2025 Edition 53 15.08.2025

Principal's Message - Mrs Meyrick

Our very first MADD Night was a true success, shining a spotlight on the incredible talent within our school community. The evening showcased the passion and dedication of our Performing Arts students who participate in a wide range of extracurricular activities.

Highlights included the Drum Corp with their glowing drumsticks, the dynamic Rock Band made up of students, parents, and staff, and the high-energy performances of our Cheer and FISAF Dance Groups. The angelic voices of our Choir Groups and the beautiful music from the String Ensemble filled the hall, while our visiting high schools added even more depth to the night. We were treated to brilliant performances from Bremer State High School’s cheer teams and Ripley Valley State Secondary College’s vocal ensemble and flute quartet. To top it all off, our very own Skit Squad Drama Group kept the energy flowing as they MC’d the event with humour and flair.

This night would not have been possible without the dedication of our staff, the generous support of our P&C, the delicious food platters prepared by our canteen star Maria, and of course, the parents and families who supported the event.

MADD Night was a true celebration of music, arts, dance, and drama - a testament to the creativity and talent that make our school community so special.

Parentline

Have you heard about Parentline? 
 
Parentline is a free, confidential service for all Queensland parents. Get help supporting your child with:
• bullying
• relationships
• peer pressure
• anxiety
• depression; and more.

Access Parentline’s qualified counsellors any day of the week from 6 am until midnight.
 
Call 1300 30 1300, or jump on the live web-chat (parentline.com.au) or join the online bullying support forum for support.

Mrs Wuanita Meyrick| Principal (and Year 2)

Deputy Principal's Message - Ms Yager

Congratulations Ellie – Off to the State Finals!

We are thrilled to announce that Year 5 student Ellie has been invited to compete in the Queensland State Finals of the Oz Schools Instrumental Championships (OSIC) - a competition showcasing Australia’s best up-and-coming musicians.

Only the top 20 students across the State, in each instrument and age category are selected to perform live at the State Library of Queensland, competing for trophies, prizes, and a coveted place in the National Final. OSIC offers young musicians the chance to gain valuable performance experience, expert feedback, and recognition for their musical talent.

Ellie’s journey is an inspiring one - she joined our school rock band as the drummer in Year 3 and is one of the original members. Her passion, dedication, and growth as a drummer and performer have been nothing short of amazing.

We are so proud of you, Ellie, and we wish you all the best as you take the stage live on Saturday, August 30th.

Ms Petra Yager | Deputy Principal Year 3-6

Deputy Principal's Message - Mr Geeling

Yesterday we celebrated the start of our annual Book Fair with a day full of fun and imagination! The highlight was our Book Character Parade, where students and staff proudly dressed up as their favourite characters and brought the magic of stories to life.

The joy on students’ faces as they paraded around in costume was a reminder of the power of books to inspire creativity, spark imagination, and connect us as a community of readers. Staff joined in the fun too, making it a truly special event for everyone.

A big thank you to our families for supporting the Book Fair - it’s a wonderful way to encourage a love of reading while also helping us grow our school library resources.

Mr Alex Geeling |  Deputy Principal Year P-1

HOD Student Engagement - Ms Ashby

RACQ Streets Ahead Program – 25th–27th August

We are excited to welcome the RACQ Streets Ahead program to our school from Monday 25th to Wednesday 27th August. This road safety education program will be delivered to all year levels, providing age-appropriate lessons designed to help students become safer and more aware road users.

The Streets Ahead program covers important topics such as pedestrian safety, safe passenger behaviour, and bicycle safety. Through interactive activities and discussions, students will develop the skills and knowledge to make safer choices when travelling to and from school and in their community. The aim is to build lifelong habits that reduce risk and keep our students safe on and around our roads.

We look forward to seeing our students engage in this valuable learning experience.

EPIC Restorative Conversations at Ripley Central

At Ripley Central, we believe every student can be an EPIC learner - Empowered, Polite, Inclusive, and Careful. When challenges arise, we see them as opportunities to practise these values and grow as a community. One of the ways we do this is through Restorative Practices.

What are Restorative Practices?
Restorative Practices are a relationship-focused approach to behaviour, conflict, and classroom culture. Instead of focusing only on consequences, we guide students to:

• Take responsibility for their actions (Empowered)
• Show respect and kindness to others (Polite)
• Understand and value different perspectives (Inclusive)
• Make thoughtful choices to repair harm (Careful)

Why do we use them?
In primary school, children are still learning to manage emotions, solve problems, and consider how their actions affect others. Restorative Practices help them develop empathy, resilience, and the skills to live our EPIC values every day.

How it works at school
We build relationships through proactive strategies like morning check-ins, community circles, and class agreements. When something goes wrong, we use restorative conversations to help students reflect, learn, and move forward.

