Principal Team Message

☕ BUILDING COMMUNITY - COFFEE ON US! 

We know life has been full and the chilly weather is settling in, but it's also the perfect time to pause, connect, and warm up with a cup of coffee – on us!

We’re delighted to share that TheirCare is generously sponsoring a free coffee cart for our school community on Friday 13 June, from 8:00 am to 9:00 am.

Whether you’re a familiar face or new to our school, we invite you to swing by, grab a warm drink, and enjoy a friendly chat with other families and staff. It’s a simple but powerful way to build connections and celebrate the sense of belonging that makes Ripponlea Primary so special.

A heartfelt thank you to TheirCare for their ongoing support and commitment to strengthening our school community.

We hope to see you there – cup in hand and smiles all around!

PLAYGROUND PALS: BUILDING A CARING AND CONNECTED SCHOOL YARD

We’re excited to share that Demia Desmiras from STRIDE Education will be visiting Ripponlea Primary School on Monday, 16 June to run a refresher workshop for our amazing Peer Mediators.

You might have seen some of our Playground Pals in action—these are our trained Year 4 to 6 students who help support younger peers in the school yard. Through STRIDE’s Peer Mediation Program, students work in pairs to guide others through minor disagreements that sometimes pop up during break times. They use a calm and respectful 6-step mediation process, focusing on listening, empathy, problem-solving, and assertive communication.

Peer Mediation empowers our senior students to be leaders and role models, helping to build a more inclusive, connected, and caring school community. It also ensures that all students feel they have someone safe and supportive to turn to during the day.

Importantly, our mediators are trained to know when an issue is too big to handle on their own—and that’s when they seek help from staff. They are taught to listen and guide, but never to take on responsibility beyond their role.

If your child is interested in becoming a Peer Mediator or joining the Playground Pals program, please encourage them to speak to Mrs Rose. We’d love to welcome more students who are keen to make a difference!

Together, we continue to grow a school where everyone feels heard, supported, and connected.

🌊 WORLD OCEAN DAY - A MESSAGE FROM THE SUSTAINABILITY STUDENT LEADERS 🌊

This Friday, we’re recognising World Ocean Day – a global reminder of just how important our oceans are to life on Earth. They cover more than 70% of the planet, produce most of the oxygen we breathe, and are home to an incredible variety of marine life.

Our Sustainability Student Leaders invite everyone to show their support by wearing a touch of blue – it could be a scarf, socks, hair ribbon or even your favourite blue t-shirt. Of course, if you prefer, you’re more than welcome to stay in your school uniform.

Why does the ocean matter?

• It provides food and jobs for millions of people
• It regulates our climate and absorbs harmful carbon dioxide
• It supports the health of our entire planet

Sadly, our oceans are under threat from pollution, overfishing, and climate change. Every action we take – like reducing plastic use, recycling properly, and making sustainable choices – helps protect our oceans and the animals who live in them.

Let’s make a wave of change together – wear blue and think green! 🌍💙— RPS Sustainability Student Leaders

STUDENT LEADERSHIP AT RPS - EVERY VOICE MATTERS 

At Ripponlea Primary School, we strongly believe that students should be active participants and leaders in their school community. Our student leadership model is inclusive, diverse, and proudly driven by student voice and agency.

Across the school, our leadership opportunities include Wellbeing Leaders, Sustainability Leaders, the Student Representative Council (SRC), House Captains, and School Captains. These roles are filled by passionate and responsible students who lead assemblies, plan events, advocate for their peers, and champion important causes.

But leadership doesn’t stop with a badge. Many students lead classroom projects, support younger students as buddies, and contribute their ideas to school-wide initiatives. Most recently, we launched our new RAP (Reconciliation Action Plan) Student Ambassadors—a group of students committed to ensuring our school remains a place of inclusion, respect, and cultural understanding.

We are incredibly proud of our students for taking initiative and thinking creatively about how to improve the school experience for everyone. Through cake raffle fundraising, students choose legacy projects that leave a lasting impact. Past initiatives have included the installation of buddy benches, the creation of vibrant murals, sensory regulation tools, and flexible classroom seating options.

Our student leaders regularly gather feedback from their peers and are consistently commended for their maturity, empathy, and dedication to making Ripponlea a better place. 

They are not just the future—they are shaping our present.

