Dear Queenscliff Parents and Carers,
Lightning Premiership T-Ball and Cricket
Congratulations to our Year 5/6 students who proudly represented our school at the Lightning Premiership T-Ball and Cricket competition on Tuesday 3 March at Portarlington Reserve against other primary schools on the Bellarine Peninsula.
Throughout the day, our students demonstrated outstanding determination, persistence and sportsmanship. Whether it was encouraging teammates after a tough over, volunteering to try a new position on the field, adaptability by changing teams to form a mixed team or showing resilience after being bowled out, students consistently supported one another and remained positive. We were particularly impressed by the way teams congratulated their opponents on strong plays, shaking hands at the end of a match/game, helping to reset equipment between innings, and maintaining focus and effort right through to the final games of the day.
Beyond the scores, it was their teamwork, respect and willingness to give their best that truly stood out. We are incredibly proud of the way our students represented our school and embraced the spirit of friendly competition. A special thank you to Mr. Churchill and Mrs. Fitzgerald for their outstanding organisation of the event and for supporting sporting opportunities for our students to thrive and gain new learning experiences outside of the classroom.
Parent Class Representative Meeting
Last Friday 27 February, Melissa Fitzgerald and I met with our 2026 Class Representatives at Saltbush Cafe in Queenscliff. It was our very first meeting of the school year, and it was lovely to connect with our representatives. Our Class Representatives have sent out emails to families inviting you to join the Class Whatsapp Groups to assist with communication and building connection with new class groups and families. At our Class Representative meeting we discussed ideas to support school fundraising in 2026, winter uniform additions, school events, including Prep-Year 2 swimming, Nippers and school camps.
Our Class Reps for 2026 are:
Prep: Steph Ryan
Year 1: Melle Patrick and Scott Atkinson
Year 2 - Stacey Goegan
3/4F: Kelly Clifford
3/4H: Lauren Vosbergen and Nina Whitton
5/6T: Elisa Brent and Floor Martino
We are seeking 2 Class Representatives from 5/6C to join the team for 2026.
School Council for 2026
School Council nominations closed on Monday 2 March. I would like to congratulate Heidi Boyd and Frances Crotty on being successful in becoming parent representatives on our School Council for 2026 and 2027. Heidi has been a member of the School Council for several years, whilst Frances joins for the first time. We look forward to having Heidi and Frances join at our next School Council meeting scheduled for Monday 16 March.
QPS Choir - One Planet Festival
Our QPS Choir will be performing at the One Planet Festival on Saturday 28 March at Ocean Grove Park. Thank you to Maddy Serong for providing our students with this valuable opportunity to showcase their creative singing talents and to contribute to our local community. We invite QPS families along to join for the day, and to enjoy all that the festival has to offer focusing on sustainability and care for the environment.
Week 6 Excursions
This week, we have students participating in a range of excursions with a focus on sustainability and the environment. On Wednesday 4 March, our Year 5/6 students will be participating in a Marine Discovery Biology Cruise. Students will attend the Marine Discovery Centre for an information session, and then they will climb aboard a vessel to explore a host of marine life that live in Port Phillip Bay. Students will travel across the bay to visit a local colony of Australian Fur Seals and Australiasian Gannets located near Popes Eye. The focus of the cruise is on animal and plant adaptations, classifications, biodiversity and human impacts affecting the bay. This exciting excursion aligns seamlessly with the Year 5/6 focus for Integrated Studies on the topic of ‘Global Oceans’.
As part of their Science learning this term, our Year 1 and Year 2 students will be participating in a Local Area Environmental Walk through the beautiful parklands and beaches of Queenscliff on Wednesday 4 March. This experience will allow students to explore and observe our local environment up close, deepening their understanding of natural features, living and non-living things, and the ways in which people care for and impact the environment. Students will investigate coastal and parkland ecosystems, observe seasonal changes, and consider how we can play a role in protecting our local spaces.
Good Luck Mrs Hickey
Congratulations to Mrs Morgan Hickey and the Queenscliff Cricket Club in their semi-final win on the weekend against Barrabool Cricket Club. Mrs Hickey and the Queenscliff Women's 1st XI will compete in the grand final this week against Anglesea Cricket Club. We wish Morgan and the Queenscliff Women's team on the best.
School Council Community Catchup - Point Lonsdale Surf Lifesaving Club
Our School Council invites parents/carers to attend a 'QPS Community Catch Up' at the Point Lonsdale Surf Lifesaving Club on Friday 13 March from 4pm-9pm. This is a wonderful opportunity for our parents to get together to connect and make new friendships with other parents in our community. Parents may wish to drop in for a catch up at a time that suits you. Last year, our School Council organised an event at the Royal and it was very successful with many families in attendance.
Drinks and pizzas will be available at the club for purchase. There will be a DJ providing tunes. We encourage our new 2026 Prep parents/carers to join us for this social event to connect with other QPS families.
