2023 Edition 15 (07-09-2023)

Principal's Message - Mrs Meyrick

This fortnight saw our EPIC students receive EPIC Learner certificates, postcards, House Tokens and Koala Dollars. Our students are loving the new ways (that they helped design) we recognise EPIC Learners. Our Learners are Empowered, Polite, Inclusive and Careful!

This Wednesday is the last day for our students to collect House Tokens, before they will be counted ready for week 1 celebrations for the winning House.

Over the holiday period we will have a number of auxiliary staff and contractors working, however should you observe or hear any suspicious behaviour, please report to School Watch on 13 17 88. Our school office will be closed and emails and phone messages will not be attended to during this time while our staff are on leave. We will attend to your enquiries upon our return to school.

As we head into week 10 of term 3, I would like to take the time to thank all of our staff, community, students and  families for a productive and supportive term. Enjoy your holidays together. School returns on Tuesday 3^rd October following the public holiday on Monday.

Mrs Wuanita Meyrick| Principal

Deputy Principal's Message - Ms Yager

As we approach the end of Term 3, the enthusiasm for learning is stronger than ever! Our students are gearing up for final tasks in English, and we have a range of innovative projects on the horizon.

Prep's Teddy Bears Picnic 

Our youngest learners had a magical time on their teddy bears' picnic and bear hunt. They are now keenly recounting the adventures in class.

Year 1 Turns into Reporters

Our Year 1 students are hard at work on their recounts. In the last week of term, they'll use green screen technology to become reporters and narrate their own events, complete with special effects.

Year 2's Minecraft Marvels

The Year 2 class has been busy building their stories in Minecraft. They will open their classroom in Week 10 to showcase their Minecraft worlds and narratives to peers.

Year 3 and 4's Narrative Fair

Mark your calendars for Wednesday, 13^th September at 2pm, as our Year 3 and 4 students host Ripley Central's inaugural Narrative Fair in our Curiosity Centre. Come see the students dressed as their favourite characters, and relive the joys of Storytime. Parents, this is your chance to be read to by our talented young authors! Join Year 3 as they delve into a world of fairy tales and Year 4 as they create their own ‘Hall of Fame’ for their sports idols.

Year 5 and 6 Dive into AI

Our older students are embracing technology by using artificial intelligence to create character and setting illustrations. This week, their mock-up picture book will be displayed in our administration office, where you can pre-order your copy. Pricing details to come soon!

The Power of 'Big Ideas'

At Ripley Central, we go beyond mere engagement in order to empower our students. Our curriculum is structured around 'Big Ideas,' which are overarching themes that drive real-world application and deep understanding.

As we dive into Week 10, we can hardly contain our excitement to see the final results of all these outstanding projects.

Ms Petra Yager |  Deputy Principal

Deputy Principal's Message - Mrs Ward

We have had an exciting two weeks at Ripley Central!

Dive into Swimming

Over the past two weeks, our Year 2 and Year 3 students have been making quite the splash during their swimming lessons. Not only have they enhance their foundational swimming skills such as backstroke and freestyle, but they have also been developing essential water safety techniques. These learning moments have fostered a significant growth in their sense of independence and confidence in the water.  

Year 4-6 Campers

Last week, our Year 4-6 campers embarked on a journey to QCCC Mapleton camp, a time filled with hearty laughter, newfound courage, and lifelong memories.

From the whispering woods where bush skills were honed to the gentle ripples of water echoing the joyous sounds of canoeing adventures, our students exhibited an extraordinary blend of courage and humility. It was not just about hitting the bullseye in archery or mastering the low ropes, but about embodying the spirit of be empowered, polite, inclusive and careful.

Our young campers showed an awe-inspiring sense of team spirit, immersing themselves wholeheartedly in the vast array of activities that fostered both individual and collective growth. The giant swing became a symbol of encouragement, students found the strength to reach for the skies, lifted by the cheers and support of their peers.

