2025 Edition 41 31.01.2025

Principal's Message - Mrs Meyrick

Welcome to 2025!

A special welcome to our new families and staff who have commenced their learning journey with us. We are glad you are part of our school community. 

This year we have welcomed over 180 new students, with more families bringing in enrolments each day. We are currently using all 24 classrooms so I have worked with Central Office to bring stage 2 (part 1 - infill of 5 classrooms upstairs in A3) forward. 

We have established new roles in our team, including Head of Department- Student Engagement and Facilities Supervisor. We have continued our EPIC Teacher role who visits each classroom, each week and teaches our Values, Expectations and the routines that support them. The Head of Inclusion role has now been advertised as a permanent position and we expect a large applicant pool (like we have for other permanent classified positions). Our team is growing rapidly and we have improved our induction program to support this growth. If you see a new staff face around our school, be sure to say hello.

I have been teaching 2D during week 1 and will continue in week 2 while we recruit a new teacher for them. 

With our increased enrolment we all need to work together in car parks and local road networks. Please observe school zone speeds as the 10km speed in our car parks. Please only park in lined/designated car park spaces. Please model our EPIC Values to your children, especially Polite and Careful. Parents should not park in the bus bay  in Binnies Road car park (at any time, this is signed as a no standing area). If using Binnies Road parking please use the parent/visitor designated parking areas. Please note there is not enough parking spaces to cater for every family and car parks will have peak traffic times. There is also street parking in our local network that is a short walk to school. 

We look forward to an EPIC year together where we all show our values of Empowered, Polite, Inclusive and Careful. 

Mrs Wuanita Meyrick| Principal 

Deputy Principal's Message - Ms Yager

Welcome back to another exciting year at Ripley Central State School! My name is Ms. Petra Yager and I am privileged to be the Deputy Principal for Years 3-6. If you ever need to get in touch with me, you can reach me via email at dp@ripleycentralss.eq.edu.au.

Student Leadership Opportunities

At Ripley Central, we believe that leadership is more than just a title—it’s about the way we inspire, support, and empower others. True leaders model the way, inspire a shared vision, enable others to act, and encourage the heart. Leadership is built on passion, and when you are passionate about something, you can’t help but think about it, work at it, and be excited about it. Your passion influences your daily choices, motivation, and actions.

This year, we are looking for passionate student leaders to take on key leadership roles in 2025. These roles provide an opportunity for students to develop their leadership skills, contribute to our school community, and be a positive role model for others. The available positions are:

• Year Level Representatives (Years 2, 3, 4, 5, and 6 – one per year level)
• House Captains (Years 4, 5, and 6 – two per house)
• School Captains (Two positions – Year 6)
• Vice Captains (Two positions – Year 5)

An information session will be held for all Years 2-6 students after our first assembly on Monday. Leadership application forms will be sent home on the same day, and all applications must be endorsed by your Deputy Principal.

We encourage all students who are passionate about making a difference to apply. We can’t wait to see our future leaders step up and shine!

Ms Petra Yager |  Deputy Principal Year 3-6

Deputy Principal's Message - Mr Geeling

Welcome to 2025 P-2 families and students. It has been wonderful to visit classes this week and meet lots of new families and students, as well as welcome back returning students. 

2D have had a week full of learning our school Values and Expectations and the EPIC Routines that support them. They have made a class charter together where they all agree to be EPIC and want each classmate to be friendly, helpful and kind. They started reading and math groups and loved Science. 2D started ‘Thankful Thursday’ and did an activity in their Gratitude Journal. They are getting into their English unit as Animal Explorers who will write an information report about an animal. They enjoyed their Music, HPE and Arts lesson and they are collecting Koala Dollars to have extra time in the Curiosity Centre using VR and the Gaming Lab. Top effort 2D!

Mr Alex Geeling |  Deputy Principal Year P-2

HOD Curriculum - Mrs Ward

Welcome back to another exciting school year! I am absolutely thrilled to be working alongside our EPIC learners, dedicated teachers, and families once again in 2025. Our school is a place where curiosity thrives, learning comes to life, and every child is empowered to explore their potential.

We are committed to making learning engaging, purposeful, and full of discovery. Whether it’s diving deep into rich discussions, unpacking new concepts, or fostering a love for problem-solving, we will continue to create opportunities for our students to think critically, collaborate, and grow as confident learners.

We have already heard some whispers from learners about what their Term 1 Passion Projects will be! These projects give each learner the opportunity to dive into a topic they’re excited about and explore it in-depth. Whether it’s sports, animals, art, science, or something entirely unique, this is their chance to take the reins on a topic they love. We encourage you to support them as they develop their ideas and think about what they’d like to discover and achieve,

2025 is going to be an EPIC year—one where we celebrate achievements, embrace challenges, and spark curiosity in every classroom.

Let’s unleash the potential of all of our learners, keep nurturing curiosity and the love of learning together.

Mrs Tammy Ward | HOD Curriculum

HOD Student Engagement - Mrs Ashby

I am delighted to introduce myself as the new Head of Student Engagement at Ripley Central State School. It is an absolute privilege to be part of this wonderful community, and I look forward to working together to create a supportive, inspiring, and engaging environment for all students.

