RPS Chatter March 2025

I’m pretty sure we have never had 2 weeks at school with nothing happening.  This past fortnight has not been any different.  There’s always something to keep us on our toes!

 

2025 Welcome BBQ (without the BBQ)

 

What a fantastic night we had at the Mountain Goat Brewery for our annual RPS Welcome BBQ (without the BBQ)! It was wonderful to see so many families connecting, mingling, and sharing laughs. Congratulations to Eleanor, our very happy raffle winner!

Speaking of the raffle, all proceeds raised will go toward upgrading the playground…an investment that will benefit our students for years to come.

A special thank you to Kristy for her incredible work as our fundraising event coordinator. This event marked her final hurrah in the role, and we are incredibly grateful for the dedication and effort she has shown over the past few years. Kristy, your contributions have been deeply appreciated by our community, and you will be greatly missed.

 

NAPLAN Update

 

As many of you know, next week students across the country in Years 3, 5, 7, and 9 participate in the standardised national tests in Reading, Writing, Language Conventions (Spelling, Grammar, and Punctuation), and Numeracy…. commonly known as NAPLAN.

The data from these assessments serves as an additional source of evidence to guide future teaching priorities and ensure we are meeting the individual needs of all students.

It is important to remember that NAPLAN represents a snapshot of a student’s performance in specific areas on a particular day with a certain type of test. It is just one piece of the puzzle when considering the whole child and their capabilities.

Our hope for our students is that they do their best on the day.

 

The Power of Reading

 

How often do you read?

Did you know that if a child reads (or is read to) for just 10 minutes a day, they will be exposed to over 600,000 words in a year? Increasing that to 20 minutes a day boosts word exposure to more than 1,800,000 words annually! As Dr. Seuss wisely said, “The more that you read, the more things you will know. The more places you’ll go.”

Reading for different purposes broadens a child’s horizons and opens future opportunities.

We encourage children to read at home as often as possible….in an ideal world, that would mean every day. Striking a balance between offering a challenge and keeping reading enjoyable is essential. We want to nurture your child’s reading skills while fostering a lifelong love of books and literature.

Your child may choose books they can read independently, books to read together, or books best suited for you to read aloud to them. Each of these experiences is valuable and contributes to their growth as a reader.

 

AUSLAN at RPS

 

After much discussion and consideration, we have decided on a language to trial during 2025.  That language is AUSLAN.  We believe that teaching AUSLAN (Australian Sign Language) at RPS promotes inclusivity and understanding. It enables students to communicate with the Deaf community, fostering empathy and breaking down barriers. Learning AUSLAN also enhances cognitive abilities, memory retention, and non-verbal communication skills.

By introducing AUSLAN at RPS, we celebrate linguistic diversity and ensure that all students—hearing and Deaf—can connect and communicate effectively. It also provides valuable life skills, broadens future career opportunities, and encourages a more inclusive society where everyone feels seen and heard.

I’ve had the pleasure recently to meet Libby, a parent of a one-year-old who was born profoundly deaf.  Form her perspective:

As parents of a deaf child who uses Auslan and speech to communicate, it’s important to us that our daughter feels just as welcome in her community as her siblings. Our family has been blown away by our experience in learning Auslan. It is a truly rich, complex and beautiful language which has enriched our lives. Who knew that being able to sign to your kids “it’s time to go” without having to shout or dodge the balls across the basketball court could be so effortless.

Introducing Auslan in our local schools will go a huge way to exposing more children and families to this wonderful language, while also building awareness about different ways to communicate.

Nobody thinks less of the penguin because it doesn’t fly, it’s just a different kind of bird. Our hope, is that all kids in our local community will grow up and not think less of our daughter because she can’t hear, being deaf is just another difference to be celebrated. The signed language she can share with us can truly enrich the lives of the whole community.

And one of our own parents, Jen also reached out:

“Waterfall”. The children respond.

“Rock, paper, scissors”. A mediator.

“High five”. A moment of connection and inclusion.

