The Ryde Community inFocus is a simple way of communicating some insights and observations from the weeks past. It is written to celebrate and share the work that we do and to connect with community around some thoughts and insights into the learning culture at Ryde Public School.

Our School Vision

Lifelong learners- How good can we be? Strive today, succeed tomorrow

At Ryde Public School we believe that every student should be challenged to learn and continually improve in a respectful, inclusive and engaging environment of high expectations.

Our vision is to be partners in learning and collaboratively empower all students to become confident, resilient, self-directed and successful learners.

Wellbeing is the bedrock for all activities across all strategic improvement strategies, reflecting our core beliefs that success and acceptance breeds a culture where all stakeholders feel valued and cared for and prepared to take on challenge.

Lifelong learning, excellence, and happiness are the states of mind promoted in classrooms with the ever present question of 'How good can we be?' being asked across our community daily.

School Holidays

Monday 6th July 2026 - Friday 17th July 2026

Staff Return - School Development Day - 20th July

School development days are used by schools to build on the knowledge and skills of our teachers, school leaders and school administrative support staff through a targeted professional learning program. These will operate the way they always have. Students do not attend on these days as there are no timetabled lessons so staff can engage in professional development and planning.

K-6 Students Return Tuesday 21st July 2026

The Best Education Money Can't Buy...You can find it here at Ryde PS.

Did you know you can still enrol your child in Ryde Public School for 2026 classes?

If you have a friend or a neighbour who is unsure about enrolment eligibility, please share this link or tell them to call us. We are here to help!

https://ehub.enrol.education.nsw.gov.au/schoolenrolment/?schoolCode=3021

Click ENROL NOW to start! Its never too late!

Principal's Message

As we reach the midpoint of Term 2, it is wonderful to reflect on the many achievements, opportunities and experiences that have already taken place across our school community over the past five weeks. It has been a busy and productive start to the term, filled with learning, creativity, sport, leadership and community connection.

Across all stages, students have enthusiastically engaged in rich learning experiences both inside and outside the classroom. Our Kindergarten students have been developing their confidence as young authors through imaginative storytelling and early writing activities, while Stage 1 and Stage 2 students have embraced the exciting ZING dance program, building confidence, teamwork and creativity as they prepare for Education Week performances. Stage 3 students have also been actively involved in dance, athletics preparation and enrichment opportunities such as the Maths Olympiad.

Students across the school demonstrated outstanding sportsmanship and resilience during our Cross Country and K–2 Fun Run events. Congratulations to all students who participated and represented the school with pride, particularly those who progressed to the Zone level competition. A special congratulations also goes to our Diverse Learning Space Year 4 students who achieved first place at the Boccia Competition and will now progress to the state round later in the year.

Our extra-curricular programs continue to thrive. Students involved in choir, dance, debating, gardening club, crochet club, visual arts and the Inspire Magazine team have shown incredible enthusiasm, commitment and creativity. We are particularly proud of our Junior Dance Group and Senior Dance Group who were selected to perform at the Sydney North festivals, as well as our Senior Choir students preparing for the Ryde Festival of Performing Arts.

Student leadership has also been a highlight this term. Our SRC students demonstrated excellent initiative and teamwork during the Mother’s Day Stall alongside the P&C, while our student leaders represented the school respectfully during ANZAC Day commemorations. Our Stage 3 Library Monitors have also been making a valuable contribution by supporting the smooth running of the library each week.

I would also like to acknowledge the tremendous work of our teachers and support staff during this busy period. In addition to delivering engaging learning programs and supporting countless extracurricular opportunities, teachers are currently dedicating significant time and care to writing student reports. These reports provide valuable information about each child’s progress and achievements throughout the semester. I sincerely thank our staff for their professionalism, dedication and commitment to ensuring every report is thoughtful, personalised and informative. Semester 1 reports will be sent home digitally via the Sentral Parent Portal in Week 10 of Term 2.

The whole school community participated in National Walk Safely to School Day on Friday 22 May. Ryde Public School welcomed Federal Member for Bennelong Jerome Laxale, Parliamentary Secretary of Transport, Marjorie O'Neill, members of The Wiggles, Highway Patrol officers and a media crew as part of this important event promoting road safety, active lifestyles and community connection. Team Kids, supported by Woolworths, hosted a healthy breakfast for students and families. The event was such a success and a great morning was had by all!

