2024 Edition 30 31-05-2024

Principal's Message - Mrs Meyrick

As we head towards the end of term, I ask all families to continue to have full attendance, unless unwell. Late arrival and early departure impact on your child's learning, and also interrupts their classroom routines. Please ensure your child is at school all day, unless they are unwell, or you have been called to collect them. 

Junior athletics (prep to year 2) is on Wednesday from 9-11.05am. Families are welcome to attend to watch and cheer. 

Term 2 Passion Project Fair is fast approaching. What is your child working on for their Passion Project? Join us at 2pm on Thursday 20th June to visit our class displays of Passion Projects. 

Mrs Wuanita Meyrick| Principal

Deputy Principal's Message - Ms Yager

As we continue to prioritise English, it’s inspiring to see the dedication and enthusiasm from both our students and staff. Our school motto, "Passion and Purpose," is evident in every classroom and project, bringing our English curriculum to life in the most engaging ways.

This week, our Prep students had the honour of hosting a very special visitor, the talented artist Nathan Welsh. Nathan spent time listening to the students' and staff's ideas on character development and connections, sparking a wave of creativity and excitement. To help our students achieve their goals of identifying connections between texts and personal experiences, describing likes and dislikes about familiar texts, characters, and events, and retelling events and experiences with peers, Nathan has crafted a magical mural in our Curiosity Centre. This beautiful artwork is designed to inspire wonder and curiosity in all our students, encouraging them to explore and engage with English in new and imaginative ways.

Meanwhile, in Year 6, our Secret Garden project is well underway! The students of 6A have been diligently constructing, creating, and collaborating to develop a truly unique and special outdoor learning space for our school. This project not only enhances their learning experience but also reinforces the importance of teamwork, creativity, and perseverance. We cannot wait to see what ideas the students bring to life.

At Ripley Central State School, English is everyone's business. We are committed to ensuring that every student can find joy and purpose in their English studies, fostering a lifelong love for reading, writing, and storytelling.

Ms Petra Yager |  Deputy Principal

Deputy Principal's Message - Mr Pearen

National Simultaneous Storytime

On Wednesday 22 May, I had the great pleasure of reading the book “Bowerbird Blues” by Aura Parker to all of our Prep students for the National Simultaneous Storytime. It was a story about a beautiful bowerbird on the search for (you guessed it) BLUE!  It’s a moving story of longing and connection, that unfolds as the bowerbird’s search sends him soaring across the sea, sky and city. He swoops and snatches vibrant treasures for his collection, and soon his bower – a mix of natural and unnatural objects – attracts something greater and more fulfilling than he could ever have imagined. It was great for me to be able to connect with our Prep students and the children were amazing in with their listening skills.

Our whole school participated in this event with students listening and viewing the story using a range of media. Students also completed activities in relation to the story. The students couldn’t believe they were a part of 2 million people across Australia watching and listening to the story at the same time. 

Mr Craig Pearen |  Deputy Principal

100 Days of Learning

On Friday 12 July, we will reach a significant milestone in our 2024 academic journey - the 100th day of learning at Ripley Central State School for 2024!

A team of staff members are busy planning a range of activities to celebrate this milestone with our students. Keep an eye out for further information as this event draws nearer.

Business Manager's Message - Mrs Van Der Zee

Canteen Days

Please be advised that a review of the canteen hours has occurred and due to lack of demand the canteen will open from Wednesday - Friday only.  This will take effect from Monday, 03 June 2024.  Please ensure you have alternative arrangements for your child’s lunch on these days.

This is hopefully only a temporary closure and the canteen hopes to be running five days per week as demand increases.

Goodbye

After almost two years of being part of this incredible journey, it is with a heavy heart that I leave Ripley Central State School.

Being the Foundation Business Manager here at RCSS has been more than a job, it has been a privilege and a source of immense joy.  I have had the pleasure of witnessing our school evolve into the amazing facility it is today. From humble beginnings, every milestone, every achievement, and every success story has filled me with pride.

The time has come for me to embark on a new journey. I am excited to be moving on to another school to further grow and develop my skills. The anticipation of starting at a new school is exciting, however leaving behind the staff, students, and community of RCSS is bittersweet.

Though I am sad to say goodbye, I am filled with gratitude for the privilege of being part of this community.  Your support and involvement have been instrumental in shaping the vibrant and inclusive culture of our school.

Goodbye for now, I am excited to see where the future takes us all.

Sincere regards

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. 

Sora

Did you know that every child in Years 2-6 now has access to Sora? Sora is a digital reading app that empowers students to discover age-appropriate ebooks, audiobooks and more from our school library. Sora can be accessed via app and website.

