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 April 2026 - Friday 17th April 2026

Staff Return - School Development Days - 20 - 21st April

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 Wednesday 22nd April 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!

.......and this is what parents are saying about Ryde Public School:

Principal's Message

A Strong and Settled Start to 2026

As we move through the first five weeks of the school year, I am very pleased to report how exceptionally well our students have settled into learning at Ryde Public School.

Across all year levels, classrooms are calm, purposeful and highly engaged. Students have returned to school routines with maturity and enthusiasm, demonstrating a genuine readiness to learn. It has been wonderful to see students embracing new challenges, reconnecting with peers and building positive relationships with their teachers.

Our school vision is Lifelong learners: How good can we be? Strive today, succeed tomorrow is already visible in action. In every classroom, students are being challenged to learn and continually improve within a respectful, inclusive and engaging environment of high expectations. Teachers have worked intentionally to establish strong learning cultures where effort, persistence and reflection are valued.

At Ryde Public School, we believe in working as partners in learning to empower every child to become a confident, resilient, self-directed and successful learner. This partnership between home and school has been instrumental in ensuring such a smooth start to the year. When students feel supported both at school and at home, they are more willing to take on challenge and strive for excellence.

Wellbeing continues to be the bedrock of all that we do. Students who feel safe, valued and cared for are better prepared to learn. Over these first weeks, staff have prioritised relationship-building, clear expectations and consistent routines creating classrooms where success and acceptance foster a strong sense of belonging.

Importantly, strong attendance plays a critical role in maintaining this positive momentum. Every day at school matters. Regular attendance ensures students do not miss essential learning, collaborative activities and the steady development of knowledge and skills. Even occasional absences can create gaps that are difficult to bridge. Establishing strong attendance habits early in the year sets students up for long-term success.

As a community, we continue to ask ourselves, How good can we be? The answer lies in striving each day through consistent effort, positive relationships and a shared commitment to high expectations.

Thank you for your ongoing partnership and support. Together, we are ensuring our students not only settle well, but thrive.

Thanh Ta

Principal

School Captains' Report

Ryde Public School is excited to commence another outstanding school year. As this year's student leaders, we are honoured to have the opportunity to share our experiences with the school community.

The students have enjoyed a restful break and are eager to embark on another successful year in 2026. On the first day of school, students reunited with their peers and were introduced to their classroom teachers. Our new Kindergarten and Year 5 Opportunity Class students joined the school community.

In week 2, students had the opportunity to try out for PSSA. The Summer sports that students tried out for were Cricket, Newcombe Ball, Volleyball, Softball and T Ball. Congratulations to all of the students who made it into a PSSA team and those who tried out. Good luck this season!

In week 3, students tried out for extracurricular activities such as Dance, Choir, Drama, Visual Arts, Debating, Crocheting and Knitting, Gardening and Ukulele. This was a great opportunity for students to showcase their talents, learn new skills and to become more confident.

We’re thrilled to share such an amazing start to the year with the students of Ryde. We look forward to informing you about our learning and events that will take place at Ryde Public School.

By Eden, Nathanael, Sebastian and Sophie

Special Events at Ryde

Welcome Back BBQ and Lunar New Year

Our Welcome Back BBQ was a wonderful celebration to begin the 2026 school year at Ryde Public School. It was heartening to see so many students, families, staff and community members come together to mark the start of a new year in such a positive and vibrant way.

The afternoon was filled with energy, connection and cultural celebration as our community gathered to welcome one another back to school. Families enjoyed the relaxed picnic atmosphere across the playground and slopes, creating a warm and inclusive space for conversation and reconnection after the holiday break.

A highlight of the event was the outstanding student performances that reflected both talent and cultural pride. Our Lion Dance captivated the audience with its colour, movement and symbolism, setting an exciting tone for the afternoon. The whole school performance of “Gong Xi Gong Xi” showcased the enthusiasm and commitment of our students in their Mandarin learning, while the Junior Choir and Junior Dance Group delighted the audience with their confident and polished performances.

We were also privileged to welcome members of the Rhodes Multicultural Community Association, whose Mongolia Dance and Tai Chi demonstration added depth and richness to our celebrations. The performance by the RongHe Chinese After School Club was warmly received, and our Senior Dance Group impressed the crowd with their energetic K-Pop routine.

Beyond the performances, families enjoyed the BBQ, wishing tree, bubbles, raffle, photo booth and community stalls. These activities created opportunities for families to connect, celebrate and strengthen partnerships in learning.