This event is an ‘Adults Only’ event - School Council encourages parents/carers to make arrangements for your children if you wish to attend.
School Council invites parents who are interested in attending, to complete the Expression of Interest form below, so that catering can be accommodated by PLSLC. If you wish to attend, please complete the form below. Parents are not required to have a membership to the club to attend the event.
EOI - QPS Community Term 1 Catch Up
Parent Payments on Compass
Families who have not made Parent Payments for 2026 through the Winc portal can now make their payment directly via Compass. Please log in to your Compass account and follow the prompts under ‘Course Confirmation/School Payments’ to finalise financial school contributions.
The support of our families plays a vital role in helping our school provide the highest quality education and care for our students. We are sincerely grateful for everything you contribute—whether through fundraising, volunteering, or offering your time and expertise. Your involvement makes a meaningful difference to the opportunities we can provide.
Thanks to this ongoing support, we are able to strengthen our learning programs and maintain, improve, and develop our school buildings and grounds. These contributions help us create the safe, engaging, and stimulating environment that our students deserve.
As a non‑profit organisation, Queenscliff Primary School relies on more than the funding provided through the Department of Education and Training’s Student Resource Package. The gap between this funding and the cost of operating our school to the standard our community expects is met through School Council fundraising, grant applications, and voluntary financial contributions. Without your curriculum and other voluntary contributions, many of the programs and facilities we value simply would not be possible.
Thank you for supporting the smooth start to the school year.
NAPLAN 2026
Students in Year 3 and Year 5 will participate in NAPLAN in Week 7 and 8 of this term. Throughout this term, teachers will be spending time in class assisting to prepare students for the NAPLAN assessments. Students will be provided with a 'Practice NAPLAN' assessment in the coming weeks to assist their understanding of the online platform and login process.
If your child is undertaking NAPLAN this year, please ensure your child is at school by 8:50am on the nominated dates below so that they have time to settle into class before the assessments are administered. Assessments will commence at 9:15am.
2026 NAPLAN Dates
Week 7
Wednesday 11 March - Writing
Thursday 12 March - Conventions of Language
Week 8
Monday 16 March - Reading
Tuesday 17 March - Numeracy
Students who are absent on a day of NAPLAN Assessment will be provided with time to complete the assessment on another nominated day. If you have any questions regarding NAPLAN, please email your child's teacher.
QPS Cross Country
This Thursday, our school is hosting our Cross Country Carnival. Our Prep, Year 1 and Year 2 students run in and around the school grounds on a marked course. Our Year 3-6 students will run along the magnificent Rail Trail, with the Grade 3 and 4 students running 2km and Grade 5 and 6 students running 3km. Students who qualify for the next round will progress to the District Lightning Premiership Cross Country Event held at Drysdale Reserve on Thursday 26 March. Students are to wear their House PE tops on the day, as they will be representing their House.
A special thank you to all of our parents and carers who have volunteered to support on the day in ensuring it is safe and successful for our students. We have parent volunteers assisting to supervise students whilst competing on the course along the Rail Trail. Thank you!
Parents/carers are welcome to come along and cheer their students on. Bring a picnic rug and enjoy a snack after the event. Please see the timetable below for approximate times of student events. Please note that we do our best to run to times, however, these may alter slightly due to the running pace of students. We look forward to seeing you on the day!
Harmony Day - Friday 20 March
Harmony Day is a national celebration of cultural diversity, inclusion and belonging in Australia. It is a time to recognise and value the rich backgrounds, traditions and stories that make up our community, while reinforcing the message that everyone belongs.
This year’s theme, “Everyone Belongs”, reminds us that diversity is our strength and that respect, understanding and kindness help create a community where all people feel valued and included.
The official Harmony Day is held on Saturday 21 March, however, our school will be celebrating it on Friday 20 March. Students are invited to wear a splash of orange on Friday 20 March. Orange is the official colour of Harmony Day and symbolises social communication and meaningful conversations.
Throughout Week 8, students will participate in a range of classroom learning activities focused on celebrating cultural diversity, exploring identity and promoting inclusion. We look forward to a week of thoughtful discussions, shared stories and vibrant learning across our school.
Information regarding how parents and carers can be involved on the day and in the week leading up to the event will be provided in the coming weeks to families via Compass.
Assembly
Our next school assembly will be hosted this Friday 6 March at 9am. We will have Year 1, 5/6C and 3/4F showcasing their learning. We encourage all parents, friends and community members to come along to join us for this occasion. Assembly will commence at 9am on the hardcourt area outside the main building. We hope to see you there!
School Council
Our School Council’s AGM will be held on Monday 16 March 2026, whereby our new members to the School Council will be announced following the nomination and ballot process.
If you have correspondence or feedback you would like to provide to the School Council, parents and carers are invited to email our School Council President, Daniela Sayegh at daniela.sayegh@education.vic.gov.au .
Nyatne baa Gobata
(Thank you and take care)
Mat McRae
Principal
