Things To 

Know

CARRINGTON GROVE - PARKING CONDITIONS 

Glen Eira Council have received a request from Ripponlea Kindergarten to improve parking opportunities for parents outside the kindergarten along the southern side of Carrington Grove. 

It is understood that the current 'No Parking' (Kiss and Go) restriction does not provide adequate time for parents to assist with pick-up and drop-off arrangements. Therefore to improve parking opportunities, the existing No Parking - 8-9:30 am and 2:30 - 4:00 pm restrictions will be converted to 5-minute parking zones. 

RPS LANGUAGE PROGRAM 

As part of our ongoing commitment to enhancing the educational experience at Ripponlea Primary School, we have been exploring the possibility of introducing new language options for our students. 

Our current language program focuses on cultural learning, aiming to provide students with a rich understanding of different cultures rather than a formalised language curriculum. To ensure that we offer languages that resonate with our community and align with our educational goals, we are seeking your input on which languages you believe would be most valuable for our students to learn. 

Your feedback will play a crucial role in shaping the future of our language program.  

https://forms.gle/RMTJC3oywgd5BTZA6

BOOK FAIR

The Scholastic Book Fair is coming to our school library during Book Week (Week Six).

The Book Fair is open from 8:30am until 8:55am and from 3:30pm until 4:15pm from Monday to Thursday (19/08-22/08).

We are looking for volunteers to help out during the book fair. Please contact the office if you are happy to help during one of the sessions.

We look forward to seeing you there!

CENTENARY PAVERS PROJECT CONTINUES IN 2024

We would love to continue adding more pavers to this meaningful path. If you would like to get a special paver for your family and child, please read the information below. This is a wonderful opportunity to have a memento immortalised in time at Ripponlea Primary School. The path, now free from puddles, is a beautiful addition to our school, and we invite everyone to come and see it for themselves.

How to Order Your Commemorative Paver:

• Step 1: Visit the school office to obtain an order form.
• Step 2: Fill out the form with your family's details and any special message or name you would like on the paver.
• Step 3: Submit the completed form along with payment of $60 on QKR by 30th October 2024.

We look forward to seeing many more names and messages added to our Centenary Path, creating a lasting legacy for future generations of Ripponlea Primary School students and families.

ENSURING OUR STUDENTS WEAR THEIR UNIFORMS WITH PRIDE 

As we strive to create a strong sense of belonging and pride among our students, we kindly remind you of the importance of adhering to our School Uniform Policy. The uniform ensures safety and comfort during school activities and helps minimise peer pressure related to clothing choices.

Key Points to Remember:

• All students are expected to wear the school uniform every day.
• The uniform must be clean, neat, and in good condition.
• Non-uniform items are not permitted during school hours.

Uniform Details:

• Dark navy blue items such as leggings, tracksuit pants, shorts, and skorts.
• Set sports uniforms, house tops, and specialty sports tops are to be worn on designated sports days and classes.
• Boots and black clothing items are not permitted.

We understand that sometimes uniforms may be in the wash or unavailable for other reasons. In such cases, please provide your child with a quick note to explain the circumstances or inform their teacher directly. This helps us maintain our uniform standards while accommodating occasional issues.

For our older students, we kindly ask parents and carers to check what they leave home in to ensure they comply with the uniform policy. Your support in this matter is greatly appreciated and contributes significantly to fostering a cohesive and supportive learning environment.

Don't hesitate to get in touch with Mrs. Rose if you need any support in securing some new uniform items. The second-hand uniform shop is open on most Friday mornings.

Thank you for your cooperation and for helping our students wear their uniform with pride.

SUPPORT REFUGEE FAMILIES WITH THE STUDENT REPRESENTATIVE COUNCIL 

The Student Representative Council (SRC) at Ripponlea Primary School is supporting the Asylum Seeker Resources Centre by collecting specific food items to help refugee families. We are appealing to our wonderful community to contribute to this cause throughout the term. Please drop off your donations at the school office whenever you can.

We are collecting:

• Tuna in oil (95g, 185g, or 425g)
• Coconut cream or milk
• Honey
• Peanut butter / Jam
• Basmati rice
• Sweet/savoury biscuits
• Tinned vegetables (peas, carrots, corn kernels, tomatoes)
• Oil (750ml – 1 litre)
• Dried fruit & nuts
• Razors
• Deodorant

Let's come together to support this initiative, just as we do with our recycling project. Thank you for your generosity and support!

EXCITING DEVELOPMENTS AT RPS - ACCESSIBLE BUILDING PROJECT UNDERWAY

Ripponlea Primary School is gearing up for an exciting phase of transformation with the commencement of the Accessible Building Project, managed by the Ascot Group. This initiative marks a significant step towards enhancing accessibility and infrastructure within the school, ensuring a more inclusive environment for all students, staff and families.

Project Overview

The project encompasses Stages 1-4 of the Accessible Building initiative and is set to bring substantial improvements to our school facilities. Following an initial kick-off meeting with architects and the building crew, the construction is scheduled to begin in two weeks. The deck project, a key component of this initiative, will also continue concurrently.

Key Changes and Access Restrictions

As construction gets underway, several important changes and access restrictions will come into effect to ensure the safety and smooth operation of the school:

Blocked Main Corridor:

• The internal main corridor will be blocked from the start of the office along the kinder, right before the student toilets.
• Access to classrooms will be rerouted through the external toilet door, up the small stairwell to the classrooms.

Restricted Areas:

• Area 1: The corridor leading to the Foundation and 1/2A classrooms will be blocked during the building phase.
• Area 2: The area outside the 1/2A classrooms, a small part of the current deck will also be restricted.