Events such as this reflect the strength of our school community. They demonstrate our shared commitment to belonging, wellbeing and partnership — foundations that underpin everything we do.

On behalf of the staff at Ryde Public School, I would like to sincerely thank our families, P&C, community partners and volunteers for your support and attendance. Your presence makes these events meaningful and reinforces the strong, respectful and inclusive culture we are so proud of.

We look forward to a year of continued collaboration, growth and success together.

Thanh Ta

Principal

Following the success of our Welcome Back BBQ at Ryde Public School, we invited families to complete a short survey to help us reflect and continue improving our community events.

Our goal is always to make each event bigger, better and more meaningful for our students and families; and we can only do this with your honest feedback.

If you haven’t yet completed the survey, we warmly encourage you to do so using the link below:

👉 https://forms.gle/ix16rBiAW6mbkB8E8

The results so far have been incredibly affirming. Of those who have responded:

83% shared that attending the Welcome Back BBQ helped them feel more connected to the school community.
17% reported feeling somewhat more connected.

This feedback reinforces the importance of creating opportunities for families to come together, celebrate and build strong partnerships in learning.

Parents have also shared some wonderful reflections about the day:

“It was a fantastic event. We really valued the chance to connect, celebrate, and experience such a special occasion together.”

“I loved the day and feel like the school has really embraced the school community and is working hard to make events fun and meaningful for children. Thanks for letting us be part of this!” Cathrine Isaacs, P&C President

We are incredibly grateful for the support of our families and our P&C in helping to create such a vibrant and inclusive community atmosphere.

Your voice matters. If you haven’t yet shared your thoughts, please take a few minutes to complete the survey. Together, we can continue to strengthen our school community and make every event even more impactful than the last.

RPS Supporting Active and Sustainable

Travel to School

In 2025, our P&C proudly passed a motion to fund the installation of bike racks to promote a healthy and environmentally friendly way for students to travel to school. We were fortunate that at the time the NSW Department of Education was working in close partnership with Transport for NSW to support and fund schools with this initiative.

As a result of this collaboration, Ryde Public School was fortunate to receive three bike racks, strategically installed near our three main entry points. This has significantly improved access and convenience for students and families choosing active travel options.

Riding a bike or scooter to school promotes physical health, independence and environmental responsibility. It also supports our broader commitment to student wellbeing; the bedrock of all that we do. Encouraging active travel aligns strongly with our vision of developing confident, resilient and self-directed learners who make positive choices for themselves and their community.

I strongly encourage students to make use of these facilities where possible. However, safety must always come first. Students must wear an approved helmet at all times when riding. They should also use designated crossings or traffic lights and follow all road safety rules. Families are encouraged to discuss safe travel routes and expectations with their children.

It is wonderful to already see students taking advantage of the bike racks, and I hope to see increasing numbers continue to use this fantastic facility.

Thank you to our P&C for their initiative and support in helping us create a healthier and more sustainable school community.

Thanh Ta

Principal

Diverse Learners

The start of Term 1 has been fantastic in our Diverse Learning Space! Students have settled quickly into classroom routines and are showing confidence and enthusiasm each day.

Students have loved exploring Australian animals in our writing unit, which has also been extended through our engaging read-aloud texts. It has been wonderful to see their curiosity grow as they learn about the unique wildlife around us.

Students have also enjoyed integrating into stage sport and have loved seeing their friends out on the playground. We are so proud of the positive start everyone has made and look forward to an exciting term ahead!

Early Stage 1

Starting kindergarten is an exciting time for our young students as they get used to new routines and make new friends. They are curious and eager to learn about many different things. In literacy and numeracy, they are learning important skills through fun and hands-on activities.

Outside the classroom, our kindergarten students are also learning how to play together. Making friends and practising how to get along with others helps them feel happy and confident at school.

As part of Week 4’s Book of the Week activities, Kindergarten students enjoyed a fun and imaginative ‘Principal Hunt’ around the school, where they brought the story of We’re Going on a Bear Hunt to life through active exploration and play.

Every day, our students grow more excited about learning and trying new things. These early experiences are helping them build a strong foundation for a positive school journey ahead!

Stage 1

Our Year 1 students have been busy scientists this term, exploring the fascinating world of plant growth! As part of their Science lessons, they have been germinating bean seeds and carefully observing each stage of their development. Year 1 has learnt about what plants need to survive and are eager to continue nurturing their bean plants at home or in the school garden.

