From the Principal

ABOUT RIDDELLS CREEK PRIMARY SCHOOL

Welcome to our school!

Located in the town of Riddells Creek approximately 60km from Melbourne, our school has an excellent reputation within the community. Our school motto “Step up and step out for success”, defines what we stand for. We are a school dedicated to building our young people into confident, capable lifelong learners.

Situated on over 2 hectares we have plenty of space for our students to play and imagine. Riddells Creek Primary School runs the Stephanie Alexander Kitchen Garden Program for years 3 and 4. Each week our students cook food from produce they have grown themselves in our veggie gardens located on school grounds and using eggs collected from our very own chickens.

Riddells Creek Primary School strives to provide personalised learning experiences that develop each student‘s skills, knowledge and character. There is a strong focus on whole school improvement driven by rigour, consistency and teamwork. The key values are confidence, commitment, persistence, cooperation and respect. Student relationships and social skills are enhanced by the “You Can Do It!” and Berry Street programs as well as the use of a restorative framework in dealing with conflict.

Emphasis is placed on Literacy, Numeracy, Science and History, but we also provide a broad spectrum across the curriculum encompassing Auslan, Art, Drama, Music, Sport, Physical Education and Technology. We value our Stephanie Alexander Kitchen garden Program offered in years 3 & 4 and the expanded palette and food appreciation it offers our students. We offer a wide range of enrichment programs including instrumental music, chess, student leadership, choir and an Out of School Hours Care Program, before and after school. Transition into the school, across the school and into secondary school is a major focus.

Riddells Creek Primary School has a long tradition of parent participation in school activities. From helping out in classrooms through to accompanying us on excursions and camps, we encourage you to consider our school a shared space where we meet to partner in developing the skills and talents of each student.

Kind regards,

Sally Curmi

Principal

Our Purpose

RCPS strives for our students to become curious, creative, motivated and inquiring learners through the provision of a wide range of learning choices and exemplary teaching. Students will clearly understand their role in the learning process and will negotiate how they might best achieve the educational goals appropriate to their stage of learning. This will enable them to demonstrate their understanding, knowledge and skills to the best of their abilities in a personalised and positive learning culture.

We aim to:

Engage every child in personalized education that addresses individual interests, needs and potential
Integrate digital technology to enhance teaching and learning and provide new avenues for self-expression and understanding
Explicitly teach thinking skills and metacognition
Structure rich learning experiences that develop creativity, cooperation, collaboration and individual expression
Provide an active welfare program using the Kidsmatter framework and built around the You Can Do It! program and Restorative Practices.
Explicitly teach the values and behaviours that promote a community and successful participation as active social citizens.

Collaboration in learning between teachers, students and parents is important so that learning is done ‘with’ students rather than ‘to’ students. Connecting learning at home and school, partnering with families, and providing timely and effective communication will develop trust and provide a strong team approach in the education and wellbeing of our students.

Our Values

We value the whole child and the importance of well -being. We promote social responsibility and civic engagement, compassion, resilience, perseverance and independence to capably prepare our students for an ever changing world both locally and globally.

At RCPS we have a vibrant teaching and learning environment which encourages our students, staff, parents and the community to be critical life-long, independent learners who value themselves and others and who are aware of their place in and responsibility to the wider community.

We have a strong focus on the nine values for Australian Schooling: Respect, Tolerance, Responsibility, Honesty and Trustworthiness, Integrity, Fair go, Freedom, Care and compassion, Doing Your Best.

These shared values are part of Australia's common democratic way of life, which includes equality, freedom and the rule of law. They reflect our commitment to a multicultural and environmentally sustainable society where all are entitled to justice.

Our Class Structure

There are two learning communities operating at Riddells Creek Primary School: a prep to year 2 community (Banksia) and a year 3 to 6 community (Melaleuca).

Within these communities children are organised into various groupings. There are times when children have the opportunity to work in multi-age groups depending on their needs and the purpose of the lesson or activity.

Multi-age groupings allow the teacher to provide:

Opportunities for social interaction between the different age groups
A spirit of mutual assistance and acceptance between students
For each child to work at different times in different ways for different purposes.
Opportunities for extension of students beyond traditional year expectations
Students are also allocated a house colour for sport days. Students also participate in multi-age house meetings on a regular basis and earn points for their respective houses.

Our Staff

Administration Staff

Principal: Sally Curmi

Assistant Principal: Amelia Desormeaux

Office Staff: Cathy Calder and Flo Wallace

Teaching & Education Support Staff

Sarah Barclay, Jessica Collins, Maryanne Doria, James Fedoruk, Jason Fisher, Caitriona Goldsworthy, Stacey Griffin, Annie Horton, Liv Kidman, Jo Kinder, Brigid Krohn, Natalie Lee, Nicole Macartney, Marion Maxted, Mark Mura, Jenna McKenna, Michelle O’Connor, Kallee Ruscoe, Anna Shaw, Sandra Stewart, Deb Taylor, Leanne Vandermeer, Michelle Webb.

Out of School Hours Care (OSHC)

Helen Halliwell, Barb Wersching, and Flo Wallace (admin).

Cleaning/Canteen

Deb Taylor

Maintenance

Leith Picking