The 5 key questions we ask are:

1. What happened? (Empowered – owning their actions)
2. What were you thinking at the time? (Careful – considering decision-making)
3. Who has been affected by your actions? (Inclusive – recognising others’ perspectives)
4. How have they been affected? (Polite – showing empathy and respect)
5. What do you think you can do to make things right? (Empowered & Careful – taking positive action)

How parents can support at home
Using similar questions at home can help reinforce the EPIC values. Encourage your child to think about how their choices affect others, and celebrate when they show empathy, take responsibility, or find ways to make things right.

Mrs Kirsten Ashby| HOD Student Engagement

Head of Department - Curriculum

Science Week Fun at RCSS!

Our students had an EPIC time celebrating Science Week! A big thank you to the amazing Ripley Valley State Secondary College crew for visiting and sharing your passion for science with us.

Students were fascinated as they explored the incredible world of water bugs, discovering the unique features that make these tiny creatures so special. Using microscopic torches, they were able to get an up-close view of the bugs’ intricate details - a real wow moment for budding scientists!

Visible Learning

Empowering Learners Through Clarity, Ownership and Deep Thinking

What is Visible Learning?

Visible Learning is a high-impact teaching approach based on John Hattie's research. It focuses on making learning clear, intentional and measurable - for both the teacher and the student. At Ripley Central, we are committed to building a learning culture where:

• Students know what they are learning, why, and how to improve.
• Teachers see learning through the eyes of their students.
• Students become active, reflective, and empowered learners.

What does Visible Learning look like at RCSS?

Learning Walls

• Learning Walls are an essential part of visible learning at Ripley Central, they aid and support pedagogical practice and instruction as well as improve learning achievement for students, particularly in English. Our goal is that every student can use the Learning Wall to identify where they are in the learning journey and what their next step is. Learning walls are:
• Co-constructed with students and updated regularly, facilitating the learning process and evolving throughout the unit of work.
• Include the learning intention, success criteria, word walls, anchor charts, exemplar texts, feedback, and student work.
• Support students to work independently, reflect on learning and self-regulate.

Visible Learning ensures that learning is not just done but deeply understood. It lifts engagement, achievement and student agency.

Together, we are creating EPIC learners who are Empowered, Polite, Inclusive, and Careful, and who can articulate and own their learning journey.

Mrs Tammy Ward  | HOD - Curriculum 

Job Opportunity

Student Free Day

Our school will be closed on Friday 5th September for the statewide, state school, student free day. Please make alternative arrangements for the care of your children for that day. 

EPIC Lessons Week 4 & 5

This Week’s Focus: Being Polite at School

At Ripley Central State School, our EPIC values help guide us to be the best learners and community members we can be. This week, our focus is on being polite.

We will be investigating the correct tone to use when we are talking to everyone.

Being polite means using kind words and actions that show respect for others. At school, we can show politeness by:

• Saying “please” and “thank you.”
• Listening when others are speaking.
• Using a calm and respectful voice.
• Greeting teachers, visitors, and classmates with a smile.
• Waiting our turn and showing good manners in class and in the playground.

When we are polite, we make school a welcoming place where everyone feels respected and included. It also helps us build strong friendships and positive relationships with our teachers.

Let’s encourage everyone to practice politeness every day - whether it’s with their friends, their teachers, or visitors in our classrooms. Together, we can continue to grow as EPIC learners who are Empowered, Polite, Inclusive, and Careful.

HPE News

District Athletics

Congratulations to all the students who represented our school at the District Athletics carnival in various events in Track and Field. A special mention to Darcy who won the 10yr boy’s High jump. He will now compete at the Met West Regional trials in September.

Nia – 100m

Holly – Shotput

Darcy – High Jump, 100m, 200m

Harry – 800m, 200m, Discus and Long jump

Jackson – 1500m, shotput

AFL

Fill the hill

The Brisbane Lions AFLW seasons kick off Season 10 this Sunday against Hawthorn Hawks at 12:40PM. Each round at the Women’s AFL game the school with the most attendance will win a prize. The Round 1 prize will be Signed Boots from AFLW Captain Bre Koenen!

Kids Go Free* and Adults just $10 to home games at Brighton Homes Arena – get your tickets and we’ll see you at the footy!

See link below to get your tickets! Remember to register our school Ripley Central SS.

Please use the link for any other games that you will attending.

Music News

Music Year 1-2: Experimenting with Sound 

What's happening in our classroom

5A completed their painting for the Art Auction and tasted some Damper.

Year 4 Inspired by Real-Life Sporting Heroes!

Today, our Year 4 students were treated to an unforgettable experience as two incredible guest speakers visited their classrooms to kickstart their learning journey on the ‘Sports Hero’s Quest.’

First up was special guest Nelson Larkins – professional basketballer and passionate skateboarder – who shared the ups and downs of chasing big dreams. As part of his family business, RampAttak, Nelson spoke about resilience, passion, determination and grit as the keys to unlocking your inner superpower. Students were buzzing with excitement to receive an exclusive flyer for Australia’s largest indoor skatepark!

