RIPPERS CLIMB FOR A WONDERFUL CAUSE

A few weeks ago, a group of determined and big-hearted students from our community took on an extraordinary challenge in the Rialto Run Up and what an achievement it was!

Remy, alongside Tate, George, Franklin, Ethan, Tex, Morris, Thomas (RPS alumni), and Archer, committed themselves to climbing an incredible 1,240 steps to the top of the Rialto Tower. Together, this inspiring group raised an outstanding $5,600 in support of Giant Steps Melbourne.

For those unfamiliar, Giant Steps Melbourne is a specialist school dedicated to supporting young people on the autism spectrum. Their work focuses on personalised learning, communication, independence, and life skills, helping students thrive in an environment tailored to their needs. It is a place where students are truly understood, supported, and empowered.

This cause is especially close to Remy’s heart. His brother Kai, a former Ripponlea Primary School student, is now thriving at Giant Steps. Seeing Remy take the initiative to lead this fundraising effort speaks volumes about his empathy, leadership, and commitment to making a difference for others.

The climb itself was no small feat. Parents and friends were watching the group encourage one another, push through physical exhaustion, and remain united in purpose which was incredibly powerful. By the end, they were understandably exhausted, but equally proud, having conquered the challenge together.

In an extraordinary individual effort, Remy went even further completing the climb three times, finishing in an impressive 9 minutes and 48 seconds, and placing 8th fastest overall. An exceptional achievement that reflects both determination and resilience.

We are so proud of Remy and all the students involved. Their actions remind us that leadership is not defined by a badge, but by initiative, compassion, and the courage to act for something bigger than yourself.

We look forward to acknowledging this incredible effort at assembly and celebrating the impact these students have made not only in funds raised, but in awareness, advocacy, and community spirit.

Well done, Remy and team!

WORKING BEE SUCCESS - THANK YOU RIPPER COMMUNITY

What a wonderful way to spend a sunny day together! Our working bee last week was a great success, and while numbers were a little smaller than expected, the impact was anything but.

Across the day, our amazing families rolled up their sleeves to support with weeding, mowing, clearing out the long jump pit, caring for the Koorie Garden, sweeping the play areas and front of the school, and even washing down graffiti. The difference around the school was immediately noticeable, a clean, refreshed environment ready to welcome our students back.

And of course, no working bee would be complete without good food and great company! The sausage sizzle at the end of the day was a well-earned treat and a lovely way to connect as a community.

We also took on board some helpful reflections; next time, we’ll make sure to utilise our Class Reps more effectively and send a reminder alert to ensure everyone has the opportunity to get involved. We’re already looking forward to making the next one even bigger and better!

A heartfelt thank you to all of the incredible parents and students who gave their time and energy. Your contribution truly makes a difference.

Parents/Carers Helping	Students Helping
Adele Kurtze	Harvey Allt-Graham
Tali Caspi	Leo Simos
Camilla Preeston	Ottos Simos
Colin Smith	Max Munro
Nina Edwards	Rose Munro
Jaime Gough	Madison Harrigan-Kurtze
Jacqui Saunders	Yarden Caspi
Nick Smith	Edward Preeston
Emily Smith	Lenny Smith
Rory Lane	Eva Gough
Andrea Pagnini	Liv Gough
Ben Dixon	Daisy Smith
Alla Smolliar	Harriet Lane
Noel Hanssens	Bridie Lane
Emma Hanssens
David Allt-Graham
Ian Munro
Ash Giuffre
Lenka Simos
Lou Munro
Julie Pitt
Anita McCarthy

A special thank you to:

Colin Smith, for his leadership in convening the Facilities and Environment (Sustainability) Committee of the School Council
Lee Brennan, for her support on the day and for providing a hearty and much-appreciated lunch

We also loved hearing that Mark, our regular cleaner, was pleasantly surprised by how much had been achieved over the weekend, a true testament to what our community can accomplish together.

Thank you again for helping keep Ripponlea looking its best.