Thank you to our students, staff and families for your continued support and contribution to our positive and vibrant school community. We are proud of all that has been achieved so far this term and look forward to the many exciting opportunities still to come.

Thanh Ta

Principal

Up and Coming School Projects

We are excited to announce two new school improvement projects that will commence on Saturday 6 June 2026. These projects continue our commitment to enhancing the learning and play environments for all students at Ryde Public School.

We will begin the final stages of the Block C upgrade. Over the years, Block C has been home to our Year 5 and Year 6 students, and many families will have noticed the gradual transformation of this learning space. Significant remedial works and upgrades have already taken place, including new paint, carpet, furniture, cabinetry and operable walls. The final stage of the project will include the installation of new sound-dampening pinboards, which will not only improve the learning environment acoustically, but also serve as “walls that teach” where student learning can be proudly displayed and celebrated.

Our playground has also undergone significant transformation in recent years. In collaboration with the Department’s Infrastructure Team, the stormwater drainage upgrade has now been successfully completed. The next stage of the project will focus on improving the surfacing and usability of the slopes area of the playground.

At the completion of this exciting project, students will enjoy a new outdoor chess area and seating spaces where they can relax, socialise and engage in board games during break times. The upper section of the school grounds will also be enhanced through the creation of terraced areas, new grassed spaces and levelled play areas, creating a welcoming environment for students to run, play and enjoy outdoor activities together.

These projects represent an important investment in our students and school community, and I look forward to celebrating their completion with you later this year.

Please click on the PROJECT SUMMARY link to view a summary, map and images of the areas that will be affected by these projects.

Thanh Ta

Principal

Siblings Picnic

Student Report

Term 2 has started strong with the school participating in the Zing dance program that occurs on Wednesdays every week. This program is 40 minutes long where the students engage in dance activities in preparation for the education week open day. Each Wednesday, we start off our sessions with a warm up, practicing different decades of dance starting from the 1950’s. We then progress into our dance routine; Our theme for the last couple of weeks has been a soundtrack from the popular movie “Top Gun”.

In week one The school leaders went to Anzac park to represent Ryde and lay a wreath on a stone pedestal, that listed some names that fought in the war. Also one of the soldiers that was honored at the commemoration was from Ryde Public School. At ryde we also had a presentation from the school leaders explaining some stuff from the actual war time. The presentation included the history of the ANZACs and information about the battle of Gallipoli.

In week 2, students participated in cross country at Ryde park. Stage 3 students ran 3

laps around the park, while Stage 2 ran two laps. Those who engaged in the races had a really fun time, and each house cheered and ran with respect , while showing great sportsmanship. Congratulations to all the winners, and we will see you in Zone soon.

In week 3, certain students in year 5 and year 6 participated in the Math Olympiad Program. There were numerous challenges and enrichment activities for these talented students to participate in. So far, all of the Math Olympiad teams have completed their first paper. Good luck to everyone!

Also in week 3, students in the SRC team and the P&C ran the mother’s day stall for the students to come and buy at their class time. The SRC team had a very fun time selling things and we even had a star SRC member help a new student in 3L. We would like to thank two students who made gifts for the mothers day stall. Eden from 6GY and Ariti from 6GY.

We would like to say a huge Thank you to the SRC Team for helping with the Mothers Day Stall.

Student Leaders:

Sebastian, Eden, Nathanael, Sophie.

Special Events at Ryde

Boccia Competition

Year 4 students in the Diverse Learning Space had the opportunity to attend the School Support Unit Boccia Competition on Friday 1st of May. Together, we went to PCYC Marrickville and competed with other schools. Our students had an amazing time, showing great sportsmanship and boccia skills. We celebrated a long day of competing with the news that Ryde Public School came first place! We are so proud of our Year 4 students and I am sure they are as excited as we are to progress to the state round occurring later in the year.

Cross Country

Students showed determination, resilience, and fantastic sportsmanship at our Cross Country Carnival. It was wonderful to see everyone encouraging and cheering one another and giving their best efforts throughout the course. Congratulations to everyone who made it to zone.

