Dear Parents and Carers
Community of Achievers
We have reached the halfway point of Term 1, and it’s been fantastic to see the enthusiasm and hard work from both our staff and students. Congratulations to everyone for their efforts in developing skills and learning across all subjects, especially in our targeted areas of reading, writing, maths, and critical thinking.
As we move forward, let’s continue to support our students by encouraging them to complete all homework tasks and assessments. By working together, we can help our students reach their full potential!
I look forward to seeing our returning families and meeting our new families during our Meet and Greet afternoon on Wednesday, 5th March, from 5.00pm - 6.00pm. This will be a wonderful opportunity for parents to meet their child’s teachers and begin a strong partnership in supporting our students to achieve their best.
Meet and Greet Parent Evening & School Council AGM
This year’s annual Meet and Greet Parent Evening is being held on 5th of March 2025 between 5.00pm – 6.00pm. This event will allow parents and carers to meet their child/rens teachers, gain information regarding their courses and pick up a Parent Outline for each course if they haven’t already received it through Compass. This is not a parent teacher interview, but rather an opportunity for you to meet staff who will be working with your child/ren.
Following the annual Meet and Greet Evening, our School Council AGM will be held in the library starting at 6.00pm. Please attend if you are interested in playing a role as a Parent Representative.
SCHOOL PHOTOS
School Photo Day is this Friday, 28th of February 2025! Students must wear their full Dripstone uniform (Dripstone polo shirt and Dripstone shorts).
House Shirt Friday (Friday 28th of February) will be postponed for School Photo Day to ensure all students are in correct uniform.
You can order photos online now via the ordering portal link: http://dripstonemiddleschool-msp.msp.photos/ . Please follow the instructions listed below.
If you prefer to pay cash, you can pick up an order envelop from the Front Office between 8.00am - 3.30pm on school days. Please ensure order envelopes are returned to the school with cash payment before Photo Day.
If you have any questions, please contact the Front Office on 8983 7777.
Remembering the Bombing of Darwin
On Tuesday the 19th of February 2025, we reflected on the events of 83 years ago, when Darwin endured its first air raid on 19 February 1942—an attack that forever shaped our city's history. We honour the courage of those who served and remember the lives lost.
Our Year 9 Learning Ambassadors, Defence students, and Year 7 students from the Stars and Clontarf Academy attended the Bombing of Darwin Commemorative Service at the Darwin Cenotaph. They represented our school community with pride, laying a wreath in remembrance.
GIRLS IN SCIENCE
We would like to thank CDU Radicle Centre for inviting Dripstone students Rosie and Amelia (Year 8) to present their amazing science project at the International Day of Women and Girls in Science at Casuarina Library!
This event, a collaboration between Inspired NT, City of Darwin Libraries, and CDU Radicle Centre, has been celebrating women in science for the past 3 years.
Rosie and Amelia shared their project "Natural Perfume," where they explained how they developed sustainable perfumes using eco-friendly ingredients like lemon, lime, rosemary, thyme, mint, turkey bush, and essential oils. Their work highlights the importance of reducing plastic waste and avoiding harmful chemicals, making these perfumes both earth and skin-friendly! Well done, girls!
Our Year 8 students explored the fascinating states of matter using compressed nitrogen gas (dry ice)! They investigated how temperature and pressure cause different chemical changes, witnessing firsthand the process of sublimation—where a solid turns straight into vapor!
HUMANITIES NEWS: Civics & Citizenship in Action
Students in Year 9 Humanities have been diving into the world of courts, trials, and justice. During this unit of work, students examine the role of courts, judges, lawyers and juries in trials, and the rights of the victims and accused.
Students watched a mock trial of a ‘coward’s punch’ which resulted in a manslaughter verdict. Students then participated in their own mock trial based on the reality show the Bachelor where our accused was found guilty of stealing the red roses! The judges handed down a $5000 fine, a social media ban, and a lifetime TV appearance ban!
