Dear Queenscliff Parents and Carers,
Victorian Interschools Snowsports Championships
Congratulations to Cooper and Darcy Harandian and Sol Eldridge who recently took part in the Victorian Interschool Competition at Mount Buller. This exciting event brought together schools from across the state to compete in a wide range of alpine and snow sport events, including alpine giant slalom, cross-country skiing, snowboard races, and moguls.
Our students gave their very best on the slopes, showing courage, persistence, and teamwork in challenging conditions. The weather throughout the competition was stunning, with blue skies and impeccable conditions.
Cooper competed in three events throughout the championships. In the Division 4 Alpine Giant Slalom he placed 83rd out of 198 and in the Ski Cross he placed 77th out of 200 competitors. Cooper competed in the Moguls event and placed 9th out of 92. Since Cooper placed in the Top 20 in the Moguls event, he has qualified for Snowsport Nationals where he will compete against the Top 20 competitors from each state. Snowsport Nationals will be held in September at Mount Buller.
Darcy competed in the Division 5 Alpine Giant Slalom and placed 119th out of 178, 98th out of 173 in the Ski Cross and 52nd out of 114 competitors in the Moguls event.
Sol competed in the Division 4 Snowboard Giant Slalom and placed 23rd out of 48. He also competed in the Snowboard Cross finishing 32nd out of 51 competitors.
We are incredibly proud of Sol, Cooper and Darcy and how they represented our school throughout the competition. Congratulations Sol, Cooper and Darcy on a tremendous achievement.
‘Legally Blonde Jr’ Spectacular
Bellarine Jongleurs had their ‘Legally Blonde Jr’ production at the Potato Shed on the weekend. Queenscliff Primary School had six young performers in the play that displayed great talent and enthusiasm on the stage. Congratulations to Clem Vistarini, Lily Golightly, Edward Jackson, Esther Mclean, Darcy Harandian and Macy Murphy. Bellarine Jongleurs is accepting new members aged 7-17 for their November showcase and beyond. A huge congratulations to Ms. Teyha Robertson for her leadership, organisation and assistance in the production.
Mad Science Show
We were excited to host the Mad Science Show at our school on Thursday 28 August. The show was a high-energy, interactive performance that ignited students’ curiosity and imagination through exciting demonstrations and hands-on experiments. Throughout the show, students explored a variety of scientific concepts including Bernoulli's principle and the basic concept of flight, the importance of oxygen, heat energy and fuel to a fire, the irreversible chemical reactions that create new chemicals such as gas, push and pull forces, static electricity and the important role of electrons in a circuit. The show inspired a love of science and encouraged our students to explore the world around them with curiosity and wonder.
Geelong Book Week Competition
Congratulations to Charlie High who came in the Top 4 for Geelong’s Book Week Competition hosted by the Geelong Advertiser. Charlie dressed up at Mowgli and Kaa from the Jungle Book for our Book Week Parade. What an impressive costume Charlie. Congratulations!
Winter Additions to School Uniform
Recently our School Council met and decided to make two new additions to the QPS School Uniform. This came about after gaining feedback from a range of parents and carers in our community.
We now have a navy puffer vest with the QPS emblem embroidered onto the front. The navy puffer costs $54.95.
Also, we have a navy, white and blue checked tunic added to the school uniform that is paired with a navy skivvy and navy tights. This addition has been added to provide options for students during Winter. The Tunic is priced at $78.90, navy skivvy - $17.50 and navy cotton tights at $19.00. In lieu of this addition, the form checked kilt will be no longer available for purchase. Students who currently wear the checked kilt can continue to do so.
Parents and carers can visit the Noone Uniform website to purchase the new additions online.
Prime Minister’s Spelling Bee Competition
Congratulations to our amazing Year 5/6 students who recently took part in the Prime Minister’s Spelling Bee. This national competition challenges students to put their spelling skills to the test under timed conditions, showcasing not only their vocabulary but also their focus and determination. We are incredibly proud of all our participants for representing our school with such enthusiasm and effort. Well done to each of you for taking on this exciting challenge!
