Principal Team Message

HELLO TERM 3 - LEARNING, LAUGHTER & LOTS TO LOOK FORWARD TO

Welcome back, everyone! We hope the break brought you plenty of rest, laughter, and maybe even a few adventures.

To our returning families, it’s fantastic to see you again. To our new families, a big, heartfelt welcome to Ripponlea Primary School! We’re so excited to have you join our little school with a big heart.

Term 3 is shaping up to be full of energy, creativity, and connection. From exciting learning projects and special events to student leadership, production rehearsals, and a few surprises along the way, there’s something for everyone.

As always, we’re here to support every student to thrive and feel a strong sense of belonging. Let’s make this term inspiring, joyful, and full of possibility.

BUILDING IMPROVEMENTS & SAFE GROUNDS - A FRESH START FOR TERM 3

At Ripponlea Primary School, we’ve had a busy few months behind the scenes, ensuring our buildings and outdoor spaces are safe, functional, and fresh for our students and staff. Thanks to emergency maintenance funding and support from the Victorian School Building Authority (VSBA), we’ve been able to make a number of significant improvements that we’re excited to share with you.

Keeping Our Trees Safe

As part of our commitment to student safety, a professional arborist has assessed every tree on school grounds to ensure they are healthy and able to regenerate in time for spring. With unpredictable storms and windy days on the rise, this check was vital in reducing risks and ensuring our grounds are safe for learning and play. Where trees presented a hazard, safe removals were carried out with VSBA funding.

Breathing New Life into Our Historic Building

Our beloved 102-year-old main building has received some much-needed care. Emergency maintenance grants allowed us to address rising damp in key areas, including our Wellbeing Room, MiniLit and MacqLit intervention spaces, Mrs Campbell’s office (a favourite for calming activities), and the little alcove just outside Mrs Rose’s office. Ventilation fans have been installed under the building to improve airflow, remove musty odours, and prevent future mould issues. Fresh paint has brightened up these important spaces, creating a more welcoming environment for all.

Toilets Get a Makeover!

We’ve also used our planned maintenance funds to refurbish the student toilets in both the main building and Barrbunin.

These upgrades included:

• Repainting walls and sealing floors
• Installing new hand dryers
• Replacing rotting doors and damaged panels
• Fixing broken locks, toilets, and taps

There was a big cheer at our first assembly of the term as students celebrated these long-awaited improvements, a clear reminder of how much a clean, hygienic facility matters.

Looking Ahead: Roof Replacement Plans

To further preserve and protect our learning environment, we’ve submitted an application for a major capital works grant to fund the full replacement of the roof on our main building. This would eliminate the persistent leaks that have caused ongoing damage and disruption over time. We’re hopeful for a positive outcome and will keep our community updated.

Thank You to Our Families

We would also like to sincerely thank the families who have made voluntary donations to our maintenance fund. Your contributions directly support essential projects like these and help us create the best possible environment for our students to thrive.

We think the before-and-after photos say it all!

We are incredibly grateful for the support that has made these improvements possible and will continue to invest in our facilities with care, purpose, and student and staff wellbeing in mind.

FRIENDSHIP DAY CELEBRATING CONNECTION & KINDNESS

This Wednesday, we’re celebrating Friendship Day – a special moment in the Ripper calendar that reminds us of the importance of kindness, inclusion, and the joy of positive relationships.

At Ripponlea, we believe friendships are the heartbeat of a happy and connected school community. Whether it’s welcoming a new classmate, playing together in the yard, or offering a helping hand during learning time, our students show us every day what it means to be a true friend.

To deepen this understanding even further, we’re thrilled to share that, thanks to mental health funding, we’ve invited Mindful Munchkins to run a special Friendship & Empathy Workshop for all our Foundation and Year 1/2 students this Friday, 1 August.

The workshop includes:

• 📚 A reading of a therapist-approved picture book about empathy and friendship
• 🎨 A creative hands-on activity helping children explore how to support others
• 📝 Meaningful take-home resources so the conversation can continue at home

This joyful, age-appropriate session offers our youngest Rippers a wonderful opportunity to build social-emotional skills, celebrate what it means to be a good friend, and feel even more connected to one another.

We can’t wait to see the friendships blossom across the week, because at Ripponlea, being a Ripper means looking out for one another.

JOIN OUR READING HELPER'S PROGRAM - F-2 PARENT TRAINING INVITATION

We warmly invite families to participate in our Reading Helper Program, a valuable opportunity to support students across the school while gaining practical skills to help your own child’s reading at home.

In the first week of Term 3, we are offering two training sessions for all interested volunteers:

📅 Friday 1 August

🕘 9:15 am

📍 Staff Room

These sessions will be facilitated by Mrs Rose, and will include:

• The key stages of the reading process for young learners
• Strategies for supporting decoding, fluency, and reading comprehension
• Tips and tools to get your child hooked on reading at home
• An outline of the volunteer’s role in the classroom
• A Child Safety Induction (compulsory for all volunteers)

All participants must hold a current Working with Children Check (WWCC) to join the program.

We know that many families find it challenging to fit in nightly reading routines. That’s why having trained reading helpers at school is so powerful, offering students more chances to revise and consolidate their skills through daily practice.

We hope you’ll join us to make a real difference in our students’ learning.

DANIEL BUTTERWORTH - ARTIST IN RESIDENCE 

We are thrilled to have local artist Daniel Butterworth working with our students this term as part of our Artist-in-Residence program. Over the past two sessions, Daniel has captivated students with his bold, expressive style and incredible talent for bringing characters to life through mixed media and portraiture.

