Principal Team Update

Term 4 - Edition no: 16, 2026

A WARM WELCOME BACK TO TERM 4

Well, here we are, already in the final term of 2026! I hope everyone enjoyed a wonderful holiday break and that the post-holiday slump has disappeared as we settle back into the routines of family and school life.

A very warm welcome to our new families joining Ripponlea Primary School. I hope you have already experienced the warmth, kindness and wonderful community spirit that make our school such a special place.

On a personal note, I am absolutely delighted to be back following my extended leave! It was a wonderful feeling to escape the Melbourne winter blues and soak up the sunshine of a European summer, enjoying precious family time and creating lifelong memories along the way. I return feeling refreshed, re-energised and excited to reconnect with our school community, finish 2026 on a high and begin preparing for another wonderful year ahead.

I would like to extend my heartfelt thanks to Mrs Marta Campbell and Mrs Naomi Hoewel for their exceptional leadership, care and dedication during my absence. Alongside our wonderful staff, they ensured our school community continued to thrive, and I am incredibly grateful for everyone's commitment, support and hard work.

To our families, staff and students, thank you for the beautiful welcome back. The smiles, hugs and kind words have truly warmed my heart and reminded me just how special our Ripponlea community is.

Here's to a fabulous final term filled with learning, laughter, celebrations and connection!

YOUR VOTE, OUR RIPPERS, ONE BIG OPPORTUNITY!

Saturday 28 November 2026 – Victorian State Election

As Victorians prepare to head to the polls, Ripponlea has a fantastic opportunity to turn Election Day into a major fundraising event for our Rippers!

Our school hall, Barrbunin, will be an official polling centre, welcoming hundreds of voters through our gates. With so many visitors, it's the perfect opportunity to raise much-needed funds towards our junior playground upgrade and potentially another small project from our school master plan.

Our School Council, together with Ripper Families, is planning a fabulous sausagesizzle, cake stall and coffee stand, and we'd love to make the day even bigger! Perhaps a craft stall, second-hand books or face painting? We welcome your creative ideas and, most importantly, your willingness to help bring them to life!

This is where we need our wonderful Ripper community to step up!

Whether you can spare an hour on the barbecue, bake a delicious treat or help run a stall, every contribution counts. We have the opportunity to raise substantial funds in just one day, but we simply cannot do it without your support.

Every dollar raised will bring us closer to upgrading our junior playground and making further improvements to the spaces where our Rippers learn, play and grow.

Please save Saturday 28 November and reach out to Tarryn Holland to offer your support or share your ideas. Keep an eye out for further details from Ripper Families.

GET READY RIPPERS - IT'S PYJAMA DAY

Friday 23 October 2026

Get ready for what might just be the BEST school day of the year! And trust us, it's not just our students who love this one, our staff are equally excited!

Imagine rolling out of bed, skipping the morning wardrobe decisions and heading straight to school in your favourite cosy pyjamas! No fuss, no fancy outfits, just your PJs and a pair of sneakers on your feet. What could be better?

Our wonderful Student Representative Council (SRC) is organising a special Pyjama Day on Friday 23 October, and it's all for a very worthy cause, supporting children and young people in foster care through The Pyjama Foundation.

The Pyjama Foundation does incredible work through its Love of Learning Program, connecting children in foster care with volunteer mentors known as Pyjama Angels.

These caring volunteers help children build confidence, develop literacy and learning skills, and experience the joy of learning through reading, games and meaningful activities.

We kindly ask everyone to bring along a gold coin donation, which will be donated to The Pyjama Foundation to help support its wonderful programs and provide learning resources for the special activities enjoyed by children in care.

So, Rippers, find your fluffiest, funniest or most colourful PJs, pop on your sneakers and get ready for a day filled with comfort, kindness and fun!

Big hearts, cosy PJs and little acts of kindness that make a big difference!

🌿 SAVE THE DATE – RPS WORKING BEE! 🌻

Sunday 25th October | 10:00am – 2:00pm

Many hands make light work, and we need yours!

Summer is just around the corner, and it's time to give our beautiful school grounds a little extra love and attention!

Our arborist has been busy over the holidays attending to high-risk trees, but there are still plenty of jobs waiting for our wonderful volunteers. From mowing the front lawns and tackling those pesky weeds to tending our gardens, tidying up and completing lots of little jobs, there's something for everyone!

Whether you can spare 30 minutes, an hour or the whole morning, every helping hand makes a difference!

And of course, after all that hard work, we'll reward our amazing volunteers with a lovely lunch to share and enjoy together!

It's also a fantastic opportunity to meet new families, connect with other parents and help make RPS an even more beautiful place for our children to learn and play.

A big thank you to our Facilities and Environment School Council members, Colin Smith and Ashley Davies, who are helping coordinate the day. Please reach out to them if you'd like to lend a hand.

We can't wait to see you there. Let's roll up our sleeves and make a difference together.

Please contact Colin Smith for further information cojacsmith72@gmail.com

YEAR 3/4 CAMP MOUNT EVELYN

What an incredible adventure for our Year 3/4 students last week, who headed off to Mount Evelyn for a camp filled with excitement, laughter, friendship and unforgettable memories!

School camps are such a special part of growing up. They provide opportunities for our students to step outside their comfort zones, embrace new challenges, develop independence and discover just how capable and resilient they really are. For some, being away from home is a big milestone, and we couldn't be prouder of the courage, enthusiasm and positive attitudes our students demonstrated.

Beyond the fun and adventure, camp is about building connections, strengthening friendships, encouraging teamwork and creating those wonderful childhood memories that stay with us long after primary school.

A very special thank you to our extraordinary Year 3/4 team, Casey Trotter, Hayden Broadbent and Sarah Coughlin, alongside Mark, Izzy, Bree, Shannan Connelly and Mrs Campbell, who generously gave their time, energy and care to make this experience possible.

Taking students away on camp is no small undertaking! It means long days, early mornings, very little downtime and being on duty well beyond the usual school day. Our staff embraced it all with enthusiasm, patience and a genuine commitment to ensuring every child felt safe, supported and included.

We are incredibly fortunate to have such dedicated educators who go above and beyond to create these opportunities for our students. To our wonderful Year 3/4 campers, we hope you returned home with big smiles, plenty of stories to share and perhaps a little extra appreciation for your own beds!