Year 3-6 Nippers - Swim Safety Assessment
In Term 4, our school will be hosting a Nippers Program for students in Year 3-6. As part of the Nipper Program, all students will participate in a mandatory Safety Swim Session and Assessment at the Bellarine Aquatic and Sports Centre on Friday 5 September. This will provide important information on water safety and allow us to assess students’ swimming and floating abilities to place them into appropriate ability groups for the Nipper Program. The Safety Swim Assessment is a mandatory requirement by Life Saving Victoria for all school-based Nipper Programs.
In Term 4, the Nipper Program will run on Friday afternoons on the following dates for students in Year 3-6. The Nipper Program on these dates will occur from 12:30-3pm. Further information regarding the program will be provided to families later this term.
7th November 2025
21st November 2025
28th November 2025
5th December 2025
12th December 2025 (Celebration - Mini Carnival)
The Nipper Program for students in Year 3-6 is optional. For those students who will not participate in the program in Term 4, they will remain at school and engage in other learning programs. If you do not wish for your child to participate in the Nipper Program in Term 4, we ask that you decline consent and deposit payment for the Compass Event titled ‘Safety Swim Session and Assessment’.
If you wish for your child to participate in the Nipper program in Term 4 and the Swim Safety Assessment, we require a $20.00 deposit and parent/carer consent. The overall costs of the Nipper Program will be between $70.00-$80.00 in total. These costs include Surf Rescue Certificate training for staff, Time-In-Lieu costs for staff who completed training, CRT costs to cover staff attending and administration. The remaining costs for the Nipper program will be required for payment early in Term 4 via Compass.
We look forward to our Year 3-6 students participating in the Nipper Program in 2025, with the aims of enhancing their confidence, skills and safety at the beach.
Year 3/4 Camp
Our Year 3/4 students had an unforgettable experience on their recent two-night camp at Sovereign Hill, Ballarat. Stepping back in time to the 1850s goldfields, students and staff immersed themselves in life during the Gold Rush. Highlights from students included panning for gold in the creek, touring the underground mine, watching the lively and hilarious pantomime show, confectionery making and trying their hand at old-fashioned games. Students also enjoyed exploring the Sovereign Hill museum, pa and experienced the sound-and-light show AURA.
The camp provided a wonderful opportunity for students to build independence, strengthen friendships, and make lasting memories while connecting with Australian history in a fun and interactive way. Students represented our school with pride and respect throughout the duration of the camp.
In the words of Clem Vistarini - “Camp was certainly an enjoyable experience. We participated in various activities such as candle dipping, mine tours, a gold pour demonstration, gold panning, and eating delicious foods. Many of the children that participated in this event had such a wonderful time. Though some people were nervous, they overcame their fears with such pride. Sovereign Hill was truly an incredible experience”.
I would like to take this opportunity to sincerely thank our amazing QPS staff for all of their efforts, enthusiasm and outstanding organisation in ensuring our students had an enriching camp experience. Thank you to Teyha Robertson, Harrison Thompson, Melissa Fitzgerald, Hannah Petrie, Mackenzie Woodman, Stuart Mandley and Danielle Carson.
Term 3 School Council Community Event - Friday 12 September
Our School Council are organising a Parent and Carer get together on Friday 12 September at the Royal Hotel from 4:30pm. Parents and carers are welcome to join to connect with other parents and carers. Members of our school staff will also be joining for the event. It is an ‘adults only’ event. It is a wonderful opportunity for members of our school community to come together to connect, form new friendships and build on existing ones. We hope to see you there!
If you are interested in joining for the event, please complete the Expression of Interest form below so that the Royal Hotel can be informed regarding catering and staffing. Please complete the EOI before Friday 5 September.
School Council Community Event EOI Form
School Council Sausage Sizzle and Pie Lunch
The School Council will be hosting a Sausage Sizzle and Pie Lunch on the final day of Term 3 in conjunction with our Footy Day celebrations. Order forms will be sent out to families in the coming weeks. All order forms and payments must be returned to the School Office by Monday 15 September. On this day, there will be no online lunch orders available through Cafe 3225. The School Council will be seeking parent volunteers on the day to assist with preparing and cooking the sausages and pies. If you are interested in volunteering, further details will be sent out to families via Compass in the coming weeks.