Students have already begun experimenting with new techniques under Daniel’s guidance, exploring shape, proportion, and emotional expression in their artwork. There’s been a real buzz across the classrooms, with many students describing the sessions as "inspiring," "so different from anything we've done before," and "the best art ever!"

Daniel’s approach encourages creativity without fear of making mistakes, which has resonated deeply with students of all ages. We can't wait to see how their work evolves over the coming weeks as they continue to learn from such a passionate and engaging artist. Stay tuned for more updates in the specialist section of the newsletter. 

EXCITING WRITING PROJECT - OUR VERY OWN PUBLISHED BOOK!

We’re thrilled to announce a creative and collaborative project taking place this term for our students a published book showcasing short stories and poems written by our very own young authors!

This special project invites Year 3 - Year 6students to submit original pieces of writing, whether it’s a poem, short story, or creative prose, to compile all submissions into a professionally presented book. We’ll be selling the book eventually as part of a school fundraising initiative, celebrating the incredible talent and voice of our students.

A huge thank you to Alicia, Remy’s mum, who has generously provided templates and formatting tools to help us bring this project to life. Students simply need to type up their work and submit it by the end of this term.

Here’s how it will work:

• All submissions must be typed, this helps streamline the formatting and printing process.
• Teachers may set aside class time for writing, but students are also welcome to work on their stories or poems at home.

To make the final product even more special, we’re inviting interested Year 5/6 students to help design the front and back covers using a Canva template. A fantastic opportunity for our budding graphic designers!

We’re hoping for at least half of the cohort to contribute, but of course, the more voices represented, the better! Please take a moment to encourage your child to participate and share their creativity with our community.

We can’t wait to see the stories and poems our students create and to hold a beautiful book that captures their imagination, humour, heart, and talent. Stay tuned for more updates as the project unfolds!

HEALTHIER SCHOOL - VICTORIAN GOVERNMENT ACHIEVEMENT PROGRAM 

We have been recognised by the Victorian Government for Sexual Health & Wellbeing 

We are thrilled to share that Ripponlea Primary School has been officially recognised by the Victorian Government’s Achievement Program for our commitment to Sexual Health and Wellbeing. 

This means we have met the best practice benchmarks in this important health area, an incredible achievement for our whole school community!

We are especially proud of the following initiatives that helped us reach this milestone:

• Open and age-appropriate conversations about bodies, boundaries, relationships and respect, helping our students build confidence, empathy, and emotional intelligence.
•  Strong partnerships with families and carers, ensuring that our approach is inclusive and culturally sensitive.
• Explicit teaching aligned to the Victorian Curriculum, including Respectful Relationships, protective behaviours, and identity exploration.
• Professional learning for staff, equipping them with the tools and language to support students’ development in a safe and supportive environment.
• Listening to student voice, with opportunities for children to ask questions, share ideas, and learn in ways that are relevant and empowering.

This recognition reflects our school’s commitment to nurturing not only academic success but also the holistic wellbeing of every child. Thank you to our dedicated staff, students, and families who continue to support this important work.

We will continue to embed best practices across our curriculum and culture to promote lifelong wellbeing and respectful relationships.

The Achievement Program is a free health and wellbeing initiative for schools. 

More information about the program can be found here. 

The next health area our school will focus on is Mental Health & Wellbeing

STRUCTURED PLAY SPACE AT LUNCHTIMES - SUPPORTING ALL STUDENTS 

Our newly introduced indoor Structured Play Space has become a hive of activity, with many students enthusiastically visiting this indoor environment during lunchtime. 

Designed to offer an alternative to the traditional playground setting, this space is open to all students who may find unstructured play in a busy outdoor environment overwhelming or challenging to navigate.

For some children, long lunch breaks without a clear structure can present difficulties. These may include:

• Sensory sensitivities, where the noise and movement of the yard can become overstimulating
• Social communication challenges, where interpreting social cues, initiating play, or joining groups can be daunting
• Emotional regulation needs, where a calm, supervised space provides a sense of safety and predictability

Evidence shows that structured play, activities with clear boundaries, expectations, and support, can enhance engagement, reduce anxiety, and promote inclusive participation. 

According to research, structured play helps develop executive functioning skills, social problem-solving, and cooperative learning, particularly for neurodiverse learners or those with additional needs.

Our Structured Play Space provides:

• Creative, collaborative, and purposeful play activities in a calm indoor setting
• Active supervision by education support staff, ensuring students feel safe, supported, and guided as needed
• A welcoming, sensory-considerate environment that reduces overstimulation
• Clear routines and expectations, allowing students to engage confidently with others

Students are encouraged to stay for a block of time and are still supported to go outside for some fresh air and a different type of play opportunity. This balance ensures they have access to a full range of experiences during their break.

We continue to offer other lunchtime options as well, including the library, which remains open for our avid readers, and a range of student-led clubs for those interested in games, drawing, or quiet social connection.

The indoor Structured Play Space has proven to be a positive addition to our wellbeing strategy, supporting students to thrive socially, emotionally, and behaviourally during less structured parts of the school day. Its inviting and unique design has sparked curiosity across year levels, and we’re proud to see students making thoughtful choices about how they spend their time.

If you would like more information about the space or how it may support your child, please don’t hesitate to reach out.

Until next week!

Natalie Rose             &                        Marta Campbell 

      Principal                                         Assistant Principal