K-2 Fun Run

Students in Kindergarten, Year 1 and Year 2 ran like the wind at the annual K-2 Fun Run. Whether cheering from the sidelines or racing to the end, students gave it their all. The atmosphere was filled with excitement and encouragement, thanks to supportive parents, staff and students who demonstrated outstanding sportsmanship and resilience. Congratulations to our ribbon winners and to every participant who persevered and crossed the finish line.

Maths Olympiad

Last week, our Maths Olympiad students completed their first paper for the year! This year, Ryde Public School has three teams participating, including teams representing our OC classes and a mainstream Stage Three team made up of students from across Year Five and Year Six.

The Maths Olympiad is a fantastic extension opportunity that involves students completing four papers over the course of Terms Two and Three. Each paper contains five challenging mathematical questions, which students solve independently within a thirty-minute time limit. We are excited to see these students take on this challenge and continue developing their mathematical thinking, problem-solving strategies and perseverance throughout the competition!

Ms Cardillo

Maths Olympiad Coordinator

Diverse Learners

We are proud to share how well our DLS students have settled into the new school year during Term 1. Our Kindergarten students enjoyed their first incursion, engaging enthusiastically with new learning experiences. Stage Two students had a memorable excursion to the zoo, where they explored and connected with the natural world. Throughout the term, students have participated in community access activities and cooking sessions, developing practical skills and independence. They have also settled confidently into their routines and are working diligently in class. We commend all our DLS students for their hard work, resilience, and positive attitudes as they continue to make great progress. We look forward to seeing even more wonderful achievements in the coming terms!

Early Stage 1

Over the past few weeks in English, Kindergarten students have been exploring the textual concept of narrative through the mentor texts Shoes from Grandpa and Feathers for Phoebe. Using the “Draw, Talk, Write, Share” approach, students have been building their understanding of how stories have a beginning, middle and end, while developing confidence in oral language, drawing and early writing skills.

Students have enjoyed recalling story events, changing endings, creating their own imaginative characters and using adjectives to add detail to their ideas. They have also been learning how to write simple sentences using nouns, pronouns and action words, while carefully labelling their drawings with sounds and letters they know. It has been wonderful to see students enthusiastically sharing their ideas, making connections to their own experiences and growing in confidence as young authors.

Stage 1

Stage 1 students are enjoying their weekly ZING dance lessons. Each session offers opportunities for Year 1 and Year 2 students to develop their skills, confidence, and teamwork as they learn and refine a variety of dance routines. Currently, students are diligently preparing for their Education Week performances coming up next term. The dance program has been a positive addition to the school, fostering creativity and collaboration during the sessions. We look forward to showcasing Stage 1’s achievements and celebrating their hard work with the school community at Education Week.

Stage 2

Stage 2 students are having a fantastic time practicing their dances and learning new skills with Zing Activ. Year 3 are dancing to a song from Shrek, while Year 4 are moving to the rhythms of Black Panther. These sessions are a great way for students to build confidence, improve their coordination, and express themselves in a fun and supportive environment. There are lots of smiles, laughter, and teamwork as everyone joins in and encourages each other. Dancing together not only helps students stay active, but also gives them a chance to learn new moves and make special memories with their friends.

Stage 3

Stage 3 students are cruising through Zing dance as they learn their choreographed dance to a medley of hits from the past. Faces awash with grim determination, they have soared, tapped and slid through the danger zone and beyond! Their precision is inspiring, their finesse is astonishing and their flexibility is unmatched. We can't wait to wow you with their sensationally smooth moves.

English as and additional Language or Dialect (EAL/D)

EAL/D students are showing a lot of enthusiasm and growth in their English language lessons so far this term. Students are demonstrating a lot of responsibility for their learning, approaching every lesson with smiles on their faces.

The Kindergarten and EAL/D teams will be hosting an EAL/D Parent Information Session this term. It will be a Morning Tea held on 1st June, 2026 at 9:15am - 9:45am. Parents of EAL/D students currently receiving targeted support have been sent an invitation to participate in the session. We look forward to seeing you there.

What we have to offer....

Visual Arts

Our Visual Arts Group have been eager to continue working on their papier-mâché pieces in preparation for Education Week in Term 3. It has been a privilege to see the students work on their projects, evaluating and refining their models to bring their animals to life. We are so incredibly proud of their progress and dedication to the arts.

