2023 Edition 8 - 19-05-2023

Principal's Message - Mrs Meyrick

This past fortnight we focused on our Value of 'We are Inclusive". We particularly focused on how we welcome and support visiting staff to our school. As the winter months approach, staff absences increase as illness takes hold. We learnt ways to welcome, support and help our visiting teachers and teacher aides. 

This fortnight, we focus on our Value, ‘We are Polite’ and particularly on the expectation, I  am considerate, compassionate and courteous. Please have a talk with your child/ren about how they might display this value at school. What will it look like, what would it sound like and how would it feel (for them and for others).

Our enrolments for 2024 will open later next week, please keep an eye on our Facebook page for details. Our website will also be updated to reflect.

Mrs Wuanita Meyrick| Foundation  Principal

Deputy Principal's Message - Ms Yager

EMBRACING COLLABORATION

In a rapidly evolving world, equipping our children with the skills to navigate the complexities of life has never been more critical. Our school is committed to this mission, leading a progressive approach to learning by empowering students through collaborative methods. One of the pillars of this initiative is a book club study of Trevor Muir's influential book, 'The Collaborative Classroom.' The book offers a wealth of insights into fostering a cooperative learning environment, skills that students can apply throughout their lives. This term we have 5 of our staff embrace this new initiative.

The emphasis in our book club these past 2 weeks, has been on cultivating agile and adaptable learners who can tackle new challenges, especially within a group dynamic. Our staff are taking their learnings and implementing within their classes. Our students are learning to thrive amidst the chaos of taking risks and making mistakes, developing a growth mindset through targeted classroom activities. The transition is not limited to traditional academic subjects; our Arts Specialist teacher is also incorporating these innovative learning strategies to develop lessons that align to students passions and interests.

One of the significant shifts in our teaching methodology is the intentional move away from micromanagement. Teachers in Prep B, 5/6A and our Arts classes are learning to step back, allowing students to stumble upon barriers and find their path to solutions. This nurturing approach helps students discover their unique strengths. Guiding them with 'I wonder' questions encourages curiosity and fosters problem-solving skills. This shift isn't just beneficial for students; teachers too are growing and challenging their pedagogical approaches through weekly reflective check-ins.

Prep B students are experiencing this change firsthand, with students assuming varying roles in their collaborative work. These roles include the encourager, the manager, the time keeper, and the director. As students take on these responsibilities, they're beginning to take ownership of their learning and adopt a solution-focused mindset. A testament to the effectiveness of this approach is the observations of Mrs. Vines, the PrepB class teacher. She has noticed students transferring these collaborative skills to the playground, transforming simple arguments and socialisation challenges into opportunities for purposeful collaboration.

Meanwhile, students in class 5/6A are constructing a robust culture of collaboration within their classroom. They are discovering that collaboration goes beyond mere group work; it involves understanding and valuing different perspectives, communicating effectively, and striving towards shared goals.

These changes, although subtle, are having a profound impact on the learning culture at our school. As we continue to empower our students through collaboration, we anticipate seeing our learners evolve into future-ready individuals, ready to make a positive impact on the world.

Ms Petra Yager | Foundation Deputy Principal

Deputy Principal's Message - Ms Swadling

Literacy Learning in our classrooms

Literacy Learning in our classrooms happens in many different ways.  We can move our learning to different areas in our classrooms to suit each student's preferred way of working.  I enjoy spending time in our classrooms and especially in our Prep classes of late, where we are learning phonemic awareness, which is the sounds the letters make, along with activities that support us with our writing skills.  Learning takes place in all of our spaces. Tex loves to hide letters in the playground to make the alphabet, Ollie likes to work on the mat in his room.  Indie, Ruby, Lola, Thomas, Mackenzie and Elliot like to work on their writing in a group, while James and Jayden practise their CVC (Consonant, Vowel, Consonant) words on the interactive TV.  Learning happens everywhere at Ripley Central.

Year 4, 5 and 6 Camp Update

Camp numbers have been finalised and camp planning is well underway.  If you didn't return your expression of interest by the cut off date, there is a waitlist that you can request to be placed on.  The waitlist is in order of the date the request is received, and if a space from the finalised students becomes available, then this position will be offered to the students on the list in order. The total cost of the camp is $314 which is payable by the 25^th of August, please take this into account if you are thinking of adding your child to the waitlist.