Next, our very own Mr Adam - Ripley’s staff sporting superstar – surprised the students with stories of his own sporting career, including the highlights and challenges of representing Australia on the world stage.

Both guests left a lasting impression on our students, encouraging them to dream big, stay strong, and never give up. Thank you to Nelson and Mr Adam for inspiring our future sporting heroes!

Passion Projects

Our Term 3 Passion Project Fair will be held on Thursday 18^th September at 2pm in our Curiosity Centre. All students are invited to participate, by creating their Passion Project to share and have on display. You can learn more about Passion Projects on our school website. 

Canteen News

Upcoming School Events

Year 6 Graduation Dinner – Save the Date!

We are excited to announce the details for our Year 6 Graduation Dinner, a special evening to celebrate the incredible journey of our graduating Class of 2025.

The event will be held on Thursday 11th December 2025 from 6.30pm to 8.30pm at Brothers Leagues Club Ipswich, located on Wildey Street, Raceview.

Students are asked to dress in smart attire and can look forward to an evening filled with celebration, laughter, and memories. There will be photo opportunities with an open-air photo booth to capture the night.

Tickets for our Year 6 students will be available to purchase this term at approximately $45 per head. Invoices will be sent to Year 6 families shortly. Please note that only students will require a ticket.

Parents and carers are invited to attend from 6.30pm – 7.00pm for the formal component of the evening. Please note this will be standing room only, and we kindly ask that parents depart at 7.00pm to allow the students to enjoy their dinner and celebration. This adjustment has been made due to the large growth in student numbers and limited venue capacity. Families may like to consider booking a table at Brothers for dinner while they wait for the evening to finish. 

We look forward to celebrating this important milestone with our Year 6 students as they get ready to take their next big step into high school!

Community News

Ipswich Climate Action Group is participating in the Ipswich City Council’s Sustainable Living Festival, and one of our activities is a Trashion Parade to raise awareness of the need to reuse and repurpose clothing and reduce waste from fabrics.

The Parade is to be held in Ipswich on Saturday, 9th November,2025, and we would love to encourage students from your school to participate. We understand that sustainability is a cross curricular priority in education.

We therefore request that the attached flyer be published in your school newsletter, along with any explanations from this email that seem relevant. We also request that this email be forwarded to staff, in case they have educational activities which may fit into planning for the Trashion Parade.

The QR code on the flyer links with the Ipswich Climate Action Group’s website, where more information and a link to a registration form can be found. Information and links can also be found on the Discover Ipswich website.

Yours sincerely,

Jane Cochrane (Ipswich Climate Action Group)

Future Lions, are you ready to cheer? 📣🙌

We're calling all Year 6 students! Be part of Bremer’s undefeated Cheer Academy teams and experience a day of skills, training and fun this Term 4. Meet our talented coaches, train alongside our student ambassadors, and see what it’s like to be a Bremer Lion. 🦁✨

🔹Monday 13 October 2025 (Week 2)

🔹9:00am – 2:30pm

Year 6 students are invited to spend the day learning skills, training with our talented coaches, and meeting our skilled student ambassadors. It’s the perfect chance to see what it’s like to be part of our champion cheer community. 💙💛

Register today: https://tinyurl.com/5234v5xw

‼️Registrations close Wednesday 8 October (Week 1)

#BremerStateHighSchool 

Enrol now for Prep 2026

Second Hand Uniforms

As children grow, or families move from the area, families have the opportunity to sell their second-hand uniforms via a Facebook page created by our P&C. You can join via Facebook on the below link.

You are also welcome to donate any uniform items to our school, and we support families who are in need.

Student Departure

If your family is leaving our school, please email admin@ripleycentralss.eq.edu.au with departure date and new destination school. This allows our administration staff to commence processes to support your departure. This includes ensuring books and musical instruments are returned, checking your family’s financial status with the school and also updating your child’s class teacher so they can prepare to send home their books and belongings. While we are sorry to see you go, we also want to help make the process smooth for you.

Reporting Student Absences

Please be reminded that the way to report student absences is 
* by phone 3819 5777 (you can do this before office hours and leave a message).
* via QParents (if you have not yet registered for QParents, please contact administration). This is our school's preferred method of reporting absences. 
* in person at administration (especially if you know a date in advance). 
Please do not email absence notifications. Our school receives a large volume of emails and your message may be missed as we process absences each morning. You may then receive a text message that you will need to respond to. This inconveniences you, and also increases our staff workload.  

Contacting our School

You can call us on 07 3819 5777   if you need to contact us. Please save the number to your mobile so you know if we are calling you. 

Email – admin@ripleycentralss.eq.edu.au

OR for all enrolment matters please email enrolments@ripleycentralss.eq.edu.au 

Phone - 07 3819 5777  (between 8.20am-3.15pm Monday to Friday - or school days)