We can’t wait for the day when the rest of the school community can see the magic created!

5-6 Senior Dance

We are thrilled to announce that the senior dance group has been selected to perform at the Sydney North Public Schools Dance Festival, following their outstanding audition! They have been practicing with exceptional dedication and focus, responding immediately to new routines. Their eagerness to progress and willingness to work hard exemplifies their positive attitude. We look forward to watching their continued growth and seeing their achievements unfold this year.

K-2 Junior Choir

This term, the Junior Choir have welcomed students from kindergarten into our weekly rehearsals. We are excited for our new members to join our wonderful group of talented singers as we begin rehearsing for upcoming performances, including Education Week next term.

Miss Leonard and Miss Mckay look forward to continuing to build a love for singing with the Junior Choir throughout the year!

3-4 Junior Dance

Congratulations to the Junior Dance Group for being selected to participate in the Sydney North Festival! They are very excited, and we look forward to learning the rest of their dance routine. Miss Kumar and Miss Tierney are incredibly proud of the group's commitment and passion.

Gardening Club

Last term, the Gardening Club concluded by planting snow pea seeds, which successfully sprouted into small plants over the school holidays. This term, students have transplanted the snow pea seedlings into the garden beds and are monitoring their growth each week. Through this process, students have learnt that snow peas develop delicate stems and require support from stakes or sticks to help the plants grow successfully. Throughout the term, students will continue exploring winter gardening by planting and caring for additional crops, including carrots and kale.

Crotchet

The Crochet Club is excited to be meeting again in Term 2 with Stage 3 students. Miss McKay and Miss Gummery are also looking forward to seeing the Stage 2 students’ audition pieces, which will be handed in to their classroom teachers next week.

We are excited to welcome some Stage 2 students into the Crochet Club soon, so they can join in and learn new crochet skills alongside their peers.

The club is a fantastic way for students to be creative, try something new, and work together.

Magazine

The Inspire Magazine student editorial team has been busy beginning work on our second-ever edition! Our editors, Avneesh B, Anna H, Nathan L and Arla T, have already made a fantastic start and have been meeting regularly to discuss magazine themes, article ideas, possible interviews and the overall direction of this year’s publication. It has been wonderful to see their enthusiasm, creativity and thoughtful contributions as they begin shaping the next edition of Inspire.

Stage Three students are encouraged to submit their original texts to the magazine for possible publication. These may be pieces developed in class or at home. From poems and information reports to narratives, reviews, persuasive texts and reflections, we are keen to celebrate the amazing work of our Stage Three authors and share their ideas with the wider school community. Having work published in Inspire is a wonderful opportunity for students to receive recognition for their writing, build confidence and contribute to a meaningful school publication.

Stage Three students can submit their work to the magazine via the Google Form link on their class Google Classroom.

Ms Cardillo and Mr McMahon

School Magazine Coordinators

SRC

The Student Representative Council (SRC) has had a busy few weeks. A highlight so far this term was their wonderful support at the Mother’s Day stall, working alongside the P&C. Stage 3 students assisted by selling gifts, restocking supplies, and helping the event run smoothly. Meanwhile, Stage 2 representatives ensured each class arrived on time to their allocated times to purchase something at the stall. Both teachers and parent volunteers were very grateful for the students’ help and positive attitude. Thank you to Toshini, Amara, Tobias, Millie, Sissie, Noah, Henry ,Deena, Praise, Rayyan, Nathan, Anir, Kataleya, Eden and Sebastian, Cian and Sophie for your fantastic efforts!

Debating

Our debating teams have been busy preparing for an exciting season ahead! The Year 6 team, the Ryde Public Ravens, are scheduled to take part in their first Premier's Debating Challenge debate of the year next week against the Gladesville Gladiators.

Students have been working hard with Ms Cardillo and Mr Parthasarathy to develop their debating skills, including building strong arguments, considering opposing viewpoints and using effective rebuttal techniques. As the first debate topic relates to education, students have also been exploring relevant information, news articles and ideas to help deepen their understanding of this important area.

Students have also been reviewing examples of debates and discussing what makes arguments clear, persuasive and well-supported. We are looking forward to seeing them put their preparation into practice and wish them all the best for their first debate!