Chess Club for Term 4
Thank you to the parents and carers who registered interest in their child participating in Chess Club. Due to Chess for Schools having limited availability of staff during Term 3 to run the club after hours, we will look to explore this opportunity for Term 4. Chess for Schools will be running a free incursion on Friday 12 September at lunchtime to gauge student interest.
Queenscliff Market Parent Volunteer Roster
The Queenscliff Community Market season will commence on Sunday 28 September 2025. The Queenscliff Community Market is held once a month from September 2025 to May 2026. The Market is a key fundraiser for our school, with 75% of the profits from stallholder applications being donated to our school. From the 2024/2025 Market Season, we had over $15,000 donated to the school. These funds go towards specialist programs, learning and wellbeing resources and grounds and gardens projects.
This year, we have Fred Rhoads and Richard Fewster leading the Queenscliff Community Market organisation with the support of Lisa Golightly. Thank you to Fred, Richard and Lisa for your leadership and commitment to supporting our school and the market's success.
Richard, Fred and Lisa will be organising a working bee in the coming weeks to assist in preparing Princes Park for the new Market season. The Market Committee will send out correspondence via Compass in the coming weeks. Preparations include whipper snipping certain areas of the park for stall holders and painting bricks with numbers to mark stallholder locations. We would be grateful for any parent volunteers who may be able to assist.
At each Market we require parents and carers to volunteer their time for 2 hours over the period of the Market season. Parent Volunteers play a pivotal role in supporting stallholders on the day and to ensure the market runs smoothly. We require every family to volunteer once throughout the Market season for 2 hours. The volunteer times include the following:
7am-9am
9am-11am
11-1pm
1-3pm
Each family has been allocated a date and time on the attached roster. This ensures that we spread the load with families so that each family only needs to volunteer 2 hours of their time over the Market Season. Please see below for the Market Roster. Families have been listed on the Market Roster using surnames.
Queenscliff Market Parent Volunteer Roster
In the event that a family is unable to volunteer on their assigned day, we ask that you connect with another family to arrange a swap. Once confirmed, please email the school at queenscliff.ps@education.vic.gov.au or phone 03 5258 1696, so that we can keep the roster up to date and ensure the Market runs smoothly. If families wish to volunteer more than they have been rostered, they are welcome to contact the school via email or phone. When Parent Volunteers arrive at the Market for their allocated time, we ask that you check-in with the parent volunteers who have been rostered on prior to you.
If you have any questions regarding the Queenscliff Market season for 2025/2026 or the Parent Volunteer Roster, please do not hesitate to email queenscliff.ps@education.vic.gov.au or phone the school on 03 5258 1696.
Thank you for your support for the Queenscliff Community Market. It is a key fundraiser for our school to support our students' learning and wellbeing, and we are grateful for your contribution as a volunteer.
Parent/Carer Opinion Survey
Our school is currently conducting the annual Parent / Caregiver / Guardian Opinion Survey. Survey links and passwords have been sent to a random selection of parents and carers within our community. The survey, offered by the Department of Education, is designed to assist schools in gaining an understanding of families’ perceptions of school climate, student behaviour, and student engagement.
Your opinions are important to us and will contribute to identifying areas for improvement and professional development needs in the school and to target school planning and improvement strategies. The survey will be conducted online and only takes 20 minutes to complete. The Parent / Caregiver / Guardian Opinion Survey is open until Friday 19 September 2025.
Father’s Day - Coffee Van - Friday 5 September
This coming Friday 5 September, TheirCare are providing a Coffee Van on our school grounds from 8:15am until 10:00am to celebrate Father’s Day on Friday 7 September. We invite our dad’s, grandfather’s, parents and carers to pop into school on Friday to enjoy a warm beverage with your child and to connect with other families.
R U OK Day
On Friday 11 September, our school will be taking part in R U OK? Day, a national initiative that reminds us all to check in with those around us and ask a simple but powerful question: “Are you OK?” The day encourages us to build a culture of care, support and connection within our school community.
Students will be participating in a range of age-appropriate learning activities to help them understand how to support each other, recognise when a friend might need help, and learn the importance of kindness and listening.
To mark the occasion, students are asked to wear their full school uniform with a splash of yellow to show their support for this important cause. This initiative is being led by our Wellbeing Leaders, Laila and Sass.