Year 2 have been learning about light and sound this term. They have been discovering how light and sound interact with different materials in unique ways. A highlight of their learning was using tuning forks to investigate how sound is created and travels. Another fun activity was making cup telephones, which helped them understand how sound waves travel through different materials. It’s been wonderful to see their curiosity and hands-on engagement as they deepen their understanding of these fascinating scientific concepts.

Stage 2

Our Year 3 and 4 students have settled into the school year beautifully, with the PAX Good Behaviour Game supporting a positive start. Across Stage 2 classrooms, students have quickly learned and embraced our shared PAX expectations, helping to create calm, respectful and focused learning environments.

It has been wonderful to see students transitioning smoothly between activities, following instructions promptly, and working cooperatively within their teams. They are excited to model positive behaviours not only in the classroom, but also through PSSA/sport, learning and new opportunities across the school.

The consistent use of PAX across Stage 2 has supported strong routines, clear expectations and a sense of shared responsibility. We are proud of how confidently our students are settling into their learning and contributing to a positive classroom culture.

Well done to our Stage 2 students for such a strong and settled start to the year!

Stage 3

Stage 3 has had a wonderful start to 2026. Everyone has settled back into routines and following the school expectations. We’ve all enjoyed working in our new rooms and getting to know our teacher and class mates.

Students have had the chance to try out for the PSSA teams and other school extra curricular groups. It was fantastic to see so many wanting to sign themselves up and have the opportunity to learn something new or represent our school throughout the year.

Year 5 is busy getting ready for NAPLAN coming up in a few weeks time and have been practicing our typing skills. Year 6 has moved into their leadership roles and have been such excellent role models for the rest of the school.

Well done Stage 3, we’re looking forward to an exciting year ahead!

Year 6 Farewell Fundraiser

Our Year 6 students are eagerly preparing for upcoming fundraisers to support their end-of-year activities. Full of enthusiasm and dedication, they are working together to make these events a great success. We appreciate the community’s support and look forward to sharing more updates as the fundraiser approaches!

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

EAL/D students have been busy starting their year with Speaking, Listening, Reading and Writing assessments with their new teacher, Miss Wilkes. We have enjoyed getting to know each other throughout the process and getting situated for an exciting term of language learning. The students have shown wonderful enthusiasm and commitment to their learning already.

Looking ahead, preparations have begun for our Harmony Day which looks to be a wonderful celebration of diversity and inclusion at Ryde Public School.

What we have to offer....

Visual Arts

The Visual Arts Club is off to a fantastic start with lots of enthusiastic students wanting to be involved! Currently, students are busy creating unique artworks inspired by Australian birds and animals, using a wide variety of mediums. Their creativity and dedication are truly inspiring as they bring their ideas to life.

In Week 5, teachers will review the artworks, focusing on the creativity and skills demonstrated by the students. We’re excited to see the amazing artworks our students have developed and look forward to showcasing their talent with the school community.

With so many creative projects about to get underway, 2026 is set to be an inspiring and vibrant year for the Visual Arts Club.

K-2 Junior Choir

The Junior Choir is a fun and inclusive group where students from Kindergarten and Stage 1 can develop their singing and performance skills. Students meet once a week to learn about music and rehearse as a group. Junior Choir has various opportunities to perform throughout the year, such as open and presentation days, the CAPA showcase, and at the opening of the Kmart Wishing Tree appeal.

The choir is currently preparing for their upcoming performance at the Lunar New Year celebrations in week 5! New Kindergarten students will also be able to join the choir later in the year. We are excited to have another successful and enjoyable year with the Junior Choir.

3-6 Senior Choir

Senior Choir will be holding auditions in Week 6 on Tuesday at recess. All students in 3-6 that are interested in being in the Senior Choir will be invited to come along and try out.

The Ryde Performing Arts Festival organisers are busy preparing the repertoire of songs that we will sing this year. We can't wait to see what we will be learning.

We are looking forward to another successful year full of beautiful singing and exciting performances.

K-2 Infants Dance

Due to overwhelming interest, we are very excited to be forming an Infants Dance Group in 2026. This group will begin in Term 2 and will be for any students in Kindergarten to Year 2. More information will be shared later in the term.

