2022 Edition 4 - 26/08/22

Important Dates

Principal's Message - Mrs Meyrick

This fortnight we have focussed our attention on curriculum development and resourcing. Ensuring we have units of work that are authentic, engaging and offer student voice and agency is an important aspect of our preparations. It embodies our work to show Passion & Purpose (our school motto). 

Our Parent Advisory Group (PAG) met again this fortnight and finalised and endorsed two important documents for our school; our Student Dress Code and our Sun Safety Policy.

Our school will have sunscreen dispensers in various locations around the school and will encourage students to apply sunscreen before playing in the sun.

You will soon receive a survey (if you have and EOI enrolment) regarding the school bag as part of our Student Dress Code. This is the only item that requires finalisation. More details will be in the survey.

We also all worked together to unpack what it means to be an EPIC Learner in our learning environments, in our eating/play areas and in our community. At our new school;

We are Empowered.

We are Polite.

We are Inclusive.

We are Careful.

We are EPIC Learners!

We invite you to join us at our next Community Meeting to be held on Monday 12th September 4.30pm-6pm. At this upcoming community meeting we will be discussing enrolment processes, prep transition, BYOD (Bring your Own Device) options, SRS (School Resource Scheme - fees) and booklists. We look forward to sharing details, introducing you to our Executive Leadership Team and seeking your input on the planning of the above agenda items.  We will be hosting this meeting at the Community Hub at Ripley Valley State Secondary College. All welcome!

Check below for some important information about Prep transition. We are currently planning to offer two groups a five-week transition program known as 'Koala Joeys'. A parent or carer is invited to attend and stay to assist and to learn more about our school. Koala Joeys launches on Tuesday 18th October so be sure to get your enrolment EOI in ASAP if you are planning to enrol at our school. An email has been sent on 26/8/22 to families who have registered an expression for Prep in 2023. Further information will be updated as the EOI increase. 

Mrs Wuanita Meyrick

Foundation Principal

Our 'Koala Joeys' groups will commence next term to welcome our new Prep 2023 children. It will run in two groups across 5 weeks commencing Tuesday 18th October.

Tuesday morning 9.30am-11am OR Thursday morning 9.30am-11am

More details will be sent to families who have registered for an enrolment EOI. 

Deputy Principal's Message - Ms Yager

 Instrumental Music

Over the past 2 weeks, our Executive Leadership Team have continued to research the benefits of music, meet with our Regional Music Head of Curriculum and purchase a large range of musical instruments. This will ensure that we have many musical opportunities for students in the areas of band, strings, and even a ROCK band!

Learning an instrument is rewarding and our students will have multiple opportunities to perform throughout their musical journey. Check out some of the instruments on offer at our New School in Ripley:

Band – flute, clarinet, bass clarinet, alto saxophone, tenor saxophone, trumpet, trombone, euphonium and percussion

Strings – violin, viola and cello

Rock Band – electric guitar, bass guitar, drums, keyboard, (we will also need some vocalists)

Cultivating Learner Agency

Last week, Ms Swadling and I worked with a group of extraordinary educators from across Queensland to explore how to cultivate learner agency in Queensland schools. Learner agency is about the power of possibility for students to be active agents in their own learning and their personal desire and will to act. Learner agency sees students provided with voice, choice and ownership of their own learning.

We look forward to continuing to work within this network to not only support other schools with their journey, but to drive this learning within our own school.

Secondary Partnerships

We have enjoyed working with Ripley Valley State Secondary College Head of Department Creative Industries, Lorinda Styles to explore various Digital and Design Technology opportunities that we can implement in our Primary School in 2023. Mrs Swadling and I found our inner child in the Green Room, explored the various printers on offer in the design space and delighted in the offerings of the amazing Esports program at the Secondary School. We look forward to further developing our partnership with RVSSC to ensure our students have a strong transition that will prepare them for secondary learning.

Ms Petra Yager

Foundation Deputy Principal

Deputy Principal's Message - Ms Swadling

Resourcing

Resourcing our new school is an important part of our role. When we do this, it is purposeful and driven by our curriculum needs, how we will stay true to our EPIC classroom environments and importantly what will our students need to succeed in an area. This week has been a strong focus on Maths and English resourcing, also developing our curriculum creatively and in line with the Australian Curriculum. 

Making Connections

For Science Week Mrs Yager and I visited the Ripley C & K and engaged in an activity with the Pre-preps around ‘Glass’, as this was the Science theme for this year. We wondered what the children already knew about glass, questioned how glass was made and investigated some items made out of glass. Then the children made their own stain glass windows to see the light reflecting different colours through them. 