Term 3 Class Rep Meeting
The Term 3 Class Rep Meeting will be held at Shelter Shed on Thursday 11 September at 9:30am. We look forward to meeting with our Class Reps to talk about all things related to school.
GAWS - Student Leadership Fundraiser
Our Student Leaders have selected GAWS - Geelong Animal Welfare Society, as their chosen charity to support this year. Over the past few weeks during Student Leadership meetings, students have been busy planning ideas to organise a fundraiser. The following ideas and events have been
GAWS Pet Drive - Student Leaders will be seeking physical donations of pet supplies to contribute to GAWS. These items can be brought into the school office from the beginning of Week 8 - Monday 8 September. Student Leaders will be distributing posters and flyers outlining what items GAWS are in need of to support the good work they do for animals.
- Pawsome Photography Competition - Students will be invited to submit photo entries of their pets for the Pawsome Photography Competition. There will be four categories that students can submit photos into:
Cutest Photo (Pet Only)
Funniest Photo (Pet Only)
Most Creative Photo (Pet Only)
Most Look-A-Like Photo (Student and Pet)
Students who wish to enter will be required to complete a Submission Form outlining the category that they wish to enter. All submissions require a $2.00 donation per photo. Submissions of the photos are due in Week 1 of Term 4 on Tuesday 7 October. All photo submissions must be submitted at the School Office along with the $2.00 donation. The Pawsome Photography Competition will be judged by the student leaders and certificates will be awarded to the top 3 photos in each category. All funds raised from the competition will go towards GAWS.
Pet Dress Up Day - On Friday 10 October, students will be invited to come to school dressed up in a pet or animal related outfit or costume. Students will be encouraged to contribute a gold coin donation to support GAWS. We look forward to seeing the creative costumes students come to school dressed up in. The Student Leaders will organise a special ‘catwalk’ parade on the day and animal related games at lunchtime.
Showcasing Excellence in Drama
We are excited to announce that Queenscliff Primary School has been selected by Drama Victoria to participate in a Department of Education–supported project titled The Art of Learning: Investigating Quality Drama Curriculum in Primary Schools.
This initiative aims to showcase excellence in Drama education across Victorian government primary schools and explore what contributes to quality curriculum delivery in diverse school contexts. Queenscliff Primary School was selected due to the exceptional program delivered by our Performing Arts Teacher, Mrs. Hannah Petrie.
As part of this project, a special filming event will take place at our school to capture our students’ creativity and talent, celebrating the high-quality Drama education we provide. We are proud to have Mrs. Hannah Petrie, our students and school recognised in such a significant way.
Footy Day - Friday 19 September
On Friday 19 September, our school will be hosting a Footy Day to celebrate the final day of Term 3. Students are encouraged to come to school dressed up in their footy colours or their favourite sporting team colours. In the afternoon, students will participate in footy related drills and games in their Houses and there will be a Student vs Staff Football game held at lunchtime. Parents and carers are welcome to join for the afternoon of games and drills.
OSHC - TheirCare in Term 4
TheirCare will commence OSHC service at our school in Term 4 from Monday 6 October. TheirCare is hosting a Parent Information Webinar on Wednesday 27 August from 6:30-7:30pm. Please see below registration details. Bookings for Term 4 TheirCare are now available - visit TheirCare - Family Login
TheirCare hosted a Parent Information Webinar on Wednesday 27 August. For those families who were unable to attend, you will be able to access the webinar by clicking the link below. The recording requires the following password to view.
Their Care Parent Information Webinar Recording
Password: 2Gse5eE@
Steph and Jarran from TheirCare attended our assembly on Friday and shared some insights about their OSHC Service. It was a wonderful opportunity for families to meet with TheirCare staff.
Assembly
Our next assembly will be held on the final day of Term 3, Friday 19 September in Week 9. Parents, carers and community members are invited to join us for this special celebration whereby we will have 5/6C, Year 2, PE and Performing Arts Specialist showcasing their learning.
School Council
Our next School Council meeting is scheduled for Monday 8 September. I look forward to meeting with our School Council members to discuss school operations, financial planning and our school’s strategic plan.
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
