Specialist News 

WHAT HAVE WE BEEN UP TO IN P.E.

It’s been a great start to 2021 with lots of energy and very eager students to learn through movement. 

In Foundation students have been learning about each other's favourite sports and sports teams. They have also begun to understand how we move safely within general and personal space, within boundaries and how to use equipment. We know that when we move our body we keep healthy. 

Year 1/2 students are working on moving safely in their space and how to work collectively with others. Students have played games which allow them to understand the importance of playing positively and responding well to winning or losing. The current Yoga program is helping students learn to control their body through slow movements. 

Foundation and Year 1/2 students will be able to participate in the upcoming Jump Off Day to support the Jump Rope for Heart Foundation. This event will help to fundraise towards curing heart disease, connects us with our community and reinforces how moving our body keeps our hearts healthy and strong which also ties in with our skipping in P.E. Our House Captains will organise and lead the Jump Off Day which will be held on the last Tuesday of Term 1. 

In Years 3-6 the focus is on introduction and reinforcement of the critical component of sportsmanship in all games. Miss Jo is working together with students in games of hula hut to practice cooperation, teamwork and the accepting of game outcomes. Students have also begun a virtually delivered karate programme to learn how the body moves and reacts in different sporting activities. 

In addition, students in Year 5/6 have just completed their second session of stand-up paddle boarding and sailing down at St Kilda Beach. 

HOUSE CROSS COUNTRY CARNIVAL

This year, we welcome an exciting change to our cross-country course. Instead of running laps around the block, we will be relocating to Caulfield Grammar School who have kindly let us use their field. This is an amazing offer and we are all very grateful for this opportunity to compete and increase House Spirit. Course distances will remain the same (as per District competition distances):

Foundation – 300m

6/7 years old– 500m

8 years old and 9 years old who don’t wish to qualify for Districts – 1km 

9/10 years old – 2kms

11 years old – 3kms

12/13 years old – 3kms 

*Please note that age is defined by their age on the 31st of December 2021 (if your child is 10 now but will be 11 in August, they are in the 11 years age group). 

Students will run in age groups rather than class (apart from Foundation). The top four placings (boys/girls) in each race will receive a ribbon. The top 8 boys and top 8 girls from the 9/10 years up races will go to Districts on Wednesday 19th May. 

Alongside school practice, make sure you encourage students to build their cardiovascular endurance and practice pacing this distance. The best way you can do this is using Google maps and the ‘calculate distance’ tool to achieve the correct distance or alternatively a Garmin running watch. 

Save the date and details in your calendar with students all dressed in House colours:

Date: Monday 15th March 

Time: 9.30am-11am

Location: Caulfield Grammar School 

*Back up date if required: Wednesday 17th March, 1.30-3.20pm 

We are on the look out for volunteers to assist with placings at the finish line, adding house points and marshals. If you are able to assist please sign up here for a role: Monday help and Wednesday help 

DISTRICT SWIMMING

In our first inter-school event for some time, a team of 22 dedicated Ripponlea swimmers headed to GESAC for the Balaclava District competition on Thursday 18th February. Prior to the event, students had been turning up with parents at the early hour of 7am to trial out at Harold Holt pool. Thank you, parents, for supporting this process!!

At GESAC, we had many swimming first-timers not only at District swimming, but at any District event. Miss Jo is really excited by the enthusiasm from our students for what will hopefully be a competitive year. There were nerves, cheers and of course lots of happy faces at the end of each of the student’s races and everyone did such a great job at giving it their best effort. Some students received a ribbon for a top four finish and Kai W (9/10 years age group) and Gus W (11 years age group) have qualified for the Division competition in the 50m breastroke event which will be taking place this Friday. We wish them lots of luck and look forward to hearing how they go.