3-4 Junior Dance

The 2025 junior dance group has been learning the Chinese fan dance to perform during our Lunar New Year BBQ and Picnic Day. They are very excited to showcase the performances they have developed in such a short time.

The 2026 junior dance group is also very excited to begin their dancing journey this term.

5-6 Senior Dance

Our dedicated Senior Dance group from last year has been working hard to practice and perfect their routine for an exciting performance during the upcoming Lunar New Year celebrations. Their commitment and passion are sure to make this event memorable for our school community.

With Senior Dance auditions now complete, we are thrilled to see so many enthusiastic students eager to join the group this year. Building on last year’s success, we look forward to discovering new talent and creativity as the new group begins their journey. It’s shaping up to be another fantastic year for Senior Dance!

4-6 Lion Dance Troupe - COMING SOON

Band

The senior band will be performing as part of the Lunar New Year cultural celebration / welcome BBQ on Wednesday 25th February.

Even though this is very early in the year and the band has only had three rehearsals, they have bravely agreed to participate in our celebration.

The band will be performing at 11:45am under the COLA. All members of the school community are welcome to attend this performance.

The students have been working well over the past couple of weeks and even though the performance will not be polished due to time restraints, it will be a good opportunity to hear our 2026 senior band for the first time.

Gardening Club

This year, the gardening club will run for stage 2 and 3 students. Because there was so much interest last year, students will have more opportunities to participate this year with the gardening club running two days a week!

The first job on the list is to get rid of a whole lot of weeds that have grown over the school holidays. We came back to find lots of cucumbers that needed to be picked and strawberries ready to be eaten too. Students are keen to get their hands dirty and plant a variety of herbs and veggies over the school year.

Crotchet

We are excited to be bringing the Crochet Club back to Ryde Public School this year! The group's return has generated great excitement among our students, with many eager to join. Auditions are currently underway for Stage 3 students, who have been invited to create and submit a piece to showcase their crochet skills. Auditions will be open to other students in future terms.

For complete beginners who want to learn crochet skills, we will be launching a Google Classroom later this term. This will provide tutorial videos and resources to help students develop their skills and prepare to audition for the club in future terms.

We look forward to seeing the amazing crochet creations and building a welcoming, creative community in 2026 with the Crochet Club!

Debating

We have been thrilled by the enthusiastic response to our Stage Three Debating Program this term. A large number of Year Five and Six students signed up to trial, and it has been wonderful to see so many students willing to challenge themselves and give debating a go.

We would like to congratulate all students who participated in the trials. Putting yourself forward takes courage, and we are incredibly proud of the confidence, preparation and sportsmanship shown throughout the process.

We are currently carefully reviewing the trial performances as we work to develop our debating teams. We are looking forward to an exciting competition ahead!

Ms Cardillo and Mr Parthasarathy

Premier’s Debating Challenge Coordinators

Magazine

Last week, our students were introduced to Inspire, Ryde Public School’s very own magazine. The Year Five students were given a clear picture of what Inspire is all about — celebrating the creativity, achievements, and voices of our school community.

Students learned about the vacant ‘Fiction’ and ‘Non-Fiction’ Editorial roles and how they can take on leadership opportunities in shaping the magazine. We also reflected on some of the wonderful interviews and pieces published last year, which highlighted the many talents and stories within our school. The session quickly became lively, with thoughtful questions not only from students but also from teachers as well —a great sign of shared enthusiasm for the magazine moving forward.

Year Five students now have until the 1st of March to submit an online editor application form. This includes submitting an original piece of writing in any format, such as a story, poem, article or opinion piece. We encourage all Year Five students to apply for one of these exciting roles!

Ms Cardillo and Mr McMahon

School Magazine Coordinators

Technology

At Ryde PS the school provides all IT devices necessary for student learning: iPads, laptops, interactive screens and other associated classroom technology. The cost of providing and maintaining these devices is significant, and subsidised by school funds. We are continually refreshing our IT resources as devices reach the end of their usable life and require replacement. This term we will take delivery of a new class set of laptops, with further device replacement scheduled for later in the year.

A reminder that the Australian Government Social media age restrictions are now in effect. For more information, please visit the eSafety Commissioner website (https://www.esafety.gov.au/about-us/industry-regulation/social-media-age-restrictions) . Please note that student school email addresses (@education.nsw.gov.au) cannot be used to access social media, gaming, instant messaging and similar platforms. This means that students cannot retrieve password-recovery emails and the like from these platforms.