As the stars twinkled down, our campers gathered for a movie night, a beautiful testament to the friendship and unity that had blossomed over these magical days. Every face reflected the joyous spirit of togetherness, a gentle reminder to always "be a team", in the truest sense of the phrase.

As we reflect on this journey, it is clear that our students have embraced the essence of what it means to be an EPIC learner, to be generous in spirit, to be respectful of each other, and to be courageous in facing new challenges.

Mrs Tammy Ward |  Deputy Principal

Business Manager's Message - Mrs Van Der Zee

Causal Staff

We are always looking for staff to replace our permanent staff members during absences and are wanting to build a strong casual pool.   If you are interested in relief Teacher Aide, Cleaning or School’s Officer roles and have a positive attitude and strong work ethic, we would love to hear from you.  A current Blue Card is also essential.  Please forward your resume to bsm@ripleycentralss.eq.edu.au

Thank you!

As we approach the holidays, I wanted to thank our non-teaching team for all of their efforts this term.  Admin, Cleaners, School’s Officer and IT Support have worked hard to support the transition of our school handover.  Our team has completed tasks that wouldn’t usually be required in an already established school, however everyone has been more than willing to jump in and do whatever was required to assist.

I also wanted to thank our amazing Teacher Aides who support our students in the most compassionate way.  We have a fabulous team of Aides at RCSS who work with our students every day to help guide them to becoming EPIC learners.  Thank you, for the wonderful job you do!

I wish you all a safe and relaxing holiday.

Mrs Danielle Van Der Zee |  Business Manager

Final Payment Due Dates

Please be advised, our school offers payments up until the final due date for excursions, camps and events, however not after. Should you wish to talk with our administration team regarding payment plans or options, please do so before the final due date to avoid disappointment. We assist by making the due date as late as possible to allow the longest possible time for families to make payments and we have tasks we then have to complete upon receipt of funds. The preferred method of payment is via BPoint or your QParents account. Your support in paying on time is appreciated and ensures your child is able to participate.

2024 SRS

In 2024, our SRS costings will be based on The Arts Consumables, Online Subscriptions, English texts and Science Consumables. It will not include booklist items, and families will be provided with a booklist of items to purchase and organise for the start of school. Booklists will be added to the website in Term 4 2023.  Parents opting to not participate in the SRS will be provided with a list of items that must be supplied to your child’s classroom. These lists will be available on our website when booklists are published.

In 2024, SRS costs will be $80 for Prep, Year 1 and Year 2. $90 for Year 3 and 4. $100 for Year 5 and 6. A separate booklist and information about BYOD (Bring your own device) will then also be provided to families.

2024 Prep Enrolments

Prep 2024 Enrolments are now open!

Finalise your enrolment, including birth certificate sighting and residential documents as soon as possible. Invitations for Koala Joeys have been sent to all families with a confirmed enrolment and we would love you to be part of our Prep transition program. 

Parent Teacher Interviews

Last Monday we opened our Semester 2  Know ~ Glow ~ Grow interview bookings.

These interviews give parents an opportunity to discuss with your child’s class teacher (and their specialist teachers)  what they know, how they glow and where they can grow. These parent teacher interviews will be held in the hall on Tuesday 3rd October (day 1 of term 4) between 3pm and 6.30pm.

If you have not already done so, you can book an interview using the link below:  

Bookings close at 5pm on 14/9/23.

If you require assistance with booking an interview, please see our administration team who will be happy to assist.

Free Dress Day!

On Friday, 15^th September (the last day of term 3) the Student Council are organising a free dress day where students are invited to wear blue or denim. Please bring a gold coin donation as we are saving for extra sporting equipment like balls and goals. Please wear your normal school shoes. Please note, your school hat and your blue or denim clothes need to be SunSmart.

Normal learning will be occurring in class on this day and holidays do not start until 2.45pm so attendance is still required (unless you are sick).  As a student council we thought we would make it fun for the last day of term by holding this themed free dress. We would love to see you join in.