Our Year 8 students recently had an exciting and educational visit from the NT Electoral Commission as part of their Humanities Civics and Citizenship Studies. They explored different voting systems used around the world and gained valuable insights into how elections work here in Australia. The highlight of the session was a hands-on mock election! Four students presented campaign speeches to their peers, who then cast their votes using a real ballot. Through this interactive experience, students learned how the preferential voting system works and how votes are counted. It was a fantastic opportunity for our future voters to understand the importance of participating in democracy!
Thank you to the NT Electoral Commission for visiting our school and running these information sessions.
VALENTINE'S DAY & LIBRARY LOVERS DAY
Students enjoyed celebrating both Valentine's Day and Library Lovers Day during lunchtime! Our Community Ambassadors ran a bake sale, offering sweet treats and even some handmade jewellery!
Over in the Library, Ms. Wely hosted a fun Library Lovers Day event, where students got to choose a mystery book to borrow.
It is wonderful to see all our students building community spirit through kindness and supporting each other. Thank you to Ms Wely, Ms Kuo and Ms Deb for all the support they gave to students for organising this event for our school community.
Community Ambassador's International Women's Day Fundraiser:
DRIPSTONE BREAKFAST CLUB
Join us every school day from 8:00 AM – 8:20 AM for a FREE and delicious meal in the Cooking Room—open to all students!
Enjoy toasted sandwiches, cereal, juice, and toast with a variety of spreads.
2025 YEARBOOK
Due to the popularity of last year’s edition, Dripstone Middle School is excited to once again produce a yearbook for 2025! This special keepsake will highlight our students' activities and achievements throughout the year, providing your family with lasting memories of your child/ren’s school journey.
Preorders for our 2025 Yearbook are now open through the Dripstone Bookroom. Yearbooks are $26.00 each, with full payment is required at the time of ordering. Yearbooks are scheduled for delivery at the end of Term 4. Please call 08 8983 7777 to secure your copy.
DRIPSTONE ALUMNI STORIES
Meet Georgios Skoufezis, the third member of our Dripstone Alumi Series!
Discover how Georgios’ journey from Dripstone Middle School to a successful career in sports commentary, management, and public service highlights the impact of education, passion, and community involvement.
We want to hear about how you have been making your mark on the world since leaving our Dripstone Community!
Be a part of our Dripstone Alumni Series that will showcase the achievements of former Dripstone Middle/High School students and to inspire the current and future generations of Dripstone students!
If you have an exciting and inspiring story to share, please email nektaria.pikoulos@education.nt.gov.au for more information on how to be a part of the Dripstone Alumni Series.
BUS ROUTE 206 UPDATE
Please be advised that Bus Route 206 will change effective from Monday 3rd of March 2025.
The route 206 will change to depart and finish at the blue pole bus stop located on Reuben Avenue, Northcrest.
For more information, please contact Public Transport on 8924 7297 or email public.transport@nt.gov.au
A friendly reminder to all families: If your child has Asthma, Anaphylaxis (severe allergies), Diabetes, or a Heart Condition, please ensure the school has an up-to-date copy of their Health Plan. You can email it directly to dripstone.middle@education.nt.gov.au. Keeping this information current helps us provide the best care for your child while they are at school.
Additionally, Immunisation forms will be sent home this week for all Year 9 students as part of the Meningococcal B vaccination program. For Year 7 students who did not submit an immunisation consent form at enrolment, a letter will be sent home with a form to complete. Alternatively, parents can collect a form from the school office. Please note that students must have a signed consent form to receive their immunisation.
Communications
Stay in the loop on social media! Follow Dripstone Middle School on Facebook and Instagram for regular updates and a glimpse into what's happening at our school!
Dripstone Middle School uses the Compass Manager App to communicate important information, messages and newsletters to parents and families. Parents and carers can also report student absences, view reports and attendance, and contact teachers directly via the Compass app.
To set up your account, parents/carers should have received a notification via the email address supplied to the school. This notification contains your username and password. Download the Compass app and log in using the details listed, then follow the prompts. If you have changed your email address or phone number, please contact the school to update these details.
If you have any issues logging in, please be in touch with the Front Office on 8983 7777.