Ms Fiona Swadling | Foundation Deputy Principal

Business Manager's Message - Mrs Van Der Zee

Join our team!

We are actively looking for casual cleaners to join our team! If you are interested, please apply via submitng your resume to BSM@ripleycentralss.eq.edu.au

Cashless School

A reminder that we are a cashless school.  Where possible our preferred method of payment is via BPoint.  EFT payments can be made at reception before 3.00 pm.

If, in exceptional circumstances cash is your only form of payment, the school will accept this (in the correct amount) on Thursdays only.

Mrs Danielle Van Der Zee | Foundation Business Manager

QParents

QParents was launched at Ripley Central State School earlier this term!

QParents is a secure, online portal accessible via a free, user-friendly app or web browser created for Queensland state schools by the Department of Education. QParents enables schools to offer parents secure access to information about their child.

QParents can be used to directly communicate with the school and access the following

• View students information and report cards
• Update student details and information
• Submit reasons for absence
• Pay invoices

Parents should have recieved a letter home that included their child/s EQ ID number and an email inviting them to register for QParents. Parents are required to submit 100 point of ID to the school for approval and access to student details (see below).

If you have any queries or concerns registering for QParents, please do not hesitate to contact our Executive Services and Marketing Officer, Ryley Wilson on 3819 5777 or email admin@ripleycentralss.eq.edu.au.

Performing Arts

Music has been focusing on developing knowledge of music language. Students have been learning about the tempo & how some music is fast and some is slow. The favourite activity for this has been the Presto Largo where the students have been moving to the music at the different speeds.

                                      Presto- FAST                                                                              Largo- Slow                                

The next favourite activity has been about dynamics and we have been having dinosaurs stomping forte and tippy toeing piano around the room. They then have to take cover when there is a lava alert.

                                        Forte- Loud                                                                                   Piano-Soft

The students have been learning body percussion to learn to listen for the beat of the music. The year 4 favourites have been ‘Wellerman’ by Nathan Evans and ‘Believer’ by Imagine Dragon

The year 3-6s have been challenged to follow music patterns with cups. ‘Plainsies Clapsies’ has the students throw a cup up and down and do different actions like touch their knees, toes, clap, heel, throw it high, throw it low, right hand, left hand to music.  They have then been challenged to stay in time with the ‘Entry of the Gladiator’ music and do patterns passing the cup around the circle. Team works is the big focus for this activity. They have also been learning on the glockenspiels, percussion and boomwhackers

The students were challenged to stay in time with the music while jumping through hula hoops to ‘I like to move it’ from Madagascar.

The year 4, 5 & 6s have been keeping in time with Elastics to ‘Surfing Safari’

All the year levels have been learning how to play musical instruments and to keep in time with the music. Our Prep-2s have been learning the bells and percussion instruments.

The Arts

Prep and year 1s have been learning about different element of visual arts. This week they used Lego and blocks to make different patterns.

Year 2s have been representing famous artists visual art pieces.

Year 3s have been creating their own totem to represent themselves, after learning about representing different cultures, celebrations and commemorations. 

Year 4s have been learning about media arts techniques while taking photos of emotions of their peers.

Year 5s and 6s have been learning about visual art techniques representing realism, surrealism, futurism, cubism & sculptures.

                     Cubism                                                          Realism                                                    Surrealism

                        Futurism                                                                          Sculptures

What's happening in 4A?

In Year 4 English this term, we are learning how to write a persuasive piece! Our goal? To convince everyone why we think either the book or the short film is better. We've had a fun time reading and watching 'The Fantastic Flying Books of Mr. Morris Lessmore'. Now, our young writers are starting to share their opinions on which version they enjoyed more - the book or the movie. Check out some examples of their first arguments below! 

‘To begin with, the short film has great animations and pictures that keep you engaged plus it keeps the person interested. Throughout the short film the music matched each scene perfectly so the viewers can feel the emotions. There may be no text but the action helps the viewers to understand. The book however takes a long time to read and has no movement to interest the reader.’ - Holly

‘Firstly, the drama in the short film outshines the book and it draws you in for an adventure. Throughout the film something bad and dramatic happens and you feel the emotions. There may be no text but the scenes make it come to life. The book however does not come to life therefore making the movie a better choice’ - Elliot

‘To begin with, the movie has amazing colourful animations so the viewer can see all the amazingness of animations. The short film has mysterious and dramatic animation. It has no text so you challenge your imagination to understand the short film. Though the book has text, it is ok but you can’t compare because the movie is the best.’  - Aadit

National Simultaneous Story Time

On Wednesday 24th May our school will participate in the National Simultaneous Story Time. At 11am all around our country, thousands of classrooms all read the same book at the same time. This year's book is The Speedy Sloth and we look forward to having some special guest readers who will join some of our classrooms.