Ms Cardillo and Mr Parthasarathy

Debating Program Coordinators

What's happening in the Library

Library

Library Monitors Making a Difference

This term, our enthusiastic Stage 3 Library Monitors have been actively volunteering during their rostered times. They have been learning how to reshelve returned books correctly, tidy the shelves, and appreciate the importance of maintaining a neat and welcoming library for all students. Their efforts help ensure our library remains an inviting space for everyone.

ANZAC Display

Earlier this term, we held a special ANZAC display to honour and remember the service and sacrifice of our Australian and New Zealand Defence Force members. This important tradition helps our students reflect on the values of courage, mateship, and remembrance.

Luna Roo and New Library Titles

The ANZAC display has now been replaced by the exciting Luna Roo display. In addition, our library collection has been enriched with more graphic novels and new titles from popular authors Tristan Bancks, Jack Heath, and Katrina Nannestad. We encourage all students to explore these fantastic new books!

Library Reminders

Please remember that books borrowed from the school library are due back the following week. Additionally, don’t forget to enter the books you read into your Premier’s Reading Challenge log. Keep up the great reading!

If you have any questions, please contact Mrs Cohen (Teacher Librarian).

P&C Report

Dear Parents and Carers,

We hope the mothers and special people in our students lives had a lovely Mother’s Day and that the P&C Mother’s Day stall was able to add a little extra sparkle to the day.

Special thanks goes our parent P&C helpers - Mimi, Matina, Amy, Ali, Parisa and Phoebe! These ladies consistently give their time and energy and make these events possible!

We want to thank the school too for their support each year in running these events. Particular thanks to Mrs Cohen, the school librarian, for organising the SRC and managing the roster for the classes to come to our stall. We were blown away by the SRC who went above - helping the younger students with working out the cost of items, how much change they would have and making the process fun.

The SRC students took such pride and ownership over their section of the stall - making creative arrangements of the gifts, making signs and their own slogans, and encouraging each other to see who could sell the most. This level of dedication and commitment deserves special recognition and the P&C is excited to have the schools support to send personalised thank you postcards to those students in the coming weeks!

This was also our first year of selling items made by year 6 students Eden and Ariti! Eden made resin keychains and Ariti made mini crochet animals. They all sold within the first 2 hours! It was such a success that they will expand this into a Maker’s Market during our Education Week open day!

In terms of sales we sold $2767 in stock and made almost $2000 in profit. We are donating $400 of the profits to the Year 6 farewell in thanks for their help and the remaining profit will go towards playground upgrades!

We have a number of events coming up that you can add to your diary!

Mon to Wed in May - Supporting the school in making bunting for Education Week

Monday 1 June - Second hand uniform sale

Thursday 6 August - Lemonade stall, Coffee cart, supporting Parent organised Food Stalls and Makers Market

Sunday 23 August - Bunnings BBQ and Cake Stall

Finally we are having a P&C meeting on Microsoft Teams on Wednesday May 27 at 7pm. Everyone is welcome to join us! If you would like to get involved in any future events please join our WhatsApp P&C Helper chat group:https://chat.whatsapp.com/HqR6AoxC3CS5evWIWeDxgL.

Kind regards,

Cathrine Isaacs

RPS P&C President

Giving us Feedback

There are many ways that you can give us feedback, such as:

Emailing the school (ryde-p.school@det.nsw.edu.au). Your email will be forwarded to the appropriate staff member through the office.
Access our feedback link via the school website or
the Community inFocus. It looks like this:

High quality feedback from the community helps us to improve. Your feedback is important.

Compliments lets us know what we are doing well and the positive impact it is having on the community.

Your suggestions helps us to evaluate and review our practice and where possible, make adjustments to improve our service.

Please click HERE: Compliments and Suggestions High quality feedback from the community helps us to improve. Your feedback is important.

3-6 Senior Choir

Our Senior Choir has been enthusiastically learning and practising an exciting repertoire in preparation for the upcoming Ryde Festival of Performing Arts. Students are working hard to master alto and soprano parts, refining their harmonies and developing their vocal skills. Their commitment to teamwork and musical excellence stands out as they prepare for this special event. We are proud of their dedication and can’t wait to see them perform on stage! Stay tuned for more updates about practice days and tickets as the big event approaches.

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