We are proud to embrace our EPIC values—Empowered, Polite, Inclusive, and Careful. These principles are at the heart of everything we do. We empower students to take charge of their learning and personal growth, fostering confidence and resilience. Politeness and respect are key to building a positive school culture, where kindness and consideration guide our interactions. Inclusivity ensures that every student feels a sense of belonging and that their unique strengths and perspectives are valued so they are inspired to succeed. Being careful means making responsible choices, looking out for one another, and creating a safe and nurturing environment for all.

Throughout the year, I will be working closely with students, staff, and families to strengthen student engagement and foster a school spirit that makes everyone proud to be part of Ripley Central. I encourage open conversations and collaboration, and I look forward to meeting many of you along the way.

Please don’t hesitate to reach out with ideas, questions, or just to say hello. Let’s make this year truly EPIC together!

Mrs Kirsten Ashby | HOD Student Engagement

Head of Inclusion - Ms Walas

Welcome back to all our RCSS families. During week 1, it has been wonderful to see students settle back into the routines of school and start to build relationships with their classroom teacher/s and support staff and peers. We are very proud of how the students have shown our EPIC expectations this week.

As we continuously grow as a school, we have seen a growth in our Support Team. This year we welcome three new Inclusion Teachers; Tessa Blair, Hayley Kellner, Samantha Supribadi, and Jess Vayro as Inclusion Teacher Aide.

Ms Kylie Walas |  Head of Inclusion

Business Manager - Ms Mitchell

Welcome to 2025 School Year

This week, all families will be receiving their invoice for the School Resource Scheme. 

Payment is now required, and the schools preferred method of payment is B Point.  You can access B Point by clicking on the link on the bottom left hand side of your invoice.  You can also make a voice payment by calling 1300 631 073 and quoting your CRN Number, which is also on your invoice.

If you have opted to pay the SRS by term instalments you will receive an invoice for the full amount and term instalments will be due on the following dates: by Thursday 6^th February 2025 Term 1, by Thursday 1 May 2025 Term 2.

In 2025, our SRS costings will be based on The Arts Consumables, Online Subscriptions, English texts and Science Consumables.

• $80 for Prep, Year 1 and Year 2
• $90 for Year 3 and 4
• $100 for Year 5 and 6.

If you are experiencing financial difficulties, please email the school bsm@ripleycentralss.com.au  to arrange an appointment with me to discuss a payment plan. Any information that you provide will be confidential. Release of resources will not be distributed until the full or first payment has been paid to the school.  Any unpaid invoices, will be managed according to the department’s Debt Management Procedure and may result in the student being excluded from the scheme and/or from participating in extra-curricular activities until payments are made.

I look forward to being of service to our school community in 2025.

Ms Karen Mitchell |  Business Manager

Tour & Talk

School times and access

Students can arrive from 8.20am, with staff supervision in the canteen undercover area. Please do not drop your children to school before 8.20am unless you have them enrolled in Outside of School Hours Care (OSHC). Gate 7 at Binnies Road Carpark is open early, but only for OSHC access. 

Access to our classroom areas is from 8.40am. Please only enter them earlier than this if you have a pre-arranged appointment with a staff member. 

Students who have classes upstairs in A1 should use the green stairs. Students upstairs in A2 should use the pink stairs. There is a lift available for those who need it. 

At the end of our day, parents are welcome to enter the corridor areas from 2.40pm onwards. Please do not enter earlier than this time as it disrupts teaching and learning and is unsettling for students. 

Our gates close at 3pm, except gate 7 at Binnies Road which remains open for OSHC access. 

Thank you in advance for showing our Value of Empowered and expectation of being a role model. Your support in adhering to these times is appreciated and helps our school smoothly operate in the morning and afternoons. 

Access to upstairs A2 building

Students and families in 1A, 1B, 1C, 1D, 1E, 2D, 3A and 3B please only use the pink stairs (or lift if needed) to access classrooms before and after school. Please do not use the fire safety stairs near the lift. This is to help with pedestrian traffic downstairs who use the corridor.

What is happening in the classroom

Prep C

Prep C students have had an excellent start to the year. They have all been making new friends and learning new things. This week we have started to learn about some of the sounds letters make, we have counted to 5, read lots of stories and learnt what it means to be an EPIC learner.

2D are seeking cardboard rolls

2D students are collecting cardboard rolls (not toilet rolls). We are after empty cling wrap, foil, wrapping paper and baking paper rolls for a little project later in the term. Can you please send them to the office for us when you are finished with them at home or work. Please note we don’t want toilet rolls as they may not be clean for us. Thank you

Canteen Menu

Second Hand Uniforms

As children grow, or families move from the area, families have the opportunity to sell their second-hand uniforms via a Facebook page created by our P&C. You can join via Facebook on the below link.

  You are also welcome to donate any uniform items to our school and we support families who are in need.

Student Departure

If your family is leaving our school, please email admin@ripleycentralss.eq.edu.au with departure date and new destination school. This allows our administration staff to commence processes to support your departure. This includes ensuring books and musical instruments are returned, checking your family’s financial status with the school and also updating your child’s class teacher so they can prepare to send home their books and belongings. While we are sorry to see you go, we also want to help make the process smooth for you.

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. You may then receive a text message that you will need to respond to. 

Community News

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)