Term 3 Passion Project Fair

We will be hosting our Term 3 Passion Project Fair on Thursday 14th September from 2pm. You are invited to attend and we look forward to sharing this moment with you!

New Play Spaces Now Open!

On Wednesday we opened some new play spaces and they were a hive of activity for our year 3-6 students. These two new playgrounds are open for Year 3/4 (Cube Land) and Year 5/6 (Ninja Warrior Course).

The Arts News

The Arts Team are excited to announce the below events. These shows will allow our students to showcase their creativity amd talent!

P&C News

Fathers Day Stall

A huge thank you to our wonderful volunteers for all of their help and support in making our Father's Day Stall a successful day.

The day wouldn’t have been possible without the support of local community small businesses, The Laser Craft Shop, RP Stitch and Embroidery Creations, and Tigers Treasures as well as donations from Josephine’s Little Shop, Kmart, Bargain Mania, the Ganzer Family and the Sneddon Family.

The students were polite and courteous to all volunteers and careful in their choices of gift for their Dad or special person. We thank our entire school community for getting behind this event and hope you had a Happy Father's Day.

The Entertainment App

Looking to save money while still having fun these school holidays, then maybe the entertainment app is for you!

The Entertainment App is an easy-to-use platform packed with incredible savings of up to 50% off and 2-for-1 offers, so you can save on takeaway, dining, shopping, groceries, gift cards, activities and more! 20% of all sales go directly to our P&C fundraising goal of purchasing a school mascot.

To find out more click the link below to be taken to our schools fundraising page and follow the prompts for purchasing. You can even share the link with family and friends!

Grant Funding

Our P&C was recently awarded grant money to put towards our establishment program. This program has been assisted by the Ipswich City Council’s Quick Response Funding Program. 

With these funds we will be able to secure a laptop for P&C record management as well as a BBQ and equipment. This will enable us to serve food at upcoming events, so please stay tuned for further event announcements.

A big thank you to the Ipswich City Council for their support and assistance.

Events

School Disco - 9th November (6.00pm-7.30pm) - Save the date - more details to follow 

Bunnings BBQ 19^th November Save the Date

Next Meeting

Our next meeting will be held on Tuesday 24^th October commencing at 5pm and concluding by 6pm. Meetings are held in the classroom at the end of the coridoor upstairs above administration. 

You can come from 4.45pm for a casual catch up, meet the P&C interim executive members and meet other families and  members.

All families and community members are welcome and new memberships are encouraged. New membership applications are accepted at the end of the meeting, so all existing members are encouraged to attend so motions can be seconded and carried as needed.

Children are welcome, parents please bring something quiet for them to do during the time.

Calling for Volunteers and Donations

We need your help with upcoming fundraising events and donations. If you’re interested or know someone else who might like to assist with any events throughout the year, please register via this link Ripley Central P&C Volunteer Registration or the below QR code. Once registered, we can email you with more details regarding upcoming events so you can choose which activities will suit you best.

If you require any further information about the P&C or would like to donate items, please contact us at pandc@ripleycentralss.eq.edu.au

We look forward to hearing from you and meeting many more of you throughout the year.

Thank you for your continued support and we hope you enjoy the school holidays.

Community News

Ripley Valley State Secondary College

2023 Ipswich Film Festival for Youth

The 2023 Ipswich Film Festival for Youth (IFFY) is here!

Youth aged from 7 to 25 years are encouraged to create and submit their short films to be in the running for some awesome prizes ($3k+ worth!).

Here's your important dates:

 Submissions close: Friday 15 September 2023

 The IFFYs (Screening & Award Ceremony): Saturday 14 October 2023

 2023 Criteria: Entries will be judged on the following criteria - storyline, editing techniques, use of effects and the incorporation of the IFFY Camera logo

Baseball Queensland

Springfield Lakes Hawkes

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) 

Please no longer use the mobile number -  please delete it from your contacts in your phone.