Prep/ Year 1 Larrikin Puppet Show

On Wednesday, 21 June 2023, our Prep A, Prep B and Prep 1/C students have the opportunity to participate in an exciting incursion involving Larrikin Puppets.

Larrikin Puppets will present a colourful and exciting puppet show featuring zany Muppet-style characters performing skits, jokes, catchy original songs and live interactions with the audience.

The puppets encourage the audience to dance, sing and play along. Larrikin Puppets will also demonstrate how all their puppets work.  This performance is a fun way to finish our English unit on story telling for this term.

If you would like to learn more about Larrikin Puppets, please visit their website www.larrikinpuppets.com.au .

Invoices have been sent, please make prompt payment. 

Book Week 2023

In August, our school will have a range of events and activities for the CBCA Book Week. This will include a Book Week Dress Up Parade on Friday 25th August. For families who like to be creative and make Book Week Dress Up costumes, this year's theme is Read, Grow, Inspire. Start thinking!

All students, Prep to Year 6 will be invited to dress up as their favourite book character and join us in the parade.

There will be a number of other events, including our Reader's Cup Final, the opening of our Curiosity Centre, Guest readers to our classrooms, competitions and more. We look forward to celebrating Book Week this year. 

Winter Warmers

As the weather begins to get cooler, a reminder that we have school uniform options to keep your child warm. Please visit the uniform shop to purchase.

Monday 7:30am- 9:30am

Wednesday 2:30pm- 5:30pm

The knitted jumper can be worn with all uniforms and if parents are only wishing ot purchase one jumper, this one is for you. The track jacket and hoodie can be worn together for layering, however can only be worn with the House polo or school polo.

2024 Enrolments Prep to Year 6 opening soon!

We are preparing to open 2024 enrolments soon (end of next week). Please keep an eye on our school facebook page and website. When open, we will be accepting 'in catchment' enrolments only, unless children meet the criteria groups outlined in our Enrolment Management Plan. Our website will be updated if our circumstances change and we consider accepting 'out of catchment' enrolments. 

To prepare for enrolling for next year, please arrange your proof of residency documents (rates notice or tenancy agreement and a utilities bill). Please do not use the current enrolment form on our website, we will upload a new 2024 package soon (we anticipate in the next few weeks). 

If your child is born between 1st July 2018 and 30th June 2019 your child is ready to start Prep in 2024. 

Make sure you have your birth certificate ready, and if you cannot locate it, please order a new one. 

https://www.qld.gov.au/law/births-deaths-marriages-and-divorces/birth-death-and-marriage-certificates/birth-certificates/applying-for-a-birth-certificate

P&C News

A huge thank you to our parent helpers for volunteering at our Mother's Day stall and making it such a successful day. 

It was wonderful to have small community businesses such as Little Co Creations, Sable & Fox, The Laser Craft Shop and Sunny Jacks supply gifts for our students to purchase in order spoil their loved ones. The P&C would also like to congratulate the students for their overall display of kindness and good manners whilst shopping at the stalls. 

Whats next?

Cookie Dough forms were sent home last week with information to set up an online account to sell. Our goal is to reach 1000 tubs being sold, we are already at 170 sold so lets keep the momentum going. Orders close on Monday 5th June with delivery on Wednesday 21st June 2023.

Social Media Guidelines

As our school community grows, social media becomes a positive way for parents and carers to connect together. There are guidelines about how parent administered facebook groups are to be set up, managed and used. Please see these images for important information that protects the safety and security of our students, staff and families. These apply to the administrators of the page, but also to those who interact and use them. If you have any concerns or questions about social media, please see Mrs Meyrick.

Community News

Ripley Valley State Secondary College Excellence Trials

Contacting our School

Our school phoneline for outgoing calls will come up on your phone as No caller ID, or Private number. We are unable to change this at this point as our phone lines are being diverted until telstra connection occurs for our standard landline. You can call us on 07 3819 5777  phof if you need to contact us.

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) 

Please no longer use the mobile number that we used to use so please delete it from your contacts in your phone.