Parent Contributions
In 2023, we officially opened our brand-new STEAM Centre. This state-of-the-art space is utilised by our STEAM, Science, Technology, Art and Media classes.
In 2025, all money raised in Parent Voluntary Contributions will go towards the purchase of all new tech equipment to fit-out the STEAM Centre. We are aiming to raise a total of $20,000 in 2025. If you’d like to make a contribution, you can do so at our Bookroom, or by calling the Front Office on 8983 7777.
E-SCOOTERS
Electronic scooter (e-scooter) laws in the NT only allow approved hired e-scooters on footpaths, shared paths, bicycle lanes and public spaces. You must be at least 18 years old to ride a hired e-scooter.
Privately owned e-scooters can only be ridden on private property and cannot be used on:
- Roads,
- Footpaths or,
- Other public spaces, including schools.
People riding private e-scooters in public, including to and from school, risk being fined by Police for driving an unregistered and uninsured motor vehicle.
To ensure students safety, e-scooters cannot be used as transport to or from school and cannot be stored on school grounds.
If a students brings an e-scooter onto Dripstone Middle School the e-scooter will be securely stored and their parent/carer will be contacted to make arrangements for the e-scooter to be collected.
Further information can be found at: Electric Scooter and Bikes | NT.GOV.AU
We thank you for your support in ensuring a safe school campus for our students and staff.
Car Park Safety
Drop off and pick up times can be very busy and require everyone to take care and be patient.
Please help keep everyone safe by taking care and only dropping students off in the designated areas. There is a designated student drop-off and pick-up zone via the carpark off of Delamere Street, or on Tiwi Gardens Road.
Please note that the Staff Carpark off of Willeroo Street is not a designated drop-off and pick-up zone. This area has become a safety risk during drop-off and pick-up times as staff try to park their cars and students need to access their bikes from the Bike Cage that is located near this carpark.
PRE-LOVED UNIFORMS
Got pre-loved uniforms? We’d love to have them! Please drop them off at our office anytime between 8:00am and 3:30pm.
Early Departures
Just a reminder that permission for early departure will not be obtained unless the school has authorisation from a parent/caregiver. Parents/caregivers should notify the school, either through a note, Compass notification, email or telephone call to the school on 8983 7777. When students leave the school, they need to sign out at the Front Office before leaving the grounds.
Uniform Policy
As we start a new year, we just want to remind our community that all students should be wearing full school uniform. This consists of the Dripstone shirt and shorts. Black jackets with the school logo are available from our Front Office. If students are wearing alternative jackets or jumpers, they should be only black with no insignias/logos nor should they have hoods on them.
ATTENDING SCHOOL EVERY DAY
We have been working with the Attendance Team to ensure that all students are attending school every day, five days a week.
If your child is sick, they are to stay home. Please contact the school if your child will be LATE or ABSENT from school by calling the Home Liasion Officer, Mr Laqui Papalii on 8983 7758 or 0437 202 004; Ms Karen Newman the Aboriginal Education Officer on 8983 7759, Compass, email or text message. Please feel free to leave messages on our answer machine.
Please contact the school with the reason for their absence. If you child / student is sick for 3 days or more consecutively, the Department requires a medical certificate to cover the period of absence.
COMMUNITY NOTICES
Semester 1 Sports Vouchers are now available! Applications close May 24, 2025.
All children enrolled in school (Transition to Year 12) are eligible to apply for a $100.00 Sports Voucher per semester.
The voucher can be used for sport, recreation, swimming and music lessons.
Click here for more information or to apply for the Sports Vouchers Scheme.
Azzurri United Football Club – Come and Try
READY to hit the pitch, build confidence and have a blast with other fierce females who love the game?
Azzurri United Football Club – Come and Try is the perfect chance to give soccer a go in a fun, supportive and welcoming environment.
This session is all about learning new skills, making new friends and having fun – whether you’re a total beginner or a seasoned player.
No previous experience required? No Worries? – just come with a smile and a positive attitude. Let’s have fun on the field and create some unforgettable soccer moments together!
Spread the word and invite your friends! 📣⚽️ Don’t miss out on this exciting opportunity!