Library

The library has been a hive of activity with students visiting the library each week with their teachers to borrow books for the week. There is such a wide variety of books to choose from and students have stepped back into the routine of remembering their library bags and remembering to return their library books to the Book Muncher outside the library before school.

Kindergarten quietly crept into the library in week 3, library bags in hand to borrow their first book, they were all so excited.

Premiers Reading Challenge starts on 23rd February and runs until 18th September, more details to come. Please also keep an eye out for the display in the library that will showcase those students and classes that complete the challenge.

Book Club is up and running again. Issue 1 closes on 22nd February, purchases are made through the BookClub loop app.

Thank you to our parent volunteers who have been busy in the library helping cover new books, tidy up our shelves and sew together bunting for our school Luna New Year celebrations.

SRC

The SRC members have been voted in by their peers and are looking forward to getting together to work on some projects around the school. SRC students meet on a regular basis to plan events at school, such as silly sock day, Easter egg hunt, Clean up Our School Day and other student initiated events.

P&C Report

Dear Parents and Carers,

What a stunning start to the year the P&C has had! For many Kindy parents and children, the fun began before school officially started with a Welcome Picnic at Ryde Park on February 2. We had over 23 families attending on the day! Parents were able to have a chat over a free coffee from the cafe and children enjoyed playing with bubbles. The connections formed between parents and children in this informal setting eased nerves and have gone a long way to building a strong, supportive community. What a privilege to be part of this transition for you all!

The P&C ran a successful second-hand uniform stall on February 9, raising $1083. With the help of our dedicated volunteers, we sorted the uniforms in the week leading up to the event, which allowed us to make it much easier for families to find the item they needed in the correct size. We will hold another uniform stall on June 1, focusing more on winter uniforms.

For those families who were unable to make the stall on the day - we have an appointment system where you can email the P&C at rydepandc@gmail.com with your uniform order and you can collect it from the office or from TeamKids. Payments can be made via the Qkr app. We will do our best to fill your order with our current stock. If you would like to donate uniforms, you can drop them to the office any time!

Last but not least, the Welcome BBQ and Lunar New Year celebration on February 25 was a lot of fun! It was the school’s first time running the event and many P&C volunteers helped create the red and yellow bunting that decorated the Quadrangle and COLA. There were 3 working bees leading up to the day and we put our sewing machines, fabric scissors and irons to work with Mrs Winsor as our guide. This bunting will be used for many years to come, so it’s special to be there from the very start!

The P&C also organised for a coffee cart to come to the Welcome BBQ for much needed caffeine, a bubble wand stall for the students and a fruit box raffle (artfully designed by Lisa Tran, who is a new P&C parent!) for everyone to participate in. Special thanks to the SRC students for their invaluable support in selling the bubbles and raffle tickets! Great skills in handling money skills and staying calm under pressure were practiced!

We sold over 600 tickets and the winning tickets were drawn by Mr Ta at 2pm. Those tickets were: Kindy ticket A11 (Naomi), Stage 1 ticket B100 (Mahroleh S), Stage 2 ticket C08 (Imogen Khoo), and Stage 3 ticket D100 (Ish Moodley). Congratulations! A special smaller box was also kindly made by Lisa as a special thank you gift to the office team which Tara collected on their behalf. Enjoy your fruit everyone!

Looking forward, we have a P&C meeting coming up on Wednesday March 11 at 7pm on Microsoft Teams. Save the date and we hope to see you there!

Cathrine Isaacs
P&C President

P.S. Want to get involved? Join email us at RydePandC@gmail.com or join our P&C Helpers WhatsApp group: https://chat.whatsapp.com/HqR6AoxC3CS5evWIWeDxgL

Community Information

RoneHe Chinese Club

We are truly honoured to be part of the Ryde Public School community. This week was especially meaningful for Ronghe Chinese, as our students proudly took part in the school’s Chinese New Year celebration.

In the leadup to the performance, the children rehearsed many times. Along the way, there was excitement, nervousness, anticipation and plenty of determination. Each practice brought growth, teamwork, and courage.

When they finally stepped onto the stage, they were shining. In that moment, they were not just performing, they were representing culture, confidence, and the joy of learning together. We gave our very best. It may not have been perfect, but it was heartfelt! and that is what truly matters.

We are so proud of every child who participated. Thank you to our supportive families and to the school for creating such a warm and inclusive space where culture is celebrated and every child has the opportunity to shine.

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.

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