Things To 

Know

WEAR IT PURPLE DAY - THIS FRIDAY

Wear It Purple was founded in 2010 in response to global stories of real teenagers, real heartache and their very real responses. In 2010, several rainbow young people took their own lives following bullying and harassment resulting from the lack of acceptance of their sexuality or gender identity.

One member of this group was 18-year-old Tyler Clementi who took his own life after being publicly ‘outed’ as gay by his roommate, prompting a frenzy as reports poured in of various young people sadly in the same situation.

As the world saw the faces of precious young lives lost, some young people found a new sense of conviction and purpose to ensure that young people everywhere would know that there were people who did support and love them. 

Wear it Purple was established to show young people across the globe that there was hope, that there were people who did support and accept them, and that they have the right to be proud of who they are.

Since 2010, when Wear it Purple was co-founded by Katherine Hudson and Scott Williams, Wear it Purple has developed into an international movement. New generations of rainbow young people continue to be dedicated to promoting the annual expression of support and acceptance to rainbow young people. What started out small has now grown; however, the message remains the same. Everybody has the right to be proud of who they are.

So join us this year, on August 25th to celebrate Wear it Purple Day. Be part of a movement that has the potential to save thousands of lives. Be part of this change.

FISH CREEK CHILDREN'S FESTIVAL OF STORIES - WRITING CHALLENGE

The Fish Creek Children's Festival of Stories is an annual event held in Fish Creek in South Gippsland where children’s authors and illustrators offer free workshops for the 2000+ people who attend.

As a prelude to this, we run a Writing Challenge for students from Grade One to Year Eight. The word limit is 350 words and 20 submissions will be selected to be performed by professional storytellers at the festival on November 18 and 19. All stories will be published in eBook form by Cambridge University Press. 

Information re the Festival and Writing Challenge can be found on the website, www.fishystories.org Tips on writing stories, as well as picture book stories, can be found there – ideas and techniques for developing stories were produced by YA and children’s author, Michael Hyde and illustrator, Craig Smith.

Submissions can be made through the website and entries close at the end of Term 3 2023. 

We hope that some of your teachers and students will get on board and submit entries into the 2023 Writing Challenge. 

PROFESSIONAL PRACTICE DAY - MONDAY 6th NOVEMBER

We're pleased to inform our community that the last Professional Practice Day for our dedicated staff has been officially approved during the recent School Council meeting. While families may be considering their plans for the upcoming long weekend, we kindly ask that you keep in mind an event that promises loads of fun and excitement for our Year 1/2 students.

                       Professional Practice Day: Monday, November 6th

                           Tuesday 7th November - Melbourne Cup Day

This day serves as an opportunity for our educators to engage in meaningful professional development, enhancing their skills and knowledge to provide the best possible learning experience for your children. While there will be no student attendance on this day, we encourage families to explore this time as a chance for quality family moments and personal activities.

                      Year 1/2 Big Night In and Sleepover: Friday, November 3rd

We have an exciting event that our Year 1 and 2 students have been eagerly anticipating—the Year 1 Big Night In and Year 2 Sleepover! On Friday, November 3rd, our young learners will have the unique opportunity to come together for an evening of bonding, games, and endless excitement. 

WE WANT OUR PARENTS / CAREGIVERS / GUARDIANS TO TELL US WHAT THEY THINK!

Our school is conducting a survey to find out what parents / caregivers / guardians think of our school. The Parent / Caregiver / Guardian Opinion Survey is an annual survey offered by the Department of Education that is designed to assist schools in gaining an understanding of families’ perceptions of school climate, student behavior, and student engagement. 

The survey is optional but we encourage all families to participate. Our school will use the survey results to help inform and direct future school planning and improvement strategies. 

We need 58 surveys completed to secure valid data.

SURVEYS COMPLETED  - 24 only 41% at this stage 

The Parent / Caregiver / Guardian Opinion Survey will be open from Monday 7 August to Friday 8 September 2023.

The survey will be conducted online, only takes 20 minutes to complete, and can be accessed at any convenient time within the survey period on desktop computers, laptops, tablets or smartphones. The online survey will be available in English and 10 other languages including Arabic, Greek, Hakha Chin, Hindi, Japanese, Punjabi, Simplified Chinese, Somali, Turkish, and Vietnamese.

RPS SUPPORTS LOCAL FOOD DRIVE 

Hi Ripper Families,

I’m here to let you know about the food drive I’ve organised. Some of you might recall that we had food drives in the past but sadly after COVID struck we did not have them anymore and I would like to bring them back!!

When my Mum was on Facebook she saw that Christ Church Community Centre was running low on supplies for their community pantry. I sent them an email to see if they wanted some extra food and they said yes.

All the food collected will be donated to them.  I have also noticed that food prices have gone up and  I’m sure the extra food we collect would be very much appreciated. There will be posters around the school stating what you need to donate. The food drive starts on the 18th of August and ends on the 25th of August. All the food items can be dropped off at the school office.

With your support, it will be much easier. I hope all Ripper families can support me to make this successful!!

Thank you. 

Sofie 3/4C.