This week we also connected with Mission Australia, Systems Connect Community Group, ICYS, The Defence Support Group, and some local ECEC’s to analyse Ripley’s AEDC (Australian Early Development Census) Data, to help build a Child and Youth Friendly Ripley. The AEDC is a national assessment conducted with students in Prep, every 3 years to examine how children have developed by the time they start school. The AEDC assist all governments to make the most informed decisions possible about where to target programs and highlights what is working well and what needs to be improved or developed to support children and families. For more information you can visit the  AEDC website to view the AEDC National Report 2021.

Ms Fiona Swadling

Foundation Deputy Principal

Business Manager's Message - Mrs Van Der Zee

Recruitment

Over recent weeks we have been working through the recruitment process for a School’s Officer, Teacher Aides and Admin Officer.  Very soon our team will grow to include these staff members.  Watch this space for more news around who will fill these positions.

Purchasing

Mrs Meyrick, Ms Yager and Ms Swadling have been very busy over the last couple of weeks sourcing lots of engaging learning resources for our school.  While they have been making wish lists, I have been busy raising purchase orders for these items.  It is very exciting to see deliveries starting to roll in - we are now well on the way to being a school with an amazing complement of resources. 

School Site Visit

It was so exciting to visit the school site this week.  Our new school is really starting to take shape.  We dressed in our high vis vests, donned our hard hats and were shown around the building site.  We were escorted through one of the buildings which is still under construction.  From the top level we had a great view of the entire site.  Everything is falling into place and it was fabulous to think that next year we will have staff and students inhabiting these spaces. 

Mrs Danielle Van Der Zee

Foundation Business Manager

OSHC (Outside of School Hours Care)

The procurement process for our OSHC continues and is now live on Q-Tender for interested businesses to review and submit. Establishing this service for our school community is an important aspect of our work this year. 

Student Dress Code

The outcomes of our survey to families with an EOI enrolment, two PAG meetings (Parent Advisory Group) and multiple meetings with our uniform supplier, we are pleased to announce some details about our uniform.

Formal Uniform - will be worn one day per week (Mondays) for Year 1-6 students (not Prep). We may also have other calendar events on various days of the week when this uniform will also be required.

Sports Uniform - our sports uniform will be worn 3 days per week (Tuesday, Thursday and Friday). Prep also wear on Monday as they do not wear the formal uniform.

House Shirts - everybody, including Prep, wear on Wednesdays. 

Winter warmers - include an optional school hoodie, school scarf and school beanie and any brand navy stockings/tights and skivvy.

We will have plain white socks and plain black leather joggers. 

Full details for our Student Dress Code will be on our website soon and in enrolment packs. 

Fridges in classrooms

Each of our classrooms will have a fridge to allow students to place their lunch box inside to keep cool. We know this helps families in the choices they can make to pack healthy lunches and we want to support you. 

Later when you prepare for school, purchase a lunch box that stacks easily as this will help with organisation on the shelves. 

Community Meeting 12th September 4.30pm - 6pm

Our next Community Meeting will be held on Monday 12th September from 4.30pm-6pm. We will be discussing enrolment processes, prep transition, BYOD (Bring your Own Device) options, SRS (School Resource Scheme - fees) and booklists. We look forward to sharing details, introducing you to our Executive Leadership Team and seeking your input on the planning of the above agenda items.  We will be hosting this meeting at the Community Hub at Ripley Valley State Secondary College and look forward to seeing you there.

Tuckshop Tender

We are currently working through the procurement process to also advertise the outsourcing of our tuckshop to a provider. The successful service will provide healthy and yummy lunches for sale for our students and staff. We will keep you updated as this process continues. 

How to contact us this year

At this stage, you can contact us by email or Facebook message.

Email – principal@newprimaryschoolripley.eq.edu.au

Facebook message – via our Facebook page https://www.facebook.com/New-Primary-School-at-Ripley-Opening-2023-101781892534671

Later we will have a phone line and pop up sites for you to visit us in person. 

As our team is currently small, please allow a reasonable response time. Your patience is appreciated.

Community News - Ripley Scout Group

RIPLEY SCOUT GROUP IS HERE!

Located at South Ripley, we're commencing 11th Oct 2022.

Tuesdays - Joeys 6:00pm - 7:00 pm (5yo - 8yo)

Wednesdays - Cubs 6:30pm - 8:00pm (8yo - 11yo)

Thursday - Scouts 6:30pm - 8:30pm (11yo - 14yo)

ENROLMENTS ARE NOW OPEN!

If you would like to register your interest to enrol your child/ren please complete the Expression of Interest Form via the link below and Andrea our Group Leader will be in touch.

Expression of Interest form: https://forms.office.com/r/VCJFC7bFjJ

Ripley Valley State School's iWonder event

Ripley Valley State School is hosting thier 'i Wonder' event for children enrolling for Prep at their school in 2023. 

Meet some fo the prep teachers, look around some prep classrooms, meet some friends and have fun!

Wednesday 7th September 9.15-10.40am 

Ripley Valley State School