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 19 December - Thursday 30 January 2025
Staff Return - School Development Days - Friday 31 January - Wednesday 5th February
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 Thursday 6th February 2025
.......and this is what parents are saying about Ryde Public School:
"Teachers are so supportive in regards to my child’s learning and development"
"My kid's teacher always has a happy face and positive energy, I really appreciate her efforts. "
"The teaching staff are always able to share personalised and easy to understand feedback on my child's academic and social progress at school. I’m always impressed with the quality of teachers at RPS"
"________ is lovely. Engaged, responsive and genuinely invested in the children in her class"
"_____________ were so friendly and kind that made me feel safe and welcome. They shared their insights and perspectives on my child's learning and I could tell how much they care and how well they are equipped with professional knowledge. I really appreciate their hard work and love for our children"
School Captains' Report
CAPA showcase
In Week 7, our CAPA students did a stunning job performing for the parents and the school. Our Senior and Junior dance groups performed ‘Synergy’, ‘Showstoppa’ and ‘Space Jam’. Our Drama students showcased ‘Alice in Wonderland’. The Senior and Junior choir sang ‘Welcome the Day’ and ‘True colours’. Our Senior Choir and our Senior Dance group came together to perform ‘Rip Up the Recipe’ to end the assembly.
Jersey day
On Friday of Week 8, students will wear sport jerseys to support the year six farewell, by bringing in a gold coin donation. This is the last fundraiser of the year. Thank you to all the students and parents for supporting our fundraisers throughout the year.
Kindergarten Orientation
On Wednesday of Week 8, Kindergarten students of 2025 will be coming to have an orientation at the school. There will be presentations from the school leaders, teachers and other important people that are part of the Ryde Public School community.
Presentation Day
On Tuesday of Week 9, Ryde Public School will have Presentation Day. Students will receive lots of awards including Academic, Consistent Effort, CAPA, Sport awards and many more. The 2025 school leaders will also be announced at Presentation Day.
Year Six Farewell and Fun Day
On the 16th of December, Year Six students at Ryde Public School will attend Year 6 Fun Day. As the name suggests, it will be a day filled with fun. Students will start with watching ‘Paddington in Peru’ which year 6 students collectively voted to see, followed by students having the opportunity to play unlimited games at Timezone, an entertainment centre featuring a variety of arcade games.
Jayden, Oliver, Sophie and Summer
Attendance Matters!
We want to do all we can to be sure your child achieves their potential and enjoys being in school.
We know that school is the best place to learn. By attending school every day your child will get the most out of their learning and improve their career and life options.
When your child is absent it is important you let the school know, including the reason why, on the day or the day before. This helps make sure we know where our students are and offer support for you and your family if needed.
If you are having trouble getting your child to school every day or on time, please talk to our school staff so we can work together, because every day counts.
Missing a day here or there may not seem like much, but absences add up and can negatively impact your child’s learning and wellbeing. When your child misses one day per fortnight, that's 4 weeks of missed learning in one year. Over an entire school journey this adds up to 1 year of lost learning.
COVID-19 is still circulating in the community. We can all minimise the spread of COVID-19 and other respiratory diseases by maintaining good hygiene practices at home and school.
Please contact the school if your child needs to miss school for any reason, so we can plan continued support for your child’s learning and wellbeing.
Release of new Ryde Communication Guidelines
In August 2022, Ryde Public School had the opportunity to participate in a Community Engagement project with Woolcott, a contracted research company working with the Department of Education. The goal was to enhance our understanding of how we, as a school community, can collaborate to support your child's learning and wellbeing. One of the key recommendations from the study was the creation of a Communication Guidelines. Following Woolcott's consultation framework, we gathered feedback from the community through various workshops and surveys. After developing a draft document, we engaged with the P&C for further feedback. We are delighted to now share the finalised Ryde PS Communications Guideline with the community. You can access the guideline through this link, and it is also available on the school website (https://ryde-p.schools.nsw.gov...) for your convenience.
The Best Education Money Can't Buy...You can find it here at Ryde PS.
For 175 years, NSW public schools have been at the heart of education, preparing today’s children to succeed and build better communities for tomorrow.
We do this every day at Ryde Public School by ensuring that students are at the heart of everything we do.
So for the best education money can't buy, choose your local public school.
Find out more: https://education.nsw.gov.au/schools-near-me
Did you know you can still enrol your child in Ryde Public School for 2024 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
Special Events at Ryde....
