2024 Edition 29 17-05-2024

Principal's Message - Mrs Meyrick

New families to the area, or those wishing to enrol for 2025 (in catchment only) are welcome to join me for a Tour and Talk on Thursday next week. 

We will not be in the position to accept out of catchment enrolments in 2024 or 2025. We need to prioritise enrolments in our growing catchment. Please talk with your catchment school about enrolment processes. 

See details below about preparing for upcoming opening of 2025 enrolments. 

Mrs Wuanita Meyrick| Principal

Deputy Principal's Message - Ms Yager

We are excited to share the fantastic initiatives and achievements happening within our school. Our classrooms are buzzing with creativity, collaboration, and a commitment to excellence.

1B’s Magical Learning Wall: Our young learners in 1B have co-created a magical learning wall in English. This dynamic display not only supports their learning but also showcases their wonderful work samples. It’s a true testament to their hard work and creativity!

3A and 3B Team Teaching: The innovative approach of team teaching by 3A and 3B has opened new doors for our students. By working together, they are empowering students to form deep connections and enhance their learning experiences in PLD and English. This collaborative effort is helping our students thrive academically and socially.

4/5B’s National Success: We are immensely proud of 4/5B, who have recently competed against students from across Australia in the National Prodigy Maths Online competition. Their dedication and mathematical prowess led them to secure first place! Congratulations to all the students and their teacher for this outstanding achievement.

5A’s Scientific Exploration: In Science, 5A has been engaging in critical discussions about global issues as they explore the melting of the polar ice caps. This hands-on approach to learning about climate change is fostering a deeper understanding and awareness of worldwide issues.

6A’s Secret Garden: Our 6A class has embarked on an exciting journey to create our very own Secret Garden. This project not only beautifies our school grounds but also provides a unique, hands-on learning experience that connects students with nature and the environment.

At Ripley Central, our curriculum is truly coming to life. Our students are engaging in authentic learning experiences that empower them to take ownership of their work and seek input from the community. They are leveraging digital tools to become true 21st Century Learners, ready to face the challenges of the future.

Ms Petra Yager |  Deputy Principal

Deputy Principal's Message - Mr Pearen

From May 2024, our Prep students, along with thousands of others across the country, will participate in the Australian Early Development Census (AEDC).

Prep parents/carers at Ripley Central State School will have received an email last week with further information n the AEDC.

The AEDC is a teacher-completed census (similar to a questionnaire) which provides a comprehensive picture of how children have developed by the time they start their first year of full-time school.

The AEDC is an Australian Government Initiative and is completed nationally every three years.

Children don’t miss any class time while the AEDC is completed, and parents/carers don’t need to supply schools with any new information.

The data collected through the AEDC is used by schools, communities and governments to better understand children and families’ needs, and identify the services, resources and support they need.

AEDC data is reported at a school, community, state/territory and national level. AEDC results for individual children are not reported and the AEDC is not used as an individual diagnostic tool.

Some teachers have found that completing the AEDC made them more aware of the needs of individual children and their class, and that the data was useful for planning for transitions to Year 1 and developing programs.

Participation in the AEDC is voluntary, however the AEDC relies on all schools with children in their first year of full-time school participating in the collection. Parents/carers don’t need to take any action unless they choose not to include their children in the census.

To find out more about the AEDC and how it is being used to help children and families visit the below link.

If you have any questions, you can contact Mr Craig Pearen.

Mr Craig Pearen |  Deputy Principal

Business Manager's Message - Mrs Van Der Zee

Sunday, was a celebration of the incredible women who shape our lives with their boundless love, wisdom, and strength. Mother's Day is a special occasion that allows us to express our gratitude and appreciation for the remarkable mothers, grandmothers and mother figures in our lives.

At Ripley Central SS we understand the profound impact mothers have on our students' lives and education. Whether it's a comforting hug, words of encouragement, or unwavering support, mothers play an invaluable role in nurturing and guiding our students as they navigate through their academic journey.

To all the mothers, grandmothers, and mother figures in our community, we thank you for your unwavering love, support, and dedication. We are truly grateful for everything you do.

Happy Mother's Day for Sunday - we hope you enjoyed your day!

Mrs Van Der Zee |  Business Manager 

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).
* 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. 

What's happening in our classrooms?

 Do It For Dolly Day

For our first, Do It For Dolly Day, we were able to raise $112 to go directly to the foundation These funds will continue to raise much needed awareness and education of the effects of cyberbullying. Well done to staff and 5/6 students for your enthusiasm and efforts 

3A

On Friday (May 10) we looked at our Maths Assessment with curiosity. We looked at what we have learnt so far and where the journey heads to next! Our curious minds wanted to bring these Mathematical ideas to life so we got creative! 

The students were given a task of creating a library on Minecraft. So far in their libraries they have clocks to show the time and have created some of their favourite books to add to their bookshelf extending on their English interests. Soon we will be adding angles and odd and even numbers into our libraries as we expand on our learning over the next few weeks! 

House Shirts

Our school has 4 Houses; Galah, Cockatoo, Kingfisher and Bee Eater. The designs for our Houses were made by Kylie Hill from KJG Artworks.

We wear our House Shirts on Wednesdays and we collect tokens for our team. Each term, the house with the winning amount, has an extended lunch break together. 

Learn more on our website or in Kylie's bio.