RIPPONLEA PRIMARY SCHOOL REVIEW - HELP SHAPE OUR NEXT CHAPTER

Every four years, Victorian government schools participate in a School Review—a valuable opportunity to reflect on past achievements, identify areas for growth, and shape the direction of future learning. Ripponlea Primary School is preparing for our next review, which will take place in Term 3.

Since 2021, our school has been working towards three key improvement goals:

🔹 1. Improve student learning outcomes

We focused on developing consistent, high-quality teaching practices across the school, with a particular emphasis on literacy and numeracy. This included the introduction of a whole-school instructional model and targeted intervention programs.

🔹 2. Strengthen student voice and agency

We empowered students to take ownership of their learning, make decisions, and actively contribute to school life—whether through leadership roles, peer support programs, or classroom initiatives.

🔹 3. Support student wellbeing

We prioritised mental health and wellbeing through positive behaviour frameworks, inclusive practices, and social-emotional learning programs.

As part of the School Review process, a review team—including external educators, Department of Education representatives, and school leaders—will visit our school to observe, engage with the community, and analyse data.

Importantly, all members of our school community will have a voice. The review team will speak with students, staff, families, and School Council members to gain a well-rounded understanding of our school’s progress and priorities.

It’s a rewarding and exciting process that reflects our ongoing commitment to continuous improvement—and we would love for you to be involved!

Share your voice!

To help us prepare, we’re inviting families to complete a short online survey. Your feedback will help inform our future goals and directions.

👉 https://forms.gle/G2dfq4247Wy8pju4A

🗓 Survey closes: Friday 4th July

Thank you for being an essential part of the RPS community. Your insights truly matter.

STUDENT, TEACHER & PARENT/CARER CONFERENCES - CELEBRATING GROWTH & PROGRESS

As we approach the end of Term 2, we are preparing for our Student, Teacher & Parent/Carer Conferences, a valuable opportunity to reflect on student growth and set goals for future learning.

Over the past six months, students across all year levels have been working diligently towards their personalised goals in literacy, numeracy, and personal development. 

These goals have guided their learning journeys, helped them reflect on their progress, and celebrate both the big and small milestones achieved along the way.

To support this reflection process, all families will receive a Semester 1 Report, providing a summary of student progress across the full breadth of the Victorian Curriculum. These reports will be available on Friday, 27th June, before the final week of term.

Our upcoming conferences are a chance to explore this progress further in a three-way conversation between student, teacher, and family. Students will be invited to share what they’ve accomplished so far and what skills they’re continuing to develop. It’s a powerful way to build ownership of learning and to celebrate success together.

Conference Format & Bookings

Conferences will run across the final week of Term 2. Families will be able to book appointments using our School Interviews online booking system, which will be released shortly.

Each meeting will run for 15 minutes, structured as follows:

• First 5 minutes: Student-led reflection (optional participation based on family preference)
• Final 10 minutes: Confidential discussion between teacher and parents/carers

We encourage families to decide whether their child will stay for the full duration or only participate in the student-led segment.

Conference Schedule

Monday 30 June:

• Foundation Student, Teacher & Parent Conferences (8:45am – 4:45pm)

Tuesday 1 July:

• Year 1/2 Student, Teacher & Parent Conferences (8:45am – 4:45pm)

Wednesday 2 July:

• Year 3/4 Student, Teacher & Parent Conferences (8:45am – 4:45pm)

Thursday 3 July:

• Year 5/6 Student, Teacher & Parent Conferences (8:45am – 4:45pm)

These conversations are a vital part of your child’s learning journey. We thank all families for their ongoing support and look forward to seeing you during conference week.

WELCOME, BABY BILLIE 👶💐

We are thrilled to share some beautiful news for the Ripponlea Primary School community — a heartfelt congratulations to our Year 5/6 teacher Dave Bremner and his wife Emily on the arrival of their baby daughter, Billie!

We’re delighted to hear that both Emily and baby Billie are doing well at home. This is such a special time for their family, and we know they are soaking up every precious moment of newborn joy and cuddles.

On behalf of the entire school community, we send our warmest wishes and heartfelt congratulations to Dave, Emily, and their loved ones as they begin this new chapter together.

Welcome to the world, Billie! 💕

— The RPS Community

Until next fortnight!

Natalie Rose             &                        Marta Campbell 

      Principal                                         Assistant Principal