Alternative Access Routes:

• Foundation classrooms will be accessible via the ramp outside the learning tutor and FB classroom.
• The back oval will remain accessible from the outside.
• 1/2A classroom will be accessible from the external toilet door, where they usually line up. 

Bike Shed Relocation:

• The existing bike shed will be demolished and rebuilt in a new location. Consequently, students are requested not to bring their bikes and scooters to school starting from Monday, August 26th. (We will inform you of the exact date).

During this period, we unfortunately have no alternative storage options for our students who ride or scoot to school.

We are encouraging families to walk to school whenever possible. To assist with this, we are sharing information on how to create a Walking School Bus in your area. You can find more details here: How to Start a Walking School Bus.

For those who need to travel a longer distance, we recommend bringing a bike lock and securing bikes either along the fence at the entrance, at the racks at the front door entrance into the office, or at one of the trees/sign posts on Carrington Grove. 

We will provide pictures to illustrate these options and ensure families have clear guidance. 

Promoting physical exercise and sustainable transport remains a priority for us.

At this stage, we will inform you when the builders will erect their fences. 

Impact on the School Community

While the construction work is a necessary step towards improving our school, it does bring temporary changes and potential disruptions. The community can expect increased construction activity and some noise during this period. Safety protocols and restricted areas will be clearly marked to ensure the safety of students and staff.

We are committed to keeping everyone informed and minimising disruptions as much as possible. Regular updates will be provided to ensure that students, parents, and staff are aware of the progress and any further changes.

The Accessible Building Project represents a significant investment in the future of Ripponlea Primary School. These improvements are aimed at creating a more accessible, inclusive, and well-equipped environment for our students to learn and grow.

We appreciate the cooperation and understanding of our school community during this exciting period of transformation. Together, we are building a better future for Ripponlea Primary School.

For any queries or concerns regarding the construction project, please feel free to contact Mrs. Rose.

RECYCLING FOR REFUGEES - WE DID IT!

“I’ll count the cans,” says Clem.

“I’m already counting them,” says Eva.

“I’ll count them in tens.”

“No, I think we should separate them first.”

“Maybe you start doing the glass.”

“This pile is eighty cents.”

“This is one dollar, that’s ninety cents.”

Bit by bit, it all adds up, and last Wednesday week I was thrilled to be joined by two such willing workers – Eva and Clem – and two was enough, to empty and tally the two boxes, to sometimes count in twos, and to double the pleasure in what we were doing. 

And the two of them got the job done, and now it has come to an end; the money has been raised, and the Afghan family of five children and their widowed mother have arrived, and they’ve started their new life in a house we’ve set up for them in Dandenong.

Thank you to all in the Ripponlea community who have helped make this happen. 

My last counting session with the children was smaller than usual, but no less rewarding and enjoyable. 

For the last box I had the two girls count in multiples of two, one at a time, adding as they go, and they sang out the numbers as a chorus, and it is quite beautiful, hearing their voices, seeing their industry, being part of their enthusiasm. I ran and administered this scheme as a volunteer, but my rewards are in seeing firsthand how clever and kind and caring these children are. I think I get to see the very best of them, and if not, then our world is in good hands. 

With pen and paper, we did the maths. 100 cans + 74 cans in one box, + 51 in the other = 225 cans. Plus 10 plastic bottles, + 9 glass bottles, and another 4 glass and 4 plastic bottles over here. All these numbers. We added them up and got to 252, and then worked out the value, with each item worth 10c. 

10 cans = $1. 100 cans = $10. So, 200 cans are worth what? Plus, the 52 cans, how much are they worth?

Last week I made the last transfer of 10c container deposit scheme items from Ripponlea Primary into our fundraising group’s bank account - $25.20 – but the worth of this initiative was in far more than the dollars and cents.

Hopefully, it was in little conversations started around so many kitchen tables; in a shared pursuit, a collective effort; in maths equations, in numeracy; in an activity offered to  children; in social inclusion; and learned patterns of behaviour; maybe in new words like “aluminium” and “refugee” introduced into a child’s lexicon; in the tactility and fine motor skills of the task; the discipline of working collaboratively in small and large groups; in the novelty and spectacle of what we did; in the application of recycling, within families, as a community; in the visual stimulation and aesthetic of the two playground boxes made for the school; in ideas it may have stimulated; in the routine of each Wednesday, the counting day; in the example it set; in the sense of purpose and achievement.

And also, this: in showing the children the joy and pleasure of giving, and of caring (for the environment, for others) and how it can be so much fun!

Many thanks to Mrs for allowing me to run this initiative through your school community, and to all who filled the boxes with containers, and all the children who sorted and counted them. I hope it was an activity they might always remember.

The time they counted cans at school!

On a personal note, I’ve been laid low with a virus this past week and have a rental housing crisis I need to resolve (which I will do), so have been unable as yet to meet the Afghan family. Others in our group have been doing all the time-consuming work of assisting them to settle in and find their feet. Once I’m back on my feet, I’ll be out at Dandenong, doing my bit.

Before they arrived, I had visited schools in Dandenong to enrol 10-year-old Fatemeh – a girl I am yet to meet – and speaking with principals I learned of some of the challenges faced by those in their communities. One told of children walking long distances to school because they cannot afford a bus fare. And of children with cold knees in winter because their parents cannot pay for tracksuit pants.

Sharing these stories among my community, generous benefactors have donated $1100 that I will spread among two school communities to help those in a less affluent part of Melbourne. Others have helped me to support those in the community that hopefully will help support the newly-arrived Afghan family that we are supporting. It is a circle of kindness.   

I will collect the two boxes from Ripponlea Primary on Friday, and be on my merry way, and I thank all who in big ways or little have been part of this passing initiative.

Dugald Jellie