HPE News

Save the date for our upcomeing Athletic's carnival. We hope you can make it to cheer on our little superstars. 

Mrs Madonna Tolhurst |  HPE teacher 

The Arts

Week 1 - Georges Seurat - Pointillism – Paint

Week 2 - Ancient Roman – Mosaic – Paper Craft

Week 3 - Andy Warhol – Popart – Oil pastels

Week 4 - Piet Mondrian - Neoplasticism - Oil pastels

Year 2 - Designing digital artwork to persuade that the pool is better than a beach

Year 6 - Creating visual imagery of the Secret Garden 

Superhero verse Villains 

P&C News

Cookie Dough Fundraiser

Billy G’s Gourmet Cookie Dough drive forms were sent home last week with information required to setup an online account to start selling cookie dough. There are 9 dough-licious flavours to choose from including the most popular Choc Chunk and Raspberry White Chocolate. Our goal is to sell 1000 tubs in order to purchase some additional resources for the school. Remember orders close on the 6^th June with delivery on the 20^th June.

Mothers Day Stall

On Wednesday 8^th May the P&C held our Mother’s Day Stall to celebrate all of our incredible mums and special people in our student’s lives. The excitement and manners shown by all students was greatly appreciated by all volunteers. We hope you all enjoyed the handpicked and well thought-out gifts our students chose. If you have any feedback or would like to recommend products for future events please don’t hesitate to email the P&C. We thank our entire school community for getting behind this event and hope you had a Happy Mother’s Day.

Volunteers

A huge thank you to our wonderful parent volunteers for donating their time to make our Mothers Day stall such a successful day. The P&C appreciate any volunteer contribution that you can make so if you or someone you know is interested in volunteering at any future events please contact us directly by email at pandc@ripleycentralss.eq.edu.au.

Meetings

The P&C currently has a vacant position on the executive committee for Treasurer.  If this is a role you are interested in please feel free to contact the P&C via email or come along to our next meeting.

Our next monthly meeting will take place on Tuesday 28^th May in classroom 6A commencing at 5pm and concluding by 6pm. All families and community members are welcome and new memberships are encouraged. Children are welcome; parents please bring something quiet for them to do during the time. Parking will be available in the Gazania Street carpark.

Stay up to date with P&C messages, celebrations and reminders, by liking our Facebook page by clicking this link: Ripley Central State School P&C.

If you require any further information about the P&C 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.

Defence School Mentor Program

Defence student drop-in sessions are currently available to our Defence students each Monday and Wednesday during first break playtime (11.15am-11.45am). Defence students wishing to attend are welcome to drop into the DSM office space at anytime during this timeframe. 

If you are a Defence family (full-time service or full-time continuous service reservist) enrolled at RCSS that has not been identified as such at the time of enrolment, please contact DSM@ripleycentralss.eq.edu.au to register your interest in the Defence School Mentor Program.

The Defence Member and Family Helpline is available 24/7 and is the first point of call for Defence families seeking support, information or connection with their community. Contact can be made by calling 1800 624 608. 

A range of services and support for ADF members and their families can also be accessed at the below website.

I am available each Monday and Wednesday between 9am-1pm. Emails are sent regularly to our Defence community, please see your DSM emails to keep up to date with upcoming events and other information

Mrs Kylie Pendergast |  Defence School Mentor 

2025 Enrolments

We will open 2025 enrolments soon. Please keep an eye on our Facebook page and our website for when these go live. We will only be accepting in-catchment enrolments as we do not have the capacity to cater for children residing outside of our catchment at this time. You can check your address at EdMap  https://www.qgso.qld.gov.au/maps/edmap/

Parents enrolling their child in a state school for the first time (enrolling in prep, moving interstate or moving from private school) please ensure you have a birth certificate ready to complete your child's enrolment. You can apply for a birth certificate https://www.qld.gov.au/law/births-deaths-marriages-and-divorces/certificates/birth/applying-for-a-birth-certificate

Children aged 5 years by 30^th June 2025 are eligible for Prep in 2025. If your child is eligible for prep next year, please enrol early. This assists us with planning and staffing.

You can also start preparing your proof of residency documents. You will need your rates or tenancy agreement. You will also need a utility bill (eg gas, water or electricity).

Follow us on Facebook to see when we go live with 2025 enrolments  www.facebook.com/RipleyCentralStateSchool

You can also keep an eye on our website enrolments page https://ripleycentralss.eq.edu.au/enrolments for updates. Please do not use the 2024 Enrolment Pack for 2025 enrolments. 

Community News

Calling all Year 5 & 6 students! Get ready to dive into the world of Basketball at the upcoming Bremer Basketball Academy because we're thrilled to announce the return of the Primary School Invitational tournament! 

Mark your calendars:

📅 Date: Tuesday, June 11, 2024

🕛 Time: 9:00am - 2:30pm

🏫 Where: Bremer State High School

Speak to your primary school student's teacher and have them register now at basketball@bremershs.eq.edu.au - but hurry, spots fill up fast! 

Don't miss out on this fantastic opportunity to kick-start an incredible basketball journey and join the Bremer Lions!

On Friday 7th June, we will host our second round of Trials for the Excellence Academies. Please make sure to complete the following steps to ensure your child is approved as a trialist for one of the Excellence Academies

✅EOI applications will close Friday 31st May (Week 7)

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.