part in our much-anticipated Big Night In and Year 2 Sleepover!

Our school grounds were transformed into an evening of fun, laughter and adventure, with students enjoying a wonderful range of activities, including laser tag, mini golf and outdoor games on the oval. The excitement was contagious as students raced around with their friends, enjoying the novelty of being at school well beyond the usual home-time bell!

Of course, no Big Night In would be complete without a delicious pizza dinner and icy poles, which everyone thoroughly enjoyed. As the evening progressed, our Year 1 students headed home, well past their usual bedtime, with plenty of stories to share and wonderful memories of their first Big Night In.

For our Year 2 students, however, the adventure was only just beginning! They bravely took on the challenge of sleeping overnight at school, an exciting milestone in our camping pathway program. There was plenty of excitement as sleeping bags were rolled out and students settled in for a night away from home, surrounded by their classmates and teachers.

These experiences are about so much more than having fun. They provide wonderful opportunities for students to develop independence, resilience, confidence and social connections, while learning to navigate new experiences in a familiar and supportive environment. For some children, this was their very first night away from their families, making it an especially significant achievement.

A huge congratulations to all our Year 1 and 2 students for embracing the experience with such enthusiasm and courage. We are particularly proud of our Year 2 students for taking this important step towards the overnight camps they will experience in the years ahead.

A very special thank you to our dedicated teachers and staff - Mr Leech, Sergio, Stef, Bree & Mark who generously gave up their evening, and for some, their night's sleep, to make this experience possible. Organising and supervising an event like this takes an enormous amount of planning, energy and commitment, and we are so grateful for the wonderful memories you have created for our students.

What a fabulous night of friendship, fun and firsts! These are the moments that make primary school so memorable, and we suspect there were a few very tired children (and teachers!) by the time the weekend arrived!

STUDENT LEADERSHIP INITIATIVES TERM 4

Our student leaders have continued to demonstrate initiative, responsibility and a strong commitment to making Ripponlea Primary School a welcoming, inclusive and connected community throughout Term 4.

Through a range of student-led activities, our leaders have created opportunities for students to have fun, strengthen friendships, contribute to our school environment and demonstrate our school values of Respect, Pride and Safety.

Some of the wonderful initiatives this term have included the SRC Pyjama Day, the upcoming House Music Competition, student-led assemblies, sustainability initiatives, and activities promoting kindness, inclusion, and positive relationships across the school.

Beyond these larger events, our student leaders have also been busy organising a range of smaller, low-key activities that bring students together, encourage participation and add a little extra fun to the school week.

Be sure to check out the Student Leadership section of this newsletter to discover more about the exciting activities and initiatives our student leaders have planned throughout the remainder of Term 4.

As we approach the end of the school year, we also look forward to our Year 5 students stepping forward to nominate for leadership positions in 2027. At Ripponlea, leadership is not simply about wearing a badge. It is about taking initiative, listening to others, showing kindness and making a positive difference in our school community.

We are incredibly proud of our student leaders and the way they continue to bring our school vision of Care, Create, Connect to life!

PLANNING FOR 2027 - LOOKING AHEAD

Over the past five weeks, planning for the 2027 school year has certainly been at the forefront of our minds! We have been carefully considering our enrolment numbers, staffing requirements, staff intentions for next year and, most importantly, how we can best structure our classes to support the learning and wellbeing of every student.

As we look ahead to 2027, we can confirm that Ripponlea Primary School will have 10 classes across the school, comprising:

• Foundation: 1 class
• Years 1/2: 3 classes
• Years 3/4: 3 classes
• Years 5/6: 3 classes

This year, we will say farewell to a particularly large cohort of 45 Year 6 students, who are eagerly looking forward to finishing their primary school journey on a high! Their departure naturally affects our overall enrolment numbers and class structures for next year.

We are also seeing fluctuating enrolment numbers across schools in our local area, reflecting changing circumstances and family movement within our community. While these fluctuations present some challenges when planning, we remain focused on ensuring our class structures are balanced, sustainable and provide the best possible learning environments for our students.

One of the highlights of our 2027 preparations was welcoming our newest group of future Rippers last week for their first Stepping Up transition session. Our wonderful Foundation teacher, Ms D (Emma Davidson), was absolutely delighted to meet her new students and is already excited about the learning journey ahead. It was lovely to see our youngest future learners bravely making their way into the classroom, beginning to form friendships and discovering what it means to be part of the Ripponlea community.

As we continue to finalise staffing arrangements and class placements, we appreciate our families' patience and understanding. There is a great deal of careful thought that goes into these decisions, and our priority remains the creation of positive, supportive and engaging learning environments where every child can thrive.

Until next fortnight!

                                     Natalie Rose          &                       Marta Campbell                           

                                        Principal                                         Assistant Principal