This comes naturally. We wave our children over, we gesticulate “stop”. We put our hands to our heads in frustration, we blow them a kiss.

Sometimes, children can’t find the words, or they simply don’t want to speak.

Auslan can teach us the signs for “angry”, “food”, “water”, giving us a new way to connect. Our teachers can gain a new tool to engage their class.

Meanwhile, the children’s life skills are exploding. They’re problem solving and developing spatial awareness. They’re mastering non-verbal communication skills, such as interpreting body language. They’re learning inclusivity and empathy. They gain an edge in our world where emotional intelligence is key.

Language is about connection. Let’s give our kids one more way to connect and grow, then watch how far it takes them. In an increasingly competitive world, the ability to communicate in diverse ways will set them apart.

While we currently do not have a dedicated staff member to teach AUSLAN to everyone, we are excited to launch a program where staff and students will learn together. This initiative will begin in Term 2.

In early Term 3, we will invite interested staff and community members to join a working group. This group will provide recommendations on the language we will offer from 2026 onwards.

 

The Resilience Project:  Authentic Connection for Parents & Carers Webinar

 

We hope you’re as excited as us about our upcoming Authentic Connection for Parents and Carers Webinar (with other schools) with Hugh on Tuesday 11th March, 6:30-7:30 pm (60 minutes) AEDT.

The biggest impact happens when we work together. This one-hour session combines cutting-edge research with candid storytelling to help parents and carers understand the benefits of letting go of shame, perfection, ego, and control. It then shares the same evidence-based strategies being taught in your classrooms so they can be practised at home (and beyond!).

Here is the link to register for the webinar:  Single Event Confirmation – The Resilience Project

We already have over 20 community members registered for the upcoming webinar…. don’t miss out! Be sure to register before the event. This is our first Resilience Project for the entire community, and we would love for you to be a part of it.

 

Swimming Results

 

For those of you who don’t check our Instagram, I’m excited to share that RPS had an incredibly successful and enjoyable time at the Swimming Carnival at Richmond Pool a few weeks ago. The students who represented RPS and participated together have built lasting friendships, and many achieved personal bests, along with first, second, and third-place finishes!

RPS’s strength in the pool comes from a great balance of both individual and team efforts. We dominated in the relays, with our swimmers stepping up and pushing themselves to swim faster, giving it their all! RPS will head to the Division Finals in next week, where we’ll represent with pride and determination! One highlight was the U12 Girls Medley. RPS was trailing by a length, but our school leaders—Harper, Lotsie, and Alaia—dug deep, not only making up the ground but pulling ahead by two full lengths. This set Anna up perfectly to finish with an impressive style!

Our individual results were:

• U9/10 Girls Backstroke: Elliot A, 1st place, Time 56.4sec
• 12/13 Girls Backstroke: Anna A, 2nd place
• 12/13 Boys Backstroke: Otto P, 1st place
• 9/10 Girls Freestyle: Elliot A, 3rd place, Time 51.4 sec
• 12 Girls Freestyle: Anna A, 2nd place, Time 40.34sec
• 12 Girls Freestyle: Lotsie P, 2nd place, Time 53.47sec
• 12/13 Boys Freestyle: Otto P, 1st place
• 11 Girls Butterfly: Melika G, 1st place, Time 104.63
• 12 Girls Butterfly: Alaia A, 2nd place, Time 55.82sec
• 12 Boys Butterfly: Otto P, 1st place, Time 39.75sec

Great work team and good luck on Thursday!

 

Building update

 

Earlier today you would have received a compass notification with a building update from the VSBA.  Should you have further questions at any point during the build process, contact them directly on 1800 896 950 or email vsba@education.vic.gov.au

That’s all from me this week.  Enjoy the long weekend

Stay safe.  Stay healthy.  Stay happy and remember to be kind and respectful to yourself and others.

Megan

On Friday March 21st it is Harmony Day.