Presentation Day
On November the 1st, I had the privilege of representing Ryde Public School and the entire Ryde Zone at the State level of the Premier's Spelling Bee. I felt extremely daunted when I first entered the Q Theatre in Penrith. After breezing through the Practice Round I started to get the hang of it, and soon enough the feelings of worry washed away. Despite not achieving a podium finish, I'm still proud of myself for getting this far into the competition. All I can say is that I'll definitely remember the word "jettison" next time I try to spell it! “ Daniel Kim - 6GP”
End of Year Showcase
On Wednesday 27th November, parents, students and staff were invited to watch the end of year performances from our school’s Creative and Performing Arts groups. Parents shared positive feedback about all performances and our wide range of Performing Arts opportunities here at Ryde PS. Students showed excitement and were inspired about joining a performing arts group next year! Well done to the students and teachers who have given up their lunch breaks to put together an amazing show! We look forward to forming our performing arts groups again next year!
Premier's Spelling Bee
On November the 1st, I had the privilege of representing Ryde Public School and the entire Ryde Zone at the State level of the Premier's Spelling Bee. I felt extremely daunted when I first entered the Q Theatre in Penrith. After breezing through the Practice Round I started to get the hang of it, and soon enough the feelings of worry washed away. Despite not achieving a podium finish, I'm still proud of myself for getting this far into the competition. All I can say is that I'll definitely remember the word "jettison" next time I try to spell it! “ Daniel Kim - 6GP”
Special Children's Christmas Party
On Wednesday 11th December, 3-6S and 3-6P attended the Special Children’s Christmas Party at Rosehill Racecourse. We started the day with meeting some of our favourite characters such as Mr Bean and The Grinch. There were endless amounts of food that we ate including pizza, sausage rolls, cookies, ice blocks and jelly. We were so lucky to be given a gift bag full of toys and a stuffed puppy to take home. We got our faces painted, enjoyed some fun rides and played video games. We are very thankful to the charity Variety who put on this day for us and can’t wait to attend next year's Christmas party.
Ryde X-mas Card Competition Winner
PRC Gold and Platinum Certificates
On Wednesday, Mrs Bellamy presented students with their Premier's Reading Challenge Gold and Platinum Certificates. Congratulations to these students who have successfully completed the challenge 4 or 7 times!
Screen Free Fun at TeamKids!
RongHe Chinese - Learn Mandarin
Welcome to our fun RongHe Chinese! Here, children dive into the fascinating world of Mandarin through engaging games, creative activities, and interactive lessons. Whether your child has a Chinese background or is completely new to the language, we have tailored classes just for them!
For kids with a Chinese background: Enhance their skills, learning Pinyin,Chinese characters, Chinese poetry and take their language to the next level.
For kids without a Chinese background: Discover Mandarin from the basics, learning pinyin, Chinese characters and culture all while having fun and building confidence.
Our program sparks curiosity, ignites a love for learning, and ensures every child enjoys their journey in mastering Mandarin!
融合中文
欢迎加入我们有趣的中文课，一个充满欢声笑语、激发兴趣的学习天地！
热爱才能走的更远！
快乐学习汉字：拼音，汉字的读跟写！
趣味中文故事：听儿歌，感受古诗的魅力！
互动游戏挑战：在学中玩，在玩中学！
中国的文化：了解中国的节日，探索中国的历史！
What we have to offer....
Student Representative Counsel (SRC)
This final report of 2024 highlights the hard work and achievements of the SRC throughout the year. The SRC has been dedicated to enhancing the school community and supporting our school through various initiatives.
One of the most memorable projects this year was creating bunny footprints for the Kindy students during Easter. The SRC members collaborated and decorated the footprints, bringing joy and excitement to the students.
The SRC successfully organised and ran stalls for Mother’s Day and Father’s Day. Members worked diligently to plan, set up, and sell various gifts. This initiative provided a wonderful opportunity for students to show appreciation for their parents and guardians while raising funds for the Year 6 Farewell.
In preparation for the introduction of new purple Return and Earn bins next year, the SRC has been actively working on informative posters. These posters will be used to educate students and the school community about the importance of recycling and how the Return and Earn program works. The SRC is excited to promote sustainability and encourage responsible waste management in our school.
We look forward to continuing our efforts and exploring new opportunities to support our school community in the coming year.
Visual Arts
It has been a fantastic first year running our Visual Arts Group. The artistic talent that our students have displayed continually blows our minds. The Visual Arts Group were given a wonderful opportunity to help out our 3-6 Drama Group in creating props for their ‘Alice in Wonderland’ show. The playing cards came out looking absolutely amazing and we are so proud of them! As the year comes to an end, this also means finalising all of our clay projects, adding paint to bring these models to life!
K-2 Junior Choir
What a wonderful year of singing and learning we have had in the Junior Choir! In the lead up to our CAPA Showcase performances, our choir members regularly gave up playtime during lunches and recess to perfect our rendition of True Colours. It was wonderful for us to have the opportunity to perform three times in the hall, for parents and carers, for years K-3, and for years 4-6. We have had positive feedback from students, teachers, school executive and parents, and we would like to extend our thanks to all Junior Choir members and their families for their hard work and support.