Reading every day offers numerous benefits for children's development. Regular reading helps enhance vocabulary, comprehension, and critical thinking skills. It fosters creativity and imagination while improving concentration and focus. 

By instilling a love for reading at an early age, children are more likely to develop strong literacy skills that will benefit them throughout their academic journey and beyond. Encouraging daily reading habits not only supports academic success but also promotes a lifelong love for learning and exploration. 

HPE News

Congratulations to Harry who ran at the 2024 Met West Cross-Country trials and came 16^th.

Congratulations to Lilliah who trialled and made the Central Comets district team for the girl’s rugby league. She will now go and play at the Met West trials. Good luck Lil.

Gala Day

We had 3 soccer teams participate in their very first Gala Day last Friday. Each team played 3 games against other schools in our area. If your child is in year 4 to 6 and is interested in joining a team for Term 3 please return the expression of interest that has been emailed to all parents. The sports for term 3 are AFL, Touch and Basketball.

Athletics carnival

Next week we have our Junior Athletics carnival. This will be held on Wednesday 5^th June in the morning sessions from 9am to 11:05am. It will be held on the oval and parents are more than welcome to come and watch.

Our senior athletics carnival will be held on Wednesday 12^th June and will run all day. It will also be held on the oval and parents are welcome to come and watch.

Mrs Madonna Tolhurst |  HPE teacher 

The Arts

Week 6 - Visual Arts: Investigating how cave paintings told stories. Mixing spices to make colours in paint.

Media Arts: Exploring Paint 3D

Year 4: Representing book characters coming to life.

Year 5A: Representing Global Warming

Year 5s in 4/5B & 5/6B: Representing Deforestation

Year 6A Representing the Secret Garden & Moana

Year 6s in 5/6B Representing The One and Only Ivan

Week 7 - Mixed Materials

Prep : The Gruffalo

Year 1 : Favourite character from Jack n the Beanstalk, 3 Billy Goats Gruff, Goldilocks

Year 2: Mixing science and art. The effect of oil and water to create colourful paper.

Music - Teamwork and music

Students have been learning different clapping songs and rhymes and how this helps to connect people together. The older classes have been adapting the songs to create their own versions. They have been learning songs that can be used with the skipping ropes and the requirement to keep a steady beat. The older classes have been practicing keeping the beat with jumping patterns with rows of hula hoops. The younger classes have been practicing keeping the beat and doing rhymes using drum sticks. All classes have also been using the parachute to keep in time with the music and change patterns when the music changes. At the end of this week’s routine, the parachute ends up in a dome and the students lay down on the parachute going around the circle to finish the song.  

Cheer 

The External team is preparing for their first competition at the Ipswich Dance Eisteddford on Tuesday the 11^th June. Good luck to the team and thank you to the parents who are helping with transport and supervision on the day.

The Internal team is learning the same routine and skills as the external team, but have expressed interest in creating their own routines as part of their Passion Projects, so at 1^st break on Fridays, the team has been creating their routines.

Bronwyn Wood | Arts Specialist Teacher 

P&C News

Looking to connect with your school community? 

Why not join the Ripley Central State School Parents and Citizens Association.

The P&C works closely with the principal and school staff on behalf of the student families to foster an interest amongst parents in educational matters as well as fundraising to provide additional resources to the school.

We are a small but dedicated group of volunteer parents, school staff and community members who are united in the common goal of making our school the very best it can be.

Your participation, no matter how big or small, will help us to achieve the best outcomes for our students.  

So why not come along to one of our P&C monthly meetings to make new friends, learn new skills, be informed but most importantly make a difference by adding your voice to change.

Our next monthly meeting will take place on Tuesday 23^rd July 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.

Don’t forget to order your dough-licious cookie dough before Thursday 6^th June and keep an eye out for information regarding our awesome Colour Explosion Run 4 Fun in Term 3.

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

Nominations for the Child of the ADF medallion are now available. This event will be held at Ripley Valley State Secondary College on Thu 20th June. Medal allocations are limited and tickets sell out fast. Please see recent emails and visit Eventbrite for more information.

The next Amberley Coffee Connections is scheduled to take place on Thu 20^th June. Tickets are available through Eventbrite.

The ADF Equip Childrens Resilience Program scheduled for Thu 4^th July is almost at capacity but still has a few tickets remaining. Please see your emails for more detailed information and visit Eventbrite to secure your child's place. 

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. Donations of any unwanted games and craft supplies are always welcome and appreciated. 

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)

RVSSC School Tours

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.