Harmony Day is an annual celebration of Australia’s cultural diversity and the benefits it brings to the Australian community. Orange is the official color of Harmony Day, symbolizing social harmony and diversity. At RPS we will celebrate at school with the students being involved in learning activities related to Harmony Day in the classrooms and we will also encourage children to wear orange or come dressed in their own cultural dress. No donation will be required.

Each month we have a focus on an important author and celebrate their writings.

March’s Author is Morris Gleitzman – chosen by our Library Captains, Zac and Javier. We find out some interesting facts about the author and create a display of some of their books for everyone to enjoy – did you know that although Morris Gleitzman is a celebrated Australian author, he was in fact, born in England.

 

 

Due to school upgrades and construction work limiting space on our school grounds, Teeth On Wheels will not be able to operate at Richmond Primary School in 2025.

However, if you would like to continue receiving dental care from the Teeth on Wheels team, they have a practice in Coburg—Teeth on Ohea—that can accommodate the whole family with a positive dental experience.

📍 Teeth on Ohea
📞 (03) 9354 9873
🌐 Visit Their Website

We appreciate your understanding and look forward to welcoming Teeth on Wheels back to our school once the upgrades are completed in 2026.

 

 

Foundation

• Amelie Y – For demonstrating excellent listening skills and resilience when taking turns. You have been respectful and shown kindness while listening to others. Well done!
• Sofia B – For showing bravery and courage when sharing in front of the class. Sofia, we love how well you have settled into Foundation and think you have made an outstanding start!
• Enzo V – (Performing Arts)  – For his flexibility and resilience in his learning, both when overcoming disappointment and personal challenges – you made a wonderful owl mask, Enzo – great job!

 

Year 1/2

• Josephine B – For having such a positive attitude towards her learning and always giving everything a go
• Jacob D – For a fabulous start to a new year at a new school. You have been putting so much thought and effort into your work, and I love seeing you challenge yourself every day. You always try to look out for your classmates, and we love your kindness!
• Hazel C – For being both a hardworking, conscientious student and a kind, thoughtful and inclusive friend! You’re a star, Hazel!!!
• Asta H – For being a positive influence in the classroom. She consistently makes great choices and demonstrates responsibility and a joyful attitude. Go Asta!
• Jack S – For showing kindness and being a wonderful bucket filler! Jack has been spreading positivity by helping his classmates and using kind words. His thoughtful actions have made our classroom a happier place. Well done superstar!
• Phoebe T  – (Science) – For your great work on the frog lifecycle and always being so helpful in class.

 

Year 3/4

• Charlie A – Charlie consistently demonstrates kindness by treating others with respect, offering a helping hand and creating a welcoming and supportive environment for everyone around him.
• Ky P – This superstar has been working really hard on making good learning choices, and it’s really making a difference. He comes down to the floor and sits in the same spot each day, knowing it’s where he listens best. Nice work, Ky.
• Butch L – For showing dedication and amazing work ethic in Reading and Maths. Your effort sets such a great example for our class. Congratulations Butch!
• Parker S – For showing incredible courage in the classroom, tackling challenges with perseverance. Your kindness and support for others has made the class a better place!

 

Year 5/6

• Hudson B -Your dedication, positive choices, and consistent efforts toward achieving your learning goals truly reflect your growth mindset and commitment to improvement. Congratulations Huggie!
• Oliver W – For demonstrating the Three Rs. You have constantly taken the initiative to help with classroom jobs and have made a great effort look out for your peers. Well done, Ollie!
• Sofia C – Demonstrating initiative, stepping up to support others and contribute to the success of the team. Her helpfulness and attention to maintaining a tidy and organized environment make her a standout role model for her peers.
•  James D – (ART) – Great focus while sketching trees
• Jude B – (PE)- For his positive attitude while captioning his team in PE this week! Well done Jude!

Chess Club – Fridays, 8:00 – 8:50 AM

Hot Shot Tennis – Fridays, 8:00 – 8:40 AM

• Chess Club
• Hot Shot Tennis