CURRICULUM INFORMATION SESSIONS - THANK YOU & WHAT'S AHEAD

Thank you to all the families who attended our recent Curriculum Information Sessions. It was wonderful to see such strong engagement and interest in your child’s learning. We hope these sessions provided valuable insight into how we deliver the Victorian Curriculum 2.0 at Ripponlea Primary School and helped strengthen the important partnership between home and school.

Many families heard about elements of the Victorian Curriculum 2.0. According to the Victorian Curriculum and Assessment Authority (VCAA), the overall structure of the curriculum has not changed; students are still learning the same subjects, such as English, Mathematics, Science and The Arts, along with important capabilities like critical and creative thinking.

So what’s different?

The update is really about making learning clearer, more consistent, and more effective for all students:

Clearer learning pathways
The curriculum is now more structured, with knowledge and skills sequenced in a clear order so students can build understanding step by step.
Stronger focus on essential knowledge
There is an increased emphasis on building strong foundations, particularly in literacy and numeracy, so students feel confident and successful.
Consistency across classrooms
The curriculum supports more consistent, evidence-based teaching practices, meaning all students experience high-quality learning regardless of their class.
Time to practise and deepen understanding
Students are given more opportunities to practise, apply and consolidate their learning before moving on.
Better alignment with how students learn
The updates reflect current research into effective teaching, including explicit instruction, guided practice and regular feedback.

The content has remained the same, but the way we teach it has been strengthened to ensure every child can succeed.

To further support transparency and allow families to see this in action, we are excited to offer two Open Classroom sessions next term:

📖 Literacy Open Morning (Education Week)
Monday 18th to Thursday 22nd May, 9:00–10:00 am
Spend time in your child’s classroom and see our literacy teaching in action.
🔢 Mathematics Open Afternoon
Monday 15th to Thursday 19 June, 2:30–3:30 pm
Observe how we teach mathematics through explicit instruction, guided practice, and problem-solving.

These sessions are a wonderful opportunity to experience learning at Ripponlea firsthand.

Specialists Update:

We will be postponing our Specialists Information Session until next term. Sayako Sensei is currently overseas with her family, and we are still in the process of recruiting a Performing Arts teacher. We look forward to sharing a comprehensive overview of our specialist programs with you next term.

PROGRESS REPORTS AVAILABLE ON COMPASS THIS WEEK

This week, student Progress Reports will be released via Compass.

At Ripponlea Primary School, we are committed to developing not only strong academic outcomes, but also the learning habits that help students succeed in the classroom and beyond.

What do these reports focus on?

Our Progress Reports focus on the learning behaviours students demonstrate during everyday classroom learning. These behaviours are essential in supporting students to become confident, independent and resilient learners.

They provide families with an insight into how students are developing important habits such as:

Engaging in learning
Contributing to class discussions
Working with others
Beginning and completing tasks
Organising themselves for learning
Responding to feedback
Managing behaviour, focus and emotions

These reports offer a snapshot of how consistently students demonstrate these behaviours, helping to guide meaningful conversations between students, teachers and families about continued growth.

The Learning Behaviours

The following key areas are considered in the report:

Engagement in Learning

Interest, participation and persistence during learning

Collaboration

Working and interacting with others

Independence and Responsibility

Managing learning tasks and organisation

Self-Management and Improvement

Managing behaviour, focus and responding to feedback

Understanding the Scale

Each learning behaviour is assessed using the following scale:

Consistently – Demonstrated independently and consistently during learning
Often – Demonstrated regularly during classroom learning
Usually – Demonstrated most of the time, with occasional reminders
Sometimes – Developing and may require reminders or support
Needs Support – Requires ongoing teacher support

Supporting Your Child

Learning behaviours develop over time. Our goal is to support every student in building the skills that enable them to learn with confidence, take responsibility and continue to grow. We encourage families to take time to read the report with their child and celebrate progress, while also discussing next steps.

These reports are an important part of our ongoing partnership with families and complement the more detailed Semester Reports later in the year. If you have any questions, please don’t hesitate to reach out to your child’s teacher.

STUDENT LEADERSHIP 2026 - SPECIAL ASSEMBLY

Last week, we proudly celebrated our 2026 Student Leaders, who were formally presented with their leadership badges at a special assembly.

