Principals' Page

Wild About Art

Wild About Art was a fantastic evening and a wonderful example of our community coming together to support our school. The exhibition was magnificent, and it was lovely to see our students' work displayed for everyone to enjoy.

Please take a look at the page in this newsletter dedicated to Wild About Art where you can see photos from the exhibition and get a glimpse of the wonderful work on display.

A special thank-you to Mrs Bosomworth for the work she does to develop our students' artistic skills and encourage their creativity. The quality and variety of the work on display were a credit to her and our students.

Thank you to our fundraising team headed up by Miss Clark, staff and families who put so much time and effort into making the event such a success. We are fortunate to have a community that gets behind our school and supports opportunities for our students.

Year 5 Speech Night

What a night our Year 5 Speech Night was on Thursday!

Our students were fantastic, sharing their stories, the challenges they had overcome in preparing their speeches and what matters most to them. Some spoke about the leadership roles they hope to take on, while others shared their passions for sport, music and other interests.

There were plenty of laughs, a few tears of joy and some very proud moments. Standing up in front of an audience takes courage, and our Year 5s showed just how much they have grown in confidence. I know the teachers in Year 5 and the ES who have helped them from the very first draft to the final delivery were so proud. They certainly gave us plenty to smile about. 

Thank you to all the parents, family members and friends who came along to support the students. It was wonderful to have you there to share the experience and celebrate our future leaders.

Celebrating Excellence at Great Ryrie

We have exciting news to share!

The Department has released its latest school results, and Great Ryrie is achieving exemplary results in learning and wellbeing. Our school is recognised as a high performing school, alongside our outstanding NAPLAN results.

We are very proud of our students and the work of our staff. These results reflect the commitment to learning across our school and the strong partnerships we have with our families.

We also know that students need to feel safe and supported at school to learn well. Their wellbeing is just as important as their academic progress, and we are proud of the learning environment we continue to build together.

Tonight, members of our staff and I will attend the Victorian Education Excellence Awards, where Great Ryrie has been shortlisted for the Outstanding Provision for High Ability Students – Primary School Award. This is a wonderful opportunity to recognise the work of our high ability program and the staff who provide opportunities for our students to extend their thinking, explore their interests and be challenged in their learning. We are proud to have our work recognised alongside outstanding schools from across Victoria and look forward to celebrating the evening together.

Year 4 Camp

Next week, our Year 4 students head to Phillip Island for camp, and I am looking forward to joining them for part of the adventure.

Camp is a great opportunity for students to build independence, strengthen friendships and try new things. Thank you to the teachers and staff giving their time to attend, and to families for supporting their children to take part. 

Prep to Year 2 Cross Country

Our Prep to Year 2 students have also enjoyed participating in their Cross Country events. Please see our PE news for updates.

It is great to see our youngest students having a go, encouraging their friends and doing their best. Whether it is running the course or finding the confidence to participate every effort is worth celebrating.

Victoria Day Award 

Congratulations to Helen on receiving a Victoria Day Award for Outstanding Community Service.

Helen has been a wonderful supporter of Great Ryrie for many years and continues to volunteer in our canteen every week, even though she no longer has a child attending our school. Her ongoing commitment says so much about her generosity and the connection she has maintained with our school community.

We are so grateful for all the time, care and energy Helen has given to Great Ryrie over the years. It is lovely to see her contribution recognised through this community award and so very well deserved.

Thank you, Helen, for everything you continue to do for our school. We are very lucky to have you as part of the Great Ryrie community.

 It has been a big week at Great Ryrie, with so many lovely things to celebrate.

As I finish this newsletter, I am off to read the persuasive texts written by our Year 1D students. They are hoping to convince me that we need a class pet and they have been working hard to build their case. Wish me luck. I have a feeling they are going to be very convincing........

 I hope you all enjoy a relaxing weekend with family and friends.

Warm regards

Karen Rouda Principal

Jean Maxwell & Jess Steer Assistant Principals