3-6 Senior Choir
The Senior Choir has been hard at work rehearsing for our final performance of the year.
We are so proud of all the hard work, dedication and positive attitude students have displayed this year and appreciate their efforts.
Drama
In Week 7, our talented students across 3-6 transported the audience to the enchanting world of Wonderland with their spectacular end-of-year production of Alice in Wonderland. The school’s hall was filled with family and friends, all eager to witness the magic unfold on stage.
From the moment Alice tumbled down the rabbit hole, the audience was captivated by the vibrant costumes, imaginative sets, and outstanding performances. Each student brought their character to life with enthusiasm and charm, making the curious creatures and whimsical inhabitants of Wonderland unforgettable.
At the final curtain call, the hall erupted in applause, celebrating not just a wonderful performance but all the sense of community that binds us all. A heartfelt congratulations to all involved for making this journey through Wonderland a resounding success!
3-4 Junior Dance
As the year comes to an end, it’s been a joy to reflect on the incredible growth and energy of our junior dance group. It’s been a year of learning, improving, and working together. Well done to all involved!
5-6 Senior Dance
The Senior Dance group has worked hard all year, performing at various events inside and outside of school. With the final performance at the CAPA showcase earlier in the term, the students have shown their dedication and passion for dance. Congratulations on a successful year!
Debating
With our debating year coming to an end, our big focus this term has been on ensuring that both of our teams are ready for the debating challenges ahead of them in 2025. With our Year 6 team heading off to debate in high school and our year 5 students getting ready to be the future leaders of our next teams, both of our teams are excited to face the new year head on.
Crochet Club
It’s amazing to see that students have been practising their fine motor skills on the playground during recess and lunch. Stage 2 and 3 students have inspired creativity and exploration in knitting and crochet club this term. Students have expanded their skills from making a single crochet stitch to learning how to do a row of double crochet stitch. Other students are refining their skills in both knitting and crochet and have successfully made their first granny square. It is amazing to see the different unique granny squares that students have been working hard creating. These squares will form a beautiful blanket to be used in our school’s sick bay in 2025.
Library
The library is officially closed for the year! Borrowing finished in Week 8 for all loans to be returned prior to the school holidays. Thank you to all students who have done this.
It has been a big year in the library with many transformations and updates. We thank staff and students for their patience throughout this process.
Further exciting additions to our library have arrived, including our new circulation desk and more shelving. We are looking forward to using these in 2025!
In Week 8, school volunteers were invited to a morning tea to acknowledge and thank their efforts across the year. We thank them for their generous contributions, consistently supporting the school to enrich the Ryde experience, and hope to see them back next year.
Our library monitors completed their final shift in Week 9, ensuring our library is returned to working order for 2025. Our whole school community has benefited from their efforts and we are appreciative of their hard work and commitment throughout the year.
Diverse Learners
The past few weeks in the Diverse Learning Space have been filled with growth, learning and memorable experiences both in and out of the classroom. Our K to 2 students attended the Jamie Ranger incursion where they participated in a range of hands-on activities such as building bird houses. Students have enjoyed learning about clay techniques and practicing their skills using modelling clay. Our 3-6 students have enjoyed learning about capacity in maths, getting outside to estimate and measure the capacity of different containers.
Early Stage 1
Last week, Early Stage 1, went on a Science excursion to Clifton Gardens. The students had a great time investigating different bugs and catching them. Kindergarten also participated in Billy Kart racing, making slime and paper rockets. The students got to test out their rockets and see how far they went. This excursion was a fun way to end Kindergartens' first year of school.
Stage 1
Stage 1 has been working on building their digital technology skills. Year 1 has been learning how to type and code different directions using BeeBots in maths. Year 2 has also been working on typing, coding, and exploring Google Classroom. In addition, Stage 1 students have been introduced to stop-motion animation, where they use Ipads to create short, animated stories by capturing frame-by-frame movements. The students have had so much fun learning to type, code, and bring their creativity to life through animation!
Stage 2
Last week, our enthusiastic Year 3 and 4 students embarked on a memorable excursion to the beautiful Auburn Botanic Gardens. It was an enriching day filled with exploration and learning as they delved into the diverse ways communities commemorate, celebrate, and remember significant events. The gardens provided a vibrant and inspiring backdrop for our students to understand the importance of cultural traditions and historical remembrances, sparking curiosity and appreciation for different cultures. A day well spent in nature's classroom! 🌿📚✨
Stage 3
Stage 3 has been hard at work this term learning all about the shift and changes that the Earth goes through during natural disasters. To finish up our work on the subject this term, each of our Year 5 and 6 classes have been making their very own paper mache volcanoes! Being able to see just how destructive these forces of nature were, helped our students gain new insight into their work. Using their expertise in paper macheing and fantastic paint skills, each class' volcanoes exploded with vibrant colours making the day a messy but rewarding experience!
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.