We were honoured to welcome Josh Burns, who presented the badges. As the Federal Member for McNamara, Josh plays an important leadership role in our broader community, and as a local community member and new father, his presence made the occasion even more meaningful.

At Ripponlea, we believe that leadership is not defined by a badge, it is defined by actions, values and the way we contribute to others.

While the badge presentation marks an important milestone, our student leaders have already been actively demonstrating leadership across the school.

They have:

Attended leadership conferences
Initiated community fundraisers
Led House events
Recognised and celebrated significant days across our school calendar
Strengthened student voice through the SRC

Their work has focused on areas that matter deeply to our community, including sustainability, student wellbeing and social responsibility.

HELPING OUR KIDS THRIVE WORKSHOP - PRESENTATION SLIDES

We would like to thank everyone who registered and attended the workshop "Helping Our Kids Thrive" that happened a few weeks ago.

The feedback we have received has been very positive!

Please see below the slides that were presented during the workshop.

CELEBRATING A REMARKABLE START TO 2026

What an extraordinary first term it has been at Ripponlea Primary School. From incredible beginnings to strong finishes, the energy, enthusiasm and sense of community across our school have been truly outstanding.

We began the year by welcoming our newest learners, our Foundation students, who have settled beautifully into school life. It has been a joy to see their confidence grow each day as they build new friendships, learn routines and begin their journey as part of our Ripponlea community. Across the school, students in every year level have made a positive and settled start, embracing new classrooms, new teachers and new opportunities with maturity and excitement.

This term has been filled with rich experiences that reflect the strength of our community. Our Welcome Picnic brought families together in a warm and relaxed setting, while the House Swimming Carnival showcased school spirit, teamwork and encouragement. Student voice and agency have also been on full display, with a range of student-led initiatives including sustainability actions, wellbeing campaigns and community fundraising efforts that highlight the leadership growing within our students.

Our Year 6 leaders have already begun their journey with purpose, attending leadership conferences and initiating meaningful contributions across the school. Importantly, leadership is not confined to badges or titles; we continue to see students across all year levels stepping up, supporting one another and contributing positively to our school culture.

In classrooms, teaching and learning have been a strong focus. Our Curriculum Information Sessions and newly introduced Learning Updates have provided families with valuable insight into classroom practice and how to support learning at home. Our “You Tell Us” interviews have strengthened partnerships between home and school, ensuring every student is known, understood and supported.

Our staff have also been deeply engaged in professional learning, setting the scene for high-quality teaching aligned to the Victorian Curriculum 2.0. We were fortunate to work with Dr Nathaniel Swain, whose expertise in explicit instruction and evidence-based practice is supporting our continued focus on consistency and excellence in teaching across the school.

Adding to the excitement of the term, our school was also selected as a filming location for a new ABC series, an experience that brought a real buzz to the community and will showcase Ripponlea Primary School beyond our gates.

And of course, none of this would have been possible without the support of our families. From attending events and information sessions to contributing at our Working Bee, your involvement continues to strengthen our school in so many ways.

When we pause and reflect on all that has taken place this term, it is quite remarkable. It would be easy to take a breath and wonder how it all fit into one term, but what it truly reflects is a vibrant, connected and thriving school community.

Thank you to our students, staff and families for such a positive and successful start to 2026. We look forward to building on this momentum in Term 2.

As we come to the end of a vibrant and full term, we also take a moment to acknowledge and celebrate the many important cultural and religious occasions being observed within our community and beyond.

We extend our warmest wishes to all families celebrating Passover, Easter, and Orthodox Easter, along with any other cultural or family celebrations taking place during this time.

These occasions are rich in meaning, grounded in tradition, reflection, connection and renewal and we are proud to be a community that values and respects such diversity.

As the holidays begin, we hope all families, students and staff enjoy a well-earned break. May this be a time to slow down, unwind and spend precious moments with family and friends. Whether you are celebrating, travelling or simply enjoying quieter days at home, we wish you a safe, restful and joyful holiday period. We look forward to welcoming everyone back refreshed and ready for another exciting term ahead.

Until next term!

Natalie Rose & Marta Campbell

Principal Assistant Principal

Ripper Families

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